"James," I started, my voice low in the gloom, "you know we can't really trust the government, right?"
"What? Why not?" James questioned, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Think about it. Soldiers invading a university campus, cutting off the power, the internet, cell service... It's like they're trying to control the narrative," I responded, feeling a chill creep up my spine.
"But, man, maybe they're just trying to keep us safe," James argued. "Maybe there's a real threat. Could be a bomb, or a virus, or..." he paused, laughing nervously, "or aliens."
I shook my head, my grip tightening on the flashlight. "If it was for our safety, why the secrecy? Why not just tell us what's going on?"
"Maybe they don't want to cause a panic?" James suggested.
"Or maybe they're covering something up," I countered, my mind churning. "We can't just blindly trust them, James. We've got to find out the truth for ourselves."
"You're starting to sound like one of those conspiracy theorists, Chang," James laughed. "Next thing, you're going to tell me that the moon landing was faked."
"Maybe it was," I responded, trying to lighten the mood, "but that's beside the point. The point is, we can't just sit here and do nothing. We need to find out what's really happening."
"I hear you, man," James said, his voice serious. "So, what's the plan?"
I pondered for a moment before responding, "We're going to have to be smart about this. We can't just go barging out. We need to find a quiet way out, avoid the soldiers, and gather as much information as we can."
"And then what?" James asked.
"Then, we make our next move," I replied confidently.
"We're really doing this, aren't we?" James looked at me, a mixture of excitement and fear in his eyes.
"We're really doing this," I affirmed, feeling a rush of adrenaline. "This is our university, our home. We can't just sit back and let them turn it into a military base without knowing why."
James nodded, "You're right, Chang. Let's do this. Together."
Q: What would you do if the power is out?