As the mayor left the room, Both the Media officers for the Atlas Police Department and the Gray County Sheriff's Department entered and stood beside the podium
One of the Media Reps looked out across the gathered reporters and cleared his throat
"I understand your fears and your anger at whats happening today....but we must try and stay focused. It takes a lot to keep order...even in these crazy times...there could very well be a civil war brewing but I beg of all to show restraint...And as always if anything does occur the Public Is Encouraged To Stay Inside..."
Suddenly Isa sits up again
"Are they expecting more? They said the attacks were done" Isa asked the officer
"Just taking precautions ma'am that's all."
Isa then pipped in with another Question
"What actions does the Atlas Police Department have against the Human Workers Federation "
The Police officer went silent until answering.
"I have been requested, not to comment upon it. But we are being cautious as possible."
Another reporter bumped in
"Cautious in what way?"
The police officer didn't answer, He glanced over at one of his fellow officers.
The other officer looked back and whispered into the officer's ear.
After a moment, the officer turned back to the reporters.
"We will do our best to keep order and stop any riots that may happen."
The reporters were up in arms, the room in a flurry of shouts and accusations.
Jarvis shook his head, looking out at the chaos unfolding before him.
"This is nuts," he muttered to himself.
Isa frowned, her frustration growing.
"It sure is," she muttered under her breath.
She was furious at the way the mayor had handled things tonight.
She felt like the woman was hiding something, that she wasn't being honest with the public.
"We need answers!" she yelled at the officer
The police officer sighed, clearly growing impatient with Isa.
"Look, we are doing all we can to keep things peaceful. We will not tolerate any violence."
Isa opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Jarvis.
"Thank you, but I think we've gotten enough information tonight."
He gave Isa a look, signaling for her to back down.
Isa gritted her teeth but kept silent.
"That's it for tonight. Please be safe out there. Goodnight."
As the reporters began leaving the room, Isa got up from her seat and made her way over to the officers.
Jarvis followed close behind her, sensing she was about to do something rash.
"Officer, we need to talk."
The officer frowned, looking irritated at Isa's insistent questioning.
"Look, I've told you everything we know. I don't have any more information than what you heard tonight."
Isa didn't back down, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"We just need to know if there's anything else going on. We don't want things to get worse."
"If we knew any more we would have said so."
Isa took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
She knew she couldn't push too hard and had to do everything she could to protect herself and her job.
"Well, I think you're still withholding information," she said. "It's obvious that there's more to what happened today."
The officer shrugged.
"We do withhold the right to for public safety," he said. "But we still don't have all the facts."
Isa raised an eyebrow, shocked at his response.
"And what about the rumors of the attacks planned by the Human Workers Federation?" she asked, hoping to catch him off guard.
The officer hesitated, his expression shifting as he tried to come up with an answer.
"Look, I don't know anything about that," he said, glancing at his fellow officer for backup.
Jarvis tapped Isa on the shoulder and nodded towards the exit.
Isa frowned, clearly frustrated.
"C'mon," Jarvis said, "Let's go. We're not gonna get anything else tonight."
Isa gritted her teeth but nodded reluctantly, letting Jarvis lead her out of the room.
"I'll see you in the morning," he told the officer before closing the door behind them.
As they left the room, Isa turned to Jarvis.
"What the fuck was that?" she said angrily. "We've been in there for over an hour and you let that asshole just brush me off!"
Jarvis rolled his eyes.
"What? Are you fucking kidding me? Why would you do that?" Isa shouted.
"Because I know how you get when you're upset. You need to calm down."
"How the hell am I supposed to be calm?"
"I don't know. I was just trying to help he sighed in frustration"
"Help by letting them get away with hiding information?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"That's fucking bullshit. This is our job and they won't even talk to us?"
"Look, I know it sucks, but what were we gonna do?"
"We could have tried. knew I know they know something."
"Yeah, but what are the chances they would've told us?"
Isa frowned, unable to come up with a response.
Jarvis sighed. "We don't know anything for sure. But if they do have information, they'll tell us soon enough. It's just a waiting game."
"Waiting game my ass," Isa muttered. "I want answers."
"And we'll get them."
"When?"
"I don't know. Soon, I hope. But for right now, I think we should just try and focus on what we have."
Isa scoffed. "Fine. But I don't think I can focus anymore tonight."
As they walked out the building, the protest from before mostly dispersed with the massive presence of the National Guard.
The scene had changed, now instead of being full of fear and tension, it was quiet.
Empty.
"Hey look if you want, maybe interview some of the Soldiers, they might know something," Jarvis said, looking for a compromise.
"Why the fuck would I interview them? They're probably going to deny me and just tell me to fuck off."
"Don't know unless you try."
Isa sighed. "Fine, I'll try"
She walked up to the soldier and started talking to him
"Hey, do you mind if I ask you some questions?" Isa asked politely.
"I mean you could but it'll be the same answers I gave the other reporters," the soldier responded.
Isa frowned, suddenly getting irritated at his attitude.
"Well, do you at least have some kind of update on what's going on?" she asked, trying to keep calm.
The soldier gave her an annoyed look.
"Look lady I'm no media person that tells you some scripted answers. I'm just here doing a job."
"Then what else are we supposed to do? We need answers."
The soldier shook his head.
"You gotta understand, there's so much shit going on right now. My job is to stop people from hurting each other and you're making it harder."
Another soldier came to the two
"Jax." He patted the soldier on the shoulder "Leave them to me."
The other soldier sighed.
"Fine, but be quick about it," he said before walking away.
The other soldier gave a sympathetic smile "I understand what you're going through, and I understand the frustration you're feeling. But I also understand that this is not the time to be rude or aggressive. Please understand, that we are all trying to do what we can to prevent another tragedy, I can give you some personal opinions if that would help you to understand, but I will not give you any official answers."
Isa was quiet, taking in the soldier's words before speaking.
"We just want to know what we're up against...and I don't mean that in the literal sense, but what we're dealing with with the recent events. What can we expect? And why won't they tell us?"
The soldier nodded.
"It is hard to explain, but we just don't want anyone dead, people are angry and scared...it's just a sad situation. We all want this to end peacefully."
Isa nodded, a wave of sympathy washing over her.
She knew what the soldier was going through, how hard it was for them to deal with the sudden turn of events.
"I understand, and I'm sorry for being so...rude. It's just been a rough night."
The soldier smiled.
"No worries, and I wish you the best luck. And just take care out there." He gave a small salute as they left to the van.
Isa sighed. "at least we got some info out of them. That's a start."
"Better than nothing," Jarvis replied.
They got back into the van and drove off.
It was silent, but Jarvis could tell Isa was still upset.
"Look, I'm sorry about back there. I should've said something sooner, I shouldn't have just let it happen like that."
"No, I'm sorry," Isa replied. "I shouldn't have blown up at you like that."
"It's alright, you were frustrated, I understand that."
Isa shook her head. "No, it wasn't your fault. You were just trying to help me out. It was just...well, everything."
Jarvis smiled sadly. "Yeah...Everything's kind of a mess right now."
"Yeah, no shit," Isa muttered. "You think this is gonna get any better?"
"I..honestly don't know."
BRRRRRR
It was Isa's phone
Her mom calling
She picked it up
"HONEY! you doing ok? I've been worried sick" her mom said on the other end
"Yeah we just left a meeting with the mayor," she replied
"Oh ok well, what did she say?"
"Not much really, just that she had nothing else to tell us..."
"oh well...I was only hoping she would say something about what was going on, but I guess that's too much to ask for."
"I know right."
"Oh well, I just wanted to see if you were ok, you didn't answer when I called earlier."
"Sorry Mom I was busy with the meeting."
"Yeah but-"
suddenly murmurs in the background
"Your dad wants to talk to you, hang on a second."
She handed the phone over to her dad.
"Hey, Isa how you doing?" her dad asked in a tired voice.
"I'm good, how are you doing?"
"Good, I was just calling to check on you and make sure that you're doing ok."
"I'm alright dad, I'm doing ok. It's been a crazy day but I'm fine."
"Yeah I've heard the news about the latest attacks, it's a terrible shame, reminds me back in '05 with that big war with Quitanians and the Central Alliance, no clue why people hate them so much, they're just people."
Isa trying to change the subject
"How's Germany? You still doing good?"
"Yeah, It's wonderful! Me and your mom are having a good time here in Germany! We're in Berlin right now and we've been walking around the city! It's a lot different from where we are here in Atlas but it's still a good experience. You should come visit sometime."
Isa smiled "Maybe when things settle down here"
"Yeah well, hopefully soon, I just don't know when."
Isa sighed. "Well ok, I'll let you go, I think I'm gonna go home and just rest for the night. Love you."
"Love you too, Isa."
Isa hung up the phone and leaned her head back.
"Everything ok?" Jarvis asked.
Isa nodded, sighing. "Yeah, my parents are doing ok, they just want me to be safe."
Jarvis nodded in return. "That's good to hear."
"Yeah, but it's still hard to be here in Atlas right now," Isa muttered, looking out the window at the city as the sirens echo off the buildings
Suddenly a ring from Jarvis's phone
It was Davis
"Hello?" Jarvis said as he answered the call
"Hey, you two doing ok?" Davis asked, concern in her voice
"Yeah, we're fine, just been a crazy night," Isa replied
"What's up" Said Jarvis
"How was the Meeting? Did the Mayor give you anything?" Davis asked
"Barely anything, she was super evasive"
"Ah shit, that sucks"
"Yeah no kidding," Isa said, "I just wanted answers"
"I know what you mean. I don't know why they don't tell us anything"
"Probably afraid it'll cause another incident like today"
"Probably."
The phone beeped signaling a text message had come through
"Look, I gotta go," Davis said, "I just wanted to make sure you guys were ok. I'll call you tomorrow"
"Okay bye"
"Bye Davis" Isa replied.
Jarvis hung up as Isa stared out the window.
The city was a mess.
The whole city was in turmoil.
There was fear everywhere, fear of violence, fear of disease, fear of starvation...
Everything was going wrong, and it seemed like there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.
She couldn't imagine what it must be like for people in other cities.
They probably had it much worse, she thought to herself.
As she drove down the highway, she saw several people on the side of the road, holding signs and banners, some yelling out to passing cars.
"Stop The Violence!"
"Stop The Racism!"
She frowned, seeing the news reports from the past couple of days, the stories of the violence and death...It was something no one wanted to see, especially after today's shooting.
But now, with the news of the latest attacks, it seemed like things were only getting worse.
"You need me to turn on the radio?"
"Hm?"
"Some music to distract us? It might help."
"No, it's ok."
It was a long ride to the news station, Isa sitting quietly as the sirens and yelling echoed around them.
It wasn't long before they reached their destination.
As they pulled up to the station, Isa sighed in relief, glad to be back.
They got out and entered the building.
As Isa made her way through the hallway, she passed a few of the other reporters who had come in that night.
They nodded and greeted her in passing.
Isa nodded back before going into the break room.
A small crowd of the station crew was sitting at the TV in the breakroom, all gathered around the news as they watched the live footage of the meeting from earlier.
"That was amazing," one of them said. "How did you get that much information out of that woman?"
Isa sighed, feeling embarrassed about her actions earlier.
"I just got a little carried away..."
"Well, the footage you got is amazing. You were there for almost an hour and you got the whole thing on camera, that's a big deal."
"Yeah, it is."
Isa sat down, watching the broadcast with the others, watching her work play out before her eyes.
"Wow, you guys are getting a lot of attention for this."
"Yeah, it's great!"
"It's kinda scary though, all this violence is scary."
"Yeah..."
Isa thought for a moment, the events of the day coming back to her.
"Hey, remember the guy who was killed in the shooting yesterday?"
"Huh, what about him?" Isa said a little bit thrown off
"Did you hear what happened to his son?"
"No, what happened?"
"They said that he went crazy and almost beat a cop half to death"
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah, it was super intense"
Isa swallowed hard, suddenly feeling sick.
"Damn."
Isa went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.
She sat back down and took a sip, feeling a little bit better.
Jarvis came into the room collapsing on a chair next to Isa.
"Man, I hope this ends soon"
"What time is it?"
Jarvis looked at his watch "7:30"
"Well shit, better get home before the curfew
Jarvis stood up as Isa started to gather her things, she saw a news clip playing on the TV, the mayor from before on the screen, and a new update about the shooting.
It seemed like things were getting worse...
She felt sick...it seemed like things were getting worse by the day, and it seemed like there was nothing anyone could do.
she thought, her thoughts went back to the events of today.
To the day before that...
She didn't know how to feel about what had happened.
She wanted to be upset.
She wanted to scream.
But she was tired.
As she left the station, Isa felt a chill run down her spine.
The city was so quiet and so empty. It was like a ghost town.
But as Isa made her way through the streets, she began to see people gathering outside of businesses, holding signs and banners, some chanting slogans, others just sitting in silence, as if lost in thought.
It was unsettling.
Jarvis and Isa waved goodbye as Isa got on her motorcycle and clipped her helmet on, and Jarvis started his car and headed out.
Isa was silent as she rode down the road, the city looking more empty and desolate than ever before.