by Mark Tufo
I looked over to the gunner. “You say brace for impact again and I’m going to have him hit you,” I said, pointing to Dee, who looked like he was going to rip the armrests clean off his seat. Fairly uncharacteristic of him to show fear in the face of death. Everyone has his or her limits, I suppose.
“Land this damn thing!” Paul shouted as if his words alone would restore order. Funny thing is I think it worked. The horrible grating sound stopped and the ship began to slow down.
Within another thirty seconds we had finally, and thankfully, stopped. I can’t remember if I’d taken a breath since the whole thing had started but I noticed the one I took now was choked with dirt and smoke. “FIRE!” I rasped out.
The gunner hit the emergency exit handle. The door fell off its hinges and away from the craft as a large inflatable ramp quickly extended away. It was kind of funny considering we were only about eight inches off the ground. Dee stood up with the straps still attached. He had ripped them free from their moorings. I think he would have taken the chair with him had the material not given way first.
“Come on, man!” I shouted to the pilot. I couldn’t see him anymore as the smoke billowed into the shuttle.
The gunner waited until I was out then the pilot before he hopped down. He ushered us further away from the shuttle as it burned.
“Looks a lot like your Buick,” I said to Paul, hoping that he would remember I pulled his ass out of a burning car once.
“What the fuck, Mike!”
I was pretty sure, at this point, my tactic hadn’t worked.
“You leave me high and dry and then you tell my wife to delay a strategic bombing for what? We are about to have a war on two fronts, I am spread too thin for that.”
“Paul, I didn’t know how bad it was. I didn’t go there with the express desire to screw with your plans, I went there hoping to save lives.”
“How did that work out for you?”
“You saved our asses back there so I think you know full well how it went. I learned something, though. Something you don’t know yet and that might have been delayed further if you’d struck when you wanted to.”
“What?”
“Someone is supplying those arms and some serious ones, too. Most of the Genos have Geno rifles and obviously they have anti-aircraft weaponry as well. Who knows what else they have. So they either have contacts at the armories or from the Guardian.
Paul immediately looked up as if he could see his ship circling overhead.
“Somebody has stirred the bee’s nest all into a frenzy and then set them free. Armed as they are there isn’t a town or city organized enough to deal with them. They’ll lay waste to what little infrastructure remains.”
“I should have just fucking blown them away when I had the chance,” Paul grumbled, making no apology even as he looked at Dee. “This is on you, Mike!” Paul was pointing his finger at my chest.
“I’m sorry I gave sanctuary to a species that helped save our planet. What a huge asshole I am for that!”
Paul looked on the verge of a meltdown. I watched as he reeled his anger in. It was like watching a man swallow a live eel—disgusting and sort of fascinating at the same time. I waited until the thing was writhing around safe and secure in his belly before I spoke again.
“Dee and I think it’s the Progerians because they have the most to gain from a war. Revenge against both of their enemies.”
“Mike, I have Progerians aboard my ship.”
“Yeah and some of them are probably working against you.”
If I thought Paul looked pissed before...
“Drababan, what of the Genogerians I have aboard the ship?”
“Once they hear of the unrest down here you will begin to have problems.”
“Paul, how were you planning on bombing their city without your crew finding out?”
“Human pilots.”
We backed up further as the ship began to pop and groan from the blaze.
The jarring impact of the ship had sent a sharp pain where Cythion had kicked me. Whatever had been bent seemed broken now.
“Did you activate the transponder?” Paul asked his pilot.
“The collision set it off, I checked to make sure,” he answered.
“Mike, if I remove all the aliens I won’t be able to pilot that ship correctly.”
“You don’t have a crew you can trust. How you’re going to quietly remove them from their stations is going to be a neat trick.”
“Sir, the morning briefings would be the best time to get most of the crew in one place,” the gunner spoke. The cafeteria was the assembly area.
“There is a lot of intermingling these days…it will be difficult to separate them without anyone taking any undue notice.”
“Shots,” I blurted out.
I think Dee thought I meant rounds.
“Inoculations. Any medicine administered would have to be different for humans and aliens.”
“What do I tell them the shots are for?” Paul asked.
“Shit, does it matter? Tell them it’s for Space Plague. Line them up, have them walk into a nurse’s station, hit them with a sedative and bring them out another door and down into holding cells.”
Dee harrumphed.
“Buddy, this has to be done for now. If you have a better option, I’m listening.
“And what of after?”
“If there is an after we’ll deal with it then.”
“This is a clusterfuck. I do not have the personnel on board to deal with this. Mike, I’m going to need you on the ground.”
“With what army?”
“I can get you five hundred troops by tonight.”
“A whole five hundred? You do realize there’s potentially a couple of hundred thousand pissed off Genos running around, right?”
“They’re not all armed, they can’t be. We’d have noticed losses of stock like that.”
“Well, I guess it’s not like the Genos are dangerous without a weapon so I guess five hundred should be plenty then.”
“Can’t Drababan talk some sense into them?”
“We tried that route, didn’t work out so well. Plus my big green friend here has decided to sit out this little party.”
“What?” Paul turned towards Dee.
“I cannot in good conscience fight against my people or for that matter my adoptive people.”
“Convenient,” Paul said snidely.
I wanted to deflect some heat off Dee. “Paul, I’ve got an idea, once I get those troops and a ride.”
“Dust on the horizon,” the gunner told us. He had been patrolling our perimeter.
“Shit, Mike, why is it that most things either love you or want you dead?”
“Probably because I don’t do anything half assed. If I fuck up its feet first, and if I win, it’s because I’m all in.”
We heard sound to our right and turned. Five armed men were coming our way. They looked pretty concerned, probably because of Dee’s presence.
“We saw your crash,” the man in the lead stated. “I’m Mayor Duncan of Olde Town.”
“Well, gee thanks for coming out with assistance so quickly,” I said sarcastically.
“We don’t get visitors here very often,” he continued as if he hadn’t heard me. “Very protective of our borders since his kind came.”
“Who, the General? Yeah, I wouldn’t let him in if I were you either.”
“Shut up, Mike,” Paul spoke and walked forward. “I’m General Ginson.”
“Hello General—I recognized you, that’s why your large friend isn’t dead yet.”
Dee was as taut as a guitar string and nearly thrumming with tension.
“It appears as if we are going to have some unwelcome guests soon.”
“We’re aware of that as well. That is why I’ve come out to get you all to a more secure location.”
I looked up at Dee who looked none too pleased.
“And what of the approaching horde?”
I asked.
“I’d hardly call sixty-seven a horde,” the Mayor said to me. “When they get to within five hundred yards we have snipers set up to deal with them. We’ve learned that the alien weapons are only accurate for three to four hundred yards and then that blue crap tends to get all squirrelly. If we keep them at arm’s length we can take them out easily enough. Let’s get inside before bullets begin to fly or someone might mistake your friend for an enemy.”
I wanted to tell him to kiss my ass. For some reason I had yet to ascertain, I really didn’t like the man although he’d done absolutely nothing wrong as near as I could tell. He was going to protect us against a threat we had brought to his front door, no questions asked, and I wanted to make his nose bleed. Sometimes I don’t even get myself so how the hell Tracy deals with me is a mystery.
We walked into the Arizona National bank, the lobby full of armed men and women. The Mayor led us past the throng and towards the back of an emptied out bank vault full of children and the old.
“Not a chance,” I told him. “Claustrophobic.” That was a semi-truth, but I’d been locked up for far too long in my life, I was going to avoid it at all costs.
“It is for your safety. It would not look good if dignitaries such as you were killed while in our care.”
“I appreciate the offer but no thanks.” That was when things went a little awry. I could feel the eyes of the Olde Town citizens on me.
“I insist,” he said as his eyebrows furrowed.
When I heard the hammer of a pistol cock back, I shoved the barrel of my rifle under the Mayor’s chin.
“Mike, what the hell are you doing?” Paul said in alarm. Our pilot went down when someone pistol-whipped him in the back of his head.
“Anybody moves and I’m melting this guy’s head!”
“We mean you no harm,” the Mayor spoke, sweat beading off his forehead. I had his head pushed up and back from the force of the muzzle under his jaw.
“I’d say our pilot is harmed. Wouldn’t you?” I asked, forcing him to look over at the crumpled form. “Someone either knocked him out or he’s really tired.”
“See Mike? This is the shit I’m talking about. You take an offer of help and turn it into a hostage situation.”
“Paul, I’m pretty sure all of us would have been fine save one. I’m thinking Dee had about as much chance of making it out of here as a donut at a cop convention. I’m thinking that the proximity to the Geno city has really tainted their views of our interstellar friends.”
“You blame them?”
“No, really I don’t. But see,” I said in the Mayor’s face, “this here big brute, well he’s my friend and he’s saved my ass so many times, I have to pull off my shoes and socks to count that high. And if anyone is going to get the pleasure of killing him it’s going to be me.”
“I am not sure if I should be honored or horrified,” Dee spoke.
“Sorry man, I’m really pissed off right now and that didn’t come out quite the way I’d expected.”
“Apology accepted.”
Rifle fire started up, luckily not within the bank. It was the controlled shooting of marksman as opposed to the frenetic shooting of the scared.
“Everyone here with a gun is going to get into that vault.”
“Mike, you can’t take the town hostage.”
“I beg to differ. I’ve got to imagine this guy is fairly popular and that the good townsfolk would not like to see him harmed and if they don’t GET THEIR ASSES MOVING NOW, I’ll be forced to do something violent. And considering I spent all that time under alien dominion and fought and killed all those humans in a deadly contest for their amusement, I REALLY AM HIGHLY UNSTABLE! The doctors said the medication has been doing wonders BUT I HAVE THESE LAPSES! I get this pressure behind my eyes.” I squeezed the bridge of my nose. “They call it post-traumatic stress syndrome, sometimes I think I’m back in the games and that everyone is out to get me. It really fucks with my mind,” I hissed, pulling the Mayor in close. I didn’t mean it but I think my eyes may have rolled independent of each other.
If the Mayor had been sweating previously, he was now beginning to marinate in his own juices. The shooting outside began picking up, as the Genos must have begun running towards the area. Inside it was quiet except for the ravings of a madman. It’s not always easy to step outside of oneself and see you for what you are. I’d like to say it was all an act, it wasn’t. I was as scared of that crazy man as was everyone else in that room.
“Everyone in the vault,” the Mayor said. I could tell he was hoping that he was well loved enough that the people would heed him.
“We can take them, Mayor,” the one with the cocked gun said.
“Wait, we’re not the enemy here,” Paul spoke up.
“Doesn’t look that way from where I’m standing,” the gunman said.
“Listen, dipshit,” I started.
“Fuck, Mike, why don’t you just take a piss on everything.” Paul bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose much like I had.
“I might afterwards,” I told him. “Back to dipshit, we radioed for help. Do you think they’re just going to leave a crash site without their General, especially since it’s already been reported he’s alive? Don’t go looking to your vault over there. That shit ain’t going to save you when they lay waste to your shitty little community.”
“Vern, listen to the man.” A voice came from in the vault.
“Yeah, Vern, listen to your mom.”
“That’s my wife.”
I swallowed hard. “You’re a lucky man, now listen to your, umm, wife.”
We all heard the familiar whine as the Geno return fire streaked through the air. Concussions from explosions blew out the bank windows. Everyone ducked down except for Paul, who now had his rifle leveled on the lone gunman.
“Drop it. I have no desire to spill blood here but I also won’t hesitate. There’s much more at stake than you know and I won’t further jeopardize it or my mission. Are we clear?”
Vern slowly released the hammer on his pistol and gently placed it on the ground. More concussions and the distinct smell of things burning wafted through the door.
“Mayor, I think whoever did your long range reconnaissance grossly underestimated the strength of the enemy. Now, I can lock you all up in this vault or we can defend this town from insurgents. Which way would you rather have it?” Paul asked.
The Mayor licked his lips. I had to think his neck was hurting from the sharp angle I had his head tilted at, but he was still able to get the words out without too much difficulty. “We fight.”
I pulled my gun down, clapped him on the shoulder and smiled. “I figured you’d see it our way.”
He moved as quickly away from me as he could.
“Oh yeah, before I forget, anyone shoots at my friend here and I’ll butcher their family.”
“Colonel, stand down!” Paul shouted.
“You forget yourself, General. I’m not in your army and if I want to threaten the good citizens of Olde Town, I damn well will. Now could we please go take care of the invasion before it takes care of us?”
Paul sighed. I made sure Dee and I were among the last to leave the bank. The smoke was so thick it was difficult to see anything beyond a few feet away. Rifle fire had stopped completely. Even through the thick as fog haze it was easy enough to see the blaze was that of the hotel the snipers had once been perched on. It was safe to say that they were permanently out of the equation. I don’t know what new weaponry the Genos were bringing to bear but it had been effective. There was an intense flash of blue off to my right, followed immediately by an explosion that sent me to my ass. The strangled cries of wounded men came next. Dee grabbed my shoulder, pulled me up, and we ran in the opposite direction. The Genos had some sort of blue bolt grenade launcher and were using it with great effectiveness.
“Did you see the General?” Dee asked.
“I see smoke and dust,” I told him as I peeked m
y head around a corner. There was a momentary swirl of wind that cleared the air down the center of the street. Five Genos were approaching closely, not more than twenty-five yards away. “Shit, we’ve got enemy on our doorstop. I’m afraid of shooting and missing—there’s no telling where anybody else is in this mix.” I had pulled back in, my back against the wall.
“I could get much closer.”
I knew what he meant. He’d go out there and pretend to be one of them.
“Not a chance. As soon as they recognize you they will shoot you and if a person should happen to see you first they’ll start shooting as well.”
“You will stop me?” he questioned.
“I’ll shoot you myself if I have to.” I peeked back around the corner.
“I think that you would.”
“Oh, you can trust me on this one.” I was still looking for a break in the smoke. At least the grenade launcher had stopped. They couldn’t see a target to shoot at. “I think we need to move further back, something is close.”
It had gone from the noise of war to as quiet as a cemetery at midnight. The loudest sound was the crackling of fire from down the street. I saw movement to our left. It appeared that Genos had come up the other side as well. Dee followed suit as I slid slowly down the wall of the house we leaned against, making as small of a target as possible. If we shot at the Genos to our left, the ones coming up on the right would immediately fire upon us. The squeal of a window being raised on the far side, closest to the Genos that had passed, interrupted my thoughts of how screwed we were. I saw the barrel of a rifle poke out.
“No, no, no,” I whispered. They didn’t hear me. The detonation of the round shattered the quiet. A Geno went down; whatever the person was shooting was a heavy caliber. “Let’s go.” I tapped Dee on the shoulder.