Two hours have passed since they arrived at the airport, and there is no sign of the convoy . After the ambush and the sudden loss of radios by the soldiers outside the base, Goji and Joy move through every group outside the perimeter, retrieving them and directing them to come back. At this moment, they are again at the watchtower, sitting in some chairs they encountered while pying cards. -So.... Joy? I'm not completely informed about global affairs . Anything I should know that they don't show in the news? *Goji says , taking a card.* -Ehh... if you really want to know, you should have asked for documents at the HQ , but let me remember ... do you know the different defense centers across the world? -Not really, just the LA one, I suppose? And stop trying to look at my cards...*She presses her cards to her chest as Joy tries to look at them. * -Well, in North America, there are five : the one for the west coast of the USA in LA, another on the east coast that was originally in Washington, DC, but had to be transported to New York because the front was getting too near . In Canada, there is one in Victoria that looks after the territories of that zone, including Seattle and Portnd, and the settlements of the north. Then, there is one in Toronto that works pretty closely with the HQ in New York. The final one is in Mexico , fitting in Mexico City. They did have a gate appear in the city, but they did block the monsters as they came out toward the center, though the north of the country has been pretty badly hit, and the south has to fight against the monsters coming from Central America. Speaking of which, the only pce that resists in Central America is the Panama Canal , pretty much because the countries poured a bunch of resources, people, and weapons to maintain the pce . The surroundings have become the most bombarded area in all the world... and I have two pairs ; what do you have ? -I have this! *Goji puts down on the chair in the middle, which is working like a table, a flush, winning this round.* So what more? South America is next, I suppose? -Yes, yes, you lucky lizard. *sigh* There are two HQs there : one set in Brazil, near Uruguay, and the rest of the neighbors. They had to retreat south and lost much of the territory . The gate that opened there is in the Amazon rainforest, somewhere ; we just know that it is somewhere deep in there. The monsters, on the other hand, we can see pretty well as they are freaking giant insects - not like the chimera-like insects that they have on the western front here - actual insects, spiders, ants, etc. We would have burned the forest, but the wood is too important, and sincerely, we couldn't recover the pce even if we burned it. The other front is in the Andes mountain range, fighting some type of rock golems . The only saving grace is that the two types of monsters seem to hate each other, so after a while, Venezue, Colombia, and many parts of Peru and Bolivia were lost; they stopped pushing too hard. And there is a gate in Patagonia, but it is sort of controlled, and many manpower is assigned there . The HQ in that front is in the south of Chile, on an isnd... I have four of a kind ; what do you have? -Royal flush . I win again, Joy. What are we betting anyway? -You forgot? If I win three rounds, you have to show me your stats, abilities, and all that . If you win three rounds, I have to take you out to dinner . For some goddamned reason, you have won two, and I have only won one . -Bad luck, little dy ; I will win this one, and you will have to take me to eat somewhere . I'm getting bored of tuna cans. - That's because it's the only thing you eat! You don't know how to cook ; that's why! * With a tired sigh, Joy proceeds to shuffle the cards once again as Goji thinks about her next question.* -So that's from America, no? And the rest of the world isn't much better . What about the companies and all that stuff? -Oh, well , the ones that were happiest at the start were the ones that sell guns and all that stuff, you know? Many big companies tried to gain rights to the terrain where the gate appeared to investigate them, but when all the stampede of monsters came out into the world, let's say... many died . With the market crashing down like a meteor toward the ground and the world being overrun, many CEOs and famous people tried to escape . Even someone tried to unch a spaceship, but practically all of them died off or are in houses in the safe zones but not doing much . They have houses and things, but the free market isn't very interesting when there is no market or people, and a real problem appears in the form of cws and teeth . So the nation of the world, to keep the machine weapons and supplies still being made, took hold of practically all the buildings . Some protested ; some tried to say it's against the values of the country, that all these monsters were a hoax, and all that. But when the world is coming to an end, rich boys don't have much to say , especially if half the Congress is dead, and the ones that repce them have experienced near-death situations. Oh , and the president is dead, along with many in the government, so it's like a military government with Congress, and they are waiting for the waters to calm down so they can elect another guy... I have a straight flush ; what do you have ? * An arrogant smile appears on Joy's face as she ys down her cards.* -Royal flush again . Suck it, Joy! You will take me out to dinner, and I hope you have money because I will order all the good stuff . Wahahahaha ! -Shut up... *The defeated expression on Joy's face has made Goji's day, but the clock is still ticking, and the convoy isn't in sight. For this moment , only Goji 's ughter can be heard.*