ancient female warriors—thousands of years ago—to vanquish their enemies. Some tales even described Joan of Arc in possession of the weapon in the fifteenth century.
“Amy hasn’t reported in,” a blonde councilwoman, Deborah Marvel, said in a throaty, emotion-choked voice. “We can’t make contact with her or with Katherine.” She was referring to Katherine Pangalos, the wealthy UWW contributor Amy had gone to visit just outside the city of Salonika. Katherine, through a circuitous chain of title, owned Monte Konos itself.
On a nearby table the Internet computer flashed images of paramilitary forces and materiel under UWW control, information transmitted in the women’s impenetrable code. Below that, a message screen reported no knowledge of the whereabouts of their beloved Chairwoman.
Dixie Lou stared across the church at the empty pews and stained-glass windows. The darkness of night loomed beyond, where their enemies might be approaching. “As all of you know, the BOI attacked me last evening near Seattle. I recognized their uniforms, and thought I saw the Vice Minister of Minority Affairs leading the raid. What’s his name?”
“Tertullian,” Deborah said.
“Right, the wacko with the high-pitched voice.” Dixie Lou slumped into her own chair, on one end of the half-circle.
“And now Amy’s missing,” Deborah said. “The BOI again, do you think?”
Shrugs and blank faces gazed back at her.
“And what’s this I hear about another baby?” Dixie Lou asked, looking at Deborah. “A sighting in Mexico?”
“She-apostle number twelve,” Deborah responded. “The last one. Unfortunately her mother ran away with her, and one of our agents shot a priest, killing him. We’re combing the villages and hills, looking for her. She can’t have gotten far, a poor peasant woman without resources.”
Dixie Lou grunted, thinking about the sighting, and savoring the feeling that she was in command of the UWW now, because Amy was missing. Though she’d never liked the Chairwoman, Dixie Lou had played up to her skillfully, and as a consequence had been selected as her hand-picked successor, number two in the organization. Could this be the moment when Dixie Lou would accede to power? She felt her pulse quicken in anticipation, but worried about BOI involvement. They had methods of penetrating security. Had someone in this very room betrayed her and Amy?
The stocky little councilwoman also wondered if the fateful hand of She-God had moved Lori Vale like a puppet, saving Dixie Lou’s life so that she could become Chairwoman.
Her gaze wandered searchingly around the half-circle and focused finally on the sharp-chinned profile of Deborah Marvel, the third most powerful woman in the UWW. Had she orchestrated the attacks? But Deborah was Dixie Lou’s friend, or seemed to be. Still, Deborah was almost too strong at times, with an irritating habit of arguing with Dixie Lou and trying to get her to change her mind on certain issues. This rarely succeeded and occasionally they voted differently. Normally, however, the two women put up a solid front to the others.
Another of Dixie Lou’s allies, a narrow-faced councilwoman named Nancy Winters, said, “Look at this.” She pointed at the computer monitor, which had shifted half of its screen to a Level 7 security display, showing someone with credentials passing through checkpoints. Dixie Lou saw an elderly woman rushing down a passageway and up a flight of stairs. It was Dr. Katherine Pangalos, the one Amy had gone to see. Dixie Lou despised her.
The door to the council chamber burst open and the gray-haired woman rushed in.
“Katherine!” one of the councilwomen exclaimed. “Is Amy with you?”
“They’ve taken her prisoner,” she replied, short of breath. “The Bureau—I barely got away through an escape hatch.” Turning to Dixie Lou, she added bitterly, “I guess that puts you in charge. Are you happy now?”
Outraged at the characterization,
“Amy hasn’t reported in,” a blonde councilwoman, Deborah Marvel, said in a throaty, emotion-choked voice. “We can’t make contact with her or with Katherine.” She was referring to Katherine Pangalos, the wealthy UWW contributor Amy had gone to visit just outside the city of Salonika. Katherine, through a circuitous chain of title, owned Monte Konos itself.
On a nearby table the Internet computer flashed images of paramilitary forces and materiel under UWW control, information transmitted in the women’s impenetrable code. Below that, a message screen reported no knowledge of the whereabouts of their beloved Chairwoman.
Dixie Lou stared across the church at the empty pews and stained-glass windows. The darkness of night loomed beyond, where their enemies might be approaching. “As all of you know, the BOI attacked me last evening near Seattle. I recognized their uniforms, and thought I saw the Vice Minister of Minority Affairs leading the raid. What’s his name?”
“Tertullian,” Deborah said.
“Right, the wacko with the high-pitched voice.” Dixie Lou slumped into her own chair, on one end of the half-circle.
“And now Amy’s missing,” Deborah said. “The BOI again, do you think?”
Shrugs and blank faces gazed back at her.
“And what’s this I hear about another baby?” Dixie Lou asked, looking at Deborah. “A sighting in Mexico?”
“She-apostle number twelve,” Deborah responded. “The last one. Unfortunately her mother ran away with her, and one of our agents shot a priest, killing him. We’re combing the villages and hills, looking for her. She can’t have gotten far, a poor peasant woman without resources.”
Dixie Lou grunted, thinking about the sighting, and savoring the feeling that she was in command of the UWW now, because Amy was missing. Though she’d never liked the Chairwoman, Dixie Lou had played up to her skillfully, and as a consequence had been selected as her hand-picked successor, number two in the organization. Could this be the moment when Dixie Lou would accede to power? She felt her pulse quicken in anticipation, but worried about BOI involvement. They had methods of penetrating security. Had someone in this very room betrayed her and Amy?
The stocky little councilwoman also wondered if the fateful hand of She-God had moved Lori Vale like a puppet, saving Dixie Lou’s life so that she could become Chairwoman.
Her gaze wandered searchingly around the half-circle and focused finally on the sharp-chinned profile of Deborah Marvel, the third most powerful woman in the UWW. Had she orchestrated the attacks? But Deborah was Dixie Lou’s friend, or seemed to be. Still, Deborah was almost too strong at times, with an irritating habit of arguing with Dixie Lou and trying to get her to change her mind on certain issues. This rarely succeeded and occasionally they voted differently. Normally, however, the two women put up a solid front to the others.
Another of Dixie Lou’s allies, a narrow-faced councilwoman named Nancy Winters, said, “Look at this.” She pointed at the computer monitor, which had shifted half of its screen to a Level 7 security display, showing someone with credentials passing through checkpoints. Dixie Lou saw an elderly woman rushing down a passageway and up a flight of stairs. It was Dr. Katherine Pangalos, the one Amy had gone to see. Dixie Lou despised her.
The door to the council chamber burst open and the gray-haired woman rushed in.
“Katherine!” one of the councilwomen exclaimed. “Is Amy with you?”
“They’ve taken her prisoner,” she replied, short of breath. “The Bureau—I barely got away through an escape hatch.” Turning to Dixie Lou, she added bitterly, “I guess that puts you in charge. Are you happy now?”
Outraged at the characterization,
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