Chapter 2-7: Pawn's Trial - Animals in Uniform

Paul- United Human Faction- Day 20

            Paul’s seaside hotel room was as quiet as he could make it. The war was taking its toll on him, and the exhaustion was visible on his face. He lay on top of the bed, too tired to unmake it himself. Every computer monitor was turned off, and the phone was disconnected. He had ten full minutes of peace, more than he had had in almost two years.

            The sound of a keycard in the door pulled him out of his trance. Sharon entered the room and walked directly to the foot of his bed. He waited to see if she would leave him be, but after a few moments he gave in and opened his eyes. Sharon threw a folder onto his lap.

            “Restore Richard to Field Agent status,” she said, bluntly.

            “Richard who?” asked Paul, regaining consciousness.

            “You know exactly who, Paul,” Sharon yelled, taking the folder and throwing the first page into Paul’s face.

            He looked down at the page, and immediately recognized the face of what he had always dreaded would come out of his revolution.

            “No,” was his simple response.

            “He’s the kind of leader we need right now.”

            “He’s a sociopath! He murdered a prisoner of war!”

            “He wins his battles. That’s more than we can say for half our commanding officers.”

            “Sharon, the man threw poison gas into a cave. He’s a threat to the human race. If we give him power, he’ll turn the Faction into a mob. We are on the right side of worldwide sympathy, and he could ruin that!”

            “The plan doesn’t call for good foreign relations.”

            “You know what Sharon,” began Paul, now standing, “I believed in the plan, I really did. But now you and Julian are going too far. We are not going to commit crimes against humanity for your fanciful vision.”

            “We need more countries to join the fray,” hissed Sharon.
            “I won’t let this man commit atrocities,” finished Paul, returning to his bed.

            Sharon packed up her documents and left the room. She had tried to give Paul at least half of his will, leaving Richard at his assigned position. Now, though, she had to think of the plan. Richard would be promoted to the rank of Field Commander, taking over Carlos’ job. It was their only path to victory.