Lie to Me Again | ONC 2024

14 - Hit the Fan

Some people called it the calm before the storm, which sounded poetic but wasn't realistic to this situation. Yuki thought of it as the moment the crap hit the fan, the second before it got flung in every direction, when all a person could do was watch in horror, powerless to stop it.

After gaining one nuke from the USA, she'd gone to the USSR and lied that she'd be given seven if she switched alliances to the NATO nations. Sila had frowned, doubtless thinking of the army she'd handed to Yuki, and offered eight to stay loyal. Unfortunately for her, besides no consequences for starving your populace, there were no consequences for betraying allies either, unless you counted being shunned.

Yuki didn't count it. Not when she'd promised the third-world nations armies, resources, and nukes if they switched to her side this turn. They'd demanded insurance that their new alliance wouldn't simply be crushed and she'd promised it'd be given.

"The USSR trades eight nuclear weapons to El Salvador," Sila announced, while Yuki imagined chucking feces at a spinning ceiling fan. 

The classroom went dead quiet, everyone staring at Sila in disbelief, as if they couldn't have heard right. Everyone but Yuki and Rhett.

"I'm switching my alliance to El Salvador," Rhett said calmly. All according to the plan. And then the projectiles hit.

Aisha pushed her chair back and stood. "Brazil is allying with El Salvador too."

An uproar rose as the other nations clamored to change over and the two major blocs yelled back for them to know their place. Mr. Manalo tried to restore order. Yuki risked a look at Sila who'd gone quiet with understanding, some of her Eastern Bloc allies conferring in the corner with hissed whispers. 

Maybe she'd be able to bribe a few of those over in the coming rounds. Poland seemed like a good one to start with.

Yuki waited until the requests had died down. "I transfer two nukes each to Mexico and Brazil and half of El Salvador's army, divided among the next five countries who changed their alliances to me," she said.

"Noted." Mr. Manalo sighed, typing away at his desk. He likely hadn't expected this simulation to be so much work and the best was yet to come. Two major powers could keep each other in check, but multiple with nuclear power? It only took one to overextend and tip the scales. Once that first bomb dropped, there'd be no going back.

The bell rang in dismissal.

"You little liar," Sila spat with venom when Yuki walked by her desk.

"All's fair in love and war," Yuki said, a smile playing about her lips. "I didn't want to spend hours watching you and Cy throw meaningless threats at each other. This is more fun." She winked and skidded out into the hall before Sila could keep her there.

Rhett walked up beside her and caught her hand, swinging their arms together. "You have PE next period?"

"Yeah, but I don't get to do much." Her teacher had strict instructions from her grandparents not to let her overexert.

A girl wearing a hoodie with braided dark green hair peeking out, rolled her eyes at them as they passed. Get a room, it said. Yuki relished those looks. Besides, not like they were kissing in the halls like some of the school's other couples. 

"Why is it that you've quit all your sports?" Rhett asked, adjusting his glasses. "I thought you wanted to be a pro tennis player like Serena Williams."

"I don't know." Unlike quitting violin, this question didn't have an easy work-around. Rhett wasn't going to buy that she disliked tennis now, not when she'd forced him to play with her for hours even while the sun baked the court like a burnt brownie.