The chanting started before dawn.
"Ugh, what is that racket?" Tiffani said, pulling a pillow over her head.
Brenda's hearing had grown a thousand times more acute than normal over the past few days. "Protestors. Sounds like someone found our batcave."
The 'batcave' in question was the same suburban home in the northeastern US that Brad and Tiffani had lived in before the Chronivac had entered their lives. The three original family members were reluctant to leave, and all four of them contentedly crowded into the king size bed for sleep each night.
"Ugh, I knew we should have built a fortress on a remote desert island," Meiko muttered. "Fuck us for being sentimental."
"Language," Tiffani chided.
"How did they find us?" Brenda wondered.
Shannon looked sheepish. "I think I saw some people following me when I was out proselytizing yesterday. I thought I lost them, but…"
"Don't feel bad," Meiko said, giving her draconic lover a hug. "It was bound to happen sooner or later."
Brenda floated out of bed, and in a blink of an eye, she was dressed in a gown that looked like it might have been stolen from the set of a Tolkien film. "I'll deal with them," she said grimly. "I'll tell those damn kids to get off our lawn."
"Keep your temper," Tiffani said. "You might be indestructible, but if someone gets hurt, it will set our cause back."
"Yes, dear," Brenda intoned.
"Need some backup?" Shannon asked. "I can be pretty scary."
"Nah, I got this. Don't worry. I'll keep it low-key."
The second Brenda opened the front door, a shot rang out, and a bullet deflected harmlessly off her shoulder. Her gown wasn't even torn, but Brenda's eyes flashed red with anger.
"Who the fuck did that?"
A crowd of about two hundred had packed the street in front of their home. Most were men, and Brenda noted that more than half were carrying firearms. Brenda could see the smoking barrel of one rifle, but the crowd made it even easier for her as they inched away from the shooter. Apparently, assassination was not an explicit part of the plan.
Brenda glared at the would-be killer, a man in his thirties wearing a camouflage vest and a red cap, and the weapon in his hands flashed bright red. He yelped and dropped the superheated gun, which melted into a puddle of molten steel and plastic in under two seconds.
"Anyone else?" Brenda snapped. A hush fell over the crowd. "All right then. First off, I respect your right to peacefully protest. Even if it is…" She checked her phone. "Seven thirty on a fucking Sunday morning. Thanks for keeping to the streets. Except you, you, and you. Get the hell off my lawn. Now. What's this all about?"
The crowd had already chosen a spokesman, apparently: a portly, balding man in his fifties. He had the look of a clergyman about him. Brenda gave the man credit. He spoke without fear after her earlier display.
"This is about protecting our way of life!" he huffed. "We know you're behind the disease that is transforming women into harlots, and that your goal is to transform every man in the country into women."
"Yeah. You're welcome," Brenda said. She really should have had some coffee before confronting the crowd. "Thanks for sharing your opinion. You can go home now."
The man's cheeks turned red. "My wife was a victim of your artificial disease," he roared. "The first thing she did was blaspheme, saying that the didn't need God's promise of eternal life now that she has it in this world. The second thing she did was file for divorce! She took up living with another one of your demonic slatterns!"
Brenda had to admit it was fun listening to the man's apoplectic rantings. She couldn't help twist the knife a little. "Sounds like she had been with you for all the wrong reasons. Good for her. Let me know when you get to the problem."
There were some titters in the crowd, but most of the faces Brenda could see remained angry and determined. A middle aged woman stepped up, also dressed for church in an outfit that made Brenda think of Dolores Umbridge.
"They're quarantining the whole metropolitan area!" she said shrilly. "They're setting up roadblocks and closing bridges! Did you think of at when you unleashed your deadly virus on us?"
Brenda took a deep breath to calm herself. She fought two urges, to point out that the virus was the opposite of deadly and to call the woman Karen. "Sorry for your inconvenience. Sounds like the government is overreacting. Don't worry, once they realize that the virus has already spread, they'll open the roads again."
"They've arrested all your minions outside of the city!" the woman shrieked. "They're putting them in camps. Hopefully forever!"
Brenda could feel her ears grow warm as she flushed with anger.
The pastor joined in. "Rumor has it that if your kind doesn't surrender yourselves, the president is considering nuking the entire region to make sure they wipe y'all out!"
Brenda was fairly sure that no president would nuke the homeland. But she could feel her anger building, and she noticed several dozen men brandishing their guns more aggressively. Fear for their lives was turning their anger violent.
"No-one is going to get nuked!" she said, her voice booming, amplified by her power. "And if you all leave now, I promise that you and your families will be safe. Except for you two!" She pointed at the spokesman and Umbridge/Karen. In an instant, two angry, honking geese stood where the two protesters had been. The crowd gasped.
Lightning seemed to dance around Brenda, and she grew in size until she was forty feet tall. Flames danced from her eyes as she boomed at the crowd below. "Now leave my street or become the assholes of the animal kingdom as well!!"
A few more ineffectual shots rang out, but panic set in, and in seconds everyone was fleeing to their parked cars.
Brenda gave a laugh and returned inside. The others were waiting for her.
Shannon gave a mocking slow clap. "Good job keeping your cool."
Meiko was more serious. "It might have felt good to scare them, but that little scene is going to fuel hatred of us. You know half the people were filming you."
Brenda was about to reply when there was a knock at the door behind her.