A Hero In The Dark

Chapter 107: Damned Broadcast

I awaken to the sound of John's voice.

"Em? Can you hear me? Wake up"

My eyelids flutter open slowly. To find John by my side, clutching tightly to my left hand. I am lying on our bed. Pixie nuzzling my other hand at my right side.

I sit up and see that Henri is here too. As well as Malcolm and Sam and Agatha and BK and Gamera. Crowded into our small room.

There is a cold weight on my ankle, and I realize soon that it is an ice pack. Sitting atop of my right ankle and making it numb.

"What happened?" I ask in a state of confusion.

Henri explains and it's then that I remember.

I wriggle my ankle around to get some feeling back into it until the ice begins to fall. At which point, Malcolm places it back, keeping a hand on it to reduce the throbbing.

I wish to find smooth skin again, but I don't. Beneath the ice, I still feel it, and my expression turns into one of sadness when I do.

"It's still there," I tell the others, staring at my elevated iced ankle.

"That may be true, but the spell itself is broken," Malcolm confirms.

"How do you know?" I ask.

"It says so in the book," Henri states. "Don't worry Emily. Everything should be back to normal."

Before I have a chance to respond, John wraps me in a tight hug and says, "I'm so proud of you Emily."

In response, I only wrap my arms around him and breathe softly over his shoulder.

Then our embrace is interrupted when Adam barges through the door. "Guys! Come quick! You need to see this," he says, short of breath.

None of us say a word, hurrying out of the room and following Adam. I limp under John and Henri's arms, unable to put much pressure on my still burning ankle.

We find Lexa sitting behind a few monitors in her workshop, typing away on the keyboard in front of her.

"Lexa. What's wrong?" John asks immediately, keeping me under his weight.

As she hears us enter, she turns, revealing an image of Setrákus Ra's face on the screen. Not just an image I realize.

A video feed. Paused.

"Lexa? What-" I start in confusion.

She hits the spacebar on her keyboard, resuming the video.

And he begins speaking, "People of Earth. It is I, Setrákus Ra. The leader of the alien race known as the Mogadorians. I offer you a choice. I am sure you are aware of the warships over your most populated cities around the world. I assure you; you have nothing to fear. They are only there to ensure the security of my people. In 24 hours, your leaders will make their decision. To surrender your planet and allow us to inhabit it in peace. Aside from this, a group of dangerous children with powers that are far beyond anything known to Earth have been living among you for decades. John Smith as well as the rest of his peers are to be turned over to me immediately. As for your youth that have been affected by their infectivity, they are to be delivered to me as well. I will heal them of their mutations and send them back once cured."

There is a pause in the recording and the image changes to the perspective of a news cameraman on the ground, staring and logging footage of a giant warship looming over a populated city.

Though in the background, Setrákus Ra keeps talking, "If any threat is made by the human resistance to my warships, I am prepared to strike back, and my defense is destined to end in your own casualties. Time is of the essence. The future of our world depends on your actions. Choose wisely, or Earth will suffer the consequences."

Then the monitor switches back to his face and he stares at the camera with a familiar stare. A stare that resembles neither malice nor selflessness, but rather that deep admiration I've witnessed during my time aboard the Anubis.

He puts on his best devil-may-care grin and speaks his final demands.

"As for my herald, Emily De Silva; if you are listening to this, meet me at the famous Liberty Island. In New York City. Alone. Before my deadline is due. I will be waiting."

The screen goes blank and the audio then cuts off, resulting in a long momentary silence.

"Wait, he didn't say anything of what happens if Emily doesn't show. It's like he expects her to obey – as sick as that is. But why wouldn't he?" Sam wonders aloud at last.

"Because he already knows that I will," I answer, finally taking my eyes off of Lexa's screen to glance at Sam and the others, whom all stare in my direction.

"Emily, you can't seriously be thinking about doing what he says. Are you?" Six asks.

Though before I can reply, Agent Walker charges into the room, followed by another one of her agents behind her back. And as soon as she enters, she marches right into John's face and shouts with a fit of anger, "You! Did you know this would happen? There are warships all over our cities! 20 of them in fact! All of them highly populated. If anything-"

"You think that we caused this?!" I question at her, stepping in for John's defense. "We had no idea this was going to happen. And I'll be damned if I say I'm going to let him open fire on innocent lives!"

Walker scoffs; replies with a roll of her eyes, "Kid, you have courage, that's true. But you are only one person. How do you suppose any of you will be able to defeat an entire army?"

"We will if we have a plan," Henri adds. "We're going to stop him Walker. Mark my words. But we need your help. Are you with us?"

Seconds pass while Henri and the FBI woman have an intense stare down. I would say something further, but I am just afraid that she will turn us in. And so, I wait, not wanting to push her in that direction.

When she nods once, I breathe a silent sigh of relief.

"Alright, what's the plan?" asks Malcolm.

And just as soon as he asks so, does the default ringtone of a satellite phone sound from Agent Walker's pocket. She yanks it free and looks at the number yet does not say anything when she does.

"Walker? Who is it?" John asks, her anger outburst at him forgotten.

She meets his gaze and answers, "It's the president."