June 10, 2005, Sacramento California.

Rick Hunter stood silent while alternately watching Jessie and Mark. It seemed like their pact was sealed by that silence and there wasn't much to add. Rick had immediately regretted his scene, and even agreeing to join the guys and the protest group thing. Again, that feeling of not being 100% honest made him sick. Jessie walked up to him and brushed his shoulder with her fingertips, making him shudder from head to toe...
-Hey Rick, are you okay?
He stared at her intensely, a look Jessica didn't know him. This time, she was the one who looked down on the floor.

-I'm fine. Gotta go. Rick opened the front porch door to the kitchen and quickly disappeared into the dazzling sun. He walked moving his arms, and shook his head pulling his hair back. The sun was harshly burning his eyelids and his face. He ran as if he wanted to leave the warm air behind, to break that barrier between him and Jessica, finally crossing the border that separated him from the world of adults.
Just around the corner, Mitch was kneading sacks of grain into the thin shadow streak that fell off the roof of the barn.
-Rick! Where are you going boy!
Rick did not answer and gave him a distracted look
-Rick, you finish your homework?
He clenched his fists- I did! -He lied without stopping: he went into the big dark barn, mentally arranging the steps to get out before Mitch made some excuse and stopped him. The fan caught on the hooks crawled when Rick slid the webbing between his fingers. The engine mumbled under his seat as the plane came awkwardly out of its lair.
Mitch saw him just in time as he made a semicircle maneuver over the pavement and picked up speed, chased him for a moment, clumsily jumping behind the tail of the plane.

-Rick! He called again, but he knew his son couldn't hear him.

-Let him go- said Alice gently as she approached him.

Rick Hunter had gained altitude and was moving at high speed over the fields: soon after Alice Fisher's estate he met huge fields sown with corn and sunflower. Sprinklers at full power were creating endless little rainbows on the surface of the air. Rick lifted the small vents above the cockpit, letting in a cool breeze produced by speed. In front of him the scorching afternoon sun reflected in the distant waters of the river. Rick did not have a clear destination but he decided to fly away from the city, towards the fields. Soon he found himself wandering over a valley without any fences. The vegetation was barren and sunburnt, and he could see a small deer running away in terror inside a rush. After landing there, he remained quiet, listening to the sounds of the land. He came out of the cockpit and lay down on the fuselage, with his arms behind his head, looking at the sky completely clear... a shade brighter than ever. He thought confusedly that he had to talk to Jessica... what did he have to tell her? He blinked, and for a moment he stopped thinking. A roar of sound, sustained and growing louder, approached his ears, and Rick Hunter soon realized that his mockinbird was shaking unsteadily beneath his body. He opened his eyes and saw his hand abandoned on the metal shaking perceptibly. He sat down in a snap, terrified. He looked around and saw nothing but the expanse of grass and trees around him...
-Earthquake? -He thought, with a shiver that made his whole body freeze.
No, impossible. The noise came from the air.
He felt a whirlwind of wind right above his head, a wave that lifted his hair and reaching underneath all the apertures, lifted his shirt up over his head. Struggling to get rid of the t-shirt that had wrapped around his face, he stood up and turned his head completely towards the sky. A huge shadow had darkened the sun, he couldn't believe it. A flock of huge military planes was flying over the space above him. They were in a 8 formation. First the leader, who crossed in a flash of a few seconds and launched toward the horizon, then two more wings and then four more at a time. Rick couldn't believe it, a flutter in his chest made his throat tremble, the he jumped out of the plane, and began to run back to the planes that flew over him sweeping the grass under his feet making it almost liquid, Rick ran with his heart in excitement, not even realizing where his feet were taking him.
-These are the fighters Roy told me about- he thought, they are great! -They're spectacular!
When the last plane became a small dot on the horizon Rick began to slow down, the air was quiet again, still. He stopped panting with his hands resting on his knees, his hair clinging to his brow dripping with sweat. A cry of pure joy echoed through the lonely returned to the farm strangely upset, with the sense of having witnessed something important. Those planes were the most incredible thing he'd ever seen. And he felt he was gonna see them again.
-Maybe one day I could fly one...- he thought fuzzily. -No, impossible, they're war planes... -But still...
When he crossed the barn door, he saw Alice and Mitch resting in the porch with some beers, and he waved at them. He was covered with dust and thorns of hay. Made his way through the kitchen door, and pulling off his dirty shoes and leaving them in the hallway. Then he looked around in the warm, saturated air. He wanted to drink water, and wash his face, and hands. He looked at his palms black with dust and oil as if they didn't belong to him. As if out of himself he rushed up the stairs, still panting with his heart in rush, climbing the steps two at a time and stopping at the first floor in front of Jessica's door. Maybe she wasn't there. He caressed the wood of the frame as if doubting whether he was really touching it. Then he knocked lightly with his knuckles
-Yes
-Its... Rick
He heard the noise of chairs moving and excited footsteps before the door opened wide. Jessie was standing in front of him, the sun throwing into the window behind her. It was hard for him to see her face, he could only see the edges of her shoulders and the ends of her very light hair mixing with the dust all around her shape.
-Rick!
Jessica stepped aside and let him in, then locked the door. Now she was the one with his back to the window looking at him in the bright light. He could see her eyes as clear as the glass, she looked sad and she looked awkward...
-I... -he said
Then he realized he was barefoot, and covered with dust...
He scratched the back of his head like he always did when he didn't know how to explain himself.
-I... I'm sorry... I just...want..
He didn't know what he wanted. He didn't know how to say it. Jessica took a few steps past him and that's when their bodies touched. Rick couldn't say why her face look so different.
They stayed in that position for a moment, not moving. Jessie looked at him without realizing what was really happening. But after all those days she had accepted that whatever it was, it should happen... she looked into those eyes so blue that stared at her with pure devotion. Maybe love? she blushed, suddenly . She felt a heat that she could not set in focus, is was coming from her... or it was him?
-Rick...
She couldn't speak either. A strange feeling had been building up in her mind for weeks, every time they spent time together. When Jessica got lost in the sentence of a schoolbook she reread a hundred times... She could feel Rick's eyes glued to her body. A look that day after day had become indispensable to her. She found herself thinking about him a lot after the flight contest. She found herself writing his name on the edge of the page of that book, like a little girl. And now, that afternoon when Rick showed up in the kitchen in a rage with that arrogant, foolish mood, she understood. He was in love with her.
Both their hearts were pounding. Both were afraid the other one could hear it.
Jessica made an unperceivable movement by slowly lifting one arm, and, just like in a mirror he raised his right hand. It seemed as it moved against his own will...then approached her face. he slid his fingertip along her jaw line. She was not moving and Rick felt the heartbeat pumping in her neck at that very moment. He looked at her again and was amazed to see that she had a gaze that he didn't know, as if she was about to cry.
-Jessie...
She threw her arms around his neck, with a leap that Rick was not ready to tackle, and instinctively get back almost stumbling, as Jessica leaned one cheek against his face, gently rubbing her hair, nose, lips and lashes on his face. Then they still motionless for a moment, covered in the light that made their clothes shimmer. Rick breathed in the scent of her hair and skin. A scent of soap and teenage cosmetics. His dirty hands trembled resting on her waist, then Jessie tilted her head as she closed her eyes and put her half-open lips on his pulling him towards her. Rick opened eyes wide with surprise and then, as if pushed by an unchecked force, bent his face and kissed her soon touching the tip of her tongue. Suddenly everything had turned upside down in a whirlwind where behind their closed eyes the blinding light of the sun pulsed and catching them into a red and magma filled with veins. It was like Rick couldn't open his eyes and Jessie was scared too, feeling overwhelmed by that everything that was happening. The two kids were squeezing each other desperately, not knowing exactly where their hands were going. Jessica grab her fingers in his messy hair and he pulled out a moan. Rick's hands run on her waist and back and then got her freckled neck that he had lingered in his daydreams.

A voice pulled them out of that dizziness.

-Jessicaaa!

It was her mother

-You upstairs? Time for dinner!

The young people parted looking frightened at each other, as if Mitch and Alice had suddenly appeared inside the room founding them guilty. Their wet lips popped off with a slight snap. Rick released how his dirty hands had left their palm marks on Jessie's white shirt. He felt sorry for this, but also incredibly euphoric. Suddenly he had felt so different. He had crossed that shadow line that had plagued him all day long. Jessica looked at him completely overcome. She had never seen such clear, blue eyes.

-Is this love? She caught herself thinking.

-Jessica! Jessica! Come down!

Alice's voice forced them to move away physically and also to part with their heavy thoughts.

-I... I'd better go. -Rick murmured, trying to open the door.

-Wait... Its locked.. -She said in a trembling voice. Then she watched him leave down the hall to his room.

11 June 2005, Sacramento UEG

Jessica Fisher woke up very early that morning, but she could safely say she had not slept. What had happened with Rick the night before, she couldn't help but think about it: she had kissed him. But he kissed her back. During dinner he had not spoken to her, and a strange embarrassment had prevented her from looking at him out of the corner of her eye until the end of the meal. And then again when the curfew alarm had sounded and everyone had rushed to seal the windows and turn on the LEDs, she was unable to see Rick's eyes. Despite their proximity just now, they repelled each other like two glowing poles. During the night Rick HUnter also felt restless, then fell into a heavy sleep where he met Roy who stood at attention in front of an airstrip. The planes were leaving and landing in big flocks. Then that pilot, that Jack Archer, appeared too and told him to say goodbye. Rick had tried to get away, but Roy had squeezed his arm until it hurt. He looked at his brother astonished, but Roy replied in an inscrutable voice, "because you're a soldier too..."
Rick woke up with his forehead and neck soaked in sweat. He had sighed loudly inside his pillow. The protest was scheduled to take place that day. He wondered if Jessica was still planning on taking him there. Maybe we shouldn't have gone. The impression of the dream hadn't left him yet: he could feel Roy's fingers still pressing against the muscle of his arm. He got rid of the tshirt he was wearing and, intending to go in the shower, he opened the door to his room, jumping Jessica who, with a raised hand in the act of knocking, was right in front of him. Her eyes opened wide almost in terror. Again she had that look on her face that Rick did not know. She looked like she was about to cry...
-Jessie...
-Rick I... -She's forcing herself to look at a nonexistent spot behind the boy... today's the meeting, remember... Well, uh, I wonder if you still want to come.

Rick felt his heart accelerate

-Oh well, why shouldn't have to come?

He tried to look casual while he studied her face. Jessica dared a little smile before she backed away.
- Oh, well, I... we'll tell Mitch that I'll drive you to school? Okay?
-Okay.
Luckily, Mitch had no sense of lying, since Rick told him all sorts of things, especially about school, and he didn't get suspicious that his son and Jessica shared a road trip to two different, distant schools.
-is the first time Jessie offered Rick a ride, d'you notice? - sais Alice as she was clearing breakfast.
Mitch looked at her in a funny way

- Well... no, I dont, but we'll save on public transport .
Alice raised her eyes to heaven.

As Jessica Fisher drove concentrate towards the interstate, Rick dared not look at her. Every once in a while, he'd take a look out of the corner of his eye. Both hadn't said a word since they left the farm. Jessica's cell phone was ringing off the hook every two minutes, incoming call and text. Suddenly she swerved and nailed a pitch with a slightly stupid and dangerous maneuver. She turned to look at Rick.
- Mark 's calling
-hmm
-Listen Rick
-Listen, Jessie...
They both spoke at the same time.
-You first
They both said.
Jessie took off her sunglasses and stared into Rick's eyes...
-Rick, listen. I've been thinking about it, and maybe it's better...
Rick, who had gotten constantly nervous along the way, wouldn't let her finish and banged his head.
-what's some kind of boyfriend of yours?
Jealousy hadn't made him see reason and he immediately regretted what he'd said, when he saw Jessica's face become sad and full of regret
-Rick... she took his hand- no, I... feel

he forced himself to look at her again by increasing the grip on her hand.
-I'm afraid for what we're going to do, I can't go back but you can... Maybe it would be better if you didn't come.
Rick looked at her incredulous. He didn't understand why all of a sudden Jessie didn't want him to join the meeting. What could happen? It was a pacifist rally, the name itself said.
-What do you mean? He said angry.
-Rick, I don't know what's gonna happen... Maybe nothing happens and it's all quiet, but if there's trouble, a fight, I don't want anything to happen to you, because of me.
-But what's supposed to happen? It's just a peaceful demonstration- Rick said thoughtfully as he moved his face to look closely at her.
Jessie looked at him tenderly
- Is that... you're so young
Rick frowned for a moment and shook her hand again.
-You're young Jessie too... "and beautiful"He would have said but instead he smiled nodding
- I want to do it, I really want to come, dont'worry. its gonna be massive!
Jessica looked at him with gratitude.
- Okay, uh... then let's go. Not keep that perfect-ass Mark Jensen waiting.
She put the gear on and went back into the dual carriageway back to the city.
- And to say... no, he's not my boyfriend.
Rick smiled wrinkly as he looked straight ahead, the tower bridge appearing closer and closer as the car moved forward.
Their date with the crew was outside of Capitol Park. It was only 8:00 in the morning, but a mixed crowd of youth and adults were already picketing the entrance to the park. Someone had set up a tent or sheltered themselves with a hat on their head. Someone improvised an umbrella with sheets. The sun was beating down. Everyone was carrying handmade signs, just as Rick had imagined. But there were also megaphones, makeshift instruments, bass drums and horns.

-I called you yesterday night- yelled Mark Jensen as Jessica and Rick reached him. He grabbed her by the elbow as he approached her face ignoring Rick...
-I fell asleep - she said nervously.
Rick stepped in front of them, putting himself in Mark's view.
He looked down on him
-then you.. came. -he said grumpy. He went back to Jessica.
-Our shit's over there. He pointed to the staircase at the front of the park.
-Let's move.
Mark and Jessica's group was made up of students as well as older people. Maybe college students or school teachers. Their looks were common, middle-class people. A few punk rock band t-shirts, a few tattoos but no hippies like Rick had imagined. They all looked like people you' d meet at the store.
All of them however seemed to know each other well and all greeted each other with pats and handshakes, at times with a kiss. Mark seemed to have a leadership position or whatever. He grudgingly walked up a flight of steps and cleared his voice.
-ok, we should be there, all of us.

Kern Base Los Angeles UEG June 11, 2005

Sergeant Riber Fruhling had dropped his new ranks at the base check-in at 7:00 a.m. that morning. However, he had not been dismissed by his immediate superior Lieutenant Miller after the handover: he had been asked to follow him into the lower command room of Kern's base. Riber looked at him puzzled
-In the command center?
-There's some kind of a meeting. And by the way, congratulations on your promotion, Karl- he says, trying to be a little more informal.
-Thank you, sir.
Actually, the upgrade was a small step to allow Karl to continue his engineering research project. His goal was to work on aeronautics or perhaps even aerospace design. His superior and his comrades knew that. He made no secret of it, but after starting his "dating" with Lisa Hayes he had become much more silent, almost wary, even of people he considered friends. He followed Lieutenant Miller in the hallways, occasionally stopping to salute their superiors but without uttering a word. When they were alone in the elevator Miller decided it was time to talk.
-This is gonna sound strange, Sergeant, especially since you just got your rank. But your promotion has been in the bag for some time.
Karl looked at him thoughtfully
-Yes, sir...?
-I don't think I'm doing you a disservice by telling you that the Commander wants to meet with you for a combat squadron as of today.
Karl was motionless for a moment. A squadron?
-A squadron? Me? What do you mean?
-You're going to be in charge of a small unit. You'll have men under your command, I mean. Basically its what usually happens when you're in the army.

Karl's eyes darkened. He didn't know he was supposed to be in the ground. He just had fooled himself... he simply could not spend rest of his years in a lab... well, of course he'd hoped for that.
-Gentlemen, you know, this is a mission of supervision and security. Sergeants Henderson, Garcia and Riber Fruhling will lead the three units that will be following the parade from 300 meters high. Lieutenant Sullivan will coordinate with the Stockwell at long-range...
... Governor Seymour's team will be arriving at Kern in 35 minutes. ...scheduled arrive at Freeport Airport, Sacramento at 8:45... We have reason to believe that some of the demonstrators ...already detected may be causing scuffles of some intensity. No anti-UN forces have been reported since deputy Seymour announced the visit...

Riber's head was processing informations without recording. His ears were listening, but not really understanding the major's words. He could only think that his time had come. He had to fight. He squeezed his fingernails into the palms to keep from shaking.
As Riber made his way quietly and silently into the locker room, he heard his comrades' excited voices. Everyone was thrilled with that "trip to Sacramento" many soldiers hoped there would be the chance for the gunshot. Karl squeezed his eyes with anger. He hadn't picked up a gun in years. He had four men under his command. Four guys like him who weren't in the habit of shooting beside simulator. The young soldiers wore U N air force black and blue riot gear. What was jokingly called the black parade. Some of them painted the colors of the unit with enamel on their cheeks and forehead, but Karl was not in the mood for celebrations. While wearing his gun belt and bullets, he managed to send a message to Lisa Hayes. Soon he felt a deep emptiness in his chest. And he felt that even a cheerful hello would sound fake, especially to that girl he had fell in love. He didn't really know why he fwas feeling that way, it suddenly felt as if somebody had just screwed him over . " Hey, we're getting serious here. He'll be in Sacramento today on a mission, do some checking. Call you tonight.

-I'm really gonna call her tonight? He thought as he put on his helmet and came out of the tower at the bottom of the airstrip. The air blades spinning at full speed lifted the flaps of their jackets and made their eyes blink. Karl Riber took his place behind the pilot, wore his glasses and headphones. He made a two-finger gesture to the people on the racetrack, then started communication with the control tower.

-Hughes 1 to Kern 3, Sergeant Riber Fruhling, requesting permission to take off

-Kern 3 to Hughes 1, permission granted, Sargeant.

Los Angeles, UEG 11 June 2005

Lisa Hayes was getting ready for school like every morning. She had her last French exams before finishing her year at Sacred Heart with top marks. She was in a great mood because of the night before, so when she saw Karl Riber's name on her phone display she couldn't help smiling. She expected something tender from him, as he alwayd did every morning. But that morning was different.
Lisa couldnt keep a shake when she read that Riber had just gone out on a mission.

-I can't believe it! he will be with on my father'security!

Serena Seymour's face across the screen was ecstatic

Serena Seymour's face over the screen looked ecstatic.

-But what's the matter, Lisa, you worry...?

Lisa tried to seem casual.

-I... no, I'm not, I just... I didn't think Karl was the kind of guy who, you know, goes on missions. I mean that he was used to guns and stuff.

- Well, he is a soldier after all. It seems all of a sudden you forgot that we're in the middle of a civil war!

-Yeah, you're right.

Lisa rubbed a lock of hair on her shoulder while her eyes became gloomy...

-it's just...

-don't worry about it. It's a diplomatic issue... what do you want to happen, nothing's gonna happen! Of course i doo love to see the Black Parade in action! Would you, Lis? All those soldiers in riot gear... next time I'll tell my father to take us with him... Lisa Hayes? Are you there?

Lisa wasn't listening anymore. Her heart was pounding. She tried two times to reach her father on the private line, but the call went straight to voice mail.

Alaska Base High Command, Alaska, UEG

Admiral Donald Hayes walked along the office while talking on the phone. As usual he couldn't stand still when busy in major calls. he looked through the window and could barely distinguish the technicians repairing a failed fighter test on the snow-covered slope.

-Whatever... All right, Major.-Whatever. -All right, were right to assign him a unit, I'm sure Sergeant Riber Fruhling will handle it.

-Of course, Admiral... -but if I may ask.. Riber's been assigned a PhD since a couple of years, may I ask why he was pushed on a mission?

- He's a soldier too, isn't he?

Said the Admiral in that frosty voice that didn't admit any reply.

-Besides, Major, I'm sure you'll be pleased to see your men on camp.

-Of course, Admiral.

-California's turning into a powder keg. I wouldn't be surprised if there'll be some scuffle in Sacramento today.

He took a break trying to chase his mind.

-Of course I hope that's not the case, but if it is... Clearly, our men will get the better of it.

Sacramento, UEG

Rick Hunter looked at his new friends from the anti-UN pacifist group preparing around him for the march against the Deputy Seymour. He quickly tried to recap what had been said during Mark Jensen's short talk on the steps of the park. But the truth was that the truth had not been exhaustive for him. Ok they were going to demonstrate against the United Earth Government. Citizens of California's former capital city against... He didn't quite understand the opposition. Central control? Limited rights? Massive use of the militia, the curfew? All of them- the adults of tomorrow- were ready to shout their dissent against a centralized government. The claims seemed good, but Rick had never experienced any other life , and he had, like many of those present, no terms of comparison.

-We're against violence,-Jensen said- and yet we must be ready to fight their violence!

In Rick Hunter's confused head those sentences overlapped and he quickly looked at Jessica who had always remained at his side, she was getting dressed in a military jacket and a handkerchief around her neck. She pulled out another one from a backpack.

-Let's put it on, it's for breathing... in case of smoke bombs.

-Smoke bombs?- Rick rolled his eyes

-Yeah, could happen, but it's just smoke, don't worry. Jessie cast one of her sweet,seductive glances at him.. and Rick couldn't go on questioning.

The demonstration wouldn't grind miles. Far from it. From the park exit to the Capitol Mall, they would stop and close the way to Seymour's parade and his supporters the army. They would cry out their dissent. It sounded easy. The colorful crew of demonstrators joined other crowds of people standing on the city's main boulevard. The day was bright and the various species of birds that populated the park echoed their shrieks and cries all around. A sweet sound that slowly but surely went covered by the rumble of the military aircraft coming from the south. The kids lifted their heads as they gazed out into the clear sky. A few minutes, then the intire area would have been completely overlooked.

-Wear your scarves!

Rick Hunter quickly turned to his neighbors who were lifting their handkerchiefs all the way up their face. Most of them had welding or workshop goggles, or simple sunglasses. Jessie had also put on her black wayfarer. She nodded at him, her face completely in disguise.

Nevertheless, central command had sent more military aircraft to ground on the four sides of the city. Karl hadn't heard about it until they appeared on the screen at later flight stage.

-Looks like we're gonna have a scuffle today, skipper - said the co-pilot.

-so it it seems- Karl said, mentally replaying the route.

The city was crowded with people. Sacramento's citizens filled the streets that led from tower bridge to the town center along the river. Civilians waved the flags and banners of the UEG, but more of them were the supporters of the militia carrying the black and blue RDF insignia. Most of them, rather than Lieutenant Governor Seymour, were thrilled of watching the soldiers and perhaps even the much-feared Black Parade. Sacramento had never been the scene of clashes and the city has always been quiet. Yet the people' curiosity was somewhat aroused by the Government's constant mass media publicity.

Mitchell Hunter was watching the news from his smartphone while Alice took care of getting the cows out of the barn.

-Must have been quite a demonstration, I wish I had brought you and the children there.

-Oh, honey- said Alice- You know, I'd rather not throw into the fray, there's gotta be at least 20,000 people downtown

-Well, the news said about 50,000 supporters.. and dissidents- Mitch said quietly... -and not to mention the military. Hope it's gonna be peaceful.

Alice Fisher nodded without speaking. She wondered if Jessica, instead of school, was there in the middle of the scrum. But she couldn't fool herself because she already knew the answer.

Hi everyone, how are you? Sorry I had to split this chapter in two because it was getting kind of long, I hope you don't mind, and I hope you enjoyed it! Ty for reading! Part II coming supersoon

Love, Mao