Mana Pool Snippets - The Days After

Two

"You're Scott's godfather?" Jaruka asked.

"Y-Yes. How..."

"Scott muttered about you and Brill mentioned you. See, not all brain cells are dead."

Arana blinked.

"Yes again," Deryl said. "Not sure what to say for being your babysitter." For a military man, he seemed able to keep his composure. "And to not feel left out," Deryl continued, "I read about the conditions. Risky stuff. I'll respect them, sir."

Jaruka nodded once. "Memorize them," he said. At least one human here is smart.

"Wait, what conditions?" Katie asked.

Deryl shifted his weight from right to left. "The sa..."

 "Later," Jaruka said. "I have to go."

"Not just yet," the unknown man said. "If I recall your...friends contacted Marshal Porter and the White House about your visitation and made Porter a candidate, but certainly to no other agency, including mine. Those conditions are non-negotiable for one cent." He took a few steps toward Jaruka. "You may be here on this planet, our country, for two years, but that doesn't give you the right to shove us out of your motive."

Deryl coughed and said, "Corporal Teal, this is..."

"CIA Foreign Affairs Officer Victor Mathews," he interrupted. "I'm the one overseeing your visitation."

"On whose authority?" Jaruka asked.

"You tell me, alien."

"Well, don't make it a bigger deal. And you're ticking me off. And I smell something rank on you."

Mathews clenched his jaw.

"Whatever. Keep your thoughts about me to yourself. I'm out." Jaruka reached for and turned the doorknob.

"Unacceptable," Mathews said.

"Here we go."

Mathews walked closer to Jaruka. "The CIA, including me, cannot let your parade out in public or park your space ship on private property."

"It's a loaner."

"There are rules, sir. We had protocols for hosting extraterrestrials."

"And I have mine, and my government's. Follow them."

"No," Mathews said. "All that planning is shoved out the window because of your government's orders. What about this family and the mutant couple? You terrorized and harassed the parents. You think those conditions keep us out? Forget it. I have orders and you are coming with us."

"They weren't harassed, he needed help," Katie said.

"Don't tell him anything, Katie," Jonathan said. "He threatened my little girl. He owes me new furniture. Arrest him already."

"But..."

Jonathan cleared his throat and quieted Katie.

Amidst the argument, Jaruka laughed under his breath.

"This is no joke, alien," Mathews said.

"It kind of is."

"By scaring American citizens?"

"Nope. The arresting part."

Jaruka blinked, Mathews" attitude did not waver. The agent was determined to go through with the arrest. It seemed that the human culture did not understand that they were too far below and behind the political spectrum to have any weight on the galaxy's hierarchy of politics.