Story # 5.7: Britton vs. Jay

 

With clouds all around, blanketing the sky, the Argo J1, carrying the precious cargo of Jay's life, moved quickly along the trail, with Cals attacking from the sides. Despite the damage inflicted thus far, the vehicle was handling the blows well. 

"Jim, status report!" Dana yelled as Cal H1 attacked from her side of the vehicle.

A Cal H1 looks like a horse with a rider, but its legs are wheels, giving this machine a very mechanized look. One Cal H1 was to either side of the vehicle.

"The vehicle has sustained 35% damage, mostly cosmetic."

"How much longer can it take this?" Linda asked.

"I don't know."

After Dana said this, the Cal H1s both stopped and fell behind rapidly, as did all of the other vehicles and drones in pursuit. The Argo J1 continued on down the path through the wilderness.

"They stopped! They all stopped," Chad said, looking back.

"What's happening?" Linda asked.

Dana looked up in the sky in bewilderment. "That's what is happening!"

As Dana pointed up at the sky, Linda looked in the same direction. Her eyes widened as she saw the Fleece falling to the ground from above. As the craft collided with the ground, a huge dust cloud engulfed the region, reducing visibility to zero. Additionally, because the area around the Fleece was protected from the energy being released from the activation sequence or the remnant, that protection was now gone for Jezreel. Lightning began to infuse rapidly across the area.

"Oh great! As if the army we just faced wasn't bad enough," Allie said.

Jim alerted them, "Multiple lightning strikes in the area. Over 100 detected. Use caution."

"This is our chance," Linda said.

Dana looked at her.

"Get to the Fleece."

"How will we get in?"

"We'll find a way."

***********************************************************************************

Britton stood up in the chamber, but it was more surreal than usual. She knew she was dreaming, and it would only be a matter of time before she awakened.

Inside the real chamber, Jay's body was lying amidst damaged consoles and panels. Pat was also unconscious, for the moment. All power to the Fleece was shut down, but the computer was slowly coming back online. As the emergency lighting was activated, the chamber's main screen began rebooting.

"It's only a matter of time before the Fleece resets and can become airborne again. Release the angels," Rapha said, looking at the downed craft from his vessel. Angels, in this context, are drones that can take on any form needed. The angels will help reduce the issues caused by lightning, not by stopping it, but by removing individuals from the planet. Individuals who were loyal to the SIC will not be saved. One will be taken, another left. As the angels moved out away from the larger vessels hovering over Jezreel and the downed Fleece, the sky lit up like a giant swarm of robotic locusts. Millions, if not billions, of angels flew out in all directions around the world. Already, billions of people had died from the lightning strikes. The angels were simply trying to pick up the pieces. Fortunately, there weren't as many people loyal to the SIC as the SIC claimed.

"All other vessels, proceed back into orbit. This vessel will remain to assist here," Rapha ordered.

"Won't we need the help?" Jacob asked.

"We have Jay to help with that."

***********************************************************************************

Britton looked up at Jay, standing over her a few feet away. Jay stood there, defiantly. As an intense, angry stare came across Britton's face, she motioned with her arms, making a powerful thrust forward. Instantly, Jay shot backwards into the distant part of the room.

Britton began standing up, "I guess you forgot in a dream, Jay, anything can happen."

From a distance, out of sight, Jay responded, "Oh, I'm well aware, Britton. No need to worry about that."

Britton scanned the room, looking for Jay in the growing darkness. The lights were dimming, and a haze was filling the room, like smoke smoldering. Britton waded into the ever-growing fog.

"So, you think you can control this dream? You think you'll be able to control a dream in my head?" Britton said, defiantly.

Britton believed she was more powerful than Jay could ever be. Despite knowing Jay had been killed many years earlier, she was arrogant enough to perceive a greater ability than anyone could imagine. But Britton lacked the awareness to perceive what Jay was now capable of doing.

"You underestimate my powers. I've always wanted to say that," Jay replied with a chuckle.

"Come on out then, and show yourself, you star freak."

"With pleasure..."

Just then, a hand reached out and grabbed Britton's arm from behind. She was spun around one hundred eighty degrees to come face to face with a creature like no other. This beastly creation from Jay's mind had large fangs, big eyes, and a snout that pushed the fog aside as air escaped. A long tongue protruding from between the teeth. Once Britton saw the creature, she was startled, but it grabbed her by the head and chomped down with painful, unmerciful force.

Britton let out a blood-curdling scream as she could feel the teeth sink into your head and neck. With one final push down, the head severed from her body, jets of blood shooting out, as the rest of her body collapsed to the ground.

On the ground, Britton was still screaming, her head still attached to her body. She suddenly realized that she had not been decapitated. But within seconds after this realization, another creature lunged forward from the mist, with dagger-like claws stabbing into her torso. Britton instantly felt the pain as the two claws tore her torso wide open, revealing organs and blood. The tearing moved her body forward towards the creature as she looked it in the eye. Red glowing light began coming from the creature's eyes as it once again chomped down on Britton's head. As she felt the teeth dig in again, Britton screamed, only to hear the pulverizing gnashing of teeth tearing her skull and neck to pieces.

Britton awoke, screaming. Once she got her bearings, she realized she was back in the same spot she had been when she first saw Jay standing before her. None of it had happened, but it all felt so real.

"How does it feel getting a taste of your own medicine?" Jay's voice echoed through the chamber.

Britton stood up quickly and looked around, "Where are you?"

"Despite what happens here today, it pales in comparison to what awaits you in eternity, Britton."

"SHOW YOURSELF YOU COWARD!"

"I have been, and always shall be your worst nightmare for you, for Rob, and for Pat."

"YOU CAN'T DEFEAT US! We're stronger than you. We always have been, and we always will be."

"You don't know the half of what you are saying, Britton. Because you killed me, you, Rob, and Pat, you created something much different than before. You say how I could control a dream in your head? This isn't a dream!"

Jay appeared as a shadowy figure behind Britton, who was still moving around in circular patterns in the room, looking for Jay.

"This is as real as your life will ever get."

Britton turned around the face, Jay.

"Come on then, boy. Show me what you can do, if you're so powerful."

"I know something you don't..."

An arm ripped through the floor beneath, Britton, grabbing her right leg. Another arm ripped through the floor and grabbed the back of your clothes, pulling Britton to the ground, landing on her back. As Britton lay there, more arms came up through the floor, grabbing all parts of her body, and began pulling her down into the depths below. 

Britton was pulled down into what could only be described as the pits of hell. There, she was surrounded by numerous dead people. Some were decaying like zombies. Some were on fire. Some were dripping in blood. Each one grabbed another piece of Britton's body, pulling and tugging ferociously. Jay walked up through the mayhem and stared at Britton.

Britton stopped screaming from the agony being inflicted to stare back at Jay.

"You call this fear? This is nothing," Britton said defiantly again.

Jay just stared back, no expression.

Two of the hands of the dead people surrounding Britton then grabbed both sides of Britton's mouth, reaching their fingers inside. They pulled hard and ripped Britton's head wide open, a gush of blood and fluids falling all around. The other dead people ripped her body limb from limb, leaving behind a pool of mass and mess. 

***********************************************************************************

Britton was enduring this torment, but at a cost. With each iteration, her hold on Jay's actual body weakened. In the true real world, where Jay's body lay undisturbed, Pat had finally awoken to see the damage in the room. The computer had restarted, and the Fleece was beginning to power back up. 

Pat walked over to the computer, assessing the situation. He had to go to the artifact room to make sure the central power supply of the orb was intact and not disabled in some way. From there, he could launch a retaliatory response. As he turned around, he saw Jay's body lying there and saw the body twitch.

Pat knew Jay was fighting Britton in his own mind. Pat knew this was a consequence of having Britton possess Jay's body. If Jay's spirit or essence ever returned, Britton might be powerless to fight him off. Pat knew Britton's time was limited and chose to leave her. Rapha was cunning and had tricks up his sleeve that even Pat never knew about. Pat left the control room and entered the adjacent elevator. As he turned back to see Jay's body twitch once more, all Pat said was, "Good-bye, Britton."

***********************************************************************************

Back in Jay's head, the battle continued. Now, no more demon and monster creations were involved. This time, the fight was between Jay and Britton.

Britton kicked Jay to the side of his left leg, causing it to buckle. She jumped up and punched downward on his face, pounding him into the floor below. Now that Jay lay there semi-conscious, she grabbed him by his private parts and threw him through the air over her head behind her as he came crashing down in another part of the room.

As Britton turned toward where she had just thrown Jay, she heard laughter. Jay stood up and started walking back toward her. 

"I love a girl full of energy," Jay said, while smiling.

This comment enraged Britton more, and she charged at Jay quickly.

Before she could reach him, though, Jay stopped her in her tracks with a thought. Britton was frozen in place.

"All physical stuff aside, it doesn't compare to a powerful mind," Jay said.

"LET ME GO!" Britton yelled.

"The fact that you can't break free on your own shows how weak your mind has become with this fight. I've worn you down. You have no power over me any longer."

A look of fear came across Britton's face as she realized Jay was right. In a dream like this, she should have total control, but had lost the connection to the body she was in. Jay's body.

Jay walked up to her and grabbed both sides of her head. Britton's arms fell to her sides, as he legs went limp also. She was now becoming disembodied. 

"Get out of my head!" Jay said, commanding Britton.

With that statement, Britton's body began to dissolve. She began changing form to her more robotic body, which she once had, many eons ago. That body had been destroyed by Rapha, and now her spirit was about to join it.

Finally, the final essence of Britton slipped through the fingers of Jay, and she vanished into oblivion. 

***********************************************************************************

Jay awoke in a light-filled room with debris around him. He sat up to see the chamber where the SIC once resided. He felt his chest, stomach, arms, and legs. He realized he was alive again.

He jumped up to his feet and made his way around the debris to the computer console. It showed a tactical display of the area surrounding the Fleece. The city of Jezreel could be seen, with objects approaching. A large mass of Cals was converging on the area. Directly outside the Fleece, however, was a small blip. Jay had the computer zoom in on this object and saw the reading for an Argo J18. 

"Linda!" Jay said.

Linda, Dana, Allie, and Chad had made it to the downed Fleece. But with the power returning to the ship, it was only a matter of time before the Fleece was airborne again. Jay asked the computer to locate any access points near the position of the Argo shown on screen. One access was directly in front of their location.

***********************************************************************************

"Ok, so how do we get in, before that huge arm closes in on us?" Dana asked.

Linda stood there facing the Fleece, praying a way would be shown.

Suddenly, the sounds of interlocked joints began, and soon a doorway opened in front of them, tilted to the side due to the Fleece's orientation to the ground.

Dana looked on in astonishment.

Linda looked back at her and smiled, "Ye of little faith."

Dana smirked, "I have faith. I do, really."

The four of them walked into the Fleece to join in the final battle.

Story # 5.6: Doomsday

Around the world, the ancient temples and relics of the planet were rising. Where the Great Pyramids were located, destruction ensued from the earth-shaking hydraulics of the pillars beneath. The ancient Sphinx crumbled into dust as the pyramids rose higher and higher into the sky.

The pyramids were raised nearly 2000 feet into the air, higher than the tallest buildings in the world. Many of the stones surrounding the pyramids had collapsed, leaving only the central pieces intact, with a skeletal remnant of the former structure. Light was building within the pyramid structures as the energy powering it was about to be released.

 Around the world, other structures rose higher and higher into the air, much the same. The structures were an apparatus for pure energy, the likes of which the world had never seen. At least not for the world of today. The Atlanteans knew all too well what the apparatus was and what it could be used for. Rapha knew that once the machines were activated, the end would come soon.

"So, this is the long-awaited ending?" Moses asked.

Rapha looked on as the screens displayed the apparatus's deployments around the world. Once all are in place, the energy release becomes critical and has to be distributed worldwide. However, the apparatus was always meant to have a channel for conducting energy to supply power. Unlimited power sources throughout the world, allowing cities to thrive for thousands, even millions of years. But the channel was not in place. In other words, when the energy goes critical, it will go to the nearest conductor it can find: carbon-based lifeforms.

"Yes," Rapha replied. "The energy will run its course, and millions, even billions, will die."

"And how will we rescue those you mentioned, Rapha?" Enoch said.

Rapha and Moses looked at him.

"You said those who are not deserving will be spared."

Rapha nodded in agreement. "Move the vessels into position."

The seven vessels moved from their orbital positions, with the diamond-shaped grid still surrounding the planet. Each vessel began going through the grid at different points around the planet to prepare for the rescue effort.

***********************************************************************************

"Their ships are moving into new positions around the planet. They must be trying to figure out how they can stop this process," Rob said.

"There is no stopping the process," Pat replied.

"Regardless, I'm going to take precautions. I'm going back to Washington."

"Columbia is doomed already, Rob. There's no point going back there. The destruction caused by the attack and the volcanic eruption will make that entire continent uninhabitable."

"All just the same, we may need some of the weapons there to assist with whatever they try to do next."

Pat laughed, "The weapons of this world are no use against them. You'll see, but if it makes you feel better, go ahead and go."

Rob scoffed at Pat's statement, then proceeded to a chamber to teleport to Washington.

"He's always been skittish," Britton said.

"It doesn't matter. Soon, we'll channel enough energy to destroy those vessels and much of the life on this planet. They can't stop the inevitable."

"We don't know exactly what those vessels are, Pat. I've never seen anything like them before."

"It's still made by them."

"So were we."

Pat looked at Britton. "Just wait and see."

***********************************************************************************

The towers were now in position, allowing the rumbling to stop. On the ground near the structures, people of all races, creeds, and religions stood nearby. They looked up at the gigantic towers and the ruins they left in their wake. Things were now peaceful again, for the moment. At the site of Teotihuacan, people stood in awe of the giant structure that rose from the planet, only to destroy the ancient relic. The city near the ruins was now in chaos with fires and smoke rising from different parts of it, after the shaking of the ground leveled some buildings and killed hundreds to thousands. That's when the hum began.

A low hum began coming from the tower, and electrical energy could be seen rising within the pillar structure. The tower began to glow with a white, radiant light as the hum grew louder. A ball of energy began to form at the top of the tower, growing in brightness. People nearby began shielding their eyes with their hands to reduce the light shining down. The hum turned into a buzz, then a screech. This prompted people to cover their ears now and, in some cases, to bring them to their knees.

Without a channel to coordinate the flow of energy rising from the planet's core, the energy produced had no regulation. The budding orb of now-white-hot energy was growing to critical mass and would soon unleash its fury. As one man looked up at the tower, his family close to him, the screeching subsided and the orb condensed. A silence fell for an instant. Then, as if a bomb went off, the orb expanded to a mile-wide perimeter. Anything within this mile zone was vaporized instantly. Then the orb began shooting out large lightning bolts in all directions. The lightning perturbations began generating cloud cover, providing a conduit for its fury. What was happening was that, because of the city's population distribution, the cloud was forming over the carbon-based channels below: the people. The lightning began striking people down in the streets as they ran for cover, finding none.

***********************************************************************************

Linda, Dana, Allie, and Chad were riding in an Argo J18 to Jezreel, where the Fleece orbited three thousand feet above the ground. The Argo was self-propelled, allowing the occupants to focus on each other while the vehicle took them to their destination. With headlights shining in the deeper darkness of the day, the vehicle moved forward.

"So, I do have a question," Dana began. "How exactly are we going to get into the Fleece once we get there?"

Linda looked over at her, "Jay will provide a way." 

Dana rolled her eyes and looked away, "Well, that's reassuring."

"Look, I can't explain it all, I just know we have to get there, as fast as possible. Can this thing go any faster?"

Dana looked down at the speedometer, "We're already traveling 200 kilometers per hour. I guess we could if you want to die on the way there."

Linda gave Dana a look, "Make it go faster."

"Ok, Jim," Dana asked the vehicle she nicknamed Jim.

"Yes, Dana, how can I be of assistance?" Jim responded.

"Can you increase the speed to 250 kilometers per hour?"

A red warning light came on as Jim spoke, "Dana, that speed exceeds safety limits for travel on land. We are currently at the maximum safe speed. Increasing speed is not recommended."

"I understand, but this is an emergency, Jim. We must go faster."

Another red light came on from the dashboard, illuminating the entire edge of the dashboard and the windshield. 

This display of lights caught Allie and Chad's attention as they looked up from their devices.

"What is that?" Chad asked.

"Weather Alert: A large storm is forming in the area, with severe lightning a strong possibility. Seek shelter immediately," Jim replied.

All of the passengers looked out the windows and through the top of the vehicle. The storm clouds seemed to come out of nowhere and looked intense.

"Mom!" Allie said.

"Stay calm, Allie. Take a storm pill if you need to."

Allie frantically looked through her bag next to her for one of the pills. Chad watched her do this and thought to himself, She still believes those are anti-storm pills? 

Just then, a huge bolt of lightning struck only one hundred feet from the vehicle, with a loud, roaring thunder clap. The rush of air momentarily nudged the vehicle, setting off all kinds of warning lights.

"Jim! Silence all alarms and increase speed to 250 kilometers per hour, NOW! Authorization Code: TAYSBAYB," Dana yelled out as Allie screamed, and the others held on.

Linda looked at Dana, "TAYSBAYB?"

"I really loved this boy band growing up. It's a long story."

The vehicle shot forward at greater speed, lightning striking all around. What they didn't know was that every time a lightning bolt struck, it vaporized a human being.

***********************************************************************************

Jay approached Rapha and the others on the vessel.

"Where are we now?"

"We're over one of the major cities, attempting to begin the rescue efforts from the remnants. They are unleashing pure energy everywhere on the planet."

Jay looked at the screen, watching the lightning bolts impacting every second in different locations. Rapha's vessel was currently over one city, trying to rescue survivors aboard.

Jay saw numbers appear in the upper-right corner. "What do those numbers mean?"

"Those numbers tell us the number of bolts per second, speed of the bolts, intensity, strength..."

"What about the bigger number, Rapha, that just keeps going up?"

"Those are deaths, Jay."

Jay looked at the number; it was now crossing 300 million human beings. All of these deaths had happened in only an hour, and were still going on.

"There's got to be something else we can do; this doesn't seem fast enough, Rapha."

"Agreed, we need to go to the source."

The vessel began moving away from the city. The dome of protection the vessel had been providing was left with it, and lightning bolts began tearing through the streets, killing hundreds and thousands within minutes.

"All vessels, this is Rapha, change coordinates to the following location. Rendezvous there."

Jay looked at the coordinates provided, "You're going to Jezreel."

"Yes, we have to confront them."

"Will that stop the energy from creating the storms?"

"As I've said, Jay, there is no way to stop it once it starts. Everyone on this planet will die soon, no matter what we do now. Our goal is to stop the SIC once and for all. That begins with you."

"My confrontation with Britton."

"Yes."

"How am I supposed to do that? She is in the Fleece, in my body."

"Yes, and we are going to incapacitate the Fleece and her so you can confront her."

"You mean in a dream."

"Yes. Get ready, it won't be long before we arrive."

Jay looked at the screen and saw the vessel streaking across the ocean, with landmasses coming into view and lightning storms all around. He knew Linda and his children were on their way to the same location. This may prove to be the only way to save them and anyone else. Jay hurried back to where he had been induced to sleep to meet with Linda. This time, however, he was going to face off with a woman he had long wanted to confront.

***********************************************************************************

Linda, Dana, Allie, and Chad were driving full tilt toward Jezreel. Once they passed one part of the countryside, they saw the Fleece come into view, hovering above the city.

"There it is!" Dana yelled while pointing.

But as the vehicle crested the hill, they saw something else on the ground and in the air before them. A large legion of Cals had the road blocked, and drones above were standing by. The robots' objective was clear: no one was to get close to Jezreel or the Fleece.

"Oh no!" Linda yelled.

"Guys, we can't keep going at them. They'll start firing on us, and this car won't last a minute against it."

"What do we do?" Linda asked Dana.

"Jim, stop the car now," Dana ordered.

"Registering all stop," Jim responded.

The vehicle was now sitting in the middle of the road, with the legion of Cals just miles ahead. For the moment, the vehicle had gone down into a lower part of the road where rolling hills obscured the view.

"Jim, are there any alternate routes we can take to enter Jezreel?"

Jim calculated, "Negative. All routes are currently closed. Would you prefer another destination?"

"What about off-road?" Linda asked.

"Off-road?" Dana asked back.

"Yes, is this one set up for that, Four Wheel Drive and all?"

"Jim, ready the off-road package."

"Off-road package engaging. Tire capacity has been adjusted for all terrain. Four Wheel Drive is set. Please note the following off-road routes available."

One route got them close to Jezreel, and that might be enough. It would be up to Jay to get them the rest.

"Jim, set the following selected course. Engage at maximum safe speed to pursue."

"Understood, Dana. Route is plotted, engaging at 75 kilometers per hour."

The vehicle turned right and began moving along the dirt trail through the wilderness, heading towards Jezreel. Linda looked back toward the direction of the Cals to see if any were pursuing. She couldn't tell from her angle.

"Do you think they saw us?" Linda asked Dana.

"I really hope not."

Just then, proximity alerts showed up on the dashboard."Another vehicle is closing in. Use caution on this terrain," Jim said.

Two Cal vehicles slammed into either side of the Argo J18, warping the metallic fenders and shattering glass on the sides. Everyone inside the J18 vehicle screamed during the collision. The three vehicles pressed on down the trail towards Jezreel, but behind them, multiple other Cal robots and drones were in pursuit. It was only a matter of time before they destroyed the vehicle and all of the occupants within.

Amid her children's and her friend Dana's screams, Linda looked up at the sky and saw the bright stars closing in on Jezreel. A sense of calm came over Linda as she saw the vessels approaching.

"Help us, Jay. Please!"

***********************************************************************************

On board the Fleece, Pat and Britton watched as the seven vessels approached from the west over the sea. 

Britton gave an order, "Ready all weapons, full strength. Prepare to attack the incoming vessels."

The computer chimed off coordinates to Britton, "All vessels are in firing range, Supreme Imperial Chancellor."

"You may commence your attack."

The Fleece's weapons roared to life quickly and began opening fire on the incoming vessels. The seven vessels were taking direct hits but sustaining no damage. It was not clear whether some form of shielding was assisting with this, or whether the vessels were simply impenetrable. But the Fleece was having no effect in slowing the vessels down.

"Nothing's happening, Pat!"

"You actually thought something would?" Pat said, smiling.

Then, from the seven vessels at once, a large blast emanated. Just one shot aimed directly at the Fleece. The blast knocked the Fleece off its axis, sending it spinning and crashing into the ground. Inside, Pat and Britton were thrown about like rag dolls. Upon the crash, both Pat and Britton were unconscious.

When Britton began to arouse, she reached up and touched her head. She knew she had hit it hard and expected a gash there from the side of the object she had hit. She also expected a lot of destruction around her from the damage to the Fleece. Amazingly, though, there was no damage. She also did not have a head gash. However, she looked at herself and noticed a change. Her body was no longer Jay's; she was in her old body, looking like the woman she had been before Rapha made her vanish. Her clothing was similar, but she was no longer in the reality she knew. As she looked around, confused, someone called out to her.

"Hello, there."

Britton looked up at the voice and saw a man standing before her. The man was Jay, the body she had been in just a few moments ago.

Jay smiled at her and said, "I bet you're really confused right now, aren't you, Britton?"

Story # 5.5: Activation Sequence

4 hours earlier, before the attack...

Chad and Allie looked on as the news reported the arrival of the visitor spacecraft hovering above the planet. Chad did not go to his rendezvous, as the whole world was thrown into chaos by not only what the SIC had stated, but also what the alien beings had spoken through the image in the sky.

As Chad, Dana, and Allie watched the other smaller objects moving into positions, Linda had left the room to go lie down. All of this was overwhelming her. She wished so much that Jay was there to help them. She needed a moment to take it all in. So, as she lay there, she began to doze. As she fell asleep, she began to dream.

***********************************************************************************

In the dream Linda was in, she awoke in the same chair Jay had once occupied before everything had happened at the Fleece. She was back inside the Fleece, in the Artifact Chamber, but was completely alone, as far as she could tell.

"Hello?"

Linda yelled as the sound reverberated around the chamber. She could still see the glowing orb in the center, surrounded by the artifacts, linked by the glowing cables on the ground. She stood up, looking around the room, but saw no one. With this utter sense of loneliness creeping in, even as Linda screamed for someone to answer her, she collapsed to her knees and began to weep. She looked down at the floor, begging for someone, anyone, to help her.

As she wept, a hand laid to rest on your upper back. It startled her at first, but then a sense of calm came over her. She took a deep breath and began breathing more easily. She closed her eyes and began to turn to face whoever had come to her aid.

When she opened her eyes again, she was face-to-face with a being that looked like Rapha. The image of the being standing there shifted in and out of reality, its form rotating like disconnected molecules, with no face. As the being leaned back up, a low voice spoke, "Hello, Linda."

Linda looked at the being with astonishment. The voice was unrecognizable, but something about the way they had spoken seemed soft and warm to her. Something familiar. Something she hadn't expected.

"Jay?"

"Yes, it's me."

Linda, even more astonished, stood up, her mouth agape. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The being, identifying as Jay, reached out his shifting hand to her and placed it on her face, caressing it softly. Linda closed her eyes as her head tilted in the direction of the hand, allowing it to hold her face within it. The hand did not feel like Jay's, but she could feel the warmth of his touch. A touch she was so familiar with. A tear ran down the hand holding her right cheek as Linda opened her eyes and ran to embrace them. Despite being semi-transparent in their shifting form, Linda was able to embrace the being, as they hugged her back.

But after a few moments of embracing, Linda's eyes opened again, and she began to back up away to look at their distorted face-like structure. That's when Linda had a terrifying realization.

"This isn't real, is it? It's only a dream."

"It is a dream, Linda, but I am here. I am real. Just as much as I was before."

"But you died, Jay. The Jay I knew has long since been dead."

"I did die, way back when. But they brought me back."

"Who did?"

"Rapha, and the others like him. The Atlanteans."

"The visitors? The ones in space?"

"Yes, those are our vessels, hovering in the sky."

"But the," Linda paused. "Oh my! Jay, something terrible has happened here."

"Yes, I know. We all know."

"They used your body, Jay!"

"Yes, I know that too."

"It's been Pat, manipulating everything. Him and his 'no deception' nonsense. He's always been a liar."

"That's why we have returned, Linda. But first, how are the children?"

Linda looked up at Jay again, a softer expression on her face now, "I'm sorry. Of course. They aren't children anymore, Jay."

"I know, but are they ok?"

"Yes, as much as can be expected in this world."

"That's good. I'm glad they've had you all this time until I could return."

"You said Pat is the reason you have returned?"

"Yes, and Britton, and Rob. We're here to stop them, once and for all."

"That's wonderful news! It's been awful living in this world with them ruling over everything. I'm glad you've come to save us."

"That's just it...," Jay paused.

Linda's smile left her face.

"We haven't come to save anything. We've come to ensure everything is destroyed."

"Destroyed? I don't understand."

"Linda, you have to listen clearly now. Soon, this world will end, but a new one will be born from its ashes. You have to trust Rapha and everyone with him. They are going to help, but it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. You, the children, and everyone you love need to go to a safe place. Somewhere beyond the reach of Pat, Britton, and Rob."

Linda looked down, "There is nowhere safe from them."

"There is one."

Linda looked back up, somewhat surprised.

"The Fleece, Linda. You have to go back to the Fleece."

"That's insane, Jay. How would we ever get there, or get into that place?"

"You will. We will see to that. But there isn't much time. You have to start moving now."

The room around them began to fade now, and a low rumbling began to start. The artifacts in the room began shaking, shuddering, and falling to the ground.

Then Jay grabbed both her arms and spoke one last time, "Right NOW!"

***********************************************************************************

Linda gasped awake, only to find Chad, Allie, and Dana all huddled over her as the entire building they were in was shaking violently.

Linda was wide awake and oriented now. "What's happening?"

"The extra-terrestrials are attacking!"

Linda had been asleep for four hours, waking up just after the destructive forces had been unleashed by the seven stars. At least, that was the narrative being broadcast on the news. The shaking finally subsided, and the news reports were filtering in. The power to the building was out, but the mobile devices still worked, showing that the smaller objects had fired on parts of the planet, releasing over two teratons of energy. A massive ash cloud could be seen in the distance hanging over the horizon in the United States of Columbia. The impact triggered a massive volcanic eruption, which blanketed the entire country in sulfur, ash, and smoke. It was only a matter of time before everyone in that region was dead from the disaster. In the far east, closer to home, there in Prussia, the plate tectonics of the planet were activated, causing a mammoth 9.9 earthquake in that region, obliterating whole cities and towns from the violent disaster. After shocks would continue for some time, but the news reported that the SIC was mobilizing troops to address concerns on the planet's surface and deploying spacecraft to make contact with the visitors and negotiate a settlement.

"There won't be any settlement," Linda said.

"What do you mean?" Dana asked.

Linda looked at her, "We have to get to the Fleece."

"What? Are you crazy?"

"It's our only hope, Dana. We have to get there now."

"Tell me why," as an aftershock rattled the building again.

"I spoke with Jay."

"Jay?"

"Dad?" Chad and Allie said together.

"Yes. He's with them in the sky. He's alive, and he told me we need to go to the Fleece now."

"He spoke to you in your dreams?"

Linda nodded.

"Well, that's good enough for me," said Chad. "After all you told me about dad's dreams, I'll do anything he says in one."

Linda laughed at Chad's statement and then looked back at Dana.

"Ok, let's go to the Fleece, I guess," Dana replied reluctantly.

Despite all Dana had seen, she was still cautious. But even she knew, like Chad, you heed the warning of dreams in this world.

***********************************************************************************

"Well, this seems like a great idea," Rob barked off as he leaned against the wall to prop himself up. Pat punched some buttons, and the Fleece roared to life, lifting off the ground surrounding it. The shaking finally subsided, and the three of them could maintain their balance again.

"You fired the kinetic devices. Why?" Britton asked Pat.

"Because it would have taken too long for the activation sequence to start. By then, Rapha and his minions would be on us. At least this way, they'll focus on addressing issues arising from the attack. Believe me, Rapha's bleeding heart will want to care for these creatures despite how useless they all are."

"What will the sequence accomplish for us?" Rob asked.

"Once we activate all the ancient structures, massive amounts of energy will start building around the planet. However, we will remove the safety limits on energy, making it totally free, unbound, and out of control. That energy will produce antimatter. Once the antimatter is established, it will begin wreaking havoc on the planet's surface. Ending this species once and for all," Pat said

"But won't Rapha try to stop this?" asked Britton.

"Yes, and when he does, he and all his people will be pulled in with the humans here. Two birds, one stone. Then the planet will be ours for good. No more humans. From there, we can make this world whatever we want it to be. It will finally be all ours," finished Pat.

***********************************************************************************

"He did exactly as you said he would, Rapha," said Samuel.

"Indeed."

"What happens next?"

"He believes he has an upper hand, but this plays right into our processes. Pat has no idea exactly what the activation sequence will do."

"What will it do?" asked Enoch.

"The energy produced by the structures will completely overwhelm the planet. It will be destabilized to its core. The planet's surface will melt, along with all life on it. Then the planet will destroy itself. But before any of that happens, we have to remove those who are not deserving of this fate and ensure those who are remain."

"They are sending a ship to approach ours, Rapha," said Jacob.

"With the grid around the planet now, we can begin to prepare to remove people. What we need now is to..."

Rapha was interrupted by Jay approaching, "I've got that plan in motion now."

Rapha looked back at Jay, "Good. So they are on their way to the Fleece?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. Once they are there, we can end it once and for all. In the meantime, you need to prepare, Jay."

"Prepare?"

"Yes, for your confrontation with Britton."

Jay smirked, "I've been looking forward to seeing her again."

Rapha smiled, "I know you have. Make preparations."

Jay left again as Rapha turned his attention back to the image of the planet now engulfed in chaos.

"Let the activation sequence begin."

***********************************************************************************

Pat, Britton, and Rob started pressing buttons on the control console in the main chamber of the Fleece. The console connected them to the other sites around the globe. Ancient sites we know as Giza in Egypt, Easter Island, the Mayan civilization, the Great Wall of China, Teotihuacan, Gobekli Tepe, Petra in Jordan, Machu Picchu, the Colosseum in Italy, the Acropolis in Greece, Stone Henge in England, areas within the Grand Canyon, a pyramid in Antarctica and one in northern Siberia, Angkor Wat, and other ancient locations.

In the Saharan Savanna, where the Eye of the Sahara now rests, and covered in foliage, a structure began to emerge. The structure rose like a tower hundreds, and even thousands of feet in the air. On the site of the temple in what once was Jerusalem, a similar structure ripped through the temple rebuilt there, destroying the structure. These towers were made of copper, aluminum, gold, silver, graphene, and other rare-earth metals, as well as some unknown to the world on the surface. The structures had been residing deep in the ground for millions of years since the time of the Atlanteans. These structures were not meant to produce harm but to produce energy that everyone and everything could use. The natural processes of the world are coming together to provide humans with all the energy they will ever need. 

This was the big thing Pat wanted all for himself. The power to use that energy as he saw fit, with no rules or regulations. But Pat did not fully understand the purpose of these structures or what they could do to the planet. The free energy produced could be used, provided regulatory processes were in place to manage it, as Rapha wanted. Pat wanted to use that energy for conquest. He aspired not to stay on this lonely rock in space, but to use the energy to venture out and spread his ways of thinking and belief to all the corners of the universe. He wanted to conquer all. Everything, everywhere. He never admired Rapha's restraint. He didn't understand living a life of servitude. Not when the power to take all was right there in his grasp. That was the reason the Atlanteans had to go. Over the years, however, Pat kept having to deal with humans on the planet fighting back against him, making it nearly impossible to activate all the sites. Some would get buried and ruined, requiring rebuilding. In some cases, that rebuilding took millennia, for which the humans left behind after the Atlanteans were gone were unable to achieve the same longevity. Pat could keep a few alive, but most grew old and died, and Pat would have to start again.

Pat had seen enough of that and wanted all the humans gone for good. But he still needed them to locate the final sites and restore them, one last time. Those sites were just completed, and that meant Pat could rid the world of this nuisance for good.

As the sites rose to their positions and the sequence started to activate, a smile crept over Pat's face again. He was excited about the end of humanity. 

It was the end of the world for man. Humankind was facing its judgment day. This is it, at long last.

But then Pat noticed something in the sequence he hadn't anticipated. A code that he had missed or didn't know about. As he looked at it, he saw only the code's name. A name no one else knew in this world. Pat knew instantly it was from Rapha, and that meant Rapha was in control of the sequence. Now that the code had passed, there was nothing Pat could do. 

You see, the activation sequence can either provide energy or start a self-destruction mechanism. The code Rapha entered began the self-destruction sequence, and there was no turning back now. The code was: Alpha&Omega.