Essential Commodity

By Walson Iwalesin

Following the Chinese-American war, society has plunged into the verge of anarchy as supply chains have been disrupted and major droughts and famines have swept the globe. In the seat of Old Mexico, the High Command attempts to fill this powerless vacuum when a new threat materializes. Scientists from across the world race to find a vaccine for the new disease; but before long, the virus has shrunk the existing male population, and the entire patriarchy is threatened. Will women emerge as the new leaders in international affairs? Or will the remnants of society band together to confront the new threat? Come along for the ride as the power of science and technology are confronted in new and devastating ways. In a world of survivors, no one knows exactly where they are heading or why.

Essential Commodity is a fast-paced and gripping novel set in the not-too-distant future by Ontario-based author Walson Iwalesin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Oct 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781649797070

Walson Iwalesin

Born and raised in Nigeria, a great deal of Walson Iwalesin’s formative years were spent on the tough streets of Lagos, where he was often confronted with the cold realities of the modern world. Over time, he grew tired of seeing women getting commoditized by men and wondered what it would be like if traditional gender roles were challenged. He lived in South Africa for seven years before moving to Ontario, Canada, in 2017, which is where the idea for Essential Commodity was first hatched. In a simple twist of fate, what would happen if gender roles were reversed and the entire patriarchy was threatened in terrible ways? Over the next few years, he sought to answer that question as a novel began to slowly take shape. In his spare time, he enjoys playing snooker, composing music, reading books, and learning about software development. He held a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Lagos as well as an honor’s degree in Industrial Organization and Labor Studies, and a master’s degree in Industrial Psychology from Howard College, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.

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About The Author

Born and raised in Nigeria, a great deal of Walson Iwalesin’s formative years were spent on the tough streets of Lagos, where he was often confronted with the cold realities of the modern world. Over time, he grew tired of seeing women getting commoditized by men and wondered what it would be like if traditional gender roles were challenged.

He lived in South Africa for seven years before moving to Ontario, Canada, in 2017, which is where the idea for Essential Commodity was first hatched. In a simple twist of fate, what would happen if gender roles were reversed and the entire patriarchy was threatened in terrible ways? Over the next few years, he sought to answer that question as a novel began to slowly take shape.

In his spare time, he enjoys playing snooker, composing music, reading books, and learning about software development. He held a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Lagos as well as an honor’s degree in Industrial Organization and Labor Studies, and a master’s degree in Industrial Psychology from Howard College, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.

Dedication

I have a daughter, Bolaji Iwalesin, whom I adore. Bolaji, I dedicate this book to you, my dear!

Copyright Information ©

Walson Iwalesin 2021

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Iwalesin, Walson

Essential Commodity

ISBN 9781649797063 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781649797070 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021918942

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published 2021

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

[e-mail]

[phone]

Acknowledgment

I’d like to acknowledge a few people who made this book possible. Special thanks go to Jasmine, Kirk, Dimeji, Kemi, Wendy, Joe, A.J. Siders, Emlyn, Mrs. Iwalesin, Mfundo, and Sheye for helping me along this journey.

Foreword

My Dearest Reader,

I have a story that I’d like to tell you. The year was 2050. The entire world was in turmoil. The Chinese-American War was over with the Chinese having come out victorious. But a new world order had slowly emerged from the rubble. In fact, my own grandparents had fought in the Last War, so struggle and hardship are things I know too well.

Before long, the Pan North American Super State, otherwise known as PNASS, emerged in North America in the power vacuum left by the fall of the United States. Headquartered in the seat of Old Mexico, PNASS is ran by High Commander Gene Wallace, a madman who views himself like one of the Roman Caesar’s of old.

As the high commander expands his war into Brazil and the rest of the South America, a new virus manifests. Meanwhile, scientists from across the world are working hard to find a vaccine that will cure the disease, and hopefully save us all.

Unfortunately, my dearest readers, the high commander is stubborn and doesn’t heed the advice of those doctors, and our own lives swing in the balance. He’s more concerned with fueling wars and maintaining his own grip on power versus protecting his people, a tragic mistake that may cost him and everyone else their lives.

Simultaneously, almost every country in the world is plunged into anarchy with supply chains disrupted and major droughts and famines on the horizon.

Once the virus starts affecting the male population disproportionately, the entire patriarchy, and the High Command itself, is permanently threatened.

If that were the whole story, it would be a sad one, indeed, my dearest reader. But I can attest that a certain group of brave individuals rose forth and attempted to take fate into their hands.

From my understanding, they have mounted a plan to ultimately challenge the high commander – and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity where both men and women are respected equally.

I, too, live in this world, and my only hope is that I make it out of this madness alive, so that I can share my story with you before it’s too late. Let these words be a warning to you – and anyone else who might happen upon them.

We humans are far more fragile than you may think, and the fate and livelihoods of billions of people swing in the balance! Let us all pray that these few brave souls are successful in their current endeavors.

Yours truly,

A Concerned Subject

The Key to

Essential Commodity

My dearest reader, I have included some resource materials, if you would, to elaborate upon many of the main ideas and characters found in my tale. Use the following key to unlock the mysteries of Essential Commodity.

Air Guard: consists of dozens of elite squadrons under the command of the high commander, the chief executive of the Pan North American Super State.

Ambassador Grant: the high commander’s chief scientific advisor who attempts to deploy what he fondly calls Genesis, the super-secretive codename for a supercomputer that he hopes will create a working vaccine before it’s too late.

Baba: originally a thug from the streets of Lagos, he immigrated to PNASS on a student VISA and obtained his degree in the military sciences. He has a quirky personality and is obsessed with left-handed women, which is why he created his own female-inspired, left-handed love robot named ELLIE.

Bylaws: like many nation-states, the PNASS is governed by official bylaws; however, in this world, the high commander is exceeding his power all the time.

Captain Carson: one of the high commander’s top staffers. He is genuinely a good man but scared to death of Wallace and eventually gets himself into trouble fraternizing with a slave girl named Polish.

Chinese-American War: also called the Great War, this is the war that caused the fall of the once-mighty Untied States of America as Chinese forces topped major cities throughout the country. American allies tried to reset a government up again headquartered in Denver, Colorado, but as of the time of the writing of this book, they have been muchly unsuccessful.

Commander Dalton: he is an old school, honorable military man who is tactically cunning and quick witted. He serves as the high commander’s chief of staff, the top position within the executive staff.

Dais: the large platform that stands at the center of the Great Hall in the New Palace where the high commander greets official guests and watches festivities orchestrated by the master of ceremony.

Dennis: In the early days of the virus, he notices hardly anyone is taking the threat seriously. He is a strong, fast-talking man with swagger and finesse. And he’s closely plugged in with the high commander. But deep down, he despises everything the high commander has come to stand for.

Flynn: Dennis’s AI robot. He is steadfastly committed to serving his master at all costs.

ELLIE: Baba’s left-handed love robot, she is an artificial intelligence machine with quantum computers and a series of nano-mainframes, transistors, wires, and other parts. She is able to synthesize a vaccine – but only in small doses.

Genesis: the code name for a super-secret plot by the high commander’s chief science advisor, Ambassador Grant, to build a supercomputer that will map-out and create a vaccine for the virus.

Great Hall: the main chamber of the New Palace where the master of ceremony conducts a range of festivities, banquets, and other events.

High Command: the official governing body of PNASS, the Pan North American Super State, headed by the high commander, Gene Wallace. The High Command is the top executive branch of the empire.

High Commander: his real name is Gene Wallace, and he is allegedly one of Dennis’s old colleagues from school. Before the story begins, he has already emerged as the leader of PNASS. In the beginning, he won’t take the virus seriously, as he is more concerned with expanding his empire than protecting his people despite all evidence that the virus is a serious threat. He is very intrigued by old Roman emperors and maintaining the existing male patriarchy at all costs.

Lieutenant Commander Douglass: a good man who takes his orders from the high commander reluctantly. He recognizes that the high commander’s empire is fading fast – and hopes to get out before it’s too late. Eventually, he’s called a co-conspirator in a plot to overthrow the high commander.

Lieutenant Gage: an old man at the training facility on the outskirts of the empire whose notorious doctors are carrying out all manner of unthinkable crimes against humanity.

Master of Ceremony: a little person who loves ornate robes and other pomp and circumstance. He is the official in charge of entertaining the high commander and scheduling all his appointments.

New Palace: the name given to the primary base of the High Command, the executive branch of the PNASS empire. The palace is located in the seat of Old Mexico and is constructed in Roman archways and other opulent touches.

New Palace Staff: an eclectic mishmash of different souls, many of whom had been kidnapped from the surrounding tribes beyond the walls of the New Palace. Staffers donned a yellow suit in stark contrast to the blacks of the Regal Crown and reds of the Executive Staff.

Mike: a doctor who once got in trouble for sleeping with a patient. He tries to warn the high commander about the pending virus, but his warnings fall on deaf ears.

Miss Oula: she is a former stripper, supplying strippers for chains of strip clubs and others. Also involved in trafficking young girls to perform for the high commander.

Old Man: he isn’t mentioned by name, but he is Polish’s father whom she hasn’t seen in years.

Pan North American Super State: see PNASS.

PNASS: an acronym that stands for the Pan North American Super State, the largest government player in the western hemisphere following the fall of America after the Chinese-American War. PNASS sounds like penis, and is emblematic of the old-school male patriarchy of the day, which is threatened by a new virus that is particularly harsh to humans with the Y-chromosome.

Polish: when the story begins, she is a captive at the high commander’s palace. She later plans her escape from the compound – and later comes back with other women to take over.

Regal Crown: the official police of the High Command, not to be mistaken with the Executive Staff who wears red uniforms. Regal Crown officers are darkly clad and are sworn to protect the high commander at all costs while policing the New Palace grounds and assisting the Royal Army and Air Guard as needed.

Regal One: the flagship of the Air Guard. The High Command purchased and acquired through other means many of the American military’s prized assets following their failed war with the Chinese. Regal One was later retrofitted with two, two-stage, 60,000-ton nuclear rockets that could boost the 400-ton aircraft to nearly 10-percent the speed of light. It was the most advanced aircraft in the world to-date and capable of