Raging at the Stars Page 8

  “That’s not the one you had at the base,” Sofia said, her voice soft but still a touch accusatory.

  “That’s because this is my personal laptop. If I’d taken this inside the base and booted it up, the vast amount of conspiracy sites and my Bubble Witch games might have given away my non-CIA status, don’t you think?”

  Sofia didn’t look convinced but followed after Emory at her beckoning. Emory led them back into the living room, laid her laptop on the coffee table, and opened it up. She called Dink on the phone and laid it on the table between them.

  “Why is there a piece of colored tape covering the camera on your screen?” Sofia asked.

  Emory couldn’t hold back her disbelieving stare. “You really have to ask? I’d prefer not to have anyone using my camera feed to remote view me.”

  “Do you really think that someone can do that?” Sofia sat next to Emory.

  “Do I really believe certain factions can use their tech savvy to break into computer cameras to watch what the unsuspecting public do in the privacy of their own homes? Hell yes, I do. Do I think it’s a huge invasion of privacy hidden under the title of security concerns? Hell yes, again. Web cams, gamer cameras, baby cams, security cameras, in the right hands any of those can be used for less than innocent means.”

  Sofia shook her head at her. “You’re paranoid.”

  “And you’re military and therefore know damn well I’m right. You know there’s surveillance on every street, that every Google search we make is catalogued, and that through these web cams you can watch us masturbate to the porn we’ve just illegally downloaded.”

  Sofia looked disgusted.

  “Yeah yeah, like you know that doesn’t happen.” Emory faked some orgasmic groaning as she booted up her laptop. She enjoyed the displeasure on Sofia’s austere face. Emory wondered what noises Sofia would make while in the throes of passion. She amused herself with those images while the laptop came on. The screen lit up with a picture of Emory and her nieces all smiling brightly at the picture taker. She hesitated on the desktop theme, soberly brought back down to earth. “I can’t get these girls back if you’re hell-bent on arresting me, Sofia.”

  Sofia’s eyes widened at Emory using her name for the first time. “I don’t know if there is a way we can even get them back,” she admitted.

  Emory shook her head harshly. “No, no, no. You don’t get to decide that. I’m finding those girls and bringing them home. Then you can arrest me and lock me away if you have to.”

  “And if you die while executing this crazy plan?”

  “Then there’ll be an extra cell open for someone else who bucks against the system. I’m going to do everything in my power to get my family back.” She opened a file and watched as the cursor moved around without her help.

  “What the hell?” Sofia edged closer to watch it too.

  “Remote access at work,” Emory said as she watched Dink upload a player for her. When it began to play, she was stunned into silence.

  “Is this happening now?” Sofia asked as they watched saucers flying over Washington, DC.

  “Going live as we speak,” Dink said. “Those ships are parked over the Capitol.”

  “Any news on the president?” Sofia said.

  “No sign of him on any broadcasts yet. He’s probably deep underground with the other leaders, all hoping that the beams can’t stretch that far to yank them up and away.” Dink switched feeds. “That’s what the networks are showing. But here’s what the upload generation is posting online.”

  The videos changed to clips filmed from cell phones. There was more footage of aliens shown and the terror of the population being targeted from both above and on the ground. Not all the humans were being abducted. One film showed aliens attacking a man. They tackled him to the ground and killed him by clawing him to shreds. The ones filming it all shook and sobbed at what they were witnessing from their hiding place. There was also a compilation of people who were shooting aliens en masse, crowing over their kills and displaying them like trophies.

  “We need to get rid of the ships and saucers,” Emory said, watching a clip of the saucers appearing from a black triangle craft and speeding off across the sky. She remembered that sight all too well. “The trouble is, we need to do it without bringing them down on our heads.” She rubbed her chin as she considered their options. “Nuclear warheads, maybe?”

  “Sure,” Sofia said. “We could send them up, but the fallout from the blast would come right back down on us and radiate the earth for years to come.”

  Emory made a face. “Invaded or irradiated. Not exactly a win/win situation there.”

  “The navy is drawing them out to sea to shoot them down away from land, but there are too many of the smaller crafts for the ships to handle, especially with the saucers firing at them. We did get one though somewhere over Maine.” Dink flashed up the still of a huge black triangle shaped ship on the coastline of rocky cliffs. Three quarters of its massive bulk was submerged under the dark, foreboding water. The rest had obliterated the cliffs it was smashed into while the remainder of the surrounding area was flattened beneath its bulk. It resembled a humungous beached whale, lying dead in the water. Its unbelievable size dwarfed the coastline and looked distinctly ominous against the surrounding landscape. Military helicopters were swarming over it, like flies buzzing around a rotting carcass.

  Emory couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “Did no one stop to think that bringing something down of that size might end up pancaking whatever the fuck it falls on? It’s going to take forever to dig that thing out of the cliffs it’s embedded itself in. Jeez, obviously our leaders are taking their lead from the movie Independence Day and think that going in all gung ho and bringing the big ass ships down on our heads is how it’s done.”

  “It didn’t prove to be the smartest of moves either because the saucers retaliated,” Dink said. “And the big ship with the big guns? That’s now at the bottom of the sea too. Word on the Dark Net is it’s been decided not to do that again anytime soon until a better idea comes along.”

  “But they can be stopped. It just takes immense firepower and a better area to bring them down in,” Sofia said. “I need to regroup with my squad to get into the fight and work out a better strategy.” She looked around the room. “Though there’s a big part of me that wishes we could just stay here for as long as possible and ignore what is going on out there. This isn’t a normal call to war.”

  “So where do we go, Captain Sofia Martinez?” Emory purposely used her full name. “You’re in charge, so where do you suggest?” She watched as Sofia considered her words before she answered. “We’re on your side, Sofia, odd as that sounds coming from me.”

  “We head to Utah. The directions are already programmed into your GPS.”

  Emory’s mouth dropped open a fraction. “You were so sure I’d take you there?”

  “I can just as easily switch the GPS to your brother’s car and make the trip on my own. Actually, I’d prefer that than driving in your Mystery Machine.” Sofia gave her a smile that didn’t exactly reach her eyes.

  “Dink, she just Scooby Doo-ed my Bus.”

  “Ruh roh,” he deadpanned. “I’m just hacking into your GPS and….the coordinates she’s put in don’t lead us to a known air force base. How curious is that?”

  Emory was intrigued. “So just where am I driving you, Miss Daisy?”

  Sofia’s smile was not much warmer this time. “Just follow the directions and you’ll see soon enough. Let’s just say if we get there in one piece, it will be all your Christmases come at once.”

  That really sparked Emory’s interest. “Conspiracy road trip!” she sang and waved her hands in the air. “Just let me hit the bathroom and then we can go because who knows when we’ll find a bathroom again that hasn’t been hit by saucer fire.” She ran up the stairs noisily, deliberately sounding like a five-year-old. “Camera and radio silence, Dink,” she ordered. He didn’t need to see and hear eve
rything. She took a slight detour first into Missy’s bedroom and lifted a photo off the wall. It was a shot of Emory, Ellie, and Missy eating from a large ice cream sundae bowl together. Emory slipped the photo out of the frame and put it in her pocket.

  I’m going to find you all if it’s the last thing I do, girls. I promise you.

  *

  The small trailer appeared rather incongruous attached to the back of Emory’s VW. It looked like a little red Radio Flyer being pulled behind the large black van. The trailer usually housed Brad’s fishing equipment, his golf clubs, or sometimes the family’s rare camping trip necessities. Today it housed a large cooler stuffed to the brim with ice and the body of one dead alien wrapped in a tarp. Emory had rolled and poked the creature onto it using various garden implements with Dink in her ear berating her not to damage the goods.

  Sofia sat in the passenger seat with the shotgun across her knees and a backpack by her feet with the other gun she’d taken and all the ammunition stored inside. Emory drove in silence beside her, her senses all on high alert searching the road ahead and the skies above. She was twitchy, craning her neck to look in every direction for incoming saucers. Her eyes were burning from staring too much into the sky in case saucers just dropped in. There was a box of frosted doughnuts on her center console, and she ate them without even tasting them. She knew she had to eat and drink to refuel her energy, but she was so nervous of what was going to happen next. She’d been watching cars drive past them, many overtaking the van at speed, all in their rush to get somewhere, anywhere but here. But every city was a here, and the saucers had made their way through and destroyed what they wanted. It had left the people of planet Earth running mindlessly in all directions with nowhere truly safe to hide.

  Emory snuck a glance over at Sofia. Her head was back on the headrest and her eyes were closed. Emory didn’t begrudge her the chance to sleep. They’d decided to drive in shifts for the Utah Exodus, as Emory had entitled it. Sofia looked so pretty without her military mask on. Her lips were curled in a soft smile. Emory hoped she was having good dreams. She wished they could have met under different circumstance because Sofia was definitely Emory’s ideal. Dark hair, those dark eyes, a voice that did curious things to Emory’s insides, even when it was being snarky. Unfortunately, as first meetings went, having Sofia’s accusations of her being a risk to National Security were not the sweet nothings Emory would have preferred to hear coming from Sofia’s lips.

  “Eyes on the road, Em.”

  Emory sighed at Dink’s laconic voice in her ear. And then there’s the ever present third wheel.

  The sun was shining brightly, and Emory flipped down the visor so that it shaded some of Sofia’s face from the glaring light shining through the windshield. In the daylight, the full horror of what had happened the previous night was impossible to ignore. Not all the towns and cities had been left untouched. Blast sites were scattered along the landscape as Emory drove through ruined streets. Terrified people were huddled in what was left of the buildings that remained somehow standing. Above, military aircraft flew, but Emory guessed they were just surveying the damage to report it back in. Against the immense might of the black crafts and the firepower of the silver saucers, the aircraft piloted by humans were proving no match.

  “Dink?” Emory spoke quietly so as not to disturb Sofia. “Are you still getting reports from the TV?”

  “They’re patchy. Some of the stations have been hit in the fighting. I’ve been trying to get a link to Europe. From what I see and hear, there’s a lot more aliens on the ground there.”

  “Are they abducting from there too?”

  “That’s a worldwide occurrence. Seems to be something very high on their agenda to gather up as many humans as possible. But no word yet on where they are taking them.”

  “I want to know if the Space Station saw this invasion coming,” Emory said. “It’s not like you could have missed that many ships doing a flyby past the Station’s window on the world.”

  “No official word from NASA yet, but my sources tell me there was nothing on the radar, and nothing was seen by the astronomers I’ve contacted online.”

  Emory considered this. She knew Dink had numerous spies in many interesting places; that’s how they got so much of their information. “The fact we still have satellites letting news reports be broadcast means that they haven’t been destroyed yet. We have communications. I can still phone you. All that is above our heads, floating above the planet. If they didn’t come from outer space to knock out our communications satellites on the way in then that can only mean…” Emory balked at the inference she was making.

  “They were already here,” Dink said.

  Emory felt the cold shiver run through her body at that obvious conclusion. It shook her to the core.

  Emory’s gaze shifted to the rear of the vehicle where she knew the trailer was. “Dink, there’s a fucking alien life form in my brother’s ‘catch of the day’ cooler.”

  Dink chuckled. “Thanks to Sofia being an excellent markswoman. I can’t help but wish she’d used a smaller caliber though. That’s a big ass hole in his belly. I’d have preferred him a little less battle worn.”

  “Do you really think she’s going to let me just drive off with this specimen so I can bring it to you so you can mount it on a wall? For that matter, do you think she’s honestly going to let me go free for breaking and entering Area 51?”

  “Technically speaking, the saucers did the breaking and entering. You merely took advantage of the opportunity that arose from that situation.”

  “Remind me to have you speak up for me in court. My brother is currently unavailable to speak as my counsel.”

  “We’ll get your family back, Emory. I’d do my damnedest to get those girls back for you.”

  “I hope so because they are the only members of family I have that give a damn about me.” Emory looked around her. “Are we still broadcasting a picture clearly from the van’s rooftop, Dink?”

  “Amazingly so considering how you drive. The mounted camera is still attached, even after the van was nearly shot off its wheels by an alien laser beam.”

  “I’ll be sure to write the manufacturer a glowing review.”

  Emory’s attention returned to the road. She couldn’t believe the devastation spread out for miles. The crafts had obviously blasted through most of the surrounding area and had just laid waste to it. The once vibrant towns were now reduced to rubble, leaving the landscape flattened and desolate.

  “Any clue what planet Earth is doing to fight back before they destroy everything?” Emory scoured the skies again; they were empty of either human or alien ships.

  “There’s been some chatter about how useless our planes are against the speed of the saucers. Conventional weapons aren’t cutting it against their technical might.”

  “You and I both know there are unconventional weapons that could be employed.” Emory risked a glance in Sofia’s direction, but she was still sleeping soundly. “What we need are the saucers that Area 51 had tucked away. At least that would have given us a fighting chance.”

  “I wish we could have seen one,” Dink said. “And I wish you’d have been able to see more at the base before you had to rush back out.”

  “I’m just glad you gave us fair warning before they blew the base off the map. Thank you for that.”

  “You’re welcome. I will always have your back. Mainly because you owe me candy.”

  Emory grinned. She made sure to look at herself in the rearview mirror so Dink could see it. “I know, Dink. Believe me, that little gray corpse riding behind my Bus is a big reminder of my debt to you.”

  Chapter Ten

  Sofia woke up slowly and squinted at the sunlight that poured through the windshield. She sat up, winced, and then carefully stretched her spine. She sighed as she felt something pop back into place.

  “Getting too old for falling asleep in the front seat, eh?” Emory said from beside her.

>   Sofia shot her a dirty look. “I am not too old for anything.” She rested her hand on the shotgun and Emory laughed.

  “Hey, no need to shoot the driver. I was just making conversation now that you’re not snoring and drooling on your uniform.”

  Unconsciously, Sofia’s free hand went to the corners of her mouth. Her face was drool free and dry. “You are such an ass. And for your information I do not snore.”

  “Then that alien lagging behind us must be emitting a loud hum because I could have sworn I heard something.” Emory grinned at her. “So how old are you?”

  Sofia frowned at the meaningless conversation Emory was trying to engage her in. “Why does my age matter to you?”

  “Just shooting the breeze with you. You’ve been out like a light for a few hours. All I’ve had was Dink to talk to, and even he needs to sleep sometime. And I’ve had to watch out for saucers. And let’s not forget I’ve also had to keep an eye on the road for the damn fools driving like maniacs who are more likely to die in an accident due to their fleeing than they are at standing a chance of being abducted.”

  “How old do you think I am?” Sofia asked, deliberately giving her voice a more sensual tone.

  Emory chuckled at her. “Oh no, I’m not playing that game. That way leads on a dangerous road to tread. I haven’t been with a great many women in my life, but I have learned that you never guesstimate a woman’s age. It’s a surefire way to get left at the restaurant with the bill and no kiss good night.”

  So that answers that speculation, Sofia thought. She’d had a feeling Emory was gay. If for no other reason than the looks she shot Sofia’s way when she thought she wasn’t looking. Subtlety didn’t seem to be a trait Emory had mastered. Trapped in a VW Bus with a lesbian conspiracy theorist, who is a known military threat with her whistle blowing attitude, all in the midst of an alien invasion. Fate is surely laughing down on me.