Curtain Fall - Chapter 06

Weeks had passed and Jill and Carol sat on a bench in the outdoor lunch area at work. They reveled in being able to comfortably eat out side in the sun of one of the first warm spring days. Having just finished her meal Jill had, eyes closed, turned her face up to the sun. “I know we’ve had a mild winter but it is so nice to feel the warmth of a nice spring day, you know?”

“Yes, I know how you fe-“, Carol started to respond but was interrupted by a co-worker who rushed out of the lunchroom shouting with excitement.

“Hey guys! You have to hear the news that’s on the radio!” He gestured for all to come in to hear what was playing from speakers normally playing a soft rock station.

“To recap,” the government announcer was stating, “There are confirmed reports that the Chinese government has apparently suffered a major coup. There are reports that the leadership was in session when a contingent of individuals displaying extraordinary abilities broke in and captured those in attendance. More “super powered” soldiers are seizing strategic sites in an effort to disrupt efforts to stop the overthrow. It is not known at this time if Chairman Ping is amongst the list of casualties...”

The crowd gathered in the lunchroom exploded in speculations and arguments at hearing this. A number of camps quickly sprang up. The first was largely dismissive of the effects they’d see and listened to developments with the same fervor and interest one might have for a wrestling federation match.

The second wondered what this might mean for Chinese/American relations.

A third group seized on the fact that “Super villains”, who certainly had been created during the Curtain Fall, were carrying out the coup; and wondered if similar things might happen elsewhere else like here in the States.

Jill noticed that a few of her colleagues favored her with pointed stares at this. She was after all, one of the few at work who were obviously of the “Fallen”. While not actively hostile, she did feel a noticeable cooling of emotions in some. She paid attention to them as well but carefully didn’t look their way. ‘I guess the Fallen really are becoming the new Other.’, Jill worriedly thought. She didn’t blame then entirely as the monster in the city had periodically continued its rampage. It would occasionally appear raiding for food and things. If threatened, it would become extremely violent and slaughter as many as it could reach. As it seemed invulnerable to the weaponry of the police, a contingent of active military had been brought in. Additionally, the criminal who had been seen ripping the armored car apart had also made a second appearance. This time he’d pulled a vault door off its hinge at the local federal reserve bank. Then with the help of a band of armed accomplices they’d made their escape.

The announcer on the radio then attracted her attention again when the government began releasing estimates of the direct effects of the Curtain Fall. While it would take an official census to confirm, it was believed that upwards of 80 million people in the U.S. alone had vanished. It was estimated that 1 in 10 of those remaining had been changed. Reports were arising that up to 10% of the changed might manifest abilities! The vast majority would be minor, but a very few might develop significant powers. With the exception of the extremely rare “outliers” the ‘empowered victims’ would be easily managed if one acted outside the law.

“My God!”, Carol, stunned by the announcement muttered, “It’s almost like comic books... Where’s Metropolis or Gotham when you need them?”

Jill winced and grabbed Carol’s hand. “That’s not funny. Good lord Carol, what’s going to happen? People are going to freak!” She shook her head and continued, “These announcements are practically a ‘dog whistle’ to any bigot out there.”

“Come on, you’re just overreacting!”, Carol denied uncertainly.

“What about the waiter? What about the looks I get from some people?”, Jill shot back. “The only changed we hear about right now are dangerous bad ones. ‘Super villains’.” Jill looked around at those gathered in the lunchroom. “It isn’t difficult to think people will soon start assuming if a person is a Fallen, that they’re predisposed for criminality or evil!”

“Why do you think they made the announcements the way they did then?”, Carol asked.

“I’m not sure. It might be a prelude for a requirement to submit to testing and registration. Maybe the government is scared of Fallen trying the same thing that happened in China.”

“Do you think that is a possibility?”

“Not really,” Jill replied, “but I CAN see random terrorists appearing. Not an organized group but some fringe nut might try something.” With those troubling speculations, they returned to work.

That night, the provisional Chinese government assured the world they would, for the near future, honor all previous treaties and agreements the previous government had made. The newly christened “Dragon Empire” would be peaceful unless attacked. Even with that, it was clear that tensions between the first world nations and the east had significantly risen.

———————————-

Another week passed and Jill received a call from her lawyer. Jill’s efforts to be recognized were proceeding and she had a court date to acknowledge her transformation. Ms. Bollard assured her, that there would be no issue. Soon she would be completely legal.

On the designated day and time Jill arrived with Carol coming in support to court and even with the tighter security they were brought before the judge. Judge Finley was an older man possessing a bit of a Lovable “Grandpa” image. He smiled and confided that his own daughter had also suffered changes. Strangely about two thirds of her body had become black! Her face and upper torso remained un changed, but from the breasts down her skin tone assumed an impressive chocolate tone. With some envy he also related she seemed immune to weight gain. “Did you gain anything?” He seemingly asked in a friendly manor as he handed over her official documents.

Jill noticed immediately the felt the tension that quickly rose in the officials and guards in the court. She realized that they were afraid of the potential answer. Several guards in particular ramped up; tensing if there might be a need for action. A few seemed almost eager.

She realized she needed to diffuse the atmosphere and replied, “Why yes sir! I can sometimes feel emotions. I could feel a spike of affection when you spoke of your daughter as I touched you when I I got the papers.” She could feel Carol register the minimization of her actual powers, but she carefully betrayed no response.

“Ah, well, that seems a pleasant skill.”, the judge said relaxing. “Well good luck to you!”

With that Jill and Carol thanked Ms. Bollard and exited the court. The lawyer smiled and assured her the bill would shortly be in the mail and then left them alone.

“I take it you had a reason to not tell them?”, Carol asked.

“Just a feeling. They were alert and nervous.”

Jill then turned to Carol and hugged her. “I’m glad you aren’t afraid of me at least!”
“I’ve come to know you too well sweetie!”, Carol laughed, “Over the months we’ve been together, I’ve seen that you are a truly good person. Even with the awesome powers you have, you have a hard time being mean to anyone. You tear up over cute kittens and puppies, for God’s sake!” She looked at her lover and laughed, “You really have become such a girl!”

“But I... I was-“, Jill stuttered and stopped. Looking back and reviewing, she could see exactly what Carol was saying. Almost from the first days of the Fall, her emotional responses had fundamentally changed from what she would have expected as a man to a woman’s! It was as if her originally male mind and memories had been dumped in a completely foreign land where the origin and source of emotions had been rapidly replaced. “I- I guess I’ve really changed haven’t I?” She searched for residual conflicts in herself and felt few left. Maybe she truly had become a girl!

She drew Carol into a quick kiss and said with a chuckle, “At least I still am not a shopping nut, like someone I know!”

Carol laughed in return and cried in a ‘wicked witch’ voice, “I just haven’t finished corrupting you my pretty!” Laughing together they moved on.

The next hurdle for Jill lay at work. She now had to reveal to her management who she really was. She sent a request for a meeting with her immediate superiors as well as personnel. She also spoke with Ms. Bollard about the meeting.

A few days later Jill entered a conference room with her boss, Gary, Mr. Grant the VP of hiring, Carol, and Mr. Carrendon who was the CIO. The officers all looked on with mild interest as she came in. “So what is this about Jill?”, Mr. Carrendon asked, “From all I’ve heard, you’ve been an exemplary worker. Even inspired! Gary has been pushing to move you to the payroll full time with full benefits!”

She smiled nervously, “Well, sir, that is some of what I’ve asked to speak to you about.” She swallowed nervously and continued. I’m afraid I’m not exactly who I represented myself as.” With that, she placed a binder of legal documents on the table.

The CIO opened the folder and began to read. His eyes opened wide in shock and he looked up and fixed her eyes with his own. He slid the folder to Grant.

Grant began to look and also exclaimed in surprise. “Gill?!?!?”

“Huh? What about Gill?”, Gary asked looking puzzled.

“According to these documents,” Carrendon said with horrified amazement, “SHE, is or was, Gill Vehaen!” He chuckled unsteadily, “Wow, the Fall really did a job on you didn’t it?!?”

Aware of the utter shock coming from the men but amazingly no anger Jill sheepishly shrugged. “Yes sir. I guess I got the Mother of all Makeovers!”

Carol stood quietly watching her dark sense of humor making it difficult for her to suppress her grin. Gary, for his part, was utterly Gobsmacked.

“Holy crap!”, he involuntarily broke out, “All these months and I’ve had the hots for a guy?!?”

“Oh I can assure you Gary,” Carol remarked, as her fight to restrain her grin began to break down, “My girl friend is no guy in any way shape or form!” Gary was left sputtering and choking in his incredulity.

“Now I know sirs, that I’ve been working these months under a false identity, but I assure you that it was with no ill intent.” She stiffened her stance and continued, “I just wish to let you know the truth and continue on.” She turned to the OIC and VP. “My hope is that you’ll welcome my loyalty. My lawyer suggests that I should be eligible for my full time of service in my personnel records and even my original salary. I won’t ask for Gill’s salary, however, as at present my position within the company isn’t at the same level. Since I was earning $93K as Gill, however, I only think it appropriate that my salary at my current level of responsibility be at least commensurate. How about $75K?”

Still reeling Gary muttered, “Jill is Gill?”

Carrendon glanced at Gary and then looked at Jill. “Why shouldn’t we fire you, right now?”, he asked as his eyes focused shrewdly on Jill. She could sense calculation but not anger per se and a bit of concern in Mr. Grant.

Guessing the OIC was simply moving into negotiations, Jill replied, “I suppose you could fire me. I suspect if you pushed the suggestion I was fraudulent you might even win were I to bring suit.” She shook her head, “But I have no intention of lodging a complaint. I’ve enjoyed working with this company for many years and I highly respect all in power here. You take great efforts to support your employees and deal fairly with our customers. If you choose to let me go, I will leave without complaint, but you’ll loose a loyal employee who is even willing to make some sacrifices to stay.”

Offering a small grin, Carrendon made a proposition. “$75K is quite absurd for an entry level researcher. I think 40 might work.”

Jill gave the OIC a very stricken and sad look, (she did her best to channel her growing female wiles), “I’m sorry you feel my contributions are worth so little Mr. Carrendon. If you are firm, I’ll offer my apologies and start packing. I’m certain with my skills and apparent age I could easily find other employment. If however, you were willing to offer $68K?”

Grinning outright now, Carrendon threw back, “Very well; 55.

“65.”

“60.”

“Deal!” Jill quickly responded with a happy smile.

“I would suggest, however, that you choose not to make your transformation widely known. The level of confusion,” he nodded towards Gary who was still muttering dazedly, “might be needlessly disruptive.” Jill also nodded in agreement. Carol for her part broke out snickering.

“Oh Jill; I think you broke him!”

“Gill... I had a jones for a guy...”

Buoyed by the good feelings he felt from the OIC and VP and by the dark mirth coming from Carol, Jill smiled at Gary. “Awwww!”, Jill said in a very feminine way, “I’m flattered Gary!” She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “But you should know the rumors are all true. Carol is the only one for me!”

Gary tried to pull himself together. He then looked at Jill in sudden understanding. “THAT’S how you knew the systems! I was beginning to think you were Einstein in drag!”

Jill laughed but tried to look a little hurt, “Gee thanks Gary! Nice to know you’re happy to think I’m not smart after all!”

Seeing him reduced to sputtering again, she laughed and assured him she was just joking. She also confided that she was happy to be working with him. Finally they left the conference room and Carol and Mr. Grant began the work to straighten up Jill Neaveh’s paperwork. Gary and Jill returned to work as well...

—————————————

Several more days passed with Jill settled properly in work. Once Gary had truly internalized Gill’s transformation they found themselves working together better than ever. They were very productive and worked on completing a project for a new plasma cutting system that could take sheets of metal in excess of 2 inches thick and cut or shape it very rapidly. On that day they’d just finished cutting 1 in. plates of a military grade titanium alloy into 2 dozen metal squares measuring a foot on the side. The plan for these would be for them to ultimately be used as a type of plating for vehicles. They were still hampered by difficulty with developing and maintaining the computer controls for the cutter, but they’d been able to jury rig something.

Gary was quite pleased with the success of their efforts and called the day early so they could go to a restaurant and celebrate. The team went to a local Italian fixture in the area and they all enjoyed pizzas. Eventually, however, Jill bade the others goodnight and left for home.

As she began driving in the car she’d just rescued from the impound lot, she called Carol who had just left work herself, “Hey hon!”, Jill began, “I’m finally on my way home. Do we need anything as I pass the grocer’s?”

Over the sound of the traffic Jill heard Carol respond, “Our fruit bowl is pretty empty. Why don’t you get a bit until we go for a full trip?”

“That will work.” Jill winced and then continued, “I have to pick up a couple of other things as well. My damn ‘time’ is due any day now.”

Carol laughed and said with little sympathy, “Oh poor baby!”

“Come on! I’m still getting used to it!”

“It’s been over six months. Six months of what all we women have to deal with. Just be thankful you seem to have easy ones!”

Jill grumbled but gave her love before disconnecting. Even with Carol’s dark-edged humor and occasional lack of patience she had become essential to Jill. Jill had really come to depend on her lover since the changes. She still had the rare time, wondering if Carol’s affection was completely natural or not, but Jill had slowly come to the conclusion that after months, what might have started as artificial must have become real by now.

She was aware, however, that her awareness and sensitivity to emotional states in others allowed her to negotiate the day more seamlessly and safely than many other Fallen. She found it possible to diffuse potentially hostile situations much more effectively than anyone she’d encountered. As a result, she’d found herself called on increasingly at work to act as a mediator in conflicts and it was with these thoughts in mind she entered the grocery.
As in any public place, Jill swam through a sea of feelings: bored waves from shoppers after a long day’s work, Curiosity from small children over all the things to see and touch, love and frustration from their parents, curiosity and even low grade lust directed at her. The occasional sense of disgust at someone seeing one of ‘them’. It was all pretty standard. Jill had just finished assembling a collection of fruit in her cart and was beginning to make her way to her next goal when the emotional environment dramatically changed.

Jill suddenly heard a number of men and women yell with alarm; shortly followed by the shattering of glass and the sound of metal being violently torn. As one, those in the store turned to see a large portion of window front of the grocery being torn away as the Rock Monster made its way into the building. Panic erupted and people fled from its path as it proceeded towards the butcher’s area.

Jill stood frozen as it moved forward feeling the animalistic hunger and rage it radiated. She couldn’t feel anything more complex than a dog or cat. What she could feel was that it was in great pain; and it was that pain that made it so prone to violent rages. It ignored her as it moved past to settle next to the abandoned meat counter.

It reached through the glass and grabbed as much of the raw meat on display it could before casually ripping it loose and tossing aside. It then followed its nose and ripping open the meat locker proceeded to plunder what it found.

The sound of the display crashing to the side caused Jill to start and break her paralysis. She stumbled back and fled to the destroyed front. On her way she stopped to help an old woman who had fallen. She gently lifted her to her feet and together they made as quickly as the woman could out into the parking lot. Jill encouraged the old lady as she helped her to keep going and as soon as she could handed the woman to a police officer who had just arrived.

As soon as she could she looked about and saw that unexpectedly, the customers hadn’t fled yet. Instead they had for the most part retreated to cluster around numerous cars to watch the ruined entrance. While terrified, they were also excited and riveted by what was unfolding. They almost felt as Jill might have expected the mobs at a Colosseum might have felt. Their anticipation only rose as a military armored troop carrier arrived and heavily armed troops came out. Several stood out of access ports manning what Jill saw was a recoiled rifle! The troops and rifle oriented themselves on the ruins of the grocery. The whole crowd watched with bated breath as they heard the creature violently tearing the interior apart as it rooted about for things. Then after a few minutes they saw movement as an injured man staggered out. Bleeding from a head injury and holding what was likely a broken arm he made it about 10 feet out into the late afternoon light when the creature also emerged. The injured man saw it and let out an agonized wail of terror.

“Oh my God!” The captain in charge of the soldiers gasped. With rising panic and a disregard for the old man potentially caught in the field of fire he yelled, “Fire!”

Jill realized that the injured man was about to cut down by the panicked firing of soldiers Jill responded instinctually and pulled the man off his feet. With her mind she aligned his body parallel to but as close to the ground as she could and slid him away. This saved his life, even if he was still hit in the leg with a shot. Meanwhile the creature was bombarded by a wave of high caliber bullets.

The fusillade of fire served only to further provoke the monster; and it reared up on its hind quarters. Now standing almost 15 ft. tall on its haunches it roared in rage and reached out to attack the soldiers.

Lumbering forward it fell forward so that a rock covered limb could sweep through a handful of men; casting them about like newly broken dolls. Now on all limbs, it lunged forward to the nearest people hiding behind cars.
Jill felt the spikes of panic and doom coming from the new targets of the monster and the unthinking shooting of the soldiers not yet engaged saw that there would soon be many more victims, both from the creature as well as friendly fire. Jill realized she couldn’t let this happen.

“Stop shooting!”, Jill shrieked as she stood up from her crouch. The soldier standing near and reloading his spent rifle saw her and yelled a warning but she stepped forward without acknowledging him. “STOP! PLEASE!”, she yelled at the top of her voice. “You’ll kill someone!”, Jill cried out.

By now many soldier registered the ‘crazy woman’ stepping towards the monster as she glanced between it and the soldiers but before any moved to intercept her she focused on the creature and pointed an open hand on extended arm towards it.

The monster had just fixed its claws into the nearest vehicle and had begun to lift it when something utterly extraordinary occurred: the monster and the car it had grasped began to rise in the air!
Not understanding what was happening the creature began casting about to see why it had begun to float into the air away from those that enraged it. Roaring but baffled it thrashed about and cast the car away.

Jill concentrated carefully on the creature and car and guided the car to land safely on unoccupied ground as she continued to step forward.

She could feel almost overwhelming waves of astonished awe coming from all around as she stepped slowly to beneath the creature, now floating out of reach of victims. As she did the firing slowed to a stop, as the soldiers along with their commanding officer came to the understanding that this little woman seemed to be holding the creature in the air.

The captain moved slowly towards Jill; his eyes bouncing with disbelief between the thrashing creature in the air and the woman standing on the ground seeming to hold it in her hand. “H- How are you doing that?”, he asked with wonder and a bit of trepidation. “Who; what are you?!?”

“I had to stop it.”, Jill replied as she continued to watch the creature. “People were going to be hurt! Killed...”. She looked to the captain with tears beginning to fall from her eyes, “It’s just an animal. It’s in such maddening pain. I think it’s slowly dying from what happened to it...”

The captain with eyes large as saucers looked upon this almost unnaturally beautiful woman and it seemed he could almost feel her distress. “It’s already killed dozens, mam. We have to, uh, put it down mam.”

She looked at him for a moment then nodded. “Give me a moment.” Still weeping, she then stepped back so that she no longer stood underneath the creature. Then Jill, herself, began to float up so that her body was at the height of the creature’s head. To the utter silence of the crowd she stared deeply into the eyes of the creature who had stopped struggling.

Jill could feel that being held like it was had reduced some of the agony it suffered. With no weight to press on joints unnaturally transformed to stone, it seemed able to focus on the small being she was to it. Together, it seemed they came to some understanding and then Jill violently twitched her outstretched hand as all around heard an almost thunderous crack. The creature went as limp as a creature made partially of stone could and Jill slowly and gently lowered the body of the creature and herself to the ground.

Jill sadly turned away and slowly walked towards her car. As she walked away, a soldier made to move to intercept her but was stopped by the captain’s call. “But sir! Shouldn’t we - “

“Son.”, the captain said with awe in his voice, “Do you really think we could stop her?”