Prologue - Strangetown: Part One
Change in Strangetown has always been more insidious.
Content warning: This story contains mature themes and may not be suitable for minors. For this chapter, adult references.
Please also note there are allusions to unsavoury military practices that are simply used as a creative device and are most certainly not intended as commentary or to cause offense.
2 Cover Up Road, Strangetown
“And this,” Pascal said proudly holding up his son, “is Luke Curious.”
“Oh my,” Nervous gushed, “isn’t he just incredible.” He waved to the wriggling green bundle, “hello Luke.”
“Did you want to hold him,” Pascal asked.
“Me? You trust me to hold him?” Nervous asked quietly.
Pascal did trust Nervous although Vidcund had speculated that he must suffer from severe Attention Deficit Hyperactivy Disorder or something of the sort. To which Lazlo, of course, had replied in mock seriousness that he should get medicated immediately; and then share his prescription. Vidcund pointed out to Lazlo that he wasn’t at College anymore and might want to stop acting like he was. Lazlo sighed and asked once again why they couldn’t have a bubble blower. Pascal, as he often found he had to, ignored the both of them.
He didn’t know exactly what went on in the Beaker household but knew the extent of Loki Beaker’s brutality. The memory of his high school beating still made him wince. He admitted that Nervous was, to put it nicely, different. But Pascal still felt the young man deserved a friend.
“Of course, just support him like this,” he explained as he placed his son in Nervous’ arms.
Nervous stood still, not sure what to do with the tiny child in his arms. But soon Luke started to wave his little arms and gurgle making both men smile.
Nervous cautiously played with Luke as the two men talked. They discussed how Pascal was adjusting to parenting and Nervous expressed his own desire to have a family one day. They were discussing Luke’s unusual origins when Nervous sighed. “What’s wrong,” Pascal asked.
“I wish I knew my origins,” he said softly.
Pascal was quiet in thought. He knew Nervous was young when he was adopted, but had lived in an orphanage until going to live with the Beakers. “There must be a register or something. Have you ever made a request to the orphanage for information or checked online?”
“You can do that?” Nervous asked.
“We’ll look online now,” Pascal said with authority, “It’s time for Luke’s nap.”
Nervous held Luke up a little, and Pascal waved to him promising to see him when he woke up. Luke responded by attempting to swallow his fist which made the two men laugh although Pascal groaned that he was pretty sure that was one of Lazlo’s party tricks.
After putting his son in his crib, Pascal went to the computer. He brought up a search engine and started typing in key words hoping to find the details or maybe even records of the closest orphanage but there were no online details going back that many years. He did however find a localised register for people seeking information about their birth parents. He noticed Nervous hadn’t said a word and turned to notice him just watching him, “Is everything okay,” Pascal asked.
Nervous looked at the gathering storm clouds for a moment before admitting he wasn’t sure if looking for his parents was the right thing to do.
Pascal got up and looked to his friend, “What have you got to lose?” he asked sincerely.
Nervous thought for a moment before concluding he had nothing to lose. He felt he owed it to Loki to help him with his experiments. Loki and Circe always reminded him of everything they had done for him by taking him in and that he should be more grateful. He was grateful, but he couldn’t deny living with the Beakers was very hard.
“Nothing,” he replied earnestly.
Pascal smiled and went back to the computer. The process was simple enough, there was a form to fill out and then the basic information such as age, place and physical attributes were put online for possible parents to search. Contact information was only given after confirmation and consultation with both parties.
Nervous answered Pascal’s questions to the best of his ability, which wasn’t much as he remembered nothing of his early childhood, but soon it was submitted. Pascal didn’t want to show
too much excitement, it was very possible that nothing would come from this and couldn’t bear the thought of Nervous being disappointed. He still couldn’t deny though that the thought of Nervous escaping the clutches of the Beakers pleased him greatly.
13 Dead End Lane, Strangetown
Olive Specter turned on the computer and waited for the internet to connect. Her niece had mentioned that there were faster types of connections, as well as newer computers available. She had curtly told her that she was very happy with the way things were.
She knew she may come across as blunt and uncaring to Ophelia, but Olive had been living alone for a long time now and was set in her ways. She didn’t have much longer on this earth and was desperate to rectify her biggest regret.
She knew some may argue she had a whole yard full of actions to regret but Olive was never one to let the opinions of others get in her way.
Everyday, for nearly the last decade, Olive had checked various sites hoping her son had sought her out. She had tried other avenues too, of course, but it was always so difficult. The bureaucracy of it all was enough to drive anyone to murder.
But today was different, today he was there.
SimCity Military Base, East of Strangetown
General Buzz Grunt wearily eyed the time on the computer as he waited for the latest documentation to load. He hoped when the new base was established in Strangetown that they would update the system. But also, he was tired. Buzz was proud of his rank and position, he, like his father and grandfather before him, had worked hard to earn the respect and power that they had received. Yet today had been particularly draining and he was, for the first time in a long time, looking forward to leaving the base.
He sighed as he remembered how Lyla was always pleased when he came home on time like in the beginning of their marriage when he was just in the Forces. But as the years passed, his responsibilities increased; his promotion to Junior Officer arrived mere days before Ripp had. He spent more hours at work and found it increasingly difficult to leave his work behind when he did make it home. Lyla pleaded with him to work less, “Your sons’ barley know you,” she’d weep. But he had just been promoted Counter Intelligence and couldn’t afford to lose focus. By the time Buck was born he had reached the position of Senior Officer but by then it was too late. His marriage had deteriorated beyond repair. He hadn’t known what to say when his wife tearfully told him she had had enough, and that she just couldn’t take it anymore. He still didn’t know as she told him that she was staying at a motel for a few days to decide what she wanted to do. So he hadn’t said anything, and instead silently watched her through the window as she left in a taxi. That had been the last time he had seen her.
He knew he had been even more preoccupied with work since her departure but now, after years of ‘monitoring the situation’, action was finally being taken. Buzz had watched as the Alien population had grown and seemingly assimilated into Strangetown as if it was normal. As if it was acceptable. Even his own damn son hung around them refusing to see them as the very real threat that they were. He could understand Ripp doing it simply to goad him, but now Buck was being drawn in to their web as well and he wouldn’t allow it. Jill Smith may not have the blatant appearance as her brother did, but, until disproven with DNA test, was still known to be part Alien and that was enough to warrant her inquiry.
The General knew it was the recent impregnation of the scientist, Pascal Curious, and resulting birth of an alien child, which had caused the necessary fear in his superiors to spur action. So finally he had been given the authority to take the Smith family into custody and question them to ascertain their purpose, and most importantly, their strategy. There were many threats to the fabric of human society and Buzz refused to believe that the presence of Aliens, marrying humans and reproducing no less, wasn’t one of them. All he had to do was give the command to proceed.
He could help though, in a moment of weakness he scolded himself, to pause. He knew, no matter what information they obtained from the interrogation, what the final outcome for the family would be. The damage done to the military would be significant if the methods they used in such circumstances were revealed to the public and there was only one way to truly ensure the family’s silence.
A feeling of malaise passed through Buzz. While he wouldn’t partake in the events themself, the requirement of his authority, and manner of the military, made the responsibility his alone.
He gave his command and turned off the computer for the evening. As he watched the screen turn blank he only hoped his consciousness would do the same.
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Author’s Note: So much for the wait, I’ve found this story is all I wanted to do :) The next chapter is nearly done too!