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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jonrog1" data-source="post: 211560" data-attributes="member: 189">RAW RECRUITS PT.7At the backdoor to the house, Jo and Stephen froze.  Shielding their eyes against the flashing laights, Andy and Ross advanced from the treeline into the summer home's back yard.The UFO was forty yards in diameter.  Its inky surface absorbed the light around it.  It hovered silently at the edge of the lake, yet some vibration thrummed inside their skulls.  Suddenly, as they watched, a WAVE of energy washed over them, and a beam of light STABBED downward, anchoring the vessel to the ground.  The light illuminated the rest of the yard."THERE!"  Jo pointed, then ran, Stephen in pursuit.For there, in the backyard, walking towards the light, were Jerry Desmond and Heidi Rammock.  What was weird was that Jerry was actually carrying his long-lost insane mother in his arms.  Andy and Ross were closer, so as they ran they could hear Jerry muttering.The voice was in a much higher register than Jerry's.  It repeated again and again: "Mommy's friends will help you, baby.  No one will take you away from Mommy again ...""Possession," said Andy."Check that," answered Ross.  Ross dropped a shoulder and charged.  He figured to knock Heidi from Jerry's gras, somehow break their momentum.  They were only a few yards from the light beam --ZZAPPP!  Ross impacted the pair and slid off of them.  He hit the ground hard."DON'T LET THEM REACH THE LIGHT!" Stephen yelled.Jo and Stephen were still too far away to do anything.  Ross was down on one knee, shaking off his fall.  Andy watched Jerry and Heidi cross the last few feet toward the UFO beam, and did the only logical thing.  He raised his gun, aimed, and FIRED ...... blowing Jerry Desmond's left kneecap clean off the front of his leg.Possessed or not, Jerry's leg could no longer support his weight.  As he fell, a heartbeat in he SCREAMED in agony.  Heidi Rammock hit the ground, rolled upright, suddenly alert.But she was inside the circle of light.Helplessly, she began to RISE toward the UFO.  She thrashed, screaming insanely, but continued to rise steadily.Jo reached the wounded boy.  "It's okay, we'll --" BAM!Jo's head snapped back, a trail of blood arcing in its wake.  In the beam, Heidi Rammock took aim with her weapon again.Ross and Andy framed up on either side of their friends, guns in classic two hand grips, FIRING up at the woman.  They missed as she twisted and dodged in mid-air.  A second later, still screaming insanely, she disappeared into the belly of the UFO.Ross and Andy kept firing.  With what was almost a shrug, the UFO cantilevered hard and DISAPPEARED into the night sky.The heavy silence of a country lake fell over the group.  Jerry was in shock, moaning.  Jo drifted in and out of coherence.  In the distance, sirens sounded.Andy dialed the Hoffman Institute on his cell phone.  He got a Situation Director, on the line for Agent emergencies.  Quickly Andy filled him in on the situation."Is the UFO still there?" the Director asked."No.""Good luck then.  Call us if you need to be bailed out." CLICK."Welcome to Conspiracy Nation," muttered Ross.Andy knelt by Jerry, grabbing the boy by the chin.  They could hear police cars crunching down the road nearby.  "Jerry, can you hear me?""... you ... shot ... UFO ...""Jerry.  If you tell them what you saw, they'll think you're crazy.  Thjey'll lock you up, just like they did with your crazy mother!"  Stephen looked up at Andy sharply, but the Agent plowed on.  "We can help you, Jerry.  No one needs to know you're different.  Just say what I tell you."After a long pause, Jerry -- tears streaming down his cheeks -- nodded.  "Good boy.  Now, this is what you say ...""Ever notice," Jo whispered blearily, "how good he is at covering up felonies?"********************************************"This Desmond boy is doing well in physical therapy, and has been quite receptive to the idea of 'honing' his skills with us."  Superintendent Richardson dropped the file on his desk.  "Good work.""It's natural.  He wants to excel at something ..." Ross threw a look at Andy. "... seeing as he'll never play football again."Andy expressed his sentiments with one finger of his right hand.  "He'd have blown the knee out in freshman year anyway.  Did the police buy everything?""Heidi Rammock went insane, kidnapped her son.  You followed, she shot you and disappeared.  With the medication we're giving Jerry Desmond, he's no longer manifesting his powers uncontrollably, so even the family's happy."Jo adjusted the heavy gauze pad on her hairline. "So .... ummm ... the UFO?"The Superintendent  shrugged thoughtfully.  "Could have been one of a few different factions."A long silence followed that.UFOs weren't just real.There were a bunch of them. END of RAW RECRUITS...</blockquote>

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