~ Sub Rosa ~

CW: Contains violence, murder, and sexual language

Mr. Portis was annoyed as he sat at the head of the conference table deep underground on Sub-Level 9 of the shadowy organization called Nasa II at Langley Air Force Base. After a moment admiring the reflection of the disturbing scar across his face in one of the two dozen monitors in the room, he snorted with irritation and pressed the transmitter under his jaw. “Will and Grace, where the fuck are you?”

Will and Grace were code names for his assistants. This Grace was the latest in a long line. They were hired for ten-year stints but he had yet to have one complete her contract. Forty-four Graces in sixty-nine years. That’s a whole lot of body bags. Fingers crossed on his latest, Komeko Yong, a youngish and searingly efficient Korean girl. Will was a 160 year old purebred Reptilian from royal lineage and he belonged to Portis—lock, stock, and vassal. They both hurried in and sat across from him. He seemed quite proud of the pamphlet he presented to Grace. “I know you are new to the program Grace, so I took the liberty of creating this list of highly classified information for you. I want us to be on the same page.”

She perused it.

_________________________________________

**TOP SECRET**

Alien Species Prominent on Earth and Affiliation with NASA II Blue Elbrines: (Blues, Tweaker) Neutral

Devas: (Buddhas) Opposition

Reptilian: (Drach, Rep) Ally

Erran: (Pleiadian, Nordic, Nord) Opposition

Grey: (Gray, Zeta Recticulas) Ally

Mantids: (Mantis, Insectoid) Opposition

Celestial Energy Energy source derived from dark matter. Necessary to power advanced Alien technology.

Cric Crystalline Integrated Circuit: (Muon) Erran computers made from quartz crystal. Organically programmed to each individual and normally stored inside the body.

EMP - Electromagnetic Pulse. Intense burst of electromagnetic radiation from abruptly accelerating charged particles. Temporarily disrupts electricity.

Hopi American Indian Nation that produce and train Kachinas. Opposition

Hybrid Self-aware beings with a combination of Human and Alien DNA. Human and two or more Alien DNA are called Combrids.

Kachina (Star Children, Sacred Children) Hopi Indian Hybrids with enhanced abilities and faculties. Originally bred to protect mankind from Alien threats. (See Hopi and Hybrid)

Sancti Network of 13 Erran Crystal Skull-shaped computers enabled by celestial energy and created to limit the use of Alien technology in this solar system. A single Skull is referred to as Sancta. (See Celestial Energy and Cric)

Sanctum The thirteenth Crystal Skull. Controls and programs the other twelve Sancti. (See Sancti, Cric)

“Thank you, sir. That’s very thoughtful.” Other than the large scar on his face, he didn’t seem nearly as bad as she had been forewarned.

“Okay, guys. Give it to me.” Portis was definitely wired.

“Yes, sir,” said Grace. Three holograms appeared showing overheads of the targeted property in York County, Virginia. The wreckage of two downed choppers and mutilated Men In Black bodies littered the grounds.

Portis turned his attention to Will and waited. Will was nervous. With Portis, an epic mission fiasco like this could turn nasty very quickly. It was the fifth failed try to retrieve the Crystal Skull and kill that pain in the ass group. If the powers that be caught wind of it, there would surely be repercussions. “We have lots of good footage from the choppers and the house security cameras up to the blackout. The house cameras came back up approximately eighteen minutes later and we see them all leave in two vehicles.”

Portis eyes flashed anger, “Blackout and choppers down. Everyone dead. How? I need answers people.”

Will said, “Your Honor, the feed from all the footage is still being reviewed. We’re not exactly sure what happened but there must be a logical explanation.”

“Show me the footage,” Portis commanded.

As the final seconds ran Will said, “Hold tape”. He saw it. “Play back the last five seconds and magnify.” They watched Debbie Archer’s face and Will repeated in sync with her lip movements, “EMP.”

“EMP?” repeated Portis. “She took out our choppers, our blue lights and our plasma rifles with a fucking EMP! How is that possible? She’s a human!” He waited for a response.

Will shrugged, “Humans can’t produce EMPs without nukes.”

“No shit!” Portis stood up and leaned over the table, eyes blazing. “Tell me how the fuck she initiated an EMP… Grace?”

Grace shuffled through some papers nervously. “GRACE!” She flinched. “You have an IQ of 167. Speculate, Grace.”

She was cowering at this point, but she had an idea. “We should check her DNA,” she said and waited. He was so angry that it was frightening her.

After a few seconds he shook his head and let out a breath of exasperation. He sat back down and tried to relax. “Grace,” he said deliberately, “do you have the DNA analysis?”

Grace recovered some of her composure and answered. “Yes, sir. We have recovered DNA from all of them but the analysis is incomplete.”

“Well, why don’t we look at what we have so far. Okay?”

“Of course, sir.” She typed for a moment at high speed. Multiple simulations of Hybrid DNA strands appeared on several monitors, shifting and adapting.

Grace saw a bombshell in the report and sucked in her breath. “Mr. Portis, Deborah Archer has Alien Erran DNA markers.”

Portis was back on his feet pacing. “Finally, something that makes sense.” He looked at his assistants expectantly. “So we’re thinking she is an Erran Hybrid and has a Cric?”

“The Erran Enoch is dead, but his Cric and the Sanctum were never recovered,” said Will.

Grace checked her list. Sanctum was the title of the thirteenth Crystal Skull Computer protected by the dead Alien Enoch of Erran and the focus of the first failed mission. It was making sense to her now. Perhaps the human woman’s Erran DNA could allow her to access the power of the Crystal computers. “The husband’s DNA is also suspect, sir.”

Portis rubbed his chin. “Grace, leave us. And when you finish with the DNA analysis, send it to the Greys for their evaluation.”

“Right away, sir.”

“What’s going on, Will? I’ve never seen a group of people so…capable.”

Will responded carefully. “They’re challenging, Your Eminence. But we’ve been assuming we’re dealing with humans. What if only the old man is human? If we’re facing Combrids and an Erran Hybrid?” He left it out there.

“Hmm. We need to get ahead of this thing. It’s getting out of hand. Where are they now?”

“We haven’t located them yet, My Liege. They’re traveling in older vehicles without GPS and they aren’t using tech. But we know they’re traveling north and have a wide net stretched between here and Maine.”

“When you get all the DNA results from the Greys, let me know immediately.”

“Of course. Don’t worry, Exalted One. They’ll surface soon enough.”

“Go, then,” commanded Portis. Will bowed slightly as he left.

The rest of the night moved very slowly for Portis. As the sun rose, the chip in his neck began to pulse. “What?” he said out loud.

It was Grace. “Mr. Portis, we have all the DNA results.”

“I’m coming.”

Within minutes, Portis was back at Nasa II’s top secret Sub-Level 9 conference table. Will was so eager that his lizard eyes were showing through his human visage. Grace noticed his yellow eyes for the first time. With mixed feelings, she realized he must be a Hybrid or perhaps even a Reptilian. She knew from her training that either could be unpredictable and dangerous. It was sobering and exciting at the same time.

“Give it to me,” said Portis.

Will handed Portis the results, “Deborah Archer’s DNA is an Erran match. She’s a descendant of Enoch.”

“A direct descendant?”

“Hell, yes, Your Highness….I mean, sir.”

“That’s not possible,” said Portis.

“It explains everything, sir. She could use his Cric, control the Sanctum and produce an EMP.”

Portis scanned the report. “So. We’ve been fighting a retired, Alien-trained Army tech. Two combat Combrids, and an Erran armed with a Cric and the Sanctum and we didn’t even know it. You can’t make this shit up, Will.”

“Yes, Your Worship,” said Will.

“Don’t call me that in front of her, idiot. Are the cleanup crews done yet?”

“Not quite, sir,” said Will. “Two choppers and twenty-four bodies is no quick fix.”

“Twenty-four? Jesus. Really? Twenty-four? You two go back over all of this again. Meet me back here this afternoon. We need a plan and I have an errand to run.”

Portis went over it in his mind as he headed out of the building. The Indian woman initially escaping? That was bad luck. The Archers getting to her first in the hospital? Coincidence? The Army Sergeant joining the team? Serendipity at best. But the husband a Combrid and the blonde kin to Enoch? That reeked of a plan. Those fucking Errans and their Sight! It had been a game changer so many times in the past. Enoch was somehow behind this. He may have put these events in motion centuries ago. Damn! Why couldn’t Enoch just die and go away? Portis had serious problems. A new strategy that Enoch would not have foreseen was his only option. As much as he hated it, he needed help.

Back home he stepped in the shower. The scalding hot water flowing over his body helped him think. Showers. Probably the best thing to ever come from the humans. Well, third best. The way was clear, dammit. He had to ask Lucy for help. Lying on the bed still wet, he cleared his mind and relaxed. His human form melted away and his actual massive stony body lie on the bed as his consciousness crossed over to the astral plane.

Portis found himself on the seventh level of Swarga. He felt infinity and pure beauty. The landscape was magnificent and brought twinkling tears to his eyes. But he had work to do. He whispered “Lucy Lange” and was instantly plunged into the heavy black depths of the lowest realm of existence. “Lucy, I need to speak to you,” he said in the astral tongue.

A pleasant soothing, George Clooney-sounding voice said, “Hello, Scar.”

“I don’t like it when you call me Scar.”

“Yes. I know. That’s why I do it.”

Fuck you, Lucy, he thought. “Why do you stay in this horrible place?”

“I like it here, Scar. The local entities really understand me.”

“I need help, Lucy.”

“You always need help, Scar.”

Portis let that go. “Listen. Our recent mission has had serious complications. And it occurred to me that it may have all been set up by Enoch.”

“Yes,” said Lucy. “I have foreseen Enoch’s plans and have already set events into motion that will counter them. But you, Scar. You’ve been a bad boy.”

“This group has been a trial, I admit, but I will find them soon. And I will end it.”

“No,” said Lucy’s voice with some edge to it. “The Erran woman and the husband are mine now. I have need of her. What I want you to do is very simple. Separate them from the Hopi Star Child.”

“Then you know where she is?”

“Oh, Scar.” Lucy sighed with disappointment. “You have the intellect of a primate and the vision of an earthworm.”

Portis had to quell his rising anger. Lucy had been baiting and insulting him for thousands of years. But soon enough this would all be over and Lucy’s last act would be the true understanding of Portis’ vision. “I’ll figure something out, Lucy.”

“Good boy,” said Lucy condescendingly. “Now, concerning your string of recent botched operations.” Portis was surprised. “You thought I didn’t know what’s been happening?” Lucy went dead serious. “Scar. The wrong people are asking questions. We can’t afford a light shining on our secret operations, the USSF, or any of our extracurricular activities. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Lucy. I understand. What about the retired Sergeant Major, the old man, David Minor?”

“He is inconsequential. Kill him. Is there anything else?”

“Yes. I have formulated a plan to finish off Malachi, that other Erran that got away. He’s practically helpless without his Cric and I found out where he’s hiding.”

“No,” said Lucy sternly. “I have need of him. I am the one hiding him, Scar. Haven’t you figured that out yet? His head will be ours soon enough. Now leave me.”

Portis opened his eyes and was back in his bed in his human form. He was hungry and angry. He hadn’t eaten for days and talking to Lucy always made him want to fuck something and then kill it. First things first. He got up and dressed for work.

**********

Mr. Portis was just about to leave when a message from Grace came through his neck receptor. “Sir, we have a break in the search.”

“I’m on the way,” he responded.

When he stepped through the elevator on Sub-Level 9, he was pleased to see eager expressions on the faces of Will and Grace. “Give it to me kids.”

Almost frenzied, Grace began typing and talking. “Sir, this is all over social media.” A hologram over the table showed six different views of a deadly incident between their fugitives and some unlucky Bikers. Portis watched them several times before asking, “What comes after this forty seconds?”

“The videos all go dead, sir,” said Grace. “I think she killed the phones.” Grace was almost breathless.

“Show me the video feed from the rest area’s security camera,” ordered Portis.

“It has nothing on it, sir,” said Grace. “It was pointing straight up at the sky.”

“These guys are good. Will. You’re a Sovereign Warrior. How would you take them?”

“Short of sheer numbers, it’s a problem, sir. They don’t seem to have a weakness and they’re very smart. Maybe the old man. If we could take him and use him as leverage?”

Grace was typing silently. Portis addressed her. “Any thoughts, Grace?”

“Actually, sir, I’ve been reviewing the completed DNA analysis and subject histories. We have a comprehensive view of this group now.”

Portis was impressed. “Give it to me, Gracie.” It must have been twenty years since Will heard him call an assistant Gracie and felt a twinge of jealousy.

Grace put holograms up over the table and presented the findings for several minutes.

“Enough,” said Portis. “Let’s talk solutions.”

“They have to be eliminated,” Will said smugly, flipping his hand.

Portis stood and projected his dominance. “No shit, Will. And how do we do that? We’ve lost three choppers and I’ve lost count of all the dead Reptilians, Men-In-Black, and contractors. And we don’t even know where the fuck they are.”

“I have the death count here, sir.”

“SHUT UP, GRACE! Is there anyone or anything that can put an end to this clusterfuck?”

“Your kind could take them, sir,” Grace offered.

Will and Portis looked at each other and then back at her. Their expressions made Grace suddenly very nervous.

“Okay, Grace. You go back to work upstairs,” Portis said softly. As she walked by, he stopped her and slid his middle finger up to the pulse in her throat. “I want to ask you a question, Grace. If you lie, I’ll know. Who do you think I am, Grace?”

“Sir, let me explain,” she stammered. “I know who you are, sir. What you are. I’ve studied all the DNA analysis from this whole project and it was obvious…”

“What was obvious, Grace?”

He sounded calm and she felt a little better. “There was only one unidentified DNA in the whole operation. It was recovered from downed chopper 2. I backtracked chopper 2’s normal itinerary. It’s your chopper, sir. You’re listed as the primary pilot. The DNA was hard to identify but eventually I did. You are an Anunnaki. The last of the royal line of ancient Sumeria, I’m guessing. The one who’s rumored to have escaped the Errans 14,000 years ago.”

“Wow!” Portis was impressed. “Will was right, Grace. You are an ace.”

“Thank you, sir,” Grace said with relief.

“But now that you know what I am, I have to kill you,” he said with real regret.

Grace tried to bolt for the elevator, but Portis stopped her by grabbing her throat. “This is way above your clearance, Grace. Everyone thinks the Anunnaki are extinct on Earth and we need to keep it that way. Will,” he said over his shoulder, “we need a new Grace.”

“No, no! Please!” pleaded Grace. Portis increased his pressure to her throat to shut her up.

“Now, Grace, since I have to end your life, I’m going to fuck you first. I like fucking humans but I don’t get the chance much anymore. Then I’m going to eat you. I’m very hungry, Grace, and Asians are so tasty and nutritious.” He lifted her with one hand and slammed her down onto the conference table. Since it didn’t matter anymore, he allowed his true form to appear. His height grew to seven feet and his body and face expanded out, covered with blue hued rock-like scales. His clothes ripped to pieces and fell away from him.

Looking for any way to survive, the woozy Grace made an offer. “Don’t kill me, sir. Let me have your baby. I’ll raise him like the prince he is.”

“Oh, sweet Grace, it’s a nice offer. But my sperm won’t fertilize your eggs. It will devour them.”

Grace tried to struggle and scream, but it was hopeless. Will was so excited by the scene that his yellow snake eyes were showing and wet. “I’ll leave you to it, Your Eminence,” he said as he headed to the elevator.

“Come back in an hour or so and bring some big trash bags for what’s left over. And clothes. I’ll need some new clothes.”

As the freight elevator doors closed, Will could hear Portis say over Grace’s yelps, “Fuck it, kill it, and eat it. Just like the old days.”

**********