A few yards away from them, a huge circle of white light pivoted up from the glass floor, slanting upward until it stood on its side, like the entrance to a tunnel. Within the depths of the circle, a very old, majestic stone building appeared. It had huge fluted pillars and giant bronze doors, with a tall, wide expanse of steps leading up to them. Helga walked up to the circle, spread her arms, then spun back to face Michael and his friends, flinging her arms as if throwing something at them.

As she did this, the circle of light expanded, turning into a tunnel. They flew into the scene. It was a cold, gusty day outside what Michael realized was a government building, and he shivered as he rubbed his arms. Like before, they hovered in the air, maybe thirty feet off the ground, slowly moving in to see whatever was about to happen. Or had happened, more likely.

A podium had been set up on the plaza at the top of the steps. An army of police stood at the bottom of the stairs, keeping back hundreds of people who’d obviously come to hear someone give a speech. Michael was just about to ask Helga what they’d come here for when one of the massive bronze doors swung open with a mighty groan of metal on metal.

An older man in an expensive-looking suit walked out of the building. The crowd quieted for a moment, then came to life with a roar, hurling question upon question in a frenzied chaos, all of them holding their hands up like schoolchildren.

Helga motioned to Michael and the others and they descended until they were only a few feet above the man in the suit. He’d reached the podium now, and held his arms up to quiet the crowd. At first they ignored him, barraging him with questions, but when he didn’t speak, they finally went silent. His voice was powerful, and boomed over loudspeakers.

“Thank you for coming today,” he began, speaking in a strange accent. “Especially on such short notice. What I want to show you is, uh, very, uh, important.”

He cleared his throat and fidgeted for a moment with the microphones. Michael stared, perplexed. The guy might look like a prominent businessman or politician, but he was sweating and acting odd. And what did he mean by show? Didn’t he mean tell?

“Yes, very important,” the man continued. “Don’t worry, I won’t take but a moment of your time.” Another rumbling of his throat that was like an explosion in the speakers. “To preface what I’m about to do, let me say something. I…well…the man who stands before you today has been the leader of this fine country for more than five years. He, I mean, I, have done great things for the economy, social welfare, and international diplomacy. But his reign is at an end.”