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Now there's an update to send the head spinning with possible ideas. A very good feel of a frustrated writer. I am seriously intrigued about the world in which he lives, but you do a good job at just enticing us with a few hints, nothing explained, just shown to be different. Excellent.
 
One month, Robert thought. One month and I got nothing done. Nothing! Not one punitive update for the Short Stories magazine or even any work on the novel. How woe befalls me with, with… Writers’ Block!!! How I curse thee…

By now, Robert here has quit his job working on the history book, although his wife still works there, and have taken a job as a news reporter at The Boston Globe and has made quite a name for himself after reporting of the horrid conditions in factories and the scandals involved to cover them up from government inspection. Indeed, he has made several enemies, most of them in big business but none dared to silence “The herald of the workers” for fear of retaliation from the workers and because Robert had evidence that would not go well for the companies if leaked out. Robert had somehow acquired a recording of a meeting of the heads of several competing companies where they all agreed to raise prices of goods and secured records that companies were the head of the political machine in several counties and cities such as in Albany County and in Atlantic City.

Even with all his success as a news reporter, he still had this dissatisfied urge to write a novel instead of news pieces. But there have been good things that resulted from this. He got to travel around the country meeting people that he would never have met. A mini-city with all Dutch occupants in New Jersey, a “suburb.” Plus, he got to spend time with his son after getting admirable benefits from the company. It was kind of ironic in his eyes that The New York Times Company would reward him for finding out information that could and would harm companies all around New England if leaked but might be an incentive for him to get “special treatment.” In any case, he had plenty of free time although he could not find any ideas for the novel. His son was at school and wife at work…what was he to do…

The phone rang.

Speak of the Devil he thought. Robert walked over to the table where it was and picked up the receiver.

“Hello?”

He heard a scattering sound that ceased after a while.

‘Is this Robert Barnes?” said a low, hushed voice.

“This is he,” he replied.

“I got some information that you might find useful…Meet me in the industrial park to the north. I’ll be by the abandoned canned food factory,” and with that the phone clicked silent.

Robert stood there, silent for a while, until he finally laid the receiver down. He then went to the door and removed his coat and hat from the coat rack and walked out the door.
 
All very mysterious, and I imagine an element of the autobiographical as well ;)
 
Very cool story, lifeless. I like how link everything together and gives us hints of the present situation in North America. More please! :)
 
subscribing.

promise to read it these days, but i felt i could not post a congratulatory message in the WritAAR of the week thread without at least checking out your work.
 
Wow, this was interesting indeed! I'm not usually much for American history but with the involvement of the British to colonise at first, you've caught my interest anyways. Good going. ^^ Found the AAR since it was mentioned with you becoming Writer ofthe week (comgrats btw! :)) so I thought I'd check this out. Not disappointed so far, no sir. And where do you find those beautiful pictures? I only find moderately viewable pics when I search for things that are connected with the 16th and 17th century for my own AARs. Anyway, keep up the good work and good luck. :)
 
stnylan: Not being able to update yes, having a lucative job no ;)

cthulhu: Thanks! :)

Fnuco: And now you know my tale...

Space Papist: Indeed an update is coming up right now! :)

Kataprakto: I got those pics from google
 
And heres an update! Just in time for my 3000th post too yay! :D
__________________

At the same moment, Robert’s son, William was sitting at his desk, staring at Mr. Polster, his teacher who was a kindhearted man yet flawed with his extreme nationalism. Everyday, he would remind his class about the struggle of New England and praise the government for all that it was worth yet find time to demean the unions and accuse those who were members of unions that they were socialists who wanted to destabilize the nation. Merely another person held under the sway of the government, able to do every whim that the government wanted.

“Now kids, if you would turn to page 521, you will see a map of the North American continent."

northamerview.jpg


"The Great, Majestic nation of New England is in yellow followed by the United States in blue. New England stretches from Arcadia down to Atlantic City in North Jersey and is also in the possession of NE is the island of Bermuda, given to us from our ally the UK in the 1870’s. To the west of New England, you’ll see the Great Lakes Confederation in red. North of the GLC is Canada, one of our most trustful ally. South of the US, you will notice the white blob that encompasses Central America. That would be the USCA and if your parents read the news, is where the tension is occurring between the US and USCA.”

“Mr. Polster?”

“Yes Kimberly?”

“What are that bright green in the middle of the Caribbean Ocean and that orange in South America?”

“Ahh nice question Kimberly. Who in here can answer the question for her?”

No one raised a hand to answer.

“Ahh…William, you’re a bright kid at geography. What are those countries that Kimberly has inquired about?”

He had no trouble answering him. “The green country is the Caribbean Confederation while the orange country is Gran Columbia.”

“Very good William! Come up to my desk and I’ll give you a sweet”

He walked up to Mr. Polster and returned back to his desk with a lollipop in mouth amid jealous glares from fellow classmates.

“Now kids, we will be learning about the rest of the world tomorrow but for now lets begin on math….”

And there we leave William and Mr. Polster behind only to arrive at a house, nay, mansion on the outskirts of Boston where Alexander Slaret was sitting in a room filled with shelves of books. Along with him was a gathering of 3 other people, all CEOs of successful businesses with one common goal in mind. Domination over the other cliques of CEOs vying for power in the government. However, this clique was different from the rest. This one was one with Socialist backgrounds. Each of the members there were committed to furthering Socialism and it has a special irony that they each believed that to achieve that Socialist state was to gain riches in order to start the revolution.

“So is everything prepared for later?” inquired one of the members there.

“Everything is prepared for when he arrives in about…. an hour,” answered Slaret.

“And are you sure that the workers will rise up from their Capitalist foremen?”

“Yes. And all the weapons are ready for distribution.”

“Do the others know about this?”

“Yes, yes I have informed everyone involved. But they do not have important roles. All they have to do is pretend that they aren’t stricken with the loss of Barnes to infuriate the workers into rising up. We will act happy with the rest of the Capitalistic bastards while unbeknownst to them that we are the leaders behind this.”

“It all seems like a shame though…killing off a person so influential and so committed to helping the people while at the same time accepting capitalism…”

“Indeed it’s a shame but it must be done.”

Slaret raised his glass of port followed by everyone in the room.

“Godspeed and good luck.”

The others repeated what he had said, knowing that if what they were doing failed, all will be killed somehow or tortured by the Anti-Socialism Society for Economic Success.
 
Now that is a very intriguing update. Edit: and congratulations on the milestone!
 
02.jpg


Andrew Douglas watched from the car as another car pulled up to the empty lot and stopped in front of an abandoned factory with a sign proclaiming “Johnson’s Food! Feeding One Generation After Another” barely hanging on to its hinges and looked like it would fall off any second. Before, it was a fairly prosperous business, the factory housing over a thousand workers, laboring in cramped and hot conditions. Now however, it only housed homeless people, which Douglas had bribed with liquor to go somewhere else, and rats.

The company, like others, had suffered during the Red Scare of 1905 with workers leaving the premises to join the Socialist Party leaving the owners gawking as their workers left. Of course, with the military’s help, key leaders of the Socialist Party were arrested and were never heard from again. This disrupted the “Revolution” as is was called by the Socialist leaders and greatly demoralized the newcomers enough to abandon their quest for economic equality or in many cases, just higher wages and better working conditions. However, the government did not just stop at arresting the leaders. Instead, they continued on their purge of Socialism and continued to arrest and deport other advocates of Socialism to distant countries such as China or Russia where they banded together and quickly found followers in the oppressed peasants in the country. The decision to deport them to such countries was to be much discussed in the future by several historians. This had diminished the labor pool by as much as 15% but immigrants from Western and Central Europe had quickly filled the ranks with people who did not care about wages.

He saw Barnes step out of the car and walked to the door of the factory and forced it open and went inside. Douglas grasped to the side seat and grabbed a manila folder filled with forged papers. After pausing a moment, he reached under the seat and withdrew a revolver. After checking the cylinder for bullets, he put it in a holster to his side and proceeded to walk over to the factory. Making sure no one else was around; he opened the door and walked inside to see Barnes standing in the middle of the room amidst a column of light coming from a hole in the roof wearing a clean suit. He on the other hands stood in the shadows and wore a dirty old overcoat and a hat covering most of his face.

“Mr. Barnes,” he yelled out, frightening him.

He saw him turn to face the source of the noise, him.

“You’ve told me you had information for me. The question is, however, on who?”

Douglas chuckled.

“You would be very interested on who this information is about. This information had been acquired from the office of Victor Drazen himself, implicating him in bribing government officials. Particularly Bob Warner.”

He could tell this excited Barnes. He saw the face light up even though it was still as tough and unforgiving as when he first saw him.

“Well…this is certainly interesting. May I ask how you obtained this information?”

“As all news reporters should know Mr. Barnes…never give away your source.”

By now, he was right in front of Douglas and was holding his hand out, almost like a child asking for candy.

“Fork it over already!”

Douglas handed the folder over to him, which he gleefully held. He started to pull out his gun as the final part of the mission. Only, he was panged with thoughts. This is the man who is working for the people. The potential savior of the workers! How can I kill him? He put back his revolver and walked outside the factory to his car. As he got into the driver’s seat, he saw Barnes was outside the door and was near his car when he heard a sickening ccraacckk! sound. He cowered under the dashboard and when he looked up again, he saw Barnes lying in a pool of his own blood, a few feet away from the door of his car. Distraught, he started the car and got out of there as fast as he could, away from the dead man. Or so he thought…
 
Mmm, always make sure the people you think are dead, really are dead! Rather shady place for what sounds like a shady deal, in more ways than one!
 
Just caught up with most of this AAR. Great job Lifeless, i love this AAR so far, keep it up. ! :D
 
kenneththegreat said:
Nice update! :)

Oh, and just noticed something, New Jersey is not part of New England. It's the Mid-Atlantic area, damnit :mad:


Actually in the US New England is all states west of New York. Or at least thats what Ive learned.
 
stnylan: Especially if you fail you might die :p

Jape: Could it be?! Well I dont know now but I will :p Thanks :)

Iron-Chef: Ah thanks! Always nice to have new readers! ;)

kenneththegreat: Uhh...Poetic license :p But you're right. Lets just say it was...aquired...:p

Spitfire_Pilot: Thanks! I sure will! (I hope :rolleyes:)

cthulhu: Thanks!

billy bob: Yep you're right :p

All: Now thats schools almost out for the summer I can update more and not study yay! Now here's an update