Paul Davis’ Story

The pain and anger I felt at those words, hit me so hard for a while I could only see red. I wanted to hunt down the man or men responsible for the explosions and kill them. I have never felt hate and rage so strong at anything, it was overwhelming. My wife and child were both murdered.

The nurse looked at me sadly and then left the room. I let out a savage yell that was so loud two other nurses came running in to see what was wrong.

I recovered, but it took me a couple months. I did the only thing I could think to do: return to work. In my absence things changed. Both of our interns had left and a new one, Alexis took their place. Jake looked like he put on a couple of years and hugged me when he saw me, telling me that I was missed and he’s glad I’m fine. I decided to give the radio station a new direction and proposed it to the Boss.

“Hey, Boss, I’ve got an idea. Jenna inspired me to do it actually, and I would like your permission to do through with it.”

The Boss tilted his head curiously. “Yeah? What is it?”

I coughed. “Well, for most of my life with her, she was a pillar of hope for me. She’s the one that pulled me through all the troubled times I’ve had and she kept telling me to ‘never give up’ and I thought, maybe I could continue that using the radio station. There may not be much hope left for the United States, but there’s still hope that we can be united and have law. I’m not about to let some murdering organization keep that dream from happening. I want to keep the hope for our future alive.”

The Boss smiled. “You got it, Paul. Go for it. If anyone can do this it’s you. Just don’t embarrass me OK?”

I nodded. “Got it.”

When I made it to the mics, Jake shook my hand. “It’s good to have you back, Paul, I’m sorry about what happened.”

I smiled sadly. “It’s not your fault, Jake. You ready to begin this show?”

He looked at me incredulously and all those years faded away. “Ready? I was born ready.”

I laughed. “Good lets do this.”

“And we’re on the air. Hello folks, this is Jake here and can we have a welcome back cheer for Paul Davis?” Jake waited a few moments. “I can’t hear you.”

“Jake, of course you can’t hear them.”

Jake hushed me. “Alright folks, it’s time for the Paul Davis Show!”

I smiled and lightly punched Jake’s shoulder. “Yeah, you heard right folks, I’m back, and boy do I have something for you…”

That’s how I began my campaign for order and unity. My campaign for hope. I didn’t experience any more explosions or shootings. I didn’t find another girl. I didn’t fight in any wars. I did, however, give the people the hope they needed to survive this and create a new and better order.

Traffic Swarm

I’ve done several searches on which sites were the best to advertise on that actively said “free advertisement here” and of all of them Traffic Swarm has been the best one I’ve tried yet. Because of Traffic Swarm, my blog’s views have increased from 15-20 views a day to 40-70 views, and it’s getting higher. I’m even getting repeat visitors, which is fantastic, but enough about me, this is a post about Traffic Swarm.

After you make a free account with them you get a few rules like: no more than 10 advertisements unless you decide to purchase our premium plan. You have to earn credits to get views to your link, and the more credits you have the more likely someone’s going to visit your site through the advertisement. How do you earn credits? The easiest way is to buy them using PayPal or a credit/debit card. The free way requires time and a little bit of work. The free way is you must surf the ads that are already present in Traffic Swarm to get 1-5 credits per view with a maximum of 250 clicks per day. At 100, 200, and 250 you get a bonus 10-1000 credits randomly decided. Also on occasion for using them a lot you get 50 credits randomly. This means that you’re guaranteed 280 credits a day, which means at least 280 views to your ad and 280 chances to have someone click on it. Easily in one day I’ve gotten 2000 credits. The most you could get for credits is 4235 which is quite a lot for a small blog.

If anything, Traffic Swarm is a fantastic start for advertising for bloggers. You may have to wait 20 seconds between clicks on ads, but you’re also increasing views on your website. You can also pick the continental area that you want to advertise to, you can pick everywhere, or just North America or Europe. You can even focus to regions.

Premium users get 5000 monthly credits, bonus credits per click, free web hosting, unlimited ads, unlimited website submits, unlimited feature articles, and even paid referrals.

Overall, if you have the time and need advertising and you have a small blog I recommend Traffic Swarm, and even if you’re trying to get just a little bit more traffic to your already busy site and have the ability to cover the expense or time requirement for Traffic Swarm then go for it.

Vane and Havoc

After I told her that her father had been killed, Leah went into a bit of a catatonic state. I knew the feeling, my own father had been murdered, but fortunately she was spared the sight of it unlike myself. We left Freeport and traveled north a ways before turning west towards Lourghn. I made sure our tracks were covered, but if the assassins had magic at their hands they might be able to find us anyways. If they have magic they’d have hunted us down already and you’d be fighting them every night all night. True.

I wanted to tell her that everything would be alright, but she has an uncanny ability to tell if somebody is lying to her, probably part of her ability as a Weaver, because it’s harder to lie to most of them. Yes, and you know why. I know that it’s because of the natural power and knowledge of magic that they contain. That wisdom is given to them at an early age, but their true power doesn’t manifest until puberty hits them, and she’s maybe a couple years away. If that. I promised I’d protect her, my heir, and that I will do. Yes, I know and while I don’t agree with you on that promise, I will support it.

Whenever I spoke with her the next few days she didn’t respond. The poor girl had lost so much so soon; she didn’t even get a chance to finish her painting. I wanted to tell her about her power. I wanted to tell her that she will eventually become on of the most powerful people in these realms. Weavers are magic, they contain it and live and breath it. Weavers have the knowledge of a specific type of magic and the power to use it to perfection, with some training. A disciplined Weaver is a force to be reckoned with, not even I have the power to defeat one with just my own skill. Yes, but with me you’re even more powerful. Shut up. You can’t deny the responsibility you gained when you earned my power, you know that some day you will have to use it again. Not today, not until the Apocalypse is freed, or when the Balance needs resetting.

We arrived at Lourghn, my first home, the great city that it now is was only a small town when I was born in it. In the center of it stands the statue of Aridios “Ironblade” Airstrider, my best friend, may he rest in peace. He’s honored as the greatest human hero to have been born ever, and he was even if they embellished his history a bit. If it wasn’t for his bravery and kindness and his ability to unite people under a belief, most of the places that exist now would never have existed.

“Vane, you’re crying,” these were the first words I had heard come out of Leah’s mouth since we left Freeport. You’re getting nostalgic.

I smiled. “These are good tears. Tears of remembrance and homecoming.”

She looked around the city’s grounds. “This is your home?”

“I was born here. My best friend lived and died for this town.”

Leah looked me in the eye. “Will we be safe here?”

I bowed my head. “Only for a couple days, then we need to move on. You remember the rules I told you right?”

She nodded. “Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t tell anyone where I’m from. If I have to talk to someone only let them know my first name. And keep in sight of you.”

“Good memory.”

Paul Davis’ Story

After his announcement, news stations all over began to talk about how the government declared Vincent DeMoore as their most wanted criminal and a threat to society as a whole. Shortly after that declaration, rumors of fights between Knights of Discord all over the states and government establishments spread all over. For all I know, the world might as well have blown up then and there. I tried to preach safety and order, but the more I did so, the more things seemed to go crazy. I was struggling against some overwhelming force and I wasn’t going to give up anytime soon.

Within a month I spoke about how the Knights of Discord gained the Dakotas as territories and the US Military was being forced back. The worst part was the reports of troops firing upon innocent civilians not knowing the difference between them and the Knights. Naturally, the government and military got all the blame, and I couldn’t help but agree that they should have been more careful, but I also had no idea what was happening over there despite all the reports I was receiving and talking about. Many of our listeners had varying opinions on the Knights still, some loved them, others feared, and many still had no idea what to think. I knew I was in the third crowd.

One day, after work my wife and I decided to take a walk in our favorite park.

I started our conversation there with. “I read a letter from a woman who lost her sister and husband to the military. I wanted to talk about it, but I couldn’t find a good way to begin. The letter was so powerful, sad, and angry. I hope she finds some peace somehow.”

Jenna gripped my hand tightly. “She will. It seems like the world has gone crazy, but it just hasn’t hit us yet. We still have children playing in the playground over there, and kids in the skateboard arena having fun. Life here hasn’t changed much, but I can’t help but feel that is going to change.” She put her free hand on her stomach. “I hope things don’t change so badly that it ruins this one’s future.”

I squeezed her hand. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure our child has a perfect life. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure nothing bad happens here.”

We kissed a long and beautiful kiss. Every emotion I had, positive and negative, rose into my heart. I felt angry at the Knights for their timing and their destructive means. I was angry at the government for not serving the people like it should have, therefor preventing the Knights from existing in the first place. I wanted a safe place for my wife and child to live, and it began to feel like the world was turning hostile against us. I would do anything to make sure that would happen, even move out of the states.

Robert White: Trouble’s Brewing

What happened last night? This thought ran through my head as I sipped from a glass of cold water in my living room. The party I went to last night was the only thing on my mind. The bloody image of my dead best friend was the last thing I remembered before I panicked and ran. God, so much blood. Did I kill him? I hope not. I need to remember.

The first thing I remember was when I was getting ready to go to the Volcano, a night club, for a good time with my two best friends, Kevin and Alex. We were just out to celebrate our graduation. I was going to be a forensics specialist, Kev was going to go for a graduate’s degree in Biotechnology, and Alex, poor Alex, was going to begin to pursue his dream as a business owner. This headache is killing me and this Tylenol is not cutting it at all, but I need to remember last night. Why did I drink so much last night?

I only have so much time before the police come knocking at my door to haul me off to jail for something I may not have done. I left more than enough evidence behind to get me to the top of the list of suspects. I’ve been drunk before, I’m not a violent drunk, but I’ve never been blackout drunk before and who knows how I am then.

Ok, so first thing I remember at the club. We had taken a cab to the Volcano, and good lord were the lights to that place beautiful and annoying at the same time. Who would have know florescent lights could look so good and still bother the hell out of you?

“This is the place,” was what Alex had said as he paid the cabby after we got out. “Ready for a good night fellas?”

I grinned. “Are the lights always this bad?”

Kevin laughed. “Don’t worry about them, once we’re inside it’ll be different.”

“Yeah, then I have to deal with strobe lights and loud music. I’m impressed that there isn’t even a loud thumping sound from out here.”

Alex led us into the club and man it was loud. The sound of techno and the noise of loud conversations pounded and buzzed in my ears. It was Kevin and Alex’s ideal party location, but I wasn’t thrilled, at least not yet. I searched around for a good spot to sit and found one at a bar on the other side of the club. We all went there. It was there we started drinking.

Alex ordered the first round of drinks for us. “Here’s to a successful life in crime fighting, getting a graduate’s, and ruling the capitalist world,” was his toast to us when the drinks arrived.

Kevin leaned over towards me and pointed to a pretty auburn-haired woman at the other side of the bar. “Ever since we’ve gotten here that babe’s had her eye on you. Why don’t you go talk to her and then bring her over here to join us?”

I shook my head. “Nah, she’s probably looking at you or Alex. There’s no way someone as good looking as her would be interested in a guy like me.”

Kevin put his hand on my shoulder. “Dude, she’s not looking at me and definitely not ugly over here.” Alex punched his shoulder for that. “Don’t be a downer on yourself, you’re a better looking guy than you think, and you’re pretty damn smart.”

Alex then had an idea. “You know what? Lets get a couple more drinks in ya before you go talk with the lovely lady. That’ll loosen you up.”

I certainly caved under that peer pressure and eventually did talk with her. I don’t remember her name, and something tells me she had something to do with Alex’s murder. Maybe she saw what happened and remembers. I still don’t remember anything after that.

I got up from my sofa and walked into the bathroom to splash my face with some cool water when I heard a loud pounding at the door. My heart skipped a beat.

Vane and Havoc

Another person dead by my hand. Sometimes I wish that I hadn’t earned this curse. You know better than to think that. This other personality - Havoc! - haunts me, controls me even. Makes me live longer than any human should. It’s a gift, one that you earned. One I sometimes wish I didn’t. Death hounds me. You are death, in a way. Silence, you do not comfort me. I’m not here to comfort you, only to be a guide as you serve the Balance. Yes, power for service, father always did tell me that power needs responsibility to be wisely used.

I sheathed the black crystalline long sword that is the second Apocalypse Crystal and closed the eyes of the dead assassin before me. “May Saint Shadow accept you into his cold embrace bold assassin.”

I then looked at the two guards that had watched me slay the contracted assassin. Such a shame that skilled men such as this assassin have to sign blood contracts to accept a job. Shut up. “Clean up the body, and the blood. Leah can not be allowed into this room until that is done. Do you understand?”

The guards nodded and began to gather others to assist in the disposal of the assassin’s body and cleaning of the room. I left the room and began the short search for Leah, the little girl that I was hired to guard until her father returned to protect her himself. I still don’t understand why you wish to keep her safe, she’s unimportant to the Balance. She’s the last in my bloodline and she will be a very powerful Weaver, why do you think I want to protect her? I know that, I still don’t understand the point, if you wish to create a new bloodline you can. That’s right, Havoc, you can’t understand.

When I found Leah, she was in her other play room curled up in a corner, crying. As I approached her, she sobbed. “Why do people want to hurt me? What do the evil people want from me?” Evil is relative, sweetheart. Shut up.

“Leah, I wish I could tell you why, but your father told me not to, but I will ask him to tell you when he gets back.”

“But I want to know now.” Tell her, you’re wasting your time and her life if she doesn’t know. So now you’re offering advice on this? Make up your mind, you support my choice to protect her or you don’t. If you’re not going to change your mind on this then I suppose I have no choice to support you. There’s always a choice, but I appreciate your decision.

I smiled. “Let me make you a promise. If your father doesn’t tell you when he gets back, then I will come back in one year to tell you everything you need to know. You’ll be fourteen by then, and old enough to know.”

She wiped her face off and nodded. “OK.”

You intend to keep that promise? My word is my bond, you know this. A foolish bond. “Let me get you that painting you were working on.”

She grabbed my hand. “No, stay. I can paint later. You remind me of Daddy and I feel safe with him around.”

I smiled. “OK.”

There was a knocking at the door and I turned to see a courier standing there with a letter in his hand. “Come in,” I gestured to myself.

He scurried in. “Message for you, sir,” he then turned around and left quickly.

Something about this is off. I opened the envelope and pulled out a letter.

Dear Vane,

I will not be able to return home, ever. I had learned that the guild that hired an assassin to kill my daughter, also sent an assassin after me. I managed to kill him, but not after I was poisoned by him. I can feel myself fading as I write this. Tell Leah I’m sorry, and keep her safe. Do not tell her of her ability until she begins to manifest it. There will be other assassins coming after her, so the best thing for you to do is take her with you on your travels. You will have access to all the funds of this family as payment, there is my broach in the envelope, with it you will be able to access the currency. Please accept this last job from me and once she turns sixteen you may be free of this job.

Thank you.

This is not what I expected. Finally, something we can agree on. “Leah… I have something to tell you. You need to listen to me, and do as I tell you afterwards.”

The Last Job

Damn it! I had to get shot on a job. By the Saints this arrow is agonizing. Damn it, a contract is a contract. I only wish now that I hadn’t agreed to it, because now this blasted job is going to be the end of me. I’ve got to keep moving. They’ll have begun moving the target if they’re intelligent. I just got to quickly snap this part of the arrow and take it out. By the Saints this hurts, but at least it went cleanly through… I hope. I hate these magical contracts. This job was supposed to be quick and easy, but he had to be here.

That cursed Vane had to be here. How could they manage to hire him? Him and his freakish senses, I swear he’s magical too. Now I’ve got to find the target and kill him before I get killed. Curses this leg hurts. Why didn’t I follow my instincts and say “no” to this job? Right… the money, I need it. Saints, I don’t want to die. Why do I have that gambling addiction? I swear if I get out of this alive, I’m taking the money and never gambling again.

I’ve never seen a royal house like this with so many guards. There’s no way they’d be guarding just one kid. There has got to be something else here. I think I’ll try to find it. First I’ve got to tourniquet this wound. Ugh, not used to seeing so much of my blood. Never mind about finding that thing, I’ve a job I need to finish before I get killed and the longer I’m here the more likely I’m going to die. This just means I need to find the kid and do the job and get out… if I can.

I dodged by some guards and dove into an empty room. How fortunate I found that secret door earlier or Vane would definitely have killed me. He’s better at swordplay than I am. I hope this luck keeps on going.

I dashed through a door in the room into one with two guards facing the door. Before they can react I pierce their lungs simultaneously with my curved long blades and carefully rest them to the ground. “May Saint Shadow embrace your souls in the afterlife.” Two more families would lose a loved one each by my hand. As I stood up again, my injured leg gave out, and I fell to the ground nearly letting out a yell of pain. It took me a moment to regain my breath and focus, and by then another guard checked the room from the hallway to see me with his dead comrades. I threw one of my blades at him and it hit the door, shoddy work. He scrambled into the hallway yelling for assistance.

I’ve got no time. I lunged to the door, yanked my blade from the door, and stumbled into the hallway praying that no one was near by. Behind me I saw two more guards charging at me with the run away with them. My heart skipped a beat as I stumbled gracelessly away from them. May the Saints grant me some mercy. I took the next door on my right to get a better position, hopefully. This room was clearly a massive child’s play room, and on the other side of it a young girl sat staring at bloody me with an easel in front of her, a simple half-finished painting rested on the easel.

She had long blonde hair and piercing green eyes. She couldn’t have been older than twelve, and she wore an elegant violet dress. Violet, my favorite color. This was the target, but I paused. She had an innocence about her that I couldn’t bring myself to end. She reminded me of the daughter I lost, the daughter I wished I could have saved.

It was then I saw a black flutter to my right and I reflexively dove forward as Vane lunged at me with his black, crystalline long sword. I turned to face him and searing pain brought me to a knee. My collapsing saved my life though, because as he finished his first attack he twisted and swung at my head. He missed and gave me a very clean shave. Taking advantage of my position and his failed attack, I lunged at him and swung with my left blade at his stomach, but he leaped back and I only gave his tailor another hole to fix.

I struggled to stand and again fell. A devilish grin came across the redheaded Vane’s face, because he knew I was dead and I knew it too. I dropped my blades and let myself fall to both knees. “End it, I can’t kill her, but I have to. End it so she can live.”

Vane’s expression changed to one of understanding. “Olivia, leave, please.” His commanding tone got her to quickly sprint past the both of us and the guards standing at the door watching the fight. I closed my eyes. Sweet freedom. Hello, my daughter.

Paul Davis’ Story

That speech I pulled left me with so much energy I carried the rest of the show with little issue. Jake was clearly thankful that I pulled myself together. After the show was finished the Boss gave me a pat on the back and a “Good job, son”, then I left for home. Nothing could have prepared me for the next day at work.

This next day started off like a normal one, except for one call:

“This is Vincent DeMoore, from… Minnesota,” I announced quite surprised at contact from a silent state.

“Hello, Paul, thank you for having me.” His calm voice sent a chill up my spine. “Hello, public of the United States of America, I am the leader of the Knights of Discord. Many of you may be wondering why I am doing what I am doing, and many others have suffered a great loss because of my organizations actions.”

Jake interjected. “So you admit responsibility to the deaths of the soldiers in Minneapolis?”

The chilling calm voice said. “Yes. The losses are regretful and I am sorry for all of the losses incurred, but they are not uncalled for.” His voice then began to ascend to a more passionate tone. “Those soldiers sacrificed their lives for a cause, our cause. The government isn’t working and the corruption within it is rotting away at everything. If these terrible policies do not change you all will suffer for it, and not because of us. We are no terrorists, we do not want to kill anyone, but what we do we do because we must.”

I glared. “Why must you do this? Why not use political means to change the government? That’s what democracy is for isn’t it?”

“Democracy is… broken. Broken by the very people that are in power now. What they do in those seats is only so they can keep sitting there, they don’t ‘serve the people’ they serve themselves, and those in power will do anything to stay there. I must do this because I tried to no avail to use political means and after five years of trying and trying I have had enough. Congress, the White House, the Pentagon, even the military. All of it must be torn down and rebuilt from the bottom up. Once a sturdy foundation is built then things will begin to improve.”

I couldn’t believe it. “But why? What is your motive, it must be something more than just changing the government?”

I could hear his smile. “Good questions, always asking the right ones. You want the answer? It is justice. I am Justice. Justice for the people who have been wronged by the government. Justice for the people that have been failed by the government. The government won’t fix itself because it has become lazy and arrogant, but the people will rise up and tear it down. All for the sake of justice. You think we only have Minnesota and pieces of our neighboring states? Think again our reach extends everywhere, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. If the government won’t serve the people, the people will serve themselves. Goodbye.”

I looked at Jake as Vincent hung up his phone. “He certainly doesn’t lack for passion.”

Jake nodded. “Yeah. Or sanity.”

Paul Davis’ Story

The lines were ringing off the hook. Every one of our listeners demanded more, had insights, or just wanted to hear their own voices. We didn’t have any more, and the insights were getting repetitive: “I support the Knights”, “What they’re doing is wrong”, and so forth. I’m not even going to talk about that third group. Jake and I tried to appease the masses, but the shock of the Sargent’s death had hit us hard. Eventually, we stopped the show and began to play music. I then took the scenic route home.

It was there I began to truly shut down. Jenna had made me tea for when I got there, but I didn’t drink it. I just went to my bed in a haze and laid there with my thoughts jumbling around. Never had I ever experienced a death on my show. “First for everything,” I heard myself say. I didn’t want to admit it, but everything I thought the Knights wouldn’t do, they did, and all of my predictions and thoughts had been wrong in the worst way. I felt guilty for my denial. I began to wonder, how many families lost someone today? My heart ached.

“You want to talk?” Jenna had been standing at the doorway while I thought.

“I don’t know what’s to talk about,” I rolled to face her and almost fell off the bed. “You listen to my show, right? That just about says it all. People died and I feel horrible about it.”

She rolled me onto my back and straddled me. “It’s not your fault, you know. Feeling guilty about their deaths won’t bring them back, and it won’t help you either.”

I closed my eyes. “I know. There must be something I can do though,  something.”

After I opened my eyes, I saw Jenna’s beautiful smile. “You can: keep going on with the show. You can help people by informing them on what’s going on and giving them a vent to share their thoughts and knowledge. If you can, you give them something to hope for.”

“Something to hope for.”

She nodded. “Yes.” She then leaned over me and whispered into my ear. “I have another reason for you to keep doing your show: I’m pregnant.”

I blinked. “You’re? I’m, I’m going to be a father?”

That beautiful smile, I broke into tears of joy. This was something we had been trying for years, and finally, I was going to be a father.

She kissed me and I returned the favor with a passion. For a while we just held each other, kissing, exploring each other’s bodies, loving, saying sweet nothings. The rest of the world was forgotten in that blissful moment, and I was happy. Because of an unfortunate accident she had as a child, the doctors had told us that having a child was more than likely impossible, but now we accomplished a miracle. Tomorrow, I would announce to the world that I am going to be a father.

The next few days were peaceful, and aside from the celebration of my wife’s pregnancy, nothing else happened. Then the casualty report arrived.

“Hello, listeners, this is Paul Davis of 102.9 WWLK speaking, and we have finally gotten what seems to be the casualty report of the apparent bombings that happened in Minneapolis.”

Jake pipped up. “That’s right folks. Initial reports say that more than three hundred soldiers were killed in the bombings that happened there including the death of Sargent Victoria Weis.”

“I would like to give up a moment of silence for the families that lost their loved ones that day.”

That minute was agonizingly slow, but it went by and I emotionally sent my regards to all the families that suffered because of the Knight’s of Discord attacks. I knew what it was like to lose someone close to you; my brother died in a car accident when I was twelve. Being young and stupid, I blamed myself for his death, but eventually we all pulled through. Now here I was, the old scars resurfaced into my life for the first time in a decade.

After the minute was up, Jake started up again in a muted voice. “There are about a hundred more troops missing, and after the first day of the explosions the commander-in-chief of that excursion called for a retreat back to the border to prevent further losses.”

I wasn’t going to let this put me down anymore. “This was a terrible loss, but we still can survive this. We live in an ever changing world, and new obstacles rise up against us. This is no different. I know some of you listeners support what the Knights of Discord are doing, but there are also those of you that are afraid of what might happen. Fear is OK, but you shouldn’t let it rule your lives. We have people that we’re responsible for, loved ones we have to take care of, and even if the Knights of Discord get what they want and change how the government is ordered, so be it, but we will continue living. Continue caring about our loved ones. Continue on as a country. Hope is still there, and in the midst of this chaos there is order, we just have to make it for ourselves if no one else will do it.”

Paul Davis’ Story

The next few days were a blur as nothing new came out of the Knights of Discord discussion even though that was all we were talking about. Until one day at work.

“So it seems the military is finally being called into Minnesota and Wisconsin to bring some order to the place,” Jake announced as soon as we were on the air.

I smirked. “Well, it’s about time the government decided to take action and shut this down. Have we got anything else on this yet, Jake?”

Jake shook his head. “No, but I’m curious what the locals in the area think of what’s going on. With troops coming in there must be some unrest, and what happens if the Knights decide to take action directly against them? And what if the Knights cause more damage than you think they could do?”

“That would be a shame, wouldn’t it? I don’t think that will happen. In fact now that the government has taken some action maybe these activists will turn tail and run.”

Jake gave a wolfish grin. “I don’t know, these people have a cause and people that truly believe in that cause will fight for it to the death. We’ve seen it in other countries, and it’s even happened here a couple times. You know in a couple things called the Revolution and the Civil War.”

Alright, I couldn’t argue with that logic. Jake had some pretty good points. “Yeah, with that logic I suppose there’ll be some fighting.”

Kassie quickly came into the studio and gave me a sheet of paper. It was a military report written by the commander-in-chief of the operation into Minnesota. It discussed the reason why no one got any communications from anyone in the state.

I moved my chair closer to the mic and quietly said. “OK folks, I’ve got some news on why the police force in Minnesota stopped communications with their neighbors. There aren’t any police left there apparently. After entering Minneapolis, the main force of troops sent to investigate found the city entirely vacated.”

“Weird, don’t you think Paul?” Jake injected.

“Yes, weird indeed. Forces began to explore the city, and found nobody and even supermarkets and food shops were emptied of supplies. Walmart buildings in the area were similarly empty. No sign of a struggle or anything.”

“Think they were in on it?” Jake’s tone reflected his snarky sarcastic attitude.

I shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I hope we find out soon enough. We have a call from a soldier in the area. Sargent Victoria Weis, what have you to say about the vanished population and resources in Minneapolis right now?”

“I’m not sure, something feels off. An entire city of people doesn’t just vanish overnight. I have a feeling that some real s— is about to go down soon, and I really don’t want that to happen. We have orders to keep an eye out for anything suspicious, but I’m not sure what suspicious is anymore, because this whole deal is suspicious.”

“What can you say about the raided department stores and market places?” Jake asked.

“That just takes the cake. I mean, there was no sign of a struggle or anything. The video feeds were all turned off before the stores were empty, so we have no idea what happened. The biggest question I have about that is where does one move all of that food and supplies? Hold on a sec, something’s going on. We found a civilian, I’ll be right back.”

I heard the Sargent put the receiver down and there was some noise and yelling. Then an explosion and then static took over the speakers on our end and I fell out of my set with a yelp. Jake just sat there for a while and stared at the speakers for a few seconds before he disconnected the line. The silence following afterwards hurt. Without doubt, my beliefs again were proven wrong, and the Knights of Discord did exactly what I thought they wouldn’t do. I could only imagine what was going on at the other end of the line, and my gut told me that Sargent Weis was dead along with whatever troops were at her location. Then there was that civilian. Was he a part of the Knights of Discord; what part did he have in the explosion that took out our connection? I suppose we’ll never know about that.

Jake was the first to regain his composure, sort of. “Well, uh, we just lost our connection with the Sargent. Um, I hope everything is good on her end, whatever happened over there didn’t sound pleasant, but we can hope something good came out of this.”

I got back in my seat. “I’m not so sure what there is to say about what just happened. I’m pretty sure I heard an explosion before the static, generally explosions aren’t good things, Jake.”

Jake coughed. “No, no, explosions generally aren’t good.”

“And now for a commercial break.”