The Almighty Dominance

General Mark sat in the temporary command room overlooking Los Angeles, certain the night would end without trouble.

He had a thousand soldiers under his command. The rebels? Maybe two or three hundred.

Their target was eight thousand ragged, starving people scattered across the streets-bodies thin, hungry, and unarmed.

To Mark, they were nothing. A thousand rifles would erase them easily.

"Hey—what's happening? Our link's gone!" one of the comms men suddenly shouted.

Another soldier raised his head, pale. "Same here, sir. We're dead on this side too."

"Is the L.A. communications team taking our connection down too?" Mark's voice cut through the room.

"Get someone over there now. Tell them to bring the feed back online."

As the soldier hurried out, Mark waved his hand. "We still have military landlines and radios. Bring them up for now."

The man on radio duty worked the controls. "Sir, the frequencies are jammed— we're getting nothing."

General Mark yawned, "Don't worry. Our soldiers won't lose to the homeless just because we lost communications. They need to learn responsibility too."

He straightened his uniform, more for show than comfort. "I'm going out for some air. Call me if the lines return."

"Yes, General." The salute snapped, nervous.

"Come with me," Mark said, gripping the secretary at his elbow in a public, possessive gesture as he walked out.

"After this is over, I want to enjoy myself. You ready with what I asked for?"

The secretary smiled, "Yes, sir. I selected twenty young women, all ready. I'll have them at your mansion by tomorrow."

"Perfect. Since Alfred Kingston is Governor, life's become heaven," Mark laughed, a bitter, greedy sound.

Outside the base, a sniper watched the compound from a shadowed rooftop. His scope tracked General Mark's movements.

"Report," he whispered into his throat mic. "I have a clear view of General Mark as he walks out. Request permission to engage."

At the command console, one of Bella's secretaries leaned forward. "Miss Governor, we have visual. Do you authorize a take-down of General Mark?"

"Do it," Bella said without hesitation.

"Permission granted," the secretary confirmed into the sniper's net.

A single breath. A single pull.

The round sliced through the night wind and smashed into General Mark's skull.

He dropped at once-like a puppet with its strings severed.

The secretary shrieked, stumbling beside his body. She tried to lift him, but his head was half destroyed, blood pouring in rivers, soaking her hands, her dress, the floor.

Her scream tore upward, raw and wild, echoing into the dark sky.

Before death, all were the same. Power, rank, wealth-all of it was nothing but illusion.

"Command, this is Shadow One. Target neutralized. Mission successful. Over." "Copy that, Shadow One. Excellent work. Stand by for next tasking. We want eyes on the remaining military leadership. You are cleared to proceed at your discretion. Over."

moving

other streets, captains barked orders to soldiers to slaughter the poor, yet panic

furious, armed. The shock struck the soldiers like a

had expected no resistance suddenly realized death was closer than they thought

could those who struggled just to find food now have guns and bullets

captain screamed, his voice

he finished, a glint answered him: a round from a concealed barrel punched through

folded, eyes wide

Command: Captain neutralized.

Good work. Begin sweep of the area- locate and identify any additional captains or personnel

for remaining leaders and preparing to engage

the city like a

without warning; with the comms dead, no one could shout a warning to

they were only facing the homeless-weak,

left themselves wide

scattered like chicks without a mother hen-easy targets, their arrogance making it effortless for the

of the street, a massive crowd surged toward the

Vermont's elite soldiers in disguise moved seamlessly with

to smash the bank doors, cracking open the vault and passing out cash

Angeles turned inside out

from their homes, stealing whatever they could

rotten judge who always favors the elite," one protest leader barked. "He buried us in his courtroom. Tonight we take

him head judge, money and power had flowed easily

the sound of a gate being

and saw hundreds of faces

he stammered,

Ten hungry men rushed

door, people kicked at it again and again until finally the lock

matted and face hollow from years behind bars, stepped through the splintered door, a gun

years for a crime I

You burned my life down. Remember me

please don't kill me," Carl begged, his palms raised

through marble and

the city, the

had stacked their laughter like armor-fell silent under the weight of the people they had

those long scorned by the rich now flooded through velvet halls and silk

their

gaunt with rage

shouted from the depths of

human,

looking for happiness-so

your money made us different, then our numbers and our power will

different too.

fear death? So

let's kill each other, since there has never been any love in our hearts

another.

We fear each other.

of fear always

kill you—until nothing is left

are

protect their wives, they killed another

protect their children,