Watchers

by S. T. Boston

  In a flash, Oriyanna shot her hand across the table and grasped his wrist, slopping some of the coffee from her mug. She moved so fast, Sam didn't even have time to react. His thumb froze over the call button. “Samuel, please!” she pleaded, her eyes locked onto his. The sensation of her touch was electric. Instantly, his body went weak as the iPhone fell from his hand and clattered to the table. “I'm sorry I have to do this, but you have no idea what's at stake.” Her voice was hushed and low, as calm as the flattest of oceans. Suddenly he felt it, fear washed over him like the breaking of a wave on a rocky shore. It was her fear though, not his – her fear for him, for Adam and for every living person. It was too much for him to take. Somewhere back in the real world, he felt bile rise in his throat as an icy hand wrapped itself around his heart. As fast as it came, the fear was gone, but he would never forget that feeling. Even the day he'd almost died, rescuing Adam from the village, had nothing on what she had shown him. Oriyanna's grasp was unrelenting. He was seeing through her now, her memories playing back like a movie in his mind's eye. He could see the rising crescent of the Earth, the northern hemisphere gradually slipping into darkness as daylight gave way to night. The beauty of it was undeniable. Sam suspected he could gaze at the scene forever. In a flash, it all changed as the sound of an explosion filled his ears. The Earth was spinning now, becoming bigger. Sounds of alarms and people shouting in panic filled the air. He couldn't place the language, but there was no mistaking their desperate cries. Intense heat seared his flesh as his stomach plunged. Sam felt as if he was falling for an eternity, falling and burning. The Earth was rushing up to meet him, and as he fell, it changed. First he saw entire continents, then mountains and oceans. He levelled out slightly, but the rate of descent was still fast, too fast. Clouds rushed past as the unrelenting heat continued to scorch his skin. Next came the ear-splitting crash of trees as the ground finally claimed him, then nothing but silence. The scene changed as Oriyanna guided him through the memory; he was running now, the scent of the forest filling his nose as pain stabbed every part of his body. Throwing himself left and right he dodged trees and bushes, while the heavy rain slammed into his skin, stinging his eyes. He could hear men shouting, and they were close. Somewhere to his left a dog was barking as it crashed through the undergrowth, gaining ground on him with every step. A bright searchlight sliced through the night, casting hellish shadows as it forced back the darkness. Through the commotion Sam heard the river, the water angry and rabid from the rain. For a brief moment, he felt himself stop at its bank, a moment of indecision brought the crack of gunfire and pain exploded down his leg. For a split second, his own memory overrode hers and he felt the bullet that had almost killed him back in Afghanistan. The force knocked him back and he fell again; this time it was water that greeted him. The thunderous sound of the river was the last thing he heard.

  Back in the RV, Oriyanna released his wrist. It fell from her grasp and hit the table with a thump. Like a train emerging from a tunnel, the real word rushed back. Oriyanna's face greeted him, smiling sympathetically. “I'm sorry, Samuel,” she said softly, “I didn't want to put you through that, Adam also had a bit of a shock when he helped me up earlier, I was weaker then and couldn't control it. Please understand, it was a last resort.”

  “You felt it too then?” said Adam quietly. He'd watched Oriyanna grab Sam. Although Sam's eyes had stayed open and locked on hers for the whole time she'd held him, he'd seemed to be in some kind of trance-like state. “At least you didn't pass out,” he concluded, taking a small sip from his coffee.

  “I had to show Samuel a little more,” Oriyanna clarified. “Don't worry, Adam, I will explain everything very soon.”

  Sam stared blankly at her, his face devoid of expression. “The Sheriff was right,” he began, his voice flat, “you were in a crash tonight, back there in the woods.” Colour began to fill his cheeks as the effect of the transfer eased off.

  “Yes, that's right.” Oriyanna reached over and held Sam's hand for support. He flinched at her touch, but relaxed when no further energy passed from her.

  “What you showed me,” he murmured, “that wasn't a plane crash. I saw the Earth!”

  “No, you're right,” she agreed. “It wasn't a plane crash, nor were we shot down by your military. They had nothing to do with what happened until after the crash. We were attacked before we even entered your atmosphere.”

  Although Adam hadn't been privy to whatever Oriyanna had shown Sam, the impossible pieces were beginning to fit together. Her technologically advanced healing, the unusually high military presence in the area, not to mention the way she'd affected him when he'd helped her up. The unbelievable truth of the situation did nothing to halt the headache that was becoming ever more prevalent. Whilst Sam hadn't passed out after she'd taken hold of him, it was clear he was taking a good few minutes to recover.

  “I don't understand,” began Sam, drawing a few deep breaths as he rubbed his face with his hands, trying to clear his spinning head. “You look human, you sound human, and you even speak English. It's just not possible.”

  “That's because to all intents and purposes, I am human, Samuel. As for speaking your language, it's not really that hard. I can speak almost every modern Earth language, as well as many of the ancient languages which are long since extinct,” she said, eyeing him sincerely.

  “How is it possible for you to look exactly like us?” asked Adam, sliding back onto the bench seat beside her. “I'm no scientist, but the chances of two races evolving to look exactly the same must be millions, if not billions to one.” His own calm and acceptance of the situation surprised him. He was sure that whatever the girl had done to him, was still affecting him somehow.

  “Trillions, actually,” replied Oriyanna, turning to face him, “and I think you will find it's more a case of you looking like us, and not the other way around.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Sam, looking puzzled, “it's more a case of we look like you?”

  “Because, Samuel,” she let out a long breath, “you were created in our image.” Her words fell heavily on both of them. For a few long, drawn-out seconds an awkward silence hung in the air, almost consuming them.

  “Impossible,” Sam finally muttered, breaking the tension. “I mean there would be some record of it somewhere. Surely we'd know?” Despite all that he'd seen and felt through her touch, he couldn't comprehend the magnitude of what they'd been told.

  “It is,” cut in Adam a little distantly.

  “It is what?”

  “Recorded, sort of. It's more theory, really.” Adam watched Sam raise his eyes in a fashion that pressed him to continue. “Not long after you went back to the Middle East on close protection work, I went out to Mexico to research a story for Lonely Planet, looking at deforestation on the Yucatan Peninsula. I met a guy there who was doing a dig on one of the Mayan Cities; he was heavily into this stuff. He claimed records had been found at sites of ancient cities all over the globe, which suggested we were visited regularly. I thought it was nonsense, how he believed that thousands of years ago a race that looked like us intermixed their DNA and genetic buildup with those of a native species. It wasn't until we started developing more advanced technology that we could understand exactly what was written.” The brief explanation had done nothing to ease the puzzled look on Sam's face. Whilst he was definitely the kind of guy to have around in a scrape, on this occasion – and not surprisingly – he was way out of his comfort zone. Oriyanna, on the other hand, was listening intently. “I honestly thought he was crazy to start with, but when I got home I began looking into it. I guess that's the reporter in me,” he smiled weakly. “Anyway, I was shocked to find that a lot of it actually made sense. Plenty of it seemed pretty improbable to tell the truth, but some of the evidence was pretty compelling.” Somewhere in the distance a siren pierced through the night, interrupting him. Oriyanna's eyes shot to the side window as if she expected the Sheriff to suddenly appear.

  “
We need to get moving,” she pleaded. “I promise you, I will explain it all fully.”

  Adam was already in the driver's seat, turning the engine over before she finished speaking; a quick glance at Sam told him his best friend was in no condition to drive right now. He was sitting on the bench seat in a stunned silence. Oriyanna was with him, appearing slightly concerned. Whilst everything he'd seen and heard seemed impossible to him, he was sure of one thing – Oriyanna had told them the truth. The fear he'd experienced when she'd touched him was real. He knew Sam had felt it too. Thinking back to his dream, he remembered how her face had changed to that of the dead girl from the Afghan village. It was clear to him now. Oriyanna posed no threat. The dead girl had represented the fear she'd transferred to him. He had no idea what the fear represented, but nonetheless, it made his hackles rise. When Adam guided the RV over a few potholes and back out onto Route 40, the ride smoothed out as all four wheels mounted the wet tarmac. He allowed himself a brief sigh of relief on seeing the road dark and empty. The rain had all but stopped. A light drizzle still dusted the windscreen, causing the wipers to spring into action every few seconds. Glancing in the rearview mirror he saw Sam making his way to the front to join him. Oriyanna settled herself down in the single seat just behind them.

  “Sorry I flipped out a little back there,” Sam said vacantly. It was clear he still hadn't quite gotten his head around the situation. Truth be told, neither had Adam. How the hell could you deal with what they had just witnessed and heard?

  “Don't be, I'm not sure I believe it myself.” Adam shot him an encouraging smile. “So, what the hell do we do now?”

  Sam turned slightly in his seat so he could face their passenger. “Oriyanna.” It was the first time he'd actually used her name. “The fear I felt when you took my hand, I need to know what it is. Who is it you're afraid of?”

  “They are the ones who tried to destroy our craft,” she said quietly, a hint of sadness in her voice. “I suspect they also had a hand in the hostile reception I received after the crash.”

  “How so?” asked Adam. “You said the military were after you?”

  “I… don't know – yet,” she replied slowly, “I don't know all the details. Things have happened here on Earth in the last few weeks that have caused us to come. We didn't know what we would find when we arrived, and we feared it may already be too late.”

  “I don't understand,” said Sam, running the last few weeks through his head. “Too late for what? Everything is just as it always is, nothing unusual has happened.” He paused as the uncommon events in Kuala Lumpur came back to him. “Well, apart from the President of the United States dying a few weeks back, and those guys who disappeared at that summit you were at.” He gestured to Adam.

  “Their disappearance is the reason I am here,” Oriyanna replied matter-of-factly.

  “I'm sorry,” sighed Sam, his face locked in the confused frown he'd been wearing for a good few minutes. “I have no idea what the hell you're on about. Why would you be here for a dead President and the other three? Who were they? A business man, a politician and some guy who was high up in the church – that just doesn't make sense.”

  “Things are not always as they seem, Samuel. There is still much I need to explain, but once I have, I promise you it will all become clear.” Or at least, she hoped it would; there was no way of telling just how they would react to what she needed to say. How could someone just accept that everything they knew about their own history was wrong?

  “We're back at Empire,” declared Adam, as the camper began to pass the first few antiquated houses. It was fast approaching eleven o'clock, but a few of the buildings still had lights shining in their windows and TV sets flickering. “Where am I heading to anyway? Back the way we came?” Signs for the I70 and Denver began to appear on the side of the road. Passing the small sheriff's station, he saw it was in darkness. He wondered if they would be standing point out on the mountain all night.

  “We need to head south,” said Oriyanna, leaning forward in her seat.

  “South, why south?” Adam could see her anxious expression in the rearview mirror. It was all he could do to keep his eyes on the road and every time he looked away, he longed to look back at her.

  “Because… I need to get to Austin.”

  “Texas? Austin, Texas?” quizzed Sam. “That's miles away, and we're meant to be heading to San Francisco. What the hell is there in Austin?”

  “Not what,” she replied, “but who! I promise you, it will all be clear once I have explained it. Once we are clear of the area and out of danger, I'll tell you all I know.” She paused, the thought of it filling her with dread. “You are going to need an open mind, though. Remember everything you have seen and experienced tonight and it might be easier for you to accept. No modern Earth-Human has ever known the things I need to say, nor should any Earth-Human know them, but things have changed.”

  “It's nine hundred and eighty-six miles to Austin,” Adam cut in, fiddling with the SatNav and suddenly realising he'd just been referred to as an Earth-Human. Route 40 came to an end and he guided the camper onto I70. It felt good to be on the faster moving freeway, there was still plenty of traffic about, helping them to blend in a little. Despite that, he still felt vulnerable in the RV. It was big, bulky and even with the steady flow of cars he felt as if they stuck out like a sore thumb.

  “The ones who shot you down, who are they?” asked Sam.

  “Long ago we were one and the same people. Thousands of years ago, a war tore us apart. Like me, they will appear no different to you, which is what makes them so dangerous. You could pass them in the street and you wouldn't know.” Oriyanna's voice was low and foreboding.

  “What was the war about?” Sam desperately needed to piece it all together. He'd spent many years of his life protecting and guarding people. It was seeming like Oriyanna was about to become his next customer, only the stakes this time seemed much higher. He was used to babysitting rich businessmen, politicians and the occasional developer; this was on a whole other level.

  She fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. “The Earth!” she replied. Oriyanna looked him right in the eye. “What they desire has never changed. I don't know how or when it will happen, but I have no doubt they plan to kill everyone and they won't stop until they have wiped you off the face of this planet!”

  Sam tasted blood in his mouth and realised he was chewing the loose skin on his lip again. “We— we will take you— take you to Austin,” he said, his voice shaky as her words sank in, “I don't think we should keep hold of the RV, though. The Sheriff took our details back there, so we'll be very easy to find. All the major interstates have traffic cameras on them, which can automatically read your number plate – hell, we've probably driven through a few already.”

  Adam felt a chill run down his spine. “Oh God, I never even thought of that,” he whispered, as if talking too loudly might give them away. Sam was right, once they found no trace of Oriyanna, he had no doubt they and the RV would be in the spotlight once again, after all, they hadn't seen another vehicle back up on Trail Ridge.

  Sam began programming the SatNav. “I'm going to route us to Austin, steering clear of as many of the main interstates as possible,” he said. “Tomorrow, we'll look to ditch the RV. Hopefully, one of the towns we'll pass through has an office where we can drop it back. Once we've done that, we'll hire a car, but not from the same firm.” His mind was racing through ways to help them drop off the radar. He didn't know at this point in time if they were even on the radar, but he didn't plan on being complacent. In a flash, the SatNav pinged happily, letting them know it had figured out a new route. It was actually about twenty miles shorter, but what they gained in distance they lost in time. It would take another four hours going via the smaller roads and even then, they had to touch on a few interstates. “Once we've got new wheels tomorrow, we should be okay to get back on the main roads,” he said, thinking swiftly. “Let's just get through tonight firs
t and see how it goes.” Oriyanna placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. He flinched once again, waiting for her to zap him, or whatever the hell it was she could do.

  “Thank you both,” she said sincerely. “I have no idea how hard it must be to have this dropped on you. I'd have understood if you just kicked me out and left me on the side of the road.”

  Sam forced a smile. “For the record, I still think you're a nut job, but I always like to err on the side of caution, and you might be telling the truth.” He backed the smile up with a wink. “What I need from you is the whole story. I need to know everything, so I have an idea of what we're facing, including what the hell that thing is we found with you.”

  Oriyanna nodded her head. “Of course. It's the least I owe you.” She turned the object over in her hand and Sam was transfixed, watching it glow at her touch. “I really don't know where to start, though,” she said. “There's so much to tell, and some of it, I fear you will find impossible to understand.”

  Adam glanced in the rearview mirror, catching her eyes and making his own heart flutter. “Well, it's one hell of a drive down to Austin,” he said, reluctantly looking away and back at the road. “We have plenty of time, so maybe you should just start – at the beginning.”

  Chapter 8

  Finch was drained and badly needed to sleep. The two hours he'd managed to get on the flight to Paris had done nothing but amplify the fatigue he was experiencing. He'd tried to close his eyes and grab an extra hour on the flight to Denver; however, as the minutes and hours ticked by, his anxiety grew, making any kind of rest an impossibility, no matter how much his body and mind craved it.

  The 'Fasten Seatbelt' sign clicked off as the jet came to a stop next to the terminal building. The Denver night sky looked dark and brooding. A variety of randomly-sized puddles littered the tarmac. The city had obviously been party to a heavy rainstorm at some point during the evening. Stepping into the disembarkation tunnel, Finch immediately switched his phone on. By the time the Blackberry found a signal and he had enough network coverage to make and receive a call, he had reached immigration. His new documents didn't arouse the slightest bit of suspicion in the border guards. As the stern-faced official handed him his passport, the phone beeped twice. Finch stuffed the passport back into his jacket and accessed the handset. It was a message from Buer. 'Roddick will meet you at Denver,' it read. In true Buer style, it was brief and to the point. Finch hadn't expected for one minute that it would reveal any more details about his urgent and immediate return to the States. Clearing the baggage reclaim, he headed straight for customs, not even bothering to wait for his small overnight bag. The time was swiftly approaching eleven pm. The airport still had a steady flow of people hurrying around, but in comparison to JKF, it was quiet. Within five minutes, Finch was through customs and on his way to the arrivals hall. It seemed as if he'd been living a day of constant darkness, the two quick trips both east and west bound between America and Europe meant he'd continuously been following the night. Even now, it would still be a good six hours before dawn. Whatever was happening was big, and he doubted there would be much chance to catch up on sleep for some time.