For those of you who pay attention to the media, you've probably heard that Kim Jong-il, leader/president/chairman/whatever of North Korea died back in December. I feel like I should mention this, given that his character is mentioned in this story as a political figure who was highly involved in the creation of a post-apocalyptic world. I don't think he'd be pleased that I fictionalized him like this (as I've also done with George W. Bush, John McCain, and Raul Castro) but it was not out of malice (despite the kind of a person he was.) So let's all have a moment of silence for the late ruler… thank you Kim for putting the "dick" back in dictator.

There was an old radio in the town jail. Of course, there were not a lot of options channel-wise in the post-apocalyptic world, but the Poter City radio station was better than nothing. When the current batch of inmates weren't prattling on about their rebellion against the town and its laws, they would turn on the radio and just listen. The main selection was Jazz music (which was what played 90% of the time,) but the radio DJ would report news from time to time. Most of this news was just local to Poter itself, and not that useful. However, there were times when the station would pass on news from other parts of the world, which was rare in a time with limited communication.

"Finally, before we break," the DJ said, his voice upbeat and perfect for radio, "we have some news from the United States of America which we picked up on our other frequency. According to analysts, it seems likely at this point that the American President John McCain will likely proceed into a second term, considering his popularity among American citizens and the progress he's made since being elected. McCain has already gone on the record for saying that if he is re-elected, he will continue to have supplies distributed to populations in need, taking back the destroyed states, and re-building a stronger America.

"On the subject of rebuilding, the United States of America officially annexed Cuba last week, a country which had been struggling ever since the strikes. After the invasion of the remnants of the U.S. army, Cuban President Raúl Castro, surrendered the country in exchange for immunity for himself, his family, and his fellow Cuban leaders, since the country is blamed for approximately one tenth the nukes that were fired at the States. This newest acquisition is now added to the other claimed territories, such as northern Mexico, and this reporter wonders what lands the great U.S. of A will be taking next. Of course, it won't be this one! More information will be distributed when we receive it. Until then, here's another block of smoooooth Jazz!"

"Cuba, huh?" Keith muttered to himself. "Well I'll be damned." Originally, the young rebel was from America, but he didn't have an ounce of patriotism in his body. His beef with the town was more about being a second class citizen, rather than the desire to go to a home that he didn't have to begin with. Still, America mercifully annexing Cuba, the country that had been a thorn in their side for years, was strange to hear. The States were definitely becoming an imperialistic force. Reborn from the flames of a nuclear fire, they were already rebuilding themselves to be bigger and stronger than ever in the blank slate of the world that was left. At the rate they were going, they ought to just change their national bird from an Eagle to a Phoenix.

"I know, it's crazy," one of his cellmates agreed. "Who do you think they'll take next?"

"More of Mexico, I bet," he answered, though it was just a guess.

"You think they'll take Mineral Town if they get the chance?" the other man asked.

"Gee, I don't know, would they take the magical island that repels radiation?" Keith replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "What do you think?"

"Whatever… Dick," the other man said as he returned to his cot.

Keith barely heard the insult. All he could think about was a stronger power taking over the town and giving him a chance to be something more than a ranch hand that had no freedom. All they needed was an interruption to the system.

Chapter Nineteen: A Rat in a Cage

Date: January 29th 2012, 9:30 AM

"Jack… Jack, wake up." The farmer was nudged out of his sleep by Elli's gentle touch on his shoulder. He yawned lightly before turning over on the sofa in the lobby of the clinic. After bringing the thirteen newcomers in, they were transported to the clinic for medical treatment and interrogation. Mayor Thomas then asked Jack to stick around in case he was needed for interrogation, but he hadn't been asked, which led him to sleeping on the couch until that moment. He opened his eyes slowly to see Elli smiling at him. The sight for sore eyes made him feel pleasant, despite the grogginess and joint stiffness he was experiencing.

"Ugh, what time is it?" he asked, yawning again. "That farm isn't going to run itself."

"Don't worry about that, Kai and Flint are taking care of it." She knelt down near his head and ran her fingers across his bangs and forehead. The very touch brought a frown to her face. "Besides, after all of this outside work, I think you're getting a small fever. You need your rest, love."

"Oh, so why did you wake me up?" he moaned, though his expression didn't match his voice, since he wore a light grin. With her around, he couldn't help but smile.

"Because I made you some soup. Chicken noodle." She looked over at the end table where she placed the bowl of piping hot liquid. After Jack sat up in his place, Elli took the bowl and placed it in his hands. Ignoring the spoon, he drank directly from the bowl by tilting it. A warm rush flowed through his body from the broth.

"You know Elli, this is why I love you," he said thankfully after bringing the bowl away from his lips.

"Because I make you food?" she laughed. "I thought you were less shallow than that."

"No, because you always know how to make me happy." He took another sip of the soup. "But the food is a well appreciated bonus."

Elli giggled again. The sound of her laughter warmed Jack more than the soup itself. "Oh Jack." She leaned forward to kiss him, but she didn't stay long. "I have to get back to work. All of the men that just got there need medical attention. I'll see you later." She kissed him one more time, that time on the cheek, before leaving for one of the clinic's backrooms, leaving Jack alone with his soup.

As various doctors and nurses passed by, the lone farmer finished drinking his soup and placed the empty bowl on the table. Feeling restless, he decided that if the mayor didn't come to him in the next few minutes with work, he was going to tell him that he had work on the farm needing done. But no sooner did he make this decision did he see Mayor Thomas enter from the back hallway with Harris at his heels. The look on his face was worrisome.

"What's the status?" Jack asked tiredly. He leaned back on the couch and stretched out his arms, looking more relaxed than he was feeling.

"Well…" Thomas began in a concerned tone, "one of the men died from blood loss, but the ones who did survive... most of them check out. Their story is that they were in a fight with a group of raiders, which would explain the bullet wounds and whatnot. Apparently, they've been traveling for the last year, trying to find a safe place, and none of them have deviated from this tale. They all seem like typical castaways…" An awkward pause stretched out, though it was filled with the background noise of talking and the work of the doctors.

"But?" Jack questioned. The mayor wouldn't be talking to him if there wasn't an issue.

"But we have one man who… concerns us…" Thomas finally answered. "The one who every man has claimed to be the leader. He's… very comfortable here."

"Well, isn't that a good thing?" Jack asked. "Would we rather him be shitting himself in fear of our big, bad socie-"

"Knock it off, Jack," Harris barked angrily. The officer seemed a lot more cranky than usual, probably after all of the hours he had been putting in. "You'll understand when you talk to him. He's in the last room on the right. Just go talk to him and tell us what you think."

"Yes sir," the farmer replied dully. How bad could this one guy be that he would cause this much worry? He slowly pulled himself to his feet and began a slow walk to the last room on the right, and then opened the door to where the final man slept.

Though the man was asleep, his head half covered by a pillow, Jack instantly recognized him as the man who collapsed in the boat. He was thin, and his skin was barely few shades above white. This contrasted with his jet black hair that looked very messy from all that he had endured in the past few days. The final thing Jack noticed was his chest, which was patched up with plenty of wrappings. He began to wonder where the bullet entered. The man was a lucky son of a bitch, since it obviously missed his heart and lungs.

Silently, Jack moved to the lone chair near the bed and sat down. He wasn't sure what would be the most polite way to wake a bullet wound victim from his sleep, but he didn't have to consider it further when the man's eyes sprang open at an instant. That was when everything got spooky. The man's eyes showed no residual grogginess from sleeping, but even more so, there was something about his eyes that gave Jack chills. They were a dark green color that had an intensity that he had never seen matched before in his life. Those eyes brought one word to mind: Snake. Even the guy's baby face couldn't distract Jack from those eyes.

"Oh good, your awake," Jack stated calmly, trying not to let his sheepishness show through. I have nothing to be worried about. There is no reason to be afraid of this guy.

"Well, you know, it's bloody difficult to sleep when somebody is staring at you like that," the man said, sitting up. Another surprise was the stranger's way of speaking. Out of all the people to ever land on the island after the bombs, he was the only one with a British accent. "Are you a policeman?" he asked in a ride manner. "Are you going to finger me about something, or can I go back to sleep?"

"I'll be asking the questions here," Jack replied forcefully. Don't forget who you are. "My name is Jack Slater. I'm in charge of running one of this island's farms. You're name?"

"Kelly Robinson, charmed." The dark-haired stranger extended his hand for a shake, but Jack didn't accept it. "Come now, I'm not going to bite you or anything."

"I'm not here to be buddies. Mayor Thomas asked me to come and talk to you and get an understanding of who you are. So-"

"Oh, that's comforting," Kelly laughed. "My fate is hanging by a thread, and some farm boy is holding the scissors."

"Do not interrupt me," Jack spat. The combination of this man's attitude and the early hours of the morning were becoming quite frustrating. "This island is a safe haven, and we don't take new arrivals lightly. As they say, one bad apple spoils the bunch, so we burn-"

"I bet you say this to anybody that comes in the front door," Kelly interrupted, uncaring that he was interrupting Jack again. "So, this island. The air here is tasty, and so is the water. Is this place free of rads, or am I getting my hopes up?"

What is wrong with this guy! "I am not at liberty to discuss that with-"

"Then why are you here, farm boy?" the newcomer teased. His smile was the definition of smug. "Shouldn't you go back to minding your turnips? There is nothing I have to say that I haven't said already. And if there was, why would I tell you?"

Jack couldn't take the banter anymore. He stood up and got right in the man's face, but was only greeted with that cocky smile. "Look Robinson, I don't know who you think you are, but I'm not about to let some arrogant little prick like yourself waltz into my town and act like you own the place! If you think that you're better than me or anybody else who has fought to keep this place safe, I'll boot your sorry ass back onto the water! I don't care if you're injured, I don't care if you're sinless, because I will do what I have to do to keep this land safe and sound, so don't push your damn luck! It won't go far here, I guarantee it." Despite Jack's best efforts, the man did not stop grinning. But then, he laughed, first suppressed, but then full out. Jack took a step back, since he wasn't comfortable with this man breathing on his face.

"You're so fucking adorable," the castaway finally said after catching his breath. "Trying to act like you're hard. Like you're some sort of badass. I see right through you, farm boy. Nice effort, but I'm about as far from pissing myself as I could be."

Jack clenched his fists as he glared at the grinning man on the bed. If he lacked self-control, he would have throttled the man where he sat. But with much effort, he pushed back at his emotions. He couldn't let them push through. Not now…

"I'll tell you what I told your mayor," Kelly continued, "I've been traveling with my men for awhile. They elected me leader after I saved a handful of their asses from those wild men on the water. We've been searching for awhile now for a place to settle at, and our travel's took us here. At first, we tried that one city in the north east from here, but they wouldn't let us in. Something about security from the outside or whatever. Just a bunch of nonsense. I mean, what could we do to an entire city? There is only thirteen of us."

"Twelve now," Jack corrected him, keeping his voice mildly sympathetic. However, Kelly seemed not to take any care to the fact that one of his men died. "Anyway, Poter City hasn't let anybody in since the bombs dropped. We're really the only place that castaways can go to around here… well, except Coconut Beach, but that place is a raider camp, and we don't have the manpower or the ressources to clean it out."

"Raiders, huh?" Kelly asked, his voice still bored. "Must have been them that attacked us. We outnumbered them, but they took us by surprise. One of them shot me pretty good in the-" The door opened, and both men paused to see Elli meekly take a few steps in, carrying a tray of food.

"Um, I… I'm sorry Jack, Tim told me that I need to get breakfast out to the patients, so-"

"It's fine, go right ahead," Jack told her. Seeing Elli arrive was enough to temporarily lift him out of the peeved mood he was wallowing in.

"Alright, thank you." She carried the food tray to where Kelly was and set it down before him. "Hear you are. Orange juice and scrambled eggs. I hope you enjoy it."

"Thank you, dear," Kelly answered, his voice still smooth, but in a different sort of way from how he was speaking earlier. It lacked the intensity that he had used with jack earlier. As Elli left the room, Jack noticed that Kelly's eyes followed her, unblinking.

"Wow, she's a nice piece of ass wouldn't you say?" the dark haired man said, chuckling "And cute to boot too."

Kill him. Jack heard those words in his mind as he felt his blood boil, and for the first time in awhile, he couldn't tell if the voice was his own, or the one that he didn't control.

"Seriously mate, is she single? 'Cause I wouldn't mind-"

"She's my girlfriend," Jack interrupted sourly. He just needed this man to shut up before the urge to strike him grew any stronger.

"Oh, my apologies then, farm boy." Of course, his face showed no remorse whatsoever. "I didn't think-"

"Yeah, you didn't," Jack said coldly. "Look, is there anything else you need to say before I go? You know, something that may improve my mood?"

"'Fraid I got nothing, farm boy," Kelly chuckled again. "No hard feelings though, right?"

Jack said nothing. Never in his life had he ever grown so much dislike for a person in such a short time.

"So," Kelly continued, "do you know if I'll be allowed to stay in your town?"

"We'll see," Jack answered coldly. "Enjoy your stay." He stood up and walked out of the room. The Mayor and his son were only a few steps away, discussing something that sounded important.

"Well?" Thomas asked, once he noticed Jack had joined them. "What do you think?"

"Well…" Jack started, trying to be objective as possible, "putting any personal issues aside… something's not right. His story matched up with the others, but you're right. He's just… too comfortable. I mean, every person we've ever interrogated in the past… they were always nervous, or fidgeting, or hostile even, but this guy, he just acts like he owns the place. It's unnerving."

"I agree," Thomas said, his son nodding in agreement. "Something is off here."

"So what are we going to do?" Jack questioned. "I don't feel comfortable with them here. I know we can't just kick them out-"

"That's for the council to decide. We're having an emergency meeting at noon. I suggest you get some rest and be ready." At the end of the final sentence, the Mayor and Harris left the clinic hall.

Get some rest… Even if he didn't have a farm to get back to, rest was probably something he wouldn't be able to find in these troubled times.

"And that's the entire situation as it stands," the Mayor announced to the council. "We have twelve men in the clinic being treated. Eleven of them seem like standard cases, but that outlier is what baffles-"

"I say we just throw them out!" Duke interrupted, his gruff voice creating a booming echo in the church. "These men are nothing but trouble from what I've heard so far, and the last thing we need is more outsiders!"

"Please," Thomas pleaded, his face taking a hue of red similar to that of his suit, "don't use that word. We-"

"No, no, it's fine," Tammy cut in with a sarcastic tone, her light brown eyes flashing. "Now we know where he stands. Of course, because they're 'outsiders,' they're automatically bad. After all, we're all the same, aren't we?"

"Watch your mouth, girl!" Duke grunted. He left his seat and lumbered over to Tammy, towering over the young woman, even when she was standing. "Mr. Mayor, I don't even know why she's here! She was charged with aiding the outsiders who vandalized the north shops last-"

"Tammy Palmer has been cleared of those charges, and Duke, please stop using that word," the mayor ordered. The leader of the town looked as if he was about to explode from the building frustration, but he wouldn't let himself burst. The two opposing council members stared each other down before they were grudgingly returned to their seats. Their positions in the council were not worth the rage. "Anyway, it is important that we analyze this situation carefully. What do you think of the situation, Zack? You were on duty at the time, so what's your take on it?"

"Well," Zack began, his voice lingering in thought, "at first, they seemed pretty normal, but now after hearing all of this information, I'm not so sure. Something about this group seems strange."

"What do you mean by that? What makes them so dangerous, as you say?" Tammy demanded, collecting multiple dirty looks when she did so.

"Actually, I have to agree with Zack on the group as a whole," Jack cut in suddenly. "Everybody in that group was a man in his mid-twenties or so. Anybody else think that's kind of strange? I mean, usually in groups that big, there's at least a bit of each gender, varying in age, but in this group-"

"With all due respect, does that even matter?" Gotz questioned. He was unable to put the pieces together like Jack could.

"I would say it does," Zack answered. "From what I've seen, usually large groups of all young men tend to be raiders. Not saying that we haven't seen female raiders, because we have, but a group like this only increases the chances that they're no good."

"What, so you think they're raiders?" Thomas asked, but before the leader of the guards could reply, Anna jumped into the spotlight.

"All the more reason to kick them out ASAP! Raiders in our town? They'll steal from us and they'll kill us first! This shouldn't even be an issue!" Her shouts got the council muttering, most of them in agreement with Anna, but Zack spoke up.

"I never said they were raiders, but-"

"But what?" Anna demanded. "These men are threats and should be dealt with as such. I say we throw them out right now or-"

"That's a terrible idea." Everybody silenced as they looked at the one who stated his opinion: Jack.

"Of course you think it is," Anna scoffed, rolling her eyes. "But why? Even you said you didn't like that one guy, Kelly, or whatever his name is. You said he was a rude prick. Sounds like a no class raider to me. Why should we-"

"First of all," Jack cut in, drawing an evil glare from the dark-haired woman, "while he might be a dick, we have no proof that he is some sort of raider. Maybe he has some 'evil plan,' but we can't convict him without proof. But really, the big issue here is the town's current condition with all of the rebellion. Kicking these guys out will only make the problems worse."

After a brief silence, the Mayor finally asked, "how do you figure?"

"Think about it," Jack ordered, "we have twelve injured guys in the clinic. One of them is a dick, but the other eleven seem clean. If we kick all of them out, that just gives the rebels more reason to fight against us for unfair treatment to newcomers."

"Wait, I don't understand," Doug interjected, scratching his head. "The rebels want to leave. Why would they be mad about people being let go prematurely?"

"If we act unfairly and unjustly to these newcomers in any way, it just gives the rebels more ammo to do what they're doing," Jack explained. "If you ask me, the risk isn't worth it. There are twelve of them and over a hundred of us."

"And if they are out to rob us?" Anna asked, authoritatively projecting her voice.

"We keep an eye on them," Jack said. "We split the twelve of them amongst the places of business in town and keep them away from each other. That way, they won't be able to communicate with each other easily and if any of them are plotting something, we'll find out, and we'll do something about it. If not, they'll be integrated into our society, and the problem is solved. Get it?"

Mumbling followed. Jack was unable to tell if it was good mumbling or bad mumbling, but finally, the Mayor answered him.

"Jack, that is a decently thought out idea, but if these men are dangerous, it's a big risk."

"Yes, but kicking them to the curb almost guarantees us problems. This… not so much. I'm not usually a gambling man, but that's how I'd play the hand." He sat down and folded his arms.

"I don't get it, I thought you wanted to support the rebel, but now you don't want them to revolt!" Duke accused. "Why are you-"

"This isn't about me and my personal beliefs," Jack stated calmly. Duke could be a real bully, and he wasn't about to be played. "If it were that easy, I'd kick Kelly over the wall myself. This is about our families and friends. And if that means playing babysitter for these guys, then so be it."

"Yes, well… It's worth considering," the Mayor agreed. "If we weren't having rebel problems, I'd have those boys removed, but the safety of this town is always our highest priority. We will discuss this tomorrow after we've given the issue more thought. Until then, meeting adjourned. Go home and consider the ordinance."

One by one, the council members left the church, Jack being one of the first to rush out. He had wasted too much time away from the farm, and he needed to get back to work. It seemed like he was always passing his duties onto Kai and Flint, and he wasn't setting a good example for his employees. I feel more like a politician than a farmer...

"Jack, a word?"

Not that voice. He slowly turned to see Anna near the doorway, standing slightly to the side so that the other council members could exit. She was wearing two distinct articles of clothing: some sort of pre-strike fur coat, and an icy cold glare that was colder than the snow itself.

"I'm sorry Anna, I have to get back to work," he said, denying her request, but once he had turned around to leave again, he felt the woman's hand touch his shoulder. He turned his head to see her hand on his shoulder, and despite its slender appearance, the grip was strong.

"Now."

Jack returned Anna's cold stare with one of relaxed indifference. He could have easily walked away, but he knew how this woman worked. The last thing he needed was another enemy in Mineral Town.

"Very well," he answered. Silently and slowly, Anna released his shoulder and walked over to the church's cemetery while he obediently followed. They stopped near a headstone and she went back to giving him that cold stare. Jack analyzed the woman as he tried to understand why she had pulled him aside. Despite her age (late forties, early fifties, he wasn't quite sure,) she was still a very attractive woman, but that made no difference in his opinion of her. Though he never showed it, Jack had never particularly liked Anna. She was one of those few original town members that had rubbed him the wrong way since day one, and she grown even more unappealing ever since she had provoked Gotz to rage by mentioning his family at that one meeting in the past. But the feeling was obviously mutual. Anna didn't like Jack either, and for one reason: he wasn't born on the island. She was the equivalent of a nationalist, being that she was not fond of anybody who wasn't born and raised on the island. This was especially obvious when she would not allow her daughter to date Grey back before the strikes (though she failed at keeping her away from Doctor Tim.) Despite her beliefs, she was of the Mayor's biggest supporters, grudgingly accepting the newcomers because he demanded it. That being said, it was unsettling that she was a member of the island's high council. So much power… how Mary was so sweet was beyond Jack.

"What do you have to say?" Jack asked, smiling slightly, reminding Anna that she didn't intimidate him. The tactic failed however, as Anna's scowl grew larger.

"Jack, my family has lived on this islands for generations," she began, her voice civil, but dark, "and I plan to keep it that way, even if Mary does decide to marry…" She sighed, annoyed at her child's decision. "But you, Jack… I've been tolerant of you for so long. I've turned a blind eye to your rise to power and respect in this town. But what you've done today may have doomed us all."

"What are you talking about?" Jack groaned, crossing his arms for warmth. " What power? I just run a farm. And I didn't do anything."

"Didn't you?" she asked rhetorically. "I've worked with the Mayor for many years, and I know when he likes an idea. He really likes this one, especially since you came up with it. You're his current pet, you know. He likes your interpretation of how we should handle these outsiders, and most of the other council members do too. It will obviously pass. I'm not even sure why Thomas is postponing it, but…" She sighed and shook her head before going back to glaring at Jack. "Those monsters are poison, and you're willingly feeding it to this town."

"I already told you all, we will have more problems-"

"Decorate your beliefs however you wish," she interrupted bitterly, "you have put the legacy of our town in jeopardy. If you give a rat a place to rest, it will breed, and it won't matter if you try to contain it."

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way," Jack replied. "But I stand by my beliefs. Now-"

"Your beliefs," Anna mocked, laughing shrilly before her face reverted back to the meanness she was exuding. "Your beliefs are just as poisonous as those men. You claim to be neutral, but I know what you want. You want those outsiders to have more power. Well, it's only a matter of time before everything in this town collapses. When that day comes, we'll know who to blame, and it won't be those rats. It will be the men who let the rats in. But mostly, it will be you. Everything will be your fault." She took a step forward, forcing Jack to stand right up against a tombstone. He stared back into Anna's eyes, his face saying "you don't scare me," but he was feeling very uncomfortable.

"And…" She reached down and clamped his wrists with both hands, digging her nails deep into his skin. Jack felt his skin break, but he refused to flinch. He wasn't about to give Anna the satisfaction. "And if you ever cause anything that displeases me, I will make your life a living hell… unless you pay with it."

Jack smirked at this threat to try and calm himself down, but it didn't work. But Anna didn't know that. This just made her angrier.

"Is that clear?" she questioned, her voice low and grave.

"Crystal," Jack replied coolly. "We're done here." As Anna's grip loosened, Jack walked away, though his head was turned towards her still. Kelly may have very well been a snake, but Anna was a hyena. And it was never a good idea to turn one's back on a hyena, even if it claimed to be on your side. It was apparent to him now that the gambit he had suggested to the council might not only be dangerous to the town, but his way of life as well. There would be nothing to do now but to wait for a new hand to be dealt.