Eve put up an arm to get Michael and Akio’s attention. As they focused on her, this movement also caused Yuko’s and Sabine’s attention to return to her as well.
Although Sabine took one more look at Michael as she turned.
“Oh, this should be interesting,” Eve said, as a request to communicate arrived from the Chinese military.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Abandoned Airfield, One Hundred Fifty Miles North-Northwest of Chengdu
“You don’t wish to put any more clothes on?” Yuko asked, pointedly looking at Michael’s chest, then abs, then chest again before returning her gaze to his eyes, raising her eyebrows in inquiry.
Michael looked down and then back at her as he smiled. “I don’t intend to be on camera, Diplomat. That is your role, is it not?” She rolled her eyes and walked over to stand in front of the camera.
Eve moved out of the way of the video stream before she hit the ACCEPT button.
A Chinese official was smoothing his jacket when he realized he was live.
He glanced off-camera, annoyed, before turning his attention to the screen in front of him with a smile now pasted on his face. “Hello, Diplomat. My name is Longwei.” He shook his head, exasperated. “Why am I not surprised?”
Yuko, her face impassive, simply shrugged. “Surprised at what?”
“That you have dishonored our sovereignty and attacked our people.”
“You mean we defended ourselves from your attack, perhaps?” Yuko replied. “I can assure you I never got out of my chair. If something happened, it was not me.”
The man on the screen tried to compose himself, suppressing his flash of anger. “I have received assurance from our contacts in Japan that the killers of our Emperor have been found. Unfortunately, I am told the whole group were killed in horrendous ways. Our contacts in the police department suggested that the deaths were not normal.”
Yuko smiled. “I am so happy to hear you have found the killers. I did express through channels that I and my team had nothing to do with these deaths.”
“Perhaps,” he replied. “Perhaps not. Either way, because of this I offer you and those with you the chance to walk out of our sovereign land, taking only that which is on your back and leaving all else…” The man kept talking; his lips were moving, but no one in the hangar heard a word.
Yuko frowned and turned toward Eve. “Why can’t I hear him?” Eve was busy on the computer’s keyboard.
—
Longwei’s eyes narrowed when the Diplomat seemingly ignored him, turning to the side. She was talking, but he couldn’t hear her.
The technician to his right side was busy at his controls. “She can’t hear us, sir!” he said, and flushed in embarrassment before turning to Longwei. “We are blocked from speech, sir.”
A second later the video went black and Longwei could hear the Diplomat again. “What do you mean, ‘It is neither of us?’”
Another voice replied to the Diplomat, “I have run the diagnostics. This is outside interference.” There was a pause. “Ok, they have changed the interference. We can hear them now, but not see their video.”
Longwei chewed his lip. Should he continue as if this were their problem, or admit he knew they weren’t responsible?
The Diplomat continued, “Honorable Longwei, as you can tell we have been interrupted. While I can’t see you, or you me, I believe we can proceed with our conversation. You, sir, were in the middle of demanding we leave. I will permit you thirty seconds to continue your tirade before I reply.”
“There can be no rebuttal!” Longwei ground out. He preferred to see those he intended to cow. While the Diplomat was considered a dragon you could not contain, it was his job to secure the artifacts he had been told would be at this location.
“Longwei, we both know you wish to have something in my possession. I know, even if you don’t, that this won’t happen. I have the appropriate—”
Her voice was cut off as a new face appeared on the screen—a Caucasian face, and American, if Longwei had to guess. He tried to speak to the Diplomat, but his technician simply shook his head.
“This is a one-way communication, sir,” he told Longwei.
All the screens in the command center now displayed the face on his screen and Longwei’s eyes narrowed. She reminded him of someone, but he couldn’t place where he had seen her before.
“Hello,” she started, her eyes staring through the screen as if she were peering into his soul and his brain. “I am Bethany Anne Nacht. My ships will be arriving in approximately four days. Your telescopes will start to see the evidence of our armada shortly. I am providing this video on known government frequencies to allow you a chance to minimize the frenzy a space fleet might cause over Earth. You have been notified. If you happen to have my love in anything less than the best shape, I will rip your country apart and bury you under it.”
She smiled happily. “Otherwise, have a good day!”
The video blanked, leaving Longwei staring at the Diplomat again. She seemed to be staring through him.
Longwei got his voice back. “Who was that?”
The Diplomat refocused on Longwei, answering his question honestly if in a subdued voice. “That was my Queen,” she replied, reaching up to wipe a tear from her eye. “And my friend,” she finished. Looking down, oblivious to Longwei, she whispered loudly enough for him to hear her. “She came back.”
Longwei asked, his bluster gone, “What does she mean, ‘ships and armada?’”
A female voice answered from off-screen. “Sending you the data now,” he was told.
The technician who was working with him whipped around and whispered to the two men to his right, and soon all three of their screens changed to different pictures.
On the screens were pictures of a large circle in space behind spaceships…
Dozens and dozens of spaceships, with one image showing a massive ship. Who knew how large it was, since there was nothing on the screen to compare it with?
“Oh, spaceships,” was all he said. A moment later his eyes narrowed.
“Warships.”
He turned back to the screen. “Who is this ‘love’ of hers? We do not have any space people captive that I know of.”
The Diplomat turned to her right, then stepped out of the way and left the camera’s range. A huge man took her place, his perfect six-pack showing on the screen. “Do you think,” he asked someone off-camera, his American accent precise, “I could maybe…I don’t know, not show my stomach to him?”
There were some snickers before someone adjusted the video up. Longwei saw a man with dark hair and a…cowboy hat?...on his head. He smiled at Longwei. “That would be me.” His eyes flashed red and his fangs extended. “Feel free to try to come get me, if you wish.”
Longwei, sweat pooling at the top of his forehead, started vigorously shaking his head. “No. Please,” he put a hand up, “stay safely right where you are, and we will make sure nothing happens to you or your people.”
Soon after that the connection was broken.
Sabine stood up and stretched. “Well, that was exciting!” She smiled as the image of Bethany Anne came back up on the screen.
Michael was staring at her.
“So,” Sabine asked, coming up beside Michael, “what’s it feel like to have your girlfriend save you?”
Michael chuckled. “It wasn’t the first time,” he replied, and turned around. “I’ve got to see if my clothes are clean.”
Two minutes after Michael disappeared to check on his clothes, the hangar door opened and Mark and Jacqueline stepped in. “Why do I smell a lot of blood?” Jacqueline asked, her face scrunched. “It’s nasty.”
She spotted Akio. “Oh, you two are back?” She put a hand to her mouth, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry for saying you smell!” As the two walked closer, her eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute, you’re clean!” She looked around the hangar. “Where’s Michael?”
Her curiosity was put on hold when
Mark asked, “Who’s she?”
Jacqueline whipped around, eyes narrowing at a picture of an image of a woman with black hair, her eyes full of anger so deep even Jacqueline was cowed.
“That,” Yuko whispered, “is Bethany Anne.”
One Hundred Hours Later, Japan
All over Japan video screens changed, showing the same announcement in unison.
“Hello.” Her voice was the same as that which had been recorded by multiple governments recently, and which many had found in their historical archives.
She was the living embodiment of history.
“My name is Bethany Anne Nacht, and I was at one time the leader of TQB Enterprises. I have come back to Earth to set up a planetary orbital defense system. We call it the ‘BYPS system.’”
“I am going to arrive over your country in twenty-four hours. Well, I and some of my ships. We are going to meet with our people who are in your country, and then around the world. We are not here to attack you, so do not attack us.” Her eyes flared red. “If we are attacked, be aware I will rain fire and destruction on those who attack us, the likes of which have not been seen in the history of our planet.”
Her lips pressed together. “While I care about your safety, do not expect my concern to supersede my responsibility to my people. If you attack, you will be destroyed.”
She leaned back in her chair and smiled. “Michael, I am back.”
The video blacked out.
The video went around the world, shooting from house to house of those who had the ability to receive the information faster than the previously utilized notification mechanism…
Gossip.
Most started wondering, who was this goddess—the Queen Bitch—and who was her counterpart, Michael? Was she the new mother of Earth, and he the father?
Humans have a proclivity to follow deities. If they do not believe in the Christian God, they will occasionally worship rocks.
Or plants, birds, wolves, bears, their elders… The list goes on and on.
At that moment many started a new religion. Their deity’s eyes flared red when she was angry. She had tried to protect the Earth, but those on Earth had killed each other. Now she was back to offer protection.
Perhaps this time she would do something for her people, or was the Matriarch too displeased with humanity to care?
Only time would tell.
—
Michael and his group got into the ships, which lifted silently into the air. Eve had contacted ADAM, who was sending protection to watch over the hangar.
While Eve was pretty sure the Chinese government was not going to attack the area, she couldn’t be sure the news hadn’t made it out to those who sought the relics for themselves.
As the Pods left, a lone ship sliced down through the heavens and the clouds flared red as it banked hard, the captain of the ship shouting his joy. Human eyes peered into the sky as the spaceship passed overhead.
Soon it was slowing down, circling three miles out from their designated operations area. They were here to protect something for the Queen Bitch.
The G’laxix Sphaea slowed to a crawl. Fifty feet above the asphalt outside the warehouse, the back hatch opened. Had anyone been there, they would have seen twelve bodies in armored suits, some larger than others, jump down to land on the broken-up concrete.
“How are you doing?” the captain of the ship called down to his military leader from his position in the rear hatch.
Kiel punched a button on the side of his head and his visor and shield retracted. He pulled in a huge amount of air to fill his lungs and blew it back out before answering his captain.
“Feels good to be back, Kael-ven. It feels good to be back.” Then the military commander put his visor back down marked eleven locations on his HUD, and sent his team into the area around the warehouse.
To make damned sure no one touched the Queen’s property.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Safehouse outside Tokyo, Japan
“Are you kidding me?” Yuko had her hands on her hips and was staring up at Michael, who had just come out of his room.
“What?” He looked down at himself and then at her again, a puzzled look on his face.
“You aren’t going to wear that outfit, are you?” Yuko asked. She had some clothes in her hands, and she grimaced and draped them over the nearest chair. “Never mind. You should save these until after the reunion.”
Michael smiled, but as Yuko turned back to him his smile changed to a look of concentration. “Why? Are you thinking the reunion might cause a problem with the health of the clothes?”
Yuko walked up to Michael and patted him on the chest between the lapels of his open coat. She shook her head. “I love you, Michael, but sometimes you are such a man.” She patted him one more time before stepping around him to exit the room. “At least you showered!” she called back. “We are leaving in five minutes, everyone!”
“So…” Sabine walked by and took a look at Michael before nodding sharply. “Good choice.” She glanced at the nicer clothes over the chair. “Wise man. Wise man indeed,” she said as continued. “I’ve got to grab something out of the Pod, be right back!”
Michael watched Sabine head out of the room and then out the front door. Mark and Jacqueline came through the hallway a moment later. “Hi!” the Were said excitedly. Michael wasn’t sure if she had seen the other set of clothes or not when she stopped, put her hand to her lips, and looked him up and down. “I suppose for the first time together, that might actually be the best choice.” She shrugged. “But I’m just guessing, based on what I’ve heard.”
“Why?” Michael asked, his eyes narrowing. “What have you heard?”
Mark reacted to the elbow to his ribs and started walking toward the door as Jacqueline waved. “Sorry, Dad, but Yuko said we have to go. Time’s a-wasting!”
“Where’s Eve?” Michael asked the room.
Akio answered as he buttoned up his shirt. “Mmmmm.” He looked Michael over. “Interesting. And Eve,” he said, snagging Michael’s arm, “is outside already. As you should be if you don’t want to miss the entrance of your mate.”
A moment later the front door clicked as it closed, and Demon walked into the room, laid down, and closed her eyes.
Should anyone come in except Michael’s people, there would be hell to pay.
A few minutes later, Sabine entered through the front door and walked to the couch. “We got guard duty,” She told Demon as she picked up a magazine. A moment later, she looked over to the cat, “Think we will get lucky and someone will try to attack us?”
Tokyo, Japan
The city had suspended work and school, and everyone who could had gone outside.
They were coming.
Their anxiety was laced with excitement. Those who were excited held the shoulders of those who wanted to believe but feared everything new.
Especially when the ‘new’ were massive spaceships coming from unknown parts of the galaxy.
The pundits on television were showing clips from an archived movie called Independence Day and explaining that the ships would be arriving through the atmosphere with the fire roiling off their outer skins. Due to the incredible amount of heat their ships would be radiating, there would be massive flaming balls coming down through the atmosphere to land—or rather crash—and kill anyone too close.
The reality, as it turned out, was similar, yet completely different.
There were many clouds the day the Queen returned, and her ships gracefully pierced the planet’s atmosphere, descending over the course of thousands of miles as they headed across the Pacific Ocean toward the islands of Japan.
Those on the ground who were looking to the east started pointing when the clouds were pushed out of the way as if something massive was parting them.
Then a ship broke through the curtain of white, and the people on the ground collectively drew in their breaths. A few called to those around them to look at what they were alre
ady seeing.
Then more started pointing—something else was in the clouds. Moments later two more ships broke through, and now there were three ships majestically slicing through the air.
On the south side of Yoyogi Park, seven individuals strode through the entrance and walked toward a large open area.
Two were obviously of Japanese heritage, and two were younger Americans. The fifth was a smaller being, either an older child or a short adult.
And there was also a man in an overcoat, with a cowboy hat covering his short hair.
No one paid attention to the weapons they had stashed about their bodies. Japan was very aware of those who could change into creatures, and while the citizens had not supported weapons before WWDE (World’s Worst Day Ever), they’d had to learn to live with the risk of shooting one another when their only other choice was being gutted by werewolves.
It wasn’t in the DNA of the Japanese to lie down and accept defeat without a fight, so after WWDE when the werewolves made themselves known, the Japanese took a hard look at their laws, and weapons were back on the table.
One had better know how to use them, however.
The six who walked through Yoyogi Park wore their weapons as an extension of themselves.
Especially the two older men.
—
Michael gazed at the three massive spaceships headed in his direction, then turned to Akio and nodded to the sky. “She sure knows how to make an entrance, doesn’t she?”
“Hai!” Akio agreed, a small smile playing on his lips.
His Queen had come back, and he had retained his Honor and brought her loved one back to her—no matter how many times Michael had tried to get himself killed in the process.
Which had been a lot.
QBS ArchAngel II, Bethany Anne’s Suite
“Hell, no!” Bethany Anne told Gabrielle, who was pointing to the armor in the closet. “I’ll not be stuck wearing a full set of armor!” She jerked her thumb toward the ground. “I’m going down, and I’m going down now. I can feel him!”
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