Just Outside of Washington D.C. June 4th, 2020 36 Hours Before Friday Night Clash 17
A large Kenworth semi-truck pulled into a considerable-sized lot of a large abandoned steel factory as the sun was setting. Driving the truck was Rebel of Society member Nikolia Bortnik who'd 48 hours ago had picked up Arex Metaxas in Toronto from the Russian agents Dasha Ivanova and Boris Drago. As the truck arrived closer to the front of the old factory, Nikolia brought the truck to a stop and then turned up the radio. A special ANN News alert had caught the sizeable rotund Rebel's attention and caused him to sit silently listening in the cab of his truck.
Radio: This is an ANN special report. Officials from the Chinese government report an outbreak of a mutated SARS virus infecting citizens in Wuhan, China. President Xi Jinping has ordered a mandatory quartine of the entire region. On the ground level, police have been boarding and welding people up in their own homes suspected of having the virus. Emergency centers inside hospitals are at maximum capacity, and doctors and nurses are working round the clock to keep those infected from dying. As of today, the People's Republic of China has reported over a dozen confirmed deaths.
Nikolia: Jesus...
Radio: The PRC believes that the virus originated from a seafood market. The World Health Organization is watching the situation closely and has stated that if the virus continues to spread at a high transmission rate, they may have to declare a global health emergency. Fears of a possible worldwide pandemic are beginning to sweep the globe as...
Nikolia switched off the radio and let out a big sigh before mumbling that "this was all the world needed right now." He opened the driver-side door, and the older Russian-American man stepped outside the truck onto the pavement. He then made his way to the back of the connected trailer and opened the rear door.
Nikolia: Alright, Ares! We have arrived, my friend!
The Rebels of Society leader stepped out behind a large pallet of Schlitz Ultra-Premium beer and jumped off the back of the truck to the ground. In his hands were two beers with Indie Pro Wrestler "Big Bad" Ed Sweeton on the label. Metaxas embraced Nikolia with a hug while patting him on the back before letting go of him. The two cracked open their beers and toasted one another before taking a long refreshing drink.
Ares: Ahhh... freedom at last...Thank you, Nikolia; I would never have made it here today of all days without you, brother.
Nikolia: Hey, am I not the man you call when you have a problem?
Ares: Haha, Yeah, I guess you're right.
Ares turned around and looked at the old rusted steel factory. The sun was beginning to set behind the large structure, and the rays beaming through caused Ares to squint his bruised eyes. He looked tired from the surgeries he'd undergone to save his life along with integrations he'd faced afterward during his time in Guantanamo. Ares took a deep breath and turned around to face Nikolia with a more serious look on his face.
Ares: Everyone is inside?
Nikolia: Everyone from the so-called "Radical Left," my friend. Dominique Rhoads, leader of ANTIFA, Francis Harper leader of the Black Lives Matter movement, Junita Navarro from the Latino Coalition, and now you. The leader of the Rebels of Society, the man who has been fighting for the working class, taking on the 1% head-on, and tonight will be leading the movement that will force that racist billionaire crook McStrump out of office!
Ares: You make me sound like a sort of mythological hero. I'm just like the people inside right now—just someone who cared enough to stand up and do something about social injustice.
Nikolia: Come on, brother. Our people are inside preparing, and I received an urgent message from Dominque that the coalition wanted to meet with you immediately upon arrival.
Ares nodded, and the two Rebels made their way over to a large garage shipping bay door. After a special loud knock on the bay door from Nikolia, the guards inside raised the bay door. Inside were thousands of men and women from the various activist groups preparing for what would be the largest protest in American history. Ares became instantly emotional. The sight of everyone gearing up and working together for a common cause was overwhelming to him. Finally, everything he'd worked towards and fought for was coming to fruition.
Once inside, one of the guards led them to a large office room on the factory's third floor, where once a titan of the steel industry conducted his business. Inside the office stood Dominique Rhoads, Francis Harper, Junita Navarro, and most surprisingly of all, Democratic Senator Ernie Flanders. Ares seemed surprised to see the Senator there and instantly got a vibe from the room that something was wrong.
Dominique: Well look, who's ass is finally out of Gitmo! Welcome back, you crazy fuck!
Dominique got in Ares's space and slapped him high five before embracing him with a shoulder bump and pat on the back. Junita hugged and kissed him on the cheek before thanking him for what he did for the Latin community. By freeing all the illegal migrants that'd been imprisoned and abused by the McStrump administration and I.C.E officers, Ares had become a hero to them. Francis Harper and Ernie Flanders, however, seemed unhappy about Ares's return. Both had scowls on their faces and their arms crossed in a disapproving manner as they stared at the R.O.S leader.
Ares: It's nice to see you too, Francis, so why is the Senator here?
Francis: He's here to give you and you're so-called "Rebels" a reality check.
Ares: What's this all about? Sato told me that all three of you were on board with our plan; said your groups were ready to join the actual fight against this tyrant!
Francis: Senator Flanders is here because you're members, and your insane revolution is going to get us all locked up or killed!
Ares: What?
Francis: Ever since "project insurrection" started, your group has been causing us more problems than solutions! Every protest ends up a physical altercation with the police! Our message about the injustice of Boyd Lyod's death isn't being heard, and the conservative media is painting us as the problem!
Jaunita: Some of my best people have been arrested and locked up, Ares. Things are not going well...
Senator Flanders: This is what I was trying to explain to all of you at the meeting in New York. Violence never changes anything; it only causes more chaos and more suffering. I tried my best to talk you all out of that decision, but everyone was emotional after watching that disturbing video of Boyd's death. That Sato fellow riled you all up, and you've now reaped what you all sowed. Now you've gotten a taste of it first hand, and it seems you've all wised up! Peaceful protest is the only way to affect real change in this country!
Ares looked over to the ANTIFA leader, deeply hurt by them all turning against him. He just couldn't accept that even they felt that the Rebel's tactics to take the fight to their oppressors head-on physically was the wrong course of action. Ares scrambled into his pant pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He frantically lit a cigarette up and took a drag as his mind raced a million miles a second.
Ares: Dominque, ANTIFA can't possibly be on board with this shit! You've guys have always fought back against fascist scumbags like McStrump! Brother, don't tell me you've turned into a bunch of nancy boys too!
Dominque: Look, man, I wanted to fight too, but some of my closest brothers are now locked up and looking at felony charges. Senator Flanders has been protesting since the 1960s, and he has a lot to show for his strategy.
Ares: Oh, give me a fucking break! Wake up and smell the coffee, you idiots! Flanders has been leading this movement for sixty years! Even from within the system as a Senator, he hasn't accomplished real change outside of his own state of Vermont! Every year the working class continues to get poorer, the rich get richer, and their white supremacist friends continue to blame minorities for all the problems this country faces! All the yelling and finger-wagging he does in front of the news cameras isn't getting us anywhere! In fact, we're fucking going backward and losing what pathetic ground these liberal baby boomers made in this country!
Senator Flanders: How dare you! I've given my entire life to this cause, you young punk! You walk around here talking about overthrowing the government like you're some type of American Che Guevara! Only a moron would think that the people could overthrow the government of the most powerful nation on the God damn planet!
Ares: Oh yeah? Well, unlike you, I'm ready to put it all on the line and die for this cause, old man!
Ares lifted his T-Shirt, revealing his scars from the blast he took to the gut from the Reaganator's shotgun. It was an unsightly wound healing from the multiple surgeries it took to remove the buckshot and repair the internal bleeding. Ares grabbed Flanders by the scruff of his shirt collar, pulled him in close, and bent him down, shoving his face into his wounded abdomen with a wicked shit-eating grin on his face as he tried to keep his cigarette pressed between his lips and talk at the same time.
Ares: You see this, Ernie, when you put it all on the line like Salinas, Sato, and I did to rescue those illegal immigrants, you get shit done! Those people are free now and back with their families! If we hadn't done what we did, they'd still be getting separated from their children and abused by our corrupt government!
Nikolia and Dominque grabbed Ares and forced him to let go of the elderly Senator. Jaunita and Francis helped the old man up off the floor and pulled him away from Ares to safety. The Senator looked as if he was having a panic attack and doing his best to control his erratic breathing. He couldn't believe that this young man would have the audacity to assault him physically.
Nikolia: Ares, please! Calm yourself! These are our allies!
Francis: You crazy bastard! The man is almost eighty years old! Are you trying to give him a fucking heart attack?
Ares: I'm not going to let this old man hijack my movement! Not when we are so close to saving this country!
Dominque: Man, this isn't YOUR movement! It's everyones! Look, brother, you know I love you, but we took a vote. The Rebel's of Society are sitting this protest out! We're doing this march on the white house the right way. The peaceful way, so take your shiny red vests and get the fuck out of here!
Ares broke Nikolia's grasp on him and slugged Dominque in the gut, causing him to fall to his knees. It was clear Dominque wasn't expecting Ares to attack him, and his eyes were wide open as he stared at the floor, trying not to throw up. The rest of the group seemed just as shocked. Dominque and Ares's relationship went way back to their youthful teenage days, and they never expected to see something like this happen between them.
Ares: You want the Rebels out; you got it. Just know that you're all going to fail walking into this shit storm like Mahatma Gandhi! This President, Hah! He won't stand for a prolonged peaceful protest against him. Once he reaches his boiling point, he's going to unleash holy hell on all of you!
Nikolia: Ares, please!
Ares: Shut up, Nikolia, these snowflakes need to hear the truth! The U.S. Government fears the R.O.S. President McStrump fears the R.O.S. The only reason any of you have gotten this far is because of us. You'll remember what I've said here today when your breathing your last breath or being handcuffed and hauled off to prison for the rest of your lives!
Francis: We'll do just fine without your extremist bullshit! Martin Luther King is the example we want to follow! Take your Marxist radical bullshit and Malcolm X style tactics and get the fuck out of here!
Ares: Alright, Nikolia... we're not wanted here anymore. Round up our members, and let's go!
Nikolia and Ares walked out of the room, steaming mad, and Ares made sure to slam the door behind him. After they were far enough away from the others, Ares stopped and turned around. Nikolia stopped and waited to hear what Ares had to say.
Ares: Round up the others, but we're staying in D.C. We are going to watch this protest from the sidelines. If McStrump crosses the line and things get bad, at least we'll be close to lend a helping hand.
Nikolia: I thought you were angry with them?
Ares: I am, but I realize that they're the only friends we've got in this fight. I'm not about to watch them all get locked up or beaten to death. They're still playing by the old rules. They don't understand this President of ours is a criminal and will do anything that he can to retain his power.
Nikolia: Alright, I'll round up the guys and give them the 411. Stay close, stay ready.
Ares: Exactly...
Washington D.C. June 5th, 2020 Inside the Oval Office: 12 Hours Later
President McStrump stood at the window of his Presidential office and stared out at the millions of protestors. Chants for his removal from office were so loud that he could hear them even with the window shut. McStrump had deployed the Army National Guard to form a blockade with chainlink fencing and military vehicles. Behind the fencing stood hundreds of armed military soldiers who were tasked with securing the perimeter and keeping the angry mob from pushing onto the front lawn and reaching the President at all costs.
In the oval office behind the leader of the free world was Vice President Mike Dense, Senate majority leader Fitch McCuckle, the President's top advisor "Sloppy" Steve Shannon, General James Brattis, and the Secretary of Defense Brad Austin. All of them looked highly concerned as they watched the television mounted on the wall. M.O.X News was on the ground covering the protest attempting to drive the narrative that violence could break out at any moment.
McStrump: They've been out there since last night... Why are they so calm now that they're here? It makes no fucking sense! For weeks now, they've been burning buildings, destroying property, and attacking police officers like the fucking animals they are. What's changed?
McCuckle: Word has it that the communist bastard, Senator Flander's, infiltrated their leadership and convinced them to change their approach. He knew that it be more difficult for us to deal with them if they weren't setting D.C. ablaze.
Brattis: My men on the ground are also reporting an absence of the Rebels of Society. There isn't a red vest amongst the sea of protestors out there. Police reports stated it was mainly the R.O.S and ANTIFA engaging in violence over the last few weeks since Boyd Loyd's death.
McStrump turned around and slammed his fist on the Presidential desk, and began screaming at the top of his lungs. Spit spattered from his fat lips and sprinkled the men standing before him. The heavily spray-tanned President had been under extreme pressure since the North Korean attack. Everything he'd said and done since seemed to make the majority of the country angrier at him. If not for his brainwashed following of right-wing extremists, his poll numbers would be nonexistent.
McStrump: Something isn't right here! Ares Metaxas escapes from Gitmo; something I still don't understand happened, and he's not even here?
Shannon: Perhaps they're waiting for us to make the first move? Mudcock's been painting them as the problem round the clock on M.O.X News. Maybe they've wised up and want us to be the first to attack this time so they can use our strategy against us. The Liberal media would have a field day if we sent soldiers in to attack peaceful protestors. For all we know, the Red Vests are hiding nearby out of view. They might be waiting for their chance to rush in as the hero's once we play our hand.
Austin: It doesn't matter; I refuse to authorize military force against peaceful protestors. Are you people listening to yourselves? This isn't China damn it! These people have rights!
McStrump: You'll do what I say, Mr. Austin! I'm the Commander in Chief!
Austin: And I'm the Secretary of Defense! Sir, the American people have the right under the Constitution to assemble peacefully! You're acting erratic, and your behavior has me convinced you're in no mental state to be giving me orders right now!
Mike Dense: How dare you? This is Ronald Theodore McStrump! I'd go to hell back for this man! You have no righty question his decision making!
Austin: I'm convinced that's where both of you will be going if you continue to divide this country with your obscene rhetoric and your divisive policies!
McStrump: Watch your tongue Austin, or I'll have you replaced!
McCuckle: Mr. President, please, It's been one public relations nightmare after the next during your Presidency; you don't need another incident to give the Democrats more ammunition against you heading into re-election.
Brattis: Fitch is correct, Mr. President. For now, we have to hang back and weather this storm.
McStrump: Baaaahhhhh! God damn it all! Fitch, where are we with the Senate concerning the Bill for the Centurion and Eagle Eye National Security Program?
McCuckle: Mr. President, with all due respect, no one wants to touch that Bill right now. It's one of the few things that moderates on both sides of the aisle agree on. Plus the fact that you forced illegal immigrant prisoners to build those machines...
McStrump: I told the press that they were working towards a unique citizenship program! Isn't that what these Liberals want? For them to be legalized!
McCuckle: Sir, legal immigration doesn't work that way, and you know it! You made your bed now you have to lie in it. The Senate nor Congress is going to give you the approval to use those monstrosities! My people have to get reelected, and that Bill is political suicide! You can't lie your way out of this disaster! The proof was in the leaked video Mr. Vastrix gave to the ANN News, and no one is buying that the footage is fake!
McStrump: You know what, McCuckle? Get out of my office now! That goes for all of you!
Everyone present let out a loud sigh and then filed out of the room one by one until it was only the President left in the oval office. Ronald sat down in his chair and planted his face in his small sweaty palms, shaking his head in disarray. Suddenly his desk phone rang, catching his attention. He lifted his head, reached out, and pressed the speakerphone button to answer the call.
McStrump: Yes, Veronica?
Veronica: Mr. President Monica Vastrix from Hammer Industries is here for her meeting about the construction of Neo Los Angeles.
McStrump: Absolutely not! I thought I told you to cancel all my meetings with anyone from Hammer Industries!
Veronica: Yes, but no one informed Ms. Vastrix that the meeting had been canceled. She's demanding that she speak with your sir. She seems very angry, and she's with a big African American man who's giving me the heeby jee bees, sir.
McStrump: I don't care! I'm not seeing her after what her idiot son did to me! Tell her I'm doing everything I can to terminate the contract we signed with Hammer!
*A loud scream came from the phone speaker, along with the sound of a loud curfuffle taking place.