William, upon discovering the button to unlock the belt, manages to reach out the window, where he could barely see the approaching massive towers.
Protruding from the waters of the ocean, they are hundreds of feet tall and at least a mile to half a mile from each other. There are bridges built across the ocean and connect each tower into many sectors. There is only one side without a bridge, where one could actually ride a big ship through to reach the Federation.
“The Federation?” William mumbles while Luke opens his eyes as well. Not like he slept at all, but pretending to sleep is better than nothing.
They fly right across the massive towers, who are interconnected with many bridges across their wide spaces. William notices the sheer amount of them, as well as their massiveness when they fly over them.
There are even saluting soldiers and military personnel on bridges and open spaces of the towers. They watch the helicopter zealously as the logo of the Emblem Acadamy is right there for all eyes to see.
“Of course it is The Federation. Where do you think any reasonable examinations are?” Luke asks William, whose face is attached to the window.
“I don't know.” William shrugs his shoulders.
“Federation still has some facilities left running Outside, but this is the best place to do them all. At least in this part of the world”
“Oh... I thought the US had at least some backbone and research facilities for the Walkers...” William tries to guess, as he hears Luke saying some interesting stuff.
“They do. Despite that, they are part of The Federation. If you like the history or the politics of the past, you will find much here. One of the few places where the past is still living.” Luke says in a calm tone.
William inhales and breathes out. Calming his mind, he is ready to face the facts and his new life. Who knows what sort of things will be there for him, as this is a path he has to walk?
“Wow.” he suddenly exclaims, as new land is right there in the middle of the ocean. The Federation builds on a series of islands, with an enormous city visible from the distance.
A helicopter approaches the closest barracks right at the edges of the nearest island, in plains of a flat area with many vehicles around. Cars, motorcycles, jeeps, and all sorts of other military vehicles are stationed around what appears to be a warehouse of military equipment.
This place is precisely the military department of the whole Federation where an enormous amount of personnel is stationed and works with many people.
William waits patiently inside, not looking from the window because Luke forces him to sit down as they land.
“Alright, we are here,” Luke calls out while getting up from his seat.
“Group of the 5 lunatics will wait for now here. I will have to contact higher-ups to understand what sort of things will happen with you. Before you will be upset, I trust they will be understanding, so don't slap or point a shotgun at anyone in this place. Alright?” Luke says to the group while noting the possible problems from occurring.
They reach their wished destination, while unexpectedly doing so, in the blessing of luck.
“As for you, kid, follow me.” Luke turns to William, who could not help but rest his hands between his thighs once again. Shaking returns, upon feeling the new ground beneath the helicopter.
The kind which he knows, but The Federation is nothing like the land in the continents, and William knows it very much.
“What is it? Did you not tell me that I still have some time before any examinations?” William argues.
“Yea, but remaining in the helicopter, which is not even yours, is not a good idea.” he bluntly replies, while getting out of this machine.
“Alright, that is understandable,” William replies while glancing for the final time in the direction of the group that remains in uncertainty in the corner.
Marcus never once seeks him out over his punch, but that does not bother William too much. Their future is theirs, while he has his own troubles. His path would be different from the life he had up until now.
Perhaps, his future would hold some similarities, where he will have to undergo situations like today. Saving civilians and refugees alike has no difference in his heart.
But serving without freedom is equally something bothersome, and the words of Luke made it much more obvious.
Walking outside the door, the shine of the sun is already receding from the horizon. It took longer to get here since the situation with the refugees took some time to resolve.
Unfortunately, this helicopter is the best machine for distance travel in the Federation. Having a thousand gallons of a specially built fuel tank, it could travel for up to a thousand miles or more. The sun has an hour or even less before it would go away, yet the place is still bustling with people.
Around William is a sight that, of course, surprises him. An open warehouse with rows of machines and vehicles, what he watched on some occasions, but never so clearly. There are even some vehicles that he has never seen before.
“I told you my motorcycle is nothing. I was right.” Luke glances at Wiliam, who glances everywhere he could.
“Crap! I forgot my bike! Wait, a second.” Luke blurts out and rushes inside to retrieve the vehicle he stored in the cargo.
It takes a minute, as his team has their own orders to do without their boss to supervise them. The same will be done with the group inside. Upon seeking out Szczepan, Luke figures out some excuses and gives him the mission of dealing with the group of refugees for him.
Pulling his love on a ram outside, Luke hears Szczepan's shouts.
“I will do it, alright?! For the kid.”
Luke waves behind his back in affirmation.
Soon, finding William surveying the vehicles around this place, he asks.
“What do you think?”
“I never thought the development of The Federation has so many things. I know some glimpses of the past in some books, but this looks exactly like that.”
“That is understandable. The Federation put forth almost all available resources to build this place. For the past 20 or so years.”
“Only 20? That doesn't seem that much.” William says while knowing nothing better than the little he knew already.
“You can think whatever you want. The place is here, and you are walking through it as well.”
“I guess. What is it going to be then? My life depends on the place of your so-called examination. Where and when is it exactly?” William asks while looking at Luke, who pulls his bike aside.
“No idea. I came for simple delivery of you here since it was the order I received.” Luke honestly replies. Around a corner, a soldier appears.
“OY! If it isn't Luke, what makes you come here again?” The soldier shouts from far away.
“What do you mean, Robbie? I have some stakes in this love of mine. Take care of it, will ya?” Luke fist bumps the man who is almost a head taller and quite heavier than him. He could be called an absolute unit of a soldier, and no one would dare to say otherwise.
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“Oh, your bike? No problem, the same as usual. Who do we have here?” Robbie self-assuredly replies to Luke with a fist to his chest and looks at William.
“Someone for examination in a while. Future Walker.” Luke replies.
“This lad? Alright. Alright. A little small chap, but it matter nay against the Dark assholes. Heheheh. Good luck!” Bobbie pats William's head with a palm as big as his whole head.
William endures it in the more or less same procedure he went with madame Anderson.
Before knowing, the big guy had already left with Luke's bike.
“Who was that guy?” William asks, while patting his hair back to its place.
“Someone who should be befriended if you want a nice place in this area.”
“What is this place anyways? Warehouse?”
“Military section in the corners of The Federation. A lot of recourses are put into this place, so don't be surprised to see a whole new world.” Luke explains and begins to walk away. William follows.
Rows of building in the military area look like nothing in comparison to the regular places in camps and half-destroyed cities he has seen.
This place is clean, with military personnel everywhere he looks.
“This doesn't seem like home at all.” he says truthfully.
“Because it is not. The military is not a home, nor something that someone should even think as one.”
“Should I take it as a word from a Rank 4 Walker of the military?”
“You learn fast, kid. Think of this as a place where a lot of powerful people are meeting. Not only the Federation. Lots of people and organizations have their barracks and headquarters here.”
“Really? I thought this was the place of the Federation where only the privileged have any say.”
“Who says they don't? Alright, let this rest. I will take you to the place I am supposed to get you. You will figure out everything within a couple of days, or a couple of weeks.”
With more questions and wonders in his mind, William follows his walking pace.
Many buildings and people around go with their lives, while everything looks unfamiliar, unlike the Camps.
Multiple stories of buildings between streets and pavement paths filled with bricks of high quality make this place nothing that William recognizes.
Everything looks almost foreign to him, with unnatural feelings.
Nonetheless, he continues forth with his head, which spins around to look at every nook and cranny of the walk.
Luke walks for almost half an hour, and they already left the military departments. Now, in a more residential part of this complex place, William doesn't know where is what, or what is where.
Stopping before a tall building with quite a bit of floors, there is a big sign. Divisions and Departments of the Federation.
Luke turns to William and says. “Alright, kid. Little words of advice. I have rules to follow while you don't. Higher-ups in this building are people who were interested in your direct retrieval. So to speak, take it as an opportunity to get your words to important people.”
“Are they also Walkers?” William asks the question of what involuntarily left his mind. Out of many questions, this one is quite foolish.
“Some are, while others not. Now, let's go inside and see what is this all about.” Luke pulls a token-like object from his pocket and places it behind the handle of the door.
Wooden door clicks and open insides of this nice-looking building.
Inside, there is a reception, where a pretty-looking lady sits while reading and writing some documents.
She notices sudden arrivals and gets up on her feet.
“Can I be of some help, sir?”
“No.” Luke bluntly answers with another small token of his identification. A badge, on a paper with his image and military rank.
Lady, speechless by this man's attitude simply look at two people who disappear from the entrance, beyond the staircase.
On the second floor, carpets and furniture almost resemble a living space. Apart from that, here it is used as decoration, with anyone who actually sits here, or uses it at all. William could tell that since the dust in the furniture is quite obvious.
Luke walks with glances around the hallways. This place on this floor is one big and wide hallway, with furniture beside the walls. There are also multiple wooden doors in uneven lengths scattered on the walls.
As they walked, William notices the naming scheme of people at the doors.
Jayden Hudson. Secretary of English division.
Song Byung-jun. Secretary of Korean division.
Ichida Hiroshi. Secretary of the Japanese division.
Simonov Arseniy Valeryevich. Secretary of Russian division.
Mao Lingxin. Secretary of the Chinese division.
William reads, and there are more doors on the following walls. He wonders about them, but Luke already stops before one particular door with no names on them. Instead, it holds a specific sign.
General Division of the Federation.
He looks at William and opens it without speaking.