1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:09,120 Speaker 1: After the Revolution. Richardson, Republic of Texas, twenty, Chapter one. 2 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: Manny Manny smiled the way the British journalist's face blanched 3 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: as the old Toyota hit the pothole. Reggie wasn't used 4 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: to bad roads, cars driven by actual humans, or the 5 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: way the heavy metal of the gun mountain the truck 6 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: bed made the aluminum frame groan. That was all familiar 7 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: to Manny. He'd grown up in Siodad de Muerta, back 8 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: before the lake would blast, back when people had still 9 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: called it Dallas. The truck's driver veered around the bloated 10 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: corpse of a large dog lying in the middle of 11 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: the road. Reggie gripped the truck bed with white knuckles 12 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: and eyed the swaying AMMO belt of the twenty millimeter 13 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: cannon like it was a coiled snake. The gunner, Manny's cousin, Alejandro, 14 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: grinned down at the journalist. The Suspeneon's a little fact, yeh. 15 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: The Briton nodded and turned greener. When the technical hid 16 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: another pothole. Manny supposed he should offer a comfort and 17 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: word to the man. That would be good business, but 18 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: a louder part of him looked at Reggie's brand new 19 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: boots and thought he can stand a little less comfort. 20 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: The journalist would brag about this ride for months once 21 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: he got home. Escorting reporters from the safety of Austin 22 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 1: to the sundry hotspots of the Old Metroplex was not 23 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: Manny's ideal career. Two years ago, he'd been working on 24 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: a bachelor's in business administration from the University of Austin. 25 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: The plan had been to get a job with Ages Biosystems, 26 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 1: then charm his way into a working visa and a 27 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:34,919 Speaker 1: gig in the California Republic. But the fighting had started 28 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: up again and ruined all that. The culprit this time 29 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 1: was the Heavenly Kingdom, a loose assortment of Christian extremist militias. 30 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: They'd boiled out from the suburbs of the Old Metroplex 31 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: and all but broken the Republic of Texas. The Autonomous 32 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: City of Austin had stabilized the situation with the help 33 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: of an alliance of leftist Texan militias the Secular Defense Forces. 34 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: Beating them back had cost a lot in blood and time, 35 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: and forced Manny to change every plan he'd ever had 36 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: for his life. So he'd embraced the situation and started 37 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: his own business, hiring on some friends as employees. Together 38 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: they'd built the best network of stringers in North Texas. 39 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: His boys fed him video contacts and news updates, and 40 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,680 Speaker 1: he sold what he could to the big foreign media conglomerates. 41 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: In a couple more months, he'd have enough saved up 42 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: that he could fuck off, fly to Europe and apply 43 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: for a refugee visa. My ans are pretty good as 44 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: long as the war doesn't end too soon. The technical 45 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: rolled to a creaky stop in front of a checkpoint 46 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: that had clearly been erected within the last few days. 47 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: It was just a collapsible electronic gate and two sandbag 48 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: emplacements on either side of the battered highway. A street 49 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: sign nearby announced that they were on the edge of Richardson, 50 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: formerly a suburb of Dallas and currently a forward position 51 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: of the People's Protection Army. A local anarchist militia manny 52 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 1: could see the p PA's red black triangle emblem stitched 53 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: onto the jackets of the soldiers guarding the checkpoint. One 54 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: of the p p A men walked up to the 55 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: driver's side window and started chatting with Philip. The driver. 56 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: Phil and Manny's cousin Alejandro were both with the Citizens Front, 57 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,519 Speaker 1: a more or less a political militia from the suburbs 58 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: of Austin. Both militias co existed under the broad umbrella 59 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: of the Secular Defense Forces. The SDF had been organized 60 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: by the Canadian government to lump all of North Texas's 61 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: palatable militant groups into a single package that could be 62 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: conveniently armed. While the first guard talked with Philip, his 63 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: partner did a circuit around the back of the truck. 64 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: The man was big, bulging, with muscles so sculpted and 65 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: prominent they had to be vat grown, and he moved 66 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: with the twitchy ungrace of a man who replaced his 67 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: nervous system with circuitry. His weapon was a very old, 68 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: very battered a R fifteen with an M two four 69 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 1: three grenade launcher below the barrel. The latter was old 70 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: U S military gear. The former had been someone's toy 71 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: before the revolution gave America's half billion civilian guns a 72 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: new riz on debt. The man moved back to the barricades. 73 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: When he had finished his lap. Reggie looked up at 74 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: me and asked was he a was he chromed? Many smiled. 75 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: That was always one of the first questions as soon 76 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: as any foreign journal saw a trooper with a large 77 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: enough filled skin with an off shade, or who just 78 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: moved a little too fast to seem completely right. Anything 79 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: beyond basic aesthetic and medical modifications were banned in civilized 80 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: countries like the UK. The real chrome, the implants that 81 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: would let a man lift a truck or take a 82 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: rocket to the belly that ship was locked up tight. 83 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: A few national militaries even used the stuff these days, 84 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: not after the revolution. He's got some vat grown muscles, 85 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: Manny said, in an off handed way that suggested such 86 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: things were common aftermarket nerves too. Probably his stuff is 87 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 1: low grade, that's why it's so visible. Reggie nodded. His 88 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: eyes stayed locked on the big man. He was quiet 89 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: for a while before he spoke again. You just live 90 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 1: right alongside them, don't you, Manny shrugged. Everybody's got something 91 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 1: out here and the wet wears. But lets us hold 92 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 1: back the martyrs. They own the whole city if it 93 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: weren't half fats like him. The journalist nodded, and his 94 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: gaze stayed fixed upon the militiaman, until a troubled look 95 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: crossed his face. He glanced back to Manny. Are you 96 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: all chromed, Reggie asked. Manny smiled, I don't expect either 97 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 1: of us as stock sabien eh, but I doubt I've 98 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 1: got anything you don't. Reggie seemed somewhat comforted by this. 99 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: Most of what I've read about the really heavy mods 100 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: says they cause a lot of well unstable behavior. That's why, 101 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: that's why this city such as ship Hole, Manny asked. 102 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: The journalist had the grace to blush. Manny looked away 103 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: for a moment. His eyes landed on the bones of 104 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 1: three large public housing buildings. A barrel bomb had detonated 105 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 1: in the center of the courtyard. All three shared. It 106 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: had peeled away the walls, some of the floors, and 107 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 1: the resulting firestorm had burned up everything that wasn't concrete, steel, 108 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: or rebar. For just a moment, Manny felt bad about 109 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,919 Speaker 1: hoping the war hung on. In other six months, the 110 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 1: old government blamed a lot on roided up veterans with 111 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: military grade mods. He told Reggie, most was just propaganda, 112 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: fear mongering. People were pissed after twenty years of plague, disaster, 113 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: and poverty. Manny shrugged. It's true, though a lot of 114 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: chromed up vets turned on the government. You can't make 115 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: men into gods and expect them to keep fighting from men, 116 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: Reggie pointed back to the bolding Militiaman, I take it, 117 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,679 Speaker 1: muscles there is pretty far from a god. Nah, Manny laughed. 118 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,159 Speaker 1: He's just a guy with too much meat money. Gods 119 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: don't man check points. The Brit was excited. Now. These 120 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: were the questions he'd wanted to ask since they met yesterday. 121 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 1: Do you know where some of those people are? Reggie 122 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 1: couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice. Could we 123 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: talk to them? Manny didn't have any of those contacts, 124 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: nor did he know any other fixers who did. He 125 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: tried to let the Brit down easy. Most of those 126 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: folks live ah on the road in between the civilized 127 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 1: parts of Texas and the Republic of California, Oh. Reggie 128 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: looked disappointed. The truck rolled past the wreckage of an 129 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: old Catholic school. It bore signs of being fortified, destroyed, 130 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: re fortified, and redestroyed several times. The Brit was inches 131 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: from asking another question when the gate man waved them on, 132 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: and the battered Toyota farted its way into drive, belching 133 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: and complaining, past a network of potholes until it hit 134 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: a relatively straight chunk of asphalt. Only a few minutes now, 135 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: hefe Manny said, the p PA's forward position is about 136 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: five minutes out. He'll be in the ship then, or 137 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: at least shit adjacent. The journalist's face washed over in 138 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: an even mix of anxiety and pride. One of the 139 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: first lessons Manny had learned at this job was that 140 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: phrases like the ship made rich gringo writers unreasonably excited. 141 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: An excited journalists always called Manny the next time they 142 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: were in country. Giving white kids in caffie as a 143 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: lifetime of bragging rights for surviving a couple of days 144 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: in his home killed his soul just a little bit, 145 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: But Manny pushed down the anger and told himself that 146 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: a chip on the shoulder was a lot less useful 147 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: than money in the bank. The Technical rolled off the 148 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: old highway. Manny could see twenty three and Spring Valley 149 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: Road and blasmed on a weather beaten bullets guard sign. 150 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: The Technical pulled to the right, The guns swayed in 151 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: its mount. Manny couldn't help smiling as the brit instinctively 152 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: pulled away from it. They rolled up to what had 153 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: once been a strip mall and was now a forward 154 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: operating base for the People's Protection Army. An old laundromat, 155 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: a bookstore, and a half dozen restaurants now had their 156 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:19,119 Speaker 1: roofs ringed with barbed wire and machine gun emplacements. Manny 157 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: could see a line of bullet hole stitched across three 158 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: of the shops. None of the windows were intact, but 159 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: otherwise the buildings had weathered the war rather well. Three 160 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 1: M one howitzers were parked next to a taco shop 161 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:33,719 Speaker 1: that had once served the local college kids, beer and 162 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: cheap grub. There was a flagpole out in front of 163 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: the shop, and from it hung the blue and white 164 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: starburst flag of the SDF. Three men in uniforms stood 165 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,439 Speaker 1: waiting as the old Toyota rolled to a stop in 166 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: Manny and Reggie disembarked. Two of the men were officers 167 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 1: in the p P, A Colonel Jacob Milgram and Major 168 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: de Shaun Clark. Milgram was a boring, tight lipped near 169 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: D type, but DeShawn was one of Mannie's favorite sources. 170 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: He was an old infantry guy, a consummate brawler with 171 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: a face full of scars and three published books of 172 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: poetry to his name. He actually had a base of 173 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:15,479 Speaker 1: international fans, mostly in Spain. The third man was Hamid Mohammed, 174 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: an adviser from Syrian Kurdistan. The Curds had been giving 175 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: aid to the Sundry militias of the Secular Defense Forces 176 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 1: for years now. Mannie considered Hamid almost a local. He 177 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 1: shook hands with Jacob, since Manny knew DeShawn better. He 178 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: met the man with a full embrace and used it 179 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: as an opportunity to palm the major a packet of 180 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: his favorite cigarettes. Deshaun gave him a wink and a smile. 181 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,719 Speaker 1: Manny shook Hamid's hand next, and then kissed him on 182 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: the cheek. Hamid returned the kiss, clapped him on the shoulder, 183 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 1: and said, Emmanuel, my friend, you really should get out 184 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: of this business. One of these days you'll come up 185 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 1: here and it won't be safe. Manny frowned a little 186 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: at the use of his birth name, but he didn't 187 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: make an issue out of the matter. There's still a 188 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: war on right. He smiled at Hamid he'll get that 189 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: ship under control. Maybe I'll work a straight job again. 190 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: Not too soon, though, he thought. The least this war 191 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 1: can do was last long enough to get me out 192 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: of Texas. Hamide smiled back, and Manny introduced Reggie to 193 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: the officers. The journalist was clearly awkward in that special 194 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: way Manny had come to expect from new war correspondents. 195 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: It was the norm for young writers to be intimidated 196 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: by grizzled military men. Some of them got over that 197 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 1: Manny had worked with a middle aged Der Spiegel reporter 198 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: last week could probably take in as much incoming fire 199 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:30,479 Speaker 1: as Major Clark. Colonel Milgram led them into the militarized 200 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: taco shop. A brief blast of nostalgias squeezed Manny's lungs. 201 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: The place had obviously been closed since the revolution. The 202 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: drink specials and meal prices printed on the wall were 203 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: given in U S dollars, a currency as dead as 204 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: the last American president. Many recognized ads for bands and 205 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: movies he remembered from his childhood. The glass facade had 206 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 1: shattered years ago. The kitchen had been gutted and replaced 207 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: by wall length screens displaying maps of the city. At 208 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: least a dozen uniformed men and women milled around the 209 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: space in small groups. He and Reggie sat down at 210 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:04,359 Speaker 1: a long picnic table with Hamid and the two officers. 211 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:07,560 Speaker 1: Reggie set his camera up on the table. It was 212 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: just a small silver sphere, but Manny knew it could 213 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: record everything happening around it at a higher resolution than 214 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: the human eye. An orderly brought in three beers, shiner 215 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 1: box from Austin and one dark brown tea and a 216 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: glass cup for Hamede. The brit raised his glass in 217 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 1: a friendly salute, thank you for meeting with me, and 218 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: then he started to ask questions. Manny leaned back in 219 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: his chair and enjoyed a long gulp of cold beer. 220 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,719 Speaker 1: If he wasn't needed to translate, he generally checked out 221 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: during interviews. He used the free time to activate his 222 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: deck and check in on the two stringers he had 223 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 1: working right now. David Allenby was up in Addison today 224 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,679 Speaker 1: taking a Californian documentary crew on a tour of an 225 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: st F training facility. He'd messaged Manny to let him 226 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: know they'd gotten through the checkpoints without any issue. Oscar 227 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 1: Martinez didn't have any journalists with him. He was embedded 228 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: with a Republic of Texas police unit getting footage from 229 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: inside a neighborhood that had recently been liberated from the 230 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: Heavenly Kingdom. There were no new messages from Oscar. His 231 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: last check in had been the night before. It was 232 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: probably nothing, but it concerned Manning. Nonetheless, what if Oscar 233 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 1: got a better offer for his footage. He'd always been 234 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,960 Speaker 1: loyal before, but if that funk from the Guardian had 235 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 1: gotten to him. I'm interested in the Abrams Road bombing, 236 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: Reggie told the colonel, and Many's attentions swung back to 237 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: his reporter. That's an odd thing to ask about. The 238 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 1: bombing had occurred two weeks back. It had been big 239 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: news for a couple of hours. Manny had paid one 240 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 1: of his contacts and rossa Front for a video of 241 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 1: a walk through of the wreckage. It had brought in 242 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: about three grand profit. The Abrams Road bombing was not 243 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: a martyrdom operation. Colonel Milgram sounded almost angry, terribly sorry. 244 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: Reggie said, you're right, of course, there was no driver, 245 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:48,559 Speaker 1: so no martyr right right, Deshaun Clark said. He pulled 246 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: a folded piece of white paper out of his pocket, 247 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: opened it up and smoothed it out on the table. 248 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: It was a map of the df W area, color 249 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: coded to show the positions of the various militias in 250 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 1: the region. We operate eight checkpoints on that part of 251 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: the Richardson line, DeShawn said, as he pointed each one. 252 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: Five of them boarder Republic controlled territory. The traffic from 253 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: there is mostly autonomous, and those vehicles slaved themselves to 254 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 1: our traffic management system before they can enter our territory. 255 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: The other three checkpoints border territory controlled by the martyrs. 256 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: They don't see much traffic and they're all heavily manned. 257 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: Reggie was quiet for a few seconds. Manny could almost 258 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: hear the gears turning in the journalist's head as he 259 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 1: struggled to find the words for his next question. Would 260 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: it be fair to say the autonomous checkpoints are less 261 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 1: secure than Deshaun smiled a thin, quiet smile amid grimace. 262 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,680 Speaker 1: Colonel Milgram responded in a terse voice. The autonomous checkpoints 263 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 1: have fewer defenders, but they board a Republic territory. The 264 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: martyrs haven't pulled off an attack on one in quite 265 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: some time. Was Abrams Road not one such attack. Reggie 266 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: looked eager now like a hound, following assent, we don't 267 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: know who bombed Abram's road, Colonel Milgram said, no one's 268 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: taken credit, but we doubt it was the martyrs. Why 269 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 1: the journalist asked, Manny leaned in a little interested in 270 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: spite of himself, at where this was all going to lead, perhaps, 271 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: Hamid said, you should read a bit more about this 272 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: heavenly kingdom. They reject all autonomous technology. They even use 273 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: remote human pilots for their drones, like it's two thousand 274 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: and fucking three. That's why our skies are always clear. 275 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: We jammed them. Reggie asked, is it possible they found 276 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: some way to hack your defense system? Amid laughed, we 277 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: bought this system from the Israelis. If you're telling me 278 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 1: one of the Martyrs brigades has a hacker who can 279 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: crack that, then I'm the King of Albuquerque. But something 280 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: still went wrong, Reggie insisted, amid smile turned cold. This 281 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: is war, mister Reggie. It's mostly things going wrong. That's 282 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: where the line of questions petered out. Reggie asked them 283 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: for access to the security footage from the destroyed checkpoint 284 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 1: and Colonel Milgram agreed to send it over. We'd like 285 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: to speak to the survivors as well, if possible, Manny interjected, 286 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: not waiting to see if the journey list would ask. 287 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 1: He knew those men were all stationed behind the line now, 288 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: which would make for a safer, easier rest of the 289 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: day than heading up to the wire, of course, Colonel 290 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: Milgram said, with a smile to Mannie. They said their 291 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 1: good byes, and then Major Clark walked them out to 292 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: their waiting Toyota. The Texas heat hit like an oven 293 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: as they exited, and Mannie was glad they'd be spending 294 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: most of the rest of their day and doors. DeShawn 295 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: clapped a hand on Manny's shoulder as he lit one 296 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: of his new cigarettes. It's good to see you, Emmanuel, 297 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: he said, and then he smiled at Reggie, and it's 298 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: nice to meet you, my British friend. I'm sorry you've 299 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: come to the front at a boring time. Why, Reggie asked, 300 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: because this Deshaan gestured at the gun emplacements and loitering 301 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: militiamen of the command post. This is not war, not really. 302 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: Your job is to help your people. Children of peace 303 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: and plenty understand what is going on here. You must 304 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: teach them the language of war. And to paraphrase a 305 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: dead poet, the language of war is a language made 306 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 1: of blood. To be spoken, it must be earned. There 307 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: was an awkward pause, A little of the blood drained 308 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: from the journalist's face. Hugh Nutty, Old fuck, Manny thought, 309 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: with more amusement than fear. Classic de Shaun, he said, 310 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: and laughed. To ease the tension. The major bid them 311 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 1: both a good day, hugged Manny, and sauntered off back 312 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: to the command post. Smoke from his cigarette curled up 313 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: into the air behind him as he walked. Mannie's eyes 314 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: lingered on it for a second before he turned back 315 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: to Reggie. Ready to go, he asked Jipper as he 316 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: could manage. Three hours, a handful of interviews, and one 317 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 1: short drive later, Manny and Reggie arrived at their home 318 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: for the night. The Richardson Autonomous Project, once a Walmart, 319 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: now a twenty two year old experiment and sustainable urban living. 320 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 1: The project was the furthest island of civilization on the 321 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: sd F side of the Front. Its militia steadfastly refused 322 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: to involve themselves in the region's greater conflicts. They'd been 323 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: targeted a few times by the Heavenly Kingdom. The SDF, 324 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: by contrast, left them alone, so when a fixer like 325 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: Manny found himself on the wrong side of the lb 326 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 1: J Freeway after dark, he could usually trust the project 327 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: to provide food, booze, and shelter for a price. Of course, 328 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: sleeping arrangements in the project were broadly communal. The bulk 329 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: of the old walmart had been converted into an indoor meadow, 330 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,679 Speaker 1: with grow lights hanging from the rafters and a wide, 331 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,919 Speaker 1: lush field of native grass sprawling across most of the 332 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: inhabited space. Fruit trees, bushes full of berries, cannabis, plants, 333 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 1: and copses of bamboo lined the edges of the space. 334 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: The center of the field was dominated by a large 335 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: circular kitchen surrounded by a handsome oaken bar. Table tables, gazebos, 336 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: and sundry personal structures dotted the field, along with a 337 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: pair of dance floors. Reggie's face lit up when he 338 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: saw the bar. By the time Manny had dropped off 339 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:53,640 Speaker 1: their bags and paid Charlie and the driver for the night, 340 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,160 Speaker 1: the journalist was already three beers in the brit wasn't 341 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 1: precisely drunk or sober, but at that productive twilight it 342 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: in between He'd unrolled a portable screen and had a 343 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: holographic display up, looping four separate sections of the security 344 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:10,399 Speaker 1: footage Colonel Milgrim had sent over. The journalist alternated between 345 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: typing furiously scrawling notes in his journal and taking huge 346 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,640 Speaker 1: gulps of something brown and foamy. He stopped working when 347 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: he saw a Manny approach and waved him into the 348 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 1: adjacent seat. Hey, brother, check this out. Manny pulled up 349 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: a seat and the journalist directed his attention to a 350 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: six second loop of footage from immediately after the bombing. 351 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,439 Speaker 1: It showed two man size silhouettes standing on top of 352 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,640 Speaker 1: an old garage. Manny remembered the building. It stood maybe 353 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: two hundred meters from the Abrams Road checkpoint. One of 354 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 1: the silhouettes had a rifle, the other held a short 355 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 1: squat tube that Manny recognized as a camera. Len's notice 356 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 1: anything spotters, Manny said, Probably trying to get a kill count. 357 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 1: No man, look at where he's pointed at. CONT's not 358 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 1: looking at any post. He's looking straight back deeper into 359 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: the old town. And I'll bet you, he's high up 360 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:59,159 Speaker 1: enough to be staring right at Colonel Milgram's command post. 361 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,639 Speaker 1: Mannie looked again. He thought about the angle. Okay, so what, 362 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 1: he asked, Do you think this was a probing attack 363 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: for some big action. The journalists shrugged. Maybe it's something new, 364 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:13,439 Speaker 1: is what interests me. Two years of modytem operations that 365 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 1: all look more or less the same, and now this 366 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,399 Speaker 1: weird one, an autonomous vehicle bomb from a group of 367 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: fanatics who think autonomous vehicles at the devil. Yeah, Manny agreed, 368 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 1: that does seem weird. The bartender walked up and offered 369 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 1: Manny his pick of the finest liquor in this particular 370 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: war zone. Manny ordered a Shiner. It was the one 371 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: beer drinker could find across both the Republic of Texas 372 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: and the Austin Autonomous Region. He looked back at the 373 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: looping footage. They both watched it twice more. Then Reggie 374 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:44,120 Speaker 1: spoke up again. What have you heard about pasta Mike, 375 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,200 Speaker 1: he asked. Manny stiffened a little bit at the name. 376 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: He had heard it, of course, vague stories of rioting 377 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: in Kansas, A fundamentalist uprising inside the southernmost territories, of 378 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 1: the United Christian States. He hadn't thought much about it 379 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 1: at first, but two years ago Pastor Mike had moved 380 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,440 Speaker 1: to Texas, shortly before the Heavenly Kingdom had declared itself. 381 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: It was hard to say what role exactly the preacher 382 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,360 Speaker 1: played in the organization, but he was certainly its most 383 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: visible face. I know who he is, Manny said. I 384 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: know the Republic led him in because they thought his 385 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:18,159 Speaker 1: followers might provide a buffer against Austin's influence. I know 386 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: that blew the funk up in their faces. Manny took 387 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: a long drink and continued, that's an old story around here, 388 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: the Republic using those gone fondling nut fucks to push 389 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: back against the leftists. The journalist raised an eyebrow, and 390 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,440 Speaker 1: Manny instantly regretted his crude response. He didn't really care 391 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: about religion one way or the other, but whenever he 392 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: came out to the front, it was hard not to 393 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: get a little angry, especially after a drink. Sorry, he said, 394 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:45,439 Speaker 1: it's been a long day. Reggie looked down, coughed, and 395 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: took a sip. He looked back at Manny, took another 396 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: sip and said, you know, that's another subject I'd rather 397 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: like to cover what Manny asked, anti Christian sentiment in 398 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: North America. Manny grunted and looked down at his drink. 399 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: The brit barreled on, You're not the first North American 400 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: I've heard express anger towards Christians, he said, in California, Cascadia, 401 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 1: the North American Federation. I've just seen a lot of hate. Look, 402 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: Manny interrupted me. I'm a man, a piece. I love everybody, 403 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: but this continent's been torn apart and bleeding for the 404 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: last twenty years. A lot of people hate Christians. The 405 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: ones that don't hate Christians hate leftists, and everybody outside 406 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 1: the American Federation hates capitalists, hate, hate hate. Manny took 407 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:28,439 Speaker 1: a gulp of his beer and set it down a 408 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: little harder than he'd intended. He looked Reggie in the 409 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:34,639 Speaker 1: eye and finished, there's exactly one thing all the broken 410 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 1: bits of this continent have in common. Hate. The journalist 411 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 1: arched an eyebrow at Manny and returned the gaze. He 412 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 1: had the look of a man peering into the enclosure 413 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: of a particularly exotic zoo animal. Mannie wanted to resent it, 414 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:49,439 Speaker 1: but he'd been doing this job long enough to know 415 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 1: this was just how journalists looked at people. Reggie downed 416 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: his drink. He reached a hand up to signal the bartender, 417 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: and then looked back at Mannie. Can I buy you 418 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: another round? Manny shook his head, no thanks, I'm tired 419 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,120 Speaker 1: and I don't want to drag us at the front tomorrow. 420 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 1: He downed the last of his beer, bid Reggie a 421 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: good night, and headed over to the spot of turf 422 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: where he'd set up his sleeping bag and gear. He 423 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: popped off his shoes, his pants, and his shirt and 424 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 1: rubbed himself down with a handful of wet naps. Then 425 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 1: he grabbed a night shirt and sweat pants from his 426 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: bag and slipped them on. Manny considered clean pajamas a necessity. 427 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: He fired up his deck again. Once he was swaddled 428 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: in his sleeping bag. There was a juttering start, and 429 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: then the corners of his vision were populated by a 430 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: series of small, partly translucent screens. Each one bulged with updates, 431 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: friends asking about his weekend plans, spam from his college, 432 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,679 Speaker 1: notifications about the new video uploads, and headlines from the 433 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 1: local news. David had messaged him twice more to let 434 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 1: him know he and his journalists were headed back to Austin, 435 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:50,120 Speaker 1: and then that they'd arrived, Oscar still hadn't responded. Manny's 436 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: initial concern was over his loyalty. I got that fucker 437 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: started as a stringer. If he sold that video and 438 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 1: cutting me out of the deal, I'm going to going 439 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: to But the longer he thought about Oscar, the more 440 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 1: Manny worried something might have happened. He'd been working in 441 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: Plano today, You're a very stable chunk of the front, 442 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:09,919 Speaker 1: but this far out almost anything could happen. Many closed 443 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: his eyes, sighed, and tried to purge the anxiety from 444 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:14,919 Speaker 1: his mind. There was nothing to do now other than 445 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:16,959 Speaker 1: get to sleep so he could wake up tomorrow and 446 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 1: make more money. That thought prompted Manny to pull open 447 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,199 Speaker 1: his banking app and check on the status of his 448 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 1: savings account. The numbers glowed fat and happy, and the 449 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 1: space in front of his head another five months in 450 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,919 Speaker 1: the field, maybe six, then I buy that plane ticket. 451 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 1: He started to think about the pictures he'd seen of 452 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: Dublin and Berlin and Barcelona, all the places he thought 453 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: he might live if this war would just hang on 454 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: a little longer. He soon fell asleep and slept pretty 455 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 1: well until the first mortar land. Hey everybody, Robert Evans here. 456 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: I hope you just enjoyed the chapter you listen to. 457 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoyed the chapters to come. If you 458 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,480 Speaker 1: would like to read the text version of this book 459 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: either on the web or on your e reader as 460 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 1: an e pub, you can find those on the website 461 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: a t r book dot com. So again, the free 462 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 1: ad free e pub and the text of every chapter 463 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: will be on a t r book dot com. Thanks