She Bleeds for Us: The Galactic Consortium 3

Chapter 64

Isa watched the growing number of men, and the growing number of military men on the far side of the government barricade with growing anxiety. Despite the news being censored, they had seen scenes on Twitter and other social media apps. There was a crackdown going on, a big one.

Back at Grandma's house, which had become the nerve center for most of the ghetto protests, they were watching a stream of videos showing the tear gassing and arresting of thousands of protestors downtown.

And then came news of martial law. Followed by reports of other ghettos being raided by a combination of police and military forces. It was just a matter of time before their ghetto joined that list.

So Isa had came here, the main entrance to their ghetto and where any raid would start. He'd worried about what would happen if it came to blows before but now its reality was seriously scaring him. He'd tried to suggest that surrender might be better. They had a few outdated guns, enough of a threat to keep the regular police out. But if the military men came in, under martial law, there would be a lot of blood shed. And most of it would be theirs.

He took a deep breath. The first blood would be his. If his mother, his people were going to fight, he was going to do his best no matter what the odds.

The view here only confirmed his grim analysis. They had parked a large police truck across the road in front of the entrance of the ghetto. Most of the police had been replaced by military or para military troops in uniforms, body armour and black masks.

Meanwhile on their side they had seven armed men, with their arms ranging from a couple of older assault rifles and pistols. They had a few consortium kinetic shield, which would protect them for a time, but their batteries were limited. How many shots before they lost power? Would it be enough? The men all looked drawn and nervous, but their faces showed determination. They would go down fighting.

There was some noise from the barricades and Isa risked a second glance. He groaned.

"What is it?" Ishmael asked from his side. He gripped his German M3 rifle tightly, his nerves showing.

"They are lining up. Time has come," Isa replied grimly. He checked his pistol and said a short silent prayer. He placed his hands in a prayer pose, the cold metal of the pistol pressing against his forehead.

A shot rang out. Isa's brow crunched. Then another shot. He looked at them. This was not how things should have started. There should have been an announcement, tear gas, and then the charge.

He risked another look. The line had broken. A few men were firing off to the right, at something out of view. The rest were fleeing.

Several of Isa's men stuck their heads up as well. "What's going on?" Ishmael asked. Isa shrugged.

A massive truck appeared in view, the likes of which none of them had seen in person before. It rolled up slowly but deliberately, making it clear it wasn't going to stop. It rolled over one barricade, the wood splintering under the truck's weight. It hit the police truck with a crunch, the police trucks bumper crumpling under the pressure. The entire police truck was slowly pushed aside until the new truck dominated the approach. Only then did it stop.

The door opened and a young white woman with blond hair climbed out and down. Another white man, in the driver's seat, watched her go carefully. She reached the ground and hurried forward towards them. Isa stood to greet her.

She spoke in English and Isa understood most of what she said, but her necklace recited the same message in Krio, removing any doubt. "We're looking for Gabriel Holliday and the Blind Witch."

The men stared at her in shock.

"Gabriel? The Blind Witch?" Ishmael echoed.

"Yes, Gabby's in trouble. We need to find him, or his grandmother, who goes by the name the Blind Witch."

"She's here. Gabriel isn't. He's...out...."

"On a smuggling mission. Jake gave him the pack two days ago," the woman said. "Captain Sesay saw him back to Freetown. But no ones heard from him since. And with the crackdown and coup going on..."

"There's a coup?"

There was a distant boom.

The white man and another figure had climbed down and joined them in the alleyway. Isa started at the sight of the second figure, a hanuman. He's seen them on the news but never in person.

"A crackdown, revolution, coup and possibly a civil war," the hanuman said. There was a roar overhead. Isa looked up and saw a Consortium hopper flew by. "And a military intervention by the consortium." The hanuman added mildly.

"None of which matters right now," the white man snapped. "The Consortium will see to it all. But we've got to find Gabriel before he gets hurt."

That pushed Isa into action. "The Blind Witch is here. My mother. She'll be worried about the boy as well. I'll take you to her."