“They’re four light years away, not long,” Zar said.
11
The morning in the desert was breathtaking sometimes. I was up, and left with the sun, leaving old Lee to watch my place. Lori and Pam gave me an embrace, a kiss on the cheek. Henery gave me a ride to Doctor Jones, north of Carlsbad. Henery and I were talking, not paying much attention to what was going on. Just outside of town, the military was checking traffic.
I looked at Henery. “This happens often?” I asked.
Henery shook his head. “My first.” Henery pulled up to ask the MP. “What is going on?”
The MP said, “We were told to check everyone coming from Carlsbad.”
Henery said, “Ok I get that, what are you looking for, or who? You must have a target.” I looked at one of the MPs. I told Henery in a low whisper, that is a Palatonian. I suppose Henery being a policeman, they let us pass. I told Henery again, they were not MPs.
Henery said, “I agree.” Henery drove on to Doctor Jones’ house, turning into his driveway. I told Henery to stop now.
Henery looked at me. “What’s wrong?”
I pointed to the hill behind the house. Several people were coming down the hill. “They’re already here,” I said.
Henery asked, “What do we do?” I told Henery I need a gun, one that will reach a long way. Henery said Doctor Jones has several in the house.
I mentioned to Henery, “Let’s walk from here.”
Henery said, “Tyler, the dog should be barking.” I told Henery they may have killed them. Walking, I stooped over; not paying attention to where I was going. Henery caught me by the arm.
“What?” I said.
“Tyler, don’t move,” Henery said.
I froze. “Why? what is wrong?”
Henery said, “Look very gently to your left, then down.” Lying two steps to my right was a big snake; I’ve never seen one.
Henery said, “It’s a desert rattler, very poisonous.” He told me to step back very slowly. Well now that I saw one, I never want to see one again. We moved away. I didn’t know what to look for, the snake or Palatonians. I suppose they were like snakes, just waiting to bite something. Looking at the house, the Doc’s car was gone. I told Henery someone was in the house.
Henery and I sat on the ground behind the huge poplar trees, waiting. From out back through the trees, a great noise sounded. I looked at Henery. We both turned to look down the driveway, the army was closing in. Two tanks with two trucks and one jeep. People ran from the house to the hill. Army men started running toward the house. The tank fired uphill, almost hitting the target. It fired again, still short. The Palatonians had reached their ship. They were gone before the tank could fire again.
From behind us, a voice called, “Halt.” We turned to face two MPs. “You two come with me.” Walking toward the house, we could see a man talking on a radio. The MP stopped us just short of the man.
“Sir, these two were hiding behind the tree,” he said. I wasn’t sure what his rank was.
Henery said, “He was a major.”
He asked who we were.
I looked at Henery. “Major, I’m a policeman from Carlsbad, New Mexico, just south of here.”
He looked at me. “Who are you?”
I told him I was a friend of Henery’s and Doctor Jones. “Doctor Jones lives here, we haven’t seen him in several days. The hospital asks if we would come check on him.” The major gave us a funny look.
He asked Henery, “You have any idea what went on here today?” Henery told him again why we were here.
“Major, it’s not the first time we’ve seen this,” Henery said.
“What do you mean?” the major asked. Henery told the major the highway patrol brought two bodies into the hospital. We buried them.
The major asked, “What did they look like?”
“They looked like humans,” Henery said. “Doctor Jones took blood from them. I tell you now they were not humans.” The major talked to someone on the radio. He told the MPs to takes us back to Henery’s car, with strict instruction, “Don’t speak to anyone of this.”
The major called as we started to leave. “Don’t leave town, either of you.”
“Well sir, I do have a fishing trip planned. In the mountains around Flagstaff.”
He replied, “Son, you will have to put that on hold until my general arrives.”
I told Henery, “Let’s go.”
Henery looked at me. “A fishing trip, oh yeah sure.” I told Henery I didn’t know what to say to him. Driving back to my place, I told Henery the girls should be happy; old Lee too. I bet in his younger days he was a pistol.
I asked Henery, “Have you lived here all your life?”
Replying, he said, “Here and Roswell. I was born in Roswell, that’s where my mother came to when she came to Earth. I really didn’t know that for sure. I thought they were stories until a young man came to town with all those stories.” Henery looked at me. “Tyler, I’ve never seen so much stuff happening here before. I wonder why so much is going on with the UFOs and the aliens.”
“Henery, I suppose the word hit the galactic air of a habitable planet. Others want to see, some come so far away; they bring their families.”
Henery smiled and said, “Bullshit.” We both laughed. I told Henery the first time Dorn come to Earth, it took two years. Now, it takes nine months.
Henery mentioned, “You said Dorn had a son.”
“His name is Zin,” I said. “He went somewhere. I’m not sure where. The years I’ve been on Boldlygo, I’ve worked in the lab. My sister works on things I never will understand. Marie, April and myself. I would like to explore the planet. There’s no telling what is there. Dorn told me one day Phillip wanted to go; he would have to have a guide with him, a native of the planet. I would have no problem with that.”
“The natives love the humans,” I told Henery. “Some of them think they’re like a slave to us. I assure you that is not true. I’ve spoken to the council of this. I was told always to do things with them, treat them as an equal. I agreed. Personally, Henery, I love them. I love working with them. When you see them, you would think they’re not too bright. They’re very intelligent.”
Henery said, “I see you going a long way with them, Tyler.” All I can remember is bits and pieces of what my mom told me.
I asked him, “Why did she come back to Earth?”
Henery answered, “She never said.” We drove into town; the sky was full of the air force. Turning beside the store down the long dusty drive, Henery drove to my mobile. Pulling up, old Lee came out right away. Lee started to light up an old gold then threw it down. I heard him say, “Ah, the hell with it.”
I went to my trailer. Lee asked, “What happened?” I told him to ask Henery, I’m making coffee. It was hot inside. I opened the windows and door; it didn’t take long for it to cool down. The way of the desert is hot in the day, cool at night. It was coming to summer in Carlsbad.
Henery told Lee of the morning events and the day. I bent over to get a pan when the window came out with a blast. Lee yelled loud, Henery ran for the front door. A man in black crossed in front of him. Henery went for his pistol and shot him. He fell off the stoop in the yard, as it was.
I jumped off the stoop, grabbed the weapon, tossed it to Lee. Lee caught it looking at me. I told him to hide it. I bent down over him.
“Why?” I asked.
“You are the one from Boldlygo?” I told him I don’t know what that is. I’m from England.
He said, “There will be others. We have instruction to kill you or take you prisoner. I choose to kill.”
I smiled at him. “Oh yeah. Well, how is that working out for you?” He died there, on the ground next to my mobile.
“Henery,” I said, “Call the state patrol, tell them what has happened.”
It took two hours for them to arrive. The army also picked up on the call. It was early evening, as I saw dust in the driveway.
Henery called me, “Tyler, here comes the army.” Pulling up in front of the mobile, it was the same ones that were at Doctor Jones. The major walked over to the body. He looked at me.
The major asked, “What happened here, officer?”
Henery told him, “I was sipping my coffee when he attacked”.
The major asked, “You got any idea why this man would attack you?”
“I’m sorry, sir. He said something about Boldlygo, whatever that means.”
“You told me they weren’t humans,” the major said.
“Yes major, that’s what I said.” An army ambulance backed into the yard and loaded the body. He was instructed to drive straight to the air base in Roswell. “Do not stop. If there is an accident, go around it, do you understand?”
The driver replied, “Yes, sir.” Then he was gone.
The major walked over to Henery and said, “I don’t know what is going on here. I do believe you’re not telling me everything.”
I said, “There’s sighting of UFOs everywhere, major.”
“Bullshit,” The major said. “There is no life anywhere except here on Earth.”
“Major, you with your own eyes have seen things happen. Strange crafts flying around, strangers in and out of town.” I took another sip of coffee. The major turned to face me.
I said, “How do you explain this?”
He replied, “Thanks to the good Lord, I don’t have to.” I told him he would have to explain it to someone. Night time had come to the desert once again. The major had sent his men away.
He sat on the stoop. I asked, “Major, would you like a cup of coffee?”
Lee said, “Hell I would.”
The major answered, “Yes, I would. Son, how did you get mixed up in this?”
I looked at him. “I’m not sure what you mean, sir.”
“Bullshit, you know more than you’re letting on.” He looked at Henery then to Lee.
The major said, “I think all three of you are in a conspiracy. Maybe to overthrow the United States government.”
“Major, I’m from Cambridge England. I’m here in the United States by choice. My father owns a bank, my mother is a nurse. We’ve lived here all our lives. Well, until I come to New York. I stayed for a while then I come west. I’ve been in the states for twelve years, we are wealthy. My father sends me money to a bank where I draw a draft. I assure you sir, we’re in no kind of conspiracy.”
The Earth’s sun went down. I told Henery, “Looks like the major was staying the night.” The sun had peaked the morning sky. I was up making my coffee. I heard something outside.
An older woman that lives next to Lee said, “In my eight-year living here, I had never seen so many changes. Who was this kid? Never anything goes on, he showed up, then all hell break.” I stepped to the door. Up the drive, two jeeps come driving into the yard- two generals and two captains. It was a Saturday morning. The major called to me.
Henery drove up. Exiting the car, “Tyler, what is going on here?” I told him I wasn’t sure. Calling me over, I sipped my coffee as the general began to talk. He introduced the general.
“Son,” he said, “I’ve been in this man’s army for a lot of years. I’ve never seen the things I’ve seen here in Roswell in the past few days. My major tells me, you and your compadres are in a conspiracy to play games on the government, make fools out of the military.”
I sipped my coffee and looked at him. “General, what have you seen?”
He answered, “Well, I’m not at liberty to say.” He and I looked at each other, then I said, “Tell me general, are you and the major in a conspiracy to mess with the people of this world? I’ve heard there has been sighting all over the world.”
“Damn it, boy, I’m not talking about the world. I’m talking about here, and now.”
“General, my name is Tyler Willard. I’m from Cambridge England.”
“Yes, yes, my major has told me that,” he said. “You know what is happening here, I know you do. Maybe we need to talk to one of your friends.”
“General, talk to whoever you wish. I’m told this is America, home of the brave land of the free. Don’t you believe that, general?” The general stood and walked away from me with the other generals. They both started talking to the major. I could barely hear them.
The major came over. “Tyler, you’re coming with us.”
“Just where are we going?” I asked.
“You don’t need to worry about that,” the major said.
“Major, I have no desire to go anywhere with you. The only place I’m going is to make myself another coffee. Then tonight, I’m going to bed.” I told the general, “You and this man’s army have already put me out of one-night sleep. Now if you will excuse me, I’m going inside.”
“Tyler, if you don’t, they will take the old man,” The general said. Well, I froze in my tracks.
“Why would they do that? He is very sick. Lee has lung cancer. Leave him the hell alone.”
I went inside and closed the door. Looking out the window, one of the generals spoke to the major. The major spokes to the MP. Sitting down at the table, I watched to see what was next. Sure enough, the MP started toward Lee’s. I opened the window.
“Sir,” I said, “If you know what is good for you, you will leave now. Go no further.” He just looked at me.
“There’s no English kid who’s going to tell me what to do.” He continued to walk to Lee. I lifted my hand, cupped it, knocked him off his feet. I opened the door, let him get a good look. The MP had no idea what had happen. He saw me on the stoop.
I said, “Leave him alone.” I walked off the back stoop, down the steps to the ground. “Now it’s time for all you people to leave. This is America, you’re trespassing on private property. Leave now.”
“Leave now or what?” The general said.
“General, you need to leave. Lee’s daughter will be here soon. She will not like what you’re doing to her father.” I no longer said that Lori and Pam drove up.
Lori said, “Hi Tyler, what is happening here?”
“The army’s here,” I said. “The nice general over there wants to take your father away.”
Lori walked to the general and asked, “Did my father commit a crime against the army?”
The general replied, “Well, little girl, I’m not sure. We want to ask him some question.”
“Well, ask them or leave.” Lori asked, “Henery, isn’t there a law that the military can’t harass a private citizen?”
“General,” Henery said, “I’ve known this man all my life. I do need you and your men to leave here.”
The general started to speak. Henery said, “Sir, you have no right here. They’re all citizens here. As for Tyler, he is waiting for his mother and father to arrive.”
The general didn’t like what was happening. Since he was in the army, things had gone his way.
“Officer, we’ll leave. I’ll get with the federal government. You haven’t seen the last of me.”
Lori spoke to the general, “If you come back here and harass my father, it will be the last time anyone sees you.”
“Young lady,” the general said, “You do not threaten me. I fought in wars protecting you.”
Lori smiled and said, “No, general, you fought on foreign lands to help other people; you did not fight for the United States. You were not protecting me. Now leave before I go get my father’s gun and start a war of my own.”
Gathering his thoughts, the general left with the others. He did some serious thinking who was this kid Tyler. Where did he come from? Why was he here? He had to find out, he had to. He made him look bad in front of his men, something no one has ever done before. Lori enter
ed the house.
Lori asked, “What have you gotten my dad into?” I told her nothing.
“Bullshit Tyler, the damn army was here. Tyler, tell me what is going on.” The others had come in.
Pam was the color of the clouds. She asked, “Yes, what is going on?” Henery started to explain what happened at Doctor Jones’ last night.
Henery said, “The craft you saw at the mine, was at Doctor Jones. Several of the ones you saw at the hospital were all over the place.”
Pam asked Tyler, “Why are you here?”
“I’ve told you several times, you just won’t believe. In fact, Pam, the only time you will believe me is when we leave. I’ll ask this final time, do you want to go? I won’t ask again. When people come, I’ll give them the seats. There’s not much time left. It was close to the end of June. My folks will be here in about three weeks, if I planned it right. When they arrive, there will be others.”
Pam asked, “How will they know to come here?”
I told Pam some will go on to Roswell. “I’ll place a mark; they will know I’m here. I’ll know them when I see them. For some reason, Roswell was the place all aliens come to, one time or another. I’m not sure what brings them here. I’m not sure what it is about this desert land that attracts us. They just show up like the Palatonian and Centaurians. In future years, I’m sure there will be others. There are several planets that have humans on them.
In Bota’s journal, I read there were one hundred fourteen planets that Bota went to; humans were on all of them. The planet of Xon, if the people from Earth saw them, it would scare them to death. Yet the humans that live there are no different than you or me. There are several planets with other species on them. If they come here and landed, the humans here would kill them just because they don’t understand. It’s as Dorn said, humans destroy what they don’t understand. Maybe someday, Earth will learn to coexist with being from beyond the stars.”
Lori said, “Tyler, some lesson.” Pam said the same.
Lee said, “Damn it boy, keep talking.”
Lori said, “Tyler, my mother is dead. I have no brother or sister, no relatives at all. It’s just me and my dad. Please don’t mislead him. You know he is sick. I’m afraid you tell him of this adventure just to help ease the pain.”
The Staff of Ira Page 12
