CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: DECEMBER – SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL Kevin Brody found himself tied up to a chair inside the office of Prime Minister Jason Saxon, or as the speech Kevin watched on a television now referred to Jason Saxon as Lord Protector of the North American Protectorate.
“… between the radical breakout of a suspect that would have brought all those responsible for the Vegreville Bombings of Twenty-Ten, the increased threats from a group calling themselves ‘The Angels of Mercy’, obviously maintaining order and safety within the rules has proven to be a failure.” Saxon said on the television. “Therefore, I am dissolving Parliament and the Government of Canada no longer will exist in its current fashion. In the coming weeks, I will appoint a new ruling committee for this the First Protectorate of North America, once our friends in the U.S. come along online. I will continue to keep us all safe and secure as your Lord Protector…”
The television was turned off by Claudia Daring, who was standing in the doorway. “Isn’t this a great moment in our history?” Claudia asked Kevin. “And in an odd way, we have you to thank for that.”
“What are you going on about, Barracuda Lips?” Kevin asked defiantly.
Claudia fumed at that unfortunate nickname She then went onto say “Well, thanks you to constantly being a thorn in Mister Saxon’s side all of this went down. This goes all the way back to you suing the government for being mistreated.”
“Oh, I’m sorry that my little lawsuit caused him grief, even though it may not have been as bad as being used as a punching bag for some demented cold hard bitch with anger management issues!” Kevin replied back sarcastically.
“Actually, Mister Saxon had forgiven you for the lawsuit, its destroying his property and having something he wants that now drives him.”
“And he responds by first trying to blow us all up and then has a replica of the same cold hard bitch slit my throat like a pig who leaves me for dead? Brilliant plan!” Kevin scoffed as Jason Saxon made his way into his office.
“In hindsight, you’re right.” Saxon said, replying back to Kevin’s mockery. “Obviously I didn’t think you were going to show, what with your problems with the Bellums. Would have made things easier in that regard.”
“Still don’t understand if you wanted us alive why you would go to great lengths to have us killed with everyone else on July Seventh,” Kevin stated.
“It was an oversight, but then once it was brought to my attention that you all got of there thanks to some powerful enemies of mine, I knew we had both a scapegoat for who to blame for the attack and that we would find you and have you lead me to the whereabouts of Project Looking Glass.” Saxon said
“Never heard of it,” Kevin said. “Though we came across something called the Gate of Osiris…”
Saxon’s eyes lit up at the mere mention of the Gate and then he looked at Kevin. “Really now. There is a term I haven’t heard for a long, long time.” Saxon said with delight. “And I suppose you know where it is, don’t you?”
“Maybe yes, maybe no.” Kevin said. “Before I even tell you anything more, I want to know who you exactly are.”
“And why is that?” Saxon asked.
“Because I want to know if you are exactly the man they all fear.” Kevin replied.
“You hear that?” Saxon said to Claudia Daring. “They’re afraid of me? Little ol’ me? I haven’t done anything to warrant their fear other than to explore the possibility of unlimited power, which I guess is a big no-no. You would figure for all their supposed omnipotence, gods would want that. Well, maybe this song will let you know who I may truly be.” Saxon said and then bellowed. “Sloane, come in here now!”
Sloane came into the room, carrying a karaoke machine and not looking impressed. “You got to be kidding me!” Sloane said coldly.
“Well, Agent White finally got on my nerves with his ‘I’m retired, dammit!’ spiel, so Agent Black took him out and capped him like Old Yeller.” Saxon laughed as he took the microphone and Sloane pressed “play” on the karaoke machine. The melody from the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy For The Devil” begun to play as Saxon moved and danced to the music before begging to belt out the words:
“Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste / I've been around for a long, long year / Stole many a man's soul and faith / And I was 'round when Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain / Made damn sure that Pilate washed his hands and sealed his fate / Pleased to meet you / Hope you guess my name / But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game.”
Saxon paused and modified the next verse to suit his current status : “I stuck around Vegreville when I saw it was a time for a change / Killed Stephen Harper and his ministers, Obama screamed in vain/ I rode a tank, held a general's rank / When the Viisk rampaged and the bodies stank / Pleased to meet you / Hope you guess my name / But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game.
“I watched with glee while your kings and queens / Fought for ten decades for the Gods they made / I shouted out, ‘Who killed the Kennedys?’ /When after all, It was you and me / Let me please introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste / And I laid traps for troubadours, Who get killed before they reached Bombay / Pleased to meet you / Hope you guess my name / But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game.
Just as every cop is a criminal and all the sinners Saints / As heads is tails just call me Lucifer, 'Cause I'm in need of some restraint / So if you meet me, have some courtesy, have some sympathy, and some taste / Use all your well-learned politesse, or I'll lay your soul to waste, um yeah / Pleased to meet you / Hope you guess my name / But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game.”
Kevin shook his head in disbelief with Saxon’s little performance and glibly asked “So, you’re like a physical incarnation of the devil?”
Saxon motioned for Sloane to put the karaoke machine on pause. Saxon walked up to Kevin and bluntly said. “Please, the devil wishes he was me! I mean, all I had to do was scare an entire country to giving me near-absolute power and control of their lives. And to do so, I had to sacrifice a few thousand lives. And it took me nearly three years to do it all in. The devil had eons to put his plans into motion. Plus I did this with most of my true powers stifled until I came across this.” Saxon motioned for Claudia to bring forth the Lazarus Glove. “And I regained my immortality.”
“So is that the Glove of Midian?” Kevin asked.
“Well, aren’t you the clever one all of the sudden?” Saxon said. “Using terms and names only those a privileged few have known. Too bad, we could have been quite the team had you not embarrassed me over the mistakes of the old Section 31. Although in a way, I should thank you since the trial led me to read up on old projects that led me to rediscovering my own past.” Saxon said as he got ready to put the glove on, but was stopped short by Claudia Daring.
“Can’t I do this one please?” Claudia begged. “He was lousy in bed and keeps referring to me with that derogatory name.”
“You mean… this guy here? This is the guy?” Saxon said, doing a comical double take. “As much as I’m sure it would give you perverse joy in zapping out his existence, I think someone here is more deserving,” he said and then started looking at Sloane. “After all I need you to join us in immortality. Can’t keep pulling you out of any parallel universe when I choose to do so.”
Sloane coldly smiled as Jason Saxon placed the Lazarus Glove onto her hand. “Now this time, when we send you away, you stay away!” Sloane sternly said as she touched the forehead of Kevin Brody…
More pain. More confusion. More headaches.
That was what Karen Williams endured after another vision flashed before her. Nothing concrete came across, but it was enough for Karen to almost collapse to the floor from the pain in her head. Luckily, Dean Williams, Donnie, and Sarah Bellum were there to pick up Karen. The three of them escorted Karen into a chair. Donnie went to get something to drink for Karen as Dean and Sarah tended to Karen, who was wincing in pain and babbling somewhat incoherently.
“No… we must stand as one… no one can leave now…” Karen kept saying over and over.
“How long has this been going on?” Sarah asked Dean.
“Since she came out of her coma back in August.” Dean replied as he comforted and held Karen, so as to assure her things were okay.
“She’s been predicting dire doom and death for us all ever since,” Benny said, as he, Lucas, and Sullivan played “Risk”.
“Yes, thanks for reminding us, Benny!” Dean said sarcastically.
“Hey, just want that little factoid not to be forgotten!” Benny said, and then returning to the game, proclaimed. “Okay Lucas, I am going to attack Russia from the Ukraine…”
“… Seems like a poor strategy if you ask me.” Sullivan said,
“Please, it would be sweet revenge for a former Soviet state getting even with Mother Russia.” Benny said as he rolled the dice, only to reveal that his roll produced numbers lower than Lucas’ roll. “Aww, crap!” Benny lamented.
“No, we need to stay together!” Karen exclaimed, looking at Sarah.
“Wha-why do yo say that?” Sarah asked confused.
“You and Donnie are thinking about leaving all this behind now.” Karen said.
“We are?” Sarah once again asked, this time with Donnie returning with a cup of tea for Karen.
“We’re doing what now?” Donnie asked.
“Were we really leaving everyone here?” Sarah asked Donnie.
“Don’t let the hatch hit you on the ass on the way out, Donald.” Benny said as another roll of the dice turned into another victory for Lucas.
“You know, no never mind, it’s not worth it.” Donnie said. “I got what I want back and really see nothing worth fighting for anymore.”
“You do realize we’re still fugitives, right?” Dean asked
“That and with Jason Saxon pretty much becoming Big Brother, the second you appear, the two of you will be shot on sight.” Lucas chimed in.
“That and Kevin is now M.I.A.” Rachel added as she walked into the room. Ariel Brody-Toroshenko was also standing behind Donnie when she heard his previous claim. She decided to add in her two cents: “You son of a bitch!”
Donnie turned around and saw Ariel. Confused, Donnie told her “You knew the deal, the moment I got my family back, I wanted nothing more to do with all of this crazy shit!”
“So you just used us to get what you wanted, huh?” Ariel scoffed. “Well, let me tell you something. Remember when you decided to choke the life out of Kevin? A lot of people here wanted you gone from here. They wanted to punish you! But when Kevin made a more comprehensible speech shortly after his recovery, he chose not to press the matter any further. Whether you like to admit or not, you owe your life to him now! And now is not the time to return to your sniveling useless shell!”
“She’s right. We need to stay here.” Sarah said. “I’ve seen upfront what the Viisk are capable of. I know Jason Saxon’s intentions. I don’t want to run away from the lives I feel responsible for,”
“What are talking about, dear?” Donnie asked his wife.
“It’s complicated,” Sarah said. “All I know as long as Jason Saxon is in power, we will never be close to having a normal life again. We need to do what we can to fix as much of this as we can.”
Jericho walked into the room, accompanied by Megan and Molly. He walked in time to hear the end of Sarah’s impassioned speech.
“She’s right,” Jericho said. “Our work is only beginning. Kevin’s disappearance is part of a multiple timeline assault we have been working on to take out Jason Saxon one way or another. If he is in possession of the Glove of Midian, he knows that the glove is the only thing that could open the Gate of Osiris. And if he opens it, then who knows how much of anything will continue to exist.”
“Wait a minute. ‘Multiple timeline assault’?” Dean asked. “What does that mean?”
“Kevin Brody had volunteered to go into the future to learn more about Jason Saxon’s plans,” Megan said. “In exchange, four operatives from the year he has most likely gone to have agreed to come here to take the fight right here, right now.”
“These operatives are a special division. They are Cleaners, but are given permission to bend the rules of the Temporal Cold War Protocols. And now is the time to bring them forth.” Molly added.
Jericho added, “Ladies and gentlemen, may we introduce you all to The Angels of Mercy…”
Benny did a spit take “Excuse me? ‘The Angels of Mercy’? The same ones that been posting those pretentious videos on the internet?”
“Somewhat,” Jericho replied. “Those are only members that have chosen to take up the cause. Right here are the founding mothers, if you will…”
After Jericho’s dramatic pause, four women walked into the room. All four women wore matching brown trench coats. Three white women – one blonde, one reddish brown, and one brown haired - and one mulatto woman stood in front of everyone.
“I know it’s been a while since you’ve seen them all, and I’ll explain how this is all possible. But for now, let me reintroduce you to Willow Brody-Toroshenko…”
Benny and Lucas had a quiet conversation. “Is that, rave girl?” Benny asked Lucas, who was hyperventilating at an abnormal rate. It didn’t help matters that Willow recognized one of her many one nighters. “Hey, scrawny arms” she said innocently and blew a kiss towards Lucas, who fainted right on the spot.
“Sweet!” Benny said while laughing. “When Kevin finds out about this, I am so out of the dog house with him !”
“Yes remind me to tell Lucas to stay far away from my daughter from now on,” Ariel said.
Jericho went on with the introductions, pointing to the blonde woman next, “This is Hailey Bellum..”
Hailey squealed with delight as she ran towards Donnie and Sarah. “Oh my god! Mom! Dad! I’m so glad you’re all alive!”, Hailey exclaimed as she latched on a bear hug onto Donnie.
Jericho continued on, pointing out the brown-haired woman. “Faith Williams.”
Faith slowly walked forward and did a cordial handshake with her parents. “Mom, dad.” Faith said, but their reunion would be cut short as the mulatto woman lunged at Dean, punching him hard in the nose.
“Asshole! Why’d you give me up?!” the woman asked Dean, who was clutching his nose while blood trickled down his hand.”
“Ow! I think you broke it!” Dean exclaimed in pain,
‘What is she talking about?” Karen asked in confusion.
“Oh? So Mister Father of the Year never told you about his drunken rendezvous with my mom – Amy Benz?” the woman asked back.
“What?!” Karen said, while supporting Dean’s head she dropped him onto the floor with a disgusted look. “This had better been during my coma!” Karen stated as she stormed out in rage.
Jericho sighed and said “I guess by now you know this is Mercy Benz.”
Benny continued to laugh at everyone’s misfortune, but more so at Dean’s misfortune. However, the laughter stopped once Benny and Mercy locked eyes.
“You!” Mercy said, looking back at Benny. “You’re the one who got me stuck with this crapass name!”
“Oh shit!” Benny exclaimed as he jumped out of his chair and began to run away. Mercy took chase as Jericho hung his head in embarrassment. Willow leaned on Jericho’s shoulder as she cracked open a can of beer. After taking a drink from the can, Willow asked Jericho “Not exactly how you planned for our little family reunion to go down, huh?”
Jericho looked around and sighed. “Let’s just hope your father can be convincing enough to lure them into a false sense of security and victory. Otherwise, this will be all for naught.”
Author's note: just pretend the incidental music from Star Trek: The Next Generation that they played at the end of their cliff-hanger episodes. I would have had it here if I could have found it. And don't bother pointing out I'm using the "To Be Continued" title card from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine because I am fully aware of it... :-P
