by Janet Shore
He handed the man his binoculars,
“I don’t see anything.”
Derek grabbed them back. The monster was in clear view, but none of the people below on the street had noticed it. They were all running for safety. The man repeated,
“I don’t see anything at all. We have to get clear, the tsunami is coming.”
Then, he continued down the stairs. Derek thought he was hallucinating. No one seemed to hear or see anything in the bay, but very clearly he saw the monster approach the shore. Through the binoculars, the details were unbelievable. The monster looked like a leopard or a lion with many heads one moment, and then morphing into a magma creature with multiple sharp protrusions coming from each of the heads the next moment. It didn’t seem to have a definite appearance. As it approached the shoreline the size of the monster shrank. Its features began to fade into a distinctive handsome human like appearance dressed appropriately. When it came ashore it started running just like anyone else. Eventually, Derek lost sight of him in the crowd. Quickly, he put away his binoculars and exiting the building to continue his mad dash for the relative safety of the foothills of Vesuvius.
After a couple of miles, the crowd slowed to a fast paced walk, then a normal walk. It appears as if the foothills were within reach at that pace before the giant wave approached. While walking, Derek spotted someone that appeared to match the face and clothes of the monster turned human that walked out of the Bay of Naples. He approached the man from behind keeping a safe distance between them. After about eight miles, an arm reached out, holding him tightly in place. The strange creature walked on. Derek turned to see who had grabbed him,
“Quickly, we must follow that man. He is not a man. He is a creature that came from the sea.”
That must have sounded crazy to the person holding him, who replied in Italian,
“I am Marco from Interpol. You match this description. I’d like to ask you a few questions.”
Marco flashed his badge, and handed Derek a forensic sketch made by the CIA. The sketch was a very close likeness. Marco said,
“This sketch came from an interview with Pedro Sanchez. We have a priority order to take you into custody.”
Derek’s face dropped. Following the monster was more important, but he realized that there was no way to explain it to Marco. He was handcuffed and escorted to a waiting unmarked car. Marco asked,
“Where are the devices?”
Derek smartly responded,
“You don’t think I actually carry them on me, do you? Why should I tell you? Am I being charged?”
Marco replied,
“This matter is a bit beyond the normal police protocols. If you hadn’t noticed, Syria and Egypt are a wasteland. We have alien invaders, and worldwide panic. We will get the information from you the easy way, or through what you Americans call enhanced interrogation.”
Derek quickly answered,
“They are not in this country. Return me to the United States Embassy. I can explain it to them. You can be present if you like.”
Marco informed Derek that the US Consulate in Naples was on the beach, had been evacuated, and more than likely was about to be destroyed by the tsunami. They decided to drive the 200 kilometers on the E45 highway toward the US Consulate in Rome.
At the Vatican, Peto and Brother Leo approached Archbishop Carlucci and the two Swiss guards. Peto spoke,
“Brother Leo and I have concluded our meeting. You may escort me to the Pope.”
Brother Leo watched the odd foursome walk down the long hallway, then turning down another hallway. Eventually, the archbishop arrived at the pre-arranged room. One of the guards opened the tall doors into a magnificent setting, the Small Throne Room outside the Papal Library. Bookcases dotted the walls around the room. Between them were large masterpiece paintings. At one end, there was a long library desk. Archbishop Carlucci apologized for the Pope’s absence,
“His holiness will be here shortly.”
Peto added,
“I know. I can see his whereabouts. He is approaching the room.”
The guards took positions where they could protect the Pope if need be. Along with the traditional sword and halberd, they also were carrying the automatic weapons that were standard issue since a prior assassination attempt. A few long minutes passed. Then, the Pope arrived with two cardinals at his side. Pope Peter walked directly toward Peto reaching out both hands to greet him. Peto made a gesture in the air. The humans in the room, including the Pope, all froze in place. Peto walked about the room as if examining it. He opened a bookcase and stroked the outside binding of a centuries old volume. Closing the case, he turned and notified the ship that everything was secure. Peto walked back over to the frozen Pope who was in mid stride. He placed a disc on the floor between them. The disc pulsated slowly at first, then intermittently with a pattern. Alternating colors and sounds came from the device as it built energy for its task. Peto’s appearance began to change. His morphing image became beast-like, then like a lamb with horns, and then finally settling into an exact copy of Pope Peter II. The disc’s job was not yet complete. Pope Peter’s form morphed into the human like form that Peto had adopted for walking amongst humanity. Peto, now looking like Pope Peter II, picked up the disc, waved his hand in the air unfreezing everyone in the room. The Pope was shocked to be seeing himself, started to speak, but found that he was struck dumb by some force. No one in the room understood that something was wrong. They believed that the meeting went well. They also believed that many important issues were discussed.
Archbishop Carlucci addressed the Pope that now looked like Peto and offered,
“Peto, can we escort you back to your ship?”
There was no answer. The false Pope Peter, an alien imposter, retreated from the room with his two cardinals. The archbishop and the two guards escorted the Pope, in the false guise of Peto, back to the heliport. A beam came down and transported Pope Peter into the spaceship. The mission was accomplished. With as much disruption as the arrival, the spaceship departed. The undersea volcano underwent another seismic event, with a secondary tsunami.
Ahmed had made his way to Istanbul, Turkey. He had another buyer lined up for Derek’s device. He was certain that he was not being tailed by the Russians. The device was in his carry-on bag which he set in the passenger’s seat of the rental car from the airport. Leaving the airport terminal, he distinctly heard the device begin to speak. He pulled over to the side of the road, unzipped the bag, and removed the device. The device spoke,
“He is here. He has arrived. The monster from the sea has arrived. He is in Naples, Italy.”
Ahmed asked the device a series of clarifying questions. The device was silent. Thinking that it was another one of those crazy alarms from the device, Ahmed largely ignored it. He really did not know much about what he was trafficking. He was supposed to meet his contact at a cinema complex called Marmara Park. As he pulled into his parking place, a man approached his car, flashed his badge, and said,
“Step out of the car please.”
Ahmed complied. The last thing he wanted was trouble. The man said,
“My name is Samir. I am an agent with Interpol. I am taking you into custody for possession of an alien artifact.”
Ahmed objected,
“Are you the buyer? Is this a sting operation?”
Samir asked, “Where is it?”
Ahmed dejected replied, “It’s in the bag.”
Samir cuffed Ahmed. Then, he collected the device and any other evidence he could. He put the evidence in the trunk of his unmarked car. Ahmed sat in the back seat.
Ahmed mentioned, “Would you contact the rental company at the airport to pick up their car? I don’t want to get charged for it.”
Samir smiled, “No problem.”
In Naples, Italy, the strange monster turned man walked into a pizza shop. After a good meal, he bought a newspaper, walked into a hotel, and sat down in the lobby. He studied the newspaper inte
ntly. Skimming past the news, sports, and weather, he folded the page back when he came to the classified section. Running his finger down the page, he came to the wedding announcements. He reached for a pen on the table beside him. The name of a bridegroom caught his full attention. He circled the name, Antonio Prenka. He pocketed the pen. Folding the paper under his arm, he walked to the lobby desk. He checked into the hotel using that name. The monster turned human would be called Antonio Prenka. The city was in chaos. The tsunami’s had cut off roadways and destroyed buildings. The trains were not running, so Antonio planned to get to the airport which was inland a bit, get private transportation to Rome, and then on to the Vatican to attempt to meet with the Pope.
The next day Antonio checked out of the hotel early. By late afternoon, he had reached the Vatican. As if he had an inward homing device, he walked toward the Papal Library. Walking around the side of the building, he waited patiently looking around until there was no one in sight. Then, he walked straight through the wall. The wall shimmered as he oozed between its structures. For a moment, the breach glowed blue and then faded. Once inside the library, he walked straight over to the wall adjoining the small throne room, where Pope Peter was sitting at his library desk talking to his cardinal. They were setting up a publicity photo opportunity that would be published showing that as far as the world would know all was well with Pope Peter, who was the alien Peto in disguise. The photographers entered the room, and spent a while getting the lighting right for the photos. Others had hand held cameras and snapped away dozens of unofficial pictures for their newspapers and Internet news media.
Just as the Pope lifted both his arms towards the camera in a universal gesture, the adjacent wall began to glow blue to the gasps of the photographers. The intensity of the clicking cameras increased loudly as they turned away from the Pope to focus on the phenomenon. Peto glared knowingly at the wall. The blue glow faded away. Standing in plain sight was Antonio Prenka. Antonio walked straight for the Pope. One of the Swiss guards acted without hesitation. He drew his firearm firing one shot point blank striking Antonio in the forehead. Antonio fell to the ground. Cameras and video were capturing the whole event. The scene was chaotic. The guards rushed the Pope from the room. There was no blood from the wound. Antonio was pronounced dead by the first responders who were there in minutes after the shooting. Suddenly, the bullet began to back out of the wound falling decisively onto the carpet. In full view of the paramedics and the world press, the mortal wound faded to normal skull and skin.
Antonio stood up in front of the crowd and said,
“Please don’t do that.”
He was immediately inundated with a barrage of questions. Who was he? Where did he come from? How did he walk through the wall? Why did he attack the Pope? He replied with the forceful voice of a leader,
“I am Antonio Prenka. I was not attacking Pope Peter. He knows me. In fact, he was expecting me. Please direct your questions to him. I will be taking interviews later, but as you can plainly see, I need a little time to recover from the injury.”
A reporter spoke up,
“That wasn’t an injury. You were shot in the head at point blank range.”
Additional Swiss guards entered the room to arrest Antonio. Antonio Prenka had no problem. He peacefully went with the guards in handcuffs. All was going according to plan. The story of the event went viral. Some could not explain it. Others had a variety of explanations. The speculative world was literally set on fire. Antonio was confined for several hours in an ante room used for security incidents.
Then, the door swung open and he made eye contact with the Pope himself who had insisted that he see the prisoner. The Pope was flanked with extra security. No words between the men were spoken. Their eye contact was firm.
Silently, Peto communicated by telepathy with Antonio, then he turned to the press,
“No official comment at this time. People do not walk through walls, and bullet wounds do not instantly heal, unless there is divine intervention. We are not saying that Antonio Prenka is an angel of the Lord.”
One reporter at the back of the group shouted, “What do you say about the Jazene that have landed in the meteor disaster zones?”
The false Pope replied, “Pray for Syria and Egypt.”
Chapter VI
Pedro Sanchez looked seriously at General Arnold,
“The President is on the line.”
General Arnold picked up the special orange phone at the end of the table,
“Yes, Mr. President”… “Yes, Mr. President.”… “Yes, Mr. President, I fully understand, sir.”
He hung up the phone. Major Sanders asked,
“Well, what did he say?”
“The President informed us that our mission has been expanded. Our original mission was to run command and control for the Jazene visit to Mount Graham. While that was going on, the theatre of insurgence widened. The meteors hit Syria and Egypt. The Jazene took that opportunity in the name of assistance to completely isolate the areas affected, and relocate all of humanity from those regions. Their actions were unilateral. As far as our original mission, Peto returned to his ship and moved his visit to the Vatican. We offered assistance, but the officials there did not request any from the time of our offer until now. However, Peto’s approach to the Vatican destabilized an offshore mountain ridge which triggered undersea volcanic activity, and caused a tsunami that severely damaged the western coast of Italy. Interpol has informed us that they have custody of Derek Taylor and an operative named Ahmed. Our expanded mission includes all of the aforementioned. We are now directly involved in the United States response to Syria, Egypt, and Italy, as well as the security of the United States and its strategic interests. That means addressing this new sensational story about Antonio Prenka which may involve residual Jazene activity at the Vatican. If Antonio walked through walls, and regenerated a fatal wound, he exhibited something that we might expect from Peto’s technology. Though Peto’s spaceship has left there, he may have left something behind. The President also expanded our responsibility to the Jazene activity on Mars, and the recent new activity on the Moon.”
Major Sanders exclaimed, “The Moon?”
Pedro Sanchez hurriedly connected a conference call with the Armstrong Lunar Complex (ALC),
“Hello, this is Pedro Sanchez at the Pentagon. I need a secure channel to the director of the ALC, Dr. Matthews.”
After a few minutes pause, Dr. Matthews came on the line,
“This is Dr. Matthews.”
“Dr. Matthews, this is General Arnold. I am here at the Pentagon with Major Sanders, and Pedro Sanchez from the white house. We would like an update on the latest unusual activity you reported.”
Dr. Matthews reported, “We have corroborated our observations with Dr. Jenner at the Exoplanet Institute. The Jazene spaceships sighted on Mars are identical to the ones we have observed over the last week. They have not contacted us, or landed at any part of the Moon near us, but the flybys have increased in frequency. It is as if they are looking for something. We have also sighted something not seen on Mars. There was a different kind of craft. It is hard to describe but we will forward you our images of it. Instead of an amorphous pulsating sphere, I would describe it as more wheel-like, if that makes any sense. It had much more definite structure, plus its color was typically brilliant white, almost blinding against the black sky.”
Certain craters on the Moon had been chosen for terraforming. In particular, the Fra Mauro A crater, nine kilometers in diameter, was filled with lush forests beneath its high clear half sphere. The transparent dome was made of a material that could absorb a significant micro meteor impact without damage. Israeli commander Maria Katriel led an international team of five scientists, two engineers, and a medical doctor who lived and worked within the forests of Fra Mauro A. The biosphere of the crater was not yet entirely self-sufficient for the nine people. Commander Katriel lived in a high tech version of a hut with her husband, Frank.
They had arrived there several years after the construction was completed, and were coming quickly toward the end of their fifth year living and working at Fra Mauro A. Maria was pregnant with their first child. She had just reached her due date.
Frank Katriel was an engineer. He and his fellow engineer from Germany, Hans Fischer, spent a significant portion of their time checking the seal at the bottom of the dome. The circular edge of the bottom of the dome was buried deep into the lunar surface. Yet, anywhere on the entire circumference, the material used for the final seal could be damaged. The usual wear came from the biosphere inside compromising a small portion of the seal. A tree or plant root wandering too close threatened the protective barrier in front of the seal. With slow assuredness, a root breaching that barrier could compromise the seal itself. Once that happened, air would leak from the dome. But that emergency was very rare since breaching the protective barrier in front of the seal sent an alarm to the dome’s computer system which relayed the event on to the handheld devices that Frank and Hans carried with them.
Plants were not the only feature of the Fra Mauro A dome. There were animals as well. The biological balance between the animals, plants, reptiles, fish, and insects was such that the chances that overpopulation in any of the bio-parametric groups was minimal. The bacteria and viruses were also kept in balance. Novel mutations were not allowed to threaten the whole. Farming, food processing, and packaging was fully automated. The pickup point was a building that from the inside resembled a small grocery store with just enough food on the shelves for the small group working there. Variety of products was not a problem. There were also canned goods from Earth that were shipped to the ALC monthly. All of the meat and fish products shipped from Earth were either canned or frozen. There was no hunting or fishing allowed in the habitat at this point in the experiment. The habitat was originally built with an underground aquifer that provided for the entire dome and its workers. Eventually, the dome would take in no further supplies from the outside. The workers could then completely live as an integral part of the biosphere. However, to achieve this goal and maintain the balance there was still a lot of hard work to do.