Generation 2, Chapter 20 - Questions and Answers

Adam woke up in the all too familiar cold, bare cell he had been in before. He groaned out loud, knowing he was once again on board the alien ship. Sitting up he heard rustling beside him turning he saw a figure huddled in fear. Crawling over to him he lightly shook the young man's shoulder.

The man's eyes opened and widened as he looked into Adam's face, "where am I?" he asked groggily.

Smirking a little "an all inclusive honeymoon suite aboard the alien ship." Adam shrugged "from what I can tell it's the same cell I was in before."

Sitting up rubbing his eyes Robert asked "you were here before?" Leaning back against the wall Robert closed his eyes, his nightmare was becoming a reality. Opening his eyes he noted Adam was kneeling beside him concern written all over his face.

"Are you alright?" Adam asked.

"Yeah if you can be alright on an alien ship."

Squinting his eyes Adam stated "you've been through this before I take it."

"Once," he said "I was hoping not to repeat the pleasure." Sighing he slowly got to his feet "I wonder why the aliens take our clothes. It's cold in here," he said rubbing his arms. Robert eyed Adam, noting he was maybe a couple years older than him, probably closer to Shon's age. He stuck his hand out "I'm Robert."

"Adam" he said shaking his hand. "Wish I could say it's a pleasure but I wish I was anywhere but here." Staring intently at Robert he was struck at the similarity he had to his last. "Are you by chance related to William Bennett?"

Robert shook his head "how do you know my dad?"

"He was my last roommate in this cell. We spent many hours talking about our families."

"Oh he mentioned you," Robert said as a smile flickered and faded. "He said you helped him endure the experience." He shuffled over to the airlock, wondering what was beyond it. "Thanks by the way."

"For what?"

"For helping my dad." Robert shrugged "I know it was rough. He refuses to talk about it other than to tell me about you and how he believes your dad will come up with a solution." Turning to look at Adam he asked "Do you think he can?"

Nodding his head Adam said "I believe he can. Although right now I wish he had already. He's a brilliant scientist and he's come up with some theories." Adam hesitated to mention the theories were based upon the information an alien had given them. He wasn't sure if the cell they were in was monitored or not. It was best to keep that information to himself for now.

"I hope you're right," Robert said sitting on the floor. "I really don't want to be here," he said wiping at his eyes as he fought to remain calm.

"I know," Adam said beside him. "I dread what my son will be feeling when he wakes up and finds me gone again." Adam broke down and began to sob. His son's been through so much and now he was alone again. He knew his Dad would take care of him and make sure he was ok, but in the long run he wasn't there. He was never there when his son needed him.
Robert gently held Adam as he cried on his shoulder, giving what comfort he could. He wondered how his wife was coping and he was thankful that Evelyn and Shon were there to help her. "I know how you're feeling. My little girl is going to wonder where I'm at too." He continued to hold Adam until his sobs ceased and all he heard was an occasional sniffle. "We have to be strong for them. We'll see our loved ones again."

As they sat huddled together on the floor, a fine mist was pumped into the room. As the mist thickened they began to wheeze and cough as it became harder to breathe. Writhing on the floor as they fought to breathe they were soon unconscious.

Opening his eyes, he squinted at the too bright light shining in his face. Attempting to move, straps chafed at his tender skin around his torso.   Heart hammering in his chest he laid there listening to low voices around him and the muffled sounds of movement as several people approached. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping they weren't coming to him. Someone grabbed his arm and viciously stabbed something sharp into it. Screaming out in pain and panic, Adam opened his eyes to stare directly into the impassive face of an alien as he leaned over him.

"You will tell us what we need to know," the alien announced.

Lifting his head Adam tried to locate Robert but couldn't see beyond the aliens crowding around him. "Where's Robert? What have you done to him?"

"The other specimen is of no concern of yours. Tell us what we want to know. Tell us and you can go home."

"Not until I know Robert's ok," Adam shouted at them. An alien fiddled with something that brought a jolt of energy through Adam's body causing him to scream out in pain. All thoughts of Robert fled his mind as he was overwhelmed with agony. After several agonizing minutes that left Adam pleading "Please, please no more ... I can't please."

"You will tell us what we want to know," the alien repeated.

"I don't understand, what do I know that you don't?" Adam wondered aloud. The alien sent another pulsing shock wave of agony through his body. Gasping for breath Adam said "I'll tell you anything, just make the pain stop."

"Tell us about the other specimen" the alien demanded "the older one you were with before."

"William?" Adam wondered confused.

"If that is the specimen from before, yes. Did the specimen produce progeny since you were here last?"

"Why ask me? Don't you already know?" Adam asked as he struggled on the table he was strapped to. He couldn't help but feel none of this was making any sense. Why would they care if William had an alien child, wasn't that the point of all of this?

The aliens conferred together before the spokesman said "We have lost the specimens tracking beacon. Without it we are unable to ascertain it's location or status. It may be a malfunction but more likely sabotage." An alien assistant approached with a new device that caused Adam's skin to crawl as he hoped it wasn't the start of another session of agony. Adam felt tremors shake his body as he tried to sink into the table as the alien took the device and pointed it above him. "Now you will tell us what we want to know," the alien announced bringing the device into contact with Adam's stomach. Screeching in agony, Adam's mind melted, unable to think or reason beyond the sheer agony of the moment. The alien lifted the device allowing Adam to gasp air into his oxygen deprived lungs. "Tell us and the pain will stop."

Adam squirmed on the table, eyes glued to the device expecting it to come to life and strike. He ran his tongue across his dry lips seeking moisture to form the words he needed. Growing impatient the alien brought the device closer causing Adam to whimper "please no more, I'll tell you what you want to know."

The alien lifted the device a fraction higher but close enough for Adam to feel it's heat on his sensitive skin. Closing his eyes, Adam prayed that he was doing the right thing. He opened his mouth but words failed him. The alien touched the device down on his skin sending another jolt of pain through his body. As he rode the tidal wave of agony Adam jumped against his restraints, his mind made up to tell them what they wanted he shouted "No!" The alien as if not hearing him intensified the setting and another wave of agony pulsed through him. Head lolling to the side Adam worked his mouth until he could form words, "The ... specimen ... did .... not." His voice drained away as another more intense wave of pain invaded his entire being. Everything stopped as everything went dark and slowly came back into fuzzy detail. "Why won't you stop," Adam whimpered "I told you what you wanted to know."

Adam woke up on the floor of the cell, groaning he sat up looking around him. Robert was nearby watching him with a worried expression, when he saw Adam's eyes were open he said "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Adam asked confused. He attempted to get to his feet but stopped half way up as he was overcome by waves of dizziness. Leaning against the wall he slowly sank to the floor.

"For not telling them what they wanted to know," Robert said hanging his head in his hands.

"It's alright," Adam told him "you did the right thing." Adam swallowed convulsively trying to overcome the need to throw up. "How did you know about what they were asking?"

"They made me watch," Robert said refusing to look him in the eye. "They said they would stop if I told them what they wanted to know. I .... I didn't know what to do. You were in so much pain, screaming for them to stop and I .... I did nothing but watch. I should have told them. I'm sorry I couldn't, I just couldn't." He turned guilt ridden eyes towards Adam hoping he understood. "He's my dad, I couldn't tell them and give him up to save you. So I, I let them torture you while I stood back and did nothing."

Touching Robert's shoulder, Adam gently said "you did the only thing you could do. I don't know why but I have a feeling it's important." Adam stopped waving his hands around saying "we need to be careful what we say, the walls might have ears."

Robert's eyes grew large with fear as he nodded his head to indicate he understood. "Do you think they'll question us again? I ... I don't think I can watch it again."

"I hope not. Next time our positions might be reversed." Adam tried to smile as he tried to stand up despite the pain that made him flinch.

The cell was filled with a bright beam of light, as it dimmed a figure of a man could be seen. Motioning for them to be silent the man set up a devise in the middle of the room. When he was finished he came over to the boys and knelt before them "I don't have much time." He turned towards Adam saying "it's vital you give your father this information," he held out a familiar device "I'm sorry you've been through so much already."

Gritting his teeth Adam nodded "just do it." The pain was excruciating as his brain was overloaded with new information. He struggled to stay conscious and aware. Removing the device the man helped Adam sit up against the wall repeating "I'm sorry."

As the man got to his feet, Robert blurted out "what are you? Some sort of resistance fighter?"

"No I'm a timekeeper," the man answered. Kneeling beside them again he looked at Adam "You know Emit Relevart." Adam shook his head slightly unable to form thought into words. "I'm the alien equivalent of him. I'm trying to correct the timeline. My people have diverged from the correct timeline that will eventually lead both our people to destruction." Turning to Adam he said "your father many years ago when you were a boy explored a crashed alien ship in Oasis Landing."

 Adam nodded croaking "yes" as he remembered that night. The man said "at the time your father felt he had discovered nothing in the ship. What he didn't know was he inadvertently activated a control that released me from my stasis chamber that set me free from my imprisonment. My people's supreme leader had sent people to stop me from my mission. He didn't want the cure distributed to the people. He commanded the scientists to begin the experiments, no where did they find a species that could be altered until they stumbled upon this planet. With their initial success the supreme leader knew it would be possible to control who could produce the next generation. Motivated by greed and a thirst for power the experiments continued, while the insanity of our females increased and people were dying by the thousands. Now the insanity is starting on your planet." He turned to Robert "your mother is experiencing it and it'll only get worse the longer she's exposed to the pheromones your father is producing. Eventually both of you will be producing it as well, spreading the insanity to others. Soon your planet will be thrown into chaos and the supreme leader will come in and take control."

"What can we do to prevent this?" Robert asked as fear gripped his heart like a vice. All he could think about was Patricia and how he'd rather die than let her slowly lose her mind because of him.

"Help me correct the time line. Help me disburse the cure to both my people and yours."

"What can we do to help?" Robert and Adam asked together.

Looking straight at Robert the man said "convince your father to bring the child to Oasis Landing."

"What child?" Robert asked confused.

Adam glared at him "the child the aliens were interrogating us about. The child we denied exists." Robert mouthed oh feeling stupid. The child was his brother. Glancing at the man he asked "why is he so important?"

The man smiled "the controls on my ship can only be activated by someone with my DNA. The child has my DNA."

Adam gasped as he realized the implications of what the man said. It was lost to Robert though as he asked "Why can't you activate your own ship?"

The man shook his head "I've been genetically altered. First to disguise my identity from my own people then modified to fit in among your people. My own ship won't even recognize me now but it will recognize the child's DNA."

"But he's only a toddler," Robert protested.

Adam jumping ahead blurted out "it doesn't matter, he can still activate the controls so that someone else can operate it."

The man nodded in agreement "I see you share your father's intelligence. Once my ship is activated and the cure disbursed it could save billions of lives." Looking at the young men standing in front of him he explained "that's why it's important the child's existence is kept hidden from these people. They will do anything to keep the cure from being released. They crashed my ship, imprisoned me and will kill all of us to get to the child to prevent the cure from being disbursed." Checking his device he turned  to them "My time is almost up. Take precautions to protect the child." Turning to Adam he cautioned "protect your father. When he was on my ship I altered his brain waves so that he would understand the information I've given him. Without him or the child no one will be able to activate the ship or operate it."

"What about you?" Adam asked as the man got up to leave.

"At this point I'm disposable. I've passed on my DNA and my knowledge. Now my task is to act as a decoy and divert their attention from you. I may or may not survive but I'm confident we will be successful. If not I'll trust Emit to correct what went wrong. Good luck." With that he was gone.