Story - Camp Life [Part 16]

[Author's note: Part 15 took place 40 minutes ago, and we are now back to the current time, where Addams and Morris are about to investigate any possible goings-on back at the campsite] -- We return to our heroes, Addams and Morris, walking along the dirt trail back to the campsite. Both Morris and Addams are on edge. The silence between the two carries on for a few moments before Morris breaks the silence. “Hey Addams?” “Yeah Morris?” “How, uh, how are you holding up?” Addams replies as calmly as he can. “Me? I'm terrified. How about you?” Both Addams and Morris have a good laugh, cutting the current tension back a bit. “You're terrified? Pfffft, my hand hasn't stopped shaking ever since we left Mei-Lin, Mirei, and Akinori.” As both men speak honestly of their fears, there is a break in the trees and they are both able to look onward to the camp. They both realize that the campsite now has +40 new members...and they're all militia. While Addams and Morris look on, they see that the militia seems to be consolidating and moving everyone from the camping areas. “Ma'am, if you and your son could please come this way...” “W-what's going on, sir? “Ma'am, there are reports of two highly dangerous individuals in the area, so we need to get everyone to the ranger's station while we search the surrounding areas.” “Oh goodness! Come Stanley, we need to go to the ranger's station immediately!” While the militia is gathering everyone and sending them on to the ranger's station, Morris and Addams now hear a shouting match between Hardev and someone of importance within the militia. “Captain Matsuda, this is an outrage! You can't just move all these people to the ranger's station!” The man responds to Hardev with just as much outrage and indignation. “Oh, I can't?! Well, guess what Hardev...I WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE HERE IF SOMEONE CALLED IN THAT GODD█MN WHITE SUV RIGHT THERE WHEN IT FIRST ARRIVED” Captain Matsuda points towards the white SUV that Addams, Morris, and Mei-Lin drove up in. Hardev is at a loss of words. “...yeah, that's what I'm talking about, Herdev. Thankfully, someone in this camp had the good sense to use their cell phone and call this in. Now, once we got the plate number, and we ran it through our database, can you care to guess what we found? Hmm?” While his mouth is closed, Hardev is seething with anger. Captain Matsuda continues speaking. “The plate number came back as DNI. Do you know what that means? It means DO NOT INVESTIGATE! This is a Fed stealth vehicle! So, imagine our shock when a Fed DNI vehicle was called in! Not only that, but both men are Federal Union special forces, active duty no less! So, Hardev, you explain to me how this situation looks from your perspective!” Hardev leans in and pushes back against Captain Matsuda's insinuations. “First of all, Captain...we would've happily called in the SUV, except for one small problem...OUR RADIO HAS BEEN OUT FOR DAYS! We have been desperate to find someone who could assist us in fixing it. I call the militia, they say they can't spare anyone because forces have been moved to our eastern borders, due to ongoing Federal Union border attacks! I call the local trade bureau and they say the electricians they have registered have been deputized and are now serving along side the soldiers defending our eastern borders! I keep getting promises that the militia will send someone to help, but promises don't fix damaged radio towers!” “You still could have called it in, via telephone landline. You could've sent a runner, a messenger, to our outpost. We're only five kilometers out. We would've responded and come here-” Hardev cuts off Matsuda. “Yes, and you would've caused a spectacle, just like we have right now! Look at those people out there. They're scared. They're being rounded up and consolidated at the ranger's station, all because they're told that there are two wild and dangerous men out there, who mean to do all kinds of harm to us all. That's nonsense! I spoke with those two men, and they're no more a danger to anyone in this park than myself or Rodriguez! They, and the small girl they're protecting, are just as much refugees than anyone else here in camp.” There was something that Hardev said that has stuck with Captain Matsuda. “Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. Central Intelligence had nothing on the child. You're telling me the two men are looking over the child?” Hardev responds. “Yes. They're protecting her from the Federal Union” Captain Matsuda erupts in laughter. “So, they told you they were on the run, trying to keep the girl safe from the very same government they serve under...AND YOU BELIEVED THEM?!?! Two special forces agents just waltz right into camp and sing you a sweet song of their valor, that they threw everything away in their previous lives...all for a child they don't even know? Aww, if this story were any sweeter, we'd all have type 2 diabetes! Honestly, Hardev, I know you provide good services to the people in this area, but if you're intending to stay the leader of this campsite, you cannot afford to be this credulous! People's lives are on the line!” “Make all the accusations you want, Captain, but those two men are honest and true in their words!” “Let me guess, it's because you could smell it on them if they lied? Bah! Pseudoscientific bullsh█t, and you can't convince me otherwise!” “Ugh, fine. If that's not good enough for you, then why are they helping us? One of them is an electrician and he's working to fix the radio tower with an associate of mine. The other one? He's a mechanic, looking over five vehicles that I can't get to work. I called the local trade bureau about hiring a mechanic through them, and guess what? They too were deputized and sent to help defend our eastern borders! It's just four of us here: Myself, Rodrigues, Akinori, and Mirei. Four people, it's just four people here and we're expected to keep this camp running...and two are just volunteers! They're not even compensated by the militia for their efforts, a miscarriage of justice that I will continue to push on and demand to be fixed!” Standing to the side is Rodriguez, who wants to interrupt the argument between Hardev and Captain Matsuda, but every time he opens his mouth to speak, both Hardev and the Captain shoot him a look that stuns him in place. After the third attempt, Rodriguez exhales and takes a step back. As he wipes the sweat from his brow, he looks off into the tree line and see's something that freezes him in place: Addams and Morris are observing the camp and what's going on. He sees Morris first, then Addams. Back at the tree line, Addams and Morris have not only observed the militia moving everyone to safety, they have overheard a good deal of the yelling coming from Hardev and Captain Matsuda. “Well Addams, it looks like we're looking at a 'worst case scenario' out of all of this. Do you still want to go forward and just walk right up to them?” “What are our other options, Morris? Run away, only to get shot in the back? No, I'm not going out like that. Our best bet is Hardev and Rodriguez speaking out on our behalf. It's not the best option, but it is the best option available to us right now...” While the two continue to discuss how best to approach Hardev and the Captain, little do they know that someone else is about to make that decision for them. Behind them, they hear a voice call out to the crowd. “CONTACT! CAPTAIN! THEY'RE OVER HERE! GET YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR, NOW!!!” Addams and Morris freeze in place, as an icy chill runs down their backs. They look to one another, give an exhausted sigh, then they both begin to slowly raise their hands above their heads.