Alien Love

by Stan Schatt

  Jack hurried through the empty sales room and down the hall toward the double doors labeled NO ADMITTANCE where he expected to find McCray. When he pushed the doors open, they squeaked and then revealed a bulky figure hunched over a naked body while he applied makeup to the corpse’s face. The mortician weighed at least twenty pounds more than in high school and wore his hair much shorter, but Hawk hadn’t changed.

  “Careful, he might not be dead. You have to watch out for the living dead,” Jack said, mouthing the same words with the same grave tone that Hawk used several years earlier just before he sent the frog the electrical impulses that almost got him suspended.

  Hawk turned and stared at Jack before circling around the body until he was close enough to embrace him.

  “Jack, it’s been forever! I read about the troubles you had with the Navy. I’m so glad to see you!”

  “I’m glad to see you too. Mrs. Rollins told me where to find you.”

  “Yeah. I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me for not joining some tech company and making a zillion dollars when they went IPO. She wanted so much to brag about me.”

  “She still brags about you. I’m sorry to hear about your father.”

  “Thanks. I’ve given up trying to explain to people why I came back here. This job gives me time to think. I’ve probably read enough the past few years to earn a Ph.D. The difference is that I read what I’m interested in. This place is challenging to run, so I’m never bored.”

  “I guess you don’t run into that many women, though, at least any still breathing.”

  Hawk smiled ruefully. “Well, there are plenty of grieving widows, but I guess you mean someone our age. You’re right. I’m on Date-Match.com and have a few things going. What about you? I lost touch. Did you and Suzie ever marry? What are you doing now?”

  Jack described his stint in rehab and his recent unsuccessful efforts to find a job. He watched Hawk nod as he continued to work on the body. His large hands moved with surprising dexterity to apply just the right amount of makeup.

  “I know a lot of people. Maybe I could put a word in for you.”

  “Maybe. Do you have any time to talk? It’s kind of important.”

  “Sure, if you don’t mind standing around while I finish up Mr. Jackson. My bookkeeper is the only other person here, and she never comes back here because she’s afraid of dead bodies.”

  “We can talk here.”

  “Put on one of those aprons hanging on the wall behind you. I don’t want you complaining that I need to buy you a new shirt or pants.”

  Jack obeyed and watched his friend meticulously apply makeup to the corpse. Now he felt surer than ever that Hawk was the right person to answer his questions. He had always been the resident expert on science fiction who could tell you what theoretically could work in Star Trek and what was just fantasy.

  Jack related Moon’s story about a supposedly secret base in Dulce, New Mexico that housed aliens. He watched Hawk’s face, but it didn’t seem to register any surprise; instead, his friend nodded and smiled.

  Hawk’s hands stopped applying makeup to the body. He stared at Jack. “Hell, everyone knows about Dulce. Half the science fiction writers are obsessed with it. Are you telling me it’s real?”

  Jack took a deep breath and then repeated Moon’s story about huge aliens who somehow were able to look human simply by touching some device on their belts as well as his friend’s contention that the aliens were trading technology with the government.

  Hawk was nodding enthusiastically now. “Sure, some people think we’ve been trading with aliens for years. The rumor is that’s how we got our hands on semiconductor technology. Dulce is supposed to be where we house the aliens while they conduct their experiments.”

  “What experiments?”

  Hawk winced as if to make it clear it wasn’t his idea. “From what I’ve read, they’re trying to create hybrids from humans and aliens.”

  “My friend says he saw a woman that must have been part of some kind of experiment.”

  “Christ! That’s right out of the X Files. I can’t believe you’re telling me it’s real!”

  “You can’t repeat any of this. The military told him he hallucinated because of a biological weapon he ingested and that he never really saw any aliens. What I want to know from you is if his story makes any sense.”

  Hawk placed one hand on his chin and rubbed it. Jack remembered now that Hawk always did that when he did any serious thinking.

  “Yeah, I’ve read all kinds of accounts by people our government labeled as crazy. There are just too many reports out there to ignore. Science fiction writers have taken some of these anecdotal stories and turned them into some great novels. I think Dulce is real.”

  “Tell me what you know.”

  Hawk always had a photographic mind. He described the Draconians as a reptilian race that used small gray aliens known as the “Grays” or “Travelers” as their assistants. He stopped almost in mid-sentence and slapped his forehead like one of The Three Stooges.

  “I’m so stupid. I have a better idea. In ten minutes I’ll be done and then and I’ll show you what I have on Dulce.”

  Jack’s mind was spinning. Reptilian aliens? It sounded like science fiction. Pete’s story is too fantastic to be real, but if Hawk says it’s possible…The time seemed to take forever. Finally Hawk nodded and placed the body back in cold storage. He led Jack out a back door to a ranch style house on the other side of a wide expanse of grass.

  “You live here? It must be nice to have such a short commute.”

  Hawk shrugged and motioned for Jack to follow him inside. They walked through a modest sized dining room into a snug study lined on all sides with floor to ceiling bookcases overflowing with books.

  He moved a ladder to a corner and climbed several steps so he could reach the higher shelves. His hand hovered over several books before pulling three of them and stacking them on the top of the ladder. After spending a few more moments searching for other books on the subject, he climbed down the ladder and blew dust off the books.

  Hawk placed the books down on a side table before picking up one and combing through it. He stopped and then nodded before describing the author as someone who supposedly worked security at Dulce. He turned to a page and showed Jack a diagram revealing seven levels buried deep below the ground.

  “What the map doesn’t tell you is that he says everyone traveling below level two needs to have a special card with their name, accurate weight and security clearance. If anyone tries to take an elevator down without proper security clearance, all hell breaks out and armed guards and aliens appear and start shooting.”

  Jack whistled and stared at the book. “Could I borrow it?”

  “Sure, here are a couple of more books that fill in some of the details.” Hawk then described rules apparently negotiated by the Draconians so that only they were permitted to carry weapons on the lower levels where the aliens worked on developing hybrids of humans and themselves.

  “How big is the complex?”

  Jack noticed that Hawk was breathing heavily now and speaking faster. He waved his hands in a broad motion. “That’s the interesting part. Supposedly Dulce is connected via high-speed magnetic trams to other sites throughout the country. The authors claim that other countries have similar underground networks. Some entrances are relatively easy to find and not heavily guarded while the main entrances have ultra-high security.”

  “Why not guard every entrance?”

  Hawk nodded and smiled as if he had anticipated Jack asking that very question. “The authors say that the government used natural terrain to cover some entrances. You’d need to know what you’re looking for and maybe even have satellite photos to find some of these smaller entrances. I’m not sure what good it would do, though, because guards would probably shoot any trespasser on sight.”

  Jack’s hand brushed against the small weapon in his pocket and reminded him of its presence. He asked hypotheti
cally about the possibility of creating a weapon capable of blowing a hole through something like a laser but having the side effect of causing that a person to feel dizzy when it was fired.

  Hawk always treated the most ridiculous science question with the upmost seriousness. He rested his hand on his chin and thought for a few seconds before finally replying. “If firing it made you feel dizzy and nauseated, it’s probably some kind of high frequency weapon. Sure, very tightly directed frequencies at high enough ranges could have that kind of impact. Did your friend see a weapon like that?”

  Jack paused before answering. “The guy with one was incredibly strong. I punched him in his nuts and he didn’t even react.”

  Hawk smiled broadly and rubbed his hands together. “Maybe he wasn’t human.”

  “Oh come on. Now you sound paranoid.”

  Hawk shook his head and wagged his finger at Jack as if he were a teacher explaining the most basic of facts to the class dunce. “Reptiles don’t have the same junk in their trunk that we have. Their reproductive organs are probably in their abdomen; I assume reptilian aliens would be built the same way. Did you happen to hit him in his stomach?”

  “Yeah, that knocked the fight out of him.”

  Hawk put his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “This is so cool! If you’re thinking of going there, I’m in. I could help you with the science side of it.”

  Jack stared at his friend; his eyes focused on Hawk’s ample stomach. “This will be a military operation and not a scientific expedition. The rule is that no SEAL leaves one of his own team behind. We have to bring back our brother no matter what. The best way you could help is to tell me anything you think will help us survive.”

  The friends talked for about an hour and then an ambulance delivered a body along with a rush order; apparently Mr. Terrell’s family couldn’t wait to get him into the ground. They agreed to meet again later that week.

  Chapter 7

  JACK FOUND HIMSELF talking out loud as he read through the books Hawk loaned him. At one point he muttered, “Give me a break!” when he read about a woman claiming she spotted a reptilian creature in her backyard attempting to steal her pet poodle. Another man declared he had seen papers signed by President Truman that outlined a treaty with the aliens. A man claiming psychic abilities said he had seen several groups of aliens on Earth and that the planet served as a kind of Casablanca, a neutral planet currently at peace with everyone and a place where enemies mingled and spun their plots.

  An article on yet another website described how NASA was lying to Americans about aliens on the moon and how photos sent back to earth had been doctored or declared missing to hide the incriminating images. The author described a mile long spaceship parked in full view of Earth’s telescopes along with a huge pyramid structure that mirrored similar structures on Mars as well as in Egypt. He realized that his father’s theories about the presence of extraterrestrial life paled in comparison with the elaborate claims of these true believers.

  Jack shook his head and wondered at the number of lunatics out there and then used Google to learn more about some of the people quoted who claimed to have spent time at Dulce. A few had suffered fatal heart attacks while others who had been diagnosed as paranoid now resided in asylums. As far as he could determine, two former Army security officers just dropped off the grid entirely. He thought about those two men. Did government goons kill them? Were they hiding somewhere? Maybe they’re locked up in some asylum.

  The video clips available online that claimed to reveal Dulce’s secrets varied in quality. A few amateurish films depicted aliens that clearly were humans because of the cheesy looking homemade costumes they wore. In one poorly lit video, Jack could actually see the zippers of the costumes that the people masquerading as aliens wore. Those videos reminded him of some of the old Star Trek television episodes where the production team had run short of budget and apparently told the actors to put on rubber masks and pretend they were aliens. Jack labeled a few videos as possibly authentic; those clips made his blood run cold and scared him even though he didn’t scare easily.

  One notice on a website devoted to discussions about alien visitation caught his attention. A group calling itself Aliens Among Us met regularly at a coffee shop in San Diego. He made a mental note to attend the next scheduled meeting since it happened to be set for the following evening. The time passed quickly as Jack read firsthand accounts from people claiming to be former security officers who worked at Dulce. After several hours, he was so tired that he almost didn’t hear a soft knocking at his door.

  He looked through his door’s peephole and hesitated. The knocking became more urgent. Finally he took a deep breath and let it out slowly before opening the door.

  “What do you want?”

  Cassandra faced him dressed this time in a red blouse that made her blond hair shine even more brightly. She wore the same tight hip-hugging jeans that accentuated her curves.

  “That’s not a very nice way to greet me. I just wanted to apologize for scaring you. I’m really not trying to get pregnant; I said it as a joke, but you took it wrong.”

  “You didn’t scare me. I just think that we’re not on the same page. I’m not interested in getting anyone pregnant because I have enough problems of my own without having to be responsible for a kid. I’m not sure you really were joking. You seemed damned serious to me. I’m sure you a very nice person, but maybe you should get some help. I know a good psychologist who might be just what you need.”

  Jack started to close the door, but Cassandra wedged her foot in and folded her arms defiantly.

  “I didn’t come here for you to get me pregnant. I just wanted to thank you for saving my life.”

  “I’m very happy I saved you, but you don’t owe me anything.”

  “I just want to come in and talk,” Cassandra said. Her soft voice and conciliatory tone caused him to reconsider. After hesitating a few seconds, he stepped aside and waved her in.

  Cassandra took a seat in a faded armchair and crossed her legs demurely as if she were a guest at a high society tea party. She waited for Jack to take the seat facing her before continuing. Jack took his seat and felt defensive; he’d been rude to her. She seemed so small and defenseless. She made him feel like a skunk that had come to a tea party. Where were his manners?

  He squinted at her but still couldn’t make out her aura. He concluded that the light on the table beside her probably blotted it out. It made him realize how much he depended on reading auras when it came to evaluating people. Maybe he had used it as a crutch so long that now he felt clueless when it came to Cassandra. He squinted at her again in the hope that this time she’d radiate a color, any color. Hell, if she radiated black at least he’d know for sure his rudeness had not been out of line.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  Jack hesitated and then shrugged. What did it matter? I’m sure you don’t believe in auras and probably think I’m crazy, but usually I can see people’s auras. I’m sure that makes no sense to a scientist like you.”

  “And what color aura do I have?”

  “I can’t make it out. Maybe the lights are too bright.”

  “Have you always have been able to do this?” Cassandra’s eyes focused on Jack like a laser beam as her voice rose.

  “Yeah, but it’s no big deal, and I don’t want to talk about it. I’m sure that’s not why you came.”

  “I really am grateful. I can tell you are a good person. I’m protected this time so you don’t have to worry. I just thought that you would enjoy making love with me.”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t enjoy it. You’re terrific. It’s hard to explain. You don’t know anything about me. Usually virgins know somebody pretty well before they give up their virginity. The first time should be special. Someday you’ll probably be very angry that you lost your virginity to a perfect stranger.”

  Cassandra eyed Jack, apparently weighing her words before continuing. She spoke slowly and
softly. He strained so he wouldn’t miss any words.

  “Most of my colleagues think it’s just biology and nothing special or unusual, but they never have met you. The men I know are not special.”

  “You have a slight accent. Where do you come from?”

  Cassandra shrugged. “Far away. You wouldn’t know the place because it’s too small to be on any maps. I’m happy we made love. You tried so hard to be gentle. Other men would have hurt me much more because they would only care about their own pleasure.”

  “I know it hurt, though. I’m not sure what you want from me. The few times we’ve talked, you always turned the conversation back to me. I don’t know anything about you.”

  Cassandra smiled. “Scientists, particularly biologists like me, are usually rational and not emotional. We’re really very boring people.”

  Jack couldn’t help smiling. “There were a few moments when you were very emotional. I was afraid your screaming would bring the police.”

  Cassandra nodded, but she didn’t seem embarrassed. “I never experienced anything like that. Do most women react that way when you make love to them?”

  “That’s not a question a gentleman would answer. I still am not sure what you want from me.”

  Cassandra smiled. “You make this much too complicated. Let me show my appreciation.” She rose and headed to the bedroom without looking back.

  Jack watched her, debated silently, and then rose and followed her. The guys on my team would never believe this. They’d swear I made it up, he thought. He remembered one summer in college when he’d taken the only job he could find, a door-to-door salesman. His middle-aged sales manager had smiled in a lascivious way and then spent an hour describing to him in detail how so many lonely women in lingerie had opened their doors to welcome him. Jack had nodded at the time but later shuddered at the thought of that man with his greasy hair and a belly that hung well over his waist hoisting himself on any woman. His team would assume he was no better than his old sales manager; they wouldn’t believe a beautiful, sexy blond would knock on his door and throw herself at him. Part of him didn’t believe it either.