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“Where’s the helicopter?”

The President knew what to say. He didn’t need to look at the three people sitting opposite him, although the one person he glanced at was Susanna. More for support than anything else. “The helicopter is on its way. It will be there before our conversation is through. Now why don’t you tell me what is on your mind?” As Max launched into his tirade, the SEALs got into position. The plan was that they would wait for the helicopter to approach. As it landed, which would happen as slowly as gravity would allow, they would split up and rush the helipad, the dining room, and the bridge at the same time. All of them prayed that they were right about the explosives.

“You have made this country no longer livable for the younger generations,” Max began. “You have saddled us with debt and all you care about is extending life for those who have already lived. The rest of us are stuck with the bill with no hope of getting out. Your priorities are backward. You should be helping the young, not the old. The old have lived already. What about us? Being young in this country means that you don’t count. We’re not here to service you, do you understand that?”

Max knew he was speed-talking, but at least it made sense to him. And Matthew Bernstein was impressed. So this is what it’s all about? Obviously this was something Bernstein had thought about himself. Now he was going to have to argue a point that he actually agreed with.

The hostages were also seeing this conversation. Almost three thousand of them stared intently at the two big screens. And many of them, for the very first time, were hearing it articulated as to why people were killing them. They knew there was resentment in the country, but very few thought that it had gone this far. And they were nervous. To them, Max Leonard started to look like a man who would blow them up. They hoped the President had an answer of some kind.

“Mr. Leonard, I hear your frustration.” Before the President could continue Leonard launched into another speech. He was becoming more agitated.

“I want this changed right now! I am speaking for all young people in this country, and the world!”

At that moment the helicopter came over the horizon and approached the ship. The chopper dropped slowly, making as much noise at it could, its two large blades causing everything in its wake to blow frantically. When it was just twenty feet above the ship, the SEALs went into action.

Max Leonard could see the helicopter from the bridge and looked away from the screen for a moment to make sure he didn’t see any armed men aboard. He didn’t. He turned back to the President and continued. “I want your word that you will change the laws in this country. You don’t allow people to vote until they are eighteen, and yet once they do, you allow them to vote forever until they die. There must be a law that ends the voting age the same way it begins. After seventy there should be no more voting allowed. It will be the only way to make sure that the generations share power. The old people have too much power and that must stop!”

At that moment Max Leonard was shot almost thirty times. The drone had let loose a hundred small laser bullets that didn’t even break the glass. They passed right through and stopped in Leonard’s body. It was like being electrocuted. As soon as they hit him, he dropped to the ground.

The President had guessed correctly. Three of the remaining five men were waiting for the helicopter with drawn weapons. But the SEALs were not in the helicopter. They came from the sides of the ship and took out the men with four shots. Other SEALs rushed down to the dining room. The last two men were guarding the entrance there and Louie was one of them. The other man, a Mexican named Santos, was taken out before he knew what hit him. Louie thought he was going to be killed in the next few seconds, so he panicked; he turned and fired into the crowd. Before they could kill him he shot fifteen people, including Brad Miller.

Brad fell