Puppet Chapter 4

Puppet Chapter 4


A few weeks after that, the US Government finally caught on that they had been invaded. It appeared that the center of the country was in control of the Puppeteers while the coasts were still controlled by humans. Most of Europe and virtually all of Russia, China and Africa were controlled by the aliens.

The Puppeteers hoisted their flag, a silver blob with a globe superimposed on it, over Denver.

"We reign supreme," said someone expressionlessly.

"Um...yippee?" Said Mike. He was thinking that this would make them a target.

Sure enough, the government sent a large force to retake Denver.

The Puppeteers fought by simply giving way to the soldiers. When the tanks arrived one day in downtown, for example, there was no one who tried to stop them. Mike had the misfortune to be there when they arrived.

Mike was walking down the street when he turned a corner and came face to face with a tank.

Not knowing what else to do, he raised his hands.

"Freeze, alien scum!" Came a command over a loudspeaker.

"I'm not moving." Mike said.

There was a pause then "Surrender!"

"OK, I surrender" Mike replied.

This seemed to take the tank operator aback. Mike could hear a whispered conference within, then a hatch opened in the turret. A soldier popped out holding a machine gun.

"Don't move!" he said.

"OK" Mike said.

The soldier regarded him for a moment.

"I mean it!"

"Hey, I'm not moving."

The two of them stared at each other.

"Um...where is everyone?" asked the soldier.

"I thought you would know better than me."

"Well, I'm going to have to take you to the prison camp as a POW."

"Alright, where's the camp?"

"About 10 miles outside of town."

"And how do I get there?"

The soldier scratched his head. After a moment he disappeared into the tank again. A second later he
reappeared.

"Don't go anywhere."

"Right."

The man ducked back into the tank. Mike could hear bits of some sort of discussion from inside. The soldier reappeared.

"Are you a civilian?"

"I guess so."

"Answer me!"

"Yes!"

The soldier disappeared again for another conference. Then reappeared. He seemed somewhat put out.

"Alright, " he said glumly "I guess you can skip the prison."

"Thanks."

"Go about your business, move along!"

"Right."

Mike turned around and headed back the way he came. As soon as he was around the corner he broke into a run.

* * *

The military announced curfews over loud speakers, radio and TV. They raised the Stars and Stripes over the city again. They also put soldiers on most blocks, though they seemed upset that nobody had materialized to fight them. As the days passed it seemed like more and more of the soldiers were becoming hosts for the Puppeteers.

After a week, Mike was sure of it. After two weeks he couldn't find a soldier that did not seem to be a host.  Three weeks after the army had rolled into Denver, the Stars and Stripes was lowered and the blob flag was raised again. The announcements over loudspeakers, radio and TV ceased and things went back to "normal" for blob control.

The TV, which had been broadcasting stuff about how the "alien menace" had been stopped in its tracks, was strangely silent about what was going on. Whereas before there had been newscasts about how Denver had been "pacified," now there was nothing at all.

Alice even remarked on the situation during one of their coffee meetings.

"I'll say one thing for the blobs: they're good at infiltration."

Blobs: 1, Humanity: 0!

Oh be quiet.

The waitress came by with their order. Both of them had taken to getting water along with their coffees. Alice took a sip of her coffee and made a face. Mike didn't even try his and instead just sipped his water.

"What do you think they'll try next?" Mike asked.

"I just hope they don't use a nuke."

"Yeah."

"Unless someone brightens up, this thing is over."

* * *

As it turned out, there was some pretty bright people who were working for the government. In particular, there was a large contingent from the Centers for Disease Control that escaped enslavement by the Puppeteers and came up with a very effective plan.

The Puppeteers were extremely susceptible to any form of encephalitis - a condition that cause the brain tissue to swell. For the Puppeteers, the condition was close to 100% fatal. It wasn't that great for human beings either, but a mild case was often mistaken for flu.

The alien habit of having "conferences," where two or more Puppeteers physically touched, resulted in an exchange of fluids, as well as making it possible to rapidly share information. This also meant that the disease could spread rapidly from host to host.

* * *

Mike was walking down the street to one of his "coffee meetings" with Alice when he noticed that he felt sick.

He was tired and his sense of balance was off.

He made it to the diner anyways and sat down opposite Alice.

"You don't look so good." She observed.

I don't feel so great either. Mike's Puppeteer chimed in.

"I think I'm coming down with a cold."

Alice frowned and sipped her water. "It seems like a lot of people are getting colds these days. Must be something going around."

"So, have you heard anything?"

At that moment the waitress came to the table and promptly sneezed on both of them.

"Ick" said Alice.

"Thanks a lot" said Mike. "Didn't anyone ever teach you to sneeze into your hand?"

The waitress glared at them then stalked off without asking if Mike wanted anything. When he saw her sneeze into someone's order he was just as glad.

"I think I'm going to head home." Mike said groggily. "This cold is getting to me."

Alice actually looked concerned.

She's just worried about me.

Oh shut up.

"Would you like any help getting home."

"Yeah, that would be great."

Oh woe is me! Sick I am!

Shut up, this is the about the only time we've gotten her to come back to my place since...since you split.

I prefer the term 'divided'.

Alice took his arm. Mike tried to put his arm on her shoulders, but she batted it away.

Nice try.

Thanks.

When they got to his apartment, Mike staggered over to his bedroom.

"How do you feel" Alice asked.

"Got a headache."

Doh!

Oh shut up.

"I'll get some aspirin."

"Maybe you should help me take my clothes off."

"Don't push it."

Oh, very subtle.

You would have probably tried something like "let's screw."

Well, it would have been more direct...see if she can get me an aspirin or something.

"What's weird is that my Puppeteer seems to be feeling ill too." Mike said as he sprawled on the bed.
Alice didn't respond, but came in a minute later with some aspirin and water.

"Thanks" Mike said and took the aspirin. "I think I'll try to sleep now." He was already drifting off.
Mike woke up that night with a splitting headache. He staggered out of bed and got some more aspirin. There was something else wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He staggered back to the bed and fell onto it.

The next morning, he felt a lot better, but there was still something wrong. Then he noticed that he was naked.

Hey! Do you think she took my clothes off after all?

No response.

Hello?

Mike reached around to his back. It felt wet. When he brought his hand around it was covered in grey, foul smelling gook. Mike realized why he had felt strange.

Hey! Little buddy! Speak to me!

But the voice of his Puppeteer was forever stilled.

Chapter 3, Chapter 5