The world had fractured, and to many, the shift felt cataclysmic. Yet Earth could never forge a new future without this massive upheaval. This forced evolution ignited a global revolution, driving defending nations to fight for their independence. Earth's populace split into two opposing, fiercely competitive realms, where survival depended entirely on how seamlessly each side could unite as a single front. Without the disruptive "Putin concepts" of the mid-21st century stirring the pot, humanity might have stagnated in its old, failing patterns. Instead, global news devolved into a stark "us against them" narrative, turning the war into an inescapable reality for every soul on the planet. As aristocratic Putin loyalists plotted global domination, an unyielding opposition fought back with absolute ferocity. Amidst this sprawling struggle, the ultimate test of survival lay in the choices of the ordinary citizen—whether they were bleeding on the front lines for a dominant dictatorship, defending their individual freedom or simply trying to survive the pockets of chaos consuming their cities. Life for all was drastically changing.
Fueled by the dream of victory, Russia had grown arrogant enough to attempt building the world's sole superpower. It was a terrifying reality; life as it had been known for centuries was shifting so violently that entire populations were being left behind. What will happen to them? Lynn thought, nodding sadly to herself before shifting her focus back to Griff. He had handed her the controls so he could guard the Essenes, watching for drones from the observation dome. The clear bubble allowed him to fire back if necessary—much like the gunners on ancient fighter planes—but returning fire would expose their position to enemy sensors. It was a defensive move reserved strictly for emergencies. Jimmy sat beside Lynn in the passenger seat, his eyes glued on the skies as he scanned for drones.
The convoy had pushed on for days before Jordanian officials finally directed them to their next base. In the distance, down a hot, desolate desert road, a fleet of ground vehicles traveled through waves of rising heat. Their distorted shapes plowed plumes of dust in their wake, while troops driving anti-aircraft machines hid the shadows of the invisible aircraft soaring above them. The only drawback of the capability to be invisible were the shadows that could not be hidden.
As the plumage of dust drew closer, it became evident that a massive convoy followed the lead vehicle. One by one, the transports rolled down the arid road. Grimy, weary faces of the allied soldiers peered out of dirty windows, tracking the jeeps ahead of them. They were a campaign on the move, waiting for the signal to advance to the new headquarters. Those billowing waves of dust would give them away if spotted from above. Thankfully, the welcome sight of Egyptian, American, and Australian fighter planes roared overhead from time to time. Because a close encounter with the enemy would be fatal, the convoy pressed on continuously, following a path cleared by the jets. During brief stops, Jordanian military forces kept the travelers fed, giving the weary soldiers, civilian men, women and children a precious few moments to stretch. Close behind, Israeli forces directed their next moves. None of the three guarding the Essenes dared breathe a sigh of relief until their charges were secure within a protected base. Through the searing desert wilderness, their vigil remained unbroken.
The Allied military kept the skies clear with precise efficiency, protecting their soil from incoming incendiary devices. Much of Israel's advanced weapons development and specialized amphibious underwater combat training remained strictly classified. This secrecy successfully kept enemy attempts to disrupt their twenty-second-century defenses at bay—for the time being. To aid this effort, the Nordic countries sent their brightest scientists to Israel under a mutual defense pact. Meanwhile, most Scandinavian families had already joined the Exodus to Brazil, leaving only the military behind to defend the homelands. The fighting in those northern nations had reached its most severe peak, but allied troops poured in daily to help Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden keep the expanding enemy borders at bay.
Heading north from the southern desert, the caravan crossed Jordan's southeastern border near Israel. Most of the dusty convoy would find refuge in a hidden underground base, but the vehicles split by utility. Anti-aircraft units continued directly into Israel to join the war effort, while the defenseless supply vehicles and personnel transports were diverted to an above-ground outpost to await inspection. Afterwards descending into a long downhill road under the ground.
Dusk faded into twilight as the remaining convoy reached the underground refuge. Flying vehicles materialized and touched down, ready for the descent. Though the Essenes and their families had priority, guard troops still stopped and inspected every single vehicle. The moment the militia team's craft's rotors folded, Jimmy jumped out and ran to the front of the line. The line of dusty airtrucks crawled forward until Jimmy's team met up with him, and he climbed back aboard as the intake continued to drag on for nearly an hour. The mix of wheeled aircraft, electric jeeps, and cargo trucks filed into the base entrance. One by one, they disappeared. It was dawn by the time the final aircars were searched and cleared the tunnel entrance. With a heavy hydraulic groan, the giant iron blast door slid shut, sealing the entrance. The desert fell silent again, save for the waking sounds of distant wildlife. Outside, the guard vehicles and their command shack cloaked, vanishing completely into the morning light to watch the perimeter unseen.
Once the giant door sealed, the end of the convoy wound its way deep underground. The slow procession down double concrete lanes plunging slightly downward for miles before finally opening up into a massive subterranean motor pool. After parking, the travelers climbed out of their vehicles to stretch their numb legs and were greeted by a young female soldier, issuing quick orders in Hebrew to the convoy guards and then Arabic for the Jordanian soldiers. Turning to the Holy Trio, her voice softened as she spoke in English. Jimmy recognized her instantly—it was the soldier from the last post who had given him her number. He grinned, waiting for her to notice him. When her searching eyes finally met his, a warm smile broke across her face. He nodded, keeping his eyes locked on hers as she walked over to him.
"I thought your company had been shipped back to Israel?" Jimmy asked curiously.
"I...we...my company all dead." She said, a sudden cloud of sadness enveloped her. "I am here to join another."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Jimmy said gently. "I'm glad to see you... really glad." He put his arms around her, and she let him. Her eyes closed as she gathered herself, trying not to melt into his embrace. It was the most all-encompassing emotion Avril had ever felt, and it made her uncomfortable to be so receptive to a complete stranger. Yet, she couldn't ignore the vibrations encasing her—feelings that offered a connection she had never known. She forced herself to regain her thoughts, vowing not to lose her wits. Not now, she thought. Another time, later, when they are alone. The sheer strength of the energy between them aroused her curiosity; she wanted to explore these sensations. She could easily lose herself in the flood of positivity flowing from him—a raw, genuine passion. It was as if his tenderness had always been a part of her, only coming to life at that very moment.
"I want to wake up every day just to know you're okay," he said, caressing her hair. God, she felt good. He couldn't fathom the sheer weight of his feelings—he was utterly captured by a gravity he never wanted to escape. Jimmy had used pick-up lines on countless women before, but for the first time in his life, he meant every single word.
"That is kind," she said, gently pulling away from him. "You and your people...must rest. Come, I take you to rooms."
Speaking in a local Arabic dialect, Avril Kisselburg, the Israeli soldier leading the weary travelers, outlined their quarters within the safety of the base, pausing to interpret into other dialects as needed for the group. With the introductions finished, Avril motioned for them to follow. She led the militia and civilians across the cavernous garage as the military broke up into remaining groups to be set up in new military assignments. The smaller group climbed up a clanging flight of metal stairs, through a set of double doors, and deep into a maze of three long corridors.
Blinding white and clinically clean, the giant day room made the Holy Trio and their company acutely aware of the cave dirt clinging to their clothes. They stood frozen, looking at the matching white tables and a neat row of cabinets that formed a kitchenette. Everything gleamed except the filth across the floor, tracking where they entered. Their last base had been crude, dimly lit caves, carved from rough rock; this was a paradise of smooth, soundproofed drywall. The upgrade became overwhelming when they reached the living quarters. The rooms lacked private showers, but the existence of a communal shower room meant one incredible thing: no more water rations. Then came the ultimate surprise – in the common area sat a refrigerator, its shelves packed with cold drinks and actual beer. Coming from the wastes of dirt and grime, they felt less like refugees and more like honored guests at the New Waldorf Astoria—the last surviving luxury hotel in the Americas.
Once the various family tribes were settled into their individual rooms, Avril joined the three militia members in the final quarters. Dubbed the Holy Trio, they already seemed to let their guard down, exhaling sighs of relief as they unburdened themselves of packs and weapons.
"I am going to check out the showers," Lynn said happily as she turned to the Israeli soldier. "Lead the way Ms. Kisselberg."
"Avril, please," she insisted, leading Lynn down the hall from the common area toward the showers. She pointed out the linen closet before explaining that clean underclothes could be found in the bathroom of every living quarter.
"Thank you," Lynn said as she began to peel out of her dirty clothes. "What do I do about a change of clothes?" She asked her hostess. "We left our extra clothing behind in the evacuation."
"You are bigger than my size," Avril said as she sized Lynn up. "I will find something to your fit. You are medium?"
"Yes," Lynn answered and wrapped a towel around her naked body.
"You need footwear?"
"I'm seven and a half in boot size if you have anything available, thank you."
"I return with what I find," Avril said, leaving Lynn to her shower. The American smiled as she hung her towel on a nearby hook and stepped into the large, open tiled area beneath one of the shower heads. The hot stream washed over her, carrying away the day's grime. She watched the dark water pool around her feet before swirling down the drain. Once the runoff cleared, she pumped soap from the wall dispenser, lathering her hair and body. When she was finished, she shut off the valve and reached for her towel.
One of the Essene mothers traveling with the Holy Trio brought in a group of weary children, who stripped and ran straight for the showers. After washing the dust from their little bodies, they would be fed and tucked into bed. The long journey around the desert had taken its toll on everyone; it was finally time to rest. The sound of the children's laughter in the warm water gave Lynn a sense of inner peace—all was right with the world for that brief moment. To give them more space to play, she stepped out of the shower area. Wrapping a towel around her head and another, cleaner towel around her body. Quickly she bagged her dirty clothes and made her way back to the domicile she shared with her partners.
"Hey," Griff said as he noticed Lynn return to their dwelling nearly naked. "Do we have any clean clothes? I only found extra men's briefs and t-shirts in the bathroom here."
"Avril is trying to find what she can for me. I'm sure she has you two in mind as well." said Lynn with a sigh, they were actually going to relax. She stepped over to the bunks at the far side of the room. "Which one is mine?"
"Pick one," Griff said, yanking off his overshirt and t-shirt to peel away the worst of the grime. Flakes of dried mud and sand rained down around him. He kicked free of his unlaced boots and peeled off his socks. "Was anyone else in the showers?" He asked.
"The kids," Lynn mumbled, sitting on the leftmost bed and stuffing her laundry bag under a nearby chair. "But they shouldn't be long." She stood back up and headed for the bathroom.
Jimmy hauled a heavy bowl of water onto a table in the center of their living quarters, setting it down with a metallic clatter. He pulled his T-shirt over his head and plunged his face straight into the bowl.
"What are you doing?" Griff asked him.
"There's a bunch of kids in the shower," he said as he slopped the water all over the table. "I just have to get this sand out of my hair. It's driving me nuts. When they're done there, I'm heading in right away. Do you think they'll have hot water left for us?"
"I'm sure that was thought of in building this place," Griff smiled. He grimaced when he looked into the water bowl, noticing how dirty the water had instantly become.
Meanwhile, Lynn walked out of the bathroom and lay down on her bunk. She was dressed in a man's oversized t-shirt and men's boxers that she had found neatly folded in the bathroom cabinet. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep, a towel still wrapped around her head.
Avril came into the room carrying a large bag, pulling out clothing to lay a set of fatigues and boots on the chair next to Lynn. After handing out the remaining clothes to the men, she retrieved a blanket from the closet to cover the sleeping girl.
"I still to find boots for you," Avril informed the men in broken English, asking for their sizes. Grabbing the bag of Lynn's dirty clothes from under the chair, she turned back to face them.
"She will sleep," she said softly, looking down at Lynn. "Please to tell her of meeting at command center very early."
"Hey, where are you going?" Jimmy asked as he stopped her from leaving the room. "We should talk." He put his body in the doorway so she would have to press against him if she wanted to step past him.
"First, you bathe," Avril said with a shy smile. "You smell...not so good."
"Oh, sorry," said Jimmy with a slight look of embarrassment across his face. He had spent so much time without the ability to wash up that he couldn't detect his own foul odor any longer. He backed away and let her exit the room.
"I will return," she smiled sweetly at him, "and you will smell more pleasing, yes?"
"Yes," he answered, his embarrassment increasing. He looked down at the floor as he spoke.
"Not to think of that," she said as she pulled his chin up to look into his eyes. "You are sexy to me, always." Jimmy bent to kiss her temple and then she left the room, subtly whipping the grime from her forehead.
"Well, I'm going to check the shower, see if it's available yet," Jimmy said, grabbing his pile of clean clothes and heading out the door. Strolling down the hall, he passed a line of children walking out—laughing, chattering, and clearly finding their second wind. He smiled to himself and stepped into the shower room, where a worker was cleaning up after them. The kids had gone just as long without a shower as Jimmy had; a massive pile of sand, corralled toward the drain by the man's long-handled squeegee, was proof enough. Jimmy helped the man shovel the grit into a trash receptacle, bidding him farewell as the janitor wheeled the barrel away. Left alone, Jimmy turned on the tap. He beamed as the water rushed out—miraculously, it was still hot. He quickly tore off the rest of his clothing.
"Hey," said Griff as he entered the room, " is the water still hot?"
"Yes," Jimmy let out a sigh as he stood in the stream of steaming water. "I may never leave."
Griff laughed at his companion and stripped off the rest of his clothes. It was funny how easily a luxury like bathing could be taken for granted. The hot shower felt entirely new after so much time spent living in a cave. Previously, they had survived on sponge baths using dented basins and torn rags. If the rags weren't reasonably clean, they didn't even bother; there was no point in washing filth with filth.
After everyone cleaned up and returned to their new residence, Avril had joined the men while Lynn continued to sleep. Briefly, she went over their itinerary of meetings for the next day, pinning the notice she shared with them on the board at the back wall and bid them goodnight.
"Oh, I get new backpacks for you. These need clean." Avril said, pointing at the pile of very dirty packs lying beside the door as she stood on the threshold.
"They'll just get grungy again," Jimmy chuckled.
"Thank you, we appreciate that." Griff said graciously. Avril smiled sweetly at Jimmy when she left the room.
The moment Griff turned toward his bunk, Jimmy was gone. He bolted through the door, desperate to catch the beautiful Israeli before she reached the end of the corridor. He couldn't let another moment pass—not another hour—without finally kissing her. Ever since their first meeting, the memory of her had fueled his daydreams; he wasn't about to let her slip away.
"Wait up," he said as he trotted up to her. "We should make a pact. This is war, you know. Every time we see each other we should kiss." Avril's face reddened as she smiled.
"Is this tradition?" she asked.
"It's our tradition." he answered and kissed her. She responded warmly. After a long sensual kiss, the two reluctantly parted, said good night and went their opposite directions.
The next morning before the five AM buzzer went off, Avril came into the room to wake the Holy Trio. To her delight they were already up and dressed.
"Good morning, beautiful," Jimmy said as he greeted her with a quick kiss. He liked that it made her cheeks rosy and brought out that shy smile he had come to adore.
"Come, meetings start soon." Avril said over her embarrassment.
"We're ready," Griff said, buckling his holster belt. He pulled his outer shirt over his body armor, secured his chest rig, and ran a final check on his weapons. Jimmy and Lynn finished gearing up just as Avril headed for the exit, each falling into step behind her.
"You don't look like same people," Avril giggled, referring to their ability to clean up from their cave dwelling. She led them down the corridors, back into the garage where they had first landed at the base.
"I feel like a new man," Jimmy piped up. He had needed a bath for months.
"I actually feel ten pounds lighter," said Lynn.
"Let's not get too cozy," Griff cautioned. "You never know when it will be your last chance to clean up for a while."
"Well, I for one will be enjoying a shower every chance I get." Jimmy said firmly and then whispered to Avril. "You can come do my back, and then I'll do yours."
"Not for discussion." she whispered back. "We are to concentrate on war."
"Okay, but when I'm taking a break," Jimmy said returning to his firm voice, "I am NOT going to be thinking about the war. I'll be thinking of you."
"For Christ's sake," said Lynn exasperated. "She likes you, stop hitting on her. You won." This brought on a definite look of embarrassment to Jimmy's face when Avril and Lynn laughed. The remainder of the walk went silently as they were led across the massive motor pool and through two huge double doors made of steel. Walking through the command center, they moved into a large meeting room, heavy wooden doors closed behind them.
"Sir, we are ready," Avril announced. General Sefira, head of the Israeli military and commander of the base, nodded without looking away from a monitor mounted on the wall. He then turned to the militia group and an assortment of soldiers in the room.
"Please be seated," Avril said, gesturing toward the U-shaped array of tables. Military personnel already occupied the far side of the room, leaving three open chairs nearest the exit. The Holy Trio claimed them immediately, keeping their backs to the door. Avril pulled an empty chair over beside Jimmy. Overhead, massive transparent monitors lined the walls, flickering with live surveillance feeds from across the realm of Jordan and Israel.
"This is hub for Jordan checkpoints," Avril informed them as they studied the monitors. "It is fortress and has many ways to outside. It is safest place of this land." Despite her broken English, Avril was proud of her grasp of the English vernacular.
"Why weren't we put here from the beginning?" Jimmy asked Avril. "Why did we have to go live in a cave for nearly six months?" He was somewhat put out with the information.
"We need to know you are trustworthy," Avril answered plainly. "That take time."
"I'm not sure I'm okay with that," Jimmy huffed. Avril gave him an odd look and then turned to Griff.
"It's fine," Griff commented, dismissing Jimmy's attitude. "We would have done the same to you."
"Well, we wouldn't have made you look like and feel like 'Gumby dolls', all covered in dirt."
"It's necessary bullshit everyone has to endure," an American general said, turning to Jimmy and cutting off his conversation as General Safira vacated the room. "Listen up. For those of you who don't know me, I am General Zachari Taylor." The three-star Air Force general was the base's second-in-command, tasked with briefing all new arrivals. He worked closely with the underground base commander. General Taylor was not the biggest fan of hiring militia companies to work with allied governments, but he did feel the Denver Militia Recovery Company served a necessary purpose for the Essenes.
Jimmy leaned back, slightly mimicking the general's rigid posture. "More necessary bullshit." The words earned him sharp, silencing looks from both Griff and Lynn. The general ignored the undercurrent of rebellion, instead briefing the room on day-to-day operations and introducing the command staff who would be keeping the base under tight control.
"Russia has expanded its borders to swallow Turkey. Istanbul is fighting like hell to keep the western sector from collapsing, but we can't reinforce them without drawing enemy eyes." General Taylor turned to face Griff. "If we move now, we give away the whole game." Resting his words momentarily, he wanted the trio to understand the importance of his next declaration.
"There are refugees we have to get out of there," the general continued. He cut himself off as an aide handed him an electronic notepad. He studied the glowing screen for a moment, his frown deepening. "And now we have Greece negotiating with Russia to keep their country intact. With the war at their doorstep, they are going to allow a bloodless occupation, hoping absolute surrender will preserve what's left of their lands. They've already signed the first trade agreement."
"How many people will be trapped in Istanbul?" Lynn asked.
"Hey, wait a minute," Jimmy said with caution. "We are only contracted to protect the Essenes, we aren't obligated to risk our lives without a contract."
"You will be well compensated," General Taylor interjected.
"That's not the point," Jimmy continued. He looked at Griff and Lynn for their support. Both gave a slight nod before he continued. "We came to this area knowing what we were expected to do and the contract was an agreement. What kind of contract can we do on the fly? We have our own welfare to consider before agreeing to other operations."
"There are no other contracts." The general cut him off. "You either help those people or you don't." Jimmy withdrew, leaning back into his chair with his arms locked tight against his chest, the silence from him absolute.
"Are we given a choice?" Griff asked. He leaned forward toward the general.
"Yes," General Taylor answered. "And should you choose to help, you will have all the necessary assistance and equipment at your disposal. The Jordan military is protecting the refugees for now, but they will only remain until your team removes them."
Griff shook his head slowly, turning to Lynn and Jimmy.
"I will go with you," Avril said as she patted Jimmy on the arm.
"You will NOT," Jimmy quickly interjected. "I don't want you there. If we don't make it back it will be up to you to get the Essenes to Israel." Lynn gave him a disapproving look. His tact was not positive and his outlook, bleak.
"Yes," Avril agreed reluctantly. He was right, condescending as he was. But she knew the truth: it was just an excuse to keep her safe. How touching. American men really could be remarkably stupid and illogical.
The general pulled up the desk console. "What is your decision on this matter?" As he adjusted the settings, a perfectly scaled 3D hologram of the region materialized in the air above the table. He locked the focus onto Istanbul, revealing marked areas where the four scattered pockets of civilians were still waiting for rescue. The trio and Avril stood and gathered around the general.
"There is no help if you are captured, you understand? War effort first and then rescue efforts," General Taylor said gravely. "You know the drill. Let's talk about what you would need should you take this operation."
"You seem to feel that we will take the mission," said Griff cautiously.
"I've seen your work," the general smiled, a rare occasion. "If anyone can do it, your team can. Now, what would you need?"
The three finally gave in. Each knew they would have rallied to the cause without hesitation at any other time—especially if a formal contract had been involved. The conversation quickly shifted to team requirements, from essential manpower to basic supplies and equipment. Once the details were finalized, the trio returned to their room, where Avril joined them. For the longest time, no one spoke. This was a fifty-fifty shot at success; they would either make it or they wouldn't. There were simply too many variables to truly calculate the risk.
"So... am I the only one who didn't see that snow-job coming?" Jimmy spoke up first, his voice cutting through the tension. "Look, at least we're heading into a quiet sector. We have four pockets of refugees to pull out, and the local military are leaving the moment we touch down. Griff, if it's alright, I'd like permission to spend my remaining time with Avril before wheels up."
Lynn offered a warm smile. "Enjoy the R&R—it's likely the only break you'll get while we're here."
"What are you two going to do?" Jimmy asked.
"Go over the plan until it becomes second nature," Griff answered as he rolled out a paper map given to them by the general.
"Maybe I should just stay with you," Jimmy said half-heartedly.
"No, you go," Lynn said, offering a half-smile. "Your mind is somewhere else anyway. Just touch base with us on Thursday. By then, we'll have the plan cinched up and can give you a better breakdown before we take off on Friday."