Seaway International Bridge
Canada, US border crossing
Kieran was chasing the alien speedster for all he was worth. Fatigue was starting to take effect but he still had gas in the tank.
"Kieran, what''s your status?" Commander Wilder inquired through the party chat.
"I''m on J 138, Pete. l think the alien is trying to cross the bridge into the US." Kieran reported. Pierre Wilder was an informal boss in the field. Results counted more in his book.
"Do your best. Don''t cross the bridge. I''ll warn US border security." Pierre ordered.
"You''re the boss." Kieran ran after the alien. They were about evenly matched in speed. She had better equipment, better firepower, better armor and she could fly. What he had was a painted target.
Above the area, Pierre Wilder saw the alien about to cross into the US.
He checked his phone first for service. He had three bars. He opened a chat with the RCMP detachment on the ground and called the US border.
"Good morning, DHS. How may I direct your call?" The operator promptly answered the first call of the day.
"Good morning Ronda. Is Bobby in yet?" Ronda recognized Pete Wilder''s voice.
"He sure is, Pete. I''ll connect you right away." Ronda transferred the call directly to her boss. Robert Baxter.
"Yello!" Bobby put his coffee down and hit the speaker.
"Bobby, it''s Pete. You got a runner about to cross the border."
"Well good morning to you too Pete. And no he ain''t!" Robert Baxter hit the panic button to wake up his men.
"I hate to tell you this but it''s travelling at Mach 1, and there it goes...check your speed sensors at the gate, how fast was it?" Pierre was curious.
"Hold on." Pierre could hear Bobby call for a Dotti to get him the information. "By the way Pete, where are you?"
"I''m about a kilometre above my side of the border. I called before it crossed, but it was going too fast. My man had to stop on my side to catch a ride. He should be pulling up to your side any minute now."
"I''ll be damned. It hit over 800 miles an hour. Pete, what is this ''it'' we''re talking about?" Senior Agent Robert Baxter put his parka on and went outside to check the scene himself.
"It! Is the son of an alien bitch that has attacked Ottawa twice in the last seven hours." Pierre was barely keeping his temper below the boiling point.
"This has anything to do with the flashes we had this morning? No one has told us mushrooms anything." Bobby complained.
Pierre knew about the mushroom treatment. Kept in the dark with fertilizer dumped on you all the time. "Yeah, you could say that. First, the Flash event and then later that night we had the first alien incident. They tried an orbital bombardment. If we didn''t have someone on our side to block that I wouldn''t be talking to you this morning."
"Oh My God. It''s an Alien invasion! Does the president know?” Robert Baxter knew aliens. They usually tried to go through his border to the Canadian side. Much different than what he saw on the southern border. This was the first time this year that someone crossed the US/Canada border trying to sneak into the United States from the Canadian side. Just his luck it had to be an Alien, Alien!The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"They all know. As for the aliens; The first was a misunderstanding. Or so they say. It was a bunch of space cops with crapy equipment that went bonkers. The second wasn''t. They destroyed a few homes and heavily damaged the street I live on. We got most of them, but the one that got away was their version of the flash." Pierre saw the RCMP SUV pull up beside Robert Baxter. "The big black man that just came out is one of my constables. Officer Kieran Maloney. He was chasing the boggie when it crossed the border."
"What the hell is this trench?" Bobby pointed at the trail left behind by someone running at over Mach 1 on the snow-covered road. "You Maloney?" Bobby double checked.
"Yes, sir." Kieran shook Robert Baxter''s hand as he introduced himself.
"Pete where are you? I can''t see or hear no rotor blades." Bobbie was trying to locate the RCMP commander. "Come on down."
"Can''t do that Bobby. I have eyes on the target and if I come down we''re gonna lose it for good." Pierre flew another 500 meters higher to keep the target in sight. "It''s really moving."
"Is there some way you can share the targeting info? I''ve already called up an MQ-9 Predator B to chase it down. Can''t you pass it on that way?" This was turning into a hell of a problem. Alien invasion on his watch.
"There''s a way Bobby, but you''re going to owe me for this." Pierre finally answered.
"You name it Pete. I''ll pay it. I know can trust you." Bobby knew the Canuck wouldn''t screw him.
"You know what? Screw it. This is me paying it forward Bobby. You do the same! Promise!” Pierre said seriously.
"You know I will Pete. I promise. Scouts honour!” Robert Baxter gave the scout salute in front of Kieran Maloney and his Border Patrol agents.
''Pete he just gave me a scout salute. You know why?'' Kieran reported over the party chat.
''Yea. I do. Thanks for letting me know.'' Pierre replied. He felt better about doing this. "Bobby I''m sending you a party invite on the Xerys System. Accept it."
"Whhhaaattt? Pete, I thought you said we''re after an alien. Why do you want to use their stuff?" Bobby was confused? What was the Canucklehead getting at?
"No Bobby. This system was specifically made for us humans. The Aliens have their own version. It''s why this put us under quarantine. I know we can trust this system." Pierre explained.
"How do you know? I wanna believe you, Pete. I really do. Show me something." Robert Baxter was desperate at this point. He wasn''t however about to jump in blind.
"I know because my brother is one of the system administrators. That''s how I know. I''ll make it worth your while. Trust me." Pierre needed to get this man''s cooperation before it was too late.
Robert Baxter decided to take a leap of faith. He wasn''t about to make that leap on his own. "Alright, Pete. I trust you." He accepted the party invite. "I want my niece Jolene to join in too. She''s with DHS."
"No kidding. Little Jo. Since when?" Pierre sent Jolene an invite too. He knew she was a good kid.
"She was assigned just before Thanksgiving. Having her with us will make this a bit easier for me." Bobby wasn''t afraid but he wanted a backup.
"Okay." Pierre put away the phone before the battery died from the cold.
<Hi Bobby. Hi Jolene.> Pierre sent over the party line.
<Whoa, Pete. Awesome! I was exploring this thing all day. But I didn''t dare go in too far.> Jolene''s enthusiasm was about the same as the last time he saw her. She was seventeen going on eighteen. That was two years ago.
<Hi Jo. Are you ready for an adventure?> Pierre asked on Jolene''s HUD.
<With you? Always!> she replied.
<Could you please tone it down Joli-bear. You''re embarrassing Pete.> Bobby interrupted.
<No she''s not!> <No I''m not!> both Pierre and Jolene replied at the same time.
<Come on, guys, knock it off! Pete, you said you had something to share?> Bobby changed the subject.
Pierre laughed but he too wanted to move this along. <We''ll catch up later Jo.> Pierre got things ready on his end. <So this is something that I had Rene help me with. Do you guys remember that Mind ability you were given as a gift? That was from Rene.>
<Yes. I remember.> niece and uncle replied together.
<Good. This is like that. So earlier as I said Ottawa got attacked. I got enough energy to get a really good ability, but what I''m going to do is share that with this party. That''s me and you two.> he saw that the two were following along. He continued, <The first ''Big'' level ability is the Gamma level. The energy for five Gamma abilities makes one Beta level ability and ten Beta abilities equal an Alpha ability.>
<Time''s wasting Pete, speed it up.> Bobby complained.
<I think that''s just fascinating.> Jolene disagreed. This was really good intelligence.
<Fine. I''ll stop with that. I''m going to share Beta level energy between the three of us. I''m also choosing the abilities. Otherwise, you''re not gonna be much help.> Pierre had sent a message to Rene''s AI to set it up.
{...Energy detected...
...Gamma level Flight ability is now accessible...}
<Go ahead and accept Gamma level Flight.> Pierre told them. When they did he continued.
{...Gamma level Environmental Force Field ability is now available...}
<Ooh. That''s a cool one too.> Jolene squealed.
<Yeah, yeah. That''s really nice Pete. Thank you. What about the last one?> Bobby asked.
<I''m keeping that one. I''m getting Gamma level Telekinesis.> said, Pierre.
<Ooh! That''s a nice one too. I wouldn''t mind getting that.> Jolene tried to get another ability for free.
<Sorry Jo. All out of energy. Tell you what you help catch the alien and there might be enough energy to get that one later.> Pierre had nothing left to share. It was time to put these guys to work. <So until you guys get us permission to join the hunt you will have to take point. I''m sharing the targeting information.> Pierre sent them the targeting resolution and showed them where the alien was on the map.
<Got it. It''s really moving. How are we going to catch up?> Bobby asked?
<How about we start with you joining me up here.> Pierre smiled when the two realized he was flying solo above them.
Pierre guided them through the first use of their powers and waited for them to join.
It took a few minutes but they managed.
<Wow! What a view.> Jolene could hardly believe this was happening. It was all thanks to Pete. She flew right at Pierre and gave him a full strength hug.
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." It came out as a whisper.
<Let''s stick to party chat. We won''t be able to talk otherwise.> Pierre told her with a smile.
Jolene nodded in agreement.
Pierre explained that he was going to go higher into orbit and play overwatch. Their job was to go after the alien.
Bobby agreed and with Jolene beside him, they gave chase.