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Fr. Woo or better known as Fr. Death is a priest on a mission for justice for his loved ones that were murdered during the assassination attempt on his life. With his new nearly indestructible cybernetic body and God by his side, his path of vengeance will put him at the center of the fall of Old America and the rebirth of the new one with an important role to play in it.

Self-Proclaimed Gods and Saturdays: Chapter 4 – Dust to Dust

Chapter 4 – Dust to Dust

Androids have been deployed to get rid of the survivors of the airstrike. Despite most of the survivors being on the verge of dying, I still try to save as many as I can and tell the able survivors to save the dying while I continue forward. In the skies, I see the jets that bombed us and some kind of military aircraft that probably aided them.  I’m surprised that Old America even has these aircraft though I guess I shouldn’t be because I’ve never heard if they lost them. Continuing forward, I see androids setting up defensive iron walls to block off the streets. I hurry before the barriers can be set up in front of me, eliminate the androids, and continue further into the city. Here, I find supply trucks with heavy weaponry, one kind of which catches my attention. These are heavy automatic shotguns carried by juggernaut enforcers and are sometimes used like mounted turrets. Seeing as I need as much firepower as possible, I carry them on my back and take the ammo for them.

Further into the city, I see virtual billboards broadcasting the news on all of them. The citizens of the city gather to watch them concerned about what is happening. There are also some citizens who are trying to leave the city in either car or on foot with a lot of them being stopped by androids and enforcers that try to assure them that they’re safe or are questioning them to see if they’re revolutionaries. Even with everyone distracted by something, I keep to the shadows to avoid detection just to be safe.

“Do not fear, true citizens of America,” a well dressed man with cybernetics says on the news that echoes throughout the city, “The threat is eliminated and our androids and brave enforcers are cleaning up the rest of the trash. I’m sure you’re concerned about the airstrike that happened just outside your doors but be assured that few if any innocents were caught in the bombardment. We will create a monument for the lost lives of the innocents once this civil war is over.”

Pfft. Acting as if their bombardment was justified because they say hardly anyone innocent was caught in it. That’s what’s always made me mad about America and what led to its downfall. The degradation of morals and respect for God makes men think they can define what is good and evil and allow them to make excuse upon excuse for their sins. It’s also behind the thought process behind the androids. They thought they could create an AI that would be exactly like the human consciousness and soul, but they couldn’t make anything like it without using another person to keep it in check.

The design of the androids has been a thing that’s been bugging me that shows their true beliefs on what humanity is. Each android has the same non-expressive face on them and is only distinct by what they wear. Every one of them serves a singular purpose until they are eventually destroyed and replaced by a similar type of android. The corrupt see us like this without thinking about what makes us unique and human. Even in the end, they continue to talk on their big screens down to the public as if they have everything under control, that their enemies are evil, and they are righteous. It’s funny them calling us evil not because they’re wrong, but because they believe in the subjectivity of morality until it suits them.

Now that I’ve made my way to the towering communication station that stands like a huge sword in the ground, it’s time to end this. There aren’t as many guards around it as I thought probably because they’re told that the threat has been eliminated though there are quite a few of them left. Regardless of their numbers, I make my way toward them until someone in the shadows puts their hand on my shoulder.

“You’re Fr. Death, aren’t you?” the dirt-covered man with electronics on him says.

“I am. Who are you?” I ask.

“I’m with the resistance. Did Mr. Red and the others actually…”

“Yes, Mr. Red and most of the others are dead. I’m all that’s left as far as I know.”

“Damn those bastards! We’ll have to wait for backup until we can attack that communication station over there. I’ve been trying to hack it from here to cause some damage, but just like the other communication stations, it’s hard to hack. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since this place is the source of the signal that keeps the androids going. I have a place where we can wait until then.”

“You do that. I’ll head in.”

“You’ll what? That’s suicide!”

“Maybe, but I think I’ll be able to disable the station by myself.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am sure. Look at me. I’m heavily armed and armored. Even if I have to die to accomplish this so that no more lives will be lost, I’ll do it.”

“I guess there’s no stopping you. I’ll try to get you back up as soon as I can. God be with you.”

“He always is,” I say while crossing myself and heading toward the entrance of the communication station.

I’m on a time limit, so I can’t afford to play this safe as if that were an option. Now that I’m out of the shadows and the chaos of the city is light here, the enforcers and androids finally notice me, but they don’t have enough time to react as I draw up my two large automatic shotguns and mow down all who stand in my path. I hardly bother with the backup that comes from behind me and instead focus on charging forward where I shoot open an entrance to the building and lay waste to everyone inside. More and more of the station’s guards come at me, however, I still push forward until I begin to realize that I’m running out of ammo. Once my automatic shotguns are empty, I pick up what I can from the bodies around me and use what I can as I continue to push forward through the tower and to an elevator that’s currently shut down.

A glance at the floors of the elevator shows me that there are many more floors down than there are above, which gives me the feeling that this station is powered and controlled from below rather than above. If my hunch is incorrect, then I could be wasting energy and bullets on this guess. Then again, why would they need so many floors in the underground if it weren’t needed? Perhaps I could find something valuable down there at the very least.

“Well, guess I have to do this the hard way,” I say.

With no better option in mind, I then open the top of the elevator, shoot the cables holding it, and brace myself as the elevator shoots all the way down to the very bottom. Surprisingly enough, I’m mostly fine except for an ache in my body that I have to walk off to make it go away. The floor I’m currently on is a production facility where androids are being made and armed at the same time forcing me to snap back into action. Since there’s a variety of weapons here, I find whatever explosives are here and go wild with them. I throw grenades, explode C4, and empty and use all the rockets to blow up everything around me to stop the constant production of androids and destroy them all. After the coast is clear, I take some new weapons with me, two heavy light machine guns and ammo for it before continuing down.

Here, I find people strapped to machines with tubes and wires in them all just like in the prison. There’s what looks to be a control room in the center of the room where a singular large android descends from. It has multiple faces and arms that have different guns on them.

“Impressive, priest,” it says. “You’ve fought your way here and survived every obstacle all by yourself. A small well armed militia would’ve taken casualties coming to this point, but you’re alive and well.”

“If you’re about to offer me to walk away or join your side, then you can forget about it,” I say before shooting the android to pieces. Soon after, another one pops out from the wall similar to the production facility above me.

“Who do you think you are? You’re no one, a random priest who’s only special because of a nearly indestructible body given to him and a seemingly insatiable bloodlust. What would your God think of you? Killing me and my copies will result in the people around us dying. Destroying the android army and remnants of the American army will give this country over to savage rebels. Is that what you want?”

“I only want to do what God wills me to do and if He wishes your destruction, then let His will be done through me.”

Without care for cover, I let loose my light machine guns in all the machines around me with one hand shooting the machines while the other shoots the copies androids as I’m being shot. The machines start exploding and collapsing around me one after the other until everything in the room is nothing more than broken machines and inactive androids. Somehow, I haven’t sustained serious damage despite being shot so many times. It’s probably because the androids lost their accuracy as the machines were being destroyed. The people who were strapped to the machines are all dead. God, please forgive me for not finding a better way to save their lives. I hope they can forgive me as well.

As I make my way back up, I see that all the androids are off and the building is vacant save for the enforcers who are currently fleeing. Once I make it to the surface after climbing many stairs, I see the jets and aircraft from before blow up in the sky. People are celebrating, embracing, kissing, and waving the American flag in the sky. A broadcast shows across the billboards of the rebels declaring this last state theirs and the other state that Roxy and her followers in fallen as well. The country finally belongs to its faithful people again. Thanks be to God.

To be honest, I do feel a little underappreciated for not getting a reward for my deeds, but if I deserve one, I’m sure God will make it happen. All I wanted was justice for my loved ones and I got it so I can’t complain. Speaking of God, it’s Saturday. It’s quite fitting that the week ends as the Old America dies. I better get to church to fulfill my obligation today or tomorrow and properly thank God for everything that He’s done for me. After which, I’ll head back home and go back to my sacred duties as a priest.

Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if I spent the rest of my life doing my priestly duties and never picking up a gun again. Speaking of which, I drop the guns I’m still carrying and take out my rosary that I pray on as I make my way back to my hearse. I’m confident that the future of our country and the world is bright. Today’s work has brought us out of the shadows of yesterday. God only knows what tomorrow and the next day will bring, but I know for a fact it will be good because every day is a gift to be treasured.

 

The End

Self-Proclaimed gods and Saturdays: Chapter 3 – Unrelenting Fervor

Chapter 3 – Unrelenting Fervor

A week passes with me and Mr. Red’s allies and friends sorting through the prison population to see who can and will fight with us and who should stay in prison. There are those who we free that don’t join the fight since they were put in jail for unjust reasons such as speaking against Old America. Others join as atonement for their crimes or do so to get back at Old America or to help us finish the fight and create a better nation. Finally, some just want an easy way out of prison and don’t actually want to fight and are legitimately imprisoned for crimes such as murder, rape, theft, and so on. These people we leave in prison. Those who we chose are given training by Mr. Red’s allies.

Speaking of him, he’s shared the information he’s learned with the rest of the country and it’s spread like wildfire. Enforcers and civilians from Old America have joined our side, the American Union has sent us more supplies and troops, and the information itself has caused havoc in this state. We are now more than ready for the upcoming fight. Mr. Red’s allies have graciously put bulletproof plating on my hearse allowing me to be the spearhead of the next attack that I want to be. People have even been calling my hearse the Holy Martyr because of it, which I don’t mind the name of. I don’t expect to live to see the end of this. Many will fight and die and if I can save some of them by blocking bullets with my own body, then I will.

Another week passes until Mr. Red and his backup finally arrive and presents his plan. Apparently, he already has forces attacking the towns around the capital to disable the communication stations and didn’t tell us knowing that I would drive ahead to help them. He’s right, but I don’t appreciate being kept in the dark. Anyways, the plan is simple. We’ll be split into different groups to take different ways to get to the capital with some groups heading straight there and others destroying the communication stations that stand between us and the capital so that Old America can’t activate their army of androids beyond the capital and the groups that are heading to the capital are given cover to get there. The second part of the plan is to blow up or disable the final station in the capital to bring an end to this civil war. Of course, I’m part of one of the groups going after the communication stations. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Any questions?” Mr. Red asks.

“Yes,” I say. “Are you done talking? Because I want to end this war once and for all.”

The others in the room agree and cheer with me while Mr. Red smiles and shakes his head.

“Yes, I’m done. Let’s take back our country for God, for our families, and for our future generations!” Mr. Red says to a room full of excited patriots.

We head out to our separate targets with people on the streets cheering us on. Once we have our first target in sight, we try to take down the communication station from a distance by firing a rocket at the antenna on top of the building, but the rocket is intercepted by shots coming from android snipers on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings of the town. This town we’re heading towards is a pseudo-military outpost that was once said to be a popular town before its inhabitants were kicked out due to the military’s lack of military bases and their need for them. As the spear of this charge, I and the trucks armed with turrets that are controlled by a passenger, take the brunt of the incoming fire. I drive through the defenses until I come to the communication station, step out with two assault rifles in each hand, and start firing at the enforcers and androids around me. Thanks to my cybernetics, I’m able to fire at more than one target without sacrificing accuracy so that each of my rifles is firing at different targets.

I leave myself vulnerable in the open so that all fire is concentrated on me while the others get out of their armored cars and trucks to join in the fight. We go up to the doors of the communication station, blow it up, and make our way through it. Again as the spear, I take a majority of the fire while firing back as my rifles tear through flesh, machine, and the walls around me as I empty drum magazine after magazine and wreck everything around me as if I were death itself. My nickname of Fr. Death really begins to sound more fitting than my actual one after I go walk back through what we’ve done once the communication station is shut down. The scope of how much death I’m dealing plus the damage done to me because of how much I choose to take doesn’t occur to me until we shut down a third communication station ten hours later. It’s as if I was possessed by righteous fury or an angel of death.

Mr. Red, who is in command of my group and in communication with the other group leaders, chooses to rest for a few hours to repair the damages done to the vehicles and feed and give rest to those who are still fighting. The unfortunate few casualties we’ve taken irritate me, to say the least, and the fact of the casualties happening pushes me to move forward as if the blood of the innocent, brave, and my deceased loved ones cry out for the deaths of the corrupt. As for the injured, some of them have been taken back to safe areas that are under our control. Some of the injured have taken stimulants and been patched up and still want to continue fighting despite their condition. There are only a few of these soldiers that are allowed to continue, however, the rest are sternly ordered to go back home and are told that they’ll die if they don’t or risk the lives of their friends by their subdued fighting ability.

“They’re inspired by you or at least are acting like you,” Mr. Red says to me as I repair my cybernetics.

“That’s true and I commend them for it. They should get more rest than I since they don’t have the same body as I do,” I say.

“You’re still human though. You may seem invincible, but that body of yours has its limits.”

“I know. I’ll try not to overdo it.”

“Ha! From what I’ve seen and heard, you already have twice over. All I ask is that you wait for us before you head out, okay?”

“Okay.”

So far, we’ve made a lot of progress today with our groups making it deep into the state. It’s only a matter of time before it falls. Thanks to the forces that have disabled the communication stations, a way has been cleared for our secondary forces to make it to the capital. The capital itself is heavily defended with hundreds of androids and enforcers attempting to keep the peace and quell the riots. Our friends are keeping their heads down while also causing trouble here and there and arming the masses. Since there seems no reason to worry, I try to sleep as best I can.

The past comes back in my dreams. Memories of teaching children and adults the theology of the Catholic faith and the truth it contains come rushing back along with the fun times of play and relaxation with those that were family and whom I called family. Then, the inevitable happens. They get shot, cut, crushed, blown up, or burn to death in front of me and no matter how hard I try to save them, there’s nothing I can do. Waking up from my nightmare, I get on my knees and pray for God’s help and advice. What should I do to prevent that from happening again? Is this a sign that I should head out ahead of everyone? Why did I survive when I was the primary target? These questions I constantly ask God and don’t feel like I’m coming close to an answer at all.

At the moment, I feel like I should leave, but I resist the feeling since it’s more of a temptation to martyr myself while killing as many of my enemies out of hatred rather than justice. Early in the morning when everyone is getting ready, I’m already locked and loaded. I’ve eaten already, said my morning prayers, and helping the others get on their feet and ready to go. We meet up with the rest of our forces just in time to protect the protestors and revolutionaries who are being shot at by enforcers and androids. With our numbers, we push back our enemies and send them running to the final communication station.

“They’re a bit too eager to retreat,” Mr. Red says before talking on a private radio station. He then hears something that widens his eyes. “We have to fall back! Get back! An airstrike is coming to flatten these streets!”

“Clear out!” I say and try to help.

Some people do as we say while others want to charge forward and do so.

“Stop being idiots! That airstrike will be here before we can make it to the station!” Mr. Red says.

“I’ll chase after them. You get everyone else to safety,” I say.

Before Mr. Red can argue with me, we hear and see jets fly over us and bomb the capital with explosives and firebombs. Chaos fills the streets as buildings fall around us. There’s no place to run except forward so I keep running until parts of a building fall on me causing me to black out for a few seconds. When I escape the rubble, I see nothing but horror around me as if I’ve gone back to the past. Mr. Red and his friends are dead along with everyone else who was with us. Those who aren’t dead are either burning alive soon to be dead or in such states of injury that they will soon die. Just like before, I’m the only one left who can continue on.

Why have you put me through this again, God? What have I done to deserve such punishments? What is the purpose behind my experiencing this? There’s no reason to sit here and do nothing about it. Justice needs to be served and the blood of the innocent cries out to me to be satisfied and Fr. Death will deliver.

Self-proclaimed god and Saturdays: Chapter 2 – Hunting Justice and Truth

Chapter 2 – Hunting Justice and Truth

As we sit down, the man who has heard of me takes a drink of water out of his canteen.

“Do you need anything to drink?” he asks.

“No, I’ve already had my fill. There’s a church near here that has a supply of it along with weapons. It’s also the reason I’m here because this map I found has this settlement circled,” I say while showing him the map. “There were enforcers there and I’ve also found handwritten orders to kidnap and assassinate certain people, which is information I assume will be useful to you.”

“It’s what we were looking for actually and what we need your help with. We’ve been wondering why Old America has been suddenly kidnapping people rather than focusing on getting supplies for their new robotic army.”

“Why don’t you focus on overthrowing the three remaining Old America states? I’m sure you can easily do that and foil this kidnapping plot in the process.”

“There are only two remaining Old America states left one of which will soon fall since Roxy, her family, and allies are focusing on it. Haven’t you been keeping up with the news while on your bloody quest for justice, Fr. Death?”

“Fr. Death?”

“That’s the nickname you’ve been given by the people who have witnessed your work.”

“Despite how much I don’t like it, I must admit it’s fitting. So, if there are only two states left and one’s likely to fall soon, then the last one that’s not too far a drive away from here is the last.”

“I know. After about ten years of civil war, Old America will die. I can’t believe I’ve managed to live through all of it.”

“Anyways, back to the point I was making. Can’t you get the help of the rogue states to take down the last state?”

“They’re doing their own thing for the most part. A couple are direct democracies that are fighting among themselves because what else would be the result of mob rule? The remaining are theocracies, monarchies, and democratic republics that act as if Old America doesn’t exist anymore and are now called the American Union of Independent States, or AUIS for short. They are essentially the new America with independent states that act in unison with similar laws and regulations decided by their chosen leaders.”

“They’re not giving you any aid whatsoever?”

“Hardly anything except for the citizens from those states that chose to fight or give us weapons, food, and supplies. Can you blame them? Old America has thrown its enforcers, its armies, and foreign soldiers at the American people and we’ve still overcome them all.”

“You’re right. I do feel the same as them. It’s just that I thought they would’ve given you more since the civil war is nearing its end.”

“And that’s why we need you Fr. Death, I mean Fr. Woo. The last state falling is an inevitability but someone still has to save the people getting kidnapped.”

“Okay. Point me in the right direction and I’ll go there by myself.”

“By yourself?”

“Yes. I don’t want anyone under my care getting hurt.”

“I understand given your past. I also know that you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself and making the right decisions so I’ll trust you on this. I’ll split up my squad; one to investigate why this location was circled and the second squad to take the supplies and intel from the church you were at. As for you, we have friends near the last state that need your help. I haven’t gotten their daily update so I’m concerned about them. They were scouting and spying on the goings on of the last state and said they were unto something big, so they may have been found out.”

“Alright. I’ll see what’s going on and report back to you. How should I contact you?”

“You should have a radio in your suit, right?”

“Oh, that’s right. I’ve never used it.”

“Not even to contact your folks back home?”

“I fear that if I do, it could be traced back to them.”

“I get it. My tune your radio to one hundred seventy-seven point seven and ask for Mr. Red. That’s my codename by the way.”

“Why Mr. Red? Because you’re wearing all red?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ll get going then.”

“Don’t you need to rest? You look like you’ve taken a beating after that last fight.”

“I have the repair tools in my hearse.”

“I mean besides your cybernetics. Your body still feels a bit of that beating, doesn’t it?”

“I’m fine. My cybernetics lessens the pain and keeps me going as long as I take care of it.”

“If you say so. Don’t push yourself.”

After Mr. Red gives me the location to go to and I make self-repairs to my cybernetics, I head out. As I get near the gates of the last state, I see that it’s guarded by a few guards and mostly androids that check the paperwork and ID cards of everyone who enters. The place I’m supposed to go to is not too far from this entrance so I park my hearse out of sight and further away and then walk the rest of the way. This settlement outside of the gates is fairly impoverished and has the scars of battle on it with broken streets, buildings, bullet casings on the floor, and dried blood stains here and there. Hardly anyone is outside doing anything save for the open clothing stores, food markets, and other stores that sell miscellaneous items.

Making it to the location that is marked with the colors of the American flag around its doorframe, I enter the building to see that it’s ransacked like the other homes around here. I search through the home and find a not so hidden staircase behind a broken bookcase. Going down the staircase, I find remnants of a gunfight but no bodies. The blood on the floor is fairly fresh so this must’ve happened recently.

When I report this back to Mr. Red, he says, “I figured that would happen. They were on to something and the enforcers must’ve caught on to them.”

“I’ll investigate this further. If the fight happened recently, the enforcers couldn’t have gotten too far,” I say.

“Be careful and don’t get too ahead of yourself. Give me a ring when you find out more.”

“Will do.”

In this basement, I find another way out that leads outside. There’s no sign trace of anything out here, but there are people so I ask them if they know anything. A lot of people say they either don’t know anything or don’t want to talk to me. Eventually, I find a couple of homeless people that say that two trucks of enforcers and their androids killed most of the people in the building I was in and took their bodies and the few injured left passed the gates and into the last state. I thank them and give them enough to buy them something to eat and drink before heading in the direction they told me to go.

Going near the gates, I use my cybernetics eyes to look for an easy way in and some kind of enforcer-held building where I might find out more. Sure enough, I see one some distance away from the gates that look to be a communications center because of the communications antenna on top of it. As far as an easy entrance goes, there are parts of the gates that are sparsely guarded by androids. Once I make my plan, I enact it by going to the least guarded part of the gates, rip a hole in it with my cybernetic arms, go through the hole, and put back the ripped out part of the gate as best I can so that it looks as if it was never damaged.

This side of the fence is like the other except the buildings are slightly less damaged and dirtied and there are more people outside. While keeping to the shadows, I make it the communications center. It’s defended entirely by androids with no human in sight inside and outside of the building. After scouting a bit, I find that a back grated window that gives me an entrance into the basement is the best. I break it open thanks to the superhuman strength that my cybernetics have given me. The inside of the building is also staffed by androids that are doing basic bookkeeping tasks. They all have guns on them so these organizers must also be doubling as security.

Further into the building, I find only three humans. One of which is a janitor, another is an android technician doing a checkup on one of the androids, and the last one seems to be a supervisor given how well dressed she is. This supervisor is probably my best bet in finding Mr. Red’s kidnapped men. I drop my silenced pistol outside of the door to grab the attention of one of them as I wait outside of the door ready to take hostage the one who takes the bait. For some reason, they choose to send the android. That’s fine with me. Once the android comes near, I punch its head off, grab the silenced pistol, and point it at all three of them while entering the small repair room. The supervisor attempts to call the androids to help them, but I stop her by putting a bullet through her hand. She falls to the ground in pain and the other two fall to the ground with their hands up asking what I want.

“A group of enforcers and androids murdered and kidnapped some people on the other side of the gates. Tell me where they went,” I demand.

Kneeling with her bloodied hands up, the supervisor says, “I-I’ve only seen one truck of enforcers and androids head through her recently. If they went anywhere, they probably went to the prison that’s about five blocks away from here. I swear I don’t know anything about what they were doing or why they took the people you’re looking for!”

“Thank you. Forget you saw me or you’ll end up like that android.”

The three of them agree and then I leave them. You know what? I might as well cause some damage while I’m here just in case those people raise the alarm. People from Old America aren’t known to be trustworthy because most of them don’t fear God. Going back through the basement, I find a generator and systems that seem to be powering this building so I tear it apart with my hands until the power goes off. An android catches me in the act as the lights go off and for some reason, it turns off. When I go outside, I find that all the androids outside of the building and those that were patrolling the streets have also turned off. This is strange. I’ve never heard of the androids shutting down because of a communications center shutdown, but then again, I haven’t been listening to much of the news recently.

I’ll have to ask Mr. Red later about it. Anyways, I head to the prison to find the androids here shut down as well, which makes it easy for me to head in. The handful of human guards here are in a panic because of the android shutdown. Using the chaos as a cover, I make my way through the prison, pull open barred doors with my hands, and follow the directions on the walls to make it to the warden’s office. The warden is calling his technicians to fix the android problem and based on his angry and confused responses, I’m assuming his technicians know as much as he does. I walk inside the room, pick up the warden by the throat, hold him outside of the window that overlooks the entire prison, and ask him about the people I’m looking for.

“The basement. They’re in the basement,” he says in a choked voice.

After thanking the warden and throwing him out the window, I make my way downstairs. Despite my display of making an example of the warden, most of the guards don’t bother attacking me. Instead, a majority of them have left the prison and those who try shooting me follow them, especially after seeing what I look like and that their bullets don’t really affect me making this a cakewalk for me. After breaking through the many barred doors that stand in my way, I find a bunch of dead people hooked up to offline machines. They have tubes and wires going in and out of their bodies and faces and they don’t have any limbs. Further inside, I find more people that are starved and beaten sharing a cell with dead bodies that appear to have been shot, cut up, or beaten to death.

After breaking apart their barred doors, I ask them, “Do any of you know Mr. Red?”

“Yes! Oh, thank God he sent you to find us,” one of them says. “We would’ve ended up like those people in the machines if you didn’t.”

“Let’s get you out of here and you can explain to me and Mr. Red what you found.”

The group and I leave the prison and head to one of their safehouses in this town where they treat their wounded, sick, and feed the hungry. We turn on the communications device they have so Mr. Red can chime in. I update him on the situation and what’s happened including the shutdown of the communications center causing the shutdown of the androids and the people connected to machines in the depths of the prison’s basement.

“First of all, I’d like to thank you for finding my friends, Fr. Woo,” Mr. Red says. “Secondly, I told you not to get ahead of yourself and to call me when you found out more.”

“I’ve done what you set me out to do. I’ve found your friends and gotten back to you with more information, haven’t I?”

“Tch, they should call you Fr. Smart Ass. Regardless, I’m glad to see that you’re alive and have managed to save some of my friends.”

“I’m not as glad that we were able to save our informants and agents that got captured. The things that were done to them were inhuman,” one of Mr. Red’s friends says.

“We’ll get justice for them soon enough. What have you found?”

“The machines that the people were attached to at the prison were ones that connect them to a network that controls all of the androids.”

“Really? I thought they were all controlled by some kind of advanced AI,” I say.

“It’s the truth. They were going to condition or rather torture and break our minds and make us part of that network. The network itself is controlled by an AI, but the human minds add a layer of correction and creative decision making that the AI can’t. In addition, every server like the one at the prison is controlled by human operators that ‘take care’ of the humans in the machine and make sure the systems are working properly and that the androids are fulfilling their given orders. If the unwilling controller doesn’t do as they are told, the AI or the human operator causes them immense pain and does some nasty things to their brains to make them compliant.”

“The first versions of the androids did have humans in them to serve a similar purpose and exploded once their systems failed to hide the evidence of the human inside,” Mr. Red says. “I’m surprised they’re trying to do it again. I’m just not sure which way is worse.”

“Doesn’t matter. This atrocity needs to be stopped.”

“Agreed and it’s a good thing we know their Achilles’ heel. Getting rid of the communication stations will automatically shut down the androids in the vicinity.”

“That’s assuming we can shut them down. The communication stations are more heavily defended as you get closer to the capital which we’re sure is where the originator of the AI signal is that communicates to the other stations.”

“Then that’s where we’re headed next. I’ll relay this news to all our allies and formulate a plan to enact it. Oh, and make sure the good priest doesn’t go off on his own again.”

“You expect me to just sit here while people’s wills are being forcefully manipulated?” I ask. “Just knowing this information makes me imagine what they would’ve done to the people I loved and it makes me sick.”

“Calm yourself, father. If you’re going to do anything, then do something about the prisoners that you left in the prison. See if they’ll fight with us. We’ll need all the help we can get in this final push to take back America from the corrupt.”

“I can go in by myself to soften up the enforcers and androids.”

“You’ll do better for us if you don’t martyr yourself. One man throwing himself at an army isn’t going to help much even with your cybernetics.”

“Fine.”

“Good to hear that you agree. Talk to you soon.”

Self-Proclaimed gods and Saturdays: Chapter 1 – More Dead Than Alive

Chapter 1 – More Dead Than Alive

Stopping my hearse outside of a ruined church, I get out, grab my shotgun, and keep my head down as I enter it. Inside, various people in priestly robes are gathered for a meeting with what look to be ordinary people also dressed in similar robes. They are whispering together and going through some kind of ceremony that looks foreign to me. Even though I’m in the shadows, they seem to notice me. Before any of them can say anything to me with their fake smiles on their faces, I aim my shotgun at them and start firing. It doesn’t surprise me much that a few of them don’t go down in one or two shots since I know who these people are.

They have cybernetics like me, but unlike me, they aren’t covered head to toe in cybernetics and nearly bulletproof armor. Walking through their gunfire, I take out one after the other until only one remains. The last one keeps fighting until I shoot off one mechanical arm and leg from them and only then do they give up.

“What-what do you want from us? Aren’t you a priest like me?” the man asks.

“I’m not like you. I know who you are. You and your friends were enforcers from Old America or some other faction inside them. Whatever the case is, I know you had something to do with the slaughter of my flock, my family, and my friends. Tell me where your leaders are and I’ll spare you from living the rest of your life in the condition you are now,” I say.

“…I don’t know anything.”

“It’s not right to lie in a house of God even one that’s destroyed and tainted by your use of it like this one,” I say before shooting another one of the man’s mechanical limbs off. “Answer me honestly.”

“I honestly don’t know! The only thing I do is that we got the orders from an android that came from us from one of the last three states. That’s all! I swear to God that’s all I know.”

“Fine.”

I shoot the man and cross myself before saying a prayer for my enemies around me. Continuing to the back of the church, I go through a door and find a cache of weapons, restraints, food, and water. Despite my body being made of mostly cybernetics, I still need to eat and drink like a normal person so I eat and drink what’s here and pack up what I can carry in addition to taking ammo for my shotgun and more guns. Among the supplies, I find handwritten notes and letters that detail the orders of the people who were here and maps with locations circled on them. From what I read, these people were not only assassins for Old America but also kidnappers.

Most people in this new America seek God since the recent results of a godless nation have shown them the fruits of sin and it looks like people in Old America are taking advantage of that for some reason. Perhaps it’s to make them slaves of labor or pleasure or to make them soldiers because Old America is running low on them, so low in fact that they’re making an army of robots to protect them and to take back the lost states or at least that’s what they say. Every attempt they’ve made has failed including attempts to use the forces and aid of foreign nations, but the American people have endured, so this new one doesn’t concern me. Still, I could use the information I found here to help me in the search of finding those who ordered the murder of my friends and family and tell of this cache’s location and the information of its kidnappers to those who need it such as those who hunt kidnappers. For now, I will focus on my own goal.

Being in this church reminds me of that cursed day that made me this way. Mercifully, I remember very little except the pain, the shooting, the burning, and the screaming, which I’d still like to forget. In fact, I wouldn’t mind forgetting that day and living as if it never happened. On that day most who were close to me died while I somehow survived despite being the target of enforcers who were targeting the religious. The famous Roxy and her band of faithful Catholics and allies that have been aiding people across the country happened to be our saviors because they were passing by and on their way to one of Old America’s states to wear it down. They tried to save as many as they could, but they only ended up saving me. In their charity, they gave me this cybernetic body to help me continue living, however, they said I won’t be able to live outside of this body and would almost instantly die without it.

They left soon after giving as much food, water, and weapons as they could spare along with some advice before continuing on. That advice they gave might’ve been useful, but I don’t remember what they said. All I knew and still know now is that I was the reason my loved ones were in danger and that I had to leave and ensure they and others like us wouldn’t be targeted again. Turning to face the altar where a broken cross that has a dismembered corpus of Christ on it, I wonder why He allowed things to turn out this way. Remembering His suffering, I humble myself, kneel, and cross myself before leaving the church to continue to carry the cross that’s been given to me by getting into my hearse and driving off to one of the marked locations on the map.

This hearse that I’ve been driving was one of the only vehicles we had left after the attack. Honestly, it’s fitting given the man or lack of man that I am now. The face in the mirror looking back at me bares no resemblance to my old face since it was practically burned off. People say that I look like death itself and my actions add to the image that’s been painted of me. I’ll not likely live after finishing my mission because I’m one man against many soldiers. Back in the day, I would only resort to violence as a last resort, but nowadays, it’s the only option to solve this problem of mine that I can think of. The murderers and kidnappers coming after my loved ones, those searching for God, and the Church need to be punished and I won’t put my second foot into the grave until that happens.

Stopping by one of the locations on the map, I find a populated marketplace. I must keep myself cloaked here to not attract attention and scare people away. Also, having the cybernetics that I have are a sign of having immense wealth so I could attract the wrong kind of attention as well. This place seems out of time as if it exists in the past or future. Settlements like this are either centers of crime or towns where most people stay in and are suspicious of one another. People here are acting as if there isn’t a civil war going on. Families are walking around, honest businesses are earning their bread, and people are enjoying life.

What could be hidden here that’s so important for the murderers and kidnappers of Old America? Could it be the population here? There are many of them and the church I was at isn’t too far of a drive from here. Maybe they’re using it as a cover so that whoever comes here doesn’t suspect anything. Perhaps there’s a cache of weapons here. Whatever the case is, I keep my head down as I search for what is so important.

Thirty minutes pass and I begin to think that there’s nothing here. Seeing this all reminds me of the life that I wanted for the people I loved. There’s still time to give it to those who remain and keep it safe for those who are enjoying it. I consider questioning everyone here starting with the business owners about the enforcers until a group of them backed up by a larger squad of androids arrives. Sticking to the shadows, I overhear the enforcers give the speech they give to all settlements about how Old America is going to come back and reconquer their land and it would be best to pledge their alliance now or suffer the consequences. The families begin to go inside the buildings as what I assume to be the community leaders talk to the enforcers.

“We politely refuse your offer,” one of the leaders says.

“Why would you? America has been at war with itself for years and the government is trying to unite it,” the enforcer says.

“They’re trying to unite it with force.”

“As if the rogue states didn’t rebel without it.”

“That’s because it’s our right to rebel if the government is corrupt. It’s one of the founding values of this country.”

“It’s also the right of the American government to keep and take back its land.”

“The corrupt have no rights.”

“We could say the same thing about you.”

“You can say it, but you’ll be wrong. As we have said before, we politely refuse your offer. Leave peacefully or we’ll show you why Old America is losing this civil war.”

Both parties stare at each other in silence while slowly moving their fingers to their triggers until the sound of cars roaring to this location catches their attention. They accuse each other of secretly calling in backup before shooting at one another. The people of this settlement start joining in by shooting from the rooftops, windows, and start coming out of the buildings guns blazing. Joining the fight, I try to be in front of everyone so that I get shot instead of them. Thankfully, I end up saving a few lives because of it. Eventually, there are only a few enforcers left with the rest being androids who are soon joined by a squad of five enforcers backed up by ten androids that arrive in trucks. It seems like we’re going to be overwhelmed until more trucks come in, but help comes out of these trucks that help get rid of the remaining enforcers and androids.

While we celebrate our victory and thank our saviors, one of them comes up to me and says, “Father Woo?”

“How do you know me?” I ask.

“Roxy and her crew told me about you and there aren’t many priests out there with cybernetics like you. Let’s sit down and talk. We may need your help.”

“I’m only out here to obtain justice for the people that did this to me, killed my loved ones, and to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

“Well, you’ve managed to prevent it from happening again today and that’s exactly what we need your help with.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

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Gabriella is a woman who thinks she has control over her entire life until her guardian angel appears to her. Through the angel, God takes away everything Gabriella has and puts her into the care of her husband-to-be, a faithful young man named Connor. Even though she hates the situation she's been put into at first, she'll form a close relationship with Connor and learn to love God through him. This author's edition of this story includes remade art by @An_dres_art and includes Behind the Story details for the story.

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After the murder of his mother, Tommy, the Don of South City, teams up with Lincoln, leader of the North City gang, to take down the corrupt leaders of Old America that still hold power over it and take the entire city back for its people. In the near future when America is fractured and criminals are the heroes, only the virtuous will save the country and make it great like it was meant to be.