Read Online Detour to Apocalypse: A Rot Rods Serial, Part Two by Michael Panush - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Panush
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he merely clasped it. The alien and the kid looked at each other for a moment before Felix stepped back. “He also is a little hungry. He would like mashed potatoes. They fed him mashed potatoes in the Sandpiper Casino and he quite enjoyed them. He has no teeth, you see, so he must eat mushy foods.”
“I’ll go and see if the little restaurant they got here will make some,” Angel said. “Maybe that will help convince him we’re okay.” He headed for the door.
As he left, Roscoe gazed at the Captain. “What do you think, boss? Are we gonna protect him?”
“From who?” Betty asked.
“Townsend Mars and Frankie Fink.” Roscoe started counting. “Agent Dodd and Task Force X.” He sighed. “Not to mention the entire US government. They pretty much think he’s their property. The government needs him for interrogation so they can keep cranking out their experimental weapons and vehicles. Mars needs him for some other nutso reason. They’ll come for him and try to take him back. The question is―do we protect him?”
Silence filled the room. The Captain remained where he sat. “What do you think?”
Roscoe looked at Betty and Felix and the Ambassador. “I don’t even know if it’s our business. We got hired to do a job and it went wrong, and we got pulled. Bucking the entire government for some big-eyed alien―that’s a sucker’s play, boss.” But as he spoke, he knew that was what Carmine Vitale would say. Carmine did what he was paid to do, which usually involved murder. Roscoe wasn’t that person anymore. “But keeping him safe is the right thing to do. This alien didn’t deserve what happened to him, and the whole world may be in danger if we don’t protect him. So I say we guard him with our lives. We protect him until his friends show up and then let them take him back to outer space. We prove to him that humanity’s decent.”
Felix beamed. “Thank you,
Herr
Roscoe.”
“Thanks,” Betty added.
The Captain nodded. “You’re right. I have done bad things and I have faced horrors, but I will not allow an innocent, even a creature from another world, to come to harm.” He stood and approached the alien. “Ambassador, you are now under our protection. I know you really have no choice in the matter, but we are good people.” He looked over his friends. “We’ll defend you, from all enemies. We will keep you safe. You have the word of Donovan Motors on that.”
The Ambassador stared at him, still expressionless.
A knock came at the door. “I’ll get it.” Betty hurried to answer.
Snowball slid off the couch and pawed over the Ambassador. He sniffed the alien continuously. Once again, the alien showed no response. Roscoe wondered if the Ambassador would ever crack a smile or frown―or if he even could.
Betty stepped back into the cabin. “Captain? Sergeant Quarter is here.”
Sergeant Nate Quarter stood in the doorway. Roscoe had only worked with him once before and wasn’t entirely sure if he liked the guy. Quarter looked like he had stepped off a recruiting poster, wearing a spotless olive green suit coat and tie under a matching military jacket. He had a shaved head and dark moustache and carried an automatic on his belt.
Sergeant Quarter entered. His gaze moved to the alien. “Captain.” He gave a curt nod and smiled at Betty. “Good evening, Miss Bright―and the same to you, Master Tannenbaum.”
“It is good to see you, Sergeant,” Felix said.
“How do we know he ain’t spying on us? Reporting back to his government masters.” Wooster pointed at Quarter. “His people are supposed to be servile, ain’t they?”
“Shut up, Wooster.” Roscoe glared back at Quarter. “He does have a point, though,” he said. “You’re an American soldier. Can we trust you?”
“I’m on leave, sir,” Quarter replied. “I was not followed. Are you asking if I’ll repeat what I say to my superiors?” He stared at the Captain. “I can see you don’t trust me.
“I’ll go and see if the little restaurant they got here will make some,” Angel said. “Maybe that will help convince him we’re okay.” He headed for the door.
As he left, Roscoe gazed at the Captain. “What do you think, boss? Are we gonna protect him?”
“From who?” Betty asked.
“Townsend Mars and Frankie Fink.” Roscoe started counting. “Agent Dodd and Task Force X.” He sighed. “Not to mention the entire US government. They pretty much think he’s their property. The government needs him for interrogation so they can keep cranking out their experimental weapons and vehicles. Mars needs him for some other nutso reason. They’ll come for him and try to take him back. The question is―do we protect him?”
Silence filled the room. The Captain remained where he sat. “What do you think?”
Roscoe looked at Betty and Felix and the Ambassador. “I don’t even know if it’s our business. We got hired to do a job and it went wrong, and we got pulled. Bucking the entire government for some big-eyed alien―that’s a sucker’s play, boss.” But as he spoke, he knew that was what Carmine Vitale would say. Carmine did what he was paid to do, which usually involved murder. Roscoe wasn’t that person anymore. “But keeping him safe is the right thing to do. This alien didn’t deserve what happened to him, and the whole world may be in danger if we don’t protect him. So I say we guard him with our lives. We protect him until his friends show up and then let them take him back to outer space. We prove to him that humanity’s decent.”
Felix beamed. “Thank you,
Herr
Roscoe.”
“Thanks,” Betty added.
The Captain nodded. “You’re right. I have done bad things and I have faced horrors, but I will not allow an innocent, even a creature from another world, to come to harm.” He stood and approached the alien. “Ambassador, you are now under our protection. I know you really have no choice in the matter, but we are good people.” He looked over his friends. “We’ll defend you, from all enemies. We will keep you safe. You have the word of Donovan Motors on that.”
The Ambassador stared at him, still expressionless.
A knock came at the door. “I’ll get it.” Betty hurried to answer.
Snowball slid off the couch and pawed over the Ambassador. He sniffed the alien continuously. Once again, the alien showed no response. Roscoe wondered if the Ambassador would ever crack a smile or frown―or if he even could.
Betty stepped back into the cabin. “Captain? Sergeant Quarter is here.”
Sergeant Nate Quarter stood in the doorway. Roscoe had only worked with him once before and wasn’t entirely sure if he liked the guy. Quarter looked like he had stepped off a recruiting poster, wearing a spotless olive green suit coat and tie under a matching military jacket. He had a shaved head and dark moustache and carried an automatic on his belt.
Sergeant Quarter entered. His gaze moved to the alien. “Captain.” He gave a curt nod and smiled at Betty. “Good evening, Miss Bright―and the same to you, Master Tannenbaum.”
“It is good to see you, Sergeant,” Felix said.
“How do we know he ain’t spying on us? Reporting back to his government masters.” Wooster pointed at Quarter. “His people are supposed to be servile, ain’t they?”
“Shut up, Wooster.” Roscoe glared back at Quarter. “He does have a point, though,” he said. “You’re an American soldier. Can we trust you?”
“I’m on leave, sir,” Quarter replied. “I was not followed. Are you asking if I’ll repeat what I say to my superiors?” He stared at the Captain. “I can see you don’t trust me.
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