Disclaimer: The Invaders, its universe and characters belong to their legal owners, who unfortunately aren't me. This is an unofficial fanfiction that is not officially endorsed in any way. It was written solely for enjoyment and I make no money with it.
Decades after his war against the aliens, as a dangerous pandemics sweeps over the world, a hospitalised David Vincent receives the visit of an old enemy.
"How are you feeling today, Mr Vincent?" the nurse asked pleasantly.
David turned his eyes away from the window to the man who'd just walked into the hospital room. Since the old architect's admission a week before, Paul Reynolds had cared for him with unfailing diligence and affability despite the strain from the endless and ever-worsening epidemic. At a time when David wondered whether the disease sweeping over the world was an alien plot, it was good to know the medical personnel still coped.
"Fine, thanks," he smiled. "Better than I have in years, actually. I didn't expect to recover so easily."
"Thankfully, you responded well to the treatment. You should be released in a couple of days, three at most." Paul checked his patient's vitals and helped him swallow his pills, then added, "All good. Should I tell your visitor to come in?"
David froze. A visitor? Who…? His isolation hadn't started with the current outbreak. In fact, it had never stopped after the silent invasion of Earth. Even once the aliens had been driven off the planet half a century before, he'd never been able to live a normal life. There was always the memory of these years of nightmare. The knowledge of their existence. The fear they might return. The sad truth was that except for one of his brother's grandchildren, who saw him as an interesting if delusional old man, nobody cared about David.
The familiar paranoia was back in full force as he nodded to the nurse, "Sure."
"Come in," Paul called out to the mysterious visitor.
A young woman entered the room and exchanged a glance with the nurse, who went to stand by the door and watch. David narrowed his eyes at her as she walked towards him. Indeed, she wasn't a woman –nor young, for that matter.
"Hello, David," said Ellie Markham.
As far as he could judge, she hadn't changed in half a century. "So you really are behind it. What do you want?" he hissed in response.
Taking a chair and sitting lithely, Ellie gave him one of her signature wistful smiles under the face mask. "We didn't create the virus, no, we didn't even spread it. We were as taken by surprise as your people at first. But now, we mean to use it, of course," she acknowledged.
"If you expect me to let you, forget it," he snapped, the hostile determination only partly undermined by the quivering in his old voice. Of course, he was all too aware of how powerless he now was. Even on a good day, he could barely take a few steps without a cane, let alone win a brawl. "Others will find out what you're doing and fight back."
Ellie let out a chuckle. "What we're doing is research a cure for your people," she explained. "You should know, you received the latest version."
"Ah yes, using unsuspecting patients as guinea pigs." Had she expected him to be impressed?
"Well yes, at some point we need to test it for real, and we can't reveal ourselves until it's truly efficient and safe," she admitted, elaborating: "It won't be very long now before we announce ourselves to the world."
"Oh, so am I to believe you don't want to take over the Earth anymore?" he replied sarcastically.
She shook her head. "We don't, not like we used to," she corrected him. "Think of it as more of a win-win relationship. And you can play a role, if you so wish: we'll need a lot of new buildings to house our people when we start bringing them to Earth en masse, and we have specific requirements. We'd like your services as an architect to help us design them. Our current Leader wants to discus this in person when you're feeling better, but take your time," she concluded warmly.
David stared, speechless. This was… uncharacteristic, to say the least, even if Ellie had never been entirely characteristic of her people. Of course, the aliens were no strangers to manipulation, but she herself had always been honest about her intentions. And in truth, even Magnus' deception could've been foreseen. Yet here, looking back to the past days, David could find no warning sign. He glanced to the nurse: his mind had become sharper with the drugs the alien had given him, not duller. What would even be the point of tricking him? He was old and forgotten. They could've killed him without attracting suspicion, or even more simply let him die of COVID. But they hadn't. Instead, they'd actively healed him.
"I'll think about it," he finally said noncommittally.
Ellie nodded. "For now, you need rest. Get well, David," she smiled under her mask, standing up and turning to leave.
How does a nightmare end? In a hospital bed amid a deadly pandemic, healed by his enemies? At a peaceful meeting with their Leader? At an architect desk, shaping a future that will outlive him? David Vincent does not yet dare to hope. But perhaps, not so long from now, his nightmare will finally end.
THE END
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Last update: 24th December 2020.