“We may not get him, then. But we could seal him down there, and at least halt any further production of the pills. Are we sure that’s the only site?”
“We think so,” Phoebe said. “Based on our Stargate team’s analysis.”
“But even still,” Caleb said with a tone of defeat. “There’s so much product on the market already. And once word is out that it can dull the agony of these psychic onslaughts, rivals will start generic production. Break down the ingredients and mass produce it.”
“Ban the pill,” said Diana.
“Black market,” Caleb said. “It’ll still find its way into enough people’s hands that it won’t matter. With the Emerald Tablet, or the gem as I believe it truly is, and according to the ancient legends, he’ll start to be able to control not just individuals, but whole groups. Armies in fact. We won’t be able to trust anyone. He can make them turn on each other, on family and friends. Kill themselves even if he really aims to reduce the population for his sick plan.”
“Which is?” Xavier didn’t understand. He only had a glimpse of things down there in that control room. Of a map of changed borders and proposed technology to farm and transform the world. He remembered something in particular: a focus on construction at the south pole…
But understanding would all have to wait. For now, he was in control. Not that he wasn’t used to it, having climbed the political power ladder more and more lately since his ascension into Calderon; he had jump-started and bypassed all that nonsense about elections and fundraising and baby kissing.
He knew what had to be done. Still, no one had ever been prepared for this kind of crisis. Or multiple crises, and on so many fronts.
“How do we know he can’t just jump into other leaders?” Edgerrin asked. “Pakistan, Russia, the UK? There are other nuclear countries, launch centers to accomplish his same goals.”
“Maybe even target us,” Diana said, just above a terrified whisper.
“I’m not seeing it,” Phoebe said, fingers to her forehead. “But I may not be asking the right…”
“…questions,” Diana finished for her, somewhat smugly as if jumping on at last to the Stargate mantra. “Maybe this guy’s given up on that route, realizing our team can predict his moves, or anything that cataclysmic, and have time to stop it.”
“Let’s hope so,” Caleb said. “Although I’m not sure we could, entirely.”
“We’ve got missile defense systems,” Temple said. “Most still automated and online at the ready. Might be able to knock down eighty percent of attacks. Between that and your psychic precision, it’s not a bad bet to think if he didn’t get us with that first surprise maneuver just now, he may just proceed to whatever is Plan B.”
“Especially if we bomb the shit out of his home right now.”
“Missiles to go in two minutes,” Edgerrin confirmed, glancing back at a screen where two tech-types were busily keying in entries.
Xavier cleared his throat and straightened his shirt, tucking it in and trying to appear presidential. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I’m not seeing other attacks either, and usually I’m clued in. At least to my own potential demise.”
“So, what are you seeing?” Caleb asked, stepping away from the screen and toward him. “I also sensed that this adversary — the Man In Crimson, we’ll call him — is content to come back to population control later. His foremost aim is total knowledge. A download of the ultimate wisdom.”
“I don’t understand,” Diana said. “He just wants to be RainMan?”
“Not just him. He mentioned something about his ‘brethren’. Like a council of elders. An ancient group that apparently has access to hidden knowledge…”
“Great, another secret society.”
“Knowledge… or memories.” Caleb said the word with something like understanding.
“Memories?” Xavier asked. “Something like accessing other’s minds?”
“I think it’s more than that. I have to study this some more, but it may prove important.” He looked up at Xavier. “I had the sense we were dealing with someone a lot older than he appears, but maybe it’s not in the corporeal sense.”
“Okay, you get on that. What else can we do now to restore peace and stop the world from tearing itself apart?”
“Take down the shield?” Phoebe asked. “I mean, not to sound naïve, but isn’t it that simple?”
“Unfortunately not.” Caleb sighed. “Once up, it’s up, from everything I saw. The initial creation required focusing the earth’s energy through ley lines of power and amplified through sacred monuments and alignments. Those sites are like batteries, drained — at least for now, and served their purpose and need to recharge over millennia.”
“And now the shield is what, self-sustaining?”
“Gathering energy now from radiation in the upper atmosphere, from solar power and electro-magnetic ionosphere elements, I would theorize,” Diana said. “But I would want to access our satellites and study its actual makeup and structure. Maybe it would give some insight into how to disrupt it, which would then stop this…” She groaned and held her head.
“Yeah,” Edgerrin said from miles and miles away, finishing her sentence: “…This hell.”
“How are you managing?” Caleb asked him.
“Focus and discipline.” He made a face. “And it’s damn sure not easy. But we have a mission, and for now, I’m at your command, Montross-er, President Calderon.”
“Great.” Xavier thought for a moment. “Well, it seems we have a couple priorities. And Caleb, sorry but you have a few objectives right now, and better stay here to focus. First, get to that public address. Is YouTube working, Mr. Temple?”
“Web access is back up for now,” Temple said. “Although slow and very overloaded. Everybody and their mothers are posting live, ranting and questioning and coming up with theories and filming the violence and riots.”
Phoebe cleared her throat. “They know this is a watershed moment for the human race, and everyone’s trying to be a part of it.”
“Some are thinking it’s the Rapture or Second Coming. Religious groups going nuts with prophecy fulfilment babble. The Stock Market is on hold of course, but people don’t seem too concerned, at least about their money, for now.”
“Good,” Xavier said. “Don’t need an economic collapse on top of societal breakdown.” He sighed. “Okay, Caleb — need you to focus on Crimson Man. And his not-so-secret clan. They’re our next order of business.”
Caleb almost saluted, but then looked awkwardly away from Xavier, down to his shoes.
Interesting role change, Xavier thought, without Caleb being in charge of these missions for once.
“Phoebe, you already have your objectives.”
“Orlando, and our children. Just need to get to Alaska now.”
Xavier nodded, then turned to the screen. “Do we have transport out of here?”
Temple blinked and focused again, pulling his thoughts away from something far worse, Xavier was sure. “Rooftop chopper standing by, but there’s also an access tunnel under the building. Leads out to the street. Waiting Humvee there that can get you to JFK in twenty minutes. We have three planes standing ready.”
“With pilots that won’t try to kill us?”
“Hopefully not.”
“Okay then.” Xavier met Diana’s eyes. His vision roamed about the room, taking in the filtering indigo lights, the decorative symbols along the walls, the grandeur of the chamber amid the palpable sense of expectation.
This room now bore witness to the start of something new — or the last gasp of the old, he wasn’t yet sure which.