Alien Love

by Stan Schatt

  “Come over tonight around seven. That’s when we’re having our planning meeting. Leave out all the Androvian stuff. Let’s just say that you’re an ex-Mossad agent. It goes with your accent.”

  “Israel, right?”

  Jack smiled and eyed her critically. “Yeah, I can’t say you look Israeli, but tell them if they ask that your parents came from Sweden. You certainly could pass for Swedish.”

  Cassandra nodded and then smiled with a glint in her eye. “Do you like the way the Swedish women look?”

  “I do. The girls there are a lot taller, but you would fit right in.”

  Cassandra walked up to Jack, lifted her head and kissed him softly on his lips before she turned with a mischievous smile on her face and headed to the door. Jack’s eyes followed as he marveled at her grace. Whatever else she is, she’s definitely female, he thought. She opened the door and stepped aside so he could leave.

  As Jack walked down the stairs he thought, I’m not sure what Cassandra really is, but she’s sure as hell sexy.

  Chapter 15

  CASSANDRA, now shorn of any makeup or lipstick, arrived first. She had dressed casually in loose jeans, worn tennis shoes, and a baggy gray sweatshirt. Jack looked at her approvingly. She’s smart enough to know that she needs to look ready for action and not too feminine, he thought. Ricky came next. He also came ready for action sporting a bright red long-sleeve shirt that Jack identified as his friend’s gang color. He mockingly did a double take when he saw Cassandra before leering at her.

  “I didn’t think you wanted us to bring dates.”

  “Cassandra used to work for the Mossad. She can take care of herself.”

  “I doubt it.”

  Cassandra moved with lightning speed. Her hands moved so quickly that they were a blur. Suddenly Ricky sank to his knees and struggled for air. Cassandra had one finger on his throat. She removed the finger casually and stepped back. Color slowly came back to Ricky’s face. He rose to his feet and glared at her.

  “Sorry, I just wanted to show you that I can take care of myself,” she said softly.

  Ricky’s dark eyes bore into her but a smile slowly spread over his face. She had taken a few steps back to show she meant him no harm. He spoke in measured tones that ensured no misinterpretation. “I think you’ll do fine. Just remember the next time you try something like that, you better fucking be sure you finish the job because otherwise I’ll put a bullet right between your eyes.”

  Cassandra studied him and then nodded just as the doorbell interrupted them. Jack saw that Larson and Milburn had arrived at the same time. He welcomed them and prepared to intervene as Larson and Ricky eyed each other. As they moved toward each other, Jack stepped between them.

  “Let’s concentrate on saving Pete. We don’t have to love each other, but we have to watch each other’s back while we’re on the mission. After that, you guys can settle your differences anyway you want.”

  “Then the sooner this is over, the better,” Larson said.

  “Yeah, it can’t end soon enough for me. I don’t even want to be in the same room with you any longer than it takes,” Ricky said.

  Jack noticed how Ricky dropped his hand to the pocket that bulged. Sure enough, violence was a real possibility. He picked up a stack of papers and began distributing his handout.

  “Let’s get started,” he said with as business-like a tone as he could muster.

  Jack spent the next hour going through the logistics, pausing only to answer questions. He then turned to the equipment list. “Put your initials next to anything you can bring to the party. Some of this stuff is pretty expensive, but we’ll figure out a way to get it.”

  Ricky looked at the list. “The weapons are no problem. Hell, I’ve got rocket launchers, sniper rifles, and enough ammo to start our own war. You name it. I even have some M60s and a couple of Carl Gustavs.”

  Larson studied the list and then spoke while looking at Jack and ignoring Ricky. “I’d love to get me a Carl Gustav. I can handle the transportation, and I know where I can get some uniforms and some insignia to match what you showed us in the book.”

  Milburn had been studying the list as well as the plan. “I can fly anything we steal there, and I’ll put some holes in any aliens we find.”

  The group turned to Cassandra. She spoke in a very business-like way. “I can provide everyone with ID cards that will pass through Draconian security. I’ll need each of you to give me your name and accurate weight. I also will provide some special equipment if we decide to go through an unmarked entrance.”

  “How do you know where those entrances are?” Milburn said.

  “My team has been researching the aliens for quite a while, and I have GPS coordinates.”

  “Ask her to show you some fighting moves,” Ricky said with a smirk.

  “No, if Jack vouches for her, I’m fine,” Milburn replied.

  “I think I’m being watched, so you might want to shake off any tails when you leave,” Jack said.

  “You could have said something about that earlier,” Larson said.

  Just then the sound of squealing tires followed by the sound of heavy footsteps up the stairs caused everyone to turn toward the door. The men looked at one another and then backed away from it.

  “Concussion grenades?” Milburn whispered. Ricky pulled a pistol from his pocket and casually stroked it.

  “Yeah, maybe smoke also. They’re probably heavily armed,” Jack said. He reached in his pocket and took out his gun. He felt the presence of the little alien weapon. He fished it out and showed it to Cassandra.

  “Let me have that. I can adjust the frequencies and handle whatever comes through the door,” she whispered to him. Jack handed her the weapon. He closed his eyes and stuck a finger in one ear and waited. The men knew the drill very well and prepared as best they could. Ricky dove into the hall that led to the bedroom.

  The door exploded, rocked by the force of the grenades. Men dressed in SWAT attire including thermal imaging goggles rushed in. They staggered as they entered and then began to fall to the ground. Jack staggered a bit, but he saw that his men also fell to their knees and began retching. It took a few minutes for them to get over their nausea. As the ex-SEALS began to feel better, they saw the men comprising the SWAT team lay motionless on the floor.

  Jack bent over one of them and leaned over to see whether he could catch a heartbeat.

  “They’re alive, just unconscious. I didn’t think you wanted them dead. If you do, it’s not a problem,” Cassandra said casually without any hint of emotion. The men stared at her.

  “How the hell did you do that?” Milburn said.

  “It’s one of the weapons my group confiscated from the aliens.”

  “Maybe we should finish the job,” Ricky said as he eyed the bodies.

  “They won’t remember what happened because the weapon disrupts their neural receptors; it shorts out their electrical signals.”

  Jack saw Ricky studying Cassandra and decided he needed to take control. “We better get out of here while we still can because I’m sure reinforcements will be on the way when they don’t report back. Meet me tomorrow at McCray Mortuary at six with whatever you can bring. I have a friend there who will help. We’ll have to speed up our timetable. I’m not going to be able to come back here.”

  The others left. Cassandra remained as Jack grabbed a duffle bag from his closet and began stuffing it.

  “You’re pretty handy with that weapon,” Jack said without looking up.

  “I’ve had a lot of practice with it. I told you that I’m also a warrior.”

  “You didn’t seem to be affected by the weapon. How different are you from us?”

  “Not that different. All life forms broadcast at slightly different frequencies. That’s why you couldn’t see my aura. I think I’ve already proved to you that I’m pretty human. I bleed and die just like you.”

  “What about that woman who looked just like you? Are there others o
f your kind here?”

  Cassandra hesitated. “There…might be. I don’t know.”

  “Do you all look alike?”

  Cassandra looked down. “We don’t have as much physical variance as humans. We don’t all look alike, though.”

  “Let’s get out of here. Jack closed the duffle bag.

  When they reached his car, he hesitated and then bent down and looked under it. He checked each wheel carefully and then whistled as he felt something in a wheel well. He pulled out a GPS tracker and studied it before getting in the car. He drove to a nearby Ralph’s supermarket and saw what he hoped to find. He stepped out of the car and placed the tracking device on the underside of a large delivery truck. He figured it soon would be heading toward central California to pick up more produce. That signal should keep the guys tracking him busy for a while. He drove toward Hawk’s place.

  Chapter 16

  THE MORTUARY LOOKED DESERTED, so Jack drove around to the back of the small house and noted that no one could see his car from the street. He motioned for Cassandra to wait in the car. Hawk answered the door on the first knock wearing a black suit, white shirt, and red tie. He stepped aside and motioned for Jack to come in. He pointed to the kitchen table where an open book lay next to a plate holding a half-eaten sandwich. On the nearby kitchen counter a coffeemaker made happy sounds.

  “Looks like you’re dressed for business.”

  “We had two funerals back-to-back today. You want some coffee? You look like you need some.”

  Jack found a cup and filled it. The heat warmed his hands.

  “Some government goons attacked me. I have a friend in the car that’s going to be part of my team. Can we spend the night? The rest of my team will meet up here tomorrow night at six, and then we’ll head to Dulce. I’m sorry to drag you into this, but I didn’t know where else to turn. I’m sure they’re staking out my parents’ place.

  “You’re both welcome to stay here. I’ve got a couple of extra bedrooms and a sofa. Is there anything else I can do?”

  “Let me bring in my friend and we’ll talk. I really appreciate this. I feel funny imposing on you when we haven’t seen each other in years.”

  “It’s fine. It’s a lot more exciting than putting a new coat of makeup on Mister Johnson.”

  Jack introduced Cassandra to Hawk. He noticed that Cassandra struggled to make small talk with his friend. He glanced at Hawk, who rolled his eyes.

  Hawk tried again with Cassandra. “How do you know Jack?”

  “We’re lovers.”

  “Great,” Hawk said and Jack winced when he saw his friend’s face. He tried to think of a way of distracting Hawk from his interrogation.

  “You mentioned you were a scientist. What kind of scientist?”

  “I study genetics.”

  “Do you work for a pharmaceutical company or the government?”

  Cassandra paused before answering. “I work for my government.”

  “You speak very good English. What country are you from?”

  “It’s not important.”

  “I think it’s very important. Would it make more sense for me to ask what planet you’re from?” Hawk said.

  Cassandra pressed her lips together but didn’t respond.

  Jack shrugged. “I should have just told you. Cassandra is from a planet called Androvia. They and the Draconians are enemies.”

  Hawk flushed with excitement. “This is so cool! I’m happy to help you any way I can.”

  “You’ve already done enough.”

  “I found some more books since the last time we talked. If their underground rail system runs on magnetic energy, it might be possible to disrupt it so they can’t send reinforcements very quickly.”

  Cassandra gave Hawk her full attention. “What do you have in mind?”

  Hawk picked up a pad of paper near his telephone and began sketching something. “However the Draconian trains work has to fit in with the physics of our planet, so that means we don’t need anything alien to disrupt it. Here’s what I’m thinking…”

  Jack watched the two as they discussed how a magnetic disrupter could work and what it would take to build one. Hawk insisted he could pick up the parts needed in the morning from a Radio Shack. He spoke rapidly, almost hyperventilating from excitement.

  “Do you mind if I make a couple of sandwiches?” Jack said once the conversation ebbed.

  “Do you have any vegetables? I don’t eat meat,” Cassandra said.

  “Is that true for all your people?” Hawk asked.

  “We haven’t eaten meat for a very long time. We’re the only vertebrates left on our planet.”

  “Why don’t you show us what you found while we eat?” Jack said.

  Hawk left and returned a few minutes later carrying half-dozen books. “I guess it’s a hobby of mine,” he said apologetically. “I try not to mention it when I go on dates because it turns off women.”

  Cassandra looked at Hawk blankly.

  Hawk saw Cassandra’s face and added quickly, “I’ve found that women don’t find me very attractive when I talk about the possibility of life on other planets.”

  “Either it’s that or maybe it’s the fact you spend all day with dead people,” Jack said.

  “It’s a taboo to talk about death?” Cassandra asked.

  Hawk brightened from her attention. “Yeah, we have all kinds of expressions to soften the impact. We say someone passed away or went to his reward, or even went to meet his maker.”

  Cassandra looked down at her fork that held a piece of lettuce and seemed to consider whether or not to reply before she finally spoke.

  “That’s silly.”

  “Not to anyone who loses a loved one,” Jack said.

  Cassandra shrugged. “They’re not really lost. Death is just one of many states that coexist. Dying is little different from being born.”

  “It is to the person dying,” Jack said.

  Hawk stared at her and then slowly nodded. “Quantum physics! Of course you’d say that.”

  “You told me that you bled and died just like us,” Jack said.

  “I do. Death is too complicated for me to explain; I don’t have the words. Maybe we should spend our time talking about your plan. I will need to stop by my apartment to pick up some equipment. We could do that tonight or on the way to Dulce.”

  “You have to let me come. I know I can help,” Hawk said.

  “Larson is bringing something large enough to hold us plus all the equipment. I guess we could squeeze you in. When the shooting starts, I don’t want you to get in the way.”

  “I promise I won’t. Don’t forget that I used to go deer hunting with my dad. I’m not a SEAL, but I can hit a target.”

  “It’s different when you shoot at a person and not a deer,” Jack said.

  “They’re not human,” Hawk said.

  “He’s right. They aren’t human,” Cassandra added emphatically.

  “Okay, now what about the books you found? What can you tell us we don’t already know?” Jack said.

  They talked far into the night with Cassandra correcting some of the errors in Hawk’s books.

  Chapter 17

  LARSON HAD KNOWN exactly what they needed. Drivers didn’t bother to give the battered dark beige van he drove a second look. Ricky arrived shortly afterward and removed the cover to his truck bed, revealing an arsenal that drew Jack’s whistle of appreciation. He moved to help unload the weapons.

  “Mine will not take up much room,” Cassandra said as she eyed the hardware much the way a used car salesman eyes a trade-in he intends to undervalue. She touched the Carl Gustav and looked at Jack.

  “It’s an 84 recoilless anti-personnel weapon. It will go through armor like a knife through butter.”

  Cassandra smiled. “Size is not always that important. I’m bringing something much smaller that’s much more powerful.”

  “Don’t ever say size doesn’t matter. It matters plenty to the women I know,”
Ricky said with a suggestive smile.

  Cassandra eyed him. “The women you know must be very easily satisfied. Haven’t you ever heard that it’s better to under promise and over deliver? My colleague is half your size and women pay him for his services.”

  Jack tried to hide his smile when a very deflated looking Ricky failed to respond. She’d make a good standup comedian because she says everything so deadpan when she jokes. At least I hope she’s joking, he thought. He picked up one of the uniforms he saw bundled in the back of the van. “Just look at that insignia!” He pointed at a star and lightning bolt badge shoulder patch.

  “It should match what your book showed the Army personnel wearing at the lower levels. I have a friend who’s a genius when it comes to creating bogus badges,” Larson said with a note of pride.

  “It is the Draconian representation of their unity of worlds. The lightning shows what happens to any planet that attempts to declare its independence,” Cassandra said. The men stared at the badge.

  “Like the Death Star in Star Wars,” Larson said.

  “If they didn’t need the heavy metal here, they’d use a weapon that powerful on this planet without a second thought,” Cassandra said. The men lapsed into silence.

  It took over an hour to load all the equipment as well as the men’s duffle bags. Larson drove to Cassandra’s apartment with Jack directing him. The men waited in the van for Cassandra until she reappeared. This time, Mark joined her as they dragged a large bag toward the parking lot where Ricky and Jack helped load it. Ricky stared at Mark and gave Cassandra a very skeptical look.

  “He’s an expert in alien biology,” Cassandra said quickly and nodded to her colleague who turned and headed back to the apartment. Hawk stared at Mark but didn’t comment. He winked to Jack who nodded.

  “Let’s hit the road,” Jack said.

  Larson headed toward the freeway on a course that would take them to New Mexico. The plan called for them to take turns driving and stop only for gas and meals. Jack wondered what Cassandra would select from the menus from the bar and grills along the route. There weren’t too many vegetarians in those border towns.