The Alien Agenda 3: Battle For Freedom

[Chapter 17: Trust Issues]

I prodded the food before me, nothing more than long-term nutrition bars, but a million times better than the disgusting pills I had to swallow and definitely better than starving. My situation back in alien captivity were so dire, these two gray bars looked heavenly. Many other staff and soldiers were seated about the makeshift cafeteria cum gathering hall. The occasional peak of a taller Grey disrupting the monotone of little men.

I remembered asking General A-Roz about why a handful of Greys in Atlantis looked different from the rest. They were taller, with more present-day human features. The only thing setting them apart from us in fact, was the gray skin and pupiless almond eyes. Unlike ordinary Greys who spoke telepathically or via insect-like signals, these Greys had functional vocal chords. These kinds of Grey usually held much higher positions in Atlantis. General A-Roz, Dr. V-Ron, the head of military and so forth.

The general explained that there were in fact modified to look more like present day humans as they would function more so as the spokespeople between past humans and Atlanteans. The Atlanteans before the great forcefield was put up, used to aid humankind, prepping them for the future and inevitable battle with extraterrestrials. It would make sense to modify their features to look more like humans. The general said they were prepared to look such since their embryonic phases. They were born for this duty. Born to lead the Atlanteans and aid humankind.

It made me feel like I shared the burden. I was born for such a purpose too. I was not alone. We were all destined to protect this planet.

And some were destined to destroy it... I thought of that just as a familiar face entered the cafeteria, flanked by three soldiers. The insect-like clicks quietened, all eyes on the newcomer. He was wearing EM cuffs. Unlinked but containing enough power to shock him to unconsciousness when triggered.

"Axel. Looks like you're getting special treatment," I said with a wry smile.

None of the Atlanteans were too pleased to see him. He was once the enemy that brought down Atlantis' defenses causing the extraterrestrials to lay siege on their carefully built city. The army had been reduced to a quarter.

I liked to believe he had no control over his actions. Fate could not care less on what I liked.

His green eyes were tired, his skin was paler, taut lines of stress etched on his skin. They cut his hair into a short fade, now revealing a precise scar on the spot below his ear. I had never seen it before, but the purpose of the perfect square and fine blue veins that stretched out from it were eerily clear.

"If special treatment includes opening me up and yanking out whatever alien tech they could find, I'm a VIP," he replied.

"So you're in the clear?" I asked. He held up his hands to show the two-inch black metal bands around his wrists.

"They're keeping a close eye. Dr. V-Ron personally oversaw all operations on me. He is doing the same for Rys. He's not taking any chances this time," Axel explained.

He looked liked he had come to term with these facts, the consequences of his betrayal. He promised he would be by my side. I wanted to believe him. But it was hard.

Rys on the other hand. I remained wary of her aid. She sounded genuine, but this was no time for wasted trust. She knew what she was asking for when she boarded the mother ship. I could not bail her out of whatever Dr. V-Ron had planned for security. Knowing this, she still chose to help. My decision was simple, she would undergo the necessary protocols, I trusted Dr. V-Ron. Yes, he was cruel, but not without reason.

As of now, we had another mission in store. Axel would be joining us in fact. I recalled the discussion I had just moments ago.

Dr. V-Ron had extensively studied the prototype and blueprints of the weapon. Without much delay, its construction would commence. Raw materials were the issue. We needed a high energy crystal. An Ekhol. Thanks to Kai's help, we zeroed on a minesite that would hopefully provide us with such.

Alas, it was heavily guarded and active. It would take connections to get their men to excavate the raw crystals. But boy did Uncle Elias pull through this time. Just our luck, he knew the site manager, and pulled some strings to request a small mining operation with a team of our own men. I would be following along with Axel, to ensure the mission is safely carried out, and to determine the efficacy of the Ekhol we'd be mining. We did not want any wasted resources.

Uncle Elias insisted for Axel to join the mission. He wanted it to be proof of Axel's loyalty. She remembered the determined look in his eyes. Uncle Elias had nothing but love for his nephew.

In fact, when thet reunited later that day, Uncle Elias crumbled into a mess of tears. I did not want to interrupt, so I left the library. However, I did catch bits of conversation. It was something about Axel's mother. I didn't need to listen to the whole sobbing to know the guilt and pain Uncle Elias carried knowing he let his sister down by almost getting Axel killed.

I didn't see Axel cry though.

I was called to Dr. V-Ron's office and was surprised to find him there alone. His signature white lab coat that buttoned all the way to the bottom- which made him look like a science fiction villain- was draped over the office chair. He was merely in his black shirt and pants, which made him look so off-work, it boggled my mind. He was resting his chin on his hands when I entered.

"Somebody's relaxed today," I had to mention.

"Sit down," he ordered in his usual bossiness.

I did just that and he slid a square metal box barely larger than my palm. I examined it noticing it had nothing but two buttons.

"It's a bomb."

The box almost slipped from my fingers when he said that. I carefully placed it back on the desk.

"I do not trust Axel, nor do I trust this mission would pass unnoticed. If you deem the situation dire, do not hesitate to detonate the device," Dr.V-Ron explained flatly.

My jaw-dropped, "You're asking me to blow the place up if things go wrong? How does that even make sense!? I'll need to evacuate the men first, and we can't possibly blow up our only resourceful mine. Don't you even trust our own men?!"

Dr. V-Ron's whiteless eyes stared at me dead set. "I do not."

My heart sank at the words. Atlantis was sieged too many times, it had broken Dr. V-Ron's trust for good. He was willing to kill his own men off. I didn't know what to say.

He pushed the box back towards me. His eyes left mine and turned to the silver metal encasing the weapon. Then in a hoarse somewhat reluctant voice he said,

"But I trust you. I believe you will make the right decision. As much as I hate clinging on pointless fantasies such as hope."

I was to surprised for words. I almost felt a sob choke at my throat. Then I smiled and took the bomb. Dr. V-Ron, the skeptic, as much as he denied, started to believe in hope and other ambiguities.

"Only because you somehow manage to defy all my calculations, Laila," he added with a drawn out sigh. He hardly ever said my name, but these days it had been more often than not. Perhaps that was proof that he really did trust me.

"We've come a long way, doctor," I said with a wink. He shook his head in annoyance.

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