Chapter No.30. First Light.

Back home, the Steris family settled down to a normal suburban life, but for them it wasn't normal. Janet returned to her nine to five job at the credit union, James had gone back to being a high school student, and Robert stayed at home to do the chores.

That evening, when Janet and James had returned home, it was time to discuss their situation at the family supper of spaghetti and meatballs.

"Did you catch all the hoopla about our performance in Madrid?" Janet asked her husband.

"Yeah, it sure did cause a stir."

"Ha!" James blurted. "It's the main thing on the internet,"

"I think your idea of us wearing masks is a good idea," Janet said. "The last thing we want is to be recognized."

"Maybe the fact that we're basically common people, not rich or famous, might help to keep us from being recognized," Robert said.

"What about the people who do know who we are?" Janet said.

"I don't think they'll reveal us. The FBI needs us to help them solve difficult crimes and NASA relies on us to bail them out of difficult situations."

"They forgot how you saved the world from a nuclear holocaust," James said.

"Does this mean that the experiment has ended?" Janet asked.

"That's a good question," Robert said. "It's obvious that we've passed the test but is there a more difficult problem ahead?"

"Maybe the experiment has shown that people with God like powers must end up as Marvel or DC comic superheroes in order to be viable in a world that is screwed up as much as ours," James said.

Robert smiled. "You might be right. We really don't know. We're playing this by ear."

The next day, Janet arrived at the credit union office at her usual 8:00 PM so that she could get things under control before she opened at 9:00.

Sally, the head teller, arrived ten minutes later, followed by Marylin. Janet noted that Marylin wasn't behaving normally. She kept holding her hand to her forehead and sighing. Suddenly, she fell to the floor. Janet rushed to her and held her hand on the passed-out woman's forehead. What she sensed made her cringe. Marylin had a blocked artery in her brain, essentially a stroke. Janet made the blockage disappear, allowing blood to flow into her brain correctly. She also repaired parts of the woman's brain that had been damaged.

Marylin's eyes blinked, and she looked up at her savior. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."

Janet helped her stand. "You just suffered syncope, a common problem."

"She should see a doctor," Sally said. "Maybe it's something serious."

"I feel fine," Marylin exclaimed. "I'll be okay."

Janet knew that she would, but no one would ever know that she had performed a miracle.

James was in swimming class that day and while practicing his diving techniques, he saw someone lying in the pool's deep end. He immediately dived down and pulled him up to the surface, but it was obvious that the boy had drowned. He went to work pumping the water out of his lungs and then used his powers to resurrect him.

A crowd had gathered to watch, including Mr. Norton, the instructor, who just happened to be the football team coach.

Jeremy awakened and sat up. He looked around at the crowd that had gathered. "What happened?"

Mr. Norson pointed to James. "Steris rescued you. He remembered his first aid instructions."

James gave him a smirk. He realized that he had escaped a possible recognition because no one realized that Jeremy had actually died.

James' day was not quite as exciting. He did the laundry and cleaning. His main job was to have supper ready when his wife and son returned home.

When they did return, they sat down to a steak, potatoes and a cauliflower supper.

"How was your day?" He asked his wife.

"I had to repair my head teller's stroke. She passed out on her arrival and I removed the clot and repaired the damage. I told her she suffered syncope."

Robert chuckled. "She's lucky to have suffered the stroke in your presence."

Janet smiled.

"How about your day?" he asked his son.

"I had to resurrect a guy who drowned. Fortunately, I was the only one who realized that he had."

Robert smiled. "It appears that you two have had a typical superhero's day. All I did was do the laundry and cleaning."

They laughed.

James looked at them. "I believe that the reason no one realizes who we are is because we are living as normal people."

Janet sighed. "Does that mean we're in this for the long haul?"

James sighed. "I don't know, but it sure looks that way."

The phone rang and Robert picked it up. After a brief conversation, he hung it up.

"Now what?"

"The President needs us."

"For what?" Janet asked.

"He didn't say."

"I assume he wants us to come to the White House," James said.

"Yes."

They transported to the Oval Office. The President, Vice President and a General, in his full uniform with plenty of medals, were there.

"We have a serious problem," the President said. "We have a small unit of trainers in Kandahar providence in Afghanistan. They reported that a large enemy force has assembled just over the border with Pakistan. They don't believe that the Afghan forces that are stationed there can repel an invasion. We don't have the time to send any forces there to back them up."

Robert rubbed his jaw for a moment before replying. "I'm not sure what we could do, other than tend to the wounded, but we'll give it a go." He exchanged glances with his wife and son. "Are we ready?"

They both nodded.

They appeared at a fortified position just inside the main Afghan military compound. Colonel Stanson was in charge of the American training unit, and the look on his face reflected the concern that he had.

Afghan military commanders as well as many enlisted men circled the superheroes.

"The President sent us here to see what we could do to deescalate this situation."

"You're the people who saved the Madrid situation, right?"

"Yes," Robert replied.

Stanson turned to his men with a grin on his lips. "Looks like we're going to see a show, gentlemen."

"Let's see what we're dealing with," Robert said.

The superheroes were escorted to a fortified position on a mound that surrounded the compound. Afghan soldiers manned the position with sniper rifles. 

"They're positioned out just beyond that sand dune," a lieutenant said, pointing.

James used binoculars to look out at them. After a few minutes, he had a report. "Those don't look like humans, Dad,"

"Really?" He took the binocular and focused on the enemy. "Shit!"

"What's the matter?" Janet asked him, her face twisted with disgust.

"They look like demons," Robert said. "We're going to need help to mitigate this situation."

The six Vestal Virgins appeared, startling the people nearby.

"You will fly up and deflect shells and missiles," the head Vestal said. "We will deal with them."

Robert stared at them for a moment before replying, "Gotcha."

After watching the Vestal Virgins fly up into the sky, Robert turned to the soldiers. "Take cover."

The superheroes flew up a click behind the Vestals just as the enemy forces began firing shells and missiles. The superheroes deflected the weapons with their shields while the Vestals began firing powerful beams form their eyes to blast the enemy to bits.

The men back at the compound were enjoying a battle scene unlike any they had ever witnessed. Brilliant explosions in air attested to the violence that was occurring both on the land and in the sky, and when it was over the superheroes returned to the compound.

"Who were those women?" Stanson asked.

"They call themselves Vestal Virgins, but they're angels and they are in charge of us. We're not allowed to cause harm or kill, but they, on the other hand, can kick some serious ass." He looked at the Afghan troops gathered around them before turning back to the Colonel. "Do you have any wounded men here?"

"Yes," the lieutenant said.

"Take us to them."

There were a dozen men in various stages of wound and burn conditions. Robert and his family went to work curing them, much to the amazement of the Afghan officers and men. What they had seen and were seeing convinced them that Allah had saved them from a fate worse than death.

"We thank you for all you have done," Stanson told them. "I was convinced that we were going to be killed."

"We came here to save you. That's what we do." He looked at his wife and son. "Let's go."

The Afghan troops and American soldiers watched them fly away into the night.

When they returned home, the Steris family settled down to enjoy a meal of Beef Stroganoff that Robert had prepared. They ate in silence until James broke the silence.

"Does that constitute the Armageddon? James asked.

"I don't think so," Robert replied. "It wasn't that large of a force, but it did consist of demons."

"I find it interesting that the angels are allowed to kill and destroy but we aren't," Janet said.

"Maybe they're part of the test," Robert said. "Maybe the real test is yet to come."

That didn't help them relax.