Rebel Star - The Scarlet Insurgent

Chapter 3 - Chaos Theory

Chapters from this point are in a first draft stage.

Updates will be made in the coming weeks. 

The blast from Erin's weapon ignited the air as it pushed through towards her target. The president, startled by the sound of the gun, faced her just in time for the charge to dissipate around his body in a cloud of fire. She fired again and again, pouring every last bit of her hatred into her weapon. The blasts simply folded around him, leaving him unscathed within his protective bubble.

Force field! 

The crowd was silent. As the smoke dissipated, Erin stood face to face with President Duncan, her weapon depleted and a half dozen corporate defense officers with rifles trained on her position. Duncan was still, his shiny suit in pristine condition and not a single silver hair out of place on his perfectly groomed head. At first, he dawned an expression of pure shock, then of a questioning disbelief. Erin's heart sank as she understood the nature of her situation, but perhaps not as low as the moment, after a brief pause, Robert Duncan's expression changed to that of pure amusement.  He let out a roaring laugh, losing any hope of keeping composure, convulsing  in the filthy streets of Scarlet colony, in broad daylight, with the one person in the cluster who might have the audacity to make an attempt on his life.

She held her gun steady in the direction of the cackling president. He made no attempt hide his sinister composure as he marched towards Erin in his infinite arrogance.

With few remaining options and no chance of escape, she tentatively lowered her pistol and sighed in defeat. A hand grabbed her shoulder from behind and with an iron grip, she was pushed to her knees by one of the guards. She could hear the voices of the onlookers. They cried, cheering into the street, though It was hard to tell if they were cheering for her or for Duncan. She looked past Duncan's shiny trousers to the rebel boys who had helped her at the nexus. On their knees, two soldiers stood over them. One by one, the boys were executed by the officer. The crowd cried out in anger, in pride. Erin didn't flinch. 

"Do you see those men?" Mr. Duncan said pointing towards her companions as they made their escape."They tried to kill me today too, along with a lot of other innocent people! You know, of all the assassination attempts, of everyone who has tried to hurt my people, "he mused. "No one has ever tried to just shoot me in the open."

"You're a coward, False God!" Erin yelled. She tried to stand. The guard threw her back to the ground.

"No, no, stand up. Stand up before your President!" he beckoned. The guards grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to her feet. Her hands were rolled into fists but she was powerless against the iron grip of the soldier. He grinned, showing his perfect teeth in an evil smirk that few would ever see. She knew that look all too well. Then he smacked her across the cheek with the backside of his hand as  laughed aloud to the crowd. 

"Aha ha ha! If it weren't for what I've done, you and your friends over there wouldn't even be here!" He cried.  He backed away towards the center of the street, holding his arms open to his concrete kingdom.

"This city, this world, is my gift to you. My people." He said. "Forty years ago there was nothing here but the dirt below your feet! Look at all we have accomplished!" The crowd cheered. 

"We did this, not some god!" he continued. "Now more than ever, we must be strong...Because theres no one out there to protect us!" He cried. 

"I've heard what people are saying," he said to the crowd as they captured the scene for the universe to see. "All the conspiracy theories..But you have to understand!" He said. "We have to stand together! This world ,and others like it, are all that's left of the human race."