Chapter Four: Protect the Power

"The state is an organization of violence, a monopoly in what it is pleased to call legitimate violence."

-John Gardner

The first thing I did was have Steroc drop me off at an abandoned building near my house. I needed to get home fast. I also needed to get to my parents' house before the Confederates went rummaging through it.

Before Steroc and Lee left, I told them to be careful, to trust no one. Lee told me not to worry, he assured me that he had some brilliant idea as to how to get rid of the Confederate hovertruck. Being the skeptical jackass I am, I didn't believe him, but – being the soft-spoken pushover I am – I didn't say anything. I watched them drive off until they disappeared around a corner. I couldn't help but be more concerned for their safety than my own.

The second that truck vanished, I started running.

Lauren was my first priority. I didn't know what was happening at all, but I knew that it was not the time to be taking chances. I paced over countless lawns, leapt over numerous fences, and evaded several grendels (grendels being the equivalent of dogs). Finally, my house came into view.

When I arrived at the porch, I could see our car in the garage window. Lauren was home. I was relieved, but also terrified. I prayed that she had not been harmed, but everything else around me seemed normal. No soldiers patrolling the streets, no law enforcement… nothing. I took one last look before I turned the knob and entered the house.

Lauren was in the kitchen, making dinner and watching a news program. She smiled at me as she put her knife down. She wiped her hands and walked towards me.

"Hey, sweetie," she said as she kissed me. "How was your day?" I couldn't respond. I was out of breath and too confused. She frowned and took a step back. She patted my shirt, soaking wet with sweat. "Are you all right?" she asked. "You look like you just ran a marathon."

I stopped being an idiot and shook my head. "No, no I'm not okay. Listen," I started, "I want you to go to Kelly's house."

She almost laughed, but had a touch of puzzlement in her cheeks. "Why?" When she saw that I was dead serious, she opened her eyes wide, looking so concerned. It melted my heart. I couldn't help but turn into an idiot again. "Thad, what's wrong? What happened?"

"Everything. Please, just go to Kelly's, and don't tell anyone that you're there. Do you understand me?" She shook her head. I grabbed her arms and brought her close to my face. "You remember when we used to talk for hours about our lives, about this place and all the mystery in it?"

Lauren managed to crack a smile as tears began to form. "Yes," she said softly. I bit my lip.

"I think I've figured it all out," I said. "And none of it's good. Not any part of it." I slid my hands to her face as I began to smile. I kissed her slowly and then looked into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She was nearly crying. Who could blame her? I'm sure I scared her to death. I kissed her again and then headed for the door. "Where are you going?"

I stopped as I reached the front door. Could I really tell her? Would it frighten her more than her current state? I didn't know. I turned slowly and looked back at her. "My old house," I responded. "I'll be at Kelly's in an hour. And if I'm not…" I looked outside into the street. "If I'm not there in an hour, just know that I've found something."

I pulled the door towards me and stepped onto the porch. I felt an unbelievably horrifying rush come over me. I went into the garage and started up my car, backing out quickly and driving to the house I grew up in.

I switched on the radio, hoping the all-inspiring news would keep me calm. It didn't.

"… earlier today General Duke of the Confederate Army arrived on Warrant VI, accompanied by the famed Alpha Squadron. Several members of Alpha Squadron are from our very own schools, hand-picked by top-rating officials. Though the general's visit is to be short, he will be making a speech tomorrow night at the capitol."

I turned it off. Wonderful.

Not only had I helped kill a soldier, reinforcements were here. Though it had already been the worst day of my life, it had quickly jumped into a new caliber.

I turned at the corner and headed down my old street. Time seemed to fade back, and before I knew it I was looking at my surroundings in my childhood state of mind. But things didn't look a whole lot different. Maybe it was a bit brighter; maybe people looked a bit happier.

Maybe it was me recalling a feeling of innocence.

I stopped the car in the middle of the road, nearly going past my own old residence. I then pulled off to the side and quickly exited, not bothering to lock my car. I ran to the door, trying to jerk it open, only realizing that it was locked. I shook my head and sighed in a small fury as I fumbled through my keys. George from next door was taking out his trash, and he smiled at me and waved, giving his old "hello, neighbor!" routine. I smiled, quickly waved an arm and dashed inside.

My first instinct was to go upstairs. My parents' room could have been the only place where something secret may be hidden. In the few seconds I ran, I tried to make sense out of what I was doing. Truth be told, I didn't know what the hell I was looking for. The closet was empty, under the bed was barren…

I paced back and forth, biting my nails. I halted in the middle of the room and stared at my hand.

"That's new," I said. "When the hell did I start biting my nails?"

I rolled my eyes and searched through my mother's jewelry drawer. There were a few pearls left, a gold ring… and a picture. It was of my father, the day of his departure. He was all suited up in his marine uniform. That uniform, something I had trusted my life in, as well as my family and friends'… shattered.

I pulled the drawer out in its entirety and dumped it on the floor. Nothing new that I wanted to see. I sat on the bed and buried my face in my hands. This wasn't helping me at all. I steadily looked up and at the cabinet I had just attacked. In the hole that the drawer belonged, I saw a strange white object in the very back. I squinted, hoping I could get a better look at it. It looked like paper.

I got up and stuck my arm into the hole, and when I pulled out, brought back a few sheets of paper that had been smashed against the back of the cabinet. I unfolded them, wiped some of the dust off and began to read. Within seconds my eyes were glued to the documents, and my heart got smacked with a baseball bat, throwing it into my gut and letting it be eaten away by the acid of my stomach.

It was a report of illegal Confederate activity. Moreover, it was written by my father.

On the pages he had detailed statements of arms dealing, drug dealing, a list of executions, tortures… everything. There were even a few pictures printed onto the papers. I couldn't believe it.

The strangest sensation circled in my blood. I was thrilled, horrified, enlightened. I kept reading, knowing now that my father was a hero and not a liar.

Footsteps downstairs.

I froze in place. Someone was down there… the "father". I folded the papers as quietly as I could and put them in my pocket. I headed down the staircase, not knowing what the guy downstairs was doing. Christ, I wasn't even sure it was really who I thought it was.

As I came closer and closer to the bottom, I looked around and could barely see into the kitchen. There was a person in there, moving around as if they were looking for something. Their actions were quick, hurried even. I finally stepped off the stairs and started to move towards the kitchen. It was dark, and I could see their outline. I was certain it was him, his body frame was unmistakable.

I couldn't wait any longer. The feeling of dread that was shaking my hands couldn't control me now. I leaned forward and entered the kitchen, flipping on the light. He was looking through a drawer, and quickly looked up at me as if he was surprised. I looked at him, confused.

"I know you have a key and everything," I said, "but I don't think you're supposed to be going through my stuff." I was playing stupid with him, trying to pretend like I didn't know why he was here. Jared, his name was Jared, took a deep breath and closed the drawer, smiling. I was shaken by this, but decided that showing it would not be the best solution.

"Thad, let me explain something to you," he said as he leaned forward on the counter. "It seems to me that you are not a risk-taker. You seem pretty satisfied in the life you have. Am I right in saying this?" I quickly looked left and right, then back to Jared. I nodded. "I thought so. But if that's true, why in the world kill a poor marine? He was only doing his job." Jared then grew a cruel grin on his face, and I acted as if I were confused.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about." I backed up slowly. He shook his head, laughing and looking down at the counter.

"I thought you'd say that," he then looked back up at me. "We both know why I'm here. We both know why you're here. Now, there are only two questions remaining. The first has already been asked, and you refused to give an answer." He removed his hands from the counter, causing me to flinch. "The second is another tough one. One that I think you'll have difficulty explaining to the police."

My act dropped. He knew that I was scared now. Jared turned around and grabbed a packet of papers off the top of the refrigerator. He patted them and waved them in the air.

"Now," he began, "these papers say that I own the house. And this gun," which he retracted from his left pocket, "belongs to you, according to some other papers." I shook my head in a mad rage.

"No… I don't even own a gun! I've never bought one! There aren't any papers saying that! And there aren't any papers saying this house is yours! We haven't come that far yet!" I backed up against the wall, sweat pouring down my face.

"That's a problem for you, isn't it?" he asked me. "Because if you were to go look in the glove compartment of your unlocked car, you'd find a few papers saying this gun is yours." My jaw was trembling. He turned the gun around and aimed it at his shoulder. "And it seems to me that you're about to shoot me with it."

I rushed forward, trying to stop him from setting me up further than he already had. But I was too late; the bastard fired and struck himself. My feet screeched to a halt as he cowered in pain. Before I knew what had happened, he tossed the gun to me, and like an idiot I caught it.

"I can't believe you, Thad. You broke into my house and tried to kill me. What kind of son of a bitch are you?" he said as he winced and grinned at the same time.

I turned around, heading for the door as fast as I could. To my horror, the door was being kicked open, and several police officers as well as Confederate marines headed through. I dropped the gun and tried to stop my feet and turn them in the other direction, but I fell flat on my back.

"Freeze!" an officer yelled. "Don't move or I will kill you!"

I did as I was told, but I was too confused, too baffled… too stupid to understand that this was actually happening to me. My world was collapsing piece by piece. The next thing I knew, I was being handcuffed and beaten. An officer stood over me, shaking his head.

"Thad Ressetar, you are under arrest for the murder of Private John Halspen, attempted murder of Jared Practen, evading arrest, breaking and entering, and possession of illegal drugs." The cops propped me up, and I looked at the officer who was talking to me face to face.

"Drug possession?" I said, still trying to worm my way out of a position I had been forced into.

"Yes. Thirteen pounds of teronin was found in the trunk of your car."

Jared walked in, clutching his shoulder. "Hey, don't forget about all those bodies in the graveyard." The officer nodded.

"Right. You're also charged with the murder of all those scumbags we found in the graveyard, whoever the hell they are." He laughed at this, and so did Jared. "And so are your buddies. Now get this asshole out of here."

I closed my eyes and let my feet drag on the ground. They brought me outside, tons of cops and marines running around, as well as spectators and news people. My face shook like an earthquake, and for the first time in years, a tear pushed through my eye and onto my cheek.