There's really no need to even call Ourson, you text him, that's faster: Michigan, Harestown, trainstation, emergency bag."\n\nHis reply comes quickly:K. Extra credits? Jack?\n\nYou smile, boy thinks ahead, and text back: Yes and yes.\n\nBefore the telltale beep can sound that means the message has sent the connection goes dead. Darn, you can only hope it sent. At least you know that Ourson will [[meet you there]]. \n\n
"I'm sorry that you're not happy right now. But I need to speak to you--"\n\n"How can you talk to me like this?... I know you're cheating on me, aren't you?"\n\n"This. Isn't. The. Time." \n\nThe guard walks over and shuts off your wristband with one flick of his. \n\n"I'm sorry Chancellor. But you need to come with me."\n\n"Where?"\n\n"That's not important." He grabs you by the wrist, melding your bands together and [[preventing]] you from escaping.
You slide your wristband over the ID check and walk into the hangar. You see two potential planes that you know you'll automatically have clearance for: an [[F3]] or a smaller [[Roll-over II]].\n\n[[Choose the F3]]\n\n[[Choose the Roll-over II]]
You start loading Farah's bags onto the train and Ourson helps. \n\n"An affair, really?" you hear him mumble, "Did you call dad? Did you call Allie or did you just leave your new wife behind?"\n\n"There wasn't time, phone lines went down."\n\n"How long do we have?"\n\n"I don't know." \n\n"How did you find out?"\n\n"A friend."\n\n"You won't have an excuse to be so cryptic once we're tucked away under the Earth."\n\n"Thankfully it only takes two years to clean up [[Nuclear aftermath]]."
You walk past the hangar and into the parking lot. You wander around, which would be best to steal? You decide on a Granny Smith (by Apple, of course). No one is going to give consideration to the most common car, that also has the best safety rating on the planet. \n\nYou slide your wristband through the ID detector. \n\n"Hello Chancellor" The artifical intelligence says. The car does not unlock. \n\n"I need to commandeer this vehicle." You demand.\n\n"I'm sorry Chancellor, all commandeering rights have been revoked." \n\nSeriously? That's ridiculous. Those assholes. It's like they want to ensure the greatest amont of casualities. Loyalty, going down with the ship, none of that is really valuable. The one god damn drawback of this whole arrangment and it has to happen on my watch... That phone call... What am I going to do?\n\n"Nothing." A guard says from behind you, "be careful what you say [[out loud |preventing]]."
You take control from the AI, move a few familiar controls. \n\n"Warning: Air Space Closed."\n\n"Contact Airport Personnell" Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit.\n\n"Airport Communication is having technical difficulties, please standby."\n\nYou wait in silence. \n\n"Warning: Air Space Closed. Missle Defense System Active"\n\n"Contact Airport Personnell!" What else can you do? Hopefully it's just a malfunction... \n\n"Airport Communication is Down."\n\n"Send Out White Flag Signal" \n\n"White Flag has not been Authorized by Neo-America at this time. Warning: Defense System Active."\n\nYou seriously consider turning the plane around and heading to Texas.\n\n[[Head to Texas]]\n[[Keep Trying |Head to Texas]]
"Hello?" Farah answers.\n\n"Listen, I need you to meet me somewhere--\n\n"Sounds exciting," Farah says. You must be doing a good job of hiding your fear, she is flirtacious. \n\n"Michigan, Harestown, Trainstation. Bring Ourson and tell him to grab 'the bag'."\n\n"Uh... I've wanted to meet your son for some time... I know how hard it can be for a mother to introduce her son to... well... I don't think I should do that alone."\n\n"There isn't time for this debate, Farah. Please do this."\n\nYou're shocked as you hear her hangup. Wait-- no, the connection is dead. You can only hope she'll do [[as you asked]]. \n
It was a long drive. Twenty minutes seemed to drag on. You wanted to flip on the news but knew you would hear lies, or nothing important. So instead you played some calming music and tried not to make eye contact with anyone in any other vehicles. \n\nYou arrive at the trainstation, a tiny place, and sit to wait for Ourson. \n\nAs time goes by you consider what he might be doing. Perhaps now calling a cab. Or taking the family car. Maybe he went back for something he forgot. Maybe Jack was being a handful, although that wasn't like him. \n\nMaybe traffic was bad. \n\nMaybe something had happened. \n\nBut just then Heather and Ourson rush in, Ourson grabbing you in a big hug.\n\n"Sorry I'm late Ma'am. We ran into some trouble with the law. When you went missing they came looking for Ourson."\n\n"I don't know what I would have done without her, " Ourson says. The two immediately start putting the bags [[on the train]].
You are a soldier in the Neo-American army. You notice that your commanding officer's "Red Alert" messaging system is trying to alert her of something. You point it out and she looks down at her wristband, reading the message quickly. \n\n"I have to go." Her face is drained of colour and she looks around, making sure you're alone. She holds her wrist up and shows you the message:\n\nNuclear attack from Texan Republic Imminent. Time unknown. All emergency personnel report to stations.\n\nShe slips out of the room and you [[stare blankly]] as she goes.
The train ride is short, and you run the short distance to the bunker. When Heather spots it she looks shocked, "Tell me what's going on."\n\n"No time." Ourson says.\n\nWhen you get into the building the guards do not look surprised, others must already be signed in. \n\n"Price has doubled. And only three." One guard says, she looks angry.\n\n"That's not how its supposed to work." You say.\n\n"I can pay my way." Heather says, without looking at the prices lit up on the wall, "Give me whatever they have.\n\n\nAll three of you pay and bring the dog along with you. \n\nYou'll all emerge safely in two years.
It was a long drive. Twenty minutes seemed to drag on. You wanted to flip on the news but knew you would hear lies, or nothing important. So instead you played some calming music and tried not to make eye contact with anyone in any other vehicles. \n\nYou arrive at the trainstation, a tiny place, and sit to wait for Ourson. \n\nAs time goes by you consider what Farah and Ourson might be doing. Perhaps now calling a cab. Or taking the family car. Maybe Farah went back for something she forgot. Maybe Jack was being a handful, although that wasn't like him. \n\nMaybe traffic was bad. \n\nMaybe something had happened. \n\nThen Ourson and Farah appear, carrying bags, chatting amicably, dog trailing behind. They come up and hug you, Ourson looks suspicious about her but looks to worried to question you. \n\n"[[Let's get a train]]." he says.
The War with Texas
The taxi pulls up to you and opens its doors. You sit in, and once your seatbelt is clicked in (a tradition at this point, many are lobbying to get them removed. You've always hated them, but you can't been seen not wearing one) it starts off. \n\nIt's quite fast, 300 km/hour, and you wizz by the hangar in moments. But you notice that the normally green lights for accepting travellers are red. They must have closed the airspace. Maybe they are calling a terrorist strike, so as not to panic people, but are searching for a way to set off the nuke early, closer to Texas, maybe even in its southern territories if you're lucky. \n\nYou hear a whirring noise, the loud sound of a plane descending in panicked choppy motions. You look out the cab window with horror as you see Retah's familair blue Roll-over heading straight down.\n\nEverything goes black.
You have reached the hangar area. You could [[take a plane]] yourself, you're a pilot, although that would risky. It would be harder to [[steal a car]], but easier once that was done. You could [[call a taxi |call a taxi Gian]], and you guess that would be just as fast as driving.
You walk toward the plane, swiping your wristband on the display screen nearby. It says, "Welcome Chancellor."\n\nYou climb a ladder, the hatch opens for you automatically and a voice says:\n\n"Please specify destination."\n\nAnd another voice says:\n\n"Chancellor, you're [[under arrest]]." A guard grabs your wrist and drags you down from the plane.
You have reached the hangar area. You could [[take a plane]] yourself, you're a pilot, although that would risky. It would be harder to [[steal a car]], but easier once that was done. You could [[call a taxi |call a taxi Retah]], and you guess that would be just as fast as driving.
"He's resourceful, he'll find something. We need to get on a train here."\n\nOurson says he is suprised they are still running. You hop on one that announces it's last stop in Oslow street, close enough to what you need. \n\nOurson goes to put the bags in the compartment and you tell him no, you might have to leave in a hurry. He sits down in the compartment, looking worried. \n\n"Texas?" he asks.\n\n"I think they figured out the bio suits."\n\nHe frowns. "Did you call Allie?" \n\n"No time, phones went dead after I texted you."\n\n"How long do we have?"\n\n"[[I don't know]]."
You walk down the hall, as normally as you can manage. But you begin to be overwhelmed with thoughts. When will it happen? Do you have enough invested in the bunker to make it through a Nuclear winter? How long would the winter be- that would depend on whether or not be struck back...\n\nWhat if you didn't make it? That was the most terrifying thing. What would dying feel like? How long do you have?\n\n"Miss Chancellor?" A guard appeared on your right side. "You need to come with me please?"\n\n"Excuse me?" \n\nHe turns off your wristband with a tap from his own, forging the two together- there is no escape." \n\n"Miss, we need to [[question you |preventing]]."\n\n
You walk past the Hangar and into the pick-up area. You swipe your Wristband on a Helper Device and the AI chimes out:\n\n"Hello Chancellor. What can I help you with?"\n\n"A cab please."\n\n"Destination?"\n\n"Harestown, Michigan."\n\n"Cab will arrive in thirty seconds."\n\nYou try not to pace. You consider Gian. Not a very serious guy, but creative and explosive. Now that you think about it, he and Ourson probably make a good team. Hopefully they had packed up and were on their way. [[Hopefully with weapons]].
You walk past the Hangar and into the pick-up area. You swipe your Wristband on a Helper Device and the AI chimes out:\n\n"Hello Chancellor. What can I help you with?"\n\n"A cab please."\n\n"Destination?"\n\n"Harestown, Michigan."\n\n"Cab will arrive in thirty seconds."\n\nYou try to pace, and consider Retah. She was a pilot too. She was probably flying Ourson to Harestown right now. Hopefully they had brought some weapons. Retah was resourceful, she would probably have an emergency bag of her own. Good, you [[might need]] the supplies.
You slow down your walk as the phone rings, aware that some other personnel are staring at you, probably wondering why you're heading to the hangar just as you've arrived. \n\n"Hello?" Cameron answers. \n\n"Hey, listen, I need you to pick up Ourson and meet me somewhere." Your voice is choked but you continue, "Michigan, Harestown, the trainstation."\n\n"What? I'm in Brazil right now, on duty. Didn't you know that?"\n\n"Oh gosh. Get somewhere safe."\n\n"Safe?"\n\n"Vault safe." As you say the word vault you hear Cameron shudder. Knowing he understood you hang up, and text your son. You know he'll listen: Michigan, Harestown, trainstation, emergency bag.\n\nBefore the telltale "ding" your wristband makes after it sends a message sounds, the connection signal dies. Darn, maybe they know about the leak of information, you have to hope that [[the message got through]].
The guard took you into a questioning room. When he left the room immediately you knew your life was over. You could pound and scream on the doors and it would do nothing. \n\nIt's now that you think of your mother. Once a Marshal of the Air Force, now sitting in a nursing home, with aggressive Alzheimers. And you're not considering the strength of the disease, but the agression suffers tend to act out on when they are far gone enough to realize it but not far gone enough to stop worrying about it. The slipping knowledge that you were losing everything, and would soon forget that there was anything to be lost. \n\nSometimes she was filled with intense purpose, and could handle anything you told her. She could flip through your manuals and point out mistakes, or talk to you about your opponent's parents. She seemed strongest when times were dire, but maybe that was just because you needed her most then. Other times, she would be throwing things around her room, glaring at staff, at family, at Ourson, asking who the hell were they and did they know who they were dealing with?\n\nNow it was you who was facing doom.\n\nYou feel a shaking of the earth.\n\nEverything goes black.
The guard took you into a questioning room. When he left the room immediately you knew your life was over. You could pound and scream on the doors and it would do nothing. But you do it anyway. \n\nYou feel a shaking of the earth.\n\nEverything goes black.
You have reached the hangar area. You could [[take a plane]] yourself, you're a pilot, although that would risky. It would be harder to [[steal a car |steal a car Ourson]], but easier once that was done. You could [[call a taxi]], and you guess that would be just as fast as driving.
You know the details. You don't have time to consider them. You need to [[take a plane]].
"Hello?" your mother answers, in her soft frail voice.\n\n"Mom. Listen, you need to get somewhere safe."\n\n"Dear, what's the matter, you sound--"\n\n"No time mom."\n\n"For heaven's sake! Why are you wasting this phone call on me? Look, have you called Ourson? I'll transfer my stuff over to him and tell him to bring Jack and meet you... oh, where was that safehouse of yours?"\n\n"Harestown, Michigan. Ask him to meet me at the trainstation." \n\n"Done. Stay safe, my dear." She [[hangs up]].
You walk past the Hangar and into the pick-up area. You swipe your Wristband on a Helper Device and the AI chimes out:\n\n"Hello Chancellor. What can I help you with?"\n\n"A cab please."\n\n"Destination?"\n\n"Harestown, Michigan."\n\n"Cab will arrive in thirty seconds."\n\nYou try to pace, and consider Heather. She had probably picked up Ourson by now. She was one of the most competent people you knew. Probably she would [[bring extra supplies]].
You slow down your walk as the phone rings, aware that some other personnel are staring at you, probably wondering why you're heading to the hangar just as you've arrived. \n\n"Hello?" Retah answers. \n\n"Hey, listen, I need you to get Ourson and meet me somewhere." Your voice is choked but you continue, "Michigan, Harestown, the trainstation."\n\n"What? Why?"\n\n"I don't have time to explain. It's the most important thing, drop everything and just go." \n\n"Yes Ma'am." She accepts orders, just as you taught her, and hangs up. Or no, wait-- she didn't hang up, the phone is dead. \n\nDarn, maybe they know about the leak of information. Or maybe time [[is up]].
You walk past the Hangar and into the pick-up area. You swipe your Wristband on a Helper Device and the AI chimes out:\n\n"Hello Chancellor. What can I help you with?"\n\n"A cab please."\n\n"Destination?"\n\n"Harestown, Michigan."\n\n"Cab will arrive in thirty seconds."\n\nYou try to pace, and consider Ourson. He was probably on his way to the train station now. Your mother was probably sitting around the nursing home, maybe she had entirely forgotten about the attack. For some reason, that fate was the one that bothered you the most. Surely she would want to know, see the end coming, woman that she once was? Or maybe she would be happier not [[seeing it coming]].
You have reached the hangar area. You could [[take a plane]] yourself, you're a pilot, although that would risky. It would be harder to [[steal a car]], but easier once that was done. You could [[call a taxi |call a taxi mom]], and you guess that would be just as fast as driving.
The taxi pulls up to you and opens its doors. You sit in, and once your seatbelt is clicked in (a tradition at this point, many are lobbying to get them removed. You've always hated them, but you can't been seen not wearing one) it starts off. \n\nIt's quite fast, 300 km/hour, and you wizz by the hangar in moments. But the trip seems to take forever. You consider Gian and Ourson, boys about the same age. Early twenties, life full of possibilities. [[Hopefully they make it]].
You still have time. Maybe you could make one more call. You look at your contact list again. \n\n[[Cameron Johnson]] \n[[Farah]]\n[[Heather Carson]]\n[[Mom]]\n[[Retah Holdings]]\n[[Gian Show]]\n[[Ourson]]
You have reached the hangar area. You could [[take a plane]] yourself, you're a pilot, although that would risky. It would be harder to [[steal a car]], but easier once that was done. You could [[call a taxi |call a taxi Farah]], and you guess that would be just as fast as driving.
You walk past the Hangar and into the pick-up area. You swipe your Wristband on a Helper Device and the AI chimes out:\n\n"Hello Chancellor. What can I help you with?"\n\n"A cab please."\n\n"Destination?"\n\n"Harestown, Michigan."\n\n"Cab will arrive in thirty seconds."\n\nYou try not to pace. Ourson was probably heading to the train station, Jack and anything else he could grab [[in tow]].
It was a long drive. Twenty minutes seemed to drag on. You wanted to flip on the news but knew you would hear lies, or nothing important. So instead you played some calming music and tried not to make eye contact with anyone in any other vehicles. \n\nYou arrive at the trainstation, a tiny place, and sit to wait for Ourson and Gian.\n\nAs time goes by you consider what they might be doing. Perhaps now calling a cab. Or taking the family car. Maybe Gian went back for something he forgot. Maybe Jack was being a handful, although that wasn't like him. \n\nMaybe traffic was bad. \n\nMaybe something had happened. \n\nYou consider Gian, whom you had spotted for. He didn't have another senior officer to back him, he was a little reckless, but his boldness gave him many strengths. He had since gained the favour of other officers, but he liked to remain under your command. \n\nJust then he and Ourson arrived, dog trailing behind. They had bags, seems like Gian was bringing some explosives, smart kid. Ourson grabbed you in a hug and Gian wasted no time piling the bags on board and [[grinning ear to ear]].\n\n\n\n\n\n
You slow down your walk as the phone rings, aware that some other personnel are staring at you, probably wondering why you're heading to the hangar just as you've arrived. \n\n"Hello?" Heather answers. \n\n"Hey, listen, I need you to pick up Ourson and meet me somewhere." Your voice is choked but you continue, "Michigan, Harestown, the trainstation."\n\n"What? Why?"\n\n"I don't have time to explain. It's the most important thing, drop everything and just go." \n\n"Yes Ma'am." She hangs up. Or no, wait, she didn't hang up, the phone is dead. \n\nDarn, maybe they know about the leak of information. Or maybe time, [[somewhere nearby]], is up.
As the thought runs through your head you start to imagine the consequences. What about Ourson, your son? He needs to be warned, you won't have time to pick him up. You could just [[text him |Ourson]]. Or you could just [[continue without him]].
You have reached the hangar area. You could [[take a plane]] yourself, you're a pilot, although that would risky. It would be harder to [[steal a car]], but easier once that was done. You could [[call a taxi |call a taxi Heather]], and you guess that would be just as fast as driving.
"Okay, we'll leave the dog."\n\nYou swipe your wrist and pay for yourself and Farah, who is looking more and more worried. \n\n"It'll be okay." You say.\n\n"What on Earth is happening? I don't... I don't want to be down there with you." Farah mumbles\n\n"You're going to die otherwise." Ourson yells, "What an ungrateful mistress."\n\n"Mistress?" Farah says, "What the fuck."\n\n"You should have called Dad!" Ourson says, "Or at least new mom."\n\n"Let's just go, let's go." You insist.\n\nIt is going to be a long two years.
It was a long drive. Twenty minutes seemed to drag on. You wanted to flip on the news but knew you would hear lies, or nothing important. So instead you played some calming music and tried not to make eye contact with anyone in any other vehicles. \n\nYou arrive at the trainstation, a tiny place, and sit to wait for Ourson. \n\nAs time goes by you consider what he might be doing. Perhaps now calling a cab. Or taking the family car. Maybe he went back for something he forgot. Maybe Jack was being a handful, although that wasn't like him. \n\nMaybe traffic was bad. \n\nMaybe somethng had happened. \n\nYou walk over to the news monitors, which are displaying information about communication problems due to terrorist attacks. More expected before things get better. Return to your homes. \n\nThe people in the trainstation do not look like they are returning to their homes. There aren't that many but they are all carrying bags, looking aghast, pale, sullen, worried. \n\nYou feel a shaking in the Earth.\n\nEverything goes black.
The train ride is short, and you run the short distance to the bunker. When Gian sees it he doesn't look surprised. \n\n"Someone tip you off?" Ourson asks.\n\nGian shruggs, "Not like it hasn't happened before. I my first five years in a bunker."\n\nWhen you get into the building the guards do not look surprised, others must already be signed in. \n\n"Price has doubled. And only three." One guard says, she looks angry.\n\n"That's not how its supposed to work." You say.\n\n"I can't pay that!" Gian says.\n\n"I can pay for you, dad left me extra money." Ourson says, sadly.\n\n"Left you?" You ask.\n\n"Yeah..."\n\nAll three of you pay and bring the dog along with you. \n\nYou'll all emerge safely in two years.
The train ride is short, and you run the short distance to the bunker. When Farah spots it she looks shocked, "Tell me what's going on."\n\n"No time." Ourson says.\n\nWhen you get into the building the guards do not look surprised, others must already be signed in. \n\n"Price has doubled. And only three." One guard says, she looks angry.\n\n"That's not how its supposed to work." You say.\n\n"Just leave Jack, mom." Ourson says, as he swipes his wristband to pay. \n\n[[Ask why only three.]]\n[[Leave Jack.]]
You have reached the hangar area. You could [[take a plane]] yourself, you're a pilot, although that would risky. It would be harder to [[steal a car]], but easier once that was done. You could [[call a taxi]], and you guess that would be just as fast as driving.
"Why only three?" You swipe your wrist and pay. \n\n\n"What on Earth is happening? I don't... I don't want to be down there with you." Farah mumbles\n\n"What an ungrateful mistress." Ourson growls. \n\n"Mistress?" Farah says, "What the fuck."\n\n"You didn't know. Wow." Ourson turns to you, "You should have called Dad! Or at least new mom."\n\nFarah storms out of the building. \n\n"Wait, Farah!" You yell, but a guard grabs you by the arm.\n\n"You've paid, so you can't leave the building."\n\n"What?" Ourson yells, still feeling outraged.\n\n"We can't go down without you now that you've paid. So you have to go down immediately. If you die, we're liable."\n\nYou three go on without her, Ourson fuming.
You know the details. You don't have time to consider them. You need to [[take a plane]].
You both get off the train and run the short distance to the bunker's entrance. It looks like a small building, but you know there are miles underneath it. \n\nTwo guards look at you, unsurprised, there must already be people signed in. \n\n"Prices have been doubled." One says. \n\n"That's not how that's supposed to work," you grumble, while Ourson swipes his wristband on the register, using his father's money to pay for it. \n\n"You buying a place like this isn't how it's supposed to work." The second guard says back, she looks angry, clearly she has recognized you.\n\n"Would you doom me and my son to death?" \n\n"This war was your idea." She says, while processing your paperwork. \n\n"The rich always get away with these things." The first guard offers.
It's now that you think of your mother. Once a Marshal of the Air Force, now sitting in a nursing home, with aggressive Alzheimers. And you're not considering the strength of the disease, but the agression suffers tend to act out on when they are far gone enough to realize it but not far gone enough to stop worrying about it. The slipping knowledge that you were losing everything, and would soon forget that there was anything to be lost. \n\nSometimes she was filled with intense purpose, and could handle anything you told her. She could flip through your manuals and point out mistakes, or talk to you about your opponent's parents. She seemed strongest when times were dire, but maybe that was just because you needed her most then. Other times, she would be throwing things around her room, glaring at staff, at family, at Ourson, asking who the hell were they and did they know who they were dealing with?\n\n"Prepare for [[manual landing]]" the AI warned.
You walk past the Hangar and into the pick-up area. You swipe your Wristband on a Helper Device and the AI chimes out:\n\n"Hello Chancellor. What can I help you with?"\n\n"A cab please."\n\n"Destination?"\n\n"Harestown, Michigan."\n\n"Cab will arrive in thirty seconds."\n\nYou try to pace, and consider Farah. Hopefully she had heard the urgency in your voice and was picking up Ourson now. Hopefully they would pick up the emergency bag and then [[hurry over]].
"Warning: Defense System is Imminent Threat"\n\nThose are the last words you hear before a missle knocks you out of the sky. You roll, feel the snapping of pressure in your ears like the breaking of a bone. \n\nAll is black.
She's given you an opportunity. There might not be much time, but you have a spot in a nuclear shelter in Northern Michigan, not too far away to make, hopefully. You start out of the building, walking to try and not arouse suspicion. If they know you know about the attack... well, it would be bad. \n\nYou could take this opportunity to call someone. \n\n[[Don't call]]\n\nYou look through your recent contacts list:\n\n[[Allie]] \n[[Cameron Johnson]]\n[[Farah]]\n[[Gian Show]]\n[[Heather Carson]]\n[[Mom]]\n[[Ourson]]\n[[Retah Holdings]]
It was a long drive. Twenty minutes seemed to drag on. You wanted to flip on the news but knew you would hear lies, or nothing important. So instead you played some calming music and tried not to make eye contact with anyone in any other vehicles. \n\nYou arrive at the trainstation, a tiny place, and sit to wait for Ourson. \n\nAs time goes by you consider what he might be doing. Perhaps now calling a cab. Or taking the family car. Maybe he went back for something he forgot. Maybe Jack was being a handful, although that wasn't like him. \n\nMaybe traffic was bad. \n\nMaybe something had happened. \n\nThen Ourson appears, bags in hand, dog in tow. He rushes up to you and hugs you. \n\n"Mom, I'm glad to see you."\n\n"You too son."\n\n"Dad called. He had half of his credits transfered to me. Said he was in a bunker."\n\n"Good. Half his credits though?"\n\n"Yeah... and a bunker in Brazil, [[I really doubt that]]."\n\n\n\n
You walk toward the plane, swiping your wristband on the display screen nearby. The artifical intelligence says, "Welcome Chancellor."\n\nYou climb a ladder, the hatch opens for you automatically and a the voice says:\n\n"Please specify destination."\n\n"Harestown, Michigan."\n\n"There is no International Airport. Manual landing will be required."\n\nManual landing amounts to pushing some buttons, you think you can handle it. You strap in, set the plane for [[take-off]].
You slow down your walk as the phone rings, aware that some other personnel are staring at you, probably wondering why you're heading to the hangar just as you've arrived. \n\n"Why hello my favourite spotter, what's up?" Gian answers. \n\n"Hey, listen, I need you to meet me somewhere." Your voice is choked but you continue, "Michigan, Harestown, the trainstation."\n\n"What? Why?"\n\n"I don't have time to explain. It's the most important thing, drop everything, pick up Ourson and just go." \n\n"Yes Ma'am." He hangs up. Or no, wait, he didn't hang up, the phone is dead. \n\nDarn, maybe they know about the leak of information. Or maybe time, [[somewhere nearby |somewhere nearby Gian]], is up.
It was a long drive. Twenty minutes seemed to drag on. You wanted to flip on the news but knew you would hear lies, or nothing important. So instead you played some calming music and tried not to make eye contact with anyone in any other vehicles. \n\nYou arrive at the trainstation, a tiny place, and sit to wait for Ourson. \n\nAs time goes by you consider what he might be doing. Perhaps now calling a cab. Or taking the family car. Maybe he went back for something he forgot. Maybe Jack was being a handful, although that wasn't like him. \n\nMaybe traffic was bad. \n\nMaybe something had happened. \n\nTime ticked on. \n\nAt one moment you thought you heard the barking of a dog, and looked frantically around for Jack. You walked by the newsdisplay in your search and saw that the screen went black. People around you started screaming, it would only mean one thing. \n\nThe earth shook. Everything went black.
You walk past the Hangar and into the pick-up area. You swipe your Wristband on a Helper Device and the AI chimes out:\n\n"Hello Chancellor. What can I help you with?"\n\n"A cab please."\n\n"Destination?"\n\n"Harestown, Michigan."\n\n"Cab will arrive in thirty seconds."\n\nYou tried not to pace. And you consider Cameron. Hopefully he was finding somwehere safe right now. But Brazil was a pretty strategic area, it had been ripped open, by Texas first you like to remember. But still, the chances there was a [[vault nearby...]] \n\nThe cab arrives, you get in.
"Hello?" Allie answers. \n\n"Listen, I need you to meet me somewhere--"\n\n"Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you about this. Don't get me wrong, you're a wonderful woman and I really care for you but I just find you so--"\n\n"Listen! This is important," Your voice raises and a guard, standing by the West wing doors, looks at you with alarm. \n\n"Rude. I feel like you're never listening to me--"\n\n"This is serious Allie!" You walk away from the guard, glancing back over your shoulder to see him making a report, while looking warily at you.\n\n"No, this is serious!" \n\n[[Hang up]]\n[[Continue conversation]]