The War for Fernmexlen

[Fernmexlen is a sprawling town, known for its castle. Rooted on the Southern side of a peninsula, the hamlet of Fernmexlen is led by King Beornræd. This hamlet wasn't built by a peninsula by accident, as it has ancestral grounds, which is of great importance to the people of Fernmexlen and its success. The hamlet itself looks mediocre. With its gloomy wooden rooftops, half rotten walls and scary animals, Fernmexlen has a mysterious atmosphere. The main attraction is the armory, which was built 53 years ago, located in Thorne Castle, home to King Beornræd. Fernmexlen has a wilterning economy, mainly supported by wood production, baking and carpentering. But their biggest strengths are complex crafting and elaborate beer brewing techniques. Despite its strengths, Fernmexlen is most likely headed towards a grim future under the leadership of King Beornræd. But this remains to be seen.]

Felix McCleod

I am Felix McLeod, a male merchant in Fernmexlen. I own a restaurant that serves delicious sandwiches. I originally started the business as a means of making money, but it quickly became my passion. I'm a hard worker, and I'm always trying to find new ways to make my restaurant better. I live in a small house with my wife and have only a few friends in town. Most people here are friendly, but I don't have much in common with them. A majority of them are followers of the Quaker religion, which preaches pacifism and equality. I respect their beliefs, but I have little in common with them.

✶✶✶

I wake up in my bed on a cold, dark December morning next to my wife, Christa. I get out of bed and look outside my window. The sky is dark and gloomy, and it seems like it's going to rain later. I head downstairs and start making a sandwich for breakfast using bread, butter, and peanut butter. I then make a tall glass of orange juice and enjoy my meal. As I eat, I read the newspaper and see that another merchant has closed down his store. The town is really declining, but I'm not worried. I live in an era of peace and prosperity. Who knows how long it will last, though?

After finishing my meal and cleaning up, I head into my bedroom to get dressed. I look in the mirror and admire myself. Physically, I am in good shape. I am very tall with olive skin, brown hair, and blue eyes. I put on my work clothes and head out for the day, locking my door behind me.

I arrive at my restaurant and begin to get ready for the day. Today is a big day, as Mayor Francis Norton is coming for lunch. I have been working hard to impress him to get a contract with the city. If I get this contract, it will be a huge step forward for my business. I walk into the kitchen and begin to give out orders.

"Today we're serving the special: sandwiches!"

The kitchen staff cheers in unison, excited to be making sandwiches all day long.

I walk into the dining room and begin to set up tables and chairs. A few moments later, the door opens as a customer walks in. I smile and walk over to greet him.

"Good morning, sir! Would I like a seat or..."

My voice chills when I see who it is. It's Mayor Norton. He is standing there with his two bodyguards, scowling at me.

"Hello," he says, his voice dripping with malice. "

"Good morning, Sir. It's a pleasure to see you," I say with a smile.

The Mayor smiles back, but it isn't a friendly smile. He is clearly up to something.

"I've come here for lunch today," he says. "I hope the food is as good as I've heard."

I smile again and nod my head. 

"Of course, sir. Please follow me to your table."

I seat the Mayor at my best table near a large window overlooking the river and a picturesque view. The two bodyguards take a seat at the tables on either side of the Mayor. I go to fetch the Mayor's drinks, leaving the three men alone at the table.

"So," Mayor Norton says, "I hear you're having some trouble with rats."

I pause for a moment and then continue to the bar to get the drinks.

"Yes," the Mayor says, "I've heard that your basement is infested with them."

I place down the drinks. I need to get control of this situation.

"I assure you, sir, we have no rats in our restaurant," I say. "If we did, I would have already hired someone to take care of the problem."

"Oh, I believe you," the Mayor says. "I just wanted to give you a heads up. You see, I own a pet shop on the main street, and I sell the best pet products on the market."

I look confused, but the Mayor smiles and nods.

"Yes," he says. "I sell pet products. I also own a cat."

"A cat?" I ask.

"Yes," the Mayor says. "His name is Boots. He is an amiable cat, but he gets scared when there are rats around."

The Mayor leans forward and looks at me seriously.

"If I see one rat in your restaurant, I will close you down."

"Well, sir, I assure you that I am not worried. We have no pest problems here."

"Well, that's good," the Mayor says. "I hope you're right."

I nod and smile nervously at the Mayor. He smiles back and takes a sip of his drink.

The Mayor and his bodyguards sit quietly for a moment. Then, the Mayor speaks again.

"So," he says, "I hear you have a basement in your restaurant."

I nod, understanding this code. "Yes, we do."

"Do you think I could see it?" the Mayor asks.

"Let me put your order in first, and once you are finished eating, we can head down there if you are still feeling up to it."

The Mayor nods. 

"Sure. I'll have the special, and don't be afraid to put a dash of rat poison in there."

I nod and head into the kitchen to place the order. 

The kitchen is a whirlwind of cooking and shouting. I see my staff working as hard as ever, but they still have time to notice me.

"Hey, boss," one calls out. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. The Mayor has some odd requests. He ordered the special and said, 'don't be afraid to put a dash of rat poison in there.' I have no idea what that means."

I said this, and the staff burst out laughing. 

"Of course he did," one of them says. "He's the Mayor. He's always saying stuff like that."

I nod. 

"I guess so. Anyway, I'm putting your orders in now. The Mayor wants the special."

I turn to leave, but one of my cooks stops me. 

"Um, boss?" he asks. "Do you think we should get some rat poison just in case?"

I look at Baden Slater and wonder why he would think that would be a good idea and say, 

"No, Baden. Please do not put any rat poison in ANY of the food."

I turn and head back to the dining area.

"I'll have your food out in a moment," I say to the Mayor.

The Mayor nods and turns back to his two companions. I watch him for a moment and then head back into the kitchen.

"Let's get cooking," I say to my staff. "And no rat poison!"

My cooks laugh and get to work on the food.

"Order up!" the cook shouts. 

I turn and grab the plate of food, and walk out into the dining room. 

I walk over to the Mayor's table and place the plate in front of him.

"Enjoy," I say.

The Mayor looks at me. 

"I will," he says, "but first, let me show you something."

The Mayor stands up and heads towards the door. 

I watch him, wondering what he is doing when he suddenly turns around and shouts, "Rat!"

"What?!"

I turn and look at the plate of food. There is a dead rat on it. I look at the Mayor in horror as he bursts out laughing.

"Gotcha!" he says, laughing.

I sigh with relief and join him in laughing. 

"That's not funny," I say, but I'm laughing too.

The Mayor and his guards laugh for a moment, then they suddenly stop. The Mayor looks at me seriously. 

"We should go check your inventory."

I nod; another code. 

The Mayor follows me out of the restaurant and into the kitchen. I walk past the line of cooks, who are staring at me. I look at them and shake my head.

"I'm fine," I say, laughing. "No rats."

One of the cooks nods and goes back to work. I walk out of the kitchen and towards the basement door. I open it and walk down the stairs. 

The Mayor follows me down and looks around at the basement.

"Not much to look at," I say. "Most of the space is taken up by the kitchen's plumbing and wiring."

The Mayor nods and looks around. He walks over to a corner of the room and starts looking at the floor. 

"You've had some work done here," he says, kneeling. "I see you’ve recently replaced these boards."

He stands up and walks over to a section of wall, and begins pushing on it. Then, a small area of the wall swings open to reveal a hidden room with a click, and The Mayor smiles. 

"This is more like it," he says and heads into the room.

I follow him into the room, which is very dark. The Mayor pulls out his phone and turns on the flashlight. He sweeps the beam of light around the room, slowly illuminating what looks to be a small armory. There are at least twenty guns of various makes and models laid out on a table in the center of the room, with ammunition boxes next to them. There are a few World War II-era submachine guns, a few modern AR-15s, and even a couple of shotguns. There are also several explosives and hand grenades.

"Well," I say. "What do you think?"

"I think I'm glad you're on our side," the Mayor says.

I laugh, and we begin looking through the guns. 

"You've been collecting for a while. In case the day ever came when you needed to arm up a small militia?"

"Do you think that day is coming soon?" I ask.

The Mayor looks at me and smiles. 

"I do."

I look at the guns and select a modern pistol. It’s a massive gun but easy to handle. I slide it out of its holster and look it over. I slide it back and grab a box of ammunition, sliding it into my pocket. 

"What's the plan?" I ask.

"The plan is simple," the Mayor says. "We arm up as much as we can, gather any friends you have that are willing to fight, and prepare for the worst."

"How do we prepare for the worst?" I ask.

The Mayor smiles. 

"I have a safe house prepared. We'll head there once we've finished gathering supplies and allies. I'll give you the address."

"What should I do now?"

"Go back to your restaurant. Go through and grab all the food that won't go bad, as well as any alcohol you have. Stock up on things like medicine, batteries, and flashlights."

"Do you think I should grab some of my staff?" I ask. "I have a fairly large kitchen staff. Some of them have served in the military."

The Mayor nods. 

"That would be great. If your employees are willing to fight, that is."

"I will ask," I say. "I'll head back up there now and meet you in the morning."

"Perfect," the Mayor says. "I'll see you then."

I escort the Mayor and his bodyguard back up to the kitchen and out of the restaurant. 

I return to the kitchen. 

"I'll be heading out for the night," I say. 

One of the cooks looks up. 

"I'll be back in the morning, but I need some of you to stay. We're going to get some supplies together, and then we'll be heading to my house."

The cooks begin arguing, with some saying they can't go out and others saying they have families to look after. Eventually, three volunteers are picked and leave with me.

✶

Baden, Jade Tucker, and Lola Maldonado accompany me in search of supplies. 

"Do you think this is really going to happen?" Baden asks.

"I don't see why not," I say. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

"I just... I dunno," Baden says. "This all seems very surreal."

"If you'd rather not come, I understand," I say. "I can always get someone else to help."

"No, I'll come," he says. "I just hope this all turns out to be nothing."

I collect what food and supplies I can, loading them into my truck. Once I'm done, I head back to the restaurant to pick up my other three employees. On my way there, I called my wife. 

"Hello?"

"Christa, it's happening. I am working to gather supplies now. The Mayor is in and is supplying us with a safe house for our crew."

I head to the restaurant and pick up my employees. I explain that I'm heading to a safe house, and they all agree to come. 

We drive to the Mayor's house, where he greets us.

"Perfect, you're all here. Let's head to the safe house."

We pile into my truck and drive off. The drive is long and quiet, but eventually, we pull up to a large house in the country, a few miles outside of town. 

"This is it," the Mayor says.

We look at the magnificent mansion. It has been built with tan stones and has brown brick decorations. Short, expansive windows brighten up the house and have been added in a fairly symmetrical pattern. The home is equipped with an average kitchen and one average bathroom. It also has a warm living room, two bedrooms, a spacious dining area, a playroom, and a cozy basement. The building is shaped like an L. The extension extends into a garden path, reaching the end of that side of the house. The second floor is the same size as the first, built exactly on top of the floor below it. This floor has a different style than the floor below. The roof is low, triangular, but one side is longer than the other and is covered with grey roof tiles. Two large chimneys sit at either side of the house. Two roof terraces let in plenty of light to the rooms below the roof.

"This is it," the Mayor says. "We'll have to get you some furniture, but for now, you can sleep in the beds."

My employees and I enter the house and explore. The bedrooms are small but comfortable. The living room is spacious and open, with a large flat-screen TV and a nice, fluffy carpet.

A large fireplace dominates the living room with a roaring fire. I walk over to it and warm my hands. 

✶

Soon after, my wife, Christa, arrives at the safe house. 

"What's going on?" she asks.

"Come in, come in," the Mayor says. "I'll explain everything." 

He leads us into the living room and explains the situation.

I look at my wife. She's a short, slender woman with long blonde hair and a pretty face. She's a nurse at the local hospital and spends her days looking after people. I met her when I had food poisoning, and she was assigned to my hospital room. After I recovered, I kept in contact, and the relationship blossomed from there. I'm fortunate to have her.

The Mayor spends the next hour explaining the situation. The town has been getting worse and worse throughout the years, and my band of misfits plans to change that with the Mayor's leadership.

"So, what do you think?" the Mayor asks. "Can you help us?"

"Of course," I answer. The others nod in agreement.

"Thank you," the Mayor says. "I'll have a team of workers here tomorrow morning to get the house in order."

The Mayor leaves, and my wife and I sit down to talk.

"What do you think?" Christa asks.

"I don't know," I say. "It's going to be a lot of work, but I think it will be worth it."

"I'm glad you think so," Christa says, with a scoff. "I'll go make us some dinner."

✶

The following day, I wake up and find that Christa has prepared two large bowls of oatmeal with strawberries. I smile and walk over to the bathroom to shower. After I'm done, I get dressed and walk into the living room.

"Christa?" I called. "Are you ready?"

No answer.

I go outside and look around for my wife, but I still can't find her.

I go back inside and run into Baden. I ask if he has seen Christa.

"Yeah, she went into town," he says. "Her boss called her into work."

"Oh, OK," I say. "We should get to work."

✶

Me, Baden, Lola, Jade, the Mayor, and three other employees begin constructing our plans. We work hard all day, and by nightfall, we have made significant progress.

"We'll finish it tomorrow," the Mayor says. "Then we can finally get started on making this town great again."

Christa returns from work, and we both go to sleep, ready for another day of work.

✶

Today is the day that the plan comes to fruition. Everyone gathers their weapons and other gear, load up in the trucks, and head into town.

The Mayor stands in front of his small Army. 

"This is it, boys," he says. "We're going to fix this town once and for all!" 

The group cheers as the vehicles pull up to the gate.

The guards let us in, and we drive into the center of town. The buildings, once beautiful, now stand dilapidated, and garbage litters the ground.

We get out of the truck and begin to march. The citizens see us and come out of their homes to watch. They whisper among themselves and move out of the way.

The team has made sure to keep their faces hidden, but there is no disguising the big man marching at the front: Mayor Francis Norton. 

The crowd parts for him, and the whispering intensifies.

"What's going on?" someone asks.

"I don't know," a woman answers, "but it looks like they're preparing for war."

We march to city hall, where the Mayor gives a speech.

"Citizens of Fernmexlen," he says into a microphone, "for too long, you have suffered at the hands of criminals. For too long, you have lived in fear in your own homes. But that is all about to change. I am here to liberate you from this fear. I am here to liberate you from crime."

"Are you working with the police?" someone asks.

The Mayor turns to face the person who asked the question but doesn't answer. He instead continues his speech.

"There is nothing to be afraid of. We are not working with the police yet, but we hope to form an alliance with the force if they agree. We are your friends and neighbors. But we cannot protect you unless you cooperate with us. If you know something, please tell us! If you're harboring a criminal, tell us and turn them in! Help us create a safe community for everyone!"

The Mayor turns to face the crowd again. 

"Together, we can clean up this town. Together, we can create a safe and prosperous community for everyone."

We march into city hall, where we take over the building. We begin setting up roadblocks and start searching people as they enter the building. The police are disarmed and taken into custody.

"What are you doing?" a man asks as I pat him down.

"We're taking back the town."

"But I'm not a criminal!"

"Then you have nothing to fear," I say.

The police officers are sitting on the ground in a group, watching us work. We continue searching people and collecting their weapons. After about an hour, We've accumulated a large pile of guns and knives.

"What are you going to do with us?" one of them asks.

"If you are willing to help us, you may join our forces and live. If you are not willing, you will die."

"What?" the officer says, surprised. "You can't just kill us!"

"We can do whatever we want," I say. "If you wish to live, help us."

Mayor Norton walks over. 

"Felix is right. If you wish to live, you will help us. If not...well, I'd rather not have to waste any bullets."

The officers grumble among themselves for a moment. Finally, one of them stands up. 

"I'll do it," he says. "It's not like I got anything to lose."

The Mayor smiles. 

"Excellent. Welcome to the team, officer..."

"Brian," the man says. "Brian White."

"Welcome to the team, Officer White."

The other officers look at each other nervously. Finally, one of them stands as well. 

"I will join you as well," he says. "I am Officer Dario Velazquez."

"Velazquez..." I say. "I know your father. He's a good man."

Velazquez nods, "Yes, sir."

One by one, the officers join our cause. By the end of it, our team had grown by six members.

"What's the next step?" Officer Velazquez asks.

The Mayor looks at me.

"We need to find out who is in charge of the criminals."

"I think I can help you with that," a voice says.

We turn to see Officer White, who is holding a walkie-talkie. 

"I heard them talking through this. The man in charge goes by the name 'J.’ No last name."

"Does he have any other details?"

"Just that he's the leader of a gang called the Wolves."

The Mayor takes the walkie-talkie from Officer White. 

"This is the Mayor. We are willing to negotiate. When and where can we meet?"

We wait for an answer, but none comes. 

"J?" the Mayor asks. "Are you still there?"

"I'm still here," a gruff voice says. "I'm just wondering if I can trust you."

"You can trust me," the Mayor says. "I give you my word."

"Your word doesn't mean much nowadays. How do I know you won't try to have us all killed as soon as we surrender?"

"I give you my word as a Mayor of this fair city," Mayor Norton says, sounding offended. "That's the best you'll get."

There is a pause. 

"Alright." 

Pause. 

"We'll meet you in the old warehouse district at midnight." 

Pause. 

"Be there, or you'll be sorry."

The line goes dead.

"Do you think he'll show up?" I ask.

"He'll be there," the Mayor says grimly. "He'd be a fool not to."

"What are we going to do if he doesn't show?" Officer Velazquez asks.

"He will."

✶

Our ragtag team of restaurant employees, police officers, Christa, and the Mayor load up into our vehicles at a quarter until midnight. We travel to the old warehouse as a small convoy, preparing to meet with the Wolves and their leader, J.

"Remember," the Mayor says as we pull up to the warehouse. "No guns. No violence. We find out what they want, and we see if we can give it to them."

I nod. Christa takes my hand as we exit the car. I look deep into her eyes, and she smiles at me.

"Let's do this," she says.

I nod and begin walking towards the warehouse. We walk, and soon we’re at the metal door of the warehouse. The Mayor presses a button, and the lock clicks open. The door slides to the side.

"OK, let's go," I say.

We enter the warehouse, heading down a dark hallway. We reach a set of stairs and begin ascending them. At the top of the staircase is a large door. As we approach it, I hear loud music playing from the other side.

"Why is there music?" I ask.

"Oh, they like to play music when they're torturing someone," the Mayor says. "Makes it more fun for them."

I feel bile rising in my throat. I take a deep breath, trying not to vomit. I raise my shotgun, gripping it tightly in my hands as I approach the door. The Mayor takes out his keychain flashlight and turns it on, pointing it at the door's lock.

I look around at the group before nodding to the Mayor. He quickly opens the door, swinging it open. We enter the room, the music getting louder. We’re in some sort of lounge, with a fully-stocked bar along one wall. A few couches and chairs are spread around the room, and a fully-stocked kitchen is along another wall.

"What the fuck? Where did they all go?" Officer Velazquez asks.

I walk over to the kitchen and look around. I freeze as I hear a door open behind me. I turn, seeing a man with a bushy beard walking out of the door to the stairwell. He's holding a machete. 

I open my mouth to speak, but before I can, he brings the blade down through Officer Velazquez's skull. His eyes widen as the man pulls his blade from Velazquez's head with a sickening slurp. He falls to the ground, dead.

"Oh shit! It's a trap! It's a trap!" Officer Graham Martin yells as we run back towards the door.

We reach the door but find it blocked by a man with a shaved head and multiple tattoos covering his body. He grins at us, raising an ax into the air. He swings, the blade sinking into Christa's stomach. She lets out a gasp as her eyes go wide, and she collapses to the ground.

"Noooo!" I yell as the man swings his ax again.

The blade slices through my shoulder, cutting through bone and muscle. I let out a yell as the man swings the blade again, slicing through my other shoulder. The pain is unlike anything I've ever felt before as I collapse to the ground.

Officer White rushes toward my attacker. He swings his baton, but the man sidesteps it before bringing the ax blade down onto his shoulder. The attacker lets out a yell as the man slices open Officer White’s stomach, entrails spilling out. He collapses to the ground, dying.

"Who's next?" the man with the shaved head asks, swinging his blade.

"K-kill these fuckers! God will praise us!" one of the men with a knife says.

Baden steps up and says, "Not today." 

He swings his shotgun, smashing it into the man's head with the barrel. He pulls the trigger, sending blood, brains, and skull fragments onto the wall behind him.

I pull myself away from the scene, trying not to look. I hear a loud crash from another part of the warehouse as more fighting breaks out. I hear yelling, gunshots ringing out, and death screams.

"Let's get out of here!"

I crawl over to Christa as she struggles to breathe, blood gurgling out of the wound in her abdomen.

"It's OK, Christa. You're going to be a—."

She grabs a fistful of my shirt and says, "I love you." 

She then collapses on the ground, her eyes glazing over as she dies.

"I love you too," I say.

I hear a yell from Baden as he runs past me toward the fighting. I stand up, feeling anger course through my body.

I can barely feel the pain from my wounds as I join Baden and the remaining officers and restaurant workers in the fight against the Wolves gang. I wonder to myself about the whereabouts of our Mayor, but I do not bring this up. Now is a time to fight, not ponder.

I grab a rifle from the hands of one of the dead officers and raise it to my shoulder. I find a Wolf standing behind Baden and aim. I fire, hitting him in the chest and sending him to the ground. I quickly change targets, seeing a man about to cut down Baden with an ax. I fire again, hitting him in the head and splattering Baden with bits of brain and skull.

"Thanks!" Baden says, smiling and giving a thumbs up.

"Don't mention it."

Me, Baden, and the few surviving officers and restaurant workers take a defensive position behind a stack of boxes. I reload my rifle as I try to listen over the sound of gunfire and screams.

"What the fuck happened?" I ask. "How did this happen?"

"I don't know!" Baden says. 

"We have to get out of here," I say. 

"Go if you want, but I'm not running away," Baden says.

I look around the warehouse, seeing a dead body with a pistol near its hand. I run over and pick it up before returning to the defensive position.

"We need to get out of here," I repeat.

"OK, fine," Baden says. "Follow me."

The others and I follow Baden as he stands up, running behind him as we try to avoid the gunfire. We reach the back door of the warehouse, only to find more Wolves waiting outside. They open fire, and our group drops to the ground.

"Shit!" Baden yells.

I look over at him and see a bullet has pierced his neck. He's clutching it as blood runs between his fingers, staining his shirt red.

"Baden!" I yell as he turns to me.

I see the light leave his eyes as he collapses against the ground. I look over at the other officers and restaurant workers, seeing that they're all wounded. One of them is missing her arm, while another has a hole in his chest. The remaining two look fine, but they're as scared as I am.

"We need to get out of here," I repeat once more.

"Go if you want, but I'm not running away," one of the officers says, dropping to his knees and opening fire on the Wolves.

The other officer follows his lead, as do I.

Just then, Mayor Norton appears. He looks at the five of us before nodding.

"Come on," he says as he turns and runs towards the front of the warehouse.

I look at the two officers and the two restaurant workers, who nod at me. I stand up and run after the Mayor as they follow me. We reach the front of the warehouse, and I see a Wolf standing next to a truck. He turns his head and sees us, opening fire with his rifle. The five of us drop to the ground, and the Mayor returns fire with his revolver. The Wolf falls to the ground, hitting his head on the truck's door, collapsing beside it.

"Come on," the Mayor says, running towards the truck.

We follow him as he opens the door and gets in the driver's seat. The two officers and I get in the back as the restaurant workers hop in the front with the Mayor as he turns the truck on. The truck screeches away as the Wolves open fire, with several bullets lodging themselves in the truck. One grazes my shoulder, causing me to yelp in pain as I turn my head and see it leave a small trail of blood on the window.

"Hold on!" the Mayor yells.

The truck speeds down the road as the Wolves give chase on their motorcycles. The truck quickly pulls ahead of them, and they slow down, stopping as they see the truck drive away.

"Shit, that was too close," the Mayor says, slowing down as he drives along the road.

"What now?" one of the officers asks.

"We go back to the safe house and regroup," the Mayor says. "Then, we make a plan to strike back."

I nod, and the rest of the group agrees. We sit in silence for the remainder of the ride, which is mostly uneventful.

✶

Back at the safe house, we care for each other's wounds. My shoulders hurt, but it isn't too bad. The Mayor takes me into the next room to speak with me.

"I'm sorry about your wife," he says. 

"Thank you," I say.

"You're a brave man to come back and fight after what happened. Not many would."

"I had to," I say. "My wife wouldn't have wanted me to give up, and I still have things I have to do."

The Mayor smiles at me.

"That's good. You're a strong person, and I think you'll go far in this war."

"What are our next steps?"

"We need to gather more people. Our numbers are nearly diminished. If we're going to win this war, we're going to need more manpower."

"So, what, we're just going to find more people from the town and convince them to fight?"

"For now, yes. But once we take care of the Wolves, we're going to need to start rebuilding."

"Rebuilding?"

"Yes. Once we take back the city, we're going to have to rebuild it. It's going to be hard, but it'll be worth it once we have a safe place where people can live without fear."

"What about the people who are loyal to the Kingdom?" I ask.

"Well, I don't think they're going to be a problem," the Mayor says. "From what we've heard, King Beornræd was killed by the Wolves, and since they hold so much power in the city, I don't think there will be anyone left to challenge them. Beornræd may have been a bastard, but he was our bastard."

"So, what then?" I ask.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," the Mayor says. "Right now, we need to focus on taking back the city."

I nod.

"I understand. Well, I'm ready to get started whenever you are."

"Good," the Mayor says. 

I walk outside with the Mayor. I see the officers and workers, bandages covering their wounds, standing around a fire, silent. The flames illuminate their faces, giving them all a demonic appearance. I stand next to the Mayor as he begins to speak.

"We are the future," he says. "We are the people who will tear this rotten system down and build a new one. We are the people who will show the world that we don't need kings or royal blood to rule us, That we can govern ourselves fairly and equitably. But most importantly, we are the ones who will survive. We must rid our town of the before we can finish what we started regarding the Kingdom and its failed systems. They are a plague, and we must wipe out this plague so that it doesn't spread. We will finish what we started, and we will win."

The Mayor's words inspire. 

We are ready to fight the Wolves. 

The group cheers and claps. 

After a hearty meal and hefty doses of pain medication, the officers, restaurant workers, myself, and the Mayor retire to bed. 

✶

The following day, the officers and I head into town looking for anyone willing to join the fight against the Wolves. We knock on several doors and speak with several people, but most are too scared to help. A few agree to join us, but they're either too old, or their disabilities are too severe. The day ends with only a few more recruits than when we started.

We return to the safe house and see Mayor Norton speaking with a short, bearded man outside.

"And so I said to him, 'that's not how you play Monopoly!" the man says, laughing.

"I know, I know, Larry," the Mayor replies with a smile. "I should really stop asking your advice on how to deal with the council."

"You probably should!" The man laughs.

The Mayor turns and sees us. His expression becomes serious.

"You're back," he says. "How did it go?"

"We got a few recruits, but nothing substantial," I answer.

"Hmm, that's unfortunate. Well, I have some news of my own. While you were recruiting people, I sent some of our people to scout the Wolves' territory. It turns out there is a small gap in their defenses. If we're quick, we can sneak through and attack their headquarters from within."

"Great! When do we do it?" I ask.

"Well, we don't have too much time to prepare. I'd say we should attack tomorrow night."

"What should I do?" asks Larry Whitfield.

"Uh...you should stay here," the Mayor says. "Just in case we need a distraction."

"A distraction?" I ask.

"Yeah, if things go south, we'll need someone to distract the Wolves."

"How do I do that?" Larry asks.

"I don't know. Start a fire or something."

"What? You're going to leave me here to start a fire while you all go have fun?" Mr. Whitfield says, annoyed.

"Hey, we need someone to do it, and it's the best way to keep you safe," the Mayor says. "So it's either that or you can come with us."

"Well...I suppose I could start a fire," Larry says, annoyed at being given the option.

"Great. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

The Mayor goes back to his office, leaving the group behind.

"What a dick," Larry says. "He didn't even offer me any whiskey."

"We have some whiskey inside. Would you care to join us?"

"I'd love to," Larry says.

I head inside, and the rest of the group follows. I pour a few glasses of whiskey for myself and my friends.

We all drink and try to ignore the anxiety of the coming day.

✶

The next night, we set off, recruits in tow. We reach the Wolves' hideout by nightfall.

"So, how are we going to do this?" One of the restaurant workers asks. 

"We'll surround the Wolves’ camp, and I'll go in the front. When I open the tent, shoot whoever is inside. Any questions?" I explain.

The group shakes their heads.

"Alright. Let's go!"

We set off through the forest, circling around the camp. Eventually, we are in position. I lead the group into the camp, shotgun in hand.

“Oi!” I shout. “It's time to wake up, Wolves!"

The tent's occupants sit up quickly, grabbing their guns. I blast the one who draws first, and my group opens fire on the rest. The battle is short and bloody- the Wolves are caught entirely off guard. 

I turn around to see that the gunshots have awoken the rest of the camp. I quickly see a mass exodus from the tents as the Wolves attempt to escape. I fire my shotgun, taking down a few of them.

"Get to the tents!" I shout. "Kill them all!"

I rush forward, grabbing a dagger from a dead Wolf on the way. I stab one of the fleeing Wolves in the back and turn to face another one. He has a gun raised in my direction.

I smile, and he drops the gun.

"You're..." he says before I shoot him.

The gunfire soon ends, and I see all of the remaining Wolves are dead. Five of my group have survived, and of the Wolves, only three got away.

"We did it!" someone shouts.

"Alright!” I shout. “Let's skin these bastards and get back to town!"

We quickly set to work, stripping the corpses of their valuables. I find a small golden ring, which I promptly pocket.

"What's that?" asks one of the men.

"A ring."

"Is it valuable?"

"I don't know. I'll take it to a pawn shop and find out."

We quickly finish stripping the bodies, then set off back to town.

"I'm just glad that's over," one of them says.

"I know what you mean. I'm ready for a drink."

We walk into the local bar, and I order a round of whiskey for my friends, then another round, then another. Before I knew it, I had spent all of my money on alcohol.

We return to the safe house in the early morning, drunk and giggling, to find Larry and the Mayor waiting.

"Where's the rest of your group?" the Mayor asks.

"Gone," I say.

"What do you mean, gone?"

"I mean, they're fucking gone."

"Where?"

"They're dead. This is all that's left of us."

"What happened?"

"Wolves happened."

The Mayor looks at us, then nods.

"Come on. Let's go inside."

The Mayor leads us into the living room, where he sits down and lights his pipe. Some sit while others stand. 

The Mayor speaks.

"So, Wolves happened, huh?"

"Yeah."

"How many?"

"Twenty, thirty."

"Fuck. How did you survive?"

I look at my friends.

"We're the lucky ones," I say. "It was a massacre."

The Mayor takes a deep breath, then nods.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Those were good men."

We nod in agreement.

"We killed all of the Wolves we could see. We think three got away, and we are not sure about their leader, J."

"Good. We'll track the gang down and kill them all."

"We?" I ask.

"Yes. We. This is a community, not a dictatorship. I'm not forcing you to do anything, but the Wolves are a threat to everyone. If we don't hunt them now, they'll attack again. And again. And again. We need to wipe them out while we have the chance."

"I agree," you say.

"Good. We'll talk more in the morning. You should all get some rest."

I nod, and the Mayor heads off to bed. 

I walk into the next room, where I see one of my friends lying on a bed. I walk over to him and sit down.

"What now?" asks Carter Haynes, one of my old employees.

"I don't know," I admit.

"What do you mean you don't know? You're the leader. You tell me what to do."

"I'm not a leader. I'm just some asshole who got lucky."

"We should get some sleep. We will discuss our next steps with the group in the morning."

"Fine," Carter says.

I lie down in another room and quickly drift off to sleep.

✶

In the morning, I am woken by the Mayor, who is shouting in my ear.

"Wake up! Wake up!" he shouts.

"What the fuck?" I ask.

"We have to go now!"

"Go where?"

"To hunt down the Wolves."

"Now?"

"Yes, now! Get up, get up!"

I stand, and the Mayor heads outside. I walk out of the room and into the hallway, where I see Carter standing.

"What's going on?" he asks.

"I don't know, but the Mayor is pretty worked up," I say.

The Mayor's shouting woke everyone up, and we all walked outside, where we saw the Mayor standing next to his truck. It's packed with several boxes of ammo and weapons.

"Come on! Get in the truck!" he shouts.

Carter and I jump into the back of the truck while the rest of the group head to their vehicles. The Mayor climbs into the driver's seat, starts the engine, puts the truck in gear, and peels out. We soon leave Fernmexlen behind, driving along the road. After a few minutes, we reach another town. It's not nearly as big as Fernmexlen.

"Now listen up!" the Mayor says over the noise. "We're going to find the Wolves' den and wipe them out. There are only a few of them, and they're vicious killers, but we have the advantage. We have a truck; they do not. We have the fucking Army on our side. They. Do. Not!"

"How did you manage to get the Royal Army to help us?"

"I know a guy," the Mayor says. "A general. He owes me a few favors. Don't ask for what. Now, we're almost there. Once we arrive, we'll head straight to the Wolves' den and wipe them out."

I nod. The rest of the trip is spent in silence. 

Eventually, we pull up to an old, abandoned warehouse in the middle of an industrial district.

"These guys really have a thing for warehouses, huh?" Carter says.

"Makes sense. They're cheap, and it's easy to set traps," I say.

"I guess."

The men get out of their vehicles, and the Mayor walks over.

"Alright, listen up!" he shouts to the group. "This is it. The Wolves are in there, planning their next attack. They have acquired more numbers since yesterday. A local gang from this town has joined in their fight. We now have to worry about not only the Wolves but also the Ravens."

"Who are the Ravens?" I ask.

"Another gang. The Ravens control the drug trade here in Woodhurst, and they're more than happy to join forces with the Wolves to fight us."

"We're going to kill them all," the Mayor says with a smile.

"That's not very specific," I point out.

"I don't need to be specific. I'd say you know what needs to be done. You've been doing a good job so far."

"Alright then,” I say. ``Let's go kill us some wolves." 

I walk towards the warehouse with the rest of the group. The Mayor stops us before we go in.

"Be careful in there."

"Don't worry. We will be," I say.

I take a deep breath, then push the door open.

We enter the warehouse cautiously, weapons raised. I see a few men standing around a table in the center of the room, talking to each other and ignoring us altogether. They're all heavily armed, with various guns and blades on their person. I see a few more men standing by the walls, holding guns of their own. I quickly do a headcount of the men in the room. Then, I hear a gunshot from above and see a man with a sniper rifle on top of a metal catwalk. He fires again, and one of the men by the wall falls dead.

I notice the sniper is wearing a Royal Army uniform and wonder how he got up to the catwalk without the gang members noticing. Then, I see a metal hatch on the ceiling open up, and another soldier climbs through. He repels down the wall to join his comrade, and the two of them begin picking off gang members.

I watch as one of the men holding a gun suddenly spins around as a bullet hits him in the chest. I turn around and see several gang members pointing their guns at me.

"There he is! Kill the bastard!" one of them shouts.

I dive to the ground as they open fire. I roll behind a table as bullets fly overhead and smash through the table. I grab my gun and return fire, aiming for the men shooting at me. I manage to hit one of them in the shoulder, and he falls back, screaming. The rest of their bullets fly over my head as I find cover.

I look around for my allies, and that's when I see them. Carter lies on the ground, a knife in his back. The Mayor lies on the ground too, but he doesn't get up. He's been shot in the head. The rest of my motley crew lies dead around them. 

I see a machine gun by his side, and I grab it. I point it at the gang members and open fire. Bullets tear through the air as I empty the entire clip. Bodies drop as I hit more than a few of them. The rest of the gang members turn and run, heading for a set of doors on the far side of the warehouse. I grab another gun from the ground and fire at them as they flee.

I run over to Carter and check his pulse, but I already know he's dead. 

I run after the gang members. The soldiers join me as we chase the fleeing gang members out of the warehouse and into the streets. We track them through the town, firing our guns. 

Eventually, we catch up with them. They run into an alley. They're trapped. We keep our weapons raised as we approach them.

"Don't move," I say.

"Drop your weapons! Get on the ground!" Lieutenant Nick Verant yells.

The criminals slowly raise their hands into the air. They drop their guns. I cautiously approach them, gun raised. I look around the alley and see that it's a dead end. There's nowhere for them to go.

"Check the surrounding buildings. See if there are any more of them," I say to the lieutenant.

He nods and sends some of the soldiers off. They come back after a few minutes.

"There aren't anymore, sir," one of them says.

I look at the criminals. 

"Where is your leader, J?" I ask.

"I'm right here," one of them says. 

He's a tall, well-built man with long blond hair that falls over his eyes. His arms, chest, and neck are heavily tattooed. He smiles as he looks at you. 

"And who the hell are you?"

I look at him closely. There's something familiar about him. 

"I might ask you the same question," I say.

"The name's Jesse James."

"That's a lie. The real Jesse James is dead. You're just a common criminal, no better than the rest of these thugs."

I stare at him. He looks familiar. The name's wrong, but he looks like... 

"I know who you are. I've seen pictures of you. Your name's not Jesse James. It's Frank."

I look at the other criminals.

One of the Wolves begins to chuckle but soon stops when Frank glares at him.

"It's alright, Ed. This guy seems a bit slow. I know he hasn't caught on yet." 

Frank smiles at me. 

"I'm Frank James. My great-great-grandfather, Jesse James, was a famous outlaw. He was shot in the back of the head by a coward named Robert Ford. I took his name and his legend to continue the fight for justice."

I stare at him in disbelief. 

"You're Frank James?"

"I am."

"You're a disgrace to your family name. A complete disgrace."

"Oh, I disagree," Frank says. "I think I've done quite well. I started out small, just stealing little things here and there, then I joined a gang. I led a gang. I made a name for myself. I robbed banks, trains, and governments. "

"You're a criminal."

Frank shakes his head sadly. 

"You don't know what it's like, living in this hellhole. You're all slaves, y'know that? The Kingdom, the government, the cops... they'll all keep you down if you let them. The rich will always keep you down."

"You're a murderer, a thief, a kidnapper, and a rapist!" I say. "You give the people nothing but misery! You're no hero, Frank. You're a common criminal."

Frank stares at me in silence before bursting out laughing. The rest of his men laugh as well. 

"You are a funny guy," Frank says. "I'll give you that. Now, I'm going to give you an offer. Join me. We'll change the world, you and I."

"No, thank you," I say.

"Suit yourself," Frank says. "It was a nice offer, though."

Frank turns to look at his men. 

"Kill 'em all."

"HOLD IT!" a new voice shouts.

Gunfire erupts as I dive for cover. I look up to see a man in a black trench coat and a wide-brimmed hat standing outside the alley, firing a pistol at the gang members. Several of them fall dead as the rest of them take cover. I take cover behind a nearby car, glancing at Lieutenant Verant and seeing that he's taken shelter behind a dumpster.

"Who the hell is that?" I whisper to Verant.

"I don't know! I've never seen him before!" Verant replies, just as confused as I am.

The man in black takes out a second pistol and begins firing again. One of the Wolves goes down. Then another. I take my chance, dashing out from behind the car and opening fire on the remaining gang members. They go down quickly, dropping with bullets in their heads and chests.

"Hey! Who are you?" Frank shouts.

The man doesn't answer. Instead, he takes out a grenade and pulls the pin. He chucks it at the gang.

"Get down!" I shout, dropping to the ground.

The grenade explodes, killing one of the Wolves hiding behind a dumpster and sending the rest of us flying through the air and into the street. I hit the ground with a thud and lie still. I'm alive, but I've been badly winded. I have no energy to get up, and I'm finding it difficult to breathe.

"Shit... that was a hefty grenade," Verant groans, lying on the road next to me.

I hear a burst of gunfire. I look up to see the man in black standing over Frank James, who lies dead in the middle of the street. The man walks over to Verant and me.

"You two alright?" he asks in a strange accent, extending a hand to help the lieutenant up.

"I'm fine," Verant says, standing up and ignoring the man's hand. "You?"

"Yeah."

I stand up, brushing myself off. I look at the man, studying him. He's of a medium build and is wearing a long black coat. A wide-brimmed hat covers his face, and he's wearing a pair of dark sunglasses that cover his eyes.

"I saw the whole thing. That was some pretty good shooting back there," I say.

The man doesn't respond, instead looking over his shoulder at the dead Frank James.

"Who are you?" Verant asks, raising his gun. "What's your name?"

"You can put that away," the man says, not even turning to look at Verant. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Verant pauses before holstering his gun. 

"Alright. Who are you?"

"A concerned citizen. That's all you need to know."

"What are you, some kind of Fed?"

The man chuckles. 

"Oh no. Nothing like that."

Verant steps forward, angry. 

"Look, I don't know who the fuck you are or what you're doing, but you need to leave. Now."

The man walks past him. 

"I'm doing something that needs to be done."

"So you're not with the police?" I ask.

The man turns to me and pulls off his hat and glasses. I find myself staring at a middle-aged man with tanned skin, dark hair, and eyes, with several wrinkles across his face. He smiles at me, revealing a gold tooth. 

"I'm nobody, kid. Just like you."

"Who are you?" Verant asks, annoyed.

"The name's McCree. Domino McCree. I'm just a traveler passing through."

"What the hell did you do that for?" Verant shouts. "We could've handled this!"

"Sure you could've. But what about next time? Do you really think these gangs are going to stop in one town? At least now they know they ain't invincible."

Verant is speechless.

"I suggest you boys start heading back to Fernmexlen. I can take it from here."

"Are you going after the Ravens now?" I ask.

Domino smiles at me. 

"I hope I don't have to. I'm not getting any younger. I'm not looking for a fight. But if they want one, they've come to the right man."

I look at Verant, who looks unsure of what to do. I'm not sure either.

"I think we should go back to Fernmexlen," I say.

"Are you sure?" Verant asks.

I nod. "Yeah."

Verant sighs, nodding in return. 

"Alright then. Let's go."

We begin to walk away, but Domino stops me. 

"Hey, kid. If you ever need a job, come see me." 

He hands me a small card with a name and an address printed on it.

I realize that I don't have much to go back to in Fernmexlen. My wife is dead. My friends are dead. And I’m not sure if I will be happy just making sandwiches for a living after all of this. However, with King Beornræd dead and Mayor Norton dead, Fernmexlen has no leader. My mind is racing. I could try to take over; to become the new leader. Or, I could join Domino and work to rid the Kingdom of crime. 

All that's left now is for me to decide where I want my future to lie...

✶✶✶

Weeks pass. I find myself wandering through my empty house aimlessly. It’s hard to accept the fact that Christa is gone. I miss the sound of her singing as she cooked dinner and the way she would snuggle up to me on cold nights. 

I see the card sitting on my entryway table and know what I have to do.

✶

I stand in front of Domino McCree nervously. He looks at me, sizing me up. 

"You look like you've seen a lot of action."

"You have no idea," I say, shuddering at the memories of the recent horrors I’ve been trying to forget.

"Then you're definitely the man for the job. I need someone to go with me to hunt down a group of thieves that have been plaguing the area."

"When do we leave?" I say, without hesitation.

Domino smiles.