by Tom Holloway
There was only a little turbulence, mostly a few trees bending over from the force of the hot air, yet no real loud noises. The Ship Tender slips down, its weight on leg pads sinking deep into the yard; otherwise, there is not much yard damage. John and Judy are not sure anyone noticed other than them, although every dog in the neighborhood is barking. John thinks the neighbors wouldn’t believe it anyway; hopefully they are all at work. The Jacobs just stand there in the driveway, confused, not sure what to do. This thing in their backyard is truly weird, without question an alien vehicle, sizzling with heat, and with no windows, just several hatches.
A hatch opens on the Ship Tender, and Henry is quickly down on the ground, walking over to them, saying hello, smiling, thanking them for meeting with him, just like everything is ordinary. John collects his daughter from the car, and they all go into the house, the daughter still sleeping. She ends up in her bed for a nap. They all meet up back in the kitchen, standing around the table. It is cozy, and there is a coffeepot on the stove, the burner still on low. Judy takes a cup off the counter, pours coffee into it, almost takes a sip, then changes her mind, looks at Henry, and then offers it to him.
He smiles at them and says politely, “Yes, thanks. I love coffee the way it is brewed here on Earth. It smells wonderful.”
John and Judy are both standing there dumbfounded, not sure what to do or say and a little dazed.
Henry smiles. “You have wonderful children and much to be proud of. It is never easy with a large family. I know all about them; in fact, I have been briefed about all of you. I know the other children are not here; they are in school now. Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice. Please, let’s sit down. I can tell you about myself, answer some of your questions. You have nothing to fear. I admire you for what you have done for your children.”
After sitting down at the kitchen table, Judy, a little nervous, responds, “Mr. Johnson, thank you. You are very kind to say this. We love all of them dearly. They are great kids; always try to do their best. We’ve been blessed with such loving children.” She pauses. Tears are coming to her eyes, yet she holds back. “John said you saved our daughter. I don’t know how; I can only say we will all be grateful our entire lives. You may not have children, but you probably know what this means to us.” Tears come to her eyes again. “Bless you for doing this.”
Henry responds, “You are welcome, and I am glad I was here to do it.”
“Judy, John, you both need to know something. What I am going to tell you is not easy to understand, but it’s critical that you do exactly what I tell you. Kati will be different now, healthwise, which is mostly a good thing. You have to take my word on this, although it will be hard for you and especially your medical professionals to believe. Not only will she not have Hodgkin’s, she will be immune to all diseases. She will be able to heal all wounds, even regenerate lost limbs. She will live longer, too, also look younger. Good or bad, she will possibly live to age two hundred or longer. She eventually will have to hide her age. She will be smarter, maybe genius level. Please tell no one other than her and only when she is old enough. Do you understand? Tell no one. It is dangerous for her to ever tell anyone. Do not let any doctor examine her or take blood from her. They will never understand it and will want to study her. Her blood heals wounds quickly—a dangerous thing for her if anyone finds out. The chemical content of her blood has been changed; any lab will see it. She will never need one of your doctors again. Never let anyone take her blood for lab work.”
Judy gasps; her face shows amazement; she exclaims, “Yes, yes, we will tell no one. Are you sure about this? It is unbelievable, amazing. We praise the Lord, and we thank you. I think I understand what you are saying. I think it is a miracle. We will do whatever you want. No doctor will ever see her, no lab work ever. We are grateful to you for saving her life and extending her life, giving her this gift. Can we help you in any way? Can we include you in our prayers?”
John is staring at Henry in awe. “Your technology is much more advanced, although I’m not surprised. Are you immortal?”
Henry smiles, looking at Judy. “Yes, certainly, include me in your prayers. You can help me that way. Thank you for asking. More specifically, I think John might be able to help me in a mission.”
Judy says, “One question, if I can ask, why are you here? Are you visiting Earth with some mission? Where are you from? Who are you? Not to offend you, but John thinks you may be an alien, which now seems to be an obvious conclusion, the correct observation. I am beginning to think you’re an angel sent here to help this world and our daughter.”
Henry laughs. “John is sort of right, and you are asking good questions. I am from a long way from here, trillions of miles away. You do not know the world I am from. You cannot see it from here. I am visiting—sort of a vacation, and I will be gone soon. As you can see by looking at me, I look like you. I am originally from Earth. You have nothing to worry about, at least not from me, and I don’t consider myself an alien.”
John is now really nervous, fidgeting, not knowing what to say. He blurts out, “I have a lot of questions, too. I know you’re here for a reason. You want something from me. First of all, before we talk, will our discussion be of a confidential nature? Is it OK that my wife is here?”
Judy says to John, “I can answer that question. I think I should check on Kati, and I think this should be between just you both. This is part of your job, John, and I don’t want to get you in trouble. We can talk later.” She looks at Henry. “Mr. Johnson, is this OK?”
“Yes, and please call me Henry.” He smiles at her. “Judy, it has been a pleasure meeting you.”
“And you, too. I hope everything works out. If you need something or maybe a drink, more coffee, please let me know. Thank you again! It has been an honor and a privilege to meet you. My husband is a very good man!”
Henry smiles. “I know that, and it will be fine. Don’t worry. It will all work out. And Kati will be fine.”
Turning to John I say, “There will be no secrets between us. However, what we talk about is very confidential and totally secret outside of you and me, and maybe we tell some things to your government. You will have to be careful about what you say to your CIA comrades, the FBI, and others. They all can’t be trusted as some of your people are traitors. I know this will cause a problem for you, as you may not believe me, yet it has to be resolved. Actually many lives are at stake, and we must do this correctly. By the way, this building has been swept, and there are no listening devices here. Go ahead and ask your questions.”
“Henry, I know we may have traitors in our government; can you tell me who? Also, if I can, I’ll ask one really big question and then some small ones. Who are you really? I knew you were an alien, even suspected it before. You look and seem so human. How did it happen? How many of you are here, and why are you here? I find it hard to believe you’re here on holiday. There is too much going on around the world. And you say lives are at stake? What do you want from me? What do you want from us, the people of Earth?”
“John, I will try to answer you. Although some of what you ask is complicated, not sure we can cover it all today.”
“I’m captain of the Cyclone, a military starship coming a long distance, actually from another galaxy. I am originally from here, many years ago. I look human, and I think I am still mostly human although changed in many ways. Too complicated to explain. One issue for me is I am here for only a few days. My visit here has no official authority, personal reasons only. The United States is in a dangerous situation. I have information I just cannot ignore. It is information you need for your survival, and I know now you do not have a clue.”
John is still really nervous. He frowns. “I don’t understand. What do you need to tell us, and why do you need to reach out to me only, as without question, this is an official contact? Why not contact the president of the United States? Really, all things considered, I’m a nobody.”
Henry is star
ing at John with penetrating scrutiny. “Not to me. Listen closely. As I said, everything we talk about regarding me personally is strictly confidential. No one else, except maybe your government, and only on a limited basis, should know about me. I do not trust everyone in your government. I do trust you. Your country has some corruption issues, and some of your countrymen have been paid off. You would say they are traitors, and you’re right, they are not working for the best interest of the American people. There is a reason you don’t know this; whoever these people are don’t want you to know.”
“John, I have known who you are for a while. I know everything you know and everything your government knows, and I have decided you and I need to be friends. Does this work for you, our collaboration? Can you keep most of who I am between the two of us? I will be totally honest with you, and I expect the same from you.”
John almost faints. He feels lightheaded, and he is shaking all over; he feels a lot of anxiety sweep over him. He is speechless; he can barely think, and he stammers, “Yes, I can work with you. Are you saying my country is in danger?”
“Yes, your country is in mortal danger and not from me. Let me explain. The first issue: yes, I am off world, from another galaxy, a different solar system. Even so, you can trust me. It will be hard because I am from another civilization that is not human, and I am not like you, and you have many doubts. You know I came in on a starship, just visiting for now. Yet I have not harmed you. I am no threat to Earth, and I know of no other threat from any other aliens. I am on your side. I think I am mostly human, and my roots are here. I am originally from here. The second issue is the fact that I care about Earth and its future, and I want what is best for you. Can you understand this? Yet I can speak for the aliens, as I am one of them, permanently linked to them forever.”
John, with a confused expression, exclaims, “I don’t understand you completely, but don’t worry, I am satisfied you mean well toward us. More importantly, the question about our survival is really more critical. How are we in danger? Why did you call me, and why did you want this meeting?”
Henry answers, “John, there are some things that might happen in the future that might be dreadful. It is confusing at this moment, but I will explain it to you. Your government, and maybe the whole planet, has a real problem. It is all your own doing. Not you individually but rather several governments who are to blame, including your government. Many have caused this situation, and it is serious. You have a bit of a mess. First of all I want to relay to you a phone conversation between Senator Sam Jordan and Luca Deforleo, both of whom you know. I picked this up today. I know you did not get this with your wiretapping equipment because of my security drones blocking your wire, protecting my conversations and thus the senator’s, too.”
He continues, “You will find it of great interest. It is authentic. You are welcome to use voice analyzers to verify the content. I will download it to you, into your CIA database. By the way, you are the only recipient of this recording of the conversation. Please use it carefully. Do not trust too many people. Be careful how you use it, as it might become dangerous for you. I think you personally are in danger from a lot of sources. You are picking up more enemies, but that’s too complicated to talk about now. You will figure it out, those that I know are traitors in the CIA are listed on your computer, protected by your password. To help you for now, I have put you under my security shield to keep you alive. This is invisible to you and lethal to your adversaries. For now you are under my protection.”
John is stunned, not sure what to say. Before he can react, he starts to hear the conversation between Luca and the senator as it plays in his head, as if he is hearing it. He is shocked that he can hear it mentally, and then even more by the bad news: “Iranian nuclear bombs are here in the United States. Could this be possible? Iranian troops are in the United States? Two divisions? Lord, that’s really bad!”
After the recording stops, he blurts out to Henry, “This is awful. Is this really true?”
“John, I think you immediately need to do something about the conversation you just heard. You and your government need to resolve it, as it is a dangerous national security threat. I think you need to find out what you can about the bank they mention, First Excalibur, as banks are clever and camouflage themselves well. You need to know who is getting paid off in the US government, as the bank has been making payments to certain individuals, coming from Iran and their allies. You have some traitors who have been paid a lot of money. They are shrewd, influential, and dangerous. That is why you personally must be careful.”
“John, I have more bad news, and I am sorry to tell you. It is much worse. You have another awful problem that is part of this whole mess. The most dangerous threat to your national security may not be the bank or Iran, although Iran is certainly a loose cannon and a menace.”
“You need to immediately—I mean right now, within the hour—scramble some aircraft out of Alaska and do reconnaissance flights over Western Russia, in Siberia, not far from Alaska. Look for large masses of troops, millions of Chinese and Russian troops. Do the same in Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula. Look there for more Chinese troops. I don’t understand how China was able to put so many troops in Russia and Mexico without your government knowing it. They are certainly a threat to your national interests, as I think they are preparing for an invasion of the United States.”
John looks like he is going to vomit, his face pale, responding. “We knew the Russians and the Chinese had signed a pact to become partners in event of a war against one or the other. As allies they started the war games in Russia, where they and the Chinese troops practiced working together. We knew there were troops up there, just never imagined how many and that they could be a real danger. Who would think they would dare attack us? Why would they do this? Why did we not know? The CIA should have known. Were they paid off, and were our military people paid off, hiding this threat to the United States? Do you know?”
Henry answers, “You have my list on your computer. You must be careful who you trust. As I said, you have traitors, and you now must go to your highest operational military defense level immediately, whatever that is. You have people in high places that were blackmailed or paid off; all to help the Chinese cover that they’re massing troops in Russia. Your troops should be readied to go operational in the United States and look to defending your borders. Talk to the Chinese and Russians fast, within a few hours, as you may be at war if you can’t talk some sense into them. My advice is to be persuasive, maybe compromise, yet be firm enough to resolve your issues.”
“The president of the United States has a lot of resources. Let him know about all of this right now, and then he needs to do something immediately. You do not have to contact me; I will know when you know something. If you need to talk to me, I will know and will contact you. By the way, you cannot counter my systems or activities or successfully investigate me, so don’t waste your time trying. I will get back to you. John, be careful, and good luck! I am not interested in any other contact from the United States other than from you.”
John sits there for a few minutes after Henry has left, thinking, Holy hell! I have to call the president or maybe his chief of staff. None of this is good, not with this kind of message, and I will be going over all the chains of command. Yet Henry said to call the president immediately.
John is thinking, Yes, I will pass on his message, directly to the president, this alien starship captain’s message of warning. Henry actually said some really scary stuff, critical to the United States. Millions of troops off of the US border. Damn right, I am calling the president—John thinks—using his classified phone number—the national security phone number—to warn him and the country of an impending attack. John hopes Henry knows what he’s talking about as he dials the passcode into the phone call to the president. He never in his wildest dreams thought he would use this number. Crazily enough, it was given to him in case of an alien attack.
I am out t
he back door and up into the Ship Tender, quickly heading back to the farm. I have just enough time to make it back and dress for dinner.
Anna is back home with Nikki as I am coming in. The Cyclone is above us unseen at two thousand feet, and the ship’s tender is back in the hold. Anna and I both dress in a hurry and we are in the car heading for dinner at a very nice Chinese restaurant in Richmond. I am thinking, I’m not sure how popular Chinese restaurants will be in the future.
The senator misses dinner. I am glad to have dinner with just Anna, Nikki, and their mother. I am not interested in the senator and don’t really know what to say to him. I am sorry for Linda, his wife of many years; she does not deserve the result of his sins, as a lot of grief is coming her way. I am not sorry for the senator. He deserves his fate.
All evening I am delighted by all three of the women. Nikki is fun. Her stories of her and Anna’s childhood adventures are hilarious; the two of them are obviously close, both are fun, and both like to experience the world. They both absolutely love people and life. Nikki will make a great doctor, as she is brilliant, easy to talk to, and cares a lot about people.
Anna’s mother asks me to call her by her first name, Linda. She is charming, too. It’s easy to see how proud she is of her daughters, and she is very supportive of me as she speculates about me as a possible mate for Anna. She asks about my opinions, what I like, and what my family is like, and she and I agree on almost everything. I think we have the same basic values. We really like each other, and I think how blessed her daughters are to have her as their mother.
A wonderful evening! On the way home, Nikki squeezes my hand, eyes moist, saying she is so happy to see Anna and me together. She says Anna has never been happier, and she is good for me, too. We are a perfect fit, she tells me, and it’s obvious to anyone close to Anna. She hopes we stay together. It’s hard not to love Nikki. She even looks like Anna—she has the same eyes that light up when she smiles. She is also petite, although with longer hair and a darker complexion than Anna’s. Her figure is slender like Anna’s, but she has smaller facial features; she’s just a stunning-looking girl. Or, better said, she is a beautiful, charming woman.
