by Gini Koch
“They don’t know how long it took for them to reach Earth,” Dew said. “They were in suspended animation inside their ships. They do know that some of their ships did not arrive. Whether they reached a different planet or were destroyed during flight they also do not know. They cannot live on land and so have no comparison, but say that your oceans feel like home.”
“If they’ve truly been here longer than humans have been sentient, then it’s difficult to think of them as aliens,” White said. “They technically could have more claim to the planet than humanity.”
“Which is not the way to lead with their story,” I pointed out. Remembered from college that they could eat poisonous jellyfish and literally saved that poison for their own use, which was their only form of defense. “Because humans have a tremendous inferiority complex thing going, and these Mykali are basically defenseless against anyone wearing really thick gloves.” Or any scientists with traps, or hunters of any kind.
“So,” Buchanan asked, “what do we do about these Mykali?”
Jeff sighed. “We leave them alone.”
CHAPTER 38
“BUT THEY’RE AN EXAMPLE of another sentient alien race,” Buchanan pointed out. “It could help with what’s coming.”
“How, exactly, would that help?” Jeff countered. “Look, I understand why everyone’s excited about this. Only there was a reason my people hid in plain sight for years on this planet. If we share that this race—this basically helpless race, particularly as compared to humans and A-Cs—is here, and has been here for longer than we have, then I know what will happen.”
“They’ll be hunted, dissected, captured, and killed into extinction.” Everyone looked at me and I shrugged. “Look, humanity isn’t the nicest form of sentience out there. It’s why everyone’s running to us right now—we’re vicious, even in our curiosity. Sure, we can show incredible kindness and care, but basically, Naked Apes are really effective at destroying. I agree with Jeff—these people need to be protected, and to do that, we have to go back to saying that they’re pretty sea slugs.”
“I agree,” White said. “Wholeheartedly, Jeffrey.”
Chuckie sighed. “I agree as well.” He eyed Buchanan. “And you agree, too, and so does Angela. It’s why you wanted Richard with us, just in case Jeff was vacillating, and ensured that the Secret Service and everyone else didn’t come with us.”
Buchanan grinned. “I hate being so transparent, even to one of the boss men. But yes. Angela feels the same as you do. She just wanted confirmation before we told Dew to warn the Mykali about humans and to stay far away from as many of us as they can.”
“Tell them that if we ever find their other people, we’ll let them know,” I said quickly. Once again, everyone looked at me. “Look, they’re still waiting for them to arrive. They may have been sent out first, but that means, to them, that they were saved first. They’ve tried to communicate with us because that’s what they were used to—talking to other sentient races. It’s got to be a weird form of loneliness, but still—imagine if you used to talk to all the animals on the planet and then you couldn’t. It’s a loss, and apparently it’s a loss that generations of Mykali still feel, because I sincerely doubt that they live for ten thousand years.”
“They do not,” Dew said. “Lifespans are short, between an Earth month and a year. But they all still remember their first home world.” She turned back to the Mykali and relayed what we’d just told her.
“Shared mind, shared memories,” Chuckie murmured. “Fascinating. And I completely agree with Jeff—there’s no way our scientists would let these people be. Kitty’s right—we’d destroy this race within one generation.”
Dew finished and several of the Mykali swam over to me. I was careful when I moved my hands toward them because I didn’t want to get stung.
But stinging didn’t happen. Five swam into each hand, making me really glad I had flippers on to help keep me upright in the water. Looked at them and listened. And realized I could understand them, in the same way I could understand the other animals.
They were thanking us for being kind, thanking me for understanding their loneliness, pledging their fealty to us, as they had so long ago to the others who’d sent them here to Earth to pave the way to save their home planet.
Wanted to hug them, but didn’t because I didn’t want to hurt them. Instead, I nodded. “I don’t know how and I don’t know when, but we’ll find out what happened to your original world and all the different people that were on it. And if there’s a way to safely reunite you with them, we’ll make it happen. I promise.”
The Mykali sent love and thanks thoughts to me and shared that if I ever wanted to find them, just go out far from shore and call to them and whoever was nearby would come to me.
“Thanks,” I said softly. “And if you need us, hopefully there will be some Turleens on the planet who will be able to share it with me.”
The Mykali started to disperse slowly, when suddenly they began to move swiftly, while shouting one word. Prince started barking at the same time, and he was barking the same thing as the Mykali were shouting.
Dew and I shared that word together. “Shark!”
Looked around fast. We’d floated rather far away from the boat, which so totally figured I didn’t even choose to comment on it. Didn’t see a fin in the water, which might or might not be a good thing. As the Turleens leapt out of the water and flew back onto the ship, decided that Algar had given the humans and A-Cs snorkeling equipment for a reason and looked underwater.
The water was clear and beautiful. Meaning I had a great view of the great white heading for us from below.
Fortunately, or not, depending, my reaction to a fight or flight situation appeared to always be fight. Unless it was a snake, in which case my reaction was Freeze In Terror. Reality said that a great white shark was a hell of a lot more dangerous to me than any snake in the world, but while it was hella scary to be looking at, I could see its trajectory, and the shark wasn’t aiming for me or the other swimmers.
It was aiming for the gigantic seal, aka Wruck, aka the only Ancient on this planet. Who also happened to be trying to help the Mykali get away, meaning he was a really fantastic meal on the flipper as far as the shark was concerned.
An arm went around my waist and I was practically flying through the water. Jeff had me up onto the deck in seconds, White had Chuckie up there in the same way, and Buchanan apparently used his Dr. Strange powers to move almost as fast as A-Cs could. Either that or Buchanan was as scared of sharks as Siler, who was indeed manning a gun. White, once he had Chuckie on board, hauled Buchanan the rest of the way up as well.
However, my Dr. Doolittle skills were running on high and I could feel the shark’s mind. It wasn’t as bright as the dogs or cats, but it wasn’t nearly as mindless as movies like Jaws would suggest. She wasn’t a vicious killer trying to eat an entire sentient race and an unlucky shapeshifter. She was just hungry. And I knew it was a she, just like I knew she was pregnant.
Knocked Siler away from the gun. “No, don’t shoot her! She’s preggers!” Then I dove back into the water.
Thankfully my parents had spent money on ensuring that I learned to swim and to dive and all that jazz. And I was enhanced and the water was great and while I wasn’t necessarily an Olympic-level swimmer, what I lacked in skill I was definitely making up for with speed.
The shark wasn’t racing toward Wruck and the Mykali, but she was going fast. Didn’t matter, I was revved and the skills were working at optimum. Got in between her and Wruck in record time.
“John, get out of here! The shark wants a Wruck Snack!”
Wasn’t able to really talk to her—how I’d picked up her thoughts I wasn’t sure, but it might have been how Jeff picked up emotions. The shark was really focused on the fact that she was going to get a fantastic meal, and that idea sort of radiated from her. So I
wasn’t sure if I could tell her to stop in the same way I’d tell one of the animals who lived with me to cease and desist.
Of course, now that I was between her and the giant seal, the shark took notice of me, analyzed the situation, and decided that the thing in the water that was flapping around just like a scrawny seal might make a good appetizer.
Time to think of what they taught during Shark Week, which was a quick exercise for me since I’d never watched. However, I’d seen Tomb Raider II, and that meant it was time to channel my Inner Lara Croft. Balled up my fists together and hit the shark as hard as I could on her nose.
Amazing me in a very positive way, my punch pushed her backwards, shocked her, and made her shake her whole body. A-C super strength wasn’t as great as hyperspeed, but it surely had its moments.
She recovered, and came at me faster. Slammed my fists harder against her snout. Results were the same—shoved her backwards, shocked her, and made her shake.
Didn’t want to cause her a pregnancy issue, but knew I had to stall her because I had no idea how many guns were now aimed at this pregnant shark. Focused as hard as I could on the shark’s mind and tried to tell it to swim away because all this food was dangerous.
She came for me again, but at the last minute she sheared off and dove, getting away from me as fast as possible.
Was about to congratulate myself on now being Aquawoman, when I felt something watching me. Turned around to see a gigantic orca whale. Right behind me.
Always the way.
CHAPTER 39
TRIED TO FOCUS on the orca’s mind, but got nothing. It dove down and I watched it chase the great white away. Then it resurfaced right by me again. And turned into Wruck.
“Oh. And I’ll just give myself the ‘duh’ on this one.”
He smiled. “Wanting to protect the innocent and helpless isn’t a bad trait. And I appreciate you leaping in front of a great white shark to protect me.” He turned back into the orca, swam under me, and gave me a fast ride back to the boat. Which was totally cool. Wondered if I could ask him to do this again, and if I could bring Lizzie, Jamie, and Charlie along for them to enjoy it, too. Decided I didn’t feel like hearing everyone else’s reaction to this idea, so kept it to myself.
Jeff helped me up and off the orca’s back. “You really like to see how strong my hearts are, don’t you?” He clutched me to him, hearts pounding.
“Wasn’t intentional, Jeff, I’m sorry. But the shark is pregnant and—”
“We got it,” he said, as he reached down to help Wruck, who’d shifted back into human form, up onto the deck. “And I’d like to mention that I’m not punching Chuck because your mother said I can’t.”
“Chuckie did the Vulcan Nerve Pinch to keep you immobile?”
“Yeah. Per your mother’s orders.”
“I feel the love.”
“I knew that a shapeshifter was in the water with you,” Mom pointed out. “Why you leaped back in was beyond me, but Benjamin and I did determine that John was likely waiting for everyone else to get to safety before he transformed into something that would scare the shark.”
“Sorry, just didn’t think about it.”
“I know.” Mom took me from Jeff and hugged me, her breath-stopping bear hug. “You’re a protector, kitten. And despite there being no real need for it, I’m proud of you for risking your life to protect things weaker than yourself.”
“Thanks, Mom. Air . . . need air . . .”
She chuckled and let go of me. “I’m relieved the Secret Service weren’t here. I can guarantee that this incident would have put them over the edge.”
“We all rejoice, then.”
Chuckie grabbed and hugged me next. “I only stopped Jeff because I realized that Wruck was probably going to shift into a Cleophese or similar.”
“Yeah, a giant Cthulhu monster would definitely make a great white run.”
White’s turn to hug me. “I’m relieved that Jeffrey and I didn’t have to do anything overly heroic.”
Laughed. “As if that’s not something you do naturally?”
Buchanan shook his head at me. “You definitely keep life interesting, Missus Chief.”
“It’s a gift and a skill. Nightcrawler, how are you holding up?”
“Resolving to never, ever put a toe in an ocean again, but otherwise, okay.” He smiled at me. “Thanks for stopping me from killing the mother-to-be, though.”
Wruck nodded. “Yes, I think we’re all glad. Not only that the shark’s life was spared, but she was a tagged fish, and that means if we’d killed her we’d have to answer a lot of questions we’d all prefer to avoid.”
“Go team.” Heaved a sigh. “So, now what?”
“Now,” White said, “you prepare yourself and your team for your world tour.”
“I wonder, can the shark come back?”
Mom shook her head. “Trust me, there’s no time for you to play around.”
Chose not to whine about this, because I figured there was more going on and, besides, my mother never put up with it.
Turned out that Mom had been the one to pilot the ship. Chose not to ask how she knew how to handle a boat like this, though there was undoubtedly a great story that went along with it. Also turned out that she’d taken a gate down to Miami and had piloted the boat from there, pretty much confirming my view that it had originally belonged to a drug dealer.
Seeing as how the President and First Lady were considered to already be in D.C., instead of getting to take the boat back, Jeff called for a floater gate while the rest of us gathered our things. Chose not to be bitter—there was no way this boat was soundproofed enough for us to have sex in it unless we were the only two on board.
Kevin Lewis and a small team of P.T.C.U. agents exited the shimmering that was the most obvious indication of a floater gate. Kevin reassured Jeff that all was well in Dulce and other areas, then we walked through the floater and exited into the closet of our family suite in the White House Complex.
Chuckie, White, Buchanan, and even Wruck all had clothes hanging up for them in the closet, so the hint was clear. They each showered and changed in our bathroom, while Mom and Siler filled us and those waiting for showers in on what we’d missed elsewhere and Prince demanded petting from everyone within reach. Muddy, Dew, and Mossy didn’t need to change. Realized they didn’t wear clothes so much as their shells adapted to whatever they needed.
“There’s still a hullabaloo about the American Centaurion flag,” Mom said as she scratched behind Prince’s ears. “Only the terrorist attack in Pueblo Caliente has overshadowed it. There’s enough footage of the Turleens as to make it pretty impossible for us to deny that something went on beyond an attack.”
“I miss the good old days.”
Mom nodded. “Christopher and Serene did their best, but honestly, the entire world is going to know what’s going on sooner as opposed to later.”
White joined us, dressed and pressed, so to speak, because hyperspeed rocked. Chuckie went in next, while White settled on the sofa.
Was hungry and had to figure everyone else was as well. Jeff and I were still in bathing suits, and I didn’t bother to change. Just made sure I used hyperspeed and zipped across the hall to the family dining room. The Elves had this contract for sure.
“Snacks and such that I can carry over to the other side without being seen so that all of us can get some sustenance into our systems, Turleens included, please and thank you.”
Opened the fridge to see two good-sized packed bags. Didn’t question, just took them. “You’re the best.” Closed the fridge and zipped back to the others. Passed sandwiches and sodas around, which were accepted gratefully by one and all. There were some bizarre-looking kinds of big food bars that the Turleens greeted with great joy as well. Set aside food and a Coke for Chuckie, gave Prince the ten dog biscuits provided
, then settled onto Jeff’s lap.
“In other words, there may be no reason to lie,” White said, in between munching.
Siler nodded. “Exactly. Some of the spin is that the helicopters were trying to stop the dangerous aliens. All that’s coming from YatesCorp-owned stations.”
“Fantastic. What have we done with Amos Tobin, by the way?”
“He’s where you requested, with Janelle Gardiner.” Mom heaved a sigh. “Based on what I’m hearing from the agents watching them, I don’t think you’ve flipped him, or her, so much as it’s clear to them that they’re both better off aligned with you than with Ansom Somerall.”
“Yeah, I’m not counting on making either one of them our best friends forever.”
“I’ll read them when we have time, but I’m sure you’re right, Angela,” Jeff said. “I’m just glad Kitty’s flipped those she has.”
“Speaking of someone you’re never bringing back to the good side of the Force,” Siler said, “Kitty, I think your hunch about what the Casey Thing was telling us is going to pay off. We sent some Field agents from Euro Base over to investigate, with strict orders not to get too close. There’s definitely something untoward going on in the area of France you were told Cliff’s hideout is.”
“Only, based on what you just said, you don’t think it’s Cliff. You think Cliff sent the Casey Thing to us to give me information on where Stephanie’s hiding, right?”
Siler nodded. “Exactly. That she had Gutermuth ask for her to be ‘arrested’ just means they were playing the Club Fifty-One True Believers card.”
“Which also makes sense,” Chuckie said, as he came out and Buchanan, who’d just finished wolfing down two sandwiches, went in. Chuckie sat and I brought him his food. “Gosh, and Jeff’s not even jealous. How things change.”
Jeff grunted. “Don’t push it. Or yourself. Eat, Chuck. You need the food.”