Hero Reborn, part two

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The auditorium surged as thousands of people packed together like sardines were jumping, dancing, and singing to the music that erupted from all around them. The bass and sound were thumping through the crowd as if it were their own hearts beating in time to the music, vibrating their bodies. The adrenaline that throbbed through those assembled was positively electric. There was an energy here. People screamed and applauded while other jumped up and down. Kid Rock and Ted Nugent both were here, playing to the nearly sold-out arena. Many celebrities were in attendance as well such as Ben Trek, Chuck Norris, and Kelsey Grammar. The Patriots political movement had financed the entire event, from the sets and lighting to the dancers that now took to the stage to the delight of those assembled. All of them were visions of perfect, down-home American beauty, dressed in bikinis baring the stars and stripes or emblazoned with red, white and blue. They paraded across the red carpets as fireworks exploded into the night sky behind them, vibrant and brilliant explosions of the American flag. The gigantic HD television monitor behind them began to show images of their hero and champion, American Hero as she fought crime from various images captured by news footage. This only seemed to excite the crowd even further, sending them into a chant of "Hero! Hero! Hero!"

As if summoned, Jane Smith flew down and descended into the middle of the stage as the clapping All-American Dancers moved to the sides. Her name was flashed all over the monitor behind her as she touched ground. The amazonian woman struck a pose and flashed her perfect smile as the crowd ate all of it up. Thousands of cell-phones and digital cameras flashed almost simultaneously. The blonde haired girl from Georgia basked in it for a moment, waving her hands and winking at them, her adoring fans. A techie rushed up low and brought her a wireless microphone before moving quickly off-stage bent-double. Smith brought the microphone to her lips. The crowd stifled it's noise, waiting to hear what she had to say.

"I'm back Angel Falls!" she shouted as the crowd erupted once again in applause and screaming delight. Jane began to pace back and forth as she waited for them to die down again.

"My opponents have tried their best to have me prosecuted and even tried to have me arrested...". At this the crowd booed and hissed, shaking their heads.

"...BUT I'M STILL STANDIN'!" she yelled out into the microphone, causing the crowd to react with another enthusiastic display of support.

"But I'm not here to talk you about them. You know all about our enemies. They're all around us. They want you and I to pay for them to have sex. They want you and I to support their seven children and their crack habit. They want you and I protect the rest of the world with our money rather than our own nation. They want to take the God out of this great nation and replace him with a pedophile. Yes, I think our enemies have shown themselves and we all know who they are and what their agendas are."

Those assembled shouted back their anger and frustration like sweet music to her ears. One angry man somewhere in the audience screamed out: "KILL THEM ALL JANE!", which was met with thunderous applause and nods of agreement.

American Hero held out her hands and shook her head. "I can do better than that my friend. This year, I am going to beat them at their own game and be running for governor of this great state!"

This statement made the crowd go positively beside itself. Flags were waived and the once again her namesake was chanted all over the arena. Once again she had to wait several moments before she could speak again.

"That's right! Angel Falls by itself has literally dozens of costumed heroes to assist law enforcement, some of which I support. What it really needs is someone to create brave new laws, laws to protect each and every one of you. Laws that even our out of control Meta-human populace would have to accept, such as possible registration...being held accountable for the damages caused by their careless rampages. You also need things that they simply cannot provide, such as jobs and freedom from religious persecution. I will never take the Christ out of Christmas or the Ten Commandments out of our courts. These are the fundamental cornerstones of our society and it is imperative that we stop our nation's descent now. The Patriots movement was born of this urgency. It's the same sense of urgency that propelled the Sons of Liberty during the Revolution. It's the same sense of urgency that propelled the abolitionists before the Civil War and the civil rights movement during the 20th Century. The Patriots movement is part of this noble American tradition. Make no mistake: This is not a political war. This is not a cultural war. This is a spiritual war, an attack on a good, decent, powerful, influential country - the United States of America.”

"Thanks to all of you, there's reason for all of us to have hope because last November, you went to the polls, and you voted out the big-spending politicians and the godless liberals and you put in their place great men and women with a commitment to follow our Constitution and cut the size of government. Even someone as popular as Mindy Marvel was ultimately defeated, right here in this great city! I believe that we're in the very early days of a history-making turn in America and I want to see the momentum continue. We have a lot of work ahead of us: we have high unemployment, devalued housing prices, and the cost of gasoline is skyrocketing...but I believe in this country and I believe that when I am elected governor, I will make the necessary sacrifices and commit myself to taking our country back. We will push forward. We will proclaim liberty throughout the land. And we will do so because we, the people, will never give up on this great nation. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America!"

American Hero placed her hands on her lips and blew a kiss to the frenzied crowds as they cheered loudly and furiously. She stepped down off the stage as the music pumped back to full volume with a hard rock version of "God Bless America" and the dancers went back to work gyrating their bodies. Dozens of fans rushed towards her, some to thank her, others to have her sign her autograph to a photo, some just to touch her costume. She smiled and did what she could to please them as she made her way to the side aisle then on and up the stairs to one of the boxes overlooking the stage.

Several men in suits waited inside, all them clapping their hands as she entered the room. The president of the Patriots organization, Harrison Fontaine, stepped past several of them to shake her hand. He was shorter man, in his late forties and overweight. His pudgy face beamed at her from behind spectacles made tinier by his jowls. Originally a Houston-based lawyer, Fontaine was the primary driving force behind the fund-raising and conception of the political movement. He had been her lead defense attorney at trial and was soon to be functioning as her campaign manager. After the handshake he led her a few feet away where they could talk with some privacy as the other chair-members of the Patriots discussed the future of the campaign.

"A triumph my dear." he said in a quiet voice, moping the sweat off his brow with a handkerchief. "You've become too political a beast for the Organization to contain. I have just received word that they are distancing themselves from so public and outspoken an individual. You are too much in the public eye for their taste."

Jane shrugged. "It doesn't mean they are going to just give up all at once."

"Believe me when I say that they would rather cut their losses this time. They didn't invest much because you were a risk to begin with and apparently one they no longer wish to continue pursuing. They have some egg on their faces to be sure, but I am sure they will recover and find someone else to lead their little international strike team. They'll keep their mouths shut on your history and anything else they had on you so long as you pay them the same courtesy I'm sure."

"What about Matthew?" Jane said in a whispered voice.

Fontaine shook his flabby face. "Dougherty? Now that the Organization has no interest in your former paramour they cut him loose."

"I don't like loose ends Fontaine." Jane said, boring into him with her cobalt-blue eyes. It took him a moment before he realized what she was suggesting.

"Ah, er, of course my dear, consider it tied up. I simply have to make a phone call." he said nodding, wiping his brow again. "Anything else my dear?"

"I want a spot with an interview show...Trek or even that gutless liberal mouth-breather Barnum. Someone that a lot of people watch. Soon."

Fontaine continued nodding. "Anything else Jane?"

Smith smiled, taking off her mask to let out her flowing, golden locks. "Make sure I win Harrison."

To be continued...

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A colossal thanks to my old friend for coming through with this amazing image of an American icon! Thank you so much my friend!

American Hero and the story are my creations and property.

The mentioned Ben Trek and Mindy Marvel are both creations of the incredibly talented

This tale takes place in