Live Like Legends

VIII

I guess 72 hour of work and research and goofing around with Dad is a long  time for being awake. Didn't think it could get any worse.

Then three hours after I woke up, (yay! Three hours!) I just had to turn on the TV. Even when dad was telling me not to.

The show I was watching blurred out, another symbol appearing over it. Ten rings over a rainbow, two swords in an X position in between. A man was there, looking down at some people below him. He looked up for a second, then grabbed the head of a man who was kneeling in front of him.

I didn't think I could get any more terrified , but then he started speaking.

"Some people call me a terrorist."

Sounds of guns and people screaming filled my ears as I clutched Pepper's hand tightly, who was sitting beside me.

"I consider myself a teacher."

Cheers were heard as some men in dark turbans and bug guns in their hands started roaring and cheering in happiness. Children smiling, waving guns around. Women smiling as they looked about.

"America. Ready for another lessen?"

My heart was in my throat. I had heard about the ten rings, of course. They were the ones who had kidnapped me and my father back in Afghanistan, who started this whole nightmare I'm currently living in.

"In 1864, in Sand Creek,  Colorado the US military waited until the friendly Cheyenne braves had all gone hunting. Waited , to attack and slaughter the families left behind, and claim their land."

His image flashed as he looked behind and at the screen again.

"39 hours ago, the Ali Al Salem Air base in Kuwait was attacked."

Burning buildings and destruction filled the screen. Pepper out her hand over her mouth in horror.

"I....I.... I did that."

He said that as if he couldn't believe it as well, with a small smile filling his face.  How sadistic is this man?

" A quaint military church , filled with wives and children ofcourse. The soldiers were out on manoeuvres. The Braves were away."

I shook my head in disbelief.

"This is all staged. Isn't it?" I asked no one in particular, yet got no answer.

"President Ellis. You continue to resist my attempts to educate you , sir. And now, you have missed me again."

Guns firing, and people screaming. There was chaos everywhere.

"You know who I am. You don't know where I am. And you'll never see me coming."

Shouting, bombs flying, and people screaming and some cheering. Then the video went blank.

***********

"Now that we seem to be back, let's recap some of the –"

"American Airways were hijacked –"

"The nation remains on high alert."

"All attempts to find the Mandarin have so far proved to be unsuccessful."

President Ellis' voice filled the area, " Central to my administration's response to this terrorist event, is a newly minted resource. I know him, as Colonel James Rhodes, the American People will soon know him as the Iron patriot."

He continued on as I looked at Uncle Rhodey pointedly. He just got his hands up in surrender.

"It tested well with the focus groups, alright?" He justified as he looked at me and Dad.