Bea Cannon - A Small Gray Dot

I heard the lab phone ring and in a few minutes, the doctor sent Terry to tell me that Simon called and said they would be arriving between eight and eight-thirty. He didn’t say why the delay but I wasn’t worried. It would take a while for them to get everything together.

Terry set out as soon as the sun was up – after the doctor made him eat another sandwich first. We left the guys in the livingroom with Duncan watching the monitor, while the doctor and I went up to check on Morgan. She was still asleep.

“She’s going to have an awful headache and an upset stomach when she awakens,” said the doctor with concern. “I’d better prepare something for that.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. I’d been surprised he would know what to do about the ecstasy, after all, the man was a physicist, not a physician. But why would something have to be prepared for a headache?

“Won’t aspirin do?”

He saw the way I was looking at him and smiled. “I admit to having had a number of interests when I was younger, Tennessee. I was pre-med before I changed to physics, and I kept up with certain aspects of medicine – out of curiosity, you see. So, while aspirin will work for her headache, she is also going to be quite nauseous. Aspirin might exacerbate that so she will need something different. Don’t worry. She’ll be fine.”

I decided to take his word for it. The man was obviously a genius.

We went back downstairs, getting there in time to see the arrival of Madison along with everyone I’d sent to help her plus some. With all those folk out there, I knew Henderson was bound to know something was going on.

Lowell and Simon had managed to round up many more people than I thought they could on such short notice, but then they’d always been resourceful, and here they were. There were at least a hundred people with them, and not only that, people from the neighborhood were walking in, ones Terry had already gotten to and notified. I don’t know what the doctor put in the letter but every one of them was carrying some type of weapon.

I stepped out on the stoop with the doctor. By then it was ten after eight and the morning was cold in spite of the sun shining behind the ever-present haze hanging over Blue Heaven.

Madison hopped down from her big black SUV along with Buster and her other guards. She was dressed all in black leather – a stylish jacket full of zippers and studs, designer pants, and high-heeled boots. A black shoulder purse and a black leather tam under which she’d stuffed her hair completed her outfit. She wore no make-up and her face looked drawn, but she looked good.

Lowell and Simon emerged from Simon’s rusty pick-up truck. I smiled. Cue was with them. They were carrying assault rifles and bags that no doubt held their ammunition. Simon was wearing the sword he said he’d picked up in Japan years ago. That was Simon, always prepared for anything. They came up the walkway together. Along with a sawed-off shotgun, I noticed Cue was holding a machete. He grinned when he saw me eyeing the wicked looking weapon.

“My favorite mojo, Tenn,” he said holding it up.

I chuckled. Whatever worked.

“Well, we’re here, son,” said Simon. “What’s the plan?”

I introduced them to the doctor, and gave them a quick run-down while the doctor went to speak to the crowd.

“I have something that will take out the laser they have, and the shield. I believe it will also negate the thing that holds the anomaly open, something the doctor calls a wedge. It’s on the company grounds and I have to get within five feet of it. I’m going to need help making my way there. What I need you to do, Simon, is to give everyone the basics. These folk you see walking in, well, they don’t know about the aliens so they’re going to have to be convinced. There’s a body in the trunk of the doctor’s car. Give them a glimpse of that. That ought to get them going. Once they’re over their shock, get them organized into groups.”

He nodded. “Will do.” He turned and gazed out over the still assembling crowd. He smiled. “Piece of cake, son. And, the doctor’s trunk isn’t the only thing holding one of those bastards. Got three in the back of my pick-up. I thought somebody else might need convincing so I came prepared.” He grinned. “Grenades are too hard to come by, so I also got some Molotov cocktails on the back of the truck. That’s what took so long for us to get here, had to get those going.”

“Uh, will those do much good? The buildings are bound to have sprinklers.”

“Sure they will, son. Even with sprinklers, the cocktails still make a lot of smoke, and if nothing else, the sprinklers will put a kink in things. Don’t you worry, they’ll work just fine.”

I nodded. If he said it would work, I’d take his word for it. He’d been in a hell of a lot more fights than me.

Terry came trotting down the sidewalk. The kid looked tired but triumphant.

“I got to every house, Mr. Murray!” He looked around, and nodded. “Some of ‘em done already got here.”

“Yes, they have. You did a good job, Terry,” I said. “Now get inside and tell one of the guys to get you something to eat and drink. Then you need to rest, son.”

“Yes, sir.” He slipped between Madison and Simon and went inside.

I explained who he was and what he’d done. Simon shot a look toward the door.

“Brave kid. He deserves a reward,” he said.

I agreed but rewards were going to have to wait.

The doctor came back up and I explained that Simon was going to get everyone organized. He nodded and we went inside with Madison. Lowell and Buster followed us in.

“Where is she?” asked Madison her eyes worried.

“Follow me, Ms. Effingham,” said the doctor. “I’ll show you where you can leave your coat and I’ll take you to her. She’ll be waking up soon and I’ve prepared something for the headache and nausea she’s going to have. It’ll make her sleepy, but I promise you, she’s going to be all right.”

Madison shot me a raised eyebrow as they went up the stairs and I gave her a reassuring smile.

In a few minutes, the doctor came back down without her.

“She was waking up and in a lot of pain so I gave her the medicine. Her sister insisted on staying with her for now.”

I nodded. I understood. Morgan was the only family she had left. She was going to make damned sure she was okay above all else.

Lem, Duncan, and Percy emerged from the livingroom and after brief introductions, they went outside after I explained that Simon was organizing everyone into groups.

I was loading my weapons and checking to make sure everything was in place when the doctor said, quietly, “Tennessee, you realize that this could fail.”

I paused, studying him. “I know, Doctor, but we have to try.”

He looked at me keenly. “What I mean is, you are depending too much on a device at which we’re only guessing the true function.”

I stared at him, my mind blank because I’d thought we had learned the true function.

IPULLED OUT THE CANCELER AND HELD IT UP.

“According to the instructions, this will not only take down the shield and lasers, but we found the third switch which must shut down the wedge. How can it not be for that – those Binqua guards died trying to take it from me! Are you telling me it won’t work for any of that?”

Dr. Bennet shook his head. “That’s not what I’m saying, Tennessee. In fact, I do think it will negate the shield and the lasers. Nevertheless, I don’t know what the middle switch controls. Those instructions weren’t clear. It did have the term “anomaly” in it but the rest didn’t translate into English. It’s speculation to think it’s there to shut it down.”