V: THE EARLY YEARS, a Science Fiction story

CHAPTER ONE

All thanks and rights go to Kenneth Johnson.

I read V the second generation recently and wanted to bridge the gap. So I have incorperated some of the essence of the final battle in this...you may recognise some of the dialogue and situations that I have given an 'original mini series' style format.

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Mike Donovan was dreaming again. He didn't know that he was lying back on the threadworn bunk that had patches of damp clinging to the walls of the underground bunker that now he had to call home.

Mike was running. He was running through dim-lit corridors that he knew were apart of the monsterious Visitor mothership that hovered over the city.

He ran and ran. The walls were shiny and damp, and the air was humid the way the Visitor's liked to keep their environment.

Then he saw him. He saw Sean. Naked. Cold and white like he had been standing in the icy chiller for too long.

There was streams of breath coming out of his blue lips. Mike was running, but he wasn't getting any nearer to his son.

Sean opened his eyes. They were lifeless. Staring out ahead. Not knowing that he was even there calling out his name.

"Sean!!"

But the audio was just not there. Sean then did step forward. Blood was oozing out of his mouth. His nose. His eyes.

"SEAN!!"

Sean screamed out in terror......

"Sean!!"

Mike bolted upright on the bed, the sweat pouring from him. Juliet Parish was in the door way with her cane in one hand and a rifle slung over her opposite shoulder, "Donovan? Are you alright?"

Mike was shaking his head and stood up, he crossed over to the cracked sink and rinsed his face in the cold rancid water.

Juliet watched him. There was hustle and bustle behind her as the team were readying for their latest outing out after a tip off.

"I dreamt they did things to him...."

The bio-chemist nodded, "who, Sean?"

Mike dried his face with an off-white towel, "yeah....Sean"

Juliet glanced behind her and then back to him, "you better get ready, it's time"

Mike followed Juliet out into the dank corridor that was lit by naked bulbs hanging from the cracked ceiling. He readied his own weapon that was a stolen Visitor pulse gun. The corridor was filled with other resistors making ready for the operation.

Sancho Gomez came forward and said, "Hey....do you remember that group you spoke to the other night?"

Donovan nodded.

"Well...we've got volunteers!"

Mike shrugged as he followed the group down the corridor passing dorms and everyday rooms used by the inhabitants of the underground, "Well that's great....but it's gonna take more than manpower to beat this thing....."

Juliet turned from where she was giving final instructions about the mission, "what it is gonna take is unity....", she approached him on her cane, "...you're not big on unity, are you Donovan?"

Mike held her eyes, "Well, as you know doc....I'm used to working on my own"

There was an edge to Juliet's reaction to that, "then get unused to it....we are a team!"

VVV

It had gone midnight. The train was pulling-in, into the industrial courtyard where it came to a stop with a screach of the breaks. From the hangar like building nearby, squadron's of Visitor patrollers came pouring out with their pulse rifles on standby.

There was a speaker system that acted as information to the train's occupants.

"welcome to Visitor safety center number 9. Please move quickly, but safely inside, where all your questions will be answered. We thank you for your cooperation"

Brad McIntyre turned to Mike as they arrived at their destination, "Why are we here again?"

Mike turned, "The doc got a tip off that people were being forced off here...."

Brad stayed in the dark shadows of the overgrown alley that bordered high barbed wire fensing, "but this is industrial center...the trains that pull up here off load their cargo..."

Mike crouched down and laid flat against the pine needles, "yeah...but it's seems there is a different cargo now, huh?"

Brad laid out flat next to him and put the binoculars to his face, out ahead he could see the trains disoriented passengers standing in a group that was guarded by patrollers. He handed the binoculars to Mike, "check out the arm bands"

The ex-newsman peered into them and nodded, "yeah scientist markers...it's like what they were saying on the TV last week. They are rounding up Scientists and their familys, on the pretence that they are being taken to a 'secure' place where they will be safe and shielded from attacks from mobs of vigilantes fire-bombing their homes"

Brad looked about them knowing there was small groups of rebel fighters hiding like they were in the shadows all around them, "can't believe they've bought it...they're not gonna be taken anywhere safer..."

Mike looked at him knowingly, "We know where they'll all end up"

Brad looked up into the night sky where the lights of the Mothership stretched out in all directions.

Juliet was behind a set of bushes. Caleb Taylor and his son Elias were not too far away, rifles at the ready. She turned as Mike shuffled towards her, "It's a death camp...you don't need a tip-off to know what's happening here do you doc....?"

Juliet swallowed down. She knew what was going on as they looked across to the railroad buffers. The human prisoners had their hands on top of their heads and were being marched by the alien patrollers into the vast hangar where shuttle crafts were waiting for them.

There was a scream from within the hangar and a flash of a pulse weapon. Juliet was shaking, her hand on her weapon, her knuckles were white.

Mike's voice was in her earhole, "they are being shipped like meat to the Mothership. They are all going to the final area"

"I know...but we can save this lot", she turned to Elias and nodded.

Elias rolled the tyre he had with him and set the explosive charges. He then rolled the tyre up to the mesh fencing and it exploded into flames.

All the Visitors patrollers turned around and started hurrying in and opening fire with their pulse lasers.

The rebels fired back. Brad rolled down to the trash and fired as he went flying to safety inside a trash can.

The Visitors were now on the hangars roof and the spot lights were triggered searching the area beyond the boundary.

Juliet huddled behind the bushes as scores of rebels went foward and picked off more of the alien soldiers.

Caleb was at Julie's side clutching his rifle, "We've lost Bill!"

Juliet was shaking. It was like the mountain camp all over again. The Visitors were relentless...there was just too many of them.

There was war cries from the rebels who were at the front line. The alien weapon's fire kept on coming. There own weapons had now effect on them.

Mike was grabbing Juliet's arm, "Look!", he hissed.

Juliet could see that the Visitors were now putting on a display. They were marching the scientist prisoners out from the hangar and cold bloodiedly killed them on the spot.

It was all in slow motion. Juliet could see the 10 year old girl being dragged across the tarmac by her hair. She was screaming 'mommy' as her Visitor captor then forced her on to her feet and then grasped her tiny neck with it's hand. And crushed it.

Juliet felt the tears fall onto her cheeks. She shuffled back and called out, "Get back...get back!!"

Mike waved his arms out into the air yelling the same, "GET BACK! PULL OUT NOW!!"

In shock, Juliet clutched her rifle that she used as a cane to stablise herself....she fell over the dumped shopping cart and Mike and Sancho helped her up, "Come on...we've gotta get outta here!!"

VVV

Elias Taylor was wounded in the leg, as he limped along painfully down the incline. The freeway was down below, it was empty of traffic due to the cerfew. He ducked down the underpass as a Visitor craft came flying over head with it's searchlights on full strength.

Resting for 5 minutes, he crouched down behind the garbage cans and glanced up to the Mothership above. It's lights signaling the boundary of the disc in the sky. Another Squad ship drifted by with the search lights.

Elias wasn't used to being alone. He was usually apart of the gang, the Angels. But they weren't with him to back him up this time.

He stood and kept to the shadows. He crossed the empty road and ducked beneath a low fense to the neighbourhood below. There he crossed a chainfence and over a spanse of neat grass towards a cluster of pine trees that he stood under and leaned against to catch his breath.

He looked up to see another squad ship drift by, luckily the search light was aimed beyond him. He pulled himself together and limped on through an alleyway and climbed over a wood fense that gave him splinters. A cat jumped out at him and made him fall to the trash in the dumpster below.

He then hobbled across the next road and leaned on the railings ahead of him. Down below at the bottom of the incline was the old water waste pumping plant. The headquarters of the underground.

Not far to go....nearly there.

VVV

Inside the bunker, the resistance was counting their costs, in their well lived-in conference room.

"I hit that Visitor straight in the chest and it didn't even faze him....Donovan's weapon is the only one that can touch them", cried Brad pacing up and down still wired from the mission.

"And it's the only one we've got", pointed out Sancho.

Mike shook his head and gained the conference rooms full attention, "we are running around in circles down here...this is gonna cost us if we don't turn it around"

Ruby Engels pulled her knit cardy around her and looked up,"What do you mean?"

Mike elaberated,"People would help us up there if they thought we stood a chance....these hit and run raids are useless....we need a bonanza....we need an event"

"We? When did you ever join up?", Brad quibed at him.

Juliet rubbed her temples, "Never mind that...he's right....Donovan has a point...but lets just do what we can for the moment and that's to survive"

Caleb and another rebel named Jenny came into the room excitedly, "Elias has made it!"

There was relief in the room.

"But he's wounded...."

Juliet crossed over to the older black man and squeezed his arm and smiled, "thank god Caleb"

VVV

Elias was laid up on a bunk within the old pumping plants thick crumbling concrete walls. Caleb sat next to his son as Juliet hobbled in on her cane and beamed a winner smile at Elias, "I knew you would make it back!"

Elias laughed trying to make light of it, "Well...you might have to go sharing that cane o there lady"

Juliet laughed with him as Jenny came to the door way, "Dr Moran's here"

Dr Jeff Moran hurried in with his medic case and unclipped it at the battered side table nearby.

"Roll your jeans up", he said quickly and with some authoritive tone. Juliet assisted him. Jeff was a good friend of hers. She had worked with him at the hospital alongside Ben Taylor, Elias's now deceased brother.

It was Jeff who gave her a place to stay when she had to leave Denny and before Elias and the Angels had found this place.

Jeff examined the wound with Juliet, he looked up to her, "Like most wounds sustained by their weapons...it's the burns that are a factor"

Juliet concurred, she knew that first hand due to her own injury. She knew now that the burns from the Visitor's weapons penetrate deep, even if it is flesh wound like Elias was victim of.

Jeff did the best he could do and dressed the wound, "Just make sure you keep ice on it and rest it for a while, call me if it gets any worse"

Elias dismissed it, "Oh it's nothing doc...the Elias will be back on his feet in no time"

Caleb pulled his son into a hug, "Ohhh leave off pop!"

"I'm just glad I've haven't lost another son to those monsters that all!"

It brought a tear to her eye as Juliet watched them. She then watched as Jeff packed up his case. Brad was leaning on the doorframe with a rifle slung over his shoulder, "I'm sorry I disturbed your lady friend"

"It's okay....Louise understands"

Jenny turned, "I hope you weren't seen out on the streets on your way here"

Jeff collected up his case, "Brad and me are getting quite the expert at dodging through the curfew streets...but I'll stay here till morning if that's alright"

Juliet rubbed his arm, "That's fine Jeff - I need to speak to about organising a collection for more medical supplies anyway..."

VVV

The next morning, Juliet needed air. She had gotten up early just as cerfew was lifted and decided to head off for a walk along the beach like she used to do.

The beach was empty apart from her. She leaned on her cane for support, eyes focusing on the sea water crashing onto the soft sand.

She lifted her face to the breeze, she needed this alone time after being cooped up in the underground sewer that had become her salvation.

Mike Donovan was watching her from afar. He had remained out of sight for a while. He was the countries most wanted fugitive afterall. If not the world.

Slipping his hands into the pockets of his jeans, he slowly approached Julie. He extended his arm and gently touched her arm and she jolted.

"Jesus it's you..."

"Thanks"

Juliet shook her head, "I'm just feeling jumpy, that's all"

Mike lifted his own face to the stiff breeze, "It's probably due to last night...."

Juliet nodded and put a hand to her mouth, "I can't get that poor girl out of my mind...however did we let these monsters get under our skin? As a race are we that nieve"

"Don't think about that now...just get yourself together, there's alot to do"

Juliet nodded.

Mike dug his sneaker into the sand and looked out across the pacific, "It's beautiful"

"It is at the moment...but how long will it be until we are stood here on this very spot looking out to a dry barren desert"

"It won't come to that, doc"

Juliet faced him, "How can you know that? We are just kidding ourselves...you were right the hit and run raids are useless...and last night just highlighted how powerful they are....we can't even touch them"

Donovan rested a hand over her shoulder, "You're just feeling low doc...you are allowed to have a bad day... a day off from playing the hero"

"That's your role"

Mike chuckled, "I'll give you that"

Juliet sighed and shook her head, "You know what? I miss him so much...I miss him and it really hurts"

"Who? Denny?"

She shock her head and nodded off towards the right, "he is just a half a mile over in that direction....so near I could just...."

Donovan looked worried for her.

She managed a sad smile, "I'm not that stupid, what's done is done....I can never go back....not until we are free from all this"

Both of them looked up as the huge mothership above them caste an ominous shadow over them"

2: CHPATER TWO

CHPATER TWO

Jeff Moran had returned to his apartment where his partner Louise Lawson was waiting for him with breakfast on the sun terrace. The sun was shining over the pacific, and their was a gentle breeze as Louise got up from the lounger, still in her bathrobe, and gave him a hug and a kiss.

"Sorry, I didn't wanna risk running during curfew again"

Louise poured the coffee, "it's okay...what was so urgent this time?"

Jeff sat down and picked up a slice of freshly made toast, "One of them was injured during an operation"

Louise bit her lip and leaned forward, "You are going to have to be more careful"

Jeff met her eyes, "they need me...Juliet's not a fully trained doctor...if Ben hadn't..."

"Died Jeff...he died. That's what resistance does to you...you know how I feel about all this...it's too dangerous Jeff - besides - the Visitors haven't done you any harm, have they?"

Jeff sighed, "No but...my friends have suffered, I've just been lucky and too co-operative"

Louise shook her head as to empathise that bit, "that's why you are still here and they are not...", she stood and tightened the cord of her bathrobe, "It's not that I like it...I hate it...I hate how the Visitors have somehow stuck a wedge into our society, but what choice so we have..."

"I'll stay safe, I promise..."

"I hope so....", and she went inside to dry her hair.

VVV

The van pulled off the highway and onto the sliproad that brought them through a barrage of traffic that was heavier then usual. Elias, still in discomfort from his injury but not letting it stop him, looked around to see the entrance to the hospital was swarming with Visitor patrollers. There was a couple of shuttle craft parked in the busy parking lot.

"Get down back there...it's lizard city in there", he warned Juliet, who was in the rear of the van.

"What's going on?", she asked keeping her head low and out of sight.

Elias could see there was a security block at the entrance, so he readied his fake papers to state he was delivering surgical supplies to the medical center.

"Looks like Disneyland....must be somekind of convention"

Juliet crouched down on the floor of the van.

"Lets just get our medical supplies and get the hell out of here"

Elias nodded and moved the van up to the security gate that swung back from the high barbed wire fencing around the parking lot. Daniel Bernstein, the Visitor Youth corps guy was manning the gate, Elias had had dealings with him before...he knew how to play it, the punk was easily lead.

"Well, well, well, looks like somebody got kicked upstairs!", Elias told with a big fat forced upon grin.

"I'm a supervisor now....got security clearance", bragged the teen as he took the paperwork from Elias to check.

"Good for you.....", Elias reached into his pocket and hinted a knowing smile at Daniel, ".... pretty tough job then....must be alot of pressure, you know what I'm saying"

"yeah...", said Daniel, looking around knowing what was to come from the black man.

"Well, I've got what you want....", He discreetly dropped a bag of weed in the youths hand as he handed back the paperwork, "....a little pop, keep you on the top"

Daniel smiled back at him and waved him to move on,"Don't get too greedy in there...."

"Never do....", Elias wound up the window and put his foot down onto the gas, medical stores was around the back, and that's where they needed to be.

VVV

The Pacific ocean rolled in across the beach below, as Kristine Walsh sat having a latte on the sun terrace of the TV News studios in LA. Diana sat opposite wearing her sun visor and hinting a smile across her face as the news woman spoke.

"....no Diana, I don't understand, you promised me interviews with the president and the secretary of state over two months ago"

Diana leaned forward and placed a hand gently over Kristine's shoulder and squeezed it.

"I know Kristine...the buraeucracy drives me crazy too..."

Diana moved her hand and cupped Kristine's cheek, the alien's intense stare held the other woman's gaze until a squadron of patrollers came onto the roof terrace lead my the main Visitor himself, the admiral.

"Kristine! What a pleasant surprize", he announced with a big smile and took her hand as she stood up from the chair.

"Good to see you admiral"

Diana looked up to her superior.

"Welcome to Los Angeles John, what perfect timing...Kristine was requesting interviews with the President of the United States again"

The Admiral put his hands together and met Kristine with an apologetic look.

"Indeed, I thought my people had taken care of that...leave it with me, I will see to it personally, but in the mean time I have some good news...."

Kristine removed her sunshades as the warm breeze caught her hair.

"Really?"

John nodded and tilted his head.

"You'll have exclusive coverage, of one of the most important announcements of a lifetime....we are going to be opening the first of our healing center here in Los Angeles...and believe me, this piece will be the highlight of your career...."

VVV

Dr Jeff Moran did his shift at the LA medical center's ED. He stepped out of the sliding doors, white coat flapping around him. He lit up a cigarette in the warm morning sunshine. Today was like anyother day, the same mundane visits of the walking wounded.

Jeff looked across the way to see the Visitor ambulance back up to a section of the hospital that had been turned into a Visitor field hospital. It was a restricted area of course, no human medic in any way shape or form was allowed anywhere near. They had all been told that only specially trained Visitor doctors could treat their own.

"Hey, daddy!"

The call jumped him out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see a teenage girl running over to him from a parked car nearby.

"Terri!", responded Jeff with a pleasant smile. Terri was his 18 year old daughter, and as always now, she was dressed up in the now familiar brown coloured uniform dress of the Visitor youth corps.

Jeff was somewhat dismayed to see Daniel Bernstein, her immediate supervisor, behind her.

Terri leaned in and kissed her father on the cheek, then beamed a big excited grin at him, "daddy....I have some awesome news!"

Jeff raised his eyebrows at her, "Oh?"

Terri was why he never stayed with the resistance full time. She had quit school and joined the Visitor youth corps no sooner it was set up. Jeff didn't have the heart to tell her about the aliens huge deception to the human race. If he did tell her, he didn't quite know how she would react. Some recruits in her group had actually informed on their own parents.

Daniel Bernstein put an arm around her shoulders. Both looking identical in their brown uniforms and matching side arms.

"We are getting married!", cried Terri, who looked adoringly into Daniel's brown eyes.

Jeff was opened mouthed in shock. This news was a right bolt out of the blue.

"Aren't you going to congratulate us, Dr Moran?", Daniel asked with a smug grin he'd sooner like to punch into next Tuesday. But instead, he extended his hand out to Daniel and shook his hand, "yes....congratulations to you both...very good news", he said darkly, knowing he needed to be somewhere else.

VVV

After leaving his daughter, Jeff had made his way to medical supplies at the rear of the hospital. There he found Juliet and Elias waiting for him and he let them in in via the fire escape as per normal.

Juliet came in wearing her blue boiler-suit, and she and Elias started to move the boxes of medical items they needed from off the nearby shelving.

"This is all I can spare you Julie...if you take too much then somebody's gonna get suspicious"

Juliet leaned on her cane and rubbed his arm.

"I know Jeff...but you saw what we were up against, we are going through medical supplies quicker than ever"

Jeff nodded keeping watch at the internal door as they readied the supplies to clear into the van outside.

"I know that....but they have doubled the security....it's getting too dangerous....I'm a doctor Julie, I have a daughter, if she found out that I was doing this.....I don't know what she'd do"

Elias came over and pushed back the white coat on the door that blocked the view from the corridor and peeked out. He could see portering staff pushing patients in wheelchairs, and nurses walking by, but he also saw Visitor patrollers had a heavy presence. One was chatting up a human nurse near the door he stood at. The nurse was giggling and blushing. He turned back to Jeff.

"Hey, what is going on around here anyways? The place is crawling with lizards"

Jeff shrugged his shoulders as he helped Juliet carry a crate of 100 box surgical gloves over to the fire door,"Nobody's quite sure, but there's a rumor that the Visitor Admiral is going to come here soon"

Juliet looked up and met his eyes, "Are you sure?"

"That's what I heard"

Juliet glanced at Elias and then she turned back to Jeff.

"Keep your ears to the ground for us Jeff....the Visitors only wheel out their Admiral for special accasions...we've got to find out exactly what that occasion is...."

VVV

Mike Donovan ducked out of the shop doorway and strolled up the busy street with his collars up. Visitor Patrollers stood guard on street corners, and some chatted to folk who were out on the streets. Mike then heard a police siren and turned to see two fugitives come running up the street. The police car was giving chase. A Visitor patroller on the opposite side of the road raised his pulse rifle and blasted the two fugitives in the back.

Mike watched as the two runners were lying in the road, the first one had his back to Mike and he could smell the odour of burnt flesh.

"Who are they?", one woman asked.

The cops were swarming now and one officer looked over to her, "Conspiracy sympathisers...that's who"

The woman shook her head, "Well....they had what was coming to them then"

Mike ducked back, and saw the chinese man standing outside his takeout shop beckoning him. He stepped aside and Mike slipped through into the gated alleyway and in through the back door.

He swiftly strode down the narrow hall and went into the back room that was dim lit. A Visitor was standing at the opposite side of the room.

Mike squinted in the half light, "Martin?"

"Yes..."

Martin removed his cap and stepped forward, "It's good to see you Mike...I have news about your son....I have managed to locate him"

Mike felt his heart race, "Where...where is he, can you help him?"

Martin shook his head, "I'm sorry Mike, but he's on the San Francisco ship...I do not have any real security clearance on that vessel, and I had to ask a friend to look him up there for me"

Mike was frustrated, but decided to ask a favour, "Look, we are trying to fight back, you know that, but we cannot touch your people with our useless weapons..."

Martin looked up, "What do you want of me?"

"Lasers...pulse rifles...at least with your kinda weapons we might start getting somewhere"

Martin shook his head instantly dismissing it with a wave of the hand, "It's too risky Mike. We have our own movement, I told you that, our network is spreading...."

"and whilst you spreading up there, we are dying down here, if we lose, you lose, we need eachother", cried Mike with some heat.

"I cannot get you weapons Donovan they are all accounted for!", insisted Martin with no intention of backing down and blowing his or the movements cover.

"then get us uniforms.....please", Mike reasoned.

"Allright....I'll see what I can do....look, I must go...I'll be intouch", Martin moved towards the exit, Mike grabbed his arm.

"Martin...please, if there is anything you can do to save my son...I'll appreciate it"

Martin nodded holding his gaze, and then was first to slip away through the door, Mike waited a while, then followed.

3: CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE

Dr Jeff Moran did his shift at the hospital. After attending to a crash victim, he went into the staff rest room to take five. A nurse came in and turned, "Hi...I can't believe how busy it is...hey, are you alright?"

Jeff looked like he was staring off into space where he sat, and looked at her questioningly, "Huh..?"

"You...are you alright, you flew away just then...somewhere nice I hope"

Jeff smiled, "nowhere particular, Ann"

Ann laughed and flicked through a magazine with Diana's smiling face on the front fold, "Well...I've lined myself up a date for tonight"

Jeff raised his eyebrows, "Oh...who is it this time, not that Kevin guy from upstairs again? You know how bad he treated you last time"

Ann laughed that off with a wave of the hand, "Oh no, not that jerk! No...this one's special...real special...with him being a Visitor and all"

Jeff was thin lipped, "Your date is with a Visitor?"

"Sure...what's so wrong with that?"

Jeff shrugged, and then both looked to the doorway where a Visitor came in and looked at Jeff directly, removing his cap, "Dr Moran? We need a favour...a medical emergancy, and your consultant lead insisted we speak to you...."

VVV

Kristine Walsh parked her datsun in the middle of the loading bay and stepped out. She ran across the lot and into the sliding doors of the ED. Inside, she managed to catch up with the paramedics that had brought her mother in.

"Is she alright? Has she got worse?"

The doctor who took the medical notes from the paramedic looked up to Kristine, "Ms Walsh...I am afraid that your mother is having serious breathing difficulties. I think you might need to prepare yourself for the worst"

Kristine swallowed down and hurried to the stretcher trolley that carried her mother, and took the frail woman's hand, "Mom...it's Kristine...can you hear me?"

The old lady managed to flutter her eyelids, most of her lower face was within the oxygen mask. The doctor looked up to her, "Ms Walsh...we will do our utmost best for your mother, you know that...."

And then she was wheeled through the double doors to resus. Kristine smoothed her hands down her neat trouser-suit and bit her lips. She turned and sat down onto a plastic seat waiting for the worst.

VVV

The Visitor shuttle was in flight over the city. Inside, Jeff Moran sat opposite the Visitor that had come for him at the hospital.

"I don't understand all this secrecy...you can at least tell me where I am headed....?"

The Visitor looked up, "I can see this is all rather ominous...let me introduce myself for a start....I am Russell....like yourself I am a medic"

Jeff looked at him in the dim lit confine of the shuttle, "you work at your field hospital...I have seen you there a few times", told Jeff.

Russell nodded, "I was called out earlier to treat a woman amongst your people that are...being detained"

Jeff could tell that Russell was being very cautious with his words.

"Detained? Why are they being detained?"

Russell looked uncomfortable but smiled, "they are scientists and their families that have been put into camps for their safety...please, when we arrive...you will soon understand why they are there...."

VVV

Kristine had been waiting for over an hour for news on her mother. She turned from the hot drinks machine and headed to the resus unit. Peering through the small window, she could see that the stretcher trolley was vacant. There was no sign of what-so-ever of her mother.

Her heart started to race a little as she became anxious. She turned and saw a Visitor patroller approach her, "Ms Walsh....would you come this way please....Diana is waiting for you"

Kristine frowned, "Diana? She is here at the hospital?"

The Patroller gently ushered the way forward, and she moved ahead down the corridor.

VVV

The Shuttle had touched down outside the camp. As Jeff Moran exited the ramp, he took in his surroundings. He was standing outside the checkpoint entry gate to a huge enclosure, that was surrounded by 20 foot high mesh fencing that was topped with rolls of ugly bard wire.

Inside, he could see people walking about the dry dustbowl ground, some were in groups, some were on their own and some were with children. Jeff focused on the perimeter fensing and glanced at Russell who seemed to be able to read his thoughts.

"Don't be too concerned about the high fense Dr Moran...it really is for their safety"

"Their safety?"

"Indeed....it's function is to safeguard them from attack. Many scientists and their family's here have fallen victim from mobs of vigilante thugs that want revenge for the outrageous lies your scientists have brought to your people over the years....at least here all together in their own little community they are safe and secure....wouldn't you concur Dr Moran?"

Jeff didn't know what to think. He nodded forward, "Why have I been brought here?"

Russell ushered the way forward towards a group of tatty looking out-buildings near the perimeter fenses left wing, "One of the women here is giving birth, but there are complications that we are not familiar with....."

Jeff guessed that human and Visitor births were probably very different, "You better show me to her...."

VVV

Kristine Walsh approached through the double doors and into the clinical white room that lay beyond. The room had been obviously been converted by the Visitors.

Diana stood near a bank of complicated looking computers, then came forward smiling at her, "Ahhh, Kristine...thank you for coming..."

Kristine tried to force out a smile but she wanted to go back and find her mother, "Diana? I wasn't aware we had scheduled a meeting?"

Diana shook her head, "No we have not....but I wanted you to see this for yourself....", she took Kristine's arm and lead her into an ante-chamber where she was startled to see her mother up and about and being checked over by Visitor medics. Kristine's mother turned to her.

"Kristine! A miracle has occurred!"

Kristine gasped and stepped forward taking her mother's hands into hers, "Mom? What...I don't understand...."

Diana came forward looking all pleased, "It's quite simple Kristine....your mother has had the great privilage of being the first to use our healing center...."

Kristine turned to her, "You mean she is...."

"Quite free of all her ailments yes....she is totally in admission from her lung cancer, and her respiratory functions are back being near normal for somebody of her age...of course she still will need rest...but...yes, she has been completely cured"

Kristine was overwhelmed. There was tears in her eyes and so was in her mothers. Diana stood there staring at them with a hint of a smile.

VVV

At the scientist camp, Jeff Moran was examining his patient. He had been quite impressed of what he had found. The building had looked quite tatty on the outside, but inside there was a capsule room that was sterlised clean and white with Visitors medic staff on hand. His patient was on a steel trolley and had been given adequate pain relief.

"The baby is in breech"

Russell looked at him as if he didn't know what that meant. Jeff elaborated, "the baby is going to be born backside first..."

Russell glanced at his fellow Visitor medics and then focused back to Jeff, "Is this something you are an expert in? Of course we can assist and be of service in anyway you require...."

Jeff nodded, "We'll need clamps...more pain relief and a little of Gods help...there maybe alot of tearing and blood loss...she should have had an emergency C section, but that's too late now...."

Russell handed him a surgical gown that was orange and had a big Visitor symbol down it's front, "You will find everything you would need here, I'm sure Dr Moran...."

VVV

At the hospital, Kristine watched her mother as she got herself ready to go home. Diana came forward and took the newswoman's arm and lead her out into the corridor, "So...is everything satisfactory with her?"

"Yes Diana! It's like what my mother said....it really is a miracle!"

Diana held her eyes, "Good...I am so glad to hear you say that because...before this facility opens officially in a few weeks, we would like you to be the first to tell your captive audience about how we saved your mother...isn't that something you would heart-feltly like to share with your viewing public?"

Kristine was pleased, "Of course...this is just....how amazing is this? You are all doing so much for us...how can we, as a race, ever thank you...."

Diana let the gaze linger, "I'm sure the human race will pay us back...in many useful ways Kristine..."

VVV

Jeff Moran had successfully delivered the breech-birth. Mother and baby were doing well. As he cleaned himself up and scrubbed off into the stainless steel sink, he looked towards a door that was slightly on ajar. He crossed over and peeked through it, to view a sea of camp beds and dirty laundry hanging from ropes across the rafters.

There were shapes in the campbeds, and some folk were sitting up and staring off into space. The living conditions looked filthy, but it was hard to squint through the half light.

He heard someone approach and hurried back to the sink and dried off. Russell walked into the changing room, "Well, thank you again Dr Moran...the mother and infant are back with their family"

"Where exactly is that? With a newborn child...it needs to be clean...you know..."

Russell stepped aside, "If you come this way Dr Moran...the shuttle is waiting to take us back to the city"

Jeff pressed further, "I still would like them to come with us...so I can check them out properly at the hospital"

"There is no need...and it's impossible, it is best for them not to leave the camp...it is not safe out there for them"

Jeff realised there was no budging. He knew deep down that the scientists here were prisoner. He thought about Juliet's raid the other night and realised that those scientists on the train were going to be taken here or somewhere very similiar.

Quickly, Russell led him back through the narrow corridor and out to the exit. Passing by a half open steel door, Jeff could see a strange looking chair with what looked like dried blood around the base of it. His heart raced. He was glad to be leaving this place, but quilty for leaving all those others behind.

One thing he was sure of.....he needed to see Juliet when he got back to the city.

4: CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

Dr Jeff Moran climbed over the fence and jumped down into the ditch that was littered with garbage from over flowing dumpsters. He then negotiated his down the steep incline and hurried towards the defunct waste water building that was headquarters of the underground.

Ex-LAPD cop Brad McIntyre was on lookout and saw his approach. He came forward and pulled Jeff down behind a half fallen wall.

"Hey! Do you want to be seen!"

Jeff was apologetic, "Geez, sorry - I wasn't thinking...look, I've gotta talk to Julie"

A siren whined in the background as Brad nodded and lead the way in through the steel doors.

Juliet was in her lab. It was a mis-matched cluttering of scientific equipment that was scattered about the single workbench.

Juliet turned and beamed a smile had him and rubbed his arm, "Hi Jeff...you never said you were stopping by..."

Jeff nodded, "No...look...I've gotta tell you something...I know where all those scientists on the trains end up...I've seen it"

Juliet looked puzzled, "They end up on the Mothership, don't they?"

"No...not straight away....they are brought do these enclosures...they are all pended in...it sorta reminded me of those concentration camps from world war 2, you know...?"

Juliet was taking it all in, "and you were there because......?", she trailed off.

"They needed a doctor to deliver a breech-birth. It seems breech-births don't occur with their kind"

Juliet perched on the battered lab stool, "well...with their very different physiology I guess not...so this camp...where is it exactly?"

Jeff shrugged and leaned on the worktop, "I'm sure to be honest...I was flewn over there in one of their transporter shuttles, but it looked like the desert east of here...about an hours ride, I guess"

Juliet bit her lip, "So...did you see anything else? What was this camp like?"

"Basic...those poor people are living in squallor. The Visitor medic who accompanied me there, informed me that the scientists were brought there for their own protection from people that might want to attack them for all the lies the Visitors have blacklisted them with"

Juliet chuckled and shook her head, "Sounds like it to me that's it's all just one big set up"

Jeff frowned, "What do you mean?"

Juliet looked at him, "they have done all that to use you....use you as a mouthpiece to tell others that 'hey, all the scientists are being cared for in camps - all safe from being persecuted or attacked'. You can spread the word that the Visitors are doing good and have them in their best interests, when really...."

Jeff shook his head, "Yeah....I don't wanna even think about that..."

Juliet grabbed her cane and lead the way into the dim corridor that had masonry and plaster pealing from the crumbling walls.

"Look....use this for your own advantage....they trust you...you can use it to find out stuff....stuff that can make a difference and report to us...will you do that?"

Jeff shook his head, "I'll try...."

VVV

Mike Donovan stuck his hands into his jacket pockets as he moved up the sunbaked street and looked over to the whitewashed apartment block that was utilised with a cooling swimming pool and shady palms to sit under.

He looked up to the belcony of the second floor and saw Kristine step out and lift her face to the sun for a few moments.

Mike crossed the road and entered the iron gate to get access to the fire escape that ran up the back of the building block. A shuttle flew by and he ducked underneath a pine-needle tree that was intergrown with giant palms. He was confident that he was not seen.

Once the coast was clear, he was climbing up the fire-escape steps as fast as his sneakers took him.

He could hear Kristine's voice on the phone as he approached the rear exit of her apartment.

"You still have to rest Mom...I know you feel like a new person, but please...what the Visitors have done for us is a miracle...lets not push it...I'll stop by later...love you, bye..."

Mike climbed in through the open window with the lace net curtain flapping about him.

Kristine came out of the kitchenette and gasped, "Mike!! My God!"

Mike gave her one of his lop-sided grins, "surprized to see me...?"

Kristine shook her head not taking her eyes off him, "well yes...last time I saw you was on board the mothership...you were being away to the detention area I assumed...."

"Hey, that was months ago and a lot has happened since then"

Kristine folded her arms and looked on edge, "Mike...what are you doing here? You do know that if they catch you here they will shoot to kill"

Mike laughed, "Boy, I'm that much a threat to them then!"

Kristine held his gaze and then tore her eyes away, "Please...go...I don't want to have to...."

"Turn me in? My God Kris, is this what it's come to...?"

He stepped forward and looked down at her, "Kris....I've come here because I need your help...do you have access to the San Francisco mothership?"

She screwed her face up, "Frisco? I guess if I was to turn up, they'll know who I am....why?"

"Because that's where they've got my son Kris..."

"Sean? Why would Sean be there? Mike you are not making any sense!"

Mike paced about the room and rubbed his cheek, not sure whether what he was about to say was going to make that much of a difference, "because that's where they took him, when they took the town Kris....5 months ago they took all the people in San Pedro and packed then aboard the motherships....some here in LA, some up in Frisco"

Kristine was having trouble taking all of this in. She shook her head and raised her hands, "I really think you have lost it Mike....boy if you haven't before, you certainly have now...why would people be taken up to the motherships for? What purpose?"

Mike leaned on the arm of the couch....a couch that she and him had made love on a few times a while back, "Some will be used as cannon folder the Visitors need in the war with their leaders enemy...and the rest of them will...."

Kristine looked at him, willing him to continue, "Come on...tell me, what will become of the rest of them...?"

Mike looked to the marble flooring, "food Kris....the rest will be used as food"

Kristine stood there for a few long moments, then she casually padded over to the front door on her slingbacks and opened the door, "Mike...the Visitors did a wonderful thing for me yesterday...they cured my dying mother....as you know she had lung cancer....and now thanks to the kindness of these people....she is fighting fit and healthy again....and you want to talk to me about people being packed board the motherships...scooping up whole towns? What planet do you think I'm on...now....if you don't mind, please go...."

Mike was hesitant.

"Please Mike...don't make this hard for me...I have made my choice....can't you see that"

Mike could see her eyes were welling up and he hurried to the door...paused to met her gaze....and then drift out and down the stairs....Kristine slowly closed the door.

VVV

Jeff Moran walked into his beach-front apartment and closed the door and loosened his tie. Louise was sunning herself on the veranda and removed her shades as he stepped out from the french doors.

"Jeff...you are late...I thought you said you were finishing your shift early and was taking me out..."

Jeff shook his head, "I had to stop by at Julies. Tell her about yesterday"

Louise sighed and looked at him touching his 5 Oclock shadow with her beautifully manicured fingers, "Honey...they were scientists....it's not that it matters, not really...I've been thinking about it today...you said they told you they were being kept there for their own protection...hasn't it even occurred to you that they might be telling you the truth? That scientist who used to live across the street....her house was firebombed remember...maybe this is what they need....."

Jeff was fuming, "really!! You think that a mother and her newborn baby should be living in squaller...have no access to a hospital...and forced to sleep on a skanky campbed that's probably hasn't seen a clean sheet for weeks!"

Louise stood up and placed her hands on her hips, "It is none of our business Jeff! If those scientists hadn't lied to us in the first place...keeping cures for cancer back because of their own greed for research grants....then maybe they wouldn't be in this position in the first place! Jeff...I know the Visitors aren't saints...I have seen the brutality on the streets...I know that just maybe, our government is no longer running the country...but like it or not Jeff, these people mean business...haven't you noticed the laser guns they carry? Do you really think the human race can stand up to them? No Jeff we can't....they'd wipe us all out at the flick of a switch....", she went to go back inside and paused and looked at him, "it's all just war games Jeff...Juliet and her underground won't stand a chance....not against them..."

"So we just roll over and take it....?"

"I think....we have no choice....but to do just that"

Jeff watched her go back in and sighed heavily. Louise was just one person. Just it was a damning thought that there was 100s of 1000s out there who felt the same way as her.

VVV

Brad McIntyre was waiting on the corner of the street. He watched a former friend of his Greg walk out the deli in his LAPD police uniform and approach the squad car parked on the curb.

Brad was out recruiting. Greg and him had been friends since high school. He hadn't been sure whether he could trust him, but he wanted to try.

He pushed himself forward and approached him as Greg was in the drivers seat. Greg was working alone.

"Hey Greg..."

Greg turned to him, "Brad? What the hell happened to you man? I heard rumours that you joined up to underground..."

"I did...you know...after what happened to my ex-partner Rob...he vanished into the night when he didn't co-operate...I wasn't gonna end up the same way"

Greg rubbed his chin, "So you are not going along with them? Man, what are you playing at! I should arrest you for illegal fraterizing with the underground"

"They are lying to all of us Greg! They are not even like us!"

"Brad...I've known you since high school....but it seems our friendship ends here....", Greg reached towards the dash and Brad knew that he was going for the handgun....Brad slapped his hands down hard onto the roof of the car in sheer frustration and made a run for it.

Greg jumped out of the car and aimed his handgun. Brad had disappeared down the alleyway where trashcans were built up and were a man-made shield.

A Visitor patroller and his superior captain came running over, rifles at the ready, "What is it?"

Greg pointed, "just an old friend of mine...he's apart of the underground....", he turned and faced the Visitor captain, who had a black african likeness, "Sir....his name is Brad McIntyre and I denounce him as part of the underground...."

The Visitor captain placed a hand over the cops shoulder, "You have done well to inform us...he will be captured....he was a former police officer, we have his details and likeness at headquarters...it is only going to take a matter of time before your friend is captured...believe me..."

5: CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

Mike Donovan stuck his collar up and hurried up the street. People were out and about getting on with their daily business and carried on around him. He glanced across the street and saw a group of Visitor youth corp members helping Visitor supervisors put up posters that promoted the 'universal friendship between our people and yours'.

Mike glanced up to the Mothership in the sky over the city and thought about those who were packed board it in those cocoons he had seen.

Sean was in one of those in stais aboard the San Franscisco mothership. He didn't know how he was going to do it - but he was determined to get his son back - one day.

He came to the curb and waited for the lights to go green so he could cross the street with a horde of others. He heard a shuttle fly by over head and sighted more helmeted Visitor patrollers on the street corners ahead of him.

He wondered if they had his face tapped their minds. He was the worlds most wanted man. If the Visitors were as advanced as they told them, surely they would immediately recognise him...but they didn't....he just walked on right by them and they looked at him and carried on with their patrolling, dismissing him as another face in the crowd.

VVV

Juliet Parish paced about her dark and dismal lab on her cane, she was fuming with anger at Mike Donovan after telling her about his encounter with Kristine Walsh.

"I don't care! You jeopardized everything when you acted on your own! You have tried to reason with a traitor!"

Mike shook his head and waved out a hand at her, "What choice do i have doc? They've got my boy and I am fast running out of options of getting him back!"

Juliet met his eyes, her voice continued to be harsh and she wasn't going to back down her anger at him.

"Donovan, I expect you to think of us before you think of yourself! You are risking all of us Donovan, you don't even care about us!"

Donovan dismissed that and raised his own voice, surprised that she could even think that of him.

"Hey come on, that's not true"

Juliet perched onto the lab stool and tried to explain why she was so angry at him.

"This underground is delicate...the more and more they take hold, the less chance we have of staying hidden and going to traitors like her asking for help...it's just risking everything"

Mike closed his eyes and put his back to her. He had been thinking about what he was about to say to her for weeks, but now he had to tell her what was important to him, and what he needed to do before he had time to concentrate on the underground.

"I know...look, I should go...Brad was right when he said I wasn't a joiner, and I'm not...I should stay away"

The look on Julie's face told Mike that she was abit rocked to hear that, she swallowed and pressed forward at him.

"So you are walking out on us? Is it that simple?"

Mike nodded and with as much honesty he could make sound in his words, he explained himself.

"Doc....the only person I care about is my son, and getting him back safe is my only aim...I work best working alone and that way I put nobody at risk, but myself...and on a selfish note, I don't have to think about others...and you....and the underground....you will all function better without me endangering you all"

Juliet swallowed down again, she tried a small smile at him as she took in his words and processed what he had said to her.

"Donovan...please, reconsider...."

Mike held her gaze, then he broke it and looked to the dull concrete floor.

"No...my son comes first everytime...until he is safe, I cannot help you or your underground, I'm sorry"

And Mike swiftly took off, leaving Julie feeling like she wished she hadn't over reacted at him for seeing Kristine. But would that of made the slightest difference? Because she knew deep down that he would have left at some point anyway.....

VVV

Mike was on his own now. He had left the base of the underground and made his way down dark alleys towards the beach. He was thinking about his next move. He had to get to San Francisco and that meant infiltrating the Mothership there.

He crouched down and pulled out his red Visitor uniform from his rucksack. His eyes trying to form a plan in his brain. He replaced the uniform into the rucksack and carried on down to the beach.

VVV

At the same time, Juliet had called a meeting with members of the underground in the conference room. She spoke on the edge of upset and with a touch of concern in her tone.

"......so....he's decided to leave us...and go look for his son"

Brad shook his head looking somewhat not too surprised to hear it, "Well there you go...it's like what I said, he's used us to please himself...he doesn't care about you or me, you, you and you...none of us"

Various others shook their heads as he spoke.

Elias, stood there in a tatty red Tshirt rocked his head looking at them all, "that's right...he's a lone wolf man...he's just wants to go look for his boy...but lemme tell you....so what? We have all lost folks man! I've lost my brother Benjamin...but you don't see me walking out on us with a sole aim and sod everyone else..."

Caleb raised his eyebrows at him.

Juliet rested her bum against the battered tabletop and called for quiet, "listen...it doesn't matter what his aims are...we still have to carry-on without him....we all have to fight this thing in our own way...his is just a different way to us..."

She looked towards Ruby who smiled warmly at her and she carried on, "we know that the scientists are being taken to those camps Jeff told us about...I think we should take one of the trains...get there and tell the world what is going on"

Jenny shook her head, "that sounds okay in theory, but how are we gonna take a train? There are too many of those damned patrollers about....and even if we did show the world the state of these camps...would the viewing public even care? Scientists are the big no, no at the moment...as far as they are concerned, scientists should be put up against a wall and shot"

Brad looked around to her, "I betcha that's already happening at the camp"

Juliet grabbed their attention again, "no listen...this is what we do....we make sure we know the time the train pulls in at central, when it is empty. Then we can smuggle and hide weapons and ammo on the train....ready for when we need it"

Sancho frowned, and raised his hand, "errrrr....how are we gonna get onto the train to use it? We are not scientists...."

Juliet shook her head, "No....you are not...none of you are....but....", she stood upright and stepped forward on her good leg, "....I am"

VVV

Mike stood on the curb and saw the taxi cab approach him. The cab stopped ahead of the busy traffic and Mike jumped inside where Martin was sat in the back. Martin instructed the driver to carry on.

Martin turned to Mike, "You've risked everything by contacting me..."

Mike nodded, "I needed to see you, and our go between contact owned me a favor...look....I'm going up to Frisco...I'm gonna sneak aboard the...."

"No Donovan you can't! There is no way you will even get on a shuttle to get aboard!"

This was news to the ex-newsman...before, he always just put on the uniform and stepped aboard a shuttle, he frowned at the Visitor, "What do you mean by that?"

"They've increased security ten-fold. You have to show a boarding pass to get onto a shuttle Mike...", Martin informed him.

"I suppose that's all my fault"

Martin just looked at him and nodded.

Mike blew out a heavy sigh. He felt incredibly helpless. He was starting to feel like that there was no hope what so ever of freeing his son. That Sean would stay in stais for forever and a day.

Martin could feel Mike's pain, but there was nothing he could do about it, "look...I have those uniforms you wanted, I just hope that you are not planning something that is ill-conceived"

"I've left the underground...I was all set on heading up to Frisco...but if I can't getta a pass to board the Mothership up there, how am I ever gonna free him, huh?"

Martin leaned forward, "I want to help you...but with security so tight at the moment....there is very little I can do"

Mike was beaten, "then it looks like I sticking around here then...I feel like I right bozo!"

"Bozo?"

"Never mind...I'll be in touch", the cab stopped and Mike swiftly exited the vehicle. Martin watched him go, then told the driver to move on.

VVV

Juliet sipped her tea and tried to grab some rest. Jenny then popped her head around the raggy curtain that was boundary to her 'room'

"Hey...you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah...", Juliet sat up and patted the space beside her on the makeshift campbed. Jenny sat.

"look...I was thinking about how we are going to get those weapons onto that train and it made me think about something you said when you joined us"

Jenny chuckled, "You have a long memory, that was months ago"

"Well....it's a bit delicate and you don't have to do anything you don't want to do, okay?"

Jenny frowned, "sounds ominous!"

"that Visitor patroller you said you seeing...kissed a few times...", began Julie watching her reaction carefully.

Jenny looked like she was going to throw up, "Nick? I'd rather forget about him!"

"Well, I know it must have been horrible for you...but you said he goes out and patrols much of the area..."

Jenny shrugged at her "That's what he said...he used to be posted to guard the Richland plant during the night...before we blew the place up of course"

"So you think he does Central? If he's there patrolling, we could do with a distraction", said Juliet, knowing that it wasn't something she would want to do and be comfortable with.

Jenny intook a breath and met Julie's eyes, "I suppose I could...just as long as I don't have to kiss him again! But, you do know he won't be the only guard there...."

"Yeah we know that...but they usually use three and they are pretty much spaced out...hopefully with a bit of luck on our side...we'll be lucky..."

"And you could do with all the luck you can get....doc"

Juliet looked up and both she and Jenny saw Mike standing there with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Well....Mr Donovan...you certainly couldn't keep away....what's wrong....couldn't find a bed for the night?"

Jenny stood and ran a hand through her dark long hair, "I'll leave you two to it...."

Mike watched her go and thumbed back at her, "She don't look pleased to see me..."

Juliet sighed and stood up, "Well...this morning you left us and I told them that you were...persuing other committments...which brings me to ask...what happened? I thought your sole aim was saving your son"

Mike seethed through gritted teeth, but he didn't mean for his demeanor sound harsh, "he cannot be saved...not by me....not by them...not by anyone...."

Julie was genuinely sorry for him, " I'm sorry to hear about that...isn't there any hope at all?"

He shook his head and turned to her, "...to go get him on my own, I'd be a fool...just like you if you further this stupid plan you've concocted"

Juliet's face frowned at him. Mike enlightened her.

"Elias was telling me about it when I met him on look-out...he wasn't best pleased to see me...but in-turn he told me about this hair-brained scheme about using yourself as bait"

Juliet broke eye contact and shook her head, "Elias has a big mouth...and anyway...somebody needs to be on that train when it's in transit...I'm a scientist...I'm what they want"

"But surely..........."

"No...there isn't...I'm doing this....I have to do this...people have a right to know what is happening to our people...we may not get another chance...if they start suspecting, they'll just close ranks and cover it all up"

Mike sighed out and rubbed his eyes and sat upon her bed. He looked up, "Okay...look....I met Martin earlier...he's got the uniforms that could come in useful"

Juliet's eyes lit up at him, "You are in?"

Mike shook his head, "I guess I am doc...I guess I am"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

6: CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

Jeff Moran looked across to the pacific ocean as he stood with his morning coffee on the veranda. Louise came out from the french doors and slipped her arms around his waist from behind, "I thought you might want to come back to bed, honey"

Jeff shook his head as he continued to stare out ahead of him, "I can't I can't stop thinking about Terri....she called earlier...she wants me and you to meet Daniels parents"

Louise let him turn and face her, she shrugged, "They might be very nice people...meeting them might give you more insight to Daniel"

Jeff dismissed that, "I've already summed him up, believe me...he's a dirty little brown-nose who'd inform on anyone if it meant getting a promotion"

Louise sighed at him as she went and poured herself a coffee, "Ohhh come on...he can't be that bad...look....just wait and see....everything will turn out just fine....you just count on it"

VVV

Jenny looked into the shop window at the electrical items on display. She pushed her hair back behind her ears. It wasn't the items she was focusing on. It was the shuttle that was landing behind her that she could see in the reflection of the glass. She could see the doors lift and lower and the ramp extend for the passengers to disembark.

About ten or so Visitor patrollers strode out carrying their pulse rifles over their shoulders - but it was only one of them she focused on...the one whose Earth-name was Nick.

Jenny turned and made a start to her mission. She strode across the street with a cheery smile and called out to him, "Hey, soldier-boy"

Soldier-boy was what she used to call him. During the first weeks of the Visitors arrival, she had spotted him. First he was dressed more as a technician with a cap, then one day he appeared in the full combat patroller garb he wore there on - and that's when she gave him his nickname.

The young Visitor Nick turned and lifted the visor of his helmet and Jenny could see his handsome wise guy features. She knew his wavy brown hair was under the helmet.

"Jenny?"

Jenny approached and smiled up at him, he was a good head taller than her, "Hi....long-time no see"

Nick glanced to the rest of his patrol and turned back to her, "I am happy to see you...where did you go? It's been a long time"

Jenny gave him a sad face, "I betcha' you've got yourself someone-else now, huh?"

He shook his head, "No...", he stared deeply at her...intense, Iike they always do... like they were trying to read your mind.

"good...maybe, if you like, we good go for a walk together"

Nick glanced back to his patrol who were now waiting for him, "I'd like that Jenny...look....I have to go...", he met her eyes and Jenny recognized all those old feeling surface.

He was a monster...underneath all that fake skin....but when you fall in love for the first time and discover the man is not all he seemed....it left a lump in her throat.

"Meet me tonight....the bar I showed you that time, about 7 O'clock...."

He nodded and touched her arm gently, then downed his visor and walked off back to his group. Jenny's smile faded and she swallowed down trying to pull herself together.

Afterall, she had a mission to complete.

VVV

Jeff Moran drove his ford up the suburban tree-lined street. The white houses with their spiral down porch-ways pertruded from the neat row of houses. The grass was a rich green and a gardener was tending to some rose bushes across the quiet well kept street.

Terri was at her fathers side in the car. It had been a week since Terri's surprize engagement and they were drawing up to the Bernsteins.

Louise who was sat in the back of the Ford car smiled at Terri, "Wow, what a lovely well kept neighbourhood...it seems very quiet here"

Terri turned in her seat towards her, "Daniel says it's real boring. He's getting a place for us downtown after we are married so we are in with all the action"

Jeff stopped the car outside the house they needed to be at. He unbelted his strap and turned to his daughter, "ready?"

Terri opened the door and jumped out into the warm sunshine. Jeff looked back at Louise, "this is just crazy"

Louise reached out and gave his shoulder a squeeze and they both got out to join her on the sidewalk.

On the top terrace, Daniel could see them on the street and grinned like a cheshire cat and called in through the open french doors, "Mom, Dad they are they are here!"

Down stairs, Lynn Bernstein looked up from where she was reading and stood. Stanley was coming in from the back room.

"Stanley...Daniel says that they have arrived"

Stanley looked at her and then went to the window and peered out as the doorbell rang. Daniel was flying down the steps and wasn't best pleased, "Come on, come on, don't just stand there...open the door!!"

Lynn jumped to speed and went to the door and pulled it open, Daniel barged his mother out of the way and beamed a winning grin for his fiancee, "Terri!"

Terri kissed him and Daniel grabbed Jeff's hand, "Good to see you again doc! This must be your beautiful partner!"

Louise laughed as Daniel reached for her hand and kissed the back of it. Louise looked at Terri, "Wow...what a charmer!"

Daniel ushered then inside and flicked his fingers towards his father, "Hey pop...where the hell are the drinks?", he rolled his eyes at his guests, "...sorry...you really can't get the staff", he clapped his hands at him, "Come on move it! get the drinks"

Stanley shuffled in his carpet slippers and went to the drinks trolley that was partially hidden behind a potted fern plant.

Lynn came forward and Daniel went and stood beside her, "Mom...this is Terri...the next Mrs Bernstein"

Lynn shook the girls hand and managed to muster a nervous smile, Daniel laughed, "Now then lets get this party started shall we..."

Lynn turned to her son, face showing that she was hopefully saying the right thing, "She is very nice Daniel"

Jeff watched her reactions carefully, and then turned to see Stanley Bernstein with the drinks trolley, "Whiskey...Gin...beer?"

Jeff noticed the horrible looking scar on the older mans arm, Stanley was aware of this and rolled down his sleeve quickly.

"Beer please"

Louise came forward, "I'll have a white wine if there is a bottle?"

Daniel turned to his mother, "Go to the store and get one...now"

Lynn was snatching up her purse that got tangled with the reading glasses that hung around her neck, she then went out the door.

Louise glanced at Jeff and then at Daniel and said, "Ohhh if there wasn't any wine...you needn't of bothered...we should have brought a bottle along really"

Daniel shook his head, "No....she can get it....that's what she's here for to skivvy after me!", he laughed, Terri laughed too.

Stanley shuffled forward and handed Jeff his beer, he handed one to Daniel who snatched it off him and pointed to the pool outside, "Lets go through...it's a great day outside"

VVV

Jenny walked across the littered hall and into Juliet's makeshift lab at the abandoned waterworks. Juliet looked up from what she was doing and smiled at her, "So...did you see him?"

Jenny nodded, "Yes I did...I'm gonna go meet him later and lay the ground work"

Juliet grabbed her cane and she accompanied Jenny through the hall to the dingy kitchen, "Well, I've got Linus onto where we can stash the weapons onto the trains, he used to work for a company who make them and knows where all the secret compartments are...and Elias and Caleb are doing an inventry on the weapons themselves...we really can't afford to lose any"

"When are you thinking?"

Julie paused and looked at her, "as soon as you find out if Nick's on patrol...if he is...we can go from there"

"No pressure then"

Juliet turned in the kitchen and was serious, "Jenny...if you are not up for this...it's okay...we can figure out another way"

Jenny shook her head, "No it's fine...I'll do it"

"Thank you"

Julie turned and sighed, "Now....all I need to do is make myself known...and to do that, I'm gonna have to get out of here and in the open air where they can see me....and take me"

Jenny was worried, "What if they don't take you to the train....what if it all goes wrong"

Juliet didn't answer, she smiled and moved on.

VVV

The Afternoon at the Bernsteins place wore on as they sat out the back next to the poolside. Jeff picked up his glass of fine champagne and Terri pointed out, "Danny gets that from the local liquer store...they give him whatever he wants"

Jeff nodded. Louise smiled at her, "It tastes devine, I love champagne"

Jeff turned and faced Stanley who was sitting to his side at the patio table saying nothing, the doctor could see the older mans shirt sleeve had ridden up and he could see the scar.

"That looks nasty...burn was it?"

Stanley looked incredibly nervous and pulled down the sleeve and was agitated. Lynn came over with from the shade and sat next to her husband. She knew what Jeff had seen, "my husband can be very clumsy...aren't you Stanley"

Daniel then came strutting forward and lifted the empty bottle from the table, "hey pop...go and crack another bottle open will ya...we are supposed to be celebrating aren't we "

Daniel was very merry when the late afternoon shadows came. Terri had jumped into the pool to cool off and Daniel dived in and joined her.

As they giggled and messed about splashing in the water, Lynn fiddled with the arm of her reading glasses and turned to Jeff, "Your daughter is a very nice, Dr Moran...but I cannot see what she sees in my son"

Jeff frowned at her, "You do not approve, I take it?"

Lynn raised her eyebrows at him and lowered her voice, "Do we have a choice in the matter? Does any of us?"

Jeff bit his lip and watched the young couple ape about in the pool, he then turned toward Stanley sitting in the shade in deep thought as he watched them.

"They did that to his arm, didn't they? The Visitors?"

Lynn met his eyes, and it was the look in them that affirmed it. She dared not utter a word from her lips.

Lousie then came towards them from the house, "You sure have a lovely home Mrs Bernstein...there is such an oldly world about it, if you don't mind me saying"

Lynn nodded at her and watched her sit, "yes...that's my father-in-laws influence..."

Louise sipped her drink, "Oh...where is he?"

Lynn held back a sad demeanor, "he's no longer with us....."

Jeff knew exactly what she meant by that, even if Louise chose not to.

He looked at his watch and stood, "well....it's time we were off....", he saw that Terri was busy frollicking with Daniel in the pool, "....tell Terri I'll call her later...."

VVV

That evening, Jenny crossed the busy street and saw Nick the Visitor patroller standing beneath the tall palm in the fading sun. He wasn't wearing his helmet and vest or carrying a pulse rifle, so she knew he was off duty.

She breezed a smile and he totally surprized her by revealing the bunch of flowers that he had hidden behind his back.

"I understand that the male buys the female flowers when they...go out on a date....is that the term?"

Jenny took the flowers...they were lovely and she was geniunely taken aback, "they are beautiful...nobody has ever bought me flowers...thank you Nick"

The Visitor gave her one of his attractive white teeth grins, "beautiful flowers for a beautiful female....I mean....woman"

Jenny swallowed...he's not real, just keep telling yourself that, she thought and nodded towards the bar, "Shall we go inside...."

Nick let her pass in the coming dusk and said, "after you...."

And they went inside.

VVV

"Special delivery..."

Mike Donovan dumped the folded Visitor uniforms onto the pile of crates. Brad came forward and looked at him, "Is it one size fits all?"

"they scretch yeah...where's Juliet?"

Brad nodded towards the lab, "in there...she's waiting news on Jenny"

Mike went into the makeshift kitchenette where old Ruby was putting the kettle on, "Mr Donovan...I do hope you haven't really given up on that son of yours?"

Mike didn't know what to say. Of course he hadn't given up...it was just that it was an impossible task at present.

"I haven't given up Rube...one day"

Ruby came forward with a tray of bakes, "well....I can't do much for the resistance but I can feed your bellies"

Mike went to pick one off the tray but Ruby slapped his hand and tutted at him, "Not yet! You'll burn your tongue!"

Juliet chuckled as she walked through on her cane. She had just washed her hair and had a towel wrapped around her head, "Ohhhh, do take one Mr Donovan...if you burn your tongue, we'd be spared your wisecracks"

"Haha"

Ruby let a teacloth settle over then on the side, "I'll cut them up later"

Juliet smiled at the old lady and she squeezed her hand. Mike leaned on the counter and cut to the chase.

"So...have you thought about how you are gonna make yourself know? If you do this....there's no turning back you know....you'll have to stay in hiding....I should know...I am the worlds...."

".....most wanted man!", she jumped in cutting him off, "yes you have reminded us at every opportunity"

Mike folded his arms, "You'd be the worlds most wanted woman...how can you lead a band of rebels and be that well known...you'll have no cover..."

Juliet considered what he was saying but shrugged her shoulders, "then that's what it'll have to be...Donovan...as you keep telling us....you are the mosts wanted fugitive...you don't stay in hiding...you still get to move about up on the streets without getting shot at..."

He looked smug and pointed to his chest, "that's because I'm fast...and smart"

"and too cocky for your own good....look....lets just get the first part of the plan together first...hopefully Jenny will be able to give us a date we can do this...."

Mike raised his eyebrows as he looked at Ruby's bakes again, "do you think she'll be able to pull it off...."

Julie was nodded yes, but deep down, she just hoped the girl was okay....

VVV

Jenny came out the bar and looked at her watch, "look...it's curfew....I better get back home before I get into trouble"

Nick the Visitor tilted his head and grinned at her, "I can vouch for you"

Jenny fluttered her eyes at him, "Oh? So...if you can do that, then maybes I can come and see you on duty one night....somewhere close by...."

Nick looked troubled then said, "well....the only place that is quiet is central...your train depot...I'm there Wednesday night"

Jenny made a mental note, "Wednesday sounds great...but are you sure....you know...", she placed a finger to his uniform and smoothed it across his chest, "...are you sure you can vouch for me after curfew..."

He leaned in to kiss her and she backed away.

"I don't want to get into trouble"

He held her eyes for a moment, "You won't..."

He smiled and on tiptoes gave the Visitor a peck on the cheek, "I better go...I'll see you Wednesday...say about....9PM"

Nick nodded.

"It's date...", Jenny waved and put her back to him and crossed the dark street towards the alley that took her towards the west, whilst in the alley she paused and leaned back against the whitewashed wall of a terrace and stared at her flowers.

She then tossed them in a nearby trash-can and hurried up the alleyway, not noticing somebody watching her from the shadows.

7: CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVEN

Juliet had called a meeting. It was time to go over the final points of their mission to make sure that everybody knew what their role was and what was expected of them.

All eyes of the assembled group looked to her from around the gloomy surrounds of the conference room as she continued.

"...so later on today, Jenny will go to central and meet up with the Visitor she is using...whilst she keeps him busy, and hoping that it all goes to plan, we can sneak onto the train and plant the weapons on-board"

She paced about in front of them on her cane, "Now...Linus will lead this exercise because as you know he used to work with these trains closely each day...he will show you where to stoll the weapons...", she nodded towards him and he came forward.

"As Julie has said I am leading this mission...each carriage of the train has ceil compartments where the electrical wiring is hooked up...there isn't much space but there is room for at least 10 or 12 guns or rifles...I think that 5 of us will be enough to carry out this task and we go through all 10 carriages...the rest of you will wait out in the wings as look-out and if things do turn pair-shaped...you'll be our only hope"

Mike came forward, "...yeah, as Linus has said...the rest of us will be backup and I'll be leading that...so we will be wearing these..."

Elias carried in a crate with the Visitor uniforms folded in, "...we might not be needed but with the patrollers at central see us in uniform, they'll hesitate...and even if it's a split second, it will give us an advantage"

Elias folded his arms and chewed is gum, "we're gonna fry them toads"

Juliet placed a hand over his shoulder and chuckled, "lets hope it won't come to that...well...not till the main event and it's depending on tonight if that goes ahead or not"

Jenny glanced at her watch and jumped up on to her feet from the box she was sitting on, "Julie I best get home...I've got a 'date' to prepare for..."

Old Ruby turned and and took her hand into hers, "You be careful...", Jenny gave Ruby a parting hug and she was up and off up the dingy corridor.

Juliet smiled at them all, "okay...that's it for now...we'll meet back here in 6 hours..."

As the group departed out, Mike rubbed his cheek and approached Juliet, "so...the main event then...still gonna go and use yourself as bait?"

"I have to Donovan...there is no other way"

Mike tried to sound like he was talking for all the group, "all this lot depend on you...they look up to you...they rely on you to lead them..."

Julie met his eyes, "then if it all goes wrong, then you can lead them..."

VVV

The TV image displayed the camera strobed Visitor admiral enter the hospital. Kristine Walsh voice overed as he shook hands with high ranking hospital officials in smart suits and medical consultants.

"...as the Visitor's Supreme Commander and Admiral shook hands with hospital leaders today, he is ready to make an offical opening of a sheer monumental gift to us..."

Kristine's face appeared on camera, microphone held up in front of her, "this reporter can finally reveal something truely remarkable...the Medical Center here in LA will be the very first to open it's doors to the newly installed healing clinic...and I can tell you...it really is remarkable...I have seen the results personally and I can honestly inform you that the Visitors are our saviours..."

The footage cut to the warmly smiling Admiral, he stood in the bright sunshine in his shades, "I am absolutely honoured to be here today Kristine and offically cut the ribbon if you like to our first healing center...anybody can visit and I would personally like to invite all your viewers out there with life threatening medical conditions such as cancer to come along...your lives will indeed change...for the better"

Diana stood in the foreground. Her image was blurred at first in the camera angle, but the report ended on her face as her eyes litually bored into the camera...and the hint of a very pleased smile forming on her lips...

VVV

Lightening struck across the night sky as thunder rolled in from the pacific. Central station was quiet and dark and the train that the Visitors used to ferry scientists to the industrial complex before taken to the camps was dark and still.

Jenny bit her lips together then, with her hands in her jacket pockets, she strolled over to the locked gate of central. She looked at her watch. It was 9. She smiled when she looked up to see Nick the Visitor come striding over from the quiet darkness he unlocked the gate and swung it aside.

"Hi", Jenny breezed.

Nick lifted his visor to his helmet and flashed her a grin, "I was starting to think that you weren't going to stop by..."

Jenny shuddered and placed her hands onto his shoulders, "I'm pretty nervous...I thought I might get arrested for being out so late"

Nick placed a black gloved hand to her face and brushed her cheek as he stared intensely at her, "You'll be okay, as I promised I'll vouch for you..."

Jenny then watched as he slid the gate shut and locked it. Making her locked in.

She swallowed and he turned and took her hand and went to kiss it, she smiled and at the same time and trying not to make it look obvious, she hoped that she was putting his back to the rebel actionplan that was to follow her cue.

Linus was at the barbed wire fense and Elias was at it with the wire cutters, "beats cutting ourselves up", he whispered.

Behind them in the dark shadows, Brad and Caleb kept careful watch and had their weapons ready to use if necessary.

Elias managed to cut a hole big enough for all of them to scramble through and in turn one after the other they did so in quick precision.

Mike Donovan was looking over from a roof of a building that looking down to central. He and 10 others were dotting about in crook and creves with their weapons poised.

Sancho came crawling to his side and smiled, "they are just going in now..."

Mike nodded and kept focused. They ducked into the shadows quickly as a shuttle patrol craft came flying over the roof tops.

Linus, Brad, Elias and Caleb were stooped low as they hurried alongside the first carriage and Linus went to work on the lock. The door hissed open on manual and they all breathed a sigh of relief that no Patroller heard their entry.

As they entered the first carriage, Linus reached up and lifted the ceiling panels and in quick swift actions, a relay of hands passed rifles and hand guns along line and they loaded each panel with 5 or six weapons.

They entered through into the next carriage and repeated their actions.

Brad looked out the window to see a Visitor patroller stroll by. They all ducked beneath the window line and waited for the alien to pass, then they swiftly got back to their mission.

Linus was whispering, "There that should do it...there should be enough weapon and ammo on here to fight an army of them...the rest is up to Juliet"

Elias nodded from the shadows and stuck his hood up as they all looked both ways and snuck off the train at the last carriage.

Jenny was well aware that time was getting on...it must of had been at least an hour since she had shown up and that was the planned time allowed for the plan to fall in.

She strode alongside the train with Nick as the clouds parted and the full moon lit up the area.

"Well...I better get home"

Nick glanced at her and frowned, "What...so soon?"

Jenny chuckled, "I'm deadbeat...I have to get up early for work in the morning"

Nick nodded and looked like that he was thinking about something, then he met her eyes in the moonlight, "So...do you still work at the same place of employment as when we first met?"

Jenny swallowed, "Yeah...sure"

Nick nodded. And then turned and paused her, "so'em...did you like your flowers I gave you the other night?"

Jenny laughed and put her hands together, "Ohh yes...they were lovely!"

Nick raised his false eyebrows, "You kept them?"

She nodded, "of course...they are a reminder of a lovely evening we had..."

"Liar!"

Jenny was taken aback, "What..."

Nick leaned into her face, "I saw you throw them away"

Jenny was in a dither, "I...well...erm..."

Nick took firm advantage of her confusion, "...and you've lied about your place of work...I checked...they haven't seen you in over six months"

"I've changed jobs...does it matter"

Nick chuckled and looked at her, "What is the phrase you humans use...", he snatched her arm tightly that it hurt her and she could bruise, "...oh, oh yes, give me a break!"

He then dragged her along towards the gate.

VVV

Up on the roof, Mike pointed to the situation. He had promised Juliet that he would keep an eye on her.

"Look Jen's in trouble"

Sancho and the others followed Mike down the spiral iron fireexit steps and rounded the corner.

Mike called out, "Hey...wise guy!"

Nick turned away from where he had Jenny up against the wall with her top ripped open.

"Mike Donovan!"

His pulse rifle was leaned up against the wall. The Visitor went to snatch it up but Mike jumped fowards and kicked the alien to the concrete ground. Jenny grabbed the pulse rifle and lunged it towards Mike.

Mike caught it and as the alien went to jump up, the tip of the rifle was in it's face, "that's enough...you be a good alien and keep that mouth shut", he hissed.

Sancho and the others all raised their weapons to cover him, "He knows we are here, I say finish him", said the Mexican.

Mike went for the firing operation, Nick looked towards Jenny with pleading eyes, "No...Jenny please help me"

Jenny stepped forward and spat on him, "Do it"

And Mike fired.

VVV

"...and then we hid the body...if they found out about his death then they'd know we were there for a reason and..."

"Check the train...", breathed Juliet, "...no you did the right thing...but I'm sure they will miss him"

Mike folded his arms, "So...when's it gonna be? The big day when you..."

She met his eyes from where they stood in the damp corridor of the base, "I'm gonna call on Denny...and if a bit of luck...he'll denouce me..."

Mike was clearly trouble, "You are taking an awful risk doc"

Juliet smiled sadly and had tears in her eyes, "It'll be nice to see him...and a part of me hopes that he'd of missed me so much he would join us...and fight back..."

"Well...we'll all be there...that day...do you think you can talk on the other scientists on that train with you to use the weapons we've stashed on aboard?"

She shook her head, "I'm hoping they'll see me as a natural leader you all seem to think I am...You just have your camera ready...the world NEEDS to know what's going in and that there is NO conspiracy..."

"I'll be ready..."

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