Eye for an Eye.

June 5th

Atlas,Texas,12:15 PM

A news van drives down a barren city street, businesses closed and only a single taxi cab driving away from the Massive protest just blocks away, As Jarvis drives his fingers tapping rapidly against the large steering wheel of the van.

TAP TAP TAP

Isa, who was just scrolling through her phone, starts to notice the tapping as his fingers tap against the wheel

"Hey, Jarvis?" She suddenly pierces the silence

"Yeah?"

"You doing ok?"

Suddenly he stops tapping

"Yeah I'm fine, Why do you ask?"

"Jarvis, I'm not dumb I can tell something is wrong," Isa says as she places her phone on her lap and looks directly at him

"Look im-"

She snaps a little

"Don't Bullshit me, I know something is wrong. Now spill it."

He chuckles a little

"Forgot you can read minds," He says jokingly

He turns onto another street, this one also seemingly void of life

"You remember my brother Maverick Right?"

She pauses thinking a little

"Yeah...isn't he a state trooper?"

"Mhm, He's been saying that there's been a rise in clashes between Quitanians and Humans."

She looks at him with a worried stare, afraid to know where he's going

"He says that there's a huge risk of some shit going down, and this would be the perfect place to do it."

She looks at him in some discomfort and fear.

as she realizes what that means she begins to feel her stomach turn.

"Holy Shit"

"I know, that's why I'm nervous"

She thinks for a moment

"Have you told your family?"

"Yeah, but my mother seems to think that everything is fine. She's convinced that this is just a false alarm."

"I hope she's right"

The van was filled with an eerie silence, the only thing breaking it was the sound of the tires hitting the cracks and bumps on the road.

"Do you think everything will be alright?" Isa finally asks

Jarvis was silent, his lips pressed into a tight line. He didn't know how to answer the question.

"Honestly...I don't know," he says, his voice heavy with uncertainty.

"Well...I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

They both go back to silence, not sure what to say.

After a few minutes, Isa breaks the silence

"I.. I'm sure every thing is going to be ok," she says, trying to convince herself as much as him.

"Yeah..." he mumbles, not sounding very convinced. "Just...Keep your head on a swivel ok? If anything happens we got each others backs, ok?"

She nods

"Of course," she says, trying to sound confident.

Isa stares out the window as the silence returns once more, watching as the sun bathes the buildings and the empty streets with its warm yellow light

"How far away are we?" She asks

"We're about 5 minutes away."

She sighs as her stomach turns at the news, she's been to many protests but something about this one is different.

"Ok, Let's just focus on getting our job done, then we can worry about the rest," she says, trying to shake off the nervousness.

"Agreed," he says, trying to sound confident

She takes a deep breath

"Ok, well let's get this over with."

"You ready?"

She turns to him and gives him a smile

"As ready as I'll ever be."

The sound of chanting and protesting getting louder as they approach the destination

"Well, here we are."

He pulls into a parking lot across the street from the protest. They had arrived just in time. The protesters began to move from the plaza onto the street.

They both take a deep breath

"Well, let's get this over with."

"Let's just stick together," Jarvis says.

"Agreed."

"Stay safe, ok?"

"You too."

She reaches out her hand to him and he takes it.

"No matter what happens, we got each others backs, alright?"

"Always."

She smiles at him.

"Let's go."

Isa can feel the heat immediately hit her face as she steps out of the van

"I'll go get set up, You go and look pretty" chuckled Jarvis

She laughs

"Oh you flatter me"

"Just doing my job"

"You know that you have the worst pick up lines."

He grinned "You know it."

She rolls her eyes as Jarvis walks to the back of the van, opening the back and setting up the dish on the van's roof.

She feels her heart racing as she approaches the crowd,Her once calm demeanor once again fleeing as she feels the tension of the crowd.

The Anger.

The frustration.

The fear.

It's overwhelming.

It's hot and humid and the air is thick with tension.

"I need to focus," she tells herself as she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.

"Inhale, exhale," she thinks. "Calm down, Isa, It's just a protest. Everything will be fine." she pauses again "You're ok, You can do this."

As she checked herself in the small mirror she carried, She took a deep breath, she fixed her hair as best she could and adjusted her microphone.

But a truck filled with Quitanians screeched to halt in front of the van, Blocking the way to the protest, the Quitanians staring down Isa, suspicion and anger filling their eyes.

Isa felt a chill go down her spine as she made eye contact with them, but she kept her face cool and gave a warm smile and a wave "Hi there!" she said cheerfully.

The driver of the truck stared down at her and narrowed his eyes

Just then Jarvis hops out the back of the van

"Oh hey Isa...." He paused looking at driver "Who are these guys?"

The driver looked at Jarvis and his expression calmed a little "Quitanian Freedom Group. I apologize, We've gotten threats from Anti-Quitanian Groups, so we're on high alert"

Jarvis chuckled "Oh, don't worry about us, were not a threat"

The Driver nodded and drove off

"Well...That was interesting"

"Yeah, no kidding"

"Anyways, I'm ready when you are"

"Alright"

Isa took a deep breath and closed her eyes, clearing her mind.

She opened her eyes and gave him a nod.

"Let's go."

As they started walking toward the protest, she could feel her heart rate increase.

"Let me know when we're live"

Jarvis holds a camera in one hand and the tablet giving him a live feed of the news station

"Alright we are live in 3"

Isa takes a deep breath and prepares to give her best report

"2"

Isa looks at the camera and smiles

"1"

Jarvis gave her the motion to begin

Isa continues her report as Jarvis records her

"This is Isa Bellas, Reporting to you live from the Quitianian Protest Here at Kindle Square in the center of Atlas, As you can see here we have thousands of Quitianians protesting the recent surge in violence against their people, tensions are running high as the heat rises. And with the sun beating down on us, there is a possibility that the situation may escalate."

She pauses

"Let's see what the people are saying"

Isa turns to the crowd and walked to a Quitanian man with a bandana

"Sir, what is your opinion on the rise of violence against the Quitanian people"

"It's bullshit!" He snaps "We didn't do shit to these mother fuckers and now they're killing us"

"How does it make you feel?"

"How does it make me feel?! I'm pissed! This is our home and these assholes are trying to run us out of it"

Isa nods

"How do you feel about the police and their response to the violence?"

"These cocksuckers couldn't find their ass with both hands! They are letting this shit go down right under their noses and they ain't doing shit"

Isa nods

"Thank you for your time."

Isa moves to a middle-aged man

"Sir, How are you today?"

"Not good. Not good at all."

"Why is that?"

"This whole thing is a goddamn mess. We have people being killed in the streets and the police aren't doing anything about it. I'm scared. Scared for my family. Scared for myself. I don't know what's going to happen. I just hope it ends soon."

Isa nods

"Thank you for your time."

She would go to a mom with her two kids

"Hello ma'am, How are you doing today?"

"I'm great, thank you!"

"Can I ask you a few questions?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"How do you feel about the current situation in Atlas?"

"Well, it's pretty scary. I've never seen anything like this before. It's just not right. People shouldn't have to live in fear of their own city. This isn't what Atlas is supposed to be like. We're supposed to be safe here. I'm just glad I'm not Quitanian. If I was, I'd probably be terrified."

Isa nods

"Do you think the government is doing enough to protect the Quitanian citizens?"

"I don't think so. They need to do a lot more. This isn't okay. These people are being slaughtered in the streets and nobody's doing anything about it. That needs to change. They need to put a stop to this."

"Thank you for your time," Isa says, moving to another person.

A Quitanian girl with a beanie and a flannel

"Ma'am, Can I ask you a few questions?"

"Sure," she says.

"How are you feeling today?"

"I'm feeling fine, thanks. A little tired, but fine."

"What is your opinion on the situation in Atlas?"

"It's terrible. our people are being slaughtered and nothing is being done about it. It's horrible."

"Do you think the government is doing enough to protect the Quitanian people?"

"No. Not at all. They're not doing nearly enough. These people are being killed left and right and they're not doing a damn thing about it, My Uncle fled here for a new life with the depression in Quitania, Next thing I know he's dead of heat stroke working to barely make it even, 7.35 an hour for a construction job. FUCKING 7.35!" The woman yells as others join in her anger

"Do you think the police are doing enough?"

"Hell no! They're fucking useless. They're letting this happen and they're not doing anything about it."

"Thank you for your time" Isa moves on

A Quitanian man

"Can I ask you a few questions, sir?"

"Sure."

"What is your opinion on the situation?"

"It's awful. It's really awful. our people are being attacked left and right and nobody is doing a damn thing about it. It's really awful. I just hope things will get better soon."

"What do you think the government should do?"

"They should stop the violence. They should protect the Quitanian people. They should help the victims of the violence. They should put a stop to this. It's not right."

"How do you think the police are handling the situation?"

"They're not. They're not doing anything. They're not protecting the Quitanian people. They're not stopping the violence. They're not doing a damn thing."

"Thank y-"

SCREECH

A van suddenly pulling in front of the intersection

"What the hell?" yelled one protester

"Police?" said the other

"No Police wouldn-" responded another

followed by another van

"What the fuck?!" yelled another

followed by a Semi truck screeching to a halt as the back opened, dozens of men hopped out wearing Human Worker Federation shirts some armed with weapons

"HWF? What are they doing here"

"This isnt good," Jarvis says. "We need to get out of here, now."

Quitanian Militamen began to hop out of pickup trucks as it began to turn into a yelling match between the groups.

"FUCKING BLOCKHEAD GO HOME! YOU FUCKERS ARE TAKING OUR JOBS!"

"THIS ISNT YOUR CITY, FUCK OFF!"

"EAT SHIT YOU XENOPHOBIC FUCK!"

"YOU DONT EVEN LIVE HERE, BACK THE FUCK UP!"

"DONT TOUCH ME, YOU DONT KNOW ME!"

"OH I KNOW YOUR TYPE"

"YOU BETTER BACK THE FUCK UP, PUSSY! BEFORE YOU GET HURT!"

"Looks like we have a bit of trouble here folks, It appears that there's been an illegal blockade set up by some unknown individuals."

A brawl began to start, Jarvis watching as Isa stood in a shock

"Uhm... As you see the protest at Kindle Square has turned into a brawl. Police to be nowhere in site"

As Jarvis continued filming the fight he saw a younger HWF man with a gun, Jarvis quickly pointed out the man "Look out!"

BANG

A Quitanian man collapsed as the brawl turned slient for a small moment

"YOU MOTHER FUCKING BASTARD!"

Another Quitanian man proceeds to shoot the HWF man in the head, His brain matter splattering across the pavement

"YOU P_"

BANG

KRAK

KRAK KRAK

Gunfire.

"ISA GET DOWN"

Jarvis Tackled Isa

KRAK

A bullet wizzed by as panic ensued,crowds of people falling and trampling over each other, others shooting and returning fire on both sides.

Jarvis put the camera on his side, grabbing is a and taking them behind a car as the bullets fly on both sides, bodies dropping like flies

"Oh my god," Isa muttered, her face pale as she clung to Jarvis' arm, her heart racing and her breath shallow.

"Isa, listen to me," he said, his voice calm and steady.

"We're going to be ok. We just need to stay calm and try to get out of here."

KRAK

A bullet shattered the windshield of the car they were hiding behind, making them both jump.

She felt her heart racing a million miles a minute, Her entire body was shaking as she watched the violent scenes unfold before her eyes. She couldn't believe what was happening, This was supposed to be a peaceful protest. How did it end up like this?

"Isa, we have to move," Jarvis said, his voice firm and urgent.

"I... I can't," Isa stammered, her voice shaking. "I can't."

"FUCK!" Jarvis yelled "Alright. Best we can do is do our job."

Jarvis lifted up the camera and began to record again.

Isa was stunned, but regained some of her composure as the camera appeared

"This is Isa Bellas, reporting live from the Quitianian Protest Here at Kindle Square, It's a horrifying sight as both sides fight tooth and nail for dominance, the fighting is intense and the violence is extreme. This is not just an ordinary fight, This is a battle of life and death, a battle that is rapidly spiraling out of control."

She paused to look at the camera

"It seems like both sides have heavy amounts of firepower, as the fight rages on."

KRAK

"Fuck," Isa mutters as she ducked, a bullet whizzing by, a few feet away, she looked at Jarvis and his eyes were filled with concern.

"Isa, are you ok?"

"Yea, I'm fine," she replied, trying to sound calm, despite her trembling body.

Sirens get louder as police cars screech as officers get behind their cars and begin firing at both sides, a firefight commences

"This is the APD, DROP YOUR WEAPONS NOW!" Yelled a officer from a helicopter above.

a group of officers in SWAT gear stops by them

"You two, Evacuate now."

Isa and Jarvis get up and run with the rest of the crowd

"GET DOWN ON THE GROUND NOW! I REPEAT DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD."

The officers began to move in on the crowd as tear gas is fired into both sides.

The two groups break apart as the crowd is dispersed, the smoke of the tear gas is thick in the air as the officers arrest those who are caught.

"Fucking pigs, you cant do this! I'm not going anywhere!" yelled one Quitanian

"Shut the fuck up!!" yelled a police officer.

Jarvis and Isa watch as the scene unfolds, the cacophony pf chaos, violence, and carnage.

"Holy shit," Jarvis mutters.

Isa simply stares in silence.

The sound of helicopters whirring overhead.

"I can't believe this," Isa says, her voice barely audible.

Jarvis shakes his head

"Me either," he responds, his tone solemn.

Isa watches as the rioters are arrested, one by one, their hands zip-tied behind their backs.

She looks around at the scene, her heart heavy.

"I can't believe this happened," she says, her voice barely audible.

People lie dead in the streets, others wounded, crying out in agony, and many more bleeding out.

It's a complete and utter massacre.

Paramedics rush in to tend to the wounded, ambulances screeching down the street, and police sirens wailing in the distance.

The air is thick with smoke and tear gas, the smell of blood and death lingering in the air.

Isa stands frozen, her heart pounding, her mind racing, her body trembling.

She can't believe what she's witnessing.

It's absolute carnage.

The camera pans out, showing the damage done.

Bodies litter the streets, and blood stains the ground.

It's a devastating scene

Isa motions Jarvis to point the Camera at her

She can't believe what she's seeing.

This is the real world.

This is reality.

looking back into the camera lens "This is the aftermath of the Quitanian Protest, We'll keep you updated as more information becomes available."