The Resistance

As Shorty digs himself from the rubble of the safehouse he had just reentered seconds earlier, he mumbles curses to himself about the Dictorate’s military actions. Shorty begins searching for other survivors. The dust is finally starting to clear as Shorty picks his way through the rubbish. Shorty suddenly spots the pile of concrete and rebar that was the command center before the explosion. The first thought to explode in Shorty’s mind is, the Commander! As he rushes over and immediately begins digging through the debris. Shorty eventually exposes the broken and battered body of the Commander. As the Commander struggles to speak, Shorty leans in to hear the Commander say, “Find Kymberly and give her this.”

The commander weakly drops a golden, heart shaped locket into Shorty’s hand. The medic finally picks his way over and confirms what both the Commander and Shorty already know. The Commander, “Finish what we started, Dexter.” “Ah, you know I hate that name, Commander!” Shorty replies with a grimace. The commander weakly chuckles then gasps as the light fades from his eyes.

Shorty rises to his full 6’4” height and adjusts the clothes on his muscular 225 pound frame. A small, sad smile crosses his face as he recalls the Commander’s first words to him only three short years ago when was chosen as the Commander’s Second in Command, “Welcome to the resistance Dexter, you’re a Shorty ain’t ya!” Shorty had always hated his name and the irony of calling him Shorty wasn’t lost on him. So the name stuck, and the last three years had consisted of Shorty and the Commander running from, fighting, and being a general thorn in the side of the Dictorate as the leaders of the southern branch of the Resistance. Then as Shorty remembers Kymberly and how she almost got him kicked out of the Resistance because they were caught making out by the Commander. The fight between the Commander and his daughter

resulted in Kymberly leaving to become her mother’s Second in Command of the Rocky Mountain Command Center.

Shorty snaps himself back to the present and assists in regrouping the survivors. Shorty goes about the task of collecting what supplies he can salvage. He finally gets the survivors gathered and explains to them that before the blast that took their commander and other brave and heroic Resistance members, he had received a call that all of the Southern safehouses had been attacked! The survivors were meeting at the Rendezvous, a location that the commander had designated for this very eventuality. Shorty informs his people that the Commander had made it known to Resistance leaders, that if he died, then Shorty would assume command of all Southern Resistance forces. Shorty orders his people head out towards the Rendezvous.

As they head out, Shorty silently vows to end the totalitarian rule of the Dictorate! As Shorty and his band of Resistance survivors travel from the East Coast to the ruins of what was once a productive little town along the banks of the Mississippi, they launch raids on Dictorate held towns. The downtrodden citizens help as much as they are able in the hopes of reversing the Dictorate’s horrendous hoarding of supplies, weapons, and technology. With the assistance of the sympathetic citizens, Shorty and his people reach Rendezvous without losing anyone. Word of the attack had reached the Command Center in the Rockies.

As Shorty and his people meet up with the other Southern survivors, they are greeted by Kymberly and some of her Rocky Mountain Resisters. When Kymberly sees the numerous fading cuts and bruises on the faces of Shorty and his followers, she has to restrain herself from rushing to Shorty and flinging herself into his embrace. Even after three years she still finds herself longing for him! However when Shorty hands her the

locket she left with her father when she stormed away, Kymberly completely loses her composure and collapses into Shorty’s strong, comforting embrace. Shorty allows his unshed tears to fall as he mourns the loss of his beloved mentor and friend. After a few moments the two Resistance Leaders look at one another and silently agree to quell their personal feelings for each other and to focus on planning for the final effort to free their people from the Dictorate.

Until meeting up with Kymberly, Shorty and the others had been traveling in small groups and been able to remain inconspicuous. Unfortunately this was no longer feasible. Although they are not a large enough group to be considered dangerous, they are large enough to gain the notice of Dictorate patrols. Many close calls have everyone on edge.

Stealing nondescript vehicles as they go, the Resistance looks like something from a Mad Max film that used to be popular before the Dictorate decided it was inciting distrust for the current government and could no longer be allowed on television. The Resistance uses these vehicles until they are out of gas and then steal more just like them. After many days of this, Shorty and Kymberly finally call a halt a few hours away from the Headquarters of the Resistance’s Rocky Mountains Branch in the sparsely populated towns of the former state of Wyoming.

The former state of Wyoming was completely evacuated when the Dictorate first started consolidating its power. The citizens of Wyoming were scattered across Dictorate friendly states, but many found their way to the sister state of Montana and there the first Resistance was started but was quickly squashed and the population of Montana was decimated as a punishment. The survivors fled back into Wyoming where the grizzly old mountain men of legends offered them shelter. The mountain men helped the

Resistance back on its feet and helped spread the word about the Resistance’s return. That is when the Commander left his wife in charge of the Rockies branch and left to assist the Southern Command’s formation.

Shorty is astonished at the beautiful lush valley he enters that is surrounded by the tallest mountain tops in Wyoming! He is left speechless by the hidden military base that can rival those of the Dictorate. Shorty seeks out Kymberly and asks her for directions to her commander’s office, thinking he is going to meet her mother. Kymberly leads Shorty down a hallway to an unoccupied office and sits down behind a desk and sheepishly confesses to being the commander for just over six months. Kymberly explains that her mother had been injured on a raid in to Dictorate controlled Utah. After her injury, Kymberly’s mother steps down and names Kymberly her successor. Shorty just shakes his head wordlessly.

Shorty is thinking to himself that he doesn't know how long he can tolerate not being near Kymberly! He’s captivated by her flowing, golden locks and her deep blue eyes that he could easily drown in. And he cocks a grin as he spots a smattering of freckles across her nose that are only noticeable if she has been out in the sun a little too long. Not realizing that he got caught fantasizing about Kymberly, Shorty blushes and flashes a quick grin as Kymberly repeats her question.

Kymberly struggles not to leap across the desk when Shorty flashes that roguish smile that says, “Oops, you caught me daydreaming.” The same smile that melts his stormy gray eyes into the tender loving eyes she remembered from her time in the Southern Command Center. Instead she repeats, “Shorty will you please assume command of the entire Resistance Organization?” Shorty answers in his Southern

accent, “Only if you will be my Second in Command Darlin’!” Kymberly agrees with the stipulation that they remain professional.

Months go by as the Southern Resistance survivors heal and assimilate into the main Resistance group. During this time Shorty, Kymberly and the other Resistance leaders plan their next major move against the Dictorate. Finally the intelligence team that Shorty sends out returns with a report that the Dictorate is throwing an extravagant party in a mansion on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, which is the Western hub of activity for the Dictorate. The time has come for a major assault on the Dictorate!

The day of the attack dawns bright and clear with the melodious sounds of birds chirping blissfully unaware of the carnage that is to come. Shorty is watching the sunrise with Kymberly quietly by his side. As he glances down at her, Shorty is filled with a desire to make his beautiful, dynamite of a partner to stay behind. However Shorty knows if he issues that order then he would destroy any opportunity of being with Kymberly. Kymberly feels Shorty’s gaze on her and looks up at him. Shorty grins down at her and says, “I guess it's time to get a move on.” Kymberly just nods her head and walks away.

Later that day the strike force arrives at the launch point. The scouts report a larger number of Dictorate soldiers than expected. Undeterred Shorty commands that the mission proceeds as planned. As Kymberly goes to get her squad ready, Shorty grabs her arm and with an emotion filled voice he says, “Be careful darlin’. I” he cuts himself off before he can utter the words that would break his deal with Kymberly about professionalism. Kymberly reaches up to caress his face, not caring about the deal anymore, and says, “I will, me too!” With that she walks away not knowing if she’ll ever see Shorty again.

When all the Resistance fighters are in position Shorty launches his people. The vastly outnumbered Resistance charge the mansion and are initially successful, having the element of surprise on their side. But the shock quickly dissipates as the Dictorte soldiers regroup. It is beginning to seem that Shorty will have to halt and retreat if he is to avoid losing all of his people. Just as he is about to issue the command to fall back, there is a ground shaking explosion from the backside of the mansion where he has deployed Kymberly and her squad! With that distraction the Resistance regains the upper hand! Soon the resistance has managed to subdue what was supposed to be a superior force and have taken the Dictorate officials at the party captive.

While the Resistance begins rounding up the defeated Dictorate personnel, Shorty begins going through the remains of the back side of the mansion, looking for Kymberly and bitterly flashing back to the few months ago when he did the same for her father. In Shorty’s peripheral, he spots a glint of something, he rushes over and finds the heart shaped locket that belongs to Kymberly. He grabs it and clutches it to his chest as he sobs uncontrollably. After what seems like hours Shorty feels a gentle touch on his shoulders, he looks up into what he thinks is the most beautiful face to ever grace the planet! The dirt streaked face of Kymberly splits into a heart warming smile as she says in her best imitation of a Southern accent, “Excuse me sir, I think you have something of mine.” Shorty jumps to his feet, grabs Kymberly and plants a kiss on her lips that he tries to impart all the love he has for her into. Kymberly returns it. After they break apart, gasping for air, they both burst out laughing.

Kymberly asks Shorty what his plans are for the Dictorate captives. Shorty says that he will use them to force the Dictorate allow the Resistance to carve out a place in the Wyoming and Montana area to live peacefully and free from the Dictorate. Shorty

also plans to open the area to refugees from Dictorate controlled areas. Kymberly asks, “What if they refuse?” Shorty replies, “We’ll figure something out, because with you I’m unstoppable!” Kymberly smiles up at Shorty and grabs his hand and together they walk back to their people with hopes of a better tomorrow in their hearts and the setting sun to their backs.