The Dictators

Clara, Nikko and Angel flee their city but are stopped when they run out of gas. While trying to figure out how to get some fuel for their car the group encounters the fearsome teenage soldiers known to them as The Dictators. Multiple POVs

NIKKO

Am I the black sheep of this operation now?

At first it was just me and Mia. Both highly temperamental, high strung and rebellious teenagers. Sure, I didn�t know she existed in high school, but this isn�t high school. Where�s Eric and Nathan now huh? Eric�s probably hiding up a tree, and Nathan probably eloped with his girl. I don�t know why the idiots of my friends had to survive. Why�d they get to be so young, huh? What a stupid thing to say for a person my age. What a stupid and pathetic world we live in now. Why have we got this girl who looks like a 12 year old, and who�s probably absolutely crazy tagging along with us now?

Mia and her cling to each other now. After only 1 day. Why are girls like that? So of course I�m the bad guy because I�m more sensible then bimbo with wings. I guess one good thing is she has a car.

We�ve gone into the country now. Left that terrible city of death. Not that the country�s gonna be any better, but at least it won�t stare us in the face anymore.

I wonder where this Angel chick plans to get any gas for this car. Not like we can go to the gas stations anymore. Bet she never thought of that.

Still, as idiotic as she is, she�s pretty cute. Maybe if we were in a totally different situation, I might even like her.

CLARA

We ran out of gas.

We�re in the middle of the country with no gas stations in sight, and we ran out of gas. I didn�t know what we were going to do. As soon as the car stopped I got out and screamed. I was such a psycho freak. I kicked the stupid car for breaking on us when we were finally leaving that terrible city. I had such high hopes for once. We�d leave this place and maybe find what we were looking for. But that wasn�t going to happen now. Not without gas.

�I can�t believe this! Stupid freaking car!� I shouted, kicking the front wheel. I was cursing and hollering, and making Randy look like a sweetheart, when Angel quickly got out and came over to me. She grabbed my arms and basically had to shake me to get me to calm down.

�Shh, its OK. Calm down.� She said, her eyes wide with concern. She probably thought I was crazy or something.

Randy got out of the car now and even he seemed surprised. Not for long though.

�The Spaz strikes again.� He muttered.

The b*****d.

I wriggled free from Angel�s grip and ran over to him.

�Take that back!� I shouted, lunging for him. He stepped back, but I still managed to bash him in the chest with my fists.

�Jeez, take a chill pill.� He muttered, pushing me away.

I stepped back, breathing hard. He knew how much that name hurt me. How could he say it to me again?

�F**k you, Randy.� I breathed, and sat down on the pavement, leaning on the car�s wheel, and putting my head in my hands. Suddenly I didn�t care what anyone thought of me anymore. Who wouldn�t get angry with Randy? He was a first class a*s. Everyone had known that. He was a jock. He was arrogant. He always wanted and got his own way. And now the stupid car was out of fuel and we were stranded. Unless we wanted to go back to that terrible city, which I didn�t. Not at all.

�Don�t worry about it. We�ll figure out something.� Angel said, sitting next to me.

Ms. Positive strikes again, I thought, bitterly.

See? Randy�s not the only cruel person in this operation. I�d always had a temper. I was always angry. Before all this happened, I guess I was one of those types of teenage girls who rebelled against everything. So of course if someone made me angry in school I would blow up at them too. This earned me the terrible name of �The Spaz�. Stupid Randy always laughed about it with his stupid jock friends. Who would have thought now, we�d of all people would be sticking together. It was ludicrous.

�Look, I�m sorry. Can we just get on with it.� Randy sat down beside us, and muttered quickly. Apologies were impossible for him apparently.

�Ok. Fine. Let�s go. I don�t care anymore.� I said, flatly, not even looking at him, and getting up off the ground.

I started to walk down the road. I didn�t know where, I just hoped they�d follow me.

No I hadn�t forgiven Randy, and no, it wasn�t fine, but I really had had it with fighting. We�d never get anywhere like that. Randy quickly caught up to me, and Angel too.

After a long silence she said,
�Did you guys fight all the time before I came? Or is this just something new?�

Randy and I both knew the answer to that one, but didn�t answer Angel�s question.

We walked up the country road in silence. I was too angry to speak with any of them. Angel accepted this, as I knew she would. She was so good. I wished I could be like her.

The January wind was cold on our tattered jackets as we walked up that long road. I shivered, and rubbed my arms. There was nothing in sight. The road was surrounded by frozen farm land and nothing else. The horizon stretched out before us like a river. How would we ever cross it? Where would we find a gas station that we could push the car too? Would we just have to walk now? Abandon our first real means of transportation after only a few hours?

But then suddenly, as if it were a mirage, I spotted a truck. A large pickup truck parked further up the field then we could see at first. I tugged Angel�s sleeve and pointed out to the vehicle, for fear if we spoke and there were someone in the truck---- someone like a Dictator--- we�d be found.

We crouched down low by the road, and began discussing a plan of action.

�Nikko,� I whispered, realizing I�d have to speak to him for this, or I really was being a baby.

�Yeah.� He muttered, chewing on a piece of straw he�d somehow found in the snow. He looked like a hick.

�You go see if that truck is abandoned. Angel and I will cover you.� I continued, looking over at the truck again. It seemed quiet, and abandoned. But we had to be sure.

�Sure. But what do you plan to do once we find its safe?� he asked, gritting his teeth. He was still angry at me. Well that was fine. I was too.

I didn�t actually know what we�d do when we got there. I thought maybe if there was a truck there, there should be a gas station near by. Or maybe there was fuel inside�or something. I knew nothing about cars.

�We�ll take a hose and�..um� borrow the gas from that truck.� Angel suddenly spoke up, coughing a bit.

�How will we do that?� I asked, completely clueless. Before she could answer though, the great Randy cut in again.

�You stupid idiot! Haven�t you seen any movies? You suck it out then stick it in.�

His answer sent a chill down my back. He sounded like the sex-crazed maniac he had been in high school. I took a deep breath, and tried to calm down so I wouldn�t try and beat on him again.

�Uh� yeah.. something like that.� Angel replied, looking a bit embarrassed. This wasn�t the type of talk that should be spoken in front of an Angel, was it?

I thought I understood now. I remembered an episode of The Simpsons I�d seen where Principal Skinner, due to school cut backs, had made Otto the bus driver, suck gas like a straw out of a hose from someone�s truck and then the gas ran freely through the hose to the bus�s gas tank. I just didn�t think it was actually possible. Especially since I saw it on something as absurd as The Simpsons.

�Its called, gas siphoning.� Angel said, grinning.

But, obviously, Angel did.

�And you would know this because�.� Randy asked, raising an eyebrow.

�Nikko, you silly boy, don�t you watch TV?� she replied, mocking what he�d said to me earlier.

I loved that kid.

�Ok.. so who�s gonna suck it out?� I asked, but immediately regretted it.

�I-I�m not! I don�t even know what gas si-pho-ning is!� I shouted.

So then we both looked at the only person that did know what siphoning was-Angel.

�No� not me.� She stammered, shaking her palms.

�Why not?� Randy demanded.

�Because� I- I can�t do that.� She cried.

�You suggested it. YOU do it.� Randy said, stubbornly.

I didn�t know what to say. Angel really seemed dead set against doing it herself.

�I-I can�t.� She said again, turning away. �Please, can one of you do it?�

She sounded so different then. There was deep regret in her voice for some reason. I looked at her and could see that she was holding back the real reason she couldn�t do it, but I could not see through her barrier. She had some sort of defense against my powers, and that worried me at times. Was there more to her then I thought?

Pushing away, these thoughts I was about to reluctantly volunteer to do it since it seemed like no one else was going to, when Randy spoke up.

�Alright, I�ll do it.� He said, getting up, and starting to walk back to the car. �But you owe me one.� He said, turning around and winking at her.

Angel looked a little confused, and still a bit shaky, but she smiled. I didn�t get it. First Randy�s hostile to both her and me, and now he�s nice to just her? He smiles at her? Psycho, two-faced, multiple personality jock, I thought, getting up also, and hurrying back to the car.

In the trunk we�d packed some old baseball bats and even a crow bar. These were our only weapons, and we�d need them if we ran into a Dictator. I grabbed a baseball bat, Randy picked up a crow bar, and Angel took the other bat. We told each other never to use our real names from now on, and then rushed off.

�Are we really gonna use these?� Angel whispered, quickly to me as we neared the site.

�Maybe.� I replied.

She didn�t seem too happy about that. But this was our only way of survival. If it came to it, we would have to hurt or maim or�.kill� to get away from the Dictators, and to live another day.

I pushed my long, dark, hair out of my eyes, and clutched the weapon tightly as we walked across the road behind Randy who held the crowbar like he was a robber ready to break into some unsuspecting person�s house. Even I had to shudder at what we�d become.

When we got about 20 feet away from the pick up truck, Angel and I stopped, and watched closely as Randy kept walking. We had no shelter. The bushes and high stalks of wheat that would usually be here were all dead from the winter chill. We were basically sitting ducks, waiting to help Randy if need be, but who also could be attacked from behind at anytime.

Randy neared the driver�s side of the truck, and seemed to be all clear. We crept closer as was the plan, and watched him as he started to walk around the back of the truck. I held my breath, my heart was pounding hard. Now was when we couldn�t help him. If something happened behind that truck he was done for. No matter how much I hated him, I didn�t wish that fate on him. Or anyone.

Suddenly he came out from behind the truck, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Yet Randy didn�t give us a signal like we�d planned. Instead he walked around to the front of the truck again. My breath caught in my throat. Had there been someone there? Had they found him and were making a trap for us? It was too fast. I was too confused. I looked over at Angel, and she�d broken out into a sweat.

Oh, Randy, what are you doing? I thought, anxiously, clutching the bat for dear life.

As soon as he started to walk around behind the front of the truck, my heart started beating like crazy. This was it. If he didn�t come back in 10 seconds, I was going after him.

And then it happened. Suddenly, Randy was thrust behind the truck, and let out a pain filled scream. Time seemed to stop. I couldn�t breathe, and when I looked over at Angel she�d gone completely white. They�d got him. They�d captured Randy. Someone had captured Randy.

Although it seemed like hours for me to get over my shock, we wasted no time, and grabbing our weapons rushed behind the truck, only to find��� Randy sitting, casually on the ground, and grinning, cockily at us.

He�d tricked us. That lousy, two-faced, idiot had tricked us. He�d made my blood run cold for a lousy joke. I was shaking I was so angry at him.

�Haha, fooled you. Empty as the rest of this pathetic space.� He said. His very voice made me want to rip out his vocal chords.

�Hah, you should see your face. Both of you. You stupid girls need to lighten up. I knew there was no one there after going around the first ti----� but he was cut off. Because right then Angel came up to him, and to my absolute shock, slapped him across the face.

�You stupid idiot! Don�t you ever do that to me again!!� she screamed, releasing all the emotion of that traumatic scene we�d witnessed with her very powerful right hook. Her body was shaking, and her eyes were wild with anger and the last remaining traces of fear. Randy just sat there holding his hand to his cheek, with his mouth hanging open like a fish, as he stared up at the distraught girl in front of him.

�Look, it was just a joke.� He finally said, actually sounding apologetic for once.

�I don�t care.� She said, shakily, sounding softer now. �How could you do something like that to us? In a time like this. W-What kind of a person are you?!� she demanded, her voice rising with each syllable, then she forcefully turned around, and letting out a tortured groan, sank to the ground, and held her head in her hands much like I had earlier on.

But this was different. She wasn�t just having a temper tantrum like stupid me, as I watched her, I saw her shoulders were shaking, her head was bent over, and the wings hung limply off her bag. They didn�t seem to mean anything right now. Not to her anyway.

Randy started to get up, but I gave him such a cold stare that he quickly sat back down again. I walked over to Angel slowly, wondering what exactly I could say, and not coming up with any ideas, just sat down beside her and put my arm around her shaking shoulders, and pulled her toward me. I didn�t say anything, just rested like that. We both needed a breather, and since she was the first to break (for I believed I would soon, too), I would stay with her for as long as it took.

It seemed like hours before any of us moved again. On the small occasion I was able to look over at Angel, I never saw her face. She just kept her head in her hands, as if she were in pain, and this were some way of stopping it. My heart ached for her. Had Randy crushed her gentle, and carefree spirit? If he had, I didn�t think I could ever forgive him. After all, I was used to his tricks. Not quite so extreme tricks, but tricks none the less. The sun hung low in the sky, and I squinted as I looked out at it, only barely noticing a shadow pass through, and seat itself beside Angel.

�Hey, I�m sorry alright?� It was Randy. His voice sounded different. It was higher, and oddly calm. I could barely see him through the sun�s rays, but I knew his face showed regret.

�I was just trying to lighten up the situation. It was stupid, I know�. It�s just the way I am, I guess.� He said, his voice remaining the same, steady tempo. And regret filled in the gaps of where his usual anger, jealously, or pain was supposed to be.

Angel looked up then. Her eyes were filed with tears, and her voice was barely above a whisper, as she said, �Don�t do it again.�

She looked over at him, and I saw him look at her too, his eyes different. Like I�d never seen them before. I didn�t even know Randy was capable of these types of emotions. Angel slowly looked over at me then and said, a little louder,

�You guys are all I have�We only have each other�.so�don�t do it again.� She repeated, her voice shifting back to an almost inaudible whisper, as she looked out over the horizon. We watched it with her for awhile. It was quiet between us then. I almost couldn�t believe everything had just happened. It was like I believed the adults of the world were gone, more then I believed that Randy was being kind.

I once said that Angel had tamed the wild Nikko. Well, now, she�d tamed the wild Randy too.

It was almost nightfall when the three of us trudged back to the car, and got ready to make the long journey of pushing it all the way up the field. Now things were better. Wordlessly, Angel had got up and hugged both Randy and I. She�d smiled, and that was when we knew we had to get going.

We each picked a spot at the back of the car, and began pushing. It was heavier, and harder then I could even have imagined. We pushed and pushed, and barely took rests because we were eager to have it done before it was too dark. When we reached the edge of the actual field where the car was parked far behind our sight now, both me and Angel were panting and could barely breathe. Randy, I guess due to his jock status was barely sweating. He soon voluntarily let his broad, muscular body take over most of the work, which calmed me down, but still left Angel in turmoil. She was too tiny for this job. Her breaths came in short gasps now. I worried about her, for what seemed the 10th time today. Sometimes she seemed tons of times stronger then me, but others----- others she really seemed fragile. Almost ill. It wasn�t the virus. She wouldn�t had been around this long if that was the case. But what was it? I so deeply wanted to know, I thought, while watching her struggling to push that car further then anyone her size, or condition could ever imagine.

When we finally reached the side of the truck, I had almost forgotten my discomfort, from thinking about hers. But when we stopped, both she and I collapsed by the bumper, and struggled to catch our breaths. She seemed much worse off then me, and I rubbed her shoulder that was heaving beside me. She looked over, and managed to smile. When my breathing had returned to normal, she was still a bit run down, so I got up and helped Randy find the gas tank on the truck and insert the hose. Then I sat back down beside Angel, and waited to be able to get going again.

�That�.was�.heavy�� she said, looking over at me, her eyes sparkling.

�Are you alright?� I asked her.

�Yeah�.never�been�that much in �shape. Always�was.. too small for my� age. Primi�baby, you know. � she said, smiling. Sweat glistened on her forehead, and I reached into my backpack for a handkerchief, to wipe it off for her, and to tend to my own.

�Thanks.� She said, sounding better now, and never losing that smile.

Just then, I heard a gagging noise, and then some very explicit curses come from Randy. He must have started siphoning already. I felt terribly sorry for him now. It must taste awful. I again reached into my backpack looking for a mint or something for him, and listening for the sound of the gas filling the tank. When I did, I breathed a sigh of relief. We could get out of here now. We�d be back on the road. We could finally rest.

But then I heard another sound. A sound that made my heart jump into my throat. It was a car engine. Another car engine, while ours remained quiet. It was faint at first, and I doubted Angel nor Randy could hear it. When Randy came over wiping his lips and looking green in the face, I quickly stood up, and strained my ears for the terrifying sound. I couldn�t hear it anymore. I started to wonder if it were just my imagination when Angel jumped up too, and clapped.

�There, that�s done. Now we can go!� she shouted, sounding just like the old, excitable Angel, and making me forget my fears.

That is, until, I watched in horror as Angel suddenly fell backward into Randy�s unsuspecting arms, and did not get back up.

�Oh my god, Angel!� I cried, rushing over to her side. Her eyes were closed, and she was deathly pale. Her body hung limply in Randy�s arms, and her breathing was shallow.

�What�s wrong with her?� Randy asked, his voice rising with fear.

�I don�t know!� I shouted back, panic replacing my fear.

�Well, believe it or not, we have a bigger problem. I heard engines awhile ago.� Randy stated, as he looked around, and then picked up Angel�s limp body and brought her over to the car�s back seat.

So he heard them too.

�And I ain�t staying here to find out if they�re friend or foe. We gotta get outta here now!� He shouted, lifting Angel up and setting her down in the backseat. She didn�t even stir when she was moved. It sent a chill down my back.

I jumped into the back with her, and watched as Randy pulled out the hose, closed both of the gas tanks and hopped into the driver�s seat. He�d have to drive now.

I looked out over the horizon trying desperately to see where the noise of car engines was coming from. It seemed to be coming from every direction now. Returning to haunt me, and to show that I was not imagining them. The noise pierced my ears, and made my heart beat double-time, as Randy turned on the ignition of our own car and drove off at a fantastic speed.

Where were they? Why couldn�t I see them?

I looked down at Angel. She looked as if she were sleeping. Her breathing seemed more normal now, which brought me some relief. I reached down and gently tapped both her cheeks, as I�d seen being done on movies. It usually worked on movies. It didn�t work on Angel.

Oh God, Angel, what�s wrong with you? I thought, desperately.

When I looked back up again, I could barely believe my eyes. Jeeps. 3, 4 Jeeps coming after us in all directions. Jeeps painted army camouflage with the unmistakable one sided swastika that symbolized the Dictators.

�Nikko!� I shouted, turning to Randy, and using the code name so no one in the fast approaching cars could identify us later. �It�s the Dictators! They�re after us!�

Randy turned around and witnessed the frightening scene for himself.

�They know who we are, Clara! They know we�re not on their side. We have to out run them or we�re done for.� He shouted back.

I looked back out the side window feeling my hair whip around my face. There was a car coming straight at me from the left. I could see inside to the driver. He was a young boy, probably my age. His eyes were cold and dark, and fixated in a determined stare into my eyes. I shuddered at the hatred I saw, and looking over saw a pale skinned girl dressed in goth clothing seated beside him sticking her head out the window. With a sickening burst of realization I knew who that girl was. She had been in my school. Her name had been Victoria. I knew her. She knew me. The code name Clara, would never work for me anymore. I sank back in my seat feeling sick. I�d doomed all of us.

I could hear them shouting now. Probably telling us to join them. To help make a better world. A world that the adults could never have made. But to them that meant a world where they could do whatever they wanted when they wanted. At the cost of others. The whole idea made me sick. I glanced back outside the window and stared into Victoria�s cold, dark eyes.

In school she�d been a little bit of a loner. She was a goth girl then too, and had her own few friends. Although she�d never seemed a very happy girl, she�d never seemed cruel. What I saw now was nothing more then pure hatred. Hatred for the people who would not join her crusade. Hatred for someone acting like the adults from the past. And a need for vengeance at all costs. I saw determination in those eyes. She would stop at nothing to get us. No matter what it took. And if we didn�t come to their side, then she�d rather have us dead.

And then I knew. Sticking my head out the window on the right side I saw the next Jeep. This one had only boys in it holding what I knew they�d be holding. Guns.

I had just barely put my head inside when a shot rang out past my window.

�Holy s**t they�re shooting at us!� Randy shouted, turning around to me and glancing out the back window.

I could say nothing. I still couldn�t get over the shock of almost being hit in the head with a bullet. Breathing hard I looked down at Angel. Stay sleeping, Angel. I thought. Don�t wake up. Not until we�re safe. If we�d ever be safe.

I heard a shot ring out from the left, and saw Victoria shooting at us now. I cautiously (not to mention taking a giant risk) stuck my head out the window to almost be face to face with Victoria.

�I know you. You were from my school. You of all people should join us. Come on, what have you got to lose Mi�� but I closed the window before she had the chance to say my name. I didn�t want to hear it from those lips. Those blood red lips, with a taste for hatred.

Randy hadn�t heard her. He could only hear the gun shots ricocheting off our car�s roof. I hoped to God, Angel didn�t hear her.

�Nikko, they�re gaining on us! Can�t this car go any faster?� I cried, watching as a bullet hit the right side mirror.

�What do you want me to do? They�ve got Jeeps for God�s sake. There�s no where we can go that they can�t!� he shouted back at me. Then ducked as we heard one of the bullets hit the roof.

Suddenly I saw the city in front of me. The city we�d just left because it was a hell on earth. And I knew we had to go back. No matter how much we hated it, we had to go back right now. This was my vision. My first vision. A vision that wasn�t triggered by a person�s eyes, but that just came up out of no where, and left my head spinning. My powers seemed to be getting stronger each day.

�Randy, go back to the city.� I told him, pointing into the distance. We�d been driving so fast that the city was actually somewhat visible.

�What, are you crazy? We�ll just get in more trouble there.� He said.

�Just do it, Randy. Trust me.�

�Alright, but I don�t see how this will help.� He muttered, and stepped on the gas. The Jeeps fell behind a bit, but quickly caught up in speed. Victoria�s eyes seemed wild to me, as I watched her still behind us.

Although it was now obvious they weren�t trying to shoot us, but shoot out our tires, I could see that she wanted to finish the job. She�d been the one who shot the bullet near my window that just narrowly missed my head. She�d probably shoot our unconscious passenger too. It didn�t matter.

What on earth had made her that way? I almost wished I had always had these strange powers. Then I�d have known already that Victoria either always had this hatred and cruelty in her, or had not. If she had not, then there was something truly evil, and horrifying about the Dictators that none of us could possibly understand.

I could see the deserted buildings now. They were coming into plain view. Randy kept looking back at me with a puzzled expression on his face. He didn�t understand why we were going there any more then I did. All I knew was I was being told to go there by a force that had never been wrong.

There was a large sign that welcomed people to the city coming up. Randy drove past the sign, and I looked back, as I heard the unmistakable sound of breaks screeching to a halt. The Jeeps had all stopped. All of them. Some right at the base of the sign, some further down the road. Victoria�s car stood at the base of the sign, and I told Randy to stop. He turned the car around and did so because I guess now he believed in me. I jumped out of the car, much to Randy�s dismay, and stood face to face with Victoria. She had gotten out of her car and stood holding the gun aimed at the very spot I was now standing. There were others around her. Others who looked just as cold and cruel as her. I took a deep breath, and tried to calm my quickly beating heart, and stood my ground as I stared down the barrel of a gun.

�What do you want from us?� I demanded, feeling sweat trickle down my neck. I was taking the biggest risk of my entire life. She could shoot me at any moment. But I had to know.

�Join or I�ll kill you. Anyone who doesn�t support us is a waste of a human life.� She snarled, holding the gun higher and therefore closer to my head.

�I�ll never join you. None of us will.� I stated, my heart was beating so fast now I felt light-headed. This could be it for me. I wasn�t listening to my own clairvoyance. I was taking fate into my own hands for once.

�Clara! What the hell are you doing?� I heard Randy shout from behind me. I turned around, only for a minute. I saw him standing outside of the car, his expression was that of confusion and pure fear.

What was I doing? I asked myself. Did I even think I could make it through this?

�Nikko, take care of Angel.� I said, looking inside the car to see that she was still there. Still at peace, and not witnessing this war.

�You stupid b***h, don�t turn your back on me!� This girl who had once been a classmate of mine, screamed out.

Then it was as if my ears had exploded as the shots went off behind me, piercing my ear drums with their shrill cries. I was instantly deaf. It was as if time had stopped, and I wondered where my premonitions and visions were now. Why couldn�t they help me now?

And then everything went black.

Author's Note

The picture's from Battle Royale - a great movie that probably inspired alot of this :P

Reviews

[Wildecat]

This is an amazing story, and what an ending wow had me on the edge of my seat. Nice Write.