The Revelation Chronicles: Evolution Page 9

“Michael.”

  “Yes.”

  She sighed again and this time a lone tear slowly descended down her left cheek.

  “It was unexpected, I swear. There was something about him that drew me in. The silent strength, the—”

  “OK, OK, I get it. You don’t have to draw me a picture,” I said. It was like being a kid and watching the shiny new bike I just got for Christmas being stolen right in front of me. Except I wasn’t a kid. And it hurt like hell. But, for some reason, I wasn’t mad. I was just… disappointed.

  “You’re my friend, Allison. A guy couldn’t ask for one better. We tried to make it into something more, but it seems it just wasn’t in the cards for us. I’m not mad, and I don’t hold it against you. I wish you and Michael nothing but happiness. I won’t stand in your way. I just hope we can continue to be friends.”

  “Oh, Charlie. You mean that?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Allison threw her arms around me and we embraced, as friends.

  I wasn’t so sure I believed all the words I’d said to her myself, but I was determined to live up to them. She made her choice and I was going to honor it, even though it left a huge hole in my heart. A hole I feared would never be filled again.

  Chapter 36

  The conversation with Allison had been a bummer, but I wasn’t going to let that bring me down. Besides, if what I was about to do didn’t work, my relationship status would be the least of my worries.

  My mother’s parting words continued to resonate in my mind long after I returned. She was right about one thing for sure. A choice would be made, and that decision wouldn’t be an easy one. And… that choice was not going to go over well with the others, but it was necessary. If I was to be the leader they all expected me to be, I had to play the part.

  As I pulled up the zipper on my favorite leather jacket and prepared to slip away undetected, I suddenly sensed an overwhelming amount of tension. Someone was at my door.

  “You can come in, Kara. It’s open.”

  The door opened slowly and Kara’s lean figure entered, somewhat awkwardly.

  “I’d ask how you knew it was me, but we both know the answer to that question.”

  Kara closed the door behind her gently. She looked around the room with careful, prying eyes like a public health inspector before finally resting on me.

  “Going somewhere?”

  When you share a special connection like I did with Kara, lying turned out to be a colossal waste of time. But I was stubborn, so of course I had to try.

  “I’m just stepping outside for some fresh air.”

  We locked eyes and, for a moment, neither of us blinked. Then I caved and looked away, shifting my focus to the painting on the wall behind her. It was as if we were playing a game of chicken and I’d lost.

  “You want to try that again?” she asked, undeterred.

  “Look, I want to try and put an end to this thing before it gets any worse.”

  “By turning yourself in? How does that help?”

  Again, she’d read my mind and knew exactly what I intended to do. I couldn’t hide anything from this woman.

  “I need to do this. I can save us.”

  “You are the most wanted man in the world and you think they’re going to just let you walk in? They’ll probably shoot you on sight.”

  “That’s a strong possibility. But I have to try. The fate of both humans and Alarians are at stake here. No one else needs to die.”

  “And you’re certain you can save us? You know that how?”

  The pitch in Kara’s voice increased and I could sense her emotional stress level going right up with it.

  “Well, I’m going with you, then. Just give me a few moments to grab my things.”

  She turned to leave. She was quite persistent when she wanted to be. And who better to have my back if things were to go sideways with my plan?

  “No,” I resolved, “I can’t let you do that.”

  “And why not?”

  “Because if I die, you die.”

  That was the biggest paradox about my entire new life. And I had yet to really wrap my head around it. If something tragic were to happen to me, then she would almost certainly suffer the same fate. Alien life was proving to be so unfair.

  “All the more reason to take me along.”

  “Our fates are connected, you know that. I would be too concerned for your well-being to focus on what I have to do.”

  “You don’t have to worry about me. I can more than take care of myself.”

  I could sense the masonry of her defensive wall being erected.

  “Kara, please don’t take this personal. This is just something I have to do alone. Trust me.”

  She stepped closer to me and took my hand in hers. Immediately a flood of intense emotions washed over me. I looked down upon her face and was suddenly reminded just how amazingly attractive she was. Like really, really beautiful.

  “I do trust you.”

  I felt her hand touch the small of my back underneath my jacket and inch me closer until I could feel the warmth of her breath on my face.

  “We’ve been here before,” she whispered. “Why now?”

  That was a fair question to ask. We had been here before. What was so different this time?

  “I know… you’re right. We have. But this time I know who I am. I accept my fate. And I accept you.”

  Kara’s lips parted and she let out a scarcely audible gasp. When she finally spoke, the tone of her voice was much softer.

  “What makes you think it will be that easy? You hurt me, Charlie. Really hurt me. I—”

  She was caught completely off-guard when I wrapped my arms around her and pressed her body up to mine. I was done talking.

  “This.”

  I kissed her. I mean passionately kissed her. No intrusive thoughts of Evolution, aliens, or anything from the outside world. It was just me and her.

  A blue aura rose up and enshrouded us. Our intertwined bodies began to levitate and float around the room. Jolts of an electric sensation coursed back and forth between us. This was what I needed and where I belonged. All the signs and tea leaves had come to the same conclusion. It was way past time I accepted my true destiny. And it all started with Kara.

  Chapter 37

  Agent Simmons fumed as he drove his SUV down the dark streets of Brantford. A small community, Brantford was quiet and just beyond the bright lights and fast pace of the city. He liked it that way. In a town of only three hundred residents, the most exciting thing to happen in months was old Mrs. Jenkins’ cat getting stuck in a tree. What made it even more enthralling was what happened when the volunteer firefighters arrived and rescued the poor feline. After returning the cat to its owner, Mrs. Jenkins then claimed the kitty wasn’t even hers. That got the town in quite a stir, to the point where a petition was created as to whether the old woman should be committed.

  Agent Simmons almost burst into laughter at the thought, pulling into the driveway of his one-story townhouse. He’d done just that when the neighborhood wives had shown up on his doorstep, asking for his signature.

  He pressed the garage door opener clipped to the visor above his head and gently applied the brake while the door slowly ascended. Easing into the garage, he noticed the last remaining light bulb was blown. One had blown weeks ago and he’d intended to fix it, but with his current caseload at the FBI, the task went undone. Now the other bulb was out. Add it to the list of other things needing repair around the house.

  It would have to wait because he there was no time tonight either. Only time for a quick shower and a fresh shirt before heading back to the mobile command center. The day had been long, and it wasn’t over yet. Such was the life of an FBI lead investigator. This case was high-profile. No rest for the weary tonight.

  Agent Simmons switched off the ignition and opened the door, flooding the darkness with the SUV’s dome light and front fog lights while the garage door closed mechanically behind him. C
oming home after dark so frequently, he knew he had just enough time to reach the garage entry door to the house before they all went out. Twenty seconds to be exact. Not that he was concerned.

  The garage was a convoluted mess of things collected over the years: old and worn baseball equipment, broken air hockey table, etc. Even still, Agent Simmons knew he could make it into the house in his sleep. Everything had a place. He liked to think of it as organized clutter. That was why the soccer ball two feet to his left was so odd. It wasn’t where it was supposed to be.

  Then the vehicle lights went out. His twenty seconds were up. But that was more than he needed. He’d already detected the intruder lurking in the corner next to the paint shelf.

  Bad move.

  Wrong house, wrong night.

  Agent Simmons drew his gun.

  “COME OUT!” he shouted. “I’m a federal agent. I have a gun and I will use it.”

  There was only silence. Then the lights on the Tahoe inexplicably flashed on and the horn blared, startling Agent Simmons. He was awestruck as the gun was ripped from his grasp by some unseen force. The weapon simply hung there, suspended in midair and slowly rotated, until the business end was pointed squarely at his chest.

  The intruder finally stepped out from his hiding spot. A hooded jacket concealed his face from view. And then, Agent Simmons got the surprise of a lifetime. The hood was slowly removed to reveal a face. America’s Most Wanted fugitive was standing in his home.

  Charlie Reese had come to pay a visit.

  Chapter 38

  Breaking into a federal agent’s home was risky but necessary. I wanted to play a hunch. Hopefully it didn’t blow up in my face.

  “I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to talk.”

  “That’s kind of hard to believe with this,” Agent Simmons said, pointing at his service-issued Glock floating inches from his cranium.

  “I trust you, you trust me. That’s how this works,” I said carefully.

  I lowered the gun until it landed in his palm. Predictably, he didn’t waste a second, quickly handling the weapon with expert precision. He dropped to a crouched position and squeezed the trigger twice.

  So much for trust.

  The muzzle flashed, two bullets exploding through the combustion of gunpowder and ambient air. No cause for panic. I extended my palm to them and both bullets froze in flight. With a flick of the wrist, the projectiles changed flight and struck a soccer ball, puncturing the bladder inside with a loud ‘POP’.

  “I really loved that ball.”

  “And I’m kind of partial to my face the way it is. Shall we try again?”

  Agent Simmons lowered the gun.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re a fugitive. You broke into my house. Of course, I was going to try and put you down. What do you want?”

  “I came here to turn myself in.”

  “Did I just hear you correctly? You came here to turn yourself in?” he asked with skepticism. “Why now?”

  “I want to prove to you and the government that we are not the bad guys.”

  “We?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Let’s not waste time pretending you don’t know who we are. I want to help you find the Vice President and stop the real enemy.”

  “What’s in it for you?”

  I was actually surprised that he didn’t challenge me on the whole ‘real enemy’ bit. Seemed my hunch about him hit the mark.

  “You stop chasing my people. Let them be. They are not a threat.”

  Agent Simmons holstered his weapon. Either he was starting to trust me or he realized the gun was about as useless as a penny with a hole in it. I love that song, by the way.

  “Tell that to the three federal agents in the burn unit at Mercy Memorial.”

  Crap. No way around that one.

  Thanks, Michael.

  “That was an accident. You’ve been chasing us for months, painting us in a corner. Something like that was bound to happen.”

  “That doesn’t make it right. Hard to take you seriously when you’re putting my guys in the hospital. Or the morgue.”

  He was skeptical. I didn’t blame him.

  “I’m here. Alone. Offering you an olive branch.”

  “So, I’m supposed to believe that if I call in a tactical squad, you won’t take them out?”

  “I know you don’t know me and it’s a lot to ask, but I need you to trust me.”

  Agent Simmons took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He seemed to be mulling over his next move. At least he was projecting a cool, calm façade. But only he knew if it was for real.

  “You did save my life,” he said finally. “And I have to admit, something’s not adding up here.”

  “I can help you fill in the blanks.”

  “If you’re on the level, you’ll get your chance. Come on inside. We’ll work out the details.”

  Chapter 39

  Viktor struggled to remain conscious while the interrogation continued. He could no longer focus on anything for more than a few seconds. The serum they’d given him was extremely effective and potent.

  Harken stood over him, bearing that same despicable smug smile he’d been wearing since he introduced himself. He was confident the information they wanted would be coming soon. With the way Viktor was fading, it appeared he was right on the money.

  “Let’s start from the beginning again,” he said. “You crash landed on Earth in 1948. You were carrying something with you. Something very valuable. Where is it?”

  Viktor tried to lift his head and speak, but his words were all jumbled.

  “What was that?” Harken asked leaning in closer to hear.

  “I… I said g—” He coughed uncontrollably. “Go… to… h—hell.”

  He laughed. A weak but satisfying laugh.

  Harken’s smile disappeared. He stung Viktor hard with a right hook to the left cheek. Viktor grimaced and shifted his mouth around like he was gargling mouthwash before spitting fresh blood on the floor.

  “That th… the best you got?” he managed to say after some time.

  “Give him another dose,” Harken ordered.

  Viktor had already been steadily receiving increasing doses of the serum for hours. His mind felt like scrambled eggs doused in gasoline then set on fire. The halo device was particularly unpleasant. How much longer he could hold it together was completely unknown.

  “We can’t do that, sir,” the young scientist monitoring Viktor’s vitals insisted. “We’ve already administered the maximum recommended dosage.”

  “I don’t care! Give it to him!” Harken barked.

  “Sir,” the scientist bravely argued, “another dose could kill him.”

  Viktor admired the man’s tenacity. He could almost even bring himself to respect it.

  Harken stormed over and jerked him up roughly by a handful of lab coat and the hideous plaid shirt he was wearing underneath. The man’s eyes widened in fear.

  “I’m going to say this one more time. Give him another dose or I’ll put a bullet in your skull. That clear enough for you?”

  The man gulped and nodded vehemently.

  “Good.”

  Harken released him.

  Visibly shaken, the scientist entered his passcode and opened the glass medicine cabinet at the front of the room. He removed another bag of the opaque serum to replace the empty one on the IV pole next to Viktor.

  Viktor closed his eyes. This was it. Years of planning and preparation gone down the drain. He’d failed. How did he not see they were involved? American technological advancements in the last thirty years should have been a dead giveaway. Standeval, his son, was right. Ego would be his downfall.

  “Tell me what I want to know and this ends,” Harken said, watching while the two scientists readied Viktor for another dose. “Last chance.”

  Viktor spoke, this time barely above a whisper. Harken again leaned closer so he could hear. “You’ll never find it,” he said defiantly. />
  He drove his forehead hard into the bridge of Harken’s nose, hearing and feeling the crack of bone and cartilage from the force. Harken stumbled backwards, grabbing his nose as blood poured between his fingers and down the chin onto his shirt.

  “You son of a—”

  Harken punched Viktor several times as hard as he could.

  “Do it now,” he said finally, breathing hard while he stood over a badly beaten and barely conscious Viktor. The scientists did as instructed, opening the IV tubing. The serum slowly trickled into his veins. A voice over the intercom caught everyone by surprise.

  “Discontinue the IV, Harken, and report to my office immediately.”

  Harken cursed under his breath and gave the order as directed.

  Viktor lifted his head and opened an eye, just in time to see Harken leave the room. He managed a weak smile, feeling the sharp edges of the access card concealed in his closed fist. Harken was just like all humans: predictable, sloppy. Emotion had clouded his judgment and afforded Viktor an opportunity to swipe the access card from his utility belt in the scuffle. Standeval would’ve been proud. He didn’t know how or when, but a chance would present itself soon, he was now confident. And he’d be ready.

  Chapter 40

  Kara tried to go about the rest of the evening as though nothing was wrong. She excused herself from dinner early and retired to her room. Blaming it on a stomach bug was easy enough. Perhaps it wasn’t too far from the truth because something surely had her stomach in knots.

  Curse you, Charlie! You should have let me go with you!

  Her telepathic link with Charlie must have been out of range because the rant went unnoticed and unanswered. Maybe it was time to switch carriers. The famous quote from a particular cell phone company came to mind: ‘Can you hear me now?’ With her nerves on high alert, even a passenger pigeon wasn’t out of the question at the moment.

  She eyeballed the clock. Only twenty-four seconds past the last time she checked it. A massive coronary was on tap if she didn’t calm down.

  Kara closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and blew the air out slowly between slightly parted lips. It was a breathing technique she’d seen on TV once. It seemed to help. A little.