Arkabur

In the year AD 2217, after the nuclear war came to an end, a new country was formed to the east of North America, Arkabur. By the influence of money and power, the Genji family ruled the nation indirectly. The top government officials allowed themselves to be manipulated by the family when wealth and rewards were flaunted before them, within no time they became the family’s puppet. So, all the scenes that transpired in Arkabur were the consequence of actions executed by the family, and everybody knew that. From Heavy tax impositions to the construction of unethical chemical factories, the family executed it all with no second thought. The citizens pleaded to the government for help but not only the government turned their back but also punished everyone who raised their voices against the matter. They segregated the rich from the poor. The poor had to live in areas under heavy Methanium releases, a deadly emission that is in the atmosphere due to the factories while the residues from the nuclear war still remained in the air. While the rich and powerful lived-in separate areas far from the rest, inside big walls where it was chemical-free. The people outside the walls were not allowed to enter inside without permission. The people were tired of unemployment, poverty, and seeing their loved ones suffer and perish because of the heavy chemicals in the atmosphere. When it was too much, a rebellion was formed, calling themselves the Red Society. Within no time their numbers grew. The rebellion protested against the government and the family. They decided to take the whole matter into their arms. They took down the factories and plantations operated by the family. Their next aim was to see the dead bodies of every single member of the Genji family. On December 31st AD 2249, Red Society broke inside the walls in huge numbers. The rebellion took over the local police stations, and later surrounded the 40-acre mansion of the Genji family, because of the tight android security systems, the rebellion couldn’t get inside. The hackers within the rebellion tried effortlessly to deactivate the security systems for about a whole day. Meanwhile, outside the Genji family residence. . .

The Leader of the Rebellion came forward and announced, “It is not ideal for everyone to charge inside the residence altogether. So, who all are volunteering to go inside when the security system comes down?”

Nineteen people raised their arms.

“Good, ten of you can take the front entrance. The others can enter through the back entrance. Okay then, move into position and wait for the signal.”

The leader approached a volunteer who carried a backpack.

“Leave your backpack, it’s only going to drag you down.”

“Yes, sir.”

The leader moved on.

The volunteer took position near the front entrance and placed his bag down and took out a red jacket and wore it. A voice came from behind, “nice hairstyle”. He focused his attention on where the sound came from, and it was another guy who volunteered.

“Thanks,” the volunteer replied as he continued to search for something in his bag.

“Not many people have a mix of green and blue hair.”

“Well, you have to try everything right? You only live once.”

The other volunteer laughed, “What’s your name?”

“Rain.”

“I am Cleave.”

“There it is,” he sighed as he took out a chain with a golden heart-shaped locket.

“Good old memories, huh, whom did you lose? That sigh of relief tells me that it is from a girl. Am I not wrong?” Cleave asked as he glanced at the locket.

“You sure talk too much.”

“Well, as you said before, you only live once. Talk as much as you can before you can’t.”

Suddenly, one of the members in the rebellion approached them and gave each of them two guns, and an intercom, “Get ready, the hackers are almost done deactivating the security. Use the intercom to inform us of anything useful. One more thing, we have people inside the mansion. They will be wearing black apparel with a white armband. Do not kill them as they are the ones who gave us intel. Got it?”

“Roger that,” Cleave said.

Rain took a glance at the chain before wearing it around his neck and armed one gun in his hand, and the other gun, a small one, was sheathed in his back.

All ten volunteers stood before the front entrance to the property. The rebellion set explosives to the gate. The leader came forward holding the detonation remote and yelled out, “TAKE THEM DOWN!”. He blew up the gates while the masses cheered. The volunteers charged towards the mansion.

They have to get past the long garden of about five acres, to get to the front door of the mansion. After reaching halfway to the mansion, shots were fired at them from different parts of the building. The volunteers couldn’t predict where it was coming from. They covered themselves behind some statues that were installed in the garden. When the firing stopped for the moment, Rain ran forward. Others followed Rain when they saw him running. Shots were fired again from the mansion. This time it took down two volunteers, but it did not stop the rest. They continued running towards the door shooting aimlessly. As they got closer to the mansion a rocket launcher was triggered at them, taking down another two volunteers. Only six volunteers made it to the front door. The front part of the mansion was at a blind spot from the opposite shooters, so they were safe for the time being. One of them took out an explosive and planted it on the door while others took cover.

The family’s men were behind the door waiting for them to barge in and the Volunteers were well aware of that. They blew up the door. Smoke filled the area. Both the volunteers and the henchmen couldn’t see what was happening, so they decided to wait until the smoke cleared up. Rain ran inside before waiting for the smoke to fully vanish.

“Wait,” Cleave said. Rain did not mind his words, he proceeded. Gunshots were fired at him but he managed to dodge those bullets. He got through an open door on the left wall of the room. He entered a room with a stair to the top floor but there was an unarmed man in the room with his hands raised. The man ran for his life after saying, “they are on the fourth floor, second last room in the left wing of the mansion.” The guy was wearing black apparel, but he was not wearing the white armband. Anyway, Rain decided to trust him and move forward. Cleave and two other volunteers entered the room, the rest were shot down. One of the volunteers yelled at Rain, “Are you nuts?” But again, Rain ignored them and continued running up the stairs. They followed him. “Keep your anger towards the Genji scumbags to yourself, otherwise you and everyone here can bid farewell to sweet oxygen any minute, before laying a finger on them. SO, FOCUS!” Cleave said to Rain.

When they got to the second floor, they could see the stairs to the succeeding floor. Rain did not waste any time slowing down he rushed towards the third floor. When they got to the third floor, four men waiting with loaded guns began firing. Rain somehow managed to get past them without getting hit. Cleave and another volunteer were shot down. Rain and the last volunteer ran through the corridor to find the entrance to the fourth floor, but they couldn’t find it in the massive residence. Once they found no one was behind them, they stopped to catch some breath.

Suddenly, a door beside them opened, and it was one of the maids in the mansion. She was wearing a black dress with a white armband. She pointed towards the stairs, “go left and take the first right. You will see the stairs to the fourth floor. They are hiding over there. Don’t let them escape. Kill every single one of them!” She quickly went back inside as she did not want to be seen helping the rebellion. They did not waste any time. They ran towards the stairs. There were two henchmen at the bottom of the stairs, but the other volunteer took them down as they were not expecting them this quickly. They got to the fourth floor and ran towards the end of the left-wing of the mansion. They saw four men guarding the second last room. The last volunteer took a grenade from his pocket and threw it at them. The volunteer started firing at them instead of waiting for the grenade to explode. He took one guard down with his gun and the rest got caught up in the explosion. “They are inside,” Rain said. The volunteer hand signalled Rain to enter.

Rain entered with the gun aimed straight but ready to be panned. Rain did not see any henchmen inside the room. He saw two women, a small girl, and an old man. The other volunteer got in and noticed who all remained in the room. He took his intercom and informed the rebellion about their status and location. The leader of the rebellion ordered him to stand down, he wanted to kill them with his own hands.

The entire rebellion barged inside the property.

“They are coming,” the volunteer said.

Rain nodded his head.

The volunteer then turned towards the old man and said, “You must be Antre Genji, and they must be your daughter, your daughter-in-law and her child, but where is your son, huh? You are going to pay the price for what. . .” Before completing the sentence, he was shot in the head. It was none other than Rain who pulled the trigger.

“You guys have to get out of here, they’ll be here any minute,” Rain said as he locked the door of the room from inside.

“My son’s locket?” Antre asked.

Rain removed the chain around his neck and handed it over.

“You did a very good job, thank you,” Antre said.

“No, it all goes to your men for identifying my red jacket and hair colour. Just like I have described it to your son. By the way, you have very few men.”

“This is my home, not a goon station.”

“Well, in that case, you have a lot.”

They could hear the sound of footsteps, and the roar of hundreds of men getting closer to the mansion.

The old man went next to the fireplace and opened a small box. Inside the small box, it was a scanner. He held out the locket in front of the scanner. When the scanning was finished, a tunnel opened up replacing the fireplace.

“I did not understand it back then when my son wanted to build this passageway. Now I see why he was so cautious,” Antre said.

“We have to move now, there is no time,” Rain said.

“You guys go ahead.”

“Come with us, dad,” his daughter said.

He looked at Rain, “Protect them, and get them to my son. If I come with you these men will relentlessly chase us and would not stop until they see the blood of a Genji member. A sacrifice has to be made today.”

They went inside the passage. Antre locked the passage from outside and the fireplace came in position. Rain and others walked for about two kilometres on foot, there was no lighting inside as the construction of passage was not complete, they utilized the torchlight in their phone to see. They came across a car in the tunnel. The key was already inside it. They drove the car for about eight kilometres to exit the tunnel through a big metal door into a forest, and another fifteen kilometres to get to the road, escaping the rebellion.