Spirit Raiders

By Savio Dawson

Mark is in the middle of a spate of abductions by two different sets of extra-terrestrials. Around the same time the U.S military unwittingly discovers few alien vessels in Earth’s atmosphere while testing a new technology called GAM. The knowledge of the alien vessels around the periphery of Earth drives a team comprising of Mark, an agency called XTRA-T and the security agencies to unearth the intentions of those aliens.

In the pursuit of truth some bone chilling revelation of Earth’s history comes to the fore. Unexplained events like Tunguska Explosion and many others are answered but nothing compares to the one that is in store for Earth. Mark and team have to find a way out and in many ways invoke the assistance of unexplained powers to redeem them at the time of need.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Savio Dawson
• Release date: Sep 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311078919

Savio Dawson

Savio is a resident of Mumbai, India, who grew up on everything sci-fi. Science Fiction has its own charm of unravelling mysteries, boldly going where no man has gone before [yeah I know it is from Star-trek :)] and to seek and find explanations for the unexplained. This is more or less what excites a true sci-fi enthusiast. Savio is one of the enthusiasts too and he is presenting his own version here. Mystery surrounds us in many ways and it is mammoth in proportion to what we know. No one knows what lies beneath the ocean; no one knows what lies beyond our solar system; no one knows how vast the universe is; no one knows if any other extra-terrestrial form exists, but still the pursuit of knowing the unknown will continue unabated and will continue to excite us. This excitement is what Savio attempts to bring out in his books. Savio is blessed with a supportive family and has a day job in India. Writing is his passion and he also writes for many blogging sites. When not writing and not working, which, of course, happens a lot of time, Savio likes to while-away and watch sci-fi movies.

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Spirit Raiders

By Savio Dawson

Print Edition

Edition: Second

©2015, All rights reserved

Print Edition, License Notes

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

T MINUS TEN – The Sighting

NINE – The Revelation

EIGHT – The Past

SEVEN – The Hypothesis

SIX – The Facts

FIVE – One of a Kind Meeting

FOUR – The Disappearance

THREE – The Suspense

TWO – The Motive

ONE – The Counter Measures

ZERO – Ignition: The World Ignites

T MINUS TEN – The Sighting

The road to Highland Park from Dallas, USA

An unusually cool August evening, a stalled car, and a deserted highway was just the beginning of Mark’s travails. A tranquilizer had paralyzed him. Mark’s life was flashing in front of his eyes only to be distorted by the sight of something unearthly. He could see two short and stubby beings moving closer. Despite his anxiety, his mind was racing to understand the reason for his ability to stand in the immobilized state.

Mark was still unable to see their faces, only the silhouettes since there was a bright light behind them.

‘Must be the light from the spaceship,’ he thought.

He felt a sense of calm despite the circumstances being unfavorable to him. His spirit had given up and was ready to bear the inevitable.

As they came closer, Mark noticed that they looked like humans, only a lot shorter. They appeared extremely muscular, but all that muscles on a short body looked odd. They then paused for a moment.

Mark wondered if they had a change of heart. The long set Sun had given way to a cool evening causing goose-pimples on Mark. With no possibility of movement, he could hardly warm himself.

They started towards Mark again. Only then Mark noticed that though they were distinct beings, they were connected at the shoulder. Besides, the figure on the right was hazy. Mark could see through it.

What happened to you? Lost part of your body someplace? Mark attempted humor only to be lost completely on the beings.

The face of the beings was wobbly like a deflated rubber ball, sagging from the forehead. The eyes had a cataract invaded gloomy look and a ghostly glow in the dark. He fathomed that the two knife carved slits on the cheeks were the nose. Their face was the scariest part. Rest was just absurd.

They held an instrument in their hand, much like a pencil, but Mark feared that it could be a weapon of some kind. Even if it was, he hoped it was set to stun and not to kill, and he instantly smiled at that thought.

Then something remarkable happened. Mark felt himself being made to bend by some external force, bringing him face to face with the short aliens. They moved the pencil closer to his eyes, and Mark was hoping for his eyes to close by reflex, but no luck. He felt a cold touch, and he was waiting for the pain to emanate. Nothing happened. Then the beings turned back.

‘That’s it?’ he wondered. Mark was now confused as much as in horror.

At that point, it appeared to Mark that the beings had reacted to something; something he could not see. The beings were almost running now. Once they were in, the doors closed, the spaceship hovered up and then zipped away. Mark was thanking his stars as he had just experienced a lucky escape.

In the morning when Mark had decided to do a late night drive to Highland Park, he was expecting it to be a pleasant journey. The rocky hill, winding road, the moon-lit sky, and the silent neon-free night were to help him unwind. His friends were meeting up after a long time, and since he was residing in Dallas, he was close enough to go. The extraterrestrials, though, ruined the evening. Nearly ten minutes had passed, and Mark remained frozen. Suddenly, he heard sirens.

‘Sirens! Oh, thank you God!’ he was relieved to hear a vehicle. It was normally a busy road, barring that day. ‘Those aliens, perhaps, they heard the sirens before I could.’

As he began to relax, Mark realized that he was dead in the middle of the road. Any vehicle approaching him would be coming out of a bend at a speed of, at least, 40 mph. That would not allow the driver enough time to brake. He just came out of a near-death experience, and now death would come near him again at 40 mph. Puns and metaphors were firing left right and center in his head, and they fired up his facial muscles to reveal a smile.

Just about that time, he could sense his right hand and slowly other parts of his body. The legs were still numb, but he continued standing upright. The wails of the sirens were growing stronger and louder.

Come on, come on. That’s it. It was as if he was cheering for his own body to come to senses. The headlights were now reflecting on the railings. It was just a matter of time for him to see the headlights, the driver’s reaction, the vehicle screeching under heavy braking and knocking him down. Before he could finish, he heard the screeching, and he lunged to the side with all the energy he could muster.

FBI – Affiliate Agency Office, Dallas, USA

UFO sighting! UFO sighting! Anita was quite excited. Paranormal, extraterrestrial and spiritual, they all got her excited. A rather strange combination, since individuals studying these three fields, were as different as chalk and cheese; yet, Anita Gomez was different.

She was a believer in God and reasoned that if God was a reality, then the ungodly could be a reality too.

Let’s get cracking, Alain. Anita believed her Creator would be kind and generous enough to create other beings to give humans company in this universe. She, therefore, linked extraterrestrial and paranormal to her spiritual pursuit. Believing in the Alpha and the Omega, she reasoned, would someday reveal the mystery around the paranormal and extraterrestrial.

Oh great! One more sighting, one more story from the victim, and one more denial by the government, Alain was not as excited. He was cross at the government. According to him, people should know the facts, and if the government was denying that right, then he should be taking them to court.

Hey, this one is different, Alain. The guy has a physiological change. Anita was hardly able to keep her exuberance down. She was a second-generation Indian-American and a devout Christian. Her mother influenced her spiritual pursuit while her career was thanks to her father’s guidance.

What kind? Being part of the government, in a way, made it that much difficult for Alain to go against it. When he started, he imagined himself to be Mulder from the X-Files series; someone who could go relentlessly after extraterrestrial occurrences. A dream that was brutally crushed by the government.

His eyes. They were black. All his photos till yesterday corroborate that fact.

And now?

Now they are blue, sky blue. The guy, Mark, claims that the aliens touched his eyes with some pencil. Doctors did not find any external foreign bodies.

Foreign bodies?

Yes, nothing external over the eyes. Mark’s eyes have changed.

Let’s see how Braulio reacts to that. Let’s go Ani.

Hospital, Dallas, USA

Mark had two near-death experiences that night - one at the hands of the aliens and the other at the wheels of the humans. Mark was unable to comprehend the reason for his alien experience. He was, in fact, a veteran of sorts at alien encounters. In each of his encounter, there was an abduction, study or experimentation, and return, but nothing of that sort happened this time. If anything, the experience had left him a lot more charming.

Coming to the hospital was not his idea. It was the ambulance which got him there. He could still remember the moment that night. Mark saw the headlights, about the same time the driver saw him and braked, Mark tried to lunge but his legs wouldn’t budge, and then he could feel a push throwing him aside. The ambulance veered sharply and missed hitting Mark’s car near the railings. By that time, Mark passed out.

To be in encounters of the unlikely kinds was becoming a sort of habit for Mark, but right now he was thanking his stars more than anything. At 6’2", he was a towering man, with a chiseled gym body, and a pleasing personality. He took pride in stating that he could cycle, swim, jog and do weight exercises, all on the same day; that, if his busy schedule permitted. The only thing peculiar about him was his eye color. It had changed to sky blue and was attracting attention much more than Mark would have liked.

The next day, after regaining consciousness, Mark learned that the ambulance was responding to a 911 call in the neighborhood and that’s how he got lucky. The bizarre part though was that there was neither a call made from that place nor did the staff in the ambulance see the spaceship.

‘Was it the aliens who made the call?’ he wondered.

If that indeed was the case, then the aliens wanted Mark to be safe. Could they have thrown him aside? What did they want from him? And why were so many agencies eager to meet him? Mark was puzzled and was feeling overwhelmed.

Good morning Mark! Alain found a way to leave his non-enthused state back in office. He was ecstatic to meet Mark.

So who do you represent? The FBI, CIA, NASA, MI6, ABC? Mark wasn’t reciprocating the enthusiasm.

Those dim wits, they beat me to you, didn’t they? quipped Alain.

Trying to be smart, hey? Mark was not amused. Alain’s hope of finding a way to crack a real UFO case seemed to wither and die once again. A non-cooperative Mark was hardly throwing a helping hand. Mark wouldn’t know, though. An athletically built Alain at 6’6" could easily wrestle Mark to get his answers, but that’s not how they did their job.

No, only trying to help, Anita intervened. To Anita, Mark appeared to be a man in his early thirties, bearded, and with the distinctive blue eyes. At the moment though, he did not want to co-operate.

I did not ask for your help, Mark said.

Mark, we understand that you have had a bad experience and you must be troubled by many. But trust me we are your best friends in this matter. You have to allow us to help you? Anita said.

And who are you guys?

We are the FBI, Alain said flashing his card.

Oh, the FBI! So you guys have different departments dealing with the same thing. I met the Internal Security. And you are?

What? You met a team from the FBI?

Yes, I did. Jeez, I am sorry, I wasn’t aware that I had to wait for you. Now can you both leave me alone? Mark’s sarcasm was only aggravating Alain.

Alright, Mark. Alain stormed out. Anita could sense he was furious.

Anita excused herself and followed Alain. Alain, wait.

What the hell? They want us to work with them, and then they take the liberty of by-passing us without informing us.

Alain, there must have been some misunderstanding. We can sort that out along with Braulio. Now relax. Anita was calming him down.

All through his childhood, Alain was interested in knowing about the universe, galaxies and what they represented. He joined Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for astrophysics, a course not many knew existed at the institute. His natural interest and instincts meant that he was successful and one of the perfect candidates for Colonel Braulio Russo; a man who was building an elite team.

After a brief period of silence, Alain started to say something and then turned away and looked outside the window.

What is it, Alain?

I haven’t come across any case related to extraterrestrials, thus far, where the FBI got actively involved. Surprisingly, they are not even trying to conceal the fact that they are interested in knowing about the occurrence. What could be so peculiar about this case?

Alain, the man looks different. What more peculiar do you need?

I see that. But that’s what we are for, aren’t we? Besides, no one else had reported any UFO sightings in that area.

Maybe it piqued the interest of someone over-enthusiastic at the FBI, and they could not wait.

Ah, come on Anita.

Or there could be numerous other reasons.

Hmm.

Technically, we are not the FBI, Alain. That’s something we better not forget. Alain realized that Anita was right.

Col Braulio was working with the FBI through his FBI affiliated agency, but they were not the FBI. The presence of the agency and its alliance with the FBI was of a top secret nature. How else would the FBI explain the two hundred odd agencies affiliated with it which were funded by the taxpayers?

The reason for having the agencies as satellites for the FBI operations was quite simple. The FBI could not be present everywhere and handle everything, so the affiliates filled the FBI’s shoes when a requirement came up. Of course, the world would not know the difference.

To be selected by the FBI was a stringent and lengthy process. There were 89 levels of screening over a period ranging from four months to eighteen months. Only when the prospective partner completed the formalities would they even be considered for selection. However, Col Braulio seemed to be the only exception who did not have to go through the short-listing activities.

Ani, there is something important about this case, and that is why the FBI is here. Just have to figure out what it is.

I sure don’t know. And you did not give me the time to find out.

We need to speak to Colonel, Alain said and briskly walked out of the hospital. Anita followed.

Col Braulio’s agency not only did not have to go through the affiliate process but it also was not a redundancy. Meaning, there was no team in the FBI, specifically doing the work Col Braulio’s team was doing. He was no small guy by any stretch of the imagination!

Alain and Anita were on their way to meet their boss at the XTRA-T office.

FBI, Affiliate Agency Office (XTRA-T), Dallas, USA

…..this is what happened, Colonel. So, Mark was pissed off and did not want to entertain us. I am sure the FBI must have grilled him like a usual suspect, and not the way we were trained to deal with victims of extraterrestrial experiences. Alain said.

The veteran was quite brawny for his age and his 5"6’ frame. Though at that moment, the Colonel’s daunting personality was immersed in dispersed thoughts and hence, he came across as indifferent towards Alain.

Alain, on the other hand, had almost given a verbal report of his interaction with Mark and his opinion. He was empathetic towards Mark but not a wee bit happy with the way the FBI behaved. To Anita, as a neutral observer, Alain seemed extremely stirred by the incident, but Col Braulio was hardly interested.

I understand, Alain. I will take it up strongly with the FBI, Col Braulio said, and that was, incidentally, the longest sentence that he spoke in the past two hours.

That’s it? That’s all? You will take it up strongly. Why can’t we meet them? Why can’t I give them a piece of my mind?

I will speak to them Alain, and I will put across the points you mentioned. Why don’t you give me a proper report? This time Col. Braulio sounded curt. The faster, the better.

Colonel, what is it? Anita intervened. Is there something you need to tell us?

Nothing.

Colonel, this does not seem like you. This time Anita was angry.

It was indeed unlike Col Braulio. For a brief moment, Colonel drifted back to Afghanistan that fateful day.

Braulio’s love for his country guided his career choice of being in the armed forces. His dogged determination kept him in good stead among his peers, supervisors, and team in the army. He had completed missions in Iraq, Syria, erstwhile Soviet Union of Russia and extremely top secret missions in China, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. He was a legend of sorts until his mission in Afghanistan changed things.

Colonel Braulio was on his way to Zone 2 for a special meet with the Afghan security forces. As they approached the meeting point, the sun-baked, sand-expanse started giving way to shrubs and trees, and soon barricades and a couple of buildings near Kabul. It was intended to be a three-hour meeting, after which, Braulio would have flown to America from Kabul. But an unexpected, well-coordinated Taliban attack left everything in disarray. Their building had two levels of barricades, and the Taliban drove an explosive-laden vehicle into the outer barricade. As the nearby security guards rushed to the spot, another vehicle rammed the unsuspecting officers and exploded. With more officers moving towards the explosion, a third vehicle rammed the now, sparsely, covered barricade on the other side. The other side opened up the Zone for the Taliban militia on foot.

The American and Afghan security forces re-converged and started responding in kind. Col Braulio and the Afghan Minister were requested to move out of the Zone in an armored vehicle. Braulio declined, however, the Minister proceeded. The vehicle left the building under heavy fire cover, but as it reached beyond the second barricade, the last of the Taliban vehicle on standby, raced towards the unsuspecting vehicle and rammed it head-on. The following explosion was strong enough to rip through the armored vehicle and throw it 30 feet away. Col Braulio was lucky.

Despite his rank, he took part in the armed conflict, and they made decent progress until a grenade blast. Colonel and four security personnel were knocked-out by the blast.

Air and ground assistance arrived in about an hour, and the forces were successful in securing the area, but not without heavy casualties. The entire episode robbed Colonel of his left leg. At 66 years in 2006, the curtains were brought down on Colonel’s highly decorated career.

Colonel, Alain called out aloud as if shaking him out of a trance.

Now you two listen up. You both did a good job, but beyond a certain point, I cannot push the FBI. They don’t report to me. Get this clear - when I say I will take it up, I mean it.

Alain stared straight at Colonel, unable to hide the shallow rapid breaths, glanced at Anita, and then walked out.

Colonel, if you consider us as your team then you need to be more open with us. Otherwise, this is no different from any other job out there. You forget your promise, Colonel. Anita left too.

Colonel remembered his promise. He had a soft corner for Anita. She reminded him of his niece and was a chance discovery. Colonel Braulio was talking to the dean at MIT when Anita entered, leaving the dean’s secretary in a fruitless dash to stop her. The saga which followed impressed Colonel.

I am in a meeting, the Dean fumed.

I understand sir, but we have an emergency. I think if you hear me out, you would appreciate the urgency.

After that, Anita spoke to the dean for the next five minutes and got her way. It came out that she had tried to meet the dean thrice before and it did not work out. So she took matters into her own hands, of course, leaving a fuming secretary in the wake. Plain dare-devilry and lack of fear were visible attributes. Colonel thought that she would be a great addition to his team and a great partner for Alain.

We will unravel the stars, is what Colonel promised her and she readily agreed. For Anita, her ultimate dream of experiencing spirituality seemed to fall in place. What better than learning about the universe, other planets, and other beings; all a creation of God!

That promise was long back. But today was different.

NINE – The Revelation

FBI – Office, Justice Way, Dallas: 2010

Col. Braulio had been there and done that. He understood the seriousness of matter when the FBI sought help. The FBI, or for that matter the CIA, does need help but then there is a sense of pride and competition which runs between different agencies, and in a sense, prevents them from taking help from the other. What surprised him was the fact that, not only had they sought external help but that too from a physically limited person.

The incident in Afghanistan had scarred Colonel in many ways than one could imagine. He was the perfect example of young at heart and probably that’s what hurt his pride more; especially, the decision post the Afghanistan battle to relieve him of his duties. It had been three years since Colonel had seen real action and therefore, was further surprised at the FBI's call. What could he do for those guys?

Braulio drove to the FBI office. It was at One Justice Way, Dallas. He made it in good time and called for Agent Herbert. Agent Herbert came down personally and after the initial exchange of pleasantries, took Colonel to a conference room on the first floor.

Col. Braulio made himself comfortable in the conference room but was alert all the while. There were eyes on him. After all, he was in the office of one of the agencies taking care of Internal Security. After about two minutes three men and a lady entered the room. One of them was Agent Herbert and another person, in his late fifties, walked towards Colonel.

Hello Colonel, I am Andrew, Director, FBI.

Nice meeting you, Mr. Director. Colonel then jumped straight to the point. So, what is it that I can do for you?

I will explain in a moment, Colonel. Meet my team, Special Agent Herbert, Extraterrestrials, Special Agent Naomi, Paranormal, and Special Agent McPherson, Internal Security.

The hocus–phocus guys, hey, Mr. Director?

What specifically do you refer to as hocus-phocus?

Oh pardon me, Mr. Director, couldn’t help but notice the extraterrestrial and paranormal designations. Is there any reality to it?

Is there not, Colonel? Agent Herbert pitched in. Something about his tone irked Colonel.

Son, what is your age?

I am 33, Colonel. I am one of the youngest mem…..

Well, then you ought to know that at twenty-five I was fighting for my country with no hopes of making it alive. I have seen worse days than your worst nightmares, and in the past forty-one years of my service, I have come close to nothing which I can call extraterrestrial or paranormal. Is that clear? And you better watch your tone when you are talking to me?

Pardon us, Colonel, the Director intervened, I am aware of your exemplary achievements over the past many years, and so is Agent Herbert. We did not mean to call you all the way to prove a point on existence or non-existence of extraterrestrials. All that we need is your help.

I am sorry, Colonel. I was referring to one of your reports from 1966. It did pique our curiosity, said Agent Herbert.

What report?

A report on spotting an unidentified vessel just before air support arrived for your team, added Agent Herbert.

That is classified. How did you get your hands on it? What’s going on here?

Colonel, let me explain. But before that would you like a drink? Andrew tried to cut-off Agent Herbert as he was unsettling the Colonel. "To start with