Chapter 2: The Signs

"...As the Chancellor's speech continues to receive praise and criticism from world leaders across the globe, Neo-ISIS groups continue their campaign of terror with the most recent attack at the MEC International Airport. The attack claimed the lives of 124 people, one of whom was MEC diplomat Almast Aghavni. Mrs. Aghavni was called to travel to Russia on a diplomacy mission regarding the situation in Syria. In other news, Makarov Lenin has once again refuted Chancellor Ayman's claim that Russia invaded Syria. The news switched cameras to where Russian president Makarov Lenin is with Estonian talk show host, Sofia Mirtel. "So Mr Lenin, what are your thoughts on Ayman's claim that Mother Russia invaded the country of Syria?" Makarov leaned towards a bit and cleared his throat. "I like to believe that he is certainly ill… Ill with madness!" Sofia and the live audience were stunned by what Makarov Lenin just said. They can't just believe it. "I am certain that Ayman has a mental illness or at least Azhimers. Ayman is certainly being lied to by his intelligence agency, which I know is controlled by the American CIA. I have said once and I'll say it again...It's an intervention not only on the late Bashir's behalf, but it's the only way to end the bloodshed in Syria. If we face controversy for defending the average citizen, so be it."

After Makarov said, not a single soul said anything, not even a cricket was heard. After what seemed to be an eternity, the audience talked amongst themselves regarding this and Sofia joined in by talking to some of her co-workers. Makarov sat there with a look of a person who's proud of an achievement. "Things are definitely going well. My loyalist base will make sure of that…" He thought to himself. "It'll be interesting alright. It definitely will."

The cameras switched back to the stunned news casters. He quickly shakes the stunness away. "W-Well that was...Something. He clears his throat and now has a straight face. "Anyways, we have a reporter on the scene in Palestine regarding something that the locals call 'An anomalous aura'. To you Trishka." The cameras switched to an Indian woman of Indian in a blue bullet-resistant vest with 'PRESS' on it and wearing a Keffiyeh around her neck.

"Hello my name is Triska Agarwal and I'm here in Palestine regarding a mysterious phenomenon." She turns towards a Palenstinan man. "I have heard about these strange happenings, what is your thought on this phenomenon?" She asked and pointed the microphone towards the man."It was really strange. Some generators kept overloading and some neighborhoods ended up having black outs" The man said to Trishka. She hummed a bit and thought about something. "Were these generators by any chance old or clogged with something?" Trishka asked the man. The man simply shook his head left to right.

"Nope. They were brand new and didn't have any evidence of clogging up. Neither is that some neighborhood causing them to overload. Hell, they're not even sabotaged by the IDF!" The man exclaimed at Trishka, to which she took a step back. The man noticed and promptly apologised about it. The camera switched to Trishka walking up a group of Palenstinain protesters regarding the IDF's activities. "Hello my name is Triska Agarwal, I'm with the BBC. Tell me, what are your thoughts regarding this 'Anomalous Aura' that has been happening recently?" One of them decided to speak up. "I believe it was done by experimental IDF technology. For example, the local MEC base is currently on high alert. Something has tripped an alarm of sorts and now they're angry. I believe it was done by the damned IDF! She shouted at Trishka, who was surprised by the protester's outburst. Trishka reclaimed her cool and asked another fellow protester. "Well, something is definitely going on here. Yesterday, I saw on the news that the MEC-Palenstine HQ reported that strange things are happening in the sky lately" He said.

Trishka simply nodded and the protester continued. "Like, some spots were warping a bit and some sections looked like red! It looked like bad CGI from a blockbuster American film!" He and a few others laughed as well. Another protestor spoke up. "Yeah and my brother in the MEC military said that something tripped the military radar sites in countries like Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon as well!" They have said.

Trishka was to another question when a Palenstinan protester threw rocks at a IDF soldier who was harassing a couple of civilians and the soldier openly fired and killed the protester. Trishka, the group and the camera-person ran like hell to prevent the soldier from claiming more lives.

"This was Trishka Agarwal from the BBC, back to you Brian!" Said while Trishka was running. The camera switches back to Brian, which he's again stunned from what has unraveled in Palestine. "Well...That...Was something over there Thrishka. I guess we'll talk about today's weather broadca-" He was cut off when the television switched channels. The soldier who turned it faced towards another person who was in the same room with him: Colonel Afran

"What in the hell are you doing!?" Aran yelled towards the soldier. Ah shit! I mean sir!" The man saluated the colonel with a nervous look on his face and sweating bullets. The colonel is obviously not happy with this soldier not training with the others in his unit and sitting there, watching the news. Afran pinches the bridge of his nose and walks towards the soldier.

The soldier is sweating bullets and has the fakest smile Afran has ever seen in his life. "So...Tell me right now on...Why you're not in training?!" Afran yelled into the Soldier's face with anger. The Soldier replied by stuttering, which annoyed and angered Afran even more.

"Don't give that shit. I want you to go down to training right now and give the instructors there 100 pushups!" Yelled Afran to the stuttering soldier. "What, I have grown two heads or something? I said MOVE IT!" He yelled again, but with more fury to his voice.

The soldier stopped stuttering and ran like the wind out of there, with Afran sighing at what happened. "By God...I don't know why he's in the army if he does this…" He sighs and walks out of the room, muttering something about 'Marksman' and into the training yard where he sees the Dominatus division firing the MEC version of the M1128 MGS into the distance, with some reckless degree.

The 3rd artillery division 'Dominatus' was known to be somewhat reckless but efficient in getting their job done. But the instructors and Afran wanted to stamp out the recklessness due to obvious problems having a reckless artillery division in the military, especially during an attack by an enemy or a battle against an army. He sees two privates sitting down, watching something on their phones.

He pinches the bridge of his nose and goes to talk to their commanding officers, leaving the privates to resume watching. "...As tensions regarding Russia's supposed invasion of Syria continue to rise, unknown groups are starting to blow up with incredible speed all over the MEC, especially in the countries of Iran, Israel and Sadui Arabia...According to reports, the groups appear to have a Satanic cult-like aesthetic and are already a danger to the public of the MEC." The newscaster turns another page on the report.

"As military build up of the MEC continues, their some rumors of the United States-"

The privates looked up to see their officers glaring at them, knowing they bailed out. The privates sweat bullets, knowing the amount of trouble they're in...