Stormont Estate, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
5:02 PM
âThis is John Martin, reporting for BBC One News live from Stormont Estate, where an apparent bombing by terrorist group FomĂłraigh during the seventeenth delegation to vote on reunification has damaged much of the Parliament Buildings, injuring dozens. It is currently not known how many are dead, but estimates are not optimistic. As yet, there have been no arrests, but police are working closely with the British Heroes League and United Celtic Heroes Association to uncover the culprits behind this heinous attack on British democracy. Back to you in the studio, Anna.â
Port of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
9:21 PM
Maeve pressed herself against a shipping container another pair of supers passed by overhead, flying low as they scanned the area for anyone suspicious. Her fingers dug deep into the metal as they flew off into the distance; she understood the need for subtlety, but she hated having to hide like this, especially when it felt like she was running away.
âAlright, everythingâs ready,â Saoirse said, slipping out of the shadows once the hero patrol was gone. âWe got a freight ship willing to take ye. Ye should be there in just a few days.â
âA few days?â Maeve pulled her fingers out of the shipping container and rubbed at her hands. Good thing it was empty, given the holes it now had in its side. âWhere are ye sending me, anyway?â
âAtlas City.â
âAmerica?â She ran one hand through her hair. âI admit, this is a bit of a mess, but-â
Saoirse shook her head. âNo, this works out. We needed someone to meet with a contact in Atlas City anyway.â
Maeve sighed through her nose as the two of them started walking toward the pier, keeping away from the lights in case any more patrols came through the area. A contact in Atlas City. So Paul had decided to go through with the plan to seek external support. She understood it from a tactical perspective, but it still left a foul taste in her mouth. Even if everyone in their âorganizationâ had powers, FomĂłraigh was still less than 100 strong, and despite the mediaâs insistence to the contrary had existed for less than a decade. Still, Maeve wasnât thrilled at the thought of them becoming beholden to someone else, especially someone for whom the FomĂłraigh and their ideals were little more than a convenient business opportunity.
âSo?â
âSo what?â
Saoirse pulled Maeve to a stop. âDonât play stupid,â she chastised, looking up at the sky instead of at Maeve. Her grip was tight on Maeveâs arm. âIf ye lost yourself at the assembly, then does that mean-â
âYes.â
Saoirse let out a foul string of Gaelge that was only silenced by Maeve putting her hand over her mouth to keep Saoirse from giving their location away to any supers still in the area. Saoirse struggled under her grip for a bit, then huffed and tapped Maeveâs forearm to signal it was fine to let go now.
âNo bleedinâ wonder ye lost it! I would too!â Saoirse spoke in the breathy shout-whisper of someone trying not to wake the dead. âSeventeen damned blood-fuck years! Youâd think theyâd just give up the act at this point!â
Maeve sighed. âAye, well.â
The Northern Ireland Assemblyâs Seventeenth Delegation to Vote on Irish Reunification. The best joke theyâd come up with yet. As if they would ever actually vote to leave the Crownâs good graces. Or that Parliament would ever really let them. Instead they played a game every year where theyâd gather up in Stormont Estate, pretend they were going to have a serious discussion on the subject, then ultimately vote against it while the English media ran feel-good pieces about how nice and loyal and unified the Kingdom was, and wasnât it grand how much Northern Ireland preferred them to the Republic? Maeve found it absolutely vile.
âCome on. Youâre the one who knows which ship it is.â She turned and continued walking toward the pier. Saoirseâs mouth opened and closed a few times, evidently with more to say, but instead she just huffed and jogged to catch up.
âItâs this one,â she said, indicating a large American cargo ship which appeared to have finished loading at least 2 hours prior. âThey were planning to leave a bit earlier, but we managed to convince them to push back their schedule.â
âAlright then.â She lifted the wide hat hanging off her back up onto her head. âIâll be off. Try not to let Paul break everything apart without me, aye?â
âJust a second, Maeve.â Saoirse grabbed Maeveâs arm and turned her around before pulling her down for a hug. âBe wide, aye? Thereâre a lot more supers in Atlas. Mind your temper.â
âAre you my ma now?â Maeve quipped, pulling away.
âNot with that attitude,â Saoirse replied, laughing. Maeve turned to leave, and Saoirse stopped her again. âOne more thing. Paul might want ye to get this boxed, but an agreement goes both ways. If ye feel they canât help us, or ye donât trust them, just leave. We can find someone else.â
Maeve was quiet for a long moment, looking out at the sea. âThat might not matter,â she said finally. âBut Iâll bear it in mind. See ye when itâs done, Saoirse.â Then she left and boarded the ship to Atlas City, leaving the rest of the FomĂłraigh to hold the fort without her.