Andersonville 29 – Terror From the Sky

by Kelly Davidson

Part 2

 

"Get them out of my sight!" Barbie insisted in a frightened tone. The Cass's were standing in their living room, at least what used to be the Cass's. White statues made of what looked like polished marble stood there staring down at her. Mr. Cass's face was stern, as if he was angry about something. Mrs. Cass's mouth as partly opened as if she had been screaming at the time.

"It's okay," the Medusa reassured her. "They can't hurt you. Go ahead, touch them."

"No," she replied in horror and repeated her demand. "Get them out of my sight. They…they frighten me."

"There's nothing to be frighten of my dear. They're not dead, just suspended until I need them. Once you give birth to our first batch of children I'll return them to normal. They'll be just as they were before, only under my control. In fact they'll be perfect for helping me deliver the rest of our children."

"I don't care, get them out of here."

"You best get used to them my dear, for I'll be bringing more of them into our house. Our home will be filled with them."

"What is it you want?" Barbie asked. "Are you going to turn the entire world into statues?"

"My dear Barbie, of course not. We're not conquerors. I'm here to save your race from itself. Once I established a safe zone, I'll call more of my people here. They'll each build their own armies and take over different sections of the world. Once we're strong enough, then we'll deal with your problems."

"How…how many people will that be?"

"No more than a sixth of your worlds population, I give you my word on that, Barbie," the Medusa replied in a reassuring manner. "We'll move to bring peace and prosperity to your world. All the bad people will be dealt with, leaving just the good. War will be outlawed, and new medicines will be brought here to cure diseases so you'll live longer, healthier lives. Cancer, heart disease, and strokes will all be a thing of the past. Your people will live like kings under our rule."

"You…you mean that? You're really here to help?"

"Of course we are, Barbie. We want to be a part of your world. The way it stands now, if we don't do something your race could be extinct in a hundred years or so. By intervening, we can save millions in the next few years and countless more in the future. Everything your people desire will come true. We have a motto, Barbie. A Medusa world is a happy world."

Barbie laughed. "Ken, do you know how silly that sounds." Then she stopped and her eyes got big. "Did you say 'Medusa'?"

"Yes Barbie. I see you've read the myths about my race. I assure you, we're not evil. My race is a very kind and compassionate civilization. We seek your people so we can be safe within its masses from our enemies. In return we'll build you a safe world…the type of world your people desire. Doesn't that sound fair?"

"I…I guess so," Barbie replied. She was beginning to see Ken in an entirely different light. He wasn't a monster; he was good-hearted alien bent on saving the world from itself. Where was the harm in that?" "My…my friends?"

"Will be fine Barbie, I promise. Once our children enter into them, they'll become themselves again, only happier. You know why?" Barbie shook her head. "Because they'll be a part of us, and a part of changing the world for the better." Barbie's eyes welded up.

"My dear, what's wrong?" Ken asked in concern.

"My father…he died of cancer last year. I watched him pass away slowly and painfully. I swore I would find a cure for it, and now you're offering me that chance. I…I was so wrong about you." She buried her head in his chest.

"It's okay my dear. First we need to get you pregnant; then we can start taking steps to save the world…together. I think tonight will be the night my mate. Should we go to bed and give it another try?"

Barbie reached over and kissed him on the forehead. "Give me a minute my love. I want to put on the new nightgown you got me this morning."

"I would like that," the Medusa smiled cheerfully. "Before you go, I have something I want to show you." Ken reached down and pulled a long item wrapped in paper from behind the chair.

"What is it?" Barbie asked with wide eyes.

"Something very near to my heart. I brought it with me from my world." Ken slowly removed the paper to reveal a long, shinny sword. "This has been in my family for centuries," the Medusa smiled sentimentally. "It's my oath to you, that as long as I'm alive I will dedicate my heart and soul to protect you at all cost. You're a part of me, and I am your servant."

"Ken…I…I don't know what to say." Barbie found herself getting emotional.

"The tears in your eyes say it all, my dear. I will keep this by the fireside so if anyone ever does break in, it will be within easy reach. Now, you were saying something about trying on that new nightgown.

Barbie blushed. "Give me a minute my love."

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

The Medusa looked happily at the morning sun rising over the trees. Mr. McCoy was right; it did snow a lot last night. The Medusa turned and threw another log on the fire. It found the heat refreshing.

His mate slept soundly in their bed, unaware of the good news. She was pregnant with their first batch of kids. He would have to be patient and gentle with her now. His mate would be tired and cranky as the time got closer, and she would require more food and sleep. He would have to attend to her needs, but right now all he could do was glow at his accomplishment. Soon a new world would appear.

It puzzled the Medusa why so many races rejected them at first. Indeed, once they took care of the troublemakers, the rest of the people rejoiced in what they had done. No longer did they have to live in fear or poverty. Yet it was always the same in the beginning…there were those who were stubborn and opposed them. In the end those people became part of their order and no one was the wiser. In the end the Medusa always won, and their victory rained down on the people they now swore to serve. In the end the Medusa's were proven that what they were doing was right.

There were obstacles here. The Medusa had sensed the Olympians – not a great number but enough to inconvenience them. He was surprised that they hadn't tried to track him down yet. Well, if they did try he had a trick or two up his sleeve. Things had changed in the past 10,000 years, and there were now ways of fooling their senses. How wonderful Medusa technology was.

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

It was a long day for Dennis, followed by an even longer night. He had been up for three long days with little sleep, trying to figure out a way to find the Medusa. It was hopeless. When I walked into my office and saw him sitting there, I took pity on the poor man. He looked horrible.

"Dennis, you have to sleep," I told him. "You're killing yourself. Let me drive you to my house. You can sleep in my bed for a few hours."

The director ignored my offer, and looked at me with his blood-shot eyes. "Do you know what today is, Linda?" he mumbled.

"Monday," I answered in a concern tone. I had never seen Dennis like this before. He was always so cool and professional. Now he looked like a broken man who was bent on killing himself.

"No. Today is the last day. The Medusa has surely gotten its mate pregnant by now, and she's due. Today is the last day your world will experience peace.

"Our world," I corrected him. "You live here too, Dennis."

My words actually caused him to smile just a little. "I keep forgetting." Then his frown returned. "I should have stopped this long ago. I shouldn't have allowed the first Medusa to put its roots here."

"And I should have trusted you in the beginning Dennis, but I didn't. Attitudes change over time, and so does the world. Eighty years ago women couldn't vote in this country. Hell, they couldn't do a lot of things that men did. Now look at them. What may be wrong today was acceptable a hundred years ago…or even 10,000 years ago." I knelt and took hold of his hands. "Dennis, what happened back then and now are not related. Besides, could you have stopped the first Medusa from doing what it did?"

"No, I suppose not…but I didn't even try."

"You're trying now," I smiled gently. "Doesn't that mean anything to you? It does to me."

I swear he almost laughed at me for using his words against him. "I'm sorry about ruining your date this weekend."

"It's okay, Tom understands."

"You love him, don't you Linda?"

"It's funny, but yes I do. I can see myself spending the rest of my life with him as his…his wife. Yet I'm terrified at the thought. What will I say the next time he asks me to marry him?"

"Say yes."

"You're a big help, Dennis. You just want to see me married."

"Marriage is a wonderful thing, Linda."

"If it's right, Dennis. Remember, I was married once." I suddenly felt a sharp pain bringing up my past life. I had almost forgot who I used to be. Not wanting to talk about myself anymore, I moved quickly to change the subject. "How does the Medusa know so much about our culture?"

"It reads the memories of its host. In the beginning the Medusa would be pretty dense. It would learn our language quickly, but not understand all the different meanings to a word. Its sentence structure would be simple. As it has time to probe and absorb the information, it would begin to fit in better. By now the Medusa's learning would be complete. Everything Robert Sprint knew it would know. His family, friends, the vacation's he took, his military training, the things he learned in school…"

Something clicked inside. "What did you say?"

"What?" Dennis blinked his tired eyes. "I said the Medusa would know everything Robert Sprint learned in school."

"No, before that. You said something about the vacations he went on."

"Yeah, so what? I was trying to make the point that the Medusa would know everything that Sergeant Sprint had ever learned or experienced."

"But only what Robert knew, right? Not the person he kidnapped!"

"Yes, that's correct" Dennis answered slowly. "Isn't that enough?"

I put my hands to my head and pushed my long, brown hair back. "My God, it's so simple. Dennis, put yourself in the Medusa's position. You just landed on a planet you know nothing about. You don't know where anything is or which direction to go except…"

"From what your host is familiar with," Dennis finished for me. Then he frowned. "That doesn't help much, Linda. I've seen Sergeant Sprint's service record. He's been all over this country. There has to be thousands of hiding places the Medusa could run too."

"This is why you need to sleep Dennis, you're not thinking straight. The Medusa can only get as far as the car and money he took will allow. It would know better than to use the credit cards and leave a paper trail. Except for the money he pulled off those teenagers, it doesn't have enough cash to buy an airline or bus ticket – or clothes for the trip. That limits where it could go."

"And where would that be?" Dennis asked as he rubbed his eyes. "A densely populated area or some place where there are few people?"

"Both have their advantages," I pointed out. "Hide with the masses and blend in is appealing, except you know there would be cops in the area looking for you. On the other hand, go some place where there aren't a lot of people and they won't be looking. If I had my choice, I would pick the latter."

"Except you're not the Medusa, and it still doesn't tell us where it might be. It could be hiding in some small town."

I shook my head. "No, I don't think so. The Medusa is going to hide where it thinks it'll be safe. It'll search Sergeant Sprint's memories for what he considered a secure location and head for it, providing it's within the range and funds the Medusa has available. What we need to do is find out where Sergeant Sprint's favorite spots were."

"His wife," Dennis answered as he clumsily tried to stand. I pushed him back down.

"Not you," I told him. "I'm taking you home and putting you to bed. Judge Herns and I will go see her. We're going to need you to talk to General Grim and get his assistance, and you're no good in your current condition. You're going to bed, Dennis…and don't argue with me!" The director didn't put up a fight. He simply nodded his head in a tired fashion.

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

I helped Dennis to bed and told my mom to make sure no one disturbed him. I didn't think that was really possible. When I went back upstairs to check on him he was snoring soundly. June picked me up in her car and drove to the airport.

"Isn't there a faster way?" I asked.

"Because of this crisis, the old goat has cut back on the power available to me. I'm afraid we'll have to travel as regular people. I made arrangements to have us flown to St. Paul's and have a car waiting." She eyed me carefully. "Linda, this young woman just lost her husband. She's confused and upset. We need to question her with tact."

"Are you saying I don't have tact, June?"

"Usually yes, but I noticed when the stakes are high you concentrate more on the goal instead of the people involved. We need to keep her feelings in mind and not push too hard."

"Time is running out, June."

"I'm aware of that, Linda. But if you push her, she may not tell us what we need. I think it's better if I lead, being the older woman."

"I understand," I said a little dejected. Judge Herns patted me on the knee.

"It's nothing personal, Linda. You do a fine job, but sometimes you let the detective side take over. Just remember, you're a woman trying to comfort another grieving woman."

We boarded Judge Herns' private plane and headed east. During the flight I looked over the profile Dennis had written up on the Medusa. One word came to mind; fascinating! Despite the fact they wanted to take over our world, I had to admire some of their qualities. The Medusa was an advanced race who felt it was their duty to protect other races from destroying themselves. They loathed suffering in all contemplative beings, and would therefore condemn themselves to a strange world to save millions, perhaps billions of beings they had no ties too. Even their dealings with those who caused them trouble were fair and humane. Yet I found myself feeling disturbed at their actions. Once incorporated into our system, the human race would be forced to do as they say or risk infection. Was their system better than ours was?

We landed at the airport and taxied to the terminal. After picking up our car, June got on the expressway. Along the way we discussed some of the things we were going to ask. It wasn't long before we were pulling up in front of Robert Sprint's house. It was a single story, brick ranch home on a huge lot. There was even a picket white fence in the front. I tugged on the skirt of one of my best suits as June rang the doorbell. Inside I heard a baby crying. An average looking woman with short brown hair and puffy eyes answered the door.

"Ms. Sprint," the judge said sadly. "I'm June Herns and this is my granddaughter, Linda. We're from the military wife's club. We came to see if there was anything we could do for you."

"I'm…I'm okay," she said bravely. "My mother just stepped out to get some groceries. She's been taking…taking care of me while they search."

"I understand, Ms. Sprint. Do you mind if we come in and talk until she gets back." At first I thought the grieving widow was going to refuse our request, but then she slowly opened the door and let us in.

"Call me Sandra," she sniffed while walking over to the fussing baby and picking her up. "Please, take a seat." She sat down in a chair while the judge and I took a seat on the couch across from her.

"Amy's been crying ever since Bob disappeared," she explained sadly. "She misses her daddy."

"I'm sure she does, Sandra," the Judge replied.

"I've been waiting for more news," she continued. "They say his helicopter went down in a remote lake and they haven't found his body. I'm hoping…praying that he's okay. He's just missing. Maybe he jumped out before it crashed and was swept away. He could be wandering around in the woods lost and confused."

I could see the despair in her eyes – she wanted to believe, even if by now it was clear her husband wasn't coming back. The army had said he was missing because saying otherwise would mean they would've had to produce a body. It was a clever cover story, yet it was taking its toll on the poor woman who clung to the hope that her husband was still alive.

"I understand, my dear," June told her. "You love him, and must have many fond memories."

"A lot," she smiled slightly for the first time. "We were high school sweethearts and got married right after graduation. We both wanted kids, and tried for years until Amy was born. The doctor said I would have trouble getting pregnant. She was our miracle baby."

"She's adorable," June cooed. "Such big, brown eyes."

"Just like her father," Sandra said, than stopped and looked like she wanted to cry. "I'm…I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay," June answered. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not you," she shook her head and tried to hold back the tears. "Bob means the world to me. We had all these great plans after he got out. We were going back for another weekend at the cabin to try and get pregnant."

"Cabin?" I asked.

"Yes," she replied, wiping a few tears away. "We were so frustrated at not being able to get pregnant the first time that my doctor suggested we take a break and get away for a while. So Bob reserved this cabin for the weekend where we could get in touch with nature. Two weeks later I discovered I was pregnant. We laughed, and called it our baby-making nest. We were going to go back and create another baby."

I looked at June, and she returned my stare. We were both thinking the same thing. The Medusa would have picked up on that.

"Where is this cabin?" June asked.

"Up North near Big Falls," Sandra replied absent-mindedly. "It's one of those camp grounds in the middle of the woods with these rugged looking, but modern cabins. Very romantic. I guess…I guess I won't be going there…there soon."

The poor woman had had enough, and immediately broke down crying. I took the baby from her while June wrapped Sandra in her arms. The Judge comforted her, and told her everything would be okay. Standing there holding her crying baby, I felt deep sympathies for her. Even if we did succeed, Sandra would never know the truth about how her husband had died.

After her mother showed up we quickly made our exit. June drove while I called home and told mom to wake Dennis up. A very sleepy director answered the phone.

"Yes Linda…did you find out anything?"

"I think so, Dennis. The Sprint's rented a cabin near Big Falls, Minnesota last year. That's not too far from where this started. She was in too much grief to remember the name, but there can't be that many resorts in the area."

"It's a long shot, Linda. I can try to get someone to check it out, but General Grim is convinced that our visitor didn't make it out of Wisconsin. There are plenty of other places to check near the landing site and you can bet they're getting high priority."

"Sergeant Sprint doesn't know anything about those places, Dennis. According to his wife, he never traveled much in Wisconsin. The only reason he was there in the first place was because of this mission. Most of their vacations were in Minnesota and the western states, and get this Dennis. They went to this cabin to get pregnant and it worked. Would our friend pick up on that?"

There was silence on the other end as Dennis weighted the facts. "I'm calling the general right now. Have Judge Herns put you on her plane to Big Falls. I'll make sure someone will be there to pick you up."

"But what about June?"

"No, too risky," he replied. "Our friend would pick up that she was nearby and make him jumpy. If he's there, I want him to relax. She'll understand. I have to make the call now. Nice work Linda, and thank June for me. See you in a couple of hours." He hung up before I had a chance to say goodbye. I put my phone back in a purse and thought about what Dennis had said. It was a long shot, but it was our best shot yet.

"You're flying there and I'm not," June stated as if she had heard the conversation. "Don't worry, Linda, I agree with Dennis. If the Medusa is there, we want to keep our presence secret from it."

"I feel like we're grasping at straws."

"We are," June nodded. "We are."

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

There were dozens of places near Big Falls to check and the general claimed he couldn't spare the men to look. Dennis took it upon himself to make some calls and get his own people involved. Trisha Brown and Dennis' son, Artus, were the first on the scene. They checked two other sites with no luck and pulled up to their third destination.

"You start it off," Trisha told him. Artus nodded and they got out of the car together. A bell rang as they entered through office door, and both Titans took a moment to kick the snow off their boots. The manager came out from the back and greeted them.

"What can I do for you folks?" he smiled.

Artus stepped forward and flashed his fake FBI id. "We're looking for a man who went AWOL a few days ago. Have you seen him by chance?" Artus pulled out Robert Sprint's military photo and laid it on the counter. The manager's eyes went wide with recognition.

"You bet I've seen him," he exclaimed excitedly. "He showed up in the middle of the night three days ago with some girl who couldn't have been older than 16. Claims they just got married, but I didn't see any ring on her finger. I should have known there was trouble. He's been acting awful suspicious ever since he's arrived."

"You say there's a girl with him?" Trisha asked.

"Yep, but I haven't seen her since the first night. The only one who leaves that cabin is Mr. Trump."

"Did you say 'Trump'?" Artus asked.

"That's the name he gave me," the manager replied. "Judging by your question, I take it that's not his real name."

"No. You're sure this is him?"

"Absolutely," the manager replied. "Something else you should know. He made friends with this couple next door, and now they're gone. They used to be outside all the time, but I haven't seen them for almost two days. There's a fire burning in the fireplace because I can see the smoke, but when I knock on the door no one answers. I just figured being newlyweds and all, maybe I'm calling at a bad time. But I've seen Mr. Trump go into their cabin a few times without even knocking; and when he leaves he's usually carrying stuff back to his place."

"Can you get us a cabin near Mr. Trump?" asked Artus.

"The one right across from theirs is available," the manager replied while handing him the key.

"Thank you," Artus responded polity. "Excuse me, Mr…"

"McCoy. Andrew McCoy."

"Mr. McCoy, there's going to be a lot of soldiers showing up here soon. I'm going to have to ask you not to speak to anyone about this. What we're dealing with here is a matter of national security!"

"You mean there's danger here?"

Artus pressed his lips together firmly. "Yes, there could be…which is why I need you not to talk to anyone. If the media shows up, people could get hurt. If you help us, we'll be in your debt."

"I'm a veteran, sir. Just tell me what you want me to do."

While Artus was explaining what he needed, Trisha Brown went outside and made the call. "Dennis, we found him."

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

I got off the plane and walked into the small terminal not knowing who would be there. When I saw who Dennis had sent I frowned. It was not one of my favorite people.

"Hi Linda," Trisha smiled as she approached. The woman was still as cute and pretty as the day she had walked me into the trap at Area 51. "Dennis told me to pick you up."

"Wonderful," I answered coldly.

Her eyes rolled humorously at my remark. "Oh, come on, Linda. You're still not mad about me lying to you, are you? I didn't do it to be cruel. It was the only way I could get you to your meeting with Dennis."

"I guess we all have our orders to follow," I agreed reluctantly. "Anything new?"

"Your suspicions were correct," she smiled. "We found the Medusa holed up in one of the cabins. Dennis has informed the general and is waiting for him to show up."

"How did Dennis get here before me?" I asked. "He should still be in the air."

Trisha just smiled and didn't answer the question. There could only be one way he had made it here before me. He must have had the same kind of transportation device the Olympians had.

She led me to her truck and we drove in silence for about a half-hour before turning onto a dirt road. It had gotten dark, and the lack of lights in the area made the night seem even darker. All of the sudden our truck was hit by a bright light. Trisha stopped the truck and rolled down the window. Four soldiers, all carrying serious looking guns, surrounded the vehicle. One of the soldiers pointed his flashlight at my face, blinding me.

"Trisha Brown with a guest," she replied. "Authorization bravo, tango, tango, alpha six. Password is wormstar."

The soldier seemed satisfied and turned off his light. "Down the road," he pointed.

"Thank you," she replied pleasantly while rolling her window back up. "God, I love your people, Linda. All this secret agent stuff."

I was going to tell her that this wasn't a game but nixed the idea. I had long ago concluded that Trisha wanted people to believe she was clueless, while in reality she was very much on top of things. It made me wondered if she was one of the known Titans in the myths, and what she thought of the Olympians. It seemed logical that if the Medusa succeeded, her people would be sitting pretty. Was she as dedicated to Andersonville as Dennis was, or did she want to see the Olympians brought down like Crius did through war? We pulled up to a large tent and Trisha turned off the motor. Without saying a word, she exited the vehicle and I followed her lead. She lifted the flap of the tent and motioned me inside.

"Hello Linda," Dennis greeted me. I noticed immediately how much better he looked. Those few hours of sleep had done him a world of good. In the middle of the tent was a table with a map. Three soldiers were talking into their headphones and making marks on it.

"What's going on, Dennis?"

"Trisha and my son found the Medusa. They took some pictures of him when he went next door. It's him. The manager also reported there's a young girl with him."

"Are we too late?"

"No, not yet. Artus got a look at the girl about an hour ago through the window. She's pregnant, so we need to move fast."

"Ten-hut!" one of the soldiers announced. They all stiffened in attention.

"At ease," the general replied as he walked over to the table followed by his aides. Turning to the major in charge, he asked, "What's the situation?"

"We have the cabin surround with six teams of snipers armed with nightscopes, sir. The curtains are drawn, so we can't get a shot at him. We're waiting on your orders."

"Are the rockets here?"

"ROCKETS!" Dennis yelled in surprise. General Grim glare at him."

"Arrived twenty minutes ago, sir," the major dictated. "I've already dispatched the teams into position. Here…here…and here." He pointed to some fix points on the map.

"What are you planning to do, General Grim," Dennis snarled.

"I'm going to put an end to this nightmare," he proclaimed. "If I can't shot the son of a bitch, then I'll fire some anti-tank missiles at the cabin. That thing won't know what hit it."

"What about the innocent civilian, General?" Dennis pointed out bitterly.

"There's nothing I can do about that," the general stated coldly. "If I have to kill one person to save thousands it's worth the price. I don't like the idea, but we're running out of options."

"Let me have a crack at the Medusa, General."

General Grim stared at Dennis with mistrust. "What are you wanting to do?"

"Talk to it…see if I can reason with it."

"REASON!" the general bellowed. "That thing killed one of my men, imprisoned others in some kind of stone cage – including civilians – and has done who knows what to that poor boy beside just turning him into a girl. Now how reasonable do you think this thing will be Mr. Butz? We're running out of time."

"Give me ten minutes."

"Absolutely not! If I let you go in I'll be giving away our advantage."

"I can assure you General, the Medusa knows your men are out there."

"More information you kept from me, Mr. Butz," the general said in an accusing manner. "Now you're telling me it has some kind of radar that can detect us?"

"Yes I am general! It's not stupid! I'm sure it's set up some kind of warning devices around it's camp. It could be plotting to attack your men right now."

"All the more reason to decline your request and take it out now. Major, get your men on the…"

"WAIT JUST A DAMN MINUTE YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH!" Dennis yelled furiously while slamming his fist on the table. This caused everyone to stop what they were doing and take notice.

"Before you go off and start an inter-galactic war General, you need to consider what you're doing. Do you think this will be the only Medusa that will grace your path? More will come General, and then what? Do you think you can just 'blast' them out of the sky? Trust me General Grim, what you do in the next few minutes will determine the future of your people. Attack this Medusa and you're opening up a whole new can of worms. "

"It attacked us first!" General Grim shot back, refusing to budge.

"It doesn't know any better, General. The Medusa thinks it's doing your race a favor. It's like a mother who just found an abandoned baby near death. It sees all your suffering and wants to end it. The Medusa's means may be at fault, but not its reasons. If I can talk to it, I might be able to convince it that what it's doing is wrong. If I fail, then you can blast it to hell. At least when the next Medusa arrives, you can show them that you did try to make peace first. They'll respect that."

"How can I allow a creature that could enslave thousands of my people without us even knowing about it to stay here?" the general stated. "It would be reckless on my part if I did. That…thing has already shown it thinks we aren't fit to run our own lives."

"Then send it home if you must General, but don't just kill it without trying to set up a dialog. Trust me General Grim, the Medusa can be a very vengeful race if angered. Ask the Olympians if you don't believe me."

The general stared at Dennis in anger. Everything inside told him to strike before it was too late. On the other hand, what the Titan God had said made a lot of sense. Someday, someone would have to deal with them again. Would it be better to approach them as peacemakers, or cold-blooded warriors?

"Ten minutes," General Grim said, making it sound like he was cursing. "If we don't hear from you by then, I'll blow the cabin away with you in it – and don't think I won't, Mr. Butz!"

"I'm sure you would get a great deal of pleasure doing so," Dennis sneered back. "By the way, Miss Anderson is going in there with me…if she's willing."

"Me?" I asked.

"Absolutely not," screamed the General. "I'm not putting any more civilians at risk!"

"Linda is needed to record the event," Dennis explained. "It's going to be necessary to show other Medusa's what happened, so they'll know their representative was wrong." The director stopped, and turned to me with troubled eyes. "I once made the mistake of assuming you would do as I wanted, Linda. I not going to make that same mistake again. I won't lie to you. Going in there will be dangerous. But if I thought you weren't needed then I wouldn't be asking. Will you come with me?"

"Yes," I said softly, touched by the respect he had shown me. The general heaved loudly and turned to the officer next to him.

"Major Ryan. Inform your men that Mr. Butz and Miss Anderson are going in."

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

Dennis and I took the truck Trisha had driven and headed for the campgrounds a few miles away. When we arrived I could see the lights were on, but the curtains were drawn preventing anyone from seeing in. Dennis parked in front the cabin, not even bothering to hide our arrival.

"It's better we don't startle it," he explained as we walked up to the front door. Dennis knocked, and I was surprised to see the door open.

"Come in," Robert Sprint welcomed Dennis and I warmly as if he had been expecting us. I followed Dennis in, and the Medusa closed the door and locked it. I had anticipated someone sinister, but the Medusa seemed quite charming.

"From the hearts of universal friendship, I welcome you to Earth," Dennis told him. His words startled the Medusa. He looked at Dennis carefully, then smiled.

"You're a Titan. I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you at first. You're aurora is different. Not like the humans, but not like a Titan either."

"I've been here for a long time," Dennis replied. A scared teenager peeked out from the bedroom, and the Medusa waved her in.

"Come here, Barbie. It's okay." She came out slowly, wearing a tee shirt and sweat pants while holding her swollen belly in her hands. "This is Barbie, my mate."

"I see you started the process," Dennis observed as he eyed her huge belly.

"What did you expect, Titan? My name is Morginlamin."

"I'm Dennis Butz and this is my helper, Linda. We don't have much time." The Medusa laughed.

"We have plenty of time my Titan friend. The men outside don't worry me. Soon they'll be under my control."

"You can't do this," Dennis stated. "We can work things out and come to a peaceful solution."

"How?" Morginlamin asked.

"There's a town I run called Andersonville. It's a place where my race, the humans, and even the Olympians live in peace. You can join us. I promise that if you do no harm will be taken against you."

"What about my children?" he asked while lightly patting Barbie's stomach. "I have 98 of them that will be arriving soon."

"I'm sorry, but the humans won't allow that to happen."

Morginlamin shook his head. "I can't allow you to kill my children any more than you could let them kill yours, Titan. And I could no more walk around without their protection than you could walk down a busy street naked. You're asking me to do the impossible. Besides, I have studied this race carefully, and it is in deep trouble."

"I agree, Morginlamin. However, the humans have a right to deal with their own problems in their own ways."

"But they're not dealing with them," the Medusa argued. "They keep making the same mistakes and letting people die. No! For their own good I'm needed here. Surely you can see that Titan. Even those who I don't bring into my order will see that. Join me now. Help me save these people from their own destruction!"

Dennis shook his head. "I can't let you do this, Morginlamin."

"And I can't let you kill my children," the Medusa answered while pulling a small box from his pocket. He pointed it at us, and suddenly I found myself unable to move my hands or legs. It must have had the same effect on Dennis, because he stood there looking surprised. The Medusa smiled at his reaction and explained, "A lot of things have changed in the past 10,000 years, Titan. You may be surprised, and even hate some of them. Here's another one of those advancements." He placed what looked like a few rubber bands on the table.

"Do you know what these are? They're cloaking devices. All I have to do is put one around each of my children and no one can see them. The people out there won't know they're about to be infected until my children enter inside them – and by then it's too late. Soon, in another hour, I'll control this campground. After that I'll start working my way out to your towns and cities, then I'll call more of my people to join me."

"I don't want to die," I pleaded, hoping that maybe my words would cause the Medusa to think about what it was doing. "I want to live, just like you."

The Medusa looked at me sympathetically. "My dear Linda, rest assured that you will not die. Your life will continue as it always has. My children will read your memories and make sure your life follows the values you set up – providing they are good values. You will see your life in a dreamlike state, my children will see to that. No, you will not die; you will live. However, I'm willing to make what you humans call, a deal. If you and this Titan join me, I promise that you and your families will not be infected – or your future children. Work with me – think of what we will accomplish together. Barbie has joined me. She knows this is the only way for her world to survive."

"There are many who will oppose you, Medusa. Perhaps you have not thought this out all the way," Dennis suggested.

"I will deal with them when the time comes, Titan. Now join me. Give me your word."

"I cannot."

Ken frowned. "My work would be easier with your help Titan. I can make you join me."

"What are you going to do, infect me?"

"If necessary."

"That would be breaking the treaty your people signed with us long ago," Dennis pointed out.

"As I said Titan, I lot has changed in the past 10,000 years." He looked at me carefully. "If you don't join me, I'll put your friend in storage and make sure she's the first to be infected."

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling very frighten that my life was threatened. What would it be like to live the rest of my life in a dreamlike state, unable to control my own destiny?

"Infecting her won't change my mind," Dennis insisted.

"I think it will, Titan," the Medusa countered. "Another advancement we learned from the Olympians; I can sense your feelings for her. You care about this one greatly."

I spun my head and looked at Dennis, but he didn't acknowledge my stare. "It's true I care a great deal for her, but not enough to hand over the human race to you!"

For a moment I didn't know whether to admire him for not giving in, or hate his guts for not trying to save me. Then I looked at the clock on the wall and realized it didn't matter. Our time was almost up. Either way I was going to die. I decided Dennis had made the right choice."

"I'll infect you both," the Medusa stated as he pushed Barbie behind him. "Once my children are born, you will both be made to join me. Then together we'll take on the world and shape it into what I want it to be. It's clear both of you have no idea what direction to go. Now watch carefully Titan, because I'm going to start with your helper first."

The Medusa smiled, and slowly raised his hand at me. So this would be the end of my life I thought. To die in a remote cabin at the hands of a mad alien, bent on taking over the world for our own good. How ironic!

"Last chance," the Medusa told Dennis. "Join me and I'll spare her life."

"I will never join you," Dennis hissed.

"So be it," the Medusa answered unpleasantly. It turned to take the shot, than suddenly gasped…its eyes opening wide in betrayal. Then it gasped again, and his eyes blinked several times. Barbie stepped out from behind it with a sword in her hands, the same sword the Medusa had sworn to use to protect her. In her eyes there was nothing but pure hate. The Medusa took a step toward her, then knelt to the ground. It looked at her in confusion.

"Why Barbie?" the Medusa asked in bewilderment. "I would've have given you anything you wanted. You would've been a queen; honored and revered. You name would have been known forever."

"You fucking bastard," she hissed. "You stole my life and were planning to do the same to others. I won't be a part of your plan to murder my people!" The Medusa looked at her painfully, then fell to the floor.

"Barbie, the device. Turn it off!" Dennis yelled.

The teenager grabbed the small box and threw it hard on the ground, cracking it in half. Then, just to be sure it wasn't working she stomped on it, smashing it into several pieces. Suddenly I was free from its grip.

"Quick Linda! Call General Grim and give the all clear signal," he told me. As I hit the code to speed dial to his station, Dennis knelt down beside the dying Medusa and held it in his arms.

"You won, Titan," it said. "I underestimated these humans. If only you had joined me."

"I wish you had joined me," Dennis replied with regret. "Hang on. You're going to be alright."

"No," it shook its head. "She pierced my blood sacks. My fluids have already entered into this body. It's too late." The Medusa winced in pain then said, "You never asked me about the war, Titan."

"It wasn't one of the more pressing topics on my mind."

The Medusa coughed and some white fluid came out of its mouth. "Come closer." It whispered something into his ear, and Dennis' face turned white. The Medusa gasped one more time and died. Several soldiers rushed into the room with their guns drawn.

"Get her to the portable X-ray machine," Dennis ordered. "We have to make sure those slugs aren't born alive."

Two soldiers grabbed Barbie by the arms and pulled her out the door. The others stood there looking at their dead comrade. Now his body could be laid to rest.

"I thought once the Medusa died so would the slugs?" I questioned.

"Only if they had already infected someone," he explained. "Their mental link to the Medusa hasn't been established yet. These slugs, while leaderless, would try to carry out the Medusa's last wishes."

"Will she be okay?" I asked.

"Barbie will be fine," Dennis responded while letting go of the Medusa and slowly standing. "It won't take much to kill the slugs." He looked back down at the Medusa, and I could see the distress on his face.

"What did it say to you, Dennis?"

"It told me the final outcome of the war between the Titans and the Olympians."

"Who won?"

"No one," he answered bitterly. "In the end we both lost." He walked past me and out the door without explaining further.

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

Like Dennis had promised, none of the people that had come in contact with the Medusa suffered any ill affects, all except for Robert Sprint that is. He had been laid to rest yesterday with full military honors. Dennis, June, and I had attended the funeral, and I couldn't get his young widows face out of my thoughts. I could still see the pain she was feeling in my mind. She would never know the truth about what had happened to her husband, but then I wondered...was that a bad thing? Perhaps having him die in a helicopter crash would be easier to deal with long-term then finding out he had been murdered in a cabin similar to the one that had once produced a blessing between them.

The others, Barbie's friends, Mr. and Mrs. Cass, and the men who had made the first contact with the Medusa were all taken care of. Dennis didn't tell me how, only that he had gotten them to stay quiet and I would've approved of how it had been done. That left Barbie, the former Tim Stevens. As I followed Judge Herns and Dennis Butz into the large conference room I wondered how she would be dealt with. Out of all the people who had been touched by the Medusa, she had been through the worse. She, or rather he, had suffered greatly, and there didn't seem to be a way to fix the situation.

General Grim had kept Barbie for three days in a sealed room before he was convinced that all of the Medusa's children were dead and she was no longer a threat. Dennis had talked to her several times during that period in private. Another day had been spent in Andersonville with Dr. Green. The doctor seemed to have reached Barbie, for she was much calmer now. The three of us took a seat across from her. Dr. Green sat next to Barbie holding her hand for support. I was surprise to see that Barbie was wearing a pretty dress that hung several inches above her knees, and a pair of stylish flats. In fact she was even wearing makeup and had her hair brushed in a very feminine manner. Had she accept who she was? Dennis cleared his throat.

"Before we begin Tim, I want to bring in your mother. She needs to hear what I have to say."

The young girl shook her head slowly and in a soft, painful voice said, "No…not her. I can't let her…see me…not like this."

"It's okay Tim, really," Dennis reassured her. "Your mother knows. I told her everything. I even showed her the pictures we took of you. She knows what you look like, and wants to see you again…to be with you. You're her child."

"Tim was her child," Barbie said stubbornly while fighting back the tears. "Look at me, Mr. Butz. I'm not her son anymore. Do you see how I'm dressed? I wore this outfit to make a point to both you and me. I'm a girl now. I belong to no one. I have no mother and father."

"I know you're afraid, Tim," Dennis answered calmly. "Hell, I would be too. But you can't hide from your mother forever. You're still her child. Through no fault of your own you're a girl now, but inside you're still her son. You have to accept that, Tim…just like you have to accept your new gender."

"You told me there might be a chance I could become a man again."

Dennis nodded. "Yes I did, Tim. But before I discuss that with you your mother needs to be here. Male or female, you're still a minor." He paused for a moment, and then continued in an open and honest manner. "Look Tim, you can say no and I'll respect that decision and not let her in. You saved the world, and right or wrong I owe you that much. But if you want my opinion son, you're making a big mistake by cutting her off."

"What if she…she rejects me," Barbie said looking away. Dr. Green patted her hand for support.

"She won't," Dennis promised. "As I said before, she's seen your pictures and wasn't turned off by them. She loves you, Tim!" Dennis paused for a moment to let that sink in, then continued. "Tim, there comes a time when you have to take risks with your feelings. I know you're having a hard time dealing with what happened to you, but you don't have to go through this alone. Your mother wants to be with you here today…right now. She requested me to tell you that. After everything she's done for you in the past Tim, you owe her the chance to meet with you."

The young girl continued to stare sadly down at the ground. "Dr Green, what should I do?"

"Dennis is right, Tim," she replied. "You owe your mother this chance."

Barbie looked at her and then Dennis. Her jaw grew tight, and without saying a word she reluctantly nodded.

"Linda, please show Ms. Stevens in."

I stood and opened the door. Tim's mother was sitting nearby, an attractive woman in her late 30's. She questioned me with her eyes. I smiled and nodded that it was all right. She tugged nervously at the hem of her dress and walked into the room. When she spotted Barbie her eye's glistened.

"Tim…are you okay? I was so worried about you." Mrs. Stevens stopped short of standing next to her son although I could tell it was a struggle to do so. This had been Dr. Green's plan; to have Tim meet her halfway.

"I'm not Tim…I'm…I'm Barbie. I'm…I'm not your child anymore!"

Mrs. Stevens stood there with tears rolling freely down her cheeks. "You will always be my child, Tim. I love you. Do you know how hard it's been on me not being able to see you? I thought you were dead until Mr. Butz told me the truth."

"I'm a girl now," she said rudely, trying to build a wall between them. "Don't you get that, Ms. Stevens? The son you once loved and knew is gone…dead."

"The son I knew would never give up," she stated. "I love you, Tim. Please, don't shut me out…not when you need me as much as I need…'want' you."

The wall broke, and Barbie started to sob. Dr. Green helped the young girl to her feet, and the teenager fell into her mother's arm. Together they cried, getting rid of the grief and fear they felt. Finally, after the last tears were dried, they sat down together. Ms. Stevens kept her arm around Barbie's shoulder and softly stroked her hair.

"I guess we should begin," Dennis expressed in a serious manner. "Tim, I told you there may be a way to turn you back into yourself. I did some checking and it can be done but…there's a huge risk involved."

"How…how huge of a risk?"

"Huge! I have a serum that will change your DNA back into what it used to be. By injecting your old DNA into your body, it can transform you back into your original self. That's a given. The problem is you most likely won't survive the transformation. The Medusa used some pretty powerful stuff on you. The samples I took from your skin tissues didn't react well to my serum. I don't think there's a way to correct this."

"What are the odds everything will turn out all right?" Barbie asked.

"I don't know…but they aren't good. One in six at best…at worse, a one in twenty shot. Frankly, I don't think it's worth the risk."

"It is to me," Barbie blurted out strongly. "You don't know what it's like, Mr. Butz. I need to be me again!"

"Tim," her mother said cautiously. "Please think about what he's saying. It sounds too risky."

"No I…can't." The teenager clinched her fists tightly. "I can't stay like this…trapped in a girls body."

"I'm afraid that until you turn 18 you don't have a choice," Dennis retorted. "You see, hero or not, I can't let you, as a minor, make that decision…and I'm not about to let you pressure your mother into allowing it to happen. This is my decision Tim…and mine only. Until you turn 18 you'll have to live as a girl."

"You can't do that to me," she protested.

"Yes I can Tim. I don't like doing it…I don't want to do it…but I can't let you throw your life away when you haven't even tried living as you currently are. Its my opinion that trying to use my serum to change you back is like playing Russian roulette, only in this case only one of the chambers doesn't contain a bullet. This is not a decision that should be made on a moments notice."

"Don't you see, I can never be happy as a girl," she said with tears in her eyes.

"You won't know until you try," Dennis countered. "You might be surprised at what you can get used to – and even enjoy."

"Mr. Butz, what happens to us in the meantime?" Mrs. Stevens asked. "Tim can't go home like this."

Dennis nodded. "I know Ms. Stevens. I've talked it over with Judge Herns, and we would like to offer you a place here. You'll start out fresh. All your needs will be provided for – a new job, a house, your daughter's clothes, everything. The only way for your son to know if using the serum is worth the risk is to try out his new life."

"I can't last that long," Barbie pleaded. "I can't."

"Yes you can, Tim," Dennis stated firmly. "I saw what you did to the Medusa. You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it. All I'm asking is that you give this life a try. If you're still not happy by the time you turn 18, I'll give you that shot at returning back to your old self…but not before."

"You promise, Mr. Butz?"

"Yes, if certain conditions are followed. You'll live as Barbie Stevens, or who ever you want to be, until then. That means dressing and acting like a girl at all times."

"You mean she can pick a new name?" Mrs. Steven's asked.

"If that's Tim choice," the director replied. "Considering how his situation came about, that may not be a bad idea. It will help your son put this behind him." Mrs. Stevens looked at her new daughter carefully. "You said certain conditions," Tim pointed out. "What are the others?"

"Nothing major. You'll see Dr. Green at least once a week. Frankly Tim, I think you need to talk to someone to help you overcome what happened. You've been through a lot this past week, and as strong as you've been, I'm concerned about you.

"You'll also have to behave and not cause trouble or try to leave Andersonville at any time without permission. If there are problems then you talk to Dr Green, Judge Herns, or myself…but you don't run off. Running away won't solve anything. We'll only have to bring you back and then you'll still have to face those problems. Those are my conditions Tim. Follow them and I'll keep my promise to you."

"You said dress like a girl – does that mean wearing dresses all the time."

"No, you can wear skirts too," Dennis chuckled then added, "I don't want you dressing like a Tomboy…that won't help you decide which life is best for you. You'll have to wear a dress or skirt at least once a week, but no more than that. Honestly, I think you'll find that dressing as a girl isn't all that bad."

Tim's mother, who had been silent through most of this, gave her daughter an encouraging nudge. "He's right you know, it's not so bad Tim. In fact, I think this might be fun. I get to have a daughter to dress up and do things with."

"Mom," Tim protested stiffly. "I don't want to be your Barbie doll."

"I don't want you to be either," she agreed. "But I think this could bring us closer together if we give it a chance. We also need to change your name. Do you have one in mind?"

"To be honest, I haven't thought about it," Tim admitted. "I don't suppose you had a name picked out?"

"Katie," she stated softly. "Katie Natalie Stevens, or Kat for short. That was what I was going to name you if you had been a girl. Is that name alright with you, Tim?" She brushed her daughter's hair to one side and smiled.

"I…I guess," the teenager agreed. "It's better than Barbie Stevens."

"It looks like our business is concluded," Dennis smiled warmly. "There's some paperwork you'll have to fill out, but we'll have you do it tomorrow after you settle in. Right now Judge Herns is going to drive you to your new home."

"You're going to love the place I picked out for you," June told them. Mrs. Stevens smiled and helped her new daughter stand. Together they left with Mrs. Stevens holding her new daughter tightly against her side.

"What do you think he will do?" I asked. Dennis smiled confidently.

"I suspect that by the time Tim turns 18, he'll be too happy with his new life to risk trying to change back. From our talks, he's seems to be a well-adjusted and happy teenager who enjoys life. He just needs to be shown that his life isn't over."

"I got the same impression talking to him," Dr. Green agreed. "I don't think he'll have any problems adjusting to his new life once he gets over the fact that he's now a girl."

"Wait until his first period," I said. "That'll make him want to change back even more." The two of them chuckled even though I hadn't been joking.

"Well, if he comes back to me in two years I'll be surprised," continued Dennis. Then he frowned. "I wonder if the Medusas will send a scout ship to find out what happened to Morginlamin?"

Now there was a horrible thought I said to myself. "What happens if they do?"

"Hopefully we'll do things differently and convince them to leave. The Medusa's really don't want trouble. They just have a way of finding it."

"Or bringing it out," Dr. Green added. "It's amazing our people signed a treaty with them."

My head snapped around, and I looked at Dr. Green in surprise. "You're a Titan?"

"Oops," she grinned sheepishly and stood quickly. "I'd better get going. I have an appointment with a client soon." She turned and rushed out the door as if trying to escape.

"I suppose you're pissed at me for not telling you in the beginning," Dennis said before I had a chance to say anything. Already I could see him preparing to do battle with me.

I smiled and slowly shook my head. "I expect surprises like this from you," I told him. "Buy me lunch and I'll forgive you."

"Deal," he replied happily.

"Oh, and you can explain to me how Dr. Green was able to get pregnant." Seeing that she was a Titan, I didn't think that was possible. I was under the impression that Jupiter had made them all sterile.

"I think I'll leave the sex talk to your mother," Dennis replied in mock seriousness.

"Funny Dennis…very funny. It's nice to know you're still a secretive SOB."

"I try," he smiled.

Fade out….

  

  

  

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