Jesse's Starship (3 page)

The man had his arm on his chest, so that whatever was on his wrist was pointing at the ship. He kept his arm on his chest until a door slid up into the ship’s hull. Jess toggled the night goggles on and increased the magnification. He saw the man enter the ship and go to a chair in the center of the room. He sat down, took a helmet off the back of it, and put it on his head. He began speaking as the door slowly closed. In an instant, there was a small flash and the ship disappeared. A moment later, Jess saw a large insect flash briefly. Jess shook his head; that ship was a huge bug-zapper. It had to be about two hundred yards long.

Jess slowly crawled away from the depression, keeping the large boulder between him and the ship. Once he was clear of the area, he turned and ran to his cave. He pulled the netting over the entrance and tried to gather his thoughts. His mind was in turmoil as he felt a gamut of emotions assail him. He reached into his bag and pulled out a Valium. He reached for a canteen and took the Valium with a quick swallow of water. He closed his eyes and waited for his mind to slow down. It took thirty minutes. Now the struggle was to stay awake. He tried to decide what to do and couldn’t focus. His mind was still processing too many thoughts and emotions to think rationally.

If he approached the man, would he react in a friendly or aggressive manner? Should he just shoot the man and call in the authorities? Was there any evidence the alien would be a nonaggressive species. Wait a minute; he looked human. Was he human? Jess thought for a moment and decided that he couldn’t be human. The chance of two species from different planets looking identical was remote. Then how did he appear human? It had to be done by technology. What if he was wrong?

Jess paused and shook his head. In moments of stress his mind just accelerated and thoughts seemed to scream through at high speed. He closed his eyes and let his mind go free. He was like a spectator and watched as they swirled around and began coalescing. After an hour, he opened his eyes. It wasn’t human; it was aggressive and hostile; it would be dangerous to approach.

The clues were there but it took some time to ferret them out. The energy field killed whatever came into contact with it. The blasting of the rock he threw at it was clear evidence he would have died if he had touched it. A nonviolent species would never leave an energy field that killed. The creature did something with the device on his wrist before he extended his arm and swept it across the terrain. That was most likely a scanning device coupled to a weapon. The iron in the boulder must have blocked it from seeing him. There was a possibility that it was also protected by an energy field. He had to find out. He closed his eyes and set his internal alarm.

• • •

An hour before sunrise, Jess left the cave and jogged around the depression to the base of a tall rock spire located a half mile down the rise from the depression. It was close to the trail the alien would have to take to go back to the road. If the alien didn’t leave last night, it still had things to do. Jess had climbed the spire many times to hammer out small crystals from the top of it. He took the rope he left tied off to the top of the spire and pulled himself up. He lied down and crawled over to the edge of the spire and lifted the binoculars. He focused them and saw intermittent flashes. The force field was still operational. He rolled over and looked out at the road. He guessed he could see about twenty miles from the top of the spire. He did the math in his head and decided that watching for the cab to return wouldn’t work. The cab would cover the twenty miles in less than twenty minutes. The speed limit was fifty but no one obeyed it out in the desert. The ship’s occupant would have to leave at least twenty minutes before the cab would be seen. He rolled back and looked over the ledge.

It was a few minutes after eight o’clock when the force field opened. This time, a small section of it cleared and the man stepped out. He pointed his wrist at the field and it solidified and then disappeared. Jess kept his binoculars glued to the man as he started his hike to the road. This was the time of morning when biting insects were brutal. He kept his focus on the man as he walked down the trail and after a few minutes he saw it. The man raised his hand and swatted at something flying around his head. He didn’t have a personal force field; he could be hit with a bullet.

Jess noted that the man left around eight o’clock. He rolled over and looked at the road. Twenty minutes later, he saw a vehicle moving on the road. He focused in on it and saw it was another cab; it wasn’t the same cab as the night before; this one had a blue light on top of it. The first one he saw had a white light. Why would he use different cab companies?

Jess let his mind go free and thought about what a cab driver would be asking someone who was picked up at the side of the desert. Now the hat and t-shirt made sense. If he had to deceive a cabby, he would tell them he was with a historical study group examining early American petroglyphs at the water hole. The team needed the vehicle for the generator and he had to walk to the road and call a cab to go and pick up some needed supplies. The hat and t-shirt would be a dead giveaway that he was a nerd tourist.

Jess decided this being knew a lot about humans to be able to use that nuance. How did it acquire that information? It had to take it from those that were taken. But why was it going into the city? Jess decided to find out. He climbed down the rock spire and started hiking toward Mike’s farm.

• • •

“What do you want?”

“I need you to help me follow a cab without being seen.”

“Do what?”

“Please just do as I ask. I need you to give me a ride back to the two boulders now, and then pick me up at seven in the morning. We’ll go to the first turnoff to the city and wait for a cab to come by.”

“Do you want me to give you a ride back?”

“I’m asking too much already.”

“Is something happening, Jess?”

“I’m not sure, Mike. Will you help me?”

Mike slowly shook his head and blew out a breath. “Get in the truck.” Jess jumped in the passenger side of the cab and they pulled out of Mike’s driveway. They arrived at the boulders and Mike said, “We’ll work out in the morning what you need me to do.”

“Mike, I really do appreciate this.”

“What’s going on?”

“Someone is taking a cab out of the desert each morning. I want to see where they’re going.”

Mike looked extremely suspicious but he nodded. “I’ll see you at seven.” Mike did a u turn and headed back toward his farm. Jess looked at his watch and ran up the trail. He needed to be in position to watch the alien’s return.

J
ess was on top of the rise watching for a cab to come down the desert road. It was already dark when he saw the distinctive lights and he knew this had to be the alien. He waited until the cab stopped and turned around before he slid down the rise and went to the large iron boulder. He used the night goggles and he immediately noticed something different when the alien moved into view; it was no longer care free and happy. He had a scowl on his face and it didn’t take a genius to see he was not pleased. The process repeated itself and the spaceship reappeared again. Jess watched the alien go into the ship and place the helmet on his head. He didn’t start talking this time but the energy field snapped back into place. Ummm. Evidently, the field could be finely controlled from inside the ship. The thing on the alien’s wrist would only turn it off…or on.

Jess crawled away and pulled out a pair of new jeans and tennis shoes from a plastic bag and set them aside. He pulled a collared shirt out of another bag and put it with the others. He closed his eyes and eventually fell asleep. He had a busy day ahead and he hoped Mike wouldn’t press him on what was going on.

• • •

Mike arrived at seven the next morning and found Jess waiting on the side of the road. Mike saw he was dressed differently and tilted his head back. Jess sighed, “I know; however, I need to mix with some crowds and not be seen as a bum.”

“Where to boss?”

“Take me to the gas station ten miles up the road so I can shave this fuzz off my face.”

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“I’d prefer to wait.”

“Have it your way.” The F-150 pulled off and sped up the highway. Five miles up the road Jess saw a taxi pass them in the opposite direction. “We need to hurry to the gas station.” Mike looked in his rearview mirror and saw the taxi. He pressed the accelerator and hit eighty miles per hour.

Jess jumped out of the truck and said over his shoulder, “Let me know if that taxi passes us.” Mike nodded and waited in the truck. Five minutes later, Jess ran out of the restroom and jumped in the cab. Mike pulled out and Jess said, “Did it pass us?” Mike shook his head. “Good. Go to the first exit off this road that goes to Phoenix. See if you can pull off the shoulder and wait for that taxi to arrive. If it takes the exit, I need you to follow it and not be seen.”

“Then what?”

“When the occupant gets out, I’m bailing out as well. I’ll meet you at three o’clock where you drop me off.”

“Who’s in the taxi?”

“That is what I’m trying to find out.”

“You know you look like a kid without that hair on your face?”

“Uhhh…I guess I am a kid. I’m not of legal age yet.”

“Even so, you look a lot younger than twenty.” Mike paused, “Something’s going on.”

Mike saw Jess’s expression and knew he had said all he was willing to reveal. He slowed to sixty and arrived at the first off-road and pulled off the shoulder. Fifteen minutes later the taxi passed and Mike waited for it to get ahead. It went past the exit and Mike said, “It looks like it’s going into downtown.”

“Just don’t lose it.”

“Jess, the number one selling vehicle in America is the Ford F-150 pickup truck. You could rob a bank in one of these and drive away…no one would see you. Relax; I’ll keep it in sight.”

Jess blew out a breath and wondered what the alien was looking to find in Phoenix.

• • •

The taxi moved into downtown on Monroe Street. It turned on right on 6th Avenue and an immediate left on Washington Street. Mike said, “It looks like he’s going to City Hall.” The taxi arrived in front of city hall and pulled over to the curb. Mike pulled over as well and they watched the man exit the cab and go up the steps.

Jess opened the door and jumped out. “I’ll see you here at three o’clock.” He walked quickly and followed the man into the building. Mike took a good look at the man that got out of the cab and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The Diamondbacks ball cap didn’t look right with the New York Yankee’s t-shirt, but heck, who was he to judge fashion. He pulled away and headed toward the port to discuss a deal to ship his crops to Russia. They were in short supply of food and he could make a tidy profit.

• • •

Jess followed the man into City Hall and saw him stop at a promotional wall. The wall was full of small brochures advertising the many places to go in Phoenix and Arizona. Jess went over to the water cooler and bent down to drink but kept his eyes on the man. He appeared to be confused. He went down the wall staring at each piece of literature before moving to the next. Jess went to the end of the counter where the man had started and casually watched him move along the wall. Finally, the man stopped and Jess saw his excitement. He reached forward and pulled out a brochure and headed toward the front door. Jess moved quickly over and pulled a brochure out of the pocket the alien had selected. He glanced at it and moved quickly toward the door. He almost stumbled when he realized what was on the brochure; it was the United States Mint in Denver, Colorado.

The Alien was looking for the Mint and had arrived at the wrong location. If he discovered his error, he would immediately leave. He noticed the alien stopping several people and showing them the brochure. It appeared there was a problem communicating with the alien. Jess walked up and stopped beside the alien looking at the brochure in his hand. The alien saw him and recognized Jess had the same one he was holding. He rushed over and said something that was unintelligible as he pointed at the brochure in his hand.

Jess deliberately looked puzzled and the alien handed him the brochure. Jess looked at it and smiled, “You want to go here?” Jess pointed to the brochure and pantomimed walking. The alien nodded. Jess slowly shook his head, “It’s not open today.”

The alien looked confused. Jess opened the brochure and pointed to the days and hours of operation on the back. He saw the alien couldn’t read it. He thought for a moment and pantomimed opening a door. The alien stared at him for a moment and then understood. Jess pantomimed closing the door and pointed at the sun. The alien looked up and Jess moved his index finger down to the horizon and then looked to the east and pointed again. He moved his finger a third of the way up the eastern horizon. The alien was following his gestures and after a moment it understood. It would open tomorrow. It held up one finger and Jess smiled and nodded. Jess walked away and hoped the alien wouldn’t make any more inquires and discover the Mint was located in another state. The alien went to the curb and flagged down a taxi. Jess heard it say, “I need a ride to the desert outside of town; can you take me?”

The taxi driver nodded and Jess was confused. The alien’s words did not have an accent and were spoken perfectly. How could it have communicated that clearly to a taxi driver and not be able to say anything coherent to him? Jess knew he didn’t have much time to make a move. The alien would discover tomorrow that the mint was not in Phoenix. How did it make that mistake? Jess went over to the curb and waited for Mike to show up. Mike arrived at noon and saw Jess sitting on the curb. He pulled over and Jess jumped in the passenger seat, “Thank God, you came early.”

“What’s going on, Jess?”

“That man is walking out of the desert and coming to Phoenix each day. I’ve not been able to determine where he’s staying.”

“Get real.”

“I am, Mike. He just seems to come out of nowhere. I’ll let you know what happens after tomorrow. I’m going to take a closer look and follow him so that I don’t lose him.”