The Unveiling - Modern Magic: Book 1

Chapter 29

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Chapter 29 – Events Unfolding

By the beginning of the next week, national news agencies had grabbed hold of the story coming out of Boston. That helped with my grandfather and I watching. His television was considerably larger than my tablet. If someone told me that at age 22 I would be watching CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News almost religiously - I would have said they were insane. Reality seems to like bringing around the kind of events you would think would never happen.

On various news networks, analysts were arguing back and forth over the constitutionality of the proposed security protocols. There were more than a few experts brought on for different talk shows to give their opinions. More than once, Angelina was featured as an 'inside source' to Governor Andrews's administration and his plans for the future. She played her part flawlessly. She was just evasive enough to avoid getting caught in a corner, but she obviously planned each dropped breadcrumb for the reporters and anchors to eagerly devour. These interviews usually ended with the same result - the pundits concluding that there was too little information available on the proposed plan, and we would simply have to wait and see how it was implemented.

I hated that idea. Part of me was hopeful that someone could find a clear violation of the U.S. Constitution and shoot it down before it was ever put in place. Probably the hardest lack of information was the timeline for implementing these protocols. Was it next week? Next month? Next year? Angelina cleverly avoided specifics, always saying "We're taking all the steps needed to make sure the implementation is smooth and the measures are reliable. What good are security protocols that don't keep us safe?" Angelina had shown immense patience with her implementation of her first steps of this plan.

That could mean that this next step could take time, but it could also just be another step in the plan already in place. Was she more likely to wait out the news cycle by letting them get bored with the exclusive? I could see her waiting for that perfect moment when some scandal elsewhere in the country drew the media's attention. I could also see her already in motion, the security measures already mostly ready for implementation in the next week or two.

I spent my free time outside of work agonizing over that as well as wondering what sort of form this new security protocol would take. Fingerprint and retinal scans wouldn't determine the difference between Magi and Human. Obviously a metal detector would never be sufficient. I found it extremely unlikely that they would have been able to fashion some sort of energy detection equipment that would pick up magical energies. Although I had to recognize that as a possibility since James did tell Angelina about sensing other Magi back when she still had him brainwashed by her lies.

This was how many days went. By the end of July, the news had all but forgotten the promise and intention of the Governor of Massachusetts to throw the rights of American citizens out the window. There was a tornado that hit a couple of towns in Illinois and Indiana, and then another celebrity was hacked - nude photos were spread all over the internet. Who could compete with that? It's odd. As a child, you quickly learn that simply sitting still isn't enough to make someone forget you're about to jump out and scare them, but that plan works perfectly on the news media.

By mid-August, I couldn't find any news station even mentioning the announcement from a month ago. I was a little surprised at how on-edge I was from this. I kept up with my work at the Marina - which was fairly easy as the customers were beginning to slow with the closing of the season. I still helped my grandfather around the house, but I could feel the effect the stress was having on me. Sleeping was getting difficult. I would stay up, staring at the ceiling as my mind whirled, asking a dozen questions I had no answers to.

One morning in late August, after nowhere near enough sleep, I woke up to my cell phone vibrate from an incoming text. I rubbed my eyes, groaning, but eventually I was able to focus enough to read the message. Once I could actually read the text on the screen, I bolted upright and practically ran downstairs from my room. I heard a rustle from my grandfather's room. I probably woke him up with all the noise I was making. I turned on the TV as soon as I found the remote, switching it to CNN. Once again, I was forced to be a spectator to events happening back home.

A reporter was talking to the camera. Behind her were three lines of people waiting to go into the Boston City Hall. Each line seemed to be roped off from the others, guiding the city employees to different stations. One looked simply like a place to fill out a form - revised background check, maybe? Behind that was a machine that looked a lot like what you would see on an episode of CSI, just smaller. The thing that drew my attention more was the scattered guards all around the employees. They were dressed in black tactical gear. I didn't know if they were officially SWAT members, but they certainly looked the part.

More than one employee was looking at the guards nervously. I wouldn't assume that meant they were guilty of anything. This would have been unnerving to anyone in that situation. The anchor was discussing the lack of warning in the implementation of these new checkpoints. So, no one was warned ahead of time that this would be part of their new morning routine. I checked my phone. Sure enough, 5:15am my time was 8:15am in Boston. I doubt anyone would be scolded for walking in late to work that day.

The reporter had started going over information from a packet of papers in her hand. She was reminding viewers of the promise made by Governor Andrews over a month ago. I had no need for the reminder - it was on my mind every day, so I watched the lines as they slowly moved up. The reporter was interrupted when one of the machines suddenly lit a red light. Within a second, four guards had closed around the man standing in front of it. The technician running the machine had been grabbed and moved out of the way. The rest of the people in the lines either began to back up or froze in surprise - the man included.

The reporter was no longer in frame as the camera man was trying to focus in on the man with the guards around him. Voices were yelling for him to not move and to put his hands up. He complied, looking stunned and scared. He looked between two of the guards in front of him, making his face swing across the camera. As one guard closed in on him, coldly talking "You're being detained for questioning in connection with Terrorist activities. Do not move until you are told." The man's face flashed even deeper fear. I didn't recognize him, but as he was looking back and forth, his dark brown, maybe black, eyes suddenly flared brilliant red-orange.

"No don't!" I yelled, even though I knew there was no way in the world he could hear me. I couldn't stand being powerless as I watched the two guards in front of the man fly backward from twin kinetic bolts. The camera shook, probably from surprise or some indecision as to whether to focus on the flying guards or the man responsible. The crowd of employees in the line scattered. Half simply ducked down, covering their heads while others tried to run. The two guards behind the man began yelling as other guards raised their weapons and charged at him. In between running people, I could see the man turning to face the other two guards. Before he could finish turning, three gunshots sounded, making the remaining people hit the ground in fear.

I had never felt anything more dreadful than the silence after a gunshot. Even the cries of fear had paused. After what must have only been a few seconds, but felt like an eternity, a guard called out. "Threat down!" I turned my head from the screen, gritting my teeth. Alistair was standing beside me. His eyes were locked on the TV, his hands in tight fists at his sides.

"How could they?" Even as he voiced the question, I found I had been asking that in my head too. How could this happen? How was this allowed to happen? I looked back at the screen as guards were ushering people away from where the body must be. No view of the man was seen again, but I assumed that was for the best. Or maybe not. Maybe it would have been good to show the world that a human life had been taken for no good reason - just fear. The worst part of everything was that I knew - without any doubt - this was only the beginning.