Starcrossed- Perigee

STARCROSSED: PERIGEE Tracey Lee Campbell Copyright © 2011 Tracey Lee Campbell All rights reserved. License Notes This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. Discover other titles by Tracey Lee Campbell at Traceyleecampbell.com Cover art by Brenna Symonds ***** FOR MY FAMILY, WITH LOVE AND GRATITUDE ***** Contents Acknowledgments PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN EPILOGUE ***** Acknowledgements Much love and thanks to my husband Ben who is always there to ply me with caffeine, chocolate, encouragement and advice. To Katrina and Stella, for your, friendship, time and honest feedback, thank you. To Mary, who is such an unwavering fount of information and support – much thanks! And to my kids, who put up with a nutty mother who ‘likes weird things’ – thanks for your encouragement, faith and understanding. I love you guys! Finally, a big thank you to my Mum and Dad – possibly the ‘best parents in the universe’ – you are inspirational in so many ways. ***** Prologue There were three of them, waiting in the darkness. They stood silent and still - thin figures lurking amidst the line of trees bordering the muddy farmyard, watching, waiting for the signal to proceed. Their eyes focused easily in the dim light, gazing with apparent disinterest as their target emerged from the farmhouse into the weak pool of light thrown from the porch lights. They didn’t need to follow her movements - they would find her no matter where she went. She made her way across the rutted yard using the feeble light of a flickering flashlight, and headed for the barnyard gate. Stopping suddenly, she shone the flashlight in the direction of the trees, but the weak, intermittent beam only illuminated a few feet around her. Giving up on the flashlight, she stood still, her head cocked as though straining to listen. With a slight shrug of her shoulders, she turned to lift the latch from around the fence post. The gate’s hinges protested with a high pitched creak as she used her full weight to shove the gate across the boggy ground. The horses in the barn moved uneasily, nickering and kicking the sides of the timber stalls as though they sensed this night held something unusual. The air was thick and still, and the local creatures which usually filled the night with their chirping and croaking were strangely silent.

The movement triggered sensor light went on as the girl approached the barn door. Again she stopped and looked around, rubbing her temple. She peered into the dark edges of the farmyard, gave a slight shake of her head, then raked her fingers through her hair in a weary gesture. Pushing the heavy wooden doors to each side on their rollers, she disappeared inside the building. The three figures turned their heads in unison toward the side of the barn, their eyes moving along with the girl inside as if they could see right through the walls. One of the watchers put his hand to his brow and closed his eyes. He turned to his companions. “Abort. The specimen has been uncooperative lately. We will need a whisperer. ” The messenger relayed the directive silently to the others, and they took one last look at the barn, before disappearing into the night. ***** perigee [per-i-jee] -noun Astronomy The point in the orbit of a heavenly body at which it is nearest to Earth. ***** Dreams are so peculiar - the strangest things can happen in them, but in the midst of it all, when the world around you is totally upside down and inside out, the mind still thinks everything is normal. It’s only when you wake common sense kicks in and you realize what you dreamed was total nonsense. My dream should have been total nonsense. I was in a room, a strange space enclosed by luminous white walls with no corners, edges, doors or windows. The air around me was hot and humid and I could feel the sweat collecting on my skin, running in rivulets to the hard metallic table I was laying on. He was there, in front of me, very close. Sometimes I wonder which is reality - the physical one we exist in, or the one in our dreams. The strangers who populate the dream world sometimes seem so authentic you almost grieve for them when you wake and realize they never really existed. He seemed so real, as if I’d known him forever. But it was just a dream... wasn’t it? The notion of reality has been challenged for me, and it is thoughts like these which make my mind go around and around until I feel as if my head will cave in from contemplating this overwhelming, indecipherable puzzle. He was the only one in my dream who seemed what I could term ‘normal’. The others were monsters. We’re told monsters are figments of an over-active imagination, and yet, these beings, with their bulbous eyes and their malevolent aura, were there, hovering, waiting in the background in all their solid, corporeal horror. But he looked at me with incredibly charismatic blue eyes, and soothed me with his quiet, gentle voice. My questions were deflected and he told me to hush, to be still - it would be over more quickly. A small voice in my head told me to fight, to run perhaps it was instinct. He seemed to read my mind. Closing his eyes momentarily, a fleeting look of sadness crossed his face, and he shook his head. “Don’t do it - escape is impossible. Be still and you will be returned home all the sooner.” He turned and looked at one of the monsters behind him. With a slight nod of his head, he turned back to me. His face drew nearer, and I caught my breath at the closeness of such an impossibly perfect person. He was mesmerizing. Despite every instinct which told me I was in danger, I couldn’t help but stare back at him, and be pulled into the spell he was weaving. The panic receded as I looked into his eyes and listened to the hypnotic timbre of his voice. The room filled with a strange buzz which permeated my body, vibrating and pulsing through every part of me. I didn’t care - I was still listening to his voice. Paralysis overtook me, but I had no will to fight it. The creatures moved closer and he backed away. I was rapidly losing consciousness. Before blackness took me again, I heard his voice in my mind, very quietly, as though he was whispering from across the room... “I’m sorry...” If I’d remembered the ‘dream’ in the morning, I would have thought it nonsense. But I didn’t remember it - not for a long time afterwards, when I learned the most nonsensical things could turn out to be real, and not a dream at all. ***** Chapter One You know something’s not quite right when you wake up in the morning with your face next to a pile of old horse manure. I’m not a ‘morning person’. Most mornings I wake up feeling like a zombie until I revive myself with a shower, but waking up with a lump of poop two inches away from your nose brings you to your senses pretty quickly. I sat up and shuffled away from the offending mess, confused and surprised at both my location and agility first thing in the morning. I peered about in the dim light, and heard the soft snort of a horse behind me. Light broke through a crack high on the timber wall, piercing the dark, cavernous space with a beam of whirling dust motes. It shone on a sleeping cat curled up on a bale of hay in the corner of the room. As my confusion cleared I realized I was in the barn. I had no idea how I got there. Weird. And I was used to ‘weird’. The rumble of the sliding barn door startled me. It rolled open to reveal the silhouettes of my Uncle Tom, his farmhand Gus, and my eight year old cousin Luke. I blinked in the bright morning sun, my hand shielding my eyes until they adjusted to the light. “Lucy! What the devil are you doing out here?!” It was Uncle Tom who recovered from his surprise first. I hauled myself off the ground and wiped my dusty hands on the sides of my pajamas. “I don’t know…” I hadn’t had a chance to even think on it myself. Luke laughed and jabbed a finger at me. “You’re covered in poop! And your pajamas are on backwards.” I looked down, and realized he was right - my pajamas were, indeed, on backwards. The buttons which were supposed to fasten down the front, were fastened unevenly down my back. Flakes of dried horse poop and dirty straw stuck to the fuzzy flannel of my favorite PJs. I made an attempt to brush it off, but they were too far gone. Gus gave me a wide berth, walking around me to grab a bucket from a hook near the stall. “Strange night last night. I could feel it in my bones. The wife could too.” He dipped a plastic jug into a barrel of oats and measured it out into the bucket. “The horses were spooked. Bad, bad night…” Gus was kind of superstitious and into mystical stuff. A talented storyteller; we’d spent many evenings listening to him on the porch of his cabin behind the barn, enthralled and terrified by the spooky folk tales from his native Ireland.

Uncle Tom, ever practical, grunted and lifted the wheelbarrow from its place against the wall. “Probably Lucy here spooked them.” He threw a pitchfork into the wheelbarrow, and tossed me a glance. “Looks like your sleepwalking has started up again.” “I guess so.” The explanation was entirely plausible. I’d sleepwalked often when I was a child, but I thought I’d grown out of it as the family doctor had predicted I would. Ending up in the barn was worrying. At various times during my sleep-walking misadventures I’d been found in the bathtub, in the dog’s basket, draped across the washing machine, and scrunched up in the shelf above the hanging space in my wardrobe, but never before outside the house. I guessed I was getting more adventurous as I got older. There was no telling where I might end up. Evidently Uncle Tom was thinking the same thing. “Maybe we should start thinking of a way to keep you inside at night.” Luke jumped on his bike and wheeled around towards the barn door. “Tie yourself to the bed,” he suggested. “Or nail planks to your window and door every night.” He took off out of the barn and headed down the drive, ignoring Uncle Tom’s reminder to do his chores. Uncle Tom winked at me. “There’s spare wood and a hammer in the tool shed. Help yourself.” I stretched and flinched, realizing the hard ground hadn’t been gentle on my back. “Just a tad on the impractical side,” I said of Luke’s idea. “Maybe an alarm on the door will do the trick?” I dismissed the idea even as I said it – I’d trip the alarm every time I had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. Maybe last night’s adventure would be a one-off. I’d have to wait and see if I made any more nocturnal trips. What was more pressing was the need to clean off the poop. “Ugh! I need a shower!” I said. “I stink.” I turned to head for the house. “Your aunt’s up and about!” Uncle Tom warned. I thanked him and continued on over the muddy barnyard. It was early spring but the sun didn’t warm the valley much until the middle of the day. The ground was painfully cold under my feet. I wondered how I’d managed to stay asleep as I walked out into the freezing night. I must have been totally out of it. I skirted around to the front of the house, hoping to avoid my aunt. If she were up, she would likely be in the kitchen, complaining about the mess, ready to pounce on any poor unfortunate family member who happened to come within nagging distance. I realized too late my logic was faulty – she was out front sweeping the veranda. She stopped at the top of the steps and leaned against the broomstick, a long-suffering expression on her face. “Look at the state of you! What have you been up to now?” “Sleepwalking.” She looked at me with suspicion. “Likely story.” I held my tongue; I didn’t feel up to a confrontation with my aunt. I trudged up the front steps but she put her hand up and glowered at me. “Oh no you don’t!” she snapped. “I just washed the floor. Go around the back to the kitchen. And wipe your feet – they’re filthy!” I sighed and made my way around the side of the house, breaking into a jog across the wet grass. My breath was still frosty in the cold morning air. If Uncle Tom and Gus were just starting their chores it must be about six. It was sacrilege being up this early on a Saturday. Now Aunt Janet knew I was up and about, she’d be ready to pounce on me with a long list of chores which would take a good portion of the day to complete. I’d made plans to go shopping in Craigsville with my friend Alison, which meant I needed to avoid running into my aunt again before I could escape by catching a lift into town with Uncle Tom. My cousin Michael was on his way out the kitchen door as I went to open it. He looked at me in surprise. “What are you doing up?!” His eyes took in my appearance. “Is that poop?” I pushed past him. “Yes it is.” He followed me back inside. “What were you doing in the poop?” “Rolling in it. I hear it’s good for your complexion,” I replied facetiously. “Really?” I laughed. “No, dummy. I was sleepwalking. All the way to the barn.” He tailed me as I headed up the stairs to my bedroom. “Cool!” he said. “Did you know if you wake someone up when they’re sleepwalking, they’ll die?” I threw him a cynical look. “Where’d you hear that?” He shrugged. “I read it somewhere. We should try it. Next time, I’ll wake you up, and if you die…” I reached my bedroom door. “You shouldn’t believe everything you read.” Michael was really into science. A mad scientist – he’d tried some crazy things. Although I was quite sure his sleepwalking theory was flawed, I wasn’t about to offer myself up as a guinea pig for the benefit of science, however crackpot his hypothesis. “If we try it then we’ll know -” “No thanks, I think I’ll pass.” I grinned and closed the door in his face. My room was an unfamiliar mess. I’m a fairly tidy person but this morning my room was almost unrecognizable from its usual cluttered but ordered state. I found my jewelry box on the floor, its contents strewn across the room, the trash can beside my desk tipped over, and my lamp was dangling from the bedside table by its cable. Apparently I was a clumsy sleepwalker. Ignoring the mess for the time being, I took a long shower, threw my clothes into the washing machine then returned to my room. I sat on the bed and wondered where to start. I figured I’d better begin with the bed – Aunt Janet was a stickler for bed making and she wouldn’t appreciate the sheets and blankets hanging off the bed and strewn halfway across the floor. There was a strange smell in the room – a kind of faint rotten egg smell which I put down to residue from my smelly visit to collect clean clothes before my shower. I sniffed at the air and decided it was more like the burnt electricity smell which I was familiar with. I picked up my clock – an mp3 player dock which doubled as an alarm clock, expecting it to have totally blown, but it was still going. The time was wrong though – the digits 3:33 were blinking crazily. I switched it off at the power socket then turned it back on and it went haywire. Nothing unusual for me there – I don’t know why I even bothered with it. I should have stuck to the old mechanical wind up one. As long as I could remember I’d always had a strange effect on electrical stuff. Some days everything I touched would go berserk. Television screens and computer monitors went fuzzy until I knocked them into behaving. Cell phones, household appliances, even streetlights – anything electrical misbehaved when I came near. My teacher dreaded me walking into the computer lab. It was a running joke with my family and friends, and no one could tell me why it happened. I gave up on the clock and went to open the window. A cool spring breeze moved through the room, dispelling the burnt odor. I shivered, but not from the cold. With the removal of the smell, the mood in the room shifted. I hadn’t realized how oppressive it had been until after it was gone. I took my time cleaning up my room, pottering about aimlessly between bouts of bustling activity; I was loathe to go down to the kitchen until Uncle Tom was ready to leave for town. Eventually, I figured it would be close to nine, and headed to the kitchen to find him. He was downing coffee, the local rural newspaper spread out on the old wooden table in front of him. I looked around cautiously for Aunt Janet. He grinned and grasped the coffee pot. “She’s pulling weeds in her vegetable garden.” He knew me well.

I accepted the mug of steaming coffee he offered to me. My Uncle Tom was possibly my favorite person in the world. His patient, unhurried manner was comforting and he was so easy to chill with. He’d made it his role to defuse any arguments which might arise between Aunt Janet and me. He had the patience of a saint, and I wondered how he managed to put up with his surly wife. I tried to keep out of her way, particularly on Saturdays. Michael and Luke obviously had the same goal. Usually at breakfast time they hung around like a pair of locusts devouring everything they could find in the fridge, but this morning they had made themselves scarce. Aunt Janet wouldn’t be happy. It was best if I kept right away from the ranch. “I don’t suppose I could catch a lift with you into town this morning?” I asked, popping two pieces of bread into the toaster and pushing the lever down. As I feared it would, sparks emitted from the power point, and the appliance hissed, smoke spewing from the slots. I quickly pulled the plug. Uncle Tom jumped up and took control of the toaster. “Err... let me do that for you. It looks like one of those days.” I shrugged and grinned ruefully, backing away from the stricken appliance. He plugged in the toaster and pushed the lever down, and it worked perfectly. “So, what are your plans for today?” “Shopping with Alison.” I got the butter from the fridge, ignoring the flickering light and strange buzz coming from the fridge motor. “Which is why I need a lift...” He placed my toast onto a plate then took a final swig of coffee and deposited the mug upside down in the sink. “Sure. Although you’ll have to find your own way back - I’m not stopping in Craigsville. I’ve got business at the Junction.” By ‘business’, he meant talking and drinking with other local ranchers at Mallory’s Steakhouse, the main watering hole in the next town along from Craigsville. Sometimes it was preceded by a stock sale, but usually the entire day was dedicated to social activities (in other words: drinking beer). It was a monthly ritual, and it was rare that any of the local ranchers would miss it. By the end of the alcohol-fueled day, most of the ranchers would be in no state to drive, and their long-suffering partners would arrive at Mallory’s to drive them home. The Sunday after ‘Business at the Junction’ was always spent listening to Aunt Janet’s complaints about drunken debauchery and how much of a nuisance it was to have to drive my uncle back to fetch his abandoned truck when he sobered up. Making a small concession to Aunt Janet’s chore list I stopped to wash the breakfast dishes. When I’d finished I headed outside and found Uncle Tom was waiting for me in the pick-up. He was alone. “Where’s Gus?” Gus never missed ‘business’ at the Junction. “He’s not coming - Nell’s making him talk to a condo salesman this morning. She wants them to retire to the coast, and she’s hoping this guy is fast talking enough to budge Gus from the saddle.” This was surprising. Gus and Nell had lived in the cottage behind the barn for fifteen years. They were as much a fixture of Shadow Bend Ranch as the rickety farmhouse which sat comfortably at a bend of the Carson’s Creek beneath the looming bulk of Shadow Mountain. I couldn’t imagine them gone from here, and I certainly couldn’t imagine Gus sitting by the beach with his feet up. He was almost glued to the saddle, and had been an indispensable help to Uncle Tom in the day to day running of the ranch. But Nell was a determined woman, and Gus adored her, so if she wanted to spend the rest of their days in retirement by the sea, she would probably get her way. I spotted Aunt Janet walking from the vegetable garden beside the barn. “Let’s get out of here!” I yelped. Uncle Tom laughed and steered the pick-up truck down the drive, whisking me away to safety. We pulled into the car park at Josie’s Cafe, where I’d agreed to meet Alison. We were going to have a late breakfast/early lunch, then hit the stores - for Alison, who was always loaded with money, to buy up big, and me to just browse, as, money being in short supply at home, I was always broke aside from a few dollars I scrounged for my lunch. “You’ll call your aunt to come pick you up, right?” Uncle Tom said as he climbed out of the car. I cocked my head and gave him an exasperated look. “Yeah, right, I’m sure she’d love to drive all the way over here to pick me up. Don’t worry about me - I’ll find a lift from someone.” He scratched his ear, his brow creased in exasperation. “She won’t mind.” “You know that’s not true.” We grinned at each other – who was he kidding? “Call her anyway. You can always put your fingers in your ears all the way home.” His voice was light, but there was a hint of genuine concern. He was both proud and disturbed by my independence. He knew the reason behind it. I grabbed his arm and steered him toward his truck. “I’ll be fine - really. Go, drink your beer, talk, brag, whatever guy things you all do there.” As I ushered him to the car he fished his wallet from his pocket. Pressing two fifty dollar bills into my hand, he smiled at me. “Get yourself something nice.” “No! This is too much!” I protested, trying to hand him back the bills. He pushed the money back at me, then turned and headed to the truck. “Spend it - or else!” he called over his shoulder. When he reached the truck, he stopped and dipped his battered Stetson in a small salute of goodbye. “It’ll make me happy,” he said with a grin. Driving away in the rattling pick-up, he waved again out the open window. I waved back and pocketed the money with a guilty conscience. As I turned and headed for the cafe, it struck me a teenage girl being forced to spend money was pretty bizarre. At that moment, I had no idea life was about to get much weirder. ***** Josie’s Cafe was actually run by an old man called Sid. He was the stereotypical overweight, sweaty fry cook you often see in movies. I’d witnessed Sid wipe his sweaty face with a tea towel, then dry one of his pots with the same sweaty towel straight after. Unfortunately, Josie’s was the only eatery in town that opened before lunch, so when we needed to meet up for a meal, my friends and I had no choice but to stop there. We were careful not to order from the hot menu though, and usually settled for milkshakes and pie, which was served by much more hygienic waitresses. Alison was waiting for me in one of the booths. “You look like crap,” she said cheerily. “Those bags under your eyes look like testicles!” Her sense of humor was rather caustic but her jokes rarely bothered me. “I didn’t sleep well last night. In fact, I sleepwalked out to the barn and slept on the ground all night. My back is killing me.” Alison screwed up her nose and gestured toward the cafe counter. “I’ve already ordered for us - vanilla milkshake and apple pie?” I thanked her and slumped back in my seat. Now, sitting still, I realized just how tired I was. I hoped I could last the distance with Alison - she was relentless in her pursuit of bargains. She prattled on about clothes until our food arrived. I sat, half listening feeling my eyelids grow heavy.

“Jeez you really are a bag of fun today.” I stirred a lump of unblended ice cream around the top of my milkshake. “Sorry, I think I should have stayed in bed.” Alison grunted. “Fat chance of that - doesn’t your aunt whip you like a slave on Saturdays?” I grimaced, “Not just Saturdays.” The bell attached to the front door of the cafe tinkled, and I looked up to see Jenny, another friend from school. Spotting us, she headed over and I shuffled across the seat so she could sit down. “I thought you had to work today?” Alison asked. Jenny had a part time job at the local veterinary clinic, a job she loved as she was planning to study veterinary science when she left school. She shook her head and her red ringlets bounced about her face. “Joe is cutting back my hours. With that new vet in Morrisbank, business is a bit slow - I’m only working every other week now.” The door bell jingled again, and Alison groaned as she realized it was Steven Hornesby entering the cafe. “Don’t look now,” she said to me, “but loverboy has just entered the building.” I slapped her hand and hissed ‘shh.’ His eyes lit up when he spotted me, and he headed for our booth. He made a point of staring at the empty spot next to Alison, until she relented and slid over. He sat down, uninvited. Steven was never one for noticing social niceties. A loner at school, ultra intelligent - perhaps what you would term a typical ‘nerd’, and he was picked on quite a bit. I just found it sad, and tried to be friendly whenever he was around. He mistook my friendliness for something else though, and now he had a crush on me. “So, ladies, what are you up to today?” Alison rolled her eyes. “Nothing you would be interested in.” I nudged her leg underneath the table. “We’re clothes shopping.” “You should head to the supermarket Lucy, buy yourself some garbage bags.” We all looked at him blankly. I lifted an eyebrow in query. “You’d look good even wearing just a garbage bag. Save yourself some money.” He chuckled to himself, obviously pleased at his ‘joke’. “Right...” I said. It wasn’t really funny; the way he said it was actually kind of creepy. Alison groaned and Jenny looked down at a spot on the table, trying to hold in a laugh. Jokes that fall flat are incredibly uncomfortable, but Steven was oblivious to its failure. The moment was mercifully interrupted by the arrival of the waitress. Jenny ordered a milkshake and pie, and Steven ordered what seemed to be the whole fry menu. I tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted he was in the mood for a Josie Burger and fries (and a salmonella side-plate). Alison and Jenny stifled their gag reflexes, and even the waitress raised an eyebrow and shook her head as she walked away to arrange the order. The next five minutes was spent making idle conversation; Alison obviously ignoring Steven’s contribution, and myself trying to make up for her rudeness. The waitress arrived with the food, and Steven tucked in to his greasy burger. We were making plans for a movie night at Jenny’s place, when Alison kicked me in the shin, and leaned over the table. “Don’t look,” she said, hiding her words with an obvious hand to the side of her mouth, “but there is a drop dead gorgeous guy staring at you from that table over there!” I was about to turn in the direction of the table across the aisle from ours, but she stopped me with her hand over mine. “I said don’t look!” she whispered loudly. “Be cool!” I leaned closer to her. “If I can’t look, then why’d you tell me about it!” I hissed. Jenny turned and looked straight at him. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped down into an ‘O’ shape. “Wow!” was all she said. Seeing her reaction, I just had to turn to look for myself. When I saw him I caught my breath. He was more than a ‘wow’. He sat in the booth across the aisle from us, propped against the wall, as he fiddled slowly with a teaspoon. His hair, long enough to graze his collar, fell carelessly in an unpretentious style. It was the color of sunlit wheat. He was looking at me from under a wayward lock of golden hair, his eyes the most amazing azure color - like the reflection of a clear sky on a deep tropical lagoon. Alison was right - he was gorgeous, but his appeal was more than that, he held an aura of... what? I couldn’t describe it. I felt drawn to him, fascinated, and I knew I would gape open mouthed at him all day like an idiot if I didn’t snap out of it. There was something else about him, besides his good looks… I felt as though there was some sort of recognition between us. It confused me. Surely I’d have remembered a guy who oozed... what was it? Charisma? A presence? An aura of… something. I couldn’t get my head around it. Steven looked over at him, and looked back to see the three of us sneaking surreptitious glances at the stranger. “How’d he get in here? I didn’t see him come in, and the bell didn’t ring at the door either.” “I don’t know,” said Alison. “Who cares?” She leaned in closer to me again. “Lucy, he’s still staring at you!” I sneaked a peek at him out the corner of my eye. He was, indeed, looking straight at me, his captivating eyes attentive but unreadable. I blushed. “Staring at someone like that is creepy,” Steven said, shoveling a handful of fries into his mouth. “No doubt you’re an expert on the subject,” said Alison dryly. “If you’re ugly, it’s creepy, if you’re hot, it’s not.” The stranger continued to stare at me. Steven was right, the guy was either incredibly confident or just lacking in social skills. I was mildly irritated by his blatant observation of me, as well as strangely pleased he found me interesting at all. Jenny leaned toward me. “He likes you! Do something!” she whispered. I was clueless in these kind of situations. “Do what?” Jenny and Alison leaned in and we huddled together to discuss a plan of action. We must have looked incredibly un-cool. Lacking any appropriate knowledge on the subject, Steven just listened in while he continued to devour his food. “Get his phone number. Or leave him yours.” Jenny suggested. I gulped nervously. I’d never asked a guy for his number before. “I don’t know...” “You can do it!” Alison whispered confidently. She stole a glance at the table, sat up straight, and gasped. “What the-?! Where’d he go?!?” The booth the stranger had been sitting at was empty. We looked up and down the cafe. There was only the one exit - the one with the bell which chimed when the door was opened, and we hadn’t heard it jingling. “Okay, that was weird,” said Jenny. “We should have seen him go past when he left.” Steven swallowed the last of his burger and wiped his greasy hands on a napkin. “Maybe he was a ghost.” Alison threw him a look of disdain and proceeded to ignore him. “Damn, that was a missed opportunity if ever I’ve seen one,” she said. “Maybe we can find him outside.” She jumped up, collected her bag, and we quickly followed her to the door. She stopped and turned to us. “Remember, if he’s out there, be cool okay? You kind of acted like an idiot back

there Luce, you probably scared him off.” “Me?!” I said incredulously. I wasn’t the only one acting like a dork at the table. Three blushing, giggling seventeen year old girls. We’d probably put him off his food. The main street was fairly busy as it was a Saturday morning, and the locals were out and about on their weekend off. We looked up and down the street, peering into store windows, but there was no sign of the guy. My heart sank - talk about a ‘missed opportunity’. I couldn’t shake off the feeling I’d met him before and I was eager to find out where and when. The rest of the day was spent shopping. Alison managed to run off Steve, and Jenny stuck around seeing as she didn’t have a job to go to. We all kept our eyes peeled for the stranger, but by three o’clock, we were all shopped out. I was exhausted and grumpy, and resigned to the fact he’d disappeared from town. Jenny offered to give me a lift home. She was the only one in our group of friends with her driver’s license. She had saved up enough to buy a temperamental car which was broken down more often than it was on the roads. Today though the car was having a good day, and Jenny bravely decided to risk being stuck in the middle of the countryside by driving me home. We were just heading to the car park, when we heard the toot of a horn. It was Uncle Tom. He never drove after a drinking session, so he mustn’t have made it to the Junction. He motioned to the car park and pulled up next to Jenny’s old bomb. It looked like I wouldn’t need a lift with Jenny after all. Uncle Tom got out, and I caught my breath as I realized he had a passenger with him. It was the stranger from the cafe. My uncle motioned to him and he got out of the car and moved toward us. I felt as though I was going to hyperventilate. “Be cool” - Alison’s words stuck in my head, and Jenny and I both looked at each other quickly. She looked as if she were going to pass out with excitement at the return of my good fortune. “This is Aric Brennan. Aric, this is my niece Lucy, and her friend Jenny.” Aric nodded and smiled at us. My heart skipped a beat - his smile was slightly lop-sided, which made him seem all the more adorable. I made a silent plea to my face not to become too red. “Aric’s been looking for a job. I met him at the tool shop and we headed on over to the Junction to have a chat. It seems he’ll do nicely as Gus’s replacement, so I’ve offered him a job.” “Oh! Good...” was all I managed to say. Jenny nudged my shoulder. “We saw you in the cafe this morning, and we were going to say hello - but you… disappeared,” she blurted out, speaking a little too quickly. Aric turned his attention to Jenny, and she blushed under the full force of his gaze. “I remember you. Nice to meet you. Better late than never, I guess.” He flashed her an enchanting smile. Uncle Tom pretended not to notice our blushing. “Aric’s got a truck here. I’ve, er... not got started at the Junction and I’m going back, so I’ve asked him to take you home. You can show him around for me, introduce him to Janet and the boys.” I’m sure Jenny was biting back a squeal. Be cool, I told myself again. “Sure.” I said. Uncle Tom looked at my shopping bags and winked. “I see you’ve bought yourself something.” “Yeah, well, Alison is contagious. I got caught up in the moment.” He smiled approvingly and turned to Aric. “Well, I’ll see you later tonight. Lucy here will look after you.” He gave me parting instructions to get the portable bed out in the tack room in the barn. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do until Gus and Nell vacated their cabin. After saying goodbye to Jenny and my uncle, Aric and I were left alone in the car park. We looked at each other silently for a moment, his expression unreadable. My face probably had ‘AWKWARD’ written all over it. His mouth twitched into a smile, and he gestured to my shopping. “Here, let me take those for you.” My heart fluttered a little, no guy had ever offered to carry my bags for me. It was kind of old fashioned, but nice. “My truck’s over there,” he said. His pick-up truck was big and black and looked brand new. Spotless and shiny, even the tires looked new - blackened and un-scuffed. I wondered how someone in need of a job had scored himself a brand new car. His clothes seemed new and rather expensive too. It didn’t quite add up. Why would someone as apparently well-heeled as Aric want to work as a farm hand, with long hard hours and basic wages? He opened the car door for me and closed it when I was comfortably seated. I pointed him in the direction of our ranch. After what seemed an eternity of uncomfortable silence, I decided to break the ice. I wracked my brains to think of something to say. “Haven’t we met before?” I didn’t mean to blurt that out. “Well, in the cafe, this morning...” “No, not then. I feel as though I know you from somewhere.” “Maybe I have a common face?” He tapped on the steering wheel as though he were listening to an imaginary song. Heck, not common at all I thought to myself, but said “maybe...” out loud. I pressed on. “So where are you from?” “All over - I haven’t settled down for a long time.” I tried to pin down his origins by his accent but he had one of those voices which have no accent. His voice was smooth and his annunciation perfect. I couldn’t tell where he was from. “Have you worked with cattle before? Can you ride?” He grinned at me. “You sound like you’re interviewing me - your uncle has already given me the third degree.” “Oh, right.” I looked at the road ahead. He wasn’t giving much away. “The answer’s ‘yes’ - to both questions, by the way.” I smiled nervously at him then looked out the window at the rolling countryside. I wanted to look at him and totally check him out, but he was so good looking I was afraid I’d just gape and come across like a country bumpkin. I kept my eyes on the countryside through my window, and tried to think of something suitably nonchalant to say. He broke the silence first. “So you live with your uncle’s family?” he asked. I always dreaded the unanswered question behind that query. What people really wanted to know was how I came to be living with my relatives what happened to my own family? I didn’t want to talk about that. “Yes.” I answered shortly. He seemed to understand he wouldn’t be getting any more information about that, and so changed the subject. “Beautiful country here.” I was glad to have some neutral territory to talk about. “Yes, it is - the locals call it ‘God’s Own Country’.” He made a small grunt, then dipped his head toward the forest clad range thrusting up from the green valley.

“And that mountain there, the biggest one - that’s Shadow Mountain?” “Yeah it is, although it’s not very shadowy at the moment. You know, in the sun and all.” I cringed. I was sounding like a dork. Say something intelligent and witty, Lucy, I admonished myself. I blundered on. “The one to the left is ‘The Wizard Hat’, it’s meant to look like, well, a wizard’s hat - obviously...” Ugh, that was lame. Not ‘intelligent and witty’ at all. He glanced at the lumpy peak, and shrugged slightly, then threw me a quick smile. “Hmm... I can’t see a wizard hat.” I smiled back at him and caught my breath at his handsome profile. I looked away quickly. Maybe he was too polite, or too cool, to be bothered by my dorkiness. “Neither can I!” I mumbled. He scanned the mountain range as he drove. I guessed he was admiring the view - it was looking quite pretty bathed in an orange hue in the pre-twilight sun. The same afternoon sunlight burnished his fair hair to a gilded gold. I tried to ignore it and concentrate on the scenery. “The one on the right of Shadow Mountain - that’s High Hill. Its nickname is ‘The Saddle’, and I can totally see why they call it that.” “Yeah, definitely a saddle shape.” The conversation petered out again, and we drove in silence for a while. I wanted to ask him so many questions - was he married? (No wedding ring, and no tell-tale pale mark on his tanned finger indicating the recent removal of one either), did he have a girlfriend? How old was he? I held my tongue though - I didn’t want him to think I was interested in that way... it would come across as totally un-cool, and I’d die of embarrassment. “When you round this curve, you’ll see a big white and black letterbox in the shape of a cow... well, it’s supposed to be a cow. The head fell off. That’s the entrance to Shadow Bend.” We bumped along the rutted track that ran adjacent to the bend of Carson’s Creek. The suspension in Aric’s new truck was way more effective than the suspension in Uncle Tom’s beat up old car, and I was able to explain the use of the various paddocks, fields and stock as we went past without bumping around and biting my tongue. Aunt Janet was watering the flowerpots on the front veranda when we pulled up outside the house. I could see her tidying herself as she came down the steps to meet us. “You must be the new man, ‘Aric’, right? Tom called to say he hired someone.” She held out her hand to him. I couldn’t believe she was blushing too. He obviously had a strange affect on all women - not just giggly teenage girls. “Nice to meet you ma’am. It’s a lovely place you have here.” Aunt Janet giggled, and waved her hand. “Oh, please, do call me Janet. I’ll feel ancient if you call me anything else.” I quelled the urge to roll my eyes, and pointed at the barn. “Uncle Tom asked me to get him set up in the tack room.” “Nonsense! The barn is barely fit for the animals, let alone humans. You can have my sewing room Aric. Lord knows I don’t get enough time to sew any more considering all I have to do myself.” She gave me a pointed look, and took him by the arm. “Er, if you don’t mind ma’a..I mean Janet, I’ll go grab my bag from the truck.” “Of course. Well, I’ll go up and start stashing away my sewing things. Lucy, bring the spare bed from the barn then bring Aric to the sewing room.” She turned and marched inside the house. I wondered at the wisdom of letting a complete stranger come and stay inside your house, particularly when you have a pair of small kids in the family. But Aunt Janet ruled the roost here, and if she wanted Aric to stay in the sewing room, that’s where he would be staying. I sighed and made for the barn. Aric trotted up beside me. “I take it you and your aunt don’t get along?” “What makes you say that?” “I dunno... just the vibes I was getting.” “Well, you’re right. We don’t see eye to eye most of the time. I’m only here still because of Uncle Tom...” I stopped, I didn’t want to go into that part of the story. “The bed’s in here.” I motioned toward the barn and Aric slid open the heavy door. “Sorry, it’s one of those portable beds and not very comfortable.” “It’s okay, I’m sure I’ve slept on worse. I’m just happy to have a job here, and to have a real roof over my head.” His eyes met mine. I frowned - his words pointing to him going through tough times, and yet he didn’t look at all like he’d been through any trouble. Expensive car and clothes, he looked healthy, calm, his body was lean but well muscled - he didn’t look as though he’d been through rough times at all. My imagination went into overdrive. Maybe he’d recently committed a robbery? Perhaps he was laying low? I took inspiration from horror movies. What if he was a psychotic serial killer who wheedled his way into a family then abducted and murdered the unsuspecting family members? I really hoped Uncle Tom had checked out his references before taking him on. Attempting to study him out of the corner of my eye, I cleared the way to the portable bed and tried to fathom what was going through his mind. He smiled - my heart flip-flopped, and my doubts were pushed aside. “Come on,” he said with a grin. He picked up the portable bed with one hand. “Let’s get this to your aunt’s sewing room before she thinks I’ve abducted you.” ***** Chapter Two It was Friday afternoon and Aric had been working at Shadow Bend Ranch for nearly a week. His arrival at the ranch had been warmly received by Gus, who appreciated the extra help as he showed Aric ‘the ropes’. Aric proved to be a natural with the animals, a great horseman and a hard worker. It seemed jobs were done even before my uncle issued the orders to do them. He was very pleased with his new employee. On Monday afternoon I had stepped off the bus after school to find Aric waiting in his truck by the side of the broken cow mail box to give me a lift up the long drive to the farmhouse. He’d offered to take me to school and pick me up, but I’d declined - Uncle Tom would prefer he spent his time doing farm work rather than chauffeuring me about. He had continued to drop me off at the mail box in the morning, and pick me up in the afternoons each day. After a couple of days, I began to get over the awestruck, gawking stage and found he was compelling company - funny, smart, and – rather more worldly than me. He was also patient - he seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say, even in the first few days when I was reduced to a blushing, babbling idiot whenever I met his gaze. I was walking on cloud nine - he seemed ‘perfect’, but there was still an air of mystery to him - and my red flag radar was working overtime. I wasn’t used to things going my way. After the turbulent, unsettled childhood in my pre-Shadow Bend days, I had a tendency to steel myself for the

worst rather than hoping for the best. It was a character flaw I knew I had to work on. I couldn’t help it though. Experience had shown me positive thinking just led to disappointment. Here was the perfect guy, served up right on my doorstep, and I should have been insanely happy, and yet, there was still a doubt niggling in my mind - something wasn’t quite right. In the evenings we sat on the front porch, looking at the stars and talking into the night until my tired eyes started to close. I looked forward to these evenings so much I couldn’t wait for the sun to go down each day. Occasionally Uncle Tom, Michael or Luke would join us, but mostly we were left alone and we talked about all sorts of things - from natural horsemanship, to politics, art, history and music. He seemed to be conversant with any topic we touched on. We always skirted around the subjects of ourselves though - each of us avoided talking about our childhood, our pasts, although we both tried teasing information out of the other. “So, do you have brothers or sisters?” I asked Aric one night. We were both sitting on the porch swing - we had graduated there from sitting in the cane armchairs at opposite sides of the porch the first night. “Yes, too many to count.” I laughed quietly, but his expression was serious, and he continued to gaze out at the wide, dark sky. “Do you see them at all?” “Sometimes.” He wasn’t very forthcoming on the topic, and I figured he didn’t want to talk about it. I motioned at the stars. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they? You can see so many more out here than in the city.” “Yeah,” he said, as though he’d never considered it before. “I guess they are nice, in a way. “In a way?! Come on, you’ve never sat and marveled at the sky before? I read that there are probably as many stars as there are grains of sand, on all the beaches and deserts on Earth.” His head turned to me in the dark. “There’s a whole lot more than that.” “I can’t even imagine it.” His hand brushed mine and I shivered despite the quilt around my shoulders. “The unimaginable. I don’t think it’s possible to ever grasp what’s really out there,” he said. “I guess so. Probably best we can only admire it from afar. I have enough to worry about here on earth.” He shifted in the dark. “What do you worry about?” I waved my hand about. “Oh, the usual. Exams, assignments, mental aunts...” “Boyfriends?” I was glad it was too dark for him to see my face properly. “Er, nope.” “So, that guy you were sitting with at the cafe...” “Steven?” I chortled. “Ha! Um, no, we’re just friends.” I was hoping Aric was asking because he was thinking of filling the vacancy. “How about you?” I asked. “Anyone special?” “No, not for a long time.” I detected a note of sadness in his voice. Perhaps he’d had his heart broken? I waited for him to go on, but he didn’t elaborate. “So,” he said, changing the subject. “You’ve got a couple of months of school left. Are you planning on going to college?” I shrugged. “To be honest, I’ve no idea what to do. Everyone at school seems to have their future sorted and I haven’t a clue.” “You have plenty of time to think about it. There’s no rush.” “Hm. Not according to my aunt. She’d love to pack me off to college. I think she’d sell a kidney to pay for it.” He chuckled. “Well, you should do what you want to do. Life’s too short for you to spend it doing something you don’t like.” He sounded like he was talking from experience. “Are you happy?” I asked. “Right this moment I am.” His wording was a bit ambiguous. Did he mean he was happy to be sitting here, talking with me under the stars? Or was he just happy with where he was in his life? Probably the latter. I was being way too hopeful. He steered the conversation away from himself again. “So, if you could do anything you wanted, money no object, what would you do?” “Do you mean, career wise?” “Well, yeah, career wise I guess. Or if you never had to work for a living.” “Hmm. Probably buy a nice ranch and breed horses. How about you?” “I’m doing what I want to do.” It was a simple statement but I sensed it was loaded with hidden meaning. “Working here?” Long hard days as a farmhand didn’t seem the most scintillating career choice to me. He laughed. “Don’t sound so astounded. The work is easy and the perks are good.” “You have perks? Here? At Shadow Bend?” I knew Uncle Tom couldn’t afford to pay much. Maybe they’d worked out some kind of arrangement. Long weekends or something. He’d worked every day so far. “Well, I get to sit here with you every night.” I blushed. He was certainly a charmer. I wished I could believe it, but he was probably just being nice. “It’s nice out here,” I agreed, ignoring the reference to me. He was quiet, and I wondered whether he was waiting for a reaction to his compliment. But what was I supposed to say? ‘Thank you, yes, you are very privileged. Enjoy your perk.’? Or... maybe he meant it... Perhaps he really did like talking to me every night. Oh, I just didn’t know. I was thoroughly confused. I yawned and moved my hand across the swing’s cushion, hoping to feel the touch of his hand again. I missed in the dark. Frowning, I sat back with a sigh. The yawning, stretching trick always worked in the movies. “Are you getting sleepy?” he asked, a hint of laughter in his voice. Unfortunately, the late nights were catching up on me. I nodded in the gloom. He seemed to understand. I didn’t know how he managed to work all day, talk half the night away and then be up bright and early to start his chores again the next day. It seemed he didn’t need much sleep. I, on the other hand, had fallen asleep in my geometry class, and was having a hard time keeping up the late nights. “You’d better get to bed.” I nodded again, and stood up reluctantly. It was always difficult to leave the porch and go to bed every night - I felt as if there were things left unsaid, things we should have talked about, and yet we were careful to never touch on them - whatever they were. I said goodnight and he stood up, placed his hands on my shoulders, and kissed my cheek. My heart fluttered crazily and I leaned my face toward him, drawn to him as though his lips were magnetic. He pulled away, and his hands went to his sides again.

“Goodnight Lucy,” he said softly. I felt as though there was more I should say and do, but my brain went blank. “G’night,” I said instead, and cursed myself for my naivety as I trudged up the stairs to my bedroom. I really needed lessons in seduction. Or maybe he just wasn’t interested. He was perfect, I realized despondently, and, I feared, totally out of my league. ***** “Michael, I saw Mrs Brown in town today and she told me you haven’t even started on your science project - and it’s due on Thursday.” Aunt Janet placed a plate of piping hot rolls on the table in front of Aric, smiled sweetly at him, and turned her attention to the gravy I was stirring on the stove. “Faster Lucy, for goodness sake - it will be nothing but lumps at the rate you’re going.” Gritting my teeth, I stirred faster. Aunt Janet placed the gravy boat on the counter next to me, and fished the roast out of the oven. “Be a dear, will you Aric, and close the oven door.” Her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings and I rolled my eyes heaven-wards. She was embarrassing. “Hurry up Lucy! Luke, tell your father dinner’s just about ready.” I pondered on how I was supposed to make gravy ‘hurry up’. I’d already battled the temperamental stove top, and Aunt Janet had complained I would burn the sauce. Luke heaved open the fridge door, and yelled at the top of his voice. “Da-aaad! Dinner’s ready!” Aunt Janet flicked her dishcloth disapprovingly. “I could have done that myself,” she huffed, shaking her head. Uncle Tom appeared and took his seat at the head of the table. Aunt Janet ushered Aric to a chair, and he sat down dutifully. I poured the gravy into the gravy boat and went to get the roast potatoes. Luke grabbed a large jug of water and slammed the fridge door shut, bumping me as I headed to the table. The entire bowl of potatoes headed for the floor, but before I could even think about saving them, Aric had dived across the room and caught the bowl. One lone potato was the only casualty, and he set the rest in the middle of the table. “Your hands!” Aunt Janet exclaimed. The bowl was piping hot. I’d had to use an oven mitt to carry it. I inspected Aric’s hands. Large red welts were quickly fading until there was nothing unusual to be seen on his palms or his fingers. I looked at him in surprise. “Did you burn yourself?” Pulling his hand quickly from mine, he moved to stand behind his seat. “Nah,” he said, busying himself with the water jug. “Tough hands.” I eyed him dubiously, but he threw me a disarming smile. “Really, I’m cool.” He pulled out the seat next to him and gestured to it, indicating I should sit. His manners were lovely and old fashioned. My heart fluttered a little. Aunt Janet made a fuss of Aric, proffering him every dish on the table as though she were a harem girl serving an Arabian sheik. Eventually, she seemed satisfied her guest was happy, and started filling her own plate. Uncle Tom pushed the bowl of peas across to Michael, who gave him a scowl in return. Uncle Tom was unperturbed. The running battle with Michael and his loathing of vegetables was an everyday occurrence. “So, young man. What gives? It’s not like you to leave a project this late.” Evidently, Aunt Janet had informed him of her meeting with Michael’s teacher. Uncle Tom heaped a pile of honeyed carrots on to his plate and passed the bowl along to Luke. Michael’s face reddened; he didn’t look up. “I, um... I’ve been busy. I kind of forgot about it.” That was odd. When the teacher had given the class the assignment he’d come home incredibly excited and had started planning his project straight away. “I thought I saw you making a volcano out of chicken wire and clay last week?” I asked. Michael scowled at me; his head slunk down until his chin nearly touched his dinner. “That project sucked,” he said. “I’m... not doing that anymore.” Luke shoveled an enormous piece of potato into his mouth and proceeded to chew, his cheeks bulging like a chipmunk stashing nuts. “You suck!” he managed to say, and he grinned, pleased with himself, chewed potato oozing out of his mouth. “Don’t be gross,” I said. “Do something Tom,” said Aunt Janet. She was trying hard not to lose her temper in front of Aric. Uncle Tom tapped his fork against Luke’s plate. “If you’re going to eat like an animal you can have your dinner in the barn.” Michael glared across at Luke, but remained silent. Aunt Janet threw Aric an apologetic glance. He didn’t seem worried about the boys’ antics; he was doing a pretty thorough job of devouring his dinner himself. Farm chores work up an appetite. In an effort to defuse the boys’ argument, I asked Michael about his project. He just shrugged, but continued to scowl at his dinner. He was lining up his peas in a double row at the side of his plate, he hadn’t eaten a thing. Uncle Tom refilled his glass with water. “You’re going to have to come up with something fast. You’ve only got two days to do it.” “I can’t think of anything...” Michael stabbed his fork into a piece of potato and swirled it around the lumpy gravy. “What was wrong with the volcano project? I think it looked pretty cool!” I offered, hoping to cheer him up. The reaction I got was unexpected. He slammed his fork down on the table, and glared at me. “I told you! It was a dumb idea! Why don’t you all just leave me alone?!” Pushing his chair back violently, he stalked out of the room, leaving the rest of us sitting in dumbstruck, uncomfortable silence. Uncle Tom put down his fork. “I’ll see what’s up.” Aric and I were washing the dishes when Michael appeared in the kitchen. He grabbed a tea towel. “I’m sorry I yelled at you Lucy,” he said sheepishly. “No problem.” I said with a grin, giving him a playful flick with my own tea towel. He flicked me back, but his answering grin quickly disappeared and he grabbed a glass from the sink and dried it gloomily. Michael was usually bright and cheerful, enthusiastic to the point of fanatical when he was really into something. The sulking and outburst had been out of character. There was something not quite right about this science project business. Evidently, Aric was thinking the same thing. “So if you need a hand with your project, I can help,” he offered, adding more hot water to the sink full of soapy bubbles in front of him. “I don’t know what to do. Everything takes too much time, or is too hard.” “The trick is to find something you’re really interested in.” Aric scraped the few remaining peas from a pot and dunked it into the water. “So what kind of science do you like?” Michael shrugged. “I don’t know...”

“Biology? Chemistry? How about Physics?” “I don’t even know what all those are.” Aric placed the pot on to the dish drainer and reached for the gravy pot. As usual, I had burned the bottom, and it would be a monumental task scrubbing it clean. He threw an amused glance at me and raised an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling. “Sorry,” I said. “The stove went haywire. You’ve probably noticed me and technology don’t get along.” Laughing, he turned back to the sink. “Maybe you could write a paper on how Lucy managed to achieve such impressive lumps in the gravy?” “It’s an exact science,” I replied cheerfully. “Only us geniuses can do it.” “Oh, a genius, are you?” Aric teased. “Well, scientific genius, maybe you could devise a Nobel winning project for Michael?” “Bring it on! Nuclear Physics, Astronomy, or is that Astrology? I can never remember which one’s which. Anyway, bring it. I’m your man. I mean girl.” He was chuckling now. “How about Quantum Mechanics?” Michael and I looked at him blankly. “You know - String Theory? M Theory?” He was greeted by more bewildered stares. I’d heard the terms before, but I didn’t really understand what they meant. “The theory of everything,” he continued. “How everything - the universe, us, energy, other dimensions - how everything came into being, how everything... well, just is.” Michael perked up. “Did you say ‘other dimensions’?” “Well, yeah, the theory is far from perfect. They haven’t got it right yet, but it’s pretty cool anyway.” “Yeah, but what about the other dimensions? Do you mean like a star gate?” Michael’s imagination was ignited. Aric turned back to the sink and made an inordinate show of scraping a stubborn lump off the gravy pot. “That’s what the theories propose,” he said. Michael’s enthusiasm for his project returned. “I want to do my project on star gates! Tell me about this string thingy!” “String Theory. And M Theory. It’s not just about star gates you know. It’s a bit complicated. You’ve heard of atoms right?” Aric then launched into a lecture which went right over my head. I heard words like ‘quarks’ and ‘superstrings’ and something about vibrating membranes. After a few minutes my brain felt ready to implode, but Michael seemed fascinated. I had no idea how he kept up, considering he was only ten years old. In comparison I felt kind of, well... dumb. “Maybe this would be too much for a middle school?” I suggested. “No, it’s great!” Michael was just about jumping up and down with enthusiasm. “Tell me about the dimensions. Where are the portals?” Aric gave a barely audible sigh, and pulled the plug out of the sink. “Lucy’s right. It’s probably too complicated for your class to understand. You should probably do something else.” Michael shook his head vehemently. “I want to do star gates!” I tried to shake him off. “You’ve only got two days to do it. Why don’t you keep going with the volcano?” His scowl returned, and he turned on me. “I told you - that project sucked. And besides... someone else is doing it.” “There’s no reason why you couldn’t do yours on volcanoes too. We’ll help you - yours will be the best one there.” Michael gave a sigh of exasperation. “You don’t get it - I can’t do the volcano! I have to do something else.” He threw the dish towel on the counter and slammed the kitchen cupboard door shut. “Look, forget it. I’ll do it by myself.” He stomped out of the room, and I went to follow him, but Aric put a staying hand on my arm. “Leave him,” he said. “Something’s bothering him. I’ll go and see if I can talk to him.” He looked down at me. My eyes were level with his chin. I’m sure the moment was only fleeting, but it seemed like time was suspended. I felt the warmth of his hand on my arm through my sleeve, and his eyes drew mine - I couldn’t look away even if I’d wanted to. “He’ll be okay,” he said quietly. “Don’t worry.” I felt a warm tide of tranquility sweep over me, and Aric raised his hand to graze the hair back from my temple. He smiled and it was as though a switch had been flicked to turn off my besotted gawking. I blushed and moved away awkwardly, trying hard to resume a normal disposition. I realized I’d forgotten all about Michael’s dilemma for a moment. Aric left to talk to Michael, and I finished tidying the kitchen. I was just hanging up the tea towel when Michael and Aric appeared again. Michael was in fine spirits once more, and they bustled about the kitchen collecting the things they’d need for the exhibit. “Aric’s helping me build a star gate,” Michael declared as he opened a cupboard. He pulled out a big plastic bowl, dislodging the rest of the over-stuffed cupboard’s contents, which clattered on to the floor. I looked at Aric in surprise. How was he going to build a star gate for a middle school science fair? “Not a star gate,” Aric said with a grin. “We’re going to illustrate the concept of M-theory... sort of. It’s going to be a watered down version of it, seeing as it’s for ten year olds.” He took the dish washing liquid from under the kitchen sink, and helped Michael shove the rest of the bowls back in the cupboard. “We’ll need some wire. I think I saw some in the barn.” “I have a wire coat hanger.” I offered helpfully. I still wasn’t sure how he could illustrate quantum mechanics with a few kitchen things. “Thanks, but I think the stuff in the barn will do.” He threw the bottle into the plastic bowl and headed to the door. “Don’t forget paper and a pen, Michael. We’ve got to document what we’re doing, and you’ll need to be able to explain all this on the day.” With that, they went off to the barn to work on the assignment, and I barely saw either of them until Wednesday night at dinner time. Michael was so excited about the project he was just about bouncing off the walls. “This is going to be so much better than the volcano. Everyone does volcanoes. Simon Thorpe is going to be spewin’ when he sees mine.” Michael didn’t even frown when a couple of spoonfuls of peas were placed on his plate. “Who’s Simon Thorpe?” I asked. Aric leaned toward my ear. “Michael’s arch enemy, apparently,” he said in a low voice. His warm breath tickled my ear and gave me goose bumps. I blushed and shoveled mashed potato on to my plate in an effort to cover my awkwardness. “Hey, are you going to leave any for anyone else?” Uncle Tom eyed the mounds of potato in front of me, amusement in his eyes. I’d unthinkingly spooned eight big piles on to my plate. My blush deepened. “Sorry,” I murmured. “I wasn’t really paying attention.” Uncle Tom grinned. “Evidently,” was all he said. “Anyway,” Michael continued, oblivious to my discomfort, “the science fair starts at six tomorrow. You’re coming, right Dad?” “Of course.” “And Aric, you’re coming too, right?”

Aric swallowed a mouthful of peas. “I wouldn’t miss it!” “What about me?!” I asked, after waiting for an invitation. “You and Mom always come to my stuff. You don’t need an invitation. It’s a given you’ll be there.” I was kind of pleased by his answer. It was nice to know he was under the impression I was always there for him. “Aric’s going to help me set the star gate up after school. I’ll just stay after school and you can meet me there at six.” He had it all worked out. He was elated, and even ate the zucchini Aunt Janet placed on his plate without complaint. It seemed, compared to the night before, Aric had produced a miracle in the form of a ‘star gate’, and Michael felt invincible. ***** On the day of the science fair, I decided to walk from my high school to Michael’s school and see how he and Aric were getting on with setting up the project. I spotted Aric’s truck in the parking lot, and, as usual, gave myself a stern talking to as my heart began to beat faster at the prospect of seeing him again soon. His affect on me was ridiculous, and Alison’s words ‘be cool’ reverberated around my head. I wondered whether he’d even noticed all the times I’d acted like a blushing, infatuated idiot around him. He didn’t seem to react or give anything away which would point to him noticing my silly antics. He was either being very polite, or was used to that reaction from women. I followed the hand-made signs which pointed the way to the science fair; it was being held in the school auditorium, the projects set up on various tables positioned about the room. The audience was expected to go from table to table to watch the budding scientists give a short talk and demonstrate their area of ‘expertise’. I noted there were no less than eight volcano displays dotted about the room. Michael had been right ‘everyone’ seemed to be doing volcanoes. There was one massively tall, elaborate volcano in pride of place at the center of the room. Its six foot high clay sides were adorned with bushes, trees and plastic animals much like the ones Michael used in his model railway back at home. This was one super volcano; the kid who had made this one had put a lot of effort into it. I found Michael and Aric at the back of the room. Aric was holding up a poster, while Michael, standing on a chair, was pinning it to a portable notice board with thumbtacks. They had tied a large string of balloons together to form a big colorful arch over the table, and it made a big improvement to the table’s rather unimpressive setup: a green plastic bowl from the kitchen, some wire fashioned into a loop with a handle, a few lengths of rope, and the bottle of dish washing liquid. “Hey, it’s looking pretty cool! Love the balloons!” I ducked under the balloons beside the table, and immediately regretted it. “Watch the string!” I realized, too late, that fishing line, so fine it was barely visible, was strung between the balloons and the top of the notice board in a fine, interweaving mesh. My hair tangled in the web. “Lucy! You’re wrecking it!” Michael jumped down from his chair. His head cleared the mesh easily. “I’m sorry!” I tried to untangle my hair from the fishing line, but my useless endeavors just resulted in the balloon archway listing to one side. Aric was there in an instant. “Hold still,” he said, as he proceeded to untangle my hair. “You really should be more careful around star gates.” His eyes crinkled with amusement; his lopsided smile made my heart pound like bongo drums. “Yeah, well, you could have warned me star gates are so technologically advanced they’re made with invisible fishing line. What’s it for anyway? Trapping evil aliens?” For a fraction of a second, I thought I saw his face tense, but then the fleeting look was gone, and he was laughing along with Michael. “Nothing that sinister. We’re hanging stars from it.” He picked up a plastic bag and handed it to me. “You can make yourself useful and help Michael hang these while I try and salvage the balloons.” The bag contained pre-cut silver cardboard stars, a roll of fishing line and a pair of scissors. Aric had thought of everything, producing a hole punch from a bag so we could make a hole in each star to tie with the fishing line. I stood at the table with Michael, preparing the stars so they could be hung from the mesh overhead, while Aric battled the sagging archway of balloons. I feared I’d done some permanent damage to the balloons, as they refused to reform into the lovely, perfectly balanced arch they had formed before. As soon as Aric pushed one side up, the other would lurch about and buckle. A large, heavyset boy sauntered past, and smirked at the collapsing archway. “Holding a wedding are we, eh Cordingley?” Michael’s posture shrank, and he shuffled closer to me. “It’s a star gate, Simon” he said, his voice high pitched and thin. The boy scoffed. “Balloons and stars? Aw, how pretty! You gonna hang fairies from there too?” He laughed at what he thought had been a hilarious joke. He leaned over the table, his weight making the folding table’s legs creak. “What exactly do you think you’re doing?” I asked. “Just looking to see if he brought along a tiara to wear. You know, to go with the fairies and stars.” Michael’s face reddened, and he opened his mouth to say something, but he obviously couldn’t think of a proper retort. I knew his pain. He was like me - never able to think of a scathing reply until it was too late. I felt for the poor little kid. I just wanted to deck the nasty creep. Aric let go of the balloons, straightened and tapped the boy on the shoulder. “Is that your display?” he asked, pointing to the massive volcano in the center of the room, which was now listing to the left at an alarming angle. “Because if it is, I think you’d better go rescue it.” The boy looked across at the volcano, threw Michael the dirtiest of looks, then raced off to save his exhibit. “I hope it falls over all together,” I said, handing Michael another star to thread. “No! Don’t say that!” Michael’s outburst was unexpected. “Why not? He’s an ass and deserves it.” Michael shrugged and looked uncomfortable. He made a show of concentrating on threading his star. “Just... because.” Aric caught my eye and shook his head slightly. I didn’t press Michael about it. We continued hanging the stars, and Aric managed to fix the balloons. Once we’d finished, we stepped back and admired our handy work. The green plastic container may not have been very impressive, but the ‘star gate’ of balloons with its cardboard and fishing line galaxy looked pretty darned spectacular. Michael was beaming from ear to ear, the confrontation with Simon forgotten. Aric shoved the various tools back into the plastic bag, and placed the bag on the floor out of sight of the prospective audience. “So, how about some ice cream before the science fair starts?” he suggested. I checked my watch - we had an hour to kill, and there was an ice

cream store just a five minute walk down the road. Michael was all for it, so we headed for the store and bought ice cream, deciding to take it back to the school to eat in the school’s playground area. Aric and I perched on the railing of a monkey bars and watched Michael scurrying all over the playground equipment, somehow managing to hang on to his half eaten ice cream. You would never know that in less than half an hour he would have to stand up in front of an audience and talk about quantum mechanics. “Are you sure he knows what to say about that thing you guys built? I mean, it looks great and all, but if he can’t say something scientific about it, well, it’s all pretty useless.” Aric, having finished his ice cream, jumped down from his perch on the monkey bar, and strolled to a nearby trash can where he deposited the empty stick. “Of course. He knows a very basic version of it. He’s got palm cards if he forgets.” He hoisted himself gracefully back on to the metal bar and made himself comfortable. “What did you think of that Simon kid’s volcano?” he asked. I wrinkled my nose. “I hated it. A piece of crap,” I said loyally, even though I thought it was actually incredibly impressive. Aric looked down at me and smiled. “Really? You really thought it was crap?” I shrugged. “Well, no, it was well done, but I don’t want to say anything nice about that horrid little weasel.” Aric watched Michael climb to the top of a rock climbing board. “It’s well done because Michael was actually the one who made it.” I turned to him in surprise. “What?!” “That was Michael’s project and that lazy little bastard forced him to hand it over and give it to him. Apparently he’s been bullying Michael for quite some time.” I jumped down from the monkey bar, furious. I was ready to go kick that kid’s ass, cause a storm, tell the teacher, whatever had to be done. Aric put a placating hand on my shoulder. “Hold on there, it’s all being taken care of.” I was so angry on Michael’s behalf, I could barely spit any words out. “You... have... I...!” I swallowed and squared my shoulders. “Have you told the teacher about this?” “He doesn’t want me to. He says the bullying will only get worse if parents and teachers get involved.” “Then what are you going to do?” He smiled at me, then over at Michael, who was hanging from a high bar like a chimpanzee. He didn’t answer, but his smug smile, and the steel in his eye told me he already had things sorted. I thought I imagined his voice in my mind. Just one word - ‘karma’. I watched Michael slide down a fireman’s pole and land lightly in the sand, springing up instantly and dusting the sand from his spindly knees. I was intrigued as to what Aric had in mind. And if whatever that was didn’t work out, I would personally go and sort the little creep out myself. Aric turned back to me and grinned. “You need to calm down. You’re literally foaming at the mouth.” He wiped his thumb gently over my lips in what I thought was an intimate gesture but I was left blushing as he held up his thumb to reveal a blob of ice cream that had dripped on to the corner of my mouth. “Oh!” mortified, I turned away from him and wiped my mouth and chin with the palm of my hand. He must think me a total slob. I took the time it took to walk to the trash can and discard the ice cream stick to compose myself. When I turned back again, he was leaning casually against the monkey bar, watching me intently. “What?” Humiliation had a way of making me crabby. His eyebrows arched, and he shrugged. “Nothing!” He said with a grin, and my heart did its little happy dance. I groaned inwardly. You are pathetic, Lucy, I admonished myself. Stop acting like a lovesick loser! Lovesick? Love-sick? Was I falling in love? Was it possible to fall in love with someone when you’d only known them a short time? I risked a sideways glance at him, and he was still watching me with those amazing, strangely colored eyes. I slapped myself mentally. It was impossible to fall in love so quickly... that only happened in books and movies. Stop being an idiot! I lectured myself. This is real life. Any girl would feel all fluttery when faced with a guy like him. Trying hard to ignore his handsome face and those compelling eyes, I stalked past him and made a show of checking the time on my watch. “Come on. It’ll be starting soon. We should look for Uncle Tom.” I called Michael, and we headed for the auditorium. ***** Michael’s talk started off wobbly, but gradually, as he got into it, his voice strengthened until he was speaking with impressive authority, considering his age and the subject matter. Due to time constraints the teachers had organized a number of children to give their talks simultaneously, so audiences gathered depending on their interests, or if they had a child speaking. At first Michael’s audience consisted of his teacher, the principal, and our immediate family. It seemed the clay volcanoes were getting most of the attention. As Michael tried to explain his concept of String Theory, Luke wandered off to watch an ‘erupting’ volcano, while Aunt Janet gave non-verbal signals for Michael to stand up straight, project his voice, put his shoulders back. She even pointed to her gritted teeth - presumably reminding him to smile. He ignored her and concentrated on Uncle Tom, who stood right in front, arms folded across his chest, nodding encouragingly, and trying not to look confused. “And so, as we know, all matter is made up of tiny little vibrating strings. So tiny we can’t even see them. But if we could, this is what they would look like.” He held up a piece of skipping rope, one hand at each end, and began to jiggle it, working it into a steady pulsing wobble. “Strings can vibrate in an infinite number of ways. The way a string vibrates determines the type of matter it makes.” He demonstrated by wobbling the string up and down, and it made an entirely different pattern. I was impressed - no palm cards, and the language he was using was very advanced for a ten year old. I didn’t think I could even speak as well, and I was nearly eight years older than him. “Scientists think all these strings need to be connected somehow, not end to end, but by something which connects them, sort of like a conductor. They call this connection a membrane - ‘brane’ for short.” He dipped the wire circle into a bowl of dish washing liquid, and blew a big bubble on to his hand. “Imagine this bubble is the membrane. See the shiny, slippery surface? Every string is floating around on that surface, all connected by the surface of the bubble, or the membrane. That one bubble is our universe.” He popped the bubble, and the audience, which had increased in size as Michael’s enthusiastic voice began to carry across the room, laughed at the casual destruction of our ‘universe’. He dragged the big plastic bowl closer to him. It was half filled with water. “Now I want to talk a little bit about dimensions. We all think we know what dimensions are, but they can be a hard thing to understand really.” He held up a piece of paper. “We’ll use this as an example to explain something that’s two dimensional. It’s flat - you can see it only goes this

way or that, not up or down. No depth.” “We’ve all heard of 3D - you can go see 3D movies now. It means you can see an extra dimension - not just a flat screen - you’re able to see depth as well. This table is 3D - I can walk around it, go under it and over it.” He leaned importantly over the table, running his hands over the surface and side to demonstrate. “We’re all familiar with these dimensions, but scientists are saying that there are other dimensions besides the ones we all know. Time is another kind of dimension, but guess what - “ He paused for effect, and the audience seemed to actually will him to go on. “There are eleven dimensions in all! Eleven!” he said triumphantly, as though this was absolutely marvelous news. “We, as humans, in this universe, can only really see three of them, four if you count time, but scientists say there are eleven, and the eleventh one is the most exciting of all of them, because that’s where there exists parallel universes!” His voice was so elated it was hard not to be caught up with his enthusiasm, and nearly the entire crowd had gathered to listen to his spiel. “The eleventh dimension exists so close to us, and yet we can’t see it. All around you, existing just like us, are other universes, countless universes, floating like these bubbles, in the eleventh dimension.” He blew a heap of bubbles on to the surface of the water in the green bowl. “See that one there?” he said, pointing to a nondescript bubble in the midst of all the others. “Imagine that’s our universe, in there with all the others floating in the eleventh dimension.” People were pushing forward, as though they really were hoping to see our own universe in hyperspace. “The other universes may have different universal laws, laws of nature. They may have different worlds, civilizations, species, and we just can’t see them.” “Now, those bubbles look pretty happy there next to each other, pretty quiet and peaceful, but scientists think they might be rolling about on crazy waves, occasionally crashing into each other.” Putting a hand on either side of the bowl, Michael tipped the water from side to side. The bubbles really only swooshed from left to right, hardly crashing, but we got the picture. “The moment two universes crash together, you get the Big Bang, and that’s how another universe is made. That’s how our universe began too.” There was murmuring among the crowd as they pondered this theory. “All this is called M Theory. Membrane Theory. It is such a cool theory which explains so much, some people have decided the M should stand for Magic, or Mystery, or Majesty, but for this talk it’s going to stand for Michael’s Theory.” There was a smattering of laughter. He pointed to the bubbles. “This is what interests me the most. See the bubbles, those universes? See how some of them touch each other?” He pointed to the bubble he’d decided was our own universe. “Look at how those membranes touch each other, rub up against each other. How cool would it be if you could find a way to get through there, to visit other universes!” He gestured at the balloons and stars. “We don’t know what is in those other universes, who lives in them, how advanced they are. What if they’ve found a way to get through to us? What if they have already made some kind of star gate and they can travel to any universe they want? What if we could make a star gate and travel in and out of the other universes?” There was more murmuring from the audience as people agreed it was an intriguing idea. I was impressed with Michael’s alacrity - his enthusiasm and clarity of speech. I wasn’t sure if he’d grasped the concept properly, but what he had said made sense to me. When he finally finished his speech, he was rewarded with a big round of applause from the audience. Aric clapped him on the back then gave him a ‘high 5’, telling him he ‘rocked it bro’. Uncle Tom beamed from ear to ear, while Aunt Janet fished out her digital camera and captured the occasion with a photograph. Simon the bully was standing alone by his volcano which, after some clumsy, hasty repairs, didn’t look quite as impressive as before. He scowled at the attention Michael was receiving; he was clearly feeling upstaged, and he didn’t like it at all. “Ladies and gentleman,” he hollered like a carnie at a fairground attraction. “Come and witness the awesome power of nature - the ultimate in destructive forces! The might of a volcanic eruption!” He smirked triumphantly, (and in my opinion, prematurely) at Michael as the audience shuffled away from the star gate and headed to the big volcano. Once the audience was in place, Simon didn’t have a lot to say. He knew very few facts. After muttering something like ‘volcanoes are powerful’ and ‘volcanoes have lava’, his speech petered out. It didn’t seem as if he’d done much research - the only effort he’d put into the project was the act of bullying Michael into making the volcano for him. The situation grew awkward as he stood, tongue-tied, trying to think of something to say. His teacher stepped in. “Perhaps, Simon, you would like to show us how the volcano erupts.” She looked pointedly at the bottle of vinegar in his hand. Given a task to do, his awkwardness disappeared, and he puffed with self importance again. “Now I am going to show you the awesome power of the volcano,” he exclaimed theatrically. He climbed on to a chair - no mean feat considering his bulk and his obvious state of unfitness. Holding up the vinegar bottle, he waved his hand in a flourish at the top of the volcano. “Observe!” The audience waited with admirable patience. This was the fourth volcano they’d had to witness ‘erupting’ in one evening. Even the ‘awesome power of nature’ grew tedious when you had to watch it repeatedly. Simon took the cap off the vinegar and tipped the bottle awkwardly over the mouth of the volcano. Presumably, as with most volcano models I’d seen before, there would be an open bottle hidden inside the top of the volcano. In the bottle, baking soda, water and detergent would react with the vinegar, which had been stained red with food coloring for a more authentic look, and thus produce the ‘eruption’. Simon teetered on the chair, spilling half the bottle of vinegar down the side of the model. Eventually he managed to get some of the liquid into the opening. It began to froth immediately, but instead of spewing up and over the sides as the other volcanoes had done, it shot up into the air, arching over in a high pressured torrent, and hit Simon full in the face. He spluttered and snorted, and as he tried to get away from the squirting pink froth, he fell off the chair, landing with a thump in an inelegant heap on the floor. The volcano continued to ‘erupt’, its aim uncannily directed at Simon. He rolled left and right, and the torrent of bubbling froth coming from the volcano seemed to follow him until he was covered from head to toe in pink ooze. He turned on his hands and knees, desperately trying to get out of reach of the flow of ‘lava’, but his feet slipped in the puddle around him and he fell on to his belly, his breath escaping in a ‘woomph’ sound as the weight of his bulk winded him. The volcano ceased erupting, and the flustered teacher came forward to help him up, trying unsuccessfully not to slip in the muck. The entire spectacle had really only lasted a few seconds, but it had seemed to last forever. The reaction of the audience was mixed: some adults were concerned, but many were trying not to laugh, their lips pressed together in an attempt not to smile, some hands flew up to faces to cover snickers. All the kids in the room were laughing hysterically, except for Michael, whose face was ashen. I was surprised - I would have thought, after being bullied for so long by Simon, Michael would have reveled in Simon’s downfall, but he didn’t look happy at all. A man, who was apparently Simon’s father, was laughing as hard as the kids at his son’s misfortune. Any wonder his kid had turned out to be a bully. Simon blinked hard and tried to wipe the pink froth from his face. For a moment it looked as if he’d burst into tears. Instead his expression creased into a spectacle of rage and he let forth with a torrent of expletives, directing them at his insensitive father, who only laughed harder, dragged him up out of the mess by the back of his shirt, and led him out of the auditorium, leaving a trail of volcano lava footprints behind.

The principal quickly arranged for the mess on the floor to be cleaned up, and the science fair continued on uneventfully. Simon never returned to his volcano - I presumed his father had taken him home for a much needed shower. I almost felt sorry for him, but then I remembered the nasty taunts he’d aimed at Michael and Michael’s obvious distress earlier in the week when we’d pressed him about doing a project on volcanoes. Simon had it coming to him. I remembered Aric’s voice in my head - ‘karma’. He’d said he had it all in hand. Had he fixed the volcano so it would spew all over Simon? I couldn’t think how, or when he’d had a chance to do it. The volcano, which was in plain sight at all times in the middle of the room, had begun to keel over early in the evening, and Simon had tried to fix it. Perhaps, in his attempt to bend the top back upright again, he’d accidentally pushed the bottle containing the baking soda over so it was aimed sideways. If that were the case, karma had indeed come back to get him. At the end of the evening we helped Michael disassemble his display. He pulled the swag of balloons apart and handed them out to the smaller kids attending the event. He seemed happy it was over, but he cast an occasional worried glance at Simon’s abandoned disastrous display. “You did great tonight.” Uncle Tom ruffled his hair. “And I actually learned something! You know you explained it really well if an old man like me could understand it.” Michael’s face was beaming. “It was Aric who explained it all. I couldn’t have done it without his help.” Aric shrugged off the compliment. “You did all the hard work, buddy, and your speech was excellent.” I shoved the last of the stars into a plastic bag. “He’s right,” I agreed, “you explained it really well. I wish my science teacher would explain things as simply as you did - I might actually understand and get a decent grade if she did.” Michael blushed and preened at the same time. “Well, it was Aric who explained it to me.” Aunt Janet, who had gone to find Luke, arrived back at the table. Luke had scored two of the balloons and was holding them under each armpit, his arms sticking out as though he were about to flap them and fly away. “Are we ready to go home then?” Uncle Tom asked. “Can I go home with you, Aric?” Michael asked. The expression in his face was now akin to hero worship. “If it’s okay with your folks.” It was decided Michael, Aric and I would stay and pack up the last of the display while Uncle Tom took Aunt Janet and Luke home. I heard Aunt Janet telling off Luke after he burst one of the balloons on his way out, frightening an old lady who’d been standing near the door. While Michael was taking the plastic bowl away to tip the water out, I helped pull the posters down from the notice board. I was still wondering about Aric’s role in Simon’s downfall. He looked down at me with a mischievous smile, his eyes sparkling. “No, I didn’t touch the volcano,” he said. He pulled out the last of the thumbtacks and began to roll up a poster. I looked at him open mouthed for a second. “Did I say you did?” He laughed. “No, but that’s what you were thinking.” I shrugged and rolled up another poster. “Well, yeah, it did cross my mind.” The poster sprung out from its tight roll as soon as I let it go, and Aric handed me a rubber band. I rerolled the poster and snapped the rubber band around it. “So the lava just happened to spew sideways and hit Simon in the face?” I supposed, even if Aric had somehow found some time to tamper with the volcano, he had no way of knowing which side Simon would be standing anyway, so it would have been a fifty-fifty chance Simon would be standing in the right place. “Like I said,” Aric replied, “karma.” He shoved the last of the posters in another bag, and gathered the rest of the bags together. “Ready to go?” I picked up the backpack I’d brought from school, and as I turned to go, a puzzling thought came to me. I was sure I’d only heard the word ‘karma’ in my head at the playground. In Aric’s voice. I’d imagined it - he hadn’t said it out loud. I turned to confront him, but he was frowning, his attention directed at the doorway. “Michael should be back by now,” he said, dumping the bags. He took off at a fast pace across the auditorium and I followed after him. Michael had only been gone five minutes, surely not long enough to have found somewhere to tip the soapy water and returned to the auditorium, but there was a tense urgency to Aric’s stride which was worrying and I was beginning to worry about Michael myself. I had to jog to keep up with Aric as I followed him through the school’s mostly empty hallways. He made a beeline to the boys’ bathroom. As he shoved the door open, I hesitated, not sure whether I should follow into the male’s precinct. Through the open door I spotted Michael struggling on the floor, being dragged toward the urinals by Simon. I charged in angrily after Aric. “Let him go.” Aric’s voice was calm and authoritative, his self control was impressive - I wanted to deck the bully. A range of emotions flickered expressively across Simon’s face. Surprise, defiance, uncertainty, then fear. He let go of Michael’s shirt, and pushed him away with a sneer, then stood, stretching up to his full height to face Aric warily. Even though the kid was much bigger than his classmates, Aric was easily a foot and a half taller than him and I was pretty sure Simon, even if he was as dumb as a brick, realized he could never take Aric on. Michael scrambled to his feet and skirted around the room, giving Simon a wide berth, until he was standing awkwardly beside Aric. He looked back and forth between Aric, who was staring silently at his opponent, and Simon, who’s ruddy face, now clean of volcano ooze, was growing paler, his eyes widening. “Er, Aric, it’s okay,” Michael tried to intercede. “Me and Simon were just... um, mucking around.” His voice trailed off as Simon’s expression grew more stricken. “I think Simon would like to apologize to you, Michael.” Aric’s tone was almost conversational. His eyes never left Simon’s face. “It’s okay, he doesn’t need...” I felt for Michael. No doubt he was thinking ahead to the confrontation he’d have with Simon once Aric wasn’t around. “Oh, but he wants to,” Aric interrupted. “You see, he’s had a bit of an epiphany. He realizes that if he doesn’t apologize to you, and if he’s less than pleasant to you in the future, you might take it upon yourself to let everyone in the school know a few things.” Michael threw a confused look between Simon and Aric. “I don’t know any...” “You know,” Aric prompted, his voice smooth, but with a hint of steel, “embarrassing stuff, like how Simon still wets the...” “Sorry!” The word erupted out of Simon like a giant belch. His pudgy white face reddened and he backed up, only to come up against the wall. He stood awkwardly, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Aric shrugged, the tension disappearing from his body. He smiled down at Michael who was eyeing both of them in confusion. “Well, I’m glad we could sort this out. Simon’s so keen to be mates now, he’s even going to clean up that mess for you.” He gestured toward the urinal. The green plastic bowl, squashed out of shape, had been thrown into the steel trough. “You may as well throw that out Simon, and you owe Michael’s mom a new bowl.” Simon’s head bobbed vigorously, and he quickly retrieved the bowl, holding the dripping object gingerly between two fingers.

Michael’s eyes were just about popping out of his head. Simon, cowed and obedient, was apparently a rare sight. Aric, clapped his hands together, a signal the situation was dealt with. “Right, well, ready to head home then?” His charming smile was aimed at the two of us. We were standing, speechless, still unsure how he’d managed to defuse the situation so easily, with so few words. I nodded, still lost for words, and we headed out the door, leaving Simon alone in the bathroom, holding the crumpled bowl. ***** The next day I found Aric waiting in front of his truck outside my school. He waved to me and I veered away from the school bus line. “Thought I might try and talk you into having something to eat with me? I hear you have a particular penchant for the greasy delights of that fine Josie’s establishment...” I shuddered dramatically. “Yuck! - who told you that?” He opened the car door for me and I climbed in. “They actually do a decent pie and milkshake, but you have to make sure you’ve had your tetanus shots before you step inside the door,” I said. “I think I can risk it.” Josie’s was at the other end of town. We made small talk on the short drive, but my mind was still on the night before. I’d never had a chance on the way home, with Michael chatting animatedly in between us in the truck, to ask how he’d come to know Simon’s secret. “That was pretty impressive, what you did last night,” I finally said. Aric waited for a kid on a bike to move across the driveway, then he turned the steering wheel, edging into the car park at Josie’s. He didn’t offer any further comment. “So how did you know?” I asked bluntly. He switched off the engine. “About Simon wetting the bed?” “Yeah.” He shrugged and unbuckled his seat belt. “Kids like that always have some deep dark secret. I hit on his. They’re always secretly scared of something.” He opened the car door. “Come on, I’m starving!” We sat in the same booth I’d been sitting in when I’d first caught sight of him. I showed him the most hygienic choices on the menu, and he ordered for us, sending the waitress into a fit of giggles and blushes. “Do you always do that?” I asked. “Do what?” “Make women, well, you know.” I picked up the salt shaker and ran my fingers over the glass facets of the cheap container. “Make woman... go all gooey over you.” He chuckled and held out his hands. “Only the straight ones!” “Well, that’s obvious,” I joked, “but maybe you underestimate yourself. If you can charm even the likes of Aunt Janet, then maybe you could turn the gay ones to the other side as well.” “Are you saying you suspect your aunt is gay?” “No! I’m saying she doesn’t like anyone much. But she likes you. I think she has the hots for you.” “Maybe. To tell you the truth, I’m used to it and don’t notice it anymore.” If anyone else had said that it would have sounded conceited, but Aric made it seem like he thought it was an unremarkable fact of life his charm and good looks had an astonishingly captivating affect on any female. I supposed if charisma and good looks came naturally, you’d get used to it, even take it for granted. Aric obviously learned to live with it, and I was impressed he never seemed to use his charm to take advantage of anyone. I considered asking him if he had anyone ‘special’ he’d charmed, but he changed the subject. “This is where I first saw you. In Craigsville, I mean.” I looked at the empty booth he’d been sitting in. “I know, and you kept staring at me. I was beginning to think I’d grown two heads or something.” “Sorry. And I wasn’t staring - I was admiring. There’s a difference you know! I couldn’t help myself - I thought - think - you’re very pretty.” My heart leapt, pleased with the compliment, and I knew I was blushing. I snorted to cover my embarrassment. Had he really thought I was pretty? I didn’t think I was particularly pretty. Average maybe. My uncle and my friends often told me I was gorgeous, but I figured they were just trying to boost my self esteem. At most, I thought I would rate a six out of ten for looks. “I’d rate you ten out of ten,” Aric said. I looked up sharply. He was looking at me with intense blue eyes. “Why’d you just say that?” “What? Ten out of ten? Because, I told you, you’re very pretty, in fact, more than pretty - beautiful.” “Yes, but why’d you just say you’d rate me ten out of ten? I was just thinking that I was... it’s like you can read my mind.” “You rate yourself ten out of ten? Great to see a girl with good self esteem!” I gritted my teeth. “No! I gave myself six out of ten, in my mind and then you... oh never mind.” The waitress appeared with our order, and Aric slurped happily on his milkshake for a while, all the time, looking at me from under impossibly long eyelashes. This was the first time I’d been able to sit with him in broad daylight, face to face, the first time I had a proper excuse to submit to this compulsion to stare at him, study him. His eyes were a strange, deep shade of blue I’d never seen before - almost aquamarine, but not quite. They were extraordinary - not just because of their color, but because they held in them what seemed to be the answers to a mystery I didn’t even know I’d been trying to solve. We stayed silent, looking at each other, for a long moment. In a staring contest, he would win. I broke eye contact, blushing after I imagined myself leaning over to kiss his lips. I coughed, embarrassed, pushing my milkshake aside. He cocked his head to one side, and my heart lurched again. He was adorable. I could tell he was stifling a grin. I was certain I must be close to dark crimson by now. “Okay, what are you thinking?” I asked, in the absence of nothing witty to say. His eyes met mine, and for once I couldn’t look away, no matter how acutely aware I was of my blushing complexion. His expression was thoughtful as he watched me, and then he looked away, throwing his straw into the milkshake cup. “I’m thinking this milkshake is absolute rubbish.” I laughed. The mood was broken. “Sorry. Maybe I’m immune to the food here now. I don’t get around much. I don’t think I’ve been further than fifty miles from this town in the past couple of years.” I cringed at how that might sound, but what the hell, I told myself, if it made me sound like an

unworldly country bumpkin, too bad. He probably had worked that out for himself. He smiled and peered out through the window at the sky, his face unreadable. I finished off my pie and wiped my mouth with a napkin. I was being extra careful I didn’t leave anything on my face after yesterday’s ice cream debacle. “Thanks for the grub,” I said, throwing the crumpled napkin on to my plate. He leaned back against his seat, and I tried not to drool as the outline of his chest showed through his t-shirt. The words ‘and for the view’ sprang to mind and I quickly diverted my eyes. Cut it out Lucy, I told myself sternly. You’re turning into a besotted perv. This was so weird. I’d never reacted so strongly to anyone like this before. I had to get myself in hand before it was too late and I really was ‘in love’. He stood up and fished his wallet from his back pocket. “You’re welcome,” he said, producing some bills for the tip. “I wish I could thank you for recommending it!” For a second, caught up in my own thoughts, I couldn’t work out what he was talking about, and then I remembered we’d been talking about the food. We laughed together. I didn’t think there would be another moment in my life where I could be happier and I wanted to save the moment like a snapshot I could revisit in the future. He stood up and stretched out his hand to me. “Come on,” he said, “I’d better get you home. I think your uncle has a job for us.” ***** Chapter Three Uncle Tom already had two horses saddled up when we got back to the ranch. Gus was tying his sleeping bag to the back of the saddle. They seemed to have plans to spend the night out of doors. Tom fetched a load of gear from the front porch and dumped it near his horse. “Ah, Luce, I was about to phone you. I need Aric here. I’m afraid a fence is down over at the Flats. We’re missing four head of cattle - probably headed over Turner’s Ridge into Shadow Valley. Don’t know what it is about that place, but the heifers love it there. Gus and I are going to have to go after them, we’re taking the gear in case we don’t find them before night fall. We need Aric to repair the fence.” Aric passed a bag to Tom, and he strapped it across the front of the saddle. “Well I can go find the cattle if you like - it’ll give me a chance to see the lay of the land.” Ask to take Gus’s place. Aric’s voice appeared inside my head. I reacted with a start. He was affecting me so weirdly I was hearing things but I did as the imaginary voice had ordered. “And I can go instead of Gus.” I suggested. “I know my way around up there as much as you two do, and well, Aric and I are, well young and fit and you two are...” Gus shook his head and his leathery face broke into a grin. “The young pups are trying to oust the old dogs.” I tried again. “It’s going to be pretty cold tonight - wouldn’t you rather be inside by the fire?” Uncle Tom laughed. “So what you’re really saying is that us old geezers need to put our feet up and take it easy?” “There’s also that game on tonight... you don’t want to miss that.” Aric seemed to hit on the persuading point. “Well, he’s right enough about that,” said Gus. Tom shrugged and handed the reins to Aric. “He’s all yours. I’ll fix the fence. Lucy, I doubt if they’ve got as far as the valley, but if they have, you’ll have to sleep rough and take up the search in the morning. Maybe you’ll make it to the cabin by nightfall, but if you don’t, we’ve packed the sleeping bags.” “What about food?” I asked. They’d forgotten it, and I raced inside to make up some ham sandwiches and a large thermos of coffee. After getting warm jackets and replacing my cell phone battery with a charged spare, we headed for Turner’s Ridge. We followed the trail of cloven hoof prints up the path which skirted Carson’s Creek. The trail rose from the sparse woodland near the flats to the rockier slopes at the approach to the Ridge. The cattle had broken through the fence a few times before, and had always headed for Shadow Valley. I had no idea why - the grass there didn’t seem any different to the lush pasture of the ranch. We rode in companionable silence for a while. Occasionally I would point out a landmark, and two thirds up the ridge we stopped to watch the setting sun cast its golden glow across the valley. It was worth the ride up here just to see that view, but we had a way to go before we reached the cabin at Turner’s Ridge. It looked as if we’d be spending the night on the mountain, but I was secretly pleased. It was a nice change, and I loved the company. Aric led the way up the trail, and I spent my time marveling at how the sun transformed his dark blond hair into a shining golden halo. His hair was long enough to cover his ears, and one piece in particular flopped over his forehead and fell into his eyes. I had an urge to push it aside as it seemed a shame to cover such a beautiful face. I wondered what it would be like to run my fingers through his hair, and then I wanted to smack myself - I sounded like a love-sick moron from a romance novel. I watched him ride up a particularly rocky and steep part of the trail. He stuck to the saddle easily, his denim clad thighs expertly guiding his mount around the obstacles. I couldn’t look away as he urged his horse into a trot and he rose in the saddle. He had a cute behind. I wondered what he’d think if he knew my mind wasn’t on finding cattle... The sun had almost set by the time we reached the small cabin on Turner’s Ridge. The only sign of the cattle had been a few stray tracks among the pine needles littering the path. I was glad we hadn’t found them - we could spend the night on the mountain. We checked out the cabin. It was built for hikers and forestry workers for temporary shelter. It was sparsely furnished with a couple of rusting, uninviting camp beds and a rickety table. A box with some matches and an old lantern lay on the web-covered window sill. Despite the spider webs, the cabin was fairly clean, and the rough hewn timber walls were solid and kept the cold mountain air at bay. Rejecting the squeaky camp beds, I set up our bivouacs on the cabin floor, while Aric headed out side to make us a camp fire. ***** Aric’s campfire was blazing cheerfully when I left the cabin. I found him hunched on a log, poking a stray branch back into the mound of glowing firewood. He motioned for me to sit on another log he’d pulled closer to the fire. I wished we’d brought along something to cook, but all we had were the sandwiches I’d quickly put together. We sat in silence for a while, munching on our bread and ham and gazing into the flames. A few sparks escaped the fire and sailed up into the night. Aric’s gaze followed them. “This is nice. Those cows should escape more often,” he said. I nodded in agreement. Our little spot in front of the cabin was cozy, intimate. We could see the faint lights of the ranch house far below in the valley through the trees, but it still felt as though we could be the only two people left on earth. I took a stick and drew a smiley face in the dirt near my feet. “My dad used to take me camping when I was little. My mom hated camping. She

never came along.” A twig cracked sharply and the coals settled lower. We stared into the dwindling flames, embraced by the sense of peace and contemplation only a flickering fire can bring. I looked at Aric, he was waiting for me to continue. I knew I was nearing territory I had never shared with anyone, but I sensed he wouldn’t judge me. Perhaps now was the time we could share whatever it was we’d been holding back from one other. “My dad and I used to play a game, around the camp fire. ‘Truth, Dare or Promise’- you heard of it?” “Of course.” “I used to ask him silly things - you know, like would you rather be eaten by an alligator or a shark? Stupid really...” I looked at him from under my eyelashes. “Do you want to play it?” “Sure.” “Okay, so, um... you go first. ‘Truth’, okay? I’ll ask the question and you have to answer truthfully.” “Don’t I get to choose truth, dare or promise?” “No.” He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, you’re the boss. Ask away.” I frowned and embellished the smiley face in the sand with a head full of spiky hair. I didn’t want to waste my truth question, so it had to be a good one. I didn’t know where to start. Maybe I should just start from the beginning. “So... where are you from? I mean... what town? Where exactly?” Aric moved to sit on the ground and leaned back on the log. “England, originally - you heard of Stonehenge?” “The place with the big circle of stones, right?” “Yeah. Well, not far from there.” “You don’t sound English - in fact, you don’t sound like you’ve come from anywhere.” “It’s because I’ve moved around a lot.” He waved his hand around as though he were indicating everywhere and nowhere. “So where do you call ‘home’?” He shrugged. “You know what they say... ‘wherever I lay my hat’…” “So you don’t really have a home? What about your family - your parents?” He shook his head, and flicked a leaf into the fire. “Died a long time ago. Every now and then I’ll come across my brothers and sisters, but...” “Do you like living like that?” I didn’t mean the question to come out so bluntly. I hoped it didn’t seem rude. After my unsettled childhood, home and family were a big deal. He shifted in the dirt, and sat up. “Hey, that’s heaps of questions you’ve asked me. Now it’s my turn. ‘Truth’ right?” I swallowed hard and pulled my knees up, clasping my hands together in front of them. “Okay, ask me then.” He looked straight at me. I could feel the force of his gaze like a warm beam of sunlight. “So what happened to your family, and why are you living with your uncle?” I smiled at him. “That’s two questions.” He grinned back, and waggled a finger at me. “No, it’s two parts to the one question.” I took a deep breath, and looked back at the fire. The image of my mother’s face appeared in the coals, she was screaming, as they dragged her away from me. I didn’t want to go there, but if we were sharing the truth... “My dad died when I was six. I think it affected my mother pretty badly. She became... delusional I guess.” I stopped to see his initial reaction, but his face was unreadable. He nodded encouragingly. “Go on...” “She dragged me along to all sorts of doctors, telling them I had something inside of me that needed to be taken out. She wanted them to do surgery. She said I wasn’t safe while I had it... whatever it was. I had x-rays, and they found nothing. None of the doctors would agree to operate on me, so she tried to do it herself. She cut me, here, near my bottom rib. It hurt like hell - I remember screaming and my mother holding me down and digging about with a pair of tweezers. There was so much blood... just... blood everywhere.” I sat, silent for a moment. The coals glowed red, echoing the memory of crimson gore, glinting off of the kitchen knife, dripping from the kitchen table to form puddles on the old worn linoleum floor. Aric moved closer and took my hand. I was talking as if in a trance now - it didn’t matter if anyone was listening - the story was finally coming out. “I was screaming, crying, and the neighbors heard. They came and dragged her off me. She kept screaming that they’ll come for me too if she didn’t ‘get it out’. Just… crazy stuff. I lost a lot of blood - I needed a transfusion... probably would have died if someone hadn’t stopped her.” Aric’s arm slipped around my shoulders, and I appreciated it. It was comforting and solid, and stopped me from shaking. “Eventually, she was committed to a psych hospital” I continued, “and I spent the next seven years being passed from relative to relative, until I got to Uncle Tom’s place.” I couldn’t look at him, he knew my worst secret. So now you know - I have a crazy mother who tried to kill me. The thought was unspoken. He squeezed my shoulder and pressed his lips to the top of my head. “Maybe not crazy... by the sounds of it, she was trying to save you, in her own, mixed up way.” I eyed him sharply. I was pretty sure I hadn’t spoken out loud, and yet he had responded to the thought in my head. He looked away from me, back to the fire. “Okay, so that’s me done then,” I said, “your turn again.” I was determined to find out what the deal was - could he really read my mind? It had happened so many times over the past week I was beginning to doubt it was just a coincidence. “Truth - right?” He got to his feet and nudged a wayward piece of charcoal back into the flames with the toe of his boot. “I already know what you’re going to ask me.” I raised my eyebrow. “Okay, what am I going to ask you?” “You want to know if I can read your mind.” I was speechless for a moment. I finally found my tongue. “Well, can you?” He tossed some twigs on the fire and moved back to sit by my side. “Do you believe minds can be read?” I shook my head, confused. “I... err... don’t know. But it seems like you’ve been doing it.” He must think I’m an idiot, I thought to myself.

“No, I don’t think you’re an idiot at all.” My eyes widened. “You can! You can read my mind!” I was stunned; I stood up quickly, reeling with the revelation. “How the heck can you do that?!” Fear and fascination vied for dominance in my head. What kind of person could read someone’s mind? Aric reached out to me. “Calm down Lucy, and let me explain.” “How do you do it?” My voice was high pitched and barely recognizable. “Sit down, and we can talk about it.” I didn’t know if I could sit, I felt as if I needed to be standing, it was easier to run. This was freaky... he was, well, this just couldn’t be true. “Sit, please...” Taking a few deep breaths, I sank to the ground again. Aric busied himself with the thermos, and poured coffee into a plastic mug. It was such a mundane, everyday thing to do, it seemed surreal after his revelation. “Two sugars right?” “Aric, can you really read minds?” He stirred the coffee carefully, his eyes avoiding mine. “Yes.”

I can talk to you in your mind too. This last sentence appeared in my head, as if he had spoken the words, but his lips hadn’t moved. I yelped and moved back. “What the hell! This is too much!” “You could do it too, with a bit of training. Anyone can do it.” He offered the coffee to me. I took it with shaking hands. “No way, this is nuts! I... err...” I was at a loss for words, and then a horrifying thought hit me. If he could read my mind, he would know I had been thinking he was utterly gorgeous, and I’d been lusting over him all week, and checking out his cute behind... “Well, I’m flattered you think my ass is cute,” he said with a wink. I blushed and groaned out loud. “Oh my god! You heard all I’ve been thinking...” “Not all, I try to stay out of your mind most of the time.” “Well, that’s small consolation. You heard, know... embarrassing stuff... Oh, god...” I slumped back against the log as I remembered the times I’d spent with him during the week, what I’d been thinking about... Aric poured himself a coffee and sat down beside me. I couldn’t look at him but I knew he was smiling. “Don’t sweat it Luce, nothing I know about you should embarrass you.” I peered out through my fingers covering my flaming face. “I don’t know what to do around you anymore. I don’t think I like anyone getting into my mind.” “You can learn to shield yourself,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee. “If you put up a shield in your mind, nothing can get in to read it - you did that subconsciously about your mother. I couldn’t read you. I had to ask you what happened.” “Can you teach me to do it - to shield my thoughts? On demand I mean.” He bobbed his head. “I was hoping you’d say that.” I frowned at him. “What do you mean by that?” He shook his head and looked away. “Oh, nothing... it’s just good to be in control of the space in your head. “I thought I already was.” Despite my rough start in my childhood, and the fact that my mother was deranged, I thought I’d turned out fairly levelheaded. “You have no idea how much of your mind you aren’t using, and controlling.” “I’ve read somewhere that we only use ten per cent of our brains at any one time.” He shrugged, “Something like that. But the ten per cent you are using, there is so much more you can do with even that small portion.” I paused with my coffee cup at my mouth. “You said ‘you’. Do you mean you’ve learned to use more than ten per cent? Are you like, a savant or something?” I’d seen a television documentary about the amazing abilities of savants - a small portion of humans who were born with incredible encyclopedic memories and other talents. Scientists theorized they were among the few human beings who have some kind of genetic mutation which allowed them to use more of their brain than usual. “No, I’m not a savant. I’m... different though. I can teach you if you like.” I shook my head dubiously and peered down at the dregs of my coffee. “Oh, I don’t know - I’m no genius. I’m just... me.” Aric moved closer and took my chin in his hand, moving my face to face his. “You are special Lucy. I know it. There’s more to you than meets the eye. And you can do this.” I looked back into his eyes and wondered how the blue could still seem so bright even in the dim light of the flickering fire. His smile reached his eyes. “Who knows?” I groaned, he’d read my mind again. “Please teach me this shielding thing - I can’t stand having to watch what I think because you’re digging about in my brain all the time!” “All right. It’ll involve a lot of concentration - and you’ve got to follow my instructions, okay? And there’ll be lots of practice.” I tossed the remains of my coffee on to the grass behind me, and sat up, cross-legged on the ground. “Okay, I’m all for it - teach me!” *****

I’m in. Well get out! I imagined my mind as a black circle and envisioned a bright white line which cordoned off the space from Aric’s intruding mental probes. His encouragement grew quieter until I couldn’t hear his voice in my mind any more. I swung round in my saddle and beamed at him triumphantly. “I did it... right? You are still trying to get in to my mind?” Yes, well done, but you’ve got to concentrate and keep it up. His voice emerged in my brain again. My heart sank. It was impossible to shield his thoughts and think or do other things at the same time.

You’re doing great Luce - you’ve come a long way in just a short time. It takes practice to be able to shield and do something else as well. I grunted and pushed my hair back from my face and urged my horse down the trail. This mind shielding thing was exhausting. We’d been practicing all day, while searching for the cattle, and I’d managed to kick Aric out of my head just three times since I’d begun to follow his

instructions. I was beginning to get a headache with all the concentrating, and we still had to get the cattle up as far as the cabin by nightfall. Give your head a rest - we can try again later. I turned and scowled at him. Exhaustion was making me crabby. “Can we please just talk out loud like normal people?” Aric flicked his reins and his horse moved up beside mine. “Sure. But don’t be disheartened - you did good today.” “I only managed it three times, and I’m tired enough to fall asleep on this horse. Doesn’t this mind probing thing wear you out?” His hand kneaded his forehead and I realized for the first time he looked rather tired himself. “Don’t worry about me - I’m fine.” I scowled at him crossly. “Did you just read my mind?” He nodded sheepishly. “Well, my mind is out of bounds right now, okay? I’m too tired to watch what I think and I don’t want to embarrass myself.” Aric laughed and pushed his horse towards a heifer that was looking wistfully at a patch of grass through the trees. “No problem,” he called back over his shoulder. “I’ll read this girl’s mind instead!” I wondered whether he would find any more scintillating thoughts in the cow’s head than he would in my own. I felt brain dead. I was still somewhat shocked at finding out there really was such a thing as mind reading. It was the stuff of science fiction. Aric had been schooling me for hours about energy and mind waves, blocking, projecting and shielding. It was a lot to grasp in a lifetime, never mind in just one day. I couldn’t wait to get back to the cabin, climb into my sleeping bag, and switch off my aching brain for a while. We reached the cabin just as the sun was going down. We searched around in the woods in the dark for some suitable branches to make a makeshift pen for the animals. By the time we’d settled them, it was all I could do to hobble to the cabin and fall down on my bed on the wooden floor. After a few aggravating tries, I finally got my cell phone to work and made a quick phone call to Uncle Tom to let him know we’d found the cattle but wouldn’t be back until mid-morning the next day. Aric arrived with the lantern and the last of the sandwiches. I waved them away - I was too tired to eat. “I am so out of shape,” I said, closing my eyes. My head was pounding and I wished I’d brought some aspirin with me. Aric lay down beside me, on top of his sleeping bag, not bothering to remove his boots. He didn’t seem to feel the cold at all. “Your head hurts?” I nodded. “It’s okay, if I go to sleep it should go away. Can you turn the lantern off?” He turned towards me and shifted up to lean on his elbow. “I can help you with your headache if you want.” I groaned and pulled the sleeping bag up closer to my chin. “I just want to sleep. I felt his hand gently graze my temple, and I grasped his wrist, ready to pull it away. “Aric...” “Shhh... watch.” My eyes opened in surprise. His hand was emitting the most incredibly warm, buzzing ‘energy’ which pulsed into my temple. It was hard to describe - the area under his hand felt...euphoric, blissful. The headache vanished. I sat up in surprise. “How did you do that?” “Is the headache gone?” I rubbed my temple, the last remnants of euphoria faded away. “Yes, totally gone. That was amazing.” I lay back down. “So you can heal people too?” His eyes looked back steadily at me in the dim light. “Yes.” We continued to look at each other silently for a while, my mind was whirling. I reached out and tentatively touched his cheek. “Who are you?” I said. He pulled the sleeping bag back up to my shoulder, and pushed a stray lock of hair back from my face. “I’m just me. But you can trust me Lucy, you know that, don’t you?” His voice was soft and smooth and took on a strange, mesmerizing quality. I couldn’t look away from those entrancing pools of blue. I nodded slowly. I trusted him completely - this mysterious man with no apparent past, who displayed weird and wonderful powers, had completely won me over. Anyone else might have thought it was bizarrely foolish, but I knew, somehow, we had been destined to meet, and there was a connection of some sort, which I had yet to understand. “Are you reading my mind now?” “No. You asked me not to.” “Well, you can now if you like.” He smiled at me in the lantern light. Kiss me, I said in my head. He leaned forward, and his lips touched mine. Euphoria again... I cannot describe it any other way. His lips were soft and gentle and there was only the slightest of pressure at first, which made the sensation all the more exquisite. He deepened the kiss and it felt so amazing I made a small gasp of surprise. He pulled away. “Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes narrowing in concern. I nodded, bemused and slightly bereft that he’d stopped. I’d had boyfriends before, and had had quite a few kisses, but none had ever felt like Aric’s. There was a connection there that transcended the physical. I wanted more. Leaning towards him, I kissed him again, then paused for a moment and my eyes met his. “I’m fine - very fine!” I assured him. He chuckled and kissed me back. He moved to lean over me, and his arms pulled me closer. He was very warm, but that was the least of the sensations that assailed me. My body was filled with joy and excitement, which turned to a sense of urgency as our kisses and caresses grew bolder. I felt as if I wanted to melt into him and I knew he felt the same. My lips followed his as he lifted his weight to unzip my sleeping bag. My shaking hands guided his face back to mine and he kissed me again. And then he froze. He closed his eyes and groaned, and then quickly moved away from me. I was beside myself with disappointment. “Oh god,” he said, “we’ve got to get out of here.” I laid back down on my sleeping bag, confused, trying to catch my breath. “What is it?” “Quickly! We haven’t got much time! Get your shoes on.” He grabbed my hand and hauled me to a sitting position. “Aric! What’s wrong?” I was mortified. Had he changed his mind about me? What had I done? “Lucy, trust me, we have to leave here. We’ve got minutes at the most.” He shoved my foot into my boot. “You do the other one, hurry.”

“Aric, this is ridiculous, why do we have to get out of here?” He looked up at me for a moment, and his face was a mask of tension. “You’re in danger. I let the shield down - they’ll know you’re here.” He tied the lace on my boot, and I shakily pulled the laces tight on the other one. “Who’s ‘they’?” He ignored the question and turned off the lantern. The room was thrown into darkness. A flash of pure white light lit up the window outside and illuminated the small space in the cabin for a split second. Aric put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me towards the door. “We’ve got to go.” “Aric...” the word was little more than a whimper. My heart was beating so fast I thought it would burst out of my chest. He was scaring me. “What was that light?” He put his hands on my shoulders and turned me to face him. I could just make out the silhouette of his head, but I could sense his tension. “Listen Lucy, whatever happens, I will look after you. If they take you, I’ll come find you and get you, okay? I won’t leave you there.” He pulled me close for a quick, desperate hug, muffling my questions. Kissing me quickly on my forehead, he turned to open the door very slowly. Another brilliant flash lit up the ground outside, and I could hear the animals going crazy in their makeshift pen. “What the hell?!” He put his finger to his lips. “Shh... we can try to slip past them.” I had no idea what ‘them’ was, but I was so terrified I was prepared to follow his every instruction. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door. *****

It was pitch black outside and I wondered how we were going to creep away through the forest without running into a tree or tumbling down a ravine. I strained my eyes in the darkness for a sign of anything unusual. I didn’t know what Aric meant by ‘them’ and I was too worried about making a sound to ask him what we were supposed to be looking out for. He paused and seemed to be listening intently, then he pulled me alongside the front of the cabin to the side of the building, ready to make for the trees. We crept towards the tree line, and I tripped over the log I’d been sitting on the night before in front of the now-dead camp fire. Aric pulled me up before I hit the ground. A flash of light transformed the darkness - as if a million florescent bulbs had all been switched on at once. We froze, and I turned my head slowly to see the stuff of nightmares. Three naked gray figures stood in the clearing in front of the cabin. Only the blackened camp fire stood between us. I stared at them in horror. The creatures were small - roughly three and a half feet tall, and could have been mistaken for malnourished children if seen from a distance. Their heads, an inverted pear shape, seemed too big for their spindly bodies. Their eyes were black and huge. From this distance I couldn’t see whether they had a nose, and if they had mouths, they were very small. A sense of recognition came to me and my whirling brain tried to pin down where I’d seen them before. TV? Movies? This familiarity seemed so much deeper than a mere recollection of a typical gray alien television icon. The sight of them filled me with utter despair, as well as a gathering notion that I ought to be remembering something which was vital for my survival. Aric stepped in front of me, and I peered, trembling like a leaf, around his shoulder at the creatures. He squeezed my hand.

Be brave Lucy... He stood facing them, the three looking at him intently. Occasionally they would peer at me, and I’d dart back behind Aric’s shoulder. They stood facing each other silently for so long it eventually dawned on me they were having a telepathic conversation. The animals in the pen, just out of sight were going berserk. Aric’s hand tightened around mine, and I could see the tension in his jaw as he continued to converse with the beings. I wondered what they were saying. Would I be able to ‘tune in’ and listen? I tried to ignore my shaking body, and remember the instructions Aric had given me to allow me to get inside a mind. I don’t know how long it took, and I was shaking from effort as much as from fright, but eventually I started to hear the voices - or rather ideas sentences without words. They were very feint, as though I was hearing them blown on the wind from down in the valley.

She is vital to our study. There are others like her surely - take them, but leave her be. You can afford to give up just this one. She is unique - even now she has managed to overcome our shield - she is listening. She shows great potential. The creature’s large slanted eyes looked towards me, its expression unfathomable. I recoiled and hid behind Aric’s shoulder again. My link to their conversation was gone. Aric stood his ground, and I sensed the anger emanating from every part of his body. The creatures started to move forward, their eyes focused on me. Aric pushed me further behind his back, and stood, his legs apart, his body straining with tension. The beings continued to move towards us. “You will not have her!” Aric said out loud, through gritted teeth. He let go of my hand and nudged me away. “Lucy – RUN!” ***** Chapter Four I crashed through the forest undergrowth, tripping over tree roots, bashing my shins, and twisting my ankle. I ran on in the dark despite the pain. Low hanging tree branches whipped me across the face, but I ignored the scratches and continued charging through the darkness. I was crazed with fear; my heart hammered against my chest, my breath heaved in exhausted gasps. I don’t know how long I ran - it seemed an interminably long time, but in the midst of terror a few minutes can seem like hours. Panic was overtaken by remorse - I’d left Aric to face the creatures alone. I slowed to a stop, and leaned against a tree to catch my breath. The sounds of rustling - something moving through the forest, could be heard over my rasping breath. I froze - was it Aric? What had happened back there - was he still alive? The thought of never seeing him again was overwhelming. I let out a quiet sob, and headed back the way I’d come. I needed to find him. The forest at night was as black as soot. An occasional flash of brilliant white light flickered through the trees and allowed me to get my bearings. I pushed through the thick brush, making for the lights. I was more terrified of seeing Aric lying dead on the ground in the clearing, than seeing those awful creatures again. I ran into a branch and the bark bit sharply into my face. Quickening my pace, I ignored the cut on my forehead and blinked away the blood which oozed into my eye. I could have kicked myself for leaving Aric - I was a coward. My breathing was now a clamor of heaving gasps intermingled with breathless sobs. I ran on; I could see little figures moving about ahead. Something grabbed my arm, and I was hoisted sideways, falling into a large thicket of prickly bushes. A hand quickly stifled the scream which exited my mouth.

Shhh... It’s me. Don’t make a sound. I could have squealed in relief. I threw my arms around Aric’s neck, and hugged him as hard as I could. The leaves around us crackled in a merciless echo around the forest.

And don’t move - we can’t make any noise. I released my sumo wrestling hold on him so he could breathe.

Lucy, I have to concentrate - I need to shield us but it’ll be harder because they’re so near. Don’t move, don’t talk, don’t think. I gave a tiny nod, and pressed my face against his neck. His pulse was so strong I could feel it throbbing against my forehead. The white flashes continued on, but there was no sound aside from the occasional branch crackle in the distance. They were obviously searching for us, but I hoped they were moving in the other direction. I began to relax, my breathing eased and I unhooked my fingers which had dug themselves into Aric’s back. Six ‘beeps’ broke the uneasy silence.

What was that? I sat up straight. “Oh god, it’s my cell phone!” I whispered. Another six beeps rang out, and I rushed to get my phone out of my pocket. “I’ll turn it off.” Two messages in a row from Uncle Tom. Of all the times for my stupid phone to decide to work!

Give it here – we should get rid of it all together. He took the phone, pulled the battery out, and threw both the case and the battery as far as he could from our hiding place. For such a small

object, it seemed to make an awful lot of noise when it hit the ground. We sat still and listened. The rustling sounds grew louder as they headed our way. The creatures had heard the phone. I grabbed Aric’s hands and held on tight. I couldn’t see his face, but I could sense his quiet breathing - he was concentrating hard. I resolved to be quiet and let him do what he had to do. Taking his lead, I concentrated on my own breathing, willing my thudding heart to slow down and cease the drum roll I believed was loud enough to reveal our presence. The crackling and rustling grew nearer, the white flashes brighter. Aric’s thumb rubbed the back of my hand reassuringly. My fingers tightened around his. The thicket we were hiding in was dense and provided good cover. The soft sound of footsteps stepping on pine needles grew close, probably only a few feet away. The noise stopped, and I held my breath. Another flash of white illuminated the creature, and I could see two, bare pinkish-gray feet through the undergrowth, close enough that if I reached out I could touch them. Aric’s eyes were closed and his breathing slowed and virtually ceased; I began to feel the force of the shield he was placing around us - so strong it felt as if we were cocooned in a warm bubble. The wait before the creature moved on seemed endless. We stayed under the bush, Aric’s shield emanating around us, for hours. My legs were numb but I ignored them as we listened to the sound of the rustling grow fainter as the search moved away from us. Gradually the bursts of light lit the forest less frequently, and I began to relax again. Aric stayed in his trance-like state, unmoving, until the sun began to rise. Finally, when the normal sounds of the forest returned, Aric took a deep breath and shuddered. His eyes focused on me for the first time in hours, and he brushed his fingers over my cheek. “They’re gone. Are you okay?” I nodded, and shifted my numb feet from under my body. Pins and needles shot through my legs. The pain from my twisted ankle began to return. “You’re bleeding,” he said I felt the dried blood on my forehead. There was a crusty gash above my eyebrow. “I ran into a branch.” “Here, let me.” He placed his palm over the cut, and I felt the warm buzzing euphoria emanate from his hand. I touched my forehead – the cut was gone; only the crusty blood remained on my skin. “Where else are you hurt?” “We’d be here all day if you tried to heal everything - I’m covered in cuts and bruises, but I did sprain my ankle.” He healed my ankle, and we crawled out from under the bush. The forest’s silence was broken by an incredible screech overhead. I went to duck back under the bush, but Aric put out a hand to stop me. “They’re military fighter planes. They’ll be investigating the lights.” A few minutes later the whirring of numerous helicopters could be heard overhead too. They were heading towards the valley. “Come on, we need to get out of here.” Aric grabbed my hand, and pulled me along. “We should check on the animals. We can ride out of here.” “They’ll be long gone - and we haven’t got time anyway.” We pushed through the brush until we found the trail leading to Carson Creek. “What were those... creatures? Are they, like... real aliens?” I asked, my breath already labored by the fast pace he set. “They’re called the Innaki. And yes, they’re what you might term ‘aliens’.” I pulled him to a stop. “How do you know all this? How do you know them? What do they want with me?” Aric urged me forward. “We haven’t got time to stop.” I dug in my heels. “I’m not going another step until you tell me what’s going on.” He sighed and turned around. He looked exhausted and I felt a twinge of guilt for causing him more trouble. He put his hands on my shoulders. “I don’t know how much you can handle knowing right now Luce. You’ve been through a lot.” “Aric, I’ve just spent a night hiding under a bush from mind-reading monsters. Please don’t treat me like a child. I think I deserve to know the truth. How do you know them?” He sighed and rubbed a tired hand across his forehead. He peered up at the sky and then looked straight into my eyes. “You’re going to be... ‘weirded-out’. Can you handle it?” “I’m already ‘weirded-out’.” His mouth twitched into a half smile, and he leaned his forehead on mine. He seemed to make a decision, and sighed resolutely. “Have you been wondering why I can do this mind-reading stuff?” “You said you were born knowing how to do it.” “Yeah, I know - but did you wonder why I was born being able to do it?” “Well... kind of. I figured some people are born psychics, so mind-reading must be another weird ‘talent’ like that.” He gave a slight shrug. “Hmm… Okay. Well, there’s a reason I can do it. Ugh, maybe you’d better sit down to hear this.” I shook my head and he sighed, exasperated. “Okay. How old do you think I am?” “Uncle Tom said you’re twenty one.” “I look about that. But I’m not.” He swallowed hard. “I’m actually eight hundred and ninety seven years old.” I took a step back, and laughed nervously. “Oh, come on. You are not!” His expression was serious; he didn’t answer me. He really believed he was nearly nine hundred years old. “Are you pulling my leg?” I took a step closer. “Oh, come on Aric - you can’t really expect me to believe that!” He glanced at the ground, then back at me. “I told you you’d be weirded-out.” I folded my arms. “So... eight hundred years old? Are you like, a vampire or something? Are you immortal?” He shook his head and laughed grimly. “No, not a vampire. And not immortal. I just age slowly, and live a long time.” “So what are you then?” He took a deep breath. “Those creatures - the Innaki? They created me. I’m half human, half Innaki. A hybrid.” My mouth fell open in an “O” shape, I couldn’t think of anything to say. “They abducted my mother around the year 1112. I was the result of genetic engineering. The mind-reading is just one thing I can do... “

My legs felt weak. I wished I’d sat down as Aric had suggested. “So you’ve seen these... Inny...” “Innaki,” he corrected. “Innaki - you’ve dealt with them before?” “Yes.” I looked up through the tree canopy. The sky was a brilliant blue. I couldn’t see any clouds. It looked so ‘normal’. “They were after me. I heard you arguing with them. What do they want with me?” Aric stepped forward and placed his hands on my shoulders again. I looked into his eyes. They were hooded, cloudy, and blue as a deep lagoon after a summer storm. I sensed he was reluctant to tell me, and I wondered whether it was wise to hear the truth. But I’d go crazy with all sorts of scenarios in my mind if I was left to imagine why I was being chased through a forest by alien creatures. I gave him an encouraging nod. “They’ve been taking you since you were seven, Lucy. You don’t remember because they initiate a kind of amnesia on you so you can’t remember. They’ve been studying you.” My knees grew wobbly again, and I would have sunk to the ground if Aric hadn’t caught me. “Are you okay?” He helped me to sit on a nearby boulder. “We should just keep walking. You don’t need to hear any more.” “There’s more?” My voice was high pitched. Suddenly, the world around me didn’t seem as solid as it used to be. “How did they know we were up on the ridge?” “You have an implant. They keep track of you with it. I’ve spent the past few weeks blocking it - shielding you. But I can’t keep the shield going when I’m asleep, or last night... when I was kissing you. I’m afraid it was impossible to think of anything else other than you. I let the shield down, and they found you. I’m sorry.” My eyes widened as I tried to take it all in. “So you’ve been shielding me ever since you came to Shadow Bend?” He nodded. “So why didn’t they come at night while you were sleeping - why last night?” “There’s no rhyme or reason as to when they come for you. They just do. I was shielding you in case they came. I haven’t slept since I met you. I don’t need much sleep. “ I noticed the dark circles under his eyes. He obviously needed at least a little sleep. “Were you planning on staying awake indefinitely? You need to sleep some time, and then they will come again.” “The plan is to teach you to shield until we can remove your implant. Then you’ll be safer.” “But they know where I live anyway.” “You can’t go back to Shadow Bend Lucy.” His words hit me like a punch in the stomach. “But... my uncle - he won’t agree to me just taking off.” He was telling me I had to leave the only real home I remembered. It had taken me so long to get there, and now I had to give it all up. “You have no choice. You can’t see him again. At least not here. It’s not safe.” My head was swimming with confused thoughts and questions. “Where will I go?” “There are others like me. They don’t agree with what the Innaki are doing either. We need to get to Newtown. They will help keep you safe.” The helicopters buzzed overhead, making a wide sweep of the ridge. We stuck to the cover of the trees, and stopped to wash the dried blood from our faces in the creek. Aric’s skin was as smooth and unblemished as it had always been. He didn’t just heal others – he could heal himself too. As I stumbled along after him down the mountain, I wondered what other amazing secrets he was keeping. ***** The helicopters were still buzzing behind us, making a meticulous surveillance sweep of the ridge as we reached the line of trees near the barn. We’d managed to stay out of sight by keeping just off the path, avoiding bushes and boulders but it made the going harder, and the descent to the valley was slower than Aric had hoped. Arriving in the valley well after noon, we crouched at the edge of the tree line, Aric’s hand on my arm as though he thought I might break for the safety of my home any moment. He had left his truck parked at the side of the house. From our vantage point amongst the trees behind the barn, we could see the driveway and part of the front porch. A long black car was parked in front of the house. Two men dressed in dark suits were talking to Uncle Tom and Aunt Janet, who were standing on the steps of the porch. Gus was walking two saddled horses towards the house. I could see my cousins, Luke and Michael standing on the rails of the fence pointing at the helicopters. A police car bumped along the drive from the direction of the road, heading for the house. Why were the police there? “We won’t be able to get my car,” said Aric. I shuffled forward to get a better look. “Who are those men? Detectives? Maybe they’ll help us.” “Afraid not. We’ve got to get out of here now.” “Do you know them?” Aric surveyed the scene in front of the house. “Sort of. I think they’re hybrids too.” “Then shouldn’t they help us?” “Those are the bad guys. They’re on the wrong team.” He crouched down as one of the suited men looked towards our hill. “We really need to go. We’ll head for the highway and hitch a ride. But we need to stay in the cover of the trees. If we head south, can we get to the highway along this hill?” I scanned the route he wanted to take. The covered slopes eventually turned east, and we needed to go south west. We’d have to cross a lot of open fields, and it would be a long walk. “My friend Steven lives on the next ranch up that way. He’ll help us. It’s only a thirty minute hike, and we could clean ourselves up. No one will want to give us a lift looking like this.” Aric considered it for a moment, and agreed. “We have no choice.” We headed north towards Steven’s place, keeping to the trees, the helicopters maintaining a constant buzz above the tree canopy. *****

The Hornesby Ranch was a show place - a perfect example of an idyllic, picturesque farm, with a big white farmhouse kept in perfect condition, alongside a large red barn. The gardens were neatly trimmed, the fences newly painted a pristine white. Steven’s parents were meticulous about the appearance of their home, which made the battered old car parked in the drive seem incongruous to the scene. I recognized the car as Jenny’s old bomb. What was she doing at Steven’s place? There was no sign of any other cars; I crossed my fingers and hoped that Steven’s parents were out. We crept past the barn, setting off the farm dogs into a barking frenzy. Aric stopped and fixed them with a stony stare, and they were instantly silenced. The front door was open. I pressed the doorbell, sending a twinkling melody ringing through the house. We waited, but there was no answer. I pressed the doorbell again. Still, no one answered the door. “Odd,” I said. “Maybe they’re out the back.” We searched downstairs and checked the back porch - both were void of people. I hoped they wouldn’t mind helping a hungry neighbor out, and we headed for the kitchen. We were just about to raid the fridge when we heard muffled laughter coming from upstairs. I raised my eyebrows at Aric, and he led the way up the staircase. “That’s Steven’s room,” I said, as we pinpointed the source of the laughter. I knocked quietly on the door, and pushed it open. Steven and Jenny were lying on his bed, kissing. They jumped up guiltily. “Don’t you know how to knock?” Steven said grumpily. I gaped at them in surprise. Probably the only thing slightly stranger than being chased all night by evil aliens, was seeing Jenny and Steven together in an embrace on the bed. “We did. And we rang the doorbell - several times. But I see you were kind of occupied...” Jenny blushed. Steven eyed Aric suspiciously. “What have you two been up to? A murder spree? You’re covered in blood and dirt.” I could see Aric’s eyes roaming around the room, coming to rest on a poster of a flying saucer, with the words “I want to believe’ emblazoned across it. Steven noted his interest. “Hey, did you see those lights up on the Ridge last night?” His face was animated; our dirty appearance forgotten. “Man, they were everywhere. I got some video - a bit blurry, but you can see them darting about up there. Really bizarre.” “They’re the talk of the town,” added Jenny. “News reporters, military helicopters, everyone’s talking about it - it lasted all night!” “We know - they were after us.” Steven and Jenny stood together, gawking at us. Steven was the first to recover. “What? Where - how...” Aric looked at them through cool blue eyes. He spoke in their heads. They both reacted with a start. “What the hell! How did you do that?” Steven backed up, grabbing Jenny’s arm and dragging her with him. Aric continued to look at them. I have no idea what he was telling them in their heads, but their eyes traveled from Aric, to me and back again. Jenny moved forward first. She grabbed my arm, then pulled me into a hug. “Are you all right Luce?” I gave Aric a confused look. “What did you tell them?” They know enough to help us, he said in my mind. I nodded and turned to Jenny. “I’m fine, but I’m starving and we need to clean ourselves up.” Steven moved into action. “You can have some of my sister’s clothes. I’ll find Aric something to wear.” He rummaged around in his closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. “There’s a shower down the hall to the right. Maybe you should go through Amy’s closet yourself Lucy, I don’t know what stuff will fit.” Aric headed for the shower, and Jenny and I went to raid Steven’s sister’s wardrobe. “I can’t believe this is happening,” said Jenny, pulling out a drawer and rifling through the contents. “Me neither.” I held up a pink T-shirt. That would probably do. “So, how long have you and Steven been, well, you know...?” Jenny blushed again. “We met up again after you went home from Josie’s. He helped me start my car, and well, we sort of... clicked. I hope you don’t mind. I know he had a thing for you...” I squeezed her arm and smiled at her. “I’m happy for you. Steven’s a sweet guy.” Jenny offered me a pair of jeans. “Yeah he is. So, you and Aric... I can’t believe you met him again. God this is weird.” “Totally weird. You wouldn’t believe how freaky things are getting.” I held up the jeans against my legs. They’d probably fit if I sucked my stomach right in and didn’t try to breathe. Amy was pretty skinny. Jenny threw me a pair of clean socks. “Aric told me what happened - in my head. What’s the deal with that?” I grabbed the clothes, and headed for the door. I didn’t feel like explaining it all. “It’s a long story - I’ll tell you later. I really need to get out of these filthy things.” Jenny followed me down the hall. “I’ll find you something to eat.” I thanked her, and turned to go to Steven’s room. I was hoping Aric would have finished in the bathroom. “Lucy,” Jenny stood at the top of the stairs. I stopped, my hand clutching the door knob. “Be careful,” she said. I nodded, and went to look for Aric. ***** The shower breathed new life into me. I found the others down in the kitchen. Steven was reheating left over spaghetti bolognese, and Jenny and Aric were making sandwiches. Aric grabbed my hand as I went past. “Feeling better?” he said. I smiled and slid on to a stool at the kitchen bench. Jenny had offered us the use of her car. We were really grateful. She didn’t know if it would get us far, but it was better than walking, especially if the countryside was still swarming with helicopters and those dark suited men. Jenny’s cell phone rang. She answered it, listened for a moment, and looked at me panic-stricken. She covered the receiver with her hand. “It’s your uncle. He’s asking if I know where you are. He’s been trying to ring you on your cell but it’s not answering. He’s worried about the lights.” I threw a panicked look at Aric. He shook his head. “You can’t tell him.”

I went to protest, but he placed his hand on my arm. “If he knows, you may put him in danger too.” He told Jenny to tell my uncle she hadn’t heard from me. She finished the call. Apparently Uncle Tom and Gus were preparing to search the Ridge for us. My eyes filled with tears, he must be worried sick. Aric rubbed the back of my neck. “It’s for the best Luce.” I nodded miserably, and helped bag the sandwiches. “So where are you heading to?” Steven asked, pushing bowls of steaming spaghetti in front of us. Aric dug in. “Can’t tell you, too dangerous,” he said, between mouthfuls. I swallowed a forkful of spaghetti. It was dry and stuck in my throat. I coughed, waving my fork at them. Eventually I was able to speak again. “I’ll phone you when we get there safely.” Aric shook his head again. “We can’t phone - they’ll track you down.” I peered uneasily at my meal. This nightmare was going on and on. Steven dumped the empty spaghetti bowl in the sink, and looked out the kitchen window. “Looks like my folks are home. Wait... no, it’s not them. Don’t recognize the car.” Aric hurried to the window. “Quick, we’ve got to go,” he said. He grabbed the bag of sandwiches and ushered us outside, issuing instructions to Steven and Jenny that the visitors were not to know who’d really been here. We could see the large black car that had been in Uncle Tom’s yard earlier, coming up the long drive in a cloud of dust. Aric threw the sandwiches on the back seat of the car, and jumped behind the wheel. “Get in - hurry!” I turned to hug my friends, but Aric called again from the car: “Get in the damned car Lucy!” I dived into the passenger seat. Aric was trying to start the engine. The battery clicked; the motor whirred and died. He tried again, throwing desperate looks at the car moving closer along the drive. Jenny’s head appeared at the window. “We’ll give you a push - pop the clutch!” They pushed the car and Aric shoved the clutch in with a crunch. The engine sputtered to life. Jenny and Steven cheered, and I waved to them as Aric drove down the drive at a sedate pace. “What are you doing? You’re heading right towards them!” He shifted gears and the car bumped over the drive. “Put your head right down. We can’t outrun them in this thing. I have to drive right past and hope they think I’m just a visitor.” I crouched down as low as I could in the foot well. Amy’s jeans felt like they were cutting me in half. My heart pounded with fear as the big car rolled past. I wondered if they’d seen me. “We’ve passed them,” said Aric. “The driver checked us out. I don’t think he saw anything.” He checked his rear view mirror. “They’re heading to the house.” He put his foot down on the gas pedal and the old car lurched forward with a creak of protest. “Can I sit up now?” I asked. I felt like a pretzel. “Yeah, but if we see any cars, get out of sight again. At least until we’re right out of this area. We don’t want anyone spotting you in this car and putting the details about.” Unfurling my legs with some effort, I shifted onto the seat, and breathed a great gulp of air. Aric rubbed the top of my hand. “Are you all right?” I pushed my hair back and put on a brave face. “As well as can be expected.” “Good.” Aric let go of my hand and rubbed his eyes, then returned his hand to mine. I realized he’d been asking if I was okay all day, but I hadn’t once enquired about him. He looked terribly tired. “Are you okay?” He was forcing his smile. “I’m fine. You should probably get some sleep.” “Are you shielding now?” “Yes.” “Do you think you’ll make it to Newtown without falling asleep?” “I have to.” We reached the end of the drive and turned right on to the road. If we headed right instead of left, we could avoid Craigsville and get on to the highway further west. The car was making strange spluttering noises, backfiring occasionally and startling us, priming our senses. I hoped the car would last all the way to Newtown, but I doubted it would last the eight hour drive. I looked at the road ahead. The car settled into a droning rumble. The fence posts were almost hypnotic as we passed them. One, two, three... I resolved to stay awake as long as Aric did, at the least to nudge him awake if he began to wane. I wished I was better at shielding so I could take over and let him sleep, but I was a beginner, and we both knew it was a pointless risk for me to try. Blinking my gritty eyes, I watched the road ahead. My mind was closing shop; the rhythm of the fence posts as we drove by was rocking me to sleep. Thirty eight, thirty nine, forty... I felt my eyelids growing heavier, and I could no longer stay awake. ***** Chapter Five “Lucy... Lucy, wake up!” I groaned and turned my head, my forehead meeting the cold hard glass of the car window. Aric was shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes they felt like lead weights. It was dark, and the car was roaring along the highway. A few cars passed us in the opposite direction. In the distance, the lights of a truck stop pierced the darkness. “What time is it? How long have I been asleep?” “It’s nearly eight. You’ve slept a few hours.” I sat up in my seat and stretched. “Well, the car’s made it further than I thought it would,” I noted. “Is that a truck stop up there? Can we make a pit stop?” “We have a problem.” Aric peered into the rear-view mirror. I looked behind us. There was a bright pair of headlights traveling some distance behind us.

“That’s the black car. They’ve found us. They probably read Jenny and Steven’s minds. They’ve been following us for a while, and they’re gaining on us.” he said. Butterflies appeared in my stomach. “What are we going to do? Will they let the Innaki know where we are?” I peered out anxiously at the night sky. There were no strange lights. “No. They’re not on their side.” “You said they were the bad guys.” “They are.” I was confused. “Whose side are they on then?” “Another side. A side that wants to know what the Innaki see in you.” “Oh god.” I groaned. I had enemies on all sides. “I’m going to pull in at the truck stop - we’ve more chance of escaping them if we’re among other people.” I wondered how we were going to escape from a truck stop in the middle of nowhere. Aric pressed the gas pedal to the floor and the little car’s motor screamed in protest. By the time we reached the truck stop, it had returned to its spluttering and backfiring, with an added shake. Aric pulled the car quickly around the back of the building, and we headed to the door of the diner, just as the big black car was turning into the drive. The place was nearly empty. A middle aged couple were busily downing the last of their coffee; the man folded up a well-worn map. Aric pulled me into a booth near the counter. The door opened, and the suited men stepped inside. They looked straight at us, and took a booth close to the front door. Aric leaned close and took my hands in his. “When that couple leave, I want you to follow them and ask for a lift outside. Stay with them - they’re going to Newtown. They have an RV in the car park. You need to get in it.” I stole a look at the couple. “How do you know?” And then I realized - he’d read their minds. It was a handy skill to have sometimes. The waitress approached and Aric ordered coffee. I was facing away from the suited men, but I sensed their gaze on my back. I started to shake. Aric squeezed my hands again. “Look at me Lucy.” His eyes caught mine, and I couldn’t look away. His voice took on a smooth, beguiling quality again. “You’ve been really brave. I’m proud of you. You’re going to get through this. Don’t be frightened.” I could feel my heartbeat slowing down, and my body ceased shaking. I didn’t want him to stop speaking - his words were like a soothing massage - rolling over my soul, easing out any thought of trouble; all that mattered was being able to look into those two blue pools, and listen to his gentle voice. The spell was broken by a sound resembling a machine gun. I jumped in my seat, ready to dive down under the table. A large group of bikers rode into the car park, their motorcycle engines roaring. Aric grinned at me. I could see his mind incorporating them into his plans. The bikers strode into the cafe, and the atmosphere instantly transformed from quiet and strained to noisy and bustling. The middle aged couple, disturbed by the new arrivals, packed up their things, left a tip on the table, and headed for the door. “Go,” said Aric. “But I... “ Aric pushed my hands away. “Go, quickly - you must go with them. Don’t wait for me.” “What about you?” “I have to deal with those two.” “But...” “Lucy, go, trust me okay?” I blinked back tears and made for the door. The couple were already outside and heading for their RV, parked in a corner of the car park. I tried to ignore the two men sitting near the door, and walked quickly outside, throwing one last look back at Aric. But he wasn’t there. Turning around in a panic, my eyes searched the booths. I spotted him at the counter next to a couple of bikers. The two suited men were getting up out of the booth. Go, get to the RV - hurry! Aric's voice was in my mind. I ran after the couple. “Excuse me!” I called. They stopped and waited for me to catch up. I arrived breathing harder than I should. “Hi!” I said as cheerily as I could. “You wouldn’t be going to Newtown would you?” An ambiguous look passed between them. “Why, yes... yes we are,” said the man. “I was wondering if you could give me a lift. I’m on my way there, but my car died...” I shrugged my shoulders and smiled sweetly, hoping they’d have sympathy with my plight. A crash of broken glass came from the cafe. The suited men had yet to emerge into the car park. The lady looked back at the cafe. “Yes, of course dear. You don’t want to stay in this awful place too long.” I smiled through gritted teeth, and followed them to the RV. A heavy ball of dread was weighing down my stomach. Another crash of glass shattered the night air. The couple pointed to a seat in the RV, and I perched on the edge, pushing the curtain aside for a view of the cafe. I could make out all sorts of movement through its windows, but there was still no sign of the suited men, or Aric. I felt like I was going to be sick. “Let’s get out of here,” said the man, and the RV’s engine roared into life. As we pulled out of the car park and headed on down the highway, tears rolled down my face. The kindly woman left her husband to drive, and sat down beside me. She put her arm about my shoulders. Placing a box of Kleenex on to my lap, she threw her husband a worried look. “There now,” she said, patting my hand. “Things can’t be all that bad, can they?” I burst into sobs, my shoulders heaving... “Oh yes, they can. ***** For a while I felt nothing but utter despair. Aric was back in the cafe and I was on my own, in an RV with strangers, going to a town where I knew no one. A chilling thought crossed my mind - if Aric wasn’t here, then I wouldn’t be shielded, and the Innaki would be on their way. Drying my eyes, I threw the woman an apologetic look, and peered out the window. The sky was empty. I breathed deeply and turned back to the woman. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you don’t want to deal with some distraught random stranger.” I gave her a watery smile and held out my hand. “I’m Lucy. Thanks for giving me a lift.” The woman looked a little more reassured. She took my hand. “My name’s Mary Sharp, and that’s my husband Warren.” Warren put up a hand

in silent greeting. She looked at me closer. “Are you sure you’re all right? Can I get you anything? We have some crackers in the cupboard... maybe a soda?” I shook my head. I needed time to think. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to sleep for a while. It’s been a long day.” “Of course.” She moved to sit in the passenger seat at the front of the RV. I leaned my head against the curtain, peeking out to study the night sky. I wondered what was happening to Aric right now; a tear rolled down my cheek. Would I ever see him again? I dashed the tear away angrily. What was wrong with me? I’d always been an independent person - I’d spent a lifetime making sure I never had to depend on anyone, and here I was crying like a baby when I should be looking after myself. I pushed thoughts of Aric’s predicament to the back of my mind - there was nothing I could do for him. The fact was, I needed to protect myself. I needed to try to shield myself, even if I was an amateur. It was better than waiting here like a sitting duck for the Innaki to come get me. I wondered what I was going to do when I got to Newtown. Aric said he had friends there who would help me. How would I find them? In the crisis he’d forgotten to tell me an address to head to. I closed my eyes and decided to concentrate on one issue at a time. The most important thing right now was to not fall into the hands of the Innaki - I would deal with finding the others when I got to Newtown and hope that Aric was okay and eventually find me again. Inhaling deeply, I pushed all thoughts out of my head, other than the big black circle which represented my head. In my mind, I drew a strong white line around the circle, and concentrated on keeping it secure. That was all it took to shield - the hard part was believing it would work, and keeping it up. My brain hurt, but I ignored the pain. After five minutes of it I was exhausted, but I kept it going. I was concentrating so hard on the circle I didn’t notice Mary approach me. “Are you all right dear? You’re shaking like a leaf!” The circle disappeared, and I looked at her in surprise. “Yes, yes, I’m fine, thanks.” I grew anxious because my shield was gone. I expected to see the blinding flashes of white light heralding the arrival of the Innaki around the RV at any time. “I just need to sleep.” Mary patted my shoulder. “I’ll get you a blanket then.” She stood up and hobbled to the back towards the bed. There was a screech of brakes. “What the hell!” Warren yelled. He was stomping on the brakes, the RV’s tires squealing as the heavy vehicle came to an awkward stop. I was thrown forward towards the back of the driver’s seat. Mary went flying the full length of the RV, heading for the windshield, just managing to save herself by clutching at the fridge handle as she flew by. The fridge door opened and closed with a thump, and the rattle of bottles rang through the air. I pulled myself upright, and helped Mary to her feet. Thankfully, she was uninjured. Warren was out of his seat, and heading for the door. “What the hell are you doing standing in the middle of the road at night like that!” Mary and I crept towards the front window and peered at the figure on the road, lit up by the RV’s lights. I screamed. “Aric!’ Pushing past Warren, I ran to Aric and threw myself at him. Laughing and crying at the same time, I wrapped him in a bear hug. He held me tightly. I held his face in my hands and kissed him quickly. “Are you okay? What happened?” He wiped the wetness from my cheeks. “I’ll tell you later,” he whispered, and looked over my head at the Sharps. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen. I thought you might not see me in the dark if I waved you down from the side of the road.” Aric kept his arm around me, and we moved closer to the couple. “Do you want to tell us what the hell is happening. Who are you?” I looked up at Aric. “He’s my boyfriend. I’m afraid we had a big argument at the roadhouse. That was why I was crying. I decided to go on to Newtown by myself.” I was surprised at how easily I came up with an excuse. I was usually a terrible liar. “Then how’d you get out here before us?” Warren looked suspiciously at Aric. “Motorcycle - cross country.” Aric pointed to a motorcycle at the side of the road. “I um, ‘borrowed’ it. I wanted to catch up with Lucy. That was the only way seeing as our car’s dead. There’s a biker back there who won’t be very happy.” Warren looked at the motorcycle and grunted. Mary took a step towards us. “I saw you two together at the roadhouse,” said Mary. “I think they’re telling the truth, dear.” She took my arm, and urged us towards the RV. “Come on. If your car is really broken down, then you still need a lift.” Warren looked dubiously at the motorcycle, and then back in the direction of the roadhouse. “Leave it,” said Mary. “The bikers will find it eventually.” Warren grunted and followed her dutifully into the RV. Aric and I settled on the seat I’d been sitting in before. We made small talk with Mary for a while, and then she left us to sit next to her husband. Aric guided my head to rest below his shoulder, and brushed a light kiss over my hair. You did great Luce, he said in my head. I looked up at him, and his lips rested on my forehead.

What happened back there? Are those two guys still after us? He squeezed my shoulder. Not for now. So what happened? One of the bikers was worried about a fight he’d been in. He’d killed a guy in Burrough. He told you that?! No, I read what he was thinking. I mentioned to him that I thought the two guys near the door were feds as I’d overheard them talking about apprehending a biker for murder in Burrough. All hell broke loose after that. I snuck out in the middle of it, grabbed a bike, and took off crosscountry to try and reach you. I don’t think they’ll be in a state to follow us right now. So, you’re safe for now. He grinned, obviously pleased with himself. I savored the cozy glow of safety, and then a thought hit me. I sat up, and looked at him in alarm as realization swept over me. “We’re not safe!” I whispered frantically. “I tried to shield myself while you were gone, but I didn’t manage to keep it going all the time. The Innaki are sure to know where I am.” He smiled, and moved my head back to his shoulder.

Relax. I was shielding you all that time. It’s never been down. You were? You can do that from that far away? I could feel the adrenaline subsiding, and I relaxed against his chest. Yeah, it’s harder, but I managed it. Why didn’t you just let me stay and help you ditch them? I hate not knowing what’s happening to you. I wanted you away safely in case I failed. There’s a flaw in your plan, I told him. You didn’t tell me the address of the others. If you hadn’t made it back to me, I would have had nowhere to go; I’d be just as vulnerable in Newtown as I was in Craigsville. He pulled the blanket Mary had provided over my shoulder. No, you will know the address if and when you really need it. Puzzled, I moved so I could see his face.

I couldn’t give you the address outright, he explained. It’s too dangerous. If you fall into the wrong hands, they would make you tell them where the others are. I’ve buried the address so deep in your mind, that you’ll only remember it if you really need to. My eyebrows shot up. He was full of surprises. Hmm... neat trick, I said in my head. He smiled at me, and pulled his arm tighter around me. Get some sleep Lucy. You’re safe for now. I lay my head back down against his chest, and closed my eyes. I could feel the reassuringly steady beat of his heart, and I began to relax. Before long, I was asleep. ***** “Well, we’re nearly there, kids!” It was Warren’s voice that woke me. I opened my eyes to see Newtown’s city skyline in the distance, lit up like a sparkling fairy town, a stark and pretty contrast to the huge black sky. The highway was busier and brightly lit as we neared the city. A sense of relief mixed with excitement washed over me. I looked triumphantly at Aric. He was slumped over, his elbows resting on his knees, his head on his hands. He looked up with tired eyes, squinting through a lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead. He looked awful. “Aric! What’s wrong?” He sat up and slumped back against the seat, and gave me a weak smile. “Nothing. I’m just tired. I’ll be okay.” I looked at him with alarm, and felt his forehead. “Are you ill?” He didn’t have a fever. “I’m fine. Really. I just need some rest, and I’ll get that later - when we get... when we get to where we’re going.” I looked anxiously at the lights of the city. We weren’t moving fast enough for my liking - he wouldn’t last long. His face was drawn, and the dark circles under his eyes stood out against unusually pale skin. His eyes kept drooping, and he forced them open by blinking hard. His head dropped so his chin rested on his chest, then jerked up again. He was obviously fighting sleep.

I need to keep the shield up. Whatever you do, keep me awake, okay? I nodded, and watched him anxiously as we drew nearer to the city. “So where do you want to be dropped?” Warren called from the driver’s seat. I looked at Aric, and nudged him when he didn’t answer. His head jerked up from his chest again. “Where do you want us dropped off?” I repeated Warren’s question. “Oh, near the main bus stop in the city transit center, if you don’t mind,” he told Warren. Mary was giving him strange looks. “Are you all right, dear?” “I think he may be coming down with the flu,” I said quickly. “He just needs to get to bed.” “Have you got somewhere to stay?” I looked at Aric; he didn’t answer. “We’re just staying at a hotel tonight,” I said. Mary didn’t look too reassured, but she didn’t pursue it, turning back instead to watch the road ahead. We pulled up at the city transit center, and I let out an inaudible sigh of relief. Pulling Aric to his feet, I pushed him through the door. He was weak, and stood up unsteadily, blinking at the bright lights around us. Warren looked at him curiously. “Are you sure you’re okay, son? You look like you should be in the hospital.” I answered for Aric. “He’ll be fine. I’m going to put him to bed.” I gestured at the ‘vacancy’ sign at a hotel across the road. We thanked the Sharps, and they took off in the RV, leaving us alone in the deserted street. I looked around at the buildings. To our left was the transit centre, and for as far as I could see in either direction, the street was full of hotels, stores and office buildings. “Where do your friends live then?” I asked. Aric looked around, confused, then pointed down the street. “That way.” I put my arm through his and we headed in the direction he’d indicated. We’d been walking for fifteen minutes before Aric stopped and leaned against the wall of an office block. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, then leaned over, propping himself up against the wall again. “How far away do they live Aric? You can’t get far like this.” “About a half hour’s walk.” “A half hour?! That’s too far for you! Why didn’t you just tell Warren the address and we’d be there by now?!” “Too dangerous for them to know.” His knees gave way, and I quickly put my arm around his waist and hoisted him up. “Come on,” I said. “The sooner we get moving, the sooner we get there.” After half an hour, Aric was so weak he could barely stay on his feet. I held on to him, and literally dragged him along. We were going at a snail’s pace. “Are we close yet?” I asked, peering around. He didn’t answer. His eyes were nearly closed. I shook him. “Aric! Wake up!” His eyes sprang open again. “Are we there yet?” I asked again. He shook his head and I dragged him on. A police car cruised by, slowing as they spotted us. “Everything okay?” called an officer from the car. I nodded and forced a smile. “Yeah,” I said, pointing to Aric. “A bit too much to drink. I’m taking him home.” He dipped his head and gave a small wave, and the police car continued down the street. A drunk being carried home in the early hours was obviously nothing unusual to him. We turned off the main street, and hobbled down a more dimly lit road. The buildings were apartment blocks here. I felt slightly more positive.

Aric stumbled, and I just caught him before he hit the pavement. I pulled him to his feet, and he leaned heavily on me. “We’re here,” he said. I looked up at the apartment block. It was a huge, red brick building, with dozens of mostly darkened windows overlooking the street. “This one?” I asked, pointing to the front door. He didn’t answer. I staggered under his weight as his legs gave way again. I shook him, and he looked at me momentarily, but there was nothing in his eyes. “Aric! Wake up!” There was no response; his eyes didn’t register at all. He was nearly catatonic. I looked at the entrance to the apartment building. There were a number of buildings in our immediate vicinity he could have been referring to when he’d said ‘we’re here’, but a sense of familiarity struck me when I looked at the door to our left. I dragged him up the front steps, and pulled him, with difficulty, through the door into the foyer. To the right there was a set of stairs, and for a moment my heart sank at the thought of dragging Aric up numerous flights. I spotted a small elevator in the corner to my left, and could have cried in relief. I punched the ‘up’ button, and waited impatiently for the doors to open. I shook Aric again, and he jerked his head up. “Which floor?” I asked. He just stared past me with empty eyes. Sighing, I dragged him into the elevator. I looked at the row of buttons - eight floors. The fourth floor button seemed to draw me, and I pushed it. It just felt ‘right’. Aric was nearly on his knees by the time the elevator doors opened, and I pulled him out as though I was dragging a dead body into the long corridor. There were numerous doors on either side. I pulled Aric to the side, and positioned him so he was propped sitting against the wall. His head sank to rest on his shoulder, but his eyes were open. I looked at the doors - four on either side of the corridor. Which one was it? My eyes were drawn to the second door on the right. Throwing a quick glance at Aric, I ran to the door, and pounded hard on it. After what seemed to be an interminably long time, the door was thrown open, revealing a man who looked at me through sleepy blue eyes - the same strange color as Aric’s. I took a step back in surprise, then composed myself. I pointed to Aric, slumped against the wall next to the elevator. “Help him,” I said, and the man understood immediately. He raced down the hall, and crouched in front of Aric. “Aric,” he said shaking his shoulder. Aric seemed to recognize him. He pointed at me. “Shield her,” he said, and passed out cold. ***** Between the two of us, we managed to drag Aric into the apartment. We lay him on the sofa. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked anxiously. The man placed a cushion under Aric’s head. “He’s just very tired.” I looked dubiously at Aric - he looked more like he was at death’s door than ‘just very tired’. “He’ll be all right... ‘Lucy’, isn’t it?” I nodded, surprised he knew my name, then I remembered - he was probably a mind reader too. He held out a hand, and I took it. “I’m Saul. I’m Aric’s brother.” That explained the eyes, although I thought they were really the only feature which resembled Aric in any way. Saul was small and thin, lightly built, with dark hair and a fair complexion. His face was what I’d call ‘pleasant’, but unremarkable. Aric had obviously been the lucky one to be blessed with the good looks in their family. I blushed when I remembered he could read my mind. I had to watch what I was thinking. A woman emerged from a room to the right. She rubbed her eyes sleepily, and pushed her sleep-messed hair back from her face. “Ah, Ellen - this is Lucy,” said Saul. “She’s brought Aric to us. Lucy, this is my wife Ellen.” Ellen waddled across the room, and extended a plump hand. “Oh,” she said, stepping back from me, as if she had been burned. She looked at Saul, seemed to listen to something he said in her head, and nodded. Saul ushered me to an armchair facing the sofa and Ellen knelt beside Aric, putting a hand over his forehead. “It seems the two of you have been going through a rough time.” “Can you heal him?” I asked hopefully. Ellen shook her head. “This just requires rest. He’s got no more gas in the tank, so to speak, and has to... refuel. He must have worked hard to end up like this.” I looked at him guiltily. He was this way because of me. Ellen caught the look on my face, and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry yourself Lucy. He’ll be right as rain in no time,” she said, hoisting herself to her feet. “I’ll go put the kettle on, we’ll get you a nice cup of tea, and you can tell us what happened.” “You don’t know already?” I asked, surprised. They both looked at each other, then back at me with blank expressions. “It’s just that, well, the mind-reading thing, I thought you would have read my mind by now, and found out the story... ” Saul smiled kindly at me. “We don’t go into people’s minds unless it’s absolutely necessary,” he said. “You can rest assured your thoughts stay your own.” I breathed a sigh of relief. I had enough to worry about without having to try to do the shielding thing as well. Ellen made us some tea, and offered me some toast and beans. I told them the whole story, minus the kissing bit in the cabin, although they probably worked it out from the look on my reddened face. Aric continued to lay still on the sofa. His breathing was shallow, and his skin was nearly white. I really hoped they knew what they were talking about. I stifled a yawn; the hot tea was making me sleepy. “It’s three in the morning. You could do with some sleep I’ll bet,” said Ellen. “I’ll go make up the bed in the spare room.” I looked anxiously at Aric. I didn’t want to leave him. Ellen patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry about him - we’ll look after him.” She headed off down a small hallway. “She’s right - you can stop worrying now Lucy, we’re going to take it in turns to shield you. I don’t know how Aric managed to do it by himself for so long. You must be very special to him.” I swallowed hard and threw an anxious glance at Aric’s pale face. “It was really hard on him.” “Well, you won’t need to be shielded for much longer. You have an implant. Ellen sensed it before - the signal is very strong. We need to get it out, and then they won’t be able to track you.” I gave him a startled look. The last person to try to remove the implant had been my mother. I pushed the scene away from my mind. At least this time we could get a doctor, there’d be anesthetic, no kitchen knife...

“We’ll do it tomorrow. In the mean time, get some sleep. And don’t worry - you’re both safe now.” Ellen appeared from the hallway, with a huge T-shirt for me to sleep in. I took one last look at Aric, and softly brushed aside a lock of hair from his forehead. He didn’t stir. I swallowed hard and followed Ellen to the spare room. Lying in the darkened room, I stared up towards the ceiling. This time last week I would have been tucked up in my own bed, oblivious to the existence of any of this. What a difference a few days could make. I wondered what Uncle Tom was doing - had he listed me as a ‘missing person’ yet? A pang of guilt pierced me, and I squeezed my eyes shut. Turning to my side, I punched the pillow with some force. The old familiar feeling of helplessness returned from my childhood. I was a will-o’-the-wisp, being tossed about on the wind, no control over my own destiny; I was in the hands of others and at the mercy of fate. Pulling the covers up over my head, I wished I could turn off my brain. I didn’t want to think or worry any more. I tried to imagine nothingness, but the pale face of Aric appeared in my mind instead. It was a long time before I finally slept. ***** Chapter Six The sun was streaming through the window when I opened my eyes again. I squinted, rubbed my eyes, and looked around the room, confused for a moment at my whereabouts. “Good morning sleepy-head.” Aric was sitting on the edge of my bed. There was no sign of the dark rings under his eyes, or the pale complexion - he looked absolutely perfect again. He gave me a dazzling smile and leaned over to kiss me. “Ugh,” I said, avoiding his lips. “Sorry, I’ve got dog breath.” He chuckled, and kissed my temple instead. “Ellen has some spare toothbrushes in the bathroom cupboard.” I rubbed my eyes again. “You look great. God, just how long have I been asleep?” “About eight hours.” I stared at him in amazement. “You look that good after only eight hours? When I left you last night you looked like you were nearly dead!” He shrugged lightly. “We heal quickly.” I sat up and swung my legs to the floor. Aric moved to an old wooden dresser in the corner, and began to push it aside. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Watch.” The dresser concealed a safe in the wall. Aric leaned over and fiddled with the dial. The door swung open, revealing the contents. I gasped. The safe was full to bursting with large wads of cash. A number of passports fell out on the floor. “Wow, Saul is loaded!” Aric smiled. He took some bundles of bills from the safe, and placed them on the dresser. “This safe is mine. You don’t think I’ve been around for nearly nine hundred years and haven’t made a few good investments, do you?” I picked up the passports and rifled through them. They were all in different names, but they all had Aric’s photo. “We have a thing called a ‘bank’ these days, you know,” I said. “I try to stay off the grid. I have a number of these all over the place. It comes in handy sometimes.” I supposed it did. If you lived for hundreds of years, you’d have to move around before people grew suspicious about your eternal youth. He shoved a heap of bills into his wallet, and handed one of the bundles of cash to me. I looked at it blankly. “You need to go shopping,” he said. “Oh, no...’ I protested, pushing the money back at him. “I can’t take your money.” “So you’re going to wear that forever?” He said, pointing to Ellen’s over sized T-shirt. He smiled to himself. “Kind of appropriate though.” I looked down at the image on the front - it was David Bowie. He took my hand and placed the cash on my palm. “Keep it - it’s a drop in the ocean - really.” It was more money than I’d ever seen before. “I hate taking other people’s money!” I wailed. “Well, I suppose you could get yourself a job and earn some money yourself,” he said dryly, with a grin, “But a Bowie T-shirt isn’t really appropriate work wear.” I rolled my eyes upward, and took the money gingerly as though it were a dead rat. I placed it on the bed. There was a knock on the door, and Ellen popped her head inside. “Ah, I thought I heard your voice Lucy. Hope you slept well?” “Yeah, I did, thanks.” She turned to Aric. “We’ve got everything ready. Maureen is here to help.” She opened the door wider, and ushered in a tall red-headed woman. “You,” Ellen said, jabbing a finger at Aric. “Scoot. Women only right now.” Aric turned to me and put his hands on my shoulders. “We have to remove your implant Lucy. Ellen and Maureen need to take a look at you to locate it.” I felt the blood drain from my face. “Here? Now?” He nodded. I wasn’t looking forward to this at all - it was going to bring back too many painful memories. He pulled me against his chest, then lifted my face to his. “It’ll be over soon,” he said. He kissed my forehead and left the room. I faced the two women and lifted my arms outwards. “So, what do I have to do?” They told me to stand in my bra and panties while they checked me over. Their hands didn’t touch me, but roamed about the space around me, as though they were looking for an invisible force. Ellen saw the large scar near my rib, and gave me a sympathetic look. I continued to stare stoically ahead, my arms stretched out to each side as though I were trying to fly. Eventually they located it on my right hip, about six inches away from the spot my mother had cut. “These things move around,” said Maureen. “They’re tricky little beggars.” I took a shower and brushed my teeth, then threw the Bowie T-shirt back on, along with my panties. I really did need to go clothes shopping. The operation was to be performed on the dining room table. As I climbed up on to the table, a twinge of familiarity washed over me and amplified my sense of dread. My heart began to thump wildly against my chest. It was all I could do to stop myself from jumping off the table and running out of the room. Aric sat down on a chair, his face level with mine.

Be brave. I began to tremble violently. Ellen brought over a tray from the kitchen. Saul positioned himself near my feet. “This is just ice Lucy - it will help numb the area.” She placed a small bag of ice on my hip and I jumped. “Wait!” I said. I looked at Maureen, who was wielding a scalpel. “Aren’t you going to use an anesthetic first?” “I’m afraid we don’t have any.” I looked sharply at Aric, then back to Maureen. “But... aren’t you a doctor?” A number of silent looks were exchanged around me. “Maureen isn’t a doctor, Lucy. It would have been too dangerous to bring a doctor into this.” I clutched at Aric’s arm. This was my old nightmare all over again. Aric took my chin gently in his hand and turned my head to face him. I met his blue eyes again. As if in a trance, I lay back down on my side. “Keep watching me Lucy, it’s going to be okay.” His voice took on the soothing, captivating tone he’d used on me before. He uttered words of comfort, and I couldn’t look away. Vaguely as though it were happening a million miles away, I felt Saul take a hold of my feet. Someone - probably Ellen, was holding my arm near my shoulder. “You’re doing great.” Aric’s voice flowed through me like a soothing tonic. Somewhere, in another part of the room, there was the cold bite of ice and a swab of antiseptic. “It’ll be over soon...” He was stroking my cheek, his eyes barely inches away. I could see the little flicks of teal emanating from the iris. ‘Pools of blue’ was so appropriate. The sting of the scalpel felt very far away. Pain... somewhere. There was nudging and pulling, more nudging, and then it was over. Aric moved his hand to the surgical spot, and I felt the euphoric buzzing sensation again as he healed the wound. I looked around at my hip with surprise. Maureen was mopping up some blood with a piece of white cotton. There wasn’t even a scar. “It’s over?” I asked. “It’s over,” replied Ellen. I lay on my back took a deep breath, letting it out in a long, relieved sigh. “That wasn’t so bad,” I said to Aric. He helped me up, and lifted me to the floor. On the table, in a white bowl, there was a tiny black speck sitting in a few spots of blood. “Is that the implant?” I asked. Saul nodded. Grabbing the bowl, I studied the speck closely. “It doesn’t look like much, does it?” Saul took the bowl from me. “You’d be surprised at what it can do.” “It’s designed to move away from anything trying to grab it. Maureen had to chase it all over your hip with the tweezers.” I raised my eyebrows in surprise and shuddered. It was creepy. Saul tipped it into a sandwich bag then placed it on a chopping board. “They usually stop transmitting once they leave a body, but I like to be sure.” He whacked the implant with a hammer a number of times, then held up the bag, inspecting his handiwork. “It’s probably harmless now, but Maureen will dispose of this across the other side of town.” “I’m glad to see the last of it,” I said. My face broke out in a grin as realization dawned on me - “I’m free! Right?” Aric and Saul exchanged glances. Aric’s answering smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. He clapped his hands and clasped his palms together, ignoring my question. “Right, time for a shopping trip I think.” ***** “I thought women were supposed to love shopping? It’s in your genes.” I snatched the clothes from the shopping assistant, and threw Aric a dirty look, then trudged back into the changing room. We’d been shopping for four hours now, and I was thoroughly sick of it. I yanked off Amy’s pink top and jeans, hopping around in the tiny cubicle as my foot tangled in the trouser leg. “Anyone would think I was torturing you,” Aric called from his seat just outside the changing room. I threw on the dress, and had to admit it was quite nice. The price was exorbitant though. When we’d first hit the stores, Aric had steered me to an up-market boutique. I’d protested in horror. “Oh, no, way too expensive,” I’d said. Before we’d left the apartment I’d shoved two fifty dollar bills into my pocket from the wad of cash Aric had given me, and had intentions of ducking into a superstore and buying a cheap pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, and some extra underwear. I didn’t want to have to cost him any more money than I had to. “Don’t worry about the expense.” I’d pulled the two fifty dollar bills out of my pocket triumphantly and waved them at him. “I only brought along this much anyway - it might buy me the sleeve off of one of those shirts there.” He’d patted a lump in his back pocket. “I brought along the rest of your money,” he’d said smugly. He’d trumped me, and ushered me into the boutique. That was the first of many. I’d found the more expensive the boutique, the pushier the shop assistant and we’d accrued bags of stuff. I was writhing with guilt. Aric seemed to be loving it. “You’re showing your non-human side,” I’d told him. “Human males DO NOT like having to watch girls shop. You’re totally weird.” “I just like the chance to look at you,” he’d replied with a simple shrug. I zipped up the back of the dress as far as I could, and went out to meet his approval. He said he liked whatever I tried on, and we inevitably bought it. He’d bought a few things for himself, but the majority of the masses of shopping bags surrounding him were for me. He sat up and grinned when I appeared out of the changing room. I spun around, the dress flaring out a little around my knees. “Perfect!” he said. “If you leave that on, I’ll take you out to dinner now.” I changed my shoes, and he paid for the dress. We left the store and stashed our shopping in the trunk of Saul’s car. “Come on,” said Aric, taking my hand. “I know just the place.” The restaurant overlooked the river. The lights of the skyscrapers in the city center on the opposite bank cast perfect reflections on the

shimmering water. As the sun went down, fairy lights appeared amongst the trees on the riverbank. We took a table on the patio and ordered our meal. “Well, this is much nicer than the trucker’s cafe,” I quipped. A soft breeze caused the candle on the table to flicker in its colorful glass. “And our fellow diners are a little more... classier,” he agreed. I looked around at the restaurant’s patrons. Mostly couples - it seemed the romantic location was a popular spot to bring a date. I touched Aric’s hand, and he weaved his fingers through mine. “Thank you,” I said. “You’re welcome.” “I mean for everything - for coming to save me, for nearly killing yourself trying to protect me...” “And for that dress,” he added with a cheeky smile. “You look really beautiful, by the way.” “Oh, all right, yes, thank you for the clothes,” I conceded. “And the compliment.” I looked down at the dress and blushed. “You know, I’d really like to know why you find it so hard to spend money. I’d have thought most girls would love to be spoiled.” I fiddled with the cutlery on the table. “When I was a kid, after my mother, well... my relatives would take me in, but sooner or later they’d pass me on to the next ones - they’d say they couldn’t afford to keep me.” I paused and glanced at Aric. He was listening intently. “Oh, I was a right pain in the ass when I was a kid,” I went on, “No doubt it was the real reason they passed me on. I came to think that if I didn’t eat much, or ask for anything, they might decide to keep me. It never worked. By the time I got to Uncle Tom’s, I was too scared to rely on anyone. I’ve been careful not to be a burden ever since. I hate having money spent on me.” I thought it ironic I’d had to rely on Aric almost from the moment I’d met him. The thought sat uncomfortably with me. A paddle wheeler festooned with fairy lights chugged past on the river. The scene was serenely idyllic, a far cry from the turmoil and loneliness of my childhood. “Your uncle really loves you. You’re lucky to have ended up with him.” “Yeah he does. Next best thing to my own family I guess.” I watched the paddle wheeler make its slow way up the river. “You know, this implant thing - my mother was right - I did have one. I’ve been thinking, maybe she’s not mad after all.” Aric looked away. He spun the stem of his glass between thumb and forefinger. “Maybe...” “I asked Saul how my mother would have known about the implant. She seemed to have known about the Innaki. He thinks she may have been regressed and remembers her abductions.” He glanced at me from under thick eyelashes. “I want to know what’s been happening to me. Saul has agreed to regress me.” “No!” The force of his voice made me jump. The other diners looked our way, eventually returning to their own business. He softened his tone. “No, that’s not a good idea... I don’t want anything more to upset you.” “But not knowing is worse... “ “Finding out what happened might be worse than not knowing.” I considered what he’d said for a moment, then went on. “For years I’ve had a feeling there’s something I’d forgotten, or should know... like something is missing. I thought maybe it was because I didn’t have a proper family, but I think it is this - I need to remember.” Our meals arrived, and we ate in silence for a while. “I want to visit my mother.” Aric coughed on his food, and took a sip of his drink. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” “Why not? I’ve never visited her before. Maybe she’s been stuck in there all this time, totally sane, her only crime is that she tried to save her daughter... Maybe, I could have had my mother, growing up, after all. “ “Sometimes it’s best just to leave things be Lucy.” “I want to know if she really loved me.” There, I’d said it. Growing up, my cousins had teased me - they’d said my mother hated me so much she had tried to kill me. “She did love, does love you.” He corrected himself. “Then I want to see her.” He shook his head and touched my hand. “I think you should leave her be.” An awkward silence hung between us like a thick fog. It was broken by the arrival of a man trying to sell roses to the diners. Aric reached for his wallet. The man handed him a single red rose. “That will be ten dollars please.” I choked on my ravioli. Aric handed him a ten dollar bill. The man threw the money in his basket with the rest of the roses, gave a little bow, and wished us a good night. “Ten dollars for a single rose? Are you kidding me?” Aric held the rose out to me. “It’s supposed to be a romantic gesture Lucy.” I took the rose and held it to my nose. It smelled lovely - but not ten dollars’ worth of lovely. He chuckled. “You’re still in stingy mode.” “I am not!” He was laughing now. I pressed my lips together. “I’m not being stingy,” I insisted. He laughed harder. “Right!” I gestured for the rose seller to come back to our table. “Can we have eleven more please?” I might as well make up a proper dozen. The man looked extremely pleased. He counted the roses out, but he only had nine left. “That will do.” I looked pointedly at Aric, and he pulled his wallet out and counted out ninety dollars. The rose seller thanked him, and disappeared inside the restaurant. Aric was still chuckling. He added the original rose to the bunch and handed me the bouquet. “Consider that a hundred dollars’ worth of therapy,” he said, “You deserve to be spoiled.” I looked at the roses, ignoring a guilty pang, then placed them on the table. “Thank you.” I said. I thought I’d won that round. The topics of regression and my mother were put aside. We spent the remainder of the evening laughing and talking, walking along the riverbank, occasionally stopping to hold each other and share a kiss. I didn’t dare look up at the stars all evening - they only held scary thoughts for me now. *****

As luck would have it, The Durham-Burke Sanatorium - the psychiatric hospital my mother had resided in for the past ten years, was located in a suburb west of Newtown. I’d be able to travel there on the bus. I looked up the timetable online, and decided I would head there sometime in the next week or two on the 10:30 bus from the nearby transit center if Aric didn’t want to take me. He was still being difficult about my visit. I clicked the flickering browser window off, and crossed my fingers they’d let me in without an appointment. As I wasn’t allowed to contact anyone I knew, I didn’t want to inquire specifically about her in case it flagged up my whereabouts. Switching off the computer, I realized I was beginning to act like a paranoid conspiracy nut. According to Aric, Saul and Ellen, just about any form of modern communication could reveal my location to my enemies. Aric had compromised and I’d written a letter of the old fashioned pen-and-paper kind to Uncle Tom, telling him I was safe, which Aric was going to send to a friend in Varsley across the other side of the country. It could then be sent on with a postmark far away from Newtown. I’d wracked my brains for an explanation for my leaving; I don’t think my uncle would have believed any of the ideas I’d come up with. In the end, I’d just said the last few months of high school were getting to me and I was taking off to see the world, and I’d return later. Far from convincing, I imagined Aunt Janet’s voice smugly proclaiming ‘I told you she was no good’ as Uncle Tom read the letter. I really hoped it would put his mind at ease, if only a little. Aric stuck his head through the open door. “I’m going now Luce, but before I go there’s some people I’d like you to meet.” Aric was off to buy another car to replace the one he’d left behind in Craigsville. Two men sat on opposite ends of the sofa in the living room. They couldn’t be more different. One man, tall and slim, perched elegantly at the edge of his seat, holding a teacup with his pinkie finger held daintily in the air. He was wearing an expensively tailored suit topped off with a blue silk bow-tie. His shoes were polished to a mirror-like shine. His companion was at the opposite end in the elegance scale. My main impression of him was that he was hairy - so hairy it was difficult to see his face. Dreadlocks sprouted from his head and tumbled down his shoulders like coils of rope. His untidy beard was so full I wondered how he ever found his mouth to eat or drink. He was dressed in jeans and an old T-shirt, and was holding a can of cola. “This must be the beautiful Lucy! Exquisite!” The bow-tied man leaped to his feet and extended his hand. I took it, and he placed his other hand on top of mine and patted it. Without letting go, he took a step back to study me. “Aric, you have found a true diamond here.” I looked awkwardly at the ground and then at Aric, in a silent plea to save me. I cursed my reddening face. The man leaned forward conspiratorially. “You must let me paint you, my dear!” Aric stepped towards me and dragged my hand away. “All right Phil, don’t overdo it! Lucy, this is Phillip, Phil - Lucy. And the hairy thing on the sofa is Marcus.” Marcus moved less energetically off the sofa, and offered his hand. “How you doin’ Luce? Great to meet you - we’ve heard a lot about you.” “All good stuff, I hope.” I saw a small glint of white through his beard, and I presumed it was a smile. “All great.” Aric turned to me, and rubbed my cheek affectionately. “Seeing as you don’t want to go tire kicking, Marcus and Phil have come over to keep you company.” They’re hybrids too, they can keep you safe, he added, in my mind. I was slightly irritated. It seemed more like they’d come to baby-sit me. Ellen had left for her florist shop, and Saul, a banker, had an appointment with some clients. Aric didn’t want to leave me on my own. He gave me a quick kiss, and headed for the door. “I’ll be a few hours. Lucy - be careful of Phil - if he breaks out a pack of playing cards, then you’re in trouble.” His grin was mischievous and he gave a small salute of goodbye, and left the apartment. “‘In trouble!?’” Phil said in a huff. “I don’t know what he’s talking about!” Marcus crossed the room to the fridge and fished out another soda. “Phil is a professional poker player,” Marcus explained, offering me a coke. I thanked him and sat myself down at the dining table. “Really? Isn’t that kind of... well... ?” I wondered how it could possibly be fair for a mind-reader to play poker, but I didn’t want to insult Phil. “Cheating?” Marcus supplied the word with a chuckle. “That’s what we all keep telling him! He’ll tell you his success is down to skill, tactics and intuition, but we all know what it really is.” Phil brought his teacup over to the table and settled himself carefully as though he were positioning himself for a portrait. “Nonsense!” he said. “It is skill, tactics and intuition - you have no idea how difficult it is to take people’s money without them suspecting. I need to know just when to let them win, the right time to beat their asses! Skill, I tell you, nothing less!” I couldn’t help but giggle. His reasoning was almost faultless. His hand went to his pocket and produced a deck of cards. He placed them down on the table with a slap. “So, how about a little game to keep us occupied?” Marcus rolled his eyes in the direction of the ceiling. “Don’t take the poor lass’s money.” “Pfft,” said Phil. “It’ll be good practice for her. Aric told me he’s been teaching you to shield. We can play for...” He spotted a jar filled with M&Ms on the kitchen bench. “M&Ms!” I opened my mouth and tried to come up with a good excuse not to play. I didn’t have one. It was fairly obvious I’d have my ass beaten by either Phil or Marcus, but seeing as it was only candy that was up for grabs, it didn’t matter, and might even be fun. “Okay,” I agreed. Phil grabbed three bowls from the cupboard and filled each one with candy. “Yours is slightly fuller,” growled Marcus. Phil made a dramatic gesture of adding more candy to Marcus’ bowl. We agreed on how much each candy color would be worth, and Phil dealt the cards with lightning speed. Ah, an eight and a three. Not a good start. I jumped as Phil’s voice appeared inside my head. I was, indeed, holding an eight and a three. “Hang on a minute! I’ve got to get the shield thing going!” I protested. I folded and tossed the cards on the table. Marcus and Phil grinned at me. I took a deep breath and imagined the black circle which represented my mind, and the white line which would shield it. The line was strong, and I frowned as I tried to keep it steady. I don’t know how long I sat there imagining the circle. Suddenly, I noticed there was a hand being waved in front of my face. It was Phil’s. “Earth to Lucy! Are you in there?” I looked at him in surprise. “I can’t do the two things at once!” I complained. “How on earth do you guys do it?” Marcus pulled his chair closer to the table. “It might be better if you thought of it a certain way. Watch this.” He held his palm out in front of him. A ball of pure white light, the size of a grapefruit, appeared, hovering silently over his hand. I sat back with a start. “Woah! What is that?!” “That is a ball of pure wyk,” said Phil. “Pure w... what?”

“Wyk, energy - what the Chinese call ‘chi’. The stuff that moves the universe.” The glowing light disappeared suddenly - as though a switch had been flicked. I gaped at the empty space in the air. “How did you do that?” “It’s all about wyk. I know how to control it. Watch.” He looked at Phil’s bowl, and candy began flying across the table in an arc, landing with a clatter in Marcus’ bowl. “Now you’re just showing off,” said Phil. I was amazed. “Is that like, a hybrid thing?” “Anyone can do it if they know how to access their wyk.” “So, everyone has this wyk stuff?” “Yes, and you, especially, my dear, are saturated in it. I could sense it oozing off you from the other side of the room. Any wonder the Innaki are interested in you,” said Phil. “They’re interested in my... wyk?” “Yes, they collect it. That’s why they take humans - they milk them for their wyk. Humans only use a small portion of it - the rest lies dormant. They have enough to spare. But you, Lucy - you have more than anyone I’ve come across!” Marcus coughed uncomfortably. “I don’t think Aric wanted her to know that.” I looked at him in surprise. My mouth hung open, my thoughts were racing. “Why doesn’t he want me to know?” He took a nervous swig of his drink. “He doesn’t want you to be frightened.” I grimaced and stared, unseeing, at the playing cards. He was treating me like a child. What else did he not want me to know? “He’s only trying to take care of you Lucy.” Leaning back in my chair, I sighed and glanced at Marcus. “I know.” I just wished he’d trust me with a bit more information. Moving aside my bowl of M&Ms, I presented my palm to Marcus. “Can you teach me how to use my wyk? Can I do the ball thing?” “Of course. It’s hard work at first though. It’ll wear you out.” I told him I didn’t mind. They spent the next couple of hours giving me a crash course in the theory of Wyk, and how to manipulate it. Apparently, once I understood and really believed I was the master of it, controlling it would come more naturally, and it could be done subconsciously, leaving me able to do other things at the same time. After two hours, I was sending M&Ms rolling across the table, without having touched them. I threw up my hands in triumph as Phil tried desperately to catch the barrage of candy before it went off the edge. “This is fun!” I said. Putting out my palm, I concentrated on making a ball of light appear, and sent it flying around the room. The glowing orb sped faster and faster until I made it explode silently into a shower of twinkling lights which petered out as they neared the floor. My very own fireworks display – not a bad effort. I laughed as Marcus and Phil gaped, gob-smacked at the spectacle. “That was incredible. You shouldn’t be able to do that already,” Phil said, eyeing me carefully. “You should be exhausted. It takes everyone years to even produce a decent spark of light.” I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Really?” I wasn’t feeling tired at all, in fact, I was exhilarated. Marcus nodded thoughtfully. “The Innaki are going to be really peeved you’ve gotten away.” I shivered; the mood becoming somber. “So they can milk people’s wyk? What do they do with it?” “Wyk is power, Lucy. They’re addicted to it. Imagine what you could do if you had great stores of it.” Phil left the table and filled the kettle again. “I think we should talk about something cheerier,” said Marcus. “Lucy, I do believe you know enough now to whip Phil’s butt.” He dealt the cards again, and I picked up my cards - two aces. I hoped it was a lucky sign. ***** “Hmm... I think I have a way to go.” I examined the spindly flower arrangement in front of me and straightened a gerbera. It keeled over again. Ellen grinned. “You need to wire that one.” I’d been helping Ellen out at her florist shop. I’d felt like I was climbing the walls after being cooped up in the apartment for so long. Plucking the gerbera from the oasis foam, I placed a piece of floral wire against the stalk, and wound the green tape around it in a spiral. I was all fingers and thumbs - flower arranging was more difficult than I’d thought. Ellen hoisted a bucket of roses on to the counter, and began to wrap the stems ready for an arrangement for a bridal table. She worked quickly and easily, and had finished six by the time I’d finished my one stem. The bell sounded on the front door. It was Aric. His eyes widened as he saw my floral monstrosity. “Don’t laugh,” I warned him. He laughed anyway, and I hit him with the flower. The head of the gerbera fell off, and I was left holding the stem. “Going well, then!” Aric said cheerfully. I smiled and grabbed another bloom. “I’d like to see you try this,” I said, cutting another piece of wire. “I’m a man of many talents, but flower arranging isn’t one of them.” He perched himself on a stool and passed me the florist’s tape. Ellen pointed to a bucket of roses in the corner, and handed Aric the flower stem stripper. “Make yourself useful,” she said. “I was hoping you could spare Lucy for a while. I thought I’d take her out to lunch.” Ellen looked at my ugly flower arrangement and grinned. “I think I can spare her for a while...” Aric tossed the strippers on the counter and I threw the roll of tape down too. It rolled off the counter. He bent to pick it up, but I stopped him. “Wait,” I said, holding his arm. I concentrated on the roll of tape on the floor, and it floated up and landed gently on the counter. “Hmm,” said Aric, “Impressive.” I rolled my eyes in the direction of the ceiling and placed my hands on my hips. “Well, it is pretty good - for a beginner.” He raised his hands in protest and grinned. “Hey, I don’t disagree! Handy skill if you can’t reach the T.V. remote - lazy bones!” he teased. I laughed and reached for my bag. “You’re just jealous. I’d like to see you do better.” He smiled, rising to the challenge. “Okay. Can you do this?” He disappeared into thin air. My mouth hung open in an ‘O’. I looked around, confused. “Where’d he go?” I asked Ellen. “I’m still here,’ his voice came out of nowhere. I waved my hands around until I felt his arm. “He’s cloaking, and showing off,” explained Ellen. “He’s still there, but he’s changed the wyk field around him so it’s folded over and makes him appear invisible.” Her explanation went sailing over my head. Aric appeared again, in exactly the same spot as he’d been before.

“Can I do that?” I asked. He nodded. “It’s all to do with your wyk.” He explained how to manipulate the field of energy around me, and I managed to make my hand disappear. “Wow...” I said, gazing in awe at the empty space where my hand had been. I tried to disappear entirely, but I only managed to lose my arm up to my elbow. “It takes practice,” said Aric. “This is seriously cool,” I declared as my arm appeared again. “What else can you do?” “I’ll show you later,” Aric said, with a wink. Ellen rolled her eyes upwards, and lifted the bucket back down to the floor. “Will you two get out of here?! I have work to do!” We had only walked a short distance from the florist’s shop, when Aric stopped and indicated the doorway to his right. “In here,” he said. “We’re going to have lunch in an internet cafe? You do know me and computers don’t get on...” He smiled and gave a small nod. “I have something to show you.” We bought some sandwiches and coffee and settled down in front of a computer. To my surprise the monitor behaved itself. “I’m shielding it from you.” Aric said with a grin. “I’ve been thinking about where we should go from here. We can’t stay at Saul and Ellen’s forever.” He tapped out the internet address on the keyboard, and a Canadian real estate website appeared on the screen. “You want to move to Canada?” I asked. “We can’t stay here,” he said. “Your photo is going to appear on the back of every milk carton pretty soon. Someone will recognize you sooner or later. We have to get out of the country.” I swallowed and looked at the screen. “Look,” Aric went on, clicking on a link. “I was thinking somewhere like this. It’s remote, but nice.” I clicked through a number of the photos. The property was located just outside of a logging town in picturesque, heavily forested mountains. It was beautiful, but very isolated. “Isn’t it dangerous to be stuck out in the woods like that?” I was thinking of the Innaki standing in the clearing in front of the cabin on Turner’s Ridge. “You don’t have your implant any more Lucy - they can’t trace you.” I read the blurb under the listing. A timber cabin, fifty acres, a large barn. It sounded idyllic. “We could run a little hobby farm - you could breed horses. You said you’d always wanted to do that.” I stared at a picture of a bubbling stream beside the cabin. It was a big move. A month ago I was a high school student, and now I was being asked to move to another country to set up a new life with a man I’d known for only three months. “It’s a big change,” I said dubiously. Aric nodded, “I know.” He leaned closer, and he spoke to me in my mind.

Listen, Lucy, I know all this is happening so quickly. I know it’s scary. But I want you to understand, I’ll always look after you, I promise. I turned and studied his face. His eyes were only inches from mine. I put my hand on his cheek and caressed his face. You know, I said shyly, in his head, we’ve only known each other a few months, and yet I feel as if I’ve known you forever. He was silent, his head nodded slightly, and he continued to look at me with eyes that made me feel weak at the knees. I don’t know what it is... it is crazy to feel this way about someone so soon, but I want to be with you, I continued. He glanced down at my hand, and took it in his own. Swallowing, he moved closer, and leaned his forehead against mine. “I’ve waited a long time for someone like you,” he said out loud, although his voice was a whisper. “I can’t promise things will be smooth-sailing, but... I want to be with you. Forever.” I wondered what his idea of ‘forever’ meant. He would outlive me; I would eventually age while he stayed as perfect as he was now. I pushed the thought away - I didn’t want to think about it. ‘Star-crossed lovers’. The phrase popped into my mind. I’d first heard it when we’d studied Romeo and Juliet in eighth grade. Two lovers, destined by the stars to meet and fall in love, were thwarted by the circumstances around them. In Romeo and Juliet, the relationship was doomed I hoped ours would fare better. Aric leaned forward and kissed me gently, then pulled away and his eyes met mine. I love you, Lucy, he said quietly in my head. I’d always had a difficult time proclaiming my affections - a security measure, I presumed, from my childhood, but I had little hesitation in declaring them now. “I... love you too,” I whispered back. We kissed again, and were interrupted by a cough from a scruffy looking man on the next computer. “Get a room,” he said grumpily. I looked at him in surprise, and Aric laughed good-naturedly. “So,” he said, pointing towards the property listing on the screen. “What do you think?” I took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. What the heck - it was a big adventure. I threw him a shaky grin, and nodded. He hugged me, and planted a quick kiss on my mouth. “I’ll get it sorted then.” ***** Chapter Seven “I really wish you’d reconsider.” Aric maneuvered the car into a parking space and killed the engine. I shook my head and stared at the imposing Victorian facade of the sanitarium . Aric had been trying to dissuade me from visiting my mother for days, but in the end, when he saw I was determined to go with or without him, he conceded defeat, and offered to drive me. I almost changed my mind as we climbed the marble stairs to the entrance, but the image of the tiny black speck in a pool of blood rose in my mind. I steeled myself and walked on. We were ushered into the treating psychiatrist’s office to discuss the unexpected visit. My knees were knocking as the doctor poured over my mother’s file. Aric held my hand and rubbed his thumb over mine.

Relax. “Well, this is entirely out of left field, I must say.” The doctor peered over his thick black-rimmed spectacles, and shuffled some papers in the file.

“I see you haven’t visited her at all in the past ten years.” It was an observation, not an accusation, and I bobbed my head. “For the past few years she has been a model patient. In the beginning she was under the impression everyone around her were... ‘aliens’ out to get her - there was no chance of anyone visiting as she was afraid of everyone. She’s much improved. We’ve considered releasing her, but, unfortunately, she still persists, to some extent, with her delusions.” I threw a disturbed glance at Aric. The doctor tapped his pen on the desk as he flicked another page over. “I know you were the one she injured. How do you feel about seeing her again?” “It was ten years ago. I’d just like to... see how she is.” He looked up again and pushed his spectacles down the bridge of his nose. “Are you afraid of her?” “No,” I said. He made a vague grunting noise, and continued to examine the papers. We waited in silence until he closed the folder with finality, resting his hands neatly on top. “Well, I can see no reason why there shouldn’t be a supervised visit. As I said, she is a model patient - she has made great progress in the past ten years. She hasn’t had many visitors. I can’t say how a visit from you will affect her, but it may be just what she needs.” I sat back and beamed at Aric. He was looking at the doctor stonily. We were taken to a waiting room and told we would be called when my mother was ready to see us. “I think it should be just you this time Lucy.” I gulped and looked at the double doors, with the electronic locks and the wire mesh window. I couldn’t rely on Aric to be there for everything. Some things I just had to do by myself, just as I had had to do growing up. I mentally berated myself -

don’t be pathetic, Lucy. The electronic locks beeped, and a nurse appeared through the doors. “She’s ready for you now.” I drew a deep breath and stood up shakily. Aric rose and put his hands on my shoulders. “You don’t have to do this you know. You can still change your mind.” I shook my head again. “I need to know her.” I left him and followed the nurse. He led me into a large room furnished with vinyl-covered lounge chairs and a few tables dotted with board games and puzzles. A television flickered silently in a corner. There were numerous patients milling about the room, some had visitors. On the far side a woman sat at a table flanked by two well-built male nurses. The doctor I recognized from our recent interview stood further back, a folder in his hands. She looked smaller and more vulnerable than I remembered. My legs felt like they were made from cardboard as I walked toward her. Butterflies appeared in my stomach, and my heart beat a fast staccato rhythm against my chest. My mother stood up slowly as I approached. I reached the table and she smiled at me with tears in her eyes. “Oh... oh! You are so beautiful!” Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she was beaming at me. My own tears clouded my eyes, and I blinked them away quickly. “Hi, Mom,” I said simply. I hadn’t been able to call her that for ten years. Her expression told me she was thrilled to hear it again. She gestured to the seat opposite, and we sat down. We both felt a little awkward. “My goodness, you’re so tall! I can’t believe how big you’ve gotten.” She reached out a hand and I tentatively took it. Tears threatened to spill again at the first touch of my mother since my childhood. “So how have you been? Tom’s been giving me updates, but, well, it’s better to hear it from you.” Evidently, Uncle Tom hadn’t told her I was missing. I opened my mouth, wondering where I should start. “Well, let’s see, I’ve only got two more weeks of high school left, I’m doing pretty well.” She leaned forward encouragingly. “Two more weeks... where has the time gone...” Her voice petered out, and I knew she was pondering all my childhood milestones she’d missed as a mother. A fleeting look of sadness crossed her face, and then vanished, replaced by a genuine smile. She was obviously determined to make this a positive visit. “God, you look like your dad. You have his eyes.” I didn’t think so. I looked at my mother and saw an older version of myself - the same long dark hair - although hers was threaded with silver... green, almond shaped eyes. Her eyes held a haunted look that I hoped mined lacked. She was still attractive despite her ten years of confinement. We talked for a while about my life (carefully avoiding the kitchen knife incident). When I couldn’t think of anything more positive to tell her, I made it up. I painted a picture of a happy childhood, and it seemed to please her. By the time I’d told her about my horses and my attempt to bring a pony upstairs to my bedroom, we were both giggling away. She seemed so ‘normal’, and I wondered whether she was really mad at all. Her psychiatrist was watching her with interest, and he looked rather pleased. A pang of sadness shot through me - if she wasn’t mad, then she’d wasted ten years of her life in here, and I’d missed out on growing up with a mother who loved me. It also meant she had been serious about protecting me from the Innaki. What horrors drove a mother to resort to a makeshift surgery to protect her offspring? I shivered, and pushed the thought out of my mind. “So,” she said, patting my hand. “You’re a long way from home. Did Tom bring you here?” “No,” I said. I looked down at the table, then glanced up at her shyly. “Mom, I have a boyfriend. He drove me here.” Her eyebrows shot up, her interest peaked. “Oh? Do tell!” “Mom, he’s gorgeous! He’s... perfect... God, where do I start?!” I realized I was gushing like a lovesick fool. She beamed at me. “Where is he? Is he here? Can I meet him?” She looked up hopefully at her doctor. He smiled at her; he was obviously as pleased with her reaction to this visit as I was. “I think that will be okay.” I was filled with excitement. I might not have been able to bring my boyfriend home to meet my parents, but this was more than I could ever have hoped for. “I’ll go and get him.” I jumped up and nearly skipped to the door. I found him pacing in the waiting room. “Oh, Aric, she’s wonderful!” He smiled at me, a look of relief on his face. “That’s fantastic Luce.” “She wants to meet you.” I grabbed his hand, and went to lead him through the doors. He stopped, and pulled his hand from mine. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” “Oh, come on. I’ve told her all about you - well, not all obviously, but she’s happy for us and she wants to meet you.” His expression was grim. “I don’t want to spoil it - today is about you two.” I grabbed his hand again, and pulled him along. “Oh, don’t be silly. Come on, it’ll make me happy.” He followed reluctantly, his hand grasping mine in a vice-like grip.

We were halfway across the room when he stopped. I pulled at his hand and laughed - “Come on, she’s not going to eat you!” His face was pale and his eyes stared stonily ahead. What was wrong with him? I looked back at my mother. She was getting slowly to her feet, her face as colorless as Aric’s. I let go of Aric’s hand, and stepped towards my mother. “Mom? Are you okay?” She looked at me, her face a mask of fear. Picking up a chair, she threw it with incredible force across the table, just missing me. It fell at Aric’s feet. “Lucy! They’re still after you! Run!” The nurses reacted quickly, she was grabbed and wrestled to the floor. She was screaming over and over: “Get away from her!” I stood transfixed, numb with shock, watching the scene as though it was a replay on a news channel. “Get her out of here,” the doctor yelled at Aric. Aric put his arm around my shoulder, and guided me out. I moved as though I was in a trance. It was only when we were standing on the front steps, that I stopped and burst into tears. My mother was mad after all. ***** “Go on, say it.” I stared glumly into the mug of tea Ellen had placed in my hands. “Say what?” asked Aric. “I told you so.” He sat down next to me and placed his arm around my shoulders. “I would never say that, Lucy. I’m sorry it didn’t work out.” A tear balanced on my eyelashes, welled slowly, and spilt down my cheek. I dashed it away angrily. “God, what did those things do to her? She’s a mess!” Saul pulled the coffee table closer to the sofa I was slumped on, and used it as a makeshift seat. “You said the first hour was a good one Lucy. Focus on that.” I shook my head sadly. “The doctor said she fears everyone around her. Imagine living like that...” A thought came to me. “Maybe it was just you Aric - do you think she could sense you are half Innaki?” He looked away. “I don’t know...” “Ugh! I hate those things. Why can’t they just leave people alone!” I stood up, and began to pace the living room floor. Stopping abruptly, I placed my mug on the coffee table, and turned to Saul. “Saul, I want to know what happened to me - I want you to regress me, right now.” Aric shot out of his seat. “No!” I turned to him in surprise. “Why are you so against it? It’s not up to you - it’s my decision!” His jaw was rigid with tension. “Because I don’t want you to be frightened any more!” “Not knowing frightens me!” He stepped closer, and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Look at how it affected your mother, Lucy. The Innaki put the amnesia in place for a reason.” I shook his hands off my shoulders and wheeled around to pace the room again. “I don’t care - I need to know!” He stood still, his palms out in an imploring gesture. “Please don’t do this,” he said quietly. “It’s her choice, Aric,” said Ellen. Aric threw her a frantic glance, then his eyes focused back on mine. “She deserves the truth.” Saul observed. Aric ignored him. His gaze never wavered from me. “Please,” he said simply. I shook my head. “I have to know.” Without another word, he turned and left the room. *****

Transcript of Lucy Doyle’s Hypnotic Regression Session.

(Begin Transcript) You’re feeling nice and relaxed now Lucy. Remember, you’re in a safe place. Nothing can hurt you here. Breathing deeply, good... I want you to go back to the night - the night before you woke up in the barn. Do you remember? Yes. Good. Tell me what you see, Lucy.

I’m in bed. It’s night time. Something woke me up... (Pause) Go on. Look around the room Lucy, what do you see?

I... see... oh! (Pause) Lie back down Lucy, remember, you’re safe - nothing can hurt you now. (Pause)

There’s someone in my room! Kids. Luke? Michael? Look closer Lucy. Who are they?

Oh! Oh... they’re not the boys. They’re, like, oh god, they’re monsters! (Pause) They can’t hurt you Lucy. Lie down. Just look at them. What do they look like? (Pause)

They’re small... really skinny. Ugly. Their heads are really big. Oh my god - their eyes! They have big black eyes. They’re looking down at me! How many are there?

Three... wait, there’s another one, in the shadows, in the corner. It’s bigger though. Way bigger. Four of them. Remember, they can’t hurt you now Lucy. What happens next?

They’re standing over me, looking close. Oh god! God help me! They’re... coming closer. I can’t move. Why can’t I move? Get away from me! Shhh, remember you’re in a safe place. You’re just watching what’s going on. Tell me what’s happening.

I’m... calling my uncle, but my voice won’t come out. They’re watching me, they smell... strange. Why won’t Uncle Tom come? What have they done to him? (pause)

God I must be dreaming - a nightmare. I can’t wake up. I’m floating off the bed! Uncle Tom! Where are you?! … My voice isn’t working! Relax Lucy - you are safe. Tell me what happens next.

What have they done to my uncle?! Uncle Tom! I’m trying to move - but my body... I’m, like... paralyzed. I’m floating towards the window. Please wake up. Wake up - wake up! - Oh! My arms, my legs - I can move them! (Pause)

There’s my jewelry box - I throw it at them and I drop to the floor. I can move now. I’m screaming, but no one is coming to help. Uncle Tom! Uncle Tom! Your uncle is safe now Lucy. What is happening?

Why don’t they leave me alone? I hate them! They’re... I’m... one is flying back against the wall. It’s lying on the floor. It’s knocked the trash over... Get out! Get out of my room! Another one - it just hit the wall. What did I do? Oh!... (Pause) What is it Lucy? What do you see?

The one in the corner. It’s coming. It’s not one of them. It’s... he’s - I know him! It’s... Aric! What is Aric doing in my bedroom? Lucy, you’re just watching, you don’t have to think about that now. Tell me what happens next.

He’s talking to me. Telling me I’m safe. He has beautiful eyes. I can’t look away... I feel... strange... (Pause) Lucy, talk to me. Are you okay? (Pause) What is happening Lucy?

I’m... in a room. A space. It’s all white - the walls glow. I can’t see a door. They’re here. God, where am I? It’s very hot. I’m all sweaty... Oh! Oh, god - where are my clothes? I’m naked! Get away from me! Wake up! Please wake up! I can’t wake up... They’re coming closer. Three of them. They want me to lie on the table. They... their voices are in my head. Their mouths don’t move! I’m not getting on the table - get away! One is flying across the room again. They’re backing away from me. (Pause) You’re safe Lucy. Tell me what is happening.

One left the room, right... right through the wall! I’ve got to be dreaming. The other two are looking at me. I want to kill them! If I can just get my hands on them... They’re looking at each other, backing against the wall... I’m going to kill them! Oh! (Pause) What is it? What do you see?

It’s Aric! Oh, he’s beautiful. Oh god – he can see me, nake...Where are my clothes? I’m naked, oh god! Oh god! What the hell is this? Relax Lucy, don’t worry about what you are wearing. What is happening?

Aric is... talking to me. His voice sounds nice, I can’t describe it. It’s making me feel good. He’s telling me to get back on the table... (Pause)

I can’t stop looking at his eyes. They’re blue! Really blue... a strange blue... His voice... I want to run, but... He says if I’m still, I’ll be home sooner.

(Pause) What’s happening now?

He’s closer, his face is so close. I feel... wonderful, there’s a buzzing noise and I’m so tired. My eyes are closing. I can’t keep awake! (Pause)

Oh, Aric... Aric! What have you done? (Pause) Lie down Lucy. Relax (Pause) Lucy, when I count backwards from ten, I want you to wake up. You’re going to remember everything, but you’re going to feel calm and refreshed... 10, 9, 8... waking up now... 7, 6, 5... you’re starting to stretch... 4, 3, 2 and 1. (End of transcript) ***** “10, 9, 8... waking up now... 7, 6, 5... you’re starting to stretch... 4, 3, 2 and 1.” I sat up, disoriented by the normality of the room around me. My face was wet with tears; I wiped my cheeks with shaking hands. A strained silence enveloped the room as I collected my thoughts. Aric had been there! Aric had... helped them. I stared at the ground for a moment, trying to take the situation in. Saul moved to sit on the coffee table and leaned towards me, a worried frown creasing his face. “Are you all right Lucy?” I looked up at him, realization dawning. “Aric... Aric helped them?” Saul’s voice was low and even. “He had no choice, Lucy. That’s what they created him for.” My head shot up and I met his gaze. “What... what do you mean? I don’t understand what you’re saying.” “They don’t just develop hybrids for arts’ sake, Lucy. Each hybrid is made for a specific purpose, and Aric’s is to be a whisperer.” “A what?” “A ‘whisperer’. That’s not the word the Innaki use - they don’t really use words at all, but it’s the closest we have in English which explains what it is he does.” He sighed and straightened his back. “A perfect human with the gift of... ‘charming’ I suppose is the word. Bewitching? Sort of like how vampires are supposed to ‘glamour’ their victims. They’re used to calm disruptive and frightened abductees.” The word ‘victims’ made me shudder. “So, he’s like, a horse or dog whisperer, only on humans?” “Something like that.” I paused for a moment as his words sank in. I remembered the soothing words Aric had uttered as my implant was removed, and the blissful calm which had washed over me - just as he had calmed me when I’d lain on the hard metal table in the white room, the Innaki hovering behind him. I hung my head. His words were all a sham - part of the job he was bred for. “I’m sorry.” I heard Aric’s voice behind me, and I swung around quickly. He was standing in the hallway, his face a picture of misery. I stood up to face him. “You helped them,” I said. He winced at the accusation as if I’d struck him physically. He nodded slowly, his mouth opening, and then clamping into a tight line. He obviously had no excuse. What could he say? He’d been complicit in the abduction and exploitation of frightened, vulnerable humans. He’d been an integral part of the Innaki’s agenda, and he’d performed his job well. “How long have you been doing it?” He swallowed hard, casting a wretched, guilty glance at the floor. “Too long,” he said quietly. “He didn’t have a choice, Lucy,” Ellen interjected. I turned to her. “Yes, he did. Everyone has a choice...” Aric’s face blanched, and his eyes glistened with unshed tears. Lifting his palms momentarily, his arms flopped to his sides in a gesture of hopelessness. “You’re right, I have no excuse. I shouldn’t have done it. There’s not a day goes by I don’t hate myself for...” Saul stood up. “You had no choice, Aric. You didn’t know what they were really doing.” Aric looked at him with empty eyes, but said nothing. I felt an overwhelming urge to run to him and comfort him, but I stopped myself. Doubt sat in my stomach like a lead weight. All those things he had said to me... the words of tenderness... he was designed to seduce - to ‘glamour’. Were they all a sham? Oh, he’d kept the whisperer thing totally from me - any wonder he was so reluctant for me to be regressed. He didn’t want me to know he had been the one to quell my rebellion - a bodyguard to the Innaki. I’d have killed them if he hadn’t stopped me. “You lied to me.” He shook his head, and looked at me imploringly. “I never lied to you Lucy - ever.” “Yes, you did - you lied by omission.” His face paled again. He looked worse than the night I’d dragged him to the apartment. “How could I tell you something like that?” “You never wanted me to remember - that’s why you were so adamant about the regression!” He couldn’t deny it, and didn’t try. A horrifying thought occurred to me. “You didn’t want me to see my mother either. You didn’t want to meet her. She... recognized you!” The expression on his face was tortured. “She has seen you before hasn’t she? Did you help the Innaki take her, Aric?” My fists were clenched into tight balls of tension at my side. I was shaking. “Was it you who helped to ruin her life? Did they take my mother away because of you?” “Lucy! That’s not fair... he did what he had to do...” I threw Ellen a silencing glare. Aric nodded his head slowly. “Yes,” he said simply. He looked as though he wanted to die. I didn’t care. Backing away, I felt my mind reeling. He’d lied, he’d allowed the Innaki to hurt me, to hurt my mother, all those words of love he’d said to me were just a well-honed talent. I’d relied on him, put my trust in him, and all along he’d committed the ultimate betrayal, and he knew it. I couldn’t stand to look at him there. I backed towards the door.

“I... can’t... I need to... think...” Grief tearing through me, I raced out the door and down the stairs, not waiting for the elevator. I kept running as though I could run away from the pain which consumed me. ***** Chapter Eight I ran until a stitch in my side forced me to slow my pace. I strode on, not caring where I was headed - my frantic footsteps reflecting the turbulent thoughts in my mind. Eventually I began to notice my surroundings. I was walking through the city business district, past towering skyscrapers with shiny glass facades, busy people scurrying on errands which seemed so pointless to me now. Caught up with the hollow tasks of living a normal human life, none of them really knew reality at all. Or maybe their world was their reality, and mine had become something else... I continued on, weaving through the crowd, avoiding the traffic as I plowed across pedestrian intersections without stopping. Eventually I reached the edge of the business district. Emerging from the shadows thrown by the skyscrapers, I crossed a street and entered a city park. It bordered the river, and I could see the restaurant on the opposite shore where Aric and I had dined a few nights before. I ignored the lump in my throat, and kept walking. The lush green grass and leafy trees were a stark and welcoming contrast to the concrete jungle I’d just passed through. Following a cobbled path, I eventually came upon a large duck pond; five speckled brown ducks glided peacefully on its murky water. I sat down on a bench and leaned back. The ducks pecked at flotsam, maneuvering their bodies around easily, their tails ruffling in response to their companions. They lived a peaceful, undemanding existence, I thought. Closing my eyes, I leaned back until my face was pointed at the sky. The bright sunshine shone through the translucent skin of my eyelids, and I squinted. The sound of a child’s laughter made me look up. A little boy of around five was heading to the duck pond, a small homemade boat clutched in his hand. His mother called for him to wait, and he stood impatiently as she quickened her pace to catch up with him. The ducks gathered near the edge of the pond, hoping for a handout. The boy placed his boat on the water, and pushed it out. So... ‘normal’, I thought. I envied their uncomplicated lives. Aric had been right - it was probably better NOT to know. The boy laughed and the mother warned him to be careful he didn’t fall in. Neither of them worried about aliens, or weird psychic powers, or strange men in dark suits pursuing them. A vision of Aric’s exhausted, drained face appeared in my mind. “Everyone has a choice,” I’d said to him. He’d looked thoroughly beaten and guilt ridden. “Everyone has a choice.” I repeated aloud. Was it true though? I’d spent my childhood feeling at the mercy of others as I’d drifted from home to home. If there was anyone who should understand the feeling of helplessness, in a situation in which you had no control of life, it was me. I felt like a hypocrite. There were some situations which were out of your control, and you just had to make do and hang on, do the best you can until circumstances changed. “There’s not a day goes by I don’t hate myself for it…” he’d said. I remembered the anguished look on his face - he’d meant every word. And yet he had finally left the control of the Innaki, and come to me, nearly killing himself trying to get me away safely. Why? Why, had he made the break after my abduction? Was it because he cared? Could he really have meant all the loving things he’d said to me? Or, was it just what he said, instinctively? I didn’t know what was real any more. A shout rang out from the little boy, and I looked up to see the mother grab the boy’s shirt just in time to stop him from falling into the water. The boy wriggled out of her grasp and jumped up and down, pointing at the boat, which had drifted out of his reach. He started to cry as the ducks pecked at it curiously, causing it to topple over to its side. The boy lunged towards the water, and the mother caught him again. He hugged her legs and cried into her skirt. The boat had floated into the middle of the pond. I narrowed my eyes, and concentrated on the boat. It righted itself, and moved quickly through the water towards the boy. He let go of his mom and let out a cheer, waving his hands in the air. The mother looked on in surprise, and I gave myself the luxury of a small smile. That was the sort of thing wyk should be used for. The boy plucked his boat out of the water, gave it a shake, then tucked it under his arm. He ran off down the footpath, his mother following quickly to keep him in sight. I watched them go, and leaned back against the bench again. God, how did I manage to get into this situation? Just a short while ago I too had been oblivious to all this stuff, and yet here I was, sitting in a park, using a weird kind of power I had never even known I’d possessed, to push a toy boat back to shore. I thought back on the time I had been oblivious - it seemed like eons ago - so much had happened. I thought about my friends back in Craigsville, and envied them. The most Alison would have to worry about today was her choice of outfit. I wondered whether Jenny had recovered her car. Such mundane worries... I’d give my right arm just to have to deal with mundane, normal everyday problems - I wouldn’t even mind having to listen to Aunt Janet’s nagging right now. My thoughts turned to Uncle Tom, and I felt a rush of guilt. I wondered how long it would be before he received my letter. I wished I could talk to him - he always made things seem, well, not so bad. Tears welled in my eyes again, and I blinked them away. I wanted to hear his voice, but I couldn’t phone. I wondered if he’d sent any emails and my spirits lifted a little - I wasn’t allowed to email him, but surely it’d be okay if I checked to see if he’d sent any? Leaving the park, I crossed the road and entered the bustle of the city again. Eventually I found what I was looking for - an internet cafe. It wouldn’t hurt to look, surely, and an email from Uncle Tom, or my friends, would really help sooth my loneliness right now. I paid for thirty minutes worth of internet time and bought a cup of coffee. The computer monitors began to flicker crazily as I walked past, and I began to worry I wouldn’t actually be able to get a computer to work today. I settled on a computer at the back of the room but as soon as I touched the mouse the monitor went haywire. I swore under my breath and gave the monitor a thump. The screen grudgingly cleared and I was able to log in to my account. There were numerous emails from Uncle Tom and my friends, all pleas to contact them and let them know what was happening. I read through each email, frowning at the flickering screen, feeling more and more guilty. Instead of curing my homesickness, the emails only managed to make me feel worse. Closing the last message, I stared blankly at the screen. Aric’s tortured expression appeared, unbidden in my mind. Leaning my elbows on the desk, I massaged my temples, hoping to erase the disturbing picture from my head. It was no good - I could still see the sad blue eyes, the pale face, his beautiful mouth set in an unhappy line. Could this... person, who was designed specifically for the task of false allurement, feel real love? Snapshots of Aric flicked through my mind - of him laughing as he slurped on his terrible milkshake at Josie’s, his stand-off with the Innaki in the clearing by the cabin, his drained face as he fought to keep awake to shield me, his laughter as he handed me my bouquet of ‘stingy’ roses. It felt so real to me. How could I just throw it all away when there was a chance his love really was genuine? I made up my mind - I’d return to the apartment. I wanted to hug him, forgive him, help him to forgive himself. With renewed energy and a sense

of hope, I logged off the computer, tossed my coffee cup in the trash and made for the door. A hand shot out from one of the patrons as I passed, grabbing my wrist. The man spun around to face me, and I gasped - it was one of the dark suited men who had chased us from Craigsville. I yanked my arm from his grip, and went to run, but his partner was standing at the exit. “Ah, Lucy, catching up on your emails?” I studied the guy at the door - he was standing stiffly blocking any escape. I wondered whether I could make a scene and get some help from the internet cafe patrons. “Heard from your uncle Tom? A rancher, isn’t he? I had an uncle who was a rancher. Met an awful accident. Ranching can be so dangerous.” He leaned towards me, and lowered his voice. “Shut up and cooperate, or your uncle might just meet with an... accident.” ***** The room was small and stark, brightly lit, intended to provide limited distraction. Its austere finish invoked a measure of joyless intimidation. Occasionally the large fluorescent light overhead would flicker slightly, emitting a barely audible buzz, providing the only variation to the dull monotony of sitting in the room for hours with the two suited guys. I’d nicknamed them Tweedledee and Tweedledum. They sat silently on the other side of the laminated table, their faces expressionless. They hadn’t said a word since they had bundled me into the black car outside the cafe, other than to inform me any sort of mental communication was useless as they would be blocking me. I’d felt the sting of a needle in my neck before I was even halfway in the car, and the last thing I remember was the sound of the car doors slamming. I’d woken up a few hours before, been taken to this room, and had sat in front of them, my mood alternating between terror, anger and despair. “So,” I quipped facetiously. “Who’s up for Scrabble?” Neither of them responded. It was like sitting with a pair of store dummies. In some ways they looked as manufactured as mannequins. At first glance they might have been mistaken for twins, but they were more like clones. They were nearly identical - the only difference I could see between them was that Tweedledum had slightly longer earlobes than Tweedledee - I only noticed because I’d had so long to study them. Their skin was smooth and pore-less - taking on the characteristic of plastic. They barely moved, but when they did, their movements were stiff and deliberate, as though they weren’t used to using their bodies. I slouched back in the chair and sighed. I presumed this was part of the interrogation process - to wear me out or maybe freak me out whichever came first. I leaned my head way back, squinting at the light, and dangled my arms over the back of my chair. “I bet you guys are a hoot at parties.” The door opened and I sat up straight. A man who looked to be in his late fifties, wearing a dark military uniform adorned with an impressive number of stars, strode to the desk. He was followed by a woman carrying a folder. I guessed she was in her forties, slim, well dressed, her fair hair pulled back severely into a bun at the nape of her neck. She walked with perfect but rather stiff posture. Tweedledee and Tweedledum stood immediately and left the room, and the newest arrivals took their seats. The woman slid the folder over to the man, and clasped her hands stiffly on the table. The man fished about in his pocket and produced a packet of cigarettes and a lighter, which he tossed on the table. He scanned the space in front of him, and sat back, sighing irritably. “Get me an ashtray will you Clare.” The woman stood up and left the room. He sat back and eyed me thoughtfully, as though he were taking my measure. I tried to read his thoughts. “Before this interview goes any further, I should inform you that any personnel with access to this facility have had extensive training in blocking and shielding. Your mind tricks are useless here.” I bit my lip nervously and shuffled back in my chair. I wondered how he knew I could do it, and then remembered - the Tweedles had realized I’d tried to contact Aric telepathically when they were leading me out of the internet cafe. If he could block and shield, then perhaps he could read too. I’d have to be careful about what thoughts they had access to. “What am I being charged with?” “Nothing.” He continued to look at me unblinkingly. “So why am I here? You can’t do this. I want a lawyer.” A slight, humorless smile curved his lips, and he tapped his cigarette packet methodically on the table. “I don’t think you realize the situation you’re in, Lucy.” I swallowed hard. “Then tell me.” The door opened and the woman reappeared, placing an ashtray to the side of the man. There was silence while he busied himself with lighting his cigarette. The woman pulled herself closer to the table, and arranged her hands again in front of her. “So,” said the man, inhaling deeply on his cigarette and blowing the smoke sideways. The woman’s eyes watered slightly, but she said nothing. He opened the folder, and began to read its contents. “Lucy Maree Doyle. Born June 9… Merrick District Hospital. Father, John Angus Doyle, deceased… Mother, Maree Elizabeth Doyle, nee Cordingley. No siblings... Residing with your uncle Thomas James Cordingley... Above average student, no criminal record...” He closed the folder and studied me thoughtfully. “You forgot my favorite color,” I said brazenly. The woman’s mouth twitched slightly. “Blue,” he said correctly. I swallowed hard. Tapping the cigarette on the ashtray, he took another drag. “Seventeen years old - very young to be in this much trouble.” The light overhead flickered, and I stared at a small scratch in the table. “What do you mean? Why am I in trouble?” He ignored my question. “Who is the man who drove you from Craigsville?” “I... er... I don’t know him. He was just someone I hitched a ride with.” “In your friend Jennifer Ryan’s car?” I closed my mouth. I’d have to think quicker than this. There was no way I was going to give away Aric’s identity. “Why do you want to know all this anyway?” “National security.” I sat back in my chair. “You think a seventeen year old girl from the country is a risk to national security?” He grunted and stabbed out his cigarette on the ashtray, immediately lighting another. The room was rapidly filling with cigarette smoke. “Let’s be frank with one another, shall we? It will save a lot of time. We know the Innaki are after you. We want to know why.” I wiped my mouth nervously. “I don’t know why.” The woman finally moved. She unclasped her hand and leaned towards me. “Lucy, I think we’ve gotten off to a bad start here. Let me introduce myself - my name is Clare, and my friend here is... Mr... Smith.”

Sure he is, I thought glumly. “We know you’re frightened of the Innaki. We want to help you, but to do that, we need to know what it is they want you for.” They were doing the good cop/bad cop routine. I shrugged my shoulders. “I really don’t know.” ‘Smith’ snorted impatiently, but said nothing. “How long have they been taking you?” Clare continued. “Since I was seven.” “Your mother was committed because she had used a knife to try and remove an implant - is that correct?” I looked down at the table uncomfortably, and nodded. “Then I presume she has been taken too? These things usually run in families.” I remained silent. “Do you remember what they do to you when they take you?” I took a deep breath, and immediately coughed on the smoke in the air. “Yes.” “Go on...” “They do... procedures on me. I don’t know what they’re for.” I was telling the truth. She sat back and looked at Smith. “We will get some tests done on her,” he said. I sat up to protest, but Clare waved her hand. “Don’t worry - they won’t hurt - just standard medical tests... a blood test, an MRI... that kind of thing.” Whether they were standard medical tests or not, I was heartily sick of being a medical specimen. “How long are you going to keep me here?” Smith eyed me coolly. “Until you cooperate and tell us what it is about you that’s so special.” I shook my head and tears sprang to my eyes, but I refused to let them spill. “I’m nothing special.” “How much do you know about the Innaki?” “I know they’re evil, and shouldn’t be taking innocent people without their consent.” He nodded slowly. His cigarette ash threatened to drop from the butt. “Oh, they’re that all right. For thousands of years they’ve been taking people. Some are returned, some never come back.” He paused, awaiting my reaction, but I said nothing. “Have you heard of ‘wyk’?” I looked at him, startled. So they knew of that. His eyes narrowed. “Evidently you have.” “They are rather busy little creatures. Totally dishonest, manipulative, lacking in compassion. They’re collecting this... wyk, this energy. Stockpiling it. We have our suspicions as to what they’re planning to do with it. They have a sideline in selling human blood, which they exchange for wyk.” My head jerked up and I looked at him, horrified. “Most of the missing people you hear about - they spend the rest of their miserable lives tied up and connected to machines which harvest their blood for these... transactions.” My heart was hammering in my chest, and I felt like I was going to be sick. Had Aric known about this when he’d helped the Innaki? Surely not... “So, when a large number of our citizens are abducted against their will, and are forced to become... living blood banks, we consider it a matter of National Security. Perhaps now you understand why we need to find out why they have such an interest in you.” “They aren’t interested in me any more than the next person.” “I disagree. They spent an exceptionally long time looking for you. Usually their visits are necessarily fleeting. They have been back to your uncle’s farm a number of times, presumably to look for you.” I rubbed my temple with my trembling hand. Was my family safe? “Their behavior in regards to you is contrary to all that’s gone on before. So what is so special about you?” For a moment I wondered whether I should tell them about my extra reserves of wyk, but intuition stopped me. “I told you, I don’t know.” I repeated. “You weren’t confused when I talked about blocking and mind tricks.” I said nothing. “Who was that man you were with?” he barked suddenly, and I jumped in my chair. “No one!” He let out an exasperated sigh and turned to Clare. “Arrange for the tests. We’ll see what they tell us. Eventually, she’ll have to talk - I’m sure she doesn’t want to be kept here forever.” He stubbed out his cigarette, and stalked out of the room. ***** With the advances in technology these days, you would think they’d design a better hospital gown than this, I thought. I pulled the strings together at the back, and tied a clumsy bow. Twisting around to peer at my reflection in the mirror, I frowned and pulled the gown across my exposed backside. These things were ridiculous. I exited the changing cubicle grumpily, holding the fabric together at my back. Clare was across the room talking to a man wearing a white coat. A stethoscope was draped around his neck. They turned to me, and Clare gestured for me to come closer. “Lucy, this is Dr Chenski. He’ll be doing your tests.” He smiled and offered his hand. I ignored it and continued to hold the fabric, and my modesty, together. My rudeness didn’t seem to bother him. “Well, Lucy, it’s very nice to meet you.” I looked blankly at him. Did he really think I’d be as happy to meet him and return the sentiment? There was an uncomfortable silence - the doctor’s gaze moving nervously from me to Clare. She clasped her folder to her chest and straightened her shoulders. “Well, Lucy, I hope you’ll be cooperative.” She turned to Dr Chenski and gestured to a surveillance camera hanging from the ceiling. “We’ll be nearby if you need us.” The information was meant as much for me as it was for him. The heels of her shoes clicked sharply as she exited the room. The doctor looked at me silently for a moment, then smiled kindly. “Well, I suppose we should get things started, but first, I think you might need

another one of these.” He went to a cupboard and withdrew a bundle of fabric. Shaking it out, he revealed another hospital gown. “Put it on over the one you’re wearing, only tie it at the front. I call these things ‘dignity strippers’” he said with a slight smile. Tears sprung to my eyes at the first sign of genuine kindness I’d come across since I’d left Saul’s apartment. “Thank you,” I said gratefully. He started with a general medical check-up - studying my breathing, my heartbeat, my reflexes. “You’re as healthy as a horse,” he said, throwing his stethoscope back around his shoulders. “A picture of health.” He paused, and studied my face for a moment. “I bet you don’t feel too good right now, do you?” I shook my head miserably. He patted my hand. “It will all be okay...” he said, his voice lacking conviction. He helped me down from the gurney I was sitting on, and pointed to an armchair at the side of the room. “Sit down over there, and we’ll draw some blood.” I stretched my arm out and rested it on the arm of the armchair. Dr Chenski sat down on an office stool, and shuffled along so he was sitting to the side of me. His face was level with mine. He busied himself with the preparations for taking the blood. “Well,” he said, lowering his voice. “You’re seventeen. Your last year of high school?” I didn’t feel like making small talk, but I nodded anyway. “A big year then. I have a daughter your age. I don’t think she realizes this is the ‘make or break’ year.” I said nothing. I wouldn’t even be getting to finish my school year. “So,” he went on, strapping a tourniquet around my arm. “Missing a bit of school, this time of year... you’re going to have to catch up.” His voice petered out as he ran out of things to say. I continued to stare stonily at a white board across the room. He tapped a vein, pressing around until he found what he was looking for. Swabbing the area with antiseptic, he tried to speak again. “My daughter would probably love to be in your shoes... any excuse to get out of school.” My eyes watered, and I looked away. He stopped. “I’m sorry, that was rather insensitive of me.” I turned back to him, blinking away the tears. “It’s okay.” He shuffled his chair around so he was directly in front of me, blocking the line of sight to the security camera. “Read my mind,” he whispered, his tone barely audible. I concentrated hard. Listen, Lucy, I jumped when I realized I could hear his thoughts. I know what they’re doing here to you, and I know you’re frightened. The fluorescent light glinted off the silvered hair at his temples. They’ve asked me to look after your medical care, so if you ever want to talk to

someone who actually... has a heart, you can talk to me okay? I eyed him suspiciously - was this another part of the interrogation process - introducing a trusted mole? He continued with the procedure. “You’ll just feel a small sting. Look away if you want.” I looked back across the room to the white board. I didn’t know whether I could trust him, but he seemed a flicker of hope in a hopeless situation. I would bide my time. Maybe I could get some information out of him. After a few glitches were sorted out, the MRI scan went relatively uneventfully. I thought my abundant supply of wyk might show up on the images and cause a stir, but the doctor studied them, declaring them ‘perfectly normal’. Apparently wyk was impossible to photograph or x-ray. Finishing the final test, I changed back into my clothes. The doctor was on the phone when I emerged from the changing cubicle. He turned to me and held up his hand. Finishing the phone call, he made a great play of stacking some papers.

Remember, if you ever want to talk, I’m here. Complain about a headache or something, and they’ll bring you here. He fell silent as Clare entered the room. “All done,” he said. “Come on,” she said to me. “Mr Smith wants to talk to you again.” I followed her out of the medical room. She led me down a corridor, eventually stopping in front of an elevator. I watched the numbers change on the elevator’s control panel as the elevator ascended to our level. Evidently, there were at least another ten floors below us, and two above. We entered the elevator, Clare selected the second bottom floor, and we stood together in uncomfortable silence waiting for the elevator to open. It opened to a small anteroom, with a door on the far side flanked by two uniformed, armed soldiers. She stopped and peered into a contraption on the wall which emitted a beam similar to those in a grocery scanner. The red beam roamed over her eye, there was a small beep, and a green light appeared on the security box. The door slid open revealing a long corridor punctuated by more doors on either side. I was led to the last one on the left. Two soldiers holding weapons guarded the entrance to the room. I wondered why they needed so many armed guards at this level. I sensed an escalation in the seriousness of my predicament. The soldiers moved aside, and Clare ushered me through the door. Inside, it was just as starkly furnished as the original room, but this time a large, opaque window covered most of the wall to the left, a second heavy metal door to its right. A security camera jutted from a corner of the ceiling. The table was positioned against the wall under the window. It occurred to me I hadn’t seen any windows since I’d arrived here, other than the occasional internal window which provided glimpses into the offices and rooms of the maze like complex. I figured if I’d gone down eight floors, and I’d never seen a glimpse of the outside through any windows, then perhaps this facility was underground. I felt as if I were in the middle of a huge termite’s nest. I was glad I didn’t get claustrophobic. Clare instructed me to sit down at the table and wait. She left the room and I sat alone, uncomfortably aware of the intruding lens of the security camera above me. It was the first time I’d been left by myself, and I had a chance to collect my thoughts. My nerves were stretched thin; I’d never felt as vulnerable and alone as I did now. No one knew where I was. I wondered if Aric was even looking for me. Perhaps he’d thought I’d been so angry with him I’d taken off for good. I closed my eyes and a mental image of his tormented face filled my mind. I had really ripped into him. My words were harsh, but his own self-recrimination was what was really destroying him. I shivered at the thought of helpless humans eternally chained and farmed for their blood. I couldn’t believe the Aric I knew - thought I knew, would assist in anything so... barbaric. He’d been nothing but gentle, patient and kind to me. How much had he known when he’d been ‘performing his duties’? Was he looking for me? Would there be any way he could find out where I was? My location was a mystery to me - as was the date. I could have been unconscious for days, or perhaps it was only this morning that the Tweedle brothers accosted me at the internet cafe. A big lump of dread welled in my stomach. I’d spent my life worrying about belonging and now I was well and truly on my own. With angry words I had run off the person who had taken me under his wing and had returned the affection I had finally learned to share. I wouldn’t blame him if he’d given up on me, and had decided to move on and forget me. The reflection of my miserable face gazed back at me from the milky glass of the window. I wondered if it was a one-way window - were Smith and Clare on the other side of it, studying me now? The glass was embedded with a tiny grid of wires. Strange - bullet proof glass wasn’t enough? I thought of the armed soldiers in the corridor. Just what did they think I was capable of doing! I was seventeen, five feet seven, a light weight really. The whole situation was ridiculous. I could do nothing for them - so why were they so interested in me? Eyeing the security camera in the corner, I resisted giving it the finger, and slumped back against the chair. I was suddenly exhausted - emotionally and physically. This nightmare seemed unending.

I sat by myself for what seemed like hours. I had no idea what the time was - the lack of sunlight played havoc with my body clock. Finally, the door opened and Smith and Clare entered the room. Clare was carrying the folder again. I figured Smith considered himself too important to do that simple task. Smith sat down at the end of the table to my left, and Clare followed suit opposite him, sliding the folder towards him. Without saying a word, she produced a clean ashtray from her pocket, and slid it across the table. Smith inspected the folder’s contents while extracting a cigarette from his packet. He lit the cigarette automatically, and took a big drag, deliberately taking his time, prolonging my wait. I squirmed in my seat and looked at him warily. I’d seen plenty of television shows and movies about aliens, and I noted Smith was the stereotypical mysterious guy in charge of the secret alien project who always smoked like a chimney. Perhaps it was a stressful job... Finishing with the report, he looked up at me and studied me for a moment. “You’ve been here three days. I’m betting you’d like to go home. Are you ready to cooperate yet?” I threw up my hands in exasperation. “I have nothing to tell you!” We were going around in circles. “You can read minds. We know about the hybrids, and yet your DNA is entirely human. How can this be?” I shrugged, saying nothing. If he didn’t know anyone could learn to do it, I wasn’t about to tell him. “Who was that man you were with? Where have you been staying since you left Craigsville?” I pressed my lips together. “I don’t know why you’re protecting them. The hybrids are just as manipulative and deceitful as the Innaki.” So they knew about the hybrids. My blood chilled, but I refused to respond. “Perhaps you need to decide whose side you’re really on.” He nodded to Clare, and she flicked a switch on the wall beside her. The milky white finish on the glass disappeared and the window became transparent. I peered through the glass, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to the gridded image before me. My heart leaped into my mouth and I jumped off the chair, sending it crashing across the floor. I backed up until I hit the wall and I could go no further, the nightmare as real as ever peering back at me through the window with big black eyes. I was staring at the face of an Innaki. “Sit down Lucy,” Smith ordered. “It can’t hurt you.” I looked at him with wild eyes. “You don’t understand - it can contact the others! They’ll come and...” “It’s contained in a specially sealed room which prevents it from being able to communicate with them.” “If it weren’t for the system we have in place,” added Clare, “it would be able to walk right through the wall and escape.” I relaxed slightly, and moved cautiously towards the table. The creature was looking through the glass, studying me with its huge, shiny black eyes. I stared back. Knowing it was safely behind a shield, I was able to take some time to look at it properly. It resembled a tiny, deformed, hairless human. Its skin looked thin and fragile. A pale gray color with a slight tinge of pink, its smooth flesh stretched taut over a bulging forehead and pointed chin. The nose was almost indiscernible other than two small holes I took for nostrils. Its tiny mouth was barely a slit. Something moved behind it, and I jumped, startled. “There’s someone in there with it!” I exclaimed. I looked closer. It was a man dressed in a white safety suit. He was sitting on a chair, a notebook computer perched on his lap. “He’s trying to talk with it,” said Clare. Smith inhaled another dose of smoke, and tapped his cigarette on the ashtray. Both of them were observing the creature, their faces unreadable. “A very brave man,” said Smith. “That thing has cooked the brains of four soldiers already.” My eyes opened wide and I shuddered. “Where... how... did you come to have it here?” “We downed one of their vehicles. It was the only survivor.” By vehicles I presumed he meant their spacecraft. I wondered what kind of weapons would be needed to shoot down one of those incredibly fast machines. Smith leaned over and righted my overturned chair. “Sit down Lucy,” he ordered. Gesturing to the creature, he leaned back and blew a cloud of smoke above his head. “You’re looking at an incredibly evolved creature. Physically, they’re weak, but that big melon head contains amazing abilities to perform feats our scientists say should be impossible.” I remembered the way they’d made me float in the air across my bedroom, and shivered. “They have no moral compass whatsoever, no emotions - totally driven by the instinct for their species to succeed and thrive. Deceitful little devils - you can’t believe a word they tell you.” I continued to watch the creature through the glass. It had lost interest in me and was pacing back and forth in front of the man with the laptop. “We want you to go in there and try and get inside its mind.” I looked at him sharply, alarm spreading throughout my body. “What?! No!” What had he said - the thing had ‘fried four brains’ already? The idea of entering that room was insane. “I’m not going in there!” I said desperately. “For god’s sake, this is not my... my...” I couldn’t think of the right word. “Problem,” I finished lamely. Smith looked at me coldly through a haze of smoke. “You’re part of the human race aren’t you? I would think this is every person on earth’s ‘problem’.” I glanced frantically from Smith to Clare, but there was no sympathy from either of them. “I’m not doing it,” I said, defiantly. “Then if you can’t do it for humanity, perhaps you’ll do it for your uncle. Apparently, you’re very fond of him.” My head snapped up, and I looked at him in alarm. “What do you mean - what...” “If you don’t cooperate, your uncle dies. It’s your choice.” Smith shrugged lightly, and stubbed out his cigarette. My eyes filled with tears and I swallowed the big lump which rose to my throat. There was no choice. I nodded slowly. “All right,” I said, “I’ll do it.” ***** Chapter Nine Smith moved to the door by the window, and keyed some numbers into a keypad on the wall. There was a loud click, and the door handle moved. He pushed the door open, revealing a small space with another door at the opposite end. “This is a kind of ante-room. You wait in here until the other door opens. This allows us to keep the room properly sealed at all times so the Innaki can’t get out.”

Gesturing to the door, he pointed at the keypad. “You don’t need to use that - once I’ve shut this door, the other one will open automatically for you. I want you to try and talk to the E.T., and relay anything it says to Johnson in there. However, it will probably be all lies, so you need to be getting into its head at the same time and listening to what it’s really thinking.” He made to exit the original door, but I stopped him. “But, don’t I need one of those... suits? Like... Johnson, in there?” He shook his head. “You’ve been exposed to them before. If they were going to have any adverse affect on you, it would have happened by now.” He turned and left, the door closing with an ominous thud. I stood in the small space, trembling, my heart beating frantically. The door into the Innaki’s room clicked, and I took a frightened step backwards. Johnson’s muffled voice drifted through from the room. I thought of Uncle Tom, and steeled myself. I would get this over and done with, and hopefully they would be satisfied and leave us alone. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I knew this was a naive notion, but it was better to think silly thoughts than succumb to the despair that threatened to overwhelm me. The Innaki could read thoughts - I had to be careful to screen off everything about Aric and the other hybrids. I didn’t want it to know any of that. I imagined my mind as a big circle, and divided it up like a pizza with white lines. Everything I wanted to keep to myself I shifted to one side, and left a small blank section free for me to use. God bless Marcus and Phil, I thought gratefully, for teaching me to do this properly. Pushing the door open slowly, I stuck my head through and looked cautiously around. The Innaki was in the opposite corner, Johnson, sitting in the chair to the left. He looked at me in surprise. “Who the hell are you?” he asked. The Innaki continued to watch me from its corner. I moved into the room and walked towards Johnson, skirting the walls so I could keep as far away from the creature as possible. “Didn’t they tell you?” I asked. “Once we’re in here, the room is sealed. They can only see what’s happening through the window, or through those.” He indicated a camera protruding from the ceiling - there were three of them in all. ‘They can’t hear us, or talk to us. Why are you in here?” he asked. I moved closer and stood behind his chair, so that he was between me and the being. “They want me to talk to it.” Johnson looked confused and slightly irritated. “What the hell?! How old are you? They think a kid can do a better job at it than I can?” He paused for a moment, and eyed me thoughtfully. “There must be something special about you if they’ve sent you in here.” He sat back, and took a look at the laptop screen. “Well, by all means, go ahead. I’m recording everything on this, although I think the battery might be on its way out...” he said, giving the flickering screen a thump which had no effect on the computer. He shrugged and gestured towards the Innaki. “It’ll talk to you in your head. Tell me what it says.” It seemed to understand what we were saying. Its voice rang out in my mind - but it wasn’t a voice... it was its... thoughts, fully assembled so they just appeared in my head, like conversing in pictures without words.

Lucy Doyle, it said, you are very frightened. It knew my name - but then, I hadn’t shielded that. I kept the circle in my mind strong and intact. “What is your name?” I asked out loud. I do not have a name you can pronounce, but the humans call me MH. MH’? I wondered what that stands for. I believe it stands for Melon Head. It is an attempt at what humans refer to as ‘humor’. I forgot the Innaki could read my thoughts too. I’d have to be more careful - I needed to be in control of this conversation. “Well, what’s it saying?” asked Johnson impatiently. I threw him a surprised look. I’d already forgotten he was there. “It says he knows they call him Melon Head.” Johnson chuckled to himself. “Well,” he said, gesturing towards the creature, “keep going.” “How long have you been here?” I asked. I am told, four of your Earth years. It stared back at me with bulging eyes. A bump on its forehead pulsed as it ‘spoke’. It was disconcerting, and my eyes were drawn to it when it talked as though this was its real ‘mouth’. I continued with my interrogation. “Why are you here?”

The humans destroyed my craft and captured me. “No, I mean, why are the Innaki here, visiting Earth?” Its eyes narrowed, and I sensed it was reluctant to answer. We are improving the human gene code. “Why?”

The human creature is sub-standard, stupid and prone to disease. We are working to advance its makeup. How philanthropic of them, I thought wryly. “They’re deceitful little devils,” Smith had said. Was it telling the truth? I didn’t know what they had done in the numerous procedures they’d apparently performed on me. I didn’t get sick very often, but that, according to my Uncle Tom, ran in the family. In the top range of my class most of my school career, I didn’t think I was particularly stupid either - was that down to the intervention of the Innaki? I needed to get deeper into its mind. I’m sure it was blocking me from its real thoughts, just as I was locking it out of mine. “Are you a male or a female?” I got the distinct impression it was male, but I wanted to be sure.

There is no distinction in our species. “You mean you’re both? Male and female?” It blinked and said nothing. Perhaps it thought I wouldn’t understand. “Are you going to tell me what he’s saying?” asked Johnson again. His voice startled me. The creature was holding all my attention and I kept forgetting he was in the room. “He says he is neither male nor female. They are working on the human genetic code because they think we’re stupid and disease ridden.” Johnson made a scoffing sound and turned back to his computer screen. “Nothing he hasn’t said before,” he said, “keep going.” I inhaled, straightening my shoulders, and turned to the Innaki again. Perhaps it was time to be frank. “Do you abduct humans and trade their blood for wyk?” I strained to read its innermost thoughts. Its head jerked up; I’d caught it off guard. Its eyes narrowed, its gaze piercing.

Foolish human. You think you can get into my head? You are weak, and the ones who sent you will learn nothing here today. I felt a small surge of triumph - for an emotionless creature, it sure seemed kind of ticked off. I hoped I’d pushed its buttons. Perhaps I could taunt the truth out of it. “You do do it, don’t you?!” I went on. “You are lying about helping the human race!” It took a step forward, its eyes narrowing, and I stopped myself from moving away. “Why?!” I continued, “How can you treat people...”

Humans are an arrogant species. They are vessels for wyk. That is their only use. “That’s not true! We have feelings, emotions - we feel pain, love, joy, sadness... you can’t do this!” Its eyes narrowed again, and the bump on its head pulsed faster.

What you speak of is meaningless to me. I remembered Smith saying they didn’t feel anything. I couldn’t fathom that notion at all. It had definitely been angry - why couldn’t it feel empathy as well? You can’t do this - we will stop you, I said in its head. For a long moment it stood still and watched me, its eyes expressionless, and I couldn’t reach its thoughts. Then it turned to Johnson.

We created you, and we can destroy you. Johnson began to scream, holding his hands to his head. The Innaki continued to watch him dispassionately. The laptop crashed to the ground and Johnson fell, curled up in fetal position, cradling his head. He was screaming in agony. “Stop it!” I yelled, crouching beside Johnson. My insides were trembling like jelly and I felt like I was going to vomit. “Stop! Leave him alone!” The creature ignored me, its gaze on the man writhing on the floor. Gradually, Johnson’s movements slowed, his screaming died away. He lay, still on the floor, blood oozing from his nostrils and ears on to the pristine white floor. I took his wrist and felt for a pulse, but I couldn’t find one. “You’ve killed him!” We created you, and we can destroy you, it repeated. Narrowing its eyes again, it looked straight at me; my brain was instantly inundated with the most excruciating, buzzing energy. I’d never felt such pain. Grabbing my temples, I staggered backward. I could barely think, but my survival instinct kicked in. Straightening up, I produced a large ball of glowing wyk and threw it as hard as I could at the creature. It hit it full on the head, and it swayed backward, then stood watching me through narrowed eyes. I shot a desperate look at the window. Wasn’t Smith going to send someone in to rescue me? Making for the door, I yanked on the handle but was instantly enveloped in the excruciating pain again. I turned to see the Innaki focusing its tortuous thoughts on me. Desperately, I heaved on the handle and thumped on the unyielding door, but my head was feeling as though it would cave in, and I was ready to sink to the floor. This was not fair! I didn’t want to die like this. Through a haze of agony, I focused on the Innaki, pumping all of my fear, anger, loneliness into one giant surge of wyk. I let it go sailing through the air, and it hit the creature squarely, sending it flying with a sickening crunch against the wall. It fell to the floor, and didn’t move. The pain in my skull disappeared instantly. I ran to Johnson and tried to find a pulse again. The door to the room was thrown open - Smith and a number of men in white safety suits rushed in. Two raced to the Innaki, declaring him still alive - barely. The other two headed to Johnson. They examined him, and pronounced him dead. I looked up disbelievingly into Smith’s face. He was standing over the body, his attention solely on me. “You are even more interesting than I thought, Lucy Doyle,” he said thoughtfully. He turned to a white suited man. “Get her out of here. Put her in SB5.” He strode out of the room, ignoring the small crumpled body of the Innaki in the corner. I shuddered, stood up on wobbly legs, and allowed the man to escort me out. ***** “They tell me you haven’t been eating, Lucy, you’ve lost a lot of weight.” Dr Chenski shone a small flashlight into my eyes, and frowned as he studied them. “I’m not really hungry.” Switching off the flashlight with a click, he took my wrist and began to check my pulse. “You’ve got to eat something. You’re wilting away.” I swallowed and stared across at the meshed window of my ‘cell’. They’d put me in a shielded room, similar to the Innaki’s; the only difference was that mine had a bed which was bolted to the floor, and a toilet and a curtain-less shower, which, being in full sight of the two way window, afforded no privacy whatsoever. I had resorted to holding my bed sheet up in front of me if I’d needed to go to the bathroom. It seemed Smith, after seeing me throw the Innaki across the room, had upgraded my security status. He never appeared in the room without two armed soldiers, and usually stood near the door for an easy exit if I were to turn against him. I wondered at his reasoning - if I were able to escape through walls as the Innaki did, I would have tried to do it the first day I’d arrived. The soldiers were unnecessary too. I felt too drained, exhausted, to muster up any kind of energy to attack anyone. Dr Chenski was right - after nearly two weeks held captive in this facility, I was wilting away - physically and mentally. He turned and addressed Clare. “I think she’s suffering from depression. I need to have a private word with her.” “I’m sorry, Doctor, but she’s too dangerous to be left with you alone.” “For God’s sake! She’s not eating - she’s skin and bones. Look at her, by the looks of things her mental state is deteriorating rapidly. Do you want her in a useful state or don’t you?” He glared at Clare, then turned back to me. “All right, but we’ll be watching through there. If she tries anything... starts getting violent, then it’s your own neck that’s on the line.” She gestured for the soldiers to follow her, and she left the room. “Phew, thank God they’re gone,” he said, patting my hand. I continued to stare at the window. “How are they treating you?” A tear ran down my face. “They keep telling me to show them how I did it - how I pushed the Innaki against the wall. I try, but I can barely move a pencil along a table any more.” I looked at him for the first time since he’d entered the room. “I’m... exhausted. I think they’re going to keep me here forever.” He took my hand in his, and patted it encouragingly. “Listen, Lucy, you are your only real ally here - I can’t do much for you. It is you who needs to be the strong one. Eat properly, don’t lose hope. You need to keep your strength up - if you don’t, you won’t last long in here, and they’ll have won.” I wiped the tear from my face, and sniffed. He leaned closer, making a play of checking the lymph nodes in my neck. “Can they hear us in here?” he whispered. “Any bugs?” I shook my head. “No, the system they use, it seals the room up tight - no communication signals, in or out.” “What about the cameras up there - can they record what we say?” he asked. I shook my head. “The security cameras just record video, no sound, like the ones you get in shopping malls. They don't work right around me anyway.” I was grateful for that small mercy. “I’m going to prescribe you some medication for your depression. It’ll help you cope better with the situation you’re in.” “Tell me about your daughter,” I asked suddenly. I didn’t want to feel like a specimen any more. I didn’t want to think about aliens, or blood farming, or using wyk to move objects about. I just wanted to hear about everyday ‘normal’ things. He looked at me in surprise for a moment, then straightened his back.

“All right. Well, her name is Taylor, she’s seventeen like you, although I see you’re having a birthday soon - tomorrow in fact - happy birthday.” I glanced at him. I’d be eighteen years old - some birthday. He threw me an uncomfortable half-smile and continued with his story. “She’s an only child. Probably spoiled rotten. We get on pretty well, although we’ve been butting heads lately over this boy she likes. I’m not sure he’s the right one for her.” I smiled weakly. “Fathers always think that though.” He paused for a moment, considering my observation. “Yes, yes, I do believe you’re right. Well, in any case, he had her out way past her curfew last night, and we had a huge screaming match before I came to work.” I envied him being able to get out of this place and go back to his home, whenever he liked. “Where did they go?” “Bowling - apparently. But bowling doesn’t finish at three in the morning.” My smile was genuine now. “No, I don’t think it does.” I sat up straighter, and rubbed the denim on my jeans. Clare had given me some extra sets of clothes, but I’d stuck resolutely to the ones I’d been wearing when I arrived here - Aric had bought them for me, and it was a precarious link to him I didn’t want to give up. They were beginning to smell, but I didn’t care. “My last date was the best day of my life,” I said dreamily, my mind escaping the white cell to sit at the table by the river again. “An Italian restaurant by the river, fairy lights in the trees. “I blushed. “It was really romantic.” I told him about the paddle wheeler plowing the river, the ‘stingy roses’ episode, and my aversion to shopping that day. He was laughing quietly. “Well, you’re certainly an exception to the usual teenage girl - most girls love to shop. And aren’t women supposed to like getting flowers?” “Yeah, well, it’s usually the men who are nagged to buy flowers aren’t they? The women complaining about their stingy men? Aric’s sister-in-law runs a florist store - maybe she could start a new line called ‘stingy roses’, for cheap men who don’t like to buy flowers.” He chuckled. The conversation was getting silly, but I think he was glad I was talking at least. His expression grew stern, and he leaned closer again. “Lucy, listen. You need to be careful what you say. If you want your boyfriend kept safe. All that information you just told me, it could be used to locate him.” I looked at him in alarm. “Don’t worry, it’s safe with me, but, please, think first before you open your mouth okay? You know you’re surrounded by enemies here. They’re ruthless - they need to be considering what they’re up against. Be careful.” He moved to collect his things together. “I’m sorry, that was probably a bit of a downer and I was trying to cheer you up. I’ll send you some antidepressants. They should help.” Throwing the stethoscope around his neck again, he stood up to leave. “Keep your chin up. Don’t lose hope - and eat something!” He left the room, and I stared bleakly at the window again. Could he be trusted - would he relay the information about Aric to Smith? A lump formed in my throat; I forced it back. Lying down on my bed, I curled my legs up towards my belly, feeling more alone and vulnerable than ever. ***** The two pound iron weight rose half an inch into the air, then dropped to the table with a small bump. Smith blew a cloud of smoke above his head, and sighed. “This is getting old Lucy. I’m running out of time, and I’m running out of patience.” He stabbed his cigarette butt out forcefully. I winced as he ripped away the sticky circles which held some electrical wires to my forehead. He’d been trying to get me to perform these tricks, hooked up to all sorts of machines, for two days now. It was all I could do to make anything move at all, let alone perform the type of impressive feat he was after. “Come on,” he said. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a standing position. “I’m going to show you just what’s at stake here.” I was surprised when he hauled me through the door and out into the corridor. It was the first time I’d left the room for two weeks. Evidently, after my poor performance, he’d lost his fear of me. We went up a floor, and he bustled me down a corridor to another door guarded by two more armed soldiers. I baulked at the sight of them. “Oh, no I don’t want to see another Innaki - please!” I pulled back as he urged me into the room. “It isn’t an Innaki.” Relaxing slightly, I wondered why they needed armed guards here - was it another captured human? A hybrid? Still grasping my arm, Smith pulled me to stand in front of the meshed window. He hit the switch forcefully with his free hand, and the opaque window became transparent. For a moment, I saw nothing, and then something hit the glass with such force I felt the wall vibrate. I jumped back and squealed, shocked at the hideous creature bashing itself violently against the window in an attempt to reach me. It looked like a cross between a human and a gargoyle. About the size of a large man, it stood upright on muscular legs, pounding its leathery body against the wall and gnashing sharp, fang-like teeth at the glass. Its head was triangular shaped, with ribbed horns protruding from the top of its skull. The eyes were yellow and slit shaped like a cat’s. It looked like the devil himself. Smith stood calmly by the window watching the creature, yet another cigarette held casually in his hand. “What is it?” I asked. “This charming beast is called a ‘gargoyte’. It’s after our blood.” I shuddered, and continued to watch it in macabre fascination. “These are the things the Innaki trade with,” Smith continued. “Consider gargoytes the same as human heroin junkies - human blood is their drug of choice, they can’t get enough.” The creature continued snapping at the window, smearing blood tinged saliva all over the glass. Smith took a seat, and pointed to an empty chair, indicating I should sit. Pulling the chair out slowly, I sank down without taking my eyes off the thing at the window. “Gargoytes trade their wyk for human blood. They’ll do anything for a hit.” I couldn’t look away from it. It was the stuff of horror movies. “How... where did you get it? How many are there?” “Oh, there’s plenty more of them, but this one, it decided to slip through the quarantine, and we caught it in Branshaw. You’ll remember the news stories about the Branshaw ripper?” I looked at him blankly. “No, I suppose you don’t - you would have been too young back then.” “What do you mean - it slipped through the quarantine?” He paused and studied me, his cigarette held in mid-air. “You don’t know about the quarantine?” he said, shaking his head. “Those hybrid friends of yours didn’t tell you much.”

I turned my chair to face him. “What do you mean - what is the quarantine?” Dragging deeply on his cigarette, he let out a long trail of smoke. It drifted up to join the rest of the haze at the ceiling. “There are many things in this world, Lucy, that are not what they seem. Humans go about their business with their heads in the sand. They have no idea what’s really going on.” I leaned toward him, not sure whether I wanted to hear this, fear and fascination doing battle in my head. Ignorance is bliss, but I couldn’t help but ask. “What is really going on?” He flicked some ash on the table - there was no ashtray. “The earth is a giant... experiment. A big gold fish bowl run by a universal council.” Pausing to gauge my reaction, he looked over at the snapping fangs of the gargoyte at the glass. “The Earth’s been quarantined for millions of years. The idea is to let everything here evolve naturally. The rule is - no interference. Period. We’re meant to live in ignorance. We’re not supposed to be visited, but various species invariably try their luck and try to slip through.” I sat up straight, my thoughts reeling. “You mean... there’s all sorts of extra-terrestrials out there sneaking in... to do what? Are you talking about the Innaki?” “Among others. They’re not just from ‘outer space’ as you would think of it. There’s more to this universe than meets the eye. Many of the creatures are what we term ‘inter-dimensional’. Space and time isn’t as linear as it seems, in fact, time is a human construct, and space? I can’t get my head around it - but this plane we live on is not the only one. Most of the mythical creatures humanity has supposedly ‘invented’ through ignorance of the unknown, actually stem from the real thing - creatures who have managed to get through from these other planes.” He pointed to the gargoyte. It was eyeing him hungrily from the corner of the window, saliva hanging in great frothy stalactites from its jaws. “Take our friend here. What’s the bet some peasant has come across one of these things, sucking away at a victim, and, voila! The legend of the vampire is born.” I shivered. What other mythical creatures were based on real otherworldly beings? “So, why can’t you just tell this... council thing, that the Innaki are trespassing on Earth?” Smith tapped his cigarette and added the ash to the growing pile on the table. “The council is very strict about how a planet evolves - any hint of tampering with evolution, and they wipe the species out and start again. It happened to the dinosaurs, a worse example was what happened on Mars.” I sat back in my chair - it was almost impossible to take all this in at once. The dinosaurs were wiped out by an... intergalactic council? “Dinosaurs were wiped out by a meteor.” I stated, trying to hold on to some vestige of normality. He shrugged. “Believe that if you want to.” “Okay, so you were talking about Mars? What happened on Mars?” “There was a thriving community, a human-like race, living on Mars. Scientists will deny this, but all those supposed relics of civilization on Mars they’re photographing now? You heard of the ‘Face of Cydonia’?” I looked at him blankly. “A huge face,” he explained, “much like the Sphinx face from Egypt, has been photographed on Mars. The lines that look like roads? They’re real, the only evidence left after the Council blasted the place.” “The Innaki said that they created us, and they could destroy us - what did it mean by that?” Smith peered at me through the haze of smoke. “Human evolution... you’ve heard of the missing link? The fossil evidence exists pointing to the evolution of a primate species to a pre-human form. No doubt you’ve heard of ‘Lucy’ - a rather apt name, I think, given to the fossil remains of an early human-like creature which lived over three million years ago. Scientists are still searching for the ancestors which link the modern human homo-erectus, to our primate past. They won’t find the link, because at some time, the Innaki interfered with the pre-humans, fooled around with their DNA, and created us.” “Why would they do that?” “We’ve been told various reasons. The Melon Head changes what it says all the time. One minute, it says they needed slaves which could think and communicate, the next minute, it’s telling us they do it for the ‘benefit of humanity’. Like I said - you can’t trust them, but whatever else you believe, I think it’s telling the truth about manipulating the DNA to create the modern human.” He paused to take another drag on his cigarette. “‘Created in his own image’,” Smith quoted the Bible. “It seems the Innaki feel that they’re quite within their rights to destroy their own creation.” “You don’t think the Bible was talking about... the Innaki?” “Think about it - spacemen with incredible abilities, coming down to Earth in flying machines - they would have seemed like gods to ancient people. It’s a controversial notion to say the least.” “So, there’s not really, a God that created everything?” He shrugged. “If there’s one thing I do know after thirty years in this business, anything is possible.” He sat up straight. “Anyway, I’m not here to get into religion, or philosophy. It doesn’t matter to me. What matters is that at any given time, humanity is on the brink of extinction.” I leaned on the table and cradled my head in my hands. It was unbelievable, and yet, the snarling, drooling creature in the window confirmed there were things in this world and beyond which defied belief. My notion of reality had totally shifted, and I felt as dizzy as if my center of balance had shifted too. “So, as you can see,” Smith went on, “the difficulties we’re up against. The human species is so low on the evolution scale compared to other species, we barely measure a blip. Their technology is incredible. With the quarantine regularly breached, we stand on the edge of annihilation. To stand any chance, we need to catch up fast. And that’s where you come in.” My eyebrows shot up in surprise. How could I possibly be of any use in all this? “I thought, perhaps, that talent of yours, when you threw the melon head across the room, I thought it could come in useful to us. But it seems either you cannot do it now, or you’re just unwilling. The alternative is trading you to the Innaki in return for some kind of technology. They seem extra keen to get their hands on you.” I stood up quickly, my chair teetering on two legs. “No! You can’t do that!” Smith calmly lit another cigarette. “Sit down Lucy, I haven’t made up my mind yet. If you can prove your usefulness here, then you’ll be staying here - but remember, we must use what resources we have to aim for the optimum outcome. The survival of the human race is dependent upon the decisions I make.” I sat down slowly, dismayed at his lack of empathy. He was cold hearted and calculating, perhaps even as evil as the Innaki themselves. My head was swimming with confusion, but one thing was clear - when faced with the possibility of being a prisoner to either the Innaki, or to Smith’s agenda, neither option was acceptable. I needed to escape, and it was up to me. I wasn’t going to lie down and take this anymore. The Tweedle brothers appeared and led me back to my cell. I wracked my brain for a way of escaping. The place was heavily guarded, my cell

sealed so I couldn’t send any message out. I didn’t even know where I was - if I was miles away from Aric, could I still send a message that far? Did I want to even risk Aric’s capture by asking him to come here? Would he even bother to come after the way I’d chewed him out and taken off... I realized it was up to me - I couldn’t rely on anyone else. I lay on my bed, facing the wall, ignoring the ever-prying watchers behind the meshed window. Rubbing my tired eyes, I stopped and looked at my hand, an idea forming in my mind. I remembered my arm disappearing in the florist store - if I could just learn to do that and make my entire body invisible, I just might be able to get out of here. It was my only hope, and I wondered how I was going to practice the skill so I could learn to do it properly, when I never got a moment’s privacy. I decided I would practice under my sheet, and hope my captors wouldn’t catch on. With renewed hope, I sat up and moved to the window to bang on the glass. “I’m starving!” I yelled. Crossing to the bed, I sat down cross-legged, waiting for my meal to arrive. I would eat properly, stop moping about, regain my strength, and get the hell out of here. ***** Two more days. I closed my eyes, and turned to face the wall, careful to keep the bed sheet pulled all the way over my head. Despite the absence of a clock, I was beginning to get an idea of the time. The lights were dimmed a little at night so I could sleep. I roughly judged the passing of days by the change in lighting in my cell. When Smith and Clare had finished with me for the day, I would eat my meals obediently, then lie down on the bed, pull the covers over my head, and practice making various parts of my body vanish. At first I was worried the ever present watchers at the window would notice my disappearing body parts, but the shape of my body under the sheet never changed - anyone viewing the lump covered by the sheet would see nothing unusual at all. The lights dipped but I could still see the outline of my arm. I had curled up so I could view my knees as well. It was rather awkward, but I needed to be sure I could make every part of me vanish. Concentrating hard, I managed to make my arms, torso and legs disappear - only my feet remained visible. I was getting much better at it, and I estimated I would be ready to escape in two more days. I’d spent the past few days trying to make sure Smith was pleased with my progress so he wouldn’t trade me with the Innaki, while ensuring I preserved enough wyk to be able to stay invisible for as long as it took to sneak out of the complex. It seemed wyk was a substance which a body accrued, or attracted, and the more positive and happy one felt, the faster it was replenished. I remembered Ellen talking about Aric having to ‘refuel’ when we had first turned up at the apartment. He’d been right as rain within a few hours, but it was taking me much longer. Maybe it was because I was stuck in a place with the threat of being handed over to the Innaki hanging over me. Nevertheless, I tried to push that out of my mind, and instead buoyed my spirits by planning my escape. I’d had to think on where I would go afterward. I couldn’t go back to Newtown - that would be the first place they would look for me. Uncle Tom’s was definitely out of the question. I had other relatives, but I presumed Smith would have all of their details in that file he had on me. With no money, no identifying papers, I was, well, ‘screwed’ as they say. I remembered the feeling of anxiety I’d felt when I had run away from home when I was eight years old. I was AWOL for about three hours, sitting in the local park, wondering whether I could build a tree house in the woods and live there until I grew up. As the sun went down, and the shadows grew deeper and scarier around the playground, I’d been secretly relieved when a local policeman had found me and returned me to my aunt. My predicament now, of course, was way worse. I didn’t even know where this facility was whether it was on an island, way out in a desert, or right under the noses of the local population in a city. I decided my first priority would be to get as far away as possible from this place. Perhaps someday I could contact Aric again - I didn’t have a phone number, but I had the address of Ellen and Saul’s apartment, as well as the name of Ellen’s florist store. It would be easy to find the number for that if I was in real trouble, and I was pretty sure they would help me. Two more days - it was hard to get that out of my head, and the thought kept me awake. Part excitement, part fear, I felt as though I would burst from nervous tension. It made it difficult for me to sleep, but the sleep state seemed to be when I built up wyk. It was a bit of a vicious cycle - as I worried about not getting enough sleep - but the worry kept me awake. Closing my eyes, I tried to concentrate on my breathing, feeling my chest rise and fall as I inhaled deeply.

Lucy, where are you? It was Aric’s voice in my head. My eyes fluttered open. Had I been dreaming? I lay still for a moment, and listened. Nothing. A pang of sadness pierced me - I missed his voice so much, and that tiny dream had been so bitter-sweet. Closing my eyes again, I turned over, and tried to go back to sleep.

Lucy, are you here? That was no dream. I resisted the urge to leap out of my bed. Where was he? How was he able to reach me through the shield?

I’m here Aric! Where are you? There was silence for a moment, and then I almost yelled for joy when his voice appeared in my mind again.

I’m in the building - trying to find you. Saul and Marcus are here too. Are you okay? Oh! I’m great now! My eyes were watering but I stayed still under the covers - I didn’t want the watchers to become suspicious. This place is like a maze Lucy - do you know which floor you’re on? The second bottom floor I think. Aric, be careful, there are armed guards everywhere. It was a strange feeling to be lying still in bed, having a conversation inside my head and knowing about the action which would be soon going on outside the cell. I was so pumped full of joy and adrenaline I felt as if I could bounce off the walls, but I forced myself to be still.

I’ll be fine. I need to concentrate now Lucy - I’ll let you know when I get to your floor. Silence followed; only the heavy thud of my galloping heart reached my ears. I cursed the sound proof walls; if there was gunfire going on out in the corridor already, I wouldn’t be able to hear it. Time dragged on, and I began to wonder if I’d imagined the conversation. Perhaps I was going mad here in this place. Pushing the uncomfortable thought aside, I turned over slowly, trying to act as normal as possible. I peeked out from under the sheet. The room was in semidarkness, as though lit by a very bright moon. Nothing. As the minutes ticked by, a sense of dread settled over me like a heavy blanket. Had he been captured? Hurt, or worse? How long did it take to get to this floor anyway? I watched the door through half-closed eyes, my body tingling with anxiety. When the door finally opened, I sprang like a jack-in-the-box from the bed. Aric stood at the doorway. I leapt into his arms. He hugged me tightly, then drew back to inspect me. “Are you okay? Really?” He asked suspiciously, as though he thought I’d disintegrate before his eyes. I nodded and threw my arms around his neck again. He laughed and hugged me back. I had a million questions for him. “We haven’t got much time Lucy, I had to turn the shield off to locate you. The doctor told me they hold an Innaki here - we need to go before it

realizes the shield is off and calls the others.” “The doctor? Doctor Chenski told you where I was?” He nodded. I was overwhelmed for a moment, and didn’t know what to say. I slipped my shoes on quickly, recalling memories of the first time, in what seemed like ages ago, when I’d hurried to tie my shoe laces as the Innaki arrived in the clearing by the cabin. Aric urged me towards the door, but my attention went to the window. “Don’t worry - I’ve taken care of everyone. We won’t be bothered, but we need to go now. Marcus and Saul are meeting us on the top floor.” “The top floor?” “This place is deep underground. Under an old army airstrip. The top floor leads to the outside.” My suspicions had been right. “Come on, we’ve got a way to go.” He took my hand and pulled me towards the door, but stopped abruptly. “Wait!” he said. My nerves were on edge as I wondered what was wrong. Quickly pulling me close, he placed his arm around my back, the other he used to tilt my chin so my face was close to his own. He kissed me gently, deeply, but it ended all too soon. “I just wanted to let you know how much I missed you,” he said simply. The kiss left me reeling; I stood like a zombie in the semi-darkness, wishing he’d kiss me again. He grabbed my hand and urged me towards the door again. “You know, I find it really hard to concentrate around you!” he said with a chuckle. He pulled the door open, and we left my cell behind. ***** Chapter Ten He led me out into the corridor. My heart leaped into my mouth when I saw the bulky figures of the armed guards further down the hall. Aric ran towards them, pulling me along. “Come on,” he said to me, and I cringed as I waited for the guards to turn around. They didn’t move. “I’ve stunned them - they’re paralyzed. The same thing the Innaki does on the abductees. They won’t remember any of it.” I gawked at them in amazement. Their faces were frozen in the expression they’d been in when Aric had stunned them. One had his mouth wide open, his rifle aimed at the doors at the end of the corridor. The other must have been in the middle of blinking when he’d been stunned - his eyes were closed, his head pointing to his rifle. “Maybe we should take these,” I said, indicating the guns. Aric shook his head. “No need - everyone’s taken care of.” We continued through the doors. The eye scanner seemed to have held no problem for him, and I wondered briefly how he’d managed it. Movement to my left caught my eye and I turned my head just in time to see the escaped Innaki dash from one wall, cross the hallway, and run right through the opposite wall. Aric frowned, and pulled me along faster. We finally reached the elevator, and as we waited for the doors to open, I stood still for a moment, my eyes taking advantage of the bright light to study Aric’s face. I wanted to soak in every detail and keep it in my heart forever. “I thought I’d never see you again,” I said, my eyes watering again. He put his arms around me and drew me close. “I wouldn’t have given up until I’d found you,” he murmured, his lips against my hair. The elevator bell rang, and he pushed me behind him as the doors opened. He braced himself but the elevator was empty, and we hurried inside. We watched the numbers on the control panel change as the elevator ascended. I put my arms around Aric’s waist and clung to him, taking a moment to realize how lucky I’d been. Bless Doctor Chenski. The elevator stopped suddenly at the fifth floor. Aric frowned. “Maybe it’s Saul or Marcus?” I suggested. “They’re already on the top floor. Stand back.” The doors opened to reveal the Tweedle brothers. Aric threw out his hand, a pale spark of energy flew from his palm, hitting Tweedledum in the face. He blinked, but continued to advance towards us. Aric tried again, zapping both of them in quick succession, but they seemed to be immune to it. Aric pushed me into the corner behind him, and braced for their attack. “Why isn’t it working?” I hissed. I was so frightened I could barely breathe. “They’re not human - they’re half machines.” Great. Not only were we dealing with aliens and vampire creatures, now we had terminators after us too. As they entered the elevator, Aric threw the first punch. He hit Tweedledee hard in the jaw, but it barely fazed him. He tried again, this time sending a barrage of heavy blows to the stomach. It was as though he was hitting concrete. Tweedledee ignored the strikes, and grabbed Aric by the throat, pushing him up against the wall. I kicked Aric’s attacker in the shins as hard as I could, but he didn’t even flinch. “Get off him!” I yelled, and jumped on his back. Tweedledum pulled me off, and held me back. The doors closed and we continued on our way upwards. Aric tried to head-butt his opponent, to no effect. I yelled and struggled against Tweedledum’s restraining grasp. Aric’s face was reddening as the hands around his throat tightened. He was making some terrible, gurgling noises. “You’re killing him!” I screamed. My arms were being held in a vice-like grip, but I managed to produce a ball of wyk and sent it flying awkwardly toward Tweedledee. It missed, and ricocheted off the wall, bouncing around the small space and narrowly missing Aric’s head. Tweedledum threw me against the wall, winding me, and I sat, stunned for a moment as I tried to get my breath back. Aric’s movements were diminishing. If I didn’t do something his neck would be crushed, and he’d die of strangulation. I threw another ball of wyk, and was momentarily surprised to find it was red and sizzling with angry sparks, not the smooth glowing ball of pure white I’d expected. Wasn’t I doing it right? Despite my doubts, it hit Tweedledee in the back of the neck. An electronic hiss and sparks issued from under his shirt collar and he began to jerk around, his grip around Aric’s neck loosening. I produced another ball which bounced off the opposite wall, but it hit the same spot, causing Tweedledee’s spasms to intensify until he was moving around the elevator in an absurd dance. Tweedledum grabbed a handful of my shirt, and dragged me to my feet, pushing me up the wall so I was dangling off the ground. I could see Aric struggling to catch his breath, but he threw himself against my attacker. “Hit him in the back of the neck!” I wheezed, as Tweedledum’s hand closed around my throat. Aric threw a hissing ball of wyk and it hit its target. Tweedledum began to spasm, and his hand tightened with each jerk. Aric dodged the other man, and pulled Tweedledum’s hand from my neck. He hit the 6th floor button, and we stood, watching in macabre fascination as the Tweedle brothers continued to twitch and knock against each other as though they were a couple of Sumo wrestlers. When the door opened, Aric pushed them out, and we breathed a sigh of relief as the doors closed

on the weird scene. I relaxed against the wall, and Aric inspected my neck for damage. The bell sounded on the control panel again, signaling the next stop for the elevator. Ninth floor - we still hadn’t reached the top. Aric stood still, his hand outstretched, ready to zap whatever was revealed. The doors slid open, and I recoiled as I spotted the dark bulk of the gargoyte barely ten feet away, its fangs sunk deep into the neck of a paralyzed worker. I recognized the familiar folder, and the severely pulled back hairstyle - it was Clare. She had been walking mid-stride when she’d been stunned, and her calm expression seemed incongruous to the gaping, bloody wound in her neck. Behind her, Smith stood in a frozen tableau with another man it seemed as if he’d been in the middle of telling off an unfortunate, cringing subordinate when he’d been paralyzed. They were still in one piece the gargoyte had obviously attacked Clare first. The creature glanced up from its feast and hissed at us, great dollops of viscose blood dripping from its teeth. It spotted me, its yellow eyes narrowing and its mouth breaking out in a terrifying snarl revealing the full horror of its two inch long fangs. Everything happened so quickly - one moment it was across the hallway, the next it was nearly upon us. Its movement was so quick it was just a blur. Aric stunned it just as it reached the elevator doors. It stood still, its face paralyzed in a gruesome rage, the blood still dripping from its fangs the only movement. I shuddered and hit the ‘close door’ button a number of times. We couldn’t close the doors on the scene quickly enough. We looked up at the ceiling, willing things to go quickly and smoothly as the elevator took us on the last of our journey to the top. Please, no more unscheduled stops, I thought to myself. I was beginning to dread the doors opening on yet another unfriendly surprise, but those doors were our only exit. The elevator came to a stop on our floor, and I held my breath anxiously as the bell sounded and the door slid open. We peered out, but only a few paralyzed workers could be seen, standing like odd statues around the long hall. Aric turned right and hurried me along the corridor, which opened out into a bigger hall with offices off either side. There was a waiting room area filled with empty seats in the middle. Every person we came across stood stiffly in the pose they’d been in when they’d been stunned. I felt as though I was visiting a surreal art exhibit as we dodged the silent people. “How long will this last?” I asked Aric gesturing at the frozen figures. “A few hours, I think. The ones I stunned first, a bit longer - I was kind of... overzealous when we first started zapping them,” he said with a grin. He went to push the doors open, but stopped, cocking his head as though listening. He put a staying hand on my arm. “They’re here,” he said. “Saul and Marcus?” I asked hopefully. “The Innaki. We need to be extra careful. They’re in the building. Try not to leave your thoughts open unless I tell you otherwise. We need to go out the west exit.” My heart moved into thumping overdrive mode immediately. I must have looked as scared as I felt, because Aric stopped and took the time to give me a hug. “Don’t worry Lucy, we’ll get you out. Just do what I say, okay?” I nodded robotically, and followed him back the way we came. He turned into a narrow hallway flanked by numerous office doors. At the end of the hallway was a sign which read ‘Officer’s Gym’. We headed forward cautiously, Aric listening intently as we neared the door. Suddenly, he stopped, and pulled me into one of the offices. He closed the door quietly and told me to hide under the desk. I pulled out the chair and crawled into the small space, squeezing myself up against the wooden sides. Aric switched off the light and crawled in beside me, with barely room to spare. We waited silently as the minutes ticked by. The sound of the other office doors opening could be heard from down the hall. They were methodically going through the place, room by room. I wondered why they bothered with opening doors if they could just walk through walls. Maybe they were being just as careful as we were. I could feel the tension running through Aric’s body. My muscles in my scrunched up legs were aching. The door to our room was opened, and I could hear something moving about. A pair of gray feet appeared on the carpet under the gap at the back of the office desk - a ‘déjà vu’ moment from the time we’d hidden under the bush in the forest. I held my breath, and the feet moved on, eventually moving away to the door. The sound of movement further up the hallway could be heard, and then there was silence. Aric put a staying hand on mine. Wait a few more minutes. To be sure they’re all out of here. I’m going to contact Saul. We stayed under the desk while Aric spoke to Saul in his head. I decided I’d be lucky if my experiences of small spaces this day didn’t leave me with claustrophobia for life.

Saul says there’s two Innaki craft hovering over the north entrance. There’s military aircraft buzzing them. They won’t stay long if the humans are shooting at them - they don’t want an air battle to come to the attention of the Counc... He paused... the public, he corrected himself. He backed out from under the desk, and I crawled out with difficulty on legs that had fallen asleep. Aric helped me to my feet. If we can get out in time, we should be able to get away while they’re distracted by each other. We need to go now. He peered carefully around the doorway and surveyed the hallway. It was empty. Taking my hand, he steered me in the direction of the Officer’s Gym. The door was closed. He pushed it open slowly, and we cautiously entered the room. It was a large, dimly lit space, filled with old equipment which looked as if it hadn’t been used in a while. Some pieces were covered in canvas tarps, looming out of the darkness like odd shaped monsters. For the first time in weeks I spotted some windows to the outside. They were covered by crumpled old venetian blinds, but I could see the night sky through the broken slats. I could just make out a door on the far side of the room, a back-lit ‘exit’ sign blinking above it. The screaming engines from the fighter planes and the occasional burst of gunfire could be heard overhead. Aric took my hand, and we threaded our way in the darkness through the various machines. We had almost reached the other side, when the room lit up with a flash of bright white light. The Innaki had found us. ***** Spindly gray figures began to emerge through the walls. The scene was so surreal I felt as if my brain was doing somersaults trying to make sense of it all. Seven, eight, nine... they continued to arrive until there were at least twenty in the room, a scraggly line of Innaki which were so alike they might be clones of each other. Aric pulled me closer as more appeared to either side of us. Lucy, when I say, I want you to sprint for the door. I’ll hold them off - you find somewhere to hide outside, he said in my mind. I was aghast. No! I’m not leaving you again! We can fight them together. I was determined to stand by him this time. He shot me an exasperated look. Your best chance is to run and hide - they’ll have to go soon, the air battle has gone on for too long already. I can hold them off until they’re called back. I’m not leaving you, I said, stubbornly. We’re doing this together. He sighed and pulled me closer. Well, get behind me, and stay close. The room flickered with bright white flashes as if it were caught up in a violent electrical storm. It lit up the weird shapes of the canvas covered equipment, casting irregular shadows over the creatures as they stood watching us through big black eyes. They began to move warily towards us.

We backed up slowly, stopping in surprise as the door was thrown open. Saul and Marcus charged into the room, assessed the situation quickly, and moved to position themselves around me. I didn’t know whether to be relieved or more worried - it was four of us against thirty-odd gray beings. I saw Aric nod in response to something Saul must have said in his head. Marcus stood beside me, his fists clenched. There’s four of us now, can’t we attack them with wyk? I suggested. There’s too many of them. They’re going to try to paralyze you. We need to shield you. You run Lucy, while we hold them off, Marcus said. She won’t go, said Aric. We’ve already been through this. Marcus scowled at me, then turned his attention back to the Innaki. Remind me to tell you off when this is all over! he grumbled. One of the creatures stepped forward. Lucy Doyle, you must come with us. Aric took a protective step in front of me. She’s not going with you, he said. The Innaki’s eyes moved to rest on Aric. Whisperer, you have a task to do. Straightening his back, Aric planted his legs firmly apart. His tone was firm and clear. No, she is not going with you. The creature’s eyes narrowed. It is not your decision. Control the specimen and bring her to me. Aric stood firm. You’re not having her. The Innaki stared intently at us. A disturbing, buzzing energy filled the room, and I watched in dismay as Aric’s hand flew to his temple, his face creased in pain. Saul and Marcus followed suit. Lucy, get out of here! It was Aric’s voice in my mind. I shook my head.

You need to run - we can’t block you for long, not against this many! For god’s sake, run! The Innaki continued to increase the level of pain. Saul fell to his knees, a tortured expression on his face, Marcus was holding on to the end of a bench press, groaning. Aric stood on wobbly legs in front of me, his hands grasping his head. My body began to feel sluggish, tired, as though I’d just run a marathon. The Innaki were breaking through the shield. Aric’s legs buckled and he fell to his knees.

Lucy, run while you can! Saul was writhing on the floor; Marcus collapsed over the end of the bench, his head held in his hands. I gaped at them in stunned horror. Aric gave me a weak push, then collapsed on the ground. “Go!” he gasped, clutching his head. A vision of Johnson’s lifeless body crossed my mind, and Johnson’s face was replaced with Aric’s. I was overcome with an intense fury - I would not allow these creatures to do this to him, or to my friends. Straightening my body with difficulty, I raised my head and glared at the Innaki. The buzzing energy increased, and I felt as though I was moving through a sea of thick sludge - every movement took an incredible amount of focus and determination to execute. Raising my hand slowly against the paralyzing pressure, I focused all my anger and pushed a wave of wyk out through my palm. I was expecting a ball of white energy to fly across the room as it had when I had practiced with Marcus and Phil, but the wyk I produced was an intense red, a hot, fiery sphere which sizzled with what could only be described as an intensely negative energy. I could feel it emanate menace, hatred and despair as it hurtled through the air. It collected one of the canvas-shrouded machines, sending it careering across the room, hitting a number of Innaki squarely, crushing them against the wall. Focusing on a heavy rowing machine, I launched another red orb from my palm and it catapulted across the room, knocking down a line of Innaki as though they were skittles. The paralysis loosened its grip on my body, and I continued to throw the bulky gym equipment about the room furiously, collecting panicked Innaki as my makeshift missiles hit their target. The room glowed an eerie red, the sense of negativity giving me goose bumps and bringing a knot of nausea to my stomach. Despite the ominous atmosphere, I was elated, and I felt a sense of malicious satisfaction as the spindly bodies were crushed and dismembered under the relentless assault of heavy objects. Aric, Saul and Marcus began to get up on shaky feet, but I was so intent on eliminating the monsters I barely noticed. The last three Innaki ran to escape. Two managed to disappear right through the wall but the third was hit soundly on the head by a twenty pound weight I sent hurtling through the air. It crushed its skull and the creature crumpled to the ground. “That’s for my mom!” I shouted angrily. I was breathing heavily, so irate that I wanted to pick up the equipment and attack them all over again. “Lucy! Lucy...” Aric grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around to face him. “It’s okay, you’ve got them all - you can stop now.” I looked at him blankly for a moment, my breath coming in great heaving gasps, and then the red rage subsided, and I looked around at the carnage filled room. Saul and Marcus were staring at me. “That was... awesome,” said Marcus, his voice filled with awe. Saul nodded in agreement. “Incredible!” he said. “Now I understand why the Innaki are so keen to get their hands on you.” Aric took my hand. “We still need to get to Phil, come on.” He pulled me toward the door, but a great wave of weariness overcame me, and my knees buckled. Aric caught me around my waist and held me up. “She’s overdone it,” he said. “Come on Luce, you can make it.” He hauled me out the door, and we ran towards a large unhitched trailer. Crouching beside the wheels, we surveyed the scene. Two large spacecraft hovered silently above the air field in front of the main building. The craft were a dull, metallic gray, each about half the size of a football field and typically saucer shaped. Every now and then a white flash would emit from the top or the bottom of the craft in a response to the military aircraft which buzzed around the craft like irritated hornets. One of the planes flew close, and peppered the craft with a spray of gunfire. The rounds bounced off harmlessly. A bright orange flash was aimed at the plane, and it disappeared instantly, leaving no sign of smoke or debris. Aric pointed to a sentry box in the distance. “We’ve got to get through there,” he said. “I’ve stunned the guards. There’s a rise back there - you can’t see it in the dark, but Phil’s waiting on the other side with the car.” “How are we going to get past all that?” I asked Aric anxiously, indicating the ongoing battle overhead. “Remember in Ellen’s florist store - I showed you how you can use wyk to cloak yourself?” “Yeah, I’ve been practicing.” Aric patted my hand. “Good, we’re going to run right past it all, but keep to the side.” The throaty growl of a car engine rang out, and a jeep hurtled towards the front of the trailer. We bobbed up to see Doctor Chenski waving at us frantically. “Come on!” he yelled, “jump in! I’ll get you out!” There was a bright orange flash, and Doctor Chenski vanished into thin air. His empty jeep, devoid of a driver, continued on until it slammed into the trailer with a massive thud. I stood transfixed as I watched the engine spark before catching alight. Aric hauled me to the ground, and I leaned against the side of the trailer, trembling in shock. We crouched lower as the jeep exploded with an ear-splitting blast. “Oh, my god... did they kill him? Oh, please, not the doctor... “ Aric squeezed my hand. “Come on Lucy, pull yourself together. We’ve got to go now.” Aric, Marcus and Saul vanished before my eyes. I concentrated, and my body disappeared, but my legs from the knees down were still visible. I

tried again, but it was worse this time - only my torso disappeared. I was exhausted, and it seemed to be affecting my ability to cloak. “Oh, god, I can’t do this!” I wailed, willing myself to disappear. Only my arm was invisible. I felt Aric’s hand take mine, and my entire body vanished. He was cloaking me. “Don’t let go,” he said, pulling me to my feet. I could feel his hand warm in mine, but it was disconcerting being pulled along by an invisible force. We ran around the outside of the tarmac and headed towards the sentry box in the distance. It seemed an awfully long way away, and my legs felt leaden as I staggered along after Aric while the battle continued over our heads. By the time we reached the checkpoint, Aric was dragging me along as though I were a rag doll, his arm firmly around my waist - I could barely move my feet. The soldiers in the sentry box at the checkpoint stood still as statues, oblivious to the melee around them. We headed away from the main track into the darkness, and stumbled over a sandy rise dotted with low prickly shrubs which tore at my invisible ankles. My heart sank for a moment when I couldn’t spot the car, and then, quite suddenly, it materialized in front of our eyes - Phil had been cloaking it. Aric bundled me into the back seat and climbed in beside me. Phil hit the accelerator as soon as Marcus and Saul were safely inside, and we bumped over the rough terrain in the dark, heading in a north east direction, leaving the raging battle behind us. ***** “Relax! I keep telling you, we haven’t been followed!” Marcus patted my knee reassuringly and leaned back, resting his head against the window, peering out into the darkness of the desert. I turned back for the umpteenth time after scrutinizing the view through the back window, anxiously looking for signs of being followed. We’d been driving along the highway for nearly three hours now, and had barely seen a soul. Aric put his arm around me, and I nestled up against his shoulder. I was exhausted, but I’d been operating in danger mode for so long it was hard to switch off and just enjoy the feeling of safety for a while. I wondered whether I would ever feel safe again. Remembering the sinister ambiance of those glowing balls of wyk, the sheer evilness which permeated the red mist which had filled the room, I shivered, and folded my arms protectively over my chest. Did that evil really emanate from me? The thought was disturbing. Aric, Marcus and Phil had only ever produced white wyk, and it had felt, well, definitely not as sinister as the red stuff I had made. Aric’s arm tightened around me. “Are you cold?” I shook my head. Sitting up, I turned to face him. “I don’t understand… my wyk was red, and... how can I explain this... well, it seemed to be... evil!” Aric nodded. “You were angry. Energy, wyk, responds to intent, to your emotions. It takes on a certain color depending on whether it’s imbibed with negativity or positivity.” “Your wyk is always white. When you zapped the gargoyte, it was white. Why wasn’t yours red?” “I’ve learned to control it. Red negative wyk is powerful stuff, but hard to control. White wyk is easier to control. If you control your emotions, it follows you can control your wyk and what it does better. Although you did a pretty good job tonight!” Saul turned from the front seat where he’d evidently been listening. “You sure did!” he agreed. “I’ve never seen anything like it. The room glowed red! It was saturated in it.” “I would have liked to have seen that,” said Phil. “I always miss out on the action. Next time, someone else can be the getaway guy.” Marcus grunted. “You would have fainted the minute an Innaki looked at you.” Phil threw him a dirty look in the rear view mirror then turned his attention back to the empty road ahead. I wasn’t finished with our conversation. I turned to Aric. “So... what does that mean? All the red mist? Does that mean I’m... really evil?” He laughed and pulled me closer. “No! It means you have way more wyk than you know what to do with, and you were really angry. I don’t think they realized you would be able to do that. I really wouldn’t want to be in your bad books when you really get going!” I leaned back against the seat. “How do I learn to control it? How can anyone possibly have their emotions in check when there’s a hoard of creepy aliens appearing through the walls?” “Practice,” he said. “It’s all new to you Lucy. No one expects you to be a master at it yet.” Marcus joined the conversation. “Relax Luce. I’m surprised you’re not a basket case after all you’ve been through.” He patted my knee again. “You’re holding up really well.” I didn’t feel as though I were. My life had become a series of crazy surreal incidents which I could hardly believe had happened. I almost wished this were all a dream, or more aptly, a nightmare, but then, if it was, and I awoke and found it was all a figment of my imagination, there would be no Aric. I leaned back against his shoulder, tucking my head under his chin and slipping my arm across his waist. I held him tight and his arm tightened around my shoulder in response. I knew he understood what I was feeling even without reading my thoughts. We sat quietly for a while, and I began to relax as I felt the reassuringly real beat of his heart through his shirt. Phil looked back at us through the rear view mirror. “We’ll be there soon.” I lifted my head and looked around. As far as I could tell, there was nothing of significance to be seen for miles around. The highway stretched out ahead of us and disappeared into blackness at the end of the car’s headlights. The sky overhead was inky black, interspersed with a smattering of stars which did nothing to brighten the gloom. We drove for another half hour before Phil took a right turn on to a single lane asphalt road which twisted and turned up a steep hill. As we rounded a corner, a large modern house came into view, its windows bright with light - a cheery and welcoming contrast to the darkness around it. A feint orange glow could be seen on the horizon behind the house. I was thoroughly confused. I didn’t think it was nearly sunrise, and I thought we’d been driving north west, not east. “Where are we?” I asked. Aric sat up and stretched his arms over his head. “Old friends,” he said. “The house overlooks Spring City.” That explained the orange glow Spring City was one of the biggest cities in the desert. Phil steered the car up the steep driveway, and the porch light went on. Ellen appeared at the front door, and hurried down the path to the car. “Oh, thank god!” she exclaimed, giving Saul a hug as he exited the car. She clasped Marcus in a quick hug too before she hauled him out of the way to get to me. She saved the biggest embrace for me. “You poor love!” she said, smoothing my hair back from my face. “What an ordeal, come on - you need a hot cuppa and something to eat I suspect.” I went to move but my legs were still wobbly. I felt as though I was running on empty. “Aric, help me get her in,” she ordered. Despite my protests that I could walk by myself, the two of them held me up as I dragged my tired feet up the path to the front door. The interior of the house was modern but homely. I was led to the living room where a small fire burned cheerfully in the big stone fireplace, taking the chill off the desert night air. Ellen fussed about me for a moment, spreading a blanket over my knees and placing my feet on a footstool.

A woman appeared carrying a tray. “A bowl of homemade tomato soup, and some toast. Phil, Aric, make yourselves useful and go and fetch the coffee.” She was stunningly beautiful. Tall, elegant, with perfectly coiffed blonde hair, and exquisitely fine features, it was difficult not to stare at her. I wondered if she was a whisperer like Aric. I wouldn’t be surprised - she had that strange, charismatic quality Aric possessed. Aric and Phil left the room obediently. “Ah, Jomi, just the thing. Lucy, this is Jomi, a very old friend of ours. She is kind enough to put us all up here.” Jomi smiled at me, a perfect smile with pristine white, straight teeth. “Not so much of the ‘old’, if you please Ellen,” she said with a laugh. Even her laugh was enchanting. “We have plenty of room here, and you’re most welcome,” Jomi told me, arranging the tray on my lap. “Be careful, the soup is scalding hot.” I was so tired I could barely hold the spoon, but I dutifully sipped some of the soup. It was hot, but delicious. “There is more soup in the kitchen for the rest of you,” Jomi said. “I don’t know whether you want to eat in here too?” Saul turned from the window and its panoramic view of the city lights in the valley below. “Olaf isn’t here?” he asked. Jomi shook her head. “Olaf is my husband, he drives a big rig,” she explained to me, glancing at the clock on the mantelpiece. “He’s due back soon.” Aric and Phil appeared with the drinks tray, and Ellen and Jomi busied themselves with the distribution of the mugs of steaming coffee. Aric handed Marcus a soda. I was grateful for the coffee, but my eyes were closing, and all I really wanted to do was sleep. Aric sat down beside me. “I think Lucy needs to get to bed,” he said, “she’s about to fall asleep in her soup.” Ellen jumped to her feet. “Oh, yes, but, honestly, first I think you need a bath Lucy, and a change of clothes. Aren’t those the ones you were wearing when you left the apartment?” I blushed. My clothes reeked. I’d showered at the facility, but I’d made sure I’d put the clothes Aric had given me back on again. “I have some things which will fit you,” Jomi said. “I’ll be right back.” She left the room, and Aric took the tray from my lap before it fell to the floor. It was all I could do not to fall asleep in the bath, and it was so difficult finding the energy to heave myself out of the tub I was afraid I might have to call for some help. I slipped into the silk pajamas Jomi had provided, and reluctantly handed my dirty clothes over to her - she faithfully promised she would have them washed and ready for me in the morning. My room overlooked the amazing array of twinkling lights from the city below the mountain. I wished I was more alert so I could appreciate the view. Ellen pulled the blinds, and the lights disappeared. I slid between the sheets, Jomi and Ellen fussing over me like mother hens. The combination of comfortable, safe surroundings and unfamiliar pampering felt strange to me. Once they were satisfied I was comfortable, they left, and Aric entered the room. He bent to kiss my forehead. Despite my exhaustion, an exhilarating wave of affection washed over me, followed by a flush of guilt. He’d risked his life to rescue me, had searched for me and never given up on finding me, despite all the horrid things I’d said to him before I’d left Saul’s flat. I’d never apologized. I heaved my exhausted body to a sitting position. “Aric,” I began, “About what I said, before, you know, at Saul’s...” He cupped my cheek in his hand. “I really am sorry,” he said. I glanced up at him with alarm. Did he really think I was still sore after everything he’d done for me? “No! I’m the one who should be sorry. I said some horrible things.” “You were only speaking the truth.” “No. I understand what you did. There were... ‘mitigating circumstances’.” I smoothed his hair out of his eyes, wincing as I noted the pain still evident in their depths. “It still doesn’t excuse what I did. But I am sorry.” He lowered his head and rested his forehead against mine. I pulled him against me and we sat still, silent for a while, enjoying the closeness. My eyes closed and sleepiness washed over me again. I let out a yawn. He sat up, his hands resting on my shoulders and smiled. “I think you need to get to sleep.” I lay back down and Aric pulled the blanket up around my shoulders, bending once again to kiss me. After weeks of living in my impersonal cell, I felt as if I were in heaven. “Good night Lucy, sleep tight. I’ll see you in the morning.” My eyes closed, only to flutter open instantly as his weight left the bed. I stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Aric, what’s going to happen?” I asked. “Are we going to Canada?” He pushed a lock of hair from my face. “Shh, don’t worry about anything tonight. We’ll talk about it in the morning. Right now, you need to sleep.” His voice took on the smooth, tranquil quality he’d used before. My eyelids drooped until they finally closed, and I felt him place another kiss on my forehead. “Goodnight, Lucy,” he whispered. I heard him cross the room, and he switched off the light. No sooner was he out the door, than my head was filled with visions of large black shiny eyes, and blood soaked fangs. Overcome with panic, I sat upright in my bed. “Aric!” I yelled. He was through the door in an instant. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.” He crossed the room, sat down on the bed, and kicked off his boots. “Move over then,” he said with a smile. He lay down beside me, and I snuggled up to him, laying my head against his chest. We lay together in the dark in cozy silence, his fingers caressing my shoulder soothingly. I felt safe for the first time in weeks and I wanted to savor the moment forever, but exhaustion took over, and I fell asleep within minutes. ***** In the morning I found myself sprawled on top of Aric, my face tucked into his shoulder, my arms and legs thrown around him. I looked up to find him watching me. “Good morning,” he said with a smile, planting a kiss on my forehead. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, and lifted my head to see the room was bright, the blinds were opened to reveal a brilliant blue, cloudless sky hanging over the sprawling city below. “‘Morning,” I mumbled. “What time is it?” Aric looked at his watch. “Eleven am. I’ve been waiting for you to wake up. I didn’t want to move and disturb you. You obviously needed the sleep.” I realized I was lying on top of him. He grinned at me. “You know - you’re like a heat seeking missile when you sleep - where ever I moved, you followed me.”

Abashed, I removed my leg from its position over his waist - I’d been clinging to him like a barnacle. “Sorry.” He rubbed an affectionate hand over my hair and smiled again. “Don’t be sorry - I kind of liked it.” “Oh, well, in that case...” I replaced my leg back over him, and stretched my arm out across his waist. This was a lovely way to wake up. “Did you know you talk in your sleep?” Aric asked. I glanced up at him and grimaced. “Oh no, what did I say?” “Well, Ellen reckons you were bowling - you told her she had ‘a strike’.” “A strike?” He nodded. “She came in earlier this morning to see how you were, but I asked her to let you sleep. She opened the blinds and you yelled ‘that’s a strike!’” “Hmmm... right.” I wondered why I would be dreaming about bowling, and then I remembered - I had been talking about bowling with Doctor Chenski. The light mood darkened immediately. “How did Doctor Chenski find you?” I asked. Aric pushed a lock of hair back from my cheek. “It was kind of odd. We’ve been searching for you for weeks. Ellen got her assistant to run her store while she helped us look for you. The assistant phoned her one day to say a man kept pestering her about ordering ‘stingy roses’. She had no idea what he was talking about, but when Ellen told me, the penny dropped, and I realized it had something to do with you. I arranged to meet him, and he told me where to find you.” The image of his disappearing jeep flashed into my head. “The poor doctor. Do you think that orange light killed him?” I felt sorry for his daughter - she had no father now, because he’d helped me. “I doubt it - they’ll probably claim his wyk and set him back down somewhere.” “Why didn’t you want to tell me what they really do with the humans?” A haunted look crossed his eyes. “I didn’t - don’t - want you to be scared. You don’t need to have to worry about all that. It’s not your fault you’re caught up in all this - you didn’t ask for it.” He pressed his lips against my hair. “I just... want you to feel safe and happy,” he said simply. “You should have told me about the Council.” Raising his head, he looked at me in surprise. “You know about that?” His head sank back to the pillow, and he pushed his hair out of his eyes. “I wish you didn’t.” “Why?” He turned over to face me, and I moved to the pillow so that we were face to face. He traced his fingers gently over my cheek. “If there’s one... cardinal rule, which is put into our heads, it is not to tell humans about how the earth is, well, you know... it’s not what humans really think it is.” “But why can’t we know? Don’t we have a right to know what’s really happening?” “Does it make you feel good knowing you’re a part of a giant experiment and could be... wiped out at the whim of those who created the experiment?” I swallowed hard. “No, you’re right, it’s a pretty disturbing thought.” He nodded. “Humanity is built upon a warped version of the truth. Imagine if the real truth got out - think about the panic, it’d affect politics, religion, education... the world would be a shambles.” “So, I guess, if the Council created this earth, then there is no god - religion is a waste of time.” Aric shrugged. “I didn’t say there is no god. I really don’t know, but, I think, suspect... something had to begin everything - something had to create whatever happened in the beginning. The Council didn’t create the planet - they just seeded it... so who created the Universe? The first seeds of life?” I groaned and rubbed my forehead. “Ugh, this is way too complicated and confusing for this hour of the morning!” Aric laughed. “This hour? Half the day is gone! Jomi’s probably thinking she’s got a couple of layabouts on her hands!” I was enjoying lying so close to him, and the comfortable banter, and I didn’t want to give it up just yet. “Jomi is lovely. There’s something... different about her. Is she a whisperer too?” An uncomfortable look crossed Aric’s face, and then it was gone. “No, she’s not a whisperer. She isn’t human though - she’s... Pleiadian. From a star system called Pleiades.” I don’t know why I was surprised when so many other strange things had been revealed to me lately. “I thought the earth was in quarantine and no one was supposed to come here from... anywhere else.” “Her father is on the Council. She’s supposed to be reporting back to him about what’s going on here on Earth. She has a soft spot for humans though, and doesn’t want them destroyed. If she told him half of what she knows is really going on here, humans would have been extinct long ago.” I shuddered, the reality of humanity’s precarious situation driven home to me. Aric pulled me closer and stroked my hair. “Hey, don’t worry, things have been kept at bay for hundreds of thousands of years - there’s no reason why it can’t go on like that.” “Well, I guess so... but the human’s being kept alive for the blood harvesting... if only there was something we could do for them.” He lifted his head from the pillow and leaned on his elbow, a frown creasing his forehead. “What?” “The Innaki, you know... trading with the gargoytes.” He sat up quickly. “What are you talking about?” He was genuinely confused. “Smith, the guy who... took me, said the Innaki keep humans for... blood farming. They trade the blood to the gargoytes for wyk.” Aric closed his eyes, a look of horror on his face. “You didn’t know that?” “No.” “Maybe he was making it up to scare me.” “I doubt it - I wouldn’t put it past the Innaki to get up to something like that.” He pulled his hand through his hair in distress - he looked shattered. “Listen, Lucy, up until a little while ago, I didn’t even know they were collecting human wyk. They told me they were working on human DNA to improve it - wipe out sickness, make a stronger species. I didn’t like how distressed the abductees were - I felt like... packing it in... many times, but I kept helping the Innaki because they convinced me it would be for the better for humans in the long run.” He swung his legs to the floor and put his head in his hands. “It was bad enough when I found out they were doing it for the wyk, but if this is true, and they’re keeping humans alive there, for their blood... god, what have I done?!” I leapt out of bed, and went to him, throwing my arms around his shoulders. “You didn’t know - you can’t blame yourself.” He looked up at me with tortured eyes. “I was still a part of it though - they wouldn’t have been able to keep a lot of those people without me.” I pulled his face close, and leaned my forehead against his. “Aric, don’t do this to yourself. You didn’t know.” He pulled away, his face an unreadable mask. “I have to tell the others about this,” he said, slipping his feet into his boots. He threw a quick

glance at me. “Don’t worry about me Lucy, I just need some time to get my head around this.” Standing up, he pulled me to my feet. Putting his hands about my waist, he pulled me close, then moved to squeeze me in a bear hug. “I’m really glad to have you back, safe and sound,” he said. Letting me go, he walked to the door, and stopped. “Ellen has put your clean clothes over there,” he said, pointing to the pile on a chair near the window. “Why don’t you get dressed, and I’ll make you some breakfast... or lunch.” His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, and I looked at him anxiously. He closed the door softly, and I was left alone. ***** Chapter Eleven I decided to take a long, hot shower. As the water streamed down my back, I tried to collect my thoughts. Aric had been unaware of the Innaki’s true agenda, his complicity in their scheme an innocent one. He was, of course, an intelligent man, and I knew he was capable of understanding that, in the end, his intentions had been honorable - he’d thought he’d been doing it for the right reasons. But the fact remained that many lives had been touched by his actions, and it would be a hard task to convince him entirely of his inculpability. I needed to help him come to terms with it, somehow. I thought of my mother and shivered, despite the shower’s hot water. How did they decide which humans to farm for blood, and which ones they milked for wyk? Was it only a matter of sheer luck my mother wasn’t up there somewhere, hooked up to some kind of blood harvesting device? Or me, it could have been me. I wondered how it was done - were the people unconscious, or were they fully alert to the horrific nightmare their lives were now reduced to? The thought of their plight was sickening, and I tried to push it aside, without success. Aric would tell Jomi about the situation. Would she decide to report the practice to the Council? And then what would happen... annihilation? The thought scared me so much I felt dizzy with fright. Turning off the shower, I made a huge effort to ignore that scenario, and instead concentrate on helping Aric come to terms with the consequences of his role as a whisperer. I threw on my familiar blue T-shirt and jeans, brushed my teeth, pulled a comb through my hair, then left the bathroom. The hallway was blocked by a huge man. He was massive, his bulk filling up the narrow space. “Ah,” he said. “You must be Lucy. I’m Olaf, Jomi’s husband.” He offered a big meaty hand, and I took it. I wondered if he was human - despite his size, he seemed normal enough to me. I was becoming paranoid - would I ever be able to accept anyone at face value again? I smiled at him, and he turned to the side in an attempt to make room for me to pass. “A bit tense in there,” he said. “I’m off to wash my girl.” I looked at him in surprise. “My rig, er... semi-trailer,” he explained. I laughed and went to the kitchen in search of Aric. Ellen, Jomi and the others were sitting around the dining table, in the midst of a rowdy discussion; the conversation petered out when I entered the room. Aric was nowhere to be seen. “Where’s Aric?” I asked. Ellen rose and walked to the fridge. “He’s a bit upset Lucy, he’s gone for a walk,” she said, extracting the butter from the fridge. “Best to leave him be to sort himself out. He asked me to get you something to eat.” She began to slice a loaf of fresh bread. “I disagree - I think Lucy should go to him and talk to him. He needs her right now.” It was Jomi. She went to the patio door. “I think I know where he’ll be. I’ll take you there if you like.” I looked back at Ellen. She shrugged. “It’s up to you, love. Whatever you think is best.” “I think I need to talk to him.” Ellen nodded, and I followed Jomi out the door. The patio was ablaze with sunlight - it was so sunny it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. The house was perched on the edge of a high, steep ridge which overlooked the valley below. To the right the ridge jutted out over the valley like a massive diving board, its underside eroded away so that what was left looked fragile and precarious compared to the rest of the bulky rim. Jomi led me around the side of the house. A rocky, sandy path pushed its way through low, prickly shrubs upwards toward the ‘diving board’. Jomi took the path, and I followed along behind her. “This whole valley is what is left after an ancient meteor crashed to earth,” she said, indicating the scene to our left. “If you think that view is amazing, you should see the one from up here. We thought about building the house up this way, but well, as you can see, it doesn’t seem quite as... safe.” I surveyed the valley. It was almost flat across the bottom, and surrounded by steep cliffs eroded in places, but still a definite rim forming a circle - the massive hole left by the impact of the meteor. It emphasized how vulnerable we were on our little planet. We followed the path as it wound its way up the slope. The end of the ridge couldn’t be seen; it felt as though we were on a bridge which led right up into the big blue sky. The afternoon sun beat down on me, and I wiped a rivulet of sweat as it ran down from my temple. My hair, which had been wet from my shower, had dried quickly in the sunshine. I wondered what had sent Aric up here. The others had seemed to be in some kind of disagreement when I’d entered the kitchen - had he argued with them? “Do you know why Aric was upset?” I asked Jomi. She stopped, and turned around to face me. “I think you know why. He’s riddled with guilt about the humans. We were trying to convince him otherwise. You need to try and make him understand, Lucy.” I agreed and she turned to keep going, but stopped, before turning back to me. “Lucy, there’s something else I want you to know. I debated whether or not it was even important enough to tell you this, but, well, it might just come out, and I’d as soon have you know everything. Lord knows I’m well aware of the trouble that comes with keeping things from people.” She smiled ruefully. I guessed she was talking about having to give doctored reports to her father. She swallowed, and bit her bottom lip, then looked up at me. “Aric and I were... once, well, we ‘dated’ I guess you could call it. I was in love with him - still am, really. Oh, don’t get me wrong - I love my husband Olaf dearly, but, well, you can’t stop loving someone like Aric.” She looked out across the valley, her thoughts her own, then she looked back at me. I was embarrassed at her candor, but I stayed silent and heard her out. “But... he was just, fond of me,” she went on. “He cared about me, but didn’t love me the way I love him. The way he loves you.” I didn’t know what to say, and looked away at the bushes, uncomfortably. She smiled warmly. “Lucy, I don’t tell you this to embarrass you, or make you feel uneasy. I wanted to tell you that I know he loves you, absolutely, like he never has with anyone else. It is only you who can make him happy It is important to me for him to be happy. Do you understand?” I nodded slowly. She put a well manicured hand on my shoulder. “You need to make him see it’s not his fault. Help him to forgive himself.” I understood but it was easier said than done. I vowed I’d do it somehow. It was painful to see him unhappy - the guilt must be incredible. He was compelled by design to make others feel good, and the knowledge that he’d helped send people to a life of misery must go against his very makeup - it was likely to be eating him up inside. We continued to trudge up the hill in silence. Eventually, the path ended at an expanse of sandstone which jutted out against the sky. Aric was sitting near the edge, his legs pulled up, his hands clasped in front of his knees. Jomi stopped and put a hand on my shoulder.

“I’ll leave you here,” she said quietly, giving me an encouraging smile, “good luck, Lucy.” She headed back down the path, and I turned to go to Aric. ***** Aric was on his feet and facing me before I reached him. I was taken aback by the agonized expression on his face. I touched my hand to his cheek. “Hey,” I said softly, “are you all right?” The corners of his mouth lifted in a half hearted attempt at a smile, and he caught my hand, holding my fingers loosely at his side. He glanced down at the ground. Swallowing hard, he threaded his fingers through mine. His eyes studied my face. “Lucy,” he said, “I don’t think I should be doing this.” I frowned, confused - I wasn’t sure what he was referring to. “What do you mean?” He glanced away for a moment, then looked back at me. “I mean, being with you. It’s not right... you deserve... more. To be safe.” I looked at him in confused alarm. “What!? I don’t understand... Aric, what...” “I have to put things right Lucy. Somehow I’ve got to get those people out of there.” My heart went to my mouth at the thought of him initiating some kind of rescue mission. I wanted him to stay well away from the Innaki. “Aric, it’s not your responsibility. You didn’t do anything worse than anyone else would do if put in the same situation. Let, oh, I don’t know - let the others sort it out!” “Lucy, I was the one who lured them there.” His eyes were deep blue pools of sadness. “You didn’t know.” “It doesn’t matter - I am the reason they ended up there. I’m the one who needs to try and get them out.” “It’s a suicide mission Aric, and you know it.” He gazed despondently at me, but said nothing. I changed tack. “Okay, so, I can help you.” He shook his head vigorously. “No way. Lucy, what I’m going to be getting into, I can’t have you... around. It’s too dangerous, and, well, if truth be told, I have trouble concentrating around you anyway. I’ll need to be totally focused, and I can’t focus properly when I know you’re in any sort of danger.” He dropped my hand, and turned to stare at the valley. “I’ve asked Ellen and Jomi to take care of you. We can’t be together.” I gaped unseeingly at the rocky surface at my feet, utterly thrown off course - I hadn’t expected this at all. “But, Canada - the property, with the cabin...” “You can still have it if you like, but I won’t be with you there.” “I don’t want it without you!” I wailed. He turned to me and put his hands on my shoulders. “Lucy, it’s for the best...” I barely heard his words - the blood was ringing in my ears. I felt the same familiar swell of panicked abandonment that had accompanied my childhood as I’d been shifted from home to home, but this was much, much worse. “You promised you’ll always be there for me.” He threw an uncomfortable glance at the ground. “I promised I’d always look after you. I’ve arranged for Ellen and Jomi to... “ “I don’t want to be palmed off to someone else again!” I snapped, twisting around to throw his hand off my shoulder. I knew I sounded petulant and sulky, like a child having a tantrum, but I didn’t care. “Aric, don’t do this!” I pleaded. “We’re just... meant to be... together!” It sounded lame, like the lyrics from some corny song, but I knew it was true. Aric looked sadly at the city. It was set out in a loose grid across the valley. A river snaked from one ridge to the other, cutting the valley in half and disappearing through a gorge in the opposite wall of rock. You couldn’t see the river from the house, but Jomi had been right - the view which included the river would seem even more spectacular - if I hadn’t just been given news which made me feel as though I’d been slammed about in a giant tumble dryer. Aric turned back to me, and placed his hand back on my shoulder. “I’m sorry Lucy, I have to do this. It’s for the best. We can’t be together. Jomi will arrange...” I cut him off again, and stepped back. “I know, I know - I’ve been through this before. I’m very good at moving on, you know...” Tears were streaming down my face, but I didn’t care. “Lucy, don’t be...” Whirling around, I stomped across the sandstone ledge towards the house, my thoughts a jumbled mess. I stopped at the entrance to the path, unable to bring myself to leave. I was pathetic, I berated myself. I was too old for these tears and tantrums – I needed to grow up and take charge of my life; I wasn’t a little kid any more. Caught up in Aric’s strange reality, I’d had to rely on him totally since the day I’d met him, and somewhere along the way I’d lost the independence I’d cultivated to survive. I don’t need him, I told myself sternly, taking a few faltering steps forward. I’ve survived on my own long enough. I stopped again and willed my legs to move. I don’t need him. It wasn’t true. We needed each other. If I walked away now, that would be it. I would be giving up the person I wanted – was meant - to be with forever. I turned to face him again. He was standing still, watching me, silhouetted against the blue sky, his blonde hair shining brightly in the afternoon sun. He seemed impossibly perfect, was designed to be perfect, and yet he was filled with the same misgivings and doubts as everyone else. This was his human side, I guess. I suspected nobody could really be perfect, even if you were supposed to be so by design. Nobody’s perfect, I decided, but there are some people who are perfect for each other. “I... need you, Aric,” I said, “And you need me.” It was as simple as that. We looked at each other silently across the rocky outcrop. I don’t know for how long. Finally, he took a deep breath, and moved towards me, his arms outstretched. “Come here,” he said quietly, and I ran to him and threw my arms around his neck. He lifted me off the ground and held me tight. “My god, you’re hard to give up,” he mumbled into my hair. “Then don’t.” He lowered me to the ground, and wiped my tears from my cheeks. “I’m sorry,” he said. He pulled me against him again, and I leaned against his chest, savoring the closeness I’d nearly lost forever. Stroking the back of my hair, he put his lips to my ear. “I don’t know what to do. I’m... lost, Lucy,” he whispered.

Touched by his honest vulnerability, I placed my hand on his cheek. “That’s why you need me,” I replied, throwing him a watery smile. He lowered his head and his lips met mine in an exquisitely poignant kiss which sealed our decision to be together. Eventually, he broke away, and held my face in his hands. He kissed my forehead, and my nose, and I sniffed noisily, realizing my face was a mess from crying. “Oh, I’m hideous when I cry,” I said, pulling away and wiping my eyes with my palms. He chuckled quietly, and took my hand, leading me back to where he’d been sitting when I’d first arrived. “You’re beautiful, no matter what.” He sat down again and patted the ground next to him. I sank down and leaned against him, and we looked out at the valley below. We could just make out the movement of the cars as they bustled along the city streets. “It’s strange to think they’re going about their business, oblivious to reality,” Aric said. “I envy them.” I thought of the bulging black eyed Innaki, and the bloodied fangs of the gargoyte, and nodded in agreement. “Ignorance is bliss.” “You know, the first time I ever saw you... you were lying in your bed, asleep. Your mouth was open, and you were... kind of snoring.” I shoved him playfully, “I don’t snore!” I protested. He smiled. “I thought you were adorable.” “Oh, no doubt I was! But I don’t snore.” He laughed quietly and took my hand in his. “When you woke up and saw the Innaki,” he went on, “you were so terrified. I just wanted to grab you and run, get you away from them.” He rubbed his thumb gently over my hand. “I want to keep you safe.” I said nothing. I wanted both of us to be safe. “I’ve been wondering why it’s taken me so long to... to quit the whispering. There are so many terrified people, you know... I can still see their faces in my mind. I kept asking the Innaki if there was a better way. I consoled myself with the thought that at least the abductees wouldn’t remember. It took meeting you to make the break.” I just listened, and he continued to talk, a cathartic outlet I hoped would help him work out the demons in his head. “I keep thinking, if only I’d met you sooner... it might have saved some of those people I helped the Innaki with.” “You don’t know that Aric - once they’ve got someone up there, there’s nowhere to go anyway.” “Yeah, but I helped them move people from their homes, cars, workplaces... the ones who could overcome the paralysis, they could have gotten away.” “Maybe, but you thought it was to help people in the long run.” He leaned back and stretched his legs out in front of him. “I still did it though. Bred to do it. What does that make me now? I don’t even know what or who I’m supposed to be.” I laid down on the rock beside him, and shielded my face from the sun. The warmth of the rock below me radiated through my clothes, warming my body and making me sleepy. “You are whoever and whatever you want yourself to be.” Aric stretched out next to me, and we lay side by side, soaking up the sunshine. “We don’t get put on earth, labeled, given a task set in stone, and then sent along our way,” I continued. “We choose our path ourselves, and there’s nothing stopping you from choosing either, now you know the truth.” He turned, raising himself on his elbow. “You know, you’re sounding wise beyond your years, Lucy Doyle,” he noted with a smile. I grinned, “Yeah, that’s me, the wise old sage of the mountain.” I waved my hand around, indicating the rocky ridge and the valley around us, and he laughed. I turned over to face him. “Aric, I know, whatever I say, you’re going to feel responsible, and I can only hope that with time you’ll realize, there are some things that are just... out of your control.” He sighed and laid back again. “Those people are still up there Lucy. The doctor who helped you could be one of them.” My blood felt chilled despite the sunshine. “You can’t do this all by yourself, Aric. Isn’t there any other way?” “There are other hybrids... they’ve been placed in positions which the Innaki feel are useful, throughout the world - in business, finance, political spheres. The word is getting around about what the Innaki are really like. Saul, Ellen and Jomi were talking about getting together and working out a plan of action, but we have to be careful - the Council can’t find out.” I felt a little better. If there were others to free the people, perhaps I could convince Aric, eventually, to stay right out of it. I knew it was selfish and cowardly of me, but I wanted him safe, and I wanted him to stay with me. “Okay, so can we make a deal?” I suggested. Aric lifted his arm off his face, squinting against the sun. “A deal?” “Yeah. You don’t go off, half-cocked by yourself, trying to break the people out. You wait until everyone’s agreed on a plan, and then, well, then we talk about it again when it’s time.” He was thoughtful for a moment, and I held my breath as I waited for his answer. Finally, he turned over, and leaned over me, blocking the sun from my face so I didn’t have to squint any more. “If it will make you happy,” he said. I placed my hand on his cheek. “It would make me happy.” “Then it’s a deal.” He kissed me again, and for a while, we forgot all about monsters, councils, mind reading, and everything else, and just focused on each other. *****

“You’ll need more sweaters, and a decent coat. It’s freezing up there.” Jomi added a teaspoon of sugar to her mug, and stirred it into the coffee. Jomi, Ellen and I were sitting in a cafe after a hectic morning of shopping in preparation for our new life up north. Aric had declined the invitation to come along, declaring I was a ‘nightmare’ to shop with, and I had spent a few hours replenishing my wardrobe which I had left behind in Newtown. As Aric was carless once again (he’d left his new truck in Newtown) Olaf had arranged to deliver some goods over the border so we could get a lift with him to our new location. Ellen swallowed a mouthful of apple pie, and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “You don’t need to buy too much - just the basics. You can decide what else you’ll need when you get there.” I sipped my coffee slowly - it was piping hot. “You are going to come and visit us, right?” I asked, looking from one woman to the other. Jomi smiled. “Of course we will, if you like, when you’re all settled in.” “We’ll be keeping in contact, but we still need to watch what we say on the phone, or the internet. Particularly if we’re going to be mustering the others and getting a plan into place, we need to be extra careful.” She looked around, checking to see her words weren’t being overheard, but the cafe was nearly empty. I stared glumly into my coffee. The thought of Aric in danger made my stomach queasy, and the coffee’s rich aroma didn’t seem so appetizing any more. All I wanted was the quiet life, devoid of aliens and vampiric critters. “Is there something wrong Lucy?” Jomi leaned forward, a look of concern creasing her brow. “Nothing...” I forced my lips into the semblance of a smile, but it didn’t last long. Ellen didn’t have to be a mind-reader to work out what was troubling me. “She doesn’t want Aric put in any more danger. “ She turned from Jomi to me. “You don’t want Aric included in the plans, do you?” My head snapped up. “I didn’t say that!” I looked uncomfortably from one woman to the other. “Well, of course I don’t want him to be put in any kind of danger, but...” I shrugged. What else could I do? Aric was determined to see those people freed, and there was nothing I could do to persuade him otherwise. “To be honest, I don’t want Aric in this either,” said Ellen. “Not just because I don’t want him hurt, but, well, I think he’s too emotionally wrapped up in it. His emotional involvement may turn out to be a liability and cause him to make decisions and mistakes which could end up putting others in danger.” I couldn’t decide whether Ellen’s misgivings about Aric’s involvement in the plan was a good thing. On the one hand, it meant that she too was worried about his safety, as I was, and his ability to succeed in an assignment which was very close to a suicide mission. I’d already been afraid about the very real dangers involved with dealing with the Innaki, but Ellen had underlined an issue I hadn’t even thought of. Aric himself had told me he found it hard to concentrate with me around - would his emotional involvement prove a handicap, as Ellen feared? On the other hand, Ellen’s doubts about Aric meant I had an ally - perhaps we could persuade him to sit this operation out. Jomi sipped her coffee thoughtfully, then placed the cup gently on its saucer. “I think we need to give Aric more credit than that. He’s been dealing with the Innaki closely for nearly nine hundred years. I would think he’d have enough sense to do the right thing.” Ellen shook her head. “You should know yourself, Jomi, when love and passion are involved, all sense goes out the window.” Jomi’s perfect, alabaster cheeks grew pink. Her eyes went to her lap, but she composed herself quickly, picking up her teaspoon and busying herself by stirring the frothy milk, her mind deep in thought. “Aric doesn’t have to be involved in the whole campaign,” Ellen continued. “Obviously, we can’t keep him from doing anything, but we can try and involve him only when he absolutely needs to be included.” My heart leapt with hope and I could have hugged her. Although there was still some risk to Aric, Ellen was trying to minimize it. Jomi was still unsure. “We need Aric’s information. He’s been on their craft, and he knows how the Innaki operate. I doubt he’ll be satisfied with giving us the logistics. He’ll want to be in the thick of things, and, quite frankly, I think he has a right to be there.” Ellen sighed. “Perhaps you’re right, but... there’s no harm in aiming for keeping him out of things for the time being. Let Lucy and Aric have some time to themselves. We can start getting the plans together. If anything, giving Aric some time may allow him to get his thoughts together and he may not be so... volatile about it when the time comes to act. I was nodding like a bobble-headed dog. Every word Ellen uttered felt like a lifeline to me. I was desperate for a normal, alien-free life. I knew, deep down, I was burying my head in the sand, that the Innaki problem wouldn’t go away just because we were going to move to a safe place, but I just wanted to be normal for a while. Jomi seemed to make up her mind. She nodded, tossed her spoon next to its saucer, then sat back in her seat. “Okay, we’ll do it your way for now. We’ll keep Aric ‘out of the loop’ so to speak, unless it’s really necessary. Although, I’m still not sure if it’s the right thing to do...” I beamed at her. “I think it is the right thing to do. Thank you!” She threw me an uneasy smile, still unconvinced. “Anyway,” she added, “it will be quite a while before we are ready to do anything. The situation is very... delicate. We have to be extra careful. As much as I’d like to help those people right now, any plans we make are going to have to be arranged and fine-tuned until we’re absolutely certain they’ll work. We need to figure out who we can trust, and make contact. That will take time. We can’t risk the Council finding out, and, well, I dare say putting a stop to the Innaki’s activities all together is going to be nearly impossible without the Council finding out. You don’t need to worry about the planning stage. You should try and put it out of your mind and just... enjoy your time together, until then.” It made me feel slightly better. As much as I was going to love spending every day with Aric, we would always have the knowledge that he could be called to help, hanging over us. I swallowed hard, staring blindly at the congealing bubbles around the rim of the coffee cup. I’d have to take Jomi’s advice and live in the moment. “Don’t get me wrong - we shouldn’t get our hopes up too much,” Ellen went on, “there’s no denying Aric is incredibly useful - he knows their layout, their habits, the way they think. If it comes down to an actual battle, he’s also very good with wyk, although, I’m told, you far surpass any of us when it comes to using wyk in self-defense.” “Really? I mean... I do?” “Oh, yes. Saul and Marcus couldn’t stop raving about how you wiped the Innaki out in the gym. Any wonder the Innaki are so interested in you.” “But, what could they do with me anyway? It’s not like, I’d work for them or anything.” Ellen threw me a sympathetic glance as she raised her coffee cup to her lips and took a sip. She plonked the cup down in its saucer with a rattle. “I don’t like to frighten you, Lucy, but, well, if they got their hands on you, they’d keep you and, possibly want to look into why you’re different...” I finally caught on to what she was saying. “You mean - like, dissect me or something?” “Possibly. That’s why Aric wants you well away from them.” I gaped at her in dismay. “I’d presumed they’d want to keep me for my wyk, kind of like a prized milking cow.” “I guess you could see it that way - they’re in the business of developing ‘livestock’ which will be more productive for them, like farms with their

animals. They’d want to find out what makes you tick - what makes you such a great... repository of wyk.” Jomi shivered. “Horrid creatures. Come on, let’s talk about something else - we’re freaking Lucy out.” “Wait,” I said, “If you do end up involving Aric, I want to be involved too.” There was no way I was going to sit at home wondering what was happening while Aric was putting himself in danger, particularly if, as they said, I was a better fighter with wyk than any of them. Ellen and Jomi’s protests were simultaneous. “Oh, no, Lucy,” said Ellen, “Aric would never agree to that.” I sniffed. Why did she think he’d have the last say? “This is the twenty first century,” I reminded her. “Equal rights and all. We may be together but he’s not my master.” Even as I said it I doubted Aric was the chauvinist type. His old-fashioned manners and maybe even his protectiveness were remnants of a bygone era, but he seemed to be a pretty liberal and modern guy. “She didn’t mean it like that,” Jomi said. “He’s serious about protecting you. He’s the one who really holds all the cards, Lucy, so if he wants you out of the loop we’ll have to respect that.” “Well, I think you’re wrong. He’s wrong. You said it’s his right to decide whether or not he gets involved in this, shouldn’t I have the right to decide for myself?” They looked at each other uncertainly. “You said I could fight well... with wyk,” I went on, “Wouldn’t that come in useful?” Jomi spoke first. “You may have more wyk than others, Lucy, but you are... unpracticed. One’s reserve of wyk isn’t limitless. It takes time to... how do I say it? Recharge? You need to know how to conserve it and use it in just the right way. It takes great self control.” “I can learn,” I offered. “You could come and visit, and teach me, and I can practice.” She leaned back in her seat. “I can’t imagine Aric allowing you to do this.” My jaw clenched. It wasn’t up to him. When the time came I’d be fighting alongside him whether he wanted me there or not. “He doesn’t have to know just now,” I suggested. Jomi sighed. “All these secrets. I don’t like it. Secrets are capricious weights upon one’s shoulders.” “Sometimes they are necessary,” I replied. Our eyes met, and she understood all I was trying to say. She sighed again. “Okay, I see there is no changing your mind. We’ll talk about how we’ll go about this another time.” Ellen ate the last of her pie, and threw her napkin down on the table. “Right,” she said, “now that’s settled, we have more shopping to do.” ***** It was the morning Aric and I would be leaving, and Jomi’s kitchen was a hive of activity, with Phil, Ellen and myself making snacks for the long drive, and Marcus and Olaf hanging around to sample our culinary efforts. “Well, we have enough sandwiches to last us till doomsday,” I said, wrapping the last of the cheese sandwiches in plastic wrap. “Wait!” Phil grabbed the sandwiches I’d just wrapped. “You forgot something.” He broke off a piece of parsley from the big bunch in front of him, unwrapped the sandwiches, and placed the sprig artfully on top. Marcus grabbed one of the sandwiches and took a bite. “They’re going on a road trip,” he said between mouthfuls, “not to a five star Michelin restaurant.” Phil shot him a look of disdain, and rearranged the sandwiches again. “The Michelin ranking only goes up to three stars... and if you really think a sprig of parsley on a plastic wrapped parcel of sandwiches is worthy of five stars, then there’s no hope for you.” he sniffed. Olaf checked out the tray of cookies Ellen had produced from the oven. Selecting one, he tossed it from hand to hand and eventually managed to get it into his mouth. “Mmmm,” he said, “very hot.” Ellen tossed the oven gloves on the bench top. “Who’d have guessed?” she said with a grin. Jomi arrived carrying a couple of folded blankets, with two pillows placed precariously on top. Saul jumped up from the dining table just in time to save one from toppling to the floor. “Thanks,” she said. “Olaf, are you eating again?” Her husband swallowed the last of the cookie and wiped the crumbs from his beard. “No, love.” he said innocently. “Lucy, Olaf has a tendency to stop at every truck stop he comes across, and all that greasy food - it’s not good for his arteries.” She threw him an accusatory look, but he managed to maintain an innocent expression. “Keep him away from it, if you can.” She smiled at him affectionately, and placed the blankets on the table. “It’s a long trip - there’s a small bed behind the seats in the cab,” she said. “Olaf hardly uses it because, well, he doesn’t fit in there very well, but you can take these in case you want to sleep on the way.” Aric entered the room. “Lucy, are you busy? I have something to show you.” I wiped my hands and followed him down the hallway to the room we’d been using. His notebook computer was open on the bed. Aric sat down and leaned on the pillows, positioning the computer on his lap. He patted the spot next to him. “Come and look.” he said. I settled down next to him. As usual, with me being around, the screen flickered but cleared instantly. “You were saying you were worried about your Uncle Tom.” He was right, after Smith’s threats, I had no clue as to whether my uncle and his family were alive and well. Aric clicked on an email message, and opened an attachment. It was a candid photograph of Uncle Tom hauling a bale of hay into the back of his pickup. “Oh!” I exclaimed, tears springing to my eyes. “What’s this?” “I asked a friend to go and check on them. He posed as a photographer doing a story on rural life. They’re all okay Lucy.” He clicked through some more photos. There was Luke, looking tiny and self-important as he sat in the tractor, and Michael posing with the farm dogs. I was even glad to see a photograph of Aunt Janet looking snootily at the produce at the local supermarket. “Isn’t it... dangerous - to send these?” After my blundering gaffe in the internet cafe, and my subsequent capture by the Tweedle brothers, I was terrified of using the computer. “We were very careful.” I clicked back to the photograph of Uncle Tom. His face looked more worn and haggard than I remembered. As far as I knew, he was under the impression I’d just taken off, on a whim, and without saying goodbye, to see the world. I must be an incredible disappointment to him. I wondered if I could ever make it up to him. “Thank you,” I said to Aric. My eyes were blurry with tears, and I blinked them away. “Do you think I’ll ever be able to see him again?” Aric put his arm around me. “Maybe someday.”

“Smith knew so much about me, about them. And my mom... Do you think... are they still in danger?” “Not right now. They won’t do anything to them. They’re too big of a bargaining chip if ever they managed to get their hands on you again.” I looked uneasily at the screen. Aric rubbed my shoulder. “Don’t worry - they won’t get you. You’re safe.” Leaning back on the pillow, I watched him as he slid the laptop along to the end of the bed. “Aric,” I said. He looked around, and shuffled backwards so he was sitting up against the pillows next to me. He looked at me questioningly. “What’s up?” “Are you sure you really want to do this? I mean, go all the way to Canada with me?” He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Are you having second thoughts?” I shook my head. “No... it’s just that. Well, what would you be doing right now if you hadn’t met me?” He shrugged. “At the time I met you, I was working as a freelance graphics designer - computer games, that kind of stuff. Maybe I’d still be doing that.” “You’re an artist? I didn’t know that!” It occurred to me there was plenty I still didn’t know about him. The prospect of getting to know him better was appealing. “It kept me busy,” he replied, sliding his arm around my shoulders again. “Anyway, what’s all this about?” “I just don’t want you to feel... obliged, to, you know, have to look after me. Living in a cabin in the middle of nowhere - you just don’t strike me as someone who would be happy to... end up somewhere like that. Not nowadays anyway.” He grinned at me. “Oh? And just where do you think I would be happy?” “I don’t know - just not in the middle of nowhere.” “I’d be happy living in the middle of...” he waved his hands around as he searched for a word, “... I don’t know... a garbage dump? So long as you were there Lucy.” I grinned, pleased with his answer. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” He leaned closer, moving my chin so I faced him. “Honestly, I don’t feel ‘obliged’ to be with you. It’s what I want to do.” He kissed me, and I reveled in the feeling of sweet euphoria which flooded through my body like a warm tide. I figured I could kiss him twenty four hours a day if there wasn’t the need to come up for air, and sleep, and maybe a bite to eat. I smiled at the thought, and he lifted his lips to look at me. “What is it?” he said, amusement highlighting the blue of his eyes. I grinned and shook my head. “Nothing. I’m just enjoying myself.” He laughed. “Well, that was the plan. Mission accomplished.” He kissed me again, but lifted his head almost immediately. “What is that noise?” I turned my head to catch a small, repeating beeping coming from the end of the bed. “It’s your foot on the laptop!” The computer was protesting as Aric’s boot pressed down on the space bar. He shifted and closed down the laptop, moving it out of the way. “It must have been weird for you,” I said thoughtfully. “Weird?” “Well, technology. When you think about it - living so long - coming from an era where there’s no electricity, no plumbing, no computers, no cars... to, well this!” I waved my hand around, indicating the electric lighting, the power sockets and the computer. Aric shrugged. “Remember, I’ve known about the Innaki since I was young. They’ve had stuff which tops all this for a long time. All this is really archaic compared to their technology.” “So you’d see all this electric lighting in their amazing flying machines and then you’d go back to your... primitive peasant’s hovel where you only had candles, and a cooking fire, no running water... and I hate to think what you used to do when you needed the bathroom! Weren’t you ever tempted to try to introduce some of that technology to Earth?” Aric smiled. “They don’t use electricity - they’re way too advanced for that.” “Okay, but still - it must have been weird to go back to living in ‘the olden days’ after seeing all that.” He laughed. “Ah... the olden days in my peasant hovel! Fun times. I don’t know - I’ve never thought about it. I was, and still am, happy to live simply.” He lay down beside me again and pulled me close, his face barely inches from mine on the pillow. “I do know that a lot of the technology we have which has been introduced in the past century or so has come from outside sources.” “Really? Such as?” “Well, the internet for one thing. Then there’s the transistor, the microchip, fiber optics... the list goes on. It’s no accident all this stuff came about fairly recently.” “You mean aliens gave us all that? Why would they do that?” Aric looked uncomfortable for a moment. “Deals with the government.” I shivered. Smith had talked about making a deal with the Innaki offering me in exchange for some new technology. I wondered what, or who they had exchanged for all these other advances. It didn’t bear thinking about. Aric rubbed my shoulder. “Hey, come on. Let’s not talk about that right now. You don’t need to worry about any of that, okay? Put it all out of your head.” His voice was soothing, mesmerizing. “You’re doing the whisperer thing again.” His answering smile was sheepish. “Sorry.” He pulled me even closer. “I don’t like to see you frightened. I just want to make you happy.” “I am happy.” His lips pressed against my forehead. “Good,” he murmured. He went to kiss me again, but we were interrupted by a knock on the door. Saul put his head around the corner. “Are you ready? Olaf is all set to go.” He disappeared back out the door, and Aric and I looked at each other. “Ready?” he asked. I took a deep breath, and nodded. Giving me a reassuring pat on my leg, he got to his feet. “Let’s go then,” he said. He grabbed his laptop, and I followed him out the door to say goodbye to our friends. ***** Chapter Twelve We’d been on the road for ten hours stopping only briefly at a trucker’s cafe, yet Olaf, perched cheerfully behind the steering wheel, seemed as bright as ever. “I don’t know how you manage to stay awake so long. Don’t you ever worry you’ll fall asleep while driving?” “Nah, I’m used to it. I only need a couple of hours sleep at a time now. I might have a quick snooze in a few hours.” I looked out at the road

ahead, but it was night time, and there wasn’t much to see other than the never-ending, bland expanse of tarmac which shone in the headlights as the semi ate up the miles. Beside me, Aric had dozed off, his head against the window. I wished I’d brought along an mp3 player. Olaf had been listening to some awful yodeling music on the truck’s sound system, and I’d only just convinced him to turn it down ‘so that Aric could sleep’. “So,” I said, in a dual attempt to be sociable and relieve my boredom, “How long have you and Jomi been married?” “Twenty one years this August.” “Wow! So long!” Twenty one years. Jomi didn’t look a day over twenty five at the most. Olaf looked to be in his mid-fifties. I presumed Jomi’s race aged slowly, just like the hybrids. The thought made me uncomfortable. In thirty, or forty years’ time, I would look so much older than Aric. What would he think of me when I was an old woman? Would he still love me? I didn’t want him to feel obliged to stick around and look after me when I was frail and doddering. Pushing the disturbing picture out of my head, I wondered instead how a giant of a man like Olaf ended up with a sleek elegant woman from another planet. It was... kind of weird - like a big grizzly bear pairing up with a gazelle. Perhaps he was so big because he was from elsewhere too? How could I pose the question tactfully? In the end I decided to just come right out with it. “So, are you, like... totally human?” Anyone overhearing our conversation would have thought it ludicrous. He grinned and didn’t miss a beat. “One hundred percent.” “So how did you and Jomi meet? I mean, it sounds a bit nosy. If you don’t want to answer, I’ll understand.” He waved away my reservations. “Her car had broken down on the highway, and I helped her with it.” I found it ironic that someone who had the technology to travel from distant planets could fall victim to the faults of the comparatively primitive and simple vehicles of Earth. “Have you met Jomi’s father?” “Yes, but he doesn’t know that I know what... or where he’s from. Jomi has convinced him that she’s married me to ‘fit in’.” “That must have been weird meeting him. I mean, it’s supposed to be uncomfortable to first meet your in-laws, but knowing he’s, well, not human, and an important member of the Council... “ “Yeah, it was. The whole situation’s just crazy. When Jomi first told me about herself, I thought she was, well, to put it bluntly - nuts.” He twirled his finger around his temple in a ‘crazy’ signal and grinned at me. “She showed me the wyk thing, and it blew my mind. Amazing, isn’t it?” I nodded. Amazing was an understatement. The whole situation I found myself in was so incredibly surreal I felt my sanity could be on the brink of shattering into pieces at any moment. Olaf took a swig from his energy drink, and went on. “When Jomi said her father was coming to visit us, I expected him to turn up in a big shiny flying saucer type thing. Instead, he arrived in a blue BMW 507 Roadster. Beautiful car that - a classic. Elvis owned one. Worth a mint!” He shook his head wistfully, and then he remembered what he’d been talking about and threw me a sheepish glance. “Being an important intergalactic council member,” he went on, “I thought he’d be wearing a long robe and speak in fancy prose, you know - sort of like the bigwigs in Star Wars? He was actually wearing a leather jacket, Levi’s 501s, was pretty cool. He didn’t - still doesn’t, look any older than Jomi.” “How old is Jomi anyway?” I was uncomfortable asking - it seemed kind of rude, but Olaf was an open man, and seemed happy to answer my questions. “Well, in earth years, she’s nearly fourteen thousand years old.” “Wow!” I shot him a surprised look. I couldn’t fathom living for that long. “She’s been living here all that time?” He shook his head. “No, she’s only been here about four thousand years.” I smiled at the absurdity of using the word ‘only’ when he was talking about millennia, and he grinned back. “Yeah, I know - ‘only’ is not the word for it,” he laughed. “God, four thousand years? Think of all she’s seen and done. All that history.” “She lived in Egypt when she first came here.” “So she saw the pyramids being built? That would be so awesome.” “No, actually, she says the pyramids were built long before historians and archaeologists think they were. The pharaohs just adapted them for their tombs.” “Seriously?” “She said they weren’t built by man...” “Then who?” “The ‘gods’ - the people who came from the sky. In other words, aliens.” “Wow, the archaeologists are way off, aren’t they?” “They should know better. Or at least suspect that their theories aren’t quite right. Think about it - the Egyptians documented just about every aspect of their lives in carvings, tablets. They left behind a type of written evidence of everything about their lives - except the building of the pyramids. There’s nothing written about how they were built. Because they weren’t the ones who built them. There are similar structures all over the world, and the amount of work and time it would take for humans to construct them would be phenomenal. The so-called ‘experts’ figures just don’t add up, and they should know it.” We both sat in silence. My thoughts were whirling around my head like snowflakes buffeted by the wind. The history of the world as we knew it was all wrong. I was told in my history class at school that it was important to study the past to understand the present, and plan for the future. If everything we think we understood about the past was faulty, then we really knew nothing about ourselves at all. Humans are such a proud, even arrogant, species. We judge ourselves to be superior and unique among species by our ability to love, empathize, problem solve, and yet, having met Jomi and Aric, I realized such venerated qualities aren’t unique to humanity at all. I stared out at the star-filled sky. So many worlds out there, so many possibilities. Our position in the universe, and our understanding of ourselves was built on false conclusions. What did it really mean to be human? And more importantly - did that question really matter, seeing as we are only one minute, almost insignificant part of a huge, cosmic unfathomable phenomenon? Perhaps it was better to value the qualities themselves, and appreciate that our human bodies are just one form which are fortunate enough to be able to experience those qualities. I suspected humans would be more tolerant of the creatures and environment around us if we lost the arrogance and self-centered attitude. “Thinking about all this could drive you crazy. Our history, our place in the universe...” I said to Olaf. “Just when you think you have things figured out, something comes along and blows it all out of the water.” “Yeah, I know. I try not to think about it, and just get on with life. I leave all that stuff up to Jomi - she’s better at it. I don’t think humans are designed to worry about all that. The Innaki don’t want us to be capable of thinking too much.” “Did the Innaki really... design and make humans?”

Olaf shrugged. “Apparently. Jomi’s not too sure. She doesn’t want to investigate it too much in case her interest is flagged up to the Council.” “Just how much interest does the Council take in the Earth anyway? Don’t they hear about the reports on the television, and the internet, about UFO sightings and abductions? Surely all that would eventually get back to them?” “Earth is just one of millions of seeded planets. They don’t take much notice of any of them once they’re set up, other than to look in occasionally to see what’s evolving, and hear the reports of those charged with overseeing them. Jomi basically only lets them see and hear what she thinks is necessary.” “That’s a hell of a responsibility.” “Yeah, it is. I worry about her, but you have to understand, she isn’t human. Her species is so much more capable than ours. What we would think of as a monumental task might just be a small chore to them, although Pleiadians are very spiritual people. I think the deceit she has to undertake weighs heavily on her.” “She does it for you.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Me, and the humans, the hybrids, the Earth in general. She loves this place.” “How long does she have to be here? Who did her job before she came here? How did the Innaki manage to break the quarantine before Jomi was around?” I hoped he wasn’t fed up with my questions. “She took over from her mother. Her mother loved the Earth too - I don’t know how long she was here for - Jomi wouldn’t tell me, but I’m presuming it was a very long time. I get the impression the post has been passed down forever through the female line in Jomi’s family. They inherit the post and they become the proverbial ‘Mother Earth’.” “How long do Pleiadians live for?” “Eons.” His voice held a hint of sadness and I wondered if he ever thought on the problem their lifespan differences would bring. “Does it bother you that you’ll grow old, and eventually die, while Jomi lives on, and well, remain ‘forever young’?” He reached for his drink again. “It used to bother me, but I decided it would send me crazy if I kept thinking on it. It makes me sad, and any time I have with her, no matter how short, is wasted if I spend it feeling unhappy.” His outlook was admirable and made plenty of sense. I guessed it was really the only healthy attitude to take - why worry about things that were impossible to change? Worry was just a waste of time and energy and sullied whatever happiness one might attain in any situation. Throwing an affectionate glance at Aric’s sleeping form, I made a promise to myself that I’d concentrate on the positives in my relatively short time I’d have with him. When the time came, and I believed myself to be too much of a burden on him, I’d take myself off quietly and lose myself somewhere in the world so he could get on with his life. Until then, I’d cherish every moment I spent with him and try not to think too far into the future. Had Olaf planned something similar? He and Jomi had no children to worry about leaving behind. I wondered whether their lack of children was planned, or whether it was impossible for humans and Pleiadians to interbreed. The issue intrigued me, but asking him about it seemed way too intrusive. Growing up without a proper family, one of my goals had always been to have a family of my own someday - I’d vowed my children would feel secure and loved and always have a home to call their own. I knew I was too young for a family of my own right now, but one day in the future... Would Aric and I be able to make babies? I blushed in the cab’s gloomy light and glanced at Aric. A lock of golden hair concealed part of his face, but I could still see the elegant sweep of his long lashes adorning the closed lids of his beautiful eyes. He would make gorgeous babies. My blush deepened and I groaned inwardly - even thinking such things was pretty lame of me considering our precarious circumstances. Pushing any thoughts of a family out of my mind, I turned to Olaf. “How far to the border?” He whacked the screen of his flickering GPS until it cleared, then scratched his head. “Well, it’s about ten miles to Evanton,” he said, “which is the last major town before the border, and then, it looks to be another twenty miles after that to the...” He stopped mid-sentence, and stared ahead. What happened next seemed to transpire in an instant. The road curved to the left but he made no attempt to steer the wheel in the direction we needed to go and we bounced on the bumpy verge, the massive trailer shuddering in protest. Instinctively, I grabbed the steering wheel and hauled it to the left, leaning over Olaf’s unresponsive bulk. The truck bumped back on to the tarmac and a flash of bright white light lit up the surrounding countryside. Olaf’s eyes were still directed straight ahead. His gaze was glassy and unseeing. I screamed as a spindly gray being appeared at the windshield, crawling and sticking to the glass like a spider, its shiny black eyes blinking as it turned its attention to me. All the jolting had woken Aric, and he sat up with a start, assessed the situation with impressive speed, and produced a large ball of crackling white wyk. He was about to throw it when the glass from the window next to him smashed, and the grotesque head of a gargoyte appeared, its jaws snapping towards Aric’s jugular. The ball of wyk went flying across the cab and I just managed to push Olaf’s stupefied head out of the way as the wyk whizzed past. It smashed against the window next to him, shattering the glass into tiny pieces. The rig hurtled at breakneck speed along the highway and the Innaki, clinging steadfastly to the glass despite the driving wind, continued to stare hypnotically through the windshield. The atmosphere began to grow thick and my limbs were feeling sluggish. I sensed a strange, inaudible buzzing in the air, as though the air around me was charged with electricity. The Innaki was trying to stun me. As I struggled to block the creature’s intrusive thoughts, a large silver disk appeared in the sky overhead. My heart sank. The Innaki had found us yet again. ***** The buzzing in the air grew stronger. The Innaki’s gaze never left my face and it was all I could do to muster the strength not to look back. It stayed remarkably steady in the wind’s onslaught, stuck firmly to the windshield by what looked to be small suction cups on the tips of each of the four long fingers. My mind began to feel far away, as though my brain was trying to observe everything around me from a great distance. I was aware of Aric’s battle with the gargoyte at my side, but that too seemed strangely distant. The white line of defence I’d been able to summon before, totally evaded me. The buzzing increased until it felt like the entire universe was humming. Even my teeth felt as though they were vibrating. My surroundings felt oddly indistinct as if I’d been observing it all through thick fogged glass. As my sight began to dim I knew I was losing the battle for consciousness. The sound of shattering glass broke the trance. My brain was suddenly sharp and clear again but it took a moment to take stock of where I was and what was happening. I was bent right over, my forehead against my knees as a spray of tiny glass flakes fell around me. A bulky weight was holding me down, my head stuck between the bottom of the dashboard and my legs. The cab was shuddering as it bounced over rough terrain. I could barely breathe and my back felt as if it would break in the peculiar angle I was stuck in. Pieces of glass pierced my hand as I fought to get the weight off of me. “Stay there Luce!” It was Aric, leaning over me to reach the steering wheel. “Wake up Olaf, damn it!” Beside me I felt Olaf’s leg move and the rig began to slow down as his foot came off the accelerator, although the vehicle’s momentum still made for a bumpy ride.

I heard Olaf’s voice over the din of the semi. “What the hell?” Aric’s weight left my head and I was able to look up through a curtain of hair to find the windshield and the Innaki gone and Olaf hauling hard on the wheel as he fought to get control of the runaway semi-trailer again. Above us, the sleek silver craft of the Innaki was easily keeping pace, issuing the bright white flashes like lightning bolts again. “Keep going!” Aric yelled, indicating the road we’d left. “They won’t want to be seen at Evanton!” Olaf yanked on the wheel and pointed the rig towards the road. We smashed through the wire fence; a long jagged piece wrapping itself around the front of the cab. A sharp waving end protruded into the cab, whipping past Aric’s face. He grabbed it, wincing as the barbs cut into his hand. He bent it back so it couldn’t reach us. “What happened to the gargoyte?” I yelled over the wind. “I managed to push it off the truck.” I peered around him through his shattered window into the darkness. “Is it dead?” “I don’t know. But there’ll be others, and the Innaki aren’t finished with us yet.” He looked up at the craft as it emitted another great flash of white light. Swallowing hard, I gripped the seat with an iron grasp and kept an eye on the empty windows. Why hadn’t I been able to block the Innaki this time? Had I lost whatever ‘power’ it took to do it? But Aric had said anybody could block if taught how, so why had the creature been able to stun me? “Aric, that thing got to me. I couldn’t block it.” He placed a cold hand over my tense fingers. “That one was particularly good at it. They’re sending in the big guns.” I threw him a disturbed look. “They have, like, ‘experts’ at it?” “Yeah, it’s a skill like any other. Some are masters at it, others, just mediocre. That one was a master - look how long it held Olaf; he was still stunned after the Innaki fell under the truck, despite the rig rattling enough to shake your fillings loose!” Olaf shook his head but kept his eyes on the road ahead. “If I ever get my hands on one of those little bastards...” A thump reverberated from the top of the cab and a gray bald head and two black almond eyes appeared at the front of the cab, hanging upside down as it perched on the roof. Its long spindly fingers curved around the edge of the windshield, oblivious to the shards of glass still clinging to the edges. Aric and I each threw a ball of wyk at the creature and we hit it simultaneously, sending it hurtling twenty feet in front of us, before the semi caught up with it and smashed it against the grill. Aric leaned forward and peered through the barbed wire. “It’s gone,” he said with a grateful sigh. He went to return to his seat but the leathery figure of a gargoyte descended on top of him. I screamed. The gargoyte sank its fangs into his shoulder, just missing vital arteries in Aric’s neck. Aric was half hanging out of the cab, his head dangling amongst the banging barbed wire still tangled at the front of the rig. He punched the gargoyte repeatedly, but the blows barely registered on the blood crazed creature. Why didn’t he zap it as he had the one at the military facility? I wished I knew how to do it - I should have asked him to teach me. The one thing I did know how to do though was throw wyk balls, and I sent a fiery red one which hit the gargoyte hard on its head. It fell further away from the windshield, dragging Aric with it. Grabbing Aric’s legs, I hauled as hard as I could to try and get him back in the cab, but the gargoyte still had a hold of him, and it was much stronger than me. I sent another ball of wyk, praying that I wouldn’t hit Aric. It hit the gargoyte in the shoulder and it let go of Aric, only to turn its enraged attention on me. Olaf stomped on the brake, and the semi began to slow, its wheels screeching. Somehow I knew it was the wrong thing to do. We’d be in worse trouble if they managed to stop the semi altogether. “Don’t stop!” I yelled at Olaf. He crunched the gears, floored the accelerator again and the rig lurched shakily then gathered speed. I had a hard time holding on to Aric’s legs as the cab jostled about. The gargoyte had been shaken around too, but its muscular arms managed to keep a hold of the cab. It began to climb towards me, its fangs bared and dripping Aric’s blood. It growled a low fierce snarl, a sound I’d find hard to forget. It climbed through the empty windsheild and perched on the dash, its great bulk taking up the majority of the space in front of me. Holding on to the steering wheel with one hand, Olaf threw a punch at the gargoyte. It snarled and snapped its jaws at him, catching his arm and tearing a piece of his jacket away. Olaf thumped it again, deftly avoiding the snapping jaws, but his blows barely shifted the creature. The semi drifted to the side of the road once more and we began to bump along the verge. We were rapidly approaching the bridge - a huge structure of heavy iron. If we missed the bridge we’d be in the river, and if we crashed into the bridge, there’d be no hope of survival at all. As I gripped Aric’s unmoving legs and heard the ominous thump of his body as he was blown about against the front of the cab, I was seized with rage. I threw ball after ball of red wyk at the gargoyte. Olaf continued to batter it too, but it was so strong and enraged itself, it would waver for only a moment before getting its balance and hauling itself back into the cab. I was growing exhausted, and the gargoyte’s head and snapping fangs were only a foot away from me. Olaf was beside me, swearing fiercely as he pummeled the side of its head but the creature only snapped at him as though Olaf’s blows were mosquito bites, keeping its attention solely on me. I mustered up one last ball of wyk, but it was so weak it looked like a vague pale light of luminescence - barely a light at all. I launched it at its face and it bounced right back at me, hitting my cheek with a stinging hiss like the shock you get from static electricity. I resorted to physical blows, trying to avoid the snapping teeth. Realizing I’d let go of Aric’s feet to punch the gargoyte, I felt Aric’s body slip away as it was pulled out of the cab. I felt as though all my blood had sunk to my toes. I felt chilled beyond the cold which had already permeated my body from the draughty journey. I couldn’t imagine a life without Aric. There seemed no point in fighting any more. I swallowed hard, and tilted my head back against the seat, exposing my throat to the gargoyte. Random thoughts ran through my mind. I hoped it would be quick. It would certainly be painful, but if I were lucky, death would be instantaneous or I’d at least pass out from blood loss or shock. Everything seemed so surreal, but once I’d accepted death, I felt strangely at peace. Olaf was still valiantly raining blows against the creature’s body. As I waited for the advancing fangs to pierce my throat, I realized I should have told Olaf to just stop the rig and run for his life. They didn’t want him. Only me. If he ran he might have a chance to escape the gargoyte. The gargoyte’s breath was horrendous. It came in great nausea inducing wafts which brought further tears to my already watery eyes. Time seemed slowed as its face grew closer. It grabbed my shoulders with sharp, strong claws and held me painfully. I turned my head away from the grotesque and stinking cavern which was its mouth. So this was how I would die. Never in a million years would I have imagined such a scene. I almost laughed at the absurdity. “Stop the rig and run Olaf.” I don’t know if I said it out loud. We continued to bump along the verge, the massive bridge getting closer, and he continued to harass the creature. The gargoyte snarled, then opened its mouth wider to expose its two inch fangs in all their horrifying glory. I grimaced and cringed against the seat, taking a deep breath in anticipation of the first bite. The bite never came. A muffled yelp issued from the creature as it was pulled away from me. I saw Aric behind the gargoyte, his body braced

against the side of the windshield, and he was wrenching on a piece of barbed wire he’d hooked around the creature’s thick leathery neck. He hauled back with all his might, blood from the barbs oozing through his straining fists. The gargoyte twisted and turned, its outraged roars muffled by the wire. Its claws grabbed at Aric’s arms, trying desperately to drag him off, but Aric stood firm, pulling the wire back harder as he continued to garrotte the flailing creature. Its movements began to dwindle but a massive jolt shook the cab, causing Aric to lose his balance. He disappeared in front of the cab, dragging the gargoyte with him. I screamed and threw myself forward to peer over the dashboard. There was no sign of Aric or the gargoyte. The barbed wire had been wrenched from where it had been lodged. The cab shook and I had to sit down again, or risk being thrown out myself. The side of the trailer was scraping the bridge. Olaf struggled to get control of the steering wheel. Sparks erupted from the clash of metal upon metal. The sound of scraping steel was ear piercing. Overhead, jet fighters had appeared, and were taking pot shots at the silver disk. “Oh God! Oh God Olaf! We’ve run over him! Stop the rig!” Olaf swore and stomped on the brakes again; the wheels squealing in protest, although they were barely audible over the din of fighter pilots, scraping metal, and the beating of my thumping heart. Tears poured down my cheeks, and I dreaded what I would find behind us on the road, but I couldn’t leave him there. Olaf battled with the beleaguered vehicle, fighting valiantly to slow it down. “We have some tires blown! If I try to stop on the bridge we’ll jack knife and end up in the river!” I dashed the tears from my eyes with my sleeve, and turned to look out the window on what had been Aric’s side of the cab. I screamed as a bloodied figure appeared at the window, clutching the door against the wind. My terror turned to joy when I spotted matted blond hair and Aric bent to pull himself into the cab. I hauled on him and eventually dragged him through, and he slumped on the seat. “Keep driving,” was all he said through labored breathing. He was a mess, covered in blood from head to toe. His blood soaked clothes hung in tatters about him, and his hands were shredded and shaking. A huge red stain spread out on his T-shirt from the large open wound on his shoulder. “Jesus, Aric, look at you!” I removed my jacket and tried to rip the sleeve off so I could use it as a bandage. Any strength I had possessed had vanished, and I resorted to placing the entire jacket against his shoulder in an effort to stem the blood flow. His once perfect face, now covered in cuts and grazes, winced in pain. “I’m sorry!” I said. “We have to stop the bleeding.” I had no medical training and I could have kicked myself for not going on the first aid course Jenny had arranged for us the summer before. The wound the gargoyte’s fangs had inflicted was a bad one. I knew Aric healed quickly, but would it be quick enough considering the amount of blood he was losing? “We need to get you to a hospital,” Olaf said, casting worried glances at Aric while battling with the steering wheel. Aric shook his head, and winced at the pain. “No, it’s too dangerous. I’ll live.” He turned his head to me, wincing again. “Are you hurt?” His hand went to my knee. “No, not at all.” It was only a little lie - I was cut from the broken windshield, and the gargoyte had managed to get in a few nips as I’d punched it, but compared to Aric, I was in tip top shape. He seemed satisfied with my answer, and turned back to face the front. He tipped his head back against the headrest. “Turn off this highway,” he ordered. “We’ll go the long way around Evanton. Turn off your headlights if you can, we don’t want the Innaki or the military following us.” He closed his eyes. “I need to sleep for a while. Wake me if anything happens.” ***** Chapter Thirteen “Why aren’t they following us?” Frantic military activity filled the sky. A number of fighter jets soared overhead, their engines so loud they could be heard over the rumbling of Olaf’s battle scarred semi. There was no sign of the Innaki craft - they had disappeared amongst the stars soon after the initial skirmish with the military planes. We only had one headlight left, which was just enough to pick out the narrow, potted road ahead of us. “Shouldn’t we turn off the lights? Wouldn’t the planes notice us?” “I’m cloaking the vehicle.” Aric held tightly to the handle above his head in an effort to keep from falling over as we bumped along the road. He twisted around to peer at the side of the semi for signs of unwelcome passengers. The wind whipped his hair across his face into his eyes, and he brushed it away, nearly losing his balance until I grabbed the back of his jacket and hauled him upright. He’d slept for less than an hour, and already his wounds were beginning to heal - his congealing blood drying in big dark stains on his shirt. Although he was on the mend, he still hadn’t regained his usual strength. Resuming his seat, he scanned the road ahead with vigilant intensity. The damp night air hit us with freezing ferocity through the space where the windshield used to be. I had to yell to be heard. “It’s not working! I can still see the rig! And us!” He dipped his head closer to me so I could hear him. “We need to see where we’re going. I can choose who can see us.” “You mean, no one but us can see the truck? Even the lights?” “Yeah. It’s a bit more complicated than disappearing all together.” I wondered whether my brain could handle discovering any more of this way-out stuff. Still, it was a neat trick -I’d have to get him to teach me to do that. It could have come in handy so many times. “Why didn’t you just do that on the mountain, when we were hiding in the bush? And under the desk at the base?” I would have felt much safer knowing we were invisible to everyone else. “I was doing it!” I remembered the warm bubble I sensed enveloping us. Maybe that was part of the process, although I couldn’t feel a warm bubble right now – nothing was warm. “Why didn’t you tell me?!” “I didn’t exactly have a lot of time to explain,” he said. He began to unzip his jacket. He’d put it on when he woke up and it covered the worst of his bloodied T-shirt, but his jeans were still shredded. Our packed bags were stashed in the trailer, and when I’d suggested we stop so he could change out of his tattered clothes, Aric had decided we should just keep moving. He did make a concession to Olaf though, and allowed him to drive with the headlight on after we bumped off the road for the fifth time. My teeth were chattering from the cold. His own cold hands were fumbling with his jacket’s zip. “What are you doing?” I yelled. “You’re cold! You can wear this.”

“No! I’m fine!” I protested. He continued to unzip his jacket anyway. It was all very gallant, but unwarranted when we were speeding through the countryside with the wind turning his face blue with cold. I’d refused to move to the bunk in the cab behind the seats. It was claustrophobic in there, and I would have been totally trapped if we were attacked again. I’d grabbed the blankets though, but they were hardly helping - the bitter wind was still reaching right through to my bones. “If you take that off I swear I’ll just throw it out the door!” I said as my teeth continued to clash together. I heard Olaf’s throaty laugh even over the roar of the wind and engine. “Chivalry is dead, my friend!” he roared over the wind, “Move with the times!” Aric pursed his lips and frowned, throwing his arm around me instead, which was warmer, but awkward as I bumped against him on the rough ride. “I don’t know how long the old girl is going to last,” Olaf yelled. “I’m perfectly fine!” I huffed, shuffling down in my seat as I tried to evade the majority of the icy air assailing us. They seemed to have the impression I was made of porcelain but I had proved I was pretty resilient, even useful when the going got tough. Olaf laughed again. “I meant the rig!” “Oh,” I mumbled, and Aric grinned. We rattled on for some time, gaining valuable distance from the aerial fracas we’d left behind. I’d wedged myself under Aric’s armpit and was sitting on my hands in an effort to keep them warm. The cold wasn’t that bad - I was beginning to become numb to it. Perhaps this was the start of hypothermia. If I felt frozen solid, I imagined Olaf and Aric would be doubly cold, as they were sitting right next to the window-less sides where the cold rushed in to hit them with the force of a gale, while their bodies shielded me from the worst of it. Olaf gripped the steering wheel with bluetinged fingers, and Aric’s hand, grasping the hand-rail near his head, was blue as well. I’d noticed Aric had barely felt the cold in the past, but this cold was so extreme I felt the waves of shivering overtake his body next to me, and he was clenching his teeth together so they wouldn’t chatter. “Maybe we should swap places for a while?” I yelled at Aric. He declined the offer, as I knew he would. “You’re going to get frostbite!” “No, I’m okay, quit worrying! We’ll have to stop soo -” A loud bang issued from the back of the rig, and we began to swerve dangerously along the narrow road. I sat up with a start, my heart battering my chest in terror. “Another gargoyte?!” I exclaimed, my teeth chattering more from fright than the cold now. Aric poised himself, ready for another fight. Olaf was wrestling with the steering wheel. “No, it’s another blown tire! We’ve got to pull over.” After a bone-rattling ride as we bumped off the road, he pulled the poor semi to a standstill. He switched off the engine, and leaned back in his seat, taking a deep breath. The silence after the tumultuous journey was unsettling. Aric managed to unclasp his frozen hand from the hand rail and jumped down easily from the cab to the ground. He surveyed our surroundings, then offered his hand to me. “Come on, we need to get the truck under cover. There’s woods either side of us. We’ll need to find a space it’ll fit.” I peered into the darkness, but couldn’t make out anything. Obviously Aric’s night vision was far superior to mine. Olaf climbed down from the cab and hobbled with difficulty around to the front of the semi. He was as cold and stiff as I was. I took Aric’s hand, which was already warm, and tried to move my frozen body. My painful joints protested but eventually I managed to slide to the edge of the seat and Aric lifted me down. He held me up until the blood returned to my feet and I was able to stand by myself. “I’m going to take a look along the road and see if I can spot a place to hide the rig.” He turned to Olaf. “Have you still got your gun?” “You have a gun?” If I’d known he’d carried a weapon it would have come in handy when the gargoytes were attacking. “Yeah, well, you can never be too careful when you’re driving around the countryside like I do.” “Why didn’t you use it on the gargoytes?” “I couldn’t reach it. The fanger was sitting on it.” If only I had known, I would have loved to have blasted that nightmarish creature away. I turned to Aric. “Why do we need the gun now - do you think there are still gargoytes about?” I knew bullets were useless against Innaki unless you were able to take them by surprise, but the possession of a gun was a comforting thought when it came to dealing with gargoytes. Then again, the way the leathery creatures resisted the wyk I’d thrown at it, perhaps bullets would have little impact. Aric shrugged a little too casually. “Better safe than sorry.” He began to remove his jacket. “Here, I don’t need this.” “Will you stop coddling me? I’m fine.” If truth be known, I was still cold and I suspected I’d never rid myself of the chill which made my bones ache, but I wasn’t about to let him know that. Without a jacket he’d freeze himself and he’d already put himself on the line for me enough. “I don’t feel the cold as much as you Lucy. I’m different remember?” His smile was bright despite the dull glow of the rig’s lights. “Okay, I’ll take the damn jacket, but if I see you shiver you’re getting it right back again.” He shrugged off the jacket and helped me into it. I was immediately grateful for the extra layer. “Thanks,” I said, giving him a quick hug. He was indeed as warm as I’d ever known him to be. Aric surveyed the scene, including a sweeping inspection of the sky, which was now empty of any air traffic. “Don’t stay near the truck,” he ordered. “Get the gun, the backpacks and wait at the edge of the woods over there. I’ll be back in a while.” Olaf went to fetch the provisions while Aric scanned the sky. “Are they gone?” “For now.” I shivered and crossed my arms in front of me. Aric put his arm about my shoulders. “We’ll be okay,” he assured me. I looked at him dubiously. “I don’t understand one thing,” I said. “If we can use wyk to move things, why couldn’t the Innaki use wyk to cut the semi’s engine? That would have been easier than sending a gray down to a moving vehicle.” “They were trying to do that. I was stopping them.” “Oh...” He managed to fight gargoytes and shield us at the same time? That was pretty impressive - it must take some mind power to do it. “Do you think I could become as good as you at shielding?” “Let’s hope you don’t have to.” His answer was purposely ambivalent. Running his hands down my arms, he pulled me into a hug, and I winced at the pressure on the gargoyte nips on my arms. “What is it?” He asked. “Nothing...” He held me at arm’s length and studied my face in the light of the lone headlight. “Lucy, there’s something wrong. What is it? Are you hurt?” “Not much.” His eyes were already scanning my body. “Just a few cuts and bruises.”

He grabbed my arm, pushed the sleeve up and inspected my wounds. My hand was covered in small cuts and abrasions, and I had two lots of bite marks where the fangs had pierced my skin through my sleeve. The wounds were minute in comparison to those Aric had suffered. “These are gargoyte bites,” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I shrugged. “They’re barely big enough to mention...” His finger traced along the undamaged skin on my forearm. “Gargoytes have dangerous bacteria in their saliva. If you don’t die of blood loss after a gargoyte attack, then you’ll usually die from a bad infection from their bite.” I stared down at the puncture wounds in horror. “Oh God. Can... antibiotics help?” He smiled at me. “You won’t need antibiotics. I can heal, remember?” I sighed with relief. Aric instructed me to strip down to my t-shirt so he could make a thorough inspection of my wounds. I watched, fascinated and shivering, as he healed my wounds, one by one. The skin was left smooth and unblemished, no sign of any wound or scar. Olaf returned with the gun. His eyes fell upon me shivering in my t-shirt. “Gargoytes have a poisonous bite,” I told him. “Did you get bitten or scratched anywhere?” He shook his head. “Nah, the only injury I got was bruised knuckles. I’ve had worse.” Aric looked him over anyway, and healed the injured hand. Olaf stretched out his fingers, and then bent them into a fist. “Fighting fit again. You could make a fortune doing that.” Aric grinned. “I think I’ll pass on that.” He handed me his jacket again. “We’ll change after we’ve sorted the truck.” Olaf waved the gun at his side. “What am I supposed to be using this on? Are the gargoytes still around?” Aric answered with a grim smile. “Maybe, but I was thinking more of bears, or wolves.” “Ah, earthly things,” Olaf said, tucking the gun into his waistband. “Now those I can deal with.” He turned the rig‘s lights off and we headed into the scrub which bordered the road. I looked back to see Aric running at superhuman speed down the road, so fast he was almost a blur, eventually disappearing into the blackness. “Woah!” I said. “Did you see that?!” Olaf’s hand went to the gun at his waist, and he glanced around nervously. “What is it?” “Aric - he just... took off down the road. So fast!” Olaf grunted and turned back where he’d been heading. “He’s a hybrid Lucy, they’ve got all sorts of super powers.” “Super powers?!” I hadn’t realized he could run so fast. What other amazing things could he do that he’d neglected to mention?! “Can he fly?” Olaf laughed. “No, I don’t think so. But I guess, technically, with the wyk thing, he could probably make himself float, or hover. You can do anything with it if you put your mind to it. Maybe he can fly. Who knows? You’ll have to ask him yourself. I’ve never seen it happen though.” Being able to fly would be so cool, and handy too. I resolved to find out if it were possible, and if so, I was going to learn how to do it. Quite suddenly, the absurdity of my thoughts struck me as intensely funny, and I began to laugh out loud. It started with a giggle, which eventually erupted into a full belly laugh until I was doubled over, barely able to breathe, tears running down my face. I guess it was a release of tension built up in the past few hours, but I’d never laughed so much before in my life, and it felt wonderful, and a little... nuts. Olaf turned to me, a look of concern and confusion creasing his face. “Are you all right Luce?” he bent over to look at me as I was doubled over. I saw his worried face, but for some reason it made me laugh even harder. Gasping for breath, I held my stomach and waved a hand at him. “I’m... o...kay!” Olaf took a worried look at the direction Aric had taken, no doubt wishing Aric would get back and look after his crazy girlfriend. I tried to get a hold of myself. “Really Olaf, I’m okay. I just...” I began to giggle again, and Olaf grabbed me by the arm and pulled me along to the woods. We stood shivering at the edge of the forest, hidden in the blackness of the leafy wood. I’d given up trying to fish around in my over-packed backpack for a something warm to wear when my underwear fell out into the mud. Around us the night creatures had recommenced their interrupted song, unperturbed now by our presence. Occasionally the sound of a cracking twig or a rustling animal broke the silence. Olaf stood tensely in front of me, his gun drawn, while I cowered with my back up against a tree. Eventually the noise would come to nothing, and we’d relax slightly. It seemed a long time though since Aric had gone down the road and I began to worry. “He’s been gone an awfully long time,” I said. “Maybe we should go and find him?” “It’s been twenty minutes at the most. Give him time. These woods are thick, and that’s a big thing to hide.” At the mention of his semi, his voice grew a little wistful. “I’m sorry about your rig.” “She’s insured.” “Well, yeah, but I know how attached you are - were - to that particular one.” He gave a small laugh. “To be honest, that one was getting a little... long in the tooth. I was wondering how I was going to get Jomi to agree to an upgrade, and well, now I have the perfect excuse.” “I guess so.” I wasn’t convinced. I saw the way he’d grimaced as he’d surveyed the damage. The rig was unrepairable. “Can you imagine what I’m going to have to write on the insurance claim form? Attacked by aliens and blood sucking vampire things.” “I don’t think that would go down well!” “Yeah, I may have to come up with another, more plausible scenario.” “Attacked by Big Foot instead?” He chuckled. “Yeah, much more believable.” I shivered. I’d seen so many crazy things lately that the existence of Big Foot seemed entirely possible. Life had been so insane and unbelievable I wouldn’t have been surprised if a yeti, or even a unicorn had stepped up beside us in the woods. I wished Aric would hurry up and get back to us so we could work out a way to get somewhere civilized. Fatigue was overtaking me, and I longed for a warm bed and a long nap. “How far do you think we are to the nearest town?” “I don’t know. I was too busy getting out of there and didn’t bother to notice where we were going. I suppose we can hitch a ride...” I looked dubiously at the empty road. It’d be a while before we’d see a vehicle which could help us out. “Do you have a cell phone? Maybe we could phone someone who could arrange a lift.” “We didn’t bring a cell. Aric figured it was too risky. He didn’t want anyone tracing us. But as it turned out, they knew anyway.” He paused, swaying from one foot to the other, and peered out at the roadside.

“How do you think they knew?” “Someone had to have told them.” “Who?” “That I don’t know. We’ll have to talk about it with Aric when we get out of here.” His voice was grave. The idea of a spy in their midst had obviously been worrying him. I thought on the people who knew we were headed for Canada. There weren’t many. Saul and Ellen, Jomi, Olaf, Marcus and Phil. Surely none of them could betray us - could they? There had to be another explanation, but I couldn’t think of any. “We’ll talk about that later.” Aric’s voice startled me in the darkness. I swear he almost appeared in an instant, he was so fast. Relief flooded through me. “It’s all pretty dense around here. There’s a gap in the woods about five miles down the road. Not quite wide as the cab, but we’ll have to make it fit. Unfazed by the dark, he rummaged around in his backpack and pulled out some clothes, changing into them quickly and discarding his old bloodied rags. He handed me a new sweater and I donned it gratefully. Back up at the road, Aric and Olaf inspected the rear of the semi. The tires were set in double formation, and both tires on the right side had been blown. The rims were now bare and mangled after being scraped along the tarmac. He scratched his head thoughtfully. “We’ll have a hell of a job trying to drive this five miles. We’ll probably end up in a ditch.” Aric bent to study the rims. He ran a hand down the side of the trailer. “I’ll hold it up as you drive. We’ll try to get it to balance.” I gaped at him, astounded. What was he - Superman? Superhuman speed and strength? However evil they might be, the Innaki sure knew what they were doing when creating the perfect human. Aric walked with me back to the cab and hoisted me in as the step rail had been torn from the side in the gargoyte fight. He hauled himself up after me. “Well, move over then,” he said with a grin as he hovered over my lap. Confused, I shuffled over to the middle seat “Aren’t you going to be holding up the trailer?” He laughed. “Who do you think I am? Superman?” he said, parking himself in the passenger seat. “I’m not going to hold it up physically. I can do it with wyk.” Putting his arm around my shoulder, he turned to Olaf. “Ready?” The semi’s engine roared to life on the first try, and Olaf patted the steering wheel affectionately. “She’s got guts, this one. Never lets me down.” He jammed the gears into first and hit the gas. “Come on old girl, one more trip and then you can have a nice long rest.” The cab shuddered and moved off slowly, a clunking sound coming from the back. “Higher Aric. It’s best if she’s level.” “Sorry.” Aric stuck his head out the door and concentrated on leveling the trailer. I heard the axles creaking, and the weight of the cab seemed to shift. “Better?” Olaf nodded. “Let me know when we get to the spot you found.” The two of them were silent for the remainder of the short journey as they both concentrated on the task at hand. We didn’t see another vehicle at all. Finally, Aric, who’d been scanning the woods at the side of the road, leaned forward, and held up his hand. “Stop, here.” He pointed to the blackness. I couldn’t see anything. “There’s a big ditch between the road and the woods. You won’t be able to drive in.” The shoulder of the road was perhaps only a few feet across. A guardrail stretched out along the side of the road and the ‘ditch’ on the other side was so deep and steep it may as well have been a canyon. It’d be impossible to get the rig through there. But Aric was full of surprises and I had no doubt he’d find a way to get it done. Quickly repacking our backpacks with a few essentials, we decided we’d leave most of the stuff we’d packed behind in the rig’s cab as we didn’t know how far we’d be walking. We assembled with our stuff at the roadside. “Right, how do you want to do this?” Olaf leaned over the railing and squinted into the darkness. He was having as much trouble as I was coping with limited night vision. “I’ll have to float it over I guess.” My admiration for his abilities increased ten-fold. How much did a rig like that weigh? And he was going to attempt to float it into the air, across a ditch and into the forest? This wyk stuff was amazing. Aric stood, legs apart in front of the cab. The night mist swirled in the glow of the headlight. The semi began to rise slowly, the coupling creaking and protesting as Aric leveled the cab with the trailer. He’d lifted the whole thing about five feet above the ground. I could see him shaking with the effort. Maybe he wasn’t as recovered as I’d thought he was. At this rate he’d be as weak and ill as he the night I’d taken him to Saul’s place. I wasn’t about to just stand around and let him do this by himself. “Wait!” I said. Aric’s concentration was broken and the semi went crashing to the ground. Olaf winced. “Sorry,” I continued. “It’s too hard for you to do on your own. Let me help.” Aric shook his head. “No, it’s okay, I can do this by myself. It just takes some concentration.” He turned back to the rig and it rose slowly into the air, but his body was still shuddering with the extreme effort he was putting in. I decided to help him whether he wanted me to or not. I figured it must work just like it did when I sent candy flying across the table at Phil, only on a grander scale. I pictured the rig sliding across the space over the ditch. The semi began to turn, and then stopped at an angle, hanging stubbornly in the air no matter how much I tried to push it across the ditch. “Lucy, I’m trying to turn it!” Aric was eyeing me in amusement. “If you’re going to help we have to do this in sync, otherwise we’re just battling against each other.” “Oh!” I lost my concentration and the rig began to fall, but Aric caught it again. “Okay, let’s turn it ninety degrees so the headlight’s facing the trees. You’ll see the gap as it gets closer. I’ll steer. You just help keep it up okay? Don’t fight it!” I nodded and just focused on keeping it up in the air. It glided over the ditch slowly, strangely silent aside from an occasional creak, moving like a giant truck shaped balloon through the air. The headlight fell on the trees and I made out the gap Aric had been talking about. We’d never fit it through there. I presumed he was going to force it. He moved closer to the rail. My strength was beginning to wane, but I kept up my side of the task. The cab pushed against the trees, and I heard the crack of branches as they gave way. It is hard to describe the feeling. I could feel the resistance of the trees as we pushed the vehicle through, yet it was all in my mind. I shook with the effort. We pushed until the rig was swallowed up by the trees, lodged deep into the woods so none of the rig was showing from the road. Only the glow of the headlight and parking lights could be seen through the brush, and Aric quickly turned those off

remotely using his mind, leaving us in complete darkness. I slumped against the rail. I felt as though I’d run a marathon. I felt the warmth of Aric’s body behind me, although I could barely see him. “Are you all right?” I pushed the hair out of my eyes. “Yeah, give me a minute. That was harder than I thought it’d be.” “You know you are one stubborn woman.” He murmured near my ear. “I could’ve done it by myself you know.” “You’re welcome,” I said facetiously, but I leaned my weary head back on his chest. He put his arms around me. “Sorry... and thank you – for the help,” He said, hugging me closer for a moment. He kissed my temple, then released me, giving my backside an affectionate pat. He shouldered my backpack but I insisted on carrying it myself. I could just make out his white grin in the dimness. “We’ve got to get going,” he said. “No point hanging around here all night.” Grabbing his own backpack, he took my hand and the three of us headed off along the dark and silent road in the middle of nowhere. ***** Chapter Fourteen The rain started as a gentle patter, then, heralded by a low rumble of thunder, big fat droplets turned into a steady downpour which seeped into our clothes, washed the blood from our battered bodies, and set my teeth chattering again. We’d had to run to the cover of the trees for the worst of it, and were standing shivering amongst the damp tree trunks when the only pair of headlights we’d seen in more than two hours appeared in the distance. Aric dropped his backpack on the ground and studied the rapidly approaching vehicle. “Stay here, I’ll let you know when it’s safe to come out,” he said. Taking off across the ditch to the roadside, he stopped for a moment to yell back to us. “Leave the talking to me!” We watched as the car’s headlights caught his waving figure in the gloom. It slowed down and I was hopeful it would stop, but it sped up again as it passed him, its wheels squealing on the wet asphalt. Beside me, Olaf cursed and folded his arms against his chest. “Where’s the community spirit these days?” he said. Although disappointed, I tried to be little more understanding. “Maybe it was a lone woman in the car? I wouldn’t be stopping in the middle of nowhere to pick up a strange man. Perhaps we should show ourselves? They might be more open to picking up a female-” I fell silent as I watched the car stop dead in its tracks a few hundred feet up the road. It slowly rose into the air, its engine silenced, then floated back to Aric, where it was gently lowered to the ground. I watched as Aric walked to the driver’s side and bent to talk to what, I presumed, would be one very shaken driver. After a few minutes he signaled to us to come over. Olaf grabbed Aric’s backpack and we ran through the rain to the car where Aric motioned for us to hop in. “Lucy, Olaf, this is Carole.” Aric twisted around in the front passenger seat. “She’s kindly agreed to take us to see her brothers. They have a car we might be able to buy.” After depositing our backpacks in the trunk, Olaf and I were sitting, soaked to the skin, in the back seat. “Lucy and Olaf is it?” Carole seemed strangely unaffected by the fact her car had been stopped and floated ten feet in the air. “I’m really sorry to hear about your sister. I hope you get to see her on time.” Olaf and I threw each other a confused glance. I heard Aric’s voice in my mind.

I told her we have a sister who’s very ill and we’re on our way to see her, hitch hiking because our car died. A sister? Then that would mean... Then you’re supposed to be my brother? Er, yeah, and Olaf’s our father. I’ll let him know. I wasn’t sure whether I liked that, the brother/sister thing. I could see Carole already throwing Aric flirty glances from under her long, overly bleached blond bangs. Why couldn’t you just tell her I’m your girlfriend?

Because this will work better if... well, if Carole thinks I’m... available. I sat up in my seat and nearly spoke out loud, the green monster of jealousy growling inside me. Available! No way! You have to tell her the truth. Lucy, trust me, okay? This works best if I can, um, flirt with her. What works best? Your evil plot to drive me nuts? He laughed quietly. The... whispering thing, it’s quicker and... more natural... if I can, well, flirt. I can’t do that if she knows you’re my girlfriend. I knew he’d cringed at the term ‘whispering’, even without being able to see his face. Well, don’t whisper too - closely! I said grumpily, crossing my arms over my chest. I scowled in silence at the back of his head. His muffled chuckle echoed in my brain. I don’t think it’s funny, I sulked.

You have nothing to worry about. I’m Carole interrupted him. “So, Aric, tell me about yourself. Where are you from?” I sat, seething in the back seat as Aric and Carole entered the most excruciatingly lame, flirting exchange, full of innuendo and suggestive glances. My fists clenched and unclenched under my armpits while Olaf peered uncomfortably out of the window at the brightening landscape. “Perhaps you could come back this way, after you’ve seen your sister I mean,” Carole was saying. “Stay at my place. I could always find a bed for you.” She turned her head to wink at him, adding a seductive smile. I’d had enough. “Right!” I sat bolt upright, but Olaf put a warning hand on my arm, protesting silently with a slight shake of his head. His eyes opened wide in a soundless plea for me to stop. “Right...” I continued, trying to salvage the situation. “Er, I’m off to sleep.” I threw my head back against the upholstery with a thump, cricking my neck. The pain only made me angrier. Leaning over, Olaf whispered in my ear. “Read my mind.” I jammed my way into Olaf’s head. My jaw clenched so tight my teeth hurt. What? I said, rather too sharply.

Calm yourself down Lucy. If you go off half-cocked now you’ll ruin everything and we’ll be thrown out of the car on our asses. We need the ride, remember? I scowled behind closed lids. He doesn’t have to do it this way... Olaf sighed. Trust him. I know it’s... uncomfortable for you, but trust him. He knows what he’s doing. It’s all part of the process. The ‘process’? What process was that - the abduction process? Surely he didn’t seduce every person he helped the Innaki abduct. What about the men? Kids? He wouldn’t seduce them, so why’d he have to do that now, in our situation?

I hadn’t realized I was still sharing my thoughts with Olaf, and was surprised when he answered me. I guess he just feels it’s the easiest, quickest way to go about it in this case, he said. Although, he added with a wry chortle, I bet he didn’t count on your wrath when he decided to do it. Maybe it would have been easier to do it any other way! I grunted. It’s not funny Olaf! He wouldn’t be impressed if it were me flirting with some guy in front of him! I think he would trust you. I opened my eyes and turned my head to catch Olaf’s meaningful gaze. I was kind of ashamed. He was right, Aric would trust me, and I should be affording him the same trust and respect. I was acting like a spoiled twelve year old. I sighed. Okay, point taken. We were silent for a while and I tried hard to concentrate on the passing scenery rather than the conversation in the front seat. When I couldn’t block out Carole’s squeaky, over-zealous laughter any longer, I turned back to Olaf.

How do you think he explained the floating car to her? He probably repressed her memory of it. That’s what the Innaki had done to me. I didn’t know he could do that. A shudder rattled through me, even though Carole had turned the car’s heating up. Could everyone repress another’s memory, once they knew how, or was it an ‘Innaki thing’? Aric was part human, part alien. Where did one end and the other begin? If I was confused about that, it was no surprise Aric didn’t know who or what he was. I’d said it didn’t matter what he was. There was good and bad in everyone, and it was how you chose to live, think and feel that mattered. On that point I wondered whether there was a chance that there were any good Innaki, or whether they were all inherently evil. If the rule was that there was both good and bad in everyone, then didn’t it follow that some of the Innaki weren’t all bad? So far I hadn’t seen any proof of that, but then maybe those Innaki who were drawn to blood farming and abduction were the only ones I’d come across, and there was a whole mixed society of them, good and bad, somewhere, on whatever planet they called home. All this deliberating was confusing and made my overtired head hurt. After a while, I sank into a restless sleep, troubled by visions of fanged monsters, winking suggestively and cackling in a high-pitched, girly voice. ***** Carole’s home was a shabby, isolated farm in the spruce-covered hills to the west of Evanton. The property was littered with rusting farm equipment and old, broken building materials. At the end of the winding drive, the old farmhouse sat in the morning sun, its ancient, neglected paint peeling in places, the wooden walls surrounded by a lopsided fenced in porch with missing banisters, reminiscent of a gap toothed grin. The remains of spent flowers wilted in polystyrene boxes on either side of the farmhouse steps. All along the porch a series of wind chimes in various sizes tinkled in the morning breeze. Colored glass spirals twisted enthusiastically on their strings, catching the sunlight and sending a smattering of rainbow colored prisms across the porch treads. I followed Aric and Olaf up the steps, resisting a smile as Olaf’s head hit the low-hanging spirals. Carole threw him a warning look, and Olaf sheepishly tried to stop the glass from clashing. “Nate! Travis! We have guests!” Carole hollered at the top of her lungs as she entered the house. There was no answer. She led us through the front hall, down a long passage, and into a large, cluttered kitchen. “Please, sit down and I’ll make you all some coffee.” Smoothing her hands over her tight white jeans, she cocked her head as though she were listening for something. “Now where are those boys?” Moving to the window, she leaned over the kitchen sink and peered out, squinting at the sun. “No sign of the truck. They must be in those damned caves.” She looked at us apologetically, and picked up the coffee pot. “My brothers are a little... odd. Grown men but I swear they act like kids most of the time.” Gathering four mugs from the cupboard, she deposited them on the table and turned to the fridge. “I’m not sure what we’ve got left here, but I could cook you up some breakfast.” She fished about in the fridge. “Damn, they’ve eaten all the bacon.” She grabbed the milk and turned back to us, smiling ingratiatingly at Aric. “I could make you some toast, honey.” She pointed to a jar of honey on the kitchen bench, but I knew she really meant ‘honey’ as a term of endearment. My teeth ground together. “Sorry, that’s all I’ve got,” she added with a shrug, smiling coyly and thrusting her chest out in an unspoken invitation to admire her ample bust. Aric beamed back his most irresistible smile - even my heart flip-flopped as I watched him - and I was used to it. “That’d be awesome, thanks. Toast sounds just the thing.” I declined the toast but I needn’t have bothered - Carole only had eyes for Aric. She blushed at the intensity of his gaze, and I felt a wave of nausea. She poured the coffee, leaning over the table so far I thought she was about to spill out of her top. I watched Aric’s eyebrow raise, and the grin spring to his face as he held out his mug, and I wanted to kick him under the table. I needed to get away from there. Olaf just looked uncomfortable, although I could tell he was quite impressed with the view. The flirting thing was making me ill. I wished Aric would forgo the niceties and just tell her to fetch her brothers so we could buy their damned car. Surely he couldn’t have put this much effort into the other people he’d manipulated? Maybe he really was attracted to her. Appraising her over my coffee mug, I sipped the weak brew and considered my ‘competition’. She was busy making the toast, ‘accidentally’ brushing against Aric as she moved about the kitchen, all swaying hips, generous cleavage and fluttery eyelashes. She was attractive in a fake, trying-too-hard way, but I figured, according to Aric and Olaf’s stupid, appreciative grins, men liked that kind of thing. I compared my own appearance - I wore a pair of muddied blue jeans and a plain beige woolly sweater. Nothing special and certainly not very sexy. I’d taken off Aric’s jacket and slung it over my backpack in the hall. My hair cascaded over my shoulders in dark, clumped-together tendrils - I really needed a shower. Yanking my sweater straight, I sighed at the sight of my unremarkable chest. I wasn’t flat-chested, but I was certainly not in the league of Carole’s considerable assets. I wondered if they were fake. Whatever, Aric seemed to be impressed. Yes, they are. I looked up to find Aric watching me, his eyes twinkling.

What?! They’re fake. And you’re a million times more beautiful. I scowled, my face reddening, embarrassed he’d heard my thoughts. I was too grumpy and jealous to be pleased by the compliment. Pressing my lips together, I glared at him and thumped my coffee mug down on the table a little too forcefully.

Have you been listening? Ugh! Get out of my head! Grumpily, I threw a shield up around my thoughts, then stood abruptly, nearly knocking the chair over. “I need to use the bathroom.”

Carole gave me directions and I stalked down the hallway. Let him do what he thinks he had to do, but I wasn’t going to watch it any more. I tidied myself up as best I could in the bathroom, ignoring my limp hair and dark-ringed eyes. When this was over I was sure I would sleep for weeks. I decided I’d sit out on the porch. I’d spotted an old cane rocking chair which looked as good a place as any to sit for a while so I didn’t have to hang out with Carole. Maybe I could grab a nap there until the brothers got back. I sneaked past the kitchen door, and was about to head out the front door when I glanced into the living room to my right. In the dimly lit room I just made out a scrawny gray figure which gave me the chills. I screamed. Aric was by my side in a flash, followed a short time later by Olaf and Carole. With a shaky hand, I pointed at the creature sitting slouched on the sofa. It was, well, an Innaki, but it looked a little strange. Carole laughed and switched the living room light on. “Oh, that!” she giggled, walking over to the sofa. “This is Fred, he belongs to Travis.” She picked up the alien, and it crumpled forward in her arms. It was a doll. “I told you my brothers are weird. They’re into this stuff.” She shook the doll then dropped it back on the sofa where it leaned over the arm and stared with unseeing eyes at the ceiling. “They bought this at Roswell,” she continued. “You know... Roswell? A town in New Mexico s’posed to have had a spaceship crashed...” I leaned against the door jam and closed my eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. My heartbeat began to return to normal. “Sorry it gave you a fright. Creepy thing.” She patted the alien’s scrawny leg. “They’re idiots, my brothers. They’ll believe in anything - they’ve got lots of this stuff around.” The color returned to Olaf’s face and he grinned as he checked out the doll. “Pretty cool! Although the eyes are a bit too big...” Aric rubbed my forearm. “Are you okay?” I shoved myself away from the door jam. Carole was still giggling as Olaf positioned the doll so it sat politely, legs crossed, as though it were ready for a tea party. “I’m fine.” I pushed past Aric and headed for the front door. “I’ll leave you... three... to it. I’m going to sit in the sun for a while.” My tone held no invitation to join me and I hoped they’d leave me be. My nerves were stretched taught, made painful by the creeping exhaustion overtaking my body. I lowered myself into an old wicker chair, its creaking seat an apt metaphor for my tired aching body. Closing my eyes, the morning sun’s gentle rays warmed my face, the heat easing my knotted muscles until I was slouched like a rag doll on the chair. I relished the peace, determined to make the most of what seemed to be a rare commodity in my life these days. Perhaps it would get better - perhaps Canada really would be our sanctuary away from all this weird madness. We still had to get there, and that would be complicated. Aric was planning on buying the brothers’ old car which Carole had promised would get us to our destination. Somehow I suspected just driving, incident free, over the border wouldn’t be an option. The trip in Olaf’s rig should have been an easy run, but our plans had been derailed. Who had tipped off the Innaki? Would Smith come sniffing around once he’d heard about the recent attack? I wondered if they’d found Olaf’s rig - would they trace it back to Jomi and the others? I figured, being extremely old, wise and experienced with this kind of thing, Aric’s people would have made plans for this kind of incident. I tried to follow Olaf’s philosophy, and told myself not to worry until it was absolutely necessary. Live for the moment, he’d believed. I concentrated on the delicious warmth on my bare face. The sound of the tinkling wind chimes and the rhythmic creak of the rocking chair was comforting, hypnotic. I dozed off. “She must be one of Carole’s friends.” “Negative. She’s too hot. Carole doesn’t have any good looking friends.” “True, but then there’s a first time for everything.” I opened my eyes to find two guys standing in front of me, observing me as though I were merchandise in a store window. “Well, hello there, Sleeping Beauty.” I rubbed my eyes and blinked in the sunlight. “Er, hi.” I presumed these were Carole’s brothers, although they didn’t look like brothers at all. One was short, stocky, with light brown hair cut so close to his head he was nearly bald. He was wearing camouflage print trousers which clashed with his red plaid shirt. The other was tall and lanky, and quite good looking. He had an olive complexion and his dark straight hair flopped down over one eye. His dark eyes, floppy haircut and black clothes made him look rather emo. “How’re ya doin’.” The tall one grinned down at me with straight white teeth, his flashy smile incongruous to the emo image. I struggled to get up out of the creaking rocking chair. Emo Boy held out his hand, presumably to help me up, and I took it tentatively. He hauled me to my feet. “I’m Nate,” he said confidently, pumping my hand in a firm hand shake. “Lucy,” I offered. I looked to the other guy. “Travis,” he said, looking me up and down. I shuffled on my feet uncomfortably. The screen door opened and Carole came out to the front porch, with Aric and Olaf behind her. “About time you boys showed up! Have you been out all night?” “You’re one to talk.” Nate grinned. Carole grunted and folded her arms under her ample chest. “I’ve been waiting for you. We have visitors.” “So I noticed.” Nate threw an appreciative glance at me. I noticed Aric’s eyebrow shoot up, and his mouth twitched into a strange half smile. He looked pointedly at my hand, and I realized Nate was still grasping it. I pulled my hand away quickly. Carole did the introductions and explained we needed to buy their car. Travis snorted. “They haven’t seen it yet. They might change their minds about buying it.” He wasn’t much of a salesman. I looked to the old Land Rover parked next to Carole’s car. It seemed okay to me. “Not that one,” Travis said. “That’s not for sale. The van’s kept elsewhere.” “Oh.” Aric stepped forward. “We’d like to take a look at it, if you don’t mind. We’re in kind of a hurry.” I detected the smooth note of a whisper in his voice. Nate and Travis exchanged glances, and then Nate shrugged. “I s’pose we can take you up there to look at it. It’s been a while since we’ve run it. It may not even start.” We all climbed into the Land Rover. Carole seated herself next to Aric while Olaf and I sat in the very back row behind them. Nate went to climb into the driver’s seat, but stopped when he spotted Carole. “You’re coming?” he asked incredulously. “You hate it up there.” Carole threw him a ‘shut up’ look, and smiled coyly at Aric. “Just making sure our guests are treated right.”

Nate rolled his eyes and jumped into the driver’s seat. “Let’s hope for your sake the van runs, Aric. With Carole after you, you’ll need a getaway car.” I could see his grin in the rear view mirror as he threw the 4WD into first and revved the engine. Carole huffed, then leaned closer to Aric, smiling sweetly. “Don’t listen to him, Aric. He smokes all sorts of weird stuff. Makes him a bit...” She twirled her finger around the side of her head in the classic ‘crazy’ signal. Instead of heading off down the driveway to the main road, Nate drove in the opposite direction along a rutted track which wound up the side of a fairly steep, forested slope. The track deteriorated the further we went until the old Land Rover was making some spectacularly bumpy maneuvers over the eroded, deeply rutted surface. After ten minutes of being tossed from side to side Nate stopped the vehicle and Travis climbed out and went into the woods. I figured maybe he was needing a pee, but the stop wasn’t a bathroom stop - he began to pull big branches aside. They hid yet another track which led off into the woods. Nate edged the car on to the trail, and waited for Travis to pull the branches back into place. Weird, I thought. All this camouflage stuff - maybe they grew something illegal up here? I was a little uneasy at the thought that we were up here on the side of the mountain with strangers who felt the need to cover their tracks like that. Still, we’d battled aliens and gargoytes, so a couple of strange hillbillies were small fry if it came to defending ourselves. We drove for another ten minutes up the track. Here the forest was thick; the tree canopy blotted out much of the sunlight and the air around us felt damp and cold. It was actually very pretty forest, but I didn’t take much notice. I was too busy scowling at the back of Aric’s head as Carole whispered and giggled in his ear. Eventually we arrived at a massive face of rock. It stretched up and to either side, covered here and there in ferns, moss and other hardy plants which had managed to grab a foothold in the crevices. Travis climbed out again and pulled more branches to the side. They hid the entrance to a cave. Nate turned around in his seat. “I don’t know why we’re showing you this. No one but us gets to come here. If you tell anyone...” Aric held up his hand. “No problem,” he said. “The secret’s safe with us.” He leaned forward. “You can trust us.” Was that his whispering voice I detected? Nate looked a little dazed, then he seemed to snap out of it, and he turned and opened his door. “Wait here, we’ll go get the car.” The car they wanted to sell was parked in the mouth of the cave. We climbed out of the Land Rover and waited for them to bring it out. After five minutes, Nate came out, wiping his hands on his jeans. “Sorry, we can’t get it to start. I don’t think it’s the battery. If you can wait around we’ll take a look at it and see what’s going on.” “No, we haven’t got time to wait.” Aric looked at the Land Rover. “We’ll buy that instead.” Nate grinned. “No, sorry, that one ain’t for sale.” “Everything has a price.” Nate’s eyes began to glaze over. “I’ll ask Travis.” He called Travis, and his brother exited the cave. “He wants to buy the beast.” Travis declined the offer. “We need it,” he said. “Can’t get up here without it.” “You can buy another one. I’ll give you double its worth.” The two brothers looked at each other, but Travis rejected the offer. “We ain’t got time to go looking for another one.” Aric took a step forward, until he was only a few feet away from them. “You need to sell me that car.” I recognized the strange, hypnotic tone. “I guess we could do with the money,” said Nate. Travis just stared at Aric and slowly nodded his head up and down. I was surprised at how easily and quickly they’d succumbed. As pleased as I was that we were getting the car, it was still a disturbing process to witness. Basically, it was stealing someone’s free will, and it was unsettling. It left a bad taste in my mouth. “Come on then,” said Aric. He turned around to find Carole staring at him like a zombie. He flashed a smile at her, and she came to with a startled jump. “We’ll sort this back at your place, shall we?” She seemed a little confused, but they all obediently got in the car, and we drove back down the mountain to the farmhouse. Olaf and I sat out on the porch while Aric sorted the deal in the kitchen. I rocked on the old wicker chair, staring unseeingly into the distance. The scene at the cave played through my mind. How easily they’d succumbed, the manipulation was just so... complete. I imagined Aric doing the same thing to the Innaki’s victims. According to the Bible, ‘God’ had given humans the ultimate gift of free will. The Innaki took it away again. Aric had been doing that for hundreds of years. The number of victims didn’t bear thinking about. “You okay, Luce?” I glanced up at Olaf. “Yeah. Sort of. That... whispering thing he did, it kind of... freaked me out, watching him in action.” “It was necessary.” “Maybe...” “They’re actually better off for it - he’s paying them twice its worth. They can buy two cars with the money.” I closed my eyes. I couldn’t get my thoughts together. On the one hand it was good, and on the other, it was so very, very bad. Any wonder Aric had been so confused about his role in this big mess. I understood why he’d rather flirt naturally with Carole to convince her to help; it meant he wouldn’t be whispering, not really anyway. As irresistible as I believed him to be, it really would have been down to her own free will. The screen door opened with a creak, and Aric, Travis, Nate and Carole emerged from the house. Aric was carrying our backpacks. A set of keys jingled in his hand. Nate and Travis each clutched a massive wad of cash and were looking pretty pleased with themselves. I hauled myself out of the rocking chair and went to meet them. “All ready to go then?” Aric said. I was more than ready to go. They walked us to the car and Aric opened the front passenger door for me. I thanked them for their hospitality, and climbed eagerly into the car. Carole was all clingy as Aric said goodbye. He shook hands with Travis and Nate then turned to Carole. “Thank you Carole. For... everything.”

She pouted and flicked an imaginary speck from his T-shirt, her hands coming to rest on his biceps. “I can’t believe you won’t stay the night. You could phone the hospital from here and see how your sister...” Aric smiled awkwardly and extricated himself from her embrace. He leaned over and kissed her cheek before moving away so she couldn’t grab him again. “No, thanks, but we really have to get going.” He walked to the driver’s side, and stopped to wave. “I appreciate all you’ve done.” She looked a little put off. I guessed she wasn’t used to her advances being declined. “Call me!” she called as he climbed behind the wheel. He gave her a small wave and started the engine. I noticed a scrap of paper in his palm. “What’s that?” I asked. “Her phone number.” “Oh.” I slouched down in my seat, my arms folded across my chest. He threw the car into first, waved to them again, then hit the gas. We headed off down the long dirt drive. When we got out of sight of the farmhouse, Aric hit the brakes. “What is it?” I asked, peering around nervously. He held up his hand with the scrap of paper, Carole’s phone number surrounded by a love heart was scrawled on the note in pink glittery ink. His hand closed around it and he scrunched it into a ball. He shoved it unceremoniously into the ashtray. “It’s going in the trash, by the way,” he said. “I’m sorry about all that.” “For what?” “The flirting thing. I should have just whispered and got what we needed. It hurt you and I’m sorry.” “It doesn’t matter.” “Yeah it does. At first I figured you’d understand, and then, you know... when I saw Nate holding your hand, I kind of got a taste of what it must be like for you.” “You mean you were jealous?” He grinned sheepishly. “Yeah. Very. I was ready to thump him.” “Oh!” I was surprised this kind of pleased me. I turned to him and met his gaze. “I understand why you didn’t... whisper,” I told him. “You do?” “Yeah.” I didn’t say any more, but I knew he understood I finally got it. Leaning over, he took my chin in his hand and moved my face to meet his. He kissed me then, and I melted. After a minute or so, he pulled back, his eyes crinkled and he beamed a mischievous grin. “That’s better,” he said, before settling back in his seat. He continuing on down the drive as though he’d never even stopped. I was left breathless and gooey eyed. In the back seat, I heard Olaf mumbling to himself. “Kids...” he said with a grunt. But I knew he was grinning. ***** We drove west for nearly an hour before turning north to the border. It would add a sizable amount of distance to our journey, but we decided to err on the side of caution and skip past Evanton. The fracas in the sky was sure to have attracted Smith’s attention and I was eager to stay out of his way. The fuel gauge was precariously low by the time we spotted a truck stop. On the side of the road a hand-painted sign proclaimed ‘LAST FUEL BEFORE THE BORDER!’ with ‘Home of the Famous Monster Burger’ added in uneven letters underneath. We pulled in to refuel – both the gas tank and our grumbling stomachs. I felt my bones creak as I climbed out of the car. Stretching my cramped limbs, I breathed the cool mountain air and took in the surroundings. The truck stop was a cobbled together collection of buildings on the side of the highway, built on a thin strip of land reclaimed from the mountain behind it. Across the road, another space had been cleared for parking overflow. A couple of R.V.s and a silver saloon were parked beside the trees. Beside the diner, a grassy area with wooden picnic benches was so overgrown it was impossible to reach the tables. Olaf and I decided to pass on the outdoor picnic and head inside to order a late lunch while Aric took care of the car. For a diner in the middle of nowhere, the place was pretty busy. We headed to the only available table – a booth at the back. At the table across from us, a pair of truckers tucked into burgers half a foot high - probably the ‘famous monster burgers’ which seemed to be the house specialty. In the booth in front of us, a young couple struggled to manage a pair of young children who refused to sit in their seats. The rest of the restaurant’s patrons consisted of a few ‘gray nomads’, local farmer types and random travelers. Perusing the menu, I remembered Jomi’s request to keep an eye on Olaf’s diet. None of the items on offer seemed very healthy choices. I figured it probably didn’t matter anyway, at least this once. After his life or death battle with crazed alien creatures, death by an artery-clogging burger would be a comparatively pleasant way to go. Aric arrived and we ordered from the simpering waitress. He appeared oblivious to her admiring glances. I pressed my lips together and concentrated on the menu; if this was going to happen every time we went out I was just going to have to get used to it. While we were waiting for our order I took the time to visit the restroom. Splashing water over my face and raking my fingers through my hair, I studied my reflection. I felt exhausted and the mirror confirmed it. I really needed a shower and a good, uninterrupted night’s sleep. We had a way to go before we got to the cabin, and I considered whether we should just stop off for the night at a motel, but the urge to get to our home and start our new life was stronger than the need for sleep. Olaf was tucking into a massive burger when I got back to the booth. He’d already finished his fries. I wondered where he put it all. Aric scooted over so I could sit. “Feeling better?” “Much,” I said, and dug into my grilled cheese sandwich. “Olaf has decided to leave us here and get back to Jomi.” “Oh!” I presumed he would be coming all the way to the cab, but then, that had been the plan when he’d been driving us; there was really no need for him to go any further. “Jomi will be worried. There’s a phone outside. I’ll give her a call. Let her know my plans.” I was a little sad he was leaving us, but I understood. He had a life to get back to. “I think I’ll find a lift to Evanton and hire a car from there.”

“You be careful then,” I warned. I’d overheard some diners talking about a couple of gruesome murders in Evanton the night before. The bodies had been ripped apart. I believed it was no coincidence the murders had happened on the same night gargoytes had been in the area. Amazingly, Olaf finished his meal before we’d even gotten through half of ours. “I’m going to go call Jomi now.” His eyes sparkled with anticipation. He missed her, and I thought it was sweet. I wondered if Aric would feel the same way about me after twenty one years together. Olaf headed out the door to the payphone. “It is safe for him to phone, right? I mean, if someone tipped off the Innaki last night, then they might know about Jomi’s place...” Aric frowned and swallowed the last bite of his sandwich. “If he’s quick enough he won’t be traced.” “Who do you think tipped them off?” It was the first time I’d had a chance to ask him without Olaf around. There were a limited number who knew of our plans, and they were all either Aric’s friends or family members. I couldn’t imagine how he must feel knowing one of them may have betrayed us. He took a sip of his cola, his knuckles whitening as his grip stiffened around his glass. “I don’t know yet. It’s something I’m going to have to look into.” He frowned at the table, his thoughts his own. Eventually, his fingers relaxed, and he placed the glass back on the table with a gentle thud and looked at me. “But you don’t have to worry about it.” His smile was forced. “Don’t treat me like a child, Aric,” I reminded him. “We’re a team now. Well, a partnership. Your problems are my problems, and... vice versa.” To say my problems were his problems was an understatement. He had well and truly taken me under his wing and it was a huge and dangerous burden. I would feel much happier about relying on someone if it was a mutual arrangement. He held up his hands and grinned, unwilling to be drawn into an argument. “I’m not treating you like a child! I’m just...” He shrugged, unable to think of a placating answer. “Babying me.” I finished for him. “No, really, I just don’t want you to be worried. Leave it to me. Just... relax.” He moved closer, his lips brushed against my hair. “Don’t worry about a thing...” Almost too late, I recognized the lilting tone of a whisper. Shaking the fog of warmth from my head, I sat up straight and pierced him with an accusing glare. “You were whispering!” He had the good grace to look rather guilty, but then he shrugged and met my gaze. “I told you, I don’t want you to worry.” I brushed off his reply. “Aric, this will never work if I know you will do that to get your own way whenever you want.” His head jerked up quickly, and his face was filled with guilt again. This time, his remorse was heartfelt. He hadn’t quite realized the implications. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking right. I was just trying to protect you.” He shrugged, but looked straight into my eyes. “I’m hardwired to keep you from worrying.” “This is worrying me! Promise you won’t do it again.” His head tilted slightly, and his half smile was kind of bashful. He was adorable. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I promise you I will never do the whispering thing on you again.” I gave a curt nod, and tried not to look too smug. Unless it is absolutely necessary, he amended, his words in my head. “Aric!” I wailed. “But there may be times when I have to do it. Look at the implant operation. You needed it then.” I folded my arms across my chest and refused to look at him. He sighed. “Two things you need to remember. I won’t lie to you, and I won’t make any promises I can’t keep.” I slumped back against the bench. I guess I couldn’t argue with that. There was no use forcing him to keep a promise he felt he couldn’t. We’d have to compromise. “Okay then. Promise me you won’t ever do it without my permission.” He thought for a second then gave a little shrug. “Okay. That I can promise.” “Good,” I answered, feeling pleased with myself. I thought I handled the situation pretty well. I unfolded my arms and busied myself with tidying my place at the table. I didn’t dare meet his eye – he’d know I was feeling victorious. He leaned closer, his arm snaking around my back. “So,” he said, his lips poised once again near my ear. “Are you still angry at me?” His lips grazed the skin below my ear, and I shivered expectantly, goose bumps emerging on my arms. I was smiling like a Cheshire cat, and I was sure I’d be blushing too, but I wasn’t about to protest this time. He traced a line to my jaw with his lips, his touch light and tantalizing. I leaned into him, turning my face in an unspoken sign of approval. “I take it that’s a ‘no’ then?” I was confused for a second. “‘No’?” I didn’t think my body language was saying ‘no’. “That’s a ‘no – you’re not angry’.” He explained, managing to speak and kiss my neck at the same time. I grinned, feeling rather dazed. “No, I’m not angry at you.” He paused and lifted his head, his smile only inches away. “This is all natural, by the way. No whispering involved.” “Really? Well, your technique is superb. I’m impressed,” I informed him. He grinned and moved on to kissing my lips. I was nearly undone euphoric and light headed; I forgot we were surrounded by people. “Yuck.” One of the kids from the booth in front of ours brought me to my senses. I looked up to see a little boy kneeling on his seat, his arms hanging over to dangle where Olaf had been sitting. He screwed up his face and stuck out his tongue. Aric laughed and sat up again. “Sorry,” he said with a grin, as much to me as to the little boy. I blushed deeper, coughed uncomfortably and set about straightening my ruffled appearance. I was in trouble if Aric could reduce me to a trembling spaced-out mess even without the whispering. I wondered if he was feeling as dazed as I was. I glanced up to see him staring at the front door, his expression stony. “God, I’ve done it again. Lucy, get up, quick.” “What is it? Not the Innaki again.” I felt the blood drain from my face, but shuffled out of my seat. Aric quickly stood up and positioned himself in front of me.

“No, not the Innaki. It’s Olaf. He was too long on the phone.” As he spoke, the door burst open, and I was horrified to see Olaf being dragged into the diner, a gun held to his head by a Tweedle brother. Two more Tweedles came in behind him, positioned themselves on either side of the diner. They were armed with shotguns. The Tweedle twins had become triplets and there was no sign of the damage our wyk balls had inflicted in the elevator. I caught my breath as Smith strolled in casually after them, stopping in the doorway to survey the scene before catching sight of us at the back of the diner. He took a couple of steps into the room, holding up a badge to the terrified, surprised patrons. “FBI. Nobody move.” The murmuring continued, minus the screams. The diners cast anxious glances at each other as they tried to grasp what was going on. “Silence!” Smith’s voice brooked no argument. The voices ceased immediately. He turned to face us. “Don’t bother with your circus tricks,” he said. “As you are well aware, these boys are immune to them. Especially the one with your friend there.” He motioned towards Olaf, then his eyes narrowed on Aric. “And I’ve been well trained.” Olaf was struggling with the Tweedle who had an arm wrapped tight around his neck. Even with his massive size, Olaf was no match for the freaky strength of the hybrid machine. His struggles proved useless, and the Tweedle just shoved the gun harder into his head. “Don’t worry about me,” Olaf wheezed. “Just get her out of here!” Smith took a couple of casual steps forward, his hands retrieving a cigarette from a packet. “Your friend has a death wish,” he said as he lit the cigarette. “Too bad he isn’t thinking straight. So many people in here. We wouldn’t want guns going off. People could get killed.” There was a collective gasp amongst the diners, and they looked anxiously from Smith to Aric. I was trembling from head to toe, but I wasn’t about to let them hurt anyone.

We can take them, Aric – if we’re quick. If you could just stun Smith then... No. There are too many people in here. I can’t risk it. I swallowed and tried to stop my knees from knocking. He was right, I would have to go quietly with Smith. “I am one of them,” he announced, his voice loud and firm. He motioned to me. “She’s nothing special. Just another victim. They wanted to get to me through her. It is me you need.” “No!” I shrieked. He caught my wrist, and gave it what I presumed was meant to be a reassuring squeeze. “I can be very useful to you. Let her go and I will go willingly to help you.” Smith took a few more steps towards us, no doubt feeling more assured he had the upper hand. The diners looked on, their expressions curious, fearful and confused. He took a long drag of his cigarette, and blew the smoke upwards from the side of his mouth. I peered out at him from behind Aric’s shoulder “Ah, Lucy.” He shook his head. “Didn’t I warn you they can’t be trusted?” His tone was that of a wiser, older relative disappointed with a naive youngster. “If he’s one of them, he’s deceitful to the core. Why are you with him?” He studied Aric thoughtfully, then his face broke into a triumphant smile. “Ah, I see why. They’re very clever, you’re very well designed.” He was speaking now to Aric, the comment intended to make him feel less than human. I bristled, my temper bubbling until the red mist began to cloud my senses. I stepped out from behind Aric, ready to bombard Smith with fiery wyk. As I raised my hand, Aric’s hand shot out and grabbed my wrist again, wresting it to my side. “No, Lucy. People will get hurt.” Don’t listen to him, he said in my mind. He walked smoothly toward Smith until he was barely feet away. “You don’t need her, let her go. I will go with you and help you whatever way I can. You don’t need her...” I heard the lilting cadence of a whisper, and I was torn. He was trying to convince Smith to take him and leave me. Smith considered him for a moment, then tossed his cigarette butt down on the floor, grinding it with the toe of his shoe. “Alright. We’ll take you instead.” “No!” I yelled.

Lucy, don’t. I’ll find a way to get back to you. Just go, get away from here as soon as you can. Tears sprang to my eyes. I was able to toss a room full of aliens around like rag dolls, but I wasn’t able to save the man who had given everything up for me. I took a step towards him but he shook his head. Don’t. Promise me you won’t do anything stupid. Promise you’ll get away from here. His eyes pleaded with me. I didn’t want to, but I nodded slowly. Aric turned back to Smith. “I’ll go with you.” Smith nodded to one of his henchmen. “Take him.” Shouldering his rifle, the cyborg grabbed Aric roughly, twisting him around, one arm holding Aric’s arms behind his back, the other grabbing a fistful of his hair. He dragged him backwards. “Don’t hurt him!” I screamed, running forward. Smith motioned to the other Tweedle. “Take her too.” I was quickly pulled into a headlock, my hands twisted behind my back. Aric yelled and began to struggle in earnest. “Get away from her!” I heard Olaf cursing. I had no idea what the diners were thinking. The Tweedle tightened his grip on Aric, but he managed to spin around and face Smith. “You said you’d leave her,” he gasped, as the man-machine hauled his head back, almost breaking his neck. “And I also told you your circus tricks won’t work on me.” Smith smirked coldly. “Take them away,” he ordered. They began to haul all three of us, kicking and screaming, toward the door. My legs were literally kicking through the air when a bright orange flash of light lit the room. I found myself dropped on my behind, landing painfully on my tailbone, the wind knocked out of me. Aric and Olaf were, like me, sprawled on the floor. There was no sign of our captors - Smith, and all three Tweedles had disappeared into thin air. Aric dragged himself up off the floor and staggered to me. He was just helping me up when he stopped, still, his hand clenching my arm in a vice-like grip. I turned slowly to see what he was staring at. My blood went cold at the sight of a lone Innaki standing in the doorway. I raised my hand, ready to pound it with wyk, but Aric’s hand shot out to grasp my forearm, and he gave a little shake of his head.

The Innaki looked at us, saying nothing. I heard the astonished diners’ gasps and shrieks behind me, but they hardly registered. The creature’s massive eyes blinked twice, then it turned and took a few steps out the door. A flash of light lit the doorway, and it was gone. I gaped at Aric, totally floored. We edged closer to the door, steeling ourselves, expecting more. Many of the diners raced to the windows. Across the road, a sleek silver Innaki craft hovered silently – an absurd, incongruous sight, parked amongst the RVs as though waiting for the occupants to return with some snacks for a road trip. It hovered for only a few moments before it rose higher into the air, exposing multicolored lights which danced around its base. When it was above the tree line, it took off at an impossible speed, straight up into the air. I watched it rise higher and higher until it stopped dead, a tiny speck in the sky. Then, with an incredible explosion of light, it took off even faster than before, disappearing into the stratosphere. We were left gaping at the empty blue sky. “What the hell was that?” A waitress shuffled forward, squeezing in beside me to inspect the sky. “I think you have some explaining to do.” The crowd pressed closer, their voices a cacophony of confusion and amazement as they discussed the astonishing scene they’d just witnessed. I looked at Aric, wondering how we were going to explain what had just happened. The voices ceased instantly, and I turned to see yet another incredible sight. Every person in the diner, aside from Aric, Olaf and myself, was standing, frozen like a statue. One lady had been aiming a camera phone at us. Her hand hung in mid-air, clasping the phone, her face a picture of concentration. Some people’s mouths were open, frozen in mid-sentence, whilst others had been suspended while blinking, frowning or gaping. I spotted the little boy peeking out over his seat near our booth; probably the first time ever he had been so still. “Did you do that?” I asked Aric, waving my arm at the petrified crowd. “Yeah, we need a minute to sort this mess out.” His anxious gaze roamed over my body. “Were you hurt?” I checked my limbs. I was a bit bruised, but nothing serious. “Not really.” “Okay. We’ve got to make sure no one’s taken photos.” He pulled the camera phone from the woman’s grasp, deleted the pictures she had taken, and pushed the phone back into her hand. Olaf and I helped him search the diners. It was the strangest feeling to walk amongst the inanimate forms. I expected them to move any second but they didn’t so much as twitch or blink. I found two more people with camera phones, but, as usual, the phones played up and I couldn’t even get the delete screen. I had to hand them over to Aric and Olaf to take care of them. It gave me time to think about what had just transpired. “Why didn’t that Innaki attack us?” I asked. Aric frowned. “I don’t know.” Olaf pushed a phone back into the cook’s hand and scratched his head. “What happened to the heavies, and the military guy? They just... disappeared!” I could answer that – to some extent. “They have a way of... zapping them up to their craft. I don’t know what they’ll do with them.” Or why they took them, and not us. Maybe it was because Aric could block us from the weird orange beam. I pictured Smith and the Tweedles in the humid, pristine white room, Smith protesting haughtily, the Tweedles confused and totally out of their depth. I wondered if they’d be kept up there, or returned to Earth to continue their ruthless agenda. I cast an anxious glance up at the sky. If they did return them back to where they were taken, I didn’t want to be here when it happened. “Do you think they’ll come back here?” I asked Aric. An alarming thought occurred to me. “Maybe the Innaki went away to gather more forces?” Aric leaned past the waitress in the doorway and squinted at the sky, his face thoughtful. “I don’t think so.” “How can you be sure?” He shrugged lightly. “I don’t know. Just... call it intuition, but that one, the Innaki that was just here...” He paused then turned to face me. “Ugh, I don’t know. I have to think on it. We should get out of here, just in case.” Stepping back inside the diner, he went to stand in the middle of the frozen crowd. He turned around slowly, his eyes alighting on the faces of each of the diners. He snapped his fingers and the crowd came instantly to life. They stood around, momentarily confused, then, as if nothing had happened, drifted back to their places at the tables, the subject of Smith and the Innaki unmentioned. “They won’t remember it,” Aric said before I’d even asked. “The amnesia thing? It’s that easy?” Aric nodded and touched my shoulder. “Ready to go?” We made our goodbyes to Olaf. I gave him a hug, and his massive arms squeezed the breath out of me as he hugged me back. “Thank you for everything,” I told him, and he patted my shoulder. “You take care Lucy,” he said. “And we’ll probably see you soon.” He shook Aric’s hand. “Take care of her.” Aric’s arm wrapped around my shoulder, and he nodded. Olaf looked down at me, and he bobbed his head toward Aric. “And you look after him,” he said to me. I smiled and cuddled closer to Aric. “Of course.” Aric straightened. “We should get going. Thanks again – I’ll get in touch as soon as we’re settled.” I hugged Olaf again, took one last look at the affable scene in the cafe, and followed Aric out the door. ***** ‘Welcome to Canada’. I swallowed hard as I read the sign. ‘Welcome to your new life’ was what it really meant. I was both excited and daunted by the prospect of starting a whole new chapter in my life. Aric put the car into first and gripped the steering wheel. “Are you ready?” he asked. I turned to him, taking a deep breath, then let it go in one long ‘whoosh’. “I think so,” I answered. He took my hand, gave it a squeeze, then brought it to his lips. “We’re going to be fine, Lucy,” he said, before planting a kiss on my hand. I threaded my fingers through his. “I know.”

“No regrets?” “No, no regrets. It’s just kind of a... momentous occasion. You know... the start of a whole new life. It’s... scary. But in a good way.” He smiled and turned to look at the sign. “Think of it as a big adventure.” “Oh, I’ve had enough adventure,” I said. “I want a peaceful life, for a while anyway.” He glanced at me, a small crease furrowing his brow. The frown quickly disappeared and was replaced by a beautiful smile. He squeezed my hand again. Neither of us wanted to think past the immediate future to the time when we had to concentrate on the Innaki, and the fight to free the victims. The appearance of the Innaki at the cafe and its anomalous behavior only added more confusion to the whole scary mess. I read the sign again, and felt an unspoken understanding with Aric. When we crossed that line we would be leaving our troubles behind, or at least stashing them away so they couldn’t taint our new haven. No more mention of aliens and gargoytes and military clones. We would lead a normal existence and I would cherish every moment of it, however long it lasted. He kissed my hand again, then released it to grasp the steering wheel. “Well, are you ready to go?” he asked again. I nodded, and sat back in my seat. His foot pressed the accelerator, and we headed off to begin our new lives. ***** Epilogue The pungent mix of straw and horse manure assailed my nose as I entered the barn, bringing back memories of the first day, when ‘all the weirdness started’. Back then, I’d woken up in my back-to-front pajamas, my back aching from having slept on the cold, lumpy floor. Fourteen months, two weeks, and three days later, I was checking on the horses in our barn in what we termed our ‘little slice of heaven’. I flicked on the light, and the horses stirred, an occasional snort and soft nicker issuing from the stalls. I pulled the sleeves of my woolly sweater up to my elbows, and leaned on the bars of the stall gate. My mare came to nuzzle my arm, hoping for a titbit. I fed her a piece of carrot, and patted her neck. “Not long now, huh, girl?” She munched happily on her carrot, and moved away towards the water bucket. I did my rounds of the stalls, checking to see the horses were all bedded down safely. Switching off the light, I pushed the barn doors closed, and fastened the lock, then, using the light of the moon, I walked briskly back towards the welcoming glow of the cabin. I found Aric outside on the porch, tying the end of the hammock he’d bought that day, to a post. He’d already tied the other end around a tree. “Everything okay then?” he asked. I nodded, and inspected the hammock. “You’re actually going to get in that thing?” He grinned at me. “Of course - it’s a double, so we can use it together.” I eyed it dubiously, and he positioned himself beside it. “Now, for the road test!” he announced. Sitting back, he swung his legs sideways and fell backwards, lying awkwardly in the middle of the hammock. I laughed until my sides hurt - he looked like a gangly legged bug caught in a spider’s web. He wriggled around until he had moved up into a more dignified position. “It’ll take practice,” he said sheepishly. “Come on, hop in. I brought you a blanket.” I moved to the tree and tested the knot he had made, then inspected the one around the post. “Oh ye, of little faith!” he quipped. I sat down on the other side and swung my legs sideways as he had, falling in a tangled mess on top of him. “Now this is romantic,” he said with a grin. Wriggling around awkwardly, I eventually managed to maneuver myself to his side. He tossed the blanket over us, and pulled me so I was resting against his shoulder. “Comfy? I told you this would be a good idea.” “Hmm... I’ll reserve judgment,” I replied with a smile. We lay silently for a while, listening to the familiar sounds of the forest at night. A soft breeze sent the hammock swinging, its rhythmic motion enhancing the tranquil moment. Aric eventually broke the silence. “So, any signs of labor yet?” I shook my head. “Nope, not a thing. I may have to call for Max if it goes on much longer.” My mare was in foal - the first I’d ever had to deal with, and I was a little anxious about her. She was one of fourteen horses I’d bought for my burgeoning trail riding business. I’d been surprised at how quickly we had settled in. Aric divided his time between computer graphics freelancing, and tree planting in the forest. We had decided we both needed jobs which would help us mix with the local community. We had made some good friends amongst the welcoming locals. I couldn’t remember a time when I had been more content. Every now and then, when the phone rang, I would worry it would be the call to help the others, but eventually, I’d settled down, and pushed the fear aside. Ellen, Saul and the others had visited a couple of times, and when Aric had gone off to work, Jomi had schooled me in the art of controlling my wyk. I still felt a pang of guilt for keeping it from him, but it would be worth it if the time came when I needed to use it. I knew Aric had been making discreet inquiries into the identity of the traitor, but he hadn’t discovered anything. (Or if he had, he hadn’t told me). The intentions of the Innaki who’d let us go at the diner was still a mystery. So much was unresolved, but I was content to leave it that way for now. I was taking Olaf’s advice and ‘living for the moment’. “Jomi called tonight,” Aric said. My blood went cold and I lifted my head to see his face. He rubbed my shoulder. “Don’t worry,” he said, “she was only calling to see how we are getting on.” I exhaled a soft sigh of relief, and turned to look at the stars. The night sky out here was magnificent - we could see more stars than I could ever imagine. Very occasionally, the northern lights could be seen glowing in the distance. Tonight though, the inky sky only displayed a blanket of tiny twinkling lights. Despite the knowledge of what was really going on out there, the beauty of the night sky had begun to appeal to me again. We had spent countless hours sitting out on our front porch, admiring the sky, and talking into the night. I decided I quite liked the addition of the hammock after all - it was easier to look up and view the stars. “So,” I said, do you know which one of those is Jomi’s home?” I pointed up to the sky, and the light of the cabin made the huge diamond on my finger flash. “No, you can’t see it from here,” said Aric. He caught my hand in his. “Hey, I see you’re wearing your ring.” Moving my hand, he held the gem to the light from the cabin. “I thought you said it was too big.” “It is. It must have cost a fortune.” He grinned at me. “Here you go coming over all stingy on me again.” I laughed. “I would have made do with a smaller engagement ring you know.”

He looked at me, his brows raised over twinkling eyes. “Did I say it was an engagement ring? I don’t remember saying that! You said you’re a modern woman - you’re too young to be engaged.” “Oh? So why is it on this finger then?” I waggled my left ring finger about, and the diamond flashed. “Because that’s the finger you presented to me when I gave the ring to you,” Aric said, trying hard not to laugh. I slapped him playfully on the chest. “Well, if it’s not an engagement ring, what is it?’ He lifted my hand again and studied the ring. “It’s a... ‘I promise to be with you forever, or at least until you’re totally sick of me’ ring,” he declared. “I see. A bit wordy. But seriously, next time you want to buy me jewelry - think ‘small’.” “You mean, ‘cheap’”, he teased. “I’m not being stingy! It’s so big it gets caught in my hair.” “Oh, I didn’t know, right, well, I’ll take it back and we can find you something smaller.” I yanked my hand away. “No! I’m keeping this one. It has sentimental value - it was given to me by my very favorite person in the world - in the universe!” He laughed and pulled me closer, planting a kiss on my forehead. “You are so... incorrigible.” We lay quietly again, enjoying the closeness. I jumped when a shooting star streaked across the sky. “Don’t worry, it’s only a meteorite,” Aric said, soothing my tense shoulders. I lay back again, and relaxed against him. “They’re supposed to be lucky,” I said. “We should make a wish.” Closing my eyes, I made a wish that things would be like this forever. It was a big ask, considering the circumstances, but I figured if the stars had chosen to bring us together, then saw fit to throw chaos in our path, well, they owed us one. I felt kind of silly even thinking it; I wasn’t really into astrology – I used to read my horoscope in the local paper, but it was more for fun. There’d been an undeniable connection between us from the beginning. Maybe there was something to it after all. I shifted so I could see his face clearly. “Do you believe the position of the stars define people’s fates?” I asked. “No, not really.” “So, you don’t believe our relationship was just... meant to be? Like, we were destined to be together? Star-crossed lovers... or something...” The feeling had been there from the moment I’d met him, and I wondered whether he’d felt it too. “Isn’t the term ‘star-crossed’ meant to be a bad thing?” I shrugged. “It sounds kind of romantic to me.” “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-cross’d lovers, take their life.” He quoted Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. “A starcrossed relationship is one which is supposed to be thwarted by the stars. I guess in our case, it’s kind of true.” I shivered and laid back against his chest. He pulled the blanket up around me. “It’s okay,” he said, “in this story, we’ll win in the end.” We lay quietly for a while as the hammock rocked in the breeze, both of us lost in our own thoughts. Eventually, I turned to him. “What are you thinking?” I asked. He brushed a stray lock of hair from my face. “I was thinking, we might have to call for help somehow, because I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this thing!” He wobbled the hammock, and I jabbed him in his side. “Here I was hoping you were lying there thinking about how much you loved me!” He laughed, and put his hand to my cheek. “I’m thinking I love you every moment of every day. I can think of more than one thing at a time, you know.” I knew he was telling the truth. Content with his answer, I lay back against his shoulder. He pulled the blanket up against the chilly night and put his arms around me again. Above us, the stars shone on, but they no longer held my attention. For now, it was just me and Aric, in the world we’d made for each other. THE END ***** ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tracey Lee Campbell grew up in Sydney, Australia, before moving to Queensland as a teen. She has been writing stories since she was very young and wrote her first manuscript when she was just ten years old. She has always had an interest in things which can be classed as ‘highly strange’, the mysterious and the spooky. In 2010 she decided to combine her two passions to produce a paranormal romance series. This book, Starcrossed: Perigee, is the first in the trilogy. Tracey lives in Australia with her husband and children. More information on further titles in the Starcrossed series can be found at: www.starcrossedthebook.com Connect with Tracey Lee Campbell at: TraceyLeeCampbell.com