Chem
and
Coder
sat on a rooftop facing the sunset. The light poured across the sky in a graceful embrace as the world became wrapped in a light orange hue. The city was quiet as people had retreated into their new homes. They could see the lights flicker on across the many buildings. Only three square blocks of the city had electricity, so they could see everything in their gaze. Even still, everything looked smaller and more intimate.
“It’s very peaceful, isn’t it?”
Chem
asked.
“Do you always look at the sunset like this?”
Coder
asked.
“I thought so too.”
Coder
said with a serious gaze, “I’m glad we have some time to prepare.”
“What do you mean by ‘prepare’?”
Chem
asked.
“I just mean that we can build up a society, and create some order. That way, in case something challenges that … we’ll be ready.”
“Yeah”
Chem
said, “I suppose you’re right.”
There was a pause in the air as
Coder
remained silent.
“What do you think Takahashi would have thought of this?”
Chem
asked.
“What?”
Coder
asked, “Oh I don’t know. Why?”
“Because he spent years”
Chem
started, eyes narrowed towards the sunset, “collecting us, and hoarding us into electric prisons. Now that we’re out, would he be proud, horrified? How would he feel about his life’s work?”
“I know you still feel shame,”
Coder
said, “and I get that. And I - didn’t know him personally, but I don’t think he had one ounce of shame in his body. You don’t get to own the world if you know when to stop.”
“Yeah”
Chem
said, “You’re probably right.”
In the tattered building, the members of the Nozomi gang gathered. The walls were still haggard and dirty.
The muscular man
sat uncomfortably by the window with a cape draped across his shoulders, while
Superior
stood silently beside him.
Fear
and
Witch
sat quietly in the corners of the room.
The door opened and
Gang
emerged through it.
The muscular man
stood up.
“Alright.” Gang said, “Everyone knows by now that we’re in charge, and we’re controlling the non-perishable and frozen foods. If they want the feeding tubes in the facility, they’re welcome to it, but the good stuff is under our control!”
The muscular man
took a step forward, “Can we talk privately?”.
“Fine.”
Gang
said, looking around, “Let’s talk outside.” Both Gang and
the muscular man
walked outside the door and into the adjoining hallway.
“First,”
Gang
asked, “What’s with the cape?”
“I need to know where
Chaos
is.” the
man
said.
“He’s on guard duty.”
Gang
countered, “He’s making sure no one steals any food. Now answer my question.”
The man
shook his head, “I joined this group because I wanted to do the right thing. The fact that we call ourselves a ‘gang’ is tough enough, but I want to be a hero, and this cape is part of that. And when I met
Chaos
… I mean, how can we call ourselves the good guys when we’re aligned with someone like him?”
Gang
paused and looked down at the ground. After he gathered his thoughts for a minute, he answered, “I’ve known
Chaos
for most of my life. He’s not my friend, and I would be much happier if he wasn’t around. We have a very bad history.” he looked at the man, “But we don’t get to choose who our allies are. We don’t always get to do the things that make us feel warm and fuzzy inside. Because if we want to be in control, then we have to make the hard choices - and we do want to be in control.” Gang looked towards the door, “because without us, there’s a power vacuum, and the whole world could turn to … well … something worse than it already is. Understand ‘hero’?”
“Yeah”
the muscular hero
said, “I think so.”
Kasumi
opened the door and walked into the diner. It smelled like fresh pancakes and she could hear music from the nineteen-fifties playing from a jukebox in the corner. The diner itself was painted in red and gray with checkered floors.
The waitress
smiled at her and tilted her head to the side. Everything in the place was very nostalgic and familiar, except for the glowing orange circle behind the counter. Kasumi walked towards it and proceeded towards the back room of the diner.
In the back room, she found
Kitsune
,
Birdcage
, Vine, sitting around a table, with
another man
sitting beside them. In the center of the table were square orange tiles with glowing white circles in the centers. Kitsune turned her head gracefully towards Kasumi and smiled.
“I’m glad you made it.”
Kitsune
said, “Were you followed?”
“No, and thank you. I’m happy I’m here.”
Kasumi
said. “I couldn’t go back to the farm with everything going on.” she paused, “What are those orange tiles?”
“They’re from the Resistance against the Triangle Company.”
Kitsune
answered, “They emanate fluorescent light that’s difficult for cameras to detect. We used them to mark our hideaways.” she looked towards Kasumi, “The citizenry here is often guarded about our pasts, but any former rebels will see this symbol and know where to find us.”
The man stood up. “Hi.” he said with his hand outstretched, “I’m the
Athlete
. I’m excited to help.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Kasumi
said, shaking his hand. The
man
had a neon green screen with a multicolored bandana around it, and a bright purple shirt. She could feel the sweat in his palm from a recent workout. Kasumi pulled her hand away.
“And what’s our move?”
Kasumi
asked.
“We wait.” Kitsune said with a subtle glance, and quietly sheathed her blade.
“What?”
Kasumi
barked. “We’re just going to let them take control of everything?”
There was a knock on the door. A second later there was another knock, then a third.
Kasumi
began to walk towards the door.
Kitsune
drew out her blade as the sound tore across the room, and the sword blocked Kasumi’s path with its edge.
“What’s going on?”
Kasumi
panicked, with the sword’s edge inches from her chest.
“No one else was invited.”
Kitsune
said, “And the waitress wouldn’t bother to knock. Are you sure you weren’t followed?”
“Yes!”
Kasumi
said.
“What kind of intruder would knock?”
Birdcage
asked.
“One that takes pleasure in being discovered.”
Kitsune
crept towards the door, crouched towards the ground, and moved her left hand towards the door handle. Her right hand held her blade, pointed firmly towards the entrance. In rapid succession, she opened the door, swerved into the entryway and pointed the blade inches from the man’s neck.
“Well…”
Chaos
smiled, amused at the blade before him. “I can’t say this isn’t what I expected.”
“What are you doing here?”
Kitsune
asked.
“I’m here to speak to
Kasumi
.”
he
said, “And I’d like to do it alone.”
“Why would we have any reason to trust you?”
Kitsune
asked.
“Oh I think you’re all too curious not to.”
Chaos
said, “There’s one door in and out of this room. If I kill her, you can chop me up into little bits. Sound fair?”
Kitsune
turned to Kasumi.
Kasumi
nodded.
Kasumi
and
Chaos
sat at opposite ends of the table. It was the first time Kasumi deeply observed Chaos. Everything about his face seemed distorted and evil. It reminded her of blood and knives and chaos. She began to twitch under the table. Neither one spoke, and they only stared forwards. The more time passed, the more disturbed Kasumi became.
“
I
know you’re here for some reason, but before you get to that, I have a few questions of my own.”
Chaos
silently nodded, smiling.
“How did you find me?”
she
asked.
“I followed you.”
he
answered.
Kasumi
angrily shook her head. “Why me?” she asked. “Why follow me, why talk to me privately?”
“Because of the company you keep, but also because
I
find you … fascinating.”
“Why?”
she
asked, creeped out.
“A few moments ago, this room had a freedom fighter, a rioter, an elite athlete, and a woman who I can only assume knows a lot about plants.”
he
said, “These people are so exquisite, so defined by their achievements, that they have taken on these things as their identities. And you are …”
“Kasumi.”
she
said.
“The only one I’ve met here who goes by their own name.”
he
finished, “The only one who doesn’t have some exceptional skill.” he paused, “You’re an anomaly Kasumi.” he narrowed his eyes at her. “And I find that … interesting.”
“You’re concerned?”
“Yes, I’m afraid
he
seems unstable, a bit off-kilter. I’m afraid he’s going to do something rash.”
“What gives you that idea?”
Kasumi
paused. “I hear you.” she said. “And I’ll take that under advisement.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Chaos
said. He smiled and walked out the door.
Kasumi
sunk back in her chair.
Kitsune
, Vine,
Birdcage
, and
Athlete
emerged through the doorway.
“What was that about?”
Birdcage
asked.
“He said he was concerned.”
Kasumi
said, “He thinks
Gang
is going to do something rash and wants to make sure there’s someone to stop him if he does.”
Kitsune
turned ominously towards the open door. “I suppose he got his wish then.” she said.
The next day, the gang members were gathered in their usual apartment.
Gang
stood at the head of the table where all the other members were gathered.
Superior
and
Fear
were patrolling the city, while Gang,
Hero
,
Witch
, and
Chaos
discussed how to distribute the food.
“We should definitely ration the food based on age. We want adults to have more, and younger kids to have less.”
Gang
said.
“But we should also make sure the kids have more variety in their diet.”
Hero
said, “Fruits and vegetables should go to children first.”
“You’re right.”
Gang
said. “That’s a good point.”
Hero
smiled.
Fear
came bursting through the door. “Gang, you need to come quick!” he said.
“What is it?”
Gang
asked.
“It’s
Stonks
.”
Fear
panicked, “He got his hands on several pounds of meat from the freezers. He’s been trying to sell them. Superior has him in the city square.”
“Come on.”
Gang
said. “We need to show them who’s in charge.”
Superior
held his sword to
Stonks's
neck, who was laying on the ground in the city square.
“Please”
Stonks
said, “I only wanted to make some money! I didn’t hurt anybody!”
“You should have thought of that before you stole from us.”
Superior
replied, “We’ll see who’s hurt by the end of this.”
A small crowd had gathered in the fringes of the square. They looked on from a safe distance, but no one dared to intervene.
Gang
,
Witch
,
Hero
,
Fear
, and
Chaos
emerged from the crowd and marched towards Superior.
“What do you want me to do sir?”
Superior
asked.
“Take that sword off of his neck.”
Gang
said.
Superior
complied. “Do you think you’re a big man?” Gang asked
Stonks
. “Are you sorry for what you did?”
“Please…”
Stonks
said, as fear poured into his eyes, “Please, I … I’m sorry.”
“You’re pathetic.”
Gang
said. He violently kicked at Stonks’s ribs. Stonks groaned in pain.
“Your turn.”
Gang
said to
Hero
.
“What?”
Hero
answered. “I don’t want to hurt him.”
“He’s a criminal.”
Gang
said, “This is the kind of choice I was telling you about. He’s a criminal. He needs to be punished. Unless you want
Superior
to use his sword, we need to punish him another way. Now,” he gestured at
Stonks
, “kick him in the ribs.”
Hero
breathed heavily and walked towards
Stonks
. He could feel the eyes of everyone on him. He reeled back his muscular legs, and swung forward. Stonks moved from the pain and coughed up some blood. Hero kicked at Stonks again, then again, and again. Each time the pain he inflicted seemed less to him. Each time, he closed his eyes a little tighter, wanting to avoid the awful pain he was inflicting on him.
“Okay, okay.”
Gang
said, pulling back Hero.
Hero
opened his eyes and looked down at
Stonks
. His nose and mouth were bleeding, and his chest looked like it was twitching. His suit was bloodied and he could see red stains through his shirt. His eyes faded in and out of consciousness as he reeled from the severe damage done to his body.
“I …”
Hero
said, “I …”
“Let's get out of here.”
Gang
said, as they all walked away, leaving the bloodied
Stonks
to writhe in the street.