*****
“You don’t need to use the bathroom, do you?” I asked, handing him a pillow.
“No.”
“You’re sure, Philip? Don’t you go to the bathroom in my closet, buddy.”
“Okay. I’m a bit hungry.”
“I’ll give you something later. I have to run.”
“Okay. You’re sure they won’t find me in here?”
“Pretty sure. Just remember to stay quiet. Don’t answer to anyone unless it’s me. Even if you hear someone in the apartment. Don’t call out to them. Okay?”
“Of course, man. You think I’m stupid?”
“I think you’re as sharp as a whip, Phillip.” I started to swing the cupboard door closed.
“Hey, Jet.”
“What?”
“Thanks again, man.”
“Sure thing, buddy.”
I closed the cupboard door and locked it then hurried back out of the apartment. The pensioner stepped back out as I jogged up the corridor.
“Hello, Jet,” she said with a smile.
“Hello, ma’am. How are you?”
“I’m well today. Washed the kitchen sink.”
“Excellent. Have a nice day.”
The steps were descended two at a time and I arrived at the car panting.
“Clarence here,” I said into the radio, “False alarm. Wasn’t the right car. Belonged to a resident...”
“Clarence, please report in immediately.”
My heart froze. “Come again? I said the car belonged to a resident.”
“Report in, Clarence. All available Enforcers are required for a major operation.”
“Oh. Roger that.”
Upon reporting to my D.O.M it was clear something major was going on. Enforcers were pouring in for duty and the briefing room was so packed most had to stand. I found a place and squeezed in between bodies.
“Know what’s going on, Clarence?” a young female Enforcer asked.
“No.”
She turned to a few others. “He says he doesn’t know.”
Chief Commander Gill entered and a hush fell.
“Alright, listen up Enforcers. I’m sure you’ve all seen Mister Jeremy Dempsey on television lately gabbing off about magic user rights. So I’m going to skip the introductions. And naturally whatever opinions you have on him are completely irrelevant.” His eyes moved over the crowd. “What is relevant is that he is about to publicly address a significant crowd at the stadium. Most of which are expected to be magic users. And as I’m sure you can all imagine, there is some concern about an atmosphere of restlessness. We are being called in to enforce the calm when and if that situation should occur. Now I’m afraid we don’t have much time to prepare for this, so most of the operation is going to happen on the fly. We will deploy in exactly thirty minutes, after which your Squad Commanders will direct you. Questions at this time?”
“Why weren’t we informed about this in advance?” someone asked. “Shouldn’t he have had to request permission weeks ago, sir?”
“Fair question, Enforcer. The answer to which is this: Jeremy Dempsey is a politician and an opportunist. He is also an asshole.”
The room chuckled nervously.
“You are correct in that any public gathering over a certain size needs permission from the city and its various safety services. Dempsey has permission from neither. And in fact we were not informed about his planned gathering until an hour ago. What he does have is the ability to spin denial to his advantage. This will enflame an already highly volatile public situation, and either way, if we bow to his demands or deny them, he will inevitably gain standing with the magic using public. So the decision was made to allow the gathering.”
“You’re right, he is an asshole,” the Enforcer said.
More chuckles.
“It’s expected to be a big crowd,” Gill continued, “somewhere around five thousand. Just hang back and hold your positions unless you are told to act. Do not give these people a reason, Enforcers, because trust me they are looking for a chance to let off steam. And we will not give it to them. Do you all understand?”
The Enforcers murmured.
“Then let’s move out.”
From the D.O.M a convoy shuttled the Enforcers to the central city stadium. Our vehicles converged with dozens more en route, putting the total number of Enforcers somewhere in the hundreds. City streets ground to halt as we were allowed right of way. Minutes later the mass of vehicles arrived in an immense parking area and the Enforcers filed out. Nearby, I noticed clumps of civilians were drifting towards the main entrance.
“Vehicle B-19, C-19 and D-19,” a Commander yelled, “With me! We will be making up part of the team positioned on the outermost ring of the stadium, on the East side. More Enforcers will be positioned at the central entrances and more around the sports pitch. Our focus is going to be the civilians in the seating below us. Unless the situation gets hostile or out of control, we do nothing but stand and look pretty. If things do get out of hand you work with the body beside you and force calm. All understood? Good.” He glanced at a clipboard. “Ah. Rejoice, people. It looks like Clarence is among you.”
There was a combination of laughter and murmurs of interest. A few heads craned around to find me. They offered smiles and greetings. Among them was one familiar face; Clara Anderson. She stared ahead without acknowledging me.
“Alright, lets get moving, Enforcers. The civilians are arriving even as we speak. Into positions.”
The squad of forty followed the Commander and was directed toward a side entrance. Each Enforcer was handed a radio as they entered the building. We emerged halfway up the seating, made a 90 degree turn, and proceeded to the back of the stadium. The tens of thousands of empty seats stretched out in gigantic rings around us. Upon reaching the back of the stadium the Commander directed us into position, standing side by side and forming a ring of bodies that stretched off to encircle the stadium perimeter. Distantly I could see the ring looping round in front of me, swinging round, and coming back to join my side.
“Keep your positions,” the Commander said, his voice emerging from my radio, “I’ll give further instructions as the event unfolds.”
Only then did I glance to my right and realise the person closest to me, ten meters away, was Anderson. She again ignored me, but my suspicion was the girl had purposefully snuck her way to my side.
“Anderson?”
She ignored me. I sighed and turned my attention to the rows of seats ahead. I followed them down to the central sea of green grass. In the centre of the pitch a stage had been erected, appearing the size of a pack of playing cards from this distance. Around it, visible as miniature black shapes, another ring of Enforcers circled the field’s circumference.
A tense fifteen minute wait passed. Civilians began to trickle in and occupy the seats, no more than three hundred. But the trickle became a steady flow, which became a torrent. Soon the stadium was buzzing with thousands of restless bodies. I estimated, based on the remaining empty seats, at least five thousand with more arriving. Soon the lower seats were occupied and civilians drew nearer the back. I caught glimpses of faces staring up in our direction. Then as all the seats were taken even the green grass began to blot out as it was occupied. There were in the tens of thousands.
It was then, staring around trying and capture the full magnitude of the scene, two distinct realisations occurred. The first was that the situation was ridiculous. The number of Enforcers to civilians was not ideal to say the least. And it was certainly not only me who had begun to feel a touch overwhelmed.
The second realisation dawned more gradually. The Crowd Surfing spell was once again present. It floated in the air, drifting like a persistent song, coming at me from all directions and licking gently at my mind. I again looked over at Anderson.
“Anderson.”
She did not look round.
“Anderson! Clara!”
She turned to me. Her ex
pression was strained but level. “What?”
“Do you feel that?”
“Feel what?”
“The spell.”
She glanced around. “What spell?”
“It’s there. Look for it. I think it’s something important. Try looking.”
She frowned but nodded. Her eyes searched out across the stadium. “Jet?”
“You see it?”
“No. But there are too many people. Aren’t there?” Her shell was cracking. Fear crept to the surface. “How can we control so many?”
“I don’t know, Clara. But maybe it won’t come to that.”
“Stand by,” my radio said, “We’ve been informed Dempsey has arrived. He’s heading to the stage. Repeat, stand by.”
My eyes moved to the field and spotted a black shape emerge, surrounded by a handful of presumably private security. It advanced towards the stage, moving along a clear path allocated by strips of tape. It mounted a set of stairs and took up a microphone. Thousands of eyes watched.
“Ladies and gentleman,” Dempsey said, voice amplified by a thundering PA system, “Thank you all for being here. I’m humbled by your presence.”
The crowd settled. The Spell continued to swirl aimlessly.
“Before we start I’d like to give my condolences to the family of Judy Carlson. She, and those tragically killed at the Enforcer Academy, will be missed. A moment of silence, please.”
The silence was so thick it could’ve crushed an egg.
“Now I believe it’s no secret why we are all gathered here,” Dempsey continued, “In fact I would say it is an inevitable result; something that has been brewing for some time. Wouldn’t you all agree?”
The crowd vocalised their agreement. The sound was distant ocean surf.
“Injustice,” he said.
The murmurs grew.
“Inequality.”
Louder…
“And frustration.”
The murmurs shifted into a roar of angry cheers.
I drew my focus from Dempsey and looked out over the carpet of bodies. The Spell was growing, gathering up and sloshing about like sentient vapour. It washed over me again and again. A sideways glance revealed Clara still had not detected it. Nor were any of the other Enforcers reacting.
“…some of the most productive members of society treated like second class citizens…”
I looked back at Dempsey and squinted. No Spells were emanating directly from him. And still the Spell intensity increased.
“What in God’s name is going on,” I muttered to myself.
A thought occurred. I drew in a breath, braced, and dropped my defences. The Spell rushed in to penetrate my mind. But there was nothing. I focused inward, exploring my mind and probing for intrusion, attempting to detect foreign thoughts. But all was as it should be. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I had just accepted defeat when...
‘Injustice. Inequality. Frustration. I will not be treated this way,’ it said, ‘Injustice. Inequality. Frustration. I will not be treated this way.’
“Oh shit…” I muttered.
So subtle it was barely even a whisper…
“…about time we stepped up and made ourselves heard,” Dempsey was saying, “about time we demanded what we rightly deserve; respect!”
The roar was deafening.
“Clara. Clara!”
She looked at me. Her eyes were now swimming with terror. In that moment I could’ve sworn the roar of the crowd alone would bowl over her tiny body.
“What?!” she yelled. Her voice nearly lost.
“Things are going to get hostile. Be careful!”
Her eyes grew. “What? How do you know?”
“…spent my entire life waiting for acknowledgment, waiting for someone to tell me I’m part of this city. And have I got it?”
The roar nearly lifted off the ceiling.
‘Injustice. Inequality. Frustration. I will not be treated this way. Injustice. Inequality. Frustration. I will not be treated this way.’
I raised the radio to my mouth. “Commander, this is Clarence.”
“I’m reading you, Clarence. Go ahead.”
On either side the Enforcers raised their radios.
“Sir, I’m feeling a Spell, very strong, low level. I believe Crowd Surfing.”
“Crowd Surfing? What are you talking about, Clarence?”
“Sir, just trust me on this. I can feel it. I think things are about to go hostile.”
There was a pause.
“Enforcers, is anyone else picking up any Spell? Report.”
Another pause.
“Holy shit, he’s right, sir,” a voice said at last, “this is Carter. I feel it, sir. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt, but it’s there.”
“Alright, prepare yourselves, Enforcers. Find your Calm and get ready to act.”
I holstered my radio and looked up. Above me was a sensation of the enormous domed roof pushing down, crushing us with an invisible weight. The spell gathered as a gargantuan cloud hanging weightless above the thousands of heads. Despite my pulse quickening it was an incredible thing to witness.
“Always a possibility,” I said to myself, “Fuel and air; the ingredients are all here. All that is required now is…”
The gunshot came from somewhere off to my left. I caught a glimpse of an arm protruding above the crowd, pistol clutched in hand. The reaction spread like a ripple. The cloud ignited. Heads turned towards the noise, faces contorted with anger. All at once the roar took on a sharper edge.
“All Enforcers, all Enforcers,” my radio yelled, “Stand fast and calm the crowd, repeat…”
The first distant SNAP came as aggressive Spirit was released. Another SNAP quickly followed. And another, and another. Before I could begin to decide the right course of action the air was alive with a fireworks display in fast forward.
Around the perimeter shapes detached from the crowd and moved towards the Enforcers, openly attacking. It was a sight so terrifying I thought my bowels may literally drop.
‘Something that has already been associated with human qualities,’ my mind said, bizarrely recalling the words of Delaney many days passed, ‘suddenly stripped of them, is an assault to our very natures…’
Bodies began to move in my direction, vaulting a railing and approaching. I stared, dumbfounded. And might simply have been overwhelmed and gang beaten had a shrieking not snapped me back to reality.
“Jet, help! Help me!”
I looked to my side and saw Anderson disappear as a group swarmed her. The sight spurred me into action. I took a quick breath and found my Calm, then squared my shoulders and faced the anonymous civilians bearing down on me.
“What are you people doing?!” I bellowed, making myself heard above the chaos, “Have you lost your minds?! You’re about to attack an Enforcer!”
My Spirit went cascading out, enveloping my attackers. They halted. Around me the chaos continued.
“I am an Enforcer!” I continued, “You dare put your hands on me!? Have you forgotten what this uniform means!?”
Calm spread; one spell shattered and another took its place. Confused faces glanced at each other. To my left the crowd converging on Clara was not affected. I heard her voice rise up again, shrill and terrified.
“Jet! Jet, help me!”
I turned and dashed, knocking a stunned citizen sprawling.
“Move away!” I roared, releasing more Spirit, “Move away, an Enforcer is approaching! Make way!”
Some moved, others hesitated and I shoved them aside. Finally I reached a huddle of bodies that bore down on Clara.
“Out of my way!” I snarled, “Move aside!”
Those nearest flinched and cringed away, some even squawking as if I’d transformed into a werewolf. But still I felt compelled to lash out, rage creeping into my head. I smashed a fist into the chest of young man. My Spirit exploding in a mini nova and he went stumbling backwards.
“Out of my
way!”
More figures scattered. Clara was revealed; body huddled in the foetal position. I approached and at first thought she had managed to remain unharmed.
“Anderson? Clara?!”
But she looked up and revealed a tear streaked face. Her cheeks were battered and bleeding, one eye swollen and a lip split. Trembling hands drew the front of her torn uniform closed, covering exposed breasts.
“Okay, you’re okay, Clara,” I said, helping her stand.
She rose. Shame and terror radiated off her.
I faced the gathering crowd again. Scores were hovering, some looked shocked, others ashamed, some still enraged
“What have you done to this woman?!” I snapped. My eyes drifted from one anonymous face to another. “Which of you animals assaulted this young woman?! Who was it?!” I fixed my eyes on a random face. “You?!”
“Not me, Enforcer.”
“You?!”
He shook his head. I didn’t think it necessary but applied yet more Spirit. Eyes struggled to meet my gaze and turned to the floor. Humanity slowly re-established itself. But still the stadium was alive with conflicts playing out elsewhere. Screams and shouts rose up in a symphony of anarchy. Spirit exploded like gunshots.
“Now get back to your seats!” I commanded.
People moved to obey.
I sighed. My heart thumped. Now came the growing pressure of similar calming spells being cast. The Enforcers were fighting to take control.
I turned to Clara. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” she mewled. One hand wiped blood from her lips. Her tears had ceased.
I hesitated, wanting to offer comfort.
“What?!” she snapped suddenly, “I panicked!”
“I know, Clara. It happens.”
I turned away and watched as calm began to descend across the stadium. The crackles of Spirit and flashes of light slowed, then ceased entirely. A few moments later came a general movement in the crowd. People eased away from the line of Enforcers and drifted back to their seats.
“Now hear this,” a voice boomed over the speaker system, “Now hear this! My name is Gill, and I am a Chief Commander in the Department of Magic! I am hereby declaring this gathering illegal! You will all disperse! As of right now!”
Gill’s blue uniform had appeared on the stage. There was no sign of Dempsey.
“I repeat; you are to disperse immediately!”
The masses began to funnel towards the exits.
Balance - Book 2 Page 52