The room is quiet. The only lights come from a dim wall lamp and two tablets. Bent over the tablets are two silver-streaked heads, one a man's and the other a woman's, poring over thousands of words riddled in political lingo. The man and woman's concentration is broken when a screeching notification pops up in the middle of their screens.
Both furrow their brows and sigh in irritation from the screaming pop-up until they read it.
BREAKING NEWS
POLITICIAN KIDS PARTY CRASHED BY CHROMIES – HOSTAGES TAKEN
OCTAVIA RHINEHART AMONG TAKEN
Watch Live NetNews Update
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They couldn't hit "Accept" fast enough. Breathlessly, they watch the news anchor, visibly shaken herself, rattle information as she receives it. Squad and Medical vehicles light up the smoggy, chaotic background behind her. Squad members shouting to each other rush in and out a wooden-like dock house to look for and return to land with teens and young adults who are greeted by Medics with blankets and water. Some retrieved go into hysterics - loudly wailing and flailing. Others keep their shock silent and on their faces. A few already evacuated are to the sides talking with investigators and reporters. One person is seen carried off on a stretcher.
"For those who have just received the notification and are joining us now," the news anchor says, "NetNews is at the scene of a recent abduction of an unknown number of politicians' children. Just moments ago, Chromies crashed an underground party and took multiple children. Eyewitnesses say that Chromy leader Shard personally took Octavia Rhinehart, daughter of Prime Minister Rhinehart and General Rhinehart, as a personal prisoner. They also claimed he said that he wants demands met before returning the children but did not specify. Before fleeing the abandoned dock house, the Chromies released mustard gas, which you can still see-"
An explosion barely caught in the side of the screen cuts her off. Panic breaks out behind her. All those who were calm scream and flee. Squad shouts for order and for everyone to vacate the area. A producer comes from behind camera and shields the anchor.
"We gotta go, Marcy," the producer says, pushing her along off camera.
Squad members follow behind them, shielding the crew as they evacuate them.
The man and woman mute their tablets. They momentarily stare at each other in silence.
The man speaks up first.
"They've finally taken it too far," the prime minister says.
His wife nods slowly.
"Indeed," the general says. "And now is the time for action."
They swipe the news feed to the corner of their tablet screens, minimize the documents they were reading, and contact their branches.
YOU ARE READING
Shards
Science FictionBeing the daughter of the most powerful people in a prosperous country has given Octavia numerous responsibilities, burdens, and a target on her back. This target has been constantly aimed at since she was a child and is aimed at again when Octavia...
