‘They have a karate lesson in twenty minutes. I thought we’d do it then.’
‘Terrific, wait… did you say a karate lesson? The boys are only three. Isn’t that a bit young?’
Dominique only smiles.
Dominique registers the heat of the lights on her face as she sits opposite the ABC host on the beige L- shaped sofa.
‘Tell us why, Dominique, after all these years of living in seclusion, you felt it important to share your family and home with our viewers.’
‘Peter Mabus has been using the public’s fear to spew his hatred and lies for too long. This man is a phony, his entire political campaign taking advantage of a religious renaissance that has swept the country since the events of December 2012. What happened back then was not religious or sacrilegious in nature, it was simply an extraterrestrial event. Thousands of years ago, an advanced race of humans came to our world to prepare modern man to face the 2012 threat. These humans, who called themselves the Guardian, helped educate ancient man. They were our allies, our friends, our leaders. They taught our ancestors about astronomy and architecture, and built great temples and shrines, which they used to conceal relay stations that would be used in 2012 to emit a high-energy EM beacon. It was this beacon that thwarted the nuclear missiles that nearly destroyed us. My husband, Michael Gabriel, was one of the Guardian’s genetically chosen humans, one of the few amongst us capable of accessing the Guardian’s vessel to activate the array. He was not the Antichrist, as Peter Mabus’s fanatical followers make him out to be, he was a man, confused about his destiny, but he was a hero, and he risked his life to save us all.’
‘And what happened to Michael? Where is he now?’
‘I don’t know. The biological entity he entered was capable of moving between dimensions, at least that’s what I’m told. Both the entity and Mick disappeared.’
‘But there’s also another possibility, isn’t there, Dominique? That maybe the entity self-destructed?’
‘Yes, that’s possible.’
‘Let’s talk about your sons. Peter Mabus makes them out to be demons.’
‘Peter Mabus is a selfish, self-righteous asshole who preys upon the public’s ignorance. My sons are wonderful children, gifted, yes, but innocent children.’
‘Can we see them?’
‘Of course.’
‘Stay tuned, 20/20 will be right back with the first exclusive footage of the Gabriel twins.’
‘And… cut!’
Barbara pats Dominique on the knee. ‘You’re doing great. We’re already set up in the gym. Do you need a break?’
‘No, I’m okay.’ Dominique accepts a bottled water from a technician, then leads Barbara out of the house. A brisk ocean breeze messes up her hair as she crosses the compound to the athletic facility.
They enter the secured building and follow an interior corridor to the main gym. The grunts and groans of young children can be heard within.
Dominique pushes open the door.
The three-year-old Gabriel twins are dressed in white karate outfits with black pants. White-haired, blue- eyed Jacob wears a black belt, his dark-eyed, ebony-headed brother sporting a green obi.
The cameras are rolling as Master Gustafu Pope places a two-inch concrete slab across the top of two cinder blocks. ‘Okay, Jacob, remember, focus your mind. Move into the moment and harness your inner strength.’
The white-haired three-year-old steps up to the slab and takes a forward stance, his weight displaced perfectly over his bent left knee, his right arm slightly bent as it arcs slowly overhead, practicing the breaking movement. The blade of his right hand comes to rest at the center of the top slab.
‘Permission to break, sir?’
‘Permission granted.’
Barbara Walters and her crew watch in amazement as the small boy closes his eyes and meditates, his shallow breaths growing gradually into a low growl as he gathers strength, his right arm continuing its downward practice swings over and over, pressing the concrete heavier with each successive strike.
Suddenly, the blue eyes flash open, the boy’s face a mask of rage. With a tremendous, ‘ki-yahhh!’ he slams his open knife hand against the slab, the impact of his slender right wrist striking the concrete like a bullet hitting glass.
The slab collapses to the protective mat, the concrete split in half.
The crew applauds wildly.
The boy doesn’t so much as smile. He bows to his instructor, then takes his place next to his brother.
Master Pope turns to the dark-haired twin. ‘Immanuel.’
The dark-eyed boy ignores him, too engrossed in playing with his toes.
‘Immanuel, join me please.’
The boy rolls over and stands, then bunny-hops over to his instructor.
‘Manny, these nice people want to see how well you can break a board. Do you want to show them?’
The boy runs to his mother, hugging her legs.
Dominique picks him up. ‘Sorry, he’s a little shy.’
Barbara strokes his hair. ‘He’s so cute, but so much different than his brother. Jacob seems so mature, I mean, I know he’s only three, but-’
‘The Hunahpu gene is dominant in Jake, recessive in his brother. At times, Jake possesses the awareness of an adult.’
‘Can I meet him?’
‘Sure. Master Pope?’
Master Pope signals Jacob to stand. Student and teacher bow to one another, then the white-haired boy hustles over to his mother.
‘Jake, this is Barbara.’
‘Hi.’
‘Hello. Would you mind if I ask you and your brother some questions?’
‘Okay.’
‘How were you able to break that thick slab of concrete with your tiny hand?’
The boy points to a bone along the outside of his right wrist. ‘We strike this bone over and over until it calcifies and the nerves deaden. Then we learn to focus.’
‘Wow. You sound so grown-up for a three-year-old.’
Jacob shrugs.
‘Tell us what else you can do.’
‘I like to swim.’
‘How far can you swim?’
‘I do a mile in the pool every morning before breakfast.’
Barbara’s jaw drops. ‘A mile?’
‘I can swim, too,’ chimes in Manny.
‘You can? And how far do you swim?’
Manny buries his face against his mother’s chest.
Dominique strokes the boy’s jet-black hair. ‘Manny can swim ten laps in the pool, can’t you, Manny?’
‘I like to read,’ Jacob says, his bright blue eyes blazing.
‘You can read? That’s wonderful,’ says Barbara. ‘What do you like to read? Do you read Sesame Street books?’
Jacob giggles. ‘That’s for babies.’
Barbara looks up at Dominique. ‘What does he read?’
‘He just finished Huckleberry Finn. But he downloads a lot off the Internet.’
‘Amazing.’
They are back in the living room, shooting the last segment of the taped interview. The boys are outside, playing in the fifty-meter pool under the watchful eyes of Salt and Pepper.
