The World Debut: Chronicles of The Holy Way part 2

“Hurry up, Lucas! We are going to miss our bus!” A young black man, twenty-two years old, dressed in a bright orange button up with the sleeves rolled up and a starched collar, tight burgundy jeans, and a short afro looks at me with a concerned expression.

“I’m packing as fast as I can, Gabe!” My voice cracks with the stress of my vocal cords changing. Being a eighteen years old sucks sometimes.

“Just hurry!” Gabe walks out of my room.

A New York City summer is exactly what the doctor ordered. At least that’s what I told myself as I packed my oversized bag in my dinky little single bedroom apartment in the middle of Norwich, New York.

“Anywhere is better than here. “ I say to myself as I finish squeezing the last pair of jeans.

Okay, give yourself one more check. Wallet. Keys. Bag. Everything turned off. I look in the mirror. Same face as always. My skin is a little lighter than Gabe’s but I am still my own black self. Hair the same tight fade I get every time. What works, works.

Gabe likes bright, warm, sunny colors, but I prefer a cooler color pallet. My eggplant purple short-sleeve button down pairs well with my tight black jeans, and my silver cross my dad gave me drapes over my neck on its thin chain.

“Groovy.” I say to myself again, and I run out to Gabe’s car.

“About damn time!” Gabe groans as I throw my bag into the back of his dad’s brand new, white Chevy pickup truck.

“Chill out, man. Let’s get to the bus station already.” I say rather hurriedly.

“It’s on you if we miss this bus! We won’t be able to make the big parade in Manhattan if we have to catch the next one! The bicentennial festival is gonna be outta sight!” Gabe taps his watch.

“I get it! Now, let’s boogie!”

He hits the gas. We managed to make our bus, but I take one last look at the peaceful town. Its fresh cookie cutter houses springing up to accommodate all the new families moving in to work at Original Products Incorporated, or OPI.

Currently, the world’s leader in innovative medicine and now their latest branch education thanks to them partnering with St. Malachy’s Educational Academy.

The world’s richest company and a fancy religious private school rumored to have shady connections the American Empire. That combination is gonna mean some real fireworks for sure at the bicentennial celebration.

I wonder if the Emperor will speak about Savoir City’s appeal to become its own independent city-state.

While the idea is exciting, I shouldn’t get too carried away. But it would be nice to be free from the empire’s influence. I don’t like the direction America has taken ever since Emperor Nixon overthrew the U.S.A. government with a military coup.

Ah well, nothing that concerns me really. My family has lived in Norwich, New York for decades now and none of us are rich enough to get out.

My life is pretty set in stone.

***

The bus ride is crowded, hot, sticky, smoky and above all noisy! When we finally arrive in downtown Manhattan it’s already almost time for the parade.

I step out into the legendary concrete jungle. You can see every shade of skin from milk to midnight all dressed in the latest styles! I’ve never felt so alive. The big city fills me with a sense of belonging finally. Not the usual racist glances, but a city so full of people that no one cares what I look like.

Yeah. This is exactly what I needed. We make our way to our hole in the wall motel room. The walls make a strange skittering noise, but I don’t care. We are only here for a few days.

The fierce July heat radiates off the black pavement. The stench of sweat, trash, street food, and above all ganja assault my nostrils. Gabe and I barely walk a block before some foxy white girl dressed in a tight black dress and long flowing brunette hair stops us.

She is holding several tiny traditional American flags, which I haven’t seen since the empire formed in ’72. I even remember when our teachers had to burn a bunch of history books labeled “The United States of America.”

She approaches Gabe as she says “Hi! You two from outta town?”

Gabe puffs his chest out a little bit as he says “We are from upstate, but we know how to boogie. Can you dig it?”

“Far out! I’m also from upstate! Graduated from St. Malachy’s in ’74 and moved out to the big city. I’m Gina!” She gives us a cute little pose with the flags.

I really hate my face sometimes, because as soon as Gina mentions St. Malachy’s my eyes must’ve bugged out. She looks at me and Gabe and fidgets awkwardly a little.

Gabe tries to break the tension “St. Malacy’s huh? Aren’t they the ones that donated a bunch of money to the Nixon coup?”

Gina’s smile breaks for a second, but she manages to plaster it back on as she says “Yeah, but you can hardly call it a coup. His majesty, Emperor Nixon gave every representative of the old government a vote to join the empire or stay a free state.”

That’s the same rehearsed line I’ve heard many times in high school. It’s not her fault though. I’m sure the indoctrination at St. Malachy’s is even worse than public school.

“Right. Well its nice to meet you Gina. I’m Gabe and this is my little brother Lucas.” Gabe slaps his hand across my back in a very condescending way.

“Hardly little anymore!” I rebuke as I straighten my back and try to puff my chest like Gabe’s, but not nearly as impressive.

“You both look very strong. Good thing too cuz me and some friends of mine need some help moving our equipment to the stage. Can you two help?” Gina let’s out a cute giggle.

“Equipment? You in a band?” I ask.

Gina giggles again as she says “No, but St. Malachy’s has a special float for the parade. We get to be right behind Emperor Nixon’s float! If you promise to help set up and tear down our float you can ride with us and maybe even meet the Emperor!”

She pops the flags she was carrying into each of our hands, her soft skin lingers on my skin. Her eyes practically sparkle like stars on a dark night, and for a brief second I swear her whole body had a lite red aura around it. But that must just be the July heat already getting to my head. She is the most enchanting woman I’ve ever seen.

“We’d love to help!” Gabe blurts out.

“Okay take a chill pill, Casanova. Gina, we’d love to help if you promise to be our personal guide around the festival.” Gabe might be the better looking one, but I got the silver tongue. Charming the foxy mammas and suave gentlemen is almost too easy for me. I’m not the one to be charmed.

“It’s a promise” She says as she leans in closer to me.

Gina gives me a bright smile, and that same lite red aura flashes in her eyes for half a second. I must help this beautiful woman with whatever she needs.

“Far out! I’m stoked to get to work!” I shout. Barely an hour in the big city and I’ve managed to meet a pretty girl, and get myself in the bicentennial parade! Nothing but good vibes for me.

***

Gina escorts us away from the main festival in central park over to the streets where the parade floats are lining up. America’s bicentennial parade has a heavy military theme. Each float has a famous war theme from the American Revolution to the present war people are already calling the Canadian-Mexican war. The empire has been at war with them for about three years now.

I see white people everywhere here. The beautiful melting pot atmosphere replaced with a white washed patriotic celebration of the American Empire. Some people give me and Gabe concerned looks for a second until Gina’s bubbly personality warms them up. Others have Gina’s same welcoming attitude with big bright smiles and a similar glow to them with hints of lite red or lite blue, and their costumes have a strange cross on it that is not thematically appropriate. Normally, this would make me uncomfortable and a bit suspicious of where my brother and I wandered off to, but thanks to Gina I feel at ease.

“Here we are! Finn! I brought that extra muscle you requested!” Gina does a cute little flex of her biceps.

The St. Malachy’s float is quite large. It has what appears to be a mock chapel made out of Pape-Mache and cardboard, dozens of strange gold crosses with white angel wings on top, and a large banner flag with both that same strange cross paired with the American Empire’s symbol a white dove soaring in a blazing sun.

After Gina shouts, a man probably closer to my age emerges from the fake chapel. He has very pale skin with freckles all over, shock red hair, and an aura about him that seems to demand respect. He is wearing very fancy looking church robes with gold trimmings with a red and black base, and on the back is that same strange golden cross. I even see a strange golden glow coming from him, but sense Gabe isn’t addressing it I let it go.

“Ah excellent. Good work, sister!” He is taller than I expected as he hops down to our level. He is easily half a head taller than me, and I’m a cool 6’6”.

He walks up to me, takes my hand in a very firm handshake as he says “Thank you for agreeing to help us. I’m Finnegan Cooper. You’ve already met my charming older sister, Gina. We are the representatives of The Holy Way for my sect.”

“The Holy Way? Never heard of it” I say. I’ve heard rumors of some extreme religious cult supposedly hiding at St. Malachy’s, but it can’t be these people. They are so nice and accepting. I’ve noticed that they have a much more diversity than the other floats people.

“That is understandable. My father, the head of our church, and those that came before him have kept us hidden from the modern world for a long time. But today, I hope to reveal us to the world! We are the only religion worth believing in! We have solid proof of our God, and He reveals his plan to all who seek it!” Finnegan talks with such enthusiasm it’s infectious. His voice like honey in my ears, and his aura grows even more.

“I’m down with it!” I shout. This religion sounds cool.

Gabe is taken by another girl to help carry over more equipment while Gina takes me over to the costumes. She picks out a very nice dark purple suit and tells me to put it on. I obey quite eagerly. I want to please her, and she is telling me that I am very important for The Holy Way’s world debut. Something about the threads of destiny being woven by God to make this day a reality.

I don’t know what she is talking about half the time, but I don’t care.

I’ve never felt so happy. If this is what life outside of Savoir City is like then I’m fully down with The Holy Way.

***

Time seems to pass right by until it the sound of horn blares above the crowd gathered for the parade.

Emperor Nixon’s voice booms through a megaphone “My fellow Americans, it is with great pride that I address you as your first Emperor! It is clear to me that everyone here is a true American! Beaming with patriotic spirit on this day. The day we overthrew our oppressors and strove to conquer lands for our great nation!”

The crowd cheers with a roar of pride. I join them! What a wonderful day to be an American

Emperor Nixon continues “We have the best economy in the world thanks to O.P.I. and their city, Savior City. While it breaks my heart that they want to part ways with our glorious empire, it is for the benefit of the world. And I have been personally promised by Isaac Anderson, CEO of OPI, that the American Empire will be the first to reap the rewards of their tireless research and development. The latest technology and medicine will be provided to my wonderful subjects!”

The cheers get louder as the floats continue down the road. People fire of small bottle rockets that pop above the parade. A shower of gold and white confetti comes down on us. I feel like I am part of something much bigger than myself.

The euphoric atmosphere is intoxicating. I can’t but get lost in it.

Gabe has lost himself to it as well as I look over. I see his eyes glittering with the same sparkle as Gina’s and all her people. I hope mine are glittering the same way!

“And now, thanks to my good friend Connor Cooper and his connections at St. Malachy’s we will lead the world in education too!”

I let a giant roar! This is what Gina and Finnegan wanted! The Holy Way’s world debut must be seconds away! I wonder what they are gonna do?

Thousands of people are cheering for their emperor as his float comes to the end of the parade. No one seems to notice that all the people around him all have that golden cross on their costumes.

Another man walks up onto the float next to Emperor Nixon. He is wearing the same robes as Finnegan only white and blue instead.

“Here he is! The man that made our glorious empire possible! Connor Cooper!” bellows Emperor Nixon has he shakes Connor’s hand. Connor seems unaware as well of who he is surrounded by as well.

Gina leans in and whispers to me “That’s my dad. Finnegan has a special gift for him during the debut. So he wants you to give the emperor our gift.” Her gorgeous dark brown eyes flare up that lite red again and I know what to do.

She hands me something made of a strange metal, but I don’t even look at it. Whatever she wants she gets.

“When Finnegan gives father his gift make sure you give the emperor his right after or we’ll miss our chance at an explosive debut.” Gina gives me a kiss on the cheek, and that’s all the motivation I need to get the job done.

Finnegan walks up onto the float to both Emperor Nixon’s and Connor’s surprise. He speaks like his voice is amplified by a megaphone, but he isn’t holding anything. His voice is so loud I can swear I hear it in my head as well.

“Hello, America! My name is Finnegan Cooper. That man there is my father! We are the Cooper family! We have been part of America’s long bloody history for a long time!”

The crowd goes silent.

“You people revel in your wars! You love to conquer other lands! You don’t even know that there is a secret crusade happening right under your noses!”

The crowd begins to murmur.

“That crusade has a name. The Holy Way! Long have my people fought the demons hidden in the shadows of America for all of you to lead happy lives! But our numbers are too small. The shadows have an iron grip on America’s soul. And so today I reveal ourselves to you so that the American Empire and The Holy Way can unite against the shadows! All we have to do is ascend in God’s eyes, and crucify those that left us in the darkness!”

Finnegan’s golden aura expands for all to see. The crowd roars with both fear and joy. Connor looks at his son bewildered as Finnegan plunges his fist into his chest. Connor’s white robes now stained blood red.

That’s my cue!

I take the gun Gina gave me, point it at the Emperor. He looks at me in the eyes. I can feel his fear and it only stirs my heart more.

Fuck you, Nixon! This beautiful girl has been fighting a secret crusade as you sit safely on your throne. I pull the trigger!

The bullet flies threw the air straight at Nixon’s head. Then at the last moment I see something that snaps me out of whatever trance this was. Gabe is behind the emperor with a knife.

I watch in horror as the bullet goes through Emperor Nixon’s head like butter and then into Gabe’s chest.

“No!” I scream as I drop the gun and rush up to Gabe. The crowd continues to roar, but no one is running away or fighting as their emperor lays dead on the ground.

“Gabe! What have I done?” I know he can’t hear me. His body feels like death.

“Exactly what you were destined to do, Lucas Motarde.” Finnegan Cooper’s voice reverberates in my ears.

“You are so important for what is to come, Lucas. At least that’s what Mr. Anderson told me. Today, your hatred for us will drive you to challenge us on a day that shadow and light clash! Until then, I bid you farewell.”

With that Finnegan Cooper flies into the air as the crowd cheers. A man dressed as an American Empire general walks up and picks the emperor’s pin off his suit and fixes it to his own lapel.

He was right about one thing.

He and his people will die for what they did to me and my brother! I swear to be the one to kill Isaac Anderson!