Truth Chasers

Chapter Six

Monday 13th August, 2040.
Mansion- Section 1, Quarter 1.
7:30am
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I managed to get very minimal sleep on the flight back home. This was due mostly to the excitement bubbling in my veins because of my impending mission. We landed in Section 1 as early as 3am and of course Knockout was waiting for me at arrivals, sticking out like a sore thumb. He loomed over everyone with his height of 6'3 and his massive body build. He had on his usual black on black attire. Black leather jacket thrown over a black T-shirt, black jeans, black shoes, black shades hanging on the neckline of his shirt and an unusual black face cap he hardly wears but decided to put on today. It hid his bald head. The tip of his U-card stuck out from where it was safely tucked away in his jacket pocket.

He broke out into a smile when he saw me. His wide, toothy grin that made people wonder how such a frightening looking giant could pull off such a sunny smile. I didn't smile back of course. Knockout whom I've known for the past seven years knows better than to expect a smile from me. I ignored the lurch of my heart in my chest at the sight of him, a tell-tale sign that I missed this big friendly giant.
No emotions, no weaknesses.
Instead of smiling, I gave him a curt nod and we headed home.

By 7am I was wide awake thanks to my alarm. Was I ready to survive a full day of school on merely two hours of sleep? I was soon to find out. I got ready for the day while secretly loathing the major curve ball my life took with the compulsory education law passed merely seven months ago by the Big Three. Each member of the Big Three is the Head of a Section. Heather Jenkins is the Head of Section 1, Bennett Dixon is the Head of Section 2 and Louis Dubois is the Head of Section 3.

The Big Three made their debut during the halfway point of the war. Sometime in June 2035. At that time, so much damage had been inflicted on the three sections already. Damage caused by the use of deadly weapons that the Sections couldn't withstand. The Confederate nations first victims were the former politicians of the three Sections. They killed some of them and imprisoned others in unknown locations and without their leaders, the three Sections became directionless. Month after month passed by with more news of death, destruction of homes, industries, hospitals and companies.

I'll never forget when two months into the war all the TV stations in the three Sections were taken down and there was no access to any information about the war. Dad and I were in Switzerland and we had no clue what went on after that. Cellphone numbers of people within the Sections couldn't go through. I couldn't reach Knockout. I didn't know how he was doing— if he was even alive.

According to my government notes, after secret meetings in the month of June, Jenkins, Dubois and Dixon emerged with a plan to serve as the new rulers of the three leaderless Sections during the war. They became known as 'The Big Three'. They started working together towards ending the war. They pushed for absolute peace. They sought for a truce with the Confederates. It wasn't until September 2035 that a bit of hope shone through all the darkness. The leader of Russia, who is also the leader of the Confederates, finally agreed to meet with the Big Three in a conference on the 3rd of September to discuss what could be done to end the war and ensure lasting peace.

This conference was unfortunately not televised. For all the public knows, the leader of Russia met in a private room with Dubois, Dixon and Jenkins to diuscuss terms and conditions to end the war. What we do know is that after the meeting, three major things were agreed upon.

NUMBER ONE: The abolition of weapons. No Section is expected to build or use weapons again due to the immense amount of damage they caused during the war. The Confederates are not allowed to attack the Union with any form of weapons as well.

NUMBER TWO: There is strict separation between the three Sections of the Union and the Confederate countries. Trade is prohibited, with no exchange of goods or services between the two regions. Books by Confederate authors are banned in the Union, and the Union citizens do not consume Confederate food, nor use any of their products.