Extraordinary Mistakes II - Blood Ties

We've lied, cheated and manipulated you all

December 2028

When Mark Parker and Rebecca Lewis left their house that early morning, they knew they weren't coming back. Still, they acted toward Katryn, their fateful housekeeper of years, and everyone else, including Mary and Thomas, their most trusted friends, as if they were going to South America to attend the fundraiser they organized.

Truthfully, their flight was headed there, only as a means of distraction for another flight to take them to Eurasia. This one with fake identities. It was all set.

They boarded the commercial flight in Chile, sat on their economy seats, and turned off their phones for take-off. It was mid-flight when their video started going around the United States of America.

"Hello, my name is Mark Parker," the video plays on every channel and social media, with automatic subtitles and a human figure translating it to sign language.

"And I'm Rebecca Lewis. You may recognize us from the videos we made a few weeks ago, begging the terrorist movement to set our daughter, Abigail, free."

"We are also known for our charity work, especially when it concerns deviants." Mark smiles.

"But what you may not know is that for the past 25 years now, we have lied, cheated, and manipulated you all. Our fellow citizens." Rebecca faces the camera.

"We have backed up politicians through illegal means. Spread misinformation online. Paid for smear campaigns. The goal was to elect representatives, including the president, who truly cared about deviants' interests."

"We knew the change we needed for our daughter would not be achieved in her lifetime unless we acted. Lobbying legally would've taken too long. Change rarely comes willingly."

"The same techniques are now being used on the other side. In November, a record of anti-deviant representatives were elected. You may think 'this is my will, this is what I want', but we can assure you that you have been played into wanting it. We'd know. We have done the playing before."

"And in the process, we were played ourselves!" Rebecca looks at Mark. He nods, and she continues. "The Institute received through our foundation millions every year. We thought that it was used there. But as it turns out, it wasn't."

"It was used in a secret lab that abducts deviants, some as young as four years old. A lab that tortures them. A lab that develops weapons to use against deviants. The ones used during the Institute massacre. Which was an inside job." Mark shakes his head.

"Exactly. We believe that the assassination of the President on the Day of Peace was an inside job as well. Done by the same people."

"Now you may think, 'why would I care that some rich folk's money is being used to torture deviants? I'm human and deviants shouldn't exist?' The point is exactly that. This division is a distraction. The lack of empathy for your fellow citizens, just because they have a gene, has been orchestrated."

"They are playing all of you. No decision is truly yours, truly democratic. And if this doesn't scare you, if it doesn't tell you what will come for you soon enough when deviants aren't around anymore. It should."

"Let's name the names, so you can kick them out of their power. Who's behind all of this, Rebecca?"

"The newly reelected POTUS!" Her voice doesn't shake.

"The president of the Institute!" Mark smiles.

"Emily Roberts's parents!" Rebecca remembers all the moments they shared.

"The owners of Ortiz Hotels!"

"Saif Ahktar and Edward Hall!"

"Trust nothing that comes from them. That's our advice."