Chapter 3

Zagreb, Croatia

August 16th, 2011

1500

The limousine glided down the streets of the Croatian capital, passing pedestrians who would sometimes stop and stare, wondering who was inside. People walked through the city going down streets that had once been torn apart by war ten years ago. Where battle tanks had once driven through while soldiers fought block by block, now there were families and happy couples. It was a marvel at how quickly people could rebuild and move on after such a devastating event.

Inside the limo, two men watched the city go by, enjoying the air conditioning and expensive champagne. Wearing an exquisite white Arabian thobe and head dress, was a middle aged man. Dark skinned and with brown eyes that could pierce a man's soul, he appeared as someone on a regular business trip. That wasn't too far from the truth, but the business that General Rhodall Juhziz was conducting was far from normal.

Sitting beside him was another dark skinned man of Egyptian descent. Far younger and wearing a more traditional dark grey suit, Hassan served as something akin to a protégé to the General.

Both men were on their way to a meeting with other prominent Brotherhood leaders. The goal was to discuss the future of Nod, but often times it ended in petty bickering and angry tempers. Hassan had little hope that this meeting would be any different, yet Juhziz seemed confident that the others would listen to him this time.

Hassan took a sip from his champagne and continued watching the passing city. They eventually passed by a police van marked with the GDI logo - the city still under occupation ten years after the war. However despite the presence of military police, Nod operated unopposed thanks to the unwavering loyalty of the citizens. This had allowed them to survive in Europe after Kane's death.

Hassan mulled over that thought. Their Messiah was gone. Yet Nod lived on, its faith spreading farther each day, as did Tiberium. There in laid the truth: the more the green crystal consumed the Earth, the more people flocked to the Brotherhood for answers or promises of salvation.

'Sheep,' Hassan mentally sneered to himself. 'They were all just sheep seeking protection from the wolves.'

Hassan was pulled from his thoughts as the limo stopped outside of a posh looking hotel. An armed guard wearing a black formal suit walked up and opened the door for them. Hassan got out first, and quickly scanned the area. Several Nod guards were placed around the hotel to keep the VIPs safe. None of the passing civilians seemed suspicious, so he stepped aside and allowed Juhziz to exit the limousine. The two of them walked into the hotel and into a lavish lobby. Upon entering, another guard immediately escorted them to a large conference room where the other Nod leaders were already waiting.

The room was painted with a soft cream colour, while golden light fixtures and expensive paintings lined the walls. The floor was made of a dark patterned carpet, and in the centre of the room was a massive oak table. It stretched from one side of the room to the other, with multiple leather office chairs to accommodate the gathered members.

Hassan took a seat next to Juhziz, who sat at the end of table, directly across from General Oslo: the Supreme Commander of Nod's European forces. He was dressed like some old German Kaiser, wearing an elegant military style suit with gold filament. He sat at the head of the table like some great patriarch, and the starch white handle bar mustache helped aid that image.

Hassan noted that there were still a few vacant seats, which meant they were still waiting for more people. That gave him an opportunity to scan the room and see who else had come to attend the meeting. Directly beside Oslo, and directly across from Hassan, was Grand Confessor Julius; he was the only one in the room who openly wore the colors of the Brotherhood. Given that he was a religious leader and not a military one, he had managed to stay off GDI's wanted list. Hassan could only scoff at the sight of the 'Grand' Confessor. The man looked feeble and seemed to sink into his seat slightly as if hiding from the others. Hassan snorted in derision at the priest.

Another man who had earned his contempt was an Arabian man dressed in similar garb to Juhziz. Prince Kassad was a member of a wealthy Saudi Arabian family that had secretly supported the Brotherhood. The funds that he brought had helped keep their war effort running. Unfortunately, this made the man think he was someone important in the upper echelons. Now thanks to the position it bought him, the Prince played lord over Nod's dwindling hold over Egypt.

Juhziz seemed to notice Hassan's frustration, and leaned in to whisper to him: "See how the Brotherhood has suffered under Oslo's ineptitude. To sink so low as to rely on weak cowards like them."

Hassan just nodded in agreement. The rest of the gathered people were battle commanders, many who had served during the war, as well as representatives from loyal or supportive countries. There were even members of prominent corporations that had benefited from the Brotherhood's Tiberium harvesting. It was an odd and diverse collection of people, much like the Brotherhood itself.

Hassan's gaze eventually fell on a man sitting to Oslo's right. He was once one of Kane's science ministers, serving the Prophet directly in researching ways to weaponize Tiberium. He also kept his face and name hidden from everyone, not even Oslo knew what this man's name was. So most people within the Brotherhood simply referred to him as Dr. Thrax. Despite his place next to Oslo, he was considered more neutral, offering new weaponry to any Nod splinter cell that could afford them.

Hassan finished his evaluation of the gathered participants, and turned his attention to the room at large. Everyone was speaking in hushed tones amongst themselves. They all seemed to be waiting impatiently for the last member to arrive.

When he did enter, quite a few people seemed surprised - Hassan included - as in walked the most well known drug lord from South America: Raul Vega. He ignored the stares he received and sat down in the vacant seats, and Hassan felt even more angry at how far the Brotherhood had fallen if these were the allies they relied upon.

Turning away in a huff, Hassan finished looking around the room and noted the absence of the Black Hand. Kane's elite and secretive army had simply disappeared following the war, and no one had heard of them since the death of Kane and Gideon Raveshaw.

Hassan turned as Oslo cleared his throat and stood up, bringing everyone's attention to him. The meeting was finally about to start.

"Welcome, brothers and sisters. Thank you all for attending this meeting." Oslo spoke with a commanding voice. He clearly knew how to lead people with words as well as battle tactics. "Our holy Brotherhood is on the precipice of annihilation. Our only hope to secure our future is to unite under a single leader. No one could ever hope to replace Kane, nor should they. They should simply rule in his stead, and guide the brotherhood into the Tiberium future that was promised to us." Oslo puffed out his chest slightly as he took in the room.

Hassan just rolled his eyes. It was the same speech every time.

The Grand Confessor suddenly stood up and bowed his head.

"Kane lives in death." Julius said softly.

"Kane lives is death." Everyone repeated reverently. Julius returned to his seat and Oslo continued his speech.

"We need strong leadership. United leadership. Our Brotherhood is being torn asunder both from without and from within. I have made this speech before, and each time we walk away, divided. But we must put aside our petty bids for power and come together as a people once again, so that we may continue our war against the oppressors."

Juhziz scoffed loudly, drawing Oslo's ire. Hassan quickly realised that had been intentional as all eyes were now on him.

"You still act like the war never ended," Juhziz accused. "It's time to wake up old man: the war is over and we lost. You will lead us to ruin if you continue to fight GDI on equal ground."

That earned a few nods of agreement from people gathered around the room.

"And I suppose you have a different strategy, General?" Oslo asked, condescendingly.

"I do. We can not fight GDI in the open. They are simply too numerous and too powerful. Instead, we must strike at them where they are most vulnerable and make them weak. Our brothers and sisters in Kazakhstan cry to be free from GDI tyranny. The raids on UN convoys in Almaty, the riots in Astana. The country is ripe for a crusade of liberation."

Juhziz looked pleased with himself. Hassan only knew minor details of the General's plan, but given what he did know, he wasn't sure it would be enough to sway the others. A few did seem interested in his plan, but Oslo just laughed derisively.

"Need I remind you of your failed plan in Beijing? Or your defeat in Hong Kong? Or how your attempt to turn China to our cause only ended up driving them further into the hands of our enemies! Or how about your more recent failures, like losing Baghdad or nearly being captured in Yemen? You are an incompetent idiot, Juhziz. You would only destroy our Brotherhood and in the process, you would be basically be doing GDI a favour."

What few people that had seemed to be coming to their side quickly shifted back to Oslo. Hassan could see the anger boiling just below the surface on Juhziz's face.

"This plan will not fail. If we strike where GDI is weakest, where their influence can be broken, then we can achieve victory. You can not win a war of attrition, General."

Once again, people seemed to consider his position. Hassan noticed Julius looking back and forth between Juhziz and Oslo.

"I will not commit my forces to some failed cause. You have no place in this Brotherhood." Oslo dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Juhziz shot to his feet, anger threatening to break free.

"We can not stay on the defensive, we must strike quickly and efficiently. You can hide in your hole in Kosovo. I shall bring GDI to its knees and make Nod a force to be feared once again."

"Enough of this!"

All eyes turned to Julius. Hassan was shocked to see the man being so assertive. A hardened look on his face as he looked at each and every person gathered.

"This bickering has gotten us nowhere. We dishonour Kane and his vision with this infighting. Do you dare spit upon his legacy? Do you dare deny the guidance of the spirit hand of Kane? He wishes for his children to be united, to embrace the gift of Tiberium. Let us end this feud and be brothers once more."

He spread his arms in a welcoming motion, his voice smooth but stern as if he were giving a sermon. Now attention was split between the three of them: the holy clergyman, the grand tactician, and the upstart general. The room was silent as they waited for one of them to speak. After a long moment, it was Juhziz who broke the silence.

"I will honour Kane's vision by ensuring our place in this world with the blood of GDI. And I shall do it with, or without your help."

At that, Juhziz turned to leave the room. Hassan got to his feet and quickly followed him out, but not before seeing Julius frown deeply and Oslo guffaw in triumph.

Hassan struggled to keep up with the General as he stormed out of the room, heading towards the elevator rather then the front door. Hassan joined him inside and pressed the button for the underground garage. As the elevator began its descent, Juhziz let out a long sigh.

"That bastard will never see reason. It would not surprise me if it was him who tipped off GDI about our meeting in Yemen."

Hassan didn't reply. Instead, he suppressed a shudder at the memory of narrowly escaping death at the hand of an enemy Orca craft.

"If that is the case, then perhaps it is not wise to anger him? We do not need a war on two fronts, sir." Hassan remarked.

Juhziz crossed his arms and looked into the ceiling for a moment before answering.

"That old man does not concern me. Let him wage his war; we shall see to Nod's future ourselves."

"I do not mean to question you. But how do you plan to do that? Our forces are severely diminished, and we lack the funds."

Juhziz turned his gaze to Hassan and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The faithful and the desperate people of Kazakhstan shall help bolster our ranks. I will go to speak with the cell leaders there. Have faith in me Hassan."

Hassan didn't reply. Instead, he just nodded his head and waited for the elevator to reach the garage.

"When shall we depart then? It will take time to rally what is left of our forces." He asked after a moment.

"I shall depart immediately. There are a great many things to be done. You, however, will take our current force and go to Turkey."

"Why there?"

"I shall explain later. But it is critical to my plans, and to Nod's survival."

When it was clear that the General would not elaborate, Hassan simply bowed his head slightly and remained silent. Finally the elevator doors opened and they made their way to the parked limo where two guards waited. They opened the doors for them and just as Juhziz was about to get inside, they heard someone call out to them.

The guards visibly tensed and Hassan put himself between Juhziz and whoever was approaching. Much to his surprise, it was Prince Kassad and a single guard. He stopped just short of the vehicle and smoothed out his thobe as Juhziz stepped out to face him.

"Prince Kassad. Why are you here?" The General asked cautiously.

"I come offering my support to your cause."

Hassan studied the man intently, and from what he could, tell the Prince seemed genuine.

"Why should I trust you, Kassad? You're loyal to Oslo are you not?"

"I'm loyal to the Brotherhood. That means I can support both of you, if need be. I agree with you in that we must strike back at GDI, not be on the defensive. If my support helps you in your cause, then we all win."

"How noble of you Kassad, and I'm sure you've made a similar offer to Oslo. Trying to hedge your bets?"

"I am only concerned for the future of our Brotherhood. If any alliance inadvertently benefits me, then that is merely an unintended bonus, of course."

"You are a vile snake, Kassad."

Juhziz stared Kassad down, and when the other man didn't budge, the General smiled. He bowed his head slightly to which Kassad replied in kind.

"But… I am grateful for you help, brother. I promise you this: GDI will rue the day it defied the Brotherhood of Nod."

"I shall keep in touch. Peace through power."

"Peace through power."

They watched Kassad and his guard walk away deeper into the garage. When it was clear he was out of earshot, Hassan turned to face Juhziz.

"Do you really think we can trust him?" Hassan asked.

"Of course not. But if he is true about offering us aid, then I will not deny it. His help will be instrumental to my plan."

Juhziz got back into the limousine and Hassan followed. When they were inside, the vehicle began to make it's way out back onto the street. He turned to look at the hotel to see the other members of the meeting slowly leaving as well. He sighed internally as he regarded that disaster of a meeting. The inner politicking and petty feuds had done more damage to Nod then any GDI army could. His beloved Brotherhood was falling apart, as was the rest of the world around them. He could only hope that his faith in the General was not misplaced.

"I need you to contact Kell: tell him to get things ready for your arrival." Juhziz suddenly ordered.

"Of course, sir. Will you tell me what's so important in Turkey now?"

"Not yet. But I will tell you that there is a GDI base that must be removed. Once that is done, you can join me in Kazakhstan. Then we shall show both GDI and the Brotherhood that I am not to be trifled with."

The limo drove back down the streets towards the airport where they had arrived from. Hassan was busy looking out the window, unsure of their future.

… … …

New York City, U.S.A

August 20th, 2011

1800

The massive conference hall inside the U.N. building was an impressive sight. It was tiered in a way that the speaker stood at the bottom, with the rows for dignitaries and influential figures working it's way up. Against the far wall behind the podium, was the massive symbol for the United Nations, a depiction of the globe flattened out so as to equally represent all nations. Light blue banners of the same symbol were also hung up, as were golden banners depicting the diving eagle of the Global Defense Initiative. The room was packed with dignitaries of member countries, as well as their militaries. Prominent figures in the worlds of business and science, and above all, the press.

Sydney Mobius sat somewhere in the middle row. She and her father had worked for over a decade to unlock the secrets of Tiberium. And in that time, they had made little progress in the way of stopping its spread. The alien substance wasn't just leeching precious minerals from the ground, it was actively altering the climate and geography of any region it corrupted. Any life, human or otherwise, was destroyed or consumed. In just the few short years that Tiberium had arrived, Italy and half of the world was unrecognizable.

But it wasn't just the environment that was suffering. The global economy was faltering, and the world seemed as if it was going to fall into anarchy.

She stopped herself from thinking too negatively, least she put herself into a melancholy mood. The din of conversation suddenly began to die down, drawing her attention back to the front. Sydney then sat up straighter as three people walked out onto the stage, one she recognized as her father, Ignatio Mobius. The other two were U.N. General Secretary Charles Olivetti, and GDI spokesman Joseph Liang.

The room grew instantly silent as Olivetti took to the podium, while Sydney's father and Liang stood behind him.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome. I wish that today's conference was a pleasant one, but sadly it is not. We stand upon the brink of collapse, and today we must take action to prevent it. I, of course, refer to Tiberium, the horrid sickness that threatens our beloved Earth."

The term, preaching to the choir, came to Sydney's mind as Olivetti spoke. Everyone knew the dangers of Tiberium as all anyone had to do was look outside their window to see that.

A projection screen lowered over the UN sigil behind the podium. Images began cycling through: farmland being overrun by Tiberium fields. People packing what few belongings they could into cars as green crystals sprouted up in city parks or pushed through asphalt streets. Hospitals overflowing with patients covered in crystalline protrusions and doctors in full hazmat gear. The images switched again to that of a huge tent city, with sad looking children in front of a sign that read, Welcome to New Detroit.

"The devastation caused by this unprecedented disaster has shaken the very foundation of our global community. Floods of refugees, societal collapse, and a declining economy. I know what I say sounds like hyperbole, that this is being blown out of proportions. But believe me when I say this: humanity is staring at the face of extinction."

He paused to let the gravity of what he said sink in. Sydney had worked close enough with Tiberium to know that Olivetti was actually underselling it.

"But there is hope. To prevent our nations from collapsing into total anarchy, we have a plan. As of two days ago, GDI peacekeepers were sent to the Midwestern States that are currently under martial law."

The room erupted into a chorus of voices, some seemed angry, while others frightened. Sydney remained quiet as she watched Olivetti try to calm the room down. She could understand why people were upset. With Tiberium now rampantly spreading throughout the United States, forcing the government to declare martial law, it forced people to accept a grim realization: that nowhere in the world was safe. This wasn't some crisis in a far off nation, it was happening in people's backyards.

"People, please! Settle down!" This call for calm came from Liang, one of the civilian faces of GDI. "As the General Secretary was trying to say, there is hope. And we must cling to this hope if all of mankind is to survive. The Global Defense Initiative has recently created a new civilian organization, known as the Board of Directors. This new system will help struggling nations navigate through this crisis, to help all peoples of the world. With your vote, powers normally held by the Security Council and the U.N. Assembly will be transferred to the Board. GDI will not only ensure global security, but it will now help prevent the collapse of our society, our cultures, and our way of life. We will only survive if we are all willing to make sacrifices, if we are all willing to stand united as one!"

The room once more erupted, but this time in thunderous cheering. People stood and clapped, faces of desperate hope. Sydney remained sitting, her clenched fists trembling.

Liang had just announced that the U.N. was effectively defunct, and that people would now be signing their liberties and rights over to GDI. And they were cheering for it.

The free world had died to the sound of applause.

… … …

Author's note: Something important I wanted to do with this short story was explain how GDI transitioned from a coalition military under the U.N. into the dominant global superpower. I also wanted to explain how, despite losing the war and losing Kane, the Brotherhood not only survives, but grows in numbers and technology. So hopefully I was able to somewhat convey how both factions transitioned from Tiberian Dawn to Tiberian Sun.

A second thing that I wanted was for the whole series was to expand the world and background story. The Tiberium universe has a really interesting and somewhat dark backstory beyond what the games can show. So it's disappointing that the only 'expanded universe' we got was the terrible Tiberium Wars book. Hopefully I can help change that.

As always I hope everyone is enjoying

Until next time.