Rhivera (Complete Novel)

~Chapter Eighteen- The Old Equality Zone~

~Chapter Eighteen- The Old Equality Zone~

~Juaquin~

~That night~

There is a stirring of people in the region of Rhy. Large numbers of the military's forces in Rhy are sent to the ruins of the original Equality Zone, including us. General Lena and a few other members of the Veran Royal Family were taken hostage by the RLA during the Equality Zone Conference.

None of us were manned at the conference as security, per Xander Veran's wishes. He didn't want to scare potential visitors off with heightened security. And now the RLA had captured him.

I arrive with Ilyana, donning my Survival suit and the name Nirivo. The original Equality Zone is the size of a small city, with a high perimeter wall around it, meant to separate it from the rest of the country. At one end of the zone, it meets the Eastern coast. Apparently, the zone's ruins were left intact as a reminder of why the PCC is necessary.

There were only a few entrances, all manned by RLA soldiers meant to keep us out. RLA soldiers line the wall on all sides. General Felix Falentine orders the military to surround the Equality Zone. General Victor Veran from the northern regions comes to support the situation. It's dusk when they fully surround the zone, maintaining some distance between the wall.

"Disband the PCC, or we'll kill the hostages." Was the RLA's message. The same as always.

We have no idea how many RLA soldiers lie in wait within the zone, but our numbers are far greater than anything they could muster. With the RLA losing support over the last few months, I'm sure only the most devout followers of the RLA are inside.

We could storm the Equality Zone and overwhelm them completely, but the Emperor's orders were to do everything in their power to save the hostages. Aside from disbanding the PCC. If we were to attack, they'd probably kill the hostages before any of us could reach them.

Our forces wait outside the perimeter walls of the Equality Zone for now, awaiting a plan that would save Lena and the others. At the very least, our forces are keeping the RLA from escaping.

We wait for some time around the zone until it becomes the dead of night. Spotlights cut through the darkness. We're not sure what the General's plans are. They could be planning to starve out the RLA, but who knows how long that will take? They may have had no plan at all, and were hoping to come up with a way to save them.

Each of the entrances of the Zone used to be registration centers, where they would keep track of who entered and left the Equality Zone and for what reasons. Now several RLA soldiers are manned there. At the one nearest to me, we identify at least 5 guarding the entrance from the inside. If they were to stand outside, they'd practically turn themselves into targets.

I notice just on the left inside the entrance is a passage. If someone was to reach the entrance undetected, they could go through the passage. Maybe get into the Equality Zone.

"I think I can find them," I tell Ilyana confidently.

"Are you sure?" Ilyana asked, peering through my helmet's visor at me.

"Only if I went alone. It'll be easier for me to get around undetected then." I explain. I continue to explain my idea. If I can get past the entrance guards, I can sneak inside the Equality Zone. From there, I can sneak around the zone and figure out where they're holding General Lena and the others.

While any other person would go to their superior, and have them ask their superior and so on before moving ahead, Ilyana bypassed all those formalities. Ilyana takes me and marches directly to General Felix and General Victor.