chapter 3 - the proposal

“A… queen?” Michelle asked with a puzzled expression on her face. Everything she was hearing seemed so outlandish to her, yet she could not afford to discount anything Dan was saying. After all, this man had successfully changed the direction of the entire human race with an invention he had made all by himself.

“Michelle in less than one month my signal will broadcast to the entire planet and at that point the world’s leaders will gladly name me their ruler. Within this new world order, I will need to create a bloodline that will reign in perpetuity, but I will need this bloodline to be free from the virus’s influence. As much as I love my wives and our children, they have all been exposed to the virus and will never possess the ability to control the minds of their people. I need a partner free from the virus’s influence that can provide offspring that are also immune to the virus. That my dear, is where you come in.”

Dan pulled out his tablet once again and tapped the glass panel with expedient precision. Michelle heard the sound of moving mechanical parts coming from behind, followed by a stinging sensation in the back of her neck. The small agent let out a yelp as she felt a needle pierce her skin, injecting an unknown substance into her body.

“Not to worry about that, the substance I’ve injected you with is simply the vaccine for the virus. Congratulations on your immunity, we’re now the only two people on the planet that cannot get infected by DESI-19.”

Michelle’s neck was on fire where the needle had pierced her skin, but as Dan’s words settled into her mind, she felt some relief that she would no longer live in fear of infection. On the other hand, basic training had taught her to never trust the enemy, and Dan was far from her friend. The guy might be crazy, but he’s certainly not stupid. “So, are you going to be able to control me now? Will you make me your slave along with the rest of the world?”

“Actually Michelle, in order to ensure my offspring retain their mind control abilities, I need their mother to have free will. I’m not forcing anything upon you, I’m presenting you with an offer. Become my queen, and you will live a life filled with pleasure and riches. You will have infinite wealth, the world will adore you, and every single one of your needs will always be taken care of. You will become the most powerful woman the world has ever known. Together, we could fix the world’s problems and create a better future for all, but I need you to be 100% on board. You must want the same future as I do.”

Michelle had to admit that the offer sounded tempting as she felt a great conflict within herself that she had not anticipated. Everything she knew about this man lead her to believe he was a monster, and yet he had given her immunity and literally offered her the world. She despised him for what he had done to the ones she loved, but now she felt a sense of appreciation for what he was offering her. Even still, Michelle knew he could not be trusted. She needed to find a way to stop him before it was too late and hope that the effects could one day be reversed.

Knowing that Dan had access to her mind, Michelle had to operate by instinct alone. The agent’s gut could sense a potential opportunity to salvage her mission, she just had to ensure that Dan suspected nothing.

“And what if I say no? What if I don’t share your desire for total world domination?”

Dan gave a slight sigh. He tapped on his tablet a few more times and the mechanical arms lowered the girl to the ground before releasing their grip on her slender body. While she still felt lethargic, Michelle was relieved to find her strength had mostly recovered from the electric shock, allowing her to stand on her own once again.

“You’re free to go if you’d like. You’ve been given the vaccine and my guards won’t stop you if you decide to walk out but understand that my goals will remain the same. I will find someone else who shares my vision, and we will rule this planet together, but I genuinely believe you will be much happier joining me. Like it or not, the world you once knew is no more, but with your help I believe we can create a better and brighter future for all.”

Michelle’s gut told her that walking out would not be as simple as Dan had laid out; she had to play along and hope that a window of opportunity would eventually allow her to save the world.

“I will give you a chance… but know that I want to truly become a queen, not one of your slaves to serve as your plaything. I want to be your equal.”

Dan reached out his arm and Michelle hesitantly did the same. As the two shook hands, Dan smiled and simply replied “you’ve got a deal.”