Chapter 370
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Major Keeler called his soldiers to order early Thursday morning. The sun was just beginning to rise, but Eve could already hear marching. She feared the invasion was beginning. But the marchers were already inside Washington. There were only twelve, carrying three mattresses with guns on top. Then Eve realized one of them was Marissa, others were her employees. Eve wasn't sure what this was about. She'd heard that Marissa had robbed food trucks during shortages in the early days after 2/4. She might be here to fight, she might still have a grudge against any military. She'd been drafted into the collective army, thugs grabbed her off the street and threw her in a truck. Eve had heard of this allegedly happenning more in the loyalist states, but realized it also happenned in the CSA. It was really anyone's guess which side Marissa was on now. As her people set their equipment down Marissa and Keeler began talking, as Eve listened.
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Keeler: Are you finally ready to defend your city?
Marissa: Possibly. I have a proposition for you. You can have these weapons, and us, if you let the kids go.
Keeler: I send the kids back to Mason, he'll just draft them again.
Marissa: Send them to my place. My people, the ones who didn't volunteer, can protect them.
Keeler: I'll send six kids back, that's one for every two of you people. Plus the guns and mattresses stay here.
Marissa: Everyone under the age of fourteen leaves here.
Keeler: That would be eight of them.
Marissa: So you'd gain four soldiers, better fighters, plus weapons and mattresses.
Keeler: It's a deal.
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After his deal with Marissa Keeler told some of his younger soldiers they were being transferred. They were suppossed to make the brothel ready, in case Keeler's team failed. Marissa didn't like this alteration, but if they knew the truth they might return to Mason. Eve explained to Kyle that it was important for him to go. He wanted to be brave, she assured him this was brave. Eve knew her own chances of survival weren't great, but she'd helped buy these kids a little more time. At least they'd be relatively safe. As they set up the mattresses Eve asked Marissa a question.
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Eve: Not that I'm not grateful, but why did you change your mind?
Marissa: Twenty-four days until impact, might as well die on my own terms. Besides, I heard some of the people in the mob aren't even calling themselves knights. They're calling themselves "Morlocks."
Eve: That sounds familiar.
Marissa: It's from "The Time Machine." Basically they're calling us "Eloi." They're saying we're priviledged, weak, stupid,living off their toil, while treating them like slaves.
Eve: They think this is priviledged.
Marissa: Maybe compared to them. Anyway, I remember what the morlocks did to the eloi. If it's an accurate comparison, they're planning to eat us.