“Those in the scientific field have made our efforts to answer such a question already, sending rockets to probe our neighbourhood to find proof, a definite answer to this question. And now, I am proud to say, we finally have that answer. The irony is, that while we have been searching the stars diligently, the solution found its way to us first.”
President Andrews offered a wry chuckle, lips pulling into a contagious smile. Graham felt his own lips twitch at seeing John’s amused face on a nearby projector. Techies exchanged a few glances, gesturing orders to others as they ensured the feed remained untouched by interference.
Despite this sign of elation in John’s face, Graham couldn’t muster the energy to reciprocate it. He would blame it on nerves, on the sheer hope that everything would go well. Instead, Graham realized that it wasn’t nervousness, nor even anxiety, but dread. He couldn’t even begin to explain why.
President Andrews licked his lips in anticipation.
“Are we alone in the universe?” he said.
Graham was so enrapt by the moment that he jumped when he felt a touch on his shoulder. Turning around, he found Beatrix’s amused eyes and half-hidden smile.
“The events of the Perseid shower over parts of the world have shown us undeniable proof of the existence of other living creatures in the universe,” President Andrews said. “Falling right into our very laps, before our very eyes, is the change our world has been waiting for—perhaps, even needed.
“This is a change that has not been fully experienced since 1969, when our country was able to place a man on the moon. While there are those who are frightened, shocked, even alarmed, by this event, we must not forget to also feel wonder, awe, and excitement in our hearts.”
Another pause followed. President Andrews took in a slow breath.
“We have discovered, through the help of NASA, the signs of extraterrestrial life on one of the samples that fell during the Perseid shower,” he said. “We inhabit but a very small part of the fabric of life. As a species, we must move forward, to set aside our petty differences and rise to our full potential.”
A tech appeared and led Graham to the podium beside the president.
“How do I look?” Graham said to Beatrix. “Camera ready?”
“You look great,” Beatrix said, reaching over to brush her thumb against his chin. “Go kill ‘em, tiger.”
He tugged on his shirt, lab coat, and heaved a deep sigh.
“Wish me luck,” he said.
“All of it,” Beatrix said, winking.
Graham focused on evening his breathing, dabbing his forehead with his tie, as his nervous sweat trickled down his temples.
“Here, to answer your questions in greater detail is Dr. Graham Beck himself,” President Andrews said, stepping aside and leading the applause.
Graham fought a wave of dizziness, hoping he didn’t look as disoriented as he felt, and stepped onto the podium. A clatter of camera shutters and blaring white lights. He gripped the podium with both hands in a death grip.
“Thank you, President Andrews,” Graham said. “And thank you for inviting me here to divulge everyone about what we know about the organism.”
A roar of voices went up, calling Dr. Beck’s attention. Graham pointed at someone randomly.
“Do all the rocks have this organism?” the reporter said.
“As far as we are aware from our own small collection of space rock, not all meteorites have shown signs of holding this particular organism,” Graham said. “But it is clear it is prevalent enough to warrant our attention.”
He selected another reporter.
“Dr. Beck, is this organism dangerous?” another reporter said.
“As far as we have seen, this is not a dangerous organism,” Graham said. “It seems to be a virus of some sort. Even though this is an exciting time for the scientific community, we still ask people to be cautious should they come in contact with it. However, there is much we still stand to learn about it.”
“What sort of cautionary steps should the public take?” a third reporter with a bulbous nose said.
“It is advised for the general public to stay away from the meteorites and to contact the local authorities to ensure the sample is taken in for documentation,” Graham said. “Do not attempt to pick it up yourself. There is no present danger, but it never hurts to be too careful.”
11.
“THAT WAS exhausting,” Graham said, slumping into an expensive dining chair.
It was an hour and a half later, and the setting had drastically changed. Gone were the stage and stifling curtains, replaced by a vast ballroom and glittering lights over a brilliant chandelier. Around them were vibrant gowns and flaring skirts, spinning leisurely as jazz notes set the scene. Candles cast the room in a warm golden glow, banners the colors of crimson, azure, and ivory shook with a cool October breeze.
Graham stared at the empty food platters, morose.
“And I missed all the five-star food too,” he said with a grumble.
A platter of hors d’oeuvres swung by on the arm of a beaming waiter. Graham perked up at the alluring smell, but too late. He reached weakly for the disappearing man.
“No. . .” he said, voice dramatic and feeble. “Come back.”
Beatrix laughed as she sank into a chair at his side.
“You hardly did anything,” she said, offering a glass of water. “Look at you. You look like you’re about to pass out. Do you need me to get you anything? I should have some Aludrox in my purse.”
“No thanks,” Graham said with a wan smile.
He fought the urge to stare shamelessly at Beatrix. He felt awfully underdressed in his white lab coat and tweed jacket. Beatrix was garbed in a beautiful gold dress that shimmered with every movement. It could have been made of actual gold.
“You look amazing,” Graham said.
Beatrix glanced at him, eyes twinkling, curious, with a hint of mischief.
“You think so?” she said. “Look good, maybe. But made for comfort it most certainly is not.”
“I can lend you my coat if you’re cold,” Graham said.
“Then how would we know you’re the scientist?” Beatrix said.
Her chuckle died, looking at something over Graham’s shoulder. He turned to see President Andrews approach, flanked by the usual sycophants.
“Graham,” President Andrews said, waving at him with a hand.
Graham grimaced, getting to his feet.
“I was just talking about you to Senator Darius,” President Andrews said. “He’s extremely curious about you and your work.”
Graham attempted to pull his lips back into a dazzling grin. Instead, the result was a little more razor-sharp than he had intended, judging by the way President Andrews pinched his elbow subtly.
“He’s even considering sending you a generous donation,” President Andrews said under his breath.
“Of course!” Graham said, snapping to attention. “Dr. Graham Beck, at your service, sir.”
Dr. Graham Beck was nothing if not professional.
12.
OCTOBER
“GOOD MORNING, sleepy-head,” Beatrix’s voice was bright and teasing, just what the doctor ordered on an early Sunday morning.
In addition to that was the appetizing scent of pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
“Not that I’m ungrateful or anything,” Graham said, scratching under his chin with stubby nails. “But do we have to listen to that?”
He sent a bland glance at the TV on the wall. He caught sight of the news segment, a minor annoyance as the camera zoomed past a row of enthusiasts. People laughed and pointed at the images emblazoned on their chests:
‘THE FIRST STEP IS ACCEPTANCE ABDUCTION!’
“Ugh,” Graham said, turning away, unsteady on his feet as he stumbled toward the kitchen counter.
“You are extra gripey today,” Beatrix said, waving her spatula mindlessly. She flipped pancakes expertly with one hand on a non-stick pan. “Isn�
��t this the sort of thing you were hoping for?”
“Not exactly,” Graham said, teeth crunching around the crusty bacon. “People make it seem like it’s some kind of joke instead of one of the greatest discoveries of our time.”
“Well, I like to laugh,” Beatrix said, turning around to press a kiss to Graham’s cheek before she flipped another pancake in the air. “Besides, having a good time doesn’t mean people don’t take it seriously, Graham.”
Graham gave her a grunt in response, busying himself by stuffing his mouth full of bacon. Beatrix paused in her cooking, taking a second to glance at the television screen.
“Plus, it’s sort of good news,” she said. “All this attention just opened the floodgates on our budget. I mean, it’s great the government’s given us the thumbs up, but it’s also super cool to have public opinion on our side, don’t you think?”
“Mm,” Graham said non-committally, stuffing another thick piece of bacon in his mouth.
His lack of enthusiasm caught Beatrix’s attention. She turned around and leaned her hip against the counter, putting down the greasy utensils and wiping her hands on her ‘kiss-the-cook’ apron.
“Your excitement is almost too much, boss,” she said. “What’s going on?”
Graham kicked over a long stool and sat on it, reaching over for another piece of bacon.
“I just think this whole thing is being blown a little out of proportion,” he said. “Seriously, meteorites fall all the time. We’ve discovered planets and new galaxies, neither of which have sparked this sort of reaction. . . I don’t know. . . It just confuses me.”
“You’re over analyzing again,” Beatrix said with a soft sigh.
“Apologies, but that’s what I do,” Graham said. “I analyze.”
“I get it’s a little odd, but don’t you think this makes a nice change?” Beatrix said. “The other day, I overheard Otto talking about how the admissions office in Houston is nearly stuffed to exploding with applications for internships. We haven’t had this much interest since the latest Star Wars movie came out.”
“Yeah and then all that attention went away after a few days,” Graham said. “Now I have to worry about Angela Dobbs breathing down my neck.”
He spun round, suddenly thinking of something.
“You know what I saw the other day, Bea?” he said with a long-suffering sigh. “An entire rack of rocks being sold as ‘genuine meteorites.’ Some moron was actually painting a bunch of regular rocks black and green, insisting they were real. I mean, seriously, it was only a matter of time before these capitalist-starved morons found a way to exploit this stuff for easy money, but this?”
He threw a cold stare in the direction of a couple of day-old newspapers sitting just a foot away on the counter.
The obnoxious headlines bellowed dumb comments such as; ‘ARE THERE ALIENS AMONGST US?’ ‘Top Ten Celebrities Who May Literally Be Out of This World!’
“I swear to God,” Graham said, shaking his head.
A cup of coffee appeared in front of him. When he looked up he saw Beatrix gazing down at him with a lopsided smile.
“Drink your poison, boss,” she said. “You’re bumming me out.”
Graham pouted but took the cup gratefully and swallowed a great gulp. He exhaled with a small moan, feeling the caffeine put a spark to his mood.
“Have I ever told you you’re the best, Bea?” Graham said.
“Not nearly enough,” Beatrix said.
“Despite all my droaning, all my complaining, you’re always there to take care of me, to allay my fears,” Graham said. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”
“You’re about to do it in the coming day and weeks, Dr. Beck,” Beatrix said with a smile.
Graham felt himself stirring.
“I hope I don’t disappoint,” he said.
“Never,” Beatrix said.
She kissed him on the lips with a sensual peck. As she leaned over, her elbow pressed the TV remote, changing the channel.
“President John Andrews has been NASA’s most fervent supporter throughout his term as leader of the free world,” the news anchor said. “The negative attention has paid off. Since Congress passed the president’s proposed bill to increase NASA’s budget and expand their scientific research departments as well as offer new educational programs in public schools, our level of understanding on this extraterrestrial organism has been steadily gaining speed. And it seems, some people have opened their arms regardless of what that could mean.”
Graham turned, eyes fixed on a familiar photo of John and current NASA director Angela Dobbs, shaking hands diplomatically. Graham had stood just outside the left frame. History forgot those on the peripheries. The picture was swiftly followed by a recorded feed of a popular online reverend nodding into a microphone.
“We are all of us—domestic and alien—God’s creatures,” he said. “It would not be overly surprising to believe that God had created life elsewhere, and if they should ever decide to pay us a visit, we should embrace them as our brethren. Let us welcome them with open arms and warm hearts. We can further spread the word of the One True God.”
“Seriously?” Graham said with an incredulous laugh. “They’re going to convert aliens to Christianity? I’d pay good money to see that.”
“Others, however, harbor less friendly feelings toward our potential planetary cousins,” the news anchor said.
His voice segued into another popular online priest’s face. His expression was hard and unforgiving, shouting into camera while pounding his fist on a pulpit.
“Scientists have created this abomination to test our belief!” the preacher said. “Do not trust them! These so-called bacteria cells were planted by the government, just like their so-called evidence for evolution, like their so-called proof dinosaurs existed! These are Satan’s vessels to pull you from the path of truth! Do not believe them! Dismiss them! The time of His Second Coming is upon us!”
“Whoa,” Beatrix said. “They’re really scrambling around, aren’t they?”
“And with good reason,” Graham said. “If life can be found outside of this world, it means we’re not special. Religion has had its legs kicked out from underneath it.”
Beatrix’s phone rang. She pulled open her purse that sat by the counter.
“Yes, this is LeBeau,” Beatrix said.
She frowned.
“Uh-huh,” she said.
“Everything okay?” Graham whispered.
Beatrix held up a finger for him to wait a moment.
“Yes, yes. . . Right,” she said. “Understood. Yes, I’ll let him know. Of course, immediately. We’re on our way. Bye.”
She whirled around and headed toward the stove, switching off dials with frantic hands. Graham straightened with alarm.
“Beatrix, what happened?” Graham said.
Beatrix’s hazel eyes were razor-sharp with focus. Graham felt his stomach drop.
“Otto was just admitted into the medical room at the research center,” Beatrix said.
A cold chill spread into Graham’s stomach.
“With what?” he said.
Beatrix’s mouth went slack, the color in her cheeks fading to flaxen white.
“Beatrix?” Graham said.
“He was bitten by one of the lab rats,” Beatrix said.
They’d decided to put rats with the meteorites to test long term effects of it coexisting with living creatures. It was merely a precaution, but may turn out to be the early warning system they needed.
“His vitals dropped, he’s reacting with extreme aggression,” Beatrix said. “They had to sedate him four times. Now several other patients are displaying the same symptoms. Dr. Anderson wants you to go in immediately.”
They were up and out the door in a flash.
After that, everything else seemed to fall apart.
13.
RUBBER shrieked as it burned over asphalt. Graham’s car skidded sharply, propelled by the hard twist of the
steering wheel. Cars around him honked angrily, arms popping out of lowered windows to gesture furiously at him.
Each angry honk ran off Graham like water off a duck’s back and was easily ignored. He focused only on the road and his destination. The GPS on his phone offered calm suggestions, the estimated time of arrival shrinking as he sped past red lights and avenues.
When he and Beatrix arrived at the research center, Graham spotted several people already hustling inside. Graham parked at the entrance in someone’s designated parking space. At the security gate, Graham whipped out his ID and shoved it in anyone’s face who dared object to his swift approach.
“Move!” he barked when a security guard attempted to step in front of him.
Graham had been working at this research center for years. How did the security officer not know him on sight by now?
Turning a corner, Graham saw his colleague Fredrickson.
“Dr. Beck!” Fredrickson said.
“Fredrickson, where’s Otto?” Graham said, panting as he approached.
“With the nurse,” Fredrickson said, pale blue eyes crinkling with anxiety.
Fredrickson pulled out his ID and slapped it on the control panel beside the door. The red light blinked green with a beep. The door slid open.
Graham scooped Otto’s chart up out of Frederickson’s hands and began reading.
“Tell me what happened,” he said.
“It happened during the routine check on the test rodents,” Fredrickson said. “Subject 14 became extremely aggressive, throwing itself at its glass case. Otto tried to administer a sedative but Subject 14 turned out to be more difficult to control than expected. It escaped and we worked together to corner and restrain it.”
“And?” Graham said.
“Otto was bitten,” Fredrickson said. “Nothing major, just a nip. He’s in the infirmary now.”
“Make sure he gets a full battery of tests,” Graham said. “Where’s Subject 14 now?”
After the Fall- The Complete series Box Set Page 68
