by Mel Todd
"Okay. You won't have much time to focus on it. But see what you can do."
"Why?" A laser sharp question.
"Let's just say the world will probably be ending here in the next week."
"Then why do you care about finding this man?"
"Because if it doesn't, I want him to pay for what he did."
"Good answer. I look. Send." With that she hung up.
He spent a few minutes flipping between voice dictation and typing to get everything down in an email. He then attached the information Joey had provided, making sure to remove any references as to who had done this work for him.
With a deep breath he hit send. In all reality, probably none of them would make it out of this crazy situation alive. So worrying about this might be a waste of time, but his need for answers ate at him. Hence, he kept following up. Now it was in her hands. Maybe she'd come through. Maybe this RKennedy54 dickwad would be killed in what followed.
And maybe they'll surrender when they see us, and throw themselves on our mercy.
He laughed and headed back into the house. Everyone was talking quietly and he saw Cass staring out the window, a pensive look on her face.
~Hey, come on out back with me.~
Her head jerked up, and she turned to look at him and smiled. A minute later they were stepping outside, the normal noises almost a relief after the stress in the living room.
"So tomorrow is the day." Her voice had an odd tone to it.
"Yeah. The president is talking then McKenna will drop the bombshells. And then we wait," he replied, watching her carefully. At this point the die had been cast, there wasn't much else to do.
"I'm scared. I've warned Helena and Oswald, but neither of them are gun people. I told them if they just hunker down, there isn't any reason for the Elentrin to come after them as they don't have any Kaylid. I wasn't lying, was I?" She looked up at him, her eyes tight, causing little creases at the corners.
JD gave in and brushed his thumb over the corners of her eyes, wanting to ease her stress. "I don't think so. It seems to be the best option, but who knows. Maybe nothing will happen at all."
Cass leaned into his touch, her eyes closing. "I don't want to be alone tonight."
Something in his chest thudded and he had to swallow hard. "I'd love to hold you. Being alone doesn't sound good to me either right now."
Her eyes opened, and she looked at him. "Sex sounds good right now. Interested?"
He choked back a laugh. "Since you were standing naked in that hut in Colombia."
A smile flashed across her face. "Me, too." She reached out and took his hand, and they walked into the house.
14
Puzzle Pieces
Seized weapons are being handed out to adult males in Britain. Already an uproar has started from women protesting they are just as capable as the men to protect people, but the queen has weighed in to support the prime minister's decision. "Women's duty is to protect the family at home not roaming the streets, and any woman worth her salt knows how to make a weapon from anything" she has said. If Britain were not facing an invasion right now, the backlash to that statement might create a new slogan that surpasses their famous 'Carry On' one. ~TNN Invasion News
Perc and McKenna had just returned from the press conference where the world saw the warrior form for the first time when JD's phone rang. Exhausted from worry and the explosion on the news and social media, he stepped out back to answer it.
The number didn't pop up on his contacts, but he answered it anyhow.
"Davidson." His voice tired, if it was a reporter, he'd just hang up.
"When you said the world might be ending in a few days, you not kidding."
He recognized the slight accent and didn't know if he wanted to relax or tense up.
"Lieutenant Buroky. No, I wasn't, but I didn't figure you'd believe me if I said something about aliens." He shut the back door and leaned against the deck rail looking out at the clear sky. Too pretty and calm for what they had just set off around the world.
"I might have hung up on you. Huh, aliens in my lifetime. Oh, well. I saw the fall of the wall, this can't be any stranger. So back to your little problem."
"Problem. Interesting way to phrase it."
"Ja. I like interesting. While not as interesting as your little display this afternoon, this caught my attention. Your man, he is a DC power broker. A dangerous man and he has hooks in a large number of powerful people. People know his name and get awful shifty when he is mentioned, a few just walk away. I think they fear what he knows or might do. People who cross him tend to disappear. I suspect he knows where skeletons are buried or has wormed his way into their confidence. He isn't an elected official which gives him a great deal of freedom. But that not what is really interesting."
"Oh? I just want to know why he kidnapped us. We should have died, actually, he worked damn hard to make sure we did."
"I still working on that, but since your little display at the UN, he's gone to ground. Ah, but he used his subway card to get there. I have proof he saw your little show."
"Which means he knows we're alive even before McKenna's PR stunt today."
"I would say that is guaranteed. Basically, I can confirm he pulled some people off a job, and I have friends that verified he sent plane to Colombia. Were you on it or not? I can't say. But he looks like he's creating a power base, and you were a test. Be warned, I do not think those he tests with usually survive."
"How do you know so much?" Wariness battled with the need to trust. "This is more than a cop could find out. I figured maybe you could get locations for the IP addresses and verify who might be the user with that name. This a lot more."
"Good boy," approval coated her tone. "There shouldn't be any way for me to know this. But I happen to be married to a smart dangerous woman who is part of the oversight committee and she was very interested about this strange case. It caused her to look at some things that she hadn't pinged on before and she is very worried. It looks like your Mister Kennedy is not a very nice boy and is definitely playing loose with the rules. My wife thanks you. She says if there is a government after this, there will be very many people knocking on Kennedy's door." The lieutenant paused, then continued. "And they will be well armed."
"That's good, right?" It didn't sound like him getting arrested and put in jail for the rest of his life, which is what he would prefer. Even accidentally being killed in the upcoming battle would serve him.
"Maybe. Again he knows people who regard midnight visits with slit throats business as usual. And we think he pays their bills. Meh. Can't guarantee anything will happen. People like this, while not untouchable need hard evidence to convict which you do not have. Which means I can't promise anything." She sighed, then continued, her accent becoming a bit thicker. "Justice not always possible. Maybe we will be lucky and the aliens will solve the problem?"
JD barked out a bitter laugh. "I'm never that lucky. With my luck he'll come out looking like a hero and become untouchable."
"I've seen that, too. I'll send you the details. Be careful in this upcoming fight, Joseph Daniel." She pronounced it like Yosef. "I've seen many good men die doing the right thing, and the bad ones get the credit."
"Me, too. Thanks, Lieutenant." He hung up and stared at the sky.
~What's wrong?~
Cass's voice in his head helped. ~Nothing. Just reality. How are you holding up?~ He knew he should come back in and check on Toni and the kids, but he just felt so useless with all this. His strength was nothing notable, especially around Perc.
~Helena wants me home. Don't think I could get there even if I wanted to go. With the announcement, they've started shutting down all flights. Existing ones will complete, but no new flights are being booked. And it feels right to be here instead. I think they are safer without me.~
~Understood. So we wait and hope that people are doing the right thing.~
A bubble of laughter filled his mind. ~Did you really jus
t say you hope the government does the right thing?~
He snorted and thumped his head against the wall. ~We're all doomed.~ His laughter mixed with hers and even with everything going on, he felt a bit better.
~Come on in and help get things ready. We'll make it through this. I know it.~
~You'd better.~ There was a wealth of meaning in his words but the only response was a feeling of joy, soft and subtle. ~Give me a bit, I want to call Anne and Kirk. Give them an update.~
~Okay.~ The feeling of a touch of a feather across his mind as she refocused on her own things. It left a smile on his face.
He dialed and Anne answered on the first ring.
"You like drama, don't you? Can I call you back from Kirk's office so we can both talk to you?"
"Yep. I'll wait for your call." He hung up as he tried to think about what else to do. There really wasn't much, he couldn't imagine how Kenna was dealing with the need to do something when they couldn't affect anything on a large scale. Only tiny ones, and right now they needed global. He sighed and was relieved when the phone rang, pulling him out of useless thoughts.
"Davidson. It went down like you thought." Kirk's voice was brisk, echoing a bit in his office. He could hear a door close then a creak of a seat.
"I wish I knew if that was good or bad."
"You and me both. But most of Northern California is in pretty good shape. The governor listened to me and we activated the civil defense systems to the confusion of many people. The 4-H groups up here have been a blessing. Not militia, but those people don't let anything ruffle them. And you don't want to know how many weapons some of those farms are coming up with. I knew the majority of the more rural areas had weapons, but I had no idea they had anything like what they've pulled out. We've got some people headed into the mountains, and I'm not stopping them. If they want to try and hunt some of those people in the Sierras, the Elentrin are welcome to die trying."
JD snorted a bit. "I take it DeSoto has been bitching to you?"
"Yes, she has. And I'm damn glad I'm police and not sheriff. She gets the rural people, I'll keep my bit more urban." He sighed, the humor leaving his voice. "But people are scared, and it's just as ugly as we thought. Swear if aliens don't come and attack, all the government officials just might be dragged out on the street and shot."
"Not sure what else to tell you or do. We're at loose ends here, too, and can't get back home. So all we can do is try. "
"Amen to that." Anne said quietly. "I do have news for you and McKenna though. Raul got hauled in by IA and broke. He passed the info about the bus trip. Though he didn't think anyone would be killed, he hated how McKenna had gotten all the attention. And he was using drugs on the side. Raul's pet drug dealer was the one that grabbed her. He had a relationship with the guy, trading information and warning him of busts in exchange for drugs. There's a bigger fish we're still working on, though it doesn't matter right now, but most of the drug trade has disappeared or is blatant."
"What does that mean?" JD blinked, trying to parse that sentence.
"The softer stuff, weed, Xanax, is being traded openly and the cops are buying, too. Everyone's stress is so high no one is willing to do anything that might prevent people from being calm. The hard stuff, crack, meth, coke—if it's getting dealt they're sticking only with known customers and locking down tight. Though right now, no one really cares. We're all focused on the skies and waiting for the hammer."
"Huh. Yeah. I have to say I wouldn't mind a bag of weed right now. All of us are wrapped pretty tight. Well, then. Be safe." He didn't know what else to say.
"You, too. Thanks, JD." They hung up, and he stood there, breathing deeply. A shot of whiskey sounded like a very good idea right now.
Instead he went in and helped make food, letting himself sink back into the bonds that held them warm and safe, and for a while he convinced himself they would all be okay.
15
One More Piece
Act now! Contact your local civil defense coordinator. Ammo for multiple calibers is needed. If you have excess ammo please call your coordinator and see how you can help today. Don't let the aliens take our friends and family from us. ~PSA on KWAK
People in the more congested areas are advised to avoid cars as they trap you. All truck drivers are advised to travel heavily armed. Any attempts to block truckers from reaching their delivery points will be treated as looting activities and people will be shot. – Delivery Advisory from the CHP
JD went to bed, all too aware of Cass in the next room. They had spent the afternoon following the uproar about the speeches and the show they had put on through the news and various social media channels. It left him exhausted and cranky. Nothing had changed and they still didn't have any information that would stop the coming aliens.
Wefor was supposed to try to help them dream tonight. To see if they could get any more information. But sleep wouldn't come. Mainly because he couldn't stop thinking about the woman in the next room.
~Cass?~
~Yes? ~ Her response instant.
He swallowed past the lump in his throat. ~I don't want to be alone.~
Silence, his heart started to break when the bedroom door pushed open. His enhanced eyes saw her slip in, then shut the door behind her. Cass walked over to his bed reaching down to lay her hand on his face. "Neither do I."
JD was sure his heart would shatter at the spurt of joy that coursed through him. He scooted over and lifted the covers for her to climb in. A minute later her warm curvy body cuddled up next to him, her head on his chest. He wrapped an arm around her and the world suddenly seemed brighter. With her in his arms and a smile on his face, he let sleep pull him down with relief, though part of him hoped for a normal dream. Maybe something involving Cass.
Mustard brown walls greeted him and he fought back a sigh. Not a fun dream. Though he became aware of others near him, he couldn't turn his head to look at them. But from the corner of his eye he could see black fur, then another figure with spots.
Perc and Toni? Where's McKenna?
"Finally. You three are almost more trouble than you are worth." A voice snarled from behind, moving forward as he stood there, eyes front. The speaker moved forward and resolved into the familiar male.
Ash? Is that what McKenna said his name was?
He tried to remember, but the being started to speak and pulled his attention away.
"Your commander will be receiving her orders in a short amount of time. For now I have information I want to pass on to you." The male turned and looked at them, the white tail held perfectly still, while the whiskers against the black fur of the face appeared stark.
"Each of you has specific skills that make you a good fit and are part of why you have been chosen. You have received training that will give you information you will need on your mission." His entire body went very still, and JD found himself trapped by the intense stare. "You must remember the information you have been provided if you wish to succeed. All lessons and memories are present, but you will need to access them to make full use of that information."
The man glanced out the open door and relaxed his tone, changing to something more matter-of-fact.
"Briefing packets have been downloaded to your repositories in your mind. As well as an overview of how to identify Kaylid that may be in animal form or their default form. Note that the nanobots have been upgraded to no longer change animals into Kaylid. That did not work well on other worlds."
A click of shoes from outside stopped at the door, just out of JD's peripheral vision.
"Are they ready to help us get more Kaylid?"
"Yes, Siret. I am going over final plans and skill sets to see if they need anything else to insure success."
"Excellent. You always were a competent Kaylid, Ash. I will make sure your master is aware."
Ash didn't say anything, simply nodding his head while nothing else moved, not even that tail.
There was a sound, maybe a grunt, maybe not,
then the steps moved away. Ash reached over and touched something on the table next to him and a shushing sound behind him indicated the door had closed.
"That is a good way to get killed. Star-blasted performing animal that I am."
JD wasn't sure if Ash was talking to them or himself. The being shook himself and refocused on them.
"I'll make this short because even having your consciousnesses here, in these hosts, is dangerous. Your perceptions are altered and they won't notice the time, as they will only remember what is applicable to them, but the risks increase every time."
What?
JD felt everyone snap their attention towards Ash.
The being tapped a few more keys and looked distracted for a minute, the same level of distraction that JD saw on McKenna when Wefor was talking.
"Over the last few weeks you've been tapped for special training." He spoke slowly as if getting updates as he said the words. "This is hidden training and will only activate if certain criteria are met. Note that your commander has not received this training due to the AI. There is no way to hide the downloaded data with the AI present. If the criteria are met all of this will activate in your minds over the next few hours. Prior to that it, will remain blurred and half-memories." His dark eyes tracked over them, and it felt like he lingered on JD. "Maybe we will be lucky, and it will work. Much has been risked for this. I hope your commander is worth the faith you have in her."
JD growled out, "She's trustworthy, with our lives and our souls."
"Good. I'm betting on that. Betting your lives and mine."
Holy shit, that was said out loud.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the others stiffen as they realized that, and for a split second he thought the connections flickered, but when he focused on his mental switchboard they were all dark.
