Zero Two Three One | John Laurens X Reader [Hamilton]

VIII: Three Hawks and Several Ocelots

❝There is no tragedy in life like the death of a child. Things never get back to the way they were.❞
—Dwight D. Eisenhower.

So, this is Miami, Florida... Looks like shit. To be fair, I'm sure it's in much better order when an evacuation isn't being carried out.

February 15, 2058.

We arrived this morning to what Vincent called the "Magic City". I was so bewildered by the heat of the city that I forgot what I was doing there! It's almost twenty-seven degrees celsius! That's like eighty degrees in Fahrenheit. What kind of winter weather is that?! Even the hottest days in Russia never reach that heat. They even have palm trees! I've never seen one in person! It made me somewhat uncomfortable, but I had bigger things to worry about. The moment our ship docked, the twenty-nine of us were ushered into the backs of three military vehicles called Ocelots. The drivers drove us through the city, seeming to know where to go.

My eyes were constantly darting around in a very Vincent-like way as I drank in the scenery. The tall buildings are somewhat similar to the ones I've seen in the brief times I've been in Moscow. They also look like the tall buildings I saw in New York when Alexander and I first came to America. Skyscrapers...

The streets are vacant of cars and people, which can be expected. For the past couple of days, the normal Army has been evacuating this city. Yes, evacuating a city is fucking hard. Because of the lengthy time it was taking, the AC is taking over the evacuation. The worst part is that I still don't know why an evacuation is being carried out. All Floridians at the tip of the state are getting evacuated to a settlement camp further North of the state.

The Ocelots comes to a stop in the middle of the city, smack in the center of the large street. Well, this part of the city is far from empty. There are other AC soldiers here, all wearing the same black uniforms. The only difference is that some uniforms have an American flag patch while others have a British flag. Ah, so we really are working with the Brits.

A man approaches the Ocelots, his TFX in his hands. He swings the strap over his shoulder, then flashes a grin in our direction, showing a set of white teeth so perfect you'd think they were fake. He knocks on the metal of one of the Ocelots to catch our attention while the soldiers behind him seem to prepare their gear. Then the man speaks.

"Morning, soldiers!" his voice is oddly cheery, the dashing smile still plastered on his face as though it were painted on. "Name's Aaron Burr. I'm the lieutenant colonel under General Charles Lee of the British Army AC. If I'm correct, you're all new graduates from the American division. Welcome to your first mission, soldiers!"

I go into a daze as this Aaron Burr man continues talking, filling us in on the information I had been desiring for a while now. While my mind feels to be half asleep, I still retain all the knowledge he feeds us.

Apparently, a spy by the code name of "Leprechaun" was in Cuba collecting information when he got a tip that Cuba is planning to attack Florida. Miami, to be specific. I briefly remember that speech Nikolai gave, warning Florida to watch out... I wipe the thought away.

Although only Miami is being targeted, protocol requires a majority of surrounding towns to be evacuated as well. Unfortunately, we are unable to disclose the planned attack to the public. In the eyes of the civilians, there is no reason for them to be evacuated, so they're putting up quite the fight, prolonging the evacuation.

We have no idea when Cuba will attack, and by what means they will attack. Plane? Naval ships? Ground troops? That's not what we're focused on. When the time comes, we'll hand the job to the normal Army and Navy. Our job, according to Mr. Aaron Burr, is to get everyone the hell out of the place.