Sarah was still out of sorts after her strange conversation with Sextus. Speaking to Lucius and Enid was easy. The mental contact with Sextus was like touching an alien intelligence. Almost like Isis. Though where the golden-eyed goddess’s interest was in her daughter, Sarah could feel the concern and gentleness in Sextus. She thought she might have been programmed to believe that the image Sextus portrayed was one of love and kindness. He looked like all the artwork of Jesus, or was it the other way around? Either way, Sextus lived up to the ideal, or so it seemed. In all her visions save for the one where they watched Pompeii be destroyed she had felt only love and trust for the man. Like she used to have for her father before the betrayal. The connection had exhausted her even though it was morning she felt like she hadn’t slept.
She opened her door and blinked slowly at the woman who greeted her. She was dressed professionally but otherwise was quite plain. The woman had her fingers wrapped around a solid tablet and had it held to her chest. Sarah mused that the woman seemed nervous. She wondered why then it dawned on her she had very publicly pulled a super girl twice. It was the first time anyone had looked at her like she was dangerous on Earth Prime. She’d assumed most humans were used to dealing with powered people as they called them. Sarah motioned her in and rubbed her eyes while walking to sit on the bed.
Even with her usual days that she woke up at five-thirty for her work outs she wasn’t a morning person. She was still sore from the abuse Enid had laid on her with her own telekinesis. She sat down and looked up at the woman waiting for her to speak. Finally the woman pulled her tablet away from her chest and tapped a few times to get through the passcode. She smiled at Sarah. Sarah could tell it was somewhat forced. She glanced at her holo-tablet which seconded as a watch on the small LED screen. Seven in the morning. She turned her attention back to the woman.
“Hello Sarah, I am Kira. I’m one of the President’s executive assistants. He’s assigned me to help you keep to your schedule. Are we alright to start?”
Sarah rubbed her eyes and yawned. She nodded to Kira.
“Very well. You are scheduled for breakfast with the family this morning a seven-thirty. Then you will be given a tour of the Federal Assembly, led by myself. You will then share lunch with the President and his advisor on Super Affairs. In the afternoon you will be given a tour of one of our Super housing units. Then you will share dinner with the president and family. After dark you have been scheduled in a meeting with the Vampire Lord of Moscow. You have more time scheduled after that with his Press Secretary and Social Media Advisor. Do you have a tablet I can send todays Itinerary too?”
Sarah tapped her wrist and the holo-projection for her tablet appeared she swept it towards Kira with her hand. Kira seemed confused initially then realized she was looking at a screen with a code she needed to enter on her own tablet.
“Sorry, it’s the only tablet I have. It’s the one the school provided.”
Kira nodded.
“I am sorry. I read about them on a future tech blog. I had no idea they were in production, let alone in the hands of the public.”
“The entire first year at Aurelius Academy was provided with them. I have a discount code if you’re interested. I think they want us to show them off so they can sell more.”
Kira smiled, a genuine smile this time.
“Thank you, Sarah, I would appreciate that.”
“No problem. I’m sorry you have to deal with a sleepy teenager. I’m usually up earlier then this but I’m still exhausted.”
“Yes, jet lag. You’ll be fine in a day or so, I’m sure. I tried to make today as easy on you as possible. I left the hockey stuff until nearer the end of your trip. Something to look forward too after all the boring stuff you’re not really interested in is out of the way.”
“Do you have a visit to Lenin’s tomb in there? I hear you can’t visit Moscow and not visit.”
Kira quirked her head to the side.
“Lenin’s tomb? That’s been gone since nineteen-sixty-one.”
Sarah blinked a few times.
“Oh, I guess not then.”
“He is in the Kremlin Necropolis I can schedule stop, if you would like to pay your respects. I had no idea you were old-school Russian. I should have assumed with how fluent you are. I apologize.”
Sarah shook her head.
“No, no its alright. No need to do that. I’m from Earth-2. Things are different there. I just didn’t realize how different. I’m sorry. I should have.”
Kira’s eyes went wide.
“You’re a super.”
Sarah nodded.
“I did not think other Earths had them.”
“My father is from this Earth. He was a PL 2. I guess they did not expect him to have a child that was so strong. They should have. All of the women in his family have been Archmages.”
“So, you’re not a PL 8?”
Sarah shook her head.
“I’m assuming I’m like my grandmother, PL 15.”
“An archmage with superpowers. No wonder the president is so concerned about you enjoying your time here. I’m so sorry I shouldn’t have said that.”
Sarah giggled softly.
“That is no secret. There is a soldier who works at the school, Misha. He’s been giving me the hard sell on Russia. I assume me saying yes to this trip is why his daughter got into Aurelius.”
“Are you seriously considering Russia as your home after school?”
Sarah shrugged.
“So far. The US and Scotland haven’t reached out. I guess they assume me going home was a give in. I am not sure. Russia on my Earth was a bit… the President and the Oligarchs well they weren’t good people. Invaded Ukraine randomly. Trying to relive the old Imperial glory days, I guess? I wasn’t sure I’d like it here, but it seems… at least from the news and the internet that it’s a lot like the western countries.”
Kira nodded.
“Yes. I’ve been to the US and Canada, and it is very similar. Of course, we have differences. We’re much larger so our culture varies. President Volkov really broke up the oil cartel here and rooted out corruption from the old guard. The Oligarch’s haven’t been a thing since the early nineties. Most were… executed for crimes against Russia. I’m not sure I agree with the choice, but I was very young at the time. My parents said he led us to a new golden age. Whatever that means.”
Sarah smiled.
“They were rich men getting richer off the people’s suffering. I don’t agree with anyone dying for crimes but maybe it was the only way to deal with their like because all they could hear was violence?”
Kira smiled at Sarah.
“You sound very smart for a teenager.”
“IQ test at Aurelius says I’m a genius. I think its completely wrong. But what do I know?”
Kira laughed softly.
“Thank you, Sarah.”
Sarah quirked and eyebrow.
“For what?”
“After seeing you on the news I thought… well I thought you were going to be very difficult to work with like other Super’s we’ve had through here. But you seem humble.”
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Sarah shrugged.
“Depends on the day. I better get ready for that breakfast. I’m not the fastest person in the world.”
Breakfast with the president was a quiet affair. Sarah answered any questions asked but found herself quite tongue tied in the presence of the handsome sixteen-year-old son of the president. She could fell twenty-foot-tall men in power armor, but one good-looking teenage boy and she was powerless. She managed to make it through breakfast without embarrassing herself too badly but just barely. She was in the midst of drinking her orange juice when the boy whose name was Erik, spoke about her upcoming trip to the assembly. She almost spit it out when he made a suggestion about her morning trip.
“Father, I should go to the assembly with Sarah, so she’s not bored to tears.”
The president nodded.
“Good idea.”
The president looked to his wife.
“Could you arrange it with Kira and let the school know?”
His wife nodded. Sarah had a small hope Erik’s mother would suggest he should go to school. The woman doubled down on the thought.
“It will be educational for you, its too bad we didn’t think of this and send suggest your whole class attend.”
Sarah silently thanked whoever was listening to her that it wasn’t his whole class. She wasn’t sure if God was appropriate after her conversation with Enid. Or Seraph, since in effect she was her. It seemed rather… she let the thought drop and realized she hadn’t taken her medication yet today. While she was pondering whom she should have faith in and the nature of the multiverse there were a couple of decisions made and she’d missed the whole conversation. She excused herself politely and took her new dosage of ADHD medication.
Sarah hid in her ensuite until someone came to get her. She spent most of it staring into the mirror. She missed the power and control she felt as a vampire. She felt so weak and helpless as a human. Enid was right, it was addictive. Her ADHD was a product of her brain’s wiring. As a vampire she was more like an entity possessing the body. Her physical brain meant little it seemed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After feeling the absolute freedom that came with vampirism, she realized she would never be the same. Impending non-existence had a way of helping her resist the urge to shift again. If she got Enid out, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop herself. She heard Erik call out.
“You looked fine at breakfast. Not sure you needed another half an hour in there.”
Sarah blushed as she exited the ensuite.
“I wasn… I… mean… thank you.”
He laughed.
“After that show for the reporters I was expecting something different.”
Sarah’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of crimson. She once again cursed her lack vampirism. Embarrassment was a thing for the living, and she was stuck living now.
“I was different then.”
He shook his head.
“Girls. Anyway, security detail is waiting. I hear we got The Bear watching us today. Guess the more subtle ones were busy. Or he bullied them into letting him be your security.”
Sarah glanced at Erik as they walked towards the palace exit.
“Bear?”
“You know Grizzly Bear? Big, burly, hairy when he needs to be?”
Sarah shook her head.
“You don’t know much about Russian supers, do you?”
Sarah shook her head. He chuckled.
“Well, you’re in for a treat. I heard it from a reliable source he’s a fan.”
Sarah blinked. She had superheroes who were her fans? She was completely confused by such a prospect.
“You didn’t look up Goliath at all did you?”
Sarah shook her head.
“No.”
Erik laughed.
“He put Bear in the hospital a year ago. Was on the news. MANA has been trying to catch Goliath for years, but he could shrink so small they could never catch him. He’s been a problem for Russia for a while. Working with the Chechens. Its why you were such big news last night. Probably why we have the extra security. You’re not making friends with our southern neighbors.”
Sarah shrugged a bit.
“I just did what I had to. Wasn’t trying to show off, make friends, or enemies.”
Erik opened the door for her. She was greeted by what could only be described as bear of a man holding her door open. He had a thick beard and smiled kindly at her as he held the limousine door open for her. Sarah slid inside followed by both Erik and Griz. She found out that’s what he goes by for his friends. Which she was one of before they met in person. Griz settled into his seat. He seemed almost nervous. He tried speaking English. He seemed very rusty at it and his accent made it almost untranslatable. He’d been out of Aurelius for a while. Sarah held up her hand.
“Its alright, I speak Russian.”
Griz beamed.
“I’m so happy to meet you, Sarah.”
“Really? I thought MANA was pretty mad at me.”
Griz chortled and waved his massive hand dismissively.
“Politicians and pencil pushers. Us Agents think you are awesome and can’t wait for you to join us.”
Sarah blushed she really had no intention of joining MANA. The more she found out the more she saw MANA for what it was, an organization to suppress people like her. Oppress even. Sure, everything seemed okay for Supers but no license and too powerful? You get tossed in a hellscape. That wasn’t freedom that was just a symbol on clothes, a number stamped on your wrist. People of Earth Prime would see that if they’d found out what really happened in Germany. She realized Griz was talking to her and that she’d missed half of what he’d said but she got the gist from the end.
“Never thought to break his bones so he couldn’t shift sizes! Too bad he’ll never be up for a rematch. You sure put him in his place. They say he’ll never walk again. Almost Griz style!”
Griz cracked his knuckles. Sarah felt a bit sick to her stomach. She’d heard those bones get disintegrated. She hadn’t done it, but still she remembered it vividly. Griz obviously thought it was her and that she was a kindred spirit. She put on a fake smile and nodded. Griz grinned.
“If you were older, I’d take you out with the other agents who fought him. Your glass would never be empty.”
Sarah shook her head.
“And those two on the airplane! Stopping those bullets! Tossing them around like sacks of potatoes! That’s how to make a point!”
Sarah was starting to see what Erik meant about lack of subtlety. Griz seemed almost just one the guys talking about an MMA fight. Like this was all some game. The opposite of Sarah… or was he? She recalled when she was a vampire how insignificant the two hijackers had seemed. Blood sacks that had the audacity to threaten her safety. Not the passenger’s safety, her safety. How dare they? Did they… Yes. Now she saw the dangers associated with that condition. If she was vampire Sarah, she would be discussing the gory details. She closed her eyes. Very slippery slope.
*****
Sarah was thankful for Griz’s presence the whole day. She found herself being fairly fond of his company. He wore his heart on his sleeve. He didn’t seem very complicated. She was sure there was more to him then she saw, but she found out he had a wife and three children. A son and two daughters. Sarah was somewhat comforted to know that an active super could have a family. She should have known this but her Scottish grandmother was retired from working actively. Her grandfather was just a doctor. No super battles in the streets. As day transitioned into twilight Griz bid his farewells after a few selfies with Sarah.
Sarah wasn’t sure what to wear to attend vampire court and speak to the Lord of Moscow. She wasn’t even sure what a vampire Lord was. She looked into the mirror and quite plainly asked her reflection.
“What should I wear?”
Enid’s form shimmered into existence sitting on the vanity like she had the night before. She looked Sarah up and down.
“Depends on who’s showing up. Fourteen-year-old you or vampire you?”
“You said turning into the vampire would speed up you taking over.”
Enid rolled her eyes.
“Teenagers, you never listen! I said, losing yourself in the vampire would make it faster. Just being a vampire, meh. So long as you’re still you instead of letting your emotions go, you’ll be fine.”
Sarah looked at Enid.
“But that is the whole point of being a vampire!”
“No, its not. You’d think seeing Helen, Eyre and… well Maria’s a bad example currently, but you’d think my daughters would show you that you can be human and a vampire at the same time.”
“It seems dangerous.”
“Oh, and showing up to a room full of blood addicts as a blood bag is a good idea? You know how easy it is the see humans as food.”
“But its against the law to use my powers.”
“Yea, a stupid law. Besides if you’re a vampire and you’re there and someone tries something you will mop the floor with them, and MANA will be none the wiser.”
“I’m still not sure how.”
“Its like breathing kid. You want to be a vampire, you’re a vampire, you want to pull out the angel you just let your physical form go. This is a skin. A shell. It is nothing to us. Though I suggest not doing the angel. Not sure how the humans will react. Also, it involves letting go of your physical body which might just correlate to your brain giving it up to me.”
“What do you mean?”
“This isn’t our true form. Truth, is it hasn’t been the true form of the Grey women’s family.”
“So, if I have a child, it will be…”
“If you’re not careful absolutely. So far, I’ve managed to keep my kids just a bit divine but if you’re not careful you could make another Seraph…”
“I might have. I’m not sure. Your father visited me and was talking about a girl my age but was really… evasive.”
Enid looked horrified.
“I thought I had those memories locked down tight.”
“Not… that father. Sextus.”
“Oh, sure, that’s fine.”
“No, he actually spoke to me, not… a memory. Him.”
“Not possible. He’s sleeping…”
Sarah shook her head.
“No, he’s watching. Okay…if I turn into a vampire what should I wear?”
“I don’t know, turn and see what you feel like.”
Sarah closed her eyes and opened them. She watched as they shimmered from green to black and then were silver again. She felt the hunger return and looked at her fangs in her reflection. She was careful not to release herself too far. She licked her fangs.
“Something that shows off what I’ve been dealing with all these hormones for.”
“Go for it then, kid. My fashion advice is black cargo pants and a metal concert t-shirt. You’re much better with this stuff then I am.”
“The dress I bought with Amee before I left. The one I was planning on wearing to the gala.”
Enid threw up her hands.
“What are you waiting for? I’m not your mom. Do what you want. One last thing. Stay cognizant of your surroundings with the vampires. The pugmentia especially, are a backstabbing lot.”
“Pugmentia?”
“Just… trailer trash of vampires. Watch your back. I’m out.”
Enid evaporated. Sarah blinked a few times. Apparently, that is all the advice she was getting. She pulled on the dress and looked at herself in the mirror. She did not physically appear any different but in her mind’s eye she was much more attractive as one of the undead. She licked her lips and wished she had some fresh blood suddenly. She put on her heels and made her way to the entrance to wait for her ride.