Blood of the Ancient - The Helix Rebellion saga #1

Chapter 13

Part three: The rebellion

Chaos, thought Logan, as he observed the street from his fifth floor apartment in the centre of town. Civilians had overwhelmed Market Square - as they did every month, overcrowding the temporary emporium as they bartered and traded for whatever scraps were on offer. A lady with monstrous curves lured customers into her canvased confectionery with a platter of truffles, mouth-wateringly roasted in sea-salt and spiced-peppers - the sweet aroma irresistible to those passing-by.

Fresh fish sprayed oily waters over those who neared the neighbouring sea-food stall. Battered crates of multi-coloured fish had various price tags. Sad, beady eyes peered as brothers and sisters were sliced and diced and thrust into paper bags. Giant crabs scrabbled in high-sided cages, their escape attempts proving futile.

Opposite was an endless queue of bedraggled women, emerging from the main entrance of Rastaban Vault. The line continued along Grimstone Avenue like a stack of dominoes, as they waiting to collect their pitiful wages. The cobbled roads leading through town were sparse of motor vehicles - nobody could afford one unless you worked for Malik. Instead people walked, cycled or used the Maglink.

The children in the Orphanage of Lunis were playing in the garden over on Dustbrother Avenue, giggling and screaming at each other. Their unknown exhausted mothers worked fingers to the bone with several jobs, whilst fathers were probably long forgotten. Many of those men would spend their entire lives working long hours at the treacherous Hershel Mine to the north, while others were taken to work in the capital - recruited as fodder for the Malikan Army. Most would be dead by now, their lives sacrificed during some unjust war, initiated by the President in his pursuit of power and land. He, of course, would remain in his mountain fortress, overlooking the dynamic landscape that his ancestors created - Barlow City.

Logan's father had told him the city was an unfair mix, and it was something he wished he had the power to change. A strong metropolis of high grade technology could be found in the wealthy south, in contrast to an extremely poor and deprived north - home to badly polluted slums and a trailer park bursting at the seams.

Malik Corporation governed the country, with Mayor Broadbent as the public figure. The spineless weasel would do little to rustle any government feathers as long as he was being paid his wages in silver. President Malik had the puppet he needed to control the communities of Barlow.

Even from his distant window, Logan could see the impenetrable fortress above Malik Tower, gloriously carved into the rocks of Gods Peak - a gigantic mountain range surrounding Barlow. I'm stormin' your walls soon, I hope you're ready. Logan's plan was to remove the corrupt dictator at its helm. You destroy the lives of decent, hard-working citizens living in this country. He gently rubbed one of the dark, ominous bands on his wrist, as his fist began to shake with rage. He glanced at the powerful great-sword on the table of oak, wondering who would be first to feel death from its razor edge. He tugged at the sides of the bullet-vest he wore, adjusting comfort around his chest. "Great Lunis, you sure are uncomfortable."

Unsure how long he'd been stood there, Logan rolled his body forwards and back, easing hindered blood along arterial pipes, his boots squeaked with the motion. He was observing Malik Tower and Castle, plotting his next move. Uncountable erroneous ideas formulated inside his vigilante mind, and just as quickly as they emerged they disintegrated into thin air. He glanced at the keys of his muscular six-cylinder HellCat motorbike, smiling as he imagined roaring into the compound taking out any malikan soldiers he came across. He didn't care that it'd be futile, he even dreamt of bursting in and going out with a big bang. He shook his head at the almost pleasing thought. No, that won't do. He owed it to the memory of his friend to come up with a smarter plan, he owed it to his friend to finish the mission with success. After all, Jax was the only reason that Logan was alive, standing here now at his window.