“Like what?” He had read the sparse records from the Council. From afar, they tried to keep track of the happenings around Sweetwater to protect the ancient disks in the caves so he knew most of the events, but a firsthand account would be invaluable.
“There have been twenty-six unusual or unexplained livestock deaths since nineteen-eighty-nine. No arrests have been made. Mysterious livestock deaths have never stopped happening.”
“Really. What kind of deaths? I don't understand.”
“Animal mutilations. Mainly cattle.”
“Mutilation.” He knew how vicious the Grays could be. He hated what they did on their rampages throughout the galaxy. Such a waste. He breathed in slowly through his nose. He had to continue the game. “Maybe it’s some kind of occult or devil worship group.”
The Sheriff tipped the brim of his Stetson and grinned. “Some folks do say that, but those are usually the ones who don't have the facts.”
“Go on, enlighten me.” Kole glanced across the field of dead animals and felt anger consuming him, another of those new emotions. It was like his body was burning from the inside out at the sheer cruelty of these monsters. If only he could tell the sheriff he was a Starfleet Commander from another world trying to contain the violence of the Grays, helping to track them down and at the least keeping them contained to certain uninhabited galaxies.
Yeah, like that would go over well. Then it dawned on him why he was so upset about the Grays. He realized how much he had grown to like the Earthlings, male and female. They were all so very different with all those quirky emotions making each and every one of them completely unique.
“Just last year, there was a two-thousand pound bull found dead and mutilated a few miles from here,” the sheriff said and frowned.
“That's one big cow.” Kole laughed, hoping to ease the tension, knowing all too well that the animal had died at the hands of the Grays. It was surreal, standing in the field of dead animals with the sun hung like a molten golden ball in the southwestern sky on this glorious day.
However, the scene was senselessly and sickeningly familiar. He’d seen similar pictures from other worlds, but with him experiencing emotions his reaction was completely different. He was angry.
“The thing is this bull was killed the same way as the others. Except the crazy part about this one was that somehow the animal had fallen through a tree.”
“How's that?” The Grays often played games trying to confuse the Earthlings and life forms on other planets.
“Don't know how, just that it did. We could tell because of the way the branches were broken surrounding the animal. And when you looked up through the tree limbs it was obvious that it couldn't have happened any other way.” He shrugged his shoulders. “The hide and tissue was removed from the head, sexual organs, and rectal area, same as the other cattle mutilations.”
The sheriff shook his head and brushed his hands against his pants. “There was no sign of struggle or tracks around the dead animal, not even its own tracks. Just the broken limbs and branches under and around where it fell.” He glanced at Kole and raised his left eyebrow a fraction. “You tell me how someone or some thing lifted a two-thousand pound bull and let it fall through the trees without breaking any bones or leaving tracks.”
Kole glanced around the horses and let out a long, audible breath. “I wouldn’t have a clue. And you're right. There aren't any animal tracks here, either. Only our footprints.” Play the game, Kole. Keep playing along with the sheriff's theory.
“Welcome to my world. This peculiar fact has provoked law enforcement to speculate the mutilators come in and out of pastures from the sky.”
Kole shook his head in what he hoped looked like wonder, playing his part to the hilt. He liked the sheriff and not being able to tell him the truth didn’t sit well. “That would explain the absence of footprints.”
“Yes. Many ranchers have also thought their mutilated animals had been cut with lasers because of the bloodless nature of the excisions.”
“How can that be?” Kole stared at the dead animals strewn around the field with new eyes. “Of course, I've heard these kinds of stories, but I never put much stock in them.” Kole tried to keep a poker face so the sheriff wouldn’t suspect he wasn’t telling him what he knew. “You're saying you've seen this stuff before.”
“Yep. Several times,” the sheriff said. “I'll show you some of my old files complete with pictures. But the horses,” a tinge of exasperation came into his voice, “they are a new wrinkle.”
“Then, maybe this is something different. I'd like to see those files sometime,” Kole said. He knew the Grays had been there, but he also knew there might be some information to lead him to who was causing mischief around Sweetwater as well.
“I'll get them together for you.” A red double cab pick-up truck drove down the dusty dirt road toward them. He glanced toward the road. “That's Doc. Let's go talk with him before Jim gets there.”
“Yeah. What are you going to say?” Kole knew the vet wouldn’t be able to pinpoint the cause of the animals’ deaths. Except for the entry wound, all evidence had been removed from the crime scene.
“We'll play it by ear for now.” The sheriff’s voice dropped in volume as they approached the Doc. “Doc, thanks for getting out here so soon. Looks like we have another situation on our hands.”
“That's what Jim told me on the phone.” The doc nodded toward Jim and the sheriff. “Are you fellas ready for me to have a go at it?”
“Not quite. I want to get a few more pictures. It won't take us long,” the sheriff said.
“Okay. I know the routine. I'll stay over here out of the way with Jim.” The doc glanced toward Kole with a questioning look. “Who's your new deputy?”
“Oh, this is Kole Stith, my photographer,” he answered in a tense, clipped voice that forbade any questions. “And, for your information, he isn't my deputy. You can tell your son the job is still open. If he’s interested he should come down and fill out an application.”
“I’ll do that,” Doc said and turned toward Kole. “Have you ever seen anything like this where you come from?”
“No, can't say that I have.” Thank goodness, the Grays are no longer allowed around Mars. He’d seen tons of photos, but seeing it up close and personal was another thing altogether.
“You be careful there, Kole,” the Sheriff shouted from the field. “Those two will fill your ears with all kinds of stories.”
Kole continued snapping pictures of different angles of the field and animals and started toward the fence where Jim stood.
“Doc, come on down. We have all the pictures I need. I want to show you something,” the Sheriff said, and bent down beside one of the horses.
Jim moved closer to Kole. “Did you fellas find anything?” he asked. An uncertainty had crept into the man’s expression.
Kole suspected he couldn’t handle the truth and shrugged. “There are some tiny marks on the animals, kind of like a puncture wound. Not sure what it is. Maybe the Doc will know.”
“Puncture wounds? I didn't see anything.” Sandborn frowned, obviously bewildered.
“They're quite small and barely visible,” Kole said. Attention to tiny detail, and having an idea it was the Grays, was the only reason he had found them.
“Oh, I see.” Jim nodded.
“Do you think they were shot?”
“Maybe, but I really don’t know. The vet should be able to tell you more.” Kole sighed. They were shot all right. Shot with a laser beam.
“I've talked to several of my friends this morning and they think it's the aliens. We know each other out here. We wouldn't be poisoning or shooting our own animals.” Sandborn bit his lip, his anguish almost overwhelming his control. “That's our livelihood.”
Kole ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “It's a real mystery.”
“Not so much to me.” The rancher frowned at Kole. “They always come this time of year.” Sandborn shive
red and glanced at the empty sky. “Unusual animal deaths have long been associated with unidentified lights and beams in the sky and pastures and odd silent black helicopters are the norm around here this time of the year.”
“Have you personally seen anything like that?” Kole knew the black helicopters were sent from the Earth’s secret undercover government. They always arrived after a sighting or incident of this kind.
Sandborn nodded and then rubbed his eyes as if in pain, squeezing back unshed tears. “I remember when I was a kid. I stayed on the porch with my daddy some nights. Sometimes in the fall he would get his shotgun and guard our cattle at night.”
“Did you see anything?” Kole asked.
He nodded. “Yeah, we heard odd humming noises and saw strange lights moving across the southwestern sky. The next day we found two of our cows out on the back forty mutilated.”
“I mean, lately.” Was it only the Grays or were others involved in the happenings at the ranch? He searched the man’s thoughts. Sandborn spoke the truth as he knew it.
“A few times. Why now that you mention it, just the other night when I was coming home after feeding the cattle, I saw some strange lights and those black shapes in the sky over that way.” He pointed toward the High Mountain Array.
“So these black helicopter sightings happen often around here?” In the past, the Men in Black had become a pain in his backside at times, but the idea behind them was solid.
“Yeah. There are two air force bases, Northcom and the Space Command Center not far from here. We jokingly say they moved Area 51 over to Peterson Air Force Base.” He shivered, again. “Doesn't feel like a joke today.”
Sheriff Thomas walked up to them. “Well, Jim, I've done what I can do here. Doc is going to be run some tests. He says they may have been shot or possibly poisoned, but won't know anything until he gets the results back.”
Jim kicked the dirt. “Right. Guess that's all we can do.” Defeat settled across the rancher’s shoulders like a heavy wet blanket weighing him down. “Thanks for coming out.” He turned back to the fence, gazing out at what was left of his beloved animals.
“It's my job.” The sheriff patted Jim's shoulder. “I’m here for you Jim. Don’t hesitate to call me if anything else happens.”
“I know that, Henry, but there’s just nothing any of us can do about this stuff.” He kicked the dirt. “You'll be the first person I call.” Turning his back to them, Sandborn’s shoulders slumped in defeat as he led Bonnie into the back of his horse trailer.
“Come on, Kole. Let’s get back to town so you can get those pictures developed.”
Jim waved to them as they drove away.
“Sure.” Kole shut the car door and became lost in his own thoughts. Why are the Grays here—now? Are they after the Dropa stones, Elle or me?
Chapter Eight
Ignoring the No Trespassing sign, Elle held a flashlight in one hand and pulled the barbed wire fence back with the other for Sara to crawl through. Once and for all, she needed to know what was going on out here. Herman needed her help and it seemed like she and Sara were the only ones there for him.
“We shouldn’t be doing this, should we?” Sara slipped through the hole. “What if someone catches us?”
“It's after midnight. There's nobody out here this late.” The only sound was their whispered voices above the cadence of crickets and tree frogs. Elle slid through behind Sara, her determination growing with each movement. This was her only chance to check things out without prying eyes watching her every move. What was making that noise in the cave earlier in the week? She had to find out. “Look.” She waved her arm around. “There's nothing but the moon, the stars and night critters.” She hoped her words would put Sara at ease.
Sara snickered. “That's what I'm afraid of . . . the night critters.” She gasped and reached for Elle’s hand. “I heard something.”
“It's your imagination,” Elle said and patted her on the shoulder. She tromped ahead and led the way to where she and Kole had been apprehended by the military. There wasn’t any noise or glow coming from the cave. Everything seemed normal, but a prickly feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, driving her forward in the pale moonlight. She’d see what there was to see and then they’d high tail it out of there. A sudden shiver crawled up her spine. She stopped in her tracks. We’re not alone.
“Look out,” Sara’s muffled scream filled the cool night air, sending shivers up Elle’s spine.
Before Elle had a chance to think or turn around, from out of nowhere, a huge blinding white light swallowed her. Two long metallic arms reached out and clasped Elle in their grasp. She couldn't move. Sheer unadulterated fear pulsed through her veins as she watched Sara slump to the ground. Something was pulled over her face. The cloth smelled of something medicinal, something strange. Damn. Blackness engulfed her.
* * *
Waking up, Elle turned her head. An unconscious Sara was strapped to a cold metal table beside her. Fright swept through Elle’s mind. She took control and embraced the evil sinister vibrations that hung in the air surrounding them. Oh, what have I gotten us into? This can’t be happening. Cold steel bit into her back as she racked her brain, trying to figure out how to get them out of this mess. A bright light burned into her eyes and a whirring sound suddenly filled the room. Where were they? Turning her head, she realized the noise was the same sound she’d heard coming from the cave. “Elle. Where are we? I'm scared,” Sara whispered and pulled at her wrist straps.
“Me, too, but I’ll get us out of this.” Elle pulled at the strap holding her right hand. “I think we’re somewhere in the cave.” They had to escape. The military would never treat them this way. And she felt it wasn’t the aliens, but it was someone else. Someone dangerous.
“I can't move,” Sara complained.
“Try to stay calm. I'll think of something.” Elle worked against the strap binding her and focused her attention to freeing her hands. One was slightly looser than the other. She shivered and pulled against the tension, loosening it further.
“Good, you're awake.” A tall thin gray being with huge black bottomless eyes appeared over Elle and retightened her bonds.
Elle’s heart fell to the pit of her stomach as swift penetrating fear worked to flood through her mind. The creature looked like the beings they called the Grays in the tabloids at the grocery checkout, but she sensed something wasn’t right. Her vision blurred for an instant as icy fright fought to submerge her inner thoughts. She sucked in a deep breath. She had to take control of her emotions. They were trapped with this creature and she had to do something. Then her sixth sense kicked in and she knew. No matter how real it seemed, this wasn’t a real alien. It was someone in costume.
Swallowing her fear, she squeaked, “Let us go. We taste terrible.” The thing ignored her. Apparently, humor didn’t impress the imposter as he watched her with his cold empty eyes. Someone had done a great job with the disguise.
“Do not fear us, Earthling.” It peered into her eyes and brushed hair away from her face with its sticklike hand.
Too late for that. The panic coursing through her body almost made her pass out. With her psychic abilities she knew this wasn’t a real alien, but whoever he was had them at his mercy.
“Cooperate and you'll not be harmed.”
The squeaky voice grated against her nerves like scratching long fingernails across a chalk board. He ran a cold clammy hand across her cheekbone causing her skin to crawl. Another larger Gray imposter hooked patches connected by wires coming from some kind of strange whirring machine to her body. She didn’t feel a thing.
“We will examine you. Then you will be set free.”
Sara, please forgive me. Elle squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the alien pushing something up her nose. It caused her to pass out. The last thing Elle heard was Sara's scream.
Bright sunshine shone in Elle's face as she cracked open one eyelid to see a vast blue sky above her. With her wr
ists unbound, she pushed her fingers into the dirt. Good solid ground lay beneath her. She could still smell the night dew on the grass and weeds. “Sara, are you here?” No answer. A rush of dizziness overcame her as she tried to set up and slid back down. She leaned against a large rock and took shallow breaths. A moaning came from somewhere near her. “Sara, is that you?”
Elle couldn't move fast. Her arms and legs felt as if they were made of lead and weighed a ton. All she could do was lay there, listening. A tear trickled down her cheek. The muffled whimper came from her right.
“I’m here,” a whisper filled the air.
Thank goodness. With relief, Elle turned her head and saw Sara's shoulder. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I don’t think so. Just dizzy and I can't move too well.”
“Me, either, but it seems to be wearing off.” Elle rubbed her arms and legs, getting her circulation going, and pushed herself away from the rock. Finally, the world stopped spinning as she slowly crawled over to Sara. “We're all right. They dumped us somewhere.” She squinted and tried to get her bearings. “I think we're in Red Rock Canyon by the Array.”
“Thank goodness.” Sara slowly sat up and rubbed her forehead. Confusion clouded her face. “I can’t believe the aliens took us.”
Elle checked out her arms looking for odd marks or finger-nail shaped scars. “I don't have any marks or anything on me. Do you?”
“No, not that I can see.” Sara pulled up her shirt sleeves and her arms were fine.
Elle hugged Sara and whispered in her ear. “They weren’t real.”
Sara scowled at her and leaned away. “What do you mean?” One eyebrow lifted in a frown. “They were as real as it gets. I felt their slimy cold hands on me.” She shivered and rubbed her arms.
“I know we experienced it, but something was off kilter.” Elle sighed in frustration and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I can’t put my finger on it, but I know they weren’t aliens.”
“Until you do, they were scary enough for me.” Sara’s eyes were wide with fright. “Real or not, do you think they will come back after us? Like Herman.”
Starseed Page 9
