"I hate to play a broken record, but we really should skedaddle," Veta says. "If we're going to have any chance of escaping before—"
"Do you ever shut up, you infernal hag?" Grandma nearly shouts.
At this, Veta drops her smile. "You know, grumpy Granny, this has all been well and good, but I can bust free from these dead drearies whenever I please. I'm only staying put as a show of faith, so don't make that good will run out."
"Oh, I'd like nothing more than a reason for De Milo to take a chunk out of your—"
"Quiet, please, both of you," Travis says as Victon reappears on the screen, continuing his speech.
"I'd also like to announce a new feature of the URP, one that many feel is far overdue. I stand on a platform of Powered Regulation—it is what I built my legal and political careers on, and ultimately what got me elected your president. As a man, a judge, and a mayor, I have always stood for punishing abhorrent acts of Powered abuse. And now as your president, I plan to do the same on a national level. To set a standard for us all."
"Which is why I've assembled a special tribunal to single out extreme acts of Powered abuse to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. I do this to send a message to the American people and the entire world that such abuse will not be tolerated."
"This special tribunal has been given authority to name the most egregious Powered offenders whose crimes have been the most heinous and, in many cases, whom they feel still pose a clear and present danger to America. This tribunal has thereby sanctioned the death penalty in these special cases."
Hearing this, Travis stomach drops and his limbs go numb.
His first thought is how the heck could Victon get away with something like this? Just how untouchable has Victon made the Unique Regulation Program and The American Protectors, establishing both so quickly and absolutely? Surely the other branches of government, especially the DRPR, must have something to say about this. Why are they just standing by as President Victon amasses this unprecedented executive power?
Then again, it has been proven time and time again throughout history that if he gets a population frightened enough, they'll accept anything. even something as simple as airport security forces everyone to give up all personal freedoms in the name of safety, without thinking twice.
And after Veta's Death Wave, Phobus's reign of terror, The Crush coma incident, The Hero Project Finale and the rising tide of anti-Powered sentiment, America is most certainly afraid.
Which means it looks like in the coming months, they're all going to have to choose what is more valuable to them—freedom or security. If everyone is allowed to do what they want and live totally free, that leaves little space for security. On the other hand, a society can live completely securely if every aspect of life is checked and regulated, but that leaves no room for freedom.
America has always been about balancing freedom and security, but right now the scales seem to be tipping.
That thought—and every other thought—washes away as President Victon posts the special tribunal's execution list.
The first name he see is The Crush, which doesn't necessarily come as a big surprise. The Crush has served as President Victon's scapegoat for months now; whether he truly deserves this after all he has done is a question for another time.
Because Travis has got one thought racing through his mind as he scroll through the short list. He just prays he don't find…
But then he see it, the last two names on the list.
The Sound and The Fury.
And he whimpered out loud.
Beside him, Grandma screams, rustling all of the indoor plants into a frenzy.
This can't… It couldn't…
Victon has gone too far, this time.
"D*mn it! I'm going to kill him!" Travis screams. He doesn't care what it takes, revenge will be his priority above all else.
"It troubles me greatly to live in an age where such decisions are necessary, but I have always believed in zero tolerance for Powered abuse," President Victon finishes. "Which is why these executions are set to begin Sunday night."
Once again, Travis freeze. That's just two days from now.
Hearing this, an eerie sense of calm washes over him. Because now nothing else matters besides finding a way to save his parents. Fast.
Just as he thinks this, he feels a hand on his shoulder.
"We're going to bring that Sh*t head down," Veta says, standing beside Travis. "I promise you that."
This time Travis and Grandma don't argue. They don't even wonder how Veta managed to free herself from Grandma's vines and De Milo's watch. Five minutes ago, Travis could never have imagined a world where he worked with Veta to achieve anything…
But it seems he just stepped into that world.
So for the moment, he let Veta stand beside him.
Though he quickly realized that might not be the smartest move as he spot a camera orb hanging outside the nearest window…
Right in front of a full SWAT team.
"Well, I hate to say it, but…" Veta starts, stepping away from the window. "I told you so."
Someone's head is going to roll.
It's the thought that rises above all the questions piling up: how did the police know to come to this DRPR safe house? Is there a leak at the DRPR? If so, Jenny won't be pleased…speaking of whom, where is Jenny? And why are the police here now—shouldn't he have a day to appear for his IRP summons? Did President Victon authorize this? Or did the police somehow follow Veta here? Is that why she kept saying they had to get going?
The simple answer to all of these questions remains, heads rolling.
He just hope one of them won't be his.
"Travis Fade, you are hereby called to report, with escort, to the Unique Regulation Center," a voice crackles over a loudspeaker from outside. "Additionally, it appears you are harboring a dangerous fugitive. We have the house completely surrounded. If you surrender peacefully and hand over Veta, your compliance will be noted. But know that resistance is futile."
Like hell it is, Travis think.
Still, the decisions he's going to have to make in the next few minutes are going to be vital. President Victon's announcement about his parents and the arrival of the police changes everything. He wishes he had more time to make a real plan, but time is a luxury he can't afford right now.
Because everything that matters in his life is at risk, in this moment.
So he mentally flip on the H-Chip Warning System.
"Two thangs, babydoll," H-Chip Aphrodite starts. "I'm picking up signals that those po-po aren't here to work with you, no matter what they say. And I don't have to tell you not to trust the psycho girl on your right. Now get to work, work!"
He can already tell how he respond here will redefine what it means for him to be lawful or lawless. Actually, rebelling against the police could be the most lawful thing he do, considering how corrupt President Victon's laws have become.
Not only that, he's going to have to decide what's more important to him, the security of saving your parents as swiftly as possible, or the freedom to stand up for what he believe in?
"So, chicken," Veta whispers. "What's it going to be?"
He stands here, with his arch-enemy at his side, and knows that what he choose to do now will translate into a message seen by the entire nation.
He find the nearest camera orb hovering just outside the window and look directly into it.
"President Victon and the government want to persecute Unique Powereds?" Travis say. "Well, F**k him."
That's all he needs to say, especially since he's standing right next to Veta, a sight that will most definitely strike fear into his enemies.
"Veta, you're the war expert here," Travis say. He knows that Veta has the Power to generate any wartime technology she can imagine, as well as to create movement-based shields—not to mention her skills as a world class gymnast and fighter. "Show me what you got?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Veta says, turning towards the nearest window. "To me, my pets."
As soon as Veta finishes speaking, Travis spots red lights blinking all around, outside of the lake house. One glance at a sleek metal tentacle tells him all he needs to know.
Pool killers.
He has been on the receiving end of Veta's deadly pool-cleaner robots more than he'd ever like. And he doesn't even want to know how Veta managed to stash this many around the safe house. All he's thinking right now is that it's nice to have them on his side, for a change.
Within seconds, there's complete chaos. As the fleet of pool killers activates and attacks, the police respond with a barrage of gunfire and laser blasts. Travis jump to cover Grandma, but she has already ducked under the protection of some genetically-reinforced indoor azalea bushes.
Veta cartwheels across the living room, generating shields with every turn of her limbs and deflecting stray bullets and laser charges. She settles next to Travis and Grandma.
"That should buy us five minutes, at best," Veta starts. "And we just put on a nice little show, but we have to go. This is not a fight we can win."
That thought makes Travis furious, but he know it's true. Even if they managed to somehow take down the police here right now, there would be more on the way very soon. And the army of Grandma, Veta, and a Powerless Gravitate wouldn't exactly stand a chance against that.
"What?" Grandma shouts, unable to hear over the din of robotic screeching and police screaming. Travis asked her to get a hearing aid application for her H-Chip about a thousand times…
"We need to use the pea shoot," Travis shout into Grandma's ear.
Hearing this, Grandma grabs Travis hand and moves.
"What the hell is a pea shoot?" Veta asks, running after them.
They find themself rocketing through a moss-lined tube slide, one that winds underground to a secret garage across the lake. Jenny told Travis about the safe house's secret exit hatch the day they moved in, but it was Grandma's idea to grow slick moss throughout the tube for extra speed. It was also her idea to call it the pea shoot, naturally.
Too bad Grandma didn't account for the slime factor, Travis thinks as he feels the wind boosters ease up, dropping him safely on his feet inside the garage. He then steps aside as Grandma follows behind, her hair covered in a mossy mess. Veta drops in last, sneezing uncontrollably as she shakes off the greenery.
"We have to get out of here before the police find this place. Or they hear Veta's sneezing fit," Travis say, stepping towards the hovercar parked in the garage.
Hovercar traffic is mostly restricted in the city, but hovercars are much more necessary out here in the countryside. He hasn't driven one since his driver's test, but the DRPR sprung for a Puksta x900, the latest eco-luxury model with fully equipped H-Chip autopilot compatibility. He missed real flying more than he can stand, so maybe taking this baby for a spin will be just what—
"Oh, heavens no," Grandma says, grabbing hold of the driver door. "I may be able to stomach the occasional home invasion, but letting you drive will cause a stress my old frame won't survive."
"I…" Veta tries to start, but is interrupted by a sneeze. "I concur. I watched young Travis's driver's test way back when. Simply dreadful."
Travis is about to protest, but he's distracted by the squadron of police he suddenly spot outside the garage window, all wearing PowerBreaker Battlesuits. What the hell? He thought the DRPR banned those models back during the—
Snap out of it, Travis screams at himself, that doesn't matter. Because hd have about five seconds before the squadron realizes he's here and all slugger breaks loose.
He pointed out the window and brought a finger to his lips, sizing up the PowerBreaker Battlesuits. They're made of energy-resistant metal and have limbs reinforced with strength coils and agility-enhancing springs, not to mention a full array of plasma-powered weapons. He can probably add the BattleSuit's comeback to the list of things to thank President Victon for.
"You do not want to engage those boogers directly," H-Chip Aphrodite says, operating on auto Warning System protocols. "Those Battlesuits are brutal, but they do have two soft spots: the compartment seams leave their squishy parts open to small projectiles. And then there are the volatile plasma packs, but those are heavily shielded from the outside."