by Troy Snyder
“Please, call me Raixo. I am here because I wanted to stop Quetzalcoatl from destroying humanity and moving on the rest of the galaxy. We arrived too late to stop what he had done before his departure.”
“I don’t give two shits about your war, why the hell are you in my house?”
“Alexander said we needed to ask for your help and get something called a car.”
Phil’s eyebrows rose and he looked at Alexander.
Alexander shrugged and smiled, “These suits can’t fly. I need a vehicle to get to the airbase and steal a plane to get to Alaska.”
“Alaska? Where the alien ship is? I knew you were working for them!”
“No, no. We’re going to steal the alien space ship and fly it to their ship outside our orbit. Once there we’re going to talk to his leader and stop this fighting.”
“If you’re going to steal all this why not just steal a car? Why come here? Why not use his ship?”
“As long as we’re on the ground we have to be covert. There’s a special agent tracking us most likely, and Raixo’s own leaders don’t even know he’s here. We have to get there without them knowing. The agent wants me to steal the alien stuff to make weapons for war. I just want to stop the fighting and death.”
Phil looked back and forth between Alexander and the alien. “And why the hell should I believe you?”
“Please Mr. Marios, we’ve known each other a long time. I’m begging you. Trust me.”
Phil approached Raixo with a mad look in his eyes. He looked up at the alien without fear. “If you so much as move without my say so I’ll break you in half, get me?”
“Yes, sir!” Raixo replied, putting up his hands in a placating gesture.
Phil gathered his wife from behind the recliner and cooed her to calm down. Her entire body still shook in fear of seeing the huge green alien appear in her living room. Phil eased her away and up the steps and into their bedroom. A few moments later he reappeared with a serious look in his eyes.
“She’s in shock, but resting now,” He said. “Boy, if I hadn’t known you since you were in diapers, I would have shot first and asked questions later.”
“You tried,” Alexander joked trying to ease the tension.
“Damn right, but I’m actually considering letting you go.”
“Mr. Marios, I’m begging you. We…”
“That’s enough, sit.”
“Mr…”
“Sit! You too, you gigantic green gorilla.” Phil commanded pointing to the couch.
Both Alexander and Raixo sad down on the couch with their heads down as if they were in trouble. Phil, since as long as he could remember, always commanded authority. He was only a mechanic in a car shop, but he had an air about him that brooked no foolishness. It appeared, Alexander thought, that even another race of beings could fall victim to Phil’s command. Alexander smiled inwardly at the thought of old, chubby, balding Phil on an alien planet barking at them over some nonsense.
Phil was pacing back and forth in the living room. Every now and then he’d stop and appear to want to say something but would continue his pace a moment later. He continued for a good ten minutes before seeming to come to a decision.
“Alaska?” He questioned, looking right at Alexander.
“What?” Alexander replied being snapped from his own thoughts.
“You need my car to get to Alaska? That’s quite a drive.”
“No, sir. We need to get to the base an hour away. From there we’ll steal a plane and fly to Alaska.”
“I suppose you’re just going to walk on base and steal a plane, all without this ‘Secret agent’ of yours knowing?”
“By now he should be on his way to the hospital to retrieve Antonio and the others for their own trip to Alaska. I have to get there first.”
“Why?”
“If Toni gets there first he may go ahead and proceed with the mission. If he doesn’t go and Frank sends someone else, then they might get their hands on advanced weaponry. That’s not good for anyone.”
Phil looked at him closely, then to the huge bearded figure next to him. “What about you? Why are you doing this?”
At first Raixo’s face was a mix of confusion and wonder at how quickly the man’s attitude had changed. “At first I came to figure out what happened with Quetzalcoatl’s escape. Now after meeting Alexander, I wish to attempt to form an Alliance with the human race, even though it goes against my orders.”
“What were those orders of yours?” Phil pressed.
At first Raixo pursed his lips, not going to answer, but he knew he needed them to trust him. “My orders were to find, and exterminate, the one responsible for awakening Quetzalcoatl. However, I never intended to do so. I stole these suits in order to figure out the truth behind the events that took place and to make a decision from there.”
“So, what then, is your decision?”
“My goal now is to help Alexander stop this fighting, and then to try and form an Alliance between our people to stop Quetzalcoatl.”
“Who’s this Quetzal-whatever his name is?”
“An ancient god, according to Mythology,” Alexander cut in. “But in reality, he’s a snake headed ass hole.”
“I do not understand, he is not a person’s bottom end.” Raixo said, his face showed clear confusion.
Both Phil and Alexander stared at him for a moment before bursting into a light laughter. “It was an insult my extremely large friend,” Alexander said, placing his hand on Raixo’s shoulder.
After they calmed down some, Phil returned to his serious face. “So, you need my car,” he asked.
“We do, please.” Alexander replied.
“It’s in the garage,” Phil said pulling the keys out of his pocket and tossing them to Alexander. He started to head upstairs to tend to his wife but stopped and turned to the two men rising from the couch. “Don’t scratch her or I’ll tan your ass.” He said pointing straight at them. “And tell Tony to get his ass over here as soon as he can or I’ll hunt him down.”
Alexander opened the door in the kitchen to the garage then flicked on the lights. All along the far walls were tools of all kinds hanging up above a work desk. To his left the wall held shovels of all shapes and sizes. The third wall had the water heater and A/C sitting there, next to it was a bookshelf with paints and a small freezer for extra food that couldn’t fit in the house. However, one thing above all else caught his attention, the car.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Alexander said as he stared at the silver minivan.
“Is this not a car?” Raixo asked.
“Some might not think so.”
“How do we use it?”
“Give me a minute,” Alexander said seeing something in the corner by the work bench.
Alexander grabbed the coveralls and finally put on something other than his hospital gown. He rolled up the sleeves of the long green outfit and grabbed the tan work boots that were right next to coveralls and was surprised they fit. He breathed a sigh of relief, after the constant strain of concentrating on keeping the stealth suit up Alexander’s mind and body felt lighter. Finally, he took another look at the minivan then at the giant Raixo.
“This will be interesting,” He said opening the passenger side door. “Get in here and just sit there. Oh, and stay in stealth. I don’t want people to see I’m traveling around with the Green Giant.”
“Who is the Green Giant?” Raixo asked as he squeezed into the vehicle.
Alexander reached under the seat and pushed it all the way back to try and help Raixo, but to no avail.
“Was this vehicle built by the Dwarves? I feel like only they could invent a device so unaccommodating as this.”
“No,” Alexander laughed, “But humans don’t normally get as tall as you are, and we’re defiantly not all built like body builders.”
“Humans build bodies? That’s against the rules of the galaxy!”
“Relax before you stretch out the car. It’s a
figure of speech.”
“I see,” While Raixo contemplated this Alexander got in the driver’s seat.
Alexander pressed the button on the sun guard flap on the driver’s side opening the garage door. The sun flooded in causing Alexander to squint as he backed up the car. He looked next to him at the end of the driveway and Raixo was gone, but the impression on the roof and the indention in the seat clearly showed the giant was still there.
After a short drive Alexander stopped the vehicle outside of a line of stores. He attempted to open the glove box, but an invisible force stopped it. Raixo’s knees, of course. He squeezed his hand into the tiniest opening he could manage and found the driver’s manual. Opening it up and found the middle had been carved out and inside was 60 dollars and a credit card.
“Knew that old man would keep some here,” He said more to himself than Raixo. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.” This time he stared at where Raixo would be.
Alexander left the keys in the car, he knew even if someone did steal it they would have to deal with a giant green, bearded alien. After several minutes of sitting in the car alone Raixo began to feel bored. The vehicle was on so he decided to investigate the machine. There were several buttons all around and curiosity overwhelmed him.
Raixo turned a knob and heard the noise of something constant. He held out his hand to the vent and let this suit recede. The cool air rushed over his hand and it felt like a wonderful breeze from home. He continued to investigate. The next button he pressed did nothing so he quickly moved along. He let his suit completely recede back into the bracelet and felt relaxed.
The seat began to heat up under him and he felt deliciously cozy. He figured out how to flash lights in the car and how to open all sorts of storage places. There was one knob; however, he did not touch. Like the other knobs he turned it but received no response. Then he pressed the knob and got the response. Music began blaring out of the speakers startling the giant.
Raixo quickly burst out of the car sending the door flying and startling all the people around. They began screaming and running away from the giant green alien. Raixo, still in his startled state reached under the van and tipped it onto its side. In a fit of rage, he jumped onto the vehicle and formed an enormous double headed axe in his hands. He began smashing the axe into the car with one overhead swing after another.
When the vehicle finally silenced its screams Raixo hopped down to the pavement to see Alexander staring at him.
“Wow, good work. There goes our ride,” Alexander said accusingly. He carried bags of food and one black bag that Raixo could not see inside of.
“It started placing curses on me,” Raixo tried to explain.
The two men heard sirens blaring and getting closer. “We have to go now,” Alexander looked at the wreckage of the minivan and knew it was unusable. Mr. Marios was going to kill him. “There,” He said pointing to the only car open, a mini cooper.
Raixo rushed over, as soon as he saw the size he knew he was not going to fit. He tore of the soft top of the mini coop and pushed the seat back as far as it would go. Alexander got in the driver’s seat and shut the door behind him. The door may have been opened, but when he checked there were no keys. Hotwiring the car took time they did not have; by the time it got started the sirens could be seen coming toward them.
Alexander slammed the pedal and the car took off. Raixo seemed to be enjoying himself, he had a broad smile and his beard was flowing in the wind. Almost immediately Raixo began looking around for something.
“What are you looking for?” Alexander asked above the rushing wind.
“The button that warms your seat,” Raixo shouted back. “I like that one.”
Alexander glanced down at the myriad of buttons but could not find the one Raixo was looking for. “There isn’t one in this car.” He said.
“Can we stop and find a car that does?”
“Oh yeah, and would you like to talk to the guys with guns following us, or should I?”
Raixo kept quiet as the vehicle sped down the road, he sensed Alexander’s apprehension and did not want to bother him further. Although the car did not have the seats he wanted, the smile on his face told Alexander this was extremely enjoyable to the giant.
Minutes into the chase, the police cars began to catch up to them, now many more than before. Raixo looked to Alexander not understanding the distress in his face. He turned around to see the cars chasing them, the flash of their colorful lights and their sound seemed harmless. He was curious as to why they were running from them.
“Are these beasts really dangerous?” Raixo asked above the cacophony of noise. “They seem like they just want to be friends.”
“Raixo, those are cars.” Alexander tried to explain. “They have people in them, they have weapons. They are trying to catch us because we broke laws, that, and you’re an alien. If they catch us they will most likely kill us both.”
“I understand,” Raixo said forming an axe in his hand. “Get me close to them.”
Alexander had no choice but to trust the giant, he could not outrun the officers in this car. He slowed down to let them catch up to him. Raixo stood up in the small vehicle with his right foot on the front seat and his left in the back.
As a police car pulled up along the driver’s side, Raixo let out a guttural roar at them and extended his axe into a huge polearm. With another howl of rage Raixo slammed the axe down right behind Alexander’s head. The police car was cut nearly all the way through. The vehicle spun out of out of control for a moment then hit a building and split in half, sending the officers inside flying.
Raixo let out a roar of laughter, he was having even more fun now. It was as if he lived to fight, or for the adrenaline rush. Raixo dispatched two more police vehicles. One was sent tumbling after Raixo’s polearm went straight through its front left tire. The other lost its entire roof in a single swing, and the officers inside backed off deciding this chase was not worth it after a seat came flying at them.
Raixo sat back down in the back after the police had given up the chase. Alexander seemed to be less tense now as he eased the car into a parking garage. He got out and Raixo followed wondering what was going on as he looked at Alexander who was holding the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb.
“Something wrong?” Raixo asked, curious as to why his new friend was acting dismayed.
“Oh nothing, just that the entire city will be looking out for us. And Frank probably knows what’s going on now too!” Alexander screamed at Raixo.
The giant looked hurt. He had had so much fun, but it seems his friend did not. “I feel like this is my fault.” He said.
“Well when you flip over a car and start whacking at it with a giant axe, yeah it’ll draw attention.”
Raixo let the comment go, knowing arguing would only make things worse. For a while he was quiet, until he could wait no longer. “What do we do now, Alexander?”
“I guess we take another car and continue hoping for the best.”
“Can this one have the button to make my seat warm?”
Alexander looked around the parking garage and spotted what he wanted. A large truck was parked taking two parking places and Alexander figured if you are cruel enough to do something like that, you deserve to get the car stolen.
Raixo was unhappy with having to sit in the back of the truck, but it seemed Alexander would brook no argument. For the rest of the trip Raixo remained invisible in his stealth suit in the back.
As the vehicle began to slow Raixo saw ahead a human checkpoint. It was guarded by several men in uniforms and armed with the projectile weapons the humans were so fond of. Raixo tensed as Alexander and the guard in the tiny building exchanged words, but hearing the words “Demon Boys”, and recognizing Alexander from the paper, the man immediately let them in.
Alexander drove the truck around for some time before driving into an enormous building. Inside was a huge structure, it had wheels, it must be a car
Raixo concluded, but it was the biggest car he had seen. Only after Alexander gave a signal did he leave the back of the truck and approach the new vehicle.
With a curt gesture, Alexander motioned Raixo to follow him. They walked through the door into an adjoining hangar where several smaller aircrafts were held. Alexander had to find a way to disable them so they could not follow him.
“Raixo,” Alexander said. The giants head snapped instantly to him. “We need to disable these planes so we’re not followed.”
“These are planes, but they have wheels, are they not cars? Do they have heated seats?” Raixo asked confused.
“These have wings and the wheels fold up, they are planes. They fly through the air.”
“Then why do we not take one of these to my people’s ship in orbit?”
“These planes don’t fly that way. They’re only for within the atmosphere.”
“That seems unnecessary to have one ship for within the atmosphere and one for space.”
“We’re not that advanced yet. So, for now could you please help me find a way to disable all of these?”
“Yes.”
Raixo approached one of the places and looked at it. It was large, but not near as large as the one in the other room, and these were grey, not green. Taking his large hands, he placed the on the wing and put his weight and strength down on the wing. The wing began to bend at an odd angle. Raixo looked over his work and decided it could not fly, he looked to Alexander for confirmation, who stood there staring.
“I supposed that’s one way,” He said. “Do the rest while I watch the door.”
One by one Raixo bent the wings of the jets, as he had been told they were called when he asked what kind of plane they were. At one-point Raixo had to quickly stealth himself when a soldier walked in. Alexander formed the metal on his fist from the bracelet and knocked the man unconscious. After the interruption Raixo quickly hurried to finish his work so they could move on and not get caught.
Onboard the giant plane Raixo saw another car, which he was told, was called a military Humvee. He was slightly disheartened when he was told there were no seat warmers but felt better when he was told they were moving it to replace it with the truck they drove there, which did have them.