Anthem's Fall

Chapter Fifty Six

"Please let me speak. After I have said my part, if you still wish to disregard my warning, I'll let you go without argument. I already told you that I mean you no harm." Vengelis slowly released his grip on her arm, and when she did not run, he took a step back.

Madison massaged her knuckles over her shoulder. "Okay. Tell me."

"My name is Vengelis Epsilon, and I am here for a very specific purpose. That purpose will include the maiming of the city my men have now reached. I do not relish in its torment, it is a necessary means toward the end I require."

Madison stared at him.

"Hopefully it ends there," Vengelis said, and decided some exaggeration might help his cause. "If after witnessing our power in Chicago, your people are still not convinced of our superiority, if they still refuse to aid me in my purpose, it is likely I will be forced to hurt New York as well, along with as many other cities as will be necessary in order to gain submission."

Madison continued to stare blankly for a long moment before her mouth turned upward and she laughed aloud. "Why would you want to do that?"

"That is . . . rather complex. But where my personal errand affects you is in the potential harming of New York." Vengelis looked up past the hanging traffic lights to the tall glass windows that loomed far overhead.

"This is either a very bizarre prank or you're a complete lunatic," Madison said with a nervous laugh.

"Far from it, I assure you I am quite lucid. You need only ask me to prove my words."

"Prove what? That you aren't insane?"

"No," Vengelis said. "That I'm not human."

Madison's laughter died. "Okay, man," she said, her tone sober. "You did help me back there, and I appreciate it. And you are intriguing in a weird sort of way. But I don't have the time to deal with someone who is mentally unstable. If you are sane, and this is some weird joke, then you really need to find something better to do with your time. Please just walk away and leave me alone."

Vengelis sighed regretfully.

"Sorry, Vengelis, although I'm sure it's really Eric or Dan or something. I'm leaving."

"You'll regret this choice. That is a promise. Within the hour, your civilization will never be the same. This society will collapse around you. You will be stuck here, unable to get out, with the remembrance that you were warned and did not listen."

"For god's sake!" Madison shrugged in exasperation. Once more she looked down and embraced his armor. He guessed that his appearance added some credibility to his strange story. A simple action would add quite a bit more, but he awaited her.

"Fine," she said at last. "I'll play along a little while longer. Do it. Whatever you can prove, prove it right now."

"Okay, but I'm unfamiliar with the limitations of the human form. Ask me to do something a human couldn't do."

Madison cast him a skeptical and anxious smirk, then turned to look around the intersection. Cars and taxis beeped and brakes squealed through the busy street. Congested groups of people moved past them along the pavement, entering and exiting the nearby restaurants and stores.

"Okay, Vengelis Epsilon," Madison said. "Go and stop one of those cars with your bare hands. Weirdo."

Vengelis wondered how fast the authorities or governmental powers would react to the assault of this city of Chicago. He did not want to provide any window of time by which the scientists could evacuate his vicinity. "I'll need a promise from you first. Well, two promises actually."