by Gary Striker
Steve sat back as Darren bid him goodbye. Jane was deciding if reality was the place to be. A surrealistic sense of submission settled over them as no plausible means of fortification was evident. Their visitors from another world would take what they wanted and there was simply nothing that anyone could do about it.
Steve was finally able to place a call to Dave as he approached the Bangor area. The Colonel was appraised that the situation was indeed worse than what they thought, and that being only a few hours ago. When the creature finishes the task of restructuring itself, the immediate future looked fairly grim. With that thought in mind, Steve placed a call to Jim.
“Hey partner”, Steve said in his West Texas greeting, “I think we need to get the boys together. I don’t think it can wait”.
“What’s going on”, Jim asked while hoping for a ‘happy day’ report.
Steve reiterated his conversation with Darren and brought him up to speed on the Colonel’s activities.
“As far as I know”, Steve began, “the Colonel has called an emergency meeting with his Operations Commander and his staff in the Mobility Section. That should be in about forty-five minutes from now. His Exec, Captain Anno, almost threw a shit fit about belaying her hot date for the evening. Jim, we need to get everyone up to speed. Unfortunately, Darren’s new observations aren’t very optimistic. We may need to take some immediate actions”.
Jim paused, “Let me call everyone. Where do you want to meet”?
Jane had the solution to the meeting place with an invite for a fish dinner.
“I have the Lake Trout ready to go”, Jane offered. “This was the big guy that Gary caught off the docks behind the house here. We could feed twenty people with this monster”!
“Well, I’m in”, Jim confirmed, “Let me get everybody together. We’ll see you in about an hour”.
Steve had also called ‘Duty’, who didn’t mind getting out of his office for a break.
Jane seared the Lake Trout over a grate in the kitchen fireplace. A delicious shish kabob, which was also flame broiled, rounded out a sensational culinary delight. Everyone was adjusting their belts as the dinner plates were collected. Steve was amazed that one and all pitched in with an assembly line process, which looked well-rehearsed. In no time, the beautiful rustic kitchen was back in order. Coffee and a French pastry selection were self-service items.
“So what’s going on”, Gary asked as everyone settled in around the dining table with their tidbits and treats.
“Darren will present the specifics”, Steve began, “but first we need to know where we are now and what we need to do about it”.
‘Duty’ looked a bit bewildered as Steve continued.
“This creature that we have locked up may not be any more contained than if we put him out on the street. He is becoming more unpredictably dangerous to us by the minute. Darren will confirm this. We also may have crossed the point of no return”.
Everyone sat attentively as eyes shifted between Steve and Darren. No one said a word as Steve and Darren encapsulated the observations and test results of the day. The fact that every person in the room was being examined and studied by the creature was particularly unsettling.
“So what are you considering”, Cheyenne asked with his focus on Steve?
“This is my own opinion, so please hear me out”, Steve requested.
“When that thing is ready to leave, it’s simply going to get up and go unless something comes to get it first”, Steve said, “and it will use any amount of unlimited force to achieve its goal”.
“Do we have any options”, Bob asked?
“I believe that we do if we move now. We still have the ability to transport that thing, so maybe, in our best interest, we should do just that”.
The group snapped out of its trance and could not initially grasp the idea as a good one.
“My Martian is not going anywhere”, Cheyenne responded as a reflex action, “I’ll tear it apart before we endanger anyone else”!
“That was my gut feel, too”, Darren said as he disassociated science from the facts, “but the reality is quite different and this is what we have to deal with. Releasing the creature may not be in our best interest, but the alternatives could be far worse. I’m not making a decision yet, because what we have in ‘Duty’s jail cell in the best form of show and tell that we could hope for”.
“Somebody’s going to get killed if we keep it prisoner”, Bob summarized.
“But we can’t just let it loose”, Jim argued, “That’s direct public endangerment”.
“So it appears that we have a dilemma”, ‘Duty’ observed.
“There is one other consideration that we can’t dismiss”, Cheyenne said, “Our prisoner may also serve us well as a hostage”!
The whole group exchanged thoughts and ideas, however nothing substantial evolved out of the discussion.
“Whatever we decide to do is going to depend on one premise”, Steve said as he assumed command of the discussion.
“And what is that”, Bob asked?
“It seems evident that whatever decision we make will be determined by how much risk we’re willing to accept”.
Jane redirected the conversation as she observed Darren ready to nod off.
“You haven’t slept since you got here, have you Darren”, she asked while already knowing the answer to the question?
“Just a couple of catnaps, but I feel alright”.
“No, you’re not, Darren. Your mind can’t function properly without sleep. Everybody in this room is stressed to the limits”, Jane responded.
“So what are you suggesting, Jane”, Jim asked?
“I suggest that we accept a risk factor”, she answered.
“And what would that be”, Bob asked while hoping for the answer to everyone’s prayers.
“I propose that we all go home and get a good night’s sleep. It would be best to weigh in with the Colonel first, and who knows, he could be up all night himself! We certainly don’t want to short circuit his plans. If things don’t work out for us, then at least we’ll know that we did our best. Let’s all plan to meet at ‘Duty’s office first thing tomorrow morning.
Jane’s proposal was accepted by all. ‘Duty’ was increasing surveillance and guard duty. Should his deputies find themselves in jeopardy, they are ordered to evacuate the building and secure the perimeter of the police headquarters building.
Jane was contemplating her own position, which had nothing to do with alien life forms. She felt that, given the opportunity, it was time to discuss things.
“How about a “French 75 for a night cap”, Jane offered without waiting for an answer? She was preparing two of the infamous beverages with a smirk and a snicker.
“All right, ok, get it all out”, Steve requested, “If you’re going to pick on the poor boy, get it over with”!
“Now, now, my big hunk of macho Play Dough, aren’t we touchy tonight?
“Well that just depends on how you look at it”, Steve said with an air of masculine pride.
“Oooh, we are feisty”, Jane responded with a bigger smile, “it appears that we have a point of view crisis! Now just how am I to get my slugger to see things my way”?
Steve sat back as Jane delivered his French 75 along with a slap aside his head.
“You know woman”, Steve began with his philosophical demeanor and a big self-confident expression, “when I want a woman’s point of view, all I have to do is look out the kitchen window”!
Without warning, Jane grabbed a cast iron skillet, tackled her man, and subdued him to the kitchen floor.
“How do you like your point of view now”, Jane asked as she waved the frying pan above his head?
“I reckon there’s nothing like a bad case of skillet rash to explain to the boys”, Steve said with a fearful grin as Jane set the pan on the floor and then proceeded to pin her man with an industrial strength lip lock.
“Lucy called you a millionaire”, Ja
ne said as she commented about her conversation, “so are you one of those Hollywood snob types with more money than brains”?
Steve set his chair upright and they both addressed the French 75 cocktails setting in front of them.
“For my whole adult life, all I wished for was a taste of the fortunes that normal people all around me seemed to acquire with ease. It was not to be. After seventeen years of bashing heads and living paycheck to paycheck, I finally resigned myself to what it was going to be; a poverty existence”.
“So what happened”, Jane asked with a sparked curiosity?
“Marie Benavidas happened”. Steve answered bluntly. “My arch enemy, Marie’s brother, decided that I was a better friend than a foe when he needed help”.
“Wow”, Jane said surprisingly, “and this doesn’t even sound like a Slattery con-job”!
“I wish it was”, Steve said condescendingly, “now that I have everything that I had ever hoped for, I’m not so sure I want it”.
Jane took a break from the obviously distressed man sitting in front of her. He had apparently reached the dilemma stage that he now needed to reckon with. Jane realized that this was an emotionally charged moment and very personal.
“I’ll work with you through anything, you know that”, Jane questioned, “and I’ll tell you one more thing, mister, I’m not going to get in your way”!
Steve had never suffered from this level of high anxiety and he knew that he didn’t know how to handle it. He felt as alien to his circumstances as the creature in the jail cell.
“What a thing to have in common”, he thought to himself!
“Steve, it’s no secret that you fit in here. That happened the day you arrived. Our people don’t have what you have and never will”.
“Oh bullshit”, Steve challenged aggressively, “ya’all have everything that anybody with wealth can only dream about. It’s not even a concept with them. I can’t buy what you have, for any amount of money”!
Jane took a deep breath and knew this problem would take more than her graduate education level to handle.
“I think we make a pretty good team, pardner”, Jane said in her fake western accent, “did you ever consider that you might be able to have the best of both worlds. Maybe you don’t have to make a choice”.
Steve stared at Jane as if he were looking at a saint wearing a halo. He desperately hoped for salvation and everything he failed to achieve throughout his entire life.
“Do you know when the last time was that I felt good about myself? I mean really satisfied and in control”, Steve asked”?
“I would have to know a lot more about you to know that”, Jane said.
“The day that my buddy Frank and I dumped a gallon of Varnish on Billy the Bully’s head in Shop class”.
“The day you did what”, Jane asked in total bewilderment?
Steve recounted the day that was to live in infamy. Jane was genuinely amused and loved the ‘Old Faithful’ exploding part of the tale. She laughed until her stomach hurt. Steve didn’t share in the amusement portion of his story, but surely benefitted from the recharge to his own mental state that he gained from it.
“Lucy said that you are pretty well off. I will not be responsible for you losing a thing”, Jane confirmed with conviction. “She told me about your brand new Jaguar and your million dollar seaside mansion and her affiliation with your boss, who she really likes”.
At that moment, Steve’s alien communicator came to life with its usual extraterrestrial ring tone.
“It’s Cruz, speaking of the devil”, Steve said.
“Hello, Cruz! We were just talking about you, and some of it was even good”, Steve said as he answered the phone in an enthusiastic manner.
“Well, that’s certainly something I’m not used to. Don’t spoil me”, Cruz said with his low-key chuckle.
Everyone enjoyed the break in mood with a good laugh as Cruz continued.
“Steve, I’m going to cut right to the chase. I was talking to retired Air Force General, Max Bunyard”.
“Coming from you, that’s not surprising”, Steve interrupted without a clue as to how Cruz made the connection.
“Max is our International Trade Manager”, Cruz began, “we transport quite a bit of military household goods and supplies worldwide. Max is plugged into the Air Force network. Your friend, Colonel Harris, just unloaded a big one on the Joint Military Command”.
Steve was putting together the missing pieces as the extent of involvement was surprising! It appeared that the Air Force was not to be saddled alone with the problems that Dave unloaded on them. The rapid escalation of engagement was very unusual, so Dave apparently played his cards in a most effective tactical manner.
“Darren participated in part of the meeting, which is still in session”, Cruz continued, “and I picked up on one comment that Max relayed”.
“And what was that”, Steve asked?
“Colonel Harris had mentioned that Marie as well as another missing person may be held hostages”, Cruz questioned.
“That’s a long shot, sir”, Steve answered, “and they are more likely prisoners for another purpose, if they are still alive”.
“We’re not going to speculate”, Cruz decreed, “Because we just don’t know…yet! But I have nothing but praise for how you handled this situation, not considering what you have accomplished within a week”!
Cruz knew how to butter his bread. Coming from him, this was not small talk. For the first time in his life, Slattery was in the spotlight of good instead of evil. And Cruz knew the meaning of ‘good’!
“I don’t want to impose on you, Steve. I want to reaffirm that this is your project. You call the shots. I am just an observer. But I’m so damned overwhelmed with the state of everything, I would like to join you on site for my own curiosity”, Cruz requested.
Jane took the phone from Steve.
“Mr. Benavidas, this is Jane Lefebvre”.
“You’re Steve’s fiancé”, Cruz interrupted with an answer-question?
“That’s right, and I want to extend the most gracious welcome to you that we are capable of. I insist that you stay with us for however long you so choose”.
A long pause ensued as Cruz was obviously coming to grips with hospitality that he hadn’t ever experienced.
“Jane, I am anxiously awaiting our meeting. I have a private carrier hired for tomorrow. We should be arriving in Caribou late afternoon. Would that fit into your hospitality plans”?
“Like a glove”, Jane responded with enthusiasm!
Cruz finished his exchange with Jane and Steve for last minute preparations. Steve cautioned him that the current stability of the situation was tenuous at best. This was all normal business to Cruz, as they said goodnight.
“Holy cow, wow! I don’t believe it”, Steve exclaimed, “You had Cruz gift wrapped and delivered!
“What’s up Slattery”, Jane questioned, “Are you having a problem with a woman’s point of view”?
Aliens in the Allagash
Chapter 23
In Motion
“So what is your mission plan, Colonel Harris”, General Bill Thompson requested over the conference table speaker phone?
“I have it right here sir, it’s being emailed to you as we speak”.
A few moments later, the General acknowledged receipt of the plan. The on-site Air Mobility staff requested by the General and presently accounted for were assembled in the planning room as well as on the conference lines.
“Thank you Captain. Let’s see…”, the General began, “You’re specifying high definition satellite reconnaissance and infrared analysis of the region known as the ‘Ben Lake Watering Area’. Ok, I see that you supplied the observation boundary coordinates. You do not want aerial surveillance over this sector at this time. Why is that”?
“Sir, we have had numerous aircraft system malfunctions reported by pilots transitioning this area at all flight altitudes. This is explained later in the
Brief. At this time, we would only request air support as a combat mission requirement, if and when needed”.
“Would you need tactical ground support as well”, the General asked?
“Based on the known risk, we will need to determine that later, sir”.
“Colonel, let’s speak in private”, the General requested.
The entire support staff evacuated the room and the Colonel disabled the conference phones.
“I’m right here, sir. Feel free to speak in private”, Colonel Harris informed the General.
“Dave, I’ve known you a long time. It is on your reputation that I am moving forward on this request. I’ve recommended you for Brigadier prior to your retirement. I called in some markers to get this done. I believe that you understand the ramifications”.
“Yes, sir, very well, sir! Oh hell, Bill, we’ve been through some tough times together. We’ve always watched out for each other. We’re so much alike in many ways. I don’t believe that we’d be speaking at midnight on Sunday if things were in order”.
“Ok, Dave. I’ll request from DARPA that the visible satellite imaging begin at daybreak. Cloud cover is expected to be scattered. Infrared imaging is to begin as soon as possible. The Project Administration will assign staff and conduct priority analysis as needed. If there is anything going on at that fishing hole of yours, we’ll know about it”.