From Within by Brian Delaney

opening.
    “Pretty impressive isn’t it?” Anthony yelled over the engine noise.
    “How is this already set up?” Marcus ignored the question and asked his own.
    Blake awoke from the yelling and was now looking out of his window down at the camp. He quickly reached into his backpack that sat in between his legs and produced a small camcorder. He started filming the camp from the air as they arrived.
    “Some of our country’s leadership had anticipated the government failing and disintegrating so they put the whole work in motion,” Anthony twirled his finger in the air as he yelled in reply.
    Marcus nodded his head in response and turned back to the window.  They were descending quickly now and he reached down and tightened his seatbelt. He could see crews of workers putting up fencing and others still erecting tents. He thought the camp looked mostly complete other than a little bit more perimeter fencing. It made Marcus wonder if the fencing was to keep out or keep in. There was no telling how many more tents were going to be put up. He saw a dozen or so eighteen wheeler semi-trucks that workers were entering and leaving carrying supplies. He figured some could still be completely full.
    A few minutes later they all ducked out of the helicopter and regrouped in front of a tent about fifty yards away. The whine of the helicopter’s turbine engine winding down along with the whump whump whump of the slowing blades could be heard as they all stretched their arms and legs by the tent.
    “Most of the construction should be complete by day’s end,” Anthony said as if he read Marcus’s thoughts. “Tomorrow the staff will be here unloading more trucks with supplies to run the camp. After the camp is supplied, probably next day, this camp will be ready to accept people and be fully operational.”
    “Well,” Marcus said and then paused for a moment, “...things sure do move fast with you guys.”
    “When plans are made and set in motion, there’s no stopping us,” Anthony said, widening the permanent grin on his face. “You two should start getting some basic footage of the camp and workers finishing up things. I’ll find you two in a little bit and we’ll go over what should go in the newscast.”
    “Go over?” Marcus asked. “You don’t want us to do our thing? We are pretty good at it.”
    “We can compare notes. No offense. I know you are professionals, but WWNL is now technically a subsidiary of the CMA. As a public relations matter, coverage of the CMA needs to be monitored. You understand, I’m sure. I guarantee WWNL wouldn’t want any unfavorable publicity without a fine tooth comb meticulously analyzing everything possible to make them appear in the best light possible.”
    Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Are you anticipating these refugee camps will give the CMA bad publicity?”
    “Oh, no. Of course not,” Anthony quickly answered. “I was just saying as an example. Anyways, like I said, I’ll find you in a little bit.” Anthony turned and went inside the tent. Marcus could tell that he seemed a bit annoyed.
    Marcus and Blake spent the better part of the next hour walking around the camp recording footage of people working on tents and fencing. They went in the tents as well to record sleeping areas, bathroom facilities, and kitchen and dining. Marcus was quite impressed with how nice everything seemed. Everything was brand new. He had pictured in his mind old tattered military materials. A government that couldn’t even support to maintain its’ own military and many agencies and programs could somehow afford to build brand new miniature cities all over the U.S.
    “This is just all too weird,” Marcus said to Blake.
    “How so?” Blake asked.
    “Just a week ago I never would have pictured refugee camps being built everywhere across the country. Now we are walking around one. It’s surreal. Why did the government...rather, a government corporation, have all of this stuff?” Marcus