Dawn of Deception - Book 3 - Unbeaten

"I sit in my makeshift office, surrounded by maps and reports detailing the movements of our enemy. My people look to me for guidance, for protection. And I must take things into my own hands if we are to survive this.

Sun Tzu's words echoed in my mind, "All warfare is based on deception." And I am quite adept at deception. In order to keep my people safe, I will do what it takes. But now it's time for a new plan of attack.

We can't just sit back and wait for the enemy to come to us. We are taking the fight to them. It's a risky move, but one that I'm making. I won't let my people be passive victims any longer."

Astoria, Oregon

“You are my sunshine…”

“Baby, look at Mommy.” She gently laid her hand on the side of her son’s face and pulled it into her side. Her younger boy already held his eyes tightly shut. Desperately, she tried to shield them from what was about to unfold.

The warehouse, devoid of any equipment, was crowded with people pushing and shoving, their voices echoing in the void above them. The cold didn’t mask the putrid air of so many bodies in one place. They should be used to the funk smell of man by now but that wouldn’t matter much longer, she reminded herself. 

“…my only sunshine.”

On a stage in the front, Tale spoke. She’d heard the speech many times before. But he repeated it nonetheless. “The rules are simple. Only I make the rules. Anyone in violation of the rules will no longer exist. The rules are as follows: 1) No dependents without representation. 2) Three generations of punishment for crimes committed. 3) Do what you’re told in the time allowed.  4) Meetings are mandatory. 5)  No one discusses my business.”

“…you make me happy, when skies are gray.”

Olivia felt the humming from her son’s throat against her thigh. Her younger son pulled his finger from his mouth and buried his head into her leg as well, picking up the familiar tune. It was something she’d unconsciously taught them to do when violence erupted around them. She also began to sing the song under her breath, patting their heads and swaying as they clung to her.

“…you’ll never know, dear, how much I love you…”

“These people behind me are in violation of one or more of the rules,” Tale continued.

The back of his dark, bald head was all she saw. She could not help her fleeting glances to the right and the left exits, where the armed guards stood. There was no way out. She knew that without looking. Her friend and her two boys were doing the same thing, but a sense of peace and resignation came over her. Quietly the other mother sobbed and clenched her hands tight with her arms around her crying sons. They stood together with several other doomed residents of Astoria they’d somehow met along the way. She’d never been on the stage before, always the observer of the madness from the other side.

“…please don’t take…my sunshine away.”