Hi there. *enthusiastic waving*
Suewe: I know I always say its not a contest of who reviews faster but lets be honest. Of course I´m lingering before my computer waiting for them. I just would never admit that ;)
Claws: You have no idea whats going on? Good. Then this time I actually did a good job disguising what´s going on. Hehe. Let´s see how long I can keep you on the tenterhooks.
Speaking of what. Lets keep going.
Treatments
The screens were changing steadily, always showing another picture, another room, another section of the building. They´d seen almost everything by now. Empty places as well as crowded ones. Either crowded with aliens or with humans. But nowhere they had spotted the Doc. If he was still in the building he had to be hiding pretty good. Zach was cursing under his breath. This goddamn bug had to come out on some point, hadn´t he? Why did amateurs like him never understand that the word sneak attack had nothing to do with military operations like this one?
The last picture came up. An empty hallway. The alien-girl looked at him asking. He looked back equally asking.
„Well?" he said.
„Thats all there is." it said.
„There has to be more." Zach argued. „He can´t have vanished into thin air. You must have overlooked him."
„I didn´t overlook him. Your friend must be out of the building."
„Why should he leave the building?" Zach asked. „He knows the plan."
„What do I know?" the alien-girl said. „He´s your friend."
„Your bloody damn right about that." Zach replied. „Step aside and let me try this. You must have overlooked something." When the alien-girl looked at him uncertain he waved a hand at her. „Go." he said. „Ksch. Into the corner, go. I´ll handle that from here. You." he pointed at Chris. „Watch her."
The alien-girl went into a corner of the room, closely followed by Chris, who aimed at her with his gun like a good guard. Joon followed them too. Benny hold her back at the arm.
„You shouldn´t go near her." he advised his little sister.
„I took her hostage." Joon argued and shook her arm free. „I can do whatever I want. Those are the rules."
Benny didn´t dare to hold her back, remembering what he had created last time he had tried to forbid her something. So he let go of her and watched her go over to the corner, where Chris was watching the alien. Well at least he could be sure that Chris was there to step in if something should happen. And he himself of course. He was watching too.
Joon sat down next to the alien-girl, hugging her knees. „Hey." she said.
„Hey." the alien-girl replied grimly. The two of them looked at each other for a moment in awkward silence.
„So … How´s your eye?" Joon asked.
„How does it look like?" the alien-girl asked back.
„Not too bad." Joon answered not understanding the hypothetical nature of the question. The alien-girl rolled her remaining three eyes.
„Maybe that is why you overlooked the Doc." Joon said. „Maybe you are missing your fourth eye."
„I didn´t overlook him." the alien-girl argued offended. „If he´s not on the monitors than he´s not in the building."
„Young Lady." Zach cried from his place at the computer. „You really shouldn´t listen to that alien. Enemies that are hold hostage always try to manipulate." He gave her a meaningful look and then turned back to the computer.
Joon looked from him to the alien-girl again. She was blowing air in a bored way, as if to say: Yeah yeah say what you want. I can´t stop you anyway.
In that moment Joon realized something. „What is your name?" she asked the alien-girl. „You didn´t tell me your name."
„Because I have none." the alien-girl told her, obviously confused over such a stupid question.
„But … how are we supposte to call you then?" Joon wanted to know.
„You´re not supposte to call me anything. I´m your enemy."
„I thought you´re my hostage." Joon argued and before the alien-girl could reply she went on: „That means I can make you do things. And it also means I can ask for your name."
„But I don´t have a name." the alien girl repeated.
„No?"
„No."
„Why don´t you have a name?"
„Because … Because I´m a clone. There are hundreds of us. Do you have any idea how long we would need to take over a planet if we would name them all before we start?"
„I don´t want to name them all." Joon said defensive. „Just you."
„Oh, knock yourself out." the alien-girl cried.
„Why should I do that?" Joon asked confused.
The alien-girl gave her a look as if to ask: Are you for real? When Joon didn´t seem to understand her reaction she sighed in exasperation. „How you want to call me?" she asked to get the subject off the table.
„I don´t know." Joon said. „What would you like?"
Now the alien-girl really looked confused. „You ask me?"
„´f Course. Its your name after all."
„I … I don´t know any names. Except for yours."
„But you can´t be Joon. I´m Joon."
„Then what do you suggest?"
Joon thought about it for a moment. „My mom´s name was Dina." she said. „How about this?"
„Dina." the alien-girl repeated the name, listening to the sound of it. „Dina."
„Do you like it?"
When she noticed Joon watching her, she wiped the smile that had started to come over her, off her face. „Its okay, I guess." she said.
„Good." Joon cheered. „Then you are Dina now."
„Calm down." Dina said.
„I am calm." Joon insisted.
„Yeah?" Dina asked and looked ahead, avoiding Joon´s gaze. „Good."
„Yeah, good." Joon agreed also looking ahead.
„Good."
Everybody in the room was looking at them, one way or the other. Chris and Benny exchanged a wondering glance. Benny just raised his shoulders.
...
He heard humming sounds. That was before he opened his eyes. When he moved his lids so he could see he regretted it at first. The light was so bright it seemed to blind him. Suddenly there were muffled voices with the humming as if his tries to open his eyes, had brought them up. He couldn´t understand what they were saying. But it were female voices.
He tried to remember where he was. Was he in hospital? The aching he felt all over his body seemed to indicate this idea. The next thought that came to him was: Ariane. Was she one of those voices he heard? Again he tried to open his eyes. This time he could see a little better. His eyes started to get used to the light. There were machines over him. They looked strange but it was pretty obvious that they were medical equipment though. So he had to be in a hospital. But since when did the voices in a hospital sound as if they were spoken in a huge hall? Was he in an ER? No, he couldn´t be in an Emergency Room. Because he was awake and no one was operating him.
The question why he should be in hospital in the first place occurred to him. Did anything happen? An accident? Had he misjudged one of his experiments again? Now his eyes had gotten used to the light and he could see … he could see a cross. A crucifix. And paintings of saints on the ceiling. Big windows. Colourful windows. Where was he? Was he dead? This place looked like a church. The voices were closer now and then someone stood next to him. He tried to move his head but found himself unable to do so. So he just peered to his left to see who was with him. Please, let it be Ariane. Or Dr. Stevens. Someone I know that is alive, so I will know that I´m alive too. He found the face next to him and it did indeed tell him that he was alive. Not because it was a friend but because he doubted that there were supposte to be aliens in heaven.
The alien clone looked down on him with an expression like one would expect it to see on a nurse´s face that observed a critical patient. It seemed to check some datas on the machines and then turned around again to talk to someone outside of his field of vision. He opened his mouth but had to struggle to get his voice to work.
„Where am I?" he finally managed to ask.
„You´re safe." a voice answered him.
The alien clone brought something to him that created a reflection over him. It was Gallaxhessa. He recognized her face and even though her clones looked exactly like her, he could tell that she was the real Gallaxhessa. There was something in her eyes that was different. Somehow more real, more alive, more original than in the clones eyes. A whole personality. Something that was build up over years of experience and not just over some memories and knowledge that had been implanted in the brain some hours ago, when it was generated by a machine.
„What did you do with me?" he demanded to know.
„I didn´t do anything." Gallaxhessa answered earnest. „The humans shot you. Don´t you remember?"
Dr. Cockroach blinked. He tried to remember but so far his mind was still clouded. He remembered that he was on a mission to stop the alien invasion. He could remember blowing up the ship and that they had escaped with their lives very closely. He and someone. A human. Zach his name was. Of course, Zach McNamara. Now he remembered. They were in Massachusetts. But what had happened that explained why he lay here? This part was still unclear.
Gallaxhessa had watched him recall his memories until now. She seemed to know that he had managed something but not everything. „The humans you tried to free shot at you." she explained. „My clones brought you here to fix the damage they created."
Again Dr. Cockroach blinked confused. He might not be able to remember what had happened to him but he could remember quiet well who Gallaxhessa was.
„Why?" he asked therefore.
„What?" she asked back.
„Why would you do that? I´m your enemy."
She gave him a tiny smile along with a knowing look. „Even enemies have a right to be treated like equal beings." she said matter of factly.
For a moment, Dr. Cockroach didn´t know what to say. „I … I´m your prisoner." he then said.
„Right now you are a patient." she corrected. „My clones will do everything they can to heal your wounds, but you have to rest. It´ll need some time. By the way. There is someone who wants to talk to you."
The reflection of Gallaxhessa´s head vanished and for a moment Dr. Cockroach only saw the painted ceiling again. He had to be in a church of some sort, it occurred to him again. But why? Why had they brought him here? He was supposte to be somewhere else. Another sort of building. But what sort? He still couldn´t remember.
The reflection came up again in front of his eyes. But this time it wasn´t Gallaxhessa he saw there. It was Link. His old friend looked down on him with worried eyes. Dr. Cockroach couldn´t do anything else but stare back wide eyed. What was Link doing here?
„Hey, buddy." he greeted. „How you feelin?"
„Link?"
„Yeah, its me. Don´t worry, they say you´ll be fine again. You just need to rest."
„Are you a prisoner too?" Dr. Cockroach asked.
There was a strange expression on Links face. As if he wasn´t sure what to answer. Or did he imagine that? Was it just because he felt so dizzy? His vision started to blur again.
„Don´t worry about me right now." Link said when he noticed that. „Just rest. We´ll talk again later. You´ll be better soon."
But Dr. Cockroach heard his friend´s voice only in the back of his mind by now. He was already drifting off to sleep again.
...
In the Washingtoner State Bank a group of soldiers gathered around a hole in the wall. They had blocked the front of the bank, so the aliens wouldn´t be able to see what they were doing inside. They had turned over tables and doors to build up this improved barricade. But this also meant that they couldn´t see what was going on outside either. So they had thought of another way to threw a look outside.
„Okay, B.O.B." Monger told him. „You know what to do. Go slowly and quietly. And as soon as you see something that is not quiet kosher you come straight back. Got me?"
„Sure." B.O.B. said. „Just one question."
„Yes?"
„What´s kosher?"
Instead of an answer Bryce slapped B.O.B. at the back of what was the upper part of him and the closest that came to a head for the blue monster. B.O.B. just started to laugh.
„You know what to do." Monger repeated and then B.O.B. started to slither his way through the hole, making himself a crawling snake with only one big eye at the top. He slipped through the hole in the wall, what had been shot by the aliens and that was truly just big enough for him to get through.
Outside the street was a mess but he couldn´t see any aliens. That might be because it was a backstreet and the aliens were waiting at the front side. So B.O.B. crawled further to the exit of the alley. He peeked around the corner and there they were. They stood around with their guns and watched some others that tried to peek into the bank. Maybe they had had the same idea like Monger. To try to find out what they were doing inside.
One of them turned its head and spotted his eye. It aimed its gun at him but another alien stopped it by laying a hand on the gun.
„No." it said. „No shooting, remember?"
Though B.O.B. was still not sure what kosher meant but he had a feeling that this wasn´t it. So he backed off and slipped back into the bank as fast as he could, just like Monger had told him to. The aliens followed him.
„What?" Monger asked. „What is it B.O.B.? What have you seen?"
„I saw aliens." B.O.B. told him.
Bryce rolled his eyes. He was about to say something when they heard sounds from outside of the hole. Voices.
„Oh, fo-cry-aaa-lawd!" Tucker cursed and started to shoot through that little hole.
The aliens that had started to gather around there and peek in jumped back. Tucker was still shooting. Some of his bullets hit the wall but most of them actually went pinpointed through the hole.
„Cease fire!" Bryce bellowed. „For gods sake, Tucker! Save your bullets!"
Tucker stopped firing. The silence that followed his shooting excess was a strange one. He looked at Bryce with a disappointed expression. His gun was still pointed at the hole. After a minute or so one single alien dared to peek in to see what had happened. Tucker pulled the trigger and shot it.
„Sowry, Boss." he said with a shrug. Bryce just shook his head.
Outside the aliens had understood that is wasn´t a good idea to approach this hole. They had tried whatever they had been able to, to do what Gallaxhessa had wanted. Now they called her to tell her that it was useless.
„They don´t want to talk." the clone informed her.
„Did they say that?" Gallaxhessa asked in a tone that made clear she didn´t believe for just a second that her clones truly had talked to the humans. Before the clone even had a chance to answer her question she demanded: „Let me talk to them."
The clone took the devise that was projecting Gallaxhessa´s head and shoved it over to the hole, so she was right in front of it. When Tucker saw the new alien he started to shoot again. He was quiet surprised when his bullets didn´t have any effect on that thing.
„Stop that." Monger ordered. „Its just a picture."
„A pitcher?" Tucker cried in disbelieve. „Aa ya kidden me? Thaats-a freakin alien head."
„Humans." Gallaxhessa called them. „Ginormica." She hesitated and mumbled: „Though that name doesn´t really fit you anymore does it? Anyway. I know you are in there. I think it quiet cowardly of you that you are hiding in there. I told you what I want. If you surrender and come peacefully with my clones, your human friends have nothing to fear from me. All I want is the Quantonium."
„She thinks Susan is with us." Bryce whispered. Monger just nodded. „Then we should not disappoint her, should we?" Bryce stated.
„Wha-you mean, Boss?" Tucker wanted to know.
„The only reason why they didn´t attack us is because they think, we have what they want." Bryce explained. „We need to stall some time. Giving Josh and the others time to get some help."
„How are we supposte to stall?" Monger wanted to know.
Bryce turned to his soldiers that were waiting in the back of the bank. He waved to a female Lieutenant. She was in her late twenties had a dark teint and black heir. Bryce knew her for three years now since she had been transfered to Quantico. She got up and hurried over to them.
„Kayleigh." he addressed her. „Call out for them that you won´t come out. No matter what."
„What if they know the difference of the voice?" Kayleigh asked.
„Just do it."
The young Lieutenant licked her lips and then opened her mouth. „I´m not coming out!" she cried.
„Don´t be stupid, Susan." Gallaxhessa replied. Bryce nodded encouraging at Kayleigh to go on. They had bought the deception.
„You know that earlier or later we´ll get to you." Gallaxhessa told them. „And if you remember: I still have your friend Link. If you don´t want him to get hurt you should come out now."
„Forget it you crazy chick!" Kayleigh cried.
Monger, Bryce and Tucker looked at her with asking faces. She just shrugged. „I improvised."
Tucker gave her a look. „Nice." he said with a slow nod.
Gallaxhessa looked through the hole estimating. When she got no more answers she shook her head in disappointment. „Then you are responsible for everything that happens to your friend." she said and switched off her transmission.
B.O.B. looked with a big kid´s eye at Monger. The general didn´t know how to answer the unspoken question. They had already lost the Doc. Now it was Link´s life that was on the line. He looked away so he wouldn´t have to look into that pleading eye. But the only result he got was that he meet the gaze of his old friend Bryce. He looked at him completely sympathizing. And somehow that was even worse.
„Where is the fire?"
Ahead Alisha could hear some of the guys calling for each other. All she knew was that someone had started to cry out that something was burning and after the last experience they had had with a fire she was on the edge at once. She could see some flickering light. Then there was a fizzing sound and she could smell smoke.
„Safe." someone cried just a moment before she reached the corner and could see for herself that the fire had been put out. As it seemed it had been just a small one. A burning old chair.
„Check the area." she ordered already looking around herself. But after a few seconds she left the checking to the men and approached the chair instead. Its remains were black and smoking. But the more important thing was what was behind it. There was a freaking hole in the wall they had build up themselves. Or better yet, Susan Murphy had build it. This part was one chunk of debris that she had put there. And Alisha was sure that this hole hadn´t been there when she did this. Susan hadn´t overlooked something like that. Still, the hole was there. And it wasn´t a hole that had been busted. It looked like it was a cut hole. She looked closer at the inside of it and it looked like melted metal. Carefully she touched it. It was cold. So it was a while ago. But there was no question about the fact that this hole had been, yeah, burned through the stone.
„I´d say that was a laser." Drake´s voice made her jump. He looked at her with raised not existing eyebrows. „I think now we know how the aliens came in." he said.
Alisha frowned. „Yeah." she said. „But the aliens didn´t lit this chair."
She looked down on that smoking heap of burned wood. Something was odd about all of this. This fire right in front of this hole. Like a beacon. But for who? Or what? She wished there was softer ground here instead of concrete. That way they could see some footprints of whatever had come by here. But whatever it was. It seemed as if it had slipped out through that hole. Alisha just wasn´t sure if that was good news or bad news.
Eventually the men she had send out to check the perimeter came back and reported that they hadn´t found anything. If there had been anyone or anything it was gone by now.
Alisha nodded. „Seal that hole." she ordered. „We don´t want any more to come through it."
Well, seems like something´s on the loose now. See ya next week.
And thanks for reading.