Chapter Six - Close Encounter of the First Kind

Tom could tell that Annabelle was tense after what she had told him about her encounter with Deacon, so he decided to take her to a place where they could both relax.

"Where do you want to go, Annie?"

 "What about the Library?" Annabelle said. Tom winced a bit, not being much of a book reader, but the idea of Annabelle feeling better made him feel better. Besides, he needed to take his mind off the question she had asked him the day before about "salad" and his incredibly ridiculous response.

So after a few moments Tom and Annabelle were off to the Library located in the heart of Bridgeport. By the time they got there the sun had set and they were alone inside... 

 ...or so they thought. 

Tom was on the top level looking through a series of books, unaware that on a table behind him someone had planted a device set to go off in mere seconds.

"Beep beep beep beep. Beep." 

Annabelle heard a series of massive explosions from above, explosions that shook the ground around her and knocked books from their shelves. 

"Tom..." 

 Tom, in the meantime, had shielded himself with a bookcase the moment he heard the device's distinct beeping noise. However, he had encountered a new problem caused by the explosion: the bomb had torn open a hole in the library's electrical system, causing sparks to fly alongside massive fires.

 

 Thinking only about his and Annabelle's safety, Tom leapt through the fires and dogdged the damaged electrical systems, and when he finally reached the end of the room he gave himself a celebratory pat on the back, but then seconds later he realized he wasn't alone.

 Tom turned and faced the masked man who had set off the bomb. Judging by his outfit, Tom thought the man was some sort of mad supervillain. 

 "Who the hell are you?" Tom demanded. "Why are you doing this?" 

"No real reason, Tommy Boy. Just getting a few kicks. Besides, you being in danger will help bring my true target right to me. I can hear her right now... you know she really shouldn't run up stairs with high heels on.

 "Annabelle? What do you want with her?!"

"For now? Just to pass along some information she needs to know. That's what I do, I do things for the benefit of others. In fact, one of my former clients called me... 'The Benefactor'. I liked it, it stuck, but he's dead. Burned. Spectacular explosion by the way. Of course, you must have felt it when you lived in Sunset Valley."

 "How do you know that?" Tom asked. "Who are you?"

"I'm just an average guy with average problems like yourself."

 Annabelle finally reached the top level of the library, fighting past all the debris, and gripped Tom's arm when she saw The Benefactor.

"Wow." The Benefactor said upon seeing Annabelle, "You look just like someone I've read about, but no, you're not nearly wearing enough white."

"What do you want with us?" Annabelle said, "Why are you setting this up?" 

"Just to tell you what I know. Someone looking just like you has been killing people left and right for five years now." 

"And this information helps me... how? From what I read you killed innocent people as well, Benefactor." 

"A means to an end."

"What kind of End is that?"

"A good one, one that will benefit all of mankind. That's what I do, and I do it well." 

 Angered by the Benefactor and his sense of logic, Annabelle turned around to walk back down the stairs. As she did so, the Benefactor smiled. 

 "Where are you going little Annabelle? Going home to get some rest? I can't say you don't need it. I can tell you're feeling ill..."

"In fact, one would say you are looking positively green around the gills." 

This stopped Annabelle in her tracks. She established early in her life that only people she can wholly trust and care for can see her as a green skinned alien girl, the rest see her as a blonde Caucasian. She figured it was some sort of psychic ability that blocked people from noticing her true nature. She turned around to face The Benefactor.

 "How do you know my true nature? Only people I can trust can see me as green."

 

 "Yes, I know Torran biology when I see it 'A'jhanie'. You think I wear these glasses to make a fashion statement? Nah, it's my Vision Enhancing Visor. Ya gotta love the VEV. This visor can detect anything I want it to, and it lets me see you for you, alien girl."

"Why are you telling me about this?" Annabelle asked.

 "Because it's only a matter of time before the world knows about you, Alien. And when it does, I will be-"

Suddenly Tom, Annabelle, and the Benefactor heard yet another distinct noise that made the villain stop mid-sentence.

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep...

 "What? NO! That stupid brat set off the device too early!!!! NOOOOOOO-!!!!"

 Another massive explosion shook the library, centered directly on a bomb located in the Benefactor's jacket which he was planning to use to mask his own escape. The explosion tore out the library's upper windows, and knocked Annabelle and Tom out the third floor onto the hard concrete below.

 

 

 Tom and Annabelle remained where they were for a few moments, until they heard sirens coming towards them. They realized that someone had called an ambulance for them. Then, after fighting so hard to stay awake, they passed out right in the front walkway of the burning library.

The Ambulance took Tom and Annabelle to the closest hospital, where Annabelle's mother Maria had gone to immediately after hearing about the explosion.

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"Miss Kethrin?"

"Yes?"

"I'm afraid your daughter broke her arm, and she has serious injuries across her entire body. It seems the young man accompanying her has severe damage to his chest. We don't know how long they'll be in surgery..." 

"I... I-I understand."

TO BE CONTINUED