Last Hope for Earth

by Jaime Mera

The predominately red six foot tall Pylaxian moved towards Eve−14 without making a sound. Like a spider, his metallic padded four feet made the ten meter distance in a split second. His menacing charge would have scared a human to death, but Eve−14 casually turned her head at him. “Is there something I can assist you with Sir?”

  The Pylaxian tilted his head sideways staring into her eyes with a frown inches from her face.

  “Is the information I’m inputting incorrect or are you in need of my console?” Eve 14 asked with pokerfaced perfection.

  The alien turned his gaze on the console, reading the complex algorithmic energy regulators, along with keeping up with diggers.

  “No, I am not in need of your console…” He quickly returned to his terminal but kept looking around the room slowly every few minutes.

  Eve 14 continued her work, but didn’t press her luck by trying to probe the alien a second time. Once her work was done, she didn't accept anymore tasks and moved to the other side of the room. As one of the Director’s bodyguard and assistant she was allowed to roam anywhere in the room as long as Quinn stayed in the room.

  Quinn left the room two hours later for the restroom. Two additional aliens were in the control room as Eve 14 and 87 escorted the director into the restroom. It was standard as the androids changed shape into men even though no one would have questioned the androids from entering any room.

  “We’re secure Director.” Eve 87 stated as Quinn washed his hands.

  “Five minutes after the generator goes operational, we leave.” Eve 14 said.

  “Are you sure we have sufficient information?” Quinn asked with a weird glimmer of excitement.

  “Yes, Sir we have all necessary data.” Eve 14 calmly replied with certainty.

  “Good, good.” Quinn shrewdly smiled while he dried his face with a paper towel.

  Chapter 17

   --- 

  In School

  Be'er Sheva, Israel

  Odor of pungent sweet ether like residue lingered in Brenda’s nasal cavity and mouth. She weakly opened her eyes, seeing white ceiling. Her ACU top was removed and placed on top of her like a blanket. The light blue cloth cushioned sofa used in many office spaces she laid on was against a vanilla painted wall. She quickly turned her head to see Estabon in an Israeli infantryman’s uniform sitting two feet away on a metal framed chair. With wide eyes she sat up and swiveled her feet onto the floor. “Estabon!” She jumped at him with opened arms and passionate kisses.

  Estabon and Brenda almost toppled over the chair as his surprise was replaced by pure pleasure. They stood up and then ardently wrestled on the sofa with kisses. “You remember me?” Estabon managed to say.

  “Yes Darling, I remember everything.” Tears of joy mixed in with their embrace.

  “How?” Estabon couldn't read her mind like before. Whatever Ramus did, it wasn’t done in one sitting.

  “We’ll talk later, but what did you do to my guys?” She managed to recompose herself.

  “They’re okay; it was a balanced mix of chloroform.” Estabon watched her eyes in wonder.

  “How did you find me?” She asked between kisses.

  “I thought we were going to talk later?” Estabon smiled.

  “Okay be quiet then.” Brenda continued with the kissing; her commanding voice almost making him laugh. She was a general officer, but he was already ruler of twenty eight countries and soon the world.

  An hour of sensual sex turned into two before they settled into a cuddle. “Ramus was supposed to erase your mind, what happened?”

  “Yeah, about that.” She moderately pinched his chest. “I told you I didn’t want to forget.”

  “You don’t know how much that decision hurt me.” He sadly replied.

  “Yes, I do. Ramus showed me everything. I thought my life was over when he came into my dorm.” Brenda shed some tears. “He showed me how much you loved me and what you and Eduardo were trying to do. He helped me block the telepaths from knowing all of this information. He and William kept me informed about you and helped me deal with SIA once they found out I had a mental block and built up resistance. I went into the green beret because of you.” Brenda’s blue eyes glistened as her head hovered on a cushion across from his.

  “I’m so sorry Bren. I know you wanted to have children.” Estabon sadly whispered.

  Brenda paused in thought. “I’m willing to try. Medicine has come a long way.” She managed a smile but water filled her eyes.

  “Honey, it’ll be alright. We’re together now, and I’m not going to let anything separate us.”

  “I love you.” Brenda’s soft lips whispered.

  “Always my love.” Estabon kissed her, moving on top of her.

  Brenda’s happiness kept her from seeing her surroundings, but in time she realized they were in an office room of some school. Her Hebrew was rusty, but it didn’t take a genius to see the educational books, and academic pictures of high school students and professors. The blinds were all closed and the light in the room was solely from the sunlight penetrating through the cracks of the window frames.

  “Where are we?”

  “It’s a high school in Be’er Sheva. The other section of the school received damage from a missile, so there’s no power. No one was harmed, but any reconstruction has been postponed. So when I found that out, I drove the stolen SUV into the mechanic shop and here we are.” Estabon hugged her, caressing her smooth silky hair.

  “How did you get pass the checkpoints, how did you know where I was?” Brenda asked in wonder.

  “So, Ramus and William didn’t tell you everything about me.”

  “How much more don’t I know besides the twenty-nine years without you?”

  “When we see William, I will have him show you, but for now the simple answer will be I read your mind on your graduation. I knew everything about you once your showed interest in me. But that’s not why I fell in love with you.” Estabon massaged her neck.

  “How much did you see inside my mind.”

  “Everything since your birth, but because of the mental block I only know pieces of your life since I left you.”

  “So why did you fall in love with me?” Her mused expression was almost mocking.

  “I was never so happy than with you as a loving friend, companion and beautiful woman, who had a wonderful sense of humor… was brave and saw me as someone that made you happy. Besides that, you are extraordinarily hot and sexy.” He smiled, kissing her as she laughed.

  “Now that you’re here, now what?”

  “Well I came to find you but I also came here to find out what you guys were doing to counter our military forces. But now that I know; we have a problem.” He said, having read all of the people’s minds except for hers at the TOC in Sderot.

  “I tried to reduce the impact when the African telepaths found the spies and we had to change everything.” Brenda replied knowing it looked like she was on the US side to defeat their efforts.

  “I know Bren. The problem is that the African telepaths will no longer be of help and the superhumans fighting for Israel will also stop doing that, and soon. On top of that, our legions were trying to minimize casualties by using the least amount of lethal force. When they started taking heavy opposition, they were forced to retreat or surrender in order to keep casualties down. Losing a battle here and there isn’t an issue for us, but our intent was to surprise and suppress anyone before they could fight back. My 10th Armor Legion is already at Cairo and will attack whoever presents a threat; and they won’t use kid gloves.” Estabon solemnly stated.

  “Why would the superhumans stop fighting for us?”

  “Because out telepaths are directing speaking to them and they know it is a lost cause to continue fighting, especially since Quatris and the other much stronger superhumans are on our side.”

  “What makes this region so critical that you have to take it over so quickly?” Brenda asked with little insight on South America’s time schedule a
nd final objectives.

  “All of the countries that are not under our control at this time and have nuclear weapons with a comparable chance of using them on a large scale are Israel, the Russian States, China and Australia. The US forces here and Israel as well, so you can see that it is important that we take control of Israel. As for Russia and China, they are being bombarded by particle beam weapons since the start of the war. Australia is the real enemy in all of this as you probably have guessed.”

  “So why did you kidnap me?”

  “I love you and wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you while my legion comes rolling over this land.”

  “And you're going to magically keep me from getting hit from an artillery round or something?”

  “Actually my presence with you will almost guarantee it.”

  “Almost?”

  “Yeah, I can't protect you from a nuke if Israel or the US decides to use one near us.”

  “Oh is that all.” Brenda narrowed her eyes and smiled, resting her head on his chest. “So what are we doing?”

  “We’re waiting for my guys to get here, but I already see a problem. Once General Baxter finds out you’re gone and the African telepaths are AWOL, some idiot is going to suggest they use tactical nukes, and that isn’t good for anyone.” Estabon started gathering clothing so they could go to the locker rooms for a shower.

  “Use of nuclear force is a protocol they don’t take lightly… but you know that.”

  “I don’t know Baxter and with the rest of the world losing, they might resort to it…Eduardo will try to convince them to surrender… If he fails, I will need to get close to Baxter and find out what he intends to do. But you have to stay close to me.” Estabon explained as they made it to the locker rooms.

  They spent time washing each other and getting dressed. Estabon gave Brenda a tour of the school being able to read Hebrew and know the layout of the school from the neighbors in the area he read while passing on the road. Estabon had a continual update of everything going on through Eduardo’s mental link to almost god like intelligence on the ground and from orbit. But what Estabon talked about with Brenda was detailed stories of his parents, extended family, brother and travels around the world. They ate Estabon’s rations and food he illegally collected in a store that morning before the kidnapping.

  The day passed with intimate conversations and things honeymooners do without measure. Traffic outside seemed to increase as emergency vehicles continued to perform services for the public and essential personnel were allowed to travel to and from home and work. But to their relief, the school was still a temporarily closed facility. They slept well that night with Estabon letting Brenda know what was happening around the world. Europe had fallen with three legions reaching the Russian border. China was halfway overrun, with Beijing under Federation control. The good news of Quatris’ appearance was fantastic, but it brought another unexpected development.

  “I have to go see General Baxter.” Estabon said late that night.

  “Security will be higher now that I was kidnapped, so he won’t go out of his command post without heavy security.” Brenda understood there was no changing his mind to what he was planning.

  “They will be looking for one man in a vehicle, not you next to me. We can bypass most of the checkpoints and get close to the command post. Once we get there you can get me an audience.” Estabon said as they lay in an interior room with a lit flashlight directed at the wall.

  “They’re going to recognize both of us and take you prisoner.”

  “Yes, they will so it’s important that you have this.” Estabon took off his fancy digital watch. “I will give you some other things, but they can’t find me wearing this. If you have it, they will assume it’s yours.” Estabon showed her how to use the laser communication system and several other capabilities the watch held.

  They went over the plan and waited for daybreak. The curfew would not allow them to travel at night without being spotted. During the day they could maneuver among other traffic. They debated who would drive, but it really didn’t matter because if they were stopped, Estabon had no papers and Brenda’s identification would bring up a red flag as well. But Eduardo would be able to get them close enough and that was all they needed.

  Estabon drove a route directed by Eduardo as four space assets kept a live visual on them. Calling down to patrols and checkpoints to move positions or investigate areas away from the SUV.

  Brenda anxiously watched with the ease Estabon was driving through built-up areas as if touring the country, taking alleys and back roads like a native born Israeli.

  They stopped the SUV two blocks away from the Israeli military base which also contained the US coalition division command post. Estabon turned to Brenda knowing it was clear and the minds he sensed didn’t know or see anything out of the norm concerning the SUV and the occupants. “Take a deep breath. Try to stay close to me, or get back to your men. I will get to you if we get separated. Whatever you do, do not admit that we know each other before two days ago.” He squeezed her hand low by the seat. “Ready?”

  “I have dreamed being with you for so many years. Now that I am, I will always be ready for you.” She kissed him from a distance and returned the hand squeeze.

  They got out and walked through the alley ways, Estabon dropping off his backpack in a corner not easily found in daylight, but kept his saber in his cargo pocket.

  The long roadway with barricades marked the hundred meter stretch of area guards were definitely monitoring as the couple came out to the sidewalk. They casually walked down the side of the two lane road, as guards moved around the entrance. An M1 Abrams tank moved forward a hair making its presence known but keeping a defiladed position. Brenda led the two with Estabon to the right side. An Israeli infantry squad raced down both sides of the street yelling commands for the two to raise their hands. They complied as Estabon whispered to Brenda telling her what they were saying in Hebrew, but it was evident they recognized the US uniform and her as they addressed her in English.

  “General are you alright?” The squad leader asked as they came within ten feet of the couple with pointed assault rifles in their direction.

  “Yes, I’m fine, Councilmember Estabon and I need to speak to General Baxter right away.”

  “There’s a metal object in my right cargo pocket, just as a heads up.” Estabon said in Hebrew before a Corporal patted down his body; Estabon spreading his feet and keeping his hands on his head.

  The saber was removed and Estabon was cleared while a female patted down Brenda. “What are you doing?” Brenda asked.

  “It’s a precaution Ma’am. Please step to the side.” The female Soldier instructed.

  “Sir, you may lower your hands, and please do not deviate from my men’s instructions.” The squad leader said.

  Estabon looked around with a slight smile; four Soldiers surrounded him with weapons ready. He knew he was a prisoner, but they were shy of wetting themselves having to guard him. “It’s okay guys, I’m not going to bite, think of it as a day in the park.”

  They walked to the gate entrance where personnel could pass without having to lower the vehicular posts and sliding gate. “I’m surprised they didn’t knock you to the ground to search you.” Brenda whispered when she got the chance, past the gate.

  “We wouldn’t like the Prime Minister treated like a criminal, which is why we respect political leaders.” The squad leader said as a set of four Hummers came to their location just within the triple barrier walled compound.

  Estabon smiled but said nothing. He looked at everything in sight confirming what the visual optics from the starships were seeing from orbit. The compound’s security and most of the units were identified to include details on their defensive procedures. But what he needed was still a good one to two miles away.

  The lead Hummer stopped with a US Military Police Captain and an Israeli Major stepping out. “Ma’am, my Soldiers told m
e you were here with Mr. Estabon Ramirez.” The stocky major in full battle gear stood in front of her; with a disdaining glance at Estabon.

  “Yes, Major that’s correct.” Brenda stood with her hands behind her lower back.

  “Councilman Ramirez, you are being detained as a prisoner of war.” Captain Holt stated as the second Hummer off loaded four MPs who grabbed Estabon’s arms, cuffing his wrists behind his back.

  “He’s come here under a truce. Let him go.” Brenda turned to the MPs.

  “No, Ma’am, the Prime Minister and General Baxter have ordered his arrest.” The major replied.

  “It’s okay General Weatherly. You can tell them my terms.” Estabon said as the men pushed him away with difficulty as he counter balanced their hands and made one Soldier fall, tripping over his own foot. The Israeli Soldiers stepped back, but watched with interest as Estabon kicked an MP in the knee, moved out of the way from a blow to the back and twirled with his arm catching the man who tried to hit him from behind; throwing the MP off balance, making him lunge clumsily forward. The other two MPs drew their batons, but Estabon almost instantly charged both with two steps, forcing the side-handle batons into one MP’s gut and the other’s thigh before they could get them fully out to use.

  “I’ll go peacefully if you stop trying to manhandle me.” Estabon said with a mocking straight face.

  Brenda watched wanting to intervene, clenching her jaw knowing Estabon was for the moment in full control. “Captain, it would behoove you to treat him better if we happen to lose the war.”

  The Captain shot an angry glance at her, but quickly composed himself and turned to the men. “Stand down.” He walked up to the MPs around Estabon. “Just escort him. Mr. Ramirez, can you please do as they instruct.”

  “You had my word, from the beginning.” Estabon turned to the MP closest to the Hummer. “Can I enter the vehicle now?”

  The MP’s hostility was rooted with the unknown about what was going on in the United States and the deaths of several hundred Soldiers during the fight over Cairo. Not to mention General Baxter’s order they were obligated to follow. But they didn’t know it hurt Estabon more than any one person’s pain as he saw all of their pain to include the ones they experienced before their military careers.