1. Fallen Phoenix

Chapter 25: The Mighty Shall Fall.

There was a long pause as Phoenix stared intently at the screen. Mai had the back of his head turned toward Phoenix as if he too were watching the screen. The directories and layouts of the mainframe began to falter, some removed completely.

"Um, Phoenix, what is this program I'm running for you?"

"Program 'Oops' will bring the entire structure of The Tower down. Since they mainly have it run by computers, no longer able to conceal it with their lack of... abilities."

Everyone stared at Phoenix, looks of both shock and disbelief on their faces.

"Phoenix sweetie, you do know what that will do don't you?"

"Yes."

"But all those lives?"

"To make way for new life void of envy or ill will toward anyone."

"But something like that can't be made."

"Well, of course not, but something close to it can be."

The screen suddenly became red as a virtual model of The Tower took president.

Phoenix swiveled in the chair, turning on the small white television in Ali's room.

"Now we wait."

"Wait for what?"

"The sudden braking News report that's about to come on."

"But how do you know there will be one?"

"The red screen and model of The Tower indicates to both me and them there, that it's fully visible to everyone."

┤"We interrupt your normally scheduled program to bring you this braking News Report. We go to Jenny Morseson in the field now. Jenny?"

"Thank you Paula. I'm Jenny Morseson reporting live downtown where the Nationalities Inc. building has grown thousands of feet taller in a matter of seconds. Many eyewitnesses have reported to have seen it grow straight up as if it were being uncovered by a large drape. I have local entrepreneur John Stevens here with me to tell us exactly what he saw."

"Yeah Jenny, it's the darnedest thing. I was here at my newspaper stand reading some of the headlines when I heard this loud boom you know like an explosion. So I go to look up to sees what it was, and there a couple a blocks away I see the Nationalities building just shoot up into the sky likes you lit a fuse under a fire cracker. I'm telling you I thought it was gonna go straight into space if it hadn't stopped where it did."

"Thank you John. Well Paula that's what we have so far."

"Now Jenny, with the sudden growth of the building does it look unstable?"

"There has been some swaying in large breezes that have some official's worr..."├

Phoenix turned the television off standing in front of it.

"I suggest we all collect the few belongings that we can't replace and prepare to evacuate."

"You can't be seriously thinking about letting this go all out, are you?"

"Don't worry; there will be hundreds if not thousands of survivors. One of the things I had written into 'Oops' was to have it scan overall of the records and files of the occupants in The Tower and send them and only them a warning."

"But how can you be sure the right ones get it in time?"

Phoenix pointed to both Ali, and Mai.

"They're how I can be sure. Now if you excuse me I have one more thing to take care of."