Page 20 of The Godhead Complex
Pilgrims moaned in mourning and turned to each other for support.
“Yes. It is true. Our dear Nicholas died defending his vision for this land. For each of you to have the privilege of living a Godly life.” She paused and rubbed her temples. The loud buzzing in her ears started again as if she couldn’t speak of Nicholas’ death without her body having a visceral response.
“Who murdered him?” a loud scratchy voice asked and Alexandra looked up to see Mannus, the murderer, asking her. She squinted at him and shook her head before addressing the crowd.
“We’re looking into who could have committed such a hideous, blasphemous, violent crime.”
“The Hollowings must be increased!” a tattooed Pilgrim shouted. “Two a day!”
Alexandra turned to Flint for crowd control but he was useless. “No! The Hollowings must stop at once. Nicholas asked this of us and it is the one thing we can do to honor his memory, to be more Godlike in his absence.” She reached for the mustard-yellow cloak from Flint. The Pilgrims clamored too many phrases for her to hear all at once, and calming them was much harder than she’d anticipated. The disbelief draped over the crowd’s faces, and this was the outburst of emotion that she needed in order to manipulate their reactions for her plans. She let them erupt and share each other’s pain a little longer. The more she let the outrage and fear simmer, the easier it would be to steer them into her intentions.
The fear that annoyed her so much could be used to her advantage, now. “Dearest Pilgrims, you must understand the full truth.” Her eyes met Mannus’ in the crowd and she quickly looked away; she would not be sharingthat truth.“You must realize that this horrible news comes about because Nicholas had discovered a Cure, an immunity to the Flare.” The crowd became quiet just as she had hoped. It was as if her eardrums had ceased to function all at once. Perhaps they weren’t too far out of her control after all.
“A Cure? Finally? Could it be true?” a woman in the front row asked gently as she reached out to the Goddess. Alexandra took her hand and squeezed it as she answered with a giving smile.
“Yes.” She needed to cement their shock. “What he discovered is a preventative that keeps you healthy from the world’s deadliest virus, but also will boost your DNA to be smarter, stronger, and more gifted in all areas of your life.”
Nicholas had indeed discovered a way to be immune to the Flare but she’d never tell them the rest of it, that the same variant which kept them resistant could also cure the half-Cranks to be whole again. She didn’t want Alaska to turn into a refuge for Cranks. They’d likely be more dead inside than Mikhail and cause more Hollowings. Alexandra knew the majority of people might agree with her, that they’d be hesitant to let half-Cranks back into society. Those abominations of the world, no matter the internal ratio, belonged on the outskirts of every town and in the Flare pits of Crank Palace.
“When can we get this Cure?” the same woman in the front row asked.
“In due time. Patience is necessary, dear Pilgrims. But soon we will eradicate every strain of the Flare and each of you will Evolve to the infinite potential of the human race. Capabilities that until this moment, only members of the Godhead have possessed.” The time was right. She made a show of unfolding the cloak and she swung it wide around her shoulders before securing it at the neck.
“You all will become Gods and Goddesses, if you accept the Cure. Some will oppose this advancement in medicine, but let me be the first to tell you that those who oppose the Evolution are as evil as the Flare itself.” The crowd cheered at her fanfare just as she knew they would. “Those who oppose the Evolution are themselves responsible for the death of the God Nicholas.” The crowd booed along with her. “The Cure is on the horizon. It is the dawning of a new day, and Alaska will be both home of the Maze and now home of the Cure.”
The crowd’s faces lit up with hope, and joy, and something so intense that she hadn’t seen from the Pilgrims in a long time. A fight in their eyes. A willingness to do more than just survive. Hysteria. Fanaticism. Exactly what she wanted. “New Petersburg will be the most powerful of all cities, the highest of all populations. No longer a place to be feared, or to be looked down upon. New Petersburg, the sight of the Maze—will rise again.”
The people cheered louder and louder. She breathed it all in like fresh air.
She was their only remaining God.
Their one true Goddess.
Alexandra felt dizzy. Was this how Nicholas felt with all the power he’d once held? Her ears buzzed louder with each step she took into town. Now that she was the singular God, she wondered if her head could take the pressure. Her hands shook without reason, which she tried to hide from the Evolutionary Guard.
“Goddess Romanov!” shouted someone from the crowd chasing behind them, but the guards knew to keep anyone from getting close to her. She wouldn’t be touching them on their foreheads, their noses, and then their mouths like dear Nicholas did. She’d never touch them at all. “Goddess Romanov, I’ve done your bidding now you do mine.” The voice of the follower rang clear.
“Stand back.” The Evolutionary Guard pushed the man with horns. “She’ll speak again next Sunday.”
But Alexandra held up her hand to stop them. “I’ll speak to this one now.” She motioned the Guard to give her space, “Please. Allow us privacy.” She knew such a request might cause suspicion and that heads might roll if she invited this monster of a man up to her quarters for a private talk. The middle of the street, south of the square would have to do. The Guard hesitated to leave her side, as if they knew Mannus was a Godhead killer. She motioned with a little more threat for just a few feet of privacy.
“You’ve got a kindness owed to me, Goddess.” Mannus tapped his right horn.
“Yes, I do. Thank you. It will be done.” She smiled so that the Evolutionary Guard allowed her to comfort a spiritually lost Pilgrim.
“When?” Mannus forcibly demanded the when and the how of it, but the more he pushed the more she’d delay. She didn’t come out from under Nicholas’ reign to be bossed around by anyone ever again. She couldn’t let Mannus forget who the true God was.
She held her hands in front of her, palms up to show dominance and leadership as she spoke to Mannus. “Dear Pilgrim, do you have faith?” It was something simple she’d learned about body language and casting doubt that easily controlled another. She doubted Mannus could even control his own body, let alone his mind.
“Of course.” He was a simple man with simple words. Maybe she could mold him into being something more. She needed him and his closest allies on her side. They’d been a tool in her plan to get rid of Nicholas, but perhaps tools so useful should be kept close. “It will be done when my bidding is done. I have one last request.” She held up a single finger.
“Our deal has already started and ended.” Mannus inched closer to her and she looked back to the Guard but they were distracted by a street fight.
Alexandra took a deep breath and repeated the digits in her head. “Then I have a newproposition.” If Mannus was impulsive enough to get horns sewn on his head years ago to please a woman, then his curiosity could be manipulated again. And after all, Alexandra was more than just any woman, she was a God.
“I’m listening.” He lowered his tone and took a step backwards.
She held up her finger again. “You will be the first of New Petersburg to experience the full Evolution.”
