Now, Earth

We must come together and reclaim the values that this once great country had used to become the greatest nation in the history of the world. Darkness is all around us. Threatening to destroy us like an infection. Yes, we must fight it at all costs, but we cannot allow the cure to be worse than the disease.

The answers to our future lays in our past.

We must return to what made us great!

Faith!

Family!

Freedom!

I believe that we can fight this fight without losing our very identities!

I believe that our great nation can rise again!

America was, is and ever shall be the greatest nation on this planet! And together we can make it the greatest across the multiverse!

“Meh,” Cal shrugged.

“Some of the people seem to like what he’s saying,” Nila said.

“About a third of the crowd. They’ve helpfully divided the stadium seating by candidate supporters,” Cal said.

“I can see that by the signs,” Nila said flatly.

The applause died down and the candidate continued on with his speech.

“I think I’m good. You?”

“Talking points haven’t changed much,” Nila shrugged. “Yeah, I’ve seen and heard enough.”

“Great! Let’s get out of here.”

Cal and Nila were completely alone in the nosebleeds over right field. Most of the people were seated down on the field and the lower decks.

Cal lifted Nila up and together they soared into the slowly darkening sky.

“Who do you think is going to take it?”

Nila shrugged. “Whoever gets the on the fence people. I’ve seen the polling in the newspaper. It’s going to be tight.”

“There’s a newspaper?”

“Yup, locally printed. This election is just about the only thing they’ve been covering lately. Candidate platforms, profiles and so on.” Nila said.

“I haven’t been paying attention to… everything.”

Nila sighed. “It’s a three-way race. That guy just speaking was Pryce Hardin: 41 years old, comes from a super rich family with long ties to your city’s earliest days.”

Cal made a face. “Oil money then. And a lot of racism. That’s what my good old hometown was built on.”

“The paper didn’t say,” Nila said. “Anyways, he’s running on a return to normalcy platform.”

“What’s his party?”

“The American Party,” Nila said.

Cal’s eyes widened. “How’d they get away with that?”

“I don’t know. They’re basically conservatives.”

“Ah… so, the not-Republican Party. What did the Democrats turn into?”

“The Democracy Party.”

Cal laughed. “Nice. Though, I think the former wins the branding when it comes to the older demographics. The latter would probably do better with the younger people if it wasn’t for Rayna’s friend’s party.”

“The older guy that spoke first was Graeme Lindsay. The candidate for the Democracy Party. They’ve basically taken the middle position between the other two. More of a stay the course platform than any big changes. They’re actually in the weakest spot.”

“Makes sense. The last ten years have been apocalyptic. People either want massive change or they want a return to the old ways. So, Rayna’s friend is the progressive candidate?”

“She’s your sister’s friend. Shouldn’t you know more than me?”

Cal shrugged. “I’ve done my best to not be involved on any level with the local situation. Besides, politics sucks.”

“Fine,” Nila sighed. “Rayna’s friend being pregnant isn’t doing her any favors. Kaylyn Pena is the leader of, like, a progressive Catholic faction. It’s a long story, but she led a schism in the county’s church in the early days. Something to do with women getting the Priest: Catholicism Class and freaking out the priests. She’s also the Ranger Captain of Rayna’s Rangers.”

“That’s, like, a total oxymoron, progressive and Catholic don’t really belong in the same sentence,” Cal snorted. “Am I a bad brother for finding that hilarious?”

“Yes,” Nila said flatly. “Aside from you personal bias… what do you think?”

“About the schism?” Cal shrugged. “I’m only technically Catholic. Haven’t set foot inside a church since Rayna’s eighth grade graduation,” he said proudly. “I’m anti-establishment all the way,” he grinned. “I wonder what the Church said about women getting that class… probably call the spires ‘the devil’ or ‘the tool of the devil’. I’d guess the old bastards probably don’t have a problem with them getting Priest as a class.” The smile on Cal’s face suddenly became a wince. “I can’t… shouldn’t take pleasure in other people having problems.”

Nila nodded hesitantly.

“Can’t think negatively.”

“Cal, it’s okay. That’s a part of being human.”

“I can’t. I don’t know if it’s me. The negative thoughts, I mean. It might be something the Mother left behind. Pushing and prodding me to a darker state of mind… where I might hurt innocent people.”

“I know what you told me, but it’s been months and you still haven’t found any traces,” Nila said.

“Just because I haven’t found anything doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to find,” Cal said.

“Well… okay then. Just… don’t forget that you don’t have to face this alone.” Nila took Cal’s hand and squeezed tightly.

“Getting strong there,” Cal faked a pained wince.

Nila rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah, my family is having hot pot tonight for dinner and you’re invited.”

Cal opened his mouth.

“Nope. No more excuses. You haven’t visited this whole time and they’re getting annoying about it.” Nila raised her finger to forestall another attempted protest. “You haven’t hurt your family and anyone else. You’re not going to hurt mine.”

“You make a good point,” Cal sighed. “Now, I’m going to have to come up with a good excuse.” A light bulb lit up in Cal’s thoughts. “What time is dinner?”

“Why?”

“Rayna wants to talk to me about something.”

“7:00, but you can come whenever.”

“Okay… totally doable then,” Cal tried to sound excited.

Nila saw right through him.

“I’ll drop you off at your Mom’s, then see what Rayna wants, then I’ll come right back,” Cal said.

“I know you’re on vacation, but we need your help… and Nila’s, if that’s okay,” Rayna said.

“Not okay… on both accounts,” Cal frowned.

“Wait? You didn’t even let me start.”

“I told you… I’m not killing anything or anybody.”

Rayna’s face wore a frown to match Cal’s. Despite the large gap in age the brother and sister were eerily similar in this expression.

“Really? You’d let Mom and Dad face the worst monsters without lifting a finger?”

“Okay… that’s a ridiculous argument. If a scenario like that occurred then I would obviously help,” Cal scoffed.

“Well, you won’t even hear me out. How do you know that this isn’t that scenario?” Rayna challenged.

“Because you would’ve said so… sorry, but I have a dinner party to attend.” Cal walked into the backyard and rose up into the air.

Only to suddenly stop a few feet off the ground.

Cal put more into his telekinesis, but the force holding him in place strengthened.

“Seriously?” Cal rotated around until he faced a glaring Rayna, her face screwed with concentration. “You look like you’re constipated.”

“You’re not leaving until you hear me out,” Rayna grounded out through clenched teeth.

Curious, Cal increased the strength of his telekinesis.

Rayna matched it with her gravitic power to keep him in place.

They stared at each other. Wills silently contesting.

Cal knew that he had much more to go, but he felt that Rayna didn’t.

“Fine,” Cal said. Ultimately, he had always found it difficult to refuse his baby sister much. “You may give me your pitch. However, I’m not interested in fighting anyone.”

“Even to save lives?”

“I can’t save every life out there and I’m concerned that in the effort it might cost more in the future,” Cal said.

“That’s just dumb. You should be worried about the lives you can save in front of you instead of worrying about the lives you might not save in some distant future.”

“Just… just tell me what you want.”

“Funnily enough, we just need your help to save lives.”

Rayna told Cal the plan.

“A lot of your rangers are going to die.” Cal ran the scenario through his mindscape with the information Rayna had just given to him. He sighed when he came to a realization. “I can get these slaves out with a higher survivability rate than you. Perhaps, close to a hundred percent if I take out the people holding them.”

“It’s tempting, but—”

“You do understand what I mean? That I’ll need to kill them all before they know what’s going on. Is that what you’re asking me to do?” Cal glared.

“You didn’t let me finish,” Rayna glared right back. “I know all that, but I’m not asking you to do anything beyond flying the captives back here after we free them.”

“What? But the casualties—”

“Are necessary. Our levels are too low. The spires said strength through conflict and struggle. When people like us are involved, there isn’t much of those for everyone else.”

“But… they’ll die,” Cal said. He was confused. He knew that it was his sister in front of him, but he couldn’t quite believe the words coming out of her mouth.

“I know that!” Rayna snapped. “They know that,” she said softly. “We all agree that having their continued survival reliant upon a handful of powerful individuals is impossible to rely on forever. What happens when, if, I die? Or Dad? What about when we get old? Or what happened to you?”

Cal felt like she had just punched him in the stomach.

“The survival of the human race depends on everyone gaining individual strength.”

“Do you have a Quest for this?”

“Yeah, but it goes beyond that. Can we call ourselves good people if we do nothing while other human beings are being enslaved less than fifty miles up the freeway?”

“No, I suppose not,” Cal said.

Rayna spread her arms out wide.

“Okay, I’ll help, but I’m not so sure about having Nila face off with these warlords,” Cal said.

“They might not even attack. Nila’s just insurance in case they do,” Rayna said. “Dad’s like ten, fifteen minutes away in any event.”

“Or I can visit these warlords and encourage them to stay home,” Cal said.

“I’ve thought about doing that myself, but it’d tip them off to our plans,” Rayna said. “Look, you can deal with those assholes after you fly the people we free to safety.”

“What about you?”

“I’m supporting from a distance and with as minimal presence as possible, so as to not ruin my guys’ leveling opportunity.” The words were practiced, but still sounded bitter in Rayna’s mouth.

Cal nodded in sympathy as he made an effort to keep Rayna’s thoughts to herself and his to himself. His sister was a tornado of anger and worry. It killed him that he couldn’t, shouldn’t, ease her burden.

“I’ve tried to respect your desire. I could’ve used your help like over a dozen times this past month. I get that you’ve been through some shit, but so has everyone else. And they don’t have the same awesome powers, you, we do.”

Cal was struck by the bitterness in his sister’s voice.

Perhaps he was being selfish.

Cal nodded.

“I’ll do it, but I can’t speak for Nila. I’ll let her know, but you’ll have to ask her yourself,” Cal said. “And I’m going to need all the information you have on these slavers and the warlords.”

Rayna nodded stiffly. “Thank you.”

Cal held out his arms.

Rayna frowned.

“C’mon on, get in here,” Cal grinned.

“Fine,” Rayna huffed, but went in for the hug.

“You’ve grown so much,” Cal said proudly.

“Tsk… I’m over thirty now,” Rayna said.

“You’re always going to be that tiny little poop machine I had to change diapers because it taught me responsibility or whatever b.s. Mom and Dad used to say.”

“Gross and they probably just wanted a break.”

“Understandable. You did have the gnarliest poops.”

“No,” Rayna punched Cal in the stomach, hard.

“Have you heard from your brother?”

“Nope… er… which one?” Cal was only partially listening to his mom. He had more important things to pay attention to.

“Eron. Remy already sent me a spires message. They seem to be settling in okay with your Threnosh friends. Although, I hope the girls are safe. Their training sounds dangerous. That machine of yours that makes things real.”

Cal sighed. He wondered if his parents had any idea on what Tessa and Veronica had been through recently. “Yeah, the S.R.T.C. is totally safe. Practically zero percent chance of injury.” He could feel his mom’s sharp gaze on the side of his face.

“That isn’t zero,” Cal’s mom said.

“Is anything truly perfect?”

“About your brother?”

“I haven’t gotten any messages from him,” Cal said. “He’s probably fine. I mean, what can hurt him?”

“We don’t know everything that’s possible out there. It’s been two months since he sent word.”

“Is that weird?”

“Yes. He at least sends a spire message once a month.”

“Damn, good on him, that gets expensive. He’s changed. I remember back in the old days, you always bugged me because Eron would never respond to your texts.”

“I get concerned,” Cal’s mom eyed the proceedings on the playground, “like I am now.”

Cal nodded with a smile. “Yeah it’s getting good.”

“How are you doing that?”

“Reading their body language,” Cal said. Simultaneously explaining everything and nothing.

“Are you sure it’s safe?”

“Yeah… practically.”

Cal’s mom made a noise in her throat.

“I can sense your displeasure as I can with every other mom on this playground. Funnily enough the dads are mostly jealous.”

“What mother isn’t concerned for her child’s safety?”

Cal stiffened.

His heart spiked.

In response he took a moment.

The people all around him seemed to slow until they were almost like statues in Cal’s perceptions. He took a deep breath, then several more.

He reminded himself that this was a safe place. A word away from Orchestral Meridian.

Mother Madrigal was dead.

He was in control.

Always in control.

“I should stop this,” he muttered.

But then the kids would be disappointed at play time being cut short.

Cal snapped himself back to reality.

It was safe. For him and the kids.

Their shrieks of joy and laughter instantly brightened his mood.

He intently watched the unfolding battle over the pirate ship in the middle of the sandy playground. He had to. He was providing all the special effects.

“Firebolt!” Ariel screeched as she thrust her hand out.

A red-yellow Nerf dart flew with speed and accuracy impossible for a 6-year-old girl.

The invisible hand of Cal’s telekinesis was at work.

“Anti-Magic Slash!” Go-Eun cried haughtily as she struck the dart out of the air with her two-handed battleaxe, also a vintage Nerf.

“Is that a real Skill?” Cal’s mom whispered.

“Not that I know of, but maybe Go can be the first to get it once she’s old enough to go to the spire,” Cal said.

“Hopefully that won’t be necessary.”

“That’d be nice, Mom, but I doubt it. Now, stop distracting me. I don’t want to miss this epic battle for the pirate ship.”

Go-Eun was posted up on the prow of the pirate ship waving her battleaxe while shouting imprecations down at the attacking team taking cover behind the other pieces playground equipment.

“I have no idea where she picked up those words,” Cal lied.

“Uh huh,” Cal’s mom said flatly.

“Uh oh, looks like Zaki’s attempting to flank with his beast companions,” Cal said quickly.

His mom could only shake her head at the ridiculousness of it all.

Sure enough, stuffed animals swarmed around towards the rear of the pirate ship.

A ferret, dog and bear bounced across the sand.

There was only so much Cal could do to make them move like the real things, perhaps he could find more realistically proportioned stuffed animals, but the 5-year-old was attached to his companions.

“I’ve got port!” Davon drew back on his Nerf bow and let the foam arrow fly.

Cal judged that his aim was off so the dart struck short of the ferret, showering it with sand.

“No! Take cover Podos!” Zaki pointed at a bouncy riding turtle thing.

Dutifully, Cal had the ferret stuffed animal scamper to hide behind the playground equipment.

“Take them, Eagle!” Zaki pointed imperiously.

The child’s fourth stuffed animal dived from the top of the slide. Stubby wings flapping for all they were worth.

Cal laughed as the soft penguin menaced Go-Eun, who attempted to cleave it from the sky.

“That’s not fair,” Davon said. “Penguins don’t fly!”

“He’s not a penguin, he’s a Greater Doom Penguin! Chaos has given him the power of flight and magical claws,” Zaki said.

“Okay…” Cal said. “He came up with that all by himself… I swear.”

“Mmm,” his mom replied.

The dog and the bear leapt up to the boat on the starboard side.

Two lights flashed. Even in the daylight Cal caught them easily.

The brief beams landed on both stuffed animals sending them flying backwards at Cal’s thought.

“Nooo!” Zaki cried.

“Sorry, man,” Cal said. “Two straight repulsor blasts at almost point blank range means they are knocked out.”

Grace posed triumphantly in her modified Iron Man costume. The 4-year old’s Halloween costume had been modified. There was more black and pink added. Along with the circle chest reactor changed into a heart-shaped one.

Zaki pouted, but quickly focused on ‘guiding’ Eagle the doom penguin in harassing the defenders.

Rynnen chose this time to strike. He leapt off the top of the slide. The boy was clad in blue-colored cardboard and plastic armor, along with a small backpack.

Cal could feel his mom’s cringe as a palpable force next to him.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got him,” he guided his cousin’s ‘jet-pack’ flight along a curving arc around the pilot ship as Rynnen wanted.

Rynnen opened up with his automatic Nerf gun, small foam darts peppered the ship’s defenders.

Cal pulled Grace back, firmly, but gently to simulate the darts’ impacts on her armor.

Rynnen’s arc took him near the rear of the ship.

Davon dived over the side and loosed a foam arrow. “Armor-piercing shot!”

“Jeez… maybe they’re getting too comfortable,” Cal said as he telekinetically caught Davon and made sure he had a soft landing on the sand.

The arrow hit Rynnen in the upper arm. Instantly, he found himself unable to move that arm.

“Hey!”

“Sorry, bro. You’ve got an arrow in your arm, can’t move it.”

“But it’s adamantium,” Rynnen whined.

“Armor-piercing arrow. Them’s the rules. The gameruler has ruled.”

His mom made a displeased sound.

“Don’t get mad at me. You helped him make that armor.”

“He saw some of your old toys,” Cal’s mom said.

“Miniatures.”

“What?”

“Not toys… miniatures,” Cal said.

“Firebolt Barrage!” Ariel threw all her Nerf darts at once.

“I’ll let that go,” Cal said.

Nerf darts struck the pirate ship in a mass as the Go-Eun dived for cover and Grace soared up into the air with her palm and boot repulsors.

“The ship is now on fire!” Cal called out.

Zaki sent Eagle after Grace.

“Ohmygod! Be careful with Grace, Cal!” his mom winced.

“Perfectly safe,” Cal said.

The aerial dogfight was mirrored by Davon’s and Rynnen’s duel on the ground. They used playground equipment as cover. The archer and space marine fought with grim determination.

All thoughts of teamwork devolved as they each faced off with their chosen opponents.

In the end it was a draw.

The objective ‘burned’ and much fun was had.

“Guys, you have to work together to gain your objectives,” Cal lectured.

The children nodded as they drank water and ate orange slices.

“This is what you’ve been doing with your time,” Nila said in disbelief as she gave Cal’s mom a hug.

“Honestly, I feel that it’s the best way I can use my powers with where my mind is at the moment,” Cal said. “Happy children is best children,” he intoned.

“They are smiling and laughing a lot more than they used to,” Cal’s mom conceded.

“Those bitches are up to something.”

Pryce kept his face expressionless. He may have disagreed in part with his father’s attitudes, but he wasn’t in a position to openly protest. He had to keep his place. Better him than his younger brother.

“I saw Derek’s report,” Pryce said evenly.

His father’s head snapped to him, eyes like a shark’s.

Pryce focused on returning the gaze.

No fear.

Not anymore.

He was a damn grown man.

“Care to elaborate?” his father said in a level tone that suggest any number of things.

“They’ve been slowly shifting rangers to the port. An operation into L.A. County, obviously.”

“Obviously,” his father mocked. “Details? Who? Where? When? Why? Stupid boy! I can’t hold your hand forever!” he spat.

Pryce suppressed a frown. “We don’t have that information and we will not until Rayna and Kaylyn have already begun whatever it is they’ve planned.”

His father glared at the glass of scotch in his hand. An old vintage from his father’s personal supply. Pryce didn’t drink much so he didn’t care that the old man was so proud of the collection. Nothing like the duplicates from the grocery store that the old man constantly decried.

“Years and we’ve still haven’t been able to get a guy on the inside,” his father said.

Nor had they been able to get leverage on any of the rangers and assorted inner circle individuals to turn into spies. They were a loyal bunch or rather the rangers provided more than the Hardin’s had been able to offer, as was Pryce’s read on the situation.

“Never mind, then. Once you win the election we’ll be able to push legislature through that’ll force the freaks into line.”

Pryce had his doubts that’d be enough, but he didn’t voice them. Better to let his father dream.

“We’ll get a proper taxation system running and bring back an actual economy. None of this free food and services garbage.”

On this point, Pryce agreed.

Their country, what’s left of it, had grown soft and reliant on handouts. From the Cruces fighting their battles for them, to the stores providing food, medicine and everything else like a broken vending machine. If they were going to rebuild civilization properly then the people would need to relearn what it was like to struggle.

“I have concerns about the language for our future conscription program,” Pryce said.

“What? The Freedom Corps not good enough for you?” his father scoffed. “Peace Corps, Marine Corps… it’s familiar and evokes the image we want.”

“Compulsory Service Program,” Pryce said. “I think we’d be better off removing any wording that spells out mandatory.”

“I don’t. These people need to know that they need to be stakeholders in our effort to seize our country back from the usurpers,” his father said.

Pryce wondered if his father meant the spires and the monsters or the others. He wondered if there was a distinction in his father’s mind.

“They need to learn to serve. Just as our forefathers did in taking independence, just as your great-grandfather did in building this city. This is our land, Pryce. We’ve let them rule over it long enough.”

“We need the Cruces.”

His father glared daggers.

Pryce pressed on. “The local militia isn’t enough to fight off the stronger monsters, let alone the warlords to the north and whatever new horror is forming to the south.” Truth. If he couldn’t speak the truth then he was still that weak, scared boy.

“Then we should bring the Marines at Pendleton on board. They’ll—”

Pryce shook his head daring to interrupt. “You’ve read the reports and seen the pictures. That will not be a beneficial relationship to us.”

“They just need to be brought under control. Once they have a proper chain of command to follow…” his father didn’t sound sure of himself on this matter. “Fine… I’ll table this topic for now, but they can be useful to us. With enough men we can get the women off the battlefield and back where they belong. We have no choice if we want to get our population numbers up. We need to stop the downward trend of the last ten years.”

“If we can get them under control,” Pryce conceded. “I’m confident the rangers will be amiable so long as everything is done according to the laws.” Pryce didn’t believe his own words. From the look in his father’s eyes, the old man was of the same mind.

“It will be ideal if we can use them up before our own men,” his father said.

Pryce disagreed. He was certain that they needed to get their own men taking on more dangerous foes to increase their strength. Just like the video games. Something his father couldn’t, wouldn’t understand even when the spires had already spat the message directly into his father’s head.

“I’ll put our men on high alert. Increase the patrols at our borders with L.A. County,” Pryce said.

“Don’t forget your campaign. Only a few more days left. You need to hit their areas… our areas,” his father grumbled bitterly.

Pryce wondered if his father’s hatred of the Cruces would be so pronounced had they lived in and claimed territory in another city. It hadn’t helped that the Cruces hadn’t afforded the Hardin’s proper respect for their distinguished and longstanding service to the city. After all a Hardin had been present at the very beginning.

They were the city just as much as it was them.

“Yes, father.”

What galled Pryce the most was that even if he won the election there was nothing he could do to compel the Cruces. No matter how much he and his think tank ran thought exercises, they couldn’t come up with a plan that presented an acceptable risk-reward ratio.

The Cruces had too much power.

His father hadn’t mentioned it, but Pryce knew he was even more worried now that the oldest son had returned and had shown no signs of leaving like the youngest one.

Pryce didn’t like unknown variables that he couldn’t control. That was one thing he shared with his father.