“That’s called cheetle.”
“It even has a name,” Zax said as if to himself. “Anything else in the bag?”
“I’ve got some gummy worms and some granola bars. Try some gummy worms next.” Cole had the bag of candy out and ready to pour into Zax’s hand.
The Nu-Man took a serving and tasted a few. After several chews, he said, “Wow, these are sour. Good, though.” He ate the rest in his hand and continued to chew. “Sticks to my teeth. I really wish I had a toothbrush now.”
“Do you want any more?”
“No. I’ve had enough for today.” Zax’s tongue probed his teeth, searching for trapped pieces of gummy worms.
“Zax, I have been thinking,” Cole said, not knowing if he should even bring this up right now. “Sure, uh, I can get you a couple of blowup mattresses to sleep on. I can go to the store and buy you food and other things you might need. But I think it’s going to be hard for you to live out here in the woods. You said that you were used to living better than what we do now. Have you ever thought, that once you complete your mission, that you might reveal yourself to the rest of the world? I mean, there’s no way you wouldn’t be treated like royalty. You could live anywhere you wanted, I bet, for free even. I’m sure the government would give you anything you wanted. They’d have to believe your story. Just look at you. You’re living proof that a hybrid human-sasquatch exists.”
Zax scraped his front tooth with a fingernail, flicking the gooey substance gathered toward the ground. “Yeah, I’ve thought about all of that too.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Sure, I’d love to live in a nice house with a pool. Eat the finest food and drink the best wines. But for some reason, that style of life doesn’t feel right. Not now. This isn’t my time period. This isn’t my world. There’s no telling what might happen if I give myself over to the authorities. My fate may not include luxuary of any kind.”
“Because you aren’t human?”
“Partially, but that’s not my main concern. You’ve accepted me rather rapidly. I’m sure most others would too,” Zax said, and rubbed the side of his nose. “Beyond being probed for genetic research, I’m more concerned with what they would want to know about the Skinks’ advanced technology. I could give them information that might be used to alter man’s timeline. I could, in fact, do some of the things I’m trying to undo here in the first place.”
“You think so? I don’t see it that way. Science will always advance. So what if you tell them some things that will make advancements come quicker?”
“And what if I do and somehow or another it alerts the Skinks of Earth’s existence? I know that’s a stretch, but not impossible. But even if that never happens, you know man will use any science I pass on to make deadlier weapons. I’ve been reading the news. The planet is in grave danger right now with all the nuclear weapons all over the world. What if China, or Russia, or India, or whoever gets worried that I might be helping the United States build a superweapon and they make a preemptive nuclear strike? You know, I might rather the Skinks come and take over the planet than mankind poisoning it and taking all other life with it.”
Cole sighed. “It’s all so complicated. Like you said earlier, I guess we’ll just have to endure the situation and see what the future has in store for us.”
The rangefinder beeped its alert once more.
Zax snatched it from the ground and acknowledged the alarm. “The Skink probe is leaving orbit. It will be setting down shortly. Let’s go. We’ve got a planet to save.”
*
Sweat trickled down Walton Finch’s forehead, stinging his eyes, as he trodded up the ridge to get a better view of where the UFO had landed. He held his rifle in one hand and used the other to remove his cap, briefly wiping the sweat away with his forearm.
His breathing slowed to normal as he walked the last several yards to the lookout spot. Avoiding tree roots, he peeked beyond the trees to the land below.
There it was.
In a small clearing.
An alien spaceship.
Walton felt the numbing excitement threaten to paralyze him. Again, this was the time when he needed his full senses to work for him. Telling himself to remain calm, he brought the rifle to his shoulder and viewed the spaceship through the hunting scope.
The craft was about one hundred yards away. From his estimate, it was less than twenty feet in diameter and rested directly on the ground. There were no doors, windows, or seams of any kind on its matted, coal-black skin.
Something reddish-brown moved by one side of the craft. An animal, of some sort. Just as he thought it might be a bear, Walton realized that it was not. He saw only the head and part of the left arm, but there was no mistaking what the animal was.
Sasquatch!
The impossible became even more impossible. An alien spacecraft and a bigfoot in the same location. Was there a connection? Of course, he had heard theories about UFOs and bigfoot having some sort of connection, but he had never given those theories any credence. He’d have to rethink that now. There might be a lot of things he’d learn today.
Then another movement caught his gaze. In front of the UFO, a young boy was rounding to the side, right about to come in contact with the bigfoot monster!
Walton wanted to yell a warning but knew that would be a waste of time. His finger went immediately to the rifle’s safety, of which he clicked to off. With a finger on the trigger, he began to squeeze gently, making sure he waited until the last moment to take his best shot.
The boy stopped and pointed at something. The bigfoot looked toward that direction and moved its lips like it was speaking.
Confused, before Walton removed his finger from the trigger to consider what he saw, something large hit him on the back of his head.
The rifle thundered on impact, and the world spun around as he landed on his back.
When he looked up, he saw blue sky and a massive bigfoot towering above him.
The bigfoot’s fist rose before it plunged downward, turning the bright blue of the sky to the dark of night of Walton’s unconscious.
*
The alien probe landed two miles away from Zax’s cave. Just like the day before, Cole found himself alongside the Nu-Man heading for a world-changing event.
This time it was for more than the fate of one young girl. The future of all of mankind rested on Zax’s shoulders. The big guy would try and save a world that may have no place to offer him refuge.
Cole had been told the day before how he was a hero and how unselfish his act was, risking his life the way he did. Right now, it all seemed like such a small thing, realizing the sacrifices Zax had made and what the future would bring for the Nu-Man.
When the alien probe came into view, Cole had to veer off from the straight path toward it because of obstructions. By the time he arrived by the probe, Zax was already there.
The Nu-Man had his hands on his thighs, trying to recover his breath. He waved Cole to stay back after the boy shutdown the four wheeler.
Taking off his helmet, Cole said, “What? I’m not waiting here.”
“Just a minute!” Zax’s tone let Cole know he meant business. Uprighting his body, he left his blaster on the ground and examined the underside of the disk’s edge. He stopped and walked to the opposite side, where he ran his fingers over the bottom side of the disk in a certain pattern.
Nothing happened, but Zax stepped away, and said, “Okay. You can come over here now.”
“What did you do?” Cole asked as he hurried forward.
“The probe has a self-defense mechanism. It’s not designed to use force first, as the Skinks would like nothing more than indigenous creatures to check out their probe. We’re going to access the probe’s data storage. Even though I know the codes, I’m just being over cautious. I don’t want either one of us to end up dead because I didn’t take every precaution.”
“Oh, okay.” Cole stopped as he reached the disk and looked underneath the edge. “What were you looking
for under here?”
“Look to the left. See that mark?”
Searching, Cole found something etched in the disk’s skin that looked like the letter V, and then said, “Yeah. What’s it mean?”
“It’s a proximity mark. It gives you an idea where the hardware components are located. I turned off the defense system from the other side.”
“How did you turn it off? I don’t see any buttons or switches.”
“Come over here. I’ll show you.”
Cole meandered around the disk and reached Zax’s side.
“Watch.” The big guy ran his fingers along the smooth underside of the disk, just as he had done a few minutes earlier.
Nothing happened.
“Hmm.”
“Hmm? What do you mean, hmm?”
“The other code worked. I just expected it to work here too. Don’t worry, there’re other codes.” Zax ran his fingers across the skin again, with the same results as before.
“I don’t get it. How are you punching in a code?”
“This probe is made of transmetal. It senses my touch, and I’m giving it a code to allow me to access the data storage.”
“It’s not working.”
Zax huffed out a breath of air and pursed his lips. “I’m not finished, am I?”
Cole kept his mouth shut, the stress evident in the Nu-Man’s tone.
After two more sets of finger patterns, a seam appeared in the transmetal, opening up to electronic equipment housed in the disk.
“See? You were all worried over nothing,” Zax said.
“I wasn’t worried.”
“You’re one of those people who always has to have the last word, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“Yes, you are. Why don’t you just admit it?”
“No, I’m not,” Cole was capable of getting a little aggravated too.
“Then, don’t say another word until I’m finished.”
“Okay.”
“That’s another word.”
“I thought we were here to save the world?”
“I’ll save the world when I have the last word.”
Cole went to speak but stopped short as Zax raised a finger of warning at him.
Satisfied at the minor victory, the big guy took off his backpack and pulled out a domino-shaped translucent object. “This is the data crystal. All I have to do is remove the one that’s in place now and replace it with this one.”
“You know how to do that?” Cole asked.
“Yeah. I trained alongside Tarik. He was supposed to be the one doing this. I just trained with him to help him learn the sequence. It is a bit more complicated than the way I made it sound. I have to remove a few components out of the way to get to the original data crystal. There are codes I have to swipe in that allows the components to be removed. It shouldn’t take long, though.”
“Okay, I’ll stay out of your way.” Cole watched as strangely shaped panels, that looked nothing like any circuit board he had ever seen, came out of the disk and were placed on the ground.
“I’m just about there.” Zax reached in the access port, soured the expression on his face, and gritted his teeth. After several minutes of obvious frustration, he said, “My hand is too big to pull out the data crystal.”
“I thought you said you’d done this before, in training?”
“Well, you know, thinking back, I never actually changed out the crystal. I learned how to do everything to get me to it, but I never changed it out. Tarik was the one going back in time, not me. I’ve watched him do it many times. Looks like I’m going to need your help.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. You’re going to help save the world, too. Come here.” Zax motioned Cole over. He used the light from his rangefinder to illuminate the access port. “Over there to the right. In the corner…see it? There’s a switch right next to it. You’ll have to run your finger around until you feel a bump. Push the bump, and the data crystal will release.”
It felt weird reaching into the access port. Cole’s mind produced an image where the disk’s skin closed tightly, severing his arm from his body. But this was no time for his wild imagination.
Doing as instructed, worrying that he might push the wrong switch and screw something up, he finally felt the bump. The data crystal released as soon as he pushed it. “Got it!” He snaked his arm out of the port and held the crystal for Zax to see.
“Great job.” Zax handed him the new data crystal. “This one will just snap in where the old one came from. But if you don’t have the new crystal back in place in thirty seconds, the probe will explode and kill us both.”
“What!”
“I’m just kidding. You like kidding me. Well, I can kid back. Don’t be mad.”
Cole breathed a sigh of relief. “I don’t get mad. I just get even. Now, hold my beer and watch me do this.”
“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”
Cole smirked. “I know, but one day you will.” He stretched out his arm, felt the data crystal near the slot, and pushed it into place. “Fits just like the one that came out.” Stepping back, he massaged his right hand with his left.
“Okay, just give me a few minutes, and I’ll have this thing buttoned up tightly.” Zax went to work putting the rest of the electronics in place.
With a little time on his hands, Cole walked around the disk, looking for the three other perimeter symbols. There was no telling the level of technology inside this probe. He tried to imagine what powered it and hoped maybe one day Zax could explain enough about it that he would understand. That is, if Zax trusted him enough with that information. Cole didn’t see the harm it would do since the big guy wouldn’t tell him how to actually build such an engine.
A few yards away, there were some large, flat rocks under two shady trees. Cole thought that would be a great place to sit and have some water and maybe a granola bar or two.
“Hey, Zax.”
“Yeah?”
“You about finished?” Cole said, stepping where he could see the Nu-Man’s head sticking above the disk’s edge.
“Just closed the access panel. It’s ready to go.”
“Let’s go sit on those rocks and have some water and snacks,” Cole said as he pointed.
Zax turned his head to look, and said, “Looks like a nice place,” and then fell straight backward to the ground.
The crack from a high-power rifle sliced through the moment, bringing with it the realization that Zax had just been shot!
“Zax!” Cole screamed and dashed over to his friend’s side.
Lying with his back flat to the ground and his arms vulnerably splayed to either side, the Nu-Man showed no signs of life.
Frantically, Cole called Zax’s name over and over and looked for the wound. Then, he noticed above and over to the side of Zax’s left eye, right at the temple, blood started oozing from a shallow furrow about a half inch wide. He parted the hair near the wound and was relieved that the bullet had only grazed his friend’s skull. Cole was even more relieved when he noticed the big guy was still breathing.
Who had taken the shot? Cole’s head popped up on a swivel and gazed around. If they were in someone’s sights, then they were both in danger.
The alien probe sat in between the direction of the bullet and where Zax lay. Hopefully, the probe would shield them from any further gunfire until he awoke. “Zax, you need to wake up. We need to get out of here.”
It was no use. The Nu-Man was out-cold and would have to sleep it off.
Zax’s backpack laid within reach. Cole pulled it over and dug past packaged foodstuffs until he found a pouch that looked like it contained medical supplies. Opening a square packet, he removed a disposable wipe that he hoped had some germicide on it, and cleaned Zax’s wound.
Amazingly, the bleeding stopped. Cole watched, and the wound started to skin over. Whatever evils the future under the Skinks had to offer, the benefits probably equaled them as w
ell.
“YAHAHHH!”
Cole’s external anal sphincter quivered, and electric fire ran down his spine at the startling cry from a beast. He had been squatting near Zax’s head as he tended to the wound but fell to his butt when he whipped around to see what rounded the alien probe to attack.
There it was in broad daylight.
Bigfoot.
The beast was more terrifying than when he remembered from his first encounter and his dreams. This one was different, though. It was obvious this bigfoot was female.
She opened her mouth again, showing canine teeth that looked two inches long. “YAHAHHH!” After her warning, she raised both arms in the air and rotated them in small circles.
Zax’s blaster lay on the ground between Cole and the bigfoot. Even if he could get to it before she reached him, he didn’t know how to use the futuristic weapon. He was completely at the beast’s mercy. Cole didn’t know who shot Zax, but now wouldn’t be a bad time for them to take down this bigfoot.
The bigfoot’s ire intensified. She leaned forward and screamed again. Then, she waved the air between them with her right hand.
Cole felt like he could feel her hot breath on his face. Her message came through loud and clear. She wanted him to move away from Zax.
His options were few. He could either move from Zax’s side, or he was certain that she would move him herself.
Keeping his gaze toward her, Cole crab-walked backward using both hands and feet, giving the female her space.
Complying with her wishes immediately calmed her down. She ambled over to Zax’s side and knelt. Bringing her face over Zax’s, her nostrils flared in and out as she examined him. Then the bigfoot made an unusual sound similar to a cat purring.
The bigfoot shot a steady gaze over at Cole. He took it as a warning that he needed to keep his place and not interfere.
Standing from Zax’s side, she then reached down and picked up his right arm. With her right hand, she placed it under Zax’s left armpit. In one smooth move, she lifted the massive Nu-Man and slung him over her shoulder.
Cole was in awe of the incredible strength displayed by the female bigfoot. She and Zax were nearly the same size, with the female being slightly larger. Now, she had taken claim of the Nu-Man. All Cole could do was watch as the cryptid carried his time traveling friend into the hidden secrets of the great forest.
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