by Terence West
"What can I get for you stranger?"
"Just a beer." He watched as she gracefully moved behind the bar and lifted a brown bottle out of a cooler. Twisting off the top, she placed it in front of him. She quickly collected the three dollars he had laid on the bar. "Can I ask you a question?"
She looked at him amusedly. "I'm married."
Jake smiled. There had been many times he had tried to pick up a good-looking waitress or female bartender. This wasn't one of them. "No, but thank you. I was wondering if you've seen a man wearing a dark blue 'Yankees' baseball cap in here tonight."
She thought for a moment. "It's hard to say. I see so many people come and go."
Jake nodded. "I understand. Thanks a lot." He slipped her another dollar and moved toward and empty table in the corner. Placing his beer on the table, he seated himself and began to scan the crowd. He knew that he stuck out like a sore thumb, but he hoped that the person he was meeting here would too.
The band finished the song they were performing with a flourish of lights and sound. The crowd erupted into wild applause and screams of joy. Announcing that they were taking a brief break, the band marched off stage and tried to wade through the crowd toward the bar. As they passed by, Jake caught sight of an older man sitting in a booth on the opposite side of the bar. He was wearing a tan jacket and a 'Yankees' baseball cap. He seemed to be checking his watch like he was expecting someone.
Standing up, Jake made his way through the crowd toward the man. Stopping short of the booth, Jake waited for the man to look up and make eye contact. He knew the man would be expecting him, but probably not without Jonathan.
The man glanced up at Jake. A look of confusion crossed his face, then recognition. Waiving a hand he motioned for Jake to sit down across from him in the booth. "I appreciate you coming, Mr. Silver." He quickly cut to the chase. "I am completely aware of Mr. Anderson's untimely death. I was hoping that he had a chance to tell you of this meeting before it was too late."
Jake sipped his beer. "It's obvious that you know me, but who are you?"
The man twisted the coffee mug he was holding between both hands. "I work at Area 51. My name is Tom Davis. General Tom Davis."
"And that means what to me?" Jake asked blatantly.
"It means that I am Chief of Operations at Area 51. I'm the man that makes the decisions." He gave Jake a scowl.
"Sorry. I wasn't aware. Please continue."
Davis cleared his throat. "Anderson has informed me that you were also one of our test subjects." Jake nodded. "I'm sure that he also told you about the purpose of our experiments, so I'll jump to the point. I'm an old man and I'm ready to get out."
"What does that have to do with me, General?"
"Please don't call that in public," Davis snapped. "They have ears everywhere."
"Who's 'they'?"
"The Government. We need to proceed very cautiously." Davis glanced around to see if anyone was trying to eavesdrop on them. "First I need to know if you're in."
"'In'? What do you mean?"
"In my line of work you don't just exactly retire. I want out, and I want to take them down with me."
"Why?" Jake pulled out a cigar and lit it.
"I've become very tired of lying to the public that I have sworn to protect. I want them to know the truth." He took another sip of his coffee. "I need your help to infiltrate the base and bring them down."
Jake's eyes went wide. "You want me to help you break into the base and stop the experiments? Is that what you're saying?"
"Yes."
"That's a little more than I bargained for on this case." He took a long puff off of his cigar. "I'm all for bringing the bastards who did this to me to justice, but the whole operation?"
"It can be done."
Jake fidgeted in his seat. "How?"
"My plan is very simple." Davis began to explain. "You will be entered into the database at Area 51 as a newly transferred soldier. That will give you all the necessary keys and pass codes to traverse the base."
"What am I supposed to do once inside?"
"I have set up contacts for you throughout the base, but your first priority is to find Major Griggs. He is one of many patriots to our cause. He will guide you through he base and be your acting commanding officer. Your second priority is to locate and free a researcher by the name of Dr. Alex Robinson."
"What's he got to do with this?"
"Actually, Dr. Robinson is a she." Davis smiled. "She was captured by our foreign intelligence division after she came to close to finding out the truth."
"The truth about what?"
"Agree to help me and you'll know everything."
Jake leaned back in the booth. Rolling the cigar between his fingers, he took another puff off of it and slowly exhaled it. He stared at Davis for a long moment trying to figure out what he wanted to do. "Okay. I'm in. When do we start?"
* * * *
Alex's mind painfully came to consciousness. Her eyes slowly opened, but saw nothing except blackness. Her lungs ached as she drew in a deep breath. Trying to sit up, she found that she was completely naked and encased in a long glass tube. Looking toward her feet she saw the end of the tube was constructed of metal with pipes extending into it. Glancing up she saw that the top was constructed of the same material with pipes also extending inside. Placing her hands on the glass, she peered out into the surrounding area. It was a sterile white room with banks of computers situated all around her. Peering across the room she saw a man inside a similar tube suspended in a thick green fluid.
A long shadow crept across the tube. Staring up, Alex was confronted by a man in a white lab coat. He had strong Asian features with short dark hair and thick black-rimmed glasses. He was holding a clipboard as he checked various dials and readings on his computers. Alex began to pound on the glass to get his attention. "Let me out!"
The thick glass of the tube muffled the words. Yokama tried to understand. "What did you say?"
"Let me out!" She yelled again.
Yokama leaned closer. "I'm afraid I can't do that Dr. Robinson."
Alex slammed her fists on the glass trying to crack it. "What are you doing to me?"
Yokama smiled and spread his arms wide open. "You are going to be involved in one of the most cutting edge projects ever undertaken by the United States Government." He checked off another dial. "You should feel honored," he added with a tone of reverence.
"Honored? I've been taken against my will and now you're going to use me in some kind of experiments?"
"It's for your country." He marked off a final item on his checklist. "Try to be still while I inject the liquid."
"Liquid?"
Hitting a key on a nearby computer keyboard, the pipes leading into the tubes shuddered to life spewing a viscous green fluid into the tube. Alex struggled wildly as the warm liquid splashed against her skin. The tube was flooding quickly. She took a deep breath as it filled past her chest to her chin. Her body began to feel numb as the liquid engulfed it. Her eyes stung as the fluid passed her head and completely filled the tube. Her body convulsed as she finally succumbed to the pressure and exhaled the breath she had been holding. The liquid began to seep into her nose and mouth. A gagging sensation set in as she struggled against the fluid. She was barely able to turn her head in the thick fluid. She watched as Yokama hit another key at his console. A wave of electricity surged through Alex's tube. Her body tingled and twitched as the electricity permeated it. Almost instantly, the liquid began to solidify into a thick gelatinous substance suspending her body within.
Yokama pressed the record button on a small black tape recorder sitting next to his computer terminal. "Subject Alex Robinson contained and ready for testing." Turning off the tape recorder he sat his clipboard down and moved across the room to the other tube. He stood staring into the tube remembering the conversation they had had less than a day before. The fluid he was immersed in was slowly healing bullet holes that riddled his torso.
/> "Dammit, Jonathan. Why did you have to go and get yourself shot?"
Jonathan Anderson's body hung motionlessly in the tube. They had pulled him out of the room he was shot in only moments after it had happened. After being air lifted back to the base he was pronounced dead on arrival. It was deemed necessary to keep his body for research purposes, but Dr. Jim Yokama wasn't sure why. Yet.
Chapter 11
Christina found herself lying naked on the desert floor. She was curled into the fetal position with her knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Lifting up into a sitting position she wiped her hand across her forehead. She felt as if a thick fog making it difficult for her to think clearly was swallowing her mind. She struggled to comprehend what was happening to her.
Scanning the horizon, she watched the sun starting to rise creating a soupy mixture of reds, oranges, and whites in the eastern sky. Standing up, she felt a cool breeze blow past her naked body giving her the chills. Looking to her left she saw a patch of sagebrush with a small jackrabbit huddled near the base. Taking a step toward it, the rabbit quickly dashed away.
The western sky was still dark with stars. For a moment Christina lost herself staring at it, but was immediately brought back by the sight of a familiar blue light. Her mind instantly cleared when she recognized the object. "Not again," she moaned.
The ball of blue light swooped out of the morning sky toward her. Instinct took over as she began to sprint away from the object. The cool morning air was stinging her lungs as she ran. She abruptly froze as the object settled directly over her. A beam of blinding white light from the craft slammed against her chest knocking her off her feet. She found herself unable to move. It was difficult to see out of the white light, but she could make out the rough outlines of humanoid forms moving about.
Her eyes went wide and her heart began to pound with fear. She tried to scream as a hand pierced the light. A large bulbous head with large black almond shaped eyes followed it. Her mind began to panic as the being started to run his long spindly fingers over her body. Its head bobbed back and forth like a bird's, but its body moved very fluidly.
Another being entered the light behind her. She tried to turn her head to look away, but found herself unable to even close her eyes. Her skin began to crawl as she felt the second being run its hand down to the small of her back. The first being was still examining her chest, running its fingers over her breasts. Christina was screaming at them to stop, but no sounds were coming out of her mouth. She watched in relief as the two beings slowly backed out of the light.
A strange feeling washed over her body as light transformed from a harsh white to a softer red. She found she could now move her body, but that she was slowly rising off the ground. Looking down she saw not only the two beings standing below her, but several. Out of anger and fear she threw a kick that hit the nearest one in the head sending him sprawling on the desert floor. The others rushed toward him as a burst of compressed atmosphere began to spray from the top of his head. Looking up, she found herself nearing the bottom of the craft. A small round door just above her opened up just as she was about to hit the bottom.
Christina crossed her arms in front of her face as the red light became so intense that she could no longer see. Finally, she felt her upward momentum cease. Opening her eyes, she found herself lying in a rectangular metal box illuminated by an awful blue light. The polished silver surfaces inside acted like fun house mirrors, distorting her reflection into horribly misshapen images. It was barely large enough for her. A terrible wave of claustrophobia rippled through her body. She tried to lift up her arms to bang on the top of the box, but discovered that she couldn't.
She felt the box begin to shake. She knew she was being moved. Outside of the box she heard talking, but not in a language that she had ever heard. It vaguely reminded her of hands being rubbed over a rubber balloon making various squeaks and pops. She listened intently trying to pick out what they were saying but it was useless. Tears began to roll down from her eyes as a sense of hopelessness engulfed her.
Christina's head slammed against the box as it thudded to the floor. She heard what sounded like several latches being opened. Closing her eyes she prepared for the worst. The lid of the box was flung open and several of the beings reached inside and began to pull her out. The touch of the creature's hands sent shivers down her spine. Opening her eyes, she saw several of the beings carrying her. Two had her arms while two more had her legs. Trying to look away from the beings she stared at the ceiling of the craft. The rows of lights on the ceiling reminded her of a hospital. The inside of the craft had a very sterilized feel to it with polished metal walls and ceilings. She watched as they passed through a large archway into a dimly lit room. The beings slammed her down on a cold metal table. Chills ran through her body as the beings once again began to examine it. They seemed to be mainly interested in her reproductive organs. Trying to shut the terror out, she stared away from the beings toward the ceiling. Above her was a circular hole emanating a harsh white light. She could see some kind of device resting within it, but its outline was too vague to see exactly what it was. She felt something cold and hard being inserted into her vagina. Her body arched upward with discomfort.
One of the beings moved toward the right side of her head. She tried to turn away from it, but was unable. It lifted something from a nearby table while running its left hand down her neck. It brought the instrument into her line of sight. It looked to her like a long needle. The being turned her head to the left and quickly jabbed the needle into her neck. A shooting pain ran through her body as the needle pierced the muscles in her throat. A warm feeling began to wash through her head. The injected fluid coursed through her bloodstream. Her body began to feel very heavy and relaxed. The being to her right lifted a hand to her head and opened her eyelids. It watched as her eyes began to roll back. Christina slowly began to loose consciousness.
* * * *
The morning sun was shining brightly overhead as Jake approached the Las Vegas Airport. Davis had instructed him to use a rear entrance near the parking garage that lead to a private airstrip that the military used. Walking up to the gate, he found himself confronted by an armed soldier that quickly stepped out of the guard's shack. Lifting a flap on the bag he was carrying over his shoulder, he removed a small ID badge that Davis had equipped him with. Flashing it to the soldier, he waived Jake past. Stopping a few steps into the airport, he turned back to the guard. "Can you tell me where I need to go? I've just transferred in."
The guard stepped toward Jake studying him. He looked at Jake suspiciously. "Yeah, you're gonna want to stay left and enter the terminal over there." He pointed at the nearest tan building. "Show the baggage clerk your ID and she'll point you to the correct flight."
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Spinning around Jake headed off toward the terminal. It was a tall building with long observation windows built into the sides. The parking lot was filled with cars of every make and model gleaming in the bright Nevada sunlight. Passing the last row of cars, he made his way toward the entrance to the terminal. Two glass doors slid apart as he approached.
The terminal was eerily empty. The majority of the space on the lower level was unused. The floor was tiled with green and white squares. Across the large room was a lone operational booth. Walking toward it he made eye contact with a tall blonde woman in an Air Force uniform. Her hair was neatly done and the pair of wire-rimmed glasses she wore suited her. She smiled at Jake.
"ID please, soldier." Her voice was very gentle.
Pulling his ID badge out of his pocket he presented it to the woman. "Here you go."
Checking it over she slid it through a card reader next to her keyboard. Laying the card back in front of Jake, the computer began to make several high-pitched beeping noises. Jake began to worry. It seemed like an eternity before the woman looked up from her terminal. "So," she said with a bit of amusement. "You're a new recruit, huh?"
"Yeah.
" Jake smiled, quickly snatching his card and returning it to his pocket.
"Okay," she examined her computer screen, "it says here that you're fresh out of Austin, Texas."
Jake paused. Hadn't known what kind of background story Davis had created for him. "That's right."
"I've never been there. Is it nice?" She was trying to make small talk while she processed him through the system.
"About the same as here. Hot and dry." Jake had never been there either.
Hitting several keys on her computer, the printer next to it whirred to life. "Your travel plans will be up in a second." Reaching over she ripped the sheet off the printer and handed it to Jake. "You have about an hour before your plane departs. Make yourself comfortable."
Jake grabbed the sheet. "Thanks." He scanned the terminal. "What should I do for an hour?"
"Well, there's coffee in the lounge."
"Sounds good." Jake turned around and began to walk away. Stopping in his tracks, he spun back around to face the woman, "where's the lounge?" She pointed to a door behind her. "Thanks," Jake laughed as he walked through the door.
The lobby was a small room with several chairs scattered about and two long couches on either side of the room. The center of the room was occupied by a long aluminum coffee table with a coffee pot and a stack of paper cups on it. The room was empty except for Jake. Walking over to the coffee maker, he lifted a paper cup and poured himself some coffee. Seating himself on one of the couches, he took a sip of it and began to relax. Glancing down at his watch he saw that it was now 8:30 in the morning.
Jake looked up to see the tall blonde baggage clerk walk in the room. He watched as she moved over to the couch opposite his, and slowly sat down, crossing her slender legs. "So how'd you get posted to 'Dreamland'?"
