The Planeteers had escaped, and made it back to the hidden Geo-Cruiser. Linka was skilled enough to get them back to Hope Island. Ma-Ti had used his abilities as best he could to keep Gi unconscious for the whole flight. The bleeding had slowed, but not stopped. Gi was getting weaker with each passing hour of the flight when they finally got back.
Wheeler and Kwame both knew first aid, and Linka's hometown had little in the way of medical care; so between the three of them, they were fairly knowledgeable about treating injuries. The bullet had missed everything important and the exit wound was messy, but they were fairly certain she'd heal. Ma-Ti rested on the flight and accelerated her healing in turns as he got the strength back.
Linka called ahead and warned Gi's parents what to expect, and they had converted Gi's little home into a recovery unit.
Kwame hadn't let go of her hand for more than ten seconds. He was expecting anger from her family, but they only had eyes for their daughter.
The others took one look at them gathered around Gi's bed, and quietly stepped out. Ma-Ti was exhausted, even more so than Linka for a while. He went back to his hut and collapsed. His parents came out of the deep woods and checked on Gi, then went to the hut and kept watch over their son a while.
Linka went to the forest, and Wheeler was left with nothing to do, so he followed her. She looked wiped out too, from getting them back to the Island after the battle; so he stopped her from climbing a tree, lest she fall and break her neck. She was too tired to argue with him and collapsed at a tree trunk, falling asleep on Wheeler's shoulder almost instantly.
Alana and Ruby came to visit, and Ruby went looking for Linka. She found the two of them asleep on the edge of the forest and went to tell her grandmother, and Alana quickly shooed the girl away from her granddaughter, and the wounded Gi. Ruby knew the old woman was trying to coddle her, but didn't fight it, keeping busy for a while.
Kwame was almost asleep in his chair. Gi was sleeping peacefully. Her father came in and roused him. "Kwame..." He said kindly. "Get some sleep. You've done your part, you got her home alive. And you did a good thing, striking a blow to protect the innocent and all that noble stuff. Take a break."
Kwame sighed. "I... I can't."
Kim sat down and held up the coffee cup. "You've been awake almost forty hours. Coffee is not going to do it. Go get some sleep, some food, and come back. If she woke up right now, she'd say that you looked awful."
Kwame snorted." She probably would at that."
Kim watched him a moment. "She's going to be okay."
"I know." Kwame yawned. "I'm sorry about this Kim. I mean… I bring your daughter back with a gunshot wound, and you have to go and take care of me? You should have broken my nose by now."
Kim didn't say anything a while. "What's on your mind?" He said. "It can't all be guilt."
"Isn't guilt enough?" Kwame asked blankly. "She's here because of me. If she... I was in charge."
"You were in charge a month ago." Kim pointed out. "You were ready to chuck the whole mission then, and nobody had been shot yet."
Kwame nodded. "Yeah well... things were different then."
Kim smiled. "There's a very Japanese quality to you Kwame. Calm, focused, tranquil, practical. I like that about you. But you have a tendency to put others first. A good thing on its own, but you do tend to not take care of yourself as a result. Gi told me that your friends were worried about you after your sister passed."
Kwame shivered. "When Kunto died, I was here, on this island, and she was in a hospital bed. She was alone."
Kim suddenly understood. "And now, here you are again." He gave his daughter a gentle smile. "This is not the same thing. Gi's going to recover, whether you're here or not."
"I know." Kwame sighed.
"Take care of yourself for a few hours." Kim told him. "Gi would say the same."
Kwame smiled at her affectionately. "Yeah. Yeah she would."
Kim gave the two of them a knowing look. "You shouldn't have waited this long." He said quietly.
"I know." Kwame agreed, too exhausted to pretend he didn't know what that meant.
Linka woke up with a hum and found herself stretched out under the trees, with Wheeler's arms around her shoulders, and her head resting on his chest. It took her several very comfortable seconds to realize it.
She nearly freaked out until she was certain he was still asleep, and memory caught up. When they'd sat down here, she was next to him, not half on top of him. She slipped out from under his arm without waking him and allowed herself a little smile. He'd never find out.
Linka turned away from the American and found Ruby less than two feet away, staring at them with a big smile on her face. "How long have you been sitting there?" She whispered.
"Long enough."
"What is the fastest easiest possible way of making sure the Yankee doesn't ever find out about this?" Linka asked directly.
Ruby grinned.
When Wheeler woke up forty minutes later, Linka was crouching over him, shaking him awake. She had coffee waiting, and he took it gratefully. "Thank you." He looked up at Linka and blinked. The woman had her blonde hair tied in about forty different childish braids with ribbons all over it. It looked like Ruby had used Linka's head for a coloring book.
"Don't ask." Linka said shortly.
"Okay." Wheeler sipped his coffee. "Gi?"
"No change." Linka said quietly. "Her father finally got Kwame to get some sleep. How'd you sleep?"
"Better that I would have thought, being under a tree." Wheeler yawned. "Long day."
They were silent a moment, taking stock of themselves, getting their bearings after the battle.
"It was going to happen eventually." Wheeler admitted, waving at Gi's house. "All the guns pointed at us... Sooner or later..."
"Remember our first mission?" Linka said quietly. "We were all on the Saratoga, and Kwame got word on the news that his sister died... Gi was the one holding his hand through that."
"She's holding his hand now." Wheeler pointed out. "She's just sleeping through it this time."
"My parents sent me an email." Linka said quietly. "There's a few things we need to take care of on our end."
"We can't ask Kwame to leave her now. And if he's finally getting some sleep, we can't dump this on his plate too."
"Which is why we have to handle it for him." Linka said simply.
Wheeler took that in and nodded, getting to his feet. "Right."
BREAKING NEWS:
In a stunning twist to the Planeteers saga, the Corporation, and Interpol have asked for full coverage of a hastily arranged Press Conference, in which Corporation Security Chief Miss Barbara Bligh, and head of the Interpol Planeteer Task Force, Agent Gerald Hernandez presented evidence that not only cleared the Planeteers of any wrongdoing; but in fact demonstrated multiple levels of fraud and criminal negligence on the part of the Reclaimer.
We would now like to replay part of the statement read by Chief Bligh a few hours ago:
"…Last year, the involvement of the Planeteers brought about a swift regime change in The Corporation, sending Mr Stumm's predecessor Alexander Appius to jail for a number of illegal projects that caused great risk to innocent people. As security chief, it has been my responsibility under Mr Stumm's leadership, to investigate the pattern of corruption, and to identify those responsible.
This search began with the discovery of an illegal mobile oil rig, conceived of by Captain Alexi Devorux. This rig was destroyed by the intervention of the Planeteers, on the first mission that made them household names. Captain Devorux was declared dead, having gone down with his ship, but before the criminal nature of his actions was known to the Corporation, he held a position of authority as head of special projects. We had thought that the Rig was the only illegal project he had begun. We were mistaken.
We can now identify Reclaimer CEO Ryerson as being part of his criminal activities, and in this case, continuing them in the late Devorux's absence. The Reclaimer was never meant to be capable of recycling industrial wastes safely. Instead, the Reclaimer was built as a front to cover widespread toxic waste dumping. This plan was conceived by Captain Devorux, and continued after his death by Ryerson.
The Planeteers were framed for the original attack on the Reclaimer, in the hopes that their own investigations into illegal waste dumping would be curtailed. Regrettably, we fell for it, at least for a time. As head of Corporation security, I would personally like to congratulate the Planeteers for continuing their search for the truth, despite the overwhelming obstacles that I and the authorities put in their way. If not for their intervention, the toxic waste storage and dumping might never have come to light, and the Hudson River would now be a source of cancer clusters all over New York State…"
Devorux switched off the TV irritably. "Digger! We have to move again!"
"For more on this, we turn to our own Karen Gillys. Karen, can you hear me?
"Yes Dan, I can. I'm currently at the Justice Department, where the announcement was just made that the warrant for the arrest of the Planeteers has officially been dropped. The announcement was met with a round of applause from everyone here."
"That's good news Karen. You yourself have been under a gag order for the majority of this affair haven't you?"
"I wanted to speak on behalf of them Dan, I won't deny it. I never believed a word of the charges. But it would have been… unethical for a reporter to express personal viewpoints on an ongoing investigation."
"Translation: they handcuffed her to something to keep her off camera." Wheeler joked.
"I hope so." Linka agreed. "I'd hate to think she was just staying silent to save her own neck. We gave that woman a Pulitzer."
"Don't be so suspicious babe. Reporters have to walk a tightrope at the best of times, especially on the controversial news." Wheeler ran a hand through his hair. "They'll pin the whole thing on Devorux."
"I know." Linka agreed. "We weren't going to bring down The Corporation with this one... but we stopped the factory dumping toxic waste into the river, and probably saved more than a few lives doing it. Take it as a victory, if only a small one."
Wheeler couldn't help but smirk. It was refreshing to hear Linka of all people talking about small victories being worthwhile. They'd all changed during this mission, accepting things...
They watched the coverage silently a moment.
"They'll be waiting for us to say something you know." Wheeler said finally. "You heard it: The warrant is dropped. We can go back. They're going to be wondering why we don't."
"What about Gi?" Linka asked quietly. "What do we say about her?"
"The truth." Her mother said instantly. "Tell them that she was shot trying to stop the Reclaimer from poisoning a lot of innocent people, and that she will recover from her injuries."
Wheeler sent Kim a look, and Gi's father nodded. "The truth is a pretty good thing to tell people. It's not like we have to worry about paparazzi on Hope Island."
"And if you don't, word will get out sooner or later." Kwame said.
Everyone spun and found Kwame in the doorway, looking tired, but shaved and somewhat more alert.
"During the fight, at least four of the guards saw Gi get hit. All four of them were buried up to their necks by me. Someone's going to ask them what happened. And now that the truth about the Reclaimer is out, some of them will want to make a deal by cooperating fully. If we don't tell them, somebody else will."
Linka turned to Gi's parents. "We can email a message. If you wanted to add anything…"
Kim and Yumi traded a look, and agreed to go with Linka, leaving Kwame and Wheeler with Gi.
"Would you really have done it?" Wheeler asked quietly. "Back during the battle? If I hadn't called you over to Gi, would you have…?"
Beat. Kwame knew what he was talking about. The team of guards that had attacked Gi were all one foot away from being literally buried alive…
"No." Kwame said finally. "No, I would not. I grew up in the middle of ethnic wars, child soldiers, genocides... I can't be that guy. I just can't. Not even to avenge my Gi. Is that a good thing or... does that make me weak?"
Wheeler sent their leader a respectful look. "I may not mean much coming from me... but I think it makes you the most damn exceptional man I've ever known."
"I agree."
Both men spun around and found Gi blinking her eyes open. "So thirsty…" She croaked.
"That's encouraging, coming from our Water Power." Wheeler quipped, as though Gi had just been out of the room for a minute, but the grin on his face showed how relieved he was. "I'll get you something to drink." He paused. "And give you two a chance to talk for a few minutes, before I tell everyone."
He headed out, leaving Gi and Kwame alone.
Kwame checked to see that he had gone, and bent down, laying a gentle kiss on Gi's forehead. "Thought I lost you for a second there."
"Yeah, I actually thought I saw you frown for a moment." She teased. "Must have been bad."
They just looked at each other for a moment.
"Gi…" Kwame said quietly. "I know we haven't talked about it much since… well, since. But… When we were in the Geo-Cruiser, and you looked all tiny and pale and unconscious… They told me you were going to be okay, and I think that's the most relieved I've ever been about anything in my entire life."
She smiled weakly and licked her parched lips. "I hope this doesn't sound too mushy, but a moment ago, when you promised you wouldn't become a killer, even if something bad happened to me… I don't think I've ever been prouder of you, or happier to have someone close by. Not ever."
They just looked deeply at each other for a while, unable to break the look.
Gi very slowly raised a hand to his cheek and pulled him down for a kiss. He didn't even try to stop her.
There was a knock at the door. "So… is The Moment over?" Wheeler called in. "Because some of us would like to come in."
"Either that or speak up, because it got kind of quiet at the end there." Ruby shouted, and a few smothered chuckles came through from the other side of the door.
Kwame sent Gi that look again, and went to open the door. The entire population of Hope Island was on the other side, eager to come in and visit Gi.
BREAKING NEWS:
The silence of the Planeteers in the wake of their vindication has had a few people nervous. Some are wondering if there's retaliation on the horizon, but the truth it seems, is far more personal.
In revealing the Reclaimer Conspiracy, Water Planeteer Gi Takashi was seriously wounded. Witnesses say that she suffered a gunshot wound to the side or stomach, and had to be carried by her team-mate as the Planeteers made their escape from the facility.
At this point there has been no official word on her condition, but as thousands of wishes of support and love from people everywhere go unanswered, worries for her safety and her recovery are only increasing.
This tragedy on what turned out to be the heroes of the story has caused strong reactions from several quarters, with many demanding those that called for their arrest to be censured immediately, and many are scrambling to clarify their earlier statements against the Planeteers.
We here at KBX Broadcasting wish Gi Takashi a speedy recovery.
Stumm turned off the TV as Bligh came in. "You gave them the evidence?"
"Probably the largest file of unaltered pages I've ever given to the authorities in my entire career." She said blandly. "You know that if we keep giving them real documents, it makes it harder for us to give them fake ones later."
"I know. I'm not worried."
"No, I'm sure you're not." She said blandly.
Stumm looked over and raised an eyebrow. "Problem?"
"Why didn't you tell me this was your plan?" She demanded.
"Bligh, you're a good soldier. I've never had any reason to doubt you. This was a special circumstance. I had to play this one close to the chest. Anything you did you would have had to involve people in your department."
"You don't trust my department?"
"I do now." Stumm waved her down and explained. "See, The Reclaimer was a simple plan. It was a way to gain revenue. It was a source of profit that would never fade. Like all projects, I had to tie up the loose ends, but when I took out the contract on Levinson, someone talked. Interpol found out."
"Devorux." Bligh said.
"Correct. We know that now, but at the time, all I knew was that whoever tipped them off would have to have known the truth about the Reclaimer, so I changed my plans a little, and expanded the contract to include the Planeteers."
"Why do that? Why draw attention?"
"By sabotaging the Reclaimer, I was able to isolate the Planeteers, and then whomever was supplying the authorities with information would have to make a choice. However this played out, there would be one of three results. One; the Planeteers would go into hiding, and they would never be a problem again. Two; someone would aim straight for once and remove the Planeteers, after we found Devorux. Three; The Planeteers would succeed, and I could remove Devorux, and anyone in the company that was helping him."
"It cost you the Reclaimer." Bligh pointed out.
"One project out of thousands." Stumm waved that off. "With the Reclaimer's secret released to the public, I had to cut my losses. I could remove Devorux and all his sources in the company, and I could do that by tying them to the Reclaimer. Doing so let the Planeteers off the hook, but that's a sacrifice I can live with, because it returns us to where we were a month ago, only stronger. Besides, giving the Planeteers full credit had other advantages."
"For example?"
Stumm checked his watch and responded by turning on the television.
BREAKING NEWS:
DA Holland has officially been declared the winner of the New York State Congressional Election. Experts say that his conduct during the Reclaimer Inquiry is what put his numbers over the top. Exit Polls say that his integrity in the search for The Truth, despite immense scrutiny and public pressure to declare The Planeteers guilty, has gained him enormous respect from money-makers and Party leaders.
Regardless of the reasons, this unexpected contender from the DA's office has been catapulted to Congress with flying colors. For more on this, our European Political Consultant Gordon Hendrix. Gordon?"
"Thanks Dan. As it happens, the Reclaimer scandal has claimed its fair share of political and economic scalps, and not just in New York. A number of distinguished positions across the world, including here in Europe, Heads of Independent Businesses, Union Leaders, owners of several industrial production lines… even the Chairman of the Exchequer. They were the loudest voices in opposition to the Planeteers."
"To be fair, the people in question were the ones with the most to lose if the Planeteers had indeed gone rogue."
"Maybe so, but they nailed their colors to the mast, and it's cost most of them their jobs."
Stumm turned off the TV.
Bligh grinned. "You put your people in positions of power across the world, you remove the people who leak information inside The Corporation, you located and destroyed Devorux, and anyone who might be helping him, and you gain personal control over everything your loyal employees now stand to gain… and you did it all without anyone realizing you did anything at all; because as far as everyone knows… It was all the Planeteers' doing."
Stumm grinned. "That's right."
"And since we were the only ones insisting they were innocent, we look as good as they do while everyone falls over themselves to apologize." Bligh smiled in open amazement. "What if they hadn't pulled it off?"
"Then the Reclaimer Plants would have kept functioning, we would have kept collecting the money that pretty much every business on the planet was required to pay us for battery disposal, and a year from now I could have released the truth on my own and still pinned it on all the people I needed to remove."
"And if the Planeteers had gotten killed in the meantime, if wouldn't have hurt things." Bligh shook her head in awe. "So basically, whichever way this went, whatever happened, you'd win."
Stumm nodded. "It's good to be the King."
The black stone on his Ring seemed to shimmer a moment in gleeful response.
Wheeler looked up as Gi came into the communications tent. She was limping heavily, but the fact that she was walking at all was near miraculous. "Well, look who's not supposed to be up and around."
"Ma-Ti's been giving me his undivided attention for a week. As have my parents, as have Kwame and Alana. I want out!"
Wheeler chuckled. "You're welcome to hide out here for a while."
Gi gave him a grateful look and sat down. "Oof. Stiff."
"How's the side?"
"It itches."
"Good. That means it's healing."
"I suppose. What's the latest?"
"Word got out that you were injured." Wheeler said. "There's a not insignificant amount of people who think that we're coming back for blood soon. Remember when everyone thought we were nature's hit-squad? Well, they're starting to get nervous again. The fear is coming back."
"Good." Gi said darkly.
Wheeler looked at her, surprised.
Gi didn't look away. "You think those people calling for our arrest would have been so quick to abandon us if we had made sure they remembered what we could do?"
"Gi, it was fear of what we could do that made them turn on us." Wheeler pointed out. "You think they would have been okay with it if they were more scared of retaliation?"
"Why not? It's worked before."
"Not for long." Wheeler shot back.
Gi softened. "I know. I know, I'm not… No. I don't want revenge. I just hate that this happened. Kwame's never going to forgive himself, I know it's bothering you. We're stuck on this island again because of me, and…"
"Because of you? Gi, we only just got permission to go back. Besides, we're staying here for a reason. There's a lot of mess to clean up after the Reclaimer. Latest news has the total at eighteen arrests so far. The Chicago PD has issued a blanket pardon on any involvement in any crime. Officer Hertz's widow has apologized for the things she said…"
Gi softened. "Never do anything while angry Wheeler. You'll give the greatest speech you ever regret."
"I hear that."
Silence.
"You heard from Trish?" Gi asked finally.
Wheeler sent her a surprised look. "Uh… no?"
Gi nodded reasonably. "Okay. That's what we geeks refer to… as a lie."
Wheeler sighed. "I got an email. I haven't read it yet. Don't know if I should. She put the word 'sorry' in the subject line about a dozen times."
"Why haven't you read it?"
"Because… that's done." He said. "I don't know what could possibly be made better by getting in touch with her ever again."
"Maybe nothing. Maybe a lot, who knows?" Gi said. "Just because you're done with all that doesn't mean… Wheeler, you're not her. You're not anything like her. Even if you had to look out for yourself, you'd never be like that to us."
Wheeler bit his lip. "I know."
"I don't think you do." She said. "There are some guys who will never get out of the lives they were born into. You were never one of them. The Ring didn't make you different when it came to you Wheeler. The Ring came to you because you were different."
Wheeler wasn't looking at her. Gi understood. Wheeler wasn't comfortable with compliments. If she'd been making insulting jokes he'd be taking it in stride, even joking back. She wondered for a moment how many people outside his family had given him compliments on his general character before.
Kwame came in suddenly and went straight to Gi. "You shouldn't be out of bed yet." He said firmly.
"And yet I was able to walk all the way here before you noticed I was gone." Gi shot back.
"Hey, don't go attacking me. You need to take this slowly."
"The first aid books don't include a chapter on Ma-Ti. I healed a lot faster than other gunshot victims."
"Yeah, but the rest of us didn't. I'm still trying to get your mom under control, and you sneaking out doesn't help."
"Did wonders for me." Gi responded. "Y'know Kwame, you could always pretend you haven't found me yet and just pull up a chair. I promise I'll stick around…"
Wheeler took the opportunity to escape the room. They barely noticed.
BREAKING NEWS:
"With the Planeteers cleared of all charges and complicity in any wrongdoing, many on both sides of the Planeteer debate have egg on their faces. Most were quick to back down from the anti-Planeteer stance, but the really interesting reaction, is from the Planeteers allies. Or rather, the lack thereof. With more on this, we go to Karen Gillys. Karen?"
"The Planet Foundation is a movement that has been officially independent of the Planeteers, though with their full support since its creation. In the weeks that The Planeteers were no longer, shall we say, heroic figures, support for the Foundation has dropped dramatically. There have been several reports of vandalism and protests at Foundation offices and meeting places; and a whole lot of silence coming from people who up until The Reclaimer explosion, have been the strongest supporters of the Planeteers. Now that their names have been cleared, not everyone is so quick to pretend it never happened, and far more than that are too embarrassed to admit that they just went with the crowd that fast."
Kwame turned the television off. The Planeteers had been following the news coverage as Gi's recovery put her out of danger, and they had finally turned their attention to the question of what to do next. "Comments anyone?"
Linka sighed. "I hate to be the bad cop..."
"You love to be the bad cop." Wheeler retorted absently. "But I know what you're going to say, and you're not necessarily wrong. We spent too much of our time being celebrities. We weren't called together for that."
"We were picked to make things change. How we do it is up to us." Gi argued. "We're making up the rules as we go along. Who's to say that we were wrong to do it that way? Celebrities use their… attention for causes all the time. We got so many people involved..."
"And they abandoned us at the drop of a hat." Linka pointed out.
"Doesn't mean we return the favor." Wheeler said quietly.
Beat.
Kwame spoke, clear and collected. "We are still only five. If we decide never to trust anyone but these five people and our immediate families, then we will always be five people against the world. We don't need support for this team, we need support for this mission. Recent events have shown us how dangerous our position can be. If something happens to us tomorrow, I don't know if Gaia will just pick five more people, or if she'll take matters into her own hands... But I know that if we can get enough people to finish what we started..."
Everyone saw the logic of that, started nodding.
"Then we had better get started." Ma-Ti said. "We've been off message for a long time."
Lizzie Quinn picked up the phone the second it rang. "Tell me good news."
"Hi Lizzie, it's your Uncle Mike here."
"Wheeler! Thank god. I was starting to think you were all dead. Or worse, that you'd found another agent." Her voice lowered a little. "How's Gi?"
"Recovering nicely, and eager to get back to work. We're going to give her another week, let her heal."
"Make it two weeks, and let me put out a statement about her injuries. The less you give them at this point, the more they want."
"Well they'll get plenty soon enough. We're restarting the Power is Yours Campaign."
"Really?"
"You don't approve?"
"No, I think it's a great idea." Lizzie said brightly. "You guys need to start winning back the crowd. You set the world on its head last time. My thing is that no matter how soon you come back or what you do when you get started, the only thing people are going to want to talk about will the Reclaimer."
"Well, that's your job." Wheeler said. "We'll do an interview; we've already given Interpol our testimony from here."
"I can work with that." Lizzie agreed.
"One more thing." Wheeler said. "We're organizing all the things we want to do, and we've decided it would be easier to do them all if we had money again."
Lizzie grinned a predatory grin. "Leave that to me."
The most expensive lawyers in Los Angeles were gathered in their offices. The news had reported that Lucas Bruband had left his money to the Planeteers unexpectedly, and his children had come together and agreed on something for the first time in their entire lives.
"I just got off a flight from New York. There's a flight back in an hour, and I'm leaving on it." Lizzie said simply. "You guys are the family of Mr Lucas Bruband. You'll notice I said the family, and not the heirs. The heirs of that fortune are my clients."
"We feel that we might be able to fix that." One of the legal team said snidely.
"You have two options." Lizzie said to the assorted family, ignoring the lawyers. "You can settle for a third, and duke it out amongst yourselves. Option two, you can take us to court. While my clients are out helping the homeless and the poverty stricken help themselves and save the world, you and your trust fund babies can drive their million dollar cars to court and try to drain them dry. The whole world is trying madly to get back on the Elemental Wizards' good sides, and you want to bankrupt them. So I will personally speak to everyone that you, or your lawyers know, and I'll find each and every example of extravagance and greed that I can find, and splash the story to the four corners of the globe. I'm betting I'll find a lot of examples. It will be bad for them, it will be worse for you. You will take it in the teeth. Or, you can sign on the dotted line, keep your squabbling in the family from now on, and let my clients go about the business of saving the world."
The kids were frozen, staring. And then watching each other, calculating. They were used to seeing each other as the enemy. They knew each other's moves already, and a third of the fortune was more than they could easily turn down.
Quinn put a pen down on the contract. "Offer's valid for the next ten seconds."
One of the lawyers spoke first. "We felt that with the concern-"
"Seven seconds."
Another from the legal team spoke up. "You don't want to destroy the good press you're getting back with court cases about brainwashing-"
"Four seconds."
"The judge has already agreed to-"
"Last chance."
"Where do we sign?" one of the kids shouted.
JJ was studying a map of the city, threading French fries into his mouth without looking, when he glanced up and found his brother across from him. "How did you find me?"
"I knew you wouldn't be anywhere they serve vegetables. I knew your girlfriend lives somewhere in this part of Brooklyn, and I knew that the Planet Foundation Hall reopened. After that... it's good to have Ma-Ti on your side."
JJ looked to the map again. "The Hall reopened, and most of them came back. Some were too embarrassed. Local businesses that know I'm your brother have been looking for a way to show the love, so we've been getting orders in. Setting up roof gardens, urban farms... I've been organizing meets for the World Watchers, things like that."
Wheeler looked to JJ. "No plans with your girlfriend?"
"Naw, she's coming to the meet, she's just going to be a little late."
"You're eating a cheeseburger. Isn't she vegan?"
"Yeah, but see I got breath mints, so she won't smell it on my breath when she gets back."
Wheeler stared at him. "JJ, you're cheating on your girlfriend with a Big Mac."
JJ smirked.
Wheeler's grin faltered. "Of course, if that's the worst that you do, Emily will be a happy girl."
"I hope so." JJ said quietly. The photos had vanished almost completely from the news after the Reclaimer explosion, and then all but disavowed once the Planeteers were cleared of any wrongdoing, but the tabloids had still sold out, and the pictures themselves had still gone viral. Nobody had brought it up ever again, but Wheeler was still feeling it.
Pause.
Wheeler jumped up. "Blow off the Foundation for one night. The Campaign starts again tomorrow, this is the last time we'll see each other for a while, and after all this, I owe you a movie at least."
JJ smirked. "Can I bring Emily?"
"You can ask." Wheeler said.
JJ reacted. "You have a problem with Emily?"
Wheeler sighed. "JJ, you're in my family. As a result of that, you've got a few things you need to be aware of. Ex-girlfriends, who will sell pictures to tabloids for instance, is a problem that most people won't have. And all this is over and above the standard nightmare that comes from trying to date these days."
JJ nodded. "I get it, but Emily's not like that. She said she didn't-"
"-didn't even know I was your brother." Wheeler said it with him.
JJ put a hand to his forehead. "I'm an idiot."
Wheeler grinned. "I'n not saying she's lying. It's entirely possible she is exactly what she says she is. I'm just saying, you've gotta be smarter than me."
JJ took the point, and tried to lighten the mood. "That shouldn't be hard."
Wheeler smirked. "So yeah, you can invite her along."
Devorux woke up from a light doze, and flinched. "YOU!"
Bligh, dressed in a nurses Uniform, and looking over his chart, turned to face him coolly. "Me. Gotta say Captain, you look horrific."
"How did you find me?"
"You had Digger get the boat through a Corporation slush account. Should have got someone who didn't work for you back in the days when you actually worked for us."
Devorux grit his teeth. "You're here to kill me."
Bligh tapped his IV tube. "I killed you three minutes ago when I came in here."
Devorux sighed hard. "Well... it was worth a shot." He looked at her, more curious than anything else. "So. What happens now?"
"The official story will be that you and Ryerson were in cahoots, developing this money making idea that would give hundreds of people cancer. Appius signed off on it, and it continued because with you presumed dead, nobody noticed. The plot against the Planeteers will be pinned on you, Appius will get another twenty years on his thirty consecutive life sentences, and we can go about the business of ruling the world."
Devorux felt his eyes getting heavy. "One thing though: Why involve the Planeteers at all?"
"Because we couldn't find you." Bligh explained. "Who else would have the nerve, or the power, to take on Stumm? Nobody. Who else would you come out of hiding to contact? Nobody. We gave you a chance to take a shot at us, and you came out and took it."
"Just like you wanted me to." Devorux grunted in impotent rage. "Well then. Looks like you won."
"We always do." Bligh said, with no particular emotion.
"Bligh... for what it's worth... I always liked you a bit more than you thought I did. And not just because of that trick you can do with the ice-cubes... Why are you working for him?" Devorux asked, feeling himself starting to drift. "You aren't a follower..."
Bligh nodded. "I have goals of my own, I won't deny it. But I'm a practical girl. A lesson you never seemed to learn. Remember that room on the Rig? So much waste, so impractical. And look where it got you."
He was floating, drifting away. "...I don'... wan' go..."
BEEEEEEEP.
Bligh calmly reached out and turned off the heart monitor. She didn't even look back when she left the room.
Emily was thrilled to get the call, and tried to be cool and collected at being face to face with Wheeler. They were noticed of course, and had their photos taken from every direction. Wheeler had taken it in stride, and answered a few question, dodging most of them by directing them to Lizzie.
Eventually though, enough people gathered that he took the opportunity. "A trip to the cinema will cost you ten bucks a movie. A theater quality home entertainment system costs up to ten grand, maybe more. Go out and enjoy your neighborhood for a while, take a friend to the movies and make an evening of it. It'll save you a lot of money in the long run, and make for some great memories. Remember that on average, every dollar saved will save a pound of greenhouse gases. Sustainability is about using less, taking less, and putting back more. Something I learned from living on Hope Island is how surprising it was how little I really needed. Buying an eBook will save a tree. Going to the library will save a tree and your money. You can ask your library to buy books for you and let thousands of people make use of it. Look at your shelves, look at your DVD collection and ask yourself: how often do I really look at these?"
The assembled people nodded. They were listening, thinking it through.
"That's something that doesn't apply to just books and movies. Look around your house. Power Tools and camping gear get used once a year on average. When you need some, see if you can borrow it for a week instead of buying it new. Everything we buy is shrink-wrapped now. Buy your cheese and meat from a deli, save a lot of plastic products. The Power Is Yours!"
At the sound of the familiar rallying cry, the people who were not press burst into applause, cheering the catchphrase. It was the final proof that people were hoping for. The Planeteers were back.
And they wasted no time.
The World Watchers had been asked to do a lot of community work. Private donations were coming in to help them. People were pledging money, donating property for them to work on…
One such place was an office building in New York. The Foundation had been approached to see if they could turn it into a community roof garden, and Linka had come to join in the help. What was just bare concrete was now a container garden that would soon be producing flowers and vegetables.
It took a lot of work to set it up, but the people that owned the building were thrilled to have it done, as it would insulate the roof, and provide a source of income. And since all the work was volunteer, it cost them nothing.
"They were surprised to hear about it." JJ had explained to Linka. "They lease the building floor by floor. About eight different companies have office space here. They say it's the first time someone had asked to buy a section of the building outright. And when they asked for the roof, it was a good deal, since none of their tenants use it."
"Who buys an office block roof just to turn it into a volunteer garden?"
"I did."
Linka turned and found Trish Allen staring her down. Trish handed JJ an envelope. "Papers are signed, paid in full. It belongs to the Foundation now. Have fun."
"You did this?" Linka asked in disbelief.
"I recently came into a little money." Trish shot back. "I hear that the Foundation is a pretty good cause to support." She didn't let her face soften, despite what she was saying. "When you go back to your private tropical island, we're still living here. Brooklyn in my home Linka, I want to make it nicer to live in too."
Linka was stuck in the awkward position of being grateful to Wheeler's ex-girlfriend and resolved to change the subject. "Well, come on then. Grab a shovel, we've got plenty of work to do."
Trish shook her head. "Sorry. I did my part; and I have a shift. Tell Wheels that I'm sorry about… well, everything."
JJ called her back as she turned to go. "Hey Trash?" He called. "How much did the roof cost you?"
"About fifteen grand."
"You got paid fifty."
"Yeah? So what? I gotta eat, don't I?" Trish called over her shoulder and went downstairs, as the rest of JJ's friends came up past her, carrying equipment, soil, seed, garden tools.
Linka growled under her breath. "I do not like that person at all."
JJ grinned. "Remember who you're talking to. You think I have any great love for Trash Alley?" He asked her.
"I know you don't. So why are you smiling?"
"Hey, I have no problem with her leaving. I have no problem with spending her money. I have no problem with people contributing to the Foundation. I get all of the above right now." JJ said simply. "I never knew she existed till the pictures came out, and I'm perfectly happy to declare victory and move on."
"A trick I never seem to learn." Linka admitted ruefully.
JJ chuckled. "Come on, let's get busy."
"JJ." Emily called from the fire escape. "There's a bunch of reporters downstairs. They want to know if Linka is really here."
JJ turned to Linka. "Interested?"
"Why not?" Linka said. JJ went with her down the side of the building on the alley side, and stopped at the first floor, where everyone got a good look at them.
Linka spoke. "I'm helping today with the Planet Foundation. The New York chapter has been taking part in an effort to 'Green' New York. The roof garden they've produced here will insulate the roof naturally, and will actually make more money since it's a growing space. That's an idea that's growing across the industrialized world. Paris has announced plans to have 80,000 square yards of green roofs by 2020. But for that, you'd want to talk to the one in charge of the group working today."
JJ realized that she meant him, and struggled to find his footing. "Yes... um... In 1950, New York City was the only megacity on the planet. Today there are 25, and cities are only getting bigger every day." He gestured up at the rooftop. "I live in New York. Most of the trips you take are less than a mile. Walk, or ride your bike. If you don't have one, that's not a problem any more. New York City started it's first Bike-Share Program in April 2012. 10,000 bikes available for loan. The New York Bike Share is one of over 200 such schemes happening across the world. Look up your home town right now, find an app to locate the Bike Stations in your area. If you don't have a bike, you don't ever need to worry about the care and upkeep of one again. The Bike Share Program is now in hundreds of cities around the world, mostly in Europe, but it's growing in America."
"That's right." Linka took up. "In the meantime today, we're setting up a microgarden. During the first Power Is Yours Tour, I went to Caracas Venuzela. That city has 8000 microgarens like the one we've set up here, and the target is 100,000. Rooftops, backyards, balconies, windowsills. Urban farming is taking off in Chicago and Milwaukee, as well as a lot of other places. You can set one up in your home right now if you want to. The Power Is Yours!"
Gi didn't take the Geo-Cruiser. She still hand one arm in a sling to keep her side immobile, and couldn't work the controls properly. Instead, she went with her family on the houseboat. It calmed her parents down significantly, getting so much of her undivided attention, and it eased Gi's mind to know that she still ad strength enough to get her family houseboat all the way back to Japan.
Gi had followed the news during the trip, grateful that her fellow Planeteers were taking over enough of the New Campaign to give her some extra time to heal.
They docked to a fairly large reception of locals and reporters who wanted the first picture of her since the Reclaimer. The neighbours all knew who her family was, and the fact that they were gone had been noticed. Word spread quickly that they were back. When Gi stepped off the boat and waved with her good hand, smiling broadly, there was a round of applause.
Gi's parents were surprised when she asked to accompany them to work, but when the entire staff of the manufacture plant came to the cafeteria to join them, they understood. There were more people in the room than either of them had ever seen; and they felt no small amount of pride at their daughter holding court over all of them.
"This plant produces cars." Gi said simply. "A lot of people thought that you'd be on our list. Well, you're not, and not because my parents work here. In America, nine out of ten Americans have a car. In China, three cars get shared between a hundred people. It takes 17 trees to absorb the carbon of one car every year. And yet air quality in China is abysmal, because they have huge industry, and dirty power sources. People have asked me if Solar makes sense as a power source. Well consider this. If you took every bit of power that the whole human rance generates and added it up; more than 8000 times the total reaches us from the sun, every day. The ability to get power from the sun is increasing in efficiency all the time. Solar technology is evolving, becoming more widespread in mobile devices. You can hook a battery charger up to a solar panel and carry it around on a backpack if you want. Google it right now, you'll get instructions. Germany set up more solar panels in December 2011 than the US did all year. More than half the renewable energy sources in Germany is privately owned. Not power companies, not government: Private Citizens. The Concentrated Solar Panel grid could power all the USA. It would take an area of 34,000 square kilometres. That's less than 0.4% of the US. How much unused space is there in America? Or Japan? Or China? Or Africa?"
There was a rumbling of agreement to that.
"Wyoming is getting a thousand wind turbines soon, making the largest wind farm in north America. It's an urgent shift, and it's not happening fast enough. 2010 saw the biggest jump in CO2 emissions since records began. Current levels of greenhouse gases are worse, than the very worst case scenario that was put forward decades ago. At maximum, we have 40 years of oil left, and it's only going to get more expensive as time goes on." Gi said. "And for that, experts say that by 2020, we'll be using 30% more power than we are today. And that comes after upgrading our appliances and technology to be so much more energy efficient than they were twenty years ago. But new tech isn't the only way. People ask me why we focus on small changes, and the reason is that small changes make big results. This very plant is now part of the CoolBiz program, which encourages casual clothes during summer months. I've lived through summer in Japan, I know how hot it can be. Wearing casual clothes can save enough power on cooling over a summer to power a town of 250,000 people for a month. Anyone who doesn't work here, talk to your workplace and see if they're interested too. The worst they can say is no. The Power Is Yours!"
Linka looked up from her part of the new roof garden and saw Ruby, pointing Gi's camera-phone at her. "Ruby, put that down!"
"Nuh-uh!" Ruby said cheerily. "Wheeler said you'd be the most popular video on Youtube!"
"You've never even seen Youtube!" Linka rolled her eyes. "I'm digging in the garden. I'm hardly at my best."
Ruby just smiled.
Linka sighed, then thought for a minute. "Why not?" She stood up. "During World War Two, fresh food was scarce. A number of the most prosperous nations had to go on rationing because of threats to shipping. A lot of people were encouraged to set up 'Victory Gardens', to grow their own produce in their own backyards."
Linka gestured at the seedlings planted in the dirt in front of her. "After the economic collapse, more than 44 million people in America are currently on Food Stamps! Most people live in cities. I'm lucky enough to have room to lay out a vegetable patch, but you can grow a surprising amount of food on a balcony, or for that matter, a shady windowsill. A single tomato plant gave give you an average of eighty tomatoes per season. If you're watching this on Youtube, it shouldn't be hard to search for information on urban gardening. It'll save you money, it's better for you, and frankly… it's a good way to spend your time. The Power Is Yours!"
Wheeler showed up unexpectedly in Las Vegas, to the surprise of a lot of people. The new Power Is Yours Campaign was happening by ambush. Nobody knew where they were going to show up. They just appeared in parks, and cafeterias and schools and shopping centers. People all looked around at the commotion, and small crowds would gather. Most of the time they had camera-phones and the news would spread quickly. Youtube took video of the Planeteers from all quarters, and the stories were getting picked up by the local news, then the national news, by blogs, social media...
"I've only been to Vegas once before. It's a ritzy town, and there's such a party going on here, it's sometimes easy to remember how fragile it is. When the power runs out, Vegas will cease to exist." Wheeler was telling the people who lived there. "Even if power never becomes an issue, Vegas is totally dependent on Lake Mead; which is the largest man-made reservoir on earth. It provides water and power to the whole place. The lake has already dropped by over a hundred feet since 1999, and experts say that there's a fifty-fifty chance it'll be dry by 2021. Climate change is taking the rainfall away and turning all of it to a desert. Millions of people are already moving in the world to escape floods and famine. Act now, because you wont get a chance later. The Power Is Yours!"
Ma-Ti showed up at a rooftop beehive that the Foundation was starting. He stood out amongst all the bee-keepers in that he wore no protective gear. The bees didn't touch him, were not afraid of the boy as he passed through their hives.
"Linka and Wheeler have been talking about urban gardens. Urban beekeeping is also a growing trend, but a less popular one. Nobody likes to be stung, and that's understandable, but consider for a moment how urgent it is. Bees pollinate all plants. All of them. Without bees, nothing would grow at all. Bees are dying off in huge numbers. If they go extinct, the world will have less than four years to live. More than 800,000 hives were wiped out in 2007. Making a new home for them in the city is a way to reverse that trend. And like so much else, you can take part in it too. The Power Is Yours!"
Once before in Central Park, Ma-Ti had summoned a crowd of people together via the power of his Ring. They were leaving their cars, their pets, their friends, some of them mid-conversation.
This time was much simpler. Kwame and Gi were going for a walk. Kwame hadn't left her side since the Reclaimer, and she was more than happy with that arrangement. Everyone in the park had noticed them, and a lot had come over for an autograph or a chat. Soon enough there were people recording the moment on their phones, and the two Planeteers took the opportunity to speak to them.
"A lot of environmental groups have been looking at the river, leading to the Hudson, in the wake of what happened at the Reclaimer." Gi said. "They want to know if the Hudson itself is beyond saving at the moment. Well consider this: Fifty years ago, the Thames was actually toxic. Today it has over 120 species of marine life in it. The waterways have a phenomenal ability to heal themselves. All we have to do is give them a chance to do it."
"Gi asked me, if maybe the problem was just too big. If maybe there's just no way to fix this issue." Kwame took up the story. "I've heard that there are roughly a hundred thousand web-pages about one or more of us now, and it seems like every three days there's someone else demanding to know how we can go around the world talking about these little solutions, given the fact that we're fighting the mother of all problems. The reason is simple: It's the only way it's going to get done!"
The crowd didn't know how to react to that.
"People are waiting for their leaders, or corporations to make changes and fix this. Well… they won't. One thing we've had proven over and over is that politics will not fix this. They just can't do it. They are not leading the world. They're not even following it. Not on this. We can't wait for them." Kwame said. "Some have already reached this conclusion, and are now turning to financial powers to find innovation or changes in production to fix the problem. Exxon is still fighting liability for damages from the Exxon Valdez spill twenty years later."
Gi piped up then. "We can argue about responsibility all we want, but more important than figuring out who made the mess; is figuring out how to clean it up. We can point fingers, or we can actually do something that might get somewhere. And the only way to do that, is to do it ourselves, because it should be pretty clear by now that nobody else will."
Kwame looked around. He saw people agreeing with them, but not believing it. It was a feeling that they were familiar with now, having gone through the same doubt themselves during the mission.
"Every time we find an alternative, we take away part of the problem." Kwame explained. "Every time we do something for ourselves, we ease pressure on the resources meant to do it for us. If you don't like the way you get served at a restaurant, you go to a different one. If you don't like a movie you're watching, you leave the theater. If you don't like the way your life is going, if you don't like where your food comes from or how you go to work in the morning, then make a change. That power of choice is something that nobody can take away. The Power Is Yours!"
Formerly DA Holland, now Congressman Holland, raised his glass. The election was called and he'd had to attend half a dozen celebrations. This one was the smallest and most secret, but the only one he really wanted to be there for himself. "Like many of us here, I started with nothing. I had big dreams, and no chance."
A chorus of agreement rumbled through the room.
"We've all said it at one time or another." Holland continued, making a speech of his toast. "All we needed was someone to give us a chance. Well, most of us here never found anyone willing to give us anything. What little we got, we had to claw out of the bastards, inch by miserable inch. But we survived. Because we knew we had it in us to stand up, when everyone and his brother told us we were no good."
A louder rumble, angry and spiteful, in full agreement with the sentiment.
"I'm not a fool. I know I never would have made it half as far as I wanted… were it not for the support of one man. A man just like us, who got where he was with no help, and by having to be twice as good as everyone else to get half the recognition. There was a time when nobody would give me a job flipping burgers, and today I was sworn in as a New York State Congressman."
Light applause.
"I know that if I go around the room, and give all of us a chance to speak, you'll have similar tales to tell. Look at us now. Now we're Congressmen, Union Leaders, even the Chairman of the Exchequer. All of us, catapulted to the top of the business we've chosen; while the people who denied us are all cast out in disgrace, thanks to the skilful use of the media, the Corporation, the Police, and The Planeteers themselves. I for one am in awe. And I will not forget who helped me here today. And so, ladies and gentlemen, a toast. To Mr Vernan Stumm."
"To Vernan Stumm." Toasted over a dozen of the most newly powerful people in the world.
Stumm took it in coolly, adjusted his Ring, and returned the toast.
The Public Library held a poetry reading every week, open to the public; to bring what they had read, or what they themselves had written. It was a fairly intimate affair, not gathering much interest, until someone noticed Ma-Ti taking a book off the shelf, and waiting to take his turn. By the time it was his turn to read, the entire population of the library had come to see what he'd come up with.
Ma-Ti stepped up to the podium, and opened the book, reading without seeming to focus his eyes on the page.
"There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pool singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;
Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone."
The audience smirked, knowing where he was going with this, even as he closed the book.
"That poem was written by Sara Teasdale in 1920." Ma-Ti said. "I only read it myself fairly recently. She was talking about War, and about how if we wiped ourselves out, the world would go on quite comfortably without us. But if those birds have starved, and their nests ruined by deforestation, if those soft rains have turned to acid rain... The notion of human extinction is not a new one. We've been living with the possibility of destroying ourselves for sixty years. And we didn't do it. By all accounts the cold war was on the edge of turning hot for a long time, but we showed enough moral restraint to keep ourselves from going down that path. Now we must do so again."
The audience murmured, appreciating the point as true.
"And if we fail... if we destroy the world we live on, we won't just lose animals and jungles... We'll lose Oprah." Ma-Ti smiled as the room chuckled. "And the Mona Lisa. And Shakespeare, and Jack the Ripper, and Abraham Lincoln, and Chuck Berry and Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and Einstein and McDonald's, and the Sistine Chapel and American Idol..." He held up the book. "And Sara Teasdale. The entire recorded triumphs and failings of the human race are on the line with every new generation. If it all comes apart because we let it, then it all meant nothing. If there's anything that has ever existed in the world that matters at all, then don't let that happen. The Power Is Yours!"
Karen Gillys took the time to smooth over any questions that the Planeteers had about her loyalty to them as their friend, or as a reporter, and then began the interview. It was the first that any of them had given since restarting the 'Power is Yours Campaign'; and the first since The Reclaimer.
Inwardly, she had been relieved to get the call. Lizzie Quinn had apparently plead her case. Both of them had been under about a dozen gag orders from both their superiors and the authorities, denying them any chance to make a case of the Planeteers publicly before a trial.
It was a good law to have, as it helped ensure a fair trial could take ace, but the unfortunate fact of it was that the Heroes For Earth were forced into silence during the whole ordeal, and Karen had half expected them to end her career as a result.
Kwame had assured her that they had not held a grudge, and the interview went well.
"What do you say to those who think that you're pushing your own opinion, when there are millions of opinions out there?"
"We're not afraid of different thoughts. There are only five of us. If someone has a better way, by all means point it out. But the only way to find a better idea is to get the one that has it off the bench and in the game." Kwame said simply. "Doctors have said that due to childhood obesity, heart disease... we have the first generation of industrialized people that are more likely to live shorter lives than the generation before; and that doesn't even count the millions starving to death in the rest of the world. That can't possibly be considered progress."
"That's tough to argue with." Karen acknowledged. "So looking back, what was the overall outcome for the team? After this Mission, what stuck the most?"
Kwame took a moment to consider his response, as he almost always did. "Ultimately, what was affected the most was the five of us." He said. "When we first met, we had no idea what we were getting into. We had no idea what was going to happen, or how hard it would be. We didn't start this mission, you see, we just got picked."
"Picked by whom?"
"No comment." Kwame said. "Again."
"Can't blame a girl for trying."
"No. But, since we never thought to start something like this ourselves, we didn't… have the stomachs for it. Not at first. But after all this, we got back up again. There was a time when we were ready to throw in the towel… Things are better now. The stakes didn't rise. They were always that high. The rules didn't change, it was always like this. What changed was the five of us. When Hope Island was formed, we had been a team for less than a week. That day was about starting something… This last two months… was about accepting it."
"It's a huge mission to accept."
"Yes it is, but the hard part is accepting our role in it. The goal itself is not ours alone."
"A point that you made spectacularly last year with your first Power is Yours Campaign, and again over the last few weeks. Last time you had stadium concerts, you had addresses to the UN… the last few weeks you've been showing up at gardens, walking around Central Park. Wheeler kicked off the second campaign by going to the movies with his brother. What changed?"
"We did." Kwame said simply. "That visit to a movie theater became the most watched video online last week. Me and Gi at Central Park did the same a week later. The news picked it up without us ever being involved. We're trying to get people to join our cause. But we're also trying to get people to care about something. If the Reclaimer event had gone differently, would anyone have continued what we started? Our celebrity was actually working against us for a while there. This has always been called a Grass Roots movement. We're not going to make it about us. It's about everyone."
A long game to play. I think that's one a draw.
Not a draw. We're playing two different games here. Besides, there was no stalemate. They came back stronger. There's nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.
I never lose Gaia. Whichever way this goes, I only stand to gain. I never lose. I always win.
Right there? That's always been the flaw in your argument.
What?
There doesn't have to be a loser.
AN: And with that, this story is over. Hope you all enjoyed it. I used the poem in another story to make a similar point, those that read both... thank you, and I promise I know more than just that one verse. The themes of Heroes For Earth sort of spilled over into my other writings of the time. As with the last 'Power Is Yours' Chapter, I did my best to make the facts accurate. I hope you all liked it, and could follow the plot.