Bloodstained Rose

Chapter 18

The center stage near the town square had started to come to life. Several of the townsfolk, still armed, made their way onto the stage in preparation. Nojuro had been moved to the back in secret prior. Being among his people had given him some anguish having to face them. Even more so, he was fearful of being left to answer. There was much he wanted to do to prepare, but the pressure had kept him from keeping composed. He had never felt more exposed; it was doubtful if Liberation would be able to stop the town if they rose to attack him. He stopped and laughed at the thought.

Paxton was right, they have already revolted against me, Nojuro thought to himself. This is the beginning of the end.

The room around him was an old dressing room for local stage plays. Months had passed since it had been used. The rats had since nested in the crevices—being upkept was not a priority. Three troops had been sent to watch him, each from the crew of the Munger. Nojuro’s heart jumped as he heard the UAZ’s engine started to rumble outside. Within moments, Tetsu had been led into the room with Junichi at his side.

“What have they done to you?” Nojuro said, lighting up in horror to see his bloodied son.

Tetsu had been stripped of his cloak, revealing his bandages over his shoulder. He had hardly resembled the son that he had tried to raise into nobility. Now, he had looked like a young child beaten and bloodied into submission.

“I’m fine.” Tetsu said to him.

“We have a few more minutes before your supposed to speak.” Junichi interrupted the two.

Nojuro tried to contain the rage from boiling over and taking control of him. Harming his children was something he avoided. Every urge to want to lash out at Junichi was immediately crushed by the memories of him in his youth. He had raised Junichi to be a diplomat like him. The moment to try and save his rule had been snatched from him.

“Is this really what you want of us?” Nojuro asked.

“You brought this onto us. I had to do something while you stood by and let the G.E.I. take control.” Junichi’s face remained cold as he replied.

“You’re turning us over to the One World Order!” Nojuro shouted as his face started to flush red.

Junichi wrenched back upon seeing his father enraged, something that struck fear in him. Behind him, one of the Liberation troops had rushed forward to force himself between the two.

“That’s enough!” the soldier yelled to them before pressing his hand against Nojuro’s chest.

“I think we need to clear the air,” Paxton’s voice boomed from outside the room. The soldiers had all snapped to attention the moment he started to enter. “You can twist your crazy power-fueled fantasy however you want, but ain’t nobody in this town is gonna be enslaved by the O.W.O. or receive any foul treatment. Our binding documents still let the nation state have control over its own peoples’ destiny, and we only ensure that the laws entrusted by this document keep all its people free from unelected rulers—that means you.”

Lord Nojuro quickly cracked a smile and replied, “Our destiny is to be decided by us.”

“And it will, the people will get their vote whether you like it or not,” Paxton said as he carefully stepped closer, almost touching chests as he stared down to him. “As far as I see it, every village will play ball.”

“You expect your ideology to spread?” Nojuro asked.

“We hope,” Paxton returned as he started to step away from them. He reached into his breast pocket to retrieve a cigarette from its pack before placing it between his lips. After lighting and getting a puff, his eyes rolled back in his head. “Once the people see what they have, everybody wants a piece.”

“And let your will spread like a disease.”

Paxton twisted to him, smirking as he went for another puff. His teeth shined as he laughed under his breath; a quick and confident reminder of the control he had gained over them.

“Not like a disease, you make it sound nasty. If you want to be more accurate,” Paxton stated to ramble, shaking his head for a moment to observe the cigarette in his hands. “I’d say it’s more like a weed. You don’t strike me as one who toiled in the fields, but have you ever tried to yank out a weed?”

Nojuro was unresponsive. He kept his eyes focused on Paxton while he continued to slowly step around the room. Smoke began to linger in the air, causing Nojuro and the others swat at the plumes.

“When a weed spreads,” Paxton exhaled another lengthy cloud. “It usually reproduces and grows more. Eventually it’s going to go to the next village, then the next. A weed can grown anywhere, ya’ know? Now, you can’t really kill a weed. Its roots are really strong, so you gotta pull it out. Anybody know what happens when it does that? Anyone?”

“You get pricked.” one of the troops spoke up.

“Weeds got thorns, so it hurts like hell. Nobody wants to get their hands dirty,” Paxton continued. “But by the time anybody does anything, it’s gonna be big tree. Nobody likes to cut down a tree. Shit, it’s a tree. More importantly, a big family shared by the masses. If you try to cut it down, it’s going to take years before you uproot it. I’d be willin’ to bet that tree’s gonna mean something to somebody. I’d be even more willin’ to bet somebody would fight like hell to keep it in place.”

It had become clear what they were planning. Tetsu had heard of his system but thought of what it might end up growing into. He had his back against the wall with the town already levied against him. For now, he was going to have to play ball until the ceremony was over. In the back of his mind, he knew the G.E.I. troops had to be getting prepared for the following offensive.

Genji’s arm had still throbbed from the bullet passing through. His bandages kept the wounds covered, but the pain still lingered on. The damage had taken the feeling in his left hand. It was more things he could have attributed to the Nojuro family. He and his family were surviving off scraps at this point and all he cared about was blood. His mental state continuously deteriorating continued to add weight, only dragging him deeper into his malevolence. From the side of the stage, he had stood by with a pistol he had commandeered. Paxton’s takeover of the village was swift, but the garrison phase proved sloppy—giving Genji access to the weapon.

It had been hard to try and organize in such a small time. This gave him at least one more chance at getting revenge on the Nojuro family. He had studied weapons using his knowledge of the pulse rifle. A safety lever had not been built into this model—he thought again of his finger jamming against the trigger while trying to hit Tetsu.

Third time’s a charm, he thought to himself.

Letting the family continue their rule was something he would not be able to live with. Still heavy in thought, he had been unaware the stage was beginning to fill. While the crowd began to move in, he took his spot near the side while he waited for Lord Nojuro to finally make his appearance.

Across the crowd, Rei and Minoru had taken notice of the gathering taking place. The people of Nojiri started to approach, causing a flood of voices to fill the area. Minoru started to lead her near the edge of the crowd, only causing her to become more cautious.

“I’m starting to feel a little nervous,” Rei said as she shook her head. “I’ve never seen this many people.”

“It’s ok, this is a learning experience.” Minoru said as he reached over to pat her on the shoulder. Rei unconsciously jerked her body away from him, trying to avoid the contact.

“I’m sorry, I’m not used to this.”

“I’m going to have to ask you to stop apologizing to me.”

“I’m,” she quickly stopped herself. She started to think of Shugo’s pestering and his constant tutelage. Many time before, he had said the exact same thing to her. After letting out a soft and pain filled laugh, she smiled back to Minoru. “You kind of remind me of somebody I knew.”

“Hopefully this was a wise man.”

“He was.”

Minoru could feel the anguish in her voice. He turned to face her, gently placing his hand back atop her shoulder once more.

“He still is,” Minoru said finally. Rei stared back up to him, trying to form another smile as she started to think of the village again. “Right now, I need you to be strong while we come up with a plan.”

Rei nodded back to him and looked up towards the center of the stage. She was not sure who was running the show at this point. There was no reason to make any drastic moves now—certainly not until she located Tetsu. As the crowd started to get anxious, Paxton made his appearance on the stage. He stood tall and proud as usual. A few cheers had started to erupt. The few troops on stage signaled for the rest to join in, causing the crowd to light up with applause.

“They look happy.” Rei said.

“Looks can be deceiving.” Minoru quickly declared as he grabbed her hand to pull her away.

More foot traffic had started to make its way past them. Most of the town had gathered at this point. It was the first time they had heard Lord Nojuro since the beginning of the occupation. Their emotions had been a gradient of rage to concern seeing him and his nobility in the flesh. His proud rule was nearing an end.

“How’s everybody doin’ today,” Paxton barked aloud, smiling to see the new blood before him. He paused for the cheering to cease, staring forward and over the crowd. As he started to scan the crowd, the tension built. Soon it had become so quiet that they could hear the ambience of the valley beyond. Paxton quickly erupted, “My name is Major Rutherford Paxton, I am the senior officer of Liberation and a proud; and I do not mean it lightly when I say I am a proud member of the One World Order.”

He turned to his left and started to march across the stage. In his ear, he could hear some of the radio chatter from the crew aboard the Mobile Carrier buzzing from his earpiece. Not trying to interrupt the flow, he slowly placed the device into his pocket.

“Now you all may ask, ’what does that mean?’,” Paxton continued, not acknowledging the hails from his crew. “During human events, we must dissolve the political bands which have connected each other and assume the powers of the Earth; unto a separate and equal situation to which the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God bind them.”

He continued with his long-winded speech. Minoru could hardly hear him from the back. The crowd in front of him was slowly coming alive, their energy rising while Paxton continued speaking.

“He certainly looks very orderly, very impressive.” Minoru said.

“This is something my father would have done. I can see him up there.” Rei spoke, in awe seeing another powerful leader like her father.

“That might be the person you need to speak to.”

“Yeah,” Rei muttered as she could feel a presence starting to creep over her. Still remaining calm, she focused on Paxton ahead. “I think I need to go talk to him now.”

“No,” Minoru quickly said once he noticed her starting to step into the audience. He grabbed onto her cloak once more, gently guiding her back. “We can wait until after. It would not be wise to try and interrupt this. The town needs closure.”

Rei nodded in agreement, standing fast. As Paxton continued over the next few minutes, he managed to get a few reactions from the crowd. Going through the steps had never been easier. As the speech neared its end, Nojuro and Junichi had started to emerge from the steps below. Before the crowd could get worked up, Paxton took control.

“Now, we have already made our arrangements. As part of the One World Order, there will be order,” Paxton turned to the crowd and barked once more, “and we will have order.”

You could hear a pin drop. Nojuro had felt some remorse now finally being forced to see his people. There were many things he could have done differently to prevent this, but he knew that it was past that. His lips curled for just a second as he could feel his eyes starting to water up. He knew this was the end and that Paxton had taken over. The rule of the One World Order and Liberation had come quickly. Having the option to choose their leaders was a genuinely intriguing concept amongst the people, and not something he would have decided on himself.

From behind the curtains, Tetsu peered through to scan the area for Rei and Minoru. A few troops stood behind him, each with their eyes glued onto Paxton. The mere sight of the weapons gave Tetsu chills as it continued to serve as a gentle reminder of his wound. While the speech continued, Genji peeked his head over the boards by the corner of the stage. Seeing Nojuro and Junichi caused his heart to race.

Stay calm. He reminded himself with the same message repeatedly. In his only good hand, he started to grasp the pistol and plan out his attack.

“I wanted to introduce our new humble candidates,” Paxton said to the crowd as he raised his arm to present Nojuro and Junichi. There had been some chatter starting to build among the crowd. “When the day of the vote comes, you can choose between these two. If you think that there can be somebody better than that, write ‘em in. It’s your choice.”

There was a loud pop to his right. The sound of Genji’s pistol had rung out and brought terror among the people. Before Paxton and the troops could even react, another shot had rung out; then another; and another. The bullets flew, causing the crowd to evolve into a stampede. Lord Nojuro had been frozen in place as he felt pain shoot across his body. Three of the projectiles had struck him, immediately causing him to drop. Before Junichi could even react to the situation, he had felt a round pierce though his leg.

The pain had struck him just as hard as watching his father get struck down. He fell to the ground helpless as Genji turned the weapon to him. As the sights locked in, Paxton drew his weapon from its holster and snapped the barrel towards Genji. With two quick gentle taps, he had put two bullets into Genji—one striking the center of his chest followed by a miracle shot to the forehead. Blood splashed from the back of his skull as his body collapsed over the edge of the stage, crashing into the stairs below.

“Alright, calm down everybody,” Paxton shouted while he continued to scan the area. He motioned for a few of his men to ensure the Genji had been neutralized. He took notice as Junichi tried to lift himself up, still writhing as his leg started to gush blood. Once he had holstered his pistol, he rushed over to him to examine the wound. “You’re just shot, you’re gonna be alright.”

“This wasn’t supposed to happen!” Junichi cried out as the tears flowed down his cheeks.

The sight of his father’s lifeless body caused him to sink. During the chaos, Tetsu had tried to rush the stage before the additional troops had intervened. As they grabbed hold of Tetsu, he thrashed his limbs, desperate to reach out to his father.

“Let him go!” Paxton yelled at them.

Tetsu had ripped away from their grip and rushed towards Nojuro. His efforts had been in vain. There was not to be any bloodshed. He was not thinking of his family losing power, but instead filled with guilt that he had could not stop this. Lord Nojuro lay lifeless as Tetsu cradled him—no breath for an answer, or wisdom to pass on. For once, Tetsu started to feel the thirst for violence as his anger started to brew. While lowering his father’s head to the ground, he turned to Paxton. The rage started to boil over, his sight had started to turn red seeing Paxton standing over Junichi. The kunai wrapped around his right leg felt as if it were calling out for him to strike.

“He’s neutralized, sir.” A voice shouted back.

Paxton shifted his head forward, spotting Tetsu starting to dash at him. As Tetsu drew the kunai, he let out a scream of unbridled rage before charging forward. Paxton quickly raised his arms. As soon as he took notice of the weapon, he lunged in and grabbed hold of Tetsu’s arm. Before Tetsu could react, Paxton rammed his shoulder into his chest, using the momentum to flip him over. Every ounce of breath Tetsu not screamed out had come out with a whimper. His body slammed against the stage, immediately causing his previous wound to react with a stabbing pain.

“Nobody shoot, no more guns!” Paxton shouted again after pressing his foot into Tetsu’s chest.

The crowd erupted again, turning into a stampede as they started to flee the stage. Minoru and Rei were unable to brave them and were forced to back off towards the carriage. Rei had been frozen as the screams filled the air, another reminder of that horrific night her village was destroyed.

“We have to get out of here!” Minoru ordered her as he reached out to grab her cloak. Rei pulled back, tearing herself away from him as she looked over to the stage.

“I have to help them!” she shouted.

“Come to your senses, we have to get out of here!”

Rei could feel that presence again. During her fight with Jin, she could remember the same feeling. That sense of knowing there was something bigger about to happen but not being able to stop it, it haunted her. The presence from her onboard AI was giving her the command to leave, but she resisted. She looked over to Tetsu, still helpless under Paxton’s foot. After what happened to her village, she felt as if Tetsu was the last piece connected to her past life.

Without sparing another second, she threw her cloak to the ground and started to rush in. On the opposite end of the stage, the other troops sighted in on her. As they started to call out, Paxton quickly turned to face her. He had been paralyzed seeing her face. Even in his old age, he was able to remember Mizumi in her youth and was in awe at the resemblance she shared with Rei. The sight kept his hands locked in place, not wanting to engage. Suddenly, a shot rang out from his right. A volley of bullets started to fire from the troops posted by, each one trying to stop the attacker.

“Stop, hold your fire!” Paxton shouted.

He had become just as agitated having to repeat himself than hearing another muzzle. A barrage of gunfire had lit up the area ahead. The ground around Rei began to explode with dirt as the bullets started to strike. The sight caused her to finally come to her senses and turn away. A few more screams had erupted. The few people still in the area around her had been struck in the crossfire, only prompting her to pick up the pace. Before the fire had ceased, she had already cleared the market and made her way out of the town.

“I said no more guns!” Paxton screamed finally.

“I’m sorry, sir,” The man replied, “she was charging you.”

While the firing came to a halt, Tetsu lay defeated on the stage. The power and precision of his opponent was only eclipsed by his horror. To his left, Junichi crawled over to him, still in tears. Among him, he could hear some screaming from the audience. Several people had been struck during the quick firefight, causing the pain inside him to mount.

“I only wanted to save the town, I’m sorry,” Junichi whimpered. Tetsu had stared up towards the sun, devoid of feeling and unable to grieve. High noon was approaching. “Tetsu, this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“Yeah, no shit it wasn’t,” Paxton quickly cut him off as he stormed over. His boots had rocked the wooden stage, further instilling fear in the two. “This wasn’t my plan! You picked the troops, I just screened ‘em.”

“You’re going to get everybody killed.”

“The hell I will,” Paxton said before signaling back to his men, “you two, get him back to the Temple. Ninja-Boy and I are taking a trip to the brig.”

Junichi’s immense feeling of regret would never be ceased—his betrayal of Tetsu and his father would never be forgiven. Unable to deal with himself, he quietly let the two troops pull him to his feet. The voices had been drowned out as he stared down to the ground. While the chaos continued, the earpiece in Paxton’s pocket had started to let out a hiss.

“Bogeys detected, moving fast.” Brian’s voice buzzed from the device.

The tiny speaker inside of the earpiece did not have the power to carry the message. Before it could continue, the radio went silent. Paxton gave Tetsu a final pull, getting him to finally walk with him.

“I’m pretty pissed off,” Paxton reminded him, “but as an enemy combatant, I have no choice but to place you under arrest.”

He jerked Tetsu across the stage, barely letting him catch his steps. Before approaching the edge, he shoved him ahead with a quick command, “Get steppin’.”