by Mel Todd
The phone died after almost three hours of shouting, questioning, and demands. By the end Wefor had started being almost snippy.
[The phone dying is for the best. Nothing is being accomplished.] Her voice filled the mindspace as the phone went dark.
"Get another phone, we have more questions," the general demanded though he had asked the more useless ones. The president and SecDef had each only asked a few, both sharp insightful questions and took notes while the rest of the room had wasted time. Time they really didn't have.
"No," McKenna said, even as people were fumbling for devices. "This isn't getting us anywhere and there are other things you need to know."
During the mad questioning of Wefor, people had ignored the five shifters more and more and some of them looked startled as she spoke.
"No? What do you mean no?" The general rose to his feet, a good four inches taller than she, and started striding her way.
McKenna grinned, this she knew how to deal with.
~You want backup?~ JD asked, stirring behind her. She could feel assent from Perc.
~Nah. I got this. Assholes I'm used to handling.~ Her mental voice had laughter in it.
"We need to ask more questions, figure out what to do," he said, stopping in front of her, looming a bit.
McKenna smiled. "What? Ask for the sixth time what they want? That has been answered multiple times and asking it again doesn't change the answer. Wefor is an AI, and she's answered all your questions literally. But there are other things that have me here." She didn't take her eyes off his, meeting him and not backing down at all. "I have the commander module. It's why I have the AI and the others don't have one in their head." She waved at the others who had all dropped their causal poses though Cass looked very nervous. "It also gives me other abilities."
The general sneered at her, crossing his arms over his chest. "Such as?"
"I can communicate mentally with my team, force the change in any Kaylid, speak any language after a few minutes, and I, like my team, have the warrior form." She didn't feel like mentioning all Kaylid could gain this form once they knew it existed. "And I'm the only person you have right now who speaks Elentrin."
She saw certain people snap their heads up at the languages. The general, however, only latched onto the warrior form.
"Warrior form? What exactly is that?"
~Have I eaten enough, Wefor?~
[Yes. Though you still are underweight. You need to keep up your protein intake.]
~Having someone tell me to gain weight is just such a weird thing.~
"I'm sure someone took a picture of what happened outside the embassy." She shot a look at the secretary of state.
He shook his head. "No, there were some rumors of one of the shifters doing an odd partial shift, but it happened where the cameras missed most of it, and the few places where it might have been visible, people were blocking the view. Which means, no. I'm not sure anyone knows what happened. The military refused to go into detail, and frankly I've been too busy due to the hot potato someone dropped in my lap." His voice didn't hold anger, but vague amused wariness. An odd combination, but one she understood.
"Huh. I never thought it would stay contained that well. What do you know, social media didn't let this secret slip." Her voice thoughtful.
"Quit stalling and give us access to the AI again," the general growled. Or he tried to. After all the animals and the various forms she had dealt with, it didn't even come close.
"General Arnold. If you are going to growl at a Kaylid, you better learn how to growl."
He blinked at her, then drew his brows down in a fierce frown. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
"It means," she reached for the warrior form and it sprang towards her. The change smoother and easier that it had ever been. The same rush of heat, but her form flowed and merged into the powerful warrior form in a way that felt like coming home. She let all her frustration out in the sound that emerged. "That you need to learn what a real growl sounds like." Her words rumbled with bass and half the room took a step back and all the secret service agents drew weapons as they pulled the president behind them, their eyes wide as they realized her party stood in front of the door, the main exit.
General Arnold Murphy paled, but stood his ground, though she could smell his fear. "Is this a threat?"
"Gentlemen," McKenna said, letting her exasperation slide into her voice. "Why would we threaten you? They are coming for us. For our children. All we want is help, and for you to get your collective heads out of your asses. This is what they will be sending here. Hundreds of thousands of Kaylid. All armed with weapons that are better than anything we have." She took a deep breath turning her face to look at everyone, the muzzle, ears, and fangs clearly visible. "And they aren't just coming here. They're planning on sending ‘ambassadors' to at least three major cities." She did air quotes around the word ambassadors which probably looked odd with clawed hands. "Though they haven't chosen which ones yet. You need to quit trying to prove I'm lying and get ready to deal with aliens that want to take a portion of our population and turn them into slaves, or worse." Her tone had risen to almost a yell by the end, and the entire room had gone silent, looking at her.
With an exasperated sigh, she let herself go back to human, a bit slower, no need to burn any more calories than necessary.
~At least this dress didn't rip and even the bra, while uncomfortable, didn't tear,~ she muttered in the mindspace.
~Do I want to know about your tail and underwear?~ Toni asked, a hint of laughter in her voice.
~NO,~ McKenna said very firmly into the mindspace and resisted reaching back to adjust that item.
The room had slowly regained sound again though the agents still looked like they were ready to spirit the president away at any second. One of them, the one who had taken point, slowly holstered his weapon and walked over to them. Older probably a decade on McKenna's twenty-eight. His short hair screamed military as did his bearing, but while his brown eyes were wary, he didn't approach her like a threat.
"You said you can force people to change forms?" His voice had a deep south hint to it though it had mostly disappeared.
"Yes. I've done it before. Why?" McKenna tilted her head at him, but noted the general had walked over to the SecDef Doug Burby and they were in an intense conversation that slowly drew others.
"My name is Christopher Collins. I'm one of the senior agents for the president and his security detail. I have an agent that turned into an animal and has been aggressive ever since. She's locked up with two other Marines that experienced the same thing. Nothing we've tried has worked."
McKenna sighed. "Sounds like the original programming kicked in. That was their plan. To come rescue us from the ravening animals. I can turn him back, and we can fix the programming."
~We can do that, right, Wefor?~
[Blood or saliva will need to be exchanged to override the existing programming, but yes.]
A look of relief flashed across his face then disappeared, replaced by a mask of control. "When you have time, it would be appreciated."
"Now is fine. I'm starving after that little show and they need to think. The clock is ticking and if a global response isn't reached, it'll be every Kaylid for themselves."
"A moment please." The man stepped away, talking into his communicator and George walked over, an odd look on his face.
"Yes?" McKenna asked, looking at him.
"You were much more forceful than I experienced you being at your house," he commented, his tone very neutral.
She sighed. "When you showed up, I'd already had two experiences with kidnapping. Military personnel were at my door, I had a child that wasn't mine, and I was going to try to prove to you that I had an AI in my head and that aliens were really coming. I was nervous, scared, and trying desperately to not freak out after a week of waiting for the other shoe to fall." She tilted her head at the men all in serious conversation. "They pissed me off, and
it reminded me that I have nothing to lose. If they come, if they take us, I lose everything anyhow. And I'll do anything to protect my kids."
"We all will." Perc's voice sounded behind her and she leaned back a bit, lightheaded suddenly as her body began to scream for calories. "We're family in a way that can't be explained anymore."
She felt more than heard the others' agreement even as she blinked her eyes. "Okay, I need food, like now."
George looked at her, concerned then nodded as the other man came over. "Christopher. She needs food. Can you take them to the kitchens? I'll call down so they'll have something for them by the time you get them there."
Christopher glanced at her, then back at George and nodded. "Will do. If you'll follow me."
Perc stayed at her side and she was oddly glad. ~Wefor, what's wrong with me? I've never been dizzy before.~
[Energy expenditure. Your reserves are still low, and the bots lowered your blood sugar badly to avoid dipping into muscle. You still don't have any fat to fuel them.]
The explanation made her feel a bit better. They followed the agent through a series of halls and down three floors and ended up in a large kitchen. True to George's word, on the counter a large tray of sandwiches waited them, fruit cups, petit-fours, and meat and cheese rolls. McKenna inhaled them while the others nibbled. The fruit cup and petit-fours she hit first. The sugar helped. In a few minutes she lost the dizzy feeling. They plowed through the food until Wefor told her any more would make her sick.
"I'm ready now. Thanks."
Christopher narrowed his eyes at her but nodded. He spoke into his com for a minute, and she didn't even try to listen in. Though from Toni's thoughtful expression she did.
"The cars are waiting for us. This way."
Another winding route through the building and into a tunnel, then they were ushered into another black SUV. Half in one, half in the other and they shot out into the city. The unfamiliar landscape with buildings she recognized from pictures, places she'd always wanted to see, and it hurt to whip through it and not get to explore.
She leaned against Toni who sat next to her, the melancholy mood affecting all of them as they looked at the iconic Washington, DC and wondered what would be left a month from now.
They drove up to a gate with Marines, who after a conversation she didn't even try to pay attention to, let them through. Minutes later Christopher jumped out, and Marines opened her door. She still really needed to the pull the thong out of her ass crack but forced a smile and ignored it.
They led the group of them, with lots of Marine casting sideline glances, through what obviously was some sort of base. After a bewildering set of clearances they entered what must have been a jail for military personnel.
~It's called a brig, Kenna. Really. Even most people know that,~ JD teased her as they were led into an area.
~I'm a police officer. It's a jail. Bite me.~ She shot back, but she smiled, up until they turned a corner and she saw the three cells occupied with snarling animals.
"Oh shit." The reality hit home as she looked at what the Elentrin wanted them to be, what they expected to find, and anger bubbled at the back of her throat.
~This is what they want? What they expect?~ She asked even as a wolf lunged at them slamming into the bars and drawing blood. It ignored the pain and tried again. The other two animals, each of them in their own cage had paced to the bars glaring out at them with insane eyes. One was a cheetah, blood dried on its fur and she could see a claw had broken off. The other was a jackal, snarling at her in the depths of its cell, and her heart cringed as she thought about Kala.
[Yes. Insane animals and people desperate to be rescued from these creatures, and the people trapped to be grateful to be saved from what they couldn't stop themselves from doing.] Each word rang like a death knell in her soul and McKenna felt her rage growing as she looked at the animals.
"Bring food. A lot of it. Blankets for them to wrap themselves in and get everyone out of here." She turned and looked at her friends, team, family and blinked. "You too. JD or Perc, one of you stay."
One of the Marines started to protest. "No," she cut him off before he could say much. "They're already struggling. You have this place visible via cameras. Go watch it there. I'm not trying to hide anything, but think about how they're going to feel when I pull them out. Did anyone of them badly hurt anyone, kill anyone?"
The Marine swallowed and shook his head. "A few stitches was the worst. But Grayson, the wolf, we shot him but haven't been able to treat his wound. So he's been in pain, and we can't help."
McKenna glanced at Christopher. "The cheetah is mine. Caroline Lance. She normally watched over the president's kids. This might destroy her career," his voice low, but steady.
"It shouldn't. Not anymore than getting sick and throwing up on someone would. Let me help, but get the clothes."
"I'll stay," Perc offered, and she sensed he and JD had discussed it. The others after a quick glance at her followed everyone up as she turned back to the cages.
~Wefor, if we get some of my blood in them can you override the programming of the nanobots?~
[Yes. Though it will take a few hours for me update the programming. During which proximity will be needed until it becomes self-replicating. They will not be able to change until this is done.]
~Get the bots ready, I'll ask for some syringes, this dripping blood in wounds is just stupid and you've already said it needs to be blood or saliva and I'm not going around kissing people all the time.~ She carefully didn't look at Perc, instead looked at the people, trapped in themselves.
Chapter 15 - Forcing the Beast
What is going on with the military? All bases in California are on lockdown and if you don't have a military ID you can't get in. Don't get me wrong, our bases have always been pretty secure, but now they are insane. They are turning away anyone who isn't there on business. All vendors are being escorted in and orders for supplies have tripled. Is it just me or should this be concerning us? What is causing this reaction? ~ Harvey Klein caller.
Motion at the stairs pulled her attention away, and she saw two Marines coming down with blankets and a tray of food.
"Will you see if you can get me some sterile syringes also, please? I'll need them later. And where are the keys?"
The older one, a sergeant she thought, quirked an eyebrow at her, but just replied, "Yes, ma'am." He handed her a set of keys before they turned and trotted back up the stairs.
She turned back to the snarling animals staring at her and Perc. The wolf had managed to hurt himself a bit more trying to get through the bars.
"Enough. Wefor, I might need your help. I assume it's the same as it was with Perc and the others." She said this out loud not caring if anyone heard, she needed the words in her ears to help make it real, even as bile rose in her throat.
[Yes. Though you don't have the mind link to help identify. But as you are a commander, you should be able to sense their presence even if you don't have access to their minds.]
She'd had the others in her head for so long she had to close her eyes to find these unknown Kaylid. It took her a minute, but she found the other Kaylids just outside her mind, their presence muddy and tangled. Her eyes opened, and she moved a bit closer to the cage. The wolf redoubled its efforts to attack her, blood and foam flying from his mouth as he tried to reach her, the whites of his eyes all but glowing in the dim area.
~Change,~ the word vibrated in the mindspace even though the Kaylid she focused on wasn't there. She put her intent behind the word, for the bots to activate their other form, to shut off the programming and flip back to human.
A howl of pain, relief, fear, ripped through the space. Eyes she didn't know she'd closed flew back open and saw a Kaylid moving from animal to human. In less time than it took her to take a deep breath, a man in his late twenties lay panting on the floor of the cell. His naked body showed he needed food from the amount of ribs and vertebra she could see under his skin. The
man shook like he had palsy as he lay there.
"Hey, Grayson, right?" her voice quiet as she crouched by the cage. Perc had the keys and stood at the door, waiting for her signal.
The man raised his face to her, his eyes a hazel color, though so bloodshot she almost wasn't sure.
"Yes," he croaked. "Thank you." His voice torn and raw. McKenna glanced at Perc and nodded, then moved over to the next cage finding the unknown Kaylid faster and easier this time.
~Change,~ her command had more confidence. In the jungle she'd learned to feel her team, knew them intimately. Now she just reached out and realized she could feel the nanobots, even if they weren't hers, she could command them, and she did.
This time, her eyes stayed open, and she saw the cheetah move back into a human form. The woman on all fours gasping as she sucked in air. "That fucking sucked," she muttered. She tried stand, but her legs wouldn't hold her.
"Give yourself a few minutes. Perc has a blanket and we'll get you some food." The woman, Caroline if McKenna had remembered the name correctly, glanced up and her and nodded, though her eyes narrowed.
McKenna ignored her and moved to the jackal, doing it again. In less than a minute a man lay there, younger than the other two, but just as exhausted. McKenna rose looking at the camera and nodded. Before Perc could get the third cell opened people were rushing down into the cells.
Conversation exploded as manly shakes and back slaps almost knocked over the exhausted Kaylid. Caroline, a woman with skin the color of burnt caramel, with short black curly hair walked over to her with Christopher by her side.
"So why did you have us leave the area? Besides the nudity? Which has become much less of an issue lately," Christopher asked even as Caroline pulled the blanket around her tighter.
"I didn't know how'd they react to be honest. The only other time I did this, it was that or die. And we did it a lot. By the time we were done most of us passed out. One died." Her voice clipped. "I knew I could do something, but I didn't know how long it would take or anything else."