Dr. Scarburg, Jr. responded puzzled, “Anhur I never met a youngster during our escape from Cambodia.”
“Meeting a youngster no but do you remember a ‘Captain’ Hugo Knight?”
“Anhur.... Hugh Knight...do I ever - that man saved our lives - he flew our plane miles in the wrong direction in order for us to parachute out and escape detection. Yes, I’ll never forget the sacrifice he made for us. He gave his life to save our team.”
“Do you remember anything he told you - especially about his family?”
“No,” said Little ‘S’, “nothing I can think of but that was a long time ago.”
“Remember the wedding ring? And his request?”
“Man oh man, yes...yes...do I ever. After he was wounded he wanted us to give his wedding ring to his wife and tell his sons he loved them.”
Anhur pressured him further, “Do you remember his sons names”
“Funny, after forty years, I do. He talked to us one night as we sat on our ‘yacht’, as we called the sunken PT boat, drinking Budweisers® and telling war stories. His first son was named… let me think… Trey… yes, that’s right... and the second son... the youngest was the funny part. He was named after Hugo. He was Hugo Knight, Jr. What the hell has this got to do with my grandsons being killed you Alien imbecile.”
“Excuse me Captain Scarburg... before you finish completely criticizing and degrading my race of people from my planet Sunev I need to tell you Hugo Knight Jr, who was one year old when you heard about him. He was the pilot of your SCAR team’s airplane.”
Turning his gaze from Captain Scarburg Anhur addressed Roche, “Master Sergeant Jacque Jollett better known to all as “Roche” you have not been forgotten. Remember Iraq, the 5th Special Forces, 1st Battalion? You were assigned as a 18Z team sergeant (Operations Sergeant) on an Operational Detachment - A (A Team), was that correct?”
“Yeah, that’s right but what has that got to do with our Mexico SCAR team?”
“While in Iraq do you remember a mission your Special Forces A-Team undertook to rescue a downed U.S. pilot? Your team slipped behind the Iraqi forces and saved an A-10 ‘Warthog’ pilot with the call sign of “Bammer”. Does that bring back memories?”
“Dog gone right, it does. Got the name ‘cause he was from Alabama, I believe. That was back in ’91 right after the Gulf war started. We infiltrated in, snatched this Air Force guy and barely got him back to safety. Hadn’t thought of him much since tho’, why? Was he important?”
“I do not know. You tell me. The man you rescued was Captain Hugo Knight the pilot of Bud, Forrest and Olive Maria’s plane to Mexico.
When the plane went down he along with Forrest, Bud, Olive and all those other innocent passengers all died together.”
Gabby was sobbing loudly now, “Anhur are you telling us they have crashed?”
“Sorry, yes that is true.”
“Anhur, how could your people be so cruel? Can’t you do anything - anything to save them?”
“No! Absolutely not! We cannot interfere in life or death events on your planet. We have on our planet Sunev the Supreme Council - an Omnipotent twelve-member body that works under the auspices of the main Court of Resolution. The Council makes all decisions concerning when, or if, we journey to your Earth. We also cannot bring someone who has died back to life; only they can make a recommendation to the Court of Resolution to do that deed, but…the Court has only allowed interference in your history in that manner only once before. We cannot restore life to a dead body only mine and your God can do that. We can only travel to the past and intercede in events prior to death. Changing events can affect the future.”
“But Anhur you said the future was not set in stone…that means your saying it can be changed…right? You told us about the asteroid, correct? If we properly prepare we can avert disaster. Why not change events so Bud, Forrest and Olive’s airplane averts their disaster. Damn...! Damn...! Anhur do something...can’t you?” Gabby screamed hysterically at Anhur.
“Yes, Ms Gabby you are correct, but this asteroid event is in the future. You are asking me to go back and change something in the past which could alter your planet’s destiny.”
“Right now I don’t give a flying rat’s ass about the ‘planet’s destiny’ or this damn asteroid. That’s tomorrow. I care about Forrest, Bud and Sister, that’s here and now. Do something Anhur… do something!”
“I know nothing about asses of flying rats, but I do know about our Supreme Council. Only they can authorize intervention in a termination of life event that has already occurred.
Their decision must be unanimous and they have been partitioned many many times over the course of your Earth’s history but only once was the vote 12 yeas and 0 nays. We changed your world’s history once by changing events to allow a person to live rather than die.”
“What happened Anhur?”
“The result was... was... well what can I say I’ll let you decide - the Council will not ever consider this option again. A violation of their decision could mean termination of the offender’s life immediately. No, as you call it, trial or jury...only instant death to the one that would defy the Council. As you know we live thousands of your Earth years, so their penalty is severe.”
Gabby still crying said, “Please Anhur… can we just ask them to let you intervene?”
“No… absolutely not. I would risk death by merely asking.”
“Hell… Anhur who was this ‘important’ person that got your Council’s panties in such a wad?”
Anhur replied, “I will try to explain. At the time of your World War One this man was seemingly unimportant. He had enlisted in the German Sixteenth Bavarian Infantry Regiment, serving as a dispatch runner.
He was a proven, able, courageous soldier. Received the Iron Cross First Class for bravery, but did not rise above the rank of Corporal. Twice wounded, he was badly injured four weeks before the end of ‘The War to End All Wars’, now you say WW I. He died fitfully of gangrene in a makeshift field hospital in Germany. The world knew nothing about him. They never knew his name… he was just another forgotten dead soldier buried underneath one of the white crosses, Star of David or dozens of other religious markers lining the fields of Europe like hundreds of thousand of geometrically planted unpicked white wildflowers.
The continent of Europe was in total ruin following this terrible war. Thousands were dead and many more thousands were dying of starvation. There were no jobs. The European people were disheartened and without will to continue or even to live.
Our Supreme Council thought, for the good of hundreds of thousands, the life of one man might be worth saving, so they ordered a ‘expedition’ into the future to see if some man, might indeed, help the countries of Europe and prevent the people from suffering such a terrible fate if he were allowed to live.
After our excursion into the future a man was found and a favorable report was delivered to the Supreme Council: this man had been elected Chancellor of Germany - he instituted law and order - he put the people back to work - the Europeans were happy and prosperous. This man promised great things for the people of the region. Life under his rule was good for all the people. However, this great worker of wonders had died years before in the Great War.
The Supreme Council, upon advice of the ‘elders’ and the excellent report of the future time travelers, intervened in his live and allowed him to recover from his deadly wounds. He was temporarily incapacitated for a few months but made a full recover. But we had one fatal flaw in our reasoning - our excursion into the future was only about twenty years to 1939. We should have gone another five years to 1944.
During your 1920’s and 1930’s it appeared the Council had made a good and wise choice - everything improved. The lives of the people seem to be peaceful and fulfilled. Employment was up in Europe, especially in Germany and times look good. The Court of Resolution was pleased with the decision of the Supreme Council.
But things changed. Remembe
r when I answered your question? ‘Is the future set in stone, can it be changed... the answer is a definite YES... yes it can be changed.’
The future is definitely not set in stone - events can and do change what tomorrow brings. This man’s ego took over and his armies conquered country after country leading to World War Two. He finally committed suicide in 1945 ending his maniacal rule.
It has been estimated he killed approximately seventy million people in his reign of terror. I will restate that figure again - seventy million people.
“Tell us Anhur! Tell us who he was!”
“You know this man all too well -
Adolf... ADOLF HITLER!!”
A collective moan erupted from all that was gathering listening to Anhur speak.
“The Supreme Council will not risk allowing another Adolf Hitler to emerge.”
Little ‘S’, Lou, Gabby, Lonnie Joe and Roche sat staring at Anhur with looks of amazement. Finally Gabby managed, “Hitler! Hitler! You idiots allowed that madman to live? What is wrong with Sunev your planet - you let a maniac like Hitler live but kill a whole airplane full of innocent people.”
* * * * * *
“I am truly sorry Ms Gabby. Dr. Scarburg, when did this aircraft accident occur? And...” speaking very slowly and as precisely as he could he asked, “I mean exactly...to the very minute.”
“Lets see... the flight departed Washington Monday August 5th at 7 am local. With a short layover they were to arrive at Mexico City about 15 hours later. The authorities lost contact with the aircraft at exactly 7:12 pm CST before reaching their destination. They would have crashed at 7:15 pm CST Monday evening, I suppose.”
“Before I explain anymore could I please visit your bathroom,” asked Anhur?
Lou waved with his arm toward the bedroom and its adjoining bathroom. Anhur did not speak another word.
Anhur turned to his left and as silent as a soft breeze he almost seemed to float into the adjoining master bedroom with its spacious bathroom.
A few seconds turned into a couple of minutes. The minutes became ten. The group sat in the hotel room and nervously talked quietly among themselves. Small talk, nothing serious, they did not want to engage in anything requiring deep cognitive thought - they waited for Anhur to enlighten them further on his planet’s involvement with Earth - and anything on the airplane crash.
“Enough of this,” Little ‘S’ said jumping to his feet. “I’m going to check on Anhur...Alien or not no one should stay in the bathroom this long. He may be sick.” No sooner than Captain Scarburg had uttered these remarks a shattering of glass was heard coming from the bathroom followed by scuffling noises and grunts.
Lou, Gabby, LJ and Roche all reacted at the same time - leaping to their feet they ran to the adjoining bedroom. By the time they arrived the Captain was already pounding on the bathroom door, “Anhur! You okay? Anhur!” There was no response from inside the facilities. “Lonnie Joe, the doors locked from the inside, how about putting one of your barroom moves on this door.”
“Roger, Doc, stand back and let a man get to work.” With those remarks Lonnie stepped back a couple of steps, turned his right shoulder toward the door, growled and with a hard lunge proceeded to separate the door from its hinges.
Entering the bathroom a strange sight greeted them…
Emptiness... the bathroom was totally empty... Anhur was nowhere to be seen. Glass from one of the bathroom soap dispensers was scattered over the entire floor. The mirror was broken. Towels were in disarray and the towel rack had been dislodged. It appeared as if a fight had taken place, but with whom? And where was the assailant? For that matter where was Anhur? How did they escape? There was no exit from this interior locked bathroom and the windows of the bedroom were sealed firmly shut and made of unbreakable glass. Besides even if Anhur could get outside there was nowhere to go except twelve floors straight down to the hard cold concrete sidewalk below. Where was he...? Where did Anhur go...?
Noticing something on the floor Gabby pointed to a shiny gold object partially hidden under one of the towels lying on the floor. Lou picked it up. A piece of a broken gold chain!!
Little did they know that this piece of chain was pulled from the neck of...of...
...a small man in a golden suit adorned with an ethereal golden chain who had been watching their every move!!!
* * * ~~~ * * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MONDAY, AUGUST 5TH, 7:00 PM THE FLIGHT TO MEXICO CITY REVISITED
The six SCAR scientists, Dr. Bud, brother Forrest, sister Olive Maria and three assistants, had just finished their dinner meals. Most of SCAR’s team went with the Angus Cheeseburgers but Olive Maria had decided on the low calorie Grilled Chicken Spinach salad with just a touch of Italian Vinaigrette. Dr. Bud abstained from the eating and was drinking his dinner - sipping on his second light rum Mojito. All were beginning to settle down and relax in their huge Continental 757-200’s luxurious seats. A check with the flight attendant indicated they were in the process of descending and would arrive in Mexico City in another hour or so.
Dr. Buddy ‘Bud’ Scarburg was co-leader of this Mexican expedition along with his older brother Robert ‘Forrest’ Edward Scarburg IV. Their older sister Olive Maria was long for the field experience. Three SCAR assistants completed the team.
Dr. Bud Scarburg, one of SCAR’s lead investigators, was seated on the portside aisle in seat 9C. Forrest sitting in 9B next to Olive Maria in 9A, had his head leaned back nestled into a soft pillow and was beginning to nod off to sleep.
A frail looking little transient was across the aisle in 9D wearing a dirty white straw hat. He wore a threadbare white suit giving the appearance of silver when the light caught it just right. His neck was adorned with a beautiful silver medallion suspended on a fine silver chain. A large pair of dark sunglasses covered his eyes.
The remaining three members of the SCAR team were seated one row back in 10A, B and C. There were no seats 9D, E or F; those three seat positions were used as a dividing wall between 1st class and economy. Of course Captain Scarburg had the SCAR team traveling 'Economy'.
Olive had her head on a pillow, eyes shut, listening to music on her new iphone.
From the rear of the plane a bumbling passenger came walking up the aisle, apparently slipped as he passed and stumbled awkwardly into the lap of Dr. Scarburg seated in the aisle seat.
“Excuse me,” said the ungainly passenger ever so softly, “my apologies.” Almost at a whisper he followed, “I am sorry for my… my... I cannot walk good… I very sorry,” Dr. Scarburg heard him say stammering and speaking so quietly his words were barely discernable as he tried to right himself. The little gent across the aisle was looking at the awkward passenger with a stare as piercing as a double-edged knife even tho’ his eyes were hidden by his large tinted glasses. He did not utter a single word.
Dr. Scarburg tried to help the fellow regain his feet. In his attempt to help he pushed, obviously to hard, the fallen man across the aisle into the lap of the silver suited little guy.
The stumbling passenger, as if by instinct, looked directly at the diminutive gentleman. His motion seemed to become frozen. The clumsy wayfarer’s shock was apparent to anyone that noticed. It was as if he had seen a ghost. Before he could get up the little man in 9D said something to the man lying in his lap. His voice was so quite Bud could not understand what was said even as close as he was to him. But the language did not sound like English - it was some foreign speech that Bud did not recognize.
As the man regained his feet Dr. Scarburg extended his assurance all was fine but couldn’t help noticing two things. First the unusual accent the stranger exhibited; although, for some unusual reason he was making a futile attempt to disguise it. Bud was cognizant of numerous languages and dozens of regional dialects but this one was a mystery - he could not identify the country of its origin.
It seemed very ‘alien’ to him.
Second, why was this klutz wearing a scarf
around his neck? Doe he not know he is going to Mexico? And does he have something on his back hidden by his knee length tunic?
By instinct Bud looked down to reassure himself his metal briefcase was still nestled securely and safely at his feet - it was - right where it was supposed to be, pressed gently against his leg. ‘Had that fall been an accident or was it on purpose’ he thought?
Without speaking another word the passenger walked up the aisle and reached hesitantly to grasp the lavatory handle. Before he could turn the handle a beautiful, blue-eyed, blonde flight attendant dressed in a white blouse, black pants and wearing a black apron with a exquisite ivory medallion suspended on a elegant silver chain approached and whispered something into his ear. Feigning a giggle as though he were making a pass, she shooed him away with her hand. At the same time her blue eyes stole a glance in the direction of the little fellow in 9D. The fellow with the two left feet turned from the flight attendant grasped the lavatory handle and entered the lavatory.
In a mere couple of moments the door re-opened and he began to return to his seat in the rear of the aircraft followed closely by the perky blonde. As they passed seat 9D neither ventured a glance toward the little man in the silver suit. Both their eyes remained transfixed and both stared straight ahead. The strange journeyer was also wearing an unearthly ivory medallion on a glistening silver chain - it appeared identical to the one the flight attendant was wearing.
It was obvious they both knew the little man in the aisle seat. They recognized his white silvery suit and his silver medallion. It was identical in appearance to the ones they wore except his was made of silver. And if anyone had been paying attention as the passenger grasped the end of his woolen scarf and gave it a forceful flip around his neck as he walked by they would have heard him utter an almost indiscernible guttural “Anhur!!”
Captain Knight looked at his watch to check the time: 7:12 pm. At the same moment he keyed his mike, “Mexico City... Mexico City Continental 1425 request approach heading... will report at outer marker... we’re an hour and a half out. How’s the weather...?”
Mexico City’s air traffic controllers responded with complete metrological data then Captain Knight flipped the switch to talk to the passengers: