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Chapter -21- Change of the Tide

Saturday December 4, 2049 Unknown Secure Facility ...

Loki tested the strength of the handcuffs."I do not take you seriously," he said to the young man across the interrogation table. "I am a god with the most powerful human-made weapon in existence. I am insulted by your presence."

The man stood up, picked up a case file and walked out of the interrogation room.

Loki shifted his weight and smiled at a reflective surface against the far wall. "What transpires next has been carefully prepared for a decade. It is too large for you to stop."

The door to the interrogation room opened. A man, older than the last, walked into the room and sat down in the chair across from Loki. "Do you know who I am?" he asked.

"Should I?" Loki smiled.

"My name is Gregory Watson. I am the director of the Government Branch responsible for your capture."

"Ah."

Gregory folded his hands on the table. "That makes me your nemesis. I've never had the pleasure of capturing a god before. But I've read about your kind. I have to say, I'm not entirely convinced you're cause for worry."

Loki drew his cuffed hands from the table and tried to place his hands into his lap. However, the way his cuffs were chained to a hook on the table, he wasn't able to move his hands more than a few inches.

Loki placed his hands back on the table and sighed. "You will be, soon enough."

"I don't think you understand how unorthodox it is for an agency director to speak directly to a terrorist."

Loki shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "I would prefer to speak to your president. Now, there is a man with some measure of influence."

"That will never happen. As I said, it's unorthodox for you to talk to me. But I had to see you for myself to see just how harmless you really are."

"Harmless?" Loki leaned forward. "The Earth, as you know it, is about to change. I gave my people instructions to wait until my capture."

"Let's talk about that nuke."

Loki rhythmically patted the fingertips of each of his hands together. "I did it for attention. I would consider turning over the bomb for another press conference."

"Absolutely not. How do I know you wouldn't order your people to detonate the bomb?"

"I am a god. Perhaps if you had some faith in me, we could start off on the right foot."

"You get nothing," Watson said. "There will be no negotiation. You do not get a lawyer. You do not get legal council. You are a terrorist, and you have no rights. The only advice I will give you is to cooperate."

"No meeting with the press?"

Watson scowled in frustration. "No. You get nothing."

"Then you are an accomplice to the blood and ash of American deaths," Loki smiled.

Watson narrowed his eyes. "Where is the nuke?"

Loki tilted his head. He glanced down at his cuffed hands. He gave another tug, testing the hook mounted on the table. The table was bolted to the floor.

"Where is the dirty bomb?"

"Fine," Loki said with a sigh. "I'll tell you where to find the nuclear device."

Watson folded his arms. "Go on."

"You know, in my realm, when a world-changing episode occurs, we do not have technology to tell us." Loki tilted his head. "We sometimes have oracles and prophetic dreams." Loki began drumming his fingers on the table. "But, typically, we learn of such news the moment a messenger breathlessly bursts into the room."

"I guess that means humanity is a little more advanced than your people," said Watson with a smirk.

The door swung open. A pale, breathless man stood in the doorway. "Director, come with me. It's urgent!"

Loki cut his eyes to the man at the door. He panned his gaze back to Watson. "Or perhaps we're more alike than you care to admit."

Watson ground his molars together.

"Sir,please! It's an emergency! I have security coming to secure the prisoner. We have to get you to a bunker now."

Watson stood up. "What happened?" He turned towards Loki. "What the hell did you do?"

"Let the messenger do his job," said Loki.

The man in the doorway hurried in, "Director Watson, we have to move now. Please, sir, come with me."

"What happened?"

"Sir, I will brief you on the way."

"What_happened_?!" Watson demanded in a loud, clear tone. "What the fuck happened?" Watson stood up. "Tell me!"

"The nuke, sir. It just came in from Homeland that the Speaker of the House and the Vice President are confirmed casualties."

"Jesus Christ," Watson whispered.

Loki smiled. "He cannot help you. Did you even pray to Him in advance? Ah, it doesn't matter if you did. He would not have..."

Watson drew his fist back and slugged Loki with a right cross.

Loki slid out of his chair, suspended to the desk by his handcuffs. His forearms crossed and he hung by his wrists, half laid-out on the floor.

Watson shook his fist to lessen the sting. "I've read up on you. Heimdall is supposed to kill you, right? Well, when the United States executes you as a terrorist, I'll be standing there to remind you that you're not really a Norse god, because you didn't live and die by the fucking lore." Watson stepped away from the table.

Loki got to his knees and moved back into his chair at the table. "I'll have you executed as a traitor."

"Shut the fuck up," Watson said, headed for the door.

Loki called back, "For betraying your new god! You will be the first public execution under my leadership!"

The door slammed shut, the messenger whisked Watson off to a bunker.

A moment later, armed security came into the interrogation room and took Loki to a holding cell.

X

X

Meanwhile Lower Romania ...

Evan's stomach dropped. He tried to swallow but his mouth felt dry. He passed his cellphone to Patty at sat down in silence.

Ulfey tilted his head. "What's wrong?"

Evan held his hands up, declining to answer.

Patty's eyes panned across the screen. She licked her lips and looked up. "Another nuclear weapon detonated. The Vice President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are thought to be dead."

Ulfey turned to the SUV and placed her palms against the warm hood. She took a deep breath. Her mind turned to Rama and Aimee. She thought about Rufus. "Where?"

"Texas." Patty sighed. "Such a young Vice President. And he'd only been in office for such a short time."

"They were elected in 2048," Ulfey said. "The President is alive, though?"

Patty nodded. "Only the Vice President and Speaker of the House are mentioned." She looked up. "We have company."

In the distance, a dust cloud approached in the distance.

Evan stood up in thigh-high grass and weeds. He leaned against the front of the SUV. "They sent us to Africa to find a stupid seed or nut or some sort. We could have been in America trying to..."

"Stop!" Patty approached her husband and put her hands on his face. "No one knew its location. No one could have known when it would detonate. You saw Karla's text - Greg Watson stepped in and forced himself into the mix."

"Well then it was his fault!" Evan erupted. "That man has been hiding for months! He comes up, and he messes things up, and now the nuke..."

Patty placed her hands on Evan's face. "Shh, Poppa Bear. Calm down. Natalia and Peter have planned this all along. They knew Watson would find out Karla was searching for Loki. They knew Watson would take over and force Karla away. They knew Watson would finish the job and capture Loki."

"So then it's Natalia and Peter's fault," Evan muttered. He leaned his head forward, looking down. His forehead pressed against Patty's forehead.

"Evan, take a deep breath. Loki would only have detonated the bomb if he was captured. And now he has no hand to play. It is awful ... absolutely awful that people have died in Texas. I am heartbroken for those who have died, and are dying as we speak. But Loki is likely caught and out of hands to play. Our loved ones are in New York. Take a deep breath and get a hold of yourself."

Ulfey frowned. "The other car is getting closer. I hope it's James Parker."

Evan looked up at the distant dust cloud. "Who else would it be? I mean, god help them if they're Falcon or Loki's people. Only James knows to meet us out here, so of course it's James."

The dust cloud approached rapidly. Within minutes, a large box truck made its way out to their location. The large tractor-trailer came to a stop, punctuated with a soft hiss of brakes.

James Parker opened the driver door and dropped down into the high grass. "Okay, guys. Please tell me everything is done? We need to get back to the states."

Evan approached James. The two shook hands. "Yeah," said Evan, "It's some sort of small nut. Or a big seed. Whatever. It's twice the size of a Tylenol."

"Where'd you get it?"

"We came here expecting a lot of resistance, but this gypsy family was waiting for us at our hotel." Evan rubbed his face and took two deep breaths. "They were waiting for us. They said one of their people dreamed we were coming to take the seed and use it to save the world. They'd been hiding it and moving it for twenty-six years. And they just ... gave it to us. It was the weirdest thing."

"God, finally - some good news." James waved for everyone to follow him around to the back of the large trailer. "Did you guys hear the news in Texas?"

Evan tightened his hands into fists but said nothing.

Ulfey approached James. "We heard." She moved with James, helping him to open the two large swing doors at the end of the trailer.

Inside was a helicopter. James waved Patty and Evan near. "We're going to have to work together to roll this thing back to the hydraulic lift. It weighs a little more than the lift is rated for. But it shouldn't be a problem to lower the lift."

"Won't it fall off? The lift isn't big enough," Evan said.

James shook his head. "There are weights tied to the front of the skids to keep it balanced, because ... you're right, the lift gate isn't very deep."

Evan looked at the small helicopter inside the trailer and folded his arms. "Am I using glass to somehow push that thing out?"

James shook his head. "I have a wench on the front of the truck. We run it beneath the truck, then up, over the lift gate, and to the helicopter. We have Patty flip the switch, and the rest of us will push. When it's on the lift gate, we lower it to the grass. We move the weights from the front of the skids to the back of the helicopter until the skids are tilted up. I'll drive the truck forward until it's clear. We shift the blades, and I fly us out of here."

Evan grimaced. "You can fly that thing?"

James shrugged. "I learned how just for this mission. It's a clear day. But if it makes you feel better, this was designed by Steven Milford."

Evan shrugged. "I don't really know him. What's the selling point?"

"It basically flies itself by computer. There are no pedals, no cyclic - none of that stuff. The controller looks like something for a video game. Steven designed it to fly with a certain weight ratio. It needs four bodies in the cabin to fly properly, else the engine would be too powerful for such a small..."

"Okay, let's get moving," Evan said. He rubbed his hands together. "We shouldn't even be here. My home country needs my help and..."

James placed his hands on Evan's shoulders. "Whoa, man. Calm down. There's nothing you could have done."

Evan looked away, disgusted, with moisture stinging his eyes. "Let's just get this thing moving."

"We should hurry," said Ulfey. "There's another group coming. Considering the size of the dust cloud created by such a large truck, one has to wonder what on Earth would create a dust cloud _that_big?"

Everyone looked to the northwest. An enormous dust cloud caught the group's attention. It was several miles away.

James pointed to Ulfey. "Transform quick. Please. We'll need the raw power to move that thing faster. We'll get this thing in the air and escape over the Carpathian Mountains."

X

X

Meanwhile New Atlantis...

Topaz trailed her thumb over Nichole's lips. "It's been so long since I've been with a woman like this..."

"First time," said Nichole Parker. "I thought it was going to be strange. But I enjoyed it."

"You did?"

Nichole nodded. "At first, I did this because it felt like an obligation." She leaned forward, brushing her face against Topaz's shoulder.

They lay together in a bed, half-covered by sheets. A blanket was on the floor at the foot of the large bed. Topaz kissed Nichole softly. "I thought you were going to back out."

"No, it's fine. I'm just ... so used to doing things with Vincent, or Vincent and Fox. I know I've been promising to do things with all of us together but I was so worried I would let you down ... disappoint you."

Topaz grinned. "They'll be surprised when they get back."

"You know, the next time they see me, I'll have new eyes."

Topaz swallowed and offered Nichole a kiss on the nose. "What if you don't like what you see? You're so young and I'm almost fifty."

Nichole traced her fingers up the woman's arm. "You're more in shape than any other woman I've met. I don't feel wrinkles. I don't feel anything but tone skin, Topaz. You're not as old as you make yourself sound."

"You know, for the longest time, I harbored jealousy that you only did things with the boys. They're my boys, or they have been for a long time, rather. But all that jealousy - it's gone now."

Nichole fidgeted. "I didn't know you were jealous. I thought you're the one who arranged this relationship I have with Vincent and Fox."

Topaz nodded, regardless of the fact Nichole couldn't see it. "Sweetheart, I orchestrated the relationship. But I couldn't be sure whether I was jealous of you with them, or them with you. I always had this thing for women."

Nichole nodded. "I really enjoyed it. I thought I was going to lock up, but ... I felt like I owed you for all you've given me. And I'm really happy it came so naturally."

Topaz kissed her softly. Their tongues met in a delightful lip-lock. After a moment, Topaz broke the kiss and said, "You want to go again?"

"Wait."

"Hm?" Topaz leaned close and whispered, "What is it?"

"I can smell Fox's cologne. I thought they were on a job in the Atlantic for three days?"

Topaz sat up in the bed. A moment later, the bedroom door opened. Vincent stepped in first, followed by Fox. Silence.

Topaz grinned in the dim lighting. "Look, boys. Look what happened while you two were away?"

Vincent sat down on the bed and kissed his wife. "I'm really happy. You two mean so much to me. I'm glad you two finally..."

Topaz stopped him with a finger on his lips. "What's wrong? It's in your voice."

Fox sat down on the other side of the mattress. "Loki happened. Falcon was supposed to create a huge storm - something big enough to evacuate the Gulf Coast. Texas was supposed to evacuate, and the bomb was supposed to go off, harmlessly, in Corpus Christi. But it went off in Dallas a month early, and the American Veep and another high-up government leader was killed in the detonation."

Topaz swallowed. "Jesus Christ."

Nichole reached forward until she found Vincent's body. She hugged him. "I told Dr. Falcon not to trust Loki. Are you boys alright?"

"Yeah," Vincent said with a sigh. "We were recalled from our mission in the Atlantic. Dr. Falcon said the Coast Guard will be on high alert, and the country is closing off its borders until further notice. No more trips to the surface for the time being."

Nichole hugged Vincent firmly. Topaz leaned over and hugged her brother.

"We have to kill these idiots," Vincent whispered. "As soon as you get your eyes back, we have to find a way to kill that man. And Loki."

"I don't heal anymore," Nichole said. "No one here can heal. We can't go up against someone like him without help from people with powers like Laura and Sinopa."

Topaz reached over to Vincent and gave his hand a squeeze. "She's right, babe. We stay together and stay quiet like we have been. The four of us are a family. And now we're closer than we've ever been. Things will get better soon."

Vincent sighed. "A lot of people have died. No one knows what the death toll is at, but is gone, and the wind is blowing west. Arlington and Fort Worth are covered in..."

Topaz crawled closer to Vincent and wrapped her arms around him. "Will Falcon be sending you?"

Vincent shook his head. "No. The bomb was mixed with something to increase its potency. I don't know all the details yet. But Dr. Falcon said the death of the Vice President means the country is treating this differently than San Francisco."

Fox added, "San Fran was locked down because of the sickness. Barely anyone was there. But we're talking about two cities, side by side, with their full population. Vincent won't be able to get anywhere near the area."

Nichole crawled over to Topaz and Vincent and hugged him. "We stick to the plan. When the others come, we help them."

"I wish they would hurry," Vincent said.

Fox eased off the mattress, walked over to the other side and sat down besides his loved ones. "I only hope they hurry."

"Yeah," Topaz agreed with a sigh. "I'm getting sick of waiting, and if they don't hurry up, I'll be too pregnant to move or help."

Fox wrapped his arms around Topaz, Nichole and Vincent. "We're in this together. We're going to survive this. We're going to get through ... all four of us. We're inseparable. We just have to keep our wits about ourselves."

Nichole turned and brushed her lips over Fox's lips. "Shh. Vincent just needs a minute."

Topaz whispered to Vincent. "It's not your fault. We tried to warn Falcon about Loki, and the asshole wouldn't fucking listen. Fox is right - we have to keep our wits about us."

Vincent nodded. "I'm just upset so many people died, and I can't go there to help save people from radiation. I feel useless right now. And..." he trailed off and shrugged. "I'm glad you girls enjoyed yourselves." He turned to Nichole and asked, "Were you okay with it?"

"No regrets," she reassured in a soft voice. "I just look forward to having my sight back. The surgery is in thirty-six hours."

Vincent pressed his forehead against Nichole's. "I'm glad we'll all be here for you when you go through the surgery. I just wish that so many people didn't have to die for that to happen."

"I understand," Nichole whispered. She brushed her lips against Vincent's bottom lip. "Would you like to lay down for a bit?"

"I could use a nap," Fox said in Vincent's stead.

Topaz scooted back from the group, "All four of us could use a nap. Let's lie down and try to relax. It's probably the best thing for us."

Vincent nodded. "Okay."

"Are you guys worried?" asked Nichole.

"About what?" Topaz stretched a bit.

"There's a storm system starting. I heard people talking about it recently. Computer projections suggest it could become a hurricane."

Topaz chuckled. "This time of year? It's too late in the year for a hurricane."

"Oh." Nichole relaxed. "Maybe the people who were talking about the computer projection were worried about a worst case scenario."

Topaz reached over and touched her finger against Nichole's nose. "Relax, hon. Those things need warm water, and it's been colder than hell lately ... at least this far north."

"That makes me feel better, really. I like when I'm in control of things, and weather ... nobody has reliable control over that." Nichole smiled inwardly. She was happy with her little family of lovers. She was happy.

X

X

At that moment Romania ...

Evan pulled Patience close. He tucked her face against his chest and leaned his head down, over her, protectively.

Gunshots thumped against the large truck trailer.

James hissed through his teeth in frustration. "They move a lot faster than I gave them credit for."

"Are they Falcon's people?" Ulfey asked. "I'm really starting to hate all the stuff I'm hearing about him."

"At least the gypsies don't have the seed anymore," Evan said. "They're safe now. They've been moving all over Africa, and into Europe, but now they can..."

James reached over and put his hand on Evan's shoulder. "I didn't want to upset you guys, but the gypsy family that gave you guys that relic thing ... they were killed. It's on the police scanner - I was listening to it on the way out to meet you. They were executed."

Evan opened his mouth but was at a loss for words.

James frowned. "Those people stalled Falcon's search party, and gave the rest of us time to get this far. If we can just get to the helicopter without being shot..."

Ulfey turned to Evan. "We let them get close. We cannot protect ourselves from a high power sniper we cannot see. We cannot lift off without being shot down, so your glass shields are not going to help. So ... we let them get closer. It's the only way."

Evan nodded. "I wish I could armor plate the helicopter but it would be too heavy."

"How heavy?" asked James.

"It would add another two hundred pounds to create a thin, high density coating around the helicopter."

Patty looked up at her husband. "What about a flat panel beneath the helicopter?"

"No, believe it or not, a flat shield panel beneath the helicopter would be heavier." Evan rubbed his face and sighed. "I can create a thin, dense layer around the helicopter, using angles to deflect rounds. Anything heavier, and we'd be in trouble."

James shook his head. "We'll have to fight these guys. We can't add weight to the helicopter. It's designed to move four bodies. Two men, one woman, and a female werewolf. Steven took everything into account."

Ulfey narrowed her eyes. "What if I lead them away. We'll set up a meeting point."

"What?!" Evan exclaimed. "No, absolutely not! That's..."

Ulfey moved in front of Evan and roared in his face. He grew quiet. Her large pink tongue moved from the left side of her muzzle to the right. "I can heal. It's almost instant when I transition. I run faster, bite harder, claw deeper. I can survive this."

"It's the middle of December!"

Ulfey held her arms stretched out, displaying her furry pelt. "AND?! Look, I'm volunteering for this job. I'm going to take the SUV and leave out of here. Let them think we're on the run together. You three stay out of sight. When everything is clear, leave in the helicopter."

Patty looked up at Ulfey. "We're in the middle of a field. Where would we hide?"

Evan drew his wife close again. "I turn the ground into a glass bunker. It becomes hollow when I shift everything around. I make a pipe for air, hidden in the grass. We wait it out."

"Are you sure?" James asked the werewolf.

"Yes, now get underground. They're nearly here," Ulfey snapped. She ducked low and made her way through the tall grass towards the SUV and climbed into the driver's side. She started the engine, kept her head low, and looked up.

Evan stood by the SUV. He touched his hands against each of the glass panels, walking a circle around the car, reinforcing the windows to withstand bullets.

He shouted to her, but his voice was low and muted. "Don't put the windows down! They're too thick."

Ulfey placed her paw against the driver's side window and opened her fingers to create a 'V' shape with her four large, claw-tipped fingers.

The_Star Trek_ reference melted Evan's heart. "Please don't die," he said.

Ulfey cut the wheel and eased into the accelerator. The SUV lurched out from behind the tractor-trailer, headed northeast.

Most of the incoming caravan of mercenaries veered to pursue.

Evan quickly opened up the ground, turning the area into a glass bunker from the inside out, two feet below the grassy surface. A moment later, a small round section opened up in the ground. "Okay, James, you first. I'll help Patty down, you catch her so she doesn't fall and break a leg. Then I'll jump down, and you help me. Then I'll narrow the entrance to nothing but a breathing hole."

James nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't get here faster."

Patty turned to Parker and gave him a gentle shove towards the opening in the ground. "You did your best. You're not to blame. None of us asked for this mess, and we've all done our best."

James dropped into the small hole in the ground first. A moment later, he called up to them, "C'mon down, Patience!"

Once everyone was under the tall grass, Evan closed the entrance hole to a small breathing pipe, hidden by the surrounding tall grass.

They waited in silence for the part of the mercenary convoy that would undoubtedly come to secure the immediate area, with the tractor-trailer and small helicopter.

No one said a word...

---

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