The O Men

10

I hope I've made the right choice, this better not screw me over. I've begun my 'work' and it's extremely strenuous on the mind. The training for the thought of a strategic general is quite draining, and it's no wonder that the State covets good generals - high quality strategic generals are hard to find and even harder to train. I don't feel sorry for the state however, they use the obedient intelligence of these generals to enforce oppressive laws. The commoners may not revolt, but with the intelligence of these generals, it may be possible that some disagree with the State just as much as I do. I have learned to be in constant doubt, and to doubt anyone's trust in me. To act as if everyone is on the brink of finding me out and Removing me for good. My health has indeed improved, my heart rate has stabilized at a resting BPM of 54 instead of my deathly 37 that I had reached after days of forced malnutrition. I found out that the 'food' I was given had extremely high amounts of a non-living parasite, created by the state for accelerated starvation purposes. These 'parasites' ate away at my fat reserves, which forced my brain to eat away at my own muscle for energy. My heart rate slowed, it may have given out if Jude hadn't stopped in time. I don't credit him for my survival, I blame him for my near death.

"If the enemy were attacking with an infantry of 20,000 and a bionic cavalry of 10,000 on the eastern front, and 300 titanium fortified tanks with 250 bomb planes accompanying them on the northern front, You are nearest the west, but there is only a narrow path though the mountains in the west and open ocean in the south, what would be the strategy to ensure minimal casualties, given that you've 15,000 infantry, 300 navy boats, 10,000 cavalry, and 300 bomb planes?" Jude asked. Ive been answering these questions knowing full well it was being used in true battle in real time. I didn't care, so far, everything was going exactly the way I wanted it to. A lot was at stake with my plan, but more was at stake if I strayed. Getting impatient, Ashier spoke up. "Well?"

"Hold off I'm thinking." I responded. I thought deep and hard about this, it wasn't a hard question. You simply needed intelligent and yet faithful people for this job, unfortunately for them, I was not the complete puzzle.

"Given that I'm in command in 15,000 infantry, 300 navy boats, 300 bomb planes, and 10,000 cavalry," I began. "Are we assuming that the opposing side does or doesn't know what I have to defend with?"

"We are assuming that they know." Ashier replied impatiently.

"Assuming they know exactly what I have to work with, I would send out a retreat command to my navy, and only send a small amount of the cavalry and infantry south towards the boats. The message of the perceived retreat would reach the enemy and they would become misdirected and try to close in on the beaches in the south where the 300 fortified navy, 5,000 infantry, and 2,000 cavalry attacks the incoming enemy, creating a distraction, allowing us to circle around cutting off our exposed northern and Eastern flanks, trapping them in a circle of their enemies and closing in. This would ultimately defeat or weaken their army. I'd place 100 bomb planes within 300-400 feet of the ground, which would destroy the tanks below, assuming that the planes are equipped with titanium plated bombs and the new MachPower upgrade, which allowed heavy bombs to be aimed and shot at high speeds, rather than dropped. The other 200 would stay hidden above the enemy planes, 1,000+ feet off the ground, and these planes would use sonar to detect enemy planes and shoot missiles that searched a plane for the State mark, and if it failed to find one on the plane, it would destroy it. In this manner, at least 200 bomb planes, 10,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry, and 150-200 navy missile boats will be preserved, and in turn, guaranteeing our victory." I finished with a sigh of strange satisfaction. I liked to think like this, as long as death wasn't directly mentioned, I could come up with strategy, I pretend it's like the most violent game of tag ever. Every single time I create a strategy for their conditions, Jude and Ashier are shocked with the precision and successes of my strategies, and I could see their greed grow with each success. I didn't care. Everything is going as planned. I can only hope the Opposition can forgive me for what I'm going to have to do to complete my plan.

"Outstanding." I felt a chill up my spine. It was him. He walked in the door, clapping slowly and ominously. He wears a suit, always an orange tie, the blazer solid a black, not a speck of lint or dust, black slacks to match, black dress shoes, an orange O state approved button down shirt, and an orange pin with the Party slogan.

THE STATE IS OF IMPORTANCE
THE INDIVIDUAL IS FLAWED
THE O MEN EXPECT YOU TO ABIDE

         "Calvin! So nice of you to stop by. For the 3rd time today." Jude said sarcastically. It was obvious that Jude and Calvin were not in good terms with each other. For me, it was rather amusing to watch their interactions, although I hate when Calvin talks to me. He seems almost predatory, I don't know. Maybe after the rape, I've just become uncomfortable with being touched in any way, even as a friendly gesture. The way he looks at me conveys nothing but lust and sexual attraction. I hate him. I hate Jude. I hate Ashier. I hated Ashier from the beginning, so it was easier for me to hate her and her eyes. They're sinister and greedy and they show the smallest hint of hysteria. She's losing her mind, and she knows it.

         Day after day for the past few weeks, I've been working on battle strategy and efficiency. I met the O Men Major Party leaders about two weeks ago and they were impressed with my mental abilities despite my age. Hoping I had completely submitted they alleviated my crime count. For all anyone would know from checking my record, I've never committed a crime against the state. For this reason, I make my moves very carefully, I've gained more access as the months wore on, I was careful to avoid going places where the Opposition would be exposed. Rose spotted me one day, asked me where I'd been. I'd told her of my situation, and I told her not to show that she knew Jude and Ashier's true intentions with the Opposition. I told her simply to keep an eye out. I meet up with her about once a month to exchange information. She gives me the location of the next hideout and I give her military detail. Taking her information I steer away military action from the hideout and taking my information, she is able to safely contact other Opposition groups and rapidly increase the size of the coagulated group of people who oppose the party. Within a few years, I will have enough military experience to lead the Opposition to victory. I just need to survive and pull this off for long enough. The Opposition has already risen to well over 1,000 people, betting within the next 5 years we can raise that number to nearly 100,000 people. That plus some would be a little more than enough to help overthrow the State, assuming we are trained well enough to approach the capital in silence and in unison and grace, which should happen if the training given by Rose, is done properly. In reality though, there are too many liable factors and variables that could blow this whole operation down the drain, and everyone could die, even me. But you know what? It's worth the liberation of these clueless commoners, who don't understand that they are able to obtain much more than their life of working long hours for small salaries, living paytime to paytime, a life of poverty. A good portion of the wealth is owned by the minor and major O Men Parties. Until then, however, these commoners are simply the consumers, and the Party is their blindfold.