Mothership (Invasion Survivor Book 4)

by Hayley Lawson

“What is floating?” another asked his father.

  “What, my dear?” the first kid’s mother answered, trying to avoid giving an answer.

  Paige was so glad she didn’t have to participate in that particular conversation.

  These poor kids and their parents, Paige thought with a sigh.

  “I heard people say the children would be floated out if they leave the Green Level.” The kid was persistent, and Paige cringed. Not that anyone noticed, apart from AJ.

  What a hard thing to explain to a kid, she thought to herself.

  “I heard it, too,” the other kid said, nodding.

  The parents stood there, unsure of what to do.

  I wouldn't know either, she sympathized.

  “Look, kids,” AJ spoke in a loud voice. “It’s nothing, really. Don’t worry about anything. The grown-ups are with you, and your parents are here. We will not let anything bad happen to you.” Even though he appeared carefree, there was a determination in his voice, and Paige couldn’t help but look at him with admiration.

  He really seemed all grown-up to her.

  And we are the same age!

  Maybe the cruel things happening made him mature quicker, she continued to muse while doing her task. Unfortunately, the same thing could be said for her as well.

  She felt no different, even though she was certain she was.

  AJ looked at her and caught her smiling at him. He winked at her in return, and naturally, that made her blush to her hairline.

  Okay, some things will clearly never change.

  As the parents took their children to have sweet moments with them, now that the danger passed, AJ and Paige moved out into the Green common room to give them some privacy. They sat down on the sofa, feeling mentally and physically exhausted.

  There wasn’t anyone in the Green common room now besides them. Most were in the sleeping quarters, enjoying their children’s company, and the rest were working.

  Peter and Smokey The Hero Cat were with them as well.

  “You were amazing, Paige,” AJ complimented, looking deep into her eyes while he took her hands in his. “You are like a rock star and a superhero all in one.”

  Paige chuckled while blushing profusely as always. “Oh, come on, AJ. I’m not,” Paige waved her head. “I was just trying to…”

  “I know what you were trying to do,” he cut in. “And you did it perfectly. I’m proud of you.” He leaned closer, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

  “Well, I'm proud of you, too,” she returned the compliment.

  He looked at her with a slight frown. “What is it?” he asked without beating around the bush. “You still look troubled.”

  That’s because she was.

  “We still have so much to do. You heard the Blue Coats. They won’t leave us alone. Mom is in jail, and Dave hasn't returned.”

  The list could go on and on, she realized.

  “Yeah,” he nodded, stretching out next to her. “It’s going to be a difficult task to do anything now that they are watching us, so we need to think and carefully plan ahead.” He voiced his worries, and Paige nodded, thinking about that for a moment.

  “You know what?” She suddenly turned to him. “Even though we made Mom’s rescue more difficult by showing ourselves on camera to rescue the children, I still don’t regret we did it. I only hope Mom won’t suffer because of this.”

  AJ raised his hand to pet her cheek. “I knew you wouldn’t regret it, Paige,” he said gently. “It’s in your nature, being so kind.”

  “You are, too, AJ,” she said back remembering how gentle and patient he was with the frightened children.

  “The other great thing that’s in your nature is being able to make up amazing plans,” he replied with a wink, and Paige actually giggled.

  That so wasn’t true. She was an act-before-you-think kind of girl, through and through.

  “All joking aside though,” Paige said. “We must think of a really good plan this time because you’re right, AJ. It became more dangerous this time around.”

  “I'm sure Dave will help. He’s behind the enemy line.” AJ tried to cheer her up.

  That's true.

  She really didn’t have any regrets, but they certainly lost that element of surprise.

  “If they catch us doing illegal things again, they may float us out,” she added.

  “We have to be very careful,” AJ agreed as he stroked her hair. “But I’ll float them out myself if they try to touch you.”

  Paige couldn’t help but smile.

  Maybe a more normal person would be frightened by his words, but in truth, Paige felt the same way. She leaned in and expressed her feelings through a quick kiss on the cheek. “Ditto.”

  The elevator moved, and Paige had high hopes Dave had finally returned. She was anxious to hear what he was up to.

  Unfortunately, her hopes were easily squashed when Blue Coats emerged, and this time around, they came in bulk.

  Oh, no. Not again.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The Blue Coats busted inside and pointed weapons at Paige and AJ who both stood.

  “Raise your hands and remain still,” one of them commanded. It was the same one Paige had an altercation with earlier. By the confident smirk he sported, it was clear he enjoyed every moment.

  Not for long, she promised.

  “What are you doing here?” AJ rebelled.

  “You said you would leave us alone,” Paige added, instantly annoyed.

  “New orders. Now, do as I said,” the guard barked.

  Reluctantly, they complied. The parents, upon hearing raised voices, came from their rooms while their kids laughed around them.

  “No!” Paige cried out.

  Once they spotted the Blue Coats, they stopped in their tracks, but it was already too late.

  “Grab them,” the Blue Coat in charge ordered, and his goons instantly executed the order.

  “No, you can't!”

  “Leave us alone,” parents argued.

  “Mom!”

  “Dad, help me,” kids cried out.

  Seemingly with no effort, the parents and kids were separated. The whole thing was over before it even started, but Paige wasn't ready to call it quits.

  “Let them go, you monsters!” she shouted. “Or...”

  “Or what?” the Blue Coat got in her face. “I have orders to take all of you in and float you out immediately if you continue to cause any problems,” he spat in her face—literally. He seemed to be incapable of speaking without spitting.

  Paige felt like gagging.

  Still, she shook that off because she was ready to cause so many problems, they wouldn't know what hit them. Looking at AJ, Paige knew he was of the same mind.

  Paige smiled. Having the guard so close and personal, he never saw it coming when she head-butted him.

  He instantly fell to the ground, and a lot more would have followed, but a gun appeared suddenly, pointed straight at her head. A guard she missed came at her from the side and now held a gun to her temple.

  Great.

  Paige wasn't sure even she could survive that, on the other hand...

  “Paige, please don't,” AJ pleaded, clearly guessing her trail of thoughts.

  “You bitch,” the guard growled, getting back onto his feet, as blood poured from his nose again. “You will pay for this.”

  “Yeah?” Paige challenged, seething.

  “Paige,” AJ urged, but she was beyond listening.

  She couldn't take this oppression any longer.

  “Take them away, and the girl, too,” the man in charge ordered, wiping the blood against his sleeve. Paige couldn't help but smile.

  She wanted to do that again.

  “No, I won't allow you. Let her go,” AJ struggled even though a gun was aimed at him as well.

  Everybody shouted, screamed, and cried at the same time, but one voice still broke through all of that.

  “Stand down, now,” Dave boomed, and mirac
ulously the guards listened—until they saw who it was.

  “Sir, are you lost?” the Blue Coat asked him.

  “No, I’m right where I need to be,” Dave replied instantly.

  Paige was very much relieved to see him. She hadn't even realized how much she was worried about him right until that moment.

  Dave came deeper into the room, confidently, as if he had every right to be here.

  “That's not a real Red, gentleman. That's the guy that clocked me,” one of the Blue Coats from the back complained.

  Dave looked at him with narrowed eyes. “And if you don't shut the hell up while I'm speaking, I'm going to punch you again,” he snapped.

  With that settled, he turned back toward the leader.

  “You’re not taking these children anywhere,” he announced, and it was clear the guard was taken aback, but he masked it quickly.

  “Sir, please step aside and don't interfere with our orders,” the Blue Coat tried to reason with Dave.

  Dave smiled, but it wasn’t a happy smile. It was more of a warning. “I just gave you new ones.”

  The guard recoiled. “You don't have that authority, sir.” It was obvious that last sir was thrown in as an insult, but Dave couldn't care less.

  “These children will stay here until my friends arrive and take them to a better place,” he explained calmly, almost regally.

  Paige couldn't believe her eyes. Was that really the same kid she caught shoplifting? He’d matured a lot.

  “Sir, that can't be. These people and their children are stowaways and as such have no right to be here.”

  Dave advanced on him as if he was about to hit him but reined in his temper at the last second.

  “If you're so obsessed with payment, then I'll personally pay for each day they spend on this bloody mothership,” Dave practically shouted, throwing his card at the leader.

  A very poignant moment of silence followed.

  “I am not authorized to make such arrangements, sir,” the Blue Coat in charge said.

  “Then take me to someone who can. Take me to your leader,” Dave said, and Paige almost cracked a smile because that right there was the Dave she knew and loved.

  The joking one, even during danger.

  In a hushed voice, the Blue Coat spoke into his comm device then waited.

  “Come with me, sir,” he said eventually. “Men, stand down.”

  “What about the girl, sir?” the guard holding Paige asked.

  “Leave her,” the other replied reluctantly.

  With that, another crisis was averted. All the Blue Coats entered the elevator with Dave by their side. He winked at Paige, and she sent him a thumbs up in return.

  I can't believe this, Paige thought, slumping back down on the couch.

  “What just happened?” AJ mirrored her thoughts.

  “I think we just won,” Paige replied in a daze.

  Yet she still didn't understand what Dave did. Who was coming for the children?

  I guess we have a lot to talk about, as soon as he returns, she told herself with a renewed sense of hope and vigor.

  The parents were ecstatic, thanking Dave in turn for this gift.

  Paige had to join in.

  She couldn't stop thinking things over.

  Who were these friends Dave was referring to? She wanted to know because a lot was at stake, and she needed to make sure they were trustworthy.

  * * *

  “Why are we on this planet again?” Brooke inquired, looking at the big visor in front of her at a not so distant planet.

  The four of them have been traveling for a while, and honestly, she was more than ready to stretch her legs. She wanted to walk on something solid for a change.

  “I told you,” Brexton replied, “to see a recruit for this mission of yours.”

  “I didn't know one of the Space Cadets came from here,” she said honestly. Argentha was a known planet, but it just so happened that Brooke didn't know much about it.

  “Well, he's not technically a Cadet,” Brexton confessed, making an apologetic face.

  There is always a catch with him.

  “What does he do again?” Brooke wanted to know.

  Brexton simply laughed. “Do you really want me to ruin the surprise for you?” he asked in return, and Brooke sighed.

  “Very well, let's go. Return to your seats,” she added loudly for her sister and father since they were milling about.

  They did as she asked.

  Willow squeaked next to her, and Brooke looked at her with a smile.

  She missed her sister very much—both of them.

  “Sorry,” Willow said apologetically. “I'm just so excited. I’ve never been on another planet before.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about, love,” Brexton replied to her with a wink. “I was the same way the first time around.”

  “The first time around, you fainted,” Brooke deadpanned, and they all laughed while Brexton glared at her, but it was all for show.

  “Do they know about us?” Brooke wanted to make sure.

  “Oh, yes,” Brexton replied instantly. “There's a Capital City on these coordinates,” he provided. “So, we land on the outskirts. It's the polite thing to do.”

  “Okay,” Brooke said, nodding.

  The landing went smoothly. Easy atmosphere to navigate through, yet still breathable for all of them.

  That's always a plus, she joked.

  Brooke was surprised to see that they had a welcoming committee. Three individuals approached the ship and waited for them to exit.

  The natives looked humanoid, but their skin was silver with long, almost white hair, and small black dots along the hairline. Their eyes were the color of liquid silver.

  Brooke was the first one to exit. She bowed a little as Brexton instructed her to do. “Hello,” she greeted them.

  They greeted her back while the rest of her group arrived from the ship.

  “We’re so happy you finally arrived,” one of them said and that confused Brooke.

  She looked at Brexton, but he only shrugged in return. He didn't know what was going on either.

  “I'm sorry, but I don't understand,” Brooke replied politely.

  Two men and one woman looked at one another in confusion.

  “Is our universal translator malfunctioning?” one asked the others.

  “No, no. It's not that,” Brooke quickly reassured them. “It's just that I was wondering how you knew we would arrive today.”

  “We requested Space Cadets' assistance for prisoner transportation,” an elder explained. “We just didn't know you would come this quickly.”

  “Side gig, cool,” Brexton announced. “Tell us about the prisoners.”

  “We caught some Omakokies unsettling the natural balance of our planet.”

  Brooke never heard that word before.

  “The beings you call the Black Mass,” the woman explained, seeing her confusion. “One small ship arrived not so long ago, and they made three Hosts from our people. We captured them, frightened that more would come.”

  That was a smart thing to do, Brooke thought to herself.

  “If possible, we want you to save our people and take the invaders to the United Galaxies Tribunal to be judged.”

  “Of course,” Brexton said, bowing again. “That's what we do.”

  The Argenthians looked somewhat relieved.

  “We’ll escort you to our city now,” the woman said. “You must be tired from your journey.”

  “Lead the way,” Brooke replied.

  It was a short walk, and the scenery was beautiful. She never saw such vivid colors on trees or plants. Everything was so joyous around them.

  The town was a large village, but it was lovely. They stopped when they reached the square.

  “Our ministry of justice, where we keep the prisoners, is over there.” One man pointed out a two-story building.

  “We would like to invite you to dine with us,” the other added.


  “That is very kind of you. Thank you,” Brooke replied.

  “We have some other business to attend to before taking the prisoners to the tribunal,” Brexton added.

  “As you wish,” the elder said.

  After that, they parted ways.

  “Will there be time for a little sightseeing,” Brooke's father inquired. “That market looks fascinating.”

  “We'll see, Dad,” Brooke replied honestly. She turned toward Brexton and looked at him questioningly.

  He turned in circles.

  “Is there a method to your madness?” Brooke asked, but he ignored her.

  “I think he lives that way,” Brexton announced, finally stopping.

  “Who?” Brooke asked.

  “Aidan,” Brexton replied like she should already know the answer.

  “You think he lives there?”

  “Yes,” he replied.

  Despite feeling like she could strangle him, Brooke said, “Let's go, then.”

  “Oh, yes. All this looks familiar,” Brexton announced after five minutes of walking. They came to a residential section with nice cottages on both sides of the road.

  They stopped in front of one that was completely covered in orange and purple vines.

  A nice little lady greeted them at the door.

  “Brexton, it's so good to see you again,” the old lady beamed, recognizing one of her guests.

  “You too, Nalla,” he replied, kissing her wrinkled silvery cheek.

  “Come in, come in,” she ushered them all inside, and Brexton made the introductions.

  “Is Aidan here?” he asked.

  “No, that ungrateful brat never comes to see me anymore.”

  There goes that...

  Brexton also looked disappointed. “Do you have any idea where he might be?”

  “I'm sorry, Brexton, but you know how he is...” she trailed off.

  Brooke knew nothing about this Aidan character, yet even she could guess.

  “Oh, where are my manners,” Nalla chastised herself. “You must stay for refreshments.”

  Brooke didn't feel like lingering, but the woman looked so nice and the house was so welcoming she didn't have the heart to tell her no.

  Suddenly, a boy about Willow's age, maybe a few years older, ran into the room and skidded to a halt once he realized they had company in the house. He waved at them and then smiled when he saw Brexton.