by Clyde Key
* * *
The group organized to visit the alien camp was Ed and Marilee, Major Baines, and five junior officers from Baines’ battalion. They took four high level floaters. All the floaters except the one that carried Ed and Marilee were equipped with repeller cannons. And all the troops except Ed were armed with the infrared laser pistols.
Major Baines’ floater, driven by Lt. Taylor, led the group. Ed and Marilee followed in the second floater. The soldiers in the last two floaters were assigned to guard the convoy from the sides and rear.
They followed the deserted highway from Flagstaff to Needles. Then at Needles City Park, Baines turned them northwest across the desert to the alien camp, or at least where the alien camp had last been seen on a Veeto patrol. However, this camp was quite vacant when Ed’s group arrived. The huge depression was still there, but recent heavy rain left water standing a foot deep where the camp had been, even though all the water had either run off or soaked into the ground outside the camp.
“That’s just some more ecological damage,” said Marilee. “Everything is gone where their camp was, all the animals, plant life and everything. All gone!”
“I wonder if it can ever be restored,” said Ed. “I just don’t know.”
Marilee apparently didn’t know either. She silently guided the floater in line behind the major’s vehicle as the major led them in a long circle about the abandoned camp. Then the major suddenly veered off to follow a faint trail that Marilee probably would have missed. She had to swing the floater back around and speed up to catch up with Major Baines’ vehicle again. And the two floaters at the rear went through similar gyrations getting back in the convoy.
They followed the trail about ten kilometers before it disappeared. Baines’ floater slowed and circled back around the group. When it stopped, the others did too. Baines’ voice cracked over the comphone. “Colonel, it just plays out here. It looks like there may have been a couple dozen aliens slithering along until here, but the trail just disappears.”
“Maybe they were picked up,” said Ed. “Maybe there were extra globes that came after them here.”
“I think you’re right!” said Baines. “I see some charred spots like the globes leave when they hover. Crud! That means they could have gone any direction and we don’t have a trail.”
“Could we get the Veeto plane to patrol?” asked Marilee.
“I think that would be a good idea,” said Ed. “What do you think about that, Major?”
“I’m calling Searles right now. In the meantime, we’ll head for the perimeter. If they’re going to try to get out, it makes sense they’d be moving toward the perimeter.”
The major’s floater took a sharp turn and accelerated, and all the other vehicles fell into line. The major did not take a straight path. He veered off course to check every gully and depression that might have hidden aliens from view. But they found no evidence of aliens before they approached the guard perimeter. Ed was somewhat worried about the sentries firing on the squad when they suddenly appeared but he was relieved to hear Baines call to inform the outposts of their arrival. As they passed the outposts, soldiers stood at attention and saluted each vehicle.
Then Major Baines called again. “Report from the Veeto, Colonel. They’ve spotted the new alien compound and it’s not far inside the perimeter. Position is five kilometers inside and twenty west from here. Are we taking this whole group in, Colonel?”
“To the edge of the compound, yes,” said Ed. “Then you and I go in to talk to the Old Boy Veezee. The last two vehicles stay outside the compound but we go in. Marilee and Richie stay in the vehicles. If anything happens to the major and me, your orders are to get back across the perimeter immediately. And report to the president.”
“Yessir!” said Marilee. Ed also thought he heard some kind of acknowledgment from Richie Taylor, but he wasn’t sure.