Chapter 1

"Did you know that in 72 hours, the American president will declare war against the union of China and Korea?” Allison called.

“That’s insane! It couldn't be," Napoleon was aghast while he was sipping wine and reading a book. This phone call with Allison was getting on his nerves. He never believed that war would solve this great mess. He knew that war was inevitable; there was already a war in the Middle East, but it had gone out of control; it could be the setting for another chaos.

“The pope’s death, the union of China and Korea, and the economic breakdown triggered the war. My dad said it was the most logical thing to happen.”

“But how could that be? Just because the pope got killed by a psycho doesn’t mean we have to die as well in such a war.”

“Don’t be cynical. We have to be vigilant.”

Allison was worried that her father might really mean it, the war could really be just three days away from now, but Napoleon was confident the Vatican would scheme to divide everyone.

After they pondered on the idea, they still could not believe that the union of China and Korea had infuriated President Samuel Cooper, drastically making the probability of war higher than usual. The future depended on the outcomes of the war in the Middle East now that China and Korea were both supplying nuclear weapons to enable the war, much to the dismay of America as well as other allies. The American president was mad at the results of the war in the Middle East ever since the union of China and Korea started sending more troops to the Middle East. Could this mean a threat to world peace or is the union of China and Korea brewing the third world war? 

When China colonized nearby Southeast Asian countries, Korea did not want to appear defeated, so they became allies with China, only to the dismay of most of its citizens. Most Koreans were upset and frustrated with their leader's decisions. However, it led to more economic advantages since the Chinese economy appeared to help Korea. The labor force of China was a major advantage. Plus, the importation and exportation of products.

China wanted to be a superpower and Korea aided it. They were now plotting a plan to take revenge against America. Many years ago, Korea was still with the US, now the former sided with China because of its strategic plans for world domination. America was no longer the world leader, China was. 

For more than a decade, China's economy was booming, even surpassing the US economy. It led to more growth and development for this great nation. The sleeping giant was no longer passive.

Only a few countries in Southeast Asia were not colonized by China, but sooner the latter would get them. It was apparent that it was predestined to be. Some countries like Japan and Singapore were not a part of the union of China and Korea yet, but the latter was doing everything to colonize them. 

While the resistance was overwhelming, China was too aggressive to get these territories, particularly Korea. The Chinese president believed that Korea could be a great asset to them. 

The American president believed that China was behind the mess in the Middle East. Still, Intel reports revealed that China's allies were the main culprit, and Korea was basically trying to please its allies that they had sent more war weapons to aid them.

The union of China and Korea could not answer President Samuel Cooper’s questions about the former’s involvement with the war in the Middle East, no one wanted to talk about it, it seemed taboo, but it was clear to the American leader that the union of China and Korea could only mean disaster, a threat to world peace and a means for world domination.

Politics was a crazy game and everyone involved were all losers.

"How could China and Korea get involved with your dad's decision to launch a war against the union of China and Korea?" Napoleon asked, even if it was a bit apparent.

"Simple. Both China and Korea wanted to rival NATO, particularly America."

“Are the gods playing games on us?”

Allison sighed. She wanted to remain optimistic despite the tragic news of the impending war, so she crossed her fingers and uttered a prayer to herself. For almost a century, the war in the Middle East went on. Now China and Korea were also players of this awful game. How could this be getting worse and worse?

The political leaders of both countries signed a memorandum of agreement together last month. This meant their political union was official. Or was it?

President Samuel Cooper believed that Korea would never side with China. They used to be partners, not just allies. Now that Korea performed the highest form of treachery America wanted to wage a war against both countries.

The union of China and Korea wanted to colonize other territories, especially Asia, but America would never allow it. How could they promote diplomacy if these self-centered chauvinistic people only want to grab lands and seas?

This was really the biggest problem of America right now, but President Samuel Cooper could not attend to it yet. He wanted an immediate solution, so he was streamlining the process by launching the third world war against the union of China and Korea, much to the disappointment of everyone though it was still a plan. He asked his vice president who had no objections. 

Allison's mother tried talking with her husband about it but to no success. He was resolute that war was the solution, it could pave way for economic advancement and growth later. That was idiocy at the highest level for Allison and her mother. However, the White House would be issuing a statement about this game plan sooner tonight. It might be minutes before the official statement from the White House. The president would speak about his interim plans.

When Pope Adrian XVII passed away last night, there was no Christmas celebration and most religious leaders commiserate with the Catholic community, even the Muslims and Jews. The American president gave a long speech about it earlier this morning and he was deeply saddened by this tragedy. President Samuel Cooper was a devout Catholic and he was a friend of the pope, an awesome person with a big heart. The old man will be remembered. The world would surely miss this great person.

The pope could prevent the war if he was still living. He could talk personally with the American president and ask him a favor. But the war was soon if not soonest.

A war would mean not only damages but deaths, thousands of soldiers would be sent to distant lands to fight for their countries only to end up victims of war, their names soon to be forgotten in history. Forgetting seemed to be the banalest thing to do.

Wars meant not only death, but it could also mean a lot of negativities to this firmament. Realizing that war could certainly be the next tragic event in history, Allison wanted to try her luck with her own father, but he was busy talking with his cabinet members this evening. Tonight at 8 pm he would speak about this plan to launch a third world war.  

The Middle East used to be a peaceful territory, and now the situation got out of hand, nobody could reminisce how solemn the environment used to be or how its people wore big smiles on their lovely faces before, all that was left was drought and disaster. Once you step into this strange land, you would enter a world where chaos and mayhem were the sole victors, where no one survived, and survival would mean everything to everyone.

Blaming China and Korea would not suffice. There was no place for unforgiveness.

“Do you think the political mayhem triggered the economic breakdown that resulted in the war?” Napoleon asked.

“You better ask Isaac about it. Your brother knew everything even before I told you.”

“So, Isaac told you about this? And he never even confided in me.”

“Isaac shared his knowledge in chaos theory twice.”

“A physics concept paired with world war 3?”

“He predicted the New World Order in less than six months, and now it is happening."

"My brother thinks about the New World Order. What is Harvard teaching my younger brother? Are they nuts?"

“It might be a bit complex, difficult to grasp at first, but you will soon understand once Isaac shares his knowledge about this physics concept with you.”

Napoleon could not understand why his brother was obsessed with chaos theory. It was only a theory, as the elder brother had understood. However, to Isaac, it was not.

What manifested nowadays was the butterfly effect, the first stage in chaos theory. Sooner it would be evident that others would follow as Isaac had predicted. Or was it an ersatz?