One Step
Keeping the communication afterwards wasn't difficult. It wasn't obvious before, but the president ensured the navy and army were like cousins holding each other's hands, intimate but awkward. The national guard, on the other hand, could be well represented in the same scheme as the little cousin both the older cousins didn't bother with but cared for.
The only situation to beware of was the police forces. Those had to be monitored, and with Miros’s addition to Fox’s planning team, it was actually easily achieved. Fox might have noticed Miros was more than a great, advanced technological expert during the first days, but he didn’t know Miros had such grip on the matter of intelligence.
No wonder the president was giving him such a short amount of time. Not only did Fox count with the support from the Ly forces, something that was limited still, but he had a little genius in the matters of spying and infiltrating networks and cybersecurity.
Furthermore, as a kid who trained in Piya Sanctum District, Miros wasn’t an ordinary civilian. He had breath, and he was a full-fledged special agent, but only as a 2nd Grade ranker, a seconder. And not one of the bests, for that matter.
But it wasn’t crucial. Miros’s most advantageous use was from the distance, where he could manage his drones, safeguard intelligence networks, and alert of any major cybernetic attack.
Colmillo helped a lot in this, complementing Nala and especially Miros during the planning and gathering intel phases of the operation. Fox mostly focused on reading their findings, curious, possibly useful, pieces of information, and solid results from research. As for sharing ideas, brainstorming in group, and drafting and re-drafting errors or improvements, that was done as a group in discussion.
They only rested, outside of planning the operation and managing the received information, a few hours, not even a full third of a day. Colmillo rented a suite in the mega hotel, which Miros conveniently lived with her, but even the dirtiest mind knew nothing happened. Colmillo was well-behaved, and Miros an idiot.
Day after day, when the last day of the 1st month arrived, the president posted a short video briefing the severe change about to occur. It was ominous and filled with incertitude. It was a simple, ‘in 2 days, we’ll talk’ notice, but with the previous times he had to appear… the Teros citizens already felt the need to worry.
During that time, Fox went to the boutique to check the shop. Fabiola only had a few minutes of her big brother lately, but she was growing used to it. Besides, she was also a maturing young woman, and who knew of her suitors.
The boutique opened with valiant, increased popularity. If Fox’s ‘calling upon’ 5 millions Lys were enough to gain him the attention of the rest of the 11-story building and district, then the fact he became the first Chief Secretary of Security topped it all from before.
It was a delusional understanding, crazy but powerful, at first. Then, as days passed, and there were no incidents, or relieving of such a post to such an inexperienced young man, or a dispute, Fox’s position virtually solidified itself.
There were already talks to buy the 5th floor, while the other remained quiet and watched. Those higher and higher up were apartments, as having business so high-up wouldn’t be seen as advantageous, especially when each floor is independent of one another.
On the other hand, those people living way above the 4th floor might be more willing to not live where the CSS’s boutique was for a multitude of reasons.
The new 2 floors were now available, with the quality and quantity of bundles as good as ever. Furthermore, now there were some dedicated spaces for niche merchandise. What’s more, the prices were a little lower than one might think they would be. The boutique began attracting more clients because of this, making good use of their 4 floors to gobble up these clienteles.
While it was still unknown how much would the boutique make at the end of the month, 1 million credits was the attendants, clerks, and the now managed with 15% of the boutique’s profit directly to her pockets; estimate. Fabiola had done well in the boutique, and after getting along for the past few months, they talked a bit more to discuss Fabiola’s payment and integration.
Thus, Fabiola became the manager, while ‘rumors’ of more such posts maybe-maybe becoming available in a not so far but still far future whispering throughout the employees.
Nevertheless, Fox was paid 15,000,000 credits as the Chief Secretary of Security, now at full display as he was this close of seeing the magic behind his work, and that of his team, in but less than 24 hours.
Therefore, in the year 1,026, 2nd month, 1st week, 2nd day, Luis Heartez prepared a ceremony before making the big announcement. It started in the morning, with the announcement of a final initiative before elections: to return the festivities of the country so they could be full displayed. Nothing like giving food to a starving crowd, and now that the people felt a wisp of their power before, and their new ‘oppressor’ was just that previous target, they supported the initiative.
It was unknown if it would be more than half the people supporting this, but just 30% immediately cheering for it in the first hour it is announced was enough. Which, according to the received intel in real time, might just be the case.
Then, after the final initiative’s announcement, in which it included the public festivities returning to all of Lýmoca, Fox was put on the pedestal, a moving, ‘you can hit me’, one.
… First, he met with the mother and children, fathers and grandparents of the guards he killed that night a year and a few months ago. The place Fox was to attend was immeasurably wide. The seats were a square area enough for more than 1,000 people to sit together, with their family or separate.
Meanwhile, Fox’s stage was only a few meters long and 2 meters wide. He wore a raven black, humble suit. The podium was tall, but just right for him. The microphone was a traditional one, and there were no banners, symbols, or words behind Fox. It was him… one side with more than a thousand people, hundreds of families, and then him on the other side.
“… I have once said I will make it up to you, Lys, for showing me you alone can make a powerful entity, like the Supreme Court Justice, bend its knee. It doesn’t matter whether I included or if others thought I included that night in Sargonde or not— know that I do now.” Fox addressed the families before him, silent and criticizing, although some couldn’t help spilling tears.
“Not much is known of my person when it comes to my mental health, only that despite the things most of you still don’t know about, I’m as clear and understanding as you are. That makes me an honest person, since I could always fake these words and expressions instead.” Fox wore no emotion in his face, only his resting one.
“But I do know of loss. Mistakes and urgent tragedies are only this,” Fox swung his chin in the air, ending up skylarking. A gulping sound emerged from his throat. “I lost more than someone then, too. Although it was an accident… I never meant to kill any Ly who wasn’t a lagj. Since the moment I participated in the fruit of nature’s event, I aimed for neutralizing non-special agents.”
“I failed there, my rage and fear impulsed me— I only took the step necessary to continue doing so until there were no more. I am in the wrong… I apologize.” Fox looked ahead, focusing on his front. There was only silence, only pain.
“I can’t honor them, nor can I reimburse you the pain or their lives. I will, however, fight for you now. It’s okay if you want me to drop to the ground, but just wait until the worst has happened. I can compromise, and I mean to commit myself to this. It might not be my honest intention, but I will drag with me everything I did, and return it to you with the same intensity that I hurt you with, but using love instead.”
“And please,” Fox hurried as soon as he spoke those last few words, seeing a change in the people’s expressions, and their sonorous, beating hearts. “Don’t clap or yell… Make no noise. From my experience, when running from a massacre or watching those close to you fall in one, even hearing it from afar… It can only be well-accompanied with silence… Thank you for listening to my words.”
Fox walked away from the podium with his chin a bit low, but his head still faced ahead. To his surprise, unexpected and leaving him stunned for a while, some people walked to him from the seats. Most were women, wives or mothers, with few men and other young people.
Fox was encircled, but it was the mothers who led their ‘encirclement’. “Fox, my child was Ignacio Plumez. He has curly hair and es morenito (a little brunet), did you see him?” - “My… my girl’s name was Sofia, she always thought of others first, did you…” - “How did my husband die? Sob, he might have been an idiot but, my husband…!” - “Short and chubby, a thick ball of curly hair, did you see him? My husband?”
Entrapped yet maintaining his composure, Fox felt some sneaky news anchors angling their lenses towards him, none from the independent media. But it didn’t matter, for even if these people weren’t convinced to go talk to him like this, Fox would’ve welcomed it anyhow.
It was cynical, indeed, but this also worked for him… He never thought about the people he killed in that building. It was one thing for criminals and special agents, but just guards doing their job? The only ‘sensible’ reason Fox could attribute to an action like this was how he went on cooperative assignations with Nala’s team. They targeted international ‘thieves’, other SAs.
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Could he have felt alien to Lys then? Most likely… but what about now? He changed. Before, he didn’t bother thinking about it, nor them, any Ly. But now… why did he wonder so much of the consequences? It was still not guilt, or duty; he wouldn’t die ‘for a country’, but rather… work for its people?
Fox spent 2 hours like this, ‘meeting’ the people who wanted to hear it from him. No more systematical responses from living people with a job, or pity and hate-inducing notions from their surroundings. Just the person who hurt them the most letting them face him. He remained in that little corner of this space, his back against the wall.
Fox even paid attention to a little girl whose only family, an elder brother, died in his hands. Her speech talking about her brother reminded Fox of someone immediately. It was something she wouldn’t clarify, as the image of the person who initiated the massacre’s misunderstanding flashed in his mind. But he let the girl touch his palm, taking his glove off and holding her little hand like she was a princess. It wasn’t enough, but he could at least do that much.
Wanting it or not, as Nala picked one of his suits, a humble suit for this occasion, cameras managed to capture or eternalize his image or breathing moments… appearing… kind.
… Then, Fox met with the family of the man whose head he chopped in the building. Fox was just starting, and the deceased’s family were ordinary businesspeople, but they were so much better than him at this game.
He walked onto a wide stage where Roam, representing Luis, and the family of the man he beheaded sat in separate groups. Roam had a few secretaries/receptionists from the main building, while Fox stepped up alone.
As soon as he entered the stage, and all sorts of attention went to them, the family stood up and shook hands with Fox. They each tried to bury their pinky fingernail in him, completely avoiding detection from the cameras or reporters’ eyes.
When the widow’s turn came, she held his glove tenderly, but Fox could smell a poison rubbing into his skin through the glove. Other than reminding him to research good, daily use bion gloves for future situations like these, to a dangerous level, Fox experienced yet another ugly part of human nature, and the world in general.
This event was much shorter, with the family members turning to talk a few words about the deceased husband, father, and uncle. There were no grandparents here, although Fox knew they existed. They semi-advertised their business before leaving the microphone, a luxurious one.
When his turn came, the family wanted to see him start puking nonstop, until fainting., but he instead gave a 13-minute speech without sweating a bullet. He spoke of the man’s efforts to work hard for Lýmoca, and the vast tragedy that befell him as the consequence of a series of suspicious acts where ‘one’ had to act in the spur of the moment.
Fox held some actual truth to his words. Riverlye wouldn’t get him to kill the vice president and then a random secretary of hers. Silencing? But it wasn’t the man who was suspected of betraying the current presidency, or else, with PSD in Luis’s side and in charge of intel gathering, that man would have never arrived to that position.
It was the man’s family instead, whom the Riverlye wanted to send a little message, and that Luis didn’t want to be in close terms with, neither one way nor another. Similarly, PSD’s White Blood has information of this family having shady connections.
They weren’t the only ones…
… Next, Fox met with a guy whom he beat the shit out of some time ago, in that fateful alley where Fox had his first massacre; his first hunt.
He was that young man, Rubén. His father, Emanuel, an ‘ex-’criminal lord of Coalely who stepped down out of safety and his son. According to Luis, and even media rumors, he did it for his country, too. Only Fox knew how fast the man’s heart beat was when seeing him. Fox wondered, was the man was glad to have chosen this path? Emanuel wouldn’t be targeted in less than 36 hours, as these events culminated around 5 PM, after all.
At last, Luis addressed the citizens.
… In the center of Proteros City, Lýmoca’s capital. In front of the presidential precinct’s southern only gate. With the sun hiding as evening came, the president spoke in front of tens of thousands of citizens.
The president stood on a stage almost 3 meters tall, so everyone could look at him, and he them. Behind him were from his left to the right, and from closest to farthest; Lesly, Roam, Fox, Egoaiz Prein, and the rest of his cabinet.
“Some weeks ago, you witnessed the capabilities of the ‘agency’ I have already tried to implement in the nation throughout the 25th.” Luis looked around at the few people who came and remained here to hear him. But that was just as well, the less people were in the streets…
“Special agents, as we call them,” Luis spoke, not knowing the intricacies of what this would entail in the future. The actual future. “They are the next generation of most valuable resources. This isn’t just information taken from the entertainment media, but a truth that I have confirmed and come to respect for years now.”
“Infrastructure? That’s right, not assassinating my political rivals, or stealing their secrets. I have sent the best of my cabinet to plan for the improvement of the interstate routes connecting the south to the center, but I couldn’t do it choosing the ‘wrong’ public companies to do it. The very same who have created those roads you know, those residences you know— which either disappeared after a couple of weeks of use or fell down!”
“Supplies? You have seen it yourselves…” Luis stared in a certain direction. Everyone knew what was in that direction after the happenings in the city last month. “There, I admit I didn’t expect such vile things. And now, I hope such absurdity will NEVER befall our country again!”
“You have also seen the social programs… I hate those words after hearing them so many times from the opposition.” Luis shook his head, not noticing the clamor his previous statement just caused. It was small, but it was in response to him. “Without a firm hand supervising the use of those tens of billions of credits, I wouldn’t have the face to see you now, as there wouldn’t be any.”
“This country was corrupt! And I alone was nothing against it!” Luis raised his voice… more and more. “But even though not all special agents move for their land, those I know do. And now…”
Luis looked at the people. He knew he should stare at the cameras, as Lesly reminded him, but at this moment, he was in a state of his own world, and he only saw the flesh and blood that share history, origin, and life. “I will show you what their fearsome, now truly lethal, protective side looks like.”
“By now, the government's office should have posted an urgent notice. We will place a temporary martial law in the capital. There are instructions there!” Luis raised his voice as the tens of thousands before him felt restless. Nobody could blame them. His voice’s volume sudden raise garnered attention before him and on the internet, as it propagated everywhere. “Food, medicine, cloth, water, and a disposable radio have been prepared for every household. You will find yours in the stands at every community.”
“Follow your obligations as Lys in need and don’t cause trouble for others. Support each other instead. As we speak, the Ly military forces are waiting in position. You will have until 5 AM of the week’s 4th day to return to your home or find a building to hide in. Starting from that day and time onwards, the organized crime is formally recognized as a threat to the security of the people. Every criminal pertaining to those groups, or any other criminal association, might find themselves wanting to surrender yourself to the people: its authority, army, and special agents!”
“Know that you can, and you will become Lýmoca’s prisoner, not a ‘pariah’, and much less will your nationality be smeared. Those ‘rules’ from previous administrations were the germ that infected the last sane embers of our country. I hereby decree… such anti-Humane regulations abolished!!”
“Every criminal who wishes to confess and surrender, do so for your safety! For the love of family! For the people hurt during these hundreds of years! For your blood!” - “Lye!!”
“…” Luis suddenly stopped, his face back to its usual: silly. He didn’t expect anyone to say anything, or follow his enthusiasm, let alone… roar? He himself didn’t know why he felt so empowered, at least emotionally. But he couldn’t stop himself.
Akin to contractions in one’s torso when shaking before vomiting, Luis continued, awoken by another feverish cry from the crowd before him. “Lye!!”
“The country has endured this impertinence extending outside our hands, our land, our borders.” Luis held the podium’s corners hard, and slightly extended his neck, his sharp gray-black eyes charismatic. “I ask of you to wait and see it for yourself… Lýmoca will be respected by both— its sovereignty won’t be tarnished by any foreign hand, nor its very—own—blood!!!”
“LYE!” - “LYE!” - “LYE!”
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP!! CLAMOOOR! CHEEEEEERS!
Luis breathed weakly, overexerting himself with shaky emotions. He looked at his side, looking for somewhere, or something. He found Fox’s face, who turned to face him after feeling his gaze. Fox impassively looked at his President, who sweated with widened eyes.
Shortly after, a group of people brought tables with documents on top. One was for Fox, and the other for Luis, although the latter also had to go through the former.
Fox signed the documents on his side, with Luis signing his decree first. As this happened, an upheaval of emotions occurred nationwide, while everything spread to the rest of the world, faster than imaginable with such blessed social media.
Fox stepped back, leaving the pen on the desk, feeling the hot breeze this evening not so unbearable anymore. Luis showed his signed decree with an impassive expression before a person carefully stored it in a top-quality folder and suitcase.
Luis walked to Fox’s table and signed it too before showing it to the crowd and cameras, and then turned his head back at Fox out of nowhere. Fox lifted his left eyebrow inquiringly. Luis returned his attention to the front, offering nothing more. Fox stepped forth, and when he neared Luis, the latter placed a hand on his left shoulder blade.
CHEEEERS! Cheeeeers~~!
Fox politely and then impassively smiled at the crowd. They looked so excited now. Who knows later? He wasn’t like this before being recruited, and he knew many in Preut were similar to them, but here these were, enjoying it not even seeing a thing. Still, this was to be expected.
… An opposition that never expected something like this, shaken to the core and not even knowing where to start. The current government’s administration, which couldn’t contain every feeling of pride and relief they felt when seeing these responses in public and online. A Supreme Court Justice that remained in the shadows. The lagjs who were eerily silent, and hoogs that never appeared in public…
And then, the organized crime groups, who would know later on; and once they did, they only had 2 choices.
“…” Fox grinned from the left corners of his lips. ‘I have to see the calm after the storm.’
…