Fanon:Persuasion

Persuasion is the seventh episode of the Revolution series by WikiBuilder1147. It depicts the adventures of a group of youngsters as they fight against the oppressive regime under which they live their lives in constant scrutiny and fear.

Previously on Revolution…
After recapturing Miami from the Government encampment, Ben and company must now face the painstaking task of freeing her from the clutches of Government influence. The quest to break the spell surrounding Miami's mind...

Chapter 1
As Harry drove on back towards their hiding place, Ben opened the newspaper he had stolen from the camp.

"HUNDREDS MASSACRED BY RAMPAGING TRAITORS!"

"DANGEROUS INFERNO OF TREACHERY INCINERATES THOUSANDS!"

Ben rolled his eyes. He knew only around a hundred guards had been killed at Roger-Alpha-9 and Victor-Charlie-624.

He flipped through the paper, and eventually something caught his attention.

The Defiance List was a list of people who had been arrested, imprisoned and/or executed by the Government. Published annually, the Defiance List was succinct and ruthless.

"Allen, François - Mediterranean - Encouraging irresponsible behaviour - IMPRISONED FOR 30 YEARS."

"Alto, June - SimNation - Destruction of public property - IMPRISONED FOR 7 YEARS."

"de Malle, Frederik - Germanica - Protesting against government policies and causing public disruption - IMPRISONED FOR LIFE."

"Hodgson, Nathaniel; Hodgson, Tania; Hodgson, Cedric - SimNation - Exhibition of destructive behaviour and propagation of rebel theories and undesirable ideologies - EXECUTED."

Ben's eyes hovered over "executed". All three were murdered by the Government. Miami's father, mother and younger brother. Tears began to well in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry.

Ben snapped out of it. "No, no, it's nothing. Just got something in my eye." He wiped the tears away.

"Okay," Harry replied.

Chapter 2
The four were back at the cave. It was sunset. Another fire was set up. Miami sat on a large rock at the end of the cave.

"Miami," Harry said. "You need to snap out of it! Hundreds have already been killed by the Government."

"They were traitors. They deserved to die. And so do you for your treachery," came the reply.

"Don't let them spoon-feed you, Miami!" said Alex. "They are brainwashing you with false information!"

"The Government is always watching," Miami mumbled. "Always. Watching."

Ben listened at the exchange as he sat a few metres away, silently eating. He couldn't break the news to Miami. It would scar her.

"Shut up, Miami!" Harry shouted. "Shut up with that freakin' bull. That crap is what keeps the Government going. What makes the populace accept all the massacres and murders that are happening all the time at the hands of the Government."

"They will find me, and then you will--"

"I said SHUT THE HELL UP!" Harry slapped Miami. She winced in pain. Ben dropped his meal.

"Harry, step away from her!" Ben cried. He then went soft again. "You're hurting her."

"Oh. I'm…I'm sorry," Harry replied, to Ben's surprise. Harry stepped away from Miami.

"Can…can you leave us alone for a few moments?" Ben asked.

There was an awkward silence.

"Alright," Alex and Harry said reluctantly. They went outside the cave.

Ben picked up a spare log and placed it in front of Miami. He sat down, looking straight into Miami's eyes.

"I know that, somewhere, you're in there, Miami," Ben said.

"I am here, Ben," she said.

"Physically, yes. But you're not the Miami I know."

"What do you mean?"

"Usually you wouldn't care if someone broke the rules," he said. "You'd actually support the person who defied the Government's regulations.

"People change, Ben."

"Yes, but not like this!" Ben said. Then, he stopped. He lowered his head.

"I'm sorry, Miami."

"For what?"

He raised his head to look Miami in the eye again. "Your family. They're…they're dead. Executed by the Government."

Miami's eyes dilated. She looked as if she had been stabbed in the heart. Multiple times. Her breathing became heavy.

"No…" Miami gasped. "It can't be. NO!"

"I'm afraid it's true," said Ben. He opened the newspaper to the Defiance List.

"No…" Miami whispered again. "No…no, no, no…" A tear fell from her eye.

"My…my little brother had nothing to do with this," she mumbled. "And he was killed as well?"

"Miami, I'm so, so, sorry," Ben said.

Alex and Harry poked their head through the cave entrance. Their eyes welled with sympathy.

"Mum…Dad…Cedric…," she sobbed. "Dead…" She fell into Ben's arms. Her body bobbed up and down as she cried.

To be continued..