Chapter 182

The show ended with a bang.  The final song of the set was "Leave It Alone".  David ended the show the same way he always did, having the crowd yell the band name.  As the guys ran out to their buses, David was greeted by his wife and kids under the ever watchful eye of Morbus.  David couldn't help but smile when he saw his sons and daughters screaming "We are... DISTURBED", led by his twelve year old son, Malachai.  

"Are you all Disturbed?" he asked his children when he got back out to the bus.

"Oh, you have no idea, Dad", Malachai said.  Jacob and Jordan echoed their older brother.

"Do you two even know what that word means?"

"Yeah", Jordan said, looking at her dad like he'd lost his mind.  "It means that you're anxious or affected by a mental disorder."

"And which of those definitions are you, Jordan Hannah?"

"The latter.  I'm just as crazy as you and Mom are, if not worse."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah."

David laughed.  "You know, Little Miss Jordan, I'm not going to argue with you.  You have to be crazy to be my child.  It's a requirement.  Now, let's load the bus so that we can get the hell out of here.  How does that sound?"  The kids all cheered.  "Well, get your butts on the bus!"

Brie laid a hand against her husband's stomach, stopping him from getting on the bus behind the kids.  "Where the hell do you think you're going, Mr. Draiman?"

"I'm getting on the bus with my kids."

"Not without giving your biggest fan a kiss."

He smiled as she pressed her lips to his.  "What did you think of the show, Mrs. Draiman?”

"I thought you were electrifying.  The best show you've given since we've been together, and they just keep getting better."

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As the buses rolled out toward the next destination in El Paso, David got a text message. Show in El Paso canceled.  Other dates still up in the air.  When stopped at hotel, I'll explain... Morbus.  David got Brie's attention.  "Morbus says that the El Paso show is canceled and that the other ones are still up in the air."

She looked at him in shock.  "I wonder why.  Did he say?"

"No, he said that he'd explain once we got to our hotel in Amarillo."

"I hope nothing has happened to the organizers of the shows.  That would be horrible."

"You and me both, sweetie.  You and me both."

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"Gentlemen, while we were all traveling here to Amarillo, I got a call from The Master Guns.  He said that the El Paso show has been canceled due to the sudden outbreak of resistance in the city.  Apparently, David, because the Austin show was broadcast throughout the state on every major new network, the entire state of Texas is in a state of anarchy due to the speech you gave.  The news networks have dubbed it the ‘Never Again’ speech."

Dan laughed.  "Geez, David, you really know how to ruin a tour, don't you?"

David laughed as well.  "Apparently, I do.  Who knew that they would get that violent after that speech I gave?"

"Well, you have to admit that calling what the Utopians are doing a Modern Holocaust had a little something to do with that", Mike chuckled.

"'Never again will we let them commit genocide on our families'.  That's what you said."

"Nonviolence is no longer an option.  I know that was the goal", Morbus said.

"Who said?" David asked.

"You WANTED the people to rise up in violent upheaval against the Utopians?"

"Fuck yes, I did.  Nonviolent protests aren't getting the job done.  Those have their place, but this is a WAR, Morbus.  The people need to get violent in order to end this shit once and for all.  My twins are almost ten.  This has been going on since before they were born.  Hell, it's been going on since my wife and I got together.  No fucking more.  It needs to end, and violence is obviously the ONLY answer."

Morbus eyed the man he had endless respect for.  "You, my friend, are a devious man, David."

"Yes, Morbus, I can be.  The guys knew what I wanted to do.  We discussed it.  I told them that if they wanted me to incite a fucking riot before we did 'Never Again', then they needed to give me a signal.  I got the go ahead, and I incited a God Damn riot."

"It was fucking genius, David.  But I hope you realize that you guys may not be able to perform in any other city because of the riot you incited with that speech you gave."

"Oh, we realize it, Morbus", Dan said.  "If we didn't think it would have taken affect, we never would have given David permission to do what he did."

"We have a method in our madness, Morbus.  There always is", John said.  Mike just nodded in agreement.

"Ok, guys, as long as you're all aware of what was caused by your actions today."

"Oh, we knew what would happen if we let David make that speech", Mike said.  "That's exactly why we did it."