Cosmic Girl Rising Up

by R S J Gregory

  “Damn. We have to get down there.” I say and stand up.

  “Who’s with me, in getting this door open?” I ask and look at everyone.

  “I’m in.” Paul says, and shrugs like it’s no big deal.

  “I’m with you.” Beth says.

  “Let’s go for it.” Jessica says.

  Mitchell just nods his assent.

  Stuart steps back, and gestures with his hand. “Ladies first.” Stuart says and smiles.

  “Why, thank you, kind sir.” I say in my best prim voice, and curtsey.

  Jessica giggles as I reach down and grab the long steel handle in the center of the trapdoor. I take a deep breath, and look up at everyone.

  “Be prepared.” I say, and then tighten my grip on the handle and yank my arm up.

  The metal door rips freely from its hinges, revealing the door is over a foot thick. Below I see some stone steps disappearing into the darkness. I wait, and when no alarm goes off, we look at each other in confusion. I shrug and head down the steps. The others follow me as I step carefully down the narrow steps. I hold my hands out in front of me, and feel along the wall. When my hands meet air, I feel around for the wall, and then locate a switch. I flick the switch up, and then overhead lights begin to flick on. The lights flare to life one at a time, and as more lights come on, the room is slowly revealed.

  The room is immense. Against one wall there’s a long worktop, which must be several meters long at least, with computer monitors lined up next to each other. On the other side of the space, against the other wall are various pin boards and whiteboards, with photos and some notes dotted all over them.

  “Wow.” Beth says as she comes up beside me, and looks around.

  “Jackpot!” Paul says and begins to walk over to the pin boards to my left.

  At the far end of the room, on the huge cavern-like wall, hangs a large flat screen television, which I notice is beginning to flicker and come on as well. I turn and head to the right, and take a closer look at the computer monitors. They’re all black and lifeless, but above each one is a sticker, and written in black marker is the name of a city. Boston, Denver, Oklahoma, San Francisco, New Jersey, Salt Lake City, there are so many.

  “Umm, guys?” I say, and point to the monitors.

  Mitchell stands near me, and leans towards the monitors and turns his helmeted-head and looks at the other screens.

  “We weren’t the only guinea pigs.” He says in his muffled voice, and turns his helmeted-head to look at me.

  I can picture the look of shock on his handsome face behind his visor. My god, how many people did he kidnap and do this to? Hundreds, maybe even a thousand. But why?

  “Hey.” Stuart calls out.

  I turn and see him pointing to the large flat screen television.

  “Why is it doing that?” Stuart asks.

  I look, and there’s something playing. I fly closer and recognize it.

  It’s a scene from The Sound of Music. The Von Trapp children are singing, “So long, farewell, auf weidersehen, good night.”

  That’s odd. Why is it playing?

  I look at the television again, and notice that beneath, there’s a large metal cabinet. I have a bad feeling about this. I fly towards the metal cabinet, and examine it. It’s firmly locked with a steel padlock. I press my ear to the cabinet, but the volume of the television is too high, I can’t hear anything except for the Von Trapp children. I press my left hand against the cabinet and grasp the padlock with my right hand, and rip the lock off. I open the cabinet doors, and my mouth falls open.

  “Holy shit!” I blurt out. “Guys.” I shout.

  Mitchell and Stuart materialize next to me. Inside the cabinet are two huge transparent tubes filled with what looks like chemicals. One tube is filled with a red fluid, and the other one is filled with a green fluid. In the middle of the tubes lies a device, which has a digital clock, and the numbers are counting down. Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen...

  “Oh, my god!” I gasp and I turn to the others. “Make a hole. Quick!” I scream and point to the wall to my left.

  I reach my arms around the cabinet the best I can, and pull it up from the floor. It doesn’t move at first. Damn it, it’s been bolted to the concrete floor. I pull harder, and rip it from the concrete, as the timer now reads, nine, eight, seven. I hear a thunderous smash, and then natural light streams into the room. I turn my head towards the sound, and see that Mitchell has punched a wide hole in the wall, and is punching some more wall out of the way.

  I fly backwards towards the gap while carrying the cabinet as best I can.

  “Stand clear. Mitch, protect Jess!” I scream as I fly towards the hole.

  I fly through the hole and accelerate over the Pacific. I look down, and see it count down from three, to two, then I flip on to my back and throw the cabinet. It explodes a second later over the water about a mile away from where I hover on my back, shaking and crying. I take a deep breath, and rub the tears from my eyes, and turn and fly back to the opening that Mitchell made.

  “Well, that’s going to wake the neighbors.” Paul says as I land.

  Mitchell embraces me, and I cry into his chest. My mind is still reeling. I almost lost my sister. My god, we almost died, and to The Sound of Music, no less. I push back the tears, and Mitchell lets me go as I grab Jessica and hug her tight.

  “Ow, take it easy.” Jessica complains.

  “Sorry.” I say, sniff, and step back.

  “That was close.” Stuart says, and I let out a nervous chuckle.

  I turn my head, and I notice something that catches my interest. I walk over to a section that has photos and different color threads attached like an elaborate rainbow cobweb. I look at the photos, and see that they’re mug shots.

  A color thread is attached to each photo of a person. I follow the thread from one person, and find it’s attached to another photo, only this one’s of a meteorite. There’s some sort of logic to this, I’m guessing, as I see red threads, green threads, and black threads, and other colors zigzagging across the collage.

  “Hey, guys. Take a look at this.” Beth says from nearby, where the whiteboards are.

  I head over, and find her reading something. I check the board, and it looks like a to do list. It’s written in red marker.

  Buy more yarn. X

  Buy more dog food. X

  Kill Paul. X

  Meet Agent.

  Meet Buyer.

  “What the hell? Kill Paul?” I blurt out as I reread it.

  “Who’s Paul?” Mitchell asks.

  “Oh, no. Not Mr Richardson, the producer?” Beth asks.

  “Guys, that one is crossed off.” Paul says and points to the cross. “Does that mean he’s done it, or he’s doing it right now?”

  I take my Chinese lucky cat backpack from my sister, and race upstairs and find a phone in Devlin’s bedroom.

  I open my backpack and with a quick rummage, locate the card that Agent Forest gave me in San Francisco. I pull it out and dial her field office number.

  “Come on, come on, pick up.” I mutter as it rings.

  “Hello, Agent Forest’s office. How can I help you?” A female voice asks.

  I recognize the southern accent.

  “Agent Forest. I have some vital information about the Washington D.C. attacks and the kidnappings that occurred last year.” I blurt out quickly.

  “Who is this?” She asks.

  “It’s Cosmic Girl.” I answer quickly.

  “Cosmic Girl? Look, I haven’t got time for...”

  “You don’t understand. Mr Paul Thomas Richardson’s life is in terrible danger. Devlin De Marco is going to kill him, if he hasn’t done it already. You have to send someone over to his house right now, or find out where he is.” I say quickly.

  “Why do you think this?” She asks seriously.

  “I am in Devlin De Marco’s house right now, and I just saw a list, and killing Mr Richardson is on that list. Come here and see for yours
elf if you don’t believe me.”

  “Who did you say you were again?”

  “Cosmic Girl.”

  “Just one second...” Then she puts me on hold.

  After a few minutes she comes back on the phone. “You say you’re Cosmic Girl, and you are in Mr De Marco’s property?”

  “I know how it sounds. But there’s a really good reason why I’m here.” I say.

  “I understand. You’re the one who’s been flying around, causing trouble.”

  “Hey, I have not been causing trouble.”

  “Can you explain what happened in Las Vegas, then?”

  I don’t answer, and keep quiet.

  “So, that was you at The Bellagio?”

  “I haven’t got time to argue about this. A man’s life is in danger, you have to believe me. I wouldn’t lie about this.” I plead.

  “And you have his address?”

  “Yes, but he might not be there.” I give her his address, and she sighs heavily.

  “Listen lady, I’m on your side. I’m a good person, who’s just trying to help. Trace this call, and send someone over, because there is a whole heap of evidence which proves that Devlin De Marco is responsible for multiple kidnapping, murder, terrorism, you name it. It’s all here. And I have evidence of my own too.” I say as patiently as I can without screaming.

  I put the phone down on the round bed, and leave the call connected.

  I close the backpack and sling it over my shoulders. I fasten it in place, and go back downstairs. The others are still examining the room.

  I walk over and join Jessica as she looks at some odd pictures.

  “What are those?” I ask as I come up beside her.

  “Looks like x-rays.” Jessica says as she holds some black and white images up to the whiteboard.

  “What the hell is that?” Paul asks as he peers over my shoulder.

  “I think it’s one of the meteorites.” I say.

  “Yeah, but what’s that inside of it?” Paul asks.

  “Huh?” I reply, and then look closer at the x-ray.

  Sure enough, there is something inside the meteorite. It looks like some sort of worm or parasite, curled up in an s shape.

  “Yeah. What is that?” I ask.

  Jessica puts it down, and rummages through some loose notes scattered all over the desk. She picks up one that catches her eye and begins to read.

  “Finally, I have done it.” Jessica reads. “Proof of extra-terrestrial life is finally mine. Although primitive, and in essence a micro-organism, or possibly some sort of space parasite, none-the-less, this find is what I have been searching for my whole life. Perhaps these life forms are the key.”

  “The key to what?” I ask.

  “Man, you think our powers came from these alien parasites?” Paul asks.

  Jessica reads more notes.

  “He’s not sure. Some meteorites had no effect on his test subjects, as he puts it, and some even killed the subject.” Jessica reads from more of Devlin’s scribbled notes.

  “He’s mad.” Paul says, turns and walks over to Stuart and Beth.

  “Are you still a fan?” I ask Jessica.

  “God, no!” Jessica says, and throws down Devlin’s notes. “He’s insane.” Jessica says, and looks at me. “I’m sorry sis. I should have believed you.”

  “It’s okay. It is a crazy story. I’m not even sure if the F.B.I. are going to take me seriously.”

  “Come on guys, we’d better get out of here.” I lead her upstairs.

  “So, where is the douchebag?” Paul asks as we enter the main living area again.

  Twenty Nine

  “Good question.” I say, and look around the living area.

  I find a telephone near one wall, and fly over to check it. Next to the phone is a notepad, but it’s blank.

  “Jes…I mean, Metal Girl.” I call out.

  Jessica walks over, and I hold the notepad out to her.

  “Can you feel any indentations?” I ask her, as she takes it from me.

  Jessica runs her fingers over the notepad. She smiles, and reaches for a pencil that is lying near the phone. She uses the pencil, and rubs it quickly over the paper filling the pad with lead. I can see some white outlines emerging.

  “What does it say?” I ask.

  “Brown Field, M.A. three p.m.” Jessica says as she reads it carefully.

  “Beth, your cell phone, quick.” I call out urgently.

  Beth runs over and gets her phone from her boot.

  “Brown Field. Do a search. What is it?” I ask.

  “Okay. Give me a minute.” Beth says and types it into her cell phone. “Man, the signal sucks here.” Beth moans as she hold up her phone, and then walks towards the main picture window.

  “Okay, it’s coming.” Beth says, and then reads her screen.

  “There’s a Brown Field airfield not far from here. You think he’s flying somewhere?” Beth says.

  “Well, I can fly too.” I say firmly, and head for the glass stairs. “What time is it?”

  “Umm, three twenty. Why?” Beth says. “Hey, wait up.” Beth calls after me as she follows me to the stairs.

  “Wait, what about us?” Jessica asks as she follows me.

  “You’ll need to wait here with the others.” I state simply.

  I reach the next floor and keep climbing until I reach the roof door. I push it open and step on to the roof and look around.

  “Wait. What are we going to do if the Feds arrive?” Beth asks.

  “Get everyone on the roof. Paul can shield you until I get back.” I say, and before I can hear another word, I grab Beth’s cell phone, and shoot up into the blue sky.

  Without the bus on my back, I feel as light as a feather now. I examine the screen, and then shoot off towards the blazing sun. The airfield isn’t far, at least not at my speed. I fly down and hover outside the control tower, and tap lightly on the window.

  To say I cause a bit of an uproar, is putting it mildly. I won’t repeat what they spat at me, but eventually I make out, go away.

  “I need to know where Mr De Marco went?” I shout through the glass.

  “He’s a wanted man, the F.B.I. want him as well. I need to find him.” I add.

  The men just shout and gesture at me in very unpleasant ways. But there’s a lady who looks at me very intently. She holds her arms very close to her body, but I notice her left index finger is pointing towards me. I smile in thanks at her, and look over my shoulder. I can’t see anything in the sky, so maybe he’s already miles away. I turn around and take off in the direction she’s pointing in, which is basically north towards some mountains. I climb to a few thousand feet, and accelerate until I hear the sonic boom far behind me. Even after a few seconds, I see nothing. I stop and look around. Nothing but clear sky. I head upwards and climb higher to get a better view. Where are you? I frantically search the horizon in all directions.

  Something catches my eye, and I turn my head and look west towards the coast. Very faint, barely a dot, but still, I notice something metallic catching the sun and glinting in the distance. It’s over the water and heading west, and is still climbing by the look of it. I take off like a rocket, and hear the familiar bang far behind me. I cover the distance in seconds, and soon see the clear outline of a private jet.

  The sky around me is a beautiful blue, as lovely as the water far below.

  Where are you going Devlin?

  I slow down as I get closer. The private jet is cruising at around twenty thousand feet when I arrive outside one of the windows. I peer inside.

  There he is. He’s sitting in a leather chair with his shirt unbuttoned. Damn you. Look at how relaxed you look. Time for a wakeup call.

  I fly over the wing to the front of the jet, and grab the door with both hands. I rip the door free and let it fall to the ocean far below. The plane immediately starts to dive towards the Pacific ocean. I climb inside as masks drop from the overhead storage. Devlin is gripping the sides of
his chair tightly, but he doesn’t seem to be alarmed at my entrance. He regards me coldly as the plane plummets towards the water. Then the jet begins to level off, and the wind subsides. The anger within me subsides slightly when I see him in the flesh.

  His likeness to Johnny Depp is uncanny. I almost forget who I’m looking at.

  His bronze tanned body shows as his unbuttoned white silk shirt flaps in the wind coming in from outside. His bronzed chiseled six-pack is moving up and down quite quickly.

  Hmm, maybe he’s not as calm as he’s making out.

  An ivory pendant in the shape of an anchor hangs around his neck. His black hair is much longer than I expect. It hangs down to his shoulders ordinarily, I guess, but it’s flapping about wildly behind him at the moment. I notice the glint of a diamond stud earring in his left earlobe.

  He relaxes his grip on his leather chair, and crosses his legs in a more relaxed manner as the plane levels out.

  His deep red pants catch the light and seem to shimmer, probably silk. He twists his right foot in a slow circle as he regards me. His deep brown snakeskin shoes look strange next to his bright rainbow striped socks. I notice the gold ring with the ruby stone on his right hand.