Captain Jeremy Jackson was pissed.

Over half of his team was missing in action and presumed dead, yet Scott Peters, his CIA handler, wanted to send them in for a third time.

He glanced at each member seated around the medium-sized table in the dining room of a small apartment. He assumed it was one of the many properties the CIA owned. Beside his boss, Scott, sat three others from the CIA he did not recognize. They held blank expressions on their faces throughout the debriefing and had yet to speak.

The strangest part for Jeremy, however, was that there were no recording devices in the room. This was obviously intentional, as cell phones were also not allowed within the apartment. They were surrendered at the front door, and everyone was scanned with a detection wand to ensure compliance.

Debriefings were usually recorded for oversight.

I should’ve never accepted this position.

Jeremy was a ‘by the book’ kind of person. He cared about his team and took the responsibility for their welfare seriously. The people seated around him obviously did not, and the fact that this debriefing was not being recorded set off alarm bells for him.

He breathed deeply through his nose, slowly let out his breath, and then dodged the question his superior posed to him.

“Sir, as I’ve stated previously, I highly recommend we pause before attempting another mission. We do not know enough about the other world or the technology used to get us there. My men are still MIA, and our team is short on manpower.” He resisted the urge to clench his fists in a futile attempt to hide his fury.

“Noted,” Scott replied absently, hardly glancing up from the dossier in his hands, “Now, please answer the question. From your experience on the other side, can you think of anything that would increase the chances of our success?”

“Sir, our greatest problem is that we are always separated upon entry into the spatial anomaly. We end up alone in an alien world without working communication equipment. It’s why I’m suggesting we hold off on further manned missions through the anomaly until we learn how to maintain the cohesiveness of our team.”

Mister Peters shook his head. “Captain, I’m looking for solutions, not more problems. If you are unable to offer any, we might as well end this conversation right now.”

Jeremy’s contempt threatened to seep through the polite, respectful front he used when addressing a superior. His eyes darted around the room as he froze his expression.

“Sir,” he began respectfully after regaining his composure. “I do not know enough about the issue to offer a solution. As I’ve said before, holding hands did not work. As soon as we entered the void, our electronics were disrupted, and we were all separated.”

Mister Peters nodded absently. “Yes. Do you think it is a grip strength issue? A rope tied between you and your team might be one solution.”

This asshole wants to send us through that thing again?

Jeremy’s temper erupted and replied sarcastically, “Why not just handcuff us together?”

Instead of the flare of anger he expected in response, Mister Peters scratched his chin and replied, “That might be even better.” He turned to the woman beside him and ordered, “Procure a supply of cuffs for the next mission.” When the unknown woman nodded, the CIA man focused once more on Jeremy.

What the hell is wrong with him?

Jeremy’s first impression of Scott Peters turned out to be completely inaccurate. He initially presented himself as an affable, agreeable person who only wanted to research the possible threat to America the anomalies posed.

However, after the first failure, when four of his men were lost, the man's true colors showed. He dismissed all concerns about the missing men, and ignored Jeremy’s protests. Instead, after a short debrief, he sent the now smaller team out again the next day.

With the same result.

“Now, on to the NHIs,” Scott changed the subject to the Non-Human Intelligent beings. “You said you were unable to establish contact again. Could you tell if this was the same group, or another?”

Jeremy shook his head. “I don’t know for sure, but I doubt it was the same group of aliens. I’m pretty sure that wherever I was transported was nowhere near my first mission. My first entry was to a desert, while the second was a jungle. The aliens looked the same, though. They were all between seven feet and eight feet tall with thick, red skin, black horns, and black hair on their heads. They even spoke English, which is crazy.”

“Yes, let’s talk about that,” Mister Peters shifted in his seat. “Did you attempt to de-escalate the situation with diplomacy?”

Jeremy sighed. “Sir, the moment they became aware of my presence, they called me an ‘enemy’, and ordered an attack. I raised my hands and yelled that I came in peace, but they ignored me. If I hadn’t opened fire, I have no doubt I’d be dead.”

“Pity, I would’ve liked to open a dialogue.”

Screw you!

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“Now, did you find any trace of their technology? Any way to disable the anomalies?”

Jeremy slowly breathed out through his nose to bleed out his anger. When he felt calm enough to reply, he answered, “No sir. And, I don’t believe they’re responsible for the anomalies.”

Mister Peters frowned. “How so?”

He hesitated. “They seemed very primitive. They used spears and swords with animal hide armor. There were no vehicles or advanced technology involved at all. After the attack was over, I inspected their camp. It was just grass huts with a fire ring. They didn’t even dig a latrine, they just pissed and shit right outside their camp.”

“Do you think they are a lesser race used to guard the anomalies? If so, how would they know our language?”

“I don’t know, sir,” Jeremy admitted. “Every time I tried to leave the immediate area to investigate, I felt excruciating pain. It’s like there was some invisible field preventing me from getting too far from the anomaly.”

“For how long did you attempt to break through this field?”

Jeremy squeezed his hand into a fist as he replied, “I attempted to leave the area five separate times in five different regions. Each attempt was unsuccessful.”

“So you gave up?”

Captain Jackson’s nostrils flared, and he gritted his teeth until his jaw was sore. Despite his obvious temper, Scott Peters and the other CIA agents remained unconcerned. “Yes, sir,” he barked. “I felt if I remained outside the boundary, I would either be rendered unconscious or killed.”

“Your team held similar beliefs and turned back early, despite my orders.” Mister Peters replied. “Can you explain why not a single member of your team attempted to break through the field?”

“Sir, I believe Nolan and Roberts did. Which is why they did not return.”

“That’s speculation. As you’ve stated before, you had no contact with them. For all we know, they went AWOL.”

Jeremy’s jaw dropped. “That’s ridiculous! They barely had enough food and water for a few days! What possible reason could they have to stay on an alien planet?!”

Scott shrugged. “While it does seem unlikely, we can’t discount the possibility.”

The CIA man’s casual disregard for his men’s honor was repugnant. However, despite his burning anger, Jeremy had questions that he wanted answered. “Sir, why aren’t we using drones to scout? You said at our first meeting that we have advanced technology that was hidden from the public. Why haven’t we used it instead of just throwing lives away?”

For the first time, the CIA man looked annoyed. “That’s need to know. Now, stick to the questions.”

Bullshit! I bet his precious tech doesn’t work over there either, just like our cams and comms. Assuming it even exists!

“On your next mission, I want you and your men to capture one of the NHIs.”

Next mission?!

“Sir, as my team and I have reported, the anomaly remains closed, and we are unable to return to Earth, until all the aliens are eliminated.”

“Hogwash. The aliens are obviously disrupting the anomaly in some way. All you need to do is capture one of them and force them to cease their disruption.”

“Sir, I tried to question an NHI while it was injured. It refused to engage in dialogue, and attacked, despite its injuries. I was forced to end its life.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be a highly trained soldier? You’re telling me some primitive with a spear was too much for you to handle?”

“They’re giants! They’re eight feet tall with the muscles to match! How do you expect me to contain them?! It took half a mag to put each of them down!”

“Captain Jackson,” Mister Peters stated severely, “Due to your obvious emotional state, I have given you a lot of leeway. However, you will keep your tone civil, do you understand me?”

“Yes. Sir,” he replied through gritted teeth. He allowed his fists to clench.

“Now, you will order each of your men to capture an NHI and force them to re-enable the anomalies. If that is not possible, they will question the NHI themselves before terminating them. Do I make myself clear?”

Screw that! This asshole doesn’t give a shit about us! I quit!

He tempered his actual words. “Sir, I would like a transfer. I do not believe I am capable of completing the mission objectives and could better serve elsewhere.”

“Request denied,” Mister Peters narrowed his eyes. “Now, did I make my orders clear?”

“I quit,” Jeremy growled. “I’m not going back through the anomaly. Neither are my men. Not until you can figure out a way to keep us together or show up with some of that ‘advanced tech’ you told us about,” he added derisively.

“Captain Jackson, you have been unprofessional and belligerent this entire meeting. I find it disturbing that you can not reign in your temper and operate with sense and decorum. Furthermore, due to the extreme threat these anomalies pose, I have been granted great leeway with how I operate.” Scott Peters leaned forward. “That means my superiors aren’t going to ask questions about casualties. Do I make myself clear?”

“Are you threatening to kill me?” he asked in disbelief.

SOCOM is gonna hear about this. He isn’t gonna get away with this shit.

Jeremy suddenly had a realization.

Shit! They took my phone.

Not only was he without a means of communication, but he and his team were in ‘quarantine’ as well. None of them were allowed outside their apartment for the foreseeable future, and he had no way to contact anyone.

The CIA spook’s reply broke him out of his panicked thoughts. “Of course we won’t kill you. At this point, your body is riddled with alien technology. While the saturation isn’t nearly as high as Mister Miller’s, you are far more valuable alive as a subject of study. Although,” he added offhandedly. “It may be years before you are cleared of quarantine, for safety, of course.”

Jeremy grit his teeth. “So you’re saying my only choice is between becoming a lab rat or going on the next mission.”

Mister Peters grinned. “Good, I’m glad we understand each other better. Now, are we going to have a problem, or will you do your duty?”

His nostrils flared when he heard the last word, but he was somehow able to reign in his temper.

He’s going to give the same ultimatum to my team. If I agree, we might at least be able to stick together.

As much as it pained him, he replied, “Yes sir.”

“Excellent,” the CIA man responded with a nod. “Then you’re dismissed. These two men will escort you back to your team, where you can brief them on their next mission. They will remain with you until your next mission.” Scott gestured behind Jeremy at two large, unshaved men.

No way these guys are military.

He was confined to the apartment overnight with his three remaining men. After Jeremy detailed their next mission, morale was predictably low, and his team remained silent.

The next morning, he was escorted to the nearby invisible anomaly, which was cordoned off from the public. They were ushered through two separate checkpoints before they were finally allowed entry. Once he arrived, he and his team were subsequently handcuffed, and ordered to enter the portal.

With no real choice available to him, he complied.

Immediately upon entering the spatial anomaly, the world around him went black. His head swiveled left and right in hope that his team remained with him, yet he saw nothing but darkness. He glanced down at his left wrist, and cursed.

Not again!

The handcuff was gone.