19:00
30 July 2025
Derailment Vigil, Soge, Vesper
Kai changed his mind. After hopping between countries every week for one and a half years, it feels weird to have an office to himself. Meeting the same people in the same places at the same time every day is now a foreign concept to him—so is the productivity he saw yesterday during the National Security Council Conclave! Kai feels like a fish out of water, so he wants to prolong his return to Vice President duties just a bit longer.
Kai helps families light candles as he walks around the plaza of the Soge Central Train Station, listening as they recount how they lost spouses and siblings in the derailment. The dim twilight and overcast sky make the warm candlelight feel eerie. The stories begin to desensitize Kai, so he takes a break and walks towards the inoperative train station.
He passes several armed federal security officers at regular intervals. They don’t say anything to the Vice President, but as he climbs the stairs to enter the train station, two gentlemen in federal security uniforms stop him. Kai can tell that one of them is wearing a poorly attached, cheap wig and holding a walkie-talkie, “Second Group: intercepted and disarmed.”
The other man is clean-shaven, bald and has light blue irises that darken towards the pupil. He is angrily scratching where his beard must have been, and looks shocked to see the Vice President. “How may we help you?”
“I’m just wandering around—” Kai responds before being cut off by the walkie-talkie again.
“Third Group: intercepted and disarmed.”
“No worries, Vice President. Would you like an escort?” asks the second gentleman. Now, Kai has heard statements like this millions of times during his diplomatic missions, but the sound of “Vice President” in this man’s mouth sounds off.
“Fourth Group: intercepted and disarmed,” the walkie-talkie crackles again. “All threats neutralized.” The two federal security officers look at each other and heave a sigh of relief.
That’s when the gunshots begin.
Split seconds later
What happens next happens so fast that Kai has trouble processing it. The security officer with the walkie-talkie grabs Kai and carries him into the train station, where they find the other security officer. There’s no electricity, so Kai can barely see a thing. All he can hear are screams. And the occasional bullet, but they’re few and far between.
“Vice President Leandro, we need to go. Now,” the second security officer murmurs fiercely. Kai is dazed, but he realizes why the officer seems off: Kai recognizes his voice, which never calls him by his formal title but always with “Kai.”
“Ros?” Kai ventures. The shaven face and blue eyes (which must have been contact lenses) threw him off at first, but hearing the voice alone assures Kai that it’s his best friend. And of course, they’re in a situation like this. What did Kai say about joining Ros on his quests?!
“You need to go,” the other security officer echoes. His voice sounds familiar too…a lot like Defence Minister Brookhelm? “One shooter slipped through our defences, but he’s being contained now. Take my torch and follow this corridor until you reach the side exit. Join the others for now; we’ll rendezvous later.”
Ros and Kai do as they’re told and sprint until they’re outside again. Only minutes have passed, but ambulance and police sirens fill the air; firefighters are dousing the abandoned plaza that is now ablaze; medics are setting up make-shift clinics; security officers are doing headcounts and trying to keep the people calm.
Kai and Ros make eye contact with each other, nod, and walk into the scene to boost morale.
