Alien Deception (51 page)

"Yes, thank you. Maybe you better look for another story, Mr. Schume. I think the well has gone dry on this one for you."

"No, I don't think so. I'm like a terrier when it comes to a real story. Once I latch my teeth into it, I don't let go. So you can expect to be hearing from me again."

"Perhaps I can influence you to change your mind," Greg said.

"I don't think so." He started for the door.

Greg formed the thoughts in his mind and gently pushed them toward the reporter's mind.

::The story has not panned out. You will forget about this and move onto something else. The story has not panned out. You will forget about this and move onto something else.::

The reporter turned toward Greg looking perplexed at first; his eyes momentarily glazed.

"Well, they all don't work out now, do they?" Schume said. "Heck, if they did, it would make it too easy, wouldn't it." He turned away from Greg and left the room.

::Come on, tell me what he said,::
Sarah asked.

::Oh, he just wanted to let me know he won't be pestering us for a while.::

::That sounds like the condensed version.::

::Close enough. So what do you think?::

::I have to admit you had me wondering there for a while. But I think it worked perfectly. You almost sounded like you really have lost your mind. But there is one thing…::

::What?::

::Who's the cute little alien you're shacking up with?::

::Huh?::

::Close enough to the right answer. So, my half-wit, alien-chasing friend. What's next?::

::Now, the rebuttal from your office should be you were always aware of my failing mental state and, for privacy's sake, you felt it was best to not bring out in public that you knew me for fear of embarrassment and ridicule and so on and so on.::

::Already working on it,::
she said.

::I'm out of here and heading back to the Council. I'll talk to you soon.::

::Love you.::

::Love you, too.::

* * * *

Greg slept on the airplane as it cruised back to West Virginia. He figured a little rest after the successful press conference was well-earned now all indications were that Raymond Schume had been encouraged to direct his attention elsewhere.

Leaving his body to its much-needed rest, he traveled in his mind to the planet Acuba. Things appeared different from before; everything much more vivid and in sharper focus. He assumed that as he mastered the powers he did not yet understand, his perceptions would become more and more precise. There was still so much he needed to know from Vague.

You must concentrate on what you're doing, and only on one place at a time,
he remembered Vague telling him.
There was another mystery. Why did the process require such intense concentration? Save the questions for later,
he thought, as he returned to concentrating on what he was doing.

The moon's features slowly became visible to him as he began to make out some of the contours and geography of the surface. He realized what he was seeing was not just the layout of the mountains and craters but a face. He had always suspected this image held a key to something he needed to know, but previously its meaning had been blocked from him. Now, as the details became clear to him he wondered, why now?

A familiar sound off to his right momentarily diverted his attention. He could see someone coming toward him, a humanoid of considerable age from what Greg could tell by its sure and carefully measured steps. Time seemed to stand still as the distance slowly decreased between them. The man had long, wispy white hair dangling around his shoulders. His face was heavily wrinkled, but his eyes had a youthful glow. He was wearing a white lab coat similar to that of a scientist or researcher, the pockets overflowing with items.

The man stopped a few feet away and Greg poised to flee, until he reminded himself that physically he was not present. All he would have to do was withdraw his mind in a split second.

"Who are you?" Greg asked. The old man smiled at him with a genuine pleasure that would have warmed even the most pessimistic person.

"You have been calling me Vague. This physical shape belongs to a librarian from the planet Zire Archives named Robise. It was Robise who saved from destruction the computer core that enabled you to thwart Copolla's plans. He was killed by Journo."

"So why have you taken his image?"

"We can discuss that when we get back to Earth," Vague said. He suddenly appeared nervous and anxious to leave.

"No, not yet. There's something I want to see first," Greg said as he began to turn to look at the moon.

"Perhaps that is not such a good idea," Vague warned.

"Why?" The image was so clear and sharp there could be no mistaking what or who it was. "Copolla," Greg murmured. "It's Copolla's face, but why? He's dead. Been dead for two years."

Despite his own protest, Greg had harbored a suspicion that might not be so. There was something about the riddles that had suggested Copolla's hand, but he hadn't said as much to anyone else because he had hoped he was wrong.

"He's on Acuba, isn't he?" Greg turned and asked Vague.

"We should go back and…talk."

Greg turned back to the moon; Copolla's face had been replaced with a scene that chilled him. The image was of Copolla, pointing a weapon at Leumas' head and laughing…

Greg abruptly awoke as the plane landed at the airport. He was anxious to get back to his quarters where he could think and figure out what he was going to do now.
How many terrible things can happen at once?
he wondered, and then wished he had never had the thought.

Grab your copy of
Alien Revelation
by Tony Ruggiero next!