Chapter 46: Darkness Before Dawn

New York City at night is really a nice sight. The lights, the life of the city, the hum of its people coming and going, I couldn't think of anywhere better.

Home, of course, was better.

Getting home and having my whole family together was my next goal. It was simple, very realistic and so much needed.

However, the city that never sleeps was waking up from a nap. As it were.

People were out on the streets. They talked. They cried and questioned. The topic of conversation: What was Master PC?

Of course, with the server down, the program wouldn't work. Attempts to log on only resulted in a message that the server was unreachable. I had tried it already to confirm what Fiona had said.

Fiona slept. She would have a nice dreamless sleep for the rest of the night. As for the soldiers she and I had hurt, I had healed their wounds and left them to wake when they were ready. I never did find Conway or Ellison. Maybe they ran when they realized what might happen. Couldn't blame them, but they still posed a threat that I might have to face some time in the future.

At the moment, I wasn't worried about them. I was having a nice stroll through the city streets, watching the denizens pose their questions, hearing radios blaring warnings and watching televisions flash news scenes of the phenomenon that had not only affected the city but apparently the whole of the planet.

As I passed one shop, some of the people stopped me to ask if I had passed out. I just shook my head and continued walking. I didn't want to answer any questions just then. I just wanted to get to my girls.

Cars began buzzing the streets. Cabs passed by and I finally waved one down. After telling the driver where I wanted to go, he talked none stop about what had happened to him and everyone he had already talked to. I just sat quietly, taking in his words, but not really hearing him.

When I arrived at the motel where Charlotte and Chloe were staying, I realized that I didn't have my wallet. I asked the cabbie to wait for payment and turned to find Chloe bounding toward me.

"Master!" she cried with glee as she jumped into my arms. I giggled with her and hugged her tight. After a quick kiss I asked her to pay the cabbie. She had to pull her credit card out of one of the cups of her dress. The cabbie didn't mind at all.

After he left, we went inside. Charlotte was fuming at her computer. When she saw me she asked, "Ral, what the hell is going on? I can't log back into Master PC."

I sat down on the bed and Chloe happily sat on my lap. I held her to me as I answered Charlotte. "That's because the server was fried. There won't be a Master PC anymore."

I'd like to say that Charlotte's expression was priceless, but she was too upset by the news.

Turned out she only felt special because she had access to the program. Even though I had made her immune to its effects, she knew the power the program had possessed and felt diminished by the news.

I called her to me and consoled her. The thought crossed my mind that I might be able to endow her with the same ability as myself to modify people without the computer, but I let the idea go. One person with that power was already too much.

Sally called the room. I answered and confirmed everything was okay. She wanted details and I started to tell her, but then I realized that I would end up retelling what had happened with each group of my girls that I met. There was also the thought that I might have to answer others too.

The Mind Magi Council would want to know what had happened, especially with the death of Lord Morehouse. With the world aware that they had been under the influence of a computer program, investigations would spring up to find out how it had been possible. Inevitably, those investigations would lead to the discovery of the Mind Magi.

Sally called my name for the umpteenth time. I finally told her that we would talk later and I hung up.

Charlotte and Chloe started asking what was wrong when I turned on the television in the room and began flipping through the channels. I told them that I had to find someone. I felt their confusion but knew the answers to their questions would be met if they just paid attention. None of my girls were without intelligence.

Then I found her. Linda Penn was giving a short report on a local problem as a result of the short term control Master PC had exhibited over everyone.

I dialed information on the phone and was transferred to Linda's news station. After a short wait, I asked to speak with Linda. Of course, I was told that she was in the field and unreachable. I told the nice lady to call Linda and have her call me at the motel. Of course, I pushed her to follow through.

Linda called about ten minutes later.

"Mr. Setton?"

"Yes, Linda?"

"Yes. I was told to call you. I'm kind of busy at the moment, I have another report I have to make..."

I interrupted her. "Cancel it. I have an exclusive for you that will explain everything that has happened."

For a few heartbeats, there was silence. Then she came back softly. "Are you saying ... more of your kind had something to do with this?"

"Yes."

"Is that for the record?"

"Yes."

"Holy cow! My boss won't believe any of it. I'm still having problems getting my head wrapped around it."

"I know. That's why I'm going to let you interview me live."

"Live? But, how are you ... you know ... gonna prove you can do what you do?"

I smiled. "I can do a lot more than just heal wounds Ms. Penn. So, I'm not going to ask anyone to get shot."

"Okay, that's good to know. It's still going to take some effort to convince my boss though. He may not even allow me to do the interview. He might think it too important for someone as inexperienced as me."

"Tell him I said you do the interview or I won't talk."

"Oh, that's all?" I could hear the sarcasm. "Okay. I'll tell him. Where do I meet you if he says okay?"

I gave her the address of the motel. "I'll be out front."

After I hung up Charlotte asked, "What are you going to tell her?"

I reached up and stroked her cheek. "Everything."

Charlotte and Chloe just looked at one another in response. While they puzzled over the truth of that, I went to the bathroom for a quick shower.

When the news van arrived, I realized that other news networks must have gotten wind of what was going on. Linda and her cameraman led what looked like half a dozen different reporters.

Linda wasn't sure what to ask. For that matter, I'm not sure I would have known what to say, but the first words out of my mouth were, "What you're about to see are not tricks of photography or special effects. These are not prepared stunts or any kind of hoax."

With that I turned and went to a nearby parking pole. You've seen them. Short steel poles buried several feet into the ground to keep drivers from running through the buildings with their vehicles.

The cameras followed me as I grabbed one of the parking poles and simply pulled it up out of the ground. Concrete was still attached as was a good amount of earth.

Settling the pole on my shoulder, like a sack of potatoes, I walked back to the cameras. "Linda, could you confirm for me that this is not some trick. Tell them what this is."

I set the pole on the ground and it cracked the pavement of the parking area.

Linda walked up to me and ran her hand over the metal. To the camera she said, "It feels like solid steel." She even attempted to rap on it with her knuckles but there wasn't a loud enough sound for the cameras to pick up.

I laid the pole over on the ground and said, "Try to just roll it."

Linda handed me her microphone and bent to the task. She could barely get it to roll back and forth much less get anywhere.

I handed back the microphone and picked up the pole.

All of the lights and vans had drawn the attention of some of the other people in the motel. Several were standing outside their rooms watching. I held my hand out to them. "Does anyone want a new car?"