Chapter 9

Conversation trailed off then as both Naira and Violet set to packing things they’d need from the studio into the back of Aryette, Violet’s Land Rover. Once everything was loaded Violet turned to Naira “You don’t have to come with me on this, I know how reckless it is to sneak past the DefenceForce checkpoint out of the CityScape.” resting her hand on Naira shoulder “You don’t have to take the risk, I’m sure Lilith or Anubis will be able to work the link”

“If you think I’m going to let you go alone on something that yes is dangerous and probably reckless, but might lead to answers regarding Krymson then Violet Brunel you have VERY mixed up thoughts on your friends!”

Violet winced at her saying her girlfriends name, but with a sigh replied “I guess, I just don’t want you to feel you Have to” 

Naira grabbed the taller girl by the shoulders and spun her to face her “Violet, you know as well as I do I’ll not let you do this alone. I Couldn’t!” her face raising to a knowing smirk “and you KNOW if it was the other way round you’d not hesitate, nor would I be able to stop you!”

“Still…” Violet mumbled

“Oh shut up and drive you stupid kitty!” Naira said with a laugh as she hopped into Aryette’s passenger seat. With a shake of her head Violet walked round to the drivers door and climbed in & started the diesel engine.

On the drive across the outer districts of the CityScape, once Violet had figured out a comfortable way to sit whilst driving the pair talked lightly regarding their next move, based on their knowledge of the world as it was then

Following the aftermath of the then United Kingdoms exit from the European Union in early 2019 it’s government had tried unsuccessfully to prevent the breakdown of the union. First to leave was the former Northern Ireland, which had simply joined up with the Republic of Ireland again. Following that Scotland had forced another independence referendum on the UK, with a landslide 87% choosing Independence, which was enacted on September 9th 2019. This split was never amicable, the hubris of the increasingly right wing government of England tried to impose border restrictions upon Scotland, which led to Scotland moving to a more militarized border with strong checks. With Scotland being allowed to claim the UK’s former spot within the supportive and growing European Union and thereby gaining its support, coupled with the dramatic loss of funding that the northern counties of England had to face in light of the departure and the governments increased ignoring of them further referendums within these Counties led to the border between Scotland and England being moved down much more south before finally effectively dissecting the north of England from Grimsby on the east coast across to Wrexham on the west. At the same time this happened Wales voted and declared independence from the worryingly more militaristic England, and united with Scotland to form the Celtic Union. As this happened the government in England, faced with a massively crashed economy, had not only furthered the investment in the military, but also combined the Ary, Navy and Airforce with the Police and Fire brigade to form the Defence of the Nation Force. Shortly after the then United Kingdom leaving the European Union an announcement was made that during a formal meal in celebration of Prince Harry’s new son’s birth in May 2019 there was an explosion, reportedly caused by an undiscovered gas leak in the basement of Balmoral House, resulting in the death of all members of the Royal family. As the shocked nation grieved the government was able to bring through laws and regulations ensuring they remained in power, and had further reaching control. Even before this the government had been quietly silencing more vocal opposition, both through targeted social media attacks, to framing for crimes escalating to militia-style staged accidents implemented with scapegoats.

Following the pandemic outbreaks of 2020 the English government out of necessity signed a crippling trade deal with the United States, which rather than boost the English economy left it open to vulture-like corporations that funded the US government. This in turn led to a greater flow of money from England to the US. This meant that by the time the lockdown of 2021 happened in a panic the English Prime Minister was forced to declare the amalgamation of England into the United States, declared as a ‘Sovereign Member State’ and the intrinsic connecting of the two economies, including the currency of England being re-designated to PoundDollars.

This union between the US and England had led to further friction between the European Union, and that in turn had led to a further friction along the borders of the Celtic Union and England, what had previously been a free and easy process to travel between the nations had fallen to a hard border with passage across only being permitted for a posted list of reasons, with very few exceptions, and only in set locations such as former major roads like the M1 motorway.

Within England itself much of the control of outlying cities had been transferred to the expanded city of London, which was now referred to as the CityScape, which in itself was now within a perimeter fence or wall, with access in and out controlled through checkpoints so as to protect the government within. A similar thing had happened to Birmingham, now known as CityScape 2, which had been linked to the original CityScape via the completed HS2 superfast rail link, now far more armoured. The area south of CityScape had been turned into a holding area of the vastly increased Defence Force soldiers, with smaller satellite locations and more secret camps and locations being set up in the flat lands of East Anglia 

All of this was obviously known to both Violet and Naira as they drove through the outlying areas of CityScape, from Naira  studio to the covert garage Violet shared with her business partner.

“What’s your thoughts then Vee, how are we going to go about this” asked Naira

“I know Sy has some connections, I know he has to leave the CityScape for parts often, so his ID can get us past those checkpoints” stated Violet

“But what about the border??” 

“That” mused Violet thoughtfully “I haven’t fully worked out yet. When we get to the Garage we’ll use my encrypted laptop to get incontact with Lilith and Anubis, see their thoughts on how to get across.”

“That makes sense, though how will we get from CityScape edge to the Border? I doubt any rail links will take us!” Naira asked as they approached the discreet turning that marked the entranceway to the Garage

“That” said Violet with a smile “is the easy part. We drive there” with that she gently caressed the dashboard of Aryette as she drove them through the double set of security doors into the Garage itself