+1+
Ratatatata
Machine guns. . . . No assault rifles. Definitely assault rifles.
I knew the sound all too damn well.
“Shit. Fuck”, I roar like an idiot. But I can’t help it. I’d done a perimeter checks. I’d covered every entrance and exit. I’d covered everything. Guest start for the doors and Seraphina pulls a vacant looking Paris down to the floor
I pull Aria to into my chest and push her out of the ballroom and into the mezzanine. The place was a stampede as people rushed down the grand staircase, trampling the security barriers. More shots were fired from inside the ballroom followed by a wave of screams.“Leon”, Aria says, “What’s happening?”
“It’s okay, Aria. I’ll get you safe.”
Callum comes up beside me, he has a satellite radio and is shouting back and forth with the guardsmen who are on patrol outside.
“What are you getting? I ask
“Entrances are clear”, Callum yells over all the screams, “Shots are only being fired into the ballroom."
“How the fuck did they get in. We covered all the fucking exits.”
“They. . . They climbed the building, Leon.”
“What?”
“They climbed the fucking building and are shooting through the windows. They were never planning on coming inside at all.”
“Fuck.”
I grab one of the dozens of soldiers running around lost and confused. I throw Aria into the soldier’s arms.
“Get her safe or you die. No questions asked.” I turn to Aria, “Call me when you’re safe, babydoll”
“I will. But Leon--”
“What”, I shout over the running crowd
She jerks away from the solider and puts her arms around me and kisses me, “I love you, Leon”
“I love you too, sweetheart now go.”
I charge back into the ballroom where shots are still being fired. Guest who hadn’t made a run for it were hiding in the in the corners. Anytime anyone moved shots were fired. In the middle of the room someone had thrown over a banquet table, Paris and Seraphina were hunkered down behind it with a handful of crying guest. I made a running start and slid behind the table with them. The shooters started to fire they didn’t hit me. They weren’t even trying. Sera picked up a white gold casing off the floor and narrowed her eyes.
Paris looked around and tightened his fist when he saw the
dead waiter still on the floor. The
guest ducked and screamed as another rain of bullets fell.
“They don’t get to ruin this.” Paris said with a darkness I didn’t recognize, “They don’t get to take lives on this day. We do.”
“What the hell, Paris”, I say noticing the shaking in one of his hands.
“Kill them”, Paris ordered.
“I disarmed everyone”, I told him, “Even myself.”
Sighing Paris took off his slim jacket revealing a concealed holstered gun
“The fuck did you--you are not supposed to be armed.” I yelled at him
“That’s cute Leon.” He says giving the gun to Seraphina, “Kill them,now.”
She takes the weapon and quickly familiarizes herself with it. She flips off the safety and stands to look over the overturned table then she quickly ducks back down. Taking a deep breathe she stands up. Aims and fires. Nine shots go off, each time the guest screamed out of some sort of reflex.
Then there is a strange silence.
I stood up and saw that her nine shots had landed into the hearts of nine gunman. Each who’d fallen off the roof and were now splayed out on the floor like . . . angels.
The remaining guest were more shaken than ever. Horrified, probably.
“They’re going to send more. Everyone out.” Sera ordered
The guest didn’t need any more prompting and ran for the exit, stepping over overturned chaffing dishes and wasted food. Paris, Sera and I started for the mezzanine where people are still stepping over one another in a panic. Injured guest and staff were splayed out on the floor, reaching out for help.
Paris turned his attention to one of the TV’s in the mezzanine. The station is replaying a video that was labeled ‘Courtesy of the Unification party’
The video showed a brick wall with the phrase Unify or Die sprayed in gold spray paint. The closed captioning moved fast across the screen
“The last supernatural reign is over. New Aeterna is a symbol of the past; a corrupt government and regime started by Helios Thantos that continues to be perpetrated by Paris Prince. Americans and humans deserve justice, liberty, and freedom for all under a democratic nation. Stars and Stripes. We the people of the Unified Party for America have undisputed evidence that Paris Prince has committed acts of high treason, conspiracy to murder, bribery and capital colonization. We demand the surrender and imprisonment of Paris Prince.
A steely eyed anchor flashes back on, he has the same worried faces the local NYC stations had minutes before Helios’ regime stormed the building back in 2013.
“Uh—the station has received numerous documents alleging illegal and fraudulent acts committed by Paris Prince . . . right now we cannot confirm or deny the validity of these documents. . . let’s take a look at some live shots.”
They switch to live streaming footage of Unification Party supporters flooding into New Aeterna from America through the unsecured border, some proudly waiving New York State flags. The reporter comes back on and then switches to footage from earlier that evening.
“What the fuck”, I said as shaky smartphone video footage shows Russian and North Korean Humvees rolling through the unguarded, “What the hell Paris ? What the hell is going on?”
He stared up at the screen.
“Uh. . . I guess Helios’ former allies got tired of me not paying back all the debt Helios owes them. It seems Unification Party also specializes in debt collection now”, Paris said, “Shit I hope The Mexican cartel doesn’t also want a piece of me.”
“Actually someone worse does”, I said my eyes still on the TV.
I turn Paris back to face the TV where a breaking news bulletin has the United Nations Peacekeeping Force’s logo on the screen and a veritable army of officers in cerulean blue
“Oh, shit”, Paris says trying to read the captions
“What is it?” Seraphina says putting the safety back on the gun.
“The UN just put out a warrant for my arrest. Those idiots are taking the Unification Party’s allegations against me seriously.”
Paris turns back into the ballroom. His eyes going to the dead waiter still on the floor. He looks up at the nine gunman now lying on the floor. One of them is still alive. Somedays Sera was a bad shot.
“We need to get you out of here, boss.” I decide, “You need to be somewhere safe . . . neutral. Like Canada. There you can sweet talk your way out of this”
“Fuck that”, Paris said turning on his heels and smearing some blood that was on his shoe, “I’m not leaving my country when it’s in turmoil. “
“Fine”, I said, “But let’s at least get you to Ft. Chelsea Piers should still be secure.”
“I’m not hiding”, Paris was annoyingly resolute, “I’m going out on the streets and.—“
“Paris between the UN and the Unification Party wanting your ass, you being around civilians is dangerous. Okay."
“If they want to come for me they can find me in my office”, Paris says heading for the stairs to the observatory."
“For fucksake, Paris”, Seraphina pulls him back, “The Unification Party has white gold bullets. They are trying to kill Angels. When they get their hands on you they aren’t going to let you live.”
“Well then, I hope the UN gets me first.”
“And get thrown in prison?” Sera finally let’s go of him.
“I’ll prove my innocence there”, he says.
“But you’re not innocent.” Sera reminds him.
“Let’s just pray they don’t put you on the stand, Love.”
“Leon”, Sera said deferring to me to do something.
“Leon”, Paris warned, “This is me doing my job. This is me listening to you. I’m standing my ground. Don’t forget who you work for Leon.”
Paris turns and heads for the stairs again. I let out a breath and did what I always did. I took orders from my boss. I took off my jacket loosened the bandages on my back, grabbed Paris and pushed him out the window.
+++
Paris curses as we free fall out the window. I get a good grip on him just in time for my wings to burst open steady our incline. I hold him tight getting a feel for how weightless it felt to soar again. I was out of practice and the wind was working against me.
“I gotta set us down”, I said. An Angel in the sky was a dangerous threat.
We landed outside the gates of New Aeterna City Center, taking cover between a wet alleys between two old high rises. Citizens of New Aeterna were out in the streets now, protesting the invasion and getting in the way of Unification Party supporters, some literally pushing them out of their country. I didn’t even see the United Nations forces but I knew they’d be on the way.
A handful of mercenaries with the Unification party were getting out of an unmarked Humvee, each strapped with four guns. The crowd jumped out of their way as they headed toward The Capitol building. The NADF soldiers still in the area weren’t field tested and the mercenaries tore through their weak defense.
We stepped further back into the ally and I put my jacket back on to cover my wings.
“You need to go back for Seraphina”, Paris said as the Unification Party soldiers descended on the Capitol Building.
“She’ll be fine. We need to get you to the military base. It’s fucking insane out here.”
“I think people might recognize me”, he said pulling off the gold sash and large medallion then pointing to his scars “I have one of those faces.”
“Not helping, Paris.”
Paris snaps his fingers, “I have my phone.”
“Somehow I don’t think there is an app for that.”
He lips widen into a face splitting smile that pulls is scars tight, “I have an idea.”
+++
Solstice LeCroix
Ravi is oddly silent as our stolen Humvee rolls through the New Aeterna’s unprotected border. I feel my heart beating at a thousand paces and it’s not because I’m in the back of a stolen NADF Humvee with 100 tons of explosives. Ravi is flipping through his phone to get a feel for what’s going on outside. Every few feet we stop and Ravi jumps out to plant a mini pressure cooker and gets back in the car
He promises me that the explosions won’t be deadly, they’ll just be distractions. Not that he had to explain anything to me.
Once the first shots had been fired, I knew there was no turning back. That when this was all over this world was going to go back to how it should be, a human world.
Bringing in the Russians and North Koreans had been leftovers from Anne, who had made some lofty promises to our foreign allies about paying back what New Aeterna owed. They’d sent soldiers and supplies to assist in recouping collateral.
“Is all the stuff about Paris Prince true?” Ravi ask pretending to be really into his phone
“Yeah. You’re not surprised are you? Did you really think he was any different from Helios? “
It’d taken four hours and hell of a lot of googling to break the lock on Anne Lynn’s office at the Unification Party D.C headquarters. Ravi and I hid out there all week; sleeping on couches and communication over the secured lines.
Anne’s office was impeccable clean, everything was pure white down to her laptop and filling system. The laptop was barely touched the only thing out of place was a silver memory key sticking out of it. The cap was on the table and “one of two” was written on it. It was Giuliani’s hand writing. I booted up the computer and the encrypted file was still open. Neatly organized with videos, document scans and security footage. I focused on what I could understand and compiled it.
It killed me that all the proof I needed to show how rotten New Aeterna is, had been in Anne Lynne’s possession the whole time. She knew Paris Prince had bugged and bribed the congressional committee to give him his own country, she knew he turned a blind eye to the illegal drugs and guns coming into his ports and being smuggled into the U.S. He never told citizens about the mass graves and prisons found beneath “New Aeterna City Center”, he never discussed the billion dollar loans Helios Thantos took out with rogue nations that he was still paying back. No to mention the pictures of his bitch wife seducing politicians
Oh, and the big one
He never thought to mention that Helios Thantos was still alive. That I kept for myself.
Luckily starting a shooting at the ball had distracted everyone enough for us to get into the country and for the leak to start. It only took 43 minutes for anarchy to break lose on the streets and only 14 minutes before the United Nations put a warrant out for his arrest. Congresswoman Hart had warned me that the UN might get involved but by the time they found either of the Princes. They’d be dead.
“Hold up . . . “, Ravi scrolls through his phone, “On my feed they are saying an armored black SUV has pulled up to New Aeterna City Center.”, Ravi said, “Security is super heavy, everyone think the king is trying to leave.”
“Well, we should be there to catch him”
We roll up to the gates of New Aeterna City Center. The streets are thick with people but they part for the stolen NADF Humvee we’re riding in. The armored SUV is parked out front and a sea of guardsmen are surrounding it. The Pro-Unification supporters and Pro- New Aeterna supporters are shouting and shoving one another. Down the street the NADF is standing down UN forces.
Pro-Unification protesters start banging on the roof of Humvee. They are throwing feathers which seems to make both sides angry. Couples are still wandering the streets in black tie. Some running for taxis that refuse to stop, some too injured and exhausted are having breakdowns on the curb.
I turn and see two dozen guardsmen in their matching gray and dark red uniforms are leading Paris Prince out of the Capitol building and toward the SUV. Some of the Unification Party soldiers are in close pursuit. Everyone is pulled toward him like he’s a magnet.Citizens start throwing rocks and garbage at the Unification Party soldiers, rioters are shouting obscenities and The UN peacekeeping force had managed to get through and are ordering everyone out the way. I take out my gun, newly loaded with white gold bullets.
Ravi blends into the crowd casually dropping handfuls of smoke bombs. It takes a second for gray chalky smoke to erupt... The crowd breaks apart and people start running from the noxious smoke. The guardsmen protecting the king try to stay in formation, but they start coughing and gagging. Ravi and I slip on protective masks and push through the throng of blinded bodies. We both grab Paris Prince who is doubled over on the ground and drag him through the crowd and into our Humvee. The driver peels off immediately.
I had one Prince. Now I needed the other.
Ravi and I strip off the masks and I start to handcuff the king when I notice . . . his scars are missing.
The man looks up and I can’t place him, but he is not Paris Prince.
“What’s going on”, I demand.
“If it makes you feel better I hate Paris Prince just as much as you do.”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“Call me . . . the doctor”
+2+
Leon Argos
Damien had been at home watching the live stream of the ball and the ensuing turmoil in a pair of scrubs, when I called him. He’d begrudgingly got on his bike and made his way across the Brooklyn Bridge, eventually finding the new alley Paris and I were hiding out in.
“This is so fucking stupid”, Damien complained as he and Paris changed clothes, “Just because we are the same godforsaken height and have the same hair doesn’t mean I look like you.”
“Let’s face it”, Paris said putting on Damien’s Yale sweatshirt and gray jogging pants, “All Demons basically look the same. My scars give me character.”
Damien threw the gold sash over Paris’s tuxedo that fit him perfectly. Paris secured the gold medallion to the sash and inspected Damien.
“Looks good”, I’d said.
“I appreciate this, Damien”, Paris said
“Whatever”, Damien said, “As long as I don’t have to fuck your crazy wife.”
Paris punched Damien in the nose like it was a reflex.
“Fuck”, Damien screamed dark blood spurting out his nose, “You know I could be killed playing bait.”
“Well, I didn’t want you to die
without me doing that at least once.”
“You don’t hit men for threatening not to fuck your wife you fucking moron.”
“Do you want me to hit you again?” Paris asked but I can tell his hand is killing him.
Next, I called Paul to our location and he walked Damien back to The Capitol Building and had fake “Paris” escorted out front where everyone would be distracted. As soon as people began swarming we started running for the bridge.
Paris kept his hood up and head down. He wasn’t a fast runner but the adrenaline kept him going. Paris couldn’t stop looking at the protest breaking out in the streets, we passed bounty hunters with their faces glues to maps on their phones. Trashcans were being set on fire and more violent confrontations were happening between protestors. The UN peacekeeping forces were organized but were too busy contending with protestors, not to mention the NADF was all over the place. No one was giving the same orders.
“This isn’t what I wanted”, Paris said, “This isn’t what I wanted. This night is worse than the revolution”
“I know boss. Just keep moving”
We’re cut off by a white BMW that jumps the curb in front of us, blocking us in. I ball my fist and get ready to throw a punch. Paris keeps his head down and I shrug off my jacket and prepare myself to fly him out if need be.
The window rolls down and I see Aria tucked behind the wheel.
“Aria, what the fuck”,
“I’m fine”, she said, “I couldn’t just leave, you. I knew where Helio’s old cars were hidden and you can’t get far on foot.”
“You need to get back to the girls, Aria. The Angel’s residential area should be secure. I’d feel a hell of a lot better if you were there.”
“I know, but I want to help—“
“Give me the keys, I’m getting you back to the girls.”
“I can’t let you drive”, Aria says getting out of the car
“Why not”
“Because I am”, Sera says rolling down the backseat window.
+3+
Seraphina is barefoot and still wrapped tight in her fragile gold ball gown. Her hair extensions are loose around her shoulders and she smells like blood and dirt. She drives back through the crowded streets and gets as close to one of the back gates of New Aeterna City Center as she can and lets Aria out the car.
There are a dozen ambulances out and there is a vile odor in the air and plumes of . . . smoke? There are still crowds of people on both sides of whatever the hell is happening. Unification Party supporters are have started looting. Military and police officers have retreated. At least the ones that are still alive.
I get out the car with Aria and walk her to one of the back gates to the Angel section of New Aeterna the retina scanner is still up and I see some Angel men by the door... I don’t want to let her hand go. I hate having to let her go again.
“Leon, don’t do anything stupid okay?” Aria warns me.
“Sorry, sweetheart. You don’t have the right to ask to do that.”
“Leon”
“I’ll try. No promises.”
+++
“What happened to you”, Paris asks from the backseat.
Sera pulls the car onto the sidewalk in order to turn around. She swerves around and almost hits a handful of protestors who don’t get out of her way.
“More Unification Party soldiers raided The Capitol Building. They didn’t shoot the human civilians so I figured they were looking for me. I went to the observatory to hide in your office. I barred the door and tried to climb out the window and fell—“
“Sera” Paris started
“We’re resilient creatures, Paris.—I thought the other Angels would protect me, but they wouldn’t let me through their gate. They were afraid the Unification Party would come in after me. For fucksake I just wanted to change clothes and get a pair of shoes. Then Aria came out and told me she knew where some cars were and she’d help me getaway. We were headed to the military base when we saw you two.”
Paris sat in the backseat contemplating this. Cars are piled up on the Brooklyn Bridge. Pro-Unification party supporters are breaking windows and searching for Paris. Up ahead I could see the U.N forces setting up a checkpoint near the bridge. Seraphina stayed calm and slowly pushes the car forward.
A group of unofficial looking men holding baseball bats are
prompting people to roll down their windows. Judging by their camo and how
riled up they are, I take it they are Americans. They approach the car and yell
at us to roll down the tinted windows.
“I can’t believe people are turning on us like this”, Paris says
“They are just scared.” I tell him, “Some people just need a reason to turn on Supernatural.”
“Everything I did. It was for the greater good”, Paris said. Then quietly, “Wasn’t it?”
An angry man with a sledgehammer burst through the crowd and throws the sharp edge into the passenger side door. He picks up the sledgehammer and throws it against the bulletproof glass the crowd was riled up, some young inexperienced NADF officers are trying to break the group up, but they were kids. The man slammed the sledgehammer into the back window and it cracked.
“Shit”, I said
Paris ducked his head and Seraphina studied the flood of humans surrounding the car.
“Fuck”, Sera gripped the wheel and threw her foot on the gas running over at least five people. Everyone else jumped out the way when they realized she wasn’t going to stop.
“Seraphina, what the hell”, Paris shouted, “You do not have the right to--
“I didn’t have a choice-”.
“Stop the car.”, Paris shouts, “I’m not hiding anymore if it means people get hurt—“
“Paris. They want to kill you.” Sera swerves to miss another crowd of on lookers.
“Stop the damn car, Seraphina.”
“This is not how we go out, Paris.”
“For fucksake, Seraphina. Leon stop her.”
“Boss, I can’t”, I shout as Seraphina barrels forward
“Leon, you fucking pussy”, Paris snaps unbuckling his seat belt.
Fuck it.
“Sera, maybe you should slow down—“
A bright light shines through the windshield followed by the outline of an unidentified Humvee. I feel the impact before everything fades to black. Pain snatches me and the last thing I see is Seraphina trying to turn the wheel. I feel the little BMW spin across the bridge and then we are weightless.
I don’t even know we are falling until we make impact. I feel the pain inside my mind and push it away. I remember to breathe, to not panic. I wait for my vision to come back and when it does all I see is blurry blue depth. My eyes adjust and I unbuckle my seat belt and swim to the backseat. Paris is struggling to swim for the surface. I push myself forward, grab him and swim up for air.
When we break the surface I take in a shallow breathe and take in our surroundings. People are peering down over the bridge, I duck back underneath the water and come out underneath the bridge.
“Sera”, Paris said struggling to keep himself afloat, “She’s stuck”
“Hold on.”
I dive back underwater and to the sinking car, the driver’s side door is open and Sera is floating a few feet away from it, her skirts floating loose around her. The bottom of her gown is ripped and torn to shreds. I grab her and head for the surface.
I come up underneath the bridge, Paris is keeping himself a float but he’s shivering. I open Sera’s mouth and tilt her chin until water runs out.
“You got this?” I ask Paris
He nods in understanding and I hold her up and he starts giving her CPR. His hands are shaking and he can’t press down hard enough on her chest. We switch places and I put as much weight as I could on her chest to get the water to come up.
“You’re hurting her.”, Paris warns.
“Shut up, Paris”, I said blowing more air into her lungs again.
She started coughing and we set her upright in the water. She takes in her surroundings and looks up toward the bridge.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t . . . the car. . . I”
“It’s alright, love”, Paris says his arms loosely around her waist.
“I think we can swim to Ft. Chelsea Piers from here”, I said, “There is an unpatched gate that leads to the old piers.”
“Are you sure”, Paris says peering into the distance
“Yeah, it’s how I get out of work without going through the checkout point. Now stay close to the bridge.”
Before Paris can respond I point north and start swimming. It’s a long stretch and I feel an ache in my joints Paris keeps up but Seraphina struggles to move in her dress. The gun Paris had given her is still tucked into the bodice. We swim in silence and after a few minutes the wind starts to really pick up. I shake it off and keep swimming. Then the back of neck prickles and I pick up a buzz in the air.
The sky suddenly lights up and I peer into the bright spotlight of a helicopter. The helicopter lifts up and circles us. It’s not military . . . private.
“They”, Paris says stretching his arms forward, “Have a fucking helicopter.”
I hold my breath and sink beneath the dirty Hudson River, Paris and Seraphina follow suit. I lead the way, swimming in all sort of angles to avoid the spotlight. Coming up only when I need to.
We keep swimming, but the helicopter stays on us. Pretty soon I can see the unpatched gate and the old piers in the distance. If we can make it ashore there is bound to be some soldiers who can come to our aide.
“Keep going”, I shout trying to doge the spotlight.
“Wait”, Sera says and I see she is checking the chamber on the gun, “I think I can—“
She stops midsentence blows some air into the chamber and pulls the trigger, landing a bullet into the headlight of the helicopter. One of the bulbs breaks and the light dims. The helicopter sways and pulls back. Paris and I swim up to where a chain link fence separates the river from public property to private military.
“Here”, I say swimming under and finding the hole in the fence. As I slip through I feel the thrum of a generator underneath me. Paris and I get through easily, just in time for the helicopter to decide to come back. We swim over to the old pier and climb on land.
We’re both out of breathe and I feel a new adrenaline rush hit me.
“The MI building should be safe . . . we gotta run . . .”
But Paris isn’t even listening to me, he’s looking back at the river
“Sera.”
I hadn’t even realized she hadn’t made it through the fence, she was fighting with her dress which had gotten caught in the underwater generator. In the air a few feet behind her the helicopter hovers like a bird watching its prey.
Behind us I see Ares and a handful of soldiers coming toward us.
“Sera”, Paris shouts as she suddenly disappears under the water
Sera uses the chain link fence to pull herself up and she tugs relentlessly at the dress. I charge towards Ares and grab the knife he has holstered on his belt.
“Cover me”, I tell Ares and head back to the river.
The helicopter passenger side door opens and a man in a black balaclava is coming down with a gun pointed at Seraphina.
“Get inside the base, boss. I got this.” I tell Paris.
“No”, Paris says, “I’m not leaving her...”
“For fucksake, these people are after you.” I tell him, “You go. I’ll get her.”
Before I can stop him, Paris takes the knife from me. I reach for him but he’s falls backwards into the water skiing into the murky river. Then he comes up, takes a breathe and swims to where Seraphina is stuck. He’s not a strong swimmer and it takes him to damn long to reach her. I keep my eye on the helicopter.
Ares, who isn’t afraid to use his gun on civilians, pulls out a long range handgun and starts shooting at the helicopter’s spotlight. The helicopter sways and the man on the ladder almost falls off.
Paris finally reaches Seraphina, she’s shaking her head and it looks like she’s cursing him the fuck out. He ignores her and dives down into the water. She grits her teeth and starts yelling at him even though he can’t hear her. Then a cloud of her bright red blood fills the water. Paris comes back up and starts cutting away at the bodice of her dress. He tugs at the dress until it tears into two pieces of gold fabric.
They swim to edge and I pull Sera onto the pier. They both collapse on the pier as Ares lands a shot through the helicopter’s window. The helicopter pulls back and retreats, the man who’d been on the ladder falls into the water.
“Did you kill him”, Paris asks.
“Yeah, like I answer to you”, Ares says holstering his weapon.
+4+
The MI building is like a fortress. Every solider still on base surrounds every room and hall. Paris stands in the SitRep room watching 15 news channels on mute at once. He had been given a white button up from the military dress uniforms and a pair of rolled up black pants. I’d changed into a pair of camouflage pants and a black shirt. There are 16 phones in front of him all on speaker phone with the few public officials we were able to track down.
He was supposedly seeking counsel but all their voices were blending into one. Most of the military generals were out in the field trying to keep peace in the streets and disrupting the UN forces. It was getting so fucking ugly.
“Where is Seraphina”, Paris said muting his end of the conversations.
“Getting that stab wound looked at”
“It was an accident”, Paris said, “I’m usually better a ripping my wife out of her clothes.”
He said, but the humor in his voice was gone.
“What’s it like out there?”
“Anarchy”, he said
“I’m sure this will boil over, believe it or not boss but I have a lot experience dealing with violent uprisings.”
He half smiled.
“I know you do, Leon.” He said, “That’s what make you invaluable.”
“How do the talking heads feel?” I ask nodding to the phones.
“They want to know if the accusations are true.”
“Aren’t they?”
“What? I’m not saint. I did what I had to. I always had good intentions. I never hurt anyone. I covered my tracks. . Just not well enough. Look, when this all goes to even more shit. . . I need you to take care of Seraphina. I mean with the little things she’s not good with. ”
“The fuck are you going on about?”
The doors to the room open and Seraphina steps through in a fresh pair of clothes, she’d ripped out the extensions and attempted to cut a neat crew cut.
“What’s the plan?” she asks Paris.
“You are just in time”, He says. Paris turns the speaker phones off mute, “Everyone. I appreciate your input and council. Considering the state of our country and the complete breakdown of our system... I’ve decided to turn myself over to The Unification party. I want to make it clear this is not me claiming to be guilty, just to--
Before Paris could finish the voices on the phones launch into questions and arguments. Paris puts the phones on mute.
“You’re giving in?” Sera asks, “You know the Unification Party is going to kill you. Then LeCroix is going to come after me and everything we’ve done will be for nothing. ”
“I will turn myself in honorably”, Paris said,” If I die in their custody, then I’ll simply be a martyr.”
“Paris. You did not come this far just to--”
“Seraphina, its fine. Whatever comes next I’m ready and I know you are too. I need to end this.”
Sera looked at me to say something but negotiation wasn’t my area of expertise. Paris clicked on the phones.
“Someone find out who is in charge and get them on the fucking phone.”
+++
Solstice LeCroix
After throwing the “Prince” imposter to the crowd we’d followed a credible report that the Prince had been seen heading north on the Brooklyn Bridge. When we got to the bridge there was a pile up and the rumor was a car the Prince was escaping in had fallen off the bridge.
It was so backed up on the bridge I made the absolutely crazy call to send a helicopter out to track them. I hadn’t heard back but it seemed unlikely that they’d find them. I jumped as someone banged on the hood of the Humvee. A drunk shouting about Angels and Hell. I took a hard look at the cars around us, some were packed up with children in the backseat, some with groups of teenagers looking to cause trouble.
How could I have not accounted for people?
“Ms. LeCroix”, The Russian national who was driving butchered my last name, “There is a call for you.”
“What?” I said.
“It’s Paris Prince.”
“What? “
He pushed the phone towards me. I took it and Ravi stared at me wide eyed.
“Um...I mean -- What do you want? “
Ravi suddenly looked up from his phone and motioned for me to put it on speakerphone.
“Ms. LeCroix.”, his voice was calm and warm,” I hope you don’t mind. Congresswoman Hart gave me your number, she’s one of your co-conspirators right? And Secretary Loren. I’m impressed. I never realized people so high up wanted New Aeterna to fail.”
“You’d be surprised how high up it goes.”
“Solstice LeCroix? I remember we met at Vassey’s Bronze Heart ceremony. Magenta DVF, right?”
My dress? He was talking about my dress?
“Umm, yes.”
“Very 90’s”, he said then cleared his voice, “Ms. LeCroix This spectacle of yours is quite amazing. It makes the night we overthrow Helios’ regime look like Halloween.”
I realize he’s trying to disarm me and I don’t let it work.
“You know what you’ve done Paris Prince. This world just isn’t big enough for humans and Supernatural. You are just as corrupt as Helios. You don’t deserve New Aeterna. None of you do.”
“I’ve made mistakes . . . which is why I’m turning myself
in. I’ll face the wrong I’ve done.”
“Even the part about Helios Thantos”
Ravi’s looked up at me. I hadn’t gotten around to telling him that. My mouth just couldn’t form the words. Prince was silent on the other end. It sounded like he was walking somewhere.
“How did you know?” he asked.
“Anne”, Is all I can say because the idea that the world’s vilest dictator was still alive was so unbelievable.
I hear him swallow on the other end of the line.
“I’ll confess even to that if . . . if your people leave Seraphina out of this. If you make sure not a bad word about her gets out.”
“She’s a murderer. She killed Giuliani and she can’t get away with that.”
He was silent again
“I think she will suffer more in the aftermath of all this than she ever would in a prison cell. I will give you everything you want. I’ll take responsibility for Bart Giuliani’s murder . . . if you spare my wife.”
“I can’t do that”, I tell him, “But after you surrender. I’ll give her a 24 hour head start.”
+++
“No. What the fuck is wrong with your Paris”, Sera started the minute Paris said Giuliani’s name.
Paris turned away from her and continued to negotiate with LeCroix. He’d moved to a secluded hallway when LeCroix bought up Helios. Sera and I had been right on his heels
After a few more pleasantries he closed the phone.
“You have 24 hours”, he said
“What?” Seraphina said
“After I turn myself in, LeCroix has agreed to give you a 24 hour head start. That should be enough time for you to make a run for it.”
“What the fuck is your problem Paris Princ—“
“Stop it, Seraphina”, Paris said heading back into the SitRep room where a handful of generals, lawyers and now soldiers were gathered, “I love you. You’ve been by my side for eight years and the least I can do is make sure no one ever locks you up again.”
“Maybe I should be”, she said, “You think I feel guilty about Giuliani? Or Fountain . . . or Anne? I don’t. At least not as much as I should.”
“It’s done, Sera”
He pushes back into the SitRep room, the military lawyers and generals converge on him to lay out the conditions of Paris’ surrender. He’s half listening and nods every now and then
“Sir”, one of the generals says, “I don’t suppose you want to see a chaplain?"
Paris burst out laughing, which made the whole room uncomfortable. I lead Seraphina to the back wall where a half a platoon of soldiers are standing trying to figure out what they were supposed to do except be witnesses. Some of the women who were overseas with us try and comfort Sera, but her mind is somewhere else. She pulls Ares aside and soon the two are in deep conversation. That can’t be good.
After a few more minutes of tense conversation a communication officer opens the door and everyone turns to him.
“Sir”, he said, “The helicopter is here for you”
The lawyers start talking over one another and the soldiers in the room stand up straighter. Paris stands up and tries to adjust the borrowed clothes. The lawyers have all shut up and stare at him. He seems entirely unbothered by all the attention.
“Thank you”, he says to no one in particular, “Thank you all.”
The soldiers in the room manage to stand to attention, Paris heads for the door and I follow behind him. Some of the soldiers offer a salute but it seems out of place. Seraphina is at the end of the line next to Ares. She hesitates, then bends slightly to kiss him.
“Paris”, she says, “Let me walk with you.”
He holds out his arm and she takes it. I followed behind because it was a bad habit I couldn’t break. We take the elevator to the roof. I step out first and see the helicopter with it’s broken headlight is perched on the roof. Without so much an audience they kiss again. Paris pulls himself away from her and climbs into the helicopter. The door closed and the helicopter started to ascend and head south
“We’ll. . . figure something out”, I told her.
“Oh, I already have.” She said around the pin in her mouth.
“What the fuck are you—“
She side steps me and throws a live grenade at the helicopter.
+++
Muse : Lile why do--
Lils : Characters keep cutting each other off ? It's a --
Muse : Bad habit and --
Lils : But it's how real people talk.
- The memory key that Solstice finds is a copy of the one Giuliani blackmailed Seraphina with in the earlier chapters.
- If you remember all those scenes of Paris breaking down over all the secrets he was keeping ? Yelp, that came back to bite him.
- I wrote a ton of this before um. . . current events. . . I mean a lot of IRL violence made this hard to focus on. With that said I had a hard time picturing what it would be like if people came out on the streets to defend what the believe in and. . . now I don't.