Nova Roma, and as such, I thought it would be appropriate.” Augustus paused. “Now, by what am I to call you?”
We each told him our names. When Augustus’s gaze fell on me, it was intentional, though friendly. I had imagined the leader of the Nova Roma Empire to be more domineering, more ruthless, more…mean.
Then again, meeting Augustus here meant that if anything went wrong, guards could rush in at a moment’s notice. It was the best we could hope for. At least we had his attention now.
“Now tell me,” Augustus said, leaning forward and crossing his left leg over his right, “what did you learn from the Black Files?”
Samuel hesitated slightly before giving him the information that we had all learned. Samuel started with the Guardian Missions, and how each had failed. None of them had been able to successfully divert the course of Ragnarok. He talked about how the United States government had covered up the reason of the failure for the third and final Guardian Mission — that its crewmembers had been attacked by an alien force, known as the Xenos.
Then he got the part that was most important — that the xenovirus had been implanted in Ragnarok by the Xenos. The virus would infiltrate all life — and anything infected with the virus was under the control of an entity called the “Voice.” The voice was a consciousness that controlled xenolife, based in Ragnarok Crater. If the Voice could not be stopped, the xenovirus would be able to spread indefinitely.
Samuel then laid out his and Ashton’s plan to stop the Voice — by entering Ragnarok Crater, seeking the Voice’s source, and destroying it.
When Samuel finished, it was hard to judge Augustus’s reaction. The Emperor’s face was tacit, almost bored.
“And you need my help to do all this?” Augustus asked.
“Your armies are the most numerous,” Samuel said. “That is why we came to you first. In addition, we also know you have an interest in the xenovirus. After all, you sent a team to Bunker One to learn more about it.”
“And, you came here to stop me from marching on Raider Bluff.”
Samuel nodded. “Yes, that is part of it.”
“Do you have a copy of the Black Files for me to read?”
“Not with me, no,” Samuel said. “However, if we can get access to your networks, we can send it wirelessly.”
Augustus smiled. “The Empire’s networks are not your concern, Samuel. What you have told me confirms my fears about the pestilence to the north.”
“You were looking for the Bunkers, weren’t you?”
Augustus nodded. “I admit, there are many resources within the Bunkers that I envy. We have stripped twenty of them bare, mostly in the southern United States.”
“Twenty?” I asked. “That’s so many.”
“We are efficient,” Augustus said. “And we are determined.”
The way he said that made me wonder — had the Empire been responsible for some of the Bunkers falling to begin with?
“We noticed the alien growth many years ago,” Augustus said. “Although, we did not think it was a concern until we began to lose our far patrols. With the fall of Bunker One, some refugees came into our borders, with tales of horror from the north. We saved all that we could, including a scientist.”
“Ashton mentioned there might be a scientist from Bunker One in your circle,” Samuel said. “He said that was how you might have found out about the Black Files in the first place. Is that the case?”
Augustus shook his head. “Ashton is correct in saying that I learned about the Black Files from one of his scientists — a man by the name of Roger Carrolton. However, he died several years ago. He told me about the Black Files, but he himself was not privy to the information within. So, I hired Wastelander mercenaries, though I sent them to investigate far later than I should have. I thought they would do a better job fighting those monsters than native Novans.” Augustus sighed. “I see now that I thought wrong.”
“At least you know what the Black Files contain now,” I said.
Augustus nodded. “Yes, that is true. So your plan is to attack into the Great Blight?”
“The attack will be a feint,” Samuel said. “In reality, we will fly into the Crater to deal the death blow.”
“Fly in?” Augustus said. “You have access to an airplane?”
Samuel wasn’t going to lay that card on the table. “We do.”
“At Bunker 40?” Augustus leaned forward. “That area is covered with the Great Blight.”
“There is still a plane outside of Los Angeles that we can use,” Samuel said. “The raiders control it.”
Augustus frowned. Something wasn’t adding up to him.
Samuel changed the subject. “Regardless, that is the plan. Following this meeting, I hope to have your support.”
Augustus eyed Samuel for a moment, before breaking into a smile.
“You have my full support, Samuel,” Augustus said. “I will help you with this.”
I looked at him in disbelief. Was it really going to be this easy?
Chapter 19
“My armies will be marching north within a week’s time,” Augustus said. “I hope, by then, you can let the other cities in the Wastes know of our arrangement. Of course, you and your crew are welcome to travel with us.”
“Wait,” Samuel said, “what do you mean by, ‘arrangement’?”
“The Wasteland is fractious, disjointed. It will be difficult to convince them to join you in this endeavor — even if it’s their very lives at stake.” Augustus made a fist. “I can guarantee that they will fall in line.”
“You want the Wasteland for yourself.”
“It is the price for my help.”
Samuel frowned, and turned away. He knew he couldn’t just give up the entire Wasteland to Augustus. None of them would agree with that, most of all Char and Ashton. But Augustus likely wouldn’t see things that way.
“You don’t leave me much choice,” Samuel said.
“That is part of my charm.” Augustus gave a rueful smile.
“Raider Bluff, the L.A. gangs, Oasis, and the others…they won’t much like this.”
“I’m not asking what they will like,” Augustus said. “I’m telling you how it must be. Two weeks ago, I received word that my emissary, Rex, was brutally murdered by Alpha Char in Raider Bluff.”
“He was going to make us slaves,” Anna said, face red.
“He was under orders to offer fair terms,” Augustus said. “However, your people are faced with a choice. Safety and joining with me. Or…freedom and death.”
None of us said anything. Augustus held all the cards. He had the soldiers, he had the power. It would take a while for his army to reach the Wasteland. But once it did, who could resist him?
“Why do you want to own the Wasteland, anyway?” I asked. “The cost of gaining it might outweigh the benefits of owning it. It is desolate and poor.”
“I will tell you this much, Alex,” Augustus said. “I believe I was preserved for a reason, even when I believed myself dead following the fall of Ragnarok. Your Dr. Ashton barred my entry into Bunker One, but I made the best of it. I funded the Bunker Program greatly, but I
“You were a drug lord,” Anna said. “You really think they would have let you in?”
Augustus’s face reddened. “This is not about revenge. This is about destiny.
