September 13th
Mark ran his fingers through his hair aggressively, pacing back and forth. Phil was sitting on the couch in shock and Dan stood guiltily, shaking.
"Okay. Okay okay okay," Mark rubbed his hands down his face. "So, Jack was kidnapped when you two were at the mall?"
Dan nodded.
"And you're both not sure how you got found out or why they grabbed Jack first; just that whoever they were wore masks. And you specifically heard the words, 'Area 51'."
Another nod.
Mark sighed like all the world rested on his shoulders. "Ishing son of a biatch. Okay, first things first: Dan."
Dan looks up when Mark clasps his shoulders, eyes meeting his. "This isn't your fault; not in any way, shape, or form. Okay?" Hesitantly, he nods. "Good. Now Phil."
Phil slowly looks up, blinking slowly. "Weren't you telling us about this raid Area 51 meme going on?"
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Jack swore loudly when he woke up in some sort of empty glass tank.
His head pounded, and he struggled to remember what happened. He'd been with Dan, he's pretty sure?
"Subject B-58 is awake."
Jack turned towards the voice and squinted through slowly-clearing vision; there were people standing there, speaking amongst themselves. When he registered white labcoats and heavy, black protective gear, his heart froze.
Oh shi-
"We have deemed it to be a high-energy specimen, though not one we're familiar with. DNA certain shows some abnormalities and we've concluded that it's extraterrestrial in origin-"
Why did this sound like a bad sci-fi movie?
"-hence the 'battery chamber'."
One of The scientists, male, perked up. "Sir, may I ask where you acquired said specimen?"
The main speaker, some sort of military-esq. figure, seemed ready to speak and give his own account when Jack cut in, Irish and swearing and pissed.
"He grabbed me from the effin' mall; in effin' England! Probably scared the bejeebies outta my roommate too! Who the hell gave you the right to knock someone out at a mall anyways?"
The Officer composed himself quickly. "Remember to ignore it; these things will lie through their teeth. As I was saying-"
"But Sir," The female scientist, younger chipped in nervously, "are you sure you didn't make a mistake? He sounds Irish, and honestly-"
"Rogers," he snapped. "You've always had too much sympathy. You know as well as I do that all extraterrestrials appear humanoid or mimic so; with all the damn broadcasting on the satellites I wouldn't be surprised if they're tuning in regularly to learn our behavior."
Jack felt his face twitch into a disgusted sneer. At least Rogers sent him a sympathetic look.
"Now, I believe it will be better for us to continue this discussion outside of the room; wouldn't want the subject to distract us."
The door at the other end of the hall slid shit after they filed out. Jack slumped with a sigh. 'No fooling them, I guess.' He let Sam out as a source of comfort.
'Guess I'll just have ta wait fer the others.'
Back at the apartment, they got prepared.
"So we're gonna join the raid on the twentieth, and slip in through the chaos?"
"Yeah," Mark responded vacantly, sorting through the pants; they all had brought out their darker clothing into the living room, hoping to find the best, inconspicuous outfits. At least Dan would be set, Mark thought wryly, glancing at the plethora of dark shirts and jeans.
A snort. "We'll be shot on sight."
"We've done stupider things."
"And we are not leaving Jack there," Mark cut in curtly. He wasn't angry - rather, he understood that they were afraid. He was, too. He was just. . .irritated.
Dan gave off waves of fine help friend fear bold. "Of course we won't."
Phil sent an apologetic look, as well.
Mark sighed, letting the tension out of his body. "Sorry, guys. . . I'm just." He made a vague gesture with his hand, "Y'know."
"It's fine; we're all on edge."
"Yeah,' Dan agreed. "Can't blame you fer being stressed. Hell knows I am." Phil elbows him sharply with a snicker.
Mark smiles as they start to rough-house; stressed as he was, it was nice to see some semblance of normalcy.
But even this short distraction wasn't enough to push all his worries away.
Well, he thought wryly as he pulled their outfits from amongst the pile, let's get this show on the road.
September 20th, 2019
There was a great crowd that day, on the edge of the facility. They were on a small slope, overlooking the compound below. There was a great murmur about what they would find today, at the end of the day. Some speculated it would be aliens or weapons; grandiose technology from a game or forgotten time. Stuff beyond their realm, prisoners of space, experimentation, monsters, nuclear bombs of mass destruction-
On the edge of this crowd, dressed unassumingly, somewhat darkly but not starkly, stood three who should be four. They knew exactly what was inside waiting for them.
And they would save him, no matter the cost.