Wright B T - Takeover

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Three days ago

Cassandra Hunt was a fourth-class cadet at the Air Force Academy. She was fresh-faced and wide-eyed, as her first week of school was ending. On that daythat very specific dayshe was in a hurry, inside a building she hadnt visited often, and lost. Her next class was starting soon, and just as she turned the corner, she bulldozed an officer carrying a stack of folders. Papers. Noorderstwirled through the air, and Cassandra fell to her butt.

Damnit, cadet. The officer hovered above her and scowled. Watch where youre going.

Sorry, sir, she said from the floor.

When the papers came to a sliding rest, she quickly moved her hand along the floor to gather as many pieces as she could. The officer bent down too, scooping them up into a disheveled pile. She did her best to refile them in their original order.

While shuffling the papers together, she noticed a marking across the centera Classified watermark. She looked away at first, but curiosity got the better of her. Especially when the officer who dumped the papers was preoccupied with the call he received on his cell phone.

Peering more closely at the note, she saw it was an executive order from the president himself. She glanced at the officer again, but only briefly. He continued his conversation and wasnt aware shed seen anything. The president? she thought. It wasnt everyday shed see an executive ordernot ever in her case. What could it hurt? she wondered. She read furiously but stopped only after the first line as one word stuck out in bold.

Beritrix.

Most wouldve glazed over this word without a second thought, maybe assumed it was code for something or had another meaning. But she in fact knew precisely what it meant. And as she continued to read, the words hit her like a punch to the gut. The President of the United States official order was to find Cassandra Hunt and her supply of Beritrix.

She fell hard against the ground, holding the order, and once she made contact, the wind escaped her lungs.

Give me that. It appeared the officer had finished with his phone call and swiped the paper from her grasp. Pick yourself up off the ground and get to class.

But she didnt move, not then. She was frozen in place. Her eyes blinked but felt out of place and time. When she let go of that breath, she had a sinking feeling, deep in her gut.

Her life was in danger.

Her thought might have been impetuous, but her father was to blame. A prepper, and a man who hated the government. When shed decided to join the academy, it nearly killed him. But then, now that she sat, she remembered exactly what he said the day she left for school. Dont let yourself be fooled. They will use you in the worst way possible, and dont come crying back to me when you finally realize that for yourself.

Once she found her footing, Hunt didnt proceed to class. Instead, she ran back to her dorm. When she arrived, she threw open the door and burst inside without a greeting to her roommate. She beelined for her dresser in the corner of the room and began to pack her belongings into her bag. After stuffing her clothes inside, she reached for the mini fridge and ripped out every vial of Beritrix.

Uh, what the hell are you doing, Hunt? Barbara Keith, her bunk mate, asked.

But she didnt answer. She was too busy scanning the room for the next thing to load into her bag. There had to be moreshe couldnt forget anything.

Was it Jackson? I knew that bastard was going to try something on you. Hes a perv.

No. Nothing like that, Hunt said.

Then what? Barbara reached for arm to spin her around.

I dont know. I cant explain it, alright?

What do you mean you dont know? Youre going crazy. Stuffing all your clothes in a bag. Like youre quitting the academy. Walking out on me after a week.