Alien Prisoner

by Honey Phillips

  “WHAT?” T’chok roared.

  “Yes, sir,” T’gana responded. His voice emotionless, he continued his report. “We believe she was present at bed check last night.”

  “You believe?”

  “The officer on duty heard her voice but he did not observe her personally. She did not report for inspection this morning and she was not in her room. We have searched the grounds and she is not present.”

  Fuck. How could she have escaped? He knew that she was both brave and resourceful, but she was also fragile. The thought of her alone in the human world made him shudder.

  “Have you questioned her friends? L’zabet and S'rah?”

  “The young female said we should fuck ourselves.” His voice changed. “S'rah disclaimed all knowledge but she is lying.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I know my… I know the female.” T’chok caught the change in wording. Another one of his fellow warriors had fallen for a human female. Dismissing it as irrelevant for the moment, he resumed his questions.

  “Are you searching outside the grounds?”

  “Yes. We are doing a physical search on the entry road as we speak.”

  “What of the main road?”

  “We did not think she could have reached that far.”

  “If she left last night she could,” he said grimly. She was so small. If she reached the road and a human male with bad intentions happened across her… His claws lengthened. Anyone who harmed her would rue the day they were born for the rest of their very short life.

  “Set up checkpoints across the road at either end of the valley. I will return immediately.”

  “Yes, sir,” T’gana responded, and ended the call.

  T’chok had borrowed an official vehicle from the sheriff, thinking to keep his presence unobtrusive. He cursed it now as he raced back to the town where he had left his flyer. However, he supposed he would have had to speak to the sheriff anyway and update him on his findings. The search for the child could not be abandoned.

  After a brief update, he was in the air. The sheriff had agreed to coordinate the search with the next county as well as contacting the reservation to request assistance at that end. He also had warned T’chok of the approaching storm, cautioning him that it could hinder the search efforts. Speeding across the country, his mind kept picturing the terrible things that could have happened to his little human. If she had made it to the road, who had picked her up? He saw her fighting off a monster like T’judin but without success this time and his hands clenched so hard he heard the control panel crack.

  What if she hadn’t even made it to the road? He knew little about the wilderness, just enough to be wary of the traps it held. There were still wild animals who would be tempted by her delicate human flesh. Or she could slip and fall. He could see her lying, crumpled on the ground, bleeding into the dirt and calling for him. He accelerated, even though he was already traveling at close to maximum velocity. Even worse, what if she had fallen into the lake? They might never find her body… The lake… T’chok activated the flyer’s communicator.

  “Officer T’gana.”

  T’chok didn’t bother asking for updates. He knew the officer would have contacted him immediately if they had discovered anything new. “Does the barrier wall extend into the lake?”

  “No, sir. It was deemed a low risk.” T’gana caught on instantly. “The monitors at the rear of the building are also limited to covering the entrances.”

  “Check the footage from last night. Look for any movement in the direction of the lake.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Send search parties along the shore in either direction.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I will arrive in fifteen minutes. Have her friends ready to meet with me.”

  For the first time, there was a hesitation.

  “Is that a problem, Officer T’gana?”

  “No, sir.” Another pause. “May I be present?”

  The request did not surprise him. Under other circumstances, he would have been amused but he couldn’t find any levity in this situation. “No. They may be more reluctant to speak in the presence of another.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Your female will come to no harm, T’gana.”

  “She is n… Yes, sir.”

  T’chok ended the call.

  At the hotel, T’gana escorted him to a small parlor. L’zabet was pacing, muttering curses, while S’rah sat calmly doing something with strands of thread and pointed metal rods. Despite her serene appearance, he could see her hands shaking. T’gana apparently did as well because he took a half step forward before remembering T’chok’s order. S’rah’s eyes flew to the big warrior and faint pink colored her cheeks.

  T’chok stepped into the room and closed the door, shutting T’gana outside. S’rah’s eyes rested there for another second before coming to his.

  “Where is R’chel?” he demanded.

  “We don’t fucking know, okay?” L’zabet interrupted. “Let us the hell out of here.”

  “If you do not know where she is, you at least know how she escaped. Tell me.”

  “You’re so fucking smart, you figure it out.”

  Ignoring the angry girl, T’chok focused on S’rah. “I suspect she used the lake to get around the wall.”

  The flash of guilt on her face was enough for him. “Do you not know how dangerous that is? Water that cold can be fatal for humans.”

  “Oh, no. Did something happen to her?” S’rah’s eyes filled with tears. L’zabet stopped her restless pacing and sat down on the arm of S’rah’s chair, reaching for the older female’s hand.

  “No,” he growled, then shook his head. “I do not know. But I must find her. There are too many dangers in your world.”

  “We really don’t know where she is,” S’rah sighed.

  “I assume she has gone to find her brother?” He didn’t wait for an answer. It was his turn to pace as he strode to the window and back. “If she had only waited until today.”

  “You found him?” Their voices came simultaneously.

  “No. But we found a trace of him and we suspect that he has a vehicle.”

  “He stole a fucking car? At ten years old? Awesome!”

  “He did not steal a car. It is an all-terrain vehicle.”

  “An ATV? That’s even better.” L’zabet grinned.

  “Those can be dangerous,” S’rah whispered. “They can flip over. What if an animal runs out in front of him?”

  “Sarah, don’t. I’m sure he grew up riding one of those things. Right, T’chok?”

  When he hesitated, she glared at him, jerking her chin at S’rah’s white face.

  “I was told that they are used frequently on the ranch,” he said honestly.

  “There, you see. He’ll be fine.” L’zabet patted S’rah’s shoulder.

  “You understand that it is important for R’chel to know this? She may have some idea of his destination.”

  The two females looked at each other and he fought back the urge to roar at them.

  “She was going to head for the road,” S’rah said finally. “You’re right—she was heading home.”

  “She was gonna hitchhike,” Lizabet added.

  His blood ran cold at the thought, remembering his earlier fears, but he nodded. “Very well. Does she have supplies with her?”

  “Yeah. Some food, a little water—which would have been more if you guys weren’t so fucking anal about plastic bottles—and a few extra clothes. Not that she had many.” Lizabet’s words filled him with guilt. The breeders were always provided with adequate attire, but he had watched their excitement when additional clothing was provided. He should have taken better care of his female, even if it meant she had more to take on her escape. Once he found her, he would ensure that she never wanted for anything again.

  “How did she leave the building? Was one of the guards absent from his post? Did…” The words stuck in his throat.
“Did one of them request favors from her?”

  L’zabet scowled at him. “Fuck, no.”

  “Do you really think she would do that?” S’rah asked indignantly.

  “I think she cares for her brother very much. I can understand that she might be driven to a desperate act if she thought he needed her.” Although if some male had dared to extort favors from his female, the offending male would be dead at his hands before the day was out.

  The females exchange another glance before L’zabet spoke up.

  “She climbed down.”

  He actually felt his hearts skip a beat as he pictured the vertical drop from her room.

  “She did what?” he roared.

  “Yeah, it was fucking awesome. Like something out of Mission Impossible.”

  “Impossible is correct. When I get my hands on her, she will wish she had never considered such a feat.”

  “Oops,” L’zabet giggled.

  “Is there anything else I should know?”

  “No, I think you got it all,” S’rah said. “You will let us know when you find her?”

  “I will.”

  He opened the door and was not surprised to see T’gana waiting outside. The warrior immediately checked S’rah, frowning at her unhappy expression.

  “They are free to leave. I wish to inspect the back of the building. You will accompany me.”

  “Yes, sir.” With one last glance in S’rah’s direction, he turned to follow T’chok.

  Now that he knew how she had left the escape route was easy to find. A metal ladder painted to match the brick stretched up the side of the building. His fists clenched as he imagined her climbing down the flimsy metal in the dark.

  “That is how she escaped. I want a monitor on it and any others before nightfall.”

  “She climbed down that?” Astonishment flared on T’gana’s usually expressionless face.

  “Yes.”

  “She is very brave.”

  “Brave, yes.” A surge of pride swept through him, despite his worry. “But she is also reckless and must be taught caution.”

  “Yes, sir. I will oversee the monitor installation personally.”

  “Very well.”

  T’chok hesitated, debating the wisdom of reminding T’gana about the rules of the Forbidden Cycle, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. How could he when he was so close to violating it himself?

  When he didn’t add anything else, T’gana saluted and left. T’chok took another look at the ladder, sighed, and called T’lan. The commander answered immediately.

  “T’lan, I need assistance.”

  “Of course.”

  “My female has escaped.”

  “Again?” T’lan sounded amused and T’chok bit back the urge to growl at him. “You should put a leash on that one.”

  “I intend to, as soon as I recover her. I need any surveillance video for these coordinates.” He rattled off the numbers, stretching along the valley and all the way north to Montana. “In addition, I need a trace of any telephone call that goes to the numbers I am sending you.” He forwarded the number that R’chel had used to call her mother, along with the numbers for the other ranch buildings.

  “The telephones will be covered now but the surveillance may take longer. There are multiple sources for that large an area.”

  “Can you send the nearest ones first? I suspect that she may have entered a vehicle in this vicinity.”

  “Of course. Do you believe that she is in danger?”

  Yes. “I do not know, but she is without my protection and that is unacceptable.”

  “I understand. Call me if you need additional assistance.”

  “Thank you, my friend.”

  As he ended the call, T’gana reappeared. “Sir, one of the search teams has found evidence that the female exited the lake on the northern side.”

  T’chok closed his eyes in relief. At least one of his fears had been assuaged.

  “Very well. Please inform her friends and continue the search in that direction. I will be in my flyer reviewing surveillance of the area.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Rachel leaned against the car door, eying the driver suspiciously. So far, the older woman had been nothing but nice to her, but after her previous experience, she found it hard to relax.

  The man who had picked her up previously had started off nice as well. He didn’t blink an eye when she said she’d had a fight with her boyfriend and that he’d left her stranded. He’d told her that he was a salesman and he looked it, wearing dress pants and a crisply pressed shirt, and driving a new model Acura. They had chatted a little about nothing in particular. Although he’d give her an odd look when he realized she had no clue to her location, he had confirmed that she was in Colorado. However, his pleasant demeanor disappeared completely when he pulled into a deserted rest stop. He turned off the engine and turned to her with a grin.

  “Time to pay for your ride.”

  “I don’t have any money,” she protested, reaching for the door handle behind her back, afraid to take her eyes off of him.

  “Not a problem.” His eyes traveled over her with a sick lust that made her stomach churn. “More than one way to pay. What’s it gonna be, girlie? You getting on your knees for me or you gonna spread those legs? Hell, I might just take you all the way to Canada if you treat me right.”

  “I’m not doing either of those.” Her fingers clasped the door handle just as he grabbed her wrist. The tight grip dug into her bones and reminded of the horrible incident with T’judin. He hauled her toward him, and she struck out with her free arm, her nails catching him across the face. Dropping her wrist, he backhanded her. The blow set her cheekbone throbbing and made her head reel. The heavy ring he was wearing split her lip and a trickle of blood dripped onto the seat.

  “You just upped the price,” he spat, and pushed her off the seat on to the floorboard. “You can start by sucking my cock. Do a good enough job and maybe I’ll let you go.”

  She tried to get up, but he grabbed her hair, yanking it hard enough to send pain throbbing through her scalp. He started unbuckling his belt with his free hand, but she couldn’t escape his punishing hold. She scrabbled desperately at her bag, down on the floor beside her feet, and felt the cold metal of Sarah’s knitting needles. She grabbed one and when he looked down to start unzipping his pants, she pulled it free and jabbed it into his thigh with all her strength. It sank into his flesh with sickening ease as he yelled and let go of her to clamp his hands on the wound. Sobbing in desperation, she fumbled the door open, grabbed her bag and ran.

  Just as she reached the restrooms, she heard the door open and she ran faster, hoping to reach the woods before he could chase her. As she reached the edge of the forest, she heard another car entering the rest stop. Ducking behind a bush, she peeked out to see her assailant halfway across the parking area. Even from her position, she could see the rage on his face and the blood dripping down his leg, but he stopped and scowled at the approaching vehicle. With a curse, he turned back to his car and raced out of the area before the other car finished parking.

  She stayed behind the bushes, relieved to see a pleasant faced middle-aged woman with a sturdy build emerge from the new vehicle. The woman stared after the other car and shook her head before entering the rest rooms. Reluctant to get into another car, Rachel realized she had little choice if she wanted to make her way home. And what if the man just waited for the woman to leave and circled back? The thought of him returning made her cringe and she headed to the restrooms, arriving just as the woman emerged.

  “Oh my goodness, what happened to you?” Sympathetic horror filled the woman’s face.

  “I had a fight with my boyfriend. He hit me and I ran.” She didn’t have to force her voice to tremble.

  “Was he the one who just took off like a bat out of hell?”

  “Yeah. Would… would you mind giving me a ride?”

  “Of course, hon. Do you want to go wet d
own some towels to put on your face?”

  Rachel shuffled her feet. “If you wouldn’t mind, could we just go? I’m afraid he might come back.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t let him touch you.” The woman grinned and patted the back of her jeans. “I never travel without old Bessie.”

  “Bessie?”

  “My .44.” She took in the look on Rachel’s face and hurried on. “Don’t be scared, hon. It’s just that a woman traveling alone is better off safe than sorry.”

  Rachel gave a half-hearted laugh. “I guess I should have learned that lesson by now.” She was still hesitant but found it hard to believe that this no-nonsense woman had any intention of her hurting her. And really, what choice did she have? “Thank you for the ride.”

  “No problem at all. I’m Judy, by the way.” She led the way back to an enormous silver Cadillac. An older model, it was nonetheless spotless, and Rachel winced as she slid onto the polished red leather seats.

  “I’m Rachel. I hope I don’t mess up your car.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Judy gave her a wink. “My boyfriend is in the doghouse right now. He’ll be happy to detail it for me to get back in my good graces.”

  Judy spent the next half hour telling Rachel all about her life. She learned more than she wanted to about Beau, the aforementioned boyfriend, who Judy discussed with exasperated affection. “At least he’s good at keeping me warm on those cold mountain nights,” she said with a sly grin. Rachel also heard all about Judy’s daughter, Pam, who had just given birth to her first child. Judy had been staying with her and was returning home.

  The smooth ride and the rambling conversation relaxed her, and Rachel was half asleep when Judy switched the topic to her.

  “Where are you headed, hon?”

  Rachel jerked. She hadn’t thought through that part of her story. With a mental shrug, she decided on the truth. Assuming T’chok was after her, he wouldn’t have any doubts about where she was going.

  “I’m going home. Gold Creek, Montana.”

  “Montana? You got a ways to go.” Judy looked out the window at the mountains, the peaks already displaying a hint of gold from the falling sun. “You can’t travel at night, you know.”