Kingdom Gone

THE COALITION

I arrived on the base less than 12 hours after the brats' escape.

It was havoc. Soldiers were running around between buildings, and hundreds of vehicles out of their garages, being repaired. Soon my men and I were intercepted by a group of guys in suits, and brought to the largest building on the military base. My men waited in some kind of reception area while I took an elevator up to the top floor. I stepped out in an office the size of my apartment growing up, and made my way across the room, around the giant oak desk, and out onto the balcony.

I wasn't surprised to find the Governor talking to who I presumed was General Sybill.

"So, you found them. Then let them get away."

Nathan turned and smiled. "Ah, Jakkar. Fashionably late as ever. General, this is-"

She put a hand up. "I know who he is." Sybill held out her, which I shook. "I've kept tabs on your mercenary work. Once this is all done, you should enlist for us."

"Sorry, ma'am, but being my own boss has it's benefits." I look at them both. "So I presume Nathan has filled you in on the situation."

"Indeed I have. The General has agreed to aid us in retrieving my daughter, and in return she will get the Smuggler. The others have different incentives in helping."

"The others?"

Nathan made a gesture over the balcony, so I take a look. Down below were over a hundred men and some women, clearly two different factions from the way they stood apart.

"Unsurprisingly, Jason Landing has many enemies. The african american bunch are a gang from the Fourth Kingdom, and after paying their leader, Daveral, a large sum of money, he has agreed to supply his men." Nathan turns to the men on the right. "The rest are what remains of a gun cartel from the Seventh Kingdom. Apparently they have a grudge against the Smuggler as well, but since the General wants him, I promised them they could have the Vigilante instead."

I subconsciously put my hand on my recently fixed shotgun. "A band of mercenaries, a gang, a cartel, and an army of soldiers. Overkill much?"

The General looked at me, arms still folded behind her back. "These aren't normal juveniles, Jakkar. A girl with a bionic arm that could punch a hole in your sternum effortlessly. A vigilante with heightened senses and reflexes. A girl that can summon and control electricity. And a smuggler with abnormal strength, above genius level intelligence, unmatched fighting skills, and deadly accuracy. Since these individuals have escaped us all at one point or another, forming a coalition is our best chance at of capturing them."

I sighed, rubbing my face. "So what's the plan?"

"The General will direct her men north and take control of the Lift, in case that is where they are headed. Daveral's men will search west, Mr. Garcia and his cartel will take the east. You will take your men and search the south. I need to head back to the First Kingdom. I am still Governor after all."

The south, where the Goliath is. Nathan must've not told the General about the nuke yet.

"We leave in less than an hour. One of my lieutenants will give you access to the armory where you can supply your men. If you have any other questions, ask me."

With that, the General walked back into her office, leaving Nathan and I alone, to give each other brief look, the same look we shared before I snuck into the Tenth Kingdom 20 years ago.