THE WORLD IS DYING.
Global warming, lack of resources, and the collapse of authority across all seven continents has caused worldwide strife. People are willing to do anything to survive.
The solution? Project ERAA, humanity's last effort to...
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"THE BIG man wants me to do a routine check up on you volt-guns," Luca pointed to the weapon the closest guard held, hoping his glasses were steamed up enough that they didn't see his rapid blinking.
Dear God dear God dear God ... He shouldn't have been using God's name in vein, but he was sure the big G-man would let it slide this once. After all, he was trying to save humanity.
The closest guard - Luca was sure his name was David - scoffed, squishing his eyes up in a squint. "What would be going wrong with the volt-guns?" He questioned, and Luca didn't miss his companion's rolling eyes.
Luca put his hands on his hips, and had barely taken a breath before the words started to gush out of him in a spew of nerves. "Even the thickest of the thick men here know that the rebels are coming, my guy. Would you rather shoot yourselves or overheat the barrel than let me check them out? 'Cause, if that's what you'd prefer," Luca lifted his sweating palms up and took a step back, widening his eyes like it was no big deal (it totally was), "then don't mind me..."
The guards exchanged a glance, then the one who had rolled his eyes before offered his volt-gun to Luca. He could barely hide his relief, and he quickly took hold of the weapon before the guard could change his mind. Spurred by his friend's actions, the other marine gave Luca his volt-gun too.
"Thanks, guys," Luca shot them both a grin he hoped didn't wobble. "You made the right choice!"
Luce twisted around and high-stepped his way over tent pegs towards his own, wheeling underneath the entrance just before dumping the guns on the ground in front of Des, whose eyes widened. "You got two?"
"I got two." Luca shot a glance over his shoulder, then pushed his glasses further up. Their lenses were steamed up with humidity. Maybe I should've gotten the EyeSeeYou procedure done when I had the chance ... "We've gotta hurry. Ichabod may have let me check up on the volt-guns, but I'm not gonna trust those thugs on not coming back in here to get them again."
Des nodded, and with practiced hands, took apart one of the volt-guns. Shiny metal and small solar panels gleamed at the them as Luca knelt beside his friend, watching Des pluck the fuse card from the contraption without really seeing him do it.
Tina ... Luca could feel, deep down, that something had happened to her. She hadn't come back from her interrogation with Ichabod, but even while he'd spoken with the British man, there had been no subtle way to ask of her whereabouts. Ichabod had shrugged it off, agreeing to him being able to check for any malfunctions on the volt-guns. There was nothing more to be done, though thinking that made Luca's insides feel cold.
I'll find you, he vowed, taking hold of the other volt-gun so his hands had something to do - and with that, his mind. I promise, Tina.
"Now what?" Des fixed his gaze on Luca's. Luca blinked, trying to refocus.
"We need something like a transmitter. A walkie-talkie, or something ... and something like a TV dish. A solar panel would probably work fine, with a few tweaks." Electromagnetic pulses should be able to be picked up on the terrestrial satellite, Luca reckoned. Connecting that with the card would get the satellite to recognize all volt-guns in an area. The larger the array dish, the better, but they couldn't make it look conspicuous.
