Mana Pool Snippets - The Days After

Two

He was certain of one thing: he had to leave, fast.

"Look, are you going to criticize me anymore," Jaruka said, "or do you have those citizenship papers Brill told me about? Otherwise, I'll head back to my ship and deal with myself for the next two years."

"We do, but I—," Deryl said as he held the envelope in his hand, but Mathews raised his hand in protest.

Some of the humans seemed smart enough to follow rules, but Mathews was a prime example of a human not evolved enough. It saddened Jaruka that Terra Firma was occupied by them, even though it was technically their home world.

"Those paper are ours still," Mathews said. "We have protocols. Background checks for one. I don't know who you really are."

Jaruka grumbled. "I'm a multi-system sociopathic mercenary without a care for anything except fulfilling my engorging ego on fear, destruction, and death. Is that what you want to hear?"

Mathews was quiet for a second. "That's a lie."

Jaruka hummed. "You're good."

Mathews opened his suit jacket enough for Jaruka to see the gun holster similar to Deryl's. "Don't make me do something drastic."

"Because that is what you humans want? To make what you believe is true?"

"You're an ass," Brenda said.

"Agreed," Scott added.

"How about a different task," Jaruka said. "Stop worrying about me. Focus on your country's security, like those rotting bodies on the street, and wherever Griffon skipped off to. And the terrans? Come on, be reasonable. Who's the real threat to your country's way of life? Me, or the extinction of human culture?"

Mathews' jaw moved slightly. "Wash your mouth," he said. "I've lost men and women. Good people. Close friends. From the Wave, and as zombies. I shot some with the same firearm. Don't you fucking test me."

Jaruka glanced at Deryl and grabbed the envelope from him. Mathews kept his footing and did not sway for the Halcunac.

"How about you don't test me. You know what will happen." Jaruka said and walked out.

"Subdue the suspect!" Mathews yelled.

As he walked onto the porch, two shadows converged on Jaruka's sides. One fist hit his skull, and a strong arm made impact with his right ribcage. The patio came up fast at his face. He had little strength or readiness as the two humans pushed him down, grabbing his arms and pulling them behind him. It was too late for Jaruka to pull his hands from the cuffs, the same cuffs that he had broken out of in Area 51.

"Bastards! Let me go!" Jaruka yelled.

He was hauled up to his feet by two strong Marines in full gear and enough ammunition in their pockets to blow through Jaruka's chest.

Deryl rushed out of the house but was grabbed by another Marine and pinned to the wall. "Mathews this is stupid, you'll trigger them!"

"We have our laws. His government must follow them," Mathews said after coming out of the house and onto the porch. "Jaruka is being detained. If anybody has any real information about what happened at Groom Lake, it's you and the terran couple. Take him."

Jaruka was led off the porch with Deryl as four more Marines marched into the house with guns drawn. Jaruka looked out toward the driveway and cursed at the sight of his Howler Cycle on its side on the front lawn.

The driveway was packed with military personnel and vehicles. he wondered how long they had been there Every one of the soldiers had rifles drawn, aiming at him and he wondered if they knew the conditions of his stay on Terra Firma or were working on orders alone.

"You might not know that the House and Senate are broken. My agency, Porter's and the NSA are scrounging for every resource we can grab. Our strong military is shattered. You think we would leave you alone? Priorities and securities must be set," Mathews said, as if he was telling everybody.

"You're going to die you croging idiot," Jaruka yelled. "You're probably pissing off the satellites right now!"

"No alien is dumb enough to attack us. Whatever those two aliens said was nonsense. NASA confirmed it."

Jaruka thrashed in the Marine's grasp; he looked back at Mathews as Scott and Katie were escorted out. "You selfish bastard! I hope one of these soldiers is enthralled and I'll let them rip you apart!"

"Look who's talking. Tell the rest at Langley," Mathews said. He pulled his cell phone out and dialed a number.

As the couple were taken, the family came out screaming for their release. Keeji and Arana ran out of the house and a soldier by the motorcycle shot them. "Hold your fire!" A fellow soldier ordered. Both totems dropped to the asphalt and became light before being absorbed into the terran's bodies. Scott and Katie's eyes glowed blue and their skin lit up with their terran markings. Neither terran attempted to break free, but the soldiers quickly aimed their guns at the couple. The terrans were returned to the porch with Scott yelling from chest pains.

Jaruka grunted. "Mathews, free me! It's all true. Contain me and horrible things will happen."

"Save it. The bluff won't work."

"The Galactic Council doesn't croging bluff you dunderhead! This is a mistake and you croging know it!"

Jaruka was shoved into the back of a black van by three soldiers, all with rifles aimed at his head.

Mathews produced a smug look at the mercenary as he spoke on the phone. "Ah, sir, I have the objective. I'll be se...What?"

Mathews' expression turned from "I have an alien. I might get a raise today" to downright disbelief. Mathews was confused for a bit, sneered at Jaruka, then turned his back on him.

"Bluff you said?" Jaruka asked with a smile.

Soon, every soldier's radios blared with chatter. Deryl's cell phone went off but the Marine holding him prevented him from answering.

Jaruka sighed and let his head hang. "Idiots."

"Dear...God," Mathews said, slowly turning to Jaruka. With disbelief plastered on the agent's face he lowered and closed his phone.

"Tell me. What area did it hit?" Jaruka asked. "Must be somewhere important. Somewhere personal."

Mathews shook his head, with more shake than normal. "What the fuck did you do?" Mathews asked.

"Me? How could I? Your planet is a threat. You free me and that spire shuts down, or else—and I'm being hypothetical about this—a spire fires on this town and gets everybody here killed. Drop the authority crap and follow what your galaxy's government as ordered."

Mathews' hand shook, still holding his phone tightly. "Le-let him go," he said lowly, then repeated louder, true fear evident in his voice.

Jaruka's hands were freed, his wrists were sore from the cuffs.

The chatter from the radios and cell phones went steady, and without another order, every soldier lowered their weapons.

Before leaving, Jaruka approached Mathews.

"Word of advice," he said low in Mathews' ear, "pay attention to your gods. Brill never lies. Get over yourself." He went to his Howler Cycle and mounted it. The engine came to life and he rode off the property