by John Davis
“We take our shot at the queen,” Alicia replied. “If the opportunity presents itself.”
“If it doesn't?” Jackson asked.
“We do our best to blow that son of a bitching ship into dust.” Perk said with a grin, lifting his coat back a bit. Exposing several blocks of C-4. Each of them snugged into the backside of his belt, covered in plastic.
“The easy part will be getting aboard in this bucket of bolts,” Alicia replied. “Going to be a bit tougher once we get in and try to blend in.”
“Why's that?” Perk asked. The group of three being thrown around a bit inside of the large transport as Jackson did his best to drive the wheels off of it.
“Gee I dunno. Because we're a different color and three foot smaller in height?” Alicia replied with sarcasm.
“About twenty minutes away from being in their backyard people. Just a heads up.” Jackson warned.
“People? There are only two of us hun, and we're sitting a foot apart.” Alicia commented.
“I'm just saying.” Jackson replied.
“You need to hand me the controls and go work this out with each other. Naked,” Perk stated. “Just saying.” he added with a smile.
“Oh, you would love to see that. Wouldn't you?” Alicia replied, casting a glance his way.
“I dunno if love is the word I would use,” Perk said, glancing back to her as if she were borderline attractive. “I wouldn't turn it down though. That's all I'm saying.”
“Nobody get naked, please. Not now. Not in this closet of a transport.” Jackson pleaded.
“Are you sure,” Alicia replied, though she whispered her response into his ear. Leaning in close enough that her lips rubbed against his earlobe just a bit. “Because I was so ready to do it. Just for you cowboy.”
“Mind watching the damn road, mate?” Perk asked, nearly falling into the floor of their transport as it whipped into a sharp curve.
Jackson's eyes removed from the road ahead and locked onto Alicia's.
Though a constant beating against their bodies from the road below quickly snapped him from it.
“Damn, you would think they would pad the seats if nothing else. The bastards are ten feet tall!” Perk yelled with a mouthful of pissed of teeth.
The Ancients had designed the vehicle for obvious reasons. War. It was like an anvil, even shaped similarly as a rectangle. The interior of the transport was extremely basic. Two large bench seats of solid steel, which could seat anywhere from four to six soldiers each, and contained no padding. Just ass to metal.
Two upright seats planked from the floor at the front of the transport, made with the same rugged design. Solid steel and no cushion.
An empty weapons rack attached to the rear of the vehicle near its only exit, probably full under normal circumstances.
The most amazing thing about the transport seemed to be its visor system which took the place of standard windshield. It was striped, each thick stripe about four inches tall. An alternating pattern of glass and digital striping allowed the driver two perspectives at once. They could look through the glass striping to drive freely, while the computer system aboard displayed information on the digital striping.
It drew the landscape in front of them with neon green, though it also provided the driver with distance to object, temperature, chemical readings and the position of other Ancient-made technology around them.
To Jackson's estimation, the digital striping probably existed so the vehicle could be operated when conditions outside provided zero visibility.
He slowly began to get a feel for the controls. Large triangles, all of them glowing a different shade of green – some larger than others. A single stick, as if it were an aircraft of some type, and a digital readout that seemed to react to the Ancient radio traffic which burst in and out. Pilots and drivers communicating in a language that sounded a bit eerie.
Nothing like the Volvo car he'd gotten used to before the invasion.
Damn I miss those heated seats.
-
Katie had been up most of the night listening to the thunderous explosions in the distant.
She had no idea of the time, though she knew it was late. Early. A few hours before daybreak. The fighting seemed to have toned down a lot. What had been a constant barrage of bone-jarring explosions had now quieted to random gunfire from rifle to rifle with a large explosion from time to time.
She understood it may be the only period of peace and quiet to be had during the upcoming day, and Katie had planned to grab hold of it.
As Katie sat on the narrow porch of the small home which had been assigned to them within the safe zone, looking out across a peaceful city that had been stunned with battle, she thought of the dozens of shell-shocked people who lay sleeping inside on the floor. She also thought of her husband.
Katie had felt something different when seeing him this time around. Once she got past the initial period of thankful disbelief, his arms once again wrapping around her.
It was different.
Katie had once looked into Jackson's eyes and saw her entire world. A fireworks display of true love passed between their eyes without a single word being spoken.
As she looked into his eyes prior to him heading out onto mission, that feeling between them had changed. Jackson would never admit to it, but Katie understood their time as lovers had passed.
She had also thought him to be dead. Though Katie's heart loved no other, she had dealt with his loss slowly. Pushed herself through it and in doing so, became a different person.
Katie still loved her husband. She simply was not in love with him anymore. A war between humanity and demons of the sky had claimed many victims. Their love for one another no different than the millions of lives lost.
The hardest thing she'd ever have to do, was look him in the eyes when the time came, and admit to him that it was over. Katie knew it in her heart, but also believed the news might kill her husband on the inside. She'd gotten over how wonderful he was, but didn't think he'd gotten past her.
Katie loved her husband and cared for him deeply. She wanted Jackson to be happy, above all else. He deserved it. Jackson had always been true to her and was genuinely a good man.
In some very strange way, Katie almost hoped that Alicia planned to take Jackson away from her. He deserved happiness, and a life with Alicia would prove more fitting than a life spent alone.
Katie had hoped that Gretchen's description of the two lovers was true. Perhaps Alicia looked into Jackson's eyes and felt a spark that she herself had once known.
Pausing her thoughts for a moment to sip from a piping hot cup of terribly brewed coffee, Katie looked onto the landscape once more. The mist of her breath clouding out in front of her a bit as cold air bit into everything around her.
She tried to imagine such a great city prior to war. Though it now resembled a war-torn location from World War 2, Katie tried to envision what it had looked like before all of this.
One of humanity's greatest cities stood before her, crumbling from the effects of war. Still, Katie found herself proud to be here – lucky to be alive.
“Mind if I join you?” Gretchen asked, slowly easing the door closed behind her.
“No,” Katie replied, though it was a lie. She wanted anything but distraction at this very moment. “Be my guest.”
“I don't know about a lot of things. I'm no good at shooting a weapon or surviving out there on my own. Hell, I'm pretty much terrible at conversation.” Gretchen said.
“Alright,” Katie replied, not sure what to read into her confession. “I'm not sure what you're getting at?”
“One thing I do know about is love,” Gretchen replied. “And I knew from the moment you and Jackson locked eyes that it just wasn't there.”
Katie offered no reply. Instead, she turned away so her tears would not be discovered.
“It's alright. Nothing to be ashamed of,” Gretchen offered. “I've been on both sides of the fence. Been madly i
n love, only to be left alone,” she added. “I've also had to break a heart or two.”
“It's tough.” Katie finally admitted.
“Damn right it is. A lot tougher than it sounds,” Gretchen replied. “But staying with someone out of obligation isn't fair to them. Not when they have others around them that can provide a sense of happiness.”
“You mean Alicia?” Katie asked.
“Yes.”
“Is she a good woman?” Katie questioned.
“Honestly, no. She's a first-class bitch more times than not. But she's good to Jackson. She makes him happy.”
“I suppose I'm looking for the best way to tell him. I don't want to see him hurting.” Katie replied.
“There is no best way. Not to my experience. There's just the right way of doing things. The honest way. Just tell him what's on your heart and he'll eventually come to understand your reasoning. He even respect you for it in the end.”
Katie understood that Gretchen's statement was true. Time apart had killed their love. It was not a decision that rested upon her shoulders, nor was it her doing. In telling Jackson, Katie was simply delivering the news. It's not like she could kill a marriage that was already dead.
“It's going to be hard.” Katie admitted.
“It always is,” Gretchen replied, moving herself beside Katie and joining her in watching the sunrise slowly beginning to peak over the horizon. “But it's a new day.”
“Yes,” Katie said. “Yes, I suppose you're right.”
-
Several minutes later, a cascading sunrise saw panic grip the entire city of Washington as the Guardian Angel grid above finally burst into a million sizzling pecks of light. Destroyed by a newly-designed weapon in the hands of the ancients, which used a dangerously-high wave of radio band to destroy the longstanding defense grid.
With the destruction of the Guardian Angel system, everyone within the 'safe' zone of Washington City – felt safe no longer.
Mortar shells began to fall down onto the survivors as though they were droplets of water crashing down in a heavy rain. Each crash bringing with it collateral damage.
As daylight fully crest over the landscape around them, soldiers within the Rise of Allies quickly realized the city had been surrounded by Ancient soldiers. Outnumbering the shell-shocked survivors nearly seven-to-one.
Within hours, all would be lost. It was inevitable.
Even the non-military among the survivors knew the end was upon them. Feeling a sudden urge to love the family around them just a little bit more.
“How come they are not storming us?” one of the Rise of Allies lieutenants asked aloud.
“Either they believe us to have stronger numbers than we actually do,” another officer replied. “Or they're toying with us first.”
Gretchen and Katie joined the other survivors in rushing outside to investigate.
“What does that mean?” Katie asked, looking up to the blue of sky which looked as though a rainbow had exploded. Digital protection from the enemy now gone.
“It means we are in a lot of trouble.” Gretchen admitted, tearing up a bit.
She was right. Directly following the explosion of their coveted Guardian Angel satellite, dozens of ancient war planes blazed across the sky. Some of them landing shortly after entering the city in order to disperse troops, while others continued flight – firing on anything human below.
“We,” Katie said. “We can't beat that. We need to leave. Now.” she added, pleading with Gretchen.
“We need to wait on our boys,” Gretchen replied. “Then we'll leave together.”
“We'll be dead by then!” Katie yelled. Continuing to watch the skies above.
“You're right, our army can't beat this...but they'll hold a while. We need to wait on our boys to come back.”
“But I'm not even sure that...” Katie began.
“I understand having to break someone's heart,” Gretchen replied, turning directly to the woman. “But you need to do it the right way. You don't just simply flee and leave them to wonder how and why. You don't do that. You stay committed until the time comes when you can tell your lover the truth without completely ruining their life. Jackson deserves better than that.”
“You're right.” Katie admitted.
“I know,” Gretchen continued. “You may not love Jackson the way you did before, but he's a good man. Trust me, I've met a lot of devils in my time and he isn't one of them. He's one of the best men I've ever known. Don't tell him I said so though, it's liable to go to his head.”
Amidst all of the fighting in the city, Katie still found time to smile. “Jackson would definitely let it go to his head.”
Though her feelings for him were not the same, perhaps with time they would be? Perhaps it was a matter of falling in love again? Jackson was one of the finest men she'd ever known, and that was back when the planet was filled with men.
Now, there weren't many left. Finding someone else to love may be a lot tougher than simply getting to know her husband all over again. She owed him that.
-
“Shit.” Jackson replied.
They had spotted an Ancient checkpoint nearly two-hundred yards in front of them. With no way of turning back.
“What?” Alicia asked.
“We're busted, that's what.” Jackson replied.
“Just act casual.” Perk added.
“Act casual?” Jackson asked, nearly throwing his question at the man in a physical sense. “Are you kidding me? We don't even look like Ancients – so explain looking casual?”
“Hell I don't know, that's just usually what they do in stories.” Perk replied with toughness.
“Alright, cover story. We're sympathizers on our way to report information.” Alicia replied.
“Man that shit ain't gonna work,” Perk replied furiously. “What happened to acting casual? That was our best plan!”
“That wasn't our plan, it was yours...and it was stupid.” Jackson said with truth.
“I'm telling you, it's our best option,” Alicia replied, turning her stern glare to the complaint-filled soldier. “We're not shooting our way out of this one. Too many of them.”
“She's right,” Jackson replied. “They would never expect three soldiers to show up in broad daylight and lie their way in. Not like we're about to. Nobody would have the balls to do it.”
“I've got the balls for it.” Alicia replied with a grin, whispering her words to Jackson as he pushed the crawler ahead slowly.
“You mean nobody would be stupid enough to do it.” Perk replied.
“It's a done deal Perk,” Alicia replied. “So quit your bitching and start finding a hiding spot for the explosive charges. A really good hiding spot.” she added with a smile.
Perk replied with a simple grumble. Still completely against a plan that put them at the mercy of Ancient stupidity.
“This excitement has me feeling alive,” Alicia whispered, sliding her hand down to Jackson's crotch. Making it nearly impossible to drive the extra-terrestrial bucket of bolts. “How about you.”
“Please stop,” Jackson replied, turning to the flirting woman. “Please, just stop.”
“Alright then.” Alicia scowled, jerking her hand away quickly.
“Look it's just...”
“It's just that your wife from a previous lifetime showed up and screwed everything up.” Alicia replied sharply.
“Screwed everything up?” Jackson replied in a questioning manner. “She's a woman I was committed to. A woman I thought was dead.”
“Do you love her?” Alicia asked.
“Yes, of course. She's my wife.”
His reply stung a great deal. Though it was honest, he'd left out the fact that Alicia had also committed herself to being his wife.
“And you think she loves you back?”
“Yes,” Jackson replied. “But you don't?”
“No Jackson,” Alicia answered. “No I don't.”
“What would
you know about it?” he asked bluntly.
“Women know,” she replied. “And the first time I saw you look at one another, I knew your past would remain there.”
“Really?” he asked.
“Yea,” she replied. “I'm sorry to be so straightforward about it, but someone has to be. I care about you. I don't want to see you put too much faith into the past.”
“I appreciate that.” Jackson replied.
“And it was wrong of me to come onto you,” she added. “Only because it didn't work though.”
“Can we bloody fucking quit with the drama and prepare ourselves to die beneath a horrible plan here?” Perk asked. Determined that his final moments would not include the dramatic bedroom lives of Alicia and Jackson.
The crawler eased its way up to the Ancient checkpoint, eventually grinding to a halt.
“Two inside the gate and three outside. Heavily armed people, so stick to the plan.” Alicia cautioned.
“Papers?” an ancient soldier demanded, approaching the driver's compartment where Jackson sat.
“The Ancients normally spoke their own language and it showed as the soldier spoke English very roughly. Giving the group an impression that he was upset for having to lower himself to their language in the first place.
“We aren't carrying any. Just sympathizers on our way to report.” Jackson replied calmly.
The Ancient looked to the gate, prompting his backup to begin approaching the vehicle.
“You need to step out of the vehicle immediately.” the soldier warned.
“This is ridiculous,” Alicia boasted. “We are direct informants of the queen herself. She'll not take kindly to being hindered by a pack of grunts with guns.”
“Step out,” a second Ancient warned, aiming his weapon into the direction of Alicia. “Now.”
With his warning, the three soldiers exited their stolen crawler slowly. Lining up near the gatehouse with hands placed onto their heads with uneasiness.
“If they breathe, shoot them.” the commanding soldier ordered, staring hard at the group.
