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Episode
126
“My boy, we’re pilgrims in an unholy land.”
“Everett, I can’t begin to tell you how very uncomfortable I am
right now.” Ledger whispered confidently.
The crowd of viewers alone was easily over five hundred strong. Set
up in the middle of the street in front of the courthouse, with it’s
back against a park, the rally/protest/demonstration was building quickly.
All along the steps of the courthouse, white sheets could be seen walking,
talking, staring, pointing. And in the crowd, supporters and haters alike
could be found.
“Louisville’s a nice place.” Roland said, as the group stood
in a huddle mass towards the back of the demonstration. “It’s a real
pity that all this had to happen here.”
“The bad stuff always happens in good places.” Everett
lamented. He looked back at his crew, as they stood dressed in simple,
civilian clothes. “I’m sorry about the uniforms guys, but I really
think the last thing we need to broadcast our presence to the KKK.”
“Oh, believe me.” Ledger said. “I can understand. Without my
jacket, I can’t carry my weapon. And me without a weapon? That’d be a
good thing right about now.”
“We have to try and recover the budget.” Aaron said, as he
walked around his room, carrying a small gray tool in his hand. There were
only two lights on the device the size of a remote control, one red, one
green, with the green light staying on constantly. “I also think we may
need to cut some projects, since we now know too much about the Hand and
the Projects Clan.”
“True.” Ian said, watching Aaron walk around the room. Finally,
having circled the entire room twice, Aaron moved over to the open door.
He looked back at Ian and Errol as they sat at his desk. “And what about
the issue of the Alaskan flooding. Do we have any evidence of . . .” The
door shut. “It’s clear, guys.” Aaron said, dropping the charade.
“Assuming the Hand doesn’t have bugs and stuff that beats simple
physics.”
“If there’s a bug in here, that thing would’ve picked it
up.” Errol said confidently. “Don’t worry. I think Jericho’s past
that stage of bugging rooms.”
“I think that’s a good thing.” Aaron said with a fighting
effort to stay optimistic as he sat down. “As for Jericho, I think he
bought it.” That got Ian and Errol to sit up hopefully. “He’s going
to send a detachment of Hand agents with the reactor when they ship it off
Wednesday morning.” “That’s
great news!” Ian exclaimed. “The
only problem is, we just have to send a bulk of our boys as well.” Aaron
continued, trying to keep from getting his hopes up.
“Which means we need to try to make sure nothing happens.”
Errol nodded. “How many of his guys is he sending?”
“I don’t know.” Aaron said in a rushed voice, whispering in
his own office. “We’re supposed to send thirty, so he probably won’t
send more than half that.”
“Still, that might be enough.” Ian said, trying equally as hard
to sound optimistic. “After the fight with Phillip, his forces are
pretty weak. I’m not sure if he even has fifty Agents right now. If even
fifteen of them leave, that might just give us the opening we need to get
the hell out of here.”
“Brothers!” Called the white-garbed Archbishop, his hood
gleaming in the sunlight of the Saturday afternoon.
“What’s up, my brother!” Ledger yelled over the crowd,
holding his fist up. Roland and Armand grabbed the black knight’s arm,
yanking it down. “Sorry.” He said, looking at the other knights around
him. “I got carried away.”
“Would you quite horsing around?” Morgan yelled back, as he
stood next to Sydney and Edgar. “We
must protect the purity of our people.” The Bishop continued. “We must
not let the foul blood of infidels and trash infect our homes, destroy our
history, and poison our way of life!”
“We need to find Marilyn.” Everett said, glancing back at
Armand. “I know she’s somewhere in this crowd. She’s got to be.”
“Louisville’s a big place, Ev.” Armand said. “She might be
somewhere else.”
Everett, Roland, and Ledger all gave Armand the exact same look.
“You’re right.” Armand said, holding up his hands. “A
gianormous KKK rally, with half the underground societies of the US hear
to support, or protest them. Yeah, you’re right. She’s somewhere
around here.”
“We have an obligation to our families. We can not allow the
unsavory element of society, from a society which we have nothing to do
with, to come into our homes, and rape and destroy our world.”
“Do you want me to go look for her?” Morgan asked, looking back
at Everett. “I’m white. There shouldn’t be too much trouble.”
“No.” Everett finally decided with a sigh. “If she’s
looking for us, we stick out enough. She can find us.”
“Our families, our children, they rely on us, look to us, trust
in us. We must protect ourselves, from any enemy, even those who may be
deluded into thinking they are doing good. But we know better. We know
better than to see through their false veils of lies!”
“I really don’t like where this is going.” Sydney said,
paying attention to the speech. As she listened, it felt like the Bishop
was staring right at her. She looked around the immediate area, at the
crowd that filled the street.
Eyes flittered over her, glancing at her. She wasn’t under arms,
she wasn’t in the uniform, but she knew they could tell. Eyes everywhere
looked at her, seeing what she was. Unconsciously, she reached to her
back, feeling for the two short swords that she knew weren’t there.
Everett stepped forward to come between the others and the
Archbishop, as the group of seven gathered closely together. Even Morgan
stayed close, helping to form the tight circle of support against the
darkness that surrounded them.
“The people of this great nation have been infected with a
disease, a disease which is spreading, a disease of parasitic impurity.
And we will not allow it. By any means necessary, we shall protect our
homes, our values, our morals, our lives, our history!”
“Is it just me or do these guys look like they’re about to jump
us?” Armand whispered to Roland and Edgar, looking at the crowd. “Ev,
I really, really wish you would have let me bring Ulysses.”
“I’m with him, Ev.” Morgan grumbled, staring at the crowd.
“I wish you’d let him bring the pig-sticker too.”
“We’ll be fine.” Everett said. He looked at a large man to
his left, smiling as he casually waved to the guy. The man turned his
head, a strong grimace on his face. Around the man, everyone in turn
looked forward, like they were taking in the words of the speaker.
“Guys, this is about to go very, very badly.” Ledger said,
glancing away from the crowd to look at Everett. “Man, I really think
we’re in over our heads.”
“We will stand tall. We will be proud. White power!” The Bishop
yelled, throwing up his hand. “White power! White power! White power!
White power! White power! White power!”
The crowd began to chant as well. Joining into the hypnotic words,
the loud voices echoed off the trees of the park and the tall buildings
that formed the city’s skyline. More voices joined in the seven would
have guessed were in support. Hands rose in adulation, rising over the
crowd, filling the air as the energy of the rally turned. Eyes seemed to
focus on the seven now.
“Where are the police?” Morgan whispered. “I know I’m
paranoid, but this is just freaky.”
“I think we may need to . . .” Everett started. But then he
stopped. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw it. He looked over,
fighting to see through the crowd.
Black and red.
He turned his head again, looking up closer to the steps of the
courthouse.
Black and red.
All over, he suddenly saw it everywhere. Hidden in every crowd,
moving silently, unnoticed in every group of people, they were there. All
over.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red.
Black and red. |