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Chapter Thirty-Four

Elias

Sunlight washed over the National Mall, casting long shadows over the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The air was crisp that morning. Crisp and cool and surprisingly refreshing. The temperature helped combat the stress sweat Elias could feel gathering in his armpits. Behind him, the iconic statue loomed as a silent witness to the momentous event about to unfold. President Lincoln had borne witness to many such momentous occasions. This would go down in the history books as another event that marked a shift in the trajectory of the country. He hoped, prayed, that it would be a moment recalled in a positive light.

The Reflecting Pool stretched out before him, mirroring the gathering crowds. It was a sea of journalists, cameras, and reporters, their breath curling in the cool air as they murmured amongst themselves, watching and waiting for history to be made. Behind the cameras, spreading out beyond the official press section, citizens who had come to witness the event clasped their phones in preparation to stream the release live to millions across the country. Across the world. Signs fluttered in the breeze, people declaring their stance with poster boards and markers. The energy in the air was positively electric, laced with anticipation and a thick undercurrent of dread.

Elias stood removed from the podium, his fingers tensing and flexing at his sides. He took a deep breath and glanced to the wings where Caleb stood just out of frame, his keen eyes scanning the crowd. Elias knew the others were stationed strategically throughout the audience. Luke, Bella, Connor, dozens of men and women hidden in plain sight or watching from a distance, prepared for whatever might come next. This was it.

Elias stepped forward and the murmurs quieted as he rested his palms on the podium’s edges. The cameras locked onto him as the world watched with bated breath. He took another deep breath and began.

“My fellow Americans. I stand before you today, not just as a hopeful presidential candidate, not as a public servant, but as a citizen of this great nation. A nation that has been deceived.”

For months, we have been diligently investigating a web of corruption that has infiltrated the highest levels of our government. This conspiracy is rooted deep within the Central Intelligence Agency, intertwined with powerful political figures, foreign interests, and corporate elites who have placed their own greed and selfish ambitions above the safety and sovereignty of this country.”

Elias let his eyes wander over the audience. “This is not a theory. This is not speculation. This is fact. And today, I am here to present to you the truth. Truth you deserve to hear. Truth you need to hear.”

He turned and gestured toward a massive screen that flickered to life with a button controlled by Caleb. It was mostly for show. All the documents he intended to show had already been systematically released to every major media outlet. The first document was an official CIA memorandum, unredacted and revealing directives that implicated high-ranking officials in illegal operations.

“Here we have classified CIA documents detailing unauthorized surveillance on American citizens. Journalists, political rivals, even members of our own military. The corruption runs far deeper than mere overreach. It is treason of the highest order. The very agency sworn to protect us has been compromised by individuals who have manipulated intelligence, framed innocent men and women, and orchestrated acts of depraved violence to maintain their stranglehold on power.”

The image on the screen changed to display financial records. The money trails and transactions funneled through offshore accounts all linked back to the highest inner circles and were now broadcast for all to see in the brilliant morning light. A ripple of gasps ran through the audience. Reporters scribbled furiously in notebooks. Many whispered into their microphones, delivering the devastating news in real time. Elias continued in a clear, steady voice.

“Many of you will ask, how do we know this? How can we prove it? I assure you all that we have the testimony of whistleblowers, of many brave men and women who are risking their lives to help uncover the truth. We have decrypted files recovered from within the agency itself. We have confessions, hard evidence, and a trail of bodies left behind by those who sought to silence the truth.”

Another slide shifted onto the screen, displaying names. Some were known, many were unknown, but all had one thing in common—they had either died or disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

“We have traitors among us. People who are established in the highest levels of the government and have systematically positioned themselves at the very heart of this conspiracy. We have evidence that these people have been involved in coordinating these operations, using the intelligence community as their personal weapon to manipulate the President, frame innocent individuals, and endanger our national security for their own gain.”

A sudden swell of voices erupted from the crowd, furious and outraged. Others were shocked into silence. Elias held up a hand to bring quiet back to the audience.

“We have proof. We have evidence that will unravel the entire operation. And we will not stop until every last traitor is held accountable. This is not just a scandal. This is not merely political maneuvering. This is an act of war against the American people.”

Another slide revealed logs of secret meetings between high-ranking CIA officials and foreign assets. A second slide flashed transactions between corrupt officers and defense contractors tied to international war profiteering. A third displayed intercepted messages that confirmed the framing of innocent men like his Theo. He let the information settle before continuing his speech.

“We have a choice. We can look away. We can try to pretend we never saw this. We can act like this isn't real, that it isn't happening. And that’s what they are counting on. I intend to fight back.”

The murmuring in the crowd grew louder as emotions crackled through the air. Elias lifted his voice higher, calling out over the outraged fray.

“I am calling on Congress to initiate immediate hearings. I am calling on law enforcement agencies to reject the rot within and uphold their oaths. Oaths made not to corrupt leaders, but to the Constitution of the United States of America! I am calling on every American citizen to stand with us, to demand accountability and justice. To those within the CIA and within our government, those who know the truth and are afraid to come forward, I am calling you to do the right thing. We will protect you. History will judge those who stand idly by.”

Elias’ hands shook as he took a deep breath before delivering the final blow. “This is not the end. This is only the beginning. The fight for our democracy starts today. The fight for our great nation starts today.”

A reactionary roar surged through the crowd. Reporters shouted questions into the air. Some people cheered. Others stared in shock as they struggled to process the weight of what had been revealed. Within seconds, the rebuttals began. Everywhere around him, the air vibrated with the buzz of phones, likely flashing with official statements from government offices, from the CIA, from political figures scrambling to contain the fallout. A few in the audience screamed about treasonous slander. Many demanded an investigation. Gradually, miraculously, a semblance of order came to the rabble of noise. A chant. A mantra. The unofficial motto of his campaign, cried out by supporters amongst the crowd.

“Enough is enough! Enough is enough!”

Elias exhaled and stepped back from the podium as the chaos unfolded across the National Mall. He glanced to the side and caught Caleb’s eye. They exchanged a nod. A silent acknowledgment of approval. They’d fired the first shot. The battle had begun. This first battle that would mark the start of a war that wouldn't soon be forgotten. A war to save the country, with Elias standing at the frontline.