Nothing is as it Seems: The Perspective Shift

By Nathan R Morgan

All of Hudson’s dreams came true. He destroyed the Adler Tribe and established a new beginning for him and all the Corgus people. Yet, trouble in paradise never seems to cease.

Some were not so pleased with the Corgus Group’s actions. Some decided they wouldn’t accept the new lives they were given, ultimately wanting the

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cadmus Publishing
• Release date: Dec 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9780999859056

Book preview

Nothing Is As It Seems:

The Perspective Shift

Nathan R. Morgan

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Cadmus Publishing

www.cadmuspublishing.com

© 2019 Nathan R. Morgan

Published by Cadmus Publishing

www.cadmuspublishing.com

ISBN: 978-0-9998590-5-6

All rights reserved.

Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, and Pan-American Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the author.

Foreword

Flashback

Within the walls of an elaborately designed bunker, utter chaos recently unfolded, quickly followed by order and peace. The bunker lay in a region full of terror and lawlessness, yet the civilization that controlled it managed to become a gem of prosperity. At least, it seemed that way.

An oligarchy of five clever leaders known as the Adler Tribe once thrived there. These individuals were led by one fierce man, Elliott Eagle. Elliott prided himself on his long list of accomplishments, delighting in one in particular. Elliott had rallied his four other comrades to create a utopian society, or at least the illusion of one. The ones whom they controlled believed without question that their contributions to civilization served the greater good. Yet this society was a spectacle of the imagination, as something much darker and more sinister lay beneath the surface. It lurked in the shadows, out of the public eye. The oligarchs took every possible action to never let the truth get out.

The Adler Tribe loved the control they had and went to great lengths to avoid having it escape their grasp. Armed with mind-controlling propaganda and deceit, they implemented a power structure that only benefited themselves and their elitist friends while the people became wholeheartedly loyal to their evil agenda. Their efforts convinced the people that they had a say in what the Tribe did politically, but this was far from the truth. The Tribe would talk, but never take action. Political action only occurred when Elliott and his righthand men would reap benefits.

Despite the Adler Tribe’s success, not a single thing in the world is without limitations. Some highly intelligent and moral individuals within the society became aware that something was off. These select few started to question if what the Alder Tribe told them was legitimate. Some of these intrepid individuals were discovered for their questioning of authority and were taken care of, but not everyone could be contained.

Many signs of evil could be seen if one simply shifted one’s perspective. The Adler Tribe committed atrocities against its neighbors, building an ever-growing list of enemies and causing even more instability within the already unstable region. Attempts at escape were rare and always futile, without a hint of success. Another growing danger was the increasing population of Riho creatures. They threatened the Tribe’s safety, and the attacks and death rate of soldiers on missions spiked. The physical size of the average Riho was inexplicably increasing. Yet again, the oligarchs took no action to address this issue, nor did they seem to care. The final blow to their facade was when those who were allowed outside the bunker noticed that the roads and buildings looked like they had given up. Their world was cracking and crumbling, and the oligarchs, without failure, did nothing about it.

This massive list of damning evidence increased distrust in the minds of the people, who were no longer asleep. To these people, it felt as if an evil force filled with darkness and hatred had clamped down on them with an iron grip. They were kept from anything positive and realized how much they were fed meaningless distractions and lies. The veil of institutional deception had been lifted, and now, they could finally see the Adler leadership for who they really were.

They knew that what they had been experiencing was truly a web of lies, and that something needed to change quickly, before disaster struck. They knew the reality they were trapped in was not as it seemed; they needed hope. They needed someone to blame for their misery, and the leaders of the Adler Tribe were at the root of it all. What happened next was remarkable, forever changing the lives of every soul fortunate enough to witness it unfold—and still manage to survive. It completely changed the course of their history.

It began with a young man—a deeply connected Adler Tribe insider named Hudson Shuly, who was chosen to work with an enemy force known as the Corgus Group. The Corgus Group worked to take down the complex power structure from within. Hudson was chosen by the Corgus for his unique story. Hudson had deep connections to the system, and he was familiar with how it functioned. Long before anyone at all started to wake up from their slumber, Hudson was a high-ranking Adler military squadron member. He saw things the average citizen would never get a chance to see. Over his years of observation, he realized everything he did seemed strange. He concluded that nothing he did for the tribe was morally right at its core. It took him months, but he came to grips with the true situation he was in. He realized the society was a lie, and everything he knew to be real was untrue.

That was when the Adler leaders took notice. They debated what they should do about their new problem. To say the least, there were no easy answers. They reluctantly concluded Hudson was a special case, and an accident or a disappearance could not be simply arranged. He was much too valuable to them to be killed off, since they needed his military talents and skills. They still needed soldiers who would defend them at any cost, and, even though Hudson could not be trusted, they needed a solution that would allow them to push forward with their agenda, and for Hudson to still be their pawn.

They decided to consult with their team of incredibly intelligent scientists and found the solution they had been looking for. After long talks and negotiations, they planned to engineer a serum that would wipe away Hudson’s memory. It took them months of studying medical documents and interpreting scientific knowledge from the unknown world, but eventually, the scientists developed the serum. They called this a plan to reset their adversary. Reset Hudson’s memory it did. The Adler leadership were proud of the scientists’ achievement and quietly rewarded them with great wealth. This clever bribe suppressed the scientists from speaking up. The Adler leaders still had to be careful. They knew they were treading on razor-thin ice.

The Adler oligarchs soon realized their success with resetting Hudson’s memory was temporary. Hudson had been successfully reprogrammed from start to finish, but part of his brain had been left untouched. He was given his name back, slowly reintroduced into his former position in the military, and was once again loyal to the lies of the Adler leaders, yet he still had a strange sense of something being off. He felt like nothing was ever quite right, as if a major part of his identity was missing.

The Adler Tribe oligarchs slowly realized their solution had failed, and they had no choice but to eliminate Hudson. They were disgusted with their scientists for the utter failure, so they banished them out into the harsh outside world to fend for themselves. No longer able to stand for the possibility of their own demise, they went to work. They devised a masterful plan of attack to destroy Hudson.

However, someone that they deeply trusted discovered their evil plans. A man named Mike was a former member of the elite group. He knew the system inside and out. Mike was a renowned member of the intelligence sector, so he had extensive knowledge of everything that was documented that in any way involved the Adler Tribe and its activities. Using the power he had been trusted with, he intercepted the documents of what would happen to Hudson and how the plan would be executed. It was at that exact moment he knew he had to step in. Mike was also one of the highly intelligent and moral individuals within the society. He understood that in his trusted position, his true feelings and motives could never be discovered by the Adler leaders. He wanted no part of their plans and desperately wanted to watch the system burn. He used his high standing to assist Hudson in subtle ways.

So, in a way that went completely unnoticed until it was much too late, Mike did just that. He set up a plan of his own to depart from the Adler Tribe in a way that would not cause any alarm. He drafted a letter of resignation, sent it in to Elliott Eagle, and in the middle of that same night, he vanished, leaving a single item behind. He left a letter explaining that he wanted to thank the Adler Tribe for how good it had been to him. He concluded the letter with a farewell, claiming that he was leaving to discover himself and become an extreme survivor in the outside world. To his surprise, no search parties came and there was no hysteria. His plan succeeded, and he was off to join the Corgus in their efforts to take down the Adlers.

Once Mike was united with the Corgus, he worked tirelessly to bring about a plan to destroy the Adler Tribe. It was then that he knew for sure Hudson had to be a part of the operation. That was also when he devised a plan to free Hudson, and at the same exact time, he used Elliott Eagle’s own evil plans to work in the Corgus’ favor.

To rescue Hudson, he set up a surprise attack on the caravan sent out to rescue Kat. Kat was a spy for the Adler leaders, albeit an unwilling one. The Adler leaders had blackmailed her to keep quiet. She was forced into silence concerning anything related to their evil plot to destroy Hudson. She did their bidding, making Hudson fall in love with her beautiful personality and looks in the process. Then, she did something unexpected that left Hudson heartbroken. She sacrificed herself to be taken away by a vicious Riho near its nest, allowing Hudson and the others he was with to escape safely.

After this tragic event, Hudson and other Corgus were sent on a rescue mission to save Kat. They did this eagerly, hoping she would still be alive. Zoologists believed some Rihos did not immediately kill their prey for rationing purposes. They injected their prey with venom, knocking them out. Then, they took their prey to a nearby area, where they are watched carefully until the prey awoke. Finally, when the prey did wake up, a pack of Rihos devoured the poor victim. It would be a horrific death for Kat, and in no way was Hudson going to let that happen, even if the chances of their mission being successful were next to none. Only, the mission was a fraud. Kat was actually safe and unharmed. It was all part of the plan to eliminate Hudson. The trickery had worked, and Hudson was soon to be dead. In other words, Kat was unscathed, while Hudson and his crew were sent off to their deaths.

At least, that was the plan. Mike put a stop to it quickly when he discovered the truth about the alarming situation. He collaborated with the Corgus leaders to send a crew that would intercept Kat’s rescue caravan. In a sweeping success, the caravan’s cars had every single tire blown out, all the individuals not involved were knocked unconscious, and the Corgus’s prize was safe and secured—that treasure being Hudson. They gave Hudson a slight roughing up on entry, which Mike protested, but Julian Corgus, the Corgus Group leader, insisted it was necessary.

Once Mike, Julian, and Hudson were all in the same place, Hudson heard the truth he had been looking for. His suspicion that the Adler Tribe was run by a bunch of phonies was immediately confirmed. With that valuable knowledge, he decided to take part in the destruction of the Adler Tribe. He too wanted to see the look on Elliott Eagle’s face when his entire life’s work fell apart before his very eyes. Hudson gladly joined the Corgus forces, eager to be a part of Julian’s masterful plan of attack.

The Corgus relentlessly fought until every last piece of the Adler Tribe bunker and the Adler society came under their control, and when it was all said and done, the Adler Tribe was demolished without a hint of remorse. With that, the people were free to escape and discover what was truly out there. No longer would everyone have to mindlessly believe a slew of lies coming straight from the Adler leaders’ mouths. And most importantly, no longer was the fire of hope fueled by desire being stomped out. In the end, the fire grew too large to contain, and there was nothing the Adler elitists could do to stop it from spreading. It just burned them alive.

In a way that happened too quickly to comprehend, the Corgus threw the Adler leaders out of power, took over the entire system, and quickly implemented change. Nothing but ambition was on a lot of people’s minds. Many celebrated these changes, but not surprisingly, some stubborn people did not approve. There was an immense backlash from Adler loyalists who wanted nothing to do with the change for a long list of reasons. Some, unfortunately, were too far gone from the Adler’s brainwashing propaganda, and no matter what the circumstances, would not believe the change was for the better. Others liked the system and did not want to see it pass away. A third group, were insiders who were awestruck when their power was swept from under their feet. The rising number of enemies fighting back against a seemingly good thing led to uncertainty for the Corgus. They could not allow something they worked so hard to achieve dissipate because they simply were not prepared for this massive problem.

In a swift response, a huge crackdown began against any resisting forces. Anyone caught as Adler loyalists was imprisoned immediately, Adler symbolism was banned and punishable, as were protests. Anyone who agreed with the old ways of the Adlers could be imprisoned as well. Furthermore, any act of violent rebellion was punishable by banishment. Many of the rebels became terrified of what the Corgus could do next, so they quickly conformed to their new society. Many who previously sided with the Adlers gritted their teeth and played nice, since the alternative meant certain destruction. Corgus sympathizers considered the crackdown a large success, and it left the Corgus power structure more stable than ever before. A sense of safety spread through the group, and they confidently moved forward with their plans to advance the society.

However, some stubborn individuals remained hidden to the Corgus in plain sight. This secretive group of people could be labeled as loyal to the Adler way of life and closed-minded toward the Corgus and their reforms. These select few were a very real and high-profile threat, so the Corgus could not get too comfortable. Yet their silent refusal to join the Corgus in society’s new beginning could mean their death. This is where the story begins.

Part I

Rebellion

Chapter One

Self-Righteous Anger

Michael Benix sat up on his bunk, staring off into space. His heart was racing a million miles per hour, and he could feel hot blood coursing through his veins. Cold beads of sweat slowly rolled down his back, sending chills up his spine. What he was about to do was dangerous. Many would have a natural tendency to feel overwhelmed under similar circumstances. He was about to start the process of a tremendous task, and he deeply hoped that he would succeed in the end.

His eyes glanced over to the bunkroom clock. The neon-red letters lightly illuminated the room, creating an eerie feeling. The clock read 11:57 p.m., meaning Michael only had three minutes before it was time to act. Within these three minutes, he calmed his nerves. He repeatedly thought through what was about to happen, reminding himself of how great of a planner he was. He planned this for months, and he planned it in a time-sensitive manner. He knew full well the Corgus guards, his primary enemies for the night, checked in with their commanders every hour. So, in just three minutes, the guard patrolling his hallway would do just that, and Michael would have to move quickly. He had to slip past the guard and hide out of sight. He had already found a perfectly hiding location, an office room directly across from his room, and knew the door was left open every night. From there, he would move forward with his agenda. He would be on a strict one-hour time schedule before he would certainly fail. Despite all that, he could do this, and he believed in himself to succeed. He hounded himself to not allow doubt to creep in, and only think of the successes he already had experienced when under serious pressure, because a time like this was certainly one of them.

Michael Benix was a well-rounded person. In times when he felt heavily pressured, he used the pressure to his advantage. He always fought until he could fight no longer. His mind could calculate what seemed like a million different possibilities in seconds. He could pinpoint the best solution within those possibilities and roll with it. His amazing ability to create the perfect plan made him a stellar choice for what was soon to follow.

Once again, Michael’s eyes danced across the room. The dark of the night enveloped the room. The dim light from the clock allowed his eyes to adjust, though he could barely make out the features of his room. He was at the back of the room on the left side on the top bunk. The bunks were made from a strong wood and heavenly. The room was designed to be comfortable. Through the center lay a carpeted pathway straight to a set of double doors. These doors spoke to Michael, inviting him to get a move on.

When the clock read 12:00 a.m., Michael proceeded with his plans without hesitation. He confidently started the groundwork for a revolt against his new leaders, the Corgus Group. He hated the Corgus with a passion for many reasons. Ever since they took over, Michael lived his life in despair. He wanted the golden days—when the Adler Tribe had societal control—to come back. No way would Michael continue to sit around waiting while the Corgus did whatever they pleased. He would fight back and get revenge. What he was doing, from his perspective, was for the greater good.

Before the complete destruction of the Adler Tribe, Michael was a high-ranking member of the intelligence sector. He worked hard to understand everything that occurred at every moment of the day. He was great at his job and gained recognition from the Tribe’s top leader, Elliott Eagle. Elliott wanted to become best of friends with Benix, who gladly put forth an effort to do the same. Over the years, they became very close. Michael loved being so close to the face of the Adler Tribe because it gave him a taste of the elite life. Sometimes, he even considered himself one of them. When the Adler oligarchs decided to no longer make an effort to escape the chaotic country, Michael knew all about it. At one time, the Adler Tribe was far from evil, but it later became far from good. He knew the leaders only cared about themselves, and he liked it that way. He was an insider, taking part in the deception to keep the Adler people in the dark. Now that it was gone, he desperately wanted it back. Loyalty to the Tribe, as well as his own selfish reasons, made him want to see the Corgus Group crumble.

Another major reason Michael despised the Corgus was the end of his love life. On the night the Corgus invaded the Adler bunker, his beloved and beautiful fiancé named Cassandra was caught in the crossfire of the raging battle. She had somehow slipped through the cracks and roamed around the bunker on her own. No one rounded her up like they had every other Adler Tribe member. She was terrified since she had not a clue as to what was happening. She ran into a crew of Corgus fighters, and she was mistaken by them for an Adler soldier. It infuriated Michael to think about how stupid these Corgus militants had to be to mistake a scared, lonely girl for a vicious Adler fighter. She was shot dead. When Michael found her lifeless body the next day, he cried for hours. He barely talked to anyone for weeks and couldn’t seem to live with himself. It took him a long time, but he gradually began to move on with life. However, he could never fully accept it: the love of his life, whom he had been searching for as long as he could remember, was gone in an instant. It made him boil inside, and his willingness to make the Corgus squeal increased with this being a new reality in his life.

However, Michael did not want to dwell on any of these things. He had a lot of work to do. He knew that the work he was soon going to start would be assisted by his fury, but only if he directed that fury in the correct way. He was doing this to regain his former glory, reestablish the Adler Tribe in its complete form, and for Cassandra. He was absolutely certain she was looking down from the heavens, giving him guidance to succeed. He could almost taste the success to come in the near future.

Refocusing on the actual plans to avoid turning the evening into all talk and no action, Michael slowly shifted his weight across the bunk. With every movement, he made sure not to create any sound. Thankfully, the bunks were made pretty sturdily, and he scaled the top bunk with ease. No creaks or crackles were heard, and he was in the clear to keep going.

He threw his feet over the side, carefully placing each one on the bunk ladder. He let himself down slowly, one rung at a time. He again had to be careful not to create any disturbances. It would be disastrous to wake even one person, because as far as he knew, everyone else in his barracks sided with the Corgus. He could understand it, if he looked from the perspective of an average citizen. Finding out everything they ever knew was a lie and that they could be much more productive if given the opportunity, made them happy with their new situation. But, of course, Michael was by no means pleased.

Michael reached the bottom of the ladder and set his feet on the ground. The soft carpet cushioned his feet, creating a quiet landing. He then looked around the room, storing into his brain the straight forward path to the exit. He applauded himself due to his perfect execution thus far.

Slowly but surely, Michael advanced toward the set of double doors. As he trained his eyes directly on the doors, he used his peripheral vision to watch every one of his bunkmates. Thankfully, no one’s peaceful slumber was disturbed. Also, no one in his room was snoring that night, which was a blessing as well. That alone could wake another person up if it were loud enough.

After about ten seconds