06-03-2018, 11:38 PM
Josephine Alvarez forced herself to eat another mouthful of the disgusting slop that passed for "food" in Ginsnap Prison outside Lorentonia. It took all her remaining strength to stop from either bursting into tears or futilely attacking one of the guards in anger. She had almost finished eating when the murmur went around the room that indicated new prisoners had arrived.
She brushed her hair from her eye and glanced over in their direction, briefly. Then her brain processed what she saw and she turned back, this time staring. She recognised Olivia Quirós immediately, Olivia had interviewed her several times. And the other woman with her was unmistakably Kathy Thompson. The guards just watched as the largest woman among them sauntered over to the pair.
Kathy, who had clearly been crying, tried to jump away but slipped, sending a jeer through the crowd. Olivia tried to help Kathy, but the large woman knocked her to the ground as well. In seconds, the pair were surrounded. The guards did nothing.
Before Alvarez was aware of what she was doing, she had stood up and pushed through the crowd, helping the pair up. She tried to guide them back to the table she'd been sitting at, but some of the crowd stopped them.
"Move," demanded Alvarez. The large woman only laughed, then grabbed Alvarez and tossed her out of the way like a discarded item of clothing. The crowd then proceeded to crowd the newcomers once more, knocking them over and kicking at them. Alvarez stood up, and took a run towards the crowd, yelling. She lifted her fist, but before it could connect with anything, she felt a sharp pain in her back.
She fell to the ground with a crash, and tried to roll over, but she felt another impact. She managed to get a look at her assailant, just before she blacked out, in time to realise it was one of the guards, and they were most definitely on Chaher's side.
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"Martin?" asked the teenager who had just entered the restaurant Matéo... no, Martin, sat in. She wore a pale blue hoodie, under which her school uniform was still visible. At 18, she was a legal adult, yet something about the school uniform made her look far too young to participate in such activities.
She slid into the seat opposite him and ordered pizza and a lemonade. Once the waiter was safely out of earshot, she exhaled.
"I'm so glad this wasn't just some scam of his to ask me out on a date," she laughed, "so, what is it you want?"
"You ought to be more careful when making contact with someone for the first time."
"Eh, Daniel showed me your picture, I'm good with faces. And if you're playing us we're screwed already, right?" she grinned, though a flicker of fear was visible on her face. Martin sighed and leaned back as the waiter brought their food.
When he had once again left, Martin turned to Leonie.
"I would like to get in contact with some political figures who have some reservations about Suleman Chaher's government. Do you know anyone like this?"
Leonie's eyes sparkled slightly with excitement. Martin was almost certain she did not comprehend the level of danger she was in.
"Someone like Laura Moore, you mean?" she said quietly.
"You're in contact with Moore?"
"Well, not me, precisely, but I know someone who is. I could ask," she swung her legs as she spoke in a way that did not fill him with confidence in her level of maturity. He nodded regardless.
"Give me three days, then I'll meet you here," she handed him a piece of napkin with coordinates. She opened her mouth to add something else when the door flew open.
"Good afternoon. Please have your identification cards at the ready," said the federal policeman who had burst through the door.
"Is that really necessary?" asked one waitress.
"Given the recent increase in criminal activity in this area," he looked pointedly out the window at some graffiti comparing Chaher to a certain animal on the building across the street, "we are checking for fugitives and illegal immigrants. Now, your ID?"
The waitress pulled a card out of her pocket and showed it. The other police officers went around the room. When they reached Leonie and Martin's table, Leonie handed one of the officers her ID card then twirled her finger around her hair.
"Much better weather than a few days ago, isn't it?" she said to the officer.
"We are not here to discuss the weather, Ms... Boyd," he responded firmly, handing her back her card and turning to Martin. "ID?"
He took out the driver's license he had been given several days before and handed it to the officer. The officer stared at it and began to open his mouth when from the other side of the restaurant a shout rang out as a young man jumped over a table and ran for the door, past where Martin and Leonie sat. The officer dropped Martin's card and grabbed at the runaway.
"No, please don't send me back to Kerlile! You know what they treat men like there, ever since the matriarchal dictatorship won the civil war. Please, you can't!" he sobbed, struggling as several of the police officers struggled to contain him. They dragged him out of the restaurant and drove off, Martin and Leonie forgotten.
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"You have news for the Prime Minister, General?" queried Charissa Clarke as General Sanchez was shown into her office.
"Yes, ma'am. We have been contacted by an individual close to Keitha Noguera, who has informed us that Noguera intends to travel to Laeral to join President Walker. Our sources suggest Noguera is still in Lauchenoiria and is currently on Butterfly Island."
Clarke leaned back in her desk and studied Sanchez. He was a distinguished general, who had far more experience than most Lauchenoirian soldiers, given the previous few governments' pacifistic natures. Yet Clarke was still not sure whether or not they could trust him. His loyalty was unmistakably to his country. But with Walker still technically President, it was down to Sanchez's interpretation of the situation.
"The Prime Minister is on an important call at the moment but tell me what you propose."
"Between our informant and the lack of security surrounding Noguera, it would be relatively easy to detain her, with very little risk. The question is whether or not the Prime Minister wishes her to be detained."
If Sanchez was lying, he was exceptionally good at it. Clarke detected no signs of deception on his face, however being naturally distrusting of everyone, she was still uncertain.
"If you wait here, he will be finished soon."
"This is the call from Gonhog, yes?"
Caught off guard, a surprised look crossed Clarke's face. Who told him?
"What makes you say that?"
The General just smiled.
She brushed her hair from her eye and glanced over in their direction, briefly. Then her brain processed what she saw and she turned back, this time staring. She recognised Olivia Quirós immediately, Olivia had interviewed her several times. And the other woman with her was unmistakably Kathy Thompson. The guards just watched as the largest woman among them sauntered over to the pair.
Kathy, who had clearly been crying, tried to jump away but slipped, sending a jeer through the crowd. Olivia tried to help Kathy, but the large woman knocked her to the ground as well. In seconds, the pair were surrounded. The guards did nothing.
Before Alvarez was aware of what she was doing, she had stood up and pushed through the crowd, helping the pair up. She tried to guide them back to the table she'd been sitting at, but some of the crowd stopped them.
"Move," demanded Alvarez. The large woman only laughed, then grabbed Alvarez and tossed her out of the way like a discarded item of clothing. The crowd then proceeded to crowd the newcomers once more, knocking them over and kicking at them. Alvarez stood up, and took a run towards the crowd, yelling. She lifted her fist, but before it could connect with anything, she felt a sharp pain in her back.
She fell to the ground with a crash, and tried to roll over, but she felt another impact. She managed to get a look at her assailant, just before she blacked out, in time to realise it was one of the guards, and they were most definitely on Chaher's side.
---------------------------------------
"Martin?" asked the teenager who had just entered the restaurant Matéo... no, Martin, sat in. She wore a pale blue hoodie, under which her school uniform was still visible. At 18, she was a legal adult, yet something about the school uniform made her look far too young to participate in such activities.
She slid into the seat opposite him and ordered pizza and a lemonade. Once the waiter was safely out of earshot, she exhaled.
"I'm so glad this wasn't just some scam of his to ask me out on a date," she laughed, "so, what is it you want?"
"You ought to be more careful when making contact with someone for the first time."
"Eh, Daniel showed me your picture, I'm good with faces. And if you're playing us we're screwed already, right?" she grinned, though a flicker of fear was visible on her face. Martin sighed and leaned back as the waiter brought their food.
When he had once again left, Martin turned to Leonie.
"I would like to get in contact with some political figures who have some reservations about Suleman Chaher's government. Do you know anyone like this?"
Leonie's eyes sparkled slightly with excitement. Martin was almost certain she did not comprehend the level of danger she was in.
"Someone like Laura Moore, you mean?" she said quietly.
"You're in contact with Moore?"
"Well, not me, precisely, but I know someone who is. I could ask," she swung her legs as she spoke in a way that did not fill him with confidence in her level of maturity. He nodded regardless.
"Give me three days, then I'll meet you here," she handed him a piece of napkin with coordinates. She opened her mouth to add something else when the door flew open.
"Good afternoon. Please have your identification cards at the ready," said the federal policeman who had burst through the door.
"Is that really necessary?" asked one waitress.
"Given the recent increase in criminal activity in this area," he looked pointedly out the window at some graffiti comparing Chaher to a certain animal on the building across the street, "we are checking for fugitives and illegal immigrants. Now, your ID?"
The waitress pulled a card out of her pocket and showed it. The other police officers went around the room. When they reached Leonie and Martin's table, Leonie handed one of the officers her ID card then twirled her finger around her hair.
"Much better weather than a few days ago, isn't it?" she said to the officer.
"We are not here to discuss the weather, Ms... Boyd," he responded firmly, handing her back her card and turning to Martin. "ID?"
He took out the driver's license he had been given several days before and handed it to the officer. The officer stared at it and began to open his mouth when from the other side of the restaurant a shout rang out as a young man jumped over a table and ran for the door, past where Martin and Leonie sat. The officer dropped Martin's card and grabbed at the runaway.
"No, please don't send me back to Kerlile! You know what they treat men like there, ever since the matriarchal dictatorship won the civil war. Please, you can't!" he sobbed, struggling as several of the police officers struggled to contain him. They dragged him out of the restaurant and drove off, Martin and Leonie forgotten.
------------------------------------
"You have news for the Prime Minister, General?" queried Charissa Clarke as General Sanchez was shown into her office.
"Yes, ma'am. We have been contacted by an individual close to Keitha Noguera, who has informed us that Noguera intends to travel to Laeral to join President Walker. Our sources suggest Noguera is still in Lauchenoiria and is currently on Butterfly Island."
Clarke leaned back in her desk and studied Sanchez. He was a distinguished general, who had far more experience than most Lauchenoirian soldiers, given the previous few governments' pacifistic natures. Yet Clarke was still not sure whether or not they could trust him. His loyalty was unmistakably to his country. But with Walker still technically President, it was down to Sanchez's interpretation of the situation.
"The Prime Minister is on an important call at the moment but tell me what you propose."
"Between our informant and the lack of security surrounding Noguera, it would be relatively easy to detain her, with very little risk. The question is whether or not the Prime Minister wishes her to be detained."
If Sanchez was lying, he was exceptionally good at it. Clarke detected no signs of deception on his face, however being naturally distrusting of everyone, she was still uncertain.
"If you wait here, he will be finished soon."
"This is the call from Gonhog, yes?"
Caught off guard, a surprised look crossed Clarke's face. Who told him?
"What makes you say that?"
The General just smiled.
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