Raging at the Stars

by Lesley Davis

  *

  This is not what I signed up for. I never agreed to take technology from aliens in exchange for the sacrifice of humanity. These aren’t the facts that were presented to me when Dionysius recruited me. And no one ever said that human lives were a part of that deal.

  Sofia had ridden the elevator in silence with Russom and Emory. She had noticed Russom didn’t seem interested in her reactions to the alien lab. He’d been too busy watching Emory. Sofia had no idea how Emory had managed to stay so calm in there. She’d seen Emory’s short fuse ignite before. It usually ended with her doing something stupid. She’d been surprised how much of Agent Mays must have been in play. Sofia had been horrified by the bodies but was trained to not show emotion. Especially not in front of the general who had recruited her to work on alien saucers and so be a part of the massive cover-up.

  But I never expected humans were being experimented on in some kind of breeding program.

  She sat in the private room that she’d been assigned. It held a bed, a locker, and was functional if not a little Spartan. She’d been sent there by Russom who wanted to talk to Agent Mays alone. Sofia hoped that Dink was sitting on Emory’s shoulder and guiding her through that talk. Especially since I saw the murderous look Emory was shooting at Russom.

  She was startled from a light doze when Emory came barging into her room without knocking. Sofia opened her mouth to protest, but Emory slapped her hand over it and forced her head back on the pillow.

  “No, you don’t get to say anything, Damocles Five. You obviously knew about this and you never said a word. You knew this was happening. Did you know thousands of people are reported as missing every year in the United States? They never turn up. One minute they’re here and the next they’re gone. Is this their outcome? Are the military and the government actively condoning the abduction of men, women, and children? You’re letting aliens take people to do whatever they like with them. Some get sent back never to recover from the horrors they experience. I’ve interviewed those people. Stupidly, I didn’t believe them. How fucking wrong was I? But they’re the lucky ones because they were released. Others never got to go home.” Emory’s hand tightened on Sofia’s face. “They never get to go fucking home.”

  She glared at her. There in her eyes was the fire Sofia knew. “And you, you bitch. You’ve known about this the whole time. Sitting in front of that goddamn throne of power, letting the aliens steal humanity and fuck with it. But what do you care? You’ve had their saucers to play with. You got to build ships and dream of when they can be used against our enemies. Yet the real enemy is the one whose spaceships you’ve had your hands all over. You have their technology, you have their ships to fly in, and you sat on your ass and turned a blind eye.”

  Sofia’s breathing was becoming difficult with Emory’s hand pressed across her mouth. The manic look in Emory’s eyes was also worrying. Sofia hadn’t forgotten Emory was armed.

  “Is this perhaps why Tesla Falls hasn’t been attacked? Because this base houses their human experiments? I wonder how many other bases have been left untouched that have the exact same facility like this for the same damn reason.” Emory paused. “Is it that reason, or is it because you do have the controls to Tesla’s death ray here? The weapon Russom is being so tight-lipped about. I’ve told you, it’s too much of a coincidence this base just happens to bear his name.”

  The venom in Emory’s tone chilled Sofia and kept her purposely motionless under Emory’s hold.

  “See, I’ve thought about that. It’s not like the ray hasn’t been used before to show them what you’re capable of. I’ve seen the false flags flying, Captain. The only question is, why not do that now? Why is he holding back on such a weapon in this fight?”

  I’ve got to stop underestimating this woman, Sofia thought. For a journalist, she has ways and means to find information. Maybe Damocles Six told her more in his leaks than what she’d revealed. He had certainly known more than Sofia had been briefed on. So many departments with their own agendas and secrets to hide. And Emory, with all her theories, believed in the things hidden behind all the lies and cover-ups. And she was right to.

  “You see how pissed I am right now? Imagine that reaction multiplied by millions of human beings all around this planet if they ever found out what the government and military have been hiding from them.” She stared down at Sofia. “Do you know what Russom said to me in his office while he tapped away at a secret laptop literally hidden in his desk behind some secret panel? He told me, ‘You’ll do perfectly.’”

  Sofia frowned at her. “Perfectly for what?” she mumbled against Emory’s palm.

  “He thinks that me knowing that my family is suffering this fate and my still being prepared to hush it up, I’m more Damocles material than Truno ever was. He said I’ll do Dionysius proud.” Emory sneered. “When in reality I’m going to smear his name from one side of the planet to the other. Any man who takes over the reins of an agency that allows experimentation on humans doesn’t deserve the power he gets to wield.”

  She finally removed her hand and stepped away from the bed. Sofia gasped as she took in a swift gulp of air.

  “I asked him something as we sat bonding in his office. I asked where the aliens were that would have been working in that death lab. Do you know what his answer was? ‘Who do you think we’re ‘interrogating’ upstairs?’”

  Sofia didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t make Emory any madder than she already was. In all honesty, she couldn’t say she was surprised with Russom’s reply.

  She watched as Emory patted at her pockets trying to find something and sighing when she found what she was after. “What are you doing?”

  “Checking for my keys. I’m out of here, Captain. I’ve received my orders from Dionysius. Agent Mays is to do an extensive tour of all the military installations that have an alien laboratory attached. I’ve got to destroy the evidence and make sure no one on the bases breathes a word about what went on there. That’s my mission as a guard in your secret agency. Damocles Six’s role is a massive cleanup job.” She shrugged. “But in reality, my tour of duty is done. I’ve delivered you to your band of merry men, deceived your boss, joined your cult, and now I’m off to find my family since I have the locations now. Not all the aliens are in the saucers. If they’re willing to risk being on the ground, that has to mean their hidden labs are still functional in places. They obviously don’t want to lose their means of experimentation or perhaps they’re just using them to hide in to wait us out. But my family might be at one of them, next in line to be used. I’m going to track down every last lab on the face of this earth until I find them. And if I don’t find them? I’ll kill whatever I do find in there.”

  “You can’t just go out there on your own.” Sofia hurried to her feet and grabbed Emory’s arm to stop her from leaving. “It’s suicide. The saucers are still out there.”

  Emory nodded. “I know that. But I’d rather take my chances out there with the aliens than in here with those who’ve let the human race be their guinea pigs. Who knows, Major, perhaps you will see me again if I run into the aliens and they start filling up those cylinders downstairs again with fresh meat.”

  Sofia shook Emory hard, aghast at her words. “Don’t say that! Don’t ever say that! I promise you I knew nothing of this. I never knew any of this side of Dionysius. All I knew was the saucers. Seems I was kept in the dark as much as you were.”

  Emory leaned into her, and with her lips so close, Sofia thought she was going to kiss her. Instead, Emory whispered softly in Sofia’s ear. “There’s none so blind as those who will not see.” She set Sofia back on her heels away from her. “I don’t believe you. But I hope you’re safe here. Both from the aliens and that sword hanging so perilously over that pretty head of yours.” She opened the door. “Oh, Dink says so long too.”

  “Where are you going?” Sofia couldn’t believe Emory was leaving.

  “I’ve got bases to see, laboratories to search
. It goes a long way to explain why we saw those aliens running into a tunnel out in the middle of a field. There must be entrances dotted all over the place where they just come and go, dragging their spoils with them. I’ve told him I’ll keep in touch.” She held up a radio. Sofia recognized it as the same kind that she had kept hidden away from Emory.

  “He can probably track you with that,” Sofia said, telling Emory more than she probably should have. Emory just smiled at her.

  “Oh, I’m sure he can. I’ll be sure to toss it out somewhere on my journey. I wouldn’t want him to follow me home now, would I? Or find out my real identity. Wouldn’t that make for an awkward reveal?” She directed a pointed stare at Sofia, daring her to argue.

  “I won’t say anything, Ellen. Your secret is safe with me and always will be.”

  Emory gave her a sad smile. “Well, that’s because it’s what you’re best at, isn’t it?”

  Sofia shook her head at her, not quite sure what Emory was getting at.

  “Keeping secrets.” Emory opened the door. “Good-bye, Sofia, thanks for keeping me safe. Be sure to save the world for me. If your people ever get around to actually fighting back.” With that, she closed the door behind her.

  Sofia sat on her bed with a thump. She was at a loss as to what to do now. She couldn’t help but wish she could leave with Emory.

  But how can I ever convince her to believe me when she sees me as part of the problem we’re facing? Sofia lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She felt more lost than she had when Area 51 had been hit and she’d been left stranded. Except she hadn’t been alone; she’d had Emory.

  She was surrounded by a base full of military personnel and Sofia had never felt more alone.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  The gates closed soundlessly behind Emory’s VW after she drove through them as sedately as she could manage. It was only when she was out of sight of the guards at their post did Emory feel like she could finally breathe.

  “Oh my God,” she said, aware her voice was shaking. “Why do I feel like I’ve just dodged a bullet the size of a ballistic missile?”

  “Just don’t look back. Wait until you’re a little farther down the track before you put your foot to the floor and get the hell out of there. The more distance between you and that base the better,” Dink said over the phone’s speaker.

  “What did you put in those files Russom was reading through that made him so damn sure I was a candidate for his Dionysius agency?” Emory couldn’t believe how easily Russom had been duped.

  “I may have doctored a few emails and drafted up a few more from Agent Jack Carter pointing toward your being the perfect replacement for Truno. I even backdated one so it appeared to be from the day you were to be interviewed at Area 51, again playing on your suitability. I also may have let the emails mention some of your more ‘specialist’ talents. Such as your ability to plug leaks in sensitive areas. I name-dropped Ellen Mays in a few cover-ups concerning officials who had scandals hushed up and then wiped clean from any record. Which, as we know, means nothing to me. I found them. I just made it look like you were the one who managed to make it all go away.”

  “It’s truly frightening the power you can wield, Dink, seated at your desk. Whatever you did to infiltrate me into their system worked a little too well. I stepped into our dead informant’s shoes.” Emory couldn’t believe that stroke of luck. Though luck wasn’t exactly the word she should choose considering what she’d been witness to because of it.

  “Well, Damocles Six, you’ve got your orders to clear out the bases using any means necessary. If that doesn’t tell you Russom is complicit in all this, nothing will. I’ve got the closest bases pinned up on the board all ready for us to work from. This list is huge and worldwide but I’ve got friends at a few of them. I just wish it was easier to get in touch with them. Maybe one of them could check their grounds.”

  “That’s my job, Dink. I have the clearance for it now and the shiny pass to prove it. We can’t risk anyone else looking where they shouldn’t. Look what happened to Truno when he went against Russom. We can’t lose any more of our allies.”

  “Come back here before you do anything else about these bases. We need to regroup and get a plan of action going. You’ve got your coordinates all set for the GPS to lead you to Wyoming. From there you’ll go through Nebraska, taking in such sights as Carhenge if the aliens haven’t blown that up too. From there you’ll come down through Kansas City, and then…” He purposely left his sentence dangling.

  “And then into the arms of the Lord.” Emory smiled at the old joke they shared. “I just hope he’s watching over me to get me back to you in one piece. I’m looking at a twenty-hour drive on my own, watching the skies for aliens and the roads for humans with nowhere safe to run.”

  “Sofia being a Damocles guard…not exactly what I was expecting from our pretty captain.”

  Emory sighed. She was angry with herself for being played so well. She didn’t usually succumb so easily to a woman in uniform. “Trouble was, she was all that and more, Dink. But she was also a long-time member of the agency you and I were fighting to expose and splash all over the Internet. Sadly, that doesn’t exactly make us conducive with a happy ever after.”

  “She couldn’t take her eyes off you when you were in the lab with the abductees. I got the feeling she would have preferred being by your side than having to stand at attention beside Russom.”

  Emory tried to recall anything else in that laboratory she remembered other than the endless line of dead humans behind glass. She hadn’t noticed Sofia at all while she’d been desperate to keep her terror at bay and her anger and disbelief hidden for both their sakes. “She was probably worried I was going to blow my cover and get her court-martialed at the same time.”

  “Actually, she looked concerned for you, Em. For all that she is professionally, she’s still the one who held you back from the saucer’s beam you were running into, and then she held you while you cried.”

  “Oh man, why’d you have to harp on that?” Emory was mortified as she remembered how strong Sofia’s arms were as she’d held her tight to her chest while Emory had sobbed her heart out. “I’d just seen Ellie taken fuck knows where. I was entitled to lose it. I feel like I’m just one step away from taking up residence in a padded room. I watched as they took my niece up in one of their saucers. I have no idea where she is, and I’m going to go crazy until I find her. She’s just a baby, Dink, her and Missy.”

  “I understand, Emory, I really do. I’m proud of you for not losing your shit in the lab and smashing the place to pieces.”

  “I wanted to.” She’d wanted to reduce the place to nothing but ashes. “I’m never going to erase the images of those people out of my head. Aliens experimented on them and left them on display like specimens in a jar.”

  “I went ahead and sent screenshots of the footage to our friends. One doctor is more concerned about what experiments were done that we couldn’t detect.”

  Emory shuddered at the thought. “Oh God. I can’t even begin to go there in my head. They still have my nieces somewhere, and I need to believe they are not being touched.” She could feel her fear rising to choke her. “I tell you this. If I find they’ve harmed my nieces in any way I will not be held accountable for my actions. And that’s a promise to aliens and humans alike.”

  “Even Sofia?”

  Emory hesitated then said, “Let’s hope she wasn’t lying when she said she didn’t have a clue.” She made a face she knew Dink couldn’t see. “Though I seriously doubt it. If she wasn’t told by Russom, she had to have had some idea what was really happening at Area 51.”

  “Not everyone looks further than what is in front of them. Some would rather be blinded than see the truth revealed.”

  For the first time, Emory wondered what it would have been like not to have a clue what was really happening in the world. To view it just like everyone else did. Taking everything she was told at face v
alue and believing what she was force-fed by the media and people in positions of power. Though she could see the merits of never questioning decisions or the people who made them, she couldn’t see herself being happy with that existence.

  “Dink, what are we going to do?” There was so much to fight against. Too much.

  “We’re going to do our best with the resources we have at hand. I’m calling all the basement dwellers into action.”

  Emory laughed at his using the derogatory term Sofia had. “She’d be surprised to hear how many are retired military who were told the things they saw were figments of their imagination and to keep their mouths shut.”

  “And with them behind you, Emory, we can start fighting back, one way or another. The time for silence is over. It’s time for everyone to pay attention to what we have to reveal.”

  *

  The blackness of the night sky left the roads difficult to navigate. The smoke that rose from burning buildings blocked out any illumination from the moon. Lit street lamps were sparse, and driving through some cities was like entering a war zone. So much debris littered the streets and so many buildings had been reduced to broken shells. Fires sparked to offer Emory some meager lighting to see beyond her headlights. She had to carefully maneuver through the rubble strewn across the roads. Not all of it was easily traversable, but a detour wasn’t on her plans. The beacons she could spot dotted about had people huddled around them, hands stretched out for the warmth.

  “There are survivors here,” she said, knowing Dink was seeing them too.

  “Don’t stop, Em.”

  Emory wasn’t surprised to see people out on the streets. Not all the population had been picked up by the military and ferried off to where they were being evacuated. Emory had come across a convoy of trucks miles back and had struck up a conversation with one of the officers in charge. He was heading to Denver with his human cargo, and that was exactly where Emory was supposed to be going to carry out her new orders from Russom. She’d waited until everyone’s attention had been elsewhere then had taped her radio to the underside of one of the trucks. The signal would lead Russom to think she was following orders when she was heading somewhere totally different. Somewhere well out of his reach, she hoped.