Schulz seemed more interested in Taylor and turned his attentions to him.
“You’ve heard what Armand has reported to me, all of which has been recorded, will you corroborate his story fully?”
“It’s what happened.”
“So you agree with every detail?’
“It was a pretty simple affair, and yeah, I do.”
“Then Spiteri is going down,” replied Armand.
“It’s not a victory,” added Taylor. “Only another hurdle on the way to resolving this great big mess.”
“Agreed, so let’s get it done quickly. On arrival, you will be escorted to the Hotel Be Manos, along with Colonel Spiteri who will be kept closely guarded until the trial begins in the morning.”
“Tomorrow morning? And a trial beginning without an investigation?” Taylor asked him, surprised.
“Prosecution teams and UEN investigators have already been working on it and will do so throughout the night. You’ve seen the escalation of protests in the World. People need to know we are acting in their interests.”
“I’ve been on the wrong end of these events before. I can’t imagine being condemned for life with so little time or thought.”
“Then never open fire on and kill civilians.”
Taylor could feel it was all going too fast. Anger was brewing on all sides, and rushing it was only going to cause brash decisions, but he felt powerless to stop it.
* * *
It was another short journey to Brussels, but the day had felt like one of the longest since the war. As Taylor wearily stepped inside the lavish room that had been selected for him, all he wanted to do was sleep. But first, he mustered up the energy to put a call through to Eli.
“What the hell is going on there? Are you okay? You said you were in Paris, but I just saw you on the news at that prison where the shootings happened.”
“I’m fine.”
“Fine? Turn on the news, Mitch, and look at what that shooting means to people. They’re going psychotic over it.”
“Not as a result of anything I have done. I was asked to go and help there, and that’s what I’m still doing.”
“Well, you better figure out pretty quick which side you’re on.”
“Side?”
“Have you not seen the news today?”
Been a little busy, he thought.
“The World is dividing into those who want the aliens executed and those who don’t. They’re at each other’s throats. Riots have broken out in Washington and New York between the rival groups and in other cities around the World.”
“I’m a marine, not a politician.”
“Hardly,” she replied. “You’re out there on your own, making your own decisions. Out there you aren’t a marine, you’re a celebrity; one which both sides will be eager to recruit.”
He shook his head, “How did it all go to shit so quickly?”
“The day aliens invaded,” she replied.
“That’s a big help,” he said with a smile.
“Nothing good can come of this, Mitch. Get yourself out of it and home ASAP. We don’t have anywhere near the number of Krys held over here. It’s not such a problem. Get your ass out of it.”
“Do my best.”
“I love you,” she replied.
He could hear the worry in voice, and he was starting to realise how serious the events were in determining their future. She cut off the transmission before he had time to reply. Within five minutes, his armour was off, and he was in a deep sleep, the best he’d had in a long time. The recent events weighed heavily on many minds, but he was simply content to never have to do the circus displays his job had become ever again.
* * *
A loud knock at the door awoke him from his sleep. He staggered over to open it and found Jafar standing there.
Does the alien ever sleep?
“Any news?”
“A conference has been called at the UEN.”
“Great, another opportunity for politicians to bore each other to death.”
“I don’t think so.”
Taylor was surprised and invited Jafar in, as he paced over and turned the news on. Every news channel seemed to be a live feed of the conference that was already heating up. The Italian President was almost screaming across the room at his peers at such a volume and strong accent, Taylor could barely make out his words. Fortunately, he finished up, and the French President was invited to talk, President Jacques.
“France cannot risk enemy combatants on her lands ever again, and must take any move necessary to remove that threat. As the representative of my people, I feel it my duty to call for the immediate execution of all enemy combatants held within EU lands, and a strong recommendation that the rest of the World see merit in doing so with all haste.”
Grunts of approval and anger echoed around the room.
Taylor watched the conference for two hours. It seemed little more than a screaming debate between two groups who would never be swayed from their standpoints.
Finally, the Spanish Prime Minister arose and looked around the room, carefully studying the faces of all the representatives there. He clearly had something major to say, and all were silenced as they waited to hear it.
“The people of Spain will no longer tolerate the existence of murdering invaders on Earth. At 0900 hours tomorrow, Spanish time, two divisions of our armies will cross over into North Africa on orders to exterminate the enemy held there.”
Heckles came from the crowd, but he only lifted his hand and waited to speak.
“The UEN has proven impotent to act on this matter for four years, and we can no longer stand by and let this threat remain so close to our homes. Our forces will carry out these orders, and have strict orders to not be stopped by any force on Earth. Should any human stand in our way, we will have no choice but to do what we have to. We will protect our country and this World at any cost!”
“Oh, shit,” Taylor said quietly.
“Your people are turning on each other?” asked Jafar.
The German Prime Minster, Ms Muller, leapt to her feet to address the issue.
“Our forces currently serve at those bases and have a duty to protect those within the prisons, as much as those outside them.”
“Then have them redeployed, for nothing will stop out forces from doing their duty!” shouted the Spaniard.
Taylor could see they had reached deadlock as he continued.
“Any further discussion on this matter is wasting breath. No human is safe while an alien remains alive on this planet! Tomorrow, the men and women of the Spanish Army will do their duty to protect human lands across the World, and God spare any human who may stand in their way!”
He got up and stormed out of the room. Several other leaders followed suit, including President Jacques.
“Oh, we have some trouble on our hands now.”
“Will they really kill each other over this?”
“We’ve a long history of doing so, why should now be any different? Even so, this all seems to be happening a lot quicker than I’d expect. A few months ago, the protests were an annoyance to local governments, now we’re heading for war. It’s as if we’re being moved around like pieces on a board. Somebody wants this war, and there seems little we can do to stop it.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Me? What the hell can I do? I’m not a President, Prime Minister. I supposedly have a Battalion, but have not seen them in a year. It’s just you and me, and everywhere we go a fight starts.”