Chains

It had been long and difficult process, but I had finally caught him. He put up quite the fight, but in the end he had to know there could only be one outcome. It took everything I had to subdue him, but I had just enough strength to get him restrained. Before he had a chance to recover, I jumped on his back with the collar and leash in my hand.

“Get off of me, Alicia!” He screamed as he thrashed and squirmed.

“Stop……resisting.” I managed to call out. I was close to passing out from exhaustion.

“Please, Chris. I don’t want to have to—” 

Just then, there was a loud click, followed by a low beeping sound. I managed to get the device on. There was no way he could escape or fight back now. I took the time to place restraints on his arms and legs, just for extra precautions. If anyone can find out how to win an unwinnable situation, it was him, the most dangerous man alive.

Chris looked up at me with fear, disgust, and hatred in his eyes. I’m still trying to figure out how he thinks I’m the villain in this situation.

“At least this is better than the alternative...” I said, “…the next step was gonna be lethal force.”

“YOU CRAZY ASS—” Chris shouted as he lunged forward at me. He stopped mere inches in front of me as the collar zapped him with enough force to stop a rampaging Rhino.

“Stop struggling!” I said on the verge of tears. “The collar can read your aggression and adrenaline levels. If it gets too high, you’ll get shocked until you calm down.”

“Why…do you…..care?” Chris chocked out. “Ms. Lethal force.” He said with sarcasm.

“I said it was an alternative. I never said—”

“But you would’ve. Right?”

I remained quiet. I didn’t want to think about it. Which is why I brought every trick, gadget, and persuasive technique I had to this fight, so it wouldn’t come to that. I loved my job and I had a duty to do, but I could never kill Chris. He was the love of my life. But never the less, he had to answer for his crimes.

“Subject Christopher White, you’re wanted for 40 different charges, three of the most severe being Criminal Conspiracy, Hoarding and Racketeering weapons, and High Treason against our Ruler. You will be taken to the High Council, where you will receive a fair trial—”

“FAIR TRIAL?!” Chris yelled as he broke into hysterical laughter. “How the hell does someone invade and take over a whole planet get to decide what’s ‘fair’?” 

“That’s not what happened and you know it, Chris!” I said. “Our new ruler is merciful and kind, he came here and gave us much more than we had. If only you would—“

“Oh grow up, Alicia! He snapped.

“That’s Commander Saxon to you!” I snapped back.

“Oh yeah, you’re a Commander. A Commander of fools!” He retorted. “Look around! This ‘thing’ landed and started herding us like cattle, sending us who wouldn’t obey or weren’t worthy to the slaughter. But the ones it liked, treated like pets and gave treats if they were on their best behavior.”

Chris gave me a look that told me he was giving me the harshest of judgements. “Personally, I’d rather have the first option.” He scowled.

His statements not only offended me, but they broke my heart. “I didn’t know you considered my mothers cure a ‘treat’.” 

I expected him to say something cynical, but his facial expression actually softened. He starred at me with those kind, brown eyes that I fell in love with. I could’ve melted.

“That’s not what I meant” he said softly. “I’m glad your mother is alive and well. I miss her.” 

“I miss you.” I said. I don’t know what came over me or where that came from. I expected him to laugh, but instead he gazed deep into my eyes as he inched closer. For a moment, I forgot about my duties, that my lover was a wanted man, I even forgot about The Ruler. At this moment, nothing mattered but me and Chris. Then, reality came crashing down as there was a loud buzzing sound followed by Chris falling to the ground.

“Oh no!” I screamed as I jumped back a few feet. Once I gained enough distance, the collar deactivated and Chris stood up, angry and confused.

“Sorry. Sorry. I am so sorry!” I pleaded.

“Why did you shock me?” screamed Chris. 

“It wasn’t on purpose.” I said, “It’s a safety device on the collar. If an arrestee gets too close to the officer, it will administer a shock. There has to be a six feet gap at all times.

“And you still don’t see anything wrong with your ‘ruler’? Are you blind or dumb?!’ He asked. And with that, he had pissed me off.

“Am I dumb???” I asked sarcastically. “Let’s see, my mom was cured of stage four cancer in seconds, I was given a serum that not only will fight ANY known disease to man but gave me enhanced strength and durability, I’ve got a high ranking job, there’s no poverty, no war, no pain. So please, all knowing Chris, stop me at the part where I’m being dumb!”

“You sold out your planet, that’s what! You let some invader come and tell you how to run things. You and people like you sacrificed freedom to live comfortable.”

“It’s our freedom to sacrifice, Chris. We have that right.”

“But you don’t have the right to sacrifice mine, Alicia.”

“So instead of you going on your merry way, you steal as much serum as you can, you fight the ruler at every turn, and start a global uprising. That’s what you do with your freedom?” I asked.

“I’m using my freedom to fight for everyone else’s. You can’t start a global uprising by yourself. That fact that they’re are thousands of us ought to give you and your master a clue.” said Chris.

“There are tens of thousands of us” I stated.

“Of course.” Chris smirked. “There are always a large number of sheep.”

“Sheep?!” I laughed in disbelief “So what does that make you guys? The wolves?”

“No” he said seriously. “You sit at the table with the wolves as they decide when and how to devour you. Consider us the sheep dogs. Protecting you, even when you don’t see it or want it”

“You were always so smart and so brave, Chris. The Ruler had high hopes for you. I had high hopes for you. Why can’t you see things our way?” I pleaded.

“Gee, I don’t know babe. Maybe because I’m in chains!” He yelled.

I should’ve known he wouldn’t listen. He’s always been stubborn. It’s his best and worst character trait.

“That’s enough discussion. You will return with me to the high council, where you will stand trial.”

Suddenly, explosions surrounded us and bullets rained down from the distance. I went to recover Chris, but he was pulled off into the distance by unseen forces. I was then attacked by three men wearing purple and green uniforms, the color of Chris’ underground movement. They had come to rescue him.

I fought off the three men with ease, which means they haven’t had the chance to ingest any serum. I tried to retreat when I was hit with enough force to knock me through several trees. It was Chris, who definitely had ingested the serum.

He stood over me with a knife in his hands.

“Do what you have to do.” I stated. I was afraid, but in my last moments, I didn’t want Chris to know it.

“I’d never do that…” said Chris as he dropped the knife, “…just like I’d never stop loving you.”

I wanted to embrace him like never before, but nothing was changed about our situation. He was still the most wanted man on the planet, I was still a high ranking officer, and he still had the device on.

“You should go, before my people see you.” He stated. “They don’t take prisoners. With what they’ve been through, they feel that’s a fate worse than death.”

I got the message and began to walk away, in the direction of headquarters. I turned to him one last time and asked, “What will you do now?”

He responded, “First, I’m going to figure out how to get these chains off of me.” He then looked towards the direction I was walking. “Then, I’m going to figure out how to get the chains off the rest of the world.”