Recruitment system in DC

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***

- Finally, the ceremony was over. I was all nervous, and especially when we were given the floor. You saved me, because I didn't know what to say at all. And your speech, although a bit aggressive, was quite good," Agnes said as she walked with me to the exit.

We've already been released. I was told that I would be contacted again. In the meantime, we were on our way out of the white house, where the journalists were waiting for us, for whom I would have to give interviews. I will give just one, but I don't know who it will be to yet.

I definitely saw Lois Lane in the audience, but she's the last person I'd want to interview. Still, from what I remember, she's pretty persistent, so she'll shake the soul out of me during it.

- Where are we going next? - Semilia asked me. Agnes is supposed to go home, but we'll have to stay in Washington for the time being, and then we'll go wherever they tell us to go. I think we can get a couple of rooms in a hotel or two. Just have to find a good enough quality one. I've got money, and I've got a lot of it. Still, what not to say, but soldiers earn a lot of money, especially officers, especially in hot spots.

- Most likely, now we'll spend a couple of hours talking to journalists, and then we'll find some hotel where we'll stay for a couple of days, - I answered her, when we were already approaching the exit.

And as I expected, they were already waiting for us there. And there were more journalists here than at the ceremony itself. They love to talk about military conflicts, especially in a negative light.

- Mr Kent, let me ask you a few questions.

- Mr Kent, would you like to do an interview with our newspaper?

- Mr Kent, could you tell us more about your experiences in the war?

Various requests came at me from all sides, which was rather uncomfortable. So I decided to just let them all go as soon as I confirmed one of my theories.

- I'm sorry, but I've already agreed with one newspaper that I'll give an interview only to them, - I said calmly, looking at everyone around me with a serious expression. And surprisingly, they all fell silent immediately afterwards. I wonder, is it my look so intimidating or is there another reason for this behaviour?

Calmly seeping through the crowd, I approached the car standing aside from the main crowd and smiled. I wonder how this meeting will go?

- Mr Kent! Would you like to interview me? - I asked a rather muscular, black-haired guy with glasses, who had been staring at me since I'd come out of the white house.

He looked rather modest himself, but I certainly wouldn't be fooled by that appearance of modesty, after all, I remembered this man from my childhood. All the memories of Ed's past have been passed on to me, so I know my brother better than he does.

- Of course, Mr Kent," he said with the same smile I had.

- Clark? You two know each other? - said the girl who ran up to us, who I recognised as Loyce Lane.

- Ahahahahahaha, come on, bro. Why don't you just give me a hug? Long time no see," I said with a laugh, hugging my brother.- Yeah, it's been a long time, Ed. You've grown up, and you dyed your hair," he said, also hugging me.

- Well, I didn't dye it. It turned grey in the war," I said. Clark squeezed the hug a little tighter after that statement.

- Okay, okay. Relax or you'll strangle me," I told him, to which he let go of me a little embarrassed. But here I still feel like I'm in for some serious conversation besides the interview. Yes, last Ed did an extremely stupid thing by not telling any of his relatives about going off to war. I can already feel the pile of lectures first from Clark and then also from my parents.

Still, knowing my dad, I'm pretty sure he definitely watched that award ceremony. He's a big critic of the U.S. Army, so he doesn't miss any news about it.

- All right. (chuckles) But you're gonna tell me everything about your time in the army. And especially about what made you want to go to war in the first place, and why you thought it would be a smart idea not to tell your family," Clark said seriously, looking at me judgementally. Mm...

- Well, I guess we'll talk about it again, but we'll just have to find the right place. But first, let me introduce you to someone. This is Semilia Sternau, my... friend," I said, a little miffed at Semilia's introduction. I don't know how else to label our relationship.

- Ah, nice to meet you, I'm Clark Kent. And this is my colleague, Lois Lane," Clark introduced his friend, who had been standing next to us listening to our conversation.

- Well, we've met. Now, do you know any good cafes around here? We'll have a bite to eat, because I haven't eaten since the flight," I said happily. As I analysed my emotions, I realised that the memory of Ed's past had affected me more than the memory of all the people I'd absorbed. It's more like grey information, with minimal emotional colouring. Ed's memories were like my own childhood memories. And it was as if they were yours, but they were mostly almost forgotten, though they still evoked emotion.

And realising that, I'm even less keen to see Kara now. I don't know how the hell I'd feel seeing her.

- Um, I don't come here that often... Well, you can look it up on the Internet," Clark said uncertainly, scratching the back of his head.

- All right, I know a cafe nearby, let's go," Lois said suddenly, dragging us all off. I hope she doesn't interrupt our family reunion too much.

It wasn't too far to the cafe, and it really wasn't too far. We flew here in the morning, and now it was almost lunchtime, so we could eat normally.

Quickly taking a free table, we started ordering our meals. I ordered some meat and some side dishes. Although there was a lot of meat, I hadn't eaten normal meat for a long time, even on the plane it was so bad.

- Well, now we can talk, just while we are waiting for the order, - I said, calmly sipping tea, which was brought to us very quickly.

- All right. So, why did you go to war in the first place? - Clark asked, looking me seriously in the eye.

- It's actually pretty simple. After Kara broke up with me, and in that way, it took me a long time to get over it, and I even went to a military academy to get away from the relationship. But in the end it didn't help much, so I went to war. That's where I didn't have time to think about it. And yes, write in your notebook something like, I wanted to help the country and protect ordinary people. Well, you know the real reason," I told Clark calmly, leaning back in my chair lightly.

- Ehhhhh, that's what I thought. Still, you've had it a lot harder. I wouldn't say it was easy for Kara, though, and she still blames herself for what she did," Clark said, trying to make some excuses for Kara.

- You can't undo what you've done. Let's talk about something else. You're a reporter, so ask me questions," I told him, avoiding the unpleasant subject.

- Okay. Then tell me, have you killed people? - he asked again. Well, yes, from one unpleasant topic to another, thank you, brother.

- Of course, you can't do that in war," I answered in a simple, indifferent voice.

- And how did you feel at that moment? - Clark continued.

- Nothing. For me then and now, terrorists and criminals are no longer people, but rather beasts to be spared by a perverted sadist who only wants more people to get hurt," I said my point of view, which apparently didn't please my brother, judging by the way he frowned.

- And yes, you can write that down, too. I don't have to hide my position," I said, looking at my brother.

- Hmm, your stance is too aggressive. Don't criminals deserve a chance to change? They're human beings too," my brother tried to change my mind, but I had made up my mind a long time ago.

- Not all of them. Only a few deserve such a precious thing as the right to change. And those who kill innocent people by the dozens, if not hundreds, are definitely not among them," I told him, not wanting to continue this topic, which I showed him with a rather expressive look.

- Ahem, okay. Then how exactly did you turn grey. It's still a very unusual phenomenon," he asked. Now that's a normal topic. Besides, it was an interesting story, though not a very funny one.

- Oh, it is an interesting story. It all started the day my platoon, along with a few others, arrived at a village that had been overrun by terrorists. We started negotiating to get the innocent people out of there safely. Eventually, our commanders came to the conclusion that our soldiers would enter the village and take the people, giving the terrorists a chance to leave. I didn't particularly like it, but who's going to ask me," I began to say, pausing a little to sip my tea.

- But that's where things got fucked up! As soon as we got inside, it turned out to be an ambush and we were hit by shells. A few metres away from me a very young guy was blown up by a bomb, and a couple of dozen metres away a girl was blown up by a mine in an attempt to escape. Chaos began and the soldiers, no longer listening to the orders of their commanders, quickly began to scatter. After that, the terrorists themselves came to us, apparently to finish off the survivors. I managed to shoot a few of the ones that came at me, but then I saw a soldier nearby who was concussed and knocked out. It was more of a priority for me to save him than to keep trying to fight a bunch of enemies. Grabbing him and throwing him on my shoulders, I ran towards the cars I could use to get away - I was interrupted again when they brought us our order, but I didn't dare touch it. I even noticed the waitress listening to my story, and a couple of other people from neighbouring tables. Still, I was telling it quite loudly, as opposed to answering past questions.

- It wasn't far, but it wasn't very comfortable to move under a hail of bullets, especially with a guy on my shoulders. And it seemed that it couldn't get any worse, when I saw several terrorists killing one of ours right in front of me, and not far from the already dead body there was a girl still alive, who was lying with a broken leg and arm on the ground, without much chance to resist. I don't even remember how I was able to take out my automatic rifle and quickly shoot at each of them. Still, I was the best in shooting at the academy for a reason. I didn't have time to think, so I took on the second man and ran even faster to the right place. There were almost no cars there, but there was help. Together with a few more soldiers I managed to unload the injured into the lorries and we quickly drove a little further away. As we drove away from the village, we managed to contact the command. It took me a while to realise until then, but we had been jammed with communications. After they learnt about the ambush, they sent help to us and the survivors managed to evacuate. It wasn't until I got to the base that I noticed my hair had turned grey. It was probably the first time I'd ever been in such a dangerous fight, though I think I've been in worse," I finished.

- It was... strong. You did well to not only survive, but to save your comrades as well. I'm proud of you, brother," Clark said with a slightly confused smile.

- Thanks, Clark. But can we eat now? - I asked, to which he just nodded. Finally, a proper fucking meal. I missed this in the army.

After lunch, Clark calmed down and asked just a few more of the fairly simple questions a normal journalist should ask. After that, he and Lois left, but Clark told me that he and I would talk again, just some other time.

Well, it wasn't as intense as I thought it would be, but it wasn't that good. Well, at least I can get some rest now. I think I've earned it...

*** 

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