Caught in Your Wake

by Darien Cox

  Tim turned in a circle, because that’s exactly what this room was. A giant circle, no corners, just rounded silver walls. Fuck. Am I in a goddamn space ship? His memory returned fully as he spotted a body slumped on the floor on the far side of the room—a green shirt. “Tyler!”

  He ran to Tyler and knelt down beside him. Lying on his side, Tyler appeared to be sleeping, eyes closed, chest rising and falling. A red bump like a bee sting marred the back of his neck, and Tim ran a finger over it. “Tyler?” When Tyler didn’t stir, he grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard. “Tyler!”

  Tyler jolted, then took in a huge gulp of air as he sat up. He shuffled back on his ass. Lips parted, he scowled at Tim with sleepy eyes, then his head swiveled as he took in the surroundings.

  “Ty, you all right?”

  “God damnit,” Tyler muttered as he struggled to get to his feet.

  Tim grabbed his arm and helped him up. “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” He held onto Tim’s arm. “Are you?”

  “I think so. I just don’t know where the hell we are and there’s weird shit and weird people everywhere.”

  “Oh. Like that?” Tyler jerked his chin toward the chairs on the other side of the room.

  Tim turned around and winced when he saw two gator-worms scuttle across the floor then settle down at the feet of the tall guy with the black hair. The stranger lowered one white hand, petting one of the gator-worms, then went back to fussing with his spider.

  “Yeah,” Tim said. “Like that. And that.” He pointed to the glass door where the two tall white hybrids in the blue robes still slapped the glass, trying to get their attention. They kept pointing to their right.

  “Who the hell are they?” Tyler asked. “What are they pointing at?”

  “I have no idea. But the twins are here too.”

  Tyler frowned as he looked over at the twins, still up on the raised platform. The song had shifted to ‘Jailhouse Rock’ by Elvis Presley, and now Fi and Fo did the twist. “Fucking hell,” Tyler whispered. He gave his head a hard shake, and in an instant, his sleepy gaze hardened, and his work-face appeared, gray eyes blank but focused. “Okay. We’re gonna get out of this. Just stay calm, Tim. Okay? Can you do that?”

  “I’ll try my best. Ty, who is that guy in the chair?”

  “I believe that would be George.”

  “Shit. George is real after all.”

  “Unfortunately. After he knocked you out at my house he came after me in the hallway. That fucking spider shot a dart or something into my neck.” He rubbed the back of his neck, wincing. “How long have we been here?”

  “I don’t know. I just woke up too. We have to get the fuck out of here.”

  “Yeah.” Tyler patted his jeans. “My phone is gone.”

  “Brett was on his way to your house, remember? They’ll be looking for us, right?”

  “Sure, but whether they find us depends on where the hell we are. I want a word with this fucking guy. Stay close to me.” Before Tim could protest, Tyler stormed toward the chairs. “Hey, you!”

  Tim was terrified, but there was no way he was letting Tyler do this on his own, so he hurried along behind him. Tyler stopped three feet from the gator-worms, which sat like guardians before their master.

  Tim stepped up and stood at Tyler’s side. The man in the chair looked up, tossing his hair back and tucking it behind his ears. Human ears. But this was no human. Jesus. What is he?

  He had hybrid eyes, but different than Baz’s or the twins. They were large and the double-iris was there, but instead of green and blue, this creature’s eyes were gold and brown. The black hair was thin and silky like a hybrid’s, but Tim had been of the understanding that they all had white hair, so he wasn’t sure if this creature was a hybrid or not. His long lashes matched his raven hair, and he had full, sensuous lips. His chin was long like a hybrid and his nose had a cleft. But his skin...

  One side of his face was paper-white from his right ear to his nose, where it branched out in a claw of narrow curved stripes, like someone had slapped him and left a powdered handprint. At first Tim thought it was makeup, as the platinum stripe in his hair was on the same side as the white of his face, so it seemed intentional, theatrical. But on closer inspection, the fingers of white skin blended too seamlessly with the opposite side of his face to be makeup. And the opposite side of his face was jarring.

  The powder-white stripes stretched onto shiny purple skin with thick blue veins. Tim couldn’t figure out if the purple side of his face was a burn scar or a birthmark or what, but it was shocking, especially with the overlapping coils of veins marring the surface. The same purple skin also covered one side of his neck, but smoother, without the prominent veins. A few spiderwebs of dark red, like broken blood vessels, dotted his cheek and the high forehead above his eyebrows—eyebrows as white as Baz’s.

  The black lashes and the white eyebrows didn’t match. Nothing about this man’s face matched. He was like two halves put together, the only consistency his huge, golden-brown eyes.

  “It is rude to stare,” he said, setting the spider down on the floor. “But I know I am very beautiful. So I do not mind.”

  Unlike Tim, who couldn’t help gaping at the strange being, Tyler was blank-faced, looking a bit bored. “Why did you bring us here? You know you’re going to be in trouble for this.”

  “Trouble?” His brows rose and the white stripes on his cheek shifted in an odd way. “What have I done to make trouble?”

  “You kidnapped us,” Tyler said.

  “But I have good reason, I swear. You trust.” He cupped his hand to his ear. “Hear me out? I have done no harm to you.”

  “You shot me,” Tyler said. “With that spider-drone. So cut the bullshit and tell us how to get out of here. George.”

  “Oh!” He fluttered his hand like he was fanning himself, then looked at Tim. “Gun man knows my name. I so flattered! Is good name, yes? So many human George.” He twirled his hand. “King George. George Michael. Boy George. George Washington.” He beat his chest with his fists. “George of the Jungle!”

  Tim glanced at Tyler. “Stay calm,” Tyler said softly.

  “Yes be calm now!” George said. “Tim Patterson. Forest ranger. You are the first real human I see. See you first in new world. You are special.”

  The twins strolled over and sat in the chairs on either side of George, smiling smugly, looking pleased with themselves. “You two kids need to get back to the base,” Tim said. “People are worried. They’re looking for you.”

  “Maybe they prefer the company of me,” George said. “Maybe they want to stay and have party all the time.”

  Fo shimmied his shoulders. “Party all the time!”

  “We do,” Fi said. “We want to stay with George. He is good time.”

  “I am! I am magnificent.” He grinned widely, his strange purple cheek stretching.

  “Who are they?” Tyler pointed toward the glass door to their right. The hybrids behind the glass still watched them but had given up their frantic pounding.

  “Those are who keep him prisoner,” Fi said. “Captor become captive. Ah ah ah!”

  “Ignore them.” George flicked a hand toward the hybrids behind the glass. “They are not important. Relax! Is party. You want to play game? Want to dance? Want to sing?”

  “No,” Tyler said calmly. “We want to go home.”

  George uncrossed his legs, then crossed them again the opposite way. “You may leave through door. I will show you where. But very deep. You may drown.”

  Tim looked at Tyler, whose jaw tightened, but he kept his eyes blank. “We’re underwater?”

  “Yes. I take craft down under lake. Very deep. You good swimmer?” He grinned, and the twins laughed. His teeth were very even and white, and with his beautiful lips, the perfect smile seemed to mock his imperfections.

  Tyler’s gaze shifted to the gator-worms on the floor at George’s feet. He pointed. “Are they good swimmers?”

&nbs
p; George stood, rising on long legs. He was Baz’s height, but his body wasn’t quite as thin, shoulders a bit broader. He seemed to be a hybrid, but with more human features, and the mix had come out...wrong. Bad birth, Fi had said. Old DNA scraps tumbling out like an unlucky dice roll. He pointed a long white finger at Tyler. “Have you not done enough to my poor babies? You kill one already. Now you want to make them drown?”

  “I was just wondering if they can swim,” Tyler said. “You said you want to play a game. So why not let me and Tim race your drones here? In the water. See what they’ve got.”

  Smiling, George wagged his finger at Tyler. “Ah, clever.” He sat again, slumping back in the chair and crossing his legs. “Do you think I am stupid as your Baz?”

  “I’m sure you’re very bright,” Tyler said.

  “I am more than very bright, gun man. I know why you want to race drones in water. Not for game. For something else, yes? Make them cry like baby underwater? Draw attention to your friends to come rescue?”

  Tyler said nothing.

  “Tell me something, gun man.” George tapped his chin with his long finger, then pointed at Tyler. “Your Baz. He does not know about the devices in lake basin. Your...equipment to spy on base. Does he?”

  “How do you know about that?” Tyler said.

  “Because I am smart!” George stood, his face contorting in rage. “I am smarter than your Baz. He cannot even speak proper to you! Dorr dorr dorr I am Baz!” He flapped his hands. “I am ambassador, do you to wanted to spoke with me? Dorr dorr dorr! Derr derr derr!”

  “Baz does not talk like that,” Tyler said.

  “He does. He is too stupid for such important job.” George settled back in his chair. His eyes shifted to Tim, and he jerked his chin toward him. “Let me see you kiss him, gun man.”

  “No more games. Let us out of here.”

  “I say I want you to kiss forest ranger. Go on! Kiss!”

  Losing his composure, Tyler started toward George, but backed away when the spider reared up, front legs clicking.

  “He is fully loaded,” George said. “You do not want him shoot you again, do you?”

  “Quit fucking around,” Tyler said. “You’re going to be in a lot of trouble if you don’t let us go. Right now. We have an alliance with the Whites. And I don’t think they’ll take kindly to what you’re doing. The last hybrids that screwed up didn’t meet a good end by them.”

  George patted his chest dramatically and looked at Fi. “He is threaten me?”

  Fi smiled and wagged her finger. “You should not threaten George.”

  “Come on, no more angry!” George clapped his hands. “Is party! Gun man, you kiss forest ranger before. I see it, on camera! You kiss him before. Kiss him now. I want to see.”

  The twins clapped their hands, chanting, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

  Tim’s hands clenched into fists. After all Tyler had been through, there was no way Tim was letting someone force him to do anything remotely sexual under duress. Even if it was with him. “Shut up!” Tim shouted and the twins went silent. “No one is kissing anyone! We’re not playing your games. You might have abilities and you’ve got your little drones and what have you, but I swear to God I can find a way to hurt you. You keep this up? I will make you suffer before you can take me down.”

  The twins’ eyes widened. Even Tyler cocked an eyebrow at him. “Oh my,” George said, and glanced at Fi, then Fo. “I think we have upset the forest ranger.”

  “We do not want that!” Fi said. “You like him!”

  “I do like him. We do not want to upset the forest ranger. He is so handsome and brave.”

  “Handsome and brave,” Fo repeated.

  “Enough,” Tim said. “Tell us why the fuck we’re here. We’re not interested in your games so tell us what the fuck you want.”

  “Fine.” George rolled his eyes. “I am only trying to be good host! But you are no fun to me. Straight to business then.” He pointed at Tyler. “You. You will tell Thrakatozians that I will be your ambassador now. Not Baz.”

  Tyler shook his head. “What?”

  “The Whites, the Whites! You will tell them. Baz no more. George is your ambassador now.”

  Tyler scowled. “You want to be the Whites’ ambassador to the humans?”

  “I do. Fi and Fo tell me, is good job! I will be better at job than Baz. You will tell them this! For me.”

  “Why would you think I have any authority to make that request?”

  “You are the one with the power. I spy on forest ranger in trees? Let him see my babies?” He petted one of the gator-worms. “The humans of the lake call you.” He pointed at Tyler. “To come deal with. You are one they send. You have power. Close to humans that can influence the Whites.”

  “Whatever would make you think the Whites would agree to that? They gave Baz the assignment, not our people.”

  “Oh, I have my reasons to think they agree.”

  “Why do you want the job?” Tim asked.

  George stood and took a step closer. He patted his own cheeks. “My whole life. Others tell me I am like this because human part in blood. It happens, they say.” He threw his head back and cackled. “Can you believe this is what they say to me? It happens! Sorry you are so different and no one want to look at you or be with you.” He shrugged. “Blame the Greys for putting that human shit in your bloodline.” His eyes flared and that rage overtook his features again. In an instant it was gone and the strange smile returned. “But I do not think humans are shit, not like some saaaay! I want to work with them. It is good idea, yes?”

  “So because you have more human features than Baz you think you should be the ambassador?” Tim said.

  “That’s not exactly a qualification,” Tyler said.

  “Is not for my physical form. I know more about your kind than Baz. I study you for years from far away, even before I come here. Because I want to know, who are these species what blood is responsible for my beautiful face? Perhaps, if I find, I will be not so different anymore, yes?”

  “But you’re not human,” Tyler said. “You’re a hybrid. You’re way more advanced than we are.”

  “And this is why I am perfect! Perfect for you to be ambassador. Important role. I am so experience with your species, I can talk to. But I am so brilliant, I stay at base, do work for Whites. Make technology.” He gestured to the drones. “I have more to offer than that stupid hybrid who walk around wearing human clothing and cannot even speak right.”

  “Okay you’ve made your point,” Tyler said. “But do you even know the Whites that run the base?”

  “No.” He glared at the glass door, where the captive hybrids slumped against the wall, looking defeated. “They!” He pointed. “They kept me locked away so I could not even visit the base. But is okay!” He smiled and looked back at Tim and Tyler. “I meet Fi and Fo. Hear them speak Earth language when they inspect this craft one day. Make friend. They keep secret. And they tell me secret about hybrid boss who visits humans of the lake. They say, I will make better boss than Baz!”

  “Better boss,” Fi said.

  “I will make my own deal with the Whites,” George said. “They will agree that I can stay on your planet. And I, George, will be your new ambassador.”

  The twins clapped and George took a dramatic bow.

  “Brilliant,” Fi said. “Best plan!”

  “How can you be certain they’ll agree to your plan?” Tim said. “Baz works for the Whites. You don’t even know them.” And you’re crazy.

  “Because gun man will talk to them and persuade and if they do not agree I tell them they do not get twins back.”

  “You’ll hold the twins hostage?” Tim said. “They’re just kids!”

  “We want to stay,” Fo said.

  “That’s besides the point! You have parents! They’re worried about you.”

  “Okay, calm down,” Tyler said. “Look, I can talk to my people and pass along your request. But you have to let us go now.
People are looking for us, too.”

  “I will.” George waved his hand toward Tim. “But forest ranger stay here.”

  “The fuck he will,” Tyler said.

  “You like forest ranger. You kiss! I keep him, to make certain you work hard to make my plan a success. Make deal with Whites? Make me ambassador? I give him back.”

  “Not happening. Tim comes with me or no deal.”

  George shrugged. “Then no deal I guess. You both stay here with me for always! Shall we dance?”

  “Dance!” Fi jumped up and ran to the platform.

  George took Fo’s hand and led him over, his posture regal, chin up.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” Tyler shouted. “You can’t keep us here.”

  “We dance now!”

  George helped Fo up onto the platform, then the three hybrids danced together. The song switched from Britney Spears to Metallica and George swung his black hair around while Fi and Fo jumped up and down to the music.

  “Jesus Christ,” Tim muttered. “What do we do now?”

  “I’m thinking,” Tyler said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

  A soft thumping, separate from the music, drew Tim’s attention, and he looked back at the glass door. The female hybrid was beckoning with her fingers, then pointed to her right. Tim gave her a shrug and mouthed, I don’t understand you.

  She bit her own finger then held it up, a thick pool of rust-colored blood dripping. She drew an arrow on the glass with her blood, pointing to the left. Beneath it, she wrote in big, slanted letters, ‘HAND PRESS’.

  “Tyler.” He leaned in. “Look.”

  Tyler glanced over, then quickly looked away. “Go distract George and the twins.”

  “How?”

  “However. Dance with them or something. Do it now. I’m gonna try and let the other ones out.”

  “You trust those other hybrids?”

  “I don’t trust any hybrids, but in this case, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If they had George locked up, I’m guessing it was for a good reason. Something other than his beautiful face. Go.”

  Tim approached the platform and watched the hybrids dance. So engrossed in their thrashing about, it took them a moment to notice Tim, but eventually Fi called out, “Forest ranger! Come dance!”