Nightfall

“Who is this miscreant Sgt. Tarric?” asked the hawk-nosed woman, pointing a long finger toward me.

“I don’t know his name. I do know he bypassed electromagnetic security,” said Sgt Tarric.

The woman studied me for a minute, then went back to ignoring my existence. I rolled my eyes. I was getting tired of their stupid games. The round woman sighed and leaned back in her chair.

“Well? What are you waiting for? Put him back where he belongs,” she said clasping her hands in front of her.

They’d have to catch me first! Fine if I was going to be ignored like a bad commercial, then I’d have to speak up. Damn it!

“Y-You know for a great council, you are pretty rude. I wouldn’t want a council who only represents their values and nothing more,” I said.

Immediately the hawk-nosed woman turned to me. “Oh? And what would you know about it?”

“I know that listening to the people has only worked in everyone’s favor,” I said.

“Well, then you must have something to say. Out with it, “ said the thin long-bearded man, as he waved his hands forward.

I took a deep breath and began. “M-My crew and I are not from this universe. We are from this planet. We were testing a black hole that shot us past the Angeles Nebula and to here. We will gladly show you our Rider if that’s what you want,” I said.

Hawk nose scoffed. “That thing is crawling with symbiotes. You are a spy!”

“How the heck can I know that intel locked away? I don’t even know what symbiotes are. My crew and I appeared at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and we are completely lost! We could use some help getting back home!”

“What makes you think we’d help you?” said the thin man.

“Has mankind fallen so low it won’t help its own species?” I said, fidgeting at their intense stares. Finally, the man seemed to reach a consensus.

“Very well played, young man,” he said smiling.

Hawk nose turned to him gaping. “Reynolds! Surely you’re not going to let these spies go? They are playing you!”

“There is one way to check his authenticity, Wanda,” said the Chinese woman, her voice wrapping around me like a quilt, it was so soft.

Wanda stood and stomped her foot. “No! He could tell the symbiotes!”

“Enough, child. If it is what the gods have destined, then it shall be,” said the black man in BDUs. I did not want to go up against the giant.

“Machi, this isn’t the gods! This is two stupid council members deciding what’s best!”

“Wanda, you best remember that the seat you sit in is mine and I have full authority. We shall take him to see it and validate his identity as a traveler from the stars. If he can’t tell us what it is, then obviously he’s lying, and we can get rid of the problem,” said Reynolds smiling.

“Agreed,” said the Chinese woman.

Agreed,” said Machi.

“Agreed,” said the brunette.

“Viviana, you are agreeing against me? Your benefactor?” yelled Wanda.

Vivianna choked and glared at Wanda before straightening in her seat. “You were my benefactor. I may be the youngest council member but I am not foolish,” she said before flipping her hair and her finger.

I sighed.

This council acts like a bunch of teenagers. They are embarrassing to watch.

To my left, the three guards had already left and to my right Andromeda was rolling her eyes at the display. Her eyes met mine, and she shrugged, leaving through a back door. I was stuck watching Saturday Night Live. A possible WWF moment rising here. Reynolds rose and the two women settled at his glare. Scared of Van Goh? Who knew?

“Machi, lead the young man to the research room. It seems we have some scores to settle...again,” he sighed pointing to the near catfight.

Machi rose fluidly from his chair. What kind of training do you have to have to rise like a dancer from your chair at that height? I cowered slightly as the big man walked over to me, and started leading me out of the auditory hall.

He led me down the hall and past the empty offices.

“Are you not going to ask me how many people I’ve killed?” he asked with a shark grin.

“T-Taking in your size and stature, I’d say quite a bit,” I muttered and he laughed.

“I am a ballet teacher. I teach the young ones to dance and yes self-defense in these times, but I have only killed cattle and symbiotes. I have sworn off man-killing,” he said, leading me to the blue-carpeted hallway. Unlike the red hallway, it was busy here. People rushed from door to door. The exact doors as the red carpet hallway, metal with a peephole on them.

Doors were marked with numbers and letters. We stopped at 8294 D. I memorized that number, as if I knew instinctively, that I would need to know this door, from the rest of the doors in this hallway. I followed my instinct. Then I followed Machi into the room.

Inside the floor was marble and there was a long counter of granite with a sink. It had overhead cabinets and built-in cabinets too. I didn’t know what was in them. In the middle of the room an NR prototype 19 satellite sat wired to a few computer screens. What was one of my universe’s satellites doing here of all places?

Machi led me over to the satellite and propped his all too imposing height behind me. “So do you know what this is?” he asked smirking.