Excerpt: Apocalypse Wow! 2! Electric Boogaloo

CHAPTER SIX: THE SHOCK OF THE LIGHTNING. OR, IN WHICH, WELL, EVERYTHING BEGINS TO CHANGE…

Vegreville, Alberta.
July 7. 5:15 a.m.

Main street Vegreville was quiet. Typical quiet for this time of day. With most of the town still asleep with the exception of the early risers, no one would have noticed a slight electrical discharge emanating around the still vacant lot of where the Alberta Hotel once stood. Nor would have anyone noticed two women in matching blue trench coats who appeared as the electrical buzzing ceased. One woman tall and had long flowing brown hair with blonde streaks. The other one was short with blonde hair, done up with a simple pony tail. The brown-and-blonde haired woman was known as Megan and the straight blonde haired woman was known as Molly. The two of the surveyed their surroundings as Megan removed a communication device from her pocket.
“Central Command, this is Special Operative Megan reporting.” Megan said into the device. “We have arrived at destination point as per orders. Apparently we arrived too early on the target date.”
An unknown male voice replied back to Megan’s message: “Huh, guess we underestimated the exact moment, but now this gives you two adequate time to prepare for your primary objective.”
“Permission to have primary objective revised?” Megan requested. “Why do we not remove all hostile elements now?”
“Permission denied,” the male voice “All calculations indicate engaging hostiles in current time stream would result in massive corruption. Protect the thirteen names given to you in mission briefing will result in ninety-two percent success of maintaining the timeline.”
“Understood. Megan out.” Megan answered back and ceased communicating. Molly looked around the surrounding area again and then addressed her comrade in arms. “It’s kind of funny, isn’t it? We could very well save hundreds of lives today, yet we’re asked only to save thirteen lives,” she said.
“I know, but those decision are what separates us from the Corruptors.” Megan said. “And those twelve lives we need to save now are going to come in handy in the future if everything else plays out as it should.”
“I just wish we could help these people out more now than later. Most of them are asleep, unaware of what is going to go down today.”
“That’s what makes these primitives so fascinating. Maybe ignorance is bliss after all.” Megan said as she and Molly began walking down the sidewalk of the large prairie town.

6:45 a.m.

The alarm clock in the cheap motel room buzzed at the time it was set for. Claudia Daring weakly rolled over to shut the infernal racket the clock made. She then slowly sat up from the bed, noticing her partner for that night was not beside her. She got out of the bed and wrapped the white sheets of the bed around her naked body after noticing the bathroom door was closed. But she saw light shining from the bottom of the door and the faint sound of Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” emanating from inside. Knocking may prove to be futile as Claudia opened to door to reveal Jason Saxon, freshly showered and blow drying his hair, as well as lip-synching to the song. Saxon stopped once he realized Claudia was standing in the open doorway.
“Ah, good morning my lady!” Saxon said with a faux British accent.
“You’re up awfully early.” Claudia said with a yawn and rubbing her eyes.
“Couldn’t sleep. Just so excited about today. Today, my dear missus Daring, we are going to part of history. Today, change happens and we’re going to set in place the first domino to be knocked down! God, can’t you just feel it?”
“I just wished we had stayed back in Darington and made our way here like the rest of the dignitaries did,” Claudia lamented as she looked around the shabby motel room, “Instead of slumming it here.”
“Well, turn that frown upside down!” Saxon said as he walked towards Claudia and used his fingers to make a smiley face on Claudia’s current sour scowl. “If anything, this should be a life lesson here. To always appreciate what you have. To respect humble beginnings at the bottom once you are looking down from the top.”
Claudia eventually came around to seeing her boss’ perspective. “Very well. I shall endure this for one more day, but I am rather disappointed in you, Mister Saxon.”
Saxon looked at her with a slight concern on his face. “And why is that?” he asked.
Claudia smiled as she dropped the sheet to reveal her naked body. “You showered without me,” she said as she seductively made her way close to Jason Saxon. The two embraced and kissed as Saxon’s conveniently placed towel dropped to the floor. The two kissed their way back into the shower stall as “Fabulous” began to play on the radio in the bathroom.

8:30 a.m.

Everyone in Dean Williams’ farm house scrambled frantically to get ready for the big day as well. The Bellums elected to stay for the past few days up until today before making their way back to Calgary. Dean and Donnie paced back in forth in the living room as Sarah fussed with Hailey to put on a pair of dress shoes. Amy Benz emerged from the hallway, just finishing putting on her earrings.
“We’re just waiting on you, Karen!” Dean hollered.
“Just about done with Faith here!” Karen hollered back, which was suppressed by the distance from the bedroom and living room.
“Well, Donnie, why don’t you guys go on ahead without us?” Dean suggested to Donnie.
“Makes sense. We’re going back down to Calgary afterwards and our car is all packed.” Donnie said and nodded in agreement.
“Right then, we’ll see you in Veg then.” Dean said as Sarah and Hailey grabbed their coats and made their way to the front porch with Donnie in tow.
“Oh, and if Kevin is there already, don’t make a scene please!” Dean pleaded.
“Not making any promised!” Donnie shouted back, fuming with anger at the mere mention of Kevin’s name. Dean began slowly breath rapidly as he sat down. Showing concern for her client Amy sat down on the arm of the chair and asked Dean “You alright?”
“Yeah, think I need some air. I’ll go get the truck started. Tell Karen I’ll wait for and Faith outside, okay?” Dean requested Amy, who nodded yes. Amy then got up and walked back down the hall. Dean caught himself getting a quick glance of the wiggle that Amy’s back end did in her tan knee-length skirt. If only he were not a married man.

8:53 a.m.

“Ugh! Where did it go?” Lucas fussed and fumed as he looked all over the Brody-Toroshenko residence.
“What did you lose now?” Benny said as he relaxed on the couch, wearing brown shorts and a novelty t-shirt that made it look like he was wearing a black tuxedo coat and bowtie.
“My Comic-Con Exclusive Rose Tyler action figure. Dean got Billie Piper got autograph it for me exclusively!” Lucas whined.
“The one I found in the bathtub when I gave Willow her bath last night?” Ariel indistinctly shouted back in reply.
Lucas flapped his arms in frustration as Benny laughed. “In the tub, Lucas?” ask Benny mockingly.
“Wasn’t there… gah! That little bugger! She probably… bah! Why’d I ever move out of my parents basement only to come here and have some brat wreck my stuff!” Lucas moaned. He then noticed Rachel walking by and asked her “Sure you don’t want to reconsider my proposal Miss Mills?”
“Sorry Lucas,” Rachel answered back. “Had a ‘just friend’-type male roommate in my senior year at Cornell. It got awkward after he saw me naked in the shower accidently, or so he claimed it was an accident.”
“But you got all that room and just yourself living there.” Lucas insisted.
“Well, I’m getting a dog soon,” Rachel said. “If its any consolation, you can housesit for me when I go on my speaking tour…”
Kevin walked by at the “speaking tour” part of Rachel’s discussion with Lucas. “What speaking tour?” he asked Rachel.
“The publisher wants me to go do book signings and university tours.” Rachel answered back.
“And they didn’t ask for the rest of the Scooby Gang here?” Benny asked.
“See?” Lucas jumped in. “’Scooby Gang’ I can get behind – wait, are we talking Sunnydale Scoobies or Hanna-Barbera Scoobies?”
“I think I know those words, but they don’t make sense in the context you’re using.” Rachel replied back, slightly confused.
“It’s a forty-five minute drive from here to Vegreville, Bones. I’ll fill you in on the way there.” Kevin assured Rachel.
“So how much did you really make on that book?” Benny asked matter of factly.
“I made… enough” Rachel said hesitantly. “Enough to live comfortably for a while anyways.”
“Define ‘a while’” Benny pressed on.
“A true author never discusses her income.” Rachel said with a teasing smirk on her face as she left the house to make her way to the van.
“I’m telling you Lucas, we’re in the wrong field.” Benny said shaking his head.
“What do you mean?” Lucas asked.
“Maybe we too should write something like a book. Except fill it with zombies and a secret government agency who uses a war to stage a bloodless coup. And to mess with people, throw in a parody of a ‘Doctor Who’ fanfic, you know, just to mess with them.”
“That sounds retarded.” Lucas inferred. “Who would read such drivel?”
“I know a few people who would.” Benny said with a smile on his face.

9:45 a.m.

Jason Saxon’s car pulled into the parking lot of where all the other government representatives were parking – two blocks away from the park that was being honored and officially opened today. The park served as a memorial to all lives lost in Vegreville during the incidents three years ago. Jason Saxon and Claudia Daring made their way out of the car and over towards a group of people who were standing around. At the center of this group was Stephen Harper and Barack Obama, the leaders of Canada and the United States respectively. Saxon made his way over to shake their hands and exchange pleasantries with the man he hopes to replace as prime minister and another man he looked forward to working alongside. Or that is what Saxon would say to their faces, keeping concealed the truth of what was going down today.

10:15 a.m.

Forty-five minutes until the official ceremony kicked off. Kevin and Ariel arrived first among the group known as the Vegreville Six and were escorted towards the front row of seating arrangements. Sadly, the Ryan Jeffries Memorial Squint Squad were denied V.I.P. seating and were relegated to regular seating. Same fate fell upon Amy Benz, as Dean, Karen and Faith were escorted to the front. Amy elected to sit alongside the Squint Squad, whom she only met five days earlier, but knew them more than the sea of white people that made up the rest of the crowd. Amy fiddled around with her purse as she sat beside Lucas.
“Shit!” Amy exclaimed. “Don’t suppose any of you brainaics have any smokes on ya?”
Rachel shook her head no. Benny replied. “Sorry, just went straight-edge two months ago.”
Lucas snickered at Benny’s boast of clean-living. “Was that before or after Kevin ordered you to destroy your stash?”
“Timing was irrelevant.” Benny said dejected. “Thought I needed to clear my head for other things.”
“And the threat of getting kicked out of the bomb shelter and having me move in there didn’t help manners?” Lucas came back with, finally gaining upper hand on a man who has constantly tormented and ribbed him since day one.
“That is a private manner.” Benny said.
“Still can’t believe you got it before I did.” Lucas whined.
“Hey, I called dibs fair and square on day one!” Benny said with pride. Amy just rolled her eyes as the two man-children bickered on. No smokes, no booze for at least for another two hours and the only one of her color – this was going to be a long day for Amy indeed.

Molly and Megan watched from afar.
“Frack! They’re separated!” Megan quietly exclaimed.
“How do we save all of them now?” asked Molly.
“Looks like we’re gonna have to split up.” Megan said.
“Can the rift handle two simultaneous leap-outs?” asked Molly
“I sure hope so, otherwise we’re gonna have to recalculate a new outcome.”

Megan was able to bluff her way to the V.I.P. section as she made here way to where the Vegreville Six. Donnie and Kevin bookended the other four. Megan saw an empty seat next to Kevin and proceeded right there. She sat right down beside Kevin and looked to make sure they were all there. The six of them and their respective children. Good. Now here was hoping leaping out was going to go off without any complications.
Molly meanwhile made her way towards Amy and the Squints. Benny noticed Molly sit down and nudged Lucas. “Dibs”, Benny declared to Lucas. Lucas looked confused and saw the cute looking blonde in the blue trench coat.
“We gotta stop doing this ‘dibs’ thing.” Lucas muttered to himself.

11:00 a.m.

Barack Obama and Stephen Harper took the center podium and began to speak. Harper acknowledged how much of an honor it was to have his American ally here to commemorate the sacrifices made by both of their respective nations. Megan watched, anticipating the moment. Just then a male voice came through to her brain via a neural implant that allowed telepathic messages.
Megan, two minutes before everything changes. The same mail voice that spoke to her earlier told her
They are split up. Megan transmitted back. Molly is with the other four and I am with the core group. Can the rift handle two leaps?
Only if you go now and Molly follows two minutes later. We’ll instruct her to do so then. The male voice said.
“Great. Showtime.” Megan said quietly as she looked on her watch and made some sort of adjustment. A quick flash of light saw Megan and the Vegreville disappear instantaneously. The quick flash caught Stephen Harper off guard in his speech, which would prove to be the last thing Stephen Harper would ever see as the entire stage exploded and became consumed with flames. Screams came from people in the front as another set of explosions happened within the first four rows. Then another and another. Amy and the Squints watched in horror as panicky people tried in vein to outrun the explosions.
“What the - ?” Rachel looked in shock and face turning pale.
“Aw hell no!” exclaimed Amy.
“Nononononono!” Lucas shrieked.
“Man this would be so awesome if it wasn’t going to kill us too!” Benny said.
“Let’s go!” Molly said as she hit her watch and she along with the other four disappeared in the same manner Megan did. Which thankfully was in the nick of time as an explosion rocked their section within seconds.

12:01 p.m.

Claudia Daring stood outside the parking lot of the hospital, wiping away the tears she was instructed to shed in case anyone from the press would bump into her. Until instructed so, Jason Saxon died in the Vegreville Memorial Park attack. She looked into the distance of the park that house that insipid giant Easter Egg. Families walked around without a care, until the egg itself exploded and another series of explosions rocked the Elks Park. Claudia Daring walked towards the entrance of the hospital, wiping away more tears, unaware her mascara was running and a tiny bit ran down between her cleavage and stained her favorite white blouse.
“Always hated that egg! Such a garish ugly thing.” Claudia said under her breath as she made her way into the hospital where she was promptly followed by six men in paramilitary gear. Their collective cadence echoed down the soon-to-be busy emergency wars as they made their way to the morgue where Agents Black and White stood guard. Claudia and the six men went through the doors where a black body bag laid upon a gurney. The six men stood back as Claudia went towards the bag and slowly unzipped it open.
“Wake up, Prime Minister Saxon” Claudia said with a satisfied smile.
The person that arose from the body bag was indeed Jason Saxon, looking like nothing had happened. “Took you long enough. Was about to scream for Black and White to come let me out already! I assume everything went off without a hitch?” he asked his day time assistant and night time lover.
“Yes, Mister Saxon.” Claudia said, still drying away the crocodile tears.
“Oooh, love the tears! Adds realism!” Jason said as he hopped out of the bag, perky and alert as ever. “Now, what’s the spin?”
“History will show that Jason Saxon, by some divine intervention, survived one of the most horrific acts of terror ever on Canadian soil.”
“Love it! Just like the Brown Hornet!” Saxon said excitedly.
“Yes. Now we should get you ready for your post-explosion press conference.” Claudia said as she straightened out Jason’s jacket and quickly caressed his chest. “Mmm, when does the next part begin?” she asked with a flirtful tinge in her voice.
“In due time. This was the first part of the grand scheme” Jason said as he and Claudie made their way out, flanked behind by the six men. As they emerged from the morgue and into the hallway, a confused old man looked in horror as if he saw a ghost.
“You’re supposed to be dead!” the old man exclaimed. “Nurse! Help!” he shouted and tried to run in vein only to be easily caught by two of the six men. Both of them brandished assault rifles on the old man.
“Shall we terminate him, sir?” one of the gun holders asked Saxon
“No, there’s been enough death and mayhem for the day.” Saxon said and then looked at Agent White. “You have my little black bag, Whitey?”
Agent White rolled his eyes and brought out the brief case that contained the Lazarus Glove. “It’s all ready for you.” White said very gruffly.
“Hmmm.” Saxon paused and then looked at Claudia Daring. “My dear, are you ready for the next test of your commitment to our cause?” he asked as he showed the glove to her.
“I was ready since last night.” Claudia said as she allowed Saxon to fit the glove onto her petite hands.
“And like you told me last night… no glove, no love.” Saxon said with a slight insane giggle. “Now let me guide you through your first time.”