Space Pod

The next day, back at US Headquarters

The double doors to the bunker's garage swings open and Mr. Prez, or formally known as General Alrik D. walks in with his head held high and a will in mind. His salt and pepper hair is slicked back and he adjusts the tie around his neck.

This. . . Whatever it was, it's become an obsession. An itch he desperately needs to scratch. 

He doesn't complain about the stale metallic taste of the air, or the funky smell of musk and sweat. Groups of engineers, mechanics, and scientists work in small groups on different projects. To the left of him, a man wearing a protective mask, uses a torch to weld metal together. But protective gear for the combatants isn't why he's here. His heart thunders loudly in his chest, could this give them the breakthrough they needed?

Maverick, who stood in a far corner, passes the tablet he was looking at to Leroy and meets Alrik half way before they both head to the new object they brought in.

"Where's Stephanie?" Maverick asks, his arms crossed over his chest as he frowns at his boss. 

General Alrik, for the past two years, has been the leader of whatever humanity is left in the US, minus the roamers who preferred to be on their own. Currently they are in the lowest basement of the bunker they're in. Over the course of the world falling apart in less than a year, 4,672 people in America reside inside it.

"Testing," Mr. Prez dismisses the question quickly, the blonde SP woman is the least of his concerns. "Show me the craft."

"Testing?" Maverick narrows his eyes, refusing to let the topic go so easily, "You promised me you'd give her a break."

"And I did." Alrik bristles. He reaches up to wipe away a drop of sweat that formed from the humid air of the garage, "I'm not here to talk about your silly puppy love. Show me the craft, Maverick." 

Maverick clenches his jaw, a pause settling between them as he battles over whether to push the argument further. Resisting the urge to call the old man a foul word, he shows Alrik forward where a large crane lowers the space pod to the metal platform yards away.

"It is different." Alrik sighs at his first glance. One look at it and he could see it looked nothing like the others they found. He curses under his breath and rubs a hand down his aging face. "Three different types of space crafts?" The need to know what was going on ate away at his thoughts. Why are they here?

 Why are aliens crash landing onto the US? Why all of a sudden when a zombie virus broke out? Nothing was making any sense to him. His gaze slides over the metal pod. "This one is sleeker." He murmurs, comparing it to the others they found. "And it withstood the impact pretty well." he continues. "Leroy, have you scanned it yet?" 

"Doing it now." The red haired boy murmurs. He slouches over a screen, fingers typing away as he slowly walks towards the pod. A moment later three drones rise from a nearby table of scraps and parts. They fly over to the pod and a moment later, blue light scans the pod from different angles.

Alrik leans down to peer into the domed glass of the space pod and cups his hands around his face, ignoring the blue scanners. The dark film over the windows is too dark for him to see past, and only gets a reflection of himself.

"Oh wow, that's interesting." Leroy murmurs, his eyes scanning his iPad as data flows onto his screen. A moment of typing and then a small beep.

"Speak up." Alrik orders. He crosses his arms over his chest and scowls. "Please, I don't feel like guessing."

"Some of the metal on this pod matches the one on AP2." Leroy says. His eyes scan the words at rapid speed "The design is also similar. If I had to guess, I'd say this is probably from the same place as AP2. Probably an upgraded version of it." Leroy starts to rattle on about the different materials and their similarities.

The others tune him out.

"Kevin," Alrik calls, glancing around for the man.

Kevin steps forward, his hands shoved into his black cargo shorts. Veronica perks up from where she lounges on a bean bag chair that isn't supposed to be there.

"Figure out a way to crack the pod open. I want to know what's inside-" Alrik is cut off.

"Oh my God, no!" Veronica shouts, interrupting Alrik. She ignores the glares sent her way and stares wide eyed at her boss. "Are you stupid, Prez? It's an alien freaking space pod! Have you never seen an alien horror movie? It's always a parasite." She nods her head. "Always." 

Maverick nods, "Good point, Ver. Kevin, make sure you wear gloves. Wouldn't want you to get an alien parasite." 

"He never takes me seriously." Veronica mutters, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine. Die a gruesome alien death." She glares up at Maverick.

"Just don't damage whatever is inside. I'll kill you if you do." Alrik sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I know what's in there." Leroy raises a hand into the air, grabbing everyone's attention. There's a moment of silence as they stare at him staring at his screen.

"Well?" Maverick snaps, "What is it?"

"Oh. I don't know, I just know that it's alive." Leroy answers with a shrug. He glanced back down at his screen and taps away. "It's vital signs are good,"

"Alive?" Veronica squeaks out. She turns to look at the space pod. "You mean, there's an Alien in there?" 

"Precisely." Leroy nods.

"Fucking hell." Alrik mutters. "Kevin, find a way to open that thing without harming who or what ever is inside it. But don't open it when you do. I want the med team here to keep it sedated." 

"Okay." 

Alrik turns around and walks out of the garage bunker into a white tiled hallway. A woman in a pencil skirt and button down shirt appears from around the corner and walks a step behind him. Her blonde hair is pulled up in a pony tail and her glasses sit on the bridge of her nose as she peers down at her clipboard.

"Contact the union." Alrik says, not bothering to glance back at her. "I think it's time we try cooperating."

He pauses at a window that looks out into the garage. He stares down at the most recent space pod to land near them, the one with the space creature. Something is going on. Zombies and alien space crafts? Is it all just a coincidence, or is there something more to it?

Whatever it is, Alrik will figure it out.