Starfire Insurrection

Chapter 7 - Ultimatum

With tense anticipation, ready for anything, Holly prepared for what rounded the corner. To her great relief, her mom and dad came around the corner. "I was just trying to call you two!" said Dad. "There has been some major breach at an airforce base in Washington DC. Planes were burning on the tarmac, and vehicles were destroyed. They couldn't even get footage of what did it!" he said excitedly. Cyrus Kimberley and Holly looked at each other nervously. Cyrus took the initiative. "Dad. I have some very bad news. His smile dropped instantly seeing their faces." "What happened," he said now in a serious tone. Cyrus took a deep breath. "We were the ones that broke into the base Dad," he said.

Dad looked at them for a moment in shock before he recovered. "You can't have done all that?" he said with a chuckle that turned nervous at the end. "They were tormenting Holly in her mind, Dad. They took Uncle Tony's AURORA tech and rigged it into a transmitter to hack into her dreams. They got so bad she hasn't slept in two and a half days." Dad looked at Holly, "Is this true Holly?" He asked with a serious tone. Holly was now starting to look and feel more tired than she had ever been in her life. She was beginning to fade now that the adrenaline had worn off. Holly looked at Roy wearily and said, "It's true," with a whisper. Then remembering the bad news she spoke up more boldly. "We destroyed the transmitter but there are more out there we found out. They will just make more and already have others. We will have to find another way to block their probing."

Dad now looked worried too. "How did you even know where to find it?!" he asked incredulously. Holly answered. "Caius helped us find its location with his alien lab tech. We have to leave though." Holly said with some urgency. "Earth is no longer safe for us, not while the Star Watch program is running the show down here anyway." Tony now entering the room said, "I'm afraid Holly is correct. We have no choice. I knew this was inevitable when they discovered my lab, it's not your fault kids. I brought this upon us." Holly spoke up vehemently, "That's not true Uncle Tony!" she said fiercely. Dad stepped in, "We will deal with this like anything else. As a family," he said putting a hand on Tony's shoulder as Tony gave Dad a grateful look.

They packed everything essential in haste. Just as they were about ready to leave Holly looked out the front window to see a line of government vehicles pulling up their long driveway. "Star Watch is here Tony!" Holly said. "We have to go now!" Mom, Dad, Tony, Kimberley, and Cyrus all warped out with the aid of Holly taking refuge on Paragosis.

They returned as soon as they could to get Kimberley's family. Kimberley had called her parents and Holly got them off-planet, but Anna May and Travis had gone out to eat in town. By the time they got into town, they were gone. They asked around at the bakery they went to, and the owner told them the feds took them about two hours ago. Kimberley looked desperate. Cyrus tried to reassure her. Taking her hand Holly said with a fire that burned in her soul. "I will find them! I will not let anything happen to them!"

As Cyrus and Holly began talking about where they could have been taken to the owner came back out to them looking very confused. He said, "I just received a call from someone who says he wants to talk to a Holly White, is that you?" Holly nodded grimly. As he handed Holly the phone Holly saw the screen. It was a call from a blocked number.

"Holly this is Pierce Donovan," Holly tapped the speakerphone so Kimberley and Cyrus could hear better as they were struggling to hear. He continued "I know you know who I am." "What do you want Pierce," Holly said with a note of hostility. "Oh, nothing really," he said with spurious blasé. "I just need help from a member of our great country. Someone to step up and be a true patriot. This alien force presents a threat like we have never faced before. All we are asking is for your help to bring glory to your great nation. We are the ambassadors of our planet entrusted to safeguard her and her liberties in the interest of... "