by R. D. Brady
The reporters leapt to their feet. But President Rigley just raised her hand, and they quieted down. She nodded.
“Good afternoon. The Day of Reckoning was a watershed moment in world history. The existence of a group of humans with the supernatural abilities of strength, speed, and healing became known to violent effect. On that day, Elisabeta Roccorio, in her attempt to take over all world governments, killed one million Americans. Such a crime cannot go unanswered, even though the catalyst for those actions died.”
“At Laney’s hands. I see she didn’t mention that,” Jake growled.
“But Elisabeta did not work alone. She would not have been able to commit her acts of atrocity without the aid of other Fallen.” The President took a deep breath.
Mary Jane did as well. Jake squeezed her hand, but she barely registered it, the sense of impending doom overriding everything but the President’s voice. Mary Jane felt like she was on the edge of a cliff, knowing the words the President next uttered would shift her world forever.
“Beginning immediately, all Fallen within the boundaries of the United States government are required to register at the newly appointed Agency of Enhanced Individuals. Individuals with enhanced abilities who fail to register within three days will be arrested.”
“Under what charge?” a reporter yelled out.
The President paused. Mary Jane thought she was going to ignore the question, but she didn’t. “In my office, I just signed Executive Order 2157, the Protection of Humanity Act. It declares that any individual with enhanced abilities who fails to register will be considered an enemy of the state. I fully expect the Congress to take the order and legislate it into law. But as time is of the essence, I have used the executive order privilege to begin the process of protecting American citizens.”
Mary Jane gripped Jake’s hand tighter, disbelief running through her. But Molly’s an American citizen. Who will protect her?
CHAPTER 24
After dropping that bomb of an announcement, the President stepped aside and let the press secretary answer the flurry of questions from the press corps. Mary Jane sat there feeling numb. Jake wrapped a blanket around her shoulders when she started to shake.
All Mary Jane could picture were other points in history when governments required people to register. In the United States, it was Japanese citizens during World War II, but not German citizens. And of course, in Germany it was the Jews. Both of those situations resulted in camps. In the United States camps, American citizens had lost all of their property and watched their families be treated like second-class citizens in their own country.
In Germany, millions had lost their lives. She gripped the blanket around her, picturing the mounds of eyeglasses left behind at the concentration camps, the piles of suitcases, and the bodies that were left out because there was simply no space to hide them.
“The girls are up,” Jake said softly. “I’ll put a show on for them upstairs, okay?”
Mary Jane nodded numbly. Cleo placed her head in Mary Jane’s lap as Jake stepped out of the room. Mary Jane looked into the large cat’s eyes, tears pricking at her own eyes. “How am I going to keep her safe, Cleo? What am I going to do?”
The front door flew open. “Mom?”
Wiping her eyes, Mary Jane leapt to her feet, hurrying into the hall.
Molly’s hair was wild, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “The President—she—Mom—”
Mary Jane just opened her arms. Molly nearly bowled her over as she ran into them. “I will not let anyone hurt you.”
Molly shook her head. “But, Mom—”
Mary Jane placed her hands on her daughter’s cheeks and lifted her face so she could see her eyes. “You listen to me, Molly Jane McAdams—no one is going to hurt you. Do you hear me? No one.”
Molly nodded, tears sliding down her cheeks. Mary Jane crushed her back to her chest, just noticing Theresa standing in the doorway, looking uncertain, biting her lips to keep her own tears back. Mary Jane held out an arm to her. Theresa flew down the hall, her shoulders shaking.
Mary Jane held the two sobbing girls, the girls the United States government was so worried about, and anger burned through her. How dare they terrify these girls this way. This country had been built on independence. It was also supposed to run on justice. There was nothing just in this government order.
Jake walked down the stairs, placing his phone in his back pocket. He glanced at the two girls, his gaze worried before he looked at Mary Jane. “That was Henry. He wants me at the main house to talk about the executive order. He managed to get a copy of it.”
And it’s not good. Mary Jane heard the words as easily as if Jake had said them. Mary Jane squeezed the girls’ shoulders. “Okay, you two. Let’s dry those eyes. Go to the kitchen and get yourself something to drink. I’ll be right there.”
Molly stepped back, wiping her eyes. Mary Jane wiped a tear she missed. “It will be okay.” She leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then did the same for Theresa. “Go on.”
The girls walked side by side, both looking fragile despite the strength that coursed through them.
Cain stepped into the open doorway. “Mary Jane, I just heard. What do you need?”
“Can you watch Susie for me? And Molly and Theresa are in the kitchen. They’re terrified. I’m going with Jake to get more details.”
Jake shook his head. “Mary Jane—”
“I’m going.” She flicked a gaze to the kitchen.
Cain walked to Mary Jane until he was only a foot away. “I’ll look after them as well. I’ll take everyone down to Dom’s. His place has a way of making people feel safe. I’m guessing it’s the multiple blast doors.”
Mary Jane gave him a watery smile. “Thank you.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “You’re a good man.”
Cain’s mouth popped open, and he swallowed. “I should go check on the girls.” He headed up the stairs.
“They’re in the master bedroom,” Jake said as he passed.
Cain nodded his acknowledgment.
Jake made his way down to Mary Jane as she took some deep breaths to try and calm the emotions running through her. “You all right?”
“No. You know what? Let me talk to the girls some more, then we’ll go talk to Henry.” She turned to the kitchen before she paused, looking back at Jake. “What about Laney? Do you think she knows?”
Jake pulled out his phone. “I’ll make sure she does.”
CHAPTER 25
Jen stepped out of the car down the street from Mary Jane’s house on Sharecroppers Lane. The girls had bolted from the car as soon as they arrived.
Noriko exited from the passenger side as Jen’s phone beeped. It was a text from Henry.
“What is it?” Noriko asked.
“Henry wants me up at the main house immediately.”
A slight disturbance in the air had Jen whirling. As a Nephilim she couldn’t sense Fallen, but she was beginning to recognize the signs. Gerard materialized next to Noriko.
Noriko stumbled back. “Gerard?”
He reached out, steadying her, his blue eyes raking her in and apologizing all at once. “Sorry. I need to get you to the cats. Henry’s orders.”
Noriko looked over at Jen, conveying her concern.
Jen waved her away, her heart beginning to pound. “Go, go.”
Gerard picked her up, and they were gone.
Jen’s stomach dropped. While all of them could cover distances quickly, they tended not to take passengers unless it was an emergency.
Oh no.
She looked back at Mary Jane’s porch as Cain hustled up the steps. The girls were in good hands. Besides, information was what everybody needed right now, not empty platitudes. And Henry was the one most likely to have those.
Leaving the car, she bolted for the main house, her thoughts moving almost as quickly as her feet. When she’d been driving home, she’d been happy at the idea of bringing the girls a little happiness after the las
t trip downtown. But the President’s order had ripped that away from all of them. Jen knew the executive order was much more than a political calculation or even an effort to protect the public. It was the opening salvo in a war against the Fallen—all of the Fallen.
For a moment, she wondered how she would have responded had she still been pregnant. She would have been about six months along right now. The grief hit. She stumbled, slowing to a walk. She took a breath, bending at the waist as her heart pounded. She hadn’t been planning on a child, but she had wanted that child more than anything. Losing her was like someone had ripped out a piece of her heart. A piece she would never get back again.
Lock it down, she warned herself. You have other people to worry about right now.
She took some breaths, her breathing returning to normal in only a few seconds. She had gotten good at this. Shoving down her grief, focusing on something else so it didn’t overwhelm her. But she knew that one day she wouldn’t be able to shove it away anymore.
She jogged at a normal pace around the side of the main house and entered through the front foyer. She took the stairs two at a time. In only a few seconds, she was walking through the doors to Henry’s office, her focus back on the current crisis but with a small twinge of grief lurking in the back of her mind like it had for the last three months.
Henry looked up from his desk, his cell phone to his ear. “Yes. Have them all moved immediately. No, you won’t have to get them in the truck. Noriko should be arriving any minute to organize them. I’ve sent a security team to escort you. Call me if you have any issues.” He disconnected the call.
Jen moved over to the desk. “You’re moving the cats?”
“And the kids from the school. The cats are going to the fallback location we set up after the fire at the preserve.”
“Do you think this is necessary?”
Henry’s cell rang as he handed her a single sheet of paper. “This is the executive order. Read it.”
Jen took the paper as Henry answered his phone. “Brett, thank goodness. Have you read the order?”
Jen ignored him as she made her way to the couch, already reading. With each sentence she read, her horror grew. She read the entire document three times before Henry joined her on the couch. She looked up at him in disbelief. “This can’t be legal.”
“Brett is already drafting an injunction to stop it. But being it’s Friday, he won’t be able to submit it to the court until Monday.”
“And until then?”
“Until then, this is the law of the land.”
Jake appeared in the doorway, Mary Jane next to him. Jake looked between Henry and Jen. Jen tried to wipe the shock from her face, but she was pretty sure she failed miserably at it when Mary Jane’s terrified gaze met hers.
“How bad?” Jake asked as he walked over, Mary Jane’s hand clasped in his.
“You should sit,” Henry said quietly, his gaze on Mary Jane. She all but collapsed in the club chair across from Jen.
Jake pulled the other club chair over next to her, taking her hand again. “Cain is taking the kids down to Dom’s. I got through to Laney. I had to talk her out of coming home. She really doesn’t like that the President issued this while she’s in Italy.”
“I don’t either,” Henry said. “The timing is a little too coincidental.”
“Are they even going to let her back in the country?” Jen asked.
Henry did a double take at her, his eyes growing wide. “I don’t know the answer to that.”
“Have you—” Mary Jane swallowed. “Have you read the full executive order? I tried to find a copy online, but it wasn’t available yet.”
“I managed to get a copy.” He took a breath. “You need to prepare yourself but also know we are going to do everything in our power to fight this.”
Jake pulled Mary Jane’s hand closer to him. “Tell us.”
Henry’s voice was calm, without emotion, but it didn’t help make the news any less stark. “As the President explained, all people with enhanced abilities will have to register with the government. What she didn’t mention was that the government has reserved the right to hold anyone with enhanced abilities without probable cause for an indefinite amount of time for any reason.”
“That’s insane,” Jake said.
“That’s the PATRIOT Act,” Jen said. “Only this time it’s going to be aimed at American citizens. And that’s not the worst part.” Jen looked at Mary Jane and just couldn’t get the words out.
Henry carried the story for her. “They also reserve the right to take any enhanced individual in for what they are calling a physical exam.”
Mary Jane’s mouth fell open. “They—they want to experiment on them?”
Henry shook his head. “It could just be checking reflexes or blood or—”
“But without their consent. They are saying that they have complete control over the bodies of these Fallen. Of my daughter.”
Henry nodded. “That’s our interpretation as well.”
The door to the office creaked as Cleo walked in. Jen tensed. “What are we going to do about the cats?”
“Hide them. There is no other choice,” Henry said.
Cleo sat down, staring at Henry. Her demand for information was as clear as if she had spoken.
“The government has declared that any genetically enhanced animals are to be immediately placed in U.S. custody. Any animals outside of U.S. custody are to be shot on sight.”
Mary Jane gasped. “No.”
Cleo leaned over and licked her hand. Jen nearly lost it right there.
Henry looked at Cleo. “You need to get Zane and Tiger. You need to go into hiding until we can figure this out. We’re going to fly you guys to meet the rest of the cats.”
Cleo met his gaze and then walked out of the room.
“Do you think she understood all of that?” Mary Jane asked.
Jen watched her go. “Oh, she understood. The question is whether or not she agreed with it.”
CHAPTER 26
Twenty-four hours later, Mary Jane sat in the living room of the cottage on Sharecroppers Lane. The boys were in the kitchen with Lou, Rolly, and Danny. Theresa and Molly were upstairs with Nyssa and Susie.
Cain walked in from the kitchen, a tray in his hands. He placed it on the coffee table and then placed a cup of tea on the coaster next to Mary Jane. “Here. Patrick always says a good cup of tea can help any situation.”
Mary Jane smiled, even though it was the last thing she felt like doing. “Have you heard from him?”
A tremble ran through Cain’s hands as he poured himself a cup of tea, but his voice didn’t waver. “Yes. He wants to return, but without the situation with his green card being resolved . . .” He shrugged.
“How’s Laney?”
“Anxious about all of us. But the Vatican is supposed to see them this morning. They should be on their way back within the next day. And hopefully, all we’ll have to report is how worried we all are.”
Mary Jane didn’t know Laney well. She and Jen had come by to help train Molly a few weekends, but since she’d moved her family here, she’d gotten to know her a little better. She was a confident woman but also friendly and warm. It was hard to reconcile that with the all-powerful woman she had seen in D.C. just three months ago.
But it was that image, the woman who had risked everything to defeat Elisabeta, that Mary Jane held on to. Because Mary Jane knew that she would do the same to protect those she cared about. And she prayed for everything she was worth that Molly now fell under that umbrella.
But even with all of Laney’s abilities and Henry’s connections, the forces arraying against those with abilities seemed insurmountable. Since the President’s executive order had been broadcast, the floodgates on news about the Fallen had burst wide open. Stories of incredible good and incredible evil jockeyed for top positions on social media. There were reports of people being detained in foreign countries, being whisked away in the middle o
f the night. And it wasn’t just people with enhanced abilities that were being rounded up. Whole families were being grabbed.
Mary Jane took a shaky drink. It will be all right. This is the United States of America. That won’t happen here.
Shaun and Joe appeared in the doorway. Mary Jane forced another smile to her face. “Hey. Are you heading over to the bomb shelter?”
Shaun shook his head as he took a seat next to her. “No. Danny, Lou, and Rolly just left. We thought we’d watch it with you.”
She gripped his hand, squeezing her thanks. She hadn’t asked them to stay. She liked how well Joe and Shaun got along with the other teenagers, but she did want them here. All day, advertisements for tonight’s showing of DC Tonight had been broadcast across social media. The producers claimed they had explosive information about the government’s role in understanding the Fallen. But no leaks had come out to indicate what they were going to reveal. Mary Jane was hoping for the best but trying to prepare herself for the worst.
The front door opened, and she heard Jake’s familiar footsteps. She let out a breath, feeling some of the tension leave her chest. Nothing had changed ostensibly, but having Jake there eased some of her fear. He helped share the burden of her worry.
His eyes focused on Mary Jane as he walked into the room, a small smile crossing his face. “Hey.”
“Hey,” she said.
Shaun started to rise, but Jake waved him back down, taking a seat in one of the club chairs. “You’re good where you are.”
“Where are Henry and Jen?” Mary Jane asked.
“Down at Dom’s. They wanted to be there for the kids in case this broadcast is difficult.”
Molly and Theresa walked in, carrying Nyssa and Susie.
“Hello, my little ones.” Cain walked over to them, holding out his arms. Both toddlers reached for him, and the girls transferred them to his arms. Cain looked over his shoulder. “I’ll take the girls to the kitchen and get them something to eat. I’ll keep them busy during the broadcast.”