DLM, Bk 6, Prologue

• AN: Well, as promised, we go into Don't Label me, Book 6 - Machina. The first, proper chapter will (hopefully) release tomorrow

Letting out a content sigh, I let myself relax into Sophia's embrace. If there was one place I could relax and be content, it was in her arms and I was enjoying that as much as possible, especially while the world around us was going to hell.

Because that was what it felt like, the two weeks since the Scourge had attacked and destroyed Accord Island had been a slow, yet unavoidable slide into some hellish realm as things around the world became a mess.

“How are things going?” Sophia quietly asked me, gently giving me a supportive squeeze.

“Messy, how else.” I admitted, wrangling my thoughts into order, “The whole world is a mess. Or maybe I should say, there are messes everywhere, not necessarily connected by anything but the fact that the Guild being gone let them bubble up.”

“Galatea and I did some checking and research, just to keep an eye on things, and in South America and North-Africa, criminal organisations have rapidly started to recruit Powered, whether they want to be recruited or not. And the horrible thing is, that is about the least problematic mess, Cartels and Terrorists forcing young Powered to join their causes.” I shook my head in disappointment.

“That’s not really new, is it?” Sophia asked, “Think about it, the Colours did very much the same, they were just sneaky and very underhanded about it.” she reminded me, managing to hit the problematic part at the same time. A matter of scale and bravado. There had always been criminals using Powered, hell, even I had played distraction for a Job once, but it had never been so blatant and out in the open.

“You are right.” I admitted, my smile wan and thoughts going to the rest of the world. In a lot of places, the reaction to the destruction of Accord Island was subdued, there were vigils but it was hard to assign blame and, maybe luckily, the destruction had happened after the vast majority of students had left for the summer, reducing the death-toll by an order of magnitude. Instead of tens of thousands dying, it had only been about five-thousand people, though that was only an estimation. It still left many people around the world reeling and in pain, but, again, trying to blame those who had died trying to defend their children and had died in the same flames was not something that could be done openly.

However, the goodwill for the dead did not mean that there was goodwill for the institution. No, the loss of the institution’s foundation and leadership meant that there were countless politicians, all around the world, who smelled blood in the water and like the sharks they were, they circled. I had covertly conversed with Mordred, who was still in New York, and we had discussed whether there was a way to re-establish leadership of the Guild in an attempt to keep things going.

Sadly, that was a mere pipe-dream, there had been interest in dismantling the Guild and folding all Powered into the various Powered Law-Enforcement organisations or turning them into villains. No more middle-ground, no more neutrality, nothing but goons of their Government. In that, there was an almost comical unity amongst politicians around the globe, the supposedly liberal nations hiding their greed under a veil of benevolence, while more authoritarian nations did not even bother with that. In either case, it came out to the same effect, the remains of the Guild were quickly folded into the national Powered organisations,

The horrible part was, those moves were painfully necessary in the aftermath of the resurgence of the Scourge. Their attack on Accord Island had only been the first of a series, with some fifty attacks happening in the following days, each individual attack small in scale but strong enough to devastate small communities all over the world, focused on Europe and America.

And if those attacks were not enough to turn my stomach, the reactions to them certainly managed to do so. The attacks in Europe, after the first two attacks, with two small towns turned into graveyards, had been met and stopped by a new multi-national organisation, the Golden Eagles, stepping up to defend the People, or so they said. The black eagle on the field of gold was their insignia, worn proudly and openly, while multiple politicians lauded them for their bravery, their willingness to step up in these trying times, calling on their colleagues to follow the road paved by those brave heroes. To follow their road, to put aside a few national differences and unite under a great, European Banner. Europa Magna, they wanted to call it, a united Europe to allow their ancient Culture to remain in the modern World.

While their initial calls had been met with skepticism, sometimes even scorn, I had a feeling that the seeds planted by Mrs. Greene over the last months would sprout in this climate of fear, with monsters appearing and devastating towns. The images of death and destruction were powerful, but the images of new Heroes, wearing their colours and insignia, standing ready to defend the People of different countries were even more so. For far too many, it was easy to imagine their own town being devastated and they wanted those new Knights, clad in black and gold, to step up and protect them. Fear, as always, was a great motivator to pull people together against an outside threat. I had no doubt her schemes would work and with the pall of Death lying over the Guild, what little influence I might have had in the past had evaporated. If I tried to speak out, I would only be called an agent of a failed system and asked about the thousands of dead on Accord Island and the damage done to the surrounding area.

“What are your plans now?” Sophia asked, knowing that I had been in multiple meetings with Mr. Acharya and that there had been plans made.

“The bait was energy, laced with nepotism and personal advantage. Nisha has been interested in developing advanced nuclear Power Plants and she is aware that I have access to something better. While I did not, and will not, offer the blueprints for those, I have offered to finance a combination-power-plant, using tidal and nuclear-power in concert to provide power and clean water to an impoverished area. It is one of the areas destroyed in the tsunami half a year ago, in the South-East. Once Nisha manages to complete her degree, there will be something in place for her, a position she can step into and use as a stepping stone for her future. In essence, I bought us a place here and bought myself time.” I explained, grateful to Galatea once more.

She was the major reason I had been able to take that step, the money funding the installation and my plans had been procured by her. She had been playing the money-markets for years, using concealed identities and she had never stopped, had even expanded her actions once we had access to the Guild-Network. Information was the name of the game there, knowing things before others knew them and acting on that information before others could. Galatea was a master at that, making almost obscene profit by investing in hundreds of companies all around the globe. If she consolidated her assets under one identity, she would easily be amongst the top one percent and while it took a lot of her assets to finance a power-plant, it was within the realm of possibility.

“I talked with Isleen, to make sure she knows I’m alright. She suggested laying low for a while, something about her dreams being in turmoil.” Sophia told me and I could only nod. If a precog, especially one with years of experience, told you that laying low was a good idea, it was certainly worthy of consideration.

“And I also decided to take my classes remotely, there are programs for that now. That way, I can stay with you, while still getting my degree, even if a part of me wonders whatever I’ll need that piece of paper in the future.” she added and gratitude flooded me, knowing that Sophia would be with me, every step of the way soothing my mind and souls, easing my worries.

“I am glad to have you.” I turned around in her arms, putting my arms around her.

“Things will get busy once we get to Kualan, because there is no way that I will not avenge my Mother. I do not quite know how, but I do know that I will destroy the Scourge and those who wield it.” I said, my voice filled with conviction as I promised the world that I would not let the Greene’s win. Even if their plans had worked horribly well so far. They would not win.

I just needed a bit of time and space to work and they would PAY!