Chapter 48

Five

The flight back home passes in relative silence. With Marina, Four, and Sam sedated I make small talk with the Ishphenni and spend most of the time trying to sleep but am only able to nap for an hour at a time.

"You're second guessing your choice" Hawk remarks when I join him for a drink at the minibar. "Are you suggesting that I merely forget what I just did?" I ask him, pouring myself a double shot of bourbon.

He takes the bottle out of my hand and pours himself a glass. "Drinking isn't going to help. Trust me I've been there."

Hawk sighs as he sips his drink. "In time, I think they'll understand why what you did was necessary."

"Even Nine?"

Hawk raises his eyebrow and thinks it over. "He'll understand better if you explain it."

I look down at my drink and raise it to my lips but my stomach groans loudly at the thought of swallowing so I pass the cup to Hawk. "Thanks for the chat. See you when we land."

When I reach my seat, I pull out the Red Loralite I took from the lab and turn it over in my hands. For a moment I begin to have doubts about the path I've embarked on but remember the visions of the future from my dreams. Images of a new Lorien, a safe Earth, and the end of the Mogadorans bring me peace as I drift off to sleep.

I awaken to the feel of the plane landing on a runway and rush outside as soon as the door is lowered. Waiting for me is Hannibal along with Crayton, Sandor, Brandon, Snow, and Stark.

"Welcome home darling" Hannibal greets me, opening his arms. I embrace him and lean my head against his shoulder like I did when I was small. "Has it started yet?" I whisper.

"Soon" he replies with a smile. "First we need to put the rest of the Garde in simulation pods. Wouldn't want them waking up right away." He motions to the clones standing beside him who promptly board the plane.

"Commander" Hannibal calls out to Hawk as he disembarks. Hawk salutes and the two of them grip each other by the forearm. "Congratulations on a successful mission."

"Thank you sir" Hawk replies crisply. "I was wondering if you would mind transferring Mr. Goode to rejoin his father."

Hawke nods his head and motions to his men to snap to it.

"Gentlemen" Hannibal announces, turning to the other Cepans. "It's time for us to reshape the world."

Mark

"James! I'm open." Kevin yells from across the lawn. Dodging a tackle from Mike, I launch the football over my shoulder to Kevin, just as Greg comes up behind him. Catching the ball, Kevin spins away from Greg and makes it a touchdown.

"That's game" I announce to a disappointed Mike and Greg as Kevin cheers. "I want a rematch" Mike complains in mock anger. "That last tackle should have been a foul."

"Hey" I protest. "You said you wanted to play tackle instead of touch." Before David can respond my mom comes out the back. "Mark! It's time for dinner! Are your friends joining us?"

I turn to the guys. "You boys interested? Its meatloaf today."

"Eh. Why not? The least you can do is feed us after that beating." Greg comments. "They're staying" I shout back after Kevin and Mike decide to stay as well.

As we walk in, I pass the living room where my dad is watching CNN. "Its dinnertime Honey" my mom tells him from the kitchen. "Just a minute" my dad answers back, his eyes glued to the screen. Curious as to what could be so interesting, I move closer to listen in.

"Authorities are still unsure what the connection between the robbery of the Smithsonian and the attack of the Kremlin is but are continuing to pursue leads on the elusive John Smith." The story now has my full interest so I take a seat on the couch. "The Kremlin sustained heavy damage during the bombardment and is believed to have been orchestrated by separatists. Indicating that Smith and his father may be part of a much larger organization. Also at the scene is another international fugitive named Stanley Worthington wanted for multiple charges including homicide."

The screen cuts to footage of tanks firing on the Kremlin and a picture of John appears on the right along with the other kid Stanley.

"While investigators are remaining tight lipped about what Smith was doing in Russia several weeks ago or his association with Worthington, sources close to the investigation believe that Smith and his father belong to a group of anarchists who are funding their terrorist campaign by stealing historical artifacts and selling them on the black market."

"On a related story, both the Louvre and the Tower of London have offered rewards on the pieces that were stolen from their collections. More on that after the break."

"Your old friend certainly seems to have moved up in the world" my dad remarks dryly, as he heads to the kitchen. "We're not friends" I mumble, taking my seat.

My dad nods and takes the seat beside me. As the others eat, I wonder what John is doing overseas and if this Worthington is another alien like him. At the same time, my mind moves over to Sarah wondering if she was able to find John and if she's with him right now.

"Earth to Mark!" My dad shouts from across the table.

"What…?" I ask, suddenly aware that everyone is looking at me. "Can you pass the gravy son?" My dad asks in a slightly calmer tone. "Sorry for spacing out like that" I apologize. "I was…thinking about school stuff."

My mom nods understandingly but my dad doesn't look like he's buying it for a second. Nonetheless, he resumes eating and the rest of dinner passes in silence.

Five

"…And you'll have complete access to the air waves once you're ready to deliver the message." Stark informs Hannibal as he places the final touch on his uniform. Dressed in a Loric general's attire, Hannibal stands proudly in front of a banner displaying the crest of the Loric Elders; the sun with two forks of lightning passing through it.

"Mr. Snow, is the ship in position yet?" Hannibal asks.

Snow scans his computer before holding up a five. "Ten more minutes" Hannibal tells Stark. "Then we begin."

Hannibal turns to me and takes my hand. "Talia it's time to activate the Electo Magnetron Disrupter. Wait for my signal."

I nod and make my way through the halls, past clones, to the room with all those terminals lined row after row. Soon I repeat to myself

Mark

Once the dishes are cleared away, we all rush over to the TV to catch the game between Seattle and the Patriots. My dad and I root for the Pats while the other guys remain divided.

At halftime my dad switches on the news and we're greeted by the flashing message Breaking News across the screen. "Earlier this morning a group of armed men and women broke into this building of Fort Detrick in Maryland."

"Although Homeland Security is refusing to say what the gunmen were after, authorities have confirmed that one of the assailants matches the description of the terrorist Stanley Worthington." Once again the kid who was with John in Russia appears on the screen, looking downright hostile in an artist's sketch.

I get an odd sensation as I look at the picture. A feeling of unease. None of this makes any sense. Where's John? Where's Six? Why would the Garde be attacking military bases when they're international fugitives?

"The governor has declared martial law and is asking all residents to stay at home while the military conducts its investigation. Despite the claims that no major damage was done to the base, some are speculating that this attack was an attempt to steal viral samples from the base which was the center of our nation's biological weapons program from 1943 to 1969. While weapons are no longer stored at the base it is the current center of the country's biological defense program.

"More will follow as the story continues to develop. Back to you Diane."

"Thanks Steve. Residents in Washington DC are in for a bit of a surprise this evening. A large shape believed to be an asteroid passing the planet was first noticed about half an hour ago and will be visible to observers in the tri-state area as it moves through the atmosphere."

The screen changes to a live image of the object and I instantly notice the asteroid or whatever it is only seems to be growing larger. "We seem to be getting some conflicting reports about this…" the anchor's voice cuts in as papers are rustled. "Some of our astronomy experts are saying that this object's trajectory is inconsistent with an asteroid and appears to be entering the atmosphere."

As camera focuses closer in on the object I see what looks like metal and swirling symbols I last saw during the battle at the high school. "That's no asteroid" I whisper, causing everyone to stare at me yet again. "It's a ship."

Five

"The ship is approaching the city Talia" Hannibal informs me over the coms. "It's time." I look down at Nymeria and stroke her back before taking a seat in the control panel and placing my hands on the monitor to active the machine.

As the machine takes its first breath, I summon three nuclear rods and beginning absorbing their energy. While the raw nuclear power flows into my body, I also take out the piece of Red Loralite and hold it in midair with telekinesis, drawing upon its power as well.

The sheer power of all this energy fills me with what fills like unlimited bliss. Gone are the aches and pains of my stomach, the tiredness of the last few days, and soon the realization comes that I now have the greatest power of any Garde since the original Elders.

And now the time has come to share our power with the world. Taking a deep breath, I channel all this power, my dreams, my desires, and the love for my friends and family into the machine causing electric sparks to fizzle and turbines to spin. The end has truly begun for the Mogs.

Mark

A second after the words come out of my mouth the TV goes dead. Then the lights follow, leaving us in pitch darkness. For a minute, no one says a word.

"Don't worry boys" my mom calls from the kitchen. "It's just power outage. There should be some flashlights around somewhere… "

Suddenly, a light flickers inside the TV before disappearing. Then it reapers only this time the light is the result of static pulsing in and out like something's disrupting our connection.

"Did you guys forget to pay the cable bill or something" Kevin jokes but I ignore him and move closer.

"You are not alone" the TV blurts out causing me to jump a foot back. You are not alone. You are not alone. You are not alone." The TV announces in a firm masculine voice. "You are not alone." The TV repeats this several more times before the static is replaced with the image of a man in a black uniform sitting in front of a desk and with a flag behind him

"Citizens of Earth" he begins. "I am General Hannibal LeAhad of the Loric people." My dad and friends gap and exclaim in shock but I just turn up the volume. "We have come from planet far from yours. We have journeyed across an ocean of stars to reach you."

General Hannibal stands up and moves towards the camera, giving us a good view of a long scar that crosses his face. "For some time your world has sheltered a hostile race of aliens known as the Mogadorians. They will look like you, they may walk among you, they have made deals with your governments, but they seek to subjugate your planet."

A sense of dread settles over me. A feeling that Loric coming out like this can only mean the Mogs are on the verge of appearing as well.

"I have come to ask that you place the leaders of these vile creatures into my custody immediately to answer for the destruction of my planet. To those of you who know of their existence: the fate of the planet rests in your hands. To the world leaders I say this: surrender the Mogadorians within 24 hours, or watch this world suffer the consequences."

The screen subsequently goes dark and the lights turn back on as though nothing had happened.