Angels Mark (The Serena Wilcox Mysteries Dystopian Thriller Trilogy)

by Natalie Buske Thomas

  “I’m going to get out, and that thing will get loose!” said Serena.

  “I don’t mind,” said Paul, a tight-lipped grin plastered across his flushed face.

  Serena was a people-reader, and she took note of what she saw on Paul’s face, not only his odd coloring, but the look he got every time the bug bumped into something: he flinched. Why? Is he afraid the flying gadget will break? Is it fragile?

  No, no, that isn’t it. He was bracing himself as if he thought the mechanical insect might explode when it bumped the dashboard. Her heart filled with terror as her mind clicked, clicked, clicked along until it finally understood.

  It felt like the seconds were suspended, as if time stood still when Serena turned to Tom and said, “It’s a bomb.” She and Tom fled from the car, unintentionally letting the mechanical fly out.

  Paul cackled, a high-pitched witch-like cackle. He took something out of his pocket.

  “Hey! Whoa! No! Don’t do it!” Tom leaped out of the car and threw open Paul’s door. He tried to grab Paul’s arm, but it was too late. Paul had pressed the button on the gadget and had even managed, with lightning reflexes, to set a very small joystick lever to send the mechanical insect directly into the former president’s house.

  “It’s a bomb, it’s a bomb!” Tom ran full-out into the gaggle of secret service agents, his voice hoarse and ragged as he continued to yell as he ran, “It’s a bomb, it’s a bomb, it’s a bomb!”

  “You said you were unarmed!” gasped Serena. She backed away from the car, pausing only slightly to look at the man whose madness she had so greatly underestimated.

  Paul smiled. “I lied.”

  And with that, the miracle created in Clyde’s prized lab, with intuitive flight technology, flew into the open, screen-less, window of the former president’s house. Before any of the agents could respond and orient themselves to the word “Bomb”, there was a sharp whistling sound, like the sound a tea kettle makes just before it blows. And then, with no harm to anyone but the two men inside the house, the world’s smallest bomb blew.

  23

  President Ann Kinji greeted Serena and Tom with a hug, which both accepted as easily as if the hug was from a neighbor, like it was an everyday occurrence to be hugged by the President.

  “So happy to see the pair of you alive, well, and standing in front of me.”

  “Thank you,” both of them murmured.

  “With Paul in custody, Clyde dead, and Bryce out of the way, you won’t have any more trouble. Which is why I think you should ditch the Meadows name,” she said, with a sly wink.

  Serena blushed.

  “Of course I knew all about you. You couldn’t have gotten so close to me otherwise. I know that you set your own house on fire, so that you’d be presumed dead. I know that Paul’s Off-grid group gave you a new identity, and kept you successfully off the grid until William’s camp came along.”

  “This is the part when the Scooby-doo gang tells the criminals who was wearing the monster mask,” said Serena.

  “Oh, I don’t see you as a monster, not even of the Scooby-doo variety. You protected your family. I only wish that you and Karyn had shared that e-mail from Farideh with more than just the FBI, since our own government was not to be trusted, but of course you wouldn’t have known that,” said Ann, frowning, letting her words settle for a few seconds. “How could anyone have known such a thing? But now that we do, knowing that we could have taken a different course, one that would have saved many lives, or maybe even avoided the Big War altogether -- it’s so hard to fathom. It was better when we didn’t know. And yet, the truth shall set us free.”

  “It will feel good to be free,” said Serena.

  “Freedom is something we still have, yes. Thank God for that, agree?” said Ann.

  “I’m sorry about the presidents,” said Tom. “I didn’t know it was a bomb until it was too late.”

  “I know, it wasn’t your fault. Really, it was mine. I’m the one who suggested you could take Paul, going against my agents’ wishes. I should have had him searched and cleared first, especially since I knew he was emotionally unstable. And he was a nut job before he was unstable. Extreme lapse in judgment on my part,” said Ann.

  “What’s going to happen now?” asked Serena. “Will the records be buried?”

  Ann’s eyebrows shot up with surprise. “Of the most deadly, most massive cover-up in the history of the world? Why on Earth would we do that? Of course we respect the sanctity of human life – this is no doubt a great tragedy to be preparing for two presidential funerals, but we cannot hide from the truth. It’s been buried for too long and it will not be buried with them. Their reputations and ours will have to suffer – the world needs to know what really happened.”

  “I admire that,” said Serena.

  “This opens the door to new dialog, dialog that I believe America has needed to hear for a long time. Whether or not people will be open to what I have to say, I don’t know. I’m sure to find out come voting time, which is right around the corner.”

  “You have our vote,” said Tom.

  Ann smiled. “And you have mine. That’s one reason I called you in here. First, I want to thank you for all of your help.”

  “We didn’t do much,” said Tom.

  “It seemed like we stayed one step behind your team the whole time,” said Serena.

  “You were in the thick of it all, you just benefitted from resources in high places. You’d have been able to deduce things for yourself, maybe more slowly, but you’d have done it,” said Ann.

  “Good thing we don’t have to find out – it’s over now,” said Serena.

  “I have a strong feeling that I’ll need your help in the near future,” said Ann.

  “What do you mean?” asked Serena.

  “Well, I don’t know exactly, but I liked that you and Tom had my special number. I liked knowing that someone outside of the White House, living as a normal person, had my back. I tell you, I’ve lost myself here in this office. I live in a bubble, with the pressure of the world pressing on the surface of that bubble at all times. You are outside of this bubble, free to roam around without secret service agents. And I trust you. How valuable is that? I have a feeling that I’ll need someone I can trust,” said Ann.

  “You can call me anytime,” said Serena.

  “I know you were a private detective several years ago,” said Ann.

  “Yes, before the kids,” said Serena.

  “I’m asking if you’re willing to be on call for me. I may never call you, but if I do – are you for hire?”

  “Of course. What would I be doing? Investigating outside of official channels?

  “Possibly. I might need a friend.”

  “You’ve got it,” said Serena, grinning from ear to ear.

  President Ann Kinji showed them the door, meeting adjourned. Then she went back to her desk and drafted the speech of a lifetime, a speech she delivered the very next day, without much advance notice to the media, to the secret service, to her press secretary, to anyone. But they all scrambled and were in their places before she began.

  She stood boldly in front of the flag of the former United States of America, completely poised despite the awareness that cameras were delivering her voice and image live to millions of people all over the world. Slowly and methodically, she weighed each word before allowing it to spill from her lips. Years later, her grace would be remembered almost as much as her words.

  My fellow Americans, my heart is heavy as I speak to you tonight. By now, the world has heard about the death of our two presidents, the death of two men who conspired to allow America to be destroyed, to destroy us in a misguided attempt to save us; an attempt that did not work; but served to sink us further into the pit of despair, hopelessness, lawlessness, and poverty.

  But those men did not act alone. Their warring ideologies were bred by all of us, by the American people themselves. From the Oval office to the Senate, from the Congress to t
he Pentagon, from the corporations to the small businesses, from the universities to the schools, we have held contempt for each other. May God forgive us.

  Ann paused. Then she began again.

  Did that surprise you just now? That I uttered the name of God? We fight over whether God should stay in, or be cast out of, money, songs, literature, even art. Why are we wasting our life’s breath on this? God is love, correct? Regardless of what you believe about God, God is not the problem. Respect everyone’s beliefs. Do liberals hate Christians? Are Republicans judgmental, greedy and hypocritical? There’s so much hate going around and not enough love. If we keep chasing our tails like this, separating ourselves into two opposing camps, we will never come together.

  Maybe if we were all more tolerant of each other, we’d have fewer government shutdowns, we’d have more food on the American table, we’d have less division. We are now literally a divided nation, but we’ve been polarized and broken for many years. We will never heal until we stop hating our own people. It is for that reason that I am stepping down from my party. I no longer believe that a two party system has any real chance of healing America. It is what has destroyed America.

  Therefore, I am running as an Independent candidate. I will make clear where I stand on the issues, and you’ll see that I probably lean more liberally than conservatively on most issues, but I’m middle-of-the-road on some issues, and very far to the right on other issues. How can a party represent any one candidate? Don’t we need to evaluate each issue as it comes? Few people are so rigid that they lean to the right or to the left all the time. We humans are capable of reason and balanced judgment. Let’s agree to avoid extremes!

  I challenge every candidate running against me to throw down their party lines – enter this race as an Independent. Let’s shake up how we do this. No more lobbyists: we cannot be bought! Let’s put a moratorium on campaigning. What’s wrong with using the Internet to reach voters? It’s free! I challenge my opponents to live-streaming debates. All of this reform will create a mess you say? Well, it just might. And it’s a mess worth making!

  For the good of our dying nation, we might need to dig back into our newly-revised Constitution and tweak it many, many more times until we get it right, to re-establish ourselves as a united nation. Whatever it takes to get us thinking like rational loving human beings again – we need to do that. And that, my fellow Americans, is what’s going to save us. Abolishing parties that divide us – for real this time. And most of all, learning to love our own people.

  It is my prayer that the United States of America be one day united, united in her physical self, but more importantly, in her spirit. May God give us the wisdom to know what to do to heal as a nation, to become prosperous once again, to become as one nation, under God. We can heal, we can rise again – I believe that. Seek into your heart to make the changes you need to make, right along with me. Be willing to make sacrifices, be willing to think of your neighbor; be willing to love your neighbor as yourself. May God bless America.

  As soon as President Ann Kinji, first female president, first Asian American President, finished her last word, the buzzing of the bees began. She answered all of the questions, all of them. She stayed on her feet, responding to every media representative from the seasoned professional, to the celebrity on-air talent, to the junior reporter. She answered questions from foreign press. She stayed on and on; late into the night. Finally, when the room grew gradually, and then completely, silent, she said good-night.

  She went home, home to her imposing bedroom in the White House where Ted was sprawled out on the massive four-poster bed, snoring. Ann looked at him longingly, and even nudged his arm, but he didn’t stir except to clear his throat. She lay on the bed, but could not rest. She rang the kitchen and requested a snack.

  Then she picked up the phone, even though it was by now almost midnight, and hoped that Serena was still awake, and would understand.

  Serena answered on the second ring. She didn’t sound sleepy, but she did sound worried, “Hello?”

  “Hi, Serena, it’s President Kinji.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No, no. I feel silly calling you, but after a night like this, a girl needs to talk to a friend.”

  Serena smiled warmly enough to send the feel-good vibes through the phone line. “Are you worried about your speech? It was wonderful.”

  “Yes, anxious. Not many people will think my address is wonderful. And I might be needing you sooner rather than later if I’ve made new enemies.”

  “Well, you’re probably right. We are still polarized, and it’s impossible to please both sides. But ‘a wise man avoids all extremes’.”

  “What’s that quote from?” asked Ann.

  “The Bible. Ecclesiastes.”

  “Oh! I certainly can’t start quoting Scripture. That would make both sides take offense! I pushed things as far as I could by referring to America as ‘one nation under God’.”

  “I’m sure many were unhappy with you putting God into your speech, saw it as a nod to the conservatives probably, even though I thought it was clearly heart-felt. Liberals say they respect all views, but don’t really. Conservatives say they want God in country, but aren’t happy unless it’s on their terms. I don’t see where you can please either extreme, so why worry about that?”

  “Most of us are so jaded that we find it hard to believe that anything is heart-felt, but you are right, I meant every word I said.”

  “Well, if your critics can’t see that you are speaking from the heart, there’s not much you can do. Some are so closed minded that they only hear the same things in the same way, even when someone is saying something new. Their ears hear the same old blather, and they will never stop fighting the same old arguments,” said Serena.

  “It does feel hopeless sometimes. In a warped way, our two departed presidents had a demented logic.”

  “But it’s not hopeless, and at least you are trying. How can anyone fault you for seeking a balanced view?”

  Ann laughed. “Oh, they can and they will. My speech will be offensive to many, many people. I might not get re-elected.”

  “I admire you for speaking the truth. The Emperor really is naked,” said Serena.

  “I’m going to have a long day tomorrow.”

  “Yes, I’m sure you will, but we can’t be the only two people who are tired of all the hate. I mean, enough already. Don’t most people by now see both sides as equally destructive?”

  “We’ll find out. I essentially said that both parties are wicked, are responsible for the evils in the world, and should be destroyed. I keep going over it and over it in my mind, and I don’t know how else I could have said it better. And yet, I know that the far right and the far left will hate my words, and me, with equal passion, even after all we’ve been through with two presidential funerals.”

  “Surely there is intelligent life left on planet Earth. They just might not be in government, well, except for you.”

  “What did you think of my address to the divided nation, honest opinion?”

  Didn’t we already cover this? thought Serena. Wow, friendship with the president is going to be high maintenance.

  Aloud she said, “Besides wonderful? Well, I think someone should have said those things a long time ago. I’m glad you did. The only thing that surprises me is that you are second guessing yourself and seeking someone like me out for reassurance.”

  “I didn’t use a speech writer. I feel insecure when I’ve gone forward without professionals crafting and editing my words.”

  “Maybe you should do more of your own writing. What do writers know? Educated as they may, it’s still just one person’s opinion.”

  “True. Being a rebel doesn’t sit comfortably on me. I was the girl whose report card said, ‘Ann is thoughtful of others. Ann is conscientious about her work and keeps a tidy desk.’ I suppose I need to get used to taking risks if I want to be a pioneer in this post-Big War world we live in
.”

  Serena said, “Again, I thought your address was wonderful, but you’re preaching to the choir. Besides, my views are probably too idealistic.”

  “Better to be naive than jaded, like I mentioned before – most of us have given up on ever getting past our differences. I find your views refreshing.”

  “I think it’s more like ‘view’, you’ve pretty much heard all of my thoughts.”

  Ann chuckled.

  “Seriously, I’m not a very political person. I don’t watch the news because I find it stressful and depressing. This is probably the most I’ve ever said in one sitting about anything political. I normally stay out of these conversations – I hate how anything about politics escalates into heated debate.”

  “You don’t watch the news? Never?”

  “Sometimes, not never. I know, I’m apathetic, but I don’t have any faith that staying informed is possible; I don’t believe what the media says about anything. And I don’t believe politicians either. Except for you. So, I’m sorry, but that’s all I’ve got. I don’t have anything else to say.”

  Ann laughed, “I knew there was a reason why I liked you.”

  24

  President Ann Kinji waved her hand in front of the flat screen in front of her. Six hundred and seventy-nine Town Hall messages appeared. She prided herself on reading a sampling of these daily messages from American citizens every morning, after her fitness routine, and before breakfast, she skimmed through as many letters as she could in twenty minutes. She pointed at the screen to open the first message.

  <
  Thank you for reversing the direction of the previous administration regarding government control of food, private farms, supplements, etc. I have a child who has food sensitivities and I need control over where our food comes from. As much as I’d like to grow all our own food, that’s not realistic for me. The freedom to select natural foods that have not been restricted by government regulation is why I voted for you. I do have one issue though. You have taxed small farms and that higher cost is passed on to families like mine, but I’ll take that. I do appreciate the lifting of regulations.>