Lt. Col. Daniel F. Hunter: Rebuilding The Country

Chap.17 "Chaos In Bismarck"

As morning beams of the sun began to shine upon my eyes, I awoke to the Tank being empty and proceeded to get out. I opened the hatch and looked at the towns people just walking and talking to each other, I sat on the front side of the Tank and just watched amazed and filled with happiness. The city of Bismarck was still in the process of rebuilding as I saw most buildings were still burned out or walls that were once part of it were blown out, Most people who were interested in seeing me started to just surround the tank. Some were cheering as they all saw me as they praised me as their president and elected official who saved the country was there in front of them, They were all smiling with joy that also brung me happiness. However, I needed to remind myself that there is much more work to be done before any good times can be experienced. I needed to look for the whole group who were near the Bismarck National Guard Outpost which was only some ninety meters away, I started to walk in a firm calm step which never made me as calm as a cucumber. While I was walking, I began to wonder and think about the Combine, I saw at least two metrocops who were talking to each other about past events of fighting on the border world Xen.

I walk up to them to which they looked at me, As I starred down the officer who was named George Thomas, I wanted to shake hands by motioning my hand upward. He responded by shaking my hand, This would be an interesting event that would unite the combine even though they were robotic. Several photographers and journalists were documenting this strange unique event that would become a symbol of unity, Then when I looked over my shoulder, I saw the group just starring me down. Rotha was starring with a almost worried expression, I decided to sit down with Officer Jones who was a veteran of both the Seven Hours War and the Uprising in City 17.

We all sat down at a Cafe and just talked about experiences, Thomas told me about the way that the Universal Union would torture and imprison anybody who tried to resist. It was almost horrific and he showed me pictures of these almost robotic cyborg type of humanoid called "Stalkers", These poor souls never stood a chance against anyone and were converted. Thomas who was one of those combines who were against almost every brutal act that the union employed to use against resistance, Was reported to have been receiving death threats and other types of falsified reports of crimes that he never caused. I also realized that the Combine had some humanity left inside of them, While I talked to them, There came a commotion around a corner down the way. I got up and immediately without haste and hassle ran like the flash, I got around the corner and saw the Blue Suited Menace again. He was standing next to a burned out car and like usual fixing his tie, He just stood in that same fashion and began to say: "Well President Hunter, You've managed to clear Bleak City of those two egotistical unfortunates, I have to say that is a great house clearing as you may say".

I said to him: "What do you want, Have you had enough enjoyment of causing all of this calamity?", He said: "It is not for me to achieve any type of enjoyment but for you President to get the country back on its feet again". He then went walking into an alley which was almost impossible to access, I said to most people who were with me: "Sometimes, I think he just does that to get on my back a bit". I began to walk back to where I was while trying to figure out a possible explanation of what the Blue Suited Menace was doing here, I then saw a store down this narrow stretch of a Mullen Street and went into it to ask questions to anybody who was in there. As I proceeded in, There was a clerk at the counter who was almost ancient but was still young. His hair was black and swept back while he had glasses on, He also had an apron on for which he reminded me of an old Wild West shoot em' up style type clothing. He had brown eyes and had a black mustache for which it gave a good type of sense of humor, I walked up to him and asked him his name. This man talked in a voice for which I was expecting it to be gravely but it was of a young baritone for which can go high, He said his name was George Jones. George Jones was born somewhere in Louisiana and at the age of 20 moved to North Dakota, Jones used to be in the Air Force in Vietnam, He later retired as a Major General Jones was a skilled shooter and had of what was a old Winchester Rifle Model 1892, I asked him more about of what happened to the State of North Dakota.