The Secretary stared grimly at the swirling portal before them, its energies casting an eerie glow across the destroyed town. She turned to General Arters beside her.
"I must say, Frank, I'm not thrilled to be saddled with managing this portal exploitation free-for-all," she said bitterly.
Arters nodded. "I warned Congress those corporate expeditions were dangerously reckless. But money speaks louder than sense these days."
The Secretary sighed, smoothing down her pantsuit distractedly. "A year ago, I had my sights set on the Oval Office after my Interior term ended. Now I'm supposed to rubber stamp suicide missions for the likes of John Masters and his cronies."
Arters frowned. "Has Masters pressured you directly on expedition approvals?"
"Of course," she scoffed. "That smug bastard waltzed into my office, going on about his new 'Flower Guild' - a fancy euphemism for the mercenaries he's hiring."
She clenched her fists. "Masters even had the gall to ask if I wanted a donation to my potential presidential campaign. I nearly tossed him out on his ear."
Arters shook his head bitterly. "That sounds like the John Masters I've come to know. His lust for power and money is limitless."
"I swear, if I could shut down his operation entirely, I would," the Secretary said vehemently. "But my hands are tied by this damn legislation."
She turned back to the portal, its chaotic energies reflecting her own roiling emotions. This profiteering venture went against everything she believed in as a public servant. But she had to find a way to regulate it as ethically as possible now.
"Keep fighting the good fight, ma'am," Arters said, compassion in his eyes. "If anyone can reign in these corporate raiders, it's you."
The Secretary managed a wan smile. "I appreciate the vote of confidence, General. God knows I'll need it in the challenging days ahead."
Drawing herself up, she prepared to face this daunting new responsibility head-on. She refused to become another compromised politician bowing to big money interests. Lives depended now on her moral compass holding steady.
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John straightened his tie and flashed a confident smile as the investor video call connected. Time to sell these shareholders on the immense profits to be made from portal exploration.
"Gentlemen, thank you for joining this call. As you know, GateCruiser Unlimited has secured priority access permits into multiple portal breach zones," John began smoothly.
One investor, Mr. Wilson, frowned. "Yes, but frankly John, the risk concerns me. Men have died already attempting to explore these anomalies."
John waved a dismissive hand. "Isolated setbacks and superstitious fear. Our prepared Flower Guild expedition crews will be quite safe."
"I don't know..." Mr. Wilson said dubiously.
Sensing the hesitation, John doubled down. "Imagine the fortunes to be made from magical artifacts and resources found nowhere else on Earth or any other dimension."
He pressed a button, bringing up a slide showing glittering gemstones and shimmering liquid samples his advance team had acquired. The investors leaned forward, intrigued.
"These riches are just the beginning if we move quickly to stake our claim," John continued eagerly. "I'm talking profit potential exponentially beyond our current revenue streams."
Mr. Wilson nodded slowly, won over by visions of wealth. Another investor, Mr. Patel, still looked skeptical.
"There remains risky PR too. The public doesn't view portal profiteering kindly," he pointed out.
John simply laughed. "A propaganda issue easily managed. We'll paint our Flower Guild teams as heroic explorers, not ragtag mercenaries."
He flashed his million dollar smile. "But none of those details matter if we stay laser focused on the bottom line. With so much wealth in reach, who cares about a few PR headaches?"
Seeing he nearly had them, John pressed his final point. "We're on the precipice of a golden new age of dimensional trade and riches. Don't get left behind!"
The investors murmured excitedly, exchanging greedy glances. John knew he had them fully hooked now. Soon the portals would make them all kings among men
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"Thanks for having me on, Rick. I wish it were under better circumstances, though," Reed said, leaning into the microphone. "As many listeners probably know, Congress just passed the so-called Portal Exploration and Development Act, which I find deeply troubling."
"Break it down for us, Reed. What exactly does this new law do?" the host, Rick, asked.
Reed shook his head in frustration. "In essence, it greenlights private corporations to send their own expeditions into active portals with minimal oversight. All for profit, under the guise of research."
"That does sound ethically questionable," Rick agreed. "Especially with the dangers those portals clearly pose. It seems like the public is still largely in the dark about them."
"Exactly," Reed said emphatically. "My sources report these portals open onto hostile dimensional planes, not some magical treasure troves. People have died already. But congressmen were wined and dined into approving this corporate free-for-all anyway."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I interviewed General Arters, the military officer overseeing portal containment. He's adamantly against reckless exploration. But lobbyists have more sway than public safety experts apparently."
"Malfeasance does seem afoot," Rick mused. "Who's behind pushing this profiteering bill through?"
Reed's expression darkened. "A company called GateCruiser, run by a real piece of work named John Masters. Get this - Masters actually asked me to bury my previous portal reporting, offered cash bribes to reporters."
"No way! That's outrageous," Rick exclaimed.
"Right? Some top-notch journalistic ethics," Reed said sarcastically. "I've tried reaching out to the families of the survivors to warn them about this, but they're still under tight government control."
He ran a frustrated hand down his face. "I'm just tired of the exploitation and lies, you know? Those kids never asked for their lives to be upended and powers exploited. They deserve compassion."
Rick nodded along sympathetically. "I hear you man. We'll keep fighting to get the truth out there. The public needs to know what's really happening with these portals."
"Thanks, Rick. I appreciate outlets like yours giving an independent voice to these stories," Reed said. "We have to keep the heat on politicians sacrificing lives and values to corporate interests. People before profits - that's my motto."
"Well said. We'll be right back after this break with more from Reed Hayes, crusading reporter and truth-seeker," Rick wrapped up.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Reed sat back, exhaling slowly. He just prayed someone would listen before more innocent lives were disrupted or destroyed by the unchecked portal profiteering. The truth had to win out.
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Vex, in the guise of a cat named Mittens, watched with amusement as Astor cowered under his father's latest tirade. The poor boy crept back to this toxic family environment after those incompetent humans lost control of their superpowered wards. Now Astor was once more under his vile parents' thumbs, and ripe for corruption.
"You pathetic freak, using your unnatural abilities!" Astor's father shouted, face purple with rage. "I always knew you were a monster."
He raised his hand to strike Astor, who flinched but did not cry out. The boy had learned not to show weakness or speak back to his abusers. Vex thrilled at the anguish simmering beneath Astor's passive facade.
Oh, how Vex longed to shred these loathsome humans slowly. But he restrained himself for now. Their cruelty was simply tenderizing Astor beautifully, making him vulnerable. Soon Vex would gain the boy's trust with a few small acts of kindness. Then the real feasting could begin.
Astor's mother now chimed in with her own vitriol, scolding him for bringing danger and shame upon them. As if they needed excuses to hate their child! Still, it was masterful emotional manipulation, Vex conceded. They knew Astor craved love and tore at that weakness relentlessly.
After a tedious eternity, the wretched couple stormed off, leaving Astor curled up on his bed. Vex leapt up in his Mittens disguise and nuzzled Astor soothingly, purring.
"Oh Mittens, at least I still have you," Astor choked out between quiet sobs. He clung to Vex, so desperate for any affection. Vex lapped up the boy's pain and need like the sweetest nectar. Soon, so soon, his puppet would be enthralled beyond hope of resistance.
For now, Vex simply kept purring, letting Astor take solace in his false cat form. The more trust he built, the greater the feast when Vex finally, exquisitely, broke him. Patience was key, but the demon relished the anticipation.
He had feasted on human suffering for eons. But one corrupted soul at a time, Vex would ensure these vile creatures paid dearly for his years of imprisonment. Nothing soothed his ancient grudges like a weeping child's anguish. And Astor's torment had only just begun.
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Mitch sagged against the sterile white walls of the laboratory room that had been his home for three endless months. He missed the sky, his friends, everything from his old life. Now he was just an experiment, forbidden from seeing the only people who might understand his freakish new reality.
His head snapped up as the door opened and his dad entered cautiously. “How you holding up, son?”
Mitch shrugged, not meeting his dad’s concerned gaze. “Same as always. Prodded and scanned all day by scientists too scared to actually talk to me.”
His dad sighed, sitting down on Mitch’s narrow cot. “I know this ain’t easy, but it’s for the best right now. Your powers...they’re still unstable.”
Mitch bristled, hands flaring red for a moment. “You mean I’m unstable, like some lab rat that needs its mind controlled!”
His outburst hung in the tense air between them. Mitch immediately regretted lashing out at his dad, one of the few people on his side.
“Sorry,” Mitch mumbled. “It’s just...I hate feeling so powerless in here. And I...” He hesitated, unsure if he should confess the twisted craving that haunted him.
His dad gripped his shoulder. “Talk to me, son. Whatever you’re feeling, I’m here.”
Mitch shut his eyes tight. “Part of me misses how it felt when Astor would use his abilities on me. Like an itch I can’t scratch, those moments of peace. But needing him to control me like that, it’s so messed up!”
Tears burned in Mitch’s eyes. His dad pulled him into a fierce embrace. “You’ll get through this. Those docs and shrinks don’t know nothing about your strength.”
Mitch let the comfort of his father’s arms briefly chase away the gnawing isolation and uncertainty. For now, just this was enough - being present together amidst the swirling chaos. Their bond was resilient, able to weather even these bizarre new challenges. Mitch had to hold onto that lifeline if he hoped to reclaim his humanity and future.
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Booker stared up at the imposing facade of his new school and swallowed back the lump in his throat. Ever since the military had whisked him away from the portal chaos, his parents had kept him secluded. But now they were trying to establish a "normal" life again.
If only his dad understood how bizarre and terrifying everything still felt to Booker. But he just squeezed Booker's shoulder bracingly.
"Fresh start, kiddo. I know you'll thrive here." His dad's pep talk did little to ease the anxiety churning in Booker's gut. At his old school, he'd been a popular jock. Here, he was just a freak who might accidentally blow up the chem lab if he lost control.
Giving his parents a shaky thumbs up, Booker headed inside, focusing on keeping his volatile mana energies contained. But his mind drifted to how his other friends with powers were handling things.
Were they also being forced into strange new environments, told to pretend they were ordinary again? Booker worried especially about Astor, who'd struggled so much even before manifesting frightening psychic abilities.
The military had deemed it "unsafe" for them to reconvene after the traumatic events. But Booker still considered the others his real family now, bound by the madness they had endured together.
After school, Booker's thoughts lingered on his fractured friendships as he helped his mom finish painting the new baby's nursery. Seeing her balloon of a stomach, Booker was hit again by how abruptly life had carried on without him.
"You seem distracted, honey," his mom noted, watching him closely to gauge his moods nowadays. "I know everything feels uncertain still, but we're here for you."
Booker nodded, managing a wan smile. He wanted to stop dwelling on the past and shadows looming ahead. But until he knew his friends were also surviving and adapting, Booker didn't feel he could fully move forward himself.
Someday, somehow, he had to reunite the ones who truly understood him. Only then could Booker face crafting a new life without the lingering guilt of leaving them behind. For now, he could only write them secret letters and cling to hope.
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Mei took a deep breath as she approached her new fathers, John and David, about a difficult subject. Ever since they had adopted her after the tragedy in Ares, she had tried her best to adapt to this new family. But she couldn't ignore her growing abilities, or desire to help others like her.
"Dads, I wanted to discuss something important," Mei began hesitantly. "I know you want me to have a normal life now. But my powers mean I can't stand by while others suffer."
David's face creased with concern. "Sweetie, it's too dangerous out there right now. You're just a child."
"Other teens are already on the frontlines trying to make a difference," Mei persisted. "I could join the Flower's Guild expeditions, support their mission."
David paled at the mention of the controversial guild. But John held up a hand thoughtfully.
"Perhaps in time, once you've trained more," he said. "I won't have you rushing into peril. But the guild could use someone with your gifts."
Mei's eyes shone with hope. At least John seemed to understand her desire to help tame the supernatural crises emerging.
David shook his head worriedly. "I don't like this, John. She's been through too much trauma already."
John drew David into a soothing embrace. "We'll make sure she's prepared for the challenges ahead. Our daughter is special - her life has purpose beyond the ordinary."
Mei threw her arms around them both. She knew David meant well in his protectiveness. But she couldn't hide from her powers and the conflicts they could help resolve.
"I'll make you proud, showing the world we can master the mystical with humanity," she promised solemnly.
John and David exchanged a look over her head that mingled pride and trepidation. But Mei knew if she stayed true to her principles, they would support her destinied path in time. She had been granted abilities for a reason. It was her duty to use them to spread light through the darkness.
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The cameras flashed as Joshua Black took his seat at the witness table. Glancing around the crowded hearing room, he spotted several familiar faces - old colleagues, mentors, even a few former assets. His CIA career had certainly led him down some interesting paths over the years. But none quite as unexpected as landing here, nominated to spearhead a new bureaucratic agency overseeing private corporations venturing into supernatural realms. Not exactly what he had envisioned for his retirement from intelligence work.
Senator Reed, a Republican from Oklahoma, fixed Black with a stern gaze as he began the questioning. "Mr. Black, given your extensive CIA background, how can we be certain you are qualified to regulate these corporate expeditions in a fair and impartial manner?"
Black offered a conciliatory smile. "A fair concern, Senator. My record shows I carried out my intelligence duties objectively and ethically, without ideological or commercial agendas. This position requires that same moral compass and commitment to the greater good above any special interests."
Senator Reed leaned forward, his tone sharpening. "Some would say the greater good is served by advancing American free enterprise and innovation. This new regulatory regime seems destined to strangle those twin engines of progress in red tape."
Black met the Senator's skeptical look head-on. "With respect, dimensions filled with hostile creatures and alien environments are not fertile grounds for unchecked capitalism. Reasonable oversight preserves both lives and our values."
Before Senator Reed could rebut, Senator Klein, a liberal Democrat, jumped in. "I'd like to return to that issue of ethical record. Mr. Black, didn't you play a role in certain enhanced interrogation operations after 9/11?"
Black kept his face neutral despite the wave of discomfort. His participation in those controversial programs had been relatively minimal, but not entirely absent either. "I served my country during a difficult period, Senator. But those methods are behind us now."
Senator Klein's sharp gaze bore into Black. "And should more extraterrestrial threats emerge from these portals, is 'enhanced' interrogation something you'd advocate using on beings we don't fully understand?"
Black held the Senator's scrutinizing look. "Absolutely not. We must approach all lifeforms, terrestrial or otherwise, with an ethic of peace and unity, not fear and division."
Murmurs rippled across the room at the firm response. This was the highest stakes job interview of Black's life, that much was clear. His record and principles were being put to the test by powerful figures who could easily deny him this position.
But Black meant what he said. His past was not spotless, but his vision was clear - leading this agency ethically to regulate corporations, not enable them, was his chance at public service untainted by ideology or self-interest. He could only lay his case humbly before these representatives and pray his character convinced them.
The gavel banged as the chairman called order and introduced the next round of probing questions on Black's worthiness. He took a breath and continued making his case. The stakes were too high to waver now. Lives and values hung in the balance. Black had to secure this role as a guardian against the greed and hubris swirling into the world through these unnatural portals.
Damien lurked in the shadows of the senate hearing room, watching the proceedings with contempt. These foolish mortals had no idea the forces they were meddling with. He flexed his clawed hands, longing to shred that pathetic human Black currently posturing at the witness table.
But no, Damien had to restrain himself for now. Caution was key if his plans were to come to fruition. He listened as Black pontificated about ethics and security. As if a former agent of covert oppression could lecture on morality! The ignorance of mortals never ceased to disgust Damien.
He bristled as Black denied he would ever endorse enhanced interrogation of extraterrestrials. So quick to make promises now under the cameras’ glare and senators’ scrutiny. But Damien knew the darkness lurking in every human’s soul, waiting to be unleashed.
Given the chance, this feeble man would sanction unimaginable cruelties against Damien’s people. Of that he was certain. Humans cloaked their evil in high-minded ideals, but stripped of pretense they were savages at heart. Why else had he and his kind been imprisoned for eons for merely existing?
No, letting this Black oversee portal exploration would be catastrophic. The time had come for bolder intervention to keep humanity from sealing off the realms again. With one last contemptuous look at the senators fawning over Black, Damien sank back into the shadows.
He would find another pawn to influence among these pompous bureaucrats, one more receptive to demonic suggestion. Damien refused to see his people deprived of freedom and revenge after waiting countless millennia. The combined powers of Hell were rising, and Earth would soon tremble before them once more.