Walking an Endless Path Pt. 02

Christof rose, collected a few small bottles of water from the galley, and gave one to Karl before sitting down to face him and Clara. Karl took a few swallows to moisten his throat.

"Jeff and I did investigate weird lights. The local glider club spotted them and reported it to the Sheriff's department. Jeff was shorthanded that night, so he came out alone. Just he and I went back to the field to check it out. The source of that light was the first thing we saw when we got into a big flattened section in the cornfield. It was... a door... or a gate or maybe a portal. Really big. Rectangular but not solid. It looked like it was made of light, but the center wasn't so much black but an absence of... everything. You couldn't look directly at it for long as it made your head pound. The edge of the door looked like slow-moving multi-colored flames, but the colors were off. Wrong. And it gave off a noise you felt in your bones rather than heard." Karl stopped and took another drink.

"Next, we saw some people. Three people in what looked like baggy green wetsuits. They held silver rods out in front of them with small black... creatures secured at their ends. Then we saw the young man and woman, barely out of their teens. They were naked and standing on some kind of glowing white rectangle. They seemed to be unable to move... aside from screaming. We later discovered these kids were Joe's biological parents." Karl shuddered, and Clara rubbed his back. He looked at her and smiled before continuing.

"Before we could do anything, two of the... wetsuit-people fired the black creatures onto the chests of the young couple. Then everything went to hell. Jeff yelled out, identifying us as police and to drop their weapons. But two turned and pointed the tubes at us. Jeff fired his rifle and hit one in the chest as I dropped to the ground. The second one fired at Jeff and grazed his shoulder, knocking him down. The silver tube wasn't a flame thrower. Light shot out and burned the shoulder of Jeff's leather jacket and badly scorched the skin underneath."

"Then the kids started to scream, and everyone froze and watched. The black creatures had melted into their chests, merging with them, but they turned bright red, then yellow, and you could feel the heat coming off them. The kids started to glow like they were lit up from the inside. God, they screamed." Karl shuddered. "The burning noise became deafening, like standing right next to dozens of oxy-acetylene torches. They stopped screaming, and the burning consumed their entire bodies. Nothing remained but ash. Then I saw the third guy about to drop the last black creature onto a baby which was laying on the ground. I just had a shotgun, so there was a risk I'd hit the baby, but the alternative was worse. I fired and hit the guy and the black creature. Took a big chunk out of both. But the rest of the thing still fell onto the baby's chest. Jeff recovered enough to fire his revolver and hit the only uninjured assailant. He grabbed the guy I shot and pulled him through the doorway. It closed immediately, and we were suddenly in complete darkness. I made it over to the baby, and Jeff got his light over to us just in time for me to see the creature sink inside his chest. But he didn't burst into flames. Nothing happened. I didn't tell Jeff what happened to the baby. I don't know why. The boy was just so small and weak. After what I witnessed happening to the kids, I needed to protect him."

"We shone our flashlights on the body of the first guy Jeff hit and watched it melt into a puddle of ooze. It wasn't human. And the green wasn't a wetsuit. It was its skin. The kids were ash, and the white rectangle was turned into slag from the heat. We couldn't see anything, so we returned to the house and called Doc Watson, who looked at the baby, reset Jeff's dislocated shoulder, and treated his burns. When everyone left, I told Clara what happened. The next day, I went back to the field with Jeff and a bunch of his deputies, but the entire area had been turned to ash. To this day, nothing grows there. I put an eight-foot chain link fence around the dead area."

"Doc Watson also examined Joe that day and found that he was malnourished, underweight, and had probably just been born a few days earlier. There was no sign during that exam of the creature which sank into his chest, and we never told Doc Watson what had happened to him. It was roughly a year later when Joe started having medical issues, one life-threatening issue after another. Heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, on and on, each major organ and system underwent some crisis. But with Clara's vigilance in watching for symptoms, Doc Watson's immediate attention, and Joe's tremendous will to live, he pulled through time after time. He was still tiny, weak, and struggling but never gave up."

"When Joe hit an early puberty, his body changed dramatically. Until then, he remained in the lower percentile for his age group. Smaller and lighter than any of his peers. When his growth hormones kicked in, they kicked into overdrive, and he grew quickly. The gym teacher at school got Joe interested in weightlifting, and he took to it like a fish to water. His body put on muscle mass incredibly fast. It was about this time Doc Watson took me aside and told me that he could no longer get blood samples from Joe during his medicals as the needles wouldn't pierce his skin. He wanted to do more in-depth testing, but I refused to let him. Joe's never had a broken bone or even a cut. He feels pain and bruises, but his recovery is faster than normal."

Christof couldn't restrain himself any longer. "Are you saying that Joe is not human?"

Clara spoke up. "Joe is human! He's just something else as well."

"We believe Joe's human, but he's been modified by the creature that merged with him. I've had a lot of time to think about what I saw that night and what has happened to Joe in the years since then. Again, I have no idea who the aliens were, where they came from, or why they attached the black things to humans. I'm not trained in any of the xeno sciences. I certainly can't guess the intentions of an alien mind.

I'm a farmer, but I've trained myself in molecular biology and have significant experience with horticultural sciences, so I have some scientific basis for formulating a hypothesis on the outcome of the merging. That said, I could still be wrong.

Anyway, the black creature seems to have had a symbiotic effect with Joe. There was a period when Joe's organs were failing one after another. I suspect the organism was merging with Joe on a molecular level and was learning the functions of Joe's body as it went. Incredibly risky, and without outside assistance from Clara and Doc Watson, it might have been fatal. The creature that merged into Joe was badly injured. I saw it take a direct hit from the shotgun shell. Its weakened state may have been responsible for its slow transition instead of the rapid and fatal release of energy we saw with those kids. Since its integration completed, Joe's been happy, healthy, fit, and has shown some incredible resistance to damage and fast recovery from his injuries."

Selina had remained silent, but now she spoke up. "You suspect the NSA has some suspicion regarding Joe?"

"There is a chance the NSA does consider Joe just a witness for the attack. However, Joe described the attack on him in the airport. One of his attackers used a Taser on him. The device exploded and badly injured the assailant. Maybe they will accept that the device was somehow faulty. However, Amy let me know that Joe had issues with the security machines in Fargo. That was my mistake. I should have known Joe wouldn't make it through the airport security zone without issues." Karl berated himself.

"Why would Joe have trouble going through the security check?" Christof asked.

"Doc Watson was the first to notice it. When Joe was sixteen, there was an accident at his birthday party, and a lot of scaffolding fell on him while he protected two young women. They were all rushed to the hospital, but as the girls hadn't been touched, Doc Watson only x-rayed Joe. Or tried to. The machine malfunctioned and burned out. He destroyed an ultrasound unit and two electrocardiogram machines, trying to get a glimpse inside Joe to assess his injuries. Something in Joe affects machinery which attempts to scan him, or maybe it screws up or reflects their energy. I have no idea how he does it, but it seems he has the same effect on the equipment at the airport and now Tasers. Will the NSA be interested? They could probably dispel the Taser malfunction as unfortunate, but combined with the other malfunctions, I doubt they'll let go until they get answers."

Karl sat back, and Clara took his hand in hers. They sat quietly while Christof and Selina digested what they'd been told. Karl tried not to disclose how nervous he was. They desperately needed their help, and what he asked them to believe sounded crazy, even to his ears. Even if they believed him, what he was asking them to do was enormous. Represent the first evidence of alien... interference? Even Karl had difficulty understanding the scope of the issues Joe represented.

"Karl, would you mind if Selina and I have a brief private conference?" Christof asked.

While his heart sank, Karl kept his face impassive and nodded. The lawyers stood, moved to the back of the plane, and stepped into the galley.

Clara noted the twitch in his grip and knew Karl was worried. When they were alone, she turned her chair to face his. "Karl, what's wrong?"

"I don't think they believe me. If we lose their counsel, I fear we will lose Joe. I'm a farmer, not a lawyer. I can't give Joe the help he needs for this." Karl said.

Karl leaned forward, resting their foreheads together as they held hands. Karl wasn't a religious man by any means, but he was praying for a miracle now.

A few minutes later, they heard a discreet clearing of a throat and looked up to see Christof and Selina had returned. Karl and Clara swiveled their chairs back to face the others as the lawyers took their seats.

"Karl, I knew your father. He was a man of great integrity. I've known you for close to thirty years, and in all that time, you have many times proven to be your father's son. Now, I'm faced with a story that shakes the very foundations of the world. And I find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to believe it."

Karl and Clara felt a surge of hope, but Christof's and Selina's stern expressions quelled it immediately.

"Such a thing, I had hoped would happen when I was dead and gone to my rest. It has such potential to change, well... everything. Selina and I are not young mavericks looking for worlds to change." Seeing his friends become crestfallen, he continued. "However, destiny cares not for the wishes and whims of the likes of us. Turning our backs on this challenge and abandoning you in your hour of greatest need would mock every principle we've claimed to live by. To be the professionals and people we set out to be, we must do our best to see that Joe is given every chance to maintain his freedom and autonomy. This is not going to be a simple thing. As I said before, his very existence changes everything. Very powerful people like things the way they are."

Selina took over. "Our goal must be to assure these powerful people that our desires coincide with theirs but that any action they take will put that at risk. May we assume Joe wishes to maintain a low profile and not disclose his secret?"

"We haven't disclosed it to him. We don't know how he will react once he knows, but he's always proven to be a sensible, level-headed young man. He took the news that he was adopted very well. Granted, he was six when we sat him down to tell him, but I expected more trauma. Instead, he showed surprising maturity. This news will be far more life-altering for him, but he's still Joe. His core beliefs will stay true." Karl said.

Selina nodded. "I personally don't believe it is safe to trust that one security agency will not attempt to seize Joe as an asset of their government. What he represents does not just affect the United States. I believe his safety would be more assured if the agencies of more than one country were invited to this meeting, but as this potentially expands the exposure Joe could face, that decision is yours to make."

Christof nodded to his colleague. "I agree with Selina that this is larger than one government should be entrusted to manage, but I have doubts about the ability of multiple governments to cooperate in this matter. Especially if our stated goal is to maintain secrecy. I believe we should restrict access to the information but have measures in place to distribute it as broadly as possible should the government choose not to honor an agreement of mutual non-interference. To get them to cooperate in the first place, we must be prepared to give them access to Joe for specified intervals. Will Joe be amenable to this?"

"Again, I believe so, but we need to speak with him first," Karl replied.

Christof looked at Selina, who nodded at him. "So, we must prepare a data cache containing the pertinent information regarding Joe's origin and any data we can gather to provide as evidence in a disclosure package. I'm unsure how long this will take, but we must be quick. Only once we have this and have our distribution mechanism defined can we arrange to meet with the NSA."

Karl pulled a USB data key from his pocket. "Will this do? It's a diary I've kept on Joe's life since the night we found him. It contains text logs, a bunch of short movies of Joe at various points in his growth, struggling through the ailments, stills of every medical report I got from Doc Watson, and a few voice recordings. The first entry is a video I shot of myself the first night. It's not very good, and I'm jittery from reaction setting in, but I describe the events that occurred pretty much as I described them to you."

Christof was stunned. He took the offered key. "Karl! Yes... this would be perfect. This is a copy, yes? Is it encrypted?"

"The originals are on my home PC. I never figured out how to add encryption. I barely managed to figure out how to digitize the home movies," Karl admitted.

"We will encrypt the files into a single data packet and send it to Natalya. Initially, she will act as our fail-safe. The firm has protocols we've set up in the case of kidnapping, which we can use for our first meeting to ensure the NSA listens. I must bring Natalya into the loop with your permission." Karl and Clara nodded.

"Okay, well. We have much to do before we arrive. Natalya will handle the construction of the data drops. I will ship her the encrypted packet via my satellite phone before we land." Christof stood up to get his laptop.

Selina had a confused look on her face. "Karl, you were concerned about recording devices before you told us your story. Yet now you offer us a far more complete recording."

Christof smiled and looked at Karl. "If I may?" Karl nodded. "The Neumann's are canny negotiators when it comes to the safety of their family. If we had refused to believe or assist them, then there would be no recordings not within their control. Only when they were assured of our support was this offered."

Selina smiled and nodded. "Wise. I see why you like working with them, Christof."

"That's only the tip of the iceberg, Selina," he said in return.

Chapter 8

Doug Wilson had once again proven his culinary mastery as Amy and Joe savored the delicate flavors of the breakfast quiche melting over their tongues. Even Joe, famous for wolfing down his breakfast, took the time to fully enjoy the delicious meal. Doug made spiced brown beans and creamy mashed potatoes for his side dishes, while Amy received a fresh-cut fruit salad and delicately grated potato hash browns. Doug sat sipping his coffee at the end of the table with a smug expression that made Melissa snort when she walked into the kitchen.

"Look at the self-satisfied chef basking in the glory of satisfied diners!" she ribbed her brother. He tried to wipe the look from his face, but he clearly was enjoying their obvious delight in his cooking. He gave up and just stuck his tongue out at his sister.

"The recipe is a success and goes on my favorites list. Would you like some before Joe goes back for, uh, a fourth helping?" he asked.

"That's okay. I'll just have some fruit and coffee," she replied.

"This is why you don't get invited back more often," he grumped.

"Fine! Give me a small slice. Small!" she stressed as he prepared to cut her some from the dish.

Melissa got her coffee and sat down next to Joe. Doug slid her a plate with the quiche and a fork. She raised her eyebrow at him, then scooped a forkful into her mouth.

"Ohhhh... that's good!" she mumbled around her mouthful.

The smug look was back. "Okay, you can visit again."

Once she had finished enjoying her breakfast, she looked over at Joe, who was moments away from licking his plate. "You have enough for breakfast, Joe?" she asked.

"Yes, that was wonderful! My Mom is an amazing cook, but Doug is a master." He froze as he looked at Amy. "Don't tell Mom I said that when she gets here!" he said quickly.

"Too late! Mom has to hear about your shameful, disparaging comments about her cooking!" Amy teased.

Melissa smiled at the two siblings, recalling similar behavior between herself and Doug. Again, as she watched them make faces at each other, she tried to detect any inklings that they were anything more than the innocent—Whoa! What's THAT! Melissa stared at Joe's tongue, which he'd stuck out at his sister.

"Joe, do that again!" Melissa ordered.

"Huh? Do what again?" he turned to look at her.

"Stick out your tongue. Let me see," she reached over and tapped his chin.

Joe's mouth snapped shut, and he looked embarrassed. This just made Amy curious, too. "Joe? Stick out your tongue for Melissa."

"No."

"Why not?" Amy asked.

"Just drop it, okay? Thanks for breakfast, Doug. It was amazing! I'm gonna go catch some sun on the patio. Thanks!" Joe stood up, placed his dishes in the sink, and walked out onto the deck. He didn't look at the women once. Amy and Melissa shared shocked looks.

"What did you see?" Amy asked.

"I could have sworn I saw a tattoo on his tongue! Two dark stripes with little curls at the tip." She responded. "I didn't mean to offend or embarrass him," Melissa said contritely.

"Joe? Get a tattoo? That's crazy! And on his tongue?" She looked towards the patio door. "Can you give me a moment to talk with him alone? I have to get to the bottom of this." Amy stood and quickly kissed Doug on the cheek in appreciation for the amazing breakfast. His smug smile just amped up ten more notches, and Melissa groaned at him with a smile of her own.

Amy found Joe on the large lounge chair he'd used the night before. His shirt was off, he'd rolled up the legs on his board shorts, and his feet were bare. His skin almost glowed in the morning sun. Her best friend Rachel was right. He looked like a demigod. She shook that thought from her head.

Joe's eyes were closed, and his lips had a slight frown. Clearly, they'd upset him.

"Joe?" Amy said quietly.

He turned his face toward her and opened his eyes in a squint against the sun but said nothing.

Amy sat down next to Joe. "I'm sorry we teased you. We didn't mean to upset you. Can you tell me about it?"

Joe looked away for a minute, struggling with something. Amy waited.

"Do you remember two winters ago when I was using that sunroom to get over that issue I had with the cold?" Amy nodded. "I told Dad the lights in the room gave me a tan even though he said the bulbs couldn't do that. And I did get a tan, as you can see. The tan doesn't fade like a normal tan, and sitting in the sun doesn't make it darker. It seems to be permanent."