In the not-so-distant future
April pushed Jet through the desolate landscape that was formally Milford. Nearly everything was different now. In the east, a gigantic structure loomed like a distant sentry protecting its fallen prey.
It’s only been a year. What happened? Jet thought.
“Is this where you grew up?” April asked.
“Yes, but I don’t recognize it.”
Most of the landmarks were there, but were changed. There were subtle differences. The library, a place she considered a second home, had scorch marks outside the windows of the concrete building. It was like someone took a flamethrower on the edges of a window frame. All the glass was missing from the windows, debris made pushing the wheelchair an arduous task. A reflection of something caught her eye.
“Wait,” Jet said.
April stopped pushing the wheelchair.
“Why do you want to stop here? It’s getting dark and I want to be secure before the darkness comes?”
“We will be, but I want to see inside,” Jet said.
“I saw someone in there,” April said.
“I think I did too, but I have this for protection.” Jet showed April the electric shock device she got off that crazy truck driver. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“I’m still getting used to my new body. It seems like a long time ago since my accident,” April said.
“I know Sally felt terrible after the incident. And it was a good thing that we ran into that helpful cybernetic doctor. Otherwise, you would have been… gone.”
April pushed Jet toward the main entrance of the library. It was dark inside and even in the dimming late afternoon light, she felt exposed.
“Well, look who’s here Donnie,” a familiar voice said.
Jet recognized that voice. It was Jake. The boy who attacked her all those years ago. She gripped the shocker. She didn’t think that he was a threat, but after what they experienced on the road to Milford, she wasn’t taking any chances.
A tall male figure and a slightly shorter one stumbled out of the library. The boy she knew as Jake looked skeletal. It was like he hadn’t eaten a meal in days. The other shorter boy, known as Donnie, looked even worse. He had several holes in his shirt and jeans. His belt was clinched so tight the excess looked like a long dangling snake.
“Hey, that’s Nigel’s girlfriend,” Donnie said.
The boys took a step in their direction.
“That’s close enough,” April said.
“What are you going to do about it?” Jake said.
In an instant, April had both her hands wrapped around Jake’s neck.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“You–are not going to hurt my family.”
“Stop it April,” Jet said.
The cyborg ignored her friend’s pleas. Instead, she reaffirmed her grip on the bully.
“Stop it," Donnie said.
The cyborg let up her grip log enough to backhand Donnie. He went flying to the ground. Jake was crawling away, April went after him. Jet fiddled with the controls on her chair until it moved again. She rammed April with the chair. The cyborg turned. Her expression changed to something that terrorized Jet. The malevolent smile of Delta was present. The sweet girl she knew as April was nowhere to be found. Delta grabbed a piece of metal and smiled. Jake put up a hand as the young cyborg swung at his head. Jet couldn’t clearly remember what happened. A metal rod was lying on the ground and Delta was injured. A milky pink substance oozed from her hand.
“I command three to stop in the name of the Governor,” a robotic voice said.
Jet shot a glance in the direction of the voice. A massive bald man with arms the size of tree trunks held a pistol in his meaty hands. Jet gasped as the man holstered his gun. Half of his face was missing. It was replaced by smooth metal skin. The man’s head and shoulders appeared to be made of metal.
“You are under arrest for violating the rules of the Commonwealth—”
“Shut up Rocco,” a man’s voice said.
Jet watched an elderly man dressed in a white suit and safari hat approach.
“Sorry master,” the giant known as Rocco said.
“Sorry for my bodyguard’s overzealous nature. He’s the shoot first and ask questions later type.”
The older man looked familiar. Jet couldn’t place him.
“Who are you?”
“Forgive me. I’m usually not so rude, but with the world in the state that it’s in. I’ve turned a bit paranoid in my old age. My name is Eldon Tage.”
Jet couldn’t believe that she was in the presence of the most powerful man that Milford had ever known. In addition to being a billionaire, Mr. Tage was known for his philanthropy work. But he was rumored to have a dark side. Nigel had confirmed as much during the aftermath of the ill-fated attempt on Nigel’s life, then later with the cabal.
Why is the richest man in Milford, or in the tri-state area for that matter, interfering with a squabble among some random teens?
“What do you want?” Jet asked.
“I thought that is obvious, restoring order to the great city of Milford. I’m truly sorry for the injury to the cyborg, but I can get her fixed up.”
“Who appointed you? I don’t remember seeing your name on the ballot,” Jet chided.
Mr. Tage laughed.
“I wasn’t elected. But now that our democracy has failed. Someone needs to run the New Milford Republic.”
“What the hell are you talking about? The United States is still a democracy.”
“True, but many of the states on the eastern seaboard have seceded from the union. There’s about thirty-two states remaining last I checked. It’s created a bit of a problem for several of my companies. But I won’t bore you with that.”
A distant howl interrupted Mr. Tage.
“I suggest you let me help you. I hear the trapper is on the prowl.”
“Who?”
“A dangerous man who has amassed a sizable number of followers. I can protect you at the mansion.”
“Go Donnie, now!” Jake said as he ran away.
Mr. Tage gave his big bodyguard a nod, then he holstered his weapon. The man reached an enormous hand into his trench coat and pulled out a black circular object and threw it into the air. It hovered just above the man’s head for a moment. Then he pulled back a sleeve to reveal an LCD panel that seemed to be implanted into his forearm. He tapped on the LCD and the object headed toward the running teenage boys.
“Don’t hurt them,” Jet said.
“Don’t worry, my dear. There will be no–lasting damage,” Mr. Tage said.
Rocco chuckled as he fiddled with the controls. Jet watched in horror as the drone hovered just above the boys. Jake hit his neck in a swatting motion. Then he fell to the ground, motionless. The other boy lie motionless on the ground.
“Good shot, the older man said.
The burly man clapped his hands in delight. “I told you Rocco had use.”
The large man kneeled to the older man. The scene reminded Jet of a dog trying to get the approval of his master.
“We really should be going now. Are you coming, my dear?” Mr. Tage said to Jet.
Jet shed a tear as she tended to April’s wounds. The world and the man she loved were—gone. It was a brave new world, full of strife. But she would hold on to any hope that something good could come out of all the pain and sorrow. She would make a difference. The journey to the watchtower has begun.