Microstory 1963: Activated

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Reese: Myka, could you step into my office, please?

Myka: Yeah, I’ll be there in a second.

Reese: The Director wants to speak with all of us, so it’s gotta be right now.

Myka: Oh, right. Sorry. Stopping now.

Reese: *walks down the hall* Leonard, could you—

Leonard: I see her. Coming.

Reese: Oh, and grab one of your chairs. I only have three.

Leonard: Okay.

Reese: Madam Director, you can sit in my chair. It’s nicer than my guest chairs.

Director Washington: This one is fine, thank you.

Reese: All right. *sitting down*

Director Washington: As you’ll recall, yours was not the only team we sent to Wyoming to investigate the Ochivari intrusion. We dispatched a shadow team to follow you. In addition to this, you discovered friends and allies who followed you as well. They are now working in these offices in various capacities. What you may not remember is that there was yet another interested third party in the area. An extra set of footprints was spotted that could not be matched to the fifteen people and aliens we know to have been out there. Obviously, despite the fact that the aliens we have in custody do not seem to wear shoes, we were most worried that there was a fourth one running around out there somewhere. As it turns out, that may not be our greatest threat. To be honest, the aliens have been very well-behaved and cooperative. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean we’re going to start trusting them, and release them into the wild, but they’re presently in pocket. The entity I’m here to talk with you about today...is not.

Reese: Entity?

Director Washington: Clarification: unknown subject. It has become evident, after the investigative team completed their...investigation, that we have some competition, folks. Ours is not the only agency that is aware of these aliens. We do not know who they are, or how much they know. It could be more, it could be less. It could be another department within our own government, or a foreign actor. We have yet to exorcize enough information from our prisoner.

Reese: You have someone in custody? How did you find them if we don’t know who they may or may not work for?

Director Washington: We found text messages between this individual, and someone else. It’s the scientist who helped us find the aliens in the first place. He first discovered the arrivals incidentally, and we thought that he was working for us, but apparently not.

Reese: Yes, I met him. He seemed a bit sketchy, but not a traitor. What do you want us to do? No one here is any better trained for interrogation than whoever is doing it now.

Director Washington: *shakes her head* That’s not what we need. His whereabouts at the time of the Wyoming trip have been confirmed. The mysterious footprints could not have possibly been his. We’re sending you to find his contact.

Reese: Why us? We’re neither trained, nor ready for this at all?

Director Washington: You and yours are the only people that I can trust right now.

Microstory 1945: Cutting Teeth

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Leonard: Hold your fire! I know them!

Reese: I do too.

Shadow Team Leader: Yeah, I recognize them from the files.

Leonard: Look who’s in the back.

Reese: I see him. [...] Jail Guard, We’re surprised to see you, especially with those two.

Former Jail Guard: Well, after what happened, I was fired. They said it wasn’t about the escape, but we all know it was. It turned out to be the greatest thing that ever happened to me. But that’s a roundabout story. I’m sure you don’t have time for it.

Leonard: And you two? How did you end up here, and why?

Escapee 4: Part of that is part of Former Jail Guard’s story.

Shadow Team Leader: I need to know the truth; the whole truth. If there’s a leak or a weakness in our organization, we have to understand it so we can fix it. No one was meant to know about this operation. How did you find out about it?

Former Jail Guard: Well, if you insist, I’ll get into it. Like I said, I was fired, but not before I met you, Agent Parsons. I was inspired by your words at the law station, and I started looking into applying to Fugitive Services. Of course, I’m not really qualified for all that. Apparently everyone needs some kind of predating story?

Reese: It’s not an official requirement, but it’s an unwritten custom that FS doesn’t accept you unless you’ve already caught someone. Most people go after small fish; a simple bounty that any rookie could find. They’re usually hiding at their girlfriend’s.

Former Jail Guard: I didn’t wanna do that. I wanted to cut my teeth on something pretty big. I met with your former partner, and he—perhaps unwittingly—gave me the impression that no one was really looking for the five escapees. It’s not like the competition would have been my greatest obstacle, but I still figured I had a better shot. And obviously *points* I found them. Well, I found most of them.

Escapee 1: Four out of five ain’t bad.

Leonard: Where are the other two?

Escapee 1: Escapee 2 and Escapee 3 didn’t want to stick around. He let them go.

Former Jail Guard: They told me about how Agent Parsons found the fifth escapee. The story was really weird, so I was intrigued. I think we uncovered a lot, right? We learned about the bond groups, and the OSI. You were in a fancy hotel at one point. I just knew that there was something more to this, so I reached out to...someone who could help me hack into the OSI’s system.

Shadow Team Leader: So there is a weakness.

Former Jail Guard: There was a leak. Don’t worry, it’s been plugged since, but not before the three of us discovered that there was something freaky going on in the middle of nowhere Wyoming. We didn’t know for sure that we would find you here, but we knew there would be something. We saw the footprints leading here from the road, so—

Shadow Team Leader: Wait, what? Footprints? There should be no footprints.

Former Jail Guard: There was one set, leading in this direction.

Shadow Team Leader: We wiped everybody’s tracks on our way here, including our own. Weapons up again, folks. Someone else is here.

Microstory 1941: Uneven Trident

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Myka: So, what is this formation called?

Reese: It’s called the Uneven Trident. The center tine is only responsible for heading for the objective. The two tines on either side are responsible for protecting them.

Myka: Why are we farther behind the right tine?

Reese: They’re responsible for protecting the leaders. We’re responsible for protecting them as well as the leaders. This is the standard configuration for a six-person team on an extended journey, as opposed to a specific raid.

Myka: It’s funny that you have all these different arrangements, yet fugitive agents generally work alone.

Reese: We like to be prepared, for anything.

Leonard: *click, click, click*

Reese: They found something. Head on up there. Wave your girls over there too. I’m gonna run a fifty meter radius perimeter sweep.

Myka: *approaching Leonard and Freewoman 3.* What is it?

Leonard: The footsteps stop here, and then there’s this thing.

Myka: What is it?

Freewoman 3: Some kind of pattern in the sand. Pretty large, by the looks of it.

Myka: *straightening her posture as much as possible* What does this look like to you, Freewoman 2? I’ll give you a hint; it was in that movie we watched last week.

Freewoman 2: *getting a better look too* It kind of looks like a crop circle.

Leonard: *placing an ear on the ground* It may be my imagination, but I think I hear...machinery?

Freewoman 4: Maybe it’s their ship.

Leonard: They didn’t come in a ship.

Freewoman 3: There’s nothing out here. We’re so far away from any sort of semblance of civilization, if you’re hearing anything, it’s manmade. Or alienmade, as it were.

Reese: Y’all seein’ this? It’s big. It’s really big. More than a hundred meters wide. I stepped on it. There’s something different about the ground where it’s been depressed. It’s...harder, like there’s something buried just underneath.

Freewoman 3: If we think there’s a ship buried just underneath the ground, there must be a way to access it. What do we do, try to open it?

Leonard: Why is everybody lookin’ at me?

Reese: You’re the closest we have to a resident alien expert. What do you think? If we find a door, should we open it?

Leonard: If we find a door, yeah, I guess that’s why we’re here, right? At least that’s why you and I are. The rest of you can leave now to protect yourselves.

Myka: We’re staying. Six-person team, right?

*the other free women cock their guns*

Reese: Are you legally allowed to carry those firearms?

Freewoman 2: Nope. *points her gun at the ground* Wanna fight about it?

Reese: Not at this juncture. Welp. This triangle is precisely where the footprints end, so I’m guessing it’s the entrance. Let’s see if we can’t figure this out.

Microstory 1940: Walking in Circles

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Reese: Are you sure this is going to work? We’ve been walking in literal circles forever, and so far, no one has shown up.

Leonard: Myka?

Myka: *holding the radio to her ear* One click back. My friends aren’t seeing anyone.

Leonard: Maybe we were wrong this whole time. Maybe no one has been following us.

Reese: Or they’re so confused about our odd behavior, they don’t know what to do.

Leonard: You’re right, this was a stupid plan. If we weren’t trying to follow these footprints, I would say we head for cover, but we’re just too exposed out here, and we’re wasting time. If we are being followed, they can probably wait us out.

Myka: No, it wasn’t a stupid plan, we’re just at too much of a disadvantage.

Leonard: Go ahead and make whatever clicks you need to make to tell them that we’re giving up. If your people are gonna help, we might as well work together. I don’t suppose they came with their own tent? Perhaps we can share.

Reese: How many are there? Three? This tent is designed for two. It’s technically big enough for three; or four if they’re comfortable with each other, but not a total of six.

Myka: Those three are my best survivors. Freewoman 2 can find water anywhere. Besides, this mission is only getting more dangerous. We need multiple on watch. But that’s tonight. We still have hours of daylight to go. I say we continue to follow these tracks before the weather erases them. If someone is following us, they have had plenty of chances to hurt us. It’s probably just government agents.

Reese: You’re right. This is the M.O. of a shadow team. It’s said that they can be invisible anywhere. They won’t reveal themselves for anything short of life-threatening, if even that. They may be under orders to report back any injuries and deaths, and not intervene for any reason.

Myka: So, we just keep walking, and leave it alone?

Reese: No. Give me the radio.

Myka: Here you go.

Reese: *adjusts the frequency, and makes his own clicks*

Leonard: What did that mean? Did you tell them something?

Reese: I told ‘em to reveal themselves. I seriously doubt they’ll do it, but now they know we know they’re there.

Leonard: What if they’re not there?

Reese: Then no one heard the message, and even if they did, I used a law enforcement code on a law enforcement frequency. So there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

Myka: Since I got out of prison, I occasionally flip off my bathroom mirror and tell the U.S. Cybersecurity Agency that I know they’re watching me...just in case they are.

Freewoman 2: *walking up* Hey, what’s the word?

Myka: We’re done trying to root out the possible pursuers. We’re just gonna keep going.

Freewoman 3: What do you want us to do?

Myka: Join us. The more the merrier.

Reese: There’s something you should know about the mission we’re on first, though. Tell me, do any of you believe in aliens?

Microstory 1939: Follow Travelers

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Reese: How’s everyone doin’? We all have enough water?

Myka: You don’t have to keep checking in with us.

Reese: I do, actually. You’re my responsibility. It’s in the Fugitive Service handbook, in the section for deputized and conscripted civilians, and informants.

Myka: Wait, this kind of situation is in the handbook?

Reese: Absolutely. I had a partner, but a lot of us work alone, and in unfamiliar territory, so we’re encouraged to seek help from anyone available. The Office of Special Investigations has no such policy, which is why we’re keeping you both a secret, but my old boss would have had no problem with this arrangement.

Myka: Oh.

Reese: So the water?

Myka: I’m fine.

Leonard: I’m fine too. I’m starting to get a weird feeling, though.

Reese: Is it a sneaking suspicion that someone has been following us?

Leonard: Yep.

Reese: I’ve been feeling that for a while now. I thought maybe it was just me, but if you’re picking up something too...

Myka: I’m not sensing anyone.

Leonard: There’s no one behind us.

Reese: Not that we can see, at least.

Leonard: There’s nowhere to hide. I can see for miles.

Reese: Yeah, this is a particularly infertile patch of land. I imagine, if we really are following the Ochivari, that’s why they picked this spot, for its remoteness.

Myka: Why would one of them have shown up in Kansas City then?

Leonard: Maybe it was an accident. We have no idea how they navigate.

Reese: *stopping* I really think there’s someone behind us. Ya know, there’s a survival advantage to being able to sense threats, which is why evolution let humans keep that trait. The problem is translating the data into real evidence. *scanning the horizon* Someone is out there, I just can’t prove it.

Myka: Okay, I admit it. I told other members of the bond where we were going.

Leonard: You did what? Why?

Myka: They’ve been watching over us. I didn’t know what we were walking into. I didn’t tell ‘em about the aliens, though, I promise. All I said is that we were looking for more fugitives, like before. I’m sorry, Reese.

Reese: *shaking his head, still watching the horizon* No, it’s not them. They’re over there, by those foothills.

Myka: You knew?

Leonard: I clocked them by the time we got out of Missouri. They’re not particularly sneaky. They built a fire, probably to cook, last night a quarter mile away from us.

Myka: Okay. Now I’m really worried. If you’re sensing someone else...can we set a trap?

Reese: I don’t know how we would. Like we said, it’s so flat. We can’t hide either.

Leonard: But they can. They’ve been following us in secret. Myka. Call your friends.

Microstory 1938: Alien Genitalia

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Leonard: Is this it? Are we here?

Reese: Just about. I don’t wanna damage my truck, so I’m pulling over. We’ll have to walk a little ways, towards that hill.

Myka: There’s something over there, I can already see it. I can’t tell what it is; just that it breaks up the uniformity of the ground. It could just be a rock.

Reese: Where did you get those binoculars?

Myka: I always have them. Birdwatching is a positive outlook that keeps me out of jail.

Reese: What was that? Why did you two just give each other a look?

Myka: What look? There’s no look. Let’s go. We’re burnin’ daylight.

Reese: Hey, man. Take this.

Leonard: You’re giving me a gun?

Reese: I don’t know what we’re gonna find. I would give one to her—

Myka: No, thank you.

Reese: I just can’t be the only one armed. You have had training, right?

Leonard: Of course I do. *checks the gun, then continues forwards*

Myka: *as they’re drawing nearer to the coordinates* Oh, I see what it is now.

Reese: What?

Myka: It’s a body.

Reese: Stay behind us. Leo, keep your head on a swivel for me.

Myka: No pulse. Cold, stiff. He’s been dead for a day at least.

Leonard: I see tracks over here! At least that’s what I think they are. They’re not human, and from no animal that I’ve ever seen, but who knows what kind of fauna you have on this world? You would know better.

Reese: I can track anything on planet Earth...this version of Earth, anyway. No animal I know of makes prints like these. I never got a good look at the Ochivar’s feet, but this is how I would imagine them. They don’t wear shoes?

Leonard: Aliens don’t wear shoes or clothes, because filmmakers don’t usually bother designing genitalia for the puppets or makeup and suits that the actors wear.

Reese: Good point.

Myka: I count four sets of prints. You both get the same?

Leonard: Yeah, but three of ‘em go off in that direction, and the other one doesn’t.

Reese: The fourth couldn’t possibly be this guy, right? Ochivar can’t camouflage themselves as human, right?

Leonard: Not that I’m aware. Plus, he is wearing clothes and shoes. That seems like a weird way to throw us off the scent.

Reese: *looking into the distance, and then the car* All right, we need supplies if we’re gonna walk deeper into the desert. I can go back to my car alone, or you can join me if you would rather not wait here, but no one’s following those tracks until I get back.

Myka: We stick together. Can we all three decide on that now? No matter what happens, we don’t get separated.

Leonard: Yeah, I can agree to that.

Reese: Okay. Then let’s go. Water, food, first aid, more ammo...and a tent.