The Suns of Liberty: Legion: A Superhero Novel

THE SUNS OF LIBERTY:

LEGION

A Superhero Novel

___________________________

MICHAEL IVAN LOWELL

Copyright © 2014 Michael
Ivan Lowell

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be
reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written
permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book
review and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For
permission requests, write to [email protected] and include
“permission request” in the subject line.

www.MichaelIvanLowell.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places,
events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or
used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
or actual events is purely coincidental.

Cover Illustration Copyright © 2014 by Jason Ganser

Cover design by Jason Ganser

Editing by Gabe Robinson

To those who still believe that, despite the cynical times we live
in, it is still cooler to be the hero than the villain.  

And to Madiba for the inspiring life you led and the freedom it
helped create.

Also Available: THE SUNS OF LIBERTY: REVOLUTION

Acknowledgements

A heartfelt thanks to my editor, Gabe Robinson who has been the guiding
light of the Suns’ journey so far. Jason Ganser has once again captured the
mood of the book perfectly with his excellent cover art. David, for the
esprit
de corps
that has been the foundation of our friendship for more than
thirty years and is at the heart of this book. Becca Block, and Rachel Owens,
my trusted readers, for reading multiple versions of the book and for offering
their careful guidance. To Bryan, Michael, Michelle, Maggie, and Trey, who all
read early versions and offered many fruitful ideas. To my family, for the
moral support, love, and inspiration that every writer needs. And finally, to
my lovely wife, JoAnna, who once again served as a little bit of each role mentioned
above, was the first and last sounding board for every idea, and again managed
to retain her sanity, beauty, and humor.

In the future, corporations take control. But their rule
does not go unchallenged.

This is a selected history of that future...

Ten Years Ago...

The Freedom Act

Selections
and Main Language

Public
Law

An Act

To deter and reverse
the economic calamity known as the Second Great Depression in the United States
and around the world, to enhance the freedom and liberty of the American people
and protect the interests of jobs and businesses therein.

            Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled...

...It shall be resolved that from this day forward all
legislative, executive or judicial decisions shall be adjudicated, enacted, or
amended by the afore-named FREEDOM COUNCIL (from here on simply “the Council”)
and that the COUNCIL can, at its discretion, initiate, and enforce,
legislative, executive, or judicial decisions of its own accord without
approval of the aforementioned branches...

...Be it resolved that composition of the COUNCIL shall
consist of the Chief Executive Officers of the twenty-five largest business
interests incorporated within the United States of America. Voting power on the
COUNCIL shall be determined by a formula based on annual revenue as adjusted
each quarter, annually.

...Be it resolved that the COUNCIL shall be headed by a
Chair, elected by the members of the COUNCIL, from the membership of the
COUNCIL, on an annual basis.

Ten
Years Ago...

BBC
America

A
“PURGE” IN THE HEART OF DEMOCRACY?

Stuart
Castel, North American Editor

Purge or Hysteria?

Reports are coming in that the newly anointed Freedom
Council may be clamping down on political dissenters in the United States. In moves not seen since that nation’s Civil War two hundred years ago, sources tell
of kidnappings, intimidation, and even murder.

“The streets of America are running red,” said one well-placed
government source who wished to remain anonymous for the sake of her own
security.

The exact numbers or veracity of such incidents are hard to
confirm. Family members of individuals who have gone missing have mostly
declined to go on the record.

Chairman of the Freedom Council, Thomas Sage, is the CEO of
Media Corp, the largest media company in the world, and Media Corp denies any
systematic purge of its opponents and no such reports have come across the
mainstream press in the U.S.

The Council has made no attempt to explain the disappearance
of several prominent officials and scientists, all of whom were opposed to the
Freedom Act that passed earlier this year. 

A small independent newspaper allegedly affiliated with the
Freedom Council’s opposition, called
Common Sense
, claims that such
activity on the part of the Council is widespread and pervasive.

For its part, the Council and Media Corp alike have claimed
such stories are simply a result of mass hysteria stemming from the long
economic downturn and misery that have taken a toll on the once prosperous
nation’s psyche and spirit. Chairman Sage has vowed to turn all of that around
under his Chairmanship.   

Superhero or ‘Superterrorist?’

In a bizarre related development, witnesses are describing
a man dressed in “red and blue battle armor” calling himself
the Revolution
who has been opposing the Council’s rule and even engaging in street battles
with the newly formed Council Guard.

The Guard are an elite force of ex-military and law
enforcement professionals handpicked by the Council to run the nation’s
security. 

“It was the craziest thing I ever saw,” says witness Billy
Jones. “The Guards are trying to arrest these people and out of nowhere comes
this guy. Like literally swooping out of the sky and lands right in the middle
of these guards like they were nothing. He just took them all out. Moved so
fast I couldn’t even keep up with him. And I’m standing not fifty feet from it
all.”

Jones described the Revolution as “wearing a red cape, like
Superman.”

The Freedom Council has confirmed the existence of “the
Revolution” and has said they have had some “misunderstandings with the
vigilante known as the Revolution” but stops short of calling him a domestic
terrorist, despite reports he has been responsible for the deaths of  members
of the Council Guard and even police officers in Boston.

This caution may stem from the fact that in some circles
the Revolution is being hailed as the world’s first superhero.

Off the record, Council officials are not so cautious. “The
man is a menace and a terrorist and there is a task force deployed to stop him
before he hurts anyone else.”

Five Months Ago...

From:
Eric Von Cyprus,

Director,
Council Science Division

Memo: Top Secret

To:
Thomas Sage

Chair,
Freedom Council

We have confirmed that the asset recovered from the
suspected Resistance Headquarters in South Boston was indeed the so-called Fire
Fly Chamber. It was designed to produce the weapons-grade substance known as
bioluminescence.
The chamber is the same as that used by James Scott ten years ago, as we
suspected. We believe that this chamber is how the terrorist “the Revolution”
developed his weapons over the years and how the Fletcher girl attained her
remarkable powers. Its discovery is a major breakthrough and should markedly
advance our own efforts at producing such a technology.

We are treating this discovery as further proof that Scott
was the man responsible for the construction of the Revolution’s battle armor
and the exotic weaponry he has exhibited ever since.

The bioluminescence chamber has been encoded to prevent
unauthorized usage; however, our team is working to break the code and we
expect success in the next seventy-two hours. I have several projects suited
for this technology and will inform the appropriate channels of our progress as
it develops. As always, pursuant to the policy of plausible deniability, you
will only be informed about the details of such progress to the level of your
comfort.

Three
Months Ago...

Common
Sense

BREAKING
NEWS—BOSTON IS FREE

Ten
years of Council rule end in Boston.

Blake
Lane
, Editor-in-Chief

All Council and military troops have fled Boston following
the hostilities that broke out last evening between Council forces and the Suns
of Liberty.

In addition, hundreds of local volunteers also
participated, many of whom lost their lives in the violence. Celebrations over
the Council’s departure are being tempered by the loss of life that we still do
not have a reliable estimate for.

All Council personnel are vacating their local offices.

The Revolution, in an exclusive interview, has informed
Common
Sense
that Council personnel will be gone by the end of the week and arrangements
are being made to put the city under informal protection by the Suns of Liberty
and their organized forces against further incursions by the Council.

The mayor’s office has confirmed that he has already signed
a proclamation to such an effect. The mayor’s office has long been suspected of
being a supporter of the Resistance in Boston.

According to the Revolution himself, “For all intents and
purposes, Boston is now free.”

Stay tuned to this site for further developments as they
arise...

One Week Ago...

Media Corp Reports

BREAKING NEWS—Shake Up At The Freedom
Council

Milton
Rand
reporting from New York City

Freedom Council Chairman Thomas Sage is stepping down from
his position at the end of the week. This follows his replacement as the CEO of
Media Corp by his long-time second-in-command, William Howke.

Sage lost a confidence vote last week by company shareholders
at the first quarterly meeting since the events in Boston three months ago. The
Council and Media Corp have been the subject of increasingly intense criticism since.

Sage is the only chairman the Council has ever known and
the principal author and brainchild of the bill known as the Freedom Act that
led to the formation of the Council a decade ago.

Howke is expected to assume the duties as Chairman of the
Freedom Council immediately upon Sage’s resignation. By law, only the CEOs of
Council corporations can serve as Chair of the Council.

Despite recent stock losses, Media Corp remains the largest
company on the Council, and Howke is a virtual guarantee to win the votes of
Council members when they meet next week to replace Sage.

Most observers believe there will be very little difference
in the governing styles of the two chairmen as Howke has been a long-time ally
and prodigy of Chairman Sage.

With the long fight to save Thomas Sage’s chairmanship now
over, the Council looks to return to the issue of what it wants to do about the
Suns of Liberty. Sources close to Mr. Howke have indicated a willingness to be
more aggressive in their approach...