Everybody Wants to Rule the World

51

Trigger Warning(s): forced suicide

Madness by Ruelle

~ Emira's Point of View ~

12:25 PM, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2028. NIS HEADQUARTERS, NAEGOK-DONG, SOUTHERN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.

From ahead, all I heard was screaming. From behind, the roar of flames. In the midst of running from the burning building, frazzled employees made desperate calls or filmed the wreckage. Judging by the sheer size of the crowd forming in the parking lots, only a small percentage of people were stuck inside the compound, dead or injured. That eased some of the guilt in my chest.

An explosion ripped through the building, and another chorus of screams broke out as debris showered over our heads. Zavis, throwing his wide frame over most of us, took the majority of the blow. The only indication anything had hit him was a quiet grunt. Something heavier hit him right when he was beginning to pull away, and it sent all of us reeling to the ground. With both my arms already occupied, assisting Jimin, my head slammed into the ground, and I freaked out for several moments, unable to see anything but stars.

Once my vision cleared, I scrambled around to see the wreckage. Several areas of the crowd had been flattened by massive blocks of concrete, and the screams were only getting louder once people realized there were casualties. The building itself was a mess, crumbling from the inside, flames pouring out from every window.

"It's going to collapse," I whimpered. "And everyone's just standing here."

"Not our problem," Arlie mumbled, gripping the back of my shirt and yanking me to my feet. "We need to move. I'm guessing you have a vehicle somewhere?"

"Further in the trees," Zavis answered. "That's our regrouping point."

"Everyone's going to die! Why don't you care?" I exclaimed. "We should at least do what we can."

"What can we do? Abandon Jimin and run around telling people to flee into the trees, exactly where the Alters are waiting for us?" Arlie held my shirt tighter. "We have a job to do, and it won't help anybody to abandon it."

"Once we're in the truck, I can trigger some more explosions," Jack offered. "It'll steer people away from the mess."

"Explosions mean death. What about that do you people not underst–"

"Mirie, we don't have time for this. Move."

I was beginning to realize that I had made a big mistake. These people, these Alters... whether they could help us or not, they were so desensitized to violence and death that it had become a mere inconvenience for them. They were willing to sacrifice an innumerable amount of lives if it meant protecting an innumerable amount of others.

Then again, any other organization would have done the same. The NIS, the CIA... they were all willing to sacrifice some lives for the sake of others. Zavis was right. Everything needed to go down.

"Now, once we get to the trees, you guys need to stay sharp," Zavis mumbled. "We're a bit later than was scheduled, so the others are probably there already."

"Including Evania," Aaliya noted, and I shuddered.

"Right. They won't take kindly to you both unless you sell the act. If they make you talk, you hate the NIS, the CIA, the FBI, the DIA... any organization contrary to the Jade Phoenix. You want to see the Jade Phoenix rise under new leadership. And Jimin, you want to be that new leadership. You're ready to act as a leader."

Jimin was baffled. "...since when?"

"I can explain later. Right now, you got to pretend you know what I'm talking about."