((Collab Post between Letter Bee and Mass City))
18,000 feet above Nebraska.
The big blue, sliver, and white plane known as Air Force One was traveling across the US from Hawaii to Washington DC. The Presidential airplane was going to Joint Base Andrews in Washington. The plane was a specialized Boeing 747 that was designed to comfortably be a flying White House. In the back of the plane the deputy press secretary was doing her best to keep the reporters at bay. In the conference room the intelligence staff of the President were discussing potential solutions to the LA Crisis as the media were now dubbing it.
In the nose of the plane sat the President's office and private quarters. The office was in front of the quarters and the presidential quarters were rather nice for a head of state. The President had slept on the bed in the plane many times before. Now was not one of those times.
The LA chaos was making him angry. He hated being angry but the leader of the free world could be allowed to be upset at those murdering his citizens. This massacre that vegan days ago had forced him to come from Hawaii and return to his job. His doctors were warning him that his heart may need to be watched, but he did not get the luxury to take a vacation.The Leader of the Free World had to make a decision, he was against sending troops to enforce the law but now he had no choice.
The President dialed the number for Davis Lawton. "Lawton here." Lawton answered tiredly.
"Lawton when I touch down I will make a brief statement to the press at Andrews.Then get the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Intelligence chiefs, and the Congressional Leadership at the White House. I want to send troops to LA. Also I want to activate a contingency plan."
Lawton was slack jawed at the president's choice of words. "Sir is this a good idea?"
The President sighed. "I don't know Lawton but I will try to protect as many lawful citizens as I can."
"Yes sir." Lawton hung up to arrange the meeting meeting.
LA (somewhere in gridlock)
Elena was very upset her van was blocked in by the horrendous LA traffic that was made worse by recent events in the city. Looters were beginning to gain courage and her scanner had already reported at least twenty-five shootings in the city as she traveled. The FBI tactical team was ready in a helicopter if and when something should pop up.
Then it popped up.
"We interrupt your broadcast to report a massacre at the Disney Concert Hall it is unknown the exact number of dead and injured but Mayor Johansen is missing."
Elena heard the news and flipped on the van's lights and sirens. The FBI van began to slowly move towards the Disney Hall.
Washington DC
In the West Wing of the White House, Davis Lawton was busy reading up on the NSA's new program, Aurora Damocles. The current program was a modification of Echelon 6.0 but if it was used it could find many metas through online activity. It was still six months from large scale trials but the program was successful in the small scale.
Lawton knew the President wanted the program activated early because it was necessary. Lawton hoped the situation was made better soon.
LA (Closer to the Disney Theater)
Elena did not want to do this but she felt she had to call King...
Constantine, who was with Cedric, answered:
"I knew you'd call, Elena. I heard the news; some Rogue Meta successfully abducted the Mayor, right?"
"It's possible, FBI doesn't have a clue right now. I don't know what will happen but martial law is probably a sure thing at the moment because of dead civilians and cops." Reyes said driving the van.
"That's terrible," spoke Constantine, "and, by that, it's completely expected; Gary tried to preempt such an attack by using the Government Registry to send some people to protect the protesters in Walt Disney Hall - he even anticipated that that would be the target because, well, Disney - but he failed. Nevertheless, this is going to put a crimp on our freedom of action." Cedric, meanwhile, was just sitting there, terrified at the implications of Constantine's words.
"Gary's people ought to still be there; watch out for them while the FBI hunts down the Rogue Meta; friendly fire is not something we can afford just now - sorry if I said something you already know."
Cedric, meanwhile, spoke up:
"So, does this mean that the hunt for Elijah and Nightingale is off? I anticipate it might be the case, considering the fact that we have a worse danger."
"We will still search for them but current efforts will be on helping the injured in at the Disney concert hall. " Elena had heard on the radio the President's Press Secretary make a quick statement on how the President had his prayers for those whom have died today.
"Look it may do nothing, Government may not want to deal with metas but the problem them idiots, powered and no are causing will be to difficult to stop once the balloon goes up. I have some familiarity with the plans but most of what I know are just the obvious responses."
"Look King if you go to the theater be careful. And for god sakes don't take the kid there. It's probably a goddamned mess that he not need to see." Reyes was imagining Oklahoma City or the World Trade Center after 9/11. "Also the last thing I need is my boss ripping me a new one because a kid ran into danger! Hey fuck you buddy! FBI! Gett outta my way!" Reyes screamed at an irate Beverly Hills native in his SUV.
Once the commotion had stopped, it was now Constantine's turn to speak again:
"One more question, is it viable to take Healing Spore with me, if I do go to the Walt Disney Concert Hall?" Healing Spore was the Government's secret Meta Doctor, whose sole power was, obviously, to send out spores that instantly regenerated the worst of injuries. Enough to rate an A-Class level in technical terms, but, in actual fighting, less than D. "Or would it be politically inadvisable?" he spoke the last two words with contempt.
"What, are you crazy?" spoke Cedric. "Healing Spore is one of our greatest assets! If we lose her, we might as well have lost the war; Healing-type Metas are one of the few things we have an advantage on. I mean, look at how she healed Caro."
Constantine looked at Cedric with mingled anger and sadness; he seemed to be a lot kinder and milder when directly confronting Elijah, but it seemed as though, right now, the boy was, well, acting like the typical Jerkass Woobie, venting his anger at being abandoned by his family, used as a punching bag by others, and then being put through basic training on others. Well, best to respond:
"Cedric, don't be heartless; that's my job."
"Oh, yeah, well you're doing a bad job at it! That said, yeah, I see where you're coming from; the carnage, it turns my stomach as well. But Healing Spore would just be lynched by the people she'll try to heal!" Cedric was almost shouting; he liked Healing Spore for obvious reasons.
"Healing Spore is to remain where she is. We do not want her exhausted if a larger event occurs." replied Elena.
"Then I won't be going," spoke Constantine. "I'll just have to trust my adoptive brother, then." He sighed; he hated the long wait for events to happen; it was one of the many annoyances of working for Intelligence.
"Then neither goes." Elena was not sending a child towards a damaging area. "That is final."
"You know," Constantine felt the urge to quip, "you're raising Cedric to be like yourself; all cold, hard, and pragmatic. Kind of how I used to be."
"What do you want me to risk him? I am not sending him to a dangerous situation because I care about him." Elena replied.
"Ah," spoke Constantine, "when I spoke about taking Healing Spore, I meant that I was going to take her instead of the kid."
"Fine take her." Elena said dodging traffic.
"Thank you!" shouted Constantine enthusiastically while Cedric scowled, and then said:
"You have a tendency to get your way, you know that?"
"Yes, yes I do," replied Constantine.