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The alien queen flailed her arms, displeased and barked a set of orders in an ancient sounding dialect that Victoria couldn’t understand.

  A small set of prongs reached out to her as they wrapped her pigtails into buns. Two extra sets dematerialized her attire and replaced it with a silky white tunic while it placed a metallic necklace around her neck that was fitted with lights and controls.

  The spherical zone, where she was prepared, pulled her back to the tubes for further transport. The movement made her feel confused, and for a moment, she forgot where she was or what was going on. All she could make out were pockets of a few assorted aliens attending different stations and doing all kinds of intricate tasks.

  Seeing such groups operating in sync reminded her of the brief moments where she had seen her father working in Ground Control. Hopefully with all the technology Ground Control Alpha has developed, he could potentially have a chance of a rescue, she thought.

  As she floated through the tubes, she saw yet another hangar. This one different than the one before. It held giant, metallic, humanoid structures with round cockpits at the top and a giant sphere with tentacles that assorted different weapons on to the structured giants. A pink jolt yanked one of them, projecting it into space. The pink flash of light shot straight for Earth. She kept hoping the Silver Wings would be prepared for such an attack.

  Darkness covered her trail. Victoria fell to a sudden stop. The ground was surprisingly soft and moist to the touch. A dim yellow light filled the area, and suddenly everything smelled familiar.

  A breeze tickled her cheek. She looked and touched her surroundings. The place consisted of real Earth flora mixed with synthesized materials. Victoria realized she was a prisoner.

  Could it be that Laura and I share the same fate? What will they do to her? What will they do to me? she wondered.

  She looked around with a nervous demeanor, as a soft growl put her on edge. From the shadows, she made out a small silhouette. Could it be a predator? she thought and coiled up a bit as the small beast moved towards her.

  Years of lectures had nurtured an instinct. Covering her face, she kicked at the bizarre furry thing. The hairy pygmite flew across the room and scurried back into the dark. Victoria realized she had unleashed all her frustration, angst, and fear on the little creature. Suddenly it didn’t look so menacing, whatever it was.

  She squinted at the figure hiding in the corner, then motioned for it to come closer so she could get a second look. The creature was breathing heavily from the pain and fear of the new visitor.

  “It’s ok, I’m sorry little friend. You startled me is all.” She tried to communicate to the creature. “Are you ok?” Victoria asked extending her hand.

  While there was a fair amount of confidence in this gesture, she still trembled slightly. The creature retreated even more. While Victoria couldn’t quite determine what it was, she figured it looked like a baby orangutan.

  Pulling out a piece of gum from under her socks she began chewing a piece with gusto, as if trying to incite hunger in her mysterious cell mate. The beast cocked its head in intrigue.

  Victoria inched closer, reaching out with a new piece of gum. “Come here little buddy, have a piece,” she insisted. “It’s bubble gum… It’s good.”

  The creature reached out from the blackness. What once looked like a baby orangutan was now revealed as a rare pygmite Neanderthal from what Victoria could understand about the creature.

  It took a piece and put it in its mouth. Victoria blew a bubble and popped it. The creature chewed in excitement. “Take it easy little one; it’s not food. You can’t eat bubble gum!”

  For a brief moment, she forgot her troubles, thanks to the innocent exchange.

  “Yaya guam,” her new friend replied.

  Victoria couldn’t help but enjoy how cute that sounded. “I’m gonna call you Chuggy”. For the first time during the whole ordeal, she felt relaxed. “Well, at least I’ve made a new friend. Now, you and I will have to find a way out of here.”

  12

  Chapter 12

  Leon gripped the wheel tight while going over his decision to leave Oliver behind by the bridge with Banks. His hands began to sweat, and it became difficult to hold a tight grip.

  He saw the road ahead, but he didn’t have the luxury to think through his decision. He took a second look at the giant robot and revved the engine. The hot rod charged aggressively towards the metal giant that was in the group’s way.

  From the rearview mirror, he saw his nephew chasing after him followed by General Banks. The car sped up, and it grazed the robot’s foot, seemingly challenging it to a chase.

  Leon pressed hard on the gas pedal and held his breath. Just like bait, the robot bit the hook and chased after, bringing a smile to Leon’s face.

  That bucket of bolts doesn’t have a clue what’s coming, he thought. He took a quick detour and headed towards the scrapyard’s track behind the lake.

  The robot chased furiously after the car. One of its arms raised and fired a green laser blast. Leon swerved the wheel from one side to the other, the car zig zagging around the destruction the ray had caused in its wake.

  There was no time to spare for the crazy idea to work. Luckily, he was a quick thinker. As he headed for the highest point of the scrapyard, Leon increased his speed, while the robot avidly continued the chase.

  The alien riders, unlike Leon, were methodical. They guided the robot up the path in a structured march. A stark contrast to Leon’s swerving actions. He realized as he drove up track that the robot’s stomps loosened the piles of scrap. The falling debris made it more difficult to swerve around. The hot rod dodged the tumbling metal, and the giant robot took one more shot.

  It was time for Leon to turn back.

  The massive green ray hit the biggest heap of junk as shrapnel filled the air. Leon accelerated, passed the robot. as the biggest pieces of broken rockets and metal began to crash down to the ground.

  This is probably my last ride, Leon thought to himself. He looked at his lucky bat once more, squeezed it tight, and placed it on the passenger’s seat.

  “One last adventure,” he said, looking at the bat.

  He gunned it and sped past avalanching debris. The giant robot followed closely, it’s arms punching from side to side at the hills of scrap and making it difficult to move forward. Leon quickly got some distance between him and the giant. As he noticed the space between them in the driver’s side mirror, he immediately got tingles of excitement running down his spine.

  “I’ve got this!” he exclaimed.

  That euphoria proved to be short lived. With an epic thud, a large chunk of alloy landed directly in front of his vehicle. Leon’s eyes widened as he gripped the steering wheel hard and swerved. As the scenery transformed into a blur, doubts shot through his brain like lightning.

  Is this how it feels to go? Have I seen them before? Why can’t I remember? The last sentiment served as an alarm. He was headed towards the end of a cliff.

  The giant robot charged behind him. It took a poorly timed step and fell to the ground, rolling behind the car. Leon smirked and held on tight, he pulled the emergency brake, and the car slid.

  The speed and momentum were too much to handle. Leon knew—good or bad—they both were done. The hot rod and tumbling robot were airborne, followed by a wave of debris. Leon launched himself from his seat, holding his bat tightly.

  “Go get them kid,!” he yelled out into the open air, hoping his nephew would hear it.

  Lucky we drove a convertible, was his last thought as he saw his reflection glimmering in the water below.

  SPLASH!

  The beloved ride made first impact, disturbing the once tranquil waters.

  Everything around him seemed to stand still. Muffled sounds proved to be shallow breathing. How long have I been here? Have I died?

  A cough followed by aching chest pain forced Leon’s eyes open. He rolled to his side as he coughed up what felt like far too much water fo
r the lungs to hold. Once he caught his breath, his eyes wandered around, still unfocused.

  Mustering just enough energy to utter a whisper, “I’m alive…”

  Soaking wet, he found himself on the bank of the lake where he could see a fallen giant in the distance. Everything felt so famliar, like an odd sense of Deja Vu.

  A silhouette of a man in front of him held a spear. The man stood between him and the aliens coming out of the shore. Leon took a second look as his eyes focused, it was not a man but rather a kid. Trevor, Oliver’s custodian friend. He wielded a broom as he kept the aliens at bay, protecting both of them.

  Leon held his bat strongly and climbed to his feet. He took a swing at the alien closest to Trevor.

  “Hit ‘em in the head. Knocks ‘em right out!” Leon shouted as he recalled his previous encounter by the bridge. “Not that I’m complaining, but what are you doing all the way out here?” he asked, while taking a swing at another alien.

  “I’m on my way to the fridge plant. I figured, them green men—all they want is those Tesla coils. You know, for energy and what not?” replied Trevor as aloof as ever.

  “It’s all over the monitors at the Factory. Wireless energy, a universal commodity, is what he says.” He continued while he tripped an alien with his broom.

  Leon took notice of the kids dexterity, but gave no vote of confidence about his wits, despite the fact that he had been able to entertain Oliver for hours at the malt shop.

  “What could you possibly do about the Tesla coils from the factory?” Leon thought, at this point, any idea could be better than no idea.

  “I ain’t doin’ diddly squat, but I’m sure some of the smart folk will. Once I tell them my idea,” Trevor said.

  Leon and the boy stood back to back while battling the wounded aliens. A discarded alien baton shimmered through the spoils of battle, catching Leon’s attention. He rolled to the weapon and held onto it like a police baton.

  Handling it just felt right, as if he remembered some old training. He used the weapon to taser an alien from behind with a jolting energy blast on impact.

  Desperate over the situation and overwhelmed by the irrelevant information from the hillbilly kid, Leon went berserk with anger.

  A rush went through his body, his cool completely gone. Focused now, he moved on to the second alien and gave it his all. Leon ignored Trevor as the teen stood in awe from the aggressive display.

  Leon’s mind went blank, and all he saw was the alien’s face as he took a hefty number of blows at his opponent, pummeling it to the ground. Leon suddenly came to his senses and dropped the weapon. He was surprised at his own reaction towards his foe. The creature laid bruised and scorched from the energetic beating.

  “See, it worked!” Trevor cheered.

  Leon entertained the conversation one more time as he wiped his bat clean.

  “What are you talking about kid?” he asked, squinting his eyes in disbelief.

  “I saw it happen once with my friend, Joe, a custodian like me. He gave an idea, got heard, and smart people got on it to make it work. Now we have better ventilation systems,” Trevor said optimistic.

  Leon looked at him with an aloof expression and replied, “That’s ridiculous kid. That idea is bogus. What does the fridge factory have to do with these monsters?”

  “Oh, yeah? Well, you should come help me out and see for yourself,” Trevor answered while scratching his ear.

  “Right. I gotta get to Oliver and Banks. You probably should stay out of the woods and come with me,” Leon replied. He couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the kid’s decisions, but he didn’t have time to waste.

  Trevor nodded. “Nah, it’s alright. You go. I’m still headed for the fridge factory. I’m sure the good Doctor will be there.”

  “Suit yourself. Thanks for saving me, and be safe, I guess.” Leon followed a trail and headed up the path to the old hangar by the scrapyard.

  * * *

  Oliver followed General Banks without looking back. A strenuous sound of assorted metal clashing and falling into the water startled him.

  He turned around in fear for his uncle. “Leon!” Oliver shouted while dropping to his knees.

  Tears didn’t spill onto his cheeks, but a crushing sensation filled his chest. He became silent. That was the third person he had lost on account of the alien invasion mystery. The general squeezed Oliver’s shoulder in an effort to comfort him, but it was far from enough.

  “Why is this happening, General? What’s really going on?” he cried.

  “Sorry, son, but for some odd reason, your family has had to endure the burden of having first contact with these creatures and everything else around it. Sometimes that means having the ones you love get caught in the crossfire.”

  The general popped a thick cigar in his mouth and lit it with a match. Oliver could see the sorrow in the general’s eyes through the flames. It was the look of a man too tired to account for his thoughts. A man that could only envision what was ahead.

  Oliver took a deep breath. He realized that tears still didn’t come, despite the sorrow. He wondered if the symbiotic bond had severed his Lacrimal gland or maybe his trigeminal nerve. If it did, what else could the new-found energy had possibly changed in him?

  For a second, his sense of wonder changed the perspective of his purpose, he wasn’t asking “why him” anymore. He began to wonder what was next, and he felt a sense of self encouragement.

  “I understand, General. Take me to where I need to go,” Oliver replied as he picked up on Banks reassuring demeanor.

  They came close to the old rusty hangar. Oliver took a second look at the place. A cold shiver wobbled his knees for a moment, a shred of doubt taking over at the eerie sight.

  “General Banks, sir, what do you mean my family has had to endure the burden of first contact?” Oliver asked as he came to a halt, silently demanding the general to explain himself before they went any further.

  Oliver felt for the first time ever a shroud of vulnerability in the general’s eyes as his seemingly cold exterior was almost broken. Oliver read the general’s body language, and he was getting the information he was looking for.

  From the side of the hangar, by the outskirts of the woods, a noise emerged out of the bushes. Oliver and the general stood ready, anticipating a hostile alien survivor.

  “Yeah, Banks, you seriously have some explaining to do. I think the kid’s earned it. Hell, we’ve all earned it!” Leon yelled as he slowly emerged from the bushes.

  Oliver’s heart pounded, feeling as though it could burst out of his chest. He ran straight for his uncle to make sure it wasn’t the alien symbiotic bond playing games with him.

  “You’re alive!” Oliver shouted joyfully.

  He embraced his uncle in a rush of relief.

  “Yeah, I realize it’ll take a bit more than a big splash to get rid of me,” Leon said.

  Oliver was pleased to see his uncle display a more optimistic demeanor—especially given what just happened to him. He finally felt, with Leon by his side, the mission could become bearable. A thick cloud of cigar smoke broke the moment off.

  “You have a death wish or something? That was a heck of a stunt, kid,” the general barked at Leon with optimism.

  Oliver felt the appreciation behind the general’s demeanor. For a brief moment, he felt like they were a team at work! He gazed at his uncle, amazed at his ability to survive.

  “You make me blush, General. Now, let’s get going. You have some beans to spill, right?” said Leon while walking into the Hangar.

  The general took the lead and walked in front of the group as he puffed smoke like a locomotive. He wandered close to a control panel, as if trying to remember a control sequence. Oliver felt shivers as the cold sweat dropped from his arm into the alien metallic alloy.

  To his surprise, he then felt the sweat running down his new metallic limb, the sensation was a bit electric. He watched the general take a deep breath as he pulled on a l
ever by a great metallic console at the back end of the hangar.

  “Alright boys, I’ve got a story to tell you,” he said as the yellow caution lights surrounded the roundabout where Oliver and Leon stood.

  The general stood with them while the platform began to freight down a tunnel. Leon looked around in awe, but Oliver still couldn’t help noticing his uncle seemed a little familiar with the scene, as if the past suddenly caught up to him.

  Oliver gave a firm glance at General Banks, obviously wanting answers. The general had a large toke his cigar.

  “Ok, kid, you know all those tests and therapies we’ve had you work out with Doctor Dickens? Just bear with me here. Lemme give the details first. I’ve got the answers you need. It all started the day your uncle had first contact,” the general said.

  Oliver and Leon looked at one another, then back at the general. Oliver couldn’t help but feel relieved to be out of the spotlight for a bit. The weight of the world had been lifted as his anticipation was replaced with long awaited information. The trio continued down the freight tunnel as the general spoke.

  13

  Chapter 13

  The echoing rumble of the freight’s mechanism brought a monotone of tranquility. Oliver’s sympathy for his uncle grew. He understood at that moment his uncle’s rebellious attitude came from all those years ago.

  For a moment, they locked eyes, silently reassuring one another that they were in it together. The general’s voice became incoherent for a moment as he chomped on the cigar in his mouth. Oliver noticed the guilt in his voice behind the series of events that led to his daughter’s abduction. It made it hard for the general to speak the truth.

  “You gotta understand that a lot of this I was briefed on, and I’m in the dark as much as you are in some other areas. It took two years for Leon to get better after first contact. We’re talkin’ a few years before the war,” the general said, lowering his head.