Movement… And Outside Movement
A clear sky, nearly in the afternoon. At a random place outside any city, somewhere near a dirt road passing through a village. The trees were tall, but this was no Proteros. It was calm, but there was also the eeriness from being far from a city that isn't always there, but it is here. Just as the wind blew a little, strange sounds far from nature in the middle of almost nowhere emerged, roaring and cracking from and in the skies.
Just a few seconds later, no more, 3 warplanes rushed into view, moving through the sky and nearing the village, meaning they flew low on purpose. Following their movement, everything suddenly turned chaotic, with strikes that weren’t even seen, and the warplanes becoming enormous above one’s head.
An instant later, dirt and smoke blew into the skies, the ground at the sides deafening with countless splinters from houses that were torn to rubble to their foundation. The warplanes continued flying, circling away from the village to make another pass.
On a long street, with poor infrastructure, and what seemed like a school or an enormous parking garage of an open space on the side, and houses on the other. The street was strangely empty. Almost not a single vehicle parked on either side, which was rare for a street like this.
Some delinquents walked to the only vehicle on the street, throwing it gas and lighting it on fire. It was a slow burn, which slowly spread everywhere and caused a tremendous smoke to rise into the air. It wasn’t much, but from something much smaller than a house, it seemed like a lot.
Then, various images of trucks and other vehicles, even grouped motorcycles, passed by the screen before Luis nodded at the person handling the computer. “Thanks, that will be all. Thank you everyone for coming again today, let’s go have our meal.”
Luis stepped away from the large screen behind him and bid the news reporters farewell.
It was the 2nd day of the month’s 2nd week. 3 days since the Ly forces’ operation on the organized crime groups began. Luis presented the third report on the situation, with the full 3rd day’s report being prepared for tomorrow. As he left, the news reporter bid him farewell.
It wasn’t an enthusiastic farewell, at least not from everyone, but it was one. Luis left feeling relaxed and in a good mood again, like everything he did for those press conferences was just right, what he should do. As for the images just now, they weren’t something to be scared of.
Before showing them those images, Luis showed them videos of actual footage taken by some people. Among them, those who were bandits. There were few videos like this that ran all over the media. There was one of Ly warplanes overflying a OC camp by mistake before circling around it to scout it. This happened many times during these few days, where the Ly air forces hunted for these hideouts.
More often than not, these warplane groups only fly and scout, never striking unless necessary. There might be a fuel deposit nearby, and they are almost always located within nature, so it was very dangerous to attack right away. It was more efficient to scout, report, and then let a land unit take care of it.
As for the air strike, it was indeed from Ly warplanes, but not towards a village. They would also not fly that low when attacking like they were warplanes at the start of the SO. It was an open area of a OC base, where they were far enough from any tree or bush, probably cut down to make the 1-story houses.
These were just edited and mixed together to make the video, which made all of the world gasp at Lýmoca’s true tyranny and inhumanity finally being exposed.
This video spread in Lýmoca media since the first hours of the 9th day, giving ample time for the Lýmocan government to investigate the matter. Now, Luis exposed it, as well as indirectly slapped the heck out of every news anchor that acted like the rest; most from the opposition.
As for the video of the truck being light on fire, the ones responsible were shown beforehand, where the perpetrators were caught and displayed in the press conference. They were call people of some public servants in the LV and NSH polie parties, which, of course, the ones they were connected to denied having any connection to their doings.
They also didn’t seem worried about someone spilling the beans, and within reason. After all, who was enemies and who was friends with the Supreme Court Justice? They could just say they interpret the law as not able to punish those ‘peacefully manifesting’ against the government. After all, they did clear an entire street for their little ‘project’.
As for the images of all sorts of vehicles burning on streets… Those weren’t from Lýmoca. Not only from other countries, from the south, for example. But they were also from a few years ago, a decade, and even in the past 1-2 centuries. The vehicles’ models proved it even more easily.
It was a blatant disrespect to… human intelligence, really. Furthermore, many Lys bought it. Once the images the president showed were elaborated and proof was shown, it would infuriate the Lys who were taken by surprise like idiots. More food for the president, in a way.
It was still noon, so he could get a meal with Lesly. Smiling to himself, Luis walked to the car parked for him at the back, where he told a White Blood where to go.
***
NSH building, somewhere around the center of Proteros City. Nearing 12 AM.
NSH president Galan Piador, a white man with black, unserious eyes, long hair, and slender and lazy. He was in a call with somebody, of which they seemed important. Galan Piador nodded and gulped with fully open eyes before saying, “Yes, yes. I understand. Thank you. Oh no, please. Yeah… I understand. Will do, will do. Haha. We’ll see the news, won’t we? Hahaha… Ah, yes, I promise. It will be done correctly.”
“Phew…” Dropping the phone on the table, Galan puckered his lips and retracted them, cleaning the sweat from his temples with his sleeves before grabbing a thick bottle and drinking a third of its water.
He breathed in and out a few times and sat straight, checking the time a few times while hearing the voices outside, waiting for him, but also making him feel calmer every few seconds.
“Siiigh.” At last, Galan relaxed enough. He accommodated his sleeves and grabbed his jacket while standing up, putting it around his shoulders before closing his eyes. A few more relaxing breaths later, he walked to the glass doors, exited the room, and went to find the others.
“President Galan!” Someone saw him before turning around the corner to meet with the circle of NSH and LV, both united to see this problem, but only for the moment. Galan walked to Muñoz Estandarte, who stood with some of his party’s people.
Antonia Carla, the one who was the candidate for this next term from LV, stood close to Muñoz. She was a brown middle-aged woman, who for some reason decided to have a strange, even ugly hairstyle. Her long brown hair looked like flat clay at the sides of her forehead and everywhere else. She was short and fat, but her smile showed how determined she was to get this president seat for her party.
Galan gave her a quick look before staring at Muñoz, showing how weird it felt to choose her. Muñoz ignored the look and asked Galan, “What happened? You were taking long in that call, I almost thought we had another damn sea issue.”
Galan gulped, guttural sounds emerging below his head towards the back of his chin before flatly speaking, “This is really important. I think we finally have the chance. Bring your close ones, and the… you know which to work this out. You understand me?”
“Yeah, yeah…” Muñoz frowned, seeming a little scared before bravery emerged from his black eyes. He looked around before beckoning some other people from his party, and then gave them a stern face, making them walk to him with a serious expression.
Galan did the same, but he was calmer and somewhat more ‘used’ to‘ this. A few people came to his side, with Loma Jenta being one of them. He looked at Muñoz, who seemed a bit worried, and felt a slight sense of superiority.
Then, they walked to a different room, leaving the others behind to socialize or anything else. Once in the other room, they sat with Muñoz and Galan sitting at both extremes of a long, elliptical table.
“Okay, I received a call from the secure line, you all know what it means, so don’t ask questions.” Galan commenced, “We’ll contact them now. They may be losing, but they’re people still. And as it has been said, they are mostly Lys, too. I got word of a strategy.”
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Everyone politely heard Galan but didn’t really know. Only when he mentioned ‘strategy’ did their eyes pop open. Something like this could only mean one thing: it was something big!
“Call your contacts, tell them the exact same thing…” Galan remembered those words like a creed. He relayed them to these people, showing determination in his face, and the glints of a leader, or wanting to be one, through his gestures and eyes.
Muñoz didn’t mind. Instead, he was still worried about something like this, but there was no way this could be missed on. At last, Galan finished, with everyone nodding in accordance.
“Ok, that’s that.” Galan thinly smiled from ear to ear. He looked at everyone before setting his gaze on Muñoz and Antonia Carla. “Now that we’re here, I think we can prepare something in advance. We all know the president is coming hard in these elections, unlike before.”
“He first had our help, then a promise. That promise… is our major threat now. I say we band together, but not as a union, or allied political parties, just under the table. We have to support each other. Meanwhile, I’ll bring some of the insignificant parties to support NSH. You should do that with yours, too.” Gala gestured to Muñoz.
At first, Muñoz frowned. Even though things were at stake, with the huge opportunity presented with Luis’s mad operation against the organized crime groups, they only had to play their cards just right. But when he heard the matter of only supporting each other, and sharing the smaller polies without fighting for them like before, his expression all eased up.
“I will postulate for the presidency in my National Scholars of Honor,” Galan said, using full names and all with what seemed to be honor. Muñoz darted his eyes to the left before standing up. “This person will be my Lýmoca Vanguard’s representative, then.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Galan, hahahaha.” Antonia Clara leaned over after Muñoz made her stand up, squeezing her shoulders by her arms. Galan smiled before proposing, dancing his eyebrows a bit, trying to be all charming, and not failing. “Miss Carla, I do not intend to offend you, but you will need help. My face is very well known, and women should support each other.”
He looked at 2 people from his sides before staring at Antonia again, “These will help you in my NSH’s stead. This is Loma Junta, and this is Tania Diaz.”
Loma Junta smiled and walked to Antonia, her white skin and chestnut bright hair known to all, besides her beauty, as long as her face was nowhere near enough anybody’s eyes. And as long as she wasn’t in her crazy ‘mode’ like in the parliament.
Tania Diaz, another senator from NSH parliament party, was a middle-aged white woman with black hair and eyes. She was tall, and as Antonia looked at her, she thought, ‘Oh, so the crazy one and the yelling champion are my helpers? How grateful I am.’
“I’m so very glad to have you with me, ahahahaha!” Antonia said before laughing, throwing her head a little backwards. The other women smiled and laughed a bit, too. Muñoz and Galan looked at this and smiled, knowing they would end up hitting it off well with each other.
“Oh my heaven! Quickly! Look on the news! We were too busy hearing about it to tell you!” A person suddenly ran into their room, making everyone frown. The person didn’t read the room, went in, and turned the TV on. Everyone focused on the TV out of curiosity, planning to throw this young man out the moment it ended, but…
“… As you can see, both parties are still taking cover. It isn’t an exercise, much less a simulation. Only 3 of the northern side are still alive, the 2 who were still alive… I’m afraid have died bleeding. Oh heavens…” A news interface showed in the screen, with what seemed a broad gunfight, still ongoing with blurry spots.
The news female announcer covered her mouth as the corners of her eyes wrinkled, her psyche clearly in shambles. Her partner, a male announcer, had an ugly expression as he watched the unblurred version and had seen the twitching bodies who are no longer moving in another screen.
This made the people in the room to widen their eyes as the angle zoomed in. Then, they looked at each other, feeling fantastic and a strong feeling of schadenfreude.
***
Deep in the night, at just 4 AM. Presidential precinct.
Fox rushed back to the city, already having verified the liberation of Proteros after the first screening. The rest of Lýmoca was still a tough work in progress, but it was there. He arrived in one of Colmillo’s cars, which he unfortunately had to drive.
Taking his uniform off while to the main building, showing his inner uniform before walking into a bathroom, he came out with a decent suit from an ‘emergency suit’ kit. Then, he went to Luis’s office, knocking once before opening the door to see Lesly, Roam, and Butler in front of the President’s desk.
Fox walked forward, taking his working gloves off and putting his not too costly gloves to deal with ordinary people, storing the others under his shirt against his inner uniform. Luis loudly spoke as he did, “I apologize for calling you this late, Chief Secretary of Security.”
“I see this is something unusual… is it the incident at the border?” Fox stopped beside Lesly, at the corner of the desk, and spoke. Luis nodded, closing his eyes. Fox frowned a bit, “What exactly happened? There’s no way what media says is what happened.”
“Yes, I already investigated. But 17 dead ANS border soldiers and 12 of ours, only injured, correlate that Lýmoca ambushed and assassinated them from feeling haughty after ‘their comrades’ killed bandits.” Luis spoke while shaking his head, sounding grave. Fox cocked his head a bit, “So they are mad.”
“Fox,” Luis nodded a little before leaning over on his chair. Fox didn’t see the usual ‘I hate you because I can’ glare, maybe because of the first screening revealing all organized crime was swept clean from Proteros. “What do you need? You just took me away from the process.”
“Yes, I do have a need of you. You see,” Luis stood up and walked around, standing before Fox and placing his hands on his shoulders, “I need you to accompany me to a meeting held between both countries in a few days. I spoke with ANS’s president an hour ago.”
“But…” Fox softly threw his head back and smoothly shook Luis’s hands off his shoulders, throwing them backwards for a moment. Luis stood there but didn’t feel awkward, “Ego will oversee things with 1 or 2 other representative captains— they’ll do your job in the District. The Secretary of Security will be slightly burdened with yours, so she and Roam will help you there.”
“Those are your jobs’ needs being met, now, Fox.” Luis walked to his hidden room and took a suitcase made of black fabric from behind the doors. He walked back to Fox and gave it to him, sighing before saying, “What I need is for you to prepare and then accompany me to that meeting. There will be a private and a public section.”
“This,” Luis pointed at the suitcase hanging from Fox’s hand, “Is for the public one. I need you to… snake through the private one how you know. I’ll need your special agent’s mindset and… predation for this matter.”
“Alright… will Lesly come?” Fox weighed the suitcase, rapidly getting the idea of what was inside. Luis shook his head, throwing Lesly a serious pair of eyes, “She will stay here for another matter, one that is more pressing than this border issue. At least internally.”
Fox looked at Lesly and nodded at her. Then, he looked at Luis and agreed before turning around to leave, “I want to bring Loba with me. Tell me when my WID is ready. I want to know everything happening in my operation before departing.”
“…” - “…” - “…” Luis, Roam, and Lesly looked at the closing doors in silence. They were used to Fox, but it was still quite something; how he dealt with things, whether they were heavy or not. Roam shook his head, commenting, “He hasn’t really changed, eh?”
“Nope, but that-” Luis shook his head a bit. Just as he was about to say something, he stopped. His smiling face fell under Lesly’s narrowing eyes and slightly curling corners of her lips. Luis then expressed ruefully, “That’s how he’s loved anyways.”
“Hehehehe,” Lesly burst in giggles, unable to contain her belly from breakdancing. Butler grinned, limiting himself to stare and observe. He could see Fox’s evolution from just several months ago. A year ago, and 2 weeks less to be exact, he was just heading to his first assignation. Now, he was heavy loaded with his second operation, and this one was nationwide.
But… at the same time… a trace of worry flashed past his eyes. It was, without a doubt, the brightness of every Raging Blood in the District what made them virtually unstoppable. But when the raging blood dies, the others’ blood flow subsides.
And it was indeed the largest and consecutive, greatest moments of a Raging Blood what brought them to their early bitter end. One was allowed to be worried then.
…Later that night, as morning approached, more news reached Fox first before the President was also notified. Organized criminal groups were no longer regrouping at the ‘capital base’ of their territory. They were now heading towards the same point, Jaewim.
Every organized crime group was mobilizing their bandits to Jaewim. Even the Guerramar Cartel used their ANS routes to get there, avoiding Proteros at all costs, which is where the Ly forces were the most concentrated in order to clean the capital, successfully doing so in 3 days.
The only OC group that didn’t flee was the Lyclan Cartel, but this one would have to either meet the moving Ly forces head on or pass by their greatest rival’s, Guerramar Cartel, territory first.
The important thing here to consider was that all 5 OCs were moving towards the same point. They gave up on every attempt to fight and kill soldiers and whatever came with them, even ignoring the civilians, of which they had taken entire villages and recently built buildings in the rural areas ‘hostage’.
They were amassing… but Lýmoca couldn’t do anything. This was the great opportunity to quickly take the OCs down in every state with fewer conflicts. Of course, they were also uniting for whatever reason, but this wasn’t something Fox could care about, and Luis didn’t have the time or chance to anyhow.
Besides… if they amassed… wouldn’t that be easier? Luis thought so too, although in a much different view than Fox. Regardless, Fox was ‘in charge’ here, and not even Edgar Plomo’s softheartedness meddled in between an opportunity like this and mercy.
Now, there were these many problems.
For starters, Lesly had to focus on the internal matters, with Luis getting busy with the country’s sudden dilemmas; the press conference and the sudden burst of geopolitics crashing into his chest.
Then, the situation at the border tensed things up, and no matter what actually happened, Lýmoca ‘had’ to have lost that skirmish. But the main issue Luis faced was to let the world see the truth. That by itself was already tough.
And now, there were the 5 OCs who were now all becoming best buddies and joining against the government. The Yopbartes gang, Coalition Party Syndicate; aka CPS, Sierra Caliente, Guerramar Cartel, and the Lyclan Cartel.
Even then, there was something going on in the Lyclan Cartel. Their leader, a young man who has nothing of the fearsomeness the other OCs do, while they had not the ‘proactiveness’ the Lyclan Cartel had, remained tranquil. The Lyclan Cartel didn’t become nervous of the situation, hurrying to one side or the other, and definitely didn’t try stealing ships to flee.
…