Archeia's Atheneum (The First Shift)

Episode Five: No Going Back

"Did he suffer?" Douglas held his fist to his mouth; he was uncomfortable.

Fifty-eight stared at the division head. He recognized Friday's discomfort as anxiety; a fear that perhaps he'd finally gone too far. "Everyone suffers...He didn't suffer long if that's what you mean." Douglas wasn't impressed with that answer. The old man didn't care. "I need a bonus," he said.

Douglas frowned, "What for?"

"You didn't tell me I was killing an alien. I don't like killing aliens."

"Coburry was E.T.?" Douglas was genuinely curious but he asked so casually so as not to come off nieve. Assets weren't supposed to be read into those things.

The old man sighed impatiently. "A part of him was, at least. It wasn't agreed upon; I need a bonus."

"Yeah-yeah, sure. Have you killed non-terrestrials before?" but fifty-eight just continued to stare coldly. Douglas stared back in as if to say: "You're not going to say shit are you?" He rested his elbow on his desk, and his head on his fist. "You'll have the money by one-o-clock today," he said. Fifty-eight got to his feet slowly, showing his age, and walked out of the office. Douglas told himself to accept that he'd never know the old man's story because that was just the way he liked it. Another might investigate him later but despite his appearance, the man was unquestionably predatory; and he who hunts would likely become hunted.

Friday's phone jingled. He saw the message Dietrich sent him: [contact made. meet at CLHQ. ASAP.] At first Douglas was suspicious; his first instinct was always "There going to kill me today," but he quieted those thoughts when he saw he was being called to the Cold Lake headquarters. This was going to be important. He put his jacket on and pocketed his phone, then went to the tunnels.

***

For the uninitiated, the trip from central Ontario to Cold Lake would be time-consuming; tedious, but this was not the case for Mr. Friday. He was proud to have access to the mass subterranean tunnel system. It was an ongoing project, and although Canada's system wasn't as expansive as the one in the U.S., it was finished enough for Friday's duties. While he sat in the furnished capsule, moving through the earth at an incredible speed, Douglas thought of how large the system would be if America connected theirs to this one. Wishful thinking though. There was a tunnel from Toronto to New York--from Alaska through BC to Washington--and each connected to St. Lucia. For the majority, however, Canada would probably remain separate; a quarantine zone. It was a grey state for a reason.

After two minutes, Douglas arrived at the Cold Lake base--on its lower levels, that is. He stepped out of the capsule to be greeted by Dietrich in the cement foyer (if you could call it that). "So what do we have," asked Douglas, straightening his tie.

The High Major motioned with his head; let's go. The two walked down hallways that were made to look like the white house interior. Walking on and on, they passed men and women dressed in business attire, soldiers, and scientists too-- as well as the infamous men-in-black (tall pale individuals, no hair, large unblinking eyes--often blue).

"It asked for you and you alone," Dietrich said, looking annoyed.

"Did it say why?"

"No."

Douglas was trying to sort this out. "I've never known Teller to ask for specific individuals."

"It isn't Teller."

"What?"

They finally arrived at a vaulted submarine-like door, juxtaposed to the hallway around them. "He's in there," Dietrich said and started working the door open.