“Leeches,” he muttered. “They love you when things are golden, but turn on you at the first sign of trouble…or after you’ve been through the worst tragedy of your entire life.”
I remembered the days following the attack on The Lakes; the constant parade of reporters who gathered a few feet away from my hospital room, and the near mob who waited outside the cemetery gates on the day of my family’s funeral. Had it not been for my Aunt Tasha, and the protective stance she took over me, keeping the cancerous growths at bay, I probably would have succumbed to them. But Ian didn’t have that same type of maternal support system. Having had an emotionally divested mother, it was hard telling what kind of hell he endured after his father’s death, or how many times he was forced to relive that experience over and over again.
We pulled through the gates, which swiftly closed behind the SUV. At least we’ll be able to board the boat in relative peace, I thought, somewhat relieved that we wouldn’t be mobbed as soon as our doors opened. I glanced at the river before us. With the overcast sky threatening rain, the water had turned from a sparkling azure to a despairing gray, perfect for the tone of the evening. Moored at the pier, three high performance boats waited for our arrival, though they were not the type of boat we would be traveling on. Dwarfing them further down the pier was a smaller-scale—yet nonetheless luxurious—yacht, ironically christened with the name ‘Let Freedom Ring’. It was a vessel fit for a king, and there was very little doubt in my mind that Brooks was already on board. Along the boardwalk, soldiers milled about, keeping guard, still as expressionless and as synchronized as ever.
Our SUV pulled up next to the boardwalk in front of the yacht. From the deck of the monstrous boat, a figure appeared, walking steadily toward where we were parked. Ian and I glanced at each other, and then back at the figure drawing nearer. As it came into better focus, I recognized him as the man who’d opened the door for us to Brooks’ suite. Yet again, he was being sent to escort us to his leader. Next to me, I heard Ian’s door open and decided to follow suit.
“You’re a couple of minutes late,” the man said before I could even finish exiting the vehicle. “We’re on a tight schedule tonight. Deviations and distractions from what has been planned for you will not be tolerated.”
“Yes, sir,” I responded. “Are you here to bring us to the principal’s office?” I could hear Ian snickering under his breath beside me.
The man regarded me coldly, his eyebrow arched. “Something like that,” he said. “Come, we must hurry.” he motioned for us to follow him. I hadn’t been on a boat since the summer before my family’s death. My parents rented one for a week when we vacationed in southern Florida. Back then, I thought that we were living a luxurious lifestyle, but now after seeing the virtual palace on water we were entering, my assessment of luxurious was beginning to change drastically.
We followed the man up some steps to the deck of the boat, and were then ushered to a set of stairs that led down into the lower deck to the spacious living quarters. A large screen hung on the wall. On it was live coverage at Potomac Park with reporters eagerly awaiting the President’s arrival, and shots of the large crowd amassed to take in his every word. Hardwood floor wrapped around the entirety of the room complete with leather furniture, a lounge area, and a fireplace. A fireplace on a boat—now I’ve seen everything. By the way that Ian looked around the deck, I could tell that he was also in awe of his surroundings.
“I was beginning to wonder whether you stood me up.” We turned around to see Brooks approaching us from a staircase that lead from a most decidedly, equally as exquisite upper deck.
“We wouldn’t dream of such a thing,” I said.
“Good,” he replied, obviously ignoring the sarcasm embedded in my reply. “We wouldn’t want to let your adoring fans down now, would we?” His statement, though ostensibly harmless to those third parties who may have overheard it, was laced with poison directed at Ian and I.
“Of course not,” Ian responded to him.
“Well, I suppose there’s nothing wrong with being fashionably late, anyway,” Brooks stated. “From the looks of it, the children’s choir is going over well with the audience. Surely, my absence will go unnoticed for a couple more minutes.”
Children’s choir. I should have known that families would be attending the address, but that realization never struck me as hard as it did that very instant. Just the mere thought of children at what could potentially be a very caustic situation was sickening, and it brought my blood to a boil. Was their attendance meant to keep the would-be protesters at bay, or to keep Ian and I on task? I wouldn’t put it past Brooks to use young children in such a manner. A man like him, callous and power-hungry, was capable of just about anything if rendered desperate enough. And as evidenced by the events of the last couple of months, the man reeked of desperation. He was hanging onto his power by a thread that was on the verge of snapping in half.
A sudden jerk, gentle enough to go unnoticed by those who weren’t already a bundle of nerves, shook the deck ever so slightly. “Ah, finally, we’re moving,” Brooks confirmed my suspicion. “We’ll be there in a matter of minutes.” He walked over to the window and looked out over the rapidly disappearing shoreline while straightening out his suit coat. At that moment, he resembled a man on a mission, who was determined to get what he wanted despite what it cost. “Would you two like a drink before we arrive?” he asked without turning around.
“No,” Ian and I responded in unison.
“Well, then,” he said as he turned away from his view of the river, “suit yourselves, but I’m going to grab myself a brandy.” He strolled across the floor to the lounge in the corner of the room where a man had already poured his drink of choice, perhaps from having overheard him, or from the pattern of his evening activities. “We’ll be meeting on the upper deck in five minutes,” he called out to us after downing the brandy in one shot. “I want the world to see us departing the boat as a single cohesive unit. It’s important to set the theme for the night right off the bat.”
“And what theme would that be?” I asked.
“We’re all in this together…like it or not.” He ordered another brandy, which was provided to him a second later.
I looked back at Ian and saw him standing near the window. At that moment, I would have given anything to be able to see his face, to read his thoughts. For now, I had to settle with his pursed lips as my only clue. “We’re all in this together,” he mumbled. “He may find that backfiring on him if his detractors consider themselves the ‘we’ in that statement.” One of the high performance speed boats came into view. I imagined that they probably surrounded our boat as any loyal servants would for their master. “It’s strange,” Ian spoke again. “I would have thought Brooks would have had far more security around him than what we’ve seen so far.”
“Maybe they’re waiting for him on the other side,” I replied.
“Or his arrogance is getting the better of him.” Ian turned his attention back to me and grinned.
“In that case, this may be the last mistake he ever makes.”
“Well, that would take care of half our problems.” I replied, stealing a glance at Brooks as he ascended the stairs to the upper deck.
“Let’s just hope Marcus’ fancy new jackets do the trick.” Ian ran his hands over the flawless material. “Because I have a feeling that we may be putting them to the ultimate test this evening.”
I shuddered at the thought of an all-out war. No matter how much we’d been preparing for the worst, no matter how many simulations we battled through, nothing would ever come close to the real thing. There could be no artificial scenario that could ever come close to reality. The river outside our window began to move by more slowly, an indication that the boat was losing speed. Our boat was fast approaching shore.
“Mr. President asks that you join him on the upper deck now.” His aide had been sent a final time to fetch us.
Nodding, we headed t
o the staircase and followed the man to the upper deck. At the top of the stairs, we were greeted by a vast picture window, giving us our first glimpse of the park and the people in it. I gasped at the sheer volume of people packed in the venue that had been cordoned off for the address. There had to be thousands, and certainly more than I’ve seen gathered together since the country was gripped by the madness that now possessed it.
“It would seem as though we’ve amassed quite a turn-out.” Brooks gaped out the window at the park. A new expression had gripped his face, resembling one of triumph, of a plan coming together. I bit my lip so hard I was surprised I hadn’t drawn blood. In my head, my thoughts trampled over each other, each vying to outdo the other in the ‘logical conclusion’ category. Something didn’t seem quite right. Yes, there was something horribly, horribly wrong.
Ian’s body tensed next to me. Had his thoughts been able to sort themselves out enough to piece together the puzzle mine hadn’t been capable of tackling? Or, like me, was he floored by the sheer crowd awaiting our arrival, too? Out boat slowed to a crawl as it prepared to dock. When we drifted closer to the shore, the roar of the crowd became audible even within the interior of the vessel. For the most part, they seemed welcoming, even excited for our arrival. Whatever chaos that may transpire tonight would not be at the hands of the attendees, it seemed, but from some other source.
At that moment, a thought occurred to me. I looked around the audience, around where our boat had just been moored, and around the stage itself. Security was non-existent, and it wasn’t because Ian and I were charged with that duty. It was a dare to those brave enough to challenge authority. A trap had been set.
This evening was not about addressing a crumbling nation. It wasn’t about generating hope or proposing change. It was about setting an example. A show of force to put the little guy in his place. I suddenly felt my breathing grow heavy as though a weight had been placed on my chest. My head spun as every negative scenario my brain had conjured up came to fruition around me. What do I do? How do I stop my fears from happening? I didn’t have long to generate a plan.
“It’s show time,” Brooks said, patting my back. He headed out to the open door and motioned for Ian and I to join him. He would exit the boat first, and we would follow closely behind him as though we were allies who’d come together in a show of solidarity.
Ian grabbed my hand in his, and his voice came as a whisper in my ear piece. “I know we’re on the same page right now. Just remember what your family would have wanted and act on that, because I know what my father would have expected from me.”
With that, we began our walk behind Brooks, out of the seclusion of the boat, out into the cool, damp air, to the welcoming cheers of our oblivious audience.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The Awakening
“Tickets, please,” the young attendant said, scanning the three tickets Chase handed him. The scanner read the tickets and gave the green light for the ticket holders to enter the park. “Here you are.” The man handed the tickets back to Chase and turned his attention to the next person in line.
“Thanks,” Chase said, taking the tickets back and putting them in his pocket.
“Oh, I can’t believe we’re here,” Paige said, gaping at the festivities in the park. “Look at all these people! Can you believe the turnout for this? I would have thought it would be far less, what with the protesters and everything else that has been going on lately, and all.”
“That’s because they’re not here for the President,” Trey stated. “They’re here because they want to catch a glimpse of our nation’s superheroes. Heck, I know that’s the only reason I agreed to come here.”
“Thanks, man,” Chase laughed. “Your loyalty is overwhelming.”
“Oh, come on, you know politics isn’t my thing. But, superheroes, on the other hand…”
“The décor here is so tastefully done,” Paige said in admiration. “Whoever organized this event perfectly played off the natural beauty of the park and went with a subtle, yet classy theme.”
“What’s with all the purple?” Trey asked, looking around at the décor Paige had described. “The last time I checked, that color wasn’t in our flag.”
“Well, I think it’s an exquisite color choice,” Paige replied. “Purple is a regal hue. It’s timeless, it’s sophisticated, it’s…”
“Presumptuous,” Chase chimed in.
“Presumptuous? I wouldn’t go that far,” Paige replied. “Why always stick with red, white, and blue for events? Mix it up, I say.”
“Of course you do,” Trey mumbled quietly enough so as to not attract Paige’s ire.
“Well, at least the sakura are worth looking at.” Chase admired the soft pink blooms that surrounded the park. A gentle wind started to blow, ushering in colder air. In its wake, petals fell like satin snow onto the ground as though nature were rolling out its own red carpet.
“The what?” Paige asked.
“The cherry trees. Sakura are the Japanese cherry trees that line the park. It’s early spring, and the blooms are at their peak.”
“Thank you, walking encyclopedia,” Trey teased. “Seriously, can we have at least one conversation where you don‘t teach me something? I’m beginning to feel like I’m living out Jeopardy the home game.”
“I, for one, think his intelligence is refreshing,” Paige commented.
“Yeah, well, I guess since I have the striking good looks in this friendship, it’s only fair that Chase has all the brains,” Trey laughed.
“Whatever you say,” Paige muttered.
The other ticket holders were beginning to assemble at the front of the stage. Already, a large number of people had accumulated there, and there was a wall of bodies in a half circle, extending from both sides of the stage in an arc several feet thick. Any hope for a front row seat was swiftly diminishing. Behind them, more ticket holders streamed in, the last of those guaranteed a decent view of the events of the evening. Everyone else would have to settle for one of the two large video screens mounted on each side of the stage to catch a glimpse of the action. Chase began to feel uneasy, a feeling he attributed partly to slight claustrophobia and partly to the presence of the armed soldiers who gathered near the stage.
“It’s weird,” he observed. “I would have thought there’d be more security here.”
“Maybe Brooks is relying solely on those superheroes for his security,” Paige said.
“Maybe, but there’s something not quite right here. It’s like he’s opening himself up to an assassination attempt.” Chase looked from one soldier to another, eight in all. All stood perfectly straight; all held their weapons exactly the same way; all wore the same blank expressions on their faces; all seemed more robotic than human. Although a sense of uniformity was to be expected in the military, there was something about the way they positioned themselves that seemed outside the realm of excellent training. They seemed placed there as though they were unwitting pawns in a game they knew nothing about. One that everyone would soon be forced to play. A shiver wound its way up Chase’s spine. Something was barreling down on them that no one was prepared for, and a sudden urge to leave overcame him at that moment.
“Look!” Paige exclaimed. “Here they come.”
Chase looked out over the river to see a small yacht in the distance approaching the dock that had been constructed especially for the rally. Around them, the crowd erupted into cheers with some grumblings sprinkled in. It was too late now. Surely, all foreseeable entrances and exits to and from the park had been blocked for security purposes. There would be no way out anymore. Calm down, he told himself. You’re being paranoid. Everything’s going to be fine. The President will speak. The superheroes will do their thing, and then we’ll go home. Simple as that. But, in his heart, he knew things weren’t going to be that simple.
A sudden, even sharper roar of the crowd brought him back down to reality. On the jumbo screens, the image of President Brooks emerging f
rom the boat came into view, but that’s not what got the crowd riled up. Following a short distance behind him were the two superheroes who had captivated the nation. The man emerged first followed by the woman, who clearly seemed to be the crowd favorite.
“Why does the guy look smaller?” A woman in the crowd asked her husband. “I remember seeing photographs of him before, and he seemed more muscular than that. That guy’s body is all wrong. You don’t think they replaced him with someone else without us knowing it, do you?”
“Grace,” the man answered, “the mere fact that we have real life superheroes running around tells me that anything is possible. I think whether or not they replaced one of them with another is the least of our worries.”
“Well, I liked the other guy better.”
Chase looked back up at the screen. He hadn’t really taken notice of the superheroes before to know whether the woman in the audience was correct in her assessment, nor did he really care, but there was something about the way the woman superhero carried herself that seemed familiar, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
“I wonder if she’s single,” Trey said without removing his eyes from the screen.
“I’m thinking she’s a tad out of your league, Bro.” He rolled his eyes.
“Oh, I wouldn‘t say that. I’ve been stepping up my game lately at the gym. Maybe I’ll try to get her attention after this whole shindig is over.”
“If you do, it’ll make this whole evening so much more entertaining,” Chase laughed, happy that Paige was too engrossed in the arrival of President Brooks and the superheroes to listen to their conversation.
Vendetta Nation (Enigma Black Trilogy #2) Page 19