First Life, page 3
part #1 of River Saga Series
“What’s in it for the Angor?” I asked.
Amy stared blankly at me.
“Seriously. Why go to all this trouble to give us a second home? The resources to construct this Checkpoint? They’ve sent a quarter-million of their own people to our planet, and they not only spent a decade getting here, but twenty years working with us to improve Earth. Why?”
She assessed me, her head tilting slightly. It was like she saw the real me for the first time. No smirks. No batting eyelashes. No innuendo. “We don’t know.”
I downed the rest of my drink. My head was already fuzzy from the day’s events, and I was starting to tire. “Then why do we trust them so implicitly?” I said this too loud, and noticed the Angor woman glance over.
Amy smiled, pretending we were having a fun conversation. She spoke low. “Don’t talk like that, Colton. I knew I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“It’s okay. I’m done. Who cares why they came? I won’t be around to find out.” I waved for the waitress, and Amy set a hand on my arm.
“I think you’ve had enough.”
“You’re right. When is this crew leaving for the colony world?” I asked.
“I can’t tell—”
“Amy, for one night, let’s pretend it doesn’t matter. Just give me this. Tomorrow, you can return to hiding your secrets, I’ll continue to play the foundation supervisor role, and we’ll all move on.” I noticed the shift in her mood, and she relaxed her shoulders.
“About a month. They leave then.”
“How are—”
“That’s it. No more information. You’ll hear the details with the rest of the world tomorrow.” Amy’s hand was still on me.
I glanced at it, then at her. “How about one more?”
____________
Long shadows cast over the bay as the sun rose behind the hotel. I was late. My aching head reminded me of last night, and I tossed the bedding to the floor, searching for Amy. She was nowhere to be found. An empty bottle of wine sat beside the bed, and I chuckled. I’d almost been killed yesterday, and my second in command had been detained by the Angor. Instead of worrying about it, I’d gotten drunk in the arms of a beautiful woman.
“Amy?” I called, and heard the water running in the bathroom. She bustled out a moment later, looking polished in a black pant suit.
“I have to go.”
“You’re heading to the barge?” I asked.
She nodded, avoiding eye contact. “I am.”
“Then wait for me. We’ll go together.”
She shook her head. “You take the ferry.”
“How are you…”
She pointed out the window, and I saw the Angor ship flying to the hotel. It was Rolosh’s private transport.
“Amy. About last night.”
She stopped at the door and watched me. “Yes?”
“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot with the Angor. But I did have fun.”
She finally smiled, and winked as she exited. “So did I.” The door closed, and I was alone in her penthouse suite. So this was what it was like living as a government official. Maybe I should have ventured into politics.
I was due to start my shift in twenty minutes. I quickly showered and rushed to the ferry dock, taking the last one this hour. There was only a single person on the boat with me, and I nodded at him, seeing he was from the dome crew. I was curious.
“Good morning,” I said with a wave.
“Hey. You’re Beck, right?” the man asked. He was middle-aged, fit, and had a full head of hair. Strong. Probably worked with his hands all day.
“That’s me. And you are?”
“Victor.” We shook.
“Dome crew? Let me guess, fasteners and glass?” I chanced.
“What gave it away?” He laughed.
“Work on the barge since ground zero, and you pick up a few things. How’s it going over there?”
“Good, I think. You know how it is.”
I thought about what Barney had said in regard to the atmosphere testing. “What kind of tanks are loaded beneath it?”
“Tanks?”
“Gases,” I said nonchalantly.
He raised an eyebrow. “Not my department.”
“But you’ve asked, right?” I knew their crew would discuss the details. They’d be curious as to what they were constructing.
“This is between us?” Victor blinked a couple times.
“You have my word.” I placed a palm on my heart.
“Nitrogen. Carbon dioxide. Oxygen. Argon. Xenon.” He listed them off, pausing after each element.
That wasn’t unreasonable. There were trace amounts of the last two in our own atmosphere.
“There’s also an unmarked tank,” he whispered, glancing around as if someone might be spying.
“Of course there is.”
The ferry reached the docking port, and Victor rose, shaking my hand again. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t repeat this.” And he was off.
I made it to quadrant nine, to find my full crew there. Less the traitor.
“Where’s Barney?” Sarah asked. She was crouched at the subfloor opening, running scans on her tablet.
“He’s off the team.” I kept my tone neutral.
No one seemed surprised, like they were aware of his plan. I wondered how many of them were in on it.
“Everything fixed up?” I scanned the data while Sarah walked me through the details.
“Colton, there’s a message for you at the office.” Barb’s voice emerged from my tablet, and I stood, excusing myself.
I found my assistant holding a cup of much-needed coffee as I entered the room, and she closed the doors. “What the hell happened?”
“Which part?” I asked.
“Barney! You didn’t even check in afterwards. I was worried sick. Your tablet was off.” Barb paced the office, spilling coffee.
“Sorry,” I said, taking the cup from her shaking grip. “I was preoccupied.”
“What are we going to do?” she demanded.
“About what?”
“I don’t know. It feels like everything is changing. More of our people are starting to wig out,” Barb said. “You could cut the tension in the city.”
“Really?” I hadn’t noticed.
“Two Angor were discovered dead outside the boundaries last night. Then Barney. I’m scared.” Barb was unflappable. Ever the rock I could count on to get things done. I’d never seen her out of sorts before.
“It’ll be fine. Do you want a transfer? I think after yesterday, I could put in a good word with Rolosh, have you sent somewhere nicer,” I offered.
“Maybe.” Barb plunked onto her office chair. “You sure it’ll be fine?”
I wasn’t, but there was no point in worrying her any more. “Yes.” I checked the time, wondering when this big announcement was coming. “Have you heard any news out of New York?”
She used her computer, searching quickly. Her lips pursed. “How did you know?”
“Call it a hunch.” I sat at my desk, and she pinged the article to me. Exciting announcement in 2:39. The seconds ticked down on the webpage.
“What is this about?” Barb came to my desk, rolling her chair beside mine to stare at my large screen.
“I guess we’ll learn together.” As I watched the countdown, I felt my own hourglass dropping sand to the bottom.
Finally, the press conference began. The human government’s offices were located in a building called Unity Tower, inside Central Park, and I saw the Unity Earth flag on the left side, with our planet’s seven continents highlighted as stars along the right border. On the opposite edge of the podium was Angor’s flag, a blue banner with wavy white lines.
No one stood at the podium, and I turned the volume up, anxious and concerned for this declaration. I’d wrung a few details from Amy, and now I regretted bothering her and making her divulge information illegally.
“Who’s that?” Barb asked as a woman approached, stopping behind the lectern. Her face was older, her eyes more distant, but it was her. My breath caught in my lungs, and my vision narrowed as white spots darted over my sight.
“That’s Indie Hart,” I whispered. I hadn’t seen her since I was fifteen. I knew she’d gone to New York, but had no idea she worked at Unity Tower.
Indie faced the cameras and smiled. “People of Earth, human and Angor, we are thrilled to be providing this statement today. I’m Assistant Director Indie Hart. The Unity Accord was the most important document we’ve ever signed. It allowed us to partner with the Angor in our great time of need. They’ve taken our world and ensured that no one goes hungry. That we all have access to fresh water, healthcare, and shelter.” She paused, and I leaned closer, amazed that she sounded exactly as she had when we were kids.
“In this Accord, there were rewards for our … compliance. We were only too happy to oblige and allow the Angor space and authority to better Earth without assistance. Now, we’re being offered something spectacular.” She waited, staring at the camera.
“Dramatic effect,” I whispered. It was classic Indie. She was the best friend I’d ever known. Even to this day, I’d never met someone who came close to replacing her. But those were different times. I liked to think of my life as B.A. and A.A. Before Angor, my world was small. Baseball, history exams, and Friday night movies. After Angor was full of heartache, hard work, and loneliness. Since the moment I knew I had the defect, I wouldn’t let anyone get close.
“In a month, we will be sending ten thousand people to Dicore.” Indie’s smile was genuine. She was obviously eager to share this news. I caught the familiar sparkle in her dark green eyes, and noticed the lines crinkling near them. I wished I could talk to her at that moment. To tell her I was sorry. That I hadn’t meant to push her away.
“What is she going on about?” Barb asked.
“I have no idea.” But I did. A little.
“We will ask for volunteers. Use the link below to fill out the forms, expressing what makes you a suitable candidate for this mission. Colonizing another planet is not an easy feat. We need strong people, resourceful minds, and capable hands. This may be a one-way mission for some of you, but we have a plan for a connection from Dicore to Earth. This will be revealed in due time. The Angor have been ideal partners, and now they’ve fulfilled their promise yet again. Please, welcome Director Ulison for more on the project.”
“We have another planet?” Barb croaked out. “How are we getting there?”
My heart was pumping quickly. They were leaving in one month. That was too soon.
Indie stepped aside but stayed near the Earth flag while the illustrious leader of our visiting Angor took her place at the lectern. He was tall by their standards, with wide shoulders and a narrow face. “People of Earth, today may be as important as the one when we arrived. The Expedition will commence immediately. We will choose our candidates within days and begin the process of training you at Angor City. From there, we will depart on Palora.”
I couldn’t believe it. Palora was their primary vessel, the one that had carried this man and his closest twenty thousand to our surface two decades ago. “We’ll make a single stop before continuing to Dicore. Some of you will set foot on your new colony world before five months are finished.”
Five months. I rose.
“Where are you going?” Barb asked.
“I need to be on that ship,” I whispered.
Barb pointed to the screen, scrolling down to the forms. She clicked it and browsed through some of the information aloud. She paused at the end, tapping me on the shoulder. I read the italicized notation. No one with Xeno will be permitted.
“You knew?” I asked.
“Of course I did. I wouldn’t be much of an assistant if I didn’t.” Her eyes filled with tears. “You can’t go, Colton.”
I peered at the screen, staring at Indie Hart grinning while Ulison continued her speech. “Try and stop me.”
____________
Twenty Years Ago
Fayetteville, Arkansas
“It’s coming straight at you, Colton!”
Jerry, our second baseman, didn’t need to tell me. I eyed the ball, dropping deep into left field, and raced toward the fence. It grew in size, slapping the leather of my glove, and I tossed it back, hoping to catch the kid chasing for third.
He returned to second, huffing and shouting at his teammate for taking it easy on me.
The stands were packed, and I waved at my parents in the middle of the bleachers. My dad was standing, cheering the Badgers on in his usual boisterous way. God, I loved playing baseball, even after my last game’s train wreck that had moved me from short stop to left field.
It was the bottom of the sixth, and we only needed one more out to bring us in. I glanced at the scoreboard, seeing we were ahead by one. 4-3. Not the most exciting game, but that didn’t matter. The win was the important thing.
If we defeated them, we moved on to the state championship. It would be the first time in over a decade that the Fayetteville Badgers earned a spot at the coveted tournament, and I wanted to be part of that so badly.
I surveyed the field as their big hitters stalked to home plate, his bat tapping his cleats as he took position. He was huge, as if he was twenty, not fifteen like the rest of us.
Indie was on first base, punching her fist into her glove, cat-calling the massive kid. I chuckled at her words, wondering where she came up with the terrible sayings. She chewed her gum voraciously. It was the only way she kept her hand steady.
“You couldn’t hit the ground if you jumped!” Indie’s voice carried all the way to my position.
The kid looked angry, but just ignored her, waggling his bat above his shoulder.
“Did your momma forget to give you a helmet when—” Indie stopped as the field grew dark. It was a scalding summer day. The perfect idyllic kind. It smelled of freshly cut grass and hot dogs grilling at the concession. My gaze drifted toward the sky.
The pitch came, and I heard the crack of the ball on bat, but I didn’t see any of it.
The clouds parted, shoved aside by a massive… object. It roared through the air, the noise cutting into my ears. I dropped the glove, and felt the baseball roll up to my cleats. People were shouting, and for a second, I questioned why.
Then my brain caught up. This was a spaceship. A damned alien ship like in the movies.
Orange flames licked the base of the thing, and it slowed, coming to hover over Fayetteville.
“Get off the field!” a coach shouted, but no one dared to move. My feet were planted to the ground, and I heard Indie’s voice as she ran to my side.
Her hand slipped into mine, something she’d never done before, and we just stood there, staring at the monstrosity above us.
“What is it?” she whispered.
“A UFO.”
There was a moment of silence, the engines of the horrible craft shutting down. The flames receded, but the ship didn’t lower. It covered half of our city, and remained floating in the air, defying gravity.
It was dark gray, shaped like a triangle with rounded edges. I’d seen enough movies to know what to expect next. I gripped Indie’s hand tighter as the center of the ship opened. “This is it,” I muttered.
Indie grabbed my face, turning my jaw toward her mouth. She kissed me. I could taste the bubblegum on her lips. Aliens were here, and I was having my first kiss. With my best friend.
“What was that for?” I asked when she broke free. I could still taste her watermelon gum.
Indie smiled, her expression sad. “I didn’t want to die without you knowing.”
The field was full of people from the stands, and my parents pressed through. “Colton, we have to leave!” My dad had tossed his #1 finger, and was paler than I’d ever seen him.
“Indie!” her mother shouted from behind a throng of people, and Indie’s hand unclasped from mine.
“I have to go,” she told me.
I didn’t want to let her, but she was determined, snaking between the crowd, trying to locate her mom.
“Colton, stop dawdling,” my own mom said. Her red hair was curled, and it bounced as we ran to the gate at the edge of the field. I took one last peek at the scoreboard, and then at my glove. I knew, at that moment, I’d never play baseball again.
I left the glove there as we raced for our minivan. The ship’s center was spread open, I guessed a good half-mile-wide hole.
Cars were backing up, hitting one another in the gravel lot. It was mayhem. A vehicle sped forward and struck my dad. He smacked onto the guy’s hood and rolled off. The sedan slowed for a second, the driver gaping in horror, but he jammed his foot on the pedal, shooting rocks behind him before grasping the pavement.
“Bill!” Mom was at his side, and he sat up, dusting his pants off.
“I’m okay.” Relief flooded me.
We piled into the van, and somehow it felt safe. As if being in a familiar place made it seem like a dream. Someone banged on the passenger door window, fear etched on her face.
“Drive, Bill,” Mom hissed.
A minute later, we were on the road, trying to escape the thing hovering atop our city.
I peered through the rear windshield, watching the ship blotting the sky from our view.
Instead of a giant energy beam striking the city, blowing anything up, there was a mist escaping the opening. It floated down like a gentle rain.
“What do you think that is?” I asked my parents.
My dad was staring at the mirror, swerving into the center line. “They’re releasing something. Maybe they’re trying to poison us.”
“Don’t scare Colton,” my mom said, and I loved her for it. Aliens had arrived, and she was worried about my anxiety.
But it was too late. I was terrified.
As we hit heavy traffic, everyone trying to flee the middle of the city, I thought about that one brief moment with Indie, and smiled despite the circumstances.
Everything had changed forever.
THREE
Now
