"Before I move this truck, you take off those glasses!" I ordered Hughes as soon as he was in Big Red's passenger seat.
He pulled the golden-framed deep-black shades down the bridge of his nose, revealing perfectly brown eyes underneath. Satisfied, I nodded -- and he slid them back in place.
"What in God's name are they?" I asked as I started the truck and threw it into gear. "What do they want from me?"
"It's not important, Randy!" He replied, gasping for breath after our break-neck run. "All that matters is that we get this load to The Cape as soon as possible!"
"Bullshit!" I yelled as we merged back onto the interstate, checking my mirrors for any signs of trouble. Thankfully, there were none. "These things killed my ex-wife and her husband! They may have my son as well -- I think I deserve some answers about who they are -- what the hell they're after! Time to start talking, pal, before I throw you right out of this truck! Start the beginning; who the fuck are you? "
"My name is Evander Hughes, and I'm a friend." He started.
"And they're the bad guys, I know! You've said that already, but now I need the f'ing details! Who are you working for?"
"For all of us, Randy... all of Mankind."
"Great -- but that's a little vague, isn't it?"
"I'm with the Secret Service." He said, seeming somewhat apprehensive to reveal all of the details. I did my best to make it clear in my demeanor that I wasn't going to settle for anything but the whole story -- I guess he picked up on it, because he continued despite his obvious discomfort. "But not the branch that runs around protecting the president and tracking down counterfeit money. We're a black-flag contingent, loosely associated with DETA -- the group headed by General Tomlinson that I told you about before. I was assigned to watch over Polyphemus; that thing you've got in the back of this truck. My orders are to ensure its safe passage to Cape Canaveral -- and beyond... at all costs."
"What exactly is a Polyphemus, pal? And why the hell am I pulling it across the country?"
"In Greek Mythology; Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon and Thoosa... he was the Cyclopes that Odysseus blinded in The Odyssey."
"So I've got a story-book monster in my truck? Right -- try again, brother!"
"Polyphemus is just a code-name, but you'll find the truth even harder to believe." Hughes offered with a sigh.
"Don't you worry about what I believe, just keep talking!"
"It's the result of a project undertaken by a race of extraterrestrial beings that we know as The Keepers. They are a species that exists on a planet far, far away from here -- which we call Parousia. They're a peaceful people; but they've lived under a great threat for thousands of years. A race of intergalactic conquerors, called the Phloxans, stumbled upon them some time ago and tried to eradicate their kind; which they've done to countless other species throughout the universe. You on board so far?"
"Just tell the damned story!"
"They weren't immediately successful, as The Keepers have no physical bodies to kill. They exist as clouds of energy, immune to the weapons available to The Phloxans at the time of their arrival."
"Oh really?" I said sarcastically. "Even their Photon Torpedoes? Isn't this perfect? I've got strange people with glowing eyes chasing me, and I end up with a quack reporter from The Globe riding around in my truck! How's Big Foot's bastard child doing these days, Hughes?"
"It's difficult to swallow, I know." He explained, the rolling of his eyes obvious even behind his shades. "But it's true -- as real as you and I. You asked the question... you don't have to believe it, you just have to keep driving this truck."
He was right, of course -- I didn't believe a word he was saying; it was ridiculous. I'd read comic books that were more believable than this tall tale.
Still, what was the harm in hearing him out? No one else was telling me anything, and he had been there to save me on multiple occasions. Plus, it was obvious that he believed every word of what he was saying. If it was a bunch of bullshit, someone had done a hell of a job brainwashing him into believing it. This guy had definitely drank the Kool-Aid -- and had seconds to boot. I tried to keep an open mind, as difficult as that was.
"Keep going!" I ordered. "What happened next?"
"The Phloxans were frustrated at their inability to kill The Keepers and went back to their home world to do some research. The Keepers are not a warlike race... without physical form, they never needed to be -- no one had ever tried to slaughter them before. They had no way to defend themselves in the event The Phloxans returned with the ability to kill them.
"Knowing that they would be back, The Keepers started taking steps to defend themselves against the looming threat. First, they reached out to other life forms living between Parousia and the Phloxan hub. We were among those they contacted... they came in the year 9510 BC; when we were struggling to find our way out of the Stone Age.
"Since that time, they have shared their knowledge of the universe with us... guiding us in our continuing evolution. Without them, we would still be struggling to understand the basics of working metal. The goal was to develop us as a force capable of standing beside them when The Phloxans returned; fighting for their very existence, alongside the other races they had cultivated. The children, if you will, of The Keepers would be a surprise; if used strategically, perhaps one that The Phloxans couldn't overcome."
"So, let me get this straight." I interrupted. "All of our advances in technology; everything that we've become since the days of the cave man -- it's all due to the influence of these creatures? All to be used in some space-age game of Stratego?"
"Yeah, that's pretty much it. They are infinitely knowledgeable..."
"Well -- if these things are so advanced, why didn't they just give Fred Flintstone a phaser rifle and set him off to battle? Seems like that would've been the better way to go; a bit faster, if nothing else."
"The answer to that question is simple, Randy -- just look at all the problems of the world; even today. We are a combative species, we always have been. Had we been able to focus our collective efforts, perhaps they could've just done that. We couldn't, though... we were always too concerned with destroying each other to come together towards a common good. Men took every bit of information that we received and bent it into the ability to kill off those of their own kind that didn't see things quite the same way that they did. The Keepers discovered quickly that they would have to trickle knowledge down slowly; let us chew each bite slowly before offering another spoonful.
"A small contingent of them assumed Human form and have lived here with us since the beginning, evaluating our progress and allowing us access to more and more as they decided we were capable of handling it. Very few among us knew of their presence; you can imagine the bedlam if people discovered that the purpose of their existence was essentially to develop a means of defending an alien race.
"Eventually, there would've come a time at which we were ready for a massive influx of information -- the keys to the kingdom that would've prepared us to help stave off a coming invasion. We were getting close... but it wasn't to be.
"The Phloxans started making preparations for their attack sooner than The Keepers had expected. We're simply not ready to join in the defensive in the manner originally intended. A rally cry and the introduction of the technology we would need at this point would result in the crumbling of our very society. People haven't gotten over themselves enough to throw their lives down on the line for a race they don't know or care about. Most would sooner dig themselves into holes and hide than stand and fight... The Keepers have other irons in the fire, though -- chief among them, Polyphemus."
"And what exactly is that?"
"It's a Tal-Gashot..." He said plainly.
"A who?"
"Another long story -- basically, The Keepers found a planet during their exploration for partners that was essentially dead. It showed signs, however, of formerly playing host to an
incredible species. It was obvious in the ruins of their world that they had been a highly advanced race; both in their physical development, and their level of technological mastery. A detachment of Keepers were left behind to study the world... archaeologists, strategists, scientists...
"They found records and fossils of creatures who called themselves The Tal-Gashot; massive bones and bits of bio-mechanical devices that told the story of a race of hybrid giants. They were humanoid; standing, on average, sixty feet tall and having ribcages over thirty feet in circumference. Years of research revealed a lot about their lives...
"Their world was very hostile to their particular needs, requiring tempering and terra-forming to suit them. In order to make modifications, they mastered the art of mechanical body manipulation, enhancing their strength to the point that they could chop down mountains larger than you could possibly imagine with their bare hands. They transformed their world; essentially overnight. With that hurdle out of the way, they turned their attention to the exploration of the galaxy beyond.
"When all was said and done, a Tal-Gashot could travel the universe without the assistance of spacecraft. Their very bodies, equipped only with rockets in their massive titanium boots and an atmospheric helmet, became the ship. They were amazing.
"According to some of the texts uncovered, the Tal-Gashot are actually the parents of all other races in the universe; they somehow seeded all of the worlds that are now known to foster intelligent life. If they were alive today, they would be seen as Gods..."
"So what happened to them? You said their world was dead..."
"No one really knows." He concluded. "Something changed on their home world... some conflict arose between them. The mythology uncovered about the times before the final conflict revealed that they were deeply emotional creatures, devoted to the concepts of honor, integrity, loyalty and respect. According to their historical texts, simple incidents between individuals often became the foundations of massive wars that killed thousands. One story told of what would be a husband destroying an entire colony over an incident involving an unwelcome advance towards his wife. To insult a Tal-Gashot was to inspire his wrath... and his wrath wasn't a pretty thing.
"There was very little recorded about what happened in the end, and the narratives that were recovered were vague. All that was clear was that something occurred that brought all of them home... the writings suggest that it was some sort of sickness or plague -- a lethal sort. They all went crazy with rage and an appetite for violence... as a result, they destroyed themselves. Each and every one of them was dead before whatever the problem was could be resolved. They did to themselves what no other creature in the known universe could've possibly done to them... made their kind extinct."
"Extinct? I'm not hauling bones in the back of my rig, am I? What would these Phloxans want with bones?" I asked, getting caught up in the story.
"No, not bones at all." He continued. "The Keepers were amazed at the level of destruction they found on the planet; they realized the powers of the Tal-Gashot were far greater than anything the Phloxans could hope to withstand. If it was possible to -- bring one back... that could the answer to the Phloxan threat.
"They were able to isolate strands of Tal-Gashot DNA, which they used to grow one. They called on technology they'd discovered throughout the universe to produce bio-mechanical implants and accessories that made the creature more powerful, even going so far as to introduce new weapons from other worlds that made this particular Tal-Gashot a killing machine. The space equivalent of a Terminator. Fearing the disease that had made them so violent might be reproduced in the clone, The Keepers kept it in stasis throughout its development. When the process was complete, they woke it up...
"Whatever it was that drove them to fight amongst themselves was carried over in the genes... Just as The Keepers had hoped, it was insane with rage and a desire to destroy. They put it back into stasis, trying to keep it hidden. If all else failed, they would send it to the Phloxan home world and let it work its destructive magic. It would do such incredible damage that all Phloxan forces would likely be recalled to defend their home -- and the Tal-Gashot would've killed all of them.
"When the time came, it was frozen and launched into space from Parousia as a solid block of ice. When it breached the Phloxan atmosphere, the shell would burn off -- the giant would come to life, laying siege to the planet until there was nothing left of the antagonists.
"Something went terribly wrong, however, and the guidance system brought it here instead. It crashed into the Pacific Ocean last week; nearly thawed.
"Realizing what had happened, The Keepers turned to General Tomlinson; a trusted representative of Humanity who has been responsible for dealing with their ambassadors for the majority of his life."
"And he conceived this grand plan to ship it across the country? Why?"
"He decided it had to be taken to Cape Canaveral... where it could be launched back towards Phlox."
"That seems a little crazy, don't you agree?" I asked. "I mean, you're telling me there's this invaluable weapon of unimaginable power on which the very existence of these Keepers hinges -- why wouldn't they just launch it back from just where it landed?"
"First of all, there's no infrastructure in place to launch it back into space from California. It could've been built, but that would've taken too much time. There was the possibility that The Phloxans had seen it... that they would come after it, come after us.
"It's suspected that The Phloxans knew of our existence, even before this incident -- but we've been ignored. If they didn't see Polyphemus crash to Earth, we had to be able to conceal it from them. They've presumably watched us launching things into space from a few points on the globe for years and have paid no mind. If Polyphemus could get off the ground in the same manner as the countless satellites we've put in orbit, they might not think twice about what it was -- until it was too late.
"Then, of course, there's the whole angle about what to tell the people of Earth... this secret has been kept from nearly everyone -- there would be questions if something went up from the coast of California. With the political climate, foreign governments might have assumed it was a missile; that could've been disastrous. The safest plan all around seemed to be sending it to The Cape."
"But, obviously they do know that it's here... that's what those purple-eyed people are -- Phloxans, right?" I asked, still not sure whether this guy was crazy or enlightened.
"Yes and no." He explained. "Phloxans, in the flesh, don't look like anything that you've ever seen."
"So they've assumed Human form -- like you say some of these Keepers did?"
"No, they can't do that; and all of the intel that is available says there are no Phloxan vessels within light-years of Earth. These things that are chasing us are Human -- were Human, at least."
"So this woman -- Misty -- that tried to squeeze my arm off; she was a real person?"
"At some point, yes. Clearly, The Phloxans have found a way to -- influence these people somehow. It's not clear how they're doing it. It's something The Keepers have never known them to do before."
"Why start now, then? To keep us from getting this thing launched back at them?"
"That's the logical answer, isn't it?"
"Why do they want me to take it to Dallas?"
"There's nothing in Dallas that I can think they would be interested in -- I guess I don't know. They must have something in mind, though -- they don't often do things without having a solid plan."
"Well, they're pretty damn adamant about it getting there! What's our plan, then? What happens when we get to Cape Canaveral? More importantly, what do I do about my boy?"
"You said they have him already? Do you know that for sure?"
"I don't know anything for sure -- a friend of mine found my ex and her husband dead, Sammy is missing. He's just eight, I don't think he's out cruising the town or a
nything."
"We'll find him." He said assuredly. "I'll get some of my people on it right away -- they're the best of the best. If he can be found, they'll find him. So far as the plan goes, Tomlinson and DETA have The Cape heavily protected. When we get there, his men will unload Polyphemus, put it in the cargo hold of one of those redesigned shuttles you've probably been hearing about, and launch it off. If it gets past the incoming Phloxan ships, The Keepers might still be in the game. We might just save the day after all."
My head was spinning with everything he had said. It all seemed so crazy, yet it made perfect sense somehow. There was certainly no explanation for the purple-eyed folks that was any more believable than what Hughes had spelled out...
The commitment of a Secret Service agent to get his people on Sammy's trail made me feel much better; but he was still out there somewhere -- alone. I prayed that he hadn't witnessed what happened to his mom and step-dad... that he had gotten out of the house as soon as he saw one of those Phloxans. He was a sharp boy; I can't imagine he would've stayed put after a seeing a site like a dude with purple eyes.
I took a second and tried to absorb everything that had happened over the past several days... tried to reconcile it all with this new knowledge. Everything seemed to fit together when looked at in the light Hughes had shined on the mystery... that made it harder to dispute the words he had spoken. I wasn't entirely convinced that this intergalactic standoff was anything more than the ramblings of a crazy man, but I was getting much closer to buying it.
"Wait!" I objected as a few pieces of the puzzle refused to be squeezed together in my mind.
I thought back to the conversation I'd had with this Evander Hughes character at the fuel station in Texas -- when he had knocked out the attendant and raided the supplies. Something about what he had said then just wasn't jiving with what he was telling me now... at first, I couldn't figure out what it was -- then it hit me.
The chip, I thought to myself... he had told me that the chunky coffee I drank when I picked the load up contained a chip -- one that linked me to the thing that was in my trailer. He told me that it was designed to kill me if I moved more than a half mile away from my load; that if I died, it died...
Christ, now he was talking about launching this thing into space!
"When do they take this chip out of me?" I asked eagerly. "They have to take it out, right? Before they launch it?"
To my horror, Hughes didn't speak... he didn't look at me, either; he seemed to be avoiding it at all costs.
"Evander --" I urged, trying to stay calm and warm up to him in the hope of earning some friendly sympathy. "When do they take the chip out?"
The man sighed heavily; more pronounced now than that which he let loose in doubt before he started telling me this crazy tale. That wasn't good -- I knew that it couldn't be good.
"They can't take the chip out, Randy." He suggested softly. "That would've been the first thing The Phloxans would've tried had they captured you. That means it had to be impossible to do, otherwise the whole thing would've been useless. There is no technology that will allow it to be removed -- without killing you in the process.
"Second of all, there was the possibility that this Tal-Gashot could've gone on a rampage after it was done with The Phloxans; it could've left their world and set out to destroy even more! The Keepers had to have a way to -- to turn it off.
"The chip wasn't meant for you -- it was supposed to remain in the hands of The Keepers on Parousia; it's was originally intended to be nothing more than a self destruct button. Now -- the chip is indelibly linked to your heartbeat; to your brain-waves."
"What happens when they launch it, then?" I continued. "A half-mile isn't even enough to get it above the clouds, let alone to some distant planet! If this thing is supposed to kill me and that creature both when we're separated, we're basically both dead already if they launch it!"
"That would be true -- if you were staying behind, on the ground."
"Are you trying to tell me -- Christ, are you saying that I'm going with it?"
"It's the only way, Randy... it's just what has to happen."
"I'm not going anywhere!" I insisted. "It just ain't gonna be, pal! You and your mad scientist friends had better come up with a better idea than that, because it just isn't gonna happen! There has to be another way!"
"It's as simple as the facts I've laid out." He retorted impatiently. "You move more than a half-mile from it, you die... if you die, it dies... if it dies, The Phloxans extinguish The Keepers, then come back for us."
"If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna do it here -- on Earth! With my boy, Sammy! You wanna launch that thing, you launch it -- but Randy Johnston ain't goin' to be with it! If that means I drop dead right then and there, so be it!"
"You can die here with Sammy if you want, Randy, but it will mean that you're sealing your son's fate just the same as you are your own. No one will survive if The Phloxans attack our planet... no one."
Chapter 19