Chapter Forty-One

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The screeching sound continued, followed by a rhythmic thump, thump, thump.

The soldiers huddled together, trying to find comfort in their numbers, the terrible improbability of their survival like waves of black, threatening to crush them. They were prepared to die, Rachel could see. She was prepared to die too.

"Welcome soldiers." A voice bled through invisible speakers. "We're glad you've finally decided to join us," The voice paused, sighing the same theatric sigh Rachel had heard once before when Abby had spoken to the faceless capital man. "Though it looks like you've made quite a mess of things."

Fingers shaking, she caught sight of the last of the embers falling from the sky where the aircraft had once been. Nothing else remained of it or of her friend. She felt sick, like she could throw up but she was frozen still in fear to even contemplate moving.

She searched the crowd of poachers, trying to put a face to the man who spoke but she couldn't pinpoint him.

"There's no power. How are the speakers working?" Someone murmured from within the crowd.

As if he had heard the murmur, the capital man chuckled. It was a throaty sound and almost sounded kind. A few moments later, he emerged from the entrance of the white building. He donned a military uniform, shoulders broad, hair sprinkled with a few gray hairs, visible even from this distance.

He held up a pack of tiny, cylindrical objects. "I bet you're wondering how you can hear me. The answer is batteries." He announced. "Sometimes you just have to resort back to the old ways to get things right."

He descended the stone steps, each stride towards them adding features to his face. Blue eyes, set deep into hollow, shadowed eyelids. A thin-lipped mouth, high cheekbones, sagging ever so slightly with wrinkles. And lastly, a bare, smooth forehead.

He was unmarked.

"Now, there's no need for weapons." He motioned to his soldiers to lower their guns.

"But Mr. President," A poacher objected, giving him a side glance without removing his gun from the bunker people.

The lights flickered and returned. Suddenly, the world flooded with light, as if the heavens had opened up and deposited the sun into the center of the capital.

A humming noise erupted from the sidewalks as their belted walkways spurred into action. Exclamations arose from a few bunker soldiers as they jumped away in surprise, the bunker technology evidently rustic compared to what was now before them.

The buildings lit up all around, the screens she'd seen before burst to life with their ads playing proudly.

"Don't be alarmed." The president announced. He gestured with his hands, trying to settle and appease the crowd.

The moment passed quickly and the bunker soldiers were once again on guard.

"Lower your weapons," The man ordered towards his people once again. The poachers slowly did as they were told, jerking their guns away with reluctance.

"Who is your leader?" The president asked.

Michael emerged from the crowd. He wasn't particularly tall but he walked with an authority that somehow made him look much older and taller. Though no one had proclaimed him their leader, somehow he'd become the face of their little group of renegades.

"We will not go with you peacefully." Michael announced. "So let's get this over with."

The president shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips.

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