Deathstalker 06 - Deathstalker Legacy

trampled underfoot. Douglas recognized some of their faces.
    "Oh Jesus," said Lewis. "What have I done?"
    "It wasn't your fault," Jesamine said quickly. "You couldn't have known. No one could have known."
    "Animals," said Douglas. "They're just animals."
    Lewis turned to him. "Call the barracks. Get the troops in here."
    Douglas looked at him, dazed, almost distracted. "What? Lewis . . . why are they doing this? We always protected them . . ."
    "Call the army," said Lewis. "Shut this down, before it spreads . . ."
    "Just a minute," said Meerah Puri. "We haven't agreed to calling in the troops yet. We don't want to make things worse."
    "Right," said Michel du Bois. "We have to debate this. Are we really going to order troops to open fire on civilians, like in Lionstone's day?"
    "In case you're not paying attention, Paragons are being butchered out there!" said Lewis. "They're not civilians anymore, they're terrorists. No better than ELFs. We're past the time for debate. Get the troops here fast, or we'll be watching a massacre."
    All the MPs tried to speak at once, shaken and disturbed by what they'd seen. Everyone had their own ideas on what needed to be done, and since no one would back down for anyone else, soon they were all shouting at each other, calling for everything from conciliation to execution without trial. There was panic in their voices. If the people could turn so viciously on their adored Paragons, no one was safe anymore. The politicians argued, the House became a bedlam, and on the viewscreen people went on dying. Some were Paragons. The Church militants had tasted blood and found it to their liking.
    "The hell with this," said Lewis. "I'm going out there."
    "Lewis, no!" said Jesamine. "You can't!"
    "She's right," said Douglas. "You wouldn't make any difference out there. You're my Champion. I need you here."
    "To do what? Hold your hand? Those are my friends dying out there." Lewis's voice was cold as death.
    "They used to be your friends too. I'm not doing anything useful here. And I can't just stand by and watch this happen."
    "Of course you can't," said Douglas. "I'll get the army here as soon as I can. Try and buy us some time, Lewis. Go. Go on; go."
    Tel Markham saw Lewis heading for the exit, and ran out onto the floor of the House. "Stop that man!
    On behalf of the House and my fellow Members I demand that the Champion not be allowed to involve himself personally in this . . . mess. We can't let him commit us to a position. I demand that he stay here, to protect us, in case the unthinkable happens, and some terrorist breaks through our defenses . . ."
    And then he broke off, as he saw the look on Lewis's face, and saw the disrupter in the Champions hand. The MP was a moment away from death, and he knew it. He swallowed sickly, and was quiet.
    Lewis nodded once and strode out of the chamber, with cold murder in his eyes. Markham swallowed again, and looked at the King, staring after his departed friend.
    "Your majesty, I must protest . . ."
    "Oh shut up," Douglas said tiredly, turning a contemptuous gaze on the MP. "If I wasn't the King, I'd be going out there with him."
    "Don't you dare!" Anne roared in his ear, on his private channel. "I forbid it! Douglas; you'd just give the rioters a target, a focus. They'd tear you apart on sight. Even worse, they might take you as a hostage, and God knows what commitments we'd have to make to get you back safely."
    Douglas growled and shook his head, but stayed where he was. Jesamine put a hand on his arm, but he didn't even glance at her, all his attention fixed on the terrible things still happening on the viewscreen. He watched as men and women howled like maddened animals, and blood flowed thickly in the gutters of the Empire's perfect city. While all around him the MPs shouted and argued and wouldn't listen to each other.
    Afterwards, everyone agreed that this was the day the Golden Age died. It wasn't until much later, after so much more had happened, that they discovered it didn't just die; it was murdered.
    Lewis Deathstalker came racing out of the House of Parliament with his sword and his gun in his hands, roaring his ancient Family battle cry; Shandrakor! Shandrakor! Certain elements in the crowd recognized him immediately. They'd been waiting for him to appear. Two of them opened fire with disrupters, but Lewis had learned from Veronica Mae's fate, and had his force shield buzzing on his arm. The energy bolts ricocheted harmlessly away, and