(AN: So, no sh*t, I had the follow up to Gobbi and the Exiles' next chapter almost done...aaaand my computer crashed and I lost 4,000+ words. There was much cursing and my Chromebook didn't survive the experience. Fortunately I had a backup Chromebook (Christmas present) and still writing. This chapter introduces LTC Long, and it's shorter like the previous one, but at least it's something until I get the next chapter done. I'd like to have it done by the weekend/early next week, but it depends on how much I remember writing and how much I can dredge up from my hand-written notes.
So, instead, I am posting this chapter which introduces LTC Long, the leader of the 'Exiles'. I must point out that he won't be in the story just yet, he will be introduced to the rest of his men after their 'training mission'. Also, visually speaking I am basing Long off of LTC Devoe in the 1997 movie 'The Peacemaker'. So yeah, LTC Long's a younger George Clooney, but without the attitude that the actor himself has.
Speaking of 'training mission' I think it only right to point out that every Disney story that the 'Exiles' and the 'Damned' are going to be flung into, is going to Deconstruct the whole concept of the fairy tale, except the ones that are themselves Deconstructions, in which case they will deconstruct the deconstruction of the...You know, it's 3am and I shouldn't be writing this late at night...Oh yes, and in each story there will be a key element missing, which will require either the 'Damned' or the 'Exiles' presence.
As I said I hope to have the next chapter, working title 'A Man of Action' up by the end of the week or 1st part of next week, so please be patient.
In the meantime, enjoy!)
Bio Profile: Lieutenant Colonel Long
Faction: The Exiles
Lieutenant Colonel David Long hailed from a small town in the Midwest, and grew up in a close-knit farming community. His father, a third-generation Nebraska farmer, had taught his son the value of saying what you mean and meaning what you say. He also taught young David the importance of standing up for what you believe is right. David Long took those words to heart, excelling in school, graduating at the top of his class in high school. His academic and athletic achievements earned him entrance into the prestigious West Point military academy, where he continued to impress both teachers and his fellow students alike.
He graduated from West Point in June of 1990, and commissioned as just in time to see service in the 1st Gulf War, as a 2nd lieutenant in charge of 3rd Platoon within the 504th Regiment, in the legendary 82nd Airborne. Although his unit never saw any action Long still managed to distinguish himself. Intelligent, outgoing, and unafraid to speak his mind, Long took his father's words to heart. It earned him the ire of some of his more uptight superiors but also the respect and admiration of his subordinate officers and enlisted personnel. Long believed that respect was a mutual thing, something that was earned, not demanded. He was always looking out for his 'boys', as he called his subordinates.
After Gulf War One Long served in an advisory position to then Col. John Batiste during Operation Joint Endeavor in Kosovo, where he earned several commendations from his superiors. After 9/11 Long requested and received a transfer from a cushy 'REMF' position to a command position within the 506th Infantry Regiment. As a captain During Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom he commanded Hotel Company in the 2nd Battalion. His company was one of the most combat effective units, and more importantly, thanks to his leadership, suffered the least casualties of any other company.
In May of 2004 he was promoted to major and transferred to the 33rd Mobile Infantry Battalion in March of 2005, at the request of then LTC John Konrad. Long and Konrad bonded, and shortly after the fateful IED incident that took Col. Harvie's life Konrad was promoted to colonel and assumed command of the 33rd. He in turn promoted Long to 'Light Colonel' and appointed him as battalion XO. As the 33rd's executive officer, Lt. Col. Long proved to be both popular and effective; a combination of traits rare for a man is his position. Long and his CO continued to bond as well, they often visited the colonel's Montana ranch when on leave, and Konrad named Long as his son's godfather. Just weeks before the 33rd's fateful last deployment to Afghanistan in late 2011, Long enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with Konrad and his wife and son.
In their last deployment to Afghanistan, Long and Konrad worked diligently to salvage the allied peacekeeping mission in the countryside surrounding Kabul, but the ISAF effort to maintain control was crumbling fast and everyone knew it. In the climactic Battle of Kabul, Konrad personally led elements of the 33rd to save a stranded Spec Ops unit, saving their lives, including the life of one Martin Walker. In the end, despite reinforcements from the British, the French, and the elite shock troopers of the Army's legendary "Viper Battalion," Kabul soon fell. Konrad, Long and the rest of the 33rd was evacuated at the end of December, 2011. Both Konrad and Long took the fall of Kabul very hard, as it was the 33rd's first conquest in Operation Enduring Freedom. It was during the layover in Qatar that word of the storms looming over Dubai reached Konrad, Long, and the men of the 33rd.
The 33rd was diverted to Dubai by accident, but Konrad believed that it was no coincidence that they ended up in the city just before the storms got worse. Konrad volunteered the 33rd to help evacuate civilians from the city when it became clear that the government of Dubai was doing nothing to help. Konrad sent word to the Pentagon, requesting assistance to help, or at least permission to help evacuate the civilians who had been abandoned. The Pentagon replied, ordering Konrad to evacuate any American citizens from Dubai, and then withdraw. Konrad defied that order, and Long, along with the rest of Konrad's command staff, stood with him.
In the first few weeks following Konrad's refusal of the Pentagon's order, Long supported Konrad unfailingly, but as the storms grew worse in Dubai and the 33rd struggled to keep order, he became increasingly uneasy with the 33rd's heavy-handed peacekeeping tactics. He had agreed defy the Pentagon and stay in Dubai, but seeing the reality Long became increasingly troubled as time went on and the situation continued to spiral out of control.
The failure of the Evacuation was a reality-check for Long. He became convinced (correctly, as it would turn out) that Dubai was a lost cause, and approached Konrad with a plan to evacuate the 33rd and as many civilians as possible using a couple of functional Emirates Airways 747's, but Konrad refused, intent on 'saving' Dubai from the storms. A few weeks went by and the two grew more and more distant as Konrad became increasingly delusional, lapping up the praise and gratitude from the surviving refugees, who worshiped him as a living god. The final straw was when Konrad ordered five men, men with families, to be publicly executed for attempting to steal water from the Aquatic Colosseum. Long again confronted Konrad, attempting to make his friend see reason, but Konrad refused, stating that if order is to be maintained an example would have to be made. It degenerated into an argument, and a shouting match which ended with Long storming off, intending to take matters into his own hands and do what he saw as the right thing.
Over the course of a few weeks Long began approaching individuals he trusted. Cynical, pragmatic Major Ken Tebby, the battalion Operations Officer, readily agreed to participate as did captains Wright, Foley, and Hammond, the commanders of the companies hardest hit by the failed evacuation. Captain Jeff Bowles, the battalion intelligence officer, also agreed to go along and so did the 33rd's JAG officer, Major John Pope. Major Barker, who feared that it would lead to violent confrontation, declined, and so did Sergeant Major Wolfe, who agreed with Long but was unwilling to abandon his men.
Several of the 33rd's pilots agreed to fly the men out of Dubai, and Long managed to convince Konrad to put the airstrip under the care of the under-strength Hotel Company, relieving Bill Pilton's Kilo Company. This had aroused the suspicion of Pilton, who had a poor relationship with Long to begin with. Suspecting that the battalion XO was planning something, Pilton tricked Sergeant Major Wolfe into revealing what he knew, and then blackmailed him into keeping quiet with threats to report him to Konrad. Pilton, with his ambition set on Long's position as XO, decided to take it upon himself to confront the 33rd's wayward second in command.
Long waited for a clear forecast before leading his renegade force, which Ken Tebby dubbed the 'Exiles', to the airfield. With him on that fateful day were Ken Tebby, Jeff Bowles, JAG officer John Pope, Captains Wright, Hammond, and Foley with their entire companies, Lieutenant Aaron Walsh and half of the 33rd's recon platoon, parts of India and Juliet companies, a few tankers and aviators, and virtually all of the 33rd's headquarters staff. Departing in the dead of night, nobody noticed their absence. Nobody, that is, except Bill Pilton.
Pilton arrived at the airfield in the dead of night with Kilo Company in tow. Pilton called on the commander of Hotel Company, Captain George Glynn, and sent him and his company to deal with an imaginary riot. Long arrived at dawn to find Pilton and his men surrounding the hanger. Leaving most of his force in the dunes, Long and his officers boldly confronted the arrogant captain on the tarmac. Pilton taunted the former XO, calling him a traitor and a coward, and threatened to personally kill him on the spot if he didn't turn around and go back.
After months of hell in Dubai and escape almost within his grasp, Long wasn't about to back down. He tried to reason with Pilton, and when that didn't work, threatened to shoot him. Finally, he pushed Pilton aside and walked toward the hanger. The doors opened to reveal the pilots Long had struck a deal with, bound and on their knees. The angered Lieutenant Colonel demanded that Pilton release them, but the cold-hearted officer executed the men on the spot, telling Long he wasn't going anywhere. Captain Hammond's radioman, specialist Tyson Brady, ran forward to confront the murderous officer, but Pilton raised his Glock and shot Brady in the head, killing him. It was the first shot of the Mutiny.
Long, horrified by the murder of his radioman, raised his M9 and shot Pilton dead. Long's men on the dunes made short work of the rest of Kilo Company, but when the smoke had cleared both 747's were destroyed and the pilots were dead, leaving the Exiles trapped in Dubai. Long carefully plotted his next move as his men cleared away the bodies of Pilton and his men.
None of the Exile officers were keen to fight their own men, but it was clear to everyone that there was no choice in the matter. In one last effort to avoid conflict, Long sent a message to Konrad, begging him to evacuate while they still could. The colonel's answer was never in question though, and so the Mutiny began.
Konrad woke up the next morning to find his second-in-command and hundreds of his men gone, with reports coming in indicating that Bill Pilton's company had been slaughtered at the airfield. At first the colonel refused to believe that his friend would turn on him, but soon had to face facts. Word spread among the 33rd of Pilton's demise and Long's apparent desertion, and individual dramas were played out as infighting broke out and plunged the battalion into chaos. Squads and platoons turned on each other, and Konrad struggled to maintain control, eventually resorting to draconian punishments like flogging and public executions to keep his battalion from disintegrating.
For six long months, the 'Exiles' loyal to Long fought men still loyal to Konrad, known as the 'Damned', for control of Dubai. Looting, death squads, and unspeakable atrocities were common on all sides as the 33rd tore itself apart. The 'Exiles' made initial gains, because they had the element of surprise, but when the 'Damned' regrouped and counter-attacked, the 'Exiles' were slowly pushed back. The outcome was never really in doubt though, and the inevitable assault on the 'Exile's base at the airfield came in in the first week of June.
The 'Damned' attacked in full force, supported by the air wing and the remaining tanks and Stryker IFV's. Long and his men fought back viciously, and the battle raged for the entire day and into the night, as the majority of the mutineers fought to the death rather than be captured. Some men escaped on foot or in vehicles, but most didn't make it very far. Long and his officers were all accounted for by dawn the next day. Captain Foley, JAG officer Pope, and Lieutenant Walsh had been killed outright. Jeff Bowles escaped on foot with two soldiers, but was tracked down by a squad of Heavy Troopers and captured after a brief firefight. Captain Tebby surrendered after running out of ammo, while Captain Wright was terribly wounded in the battle and captured. Hammond and Long attempted to flee in a HUMVEE with his driver and RTO, but were apprehended by 1SG Crosby and his cadre of Zulu Squad.
Taken to the gate, the five officers were kept under house arrest for a few days while Konrad decided what to do with them. It was announced seventy-two hours afterwards that the captured officers would be executed as a warning against any future insurrection. Konrad assembled all the 33rd's officers and many enlisted men in the main conference room of the Naeemah Center, also known as the Gate, and had the five officers tied to chairs on the stage. At the last minute, Dr. Stigman attempted to intercede, begging Konrad to spare the men, and when that didn't work, begging him to at least spare Bowles and Wright on account of their severe wounds. The colonel was resolute though, and decided to go through with the executions. Notably, several people were conspicuous in their absence. Sergeant Major Wolfe, Dr. Stigman, Lt. John McPherson PFC Peter Gobbi and SSG Josh Forbes were among those who refused to attend.
At a podium off to the side, with the men of the Damned 33rd gathered, Konrad gave a speech about duty and honor, and said an example had to be set. Perhaps he had a change of heart though, because he offered the mutineers a choice: either publicly renounce their actions and be stripped of their ranks, or die.
What happened next would haunt Konrad to the end of his days...
"Is Colonel John Konrad the greatest man I ever served with? Well, I don't know. I'd have said he was the best damned commander the 33rd ever had. There was the time back in that shit-show that was Kabul, when Col. Harvie was killed in an IED attack, an' Konrad stepped up and pulled our collective asses out of the meatgrinder. Nobody was left behind, not even Harvie's body. Hell, he personally chose me to be on his command staff. I've broken bread with him under his roof on Thanksgiving, his son Jeremy is my godson and calls me 'Uncle Dave.' So maybe I'm biased, but the facts don't lie. The man's a fuckin' hero.
"Remember when the storms first hit Dubai? You were probably all safe and sound back at home watching TV, while Konrad was leading the 'Damned 33rd' out of Afghanistan. Instead of coming home, he volunteered his entire battalion, all of us, to help to evacuate civilians. Bet all you did was send a check. The Pentagon ordered Konrad to abandon Dubai, to evacuate any American civilians still in the city and come home. He defied that order, and as part of his command staff we all stood with him. Nobody outside of Dubai knew what happened next, but the reality is, the storms got worse. Much, much worse. Six months ago, Konrad had organized a caravan of survivors to flee the sandstorms. It was the 33rd's most audacious mission to date, called the Evacuation. Over 6,000 civilians and all 1,500 members of the 33rd were to participate in this mission. If it succeeded, it would be the crowning achievement in Konrad's career as a soldier and an officer...
"Lt. Col. Long, can you hear me?"
...It ended in complete failure."
"Open your eyes, David..."
"The sandstorms worsened, and the convoy stalled ten clicks outside of Dubai, in the middle of the storms...Over a thousand men, women, children and soldiers lost their lives in the failed Evacuation."
"I need you to see what you have done..."
"Then came the Mutiny..."
(June 10th, 2012, Naeemah Center (The Gate), Dubai, 1300 hours local time)
"...Now, six months later, I have a much different opinion of Colonel John Konrad."
LTC Long's eyes slowly opened, his pupils dilated painfully to the bright light around him. He, along with the surviving members of the 33rd's Command Staff, the leaders of the Mutiny, were bound to chairs on a raised stage in main conference room of the Naeemah Convention Center in Dubai, known to the 33rd as The Gate. There were hundreds of 33rd soldiers packed into the conference room. Some were seated in the uncomfortable hard, plastic chairs, some were standing in the back. Some had looks of absolute hatred in their eyes, others, horror or pity.
As Long's eyes came into focus, he saw one figure that he felt all three of those emotions; anger, hatred, horror and pity. Ironically, it was the one man whom he once loved as a surrogate father figure, a close friend, and someone he held in the highest regard and esteem. Standing at a podium in full dress uniform was Col. John Konrad, the leader of the Damned 33rd. Long heard the colonel speak.
"Men of the 33rd, you know why you are here. These last six months have been...trying for us all. Know this, what transpired in that time was not your fault..."
Konrad gestured to Long and his fellow captive officers.
"It is the fault of those who started this Mutiny. I know there are those of you present here who sympathize with, or even agree with their motivations. And I do not blame them for their motivations..."
He turned his gaze to Long, and the Old Man's hazel eyes hardened.
"...But if order is to be maintained, an example has to be made. These leaders of the Mutiny, they are traitors, guilty of the highest of crimes against the Damned 33rd, that of desertion and fratricide..."
Long closed his eyes again as he heard Konrad continue.
"...In past wars during extreme circumstances, and these certainly qualify, the United States Army doesn't mince words about the fate of traitors. Traitors were executed by the harshest methods available at the time..."
He nodded to the soldiers behind the captive officers, who removed the gags from the bound men's mouths. Konrad turned and spoke directly to his erstwhile Command Staff.
"As you know, the penalty for your actions is death. I am prepared to be lenient, but that depends on your cooperation."
Konrad nodded to the two soldiers off to the side. Long heard doors open, and footfalls marching in. He turned his head, enough to see one of the 33rd's wearing heavily modified EOD armor, a Heavy Trooper, carrying a green crate. The Heavy Trooper set the crate down, and as Long's gaze fell upon the crate, his blood froze as he read the warning signs stenciled in the side.
WARNING: WHITE PHOSPHORUS ORDNANCE!
The Heavy Trooper pulled out a WP mortar shell, one that had been modified to be detonated remotely. He set the mortar in front of the bound officers, then lumbered over to Konrad and handed him the detonator.
Long, along with his fellow captive officers, were mesmerized by the Wily Pete mortar shell. The leader of the Mutiny broke from his reverie enough to hear Konrad speak again.
"You know what this is, gentlemen. I don't want to do this, and we can avoid this...unpleasantness if you all renounce your actions in the Mutiny and admit your wrongdoing."
The captive mutineers remained silent. Long could feel the tension in the air, as invasive and omnipresent as the sand as he heard Konrad continue.
"I'm only going to make this offer once, admit your wrongdoing, or face the the wrath of Wily Pete."
That caused something in the leader of the Exiles' to snap, and he finally directed his attention from the mortar to Konrad, glaring contemptuously at his erstwhile commander and friend.
"This is all your fault, John. Not ours."
He heard Captain Wright speak next to him.
"We're not to blame, sir. You are."
Off on the end, Chris Hammond struggled to speak. Wounded at the airfield, he had to be tied around the chest to keep him upright in his chair.
"No...," he said, shaking his head vigorously, "No..."
Jeff Bowles, who sat on the other side of Long looked resigned to his fate.
"Fuck it. Lets just get this over with." He mumbled, almost to himself.
Ken Tebby looked Konrad directly in the eye, his face ablaze with undisguised contempt. He spat on the floor and turned away.
Long continued.
"Colonel, I know now that it was folly to stay here, hubris to think we could save this city. This city and its inhabitants were doomed the minute the storms arrived. That, I could have forgiven you, sir. But to stay here? It's suicide."
He heard Konrad speak, this time something resembling emotion bleeding into his voice.
"For the last time Dave, we can't leave these people to die!"
The former XO glared at Konrad.
"You think you can save these people? You think you can be the hero, is that it?"
Long jerked his head around.
"Look around you, John. Does this look like the handiwork of a hero? Do the things you've done...the things we've all done, on your orders, are those things that a hero would do?"
He shook his head.
"This city is a lost cause, John. The people are dying. Your men...our men, are dying. There were over 10,000 people alive in Dubai when we arrived. 1,800 of them are now rotting in the desert. Half of the 33rd are are swinging from lampposts or buried under the sand, and the other half are killing each other and emptying mags into civilians, all on your orders! The last straw was that these civilians...the refugees... them worshiping you as a god!"
Long saw Konrad shaking his head, as if to say something, but he cut the colonel off.
"Don't lie to me, John! I know you get off on that power trip! I've seen the cult of personality they've built around their God and Savior, John Konrad. They think their gods abandoned them, so they've replaced their gods with you! They've even made effigies of you! For that I cannot and will not forgive you, when it became clear to me and the rest of your command staff that you wouldn't abandon your 'followers', we took matters into our own hands."
He looked around him.
"The results of which, well...you know."
Lt. Colonel Long sighed, almost in a defeated manner.
"I will not renounce my actions, Colonel. I refuse to apologize for doing what needed to be done. I can't stop you now, but you're the one who has to live with it. And if that means we burn for holding to our code as officers, then so be it."
Konrad spoke again, all pretense of military bearing gone, his stoic face crumbling as the horror bled from his words.
"Goddammit Dave don't make me do this! Please!"
Long looked back at him with something almost like pity.
"You still don't get it, do you John? This isn't about us making a choice. It is about you making a choice."
Konrad stared back at him. Long could see that the colonel had sweat forming on his brow, and for once it wasn't the heat.
The entire room went silent as Konrad regained his composure and picked up the detonator. Long's heart beat quicker, in spite of his words he felt a real, naked fear as the commander of the 33rd held their doom in his hands. He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable, and wondering how much pain he would be in before he would succumb to the burning. Vaguely he heard Konrad speak in a rapid, frantic manner.
"Please...please don't make me do this...I beg of you."
Silence greeted the colonel, and he exploded in a combination of fury and frustration.
"I don't want to do this, Dave! Renounce the damned Mutiny and admit your wrongdoing!"
It was Ken Tebby who raised his head and looked at Konrad defiantly. When he finally spoke, his voice carried throughout the conference room, loud and steady.
"I am an American soldier. I am a warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army values..."
Wright joined in.
"...I will always place the mission first..."
Hammond struggled to speak up.
"...I-I will never accept d-defeat..."
A tear fell from Captain Bowles's cheek, but his eyes betrayed no fear as he continued.
"...I will never quit..."
LTC David Long never felt more proud of his fellow officers. Suddenly, he remembered those words his father told him, so long ago. He opened his eyes, held his head up high and faced the audience as he joined in.
"...I will never leave a fallen comrade."
He ignored his commander, but the other soldiers in the conference room saw Konrad's facade begin to crumble. Most of the soldiers were still watching, transfixed, as the mutineers continued in unison, led by Lt. Colonel Long.
"I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, equipment, and myself. I am an expert and a professional. I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States in close combat. I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life..."
Konrad felt sick to his stomach. For the first time, the reality of the situation hit him. He was no hero. He had made himself the villain of his own story. He felt the weight of his actions and decisions and firmly on his shoulders. But there was no turning back now, he had made his decision and now he had to live with it. He looked over to Long, the leader of the mutineers, who was purposefully staring straight ahead, not wanting to even look at him. His adjunct, and a man he once considered closer than a brother, finish in a soft but forceful voice.
"I am an American soldier."
Konrad closed his eyes and pushed the red button on the detonator.
Long at first was blinded by the bright flash as the WP mortar detonated, his nostrils were overwhelmed by the rancid, garlic-like smell of the white phosphorus combusting in the air. He felt his skin pricked by a million burning white-hot embers, and he bit his tongue so that he wouldn't scream.
Then, something odd happened. The burning sensation dulled, and he heard a voice. A soft, melodious feminine voice whisper in his ear.
"Fear not, David Long, I will not let you burn..."
Then, in a bright flash, Long found himself in a forest. It was looked old, with trees whose trunks were larger than those in the Redwood Forest, their leaves were a bright green that reflected the light as if they were made of fine emerald glass. The leader of the Exiles thought the place looked like it belonged in a painting, it was almost too perfect and beautiful to be real. Then he heard a voice speak behind him.
"I have brought you here, for a purpose, David."
Long spun around, and for a second his breath was taken away. The owner of the voice was a tall, beautiful woman with fair skin and long flowing hair. She stepped forward lightly, her tresses and gossamer-thin raiment swished as she approached him. He found himself staring into her eyes, which were a deep emerald green, and seemed larger than normal. She came closer, until Long could see his own reflection in those beautiful eyes.
"You loved him as a father, a brother, and a close friend. It made your death all the more hurtful, didn't it, David?"
He shook himself awake, long enough to see her beautiful eyes glisten, until tears that sparkled like precious stones traced their way down her radiant features. Her sadness piqued Long to the core, every fiber of his being wanted to comfort her, to wipe away her tears. She seemed to sense his thoughts, and a small smile played on the Beautiful Lady's lips.
"But here you are, because I have plucked your thread from that hellish Tapestry before it was cut. Because I have faith that you can redeem yourself, and your men."
Long finally found himself able to speak.
"You...you want to send me on a mission?"
The Lady smiled.
"Yes, in a word. You will be able to be the hero, to defeat a great evil, and help others on their quest. If you succeed you will obtain redemption and achieve your heart's desire. Will you do this, David Long?"
She stepped in closer, until her face was very close. Long could almost feel her breath on his face, and her beauty took away all rational thought from the career US Army officer. Finally he found his voice, and spoke, albeit stutteringly as he stared at her beauty.
"Um...ah...that is, yes, sure...why not?"
The Lady gave him a beatific smile.
"Very well, you will be reunited with your subordinates, as well as some other companions. Heed their advice, listen to your heart, and you will become the hero..."
With that, she reached out with a slender hand, and extended a delicate finger to Long's chest, and touched it. He felt an electric charge, and there was a bright flash of light. The Weaver of Fate stood there for a few more minutes, before a doorway appeared behind her. A man wearing a bright blue Hawaiian shirt with pink flamingos stepped out. He pulled out a pipe and started the complex ritual of lighting it. Finally the mysterious man spoke.
"Well, toots?"
The Weaver turned to her employer.
"It is done. All of the pieces are now on the board, my Lord."
He took a puff from his pipe and smiled.
"Nice! Now we get to see how everything pans out."
The mysterious man, known to some as a god, others as an Author Avatar, and still others just as Country Ollman, paused.
"Athough, I think that a certain self-proclaimed critic is really not going to like all these 4th Wall Breaking sessions, but hey, you can't please everyone, now can you?"
(AN: So, there you have it. I know it's just more fluff, but hopefully it will whet your appetite until I can get the next chapter up. Like I said I'm going to try my darnedest to get it up by next week, but it will depend on my schedule and my short-term memory recall. Until then, don't touch that dial!)