“Madness is rare in individuals – but in groups, parties, nations, and ages it is the rule.” –Friedrich Nietzsche
Jereo is pushing his limit. He keeps on running and running. He doesn’t care anymore whether the sun has been going down so low and the darkness of the night is now creeping on the sky. Ever since he set his mind to do this mission, he knew all the consequences. And the consequence is starting now. He must keep on running. And that’s all he can do for now. For he knows, all too well, that the only way he cannot be captured is by running. Fortunately –and it’s the fact that everyone in the city has already known– he is the fastest man alive.
All of his life is for today. It’s all coming to this point. He has to do this. He must do this. He has prepared for this day for years. Many people’s hope and lives is depended on what he will do in minutes. All of his squad members are already standing by on their positions. As Jereo sees The King among the crowd, he takes a deep breath. For only a second –and maybe the last time– he takes a glimpse towards the red-haired woman standing under a big banyan tree in the middle of the City Square. The woman he loves. There’s a flicker of sadness and warmth inside that meaningful one-second-glimpse. For he never know when will he sees her again. Jereo is getting ready. As the King’s entourage is moving near to where he stands, Jereo pulls out his weapon.
It’s all happening in a flash. Jereo is moving and what is seen by the crowd is that The King is falling to the ground. There’s no sound of gunfire. There’s not even bloodshed. There’s only The King’s body lying on the ground. And everyone is now screaming crazily after realizing what has happened. The crowd is moving hastily. The City Square is a mess. The almighty King has fallen.
Another body comes in the Headquarters. Jereo can only stare vacantly at the body. It’s the body of a friend of his. Many things come across his mind when he feels a warm hand reaches through his own. He turns his head and sees his woman standing right there beside him. She leans her head on Jereo’s arm. Even without saying anything, her touch has brought Jereo’s hovering mind back to the earth. It’s been six years and it’s only a week to go. No one can stop him now. He must do what he has to do. Six years of waiting is more than enough for him. He doesn’t want to see another body of his friend come through that door again. A week more to wait now feels more torturing than anything since he saw a friend of him has died again. Enough is enough for Jereo.
It’s been six years since The King and his troops hunting and slaughtering Jereo’s kin. The first one was his very best childhood pal named Druga. The King saw that Druga was dangerous for his existence, and even his regime, for Druga was an exceptionally most intelligence telepath had ever born on earth. Since his persuasion to engage Druga for joining his side was failed, The King decided to murder him. That was the turning point when Jereo finally resolved himself to join The Insurgent, a group of people who stand againts The King’s authoritarian regime.
During his six years in The Insurgent, Jereo has learnt that The King would do not only anything to get rid of people who stand on his way, but also everything to demolish every single person who opposed him. If there is a thing that makes Jereo survives up until this point is the fact that he is a speedster. And he’s more than just muscles. His brain is the other thing he can rely on if it comes to survival. That’s why in only one year after joining the The Insurgent, he was appointed as a Squad Leader with a privilege to choose his own members. That was when he met Moja.
Moja was his senior at The Academy and he’s been keeping an unrequited love towards her even since before Druga’s death. He never knew that he would be able to meet her again, particularly in The Insurgent. With no hesitation, Jereo took her into his squad. Not only because she is his love interest, but also because Moja is as equally powerful telepath as the late Druga. In the last five years, Jereo and Moja have been designing a plan to take down the almighty King.
Moja strengthens her grasp toward Jereo’s hand. It pulls him back from his flashback memories. Jereo takes a look into Moja’s brown eyes and being reminded that it’s only a week to go before their plan will be executed. Seven days to go they will be at the City Square. Seven days to go they will be present at the same place as The King; the only moment when The King will be stepping out from The Castle and visiting the Satellite City. Seven days to go Jereo will be playing his most important role in his life. Seven days to go Jereo will be doing what he was born to; being a martyr.
