Mana Pool Snippets - The Days After

Four

"Oh yes, mercenary, there are more...lots more," Griffon said before both femurs broke and he dropped to the ground. "We will get you...Especially...that witch Dunne bangs."

Katie stepped closer, but Scott kept her from getting too far away from the dropship.

The zombie made a predatory laugh, low and menacing.

A scream from the tattooed woman earlier, standing yards from the zombie broke his act. People backed away as she gripped her tattooed hand. Her hand ruptured as blue and white marbling liquid began to cover her arm. "Somebody! Help me!" She yelled.

The circle formed as her clothes were consumed. Nobody helped her, or dared to. All watched in silence as she transformed into a terran like Scott and Katie.

The zombie snickered at her. "Pitiful," he said, and then he screamed before his head exploded clean off its neck. The body convulsed for a second, blood staining the soil.

Deryl and the humans looked away, but not Jaruka and the terrans.

"Just like all the others," Jaruka said.

*****

Half mile southeast of Lake Skinner

Temecula, CA

Few hours later...

The dropship hovered a hundred feet above ground as it slowly lowered onto its new location. The sky was filled with an orange glow from the setting sun, and the ship appeared as a misshapen black object. People tracked it, even built a caravan of cars and busses, but they were diverted away by the military.

It was Deryl's idea to move Jaruka, not Mathews'.

The first site was declared unlivable once word came out what those missiles were and what they were capable of carrying. Evacuating the charred area was a safe bet.

The new location—one acre of land west of a small hill—was cleared by City Council and Forest Service as a dedicated extraterrestrial campsite, as long as the local wildlife and vegetation were not disturbed or threatened. Jaruka accepted the terms and location without question. It was not hard at all for Scott and Katie to convince Jaruka to move, he would be closer to the winery, but far from major pockets of people.

The landing struts extended from the hull as it glided down. Scott and Katie had stopped by the winery before returning, taking Robert's Jeep back with them to the new landing site. Katie carried a wrapped object in a paper bag in her arm, holding it tight like a treasure. They approached Deryl, standing by his own car and talking on his cellphone.

The dropship touched down, the thrusters were killed and the lights flicked on.

"Yes, Yes, Mathews is leaving for Langley right now," Deryl said on the phone. The couple did not speak to Mathews afterwards, and he had nothing to say to them. He was still shaken after the attack and the zombie's appearance. "Yes, I'll make sure of that, sir." Deryl was too into the phone call to notice Scott. "He say....Oh, good. Finally....Nobody goes near him without permission. Got it."

The dropship's shield activated and grew as it had before. Scott spotted Jaruka leaving the bridge, but he did not leave the ship.

Deryl sat on the SUV's front bumper. "Of course he has the paper....Yes, I'll review them with him soon, but he said he can handle it....Understood, sir. Uh huh. Uh huh. And what about the captain?" Deryl paused and his eyes widened. "Jesus."

Scott and Katie exchanged worried glances. Their totems materialized, Keeji sat close to Scott, and Arana stood on the SUV's hood. Neither totem fazed Deryl.