Extraterrestrial Invasion: Annihilation

Chapter 26: A Happy Ending

General Howard stepped out of the hospital toilet, wiping his wet hands on his pants. He had been brought here the night before, after realizing he had a broken arm and a few damaged ribs.

He decided to wander around the health center, since he was a general and possessed unarguable authority. He strolled through the corridors, whistling. It was 7:06 in the morning, and the hallway was quite tranquil. He encountered no obstacle in his little endeavor.

He saw some police officers sleeping on the benches in the corridor. Only one was keeping watch. What are they doing here?

Curious, he approached him and spoke.

"Hey, what's going on?" Howard asked.

"I'm sorry, but you aren't allowed to know," the deputy said.

"I'm General Howard Jackson," he introduced. "Here's my ID."

"Oh, my apologies, sir," he gave in. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"What's happening here? Why are you manning in the middle of the hospital?"

"We have strict orders to keep an eye on the alien general," he answered. "By Chief Henry Derman."

"Well, I have higher authority than him," Howard said. "Don't worry, I'm just going to talk to him."

"The president was here last night," the deputy said. "He left when the guy was screaming out curse words."

"Of course he was," Howard added, and he entered the ward.

General Kenneth was securely restrained to the bed, yet he could not help but feel entirely vulnerable. Should there be another fight, the sling on Howard's left arm would be a hindrance.

The four deputies assigned to take care of the arrested man were sitting on the couch. Two were snoring loudly, while the other two were daydreaming. Dummies, was this how they were supposed to keep an eye on a warmonger?

"You idiot," a voice cackled. It was General Kenneth.

"Hey," Howard smirked. "I just wanna say hello."

"Will you please let me go?" General Kenneth said in a disrespectful tone.

"Why should I?"

"I'll give you an awesome position in the space military, rather than having to rot on Earth," Kenneth bargained.

"No thanks," Howard rejected.

"You'll regret it."

"Well, you should regret what you've done," Howard said. "If you hadn't infuriated us, you wouldn't have been caught."

"What exactly will they do to me?"

"Honestly? I don't know," Howard giggled. "It'll be amazing, though."

"You're making a grave mistake," Kenneth warned. "The space army doesn't consist of just us. There are infinite forces out there, waiting to strike at command. You might've stood a chance now, but you won't in the upcoming days."

"Good point," Howard said. "I'll be sure to make preparations."

"Wait, you didn't understand," Kenneth said. "We're just a piece of dust compared to the real danger. You have to listen to me!"

Howard had had enough of this lunatic. He left and shut the door, leaving the screaming man behind.

***

Washington D.C. had been turned into a junkyard. A titanic spaceship sat in the center, towering like a skyscraper. The fires had ceased and the death toll had been calculated (807,974 lives).

President Peter stood before the Annihilator. All of her inhabitants had been arrested, and she was now innocuous. The president and his agent explored the spaceship with nothing to worry about, as Colonel had assured them.

"Since she landed on American soil and we suffered the most, this spaceship and her contents will be the property of the United States of America," the president declared. "We plan to use it for the good of humanity."

Apparently, a few thousand Annihilator soldiers stationed in the Arctic had attacked Moscow at the same time the Day of Triumph took place. President Felix was brutally killed but the Russian soldiers managed to put off the enemy after hours of crossfire. Russia would not be invading anyone soon, and an election would be held the next month.

In America, thousands of people took refuge after fleeing from the devastated city. Scientists and engineers were allowed to conduct researches on the Annihilator. The arrested soldiers were being kept inside the spaceship, as there was no other place large enough for them to be locked in. Some biologists even wanted to use them as guinea pigs.

A few weeks later, things had settled down. The president invited General Howard, Colonel Rick, Colonel Mike, Lieutenant Sean and all the other soldiers who had fought heroically on the Day of Triumph. He awarded them with the Medal of Honor and had their statues and monuments of remembrance sculpted to replace the destroyed landmarks around the White House.

After a heated negotiation with the Vietnamese, Colonel Rick went to live in the Hang Son Doong Cave, the largest one on Earth. Nobody knew what he did next, as the cave was closed forever. General Kenneth had kept his promise.

Jason and Eddie were safe, along with Don. The boys attended a new school and lived a truthful and sportive life. The president had listened to the boys' experience on the Annihilator, and Don was permitted to become an instructor for the US Army. They successfully thwarted off the remnants of the Annihilator army.

And General Kenneth? President Peter had arranged a trial for him, and the consequences for his crimes against humanity would undeniably be macabre and repugnant.

The world had been saved, not by superheroes and such, but by ordinary and unexpected people and individuals. It was indeed right to say: not all heroes wear capes.