by Stan Schatt
Jack left his plans on the kitchen table and turned to head to his bedroom when he heard a soft knock. He looked through his peephole and froze. His mind had to be playing tricks on him. It couldn’t be! He opened the door slightly and stared at a dead ringer for Cassandra or maybe it was her ghost. His mouth opened, but nothing came out. The woman squeezed past him and stood in living room with a quizzical look on her face. Jack’s heart was beating so fast that he thought he’d have a heart attack. He shut and double locked the door and turned toward his guest.
What he saw made him freeze. A fading purple bruise still covered one cheek. The silence grew uncomfortable. Cassandra looked genuinely puzzled at his reaction.
“Is something wrong? Do I look strange?”
“It’s your bruise. I saw you last night at a meeting and you didn’t have the bruise. After that…” Jack found he couldn’t describe what he’d seen, at least not to her or whoever she really was.
“What meeting? I didn’t go to any meeting.”
“At a coffeehouse. It was a meeting for a group called Aliens Among Us. I saw you sitting in the back row. I even yelled at you as you drove by after the meeting but you ignored me.”
“I was home all night. You say you saw someone who looked like me?”
“Not someone who looked like you. She could be your identical twin except she didn’t have a bruise on her face. Do you have a twin sister?”
Cassandra hesitated. “Not that I know of. Are you sure she looked like me?”
Jack threw his hands up in exasperation. “Don’t play games with me. I’m beginning to think I’m going crazy. Can’t you just level with me? Do you have a twin sister?”
Cassandra looked directly into his eyes with the same guileless expression he’d seen before. “I don’t have a twin sister.”
Cassandra wore a red sweater and jeans. God, she looks good, Jack thought. He smiled to try to hide his exasperation. He read once that everyone has a twin somewhere else on the planet; they just don’t know it. Despite the astronomical odds against meeting that twin, he’d run into a dead ringer for her and watched as someone executed her. He felt so grateful that somehow she was here that he didn’t want an argument to ruin their evening.
Cassandra continued as if nothing unusual had happened. “You told me that you see auras. Is that right?”
Maybe she thinks I’m crazy, Jack thought. “Yeah, but we don’t need to talk about that. I’m sure that since you’re a scientist, you’ll just laugh at me. Most people don’t believe me.”
Cassandra looked troubled. “No, I believe you. All of us see in slightly different frequency bands; you just have inherited a broader range. It must run in your family. Did your father have that ability?”
“Apparently he did, but I don’t really want to talk about him. He left before I was born, so he wasn’t much of a man. He claimed he was a scientist, but now we’ll never know.”
“Did your mother describe him?”
“She said he looked exactly like me. I’m a chip off the old block.”
“And he just disappeared one day without any explanation?”
“Yeah. I just hope I’m a better person.”
Cassandra eyebrows rose. “I’m sure you are. I’m here because I missed you. I want to spend the night. Is that okay with you?”
“Sure. I’ve missed you and hoped you’d come back. I really want us to be able to spend more time together.”
They moved closer to each other and then embraced. Jack easily lifted her and carried her to his bedroom. They were far more comfortable with each other’s bodies by now. Jack decided he wanted to please her and focus on her pleasure, but Cassandra apparently had made a similar decision to focus on him. They spent an hour in slow lovemaking as they explored and touched each other tenderly.
Gradually the lovemaking grew more and more intense and noisy as Cassandra came multiple times. Finally she collapsed in Jack’s arms. They both gasped for breath as they lay together for what seemed like an hour. Jack trained himself in Afghanistan to keep awake when he needed to do so because often his life depended on it.
Despite his body’s eagerness to drift into a very pleasant unconsciousness, he forced himself now to stay awake by focusing on thoughts that would keep him from drifting off. Finally, with his eyes barely open, he caught a glimpse of his bedside clock and saw it was four in the morning. He felt Cassandra stir and he forced himself to lie motionless while he focused on breathing slowly and deeply to simulate sleep. When he felt her leave the bed, he pretended to roll in his sleep so he could watch her with his eyes opened just a crack. She dressed quickly and efficiently and then tiptoed out of the bedroom. Jack rolled out of bed and moved cat-like while putting on his clothes. He walked to the door and looked down the hall where he saw Cassandra standing at the kitchen table with her head bent down as she read his tactical plans for Dulce.
After several minutes of studying the plans, she took out her cell phone and dialed a number and then whispered something into the phone before hanging up. She spent another ten minutes studying the materials before leaving the apartment and closing the door softly behind her. Jack waited a couple of minutes and then quietly stepped outside. He saw her waiting in the parking lot. He moved from car to car, keeping his body bent low until he was able to hide behind his car. He watched as a white colored Ford Taurus drove up. Cassandra climbed in and the car headed toward the parking lot exit.
Jack climbed into his car and waited until the Taurus turned right and headed toward Park Avenue. He gunned his engine and turned out of the parking lot and then hung back several car lengths. Finally the Taurus pulled into the parking lot of an older two-story apartment building. A small bald man climbed out of the car and joined Cassandra as they walked side by side to an apartment. The man unlocked the door and they both entered.
Jack stared at the apartment and memorized its number. Why would Cassandra care about his plans for Dulce? Was she some kind of government spy? Was this guy her partner or her husband and lover? What was she up to? He didn’t know, but he was going to find out. He drove home and double locked the door before climbing back into bed. He’d get some sleep because he would need it when he confronted Cassandra and her boyfriend later that day.
Chapter 14
JACK SLEPT UNTIL NOON and then spent much of the day making a list of weapons and other equipment they would need. He studied maps of the Dulce area and downloaded a map of New Mexico that he used to refine his plan several times before finally printing out copies for his team. SEALS didn’t eat finger foods, so Jack made a quick trip to the Vons down the block and returned with chips, chicken wings, salsa, and beer. He looked at his watch and realized he still had time to confront Cassandra. He hated the idea that she might be part of a government spying operation. One way or the other, he would force the truth from her. Besides, given what she now knew about Dulce, he wanted to make sure she didn’t spread the word and alert anyone that he was planning the raid.
Jack headed toward Cassandra’s apartment. As he neared the complex, he thought about the possibility that government goons might follow him there. He checked his rearview mirror and side mirrors but didn’t notice anyone tailing him. He found a parking spot and lingered for several minutes while he checked his mirrors to look for vehicles with telltale government license plates. Satisfied everything looked normal, he looked for signs of life as he approached Cassandra’s apartment. Only a few blaring TVs broke the later afternoon silence. He wondered if she might be at work, wherever that might be. Come to think of it, he didn’t even know exactly what she did or the name of the country she came from. Her accent sounded a bit Russian or maybe Romanian like the girl he met once who worked in the VA hospital.
Jack gave the door three loud knocks. He heard movement within the apartment and saw the shades part slightly before the door opened revealing the slightly built man he’d seen with Cassandra earlier that morning. Bald with no visible eyebrows, he reminded Jack of a pict
ure of Humpty Dumpty he had seen in a book as a child. Dressed in jeans and a plain blue long sleeved shirt, the man stared at Jack as if he had seen a ghost. The silence grew uncomfortable until Jack finally broke it.
“I’m Jack. I know Cassandra lives here. I need to talk with her.”
“She’s not here, but she will return soon. My name is …Mark. Please come in.”
He walked past the man into a sparsely furnished room that contained a kitchen in the far corner and a hall that probably led to a bathroom and bedroom. Why the hell didn’t Cassandra mention him? Are they sleeping together? Jack asked himself. He sat down in a chair next to a large bookcase. The furniture looked like rental stuff. He realized that the Taurus he saw early that morning probably was rented as well. The place lacked any sense of permanence. Jack decided that it looked barely lived in and didn’t even have any discernible cooking odors.
“Are you her husband?”
The man shook his head but did not smile. “We work together. Would you like a drink while you wait? Cassandra has told me much about you.” The man spoke in a toneless almost robotic tone. Jack figured his English just wasn’t as good as Cassandra’s.
“Water would be fine.” Jack turned his attention to the books in front of him with the hope that they might reveal more about Cassandra. Did she like mysteries or science fiction? Were there any cookbooks to show what kind of cuisine she enjoyed? He saw several shelves of genetics textbooks that looked pretty advanced. His attention turned to the bottom shelf, and he stared as his mind registered the titles: The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Sex, Make Love Like a Pro, and Kama Sutra Positions Illustrated. He smiled; Cassandra was a fast learner. He became increasingly aware of a loud whining sound coming from what appeared to be a coat closet on the wall across from where he sat.
Mark returned shortly and placed a plastic glass of water on the coffee table. “Please drink. We rarely have guests. Is there anything else you would like?”
“No. I didn’t mean to interrupt your work. Maybe I should go and return later.”
The sound of a key in the door drew both men’s attentions as Cassandra entered dressed conservatively in jeans and a loosely fitting dark green sweater. Today her eyes looked green rather than blue as she stared at Jack.
“This probably wasn’t a good idea, but I wanted to see you again,” he said.
“No, you just surprised me.” She looked at her colleague and they seemed to exchange some kind of message because the man turned and headed down the hall.
“Did I say something wrong?” Jack said.
“No, Mark has a lot of work to do. There’s no reason to be concerned about him. We work together but we’re not lovers. Is that what’s bothering you?”
“Uh…yeah. Does he live here with you?”
“Yes, he does because we work together.”
“I thought after last night you’d be happy to see me again. It’s probably a bad time for you, but I have something we need to discuss.”
“Okay, but there is little more to know about me. How did you find my apartment?”
Jack felt his face flush. “I followed you this morning. After all, I have no way of getting in touch with you. I don’t even have your cell number.”
“You never asked.”
How could someone that hot in bed be so cold in the light of day? For a split second Jack wondered if maybe Cassandra had a twin sister. How else could you explain her lack of feelings?
“I would like for us to be honest from now on, and that means not keeping any secrets from each other.”
Cassandra’s eyes met Jack’s direct gaze, and she didn’t look away. “Of course, we should be honest with each other.”
“Maybe we should start by having you explain why you’re so interested in my tactical plans for Dulce.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I saw you going over my plans.”
“I don’t understand. How did you see me?”
“It doesn’t matter. Just answer my questions. Are you a government spy?”
“No, I’m not working for your government.”
Jack thought for a minute and realized that she had parsed her sentence a bit too finely, and his gut told him she was holding back. “Then what government do you work for? Why do you care about Dulce?”
“It’s…very difficult to explain. I would never hurt you. In fact, I want to help you.”
“Try explaining.”
Cassandra sighed. “I work for a friendly government that ordered me to stop what is happening at Dulce.”
“The Brits?”
“No. Does it matter? Why can’t you just trust me? Don’t you care enough for me to trust me?”
“I can’t trust you when you’ve deceived me from the very beginning. I feel like I walked into a foreign movie about an hour late, and now I’m trying to play catch up. You have an accent, cute as it is, and I want you to tell me where you’re from. We can’t have trust if you don’t level with me.”
Cassandra shrugged and pulled up a chair and sat facing Jack. He folded his arms defensively. He didn’t want her beauty to distract him. He wanted answers, but he could feel himself becoming aroused just looking at her. He tried to drive those thoughts out of his head and think with his brain.
“As you know from my accent, I’m not from around here. I know from your plans that you find the idea of aliens difficult to accept. I’m from someplace far away, a distant planet. I’m not from Draco if that’s what you’re thinking. You’ve seen me naked, so you know that I don’t change shapes. I look exactly the way you see me. I’m from a planet that your scientists haven’t discovered yet.”
Jack let his breath out very slowly and stared at her. “It’s like I have to drag every word out of you. What’s the name of your planet?”
“Using the sounds you can make, your people would call it Androvia.”
“Let’s say you’re really an alien from Androvia, what do you want from us? The Draconians apparently want certain heavy metals as well as humans for their experiments according to the books I’ve been reading. What do you want?”
“The Draconians want much more than just trade. They’re planning to take over your world as they have done with other worlds. We’re their oldest enemies and simply want to keep your world free of them.”
Jack shook his head. “I’ve been around the block a few times, and I know that nobody is completely altruistic. You want something, and clearly you want it bad. I can tell you’re still not leveling with me.”
Cassandra shrugged in a very human way. “We can’t match their numbers. Right now only our technology keeps us free. You must believe me. The Draconians have made it difficult for our people. We’ve fought them for far longer than you can imagine, and we’re losing. We need worlds with intelligent life as our allies and cannot permit another such world to fall into their hands.”
“So you’re not a real scientist studying genetics? That’s just a cover?”
“I said it was complicated. I am a scientist, and I do study genetics. Our people are very advanced in that science, but I also have other talents. I’m a warrior like one of your SEALS.”
Jack laughed. “You? It’s hard for me to think of you as a warrior. I suppose you’re going to tell me that Mark also is a warrior.”
“No, but I really am, and I can help you. I have weapons such as the one you took from the Draconian, weapons that can make your mission more successful. I also can help you solve your biggest problem.”
Jack crossed his arms in a challenging way. “What’s that?”
“The ID cards. I told you that we have very good technology, good enough to create cards that will pass Draconian security.”
“That’s hard to believe. Why should I trust you that the cards will work?”
“Because I’m going with you, and my life will be in as much danger as yours. Actually the Draconians hate my kind even more than they dislike humans.”
Jack’s head was
spinning. “Your name really isn’t Cassandra, is it?”
Cassandra smiled, but it was a decidedly sad smile. “Now you’re suddenly upset because Cassandra isn’t my name? I chose that name because it pleased me. My real name would be meaningless to you.”
“Try me.”
Cassandra shrugged once again and then spoke in a tone far different than she had ever used before with him. Jack couldn’t break the sound into syllables. What disturbed him was how such an alien sound came from someone who looked like her. His face mirrored his unease.
“So all the time we spent together was just your way of leading up to asking me to break into Dulce? All of our lovemaking was an act?”
Cassandra flushed. “I’m not very good with emotions, but I … enjoyed the lovemaking. I really do care for you even though I have trouble expressing it. Love is something I still don’t completely understand although I’ve read your books and seen your movies. Let’s just say the rules for mating are very different where I come from. My original plan was to break into Dulce with Mark. We would have little chance of success, but I have my mission just as you had yours as a SEAL. You saved me from the Draconians, and I saw what a good man you are. I trust you with my life. If you tell anyone about me, your government will lock me up. They might even dissect me.”
Jack stared at Cassandra while a fight raged in his head. One part of him felt hurt and used. It cried out to him, hurt her as much as you can and then leave her. She’s done nothing but lie to me since we’ve met. She probably considers me as no more a concern than a dog to train to do her bidding. The other part still cared about her and wanted to believe she really did care for him. He had no reason to believe she couldn’t help them succeed. He owed it to the Moon Man to rescue him. He mulled his options and reluctantly made his decision.