Happily Ever After the Apocalypse

Chapter 7: A Campaign for Reform

Max feels uneasy as he walks through the winding narrow alley ways of Nework. For several blocks now, he's sure that he's being followed. The cadence of the footsteps behind him always matches his own. 

The person following him is deliberate and smart but not smart enough to remain undetected. Max keeps walking, meandering through the heart of the city, listening closely to the footsteps behind him. When he finally gets to the intersection he's looking for, he takes off running as fast as he can. As soon as he hits the next intersection, he switches left and then a quick right into a hole in the wall. 

He crouches down in the darkness trying to still his breath. Ten seconds later, the footsteps come running down the alley. As they get close to Max's hiding hole, they slow and finally stop. In the dark grey moonlight, Max can see the dark figure of a man looking forward down the alley. The man slowly turns his head toward the hole, and Max leaps out with his dagger in hand, tackling the man to the ground.

As soon as Max feels the man's body slam into the ground, the man cries out, "Maximus, it's me. Stop!" 

Max instantly recognizes the man's voice and rolls off of him while nervously laughing. "Claudius, why are you following me? You know, I almost stuck you." Claudius nervously laughs back, "Well, I am thankful that you didn't. Maximus, your father asked me to keep an eye on you." In a whisper, Claudius chastises Max, "You have to be more careful to keep in his favor. He's wary of your lack of conviction for the Neworker mission." 

Standing up, Max sighs, "I know, you're right. It's just getting harder these days for me to feign that conviction." The two men walk at a fairly brisk pace down several alleyways, speaking in hushed tones about the goings on of the Nework government until they reach a small stone shack with a low-hanging door. 

Claudius gives three slow raps followed by three fast raps on the door frame. A deep voice bellows from inside the shack, "What is liberty once lost?" Both Max and Claudius reply in unison, "Lost forever."

The little door creaks open, revealing soft candlelight inside. Both Max and Claudius have to duck their heads to enter the shack. Once inside, the same deep voice bellows, "State your names." 

Max replies, "Thomas Jefferson, sir." Claudius replies, "Benjamin Franklin, sir." 

The man gives a deep chuckle from deep within his belly, "We were wondering if our informational meeting was going to proceed without our informants. It's good to see you Brothers." Claudius replies, "It's good to see you, too, Mr. Washington. I'm sorry for our delay. I was informing Mr. Jefferson that the General has developed some suspicions regarding his patriotism." 

John Hancock, who's sitting in a corner of the room with his feet propped up on a table, smoothly sweeps his feet to the floor while standing up with dramatic emphasis, "Has this compromised your abilities Mr. Jefferson?" 

Max clears his throat, "No Mr. Hancock, I assure you, it has not. I, rightly, informed my father that the country of Carolina is not a threat to Nework. ...He did not appreciate my point of view." 

George Washington chuckles again, "Well, I guess he wouldn't appreciate any point of view that precludes complete domination of our neighbors. I appreciate your willingness to talk some sense to the General, but you of all people should know that it falls on deaf ears. Mr. Franklin, how did you become aware of the General's suspicions?" 

Claudius smiles, "Well, he told me, sir." John Hancock asks, "Are you his only confidant?" Claudius replies, "I believe so, now that Marcus Sachs has left Nework to search for his brother." Satisfied with their position in the matter, George Washington tells Max to be more careful and to lay low from future meetings of the Brotherhood just to be safe.