by Tom Holloway
Anna and I board the Saber, and in minutes we move up and out of Los Angeles and enter the Cyclone, allowing the Saber to refuel and rearm its weapons. We leave the Saber to move forward to the captain’s bridge as the Cyclone goes to an orbiting altitude and prepares for the war with Iran. As we pass over Iran, 915,000 military drones and 22 million recognizant slips, plus 304,000 trash-eater drones are dropped silently into Iran, all armed and activated, mostly invisible to the human eye. They will be maneuvering into position, waiting for the trigger to be pulled.
Anna and I, both exhausted from no sleep last night, fall asleep in the captain’s bridge chairs as the silent drop takes place.
At noon the Cyclone maneuvers into position above the United States, directly above the Kansas-Nebraska border. All hands on deck are preparing. Anna and I are still in the captain’s bridge. All on board are on high alert, ready for anything. The Cyclone’s sensors are searching the continent, listening for possible nuclear activation. At 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the president makes his call to Iran. The Cyclone notifies me and gives me the details of the call.
Anna is looking at me, now awake, very worried, fear in her eyes. We are in the captain’s bridge, in the chairs. She leans toward me asking, “Are we going to wait until Iran attacks, or is there something we can do before they attack?”
I look at her and surprise her by smiling, responding, “Anna, it will be fine. It will all work out. I know more than you know, as we have our own little spies. Remember the drone slips? They are everywhere, and we have had access to Iran’s database for a long time, even everything that is classified. I know all they know. The problem is what they don’t know; their bureaucracy is not always accurate. It is the idiot issue. Otherwise we are ready, and they know nothing about me, thus it will be a total ambush. The Cyclone and I have been keeping the peace in the universe for a long time. I am reasonably sure where the nuclear weapons should be and just need the activation confirmation to target them. The Cyclone will vaporize all of them. Unfortunately we will kill some innocent people because of the massive heat, as it will light up the buildings around the bombs. This is never acceptable, yet we have no choice, as millions more will be saved from death. Of course, a quick prayer might not hurt.”
Anna reaches out her hand, and I do the same; we touch. We look at each other; neither of us needs to say anything.
At 1:29 p.m., true to their word, we know Iran has activated the bombs, and the Cyclone knows their locations immediately, strikes, the blast shots cause the huge starship to lunge upward, throwing us both up out of the chairs. We grab the seats, pulling in and strapping down. The simultaneous blasts caused the movement, and we both know all were successful, as Anna also hears the report from the Cyclone telepathically. We have discovered there are more than six bombs; there are nine, and all nine are vaporized in LA; Dallas; Kansas City; Chicago; Indianapolis; Atlanta; Washington, DC; New York; and Miami. There are fires in each city at the point of impact but no harmful nuclear remnants or radiation. Our strikes were perfect. We immediately head out, going into orbit, which will take us over Iran.
The Saber is already gone, having left an hour ago, and has been hovering over Iran. Where Iran’s six ICBMs armed with nuclear warheads also blast off at 1:29 p.m. Eastern Standard Time toward Israel, Iran not waiting for seven o’clock. To Iran’s disbelief, all six are vaporized, with no trace they ever existed.
The Saber continues its attack, hitting the ICBM launching pads, radar installations, missile sites, military planes, tanks, troop bases, plus uranium reactor sites, and warships. Using the fusion power shotgun weapons, the Saber travels at about twelve thousand miles an hour, sweeping the ground with constant hits, going from one end of the country back and forth, firing rapidly at targets, like a Gatling gun, enabling it to vaporize targets so quickly that Iran does not have a chance to react or even know what is hitting them.
It is around ten o’clock at night in Iran, no moon, and a dark night. Many of the terrified population run into the streets upon hearing the thunder of the explosions, not sure of what is happening. They are not looking for an enemy, seeing only fires exploding in the dark skies on the horizon, lighting up everything. Why would they be attacked? The Saber is running at velocities causing massive booms, sounding like detonations from nuclear bombs and shaking buildings like an earthquake. The targets are all military. The speed creates friction on the hull, burning air, and then an exhaust tail of thirty thousand degrees. It makes the Saber look like a huge comet, striking and blasting over Earth, fire everywhere. As the Saber dips down, finding targets, vaporizing them, the propulsion thrust tail burns behind it, causing the surface features to catch fire. Because of the massive heat temperatures, there is a firestorm, burning red-hot. Fortunately most of this happens over rural land areas, populations are less; the cities are spared the worst. The starship is moving too fast for any missile reply.
Smoke and fire are covering the country. Iran seems like a vision from hell’s inferno. All the military assets are gone, either on fire or vaporized. With everyone so distracted, it makes it easy for the slips and the military drones to make their attacks, invisible and deadly, as they start their search for their designated human targets. They are extremely efficient; no one can see them as they spread through the population, stalking and efficiently striking their designated enemies. These victims never have a clue, and those untouched do not understand why they are saved. Many die quick deaths, their remains quickly consumed by the trash eater drones. The Cyclone hovers overhead about five miles up providing energy for the drones.
All the targets are easily identified by the slips and quickly finished off by the bigger military drones. The mission instructions were simple; the targets are those responsible for the military attack on the United States and Israel. They are many of the Iranian senior military people, some of the senior political decision makers, the Iranian president, and many in the Iranian parliament, some in the military operations staff, and some of the major elected leaders. Those who are guilty of this crime, all disappear, no trace of them to be found, forever gone. The religious leaders involved in the nuclear plan also cease to exist. All the families are left with no explanation. Their loved ones are just gone, disappeared, no trace, as if they never existed. No one knows why exactly, and in the next few days, there is no official announcement, nothing in the news. The media is mostly quiet, afraid, terrified, not sure what to say or print. Those people still alive, as they were not involved in the planned US and Israel military strikes, are just grateful to be alive.
Tomorrow the people left in government go on about their business, attempting to pull the remaining citizens together, start the repairs, rebuild the country. New people will be hired to replace the missing—a lot of new people, all younger, and there will be a much quieter smaller government, with a “no violence” policy. The next day they apologize to Israel and the United States, asking the world to accept a new day in Iran, where they wish for friendship, causing no harm to anyone. Iran announces they are a real democracy now, and elections will be scheduled soon. Amazingly enough, there is hope and optimism in the land, despite all the difficulties. Politics and disaster make strange bedfellows.
Life in Iran then goes on as if nothing has happened. Those gone may be missed, and there is great sorrow; but no one talks about them; they are officially forgotten men and women. Maybe those left are all fearful yet know it is better to forget and go forward. No one wants to think about what happened. They wonder if Allah came for them; they are in a better place now.
The Cyclone picks up all the military drones and reconnaissance slips as it orbits, passing over Iran. Then back to LA. The Saber is reloaded into the Cyclone. The Ship Tender takes us down to Anna’s house in LA and parks in the backyard.
Chapter 34
Day Ten
We are home again in LA; last night we were both in bed within twenty minutes, exhausted and asleep immediately. Then I am up around six in the mor
ning, swimming laps in Anna’s house pool, loving it. While I’m swimming, Anna is sleeping, then later, with a phone call waking her up, she ends up talking to her mother and sister, all three on a conference call conversation, as there is much to talk about. They have several reasons for concern. Anna’s mother is saying her stepfather is missing, and the world is a mess. Sam Jordan has disappeared; no one has heard from him for two days. His Secret Service team is at a loss. Anna tells them I am leaving the following day as part of my work, called away.
The TV morning news carries the president’s press conference live. He tells the story of Iran’s attack on the United States and their fate. All people on the entire planet feel frightened about the possibilities of what could have happened. The populations of the world and especially of the United States want to know about the alien saviors. Who are they? How long have they been here? Do the other governments of the world know about them? Where are they from? Do we need to be afraid? Why were they kept a secret?
The president explains and answers questions as much as possible. He says the whole situation with Iran’s planned attack was a close call, saved by a bizarre situation. Crazily enough, a visiting alien starship that was here temporarily helped us. In communication with them we asked for their help, and they did supply a critical military operation, vaporizing Iran’s nuclear bombs, preventing the death of millions. They are leaving soon. No one knows if they are coming back, why they are here, where they are from, or why they helped us. The president says we are grateful for their help. No one knows anything more. There is much discussion on the TV networks and much speculation about the last ten days of UFO activity. The networks replay previous John Jacobs’s interviews.
Anna invites her mother and sister to come visit. Her mother is frantic. Her husband is her whole world, and there have been no phone calls from him, nothing for two days. She called the Secret Service, and Sam had told them he was on vacation. Anna wants some company, as do her mother and sister. They are coming tomorrow. Both will catch morning flights and will be here before lunch. Anna says she will pick them up. They know I will be gone.
The news agencies know nothing about the senator’s disappearance, as this has been kept confidential. The Secret Service is afraid he may have been kidnapped, or hopefully he just took some time off without telling his family. He was last seen at his Senate office in Washington, DC, two days earlier.
Nikki and her mother say they will miss me. Anna says I have business to take care of, have to leave the following morning. I am sorry I will miss them and really sorry about the senator. I know more than they know. Sam Jordan is dead, kidnapped by his buddy Luca, tortured, then his son, Anthony, killed him. His body was disposed of at sea, a long way from Washington, DC. I could not save Anna’s stepfather, yet I can certainly take care of his killers. Tomorrow morning will be interesting for the Deforleo family, especially for Luca and his son, Anthony.
After the call, Anna is looking for me, saying, “Henry, where are you? What are you doing?”
Seeing me in the pool, she laughs and yells at me, “I am not wasting our last day together. We have things to do! Get out of that pool.”
“Yes, Anna, I am ready and have been for some time, waiting for you.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
“You needed your sleep. It was most pleasant just watching you. What do you want to do on my last day on Earth? I have until the end of the day, maybe a little more.”
“We’ll have a normal day. Pretend you’re not leaving, and don’t mention it. We will also pretend to be married and thus have a boring, normal day. We save no worlds or countries today. And no one who wants anything from us gets to talk to us. Maybe we will read the paper or maybe a good book. We could go to the library or the zoo and take the bikes. I want the whole day. I will make you breakfast, whatever you want, and then we will take a bike ride. Is there anything you want to do today?”
I reply, “Maybe this evening, only if you are in agreement. I thought we could take John Jacobs and his wife to dinner tonight wherever they want. It would be a thank you. I like them, and they seem like a nice couple. I need to talk to John, too. Dinner would be good, my last decent meal. What do you think?”
Anna responds quickly, “It sounds perfect. Except we need to be home by nine o’clock, as I want the last three hours to be just you and me. I’ll call the Jacobs’s; actually I will call Judy. Please have the Cyclone provide me with her cell number. She can choose the restaurant, maybe make reservations for us, and we’ll provide transportation. We could have dinner anywhere, right? Maybe London? Or New York? Where do you want to go?”
“Anna, I’m thinking New York. I have a surprise for you there, something I need to show you. I think you will like it. Something you might use in the future. We can be there in ten minutes.”
She reacts, “Sounds interesting and mysterious. Let’s do it. I’m taking a shower. Actually, you should call John Jacobs and find out where he is. He may be here in LA, as he was heading up our surveillance detail. Then we can give him a ride home, pick up his wife, too. He would like a call from you when it comes to us having a social outing. You know having dinner with an alien has ramifications for him.” Anna smiles. “He does not know you like I know you!”
“I will call him,” I reply.
In the shower, ignoring the hot water spray, Anna finally acknowledges in her mind that this is the last day with me. She can feel it from me; I will be gone, and I am not coming back. She is thinking about why all this has happened. In just ten days, her life has been upended; so much has happened, it’s hard to comprehend. She feels the tears coming.
She prays, crying out, “Why, dear Lord, did this happen? It must have happened for a reason. This was not planned by either Henry or myself. Please Lord, help me.” She breaks down more, her hands over her face, sobbing, and thinks, Can this be fate, just the ten days together, a brief romance? Is this my destiny with Henry? I never planned for this or even thought it possible. Then it’s only a short fling? Is this Henry’s destiny: a lonely life for him, no family, just desolation, dying alone somewhere? Those who know the future know our fate, and please God, may they be kind to us.
She weeps as she showers, overwhelming sadness overcoming her.
Anna is drying off, recovering, feeling her courage again, and thinking: Our salvation and our strength is our love for each other. We will need to fight for each other! Henry must fight for me; he must battle for our unborn children. I need to sacrifice, no selfishness, need to compromise, keep us together no matter what, stay strong and keep Henry strong. We will be life partners. Henry knows his happiness is in that direction. He must not fail us. Someone else can serve the Consortium. It will be our destiny. We will make it so!
She finishes drying off then brushes her hair, refreshed and ready to take on the day. She puts on some respectable shorts yet tight to her bottom and made of soft white cotton. She puts on a light-blue T-shirt covered by a navy silk blouse, wearing a sports bra, then reviewing the results in the mirror. She thinks: I need to look decent yet I think Henry will be pleased. Time to find him.
She strolls through her home, sees him out on the deck on the phone, waves at him.
I see Anna, waving back at her, signals her, showing the cell phone to her, and waiting. I project: “Not long.”
After making several calls, I finally reach John Jacobs on his cell phone, now waiting for him, as John is saying he is boarding a flight going back home, currently finding his seat, wants me to hold for a bit. Finally, he is listening, and I invite him to dinner tonight, Judy, too. He is nervous about the call and is even more than surprised by the dinner invitation. He does not respond quickly, and I laugh, saying, “John, it’s not a big deal, just a social dinner, time to relax. It’s my last night here. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, and I’m taking Anna out for dinner. We both want you to join us.”
After a pause, trying to be persuasive, I entreat, “John, you and Judy are t
he only couple I know on this planet. And I also have a proposal for you, something you’ll be interested in. I can explain it to you before dinner. It’s my treat. Let’s go to New York. You and Judy will have a ride in a military light starship that I call the Saber. It’s very fast! We’ll pick you up; let’s say around five o’clock. I’ll have you home at eight thirty. Please check with Judy. The dress is casual.”
John stutters, “I—I’ll need a babysitter for the kids.”
I smile. “Please bring them. I love children. It would be a pleasure for me.”
John is shocked, not sure how to answer. “Does the president know we’re going to dinner? Meeting with you, even on a social basis, could have political ramifications.”
“Yes, the president knows, if it makes you feel better. We had a long conversation, and he agreed with all my requests, including dinner tonight. I guarantee he will not interfere, nor will you face any ramifications in the future. Just check with Judy. If she is interested, then there are no issues. Let’s make it easy. We’ll eat at my place in New York City, no public restaurant. There’s staff there to help us, a superb cook, too. I’ll pick you up at five o’clock in the park down the street from your house. With your permission, if we have time, we will take the kids for a short spin, too, up into outer space, just for a few minutes. There is a pool where we’re going if they want to swim, although I know it is a school night.”
John laughs. “I know Judy would love this, all of it. It’s not your normal evening, and she loves Anna Summers. The chance to meet Anna will be a thrill for her and the kids. I will speak to her, and five o’clock is fine. The swimming possibility for the kids probably won’t work because of their bedtimes, but thanks for asking. By the way, we know you have a place in New York, just so you know.”
“I know you know, and thanks for your honesty. My law firm was the leak; one of the new associates felt compelled to give in to FBI pressure. I have a meeting planned with the law firm to talk about it. Fortunately I know everything the FBI knows. Luckily for the FBI, I am on their side, and they are on mine now.”
