The Population

Chapter Nineteen - The Shots

This chapter has both Carmen and Liam's point of view! Don't forget to vote and comment

Lots of Love, Kenzie ❤️ Kate

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Carmen's POV

The hover aircraft landed and the soldiers filed out and stood in formation before me. I was nervous to command. As a director I knew I would find myself in this situation often and I had all the information straight from Liam. A pang in my chest reminded me that he was in danger and we both risked the chance of not seeing each other again.

"We have two hours before the anticipated attack. The next half hour we will complete commands and equip everyone, including those in need of civilian clothing and disguisable weapons." Living in Ford as a daughter of two high up food production managers I was unexposed to weapons growing up. Since seeing them I am impressed and intrigued despite their use in destruction. There are handheld weapons as well as weapons worn as glasses or bracelets.

"Those that will serve as undercover citizens gather by the hover aircraft, those participating in general defense meet with Lieutenant Leeander." I walked over to my group and handed a box of clothing to each man and woman in the front of the formation. The two sexes split to change in different rooms of the town hall. Once finished they return to me to be assigned weapons. When everyone is armed I look at my watch and find it to be 9:45.

The general defense and citizen undercover defense regroup at my call and I divide them amongst the city's sectors. By the time I am done with the separation of troops we have only an hour left. I call for everyone to disperse. In minutes the majority of the troops are out of sight and only a few citizen actors are left. They were perhaps the most important part of the plan and were in the most danger. They prevented Bane and his force from knowing about the divisions evacuation. Of course they would find out once the attack was underway but it hid our involvement until it was too late for Bane's forces to stop the attack.

I was dressed in military uniform and armed as every other soldier. Liam's request that I put myself out of danger came to mind but I pushed it away. Liam gave me the training that all the other soldiers here were given and it would be cowardly for me to hide behind the lines. Once in place, which was in the entrance way of a citizen house just like all the other general defense soldiers, I looked at my watch and to my surprise it is 10:55. I spend the next five minutes praying and thinking about my husband and the sacrifices he has made for his commonwealth. Once i've finished I whisper an 'I love you," and as the words come off my lips a gunshot rings out, followed by the sounds of many other lasers and guns. The fight has begun.

Liam's POV

It's been a half an hour since Carmen and the soldiers have left and I have gotten messages from all of the leaders that their troops have arrived safely and as planned. I'm left with my best fighters and I begin to instruct them and prepare them in the two hours we have left before the attack.

At 10:00 I send them off to their city sectors and get in my own position, which happens to be in the capital building of Lincoln. I am hidden behind a wall panel behind the sink in the bathroom off the main office for visiting directors. I am willing to bet that Bane will run his operation from this office. I should be close enough to hear as I am in between the wall of the office and the bathroom. I sit hidden in my hiding spot listening to the silence around me.

My mind wanders to Carmen. My beautiful wife. I can just imagine her commanding her assigned troops. To be honest it's kind of a hot thought. Training her wasn't hard as I thought it was going to be when I first realized I would have to train her. She was in pretty good physical shape and  learned quickly, she was pretty high up in my list of well trained soldiers. I already miss my songbird and I pray that she listened to my request despite her stubborn nature. I love her more than I have ever loved anything before and If anything happened to her I have no clue what I would do.

Looking at my watch I see it approaching 10:50. As I resettle in my spot I hear a multitude of heavy footsteps approaching quickly. The door of the office is flung open and I hear soldiers clearing the room and before long they are clearing the bathroom. They don't notice my spot and leave. In another five minutes footsteps re-approached the room and this time voices accompany them. I recognize Bane conversing with Leah and my stomach lurches. How could she do this? My own sister, how could she not know right from wrong? I listen to their discussion and find that based on the number of troops they sent to each city my troops outnumber them 2:1 in most places. It doesn't mean we have won but it does give me hope.

In a few more minutes I hear gunshots and lasers sound. I send a message through my helmet screen to Carmen. "I love you." While I waited for my opportunity to strike Bane I watched for a reply. I should have gotten one right away, she is supposed to be in a bunker beneath a warehouse and bored out of her mind. The only logical reason she wouldn't respond would be because she is fighting. Damn her for being stubborn. I am broken from my worry when someone approaches the bathroom. No matter how angry or worried I am because of Carmen I can't help deal with it right now and I have to focus on the task at hand. I recognize the approaching voice as Bane and tense. I hear him enter the bathroom and close the door. This is my chance.

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Hi Readers! Sorry for the cliff hanger! Please vote and comment!

Lots of Love, Kenzie ❤️ Kate