Darkest Hour: Liberation War Book 1

by John Walker

  Victoria turned to one of the monitors. It was tuned into the news network, showing some amateur film footage of the incident involving the alien attack. Beams burst from the small vessels, spreading over the cars and people. Interference made it hard to see but when the lights faded, people were definitely gone.

  Dead or taken? God, that’s the question.

  Madeline interrupted her thoughts. “The main gate has not seen Captain Miller. They state all traffic in and out of the base has been limited and no one has been admitted for over an hour. Also, I received no answer on the satellite phone. It’s still ringing right now.”

  Damn it. Victoria stood up. “Nicolas, give me your assessment. What do you think’s going on and what would you suggest?”

  “Something had to happen.” Nicolas turned in his seat. “It might sound like a fool’s errand but I think we need to conduct a search. Get a chopper up to find his car. If that satellite phone is on, we can trace it. Maybe he’s hurt”

  “I agree.” Victoria stepped over to Madeline, leaning on the console. “Put base command on the line for me. Establish a connection to Tiffany Banks.”

  Madeline complied, tapping at the console and speaking to the attendant on the other end. “This is the Leviathan, we need to speak with Major Tiffany Banks right away.” She turned to Victoria. “They put us on hold for a moment.”

  Victoria rolled her eyes but nodded. Everyone was busy, so it shouldn’t have come as a big surprise. She’d encountered Tiffany in the army though only at social functions. The woman rose through the ranks and proved to be a tough marine before joining the Agency. As base command, she headed up security.

  If they hoped to search via the air, Tiffany would provide the authorization. Otherwise, they would have to gain authorization to send one of the shuttles inside the Leviathan. Technically, they would require authorization from Banks as well, at least until they left. Once the Leviathan took orbit, authority fell to the commanding officer aboard. For a little while longer, they were beholden to base control.

  But Victoria wasn’t sure she’d let that stop her if the conversation didn’t go as she hoped.

  “This is Banks.” Tiffany’s voice burst through the speakers. “What’s going on?”

  “Hi Tiffany,” Victoria said, “Serling here. We’re short one commanding officer and I was hoping you could do a solid by helping the search efforts.”

  “How so?”

  “He should’ve been here twenty minutes ago,” Victoria replied. “We know what happened out there to civilians and the like, but we’d like to send a chopper to check it out. Can you deploy someone? Sooner the better. Launch is delayed until he’s on board. He had a sat phone you should be able to track the signal from.”

  “You know we’re a little busy, right?” Tiffany asked. “We’re monitoring com traffic from various bases and we have a lot of missing soldiers coming up, not just here. Our people are all tapped out keeping the base secure and finishing our duties. I’m sure you understand, there are a lot of requests coming through hot and heavy.”

  “And while I respect that,” Victoria replied, fighting to maintain her patience, “we take priority. The council would like us to intercept the object that just attacked our people and we can’t exactly do that without Captain Miller, at least not until we’ve proven he isn’t coming. So if I have to come down there and take the chopper myself, I will but I’m pretty sure you’ve got some people who can do it faster.”

  “I … will make it happen.” Tiffany replied. “Sorry, we’re under a lot of stress down here.”

  “I totally get it,” Victoria said. “How soon can you launch?”

  “I’ll have the bird up in less than ten minutes.” Tiffany paused. “Don’t ask me to hurry, that’s the best I can do.”

  “Thank you, Tiffany. Have the pilot contact me when they take off so we can help them find the phone signal. Serling out.”

  Madeline killed the connection, her eyes wide.

  “That was pleasant,” Nicolas said. “Must be hell down there.”

  “Very likely,” Victoria replied. “At least we’re getting what we need. Keep a tight eye on the scans, Madeline. I want to know the moment that helicopter takes off. If you don’t see it leave in ten minutes, get her back on the line and I’ll deal with it.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Madeline went back to her duties.

  “How’s the preflight checking coming?” Victoria asked.

  Nicolas looked back at his console. “Engineering says they’re roughly ten minutes away from igniting the engines. Otherwise, everything else is done. If we had the captain, we’d start a countdown, I think.”

  “Hm.” Victoria leaned on the arm of her chair, contemplating their options. Part of her thought they should begin the launch countdown. It might even push Tiffany to do her job faster. Would Jacks be annoyed if she didn’t tell him first? It didn’t matter. She needed to take the initiative. “Let’s start a thirty-minute countdown for launch.”

  “And I’ll inform control?” Nicolas asked. “They’ve got a lot to do on their end.”

  Victoria nodded. “Inform them right away. Patch any communications from Colonel Jacks straight to me. Be prepared to push the countdown out though. I’ve got a feeling we’re about to raise some pulses in control and God knows they’ll be shouting directly at our boss long before they bother us.”

  Chapter 3

  Warren stared into space. One side of him hoped the Agency were preparing for launch and planned on getting the Leviathan up as soon as possible. Everyone had to know what the smaller objects were doing, scooping people up from all over the place. He didn’t know how many they took but it must’ve been thousand. Probably a lot more.

  If Jacks and Serling weren’t moving, then the people taken might be in for a death sentence when they arrived at the larger object. Of course, if they attacked, how would the captives escape? Warren needed to find a way to get them out of there. He had faith in his new companions but it may have been misguided.

  After all, when whatever wall opened up, they had no idea what they would be dealing with. If they encountered things wearing some sort of armored suits, they’d be in a lot of trouble. Furthermore, these aliens might be carrying weapons. Warren doubted their captors invited them to their vessel for tea and conversation.

  Unless we are the tea.

  “The vibration!” Dex’s voice startled Warren out of his thoughts. “It’s slowed down.”

  “Excellent.” Warren climbed to his feet. “Okay, we have no idea how this will play out. I wish I could offer a better plan. Know that I’m confident we can do what we’re about to do. However, if there are dozens of them or it looks like we are in way over our heads, do not engage. We can’t escape if we’re dead. You get me?”

  “We do.” Dex spoke for them all but it brought a round of nods. Debra didn’t look quite as sure but she moved to the corner, lowering her center of gravity. Each of them poised for action. Something hissed on the other side of the wall to Warren’s left. He directed his attention there, wondering if he happened to be standing beside the door.

  “This is insane!” The guy with the suit said. “These militant assholes are going to get us killed!”

  “Calm down.” The guy who was rocking himself spoke up. “They’re doing their job. Just sit back and pray, okay? That’s what we’ve got. You aren’t going out there.”

  “They’re going to get us killed!”

  “Shut up!” Dex rasped. “And get down for God’s sake!”

  Gary moved to the opposite side of the room, meeting Warren’s eyes for a moment just as the wall began to shake. It began to slide down, a slow descent that was little more than a quiet brush of metal on metal. Cool air filtered into the room and it smelled vaguely sweet, like some kind of berry or candy.

  Dex crept closer, dropping low to the ground like a football player waiting for the snap. The muscles in his arms pressed at his dark skin, making his tee shirt bulge and his neck
look twice as thick. The whites of his eyes were huge as he stared at the door, giving him a frightful look all around. Marines called it their death face.

  Warren balled his fists. Tension built in the room. Curiosity and nerves battled for dominance even as adrenaline made his limbs shake. He became a horse, ready for the run, wondering why the gate hadn’t opened so he could dash onto the track. The wall reached the half way point, enough that he could see outside.

  A twenty by twenty antechamber connected to their object with a more obvious door on the other side. Two humanoid figures stood before the door, each wearing black shiny suits and round, opaque helmets. Both held what looked like pistols in their right hands though they kept them aimed at the floor.

  Even as the wall came down, they seemed to be looking at one another, gesturing as if in some kind of conversation. They weren’t paying attention to the room they were about to enter. Some part of it caught Warren as comical. What could possibly have taken their attention away from their captives?

  I doubt we’re going to find out, Warren thought. God knows how these things communicate.

  Dex and Gary sprung from their positions, throwing themselves at the aliens. They connected with their targets, taking them to the ground in an instant. The helmets made a metallic clang as they bounced off the floor but as the marines began to pummel their targets in the bodies, the familiar thump of fist to flesh echoed off the walls.

  A third alien came from around the corner, stepping back when it caught sight of the marines pummeling its friends. It started to lift its weapon when Warren lashed out, throwing a kick that connected with the thing’s wrist. The pistol buzzed as a blue light burst from the tip. The blast splashed against the ceiling, leaving a black mark on the metal.

  The weapon sailed through the air and slid across the ground just as Warren followed up with a punch to the chest.

  His opponent stumbled backward against the wall, bouncing off. It tried to retaliate, throwing a wild haymaker that Warren ducked. The captain fell back, dodging another punch aimed at his face. A third attack he blocked and followed up with a blow to the alien’s gut. A huff within the helmet showed it at least felt pain but it fell back, arms raised defensively.

  Warren tested his opponent’s defenses, tossing a couple jabs. The alien blocked the first two then dodged backward, hurling a kick that connected with Warren’s upper thigh. He moved with the blow, absorbing the impact.

  “Let’s go!” The shout came from the suit guy as he and the other civilians darted out the door, even the one who tried to calm him down earlier. Warren started to shout after them but they were really moving, sprinting into the hallway and beyond.

  Warren started to shout after them but the alien used the distraction to rush forward, slamming his shoulder into Warren’s gut. It lifted him an inch off the ground before they both hit the floor. The helmet clattered against the metal before the thing came up, drawing its fist back. Warren deflected the first attack, took the second to the cheek then bucked his attacker off.

  They crawled back to their feet. The alien swayed. Warren took advantage of the momentary weakness, kicking the thing between the legs. It did the trick. It bent at the waist, an instinctive motion before its head jerked to the left.

  Warren followed its gaze to one of the discarded weapons. The alien dove for it. Warren tried to catch him but narrowly missed grabbing him.

  Debra got their first, picking the gun up and pointing it down at the approaching alien. Dex and Gary approached and grabbed the thing’s feet, dragging it backward away from her. It scratched at the floor but the marines moved it with ease, bringing it back toward the room they were stuck in moments before.

  “What now?” Dex asked. “Those two are done.”

  Warren collected one of their weapons and examined it. It looked a lot like one of their own pistols only with rounded edges and a point instead of a barrel. He aimed it away and pulled the trigger. The weapon vibrated subtly in his hand, releasing a blue beam of light that once again stained the wall black.

  Simple enough. Warren turned to the others. “Let’s see what we’re up against.”

  Jake crouched over one of the unconscious bodies, examining the helmet. “I’m not sure how to get this thing off. I don’t see any latches or levers. No buttons … it’s smooth all around as far as I can tell.” He looked up at them. “Maybe it can only be removed from the inside. That would be a smart safety feature, don’t you think?”

  Warren nodded. “It would.” He turned to the conscious one. “Try to pull it off that one. And we have to make this quick. They might have communications in those helmets and that would mean they’ve requested reinforcements.”

  Dex grabbed it from behind, hoisting it up to its knees. Gary approached from the front, pressing his knee into the alien’s chest. He grabbed the helmet and pulled on it, straining until his whole body seemed to tremble and he finally gave up, stumbling off. “That thing’s really on there good. There’s no prying it off with bare hands.”

  “Okay.” Warren stepped in front of the alien and aimed his weapon at its head. It immediately started to struggle, wiggling its hands and gesturing to the helmet. “Let up on it, Dex.”

  Dex complied though his expression suggested he did so reluctantly. The alien gripped both sides of the helmet, twisted to the left and took it off. A perfectly human face looked up at Warren with brown eyes and dark hair, pale skin and regular lips. It was definitely male and could’ve been from Ohio. Though, upon closer inspection, there were minor differences.

  The eyes were a bit too angular, the ears a touch pointed, the pigment of the skin too light. Tiny as those distinctions may have been, Warren caught them now as if they were obvious and slapping him in the face. The alien’s jaw was pointy, his hair too silky. They might’ve looked similar but they were not the same.

  “What the hell?” Jake muttered. “Are you kidding? How is this possible?”

  “Your world isn’t unique, human.” The alien’s voice made Warren jump. He spoke English without an accent. “Nor is the evolution of your species.”

  “You’ll see the difference,” Warren said. “Just give yourself a moment.”

  “I don’t care about how they look,” Dex said. “How do you know our language?”

  “We studied it long before we came here. In order to interpret your words and understand the best method of interacting with your kind.” It looked between them all. “We miscalculated a few things.”

  “Like what?” Warren asked. “Our natural inclination to live?”

  “Your endurance. None of you should’ve been awake when that door opened.”

  “Sorry to disappoint.” Warren crouched in front of him. “Why did you come to Earth? What were you going to do with us?”

  “I’m just a technician,” the alien replied. “I don’t have that information. My colleagues and I collect those things we recover. That’s it.”

  “That’s it, huh?” Warren scowled, examining the creature’s face for any signs of lying. If the thing had pantomimes, they weren’t obvious. “How many others are there like us? How many of you are there on this thing? And how the hell do we get out of here?”

  Sounds from the other side of the door attracted Warren’s attention. Dex cursed. “Sounds like the reinforcements you were worrying about.”

  “Did you call them?” Warren asked the alien.

  “Of course I did. You should simply surrender. It will go much easier on you.”

  “Not going to happen.” Warren cracked the thing on the head, knocking it unconscious. “Grab some guns, gentlemen.”

  “What about the civilians?” Debra asked. “They ran for it.”

  “I know,” Warren replied, “and I’m not going to risk any of us running after them blindly. We’re going to have ourselves a little brawl but it’ll be on our terms, not chasing after maniacs. Hopefully, they make it okay and we catch up to them. However, until we have our bearings, we need to be cautious. Th
ose that aren’t armed, stay behind us and to the sides.”

  Dex added, “if you see an opportunity to grab a weapon, do so and jump in.”

  “He’s right,” Warren said. “We need numbers if we want to get out of here. Remain calm and alive. We’ll try to save those guys as we can but right now, rule one is survival. Let’s get to it.”

  ***

  Dirk Reidel went upstairs to the roof, peeking around the door before stepping into the light. He drew a deep breath while casting a wary gaze about the area, scanning the sky for any more of the small objects. They knew they were on their way back to space but there could still be stragglers out there, looking for lone people to steal.

  Nothing appeared on the horizon as far as the eye could see. Oddly enough, one of the smaller objects did pass by seven blocks away but the power remained on in that district. That was inconsistent with what they knew of the aliens so far, of how they attacked the planet. Most of the areas they visited, they killed the lights.

  Perhaps those areas they missed had their generators situated in a way not so easy to tamper with.

  He moved to the edge and gazed down on the roof across from his. The door burst open and a woman ran out onto the roof, sprinting toward the edge. Dirk’s eyes widened and he shouted for her to be careful just as a couple men came out after her. They moved swiftly, legs pumping as they kicked up gravel on the roof.

  She turned and tried to fend them off but she’d already reached the edge. One of the men grabbed her but she threw herself backwards. Toppling over the side, her attacker went with her and they plunged down to the street below. Dirk looked away before they hit the ground and when he looked up, the other man was running back toward the door.

  What the hell did I just witness? Thoroughly shaken, he went back inside where an intern grabbed him by the arm.

  “You’re needed back on the set right away!”