What Happened Tomorrow

We Won

"Monsieur!" The officer called out, his voice sharp. "Monsieur! Your thumb, please," he demanded, moving toward the black-haired, olive-skinned man with the thick beard. "So, let's see what we've got here... Mahomet al-Chérif, thirty-three years old, from Libya. Arrived in November 2017... Monsieur al-Chérif, I assume you're Muslim?"

"Y-yes..." the man stammered. "P-please, don't..."

"I also assume you're aware that people of your background are prohibited from entering the interior?"

"Y-yes, I know..." Mahomet replied, his voice trembling, his breath coming in short gasps. "B-but, you see..."

"And you're aware that under Act 7 of the Immigration Law, dated August 13, 2022, all confessors of Islam are to be transferred to the Internal Islamic Settlements? Leaving the Settlements can only be arranged by issuing a permit, based on your Social Rating, and approved by the Supervising Officer. I see you lack that permit. How do you explain this?"

"You see, it's my son..." Mahomet said, sweat dotting his forehead. "H-he's not well... He needs a doctor."

"Medical assistance is available in the centers within the Settlements. Your excuse is insufficient."

"N-no..." The man's breathing quickened. His accent thickened. "They can't help. They say there's no medicine."

"What's in your backpack?" The officer pointed to the large, bulging bag.

"N-nothing..."

"Open it."

"I can't do this..." Mahomet stammered, his body shaking.

"Open your backpack now!" The officer's patience was waning fast, not that he had much to begin with.

"Please... Rajab, no..."

Without another word, the officer drew his pistol, pointing it directly at Mahomet's chest. "You have ten seconds!"

The next moment, Mahomet lunged forward, his fist connecting with the officer's face, knocking him back. The officer grunted and stumbled to the ground. Mahomet quickly opened his backpack, shouting in Arabic: "Malik, run!"

Before he could take another step, a shot rang out, and Mahomet collapsed, blood splattering across the cold, wet road. His skull was shattered by a bullet. A small stream of blood stained the gray asphalt. Moments later, a seven-year-old boy, attempting to flee, suffered the same fate as his father.

"Operator, this is Officer 1307. Two kebabs shot in an escape attempt and resisting arrest.""Nutjobs," the voice on the other end muttered. "I don't know why they keep resisting. First, they blow up our cities, declare a 'holy' war, and get what they asked for. Now, after it's all over, they're surprised why they're treated this way. They should be grateful..."

"Yes," the officer replied. "But their gratitude won't bring my family back. What's done is done. I still don't understand why we waste taxpayer money on scum like that. The war's over. They should be where they belong — nuked or not."

"You're too extreme..."

"No. Let them get what they deserve. What's rightfully theirs."

"Maybe you're right."

"We gave them a chance, and they didn't take it."

"What makes us any better?"

"I don't know," the officer said with indifference. "I don't care, really. But I can say this — we won."

***

Federal Agency for Utilization of Subtemporal TransactionsInter-dimensional Department

Report Date: 08/08/2515

Alternate Reality Description: A series of terrorist attacks across various nations of the European Union led to a full-scale NATO invasion of the Middle East, resulting in the first use of nuclear weapons since World War II — this time, not by the United States. The subsequent destruction of radical Middle Eastern elements resulted in the rise of far-right candidates across the EU and the United States by the late alt-2010s. This led to the establishment of de facto totalitarian police states within the EU. Laws were enacted banning international marriages, immigration, and legalizing discrimination against all who confess Islam.

Name: DC1215

Verdict: Time flow slower than in our reality. Further study ongoing.

Development Prospects: Low

Interference: Cases of nuclear weapon use could be of interest to the Alternate History division of the Social Archeology Department. Potential for studying the societal impact. The collapse of the European Union by the early alt-2030s seems possible.