This was inspired by one of those to whom I owe the return of my self-confidence. Thank you for the inspiration and so much more.

“Of the People”

The image of a terrible, thirty foot tall holographic woman standing in place of the Statue of Liberty singed every corner of my mind. As smoke from the statue’s smoldering remains swirled about me, I got the feeling that this woman’s appearance meant bad news before she even spoke.

“She asked for you, sir,” said a junior agent next to me. I bit my lip, crossing my arms. Me? Why me?

After a deep breath, I shakily announced, “I’m Ewan Kelley. FBI.”

The hologram’s eyes focused on me. “I am Themis,” the masked woman said in return, “and I have a message to deliver.”

No one spoke.

“Ours is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Ours is a government of the corrupt.” She paused, as if to let her words sink into our heads. “For one year, my followers and I have attempted to make ourselves heard; we have been ignored. No longer will we lie in wait.”

Again, she paused, and my lungs ached with dread. Bad news, I thought, may have been the year’s biggest understatement.

Her voice rose with conviction. “All government officials have exactly two weeks to resign and make way for officials that the people believe in. Two weeks is all we shall allow, my friends. You have had a year. Should our demands be ignored…” She smiled a grim smile. “You will discover the consequences of ignoring us for so long.”

A high-pitched whining filled the air like an invisible swarm of mosquitoes. Marion, my partner, gasped. “Everyone, get down!” she screamed, jerking me down to the ground with her in a sweeping motion.

Behind us, the hologram gave way to an explosion that rocked the island. Heat waves rolled over us, licking at my neck as I tripped and hit my head on the ground. Pain erupted across my forehead, and I blacked out to the sounds of wailing sirens mingling with screams. I knew no more until the next day.

That was two weeks ago.

A tired yawn cracked my jaw as I shifted my feet, trying to stay alert at my post outside the Capitol building. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the deluded light in the recording’s gaze. I made a living off of reading criminals’ expressions, and I knew that this Themis would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Nothing. Even now, on the evening of the President’s first State of the Union address, I fully expected her to fulfill her veiled threat.

My watch dinged. It was seven o’clock, which meant it was time to check in with Marion. Pressing the ‘talk’ button on my earpiece, I murmured, “Marion, you see anything?” Static crackled in response. “Marion, do you copy?”

All I heard from her end was the sound of gunfire.

They were here.

“Marion! Marion, what’s your location?” I hissed, looking for a basement entrance. In my ear, a second gun briefly warred against the continuous stuttering of the first. Marion still didn’t answer me.

I punched the clearance code into the nearest door’s keypad with shaking fingers, flinging the door open and dashing down the stairs. Racing down the hallway with my heart pounding furiously in my ears, I gripped my handgun in my right hand. Where was Marion? Was she even still alive? Had they gotten to her already? I hadn’t passed a single conscious guard. I had missed my chance to save them, and I could only hope I wouldn’t be too late for my partner.

At the end of the hallway, I came to another door and jammed my finger into each number of the entry code. The door beeped open, bombarding me with echoing gunfire. I put a hand to my earpiece. “Marion!” I said again, sprinting down into the next room just as the firing stopped.

A curly-haired, masked woman twirled two handguns like a gunslinger of the old West. My breath caught. Themis, I thought. It was Themis, and she was the only one left standing.

I aimed my handgun at the back of her head. “Freeze!” I cried. “FBI! Put down your weapons!”

She laughed a chilling laugh, sending shivers down my spine. “I was beginning to think you would not catch us, Mr. Kelley.”

“I said put down your weapons!” I spat, my heart trying to escape through my throat.

Another laugh. Her casual manner was unnerving. “I’m getting to it.” Slowly, she knelt and laid the guns on the ground, sliding them away from her. Then, Themis stood up straight, her hands in the air.

I kept my gun trained on her. “Now turn around and take off your mask,” I barked.

“You really don’t want that,” she said.

I clicked off the safety on my gun loudly enough for her to hear. “Yes, I really do. Now do it.”

Themis turned to face me with a smug grin. “Your wish is my command.” Wearing that same grin, she clutched the edge of her mask and jerked it away to reveal the face beneath it.

My eyes widened. It was Marion.

“Come on, Ewan. Would you really shoot me?” she asked, taking a step closer. I tightened my hands around my gun, stepping backward. “It’s for the best, you know. The bomb will take them all out at once.”

“What bomb?” I asked, staying focused on her. Was she trying to distract me?

“The one set to send this building to join Lady Liberty,” Marion replied with all the coolness of a raving lunatic. “They won’t find us. There’s nothing they can do.” She stepped forward another pace. “There’s nothing you can do.” I matched her with another step backward. “The people will take back their government.”

“Not all the people agree with your views,” I countered.

Marion chuckled. “No, of course not.” Something came down hard on the back of my head, and I realized we hadn’t been alone. Everything faded to black as I sank to the ground.

Marion whispered, “Don’t worry, Ewan. I’ll take care of everything.”

When I was able to open my eyes again, they opened to bright light. I pressed them shut with a moan. The light wasn’t that bright in the Capitol building’s basement!

I tried to open my eyes again, and the room gradually came into focus. Marion was at my side. My heart hammered in my chest. Marion! I sat up straight, my hands searching for my gun.

“Come on, Ewan,” Marion said, trying to make me lie back down. I was in a hospital bed.

“Themis,” I breathed, panting and frantically looking around the room. Sweat trickled down my face. Where was my gun?

She pushed harder against my chest. “Don’t you remember what happened yesterday? The Statue of Liberty was blown up.”

I paused in my search. “The Statue?” I asked, looking into her eyes. That was only yesterday, not two weeks ago?

“Yeah,” she said. “You tripped and hit your head when I pulled you to the ground. Were you just looking for your gun?” I nodded numbly, and Marion laughed. “Come on, Ewan. Would you really shoot me?”

I froze. At that moment, whether or not the two weeks since Lady Liberty blew up had been a dream ceased to matter; I couldn’t help but notice all the similarities between Marion and Themis. The same vocal pitch, the same lilt when she spoke…

They were the same woman.

I glanced to the guard posted just inside the hospital room’s door. “You.” He looked up, and I pointed to Marion. “Arrest her.”

“What?” Marion’s smile disappeared. “Ewan, what’re you—”

“She’s Themis,” I explained to the guard. “Arrest her.”

“Yes sir,” said the guard, taking his pair of handcuffs off his belt and grabbing one of Marion’s hands.

She looked at me with wide eyes, and I stared right back at her. Laughing incredulously, Marion said, “I’m not Themis.”

“You’re lying,” I shot back. “Your mouth twitched.”

Her next laugh raised chills on my arms. “My mouth!” The deluded light that the hologram had possessed appeared in Marion’s eyes as the guard clamped the handcuffs around her wrists. “The people will take back their government, Ewan! One way or another, they will!”

I just shook my head as another guard entered the room to help take her away. Lying back down on my bed, I sighed, “Good-bye, Themis.” I closed my eyes and listened as the scuffling of Marion’s feet grew softer. I didn’t worry; the guards had her.

The United States was safe…for now.

Reviews appreciated.