Shadow Of The Past Trilogy ∞ THE DISPLACED

50 ∞ changes

Day Thirteen ∞ Wednesday evening

THE FIRST THOUGHT that came to Colonel Walters' mind as the rattle of chains ceased and the vanguard halted before him, stepping sideways to reveal the 'package', was, We're not the only humans! He'd half expected the Extraterrestrial Biological Entity to be another humanoid Gray, or even a Tall White. But a human?

The blonde woman stood tall for her short stature. She had an air of unbroken—by what she must have gone through at the hands of the APOC team. It was as if her restraints were meaningless. Clearly not an ordinary human. Her visage was what he would call Nordic: wide-set and pale olive. She met his gaze with incredible calmness, a faint smile, her penetrating eyes the color of  ice. But therein he also saw a weariness.

So she was not unaffected after all.

More footsteps approached, and a suit he recognized stopped in front of him. A suit he'd rather not have to come across at all, let alone work with.

"Don't for a second believe it's just human, Colonel," Apocalypse said, eyeing him, and stepped aside.

As he did so, a glow appeared from behind the woman, floating to her side. It was almost three feet in height, with a core that was slightly denser, slowly swirling.

"It also has a ghost."

"I see..." Walters hadn't known there were two EBEs.

"And you'd do best to guard your thoughts. This one can read anything that goes on in there," Apoc added, tapping a finger at his temple.

"Understood, sir." Walters nodded and cleared his mind of anything other than focusing on the situation at hand, glancing at the woman. "Where is Major Sterling?"

"He should arrive shortly. He's on the decoy column." Apoc's minuscule frown was the only indicator that he was getting impatient.

Walters nodded again and said, "This way to holding, sir." He led the way.

This was a smaller hanger, the furthest one away from where the ship was housed. It now contained another makeshift office and the holding cell, spaced almost wide enough to hold a tennis court between them. Some of the APOC soldiers went into the office, carrying supplies.

"The environmental controls are in place. And the monitoring system has been set up in the office as specified..."

"My mobile unit will remain off-site."

"Yes, sir." Walters halted at the wide entry point as Apoc went ahead to inspect the transparent holding cell.

The woman stopped in front of Walters, her ghost beside her. She looked directly at him for a moment, then shifted her gaze past him, becoming distant. Walters found himself wondering if she was communicating with the ship. Was it still active, now that its operator was here? Her eyes came back to him and, suddenly, he felt like she knew exactly what he was thinking. He had to be careful that he didn't think about security matters in her vicinity.

One of the escorting soldiers tapped her on the back, indicating it was time to move. She turned, noisily taking foot-length steps toward holding. Walters watched the hovering light between the security detail as she halted in front of Apoc and waited.

"Yes?" Apoc said after a moment.

"My companion needs to rest."

The voice was articulate, smooth. Walters focused, trying to identify the accent.