Caught in Your Wake

by Darien Cox

  “I’m not a very good dancer.”

  “Is okay,” Fi said. “I show you! I am good dancer.”

  “Okay. If you’re sure you can teach me.”

  “I do teach. I can—”

  “STOP!” George shouted, and leapt off the platform.

  Tim spun around to see Tyler standing beside the glass door, pressing his palm to the wall. The glass became liquid and splashed to the floor, and the two robed hybrids stepped out. The female tried to block George from passing, but he shoved her aside and went straight for Tyler, grabbing his collar and throwing him.

  “No!” Tim watched, helpless as Tyler was thrown ten feet into the air, tumbling end over end before crashing into the opposite wall. His body dropped into a motionless heap.

  Tim ran to Tyler, barely aware of the hybrid chattering and shouting behind him. When he knelt down he choked down a sob. “Oh, Jesus.”

  Blood seeped from the back of Tyler’s head where he hit the wall. Tim touched the wound and his hand came away saturated, fingers red. He felt around on his neck. Still a pulse. “Help me!” he shouted, looking behind him, surprised to see George already standing there. “I need to get him to a hospital. Help me!”

  George shifted from foot to foot, looking nervous. “I break him?”

  “Yes you fucking broke him, now help me! Get us out of here so I can help him! He’s bleeding bad. Oh, Jesus. Tyler.”

  The twins ran away and cowered near the chairs, clinging to each other, but the two adult hybrids hurried over. The male stood over Tyler, looking down at him.

  “He needs a hospital,” Tim said. “Please. Please, I’m begging you. You speak English?”

  George whimpered, shifting on his feet, a rocking motion. Chewing his finger, he began to weep. “I break him. I did not mean to.”

  A rage like Tim had never known welled up, and he launched at George. “You didn’t mean to? You didn’t mean to?” George seemed so stunned he didn’t react when Tim’s hands gripped his thin neck, knocking him onto his back. “You motherfucker!” Tim screamed, squeezing the hybrid’s neck and smacking his head on the floor.

  “No!” The female hybrid tore Tim off of George with incredible strength, then held onto him. “Please. Please,” she said. “Do not hurt. He is a child. Is only eight years old.”

  Tim looked down at George, who sat up and rubbed his neck, weeping. “I did not mean to break him!”

  “Be silent your weeping!” the female hybrid snapped. “You are fortunate I do not throw you out door and into cold stars after what you do tonight!”

  Tim tugged on her robe. “You speak English. Can you help my friend? Please. Please. I need to get him to a hospital.”

  She walked over and looked down at Tyler with the older male hybrid. Tim knelt down and cradled Tyler’s head.

  “Earth languages,” the male hybrid said. “Only way to communicate with George. He refuse to use his native tongue. He is obsessed with your kind.”

  “That’s interesting, but my friend is bleeding. Please. Take us to a hospital.”

  The woman waved Tim away, then knelt behind Tyler and lifted his head. “Oh. Bad. Bad injury. Cannot let you move him like this.”

  “Then what?” Tim asked. “Can you help him?”

  She made a hissing sound. “Can help but do not like doing this thing. Brain is injured. Do not want to get too deep into human brain. Delicate.”

  “Can you help him or not?”

  “I can unbleed and heal wound but he will feel not good still. I can heal wound and neck but powerful concussion I do not fix. He will be sick for some bit of time maybe.”

  “Then do it for fuck sakes! Help him! He’s still bleeding!”

  “Is okay,” the male hybrid said, his voice deep and melodious. “She can fix. Unbleed.”

  “Are you sure?”

  The hybrid knelt down and patted Tim’s arm. “She fix.”

  “Always fixing things for George,” she muttered as she closed her eyes and kneaded Tyler’s scalp. “Cleaning messes.”

  Tyler gasped, and Tim’s heart lifted. He darted forward. “Is he—”

  “Space!” the female shouted. “Give me space.”

  “Sorry.” Tim eased back, watching as she dragged her fingers over Tyler’s forehead.

  “Please fix,” George whimpered from behind them. “I do not mean to break.”

  “Silence!” the male hybrid shouted at George. “You’ve do enough hurt I no to hear your voice!”

  George ran off, sobbing. He disappeared through a door that appeared when he approached the back wall. The twins got up and followed.

  Tim grew more panicked as the hybrid worked on Tyler, because it didn’t look like she was doing much beyond massaging his scalp and neck, and aside from that one gasp, Tyler was still again, eyes closed.

  The female hybrid frowned and uttered what sounded like curses in her own language. A huge puddle of blood spread across the floor beside Tyler’s head, and Tim stared at it hard, willing it not to get any larger.

  He stared at Tyler’s sweet, beautiful face, and thought he saw the color begin to return to his pale cheeks, but wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, because he wanted it to be so.

  Tyler gasped again.

  “Okay. He fix,” the hybrid announced suddenly, shifting Tyler’s body away from the blood-puddle and gently cradling him against her chest. “Okay, there he is. I was worry for minute.”

  “Oh, thank God,” Tim said when he saw Tyler’s eyes flutter open. He scooted over and grabbed his hand. “Tyler, baby. You all right?”

  Tyler winced, then looked behind him at the hybrid that held him in her arms. “You will have headache,” she said. “Maybe feel sick for time.”

  “Okay.” Tyler gave her an odd look then shuffled away and reached for Tim.

  “Hey.” He immediately examined the back of Tyler’s head. “Let me see.”

  “What happened?”

  “You got thrown. How do you feel?”

  “Like hammered shit.”

  Tim pressed his fingers to the wound. Tyler winced, but the only blood visible was soaking Tyler’s hair. The wound was swollen but no longer bleeding.

  “I’m okay,” Tyler said, but he looked sickly pale again.

  “Can you two get us out of here?” Tim asked the hybrids. “We’re colleagues of Baz. From the base? You were docked at the base, right? You must know him.”

  “We know,” the male hybrid said. “I will contact base. I will tell them everything.”

  The female hybrid made a groaning sound. “Tell them everything?”

  “We must!” he said, pointing to her. “We hide him, we are responsible.”

  Her head bobbed. “I know.”

  “I will contact base, then take craft up and take humans home.”

  “Thank you,” Tim said, relief stealing through him. “God, thank you so much.”

  The male hybrid left the strange nightclub room, disappearing through the door where George had gone.

  Tyler turned to the side and vomited on the floor.

  “Shit.” Tim leaned over and rubbed his back. “You okay, Ty?”

  “I feel so sick. Like I got punched in the everything.”

  The female hybrid went and got a cushion from one of the chairs, then brought it back and urged Tyler to lie down. “Rest. Head down.”

  Tyler eased back and rested his head on the cushion.

  “He will feel not good but will be okay.” She frowned, dipping her fingers in the wide pool of blood near the wall. “But maybe to take to medical for fluid. Lose blood. Hydration he needs.”

  “I’ll do that. Thank you. What’s your name?”

  “No names.”

  “Okay. Well, I’m Tim, and this is Tyler.”

  “I know who you are. George talk about. Talk, talk, talk about humans, George. All day to us after lock us in.”

  The floor vibrated beneath them. “What is that?”

  “He take us to surface. No t
o worry.” She scowled down at Tyler, then her big eyes glistened as she turned to Tim. “Apology for this. We will take you and the hybrid children home, but then we leave. Not come back. Will not be welcome at base.”

  “So you really were hiding him? George? You kept him locked up?”

  “Yes. Shield in here. His playroom.”

  “He’s really only eight years old?”

  “Yes.”

  “He’s very...smart.”

  “This I know.” She shook her head. “Too smart for so young.”

  “Can I ask...why were you keeping George prisoner?”

  “He is not our prisoner. He is our son.”

  Tyler’s head lifted. “What? Oh shit, that hurts.”

  “Keep head down,” the hybrid said. “Down!”

  “I’m not arguing, believe me,” Tyler said, resting back on the cushion.

  “George is your son?” Tim said. “How...how did he get control of the ship? And lock you up?”

  “Because he is very clever. But he is very young and stupid too. He is good inside. He will be good with years to come, this I believe. But in the now he is...troubled.”

  “You don’t say,” Tyler mumbled. “Troubled? Never could have guessed.”

  “Is that why you wouldn’t let him leave the ship when you docked at the Whites’ base? The twins said it was because of his...face.”

  “No. I am not ashamed of my child’s face.” The woman sat down cross-legged and arranged the robe around her knees. Hands clasped, she stared at the floor, rocking slightly. “We keep him on ship because we worry he try to leave us.” She shrugged a bony shoulder. “We were correct. He try to leave us.”

  “Why?”

  “His obsess with humans. We did not want to stop at this planet. But was necessary to stop. Long trip to our destination. We tried to hide from George where we be stopping on the way to our new home. We try to keep it from him that we must stop at Earth.”

  “He already knew about Earth before he came here then. He wasn’t lying about that.”

  “Has been too obsess with desire to see humans. For long time. But he is too clever. He find out anyway that we dock at Earth. And think, finally, am going to see the ones that share my blood. Maybe they will think my face is not so strange.”

  “Oh, man,” Tyler groaned. “Don’t make me feel bad for the guy that almost just killed me. Please.”

  “Is there anything you can do?” Tim winced. “For his face, I mean. You just healed Tyler before my eyes. You guys must have advanced medicine.”

  “Is too deep.” She patted her face. “Is not only on surface. We have tried. Done surgeries already. Face? Was much worse in the before.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No. Is no shame! He will learn to be as he is. He must. He will mature.” She nodded, as though trying to convince herself. “But he will grieve now for some time. This disappointment. And for those children. Those two stupid children.”

  “Who? The twins?”

  “Those twins. Give him stupid ideas. At first I think is no harm to let them play with George. They are hybrid children. They do not laugh at his face. They make him happy. What harm? But they fill his head. Stupid things. That he can be ambassador to humans. Be important position at base and get to see humans too.”

  “Hey, Tim?” Tyler said.

  “Yeah, you okay?”

  “Yeah. But we better let Baz know his little teacher’s pets aren’t exactly loyal to him.”

  Tim chuckled and rested his hand on Tyler’s thigh. “Yeah. Poor Baz. I think he’s gonna be upset.”

  The hybrid shook her head. “Of course twin children prefer to have George as to supervise. He is child! Will not make them be responsible like Baz does. They think, no more work. Party all the time. Stupid children. Please tell your ambassador we are sorry. And that we will not return.”

  “We’ll tell him,” Tim said. “But we’re sorry too. It sounds like you don’t have an easy journey ahead of you.”

  “Being parent is never easy. But at least, maybe if we go away for long time? My son will forget. Stop these fantasies. Speak his native tongue again. Use his given name. Learn to be himself and be happy at new home. Where others are different too.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “To live at new place. With many different species. This is why we go. We think...hope, that George will not feel so different there. Because so many others will be different too.” She pointed to her temple. “He have brilliant mind. With age he will become kind inside. Will make new friends, build life. This will be focus. Not face.”

  Motion caught Tim’s eye. The male hybrid had come back into the room and walked over to them. He leaned over Tyler and stared down at him.

  “Hello,” Tyler said.

  “You fix?”

  “Yeah, I’m fixed. Mostly.”

  The male glanced around, sneering at the blood, then the vomit.

  “Sorry,” Tyler said. “I made a mess of your ship.”

  “Is George playroom. He clean it up. Apology for delay. Whites demand we bring hybrid children to base first. But take you home soon in the now.”

  “Whites not putting humans first?” Tyler said. “Shocker.”

  “Are you to be okay?” the hybrid asked Tyler.

  “I’ll make it,” he said. “Your wife gave me a cushion. I’m living the dream.”

  The female hybrid smiled as she glanced over at Tyler. “I think your Tyler does not know I can hear his sarcasm. I think he does not know I live with George is like living with human.”

  “Where is George now?” Tim asked.

  “No to worry. Not to bother you anymore,” the male hybrid said. “Sad he is now. We drop off children. He is resting, sad to lose his friends. Sad to leave humans. Also, I just spoke to your ambassador.”

  Tyler sat up. He winced and rubbed his temple. “You talked to Baz?”

  “Yes. He and your people know you are safe and know of injury. We are to take you to...helicopter hangar. Take you down. Apology. This may take a small time, as we are at base now, and Whites need clear us to leave. They are angry but your ambassador is trying to make hurry things up. But you must stay here until we reach hangar.”

  “Okay. Fair enough.”

  “We will come for you when ready.”

  The two hybrids left the playroom, and Tim moved closer to Tyler. “How cool is that? We’re inside the Whites’ base right now.”

  Tyler groaned. “I feel too sick to appreciate it. My head is pounding.”

  “I know. We’ll get you to a hospital as soon as they take us back.”

  “Tim.” Tyler reached over and took his hand. “Do you know what it means that Baz ordered us taken to the helicopter hangar?”

  Tim shook his head.

  “It means Ogden’s gonna fly me out tonight. He probably wants me back at headquarters for treatment. And further briefing once I’m recovered. But he’ll likely consider this mission closed now.”

  Tim swallowed hard. “So you’ll be leaving the village tonight.”

  “I promise I’ll get in touch with you as soon as I can.”

  Fighting the pit of sadness and panic inside, Tim stroked Tyler’s face. “You just get healthy. That was scary as fuck, Tyler. I need you to be okay.”

  “They’ve got a great hospital at headquarters. I’ll be fine. And as soon as I feel better I’ll contact you. And thank you. For getting the hybrids to save me. I’d be really fucking pissed if I ended up dying on an alien ship of all things, after surviving crashing one years ago.”

  Tim nodded. “I don’t suppose I could go with you. Just until you’re on your feet again. I’ll nurse you back to health with blowjobs and onion rings.”

  Tyler smiled. “I so wish you could. But I doubt Ogden would allow it.”

  “That’s what I thought you’d say.”

  It was over an hour later when the hybrids finally returned to George’s ‘playroom’ and announced that they’d arrived a
t their destination.

  Tim nearly threw up himself during the process of getting from the ship down to solid earth again. It was quick, a funnel of mist, an odd weightlessness, but his stomach didn’t like it one bit.

  Then they were standing inside the hangar at the village copter center, and Tim spotted a familiar, striking black man. Ogden had come himself, a tall dignified figure in a dark suit, an air of authority around him. When he spotted them he approached, and a team of paramedics pushed ahead of him with a stretcher, then began fussing with Tyler, making him lie down, checking his vitals, examining his wound.

  “You okay there, Fearless?” Ogden patted Tyler’s hand.

  “I’ll be okay. I’ve had worse.”

  Ogden’s brows rose. “Not in a long time. But don’t worry. I’ve got a special MRI machine with your name on it.”

  “You get me the nicest things.”

  Ogden grinned then turned his gaze on Tim. “Mr. Patterson. Baz said you’re not hurt?”

  “No. I’m all right.” Just an emotional wreck thank you very much. “Long as Tyler’s okay, I’m good.”

  For a long moment, Ogden stared at Tim in a strange way, like he wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. “You handled yourself well,” he said. “Get some rest. Nolan is waiting for you outside the hangar. He’ll take you home.”

  “Thanks.” He was about to ask for a moment alone with Tyler, but Ogden signaled the paramedics and they were already carrying him off toward a waiting chopper. “Ty!”

  Tim ran to catch up, and Tyler gave him a tired smile. “I’ll call you,” he said. “Promise.”

  Ogden gave Tim a distinct ‘what are you still doing here after I dismissed you’ look, and said, “I’ve got to take my boy home now. But we’ll be in touch. Brett will keep you in the loop.”

  Tim stared after them as they moved off. Myles’ words echoed in his mind. “The credits don’t roll when this mission is over. There’s always another one, the guys are always on call, and we don’t own them. Ogden does.”

  “Hey, Ogden!”

  Ogden looked over his shoulder.

  “Take care of him,” Tim said.

  It was a command, not a request, and Ogden seemed to get that. He gave Tim a salute, and it felt like a mockery. “I always have, Mr. Patterson.”