The low-battery alarm beeped, stopping the Keeper mid-sentence.

  Gaberial rushed to the camera, checking the display. The battery was almost out, marking the end of the day's session. She checked the recording stream and the copy stored on the external hard drive. The Government was going to take the hard drive as soon as she reached the line outside.

  She wasn't sure if the Keeper understood what he had revealed to her during the session. With a glance, she looked at him as she worked on the display, shutting down her recording rig. He was watching her, giving nothing away in his passive way. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed that he had dropped the information on purpose.

  This led to the question of whether he was being truthful.

  Her Abuela, growing up, had cautioned her constantly against the devil and his silver tongue. Well, hers was a short distance away, and he was wearing a tie and a suit. She realised the silence was growing between them.

  "I take it that's the end of 1899?" She asked. They were both sure that the Government was still monitoring the conversation, even with the recording equipment switched off.

  "Yes. As you can see, those few short years took up an entire day for us. They were quite hectic. But paled in comparison to what was coming." As he spoke, he looked past her out the gates at the handful of soldiers manning the perimeter.

  It was getting late in the day. Gaberial had learned the lessons from her previous sessions and had eaten and drunk during the day. The supplied military ration bars were rather tasteless, but sustained her. The Keeper seemed unbothered by her munching away as he spoke.

  Unfortunately, her other bodily needs were expressing their desire to be dealt with.

  She pushed them to the side, thinking about what he had repeated. The ramifications would have been massive if they were true. During the session, he spoke two names that she knew.

  United American Oil Company and the American Media Corporation.

  Both these organisations were well-known power players in both the political and corporate worlds. Each had been accused of manipulating governments, both here in the United States and abroad. If it were true that he had a part in the creation, and if they had been operating, then Grey would have an aneurysm.

  Both had deep connections with the US government and were well-known multibillion-dollar companies. Their stock traded on the Dow Jones, but it never traded much, since most of it was held in family trusts. If those family trusts were, in fact, fronts for the Way of Athamos and the Daughters of Medusa, then there will be a reckoning never seen before in modern America.

  And that was the easy part.

  The revelation of what he had seen in the sky had shaken him to his core. Even she was somewhat sceptical when she first heard it, but the more she thought about it and who she was talking to, the more fearful she became. Entities beyond her understanding, watching her world. She had wanted to ask more about them and what he knew of them. She had stopped herself, knowing that he would tell her as part of the story he was telling. Grey, on the other hand, would demand information straight away.

  "You seem distracted." The Keeper spoke. He hadn't looked in her direction but remained focused on the soldiers outside.

  "I am." She had learned to obfuscate with the truth when needed, but what he was looking for was the truth. "As you said, the last few years you described were very intense. Especially what happened after the younger Rochester became a victor."

  "Indeed. I wish I could say that it was no more involving them, but there is." Even he seemed slightly disturbed just thinking about them. And that's what terrified her the most.

  "This is a lot to process." She wasn't lying and about that.

  "Yes, I expect your government handlers will be collectively melting down over some of what I told you." She looked at his side profile but noted the small smile. She suspected he knew exactly what he was getting into when he spoke. As well as the effects beyond them in the country.

  "Won't your allies be upset that you've outed them?"

  "Probably. But there's not much they can do now. No matter how much influence and power they have, they can't hide New Midian's existence now." As he spoke, he turned and looked at her.

  She didn't say anything at first, but sensed a weariness from him. She could explain it or even correctly name it, but it was there just for a moment. She remembered his story, the weariness he felt, and wondered if this was it.

  He looked up to the sky and tutted.

  "Rain again, it seems." The skies had opened up several times during the day, but nothing heavy had fallen. "Best be away, Ms Sanchez."

  She looked up at the clouds and saw they were far darker and heavier than they had been earlier that day. She quickly packed up, not wanting to get soaked again, even with her poncho and umbrella.

  "I will be back tomorrow then." She said as a way of saying goodbye.

  "I don't doubt it, Ms Sanchez. I don't doubt it one bit." With that, his form dissolved into black smoke, and he was gone.

  She shivered at this. It wasn't a conscious thing but more a part of her religious upbringing. She was certain now she was dealing with some form of devil. Perhaps not in the classical biblical sense, but one nonetheless. As the story was progressing, he was casually explaining the deaths of hundreds of people.

  And that didn't cover what he was describing his Hunters were becoming.

  Her escort squad, as always, jumped on her as soon as she reached the lines.

  They quickly took a gear away from her and bundled her into a waiting military car. She expected to be taken to the tent as usual, but instead was driven to another part of the camp. She found this strangely off-putting. She had been getting used to the routine.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  They stopped next to a gas station, and the door was open.

  She stepped out to find Grey watching an extensive team of unidentified individuals dismantle the gas station. They were not just searching and removing items; they were physically dismantling the place as they went. She looked around and found boxes and containers being filled with parts of the building and its contents. A short distance away, the house was being dismantled as well.

  "The Driver residence." She indicated the house.

  Grey had not turned to acknowledge the presence but spoke anyway. "Yes. The family is gone. We don't know where, but they disappeared shortly after the raid that exposed the site."

  "So you're searching for them?" She asked absentmindedly, already knowing the answer.

  "Yes. We are also looking for all family members related to Herbert and his wife, Amy, and their three children." He confirmed in a matter-of-fact tone.

  "The whole extended family!" She exclaimed, surprised.

  "Yes. We have already tracked down many of them. They've been taken into custody for questioning, and their histories are being looked into. However, several members of the extended family have disappeared like the main ones from the residence."

  He was gripping his hands behind his back, and his jaw was clenched. The revelations had shaken even him. She doubted that the part about the beings in the sky was being taken seriously, but the naming of the two companies would definitely be.

  Before she said anything, she watched as a pair of men walked out of a garage, which seemed to be used as a storage room, carrying a sign. It was an old one from the early 1900s. It was old and battered, and she knew many Americana collectors would pay top dollar for such a sign, even in its condition.

  United American Oil Company.

  It was a brightly painted porcelain sign. It was all red, white, and blue with black highlighted lettering. Today, the company is better known as UAO and is one of the most significant forces in energy production.

  "You've opened a can of worms today, Ms Sanchez," Grey spoke suddenly.

  She knew he understood the political ramifications of what was hinted at. UAO would have to be investigated. They had deep pockets and deeper ties to the political establishment in Washington, DC. Any investigation would be hindered or obstructed. The problem was that Grey was part of the deep state that would not tolerate such interference.

  A political firestorm would be triggered, potentially tearing the Government apart. And that was before you add in American Media.

  Naming both, the Keeper had lit the first fires that would spread into a firestorm.

  Did he know? She suspected he did. He knew exactly what he was doing. Looking at Grey, she realised he knew as well.

  "He could be lying." She said weakly.

  "Yes, he could be. However, he knows that we must investigate. If there's even a hint of truth…" He trailed off, not saying any more, but they both knew the ramifications.

  Washington, DC, could fall due to the sway of both those organisations. They were discussing one or two high-ranking politicians. They were discussing dozens of members of Congress and the Senate, as well as federal judges in the Supreme Court and a president or two.

  They fell silent, weighing the ramifications of what could happen. As they did so, more items were pulled from the buildings. As they were closest to the gas station, she watched more closely, getting a better look at what was being pulled out.

  It was a classic set-up with gas pumps, a small store and several garage buildings. There are even several new charging points for electric vehicles. What was odd was that it was one of the few family-owned ones she had seen. Virtually all were now dominated by chains and leased as franchises.

  She knew that this wasn't a franchise, as there was no company name above the gas station; it was the Driver family name. However, it was clear that UAO supplied this gas station with its fuel, as its name was prominently displayed everywhere.

  More trucks pulled up and began loading the boxes and crates that had already been prepared. They appear to have continued working on this operation for a few more days before it was completed. She wondered what they would learn from testing everything.

  Grey remained quiet, his attention focused not on what was ahead of him but on what his mind was working through.

  Gaberial took the opportunity to look around a part of the base camp that she rarely saw. She could see the large road bridge a distance away. It was now on the other bank across the river, and it became the focus of her attention.

  Armoured infantry carriers.

  A lot of them.

  She quickly counted at least one company over there. That was scary enough, but as she looked around further, she noticed the patches on some of the soldiers passing by: Spearhead Rangers, the Army's special forces. She quickly counted the badges, and there were a lot of these men around.

  "Come with me, Ms Sanchez." Grey seemed to realise what she was doing and turned her attention away.

  He started walking up towards the Driver's residence, and she followed. Her armed escort was trailing slightly behind them. The workers parted as they walked to them.

  As she approached, she saw that the house was old. She could see where the house was extended and new floors added. It was in a large building by any stretch of imagination, but I suspected it was a three or four-bedroom house. Several windows were not standard plain glass but featured stained-glass designs. She watched briefly as even they were being removed.

  There were far more personal family effects here, out in the house's front yard. An old wire fence marked the spot, and as they entered, they passed a rusted gate that had not closed in years. The tall grass was now trampled flat. They were being catalogued, photographed, and created for shipping. She saw an old, worn family dining table, chairs and even a grandfather clock. Various electronic items were also being put away along with family photos and pictures.

  "The evidence clearly shows they didn't panic but were ready to run," Grey spoke, looking over the items being catalogued. "They took only what they needed. Abandon what they didn't. Destroyed anything that they could not take that was important."

  He sounded oddly impressed.

  "What did they destroy?" She asked with interest.

  "Personal papers. Some photographs. We are still gathering the remains to try to figure out if there was anything else." He answered, not looking up from what was everything that once made up a family's life and history as it was carted away now.

  "You think they crossed the border?" She looked towards the mountains that separated Idaho from Cascadia.

  "Most likely. It is a short trip after all, by rail or road." He was walking through the people, cataloguing everything slowly. "We have reached out to the Canadian authorities. But due to the tensions between the nations, right now we are not expecting much help."

  They were standing quietly now, surrounded by a sea of activity as everything was catalogued and moved away. They watched impassively as a family's life and history were dismantled.

  "You think he told them to run?" Gaberial asked.

  "More, he had them ready to go. Maybe ready for years. It went like a well-oiled operation." Grey was looking at the grandfather clock. "It appears they were gone hours after the raid."

  "I wouldn't be surprised if the Keeper had a plan in place." She said, thinking about it, as it sounded like him.

  "It was more than that," Grey said, and that caught her attention.

  "What do you mean?" She enquired.

  "The town archives at the local library and Crossway were destroyed by fire." He turned and looked towards the rise behind which the town lay.

  "It wasn't accidental?"

  "No, someone switched off the sprinkler system, and the site has clear signs of arson." He kept looking in that direction, his eyes distant.

  "Why?" She asked, confused by this revelation.

  "The hiding of information. Making any investigations difficult. Spite. Take your pick, Ms Sanchez."

  "So all of the town's records were lost?"

  "Population census, newspaper back copies, police reports, and city council meetings all gone. The town was far behind on digitisation of these documents and only had the last 20 years fully scanned."

  "Another part of his plan?"

  "Highly likely. The state will have some of the records backed up, but not as many as we wanted. Their destruction will slow us down greatly." Grey let out a sigh as he spoke. His shoulders sag slightly, and Gaberial realised the enormity of what he was doing.

  He wasn't just trying to unravel the history of New Midian; he was now examining a conspiracy dating back about 150 years. It may never be fully understood what had been done and by whom and how much of it was at the Keeper's behest.

  How much of the history of the last 150 years was created by human choices and decisions of their own free will, and how much did he direct it?

  Gaberial turned back to the general direction of New Midian and shivered.