[BLINDFOLD] SEASON I CHAPTER II

CHAPTER II - CRIMSON REBELS

    It was a dark night. Cold wind blew on the streets making a frightening howl.

   

    Steve was walking on the street alone.. He was wearing an old, torn t-shirt, brown jacket, and a pair of dirty jeans borrowed from the good-hearted doctor. He didn’t like wearing them, but there weren't any other choices.

     This city’s name is Mill Spring according to some locals.

    He walked along the streets. Buildings were all over the city, covering the view of the surroundings. Most of them were damaged, pieces of glass and bricks shattered everywhere. The buildings that were unaffected were barricaded. Doctor told him that it was to prevent wild animals and bandits.

    After walking for about 15 minutes from the clinic, Steve arrived at a bar. He opened the door and walked inside.

    “Howdy pardner! Nice to see you recover, how's life?” said the bartender with a Texas accent.

    “Thanks, it has been all well since I have recovered. I am still not quite familiar with this city. Can you tell me a bit of information… ”

    The bartender took a bottle of whiskey and handed it to him. He continued “Well, we’re actually not suppose to talk about this, but I think you have the right to know - Mill Spring is not as peaceful as you think it is. The government controlled every single aspect of life. It is all conducted by a ruthless dictator, Lizbeth Anderson. The government is very cold blooded. Yesterday, there was a kid who accidentally bumped into an government official. The kid was then executed publicly.”

Steve gasped, as if he was making a silent protest.

He asked “Why are the people not fighting back?”

    “If we can, we would like to. But don’t forget about the weapons they have. We are like dust to them. They can destroy all of us in a matter of seconds. We can’t even go near the government buildings. 《Restricted》 is a warning for you to stay away. You do not want to get involved...”

    Steve was angry, but he had nothing that he could do. In his wildest dreams, he wanted to destroy the current totalitarian government. Though he have no responsibility to do so. He had a strong sense of justice and belonging to the society. He didn’t understand why he would have such thoughts, but he just wanted to help the weak.

.BANG.

Steve slammed on the table hard. Protesting. People around him were shocked. They fled and ran away as if there was a time bomb next to them.

“I must destroy this useless government! I… ” Flames roared behind him.

“Stop!” whispered the bartender “Do You want to get us all killed? If those patrol robot heard us, we will all be...”

.BANG.

It was very unlucky that he couldn’t finish his sentence. But that was his fate. The bartender’s life, is gone.

Steve saw the chaotic situation. He ran for his life and left the bartender lying dead on the bar table. He laid dead in a pool of blood. Steve ran out into the dark alley next to the bar. He turned back, but he couldn’t see any traces of the robot.

He got lost in the city. He wandered around in fear, following where the lights were. Suddenly a door to his left caught his attention, there were bloodstains on it. He thought that someone was injured inside, so he decided to rush in and see what was happening. By the time he walked into the room, somebody grabbed him from behind and strangled his neck so that he couldn’t move.

    “Who sent you?” said a bold voice.

    “I just got lost! I… I don’t mean any harm!”

    “Who are you, a spy?”

   

“Most definitely not! My name’s Steve Jones, at least I think it is… ”

“Let him in, he is the man found injured few weeks ago, he doesn't know anything… ” that was another voice of a female. She took a look at his innocence expression on his face. "I believe that he is not lying… ”

     The man released Steve, and he was instructed to walk downstairs into an empty basement. There, he saw a woman.

    “Welcome, Steve Jones, my name is Eva Ross, the leader of the Crimson Rebels. Sorry for the impoliteness, it was for security reasons. We are a group of people with an aggressive aim - to disband  the current government. I have heard of what happened at the bar. I believe you are the kind of man we need… ” Eva took two chairs from a nearby stash, she sat on one of them and asked Steve to sit on the other. She continued, "To everyone in this town, you are still a complete stranger. Although I would like to trust you, we cannot, yet.”

    Steve took a deep breath, and replied confidently “I can prove my abilities; abilities to achieve the aim. We share the same belief. Maybe you won't trust me yet, but I promise you, you will soon.”

    After Steve finished his sentence, the man behind Steve hit his head with his muscular arm, and Steve fell out of his chair and became unconscious on the ground.

    “Good luck Steve, do not disappoint me.”