“And you, your children, and your children’s children will be safe, will be saved forever, because of the choices you make today,” said the girl, turning serious. Then she smiled and walked to the other side. “And what’s the way to the future?”

“The One Light!” the crowd roared. They were practically hysterical with excitement, and I wondered if they’d been given some type of drug. I couldn’t tell. All I saw were beaming faces, fists raised in the air, people waving signs, “Kill the Humans” T-shirts.

T minus five and a half minutes. Let’s get this show on the road.

I aimed down at the stage, and the girl caught sight of me. “Look, everyone!” she shouted into the microphone. “That’s the future of the human race! Enhanced is where it’s at! That’s the promise of the One Light!”

The crowd cheered and applauded for my enhanced self.

I continued flying at full speed, and the girl’s expression went from delight to confusion to concern in a matter of seconds as I streaked toward her. I buzzed her close enough to mess up her hair, then grabbed the cordless mic out of her hand.

“Everyone! There are bombs under this plaza!” I shouted with no preamble. “You have minutes, maybe seconds to save yourselves! Everyone get out of here as fast as possible! There are bombs and poison gas under the plaza!”

I glanced at the girl. Where I’d expected to see outrage, anger, excuses thrown out at the audience to keep them there, there was… nothing. Just smiling, serene, calm. She’d known about the impending disaster awaiting the crowd, awaiting her, and she’d just accepted it.

Her tranquil smile tore at my heart like long, icy fingers. It was terrifying.

Scanning the faces of the crowd was even worse. I’d banked on screaming people swarming the exits like frightened cattle, knocking down the metal barricades. Or at the very least, some vague murmurs of alarm. Instead, they were nodding at me like puppets on strings, smiles painted into place.

The icy feeling within me was growing. They wanted to die. Every last one of them.

“This is a trap!” I bellowed at them, frantic. “There are bombs under this plaza! Bombs and poison gas! Don’t you get it? Get out of here! Scram! Save yourselves!”

“Save the planet! Kill the humans!” they chanted. “Support the future of enhanced society!”

Dylan swooped beside me and grabbed the microphone. “How are you going to get enhanced if you’re all blown up into little pieces?” he yelled.

They actually cheered.