by M. L. WILSON
Stories will be told of his success for ages to come. He will go down as the greatest soldier in Promelian history. He will grace the pages of history books, statues will be erected in his likeness, he will be praised by millions. All of his dreams are a possibility except for one thing.
Detective Ken Bishop.
The Promelian leader severely underestimated him. Any other time he could admire Bishop. He’s tougher and more determined than most humans. But for now, he’s the biggest threat to his success. Bishop stands between him and immortality.
Bishop has to die, no matter the cost.
Of course, attempts have been made to kill him and his partners with no luck. Promelians have tried and failed. Humans have tried and failed.
His soldiers stand by impatiently, waiting for the word that Bishop and his partners have been found. The wait is over. The leader’s cell phone rings. Caller ID shows “unknown caller,” but he knows who it’s from.
“Yes,” he answers.
“Our friends are at The Orange Blossom Motor Lodge just off the interstate, exit three-thirty-one. Do not fail this time.”
Do not fail. Who do these humans think they are?” the leader says to himself as he hangs up the phone. No matter. Their time is coming. He only has to tolerate the humans a little while longer.
CHAPTER 110
BISHOP, SAUNDERS AND Justice wait patiently in a wooded area not far from the Promelian headquarters. Parked several hundred yards away and by the light of the moon, they are still able to see movement outside the warehouse.
Bishop has never been a big fan of stakeouts. Long hours, stale food, cold coffee. Since science has yet to create a more efficient way of doing it, waiting and watching is still the only way. Waiting and watching alien movements is a new one, but everything else is the same. Being a detective is what Justice wanted, though. NYPD detective work in all its glory.
The raindrops make a rhythmic sound as they hit the roof of the car. That’s the only sound that is heard as the three of them wait silently, unsure of what to say. Unsure if they were told the truth, or if this was another lie. For all they know, they could be walking into a trap.
Bishop looks over the disc and wonders what their chances of success are.
“How much longer do we have to wait?” Saunders says as she lets out a loud sigh of frustration. She’s never been one to hold back her feelings.
“You got a hot date or somethin’?” Bishop says with a smile.
“Very funny. I just don’t think—”
“Wait,” Bishop interrupts as he notices some activity at the warehouse. “Something’s happening.”
Bishop notices three sets of headlights leaving the warehouse. The vehicles turn down the dirt road, opposite of where they are staking out. Bishop waits patiently as the lights from the vehicles’ headlights fade.
“All right, this is it,” Bishop says as he chambers a round. “Doctor, I need you to stay here. Me and Justice are gonna go up on foot. Hopefully the captor was telling the truth about getting everyone out of the building.”
“Wait a minute. I’m not staying out here by myself.”
“You have a gun, Doc. You’ll be fine.”
“Wait a minute—”
“Do I have to handcuff you to the steering wheel, Doctor?” Bishop says angrily. “Look, Laura. We’re the only three people that are willing to come forward with the truth. The reality is, we may not make it out of there alive. One of us has to live to tell the story. That someone is you.”
“Okay,” Saunders says reluctantly. “Be careful guys.”
CHAPTER 111
THE RAIN HAS stopped and the air is cold, crisp and still. The air always seems to get cleaner after it rains. New York could use rain a little more often. With weapons at the ready, Bishop and Justice turn their brisk jog into a slow, tactical walk as they get closer to the abandoned warehouse.
Their hearts are pounding in their chests; part adrenaline, part nervous as their breath blows from their mouths and noses.
The ground is muddy, which helps quiet their steps. They step quietly through the wooded area surrounding the Promelian headquarters and kneel down behind a tree to game plan their next move. The building is dark, but they know it’s not unoccupied.
“I’m sure there are cameras all over,” Justice says.
“All right,” Bishop says as he takes a deep breath and studies the building and avenues of approach. “Let’s split up. I’ll go in through the window there to the left.” Bishop points toward the window. “If we move fast enough, we may not get spotted on our approach. Cartwright assured the doctor that their leader would be the only one in the building.”
“Even if he is the only one in the building, we’re gonna need to get the jump on him. If he spots us—”
“Don’t think about it,” Bishop says. He knows Justice is going to point out the capabilities of the Promelians again. He doesn’t need to be reminded. “Go around back and see if there’s another way in. If he is alone, he may not spot both of us. Take a look downstairs first. We’ll meet upstairs.”
Justice quietly runs around the back of the building as Bishop provides cover for him. As soon as Bishop loses sight of him, he runs as fast as he can to the window.
So far so good, I hope, he says to himself. Bishop shines his flashlight in the mildewed window and looks in to see if there is anyone inside. No movement. With no alarm tape on the window, he takes out his knife and pries it open.
The window makes a crackling sound as if it hadn’t been opened in years. In fact, it probably hasn’t. Bishop clenches his teeth as he slowly lifts the window.
Hope no one heard that.
He gets the window all the way up and quietly crawls inside. With his flashlight in one hand and his weapon in the other, Bishop kneels and scans the room. A couple of rats scurry behind rusted, empty barrels as the light hits them. Shining the light up and down, left and right, there is still no sign of any Promelians.
There’s a metal staircase leading up to what used to be offices and storage rooms. After one more quick scan of the room, Bishop decides to take a look upstairs. He hopes Justice made it in okay. As he starts up the stairs, Bishop’s luck runs out.
“Welcome, Detective Kenneth Bishop,” a voice says thunderously over an intercom. “You are quite elusive for a human.”
Bishop backs down the stairs, but keeps the light and his weapon pointed upstairs. “Thanks for the compliment,” Bishop yells. “Why don’t you come on out?”
“I will, Detective. Rest assured. I must admit, outmaneuvering my men was quite a feat. I didn’t think there was a human capable of that.”
“So now you know what we’re capable of. Why don’t you just call off this little invasion of yours?”
“Highly unlikely, Detective.”
“Why not, E.T.? Just phone home.”
“Very amusing, Detective. You were a fool to come here alone.”
Alone. He didn’t spot Justice.
“You should have taken your captain’s advice.”
“Yeah, well, following orders was never my strong suit.” Bishop hears the screeching click sound of the intercom turning off. He’s knows a confrontation is next, but from where? He is nowhere near at an advantage. The Promelian leader could come from anywhere, and he does, without warning.
“DIE, HUMAN!”
CHAPTER 112
WITH SPEED AND stealth, the Promelian leader hits Bishop from behind before he can react. The force of the blow knocks Bishop off his feet and sends him flying across the room. He instantly drops his weapon and flashlight and hits the far metal wall before collapsing to the floor.
The force of the blow knocks the wind out of him and nearly separates his spine. Unable to breathe, he can’t call out for Justice to come and help. He doesn’t see his gun, either. Justice was right about their strength and speed. Bishop just hopes Justice heard the intercom.
Coughing up blood, Bishop tries to pick himself up from the
floor.
Where the hell are you, kid? he says to himself, hoping Justice will show before the Promelian delivers another blow. He can hear the Promelian approaching, but without his weapon, he doesn’t stand a chance.
“Human, do you see how superior we are?” the Promelian asks rhetorically. “Do you understand now why your race will fall?”
Bishop hears the Promelian leader’s footfalls getting closer as he pulls himself to his feet and immediately takes a fighting stance.
Go down fighting, Bishop says to himself as he struggles to keep his balance. When the Promelian leader is close enough for Bishop to see him, he punches the Promelian leader twice in the face with everything he has.
No effect. The Promelian leader just smiles.
Before Bishop can take another labored breath or find the strength to throw another punch, the Promelian grabs him by the throat with one hand and lifts him off the floor. Bishop gasps for air and desperately grabs the Promelian by the wrist with both hands in a hopeless attempt to break free. He can feel the Promelians hand getting tighter around his throat. His grip is like a vise, slowly choking the life out of him.
Come on, kid.
The Promelian leader smiles a maniacal smile as he watches Bishop gasp for air. He’s enjoying it, watching someone’s life slip away in his hands. By his hand. A cold, ruthless killing machine. This is who he is; what he’s always been. This is what the Promelian race is. This is what they were created for.
“I did your friend the same way,” he whispers to Bishop, bragging about how he killed Kuntz. “I am going to enjoy killing your people.”
Bishop gets angry, but there’s nothing he can do. His resistance begins to slow. His grip on the Promelians wrist loosens. His legs dangle lifelessly. He’s dying.
Suddenly, the Promelian is stunned by a blow to the back of his head. He and Bishop drop to the floor at the same time. Bishop’s lungs are burning as he takes in a deep breath.
The Promelian looks behind him and sees Justice standing over him with a metal bar. As Justice is about to deliver another blow to his head, the Promelian lunges at him and delivers a punch to his stomach. The force sends Justice sliding across the warehouse floor.
Justice curls up in a fetal position and clinches his chest and stomach. His black blood starts spewing from his mouth as he tries desperately to catch his breath. The Promelian picks up the metal rod and slowly walks toward him to deliver the final blow.
“Your people are as weak as the humans,” he says to Justice. “Slaughtering you was easy. Men, women, even children. We killed them all.”
The Promelian leader smiles as he tosses the metal rod from one hand to the other. He grabs Justice by the throat and picks him up with one hand.
“That was centuries before you and I were born, though. I wish I had been there,” he says.
The Promelian plunges the metal rod into Justice’s chest and drops him to the floor. “Yes, indeed, I wish I had been there,” he says as he steps on Justice’s chest and viciously removes the metal bar. Covered with Justice’s blood, the Promelian drops the bar on the floor next to Justice.
CHAPTER 113
“NOW WHERE WERE we?” the Promelian leader says to Bishop as he walks back to finish the kill.
Just as he’s reaching down to grab Bishop, the Promelian leader lets out a loud scream of agony. He looks down at his chest and sees a piece of rebar sticking out. The same piece of rebar he used on Justice. In disbelief, he slowly turns to see Saunders standing behind him.
“You...witch!” he struggles to say as he grabs the bar and falls to the floor. Saunders runs around him and helps Bishop to his feet.
“I...thought I told you to stay in the car,” Bishop says jokingly as he struggles to stand.
“Lucky for you I don’t always do as I’m told.”
“We...gotta get to that transporter before his friends come back. Where’s Justice?” Bishop asks.
“Over here. He’s hurt bad.”
“Damn,” Bishop says as he looks down at the lifeless body of the Promelian leader. “Remind me never to piss you off, Doc.”
Bishop takes one look at Justice’s injuries and forgets all about his own.
There’s no way he’s gonna make it with a wound like that, is the first thought that comes to Bishop’s mind.
“Alan!” Bishop kneels down to help Justice.
“Can you make it, partner?”
“I...can…try,” Justice struggles to say as he gasps for air. Bishop and Saunders help Justice up and put his arms around their shoulders to support his weight. His bleeding has slowed, but he’s already lost a lot of blood. It’s a miracle he’s still alive.
“Have any idea where this transporter thing is?” Bishop asks Justice.
“Upstairs, I think,” Saunders answers. “While you two were playing around with your alien friend, I decided to snoop around. I found some kinda contraption that doesn’t look like anything from Earth.”
“We have to hurry,” Bishop says he struggles to support Justice’s weight. He grimaces as the pain in his back shoots down to his legs. “Won’t be long before that hit squad realizes we aren’t at the motel anymore.”
CHAPTER 114
BISHOP AND SAUNDERS help Justice to the transporter.
“I’m...okay,” Justice says as he steadies and holds himself up against the transporter panel. Saunders continues to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. “Stand…on that…floor panel,” Justice tells Bishop.
As Bishop starts to walk to the floor panel of the transporter, Saunders grabs him by the arm and kisses him, much to his surprise and delight. “For luck. Be careful, Ken.”
Bishop smiles at Saunders and says, “Hey, you know me.”
Bishop waits anxiously on the panel as Justice instructs Saunders on how to activate the transporter. The waiting reminds him of being a kid and waiting in line to get on the rides at Coney Island.
“The...transporter is set...to reactivate in...thirty seconds,” Justice says as he struggles to speak. “That’s how much...time you have to get on the panel...and be transported back here.”
“Okay,” Bishop says, anxious to get the mission over with.
“When...you get aboard...the ship, there will be...a large control panel...down the hall to your left. When...you...get there, look for a tiny opening on the top, left...corner of the control panel. That...accesses the...ships main computer banks. The...code should...automatically...inject itself into...the ship’s mainframe...and activate the auto self-destruct.”
The panel emits a wall of light that surrounds Bishop. The light reaches as high as the ceiling and quickly closes in toward his body, completely enveloping him. Bishop starts to feel a strange, tingling sensation throughout his body as the transporter opens up a small wormhole above his head.
With a flash of brilliant light, Bishop is instantly pulled into the wormhole. The light gradually dims and the warehouse is dark again. The transport is complete and the thirty-second countdown has begun. Saunders and Justice wait for what will be the longest thirty seconds of their lives.
CHAPTER 115
BISHOP MATERIALIZES ON board the Promelian ship as instantly as he dematerialized in the warehouse. The transport only took seconds, seconds to travel across the entire world. Promelian technology is superior, indeed.
The first thing that crosses his mind is if all of his body parts materialized with him. He looks and pats himself from head to toe to make sure he’s a hundred percent. No ride like this at Coney Island.
After breathing a sigh of relief, he looks around the ship to see if anyone else is on board.
The ship appears to be completely empty. The only thing Bishop can hear is the faint sound of what sounds like an air conditioner running. As he steps onto the metal overhang, the clanking sound of his footsteps hitting the metal deck echo throughout the ship. If there were someone else on the ship, they certainly heard that.
Bishop leans over the railing and looks up a
nd notices there are more chambers above him. While he expected to see something more extravagant, he’s still amazed at the technology on the ship and at the fact that he is actually thirteen thousand feet deep in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The hallways on the ship are well lit.
The walls of the ship are a dull gray, with pipes running vertically and horizontally along the length of the walls and on the ceiling. There are sealable hibernation chambers against the walls, evenly spaced approximately three feet from each other. Each chamber has a digital control panel that is used to maintain life support. Bishop theorizes that the Promelians entered into some type of hibernation for the journey to Earth.
Bishop is both in awe and frightened. The human race is in bigger trouble than he realized, which makes it even more imperative that he succeed in his mission.
Only thirty seconds to make it back.
“Down the hall, to the left,” Bishop says. He instinctively reaches for his weapon.
“Damn!” he says as remembered he dropped it after the Promelian sent him flying across the room. He starts a brisk jog down the hall to the ship’s bridge.
He makes the left turn and is on the ship’s bridge. The bridge is circular with a large captain’s chair sitting in the middle. In fact, the captain’s chair is the only chair in the room. The ship’s control panel is a touch screen and stretches the length of the bridge. It emits a beautiful array of flashing lights that reminds Bishop of the Christmas lights in his neighborhood when he was growing up.
Twenty seconds.
No time to waste. Bishop scrambles to find the slot Justice told him about. The control panel is so large, it’s like finding a needle in a—