The convoy continued on, pitching from side to side as they travelled along the forest track. It was dark now and Alice could barely make out any of the people in her truck. She tried to hold on whilst the truck endeavoured to throw her and the others around.
“This is getting a little uncomfortable,” she said.
“We should be getting onto a road soon,” replied Joe optimistically.
In the darkness Cardenas asked, “Does anyone know anything about this underground base we are headed for?”
“It’s a DUMB you dummy!” exclaimed Katlin provocatively.
“What’s a DUMB?” replied Cardenas ignoring her rancour.
Katlin rolled her eyes, she didn’t suffer fools gladly. “It stands for Deep Underground Military Base. The government has always denied their existence but it is believed that there are hundreds all over the States.”
“One of the most famous is the Dulce base in New Mexico,” added Joe, “another is called Mount Weather, and of course there’s Area 51 where allegedly something is going on below ground.”
“How are we going to get in Joe?” enquired Alice.
“I don’t know for sure, I guess that is why General Jackson is coming along for the ride. He must have access.”
Alice nodded and the lorry fell silent again. In the darkness she could just about make out Joe’s face. She smiled inwardly and thought back to the second time that they met…
***
It was a beautiful late spring morning in downtown Arrow Creek. The midday sun seemed to hang overhead pouring warmth and optimism which always seems to arrive at this time of the year.
Walking along Main Street however, Joe was more than a little pre-occupied to notice. Ever since meeting Alice, he just couldn’t seem to get her out of his head. Joe’s wife, Isobel, had died five years earlier of a brain tumour and he still hadn’t got over it. He had had plenty of opportunities to date, Katlin had been especially pushy, but he just wasn’t interested. Now much to his surprise, he found himself thinking about this pretty young thing who he rescued from a Grizzly up in the mountains.
Still contemplating his thoughts, Joe unconsciously opened the door to the diner where Katlin worked and stepped in. He walked over to the counter, smiling, as he saw Katlin smiling back with a coffee jug in her hand.
“Hey Joe,” she said brightly, “coffee?” knowing exactly what his answer would be.
“Please, and some apple pie, I’m feeling peckish today.”
As Katlin organised his order Joe scanned his eyes around the room. All the usual faces were there except one. Sitting on her own by the window was Alice drinking a cup of coffee. Joe turned back to Katlin and asked, “That girl over there by the window, how long has she been here?”
“About twenty minutes I guess. Why, do you know her?” said Katlin a little uneasy.
“Kinda,” replied Joe.
“I’m not sure but I think she’s Briti…” trailed off Katlin as Joe, not listening, walked over holding his pie and coffee.
Alice, sensing a presence, looked up to see Joe standing at the table. “Oh hello Joe.” she smiled.
“Hi,” replied Joe smiling back, “mind if I join you?”
“Not at all, take a seat.”
Joe sat down and started to tuck into his pie. Alice just watched him and sipped her coffee. Finally, he said, “So what brings you to this neck of the woods?”
“We needed provisions, I was going to drink this and head back.”
“Lucky I came in when did then or I might have missed you,” said Joe surprised at his own candour. “How is your ankle by the way?”
“I suppose,” replied Alice with a little more caution, “my ankle’s much better now thanks.” She too had been thinking a lot about Joe but wasn’t going to make the fact obvious. “Actually I’m glad we bumped into each other,” she continued, “I want to ask you something.”
“Okay.”
“Will you teach me to shoot properly. Barny said that you are a member of the National Guard. So you must be pretty good.”
“Yeah I’m a pretty good shot,” replied Joe feeling slightly flattered.
Before he could answer Alice’s question Katlin arrived with a coffee pot in her hand. She had been watching their conversation from behind the counter and didn’t much like what she saw.
“Top up anyone?” said Katlin with an overly cheerful tone.
Alice glanced up to see the waitress who had served her earlier. Katlin was about Alice’s height but much slimmer. Her face had slightly more pointed features, framed by short, jet black hair. She was of Irish extraction which probably accounted for her feisty nature.
Joe knew exactly why Katlin had come over. For some time now she had made it clear to Joe that she liked him but he had always held her at arm’s length, not because he didn’t like her, he just wasn’t interested in general. Now it seemed that Katlin saw Alice as some kind of threat.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” asked Katlin.
“Oh – right,” replied Joe, “Alice this is my good friend Katlin.”
Alice and Katlin shook hands and sized each other up.
“You kept her quiet Joe,” said Katlin, “where did you two meet?”
“It was only a few days ago, up in the mountains.”
“Well,” said Alice, “it’s time I was heading back. Nice to meet you Katlin.” Alice stood up to go and Joe stood up also. As Alice started to walk out of the diner Joe said goodbye to Katlin and followed Alice into the street.
“I didn’t give you an answer,” said Joe catching up with Alice.
She looked at him expectantly.
“How about this Saturday, I know a range that we can use?”
“That sounds great – where shall we meet?” enquired Alice.
“How about here at 10am,”
“Fine,” said Alice smiling, “I’ll see you here then.”
Opening the door to the Range Rover, Alice got in and drove off. Joe watched the car disappear down the street and wondered what he had started.
***
The Range Rover pulled up in front of the diner on Saturday morning and Alice switched off the engine and banged the steering wheel in frustration. She was angry and upset after having a row with Middlebrook and Anna over getting involved with Joe. They didn’t want her to go but knew that there was little that they could do to stop her. Alice’s argument was that there was going to come a point when other people would have to get involved, and if it had to be someone then why not a person with connections to the National Guard. The argument resulted in Alice storming out, leaving Middlebrook and Anna exasperated knowing that nothing had been resolved.
Alice stepped out of the car and looked around her. She was fifteen minutes early and Joe was nowhere to be seen. As Alice leant against the car, Katlin appeared, she had seen Alice arrive and decided to go out and confront her.
“Oh, hello,” said Alice, “Err Katlin isn’t it?”
Katlin looked Alice up and down; her manner was clearly not friendly.
“Who are you?” she said rhetorically, “you stroll in from God knows where and think you can take what you want.”
Alice instinctively knew that Katlin was talking about Joe; it was obvious the day before that Katlin was showing signs of jealousy.
“We’re just friends,” replied Alice, “there’s no need to get all possessive.”
Katlin lunged towards Alice and pushed her forearm against her throat, pressing Alice against the car.
“Friends,” said Katlin with contempt in her voice, “Joe and me have been friends for years. So if you know what’s good for you – back off.”
Suddenly Joe’s pick-up pulled into the diner and Katlin released her hold on Alice. As Joe got out and walked over to the girls, he sensed that something was going on.
“Is everything okay here?” he enquired.
“Everything is just fine,” replied Katlin, “we were just getting acquainted.” She turned and glared at Alice to see her reaction.
“Yes,” confirmed a ruffled Alice, “just passing the time of day.”
Joe didn’t believe a word of it but decided to let it go for the time being.
“Right Alice, if you follow me in your jeep we can get started,” said Joe opening the door to his truck. Alice nodded and got into her car. As they drove off Alice noticed Katlin staring from the diner doorway. She couldn’t believe what had just happened and was annoyed with herself for allowing Katlin to intimidate her so easily.
After a short drive, they eventually arrived at the firing range and in no time Joe was putting Alice through her paces. Alice determined to improve was attentive and eager to learn and showed definite signs of improvement very quickly. Eventually Joe went to his pick-up and returned with a semi-automatic rifle.
“Let’s see how you do with a proper weapon.” he said with a smile.
Alice took the rifle and while still standing took aim at the target. She pulled the trigger and let go a short burst of rounds. The bull’s eye of the target was peppered with bullet holes. Alice turned to Joe with a big grin on her face. Joe nodded his approval.
“Not bad, you seem to have taken to that no problem.”
“We have a rifle similar to this back at the camp; I shall practise with it.”
Joe nodded in reply. He had forgotten about the small cache of weapons he’d seen in the RV – it troubled him but decided to say nothing until he knew her better.
“I suppose I ought to be getting back,” said Alice with a sigh. Then after pausing for thought she asked, “Do you know any self-defence moves at all?”
“Well we are taught hand-to-hand combat as part of our training.”
“Could you teach me?” asked Alice again almost apologetically, “I know that I’m taking up a lot of your time.”
Joe didn’t mind, he was enjoying Alice’s company. She was intense but in a different way to Katlin – less in your face. He was finding himself more and more attracted to her but wasn’t sure whether he was just being used.
“Sure – how about tomorrow,” he replied, then hastily added, “if you’re not doing anything.”
“No not at all – tomorrow will be fine. What time?”
“How about elevenish at my place; we can use my garage to train in.”
“I’ll need directions to your house,” said a beaming Alice.
Joe drew a map on a scrap of paper and handed it to her.
“Thank you so much Joe,” said Alice, “‘til tomorrow then.”
With that she gave him a peck on the cheek, got into her car and drove off. Her encounter with Katlin earlier in the day made Alice realise that she had to toughen up and learn how to defend herself.
***
That evening over dinner, Alice announced her intention to go over to Joe’s the next day. The atmosphere from the morning’s argument was a little tense and Alice was expecting another fight. To her surprise however they just nodded resignedly.
“You are your own woman,” said Middlebrook, “you must do what you think is best.”
“Why don’t you like him?” asked Alice.
“It’s not that we don’t like him,” added Anna, “We don’t know him. It’s a matter of trust.”
“Well we need to start trusting people soon,” stated Alice, “we can’t fight this war on our own.”
Middlebrook had to concede; Alice was right on this but what he feared more than anything at this point was ridicule. After all, who was going to believe such a crazy story?
Late Sunday morning Alice arrived at Joe’s house. She walked up to the door and knocked. Joe came to the door wearing camouflage trousers and jacket. He smiled and beckoned her in. Alice took off her coat – she was wearing tracksuit trousers and a sweatshirt.
“Would you like a drink?” offered Joe.
“No thanks, let’s get started.”
Joe showed Alice through to the double garage where he had laid down some gym mats.
“I’m going to take you through some basic moves first of all, just to warm up.”
During the next two hours, Joe demonstrated self-defence moves from the front and behind: how to disable an armed attacker, and more. Alice picked it up very quickly to the point where eventually she was anticipating Joe’s moves and throwing him to the ground almost every time.
After one final drop to the ground Joe was lying on his back. Alice stood over him straddling his waist. Then she dropped down almost sitting on Joe and pinned his shoulders to the floor.
“Enough already,” said Joe,” I give in.” He was hot and sweating and noticed Alice was too. Joe extricated himself out from underneath Alice. “I’m going for a shower,” he said, as he started to make his way to the bathroom.
“I’ll follow in after you,” replied Alice still panting a little.
Joe stepped into the steaming shower cubicle and started to soap himself down. Suddenly he heard the door slide open. He turned around to see Alice naked, stepping into the shower with a big smile on her face. Noticing Joe’s surprise she said, “Well I did say that I would follow you in.”
***
The grey mist swirled around Alice’s body as she lay seemingly suspended in mid-air. It felt to her as though the mist itself was supporting her. She opened her eyes and tried to focus. She could just about discern shadowy figures moving about inside the mist. Eventually one of the figures moved closer until Alice could clearly see the creature standing before her. It was a Deviant, slim and slight, wearing a black skin tight suit that revealed her figure; the small breasts betraying the fact that she was clearly female. Her head was shaved bald except for a red and blue pony tail set high on her crown sticking up, arching over and cascading down her back. The large almond shaped eyes were black, shiny and lifeless. Alice looked up at her, terrified, but unable to move. With a slight grin on her face the Deviant brought a knife round from behind her back. It was broad, eight and a half inches long and razor sharp. She placed the tip on the right hand side of Alice’s abdomen and pushed down. Blood welled out of the wound and Alice tried to scream but no sound came out. Then, with a large grin on her face, the Deviant pulled the knife across her abdomen to the left leaving an incision ten inches long and oozing blood. Pulling the knife out of the wound, the Deviant held the blade vertically to her mouth with the edge to her lips. Blood from the knife ran down the handle and over her hand. She looked at Alice and grinned again then stuck out her tongue – it was slightly forked, with a prong on each side of the knife blade – then she ran the knife slowly down, licking the blood off at the same time.
Alice sat bolt upright in bed and shook Joe violently out of his doze.
“What is it?” he said shocked and confused, “what’s happening?”
“It’s alright,” replied Alice still reeling from the nightmare.
She lay back down and snuggled into Joe still panting slightly. “I was dreaming that’s all, I must have dozed off.”
“Some dream,” said Joe, “what was it about?”
“I can’t remember,” Alice lied; she remembered the dream vividly but didn’t want to explain it to Joe. How could she.
Snuggling closer to Joe, Alice felt him put his arm around her and they lay there quietly for a while until Joe broke the silence.
“Alice I couldn’t help but notice the scars on your left wrist. Do you want to tell me about them?”
Alice looked at her wrist, she had forgotten about the scars. They were still slightly red, giving away the fact that they were fairly recent. She hastily put her left arm under the sheets in a pointless attempt to hide them.
“You can talk to me you know,” said Joe, “I won’t think any the less of you.”
Alice thought for a while and then realised that she was going to have to tell him something. She turned to him and said, “For a while last year I went a little crazy; Barny insists that I was more severely traumatised but I felt as though I was going crazy at the time.”
“What caused it?” asked Joe more intrigued than ever.
Suddenly moving to the edge of the bed Alice leant to the floor, picked up some clothes and pulled her sports bra on. Looking back at Joe she smiled and said, “shall I make us something to eat?”
By now it was mid-afternoon and she was hungry.
“Sure – why not,” replied Joe not wanting to press Alice any further, she obviously wasn’t ready yet. He was hungry also and it had been a while since a woman had cooked for him.
Rummaging around in Joe’s half empty fridge Alice pulled out some eggs, an onion and some mushrooms.
“How about an omelette,” she shouted back to the bedroom assuming that Joe was getting dressed.
Joe was only a few steps behind her wearing only a T-shirt and boxer shorts. Alice had put on one of his shirts and he couldn’t help but notice how sexy she looked.
“That will be fine,” said Joe walking up behind her, putting his arms around her waist and giving her a peck on the cheek.
Shortly they were sitting down to eat. Joe was hungry and ate his omelette with gusto, while Alice ate some, and then started playing with her food, deep in thought.
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you,” she said eventually, knowing that she was going to have to say something, “it’s just that if I told you what happened, you really would think I’m crazy.”
“Try me,” replied Joe, and leant back on his chair to gauge her reaction.
Alice sighed, and decided she was going to tell him everything.
For the next half hour or so Joe listened intently to Alice’s story. From the day she told her husband John that she was pregnant right up to the point where they met in the mountains.
“Well that’s it,” Alice said eventually. “You know everything now.”
Joe sat opposite her in stunned silence. It was one of the most insane stories he’d ever heard.
After a while he said, “You can’t expect me to believe that, I’d have to be…”
“Mad?” interjected Alice indignantly. She got up and stormed into the bedroom. By the time Joe walked into the bedroom Alice was fully dressed.
“What are you doing?” asked Joe frowning.
“Get dressed,” demanded Alice, “I’m taking you back to our camp.”
Joe started to get dressed, when he heard a knock on the door.
“I’ll get it,” said Alice still in an angry tone, “you finish getting your clothes on.”
Opening the door Alice was confronted with Katlin whose smile changed instantly to a frown. Alice walked out of the house a few steps and said, “What are you doing here?”
“More to the point,” snapped Katlin, “what the hell are you doing here?”
With that she pushed Alice against the house. Alice was ready for her this time however, and grabbed Katlin’s right arm and swung her round pushing her face against the wall. Alice was still angry at Joe’s reaction and was more than happy to take it out on Katlin. Alice had Katlin’s arm behind her back and pushed it up towards her shoulder blade.
“You’re hurting me.” cried Katlin.
“That’s the last time you lay a finger on me – is that clear,” snarled Alice.
Katlin didn’t reply immediately so Alice pushed her arm up further.
“Okay, okay,” Katlin grimaced, “now let me go.”
Releasing her grip, Alice watched as Katlin tried to regain her composure. At this point Joe came to the door.
“Who’s at the door, Alice?” Looking round he saw Katlin. “Oh – hi Katlin, what brings you round here?”
“Just a social call,” replied a still flustered Katlin. It wasn’t – Katlin suspected that something was going on between them and came round to see if they were together. Her fears were confirmed.
“Unfortunately we’ve got things to do now so I’ll just have to take a rain check on that,” Joe continued, he had barely noticed her demeanour, “I’ll drop into the diner tomorrow.”
Katlin nodded, and still angry, as much with herself for letting that Limey get the better of her, got into her car and drove home.
“Why are we going to your place?” enquired Joe.
“Just shut up and follow me. You’ll see.”
Joe and Alice got into their respective cars and drove off towards the camp, Joe wondering what the hell was going on.
***
On the drive over, Joe’s thoughts turned to his wife. He had just made love to the first woman since she had died five years ago and now he was feeling guilty. He knew his feelings were irrational but couldn’t help himself; their relationship had been a good one and he still missed her. Now he seemed to be getting in deeper with a girl who was driving faster than he felt comfortable with and worse, showing signs of being somewhat unstable.
Speeding along as fast as she dare, Alice was concerned that Joe might change his mind and turn back. She was fully aware of how insane her story sounded to Joe. She knew that he was going to have to know sooner or later so why not get it over with. Alice was desperate to get him to the camp to show him the only proof that they had.
Anna and Middlebrook had just finished eating an alfresco dinner and were enjoying a glass of wine in the late-afternoon sun when two vehicles turned into the clearing. They both turned and looked at each other in surprise. Why was Alice bringing Joe back? Alice stepped out of the car and walked purposefully up to the table – Joe following behind, deliberately holding back.
“Hi Alice,” said Middlebrook cautiously, he could see something was amiss, “hello Joe.”
Alice ignored the greeting; her mind was focused on one thing. “Barny, I’ve told him everything!” she announced.
“Oh that’s just great,” said Anna showing her displeasure. She glared at Alice and stormed into the RV. Middlebrook on the other hand sat trying to keep his composure.
“Was that wise?” he said finally.
“People are going to have to find out eventually and … well I trust him,” blurted out Alice.
Middlebrook turned his attention to Joe. “And what do you make of all this Joe?”
Joe shrugged his shoulders and before he could reply Alice placed her hands on the table to get closer and said to Middlebrook, “Show him the DVD, Barny, it’s the only proof we have.”
Middlebrook sighed with exasperation and gave it some thought. Realising that he had little choice and that there was nothing to be gained now by hiding the proof, Middlebrook stepped into the RV to get his laptop. Returning he set the laptop down on the table, inserted the DVD and let it run.
“Did Alice tell you about the storage device?” asked Middlebrook.
“Yes,” said Joe, “she didn’t say you had a copy though.”
“I managed to download it before the device was taken from me.”
By now the DVD had started and all three watched intensely. Joe stared at the strange creature on the screen incredulously as it imparted its dire warning. When the DVD finally came to an end Joe sat down, he turned to Middlebrook.
“This is a joke right? It’s got to be some elaborate hoax.”
“It’s no hoax Joe,” replied Middlebrook, “I wish it was.”
“Shouldn’t the government know about this?” he continued.
“They do!” said Alice and Middlebrook in unison.
“I’m sure our government would have informed yours,” added Middlebrook, “and a few other countries besides.”
“What are they doing about it?” asked a visibly alarmed Joe.
“What can they do,” replied Middlebrook, “we don’t know when or where they will attack, and besides with their technology I suspect that we are pretty much defenceless anyway.”
Middlebrook paused to let this sink in until finally Joe stood up and said, “No, I can’t take all this in. It can’t be happening.” He got his car keys out of his pocket. “I’ve gotta go,” he said a little calmer. As he made his way over to his pick-up Alice sidled up to him.
“Don’t go like this.”
He could see that she was close to tears. “I’ll see you soon,” he said, not knowing for sure whether he was being honest or not.
Just then Anna came to the door of the RV, she looked ashen. “You might want to come and see this,” she said, “all of you.”
They all stepped into the RV and Anna pointed at the television and said, “Look.”
They all turned to look at the TV and to their astonishment they could see a giant orb about one hundred feet in diameter. It was matt black with slightly raised patterns on its surface and appeared to be hovering some ten feet off the ground. The orb had materialised in front of the White House and was hovering partly over The Ellipse Park and Constitution Avenue – the Washington Memorial could be seen behind it. Panicking drivers were screeching to a halt causing collisions and chaos on the road.
Watching transfixed they listened to what the reporter had to say.
“Suddenly appearing in front of the White House minutes ago and nobody seems to know what it is or what it’s doing here.”
“I’ve just switched on,” said Anna, “It’s on all the channels.”
“What the hell is it!” exclaimed Joe.
They continued to listen to the reporter who was speaking from a helicopter circling the orb.
“We are just getting reports in that thousands of these giant balls have appeared in strategic points all over the planet. No official statement has be…”
The broadcast was suddenly interrupted by a yellow beam emanating from the orb and the TV screen went blank.
Alice turned to look at Middlebrook and said, “It’s started Barny. It’s starting at last.” She then moved over to Joe and held him close. Joe continued to look at the television which had just come back on showing the giant orb from ground level. “Do you believe me now?” said Alice, looking up at Joe.
Joe looked at the screen – he saw it but still couldn’t believe it.