It had been a normal day, the sun was shining bright and high in the sky and the weather was perfect. That was the exact reason the small shiver through the ground sent everyone into a partial panic. There hadnâ€™t been an earthquake in decades, not since the last one destroyed half the continent.<br/><br/>Sirens split through the quiet of the outer limits, an army of sirens. A quarter mile away from the â€˜target zoneâ€™ tires screeched to a stop. Larger trucks and vans plowed over the grass and stopped twenty feet, on all sides, from the scorch mark.<br/>The ETRU, Emergency Terrorist Response Unit, had been deployed in record time and had brought a few extra friends along. Men and women jumped, climbed, and slid out of the vehicles. Most of them were armed with some sort of weapon and moved immediately to set up a perimeter.<br/>Three paramedics moved away from the organized chaos and closer to the boy they had spotted. â€œHey, itâ€™s okay.â€ The youngest, female, paramedic spoke with a soft smile, kneeling on the ground beside the strange kid.  Another paramedic took out a radioactivity scanner and swiped it over Meko, â€œAll clear, no activity.â€ The baritone of the broad shouldered man cut through with authority and it appeared to be the key to open the gates of hell because in the next second men in suits stepped through the crowd and moved into the circle.<br/>â€œHe isnâ€™t cleared medically.â€ The female said standing up to her full height and moving between her patient and the men approaching. â€œIs he bleeding?â€ â€œNo, b-â€œ â€œIs he conscious?â€ â€œYes b-â€œ â€œDoes he have a concussion?â€ â€œNo, Sir.â€ That time it was another man who had just shined a light into the eyes of the boy. â€œDoes he need immediate medical attention?â€ â€œIt doesnâ€™t appear so, b-â€œ The female was cut off once more as the middle man signaled for the other two to step forward and take the child into custody. â€œThen he is under our jurisdiction.â€ â€œYou canâ€™t do this. We donâ€™t know what could be wrong!â€<br/>The middle man leaned in closer to the short female and smiled a sickly sweet smile. â€œIf he becomes ill you will be the first one we call.â€ The young woman took a step back and opened her mouth to say something before shutting it and stepping away from the scared kid. â€œIâ€™m sorry.â€ She whispered with sad eyes as she watched two men snatch Meko to his feet.<br/><br/>â€œYou better have a damn good reason you called me in.â€ Taylor said as he stepped into a room already filled with five other people. â€œAh, Rochester itâ€™s about time.â€ A woman smiled up from her seat behind a large overly polished desk. â€œDirector.â€ This time it was spoken with respect and accompanied by a salute.<br/>She lifted a file off her desk and handed it over to Taylor. â€œWe find ourselves needing your particular skill set.â€ Taylorâ€™s eyes moved from hers to the file clasped in the hand of the woman who had pulled this city from ruin before taking it. â€œWhich set?â€ The question really didnâ€™t need to be asked, everyone in the room knew that Taylor was never called in unless it was too dirty to let government employs touch.<br/>â€œThe kind that gets us answers.â€ The matter-of-fact tone sent chills down Taylorâ€™s spine. He didnâ€™t like doing what was being asked of him, but he was good at it. â€œWhatever it takes Rochester, do you understand?â€ â€œI understand.â€ He agreed turning on his heels to walk out the door.<br/>â€œNow.â€ He came to a complete stop and turned to face the room full of people. â€œFollow Frank, heâ€™ll debrief you.â€  Taylor nodded his understanding before moving to follow the older gentleman that had stepped out of the room.<br/>â€œAt approximately 0900 hours yesterday we were alerted by sensors that something or someone had entered sector B34. Ten minutes later it showed that whatever it was made no move to leave so we deployed the response team. What we found wasâ€¦.unusual.â€ Frank passed by a heavy metal plated door only to enter the wooden one beside it.  The long nimble fingers flicked on the light and through the one way mirror Taylor saw his target.<br/><br/>â€œHim? You need me to break him?â€ Taylor asked incredulously, his eyes never leaving the twig of a boy sitting in the interrogation room. â€œYes.â€ A bitter laugh left the mouth of one of the most feared and respected men in government. â€œYou mean to tell me you canâ€™t get answers out of him?â€ His green eyes left the mirror to focus on Frank.<br/>The predator in Taylor took pleasure out of watching the old man squirm beneath his gaze. â€œLook at him Rochester; he wears the same gear as the rebellion.â€ Frank pointed to the window, his eyes never leaving Taylor, nobody was stupid enough to let this man from their sights at least not when he is like this. â€œThe rebellion is dead.â€ He would know he had fought with them; he had been one of the only survivors. The two searched each otherâ€™s faces before Frank caved, â€œThere have been rumors that the remnants of the rebels are trying to recruit more. If he is one he might have...â€ Taylor was already out of the room and entering the other before the old fool could finish his sentence. Sometimes the stupidity of the officials astounded him.