by Maxey, Phil
“Stop firing!” shouted Bower running across the mud ridden ground, over the crumbled front wall of the house and into the room at the front. Ignoring the writhing blue-purple giant on the ground, he kneeled near Hayes. “Can you stand? We need to get out of—”
Hayes grabbed at Bowers arm. “Stop shooting him!”
Bower looked back at the alien whose hands had not left its temples. “We have. Was it keeping you prisoner?”
“No! He saved me!”
Bower looked non-plussed.
“Whatever you’re doing to him, stop!” Hayes started to crawl over to the alien. “Please!” He said looking back at Bower.
Bower clicked on his radio shaking his head. “All Cascaders, stop doing your thing and everyone get over here, we got a bit of a situation. Over.” He then moved closer to Hayes. “We’ve stopped. We’re going to get you help. Where’s Harper?”
Hayes’s face expressed a pain that went beyond his physical injuries. “She’s gone Cole.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
A siren sounded as the huge vehicle entrance doors to the bunker network slowly started to slide backwards. On the other side a phalanx of soldiers pointed high-powered weaponry through the emerging gap.
The Hulathen alien lay unconscious on a makeshift stretcher constructed from multiple doors, held aloft by five soldiers. Hayes propped up by Bower and others stood alongside waiting for the secure looking door to fully open.
Once it was the soldiers ran forward and surrounded the alien.
“Tell them it’s no threat to them…” said Hayes, his words barely audible.
“Hey get the medics over here!” shouted Bower.
A few soldiers ran forward with a much smaller stretcher and helped Hayes onto it. They then quickly carried him away.
Mitchell flanked by officers walked forward. “What are we? A home for unwanted aliens? You gotta stop bringing home the strays Captain.”
“Yeah well, this one might be different. Hayes told me it saved his life. Did some alien Whodoo on him and brought him back from the brink. Said its name was Elcher, the alien Joshi mentioned.”
“Elcher?” came Abbey’s voice from the back of the entrance chamber. She ran forward pushing past soldiers moving the other way. She looked up at Bower. “Did you kill him?”
“I don’t think so. The Cascaders put the whammy on it and like the other one was, it’s sleeping.”
Mitchell shook her head. “Where the hell are we going to keep this one?”
“Probably not a good idea to put it in with the other,” said Bower.
Abbey looked up. “I’ll look after it. I’ll take full responsibility for whatever happens.”
Bower looked at her. “Abbey, this is not an E.L.F to feed two times a day…”
“And how do we know it’s not a spy?” said Mitchell.
“Then why save Hayes?” said Abbey.
“As a way to get on our good side?” said Bower. He shook his head trying to skip the images of Harper that kept jumping into his thoughts. There was no time for grief.
“Look, it’s powerless against Cascaders and there’s a lot of us now, down here. If he acts up we can control him.”
Mitchell sighed. “Okay. But keep it away from all the rest of us and I want updates on its condition and any Intel it gives you, every hour and I’m posting guards around it.”
Abbey nodded then looked at the nearby soldiers. “Follow me.”
After a tiring few minutes of navigating tight corridors, they arrived at a storage chamber near the Cascaders living quarters. They placed the Hulathen on the floor and went to leave.
“I’m going to need you to unbind him as well.”
The soldiers looked unsure.
“It’s okay.”
They removed the ropes and straps and left, although two of them stayed outside.
Abbey looked down at the alien that was at least three times as big as she was. She had looked at the other Hulathen that they had prisoner, but seeing one this close was something else. She reached out and laid her hand on the armor on its arm. It felt warm and like the rest of the strange plates which covered most of the alien’s body had a kind of self luminescence, she was also sure the light was pulsing slightly.
She moved to the side closer to the alien’s head, which was mostly covered in what looked like a kind of helmet, but still allowed some parts of its skull including small horns to be exposed.
“I don’t even know if you drink or eat like we do,” she said looking down at its closed eyes.
She turned around and looked for somewhere to sit in the twenty by twenty foot space. A number of small crates stood out as good candidates. She pulled them together then sat down.
As she tried to get comfortable she thought about Zach moving further away from her, and a tinge of pain moved through her. Swallowing, she leaned back and rested her eyes.
She felt the cool air on her face before she smelled the smoke. She opened her eyes onto a scene reminiscent of depictions of hell. Mo? She looked up expecting to see her E.L.F friend carrying her, but there was no creature there, she was just floating in the air, moving across a landscape full of tiny dots scattering amongst flashes of light. She then realized she knew where she was, for out of the black smoke appeared towering buildings with gun towers firing at rectangular craft that were too quick for them.
She swept lower to the ground, against her wanting to and the faces of terror on male and female, young and old could be seen as they fled for their lives. Hulathen, more than she thought existed stalked along streets between buildings firing their weapons from their hands, instantly obliterating swathes of people. Abbey squinted as the heat from their weapons wafted over her face. Some thought back. Soldiers in tanks and Cascaders using their abilities to send legions of E.L.F’s towards the invaders but she could tell it was a losing battle. The aliens were too many and their technology too advanced. The scene changed to one of intense black and she opened her eyes.
Elcher was sitting up with his back against the far wall. He opened his eyes and looked at her. “This will come to pass, if we do not stop them.”
*****
As dark forests flew past, each person in the Humvee was lost in thoughts of the previous night’s battle.
After an hour Wyatt was the first to speak. "I haven't really sensed many E.L.F's, which is kinda weird."
“Apart from one or two but nowhere near as many as the journey up,” said Miles.
“Could the Hulathen have done something to them?” said Wyatt.
“If I were a betting woman that’s where I would put my money,” said Fiona.
“So first we lost all the animals and now we’re going to lose all the E.L.F’s?” continued Wyatt.
Zach looked out of the side window. “Five months ago, if someone had said to me they could snap their fingers and make all the E.L.F’s go away I would have said have at it, but now…”
“Now they’re all we’ve got,” said Miles.
“Yup.”
“Is it true what I heard that Cascaders can stop the Cascade? Stop the plants from changing as well?” Enquired Wyatt.
“That’s what the alien told Raj. Who knows if that’s true or not, maybe he was the reason we were attacked last night,” said Zach.
Fiona briefly looked across to him. “Not all aliens are bad…”
He looked at her and nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
“It must have been so cool to be in space,” said Wyatt.
“One day I’ll tell you all about it.”
Silence once again descended inside the cabin and towns large and small merged as they sped through them, only having to slow down for obstructions on the highway a few times.
After five hours they had passed through Connecticut and New York State and were heading into Pennsylvania. Michael ducked back inside wincing as he did and sat between Wyatt and Miles.
“I’m falling asleep on my feet up there. Nothing to look at, nothing to shoo
t at and my pain killers aren’t helping.” He looked at the two Cascaders. “You two sensing anything?”
“Some creatures but they are keeping their distance,” said Miles.
“They’re scared. Can’t you feel it?” said Wyatt.
“Yeah.”
“We taking a break soon?” said Michael to the two in the front seats.
Zach looked across to the driver. “Can’t see why not.”
Fiona went to respond when something caught her eye in the night sky. She leaned forward. “Is that a star? Or…”
Everyone else strained their eyes to see the speck of light.
“Hand me the binoculars, I’ll look up top,” said Michael. Zach passed them to him and he stood back up into the bracing night air.
“We should get off the highway,” said Zach.
“Is it them? The Hulathen?” said Wyatt putting his helmet back on and tightening the strap.
“It’s not moving…” shouted Michael down from the turret position.
“Take the next exit coming up,” said Zach to Fiona.
She slowed the Humvee and then moved down the off ramp.
“Can you see it?” shouted Zach to Michael over his shoulder.
“I’ve lost it, it still wasn’t—”
A column of blue light appeared to all of them, some miles off, just visible on top of the silhouette of a distant hill.
“That’s not a star!” said Wyatt.
Fiona increased their speed and they soon screeched to a stop at a junction.
“It’s moving in this direction!” shouted Michael.
The Humvee’s headlights lit a sign across the street.
“There! Drive us onto that forecourt!” said Zach.
The Humvee swerved left and right around abandoned cars and then bumped up and over the sidewalk and onto the black asphalt of a drive in. She kept going until the roof of the building completely covered them, then she slammed on the breaks and turned the engine off.
Michael ducked back inside.
Wyatt went to speak again but stopped when he saw Michael had his fingers to his lips.
One of the cars back at the junction that they just moved around, suddenly lit up, bathed in an ethereal blue-white cone of light that came from a source high in the sky.
The space inside the Humvee became thick with the sound of heavy breathing, as each watched the column of light turn off and on, each time examining a different vehicle and moving in their direction.
After what seemed like minutes but was only seconds a fifth car lit up then went dark.
They all waited for it to happen again but only intense darkness looked back at them.
“Has it—” Wyatt had to contain a yelp, as the cone of light illuminated a patch of ground just beyond where the roof sheltering them started. They all squinted trying to keep their eyes open, as the light lit the inside of the Humvee’s cabin like it was a bright summer’s day.
Zach reached down slowly and pulled his rifle up.
After about ten seconds the light turned off again and everyone let out a breath.
A minute passed, then five, then fifteen, eventually Zach spoke. “Get comfortable, we’re staying here for the night.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Mitchell straightened her back then pushed open the door to the storage chamber. The space was already crowded and the twelve foot high alien who had to duck slightly to be able to stand upright wasn’t making it feel less cramped.
Three soldiers with high-powered rifles kneeled, pointing them at the Hulathen. Behind them was Raj, Bryce and a few other officers. But standing next to the alien was Abbey, who swallowed nervously when the general appeared.
“Thank you for coming so soon general,” said Abbey.
Mitchell walked forward pushing between the soldiers and standing in front of them. “So you’re Elcher? Forgive me if I don’t come any closer, but I’m old and I don’t fancy having to bend my neck any further back to look up at you.”
“That is my given name.” The aliens mouth movements did not completely tally with the sound that flowed from its helmet.
“And why are you here?”
“First. How is the human that I arrived here with? His vital signs were sub-optimal when I found him.”
“You mean private Hayes? He’s doing well.”
“That is good to hear. He had done a remarkable job tending to his own wounds but it was not enough.” The alien then cocked his head to one side. “You are like Abbey? You are what you call a Cascader?”
The general shifted her weight. “I am. You compatriots do not seem to like Cascaders much?”
“They see them as a threat to my species.”
“But you created us, you and your kind are responsible for the deaths of millions, maybe billions!”
Abbey could sense the general’s anger building. “Umm Elcher was not part of that process.”
The general composed herself. “Why are you here? What can you do to help us?”
“As I have already iterated to this human—” He looked at Raj. “—The Cascaders have a power beyond what they currently are using. If they combine their abilities they can stop the Cascade from proceeding any further on your planet.”
“That’s a problem for tomorrow, but today I’m more interested in not being melted by your friend’s weaponry. How can we stop them?”
“As some of your Cascaders have already demonstrated, they can confuse our neurocircuitry, rendering us unconscious. That combined with your limited technology may stave off immediate extinction.”
Gasps wafted around the room.
“Right…”
“But to completely solve the problem you have, you will have to go further. And that is why I am here.”
“How—”
“But before that, I understand you have another Hulathen here?”
“We do…”
“I must see it at once.”
“Well I don’t know if—”
“You do not seem to understand human called Mitchell. The Hulathen would not be here unless it—”
A siren started wailing.
Mitchell walked to the intercom on the wall, clicking the talk button. “This is Mitchell, what’s going on?”
A few seconds of crackling passed before a voice came from the speaker. “The alien has escaped!”
“Where are the Cascaders? Didn’t they—”
“The Cascader is dead ma’am.”
The general’s head whipped around to face Elcher. “Is this your doing? Part of some larger plan?”
The alien went to reply when Abbey stepped forward. “Elcher is here to help us!”
Mitchell looked at the three nervous looking soldiers who were still pointing their rifles towards Elcher. “Keep him here.” She then went to leave.
“General. I believe the Hulathen has chosen this time to leave its confinement because it knows I’m here and means to kill me. I can help recapture it.”
“How? How can you help?”
Elcher looked down to Abbey. “You need to gather the Cascaders together. I will go with you.”
Abbey looked at the general.
“Okay fine!” Mitchell then looked at the soldiers. “You stay with them.”
“Yes, sir!”
Mitchell then left taking some guards with her.
“Movement in the tunnels will make it harder for the Hulathen to find me, but we must move quickly to where the Cascaders are,” said Elcher.
Abbey nodded and everyone left the chamber, including the alien who had to crouch to fit through the door.
Soon they were running along the corridor which approached the Cascaders living quarters. The sound of automatic gunfire echoed through the metal pipes which were suspended from the ceiling.
Abbey pushed open the double doors holding them open for the alien to duck down and squeeze through. Inside some of the Cascaders got to their feet, while others hid behind their beds and held their kin close to th
em. Erin walked forward from the back of the room.
He opened his arms wide. “Welcome friend!”
Abbey ran forward. “Elcher says we need to come together to use our abilities to stop the other Hulathen.”
The large alien moved into the room and stood bent over. “You Cascaders must draw close together and with your minds search out the Hulathen that is nearing us, as I speak.”
Erin looked around him. “Quickly now, do as Elcher says. Everyone come here and join hands.”
Men, women and children got up and stood close to each other then reached out and gripped each other’s hands. Abbey did the same although avoided doing so with Erin. Even Clovis at the back of the group did so too.
An explosion rocked the room making the lights in the large room blink. Then came shouts and the clatter of gunfire in the corridor outside.
Elcher turned towards the closed doors, raising his arm. “You must make haste. He is almost here and he means to kill not just myself, but all of you as well.”
Abbey felt those around her. Felt their minds as if her own had expanded. The sounds of the battle just yards away fell to silence and then an intense blue light came into view, but despite its level of luminescence did not hurt her eyes. She could tell that was the other Hulathen. Letting her anger and the emotions of the people around her flow through her, she reached out for the light grasping it within her hand and squeezing. It flickered then went out.
She opened her eyes as did those around her.
Raj who had stood silently witnessing and trying to understand what was happening around him, opened one of the double doors and looked along the silent corridor.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Fiona woke from a dreamless sleep and immediately regretted not turning on her side in her seated position during the night. She grimaced, grabbing her neck as flashes of pain shot up and down her shoulder. She looked over at Zach who was looking at her.
“Morning,” he said.
She stretched her neck from side to side. “Yup. So we didn’t get vaporized then.”
