What the Fox told me last night was simply absurd. I was not under someone else's control. I couldn't have been! I had been making my own decisions and I was completely in control of my own thoughts ever since Watervalley. The way he told me that, though, and the way he looked me in the eye to deliver his threat, as though someone was looking through my eyes, made me think. I questioned absolutely everything that had happened for the past eighteen years! Were my actions even my own? Were my very thoughts? They had to be, but me just doubting what the Fox told me could very well have been some bastard planting that doubt in my head. I wanted to make contact with the Fox again, but I couldn't. The Trident soldiers here at Fort Arclight would kill him. I had missed him for nearly two decades, and would normally trust him, but what he said was absolutely, completely insane.
"Mayfly," Lieutenant Riley suddenly blurted.
"Gods, what?" I hissed. "Sir."
"I ordered you to inspect the defenses of the fortress," Riley reminded.
"You did?" I asked. "When was that?"
"Half an hour ago," Riley answered. "Woodford will be here any minute."
"I know," I understood. "I'll prepare the..."
"Vehicles approaching!" the gate soldier shouted.
"Too late for that," Riley denied.
There was a column of armored trucks and quadrupedal tanks escorted by two gunships coming up the road to Fort Arclight's portcullis. As soon as the gate raised, I began to sense an aura of darkness from the vehicle column as the vehicles drew closer to the fortress.
"Lower the gate!" I ordered.
"Yes, ma'am!" the gate soldier shouted, and he dropped the metal portcullis.
"What are you doing?" Lieutenant Riley demanded. "That's General Woodford, and he won't be happy when he finds out we're denying him entrance."
"Then I'll take the heat for it," I promised. "Something's wrong."
As the vehicles stopped right in front of the portcullis, I heard General Woodford's voice through my APID's radio.
"Whoever ordered the gate closed, explain yourself," he ordered.
"What do you have in those trucks, sir?" I wondered.
"That is none of your concern," General Woodford answered.
"It's not?" I taunted. "From what I can feel from it..."
"Don't even try that with me," Woodford growled. "Now, open the gate, or I will court-martial you."
"What is in the trucks?" I demanded.
"I do not have to explain myself," Woodford reminded.
"Wrong," I corrected.
"You insufferable..."
"Look, you either answer my question, or you don't get in," I declared.
"Mayfly, I really hope whatever you're getting at is worth it," Riley sighed.
"As a General of Trident, I order you to open the gates to the fortress and grant me entry," Woodford growled. "If you refuse to comply..."
I cut the transmission so I didn't have to hear his voice anymore.
"There is something in those trucks that you don't want in this fortress," I clarified. "It's surrounded by darkness."
"What does that mean?" Riley demanded.
YOU ARE READING
Guardian(Part IV): Revelation
AdventureThe Guardians are scattered, and war threatens all of Zenartha as the people know it. The rebels in Chardan take drastic measures to ensure their control over their country, and others follow suit. All those involved are forced to make decisions aga...
