Chapter 31
“Mom! Dad!” Ty yells when we step into the Radio Room.
Staff Sergeant Chris Lee’s body has been removed from the room, and his blood cleaned up. The blood on the floor at least. The splatters on the ceiling are a different story. That must have been what the Colonel was doing earlier when we left him in here to grieve. Before we found out about Heather.
I try not to trip over Cano as he blocks my path and sniffs my legs. He can probably smell the aliens on me. Or Billy and Heather. Then it dawns on me, he never really did like them. Is it possible that he sensed they weren’t trustworthy? That they weren’t… human?
I lift Ty up in my arms and hold him close to my chest. I kiss the top of his shaggy brown hair and whisper, “I love you Ty.”
“I love you too mom.”
“Wait, you guys were supposed to leave.” I say, flashing my eyes at Lilly. “Why haven’t you left?”
“I tried, but no one wanted to leave without their families. I mean, there were a few people who left that didn’t have anyone fighting out there, but most of us stayed. And waited for you guys to return.” Her eyes are bloodshot and puffy.
“Yeah, I didn’t want to leave you and dad.” Ty whines.
“Yeah, and we didn’t want to leave without you guys. Or Jace and…” As her voice becomes unsteady she stops talking. When she turns away I know that she must be crying.
“What? What is it?” I ask.
“Luke died.” Jace replies bluntly. Tears are rising in his eyes, ready to flood out.
I remember seeing him, bleeding out in the doorway. The way he continued to fight even as he lay there dying. “I saw him get hurt. I hadn’t realized that he didn’t make it.”
“I was able to pull him inside, and Katie did her best to save his life, but it was too late. He lost too much blood.” His voice cuts in and out as he tries to spit out the words.
“I’m sorry. He was a hero until the end.”
“Thank you.” Lilly sniffs. She uses her sleeve to wipe the tears that are soaking her cheeks.
“Where are they all going now?” Travis asks as he points over his shoulder at the crowded tunnel. Survivors are heading downwards, towards the river. Their fat backpacks are most likely packed full of food and supplies.
Colonel Kirk Samuels glances up from the map on the table to the retreating Guerrillas. We can hear their feet echoing as they march in groups. Their whispers discuss plans of where to go next. “The Guerrillas are breaking apart to spread the word on how to kill the Grey Ones. I too am leaving.”
“You’re what?” I exclaim. There was no possible way we could’ve stayed here, not with our location being compromised, but it doesn’t seem smart to break apart. We have strength in numbers.
“Where are you going?”
“James, my friend at NASA, has requested to test those samples himself. His assistant, Ruth, is trained in that field. I’m personally hand delivering them to them.”
He must be talking about the blood samples that Katie took from Billy and Heather. This might be a good thing. James and Ruth may be able to find out more information on what they are exactly. And how they are connected to the Grey Ones. I have a feeling that this invasion is more than an all you can eat human buffet for those vicious beasts. Heather and Billy could hold the key to everything.
“When do you leave, sir?” Travis asks. He stands tall, he locks eyes with the Colonel.
“I want to be in San Diego tonight.” He replies calmly. He takes the black box from Katie and packs it inside of his large backpack. Even if he drove a hundred miles an hour the entire way there, there’s no way he can make it to San Diego by tonight.
“How are you going to make it there by tonight? Even if you go by car that’s still a sixteen-hour drive.” I say.
“Yes, that is true. That’s why I’m not going to drive. I’m going to fly.” He says with a smile. He throws extra ammo in his bag. His lips mumble something to himself while he searches the table for other supplies.
“I’m sorry. Did you just say fly?” Kay says loudly. She steps forward with a look of disbelief. She stares at the Colonel as she waits for an answer.
“Yes. I have been informed that there is still one working F-15 at the Portland Air National Guard Base.” He replies without looking up.
“Wait, what about Billy and Heather?” I ask, remembering that they’re still tied up in the Bullseye Room. If they are in fact aliens, then what are they doing here? These are things that we need to figure out before separating.
“Chad will take care of them.” He replies quickly. He zips his bag shut before throwing it on over his shoulders. His neck tilts from side to side, cracking it loudly.
“Don’t you want to know what they mean by taking the healthy ones? The survivors who suddenly left without saying goodbye to even their loved ones might have been taken by them. Think about it. People started disappearing from the tunnel right after Heather arrived, right?” I ask, locking eyes with him. When he doesn’t respond I add, “Jace’s dad, who’s also Lilly and Allie’s uncle, disappeared after he chased after a Grey One that took his daughter. When he never came back we thought he had been killed. But thinking back to it, I didn’t see Billy anywhere in that camp during the attack. If I’m right, then we have a lot more to worry about than the Grey Ones.”
“That’s right. And they mysteriously backed off right after he disappeared. What if when we heard them screaming that night in the distance they were actually being called away?” Jace’s deep voice gets louder when he begins piecing things together.
Colonel Kirk Samuels rubs the grey stubble hairs on his chin as he thinks it over. “It’s safe to assume that we can’t torture them into telling us anything, correct?”
With a nod I reply, “That’s correct. According to Billy they can feel it, but they can numb the pain. And as you saw, they can also heal the wound fast and efficiently.”
“Then that leaves me no other choice. I’m going to have to take them too. You and the rest of the Guerrillas must spread word. Everyone needs to know not only how to kill the Grey Ones, but also that there are aliens disguised as humans hiding amongst us. They’re taking the healthy while the rest are left to be ripped apart by those monsters.”
“How are you going to take them with you? I’m no Colonel but I know that an F15 can’t fit all three of you.” Jace says, chuckling to himself.
The rest of us stay silent while we all wait for an answer. He may be a sarcastic jerk at times, but he does have a point. How is he going to get them to San Diego?
Colonel Kirk Samuels glances at Jace, then at each one of us. “I’ll have Chad drive them down in the Humvee while I fly the samples out tonight. He’s the only person left that I really trust, besides Katie.”
Katie smiles faintly before looking back down at the table in front of her. Even with a smile I can see the sadness on her face. Her father was murdered only a few hours ago, and in this room none the less. While everyone is staring at the Colonel, I continue to stare at her. Secretly, she wipes a single tear off her cheek before anyone else can see.
“Are you alright, Katie?” Jace asks suddenly. His tone is different than it usually is around girls. He sounds less flirtatious and more sympathetic now. I wasn’t the only one who noticed the tear.
She looks a little surprised when she lifts her head. Her eyes shift around the room, then back at Jace. She shakes her head from side to side, but responds, “Yes. I’m fine.”
An awkward silence fills the room. I want to say something to make it better, but after months of seeing others die I’ve learned there really is nothing you can say. The best thing we can do to honor those that we’ve lost in this war for humanity, is to win it. If we can.
Colonel Kirk Samuels breaks the silence when he grabs the walkie-talkie off the table and radios Chad, “Colonel Kirk Samuels to Chad, do you copy?”
“I copy.” He replies quickly in the speaker.
“Meet me outs
ide of the Bullseye Room, stat.”
“Roger that. Over and out.”
He looks back at us and says, “Take whatever you need before you go.”
When he begins to walk towards the open door, I shout, “Wait! Give us the solar powered phone. That way you can keep us informed on what you and your NASA friends uncover.”
He tilts his head at the table and replies, “It’s yours.”
“Thanks.” I swipe it off the table. “Do you need a team to help you get to the base?”