Episode 3. Morning Headlines
Context
- Coordinated Universal Time
- Monday, July 15, 2024 - 6:29 AM
- Location
-
- Earth
- Brussels
- Agnes' apartment
- Timeline
- Unknown Timeline
- Previously
-
In 1954, a spacecraft crashed in the Arctic, recovered by the U.S. military and hidden from the world. Seventy years later, in 2024, tensions between Russia and NATO threatened to spiral out of control. In Brussels, Captain Agnes Rodriguez, an officer in the Special Fleet, was still sharing intimate moments with her partner Angie Chen, unaware of the approaching apocalypse.
Characters
| Name | Affiliation / Branch | Title / Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Agnes V. Rodriguez | NATO / Special Fleet | Captain |
| Angie Chen | NATO / Special Fleet | Commander |
| Volunteer Narrator | N/A | N/A |
TL;DR
Agnes and Angie return to their morning routine. But behind the normality of breakfast in Brussels, the world news reminds them that war is closing in fast.
Story
In the apparent quiet of their daily life, Agnes and Angie wake from their warm embrace and begin their morning routine, like any ordinary couple. Agnes gets out of bed, leaving behind the rumpled sheets that testify to the love she shared with Angie.
Turning around, Agnes looks at her beauty as she stretches gracefully, revealing the elegant curves of her breasts, lit by the first rays of the rising sun. Her movements carry a natural sensuality. Agnes' gaze is captivated by the beauty of this morning scene.
Together, they head for the bathroom, where hot water cascades over their tired skin, gently waking them and preparing them for the day ahead...
Agnes V. Rodriguez
Hey, you up there! The volunteer narrator!
Volunteer Narrator
Me?
Agnes V. Rodriguez
Yes, you!
Are you done making stuff up yet?
Volunteer Narrator
Uh...
Agnes V. Rodriguez
You already spent the whole night staring at us while Angie and I were doing the horizontal tango, and now you have to go around telling anyone who'll listen all those steamy details.
Seriously, if you're that desperate for sensationalism, go audition for Jerry Springer and leave us alone.
Volunteer Narrator
Oh, sorry, Agnes. I'll fade out and let you continue.
Agnes V. Rodriguez
Yeah, that's right... Seriously!
These days, you can't even have a little privacy without it being splashed all over the place.
Here, Angie, grab this towel and cover your boobs before they end up on the front page of The Daily Dirt.
Angie Chen
Thanks, my love.
At that point, we keep getting ready. Angie does her makeup and fixes her hair. Me, I run the clippers over my head, like I do every day.
Yep, I shave my head. Angie's idea. She thinks that with my rank as captain, the look gives me more authority.
And she's not exactly wrong, because some officers practically shit their pants when they see me coming.
Angie Chen
Ha ha ha, you really should clean up your language when you tell our story.
There are kids watching us...
Agnes V. Rodriguez
Yes, I know, it's my big flaw. But in our war-torn times, you have to know how to make people obey and respect you.
While you finish getting dressed, I'll go down to the kitchen and make breakfast.
Angie Chen
Same as usual for me: black coffee and scrambled eggs.
Agnes V. Rodriguez
I'll whip that up for you in no time.
Agnes descends the stairs with elegance, gracefully sliding her hand along the polished wooden banister, her movements infused with a natural sensuality...
Agnes V. Rodriguez
STOP! That's enough!
You! Volunteer narrator! You're fired! Go back to auditioning for toilet paper commercials. I'd rather handle the narration myself.
Honestly!
Let's try that again.
What he meant was that I walk down the stairs with a firm, determined stride—not like some lovestruck muse.
I reach the kitchen and turn on the radio, tuning it to Defense FM.
The station is broadcast and funded by every country in the Alliance, along with private media, to maintain a degree of neutrality without descending into outright propaganda. It keeps citizens informed about how the war is unfolding.
While I make breakfast, I'll let you listen to the news.
Defense FM Radio
...You are tuned to Defense FM. It is 7:00 AM, and I wish you an excellent start to this sunny Monday. In today's headlines:
U.S. election: During a rally in Pennsylvania, Republican Donald Trump, a candidate in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. In the middle of his speech, he was struck in the ear before being taken down and evacuated by Secret Service agents. The incident has given him a boost in the polls, which now suggest that his third attempt to reach the White House may finally succeed.
NATO: the annual summit will take place today in Brussels. The capital awaits the imminent arrival of the Alliance's major leaders: United States President Hillary Clinton, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French Acting President Gabriel Attal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky... The files concerning the integration of Switzerland and Austria into the Alliance will be handled, and the agreements will be signed as early as this afternoon.
Russian aggression: The Pentagon states that it has detected a large number of Russian vessels near the American and Canadian coasts.
The Elon Musk affair: The billionaire has arrived in China, and Emperor Xi Jinping has accepted his request for political asylum, according to a statement from Beijing.
Death penalty: 17 pro-Russian French citizens, judged as traitors to the Alliance, were executed by guillotine last night in Paris. Since the restoration of this penalty ten years ago, more than 20,000 sentences have been handed down across all Alliance countries.
Macron's captivity: Photos of the former French president were published this weekend on the Azerbaijani government's website. As a reminder, Emmanuel Macron was intercepted and arrested in Azerbaijan in April 2024, while he was traveling to Armenia, and since then, we had received no further news. French Acting President Gabriel Attal stated that he will do everything possible to free President Macron.
That's all for now. Thank you for listening. We continue with music from Frank Sinatra and his song I've Got You Under My Skin...
Agnes V. Rodriguez
Ooooh, look who's here. It's my little Angie, fresh from the bathroom.
Are you ready?
Angie Chen
Yes, ready to bring the house down.
Agnes V. Rodriguez
I made the coffee, and your scrambled eggs are waiting.
Angie Chen
Thanks, honey. Mmm... This coffee is delicious.
By the way, what's the news from the world?
Agnes V. Rodriguez
Worrying. The Russians are preparing another dirty trick.
Angie Chen
What I mostly remember is that the last time you said that, they blew up Zaporizhzhia.
What are you expecting this time?
I look up at her without answering right away. Her tone is calm, but her eyes betray contained anger and a fear she refuses to show.
Agnes V. Rodriguez
Honestly? Anything. And nothing.
A silence falls, broken only by the gurgling of the coffee maker.
I turn away to pour her coffee, trying to preserve some semblance of normality.