ALPHA AND OMEGA: BOOK 3 - THE PRICE OF FEALTY (NASEDOS' CHRONICLES)

Part 2

(November 16th, 1959)
(Frazier Woods)

Atherton had been observing Nasedo for almost a week and had seen nothing unusual, but as he followed the Nasedo into the desert and across a military parameter fence to the '47 crash site, he knew he was about to get his proof. Atherton stayed just far enough back to stay unobserved, but close enough to catch Nasedo's every move in the darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

River Dog hurried to keep up with Atherton as the man disappeared over the horizon, the full moon helping to keep him in sight. He had seen Atherton sneaking around the cave where Nasedo lived and had become suspicious. He had followed Atherton into the desert and as they got further away from the reservation, a bad feeling settled into the pit of his stomach.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kaldar watched as a man came out of the desert and walked toward the pod chamber. No one had come into the area for almost ten Earth years but the lapsed time had not made him less vigilant. He raised his hand to take aim at the intruder and then lowered it as he recognized Sodan.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As Sodan approached the pod chamber, he stopped and quickly looked around but seeing no one he opened the door and proceeded inside. He checked the pods, which appeared to be fine, noting the growth of the clones with a glance and left the chamber, having spent less than five minutes within.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kaldar watched Sodan disappear inside the rocky structure but his attention was drawn in the direction Sodan had come. A human was approaching stealthily, following Sodan, and he had seen the entrance to the pod chamber. Kaldar readied for an attack, waiting for the human to come closer to insure a deadly shot, but then Sodan re–emerged from the chamber.

Kaldar used his power to nudge some rocks off their precarious perch next to the human, alerting Sodan to his presence.

Sodan spotted the human immediately and walked rapidly toward him, and Kaldar slipped back into his veiled shelter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Atherton confronted Sodan recklessly, "I knew it! You're an alien."

"Why would you think that?" Sodan asked casually.

"I told you I came here searching for the survivors of the crash. When I met you, I just knew you were one of them, but I had no proof. Now I do have proof," he said, motioning toward where the pod chamber door had stood open just a moment before. Atherton could picture Johnston and the other members of the UFO society making hasty apologies to him and scrambling to be near him. "I will show them all that aliens do exist. I will be the one to expose the conspiracy that has hidden your presence."

"You cannot do that," Sodan said sadly, knowing what he had to do.

Sodan's words pulled Atherton out of his fantasy. "Why not? You can't stop me," he challenged with a laugh, unaware of the danger he was in.

"The reason for my presence on this planet is more grandiose than you could possibly imagine." Sodan moved toward Atherton as he spoke and clasped his arm around the other man's shoulder, holding him tightly. "Many lives are at stake and I cannot let you risk them for fame and glory," he said without regret.

Sodan placed his free hand over the human's heart and poured energy into his organs heating them to a fatal temperature in moments. And when Atherton's body sagged lifelessly, Sodan tossed him over his shoulder and started back toward the reservation.

He had only taken a few steps when he saw River Dog running toward him. "Is he dead?" asked the young man motioning to Atherton's still form.

"Yes," Nasedo said simply.