Book Of Brilliant & Random Ideas

The Renegades - Preview

1

The sound of gravel crunched under my feet as I stepped off the bus. Facing me was a large brick building surrounded by high walls wrapped in electric barbwire. I hauled my distressed black bag further up my shoulder and dragged my suitcase behind me, following the crowd of teenagers and soldiers. We were led through the gate and up about a dozen flights of stairs to a large conference room. One of the soldiers swiped their card, activating the glass doors.

In a single file, each of us entered the room, I was surprised by the cleanliness of the building, the outside was extremely misleading.

“Sit down.” A soldier commanded and one by one we all found a place to sit around the large table. I watched as two soldiers exchanged glances and a quick nod before one stood by the door and the other left the room.

There was an air of fear and confusion circulating the room as everyone fidgeted with their bags. The doors opened again and a sharp-looking dark-skinned lady walked in. She wore a red pantsuit and emitted power. I immediately pegged her as the head of this whole thing, whatever that may be.

“Good evening everyone, my name is Adira, how are you all doing today?” Her voice was soft, but something told me that her personality was anything but. Murmurs went around the room then it was quiet, yet again.

“Wonderful. I’m sorry for all the covertness, I'm sure you’re all very confused. Allow me to explain.” Her black heels click-clacked on the polished floor as she walked to the wall. She scanned her hand on what I had originally thought was a decoration, and right after, a screen appeared, on it was written Potestas. It’s Latin for Power.

“We are a private military organization specializing in war crimes. As you all know, Budrait and Wascaria have been at war with each other since before even your parents were born.” I let out an eye roll, great, more propagation. “Is something the matter?” She stared at me and I felt my heart skip a beat, “yeah, I’m just wondering how long this propagation presentation will take?”

She put the remote down with an amused smile and crossed her arms. “What do you think I’m going to say?” “Well first you’ll start with the history of Wascaria and Budrait, then you’ll go into all the reasons Budrait is bad. The end.” She lets out a laugh, “yes I can see why you would think that but I’m sorry to burst your bubble, that won’t be happening today.”

She switches to the next slide and plays a video. In the video, a man is frantically running until he hides underneath what looks to be a table, “Hello, I’m Dr. Einsink, head of the department of science at Helix, it is 8:47 pm, Thursday, July 28, 2023. They have broken out, it failed horribly, they’re out of control, all of them, please if you see this, you must stop them, they’re monsters, horrible monsters they-” he gets cut off by a loud crash and he up and running again. The line cuts and that’s it. It’s over.

What the hell?

“That video was taken from a research facility in Budrait last year before the war started. Dr. Einsink and his crew had been genetically modifying humans to use them as weapons, he wanted to create a bionic army.” She turns to me, “what do you know about the history of Budrait and Wascaria?” “I don’t know much except that there was a war because Budrait wanted to become their own country.” Everyone looked at me like I had grown two heads, well, everyone but my cousin that is.

“You’re Wascarian and you don’t know your history?” She asked me suspiciously and her men slowly reached for their guns. “Will you tell them to calm down? I don’t know much because I didn’t grow up in Wascaria, I came on a family vacation last year and since the borders shut when the war started I was stuck here with my family.” She raised her hands up to her men and they backed off.