Project Phoenix: The Rise

Chapter 7 - Behind the barricades

In a grim dystopian future, Heathrow underwent a haunting transformation, becoming a foreboding military stronghold. In the year 2028, as a desperate attempt to halt the spread of infection, the Government sealed off numerous entry points to the UK, effectively converting Heathrow into a fortified forward operating base controlled by the military complex.

Amidst this dystopian landscape, the Coronavirus Act of 2027 was amended, granting emergency powers that led to the dissolution of local authorities. London fell under the iron grip of a new coalition Government and military council, as their control extended like a suffocating shadow.

RAF UK1 London emerged as a colossal military base, dwarfing any previous installations managed by the British armed forces. This sprawling site served as the nerve canter for all operations in the city. The once bustling airport now housed police forces, military personnel, and various security factions. The base, now self-contained, expanded to encompass the entire expanse of the old airport, with the addition of four new runways.

Within this formidable complex, a dystopian reality unfolded. Three barracks, two supermarkets, five fast food restaurants, two massive refuelling depots, two detention centres, three gyms, a cinema, and even a full-size Olympic swimming pool stood as eerie reminders of the militarized society. The site also housed the headquarters of the State Police and the Department of State Education, while the National Eugenics Service (NES) established its main research laboratory there. The NES, entrusted with the daunting task of sequencing the genome of every person in Britain to eradicate disabilities and genetic illnesses, became a contentious entity.

Opponents of the NES, such as the Freedom Party, vehemently denounced their practices, labelling their research as nothing short of genocide against vulnerable individuals. Alongside the DHSE labs, the NES research centres and vaccination hubs became prime targets for terrorists, a chilling testament to the disarray of this dystopian world.

Hidden within the base, concealed from prying eyes, was a sprawling re-education centre- a foreboding compound adorned with a gate bearing the sinister slogan, "Education will set you free." Whispers and distorted tales circulated, merging fake news and conspiracy theories into horrifying narratives surrounding these education centres. Some claimed that people were forcibly vaccinated against their will, while others alleged that intense re-education tactics were employed. Dark rumours spread, insinuating that those who entered never returned, transforming these centres into modern-day eugenic concentration camps. Whatever the truth may be, one thing was certain: these were places one desperately hoped to avoid.

Amidst the grimness, the base was further inundated with an onslaught of neon-lit digital advertising boards, casting an otherworldly glow upon the military complex. In this bleak reality, corporations held sway over every aspect of society, even funding the military itself. The catastrophic Global Bank Crash of 2026 had brought the global economy to its knees, decimating UK banks and obliterating savings and pensions overnight. As billions vanished into thin air, the Bank of England's failure to secure funding from the US prompted intervention from the world bank and the WEF (World Economic Forum), resulting in a bailout that came at a staggering cost. In a bid to act as collateral against the trillion-pound loans, significant portions of the country's services, including the police, armed forces, and National Health Service, had been sold off to private entities under funding incentive agreements.

This dystopian vision painted a bleak picture of a world where Heathrow's transformation into a military stronghold was just one piece of a larger, oppressive puzzle, where the boundaries of power and control had shifted, and the remnants of hope flickered in the face of encroaching darkness.

In a dystopian reality where the UK struggled to regain control, military bases shuttered and gave way to imposing super garrisons managed by private corporations like Serco and G4S. The Army, in a bid to quell the insurgency and restore order, operated from strategic locations across the nation.