At the top of the hatch another satellite was waiting for me, grabbing both my hands before I had a chance to think about running away. I’m not going to lie, I was planning on it. Apparently they knew me too well.
The quiet countryside and open field told me nothing about the state of the war. All the humans could have been wiped out but the grass wouldn’t tell me about it.
“Where is everyone?” I asked, out of curiosity more than making conversation. As a general rule, satellites weren’t great to have a discussion with. Kyle was the most human of them all.
“Just walk.” Charming. I did as told and they guided me to a waiting car on the road. It was black and sleek, the kind important politicians drove in. Through the darkened windows I could see the figure of a man on the backseat. I could only guess who it was.
“What’s happening? Where am I going?”
“Get in.” The satellite opened the door while the other one pushed me in the back until I complied. I stumbled into the car, hitting my knee on the seat.
I turned around so I was facing the right way, getting a glimpse of my fellow passenger. Krom sat watching me intently, a look of disgust on his face. The car rumbled to life and started down the road.
“Do you have to be so clumsy?” He asked. His loud voice was too much after all the silence I had endured. I felt my eardrums splitting into two with every syllable.
“I’m sorry if I’m not up to your standard,” I grumbled under my breath. Louder, I continued. “Where are we going?”
“We are going to a place you are quite familiar with.”
“I’m going home?” I knew it was too much to ask for, Krom’s belly shaking laugh confirmed it.
“Of course not. We are going to Department headquarters.”
What the hell was I doing on the way to the Department? “Why am I going there?”
Krom shrugged like it was no big deal. “I thought you’d like to stretch your legs a bit. I can always ask the driver to turn back?”
I crossed my arms and sat back in the seat. Krom was obviously up to something, I had learnt through experience that he always had an ulterior motive.
“Cat got your tongue?” He chuckled to himself. “Humans have all kinds of funny sayings. Cat got your tongue, flat out like a lizard drinking, dog tired. We don’t have them on Trucon. I imagine our people are going to be quite confused when they arrive.”
If he kept going, I might have hit him. I suppressed the urge and tried to use the time to my advantage instead. “So our people are on their way then?”
“Oh, not yet. But soon.”
“Are the humans backing down?”
“Good heavens, no. That little stunt you pulled didn’t do a thing. They continue to be the stubborn beings they always have been.”
That was disappointing. “So why are we going to the Department? Are you planning on taking it over too? Maybe set up a new command post there?”
Krom’s eyes narrowed as I stepped over the line. He had gone from chuckling to sneering in less than the blink of an eye. My head spun with how quickly he had changed. “You will see in good time.”
He turned his attention to staring out the window, effectively cutting off any further discussion. I did the same, watching the countryside go past. The closer we got to the Department, the more my stomach churned. It may have been the lack of food, but it was more likely the dread of what was about to happen. Krom wouldn’t take me to the Department for nothing.
Perhaps I was going to be a sacrifice? Maybe Krom would exchange me for some alien prisoners? I wouldn’t put anything past him at that stage.
We travelled in silence with Krom alternating between staring out the window and cleaning underneath his fingernails. He didn’t seem to have a problem ignoring me.
I briefly considered opening the door and jumping out. I figured it was probably better than what the Department and Krom had in store for me. However, before I could do anything, he hit the master lock button and all doors clicked shut. I glared at him for his efforts.
My whole body could not relax for the entire journey. As the roads started getting familiar, my panic alarm was getting louder. I really didn’t want to know what was in store for me, I would rather have been left in the room to rot or die of boredom. At least I was relatively comfortable there. Now I felt like I was standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon and about to tip over into the abyss.
Something out the window suddenly caught my attention, momentarily drowning out the sheer panic. “What are all those cars doing here?” I asked. Both sides of the road were bumper to bumper with parked cars. Where the road was wide enough, they were even double parked. The streets were normally empty and alone, I had never seen it like that before. Literally, never in my life. Ever.
“I guess we’ll have an audience,” Krom stated, giving away no hint of what he thought about the cars. Was he expecting them? Was it part of the plan? I wished I had a clue but none were coming my way.
The cars continued for the entire journey, right up to the last corner we turned into the street that led to the Department headquarters. The moment the building came into view, I gasped. There were minimal cars there, but there was hundreds of people.
They were gathered at the front gates to the building and spilled out in all directions. There was barely enough room for the car to make its slow journey through.
I got a glimpse of the people, some of the faces were familiar. I spotted Hayden and Harmony in amongst the crowd, surrounded by Ryder and the people who had driven Garrick and I to safety after escaping the Department. It almost made me feel better at being there, at least I had some people willing to help me run if I needed to.
I saw a lot of people from school. Ella was there, talking with a group from the yearbook committee. I did a double take when I saw Mack amongst them.
I had no idea why everyone was there, or how they even knew to come. I seriously doubted Krom would have gathered the crowd, especially when he was scowling through the window. He wasn’t happy which strangely made me feel a bit better.
Through the window people started waving when they recognized me. I wished the satellites had let me clean up and given me a change of clothes before dragging me out into the world. I felt – and I’m sure I looked – dirty. Still, I waved back at them.
The car turned into the driveway of the building and came to a stop at the security gate. The driver had a discussion with the guard. I took my opportunity and turned to Krom. “Can I talk to them? For just a moment? Please?”
He stared me down, shaking his head and sighing. My heart sunk in my chest, it had been worth a shot. If I had enough strength I would have tried to break the window.
Krom reached over and unlocked the doors without saying a word. I didn’t waste time asking questions before my hand was opening the door. “You’ve got two minutes,” he warned me as I leapt out.
My eyes scanned the crowd closest, trying to find someone I recognized. All the people were around my age, save for a few older ones. I spotted Lola first, then Lochie standing beside her. My parents were on her other side with Asher. Hayden and his friends had made it through the people to stand behind them.
I started running toward them, focused on the people I loved most in the world. I didn’t think I would ever see them again, it almost felt a dream seeing them now.
I was ensconced in their arms, sandwiched in between my parents, Lola, and Lochie. Enveloped in their warm embrace, I wanted to stay there forever.
Krom’s impatient waiting brought me back to reality as the driver started honking the horn for me to come back. He really wasn’t joking when he said two minutes. I had to be fast before they dragged me away again.
“Why are you all here?” I asked, speaking at a mile a minute. “What’s going on? Is everyone okay?”
Lochie laughed, keeping his hand on my back. The warmth spread through my entire body from that one connection. “Krom and the Department are having a showdown, we couldn
’t let you come alone.”
“How did you even know?” I shook my head, still not understanding what was happening. Perhaps I really was in a dream.
“Garrick told us,” Lola explained. “He said you would be here and might need some backup.”
I was touched Garrick would betray Krom for me, he really was sorry about what was happening. I had believed it when he told me but my mind started doubting it in the quiet cell. “You’re all here for me? Seriously?”
“Of course, honey,” Mom replied, smiling warmly. “Without you, this meeting might not have even happened.”
“What do you mean? Why are-”
“Amery! Get back here,” Krom bellowed. His yelling voice was as thunderous as an airplane. I winced with the noise, as did everyone between us.
“I have to go,” I said quickly.
“We’ll be here the entire time,” Dad reassured me. I conjured up a smile for them before leaving. It took all my strength and resolve to leave the circle of my loved ones. Outside that circle, nothing felt safe.
I returned to the car as the security gate opened. We drove on through, skimming over the road that Garrick and I had fled down all those weeks ago. I couldn’t believe how much had happened since that day. Nobody even knew aliens existed then.
The driver parked and held the door open for Krom, I was left to open my own. So much for chivalry. I trailed after Krom like a puppy while he made sure I didn’t stray too far.
We entered the building and an agent was waiting for us, we didn’t even have to check in with the receptionist. She stared at us, wide eyed and open mouthed.
The elevator ride was made in silence, the three of us staring at the doors like we were on our way to our last supper. I hoped that wasn’t the case but nothing would have surprised me anymore. I had tasted firsthand what horrors were hidden in the building. I suspected I saw only a tiny fraction of them.
“This way, please,” the agent said as he guided us down a long corridor. We passed the meeting room where Garrick and I had met with the agents to negotiate on behalf of our people. We continued on until we reached a closed door at the very end of the hallway.
The agent knocked and opened the door after hearing an “Enter” from the other side. He stood by the entrance, letting us go in first. When I turned around, he wasn’t there anymore, just a closed door.
We were in a small reception room with another door opening onto an office. We walked through, Krom confidently leading the way. He seemed completely at ease, like being there was as natural as going shopping. I guessed with his powers, he didn’t have to be worried about being trapped and locked up. I, on the other hand, had a lot to be concerned about.
We rounded the doorway and saw Agent Schroder as he stood behind his desk. Considering my last meeting with him had ended up with me being drugged and locked in the dungeon, it didn’t put me at any ease.
My eyes travelled past Agent Schroder to the man standing at the side of his desk. I started with his feet and travelled up. When I reached his face, it was Special Agent Robert Bower. I gasped, everyone looked at me. “Sorry,” I mumbled.
Rob gave me a look, one that said I should keep my mouth closed. What on Earth was he doing there? He didn’t even work for the Department anymore. Were they keeping him prisoner? Was this meeting to punish him too? The questions kept burning in my brain, coming at me a hundred miles an hour and none of them getting an answer.
“Please, take a seat,” Agent Schroder said, indicating to the chairs across from his desk.
“I’d rather stand,” Krom replied. I’m sure it was only out of stubbornness. If Schroder hadn’t suggested it, he would probably be sitting by now.
“As you wish.”
“Let’s get to the point. I want you to concede defeat and allow my people to settle on Earth.”
Agent Schroder shook his head, clicking his tongue. “You know my terms. I am not negotiating with you.” He looked pointedly away from Krom until his eyes fell on me. “I’m only negotiating with her.”
All three men looked at me. I had never felt more naked before, even when I was actually naked. Why the hell would Schroder want to negotiate with me? I was terrible at it, clearly demonstrated at our last meeting.
Then it hit me – that was the point. I was horrible at getting what I wanted and that was probably just fine with the Department. I cleared my throat, hoping it wouldn’t crack when I spoke. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
I sent a pleading look Rob’s way but he only nodded back at me. His mouth hinted at a smile, was that supposed to make me feel better? I was probably condemning us all to a terrible fate.
“That’s not the deal,” Agent Schroder started again. “I agreed to discussions on the one condition that I would be talking with you.”
Krom threw himself down on the seat, making the chair groan with the effort. I knew how it felt, I was carrying a heavy weight too.
“Why?” I asked, unable to hold the question in any longer.
“Because you’re the one who started the uprising,” he answered simply, like it should have been obvious. I had been accustomed to not believing anything the Department said, especially from the highest echelons, but I wasn’t sure what game they were playing now. Was he being sarcastic? The tone of his voice didn’t infer that, but he was a trained liar.
I guessed I had no choice except to go along with it. “Fine, then what do you want in return for allowing the Truconians to settle on Earth?”
“I don’t want anything. I want you and your little friends to all go back to where you came from. I am prepared to let you all leave without harm.”
That didn’t sound like a good deal, even to my unskilled senses. “We can’t all go back, the asteroid will destroy Trucon and we’ll all die. So that option is completely off the table.”
“Surely there has to be another planet you can conquer? Somewhere else who won’t mind you trespassing?” He rolled his eyes like a child. I looked at Rob for some guidance, his face remained completely expressionless.
I looked at Krom, he shook his head before answering. “No, there isn’t any. It’s Earth or nothing and we’re not going to settle for nothing.”
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Agent Schroder pointed out with one eyebrow arrogantly raised. He wasn’t any better than a three year old in the playground.
“No, you’re talking to me and we have to settle on Earth,” I said, trying to sound way more confident than I felt. I was completely on the back foot, some preparation or a shower would have been nice before meeting with the head of the Department. “Is it really going to hurt having us here? Remember the reason you agreed to the project in the first place? The people from our planet will bring so much knowledge with them, technology you can only dream of.”
Schroder faltered, it was for a fraction of a second but it definitely happened. I had to pounce on the opportunity. “Agent Schroder, just think how powerful your government will be with that kind of technology. You’ll have a superior advantage over all others.”
“I have never seen this technology you’ve all sprouted off about for so long. How do I even know it exists?” He crossed his arms, looking even more intimidating than he did before.
Maybe it was the nerves, but I couldn’t help the laughter. “Have you not seen the spaceships in the sky? The weapons that have been breaking your military crafts into a thousand pieces? Where do you think that’s all come from?”
A smirk crept across Rob’s face behind my opponent. It gave me a boost of confidence when I needed it the most.
Agent Schroder still wasn’t backing down. “That could be all you have.”
“Isn’t that enough? Wouldn’t your air force benefit from that technology alone?”
“It doesn’t change the fact that your people are not wanted here.”
“We are wanted.”
“You expect me to listen to a bunch of kids?” He snorted his disgust at the prospect. “They mean nothi
ng to me. They mean nothing to the President. They don’t vote.”
“They will one day. And their parents already do.”
Agent Schroder shook his head feverishly from side to side. “This isn’t working, I shouldn’t have even entertained the idea. Agent Bower, call in security. We can make an example out of these aliens, show the others what we do to invaders.”
My wide eyes darted between the men. Krom stood and waved his hand, all the doors locked by themselves. Agent Schroder’s desk slid across the floor and slammed up against the doorframe.
Krom and Schroder glared at one another, tempting the other to make the first move. I took a step back. This wasn’t going to end well.
CHAPTER 23
Watching Krom and the head of the Department battle it out was like observing a cat and mouse. Surely Agent Schroder didn’t think he could win? He had only tasted Krom’s powers, he could kill him merely by thinking about strangling the man. I couldn’t even see Schroder’s gun anywhere.
“You will let us settle here,” Krom started, speaking slowly and emphasizing every word. “You will welcome us and you will make your people understand why we are here.”
“I don’t have to do anything,” Agent Schroder replied.
Rob stepped forward. “Perhaps we should all calm down a bit. Everyone agreed to this discussion to resolve the matter, if we could just-”
“Quiet! You are only here to handle her,” Schroder yelled, nodding my way. My pride was dented a little as my anger started rising. Why did they bother even dragging me into this when neither side wanted me there? And to bring in my former handler just to make sure I didn’t get out of hand? For the life of me I couldn’t work out their deal.
“Let us settle!” Krom roared back. The windows shook with the volume. If he had wineglasses on his bookcase, they probably would have all shattered with the effort.
“We will never concede!” Agent Schroder replied at a volume equally impressive.
The argument went back and forth as I retreated backwards until I hit a wall. I desperately wanted to be out of the room and away from them all. The yelling was only getting worse as the insults started flying.
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