About the Contest

This story is written in response to @tygertyger’s Electric Dream Contest. Here are the details for those who intend to participate:

Contest Details

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Prompt: Include in the Writing

#1: Ufo’s have shown up over every county on earth and have vaporised the governments. After this was done no more action was taken and they have been hovering ever since-it has been 3 years. Every attempt to communicate has been ignored until now. What has happened on earth since and what is the nature of the communication and it’s consequences and who the hell is in those spaceships ? 

#2 The story must include the sentence “ Joey enjoyed his weekly Sunday romp with the green street Hookers 

#3 the story must include a dead man in a bathtub

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Earth: 2nd May, 2019

“How long will those ships be around doing nothing?”  

“You are asking as if you need an answer,” Suzzey was curt in her reply. An otherwise, accommodating young lady, she used to get pissed at people asking about the spaceships. Everyone knew that the ships had been hovering around for three years and everybody knew that no one knows what they want. And yet, the question could be expected as easily as pain after a constipated fart.

“Easy now. Your ninja-sharp response could kill somebody,” Joey was the mad-hatter of the CIA. The fun trait of his life was something that he hid for long to ensure that he blended among his no-nonsense and I-am-too-serious-to-f**k colleagues. When the spaceships appeared and eliminated governments across the globe, the same CIA bad a**es realized that they were nothing but nonsense and, of course, seriously f**k*d. That was also where Joey gave up his illusionary macho mask and revelled in his real self.  

“Yeah, I just can’t help it. At the rate at which this redundant question is asked, I won’t be surprised that it would soon replace the other redundant question - how are you today?”

“Muahhhahaha. Looks like somebody really pushed you down the wrong side of the bed,” Joey was leaning back so hard on his reclining chair that he got Suzzey worried that he may break the chair and fall on the back of his head. 

“Three years and counting and no casualties beyond the leaders of every nation. How the hell did they know who the leaders were?” 

“Hmm.. You could add that question to your list of redundant questions too,” Joey’s hysterical laughter reverberated through the room once again. 

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Earth: 6th May, 2019

“What’s happening?” Suzzey’s question was laced with excitement and apprehension. 

“It’s the Indians. They’ve got a couple of their satellites close to one of the spaceships. They are attempting to get a closer look,” Joey offered to explain. 

“And we are watching them doing that?”  

“Yes, our satellites, barring the weather satellites, are dud anyway. So, what better to do?” 

“Hmm. .But that sounds suicidal. What if the spaceships retaliate thinking that we are being aggressive.” 

“We are being aggressive? So, the Indians have become we? Looks like whatever is on that spaceship has achieved world peace. We don’t see ourselves separate anymore,” for once Joey was serious.

“Okay, hondo, that seriousness doesn’t suit you.” 

“Don’t worry, I am never too far from my funny bone.” 

“But my point is, this manoeuver could be fatal, Joey.” 

“We thought so too. But it seems they had been watching a few of the ships over their air space for a long time. So, they are taking a calculated risk.” 

“Hmm.. At least, they have a plan. So let’s see how this goes.”

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Earth: 10th May, 2019

“Hey Suzzey, we have something from the Indians.” 

“What?” 

“Remember those guys were sneaking up on one of the spaceships?” 

“Yeah, what happened? The spaceship attacked?” 

“No, no. There is no one in the spaceship.” 

“How…. how could they tell?” 

“Because after they sneaked up on the spaceship, they found nothing. They then went ahead and checked all the other spaceships too. They are just empty.” 

“It could be aliens. They could be using a cloaking device of some sort,” Suzzey was finding it difficult to believe. 

“Now, that sounds Hollywoodish.” 

“Dude, there are spaceships over our heads, and they have nothing to do with Hollywood.” 

“Okay, I concede.” 

“So empty spaceships, huh? That explains the inactivity.”

“Yes. Also, all other countries then sent their respective satellites for a sneak-peek mission to the spaceship closest to them.” 

“Let me guess, all of them found it empty too,” Suzzey spoiled Joey’s climax building. 

“Yeah, but just in case you thought you stole my thunder, let me tell you - you haven’t,” Joey was finding it hard to let go of the I-know-it-all grin; not that he was trying. 

“Why? What’s more?” 

“Of all the empty spaceships up there, there was just one which had occupants..” 

“And..” Suzzey was irritated to wait for Joey’s slow unfurling of the story. She even thought that maybe there were drums rolling in Joey’s head while he was slowly letting the details out. 

“…and the occupants, or rather the occupant is a….”

“Oh, come on Joey, you are getting on my nerves….” 

“..human. The occupant is a human.” The last sentence came out faster than the Niagara river flowing down the Niagara falls.  

“What the…” Suzzey was stunned to say anything of value. She was soaking the information that Joey shared and her mind was already sifting the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle witnessed over the last three years. As for Joey, the grin had no intention of dissipating anytime soon. 

“From which country?” 

“What?” Suzey’s question knocked Joey out of his grinning trance.  

“You said human. So, from which country?” 

“Oh, good question. I never gave it a thought.” Joey’s grin was slowly transforming into a grimace, confirming that he had indeed not given it a thought. 

“Or maybe it is human looking,” Suzzey offered.  

“No, he is a human. He was pleading to get him down.” 

“Mann… you have this knack of just taking forever to complete the story. Who was he pleading to?” 

“Well, this guy is in the spaceship over America. We have no way of getting the fellow down. NASA is checking if we can use the International Space Station somehow to get him.” 

“Oh man, I can’t wait to get my hands on this person,” Suzzey’s excitement returned. 

“Me too.” 

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Earth: 18th May, 2019

“Well, the CIA is back in business after three years,” Suzzey’s jasmine scented perfume hit the room even before Joey could see her. There was a spring in her step and the reason was obvious, they were getting to meet the spaceship man. 

“Yeah, lucky us. I do have some initial information,” Joey got up and walked towards the door and Suzzey followed him. 

“And what information is that?” 

“The man is Zygler. He is from Poland and that confirms that he is an Earthling.”  

“What else?”

“That’s all for now. In a minute you can ask him everything else. I suspect that we will not get the chance, though.” 

“Why?” 

“Because the CIA has invited the Indians too and few other countries’ representatives, as also NASA. The room looks set for a press conference. And definitely not an interrogation.” 

“You know I am sure you would hate to hear this, Joey, but this guy and his companions have done a great service to humans. Three years and no blood-shed, no war, no disharmony. The world works well without the politicians and that also brings to light another fact…” 

“…that the politicians caused the war and disharmony in the first place.” 

“Wow, Joey, the absence of politicians has worked wonders to your smartness too…” 

“Was that an attempt at humor?” Joey wasn’t amused. “That was good…” and Joey started laughing. There was nothing that kept Joey’s spirit down.

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Earth: 18th May, 2019: Meeting with the Spaceship Man

The discussion with Zygler was indeed a press-conference. There were nearly seventy to hundred chairs set out and Zygler was seated with the Director, CIA. Zygler appeared to be someone in his early twenties, too young to be flying a spaceship; leave alone flying but even building one. Suzzey had a flood of questions filling her mind and she was pretty sure that it would be the same with the other participants. 

Suzzey noticed the Director lean towards Zygler and say something. Thereafter, Zygler nodded, pulled-up the mike, and cleared his throat. 

“My name is Zygler and I would request you to hold your questions. First, let me finish explaining everything,” Zygler’s sudden announcement put an end to the eventful discussion between Joey and Suzzey. The stress on “c” and “s” making it sound like “z” gave an impression that Zygler was from a Scandinavian country than Poland.  

“The year 2034 witnesses mankind find a new technology that brings to life innovation which as of now are science fiction. Time-machine, space travel, flying cars, and many other innovations followed. Mankind prospers for the next five years. The global GDP triples. Poverty is almost eliminated and the golden era for Earth starts.” 

“Are you from 2034?” One person asked from those seated around. 

“Please hold your questions,” the Director intervened. “Thank you.”

“Despite all the progress, the disparity in power and money still existed. The heads of state were the ones who were selling the new innovations. Business men became centers of power. Everything was still alright until a fringe group wanted to take over these heads of state. 

But they were in a dilemma. Though these heads of state were the richest and most powerful, they were still the most loved ones. The fringe group knew this and hence could not afford to take them head-on. So, they came up with the next best thing.” 

“Go back in time and kill them?” It was an Indian who offered the suggestion. He appeared smart. 

“Yes, but not as simple as that. You see, the time-machine was to be perfected still. It could only do jumps of 40 years backwards or 20 years forward. So, from 2039, these fringe groups could not come to 2019. They could only go to 1999.” Zygler took a pause. 

“And..” The crowd could not bear the suspense. 

“Well,” Zygler continued, “few of these fringe group elements came to 1999 and then made a forward jump to 2019. But all of them were killed. Then realization dawned on them that humans probably could not do two jumps to different times sequentially.” 

“Wo, wo, I did not get that.”

Zygler paused again and attempted to explain it in a different manner. “What I mean is that they could travel from 2039 to 1999 as many times as they liked or 2039 to 2059 as many times as they liked. But if they travelled to 1999 from 2039 and then from 1999 to 2019, they would be killed even before they reached 2019. Some drawbacks of time travel.” 

“So, they could come back in time to 1999 and go back to 2039 but not 2019, right?” One person from the members asked. 

“Correct. They had a choice to wait until the technology advanced further or do the second best thing.” 

“And that is?” 

“To go back to 1999, contact their own younger selves there, and make them do the 2019 time jump. That way, they don’t risk letting out their secret and they could confide with their own past. Also, the lure of power would be good enough for their past selves too.” 

The people listening were dumb-struck. No matter how far man progressed, material power continued to corrupt men. 

“It isn’t difficult to guess that we were the fringe elements. It is our future selves who travelled back and gave us the details, including the persons to be eliminated and their location. The details were already fed in the spaceships which we used to time-travel to 2019. All that we had to do once we were here was to punch the KILL button and the spaceships did their job. We had to wait for a day for confirmation from the future.”

“How would confirmation from the future happen?” Joey asked. “You said they couldn’t travel to 2019.” 

“They couldn’t but their message could, especially if it is received by the spaceship. They would be the only people in 2039 who would know the termination of the heads of state. Because they would be there one day and gone the next day. Everybody else would only remember these heads of state as being killed in 2019.” 

“Logical,” Suzzey said. “And why did you stay back for so long? Did the confirmation not come?” 

“The confirmation came but before the turn of the day, people on various spaceships started dying out. Someone must have travelled back to 1999 and in turn, started killing our past.” 

“And that killed you all in 2019. Makes sense,” Suzzey completed. 

“And our future. The spaceships were to be operated by them from the future to send us back. Our future selves would then meet us in 1999 and take back all the equipment given to us. But that never happened. We are still here.” 

“Out of curiosity, how can you say that these people in the spaceship were killed in the past. What if they died of some natural circumstances on the ship?” Joey asked. 

“If that was the case then their bodies would have remained, but none were there. So it was a past event which killed them in 2019,” Zygler explained. “Besides, when your past is wiped out, the person leaves a burnt trail on the floor from where he or she was last standing. Someone is hunting us. We don’t know who. A mole probably who got information on our action to kill all world leaders.” 

“So, you are saying that you and the world leaders are effectively wiped out now.”

“Yes. Barring me, of course, and I don’t know how long I will survive. My past must be lucky to be alive for so long. It has been three years since the first person was eliminated on the spaceship.” 

“So what happens to the spaceships now? Now, that you are also out of it,” one of the members asked. 

“I don’t know. They will continue to hover around until we now find a way to get them down.”  

“What about you?” Joey asked. 

Zygler frowned and was stroking his chin, “I don’t know to be honest. Guess I am stuck in this time. There is no way to go back.” 

“Which means one other Zygler is alive somewhere right now,” Suzzey summarized. 

“I guess so. Older than me.”

The discussion continued for some more time and the questions deteriorated from objective to moral and the ensuing arguments were hotter than a lava bubble thrown out of magma pit. Even the airconditioned room was warmer than normal and Suzzey could feel a headache emanating. She was not sure if it was the discussion or the situation which caused it. The Director was concerned that the discussion may turn into fisticuffs any moment. The only logical thing to do was to conclude the meeting and that is what he did.  

Suzzey shuddered thinking about the situation if this particular discussion happened with the general public. Even trained men in the room could not prevent themselves from slipping down the cliff of emotion. The general public would have lynched Zygler for sure.  

The Director got Joey to escort Zygler to the hotel that he was put up at. Also, since Zygler was now in danger of attack, Joey was stationed along with him. 

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Earth: 19th May, 2019: Hotel

“So, how is the stay?” Suzzey called up Joey at the hotel in the morning. 

“Boring hell. I don’t think anybody is coming here to harm this guy. The world does not even know that he exists,” Joey said. 

“I agree. Yesterday’s discussion spooked Matt, probably.”  

“I wonder how come Matt got to become the CIA director. I mean he is such a scared s**t.” 

“Alright, now stop trashing him,” Suzzey’s soft side surfaced. If Matt was a misfit then so was Suzzey. She was too soft for the job. “How was your Sunday evening?” 

“Joey enjoyed his weekly Sunday romp with the green street hookers,” the excitement in Joey’s voice was in stark contrast to his critical tone just a moment back. 

“You wouldn’t. Not in the middle of your assignment.” 

“Yes, I did, baby. What the….. Hey, put it down.. Hey….” Joey was in distress. But then Suzzey heard gunshots. She was startled.  

“Joey… Joey… What happened?” There was no response.

Suzzey frantically called on Joey’s number again but there was no response. She then called Matt and rushed to the hotel. 

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Earth: 19th May, 2019: Hotel

“What are we looking at here?” Matt was stunned at the scene in Zygler’s hotel room. What was till yesterday an unusual affair had suddenly turned into a crime scene. Both Zygler and Joey were missing. 

“I am not sure, sir,” Suzzey replied.  

“Sir, there is a dead man in the bathtub,” one of the officers called out from the bathroom. 

“Man… What the hell? Now, it is a murder scene,” Matt lost his cool but walked towards the bathroom. Suzzey followed him. 

“Oh shit, that’s Joey,” Suzzey said through a lump in her throat. 

“So, that gun in the hall is the murder weapon then,” Matt frowned while not particularly talking to anyone. 

“Looks to be the case,” Suzzey nodded. “Then Zygler shot him?”

“Don’t know. It could have been any of the men from yesterday. Or someone totally unrelated.” Matt looked at the floor. “Where is Zygler?” 

“I think whoever was murdering them in the past, got to him finally.” 

“How do you know that?” 

“Remember, Zygler told us that a man killed in the past leaves a burnt mark on the floor?” 

“Yes, what about that?” 

“Near the gun in the hall, you can see that burn mark. Which also means that Zygler was holding the gun.” 

“Why would he kill Joey?” Matt was finding it difficult to put two and two together. 

“That is something we would not know in a hurry,” Suzzey said. There was a moment of silence. “In fact, if Zygler was the one who killed Joey, and got evaporated himself, then we will never know.” 

Matt gave out a sigh and sat down on the bed. He pulled out his cigarette packet, tapped one cigarette on the box and then lit it. He then took a deep puff and let it all go.  

“What do we do now?” Suzzey asked. 

“Nothing. We just forget everything that happened till now.” 

“Forget?…. What does that mean?”

“Look around you, Suzzey. The world is peaceful. We have no leaders for any country and yet there is no war, no unrest, no disruptions…. the world is doing well. Maybe, it has to do with those spaceships up there. Let them be. Let people continue the way they are.” 

“You mean, you and I know the truth but not the people?”

“What harm does that do? I am not here to take over the world and neither are you. The only real loss was Joey. I’ll make sure I meet his family tonight.” 

“But…” Suzzey was unable to get herself around to accept Matt’s proposal. 

“Give it a thought, Suzzey. You will arrive at the same conclusion as me. The bad guys killed each other and are now done and dusted. Let’s get on with life.” 

As much as Suzzey wanted to protest, she knew Matt was right. Matt walked out of the room gesturing to the officers in the bathroom to get Joey’s body for post-mortem. As far as Matt was concerned, the matter was done and dusted.    

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Earth: Post 20th May, 2019

While the spaceships continued to hover over the planet, the CIA, the Indian authorities, and all the other parties agreed to keep the truth in wraps. Love of God or fear of the spaceships ensured world peace continued. 

There were some unforeseen benefits of the spaceships. Because they reflected the sunlight at night, they acted as additional moons. This benefitted many countries where the night got lit up at least ten times better than a full moon. Also, countries where streets were already electrified, stopped using them and that resulted in huge savings in power and money. The world population was growing to accept the presence of the spaceships and continued with life as usual. 

 

It was the dawn of an exciting future-past peaceful life!

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Epilogue 

“I have a theory about Zygler killing Joey,” Matt said taking a puff of his cigarette. 

“It’s one year since the episode, and you are still thinking about Joey? He must have been good,” Suzzey smiled. 

“Maybe good is not the right adjective if my theory is right. I think Joey must have been excellent or the go-to man for extremely important missions.” 

“Then let’s hear your theory.” 

“I think Joey was the one who went back in time from 2039 to kill Zygler and his associates.” 

“Wow, that’s one big theory,” Suzzey was astonished and amused at the same time. 

“Big and plausible.”

“What made you think that he was the one?” 

“You see, Zygler may have made attempts to figure out who was hunting them down. He had so many gadgets, and anyone of them could have let him know that Joey was the killer.” 

“But why Joey?” 

“Where does Joey work?” Matt asked.  

“The CIA,” Suzzey realized from her response that Matt was indeed on to something. 

“And what does the CIA do?” 

“Protect people.” 

“More importantly, the government elected by the people,” Matt added. “The unprecedented attack on the government would have set the CIA in motion, and in all possibility, they would have sent their best to undo the job.” 

“So, the best was Joey.”

“Yes, and obviously, he was successful. Just as luck may have it, about the time he found Zygler in 1999 and was about to kill him, Zygler in 2019 also found out that Joey was the killer. The ensuing action, which may have been within fractions of fractions of second, Joey was killed in 2019 while Zygler in 1999.”

“Wooow, that was heavy. So, Zygler and Joey both got terminated, but Joey did complete the mission,” Suzzey said. 

“Now, that is the confusing part. If Joey got killed in 2019, then he never existed in 2039 to go back in time and kill Zygler and team. So, Zygler and team won and these spaceships would have gone back. However, if Zygler and team were unsuccessful, then the government representatives should have come back.” 

“Neither happened.” 

“And that’s why I say this is a theory and the closest that comes to what could have happened.” 

“Well, possible, but let’s admit, this is a way better world,” Suzzey said. 

“I agree,” Matt took his last puff and left the cigarette stub on the ashtray. 

-----------------------------------------------******--------------------------------------------------

Image Courtesy: Pixabay