HolbeckMax

Very much enjoyed this story though it did remind me of another teenage spy called Alex (Rider). On to the next!

@Topher Lydon and fellow readers this is Jack Wolfe. He's a British musical theatre and TV actor currently playing Orpheus in Hadestown on Broadway. Which part in the film/TV adaptation would you give him? He's 28 and gay if that helps 🤔 And here he is performing a song from the show. Enjoy

The family is back together at last. Poor West, he thought commanding an army unit was difficult but triplets will be a warzone! I have one small disappointment and a loose end and that is where's Yani?

Sorry to be a bore but it's nearer five years than three which seems a more poignant number surely?

Wonderful chapter. "They think that we're no one We're nothing, not sorry They push us It's too late, it's too late Not going back They think we are made up Of all of our failures They think we are foolish And that's how the story goes They stand for nothing They're lifeless and cold Anything they say Will never break our hearts of gold When you're standing on the edge So young and hopeless Got demons in your head We are, we are No ground beneath your feet Not here to hold you 'Cause we are, we are The colors in the dark Now covered in madness But they just can't hurt us They tell us were nothing Keep walking and let it go They are the weakest And don't even know Anything they say Will never break our hearts of gold When you're standing on the edge So young and hopeless Got demons in your head We are, we are No ground beneath your feet Not here to hold you 'Cause we are, we are The colors in the dark Never tell yourself You should be someone else Stand up tall and say I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid So never tell yourself You should be someone else Stand up tall and say I'm not afraid..." Another OOR song https://youtu.be/uyaKoj7wABY?si=4YjbctqVSpfwlB8B

I struggle to see Ned as the 'kid' as he's late 20's and some I know who are the same age are on their third sprog and/or second wife.

I have a question about time. In this, and previous, chapters 'three years' is mentioned but this is 2024 so three years would be 2021 and I thought Yani and Will had not been in each others company for longer given the 45 min war happened under the talking satsuma's first term.

Excellent.

Too quickly sadly. A little more pain would have been delicious, but Peter did what he had to and speed was of the essence.

"Yeah, they tried to stop me, but it was too late Oh, there's no interfering my fate They was tryna hold me in every way Thinkin’ I've taken everything I could take" Song offering for this chapter

I want a front row seat and popcorn! (actually Hobnobs as I'm not a fan of popcorn)

Another chapter with an OOR song that kind of fits (at least to me anyway) Verse 1] They'll conquer us if we divide No one will listen to you We gotta stand up and draw a line It's time to fall back or shoot [Chorus] Why does it feel Like they don't feel anything? I pray there's a future behind those walls (But maybe I'm delusional) Let's make a deal Pretend this bastard democracy Is just how we want it and we're not exhausted [Post-Chorus] But maybe we're delusional We're all de-fucking-lusional [Verse 2] When everything's supposed to happen for a reason And every talking head expects you to believe them But we don't need them, we are the kingdom We know the amount that we have shared was never even [Chorus] Why does it feel Like they don't feel anything? I pray there's a future behind those walls (But maybe I'm delusional) Let's make a deal Pretend this bastard democracy Is just how we want it and we're not exhausted [Bridge] I know In order to be free, you gotta let go But know that once you do That's when they take hold Everything's fair in love and war, so [Chorus] Why does it feel Like they don't feel anything? I pray there's a future behind those walls (But maybe I'm delusional) Let's make a deal Pretend this bastard democracy Is just how we want it and we're not exhausted [Outro] But maybe we're delusional But maybe we're delusional We are delusional We're all de-fucking-lusional https://youtu.be/TmwCl9wUrC8?si=nKDAuqwleIl65sIA

@Topher Lydon Glad you liked it. Renegades, which was co-wrritten with Ed Sheeran, is also good. Written around the time of George Floyd. The MV is great, while the 2023 live version is magnificent. They are a band who generally deliver a positive message in their songs and have become slightly more political recently. I''ve not liked a band as much for decades.

Another chapter where Push Back by One OK Rock is the soundtrack in my head "Now we're back in the fight and never losing our strength We tried too many times just waiting patiently, patiently It's like they're holding the [Chorus] Gun to our heads They're tryna tell us what to think We're stuck on the edge So go ahead and push us We'll get up and push back Push back"

I think Will would work well with Mayor Pete. I imagine that would be an interesting meeting of minds. Sadly I think many voters in the US wouldn't want a gay president about as much as they wanted a black female. Evangelical gun toting Christians have way too much influence. The joy of fiction is that it gives us a different narrative.