Momentum

by Yefon Isabelle

  MOMENTUM

  Yefon Isabelle

  Copyright ©️2018

  The author and publisher have provided this e-Book to you for personal use only. You are not permitted to make this e-book publicly available in any way.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  For Adeline…

  “You’ll never know what mysteries are written in the stars if you do not look up to the skies with curiosity and wonder.” Yefon Isabelle

  Table of Contents

  MOMENTUM

  Table of contents

  Kiwayu Island, 16:00 hours

  En route to Pelmar

  Nairobi, Kenya

  Sao Tome, GULF OF GUINEA

  En route TO Manta, Ecuador.

  North Pole

  Antartica

  Epilogue

  ABOUT AUTHOR

  Kiwayu Island, 16:00 hours

  We returned from drills at the coastal outpost seashore, diving under luscious green palm sheds, breathless from the hours of training. Being a female in the special ops unit was a dream come true.

  It was a tedious day— we ran miles up the mountains, sparred in self-defence, close quarter striking, underwater diving and marksmanship. Father would be proud. I made it demolishing through my assessments with scores hitting the bars and up to the rooftop. I missed him... him and mother. Hopefully, when the counterterrorism mission came to an end, I would take a trip home to them.

  I sighed in my nostalgic moment as Marie threw a pine blade at my face.

  “Quit being silly, Marie,” I snapped, throwing the pine back at her.

  She giggled, shutting her big, deep chestnut brown eyes, inhaling sharply.

  “What do you suppose you would have become if not a special op?” She spun towards me and interrogated.

  I smacked my lips together, pausing for a second. I knew not what to tell her so, I invented the most badass job I could think of in that instant.

  “Meh…” I commenced as Marie rolled her eyes in bemusement.

  “What?” Marie squinted, her oval, dark brown visage turned in my direction.

  “Perhaps a truck driver. There you go. If you’d kindly leave me alone now, miss.” I smirked, blowing a puff of air. She was as curious as an old lady I sat by on a bus when I took a luxury trip to Kribi for the very first time. I hated getting personal details out there. As much as Marie was sort of my best friend since I did not have many friends anyway, I didn’t like getting into personal details with her...considering my line of work and my staggering secret. Her monotonous quests of curiosity were maddening.

  “Not so fast.” She sprang up, peering into my eyes. “You mean you didn’t even have the slightest, tiniest dream of being espoused in a nice suburban village?” Marie nudged me to my utter discontent.

  It was an easy lifestyle, in my opinion, one mother would have appreciated more. I was the only child and she always wanted grandkids to expand the family tree. It was a comfortable life, but not for me. I would never be fulfilled living a mundane life of changing diapers and making homely meals. I was too independent for that. Besides, I did not think many men out there were willing to contend with someone as intense as me.

  “Damn, Marie, that’ll be an ordeal for sure.” I grinned at her to shut her off. She smirked, pulling out dried twigs from her dark, 4C thick braided hair as I cleaned the dull, wet sand from underneath my dark khaki boots with my pocket knife.

  “Fall in line.” I heard Commander Malachi, the commanding officer, growl. We leapt up and sprinted towards the C.O, as the rest of the squadron gathered together, standing at attention till he waved, ‘At ease,’ his brows drawn together.

  The drill instructor stood by the commanding officer. The gruesome contractor, hewn for his experience in delivering top nudge combative skills, clenched his jaws, the contours protruding and emphasizing on the seriousness of the pre-mission debrief. He was notorious back in the day for his successful countless missions, now retired and bent on putting us through hellish drills.

  “As you already know, you are the elite team designated for this important mission.” Commander Malachi, howled, his usual hard set jawline fixated in a serious mood.

  “We leave for the operation tomorrow. I do not need to overemphasize on the importance of this task.” He pointed.

  “I expect you to be on your best behaviour. Get enough rest. I cannot overemphasise the importance of teamwork.” He swallowed.

  “I want no complications or malfeasance. Anyway, I’m always looking to downsize, so don’t be…”

  Just then, Marie pulled a palm blade from underneath my shirt. It tickled my lining and I sniggered.

  “Oh boy!” Marie cursed, acknowledging as I did, the vein strained face of a stern C.O.

  “Something comical, lieutenant junior Eden?” He spat the word junior, as though it wasn’t an appellation, but an insult while taking soft projected strides towards me. My heart sank to the bottom of my belly. The man was no common anecdote. I never saw him smile and I knew for certain that I was in for a rough ride. I held my gaze fixated on my boots and my arms at attention.

  “No, sir!” I yelled concealing my face beneath the shade of my hat.

  “I think we all disagree.” He planted himself rigidly in front of me, his sultry breath, I could feel at the tip of my nose.

  “No, nothing, sir,” I bellowed once more, my heartbeat drumming in my ears so much that I barely heard the words he uttered.

  “Fine.” He started to retreat, his hands held behind his back.

  “Then, might your majesty grace us with a hundred pushups?” He declared, his expressionless gaze staring at me as he motioned to the spot right beside him.

  I rolled my eyes. This couldn’t be the worst punishment. I shrugged.

  “And, a hundred pull-ups,” His baritone voice echoed as if I were in a trance. That was more like Commander Malachi I knew.

  I gasped wide-eyed as he raised a brow in my directions, scouring for any sign of disobedience.

  Marie was going to pay. I gave her a dirty look as she mouthed, ‘I’m sorry.’ A genuine, pitiful look strewn upon her face.

  ***

  It was almost six pm when I strolled out of the cafeteria, my arms and fists sore from the tedious penalty. The sun was setting and the blue skies had withdrawn into their abode. A rare flourish scent saturated the air as I sealed my eyes, cradling a golden cross necklace, Mother had gifted me on Christmas, two years ago. I never went anywhere without it. I hummed relishing the serene moment for as long as I could. The sound of multiple steamboats roared from the sea— dozens of operatives were having an extracurricular moment.

  As my eyelids came ajar, I whooped at the sight I caught or thought I spotted. A blinding blue light streaked across the horizon, slashing only for a few seconds. Thunder? Perhaps not. I rattled my head. It was in mid-dry season and rain clouds were as rare as snow in tropical Africa.

  “Meh, maybe it’s my white blood cells. I heard one could see them—those tiny, light particles flecked in the mind’s eye when closed. I mumbled to myself, pocketing my arms into my beige slacks. At this time, I was alone in the peripheries. The lunchroom was deserted except for a few clangs of dishes coming from the pantry.

  I wheezed once more as I caught sight of the beam. I saw it clearly—a white, mammoth, sphere-like object, rung by a discernible energy ball, flickering like a torch in the wind.

  I shielded my mouth with my right hand as millions of thoughts clamoured through my brain. Was that a real-life UFO? I surmised they weren’t supposed to
be real.

  I spun around frantically, wondering why Marie had left without me, hoping she had witnessed the phenomenon.

  The flying saucer, spherical and rotund from the frontal view, elongated into two enormous rear wings nestled atop the twin-engine system, kept disappearing and appearing sporadically for a few seconds. There seemed to be an issue with it. It spiralled in the atmosphere, causing a sharp hissing sound its blinding blue scanning light blossoming from beneath the belly of the dark, slate grey mega-structure, like light from thousand moons.

  More people noticed the phenomenon. Yells and screams erupted in the yard. I caught sight of Marie’s petite figure as she ran towards me with a daunting look plastered on her face.

  “Tell me you saw that.” I held an arm wide-eyed as she nodded desperately.

  “Hopefully, it’s some test flight or military drill.” She sniggered, trying to sound sarcastic, but I could discern her worry.

  The outlook of the UFO prototype, distinct from popular belief soared into full view, drawing closer and closer to the ground as loose cables sprang out of the vessel. It seemed out of control, sparking fiery spurs, dark smoke and emitting a burning smell that irritated my eyes and nostrils. We sneezed and coughed our eyes tearing up.

  Closer, it whirled till it came in contact with the solid terrain. The ground tremored like the first time I witnessed one of Mount Kilimanjaro’s volcanic cone, Shira, erupt. Black earth rained, darkening the fading light of day. I felt my feet elevated from the ground on which I stood. Marie floated by my side for a split of a second. Before I realised what had happened, gravity flung us as a magnitude 2.0 EMP blast sent us and we came crashing down on the barb wired fence. My ears rang and I could barely hear anything. My eye site turned blurry, but I had to fight the void that suctioned me. I Steadied myself up, brushing off debris and earth.

  I heard Marie cough. I wrenched a piece of lumber that fell loose from the watchtower and earth that had sheltered her visage beyond recognition.

  “Are you ok?” I hauled her from beneath the rubble. She nodded dusting her attire.

  “What the hell!” She sighed.

  I nodded content that none of us where injured in any way. Without any detailed assessment of the situation, albeit imminent danger lay as a datum, I scurried to the crash site just a few feet from where I stood.

  “Hey, Eden what the hell are you doing?” Marie yelled, but I just had to get there.

  I walked stealthily, fisting my hands as the wheezing sound proceeded, a humming sound accompanied it emerging from a bed of elliptical, elongated, grey mega-edifices which I implied to be the turbines. The two enormous engines which emitted dark gas clouds of exhaust were still running and humming. The incapacitated gargantuan vessel lay mercilessly in shambles. Its blinding light dimming as a conflagration started to kindle from the left engine.

  The ship had dug a crater and nested itself at the bottom. The launch assist tether lay broken as the craft crash landed out of control from the captain’s intentions of a prudent and non-fatal landing. The stepladder perhaps had to emerge from within the vessel. It was going to be tricky introducing myself the inside it.

  I had to climb over using my arm strength and any loose metal to hoist myself off the scorched ground that smoked upon impact with the object.

  I examined the ship from every corner, scanning whatever I could grasp as rapidly as I could. The sequential number read, S.R.F 3340 Alzetec yacht. From every indication, it wasn’t a battleship. It didn’t have torpedoes, firing phasers and missile launchers. This was more of a deep space expedition vessel.

  Just as I steadied myself on the front view, I caught a glimpse from the front window, a figure entrapped in the capsule, endeavouring to cut loose from the safety belt that had malfunctioned and a metallic shrapnel embedded in his knee. The individual paused for a second, lifting his distinctive visage glaring at me. I could see a glint in his deep-set, teak wood coloured eyes and his mocha skin tinge, glistening in unison with the setting sun.

  He donned a light coral robotic suit attached to a matching helmet with a tinted glass, front view, fragmented from the impact. He had dark, striped gloves and a pair of matching boots as well. He looked like a crew captain with a patch of golden stars decorating his chest.

  Adrenaline pumped through my system as I grew blind with the desire to rescue him. Precipitously, I tried slamming the front glass, but it didn’t budge. It was more solid than it appeared. I hustled to the right side of the ship and caught sight what looked like a latch and wiggled it. It was melting off from the heat. Still, I hovered on to it till it slightly came ajar. Then, I tossed it like a twig and pushed the double trap door. I became insane as I slashed through the last layer of metal wreckage, and splintered glass with my bare hands and it was as light as helium. Stunned at my abrupt strength and instinct—perhaps, I was in dire need to get him out of there to free him. It was in my blood. There was something peculiar about him. Then, I came to a double glassed door it sprang sideways. I progressed straight through it, following the aisle.

  The danger alarm blared and the magenta lights chilled my spine. It was a humongous ship, hence; it took me approximately two minutes to get to the commander on deck. If that was who he was. I shrugged, advancing forward.

  The entity appeared in full view. I bolted without further scouring of the atmosphere, retrieved my bayonet from my woven girdle and began cutting the fetters that confound him. I didn’t think to verify if there were any other crew members on board. I skimmed adequately only to catch a glimpse of strange maps and dials, steers, wheeled futuristic three-dimensional chairs and props. I plucked him from the grey chair as he gripped onto my shoulder for support or so I thought. He tried fighting off my grasp, but I was too tough for him to tackle.

  Why was he resisting?

  “Relax, I’m not going to hurt you.” I blurted out, whisking him away against his will into the hot crater that had formed by the impact of the vessel.

  I heard voices and I knew the C.O was near. The individual struggled to get back into the ship with little success. Why would he want to get into a burning ship? Just then, Commander Malachi, Captains Aromi and Sikema, rushed towards us with more officers by their side. Two officers seized him—the individual from my grasp, from which he had supported my shoulder and limped with the shrapnel still embedded in his knee.

  Captain Sikema, screwed his face, groaned and knocked me to the ground with his mighty booth. The aching blow devastated my solar plexus. Still, for some unexplained reason, I held on to the stranger soothing hands, his beautiful eyes never shifting from my gaze as he was painfully pulled away. I loathed the square faced Sikema, right from the moment I came to the base, two and a half years ago. He always walked around with a smirk on his face —made sure everyone knew how self-important he was, and how everyone else was beneath him.

  “Secure the perimeter,” Commander Malachi, scuffed giving me a disapproving look, unworried about the way his lap dog treated me. He marched stiffly, his baritone voice roaring, “Secure the border. Make this a no-fly zone. Check, the vessel for any occupants,” He heaved his chest, the exhale emphasized his bulging gut. “And someone, please place a call to Buea, now.” He bawled orders as officers responded, busying themselves to get his orders met. An officer rushed with a satellite phone as Malachi moved away from auditory sense, hushing his voice and brooding seriously.

  “What the hell did you think you were doing, Eden? Marie frantically rushed towards me.

  “You could have gotten yourself killed, silly.” She snapped, giving me a hand as I stood up from my kneeling position.

  “Jerk!” Marie sneered at Captain Sikema, who sauntered with his hairy hands held behind his back, his well-kempt Afro hair, gleaming in the sun.

  I gasped as some officers emerged from the vessel orifice with six more crew members: four males and two females. They seemed unharmed, other than that they were held hostage at gunpoint by naval officers and swatches of no
n-fatal cuts streaked on their faces. That’s why he wanted to go back into the ship—his people, of course, were inside. How stupid was I or was it selfish?

  I watched as the strangers were led away. They weren’t even armed. The closest they had two weapons, were peculiar metallic batons which appeared like non-fatal defensive weapons.

  Marie limped by my side, her dishevelled dread locks matted to her forehead.

  “Are you ok?” I asked as Marie waved her hand in the air.

  “Just a scratch. I’ll live.” She exhaled.

  “But what the hell were you thinking?” She screamed, pulling my braids.

  “Ouch!” I yelped, slapping her wrist off.

  “This is insane,” I said, unconsciously furrowing my brow.

  “I know,” Marie gestured towards the crash site. “But there ought to be an explanation. They are human.” She expressed.

  “Weren’t extra-terrestrials supposed to be slimy, slender, green beings with a large pair of eyes, a large head and three fingers? Not handsome, chiselled, relishable hot dudes and chicks, far more civilised looking than us?” I rambled as Marie clutched her forehead.

  “Yeah, tell me about it.” She responded lazily, stifling a yawn.

  The individual plagued me. I couldn’t shake the connection I felt when I first came to close proximity to him and the look in his eyes made it evident that he felt it too. I held my hands to my chest and asked.

  “But why?”

  “But why, what?” Marie’s forehead furrowed

  “Never mind.” I brushed her off as Lieutenant Yulem beckoned for us to make ourselves useful.

  We had to make a tent—a ginormous yurt to conceal the rubble and the crash site. We began interlacing cords. The twine bruised my palms, but that was a duty of being a mere mutt in the spec ops. It reminded of this one time I dodged boarding school to go celebrate a classmate’s birthday party. When the principal finally caught up with us, he’d given us diggers and we’d dug stumps of trees till our hands were raw and blistered with puss.