The Hunger Rebellion

by G F Cusack

  Zap had always thought that his real father was someone powerful – but the supreme leader? One thing he was sure of: whatever he was feeling or whatever was happening here, he mustn’t let Brand know that he could read minds. That was far too dangerous.

  “I didn’t know that she’d killed anyone. She seems so innocent,” Zap said.

  “What has she told you? Do you know where she is?”

  “We don't have normal conversations, it’s more like feeling each other’s thoughts. It’s stronger when she is feeling strong emotions, like when she’s scared.”

  Concerned not to divulge too much, Zap wracked his brain, trying to remember what he had said to Dick that Brand might have overheard. He’d told Dick that Flo was outside the Sanctuary and that she’d been attacked. He hadn’t mentioned that she was with the rebels and that they were on the way here. It struck him then that this might be the only reason he was still alive.

  “So where is she?” Brand prompted.

  “All I know is that she is not in the Sanctuary. I have no idea how close or far away she is. Whenever I’ve felt anything from her, it’s been mostly fear. I think she has been in danger a lot. I understand now how dangerous it is outside the Sanctuary, just as the Company has told us.”

  “It is good that you realise how dangerous it is outside the Sanctuary. It is good that you realise how fortunate your current situation is. I want you to ask her for some information. Will you do that for me, Zap?”

  “I will try my best.” Zap replied. Clearly, saying no was not an option.

  “That is all I ask of anybody, that you do your best for the Company, the people of the Sanctuary and the state. I want you to find out where she is and who she is with. Can you do that for me, Zap?”

  “I’ll try,” Zap said. But while his voice was agreeing, in his mind he’d decided not to help Brand. He realised that his fate was now entwined with Flo’s. Once Brand had Flo, Zap may no longer be of any use to him. Also, having powers that the Company couldn’t control would make him a threat – a situation he doubted they’d allow to continue.

  “Do you enjoy your life, Zap? Do you enjoy the luxuries that your job provides?”

  “Yes sir,” Zap replied cautiously.

  “You know that there are people starving in the streets? You’ve heard of the riots and how dangerous it is outside your secure complex?”

  “Yes, I’ve heard things,” Zap answered, although he thought the questions were rhetorical.

  “Good, I’d hate for you to lose your job and your accommodation. I wonder how you would fare on the streets? Even worse, I’d hate for you to take a one-way trip to the gel plants,” Brand said with insincere concern.

  Zap was confused. If this man was his father, why was he treating him so cruelly? Was this really his father? He decided to feign compliance. “Is there anything else you need me to find out?”

  Again he heard Brand’s thoughts. “Are you really grovelling or are you trying to play me? Perhaps you have got some of my genes and the son is trying to outfox the father? I will keep a close eye on you and see if you can prove yourself worthy enough to be my son. Let’s wait and see what the girl has to offer. Females can be more devious than the males. If your sister is the stronger, she may be the one that I let survive.”

  Zap found it hard to hide his emotions. While he was scared rigid, his mind was also racing to take in the news that not only was Brand his father but also Flo was his sister. He tried not to react as Brand spoke.

  “No, for the time being just find out where she is and who she’s with.”

  “I will do my best, I promise sir.”

  “How often do you communicate? When will I have an answer?” Brand asked abruptly.

  “It depends on where she is. If she is somewhere quiet, it is easier for us to converse. Sometimes it might take a day, sometimes it might be two or three days before I hear from her. It is not a regular communication, it’s not like the way we’re talking now. It depends on how strong her emotions are at the time, I can’t command it.”

  Zap was playing for time. He knew the rebel attack was getting closer. He didn’t want to expose this, and he needed to remain free for as long as possible to keep giving them information.

  “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt,” Brand said. “You have two days. In exactly two days’ time, I expect to hear from you. I expect you to bring me some answers, do you understand?”

  There was no point in contesting this matter. Zap had tried to gain some time, and had maybe bought himself an extra day. “I will come back in two days and I will bring you all the information I have gathered.”

  Brand perceived that Zap’s posture seemed to have become more comfortable as they talked. He continued to look him up and down.

  Again Zap heard the voice in his head. “Maybe you’re not such a wimp after all, maybe you’re not your mother’s son.” Yet again, Zap had to fight to hide any sign of emotion. This was so much information in such a short time, he had to get away as soon as possible.

  “If it's okay sir, I’ll go now. I’ll find somewhere quiet straight away to try to communicate.”

  “Okay go now. I will send someone for you in two days. Be ready.”

  With that, Zap turned and left the office. As soon as he was outside the building, he started to move fast. Initially he just walked rapidly so as not to draw attention to himself. His speed continued to increase until he was sprinting. He wanted to get home to the safety of his apartment but after what he’d just heard, that didn’t feel safe.

  It was just after three in afternoon. He decided he needed to talk to Angus, so he headed for the pits. Normally he would go straight there but he had suddenly discovered paranoia and took a lot of twists and turns to check if he was being followed.

  Confident that he had reached the pits unobserved, when he arrived he was breathing heavily. As always at this time, Angus was training warriors. Zap waved to him frantically.

  It was unheard of for Zap to come to the pits this early on a weekday. Angus could tell from his face that something was wrong and he excused himself from the warriors.

  “We need to talk,” Zap said. “I’ve just been with Brand, the supreme leader.”

  At this, Angus grabbed him and took him to a room deep in the bowels of the pits, constantly checking for any watching eyes.

  44

  Deciding to head to the Sanctuary

  19 September 2202

  After the adrenaline rush of the victory at the border post, it was time to take stock of the situation.

  Frank and Pepper were standing in the border compound’s control room. Several maps were displayed on the wall. Some covered the areas on either side of the border but one was of an island location marked “Sanctuary”.

  It had taken the rebels a while to read through all of the information they had captured. The surviving Company troops had not been forthcoming in their answers and, rather than resorting to interrogation techniques, Frank tasked Flo with reading their minds and seeking clarification from her contact in the Sanctuary.

  Pepper and Debs listened patiently while Frank laid out the questions to Flo.

  “Have you managed to get through to your man in the Sanctuary?”

  “He’s called Zap,” Flo stated indignantly.

  “Okay, have you managed to get through to Zap?”

  “Yes.”

  “And?” he asked impatiently.

  “He confirmed what we have learnt here: that the Sanctuary has over eight hundred thousand inhabitants and a combined Company force of less than twenty thousand, including the security force.”

  Frank considered those numbers before he spoke. “Given that information, we have a few choices. We can take the resources that we have plundered here back to the Farm, we can stay here or we can continue on towards the Sanctuary. Staying here is not an option as the Company will eventually notice that it has lost communications with its people. Given the numbers you have all just heard, i
t would be suicide to continue towards the Sanctuary. That gives us only one option: the Farm.”

  The rest of the rebels seemed resigned to Frank’s decision but Pepper had always questioned authority. “What makes you think it would be suicide?”

  “Because it would take us almost a week to get there and we would be moving closer to an enemy with a superior force,” Frank said off-handedly. “Anyone got any other questions before we brief the fighters?”

  It was clear that Frank, who was normally so measured, was under a lot of pressure but Flo was fuelled with Zap’s emotions. “No, wait, you haven’t let me finish.”

  “Is there more bad news? Let me guess. An assault force and more planes are heading here to finish us off!” Frank’s patience was clearly fading.

  “No, the news is that Zap has been working with the resistance. They are planning a rebellion in the Sanctuary. If we were part of that, we could take out the Company for good,” Flo said.

  “Suddenly the little girl has grown up into a tactical genius,” Frank sneered.

  “I’m just passing on the message,” Flo said innocently.

  “Don’t be afraid, tell us the rest.” Pepper had become almost a de facto parent by now.

  “The people are starving and restless, they are ready for rebellion. There has already been rioting in the streets. Zap says that it will only take a little push for the people to overthrow the Company. They have the numbers but not the training. If we were to go and assist them, we could tip the balance in favour of the resistance.

  Before Frank could answer, Pepper offered his initial opinion. “Before anyone gets any ideas, I have been on this journey with you people for a while now. I’ve been risking my butt for some kind of reward and I expect payment. I never signed up for a rebellion or to become a freedom fighter but as I’ve spent most of my adult life being hunted by the Company, it might be nice to be able to stop looking over my shoulder.”

  While Pepper had been talking, Frank had been weighing up their options. “So the story that you have for us is that there is a Company stronghold, which contains several thousand well-armed troops. The strategy for our redemption is to head towards this stronghold and assist a resistance movement and a mob of unarmed people to overthrow the leadership?”

  Debs was the next to offer her opinion. “Frank. One thing you have taught me over the years is that strength of spirit and willpower can overcome severe odds. We all know that food supplies are getting shorter and people need food. When it comes to survival, people can be motivated by fear or hunger. No matter how many times the Company has beaten them down, if the people reach the tipping point where hunger overcomes fear, they have the numbers to succeed.”

  “So,” Cenk said, “let’s say the intelligence is good and you decide to go down this path. After travelling for several days, you manage to avoid being spotted and being killed by aircraft and you don’t find a reception committee waiting in ambush. Do you think that the Company won’t have noticed that they have lost communication with their border compound? Let’s assume they don’t notice, you join the resistance and succeed in overthrowing the elites. How do you feed the masses? If there is a food shortage, you have now taken charge and the masses are looking to you for food that you don’t have! If that is your big plan, count me out!”

  Flo almost shouted. “You don’t understand, there is no food shortage. Zap has access to the information that proves it. It is just the greed of the elites that is creating the shortages. People don’t need to be turned into gel. Plenty of food is available from farms and orchards and even fish off the coast. Just as they lied when the signs said that the border was contaminated, the one percent have been lying to us for years about the supposedly war-ravaged country in the north. It is not as damaged as they would have us believe. This is all Company propaganda. If we distributed the resources evenly, we would have enough for everyone.”

  This piqued Frank’s interest. Logistics had always been one of his concerns. Even with the winter gear and resources that they had plundered here, they were still in survival mode. The further north they’d gone, the colder it had become but heading south as the winter progressed wouldn’t help much either. They had accessed a short-term fix but the outlook for their long term survival was bleak.

  “What do you think, Debs?” Frank asked.

  “It doesn’t sound much of a plan, that’s true. But we left the compound and the Farm because their locations were known to the Company. If we go back there now, we are heading back to danger with limited resources. Heading to the Sanctuary is risky but if we can break the Company for good, we are all safer in the long term.”

  Realising this was a risky option, Frank wanted everyone’s counsel. “Well, Pepper, you’ve heard Debs’ suggestion. What’s your opinion?”

  “Although I agree with you that this sounds like suicide, considering the potential rewards it might be worth the risk. If we could take out the Company once and for all,” Pepper paused as he pondered his whole adult life on the run, “it would make my life a lot easier. I have spent years being hunted by the Company. It’s hard for me to imagine those hunters being gone.”

  “So am I right in thinking that the plan to head to the Sanctuary appeals to you?” Frank asked.

  “I wish we had a better option but if we have a chance of taking out the Company for good and getting to a place where food is plentiful, that is almost too good to be true. If I never had to eat another gel pack, it’d be worth it.”

  Frank turned to Lacey and Cenk. “This affects all of us. We are not attempting this new mission unless everyone agrees. What do you two think?”

  Lacey stood up straight, “I’ve always been known as cautious, Frank, but we have been living under the boot of the Company all of our lives. Surely it’s a risk worth taking?”

  Cenk seemed reticent as he began, “I didn’t want to come north, and I thought it was a crazy idea. This next plan seems even crazier! I have to agree though – we can’t keep running forever. Our luck or the number of places to hide will eventually run out. If you choose to head to the Sanctuary, I’ll back you.”

  “It sounds like we have a consensus,” Frank said. “Debs, I want you to identify the communications protocols between here and the Sanctuary. Interrogate any of the prisoners that you want but we need answers in the next couple of hours. I need Flo near me but if your methods come up short, let me know.”

  “On to it,” Debs said.

  Frank continued, “Cenk, you take your people and prepare some defences in case the Company has already decided to send in reinforcements. Assume that, if they are coming, they will arrive via plane so if you can hit them before they land, that would be helpful. Brief me as soon as you are ready.”

  “Understood,” Cenk said, leaving at a brisk pace.

  “Lacey, start preparing for the move to the Sanctuary. Get an inventory of all of our stores and divide things evenly between the three convoys. Pepper, I want either you or Eric to be with Flo at all times. She is critical to this mission as all communications will be going through her. I’ll give you a half a dozen guards until we leave but whenever we are on the move she is your responsibility.”

  “Understood,” Pepper replied.

  “As for you, young Flo, we are going to find you somewhere nice and quiet where you can get as much information about the Sanctuary as possible. I want to know what we are heading into and I want your friend to inform the resistance that we are willing to assist.”

  “Of course.”

  “It looks like the fun’s just getting started,” Frank said as the meeting broke up.

  45

  River discovers that the border post is lost

  26 September 2202

  Since the start of the assault on the border, Zap had been sending false signals to the central computer. He had hacked the system and was fooling it into believing that the daily reports were still coming from the border. This had delayed the Company’s discovery that it had l
ost the border compound.

  Some family members of troops on the border had complained that their communications had not been getting through, but these communications had always been sporadic. Extensions to border deployment and communications blackouts had just become a way of life.

  The families of regular Company men got on with their own lives during such deployments, not because they felt abandoned but because they accepted it as a trade-off with regular food supplies and accommodation.

  But when the number of complaints increased from officers’ families, although they didn’t have the same power as the elites, River decided to investigate.

  Brand had given him blanket powers to quell the rebellion but, as unrest grew, his resources were becoming ever more stretched. The digital reports had still been getting through from the border but voice and video communications had been down for a while.

  Unable to spare a gunship, River had despatched a small helicopter with his own pilot Dempsey and half a dozen troops as a reconnaissance.

  To Dempsey, the border compound seemed a little quiet. However, as he came in to land, attendants stood there with fire extinguishers as usual. As his rotor blades slowed, several men in overalls approached. There seemed to be more ground crew than normal but that raised no suspicions.

  He had seen that the antennae were damaged before he landed and assumed the breakdown of communications was a mechanical issue. The troops that accompanied him started to exit the helicopter. Hunched over as they were to avoid the blades, they never saw the ground crew drawing their weapons. Although Dempsey heard the muffled shots, he had no time to call back to the capital. He didn’t even have time to work out what the sounds were before his head exploded with the impact of two bullets.