Alien Attachments

by Sabine Priestley

Jared got up and nearly dropped the phone when it emitted an obnoxious sound. He pressed a button, silencing the noise. His face said it all. “We’re gonna have company kid, those Torogs are almost as fast as the cruiser here. Let’s go.” He leapt down and ran to the center door.

  Dani followed him out, trying to stay calm. Jared searched for the elusive spot to open the door. As usual, there was no X.

  Odd, increasingly loud, sucking noises came from the tunnel behind them. Goosebumps spread across her body. She turned to keep an eye on the tunnel.

  “Jared, they’re coming. Please hurry.” She shot him a glance. He frantically slapped around the edges. Nothing happened so he cursed and tried the other side.

  “Ah shit, Jared. Where’s the frickin’ X? The one that marks the spot, remember?” Her voice came out like a squeak.

  “That would compromise security, kid.”

  “How? You said it wouldn’t work for me.”

  “Yeah, well it’s just because—because—” Jared kept slapping the wall by the door. “I don’t know why. Ask Ian.” Sweat dripped down his forehead.

  “Oh, I’ll ask him all right.” The sucking sound got louder and Dani’s fear mounted. Get a grip. Mad is better than panicked. It’s just another match…against aliens…no problem. Dani shook out her arms and bounced on her toes. She pictured herself back at the gym, getting ready for a fight. Time to get mad. She kicked off her flip-flops and continued her warm-up.

  Pluck, pluck, pluck. The Torogs were moving fast when they crested the rise, but slowed when they caught sight of Dani and Jared. They emitted clicking and squeaking sounds as they made their way forward. Their squidgy feet worked like suction cups, allowing them to climb the hill and accounted for the odd sounds.

  “They’re here,” Dani said.

  Jared stepped in front of her, arms out.

  Like that’s going to happen. She stepped around him.

  “Very gallant of you Jared but I’m not letting you face these zomboids alone. I know how to fight, remember? And thanks to some alien magic, I’m feeling pretty good right now.” Dani whipped her wrist around a few times, made a fist, and jumped into a fighting stance. “Ha!”

  Jared grimaced. “Fine, but don’t let them get a hold of you.” He appeared calm except for the sweat trickling down his temple. The tunnel was comfortably cool. She rolled up her sleeves and tucked the top of her cover-up into the back of her bikini bottoms. Never thought I’d be dressed like this in a fight. She stole another peek at Jared. “And here I thought you were this sweet old bar dog, living a peaceful life of island bliss.”

  “Who you calling old?”

  Dani laughed. She had a major adrenaline rush going. There was a time in Brazil when some jerk tried to steal her camera gear. She’d taken him out in less than a minute, but the high lasted for weeks.

  You can face fear, or feel it, her dad used to say. She shook out her arms. Feel it, and it eats you alive. Face it, and you get to kick some ugly alien butt. Okay, he never said that. I wonder if they even have butts. She gave another laugh and pondered the question. The leather covered their midsection and she wasn’t about to ask.

  The two aliens moved together. The bizarre sounds getting louder and faster the closer they came. Their eyes had no pupils—only black orbs.

  Dani had the uncomfortable feeling they focused on her. She slid into a standard defense position and contemplated where and how to hit the creeps. Her heart pounded. “Jared, get to the door. You have to get it open.” Her voice came out low and calm. This was her zen before a fight. Her body was strung tight, every nerve on edge. Her mind focused on nothing but her opponent.

  The Torogs lunged.

  Dani spun and lashed out with a kick. Her heel connected with the closest alien’s head. Her foot squished in an inch or so before hitting bone. Eww. Remembering Jared’s advice, she moved left to avoid capture only to find herself swept up in a crushing embrace. Oh, God. They’re behind us.

  * * * *

  Dani’s feet dangled above the ground. The zomboids in front of her sailed backward through the air, arms and legs flailing, screech intensity at maximum. The door to the tunnel flashed closed. We’re inside. She tried to slow her breathing, waiting for the adrenaline to wear off. She peered down to find a massive arm around her waist. A matching arm surrounded Jared, who was squeezed in next to her. He looked as surprised as she felt.

  The arm appeared human, and they were still breathing. Good sign.

  The grip loosened, and they slid to the floor. Dani took a tentative step forward and turned around.

  She remembered him from the bar. Tall dark and swarthy. He stood at least as tall as Ian, but was built like a house. Where Ian was long and lean, this one was wide and buff. Dark hair fell over his brown eyes, and he grinned like a kid at Christmas.

  Jared straightened out his rumpled shirt, not that it made any difference. “Boy am I glad to see you. I was starting to get worried. Thought maybe you’d gone AWOL too. Just in time, thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. Always glad to be of assistance. I see we have company.” He turned to her. “Dani, wasn’t it?”

  She untucked her cover-up and smoothed the flimsy material over her thighs. “Yes, and your name again?”

  He stuck his hand out. “Marco. Marco Dar, at your service.”

  His hands were enormous and nicely warm. “Nice to meet you.”

  Instead of letting go, he pulled and kissed her on each cheek.

  Jared laughed. “Easy, boy. Dani got caught in the middle of our Torog visit, so she’s in the know.”

  “That’s great,” Marco said, still clutching her hand. “Let me assume the responsibilities for our absent host and welcome you to Cat Island Villa.” He kissed the back of her hand, twice, before letting go.

  Serious overkill, but when they looked like this, who cared? Dani gave him her best smile. “Thank you, it’s nice to meet you too. Really nice, given the whole life saving thing.” She jumped a little as a muffled sound came from the direction of the door. “Should we be worried about that?”

  “Nah, that thing is impregnable,” Marco said, digging around in his pocket. He pulled out a phone like Jared’s, and keyed in a code. The screen showed the other side of the door.

  The aliens stood about ten feet back, both looking at a device the larger one gripped in its three-fingered hand. The alien pressed something and after a short pause another boom echoed through the hall. Marco knitted his brows. “Looks like they got a new toy.”

  “How did you manage to grab us and send them flying at the same time?” Dani asked, not even trying to hide her admiration.

  “It’s a little thing called psi, darlin’.” Marco continued to peer at the phone. “I can show you the embrace part again if you’d like.” Marco took a step forward, a come hither grin on his face.

  Dani stepped back. “That’s okay, I—”

  “What the hell is she doing here?” They all jumped at Ian’s voice. The vibrations coursed through her like thunder off canyon walls. He walked toward them, dressed in a black button-up shirt and black jeans.

  Euro style boots completed the look and Dani wished, again, she could get him in front of a camera. Especially with those boots—Mark Nason, or some brand like it. She had a thing for boots.

  He covered the distance between them in a few strides. “Marco, report.”

  “Yes, sir. Received a call from Jared approximately five minutes ago. Bar under attack and you MIA. Sorry, boss, that’s verbatim.” Marco stretched his neck and scratched behind his ear while inspecting the walls nearby.

  “I was off site. Continue,” Ian said, with no further explanation.

  “Right. Well I found these two about to be Torog food, backed up against the entry. Jared seemed to be having trouble opening the door.”

  “No kidding,” Dani said. All the pent up fear and anxiety exploded inside of her. “Have you guys ever heard of ‘X marks the spot
’? Seriously, it’s a brilliant little thing. Lets you know where the spot is that opens the door. Jared and I almost died. Twice. No X. He says it compromises security.” Dani pointed at Ian. “I say it might just save our butts.”

  Shit, there I go again. She covered her mouth with her hand.

  Jared exploded into an ear-splitting sneeze and busied himself with a tissue. Marco now seemed intensely interested in the ceiling.

  “Sorry,” Dani said. “Didn’t mean to go off like that.” She peered down at her cover up and wished for clothes. And shoes. She shuffled her bare feet.

  Ian wore a barely suppressed grin.

  Like the plucked string of a guitar, her body vibrated from the connection, hummed with such intensity she thought she might lose her vertical position in the world. Okay, take a deep breath and chill. She concentrated on Jared who appeared simultaneously nervous and amused. She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. “What? I said I was sorry.”

  “The security of this villa,” Ian said, crossing his arms, “is none of your business.”

  “My life is my business, thank you very much.” She crossed her arms and returned his stare. He thinks this is funny. She bit back a number of further retorts she thought would be funny and decided to let it go.

  Ian addressed Jared. “Care to tell me how she came to be here?”

  Jared cleared his throat. “Wasn’t an option short of letting her die. The Torogs showed up at the bar shortly after you left. I shot them point blank in front of her. We locked ourselves in the back room and took the tunnel to get here. Kinda had to explain some stuff, what with the cruiser and all.” Jared stood taller and gave a nod in her direction. “She handled everything fine, and I trust her.”

  Marco took a step closer to Dani. “She’s going to have to stay here till we find out what’s got the Torogs all fired up.”

  Ian sighed and ran a hand through those blond waves of his.

  “My apologies,” she said. “I realize I’m here without an invitation, or clothes, but I didn’t exactly ask to come.”

  He laughed then, which surprised them all. “I know. Sorry for my poor manners, I—”

  A massive boom echoed through the hall, coming from the tunnel.

  “You absolutely sure we don’t have to worry about that?” she asked Marco. Before anyone answered, the sound of splintering wood came from the left. Moving as one, Ian and Marco bolted for a small room off the hall.

  Dani and Jared followed them. The back wall of the small space was covered in monitors displaying multiple views. There was the wreck of a storeroom back at Jared’s Place, the empty bar, and numerous angles of the villa they were in now.

  Marco tapped a display with the Torogs in the tunnel. “They have a new toy, boss. I was just checking it out when you arrived.” He pointed to another screen, displaying a large wooden door. Flowers in pots adorned either side, and vines hung from an arbor around the area she assumed was the front entrance.

  Seven Torogs lurked ten feet from the entrance as one of them pointed a small device at the door. Another ear splintering crash reverberated from farther inside the villa.

  Marco turned to Ian. “Whatever that weapon is, there’s a delay before they can fire again.”

  Ian leaned closer to the monitor. “We need to get our hands on one of those.”

  “I’m on it,” Marco said. “The empire is going to decimate them for this.”

  “The empire is going to hell in a hand basket, as our human friends would say.” Ian leaned closer to the monitor. “They wouldn’t have tried this, even a few years ago.” The images on the screens changed, showing different rooms and exterior views.

  “They’re inside the shield range,” Marco said, studying his phone. “Should we activate the perimeter to keep more from getting in?”

  Ian shook his head. “We do that, they can’t leave.”

  The sound of shattering glass came from some place close. One of the monitors showed a large dining room. And Torogs. They were climbing, or more accurately, falling through a shattered window. They weren’t built for climbing, so the whole thing was almost comical.

  “Marco”—Ian pushed out of the chair—“we’re compromised, clear the tunnel, now.”

  Marco typed something on a keyboard and hit enter. “Ready, boss.”

  Ian nodded and concentrated on his phone.

  Less than a second later came another boom, this one different. An odd vibration tingled her bare feet and she grimaced as pressure swelled inside her ears.

  On the monitor, the Torogs in the tunnel flew impossibly fast down the steep incline, away from the villa.

  “Move,” Ian growled.

  Marco grabbed Dani by the upper arm and they ran back to the tunnel entrance. She glanced back. Ian held his right palm a few inches from the door to the room with the monitors. A solid wall took its place.

  Guess they don’t need an X.

  Marco opened the door to the tunnel and she and Jared hurried through after him.

  Dani waited for the Torogs to reappear. Her feet twinged with more of the muffled booms that had sent the zomboids fleeing in the first place. They must be herding them back to the bar. The next explosion created a hot blast of air.

  Ian sprinted down the hall. Steps away from the tunnel entrance, a red beam tore though his upper arm. Blood sprayed in all directions as he pivoted through the door, landing hard on his back.

  Dani’s heart slammed into her chest as time slowed to a crawl.

  Marco sealed the door. Both he and Jared were next to Ian before Dani fully registered what happened.

  She stepped forward, half afraid of what she’d find. “Is he okay?” A thick trail of blood oozed from the closed door to Ian. The smell of burnt flesh made her nauseous. Of course, he wasn’t okay. Stupid question. So much blood. The laser must have hit an artery. A wave of concern bordering on panic enveloped her. She held her stomach and leaned against the wall to stabilize herself. She’d seen her share of nasty injuries from mixed fights, but nothing like this.

  Marco lay one hand on Ian’s chest and the other on the shoulder above the wound. He spoke in hushed tones, then closed his eyes and fell silent.

  Jared got up and came over to Dani. “He’s going to be okay. Marco needs a few minutes with him before we go.”

  “How could he be okay? Look around, there’s blood everywhere.”

  Jared squeezed her arm. “He’s going to be fine. Remember your wrist and the voodoo? Marco can heal too. He’s not as powerful, can’t completely heal him, but he can make it safe for Ian to travel.”

  Marco’s body weaved slightly as he hovered over Ian.

  Something tugged at the corner of her mind. She had an unreasonable urge to kneel next to Marco and help, which was insane. She couldn’t do anything.

  Jared retrieved a first aid box out of a small compartment at the rear of the cruiser and sat down.

  Dani took a seat next to him. “Aren’t you going to take the kit to him?”

  “In a minute. He needs to finish what he can.”

  It must have only been three or four minutes, but it seemed like forever before Ian sat up. Marco, who’d been kneeling the whole time, moved to stand but wobbled over and sat down hard. Jared shot out of the cruiser and knelt between the two men. He talked to Marco as he pulled out gauze pads and medical tape for Ian. Marco shook his head and attempted to stand again, this time successfully.

  Dani hurried over, careful not to slip on any blood. She tried to ignore the smell of burnt flesh. “Can I help? Do anything?”

  Marco weaved a little as he answered. “Nope, we’re all good. Healing isn’t exactly my strong point. I have to use a lot of psi energy, but I’ll be fine. We’ll both be fine, won’t we boss?”

  “I’ll be better when I get my hands on those putrid crags,” Ian said.

  Jared cut the sleeve off Ian’s shirt, applied a thick wad of medical pads, and wrapped gauze around
his arm.

  Ian seemed a little shaky when he got to his feet, but his voice remained strong. He glanced down at the bandage. “Good job, you two.” He turned toward the cruiser, then stopped abruptly at the sound of a massive boom coming from the other side of the door. Marco stepped to his side and the two men shared a look.

  “Let’s move,” Ian said. “I don’t know what that thing is, but we’re going to find out.”

  Dani stepped into the cruiser and sat next to Jared. She struggled to make sense of everything. She wanted to ask more about psi, but Ian stepped in and took the seat a across from her. Their eyes met and that reverb hit again. She liked it. A lot.

  He grinned. “You’ve had an interesting day. How you holding up?”

  His acknowledgment of everything she’d been through, even though he sat there nearly bleeding to death, made her want to cry. Which was stupid. She sat up a little straighter and smiled back at him. “Definitely one for the record books. I’m good. Any chance of getting some clothes where we’re going?”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” He pulled his phone from the non-bloody side of his shirt. The bloodstain on his arm bandage had stopped growing.

  Marco jumped in and sat a few seats down from her. The cruiser took off like before. Halfway back to the bar, they slowed to a stop. The cruiser turned to the right and an opening appeared at the flick of Marco’s hand. As they sped down another tunnel, Dani glanced back to find the opening had vanished.

  Ian talked to someone on his phone in hushed tones. She heard him say her name and glanced up as he scanned her body from head to toe. “Size eight?”

  “Yeah. Maybe a ten on top,” Dani said.

  He winked at her and relayed the information to the person on the phone.

  Marco chuckled and muttered something about a ten on top.

  Dani crossed her arms and glared at him.

  “Sorry,” he said. “Just kinda cute the way you said that. You know, being a perfect ten and all. Cuz, you are in my book.”

  Jared rolled his eyes, but kept quiet.

  It was impossible not to like the man. When he smiled, which he did often, he looked like an overgrown kid with a new puppy.