Part Eleven

"Can you go back to just before he landed?" Melody asked the projectionist, before turning around to again face the screen.

"You can't see anything," said Horvat, irritated. "It's all backlit by the fires started in the first part of the attack. Our best film processors and analysts have already been over and over it, trying to extract more information. There just isn't any."

"You wanted me here for my insight. Well, I have one. Just go back to that, please."

Horvat was obviously irritated at the waste of time, but had the projectionist rewind and find the scene, then go forward from there. The figure landed and folded its wings.

"See that? He folds his wings, then seems to ignore them. They're just held out of the way, rigidly, like a prop."

"Do you think they're artificial?" said Horvat, startled.

"He may just be new to them." Melody let the rest of the movie play out, then leaned back and looked at him. "Watch the way Malak moves, especially the way he moves his wings. They're part of him, as much so as his arms. They're never just held rigidly still, but are always moving, changing position and shape, though usually only by small amounts when he's not using them to fly. I've even seen him use them to reach further than he can with his arms, to push something or block someone. You can learn to read his moods just by observing his wings. This guy... his wings are still something extra. He's learned to fly, but they don't feel natural to him. They aren't part of him."

"So he's newly empowered."

"Or just new to his wings. Anyway, I think that's all I can give you based just on this."

She was openly hinting that she might be able to provide more help if they had more to show her. However, either they had nothing more, or didn't want to show her anything else, or simply missed the hint.

"Well, thank you," said Horvat, seeming a bit relieved. "You've actually given us a lot of useful - and unexpected - information. I don't know how much any of this will help us, yet, but at least you've kept us from going down the wrong path."

"Any time," said Melody, not sure she meant it. They had obviously wanted her to confirm their own biases, instead of telling them something new. They might have even wanted to turn her against Malak. In spite of their stated reason for having her here - their justification for all the harassment - they were actually irritated she had told them something different from what they already believed. "Just make sure the other government people trying to get me to help them know about this, so they can quit bothering me!"

"What other government people?" said Horvat, who appeared to be genuinely puzzled.

* * *

Melody was not going to write about that meeting. At least, not yet. Not beyond making notes while her memories were still fresh. They might later want more information from her, which would provide more opportunity to get inside information from them. However, she definitely told her boss and Sam.

After finishing, Melody sighed and briefly rubbed her eyes, before looking up at her coworker.

"In spite of the damning revelations about several of the anti-empowered factions this past year, sentiment and actions against the empowered among many groups have actually increased. These attacks aren't helping things. Especially with the attempts to keep them secret. What little has leaked just confirms the beliefs of the anti-empowered. Who keep on carefully selecting what events to believe and ignoring anything to the contrary."

"Of course they do," said Sam, voice dripping sarcasm. "That reaction is part of the mindset. Since reality has proven them wrong, they have redoubled their efforts to deny reality. That's how the prove they are true believers."

"I agree you shouldn't write any articles about that meeting, at least not yet," said Gadding, nodding. "Feel free to tell the story of the attack on the relief camp they showed you, though without attribution. Also, I want both of you to work on finding out everything you can about that and other attacks."

He sat back a bit and gave a humorless laugh.

"Ironically, that same mindset also works in our favor. Many people want to believe that some 'dark government' is running and ruining their world. They're reading the articles critical of government handling of things as validation of their suspicions. Which means we can use that distrust in government to get the truth out to them."

"Gotta love the news business," said Sam, grinning.

* * *

"So according to her it's not Malak," said the official, finishing his in-person report of Melody's evaluation.

"She's lying, of course," said his boss, harshly. "Covering up for her friend. Lay off her for now; let her think she got away with it. Then pressure her again. Keep it up until she confirms he's the culprit."

"Yes, sir," said the official, completely unconcerned that these orders ignored all the evidence.

* * *

Of course, Melody told Blackpool about her meeting with the feds. After conferring with several others, he took her to the repository. There she got together with Aaron, CornFed and some other members in the empowered brain trust, and gave her account of the meeting firsthand. They were all interested in and distressed by the attack on the troops and refugees. Even moreso by her educated guess that it was only one of several.

"There are only a few people - and groups - who could be behind this," said Aaron, frowning. "Some well known, some confirmed to exist but otherwise largely unknown, and some who are less than rumors. However, I suspect that of all those, this is the work of members of the Emergent."

"The which, now?" said Melody, quickly noting that name.

"They are a group of elitist empowered. The group has been around for over thirty years, though some current members were only recently empowered. Most of those who join take code names from various mythologies. Though I admit I have no foundation for objecting to them on those grounds. They support each other and express distaste for both the unempowered and those empowered who treat mere humans respectfully. Their primary rule is that it's them against the world. That includes giving no criticism for anything any of them do against normal humans.

"Fortunately, most of them are more annoying than dangerous. However, members of the subgroup which refer to themselves as the Anunaki advocate treating humans as chattel. They also state that any empowered who don't share this view deserve whatever they - the members of the Emergent - deign to do to them."

"That... Why haven't I heard of them before?" said Melody, worried.

"Most of them are citizens of other countries," said Aaron. "Even those who are from the US prefer to operate in areas where civil rights are already largely ignored and those who hold power believe that might makes right. In spite of their beliefs in their own right to rule, the governments in those regions have learned that the easiest path for them is to curry favor with the Emergent, rather than try to use force against them."

"This contradicts what you told me about activist empowered being constrained by governments."

"The Emergent not activists; many of them are criminals, but generally only in minor ways," said Aaron. Was there perhaps the slightest note of envy in his tone? "They have divorced themselves from mainstream society and are little influenced by it. They aren't interested in directly challenging governments to do more for their citizens. Or in doing anything for those citizens when their governments won't, thereby showing up those officially in power. Instead, they largely keep to themselves. They also have little concern for any non-empowered family or friends. As well, despite their voiced distain for non-empowered, they frequently do favors for corrupt governments in exchange for favors. Which includes having places of refuge."

Aaron sighed, and gave Melody a tired smile.

"Much of their immunity comes from simply being willing to perform immoral or illegal acts to prevent others from acting against them. Such as probability manipulation and mind control. We're not sure, but we think most of the former is coming from their leader. He is known only as Hanuman and refers to himself as the 'First Among Equals.'"

They spoke for a while longer before finally agreeing they had adequately covered what was known about the Emergent by those present. Aaron and CornFed promised to use Harriet to look for more information.

When the meeting ended, Melody moved quickly to speak quietly with Blackpool.

"I have something I need to ask CornFed. I'll meet you in your office later."

Blackpool obviously had something to say to her, but instead hung back. However, as Aaron started to leave, Blackpool stopped him.

"I don't like the fact that Mannequin keeps hanging around here," said Blackpool, scowling through his mask.

"When Mannequin stares into the Abyss," said Aaron, sagely, "the Abyss quickly looks away, mumbling excuses about how it has something important to do elsewhere."

"Which is exactly why I don't like Mannequin around."

"Mannequin keeps us not only honest," said Aaron, pointedly, "but open-minded."

He saw that Blackpool still had objections, and sighed.

"Mannequin's therapists and I agree that what Mannequin needs most right now is socialization. That includes involvement with larger affairs, which means encouraging interest in world matters, especially those that impact the empowered. We need to teach Mannequin to become interested in others, if only out of self defense. Mannequin's and ours."

"All right," said Blackpool. He jabbed a finger at Aaron's chest. "I warn you, though, the first time I find Mannequin interfering with the important work we do here, he or she or whatever is out!"

"Understood."

* * *

Days passed with few significant developments in world affairs. Still, just because there was a lull didn't mean that people weren't working on existing problems and even potential ones. Blackpool managed to get clearance to gain access to the information several federal agencies had gathered on the Emergent. That included reports from foreign intelligence services. The consensus of the more reliable informants was that the Emergent were arranging a significant meeting. Working with his own empowered resources, Blackpool confirmed this. He then discovered that the Foreign Intelligence Agency was planning to spy on that meeting using one of their satellites. He arranged for the feed to also be sent to the repository. This was not easy; the FIA at first even refused to admit the satellite existed. Fortunately, Blackpool had friends in high places who agreed that the Emergent were an empowered matter.

The day of the meeting of the Emergent, Blackpool and several of his allies - empowered and otherwise - were in the control tower of the repository, waiting for the image to be relayed to them.

"Our automated spy is actually a military reconnaissance satellite the FIA shares access to," said Blackpool, as they gathered to watch on the large, fine texture display in the control room at the top of the tower. "In a few minutes it's due to pass over where we suspect the Emergent are currently gathered in western Egypt."

The communications tech in charge of the feed was more used to handling internal messages and talk between the base and the Empowered Matters Agency than she was to linking with a satellite. However, she'd been instructed on how to access the data stream. She actually already had the live image on her console's display. At Blackpool's direction, she also put it on the main screen. The view was currently mostly ocean, with the west coast of the large continent on the edge of the frame.

"Good. That should be it coming up."

"Thats a heavy overcast," said Aaron, frowning, as the camera slowly swiveled to keep the desired area in view.

"Odd. The forecast for the area is clear skies. That's why we picked this time."

"It looks like something else is coming up, too," said the comm officer, startled.

Those watching in the tower stared in disbelief as - image by image at the low frame rate used for fine texture viewing - a section of the menacing black and dark grey cloud seemed to rise above the rest. Like a tentacle, it extended up, and up, and up, getting closer and closer to the the satellite until it filled the view. Which suddenly went black.

"It's... dead, sir," said the comm officer. She worked her controls. "No signal. The satellite station I'm linked to says the satellite is completely non-responsive."

"I can honestly say," said Aaron, as stunned as the rest of them, "that I have never seen that before."

* * *

Blackpool was not in a good mood. His big reveal had been ruined, and while it wasn't his fault - it wasn't even his project, he was just piggybacking on something the Foreign Intelligence Agency and their military allies were doing - he still felt the failure made him look bad. So when he came upon Mannequin - in what was apparently their base form, pale, lean and androgynous, though for a change wearing coveralls and a work shirt - in the main hallway below the command tower he was already disinclined to give the other empowered any slack. The fact that Mannequin was currently painting a colorful mural on the wall - completely equipped with several open cans, trays, drop cloths and long-handled brushes and rollers - pushed him past the limits of civility.

"Who authorized that?" roared Blackpool, pointing at the actually quite innocuous pastoral scene.

For once, Mannequin actually looked startled. Then uncomfortable. Looking around, the source of the outburst was quickly spotted. Still behaving atypically, Mannequin actually seemed apologetic, even acting guilty. Mannequin futilely hid the long-handled paint roller behind their back. Paint dripped down onto Mannequin's cap, which was ignored.

"Well, these bare concrete walls are so depressing. I just figured the place could use some color."

"No," said Blackpool. "Not this time. You don't get to do this. Clean this off, now!"

Now Mannequin became defiant. Which was exactly the wrong thing to do with Blackpool, especially just then. The pair began yelling at each other, and this soon escalated into a physical confrontation.

* * *

Aaron was first on the scene. Well, first after everyone who fled the scene. He found chaos. Most of the fluorescent lights were out, many of the fixtures actually hanging by their wires, some still swinging. The air was full of dangerous fumes and powder from the broken bulbs, as well as electrical smoke. There was paint everywhere. As far as the actual fight was going, Blackpool and Mannequin appeared to be attacking each other with various paint cans, rollers and brushes. If they hadn't obviously each been trying to harm the other the scene would have been laughable; there were colorful splotches of paint everywhere, including on both of them. However, for those who knew what either of the empowered in this fight was capable of the scene was quite concerning. Aaron transformed as he hurried towards the pair.

"What are you doing?!" roared Malak. "Don't we have enough enemies already without you two trying to kill each other?!"

The fight came to an immediate halt. Even without Malak deliberately applying his enhanced charisma, having an angry angel yell at them was very disrupting.

"We're just... sparring," panted Blackpool.

Mannequin nodded mutely.

"I won't have any 'Who struck Billy?' here. If I catch you 'sparring' like that again you'll both have me to deal with!"

He gave his wings a loud snap for emphasis, then spun around and marched off. The other two looked at each other.

"Truce?" said Mannequin.

"I don't think we have much choice," said Blackpool.