V: THE WASHINGTON CRISIS (NEW EDITION)

by Markab

Planet Earth has been visited by aliens. But are the Visitors all they appear to sed on the same time-line that was the setting of the original TV mini-series in 1983, this time in the US capital. All rights to V and any characters that appear from the TV series belong to Kenneth Johnson. This Edition takes a new path and goes with the second generation story set twenty years later

6. Chapter 6

-FRIENDS & ENEMIES-

CHAPTER ONE

Delia Walsh's smile shone as bright as the diamonds around her neck. This glitzy central Washington restaurant was the finest around. Jake Mckenna garbed in an expensive suit held his arm up and Delia was shown to her seat by the waiter.

Once seated, the waiter poured them a glass each of champagne.

"Jake...looking good"

Jake grasped Delia's hand and kissed it, "You too..."

Delia put her hands together and watched the waiter tidy the best table linen and then smoothed it down, Delia eased down into the comfy seat.

"I'm glad you could make it, I have some good news", said Jake.

Delia wore the new red dress that she had bought earlier from the department store, she tilted her head, "Oh? What is it? Exciting I hope"

Jake took hold of his glass, "I think so...like you hinted at, I've been summoned by my Captain... this illegal vid that's been going around, guess who've they picked for leading the investigation around here?"

Delia smiled, "I told you my Mom would use her influence...we should celebrate properly after we finish up here"

Jake laughed, "This will do great things for my career, it'll sure put Aaron's nose out of joint"

Delia held his eyes, "Oh...I think it will...in fact I know it will"

VVV

As the next day dawned, and Caitlin Ryan looked out to the Potomac river dust bowl. The sky was hazy as another warm day was beginning. Joey Carter was approaching her as she looked out to the once-upon-a-time, where the water rolled in.

"What are you doing up so early?"

Caitlin shrugged yearning for sea breezes that she remembered as a teenager, "just eager to get started, I guess"

Joey placed a hand over her shoulder, "you seem a little too eager for this...remember, Juliet Parish just wants us to get pictures for her...but I can understand your confliction, your mother's heart disease was treated in that healing center"

Caitlin turned to face him and frowned, "What confliction? My mothers cure came at a very high price...I wish we can just close the place down for good, that's all"

"It's too risky...the security is too tight, we'd never get away with it and anyway, if we blow the place up, can you imagine how many innocents would die...that'll come with a very high price tag too"

Caitlin nodded, "I know...sometimes I feel like we are running out of time"

Joey turned on his heal to go back to the resistance truck that was parked nearby, "I meet you back at the warehouse, we're leaving at nightfall, be ready for the off"

She nodded and faced towards the dried river, "I'll see you there..."

CHAPTER TWO

At the White House, Commander Gerald logged out of his terminal in the Oval office and looked up to see the President standing in the doorway. The Visitor stood and smiled at him, "Neil...good timing, I was in conference with Diana just now, and we would like to invite you and your good wife to a fantastic event which is going to happen in California"

Neil Armstrong put his hands together, "This all sounds very exciting, can I ask what you have in store"

Gerald glanced towards the French doors to see a shuttle touch down on the neat lawn outside, "Not at the present, but I will keep you up to date when final plans have been settled"

Neil was about to ask more when his son, Aaron came to his side. Gerald approached him as Aaron quickly saluted him.

Gerald chuckled, "At ease captain"

Aaron relaxed. Gerald turned to Neil, "You and your wife must be very proud of your son, we certainly are...his loyalty to our service is profound"

Neil could see Aaron was beaming with the praise, he shook his head, "Yes...he is getting married shortly, we do hope you can come as our guest?"

Gerald shook his head as he saw Commander Frank with a company of six troopers approach from the corridor, "Indeed I'll be honoured, keep me informed of the date"

Neil and Aaron saw Frank and his men come to stand nearby, so they made their kind excuses and moved away. Frank strode into the office and looked about him, "Well well, you have made yourself home after John's untimely demise"

Gerald was irritated and went and sat behind the desk, "look, I invited you over to make an announcement because now it is official"

Frank turned from the sun lit window and frowned, "What is?"

Gerald smiled, he liked to have the advantage on Frank, "Our Leader is coming to Earth...Diana has just informed me...", he tilted his head amused at Frank's questioning look, "...oh? Your friend Jeremy not inform you?"

"No"

Gerald sat back and put his feet up onto the only historical item in the office, the desk, "You better get up to speed then...there is a lot to prepare for..."

VVV

In a suburb of a town in Maryland, the night was still. It was cloudy, so in the cover of darkness, the approaching rebels to the Visitor Healing plant were unseen.

Caitlin Ryan clutched her pistol and looked over towards Joey Carter who was stooping behind a bush that was at the base of a 8 foot high cyclone fence. There was a row of sharp razor wire sitting at the top length of the fence.

Behind them, Tyler Shaw clutched his rifle. Jason Rogers and Chris Johnson were situated either side of him.

Caitlin managed to slide to Joey's side, "look...over there...", she pointed, "...that's where people are taken into, and interfered with"

Joey shook his head, "are you sure about this?"

Caitlin nodded her head, "Visitor scientists have come up with a cure for birth defects...they've failed 3 times...they are using human subjects to test on..."

"Human guinea pigs"

Caitlin gritted her teeth, "not that they have much choice in the matter...not that you'd know by listening to that phoney spectacle from Secretary General on the TV news earlier"

Tyler came forward, his rifle strap clung to his shoulder, "so have you got what you want? The others are getting jittery back there"

Caitlin clicked her digi-cam on and raised it ready, Joey tapped his watch, "5 more minutes"

Suddenly, they all looked to the night sky and saw a Visitor shuttle craft glide in and gently rested in the car lot beyond the fence. The area was lit by bright flood lights.

The door's opened and three armed Visitor troopers shepherded out ten prisoners. They all had their hands upon their heads. The lead Visitor captain came forward and pointed to the main entrance, "Please all follow me...all your questions will all be answered at check-in"

"More guinea pigs...", muttered Joey.

The unbeknown human test subjects followed in line towards the main doors to the healing plant. The healing plant was one of 6 around the Washington-Maryland area. This one was focused more on making cures for diseases and had reaped results...at the cost of human beings that were tested upon to make sure any cure would work and when it did, it went public and wow the world the ever more.

Caitlin managed to click a few pictures, checking that the camera was on night-mode.

"I wish I could get in there...Julie would love to get this onto one of the Truth Vids...show the world that all their miracle cures come at a high cost, like my mothers"

Joey shook his head, "there is no way...I'm not putting you or anybody else at risk of being caught up inside there"

Tyler tapped his shoulder and pointed, "look"

All looked up to see a camera beeping away a red light on a 20 foot pole high above them, "something we've missed?"

Caitlin gave the digi cam to Joey, "Put that down your trousers if we are gonna run"

Joey did so and backed up, "come on...we better get the hell out of here"

Suddenly they were blasted from all angles. Unseen Visitor soldiers in the darkness around them and above.

Joey dived to the ground firing his own pulse weapon. Caitlin backed to to the cyclone fencing and then saw the opening at the bottom where some animal at dug at some point, she managed to crawl underneath and make a run for it at the edge of the flood lighted area.

Joey glanced to his side and saw her, "Caitlin NO!"

But yelling just made him more of a target and he managed to dodge too and fro at relentless onslaughts of coming bolts of blue.

Caitlin tried to back track and turned, only to be snatched by her wrists by a Visitor soldier, his menacing face hidden behind his black helmet.

VVV

As the other resistance members made a break for it across the streets, Joey stopped and looked back into the direction of the healing plant, "We can't just leave her..."

Chris pulled him by his arm, "We have no choice, the resistance comes first"

The Klaxon went off and there was a Visitor shuttle doing the rounds with a search light.

"COME ON NOW", cried Chris.

Both ducked and rolled beneath a Dumpster truck parked on the curb. They could only wait there until the coast was clear.

VVV

In the vast hangar of the Mothership, Caitlin was lead down the ramp of the transporter shuttle. She looked about her bewildered. In twenty years of Visitor occupation, this was the first time she'd ever been inside a Mothership.

Commander Frank was then meeting them from check in, "So, who do we have here?"

The Visitor captain stood forward, his black helmet resting under his arm, "Prisoner Commander...we captured her at the healing plant when the resistance attempted a raid"

"Funny how you call us resistance to our faces and terrorists on the TV...", spat Caitlin.

Frank looked at her, "So...what are we going to do with you?" he looked at the Captain, "Take her to cell level 8 for holding...I'll look forward to interrogating her presently"

The Captain frowned, "Should I not inform Commander Gerald?

Frank nodded, "I'll do that...now I gave you an order captain..."

The Captain took Caitlin's arm and dragged her up the hanger. Frank was then on his communicator, "Marc? It's Frank...where are you, we have a problem"

CHAPTER THREE

The next day, Bradley Hart came down the metal back stairs to his parents store in South DC. He saw his mother Rachel at the table having breakfast, she looked up, "you okay honey?"

"Yeah...", he helped himself to Cornflakes, "look...where did Dad go again?"

Rachel cleared her breakfast bowl away and was nervy, "just business...you know...meeting with new suppliers, you know how expensive stock is getting"

Bradley sat down at the table, "okay"

Rachel went through the door that lead into the shop. Bradley turned and looked at the pile of boxes that were mixed in with the stock of tinned peas. He stood and went and rooted around and pulled out a vid disk and frowned at it, hearing his fathers voice in the shop, he hid the disk down his pants and sat at the table.

Matthew Hart came in and smiled at him, "Hey buddy...want me to give you a ride to college?"

Bradley stood and dumped his bowl in the sink, "No I'm okay...Freddie's giving me a ride"

Matthew nodded and watched his son move passed him and up the stairs to the living quarters above.

In his room, Bradley shut the door tight and grabbed the vid player from beneath his bed and then shoved the disk in and pressed play.

He stared at the image of two figures on the small flat screen. A red haired girl in her 20s with freckles and an older man in his 50s with greying hair. They looked to be in some kind of warehouse type place. The girl spoke;

"This is Nobel laureate anthropologist Robert Maxwell. Like most scientists and their families, Dr Maxwell was made an object of scorn and hatred by Visitor lies..."

Bradley shook his head, "What the fuck...?"

Robert Maxwell spoke;

"Visitors are afraid that we scientists might find a way to stop them, so they want to contain us. Or worse. That's why all scientists are implanted with ID chips. And we're not the only ones singled out: anyone apposing the Visitors simply vanishes..."

Bradley continued to watch.

VVV

Caitlin Ryan sat in the holding cell aboard the Washington Mothership. She had been there for several hours since being captured at the healing plant. She placed her hands to the cool tiles on the wall and felt the slight vibration of the ship.

Out in the dim-lit corridor, the Visitor Marc stepped out the travel tube and strode over to the cell and activated the door release with his key. The door glided aside and Caitlin was up on her feet in a heartbeat.

The door closed behind him, Marc came forward and Caitlin rested her head in his chest.

"Is it too much for me to hope that you'll here to get me off this ship", she knew that it was too risky.

But he surprized her, "I am going to do very much that"

Caitlin snapped her questioning eyes at his, he held them and stroked her hair, "I was informed of your capture from Frank...he knows that you know too much about the resistance network world-wide and I have to get you away..."

He trailed off somewhat.

Caitlin shook her head in understanding and stood back from him, "kill me...kill me and the problems gone away"

"Frank did suggest that...but he also knows how I feel about you...I could never kill you"

Caitlin looked up to him and managed a sad smile, "even though I got rid of our baby? I...it's not that..."

Marc nodded pulling back his wavy hair and focused his sky blue fake human eyes on hers, "I have no problem of what you did...you KNOW how the half breeds are treated in society...from BOTH our peoples...I didn't want a child of mine going through all that"

"Me too"

He grabbed her arm and inserted the key that opened the door, "come on...if anyone asks, I'm taking you for further questioning, now move"

VVV

Delia Walsh came breezing into the front room of her mothers' George town mansion. On the silver tray she was holding, rested two delicate glasses of a bubbling foamy champagne "Oh please sit and drink this fine champagne..."

Jake McKenna lifted his hand and took one of the glasses and took a sip, the foam stuck to his thin moustache, "Thanks"

Delia grinned pleasantly and raised her glass at him, "You can't have enough official congratulations...", she sat down on the couch and lifted her face to him, "Look...I don't want to sound like it was ALL my doing, but I think I did help a lot"

Jake grinned and strode to the sunlit window, the blinds were tied back enough to see the suburban street outside, "Yeah I know...with your mothers connections..."

Delia knew all that and played on it further, "Well, I do have a mother who happens to be VERY close and loved my the Visitors high command...and that's the path you take to get to the top of the tree..."

Jake turned around and met her gaze, "Yeah...and now all I have to do is stop the widespread distribution of these illegal Vids..."

"Mmmmm"

"Delia, what IS IT about these vids anyway, why are the Visitors so hot to capture those who are...well", Jake hesitated somewhat in mid-flow.

"In with the resistance? You Can say it hun...", Delia laughed, "'they SAY it's the truth, but it's all a bunch of crap"

Jake was surprized and raised his eyebrows at her questioningly, "You've SEEN a vid?"

"No...course not...but I know...well, I've heard rumors of people who have...it's all full of lies about WHY the Visitors came to Earth"

Jake laughed. It was plain obvious WHY the Visitors came to Earth and you'd have to be from Mars not to know the truth. The Visitors had done so much for mankind.

"You know as well as I do the Visitors have done such great things Delia...no more diseases...no more famine...and the tech they have given us over the years!"

She shook her head agreeing with him, "I know...and that's WHY the vids have to be stopped, and YOU are the man for the job in the Washington area..."

The black man came and sat next to her on the couch and took her hand into his gently, "If I smash them...if I get to snuff them all out..."

"Yes...just THINK of it...the rewards we will benefit from...", Delia allured.

Jake licked his lips, "Yes...think of it..."

CHAPTER FIVE

Matthew Hart had counted the disks twice. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes and sighed and sat down on a crate of washing powder. There was a vid missing. There could only be one person who could of taken it.

And he was afraid.

His cell phone rang and he answered quickly, "...Hi Joey...what...okay...look...there's something you should know..."

VVV

Over the barren wasteland that was once the north Atlantic ocean, the sky fighter emerged from the opening dock-hatch of the Washington Mothership. No sooner had it departed, two grade 3 pursuit fighters tailed it.

Caitlin Ryan white knuckled the lever in front of her, as Marc the Visitor turned his head to the rear of the craft, "they're gaining on us"

Caitlin laughed as she tried to remember what she had been instructed to fly a fighter, "are you surprized? We were never gonna get away with escaping...they are getting desperate for our key-locations around the world"

Marc pointed as they neared the land proper, rather than the dry desert ocean floor they had been cruising over, "We'll put this thing down in Memorial Park, we are gonna have to take our chances on the ground...I will do what I can to get you back to base"

Caitlin managed a smile as she saw the urban sprawl of Washington could been seen out ahead beyond the vastly under populated Delaware, "Okay...I just hope Joey is gonna thank you for this"

Marc turned around in the seat, "Joey? You know how much I detest him..!", he let his eyes linger on her as she faced front, " Yeah...don't I know it"

VVV

As Freddie Matlock parked the car in the college parking lot, Bradley dove his hand into his bag and pushed a disk into Freddie's hand.

"What's this? Not porn is it...", he said playfully at his boyfriend.

Bradley shook his head, "Fuck no...but YOU wanna see the shit on that man...when I saw it...I just couldn't believe what was watching"

Freddie looked at the disk then back at Brad, "hey...is this illegal?"

"Fuck me it is"

Freddie, acting like the world was watching him, shoved the disk in his bag. Brad put his hand on Fred's shoulder and leaned in to his ear, "watch it and pass it on..."

"Yeah I have my hand carry vid player but...", he meet his boyfriends eye, "...I will, in the john during my free period"

They got out, gathered their books and joined the streams of students heading towards the steps of main college building.

VVV

Rachel Hart was outside the general store in south DC as two or three Visitor ships glided by over head. The truck, that was parked just outside on the curb, had it's back shutters pulled down as the boxes of stock were ready and waiting on the walk to be put into the store.

Her husband Matthew came out of the store and examined the stock, "delivery?"

Rachel nodded at the truck driver, who tipped his cap and he fired up the engine and was on his way.

"We better get this all into the back room"

Matthew nodded and piled a few boxes onto the two-wheel trolley, "Joey wants to see us"

Rachel screwed her face up as she helped steady the load, "what about?"

Matthew patted the cardboard box on top of the pile as he wheeled the trolley into the store, "it's about the vids...the Visitors have stepped up with their raids"

Rachel felt confident. They had been secretly distributing these illegal vids for more than a decade now, "Ohh we'll be okay, that back room is as safe as houses"

Matthew paused and nodded looking at her, his denim jacket had seen better days, "I did an inventory earlier...one of the disks is missing"

This was news to her, "Missing?"

Matthew shook his head, "I think Bradley's taken one...you KNOW how curious he is about what we are doing"

Rachel closed the door of the store and locked it because her blood was running cold, "He wouldn't...would he?"

Matthew nodded as the long afternoon shadows flooded the shop, "I think he has...and IF he passes it on to the wrong people, we are in BIG trouble..."

"No...No, if he passes it round his buddies they are gonna know where it came from!"

Both Matthew and Rachel couldn't hide the fear in their eyes.

VVV

Freddie Matlock looked up and down the crowded college locker hall, and then reached into the very back of his locker and picked out the small disk.

Julian Wade frowned at him as he dumped his back pack onto the floor and took it into his grasp, "What is it?"

Freddie rolled his eyes and closed his locker, "It's a vid"

Julian shook his head at him, "What kinda Vid?"

Freddie lowered his voice to an almost whisper Julian could barely hear, "the truth...watch it and pass it around"

Julian lifted his bag and shoved the disk inside the folds swiftly, "Yeah I will? But what's on it?"

Freddie walked with him up the locker hall towards the stairwell that took them to the sports arena, "As I just said - the truth - the truth they don't want you or anybody to know"

Julian flashed a look about him carefully, knowing the camera was in view, "Where'd you get it?"

"My boyfriend's parents own a store...that's all I'm gonna say till you watch it and let me know what you think"

"Okay...I'll get back to you", Julian watched Freddie exit down the stairs to the sports lecture hall, he then looked up to the camera and smiled.

VVV

At the Lincoln memorial, Caitlin ducked out of sight. She hid behind a corner to catch her breath. When Marc landed the Visitor fighter craft behind the trees in memorial Park, she started running for her life. There was no way she was going to end up back on that ship.

Marc had gone the other way to Capitol hill to drawer off attention. Caitlin swallowed and looked up to the sky then looked at her watch. It was well into the afternoon. She gathered herself together glanced at the statue of Abraham Lincoln, and started to walk casually, rounded towards the streets hoping she could get to Joey without incident.

VVV

At the College, Julian sat in the principal's office.

"he gave you the vid?", asked Principal Skinner. Julian looked up at him and nodded his head, "Yeah check out the CCTV...Freddie gave it to me"

Jake Mckenna who had been listening and had the vid in his grasp, came over and placed a cool firm hand upon his shoulder, "You have done well. I see you are joining the Teammates in my platoon...It is good to see where your loyalties lie"

CHAPTER SIX

Still reeling over Caitlin's capture, Joey Carter parked the car and got out. The late afternoon was hot on his back as he removed his shades and focused on the Hart's grocery store.

He bit his lip, forcing Caitlin from his mind. Bradley Hart was a risk. From what Matthew had told him earlier, it seems that Brad had gotten hold of a vid. In the wrong hands that would draw in too much unwanted attention for the wrong reasons.

Joey crossed the street and ducked down the alley to the rear of the store where the loading dock was filled with overflowing garbage cans.

He went up to the metal corrugated shutter and rattled it. It lifted with a screech and Matthew crouched beneath it, "Joey...come in"

Joey stooped under and closed the shutter. Inside he found himself in the Harts secret backroom. Piles upon piles of boxes containing the 'THE TRUTH' vid disks lay scattered among the crates of baked bean cans and shampoo bottles.

"Gonna have to get all this shifted out", thumbed Joey.

Matthew shook his head, "It's too risky...if my son has passed on that vid to the wrong guy, they could already be watching the place"

Rachel looked up from where she sat nearby listening, "but surely they'd make a raid...they would have hauled us in down the precinct"

Joey disagreed, "not necessarily...if they suspected rebel activity here then they would wanna capture as many crims as possible...I've seen it before, they just take their time and raid when you least expect it"

"Then we are doomed"

Joey tried to sound optimistic, " nah...you'll fine...you just need to get that vid back...if he's still got it...all is great...no problem...if he's passed it on...", he trailed off.

Matthew exhaled and looked at his wife, "then we better get it off him tonight...or find out what he's done with it...don't worry Joey...as you say...this will work out okay"

"yeah...look, I don't want to worry you, but...Franky told me that Juliet Parish said that she's lost contact with a couple of cells in Europe...it COULD be a connection problem...but with all these raids going on, we have to be deadly careful"

He headed to the door and turned, "let me know how you go with your son, I'm heading back to the warehouse, if I don't hear from you, I'll stop by later"

VVV

On board the Mothership, Marc strode down the ramp of the shuttle and walked across the huge hanger bay. Jenna was waiting for him at the travel tube entrance.

"Jenna? Are you going my way?", he said in greeting.

Jenna looked at him, "I saw you help her"

Marc realised that she was aware of him helping to get Caitlin off the vessel, "She is...we have a close bond"

Jenna held his look, "She was a code blue prisoner"

The travel tube arrived and the door slid open, they embarked and sat down as the door slid shut and they were along their way.

"Yes...and as I have said, we have a close bond...I wanted to help her"

Jenna looked at him, "She is a terrorist...part of the resistance"

Marc faced ahead of him, "You have checked"

"Suspicion must point to you...are you helping those who are apposed to the future plans of our Great Leader"

Marc met her look, "...and what if I am? Will you denounce me?"

Jenna didn't answer him, so he pressed her,

"You and Gerald are...close"

Jenna met his eyes, "How do you know?"

"I have been watching you...others have as well"

Jenna had a knowing look, "You mean Rosa"

"Yes...she is a viper...dangerous as Diana herself...cut from the same cloth like the humans like to say...you better watch out", he warned.

The travel tube was coming to a halt as they reached their destination at the other end of the ship, Marc rose from the bunk and looked down at her, "So...are you going to report me helping to liberate a human from captivity?"

Jenna rose as well and approached the door as it began to slide open, "No...there is something you haven't bothered to ask me, Marc"

Marc blinked, "and what is that?"

She held his eyes on the fresh hold of the dim corridor beyond, "I appose our Great Leader too..."

VVV

Joey Carter climbed down the steep bank and headed towards the derelict warehouse near the bank of the dried up Potomac.

As he came into the main operations area, members of the resistance gathered around.

"The Harts have fucked up...it's more then likely there's gonna be a raid"

Kerry Lomax threw her hands in the air, "That's ALL we need!"

Jason Rogers came over, "looks like we are gonna find another distributer"

Joey shook his head and bolted to the truck and jumped in the back to where Franky Doyle was sat at the computer terminal, "any joy from California?"

"No...there's a communications fault again...", replied Franky as she tried to switch channels and listen through the earphones.

Joey huffed and leaned on the ancient computer monitor, "I hate to think what Juliet's gonna think when she finds out we're screwed around here"

Franky rested a kindly hand over his arm, "I'm sure Caitlin will be okay..."

"She will be...she's die before she spills her guts"

"Oh, before we lost contact, I managed to get the footage from the healing plant over to her and Julie was saying that they've been in contact with an alien race called the Zedti, I didn't get all of it because the link keeps breaking down, but what I understand, they are powerful enemies of the Visitors"

Joey blew out a laugh, "So, her call for help she sent twenty years ago really did work, lets hope they are on our side"

There was some commotion outside, Joey jumped off the truck and saw that a chubby girl called Carla Morrell had entered through the hole in the wall, she grasped a yellow hard hat.

"Carla's just said there's movement on the chemical front", told Tyler Shaw.

"What kinda movement", asked Joey eager for the news.

Carla answered him, "I've just found out that all SIX chemical plants are suspending their outputs for something else"

"For what?", asked someone.

"word from the boss is that they are gonna all be retooled to make a whole new chemical...word is...it's classified"

Joey bit his lip thinking, " We are gonna have to find out what's going on...Carla keep your ears to the ground at the plant"

"Will do"

Joey watched Carla join a few friends in the corner. He turned to the others present around him, "I'm just gonna go check on the Hart's again...see if any damage has been done"

VVV

Joey walked towards the Hart's grocery store in south DC as darkness fell. With his hands deep in his pocket, he realised it was too late and all was NOT good. The Visitor ship was parked outside the shop. Matthew and Rachel Hart were being lead out by two Visitor troopers. Matthew spotted Joey, but didn't let on. Joey could see there were Visitors, police and Teammates searching through the boxes on the Hart's grocery van.

Jake McKenna watched as the Hart's were escorted onto the ship. The Visitor captain patted him on the back, "this is good work. There must be a hundred or so illegal vids inside the van with more on the premises...you have done very well"

Jake beamed a pleased smile, "Yes...we just need to find out how these vids are distributed here...and I have a source on that too"

"good...you will be rewarded well for your loyalty"

VVV

Joey made it back to the warehouse safely. He was reeling about the Hart's capture. It was inevitable that they would be pumped for information and let slip what they know, it was a good thing that the Hart's didn't have any knowing of the resistance base grounds.

He made his way towards the dried up river bank behind the warehouse. He looked up and around him, but couldn't see anything or anybody. Cautiously, he made it back and saw the warehouse empty except for Tyler Shaw who was sat in the old couch.

"So...?"

Joey shook his head sadly, "They raided them. Took him, there's no coming back for them"

Tyler stood up, "lets hope they don't spill their guts on us"

Joey sat at the battered desk, "They don't know nothing...there's nothing for them to spill"

Tyler yawned, "I'm going to get some shut eye..."

Before Joey could respond, he heard a noise from the entrance. He raised a hand to Tyler to remain quite and grabbed his handgun from the back of his belt and raised it. Tyler did the same for cover.

Suddenly the door swung open and Caitlin came in and stood stock still and wide eyed. With every bodies hearts racing, she blew out a laugh, "Jesus...this is some welcome!"

Joey hurried over and pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard, "Thank God...you made it!"

Caitlin pulled out from the hug, "Yeah, all thanks to Marc"

"Oh him"

Caitlin smirked and then was serious, "It was still touch and go...we were chased by their fighters and he put us down in Memorial Park, I was practically giving them the runner around all day"

Joey nodded, "At least you're safe...the Hart's were taken"

Caitlin focused her eyes on him, "Oh no...we better warn all the other vid distributors to lay low for a few days"

Tyler yawned again and headed to one of the trucks that housed the sleeping quarters, "I'm gonna get some rest, great to see you back Caitlin"

Joey took her hand and she let herself be pulled to him, "Franky finally managed to get all the info and pics from healing plant to Juliet...she was real pleased with our efforts, and then theirs the Zedti, I've got so much to tell you"

She searched his eyes, "me too...I'm so glad to be back"

Joey was about to kiss her when he suddenly thought, "Hey...was you scared up there? What was it like? Then again, I'd expect you don't wanna talk about it"

"No...look Marc told me something, he says their leader is coming"

Joey looked up, "Their leader? Really? Why? Why now, after all these years?"

Caitlin shook were head rubbing the back of her neck, "I don't know, I'm gonna go grab a shower"

Joey looked after her as she approached the truck, "Want me to join you..."

She smiled at him and he followed.

CHAPTER SEVEN

As the sun rose the next day, Freda Wallis peered out of the top window to the traffic below in the street. It was a long way down. At least 5 floors down. Freda and her father had been in hiding for 6 years in this small attic space since they had escaped the Scientists ghetto in Delaware.

Her father Ray had once been a top leading life science researcher in Washington until the Visitors came. All that changed when Scientists were suddenly outlawed over night and they had to go into hiding.

Freda's Mother Jill had been run down by a scientist hater in Dover where they used to have an apartment. She went out to buy Milk and bread at the time. Then some mad punk who lived and breathed every Visitor word of promise, saw red and speed up his car and took her down like a ragdoll.

From then on, her 6 year old self and her father were alone. They moved from place to place to be safe, until they were eventually captured and carted off to live in one of the new scientist communities that were springing up all over the country. The Community was more like compound because it was fenced off from the rest of the population by laser barriers and guarded by Visitor troopers 24/7. But it was one step up from the rumoured camps.

She was 26 now. A woman. A woman that was looking after her ailing father because the last 2 decades had taken it's toll on her him. And she had to work in that damned department store with that God damned abomination half breed, Sally.

It was Freda that heard of by rumor of a force that was against the Visitors. A resistance that had battled them for nearly 20 years. She went forth to seek out those who were involved.

It was Caitlin Ryan she found.

Freda and her father were too suspect at the time to stay with the resistance, but Caitlin knew one of many people who sympathised with the rebel cause and they let Freda and her father live up in their roof space of their aging top floor apartment block in Foggy Bottom.

Freda had always been afraid of the hideous gargoyle that was just outside off their roof window. But her father said it wasn't as hideous as the real face behind the fake masks of the Visitors.

Today she looked at it before looking down again to the light flowing traffic below in Suburbia. Her father called to her, "Freda honey..."

Freda came forward and let herself drop into one of the rickety old armchairs that adorned their cramped living space.

"Louise gave me this bag of groceries. It's not much, but it should last the week"

Freda dove into the paper bag and saw a couple of dented tins of baked beans and a nearly stale French breadstick.

"Yes...it will be very nice I'm sure"

Ray let out a weak chuckle, "Louise said it's getting expensive to buy decent food. She could only spare this"

"and that's not all she said", Freda offered, "I heard her say to you that we might have to go"

Ray nodded, "yes she did. Her neighbour's eldest son Julian has joined the Teammates. He is there a lot and brings his friends, it's getting risky for her and Dave to hide us safely"

Freda stowed away the food, "Maybe Caitlin can find some other hiding place for us"

"Or we just give ourselves up and go back to the ghetto, at least there I could get a job and you don't have to work your fingers to the bone in that store"

Freda panicked, "No way...They'd kill us for sure...you saw what happened to Dr Barfield and his family when they left the ghetto, they dragged them back and put them up against the wall and let the Teammates use them as target practice...on full show...to make them as an example for what would happen if anybody else tried to escape"

He took her hand in his and squeezed it, "I know that...they can do what they like to me, but you could escape somewhere...join the resistance...fight them...you are young and determined enough to"

"But I don't want to leave you...I lost Mom I don't wanna lose you too"

"I'll always be with you honey...just like your Mom is now..."

XXX

Freda walked up the street away from the Metro. She glanced at her watch and then looked about her in the cool breeze. The weather forecaster this morning said that there'd be a sandstorm blowing in from the long dried Atlantic desert.

A Visitor shuttle glided overhead while there were a few Visitor troopers about strolling the streets. A group of Teammates were also outside a liqeur store. They looked like they were off duty.

"Come on", she whispered. She had made contact with Caitlin earlier that morning and she'd agreed to meet her here in Capitol hill.

Caitlin was then beside her in dark shades and a blonde wig and said, "Walk...I haven't got time to tell you about why I am in disguise"

They walked together up the street, "So you say Lou and Dave can not hide you know more?"

Freda nodded, "No...the neighbours son is a Teammate and it's getting too risky for them, we just thought you could find us, or know someone else who'd help us"

Caitlin shook her head, "I think you two should come to base, I know you wasn't keen before, but what choice do you have?"

They came to the junction and saw the Capitol dome ahead of them, "Dad can't fight...and I not any good with a gun, what use would we be?"

"None of us are...I never thought I'd ever fire a weapon, but I have...", she took Freda's arm, "...you'd be surprized what you can achieve"

Freda said she'd be in contact and made her way back home to Foggy Bottom by Metro. Once she left the station in deep thought she walked up the street only to look up to scrutinize what was occurring outside the apartment block.

Her father was being lead to a Shuttle that was parked on the street. Ray Wallis looked up to see his daughter as he was held by the Teammates. But he never gave her away. Freda watched as he was bundled into the shuttle. Louise and Dave looked on and she heard Dave say, "I'd no idea that they were living there"

Freda backed away just as someone jumped out to her from behind. It was new Teammate recruit Julian Wade.

"Going somewhere?"

Just as he was about to grab her, Freda ran up the street, HEY! came Julian's cry.

Freda ran and ran. She rounded the corner dodged a street lamp, only to bump into Sally the half-breed from work,

"Hey where's the fire?"

Freda could here the cries behind her from the Teammates. Sally grabbed Freda's hand, "After you are they? You better come with me"

"You?"

Sally nodded, "It's this dregs company or you can have theirs", she pointed to the Teammate squad on the corner, reluctantly, Freda let herself be lead away down an ally-way over some bins and up a fire escape.

VVV

Corey Feldmann drove his classic Mustang up the drive way of the White House that had the Red Visitor flag flying at the mast over it. The sun was warm through the open window. Lucille was at his side in the car. It had been a week since Lucille's surprize engagement and it was time to formally meet Aaron Armstrong's parents. The US president and First lady. Both titles in 'just name' and 'purely ceremonial' because he knew it was the Visitor high command that ran things.

He stopped the car and they both got out into the warm sunshine. The lawn out front was rich green and healthy, only marred with a Visitor transporter shuttle plonked in the middle.

Aaron Armstrong was at the main entrance looking on, he called out in the direction behind him, "Mom, Dad, they are here!"

Lucille hurried over Aaron and they embraced in the White House's historical entrance hall, "Aaron!"

The President, Neil Armstrong shook Corey's hand, he was a well built man in his 50s with a military background, "Please some into the drawing room, this is an occasion to get some drinks down us, huh, Dr Feldmann?"

Corey followed him in, "Yes...I could do with a drink"

Neil crush the ice for the tumbler glasses. The president was in his second term and the third President to take office since the Visitor's arrival. Over the drinks party, Gillian informed Corey that the White House was filled with Visitor officials. It was the base away from the flagship that was now Diana's mothership in California. Neil was sadly just a human mouthpiece when it suited the Visitors. All other positions in the government such as the secretary of State or Defence were now obsolete and no other human staff were required with exception of the decorated marine guards out front were needed. Corey had already clocked the rather heavy in number Visitor shock-trooper guards in and around the rear of the White House.

He also noted the the Commander of the Washington mothership used the former oval office as his own and had stripped out and destroyed anything of historical value.

Gillian's concerns rattled as Neil proposed a toast, "let us congratulate our children...to Aaron and Lucille"

Corey reluctantly rose his glass of champagne, "To Aaron and Lucille", he mused.

As the afternoon wore on, Gillian and Corey found time to express their feelings about this quick engagement. Lucille after-all was only seventeen.

Gillian agreed and told of her concerns of a son that was now ruling the roost.

Aaron at that point came over to them and took his mother's arm, "you two...it's rude to chat privately...come and join us at the fireplace"

Corey and Gillian glanced at one another and reluctantly joined them.

CONTINUED IN PART THREE: LOVE & BETRAYAL