Dawn of Tears - 32. Keeping Secrets and Telling Lies

Note to Readers: A common saying of those days was that 'history would judge the rightness of our actions'. I've got news for you: History judges nothing. It simply is. What humans judge is what they know of past events, and as you are discovering, you rarely know the truth of history. People spend their entire lives studying the past, trying to answer the same questions that religious scholars try to answer. Where do we come from? What made us who we are today?

Surprise. The answer is rarely found in a history book, and only those who were there could ever give you an honest answer to those questions, and most of the time you won't like the answers. History is a lie, but that's okay, because without little white lies, our lives would be far more uncomfortable than they are now.

The x-ray the Israeli doctor was holding held incontrovertible proof that the silly idea by Dr. Jeffries back at the school wasn't so silly after all.

About six months ago, the school had moved studies of our gifts into where they touched on the physical as well as the mental. All of our bonded had noted several things, including increased stamina, overall general health, and some increase in healing rates from minor injuries. Amongst the gifted, these things were even more pronounced, especially the healing aspects.

Testing had revealed minor cuts healed at a rate about three times normal among the bonded, and about eight times normal among the gifted. A few broken arms (really accidental), and a bad case of the flu revealed that the healing rates held up to previous expectations, although the more serious the injury or illness, the more drained and exhausted the gifted became, and the bonded men and women required more physical contact with their bonded. For the bonded, and gifted, it was reasoned that the powers of the gifted was directly involved in the speedy healing, and that it had to be recharged in the bonded.

That was the basis for their need of contact with us. The bonding created a connection, and set a part of our power inside of them that held them to us. Over time, that power faded and was recharged by physical contact with their gifted. Injuries, like those Martin Carrolls had suffered in the bomb attack that had killed Jennifer and Thoreau would require more constant contact with me or he'd suffer the dementia, paranoia, depression, and eventual suicide that accompanied the draining of our power within the bonded.

Dr. Jeffries, the medical researcher who was assigned to the school for the gifted we'd founded had theorized that when someone was bonded to us, the power established a defense mechanism that prevented the person from ever breaking loose from the bond. If the level of power within them ever dropped to a low enough level, the bond could theoretically be broken, so as the level of power within a person dropped lower, they're mental stability decreased, and they would die before reaching the point that the person could break free of the bond.

Ever the scientist, Dr. Jeffries had suggested a study to determine just how low the levels went before they reached that point, and to see if a bonded subject would simply die of heart failure or brain failure before the bond could be broken. Henry, Tim and I, the only gifted with bonded at this time had refused the study immediately. His suggestion of using a convicted murderer or someone similar was still being evaluated.

The energetic, and brilliant, Dr. Jeffries had also theorized that the healing abilities could possibly extend to the regeneration of lost limbs or organs. None of the gifted ever had their tonsils out, or other problems like spleens being removed until now, and no one had volunteered for a finger to be chopped off or similar procedure. The x-ray the Israeli doctor was now holding and staring at was proof that maybe Jeffries had been very right. He'd be very happy, so long as this didn't result in full exposure. Of course, Henry was here, and he was thinking much faster and better than I was.

"May I take a look at that?" Henry said as he rose from his seat. The doctor nodded and Henry took hold of the x-ray, his fingers brushing against the doctor's. "Who else have you told about this?"

"I haven't really told anyone, yet." The silver-haired doctor said slowly. "The x-ray technician saw it and remarked that she thought there might have been a mistake with the x-ray. Doctor Zalekas thought it might be some surgical gauze we used during the surgery, or some type of contaminant from when the x-ray was taken."

"In all likelihood, both of them were correct that it was just a smudge or other problem with the x-ray." Henry said aloud, and I noticed the Doctor's head nod slightly. "I think if you'll take another x-ray you'll look at the results and see that it's gone. The x-ray tech and Doctor Zalekas don't need to see the new x-ray either. It'd be a security breach. Once it's done, you probably should seal the copies, the negatives, and anything else about them and give them to Ms. Ellington so that she can give them to Dylan's doctor at home."

"I think you might be right." The Israeli doctor said after looking at Henry for a moment. I was surprised at how easily Henry had done that. He was far smoother than I was at the subtle controls. "I'll have them redo the x-ray and I'll watch while the x-ray tech develops the images. As soon as we make sure the x-ray is clear, we'll seal them up and give them to your Chief of Staff. Does that sound good to you, Mr. Jacobs?"

"Perfect." I said with a small smile. The silver-haired doctor left at that and mom was just sitting there with an appraising look at Henry.

"I can see how…dangerous that would be in the wrong hands." Mom said after a moment and both Henry and I smiled at her.

"Just be glad we're among the strongest, mom." Henry told her as he re-took his seat with a satisfied grin. "Dylan's really the best of us so far."

"Don't be so sure of that." I countered him with a grin of my own. "I don't think I could have done what Henry just did so smoothly."

"That's because you're Mister Blunt Force." Henry joked and I tried not to chuckle myself. He was right. I was good at the subtle stuff, but my preferences for direct action kept me from being as good as Henry was at the most subtle of controls.

"Well, boys, I have to go get ready for dinner with the Prime Minister's wife." Mom said suddenly, standing as she spoke. She gave me a kiss on the cheek, and Henry one as well, before she made her way out.

"Henry and I need some time alone." I said to those who remained in the room and they filed out quickly. Henry gave me an odd look and I motioned for him to sit at the chair close to my bed.

"What's up?" Henry asked and I sighed for a moment. This was really the first time when I knew we'd have some alone time since I'd woken, and I felt strong enough right now that I could use my power in the way I needed to so I could do this.

"I want to share some memories with you." I told him and he nodded, taking my hand gently. It had been years since our one, semi-sexual experience, but our love for each other was no different now than it had been then. We were brothers, bound tightly to each other with brotherly love. He was straight, I was gay, and that didn't stand between us at all. Our powers surged, mine still somewhat weakly, and blended through our joined hands.

Sexual attraction, feelings, and experiences were part and parcel of our powers, but they didn't have to be in every situation. While it had led to our discovery and exploration of them, sex no longer was a part of our sharing. Instead, as our powers met, and merged together over the physical connection, I could feel the love he held for me, and he could feel my love for him.

I summoned up the memories I'd stolen from Sofia, and my own thoughts in that confrontation, my own theories on our purposes for existing, for using our powers, and our role as defenders and protectors of regular people. When I was done, I expected him to pull back from the contact and think about what I'd just shared with him. He didn't though, instead he sent his memories of Mexico and what had happened there. We'd shared memories like this before, and I was accustomed to seeing the world through his eyes, as if they were my own memories, so I wasn't shocked at the experience.

"I understand that you are worried about the future of your people." Henry was saying in a room filled with people. This was his memory, but it felt like it was me saying, and thinking these things. I knew what to expect from having shared with him before. It was different when we shared together than with others; a part of our closeness. I realized that this entire conversation was being conducted in Spanish, but I understood it as instinctively and thoroughly as Henry did. The answer of how, and when, he had learned the language was still not there, because he wasn't sharing that moment, but I knew I'd have to ask him soon.

"We are not going to be puppets of the United States or any other power!" Miguel Sanchez, the leader of the pro-Independence group was nearly shouting. "We kicked out the Spanish and you will be gone as well!"

"Under no circumstances do we want puppets." Henry shot back calmly. "You must face facts, even as we have had to face them. Despite the wealth of your oil, despite the investments in business within your northern states, despite the fact that you have a workforce dedicated to working to the maximum of their abilities, we have seen your people fleeing across our border, taking the most menial of jobs for decades. We know that by taking your people and placing them as Protectorate of our own country, by giving them the rights of American citizenship, we will be dismantling our borders and allowing free migration. If we move forward with this, your people will be our people. We already have a word to describe that, the word is 'Mexican-American'. They will not lose their culture, their way of life. English is not the national language of the United States, there is no national language. Things will not change overnight, but in ten years, twenty years, the historians of the Mexican people will look back on this day and say that the lives of their people were made better, not worse."

"They will say that this day we were made slaves!" Miguel shot back in a righteous huff.

"Slaves do not choose their own leaders, do not make decisions on their own futures, and are not taught to think for themselves, as the Mexican people will be." Henry answered in a voice that was calm as a lake on a still summer night. "After five years of appointed governorship, the Mexican people will vote on continuing as a Protectorship, or regaining their independence. If they choose to remain a part of the United States as a Protectorship, they will also choose their representatives to Congress and regional governors. If they decide otherwise, they'll choose their own leaders. Eighty percent of all revenues from Mexican resources will be pumped back into the local infrastructure. Schools, sewage, water, electricity, highways, and all the other infrastructure advantages that American states enjoy over the current Mexican infrastructure will be yours. After five years, these resources that belong to the Mexican people will pay for more improvements than have been spent by the Mexican government in the last twenty years."

"We will look at your proposal one more time." Enrique Palomar, Miguel Sanchez's right hand man said and Henry nodded his head at that. It had been what he'd been shooting for.

Fifteen minutes later, Henry was walking down a hallway, talking to his Chief of Staff, a delightful woman by the name of Marjorie Hanson when the sounds of gunshots sounded. The reactions of Henry's three security staff were the same as mine would have been, and just as ineffective. The first shots had hit one of the guards, killing him instantly. The feelings of the death of a bonded man swam through Henry's memory and I cried along with him. Marjorie reacted the right way, tackling Henry and bringing him to the ground as the two surviving guards opened fire with their pistols. Their attackers were better armed though, and in moments two more of Henry's bonded had died. Henry and Marjorie tried to fight back, but Henry had gone unarmed except for an expandable baton.

It had taken fifteen men to subdue him in hand-to-hand combat, but they had succeeded. Marjorie had fought just as hard, managing to stab one of their attackers before being knocked to the ground. She was bonded to Henry as well, and I echoed his own sigh of relief that she hadn't died.

A hood was placed over Henry's head as two of the attackers grabbed him by his arms, and another grabbed his still kicking legs. He wasn't carried far, a nearby room by the short distance they had carried him. Henry relaxed a little, knowing now they weren't here to kill him, and a sneaking suspicion filtered through him that the gifted he'd felt traces of days earlier was going to make an appearance. His captors placed him in a chair, firmly holding him in place when a young male voice spoke, confirming that he was indeed meeting the gifted. None of his contact with his captors was skin on skin, long enough to use his abilities, so Henry had no idea if they were bonded, controlled, or just normal allies.

"Don't resist." The young male voice said in accented English. It was an accent he'd come to place as belonging to the more well-off Mexicans he'd dealt with, part of their aristocratic elite. "This will go much easier for you if you relax."

"You won't get away with this." Henry replied in English, allowing his voice to tremble just a bit. He relaxed a little as he spoke, and he felt the grip on his arms and shoulders relax slightly. The sound of someone stepping closer to him was barely audible, and after a moment, his hood was removed. The kid standing in front of him was handsome, dressed expensively and about his own age. The refined aristocratic look was firmly stamped on his face and he smiled condescendingly at Henry.

"Yes, I will." The teenager said, leaning forward and putting his hands on either side of Henry's face. That was all Henry needed, and Henry let loose his own powers, flooding into the boy with a vengeance. The boy managed a strangled gasp before Henry's powers swept past his own, taking over that core center where our mental abilities touched on our physical. We couldn't take over another gifted, control them like we could non-gifted, but here, at this nexus, we could incapacitate one another briefly, so long as physical touch remained.

Then Henry began pulling up the boy's own memories. The boy was the son of a prominent, aristocratic Mexican family. Born into wealth and the social position of his 'old' family, the recent troubles in Mexico had disturbed him and his family. He'd discovered his abilities at a young age, the first time he'd slept with a local girl that worked as a maid in his father's home. His father, scared about the possibility of losing his wealth and power, had brought him to Mexico City to use his abilities on Henry and on Sanchez, the lead pro-independence delegate. The boy's memories had told Henry all he needed to know. Although of a similar age to us, he viewed his powers as just another tool to control those beneath him, to secure himself a position of power, and to be used for his own selfish reasons.

When Henry had collected all he needed, he'd stood and reached out, snapping the boy's neck with a simple jerk. The guards around the boy had all been bonded to him for this mission, to take Henry and turn him into another servant of the boy, and they simply dropped dead as their 'master' fell.

Most people thought Henry was the 'nice guy' of the two of us, but when he felt someone had to die, he was more ruthless than I had ever been. Granted, he always thought things through more, and took action less often than I did, but when he acted, there was no stopping him and no plea for mercy would help.

"Oh wow." I said aloud as he broke the contact and the streams of memory. "I didn't think they'd gotten so close to you."

"I kept details to a minimum until we got home." Henry said softly. "You can see why the things you were saying, and thinking worry me though."

"Yeah, but I'm not going in that direction." I argued with him. "We're different, not superior, that's a clear distinction."

"But a very fine one." Henry countered with a slight frown on his handsome face. "It is only one small step from different to superior or inferior. It still doesn't change the fact that we are still human, even if a different sub-species."

"I don't know why you're so insistent on not admitting our difference, but I can live with that, I think." I said with a sigh. "What is important though is that we prevent others like us from doing the things like your Mexico boy and the twins here did."

"The school is a good start." Henry allowed with a nod of his head. "We know how they think, and we got to them before they really started using their powers for harm. Tim and Jeremy were forced to do the things they did, and don't pose a threat, not like these other three that used their powers for their own good."

"That does seem to be a deciding factor in whom we let live and who we kill." My words drifted in the air between us for a long moment as we both thought that over.

"You still squeamish about killing?" Henry asked me with a look of curiosity.

"Not really, it had to be done and really we are the leaders of those like us." I answered in total honesty.

"That's the only reason dad hasn't killed them all yet." Henry said with a shrug and I frowned. Sure, Jeremy and I had never really become a couple, but I still cared a lot about him, loved him even, though he wanted little to do with me in the romantic sense.

"I thought that we got him over that a year ago." I responded after an uncomfortable silence.

"We did." Henry said with a snort. "It was my fault, really. You know Maria? Well she was one of the two I took with me on the Mexico trip."

"Oh, don't tell me you two clicked?" I said with a groan and he smiled almost sheepishly.

"Yeah, we did, like you and Jeremy did." Henry said with that smile.

"Only she doesn't look at you like you're a cold-blooded killer." My answer was gruff, and filled with self-recrimination. That lay at the core of why Jeremy and I had never become a couple. "Sorry about that, still bitter."

"You have a right to be." Henry said consolingly. "Anyway, I mentioned to dad that I might like to date her when I got back and he started thinking about what might happen if our children have the gift as well, and the whole 'starting a whole new race' thing."

"Ouch, yeah, I can see where he's coming from, but that's our worry, not his." I said firmly and Henry looked at me for a long moment. "Henry, think about these things, and what I shared with you. Even dad is uncomfortable with those of us with these abilities, and you know as well as I do that if we weren't his sons we'd be long dead. I know you want to try to mainstream as many of us as possible, but we can't do that. We also can't form…permanent attachments between us."

"You're just saying that last because of Jeremy." Henry said sourly, and for the first time I really felt a gulf between us, and his comment made me angry.

"Just because he gets a weak stomach at killing people who deserve it doesn't mean I want to keep any of us from being happy!" My voice was tense with anger and Henry looked at me with concern for a moment.

"Sorry, I was just acting my age." Henry said softly and I nodded, letting out a deep breath in order to relax. "I think you're basically right for now, though. We need to low-key the roles the kids at the school play, and minimize inter-personal contacts as much as possible. There should also be limits on how many they bond, just a few people each."

"That should help calm down dad and the others." I agreed after a moment. "So what exactly are we going to be revealing at this upcoming conference?"

"Like all the best lies, most of the truth." Henry accepted my changing of the topic with his typical grace, and was now smiling slightly. "Dad'll present records about a CIA plot to breed super-agents, and how it failed miserably. He'll claim that a new drug was developed that allowed people to use the kids from the fertility study to take control of a person. The records of how the drug was developed were destroyed, along with its creators, when Washington blew up. It only works with people from the study because we are 'immune' to its effects and can flood our system with it and use it by touch. There'll be a whole lot of medical testimony, and then the Israeli premiere will announce that he controls the last vial of the drug, and our Khulari friend will recommend that it be destroyed right there in front of everyone. The British King has already been briefed using the cover story and he'll back up our claims, as will both Khulari and Rabin."

"Two life-long enemies both saying the same thing should help, if we can be sure of Khulari's cooperation." I admitted with a sigh of relief.

"Oh, he will." Henry said with a firm nod of his head. "The new US Ambassador to the UIC arrived two days ago in Tehran. Jeremy posed as his son and managed to bond Khulari."

"How the fuck did Khulari get duped into being alone with someone our age?" I asked in total surprise.

"Because the ambassador's real son is eighteen and going to college." Henry explained and I just shook my head. "The Ambassador asked for a private meeting to discuss us and well, Khulari only brought one guard with him. The guard was bonded as well. They'll both pass away in a few weeks, after they come back from the conference and after Khulari says what we want him to say."

"I can't believe dad picked Jeremy for that." I said in surprise. Poor Jeremy, he hated bonding people to use them and throw them away afterwards.

"Jeremy volunteered." Henry said, surprising me even more. "He's done it before, and he worries more than anyone else at the school about our secret getting out. None of the others except Tim has done anything like this and Tim looks too young to pull off looking eighteen."

"Jeez, he's changing." I said in wonder and Henry actually laughed.

"Yes, and you might be pleasantly surprised next time you meet him." Henry said hopefully, and I let myself hope a little too. I really did like Jeremy.

We continued talking for another hour about the upcoming conference and what our roles would be in the proceedings. It was a tightrope that we would be walking, and soon afterwards the only world leaders who would know the full truth would be dad and Rabin, the Prime Minister of Israel. Dad trusted the man implicitly, and I only hoped that trust was well-placed. While taking action was tempting, I knew that doing so would make dad reconsider his trust in us, and would endanger our lives. So long as he believed Henry and I were dedicated to the same principles as he was, we were safe, and as long as the others at the school stayed dedicated to us, they were safe as well.

Hours turned into days after that, and I was out of the damn hospital five days after I'd been admitted. My injured detail member was still there, and I visited him the three day that we remained in Israel after that. His remarkable recovery was the subject of much discussion among his doctors, but when my plane lifted off, he was on it, although he was put in my bed instead of one of the seat/beds that everyone else used. The longer exposure to me seemed to help him recover even more, and I spent most of our time in the air at his side, holding his hand and calling up my powers and sending them into him. Like a sponge, he soaked them up, and after two hours in the air, I was asleep at his side.

By the time the plane landed in Lyon, France, I was feeling rested. Martha had a file ready, with the final draft of dad's presentation at the meeting that would be held in two days. There were already some changes to the planned disclosure, and I liked them a lot better. The changes were much more likely to keep both Henry's and my head attached in case things didn't go as well with the world leaders. The list of people attending was very impressive as well.

When the International Conference began three days later, my nerves were on a tightrope that had me practically shaking. Dad had arrived the night before and we met in the French hotel that we were all staying at while waiting for things to begin. The final briefing we had there, after the room had been swept for listening devices, did little to calm my frayed nerves. It was risky, bold, and would either result in disaster for Henry and I, or success for everyone involved.

How the French had built their new 'Palace of Justice' was beyond my comprehension, but it looked like it had been there for centuries, not just a single year. The actual meeting room was huge, easily fitting the sixty-odd world leaders who now sat at a horseshoe-shaped table. At the open end of the table was a single small table that would fit three or four people comfortably, and that was where I sat next to Henry, both of us dressed in civilian suits. The apex of the table was where dad sat, with the British King, the French President, and German Chancellor on either side of him, and leaders from other countries ranging down each side. Khulari, the representative for the UIC was sitting about halfway down the table on the left side (as I faced it from the table) and Rabin, the Israeli leader opposite of him. Those two would be our key players in this charade and I only hoped that it worked nearly as well as we had planned.

Of course, it would be easier because Khulari was now controlled, through a bond to Jeremy. Knowing that made me a little sad, but I agreed that it had been absolutely necessary to save my own skin, as well as the skins of all those like me back in the states, and Henry's skin too. Khulari only glanced at me once, and the look of fondness I'd seen before was gone in those eyes. I had to resist the urge to shrug my shoulders. We'd managed to debrief him after Jeremy had bonded the man, and what we'd learned was enough to firm up my belief that it had been absolutely necessary to neutralize him as a possible threat. The French President broke my train of thoughts when he began speaking, and the voice of the translator sounded through the speaker in my ear.

"On behalf of the French people, I welcome you to this International Conference." The French leader had said. "In accordance with the Reykjavik Accords, the President of the United States has called for this meeting to discuss a matter that affects all of the signers. I now turn to the US President to inform us of the reason for this call."

"Thank you, Pierre." Dad said in English as the French President sat down. Dad shuffled some papers as four aides began placing binders in front of each of the leaders. "I believe no one here will object to this meeting being called after they hear of the news we have to impart today. As soon as the aides have distributed the materials to each of you and left the room, I will proceed with my briefing. I remind you that except for our personal translators, no one besides those present in the room will receive the information unless we release the information to the public. We have agreed that no recordings of these proceedings will be made as well."

"Are these security measures really necessary?" The Indian Prime Minister, a thin woman who looked extremely tired asked. Her country was still reeling from the crisis, and had suffered more deaths than any nation except China. China still had not recovered enough central organization to be represented here which was still a sore point for the International Community. The CIA was theorizing that India would begin moving into China soon. As she spoke, though, the last aide left the room, and dad was free to begin.

"Considering that the information we will be giving to you today deals with the causes of the recent Crisis, and a threat to all of our governments, I believe that such security is indeed necessary." Dad answered her in an even, emotionless tone. His words brought about a slight shuffling in the room as all the men and women in the room shuffled in their chairs slightly. "The causes of the Crisis, and the threats to our governments today began not just a few years ago, but over a decade and a half ago. A large part of the threat came from a secret program within the United States Intelligence community. Before we get into the specifics of that program, I would like to ask my son, Dylan, to explain how we first became aware of this program and the investigation he has led over the past two years."

"Thank you, Mr. President." I said formally, and tried not to squirm in my chair as all these men and women looked at me with interest. "In 2010, I was sent to the state of Utah on behalf of the United States to resolve issues related to their attempted secession from the United States. Many of you may be familiar with the fact that I was kidnapped during my mission there and had to fight my way out, but we have not released the full story until today.

"The full story is a scary one, and should give you an idea as to the full scope of the threat all of our governments faced until just recently." I continued after a moment's pause. "During a welcoming dinner with the Utah delegation, the leaders of the state rebellion attempted to use a secret weapon that had been under development for the U.S. intelligence community over the past decade. This weapon is human based, and involves the use of a psychotropic drug that allows the user to subvert the free will of the subject."

"Excuse me." The Japanese Prime Minister (who I had met before) interrupted me very politely. He continued when I nodded in his direction. "Are you saying that the United States has developed a drug that can take over a person's mind?"

"Yes, sir, I am." I answered him quickly, not even pausing as the room filled with murmurs as people reacted in surprise. It grew quiet again as I spoke. "The drug is very powerful, and takes effect within seconds. It is effective with skin-on-skin contact as well, and is probably one of the most dangerous substances ever developed by humanity. The only drawback to the drug is that if it is administered in anything but the smallest amounts, it kills the subject. The rebels in Utah had found out about this drug, and the solution for the delivery of this drug, and were using it to their advantage against their own populace. They attempted to use it to control me, and managed to use it to take over my security staff and remove me from the safety of my aircraft."

"You say they attempted to use it on you?" The French President asked me and I nodded at him.

"They attempted to, yes, sir." I answered his question. "What we found out at that point was that I have immunity to this drug that will be explained later. Essentially what was discovered was that the drug was administered through skin-to-skin contact with a person that was genetically engineered to be a 'carrier' for the drug. While I was not affected by the drug, I quickly realized what was happening and pretended to be affected, obeying their orders. That allowed me to overpower their guards and interrogate the Utah leadership about this drug.

"What I learned during that investigation was useful, and I was able to recover several young people who were subjects of their experimentation as well as destroy their lab and all material regarding their program. I know it was reported that their leadership died during my escape, but what really occurred is that they were executed in accordance with secret orders issued by the US President. They posed a clear and present danger not only to the United States but to the world as their plans included the eventual use of this drug to assume control over as many countries as possible. The medical staffs plus all others working on this program were also executed."

"His actions were in full compliance with the orders I had issued prior to his leaving our capitol." Dad broke in, as planned as several of the people in the room looked at me with expressions ranging from surprise and horror to calculation. "Our Congressional Leadership was informed immediately upon his full report to me and cleared him of any charges of wrong-doing."

"Thank you, sir." I said, taking over from dad after his scripted comments. "Since that time, at the direction of the US President and Congress, my brother Henry and I have been investigating this drug program and hunting down any other agents like the ones we found in Utah that could use this drug. That investigation ended almost two weeks ago when the last two 'carriers' of this drug were eliminated with the help of the United Islamic Council and the nation of Israel."

"Several days before Dylan's successful elimination of the threat in Israel, I also succeeded in eliminating the next-to-last threat located in Mexico." Henry added, as planned and I could see him getting some of the same looks I had been receiving. His tone left no doubt that he'd 'eliminated' the threat in the same way I had, albeit much more quietly. "It was found that like Dylan, I was also immune to the drug and so I was called upon to assist in the elimination of this threat.

"I believe that it is now time that we explain to you why both Dylan and Henry were immune to this drug, and how a substance that was deadly in direct dosage to a subject was transmitted by these 'carriers'." President Jacobs said in a stern voice, taking over the briefing. He opened his own copy of the binders that had been passed out earlier. "If you look at your briefing binder, you will find hard copies of the information we have gathered both in English and your native languages. In 1986, a secret US government research facility developed a psychotropic called 'Tetraflorozine' that totally overtook control centers in the human brain allowing someone to implant 'suggestions' or 'commands' into the subject. The drug was so strong that direct dosage killed, and only light, topical applications to the skin were safe. After two agents were incapacitated by the drug during testing and the one attempt to deploy it, it was sent back for more research.

"In 1992, a secret research program into genetic manipulation reached a key breakthrough as did research into the use of this new drug." Dad continued, not pausing as the world leaders flipped through the binders while he spoke. "By combining these two programs, they believed they could develop a breed of super-agents that could safely use this drug. Using resources only available to the US government, they instituted a new fertility drug as a cover for this program. Thousands of unknowing couples across the United States, and several families from other countries, participated in this program that bypassed the review of the United States Food and Drug Agency. This program resulted in four groups of births throughout the nation. The first, and largest group, produced malformed children that did not live long past birth or were aborted before being brought full-term. The second group, and most common of the remaining three, resulted in children who have slightly higher intelligence and but no other obvious factors. The third group of births, much smaller than the first two, came closer to the goals of the program's sponsors. However, it still failed in that while the children of this group were immune to the effects of this drug, their immune systems dissolved it on contact, making them useless for the purposes of the program. The fourth and final group of births in this program was what the program had sought. They could absorb this drug and anyone they came into contact with would receive a strong enough dose to render them susceptible to the commands or suggestions of the child in question."

"This is preposterous!" The Chilean President roared loudly in his native language.

"Unfortunately it is not." The British King retorted in a calm, cultured voice. He leaned forward slightly and grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. "My intelligence services were aware of a secret American breeding program but no more than that it existed. We have reviewed the data they provided and our scientists have confirmed that while the odds of success were very low, it was plausible."

"There were over three thousand children conceived under this program." President Jacobs said, regaining the narrative now in the silence that followed the British announcement. "Of those three thousand, two thousand eight hundred and five were malformed and either died or were destroyed. One hundred and three were born in the second group, completely normal. Sixty two other children were born into the third group, and thirty into the fourth and final group. Of the children in group two, most of them were killed in the nuclear exchange of two years ago. Twenty-one children in the fourth group were killed at the same time. We have accounted for the other nine children. Two were recovered from Utah and were executed within a month after we developed a full understanding of this program. With the young lady that Dylan executed in Utah that left six to account for. Over the past two years, Henry and Dylan have succeeded in tracking down and executing the remaining six children. You will find detailed accounts of their work in executing these weapons."

"Why did you seek to execute them instead of using them?" The Russian President demanded in a harsh tone. He also glanced at Henry and I very suspiciously. "I do not even need to look in your documents to know that they will say these two boys are in the third group. Why should we believe you? How can we believe that this third group is really not able to use this drug?"

"He chose to execute them for the same reason I chose to help the United States seek to destroy the two children of my faith that belonged in the fourth group." Khulari said in Arabic and instantly had the attention of the room. "To seek to control the minds of others is an offense against God. President is many things, but a man of God first. He will not use such an evil tool. Instead, he sent his son to me and asked for my help in ridding the world of this vile creation. I have here, the last sample of this drug in existence."

As Khulari spoke, he pulled from his robes a small vial of clear liquid. It was nothing but water, I knew, because no such drug existed. Still, from the gasps in the room and the way the two men next to him recoiled, they believed it was indeed the drug in question. I almost breathed out a sigh of relief at the way they believed what they were being told.

"Most of the research records, including the chemical structure of the drug and the drugs used in the fertility program was destroyed when Washington was nuked." President Jacobs stated in the silence that followed Khulari's gesture. Most of them were still staring at the drug Khulari had set on the table in front of him, in clear view of everyone. When dad continued, they returned their gazes to him. "Shortly before the Crisis happened, the CIA sent teams overseas to attempt to regain control of the three children that were not American citizens. The parents had bought their way into the program and the CIA was not able to stop their participation without endangering the secrecy of their program. Two of the teams were compromised and the supplies of the drug they carried with them were captured as well as the nature of the program and their mission being revealed."

"The families of the two children in Saudi Arabia were extremists." Khulari broke in, as scripted. "They saw an opportunity to utilize the children in their control and to strike back at the world. They succeeded in subverting key officials and instigating the Crisis that threatened the world. Also, they were able to subvert world leaders subtly and to bring about the exchange of nuclear weapons."

"Are you saying it was these…children that caused millions to die?" The French President asked, and Henry could not resist diverting from the script.

"Billions, Mr. President." Henry said softly, drawing attention back to us with his words. I almost felt like squirming, but managed to sit still. "Two children, with that drug, managed to kill billions of human beings. I know that many believe me to be a gentle person, or at least more gentle than my brother. After learning of this program, and that I was a result of this program, I had to do some soul-searching. I can only thank God that I am not a part of the fourth group, or I would have begged my father to kill me."

"You expect us to believe that?" The Russian President demanded suspiciously.

"Believe it or not, that is your choice." Henry said with a shrug. "The danger posed by this drug, and the fourth group is too great to allow any of the people in that group to live."

"On that, I agree with you." The Russian President said slowly, in English. "What I don't believe is that there are two separate groups."

"Then call in your soldiers and have them execute us, now, while the remainders of the children from the other two groups are rounded for you to execute." Henry stated and the man winced visibly. "If you do not believe that I, and the other children born from that group are not dangerous, then you must kill us, beginning with Dylan and I."

"Let us not be hasty." Prime Minister Rabin of Israel said, leaning forward. "I have information that may be of some assistance. Israeli intelligence has been able to corroborate much of the information provided by President of the United States. Our operatives have eliminated the last people controlled by the children from Saudi Arabia, and we are certain the threat is now over."

"As are we." Khulari said in a way that made it clear he hated having to agree with the Israeli. As we had hoped, these two old enemies agreeing with each other, and with dad sealed those who doubted the evidence we were presenting. Both Henry and I let out soft sighs of relief as we watched the faces of the world leaders as they broke out in discussion with each other.

"The question remains, what we tell our people." The Russian President said after nearly ten minutes of people talking quietly with their neighbors in a variety of languages.

"I have a suggestion for that." The British King said, and I silently thanked God that the ruse with him had worked. His support had been what dad had worked hard on over the last few days, and only been gained with certain concessions that we'd made. Still, he didn't know the full story, the real story, so he posed minimal risk.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"The conspiracy that plunged our world into chaos two years ago has finally been destroyed." President Jacobs said into the microphones. Behind him, the world leaders all stood watching, as did the horde of press people in the large room. "In cooperation with world leaders from dozens of countries, the leaders of the conspiracy that created the initial Crisis and subsequent Nuclear Crisis have been hunted down and destroyed."

The story that dad laid out after that statement mentioned nothing about breeding programs, secret drugs, or any reference to Henry and I, except that we were key to hunting down and killing them before they tried to kill us. The other leaders spoke briefly, exhorting their non-existent help, or presumed help. It was surprising, but they had all agreed with the cover story and insisted on watching the last vial of the 'drug' being destroyed. It had been Khulari and Rabin who did the actual deed. They had even insisted that the files be destroyed, that no evidence of the program remain for other people to attempt to rebuild the program.

I was amazed that so many intelligent people had been so easily fooled, and I wondered at how much they really believed. It didn't matter really, because dad was ever the consummate manipulator, and this fit into his grand scheme in a perfect way. The public story, what we told the people was that an international cartel of businessmen, ideologues, and extremists had bonded together to overthrow government interests. Secretly, the governments of the world had agreed to limit genetic engineering in the future, and to pass laws that would prevent such actions in the future. His last statement though, initiated the next-to-last stage of Operation Rebuilder, and the eventual transformation of the United States. As he spoke the ending to his speech, I felt a shiver run through me, and felt like a pit was opening in front of us, threatening to swallow us whole.

"Two years ago, men seeking power and money sought to destroy our world." Dad finished his speech in a stern tone. "We have come through these hard times, but only at a great cost. It is not a coincidence that the bible calls Greed and Pride deadly sins. We must. We must be careful and watch to make sure that never again will a group of people be able to inflict so much harm. It is up to us, the survivors to keep such a tragedy from ever occurring again."

Thus we kept our secrets close, and the way was cleared for President Jacobs to continue his grand plan for the future of the United States.