Invasion at Bald Eagle by Kris Ashton

Author:Kris Ashton [Ashton, Kris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781988863863
Publisher: Digital Science Fiction, an imprint of Digital Fiction Publishing Corp.
Published: 2018-10-01T23:00:00+00:00

Deputy Director White knocked on Richard Warland’s office door and walked in carrying a sheet of teletype paper, with its hypnotic pattern of blue and white lines. Only two things ever arrived printed on teletype paper: very good news and very bad news. Richard had not been handed much teletype paper in recent weeks and the previous day he had committed the cardinal sin of wishing things would liven up a bit—a reckless temptation of fate not dissimilar to Gee, we got nice weather for our picnic or There’s no way the Broncos can lose from here.

“What have you got for me?” Richard said.

“One of our whirlybird scouts has picked up a silver funnel, sir,” White said, presenting the teletype page to his superior.

Richard scanned the page for the longitudinal coordinates and estimated them to be somewhere in the mid-north-west. “What sort of population are we talking about?”

“We’re researching census figures now, but the reporting flyboy said it’s fairly remote—mostly forest and only a single small community involved.”

“Well, that’s a break,” Richard said, resting back in his seat to take in the rest of the telegraphed capital letters. So far the United States had been spared a metropolitan incident and he prayed it would stay that way. “What’s the name of the town?”

“Bald Eagle,” White said.

The print-out crumpled in Richard’s hands. “Bald Eagle? As in Bald Eagle County, Colorado?”

“I believe that was it, sir, yes.”

“Oh, sweet Jesus,” Richard said, looking away. “What are the fucking chances…”

White shifted awkwardly from one foot to another. “Is there something I can do, sir?”

“Yes, you can get out of my office,” Richard said, shooing him away.

“Uh, sir?”

“What?”

“I need to know your initial orders.”

Richard rubbed his face, as if trying to sand it back and find the solution in his skull. “Implement full quarantine measures, but there is to be no eradication until I give the word. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Repeat it back to me.”

“Full quarantine measures but no eradication until you say so.”

Richard nodded. “Get cracking. And shut the door on your way out.”

White followed these orders to the letter, leaving Richard closed up in the complete silence of his soundproofed office. He sat motionless for some time, his slightly sweaty hands pressed down on the teletype report, thoughts tumbling through his head like acrobats.

Finally he opened a desk drawer and took out an address book, using the thumb tabs to open it up at the right letter.

Wishing he could be in the sunroom of his house with a glass of scotch instead, Richard dialed the number.

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