The Federation

The State of the Union Address

Several hours later, Melanie turned the TV on, flipping the channel to CNN. The State of the Union address was the big story, of course, and it was about to start. They caught the inhumanly perfect news anchor mid-sentence. “…live at the State of the Union address in just a few minutes.”

Melanie jumped to her feet. “I’m making popcorn!” she proclaimed, bounding into the kitchen.
“You’re way too excited about this,” said Dan, wandering in after her.

Melanie threw a bag of popcorn in the microwave and started the timer. “Yeah, I know,” she said, heaving herself up onto the counter to wait for the popcorn. “Go tell me when it starts, okay?”

“Whatever you say,” Dan said, rolling his eyes and going back into the living room.

After a few minutes, Melanie took the popcorn out of the microwave and poured it into a bowl. She pranced back into the living room and put the bowl on the couch between her and Dan. “Bon appétit,” she said, stuffing a handful of popcorn in her mouth.

Just then, the CNN cameras went to the place in which McCain would be giving his speech. The buzzing of reporters in the room got louder in anticipation of McCain walking through the door. Melanie was positively bouncing in her seat.

“And you said you’d be bored without me,” Dan chuckled. Melanie shushed him, staring at the TV.

The door opened, and Tyler Mason and his entourage stepped into the red-carpeted aisle to an outbreak of confused whispers and madly flashing cameras.

“What the hell?” Dan said. “What’s he doing there?”

“I don’t know,” Melanie said slowly, watching Mason. He seemed perfectly calm and at ease, smiling and waving at the cameras and shaking hands as though he was supposed to be there. If there was anything amiss, Mason certainly didn’t act like there was. “Maybe McCain’s coming after.”

But Mason walked right up to the podium in the forefront of the stage, followed by Andrew Ellis, Speaker of the House, and a small, dark man Melanie had never seen before. Ellis and the unknown man sat in the two seats behind Mason. The unknown man took a sip from the glass of water set out for him, surveying the audience unsmilingly.

The reporters didn’t seem to know what was going on, either. They were talking urgently among themselves, holding out cameras and recording equipment as far as they could, hanging on to the President’s every word.

“Mr. Speaker, Vice President Morgan, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens. I stand before you in a time of monumental change for our country,” Mason said, his voice booming to the very corners of the cavernous and utterly silent room.

“Vice President Morgan?” Dan said, sounding as if he did not quite believe what was coming out of his own mouth.

“In the past eight years since John McCain first took office, we have seen this country change in unimaginable ways. We have risen to the occasion of perfecting our position as a global superpower, and we have faced incredible hardships in the war in Iraq, bettering our failing health care system, and finding a clean alternative to foreign oil,” Mason went on. “As you can see, many changes have been made tonight alone. Firstly, I see that many of you are wondering why I am making this speech instead of John McCain. Former President John McCain had urgent business come up at very short notice, and was therefore unable to speak tonight. Secondly, I am sure that many of you are wondering who this man is behind me.”

He did not need to specify which man. Everyone watching was aware of the unknown presence in the Vice President’s chair. Melanie stared at him. His features were unremarkable—he was small and wrinkled, probably in his mid-sixties, with graying hair. His eyes, however, were unsettling. They were shockingly blue, like chips of ice. His hands were folded and resting on his knee. But these were all peripheral details—his expression was what grabbed Melanie’s attention most forcefully. He was staring out at the audience with a strange mixture of coldness, satisfaction, and hunger. Melanie shivered.

“I am deeply saddened to announce the sudden and unexpected death of my former running mate, Robert Lowe. He will be greatly missed by everyone in this fine country, and I ask now that we all share in a moment of silence in his memory.”

Melanie doubted that anyone would have made a sound anyway. The tension in the room was so thick that she could feel it from her own living room. She looked to Dan, whose face mirrored her confused expression.

Mason lifted his head. “I would like to introduce the American public to my new Vice President, Vice President Malcolm Morgan.”

The unknown man, Morgan, stood to accept the reluctant applause he was given. The camera panned out to show the audience and reporters. Everyone looked confused and apprehensive.

“America has always been a prosperous nation, a model for all others…” Mason began.

Melanie turned to Dan, tuning out. “What was that all about?” she asked.

“I have no idea,” he said. “And no one on the news was saying anything about it, either. Lowe died, for God’s sake! How did they not know that?”

Melanie just shook her head. “And there’s something about that Malcolm Morgan guy. The way he stares at everyone—it’s like he’s a puppeteer and he’s thinking about all the things he could make us do.”

“Something’s up,” Dan said.

Melanie did not know what to say to this. She pulled her legs up and hugged her knees to her chest. She watched the rest of the address without really listening, until the end, when Mason caught her attention.

“…but our priority must be our country, always. Because of seriously falling social standards, the number of crimes, murders, illegal immigrants, teen pregnancies, and the like have gone through the roof. It is time to make America what it has always meant to be. It is time to make true the American dream. It is time to protect and defend the American ideal, instead of neglecting it as we have been. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to start paying more attention to what is going on within our own borders than to how we look in the world. It is time to start. Thank you, and God bless America,” Mason finished.

His words were met with a standing ovation, as always, but, as far as Melanie could remember, there had never been so many whispered conversations and worried looks among the audience. Mason, followed by Ellis and the mysterious Morgan, walked down the aisle and out the door. Melanie turned off the TV.

“I should go home,” Dan said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah,” Melanie said, standing up and stretching her arms. “I’ll see you tomorrow at school, okay?”

“Okay,” Dan said. They walked to the front door, but Dan paused before leaving.

“Don’t worry, Mel,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Yeah, I know,” she said, smiling a little. He always had been able to guess what she was feeling. And he was right. There was certainly something weird going on, but there was no reason to be afraid. What could happen, anyway?

Melanie waited until she couldn’t hear the roar of Dan’s engine anymore, then turned away from the door. “Mom?” she yelled.

“Yeah, honey?” her mom yelled from somewhere upstairs.

“Did you watch the State of the Union address?”

“No, why?”

“Just wondering,” Melanie said, flopping back down on the couch next to the uneaten popcorn. She turned on the TV again, staring uncomprehendingly at the screen. Her mind was trying to process what had just happened, but she could only pay attention to one thought.

What happens next?
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I almost missed my deadline, mostly because I hadn't finished writing the chapter today, and it turned out to be incredibly long. So I split it into two chapters and posted both of them today-- I don't think that'll happen often, but in this case, I needed them to sort of go together, but I don't think they would've worked together in one chapter.

So this is the beginning of the plot... I hope you like it! I'm supah excited about this story. I hope you guys like it!

Chapter 6 will be up on Saturday, September 20th. Until then, please please PLEASE comment and subscribe! Comments totally make my day, so... yeah. Comment'n'subscribe :)

<3 Ella