Defense Directive: A PDE Story [Applications Open]

<Chapter 1: Visions>

[Time: 730 hours (US-Pacific)]

[Location: continued from last chapter]

 James Franco as Jem Holloway(pictured above)

<3PO, Limited>

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT?", he randomly exclaimed loudly, surprised. His wife, Willie, looked at him with a shocked appearance. "I must be crazy, hearing voices in my head, claiming to be my'guardian angel'. I thought Americans stopped believing in that stuff since the New Salem Code in 2021!"

[Author's Comment: The New Salem Code of 2021 was passed on the day the news about the supernatural, masked as an epidemic, has started to take foot on US soil. The US government passed the NSC by implementing state atheism as the official "religion" of the USA.]

"Oh sweetie, you must be deluded. Religion has been banned across the States. Yet why do we feel that it's coming back to us, despite our efforts to run away from these silly superstitions...", his wife added in a worried tone.

"Yeah, indeed. Let's just ignore it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll get that bag of Lays, and I'll add some more food for our trip to nowhere. Don't worry, I've got the bag covered for our supplies."

"You trust that voice in your head? Might be a trap after all...."

"Must be someone trying to pull a prank on me. But indeed, we really need to eat. I'm really someone focused, but for the time being, I don't really have a goal rather than surviving. I suggest you do the same."

"Understood..."

The couple quickly ran back into the house, dropped their bags at the living room, and went to the kitchen. Jem also quickly ran back at the second floor to grab the bag of Lays that fell earlier. It was still almost full, since Jem just took only four pieces of it.

Afterwards, they quickly picked up the bags they left in the living room, and packed up again.

"I almost forgot. M.A.R.I.O. , lock the house and prepare the security systems. I do not want any intruder going near this house. Understood?"

"Command received and executed, User Jem.", the AI nearly monotonously spoke in a deep voice.

Several laser fences, cameras, and turrets started appearing from secret places in and out of his house. The rectangular door was locked and a barrier the shape of the door appeared in its inside.

"We gotta roll. The government focuses too much on the northeastern part of the country, but they're here near the US-Mexico border wall. It's only a matter of time before the wall starts militarizing itself. At least Trump's idea is not all bad. Mexico has been overrun by those crazed things."

The couple had to go to their car in their garage, a green Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. Jem started the car. The garage door automatically opened, then closed on their departure.

They had a plan to drive to nowhere, looking for some places to survive and hang around.

[Time: 1100 hours(US-Eastern)]

[Date: March 17, 2023]

[Location: White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington D.C., United States]

Claps from the audience, the US government and some civilians, filled the surroundings with clapping sounds. There were guards all over the place, now wearing some kind of specialized battle armor, like what you see in video games.