by Saxon Andrew
• • •
Lukas cleaned off another table and headed toward the kitchen. It was early in the evening and the restaurant had a light crowd. He saw Bob give him a thumb’s up and he nodded back to him as he headed toward the kitchen. He turned the corner at the end of the bar and looked back at the front door. He almost dropped the tub but immediately shocked his system preventing any adrenaline being released into his blood stream. He kept his heart at the same rate and locked his brain in a steady rhythm.
The Stalker who was driving the car in front of Kathy’s apartment was entering the front door. He stumbled into the kitchen where he put the tub down and closed his eyes. He thought furiously and tried to remember if his body had responded to his fear. He forced his nervous system into a calm state and he picked up the tub and emptied the dirty dishes into the sink. He looked out the round glass in the kitchen door and saw Tara lead the Stalker to a table directly in front of the kitchen door. He focused tightly and forced himself to remain calm. The Stalker looked around and took a small device out of his front pocket and quickly moved it in a semi-circle around the restaurant. He glanced at it and put it back in his pocket.
Lukas knew the ship in orbit was observing the restaurant and he turned, went back into the kitchen, and took a new tub off the shelf. He turned it over and inspected it carefully before turning back to the kitchen door. He walked through loudly as the door squeaked when he pushed it all the way open. Lenora looked at him from the bar with her eyebrows down and Lukas said, “Sorry!” The Stalker looked at Lukas as soon as the door squealed and saw his interaction with the female. He shook his head and looked back across the restaurant.
Lukas forced his system to remain in neutral. His heart wanted to accelerate when he realized the Stalker had not detected him. He walked by the Stalker, nodded to him with a smile, and moved to the front of the restaurant to clean a table. As he picked up the dishes he saw the stalker briefly touch his neck and knew he was communicating with the ship. He maintained tight control and after a few moments the Stalker touched his neck again and looked around. He finished cleaning the table and headed back to the kitchen. He stopped at the Stalker’s table and smiled, “I see one of our waitresses hasn’t come by to take your order. Would you like me to go and get one for you?” The Stalker looked at Lukas and shook his head. Lukas nodded and headed toward the kitchen. After twenty minutes, the Stalker stood and left the restaurant without being served.
Lukas continued to keep tight control over his autonomic nervous system but found the effort was tiring. He finally decided he had to do something, so he dropped a tub of dishes on the floor. They fell with a crash and he released his body; it flooded with adrenaline and his heart rate increased to a hundred and forty beats a minute. He bent down to pick up the broken dishes, as Jack came over and shook his head, “There’s always the first time, Luke. You’ve been lucky so far to avoid breaking any dishes.”
“I’m so sorry, Sir.”
“Like I said, there’s always the first time. Keep up the good work.”
Lukas eventually leveled out his heart rate and thought about the Stalker. He wondered why it hadn’t spoken to him; it surely had the language downloaded. Perhaps it was beneath his dignity to respond to a lower life form unless forced to speak. Lukas was certain the long dark trench coat he was wearing had numerous devices stored in it and he kept it on, even inside the restaurant. One of those devices would cause anyone being hit by its beam to follow the Stalker wherever it went. Their capture devices were legendary. Why had it come to this restaurant if there was nothing inside setting off their alarms? He had to discuss this with the Pod.
• • •
He climbed up the hill that night after work and walked around the building to the parking lot behind it. It was almost midnight and it was getting colder. He saw the Pod had moved into a parking space under the eve of the old house and wondered why it had made the move. He opened the door and sat down in the driver’s seat, “Are you able to hear me?”
“I am.”
“Why did you move here?”
“The asbestos in the roof and walls of this old building will shield me from their scans.”
“I thought the paraffin wax would do that?”
“It will shield me from their electronic scan but not from their visuals. This spot can’t be seen from orbit. I’m concerned that they may overlay their sensor and visual scans to see if anything shows up in one but not the other.”
“Now that’s good thinking.”
“You can’t stay here but a few more moments. They would see you walk around the building if they’ve kept a continuous scan on Kathy’s apartment in the hopes you might show up. You need to leave here with something in your hands.”
Lukas looked outside the glass, “I’ll take that old extension cord with me.”
“That should work. Why are you here?”
“One of them showed up at my workplace.”
“I was afraid that might happen.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t leave a skip trace to track but I came in using my thrusters to get me down into the lower atmosphere until I went to the gravity compensator. They must have been able to track the dust particles my thrusters left behind. They know you came here but those particles settled down to the surface over an extended area, which includes that huge city to the west. They must be localizing their search inside the area where they detected those particles. You’ll probably see them again as time passes and they grow more frustrated at not finding you. They will frequent the most popular businesses more often than the others. They’ll probably call in more teams to assist in the search. Just keep acting normal.”
“Thanks, I’ll avoid coming in the future unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“That would be good.” Lukas got out of the car and grabbed the extension cord. He walked out from under the eve, brushing dirt and leaves off it as he went around to the front of the building and entered the front door. He took it upstairs and plugged it into an outlet. He then plugged a lamp into it and it didn’t work. He knew it wouldn’t. He had pulled it apart as he was cleaning it. He took the cord out of the wall, took it back to where he had picked it up, and threw it back under the eve. He shook his head and went back to his apartment.
Chapter Six
Lukas began seeing Stalkers in the streets, walking around or driving by, and in the restaurant more frequently. His body prevented showing fear by force of habit, he no longer had to focus to control his emotional state. He continued working but kept his eyes on the front glass as he moved around the main floor. He would see them walking toward the front door and prepare himself for their arrival inside. He moved around normally and even cleaned a table while one was sitting at it. He eventually decided that whatever system they used to search for him eliminated those that were examined and passed their inspection. He deliberately walked in front of them when they were examining people around them and one was quite irritated by him. He quickly walked away and decided he didn’t need to stretch his luck. This particular night was going to prove different, in a rather nasty way.
Lukas walked toward the Kitchen and saw Tony sitting at the bar. “Hey Tony, this is your night off.” Tony looked at him and Lukas said, “What’s wrong?”
Tony shook his head and continued staring at the bar, “I think Rachel has found someone else. I’ve been calling her over and over but she doesn’t answer.” Tony looked up at Lukas, “She didn’t come home last night.”
Lukas put his hand on Tony’s shoulder, “Have you been fighting?” Tony nodded and Lukas shook his head, “She’s probably just cooling off with a friend. Give her some time.” Tony nodded and picked up his cellphone. Lukas turned toward the kitchen and saw the Stalker walking down the street in front of the restaurant. It was the driver he saw the first night they arrived. He went into the kitchen and emptied the tub.
The Stalker sat down at a booth near the r
ear of the restaurant and activated his scanner. He held it under the table and he swept it across the room. Umm, one of the humans sitting at the counter had an elevated stress level. He kept his eyes on Tony and at that moment, Tony jumped up pushing his barstool to the floor. Lukas felt his heart struggle to beat wildly as he saw Tony run out of the restaurant and jump in his car. He accelerated away like a wild man and Lukas quickly looked at the Stalker…he was touching his throat. Lukas looked out the front glass and saw a white Chevy rental car with two Stalkers inside speed away. Lukas closed his eyes and prayed softly, “Please don’t let them harm him, please!” He went to another table and began picking up the dirty dishes as the Stalker stood up slowly, left a twenty on the table for a glass of diet coke, and walked slowly out the front door. He took the dishtowel and began wiping the table as his eyes became too moist to see clearly. He wiped them on his sleeve and went back to the kitchen. Tony must have spoken to Rachel and the result wasn’t good.
Lukas had Tony’s cell phone number but he didn’t dare dial it. The ship in orbit would track the call back to him. He walked over to the barstool and picked it up. He saw calling him would be a wasted effort; Tony’s cellphone lay on the floor with the face shattered. He picked it up and looked at Lauren, “Rachel told him she’s moving in with someone else.” Lukas looked at Lauren and shook his head. Lauren nodded and went to take a customer’s order. What terrible, terrible timing. Why couldn’t Rachel have waited just a little longer to take his call?
Tony was due to work two days later and Lukas prayed the call wouldn’t come…but it did. “Lukas, Jack here. Tony didn’t show up for work, can you come in?”
“I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
“Thanks Luke. We’re busy and Bob just doesn’t have it down.”
“On my way.” Lukas walked to the train station and stared at the floor. He knew he would not see his friend again. He arrived at the restaurant and an hour later, Rachel showed up. She ran up to him and grabbed the front of his shirt, “Have you heard from Tony!” Lukas shook his head. “Are you sure he hasn’t tried to call you?”
“He hasn’t Rachel.” Lukas saw flashing blue lights outside the restaurant and two plainclothes police officers entered the front door. Jack met them and Lukas kept his eyes on Jack. Then he saw it…Jack began shaking his head and then lower it. Lukas closed his eyes as Rachel ran over. A moment later he heard her scream. He picked up his tub and went into the kitchen as the screams grew louder. He sat down in a chair and put his head down on the edge of the sink and wept for what was done to Tony. It was his fault. He didn’t care if the ship in orbit saw his grief. At this moment, he didn’t care if they came and took him.
He finally gained enough control to leave the kitchen and saw that Jack had closed the restaurant. He saw Lukas walking toward the gathered staff and his red eyes said enough. Thank God he wouldn’t have to break the news to someone else. Lukas came over and took a chair. Lauren put her arm around his shoulder and hugged him. Jack saw everyone was present and he took a deep breath, “The police found Tony in his car. It appears he had taken a garden hose and taped it to the exhaust pipe and fed the fumes into the interior. By the time he was found, his body had died.”
Tara shouted, “What about Rachel?”
“She’s been taken to the hospital.”
“The bitch deserves to…”
“No she doesn’t!” Jack looked Tara and said, “I was able to get Rachel to tell me that she answered Tony’s call and told him she was moving in with a friend.”
Lauren looked at Jack, “Tony felt she had found someone else to replace him.”
“No, she said they had been fighting about getting married and she was going to live with McKenzie until things cooled down. Most of you know her. She’s as devastated as all of us.”
Julie shook her head, “Why wouldn’t she marry him, then this wouldn’t have happened.”
Jack sighed, “It was Tony who didn’t want to marry her.” Everyone looked at each other and knew a terrible mistake had been made. Lukas knew the real magnitude of the mistake. “Everyone go home and I’ll notify you on the funeral arrangements.” Jack motioned Lukas to stay and he came over and put his hand on Lukas shoulder, “Luke, I need you to help me.”
“I’ll work every night until you find a replacement.”
“Thank you so much, this means a lot.” Lukas nodded and stood up. He walked toward the door and for the first time in many nights, he didn’t see a Stalker on the way home.
• • •
The Stalker Commander was furious. Their fee had been reduced by one third for killing one of the local inhabitants who had no connection with the Welken escapee. He gripped his fists and screamed at the ceiling on the Searchship. The thirty Stalkers in the room flinched at the volume. “Did it ever occur to you that it might have been honest when it said it was having problems with his girlfriend?”
“But…”
“Shut up!” The Commander knew he had lost a huge sum but the Welken were still going to pay double so it wasn’t a complete loss. He looked around at the gathering and said, “We’ve been focused on the area where the escape pod’s dust settled. It could have used its gravity compensators to move away from this area. We will now focus on finding that escape pod. If we find it, we’ll find the escapee. I’m calling in five other ships to assist in the effort. You thick heads will continue to search in the dust area until it turns up. Now get out of here before I KILL EVERYONE OF YOU!!!” The room cleared faster than smoke in a hurricane. The Commander sat down in the ship’s command chair and stared through the viewport at the planet below him. Searching by looking for high emotions was stupid. Everyone on this planet was emotional all of the time about something. This species was insane! Whatever madness evolution took to create these Humans made a crook in sensibility. They laughed, cried, screamed, and released their emotions for no apparent reason. This one would have to make a mistake. So far, he had been lucky. The additional ships would make a huge difference. He would be found! He looked up at the ceiling, “System.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“You will cease using emotional scans.”
“Order acknowledged.”
“Scan for aberrant patterns and look for anything that matches up with typical Welken behavior.”
“That is a better choice, Commander. Interpreting all the emotions around our scanned sites had taken up ninety percent of my operating system.”
“Why didn’t you mention this before?”
“I follow orders, Commander; I don’t interpret them.”
“You will notify me if this overload happens in the future.”
“Yes, Commander.”
• • •
Lukas began working two shifts with a few hours of sleep in the kitchen between them. Jack brought an air mattress in which made sleeping easier. He kept thanking Lukas until Lukas told him that he knew how he felt. Jack paid Lukas double pay and knew it wasn’t close to the value he was getting. He attended Tony’s funeral and wept with the others. Tony was his only friend and losing him hurt more than he imagined. This sorrow was an emotion he was completely unfamiliar with. But he pushed forward and pretty much ignored the Stalkers that periodically came in. Life became little more than one dirty table after another.
• • •
The Myot looked at the Stalker on his monitor and screamed, “You have cost me a fortune in keeping my fleets pinned down! Can’t you find a single Welken?”
“Supremacy, it appears the escape pod has managed to hide by using the petroleum on the planet.”
“Did you say petroleum?”
“Yes Supremacy; the planet is drowning in it.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I’m positive; their entire society is built around using it for power.”
“How advanced are they?”
“They’re a long way from developing a stardrive. Unless that infa
nt the escapee caused develops one. Its brain is more developed than anyone else on the planet.”
“You will not harm that infant, are you clear on that!”
“Yes Supremacy.”
“I am dispatching two fleets outside the planet’s detection range to ensure no one else attempts to take possession of it.”
The Stalker Commander smiled after the monitor went dark. He was wise holding back the information on the planet’s oil. Now he needed to find that escape pod. He thought for a moment and decided to contact the Welken Royal. If the Myot showed up and the Welken weren’t made aware of the oil, they may turn their fleets on him. It was best to be safe.
• • •
The Myot shook his head. This was incredible news. The discovery of the industrial planets was no longer a real concern. If oil was available, their current ships could be made invincible. This planet had to be taken! But it was forbidden to take any action to possess a planet before it developed a Stardrive. Well, sending a couple of fleets to keep an eye on it wasn’t against the rules. I better send four fleets just to be sure, he thought.
• • •
Lukas sat in his apartment and made a decision; perhaps it was time he made an attempt to escape. He didn’t want to cause any more harm than what had already happened. He walked down the back steps and hoped he was right about the Stalker’s ships ignoring him. He walked under the eve and opened the door. He slipped into the seat and sat there in silence. “I saw that your friend died.” Lukas nodded. “Did a Stalker do it?” Lukas nodded again. The Pod remained silent.