Hybrid - Forced Vengeance (32 page)

* * * *

Erik pulled up the remains of his tattered jeans and then sat next to Alissa.

“Feel better?” she asked.

He nodded sadly.

“When did you find out that she was pregnant?”

“Earlier this afternoon. She was abducted because she was pregnant with our child. I had to beat the truth out of her doctor. The government has been watching and waiting for this development ever since we got married. When she went in for confirmation of her pregnancy, her physician had contacted someone. They erased all medical records and arranged the car accident to cover up her abduction.

Martin claims he has no knowledge of this, but I could tell he suspects something – someone. I don’t know if he’d tell me if he did know. It’s a different game at his level; the layers of subterfuge are mind-boggling.”

“Did you just sense your unborn child or Shanda?”

“It was our child. Something terrible must be happening to Shanda and the baby is reacting to it on a purely emotional level – which, in turn, is being transmitted back to me.” Erik shook his head, desperate at his helplessness. “That means the baby has Esper characteristics. That’s what the abductors must be after, an easy way to study, and potentially harness, those abilities. If everyone believes that Shanda died, they have complete access to the child once she gives birth. They would have nothing to fear from me and no more use for her.  If I hadn’t been contacted in Paris I’d never know she was alive and never know I had a child.  That’s why the subterfuge, it keeps me in the dark and out of the picture.”

“C’mon, Erik, let’s go back inside. You need to plan your next move. You’ve done all that can be done in one day. Hopefully Mr. Denton will have some answers for you in the morning.” Alissa took her friend by the arm and guided him back to his apartment.

* * * *

Nancy Bertoni stared at the folder full of papers and placed it on the table beside her. The contents of the stolen files still shook her. Now she understood why her boss had been so moody and agitated after his meeting with the military, and why he seemed so determined to dig deeper into the case. The sooner she could make contact with Detective Erik Knight, the better it would be – both for her and for his pregnant wife.

Michael Sparks gave his life trying to do the right thing, after she unknowingly betrayed him. Now it was up to her to set things right and let her boss rest in peace, by accomplishing his final mission for him.

Going back to Madam’s in Hopedale would be risky. Agents would be waiting for her. But, she had to gamble that Erik Knight would also be there. She’d read of the detective’s inhuman powers. He could protect her from those agents who wished to terminate her and she knew she had to get the file to him as soon as possible.

She’d prepared a contingency plan in case of capture. Having meticulously copied all of the documents earlier in the day, she’d prepared a long letter for her brother in Rome, NY, explaining her dire situation.

Her backup plan was to leave the copies at the Hopedale Post Office and have the postal branch inform the detective that he had a priority package awaiting his signature. Priority mail was more expensive, but it required Mr. Knight to show up in person for the package. Failure was not an option; she would succeed or die trying.

* * * *

Martin Denton was not pleased with what he had unearthed. Robert Hildebrandt was the key advisor to the Main Chair of the Appropriations Board of the Senate Defense Committee. The SDC was the principal vehicle that allocated and appropriated defense dollars to black ops projects and overseas intelligence operations.

Denton looked over several computer printouts he’d received from his mole on that committee and none of the information was good. He was holding in his hands evidence of corruption and cover-ups – on a massive scale. Somehow several billion dollars in appropriation had been funneled away from legitimate contractors … to Pendelcorp. The mining and development company had somehow gotten in on several classified contracts.

Denton accessed his government database but found no official record of Pendelcorp being listed as a prime on any defense contract, and he found no evidence that the company had passed the rigorous Department of Defense security scrutiny to become a certified military acquisition corporation.

“I smell a rat, Mr. Hildebrandt,” he said, reviewing the hard copy once more. “Richard Pendelton, how do you play into this mess?”

Denton knew of the bad blood between Pendelton and his agent. As he tapped the intercom to reach his secretary, several dark thoughts passed through his mind.

“Marcia, get Mr. Robert Hildebrandt on the phone and don’t take any bullshit. I want him on the phone within the next five minutes or tell him I’ll have his ass on a platter before the sun rises.

Chapter 17: Birth date +2 days, 0830 hrs 

Lt. Colonel Bill Anderson sat at his station, aware of the two guards keeping an eye on his every move. Colonel Ross wasn’t taking any chances with anyone at this point. He felt that the colonel had snapped. Ross’s actions were irrational and reckless and would have consequences for the entire planet.

Anderson accepted his superior’s offer to return to work with the hope that he could talk some sense into his old friend and prevent the upcoming conflagration.

The hybrid child seemed another lost cause. Ross had flooded their chamber with sleeping gas and only succeeded in giving the mother some much needed sleep. The infant stayed by his mother’s side, unaffected by the gas, his eerie blue eyes glowing like two hot fires.

There were too many failures at this point in their operation: The loss of Gray’s ship, Sentinel, the Tesla prototype, three M-1 tanks and several dozen soldiers’ lives –and finally the situation with the hybrid child. Each failure was devastating when considered alone, but when Anderson added them up in his mind the cost was cataclysmic.

It was only a matter of time before Knight came for his wife. The hybrid child could call to his father through the barriers if it felt threatened. No one could have predicted such circumstances – just another in a series of unforeseen bad events that plagued Groom Lake ever since Ross had taken over command.

Anderson looked at a monitor, watching the representatives from the Pentagon growing restless in their confinement. Their looks of outrage were unmistakable.

“Sir? What do we do with our guests?” he asked Ross as he gestured toward the small monitor.

“Let them stew for awhile. I’ve got bigger fish to fry at this point.” Ross answered curtly as he studied six blips on the main display screen. “What do you make of those?” he asked Anderson while pointing toward the images from the Mars Hubble 3 deep surveillance telescope.

“I think the largest of the blips is a carrier vessel for ground troops or ground equipment. The smaller ones appear to be escorts to defend the larger craft from space-based threats. To sum it up: The beginning of a patrol or strike force,” Anderson answered bluntly.

“At least we agree on that.” Ross ran a hand through his hair. “They’re preparing for invasion.”

“I agree. Invasion is a possibility,” Anderson replied. “But they could simply be preparing a show of force without real intention for a conflict. They also could have this fleet on standby in case an attempted negotiation is met with aggression or force. We need to let them play the first card, sir. They’re just sitting there. They must know we see them. Hubble 3 is in their path. Perhaps they are also watching us to see how we react to their build up.”

“Hubble 3 has transmitted IR and high frequency UV imaging and image reconstruction based on pixel re-coloring of the different infrared frequencies and this is what we’ve come up with.” Ross handed Anderson a set of computer generated pictures.

The images were slightly out of focus but it was easy to make out the features of the main ship and its escort cruisers. The carrier ship was wedge-shaped like the space probe they had battled earlier, but the escorts were typical flying-saucer shaped circles.

“Here’s what UV shows,” Ross said handing him another set of photographs.

The UV pictures provided greater contrast and detail. The carrier vessel cast an ominous shadow against the surfaces of the other craft. Anderson’s flesh ran cold as he tried to calculate the mass and size of such a vessel.

Anderson whispered in amazement. “The primary ship must be the size of two, maybe three of our biggest aircraft carriers.”

“Eight hundred twenty-two meters long, three hundred five meters across the beam and seventy meters high,” Ross recited the stats from another sheet of paper.

“Colonel, that one ship is nearly twenty times the size of the Goliath Battle platform. We wouldn’t stand a chance with that fleet in a space battle.”

“I’ve been coordinating with NORAD and Cheyenne Mountain. We have a fleet of twenty modified shuttles, armed with nuclear warheads and pulse cannons, ready for launch from various bases throughout the country.”

“Does NORAD realize that we started this fight with Sentinel, with the abduction of Gray and the altercation with that probe?” Anderson asked.

“Let’s not rehash this.” Ross’s voice cracked like a whip.

“Sir! You’re starting an intergalactic conflict with a technologically superior race of beings. You’re writing a check that this planet can’t cash. Will you doom all of humanity because of some personal vendetta against a race of beings you don’t even know?” Anderson took in a deep breath; he was livid.

Ross said nothing – seemed impervious.

“Damn it all, Art, we go back twenty-five years. This isn’t like you. Think of the ramifications.…”

The gunshot rang through the control center. Anderson slumped into his chair, gaping at Ross who held the smoking Colt .45 pistol. Blood seeped through the front of his blue jersey, the stain getting bigger. Ross knelt by his side.

“For the sake of our friendship, Bill, I only winged you. You’ll live, but you’ve definitely ended our friendship. I counted on you to back me up, no matter what. You betrayed me, sold me out for some cheap moral platitude,” Ross spat out.

“I’m happy to disappoint you, sir,” Anderson said weakly over his shoulder as two guards carried him away.

“Have medics patch him up then put him with the politicians,” Ross commanded as he put the gun back in his holster.

Amidst a gaping crew, a technician screamed out. “Sir! The armada is moving at a velocity of seventy kilometers per second and accelerating.”

“Inform NORAD and transfer all information to their space command; set up a link with Cheyenne Mountain and inform them to be ready to launch all shuttle interceptors on my mark,” Ross said.

The brass from NORAD would take over the show now – according to protocol. He could sit back and play his part. Hubble 3 was more than just a deep space observatory. The platform carried four hypervelocity atomic torpedoes. As soon as the alien battle group came within range, the Hubble 3 telescope would launch its offensive and end the alien threat once and for all.

“Inform me when NORAD preps Hubble 3 for its assault. I’ll be in the mess getting some breakfast.”

* * * *

In the middle of the night, Alissa Penney woke up screaming and profusely sweating; the visions in her head overwhelmed her. She saw ships – huge alien ships – approaching Earth and then had another vision: That of her friend locked in combat with the alien craft in the desert. She rushed to the sink and rinsed her face with cold water. Her hands still shook. Whatever was going to happen, it was going to happen soon. She stepped into a hot shower, hoping that the steady flow of water would wash away the chill running through her. She vowed to tell Erik about her visions, first thing in the morning.

* * * *

Erik Knight sat in his booth and read the morning paper that shielded his partial transformation from nearby patrons. Burning blue eyes scanning the restaurant would most definitely disturb the patrons. He was sampling the thoughts around him – something he couldn’t accomplish in his fully human guise. He didn’t make a habit of prying into the thoughts of patrons but the negative mental energy aimed directly at him was overwhelming.

At a nearby table, three men from Hendrix’s group waited for Nancy Bertoni to show, while Hendrix observed from a corner table. Another trio of men, Denton’s men, were also in the room, on hand to intervene on the secretary’s behalf. Erik willed his eyes to return to their normal human appearance, lowered his paper and motioned one of the newer waitresses over.

“Good morning, Mr. Knight. What can I bring you?”

“I’ll have the usual, and give the three men at table seven, ‘Madame’s Hungry Man Breakfast.’ On my bill please.”

The waitress didn’t walk away and seemed nervous.

“What’s the matter?” he glanced at her nametag. “Teresa.”

She hesitated. “What exactly is your usual, Mr. Knight?”

“Coffee, cranberry juice on the rocks and a blueberry muffin.”

Teresa nodded. “I’ll get this right out to you and see to it that table seven gets their orders quickly.”

“Thank you.”

Erik’s gut told him that Nancy Bertoni would be arriving this morning. Whatever she had to tell him, he felt it was the missing piece of his puzzle. His senses also told him that despite having some answers, his trouble was just beginning. He swore he would dig deep enough only to find his wife. Anything else would no longer be his concern. Once Shanda was home, his focus would shift to her and their child and the rest of the world could fall apart – he wouldn’t care. Lately, he’d seen enough action for an entire lifetime.

Alissa strolled into the dining area; upon seeing him she sat down in his booth across from him, folding her hands on the table and sighing heavily.

“I had that same vision again, Erik, only this time spaceships were traveling toward Earth, and again the same flashes of those images,” she whispered gravely. “It was the most intense vision I’ve ever had, Erik. Whatever is going to happen is right around the corner. I don’t mind telling you that I’m truly scared.”

Erik’s food order arrived. He took a tentative sip of coffee. His scalp began tingling as a powerful aura of anxiety permeated the restaurant.

After panning the dining room, he leaned into Alissa and spoke, “Listen to me very carefully.” She nodded and he continued. “Tell the other waitresses to get in the back room. I have a feeling things are about to get very ugly.” He opened his jacket, exposing his handguns and sentient staff.

Alissa turned pale but stood up and sought each waitress and whispered Erik’s instruction.

A woman in dark sunglasses entered the main dining hall. She was trying to look inconspicuous but failed miserably. She took a table twenty feet away from him. Erik sensed her anxiety, but to her credit she simply stared at the menu.

Erik marshaled his willpower, only allowing the Esper DNA to dominate his genetic coding. He was once again walking that fine tight rope between human and Esper. He focused his increased telepathic capabilities toward the nervous arrival.

If you’re looking for Erik Knight tap the table top with your fingertips.
He projected the directions into her mind.

She stiffened as the telepathic message touched her.

Don’t look up.

She then tapped the tabletop with her exposed hand.

Are you Nancy Bertoni?

She tapped again.

Erik caught movement and glanced over. Hendrix and his thugs had risen and were moving toward her.

Nancy stood up, and looked around the place. – fear and panic etched on her face. He leapt up and covered the twenty feet in less than two heartbeats, drawing his pistols as he did.

He’d locked on Hendrix and his men before they realized what was happening. Customers gasped as a confrontation seemed inevitable.

“That’s far enough, gentlemen.” Erik’s tone brooked no argument.

One of the feds reached for his sidearm.

“Don’t be stupid!” With inhuman speed, Erik shifted his aim toward the man’s head. “I’ll put one right through your skull if you don’t drop that hand.”

The man remained still.

“Do you want to get shot in the head for something that is no concern of yours? Is it worth dying for?”

The man’s hand steadily slipped down to his side. Then Denton’s associates were on Hendrix’s men, busily confiscating their firearms. Erik relaxed and holstered his weapons.

Hendrix spoke up in their defense. “She has stolen government property, Knight. You have no business looking at those highly confidential papers. If you do, you’ve become as guilty as her.” Hendrix bluffed in a vain attempt to dissuade him.

“I’m willing to take that chance, Hendrix. Besides, I’ve a feeling these documents concern me far more than they do you, or the puppets pulling your strings. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Erik motioned for Nancy Bertoni to walk toward his office.

Hendrix threw himself on the nearest of Denton’s men, ripping the weapon from his grasp and aiming it at Nancy. “Traitor!” Hendrix cocked the weapon.

Erik threw his body in front of the stunned woman as three pops were heard. He grunted as the bullets impacted, mushrooming against his enhanced skeleton. Erik pushed Nancy to the floor and freed one of his own pistols. Hendrix hesitated – still aiming his weapon. Erik fired his Wilson twice and Agent Hendrix slumped to the ground.

Erik stumbled, saying to the body, “You stupid fool. Was it worth dying for?” Bleeding and in pain, Erik picked up the rounds that his body expelled, then approached the stunned and gaping woman.

“My God, are you okay? He would have killed me if you hadn’t gotten in his way,” she said in a shaky voice.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re bleeding.”

“I’m sorry for pushing you to the ground. I wasn’t sure if he’d shoot again. I figured it was better to be safe.”

Erik addressed two of Denton’s men. “Clean that up, please. This is somebody’s place of business, gentlemen, I don’t want him here any longer than necessary. We’ve already raised enough of a ruckus here.” He gave them a ‘thank you’ nod, then he grabbed Nancy’s arm and escorted her into his office.

* * * *

Nancy was unnerved by how nonchalantly Erik Knight reacted to the three bullet wounds he’d just received. The detective gave no indications of any severe trauma but the stains on his shirt said otherwise.

Any further thoughts were cut short.

“I’ve been told you have some information you wish to share with me,” Erik said with urgency.

“A few questions first.”

Erik nodded.

“Earlier, when you spoke to me, I was the only one who heard your voice, correct?”

He nodded.

“You’re a telepath.”

“Among other things.”

“You’re a combination of a species called Esper and human, capable of enormous feats of physical strength and you can augment bioelectric and static energy fields.”