The Draco officers raised their goblets to return the toast, then greedily gulped the blood until it was gone, flicking their forked tongues to capture the last remaining drops. Refreshed, they uttered sounds of contentment mixed with euphoria.
Leaning over to take the first bite, Zycar sunk his teeth into the girl’s shoulder, tearing off a piece of her muscle and skin, exposing the bone beneath. As he chewed, blood trickled down his rough chin.
The sight started a feeding frenzy.
The others ravaged the body.
Teeth clashed.
Flesh tore.
Grunting ensued as they feasted.
The Earth Sentinels turned away from the scene in disgust and horror.
Bechard waved his hands over the crystal ball and the blue mist inside rose to hide the gory buffet. He told the others, “The Dracos have been eating humans for millenniums. It’s where your legends of vampires, werewolves and demons come from. The hormones and adrenaline coursing through your veins make the Dracos feel alive. Often, they torture their victims to increase the adrenaline content, but, and here’s the most interesting part…” He motioned with his hands and the blue mist dissolved, showing the girl’s corpse had been picked clean—just her skeleton, head and lower intestines remained. While a gruesome sight, Bechard wanted the group to see what took place after the Dracos finished eating.
Some of the reptilians transformed into blue-eyed humans with either fair or brown hair. One of them belched. Several others picked their teeth with their newly formed fingernails. Those with a higher percentage of reptilian genetics also transformed, but retained their reddish eyes with slitted pupils, and scaly skin. Their noses grew longer, but were still smaller than normal; and, although spaced a bit too far apart, their teeth were no longer pointed. The Supreme Leader did not change at all, perhaps out of intention, or perhaps because he was too archaic, but either way, Zycar seemed pleased with his lunch, resting his claws on his engorged belly.
Tom uttered, “Shapeshifters.”
“You are correct.” Bechard explained, “Once the ratio of human to reptilian blood changes, those ‘on the fence’, so to speak, shift and appear to become human for a little while.”
Fearing the worst, Haruto asked, “Will they eat Billy?”
“For now, he and the other tribe members are safe.” Bechard moved his hand over the crystal ball. A new scene appeared, showing a nuclear plant that had melted down. “But there is another major concern. Because of the power outages, nuclear plants around the world experienced melt downs, and are spewing radiation as we speak.”
Overcome by the devastating news, Haruto sorrowfully declared, “Life will never be the same. Ever.” She was all too familiar with the after-effects in her hometown of Fukushima.
“It’s true. Life as you knew it is over. The Dracos were strategic on where the nuclear plants were built. This ensured the radiation would be evenly dispersed. You need to remember these reptiles thrive on radiation. Soon, the levels will be closer to what they prefer—going as high as the newest hybrids can tolerate, but definitely much higher than humans can bear long term. This means the Dracos and hybrids’ primary meat source will be loaded with radiation and live a shorter life span. For them, it’s a win-win.”
Haruto asked through her tears, “But what about the animals? The plants? The oceans?”
Bechard was sympathetic. “It’s a travesty, but they don’t care about diversity unless they can use it or eat it.”
Tom went up to Bechard, demanding to know, “Why didn’t you stop it!? Everything is ruined!”
Bechard looked around the group, seeing the fear and anger in their eyes. “To you, I’m all powerful, but to them, I’m just a solo dissident who has fallen away from the Anunnaki rebels’ agenda. You’re asking me to fight an entire army. I can’t do it alone.”
The tall pedestal, on which everyone had placed Bechard, shrank.
The fallen angel continued, “However, a lot of things have changed since then. Mostly you. I believe your powers are the only thing that can save mankind. Don’t take them lightly. But back to the radiation. The remote areas are still safe from it, and once you’ve mastered your superpowers, you could transport the nuclear plants to a distant star, preferably one with no planets, to get rid of the problem.” He seemed pleased with his own idea. “We’ll add it to the list.”
Haruto asked, “What about the damage already done?”
“There are natural solutions, such as microbes, bacteria and mushrooms that could effectively neutralize it. This isn’t the first time in history there’s been nuclear disasters, so there is hope for restoring the planet.”
Zachary’s shoulders slumped. “Who knows what else they’re doing. It’s hard to win when you don’t know the rules.”
“True enough. We’re late to the playing field, but the game is still on, so don’t give up, not yet, because, if you do, mankind’s evolution in terms of spiritual advancement will be set back by hundreds of thousands of years. But the first step is recognizing your own powers. The rest will follow. To that end, it’s time to practice your newfound abilities. Get to know them inside and out, and then you can save your loved ones and the others from this tyrannical regime.”
Cecile said, “I agree we need to practice. We don’t want to endanger our tribe, but I wish we knew they were all right.”
“That’s easy enough.” Bechard waved his hands over the crystal ball. “Let’s start here—right after the tribe was taken off the reservation.”
The glass sphere showed a military bus driving down a road escorted by army trucks. The convoy slowed to a stop in front of a fenced compound with barbed wire strung along the top. A reflective metal sign read “Canadian Armed Forces Official Facility, No Trespassing”. Inside were rows of khaki-colored canvas tents, which housed brown-eyed people who sat inside their temporary dwellings, listlessly staring out the opened flaps. A military base was stationed on the other side of the fence.
The convoy moved past the gate and entered a holding pen that acted as a barrier between the tents and checkpoint to prevent the prisoners from escaping. Behind them, the gate slammed shut. The armed soldiers jumped out of the military trucks, positioning themselves near the bus before the bi-fold door opened.
“Everyone out!” a soldier ordered.
John was the first prisoner to exit. He stepped down, defiantly clenching his jaw. His straight black hair hung loose over his black t-shirt, which was imprinted with the artwork of a powwow festival he attended last year. The other tribe members followed him, one after the other, huddling outside the bus, confused and afraid. John protectively put his arm around his younger sister, Mari, who tried to act brave like her brother.
The UN leader told the group, “You’ll be assigned tents. If you cooperate, this will be a temporary situation until you receive your work orders. Follow me.”
Back in the spirit realm, Tom ruefully stared at the scene in the crystal ball, stating the obvious, “They’re living in concentration camps.”
“It’s not great,” agreed Bechard, “but the tribe should be fine until you rescue them, so practice well.”
Practicing
THE JAGUAR, HIDDEN in the branches of a maple tree, silently observed the people’s activities below.
Standing near the fire pit, Tom spoke to the teenagers, Adeelah, Manuel and Rowtag, who were gathered around him, “I’m going to practice moving you together.”
“Where to?” Manuel asked, apprehension tainted his voice.
“Over there by the trees,” Tom answered. “Now, everyone put your hands on me.” He waited for them to do so, and then he concentrated, imagining all of them at the new spot.
In a blink of an eye, everyone in the group, except for Manuel, relocated, appearing on the forest’s doorstep, standing in the sparse weeds. The teenagers were amazed.
“This is so cool!” Rowtag exclaimed.
“Wow!” Adeelah gushed.
Tom noticed
Manuel was missing. He looked over his shoulder and saw the boy standing in the old spot. He shouted across the way, “Why didn’t you come?”
Manuel loudly answered, “I didn’t do it on purpose!”
Tom magically transported himself to where Manuel stood. “That’s okay. It’s good to know this stuff. Can you tell me what you were thinking? It might help.”
“I don’t know…” The boy seemed embarrassed. “I guess I was freaked out about..you know…doing it.”
“Let’s see what happens if you don’t resist,” Tom suggested. He held onto Manuel’s arm, saying, “Just relax. Okay?”
He nodded.
“Are you ready to go?”
He nodded again.
Tom took the boy to where the others stood. Adeelah and Rowtag cheered when Manuel arrived.
On the other side of the fire pit, Eva walked on a log like a tightrope walker, placing one foot in front of the other, her tiny toes gripping the bark as she balanced herself with outstretched arms. The miniature mustached monkey stepped behind her, imitating her movements, holding out his hairy arms.
Nearby, Zachary was trying to move objects with his mind. He aimed his hands at the cord of wood located at the edge of the clearing, focusing on one of the uppermost split logs, which he managed to lift a few inches before it fell back onto the pile. He tried again. This time, the log floated up a little higher before falling once more. Zachary decided to focus more intensely. He straightened his fingers, pointing them at the log, which rose unsteadily, but stayed afloat. Pleased, he beckoned it with his hands, and the log followed his motion, wobbling through the air toward him. When it reached the fire pit, he lowered his hands, and the log abruptly dropped into the cold ashes. A cloud of soot billowed.
Eva clapped enthusiastically for her father. The monkey clapped and hooted.
Zachary pretended to bow to a crowd. “Thank you, thank you, one and all.”
“Do it again, Daddy!”
Prodded by her admiration, he caused another log to float off the pile, sail above the ground, then land beside the first one. He did this several more times, each one more easily handled, before Eva got bored and resumed her balancing act.
Having lost his audience, Zachary decided to try something new—something that was sure to impress his daughter. He dramatically cast his hands, making hundreds of pine needles rise up from the forest floor, swarming like bees as they flew a circle around Eva and Jabbar, then headed toward the fire pit, settling into a mound beneath the logs. Zachary focused on the pine needles, causing them to smolder. Smoke trickled. The kindling caught fire. He moved his hands higher and the flames grew, lapping over the logs.
Eva and the monkey clapped.
Meanwhile, Haruto was working with Eyota, a shy, but willing participant, who she asked, “Do you have any questions?”
The girl shook her head.
“Okay, good. The first thing I’m going to try to do is move you over there.” She pointed at an old oak tree. “Okay?”
The girl nodded.
Haruto touched Eyota’s arm, praying this would work. The pair disappeared from where they stood and reappeared near the massive trunk. The Miko smiled. The process had turned out to be much simpler than she expected. And after a little more practice, she would be able to save Billy and anyone else who might need her help.
At the same time, Cecile was practicing her skills with Taima, who she asked, “Are you ready?”
Although the young woman usually acted tough, her voice was soft as she answered, “Yes…but there’s somewhere I want to visit.”
“Oh?”
Taima hesitated before saying, “I never gave them a proper burial.”
Cecile knew who the young woman was talking about. “It might be better if we all went together.”
“I know, but I’d like to go alone. With you, I mean.”
Cecile took ahold of Taima’s hand. They disappeared from where they stood and arrived in a field at the edge of the burial grounds where ashes and bones were piled in a heap. The gray cremated remains were a stark contrast to the lush green surroundings.
“Don’t feel guilty,” Cecile comforted her. “You kids did what you had to do. You were still recovering. Something had to be done.”
Despite the macabre bones and skulls, Taima stared at the funeral pyre. She rarely cried, but, at this moment, tears ran down her cheeks. With great difficulty, she uttered, “Mom, Dad, if you can hear me, I love you. Please forgive me.” She turned toward Cecile, sadly suggesting, “We should bury them.”
“We will. But right now, we need to take care of the living.”
After several hours of practicing, the Earth Sentinels felt comfortable enough with their newfound powers to discuss rescuing the tribe members. They gathered around the smoldering fire that Zachary had built. The teenagers quietly listened. Eva and the monkey sat down, trying to act like grownups.
Tom took the lead. “Okay, everybody, we need a plan so we can save the tribe.” Haruto gave him a look that prompted him to add, “And Billy.”
Cecile interjected, “I don’t see a problem with that. We can easily transport them, but where will we take ’em? Once they go missing, this will be the first place the army looks.”
Tom sighed, frustrated this process was still having complications.
“We could take them to the jungle,” Zachary suggested. Eva and Jabbar eagerly nodded. He added, “Although, personally, it wouldn’t be my first choice.” Eva frowned.
“I was hoping for a location similar to here,” Cecile said, glancing at the forest. “You know, not so hot. Maybe there’s some place in Canada? Or Alaska?”
“Hmmm.” Tom speculated, “Alaska would be tough, even without the aliens looking for us.”
“I’d prefer something a little warmer,” Zachary commented.
Cecile said, “Yeah, but we could always move again. As long as it keeps them safe for the time being, we shouldn’t rule it out.”
Haruto asked, “Then where to?”
Tom admitted, “I don’t know.”
“Do you really think the Dracos care about such a small group of people?” Cecile questioned. “I mean, how much effort would they put into finding the tribe?”
“They cared enough to take them in the first place,” he reminded her.
“Yeah…but was it really about them? Or were they looking for us? Are we the reason they were taken?”
“I don’t think so. We hadn’t mutated yet.”
“Just because we didn’t know about the mutation, doesn’t mean they didn’t.”
Tom growled, “There’s so much we don’t know.”
“Then let’s find out for ourselves,” Haruto suggested. “We can visit the Dracos’ bases and laboratories. Find out what they’re up to and scout for locations. If we divvy it up, it shouldn’t take us more than a couple of hours.”
Scouting
THE CHICAGO PUBLIC Library, built in 1991, replicated the more notable architecture throughout the Windy City. The brick building had high-arched windows and a roofline adorned with gigantic, bronze owl sculptures ready to take flight. Inside on the main floor, every inch of the ceiling was adorned with ornate carvings and reliefs, and topped by a dome crafted out of Tiffany glass panes. It was here that Cecile and Tom arrived, using their supernatural abilities to remain invisible as a safety precaution. They took a moment to admire the magnificent library, which had three levels of bookcases on this floor alone. The escalator was motionless. Dust had accumulated on the lengthy empty tables where the patrons normally sat perusing books.
This place is huge! Cecile exclaimed.
Tom asked, Where should we start?
I don’t know. The travel section?
Sounds good.
They transported themselves to a row that was over fifty-feet long.
Now that’s a lot of books, he commented.
Their ethereal bodies floated down the aisle until they found the section labeled “Remote Des
tinations”. Cecile scanned the shelves. Oooh, here’s one. She read the title to him, The Twenty-five Most Remote Places in the World. That sounds interesting. She became semi-transparent so she could pull the book off the shelf, opening it. “Okay, this one is in Motuo, China. It says you need a suspension cable to get to it.”
I’m not sure about that one.
“Tetepare Island? It’s part of the Solomon Islands and used to be inhabited two hundred years ago. There must be fresh water there.”
Tom shrugged his invisible shoulders.
“Okay, here’s a place in the Australian outback.”
Sounds remote.
“Yeah…I’ll make that a maybe.” She flipped through the pages. “Nope. Nope. Okay, this one’s interesting. Deception Island, Antarctica.”
Brrrr. You know I love Canadian winters, but that’s too cold, even for me.
“But it’s got volcano-heated waters,” she joked, then read the next one, “Okay, this one sounds good: the Palenque Mayan ruins. Warm, sunny and near a waterfall.”
Bookmark that one.
“Man, you never realize how small the planet is until you’re trying to hide out.” Cecile put the book back on the shelf. “Maybe we should just visit some places. It might be faster than thumbing through these books.”
Okay, where to?
“You choose!” Cecile made herself invisible and held onto her husband’s hand.
Cloaked by invisibility, Haruto and Zachary emerged inside the hub of a military operations control center where hybrid soldiers sat monitoring grids of holographic screens that spanned the circular walls. One bank showcased street scenes from different cities. The images continually switched. On the opposite side of the room, the holographic screens offered a bird’s eye view of remote jungles, snowy tundras, deserts and mountains. In the top-right corners of the screens, the text “Satellite Transmission Enabled” displayed. Three reptilian commanders sat in high-back chairs overseeing the activities.
A warning sound ensued from a control panel, prompting the soldier sitting there to take a closer look at one of the screens. The body heat from four people displayed as orange figures.
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