The Casey Chronicles

The Insurgency

I had always wondered how our group came to be called that.  You would figure that a group who claimed to be fighting for freedom and to establish an actual democracy in America would have chosen a better name than The Insurgency…maybe a name with some historical ties, like the Sons of Liberty or something.

My father always told me “You have to know the past to understand the present.” He was always telling me how important past events were to the present and the future and how everything that occurred in the past had a direct effect on events that were currently unfolding.

So one day I went down into the archives and looked through the oldest books and pamphlets that I could find in search of the reason why we were called The Insurgency. I eventually came across a single sentence in an old newspaper that explained everything. When I found the answer, I was kind of disappointed…I was so sure that the name had been chosen by the oldest founding members of The Insurgency and that it must have some deeper meaning than what I discovered. The line in the newspaper was a quote from someone that claimed to be a high ranking member of The Insurgency:

“We are insurgents fighting for liberty in an unholy and corrupt land. We are The Insurgency”

I guess the members of The Insurgency have gotten better at talking as time has gone on. If my father had said something like that to a gathering of our followers they wouldn’t think twice about our message…they would probably just ignore him and continue to go about their work. But my father managed to establish a base of support for The Insurgency. But his views were too short sighted…he wasn’t able to see the full picture.

Luckily, I can.

When my father got locked up I promised him that I would try and see him every so often. I try and go every couple of months when I need an escape from the stress of being The Insurgency’s “second coming.” But being back behind bars took a hefty toll on my father’s mental well-being. Most of the time, he would just scream about blood and anger and hatred. The guards would come over after a few minutes of him ranting and beat him into unconsciousness. Only I was able to see the importance of his words though. Only I was able to understand the true meaning of his rants. Every single time I went to see him, my father taught me something new…

After he got locked up, I moved in with my brother for awhile. I tried getting a real job and I tried staying away…but The Insurgency was in my blood…it beckoned to me, called out my name, whispered to me from the darkest recesses of my mind. Eventually I quit my job and joined up with the local chapter of The Insurgency. As soon as word got out that I was the daughter of the man who had single handedly turned The Insurgency into a national movement, I began to sky rocket through the ranks.

I tried to keep my involvement with The Insurgency secret from my brother. He was never able to understand the importance of our father’s work. He was just so damn content following in the footsteps of our mother in an attempt to become a “doctor” if you can even call people who pump other people full of plasmids “doctors.” He found out soon enough though, when he came home early from class. I had just gotten out of the shower and was wearing a towel around my body, leaving my upper shoulders exposed. When my brother walked into our apartment he saw the top part of my tattoo which extended from my right shoulder blade to my left…





We got into a huge fight that night. My brother screamed that it was insane for me to join The Insurgency and that if our mother were alive that she would be horrified. I tried to explain to him that our father’s work needed to be carried out and that The Insurgency were truly trying to fight for the freedom that he and I took for granted. But he just wouldn’t listen to reason.

I packed up my things and left the apartment that night. From that point on, my entire life, my entire reason for existing has been The Insurgency. Our father’s work must be completed…he needn’t have sacrificed his freedom and most of his sanity for naught.

I will complete his work
The Insurgency will complete his work

With the help of Titan…

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Insurgency Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts
Sept. 2034

I look down at my journal entry, a small smile on my face. Some of my closer friends within The Insurgency who knew that I kept a diary poked fun at me for not keeping it on my computer. I always kind of shrugged and dismissed their jokes…but, inside, I always asked myself why I didn’t type my journal entries. I guess the reason why I hand write them is because it was something that my mother always did. She had a journal that she wrote in every single day without fail. Sometimes she would let me read her entries, which always made me feel special.  I think the reason why I hand write my journal entries is because I want to try and keep that connection with her. Hand writing my journal entries is the only thing that my mother and I had in common.

I close the journal and set my pen down beside it. I reach into my desk and remove a laser lock. I hold the lock flat in my palm for a moment, admiring the wonders of technology. I place the lock on top of my journal and press a single red button on the side of the dull steel lock. As soon as I press the button, four green lasers shoot out of the lock and wrap themselves around my diary.

I reach out and grab my diary, making sure to grab the lock its self. The lasers could read a person’s DNA and wouldn’t hurt me since I was the one who’s DNA it recognized, but I still didn’t like touching the lasers if I could help it. Technology might have improved leaps and bounds from when I was a kid…but that didn’t mean that it didn’t malfunction from time to time.

I place the diary in my desk drawer and then pull myself to my feet. I knew that I needed to go downstairs and check on the progress of the operation. We were in our planning stages now, the most important and critical stages of the entire operation if you ask me. But I knew we had nothing to worry about…Titan had provided all the blueprints and security information we would need in order to ensure that the operation was a success.

My wrist communicator suddenly vibrates, indicating that I had a new message. I smirk slightly, knowing exactly what the message said and who it was from. Titan was the only one who had the personal messaging code to my wrist communicator. Every day Titan would send me messages containing all the necessary codes and security information I would need in order to make my continued survival a little easier. Now, don’t get me wrong, Titan sending me these messages was helpful and made my life exponentially easier…but, if Titan stopped messaging me tomorrow, I could survive on my own.

My codename wasn’t “Eve” for nothing

I stand up and begin to head towards my bedroom door. I stop just short of touching the door and look up at the small red eye that sits above the door. The red eye hums to life and looks down at me and says in a robotic voice,

Retina identification required

A red laser shoots out of the red security eye and shines directly into my eyes. I could feel my smirk widening as the security laser tries to scan my retinas. My security eye was unlike any of the security eyes in this entire compound. It had to be custom made because my eyes were the same color as my father’s eyes…

Completely white

The laser suddenly shuts off

Voice identification required

I take a deep breath and speak in a loud clear voice

Raylyn Casey
Raylyn Paige Casey

The security eye chirps twice and my bedroom door slides open. I walk briskly out the door, which slides shut behind me. As soon as I step foot out into the hallway, I see a short, thin woman with blonde hair and brown eyes standing across the hall from my bedroom door. In her hands is a large silver tablet that looks like an empty picture frame. I nod my head at the woman

Raylyn Casey
Good morning Abby

Abby smiles as she notices me

Abby
Good morning Eve

I roll my eyes

Raylyn Casey
How many times do I have to tell you Abby…please, call me Raylyn

Abby’s cheeks turn a light shade of pink as she blushes in embarrassment. I went over this every morning with her. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate her showing me the proper respect by referring to me by my codename; it was more a matter of making Abby feel like she and I were friends. If Abby could feel like she was not just my personal assistant but my friend, she would be more likely to develop a deeper sense of loyalty to me since I was not only her boss and the leader of The Insurgency…but I was also her friend.

Abby
Sorry…Raylyn

I smile warmly at her in an attempt to reassure her that she was doing the right thing. I then nod my head at the silver thing in her hands.

Raylyn Casey
Any updates?

Abby immediately looks down at the empty frame in her hands. She then presses a button and a blue hologram screen appears in the middle of the silver frame. I turn and begin walking down towards the command bunker as Abby’s fingers dart across the hologram screen

Abby
We have received one or two minor pieces of information from our sources inside ME about the cooling ducts and guard rotations for the proposed day of the operation but, most of this info was stuff we already knew.

My warm smile slowly turns into a smirk of confidence as I think about the operation. This upcoming operation would be the single biggest operation in The Insurgency’s history. Well…technically this operation had already been attempt and failed by The Insurgency before but this time…this time the operation would have a strong and dedicated leader, someone who would do whatever it took to make sure the operation was carried off without a hitch.

Me

I arrive at the elevator at the end of the hallway. I look down at the keypad which sits just to the right of the door. I bring my right hand up and press my entire hand onto the touch screen. The key pad hums to life and I can feel my hand getting warmer as the fingerprint detection system runs my finger and palm prints through the Insurgency database. Abby stands behind me, her fingers still dancing across the hologram screen, as she brings up my agenda.

Abby
Don’t forget, you need to give the weekly broadcast in an hour and a half

I sigh in exasperation. The weekly broadcast was something that my father had instituted during the first few months of his position as leader of The Insurgency. He used to tell me that the most important thing that a leader could do was to identify with the people he was leading. The leader needed to be a constant presence in the lives of even the lowest ranking members. In an attempt to do this, my father decided that every Monday at 11am, he would go on the radio and give a speech that would be broadcasted to all the members of The Insurgency.

The only problem with this was that ME had the technology to trace high frequency electronic broadcasts. If they could trace the signal of the broadcast, they would easily be able to find out where out broadcast was coming from. So my father found a way around ME’s ability to trace the signal. He went low tech. My father discovered that, while ME was monitoring all high frequency digital radio frequencies, they weren’t capable of monitoring the analog low frequencies.

The doors of the elevator suddenly slide open. Abby and I both walk into the elevator and I press the “Bottom floor” button. The elevator descends rapidly to the bottom floor of Insurgency HQ to the command bunker. We had to keep our nerve center in the most heavily fortified place because of ME’s spies and surveillance equipment. Granted, Titan kept me abreast of all the current surveillance measures so I could take the proper counter-measures…but still…it paid to air on the side of caution.

The elevator doors slide open and I exit the elevator with Abby still trailing behind me. I look around the hallway…at what I don’t really know though. There is nothing around me but solid gray concrete walls all the way down the short hallway. At the end of the hallway there is another large steel door with a security eye above the doorway. I walk down the hallway and pause outside the large steel door. Abby then walks up and stands beside me as the laser shoots out of the security eye, splitting in half in midair to scan both mine and Abby’s eyes.  After the security eye finishes scanning our eyes, the vocal command emits from the security eye.

Voice Identification Required

Raylyn Casey
Codename: Eve

Abby
Codename: Shadow

I smirk slightly as Abby says her codename. When it came time to pick codenames, the person being issued the codename got to pick his or her own codename. The funny thing was, the person’s codename often times had a double meaning. Abby’s codename always made me smirk because, when she picked the codename “Shadow” she chose it because she was an expert at espionage and blending into the shadows. The ironic double meaning to her codename though was the fact that, for the most part, wherever I went inside the HQ…Abby was always a half step behind me.

It’s funny how fate works out sometimes

The large steel door slowly slides open and the sound frantic activity explodes out of the command bunker’s main room. The main room of the bunker is packed from wall to wall with people and computers and maps. A thin layer of smoke permeates the entire scene due to the fact that some members of The Insurgency light up fresh cigarettes.  All of a sudden, Abby’s voice suddenly cuts through the noise like a knife

Abby
TEN HUP!

The frantic sound of a hundred people talking loudly instantly dies as every single person in the main room immediately stops what they are doing and snap to attention facing me. All of them hold their right fists in the air in a salute to me. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. I hated when Abby called attention to me like this. I know that it is protocol and that the basis of a well-oiled machine is continuity and tradition…but this all felt so forced and unpractical. But still…it was tradition.

Raylyn Casey
As you were

And just as quickly as it had fallen silent, the sound of noise immediately picks right back up where it had left off. I begin to move throughout the groups of people, inspecting to see what everyone was working on. I didn’t really need to inspect and see what people were working on…considering that all of The Insurgency’s resources were all currently dedicated to the final stage of planning for the current operation. I guess I just liked to feel involved in every stage of the planning, especially because of the importance of completing this mission. Everything that The Insurgency had been working towards hinged on completing this mission. Once this operation finished and once we completed the objective, Titan would ascend to the ultimate seat of power…assuring that The Insurgency and Titan would last forever.

I weave my way to a cluster of people who are all standing around a large table. On the table top, there is a large hologram of a model of a massive mansion. One of the people standing around the table is a medium sized man whom I instantly recognized as Quicksilver. He is holding a laser pointer in his hands which he is using to highlight different entry points of the mansion

Raylyn Casey
How goes it Quicksilver?

Quicksilver turns around and smiles as he takes a half step to his right so that I could stand next to him

Quicksilver
We are just reviewing the entry and exit points for your strike team Eve

Quicksilver points the laser at a small patch of grass just outside of the massive mansion hologram. A small smile appears on my face as I recognize both the mansion and the exact patch of earth which Quicksilver is pointing at

Quicksilver
You care to lead your team through the entry procedures?

Quicksilver holds out the laser point to me and bows mockingly. I chuckle and snatch the laser pointer out of Quicksilver’s hand

Raylyn Casey
With pleasure

Quicksilver flashes a smile at me. I take the laser pointer and shine it on the small patch of earth outside the mansion

Raylyn Casey
This will be our entry point…a small forgotten bulkhead entrance that leads to the basement of the mansion. We have multiple cameras and other surveillance equipment set up in the forest outside the mansion which constantly send back live feed of the grounds. Our strike team will come over the fence quickly make our way to the bulkhead entrance.

I lift my gaze up from the hologram and look at the short burly man standing directly across the table from me

Raylyn Casey
Digger…this is where you come in

The man, whose codename was “Digger,” nods his head

Digger
I inspected the soil texture and tectonic read outs of the ground under the mansion. I have just the right drill already picked out and ready for the job…we will get in no problem

My smile widens. I didn’t even need to be sitting here going over these plans. I knew that the members I had hand selected to accompany me on this mission were the best that The Insurgency had to offer. Each person is elected had a specific purpose for accompanying me on this mission. Before I can say anything else, Abby suddenly appears standing to my left

Abby
Eve, I hate to interrupt you…but it’s time for the broadcast

I place the laser pointer on the table top and turn to Quicksilver

Raylyn Casey
To be continued old friend

Quicksilver chuckles

Quicksilver
If you say so Eve

I turn and continue to weave my way through the crowded room. I never take my eyes off of the small ascending staircase against the back wall of the room that I knew would lead to the broadcast room. I walk quickly through the crowd and quickly walk up the stairs two at a time. I look down at my wrist communicator to check the time.

10:50am

Plenty of time

I get to the top of the staircase and open the door cut right into the concrete. I pause before I enter the room and wait for Abby to finish climbing the stairs. Abby arrives at the landing just outside the door and I look at her. I wasn’t slow and could easily work my way through a crowded room…so the mere fact that Abby was able to keep up with me was actually pretty impressive.

Shadow really was a perfect codename for her

Raylyn Casey
Anything I should specifically focus on?

Abby looks down at the hologram screen

Abby
Our Southern California members were just recently hit massively hard by a MEMPO raid last night. I would suggest that you mention their suffering and the strength of their resolve in your broadcast

I nod my head

Raylyn Casey
Sounds good

I turn around and walk into the broadcasting room, making sure to pull the door closed behind me. This place was so depressing and dark. The only light in the room came from a single light bulb that hung from the ceiling. In the middle of the room an old radio sits on top of a steel table. There is a worn wooden bar stool that sits behind the table.

Despite the fact that the room was so sparsely decorated and was horribly lit…there was more history in this one room than anywhere else on the entire planet. One of my earliest memories was sitting on my father’s lap as he gave his weekly radio broadcast. I remember looking up at his facial expressions and seeing the passion burning in his eyes as he uttered into the old microphone. I knew, right then and there, that one day I wanted to be just like him…I knew that one day I wanted to sit on that stool and tell send the world a message of resistance and insurrection…

I knew one day that I would be the one speaking for The Insurgency

I slowly walk around the table, dragging my fingers lightly along the table top. I sit down on the wooden stool, feeling the warmth and grooves of the stool. I take a deep breath, releasing it slowly as I calm my nerves. I then check the time on my wrist communicator

10:59am

I reach out and grab the microphone, flipping it on with my thumb. The hum of the radio suddenly permeates throughout the small room. I check the time again

11:00am

Show time

Raylyn Casey
This is Eve…and if you can hear this…you are an Insurgent.

We’ve been fighting a long time…almost too long if you ask me. We have survived countless purges…we have survived internal fighting and a massive civil war…we have survived being hunted like animals by Matthews Enterprises and the government. Despite all of this…we are still here. We are still fighting. The Insurgency is still strong.

We are drastically outnumbered…we are drastically underfunded…but we have something that they do not. We are fighting for a noble cause…we are fighting for freedom. We are fighting for liberty. We are fighting for our very existence.

Matthews Enterprises wants you to fall into line, they want you to surrender yourself to boosters. Boosters that you will become addicted to…boosters that will cause you to fall into the darkest depths of insanity.

You must resist.

We have all experienced drastic losses. Most recently, our family members in Southern California have experienced a great tragedy. They have our greatest sympathies and deepest expressions of regret. But you must be strong…you must realize that the cause you are fighting for is just! Your brothers and sisters haven’t died for naught! They died as martyrs…they died fighting for the cause! They died fighting on behalf of The Insurgency!

The losses and sorrows we have all suffered were not all for nothing. Because for every death…we have taken a step forward. For every tear your families have shed, The Insurgency has grown a little bit more. I promise you…those who have died will be avenged…and their vengeance will occur soon…

Those of us in The Insurgent Block are nearing the completion of a plan. A large scale operation that will finally change the face of this war and tip the scales in our favor. We will avenge every single death that we have suffered gathering intelligence for this operation. Soon…all will be made clear. Soon…we will show the world the true might of The Insurgency.

Stay strong my family…the new dawn will soon arrive. Matthews Enterprises will suffer a crippling blow at the hands of The Insurgency. The time to strike is close at hand.

If you can hear this…stay strong and take solace from the fact that you are not alone.
If you can hear this…you are a true member of The Insurgency

This is Eve…signing off

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+Making History+
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Destiny…it’s a funny thing. Some claim that there is some all-powerful God out there, manipulating the universe and the events that transpire every single day amongst human beings. Others claim that there is nothing out there…that no single thing or being controls us and that life is just a random occurrence of events.

I refuse to believe that life is nothing but a random occurrence of events. I believe that everything happens for a reason and that reason is because fate wills it to be so. Nick Ridicule having a complete mental breakdown and forcing Chuck and I to quit NLWF and create IWF…now if that’s not an example of fate then I don’t know what is. I mean, nothing short of destiny it’s self could have brought two men who hate each other more than words can say, and then inspired both of these men to put aside their differences to create a wrestling promotion. Nothing short of destiny could have brought Brandon Macdonald back to the US from the fields of Afghanistan and gotten him to join up with IWF.

And nothing sort of fate could have brought Brandon and I together to main event the first ever IWF PPV in a match that will crown the first ever IWF Champion.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, for the very first time ever…Brandon Macdonald and Corey Casey are going to go to war against each other in a one on one match. Granted, the two of us did see some time in the ring against each other at the last Battle Grounds…but that was just a tag team match. Not to mention that Brandon’s partner was clearly the weakest member of the Right Honorable Gentlemen. Although, Duke Reginald did lose to Irishman Sean Libby and Sir Ian Blackwing did get mauled by Death-Angel in convincing fashion…

Anyways, I got to admit that I am fucking excited for this match. The age old question is finally going to be answered…

No, I’m not talking about “do Canadians actually have an army to go to war with?”

I am talking about the question of who would win in a big time match: Corey Casey or Brandon Macdonald?

Now, I’m sure all of you are asking yourselves, “but Corey, isn’t the main event of the second ever Battle Grounds a big enough match to have answered that question?” Well, as much as I would like to agree with you kids, the answer is no…mostly because it was a tag team match and Brandon and I weren’t going one on one.

But at Demolition Day…at the first ever PPV in IWF history…Corey Casey and Brandon Macdonald will finally have their match. The two of us will fight each other for the chance to make history and be crowned the first ever IWF Champion. Brandon, I will say this…you are very good. I mean you’ve beaten them all, held all the titles…

But you can’t stop destiny.

It was my destiny to finally break away from NLWF and help to form the fastest rising wrestling company in history. It was my destiny to finally break free of the tyrannical rule of the King of the ETA’s known as Nick Ridicule. It is my destiny to become the first ever IWF World Champion. You might be good Brandon…but like I said…you can’t stop destiny.