The God Experiment

Chapter No.34. Crisis.

Chapter No.34. Crisis.

Surprisingly, there was no uproar, at least not at first. Something else was about to happen that would distract them, something that would put them directly in the limelight.

Janet was the first to note an impending disaster that showed up as news updates to her phone. She turned on the TV to see the major news organizations reporting on it.

"Hey!" she cried. "There has been an earthquake in Chile that has affected Santiago."

Robert and James gathered around the TV to see what was going on.

"That doesn't look good," Robert said. "Several buildings have collapsed trapping people."

"Looks like they need superhero help," James said, holding his hand up.

"Yep!" Robert exclaimed, slapping his son's hand.

They appeared in the sky above Santiago, the most populous city in Chile. The sky was a perfect deep blue with no clouds. Down below they could see the chaos that was erupting. The sounds of emergency vehicle sirens wailed among a cacophony of sounds of people crying out in agony.

The superheroes, in their full regalia but without the shields, landed near a collapsed building that had held many apartments. People were running around in unsuccessful attempts to get at people trapped in the debris. When they saw the superheroes, they stood gawking at them  in silence.

"Ok," Robert said, looking at his wife. "James and I will lift the blocks of cement while you get in there and drag the victims out."

Janet nodded. Robert and his son lifted ton sized cement fragments as if it didn't weigh anything. Janet ducked to go under the uplifted cement block and began dragging victims out from under it. The spectators just watched them do their thing.

After they had dragged several dozen people out from under the collapsed building, they went to work repairing their wounds and resurrecting those that had perished. When the spectators and the emergency crews realized what they were doing, they cheered.

When the superheroes moved to another collapsed building to repeat their amazing miracles, spectators and the press followed them to watch and record what they were doing, and when they had done as much as what was possible, the superheroes flew away.

Of course, the videos and photos splashed all over the internet and newscasts. But that wasn't why the governments of the world were concerned. They viewed this new element of the global power structure as a threat to their dominion over the masses, and the fact that these supposed superheroes were obviously Americans, the imagined thereat became more viable.

The Steris family could sense this growing angst about them. It was time to calm things down before it got out of hand.

The superheroes appeared in the Oval Office, startling the president and his Defense secretary.

"I think it would be wise to have me calm down the concerns that we have generated."

"I'm not sure if that would deescalate this situation," President Hollis said.

"I think what I'm about to say will do that, sir."

The President and Defense secretary exchanged glances before the President turned back to Robert. "I'm going to give you the benefit of doubt here because of your saving my grandchildren. I only hope that what you say won't cause a world crisis."

"I hope so too, sir, but I can assure you that what I do say is the truth, so help me God."

The President picked up his situation phone and told someone to prepare the media room for an address."