CHAPTER 132: CEASAR AND THE WATCHER.

Things were not rosy at the White house. President Ceasar had been in a bad mood ever since the team he sent out returned without Moon Raine. He had been even more upset to hear that the other side had more superhumans than he did, strong ones at that.

He didn’t just want Moon alone anymore; he wanted all the other superheroes that Lugard had told him about. That is why he had teams out there searching for superhumans with Janet’s help.

He would build his own tea of super humans and become an unstoppable force.

Those thoughts had been on his mind for so long that he had been unable to sleep the previous night. In the morning, when he planned to rest his eyes, news came that the watchers that had not been seen for an entire day had returned.

Just one. It looked a little different from the normal ones. It had eyes the color of the greenest emerald, the shape and build of a commercial airliner and a beak so long that it could have been used to drill for oil underground.

The bird perched on the rail of the state house balcony near what remained of the president’s office and stood there, silent, still, a sentinel that refused to be ignored. This was the closest it had come to the humans. Humans in that area were still evacuating out of fear.

Ceaser moved to the presidential office and drew the curtains back, observing it. Every time he shifted in his chair, lifted his hand to reach for a glass of water or turned a page in his notes, he could swear the bird’s head followed him.

He tried to tell himself that it was a coincidence, but deep down he knew the bird was watching him, measuring him, judging him.

What was it after? Why had it come alone? Was it ranked higher than the last ones that came to the White house? Hours passed and the bird did not move. By noon, fear had spread across the compound and soldiers were standing guard ready to shoot even though they had a feeling that it would be useless.

They all had different theories about the bird with some saying that it was a spy, one claimed that it was the eye of judgement and whoever the bird watched was already condemned.

Some people claimed that it was selecting individuals from among them but for what....they had no clue. Ceaser dismissed a lot of theories except for the spy theory.

And he was not about to show cowardice in such a moment where everyone was watching. If this bird was sent as a spy or messenger, then he would treat it as such. Leaders did not sit back and wait for answers. They demanded them.

So, with blooming determination, Ceaser walked to the balcony and cleared his throat.

The bird flew down and landed in the compound. Ceasar did not give up, he got a megaphone and stood on the balcony with his head raised. He almost looked heroic as the cold air whipped his coat.

The bird in all its majesty fixed its eyes on Ceasar and for a moment he felt a shiver of unease run down his spine.

He pushed the fear down. Raising the megaphone, his voice thundered across the compound.

"Greetings, avian visitor," he began in in his best diplomatic voice, "I am president Ceaser, leader of this nation. We welcome you to earth and I would like to let you know that we are a peaceful species."

The sound echoed over the noise of the rain. The bird blinked once, slow, deliberate. It tilted it’s head as though listening but not a single word came in return.

Ceaser pressed forward, emboldened by his own words. "If you come as an envoy, then deliver your message. If you represent other creatures, then summon them especially your commander. I am willing to talk leader to leader. Let there be diplomacy not shadow play!"

The bird let out a sound like a whale being gutted and some of those that had come out to spectate dove back into their hiding places. Ceasar’s secret service agents gathered closer around him. Some soldiers also hid while others developed trembling leg syndrome.

Other than that, the bird did not attempt to communicate again.

Ceaser brought the megaphone to his mouth and said loudly. "I did not understand what you meant noble avian. Perhaps you should come inside, and we can talk over a cup of tea, wine or some food. We are eager to understand you. To learn from you. To share our culture with you."

There was no response, just that blank unnerving stare.

Ceaser lowered the megaphone, sweat beading at his temples. His heartbeat faster, not from fear__no never fear but from the weight of silence.

It was one thing to be answered with rage, but to be answered with nothing at all was intolerable. He tried again, pacing forward, raising one arm. "What do you want? Tribute? Territory? Or is it recognition? Name your terms but do not insult me with your silence!"

Still the bird remained motionless.

"If you will not negotiate, then you leave me with no choice but to treat you like a hostile."

At that he signaled the guards. They lifted riffles fitted with tranquilizer darts, their hands trembling as they took aim. Ceaser gave one last command through the megaphone.

"Submit or be taken!"

The darts flew, sleek silver streaks slicing the air. They struck the birds body, bouncing off its steel like feathers. For a heartbeat beat, silence held. Then spectators that were still peaking gasped. The bird did not flinch. The darts had dropped uselessly to the ground.

The bird tilted its head slightly, as if weighing how to respond to what they were doing. Then it sneezed and continued to stare at Ceasar. It kicked one of the darts away sending it back into the white house.

Ceaser’s jaw tightened. He gave the signal again. More darts hissed through the air, two, six, ten. Each one failed. The bird’s eye glowed brighter, patient, mocking and unyielding.

Finally with a slow beat of its vast wings, the bird rose high into the sky circling once above the White house.

Ceaser stood in the gale, unbowed, his coat snapping around him as he glared up at the ascending form.

The state house fell deathly silent.

The soldiers looked at each other, uncertain about what to do next.

Defeated, Ceaser lowered the megaphone, breathing heavy but steady. His face was set in stone, but within his mind, thoughts churned. The bird had not attacked but it had defied him. It had come to watch and left on its own accord, untouched by the tranquilizer.

Worry began to gnaw at him about what the alien birds were planning but he would not allow his people to detect any fear in him.

He raised his voice again to reassure the people. "You all saw it," he declared. "That thing comes here to intimidate us, to test our strengths. But we will not kneel, and I will not rest until I catch one of those birds alive and get us some damn answers."

To his words, some cheered weakly more out of fear than conviction, others wondered if the president was delusional, but none dared to question him loud the most they did was exchange gazes.

Ceaser stormed back to his office, angrier than he was before the bird came. "Someday, I will kill those damn birds and eat their flesh." he mumbled to himself.