Chapter 24: Sympathy for the devil
Rustal is in his office calmly drinking tea while watching the news. He sees how the African Union is losing control over the European continent. The images show violent protests in which African Union outposts are being overrun by protesters. Images are shown of destroyed African Union mobile suits and mobile workers. The newscast proceeds to show European mobile suits surrounding Gjallarhorn headquarters. A Gjallarhorn advisor enters the office.
Advisor: Mr. Ellion, we need to discuss the situation on the European continent.
Rustal ignores the advisor's words and finishes his cup of tea. Then he gets up from his seat, walks over to him and says:
Rustal: So it seems, the fact that they have a considerable number of mobile suits changes the landscape of the situation.
Advisor: It appears so Mr. Ellion, it's obvious that the forces of the self-proclaimed European Confederation received outside help. We are investigating
whether the SAU or ABRAU had anything to do with it.
Rustal: I doubt it, negotiating with a new bloc doesn't benefit anyone. Although the protests occurred organically.
Advisor: Why do you say that?
Rustal: Take a seat, Mr. Schliefen.
Schliefen: Of course, sir.
Schliefen takes a seat, Rustal serves two cups of tea. And he sits down. Rustal offers a cup of tea to Schliefen. After that he begins to explain the situation.
Rustal: The Persian Spring was not an event orchestrated by any economic bloc. In fact, we may be facing more than two revolutions that end the African Union.
Schliefen: What do you mean, sir?
Rustal: The reason these revolutions occurred is because of the increased centralization of the African Union.
Schliefen: Can't we advise the African Union to undergo an orderly decentralization?
Rustal: In the past that may have worked, but their current economic situation won't allow it.
Rustal gets up from his seat and looks out at the ocean to say:
Rustal: Ever since the independence of the Martian Union was consolidated, all economic blocs have been affected economically.
Schliefen: Regaining control over the Martian Union could help us resolve the economic situation.
Rustal: We cannot.
Schliefen: What do you mean, sir?
Rustal: We don't have a credible casus belli.
Schliefen: What can we do then?
Rustal: Negotiate independence with the European Confederation, there is no way to quickly and efficiently deploy troops to regain control over the European peninsula.
Schliefen: But that would weaken our image.
Rustal: You're wrong, it would strengthen it. Because we would maintain our image as peacekeeping forces. And more than anything, we can't risk being seen as an undemocratic and corrupt organization after what happened in Persia.
Schliefen: We could do the same as in Monterrey.
Rustal: It's too late, information control over a city is very different from that of an entire continent.
Schliefen: I see, I'll contact the leaders of the African Union and the European Confederation.
Schliefen leaves the office, Rustal continues watching the news and turns off the television. He lets out a very small laugh to say:
Rustal: Heh, there are very few people crazy enough to arm the European rebels.
On the streets of Gibraltar, a battle breaks out between the European Confederation and the African Union. People run from the streets, fleeing the city. There are others who take refuge in buildings. The mobile suits of the European Confederation slowly advance through the streets. The Hexa and Shinden mobile suits of the African Union are outnumbered by the European mobile suits. Giant shell casings fall into the streets crushing cars, projectiles from both sides destroy the facades of several buildings. And hand-to-hand fighting between Rhodises and Hexas happens all over the city. The Rhodis go on to destroy the remaining Hexas. Various African Union soldiers flee to the shores of Gibraltar while trying to return fire. They board ships and warships, until they begin to receive enemy fire. This is futile against the steel of the warships. But some fighter jets begin to fly over the area.
African Military: Captain, I think we are receiving air support to be able to withdraw.
The European planes drop anti-ship missiles that destroy the steel of the ships. After this, several European mobile workers, soldiers and mobile suits begin to occupy the area. The African military has no choice but to drop their weapons and surrender.
Miguel is drinking in his favorite bar in Chryse. He decides to turn on the TV to watch the news and there images of the Battle of Gibraltar are broadcast. Miguel takes a shot of tequila and says:
Miguel: Damn Cid, you really did it, man.
Miguel calls the bartender and says:
Miguel: How are you my esteemed, buy a round of beers for everyone in the bar.
Bartender: Of course.
Miguel watches as everyone takes their beers, he continues to drink his tequila. He takes shot after shot and decides to lean on the bar counter observing a happy couple. That's when we see Miguel leaving with Nila in Boston, she can't stop laughing with Miguel.
Nila: What are you going to do now that you graduated, Miguel?
Miguel: Well, who knows, I could learn to fly.
Nila: It makes sense, you were always fascinated by airplanes, honestly that excites me.
Miguel: What excites you?
Nila: The fact that you're going to fulfill your dreams.
Miguel: What about you?
Nila: I'm going to open my investment firm.
Miguel: Why is that?
Nila: I want to help people invest their money, I want to lift many people out of poverty.
Miguel: How do you plan to do that, girl?
Nila: With your help, in return I'll help you pay for your flying lessons.
Miguel: Why would you do that?
Nila: We're helping each other fulfill our dreams.
Suddenly Miguel receives a call from his brother Rafa. Miguel answers the call.
Miguel: What's up Rafa. What's going on, bro?
Rafa: Miguel, it's urgent, I need you to come to Nogales now.
Miguel: What's the urgency, Rafa?
Rafa: It's mom, she's in her final days.
Miguel: The doctors that Don Pedro hired say that she was recovering.
Rafa: That's what I told you, I lied to you. Mom lied to you so that you wouldn't abandon your studies.
Miguel: How long does she have left?
Rafa: Two weeks at most.
Miguel: I'm on my way.
Miguel hangs up the phone, and sits on a bench looking thoughtfully at the trees. Nila approaches him and says:
Nila: Miguel. Is everything alright? What happened?
Miguel: It was Rafa, my mom has two weeks to live.
Nila: Let's go to Nogales, the best thing you can do is spend her last moments with her.
Miguel: I don't have money to pay for the tickets.
Nila: Don't worry about that, I'll pay for them.
Miguel: Nila...
Miguel is in the bar and decides to leave from there. He leaves the bar and is ambushed by men in suits. An intense shootout begins in which Miguel takes cover behind a trash container. Miguel's men take out long guns and begin to return fire. One of Miguel's men falls down but they eventually manage to annihilate the attackers. The last man, seeing that the assassination attempt failed, tries to flee. But one of Miguel's gunmen ambushes him. Miguel approaches him and says:
Miguel: It seems that my guys are going to have fun tonight.
Miguel's men tie him up with duct tape and take him away in one of the SUVs. Miguel gets into his vehicle and heads to his mansion called the Arab
Palace. While on his way to his mansion, he takes out a wooden crucifix and crosses himself. Then he starts looking at the crucifix.
Miguel is in his mother's house who is in her final days. She is connected to oxygen tanks. And there is an IV stand where bags of medicine are connected intravenously.
María: Rafa, I want to be alone with Miguel, could you all leave my room please.
Rafael: Of course, Mom.
Rafael tells the doctors, nurses and Nila to leave the room. After they leave the room, Rafael leaves the room.
María: How are you, Miguelito?
Miguel: I'm fine, Mom, how are you?
María: Bad, my whole body hurts. But I'm happy that you came to see me. They have told me that you're with Nila. It's a shame that I won't get to see
my grandchildren.
Miguel: Don't say that, Mom, you're going to get better soon.
María: Don't lie, Miguel. The doctors told me I have days to live, which is good.
Miguel says through tears:
Miguel: Why do you say that, Mom?
María: Because that way I'm going to stop suffering. Your dad would be proud of the man you've become.
Miguel: yeah
María: Do you know why your middle name is Amado?
Miguel: No, Mom. Why did you give me that name?
María: Because I wanted everyone who meets you to realize that you are a good boy and love you for who you are. It seems that my wish came true.
Miguel: I see, Mom.
María: I know that you will become a great man, that you will achieve great things. But many people will envy you and try to ruin your life.
María takes out a crucifix and a medallion of a saint and tells him:
María: I bought this for you so that Christ protects you while I'm not here. I gave the same to Rafa, please take care of him, Miguel.
Miguel: I will, Mom.
María: I know you will, son. Could you open the door to my room? I want to see Nila.
Miguel opens the door to his mother's room and says to Nila:
Miguel: Nila, my mom wants to talk to you.
Nila: Of course.
Nila enters and María says:
María: Nila, how are you?
Nila: Good, Doña María, how are you?
María: In a lot of pain, mija. You've become a beautiful woman.
Nila: Thank you very much, Doña María.
María: I'm happy that Miguel is with you, I know you're going to take good care of him.
Nila: I will, Doña María.
Miguel leaves the room and talks to Rafael. Who is sitting at the kitchen table.
Miguel: Nila told me that you're working with Don Pedro.
Rafael: Yes, I'm his driver on his ranch. I take him everywhere.
Miguel: And does the job pay well?
Pedro: Yes.
Miguel: It's good that you're already working, Rafa, let me know if you need anything.
Miguel puts a small airplane on the table, it's an A6M Zero.
Rafa: What's that?
Miguel: You could say it's a gift, so you remember me. Call me more often.
Rafa: I'm going to do it.
Nila leaves Maria's room and says to the boys:
Nila: Doña María went to sleep, she says no oone should bother her.
Rafa: That's rare, she doesn't usually sleep much.
Nila: She said she was tired.
Rafa: She must be calmer after seeing you, Miguel.
Miguel: Could be, Nila are you going to your house?
Nila: I prefer to stay and sleep with you.
Miguel: Okay.
Miguel goes to his room and lies down on his bed, Nila decides to sleep with him. Everyone slept peacefully that night. When morning comes, Rafa
wakes up Miguel.
Rafa: Miguel wake up, Mom is not responding.
Miguel gets up startled from his bed and goes to his mom's room. He tries to wake her up, but she doesn't react. Rafa brings a doctor to see what's
going on. The doctor tries to take María's pulse but soon realizes that María had died. The doctor approaches the boys and says:
Doctor: My deepest condolences, gentlemen.
Miguel, crying, just hugs his brother.
Miguel is in his mansion when a gunman tells him:
Gunman: Boss, we've already tied up the bastard.
Miguel gets up from his seat and says:
Miguel: Don't do anything to him, I'm on my way there.
Miguel is in the basement of his mansion. And he sees the assassin tied to a chair breathing with difficulty. The assassin is bloodied, his shirt destroyed, and he is barefoot.
Miguel: My guys say you don't want to talk.
Assassin: I am prepared for this, you don't know who you're dealing with.
Miguel: Well, of course we don't know who we're dealing with. You're so stupid that you didn't tell us.
Assassin: My colleagues are going to come get me out of here at any moment.
Miguel: I don't think that's going to happen, my friend.
Miguel shows him the photos of several assassins in suits dead.
Assassin: Shit.
Miguel: Bring me a knife.
Gunman: Yes sir.
One of Miguel's bodyguards gives him a knife, Miguel says:
Miguel: If you don't want to die slowly, tell me who sent you.
Assassin: It was McMurdo Barriston. The pay was good.
Miguel: Who told you that I was going to be at the bar.
Assassin: I don't know.
Miguel: Cut off this bastard's hands.
Miguel's thugs approach the assassin.
Assassin: Please no, it was a man. He seems to have been from Gjallarhorn.
Miguel approaches the assassin and asks him:
Miguel: Is there anything else you want to say?
Assassin: I already told you everything I know, please let me go.
One of Miguel's thugs shoots him in the head. The sound of the shot stuns Miguel and an angry Miguel says:
Miguel: Warn me, asshole.
Manfred is in the hospital where he is watching the news. He sees reports of how violent protests began in the southern African continent. The images show how protesters enter the largest bank in Harare, a branch of the African Union Central Bank. You can see images of how it is on fire and how bodies are hanging from the cornices of said building. Julieta enters very hurriedly with a wheelchair to the room. She places a bag with Manfred's clothes on his bed. Then she packs up the console and says:
Julieta: We have to leave Harare right now.
Manfred: Why?
Julieta: Get dressed, I'll help you up into the chair.
Manfred: What happened?
Julieta: Just listen to me for once, if you don't want to end up like the directors of the African Union Central Bank.
Manfred proceeds to get dressed and gets up with difficulty from his bed, Julieta helps him to stand and sit in the wheelchair. After packing everything Julieta takes Manfred out of the hospital. While she is in the elevator, she cocks a gun and says:
Julieta: An armed rebellion began in the south of the African Union.
Manfred: why did it happen?
Julieta: The success of the European revolution may have motivated them to take up arms.
Manfred: What about Illmari, Sephora and the others?
Julieta: They already boarded a train headed for Cairo. You're the only one missing.
Manfred: Why are you doing all this?
Julieta: Because you're my friend, it's that simple.
Manfred: I see.
Julieta leaves the hospital with Manfred and takes him to a jeep. The road is chaotic as there are many burning cars and shootings in the streets of
Harare. The jeep heads towards a Gjallarhorn base where there is a railway. Upon arrival, Julieta takes Manfred out of the jeep and helps him get on the train. Julieta gets into the same car. When he gets on, Manfred is hugged by Illmari and Sephora.
Sephora: We knew you were going to arrive.
Illmari: We were all worried about you. Julieta was the one who decided to take you out of the hospital.
Manfred: I see.
Sephora: I have a gift for you.
Sephora takes out a necklace with a bullet hanging from it.
Manfred: What is this?
Sephora: It's an amulet.
Illmari: Sephora insisted on making you an amulet with the bullet Cecil shot you with.
Manfred: And what does this amulet mean?
Sephora: That no matter what the world hits you with, you will survive.
Manfred puts the necklace around his neck and it is next to a gold crucifix that he has.
Sephora: Did you like it?
Manfred: Yes, thank you very much.
The train departs for Cairo, from afar you can see a Harare in flames. Meanwhile, soldiers of the African Union are in an excavation in the middle of the Egyptian desert. In said excavation, there are several remains of mobile suits, suddenly a soldier shouts:
Soldier: Captain, I think we found something interesting.
The captain approaches the soldier's position, and sees the remains of a completely destroyed mobile armor.
Captain: Immediately communicate with the high command of the Union.
Soldier: At your command, my captain.
Several tractors and excavators arrive at the excavation site. These begin to unearth the mobile armor that turns out to have the appearance of a centipede connected to the body of a spider. Days pass at the excavation site. Dump trucks enter and leave the place taking out loads of sand. After a week of excavation, the military manages to remove the mobile armor. By then improvised laboratories were established on the perimeter of the site where engineers examine the mechanical beast.
Rustal is in a negotiation in the city of Prague with the leaders of the European Confederation and African Union. At this meeting the independence of the European Confederation is discussed. Robert Zaki is negotiating the borders of the European Confederation with Richard, Jean, Cid and Charlemagne.
Robert: Alright gentlemen, we must agree on the borders between our blocs.
Richard: I consider that should be our first priority.
Robert: I consider it pertinent that the Confederation has the territories of the entire European continent, with the exception of the Anatolian region.
Jean: We're sorry, Mr. Robert, but the people of Anatolia decided to join the Confederation. The importance of respecting the decision of the various
European peoples is a high priority.
Robert: If we lose the Anatolian region, the African Union would lose its access to the Black Sea.
Charlemagne: If you cede us the Anatolian region we could negotiate a free trade agreement. That way African goods would have no problem reaching ABRAU.
Rustal: I consider the request of the European Confederation pertinent, since otherwise the Asia Minor region would be plunged into another war.
Robert: We can give you that concession as long as the European Confederation abandons the possibility of the Arabian Peninsula being part of the Confederation.
Rustal: It is a legitimate request since there were no armed confrontations in that region.
Jean: The Confederation accepts your request as long as both parties respect the territorial integrity of both blocs.
Rustal: Ladies and gentlemen, it seems we have reached an agreement, let's modify the act to be signed.
At the end of the meeting, the leaders of both blocs go out to the press room to announce the independence of the European Confederation. After the meeting, one of Robert's secretaries informs him that the military high command of the African Union is trying to contact him.
Secretary: Mr. Zaki, you have a call from General Youseff.
Robert: Put me in contact.
Youseff: Mr. Zaki, we found something that could change the course of the negotiations.
Robert: Did you find the mobile armor?
Youseff: Affirmative sir, do we activate it?
Robert: Develop a control system, we are going to activate it in the Syrian region. With this artifact we will be able to retake Anatolia.