“Yeah...well...they also claim to be the gods from mythology.”
She blinked in surprise. Did he suspect the truth? It seemed that she was surrounded by people who mindlessly accepted everything the aliens said. Well, except for Alex. But she had only seen him twice since they went to Nevada.
“Anyway, what happens in the Middle East doesn’t affect us here in Bismarck. Okay?”
She gave a slight nod and watched him as he walked off.
As soon as he was out of viewing range, Alicia hurried back over. “What did he want?”
“Just to tell us that we have to keep working if Iran decides to attack Israel.”
Alicia shook her head. “If it does, then the aliens will have to intervene.”
“So they warn us,” Autumn stated. She couldn’t understand why demons would want to save people...if in fact she saw what she thought she saw at Area 51. The event might have happened back in May, but she could still see the alien transform into a monster. And that monster had to be a demon, right? If an angel protected her and Alex, then angels existed. If angels were real, weren’t demons real too? She rubbed her forehead. Great. Another headache was coming on. It seemed to her that she continually got headaches. Picking up her purse, she asked, “Do you mind if I take a break?”
“Go for it, girl. You need one after dealing with Hammond.”
Autumn eagerly left the store and stepped outside. The air was slightly cool, but the leaves hadn’t changed color yet. Fall would come soon. Despite the disappearance of her sister and millions of people, the seasons still came and went. Life went on like usual. And the people around her seemed oblivious to the fact that things weren’t as “normal” as they appeared. Aliens made contact with them. Sure, they weren’t the aliens portrayed in the movies, but they were still aliens. Shouldn’t more people be reacting to this? Millions of people vanished. Shouldn’t there be more than a few groups forming to discuss this? Shouldn’t the media be investigating this?
She took out a cigarette and lit it up. She’d given up on trying to quit. What was the point? They’d all probably be dead soon anyway. What is going on? Why are people going about their lives like a bunch of robots? And why wasn’t she affected?
Shaking her head, she sat on the bench by the trashcan and scanned the parking lot. She straightened up when she saw Alex getting out of his car. She stood up and put out her cigarette before she threw it out. As she made her way across the pedestrian crosswalk, he reached her.
“Hey, Autumn,” he greeted with a smile.
“Hi. How are you doing?”
“Fine.”
She turned so they could walk back toward the mall. “Did you come to do some shopping?”
“No. Actually, I came to talk to you.”
“What about?”
He motioned to the bench, so she sat down. When he joined her, he pulled out a letter from his pocket and handed it to her. “It’s from Marianne. She wrote me while she was finishing up her law degree. Usually, she sent emails, but this time, she chose snail mail. The storm three months ago wiped out my emails, so this is all I had left. She wrote about you and how you were the best sister in the world. I thought you might like to have it.” He took a deep breath and stared at the ground in front of him. “I don’t think she’s coming back.”
“I expected you to move on, Alex,” she softly said as she turned the letter over in her hands. Marianne’s familiar script graced the envelope. It was dated almost a year ago. Not a day went by that Autumn didn’t miss her sister.
“You’re not mad at me?” he asked, looking in her direction.
“Why would I be?”
He shrugged and let out a low sigh. “I thought you might feel like I betrayed her.”
“I don’t feel that way. It’s different for you and me. No matter what, she’ll always be my sister. You were going to be her husband, but as soon as she vanished, that pretty much put an end to that plan. The angel just told me she was safe. He didn’t say she was returning. I don’t know if we’ll ever see those people that disappeared. But I don’t want you to waste time missing her. I’m grateful that you loved her, and she loved you too.”
He nodded.
She realized this was hard for him. The decision hadn’t been an easy one. “It’s okay, Alex. I’d do the same thing if the roles were reversed.”
He relaxed. “Have you seen that angel again?”
“Not since that night we went down to Area 51. How have you been doing? Has the prescription from the psychiatrist helped?”
“Yes. It’s helped a lot, actually. I see the alien once in awhile, but when I take the pill, it goes away. I think Dr. Reyes is right. It’s all in my head.”
Maybe. She wasn’t so sure. She knew what she saw when they were leaving that underground facility, and she knew she didn’t imagine what terrified Alex. But she feared that telling him that would only increase his anxiety, which was the last thing he needed. So she chose to keep quiet.
“There is something that still bothers me.”
She slipped the letter into her pocket and studied him, noting the way he seemed hesitant to continue. “What is it?”
“With everything that’s happened, someone should be questioning it. Don’t you think people are acting strange?”
“They’re acting as if nothing happened.”
“Exactly. There should be more of a response. It’s like no one cares. When I was growing up, I thought if aliens came to this planet, there would be a worldwide panic. At the very least, there ought to be news reporters questioning what’s going on. But all I hear is how wonderful things are now that they’re here and that they’re going to lead us to a new dawn of humanity.”
“Everyone’s too accepting of it,” she agreed. “I don’t know why everyone seems to be...oblivious to it.”
Alex leaned back on the bench and rubbed the palms of his hands on his jeans. “I wonder if we could find out why.”
“You really think that’s possible?”
“In the past five months, everything’s become possible.”
She couldn’t argue with him on that point. Her entire world had changed. On the surface, when she watched people going about their daily lives, it was easy to think things were alright. But she suspected it was all a ruse. A ruse for what though? To lull people into a false sense of security? Did the demons posing as aliens have something planned but they needed people to be ‘asleep’ until the time was right to act? Were they all going to wake up one morning and find out what the real motives of those things were? She shifted uneasily.
Maybe she didn’t want to know. She’d already found out more than she wished. Part of her envied those who seemed blissfully unaware of the danger lurking around the corner. However, if something serious was about to happen, if the aliens weren’t bringing them into a utopia, then did she have a responsibility to find out? And then what? Tell others? But who would believe the aliens weren’t who they were pretending to be?
Alex cleared his throat, directing her attention back to him. “I want to know what happened to me at Area 51. We lost an entire day down there. I have flashes of memories.”
She straightened in interest. “You’re recalling what they did to you?”
“Nothing concrete. It’s all like a puzzle, and I get one piece at a time. All I know is that aliens were there and they were using me like a lab rat.”
She shivered. That didn’t sound pleasant. But then, she shouldn’t be surprised. Nothing in that underground place was pleasant. “Do you remember any people?”
“No. Should I?”
“Well, I did see a man and a woman in your room. They inserted something behind your ear.”
“They did?” He reached up and traced the skin behind his ears. “I don’t feel anything.”
“Let me see.” She brushed aside the hair from his ear and squinted, but she didn’t see a mark anywhere. “That’s odd. It was behind this ear.”
“Is it possible you tho
ught you saw it but were asleep?”
She shook her head and eased back into her previous position. “No. The angel was there, and I know I didn’t dream him up.”
“You really think you saw an angel?”
“Yes.”
He simply nodded and glanced at his watch. “I have to get back to work. I just wanted to stop by and give you that letter.”
“Thank you, Alex.” She stood up with him. “And I hope you can get on with your life.”
“Thanks.” He slipped his hands into his pockets. “Is it alright if I keep in touch? You’re the only one I know who realizes there’s more going on than the media’s telling us, and I’m tired of feeling like I’m alone in this.”
“Of course, it’s alright. Let me know if you do figure out what’s going on. I’ll keep my ears and eyes open.”
He smiled before he turned and headed back to his car.
Autumn glanced at the mall entrance. She knew she should go back to work since she’d used up all of her minutes for the break, but she wanted to see what her sister had written. Pulling the envelope out of her pocket, she took out the letter and unfolded it, careful not to tear it since it was her last ‘contact’ with her sister. As she did, tears came to her eyes, especially when Marianne wrote, I’ve idolized Autumn ever since we were kids. I’m sure she thought I was a pest. I’d try her clothes on and listen in on her phone calls, but it wasn’t because I wanted to be a snoop. It’s just that I wanted to be like her. She’s always gone out of her way for other people. I admired her for that. There’s no one else I’d rather have as my maid of honor than her. If we have children, I’d like her to be the godmother.
Autumn finished the letter, rereading parts of it, and then neatly tucked it back into the envelope. She looked up at the clear blue sky. Why her? Marianne had a husband and children to look forward to. Autumn didn’t have anyone to stay for. If anyone had to go, Autumn should’ve been the one. It didn’t seem fair. Marianne had so much to live for.
The watchers are watching you.
Her head snapped up. A familiar car drove through the parking lot. It was him. Devon. The man she’d seen three times. Once at this mall, once at the Bismarck state capitol building, and then at Area 51 when he injected Alex with something. As Devon drove, a dark shadow flickered in the passenger seat. She blinked, but the image was gone.
Him. He knows something. Somehow, he’s a part of this whole thing.
That was when she made her decision. She’d have to keep an eye out for him in the future. Maybe then, she could start getting some answers.
Chapter Nine
Autumn sat on the bench in front of the Bismarck capitol building. Was this a good idea? She glanced at her watch. It was her third Sunday here, and snow scattered the ground. She’d wasted two weekends already. Did she want to waste another one? Just what did she expect to see anyway? What were the chances that the strange man with that alien would return in that limousine?
She’d spent a good half hour here. Last time they came at two. It didn’t look like that was going to happen again. If she had any other idea on what she might do, she’d abandon this silly notion. But this was her only lead. Alex was hard at work trying to figure out what was going on. The least she could do was follow her gut instinct, and her gut was telling her to start here.
With a heavy sigh, she opted for one more lap around the lawn. If the man and alien didn’t show up during that time, she’d give up this crazy plan altogether. She made it halfway around the perimeter of the lawn when she heard the familiar words, The watchers are watching you.
She looked up and saw the limousine drive into the tunnel beneath the capitol steps. Excited, she ran forward, hoping she wouldn’t get there too late. If they went in before she could see where they were going, then she’d lose them. By the time she reached the tunnel, she was out of breath. Careful to keep hidden from view, she peered around the tunnel’s entrance and saw the limousine pull out of the tunnel.
The door to the entrance that had been closed off since 9/11 swung shut. Waiting until the car was out of sight, she hastened to the doors in time to see the two men and the alien enter an elevator. Squinting, she realized that the down arrow above the elevator door was lit up. Good. So now she knew they were going down. Once the elevator doors closed, she reached for the door handle and pulled the door open. Then she stopped.
Was this a good idea?
Her mind flashed back to the night almost six months ago when she and Alex went to Area 51. The angel had warned her not to go, but she had anyway. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe she should leave well enough alone and turn back.
“Go.”
She jerked and glanced behind her.
The angel stood in front of her, but he wore regular clothes, as if he were an ordinary man.
Blinking in surprise, she asked, “Where are your wings?”
A slight smile crossed his face. “We do not always have wings. Sometimes we appear as humans.” He motioned for her to go into the building.
“But...? Is this like that time with Alex?”
“No. You need to be here. I was due to tell you five minutes ago but the power over Bismarck delayed me.”
“Power over Bismarck? You mean, an alien?” Or rather, a demon?
“There are spiritual forces at work that you know nothing about but will soon learn. You are needed here.”
She knew better than to argue with him. Reaching for the door, she asked, “Are you coming with me?”
“I’ll join you shortly. There are things I need to tend to out here.”
She glanced around but didn’t see anything. Even so, she didn’t doubt him. Something was there, and even though she didn’t know what or where it was, she could feel its presence. Eager to get away from it, she entered the building.
Silence. Eerie silence. Shivering, she pressed forward and made her way to the elevator down the empty hallway. Her shoes echoed softly off the linoleum floor. Once she stood in front of the elevators, she took a moment to gather her courage before she pressed the down button. Then she crossed her arms and waited. She had no idea what she was doing or what she’d find.
I’m losing it. I’m completely losing it.
That was the only reason why she’d do something this stupid. But the angel wouldn’t lead her into something that would hurt her. Would he?
The ding from the elevator brought her attention to the doors that parted for her. Before she could change her mind, she stepped into the elevator. She got ready to press a button, but the one to take her down lit up and the doors closed. Gasping, she jerked and backed into the wall.
Okay. That was spooky.
She waited for an agonizing thirty seconds while the elevator descended. As soon as the doors opened, she ran out of it, glad that nothing else supernatural happened. She looked behind her, but nothing had followed her out. At least, she didn’t think something followed her out.
The doors shut and she became aware of the dim corridor. All the lights were off except for a few in the ceiling. To her left, she heard the sound of people talking. She took a deep breath. Okay. So now she knew where to go. Despite her slight trembling, she moved her feet.
I can do this. I can. The angel said it would be alright.
Her steps came to a halt and her eyebrows furrowed. Wait. Did the angel say it would be alright? She mentally ran over their conversation and realized all he told her was to go.
Oh great. He never said I’d be okay!
She turned to go back to the elevator, but a dark shape hovering in the corner of a nearby doorway stopped her.
The watchers are watching you.
With a small squeak, she bolted down the hallway toward the people. She reached the only room with its lights turned on and instinctively came to a stop right outside the door. Still shaken up, she crouched down so that she could hide behind the table along the back of the room. A quick look behind her assured her that the...thing...hadn’t followed her.
“So things are going according to plan?” the governor asked as he wiped sweat from his forehead with a neatly folded cloth.
“Don’t be weak,” the alien said. “Only the fit will survive.”
Survive? Autumn gulped. Survive what?
“Nothing must compromise the plan,” the alien continued.
Devon leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table they were all sitting at. “You and your family will be fine as long as you cooperate.”
“The sound wave frequencies are only a short-term plan,” the unnamed man spoke. “It won’t control the masses for much longer.”
“Which is why we need to get their attention onto other matters,” the alien said. “The sooner, the better. You humans are slow in getting things done.”
“I had a couple of phone calls and letters this past week. People are asking questions,” the governor said. “I don’t believe they’ll be fooled much longer.”
“Get their minds off of why we’re here,” the alien replied. “Threaten their security.”
The governor winced. “North Dakota is a relatively peaceful state and—”
“So do what you can to limit the number of casualties,” the unnamed man barked. “This isn’t why we put you in this office, governor! You served in the Gulf War. You’re supposed to be trained to deal with stress.”
“I was protecting life over there.”
The man laughed. “Protecting life? I got news for you Governor West. That war and the one over there right now have absolutely nothing to do with protection.”
At least not human protection, the alien thought.
Autumn blinked. Was she the only one who heard that? She examined the somber looks on the three men’s faces as they continued to talk about the plan. The alien wasn’t looking at her, but she had a clear view of its profile. She recalled the alien she saw at Area 51. When the angel touched her, she caught a glimpse of its true identity. She wondered if the same would happen if she focused on this one. Taking a slow, deep breath, she concentrated on its face, and after a few seconds, its features darkened and eyes turned red.
Return of the Aliens Page 6
