Loop Hole

                                    

                                          

                          
Chapter 36: Loop Hole
                          

                          
“By making this oral agreement I accept that the city of Link is now under the control of the Easter United Provinces. I understand, as a representative of the Western Union, that if my nation commits any act of war against the Easter United Provinces or any of its citizens, they have a right to destroy this city and all of its inhabitants.”
                          

                          
The screen flickered, and the old man was gone. In his place, appeared a younger one.
                          

                          
“I, as the representative of the Eastern United Provinces, promise that my country will not perform any act of war against the Western Union, that might prompt them to perform one against us. I promise to upkeep the city of Link, and continue the research into twenty-first century life. I promise to provide above average living conditions for its citizens, and to not cause unnecessary pain. We will not kill any Link citizen, unless they have killed or hurt someone themselves. Although, we promise to keep the peace through laws. I understand, that any violation of this agreement will cause this contract to be invalid.”
                          

                          
The screen flashed black, and then the message began to repeat from the beginning, but I tuned it out. This had to be it, the whole truth. There couldn't be anything more... could there? The marking had already been so many things to me. A way of regulation fear levels, a means of population control, a way for the EUP to show the Triple U they were serious, and now I knew the truth, the marking was really nothing more than a giant loophole. 
                          

                          
All these years, I found it amazing that no one had picked up on the pattern. All along, there had been one sure way to survive the marking. It was to not kill anyone. If I'd kept my hands clean, the agents wouldn't have been able to touch me. I felt like crying. Every two years, for as long as I'd been alive, citizens of the city... Link... had turned against each others because of the threat of death. But all along, it had been nothing more than that, a threat. 
                          

                          
“It's just a loophole,” I whispered, staring at my two companions. 
                          

                          
Jason looked just as shocked as me. He must have come to the same conclusion. Romeo however, didn't look surprised at all. Of course, he'd known all along. 
                          

                          
“I didn't have to kill them,” I choked out, “I could have... I could have.” I was at a loss for words.
                          

                          
I was on the verge of tears. My rational mind was screaming that we didn't have time for this, but I was frozen. Jason's hand touched my shoulder. I twinged away, but it was comforting.
                          

                          
“Nance, think about this. You didn't kill those people because you were marked, you killed them because they were trying to kill you. Then, later, you killed them because you were fighting to save the lives of even more. You never went hunting, you never did it for the money. Things wouldn't have been any different if you'd known.”
                          

                          
The tears that were beginning to well up in the corners of my eyes didn't go away, but the shivers that were running up and down my spine stopped. He had a point, but the guilt was still there, gnawing away at my stomach. 
                          

                          
“That's easy for you to say,” I spit, “the man you kicked into the fire, we don't even know if he died.”