**Author:** Sully **You Can Find Me At:** u/2ully *All art in this story by Emad Alden:* [https://twitter.com/emadalden_](https://twitter.com/emadalden_) https://www.artstation.com/emadalden <br> 2042, Former Germany 11:35 PM Seven years after the collapse of the German state. I'm sheltering from a torrential storm in a long since abandoned church located somewhere near Berlin, along with my two equipment managers and my translator. Illuminated by arcs of lighting in the cold night sky, I notice graffitied on the wall are the words: Revelation 11:18. Those of you who made it halfway through your theology studies in college only to abruptly change to a journalism major (maybe it's just me?) will recognize the reference immediately. For those who didn’t, it's an apocalyptic verse from the Christian Bible that reads: “The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small- and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” Quite a fitting, if not foreboding passage for the situation. At 12:00 PM my ride arrives outside the church. It flashes its headlights three times signaling to my crew and I that it's the real deal. We all eagerly exit the freezing church and climb into the back of the warm APC. Without so much as a ‘Hello’ from the drivers, the vehicle lurches forward and we find ourselves traveling down the ruined, rapidly, flooding streets of Former Germany. After months of encrypted messaging, this was my first in-person introduction to the German based No-Pat group called Der Neue Engel. (The New Angels) Last week I was finally able to arrange an on-site interview with them. I quickly organized a small crew and transportation for this once in a lifetime opportunity: a rare look inside the failed European state and an interview with one of their leading faction leaders. About five minutes into our drive the dashboard radio clicks to life and a staticky voice relays something briefly to the two No-Pat drivers before switching back off. The driver slams his fist into the dashboard and an argument ensues between him and the front passenger. My translator quietly informs me that they are debating whether or not to attempt to retrieve a fallen comrades body before it's swept away by the growing storm. The passenger motions back towards us, and says something to the driver who huffs in response. The rest of the twenty minute drive is made in silence. At 12:25 our transport slows to a stop, having arrived at the gate of the front checkpoint of The New Angels HQ. Our drivers exchange words with a guard while three other stern-faced armed security guards open up the back of the APC and take our bags. They ask each of us our identity, our birthday and our citizenship status and have us repeat it twice. Eventually, after their flashlights aren't being shone in our faces anymore and our thoroughly searched bags are given back to us, the doors close and we are driven further into the facility to an underground parking garage. We're all let out of the cramped vehicle and met with a rather surprising sight as we stretch our legs. I'm told by a driver that the garage has been turned into a makeshift repair and refuel site, the presence of numerous repair people and an impressive amount and variety of vehicles confirms this. I was aware before coming here that The New Angels were capable, but I certainly wasn't expecting this high of a level of organization and supply of equipment. Following the group coming over to greet our drivers is a young English speaking No-Pat who introduces himself to us as Jann, our guide. Jann, dressed in his dark cyan utility jacket, leads us past rows of assault vehicles and transports. We move past what Jann identifies to us as an “EBAA Wildcat'' tank with a large blast hole in its side. The stench of ozone leaks from this metal crater and fills the entire garage . I'm rather relieved when we are finally guided into an elevator and Jann hits the up button.  Combing his hand through his blond hair, Jan cheerfully boasts to us about the facility's fixtures. The doors slide quietly close and the elevator gently hums to life. I learn that not only is 94% of the facility provided with power from a variety of renewable energy sources including wind, solar, and hydro all maintained by teams of engineers and technicians, but that the most vulnerable parts of the structure of the building have been expertly modified and reinforced to withstand the frequent heavy storms that strike the area. Admittedly, I find Jann's enthusiasm somewhat endearing. He reminds me of my much younger cousin. I see why they chose him as our guide. Soon the elevator slows to a stop, and after we all step out, Jan motions for us to follow him. He informs us that he will be providing a guided tour of the East Wing. Walking down the pristine and well lit corridors I shudder, remembering the cold city ruins that not long ago we were immersed in, the same one that I know lies just outside this facility.  “Are you ready for the tour now?”  Jann asks and I agree. The first area we are shown is a huge, sophisticated indoor garden. Fresh carrots, crimson radishes, juicy tomatoes, and more sprout from shelves upon shelves of planters. A group of No-Pat Gardeners weave in out of the rows tending to the produce, while a sprinkler system overhead automatically mists the crops and LED lights provide the plants with sunlight. As we walk through the rows I can feel the abundant leafy green vegetation spilling over the shelves and brushing against my shoulders, I can smell the damp, rich roots soaking in nutrients, and I can practically taste the delectable produce on my tongue. I may have shedded a tear or two. "What do you think? Is good yes?" Jann asks in charmingly broken English. "I feel like I've died and ascended to Heaven," I reply. "Green, delicious looking heaven…"  "That is good!"  Diligent readers may remember my first ever published story, exploring the state of the farming industry back in America. Not once during all the research tours I went on for that story did I see a professional farm that could compare to what these displaced peoples managed to build in a failed state. As I'm busy eying up a glistening tomato on the planter, I don't even notice when a farmer approaches my group and subsequently scares the living shit out of me. “Jann! Good to see you again, I see you brought us some guests!” the gardener says, pulling off his glove and shaking my hand. “That is right! Miss Amelia, this is Lorenzo, he is the head of our farm!” Jann tells me. “It's nice to meet you! So you are in charge of the farm Mr. Lorenzo?”  “Ah, I do lead this one,” He replies, grinning. “But this is actually only one of several of the facilities farms,” "We keep them decentralized across the building you see, in case of disease outbreak or if heavens forbid an attack destroys one of them.”  I can tell by the growing smile on his face that Lorenzo takes great pride in his work. “You seem to be quite passionate about your work Mr. Lorenzo.” "I have to be, I do everything I can to make sure my farm is running the best it can be, it's hard to work on an empty stomach. We have to make sure everyone is fed, our soldiers, our engineers, our doctors. The place stays protected and the lights stay on so as long as there is food,”  "And God knows damn well a good and juicy tomato can get you quite a long way."  Jann beams at the mention of a tomato, "Oh yes, you must have one later, they are absolutely top notch!" “I can tell just by looking at them! how do you manage to raise such a high yield and quality of produce in the middle of a failed state Mr. Lorenzo?”  “Every resource we have here is precious, including clean water. We use a hydroponics system which has numerous advantages over traditional farming, it uses 80% less water, requires zero soil, takes up less space, and the growth rate and yield is higher.”  “Instead of relying on large quantities of  water which are often lost moving through the soil to the roots of plants as is usual in gardening, in our hydroponic system the water is sprayed  directly onto the roots and then recirculated through for as long as it remains usable. Even in these times so many people refuse to adapt to our changing world, I think they fear what they are unfamiliar with." "Are there many downsides to this method of gardening?" "They're are a few. Of most concern to us is disease and power outage. That is why we keep the gardens separate and now have an emergency backup power system,"  "When the Blackout occurred we were extremely underprepared, it took a while to get the system up again. That was the most stressful time of my life. The New Angels are my family and this is my home. I couldn't let them down. Needless to say, we've since established a reliable backup system." “Your knowledge is impressive Mr. Lorenzo, have you always been so interested in farming?” “Ah, well thank you! Back in Italy my mother taught me both the importance of and skills required for gardening from a young age, it feeds both the stomach and the soul she would tell me. I never stopped gardening, even when I was in college I actually set up a garden in my dorm heh!” “When I joined up with the New Angels this was just a natural fit for me. To some degree too, I like too think I can remember my mother through my work,” "But enough of this serious business, how about that tomato?" "Gladly!" After our interaction with Mr. Lorenzo and each of us savoring a very refreshing tomato, Jann leads the way to the next part of our tour. Led through a maze of corridors we eventually find ourselves in an entirely new section of the building. In this space cables criss-cross and across the ceiling and attach to all manner of equipment stationed around the site, grunts come from the room too my right obscured by pastel curtains, and the steady beeps and humming of the machines are joined by the soft conversations occurring between No-Pats dressed in scrubs. A No-Pat soldier passes my group flashing a smile and a small wave as he staggers forward, his injured body supported by a full exoskeleton. “Fancy equipment!” Jann approaches a door and knocks on it, speaking in German to the person inside. A tired looking doctor steps out and brushes himself off before approaching my crew.  “Dr. Sommer!” Jann greets, “This is the News Americans I told you about!” “It's an honor to meet you Dr. Sommer. I must say it's astonishing that The New Angels have managed to build such a well equipped hospital in such a desolate place.” "Well, I don't know if I would call it well equipped but it's certainly something to work with,” he chimes in. "We're sorely lacking a lot of essentials. Antibiotics are just about burnt through, painkillers aren't doing much better, and I've lost count of how many unanesthetized people I've had to pull shrapnel out of this week alone. We could be doing so much better if it weren't for these floods recently." "We have a group out right now trying to secure some medicine." Jann explains to us. "And I sure fucking hope they do manage to bring some back Jann."  Jann appears too wince, looking at his feet. Wishing to know more,  I ask another question directly to the doctor. "Despite your apparent shortcomings, this hospital seems quite elaborate. How did you manage to recover all of this equipment?” "Some of it we managed to salvage when we were first setting up the facility. Before the crisis this was arguably the city's most advanced hospital,” “Of course a lot of it was stolen, broken, or lost when things started to deteriorate. So the rest we scavenged from the surrounding regions or was supplied to us by the ERF,” “Plus this area has been around the longest, we've had a lot of time to build up. The whole reason the New Angels started occupying this building in the first place was because it was supposed to be a temporary emergency treatment center,” “But more and more people found their way here and just kept adding to it. Soon it became more than just a hospital.” “Earlier on too we had a lot of expert help from a very knowledgeable former combat medic as well, she's the best doctor I ever met. Alas, she left to find a missing family member of hers.” He waves his hand. “It's days like this I feel her absence more than ever.” “That's interesting! And that means in a sense, this hospital has been the origin point of the whole compound?” “I suppose so.” He answers, scratching at his chin. “Of course we couldn't go very far without adequate power, that's when they started building the energy infrastructure, and as this became a more permanent fixture they started to set up the first gardens.” “Is access to power an issue for the New Angels still?” “The Blackout did a number on our infrastructure for a while. Fortunately for us all, our engineers were able to salvage enough to keep our local grid up for a while, at a severely reduced level mind you.” The doctor sighs. “We're still not where we were Pre-Blackout.” When I go to ask the doctor another question the hospital erupts in a flurry of German as the front doors fling open and a screaming, blood soaked soldier on a stretcher is quickly rolled past us, his right leg and arm sat next to his head. “Scheisse!” Dr. Sommer leaves to follow the wounded man down the hallway without as much as a goodbye. "Let's head out of here,”  Jann says, quickly escorting us past frantic doctors and out of the hospital. After escaping the suddenly chaotic hospital and its smell of chemicals and copper. We stop for a bathroom break for my crew member who I can faintly hear retching behind the door.  The next place Jann brings us is somewhere that once again takes me back to my college days, a bustling cafeteria filled with No-Pats. All cracking jokes, laughing with their friends, clinking drinks, or loudly chatting with each other. It's quite a joyous scene, and certainly one that just 15 minutes ago I never would have imagined I would find here. At Jann’s invitation we all grab a meal from the lunch line and take a seat. At the table Jann apologetically informs us that my aforementioned arranged interview with the New Angels commander is delayed as she is still out leading an emergency mission. Frankly I'm quite relieved to have the downtime. The image of that young man back in the hospital, writhing on his stretcher, his bulging eyes connecting with my own, it's all still freshly burnt into my memory. Good food and atmosphere help take my mind off of it. During the course of our meal we strike up a conversation with one of the many No Pat inhabitants at our table, a lovely older woman named Bruna.   To my extraordinary luck, after dinner, I'm afforded the opportunity of an unscripted interview with Bruna as she kindly agrees to one. Wasting no time we set up the equipment and began the interview. <br> **You told me earlier you have lived in Germany for all 67 years of your life, what was it like watching the climate crisis unfold in real time?** "You know, somewhere In the back of my mind I was always aware of the coming climate crisis, I suppose most of us were. But when I was a young woman like you it was still so abstract. It felt so distant when it wasn't your country, when it wasn't your home being battered by an ever increasing amount of storms and floods," "It was the impoverished nations that were hit first, those that were least responsible. It was tragic certainly watching it unfold on the news, but it was little more than that to me, just a sad news story, I'm ashamed to admit that it never felt as real until it was us," "Back then it was the wars that were selling headlines, America this, China that, Russia attacks!"  "Oh, I remember when the Paris nuclear attack occurred. We all thought it would be the most devastating event in our lifetimes, in our children's lifetimes, it could never be worse, we were so  naïve," "When the rivers started drying up, that's what it really took to shake us. One after another, the Danube, the Elbe, even the Rhine. It became ever more harder to access clean water," "But we were only living not a even fraction of what the impoverished nations the world had been for decades," "As more and more towns and cities crumbled across the globe, refugees started to pour in. So many of them didn't even speak a word of German, but what were they supposed to do? They had nowhere else to go, not everyone saw it that way though…" "The heat and the outbreak of the Baltic firestorms killed the farming industry across Europe, we couldn't feed our native born let alone the refugees. The government started to crack down on them. Hard. The hunger, the firestorms, they were an easy target to take it out on,” "When the skies turned black cancer rates skyrocketed while food supplies plummeted and ordinary people took to violence. Many thought it was the end times, the four horsemen had finally ridden out, it wasn't long before the government lost all control." **In the midst of all of this chaos, where were you personally, what were you thinking, how did you get by?** "We had to flee our home, my husband and I were transferred between several state run refugee Camps. We weren't considered Non-Patriated  yet so we got off comparatively easily. From what I've heard since, the refugees from fallen nations were stuffed into what amounted to over glorified detention camps. I can't speak fully to their personal experience, I haven't lived it, but I can say that describing the camps we lived in as ‘under supplied’ would be a massive understatement. So I can only imagine what their experience was like," “Little aid came from anywhere across the world, our nation was in its death throes and we knew it, we had no one to rely on but each other. The most superficial differences between us became less and less important. And that's the only way we survived, together. The country failed us, neighboring countries banned immigration, we were added to the long list of peoples whose plights the world tried to ignore," "So we did everything we could to survive. Any and all skills were useful, there was always a job someone could do. Doctors, plumbers, construction workers. I used to be a professor, I began to help in logistics and education. My husband helped construct water filtration systems." **Is that around the time you joined the New Angels?** "Ah, that was about…two years after the collapse. Our camp had been abandoned a few months ago, washed away by flash floods. We salvaged what we could and moved onto the next shelter, over and over again," "We had taken up in a ruined apartment complex and fixed it up as best we could, it wasn't much. Sleeping bags and mattresses. We traded supplies and scavenged for food," "I remember the morning a group of armed No-Pats showed up outside the complex. We were soaking wet, clothes stitched up, running off of morsels. And here comes this group with uniform ponchos, winged insignia stenciled on their helmets, and plenty of guns. I thought they were there to rob us," "But instead they introduced themselves to us, called themselves 'The New Angels'. A faction of survivalists looking for recruits," "They offered us a place in their community alongside food, clean water, good shelter, and most of all hope. Hope of rebuilding a better world," "They said everyone was welcome to join them, no matter what their occupation was or their skills are, as long as they are willing to pitch in and treat each other equally," "Yeah, at the time I thought it was way too good to be true, but my husband talked me into it. I haven't looked back since." **You've mentioned your husband a few times now, I'm curious what his role is in the facility?** "My sweet, sweet, Jonas." (Bruna sighs and makes the sign of the cross over her sweater.) "He continued working construction when we joined and helped construct a lot of our necessary facilities before he passed."" **Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't realize…** "It's ok dear." "It was just last year, he became very ill at the same time as a young boy. But we only had enough antibiotics to treat one of them adequately. Jonas insisted they give it to the boy,” "I will always remember the night he told me. What he said. He told me he lived fully, that he was lucky enough to have met the love of his life, and he took my hand. He wanted the boy to have the same chance as him. The same chance to live his life to the fullest." **Jonas sounds like he was a very honorable man.** "He certainly was, he embodied what it means to be a New Angel, selfless, kind, my sweetness. With his work I think I saved more lives than even just that boy., “I'll never forget him, I apologize but I think I've said all I can." **Thank you so much for the interview Bruna.** <br> Bruna excuses herself and my team packs up our gear. An hour later and most of the No-Pats have filtered out of the cafeteria. 30 minutes and nearly everyone has left. I'm beginning to wonder if I will get my interview with the captain at all. That is until a few moments later when Jann alongside an armed guard strode up to us. “The captain has returned, she is ready to speak to you.” As we are being escorted out of the cafeteria we picked up another armed No-Pat following us close behind. Whether the New Angels don't trust me or love me so much they're giving me my own security detail I'm not yet sure.  When I move past the windows I see dark tides throwing themselves against bending metal, I feel the strikes of lightning bombarding the flooded city outside. Suddenly I'm trying very hard to convince myself these armed No-Pats are for my protection after all. What kind of person would be willing to risk life and limb out there? I knew I was about to meet her. The further we journey through the facility the further the number of inhabitants present dwindles, soon it's only us left. Janns signature charm is an absent comfort as he remains nearly mute. After what seems like hours we leave one final elevator and step into a wide and windowless hallway. At the end lies a single metal door flanked by two guards and blank beside a large New Angel emblem stenciled on the front and small text written in German under it.  We come to a stop outside the door and Jann exchanges some words in German with the guards. One of them shoots an unreadable look my way that makes my stomach drop.  Finally they knock on the door once, push it open, and motion for us to enter. The room itself is a cozy if not cluttered office, the usual office amenities fill the space including a desk sat in the center of the room. Behind the desk is a No-Pat flag mounted on the back wall, and stood in front of it was the captain herself. I estimate her to be in early 30s, tall, blonde, and still dressed in her uniform.  “I apologize for my lateness, I was leading a mission to secure medication, which took much longer than we expected.” she says, dabbing at her wet face with a towel. “No worries, it's a privilege to meet with you ma'am!”  “I hope you've been finding your stay welcome, Jann you've been making sure they're comfortable I trust?” Jann stiffens. “Of course, captain. If I may ask, how did your mission go?” She paused for a moment before smiling and answering. “Ah, you can relax Jann. It was a success, we shouldn't be out for a while now!” With that Jann relaxes, allowing a grin to grow on his own face. “Now then, you are Miss Ameliah yes?" She extends a hand for me to shake. "That's me!" “Good to finally meet you, you made the trip well then yes?” “We have ma'am, especially with Jann's guidance, admittedly however getting to this point has been a bit tense with the storm and what not.” A small frown appears on her face before she replies, “Yes, I can imagine, I hope our security has not been too hard to deal with, I know it took a while for this meeting to be set up in the first place. You must understand, everyone here has lost something, they can be overly cautious,” “But, I've held you up for much too long, are you ready to start the interview?” “Just need a minute to set up our equipment!" She gives a thumbs up and plops into her office chair. The moment my crew finishes setting up our recording tools again I pull up my notes on my data pad and we begin the long awaited interview. <br> **Thank you so much again for agreeing to this interview Ma'am, I would like to start off by asking you what are the origins of the New Angels? What were the circumstances in which your faction was formed?**  “You can trace us back to before even the collapse. The New Angels started off as a local mutual aid network, about 16 of us too start. It started simple, feeding our neighbors out of basement gardens, cleaning up garbage, disaster relief, that sort of thing. But the further the country fell apart the more people joined up with us. Pretty soon we were merging with aid groups from across the country, districts, even small towns joined up with us. We had farmers, doctors, engineers, joining. Plenty of veterans like myself too who had to pick up a rifle once more in our increasingly hostile world.” **Motivated by her response to my question I deviated from my preplanned questions and asked a spontaneous one:** **You mentioned the militarization of your faction in response to hostilities, what forces do the New Angels contend with?** “Initially our own government. They knew they were losing their grip on the country, people felt betrayed but their ineptitude. So they panicked and began to harshly crack down on anything they perceived as dissent. That meant us, No-Pats, anybody who was or could be a threat. In more recent years however, other factions have opposed us on the basis of ideology or loyalty to other global players. The United States and Russia have also been especially trigger happy when it comes to anyone they see as potentially interfering with their operations. Regardless of whether they actually are or not." **What kinds of other factions endanger your organization?** "Well, there are numerous groups of scattered thugs that will gladly take a pot shot at you, but the most organized is probably Storms Will. They are a loose faction that came to existence near the beginning of the collapse. They're motivated by conspiracism, greed, and fierce opposition to our humanitarian efforts. In the past they have managed to damage or even destroy some of our facilities. They have made a nasty habit out of disrupting our operations. Apparently they see us as ‘aiding The Omegas’ or playing into the hands of some sinister conspiracy they've cooked up the week prior. For them, everything we do is a plot, and as such must be destroyed. They constantly fill their ears with that shit on the radio, ‘Dr. Nathan’ and what not.” **How is it that Storms Will and other groups have acquired weaponry and equipment in such bulk as to mount such attacks in the first place?** "Russia and the Dark Market mainly. Russia doesn't want to see a stabilized Europe, they fear it could be a powerful ally to America. Russia knows that providing Storms Will with equipment to keep them creating chaos and division is a good way to keep it destabilized. And as for the Dark Market, those bastards will sell their gear to whoever can pay for it, they squeeze out every last ounce of profit they can from conflicts." **Do The New Angels also acquire some of their equipment from the Dark Market?**  "No comment." **In the ongoing war it seems many No-Pats have been forced to choose a side, considering your previous responses, is it safe to say your faction aligns most closely with America in the war?** "The New Angels are not an army, we don't fight for any side besides each other's. This conflict is only happening because America and Russia have allowed themselves to be baited into yet another war, it is because of them, because of groups like Storms Will that the world is so fractured. Even now they insist on dividing themselves and destroying each other, because they are on that side of the world and the others are on this side. Time and time again the nations tell their people that blood must be spilled for a greater cause. And each time the fruitless wars they wage have accomplished nothing but destroy homes, dreams, and families. What they still don't understand is that the old world is gone, they aren't calling the shots anymore, but they will still drag every single last person they can into this war for as long as they can.  So, no, we don't align with America or Russia, and we certainly won't throw ourselves into the war machine on behalf of either one of the superpowers." **Sensing that my question has annoyed her I switched course to a different topic:** **What are the primary objectives of the New Angels? What are you trying to achieve?** "To help as many people as we can, to establish and maintain reliable support networks, to repair our homes and create new ones. Where people are shattered we aim to reunite them." "This building is so far our most advanced facility, but we have several more. Expanding them and creating more is a priority. The greater our reach and our resources the more people we can aid and bring together." **What are some of the longer term goals of The New Angels? How do you envision the future of your faction?** “The future? Hmm.” “I believe a new EU is needed, one run by and concerned with the wellbeing of all citizens. Not just the citizens of Europe but of the world. Ideally The New Angels could help build this.” **Do you think that building a new EU is realistic? It seems quite a momentous task, especially for what is ultimately one group based in a single country.** "I believe so. Although our organization is primarily centered here, our reach extends beyond Germany. I myself once led a mission all the way into Wroclaw, Poland. It was the night after the blackout, we rescued and transported thousands of survivors to European Recovery Foundation camps. We actually work closely with the ERF. I believe that if there is a future with a United Europe it will be harbingered by them and groups like them who take action for their cause. We are far from the only ones striving for a new EU. " "After all, the EU disbanded following the collapse of Germany. And if our group can play even just a small part in rebuilding it, it will have been worth all the trouble. If humanity is to survive the times to come our greatest asset will have to be unity." **I was unaware of The New Angels relationship with the ERF, how does collaboration between your two groups usually manifest?** "Frankly, we wouldn't be anywhere near where we're at now without the ERF. We provide additional security and reconnaissance for them as well as transporting supplies and injured refugees for treatment. In the aftermath of the blackout the ERF aided us in our recovery efforts and we in theirs, we and many others owe them our eternal gratitude." **Switching gears here I would like to ask you about your group's stance on a very relevant Non-Patriated thought leader, Oz.** "You ask me a very controversial question. Even within our own faction there is much division regarding him." (She takes a moment, rubbing her hands together) "Not answering this would piss off just as many if not more people than it would if I were to answer." "I cannot speak for the New Angels as a whole but I can speak my own thoughts, this is good?" **Of course.** "I can sympathize with him, I can see why so many are willing to fight for him. At the same time I feel he is clouded by a desire for revenge. And I can understand his anger for the superpowers, trust me I can. His ideas, a future for all No-Pats to live freely I can respect, but at what point do the means comprise the ends?" "He claims he wants No-Pats to be able to unite to build a better future. Perhaps he does, but so far all I have seen him do is destroy. How does he expect to build after all he's ever known is how to destroy? What if there's nothing left to build off of?" "I hope he asks himself these questions." **Do you believe Oz presents a unique threat to the world? Is he considered hostile by the New Angels?** "I believe he is misguided. I sense his great potential. But if he is unable to reconcile with his desire for revenge, I do fear his influence won't bring the world together, but will instead destroy it." "As for us, Oz hasn't interfered in our operations. And as long as he doesn't, we will be on neutral terms. Some New Angels have left to join him and that is their free choice to make, but they can no longer be considered New Angels." "As long as he leaves us alone, we will leave him alone." **I want to ask you more about the organization of the New Angels. You are of course a captain, what kinds of decisions do you make for the greater faction?** "I don't make any decisions for the greater faction, at least not by myself. My authority begins and ends with armed operations. Decisions regarding everything else are voted upon directly by all of our members. As is the election to captain." **A horizontal structuring?** "Yes, from the beginning it's been important that power is shared by all, not hoarded by a few." "We have to be careful to not rebuild the injustices of the past, we want our new world to be one where everyone is guaranteed life and a voice. No matter their wealth or circumstances of birth. No should be above another. "To this end the power is held by all the people, and with all our resources pooled together and shared, we thrive." **What are the requirements for becoming a New Angel?** "Only that you respect and cooperate with our members and remain out of any conflicts or factions engaged in conflicts." "We welcome people of all former nationalities, of all faiths or lack thereof, whatever skills they may have or lack." **I can't thank you enough for agreeing to this interview ma'am. I've worked through all of my questions besides one final one I like to ask all my interviewees: Why did you agree to be interviewed by me in the first place?** “When you first reached out to us I did some research on you, I read some of your prior articles. I could tell you are a kind hearted woman who gives excellent coverage.” “Many people's perception of the Non-Patriated is that we are terrorists, thieves, and hired killers. And for some of this is of course true. But I hoped that by allowing you to cover The New Angels, the world could be shown that is not what all No-Pats are. I hope that they see we want that we same things do, I hope they see they don't have too beholden to the whim of nations that don't care about them, I want them too know there is a better world out there, and it can only be brought about by the people building it. The balance of power has shifted and the future is ours to shape as we want.” “It has been a pleasure to be interviewed with you, I wish you all the luck in your future endeavors.” **Thank you again ma'am, I appreciate your time immensely.** <br> We share a final handshake and Jann snaps a picture of us together before we depart the commander's office. The next morning we all volunteer to give blood and an hour later we are dropped off at our rendezvous point and flown out of the city by my arranged pilot. As I look out of the helicopter window and reflect on my time with my New Angels I can't help but feel a sense of hopefulness. The beginning of my article found me sheltering from a storm in a weathered church graffitied with text referencing apocalyptic scripture and unsure completely of what I was getting my crew and I into. But after meeting Jann, Bruna, the commander, and the various other New Angels I feel more humble than ever before. Their attitude of optimism and perseverance is infectious. And although I may find their goals regarding the EU somewhat idealist, I firmly agree with the New Angels that the world needs more groups like them.  Just as the city fades out of view, I catch a faint glimpse of a rainbow growing over the New Angels facility. I would like to give my warmest thanks to you dear readers for investing your time in my article and for reading my works. Without your constant support I never would have been able to produce this piece in the first place. So one last time thank you, and please take care of each other out there.  *All art by Emad Alden:* [https://twitter.com/emadalden_](https://twitter.com/emadalden_) [https://www.artstation.com/emadalden](https://www.artstation.com/emadalden) *Special thanks to Matthew A. for editing, proofreading, support, and endless love.*