by Rick Kueber
“Dead.” A low voice from the back of the room said. “They’re all dead. Don’t you people get it? We may have agreed to stay here, so it makes us volunteers, but all we are is volunteer slaves.”
“He’s right you know.” Bob agreed. “I can’t say they’re all dead, but probably a lot of them are, eventually they’ll all be.” His eyes watered and he hid his face from the gawking stares.
“What do you know Bob?” The old woman in the glasses queried.
He shook his head as if he didn’t want to respond. “I’ve seen things. Things you couldn’t imagine. I saw them suck the life out of a lot of people all at once with some kind of machine. Sucked something out of them until they were all dead. Put it all into a bunch of tanks...” His voice cracked and he couldn’t speak.
“You don’t mean those tanks you haul into the bakery, do you?” Tina pried for an answer and everyone in the room gasped in horror.
“Yes.” Bob hid his face in his hands and went weak in the knees. Those standing around him caught him before he fainted.
“So that crap we’ve been baking for them is people...stuff?” Haley stuttered her words, and everyone but Elle was thinking the same thing.
“That’s what they’ve been feeding to the Takers, I bet.” Elle had remained focused and unshaken.
“So, he’s right ...we’re all just slaves. We’re just a bunch of heifers and when they run out of other people, we’ll be the next ones on the menu.” Bailey’s voice twanged out. Her statement was as countrified as she was, but it was also probably very accurate.
“So... Back to where this conversation started... Haven’t you all thought about fighting them?” Elle asked again.
“I can’t be the only one. I’ve thought about it a lot, but there’s just so many of them. How are we supposed to win?” Bob spoke solemnly.
“I wish Tanner was here.” Elle received puzzled looks from everyone. “Tanner...well, I don’t know how to explain this without telling the whole story...” And so, for the next two hours, Elle told the complete story about Tanner, and Maddie and Daniel and the Barnhill Tribe and the Triple-C Tribe. She retold the story of Tanner commandeering the Titan and the Multitude of Takers and Ahsushas chanting ‘Unify’. While there were a few questions here and there, mostly everyone listened intently, like first-graders being read a new and fantastical tale at the local library’s story-time. When Elle’s story was winding down, she could see the thoughts and ideas lighting up nearly every face in the room.
“Would that make us the Baker Tribe?” A woman called out.
“Isn’t it disrespectful to Native Americans to call ourselves a tribe?” another added.
“Native Americans didn’t use the word ‘tribe’. It’s an English word.” Elle rebutted. “I’m Zuni... And I’m not offended. I think it gives us all a common ground.” The conversation took a turn.
“So this Tanner is like some kind of part alien guy, right? So how does that help us if he isn’t here?” Tina asked a very legitimate question.
“It doesn’t.” Elle quickly responded. “But if all of those Takers and even the Ahsushas had taken his side, then why isn’t it possible that some of the ones here might not want to help us? I mean, no matter where you go, somebody isn’t happy with the ‘big plan’, right?”
“That’s a good point, but how the heck do we find out which ones might help and which ones would kill us for even asking?” Another guest added his questions to the conversation.
“I think I might know.” Bob stepped forward. “I don’t like it, but I’ve spent a lot of time around all of them and I get a sense about some of the leaders. Let me watch them a little closer over the next few days or weeks and maybe I can find out if there is one we can trust. If I think there is, I’ll try to talk to them alone.”
“Awww, Bobby.” Bailey seemed completely disconnected from reality. “That’s so sweet of you to put yourself out there for all of us, and smart too. Ya know that could be dangerous.”
“He knows.” Elle rolled her eyes and whispered to herself, but then spoke up. “Well, I think what we’re going to need is weapons, guns if we can get them, if not, then anything that’s lethal. The Takers are just as vulnerable as we are. The Ahsushas are too, but when you kill them, the Alien beings don’t die. I can go out and look for weapons while you are all at the bakery every day, until we are ready to start our revolution.”
“But what about your baby?” Bailey pointed out the elephant in the room and her question was met with numerous murmurs and nods of agreement.
“Well, if I figured it right, I have about two months before she’s due. That should give us time to get our plan ready to put into action and maybe take Phoenix back before she arrives.”
“So, it’s a girl, huh?” Bob smiled and distracted the group from their slim chance of success.
“I don’t know, but I want to think it’s a girl.” Elle smiled, thinking about holding her child in her arms and seeing it smile for the very first time. It was better than remembering the horrible dream of a genderless alien child.. “Either way, if it’s healthy...” and we survive she thought to herself. “I’ll be happy. I mean, really, what more could I ask for?”
If anyone in the group had made the connection that Tanner was partly alien and he was the father, they didn’t mention it. Maybe it was because it was too frightening to speculate about such a thing, or maybe it was because, unlike Elle, they all assumed he was most likely dead.
“Whacha gonna name it?” Bailey’ swords were as rhythmic as the country song that played quietly in the background.
“I was thinking... Just thinking, if it’s a girl... Zoey.” Bailey shot a quick look at Elle as if she had just dropped the ‘f-bomb’, but then quickly looked away. “And if it’s a boy...” The room went silent and the world went dark. From the middle of the gathering, the scratching sound and the smell of sulfur against emery filled the air and a single wooden match cast a dim light on the room. “If it’s a boy... Phoenix.”
“I guess the party’s over.” Jenny said after a moment of silence.
When the match went out, a lighter was struck and two candles were lit. Nearly everyone spilled out into the dark hallway very quickly and moans filled the air when they realized they would have to take the stairs back to their respective apartments. Elle stood by the door as each one left and thanked them for coming to her surprise baby shower. When the last one left, she and Jenny returned to the couch and breathed a heavy sigh, looking around at the mess left behind by the guests.
“Go on to bed, I’ll clean up in the morning before I head out to find our arsenal.” Elle hugged Jenny.
“I won’t even argue.” Jenny smiled. “Good night.”
Elle blew out the candle on the end table next to her and paused before getting up to extinguish the other. She wrapped her arms around her belly and hugged herself. “I love you baby.” She whispered in the empty room. Movement in the hallway caught her eye and she expected to see Jenny reappear. Perhaps she had forgotten something in the living room, but she was mistaken. Bailey appeared from the shadows with her finger pressed against her lips to ‘hush’ Elle.
“What are you doing still here?” Elle crinkled her brow and lipped the words silently as Bailey crossed the room.
“I’m going to help you.” She answered very quietly as she sat down on the couch next to Elle. Bailey noticed Elle’s eye-roll in the pale candlelight.
“Seriously? I think I’ve got this.” Elle, though very pregnant, was feeling that she was much more of an adventurous bad-ass than the born-in-a-barn girl sitting next to her on the sofa.
“Trust me.” Something in her voice and the look on her face changed to complete seriousness. “Here, I wrote it down for you.” She shoved a folded piece of paper into Elle’s hand and closed her hand around it. “East side of the apartment is Jefferson Street. Follow that south for six blocks. Go left on Maxwell Drive for two blocks and you’ll come to Firefly Court. It’s a cul-de-
sac. At the very end you’ll see a large, two story house with gray stucco and white trim. You might have to break in, and that might be a problem, because there’s probably going to be an alarm. If the alarm goes off, unlock the door and get the hell outta there, and get back here as quick as you can. If you make it back wait a few days and try again, but if there’s no alarm, find the master bed room. You’ll have to move the bed, but when you do, you’ll find what you’re looking for.”
“Okaaaay...” Elle had sat open mouthed as she listened to Bailey’s instructions and could only manage to drag out a single word out.
“Okay... I’d better go now. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, so, stay safe, stay hidden and stay alive.” Bailey stood up and Elle walked her to the door. Before she left, Elle shocked herself by giving her a heartfelt hug.
“I’m not sure what to make of all this, but you surprised me.” Elle opened the door to the empty hall way. “I hope to see you again.”
“I’m full of surprises.” Bailey tossed her hair to the side. “You’ll see me again soon, I’m sure.”
Elle closed and locked the door and leaned against it, taking in the entirety of the evening’s events. Her back ached and she knew what she needed was a soft mattress, a pillow and sleep. She blew out the last candle and felt her way down the hall to the extra room that she had grown to call her own. Though her head buzzed with thoughts of adventures that were about to begin and a baby that would arrive very soon, she quickly relaxed and slipped off into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Chapter 7
Cache
A muted and patternless, soft tapping on the window held Elle in a state of limbo; neither awake nor asleep, just barely conscious enough to hear the constant dull sound that lulled her like the hum of a fan. Lifting one heavy eyelid, she peeked out from under her thick blanket. The room was filled with the dull light of day, but it seemed more solemn and lonely. It took some effort, but she rolled over to face the window. Elle stretched and slowly worked her way from laying down, to sitting up, to standing. With a yawn that filled her lungs with air and her eyes with water, she rubbed the sleep from them and stole a glance out of the fifth-floor window. The sky was gray, and a strong wind blew the fat drops of rain hard against the tinted glass.
A hot morning shower on a cold and rainy morning was exactly what Elle needed to jolt her back to reality. When she had finished and dried off, she dressed in a clean pair of sweatpants and t-shirt. Digging her gun and holster from the closet, she strapped it on and slipped a dark gray, button-down shirt over top, hiding it well. By the time she reached the stairwell exit on the ground floor, a rush of adrenaline filled her with a longing for days gone by. Keeping the scrap of paper with the directions on it crumpled in the palm of her hand, she daydreamed of her days hiding out in the cave and sneaking out at night to hunt... And one night in particular when she found something she did not anticipate: Tanner. She missed the early days of the invasion when there were hopes that they could stay hidden and days after that when they hoped to find that most of the world was untouched. Now those hopes were merely shattered dreams of the past.
Doing her best to stay invisible on her journey, Elle slipped up here and there, exposing herself to any hidden eyes that could be watching. As her memories and emotions wandered through her mind, Elle wandered through the back alleys and side streets of Phoenix. Before her thoughts had made it to Barnhill, her cold and wet feet found themselves at the end of the cul-de-sac, staring down the extravagant home that had been described to her by an unexpected ally.
Putting her hand to the front window, she looked inside. The furniture and decor were even more lavish than the exterior hinted. With constant glances over her shoulders, Elle checked the front door, and the windows she could reach… all locked. She made her way to the back of the house and methodically checked windows and the rear door. Again, all were locked. The back yard was concealed from sight by a tall wooden privacy fence and was well landscaped. Her eyes scanned over the decorative stones that lined the walkway to the swimming pool and the black, wrought iron settee on the covered porch. Gently, her fingers caressed the back of one of the iron chairs, feeling its intricate details and her thought slipped away to a beautiful daydream.
Elle sat in the shade of the covered patio and watched a cotton topped little girl toddling towards the pool in the hot summer sun.
“Zoey!” She called out to the child, and Tanner popped his head above the edge of the pool.
“Hey, there baby girl! Go back to mommy.” His muscular and tan arm flexed as he shewed her back away from the edge of the water and then he wiped the water from his face and slicked his hair back. “I love you, princess.” He smiled at her and gave her a wink.
What a perfect life they had... Or could have had.
Elle’s fingers wrapped tight around the iron at the top of the chair back and with one fell swoop, she lifted it, slung herself and it around and sent it crashing through a large picture window. The shattering glass fell both inside and out onto the patio. The sound of glass bouncing and breaking on the floor around her felt good, but not as good as throwing the chair. Elle was, for lack or better terms, pissed. Why did this have to happen? Why couldn’t she and Tanner have met, fallen in love and lived the American dream without the alien invasion and the constant threat to their survival? It wasn’t fair. Now she was alone, and she was about to have a new baby, which scared the hell out of her, and for the first time, she worried that she may never see Tanner again. There was a feeling in the pit of her heart that told her he may very well be dead already.
Elle cringed and ducked her head, but silence surrounded her. Her mouth hung open wide. No alarm sounded, and there seemed to be no sign of anyone alerted by the noise. Quickly and carefully, she began removing the remaining shards of glass from the edges of the window frame. When she had cleared a large enough area, Elle climbed over the sill and entered the extravagant home.
“I bet I’m the only Native American, pregnant cat-burglar.” She giggled to herself.
Under other circumstances, she would have headed straight to the kitchen to find her next few meals, but today was not a day for scavenging food. Room by room, Elle searched for the master bedroom, and when she opened the right door, there was no question. A four-poster, canopied, California-king-sized bed, covered in a dozen overstuffed decorative pillows was centered against the far wall and was nearly dwarfed by the size of the room. Oriental tapestries, brightly colored and depicting scenic landscapes and kimono wearing women with black, bunned hair, hung on three of the four walls. The bed covered a large section of a twelve by fifteen foot rug that probably cost more than most people spent on their entire bedroom suit.
It took a moment for the reality to settle in. Elle looked around the room in awe and imagined for a brief moment again how amazing it might be to live in such a fantasy life with a family she loved. The bed was very well made, sturdy and heavy. She pushed against it from one side and was surprised to find it had furniture skates under the posters and slid effortlessly across the fine rug. After moving it several feet with ease, Elle squatted down and rolled the rug from the edge toward the bed, revealing part of a hidden trap door. Excited by her find, she jumped to action again and pushed the bed even farther until the skates skidded across the hardwood floor. Rolling the carpet back, even more, the entire door and its sunken handle were revealed.
The door was thick and heavy and took more effort to open than moving the enormous bed. Elle laid the door open and exposed a narrow and steep set of wooden steps. She drew a deep breath and descended the stairs. It was a full eight foot down and when her feet hit the floor she could sense that the room was reasonably sized, not some tiny cellar. It was dark and even when she squinted her eyes she couldn’t make out her surroundings. All she wanted at that moment was a flashlight or lighter. Instead, she had to wait for her eyes to adjust enough to see a pull chain hanging from the floor joists. Elle gripped it firmly in her left han
d and drew her pistol with her right. With a tug, and a sharp click, an incandescent light came on and what the artificial glow unveiled was staggering. Elle was sure she had a look on her face like a demented zombie: face turned downward, eyes looking from side to side from under a heavy brow, and a mouth hung open, that began to curl into a grin.
Wooden crates, metal chests, and cardboard boxes filled the space. Though some were labeled and obviously non-perishable food stuff, most were clearly marked as an array of guns and ammunition. Elle stood in the midst of a doomsday prepper’s arsenal. There was no way she could even pack one of the crates back to the high rise. Any of them would have been far too heavy in her condition, so she chose another option. Searching through the crates and boxes, she found a semi-automatic assault rifle and filled a fifty round clip, snapping it into place with a satisfying metallic click. After rummaging through the crates and boxes, she located a shoulder strap and slung the rifle over her head and shoulder. Elle reorganized the mess she had made, closing all of the containers tightly and pulled the chain to turn off the light before she left the bunker. Feeling re-energized by the discovery, Elle covered the trap door with the rug and slid the huge bed back over the top. A sly smile appeared on her lips as she softly patted the pillow-covered bed. “I’d probably sleep sound here too, with enough ammo to start WWIII under my bed ...and I used to think it was living dangerously to hide a thirty-eight under my mattress.”
Elle found her way back to the apartment with no encounters along the way except for a scrawny black and white alley cat. It bellowed a distressing meow that sounded more like a dying plea for help than a real ‘meow.' Elle didn’t ignore the little beggar, but what could she do? So, she continued on her uneventful journey and just as she reached for the door, a gentle pat touched her calf. The little tuxedoed beggar had followed her all the way home. Opening the door with one hand, she scooped up the skinny mongrel with the other and vanished to the interior of the building and back to Jenny’s apartment.