by John Walker
“Yeah, they’re at Earth,” Dex said. “And they’re stealing people. We have to get out of here.”
Avania smirked. “And the three of you think you can do it alone, is that it? That you will successfully escape this ship? I suppose it is possible. You’ve gotten this far.” Her expression hardened. “If you help me, I will help you.”
“Captain,” Dex turned to Warren, “we don’t know why these assholes locked her up. There could be a good reason.”
“There’s always a good reason to the captor,” Avania pointed out. “I represent opposition to the rule of the sitting nobility, to the way they treat others and kidnap them. For that, they put me in a cell and intend to have me executed when I’m returned home. Standing up for the rights of others does not win you friends in this place, I’m afraid.”
Warren looked her over, puzzling through what to do. There wasn’t time to think too much. Release her or continue on alone? He didn’t like either option but then again, she had something on common with him and his people in one important way. The aliens that ran the ship locked her up too. That meant something.
“Pretty sure the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Warren replied. “Do you know this ship? Do you know how to get us to a shuttle or something to escape with?”
“I do.” Avania nodded. “Let me out and I’ll lead you where you need to go.”
“What about the other prisoners?” Gary asked. “How’re we going to save them?”
“I’m sure they have plenty by now,” Avania replied. “Which means if the four of us leave, they will likely not bother to follow. We can escape without incident, or at least, without them pursuing us.”
“We’re not leaving human beings with these people,” Warren said. “If that’s your offer of help, then we’ll take our chances without you. Our objective is to save as many of ours as possible, get off this thing and confront the alien ship by whatever means are necessary to ensure the safety of Earth.”
Avania sighed, her shoulders slumping. “Very well. I will help you with that too.” Her mood changed as she grabbed the bars in tight fists and shook them. “Know we are going to have to deal with more than rescuing them though. If we take the prisoners with us, then they will certainly follow.”
“Definitely worth the risk,” Warren said.
“Alright.” Avania gestured to the bars. “Get me out of the cage and we’ll be on our way then.”
“Um …” Warren shrugged. “How do you propose I do that?”
“For the love of …” Avania extended her hand. “Give me one of the weapons. I know precisely where to shoot.”
“Captain …” Dex grabbed Warren’s arm. “Is that a good idea?”
“Did you think I wasn’t going to arm her?” Warren asked. “We need numbers, Dex. Whoever we release has to be able to contribute to the fight.”
“We don’t have time to debate,” Gary pointed out. “I hear more coming … from somewhere.”
“Why aren’t there guards?” Dex asked. “Where is everyone?”
“Collecting.” Avania tilted her head. “It’s a busy task. How many crew do you think they have? Anyway, the sounds you hear are two hallways away at least. This is not to say we have a lot of time to waste in conversation but at least you won’t have to shoot anyone for a few moments. Of course, I’d prefer if you’d hurry.”
Warren took the extra weapon from his belt and offered it to her handle first. Gary lifted his weapon and aimed it at her, stepping to the side of the cage. Dex did the same. She took the gun and stood off to the side of the bars, aiming at the wall to her left. “Stand a bit further to the sides, if you don’t mind. I’d rather not hurt any of you.”
The men complied though Gary and Dex didn’t lower their guns. Warren figured they’d be paranoid but took it to an excessive place. They desperately needed allies, especially one that understood the environment and where they were. Additional humans would be just as confused as they were.
If Avania proved to be telling the truth, then they hit the jackpot.
The weapon buzzed and the wall sparked, causing a bright flash that dazzled Warren enough to look sharply away. The bars rattled and when he blinked off the glimmer in his eyes, she was stepping out. Slapping at her jacket as if to dust it off, she frowned at her outfit before directing her gaze at Warren.
“What do I call the three of you?” Avania asked. “Captain, was it?”
“I’m Warren. That’s Dex and the other one’s Gary.”
“I see. No wonder you thought my name was long when you go by so little.” Avania admired her gun for a moment. “I hope you are prepared to use those weapons. You will certainly need them. Follow my lead and stay close. We’ll start with freeing your comrades … the ones which can be saved at least.”
“What’s that mean?” Dex asked. “What do you mean can be saved?”
“I believe you’ll have the misfortune of finding out.”
Chapter 4
“The helicopter has left,” Madeline announced to the bridge. “It is heading toward Captain Miller’s last known location. I’m putting them on the open com now but it’s going to take them some time to get into position.”
“Perfect,” Victoria said. “Patch them through to my station and I’ll coordinate.” She waited until her microphone was live before speaking to the crew. “This is Commander Serling. Thank you for getting out there. We appreciate the help. Who am I speaking with?”
“This is Warrant Officer Scott Duran. We’ve cleared the main gate now. ETA to search area … fifteen minutes.”
“Can you patch your camera feed through this channel?” Victoria asked.
“Affirmative. We’ll save it for when we get over the area.”
Victoria busied herself with reports, looking over information from engineering while the helicopter was in transit. When they drew close to the city, her tiny monitor came to life and she saw what amounted to total chaos. Cars were all askew, some smoking and others outright on fire. People milled about, waving at the helicopter while screaming.
“I’m calling the satellite phone,” Madeline said. “Hopefully, it’s still in the area so we can track it.”
Warren represented one of five key members of the Agency outside the base when the object arrived. The other four were in Europe attending a conference and were unable to get back in time to participate in person. Victoria spoke to Warren personally before he left his apartment and knew he was on the way.
The way that man drives, if there hadn’t been traffic, he would’ve been here a long time ago.
“We’re picking up the signal,” Scott said. “Moving down a block.”
The people on the screen continued shouting and when it became clear the helicopter wasn’t going to stop for them, they started throwing things. They couldn’t get high enough, not remotely but they kept at it anyway. Victoria switched the visual to the large screen in front of them and she leaned forward, scanning the vehicles as they passed by.
“There!” Victoria pointed, as if Scott could see. “The maroon truck there in the middle! Can you see it?”
“Signal isn’t coming from there,” Scott replied. “But we see it.”
“That is Warren’s vehicle.” Victoria hummed. “Maybe he brought the phone with him. Follow the signal. Let’s see where he went.”
I hope to God we’re not following some ridiculous thief who stole it.
“I’m throwing two body cam signals your way,” Scott said. “We’ll send in two soldiers to investigate when we arrive at the destination.”
“So he’s on the move,” Nicolas said. “That’s not a good sign.”
“Not with all that’s going on.” Victoria thought of the people throwing rocks and other debris. “We’ll gather more. I’m switching to the body cams.”
The screen changed, showing a bobbing view out the doors of the helicopter. As it approached the roof of a building, the vehicle slowed and began to hover. “Deploy,” Scott said. “Signal’
s definitely coming from this building. It’s close by so likely near the top. Clear and get back up here with the package.”
Victoria squinted at the screen as the view changed to them rapidly sliding down a couple ropes to the roof. They dashed toward the nearby door, each taking a side so they were looking at one another. Both men were dressed in full body armor and helmets. They carried assault rifles with scopes and suppressors.
If anyone was prepared to contend with the type of trouble happening out there, it was them.
“Opening door,” one of the two soldiers stated before testing the handle. It came open and they poured into the dark space, their cameras switching to the filmy green of night vision. They went down a short flight of stairs and entered a hallway with doors on either side. It was some kind of high-rise apartment building.
What would Warren be doing there? Victoria thought but she wasn’t naïve enough to think it wasn’t his satellite phone alone that they were about to locate. Some fool stole it from his car and we’re about to find him.
One of the doors burst open. “Contact!” The two soldiers shouted in unison. A figure came out into the night vision, little more than a lime blob. “Gun!” Assault rifles whisper-thumped as they discharged into the target, tossing him back onto the ground.
The attack turned the situation into chaos. Shots erupted in the hall, cracking noisily as the violence intensified. The soldiers burst through one of the doors and took cover. Lights burst overhead as if someone cranked on the power suddenly. Night vision settled to regular color. Blood on the walls came into sharp contrast, old and dried from some previous atrocity.
Victoria forced herself to lean back. A grim feeling fell over here. If Miller was in the building, he might’ve been dead.
An armed individual charged into the room, discharging a pistol several times. One of the soldiers cut him down, blasting him in the neck and face. They moved back to the door, trying to reclaim the initiative. There were at least a dozen combatants outside, armed men who had been civilians not long before.
One of the soldiers dropped into a crouch, leaning out to open fire. He fired fully automatic, spraying into the gathered crowd. The victims had nowhere to go. Bodies danced before dropping to the ground in heaps. A couple made it to cover but few of them came out unscathed. Whatever they hoped to achieve in entering the hall failed.
Victoria’s eyes darted to the second camera, trying to watch the man’s back. She opened her mouth to call out a warning but knew it was too late. Another armed man, this one creeping out of a door they’d already passed, leaned out and took a shot with a pistol. It struck the crouching soldier in the back, slapping his body armor.
His partner blew the guy away, dropping a round in the man’s forehead. Blood splattered the wall and the two soldiers hustled out of their position and continued their search. They had to step over a pile of bodies, some gone, a few gasping out their final breaths. The walls were saturated in gore, gleaming wetly in the low light.
Those are some tough bastards, Victoria thought. I hope they’re planning on coming with us when we leave the planet.
“You’re right on top of the signal,” Scott said. “You should see it at any moment.”
The soldiers went into the room where two surviving attackers took refuge. They found them, lying on their backs panting like road kill. Wounds on their legs and sides showed they had a short time left to live. One of the two soldiers disarmed them and rooted through the room.
They found the satellite phone on a table with a pile of other things, devices and other stolen objects. One of them grabbed it and secured it to his belt before they cleared the rest of the residence. There were no other people, alive or otherwise. These looters didn’t bring people back, only their belongings.
That’s that. Victoria looked down.
“Ma’am,” Scott spoke into the microphone, “it appears we’ve only found the phone.”
“I saw,” Victoria said. “Thank you for your efforts. You should return to base as soon as possible.” She turned to Madeline. “Can you get into those traffic cams? Maybe we can see what happened … catch sight of the incident. Perhaps confirm our fears.”
Madeline went to work just as Victoria’s com buzzed. Jacks’s face appeared on the screen and she clicked it on. “Yes, sir?”
“Any update on Miller?”
Victoria hesitated for a moment before replying. “Search and rescue located his sat phone. We’re patching into the traffic cams in the area to see what specifically happened but I’m pretty sure this is where one of the smaller objects swept through. If that’s the case … we need to find out what those things did to people. Captain Miller …” She didn’t want to say it. “Well … you know.”
“I see you started a countdown.”
“Considering the situation, I stand by it.”
“Me too.” Jacks remained quiet for several moments. “Push your countdown to forty minutes so we ensure we do everything right but I’m authorizing you to launch. We can’t risk losing the ship in our haste to get up there so … do it right. Good luck, Serling.” He killed the connection.
Victoria stood up and stepped over to Nicolas. She rested her hand on his shoulder. “Set the countdown to forty minutes and inform ground control. Madeline, after you’ve got those camera feeds up, send a ship wide message informing all departments of our authorization. It’s time to make history, folks. Pray that it’s the positive kind.”
***
Warren remained close to their guide as a tinge of doubt entered his mind on whether or not he made a mistake in trusting her. He didn’t have time to vet her, to make a decision based on anything besides blind desperation. Part of him sided with the marines but paranoia would not get them off that ship.
Putting some trust into this woman might’ve been their only chance. Regardless of her species, the circumstances of their meeting made it clear she was not on the side of the aliens who abducted them. He wanted to somehow confirm the reason she said she was in the cell in the first place but he had no idea how to do so.
Avania could’ve been more dangerous than their adversaries.
Warren put a theory into motion. The aliens kidnapped humans for some nefarious purpose but rationally thinking, it didn’t make them inherently wicked or evil. They might be filling out a zoo, a menagerie of creatures from around the galaxy to study. Depending on how clinical they felt about humanity, it might all boil down to cold science.
Their culture may have considered Avania to be a dangerous criminal, a murderer or worse. He needed to get to the bottom of her involvement in the situation, in what it was she was doing there. Unfortunately, as with their attempt to rescue their people from the other rooms, there simply wasn’t time.
Not if they didn’t want to enter a risky firefight that already claimed multiple lives.
“We’re going the wrong way,” Dex said. “Our people are back there, lady.”
“There are degrees of jeopardy,” Avania replied. “Those behind are not in danger yet. If I’m correct, and I pretty much guarantee I am, then we need to intervene in a part of the collection process.”
“And what is that?” Warren asked.
They approached a blank wall and Avania tapped part of it. A section slid to the side and the sound of machinery clanking away filled the room. Unconscious people were held aloft by the shoulders, strapped up like cattle. They were carried along toward a bright light and disappeared behind a wall.
“See for yourself,” Avania said as she stepped inside. “This is the true part of collection where they rip the essence from the body.”
“You mean the blood?” Gary asked.
“No, I mean—”
“Who the fuck cares?” Dex interrupted. “We have to stop that shit! They’re killing our people, regardless of what you want to call it! Let’s go!”
“Slow down,” Avania said. “We will save as many as we can but we cannot run toward the danger in this case. No, we need
to come upon the operators with some stealth. Once they are killed, I can turn this off and you can collect those who are still alive.” She gestured and led them to the right.
Warren couldn’t take his eyes off the people being carried nearby. They seemed to be unconscious, their heads slumped so their chins touched their chests. Arms and legs hung limply from their trunks. They looked dead already and he wondered how many were. The fact she used the term essence stuck in his mind.
Blood definitely counted as part of that but she meant something more. Did these people believe in the soul? Or were they merely referring to the energy that sparked through the body to generate motion and thought? More questions to stow in the back of his head for later, especially as they moved into a dangerous situation.
There were no frills on the alien ship, just plenty of space and rooms. This collection run must’ve been for dozens if not hundreds of subjects. The place they found Avania could’ve housed over fifty prisoners right there. Those smaller vessels, like the one that abducted Warren from his car, could’ve held more too.
They had to have. There’s no way all these people would be in here if they didn’t pack those things up like cargo cars.
The notion wasn’t lost on Dex. The marine gave warren a grim look before returning his gaze to the countless human beings being dragged by in the strange chamber. At least they’re not conscious. What a small favor for whatever they’re going through. These creatures intended to put us in there too.
Up ahead, they saw a control station with two more of the suited aliens working at it. Another attached straps to more unconscious humans that came in on a conveyer belt. The casual way these beings acted toward the bodies made Warren sick. They exhibited the empathy of butchers.
Warren lifted the pistol but Avania put her hand on his forearm. “We must get closer. Their prisoners are extremely valuable to them but if they think they might lose, they could terminate everyone inside this thing. We’ll soon be in optimum range. Missing isn’t really an option here.”
