Chapter 63

City Hall, an hour later ... Hermiston, Province of Oregon, Commonwealth of Haven

“So, is that going to be a normal fate for those who oppose you?” Keaton asked me now.

After all, he and the others watched the resurrected, undead body of Anthony Billey walk around ... and recalled that I didn’t revive Wilhelmina Halleck. The difference was striking. The point, of course, was that I had the right and authority to do with the dead as I deemed fit. Some I would bring back to life as undead retainers and such. Others I would leave to their natural fate. I had shown both fates now to the local citizenry. They would know that I kept my own counsel and made my own decisions which way to go.

“Well now, my friend, I can’t allow someone who was just under temporary arrest long enough to escort her home to start attacking my guards. That’s why she died and wasn’t revived. An attack on me is one thing. I am immune from such harm. An attack on my guards could leave widows and orphans. Unless they’re undead, of course. That’s quite unacceptable.

“Still stupid if you attack the undead, anyway, though they can’t be destroyed. I’m not keen on the example set by those who assault my troops. That’s a direct challenge to me and my authority. That’s rebellion. Treason,” I pointed out now, “by the way, Mayor Billey is now Private Billey in the Undead Guard. Congratulations, Private Billey. Take him somewhere and induct him formally into our ranks, Nydia.”

Nydia, wearing only boots, of course, eagerly led Private Billey to the right spot to be formally sworn into the ranks of the Undead Guard, my elite vanguard of resurrected soldiers. Their loyalty was absolute, and it didn’t hurt that I gave them new bodies of far greater quality and vitality, or that I fucked them all whenever it suited me. Their sexual appetites were all very high, of course, as was their bloodlust when it came to battle. They were fearless and invincible, and to prove that point, they often took to combat in the nude ... or wearing body paint at times.

“And there is your portrait, my love, going up in all offices,” Cherry noted as I slid in out of Serena Moon’s twat in front of the press, politicians, and public.

“So, I see. That and the raising of the Havenite flag above town square ... all clear signs that this city is now firmly mine. And something similar is going down in Juneau, Alaska, I hear. Well, well. This is quite the future, isn’t it? This is a clean slate, a fresh start, a new beginning, folks. As a clear example of this ... I’m fucking Serena here in broad daylight, in front of everyone present. I’m about to put a baby in her, just as Paul is fucking Shelby.

“None of you have to wear any clothes at all. That’s entirely optional now. There’s no longer any such thing as indecency or lewdness statutes whatsoever. The dress code throughout this great Commonwealth is literally ‘anything goes.’ Well, unless you need to wear a uniform or something like that,” I smiled at everyone in my presence.