Post by zaigon on Jun 28, 2020 20:49:26 GMT -5
“It’s been six long years, father.”
Mr. Carter stands in front of his father’s monument, pacing slowly as he keeps an eye on it.
“The last time I was here I was a broken man. Brought to my knees by some harlot, someone who doesn’t matter now but then represented everything. I was lost, a failure, all the things you told me not to be.”
Silence.
“Now though, I’ve found my true identity. I’ve risen to heights never before seen. And in a few days? I’ll lead my own company, sort of how you led yours. Sort of. I’ll be at the top of my field, with everyone below me eliminated. Crushed under me.”
A stop.
A turn to face the stone directly.
“I remember what you said to me the day you died….”
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The hospital room is spacious yet crammed, jammed with equipment. The various beeps and tones go off every few moments, all surrounding a man in his late 50s. Laying in the bed, he has the appearance of a man who has lost his strength as opposed to never having it. Standing by the bed is a thirteen year old boy, all alone looking down at the man.
“Dad...Dad…”
The eyes of the man open, turning his head with much effort towards the voice.
“Zaigon, my son. I’m so sorry. Carry the name I gave you, protect your mother and sister. I love y…”
His voice gives out as the eyes close again, and a cacophony of noises start emitting from all the machines around him. On cue, the door to the room flies open. People clad in scrubs and coats run in, ushering Zaigon out of the room.
As the teenager stares at the door, up walk a woman in her 30s accompanying a girl no older than nine. The two look at him, with the older woman speaking.
“Zaigon why aren’t you in...”
She looks in through the windowed door, before rushing inside herself. After a few moments the commotion dies down, and a low wail comes through the door. The two children stand, practically forgotten, outside the room. As the sobbing gets louder, the little girl looks at Zaigon.
“What’s wrong with Mom? Why is she crying?”
Taking a breath, Zaigon returns her gaze.
“Dad’s gone. It’s...over.”
The words shock the little girl, as her eyes begin to fill with tears. She runs into her big brother’s chest, burying her face in his stomach. Like a robot, he wraps his arms around her. He’s not looking at her though, almost past her. His eyes don’t show tears or even emotion.
They don’t show much of anything at all.
========
“You abandoned us that day.”
Mr. Carter has stopped pacing and is staring again. That same stare from over twenty years ago.
“You talked about being there for us always, but you couldn’t even make it to my 14th birthday. All that money and for what? It ended up as nothing but lies, lies and a burden you put upon me with your dying breath.”
Backing up a few steps, Mr. Carter pauses as he looks up and down the monument.
“Well news alert father, it’s not your name I’m carrying. It’s mine that I’m making my own. I am no longer your son, you are my rotting corpse of a father. Soon I will be the dominant member of our lineage, and there’s nobody that will stop me. Certainly not you.”
From behind Mr. Carter, two large men appear wearing construction garb. They’re both carrying large sledgehammers.
“To fully embrace my future, I must rid all things of the past. There can be only one Carter history remembers, and when you died you abdicated your chance. I refuse to be as weak as you, to spread lies about what I am and will be. That whore you married and made my mother is out of my life, and Sabrina…”
A pause here, a catch in the throat. Mr. Carter shakes his head, like trying to ward a ghost from his mind and body.
“You always said you’d do anything for us, anything for me. Well now I’m collecting on that promise. You’ll be wiped from this spot, wiped from this earth, leaving only me to lead. I am the only Carter that matters, you’re just the one that made it possible. Your usefulness ended 22 years ago, so it’s time to take out the trash.”
Mr. Carter turns his back, and heads towards the exit. In response the two construction workers walk over to the stone and begin pounding it. Over and over again the hammers connect, leveling the gilded stone.
After a few minutes it’s half the original size.
It would only take a few minutes more before it didn’t stand period.
Looking over his shoulder, Mr. Carter sees the work they’ve done and keeps walking to the limousine. He gets in the back, and the car speeds off towards the airport. Reaching into the well stocked bar, Mr. Carter pulls out an ornate glass and a bottle of expensive scotch. He pours a small amount into the glass, raising it slightly.
“Only one thing left to do now.”
He drains the drink, as the limo keeps going.
Taking him to the next step on his journey.
Delivering him to his immortality.
========
As a proud American, at first I lamented that my great revolution would swell into full bloom overseas.
I thought the purity of my cause could only truly be appreciated in the land of the free, the home of the brave, the one true power that exists in this world.
Then after reflection, I realized that this was not a curse but an opportunity.
The graceful hand of fate led me to this place, led me to Japan for a reason. It was not an accident, it was destiny.
There’s no reason that this country’s greatest current patriot’s ascent to power shouldn’t mirror the country for which he proudly represents.
After all, the globe’s gaze didn’t fully respect what our nation was capable of until August of 1945.
Just like America took control of the world over those three days, I will take control of this company come night’s end at Bulletproof.
Don’t believe me?
Even before those fateful days in late summer of 45, America was on its way to dominance. Fire bombings, aerial assaults. We were leaving examples of our fury, decimating anything that dared stand in our way.
No different than America and myself laying waste to everyone before us, sending the message that we were unstoppable. That our conquering was not an if, but a when.
Yet just like the Japanese, APW dug in their heels. They didn’t want to give in, surrender to our might and stop the suffering. They were stubborn, stupid people whose pride interfered with their safety.
Because of that insolence, two targets will now have to pay the price.
On one side is the original target: the world champion.
You were always the one we intended to destroy
You represent what is necessary to eliminate, building yourself as a fortress of the APW past. For our power to be ultimate, you can’t last. You must be handled, you must be crippled, and moved out of the way.
By any means necessary.
That won’t be enough however. Irina Ivanova shares the mindset of the Japanese high command. That my holy warfare can be weathered, that she can offer up more and survive.
She’s willing to risk it all against power she doesn’t fully understand.
That’s you Jubei.
You’re the one that Irina doesn’t care about enough to protect. You’re the one that will be collateral damage in this annihilation when you didn’t have to be.
That’s how the second target fell three days later. Most people don’t know that it wasn’t Nagasaki to fall victim to pure American might, but Kokura. There were problems, things outside the US’ control, so they did what they had to do.
They didn’t give up, they wasted what was in front of them.
You are what’s in front of me Jubei.
You are keeping me from liberation, so I will make sure there’s nothing left but agony at night’s end. That the brutality visited upon you leaves the clear message that there is no measure I won’t take to succeed.
Because the two events share yet another commonality: American success was inevitable.
It didn’t have to be a pair of bombs, it could have been superior ground and air forces. It could have been any number of things, but the result would have been the same.
We just picked the one that got it done the fastest.
I could have played the political game, waited my turn, done all the bullshit people and eventually yes I would have been champion.
But why?
So more people like Jason Ryan can ruin this place, so they can cling to their titles and status pretending to be the best when everyone knows the other shoe will drop and he’ll be eradicated?
So more people like Masuda Jubei can survive off their legacy, can continue to be legends in their own mind but be one step away from being wiped off the history books forever?
Fuck that.
With two swift courses of action it will be over. The imposters, the frauds holding this company back will be cut off at the knees and any other body part they dare risk.
The true superpower of this world will rise to the top, because they have the courage to do what is necessary.
No, you’re not going to like what happens at Bulletproof. It’s going to be violent, it’s going to be intense, and it’s going to be inhumane.
It must be done.
That’s true leadership. They don’t abdicate responsibility because of the consequences, because of the PR. They do it, and they move on.
Tokyo is just that for me. I will do what I have to, what my creator has designed and equipped me to do, and I will move on.
Leaving behind two husks but with a title on my waist and a crown upon my head.
This is the end of APW as you know it, the end of an era.
Yet it will become better. It will be more than you can ever imagine, because someone who has vision but lacks fear steps into the spotlight.
Bulletproof is the darkness before the dawn.
I am that dawn.
I am that new day.
I am everything.
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