CHAPTER 18: Allies

 

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Who on earth can that be at this time of night?" asked Cornelius.  David shrugged his shoulders.  They had been going over the reports on the new vaccine's effectiveness all evening and it was past 10pm.  It could be Peggy calling, although she wouldn't do so without calling first, or Dr Sands from the DPR but highly unlikely.  

"Do you want me to answer it or..." began David but Cornelius waved his hand in dismissal.

"I'll go...I can't abide a mystery." Cornelius replied.

"I'm coming with you" said David.  Cornelius looked through the stained glass panel of the front door to see who it was.

"Hmmm, it's a young woman" said Cornelius, turning to David and raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Anyone we know?" said David.

"No, but we'll soon find out"

Cornelius opened the door and took a look at the young woman standing on his front porch.  She seemed familiar but he couldn't place where he had seen her before.

"Doctor Cornelius, I hope this isn't an inconvenient time but I have something of importance to tell you!"

Cornelius looked the woman up and down with muted approval and then said "It's never an inconvenient time when it's a matter of importance."

Then he took his left hand and held it in front of his eyes so it blocked out the woman's top half of her face, leaving only her nose, mouth and chin visible to him.  "Ah-ha" he said as he realised who he was speaking with.  "You look different without your sunglasses on and that dress is far more flattering on you than the black suits you normally wear.  Are you FBI, NSA or some other acronym?"

She smiled back and said "Something like that.  My name is Karen Amaya and I work for a government agency but exactly who I can't reveal."  She looked down at her dress and boots then looked back to Cornelius.  "I'm off duty, so no black suit or sunglasses today" she said.

"So this matter of importance, what is it?  Would it be better if we discussed it inside?" he asked her, cutting short the small talk.

"I don't have much time so I'll just tell you here" she said, looking around to her left and right.  "Rumour has it that you've developed a vaccine for the Strangerville Sickness, is this true?" she asked.

"I've got nothing to hide:  Yes, I have developed a vaccine which I think will work.  It might need more testing but then that's true of any medicine." he replied, nonchalantly, as if finding cures for obscure illnesses was merely routine to him.

"My bosses are concerned about your work here, Doctor Cornelius, they're worried you're...." but then she was cut off by the arrival of David on the porch.

"I take it your life is not in immediate danger, Cornelius?" David asked, flippantly.  Then he saw Karen and smiled in that way he did whenever he met an attractive woman.

"No danger...David, this is Karen, she's one of our black suited stalkers who have been following us this last week.  She's also a government agent but this is her evening off." said Cornelius.  

"Ah, Mr Wright, I've read your dossier...Cornelius' assistant but a free lancer, not in the employ of the US government" said Karen.

"I'm more a part time employee" replied David.

"Now before you arrived, David, Karen was going to tell us something of great importance.  Please do go on" Cornelius said to her.

Karen took a deep breath before speaking.  "What I'm about to tell you is strictly off the record" she said.

"Understood" replied Cornelius.

"My superiors are suspicious about your intentions...there's no love lost between my department and the DPR.  In fact, you guys are seen as a bunch of kooks."

"Our intentions are to cure the disease and prevent it from re-occurring and spreading in the future." said Cornelius.

"Curing the disease is not an issue with my superiors:  It's the prevention part that worries them.  They do not wish for the Mother plant to be destroyed." she said with a slightly apologetic tone to her voice.

"Whyever not?  It's a menace!  It wishes to conquer the world!" interjected David, who didn't like what he was hearing from Karen.

"My department considers the Mother plant to be of potential use for the United States.  If we can control it, then it could give us a significant power leverage over the Russians."

"Control it?  I've seen the Mother plant...I've even spoken with it.  I'm telling you your force field containment isn't going to hold against that thing for much longer.  It's found a way to spread its spores across the region, it's tentacles are reaching into every underground pipe and water source, ever spreading, ever expanding.  It also despises us and wishes to turn humanity into mindless drones...and you think your suited superiors can harness it to use against the Russians?  Folly!  Sheer folly!" exclaimed Cornelius.

"This is why I've come to see you...off the record.  I think my bosses are being short sighted and lack your scientific expertise.  They are spies, agents and warriors, not scientists.  Publicly it's my duty as a field agent to warn you against going any further than finding a cure for the victims.  Privately I would prefer it if you were to defeat the Mother plant...."

"Thank you for stopping by and letting me know, Karen.  I appreciate it" said Cornelius, sympathetically.  "Just one thing, though..."

"Yes?"

"Will you prevent me and David from fighting the Mother?"

Karen looked Cornelius straight in the eye, her face very serious.  "I won't....but others might.  Be on your guard, Doctor Cornelius." and with that, she turned and left.

Cornelius and David went back inside the house.  "Well, what do you make of that, David?" 

"We need to be on our guard against both the plant AND our own side" David replied.

The next day at DPR headquarters Cornelius shared what Karen had said to his chief, Dr Ranko Murakami and fellow researcher, Moira Fyres.

"Do you know who this mysterious government department is, Dr Murakami, and do you think they'll try to stop us from defeating the Mother Plant?"

"I do...they're so secret they don't even have a name and if they want to stop us there's little we can do to resist." she replied solemnly.

"They've stopped our work in the past, Cornelius." added Moira.  "It comes down to the fact they have a bigger budget than us and can scare the President more easily than we can."

"How about we get the army on our side?" asked Cornelius.  "I know the local battalion hate this situation with the alien plants as much as the locals and some of their personnel have succumbed to the disease.  Surely the back up we need can be found there?"

"I've already reached out to them and they've refused to help.  Off the record the Major in charge of the base has been got at by Department X....did I say Department X?  You didn't hear me call them that."

"I didn't hear either.  So it's just us then....hmmmm" Cornelius stroked his chin in deep thought.

"You're devising a plan, aren't you Cornelius?  I've seen that look on your face before!" said Moira.

"I am devising a plan...Dr Murakami...one that will give you credible deniability if it doesn't work..."

"OK, I'll let you run with it Cornelius.  But this conversation never happened..."

Later that evening, after Cornelius had briefed David on his plan, they headed out of their house and down the road to meet with someone Cornelius was hoping would help him.

"Do you think she'll agree?" asked David as they walked to a modestly sized single storied house that was in better condition on the outside than their own.

"If she doesn't then my plan will probably backfire." replied Cornelius.  They got to the front door and Cornelius rang the bell.  Whilst waiting for a response he shot David a hopeful look.

The door opened slightly as the security chain tightened.  "Who is it?" came a woman's voice.

"Dr Jon Cornelius.  We've met...briefly, before." 

"Oh" said the woman with a touch of surprise.  The door shut, the chain was taken off and she re-opened it to let the two men in.

"How have things been, Corporal Sigworth?  Any recurrence of the symptoms since I administered the vaccine?" Cornelius asked.

"None so far" replied Corporal Jess Sigworth.  "Sit down, gentlemen" she said in a curt, military style manner.

Cornelius and David sat down with her.  "I'm glad to hear that the symptoms haven't returned.  That means we're another step closer to a cure."  said Cornelius.

Sigworth was twitchy and seemed nervous to the two visitors and she stood up to walk over to a dining table before sitting down again; thoughts turning over in her mind.

"I hear reports about how I was when I was under the influence of the sickness...they told me how I was acting.  I have no memory of any of it, Doctor." she said, solemnly.

Cornelius got up as well and moved closer to where she was sitting.  "I know and I can only imagine how horrible it was both for you and your friends and family but I have a proposition for you." he said.

"What is it you want from me, Doctor?" she asked.

"My department wishes to eliminate the threat of the Mother Plant.  It's being kept alive in the lowest level of the secret laboratory and there is another government department that wants to nurture it.  There's a clash of interests in this matter, Corporal.  The army you serve is kept neutral at this time but I'm sure a lot of your comrades in arms want that plant destroyed...after what it has done to some of them.  I mean to go into the lab and defeat the alien plant but I need some allies to do that..."

She looked Cornelius straight in the eye and said without a hint of emotion on her face "Will I be disobeying orders if I were to join you?"

"Have you been given any orders by your superiors?" Cornelius asked.

"Not at this time." she replied.

"Then it's a matter of which non-military branch of government you wish to side with:  My Department For Paranormal Research or this mysterious Department X."

"It's much better working with us, Corporal" chipped in David.

"I've not heard of either of your organisations before" she replied.

At that moment a little girl of around 8 or 9 years old entered the room and sat down at the table, next to Sigworth.

"Who are these men, mummy?" she asked.

"Doctor Jon Cornelius, at your service, Miss" said Cornelius with a smile.  "And my associate, David Wright.  We're here to help your town"

"Are you the men who cured my mummy?" the little girl asked, turning to Cornelius.

"They are, darling.  This is Chrissie, my daughter as if you haven't guessed" said Sigworth.

"Are you going to help them cure the rest of the town?" Chrissie asked again, precociously.

Sigworth didn't know how to respond to that, she looked at Chrissie, then back to Cornelius, then over to David.  "Well...I...have to think about that"

"Please do think about it" said Cornelius.  "We have the cure, but we need to make sure this never happens again and for that I will need the assistance of brave people who can handle themselves."

David chimed in as well "We've seen what's down there and if left alone it'll only get worse.  You're immune from the sickness it spreads now; it can't get you again but already it's infecting more and more people as it grows."

Corporal Sigworth stood up.  "I must put Chrissie to bed now but like I said, I'll think about your proposition.  Good night, gentlemen."

As they headed back to their own house David asked Cornelius "Well, do you think she'll help?"

"My gut says 'yes'.  If she says 'no', well...there aren't many other people with her skills in this town who could help us."

The next day it was back to the secret lab to create more vaccines.

"I've been thinking, Cornelius, about creating a list of infected people we need to treat in order of their usefulness." said David.

"Usefulness to what or whom?"  replied Cornelius, not looking up from his work.

"Useful in defeating the mother plant.  Obviously Corporal Sigworth's military training is very useful but if we want to recruit others then maybe look to those who could be handy."

"An interesting idea.  So who do you think should be next?" said Cornelius, who took a moment to look up from the test tube he was holding and look over at David.

"No other military people have succumbed to the disease but what about Tre Stern, the man who helped Holden infiltrate the base?"

Cornelius thought about it and nodded.  "A logical suggestion.  I've looked at Stern's file and he hasn't got much in the way of a military background.  Too young to have served in Korea, not young enough to be serving in Vietnam plus he's 4-F.  Bad feet."

"Do you have anyone in mind?" asked David.

"I do.  Mayor Ted Roswell.  Served in WW2 and Korea in the Rangers.  Does a lot of hunting and prospecting in this area as well.  Local knowledge is an asset plus I suspect he will want to strike hard at the creature that is slowly destroying his town."

"Well, what are we waiting for?  Let's get these vaccines finished!" said David, picking up a test tube from a rack and handing it to his colleague.

As soon as they had returned home, the phone rang.  Cornelius rushed to answer it, leaving David to store the vaccines in the refrigerator.  He tried listening in to the conversation but Cornelius' responses were generic and didn't reveal much.

"Ah, so good to hear from you....you have?  Well that is good news.  Yes, we are available to visit...right now?  I don't think that presents a problem...see you very shortly."

Once David had finished putting the vaccines in the fridge he saw Cornelius standing there with a big smile on his face.

"That, David, was Corporal Jess Sigworth.  She wants to see us...now.  She's made her mind up about whether to join our merry band or not."

The two men wasted no time in heading over to the nearby Sigworth residence and when they got there the door was answered not my Jess, but by a man.

"Doctor Cornelius?" he asked.

"Yes, that is correct, and this is my associate David Wright"

"I am Jess' husband, Dylan.  Come inside, Gentlemen, you're expected."

Cornelius and David were ushered into the living room area and sat down at the dining table.  It had only been the day before yesterday since they had last sat there.

"I have told my husband everything about what has been going on and about your last visit.  I hope I didn't betray any confidences" she said.

"You haven't.  My work is both official and unofficial at the same time...complicated though that might seem.  It's only right that your husband is kept informed about my mission because he has had to live with you suffering from the sickness..."

"Dr Cornelius...I have something to tell you" interjected Dylan.  "I have now contracted the sickness.  This last week I have been displaying all the symptoms." he said, solemnly.

"I see..." said Cornelius with sadness in his voice.  His thoughts went to their daughter and how she would cope with both parents stricken.

"Doctor...this vaccine you've discovered...can my husband get some now?  I have to think about who will look after Chrissie..."

"I have already thought about that.  I have a limited supply right now but the formula is with the Department of Paranormal Research and they are working to make multiple batches and get them to Strangerville as soon as possible.  Your husband will be hopefully cured within the week."

"That is reassuring news" she said before turning to look at her husband.  He wore an expression that was a combination of fear and relief; a man who had been greatly troubled by what had been going on but with a glimmer of hope that it would soon be over.  She reached out to him and laid her hand upon his.

"As to the other matter..." said Cornelius, hoping that concern for her husband wasn't the only thing she wanted to talk to him about.

"Yes.  I have given it a lot of thought, and consulted with Dylan and....yes.  I will join your team." she said.  Cornelius suppressed the urge to smile and remained businesslike.

"That is good to hear.  And you, Dylan, are you happy to let your wife join with us to defeat the threat?" he asked.

"We're a military family.  We know all about duty and protecting our home." he said with conviction.

"I will get you the vaccine as soon as I am able.  It will probably be handled by my colleagues as I will have to prepare for our mission to the laboratory.  Corporal Sigworth, I will be in touch soon."

The following day the two men ventured out to the Roswell mansion.  They could see him pacing about through the window, looking agitated.

"He doesn't look happy...what's eating him?" asked David.

"Other than the infection in his brain, who knows?  Well, maybe we can be of help?" Cornelius replied.

They went to the front door and rang the doorbell.  It was Mrs Roswell who answered it.  

"Oh, Doctor Cornelius!  Mr Wright!" she exclaimed when she saw them.

"I hope this isn't an inconvenient time..." said Cornelius, politely.

"Well...yeah...I mean...no...It's just that Ted's just recovered from one of those strange turns and we've got those damned weeds coming out of every faucet in the house!"

"Mrs Roswell, I think we can solve both of your problems." said Cornelius with a slight smile.

She ushered them in to the library where Ted Roswell was sitting by the chess table.  He looked agitated and worn down, thought Cornelius.

"Mayor Roswell, it seems we have arrived at a good time." he said.

"Good time?  I'm having more and more of these weird turns and the house is becoming overrun by vines and creepers!  How in tarnation do you figure this is a good time!"

"My colleague, David, will sort out the vines whilst I have the cure for your sickness."

"Wait...did you say, 'cure'?" said a surprised Roswell.

"Indeed, I have it right here...no injections, you just drink it and you'll get no more strange turns." said Cornelius as he produced the vial of vaccine from his coat pocket and held it up for inspection.

"You mean that's the cure?" asked an incredulous Roswell.

"Hmm hmm" replied Cornelius, nodding.

"Well don't just stand there with it, gimme here!" Roswell said, snatching the vial from Cornelius' hand, twisting the lid off and gulping it down.  "So when does it take effect?" asked Roswell again.

Cornelius consulted his wristwatch and nodded "About...now" he said.

Roswell sat down and his head did a little twitch, then he broke into a smile.  "Dagnabbit!  I can feel it working!  You sir are a genius!"

"So they tell me."

"Mr Mayor..." interjected David.  "We're going to go up to that laboratory where the Mother plant lives with the intention of destroying it.  Our colleagues at the DPR will be providing backup but Cornelius, Corporal Jess Sigworth and myself will be going to confront the creature.  We need more allies, Mr Mayor, people who know how to handle themselves in a fight...someone like you."

"Well, finally someone around here's gonna kick some ass!  I'll do this for free to get that sonofabitch our of my town!" he said, pounding the chess table and making the pieces wobble.

"But darling...that'll be dangerous!" exclaimed Mrs Roswell.

"I don't want the whole town ending up as drooling zombies like what happened with me, Meredith.  Now I'm a man of action and where there's action that's where I'm gonna go...no buts, Meredith!"

Mrs Roswell stood up and paced around the room but said little.  Her anxieties were obvious from looking at her face.

"I take it you fellas are going in equipped with state of the art weapons?" asked Mr Roswell.

"Scientific weapons...mostly chemical in nature.  Think of it as ultra-powerful weed killer." said David.

Roswell nodded and turned to face his wife.  "Meredith...I gotta do this.  This town depends on me to protect it and I haven't done my duty for some time.  I swore an oath of office to protect and serve Strangerville...and it's finally time to do just that!  Gentlemen...let's kick us some alien ass!"