The Shasta Caper, Chapter Thirty-Two is now posted on ImagineNation.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Samuel went to the trunk and looked more closely at the etched words on the trunk. The only words he could recognize were Jules Verne and 1862.

Nanny peered past him on his right side and spoke in French, " Est allé au centre de la terre, Jules Verne, 1862.  In her mind she translated the words into: Went to the center of the earth. Jules Verne, 1862.

Jimbo came to Samuel's left side and peered at the inscription, then fingered it gently. As he did the inscription lit up like a candle, glowing a bright red with new words: Attention il ya danger ici pour l' imprudent !

"Beware, there is danger here for the unwise!" Nanny read, her voice shaking with fear.

"Wisdom to the French at that time, meant the stupid." Jimbo drawled in his best Texan.

Nanny turned to him. "We're not stupid."

"Then let's not do stupid things." Jimbo remarked. "The man was a genius. The fact that he could come here and return tells you he was smarter than most. But the fact that he left a warning should be a heads up for us to be on the lookout."

"For what?" Nanny asked, beginning to shake again.

Samuel took her shoulders and turned her towards him. "You're not in danger!"

Jimbo touched her right arm gently. "Nanny, Samuel and I have been to hell and back, and we're standing with you here today. There's nothing so bad that you can't win your way through it if you're smart. That Frenchman is just saying keep your smarts together, don't do anything rash."

"And more importantly. Don't be negative. The laws of the upper Earth don't apply here the same."

Jimbo started to ask how he knew that, but didn't. Al.

Nanny took a deep breath and shook herself free. "Why would he write such a thing? And more importantly why didn't he let the world know he's been here? Why did he write a fantasy story, instead of the truth?"

Jimbo  burst into laughter. Nanny spun on him and punched his right arm.

"Ow! Damnit! Stop doing that! He cried out angrily. He rubbed at his wounded arm, giving her a sour look as he did.

"Then stop laughing at me!"

"Why are you so paranoid?" He asked. "I wasn't laughing at you, I was laughing at what is probably the answer to the last question. It's obvious. No one would believe him. Hell, they almost strung up Galileo for believing the earth wasn't the center of the universe. Can you imagine what would have happened to Verne's career, maybe even his life had he revealed the truth?"

Samuel began to clap, slowly and steadily.

Both Nanny and Jimbo spun on him with angry faces.

"Well spoken, Jimbo. My exact sentiments."

Nanny poked Jimbo in the ribs. "Who's paranoid now?"

Jimbo raised a finger before Samuel could say it. "And don't you dare say a word. Not one!"

A huge shadow fell over them and they looked up. It was the same kind of flying ship they had seen the other day, but different in certain ways. It had a strange marking on its sides, marked in a blood red color.

Up close they could see a lot more detailing. The length of the ship had to be about a hundred feet. It was about twenty feet at its dome center an probably about thirty yards in diameter, except where the squarish sides protruded. They were very odd, and seemed to be tipped with some kind of cover, as if they were meant to open. Puzzling, but nothing threatening.

The color of the metal, if that is what it was, was pearlescent. A kind of muted pearl white with hints of aluminum and copper. The vehicle had numerous plates without any visible seams, only stripes that marked the sections. 

It had a kind of landing pod on three exterior bottom sections that barely protruded, and they were surrounded with an array of blinking red and green lights.

The rim of the saucer ship was alternately covered with blue and white lenses that blinked on and off in a kind of  cadence that suggested some kind of beacon. The top of the ship had a somewhat visible entrance that was shaped triangular and marked by red dots with silver pearls in them.

But what had caught their attention was the insignia on the front, back, left and right of the ship's middle section. The center turned slowly, counter clockwise to the main body, revealing a canopy window with vague humanoid shapes peering out. They seemed to be gesturing towards them. The insignia looked like something from World War Two.

"Swastika!" Jimbo cried out.

Samuel shook his head. "No, Swastik."

"There's a difference?"

"Yes. The one is anti-life and the other is the mother of life. The ancient Atlanteans and Lemurians used that symbol for their flag. It signified unity with the Divinity. The all in one. Life turning in the right direction. The Nazis turned the Swastik around, but Westerners don't understand the difference."

"Too big for my brain." Jimbo muttered, as he turned his attention back to the semi-saucer ship that was hovering overhead.

"I don't think they see us." Nanny said.

"I don't either." Samuel added in. "But they can sense us. They just can't see us clearly. Don't move."

They stood there looking up through the gigantic leaves of the tree at the hovering vessel. It didn't move for what seemed like hours, but finally, it put on a burst of speed and shot away.

"Who do you think they were, Sammie?" Jimbo asked.

"Trouble." He responded.

"I thought you said the Swastika was symbolic of the All in One?" Nanny asked.

"It is. But they are not of the One. At least not yet."

"Huh?" Nanny asked.

Jimbo looked at her. "More of his mumbo jumbo talk. You'll get used to it."

"I doubt it." She answered, then reslung her backpack and headed out.

"Sam?"

He looked at Jimbo. "They won't be back soon. I think they are recharging their vehicle somehow."

"How do you know...."

Samuel pointed to where Al and M were standing. Jimbo didn't see them, but he got it. "Oh!"

Without another word Jimbo hurried after Nanny, who had stopped to look back.

Samuel turned to look at Al, who floated over and settled next to him.

"Don't frighten them." Al warned.

"I won't." Samuel said.

Al nodded. 

"I'm afraid your little journey might get detoured for a time."

"Doesn't it always?" Samuel said with a smile.

Al laughed, then joined M, who waved at Samuel, then both of them vanished.

At the same moment the craft shot back into view while the three of them were in the open. A blazing blue ray shot out and enveloped them within its borders. 

HAMMER OF THE GODS, the first book in a trilogy I've written about the life and adventures of Samuel Light.

(A top secret project in Nevada goes horribly wrong. They've captured something far more powerful than known to man. Something that could take their very souls and crush it. A detective, Samuel Light, and his partner, Jimbo, a rascally Texan are led on a merry chase across Nevada and Arizona to find out what was captured and to right what could turn out to be a terrible mistake for humanity. From past lives of Atlantis to lost lives in the desert, Samuel uses his spiritual powers to battle unknown forces and seek the truth!

Hammer of the Gods, the first of a new Samuel Light trilogy, "The Angel Files." Buy it now at  Amazon for $9.95.)