Chapter 148: The meeting on the awakened.....2
There was a long pause as Sunshine waited for the first fool to raise their hand. If someone did, they would be the first ones to be thrown off the base.
Awakening was a game of chance; it was like an illness spread through the air which didn’t pick and choose its victims. Any of them could fall ill.
Anyone could awaken.
A murmur rippled through the hall, but no hand was raised. Molly Gadriel’s hand was raised but only half-way and secretly where it could not be seen.
None the less, Major Elio saw it and noted her. If he had a death note, she was on it.
Sunshine pressed on. "Tommy is not the only one and more are still awakening. So please adjust to the new normal and end the hysterics and division or else there will be consequences."
The shock was immediate. Gasps echoed, chairs scraped as people leaned towards one another in agitation. They gave each other suspicious looks, each wondering if his neighbor had awakened.
"Unbelievable." One man shouted. "You have been keeping such a huge secret from us?"
Warren stood up, sneering as he faced the crowd. "Didn’t you read the first rules? Everyone was told to keep it a secret if they awakened in order to protect themselves from those that would seek to use or harm them.
The rules have now changed because Tommy is a child, and he is confused. Now, we realize that for the children, keeping such a secret will leave them vulnerable and it will put everyone around them in danger.
Given the way some of you acted before even confirming if Tommy had awakened or not, are you surprised that the first rules called for secrecy on this matter?"
There were more murmurs. Some people looked down in shame but for others, more questions arose.
"Who are they?" Someone demanded. "Tell us their names, we deserve to know."
Hades’s chin lifted, his tone unyielding. "No. We will not expose them to condemnation. See what you did to Tommy? Instead of comforting that child you demanded that he be thrown off the base."
Dissatisfied murmurs rose, louder this time. It was then that Carson raised his hand while he stood. His chair scraped loudly against the floor, startling his sister. His face burned red, but his voice carried clear across the room. "My name is Carson...Carson Warnock. I am a superhuman."
Many froze. Silent in an instant. Anna’s breath caught in her throat, her hand shooting towards him, but Carson did not retreat.
Carson stood his ground. "I have healing abilities, how does that make me a danger to anyone here? I prefer to think that I am an asset to you and the base."
The room was stunned.
Eyes wide, words caught in the throat. Even Molly Gadriel faltered, her mouth opening and closing without a sound.
At one of the windows, Major Elio remained silent, his jaw tight. They would have to cut his secret out of him, he was not revealing shit_not tonight at least.
Sunshine nodded towards Carson. "People like him are important, they are going to protect our base better than guns can. A team has been put in place to help all those that awaken to have easy transitions. Classes for superhumans will start when the number increases."
"Again, adjust to the new normal or leave us. But you will still meet superhumans out there." Hades stated.
Sunshine stood up and Hades knew what she going to do as they had already discussed it. Both of them had come to the agreement that the awakened would only feel safe if they knew they had the backing of someone like them. Someone that understood them.
"I am not entirely human myself." She announced. "I am also an awakened and only my family has known about this secret. I have used my abilities outside when necessary. Any questions?"
Silence.
It was natural for the people to digest the news in silence. Most of the Quinns were also shocked and they looked at Hades and the children curiously. They could not believe that all of them had kept this secret tightly.
Rori poked Earl on his small ass. "You little traitor. I am your grandmother."
Earl grinned.
Then, questions.
"What kind of abilities do you have?"
Sunshine shook her head. "You will find out if you ever seen me in action."
Ursula jumped up. "Are you dangerous?"
Sunshine smiled. "To the wrong person, yes. For example, those seeking to create trouble on my base and mutated monsters."
"Why didn’t you share this with us?" Molly shouted.
Sunshine frowned. "As whom?" She sat down and scoffed, eyes on Molly. "Who are you to me that I should share my deepest secret with you? Is there anything I owe you?"
Molly clenched her hands. She thought Sunshine was deliberately embarrassing her.
"Do not over assume your importance." Lisha mumbled.
Her words spilled to the residents through the microphone in front of her.
Then, a voice came from someone unexpected.
"You should step down as base president,"
It was Lieutenant Joel Carmichael, one of the men that served with Carson as a secret service agent. He was a quiet man who had come to the base without family. He did not talk much, and he did not have many friends. He did join nightly patrols faithfully every day.
He stood up and faced Sunshine who took in his appearance. The man had a jaw like a brick and the sharp eyes of a bird of prey.
His words shocked the residents all over the base. Even baby Emmy stopped crying like she understood what was going on in that moment.
Someone actually dared to challenge the president of the base!!
Hades started to stand but Sunshine placed a hand on his thigh, forcing him to remain where he was. She slapped the table gently three times, encouraging the Quinns to remain calm. This was her fight, and she would handle it in her own way.
Joel meanwhile stepped forward, hand resting on the grip of his sidearm which he had carried with him into the meeting. "How can we trust you not to put the interests of your superhuman freak friends ahead of the rest of us, the ordinary people? For all we know, these awakenings are your work."
Hades laughed. "Are you insane? The awakenings are the work of the apocalypse. Last I checked, the apocalypse was not caused by my wife. Also, need I remind you that my wife and I own this base. Who do you think you are to ask her to step down?"
"You have been lying to us, and you continue lying to us." Joel shouted. "What right do you have to decide what happens to all of us? If we don’t want them here, we don’t want them and we have the right to decide this for ourselves. You are supporting the freaks because you are one of them, so you are already compromised."
Sunshine met his gaze. "You keep calling superhumans freaks. Who is more compromised than the other between the two of us?"
Joel’s hand twitched. "That is not your business anymore."
He drew the gun.