A wolf in human's clothing

Final chapter: The execution of Jeff and Julicia London (and saying goodbye)

Ricky gazed in horror at the video tape. "What is this doing here?!" He whispered to himself tearfully. "I......don't..believe it!" He wiped the dust off the top of the tape and read the text "GOVERNMENT VIEWING ONLY". Ricky is speechless. "I...........I don't understand!" He whispered fearfully. "This........shouldn't be here! Even if it WAS international security, this isn't right!" His hands started trembling. He almost dropped the video tape. He continued to stare at it. "This is the footage of my Grandparents' execution..." He said in shock. "Impossible..." He lowered the video tape and looked up. "This...isn't real." He whispered. He walked towards the television across from the storage entrance and inserted the video tape into the VCR. The television automatically turned on. "Hello." A man said on the television, as Ricky sat down on the ground. "My name is Johnson T. Martinson, Colonel of the new Paramilitary system of the United Mothers and Fathers of Unionism and the high executioner. This is journal entry #28965. We have just executed two treasonous elders named Jeff London and Julicia London. We were informed by a witness named Aris, a white wolf we captured in the forests of Little Rock. However, there were some issues we had with her: She, too, was treasonous and has claimed to have brought hope to her people." Ricky almost teared up. "When we captured her," Colonel Martinson continued, "we interrogated her, beat her, and imprisoned her until she confessed the truth." Ricky looked up, his face almost pale. Truth?!? He thought, confused. What truth?! What is he talking about?!! "Here is some footage of our little mishap with Aris." Colonel Martinson continued. "We think it will give you an insight of how we, as Military officials, dealt with our fair wolf." The screen turned pitch black and, a few seconds later, showed the text "SEPTEMBER 18TH, 3000. INTERROGATION OF ARIS THE WOLF" on it. What......the.....?!!! Ricky thought traumatically. It.....CAN'T BE!!! The television showed a prison cell with a bench across from the camera, an abused Aris chained up against the wall, and Colonel Martinson and two soldiers standing in front of her and behind the prison door. "Aris. I don't wanna ask you again." Colonel Martinson said, holding a black baton. "We've been watching you and we believe that you know what we're talking about. Are they committing treason?" "N-No!" Aris gasped, her neck bruised up. "Jeff and Julicia are not committing any forms of treason!" Ricky's wide-eyed face turned extremely pale. "WH-WHAT?!!" Ricky cried, tearful and horrified. As Colonel Martinson prepared to smack Aris with the baton, Ricky covered his eyes. SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! Ricky peeked and saw a bruised Aris sobbing uncontrollably. Ricky himself almost cried. "P-P-Ple-ease!" Aris sobbed. "No more...! No more!" "Then, tell us the truth!" Colonel Martinson snapped, as he smacked Aris' shoulder causing her to wince. "Are. They. Committing. TREASON?!!" "No!" Aris cried, coughing. "They're not doing anything to hurt anyone! Please let me go! Let me see my family! Please?!" As the two soldiers tried to pull out their pistols, Colonel Martinson held out his hand, signaling them to hold their fire. "All right." He said. "If you don't wanna tell us, that's fine. We'll let you go. But, we won't let you go off that easily. If we release you and your family, we will kill Jeff and Julicia's Grandson, Ricky." Ricky's face turned COMPLETELY pale. He then started to tear up. "No...!" Aris begged tearfully. "No, NO! Please!! You can't kill Ricky!! He's just a little boy and he didn't do anything to upset your bosses! Please! Don't kill him!" "We will let the boy live if you confess to us." Colonel Martinson said strictly. "Now, what's your choice? Ricky or his Grandparents? Choose!" Aris looked down, trembling and sobbing. "If you don't choose," Colonel Martinson snapped, "I will make the choice for you!" "NO, STOP!" Aris cried, her eyes filled with tears. "Don't....... Please.......don't!" She looked down and teared up to the point where dozens of tears dripping from her eyes. "They....were committing treason." She admitted reluctantly. "But, please...don't kill them." "That's all we need to know. But, we have to execute them. Treason is a federal offense." "No! No, please! Don't do it! PLEASE!!" Aris begged. "Let's move out." Colonel Martinson said to his soldiers, ignoring Aris' pleas. He and his soldiers walked out of the prison cell, leaving a tearful Aris behind. The television turned off and the video tape automatically stuck out of the VCR. "What have I done?!" Ricky shouted, trembling, tearing up, and clenching his hair. "Oh, gosh! What have I done?!!" He started pounding the ground, shouting, "WHAT HAVE I DONE?!!" "You have done nothing." A familiar voice said softly. "Nothing at all." Ricky turned around. "A-Aris...!' He cried tearfully. "How did you know I was here?" "This is the only place I never looked since you left..." Aris said softly, her paws folded in front of her. Ricky continued tearing up. "Aris...!" He said tearfully. "......Did they force the truth out of you?" Aris fell on her knees and said with a soft voice, "Ricky. You have to understand... In all my life as a Christian, I would never EVER hurt someone for any reason. Not even to turn them it to the U.M.F.U.." Ricky, his hands against the ground, continued tearing up. "Ricky." Aris said, her voice softer than a cloud. "Do you think that I would give you godly advice just to hide the truth." "No...!" Ricky cried. "I don't even know what to think!" "Ricky. I meant every word." Aris said, putting her paw on Ricky's back. "I would never have wanted you to suffer. When I escaped from custody, I traveled to America to try to save you and your Grandparents. But, when I was too late, I, too, was heartbroken. And, I knew you would be too." "BUT, WHAT ABOUT YOUR BUNKER?!!!?" Ricky screamed. "IT WAS MY FAULT THAT IT GOT DESTROYED!!!" "What?!" Aris cried, as she cupped her mouth with her paws. "No! No! It's not your fault...! It was never your fault. They may have destroyed the chapel in the bunker, but they will never be able destroy the Holy Spirit that is Jesus, our savior." "But........your chapel meant everything to you, didn't it?" Ricky asked. "Yes, it did." Aris said, gently pushing Ricky's chin up. "If I could, I would've tried to save it. But, the Military easily broke in. And, I never wanted any other church to get destroyed. That's why we hid the churches of the U.M.F.U. controlled countries underground." Ricky stared at Aris, tearful and surprised. "Wh-What?! The churches and chapels are....safe?!" He cried. "I thought they were burned down completely." "No... Me and my family managed to spark hope to animals and humans alike." Aris said. "We hid them underground before the U.M.F.U. could get to them. I ran all the churches since I returned to America, and it brought hope for the blind. Faith for the deaf." "A-Aris." Ricky stuttered,. "I......I'm sorry for accusing you of killing my Grandparents! I just met you and I got to be friends with someone who isn't even a human, but a..........a wolf in human's clothing." "Oh, Ricky!" Aris cried, as she hugged Ricky softly. "You don't have to be sorry. I would forgive you with or without an apology. Your Grandparents will always be with you every step of the way. And, so will I." "Th-Thank you...Aris." Ricky said, stammering. "I.........I know my Grandparents are gone, but they.......would've wanted me to be happy." "Yes. They would." Aris said softly, stroking Ricky's hair. "And, God does too..." POW!!! A soldier kicked the door open, shouting, "FREEZE!!" Dozens of soldiers poured into the storage room, pointing rifles at Aris and Ricky. "AHH!!" Ricky screamed. "NO, NO!!" He and Aris slowly held their hands (and paws) up. "On your feet." One of the soldiers ordered. "Hands behind your heads. That includes paws, Aris."

Ricky and Aris, followed by soldiers who have their rifles pointed at the two, walked outside with their hands (and paws) behind their heads. Colonel Martinson, who is in between two Neo-Nazi soldiers and is behind a helicopter, stood with a stern expression and his hands behind his back. "Ricky?" He said in shock, adjusting his peaked cap. "You're with the enemy!" "What did you expect, Colonel?!" Ricky shouted. "Aris isn't hurting ANYONE!! Even a Military official like you should know that!" Colonel Martinson slowly walked towards Ricky, knelt down on one knee, and said, "Ricky...! I thought you and I agreed on something! You know we both don't support war." "......" Ricky became speechless. "Lying to the Army about Aris, a criminal. Going into a restricted area. You've broken a few serious laws, Ricky." "And, you killed my Grandparents!" Ricky cried. "They meant everything to me!!" "I had to." Colonel Martinson said, not losing his temper. "It's the law. And, I won't allow one flaw in my job. This is all done to prevent another war." "Even if it means killing the innocent?" Aris asked, almost as tearful as Ricky. "Colonel Martinson, killing innocent people doesn't prevent war. It only causes more violence. More deaths. And, less hope." "I don't wanna hear it, Aris!" Colonel Martinson snapped, getting up. "We don't take any advice from treasonous criminals. You've been on the run for a while. Now, your days of freedom are over." "Y-You mean..." Aris said tearfully. "Yes. By order of the United Mothers and Fathers of Unionism, you're under arrest for treason." "NO!!" Ricky screamed. "NO!! YOU CAN'T ARREST HER!! PLEASE, NO!!" He charged at Colonel Martinson, but two soldiers grabbed him by the arms and pulled him back. "NO!! PLEASE DON'T TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!! I ALREADY LOST MY GRANDPARENTS!!!" Ricky shouted continuously. "I DON'T WANNA LOSE ARIS EITHER!!!" "I suggest you calm down or we're going to arrest you too." Colonel Martinson said sternly. "Understand?" "Wait, I'm not getting arrested?!" Ricky asked in complete shock. "But, you said that lying about the location of a 'criminal' AND breaking into a restricted area is against the law!!" "......We knew you were lying right from the start." Colonel Martinson admitted. "The whole country has been under surveillance since the War of the Unions. We knew you've kept Aris with you." Ricky trembled in fear. "Then.....then, why didn't you interrogate me when you had the chance?!" He asked, horrified. "You're not making any SENSE!!" "Why are you questioning the Colonel?" Colonel Martinson asked sternly. "...I had my own problems. The very thought of losing my son horribly distracted me. I could never focus on anything but my own son. With or without my picture. And, since we've caught Aris, we're setting you off with a warning. But, next time you try to escape with a criminal, we will have you executed." "No..!" Ricky cried tearfully. "Don't kill Aris! Please..." Aris stuck her paw in front of Ricky's mouth. "It's okay, Ricky." She said softly. "You don't need to defend me. ....Colonel, I'm ready to go." "All right." Colonel Martinson said. "Cuff her." A soldier pulled Aris' arms behind her back and cuffed her. "Aris...!" Ricky said, horrified. "All right, let's go." The soldier said. He took Aris to the helicopter as it prepared for take off. "ARIS, NO!!!" Ricky screamed, as he tried to go after Aris. Colonel Martinson grabbed Ricky and picked him up with both arms. "ARIS!!!!" Ricky screamed, as Colonel Martinson walked past the helicopter, carrying Ricky. "ARIIIIIIIS, NOOOOO!!!" "COLONEL, WAIT!!" Aris called out. "BEFORE I GO, LET ME TALK TO HIM!" Colonel Martinson stopped walking, turned around, and said, "One minute. You have one minute, Aris." He put Ricky back down and ran right towards Aris, who ran past the helicopter, still "pawcuffed". As Aris fell on her knees, Ricky wrapped his arms around her tightly, tearing up intensely. "Oh, Aris!" He cried. "You can't leave me! You were the only one that truly understands my loss! You opened my eyes! You saved me from losing faith in God! PLEASE DON'T GO!!" "Ricky..." Aris said gently, as Ricky let go of her. "God will always be with you. He will be there for you when you're depressed. When you're feeling sorrow. He sent his son to save us from sin. No matter what happens, no matter how many totalitarian states the U.M.F.U. creates, there will always be hope in the world. God won't let Satan destroy the lives of many." Ricky wiped the tears from his eyes. "Even when I'm gone," Aris concluded, "you will always be my best friend. I will never change." Ricky tearfully hugged Aris again. "Goodbye, Aris." He whispered. "I'll miss you." "I'll miss you too, Ricky." Aris said softly, tearing up as well. "Forevermore." "Your time is up, Ricky." Colonel Martinson said, standing behind Ricky. "Let's go." Ricky got up and turned around. Colonel Martinson lightly pushed Ricky's back as they both walked off. Ricky looked over his shoulder and saw two soldiers escorting Aris back to the helicopter. Aris looked over her shoulder and gave a smile and a small wave goodbye. Ricky waved back. A minute later, he and Colonel Martinson arrived outside the gates. "Farewell, Ricky." Colonel Martinson said. "Will give the U.M.F.U. your regards." He closed the gate doors and walked off. Ricky made a tearfully angry expression as he saw the helicopter take off into the skies. "G-Goodbye." He whispered. "I'll miss you... You helped me find hope.... Hope in God."