The Guard is nothing but a bunch of incompetents
led by a drunkard. It's taken me years
to get it that way.
Terry Prattchet
The whole thing had blown up in their faces, it was true, neither the police nor the military had any idea what was going on. The news was coming in and they could only look at their hands in an attempt not to see the others.
"True," they said, "it's our responsibility to show our faces when something bad comes out...but no one thought a whole housing complex would disappear. Now, in front of the supreme chief of the armed forces, panic was taking hold of them.
They could not be blamed, at least that was the opinion of the high command, they were living comfortably and without any problems, the companies were taking care of their material goods, the few who did not work for a transnational did not commit crimes of relevance and it was easier for them to be caught by the corporate security when they tried to commit a felony within the limits of the properties of the multinationals. But now it was different, neither the leak of chemicals, nor the annihilation of so many people was reported, the press came like an avalanche and the boss only had a half smile and a vein jumping on his temple.
It is true that during his entire mandate he left security in the hands of others, he was very competent and had a lot of experience in corporate wars, which were almost not gestated in these years of calm and he found it useful to close his eyes for a sum that not even the president of the country received. Now, out of the blue, the companies saw him as a toothless dog and did what they wanted; perhaps he was a mascot for the money he receives "for the trouble" caused by the various business divisions of the companies, just the same. And the security forces in his charge had weaponry of 40 years ago and a physical condition of the same age, but hell take him if he allows this to go unpunished!
In front of his military and intelligence representatives, for the first time he felt the weight of time: 50 years at the head of the military forces, always passive, always waiting for a new chief to arrive and tell him the same as the previous ones: "keep the companies happy". But today he would be the boss — he said to himself — and no one would deprive him of a war against the person in charge, so he assumed a stern posture and felt satisfaction at seeing everyone tense up, they knew a veteran was coming to them.
"Well? — He asked and everyone stirred uneasily, "I want to know what the fuck happened there gentlemen! The intelligence manager typed something into his computer and the report appeared in the center of the table, the one that read:
"Being 20:00 hours, the chemical plant located in Temixco, reported that it would proceed to evacuate and clean the area, the only confirmed report is that the factory has not been damaged and the surrounding land is destroyed and its population dead". The young man kept silent very proud, he had gotten the information and no one could deny that it was complete, at least he thought so.
"You idiot! — We didn't come here for a review, we came to look for a solution".
The truth is that what the commander feared the most was that the corporate wars had resumed, better to think that some country wanted a good fight than that they would again rush into the chaos of 40 years ago. "Are there any hints of any country wanting something against us?" The question hung in the air for a good while. It was not that militarily or politically Mexico was powerful, but too many companies had an interest in its resources, not in coastlines or land, but in its human resources, who were docile consumerists and only argued among themselves; they were ideal example of the book, perfect E. S. (willing slaves), but as they were depressed abroad (missing meals or families), all the factories were here, all the companies were established here... And all their managers threatened to find the country responsible for the attack.
"Could it be the United States?" The question came from a rookie and he instantly regretted having asked it, everyone knew that country had fallen into decay and no major company inhabited there, but the commander felt some nostalgia about his glory days and he didn't want to crush such a nation. "I don't think so son, I'm afraid we will have to launch a random attack, as no one knows who was responsible and companies cannot be attacked, so they will look for a country with less influence in the world, we attack it and invade it avoiding as much as possible more deaths than necessary." Everyone left the place crestfallen; no one except the boss had participated in a war, no one wanted to kill another human being, but that was their job, that was what they had been hired for... they simply felt bad for having to eliminate a country just for the sake of appearances.