Alien Among Us (TJ Steele Book 1)
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ALIEN AMONG US
AnUncommonLife
BY: L. EDWIN BROWN
Copyright 2017
Alien Among Us
By: L. Edwin Brown This is my sixth book, self-published on Amazon Kindle Direct publishing and Createspace paperback publishing. The story line in this book takes a different direction from the adult reading of my other five publications.
This is the story of Theodore James Steele, a somewhat strange and usual man. He is thought to be one of the smartest humans on earth. Or is he truly human? This is a question he has asked himself throughout his fifty four years, on this planet. Professionals have never been able to exact his intelligence quotient (IQ). Theodore, his friend’s call him TJ, has powers beyond mortal man. He has been forced to conceal these powers, at the request of his mother, in order to protect himself from the general public.
He believes his life has been driven by an alien spiritual power that comes from deep within his soul. His moral or emotional warmth is a force within itself. He feels that he has been placed here, to do great things and to achieve more, than just to exist. PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS:
Theodore James Steele
Primary character, born on Edwards Air Force Base, August, 1 1960
Bradly Steele
Theodore’s father and Captain in the Air Force
Mary Steele
Theodore’s Mother, astronomer, and school teacher on the air base
Lorain Anderson, Thomason
Theodore’s childhood friend and next door neighbor
Todd & Beverly Anderson
Lorain’s father and mother
Christine Thomason
Lorain’s daughter and Todd & Beverly’s granddaughter
Abagail Thomason
Lorain Anderson’s granddaughter & Christine’s daughter
Caroline Thomason
Lorain’s great granddaughter & Abagail Thomason’s daughter
Kala Kealoha
Theodore’s late in life friend and lover
Kenneth Jones
Theodore’s only male childhood and lifelong friend
Oscar and Vickie Hobbs
Owners of Kasey Key Fish House and Tiki Bar
Deputy Sheriff, Brenda Harcort
Mesa County, Colorado Deputy Sheriff and Theodore’s friend
Alien Among Us
CHAPTER-1 The grass at the cemetery was still wet from the overnight rain. Most mourners had left, leaving three people standing at the end of the gravesite, staring at the white and gold coffin resting on the brass casket supports. The clouds were breaking up and the sun was starting to shine through.
A tall muscular man in his fifties, dressed in a black suit with thick dark brown hair, looking much younger than his age, stood quietly. On his right holding his hand tightly was a beautiful eighteen year old young woman and on his left clutching his little finger, was a small two year old female.
My name is Theodore James Steele, my friends call me T.J. The eighteen year old female, on my right, is Abagail and the little one, holding my finger, is her daughter, Caroline. It is Christine Thomason, Abagail’s mother and Caroline’s grandmother, we are placing in the ground today. We are laying Christine to rest, next to her mother, Lorain Thomason.
The cemetery maintenance crew is waiting patiently for us to leave, so they may finish their task. As we backed away from the gravesite, the two females held on to me tightly. I turned slowly towards the large black limousine, waiting to take us back to the funeral home. The hearse had already left, as well as all the mourners.
I scooped up the two year old and held her in my arms, as we walked across the lawn, towards the limousine. A gentleman in a black suit, white shirt and black tie, stood at the rear of the limousine, holding the wide rear door open. Kala Kealoha, my best friend and love interest, waits by the rear door with the driver
We approached the limo and I helped Abagail in first, followed by Caroline. I then take Kala’s hand and guide her into the back seat, with Caroline between her and Abagail. I slipped into the rear facing seat across from the three females. The driver closed the door and took his seat behind the steering wheel. I heard the engine start and the big vehicle began to move.
I looked across the seat at my three precious passengers. I thought about how I got here, with custody of two of the females. My life has been somewhat strange, to say the least, but caring for these two is going to be a big change for me and Kala.
I need to pulse here. I’m starting to get a head of myself. I need to go back in time, so you may know who I am and why I’m so unique.
It’s Friday, October 30, 1959, the day before Halloween. After a week of orientation, at the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in Huston, Texas. Air Force Captain, Bradly Steele, was in a hurry to get home to Edwards Air Force Base, in California,
Captain Steele was piloting a Fairchild C-123 American military transport aircraft. His cargo was the first NASA astronauts, Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr., Alan Shepard Jr., and Donald Slayton.
The seven men, all military test pilots from Edwards Air Force Base, were carefully selected from a group of the final 32 candidates, to take part in Project Mercury, America’s first manned space program. NASA planned to begin manned orbital flights in 1961. On April 9, 1959, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration had introduced America, to its choices for the first group of astronauts.
Bradly was proud to be transporting such a valuable human cargo, but for him, the single most important item on the plane, was an Orion Sky Quest 12 Inch Refractor Telescope given to him by NASA’s Deputy Administrator Hugh Dryden. The telescope was for his beautiful wife and school teacher, Mary. She has a Bachelor of Science in Astronomy and a degree in Elementary Education from UCLA.
Bradly and Mary met at Edwards Air Force Base in January 1953, when he returned from Korea. She was fresh out of college and her first year of teaching the first, second and third grade students in a single classroom. The base population was small and the school didn’t have enough students to justify more teachers. Bradly and Mary were married on June 26, 1954.
Mary’s classroom had sixteen children, split among the different grades. This year was the most students she had ever handled. She put the first graders in the front two rows of seats, and then the second graders filled the next two rows with the five third graders, in the back of the room. The children were well discipline and easy for her to handle. She worked mostly with the first graders, preparing them for their next twelve years of formal education.
Bradly brought the large twin prop plane down to a smooth landing on the desert runway. He taxied over to hanger building at the east end of the runway. His passengers began to gather their belongings, while the two Pratt and Whitney wing mounted prop engines slowed and stopped. Bradly completed his final checks of the plane. The rear cargo hatch was already lowered to the ground, by the time he emerged from the cockpit.
The prized telescope made the trip in excellent condition. An Airman helped Bradly load his personal belongings and the telescope into a military green colored 1957 Chevy station wagon. Bradly saluted the Airman and thanked him for his assistance.
He quickly jumped into the station wagon and headed for his home. He left the Air Base on Fitzgerald Boulevard and followed it around to Love Boulevard, where he turned right. Love Boulevard runs through some of the older military housing, as well as the new structures that had been built, over the past few years.
Bradly turned left on Roth Street and into the third driveway on the right. He and Mary were lucky to get one of the first dozen homes, built in the area. Contr
actors were finishing about two new homes per month and the neighborhood was growing.
Bradly wrestled the big telescope, out of the back of the station wagon and carried it around to the back of the house, where he sat it down on the concrete patio. He opened the door on the back of the garage and saw his, 1955 Chevy Nomad station wagon, parked in the garage. Mary must have walked to school today, he thought. He grabbed a small green tarp and took it out to the patio, where he covered the telescope. It was 3:30 and almost time for the kids, at Forbes
Avenue Elementary School, to be dismissed for the day. He knew Mary would not get home until around four, so he began to dig out the Halloween decoration, he planned to place around the house. He wanted to make sure he was set up in front of the garage, for the trick or treaters that would come tomorrow evening.
Bradly was in the back of the house, when he saw Mary walking across the open field, towards their house. It was less than a block to the school and Payne Avenue was the only street, she needed to cross, to get home.
Bradly made sure the telescope was concealed in the offset wall near the garage, so Mary wouldn’t see it until later that night. He walked out to the back yard and met her, as she crossed Payne Avenue. There’s very little green grassy lawns around the base, so both their shoes were always getting dusty from the desert sand.
As they approached the house, Bradly kept Mary on his left side, and away from the back of the attached garage. They entered the house through the double French doors into the kitchen, dining area. Mary set her purse and black expandable briefcase down on the table, before giving Bradly a huge hug and kiss.
I missed you she said, as they stood in the dining room, holding each other. I missed you too, replied Bradly. Mary made her way through the living room and into the bedroom, to change into something more comfortable. She could see that Bradly had been busy, pulling the Halloween boxes, out of the attic space.
I’m going to start decorating the front of the house, while you fix dinner, yelled Bradly from the front door.
He had almost completed the front decorations by the time Mary had finished preparing them dinner. While they ate, Bradly said he needed to take the station wagon he drove home, back to the car pool after dinner. He said he would help her with cleaning up the dinner dishes and finished the decorations, when they got back home.
After they dropped off the station wagon and returned home, Mary helped Bradly finish decorating the front of the house. By the time they were done and had put everything away, it was dark outside.
Bradly asked Mary to fix him and her a cocktail while he did something, in back of the house. He walked out back and moved the big telescope over to the center patio, before Mary came out. He left the tarp over the top and sat down in a lawn chair.
Mary came out and saw the cover object, sitting in the center of the patio. What’s this she asked, as she handed Bradly his drink. I don’t know, he responded. Maybe you should remove the tarp and see. Mary seemed somewhat nervous about the large object, thinking it maybe one of Bradly’s practical jokes.
She hesitated for a few seconds, then stepped close to the object. She picked up one corner of the tarp slowly, until it slid completely off, exposing the 12 Inch Refractor Telescope. She squealed out loud and hugged the telescope. The one she has been using, was a standard straight small refracting telescope, with a simple stand. The Orin Sky Quest is a large unit with the state of the art support stand and accessories.
She ran across the patio and jumped into Bradly’s lap, spilling his drink. He was laughing as Mary kissed him all over his face. She asked where he got the telescope and how much did it cost.
He told her, while he was in Huston, he had told everyone about his wonderful wife. NASA’s Deputy Administrator Hugh Dryden over heard me talking about your fascination with astronomy. He said they had several Orion Sky Quest 12 Inch Refractor Telescope on site, they never use, and I was welcome to take one.
Mary kissed him again and moved over to the telescope and began making adjustments on the pitch and angles, while Bradly went into the house for another drink. As the night sky became even darker, Mary couldn’t stop viewing the stars, saying how clear and close they were. Bradly sat and watched her move the telescope slowly left and right, while making notes on a tablet. She looked at him and said she can see things, she could never see, with her old telescope.
Bradly suggested they take the telescope and drive up to Red Rock Canyon, next weekend. He said the area, just off Aerospace Highway, by the Dove Springs Turnoff, would be a perfect place to star watch. It will be dark, with no ambient light, from the air base and it’s very private, he said in a somewhat suggestive sexy voice.
Mary was happy and said she couldn’t wait to go. She stayed out on the patio until well after midnight, before Bradly helped her carry the telescope and accessories inside placing them by the French doors.
Halloween night found Bradly, sitting out in the driveway, with all kinds of scary lights and other eerie things going on. He was dressed as a hunch back old man, sitting in a chair, passing out candy to the tricks and treaters. Beggar’s night ended sometime around 10:00. The streets were now clear and all the children were home, checking out their bounty.
Bradly turned off the lights and pulled his chair and small table back into the garage, closing the overhead door.
After he removed his Halloween costume and the makeup, Mary had applied to his face earlier that evening, he joined her out on the back patio. She was once again enjoying her new telescope. They stayed outside until two thirty in the morning, before putting the telescope away and going to bed.
Mary was in a frisky mood when they got in bed and thought, she should appropriately thank Bradly, for the telescope. They made love for a while, before snuggling down in bed and going to sleep.
Sunday found Bradly out front of the house, taking down the decoration from Halloween and boxing them up. He placed them back in the attic, next to the Christmas decorations.
The rest of the week went quickly and on Friday, Bradly took off early, from his normal duties at the air base, to pack up the Chevy Nomad. He placed two sleeping bags, a cooler full of food, as well as folding lawn chairs, extra clothes and blankets, all in the back of the Nomad, before packing in Mary’s telescope. He had just enough room for the tail gate and hatch to close.
Mary hurried home from school, Friday evening and change into a pair of slacks and a cotton long sleeve shirt. They were on the road by 4:30, for the two hour drive, up to Red Rock Canyon. Bradly had made sandwiches for the trip and they ate while he drove.
At 6:45, he turned off highway 14 onto the road to Ricardo. A little less than a half mile, he turned left, back towards the south, on a packed sandy road. He followed this road to a place call, Little Oasis.
Bradly spun the Nomad around and backed up towards a low rocky cliff. They were sitting on a plateau, between two stone mountains. They had an excellent view of the eastern, western, and southern skies, from the plateau.
They quickly set up a camp site before they lost the daylight. The air was dry and it was warm outside, however they both knew when the sun went down it would start to cool off.
Bradly brought a small gas grill, so they could cook a hot meal in the morning. There was dried brush and small twigs all around the area. It was enough to build a small campfire. The sunset was amazing with some of the most beautiful colors they had ever seen.
As the night darkness came on, Mary began to enjoy the pitch black sky, dotted with stars. I can even see the rings of Saturn, she whispered to Bradly, as she refocused the lens on the telescope.
They kept the small campfire low, so the area would be as dark as possible. Bradly stretched out the green tarp that had covered the telescope a week earlier, on the ground next to a large rock. He placed both sleeping bags on the tarp and laid down on the one nearest, to the Nomad.
Mary was quiet, as she searched the heavens for something new. Bradly knew she was now in her element,
as she scanned the southern skies. He knew she would not stop viewing the night sky, until she was totally exhausted, or the sun came up.
He leaned back against the rock and watched her gazing through the small reflection lens. The adjustable stand, made it easy for her to find a comfortable seating position.
Bradly fell asleep around midnight, propped against the rock, laying on top the sleeping bag, with a small pillow behind his head. Mary was almost motionless as she gazed into space. She was fascinated by the clarity of the telescope. It brought the stars down, so close she thought she could touch them.
As time passed, Bradly fell into a deeper sleep and Mary was welded to the telescope lens.
She was turned looking towards the southern sky. To her back, was the flat plateau, they had driven up on. To the north, across the plateau, was a high rocky ledge leading up to a tall mountain range.
As she focused the telescope on a group of stars, in the lower southern sky, she realized it was becoming even darker. The campfire had long burned down and was not emitting any light. She was visibly grouping the stars in the Libra constellation.
She continued to focus all her attention on the group of stars in the southern sky and did not realize the sky overhead, was becoming even darker.
Finally the stars she was viewing were slowly disappearing, covered by a huge black shroud. She couldn’t take her eyes off the telescope as more of the stars were disappearing. She lifted her head and looked straight up into a pitch black sky. At first, she thought a huge storm cloud formation had moved in, but she could see the object’s outline was curved and maybe six thousand feet across. It covered the whole mountain range.
Mary looked over at Bradly and was getting ready to wake him. She heard a low soft humming noise coming from the huge black unyielding structure overhead. She felt dizzy and light headed, as well as some weightlessness. She sat back on the chair and her eyes closed.
When Mary opened her eyes, she was lying on a white odd shaped padded table. The room was brightly lit and hurt her eyes at first. Once she became adjusted to the brightness, she tried to move. It was as if she had no strength from her neck down.