Author's Note: If you chose to skip Chapter Five: "Quarantine Zone Phi", allow me to recap the ending author's note from that chapter. I would NEVER support or even describe civilians being slaughtered. Unless I felt it was nessecary to do so, I would NEVER do it. I felt it had to be done here, to establish a few things. If you SKIPPED Chapter Five: "Quarantine Zone Phi", I will not think low of you, and take solice in knowing you have lost nothing as far as plot goes. Everything important that happened in Chapter Five will be recapped here.
Six: "Declaration of War"
I punched a few keys on the keyboard, trying to reconnect to the EFH network via an unconnected computer. It was pretty hard. My security key was being a pain, continuing to give me the 'This is not your usual computer' warning, and how I should change my computer so I can access it here.
After several firewalls and security checkpoints, I finally found my way in. Working past all the spyware we integrated to keep people like me out, I established a secret, permanent connection in one of the least used parts of the internet.
It was at this time, when I was happy with having done a great job with the connection, when I found something most intreguing. It was a video file titled 'QZPhi'. Intreagued, I opened it. I watched the view from one of the soldier's helmet cams as they rappelled down into a quarantined city block. Within seconds, I found myself covering my mouth in abject horror. They were killing people. They were killing CIVILIANS. I couldn't tear myself from the screen as blood was splattering walls and people.
When the video finally ended, I cried. So many dead... I could barely reach my phone through the shaking of my hands. Unsteadily I dialed Jake's number.
"Hey, hotness, what's up?" Jake answered.
"Jake I... I need you to come to... come to your lab... I... I... there's something you need to see."
"Saline? Are you okay?" I started sobbing over the phone.
"Just come quick..." I managed through my tears. "You'll want to see this..."
Jake watched over my shoulder as I replayed the video for him. He stood in shock as he watched civilian after civilian get cut down by gunfire and melee weapon. He remained silence as his eyes darted across the screen, trying to take in everything that danced about. I looked up at him every few seconds for the duration of the thirty minute video.
It ended, and Jake's face didn't move.
"Tell me that's faked... please tell me that it's some... hollywood bullshit..." I muttered to him. He only roughly shook his head.
"No. I know that place. Quarantine Zone Phi. It's in upstate New York... And I know a few of those civilians... or knew..." Welling up in his eyes, I saw a rage I've never seen in any human. "Turn it off." He ordered, which I followed.
"Jake. I just want you to know... when I commanded the EFH... I never would have ordered that..."
"I know." He took a hold of the mouse. He started typing on the keyboard, eventually bringing up a video conversation with a man I knew too well.
"Who the hell is this? How did you get access to this channel?"
"You son of a bitch." Jake growled to the man, one Johnathan Hall, Acting Commander of the EFH. "Do you know what you've just done?"
"It seems you have me at a disadvantage. Exactly who are you?"
"Doctor Jake Allistair Ballenfield. Quarantine Zone Omega." He growled through clenched teeth. Past my chair, I could feel the dull, repetitious shaking of his right leg.
"Ah, Doctor Ballenfield. I've heard so much about you." He looked at Saline. "And would you look who it is. Commander Green. I see you've sided with the Unholy. How unfortunate."
"I've not 'sided' with them, you smug bastard! I've finally seen what the hell this organization's become! We were supposed to preserve humanity! Not kill people who weren't! Those people were civilians, Hall! Civilians! And you just charge in, guns blazing?" I called, tapping a claw on the screen.
"Symatics, Saline. More then just civilians, they were supporters of the Unholy, already corrupt by their influence. These... Quarantine Zones... they were constructed by the Unholy, and all who reside in them are corrupt, needed to be purged."
"You sick son of a bitch! They were people! Innocent people! Revenants didn't 'build' the Quarantine Zones! We don't even have any kind of government! It's just people trying to survive!"
"Details."
"Details? You kill civilians, and they're 'details'? NO ONE KILLS CIVILIANS! No one."
"Rules have changed, as have the enemies. You must adapt the rules to fit the enemy."
"Adapt the rules, huh? Well... how about this? You want 'adapt'? Adapt to this. As of this moment, Commander Hall. You have declared WAR on every Revenant in this great country. And as a Revenant myself, I will see to it that you; and that entire hippy organization of yours, comes crashing to the ground."
"Big words, Doctor. Big words from a small man."
"Oh, I'll show you just how small I can be."
"I can't abide by this, Hall. The F.E.V. runs through my veins now, and I agree with Jake. You've gone too far." I muttered, covering my face with a hand. "You've crossed a dire line, and I'm glad I'm here."
"Very well, Saline. If that's how it is, that's how it is. You'll have your little war, Doctor, and when everything's said and done, you'll wish you'd kept your mouth shut."
"Oh, and one more little 'adaptation' for your viewing pleasure. As of this moment, as the rules stated within the Geneva Convention have been violated by the EFH, I am no longer obligated to honor them. As of this moment, the laws and rules of war set out by the Geneva Convention are null and void. I must no longer abide them. That means, if your people are captured by mine, they're hostages, Hall, not prisoners of war. I hope you're happy." Jake killed the connection.
"Jake... we don't have any weapons or armor to go to war... We don't have soldiers, or even training to fight the EFH."
"No. We don't. You're right. But I know where we can get armor and weapons. And I know where to go for training."
"Where?" I asked, watching the stare harden in his eyes.
"Quarantine Zone Delta. Gather the usual suspects. We move now."
I had barely gotten settled down with Zoey before there came an announcement over the PA. It was Jake. He wanted everyone outside on the triple. Dressing reluctantly, we followed his instructions, meeting outside with the rest of the Quarantine Zone. Jake was standing on top of a bench, addressing everyone.
"It looks like everyone's here, so I'll get right down to business." He cleared his throat. "Early this morning, around six AM, the Earth For Humans Organization attacked; and destroyed Quarantine Zone Phi. Now, to those who don't know, Quarantine Zone Phi... was what was called a Control Zone. Pure human, pure civilian. Not even a knife in the zone. Under the pretense of Revenant 'Corruption', the EFH slaughtered two hundred and eight civilians. No survivors, no prisoners." There came gasps and 'oh god's from the audience. I was among one of the gasps.
"It is because of their pretense, that I have made a command decision, probably none of you are going to like. As you all know, it is generally accepted that killing civilians, regardless of reason, killing civilians is a military taboo. And so." He inhaled, shutting his eyes momentarily. "And so, I have officially declared war between the EFH, and the Revenants of America. Any quote unquote 'Mundanes' who wish to aid the Revenants, you are more then welcome. Take heart, however, aiding us in any way is as bad as being one of us. Any mundanes who take up our banner, will get no better treatment from the EFH. I will not think you a coward for declining." Someone from the group spoke, a male voice.
"You've lead us this far, Doctor! As far as I can tell, you're judgment can't be wrong! If those bastards want war; We'll give it to 'em!" A group of others echoed a cheer. I raised my hand, and the cheering quieted.
"Emma. What do you have to say?"
"I'm only gonna say this once, Jake. But I think we all know first hand the brutality of the EFH. Quarantine Zone Phi will just be the beginning. They're not gonna stop until we, and everyone who supports us, are extinct. I say we fight." Another echoed cheer.
"Very well. Then, it's to war!" The crowd erupted into a hardened battlecry that echoed into the night. "Ladies and gentlemen!" Jake echoed again, holding his hands up. "Tonight! We eat well! For tomorrow we set sail for liberty!"
Ending Author's Note: And so begins the revolution.