* * * *
It was almost noon when their transport approached the convention center where the meeting was to be held. To Carl’s surprise, a small crowd was gathered about its entrance.
“I thought this was supposed to be a secret meeting.” Alec mumbled to Joshua.
“I was under that impression. It shows we need to be on our guard. Expect anything.” Joshua said.
Carl watched the crowd separate as their transport glided to a parking spot next to the covered car port. They were besieged upon with microphones and questions as soon as they stepped out. Reporters! Why would they invite reporters along with me? He thought. Perhaps they wanted an embedded reporter? But why not tell me? There was a lot more going on than he thought. What surprised him was the venom of the questions, or accusations… accusations of being enemies of the Kan-ji, of stealing their technology and using it against them. Joshua led the way, pushing through the crowd where they were let into the lobby. Security guards locked the doors behind them. Carl looked back to see their transport quietly lifting away.
“Gentlemen, my name is Elizabeth Savage, I'll be your host for this meeting.” said a middle aged lady with gray streaks in her hair. Her eyes fell on Fitzsimmons. “Jack, I was wondering where you went.” she said coldly. Turning to the rest of the team she added “Is there anything I can get you? Do you have any questions?”
“Are those the religious leaders the Kan-ji asked for?” Alec asked looking at five men standing together at the far end of the lobby.
“Yes, they will also be joining the meeting. Would you like me to introduce you?”
“I'd like to talk with them.” Joshua stepped forward. Elizabeth led him by her arm leaving Alec, Fitzsimmons, Carl and Ravi to themselves.
“Did you hear about the priest and the Rabbi walking down the street?” Alec started with a grin.
Carl looked at Alec “Huh?”
“A mugger approaches them and demands their money.” Alec continued.
Carl stared at him. He noticed Ravi filming.
“They both pull out their wallets and begin taking out their cash. Just then the rabbi turns to the priest and hands him a 20 dollar bill and says 'here's the 20 bucks I owe you'” Alec always laughed at his own jokes.
To Carl’s relief, a commotion at the door kept Alec from telling another one. “Ravi, let's check it out.”
As they neared the main entrance doors, the light outside dimmed and a rumbling like thunder permeated the building. “I didn't notice any storm clouds on the way, did you?” Ravi asked pushing open the front door, his camera still on his shoulder.
“That doesn't look like storm clouds.” Carl said as they were buffeted with swirling winds and dust. “There’s no rain.” He stepped out from under the car port and looked up. It wasn't a storm. It was a ship of gigantic proportions, at least the bottom of a giant ship. He could see it was round, but it was difficult to make out any details because of the brilliant white flames spewing from it.
“I bet you're wondering what you got yourself into, hey Carl?” Joshua yelled from beside him.
“Not really, I was just thinking that I won't have to work for Fann anymore.” He watched the monstrous sized disk slow. Its five rockets, one in the center and the other four spaced around its perimeter, were deafeningly loud, even at its distance.
“What’s feeding those engines? That ship must be half fuel.” Carl overheard Alec asking Joshua over the roar. He turned his attention to the rockets. They weren’t much more than holes in the ship bordered by white rings. White hot flames spewed from them.
“If they were jets, they would need intake, possibly from above?” Carl could barely hear Alec… so he stepped closer.
“There's no intakes top side.” Joshua yelled back his answer. Carl wondered how he would know… then realized his headset must be in contact with those cloaked ships.
“Right, must be rockets. I wonder where their fuel is coming from.” Alec said.
“How big do you think that ship is?” Fitzsimmons shouted as he walked up behind them with Elizabeth. Both were shading their eyes against the blinding white light of the rocket flames.
Joshua put his hand to his ear as he talked into his headset. “It’s about a half mile across.”
“What’s it doing?” Fitzsimmons pointed.
“Ravi, what do you see?” Carl asked Ravi who used the camera’s zoom to get a better look.
“There’s some smaller ships leaving from underneath.” Ravi answered. “Wait, there’s more, I don’t know where they came from. They look like fighters.”
As they got closer, Carl could see three bus shaped ships flying in their direction, escorted by a dozen nasty looking fighters; all with rockets blazing. The giant ship remained hovering in position.
“Looks like our guest of honor.” Joshua said. The crowd dispersed as the rocket flares from the three bus sized ships hit the parking lot spreading flames and dust.
A dozen armed and brightly dressed Kan-ji came out of two of the transports making a path between the center ship and the hotel entrance. Each guard wore different colored clothes; puffy shirts, pantaloons and gaudy hats; some with feathers, some without. One thing they all had in common were the deadly looking curved swords and large pistols at their sides.
“Hey, look there.” Carl grabbed Ravi's shoulder and pointed him and the camera to the park surrounding the convention center. Fighter jets were landing Harrier style. Dozens more flew slowly in circles above them.
“Those are the swords that shoot bolts of lightning.” Alec mentioned. “Sheldon said one of those almost put our car out of commission.”
As the last of the guards settled into position, five more Kan-ji exited the center transport; two in front, two in back, one in the center. The four guards were dressed similarly while the taller, golden haired Kan-ji in the center wore a black, floor length robe which he held tightly around him.
Alec's Dream Page 52