by Ballan, Greg
Amidst a gaping crew, a technician screamed out. “Sir! The armada is moving at a velocity of seventy kilometers per second and accelerating.”
“Inform NORAD and transfer all information to their space command; set up a link with Cheyenne Mountain and inform them to be ready to launch all shuttle interceptors on my mark,” Ross said.
The brass from NORAD would take over the show now – according to protocol. He could sit back and play his part. Hubble 3 was more than just a deep space observatory. The platform carried four hypervelocity atomic torpedoes. As soon as the alien battle group came within range, the Hubble 3 telescope would launch its offensive and end the alien threat once and for all.
“Inform me when NORAD preps Hubble 3 for its assault. I’ll be in the mess getting some breakfast.”
* * * *
In the middle of the night, Alissa Penney woke up screaming and profusely sweating; the visions in her head overwhelmed her. She saw ships – huge alien ships – approaching Earth and then had another vision: That of her friend locked in combat with the alien craft in the desert. She rushed to the sink and rinsed her face with cold water. Her hands still shook. Whatever was going to happen, it was going to happen soon. She stepped into a hot shower, hoping that the steady flow of water would wash away the chill running through her. She vowed to tell Erik about her visions, first thing in the morning.
* * * *
Erik Knight sat in his booth and read the morning paper that shielded his partial transformation from nearby patrons. Burning blue eyes scanning the restaurant would most definitely disturb the patrons. He was sampling the thoughts around him – something he couldn’t accomplish in his fully human guise. He didn’t make a habit of prying into the thoughts of patrons but the negative mental energy aimed directly at him was overwhelming.
At a nearby table, three men from Hendrix’s group waited for Nancy Bertoni to show, while Hendrix observed from a corner table. Another trio of men, Denton’s men, were also in the room, on hand to intervene on the secretary’s behalf. Erik willed his eyes to return to their normal human appearance, lowered his paper and motioned one of the newer waitresses over.
“Good morning, Mr. Knight. What can I bring you?”
“I’ll have the usual, and give the three men at table seven, ‘Madame’s Hungry Man Breakfast.’ On my bill please.”
The waitress didn’t walk away and seemed nervous.
“What’s the matter?” he glanced at her nametag. “Teresa.”
She hesitated. “What exactly is your usual, Mr. Knight?”
“Coffee, cranberry juice on the rocks and a blueberry muffin.”
Teresa nodded. “I’ll get this right out to you and see to it that table seven gets their orders quickly.”
“Thank you.”
Erik’s gut told him that Nancy Bertoni would be arriving this morning. Whatever she had to tell him, he felt it was the missing piece of his puzzle. His senses also told him that despite having some answers, his trouble was just beginning. He swore he would dig deep enough only to find his wife. Anything else would no longer be his concern. Once Shanda was home, his focus would shift to her and their child and the rest of the world could fall apart – he wouldn’t care. Lately, he’d seen enough action for an entire lifetime.
Alissa strolled into the dining area; upon seeing him she sat down in his booth across from him, folding her hands on the table and sighing heavily.
“I had that same vision again, Erik, only this time spaceships were traveling toward Earth, and again the same flashes of those images,” she whispered gravely. “It was the most intense vision I’ve ever had, Erik. Whatever is going to happen is right around the corner. I don’t mind telling you that I’m truly scared.”
Erik’s food order arrived. He took a tentative sip of coffee. His scalp began tingling as a powerful aura of anxiety permeated the restaurant.
After panning the dining room, he leaned into Alissa and spoke, “Listen to me very carefully.” She nodded and he continued. “Tell the other waitresses to get in the back room. I have a feeling things are about to get very ugly.” He opened his jacket, exposing his handguns and sentient staff.
Alissa turned pale but stood up and sought each waitress and whispered Erik’s instruction.
A woman in dark sunglasses entered the main dining hall. She was trying to look inconspicuous but failed miserably. She took a table twenty feet away from him. Erik sensed her anxiety, but to her credit she simply stared at the menu.
Erik marshaled his willpower, only allowing the Esper DNA to dominate his genetic coding. He was once again walking that fine tight rope between human and Esper. He focused his increased telepathic capabilities toward the nervous arrival.
If you’re looking for Erik Knight tap the table top with your fingertips. He projected the directions into her mind.
She stiffened as the telepathic message touched her.
Don’t look up.
She then tapped the tabletop with her exposed hand.
Are you Nancy Bertoni?
She tapped again.
Erik caught movement and glanced over. Hendrix and his thugs had risen and were moving toward her.
Nancy stood up, and looked around the place. – fear and panic etched on her face. He leapt up and covered the twenty feet in less than two heartbeats, drawing his pistols as he did.
He’d locked on Hendrix and his men before they realized what was happening. Customers gasped as a confrontation seemed inevitable.
“That’s far enough, gentlemen.” Erik’s tone brooked no argument.
One of the feds reached for his sidearm.
“Don’t be stupid!” With inhuman speed, Erik shifted his aim toward the man’s head. “I’ll put one right through your skull if you don’t drop that hand.”
The man remained still.
“Do you want to get shot in the head for something that is no concern of yours? Is it worth dying for?”
The man’s hand steadily slipped down to his side. Then Denton’s associates were on Hendrix’s men, busily confiscating their firearms. Erik relaxed and holstered his weapons.
Hendrix spoke up in their defense. “She has stolen government property, Knight. You have no business looking at those highly confidential papers. If you do, you’ve become as guilty as her.” Hendrix bluffed in a vain attempt to dissuade him.
“I’m willing to take that chance, Hendrix. Besides, I’ve a feeling these documents concern me far more than they do you, or the puppets pulling your strings. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Erik motioned for Nancy Bertoni to walk toward his office.
Hendrix threw himself on the nearest of Denton’s men, ripping the weapon from his grasp and aiming it at Nancy. “Traitor!” Hendrix cocked the weapon.
Erik threw his body in front of the stunned woman as three pops were heard. He grunted as the bullets impacted, mushrooming against his enhanced skeleton. Erik pushed Nancy to the floor and freed one of his own pistols. Hendrix hesitated – still aiming his weapon. Erik fired his Wilson twice and Agent Hendrix slumped to the ground.
Erik stumbled, saying to the body, “You stupid fool. Was it worth dying for?” Bleeding and in pain, Erik picked up the rounds that his body expelled, then approached the stunned and gaping woman.
“My God, are you okay? He would have killed me if you hadn’t gotten in his way,” she said in a shaky voice.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“I’m sorry for pushing you to the ground. I wasn’t sure if he’d shoot again. I figured it was better to be safe.”
Erik addressed two of Denton’s men. “Clean that up, please. This is somebody’s place of business, gentlemen, I don’t want him here any longer than necessary. We’ve already raised enough of a ruckus here.” He gave them a ‘thank you’ nod, then he grabbed Nancy’s arm and escorted her into his office.
* * * *
Nancy was unnerved by how nonchalantly Erik Knight reacted to the three bulle
t wounds he’d just received. The detective gave no indications of any severe trauma but the stains on his shirt said otherwise.
Any further thoughts were cut short.
“I’ve been told you have some information you wish to share with me,” Erik said with urgency.
“A few questions first.”
Erik nodded.
“Earlier, when you spoke to me, I was the only one who heard your voice, correct?”
He nodded.
“You’re a telepath.”
“Among other things.”
“You’re a combination of a species called Esper and human, capable of enormous feats of physical strength and you can augment bioelectric and static energy fields.”
Erik raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You’ve done your homework.”
“No,” she said sadly, “My boss did. He was killed while investigating certain facts concerning you.”
“I’m sincerely sorry for your loss.” Erik sat on the couch next to her.
“Mrs. Bertoni, I assume you’ve come a long way to get to Hopedale. You’ve also committed espionage in the process. Would you share with me what was so important that you risked your life to protect it?” he asked her.
“It’s all here, Agent Knight.” She reached into her oversized purse and pulled out a package. “The documents in these folders and on the two discs will tell you everything about Operation Homegrown, the Pendelcorp involvement, Colonel Ross and the corruption in the Senate Oversight and Appropriations Committees in Washington.”
Erik’s jaw dropped. “Pendelcorp?”
“Pendelcorp is laundering black ops funds for the study of your child once it’s born. From what I could gather from Michael’s files, they want to make an army of people like you if they can.”
Erik buried his head in his hands. “Richard … you son of a bitch, I should have guessed that you’d have your muddy fingerprints on this somehow.”
Nancy assumed, from Knight’s remark, that there was far more to Knight’s relationship with Pendelcorp than even the files suggested. She looked on patiently as the detective leafed through several pages. His eyes became watery and tears flowed down his cheeks. He looked at her and smiled sadly.
“This is the final piece of the puzzle I was looking for. I don’t know how I can ever thank you, Mrs. Bertoni. You risked your life for a total stranger.”
Nancy shook her head vehemently. “Don’t praise me. I’m not worthy of it.”
Erik looked confused and she began relating the long painful story of how she had been paid to keep tabs on her boss, to report his activities. Meanwhile the detective leafed through the entire stack of papers. He winced as she described the details of Michael Sparks’ tragic death and the attempt made on her life, an attempt that almost killed her two children.
“Mrs. Bertoni, Nancy, you can’t blame yourself for that. You were a pawn, that’s all, just a small piece on a bigger chessboard. That’s all any of us are in the spy biz. We’re just pawns maneuvered about the global chess board at the whim of governments playing the game.”
Nancy found some slight comfort in his assessment.
“I like your analogy, but if I hadn’t put my own financial needs in front of my loyalty, Michael would be here today.”
“I don’t know, Nancy.” Erik took her hand. “From what you’ve told me about Michael, he was persistent, digging until he found what he was looking for. His curiosity killed him – not you. Do you think they would have given up keeping tabs on him if you refused to cooperate?” He shook his head. “They would have found somebody else to take over or possibly had him eliminated earlier on. The circumstances surrounding his death are tragic, but were inevitable based on what he was doing. Michael Sparks was dead the moment he decided to wade into this pool of shit.”
* * * *
Alissa’s particular knock interrupted their exchange.
“Yes, Alissa?”
“I’m sorry to bother you, Erik, but the police and Mr. Denton are here. They would like to see you.”
Erik looked at Nancy. “Are you ready to deal with the last act of this play?”
Nancy sighed deeply then nodded.
“Alissa, send Martin in and one police officer, preferably Detective Chan if he’s out there.”
Another knock followed.
“Enter,” Erik answered curtly.
Denton walked in, followed by the suit that normally accompanied him. Behind him entered Detective Chan and one uniformed officer.
“Sorry about the extra baggage,” Chan said as he closed the door behind him.
Erik gestured toward the empty chairs and asked Denton, “Counselor, have they cleaned up the mess out there yet?”
“Yes, the ambulance was pulling away as I arrived. Jeff is handling the disturbance rather well.” He turned to Mrs. Bertoni, and extended his hand. “A pleasure to meet you.”
“Erik, care to elaborate on what happened here this morning?” Chan asked.
Erik framed his response carefully. “Mrs. Bertoni put herself at great personal risk to expose a scandal within the government. Mr. Hendrix was involved up to his eyeballs, which is why he was willing to kill. The documents she provided me are more than enough to blow the lid off some very ugly events inside the beltway.”
Chan scratched his head. “All this spying and treason talk…. Do we have a valid charge there?” he asked thinking aloud.
“No!” Denton boomed. “The government will not be filing any charges against Mrs. Bertoni.”
Chan zoomed in on Denton. “Might I ask who you are, sir?”
“I’m Senior Bureau Chief Martin Denton of Central Intelligence.” Denton flashed his credentials.
Chan glanced at the badge and shrugged his shoulders.
“Detective Chan,” Erik began smoothly. “Why don’t I stop by the station later and drop off a detailed report for your records? The last thing we want to do is to step on your toes.”
Chan nodded. He reached for the doorknob and said, “That would be perfect, Detective Knight, or is it Agent Knight?”
Erik smiled. “Erik, among my friends.”
“Erik.” Chan nodded and stood to leave.
Erik knew the importance of maintaining a cordial relationship with the local authorities. He appreciated Martin bullying his way through the local red tape, but that wouldn’t make it any easier on him going forward.
* * * *
Denton didn’t continue until Chan and his sidekick had left. “I gather you’ve had time to review the documents?”
“Briefly.”
“I hope you found them interesting reading. Last evening, I had a fifteen-minute conversation with a certain Robert Hildebrandt. After some convincing and bullying, he became very cooperative. Let’s compare our notes and see if we can corroborate what Mr. Hildebrandt alleges with the documents Mrs. Bertoni appropriated.”
“Agreed.” Erik added, turning a glance toward Nancy. “But first, what about Mrs. Bertoni’s safety? Just because Hendrix is on ice doesn’t mean the threat to her life goes away. Hendrix is nothing more than a gopher or messenger boy. These files incriminate several legislative bodies.”
“That assessment fits in with what I was told last night; but let us take a moment to get Mrs. Bertoni to safety and then we can discuss these matters in greater detail.” Denton reached the door and motioned his three henchmen into the office. He issued several requests and orders before turning back to Erik and Nancy.
“Mrs. Bertoni, these men will take you to a safe house since I’m afraid you’re not completely out of the woods yet.”
Erik could feel the distrust emanating from Nancy. He knelt by her side. “Martin’s a good man. You can trust him.” Nancy answered him with a shiver of fear.
He gently placed his fingertip on her temple. She visibly relaxed.
“What did you do?” she asked him.
“I just took away your fear. I owe you that much.” He smiled. “Nancy, trust me; these are good men an
d you’ll be safe with them. Mr. Denton is correct in his assessment; you’re still in grave danger. We must shed some light on what’s going on and expose this conspiracy before you’ll be safe again.”
“What about my children?”
“Give us their location and we’ll see to it that they’re brought to you,” Denton assured her. “You have my word that your children will be with you shortly.”
“We’ll take the necessary steps to ensure that those who did endanger your life and that of your family will be punished and then you and your children can live without fear,” Erik added.
Nancy smiled as she stood up and embraced the detective. “Thank you,” she whispered gratefully.
* * * *
Martin Denton closed the door and then flopped heavily on the couch.
“This is going to send shockwaves throughout the country if it gets to any press. Those implicated will do everything in their power to bury the accusations and cover up the conspiracy. What a pile of cow poop. I don’t even know where to start with this.”
“You’ll forgive me if I defer those details to you. I have my own agenda,” Erik replied coldly.
To Denton it was clear what the agent meant and there was nothing he could say to dissuade him. “Where will you start?”
“I know why Shanda was kidnapped and who kidnapped her, also how and where the abduction took place. What I’m missing is where they took her. I intend to beat that answer out of Richard Pendelton as soon as we wrap things up here.” He cracked the knuckles in his right hand.
“And then?”
“Then I take my pregnant wife from whatever hellhole they’ve kept her in for these weeks and let Colonel Ross know just how pissed off I am. He’s been curious about the extent of my abilities since the Hopedale Mountain escapade. I intend to give him a firsthand demonstration – up close and personal.”
Denton shook his head emphatically. “You’re going about this all wrong, Erik. If you attack Pendelton and beat information out of him you’ll only be helping him in the long run. Listen to me as you would an attorney. Anything he says to you at that point will be considered testimony under duress and not admissible in court. Let’s take this one step at a time.”
