h4Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Exposed/h4

    The explosion of light shot into the sky like a nuclear bomb made of pure energy.

    Every shadow demon screamed and dissolved. The ck sky turned brilliant white. And the light kept expanding.

    "It’s too bright!" Luna yelled, covering her eyes.

    "I can’t control it!" baby Sage cried, his truth-sight zing out of control.

    "Neither can I!" baby ze added, orange mes erupting from his tiny body.

    The sanctuary walls exploded outward at the speed of light. The energy wave swept across the entire state. Then the entire country. Within seconds, it circled the globe.

    "What have we done?" Phoenix whispered.

    Every human on Earth saw the sh.

    Every satellite captured it.

    Every camera recorded it.

    "The whole world just witnessed magic," Dr. Webb said in horror.

    But that wasn’t the worst part.

    BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

    Emergency sirens started wailing. Military helicopters appeared on the horizon. News vans raced up the forest road.

    "They’reing," Kane growled, his wolf senses detecting approaching vehicles.

    "Who’sing?" Lydia asked, clutching her babies protectively.

    "Everyone," Timothy said grimly, watching the sky fill with aircraft. "Military. Government. Scientists. Media."

    The first helicopternded in the clearing. Soldiers in ck uniforms jumped out, weapons raised.

    "FREEZE! NOBODY MOVE!" their leader shouted through a megaphone.

    "This is General Morrison, Department of Supernatural Affairs!" the man continued. "We know what you are!"

    "Department of what now?" Ronan asked.

    "They’ve been watching us," Frost realized, her ice powers creating defensive barriers.

    More helicopters arrived. Then trucks. Then news vans with satellite dishes.

    "LIVE FROM THE SUPERNATURAL INCIDENT SITE!" a reporter yelled into her camera. "THIS IS CHANNEL 7 NEWS!"

    "Turn that off!" General Morrison barked at his soldiers.

    But it was toote. The cameras were already rolling. Broadcasting live to the entire world.

    "Ladies and gentlemen," the reporter continued breathlessly, "we’re witnessing what appears to be actual magic!"

    Baby Sage tried to dim his glowing eyes. Baby ze attempted to stop his mes. But their powers were still out of control from the massive energy release.

    "The children can’t hide it," Seraphina said urgently.

    "ATTENTION SUPERNATURAL BEINGS!" General Morrison’s voice boomed. "YOU ARE SURROUNDED! SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY!"

    "How did they find us so fast?" Darian demanded.

    Dr. Webb pulled out a strange device from his pocket. It was beeping rapidly.

    "Marcus," he said quietly. "This is a tracking beacon. You’ve been carrying it this whole time."

    Everyone stared at Dr. Webb in shock.

    "You led them here?" Kael snarled.

    "I didn’t know!" Dr. Webb protested. "Someone must have nted it when I was unconscious!"

    "Who?" ra demanded.

    Dr. Webb’s mother stepped forward, tears streaming down her face.

    "I did," she whispered.

    Stunned silence.

    "Mom?" Dr. Webb gasped.

    "They threatened to kill you," she sobbed. "The government agents said if I didn’t help them track supernatural activity, they’d execute you for practicing illegal medicine."

    "You betrayed us," Luna said, her silver eyes zing with hurt.

    "I was trying to protect my son!" the old woman cried.

    "By dooming our children!" Phoenix shot back, golden power ring angrily.

    "I’m sorry!" she wailed. "I’m so sorry!"

    But apologies couldn’t fix what was happening.

    More vehicles arrived every minute. Military trucks. Government sedans. Media vans. Even helicopters with international logos.

    "The whole world is watching," Timothy said in dismay.

    On every screen visible through the news van windows, their faces were broadcasting live. The babies’ glowing eyes. Luna’s silver power. Phoenix’s golden light.

    "BREAKING NEWS!" another reporter shouted. "SUPERNATURAL CHILDREN CONFIRMED REAL!"

    "MAGIC EXISTS!" screamed a third journalist.

    "WEREWOLVES AND VAMPIRES AMONG US!" yelled a fourth.

    Kane shifted nervously. "This is bad. Really bad."

    "Understatement of the century," Seraphina muttered.

    General Morrison stepped closer, his weapon trained on the babies.

    "You children wille with us for testing," he announced coldly.

    "Over our dead bodies," all four parents said simultaneously.

    "That can be arranged," the General replied without emotion.

    Redser dots appeared on everyone’s chests. Sniper rifles.

    "You’re threatening babies," ra said in disbelief.

    "We’re containing dangerous weapons," Morrison corrected.

    "They’re children!" Lydia screamed.

    "They’re anomalies," Morrison shot back. "Threats to national security."

    Baby Sage’s truth-sight suddenly zed brighter.

    "He’s lying," Sage announced clearly. "They don’t want to test us."

    "What do they want?" baby ze asked his brother.

    "They want to use us," Sage replied grimly. "As weapons."

    Morrison’s face twitched. "Smart kid. Too smart."

    "You nned this," Darian realized. "The tracking device. The public exposure. All of it."

    "Of course we did," Morrison said smugly. "We’ve been monitoring supernatural activity for decades. Waiting for subjects powerful enough to be useful."

    "Useful for what?" Kael demanded.

    "War," Morrison replied simply. "Do you have any idea what weapons these children could be? The enemies we could defeat?"

    "They’re babies!" Ronan roared.

    "They’re resources," Morrison corrected coldly.

    Around the world, people were watching this conversation live on television. Social media exploded with reactions.

    #SaveTheSupernaturalChildren started trending.

    #MagicIsReal broke the inte.

    #ProtectTheBabies became a worldwide movement.

    But the government didn’t care about public opinion.

    "Load them up," Morrison ordered his soldiers. "All of them."

    "Wait," baby Sage said suddenly. "Look at the cameras."

    Everyone turned. The news cameras were still rolling. Broadcasting everything live.

    "The whole world just heard you admit to kidnapping children for weapons," Phoenix pointed out.

    Morrison’s face went pale. "Turn off those cameras! NOW!"

    But the reporters refused.

    "This is breaking news!" one shouted. "The public has a right to know!"

    "You’re under arrest for threatening children!" another added.

    The soldiers looked confused. Half of them lowered their weapons.

    "Sir," one soldier said hesitantly, "maybe we should reconsider..."

    "FOLLOW ORDERS!" Morrison screamed.

    But something else was happening.

    Cars were pulling up. Regr cars with regr people inside. Humans who had been watching the live broadcast.

    "Leave those children alone!" a woman yelled, getting out of her car.

    "They’re just babies!" a man added, joining her.

    More people arrived. Dozens. Then hundreds.

    "The humans are protecting us," Luna whispered in amazement.

    "Some of them," Phoenix corrected, watching other people arrive with signs reading "SUPERNATURAL THREAT" and "MAGIC IS EVIL."

    The crowd was dividing. Half wanted to protect the supernatural children. Half wanted them gone.

    "This is about to be a riot," Kane observed grimly.

    "Sir!" a soldier called to Morrison. "We’re getting orders from Washington. Stand down immediately."

    "What?" Morrison snarled.

    "The President wants to speak with the supernatural children personally," the soldier continued. "No weapons. No threats. Diplomatic contact only."

    Morrison’s face turned purple with rage.

    "You’re making a mistake," he hissed. "These creatures will destroy everything."

    "The only creature I see destroying anything is you," ra said coldly.

    But baby Sage was looking worried again.

    "What is it?" Darian asked.

    "The President," Sage whispered. "She’s noting here to talk."

    "What’s sheing for?" baby ze asked nervously.

    Sage’s truth-sight showed him a vision that made his tiny face go white with terror.

    "She’s bringing the Enhanced Human Project," he said quietly.

    "What’s that?" everyone asked.

    "Humans with artificial supernatural powers," Sage exined. "They’ve been experimenting for years. Creating human-werewolf hybrids. Human-vampirebinations. Human-witch crossbreeds."

    "Impossible," Timothy breathed.

    "Not impossible," Morrison said with an evil smile. "Just ssified. Until now."

    The sky filled with new helicopters. These were different. Bigger. More heavily armed.

    And when theynded, the beings that stepped out weren’t fully human anymore.

    "Meet the future," Morrison announced proudly. "Enhanced humans designed specifically to capture supernatural children."

    The enhanced soldiers had glowing eyes like werewolves, fangs like vampires, and magic crackling around their hands like witches.

    But they moved like machines. Cold. Emotionless. Programmed.

    "They can’t feel love," baby Sage realized in horror.

    "Orpassion," baby ze added.

    "Or fear," Phoenix said grimly.

    "Which means they can’t be reasoned with," Luna concluded.

    The enhanced soldiers raised weapons that hummed with supernatural energy.

    "Surrender the children," their leadermanded in a voice like grinding metal.

    "Never," ra said firmly.

    "Then you will all be terminated," the enhanced soldier replied.

    "Wait!" a new voice called out.

    A ck limousine pulled up. The President of the United States stepped out.

    But when she looked at the supernatural children, her eyes weren’t human either.

    They were silver. Just like Luna’s.

    "Hello, granddaughter," the President said to Luna with a cold smile.

    Luna’s silver eyes went wide with shock.

    "That’s impossible," she whispered.

    "Is it?" the President asked. "Did you really think you were the only supernatural bloodline in the government?"

    The truth hit everyone like a lightning bolt.

    The President wasn’t human.

    She was supernatural.

    And she’d been hunting her own kind for decades.