Meanwhile, the Commander struggles with pain that increases by the minute. Just then, Wyverna bursts into the room with a wide grin on her face.

  Wyverna: DANTE!

  Emily: What…what is it, Lady?

  Wyverna: It’s time!

  Emily: No! NO! We’ve still got a couple hours!

  Wyverna: Did I just hear you say ‘no’?!

  Emily shakes her head: I’ll prepare…the specimen.

  Emily grabs the Commander by the arm.

  Wyverna: Oh, I simply can’t trust you to bring him to experimental area and apply the needed tools yourself! I’ll have to go with you, and my servants will have to bring him there.

  Second Law and Delirium step into the room and forcefully drag the Commander through the White House. They eventually arrive in what was the Oval Office, but is now a sterile, covered environment with strange, advanced medical devices everywhere. The Commander is then strapped to a chair. Emily trembles in the background.

  Wyverna:(to the Commander) This isn’t the worst part. (To Emily) Why are you just standing there?! Come and prepare the human!

  Emily*with tears in her eyes*: Yes, Lady.

  The Commander braces himself. Emily picks up a medical instrument with a long needle.

  Wyverna: Don’t bother explaining, Dante. I’ll do it myself. You see, pest-creature, this instrument of our technology will stab into your bone marrow through your bone in order to obtain your blood. But you won’t die yet.

  Emily bites her lip as she sticks four of the long needles into the Commander’s limbs. He shouts in agony. Then, Emily turns on the drill function to drill deeper and deeper into the Commander’s bones. He cries out in pain. Once Emily finishes, Wyverna continues.

  Wyverna: There’s another tool that will enter your heart.

  Emily grabs another medical instrument.

  Wyverna: I’m afraid that you won’t have the option of anesthesia for any of these operations.

  Emily stabs the Commander in the chest. He yells.

  Wyverna: Our technology is superior to yours. We won’t even have to cut your chest open. The machine will simply drill its way directly into your heart. But you won’t die yet.

  Emily turns the directional function on the drill. The Commander shouts continuously as the instrument finds its way into his heart.

  Wyverna: You’ll have to remain in this state until the transfusion. Only then will you die and be rid of the pain.

  Emily cries. Wyverna scolds her and slaps her across the face.

  Wyverna: Are you, too, a weakling?! Get up! There are only three hours until the transfusion! Until I become a god!

  Commander*through his teeth*: You cannot become a god!

  Wyverna: You know nothing!

  Commander*through his teeth*: And even if you could, you would never be allowed to!

  Wyverna: IS THAT DISRESPECT I HEAR?! From a human?! Well, then, I’ll have to demonstrate just how wrong you are!!! Set the clock forward two hours!

  Composer sets the red countdown clock forward by two hours. Now, there are only forty-five minutes left until humanity’s destruction.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Back in the safehouse, Annelise is hanging on by a thread. Cory keeps trying to comfort her. Annelise can hardly speak. Cory is weeping beside her.

  Annelise: Don’t…cry.

  Cory: Why shouldn’t I?! I’ve almost lost you!

  Annelise: But…I…haven’t…lost*she cuts herself off by crying out in pain*

  Cory: Annie! Stop! Please! Stay with me!

  Annelise begins to have a ravenous look in her eyes, but it fades quickly.

  Annelise: I won’t! You’ll never…make me!!! You can’t!

  Ethan: Who’s she yelling at?

  Cory: I don’t know.

  Annelise: She…CAN’T!!!

  Levi: I have a theory.

  Ethan: Shoot.

  Levi: She may be talking to the Evil Alien Empress.

  Cory: How?

  Levi: I don’t know. The scientific journals I write for don’t usually involve aliens or psychic abilities or anything else that’s been happening.

  Susanna: That’s fair.

  Annelise suddenly comes back, panting.

  Cory: What’s happening to you?

  Annelise: Nothing. She’s…gone.

  Cory: Is your pain gone?

  Annelise shakes her head. Cory sighs.

  Levi: Alright, so the Evil Alien Empress caused Annelise’s recent episode, but isn’t causing the majority of her pain. But that begs the question…What is causing most of the pain?

  Susanna: And…if that were to happen to one of us…would we be able to fight off the Empress like Annelise did?

  Levi nods: That is a valid question.

  Ethan: I have a confession to make.

  Everyone turns toward him: What’s that?

  Ethan: I’m the true Speaker of the House and the standing president.

  Susanna: *gasps* What?! Really?!

  Ethan nods: A few weeks ago, during the elections, Congress was notified about the Evil Alien Empress and her threat. I didn’t want to have to deal with that, so I skewed the election results. Just thought I’d get that off my chest before the world ended.

  Susanna: Well, dang! A president still on Earth might have given the American people…hope? Resilience? A fighting chance?

  Ethan: I know. I…I really wish I hadn’t done it. But there’s no going back now.

  Annelise: Ethan…

  Ethan: What is it?

  Annelise smiles weakly: Don’t…worry. You’ll…be…okay.

  Ethan: Thanks for the sentiment, but I doubt any of us are gonna be alright.

  Levi checks his watch: We only have about two hours left.

  Cory grabs one of meals from the stash in the corner.

  Cory: Annelise, you have to eat something.

  Annelise: It…it…won’t…help…me.

  Annelise bites her lip as her stomach growls. Cory holds her close.

  Cory: Then, what can I do?

  Annelise: Stay…with…me.

  Cory: I’m right here. I’ll be there until…

  Annelise nods. As the group waits for the end of the world, which they think is in two hours, the Commander is having the machines in his body hooked up to Wyverna’s veins. Emily sobs as she turns on the machines.

  Emily: I’m so sorry!

  The Commander nods: I…forgive you.

  Wyverna: Don’t bother. You’ll be dead and the dead cannot forgive. Begin!

  Emily flips a switch on the machines and the Commander cries out in pain. Pink color begins to rush into Wyverna’s skin.

  Wyverna: It’s working. I feel so…so strong! So alive!

  The veins in Wyverna’s skin begin to glow orange.

  Wyverna looks down at the Commander, who has stopped yelling in pain and is now breathing shallowly, hanging limp at the end of the machine.

  Wyverna’s voice has grown deeper and louder: And you said that I could not become a goddess!

  Emily trembles in fear in the corner. Wyverna’s eyes begin to glow, along with her whole body.

  Wyverna: WHO WILL DARE TO STAND AGAINST ME NOW?!! FINALLY!!!

  Second Law and Composer stand against the wall, quivering.

  Emily: I…I don’t think the specimen has any more blood left to give…

  Wyverna: SILENCE!!! I COMMAND FIRST THAT ALL WHO LOOK UPON ME SHALL PERISH! I’LL BE A HARBINGER OF DEATH! FOR WHAT IS THE FORCE OF LIFE COMPARED TO THAT OF DEATH?!

  Emily immediately closes her eyes. Second Law and Composer begin to scream in agony as ugly green veins overtake their faces.

  Second Law: Mistress, you’re hurting us!

  Wyverna ignores them: I WILL NOT HAVE TO CONQUER THE UNIVERSE! IT NOW BELONGS TO ME BY RIGHT!

  Suddenly, Wyverna’s glow begins to fade. She begins to seize and her eyes roll back into her head. Wyverna screams in agony.

  Wyverna: What’s happening to me?!