Salvatore, the Man of Yesterday

As Alpha Base fought to contain the terrors they were keeping under wraps, back in Capital City matters had begun to escalate as well.

At the government building the President Salvatore was busy pursuing a stack of new documents that had just been dropped on his desk that day. He sat in dismay while he rubbed his brow anxiously.

Augustino Salvatore was a man that came from a prestigious family name - a name that weighed on his shoulders his entire life. His great great grandfather traveled from Spain to make a new life for himself in the Americas long ago. It was here that he would meet his soon to be wife whom he would wed and have 6 children with.

The Salvatores were the first and last name anyone heard when it came to the banking industry. Augustino's great great grandfather started with only a handful of banks and his son built even further upon that; and his son did the same and so on. However, when it came to Augustino, he had not a single eye for banking. Within the first 3 years of the business being handed over to him by his father, he had already run it into the ground. He was doing his best at this point to just keep the doors open and not defaulting.

Just when things were at their lowest, that's when the calamity happened. It was like Augustino had just gotten a chance to redo everything. Even though he failed at his family's business, he was still a Salvatore and wanted to live up to the legacy the name stood upon.

The first chance he got to jump on the battlefield he did so. He wanted glory above all else.

When the battle to retake the Capital from the clutches of the Reapers took place he made sure he was on the front lines. After his commanding officer was butchered right in front of him, Augustino took up his gun and led the rest of the assault even as they stood at the brink of failure. He was successful and became the legend that they all know today. After such a feat it was only natural that he would be elected as the first President since the calamity. The previous President had been presumed dead at this point when the city was overrun originally.

Some years later, he had been instrumental in the rebuilding of the civilized world. He had even been the one to sign off on the military's proposal of the testing and implementation of the Genetic Splicer. A move that turned out to be more popular with the military than with the civilian populus. They were now turning the tide of the war, but the civilians didn't fully 'accept' the idea of giving a human form to the monsters who took away their loved ones.

So in order to stay in good favor for re-election, Augustino had to make some…changes. As well as look the order one on certain circumstances.

This all led him to his current situation as he sat at his desk with his mind spinning.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Hm, come in." He said not looking up from the paper he was viewing.

In walked his Vice-President and current Presidential candidate, Victor Anderson. While his outfit and appearance looked as sharp as ever, his face showed a twinge of frustration.

"Ah, Victor. Just the person I needed to see." President Salvatore spoke.

"Mr. President, what is going on around here?! There's people outside the building demanding answers. Apparently two of our military were found brutally murdered on the West side of the city? What is the meaning of this?"

"Sigh. Yes, so I've been told." He motioned to the stack of papers on his desk. "And it's not the only one. A few weeks ago ol' Harvey was found in the alley near his place. Beaten to death."

Victor clenched his teeth as his anger was getting the better of him. "Andddd are we just going to do nothing, sir?! These people are waiting for action! We know who did this so we should just go ahead and-"

"Wait, we have no clue right now as to who did this. What are you talking about?"

"We ALL know who did this." He leaned in forward and spoke in a softer tone, "Those conniving fucking hybrids."

"And exactly how do we know they did this?"

"Mr. President, it's all too obvious. Harvey was one of the most vocal critics of the integration of the hybrids into normal society. And he winds up dead in an alley. And only weeks later, two of our own military get killed while performing their sacred duty. They were both a part of that detail that dealt with that little girl awhile back by the clinic."

"Yes, I recall that. So you're saying the hybrids would go to such lengths? I mean, it's not the first time one of them has been gunned down in this city. Why act out now? What could have possibly changed?"

"I…I don't know, sir. But I promise I'll look into this. I'll not have my campaign smeared by the likes of them. Meanwhile Bertram laughs on the sideline chuckling at us as we tear at the seams..there will be justice delivered, I guarantee that! In the meantime, SOMETHING needs to be done. If we do nothing the people out there will eat us alive."

*Knock* *Knock*

"WHAT?!" Victor yelled out at the door.

One of the President's personal guards quickly stepped in. "Apologies for the intrusion, President Salvatore and Vice-President Anderson!"

"Yes, just tell us what's wrong, Theo." Salvatore said in an exhausted tone.

"Right away, sir. We just received word from Salvatore Base that Alpha Base is under some type of emergency."

"Emergency?" Salvatore stood up. "Explain. What's going on?"

"Sir, there hasn't been much correspondence from them as of yet. The alarm triggered about 30 minutes ago and then an explosion was heard not long after."

"My only guess is something is up with their precious Hybrid elites over there." Victor said in an almost mocking tone. "I don't know why you give them so much freedom over there, sir. It's like they're just holding a host of warheads that can blow at any moment."

President Salvatore rubbed his chin. He full-well knew of the dangers of the Hybrid Soldier Initiative he signed years ago that allowed for the program to start up - that if a single incident occurred that it could be the end of him.

He couldn't allow whatever happening over there to get the attention of too many people if he wanted to keep it under wraps.

"Victor, I want you to get a regiment ready to mobilize over at Salvatore base. Then ride with them up to Alpha and ensure that whatever is happening is put under control and shut down."

Victor seemed taken back. "But sir! Why do I need to go out to the battlefield with them? That's why we have the soldiers. I'm meant to be here with you, not out there."

"Son, it's a leader's job to lead from the office as well as the battlefield. I'm not asking you to pick up a gun - just to ensure that you're out there with them and SEEN out there with them. If you want them to trust in you when election time comes, you best start getting more on their level." Salvatore said as he sat back down.

Victor scoffed. That makes no sense! He thought to himself. What point is a good leader if they're also a dead leader? Just wait until I'm the one holding the reins...

"Alright, sir. I'll head over to Salvatore base then. Oh, and I have an idea of what to do about our little problem. I'll send you an email." Victor said. He then turned and headed out the door.

Salvatore motioned the guard out the room as well.

Once the guard had left, he leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. In the aftermath of the silence he could now hear dampened raised voices from outside the building.

"There's a murderer out there! How are we supposed to sleep at night?!"

"They're finally coming from us! Please President Salvatore, they need to be sent away!!"

"My kid saw the bodies and is traumatized now! I thought we were living in a civilized society again??"

Salvatore leaned forward and put his head in his hands. Some days it felt like it was easier when all he had to do was point and pull the trigger, not putting pen to paper and giving speeches.

"Damn. This term can't end soon enough.."

*Ping*

He looked up to the computer screen on his desk and saw a new email notification. From Victor.

"How in the hell? Did he just type up all that on his phone just now?" The subject read "Contingency Plan".

Salvatore clicked to open the email. His eyes read line by line the very detailed email Victor had sent. With each line his eyes grew a bit wider.

"He can't be serious…is this truly the only way to fix this?"