Fanon:Recruitment

Recruitment is the eighth episode of the Revolution series by WikiBuilder1147. It depicts the adventures of a group of youngsters as they fight against the oppressive regime under which they live their lives in constant scrutiny and fear.

Previously on Revolution…
Now that the spell on Miami has been broken, Ben, Alex and Harry, rejoined by their friend, reenter civilian territory. Now, they are the most wanted fugitives in the world, and they have decided that it is time to begin the revolution...

Chapter 1
"MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" Harry screamed. A small group of young soldiers burst into the television broadcasting studio. Ben and Alex, carrying their old assault rifles, barged in with them. Soldier after soldier fell as the makeshift army pushed and shoved their way through the halls of the building.

Explosions wracked the corridors as grenades detonated left, right and centre. Shouts, grunts and screams of pain were heard as men and women on both sides were killed in the brutal melee. Finally, someone shouted loudly.

"GET DOWN!" Harry shouted. A gargantuan laser beam shot through the rabble, incinerating several Government soldiers instantly. The survivors, realising that their resistance was futile, surrendered equally as speedily.

As Harry's men took care of the Government troops, Ben, Miami, Alex and Harry made their way into the recording room. Ben and Alex held their assault rifles at the staff working in the room. While some surrendered, the youngest crew members rushed to join the rebellion.

"Prep the area for an announcement broadcast," Harry said calmly. When no one responded, he shouted, "NOW!"

Some of the crew hauled a podium onto the scene. Others gathered materials to decorate the stage. Two crew members went backstage and carried out with them a Government flag. Harry raised his rifle and shot the flag. Several holes were punched through it.

"No Government flags," Harry growled. The poor carriers scurried backstage again. Harry walked forward and took his place behind the podium. He beckoned the camera crew to get ready.

"Lights," said a cameraman. Ben gave a thumbs-up. Harry gave one back.

"Camera," the cameraman continued. Harry did a short deep-breathing routine.

"Action."

Chapter 2
In an apartment in Riverview, a family was silently having their dinner, eyes glued to the television screen. The programme was another Government-glorifying propaganda stunt. Suddenly, static interrupted the show. The adults were confused, and tried using the remote to change the channel to another programme. The same static was present on every channel. Then, an image appeared. A young man dressed in full military uniform standing behind a podium.

"Youths of SimNation! Young friends and fellow countrymen!" said Harry. "I am Harry Miller, commander of the Liberation Army. For many decades the tyrannical dictators that lead the so-called Government of our world have stripped us of our rights. Our independence. They have brainwashed our people into becoming their soulless and unquestioning slaves. Destined to provide lifelong servitude to these ruthless, merciless and egotistical kleptocrats!

"When the Government first came to power, they murdered those who had assisted them. Then they massacred the educated. Then they destroyed our freedom. They destroyed our souls. The Government butchered anyone who had the courage to speak out against them. They slew the brave and the intelligent. Imprisoned and executed all who stood in their way to total domination. You, as the rising generation, cannot allow this to continue! You MUST not allow this to continue, for if you do, millions, if not billions, more innocent citizens of the Earth shall lose their lives for the sake of keeping in power those who certainly do not deserve to be!

"We must, and we shall, regain and thereafter defend our liberty! We shall fight in the hills, the plains, and the valleys. We shall fight on the seas, in the forests and in the deserts. We shall fight for the freedom of every city, every family, every man, woman and child; we shall not rest till the ungodly institutions of the Government fall, burning, crashing to the ground! Join us, youngsters of the world! Boys and girls, now it is the time to rise! The revolution has begun!"

By the time the stunned adults looked back at their table, their two children had disappeared.

Chapter 3
"FIRE!"

Instantly, hundreds of bullets rocketed out of the barrels of assault rifles. Each shot towards their destination. But none hit their targets precisely.

Fortunately for the new recruits, nothing shot back, for their quarry were nothing more than wooden targets.

Harry Miller then stepped before the sprogs and addressed them.

"Right, kids," Harry said politely, but firmly, "You all obviously need to learn a lot about how to fire a weapon. First of all, you must learn how to actually hit the target."

He waited for someone to giggle. No one did. He was impressed.

The drills continued through the afternoon as the trainees practised again and again. Slowly, their aim improved, and by the end of the day, each shot lodged itself into the bullseye.

"Very well done, boys and girls," Harry clapped. "Well done. I'm very impressed." He watched as the children left the field and retreated to their living quarters. Harry surveyed their new camp.

Over the previous weeks, children had come into the camp by the truckload. They ran away from their homes, from their families, to join the growing group of disgruntled youths that was to fight against the Government. Each youngster forming the ranks of the new army had willingly chosen to board trucks parked all over the streets of the cities of the continent, whereupon each truck would take them to the same cave in which Ben, Alex, Miami and Harry had hid when they first escaped from the prison camp.

In the time that followed, the newcomers helped to build a small camp using rocks and trees from the surrounding area. It wasn't much, but it'd have to do for now. At the moment, the trainees would have to rely on hunting for food, as rations were running low.

"General!" cried Ben as he ran towards Harry.

"Call me Harry, Ben," said Harry. "I'm off-duty now."

"You should come and see this," Ben replied. There was panic in his voice.

Harry smiled. Ben was always panicky nowadays. "What now?"

Ben ran off. "Come on!" Harry jogged after him.

When the two approached the entrance to the camp, there were several trucks waiting.

All had Government emblems emblazoned onto their doors.

Harry stepped in front of the trucks. "What do you want?"

A man disembarked from the truck at the front. He approached Harry.

"There is no need to fear. We come with food, water, equipment and experience," the man said. There was absolutely no sign the man was lying. And he sounded very serious.

Harry broke into a grin.

Chapter 4
1 week later.

"Ahh!" a cry erupted from one of the rooms as the sun rose above the horizon. A few birds took off from the trees, startled by the shout, flapping away noisily into the distance, squawking loudly.

Harry, now out of uniform, sprinted out of his rock-walled quarters and approached the source of the scream.

"What is it?" Harry asked loudly, which attracted the attention of even more people as the sleepy camp began to wake itself up. As people gathered, they all looked in horror and shock. Some had their hands over their mouths in terror.

A boy was kneeling. The body of an unconscious girl was being supported by his arms. Her skin was spotty and flushed. Her breathing was fast and irregular.

"MEDIC!" a voice cried. A medical officer, Doctor Renhald, who had accompanied the group of soldiers a week earlier, materialised. He walked up to the boy and unconscious girl before kneeling down, placing his case of equipment on the ground.

"Everything was normal. Iris and I were just talking to each other, then…" the boy said. "She started saying weird things and then she collapsed."

"Grade IV Hepatic encephalopathy," Renhald mumbled. "Hyperacute liver failure…Paracetamol toxicity." He shook his head in hopelessness.

"I'm sorry," he said. "She needs to be admitted to an intensive care unit where she can then undergo a liver transplant.

"Then why can't we give her a transplant?" the boy cried. A tear ran down his face.

The doctor looked up sympathetically. "Without access to better medical facilities, I am unable to help her. She'll die unless she gets medical treatment soon. Better treatment than I can possibly provide under current circumstances."

The trucks stopped before the gates of Camp Victor-Charlie-624.

A group of soldiers, ranging from the ages of twelve to twenty-four, disembarked from their vehicles. Among them was Ben Faulkner. Doctor Renhald was also with them. They then helped to bring a gurney out of the truck, on which rested the comatose form of Iris. This was swiftly followed by Iris' drip feed.

Several soldiers went in to survey the camp. Several young soldiers immediately emerged to surrender to the newcomers. They were welcomed into the group. Several older troops, brainwashed, also stepped out to confront the rebels. They were cut down immediately by the enemy.

"Which way to the medical centre?" Ben asked. One of the deserters led the way to the camp's sick bay. Upon entry, Iris' gurney was rolled in. Several doctors and nurses were hiding.

"Do you have an operating theatre?" he asked the chief. He nodded in response.

"We have a patient in urgent need of medical attention. Liver transplant," Ben said. "Comply, and we'll leave you alone. Resist, and you die. Clear?" The chief nodded again.

"Get to work." The chief beckoned his staff to follow him into the next room.

"Keep an eye on them. Help them if needed," said Ben to the Doctor Renhald. The latter subsequently ran off after the Army doctors into the operating theatre. He was followed by two men who wheeled in the gurney.

Ben turned to the other troops. "Our job is to clean up any further resistance by Government troops. Then, we are to prepare the camp for our habitation. Are we clear, men?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" the group cried in unison.

"Let's go!" Ben cried.

Chapter 5
By the next week, Iris was recovering well in sick bay and the entire Liberation Army had relocated to Camp Victor-Charlie-624, which was renamed Camp Alpha. It was to be the headquarters of the steadily growing force which was destined to take on the Government.

Ben, Miami, Alex and Harry were in sick bay, accompanying Iris' friend. As she awoke, Iris turned her head slowly towards her companion.

"Leo…," she croaked weakly.

"I'm here, Iris," he whispered. He gripped her hand tightly.

"Well, isn't this the happy ending," Harry joked with a smile.

"General?" she said suddenly. "Why…why am I here?"

"We brought you back, soldier," he chuckled. "Why else?"

"Why waste your energy saving me when you could've used it to take on the Government?"

"Sometimes," it was Ben's turn to speak. "The needs of the one, outweigh the needs of the many."

"You're not expendable, Iris," said Harry. "You're an essential part of our revolution. Without you, our struggle would be all the harder."

"Thank you," Iris breathed. A tear rolled down her cheek.

END OF PART II