-LOVE & BETRAYAL-

CHAPTER ONE

Freda Wallis glanced around Sally's room. It really wasn't the Ritz hotel that was for sure. There was one window where a frayed net curtain hung. A brown sofa with Moth eaten holes in, and a sink in the corner that was stacked high with dirty pots, pans and dishes. She looked to the floor at the stained thread bare carpet.

"Is this how you live?"

Sally put the kettle on and nodded at her. For the first time, Freda took notice of the wonky eyes, the scaly forehead and one human hand, one reptile hand. All hanging out of a blue dress.

"Yes, Dregs like me don't own much, do we, we're outcasts. I'm lucky, the landlord doesn't care who he rents to, just as long he gets the money each month", said Sally.

Freda sat in a chair and felt the springs in her back, "I see..."

Sally closed the drapes, and focused her weird eyes on her, "I followed you home one night...I saw where you lived, you said you lived in some mansion up in George town"

Freda eyes went to the floor, "I lied okay...I lied"

Sally leaned on the refrigerator, "I'm sorry? But you were so high and mighty with me at work, and now I see that we are just the same"

Freda jumped out of the chair, "My dads a scientist! So yeah we're the same, you are a disgusting dreg and I'm what they used to call a dirty little scientists kid! Does that make you happy?"

The half breed nodded, "No! Not at all. But we are same, but in different ways. Your lot are persecuted...my lot are invisible, we exist to do the shit jobs out there"

Freda sat down again and shrugged, "Look, I apologise, it was Suze at work, she said that we all could catch something from you lot"

"Suze? She's just a bigot through and through, that's a piece of work that laps up everything the Visitors dish out"

A siren went by and Freda glanced to the window, Sally peeped through the side of the curtain, "It's nothing..."

Freda exhaled in relief, "Look...can we start again?"

Sally poured out the teas on the draining board, "Sure. You can stay here if you like, you'll be safe. You see, search parties don't come to 'Dreg dens', in case they catch something"

Freda took the chipped mug of tea from her, "Thank you..."

But all she could think about, what had become of dad? Up there on the Mothership. She sipped the tea and sat back on deep thought as Sally made up a bed.

VVV

At the cathedral church St Peter & St Paul, Father Thomas Paisley married Lucille Feldmann and Aaron Armstrong. Barely a few weeks after announcing their engagement, the couple were now married.

The sun was warm on their backs as the President watched Kristine Walsh and a film crew manage the scoop for the Visitor controlled media. Gillian Armstrong painted on a brave face wearing her best hat and suit and mingled with their hangers on. The majority of human guests were of course Visitor collaborators.

Corey Feldmann, dressed in his grey morning suit with his partner Kandy Clark on his arm in a pale blue floral dress looked on as Neil shook hands with the guest of honour Commander Gerald of the Washington mothership.

"Congratulations on keeping us safe from those criminal terrorists", praised one gullible fool in a suit. Another one in an over sized hat said, "You Visitors are giving us so much more than we could ever offer"

Corey smiled wishing he was somewhere else. If only these witless fools knew the truth about the Visitors agenda. He couldn't help smirk seeing Kristine Walsh shaking hands with Gerald and lapping up every word like the traitor of humanity she was. Aaron and Lucille spoke to the Alien Commander at length and he was telling them that this was the first Teammate wedding he had the honour of attending.

Jake McKenna had been Aaron's best man. The other Teammate supervisor who had sealed the fate of the Harts.

Another Visitor male was present. Corey recognised him as Marc, who was friends with Caitlin Ryan, and had liberated her from the Mothership. And he clearly recognised him. Marc wore dark shades, but he felt his eyes on him.

Later in the marquee that had been erected in the rear grounds of the White House, the wedding reception was in full swing. Guests ate food and sipped fine champagne on the beautifully decorated tables. Corey left Kandy to chat with a couple she knew from the mayors office and stepped out of the marquee into the cool night air.

The sound of crickets held their song around him. He lit up a cigarette and took a slow walk around the White House grounds. He could see a couple of US marine guards stationed near the driveway, and was quite aware of Visitor shock troopers lurking in the dark shadows from roof of the White house.

Suddenly just as the moon came out from behind a cloud, he was aware of being watched and swung around. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest to see Marc standing only a couple of meters from him. Corey shook his head, "What do you want? Creeping up on me like that"

"I need to speak to you...I tried to contact Caitlin earlier but the cryptic connection failed..."

Corey frowned as he stamped out his cigarette butt, "This something to do with your Leader coming to Earth? She told me when I saw them the other day"

"Yes...she is here to spearhead the war...in days she will launch an attack on the Zedti...but beware, the Zedti will fight back", warned Marc.

Corey swallowed, "Look, I'm aware that these Zedti have been helping the resistance...can they really be trusted?"

Before Marc could reply, another Visitor came out the shadows, with a squadron of Shock troopers.

Marc twisted around in surprise, "Commander?"

"I think it's time to go, don't you Marc...and for your Daughter's sake, Dr Feldmann, I think you should come quietly", Gerald told, eyes boring straight into him darkly.

More troopers came out of the darkness and Corey could see a shuttle standing by on the lawn.

VVV

Corey didn't know how long he had been aboard the Mothership, but from the hanger bay where the Shuttle had landed, he and several other detained members were escorted to what was called the final area. The Visitor troopers lead them down a serious of damp dim lit corridors where mists came out of the vents in plumes of humid warm air. At a set of huge double doors, a Visitor Supervisor inserted the key and it lit up briefly as the door parted to reveal a vast cavern sized room beyond.

This was the so called capsule storage chamber. Where all the people that were lifted off the earth and placed into these cocoons. Corey looked towards a woman with curly hair, she screamed as a Visitor male without it's human mask manhandled here and tried to shove her into a coffin sized cocoon. An old man said nothing and did what he was instructed by the Visitor technician. Corey was next in line, the Visitor pointed to the cocoon on the metal grilled floor, "In you get human"

Corey obeyed and laid down in the capsule. It was jelly like and moulded and sealed around him, he could only see dark shapes now through the shell of the capsule as green gases swirled around him and then darkness took hold.

CHAPTER TWO

Marc stood in front of Commander Gerald and Rosa in the conference room.

"You have been found out as a traitor to our Leaders mission. Our Leader's arrival is just days away and you found giving away these details to supporters of the criminal resistance", grilled Gerald with heat.

Rosa nodded, "You are a disgrace to our people and you will be severely punished"

Gerald stood up and pressed a control on the keyboard built into the desk in front of him, "I think execution is in the order here, I will organise..."

Rosa rose her hand and stopped her superior officer in mid flow, "Sorry to interrupt Commander, but could I have a discrete word...", she met his eyes and they held for a few moments.

Two shock troopers came in the sliding doors and Rosa pointed towards Marc, "Escort Marc to a holding cell please"

The troopers took hold of Marc arms and he was marched out the doors, as they closed Gerald fixed his attention back to Rosa, "What is all this about Rosa?"

Rosa stood and circled the conference room as she spoke, "I believe that Marc knows the identities of the traitors aboard this ship"

Gerald was astounded, "Traitors? What Traitors, all the traitors were snuffed out during the great purge"

"But in the years since, their following continues to grow and I think too important to ignore...especially with the Leader's imminent arrival"

Gerald nodded, "and you think he knows who they all our"

Rosa sat down and put her hands together, "Yes...and I dare say their general as well...the net is closing in on them...all in time for the Leaders great triumph"

VVV

Kandy Clark was a worried woman. Corey had been missing for three days, since his daughters wedding. She drove her 4 wheel drive Honda into the lot of the Teammate campus at the college. She got out into the warm sunshine and headed off across the lawns towards the foyer of main reception. A shuttle passed over head as she hurried up the front steps and entered.

A Teammate female was behind a reception desk looked up, "Can I help you?", she asked.

Kandy removed her sunshades and nodded, "Yes...I want to see Lucille Armstrong please..."

VVV

Kandy Clark and Lucille Armstrong walked the ground of the campus, "...and I haven't seen him since the wedding", finished Kandy, "...I am so worried"

Lucille shrugged and turned, "Maybe he's staying over at the hospital...he used to do that all the time"

Kandy nodded as they came to the front steps of the college where a shuttle had landed and a group of Teammates had come back from practicing with the new chemical weapon, "He would have told me...I've checked anyhow...Lucille, I think he has been taken...", she whispered.

Lucille gave her a warning shot, "Kandy, I hope you are not suggesting what I think you are...?"

Kandy realised she might of said too much, and Aaron Armstrong was approaching them from the shuttle, "hey...what's going on?"

Kandy looked up and put on a smile, "Nothing...I just stopped by"

Lucille went along with her, "Yes...she did, but she was just leaving"

Kandy glanced at her, then hurried away back to her car in the lot. Kandy watched her, then turned to her husband, "Aaron, do you know what happened to my father?"

Aaron shrugged and fixed his eyes on her, "No...should I have?"

She nodded and watched Kandy drive away and then followed Aaron into the campus.

VVV

The wind picked up as Vanessa Van de Berg walked across the walkway and stood in front of Jake Mckenna's apartment in North DC. From her coat pocket, she removed the Vid disk and stared at it, then posted it through Jake's mail box in the door.

She then heard a car door slam and she looked down to see Jake auto locking his SUV. Vanessa rounded the corner and waited until Jake came up the stairs across the landing and stuck his key in the lock.

Vanessa peered around the corner and witnessed Jake pick up the disk from his door mat, she smiled and no sooner had the door slammed shut, she ran across the landing down the stairs and ran up the street into the night.

When she reached a phone booth on the corner, Vanessa dialled and waited for connection, "That bit of work you wanted doing, It's done"

Inside the apartment, Jake opened a tin of beer and it foamed at the widget. He stared at the Vid disk and turned it around in his hand, then putting the tin down he fed the vid into the machine and sat back with the play button on the remote control.

He had a nagging feeling what was on the vid and the curiosity got the better of him. He pressed play.

The Teammate stared at the small TV screen. A blank frame reading the THE TRUTH came on screen, then was replaced by 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..."

Jake shook his head, "Bullshit, and they believe these liars...?"

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..."

Jake continued to watch, "Yeah, if you'll a lying scumbag Scientist, you vanish"

Then as more scenes took place Jake though he saw someone familiar in the back ground of a raid at a Visitor chemical plant, he took the remote and rewound the footage and paused it.

He stood and scrutinized the image on screen. It wasn't just the one face he recognised, but two.

His parents. His parents with the resistance! His heart started to race and he wracked his brains of how this could be.

But there was only one answer and it was obvious.

They WERE resistance...

CHAPTER THREE

Jake McKenna was drowning in a mixture of emotions. He couldn't get the image of his parents out of his mind after seeing them on the illegal resistance vid disk, 'THE TRUTH'

He parked his SUV on the leafy suburban street in George Town and looked towards the grand wooden porch of Kristine Walsh's house.

Delia had been calling him last night, but Jake was too confused with his dilemma to talk to her, after listening to a cold message on his voice mail from her about standing her up, he thought it best he called around.

He got out and strode the walk and porch steps to the front door. He could hear Kristine Walsh inside calling up to her daughter, "Delia I'm just going out to record that press coverage for my new book at the studio"

She opened the door to come face to face with Jake on the doorstep.

"Hi Jake! Are you here to see Delia? She's right inside...", she breezed, "I've got to run, here's my ride"

Jake turned and watched her hurry up to the white electric powered limousine with the Visitor banner on it's hood, she got in the back and it drove off up the tree lined street of Dutch colonial manors.

He then looked inside the foyer of the house to see Delia coming down the staircase, her hand on the oak rail, "Hey, what's with you? Why did you stand me up last night? You better have a good excuse"

Jake swallowed down as he came inside, "I didn't feel like it"

Delia looked annoyed at him, "Why? I bought a new outfit and everything"

Jake's stomach was doing somersaults and he didn't know he was about to do the right thing, but he had to tell somebody. He went to the living room and glanced out the bay window, "Delia, you know the illegal vid..."

Delia screwed her face up at him, what the hell was that got to do with standing her up, "The so called 'THE TRUTH'? Yeah..."

Jake in took a deep breath, and turned to face her, "I've seen it...I've SEEN it!"

Delia shook her head, "Then you'll know that it's all a bunch of crap. Scientists tell lies remember"

Jake sat down and threw up his hands. Delia couldn't help wonder where all this heat in his voice was coming from, "it's not just about Scientists is it? It's the reasons WHY the Visitors came here", Jake knew this was very risky.

This threw her thoughts, "Jake? What...?"

Jake jumped up off the couch and took her hands and looked at her as he spoke, "Listen to me Delia...I saw my parents...they were on the vid...they were apart of the resistance all along...I..I was lied to"

Delia was open mouthed, "your Parents were terrorists?"

He shook his head, "No! Not terrorists...it's resistance"

Delia threw his hand off her and turned her back in him, "Just go"

Jake stepped forward, "Delia..?"

She swung around and pointed toward the front door, "GET OUT NOW I'M GONNA DENOUNCE YOU TRAITOR"

Jake's heart was facing. He had done a stupid thing telling her...he had to get away and he did, by the time Delia had time to look he had ran to his vehicle and it screeched off.

She then reached for her cell phone and bit her lips. Jake had turned traitor, she had to do the right thing, didn't she?

VVV

Up on the Mothership, Rosa was in her lab looking at footage on her desk flat screen. She tapped the desk as she smiled at the image playing out of Jenna talking with the traitorous Marc in one of the holding cells.

"Don't worry, I will not denounce you Jenna...I will die with my secrets and all I know", said Marc sitting on the bunk.

Jenna went to the door and inserted the key. The door slid aside, "Gerald doesn't suspect me, I'll do all I can", she said and left the cell.

Rosa flicked the image to off. Jenna was a traitor, she was part of the growing force that was against the plan of the great Leader.

Her exposure plan had worked. Marc was unwittingly informing others who were in this circle of lies. She turned in her seat and stood up. She was going to confront that traitor and tell her her days were numbered. But she had to play the long game, the time had to be right to expose her.

VVV

Vanessa Van de Berg knew what was about to happen. She had been aware that Delia had had a fight with Jake McKenna. She always called her when she had a fight with her boyfriend. She drove up the tree lined suburban street in George town and parked her car on the curb.

Delia was hurrying down from the porch in a hysterics, Vanessa grabbed her arm trying to calm her, "Hey, what is it?"

Delia stared right at her, "FUCKING JAKE! He's a traitor", and even as she said it lowering her voice, she was looking around her nervously in case somebody in authority was listening.

"What?"

Delia's voice was barely a whisper as she dragged Vanessa towards the house, "His parents were damned terrorists and so is he..."

Vanessa had to play along and lie as she closed the front door, "Delia, you are not making any sense, what are you on about?"

Delia sat down on the couch and looked up at her, "He watched that illegal vid, the one he and his unit are cracking down on..."

Vanessa shrugged, "and...?"

Delia was frustrated like she should know what she was talking about, "HIS PARENTS ARE ON IT...They are apart of it"

Vanessa sat back, "The resistance?"

Delia frowned at her, "not YOU too?"

Vanessa thought it best to be brutally honest now, even if it meant that she'd probably denounce her and she would have to go into hiding.

"I've SEEN it too Delia. Yes, his parents are on it...and it would have been a total shock to him..."

Delia stood up and swallowed down, she was really fighting back the emotions, "I was SO close to denouncing him"

"What stopped you?"

Delia glared at her, "I STILL can", she reached for her cell phone that sat on the coffee table, Vanessa stopped her, "No...if you do that, then THEY will kill him"

"GOOD!" she spat with some heat in her tone.

Vanessa shook her head, "You don't mean that...look...for Christ's sake wake up and smell the coffee, Delia...", Delia gave her a puzzled look, "...look at your past...that guy...from the old Government...he wasn't your real father you know"

"What? How do you know that? Yeah he's not my REAL father I know, I've long expected...but how could you know?"

Vanessa avoided the question, "Then who is it? Has your Mother ever acted weird about that? Like she knows and is hiding something"

Delia's heart began to race, something was starting to make sense, " The photo...", she muttered more to herself, "...no...it can't be..."

Vanessa stepped forward, "Delia?"

Delia snatched Vanessa's arm and shoved her towards the front door, "Get out of here...GO!"

Vanessa didn't hesitate and hurried out, but not before she left a vid for Delia on the porch chair. Delia in turn hurried up the stairs two steps at a time and flew for her Mother's bedroom. She then pulled out the drawers and searched through the paper work of her Mother's book files for what she was looking for...the picture of Michael Donovan, it dropped out of her shaking hand.

She swallowed down picking the photo up from the carpet and stood studying it and looked into the full length mirror and gasped.

Kristine Walsh had returned home and was standing in the door way looking at the mess on the floor, "Delia, what is the meaning of this?"

Delia hid the picture behind her back and glared at her, "Leave me alone" and she fled the bedroom went into her own and slammed the door after her. A confused Kristine knocked on the door, "Delia?"

"Just leave me alone!"

VVV

The next day, Caitlin Ryan was being spied upon. She waved at Freda and Sally on the fire escape, "Call me if you need anything...I'll see if there is any word where they've taken your father"

Freda nodded and went back inside the dingy apartment with Sally. Caitlin crossed the street towards her car and was then ambushed with a hand over her mouth to stop her crying out, "Take me to the resistance, NOW", said a hiss of a male voice in her earhole.

Caitlin squirmed out of his clutches, "You'll have to kill me before I do that"

She turned and saw that It was Jake Mckenna wearing civvie street clothes rather than his usual Teammate get up. He raised his hand clutching the Vid disk, "I'll seen this...I saw my parents! Please I beg you...take me to your people, I NEED answers NOW!"

Caitlin looked at him and unlocked her car and opened the passenger door, "Get in...but I am going to blindfold you"

Jake sighed and got in and let him be blindfolded, "Fair enough..."

VVV

In the resistance warehouse next to the Potomac river, Joey Carter was trying to organise new distributers for the THE TRUTH vids after the Hart's demise. Chris Johnson said he knew of a few people but he had to stake them out first.

Caitlin then walked in removing her sun shades. Joey jumped down from the communications truck and said, "I think we've got some info that will blow your socks off. The Leader has arrived and she's organising some war rally..."

Caitlin held her hand up to stop him, "I'm sorry, but he insisted you see him"

Joey frowned then saw Jake Mckenna enter, "Hey can I remove this thing now!"

Caitlin nodded and removed the blindfold and Jake had to adjust to the lighting.

Jason jumped up and snatched his weapon, "Why the hell have you brought HIM here?"

Kerry Lomax was doing the same as Jason, "Hell man, he's the scum bag Teammate that got Sara killed!"

Tyler Shaw and a few more others gathered around them, "She's right"

Caitlin looked at them all in earnest, "Please...just let him speak!"

Jake's grateful glance at her was marred by Joey's annoyance with her, it seemed to reflect on everybody in the warehouse, "Is this for real Caitlin? Seriously?"

Caitlin shook her head and looked at each and everybody around her, "I trust him...He's SEEN the vid...HE KNOWS EVERYTHING"

Chris wasn't so trusting and it matched his feelings in his tone, "HE was doing the hunting and conviscating of those vids remember...The Hart's are forgotten already are they? He done them over too"

Caitlin came forward, "Yes, I know all that. Anyway it's NOT what the vids all about, it's WHO is on it! His parents"

Tony Moncheni clapped his hands and glared at Jake, "Got to learn that his parents were terrorists too huh? I bet he would have turned them in as well"

Jake went for Tony and Tony struck him on the nose, but Joey diffused the situation by getting in between them, "RESISTANCE! I know that now", Jake spat at him.

Joey patted Tony on the back and looked at Jake who was dabbing the blood from his nose, "Yeah you say that, but what you say and did, some of us are not so understanding"

It was Jake's turn to look at each face around him as he spoke, "I know. It's hard for you to believe what I say, I know, but this whole thing has changed me. The Visitors blamed the resistance when my parents died...they saw that I was an angry teenager , I was only thirteen. They manipulated me, used me, took full advantage of my hate for you lot. They said joining the Teammates would help me, make me see things clearly. It did, they were right...", he looked to the floor in shame, "...but it was all based on LIES!"

Caitlin touched his arm, "THEY lied to alot of you. There are many Teammates out there who are fighting for them over lies. Didn't you see the TV news about Nathan Avery on the west coast?"

Jake frowned at her, "The deserter? You mean he was..."

"Lied to too"

Chris looked up, "So, if YOU are on our side, what's with their Leader coming to earth?"

Jake shrugged, "I don't know that. All I know is that it is to do with their war with the Zedti...they have manufactured a bio-chemical weapon to use on them and everything"

Carla Morrell who was sat on top of the battered desk nearby jumped off and nodded, "That must be the potent chemical they've been making at the plant for the last few weeks"

Jake met her eyes, "Yes...all plants were ordered to suspend their other outputs to make priority this chemical"

Caitlin came to Joey's side, "Do you believe him now? Can he stay because he's gonna be labelled a deserter too and they'll be hunting him down"

Joey glanced at Jake and then back to her, "For now, only because I trust your judgment...but any funny business, then I'll let the Visitors have him"

Caitlin took Jake aside, "Come with me...I'll see to that bloody nose"

They hopped on to the medical truck and Caitlin rummaged through the first aid boxes for a band aid. As she did so Jake noticed the pictures on the back of the trucks door, "So...what's this all about?"

Caitlin grabbed a band aid and saw to his nose, "The memorial door? Every resistance cell has a similar thing...It's so we don't forget the faces of those who have died fighting for the cause"

Jake saw one of the bottom pictures on the door feature a young Caitlin with a few friends, "That you?"

Caitlin cleaned up his nose as she spoke, "Yep...I was at college when the Visitors came to earth. They were my friends, two died during the purge back in 99 and the others took the side of the Visitors"

"I see..."

Caitlin washed her hands then pointed to a picture in the corner, "here, that's Carla's mum and dad, she was a scientist and he was a plant worker, just like Carla...over there is the cop that started all of this and look here, it's a young Joey with the woman who brought him here when his parents were snatched, Kath I think her name was..."

Jake glanced at all the pictures, the faces of long ago and looked at her, "and after all this death...you STILL fight?"

"We can NEVER stop fighting for our future...or all of these people died for nothing"

Jake swallowed down, "Like my parents", he suddenly realised.

Caitlin touched his shoulder and pointed to a picture, "Yes...they were fighting for YOUR future" and then she departed the truck and left him to study the picture now in his hand...his parents.

And a tear ran down his cheek.

CHAPTER FOUR

All the TV cameras from around the globe were in California the day The Visitors great leader came to Earth. Everybody watched their screens in awe and what the resistance would call a sickening round of applause, as the Leaders golden shuttle came out from the skies above and come to land at the stadium where her introduction and the war rally was to take place. Every single Mothership commander in the fleet was present including Gerald and Frank.

"All Hail our Great Leader!", came the cry as she disembarked the golden shuttle within a fanfare and uplifting cheers.

Joey Carter stared at the small TV screen set up in operations truck in the warehouse. Other members of the resistance were sitting around him,

"This is bullshit man", cut Joey waving his hand at the display on screen.

Kerry Lomax laughed, "You can say that again"

The Leader's face was on screen. She was a striking mature beauty. By Earthly standards she appeared to be about fifty years old. Her hair was thick dark, with a few streaks of gray, drawn to the sides of her head and fastened along her shoulders.

As the crowds fell silent, she smiled and spoke with the same vibration as her fellow Visitors, "My dear, dear friends, how I have longed to be among you...for I consider my self thrice blessed...first, I am privileged to lead my mighty race with benevolence and wisdom. Now I see you are a true hyper-power"

As the crowds cheered with yet another noisy round of applause, Joey shook his head focusing on the many, many of human faces, "Just look how they embrace her every word, look at those God damned Collaborators"

"Yeah, and they're all in the same place!", cried Kerry.

Jake McKenna came forward looking at the image with utter contempt, "This is unbelievable! And there was me scheduled to be there...I would be lapping this up", he realised in disgust.

"You came to this world and asked for their help...and our friends here have obliged, we really are very fortunate to meet the humankind here"

In George Town, Juliet Ryan was sat on the couch in her dressing gown, entranced at the image of the beautiful Visitors leader, "She really is pretty and so elegant, don't you think?", she looked towards her daughter Caitlin who was in the chair near the window, "Mom, sometimes you have to scratch the surface to reveal what's underneath"

Juliet rolled her eyes at her, "Ohhhh, they are reptiles, old news, we KNOW that..."

Caitlin shook her head at her, "not that, who cares what they look like, I mean what are their TRUE motives?"

"Oh not this again, shush, I'm trying to watch", irritated Juliet. Caitlin turned back to the TV, like many, her mother was totally sucked in, she had been right from the very start.

"Before, I said I was thrice blessed...as well as my people and the humans...I open my heart to the newest race of all, the ones who are mixed heritage, our Half breeds"

At the rundown apartment, Sally nearly fell off her stool in front of the battered TV portable, "What? Doesn't she know we are the lowest of the low and clean up the shit"

Freda sat on the floor with her legs out in front of her, "Maybe things might change for you guys now", she speculated.

Sally blew out a laugh, "I doubt it...who is SHE kidding"

"this young race have been too long ignored...and I ask you who have prejudence, were they asked to be born? Was it their fault that they exist? Who would ask to be called a dreg?

At the White house living quarters, Aaron Armstrong laughed, "Dreg is the word...they're the scum of the Earth! Great for target practice"

His new wife Lucille who was curled up on the couch shot a disapproving glare at him, "Aaron!"

Aaron shrugged, "It's true we are blessed because these Dregs do all our cleaning and dirty work"

"the half-breeds are a good resource"

Aaron laughed as he shoved some pop corn down his throat, "Yeah, as cannon fodder!"

The Leader now addressed the Zedti, "We all need to come together, reunited to defeat the savage war mongerers called the Zedti. They are devious murderers...and brutal, they want the Earth for themselves"

Juliet Ryan put hand hands together, "Oh thank God the Visitors will keep us safe, hey?"

Caitlin didn't look at her as she answered, "or use us"

"already, their reconnience scouts are among us, uniting with Earth's criminal scientists. Their only aim is to destroy us ALL"

Joey Carter's heart started to face, he had a feeling of dread, "I've got a really bad feeling about this"

Tyler Shaw looked at him, from where he leaned on the truck wall, "What do you mean?"

Tony Moncheni came forward, "Joe?"

"Just watch, I think we are screwed", told Joey in dismay.

The world watched as a chair was brought to stage and their was some strange looking being sitting in it with a weird looking sheen to it's skin. Then there was a some strange looking husks nearby, they looked like mummified human beings with their lifeforce sucked out of them.

The Leader pointed to it, "This beast is responsible for these foul deeds. This creature is a Zedti"

At the White house, Aaron leaned forward in his chair, "Fuck me...look at it's skin"

Lucille could clearly see the sheen on the skins surface and it's eyes were a funny colour, "Yeah...alien...but at least they aren't hiding it from us"

Aaron shot her a glare, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Lucille shrugged and laid her head to the cushion on her chair, "Nothing...just making an observation"

Aaron stared at her for a long while then looked back to the TV screen.

"We can NEVER have peace in the universe until the Zedti are wiped out! So, to protect my people and you humans who are our friends, we have created and share a bio-chemical weapon that will completely exterminate this vicious race"

At the TV news studios in Capitol hill, Kristine Walsh sat on the platform watching in awe. Delia was with her and could feel the hot studio lights on her forehead. She leaned into her mother, "Is this really war?"

Kristine shook her head and took her hand into hers, "I don't know honey, but the Visitors will guide us like they have always done...have faith in them, they have out best interests at heart"

Delia looked at her. Her mother really believed that, but why didn't she all of a sudden?

On screen The Leader had got one of the Half-breeds, a male dressed in a Teammate uniform, on stage and handed it the new bio-chemical weapon, the Leader was encouraging the half breed to kill the Zedti female in the chair.

It looked like the half breed was having trouble. He couldn't do it.

Sally turned to Freda, "see...they even get US to do their dirty work, open hearts my ass"

Caitlin watched on as The leader put her hand over the Teammate's and activated the trigger that killed the Zedti female.

"This is horrible", she gasped.

Juliet turned, "No...the Visitors are just showing us that WE have the means to kill these evil creatures..."

Caitlin looked at her in disgust, when all this was over her mother like many others were going to have to face up to their actions and their views with society.

But Caitlin didn't have time to reflect on that nor did anyone else as the Leader made her next statement;

"Now look on my friends, because history is being made at this moment, the worldwide criminal conspiracy who call themselves the resistance are being arrested"

In the resistance communications truck in the warehouse, Tyler Shaw nearly choked and he swung around from the screen to Joey, "Is that the bad feeling?"

Kerry Lomax threw her hands in the air, "It's all fucking over man!"

Joey Carter couldn't keep his eyes off the screen as he watched images play out of Julie Parish and her comrades being arrested by Shock troopers at some communications center in California, "I know...I can't believe it...how could the Visitors know about this?"

Jason spoke the words that was coming to everybody's mind, "The primary resistance cell has a spy!"

Tony Moncheni nodded, "makes sense..."

Joey shook his head, "What's the point of going over it...", he made to leave, "...the Visitors have fucking won...The Earth is theirs to use it as they will"

Tony went to stop him from leaving, "Wait...it might not be safe out there"

But he was gone out the battered door. Jake McKenna turned, "We better clear out, I know how these guys work, we could be next"

Everybody in the warehouse started packing up.

CHAPTER FIVE

Joey Carter drove his car up the tree lined street in George Town, and parked it outside the Ryan's residence. He got out and strode over to see Caitlin on the porch, "Hey..."

"Joey! Did you see...?"

He nodded as he sat on the rocking chair on the porch, "We ALL did..."

Caitlin looked to the floor, "Is there anything we can do?"

Joey met her eyes as she looked up when he spoke, "With the primary resistance cell wiped out we are screwed, it's all over"

Caitlin went to the rail and blew out a bitter laugh, "It's over for some of us, but I bet there is a whole bunch of people celebrating tonight"

Both jumped at the fire cracker noise, then they saw the rainbow colours of fireworks all around them over the roof tops, and there was cheering.

"Yeah", he sighed in dismay, "as we speak"

VVV

From the White House grounds, President Neil Armstrong came over to where his Teammate son Aaron was watching the fireworks stream and light up the night sky in flashes and bangs

"Wow, looks like a big celebration all round", Neil said.

"Certainly is Dad, right Lucille?"

Lucille was standing nearby with the First lady. She watched the fireworks but her stomach was doing somersaults. All she could think about was her Dad and Fireworks always made her think of him...where ever he was...

"Lucille", called Aaron.

She met his look and nodded solemnly, "Yeah..."

Gillian Armstrong took her arm, "Are you alright?"

Lucille plastered on a fake smile, "Yes...I'm fine, why would I not be?"

VVV

In the hanger of the Mothership, the shuttle came to a halt and the landing ramp and hatch hummed open like a mouth opening. Commanders Gerald and Frank strode down returning back from their jaunt to the Leaders rally in sunny California.

"The leaders speech was inspirational, at last the endgame has come", praised Gerald.

Frank nodded as he followed him, "Yes it was interesting, wasn't it...I wonder how long the Zedti have really been on Earth?"

Gerald turned as they reached the corridor, the humid steam rose out the vents, "That no longer matters...", he balled his fist in his black leather glove, "...the Zedti scum will be crushed completely this time"

Frank made his excuse to leave, "I better go make out my report and ready our troops"

"You do that"

Gerald watched him stride off down the corridor. He then turned and saw Jenna standing there, he cupped her cheek with his hand, "You saw the our Leaders rally?"

Jenna nodded, "yes I did...but I have concerns, this new bio chemical weapon we are going to use against them...are you sure it will not harm our people?"

They walked towards the travel tube, "The chemical formula has been tested thoroughly by our scientists. It's sole use is to exterminate the Zedti"

Jenna closed her eyes, "Our child will be born to war"

Gerald led her into the travel capsule and they sat down to journey to the other side of the ship, "HE will only know that the Zedti are to be destroyed at all costs...within a few years HE will be a loyal general in our Leaders army"

Jenna was detesting the proud tone in his voice, the future of their son, "Yes...", she could only mutter, hoping he did detect the disappoint in her tone, as she stared across to him, her face strobed by the light of the moving capsule.

VVV

Some time later, Cent Com supervisor Jenna stepped out the travel tube and approached her private quarters. After inserting her key in the lock, the door slid aside with a hum and she entered only to see an uninvited guest waiting for her.

"Rosa? What do you want?", Jenna asked, somewhat put out that she had gained entry without permission.

Rosa stood with her hands behind her back, "I thought the time had come to confront you"

Jenna pulled a face, "Confront me?"

"Yes, you see I KNOW all of your little secrets", told Rosa . Jenna painted on a puzzled face, "What secrets? You really have lost me"

Rosa raised her eyebrows and approached her, "Your acting performance is good, I'll give you that, but you are just not clever enough to fool me"

Jenna was starting to jitter, "Performance? Secrets? I really do not understand any of these accusations"

The Visitor scientist raised her pulse weapon at her, Jenna stared at it in disbelief, "You are a stinking traitor Jenna, you are a member of the alliance who are against our leader and her plan"

Jenna eyed the door, "Don't be so ridiculous!"

Rosa shook her head smiling, "I am not...I have seen you...didn't you know that I'd plant a camera in Marc's cell...big mistake, I heard it all, but I had my suspicions long before"

Jenna looked at her in disbelief, "You have been SPYING on me?"

Rosa licked her lips and and stared at her, pulse weapon still poised, "There are many camera's and such I have had planted around this ship, it a tool to snuff out traitors like YOU"

Jenna blew out a laugh and made for the door, but Rosa got in the way, "Just wait until I inform Gerald of this"

"YES do that, and I 'll will gladly show him ALL of the evidence I have collected on you...", goaded Rosa with a hint of self triumph in her vibrating tone.

Jenna was starting to realise WHY Rosa was doing this. This wasn't ALL to do with her being a member of the alliance against the leader.

"That's it Rosa, I am fully aware WHY you are doing this...YOU are in love with Gerald, and HE has NEVER noticed you, however hard you have tried over the long years!"

Rosa swallowed, "Don't do this, I warn you"

Jenna mocked her, "YOU are nothing but a poison dwarf to him Rosa...you are a just a sad lonely individual who has always been thwarted with ugliness...inside and out...even in this human skin we don..."

The anger was rising to boiling point within Rosa. She was shaking as Jenna continued her abuse.

"...well, I have news for you...but you may already know if you have been watching us...Gerald has pair bonded with me, I carry his seed, we have a cherished future. The only future you have, is one on your own, with nothing but a torture chamber to cuddle up to"

Rosa exploded in sheer rage, "YOU BITCH! YOU LYING TRAITOR! I END THIS TREACHERY NOW!"

And she fired the pulse laser, the bolt of electric blue hitting her shoulder and Jenna went flying to the floor.

Jenna was trying to crawl to the console unit, Rosa watched on amused at her handy work, then went and stepped onto Jenna's hand before she could raise it, the fake human skin was torn away from her real skin like pizza.

"Poor Jenna...you may be attractive, but your face is about to be rearranged"

And the weapon went off again, fatally

CONTINUED IN THE FINAL: WAR & PEACE