News that Jacob was bringing an alien to the White House beat them there. When the motorcade arrived, there were dozens of reporters and thousands of people filling the street. Some just wanted to get their first look at an actual alien, while others were more vocal, either for or against an alien’s presence.
Xing’che looked shocked by the reaction to her presence. Jacob was equally as shocked. There were the haters, people wearing actual tinfoil hats, doomsday screamers, but those were all expected. He was more concerned about Xing’che’s new fan base. The signs they were holding were… tasteless was the kindest thing he could say. People really had some funny ideas about aliens.
The motorcade had to slow down as the police pushed the mobs back. Someone hurled a brick at the SUV, which bounced harmlessly off the bulletproof window. It was followed shortly by a Molotov cocktail.
Jacob sighed and flicked on the portable shield generator he had installed in the SUV. The vehicle hummed as the shield deployed, sending the Molotov flying away. It failed to shatter as it hit the ground, leaving a burning trail instead of a burst of fire. Once the shield stabilized, nothing could push through.
To prove his point, an angry-looking group of men who had pulled bats and other melee weapons from somewhere breached the barricades and stormed toward the SUV. They all had an all-seeing eye pyramid symbol painted on their foreheads, right below their shaved heads.
The first few men in the group ran face-first into the barrier, sending a ripple of energy out from the impact points. Jacob even heard a few crunching sounds over the clamor of the crowd.
“Serves them right,” he said.
More police arrived and deployed tear gas and bean bag rounds to disperse the out-of-control crowd. The men who had thrown the Molotov and attacked were arrested.
“Is it always like this?” Xing’che asked in eiraxin.
She looked unfazed by the altercation, but Jacob could tell she was rattled.
“No,” Barry replied. “Unfortunately, our presence has upset many people’s worldviews.”
“I’m honestly surprised this didn’t happen during my last visit,” Jacob added.
“It did,” Barry corrected. “When we arrived, I looked into the old news reports from your previous visit, since you failed to bring any copies with you back to the station. Some of those protests got quite bloody and violent. The protests have been much smaller this time around, but there is quite a bit of division on what to do about the existence of aliens. You would have noticed if you hadn’t been transitioning around everywhere you went.”
Jacob had heard there were some protests, but people protested about dumb shit all the time. He figured the president or one of the other world leaders he was working with would have mentioned it if things had gotten that bad. Then he realized how stupid that idea was. They would have done everything in their power to protect their access to alien technology, including downplaying any problems his visits had caused.
As they rolled through the White House gate, he pulled up those same new broadcasts. He winced as one of the more obscure stations had decided to keep a death tally from the riots and protests, all of which that station blamed entirely on him. The count reached into the thousands before the station was taken off the air. If it was correct, Jacob was indirectly responsible for more deaths than Franky.
That made him feel worse than the fact that so many people had died. He didn’t blame himself for their deaths. He didn’t force them to run out into the streets and cause chaos, or clash with law enforcement, or the military in some cases. What the hell did they expect to happen when they started setting cars and buildings on fire or shooting at the police?
He just shook his head and dismissed the news reports as the SUV pulled up to the White House. If a simple visit had caused that much outrage, he was sure what he was about to tell President McConnell would cause mass panic if it got out.
The president didn’t greet them this time, probably because it was too dangerous with the angry mob right outside the gate.
Instead, they were greeted by Vice President Hopefield.
Hopefield was the complete opposite of the tall, athletic, salt-and-pepper-haired McConnell. He was shorter, round in the waist, and pudgy in the face. Looking a bit like Santa in a suit, minus the beard, grey hair, cheery smile, or twinkle in his eye. He had the look of a predator, and considering how many scandals the man seemed to find himself embroiled in, Jacob had to assume they were all true.
The only thing he shared in common with McConnell was the southern twang. “My goodness,” Hopefield sucked in a breath. “Had I known aliens were so beautiful, I might have dropped a few pounds and joined NASA,” he chuckled heartily as he eyed her up and down like a piece of meat.
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Jacob just gave the man a flat look. Sometimes he really wanted to turn off his bio-scanner. Seeing the Vice President’s body react to Xing’che’s appearance was one of those times. They had kept the man away from him during his last visit, and he wished they had done so again. Hopefield was a disgusting pervert, and Jacob was about to send the man away when Xing’che stepped up and offered her hand, unfazed by his remark.
“A pleasure,” she said in perfect English.
Hopefield looked surprised for a moment before taking her hand and kissing it. Jacob wished he had let her keep the poisoned ring she used to kill her aide. It would have been a fitting end for this sack of shit.
“A beautiful woman, and smart too,” Hopefield said with an awkward laugh as his lust burned away, replaced by wariness.
So that’s how it is.
Jacob almost chuckled out loud at how quickly the man shifted when he realized he wasn’t talking to an ignorant alien that he could take advantage of. So not only was Hopefield a disgusting pervert, but he was a coward as well. A smart coward, but a coward nonetheless.
The pair of political figures quickly sized each other up, and Xing’che came out on top, and everyone standing there knew it.
Hopefield let go of Xing’che’s offered hand and cleared his throat. “The president is in his bunker, so I hope you don’t mind that we meet down there.”
“Xing’che?” Jacob asked. Jacob and Barry would be fine if this turned into some sort of trap, but their eiraxin guest might get hurt if things went south.
“If that is where we must go to speak with President McConnell, then let us go,” she declared without hesitation.
Hopefield led them through the White House, then to a secure elevator that took them down a good ten stories before opening into a lavishly furnished second area that was a replica of the White House above.
McConnell stood and greeted them when they entered the replica Oval Office. “I apologize for having to meet you down here, but the Secret Service is very concerned about the protestors. And you must be Jacob’s guest…”
“Adjunct Xing’che,” she said, holding out her hand as she did with the vice president.
The President eyed Hopefield in annoyance, making the man shrink back. Then he gently grasped and turned Xing’che’s hand and shook it instead of kissing it.
Jacob didn’t miss the fact that McConnell was wearing a thin, skin-tight glove that was either clear or matched his own skin tone. If Xing’che noticed, she didn’t mention anything.
“There’s no need for such formalities, Adjunct Xing’che,” McConnell replied. “I’ll be honest, I was surprised to learn that our first alien guest was so similar to humans. Are all aliens like this?”
The president’s question was directed at anyone who could answer, but Jacob chose to let Xing’che.
“No,” the woman laughed lightly. “Most are quite different. I’m actually quite curious to find out why our two species are so similar.”
“Perhaps in time,” McConnell responded noncommittally before turning to Jacob. “Your message said we needed to speak urgently. Otherwise, I would have had you wait until the protest was over. So what is so important that you wished to visit me in the dungeon?”
“You know that whole plan to deploy satellites to block alien ships from transitioning to the surface? Well, you might want to speed that up. A race called the t’uk has discovered Earth. I don’t know if they are still here, what sort of ship or ships they brought, or how many.”
McConnell furrowed his brow. “And this race… the t’uk’s have ill intent?”
“I have no idea what they plan on doing,” Jacob admitted, “and that’s part of the problem. I don’t believe they have any good intentions towards anyone. I’ll let Xing’che tell you her people’s history with the t’uk, then Barry will fill you in on what we suspect they are up to now.”
***
Hours passed as the pair told their stories and answered any questions the president and vice president might have. At least until Hopefield excused himself, looking a little green around the gills.
McConnell didn’t even react or comment on the man’s departure, telling Jacob it must be a common occurrence. He really wondered why McConnell had picked such a weak running mate or how they had won the presidency with him.
“So far, all you have given me is speculation and a history of oppression that seems earned. I apologize if that offends you, Adjunct Xing’che,” McConnell added.
“It does not offend,” she replied.
McConnell nodded and continued. “What do you believe these t’uk are up to?”
“Nothing good,” Barry replied.
“And I believe you, young man, but I can’t go to the Joint Chiefs or Senate Finance Committee and ask for more funds with ‘Nothing good.’ I need actionable information. The fact that you intercepted a communication from them calling Earth a target is a good start, but it’s not enough.”
“Seriously?” Jacob asked in disbelief. “They are more than likely going to attack Earth. Can’t you see that?”
McConnell sighed. “As I said, I believe you. I might even be able to convince some others to believe it too, but it won’t be enough. To get the majority vote that I would need to pass a budget proposal for more satellites, I would need to convince at least seventy percent of the Senate. That’s not going to happen without concrete proof. And even with that, it might not be possible.”
“What about this alliance that you and the other countries made?” Jacob asked.
“I’m sure discussing it with them will prioritize the satellites, but a lot of money is already being thrown into alien research. How long do you think we have?”
“A few months, maybe more,” Jacob guessed. “It all depends on whether or not the t’uk have forces staged and ready to attack.”
“I don’t believe they will attack until whatever they are planning in Astryx space starts,” Barry added.
“Hmm,” McConnell replied in thought. “So we have time. Not a lot, but I can work with that. If we can’t build enough of the satellites, we will just have to protect the major cities or trap their forces on the surface and go from there.”
“You’re awfully calm about all this,” Jacob added suspiciously.
McConnell chuckled. “When you run an entire country, you get used to dealing with threats. Dealing with an unknown alien who wishes us harm isn’t quite the same, but it’s close enough. We will still attempt to communicate with the t’uk if they appear to try and mitigate any violence, but based on what you said and the fact that they haven’t already communicated, it seems a diplomatic resolution might be off the table. Besides, what president doesn’t wish he were in power to stop an alien invasion? Can you imagine my ratings if I succeed?”
Jacob groaned at that.
And if those in power failed, everyone would die, so it didn’t matter.