Chapter 256 What to do with Them?
October 27th, 2023.
Richard's alarm blared next to his bed, but he remained asleep, undisturbed by the sound. He was lying peacefully, seemingly in a deep slumber, oblivious to the noise.
Suddenly, Sara, who had been watching him for a moment, decided it was time to intervene. She approached Richard's bed and started shaking him gently. "Richard, get up! Something came up in the command center and we have to be there quick."
"Mhmhmhmmm…" Richard grumbled in protest, his words muffled and unclear. He was clearly struggling to wake up fully.
Sara, showing a hint of impatience, insisted, "Richard, this is urgent. We can't afford to be late." Her tone was firm, indicating the seriousness of the situation.
Finally, the urgency in Sara's voice seemed to penetrate Richard's sleep-addled brain. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog of sleep. "Okay, okay, I'm up," he said, sitting up more straightly now. He ran a hand through his hair and swung his legs off the bed, forcing himself to adjust to being awake.
Sara waited as Richard got up from the bed, looking slightly disheveled but more alert now. "What's happening at the command center?" he asked, trying to grasp the situation as he began to gather his clothes.
Sara quickly briefed him as he dressed. "I don't have all the details, but it sounded serious. They need us there as soon as possible."
Richard nodded. "Let's hope that it's not Lin Feng minions entering the country again or a monstrous creature wreaking havoc."
"Well those creatures can be dealt with by the Blackwatch without us notifying...this is just a different case," Sara said.
***
Ten minutes later, in the command center. The staffers performed a salute as their commander-in-chief entered.
"At ease," Richard waved his hand dismissively.
Richard quickly moved to the main console, where Mark was waiting for an update.
"So what's the matter?" Richard asked.
"Well, it's the council. They said they picked up a message from Manila, broadcasting about the establishment of a new government in the Malacanang Palace, headed by the NPA."
After hearing that, Richard's eyes widened. "The NPA? The communist of the Philippines?"
"I have no information about them sir, but given your reaction, it seems that you know something about them," Mark said.
"What's NPA?" Sara asked.
"NPA stands for New People's Army. It's a group in the Philippines known for their guerrilla warfare tactics. They've been active for decades, fighting against the government," Richard explained briefly and continued. "They have been branded as terrorists by the government of the Philippines, the United States, and several other countries," Richard added, clarifying the NPA's international status. "Their activities have included armed attacks, extortion, and other violent acts as part of their insurgency against the Philippine government."
"Well with no legitimate government to stop them, establishing a new one under their rule should be easy," Mark observed.
"Yeah…but having an NPA as a legitimate government disgusts me. When was the broadcast initiated anyway?"
"According to Maria Santos, it was before midnight," Mark said, glancing over his notes, ensuring that it was the correct information.
"And how come that Maria Santos detected those radio waves and not us?" Richard asked, a note of concern in his voice. The command center is equipped with sophisticated technology designed to pick up such transmissions.
"Well…sir, we are focusing most of our communication equipment coordinating with the rescue that is still happening at Aparri. We may have overlooked other transmissions in the process," Mark explained.
"I see ... not that it matters now, what matters is the NPA. I can't let a communist regime rise up as a new government of the Philippines, especially during the zombie apocalypse. Who do they think they are? Just because the government collapsed doesn't mean they have the right to take over," Richard said, frustration evident in his voice. "Mark, I'm sure you have sent one of our Reaper drones over Manila to monitor the situation."
"We have one drone orbiting the Malacanang Palace as we speak," Mark said.
"I'll go take over the controls," Sara said as she walked towards her station. She logged into the system, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she established a connection with the Reaper drone.
Richard watched intently as the large screen in the command center displayed the live feed from the drone's camera. The image showed the sprawling complex of the Malacanang Palace surrounded by makeshift barriers, armed guards, armored personnel carriers, and last but not least, a flag of the NPA fluttering
in the wind. The red flag with a hammer and sickle symbolized the NPA's communist ideology, and it sent shivers down Richard's spine.
"What's the current situation there, Sara?" Richard asked, his eyes fixed on the live feed.
Sara focused on her console, analyzing the data streaming in from the drone. "It's a heavily fortified compound, Richard. They've barricaded themselves in and seem to have a substantial armed presence. I can't see any signs of a firefight or violence at the moment, but it's clear they're in control."
Mark chimed in. "Sir, I have been thinking. Maybe it should be us stepping in as the government of the Philippines, not some rebel groups like the NPA you mentioned. Think about it, what we are doing right now is essentially like how a government functions. We're maintaining order, providing security, and ensuring the survival of the people. With the collapse of the previous government, there's a power vacuum, and someone needs to step up to prevent things like this from happening."
"You want me to become the president of the Philippines. Mark, I'm only twenty-two years old. There is no way I can fill such a role," Richard replied a hint of disbelief in his voice.
Mark nodded. "I understand your concerns, sir, but age is just a number in times like these. You've shown exceptional leadership in managing the Blackwatch and handling the crisis so far. The people need a leader, and you have the qualities required to guide them through this chaos. Besides, we have the resources and capabilities to make it work."
"Before we talk about politics, I think it's best we talk about what we want to do with these rebels," Sara said, snapping their attention back to her.
Richard and Mark returned their gaze to the monitor.
Richard cleared his throat and said, "Let's give them a warning, fire a hellfire missile in front of the Malacanang Palace. Make it look like we are sending a message."
"Copy that sir,' Sara acknowledged his order and quickly lined up the reaper drone for a missile strike.
"Make them know that there is still a lion in the jungle."
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