- CASE ZERO: CHAPTER I -
"Say..." Ed spoke, with him hesitation apparent. "Buddy. You said something about research for a story," concluding his sentence, then losing concentration, staring at the mountain ranges.
"Thats right. Got a tip that something big's happening." Frank replied, motioning himself and kneeling concurrently, taking mundane generic photos of the Colorado wilderness.
"In a nowhere little town like that? They sure as hell didn't mention anything about it on TV..." Ed said, as he drifted off. Frank hastily walked up to him, patting him.
"Well, I'm freelance, pal. I don't make my living waiting for the TV to tell me what to cover," Frank said, with Ed laughing as the response. Frank walked back to his position again, taking more generic photos. Zooming his camera, Frank observed the roads leading to Willamette; and could see moving figures, lurching.
Baffled by the unconventional movement, Frank could see on the peripherals of his eyes several large figures. Before he could turn his head, he heard his eccentric charter pilot exclaim, "Here she is! Willamette, Colorado! Population 53,594! Distinguishing characteristics, jack shit!", before trailing off into a more subtle tone. "About the only thing to do in this town is... kill time at the shopping mall."
"You've been here before?" Frank replied, curious.
"Huh. I lived here twenty god-damn years from birth. Back then the town was thirty thousand something. Meh. I still come from Denver from time to time. The shopping mall must have really helped this town out."
With the town coming into more clarity as they flew over the seemingly deserted outskirts of the town, Frank spotted a congregation of tall-statured individuals at the bridge to the inner town. Zooming in his camera, he could see national guard armed heavily; with crude barricades and an armored personnel carrier to keep them company.
DeLuca, curious at what he assumed to be the military; asked Frank. "What was, that, the army?", but with no response from Frank; with Ed slowly chuckling, realizing that Frank had turned his question into rhetoric.
However, his question was answered when Frank stood and rose, approaching him, saying "Alright... listen, I want to get shots of the whole town before the National Guard begin roping the whole place off... and the moratorium becomes a lot heavier. Take me over the main street."