Tarizon: Desert Swarm Read online

  Epilogue

  Jack Carpenter and Dolly Watson’s sudden disappearance rocked the usually sedate Inyo County community. Jack’s son Jake, of course, was devastated and Angela still had feelings for Jack so, between the two of them, they kept constant pressure on the authorities to find Jack and Dolly. The press speculated it was foul play and a Lone Pine police officer confirmed that someone had tried to kill Jack and his girlfriend a few weeks earlier. Agent Sanders feared the worst and kept her gun under her pillow in case the President sent someone to take her out too. Nor did Joe Spencer sleep so well even though Mo assured him everything was okay. Mo called the President to give him his final report.

  “Mr. President.”

  “Hi. Mo. So, our new emissaries got away okay?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “That’s good. I’m glad this mess is finally over. How is the press handling their disappearance?”

  “There is speculation that it was foul play. Nobody has claimed the aliens took them yet.”

  The President laughed. “If they only knew.”

  Mo sighed. “Don’t you think we should tell Joe and Agent Sanders? They’re worried sick we’re going to take them out.”

  “No. They need some incentive to keep their mouths shut.”

  “I don’t know. I think you can trust them.”

  “I trust them, but Kulchz doesn’t. He’s got a team on them twenty-four seven.”

  “Why does he care if they talk? I thought it was your decision not to go public.”

  “It was, but now that the Tarizon Repopulation Project is underway he doesn’t want public outrage to derail it.”

  “Right.”

  “So, who is going to monitor the Nanomites now that Linkh and Jack are gone?”

  “There are Earth Shuttles landing every week now. They always have a few Seafolken aboard. If something comes up we can borrow one of them.”

  “Right. But the Nanomites don’t trust us, but they do trust Linkh and Jack.”

  “It’s out of my control. Kulchz didn’t like the fact that Linkh just disappeared with Jack and started working alone. He’s considering bringing charges against him for treason.”

  “What? That’s ridiculous. He’s a hero.”

  “You and I know that but in their eyes he went AWOL. I told him not to be too harsh with him since he did both Tarizon and the United States a great service.”

  “I should say so.”

  “Anyway, it is out of our hands now. I’m just glad this Nanomite mess is over.”

  “Me too,” Mo agreed.

  Agent Sanders hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since Jack and Dolly’s disappearance. She couldn’t believe that they had been assassinated after all they had done to save the President’s ass. She knew she was being followed. Whoever they were they were good, but Sanders was trained to know if she was being followed. She didn’t bother to set her alarm clock anymore. She woke so frequently during the night that she always knew exactly what time it was. At 5:30 a.m. she got up and took a shower. At six she went to the kitchen, put on some coffee and turned on the TV.

  “Turning to local Las Vegas news two persons were injured when an apartment building suddenly collapsed without warning. The entire building had to be evacuated and the owners of the building are at a loss as to what happened.

  “Residents of the apartment say they had no warning except for a rumbling sound and then a loud crack like a gunshot. Seconds later the floor beneath them just gave way. Owners of the building claim they have never had foundation problems and are at a loss as to why the building suddenly collapsed.”

  Agent Sanders turned off the TV. “Shit! I can’t believe this,” she exclaimed and then picked up the phone and dialed Joe’s number.”

  “Hello?”

  “Did you see the news?”

  “Marcia?”

  “Yes. Did you see the morning news?”

  “No. What’s up?”

  “It’s the goddamn Nanomites we lost at the evidence lab. They may be on the loose in Las Vegas.”

  “Oh, shit! I forgot about them.”

  “Me too.”

 

  Other Books About Tarizon

  The Tarizon Saga

  Unification (2015)

  Shroud of Doom (2013)

  Desert Swarm (2014)

  Cactus Island (2006)

  Act Normal (2007)

  The Tarizon Trilogy

  The Liberator (2008)

  Civil War (2009)

  Conquest Earth (2010)

  Other Books by William Manchee

  The Stan Turner Mysteries (11 volumes)

  The Rich Coleman Novels (3 volumes)

  The President’s Daughter

  Go Broke, Die Rich (Non-fiction)