Beyond the ice and the fire

Todd_McCloud · February 14, 2017, 12:24am

“Evesuni!”

“Kivo Evesuni, my wife loves you!”

“Long live Listonia!”

The words blurred together the more he spoke, especially now, as he was speaking several times a week in halls, bars, lunch counters, parks, and, sometimes, amphitheaters. He tried to show up at any place that wanted him, and his cohorts were paid rather well for his venues. Only now it was more than a troupe. Now, his posse included printers, writers (some of which knew he couldn’t read and therefore would write down his dictations), artists, and muscle. He was rumored to have even convinced crime members to listen and accept his message.

“Everyone! Listonia’s Native Son, Stapen Evesuni!”

The bar, Southside Ye’leli Speakeasy, roared in anticipation. It wasn’t a small bar by any means, and on any regular night it could seat perhaps 150 people at max. Tonight it had well surpassed that number.

Truly, Evesuni had underestimated his popularity after the attack. The papers now mentioned him - even Dverian publications, albeit usually in backwater sections. As for publications catered to Unonian-speakers, he was headline news. He routinely quoted the Vekaiyun dictator Max Venavle, hence his new nickname - a throwback to the ‘native son’ Venavle so fondly wrote of. Whether or not he envisioned Stapen as the anthropomorphic embodiment of such a character remained to be seen, but to the people of Ye’leli, he was almost magic. After all, he had survived three assassination attempts in one night, all while protecting a civilian from the fray. The papers romanticized him so much that his physical appearance was almost disappointing when someone saw him in person for the first time.

But all of that changed when he spoke. People hung onto his words. The bartenders stopped bartending. The waiters and waitresses sat next to patrons. Kitchen staff would creep out from behind their cramped workspaces and stand quietly in silent agreement. He even spoke to a steel mill once, and had to cut the speech short as worker productivity underwent a sharp drop. His words were memorizing. His voice was soft when it needed to be, and had a certain charm to it - one of those rare voices that seemed to erupt like a blast furnace if enough coal made it angry. There was passion behind his words, too. He gave examples and life stories like a preacher in a pulpit, building a case for his sermon which culminated with a message of hope and vigilance.

No one in Ye’leli had ever seen someone like him in their lifetime.

When he was finished, he was dismissed by the troupe, who at this point had put their acting on hold since most agreed that his words were a bit more important right now. So they worked with him. After all, they’d have all the time in the world when he freed Listonia. Freed Listonia? Did anyone actually believe he could do such a thing? No one knew, but he had amassed a large contingency of everyday vulpine people - from bakers to bartenders, doormen to drunks, travel agents to telemarketers, and slum lords to soldiers. Why not? He survived assassination attempts. He was larger than life.

“Thank you,” Stapen said as the bar rocked from the cheers and the pounding of fists, slowly organized into chants for a free Listonia.

But it wasn’t exactly what Evesuni had envisioned. He gave speeches urging people to fight, to unite, and to win back their nation. Yet nothing seemed to come of it. People loved his speeches, but did they really change? They heard his words, but did they really listen to him? Even so, logistically it would’ve been a nightmare. A working populace against a police force, perhaps a military? Well, as far as Evesuni was concerned, there was a plan for that. All he needed to do was keep growing and attract the attention of Max Venavle. He’d help him and take care of the rest.

Suddenly there was a commotion behind the native son.

A group of Dverian police officers had broke down the back door, completely catching the group off guard as the bar was raucous. “Alright! This party is over! Disperse immediately!”

Yamano hid behind Evesuni as one of Stapen’s newest comrades and attorney, Yuko Uyastromistre, approached the cops without fear. “We were not presented with any documentation on this interruption. We are allowed to peacefully convene and discuss important matters so long as the gathering is peaceful! It’s written right in proclamation F-”

“This isn’t peaceful,” an officer retorted, hiding behind a set of shades, black military-style helmet, and plastic shield. Other officers began filing in, some with gas masks.

“We have done everything in accordance to the law,” Yuko said as he stood within inches of the lead officer. “Perhaps you are interested in what he has to say? We are willing to accommodate.” He turned to the group behind him, who nodded.

“You don’t have to follow something that is wrong!” some nameless protestor cried.

The officer turned to his group. “Pretty sure I’m seeing a brawl right now. How about the rest of you?”

“Yep.”

“Looks like a pretty big brawl to me, sir.”

“Pretty dangerous if you ask me.”

“What?” Yuko asked. He noticed tear gas guns enter the building. “Oh gosh. Everyone! Everyone get out!”

Canisters fired as the crowd panicked, screams and cries littered the air as those closest to the exits were quickly crushed by the above-capacity room, who burst the windows and leeched out of the exits.

“Come on! Keep going!”

Arrests were made as people crawled over suffocated patrons and crushed customers. Those who could pulled people from the melee, but the fog was thick and extremely irritating.

“Get him outta here!” Yuko screamed as he was lead away in handcuffs. He watched as some cops moved in to club those who straggled behind. “Get him out!”

Evesuni, who had taken a canister to the chest, winced and struggled to breathe. Someone put a wet cloth to his mouth as several vulpines carried him out one of the side windows, dragging him down alleyways as sirens littered the air.

“What’s going on?” Stapen asked. “Where am I?”

“You were struck,” Yamano announced. He was among those who moved him to safety. “Whatever you do, do not cast your eyes backward.”

Evesuni groggily looked back and watched as vulpine men and women crawled from the building. Those who crawled from the building were as good as arrested, as cops by the dozens moved in from their cars to take the living away. They were the lucky ones. Dead bodies hung out the windows, either crushed or suffocated or both, while medical dragged individuals from the fray. Were they dead? Were they unconscious? It was hard to tell.

“Is this what you desired?” Yamano asked. “You spoke of a pot boiling over. Is a tavern a big enough pot for you?”

Evesuni winced, not wanted to respond to those words.

“We’re meeting a few blocks up the street! Come on!”

Those carrying Evesuni moved faster.

“Pot, young Evesuni. Is it large enough?”

“Yamano, please!” Stapen responded.

“I suppose for a cause such as this, it is perfectly reasonable to assume some will perish. But I do not believe that to be the goal. I suppose it may be premature to ascertain. We shall discuss later, if you wish.” He leaned in. “But I do hope you plan on being the same person in your speeches. As you told me, you… aren’t an actor.”

Todd_McCloud · February 14, 2017, 2:30am

“What’s it say?”

One of his writers, Pitur Nomenstrovi, picked up the paper Stapen had set down. “Well how about that, you’ve made the front page of the Dverian paper in Ye’leli - The Ye’lelian Overwatch”

“Never mind that.” He put on his suit jacket. “What does it say?”

“Fight breaks after Evesuni falsifies reports on Dverian Magistrates. 58 arrested, 29 perish.” He looked over at Evesuni, who was feeling over the welt left on his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?”

Pitur sighed. “This isn’t the publicity we needed.”

He shrugged. “I’d rather have negative feelings from the Dverian paper than the Unonian one.”

“Oh, you made the top story in that one, too. The article was more truthful - officers started the fight, gassed the building, then made arrests. Their actions were heinous and unjustified.” After setting the Unonian-speaking paper down, he looked up at Stapen. “Do you want me to scribe again?”

Evesuni shook his head. “No, no thanks. I need to clear my head.” He opened the door of the building they were staying in - another bar, which let them stay the night undercover.

“You can’t go anywhere without a bodyguard!”

He looked over his shoulder as Yuko ran up to him. Somehow during the day he had been released from jail - how long did he sleep anyway? Perhaps he was released earlier in the day after coaxing the officers with his knowledge of law.

“We can’t lose you,” he said, pushing his glasses back up. “We can’t have you get shot.”

Evesuni flashed the attorney a confused look. “Really? Me?” He beat his chest with his right hand. “Can’t knock me down.”

“You’ve let the papers get to your head!”

“I can handle it.”

“You were shot point blank by a tear gas canister.” He watched as Evesuni lit a cigarette. “Seriously? You’re not going to give you lungs a rest for a change?”

“I feel fine.”

“You’ve been out since we got here!”

“I’m going to get some breakfast, I guess.”

“It’s 6 pm!”

Stapen furrowed his brow. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” He pointed to the watch peeking from his white with blue pinstripes dress shirt. “How’s about you get some rest?”

“I’ve rested enough.” He noticed Yamano appear from one of the backrooms. “Yeah?”

“Gentlemen, and ladies,” he said as he turned to one of the women who had unfurled a map. “I wish to inform you of a situation most unfortunate. There’s been an explosion on the corner of 55th and Kurotrovinyey Street, just down the ways. I’ve received word from someone on the street about the matter.”

“Great,” Yuko said with a sigh. “Just what we need. You just know the Dverians are going to blame this on us.”

“Yeah, well… wait, where did you say?”

“55th and Kurotrovinyey Street. The Koblistroviyey Exchange Building. Don’t know too much about that place.”

Evesuni was quick to extinguish his cigarette. “I have to go.”

“Why?”

“Nevermind!” he moved to the door, his shoes quickly creaking down the floorboards. The doorhandle was tripped with a snap and he flung the door open, his footsteps softening as he moved down the road.

“Oh no he doesn’t!” Yuko followed in pursuit. “I laid my ass on the line for you last night, you’re not going anywhere without me!”

=====*=

Though the building was a wreck, Evesuni still knew his way around the confines, even with the haze of dust suspended in the cold air as he quickly ascended the flights of stairs. He knew exactly where he was going. He didn’t even need to check the floor numbers on the wall, spraypainted with a stencil. He knew the way. He knew he was looking for the 14th floor. Once he made it to the landing, he shoved the door as the lock unclicked, but he had to use more force than usual to push errant ceiling tiles from the path of the door. He stepped slowly through the wreckage, careful to step over a dead man and duck out of the way as people moved through the hallway, too busy and too concerned to really care that Evesuni was back among them. He slipped under a fallen 2x4 and walked through a crumbled hole in the wall in order to avoid a cave in, through his old room, which was relatively untouched since he last stayed there. He pushed open the door to get back to the hall and walk down to where the bar room was.

“Kid…”

Stapen stopped when he entered the room, focusing on a bloody hand partially covered by some rubble mixed with broken glassware, shattered bottles of alcohol, and still-lit stogies. He moved some of the debris out of the way to reveal Ivere pinned across the stomach by the heavy granite bar top.

“Kid, how are ya doin?” He waited for a response, but none came. “You know what I… mean?”

“Here, lemme get you out!” Stapen tried to push the bartop off him, moving a downed waitress in the process.

“Kid, stop. It’s too late for me.”

“No it isn’t!”

“Settle down.” He was fighting for breath. “Look. I’m sorry… sorry about leaving you… leaving you up there like that. That’s my anger…”

“I didn’t want that! I didn’t want to have that happen! You gotta believe me!”

He nodded. “Circle of trust. You… trust me, I trust you and… around and around we go.”

“Come on!” He pulled at his arm. “I’m not leaving this time!”

“You came back… kid. That’s what matters. I’m proud of you… you know? You understand… what I’m trying to say?”

“God dammit,” Stapen said as he wiped his face with his sleeve. “Fight, fight like you told me to!”

“None of that… settle down.”

“What can I do? Tell me!” He looked around. “Hey anyone! Anyone help! Come on! Over here!”

Iveri shook his head. “It’s curtains for me…”

Stapen bit his lip. He watched as the old crime boss heaved in a sigh as he reached up and touched his cheek.

“Son…”

Rather than let his hand fall, Stapen pressed it against his face, watching him as his gaze became blurry with tears, not taking his eyes off him even after he released an exhausted, final sigh.

“Dad.”

He gently set his arm down on the rubble, the deadpan expression of Iveri staring back at him, frozen. Evesuni backed into the wall near a crooked wood panel dislodged from the blast, presumably, and brought his knees to his chest, holding them fast with his hands and burying his face in his pant legs. He sobbed pathetically, sobbing like a little child as the unstable rubble moved around him. Floorboards moaning. Ceiling tiles crumbling. The various creaks and sighs across the floors above and below him as the building groggily tried to remain standing.

“Deadshot.”

Evesuni looked up. He noticed Viktor Koblistroviyey, the head of the outfit, standing next to him and leaning on the molding subtly announcing the entrance to the room. He held a gun in his hand and let it swing casually to his side.

“They came in and killed us. All of the heads of my outfit. They gunned us down on the outside and followed us in before they set the bomb. The other crime organizations did this. They ganged up and betrayed me. And now I have to face this, my empire.” He smirked as he walked over some rubble and slumped into the leather chair he had sat in the first time he met Evesuni. “My empire of dirt. They’re going to come for me, and they’re not going to stop until they find me. But I’m going out on my own terms.” He flicked the chambers of his .38 special, letting the box turn freely in its holder. “Sweet release. You ever think of that when you give those damn stupid speeches of yours?”

Evesuni sniveled, broken from the loss of his mentor.

“I know what you’d say. You’d say you’re willing to die for it, right? You’re a better man than I was your age. You… really do believe in what you say, don’t you?” He motioned down the hallway as a few individuals, including Yuko, moved into the room. “Well then. I blame you for all this. But it’s either we crumble or we join you. So, take it. It’s all yours, you hear? And if you fail, then I’ll see you in hell, deadshot, and I’ll be there.” He gritted his teeth. “Every damn day for this! Enjoy your burden, boy! If you’re going to believe in that pipe dream of freeing Listonia, then you’ll do it on the backs of the criminal underground.” He smiled. “It’s the perfect scenario. If you fail, the underground wins. If you win, you won’t be able to do it without my work. Either way the lines will remain the same.” He pointed the gun to his head. “You can never leave a life of crime.”

“Vik, no, you’re drunk!”

“Stop!”

He spattered his brains across the dusted paneling to his right, his hand dropping like a rock as the gun tumbled from his grasp.

“Stapen,” Yuko said with monotone disquiet. “I had no idea…”

One of Viktor’s men rubbed his neck. “It’s the same way Vik got in power in the first place. What is it with that position and suicides?” He looked over at Evesuni. “We’re moving underground. All the cash, all the notes, and all the important stuff.”

“Where?” Yuko asked.

He shrugged. “Wherever we can fit it.”

He looked over at Evesuni, then the slain patriarch, then back to the henchman. “How much you got? Enough to buy a building?”

“Probably.”

“Well then, lemme work a deal out with you.” He stepped over some rubble. “The name’s Yuko Uyastromistre, and I run my practice about four blocks down south. And you are?”

“Reko. Reko Noblikasle.”

“Well, Reko, move all of it down on 4478 Ikloblari Street. And be inconspicuous about it. We’ll talk business later. For now, keep moving stuff out.”

Reko looked over at Stapen, not affirming until he gave a nod.

Todd_McCloud · February 14, 2017, 3:22am

Several weeks later

Predictably, the attack was blamed on vulpine Ye’lelians acting out and sabotaging one of their own business. Of course, the Unonian-speaking papers told a different story, but by now none of that mattered to Evesuni and his crew. The most important thing was trying to sort out what the night of roughly 20 days ago meant to them. His closest circles were informed of the events, and updated about his past life of crime, violence, prison sentences, and the likes. They familiarized themselves with their newfound cashflow and muscle, and Iskolesi, what was left of Iskolesi, tried to do the same with the more upstanding and clean freedom speakers. Of course, only Stapen’s closest circle and the few leaders left of Iskolesi knew of Stapen running both shows. They had successfully, but awkwardly, hid his two duties from both sides with a web of lies, deceit, and half-truths.

Yuko diverted cash to purchase the building his practice resided in, and devoted several of the top floors to this new crime organization he knew little about, and didn’t care to know more about. The less he knew about them, the better, he figured. Still, they set up shop in their new location, and slowly moved to their new location, staying incognito between the Dverian authorities, other crime organizations, and nosy public.

Despite all of this, Stapen had delivered a few speeches, seemingly putting the distractions behind him, but those who knew him closely understood there was much on his mind. While they questioned just how much they knew about him, they knew he was now attached to a thought, and it was important above anything else to keep that dream alive and kindled.

“Hey, guy.”

Evesuni looked up after stretching while sitting on his cot. He had taken residence in a small room on the twelfth floor, a lamp, table and some chairs, the cot, and various papers and unread books stacked in one corner. The one window was covered in newspapers. “Yeah?”

One of their political men, Frankyo Yverile, smiled. Frankyo was a respected member of the community who had served on the city legislature, then later moved to magistrate-level. Most were surprised he approached their gang and asked to join, and after a thorough look-over and various tests, he was admitted in. He wore a pressed suit that fit him better than the tailored suit Evesuni once war all those years ago. “We got you something you need now.” Frankyo snapped his fingers as another individual delivered a box. “Open it, will you?”

It was just a cardboard box. Evesuni opened it and pulled out an older Vekaiyun model gas mask, immediately identifiable by the large, tinted, and bulbous eyes and molded hard black rubber gaunt expression, if there was one to behold. Age shouldn’t be confused with usefulness, however, as the mask contained a speech diaphragm to help him talk, though the device would somewhat hide the tone of a wearer. “What’s this?”

Frankyo moved over and sat next to him on his cot, careful not to destabilize it. “Take my advice, kid. You head a movement and a crime organization. If either side found out, we’d all be ruined.”

Leon Soleki walked carefully in the room, careful not to open the door too much. “Hey,” he said. Leon was one of the few who survived the onslaught, and he more than anyone else understood the workings of a crime organization like Iskolesi. It was thicker than blood. If Evesuni quit or gave it up, the group would be forced to turn on him and kill him, Leon and Reko and the several other ‘enlightened’ members included. He knew too much. The remnants of the group were attached to him like a demon. Not even an exorcism could break him from crime now.

“You wear two faces, Stapen,” Frankyo continued. “You need to protect the one you use for the movement. You need to be squeaky-clean, because the last thing you need is the Unonian-speaking papers to turn on you. This’ll hide your identity for the crime part. Leon and Reko will do what they can to keep that side at bay, but for now, you’ll use that if you need face-time with Iskolesi, the group proper.”

“They’re getting antsy,” Leon guffed. “They need a leader to keep the group intact. And I can’t do it. Reko can’t do it.”

“Not even I can do it,” Yuko added. “And they don’t really even know me.”

Stapen studied the face, somewhat relieved over the prospect of being able to hide again. “Dang. It even has a place to smoke a cigarette.”

Frankyo shook his head. “Dear God…”

“Where did they dig you up again?” Yuko asked.

“That’s a drinking straw!” Leon corrected.

Stapen smiled. “Well not for me it is.” He pulled out a cigarette and put it in the insert. “See? Fits perfect!”

“Ehh… well…”

Yamano shook his head. “Give the rats a Bible and they shall chew on the pages without haste!”

“Relax,” Leon said. “The important thing is no one can know you wear two hats. Or two faces. At least not right now.” He put a hand on Stapen’s. “Now for the other part. You need to make a statement with our group.”

Evesuni rolled his eyes. “Oh damn. You have no idea.” He looked around. “We have the manpower now. And I’m calling in all my debts. You’ll see.”

“Just make sure you don’t cease your orations!” Yamano exclaimed.

"Yeah, you need to show you’re unfazed by all those attacks,"Frankyo reminded.

“But not before showing yourself a fiery leader!” added Leon.

“A fiery, bottom-line leader,” continued Reko.

“Just don’t get us all killed!” Yuko begged.

Evesuni smiled. “Don’t worry. Just keep me honest and informed. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Todd_McCloud · February 14, 2017, 4:51am

Sleep was tough to come by anymore, as Stapen had difficulty in balancing his two identities. Each one seemed to require more and more attention from him. His popularity remained rather high despite the pressure the Dverian publications and law enforcement put on him and his group. And Iskolesi was only just beginning to calm down. New leaders like Leon, Reko, and some other new faces were quick to pounce on re-organizing the group, assigning new projects, and keeping tabs on the traffic and those who owed them money. Both sides had strong supporting casts, and Stapen knew he couldn’t have done either without them. So he respected them, did the best he could with his temperament, and mostly kept to himself. His religion helped him calm down when he needed it, and he often meditated when he had the time.

Tonight was a bit different. Tonight was his revenge tour.

Stapen sat gripping the the sidecar of a motorcycle as Leon drove the bike. Although it was rocky at first, and at times claustrophobic, he didn’t mind the mask. The most important thing was that he could be understood and he could see where to shoot. That’s all that mattered to him. Plus it kept the cold off his face as they drove down the suburbs of Ye’leli.

“Stop number two!” Reko called out as he loaded his machine gun.

Evesuni, Leon, and several other brothers in crime climbed off their vehicles and stood in front of a bungalow just off the curb. The new crime lord lit a cigarette through the drinking straw to his mask and nodded.

“Ready?” Leon asked.

Evesuni nodded. “Born ready.”

The group lit up the house as they sprayed it with machine gun fire, the lights from the gunfire showing off Evesuni’s brown suit, vest, and bowtie with yellow undershirt. Busted glass rained down on the lawn in front of the house as projectiles pocketed the wood siding, slashing in the direction from which the gun was held.

Stapen laughed loudly as he corralled his weapon. The group had scoped out all known houses of Ye’lelian police officers and divided their numbers to make a statement: a new threat was in town, and it came in the form of organized crime. Evesuni had planned out his own route specifically. He remembered the nametags of the officers who had humiliated him years prior on the streets of downtown Ye’leli, forcing him to behave as an animal to his bemusement. His wide eyes shined through the tinted lenses, lit up after each discharge. A hint of madman flashed inside.

“Come out! Come out already!” Evesuni egged on as he fired his weapon. “You got five seconds to give us the cop!” After a time, he looked over to a man standing next to Reko as the crew ceased firing. A jerk of his head initiated phase two, and several bottles of molotov cocktails were lobbed into the living room and front porch.

“Alright! Next house!”

=====*=

“What sort of resistance was that?”

Evesuni and his close circle stood in front of an older vulpine male tied to a chair in the middle of a construction site late in the small hours of the night.

“Come on,” the tied individual spoke as his face leeched blood. “We’re a simple organization! Free Listonia! The Resistance!”

“Your organization is shit and is obsolete,” Evesuni judged through his mask. “Too divisive. We no longer need it.”

“Who are you guys? How did you find us and… take us out so quick?”

“You don’t know us, and you never will. If we like you, we will find you. And we don’t like you. Plus you smell like shit.” He nudged his chair further over the ledge, inching him to a pit full of uncured cement.

“Whoah! Hey! Come on, let’s talk this over a bit! Please!”

Evesuni laughed, moving his face next to the older man’s face so he could see his eyes through the lenses. “I thought you said you’d wish for another beating like this the next time you see me. Remember me now, Eulo Sobikastre?”

“You’re a monster!” he shouted.

“Nah,” Evesuni said as he shook his head. “The guy you said who smelled like shit. Venavaske.”

His face warped to that of exasperated confusion. “You?” He laughed. “You’re a crime boss now, kid? Well… well you’ve made yourself into quite a person there!”

“We’ll end your group. Heck, we’re nearly done. And we’re so close.” Stapen looked down at the pit, then back at him. “So close.”

“What… what do you want?”

“Hmm…” He put a hand to the bottom of his mask, then went to light another cigarette. “I’ll trade you. One inch, for one million drachmas.”

“A million? I don’t-” he yelped as Evesuni scooted him closer to the edge. “Okay! Okay! I have… untie me and I’ll give you access to all my accounts, I swear!”

“That sounds like a lot of work. I can probably find it in your paperwork. I sort of want bills… right now.”

“Oh,” Eulo said with a slight chuckle. “It’s in a boarded up sewage line. Here, I’ll show you where it is! Just let me go and I’ll be on my way.”

“We can find it, thanks. And for reference, you’re pathetic.” He rocked the chair over the edge and into the cement pit, the wooden chair and its contents meeting the wet cement with a slap. Evesuni watched as the man righted himself, but only slightly, as he was sinking down.

“Hey!” he called out as the group started to walk away. “Hey! Don’t leave me here like this! Hey!”

Stapen looked down at the guy. He raised his weapon and shot him between the eyes, putting Eulo out of his misery and bestowing upon him a shred of mercy.

Todd_McCloud · February 15, 2017, 12:52am

Speaking and shooting were never meant to be mixed. But for someone who could detach themselves from the emotions of both, it wasn’t enough to crush him. Even though his group was strained as they tried to grow and handle the popularity of Evesuni on the side, they maintained good spirits. After all, they were inching toward the point of no return. The sentiments in the city boiled and churned like the waves of some great sea as a storm fast approached. And a storm was coming.

If anything, it was out of their hands. Imitators and ‘Listonians’ began popping up and fueling the fires of revolution, taking the heat off Evesuni a bit, even though he always outdrew them all. He was the original. He was the native son, and people were talking. It was impossible not to see him in papers across the city on a daily basis. Evesuni Says Prepare for a Fight. Evesuni Endorses Riots With Latest Speech. The Shady Past of Stapen Evesuni. See Stapen Evesuni’s Mug Shots from Ten Years Ago. Stores across the vulpine sectors of Ye’leli (over half of the city) carried paraphernalia of the man. Restaurants and barber shops alike had signed pictures of him, elevated next to images of St. Aiya. There was even a rumor of someone selling the bullet that had embedded itself in his shoulder. How or why someone would claim such a thing was lost on Stapen.

Stapen scratched his face, but it did no good. He pulled the mask up and set it on top of his head. “I hate this thing sometimes.”

“I’m still not so sure about this,” Leon said. “We’ve never really been this ambitious before with the other groups. It… it could end us.”

“They scheduled the meeting, not me,” he reminded. He paused as Leon fixed his collar. “Thanks,” he added as he brushed off the shoulders of his friend in return.

The meeting between the other two crime groups was chosen in a neutral location according to Leon - right between two territories. Underground rumors had spread about the now-volatile Iskolesi. The group, once top-heavy with older veterans, was now run by newer people, with newer ideas, individuals who moved quickly and seemed to be a step ahead of those around them. The group had changed, and no one was quite sure how they were able to move so fast. Of course, Evesuni assumed they perceived that as a threat, and he was quick to ensure he would have the upper hand. Once they reached the second floor of the building - a condemned jewelry store - Stapen pulled out a 9-mm from a holster on his leg.

“Hey!” Leon exclaimed. “Set that on the counter.” He pulled the gun from his hand and placed it on the counter as it rattled on the glass. “And for the love of God, pull this down!” He tugged his mask back over his face. “You can’t afford to get sloppy now.”

Evesuni shrugged as he looked over at Reko, who gave him a nod. “Alright, alright. Fine.”

“And remember what we talked about.” Leon poked him in the head. “All of it and every scenario.”

The three moved deeper into the belly of the building, moving around the counters until they arrived at an unmarked room. Reko gave the secret knock, and the door was opened. In sat Enlil and Yensey of Lont and Sipani, respectively. They appeared to be interrupted from their conversation as they looked at each other and then at them. Various guards and muscle were with them too, presumably because they didn’t quite know what to expect of this new leader of Iskolesi.

“Well, welcome to the club,” Enlil said with a smile. His men moved to the back of the rather small room, sitting at some chairs near the corner.

Yensey pushed a chair out next to Stapen with a foot. “How’s about you sit down first, stranger.”

Enlil looked up at Stapen. “And come on. We don’t hide identities here.”

“He was injured in a bomb plot on our old building,” Reko said as he dragged a chair out for himself. “You know, before we had to move to the sewers.”

“He breathes better with it on,” Leon added. The two of them had worked on their story a bit over the past few months. It was the best they could come up with.

The two crime bosses looked at each other, then back at the three. “Whatever, ugly. Let’s talk business.”

Evesuni lit a cigarette and flicked the match near the direction of Enlil, causing Leon to widen his eyes. “Sure. Let’s talk.”

“So this new Iskolesi group… it’s still Iskolesi, right?” Yensey smirked.

“We haven’t decided on a name yet,” Stapen said with a shrug as Leon scooted his chair closer to the table. “We could call ourselves… I don’t know, like The Best Group or something.”

Leon winced as he gripped the bridge of his muzzle and shook his head, realizing this wasn’t the best time for jokes. “Dear God.”

Reko rolled his eyes. “Just call us Iskolesi for now. Name’s not important. So what else do you want to know?”

“Hey, that’s my line,” Stapen corrected. “Anyway, what else do you want to know?”

“Well,” Enlil said, unimpressed with the theatrics, “you all seem like a bunch of clowns, so this’ll be easier than I thought. Long story short, we’re taking over your outfit. We’ll partition your territory, divide up your cash, and end this little game.”

“Sounds like a Dverian and Sevropian thing to do, this partition business.”

“Listen, ugly…” He stopped as Evesuni held up a finger.

“Okay, first off all your offer is rejected. Second of all… which one of you is Enlil?”

“Right here, brainiac.”

He nodded. “Dial this number.” A piece of paper was slid in front of the leader of the Lont outfit, dragging it across the grain of the wooden table. Enlil snatched the piece of paper and look it over. “Do you recognize that number?”

He looked up at the masked man, then back at the paper. “Get me a phone.” One of his men was quick to grab a connected rotary phone sitting calmly on a stand. Enlil swung his finger around the rotary to dial the number and listen in. The voice on the other end couldn’t be heard much passed the receiver, yet as the individual on the other line spoke, Enlil’s eyes widened. Shouts suddenly made their way through the phone line - unintelligible, but certainly odd.

“You bastard! You leave that alone right now! How the fuck did you get this?”

“What’s going on?” Yensey asked, a look of concern growing on his face.

“He’s got guys in my house… they’re at the vault… they know the combination. Says they can reach my family if they need to.” He looked up at Stapen. “You better not traffic them, you motherfucker!”

“Traffic?” Leon asked. “I thought that was a Lont thing. And yeah you can’t say no to that because you know I know that. So there.”

“You’re holding up the line,” Evesuni complained. “You’re Yensey, right? I think I have a number for you as well.”

“No, no, no! Don’t you dare!”

“Gah. Sorry, I’m new at this. You want me to stop?” He looked at the two as Leon smirked.

Enlil ran a hand through his hair, glaring menacingly at the masked individual. “Look, I don’t know how you did this, or what your game is, but you’re way outta line, you hear?”

“Don’t entice him!” Yensey demanded as some of the men behind the two crime lords began to get antsy. “Look, whoever the hell you are, whatever the hell you are, what do you want?”

“You want this to end?” He watched as they both nodded, Enlil adding a sneer to the mix. “These are my terms. A territory freeze and an end to this petty in-fighting. You let me live, we let you live. You work with me. I consider working you you. We come together and fight for this city. It’s that simple, really. That’s all I want.”

“You’re so full of shit!” Yensey barked.

“We don’t have a lot to hang onto,” Reko warned. “Ye’leli’s going to explode eventually. Everyone knows it.”

“I’m not working with any of you!” Enlil growled.

Stapen shrugged. “Do you really have a choice. I mean, as soon as he hangs up the phone, you can dial your number. I don’t really have a problem either way. Unless you want me to have the phone. Then I can utter the code word and this can be over pretty quick.” He motioned for the receiver.

“Who the hell are you?” Enlil cried as he hung up the phone, his hand locking the receiver on the hook. “Some ghost? Take off that stupid mask, I don’t care how ugly you look!”

“You don’t want to know.” He smiled though he knew no one would see it. “I have moles in your groups who are in your in your upper e… e…”

“Echelons,” Leon interrupted.

“Your upper commands.”

It all began coming together for Evesuni and his group. He controlled a crime organization. He had the popularity to keep the public enthralled. They just didn’t know one hand from the other. Instead, Evesuni’s circle tugged at all the strings, and could accomplish quite a bit behind the scenes. Everything his group threatened was true. They had strong loyalties in all major crime organizations across Ye’leli, and their tentacles slithered and reptated across their social hierarchies without anyone being the wiser. The fact that rifts existed in the two other groups made it even easier, as some took offense to ending the top of the Iskolesi outfit. They could’ve ended the two groups and became stronger, but that wasn’t the point. They just didn’t have the resources to really control Ye’leli’s underground.

“He’s bluffing!”

“'Fraid not,” Leon muttered. “It’s a generous offer. I’d take it if I were you both.”

“Mmmn,” Reko said with a nod. “It’s true. We even have some passwords. I mean, he’s in your vault right now.”

Enlil gritted his teeth. “The moment I leave this table-”

“Accepted!” Yensey interrupted. He frowned as Enlil looked over at him. “Accepted.”

“What?”

Yensey sighed. “I don’t know how he’s doing this. But they’re right.” He sighed. “You remember the shit shooter? That Evesuni guy?” He paused, not quite knowing what to say and completely ignoring Reko trying to suppress laughter over the newfound nickname of Evesuni. “I went to a few of those talks, you know, incognito like to see what all the fuss was about. If we don’t do it, we’ll never do it. We used to have downtown, you remember that? Can’t go there anymore. Not since ten years ago. They’re going to push us out like they did to us in Sevropia. And we can’t compete with Vekaiyun groups.”

“You’re all fucking crazy!”

Yensey shrugged. “He killed my best guy. Maybe he’s, I don’t know, the real deal.” He looked over at Evesuni. “You serious about all this stuff. Cause if you screw me-”

“It’s all on the level. You have my word.” He extended a hand. Yensey looked at it, then the two gripped each other by the forearms in a customary Listonian greeting, sensationalized by some propaganda released by his group.

“That leaves you,” Stapen continued as he looked at Enlil.

“Yeah, well, how can we trust you? What’s in it for us?”

Leon looked at Evesuni, then back at the two outfit leaders. “Get your men out of the room.”

Yensey and Enlil looked over at each other. They dismissed their men and they slowly began to file out of the room, some appearing a bit concerned, others glaring at Stapen and his group. When the last one left, Reko shut the door and locked it behind them.

“What we tell you and what you see here must be kept a secret, by the wood of the Cross and the hands of St. Aiya!” Leon leaned forward in his chair. “It must never leave this room.”

Yensey nodded, knowing what the gravity of that statement was. “By the wood of the Cross and the hands of St. Aiya,” he repeated.

“Yeah yeah, by the wood and hands,” Enlil added.

Leon frowned, a bit nervous as looked over at Evesuni again. The cleft-handed vulpine waited for Evesuni to give the signal, something about letting his tattoo see the truth (he was a Vayan Catholic but he understood what he was getting at). He unbuckled the straps to his mask and he along with Reko helped pull it off.

Yensey’s jaw dropped. “No… way…”

“Holy shit!” Enlil exclaimed.

“By the wood of the Cross and the hands of St. Aiya,” Evesuni said. He ran a hand through his hair and nervously looked up. “You have to help us.”

“Kid… it’s you!” Yensey smiled a bit, momentarily dropping his sense of paranoia for a change. “How?”

“I knew you were Vik’s boy!”

“Not true,” Leon said. “And I have no reason to lie to you. We know you both planted the bomb. Viktor snapped when it happened and he blamed Stapen for it all. So he placed the group on him.”

“So that was you who shot up all those cop houses,” Yensey figured.

“Yeah,” Evesuni said with a shrug.

“And you who went around and took out that Listonia First group, the bunch of morons.”

“Yup.”

“And you who bombed-”

“That’s me,” Evesuni said.

Yensey shook his head. “Oh man. You remember that speech you gave ten days ago in Itvelge’s? I was there. I was, like, in the third row!”

“We know,” Reko affirmed.

“So… lemme ask you something. Did you really lose you wife that way? And your kid?”

“It’s all true.”

“Well,” Enlil muttered, “you’ve come a long way from the shitty bum.”

“But if people found out about this, it’d ruin you! How the hell do you sleep at night?”

“I take sleeping pills,” Stapen admitted as he lit a cigarette.

Yensey leaned forward. “Well look. Anything you need, and we’re there for you. But you better be telling the truth.” He nudged Enlil.

“And you better make it up to me! I mean, yeah. We’re all friends here. But you don’t fuck with me. Ever.”

“Come on,” Reko said with a sigh. “What choice did he or any of us have? This isn’t normal anymore. None of this is normal anymore.”

“We’re cool. But the moment all the dust between us and the Dverians is over-”

“We’ll all keep our mouths shut,” Evesuni finished. “We all have the same guns pointed at us. Anyone slips up-”

“We all go down,” Yensey added.

Leon nodded. “Just work with us and we’ll work with you. It’s as he said. We need to have a chance here. And we all need each others’ help in this.” He looked around the table. “There’s no turning back now, crew. Be ready.”

Todd_McCloud · February 15, 2017, 2:30am

“Move, move!”

“Clear some space!” The long table in front of them was swept of papers, pens, and photographs as four men set Evesuni down on the table, blood coming from his abdomen. It was a joint raid with Sipani and Yu Levolar, the new name of Iskolesi, which was an Unonian term that didn’t quite translate from Codexian, something like justice among brothers but justice that entailed some sort of revenge. For some months they had been raiding Dverian trucks entering the city, but this one happened to be armed, and it caught both groups off guard. They pulled off Stapen’s suit jacket and began cutting the buttons off his shirt.

“Oh man, oh man,” he winced and sputtered as he writhed on the table. Someone pulled his mask off. “Oh God!”

“Stapen, calm down!” Leon shouted, as best he could despite his tortured voice. “You’ve been shot in the abdomen! Lay still!”

“What happened?” Yensey asked as he reached the room. Yuko and Yamano looked back at him.

“He’s been shot.” Reko shook his head, at first not sure what to do. He reached over and grabbed one of Evesuni’s arms. “We’ve gotta get the bullet out and stop his bleeding!”

“Aliana! Alianaaa!”

“He’s delusional!” Leon shouted as he gripped his leg, slamming it down on the table. “Where’s that damn doctor?”

“I’ve got my doc heading down here, too!” Yensey stood back, not really wanting to get involved and instead choosing to respect their organization’s efforts. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to stand idly by. After all, Evesuni had tackled him out of harm’s way a week prior. “Just get him to calm down!”

Leon looked over at the room as individuals moved to and from, those not in the circle were either uninformed or kept at bay. He watched as one of the individuals - Seri, a rather new member who had perhaps the most medical experience of the bunch and therefore was voted to be kept in the loop, used a lighter to sterilize a pair of long tweezers. “Stap, this is gonna hurt. But stay with us, dammit!”

Evesuni arched his back as the tremendous pain sat on his chest, stifling his breaths and burning like the fires of hell on his left-hand side. Blood pooled on the table as his fur became stained in dark red. “Let me go, dammit!”

“Do something!” Seri commanded. “I can’t do this with him moving around like this!”

“Lie still!” Reko grimaced. He punched Evesuni in the face.

More of his circle held him down, Frankyo standing closest to the womb but careful to steer clear of the damaged tissue. Seri slowly moved the tweezers in. The moment the sharp metal touched the seeping wound, Stapen bucked and jerked away, gritting his teeth and sputtering as he banged the back of his head on the table. “Stretch his limbs out!” the pseudo-doctor commanded as he looked over the hole and moved the metal probes deeper into sensitive tissue, stretching the hole as nerves fired and excruciating pain throbbed up his spine.

“Oh God!”

“Shut him up, shut him up!” Seri continued to look for the bullet.

“Stap!” Leon shouted. “You have to concentrate!”

“Knock me out!”

“'Fraid we can’t do that! You sleep and you might not wake up. Just fucking lie still!”

Evesuni opened his eyes but couldn’t see much except for flashing lights, blurry faces, and arms straining to keep himself still. It was difficult, but he tried to focus and groan at the sharp metal poking and ripping every single nerve ending in his body. It could’ve been a jackhammer for all he cared. It felt about the same.

“Dammit! I can’t get it!”

“Oh, God dammit, Seri!”

“Where the fuck is that doctor?”

“Just pack it with cloth!”

“Stapen, stay with us!”

“He’s passing out, he can’t pass out!”

“Somebody keep him awake!”

It started to feel very warm. Almost relaxing, despite the pain.

“Stap! Stap!”

“Get him to the hospital!”

“Here’s the doc!”

“Pack him some more, he’s losing blood.”

Evesuni looked up, his head trembling.

“Stapen…”

He blinked a few times and could’ve sworn he was staring at his wife. “I’m s-sorry I was s-so dumb.” He forced out a quivered sigh, grunting and groaning. “Say… say you’re proud of me…”

“Stay with us!”

“Hey! Hey!”

Evesuni grunted as he clenched his teeth, his eyelids heavy. “Remember…” He heaved out a sigh. “…how she… held her arms? Like… a fighter!”

Todd_McCloud · February 16, 2017, 12:28am

The newspaper-covered windows to his room were cracked open to let some sunlight in. Morning light in a Ye’lelian summer was warm, bright, and inviting. Soft noises came from the window as the city woke: cars moved and accelerated down the streets below, occasionally leaving behind music from within the cabins, along with footsteps moving while birds chirped above. Despite all the mutterings and rumors which polluted the city, Ye’leli itself continued to move forward one more calendar day, pleased with the picturesque morning as the eastern sun began its ascent.

Several weeks had passed since Evesuni nearly bled to death on a table in the very building he called home. A heavy dose of painkillers allowed him to continue a busy schedule of speaking and encouraging, but he needed a break from the doldrums of crime. He just needed time to rest and recover.

The two doctors that arrived on the scene removed the bullet and cleaned the wound out with a heavy dose of iodine. He was lucky that the projectile missed vital organs, but a later procedure was used to remove a small portion of his large intestine due to a growing infection caught early. Consequently, it allowed Stapen’s propaganda team to slap a label on the injury - appendicitis. Evidently the native son was spending so much time preparing, working, and speaking that he didn’t seem to find time to take care of an ailing gut, so the story went. While it extended Evesuni’s recovery time, it helped cover up any nagging questions of a limp, of pain, and of explaining away a bullet wound.

Stapen sat up in his cot, using a few pieces of bread to soak up a strew thickened with sour cream and mushrooms. He looked up when he heard a knock at the door. “Come in.”

Seri and Leon entered the room. The former beckoned him to unbutton his shirt and, after Stapen pulled his suspenders off his shoulder, began to remove the garment. The latter looked back and waited for Yamano to enter.

“Hey,” Evesuni said.

“Yamano, you go first.”

The former actor handed him a few colorful pieces of paper. “We have constructed several flags for consideration and wish to have your input on the matter!”

“Flags?”

“Affirmative. We seek to ascribe a banner for our cause.” He watched as Evesuni looked over the images.

“We collected from a few delinquent loaners,” Leon reported. “Nothing special. So, how are you?”

Stapen shrugged as Seri began adjusting the bandages. “I’m fine. Thanks. Just been thinking about what we need here.” He looked up at the two. “The tension in the city is growing. I need to travel to Vekaiyu. We need to see if we can convince Max Venavle to help our cause.”

“Vekaiyu?” Leon asked. “You’re not ready to travel there. And what if they do help? We’ll probably be absorbed and our territory with it!”

Seri moved his hands away as Stapen reeled from the exposed wound. Although it was healing, it still looked rough and was tender to the touch. “Eh, Vekaiyuns would be easier than Dverians or Sevropians.”

“We’re in too deep as it is,” Evesuni reminded as he shifted in his cot. “Plus what did you expect? You think that my words and our hopes are enough to free us these days? Look at me. Look at you. Hell, look at us. All we’ve had to deal with is cops. What happens when they send the military in?”

Leon grimaced. “Well, maybe they won’t.”

“You’re not thinking. Say we take Ye’leli. What then? They just bow down to us? No, they’ll send in their troops. Face it. We need the help. Vekaiyu is the key.”

“But how do you know?”

Evesuni picked up the book next to his cot, the covers torn off and the pages splayed after getting wet and drying multiple times. “Max wrote this over ten years ago. He wrote how he wanted the Listonians to be free.”

Leon looked to his left, then his right. “Over ten years ago? Then where’s a Vekaiyun at? Any of you seen a Vekaiyun around here?”

“Nay.” Yamano sat down in a chair next to Evesuni’s table. “But they promised they would liberate us.”

“Right,” Evesuni continued, “it has to happen sooner than later. Maybe he’s just, I don’t know, really busy or something. I mean, you know, it’s Vekaiyu. They’re always doing something. It’s hell just keeping everything on point with our group. It’s gotta be many times worse as a leader.”

“Frankyo said Vekaiyu’s unpredictable with Venavle running it. I don’t know what he’d say, but he has the most experience out of all of us. My guess is he’d say wait.”

Stapen shook his head. “It says right here in his book that he wants us to be free!”

“You can barely read!”

“I can read this!”

“Alright, alright,” Seri said after re-doing some bandages. “Calm down. Can’t afford him ripping a stitch or something.”

“I shall fetch Frankyo,” Yamano announced.

Leon shook his head. “I think we should wait.”

“Wait for what? You think we have time to wait? What the hell do you know anyway, you’re just a crime boss.”

“So are you, if you remember. You were a bum on the streets and spent time in prison, too. You think you know how a world leader thinks?”

“I don’t have to - it says it right here-”

“Yeah, right, in the book. A book written ten years ago. Where were you ten years ago? Getting into prison fights, right?”

“That’s not the same thing!”

“Gentlemen, gentlemen,” Frankyo said as he entered the room. He cracked his neck and closed the door behind him. “What’s going on?”

Leon didn’t allow Stapen to get a word in. “He wants to travel to Vekaiyu and tell Max that we’re ready to fight and we need his help. Tell him that’s a stupid idea!”

Frankyo paused, then furrowed his brow. “Well it’s not the worst idea, but if Evesuni can stir a city to action, maybe he’d have a shot at Max. He’d probably be the best option to speak to him.”

“But will he help?”

Frankyo shrugged. “Who else can we ask? Are we even ready to fight for Ye’leli? It’d be suicide if we did it right now. They have tanks and we have… what?”

“Lots of weapons,” Leon assured. “They’re not going to want to spend a lot of energy on this city when they have problems elsewhere.”

“Listen to him talk like he’s their king or something,” Evesuni remarked.

“If you lived in a palace would you care what happens in this city?”

“Enough,” Frankyo demanded. “It’s not a bad idea. Better to ask him sooner than later. But watch out - if Vekaiyu helps, they will probably absorb as well. Just… be careful with that.”

“Listonia should be free,” Leon warned.

Stapen nodded slowly. “Yeah. You think he’ll listen?”

Frankyo shrugged. “I don’t know. But good luck, nonetheless, when you do go.” He stood up. “We have plenty of time to think it over. You’re not going anywhere in your condition.”

“I-”

“Sorry. You’re a cause now, Stapen. Your health is very important, because if you die, our dream could die with it. That’s my decision and I’m not backing off it. Sit, rest, think, and plan. When you’re healthy, and we think this over, you can go.” Frankyo began walking to the door. “People depend on you, you know? Acting reckless like this is no way to repay them.”

Evesuni sighed with a nod. “Alright. Thanks.”

Todd_McCloud · February 16, 2017, 2:31am

Yuko drove Stapen to the station in Ye’leli, instructing him on any last-minute pitfalls. Something about tipping and speaking slower to accommodate the Vekaiyun accents (apparently they spoke different, though he couldn’t really understand how - Unonian was Unonian, after all). A train ride took him from Ye’leli to Flores, where he waited in the depot he was all too familiar with ten or eleven years ago. He remembered it being a bit busier then compared to now, but he found the bench he once sat at and stretched out, opting to sit instead of lay on it. After all, he had to look presentable to the Vekaiyun leader.

His nerves caused him to burn through cigarette packs, and he stocked up before making the trek to Vekaiyu. Cigarettes by the day, sleeping pills at night. It was a living. Flores was nice, if only that no one really seemed to know who he was. One person walked up to him after explaining he was from Ye’leli, but that was it. He could disappear in Flores if he wanted to, but he wasn’t about to entertain the thought. He was on a mission.

But through the self-medication and tempting nothingness he couldn’t really shake a thought. Sure, Vekaiyu was big, but perhaps maybe, just maybe, he’d be able to see his daughter. She’d be in double-digits now, probably a better reader than he was. Maybe she was into math. Perhaps she was into some sport over there, or a television show or two. He didn’t care - any little bit of information was gold to him and he planned on soaking up the culture over there whenever he had the chance. All of it was important to him.

Still, he couldn’t forget his goal.

After supplying the diplomatic passport issued by Frankyo, he boarded the train to Vekaiyu. He sighed and began to relax when he passed over the border, passing by forests and fields of various farming before entering his first Vekaiyun city - Skendia, the supposed ‘gateway to the east’. Skendia was large and had tall buildings which seemed to stretch endlessly to the sky. But perhaps the most memorable part of the city was the culture. Everyone was vulpine. Everything was in Unonian. He was able to traverse wherever he wanted to, be it a downtown government building or a bar on the east side. And - best of all - people left him alone when he walked. He didn’t receive stares. He didn’t need to worry about cops or walking on the wrong side of town. He was among his own, among his kind.

Why the hell would Leon be concerned with Listonia becoming a part of Vekaiyu?

Another train took him to Eldura, the capitol of the vulpine state. Eldura was something else entirely - tremendously large, much more security, and many people who all seemed to be on the move, reaching some kind of destination only they would know about. The Vekaiyun flag was everywhere downtown. Vayan Catholic churches and statues of St. Aiya dotted a sector as he made his way to the residence of Max Venavle, the old royal palace before he overthrew the monarchy sometime in the 1980’s. Once he reached the steps up to the ornate building, he felt rather small and insignificant. Truthfully, he had never been this close to any government, let alone a Dverian or Sevropian seat. He worked up the gumption and stepped up to the expansive building ordained with white marbled walls.

=====*=

“Yes?”

“Sir, some Dverian vulpine is here to see you. Stapen Evesuni. He said he’s some kind of speaker. From Ye’leli.”

Max proffered a dejected sigh. “You interrupted my break time for this?”

“You told me to inform me of anyone who comes to see you. Remember what happened last week?”

He rubbed his temples. “Well what the heck does this guy want?”

“He said something about needing your help. He’s traveled all the way from Ye’leli.”

“So some peasant wants to pay me a visit. You can go back to screening these things.”

“Do you want to meet with him or not?”

The Vekaiyun dictator rolled his eyes as he twirled the cord of the phone with his free hand. “You think it’ll humor me? Eh, send him in. Why not.”

=====*=

The secretary of Max Venavle hung up the phone. She smiled back at Evesuni as he placed his hands on her desk. “Kivio Venavle will see you now. Just through those doors over there.”

“He’s through there?”

“Right through there.”

Evesuni checked himself over, making sure his bowtie was straight, pressing the seems of his pants with his hands, and brushing off his suit jacket. He made sure his hair was presentable by his own standards, and he double-checked to make sure the fur on his tail was someone presentable. After adjusting his collar, he pulled out a cigarette.

“Are you ready now?”

He turned to the secretary and smiled, putting the cigarette away. He held his breath and walked through the large wooden doors, opening them slowly, then widening his eyes once he reached the room of Venavle. A room almost completely lined with white marble awaited him, complete with a vaulted ceiling and remarkable banners of red and goldenrod. In front of him at the opposite end of the room was a white marbled desk with jaku wood trim. Sitting at that desk was Max Venavle - his idol, the man he had known for years through his words and his reading. He studied the Vekaiyun dictator, looking at his messy black hair and one eye sealed to almost a slit after a farming accident he remembered from chapter 2 of the book he owned.

He looked larger than life.

“Yes? Step forward and state your business.”

“Yes, sir,” Evesuni said as he stepped forward. “Sir, Kivio Venavle, I-”

“My gosh, your accent is thick.”

“Sorry.” He stepped forward as he shoes clicked against the marbled floor. “I am Stapen Evesuni, and I have come to you about an issue I think you’ll help us with. In your book you mention a native son from Listonia, a person who you want to help free. My wife was killed by Dverian tax collectors. I had to give up my daughter for a better life for her. I spent years on the streets, was in prison, and had to fight just to survive. Things have changed, sir. It’s not about me anymore, sir. People in Ye’leli listen to my words and hear me speak. They want to be free. They want to live as Listonians. But we can’t do this alone. I ask you, no, I beg you,” he said as he knelt in front of Venavle, “help us. Please. Free us from the Dverians and the Sevropians. Free us or someone else will have to live a life I live now. Please make us Listonians again. Hear my request. Please.”

Max put a hand to the bottom of his muzzle in thought. “So you’re some kind of speaker in Ye’leli?”

“Yes sir.”

“And you’re motivating people to fight for your freedom?”

“Yes sir.”

“And you need me to help you, because alone you stand no chance against Dveria, right?”

“Yes sir. All of this is correct.”

Max paused, then smiled. “Wow. I’m impressed. You’re a little peasant boy who learned how to speak and motivate a whole city. You know… I’m pretty sure I’ve read about you somewhere. You were shot or something, right?”

“A-appendicitis I think.”

“Oh yeah. Something like that. And I was the one who motivated you?”

“Yes sir. I still have your book.”

Max grinned warmly. “I knew I’d find a native son sooner than later. I just didn’t think he’d ever stand in front of me, you know? So what do you need me to do?”

“We need help to fight. We have power in hope, but not so much in the ability to fight.”

“Mmmn, yes. Here’s what I am planning to do, Stapen. Can I call you that, peasant?”

“Yes sir.”

“Well it seems you’ve done the hard part, Stapen.” He smiled and folded his hands in front of him. “You get a revolution started, and I’ll move my armies over the border. Does that sound like a plan?”

Evesuni nodded. “Yes sir.”

“Good man. But here’s the thing. I need at least three weeks to prepare. You can wait three weeks, right?”

“Yes sir, we can wait three weeks.”

“Great! Give me three weeks, and I’ll make sure you and the other Listonians feel freedom for the first time in four centuries. Would you like that?”

Evesuni cracked a grin, unable to hold it back. “Yes sir. I would like that tremendously.”

“Then consider it done. In a month or two we’ll be in Ye’leli drinking whatever you desire. That’s what I need you to do, Stapen, Start that revolution and be thinking about a drink you’d like to have with me. Then I can talk to you all day about my book and what I envisioned.”

“Of-of course, sir. I think I would like that a lot.”

Todd_McCloud · February 16, 2017, 4:54am

Evening fell on Ye’leli as Evesuni entered the building Yuko had purchased with funds from Yu Levolar money. After Yuko used a key to open the doors bedecked with security bars, the two walked in and were greeted by the inner circle, who quickly fell silent and watched as the native son returned to his true home - the bowels of the ancient Listonian capitol.

“Well?” Leon asked, disturbing the silence and the standoff between the two groups.

Stapen stepped forward. “I met Max Venavle, the dictator of Vekaiyu. Kivio Venavle asked me many questions, questions about my past, about what we’ve been doing here in Ye’leli, and questions about his book. I only told him what he needed to know. I asked him if he would be willing to provide us with military support.” He placed a piece of paper on the desk. “He agreed and signed this paper as proof, writing down that he will send military support once we begin to fight here in Ye’leli. We just need to give him three weeks.”

Evesuni lit a cigarette as the group cheered. It was surreal - to even think the Vekaiyun dictator would lend a hand was almost inconceivable. Years ago it would’ve been a dream shared only by the junkies in between hits. Now there was a chance. And it was a good chance - why would the Dverians or even the Sevropians fight for territory that wasn’t even theirs to begin with? Territory that was occupied by natives?

The group passed around the paper for confirmation. Once it landed in the hands of Pitur and his staff, they smiled and began setting to work utilizing their best works yet to motivate the populace to arms, pausing only once to join the congregation in the forbidden chant.

“Long live Listonia! Long live Listonia!”

“Are you ready for a war?” Evesuni screamed as the crowd cheered in response. “Next month we storm the capitol building and take back our city for Listonians everywhere! Spread the word - the liberation of Ye’leli is upon us and the winds of change will blow in our favor. Organize and show the world just what brave Listonians can do!”

=====*=

Although it was summertime, Nugala, the capitol of Dveria, was rather chilly, and many feared the growing season may end prematurely. Still, it was no real cause for concern. The southern lands which were once called Listonia always seemed to pull through. For the sun was far from Nugala, which say many miles to the north, passed even the slightest hint of Unonian text or vulpine accommodations. The vulpines would just have to work harder was all. Nothing they weren’t used to, of course.

The Dverian king, Gelioga V, wouldn’t have it any other way as he sat on his comfortable throne in his roomy court ordained with fine stained glass and beautifully ornate stone sculptures. Gelioga V was entering the ides of middle age, and while he was still a heartthrob among his people - especially in the north - he required constant assurance from his subjects about his appearance and demanded novel ideas on keeping the public both compliant and devoted. It wasn’t that he was a particularly bad king, but concerns about his ability to lead were whispered through the halls of his court on more than one occasion. So he would often find ways to change the subject. Leading, after all, wasn’t his prime interest.

He grabbed a note presented to him and read it over. “There’s still unrest in Ye’leli. The magistrate is asking for increased protection? What’s wrong with the numbers he was allotted?” His Codexian was impeccable, broadcasting his unparalleled education and training.

“There is an individual who appears to be stirring the masses. A one Stapen Evesuni, a criminal and a destitute who has found voice with the vulpine populace.”

“They simply do not have enough work to do!” he exclaimed. “Disgusting creatures, really. If the magistrate cannot handle their primitive tactics…” he stopped himself. “No, they are most certainly not primates. They are barbaric and crude, and should give the magistrate no problem in quelling any sort of pitiful display of force.”

“Shall I inform him that he will not be provided with extra force?”

Gelioga V tipped his crown. “He is to do his job. We shall watch this situation closely and if it requires extra support, we will of course be more than willing to oblige. But I can’t accept that a group lead by a criminal would put up much of a fight.” He smiled. “Tell the magistrate that he is to become a warden, and the vulpine populace are his prisoners. Quell any and all riots with any means necessary. But do keep this near the city. We shouldn’t jeopardize our crops this year, after all.”

“We do have a report on this Evesuni.”

“I care not to hear the deeds of a worthless ant! Be gone at once!”

Todd_McCloud · February 17, 2017, 1:58am

The Day Of

Just over one month of planning, coordinating, and distributing instructions incognito merited a plan that the Listonians, at least, those who called themselves Listonians, were comfortable with. In their eyes, it wasn’t a terrible plan, but given more time it would have been perfected. The plan began as early as two in the morning, when vulpine individuals, specifically those affiliated with organized crime, drove their cars and parked in the middle of intersections, blocking the morning traffic from reaching the city center to prevent any needless casualties and negative news coverage, especially if it didn’t survive into the morning. Vulpine men and women took to the sewers guided by maps distributed the night prior. Bombs were placed in governmental buildings, police stations, Dverian bars, and even the Dverian newspaper distribution centers. Any resistance was met with unmerciful death, as many who had parked their cars took to the streets to take the confused and unfortunate individuals left in the city center by surprise and gun them down if they were a perceived threat. Whether or not it was moral to do so, the Listonians were willing to take their city back at all costs. There would be plenty of time to account for inconsistencies and injustices later.

The many crime outfits in Ye’leli took police precincts and even a lightly-guarded armory by surprise, spraying those who chose to defend the grounds with bullets fired from machine guns, hand guns, and even snipers who had reached their positions before the fighting began. Even makeshift mustard gas was used to overcome the opposition. From the captured stations, guns and other weapons were confiscated and distributed back to the underground, where they would be given to able-bodied individuals who would later join the fight. All of this was done so that minimal Dverian communication could be made, which meant many Dverians in-the-know were shot dead.

When the morning fog rolled in, Evesuni and his men made it to the governmental building - a place that was forbidden from vulpine entrance. After successfully fighting off a police car chasing their vehicle, Leon parked their vehicle on the steps, practically careening into the railing as he quickly skidded to a halt. They made their way up the steps, entering the cavernous, opulent building slowly and taking out any guards that had set up shop in anticipation of trouble. Reko and Pitur (among others - it was heavy, after all) pushed over metal detectors as Evesuni kept a keen eye on shooters, nailing someone who crept between the railings on the second floor. Perhaps it was a guard, perhaps it wasn’t, but no chances could be taken. Once passed the checkpoint, Frankyo took command and led the group to the most important governmental office - that of the magistrate - as others began pouring into the streets to claim more forbidden territory, engaging anyone who posed a threat. Freaky holiday dominated the morning commute, as traffic jams and accidents littered the scene.

“Yes! We’re under attack! … I don’t know, the whole population is revolting! It’s those damn stupid vulpines! I think they’ve removed officers and…” he froze as the doors to his residency were flung open, but was quick to grab the phone and get under his desk once commotion was heard. After dreading some rustling while trying to deafen the voice at the other end of the receiver, two vulpine men grabbed him and flung him on the desk, pinning him down by the shoulders as Evesuni walked toward him, his stoic expression unflinching as he loaded the chamber of his weapon.

“Why are you all doing this?”

Evesuni pointed the barrel of the gun to his head.

“Wait! I’ll do whatever you want!” he breathed hard as his head laid parellel with the desk.

Stapen shot him without emotion as blood spattering from the depressurized wound and leeched out on the wood-toned desk.

“Shat t’fack up, maserfakur.”

Evesuni looked at the others and jerked his head, beckoning them to follow him, who was also following Frankyo. They reached another room with late-working governmental heads and early commutes. Frankyo quietly pointed out which ones needed to be removed. Evesuni shot two in the face. Leon blasted one after pointing the gun at the top of the head in true criminal disrespect. Another individual was tossed from a window as more vulpine fighters worked their way into the room, destroying records, raiding money, and pushing those deemed not guilty out of the room.

Remnants of the party then filed into another room - the emergency radio station control room - where Reko and Evesuni both took out the controllers easily. When one of the shot men made a noise, Yuko beat them over the head with a piece of radio equipment until he stopped moving. Once the room was secure, Frankyo pointed to a microphone as another individual scoped the windows to make sure no one would cause any trouble from below.

“Speak,” he commanded.

Evesuni picked up the microphone and studied it. The emergency tones played over the airwaves, silencing all radio stations in the Ye’lelian broadcasting area. Once the tones finished, Leon turned the mic on.

“Good morning Ye’leli,” Stapen began, speaking softly in his usual manner. “Today, the former capitol of Listonia is reclaimed by the Listonians. Ye’leli belongs to the Listonians and we are suing for peace within the city. For those who wish to fight for Ye’leli, follow instructions distributed on pamphlets. We encourage all loyal Listonians to fight for their city. For those who do not wish to fight, there are other ways to aid our cause such as meal preparation, preparing defenses, and sabotaging any kind of counter measure against us. To the Dverians, leave this city for your safety and security. If you are in our way, we will remove you. If you choose to avoid this warning, you place yourself in great danger. If you desire to fight alongside us, we will accept you. Do the right thing and support us.”

He paused as Frankyo took the mic and repeated all words up to this point in Codexian. Once he was finished, he moved the device toward the window, which was opened by another vulpine. He flashed a flashlight at the nearby cathedral, which flashed a sign back and began ringing its bells.

“Listen! The Cathedral of St. Ives is claimed by the Listonians!” He watched as Dverian statues and icons of saints had been removed or were in the process of being removed from the church and tossed casually in the front of the building, crumbling and damaged. Though he was Voxian Catholic, he realized that Vayan Catholicism was the staple religion of vulpines, and for them to reclaim a historical church in their name was reason enough to celebrate. “All citizens are advised to duck and cover for the next five-”

The city suddenly ignited across the sprawl, buildings exploding and rocking the landscape as hot fires and thick black smoke belched from the structures that had been simultaneously detonated on signal from the bells. All according to plan. Ye’leli was cleansing itself of foreign interference.

“Damn, too fast,” Reko remarked to himself.

“Be advised. We aim for the safety of everyone in Ye’leli - Dverian and Listonian alike - but those who disrupt this process will be treated as enemies to the free city and will be dealt with accordingly. Thank you, and enjoy a selection of Listonian music.” He nodded as Seri smiled and shoved a compact disc into the computer housing the emergency system as it continued to operate on override. Music, predominantly from Vekaiyu, was pumped over the airwaves.

Stapen set the microphone down and watched as more buildings exploded, stepping slowly to the large window in front of them. The newspaper building, which prevented Dverian propaganda from spreading in the city. Several police stations. Governmental assembly buildings. The sprawling court house, long serving as a center of injustice or perceived injustice among the Ye’lelian vulpines. Several radio stations, which rendered them inoperable even if the emergency broadcast went offline. Important railway depots. All of it was now inoperable or damaged beyond repair. For now, the city was theirs.

Despite the plan working thus far, none of them really knew what they were doing, and while they wouldn’t admit it, all were scared. What if it didn’t work? How would the Dverians respond? What about the Vekaiyuns - would they respond in time? And what would happen once they responded? So many questions, but for now, everything that occurred up to this point was both groundbreaking and remarkable, and all realized history was certainly in the making.

Todd_McCloud · February 17, 2017, 2:35am

Selvala McEva, Kral Commodore of Vekaiyu, had spent several weeks amassing divisions along the Vekaiyu-Dverian border. Though she was in charge of all Vekaiyun offensive maneuvers, it was uncharacteristic of Max Venavle to suggest an invasion so close to home. Typically he would stage an invasion far away from home to limit repercussions, and if it was unsuccessful, he could cut his losses without much concern over any consequences close to home.

She walked into his office as the noontime sun doused his white marbled office.

“Sir Venavle-”

“Oh Sevala,” Max interrupted. He sighed. “I have such a large bedchamber but it is so inviting. Perhaps you would wish to join your leader to bed later on? Oh hell, perhaps we could both… call it early for the day?”

How Selvala hated his advances. To her he was a sickly, disgusting, immoral little twerp who had sent her on several horrible missions. Clearing mine fields. Leading desperate charges. And yet she survived them all. Survived them all to the point where Max felt she was guided by the Almighty. But that was far from the truth. She wanted him dead, though she kept her feelings hidden deep within her psyche.

“I have a report on the situation in Ye’leli.”

“Oh yes! The little peasant Evesuni. It’s about time he was spurred into action, right?”

“And that he has, sir. Individuals who identify themselves as Listonians have stormed the city, killed the magistrate, and rendered any sort of communication, cultural significance, or opposition useless. The man Evesuni is in control of the city.”

Max’s emotions darkened slightly. “Amazing. I… I didn’t really think they stood a chance. You’re sure this is all correct?”

“As correct as I am standing in front of you, sir. Evesuni and his band are in control of the city, and await your orders to advance into southern Dveria.”

Max grimaced as he leaned back in his chair. He paused and began to muse to the clear air around him. “If he can waylay an entire city… what else could he do? Tell me, Selvala, do you suppose this Evesuni fellow could run an entire nation?”

“I highly doubt it, sir.”

“So do I. But this… this kind of changes everything. He is organized, yet he’s as dumb as a post. If we help him and his little band out, I am not entirely sure they’d stop. They might insist upon an independent state. And drag us into a long war in the process.”

Selvala widened her eyes. “What are you saying, sir?”

“Selvala, my love, hold your armies. If Evesuni is as convincing as he seems to be, clearly he does not need our help.”

“But sir… the Dverians… they are sending reinforcements to reclaim the city. We’re right there. We could race over and take the city - our divisions can move faster than theirs at their current pace!”

“And allow this idiot peasant the glory of liberating a city? Absolutely not. Let him die with his little revolution. Let him use up Listonians - they’re free. We’ll pick up the scraps if they’re worthwhile.”

“Some would rather die than to see us wait, sir!” Selvala attempted to play toward Venavle’s sympathies. “Should you order this attack, you and not Evesuni would be seen as a liberator!”

“Mmn. Perhaps. But he would still hold quite a bit of power in the region and could very well sue for an independent state. And you know what that means. Basically, this Listonian state would become a useless child, sucking our tit while we fend off Dverian and Sevropian attacks, and for what? For valor and justice? Spare me. Let this idea die with Evesuni. Then we can sweep in and collect the remains if we deem it feasible.”

“We promised to aid him!”

Max smiled and threw up his hands. “Come on. Who will the world believe - a world leader, or a terrorist who spent five years in prison and kills indiscriminately?”

“The last bit is unconfirmed.”

“Not if one controls the media. Tell your armies to stand by but not to advance unless given distinct orders by myself and myself only. Evesuni is to be branded as a terrorist and an uneducated barbarian, someone who is unjustifiably bloodthirsty for war.”

“I don’t believe any of that. We need to act now - if we don’t, we may never claim Listonian land!”

“I’d rather do it with a weak and unmotivated populace! Let them rot. If there’s a power void, we can fill it. But for now it would do us well to remain still. We could use it as a bargaining chip, proof that we are not imperialists.”

Selvala shook her head. “I… well, it…”

“Dismissed, Kral Commodore.” He watched as she sighed and walked toward the door. “Oh, and Selvala? I believe he said he had a child in Vekaiyu. See if you can find a young Evesuni enrolled in our programs and ensure he or she will be accidentally eradicated.” He waited until she locked eyes on him. “I look forward to our meeting tonight. Or later today if you finish your work a bit early. You know what I mean - I do not need to clarify, right?” He winked with his undamaged eye.

Todd_McCloud · February 17, 2017, 3:04am

— Begin quote from ____

10/10/01
To: Max Venavle
Dictator of Listonia

Kivio Evesuni, we have secured the center of Ye’leli and await your advance on the city. We Listonians look forward to your movements. If there is anything we can do in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to ask. We are in your debt.

Evesuni (dictated)

— End quote

— Begin quote from ____

10/11/01
To: Max Venavle
Dictator of Listonia

Kivio Evesuni, we have not heard from you in over twenty-four hours. We have done what we promised and secured the city, giving you at least three weeks to prepare. Our sources indicate you have troops amassed at the border. We kindly ask you to move these troops and advance upon Ye’leli. We still maintain control of the city despite what any news sources may indicate. Our resolve is high and we will fight until we see your troops enter the city.

Evesuni (dictated)

— End quote

— Begin quote from ____

10/13/01
To: Max Venavle
Dictator of Listonia

Reinforcements are advancing on Ye’leli. We cannot hold them much longer - please move your men over the border and relieve us. We’re just an army of criminals and civilians. We can’t fight off a military. Please help. We are running out of resources and won’t be able to last much longer.

Evesuni (dictated)

— End quote

— Begin quote from ____

10/14/01
To: Max Venavle
Dictator of Listonia

The reinforcements have reached the outskirts of the city. We cannot repel their forces alone, and have begun evacuation maneuvers to get civilians away from the city. We still hold out hope that your troops will meet us in Ye’leli and liberate our city. We beg for help. We have limited resources and most likely will not be able to hold off their advances. Food rations are low but we can most likely stretch them if you need more time, though it may cost more lives.

Evesuni (dictated)

— End quote

— Begin quote from ____

10/16/01
To: Max Venavle
Dictator of Listonia

I must report that we have lost many men and women in the fight for liberation. Please, please send reinforcements. We cannot stay in the city much longer. If we hear nothing more in 24 hours, we will need to evacuate all personnel and move to safer territories. Please send help. We have faith that you and your nation will abide by its promises and help vulpines outside its borders.

Evesuni (dictated)

— End quote

— Begin quote from ____

10/17/01
To: Max Venavle
Dictator of Listonia

Burn in hell, Max. I’ve spent my whole life fighting for these people and in the span of just over one week they lost everything they had ever fought for. I hope you burn in hell for what you did to these people, and I hope one day you see just how much death and despair you have caused. I’ve spent over 20 years in Dverian politics and you are by far the greatest threat to vulpine kind. Offended? I’ve lived a long enough life and couldn’t give a shit. Come at me. I will rip your limbs off and shove them up your ass.

Frankyo Yverile
Former Ye’lelian Sector Representative to the Dverian Monarchy

— End quote

Todd_McCloud · February 17, 2017, 3:46am

The flag of the Ye’lelian Free City flew atop the governmental residence for approximately 11 days before military garrisons overwhelmed the city center and occupied the building. When they stormed the grounds, they encountered minimal resistance - mostly stragglers and booby traps, but eventually they reached the top, wrestled the flag from its pole, pulled it down, and burned it in the streets.

The planning implemented prior to the arrival of the reinforcements bided the most time. Advancing armies were ill-prepared for the ferocity by which the natives would proffer, their confidence rocked as civilians half their weight would lob molotov cocktails, gun them down with their own weapons, or bomb their groupings despite clearly being outnumbered and defeated. Fighting was carried out first from block to block, then building to building, then room to room as the vulpine populace refused to buckle. After the third day, the second reinforcements arrived, and it was all over. The only thing that slowed them down were the bombs planted by the retreating vulpines fleeing the city.

When the dust settled, any dreams of Listonian independence were practically crushed. No longer were people emboldened by the words of Stapen Evesuni, the ‘native son’ who had been romanticized by the books of Max Venavle of Vekaiyu. He was just another name, another footnote in history - someone who had captured the imagination of an entire city, someone who had constructed his own wings and flown so close to glory he could taste it, only to be gripped by the cold hands of reality and had his feathers torn from his wings one by one. And, as he ascended back to Urth, the negativity set in. Why did he invest so much faith in Max Venavle? Why did he motivate an entire city only to fail?

In the coming days, the Dverian king would issue a decree that all vulpine individuals were to be expelled from Ye’leli. In other words, the ancient vulpine city would be cleansed of the very people who had at one time both built and maintained the city were now forbidden from entering it. And Evesuni did nothing. And Venavle did nothing. But some stood to the bitter end. Frankyo Yverile demanded Evesuni evacuate the city. Once Stapen was dismissed, he would serve the doomed post until his death - hanging, less than one week later. Despite the lack of coverage, word carried that he had shouted ‘Long live Listonia’ before the door was flung open and the rope tightened round his neck. It was ecouraging, but for the Listonians, it was only a momentary respite from yet another dark period in their history.

Their rendezvous point was Relusi, another city formerly controlled by Listonians but had fallen under Sevropian command, though over the years the importance of the town had dwindled and become less important. Who knew how many people would hear that clarion call. As for Evesuni, he was one of the lat people to leave the city and, as a consequence, had no real safe passage. So, he did what he did best when it came to travel - he journeyed to a rail yard and hopped a storage cart bound for Sevropia to the east. It was humbling, but for someone licking their wounds, it made for a very bumpy journey.

The nights were long on the train. He would recount what he remembered, about how the citizens moved eastward (or wherever they could), about how Yu Levolar used the sewers to move, then used trucks to move to a nearby practice recently-purchased by Yuko, about how Sipani had followed their uneasy ally, along with Lont, to set up a base in Relusi. It wasn’t perfect, but all knew what they were getting into when they decided to follow Evesuni’s lead. Of course, if something when wrong, he’d be the one to blame. But that was all waiting for Stapen somewhere east.

In all honesty, nothing could be worse than what his conscience served. It was he who trusted Venavle. It was he who stirred people to action. It was he who made them believe again. And now as a consequence, they lost their most important town.

Evesuni hopped off the latest switchyard, but realized he had been traveling in the wrong direction. Flores. Not Relusi. While he realized Relusi was east, as he passed by the cars in the yard, he couldn’t shake the names of their destination. Skendia. Eldura. Caviru. Calesu. All Vekaiyun names. As he walked by another car bound for the Vekaiyun capitol, he couldn’t hold back anymore. He needed to confront Venavle, to show him what he did, how he ruined their hopes and dreams, and just what it meant going forward. As he climbed on the car, he stared out at the open expanse around him, realizing that whatever happened, he would return to Listonia a better and more motivated individual, with some degree of humility peppered in. And he would have plenty of time to to do - he had the frayed book he toted, and he was more than willing to try and unlearn everything inside it.

Todd_McCloud · February 18, 2017, 2:43am

Oh Stapen. My favorite revolutionary. I heard the unfortunate news, my friend. Come, come forward and tell me all about it.

Stapen Evesuni marched up to his desk, his shoes clomping on the marbled floor as he stormed closer. “You know exactly why I’m here.”

Stapen, you know me. Im a very passionate man. When I heard your story, I was touched. I wanted to help you and your friends as best I could. But you know how much our hands are tied here. I could only meet you halfway."

“Halfway? You didn’t even show! People died because of you left us high and dry!”

"I was impressed, I admit, and I don’t normally get impressed. I liked your spunk. I liked your ability to compartmentalize. But, alas, you insisted, and we had to make a deal. He picked up his letter opener and twirled the pointed end on a finger. Why did you come back after what happened, Stapen?

“If I thought I could kill you, I would.” He removed a gun from behind his person, tucked behind his suspenders. “But then again, I’m just an idiot peasant, right? What business do I have thinking anyway?”

Max smirked. “You think this is the first time I’ve had a weapon pointed at me? I know your type. You won’t shoot.” He watched as Stapen moved his weapon upward and shot it in the air, bits of marble crumbling above them. “Mmn. You really are an idiot peasant.”

“At your service,” Evesuni muttered.

“So was this your plan? To march back to Vekaiyu and kill me?” He arched an eyebrow from his good eye. “What precisely would that have proven? That Listonians are violent people who must be controlled by an outside force? That Stapen Evesuni the speaker is a terrorist?”

“I’d figure it out as it happened.”

Max stood from his chair. You know as well as I know that my involvement in Sevropia and Dveria would compromise too much. He walked up to him until he was directly behind him. Tell me. Max waited again as Stapen chased him with the barrel of his gun. Hmm? Apparently he wasnt going to get a response. “You’re confused. Put the gun down and we’ll talk. Let’s see what I can do to make this situation a bit better.”

“How do I trust you?” Evesuni asked. “A man’s measure is by his word. And you don’t have one to stand by.”

Max backed up as his doors were flung open by a collection of his guards. Before Evesuni could react, they tackled him to the ground, shoving him onto the marble floor as the impact took the wind out of him, causing him to drop the gun he was toting.

“Thanks,” Max said with a smile. He caught the sliding gun with his shoe. “Oh dear, look at what I’ve found.” He frowned as he picked the gun up, then set it carefully on his desk. “You’re the kind of scum and stupidity I like, Evesuni. Unpredictably dumb, lacking judgment, and yet sophisticated enough where the ants around you listen to your words.” He watched as the guards forced him back to his feet, holding the Listonian at eye-level to Max, who was several inches taller than he was. “I should kill you now, but frankly I believe you’ll do that to yourself in spectacular fashion. Plus it’s more fun to slowly work you over anyway.” He turned to his guards as they dropped him once again.

Once he hit the floor, Max grabbed him by the x his suspenders made on his back and shoved him into a wall, crashing his body against an outcropping of jaku wood molding. But he hit it awkwardly, as the dictator wanted his face to be the first thing that met the wood. Isn’t that right? He kicked him in the rear and pulled his arm back, bending it awkwardly. I think I’d rather see you suffer anyway.

“It’s what I do,” Evesuni said as he grunted.

“Of course. Say, I have an idea. You said you had a daughter in Vekaiyu, didn’t you?”

“Leave her out of this!”

“Ah, now I’ve found the right button to press.” He motioned for his guards as they held him up. Max went to work on Evesuni’s chest, landing blow after blow as the Listonian was powerless to avoid them. “It would be easy to kill you, yes, but perhaps a greater hell for you would be to keep you alive. If I have free time, mmn, I might try to find her. She has to be somewhere, right? Or maybe I won’t. I guess that will be a perfect hell for you, right?”

He smiled as Evesuni struggled against his guards. “I’ll kill you!”

“How befitting a crime!” He patted him on the head. “Do you understand now, Evesuni? In the end I win. I alone decide my path, not my word, not a piece of paper. I am my own man. And that’s what separates me from you. You are not your own man. You’re a slave, a slave to the Dverians, to the Sevropians, and now, to me.”

“Max!”

His ears perked up. “Ah, Selvala,” he said with a singsong tone. “How are you today, my dear? The air in the room just… seems to become less heavy when you enter.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s Stapen Evesuni?” she grimaced. “Would’ve thought he’d be, I don’t know, bigger.” She motioned over to him. “Give him to me and I will finish the job. You have a meeting right now.”

Max sighed, then nodded. He decked Stapen in the stomach once more for good measure. Fucking shitstained peasant fucker! You smell like shit! Thats cause your brain is shit you motherfucker! He slammed his fist on him again. After his tirade, he brushed himself off and turned to Selvala. “Oh alright. You… always seem to have a way with words, after all.”

=====*=

“Get out of here,” Selvala said. “Leave.”

Stapen nodded. “I leave here and I’m never coming back.” As he began walking, he stopped and turned around, wincing a bit from sore muscles. “He treats everyone like shit, doesn’t he?”

She sighed. “You don’t need to know anything.”

“I’m probably never going to see you again, especially since you let me go.” He shrugged. “And I’m just waiting for a cab anyway.”

Selvala looked around. Finally, she began to whisper to him. “If it’s any consolation, he has no idea who your daughter is. None of us do, and we looked all over for Evesuni’s. For all we know she could’ve been on the bus that fell off the side of a mountain. But he has had me look, and if we would’ve found her, he would’ve killed her by now and just strung you along.”

“Kind of like he does to you?”

“Eh? You can read that?”

Evesuni shrugged. “I was raised on the streets. I knew it the first time I came here.”

She smiled, but it was clearly used to dam up a number of emotions. “Look I think it’s awful what he did to you and your group. You came to him asking for help, and your intentions were true, but he bit your hand. To you it’s life or death. To him it’s a game. It’s why he didn’t kill you back there - he’d rather play with you than remove you. He takes pleasure in creating misery.” She looked up at him. “But things will be different. I put a lot of faith in my promises, so believe it. It will be different. And when they are different, look me up. I might be able to lend a hand.” She brought a finger to her lips as Stapen nodded, noticing his cab had arrived. “It will be different.”

Todd_McCloud · February 18, 2017, 1:35pm

Relusi. The very name of the town made any true Listonian shudder, as it had been the center of several cleansings by the Sevropians over the years. As a solace, the last cleansing took place over fifty years ago and the current government of Sevropia seemed to take a hands-off approach to the Listonian issue, but that could always change, of course. Still, as Stapen traveled eastward, he learned that many vulpines moved in from Ye’leli to Relusi. Subsequent migrations also allowed for many to settle due east of the city to Vilines, another large town with a rich vulpine history. And others still decided to defy orders and remain in Ye’leli, opting instead to be removed by force if the government felt so inclined. Yet as days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, individuals began to realize that perhaps the decree was mainly a paper tiger, and so some individuals moved back as a consequence.

Then again, news was spotty in these territories and it was difficult to determine just what was going on at any given moment. But the diaspora of vulpines from Ye’leli across other cities in historically Listonian lands seemed to be a blessing in disguise, as politically-motivated Ye’lelians spurred dormant sects into action, telling stories of a man Stapen Evesuni and those who fought alongside his numbers despite Vekaiyu sitting unimpressed on the sidelines. Perhaps it was due to their longstanding identity with him that they were generally softer to Evesuni and his numbers. Some blamed him, while those who were more informed realized the blame should rest elsewhere. It could have been the well-documented promise distributed among their newspapers, a promise broken by Max Venavle, which took off most of the heat. Either way, the lands remained unconnected and for the most part unguided. Evesuni had not spoken since the defeat, and many of those who seemed to be closest to him remained silent as well. Many waited for some sort of sign that hope was not all lost, that their fighting and planning was not done in vain.

After taking a bud ride from the depot to the new building occupied by Yu Levolar in Relusi, Stapen walked down a few blocks and up to the door, not quite knowing what to expect when he entered the building. He half expected to be walking back out the door in less than five minutes, but he simply couldn’t give up now. The movement, after all, was bigger than him, and if he was to be removed, so be it. He would find another way.

When he knocked on the door, the door lined with security bars was opened by Seri.

“Stapen,” he said soberly. “You’re back?”

“Yeah. I’m here.”

“We didn’t know what happened to you,” he confessed as he opened the door. “We knew you were going to Vekaiyu, but with all the crazy stuff happening over there, we didn’t know if maybe something had happened to you.” He shut the door and locked it, then caught up to Evesuni, who was inspecting the new building. It was larger than the one before it, likely due to the fact that the cash flow from the crime payouts were high enough where the building was a good buy. Relusi couldn’t have been more expensive than Ye’leli to live in, as well.

“I guess I needed to clear my head. How is everyone?”

Seri shrugged. “Planning, but they can’t seem to really decide on anything. You know how it goes. How was Vekaiyu?”

“The nation was nice. If we could find a way to make things like they are over there here, we’d be in business. But Max is dead to me,” he said sternly. “His words mean nothing to me anymore.”

“Dead to just you?” Seri laughed. He stepped into the elevator as the doors opened. “Pfft. He’s dead dead. Like, murdered. Many are blaming the Kral Commodore Selvala McEva for his death, but they don’t even know if she’ll stand trial. She might be pardoned. Something about stabbing his eyes out with the her hair needles, then cutting his head off.” He smiled. “Pretty cool, right?”

Stapen furrowed his brow. “Really? That all happened? How long have I been gone?”

“It’s all over the news. And the ironic thing is based on their laws she’s the next in line for the dictatorship. Their laws are so screwed up now. It’s ridiculous. How does a nation like that get away with such dopey policies?”

They stepped off the 9th floor and down a hallway. “Who knows?”

“The real question is what does that mean to us?”

Stapen nodded as Seri opened the door. “I don’t know. The people over there say one thing but usually mean another.”

Inside was the majority of the inner circle, huddled around a radio. The room wasn’t too bad - old books on bookcases at the far end of the wall, and various older leather and upholstered couches lining the walls. A large red rug brightened the dark room up a bit. Whatever this building was or whatever it was designed to be certainly was nicer than their location in Ye’leli.

“Hey Stap!” Leon exclaimed. The rest of the group looked over and flowed over to the doorjam where he stood. A volley of questions were hurled over him, questions like where he had been, what happened, what his plans were, stuff like that. Peppered in was anger over how the situation in Ye’leli went down.

“How’s everyone doing?”

“Certainly not chipper,” Yamano said as Yuko nodded.

“How the hell could we have been duped by Max? Everyone’s got something to say over that.”

Evesuni shrugged. “We held the city for 11 days. That hasn’t happened before.”

“Yeah but at what cost?” Leon said.

“Face it, we’re not looking to free just that city. And without Max, we really stood no chance.”

“Yeah but he’s dead!”

Pitur smiled. “They said the shears she used to cut his head off were dull. Dull!”

“We’ll talk business later,” Yuko remarked. “There’s much to do. As for this, well, I guess it’s justice for fucking with us, right?”

Stapen nodded. “Yeah. Hope they bury him deep.”

Todd_McCloud · February 18, 2017, 5:49pm

Evesuni quickly learned that life in Sevropia was much different than in Dveria. Though the prejudices were not as harsh as in Dveria, for instance, no public displays of humiliation and no restrictions on where to go in Relusi, the people were decidedly colder, almost dismissive and resigned to the fact that vulpines by default were second class people with second class rights. Officers were generally absolved for gunning down a Listonian here and there, as it was just generally assumed their lot were troublemakers and violence was a way to control them. But by and large, the common Sevropian was satisfied with ignoring their words, their desires, and pretty much their being. To them, vulpines were present in their lives but if they ignored them enough they didn’t really have to deal with their ilk.

Speaking in Relusi was different, too. The crowds were different - they tended to be less optimistic and complained quite a bit. The venues were different, too. As Stapen learned while he was gone, most of the venues were open-air and faced intimidation by the police, who would at times simply root through a crowd and pull people away for frivolous arrests.

“Please!” Yuko shouted as whistles and boos were sprinkled about the crowd. It was larger than normal because they had advertised Evesuni’s return. “We need to stay united! If we scatter at defeat, we’ll never be free!”

Stapen couldn’t take it much longer. “Is it always like this?” he asked as a head of cabbage nearly missed Yuko.

Daszo Strovuyistre, a recent recruit from Relusi and pretty much their informant on the city, sighed. “Many have tried to give speeches. The crowd’s just so angry. Some don’t even want you all here. They call you troublemakers.”

“I’ve been called worse,” he said as he made his way out to the crowd, the noise level intensifying with a mix of cheers and boos. Yuko appeared relieved once Stapen moved next to him, beckoning for the microphone.

He dodged a rock after moving his leg back in with a slight kick. “Really now. Really? You all are comfortable like this? You don’t do this to the Sevropians. You don’t do this to the Dverians. But you’ll do this to us, your own kin.” He shook his head as the crowd calmed down. “And why? Because we wanted to fight against what was wrong? Because we stood up, only to have the world turn their backs on us once again? Well, fuck the world. They have their nations. They have their freedom. They have their comfort. They took everything from us, and this is the response. To turn on your own people.”

“We held Ye’leli for eleven days. Eleven days! Just Listonians. Listonians, loyal Listonians who wanted more for their lives, their children, and their people. The world did gaze with amazement at those fearless men and women who bartered their lives for a chance, a chance to be free! You will never measure up to them. We stood against evil, and your response is rejection. If that’s the case, then there’s nothing I want from you. Continue on with your lives. My only request is that you leave those who want a better life alone, and get out of their way when they march on! Because if the events in Ye’leli do not motivate you, if the waving flag of the free city doesn’t embolden you, if you are content with being treated as dirt for the crime of being vulpine, then leave. I want nothing to do with you, and we want nothing to do with you.”

Evesuni paced as he scowled at the group. “You think I’m not haunted by their faces? You think I reveled at the opportunity to have Venavle turn his back on us? I tell you this, each time they beat me down, be it with their words, their clubs, or their guns. They want me to stop. They want me to run away. And yet, every time, I get back up. I will never give them the satisfaction of ending me or my people!” He grabbed Yuko by the arm and thrust him forward. “Nor will he. Nor will us. We will fight, in spite of your anger. And if you chase us away, we will leave you to the Sevropians.”

“So if you honestly think they’re better than we are, if you’d rather be Sevropian than Listonian, then so be it. Stay comfortable in your ignorance and enjoy telling your children they will never be free. As for me, as for us, we take no comfort in our situation. We want to fight. And we will fight.” A disgusted scoff puffed from Evesuni’s lips. “Anyone want to throw a rock now? Anyone want to chase us out now? Go ahead. I’m right here.” He dropped his gun and slid it to the back. “I’m defenseless. Go ahead and take me out - it’s your chance.” He stood there, holding his arms out, facing the crowd. “Anyone?” He took the mic again. “You can kill me, but you cannot kill a dream. We Ye’lelians fought hard for the chance, but we couldn’t overcome tanks and military. Perhaps one day it will be different. But for now we must organize, group, and plan.” He watched as some appeared nervous. “Oh, I’m sorry, perhaps I should shout loud enough so the Sevropians you fear will hear me. Hear this - one day Listonia will be free! Relusi will be a free Listonian city!”

He tossed the mic over to Yuko. “Have at it. Now tell them what you want them to hear.” As he walked off the stage, the crowd began clapping, then standing and clapping some more. Cheers from the Ye’lelians of ‘Long live Listonia’ echoed in his ears as they chanted to his back.

“They weren’t kidding when they said you could speak,” Daszo said with a grin.

Evesuni shook his head. “It’s just one crowd. I doubt it changed much of anything. We need to expand. We need to get our message to every Listonian city and every Listonian household. Otherwise we’ll usher in another Ye’leli and ruin our chances completely.” He turned to Leon. “And you and I need to talk business when you get the time.”

“Of course,” he replied with his usual gravely tone.

Todd_McCloud · February 19, 2017, 3:45am

Stapen grinned casually as he looked out the window while sitting in the back seat of a car driven by Leon. Daszo sat in the front passenger seat, pointing out various landmarks he had remembered from when he was a child growing up in Relusi. They were driving from the penitentiary to pick Evesuni up from a short prison stay. “Public nuisance” it was called, but everyone figured it was just a blanket term for removing speech the Sevropians weren’t fond of. Regardless, his speeches seemed to touch the vulpine presence here, and his arrest only catalyzed such sentiments.

“We used to get bread from there back in the day,” Daszo said as he pointed and followed the building with his finger as they drove past. “Was a nice bakery. It was converted to some loan shark place, nothing special anymore. But they were booted to make room for Codexian-speaking businesses.”

“What a crock of shit,” Stapen added.

“Almost as dopey as your arrest,” Leon added. He smiled through the rearview window.

Stapen shrugged. “Eh. I guess I just missed wearing the color orange. Reminded me of home I guess.”

Daszo turned to face him as they took a left-hand turn. “You’d better get used to it here. You’re on their radar and will probably be arrested anytime you take the stage.”

“So what. I don’t mind it, let them.”

Leon shook his head. “Don’t think like that. What good do you do sitting in jail? There has to be another way.”

Evesuni lit a cigarette. “Well whatever happens we have to do a slow burn. Things got too hot too fast in Ye’leli, and we just couldn’t set things up. Even if we had some more time to do it, it wouldn’t have mattered, you know?” He took another drag.

“That’s it!” Daszo exclaimed. “What if we took this to a more widespread level? You rally people and slowly they come to your ideas. But by the time the towns figure who you are, well, you’ll be gone, ready to start anew.”

“But what happens when I leave?”

“I don’t know… start a chapter, like a fraternity or something? That way you always have a base of communication there?”

“That’s actually brilliant,” Leon added. He gradually slowed the vehicle in anticipation for a changing traffic light. “That way you can kind of be in many cities at once. You just tell them what to do. And if there’s a problem, you go there instead of wasting time elsewhere.” He smiled. “That’s a good idea, Daszo.”

“Thank you.”

Evesuni shifted as he extinguished a cigarette in the back ash tray. “Sure, but how can we do that? Just tell people what to do?”

Leon shrugged. “Maybe you go there, stir the crowds up, then leave a few people behind to start up a new chapter or base or something.”

Stapen paused to think as he looked outside the window of the speeding car.

=====*=

“For years we’ve operated without an identity, without a main focus,” Evesuni said as he spoke in the night air of Relusi, several thousand vulpines listening to his words, along with a collection of Sevropian officers. He watched as more began to file in. “Today we form a new organization, an organization aimed at freeing the entirety of Listonia, once and for all. Our interest is not simply in Relusi, nor is it even in the Sevropian-controlled Listonian territories. Our ultimate goal is to provide a free state for all Listonians. If anyone else wishes to live in this state, they may do so, but it will be under our terms. We will not stoop down to their levels of ignorance and paranoia. We will be fair.”

He gave a nod as members of the three largest criminal organizations in Listonian-identified lands - Lont, Sipani, and Yu Levolar, overcame and subdued the guards they stood around. Only one managed to put up a fight, and he was gunned down with several weapons firing off roughly two dozen bullets into the soft tissue of the officer. The rest were disarmed and pushed to the front of the crowd.

Evesuni smiled. “We have a few who wish to pay tribute! Please, round of applause for those who have laid their arms down for the Listonian state.”

A subdued hush fell over the crowd as they applauded and followed the instruction of Evesuni. Roughly fourteen Sevropian officers were forced to the floor, held in place by several crime members and lined up as they were forced to kneel in front of Stapen.

“Sevropian officers, ladies and gentlemen! These people all think less of us, and yet here they are. Perhaps we shall test their loyalties?” He paused and looked out at the officers. “Iskyou ganna jayn Lishtahynia peepol?” He waited and paced up and down their ranks. “Weesh is komanding offisker?” He followed their eyes to a man second from the end. “Haw mahy youkill of Lishtahnia?” The man looked up at him sternly, until he removed a gun from his back, much to the shock of the crowd. “Spek tya truf!”

“Look, I was stationed here. You let me go, and we’ll back off. You… have my word.”

“Ahnteel you be cahmin beck! Yah cayndem yur mahn!” He nodded to those holding down the officers as they pointed their guns atop their heads. He switched back to Unonian, finished with speaking to the group of officers. “Tonight, we form People for an Independent Listonia! And we announce the formation of this group with a wonderful fourteen-gun salute as we slowly reclaim what is ours in this world. Look upon the crowd. These fourteen men will no longer kill your peers. They will no longer threaten your children. They will no longer look upon you as lesser people. Is there anything you wish to say to these individuals?”

He paused as the officers were shelled with countless insults, accusations, and demands for revenge. So many came all at once that it was impossible to really discern one from the other. As Stapen gave the signal, the gunmen moved their guns over the heads of the officers. They smiled as some officers began to cry, some appearing fearful, while others still remaining stoic to the bitter end.

They fired in unison, but none of the chambers were filled.

Stapen smiled as Yamano nodded off-stage. “We have given them a new life. They are now baptized as Listonians, because to be Listonian is a mindset - not a matter of species, or a matter of culture. It is a desire to see all people free, to allow us to control our own fate. And that is something I wish to impress upon us all. Vulpine, yes, but humans, Elphenes, and all who do not oppose us are not the enemy. Except for this man.” He walked up to the commanding officer.

“D’yoo ahnderstahnd?”

“I can barely understand you, you shit-smelling dog.”

“Layahr. You laih, you dai.” He shot the man in the leg as he groaned in pain. “Ahnywan eels wanna rejeyct bahptiskim?” He looked into the eyes of the officers. “Yoo hayrm ahnywan and I feind you, ahndarestaynd? Yoo weel dai.”

“People of Relusi, our movement has just begun. But it is far from over! We shall win out, and we shall stand united. Fight for your right as a living, thinking thing to have land that was once yours! Together we will make the Listonian state a reality, and together we will overcome! Long live Listonia!”

Todd_McCloud · February 20, 2017, 5:23am

Evesuni sat on the floor of an abandoned building in Vilines, etching a pattern into the floorboards with a switchblade. “So, how’s the underground handling all of this?”

Leon cleared his throat before sitting down at the table. He pulled his gun out and began to take it apart in order to clean the weapon as Reko sat on an old sofa, in and out, apparently. “As best as we could hope right now. I mean, we’re working to establish roots back into Ye’leli, but their bases are moving around. Sipani’s moving things back to their main location in Cestinglavoiga. And Lont, well, you know how big they are around here in the eastern lands.”

“Yeah? They still sticking by their word?”

Leon raised his eyebrows as he began cleaning the chamber. “What choice do they have? They’re staying close to their word. But you know the moment this all goes south or, heaven forbid, we actually get a state out of this, you know they’re going to go cold and we’ll all turn on one another.”

“We’ll see about that. We have to take Ye’leli,” Stapen responded. “Ye’leli and Flores. If we can control the flow of trade from the Vekaiyun state, we’ll gain the upper hand. 'Course, this is all down the road stuff, but eh, why not plan ahead?” He lit a cigarette as he removed a collection of painted stones from his bag.

“I’m sure they’re doing the same,” Leon muttered. He watched as Evesuni went to work on his religion. “So does that stuff work? I remember Iveri used to say it did.”

“Mmn, depends on how you use it. You know.”

“Yeah, yeah. Freaking heretics.” He loaded his weapon after putting it back together, checking it over to make sure its motions were more fluid. When he heard a weapon click, he looked up and saw Evesuni pointing his gun at him.

Evesuni laughed and lowered the barrel.

“Geez, man, come on,” Leon said as he shook his head, his partner still laughing.

“Can’t the two of you shut the fuck up?” Reko muttered, grabbing his head.

Stapen dropped his weapon and rolled his eyes. “So what’s the favor of the month, Rek?” He walked over and picked up a bottle, careful not to disturb a used syringe. “Cheap Islovium and whatever the hell you shot yourself up with.” He nodded. “You know, I gotta hand it to you. Of all the cheap ones you could’ve bought, this one’s not bad.”

“Don’t even try to reason with him, Stap. Guy just hasn’t been the same since fighting in Ye’leli. Said he saw a bunch of children get gunned down. Children, man.”

“Jesus Christ,” Stapen muttered as he shook his head. “I guess I sorta blocked all of that. Only thing I really remember is some guy getting blown to bits right next to me. Like, I didn’t even know him, you know? But he still followed us. I don’t know. It didn’t settle well with me. So, I guess I try to find out who exactly is fighting with us now. What about you? You don’t talk about it much.”

“Nothing to talk about.” He opened a case to remove a machine gun, letting it crash on the table as he removed a cloth from the case and worked that weapon over.

“Messy weapon.”

“Eh, I got fond of it I g-” he paused as his ears perked up. “Hear that?”

“Gunfire,” Evesuni whispered. “Getting closer.” He stood and with minimal sound moved to the wall facing the hallway next to them. When Leon appeared poised to speak, he held up a finger and the gravely-voiced vulpine readied his weapon.

Stapen moved with the sound of another person on the outside. When they seemed close to the door, he placed his gun against the door where the new person presumably stood. He moved the barrel down about a foot when he detected someone shorter.

“Vulpine?” Leon watched as Evesuni nodded.

When the footsteps moved away, Evesuni detected another set moving closer. He held his breath as the larger individual ran down the hall, the old floorboards creaking with each step. Once he made it to where Evesuni stood, the Listonian fired his weapon, the bullet blasting bits of the wooden door around the newly-formed hole. Once the smell of smoke subsided, he peered out from the newly-formed hole to witness a large individual - human - slumped over with a smear of red blood traveling from the point of impact to the place where he now sat.

Though Leon moved in the room, Stapen kept his gaze outward. He paused and after a moment heard the footsteps from before return to the scene. Vulpine female. On the cusp of the mid-twenties, it appeared. Wearing some kind of handkercheif in her hair, a green coat, skirt, and black boots. She analyzed the situation before here, looking at the blood-stained wall, the hole the bullet passed through, then turned to face the door through which Stapen peered through. He watched as she readied her weapon.

“If I shot a person through a door, a person I couldn’t see, what the hell gives you the idea that you stand a chance?” He paused. “You alone?”

“For now.”

“Anyone else after you?”

“Not in this building at least.” She looked at the door curiously. “Anyone tell you that you sound like Stapen Evesuni?”

Stapen rolled his eyes and opened the door. “Get in,” he commanded.

Instead of running into the room, she ran into his arms and sniveled, sobbing into his chest. Evesuni looked back at Leon, who flashed a puzzled look at him before setting his weapon down. Though he didn’t want to, Stapen patted her on the back with his free hand.

“Reko, will ya m-”

He pulled the woman down for cover as their partner shot his weapon three times into the air, the ceiling above him crumbling slightly. “God dammit, will somebody get that gun away from him! And for God’s sake, clean yourself up! You want to blow this whole operation? Get the hell off the couch!” Stapen sighed as he turned to the woman. “Sorry. The man at the table is Leon, and the ass on the couch is Reko. Now I’m going to move you to the couch… slowly… and you’re going to tell me everything about this whole thing: why you’re being chased, stuff like that.” He set her down. “Starting with your name.”

She dried her eyes with her hands as Leon took her gun. “Ankya Floria Kralikestri. But pretty much everyone just calls me Ankya. I’m nobody special. Just trying to make a living with people around here.” She smiled slightly. “We heard some of your speeches over in Ye’leli, but when war broke out, we moved to Vilines.”

“We?”

“Yeah. A few friends and stuff. Thought about forming a group, but we heard your People for an Independent Listonia group was in town. We attended one of your talks, and that was enough to move us to action. When a friend, Aleki, got in trouble with a cop, one of us shot him and we all scattered. Some plainclothes guy chased me into this building, and, well, yeah, that’s kind of about it.”

Leon arched an eyebrow. “How do we know she’s telling the truth?” He pointed a gun at her.

“Cut that out,” Stapen said. “Plus if she’s looked us up, she’d know our policy on dissension. Anyway, sure, we’ll have a chapter leader installed and everything will flow through him and his group. You can sign up once that happens.”

She shook her head. “Take me with you. Please. I can prove my worthiness to you if need be.”

Evesuni shook his head. “Nah. Not interested.”

“I can shoot, cook, take care of wounds, mend clothes, that sort.”

“We have people who can do that already,” Leon said. “But we don’t really have a woman in our circle.” He smiled and walked up to her.

Stapen put an arm out to bar him. “What part of not interested did anyone not understand?”

“Kivo Evesuni, I owe my life to you. At least let me try to live up to that.”

“Yeah, Stap, a woman would balance us out a bit.”

Reko rolled over on the wooden floor. “Well, that’s nine to zero all for, Stapen. What says you?”

“Nine?” Evesuni asked. He then threw up his hands. “Fine, fine. I can’t fight this stuff anymore. But you better prove your worth. I’m not in the business of carrying dead weight!”

She hugged him as Stapen backed her away.

“I’ll be sure to prove my worth. Thank you for the opportunity, Kivo Evesuni!”

Todd_McCloud · February 22, 2017, 2:03am

It was a note supplied to Stapen from the new Dictator of Vekaiyu, Selvala McEva, that drew him westward toward an already-familiar setting: Flores, the all too familiar city that always seemed to pull him back to its wide streets and tall buildings. It wasn’t so much of a note, however. Upon the urges of people in his circle, he established an electronic mail connection and supplied it to certain individuals. He couldn’t really check it without asking for some kind of help, and while reading was a challenge from time to time, writing back was even more difficult. He was slow when it came to typing up a response, partly because he was not a skilled writer, but also because he couldn’t seem to grasp the placement of the letters on the keyboard.

Regardless, he kept away from the larger cities and opted to travel directly from Vilines to Flores. Travel time was about a day’s worth of driving - not because the lands were particularly large, but because roads winded and were at times difficult to drive on, especially unpaved roads after a long rain.

“Hey, stop the car, stop the car.”

Yuko did as he was instructed and rolled the car to a stop. He was slated to take over the Ye’leli chapter of People for an Independent Listonia, but they all agreed that an impromptu meeting with the Vekaiyu dictator was a little more important. He opened his door around the same time that Evesuni lit a cigarette while still in the car, letting Leon, Reko, and Ankya leave before he did.

“Need a break or something?” Yuko asked.

Evesuni shook his head and pointed northeast, shielding his eyes from the sunlight. “No. That.”

The group looked in the distance to see something staked high among the growing corn. “I know what that is.” He grimaced and extinguished his cigarette with his foot. “I used to live around these parts, but usually had to move around whenever something like that happened. Sometimes we could, sometimes we couldn’t. We always tried to though.”

“What is it?”

“One of us. Either found dead or killed for some kind of crime. They’re using it as a scarecrow to keep the birds away. They must be fresh, cause otherwise it’d attract them for a few days.”

Yuko turned his face away as Ankya buried her head in Stapen’s shoulder. “My God,” she muttered.

Leon stood there, puzzled. “So then why stop the car? I don’t really want to know about all of this! I saw enough of it in Ye’leli.” He turned to Reko. “He saw a lot of it, too! We all did! Why the hell do I need to be reminded of this every goddamned day?”

Stapen shrugged. “Sometimes I guess it’s kind of, I don’t know, humbling or something. When I was a kid, I couldn’t do anything about it. Now I can.”

“What are you going to do?” Yuko asked.

Stapen began walking through the corn, taking out his switchblade and cutting a few stalks down. “I’m going to cut them down. Then I’m going to cut them down.” He began parting the stalks, making a direct path to the individual now forced to guard crops below them. Those in his group followed close behind, walking until they lost sight of the car parked on the side of the road. When they reached the cadaver, they could immediately tell that once-alive vulpine male was indeed fresh, perhaps dead only a day or so. Despite this, his leather suspenders appeared dried from the sun and the blood-stained shirt looked hard and had faded to a rust-brown color. Rope burns were around his neck.

Evesuni motioned with his head. “Well, what are you all doing standing around for? Cut him down - arms first, then pull him off the nail in the back.” The arms were stretched out against a wooden plank in order to make the individual loom over the crops below. Stapen grabbed one arm and, after wiping some blood from his brow, cut the ropes holding the arm up. It didn’t drop - rigormortis had set in, his body frozen in the state as his other arm was freed. Stapen, Reko, and Yuko carefully pulled him from a long nail in the back as the puncture wound trickled out stale blood. They slowly set the body down as Evesuni respectfully pulled the man’s tongue back in his mouth and closed the jaws shut.

“Who would do such a thing?” Ankya asked.

Evesuni put his hands on his hips. “Well, if we let them get away with it, what does that make us? Here, give me a boost.” He waited until Reko and Leon lifted him above the corn. After scanning the area, the Listonian spotted a sagged roof among the corn in a clearing a brisk walk away. “There they are. Follow me.”

They walked down parallel to the rows of corn as Ankya moved faster to catch up to him. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to slit their throats and burn their house down.”

“Wait, wait. Why?”

“Because if no one else will do the justice, then I will.”

“But that doesn’t make it right! You’re going to kill the farmer and his family because they’re hanging a vulpine like that? Maybe he wasn’t dead.”

“He was hung round the neck, and don’t try to change my mind. I don’t need that.”

Leon smirked. “Mind if I light the house on fire?”

“Be my guest.”

Reko rubbed his eyes as he stumbled a bit behind. “Maybe we could keep a distance and do some target practice?”

Evesuni shook his head. “Nah. This is personal.”

“This is insane! If we do this, we’re no better than they are!”

Stapen sighed as it trailed into a growl. “You don’t understand. This won’t stop until we get rid of people who do this, and they will keep doing this. I can promise you that. They’re sick fucks, sick in the mind, in the head. You asked who would do this. They would, because they don’t even think we’re on their level! Do you understand now? Get rid of them!”

“Wait, wait-”

“Outta my way!” He paused, nearly at the house. “You’re not from around here, anyway. These people are animals. They’ll kill you for not paying your fucking taxes on time!”

“But it has to start somewhere!” She put a hand on Stapen’s right arm as he jerked it away. “If you show them mercy, maybe they’ll learn!”

“You can’t teach these people. They’re monsters!” He reached the door and knocked it down with two kicks. A commotion in the kitchen caused a few pots and pans to fall as the family inside moved to a corner of the room, focused on the guns prone on their bodies. Evesuni walked forward and gripped the patriarch by the neck, forcing him against the wall and disturbing his beard with his grip. He twirled the switchblade in his hand.

“Stop! Just stop and think for a moment!”

“Leave me alone! You think-”

“Just look! Think of you and your wife, the tax collectors, and how it destroyed your life! Look at what you’re doing!”

He clenched his teeth as he felt like delivering a final rebuttal. He turned around and before he could speak, he noticed his men with weapons drawn at the mother and child. The Listonian paused and loosened the muscles in his face as the room fell silent, save for the sobbing in the corner by the child. Their family was dirty, their clothes tattered slightly, and their kitchen had cabinets stained by years of wear. He looked at the child, then the mother, and then turned to the father, who looked down at him, still panting and looking at knife in Evesuni’s hand.

“Dammit, why is this so hard?” He moved the knife away from the man as he remained frozen against the wall. Once his blade was sheathed back in the handle, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it carefully, cupping the rolled paper in his hands. He waved the match until the flame went out and let it land on the floor. He eyed Yuko. “Ask them why they scarecrowed the guy back there.”

Evesuni listened to Yuko converse with the man. He didn’t really have an ear for Codexian, so he didn’t pay too much attention in order to decipher what they were saying. Instead, his eyes flashed over to Ankya, who looked up at him with a slight, solemn smile.

“He said he was hung for stealing. He took the body because he needed it to protect their crops.”

Evesuni looked at Ankya. “Happy now?” He muttered. “They don’t even think that we’re on their same level. We’re less than they are, according to them.”

“But maybe the mercy will change them.”

“It’s not mercy,” Stapen corrected. “I just lost my motivation is all.” He looked over at the older human, pointing a furred finger at his face. “Ahm nasing t’yoo, yes? Yoo ahp heer, I dahwn dare!” He gesticulated with his hands, doing the best he could to show what he was trying to say, moving one hand over the other. “Yes? Ahgly Peepol! Ahgly!”

“You’d sooner hang us up there!” Yuko added in coherent Codexian. “Say that you would! We can think and talk and discourse just as you do! I myself am an attorney - studied in Provinsk, in Vekaiyu. What makes you so special anyway?”

The man shrugged. “We needed to protect our crops. Would you have done the same?”

Yuko maintained a stern gaze. “Did you hear-”

Stapen nodded. “Yeah,” he replied in Unonian. “And… yeah. I can’t really answer that. Cause I don’t know.”

“Maybe it’s just as you said,” Ankya replied. “They’re sick. And if someone’s sick, you don’t kill them. You cure them.” She watched as Stapen nodded slowly.

“Okay,” he replied softly. “Yeah. Okay then.” He turned to Yuko. “We’re done here. Tell them to give the man a burial and find another way to keep their crops safe. I’d do it, but I sound like an idiot when I speak in their language. Just… let them know that, you know, this business of us and them… isn’t going to fly anymore.” He shrugged. “You know?”

Todd_McCloud · February 23, 2017, 12:39am

“You have left your weapons at the door?”

Evesuni smirked, expecting the question, as it became customary for anyone with some kind of control to ask that question before discussing important matters with him. “Of course.”

Selvala McEva nodded. She appeared noticeably different from before, but it was mostly due to her new uniform - gray with a black collar and bedecked with various medals that probably each held some kind of significance, but for anyone outside of Vekaiyu it was probably lost. Her ring and minor finger on her left hand were deformed from a mishap with the shears when she fought to cut the head of Max Venavle from its shoulders, rendering her deformed but it didn’t seem to detract from her apparent physique. She was white furred with dark grey hair, hair that had not been cut in some time. Rather than hold it up as she did in years’ past, she opted for braids instead.

“Good. I would hate for there to be any negative altercations.” She looked up at a guard she had brought along. The guard appeared younger and female in appearance, though it was difficult to tell, as the individual was clad in some kind of red suit with red plated armor, her face hidden behind some kind of blank but sinister looking vulpine visage. “Max had the foresight of a gnat, but he did initiate some programs of worth. I now have super-soldiers at my disposal.”

“Of course,” Evesuni said, unsure how to really react to that sentiment. Was she there to kill him if talks went south? Most likely not. But if she brought her along, did she really trust him? “And who’s this?” He pointed to a younger looking vulpine male wearing a thin black overcoat, his white-collared shirt and ribbon tie peeking from the jacket.

“I had to clean house a bit when I took over. You understand how it is - one finds it difficult to work with those who served your old boss, so to speak. It has been a rocky transition, but I believe in placing youth in positions where they can quickly learn and add novel ideas. This is Todd Leyuski, and he’s quite possibly the brightest mind in military training the Vekaiyun state has to offer.” Stapen watched as he turned away a bit, appearing ashamed by the odd praise. “Unfortunately I cannot delve into too much information as that is classified, but where his strength is military, he lacks diplomacy. So I hope you don’t mind that I brought him along for someone like your ilk.” She quickly added to her last sentence. “That is, someone who is perhaps atypical when compared to the usual political heads.”

Stapen shrugged as he lit a cigarette. “I’m not really a political person. I just want to see my people free.”

Selvala smirked. “You know, you’re like a breath of fresh air, Stapen. No ulterior agendas, nothing polished about you. I feel as though I can trust you because I realize you couldn’t possibly have the ability to really hide anything about you. I know of your shooting skills. I have your prison files copied from the Dverian and Sevropian governments. Quite the troublemaker, yes?”

“I’d do it again if I have to,” Stapen said with a shrug. The arrogance of Selvala was a nice tool to have.

“Of course you would. Which is why I was so… enamored with your resolve. You see, Stapen, Vekaiyu suffered under Max. There’s much you don’t know and much that is needed to be done, but the nation was upended after the revolution, and all its paranoia and all its fears were moved to the front. So he embraced that mantra and used it to instill those emotions into daily occurrences, which can do great harm on the psyche. Vulpines, as you know, are not prone to anger and are not prone to hatred. But Max used that anger he harvested over his reign and slowly soaked up power like a sponge.” She looked up at him. “As I understand it, you previously had a fascination with him, did you not?”

“I guess you could call it that.”

“But it wasn’t Max, you see. It was the ideal. If Max was who he said he was in his books. That’s what makes you so interesting, Stapen. You idolized the romanticized version of Max Venavle. You only heard of him, you didn’t know what he was doing and how it contrasted in his book.” She grinned when he shrugged. “And that’s what makes you different, Evesuni. You and your exotic lifestyle. Imprisoned. Destitute and on the streets - torn and discarded. An assassin. Devout loyalty to your slain wife. And a compelling voice to boot. How fascinating.”

“What’s the point of this?”

“I want to help you, Stapen. I am touched by your story, and wish to help you. I am interested in funding your little insurgency, with Vekaiyun weapons purchased at a discount. Nothing on paper, of course. This is strictly word-of-mouth.”

“We would advise you to entrust this with a very small contingency of only the closest of your comrades,” Leyuski said with a smile. There was something… odd about his smile. It was as if it was meant to be worn by an aged old vulpine man, but the tightened skin suggested otherwise. “But you already knew that.”

“We will set up a program whereby the Vekaiyun government will not be implicated in this. You simply purchase from a dealer under a strict set of guidelines, and we will take care of the rest. You understand, don’t you?”

Evesuni nodded, a bit confused at the sudden interest in his fight. “What’s the catch?” he finally asked.

“Well, just… remember that it is Vekaiyu who is helping you on your crusade. Should you succeed, some recognition will most likely be in order, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I suppose.” He shifted in his seat nervously as Selvala folded one leg over the other.

“So do we have an agreement?” She watched as he nodded, then the two shook at the elbows, gripping each others’ forearms in the process.

“Great. We’re done here?”

“So, tell me about your tattoo.”

He looked up at her. “Must I?” Stapen watched as she nodded. “I am Voxian Catholic. This is my seal, round my eye.”

“And you got it in prison, did you not? After blinding that one prisoner, right?” She watched as he nodded. “Such raw emotion… it is a wonderful quality, really. Do you fight… a lot? Don’t be offended by the question. I just assume life is more raw and more… real this side of the border.”

“I don’t usually talk about it,” Stapen said sternly. “But I guess you could say life is real here. I think it’s real over there, too.”

“But it’s different. Oh, I wish you could understand. Perhaps… perhaps later we could discuss it over something to eat? I will buy.”

Evesuni raised his eyebrows. “Well, Kiv-”

“Kivia,” she interrupted.

“Kivia McEva, I’m not really the restaurant type, you know? But another time, maybe. Max did promise me a drink in Ye’leli a few years ago.”

She smiled. “Of course. We shall meet again, soon.”

“Can’t really tell with me,” Evesuni said as he stood up. “But anytime you want to talk business, I am available.”

“We shall meet again,” she repeated, giving him a respectable nod after she stood to address him leaving the room. She placed her hands in front of her and gripped her right fist with her left hand in a customary Vekaiyun greeting and dismissal. “I have taken an interest in your actions, Stapen. We’ll stay in touch.”