Chaotic Neutral

Three days without a single bite of food. The sudden and intense sensation inside her belly made Leila burst into tears! She put her weeping face in her hands. She hates this. She hates all of this.

Tired of crying in bed, Leila sat up on her futon. “The new reality.” That was the last thing the local news anchor said before the blackout.

Leila only had five percent of power left on her wrist device when everything went dark. Leila immediately called her mother.

“Leila!” her mother answered.

“Mom!” Leila yelled, "Mom! Can you hear me? Are you ok? Mom?”

The call drained the device completely when her mom answered, shutting it down. That was ten days ago. As scary as that day was, it wasn’t the worst. Every night after that would be. Leila had a stocked fridge and kitchen cabinet. A case of water and powdered Gatorade had mysteriously arrived at her front door a few hours prior to the blackout. Leila ate relatively well for the next three days. She was confident that her mom and dad would rescue her sooner than that. Leila’s hope never materialized.

Too scared to venture out of her apartment on her own, Leila tried eating and sleeping her days away. Leila would soak in a cold bath for hours during the unbearably hot days. Five days after the blackout, the water stopped. Sirens and gunfire were the only sounds that filled the nights. Leila began sleeping in her bathroom. She’d barricade the door with her laundry hamper. She’d use her laundry to muffle the sounds by stuffing them underneath the door.

Those were the good old days, Leila thought to herself. She would bring a bedtime snack with her every night. Food was Leila's only friend and companion until the day it was all gone. Leila’s hope was also gone. She could no longer ignore her grim situation. No one was coming to help her. Not her parents nor her siblings. Maybe something happened to them.

Leila now feels weak, hungry, and depressed. She only had six water bottles left. She drank up the last of her Gatorade with her final meal. Leila knew she was running out of time and would have to leave her apartment to try to find help. If her family hasn’t come to her by now then they must be in trouble. She didn’t know what to do. Leila didn’t even know what time it was.

Charlie would know, she thought. She periodically thought about him and what he might be going through up in New York. How was his, “new reality?” Did they lose any power or water? Leila had no idea except that Charlie probably didn’t know what was happening to her. He would’ve already have rescued her otherwise.

Three quick and loud knocks on her front door startled Leila to her feet. Leila hadn’t heard much of anything for the past two days. Even the sirens and gunshots went silent. Who was knocking at Leila’s front door?

Three more knocks happened and then silence. Leila was scared. There is definitely someone at her door but she doesn’t know who. The door lock suddenly starts jingling.

“Oh shit!,” Leila said, immediately slapping her mouth with both hands.

There was no time to hide in the bathroom. Leila could hear her lock slowly twisting out of its socket. Desperate, Leila folded her futon up and hid behind it right when the door opened. It was very dark inside. Leila hoped whoever just came into her apartment would not find her.

A circular red light broke through the darkness. Leila’s heart started pounding. Her sweating intensified. Leila could smell her own body odor. The red circle scanned throughout the entirety of the small apartment. It finally stopped at a point on the wall right above Leila’s head. She looked up at the red circle. She could see the scuff marks she’d left on the wall. The red circle suddenly disappeared. Darkness resumed. Leila knew she’d been found. She clenched her fists. Charlie tried teaching her self-defense. Leila rarely paid attention to his teachings. She’s just going to have to swing and pray. Leila raised her fist, bracing for the inevitable.

A gloved palm firmly wrapped around Leila’s mouth. Fear and shock silenced her. Leila just moaned in despair.

“It’s ok, it’s ok,” a feminine voice says, “I’m here to help you, not hurt you."

The red circle lit up the small space between them. Leila’s eyes adjusted to the light, seeing a youthful, camouflaged face with intense green eyes. A single strand of blonde hair hung out of the woman’s black skull cap. Leila stopped struggling. The pretty blonde trespasser reminded Leila of her older sister Nancy.

“We have to be quiet,” the woman said, “ We are not out of danger yet.”

The woman removed her hand from Leila’s mouth. She then unhooked the small black pouch mounted on the shoulder strap of her tactical vest.

“I need you to trust me,“ the young woman said, “my name is Anna.”

Leila stared at Anna in silence. She was petrified but believed Anna. Leila could feel herself nodding in compliance. Anna shined her red light at the pouch.

“Here,” Anna said, “I was instructed to give you this. Proof that you'll be safe with us.”

Leila took the small canvas pouch. She reached inside. Leila felt a firm piece of medal. She then felt a thin, chain-linked necklace attached to it. She pulled the object out of the pouch.

Anna felt a sense of relief when Leila accepted the pouch. A flood of emotions suddenly coursed through Anna as she watched the younger lady. The sound of an incoming transmission in her earbud triggered her focus.

“Julius,” a male voice said, “Martius. Sitrep!”

Leila draped the necklace over her fingers, closely examining it in the red light. Awkward silence ensued as Leila rubbed the smooth, curvy medal. It was shaped like a pudgy heart.

“It's a beautiful night for a sunrise, Martius,” Anna said.

Leila noticed an inscription on the heart right when Anna broke the silence. Leila looked at Anna when she heard her bizarre statement.

“What?” Leila asked.

“That's a solid copy, Julius,” Martius replied, “great freaking work!”

Anna motioned to Leila to stay quiet.

“Secure the package,” Martius ordered, “and let’s evac asap! 2 egrets are swooping in!”

Leila returned her attention to the inscription. She recognized the words instantly; Semper Fi!

“Charlie?” Leila said.

“Leila!” Anna said, “We need to go now! Do you trust me?”

“Yes!” Leila said.

“Good,” Anna said, “secure your locket and let’s go!”

Leila silently nodded. Anna took her by the hand. The pair quietly crept towards the front door.

“Martius,” Anna said, “this is Julius. We’re egressing.”

“Negative, Julius,” Martius said, “front egress has been compromised. Egrets are heading straight to the front.”

“Fuck!” Anna said, “there’s only one way in, one way out!”

“The head has a small window that leads out the rear,” Martius said, “you should be able to fit with the package. Make haste, they’re speeding up!”

Anna pulled Leila with her, darting towards the closet-sized bathroom. Bright white lights shot through the bathroom window as soon as the pair made it inside.

“Get down!” Anna said, pushing Leila down to the tiled floor.

“What is going on?” Leila said.

Anna could sense that Leila was very frightened and confused. More than she had anticipated from the young survivor.

“Oh my god,” Anna said, “you have no idea, do you?”

“Nooo!” Leila whimpered.

“Ok,” Anna said, “you need to brace yourself.”

“Julius,” Martius said, “Whiskey tango foxtrot, over!”

“Amazon is scanning for the package!” Anna said.

“Shit!” Martius said, “Sneaky little bastards! Hang tight! Wait for my command!”

“Roger that!” Anna said.

Anna turned her attention back to the frightened Leila. The bright scanning lights beaming in partially illuminated Leila’s face. Tears flowed slowly from her welled up eyes. Anna was again flooded with emotions. She wanted to embrace and comfort Leila but her training stopped her short. Anna was only able to firmly place her hands on Leila’s shoulders. The roar of heavy vehicles could be heard approaching the front of the apartment.

“Three hours before the blackout,” Anna said, “the Florida State Capitol was invaded and taken over by a white supremacist militia who call themselves the, ‘Sons of Finis.” Their members are all combat experienced veterans with a lot of money. They overwhelmed law enforcement and are now shutting down power grids. That’s who is outside right now trying to get to you!”

“What?” Leila said, “That can’t be right! Why me?”

“Julius, this Martius, over,” Martius said.

“Hold that thought,” Anna said, “Go for Julius!”

“Open your umbrella,” Martius said, “Poppa is about to make it rain!”

“Roger that, crazy!” Anna said, “Send in the monsoon!”

“What now?” Leila said.

“Duck and cover,” Anna said.

Anna shoved Leila’s head down to the floor, pulling her by the arm until they were both in a prone position. Anna stretched out her left arm, reaching for the pink shower curtain. She grabbed hold of the curtain and yanked it out, covering herself and Leila. A sudden explosion of glass covered them. The scanning lights went dark. The piercing sound of metal penetrating metal bounced off of the bathroom walls.

“Oh my gosh!” Leila screamed, “this can’t be happening!”

“Julius, go now!” Martius said, “That bathroom just became your hot LZ!”

Anna turned to Leila and gripped her hand.

“I know, baby girl,” Anna said, “I won’t let anything happen to you but we gotta go now!”

Anna pushed herself up and jumped to her feet, still underneath the show curtain. She lifted Leila to her feet. Anna squeezed Leila’s hand and kissed her softly on the top of her head.

“Leila,” Anna said, “there’s a passenger drone waiting for us outside of what used to be your bathroom window. As soon we leave here, you run like hell and get into that drone! You don’t look back, just get in the drone! Do you understand me?”

Leila nodded in agreement. Anna threw off the curtain. She and Leila sprinted through the gaping hole that was once a wall. Leila could only see six red dots in the distance.

Leila was soon huffing and in pain. She couldn't keep up. Anna lifted Leila up and over her shoulder. A young, tall, muscular man exited the drone. It was Martius. He was carrying a device. It looked like a miniature flame thrower.

“Get her inside,” Martius said, “and hop in the pilot seat. I’ll handle these Nazi hillbillies!”

Martius shot out a long stream of fire towards the direction of the approaching vehicles, causing one to flip over. Anna dropped Leila into the drone’s passenger seat and strapped her in. She could see and feel the intense heat of the shooting flames as she maneuvered into the pilot’s seat.

There was now a semi circular wall of flames between the militia member and the rescue pair.

“Enough playtime, Martius,” Anna said, “time to go!”

Martius returned to the drone, jumping into the co-pilot seat. The drone climbed high in the sky as the militia breached the firewall.

“Who are you guys?” Leila said.

“Open your locket, young lady,” Martius said.

Martius pressed a switch. Soft red lights illuminated the drone’s interior. Leila had almost forgotten about the locket. She had it in her clenched fist. She opened her hand and felt for the lock. Leila felt a small button and pressed it. The pudgy heart opened up revealing a faded picture of a black haired young man kneeling on one knee. A little girl toddler was perched on his knee. Leila recognized the people in the picture. She was the little girl. The man was Charlie, her biological father.