A New Genesis

What Happens In Vegas..

"This is getting stupid. There's not one single person here that fits the description. I'm calling it off." Agent Nick Collins ran his fingers through his already messy hair, the only sign of frustration that he ever really showed. For the past week, he'd been stuck in Las Vegas at a convention for a bunch of UFO junkies. He was beginning to feel like a real life version of Fox Mulder, always looking for answers and never finding anything concrete enough to expose the conspiracy that he knew existed. If it weren't for the plethora of available women that hung around the hotels all day, every day, Nick would've refused this assignment before it even began.

"Come on Nick, there's some great shit here!" David Grey, the best techie the FBI had in its payroll, was a bit of a nerd himself. He'd grown up eating alien stories for breakfast and had no intention of admitting a lost cause was just that. "Look, somewhere, in this room, you will find the right person; the person who has actually met an Eve, or an Adam. You just gotta relax and open your mind."

"Open my mind?" Nick laughed heartily. He couldn't remember the last time his mind was closed. There wasn't a single story, tale, fable, or farce that he didn't look into. The validity of YouTube videos was studied on a daily basis. Photos posted online were debunked and chat rooms filled with abductees was monitored. It wasn't often that he found anyone credible, but when it happened, he interviewed them in person immediately. "Exactly how far do you want me to open my mind? Am I supposed to feel your joy when the Eve look-alike walks into the room? Come on, this is ridiculous."

"Dude, she was hot! Who cares if she's a hired actress? She nailed the part perfectly and you know it!" David's enthusiasm was normally contagious, but not tonight. Tonight, all Nick cared about was the fact that there wasn't one single person in this room that had any true experience, nor any witnesses that could provide a genuine lead..

"I care, and I can't believe you don't." Nick tiredly stood up, admitting defeat for the first time in five years. "Maybe to you this is just another party, but to me..." His voice trailed off, searching for the right words when he knew there weren't any. "I'm going to go for a walk. I'll meet you in the bar when I get back." David nodded, his face filled with concern.

Nick knew his buddy would always try to understand, but he never really would. As his boots hit the pavement outside of the hotel, he shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans and walked aimlessly. It was easy to tell how long the tourists had been in town based on the way they looked. The happy couple stopping at the fountain to have their picture taken next to an Elvis impersonator were clearly on day one. The middle aged man wandering around disheveled, with his head hung low and his steps slow had probably just lost his plane fare at the craps table a few hours ago.

As he passed in front of a huge plate glass window, he stopped long enough to appraise his own appearance. There weren't any bags around his dark eyes yet, but his hair hadn't been brushed in days. Then again, he rarely did anything other than towel dry it on his best day. The stubble on his chin was getting closer to a beard than just an ignored hygiene task, and it made his facial structure look a little sharper than it really was. If he stood up straighter, he'd be a little dangerous looking. His tall body seemed a few inches shorter than the normal six foot plus and he realized his shoulders had slumped along with his interest in the convention.

Women passed by, sometimes a little closer than necessary, and flashed him broad, inviting smiles. On a normal day, Nick wouldn't hesitate to pick up a stranger and take her home for the night. Today, he just wasn't feeling it. For the first time in as long as he could remember, Nick Collins had clearly lost his game.

And he didn't care.

If the neon lights hadn't been bright enough to be seen from the moon, it would've been dark by the time he found his way back to the hotel. Before heading into the bar, he dialed his supervisor's number to check in.