Chapter 1: The Calm Before the Storm

"Years have passed since the third Tiberium War, with the defeat of NOD and their Alien friends; we have secured a long lasting peace for Earth. The Global Defense Initiative's job has been completed for the last time. The GDI will now be regimented to its post war duties of national defense along with removal of Tiberium from Yellow Zones to make them fully functioning Blue Zones. These projects will take place immediately," Malik Luven said.

"Director! Director!" The reporters screamed out as they tried to push towards him.

"I have the Mark," Roberts said over the ComLink.

"Roger that 0-1, I've got him from the roof," Rodriguez said watching the director through a sniper scope.

"We've got movement, I say again we have a group moving to the front 0-1 get the director out of there," Leos said.

Roberts and Splitt moved quickly over to Director Luven. They grabbed his arms and rushed him off of the stage. Suddenly laser blasts erupted from the crowd of people… a NOD flag suddenly appeared from a hologram emitter. Just as suddenly as they came, they disappeared.

"Shit, we've got NOD with active camo, let's move, code 43 security breach, get the director out of here" Roberts said to Splitt. As he pushed the Director and Splitt into an armored APC, Roberts banged on the side of the APC three times, and then it sped off along with the rest of the convoy.

"Switching to thermo gear," Rodriguez said as he took a shot, which hit one of the assailants.

Roberts pulled out his HK220 pistol and began firing shots off into the area around where Rodriguez had shot the last assailant. Suddenly he saw a blur to his right, then was tackled and hit in the head with a gun butt.

"0-1," "Come in 0-1" Rodriguez was shouting over the comm.

"Ugh…. Ohh…. I… I read you 0-2," Roberts said in response, although still recovering from having being hit with a gun in the head.

"Where is the mark, I can't find the god damned mark," Rodriguez yelled into the comm.

"He is safe with Splitt and Leos" Roberts said. "Let's get the hell out of here; god knows what the hell will happen next," Roberts said as he pressed a button on his suit to call for an Orca evac.

Moments later Rodriguez and Roberts were sitting on a plane heading for compound A-4-2-11.

"Today right after Security Council Director Luven gave a speech on the death of NOD and how the GDI military forces will be turned into scientific teams to rid the world of Tiberium, a NOD splinter cell began a riot right around the area of the speech. Early reports state the five bystanders were killed and around twenty were injured in this NOD stunt. As of right now Director Luven has had no comment nor have any of the GDI defense forces.

In other news today, random spree attacks by "NOD" forces have sprung up across Blue Zones. GDI Defense forces in these Zones quickly quelled these threats.

I'm now going to hand it over to Dan the Man who will take you into the hot seat. Dan,"

"Thanks Mike, Hello ladies and gentlemen, welcome to The Hot Seat here on BZNN. Today's guest is Erik Gardener who will talk to us about the now rising NOD threat once again.

"Hi, Dan. Thanks for having me back on," Erik said

"I wish I could say it's good to see you Erik… but as always NOD seems to have crept back up…" Dan said.

"Well we can't be sure of that right now; these could be just a few groups that have made a slight attempt to scare the general populace into thinking that NOD still exists en masse," Erik said.

"That very well may be… excuse me ladies and gentlemen we are going to cut to an emergency news briefing," Dan said.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the United Nations, I have some disturbing news. A thermonuclear device has been set off in Washington D.C. the entire area has been obliterated, and 1.4 million people have lost their lives. The Global Defense Initiative will not rest until we find the people who are respon…" Director Luven was saying before the link fuzzed out…

"I can tell you who is responsible Director: NOD Is. THE BROTHERHOOD LIVES! ONE VISION ONE PURPOSE!" Maria Velent said before the connection fuzzed out.

When the Sat-Link was re-established the Director was gone, being hurried off to a secure bunker.