The cool June air dried the clamminess Bruce was feeling after leaving the Sheriff's office in Clearwater Springs or<span style="font-style: italic">Cosco</span>, a nickname several townies had given their home for its acronym, CS, CO, not the giant box store at the south end of Academy Boulevard.<br/><br/>Bruce had just finished the paperwork for an arrest he made earlier in the evening. He stopped a man on Parkview Boulevard who was obviously operating a motor vehicle while impaired. The man failed three field sobriety exams, he could not speak properly and walking was quite the challenge. His Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was .13%, well over the legal limit in Colorado. The man would have the opportunity to sleep it off at the station tonight.<br/><br/>Bruce hopped into the driver's side and placed his deputy's cap over the passenger side head rest. The 2013 Ford LTD Crown Victoria always had that same smell. Bruce couldn't quite place it. It was the smell of sweat and leather, stale, but pungent. He kept an air freshener, but the smell always seemed to persist.<br/><br/>After patrolling for twenty minutes, he met with Jon Paquette in the parking lot for the Forest Hills Shopping Center. They agreed to have a late dinner at the Mexican Grille. Bruce and Jon always had a thing for Beef Burritos and Tacos. Tonight was definitely a Burrito night. It was a guilty pleasure he could not say no to, especially after having a collar tonight.<br/><br/>"Where you going after dinner?" Bruce asked his friend.<br/><br/>"I'm going to go check out the industrial complex. It is time to do some security checks over there," Jon answered.<br/><br/>"OK. I'm going up into the hills. Check out the Country club and see what's going on up on the trails." Both men had been notified to be on the look out for a white male in his early 40s who was interested in playing with little boys. One of his favorite haunts was Clearwater Forest on the front range of the Rocky Mountains.<br/><br/>"You be safe up there, Ack Ack. Give me a shout if you get into trouble. I'm always listening." Deputy Paquette told his friend. Ack Ack was a nickname Bruce picked up while playing football for Clearwater Springs High School. Jon was the only one who used it with him. The other deputies called him either Bruce or Deputy Ackerman.<br/><br/>"Roger that, Pac-man. Catch you later, bro."<br/><br/>Bruce headed up the mountain toward the trails when he noticed what may have been shooting stars lighting up the night sky. He pulled the LTD Crown Victoria into a parking lot and stepped out. He looked up toward the sky and realized that what at first looked like shooting stars, now looked more like a meteor shower. The difference was this meteor shower began impacting with the mountains, the countryside and the city itself. Chunks of what looked like rock crushed entire buildings in fell swoop, blasting the serenity of the nighttime air into oblivion. Mushroom clouds of fire and smoke shot straight up into the dark sky.<br/><br/>"Holy shit," Bruce muttered to himself. Then he caught wind of his senses and reached for the handset in the cruiser. His initial senses screamed of fear and panic, but a quick realization of his situation and position demanded he do something right now. He attempted to call the dispatch center to tell them what he saw. Before he had a chance to depress the Press To Talk (PTT) button, a bright flash lit up his world. A large object struck his cruiser, flattening it out like a pancake and knocking the seventy inch African American sheriff's deputy into the tree on the far side of the road and into a deep sleep. He had no idea what hit his cruiser.<br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: blue;background:blue;"/></div><br/><br/>Bruce woke up some time later. He had no idea what time it was. He was laying on green US Army canvas cot with aluminum framing. He recognized a pillow under his head. His duty belt was missing, including his sidearm, handcuffs, pepper mace, keys, spare ammunition and radio. He was still wearing the tan and brown deputy's uniform. His boots had been removed and were sitting on the floor under the cot. They had a high shine, glass-like spit shine to them.<br/><br/>The room Bruce was in had no other furniture. There were three other cots like his own and the walls were white. A window with blinds and curtains revealed a night sky and a large brick building he could not see past.<br/><br/>Bruce sat up, putting his head into his hands while his elbows rested on his thighs.<span style="font-style: italic">What the hell happened?</span>he thought to himself.<br/><br/>Almost on cue, the door to his room opened. A female Army officer wearing the rank insignia of a Captain walked into the room. She appeared to have the<span style="font-style: italic">Rose and Dagger</span>insignia of a Military Intelligence Officer. The two men behind her wore the black helmet liner with the white band and Red, white and blue circle of US Army Garrison on its side. They also wore the black arm brassard over their left shoulders displaying the large white letters, "MP". One of the MPs stood about six foot tall while the other was well over six foot four inches in height. The taller man wore the rank insignia of a Staff Sergeant. Bruce quickly identified the Non Commissioned Officer, who was also an African American and the smaller Private First Class (PFC) who was of Asian descent. His name tag read<span style="font-style: italic">Nakamura</span>and the NCO's name tag read<span style="font-style: italic">Curtis</span>.<br/><br/>The Captain extended a hand to shake the confused and groggy Redwood County Sheriff's Deputy. "Deputy Ackerman, My name is Captain Fisher. Something strange happened to you last night. Do you have any memory?"<br/><br/>"Where am I?" Bruce asked almost instinctively, only vaguely recognizing the woman's introduction and question.<br/><br/>"Ft. Thompson, Deputy Ackerman."<br/><br/>Bruce tried to focus on Captain Fisher and the two MPs. Slowly, things became clearer to him. "I remember seeing a meteor shower impact on Clearwater Springs. I must assume that one hit my cruiser. It was hit hard and I was thrown at least twenty feet and knocked out. I also had this weird dream. It was like I was someplace else. On another planet."<br/><br/>"Would you come with us, Deputy?"<br/><br/>"Sure, but I really need to call my Sergeant and let him know where I am," Bruce mentioned.<br/><br/>"There is no need for that. I will explain later." Captain Fisher spoke in very forced controlled words. She refrained from smiling, taking a few steps toward the door. PFC Nakamura and SSG Curtis helped Deputy Ackerman get to his feet.<br/><br/>As the three men and one woman walked down a long corridor, the Captain spoke aloud. "We picked up something near where we found you. It is definitely not of this world and appears to be docile, but we aren't taking any chances."<br/><br/>They passed through a few security doors until they entered a room where a large creature had been chained up to a steel ring in the concrete floor. The beast had a twelve foot long chain preventing it from moving very far. It's broad chest heaved as it breathed a resent-filled breath. It stood passively waiting with discipline. The creature's front feet ended with three long black talon-like claws. It's rear feet were blackened hooves. It had two ten foot long flowing tails emanating from its head like ears that flowed in the air as if they may be quite light or the creature was able to move them on its own.<br/><br/>As soon as Bruce saw the creature, visions, thoughts and sights flooded his memory. It made him freeze in his tracks. He stared wide eyed at the creature who remained motionless. Bruce could see the cruiser get struck by what was apparently this creature's vehicle. His name was Jakir, but Bruce knew that. It was as though he'd known Jukir all his life. Bruce could feel Jukir inside his head. He knew the beast was warm and friendly. He would cause no harm and Bruce began to relax.<br/><br/>"Captain Fisher, Why do you have Jukir chained up?" Deputy Bruce Ackerman asked in an almost demanding tone of voice.<br/><br/>The Military Intelligence Officer peered closely at Deputy Ackerman. She noted the change in his behavior. "Am I speaking to Jukir?" She looked at Jukir, even though the words were coming from Bruce.<br/><br/>"Ah, I see you are aware? no?" Bruce spoke to Captain Fisher.<br/><br/>"Aware? You mean that you have taken over Deputy Ackerman's mind and can speak through him as a conduit?"<br/><br/>"I have not taken over his mind," Jukir spoke through Deputy Ackerman. The creature took a seat, calming down, now that he was able to speak to the Army officer. "Now, would it be possible that we could be released from your captivity? I assure you, we are of no harm to the people of this planet. We came here because the atmosphere was compatible to our own and our planet is no longer inhabitable. I guess you would call us refugees."<br/><br/>Bruce felt the words escape his lips. He had no consciousness of uttering them. He could feel Jukir inside his head and it felt very appropriate. It seemed   like this was a normal exchange. It also felt like he was watching the conversation unfold in front of him from some omniscient perspective, peculiar, strange, but also feeling perfectly normal.