Fallen Star (Project Gauntlet Book 1)

by Richard Turner

  “Mom, just to let you know, I’m planning on staying after school to work on my throws with Coach Barnum.”

  “That’s fine, but make sure you don’t stay too late. You have plenty of chores to do around here, mister.”

  “I’ll make sure they get done.”

  “I’ve heard that before. Now eat up and get ready for school. You won’t earn a scholarship by being late.”

  Sam wolfed down what was left of his cereal and bolted upstairs to shower and change.

  Black smiled. Her son was growing so fast. In a year he would be gone, and her home would be empty. She hadn’t thought what she would do then. Maybe take in a lodger. She brushed aside such thoughts for another day and popped a couple of slices of brown bread into the toaster.

  Ten minutes later, her son was rushing out the door. He jumped on his dirt bike, started the engine, and drove down the driveway. Black knew as soon as he was out of sight, Sam would speed up and race all the way to school.

  She put her blue police uniform on, fed the cat, and locked up before getting into her blue-and-white Chevrolet Suburban and driving to work. The town’s police station was located right downtown, next to a small café and a hardware store.

  “Morning Sheriff,” said a man in his late seventies, with white hair and deep crow’s feet on his aged face, as she got out of her car.

  “Morning to you, too, Edgar,” responded Black with a friendly smile.

  “Did you see the light show last night?” asked Edgar.

  “No. I was really tired when I got home, so I went to bed around ten. Were the Northern Lights dancing across the heavens again?”

  Edgar scrunched up his wrinkled face. “I don’t think it was the Northern Lights. I only saw a bright orange light streak across the sky until it disappeared somewhere north of the town.”

  Black smiled. “You saw a meteor. That’s considered an omen of good luck in some cultures.”

  “If it is supposed to be good luck, then why did all the power go out in the town after it fell from the sky?”

  “Are you sure that’s what happened? Perhaps you imagined it?” Black knew Edgar had a history of drinking far too much after the sun went down.

  Edgar raised his right hand. “I swear, I’m telling you the truth, Sheriff Black.”

  “Okay, I believe you. Now if you’ll please excuse me, Edgar, I have police work to attend to.”

  “Sure thing, Sheriff.” Edgar turned and walked into the café.

  Black walked into the station and waved good morning to Sheryl, the police force’s long-serving receptionist.

  “Sheriff, Fred Cartwright called a few minutes ago and said he was going to be late coming in this morning,” explained Sheryl.

  “It’s not the end of the world. We’ve gone this long without a working photocopier. What’s a few more hours?” said Black. “Is anyone else in?”

  “Yes. Bill and Sean are here. I think they’re out back, getting ready to take a drive up to Mary Olds’ home.”

  “Why? What’s going on?”

  “That pesky black bear is back. They’re going to try and scare it off with some flash-bang grenades. If that doesn’t work, I’m afraid they may have to shoot it.”

  Black was opposed to killing any animal if another way could be found. But the bear had been relocated once already. If it wouldn’t leave, she knew it would have to be destroyed. “Okay, tell them to keep me in the picture.”

  “Will do.”

  The aroma of fresh coffee caught Black’s nose, and she poured herself a mugful. She entered her office and turned on her computer. The first thing she read was the news, to see how large the power blackout was, and was surprised to read that for a one hundred kilometer radius around the town, the power had gone out at precisely eleven forty-three in the evening and hadn’t returned for close to three hours. She made a mental note to herself to call the nearest Air National Guard station later in the morning to see if the military had been testing anything in the local area. It wouldn’t be the first time that strange things had happened while the armed forces were experimenting on a new piece of equipment. Late last year, there had been a string of UFO reports coming into the station. Black had been unofficially assured by a close friend of hers in the military that the sightings were related to a new triangular-shaped stealth plane being flown in and out of Eielson Air Force Base.

  The phone on her desk rang. Black picked it up. “Good morning, Sheriff Black speaking. How may I be of service?”

  “Robin, thank God you’re in,” said a frightened-sounding woman. “It’s me, Ellen Marshall. Both of my dogs have gone missing.”

  Black had been up to Ellen’s place a couple of times over the years. She had a pair of loveable Great Danes. “Are you sure they’re missing? Perhaps they saw a deer in the woods and chased after it? Give them some time and they’ll come home.”

  “I don’t know; this isn’t like them. They’ve been gone all morning.”

  “How about I have a couple of my officers swing by your place and see if they can help you find your dogs?”

  “Thanks, Robin, I’d really appreciate that.”

  “Not a problem, that’s what we’re here for.” Black hung up the phone and shook her head. She was happy that the level of crime in the town of Robertson’s Mine was very low, compared with some of the larger cities in Alaska, but chasing off bears and looking for missing dogs wasn’t why she got into policing. Still, she couldn’t complain. There hadn’t been a recorded murder in close to eleven years, and she hoped it would stay that way for years to come.

  Chapter 13

  Air Force Learjet heading for Alaska

  Grant tried to get as comfortable as he could in his chair, while he studied several pictures taken from the Internet of Robertson’s Mine. The town was nestled next to the snowcapped Wrangell Mountains. A couple of rivers ran through the land surrounding the small community. According to one of the files he had read, the Air Force had operated a radar station there in the 1950s and 60s, but closed it down when a larger base was built in Fairbanks. There were several stores and restaurants in the small downtown core, along with a school, post office, and a church, which had been built in the early 1920s. The town got its name from a long-abandoned copper mine, which was slowly being converted into a tourist attraction. By the looks of things, most of the town’s population lived in small farms and single dwellings on either side of the long gravel road that acted as the town’s highway.

  “I can’t sleep,” announced Elena to the rest of the people in the passenger cabin. “I’m just too excited to put my head down.”

  “Me, too,” said Maclean. “I can’t believe were going to look for a real-life UFO.”

  Elena looked over at Grant and Maclean. “To be honest, I don’t know that much about you two.”

  “Okay, Doc, what would you like to know?” asked Grant, sitting up in his chair.

  “Where you’re from, if you’re married, how long you’ve been in the army. You know, that kind of stuff.”

  “I’ll go first,” said Maclean. “As you already know, my name is James Maclean, but you can call me Jim. I come from Newcastle, which is north of Sydney. I’ve been in the Australian Army for eleven years. I started with the Royal Australian Regiment and subsequently tried out for selection with our Special Air Service Regiment when I was a corporal. I’ve been with the SAS for the past five years, and have served in East Timor, Afghanistan, and Iraq. I’ve never been married and considering how much time I’ve spent overseas, it’s probably a good thing. Regrettably, both of my parents died in a traffic accident a couple of years back. But I still have a darling younger sister who lives in Sydney with her husband. I think that’s all there is to know about me in a nutshell.”

  “Okay, my turn,” said Grant. “My name is David Grant, but only my mother calls me that. Everyone else calls me Dave. I was born in Spokane, Washington. I’ve been with the U.S. Army for twelve years, and, like my friend, I’m also a para
trooper. I’m single and plan to stay that way for a few more years. I was once head over heels in love while I was at West Point but she dumped me for some spoiled rich guy whose parents were multi-millionaires. Not that I’m bitter or anything like that about what happened. My parents are both alive. I have a twin brother in the navy who is currently serving on the U.S.S. California. My dad would love me to pull the plug and leave the service to take over the family business. I haven’t the heart to tell him that I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

  “I guess you’d like to know all about me,” said Elena. “I’m forty-something and have worked for the U.S. government ever since I received my doctorate in Mesoamerican Folklore. It was, however, my love of UFOs that brought me to the attention of the Air Force. I was married, but have been divorced for nearly ten years now. Aside from a sweet old grandmother in Austin, Texas, I have no immediate family.”

  Grant nudged Hayes. “Your turn, Doc.”

  Hayes looked over his glasses. “Do I have to?”

  “Yeah, you do,” replied Maclean, gruffly.

  Hayes sat up, ran a hand through his red, curly hair and adjusted his glasses perched on his nose. “If you must know, I was born in Nottingham, England, and received my doctorate in physics when I was seventeen years old. I was recruited the day I left university, by the Ministry of Defense and have been there ever since. I was working in our version of Project Gauntlet when I was seconded to your armed forces. Unlike Elena, I’m not the slightest bit worked up about this assignment. You’ll see, forty-eight hours from now, we’ll be packing our bags to come home after agreeing that it was only a meteor and nothing else which crashed somewhere near Robertson’s Mine.”

  “While I think Professor Hayes may be right,” said Grant, “I’m willing to keep an open mind.”

  “Do as you please, Captain, but you’ll see that I’m right.” With that, Hayes rolled over and pulled a blanket over his shoulders.

  “Spoilsport,” said Maclean. He looked over at Elena. “Since you can’t sleep, would you mind answering a few questions I have floating around in my head?”

  “I’ll give it a shot,” she replied.

  “Do you think aliens are behind the pyramids of Egypt, or the lines of Nazca?”

  Hayes sat back up. “Oh, this ought to be good.”

  Elena ignored Hayes. “No, I don’t think they are responsible for all of the marvels of the ancient world. Our ancestors were far brighter and more industrious than we give them credit for.”

  “At last, something we can agree on,” blurted out Hayes.

  “Please, let Elena talk,” said Grant.

  Elena smiled and continued. “I do, however, believe that we have been visited in the past by extraterrestrials. The folklore of South America and elsewhere is full of tales of alien visitation.”

  “They were simply stories made up to help explain things people couldn’t understand,” said Hayes.

  “Some, yes, but certainly not all of them.”

  “Okay, what about some of the things you see on TV, like those men in black coming to your door after you report a UFO sighting?” asked Maclean.

  “That is nothing but an urban legend,” replied Elena. “It is a fact that the federal government in the 1940s was interested in speaking to people who had allegedly witnessed a UFO. I personally think the story got started when two men showed up at a person’s door both dressed in black suits. Which, to be honest, was quite a common fashion back then for men. The alleged eyewitness told someone who then told someone else, about strange men in back coming to his door, and that’s how the legend began.”

  “Damn, I was hoping to get my hands on one of those memory eraser thingies you see in the movies.”

  Grant shook his head. “Jim, you need to watch less television and read some military history books.”

  “If there are aliens coming to Earth…who or what are they?” asked Maclean.

  “In my studies, I have come to believe there are four distinct types of alien species that have visited Earth,” explained Elena.

  “Not this theory again.” moaned Hayes.

  Grant raised a hand. “Doc, please, you may not agree with her, but I really want to hear this.”

  Elena took a sip of water. “By far, the majority of reported alien contacts have been with a species known as the Grays. They are described as being no taller than a child and have smooth, gray skin. Their heads are quite large, and they have shiny black eyes. There have been sightings of taller Grays, but most contacts have involved the shorter of the species. It is the Grays who are reputed to be the ones carrying out medical examinations on the abductees.”

  “Why are they taking people to be examined?” asked Grant.

  “I, and many others, believe that they are trying to breed alien-human hybrids, using eggs taken from women during their abductions.”

  “Why do they need to create hybrids?” said Maclean.

  “Their race is at risk of dying out, and they need us to help sustain their ever-decreasing population.”

  Hayes shook his head and rolled his eyes.

  “What of the other races?” said Grant.

  “The next most reported group are known as the Nordic Aliens. They stand about two meters tall, have long blonde hair, fair skin, and ice blue eyes. People who have met these aliens say they are friendly and compassionate.”

  “Do they abduct people?”

  “No. People describe their encounters as cordial, and never recall being examined by the Nordics.”

  “So what’s their interest in Earth?’ asked Maclean.

  “They are watching over us to make sure we don’t blow ourselves up, or doing something else catastrophic which would render the planet uninhabitable.”

  “So, they may be nice, but they’re keeping an eye on a potentially new piece of real estate somewhere in the galaxy in case they need it.”

  “I don’t share your cynicism, Sergeant, but you may be right.”

  “That’s two. What are the next species?” asked Grant.

  “They are called the Reptilians,” replied Elena.

  Hayes chortled. “Reptiles…really?”

  “Yes, reptiles. They are described at being anywhere from two to three meters tall, with green, scaly skin.”

  “And what’s their interest in Earth?” asked Grant.

  “Like the Grays, they have been known to abduct people to perform medical procedures on them.”

  “They’re not trying to interbreed with us, are they?” said Maclean, scrunching up his face.

  “Not at all. They’re just being curious.”

  “Elena, tell them what many leaders in the field of ufology believe about the Reptilians,” said Hayes.

  Elena cleared her throat. “Some people think the Reptilians are shapeshifters, and have already infiltrated many powerful positions throughout the world.”

  “My God, Elena, that’s putting it lightly. These people actually believe the current President of the United States is a Reptilian, as is the Queen of England.”

  “What do you think?” asked Maclean, looking at Elena.

  “No, I don’t think they have replaced our world leaders, nor do I believe in shapeshifting. It’s only a small fringe of UFO enthusiasts who keep this patently absurd notion alive to sell their books and DVDs.”

  “Okay, that’s three,” said Grant. “Who or what is the last species visiting Earth?”

  “They are an intelligent species of insects.”

  “Lord, I hope not,” said Maclean. “I can’t abide creepy-crawlies. Australia’s full of them and most of them are poisonous.”

  Elena smiled. “Not much is known about them other than they appear to look like a giant mantis. With a large head and shiny, black eyes.”

  “Have they been involved in abductions?” asked Grant.

  “I’ve never read about anyone being abducted by them. They seem to be more interested in gathering samples of water, and plants, and the occasional farm
animal for study.”

  “Great, another species coming here to kick the tires and see if they should buy the planet,” joked Maclean.

  “This is too much. I’ve heard enough. Please answer this one simple question,” said Hayes to Elena. “How did they get here? Space, in case you missed it, is a mighty big place, and the nearest star system is over four light years away. Most exoplanets with habitable Earth-like conditions are located even farther away.”

  “The simplest answer is wormholes,” replied Elena, without batting an eye.

  “They’re theoretical, not real.”

  “To us they’re theoretical but to a more advanced species it is entirely possible that they have figured out how to make stable wormholes from their planet to ours.”

  “Okay, I’m lost again. What is a wormhole?” asked Grant.

  “It’s a theoretical passage through space,” explained Hayes. “If you could build a stable wormhole, you could cover enormous distances in a fraction of the time it would take you to travel normally from one point to another.”

  “Einstein believed they were possible,” said Elena.

  “Yes, but it has never been conclusively proven that you can warp space-time to allow you to travel through a wormhole between two different planets. Even if an advanced civilization had worked out how to make a wormhole, the power required to keep it open while a craft transited it would be enormous.”

  “Professor Hayes, do you believe there is advanced intelligent life out there in the universe?” asked Grant.

  “Yes, I do. Have they visited Earth? Most definitely not.”

  “Well, at least you two have agreed that there is intelligent life out there.”

  Hayes raised a hand. “Gentlemen, for just a minute, look at things from a purely scientific point of view. Sightings of UFOs took off in the 1950s and 60s and carried on until today. Why do you suppose that happened?”

  Maclean shrugged. “You guys were building and testing disc-shaped craft?”

  “Yes, there’s that and there’s also the flood of science fiction films at the theaters. People saw the aliens on the movie screens and when confronted with something they couldn’t explain their minds reached back and pulled out the image of a short, bug-eyed alien for them. These alleged sightings Elena is going on about are the product of Hollywood’s imagination, not outer space.”