Encounters 1: The Spiral Slayers

by Rusty Williamson

  Adamarus led the way. “I’m glad you showed up – a lot of things happened today.” They walked into the Drawing room, closed the door behind them, turned on the video screen and sat down. Adamarus said, “You go first.” Adamarus noticed that Radin was staring at him strangely. Adamarus was not in the mood for this and his almost explosive response was a sign of the stress he was under. “Oh come on! What now? What? What?”

  “I’m sorry,” Radin said. “My contact had some very interesting stuff for us today. He…”

  Adamarus interrupted waving his hand, “Just say ‘she'. I know who it is.”

  “What? How do you know? Who is it?”

  “Dr. Lorraine Harrington.”

  “Shit! How?”

  “Power of deduction.”

  Now Radin lost it. He shook his head, “Bullshit! Whatever! According to her, the results of certain medical tests were classified and withheld. These test results show that – okay, brace yourself …”

  Adamarus cut in again, “They show that basically I’m immortal.”

  Radin’s face went slack and he was quiet for several seconds. “Of course, the Loud told you. When?”

  “Just today.”

  “And they told you why they made you immortal?”

  “Yes.”

  Radin took a deep breath. “Well the specialists only have educated guesses on this so, tell me, why?”

  “Mostly to save my life, they say, but also consistency in trading with us.”

  “Those were some of their guesses. Another was a visit to their planet.” A moment of silence passed between them. Radin was getting warm and unzipped his coat. “You know what will happen if this becomes public?”

  Adamarus sighed, “Yes.”

  “Do you really?” Radin shot back.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Then you also know that the government “must” keep this a secret…and…in order for them to do that…” they looked at each other, letting the meaning sink in. The only way the government could insure secrecy was to round up everyone who knew about this. And…then what? Somehow contain them.

  Adamarus barely moved his head, nodding only once. So it had come to his worst fears. They actually planned to grab everyone who knew anything about it. How bad was it? Surely they didn’t plan to kill anyone. Adamarus knew one thing, this was not the President’s doing. It had to be Congressman De Bella. He was sure Wicker didn’t even know. “When?” Adamarus asked.

  “She didn’t know about the doctors, nurses and any others who might know about your newly acquired youth and immortality, but…”

  “My God, they’re really going to do this, aren’t they?”

  “The fountain of youth, immortality? It’s just too damn big, too powerful. Too dangerous. Personally I think De Bella wants it no matter what it takes. Harrington is appalled and she said Leewood is too, but he has a thing about following orders – he’s going through a lot of pain over it.”

  Adamarus quickly looked away. He “had a thing” about following orders too. He had disobeyed one once and…the cost…he shook his head and put that issue aside. “So, Leewood is upset? That’s not too surprising.”

  Radin looked down at the floor. “They plan to grab you and your family tomorrow after you’ve met with Bugs. Leewood is supposed to do this with two sleazebags De Bella has coming in tonight – I guess De Bella doesn’t trust Leewood 100 percent. Leewood doesn’t know where you’ll be taken or held, or what will happen to you afterwards. De Bella has a second team coming in tonight that will fake the accident that supposedly kills all of you. Where they’ll get the bodies… I don’t even want to know.”

  Adamarus sat there and listened in disbelief. The ugliness he had feared was actually here and coming to pass…except…he and his family would not be there. And hopefully what he and Bugs planned would be in time to save the others who had been cursed simply by being aware of Adamarus.

  Radin had been talking but Adamarus had not been listening. Radin saw this and snapped his fingers in front of Adamarus’ face. “I’m sorry, my mind wandered. What were you saying?”

  Radin snorted but repeated himself, “We need to get you, Grace and Nero out of here tonight. I’ve got a plan that will…”

  “No.” Adamarus interrupted. “It’s all taken care of.”

  Radin gave him a long hard look that silently asked, what are you talking about?

  Adamarus gave him a sly grin, “Really. Tomorrow many things will happen and I promise that neither I nor my family will be around when they try to grab us. And, if they fake an accident…they’ll be in for a nasty surprise.”

  Radin leaned forward, “Adamarus…I’m not sure that their actions should be stopped. If everyone becomes immortal, don’t you see the horrific problems our world will face?”

  “Trust me on this, Radin.”

  “But how can anyone keep this,” Radin motioned to Adamarus’ face and body, “a secret?”

  “We are not going to.”

  “We’re not? We? Who… is we?”

  “Bugs and I – we hashed this out all day.”

  “And?”

  “We have a plan.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. I think.”

  Adamarus cracked his fingers in one twisting underhanded motion. “We’ve already kept my newfound youth and immortality a secret for what – it’s probably three months now.” He gave Radin a look, “Since we know that eventually there will be a leak…”

  Radin caught on at once, “You want to control the leak…,” but then his face twisted in confusion, “What? The timing?”

  Adamarus nodded.

  “Okay…who, when, where and how?”

  “The when is tomorrow at a very precise time and the who is Dr. Harrington. You will tell her what she needs to do, and more importantly, at what time she’ll need to do it. Here’s what’s going to happen…”

  ---

  Radin had left and Nero’s video show ended. Nero came running in the kitchen chasing some imaginary enemy and voicing the theme song from his favorite video show; Swing Fist – Super Spy. “Dun…Da Da Da…Dun Da Da Da…”

  Adamarus caught him as he ran by and swung him into the air and around in a circle. In a deep voice Adamarus said, “Emergency extraction ‘Swing’ – there’s trouble in your bedroom and you're needed!”

  “Ah, Dad!” Nero said between laughter.

  Adamarus set him down, “Big trouble--you’re needed right away!”

  Nero ran down the hallway firing his toy rifle as he went, “Dun Dun Da Da Da…”

  After Nero was tucked in, Adamarus and Grace went into the den. He sat on the couch and she sat across from him in the love seat. Adamarus explained what the Loud had told him today, about his not aging—his immortality and about all the thoughts that had passed through his head as a result. He summarized the plan he and Bugs had worked out. Seeing her astonishment, he then told her what Radin had said--about the grab and the fake accident. Grace listened quietly with ever widening eyes and at the end was overwhelmed. She just shook her head and then put her head in her hands for several minutes. Adamarus just waited.

  Finally she looked up, “My God, Adamarus! This is too much!”

  “Sweetheart, we've discussed the treatment over and over, and now more than ever, I think we should do it. However, in the end, it's your decision."

  Grace got up and sat beside him on the couch and hugged him. “Oh, Adamarus…” the tears came and she held him tighter, “what should I do?” After a few seconds she pulled away and tried to put on a brave face, “Look at you! In your thirties again! It’s not fair. I’m so scared.” She stared at the floor for a full minute then looked up. "OK," she said softly.

  Adamarus took a deep breath and let it out. "OK," he repeated. “You will both come with me tomorrow.” He looked into her eyes. “I arranged to get both of you the same treatment that I’ve gotten.”

  Her eyes went wide, “What? Both of us?”

  “Soon, if all
goes well, everyone who wants it can have what I have. But even if not, at least our family can get it and we’ll be together.” He took her hands. “I know it’s scary but…”

  “Scary?” She interrupted, wiping her tears from her face. “An alien immortality treatment? Hell, yes, it’s scary! But does this mean I’ll become twenty years younger like you?” Adamarus nodded. She laughed, “Then…to hell with scary. I’ll do it. But Nero too? What will happen to him? He can’t get twenty years younger.”

  “He won’t change at all except that once he reaches his prime age – around thirty years–he’ll stop aging.”

  Grace got giddy again, “How long does it take to work?”

  Adamarus told her all he knew. After talking about the changes some more, they went into the bedroom and they made love like they hadn’t done in years. After going at it twice, they rested in each other’s arms.

  “Hmmm, well, I do kind of like this new you.”

  “You’ll like me even more,” said Adamarus as he rolled onto her for a third round.

  “Whoa, cowboy… maybe you’re a spring chicken but I’m still a sprung chicken.” She pushed Adamarus back over to his side of the bed and rolled on top of him. They were both covered with sweat. “I’ll tell you what though,” her eyes got very big, “let’s drive over there now!”

  “Oh no…” Adamarus laughed.

  “Oh yes…” she went nose to nose with him and whispered, “it’s only twenty minutes away. Then we can come back and go at it all night.”

  “Don’t you remember, after you take it, you’ll feel a little sick, then sleep for several days.”

  “Oh yeah, I forgot about that.” Grace giggled and pulled Adamarus on top of her again.

  Chapter Eight – Immortality

  “As you know, the Loud come from the star designated G214-H which is 112 light years away. They traveled here at relativistic speeds reaching ninety-nine percent the speed of light for most of the trip using a propulsion technology they call Graviton Focal Enhancement. It took 182 years for the journey, though to those aboard the ship, only a fifth of that time passed. They arrived here just over three years ago and have been studying us to determine if we were peaceful and ready for contact. I am very glad that we passed their tests! (applause) They also wanted to learn our languages and customs to ease the first contact process. They claim that contacting us is the most important event in their history. I would suggest that it is the other way around. (applause)”

  Dr. Wayne Brittan, Chairman of the House Science Committee

  Introduction to The 23rd Amular Symposium on Quantum Physics

  Source: The Archive

  Adamarus had gone over the plan again with Bugs. He could think of nothing they’d forgotten. Adamarus sat down and glanced at his watch. “I was surprised yesterday, when I told my wife about Nero—she got over the safety issues faster than I had thought she would. Are the two treatments ready?”

  Bugs replied, “No.”

  Confusion clouded Adamarus’ face, “No?”

  “No. It takes twelve hours to prepare.”

  Adamarus didn’t know what to say! Then, “Well, why didn’t you start the preparation yesterday?”

  Now it was Bug’s turn to look confused, “We did. All is ready.”

  “But you just said that it wasn’t ready.”

  “It wasn’t ready yesterday.”

  “Right. Okay.” Adamarus wasn’t sure what had just happened but all was okay now. He guessed another translator hiccupped and shrugged it off. He checked his watch – his family was due to arrive in ten minutes. He reminded Bugs of this. “Your biggest challenge is still ahead of you.”

  The giant alien gave Adamarus a look.

  Adamarus raised his hands in a helpless gesture, “I told my son that he could ask you any two questions and that you would answer him. You’re supposed to be the ‘all knowing’ alien so, don’t let me down!”

  The Loud’s large body quivered and jerked violently actually lifting off of the floor. Adamarus jumped up alarmed – it looked like Bugs was having a seizure. But as soon as he was standing, he realized he had seen this before, just nothing this violent. With a bust of insight he realized that this was the Loud equivalent of laughter. He looked on amazed as Bugs jerked and quivered, the violent movements jerking him across the floor. It lasted only a few seconds and then it was over. He shook his head. He should have caught on to this before.

  The alien swelled, jetting upward then came back down forcing out the air. As usual, despite all the soundproofing, the un-Godly screech could be heard while wave lengths above and below his hearing range sent shivers up Adamarus’ spine. He realized that he was used to this, but Grace and Nero would not be. He’d have to try to prepare them. The translator said, “I will do my best, but what have I done to earn this punishment?”

  Unprepared for the comeback, Adamarus just shook his head.

  Bugs said, “Now remember, I will deposit their doses on the table by the sink. While I’m doing this, the light outside the door will turn red for about five minutes to vent the room, place the doses and re-pressurize the room and heat it. During this time you need to stall…act like you are preparing your family to meet me. If the guards see the red light on they will think it unusual and may not allow you and your family to enter. When the room is ready to enter again the light will turn green.”

  “I understand. And again, thanks.” Bugs somehow managed to nod his head – another human gesture. Adamarus checked his watch, “Okay, I’m going to meet them.”

  ---

  Grace was nervous as hell. She was wearing a gray business suit and hoped it was appropriate. She knew that the Loud didn’t use clothing and wondered what they thought of it. She glanced over at Nero in the seat next to her. He looked so handsome in his brown wool suit, white shirt and tie. She realized that he had not said a word since getting in the limo. He had to be nervous, too.

  The black limo rounded the corner and in the distance she could see the alien ship and the dome. Nero noticed it as well and his eyes got wide. He looked afraid. Grace tried to distract him, “Hey, what two questions are you going to ask him…or ‘it,’ I guess, since they don’t have sexes?”

  Nero turned to his mother and shook his head, “Can’t tell…it’s a secret.”

  “Hmm” replied Grace.

  The limo made its way to the large dome. The limo’s door was opened and Adamarus and two other uniformed men came out to meet them. Grace realized that her knees were weak and walked carefully, determined not to stumble.

  Adamarus embraced her, “You up for this?”

  Grace replied, “Absolutely,” but her voice said otherwise.

  Adamarus stared at her for a moment then knelt down to Nero. “How about you, tiger?”

  “Okay, I guess” but his voice caught.

  “What will you ask Bugs?”

  Again Nero shook his head. “Can’t tell. Secret.”

  Adamarus’ brows went up, “A secret, huh?” He brushed some imaginary lint off Nero’s coat. “Well, okay. Let’s do it then.”

  He led them into the entryway. The two uniformed men followed them in but remained on the lower level as they stepped onto the moving walkway. When they reached the top Adamarus looked down the 100 foot walkway at the door. Behind the two uniformed guards he could see that the light was red. As always, the guards faced away from the door and could not see this. Adamarus paused and turned to his wife and son. “Now there are a few things I need to warn you about. The Loud evolved on a low gravity planet with very thin atmosphere.”

  “We know all that, Dad. The Loud are loud,” Nero said in an exasperated voice.

  “No son, you think you know but you don’t. Even though we will be in a soundproof room, sound comes through and there’s more than just the sound. There’s a concussion which can make you feel uncomfortable. It can cause everything from a headache to chills. You may feel the hair on your arms and neck stand up, or it may feel like your i
nsides are vibrating.” He looked at both of them. They both looked pale. Well, he thought, meeting an alien being is not something you do every day.

  “Dad, do we call him Bugs or Mr. Bugs or…”

  This got a smile from both mom and dad. “You can call him Bugs.” Adamarus answered.

  He glanced down the hall – the light was still red. “Son, when we go in, you and your mother will have to drink this stuff. It…prepares you for meeting aliens,” he said lamely. In a way that was sort of true. “No big deal, just wanted you to know about it ahead of time.” He glanced back down the hall, still red. It seemed like the guards were looking at him strangely. Come on, Bugs he thought.

  Nero started walking down the hall before Adamarus could stop him. “Let’s just do it, Dad.”

  Damn, Adamarus thought. He looked at the door, the light was still red. He started walking, trying to catch up. Grace followed. Nero was almost sprinting down the hall. Adamarus realized he would have to run to catch up with Nero and this would look strange. He slowed down.

  Grace caught up to him. “Adamarus, what’s wrong?”

  “Ah…” he couldn’t explain now, the guards were too close, “nothing.”

  Nero reached the guards, stopped and saluted. The guards smiled and saluted back. Behind them the light was still red. He and Grace were now ten feet from the door. He tried to think of something, some way to buy more time. He could say that he forgot something and had to go get it…but what?

  They reached the guards, time was up. The guards nodded to them. Adamarus blurted out, “Oh damn…wait. I forgot…” What? Damn it! “Ah…”

  “Sir?” The second guard gave him a strange look.

  The other turned towards the door to press the button. He saw the light but now blocked it from Adamarus’ view. “Now that’s damn strange,” he said, then turned and gave Adamarus a look Adamarus could not read.

  Adamarus stammered, “Ah…if you mean…”

  The guard interrupted him, “You forgot something?” Behind the guard the door started to open, “Well, sir, you can’t blame it on age anymore.” The guard winked and moved aside for them to enter.