by R. D. Brady
Seconds later, they were taxiing down the runway. Norah buckled herself in next to Luke, but her mind whirled. There had been two different sets of attackers. One had been the government—they had been the ones at the junkyard.
But the ones after the junkyard had not been government flunkies. Somebody else was after Luke. Somebody with very deep pockets.
Chapter Thirty-Six
The plane was quiet. Once Adam took over the controls, Sandra hurried back to be with Luke. Norah stood up and took a different seat when Sandra arrived. As soon as they leveled out, Norah went to the back of the plane and pulled out two blankets. She handed them to Sandra, who looked up at her with wide glassy eyes. “Thank you.”
Norah nodded, taking a seat across from them as Sandra tucked a blanket around Luke and then one around herself. Norah didn’t say anything. They both looked like they needed a little time to adjust. So she sat quietly, waiting. Iggy curled into her lap and closed his eyes.
Finally, Sandra turned to her. “Where are we going?”
Norah had known that would be the first question, and she had also debated how she would answer it. Normally in this type of situation, she would say something like “somewhere safe.” But she wasn’t sure yet whether or not the R.I.S.E. base was actually safe. Although she supposed it was safe from the people who were chasing Sandra and her son.
“It’s a very secure government base.” At Sandra’s alarmed expression, she hurriedly continued. “No one knows about this place. The people who are chasing you definitely don’t know about this place. To be honest, I can’t even tell you where it is because I don’t know.”
Sandra looked into Norah’s eyes, refusing to let her look away. “Will Luke be safe there?”
“He will be safer there than anywhere else.”
Sandra held Norah’s gaze for a long moment. She understood what Norah hadn’t said. That Sandra was now in the middle of something where they had very little control. But for the moment, they would be safe.
“How long until we get there?”
“It will take a few hours.” Norah paused, thinking of Iggy, Alvie, the triplets, and Agaren. “And it’s an unusual place. You’re going to need to prepare yourself.”
“Unusual? How?”
Norah studied the woman across from her. She’d kept her son safe for days with little to no resources. She’d been in the service. She was not a shrinking violet. She could handle what was coming. And if she couldn’t, she would force herself to handle it for her son’s sake.
“What do you know about aliens?”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Malibu, California
The Pacific Ocean was quiet today. Tatiana lay on a chaise lounge on the deck of her three-story beach house. The back was composed almost entirely of glass. It offered incredible views of the Pacific Ocean. She loved waking up and being able to look out her window and see the power of the ocean. Being close to powerful things always made her feel more alive.
Her home was located on the exclusive “Billionaire’s Beach,” legally known as Carbon Beach. Her neighbors consisted of billionaire tech entrepreneurs who often lent their houses to celebrities. Currently, the beach was home to an Oscar winner, two record label execs, three hedge-fund billionaires, and a few actors Tatiana couldn’t be bothered to learn about.
They’d be forgotten by next year anyway.
Her house was located in between a rising starlet and an NFL player who had won two Super Bowls. Tatiana stretched, loving the feel of the sun on her skin. For some people, the sun was too strong today. But Tatiana loved days like this. She loved to revel in the sun.
Her phone beeped on the small table next to her. She scanned the screen, her lip curling as she read the message. With a growl, she grabbed the phone and headed indoors. Dietrich stood just inside the main room of the house, holding a robe. She slipped into it, patting his hand once she had her arms in the sleeves. She tied the belt firmly around her. “Thank you, darling. Now what the hell went wrong?”
“There was interference,” Dietrich said in his deep voice that was closer to a growl than an actual human voice.
Tatiana made her way to the kitchen island. The kitchen was a designer’s dream. The island was granite with a cascading countertop in soothing whites and pale grays. The cabinets were modern with no appliances visible, hidden behind false façades. Not a handle in sight. Everything was pure, unbroken white.
Tatiana poured herself a glass of water with lemon from the crystal pitcher waiting for her. “R.I.S.E.?”
Dietrich shook his head as he followed her, taking a seat at one of the stools so he didn’t tower over her. “Yes, but that was not the problem. The Sentinel appeared.”
Tatiana stopped with her glass halfway to her mouth and then placed it back on the counter. “He followed them to Montana?”
Dietrich nodded.
Tatiana resumed her drinking, absorbing this new information. When she’d learned about Project Antaeus from Martin, she’d been curious. But all of the subjects had been killed in action, or at least killed. But then she’d learned of the existence of an offspring. One whom the Sentinel had already shown an interest in.
Going for the boy had been a lark. Tatiana wanted to see what made him tick, she wanted to see what had drawn the Sentinel. In all honesty, she had expected to find nothing, just a normal human child.
And then she’d planned to dispose of him.
But now this human child was much more interesting.
“The cars were destroyed. And five of our people were injured.”
Tatiana waved away the damages. Cars didn’t matter. She had more money than some countries. But the injured were a problem. “Will they be all right?”
Dietrich nodded. “They have been taken home. It will take them a few weeks, but they will all fully recover.”
Tatiana’s mind shuffled around the latest pieces on the board as she stared out the glass windows toward the ocean. The waves rose and fell, leaving a white foam on the beach as they broke. The waves were constant. She had never been here when they had not been continuing their incessant movement.
She knew the Moon was responsible for that little piece of beauty. The gravitational effect of the Moon on the oceans resulted in a bulge in the ocean that in turn caused the ebb and flow of the tides. During full moons, the effect was greater. It was an awesome impact, worthy of awe.
But the Moon was also part of her problem.
Dietrich said nothing while Tatiana thought. He knew his opinion was unimportant. It was hers that mattered. He would sit there for hours without a word if she required it. It was why he was her favorite of all her guards. The rest would attempt to do the same, but they were younger and had less control over themselves.
A Sentinel. What a wonderful pet he would make.
Tatiana turned her attention back to Dietrich. “Tell me about R.I.S.E. How did they avoid us? How many did Matilda send?”
“Only three.”
“Three? They sent three? You expect me to believe that our people were thwarted by the Sentinel and only three—” She went silent, realization dawning. “He was there, wasn’t he?”
Dietrich nodded. “Yes.”
Tatiana drummed her bright red fingernails on the countertop. She pictured the blond hair, the strong build. “Who was he with?”
“The D.E.A.D. agent, Norah Tidwell.”
“She was the one the mother contacted, correct?”
“Yes.”
Tatiana growled. These humans were so frustrating. In all her years, her people had never been able to find the R.I.S.E. base. But that needed to change. They were at a critical point. They could not allow R.I.S.E. to stick their heads into their business. They needed to remove them from the equation once and for all. “Find the base. Find a way in. I will not have them interfering.”
“I already have people working on it.”
Tatiana leaned across the counter, running a nail down the side of Dietrich’s
face, a line of blood following her path. He turned toward her hand, his eyes closing. “Don’t disappoint me.”
“Never, my queen.”
Tatiana once again headed outside. She slipped her robe off at the door, letting it fall to the ground. She resumed her seat on the chaise lounge, which had warmed in her absence. She sighed as the warmth seeped into her back. But even as her body basked in the warmth, her mind railed against the debacle in Montana. Adam had been a thorn in their side for too long.
She needed to get that thorn removed.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
What do you know about aliens? The question was insane. And Norah hadn’t been able to expand upon it. Almost as soon as she’d asked it, the other guy had come out of the cockpit and said Norah was needed.
Sandra wasn’t sure what to think. Ever since the junkyard, she’d been running on adrenaline. When the adrenaline had worn off on the plane ride, she’d wanted to close her eyes and give herself a few moments. But she hadn’t been able to.
Because she needed answers. And until she had some, she could not close her eyes. Luke didn’t seem to have the same problem. He’d fallen asleep almost as soon as the plane had leveled out.
Across from her, the man who’d appeared in the junkyard with the agent sat. What was his name again? Derek? He drummed his fingers on the edge of the seat rest.
She studied him now that she had a chance. He obviously was not military. Even though he did have a strong build, he was too scattered. His eyes shifted around the fuselage, the nervous energy drumming from him. No, he definitely was not former military.
Now the other two, they were definitely former military, if not current military. She’d noticed it with Norah when she’d first met her. The confidence, the strength, there was something about former military where you just could kind of recognize one another. And Norah’s other friend. Sandra wasn’t sure what to think about him. He seemed to be a one-man army all on his own.
The cockpit door opened. Norah stepped out, closing the door behind her. She took a seat across from Sandra and held out two water bottles. “I thought you guys might be thirsty.”
Sandra reached out for the bottles and then hesitated. The man reached across the aisle and grabbed one. He unscrewed it and drank about half its contents before handing it back to Sandra. “It’s not drugged.”
Norah looked over at him, her eyes wide. “Why would she think it was drugged?”
The man shrugged. “I would.”
Sandra took the bottle and drained the remaining half. She had wondered if it was drugged. “Thanks.”
Norah sat back in her chair. “I’m guessing you have a lot of questions. I’ll answer what I can. So you know that I used to work with D.E.A.D.”
“Used to?”
Norah nodded. “We had a differing of vision.”
Iggy murmured something from the seat next to Greg.
Sandra nodded toward him. “Was he the differing of vision?”
Norah gave a small smile as she watched him. “He was a big part of it. This here is Dr. Greg Schorn, formerly of Wright-Patterson. He’s been working with the A.L.I.V.E. projects for years.”
“A.L.I.V.E. projects?”
Greg put up a hand as Norah opened her mouth. She frowned, looking at him. “Look, before you go into all that, you better make sure she wants to be in on all of that. I realize that D.E.A.D. is after her and that strange winged guy seems to be milling about, but that doesn’t mean that she needs to know everything, at least, not if she doesn’t want to. Because once you step into this world, there doesn’t seem like there’s any way to step back out.”
Norah turned back to Sandra. “He’s right. If you want, we can try to find you a place to hide. Maybe somewhere out of the country. Somewhere that D.E.A.D. doesn’t have any reach.”
“And where exactly would that be?” Sandra asked.
“Honestly? I have no idea. But the woman who runs the organization that we’re currently affiliated with, she does have a lot of connections. It’s possible she could find a place for you.”
Sandra studied the two people in front of her. Both seemed earnest in their desire to help her and Luke. And she appreciated that. And to be perfectly honest, she did want to stick her head in the sand and not hear anything more about aliens or secret government agencies or anything along those lines. She wanted to go back to a quiet life, just her and Luke.
But down deep, she knew that wasn’t possible. Sammy had somehow found them hundreds of miles away. He was drawn to Luke. There was a reason for that. And as much as she hated the idea of getting further embroiled in all of this, the truth was she was already up to her neck. The only difference was she was up to her neck without any answers. So maybe some answers would make it a little bit easier.
She rested her hand on Luke’s back, pulling the blanket a little tighter around him. “If you tell me what’s going on, will we still be able to go somewhere, to start over?”
Norah nodded. “Yes.”
At the same time, Greg shrugged. “Maybe.”
Sandra took a breath. “Tell me.”
Sandra wasn’t sure what to think. The United States government had created alien hybrids. It was like something out of a sci-fi movie. But then, of course, she’d seen Sammy. And she was currently looking at what could only be an alien. She nodded toward Iggy. “He’s one of the hybrids?”
Norah shook her head. “No. We think Iggy’s a pure breed. He something called a Maldek.”
“Basically he’s a Martian dog,” Greg said.
Norah glared at him, her teeth gritted. “He is not a Martian dog.”
Greg put up both hands. “Hey, no offense. I think Iggy is awesome. But Tilda said that he is the equivalent of a Martian pet.”
Sandra listened to the two of them, her mind still reeling. So the U.S.’s little pet projects had escaped, which was why D.E.A.D. was created. But apparently Norah had left the D.E.A.D. because she realized that not all of the creatures that they were going after were dangerous, like Iggy. But the D.E.A.D. wasn’t differentiating. It was just a “kill first, ask questions never” kind of policy. But that still didn’t explain everything.
“Why did the Blue Boys come after Luke and me? I mean, they escaped from Area 51, right?”
Greg nodded.
“That’s hundreds of miles from Kansas. Why would they travel all that way? And what about Sammy? He was an experiment that was released as well, right?”
“The Blue Boys were definitely part of the Area 51 projects,” Norah said.
“You can say that again,” Greg grumbled.
Norah ignored him and continued. “But we don’t understand why they would have traveled all that way. It seems odd.”
“Odd? Odd?” Sandra felt the hysteria rising up inside of her. It took a supreme effort of will to get it to tamp down. “Yeah, giant Martian blue ape things traveling hundreds of miles to try and kill me and my son, that’s odd.”
Greg leaned forward. “Look, I know this is all insane. I know you feel like you just got dumped into the middle of a really bad acid trip. But here’s what I do know: The Blue Boys traveled all that way for a reason. Yes, they’re animals. But animals do things out of instinct, not randomly. There is a reason the Blue Boys traveled all that way to find you.” He shot a glance at Norah. “Were there any other sightings of the Blue Boys or attacks anywhere near her farm?”
Norah shook her head. “I don’t think so. In fact, Kansas was the farthest out from Area 51 that we had a report.”
Greg turned back to Sandra. “There’s a reason they targeted you. I don’t know what that is. But I do know that a reason exists. And if you want some help figuring out what it is, I can do that. I can’t promise I can give you an answer, but I can promise I will try.”
For some reason, Sandra believed him. She could see that he understood what it was like to be hunted. There was something in his background that had terrified him and at the same time given him strength. “
Thank you.”
Greg nodded, sitting back in his chair again.
“What about Sammy? He didn’t try to hurt us. He tried to help us,” Sandra said.
“I honestly don’t know anything about him.” Norah glanced over at Greg, who shook his head. “I never read anything on his file. But Maeve has seen him. He helped her and the triplets escape when Martin’s men were moving in. And he helped Chris back at 51. I don’t know, maybe he’s just some sort of guardian angel.”
“Huh,” Greg said, his hand on his chin. “I wonder.”
“Wonder what?” Norah demanded.
“All the creatures from Area 51 were created from some form of alien DNA and animal DNA.”
“But Sammy doesn’t look like an animal,” Sandra said.
“No, he definitely doesn’t. I think he was mixed with human DNA. But that still leaves the question of the original alien DNA. There’s only one report of an alien sighting that I can recall that involves wings. In 1984, three Russian cosmonauts reported a strange orange smoke filling their space capsule when they were in low orbit around the earth. When they looked out the capsule windows, they reported these large humanoid creatures floating there. All of them had wings. They called them space angels.”
Norah scoffed. “Space angels? It was probably some sort of reaction to whatever the orange smoke was.”
Greg nodded. “That’s what everybody thought, that or some sort of shared delusion. But a few days later, three more astronauts joined them on the station. And these new individuals also saw the winged creatures. They were there one moment, and then they simply disappeared.”
“So are you saying that’s what Sammy is?”
Greg shrugged. “Or that’s who he’s related to. I don’t pretend to know where they got all of their samples. But he came from somewhere. And for a giant winged creature, he sure is good at staying out of sight.”
Sandra shivered, picturing the seven-foot-tall creature. There was something human about him, but there was so much more about him that wasn’t. “But he’s in the files or something, right?”