Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Preparation

Edna sat there, nervously wringing her hands, in the office. The cameraman, Alfred Herman, was to join them directly at the destination.  Lucas noticed her discomfort. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

“It’s going to be fine. You won’t have to go on out into the field, you just have to watch and write.”

She nodded. “I know, I’m just jittery.”

The peon entered. “The soldiers have arrived, Sir. They’re two BGIPs. Can I bring them in?”

“Please do.”

The soldiers entered the room. They were a man and a woman.

The woman had short, curly hair. She was very muscular and strong and had defined features. Her hair was dark black. Her aura was that of a hardened youth, who was both loyal and dangerous depending on which side of hers you were on. She stepped forward, smiling and extending her hand.

“GIP Riley Evans, pleased to meet you.” Edna shook it firmly.

The man had dark hair similar to that of his partner, but his features were softer by comparison, and he had a more calm, austere, and serene aura to him. He extended his hand as well.

“GIP William Grayson, charmed.”

Lucas nodded in greeting. “Who sends you and what is the code?”

“We come from DG Bancroft. The code is ‘The owl hoots and the crickets chirp.’”

He nodded, satisfied. “Couldn’t Deputy Bancroft come herself?”

“No, she had some work,” Riley said. “But she’ll receive us at the hotel today evening. She wanted us to see that everything had gone over well. Is everything set?”

“Yes, everything is set. This is War Correspondent Edna Garson, who will accompany you. The cameraman, Alfred, will meet you at the base directly.”

“Yeah, the boss told us. If you’re set, we’ll brief you now. In the evening, the Deputy will come and we’ll leave for the base.”

Edna nodded, and they briefed her. They would leave that evening for the military base building at Gradondam. They would stay for a few days, during which the soldiers would prepare themselves and she could get to know the soldiers better. Then they would go to the conflict area.

Once they were done, Lucas asked a question. “Will General Cartwright be involved?”

It was a question that made everyone in the room a bit tense, given the allegations against the person in question. Yet, Riley simply answered.

“Yes, this is an operation she will take over. The General is completely innocent.”

Lucas nodded but did not say anything. Deciding to diffuse the situation, Edna asked a question.

“Is my sister assigned with us?”

“Yes. Commander Garson commands Battalion 143, which has been assigned here. In fact, we’re both members of her battalion.”

Edna smiled. That reassured her. If her sister had picked out these two and trusted them enough to include them in her Battalion, then they were good. Her sister trusted them, Bancroft and Cartwright, and she trusted her sister. She would be fine.

Bancroft stood near the airplane that had been assigned to them. Riley and William stood near her as Edna exchanged tearful goodbyes with her mother. Edith had already left.

Edna felt many emotions all at once as she hugged her mother, unable to say anything. Her mother simply kissed her and reassured her. “It’s all going to be alright.”

She nodded. “I’ll come home.”

She stepped away, towards the airplane, the vehicle that was her path to face doom. She stepped away, even though her every sense was screaming at her to go back. Mustering her courage, she finally turned away and boarded the aircraft.

“General Cartwright? General Cartwright?”

Marge jerked awake. In one fluid movement, she grabbed the handgun lying on the desk and swung around, aiming it at the person who had just entered the room, only to drop her arm as she realized it was just a BGIP who she had frightened. She apologized as she panted, regaining her composure.

“What is it?”

“General Bancroft is arriving in a while with the correspondent.”

“Oh. Yes, I’ll come over after washing my face.”

As she walked over to the basin, she realized that she had fallen asleep while going through the paperwork on her desk, and had seen a nightmare. After washing her face, she went downstairs and stepped out to greet the new arrivals.

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“Wake up, Garson, we’re at the base.”

Edna woke up, groaning sleepily. She had gone to sleep during the car journey. All her sleepiness went out of the window when she looked at the majestic buildings that made up the Gradondam military base. It was surrounded by a wall with barbed electric wire, and two men stood guard at the gate.

She stepped out of the car. Bancroft beckoned to her. They walked up the gravel path. The sky was grey, depicting signs of the impending storm. Near the entrance of the main building, stood someone who Edna was immediately interested about. She immediately felt that this was someone who was to be reckoned with, and she did not require Bancroft’s introduction for she could relate the person to her sister’s descriptions. This was General Cartwright. The people may have hated her, but the military worshipped her.

The General spoke, first to Bancroft. “You brought them, safe and sound?”

“Yes. Both of them.”

“Good work, Bancroft.”

“Thank you, General.”

The General walked over to the rookie correspondent, looking her up and down. She then held out her hand.

“General Marjorie Cartwright, Head of the Ground Infantry Personnel. Pleased to meet you.”

Edna shook it. “Edna Garson, War Correspondent of the Randordam Chronicle.”

They walked up towards the building. “Your newspaper is one of the few ones that isn’t sold out to the Government. Also, given you’re related to Commander Garson, I think I can safely assume you are trustworthy,” said the General. It was a statement, not a question.

“I am. I would never betray you as long as you have the trust of my sister.”

The General smiled. “Good. We need you, desperately. I’m sure you know people are not thinking very highly of me in these times. There have been complications, and we’re not in the good books of a lot of people right now. So, you see, me trusting you is one aspect of the deal. But for this to work well, you need to trust me as well. You need to trust that all of us here: Bancroft, myself, and all the soldiers, are working for a good cause. We didn’t cause this war. So, do you trust me?”

Edna thought about it for a moment. She knew that her sister knew all about this better than she did. “Yes, I do.”

“Well, I know you can do what I need you to do, rookie or not. Bancroft will take you from here.”

She walked off into a different hallway, and Edna walked off behind Bancroft.

The next day, they had a briefing. All the Battalions that were to be engaged in battle were being briefed in a different place. Here, only Riley, William, Edna, Alfred, and Bancroft were there, and the latter was speaking.

“Battalions 135, 143, and 145 are going to be with us. You are supposed to stick near the soldiers. If there is any danger, take your equipment and run. Stick with Riley and William, they are your guides. Try not to get into any danger. Lieutenant Zeller, the General’s husband, has had to go home due to an injury from an accident with a machine, so Lieutenant Gorman will be taking over the technical department. The Commanders of the Battalions are as follows: 135 is Anthony Carvon, 143 is Edith Garson, and 145 is Walter Stanley. We will go to the base camp, and then we will go to the warzone. Try not to be a hindrance in the way of the soldiers. Is that good?”

They all nodded. “You’ll meet the soldiers and their Commanders when we leave. In case you did not know, both Riley and William belong to Battalion 143. That should be all. Now I will leave, while you people can go and rest. We leave tomorrow morning. The weather will be stormy, and the landscape is fairly rocky and rugged.”

Saying this, Bancroft left. Edna went to her room and sat down.

The feeling in her stomach was returning. She felt scared. But she knew that she had to overpower her fears if she wished to triumph. She had come here, and she would not run away. She was not a coward. She had Edith with her. She would be fine.

The General sat in her office, her forehead resting in her palms.

She had received a telegram that Harvey had been severely injured. One of the machine guns had malfunctioned, sending a burst of gunfire that had hit him in the side. Now, she had received the news of his death.

Her husband had died, but she could not go see him, as entry into the city was not safe for her. In fact, given the public sentiment, even a funeral was not possible. She was grieved and angry at the same time. Harvey had died. Harvey.

But at the same time, she knew she could not allow this to weaken her. It was not possible. She breathed as she gained control of her emotions. But the anger refused to leave her. It settled in, deepening. She raised her head and got up. Walking to the window, she looked out. It was dark, they had to leave the next day.

She would win this thing or die trying.

All the soldiers were lined up, entering the jeeps. Edna caught a glimpse of Edith directing her battalion towards the jeep. The pit in her stomach lessened.

Once all the soldiers were in, she entered the van for the correspondents. Riley and William helped them in before getting in themselves. He sat in the driver's seat.

“Where do we go now, Riley?”

“Doomsville!”

They zoomed off behind the jeeps.

 

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