Episode 6

Ben opened his eyes slowly and saw his familiar friend gazing down at him.

“Try and keep your hair on mate.”

“What are you?”

“I’m not a little green man from Mars my friend. I’m an ally, a friend if you like.”

“Then those magazines are...?”

“A perfect cover of course. My job is to protect you lot from marauding aliens.”

Ben sat up slowly as his friend waited with infinite patience.

“We grew up together. Went to school together. We even masturbated together.”

Kevin shook his head slowly.

“I created those false memories to protect my cover. Now do you want to rescue that woman or not?”

Ben stood up and nodded grimly.

“Then we must return to my lousy home first. My car is outside.”

As they drove back toward Nevis Road, Ben could not stop staring at him.

“You will get used to it sooner than later. Believe it or not, you need me.”

The car drew up and the old friends dashed out. As Ben found himself once more inside the untidy room, Kevin led the way into the second storeroom.

“What’s in here?”

Kevin smiled at him and tapped the rear wall softly. Ben was stunned as it slid open to reveal a squat silver craft.

“You have a shuttle?”

“Not quite that my friend. Hop aboard.”

A hatch swung open and Ben seated himself upon a red leather seat as Kevin prepared for launch.

“You’ll feel a slight jerk when she activates.”

The jerk duly came and as the roof vanished for a second, the craft hurtled rapidly toward the vacuum of space.

As the g-force increased, Ben began suffering breathing problems.

“Don’t worry,” Kevin assured him. “It will pass shortly.”

The atmospheric envelope was breached, and Ben gazed around at the darkness of space and the blue planet below.

“It looks lovely.”

“So it does now let me see.”

He tapped a control and said, “Now your scanners cannot detect me. So where have they put it?”

Ben had no idea and kept quiet as the craft swung around in a vast circle.

“I think we have found them mate.”

“I don’t see anything.”

Kevin smiled.

“Trust me, the craft is directly ahead. Now I need to activate an override signal.”

As he did this, a huge craft came into view and an immense door swung open. Derek guided his craft inside and landed gently inside the bay.

“Just wait until it pressurises mate.”

After five minutes, the external pressure was equalised and the hatch swung open once more. As they emerged, a familiar voice accosted them.

“I see we have visitors.”

Ben froze as Kevin glanced around.

“We need the woman right now.”

The voice seemed to laugh softly before Ben was forced to his knees.

“You can cut that out for a start,” Kevin protested.

“Little man,” the voice replied. “You are surprisingly naive. You are no threat to us.”

He felt his own legs buckling and desperately resisted.

“My cards are fully loaded!”

As he sank down, he pressed his gold ring and yelled, “Thirty second countdown!”

The pressure suddenly relaxed.

“What do you mean by that?”

Kevin pointed toward his small craft.

“Automatic destruct sequence my friend. Twenty seconds.”

Ben struggled up, gazing around in mounting terror.

“I cannot die here!”

“Calm down and have a biscuit.”

Kevin stared at nothing until the voice relented.

“She will be brought here.”

Kevin pressed his ring again and audibly sighed.

“I’ll wait here then.”

There was no sound from their antagonist as Ben stopped shaking at last.

“That was some bluff.”

“I don’t bluff mate. It did the trick. Frenier shall be released and we can return home.”

A far wall vanished and a confused woman staggered through. Her body now wore a plain gown that her captors had supplied.

“At least you are okay,” Ben said running to grab her.

“How did you two get here?”

“Never you mind,” Ben said leading her back to his friend.

“You have what you came for,” the pleasant voice said.

“There is just one more condition attached,” Kevin said.

“You are really pushing your luck.”

“You can take others if you wish but this woman must be left alone.”

There was an ominous silence.

“You can’t trade me for others,” the woman protested.

“I have no choice mam. Now be quiet.”

“It is agreed,” the voice said at last. “Now leave whilst you can and be warned. “A second arrival shall have unfortunate
consequences.”

Kevin turned and led his companions back t the waiting craft. As he adjusted the controls he muttered, “That was just a little too easy.”

The pressure dropped and the great doors slid open allowing the craft to slide into space once more. As soon as they were clear, energy bolts burst around them.

Kevin jammed the control forward, sending the craft into a rapid descent.

“Firing thrusters now.”

The bolts failed to hit as the nose cone turned a bright red.

“Re-entry underway. A little nose up I think.”

He pulled back and the rattling stopped, as friction was reduced to relatively safe levels. All too soon, the familiar hamlet came into view.

“Retro-thrusters in operation,” Kevin muttered as the craft breached the force field and landed safely.

“Everyone out.”

As the hatch swung back, the three companions stepped out and walked back into the familiar room. Kevin closed the hatch and led them into the untidy lounge.

“I don’t have to warn you both concerning my secret.”

“Never worry,” Frenier said. “I won’t say a word.”

“What about Harris?” Ben asked.

“Frenier can just say the aliens released her unharmed.”

“I can do that.”

They shook hands and after departing, they walked arm in arm toward her waiting home.

“What a day this has been,” she muttered.

“Not one of my favourites.”

“Fancy helping me finish some wine?”

Ben smiled at her and whispered, “I think that would be lovely.”

TBC...