"As President Morgan's personal confidante" - her father wriggled an eyebrow at her - "I'd think you'd know."
"No. I doubt he was even sure what he'd say until fairly recently. The only thing I'm sure about is he's going to acknowledge the problem and set up an organization to deal with it."
"He wants to tell the truth," said Kevin. "But he won't tell all of it."
"Safe prediction," said Cal. "Unless you're becoming psychic like your mom?"
Kevin's smile was strained. "No, not psychic. At least I don't hear people's thoughts. But I seem to be pretty good at reading people's intentions and behavioral patterns."
"Yeah?" Cal grinned. "So what am I going to do next?"
"You were going to crush your beer can and get another one."
Cal laughed under his breath. "I was actually thinking about doing that."
"He's good," said Terry Mayes.
"And speaking of good," said Cal, "I assume your brother isn't up to any of it, Terry. Have you heard from him?"
Terry shook his head. "Not directly."
"What does that mean?"
"The riots. I think they indicate where he's been and what he's doing."
Cal slumped back in his chair, a grave frown taking over his smile.
"He came so close to taking over this country the direct way," said Jamie. "It makes sense that now he'd try something less direct."
"Too bad you didn't crush him when you had the chance, J," said her father, raising his hands against her scowl. "I know, baby, I didn't raise you to be a killer. But this guy has the potential to murder millions, if not billions." He glanced at Terry, whose scowl had grown along with Jamie's. "No offense, dude."
Terry shook his head. Cal rose, crushing his beer can as predicted, and ambled into the house.
"He'll come back with wine," said Kevin.
"I doubt it," said Jamie. "He's not a fan of wine – especially red, which is all I have."
"You'll see." Terry's scowl lightened. "How are the tests coming, Mrs. Shepherd? Have they figured out all your secrets?"
"They've learned a few things." Jamie was surprised by how reluctant she was to go into the gory details. "My body, apparently, draws energy from the environment – including the sun, like Superman. I no longer need to eat or drink or even breathe. I thought that might be true, but they confirmed it. My cell structure has changed into something that looks like diamonds. Dr. Hayashi – the lead scientist – thinks they function like miniature nuclear reactors. Individually, they're nearly indestructible. Together..."
Jamie stopped herself. Not only was she sounding less and less human, but she also sounded as though she were bragging.
"It's all right," said Kevin. "All of us have changed, and we're all wondering if we're still human."
"Of course we're still human," Cal announced, returning with a glass of wine in hand. He noted their significant glances at each other. "What?"
"Kevin predicted you'd return with wine," said Jamie.
"He did?" His smile narrowed along with his eyes as he faced the younger man. "You sure you're not psychic?"
"I don't think so. But I'm beginning to wonder if some psychics aren't doing something like what I do."
"Just not nearly as well," said Terry.
"Anyway," said Cal, "we're definitely still human. Having extra powers doesn't change who we are fundamentally."
"How are things going with the Timberwolves?" Terry asked.
"They cut me." Cal released a mournful sigh. "But that was inevitable once the 'nanovirus' started spreading. Their old guards became a step faster, not to mention a foot higher than me."
"I'm sorry," said Terry.
Cal shrugged. "I had my five minutes of fantasy. More than a lot of people can say."
"I would think the addition of super powers would change the whole game," said Kevin. "Make it unplayable as it is now."
"Yup. You got it, son. The NBA will soon be in shambles, followed by other professional sports. Who wants to watch a guy dive-bombing a basketball hoop or flying out a mile to catch a home run or long pass? It's all going to fall apart until some smart entrepreneurs figure out how to put it back together."
Cal and Terry served up the steaks and they helped themselves to mashed potatoes and mixed veggies on the picnic table.
"There's something else you two should know," Jamie said to Terry and Kevin after they'd all settled down at the table. "The Object is gone."
The two youths' forks and knives paused.
"Gone?" asked Terry. "Where did it go?"
Jamie lifted her shoulders. "I don't know. The scientists wanted me to try to get a sample from it. I managed to pull off some of the material, but it vanished in my hands and instantly filled in the holes I'd left."
"A self-healing material," said Kevin.
"Yes. So I decided, dumbly it seems, to kick the thing. It blew out of the test area to the outside..." Jamie gave them a rueful grimace. "And it was gone."
"You didn't go after it?" asked Terry. "You can move awfully fast."
"I did. I thought for an instant I glimpsed it rising into the clouds. I even went into space. But...nothing."
The two young men sat with forks and knives poised as if waiting for her to continue.
"There's something else," said Kevin. "Did you find something out about the Object before it left?"
"Just before I kicked it out of the facility, one scientist was able to look inside through some kind of 'quantum vision' – at least that's their current hypothesis of how she sees – and she saw some of its inner features, including a series of three symbols."
Kevin and Terry's stares froze on her.
"What did they look like?" Kevin asked.
"A circle with what seemed to be a DNA helix inside. That same circle crushed by what appeared to be a space craft or maybe some kind of creature. The third symbol was the circle restored with thicker or more strands of DNA and the space craft or creature breaking up."
Cal unconcernedly cut away at his steak, while the two youths made no motion to eat. Terry looked to his friend, who was regarding the horizon with rapt interest.
"What do you think, Kev?"
Kevin emerged from his trance and met Jamie's gaze. "What did the scientists think?"
"That the Object was sent here to 'empower' us to defeat some form of alien attack."
"Right," said Terry. "Increasing the strength of our DNA symbolized in the greater strands in the third circle – the circle representing us."
"That's the main theory, which they didn't take long arriving at."
"It makes sense. The people who designed the device wanted to communicate the message as simply and obviously as possible past language barriers." Terry glanced at his friend. "But why not broadcast the symbols on the surface instead of requiring special vision to see it? And why did the cylinder leave?"
"It's mission probably isn't limited to Earth," said Kevin. "It seems designed to withstand multiple landings and an indefinite journey. I think it left to avoid the possibility of destruction, which Jamie demonstrated when she struck it."
"Some of the scientists thought that might be the reason," said Jamie. "I haven't heard anyone speculate that it might have a larger mission, though that's an interesting idea."
"They introduced a barrier to accessing the message," said Kevin with a thoughtful frown. "They wanted to reduce the transmission of information about the Object. I'm not sure why."
Terry tapped him on the shoulder. "Even you can't expect to understand how aliens think."
"No one seems too worried that we might be facing an alien invasion." Cal spoke through a mouthful of steak and beer. Not looking overly worried himself, Jamie thought.
"No one in Project Black Pill talked about that," she said, "except to acknowledge the possibility. President Morgan and his people might be talking about it, but I'm guessing they're a lot more worried about dealing with what's happening here on Earth."
After dinner,
they switched on the living room television to watch President Morgan's special address to the nation. Jamie thought the President appeared well-rested, confident, and determined – which seemed to be his default mode. She'd never been a fan, but after getting to know him personally, and seeing the strength of will he'd shown in shaking free of Thomas Mayes' control, she'd come to believe he was the right man for this crisis. She hoped what he was about to say wouldn't change her mind.
"Good evening, my fellow Americans," he said. "I'm sure most of you have noticed some unusual and disturbing events occurring in our country in the last couple of weeks. Several reports have mentioned displays of superhuman ability. Some of these reports concern events at the Capitol Building two weeks ago."
President Morgan paused to give the camera a hard stare.
"These reports are true. Our country, our way of life, is under attack. Four weeks and one day ago, on June 21, an object of unknown origin crashed on a rural property in North Dakota. People exposed to the object began developing strange new abilities. The cause of those abilities is an artificial DNA-altering virus we're calling a 'nanovirus', which spreads from person to person, affecting every person differently. Some individuals develop seemingly minor new abilities; others experience a spectacular transformation into beings of almost unimaginable power. It is our belief – the belief of the top-ranked scientists in this country who've studied it – that the object is of extraterrestrial design."
President Morgan folded his hands on the table in his Oval Office, half-smiling as if he were hearing the incredulous murmurs and the amazed oohs and ahhs that would be playing out all across the United States and much of the world.
"I know this news will come as quite a shock to most of you," he continued. "It will take some time to process. I have struggled with it from the beginning, and continue to do so. But we cannot deny the reality of the device and the changes in our species it has caused. Soon, none of us will be able to avoid this new reality as our children, our friends, our family – ourselves – will likely develop new and wondrous abilities in the days and weeks to come.
"This, my fellow citizens, is a watershed moment for our country and the peoples of the world. It can be a time of rebirth, of building a new and better America, a better world, or it can be a time of divisive battles – of pitting American against American, America against other countries, and their citizens against themselves. The potential for social upheaval and terrorist acts – such as those perpetrated against this government and the free people of this country in Washington two weeks ago – is almost unimaginable. Against the forces of terror and anarchy, this country - and the world - must stand firm.
"With that in mind, I am urging Congress to pass on an emergency basis a bill I believe is critical to handling this outbreak of superpowers in the most humane and fruitful way.
"This bill, which we are calling the Augmented Registration and Regulation Act, requires the periodic testing of every American citizen and the establishment of a full registry of individuals who show the presence of the nanovirus. This registry will include all pertinent identification information, including a full description of the individual's capabilities, if applicable.
"Of course, we anticipate a great outcry over questions of civil rights and Constitutional issues. As you know, my administration cherishes the Constitution and individual rights, and under normal circumstances we would respect the right of choice regarding such an invasive program. Regretfully, given the current threat to our society, we cannot support the right to choose in this instance. This bill will make registration and full cooperation with all testing and identifying procedures mandatory. This bill also authorizes lethal force against any augmented individual who engages in a violent crime or violently resists a lawful decree. The act classifies any Augmented American who engages in violent crime or resistance as 'enemy combatants' who forfeit all Constitutional protections."
"Great," Cal grumbled. "I knew this was coming. 'Cherish' the Constitution, my ass."
Normally, Jamie would've agreed. She'd happily jumped on the anti-Morgan bandwagon when he'd he pushed for TSA expansion into bus and train stations and major sporting events after the Super bowl bombing in his first year as president – along with calling for stricter gun controls and reduced search warrant requirements which he claimed were "hamstringing law enforcement." In her eyes, the President was a mixed political bag at best, but she couldn't work up much enthusiasm for reviling him now.
"The Augmented Americans Registration and Regulation Act will also create a new cabinet agency: the Department of Augmented Regulation and Enforcement. This agency will oversee the registration process as well as all issues pertaining to Augmented Americans.
"Along with managing the social aspects of this nanovirus, DARE will also be heavily invested in researching the virus and its physical effects. DARE will also include a division specifically for enforcement actions against augmented individuals. In order to maintain the integrity of our homes and institutions, we must be capable of dealing forcefully with criminals with super powers – both at home and abroad. Part of the registration process will involve recruiting patriotic augmented individuals, particularly those already in the military and law enforcement, for countering this threat. The Act specifically allows for mandatory induction of individuals deemed critical to this cause..."
"I bet I know who's number one on his list to draft into service," said Cal, arching an eyebrow at his daughter. "Has he said anything to you working for this new agency?"
"Nothing specific. He's hinted at it. But if they get this legislation passed they'll have a lot of people to choose from. President Morgan's interest in me might go away."
"I doubt it. From what I've heard so far, I'd say you're the Michael Jordan of augmented people."
"Lebron James," Terry stated.
Cal shot him a disdainful smile. "Whatever."
President Morgan continued his speech, mapping out some of the strategies and issuing a not-so-veiled threat to other countries that might consider employing their augmented people against them.
"We are the mightiest and wealthiest country on this planet, and so we shall remain. We caution against any nation considering the employ of their augmented citizens in opposition to U.S. interests to bear in mind that we were the first to be exposed to the alien device and have the fastest growing augmented population. Any foreign attempts to interfere in American affairs or to exploit our current emergency circumstances will be met with overwhelming force."
"I wonder why he thought he had to say that," Cal murmured. "Are the Chinese or Russians or North Koreans really up to something or is he just being proactive?"
"I think he'd say those countries are always up to something," said Jamie.
"What if some old guard Russian Communist has Thomas Mayes' powers? He might order the army to nuke us."
"They have to be worried we might do the same to them."
Cal eyed his daughter. "With good reason. Do you think Morgan's the sort who might use this as an excuse to go after other countries, like Bush and Obama did with the terrorist bugaboo?"
"I doubt it. I think he really has the country's best interests at heart. Though if he had an opportunity to take one of our enemies down..." She shrugged.
"He wasn't lying," said Kevin. "But it was obvious he wasn't telling us everything."
"What politician ever does?" Cal grunted. "I notice he didn't mention the symbols."
"But he wanted to," said Kevin. "At least he wanted to tell us something that he didn't."
Jamie's cell rang. It was Zack. She noted the rise of pressure in her body – her best way of describing excitement which no longer involved a racing heart or adrenaline. A feeling of preparedness, of gathering strength.
"Hey," she said lightly, not wanting him to hear how much she'd missed him. "You watched the speech?"
"Who didn't? Pretty much what I was expecting, except I wasn't sure if he'd mention the alien connectio
n."
"Though he didn't mention the symbols."
"No. They must want to hold something in reserve. Anyhow, it's been awfully lonely here in Washington without my favorite Augmented American."
Jamie concentrated on not crushing the cell phone in her hand. Awfully lonely. Did that mean he felt the same way she did?
"Have you been enjoying your vacation?" he asked.
"Yes. It's been almost relaxing."
Zach chuckled. "I know. That's about as good as it gets for us right now. Washington's abuzz with all the new freaky information. Some columnists are actually wondering if President Morgan was having them on as part of some bizarre practical joke. A New York Times editor just tweeted: 'I kept waiting for him to cry: April Fool!'"
"Except it's not April."
"Right. Anyway, it's bedlam down here. Literally, as riots are starting up in the city. You can understand why the President might want to get this legislation going before they burn down the White House."
"Yeah. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm sort of rooting for him to pummel our civil rights for a change."
"I don't think you'll be disappointed."
"Assuming he gets his bills through."
"That's a done deal. Congress still remembers what it was like being in the grip of a madman. They'll do anything to stop that."
"Plus those programs make sense, don't they?"
"I think so. They've had the best brains in the country burning the midnight oil over this. Something good had to come from it. Or –"
"Something disastrous?"
"Exactly."
She laughed softly with him under the knowing eyes of her father and a perhaps far more knowing gaze from Kevin, indicated by his small smile.
"Are you ready to get back to work?" Zack asked.
"Back to the poking and prodding?"
"As though anything they do hurts you. Seriously, maybe a bit more of that, but I hear you're going to be offered a new career opportunity with the Department of Augmented Regulation and Enforcement. Something in their enforcement division, if the rumors have any merit."
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