by Li Hill
After, they lay in bed, both breathing heavily and pressed together. Flecks of yellow sun shot onto the gray flooring, catching flecks of dust hanging in open air. Iilo's body had long since faded in its light. It hummed next to Tom, a faint glow that barely reflected against the crumpled blankets.
Silence moved through Tom's mind. It wafted there, a gentle sway, watching the dust specks in the morning light. It whirred when Tom kissed Iilo's sticky forehead. It encouraged him when he let his lips rest atop Iilo's. But like all moments of silence, it left him far beyond when he was ready.
"Oh shit. Today's Wednesday." A sharp pain rolled through Tom. He turned back to Iilo saying, "I've got—I'm so sorry—I've got clients. I've gotta go. I can't believe this. I wanna stay." He dropped in front of Iilo, cupping Iilo's face and kissing him quick. He would rather stay, wrapped up in Iilo's embrace, his scent; Tom didn't want to face his mundane duties when Iilo was sitting here with flushed skin and that gentle smille. "I'll call you? Let me know what happens with the Elect and Inaraa today."
"Of course." Iilo sat up. He bundled himself up with the blanket and smoothed down his rumpled hair. "I forgot about this. The you having to work for a living thing."
"Honestly? Same." Tom scurried into his pants. He looked around for his shirt and snatched it off a jutted piece of metal. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"
In the living area, Letic was sitting on the beat-up sofa, nursing a steaming coffee. He looked up, a brow raised high. "Morning, champ."
"Where're my car keys?"
"Sittin' on them."
Tom rolled his eyes. He looked at the old TV, still sporting an antenna before looking back at Letic. "I'll pay for a new TV and get you guys the best streaming sites if you don't make me literally fight you for my keys."
"Oh. Yes." Letic stood up, and with a flick of his wrist, he tossed the keys over at Tom. "Nothing basic!"
"Wouldn't dream of just giving you something basic!" Tom slung his keys into his pocket and raced out.
He shot off a text to his client and prayed on the drive back into town that he wouldn't get stopped by a cop.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tom was almost finished with a settlement letter when his office phone rang. Blearily, he looked at his watch, gaze trailing behind the tiny hand that counted the seconds. It was night. The phone rang again.
"Tom Raddoc's office."
"Oh good. I have that picture for you. Come get it." Nenen.
Tom looked to his watch again. "It's late. You sure?"
"Sleeping makes me cough." Nenen coughed, probably to drive home the point. Her breath rattled into the phone.
"I'll be there soon."
*~*~*
Nenen sat outside on a wooden bench with an obnoxious ad for an ambulance chasing attorney on it. Any lawyer with an 1-800 number made Tom's eyes roll.
He sat beside her, grateful to see she was holding his phone.
"Hey," Tom said.
"Well, hello." She handed the phone over, smacking her lips.
Tom stared down at the phone. Both his thumbs were up and ready to click away at his password and reveal the image of the guy who'd come around Atlanta. A paralyzing fear dripped into Tom's bones, filling him up until he was immobile. Once he saw who the guy was, everything would change. They'd have a goal—a suspect. Agent Parker and the I'na police could go after him. That little box Iilo carried around with all those faces—Iilo would be free.
Tom entered his password.
"Mind if I stick around for the reveal?" Nenen pushed closer to Tom. Her ID reflected off the phone screen.
"Sure." Tom pulled up his photos and clicked the tiny image. At first, he breathed easy. A man registered on the screen. He looked terrible in the lighting Nenen had snapped the picture in. His hair was slicked back, pristine button-down rolled up at the sleeves. Tom's lungs started to beat away oxygen, forcing him to suck in air harder and faster. A stillness enveloped him.
"Oh Caleb," Tom said. He sat back, sighing. Tom's stomach churned and he felt horribly exhausted. This guy was going to his house. He'd been in the same damn rooms as Iilo. Yet this, oddly, didn't surprise Tom anymore. Caleb vibrated with life, with a potential for something truly great, even if it hid behind layers and layers of obnoxious masks. But there it was. There it all was. No more masks, no more lies or bitter words about fucking or objectivity of the I'na. This was a hard line in the sand and Tom wouldn't forgive him for crossing it. Caleb was going places, all right—prison for starters.
"He's your friend," Nenen said.
"Was."
Nenen stood, patting him on the head. "I'm glad he's not my friend." She moved slowly, her body in no hurry to leave. "That boy—Iilo—you better be ready to risk everything for him."
Sitting there, Tom's mind swam in uncertainty. What was Caleb doing with the I'na? Were they alive? Tears burned Tom's eyes. He stared at the intersection he sat at. Cars went and halted accordingly. The world hadn't ended. People kept on living. Caleb had said they were doing big things. Big things that now turned Tom's tongue to ash.
Tom leaned forward, hands covering his ears. The whole world still moved, and Tom begged it to take a second to pause.
He wanted to understand why. Caleb had been there when Tom needed him before, and Tom had seen the cracks. Or had it been another mask all along to keep Tom off his trail? Whatever he was doing with the I'na, there had to be part of Caleb that didn't agree with it. Or perhaps that was Tom's refusal to believe somene he'd served with could be so evil.
"Fuck," he whispered. "You fucking piece of shit." Tom curled in, wrapping his arms around his stomach. He didn't want to go home to see Caleb eating his food, drinking his beer. He didn't know if he could talk to him or if he'd just punch him. I'na were suffering—scared. It was all because of Caleb.
Tom shoved his phone in his pocket. He breathed in, deep and even. There wasn't anything tying Caleb to the kidnappings except Nenen. Caleb could be put into a lineup for Sau or any of the others from Atlanta to identify, but what if they got it wrong? They'd struggled with describing him before. Sau had even described Tom.
There had to be something harder to pin this on Caleb. Tom needed something tangible to give to Parker, otherwise Tom could be in that very lineup. He unlocked his phone, peering into the backlight. He opened contacts. Heart beating in his throat. Caleb Polanski. Tongue swollen. He closed his eyes and dialed the number.
Caleb picked up on the third ring. "Can't sleep either?"
"No," Tom lied. "Can I come over? Iilo and I had a big fight." More lies. Tom hated lying to people, but he also hated the idea of circumstantial evidence. Nenen would identify Caleb; Sau could identify Tom. Who knew what the others would do. Parker needed more than just a picture and a story. No one else could do it but Tom.
"Sure, man."
Tom didn't bother saying goodbye. He got into his car, plugged in the navigation, and fumed all the way to Caleb's cabin.
*~*~*
Tom arrived at the cabin, Caleb's car was parked in the driveway. It reflected off the little glow from inside the house, mocking Tom in a way only so much success and wealth could. Success built upon the backs of I'na. Wealth paid for with literal blood.
Tom moved with all the stillness of an immortal man. He smiled at Caleb when he was welcomed into the home. It was easy to lie. It felt good to lie. Beneath Tom's skin was a fire. It felt good to know what he knew. Got you, you son of a bitch.
"Hey," Tom said. He didn't know where to begin this conversation, he didn't want to confront Caleb. Keeping him in the dark meant Tom could explore the cabin. He just needed something to distract Caleb with. "I'm sorry It's so late."
"Don't worry about it. Got the tequila all prepped on the back porch." Caleb flicked his thumb behind him.
"Yeah. I'll be out there soon. I really gotta piss." Tom's fingers were trembling.
Caleb looked Tom over, a big sigh at his lips. "You know they won't ever accept you, right? Iilo's pretty, bu
t he won't ever let you in."
Tom did his best to appear sullen and resigned instead of the coarse anger he felt scratching under the skin. He nodded before saying, "We'll get there. Bathroom first. I'll meet you outside." He watched Caleb turn on his heel and close the sliding door behind him.
Tom scurried into the dark hallway, seeing the bathroom, flicking the light on and closing the door. He only had so much time. He moved into the bedroom and saw Caleb's computer on a writing desk. He wanted to grab it, but it was too big and he didn't know the password. Not to mention he couldn't take that to Parker because it would violate Caleb's Fourth Amendment rights. Fucking search and seizure.
"Think, you idiot," Tom whispered to himself. He opened the computer just on the off chance it didn't have a password, but disgruntled upon finding it locked, he closed it again.
His heart was a jackhammer; he felt like his bones would explode from its ferocity. Tom opened the writing desk's drawers and found a clean notepad, wadded-up receipts, and a few pens. This was going nowhere. He lifted the mattress and found nothing there either.
He stumbled back, a momentary shock of realization hitting him. This wasn't a movie with the villain hiding away all his evidence somewhere obtainable. The hero couldn't swoop in and discover it. Whatever Caleb had, he had it on his phone or his laptop. His phone was with him, and his laptop was password protected. But if Tom could get Caleb to unlock them, then maybe he'd have a chance.
After turning off the bathroom light, he joined Caleb out on the porch. The air was chilly and he gripped his hoodie closer. The trees whispered to each other on the breath of wind. Tom couldn't get distracted by how beautiful he found this place. He only had one chance. If he failed, he could risk it. Nenen was a witness and that was evidence as any. But there'd be a lineup. Tom didn't like betting with cards he couldn't see.
"So what happened?" Caleb asked.
Tom tried to think of a scenario that didn't involve the kidnappings and didn't involve something trivial. He found it a harder task than he'd anticipated. He poured himself a half glass of tequila to try to buy some time and even sipped at it for even more. It burned all the way down and made his eyes water. "It's stupid."
Caleb poured himself some tequila. "They lure you in, you know. Get you right where they want and then they drop you."
Tom frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I'na don't want humans. They got repopulating to deal with. Hell, I wouldn't even be surprised if they used population numbers as a way to take over us in a generation or two."
"What do you mean, Caleb? They lure you in and drop you?" Tom didn't like the feeling he had. It was tar in his stomach. Caleb spoke with a familiarity that gave Tom too many warnings in his head. They blared loudly, forcing a dull headache.
"Iilo never told you?"
Tom didn't want to be here anymore. He grabbed the tequila again and slugged another shot back. His mind filled in all the blanks, and he didn't need to hear the story. It wasn't that Iilo was Tom's. Iilo had a whole life before Tom even knew of his existence. If he had been with Caleb, or any other human for that matter, that was Iilo's decision. He wasn't a child and he could make his own decisions. Just like Tom had made his own decisions with relationships in the past. But Caleb. Knowing what Tom knew now, had Iilo been on his list to kidnap too, and somehow, had Iilo managed to avoid it?
"Sorry, man. I didn't know how to say it either." Caleb grabbed the bottle and took a pull of it. "I figured he'd have said something by now."
"No. He didn't." The burn in his throat from the alcohol was only made worse by the sickened feeling he got when he thought of how close Iilo had been to real danger. Tom didn't think dating multiple humans was the problem. They shared this planet now; Iilo was free to be with whoever he wanted. He owed Tom nothing. But of all the humans Iilo could've had, he'd had Caleb. A monster who wore enough masks to hide who he truly was.
"Did he tell you it's a whole big world and he can't focus on you right now?" Caleb asked. He sounded almost regretful, like those words had once hurt him.
"Yeah," Tom lied. It was easier than making up his own story. "You too?"
"I mean, no one gives a shit about sexual orientation anymore. But I still kinda swung for ladies? Then I met him."
Tom didn't want to hear this story. He looked to Caleb's phone next to the tequila. "Why do you say such hateful things about them if you care about Iilo?"
"It's not hateful if it's true."
"They're good people, Caleb. They don't deserve what's happening to them."
"What's happening to them?" Caleb asked, head canted. "The mysterious kidnappings? They ran away, Tom. Iilo's just got serious abandonment issues. It's just a story he made up to make himself feel better."
Except Nenen had identified Caleb as the one who took the biopsies. People had been taking blood samples from the I'na and still they were too scared to fight back. It wasn't fake, there were no delusions or stories from Iilo. It was happening, and every second that Tom sat here was a second Caleb's plans kept moving. He had to risk getting identified in a line-up. The truth would come out eventually. It had to. Otherwise, what justice system had Tom been fighting for this whole time?
"Do you enjoy gaslighting people? Or is it just because Iilo hurt your feelings?" Tom spat out. Either it was the alcohol, or he just couldn't stomach listening to Caleb and his excuses anymore. Maybe both. He needed to call Parker.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Tom. Iilo didn't just hurt my feelings. He broke my fucking heart!" The way the words tumbled from his mouth, it was honesty. It was unabated, unfiltered honesty. Tom couldn't decide if he was jealous or marveled.
"I get you're with him now. I respect that, but I want you to protect yourself. He enjoys making people love him. He likes the way you'll pine."
"Shut up." That wasn't the Iilo Tom knew. Iilo didn't have a sinister bone in his body. He wore his emotions on his face. The Iilo Caleb imagined and the Iilo that existed were not the same person. But Tom couldn't decide if Iilo had been the catalyst for Caleb's kidnappings or if their relationship had been circumstantial. Tom still didn't want to know.
Caleb snorted. He brought the tequila to his lips again. They were shiny, red, and smiling. "Don't take my word for it. You'll figure it out all on your own."
"I need to pee again." Tom stood up and didn't care to look behind him. He headed into the bathroom and pulled out his phone to dial Parker's number. There was motive here. A scorned lover could be motive. They just had to find something more. If Parker could get a search warrant, then Caleb's phone and computer could be hacked into. It'd be game over.
"Whoever the fuck you are, it is nearly one in the morning and I wake at four to go to work. You better be dying."
"It's Tom Raddoc."
There was a long pause, followed by a groan. "The nosey attorney. Butting into my investigation more?"
"Caleb Polanski's your kidnapper. There's an eye witness at the Outreach Center named Nenen. She'll identify him for you."
"I have several eye witnesses, Tom. They all tell me different things each time. First he's tall and broad and then he's tall and lean."
"Then get a warrant!"
"On what grounds, Raddoc?"
Tom wanted to scream. He could feel it clawing up his throat, ready to explode out his mouth and into the world. "Then talk to Nenen."
"I'll do what I can. Stop fucking with my investigation, Raddoc."
"Are you even investigating?" Tom asked. The government knew the I'na's secret. Did Parker know too? The first two days were the most crucial to a missing person, and after that, the odds of finding it out were beyond low. Parker's investigation had been slow moving, well beyond two days. Had it been intentional, or was it just the trial had gone cold?
"I'm hanging up on you now."
"There are people taking I'na blood!" Tom looked to the phone to make sure Parker hadn't hung up.
"What?"
"Inaraa, speak to Inaraa
and she'll tell you. There've been people coming to the settlement and taking I'na blood. You know about the missing boy, right?"
"Of course I do. Do you think I really do nothing?"
"Just talk to Inaraa. Not their Heart. Inaraa. She's on The Elect too."
"Fine." Parker hung up the line.
Tom stood there, seething at his own reflection. He really hoped Parker would listen to him. People were going missing. Blood was being taken. Tom didn't know who to trust anymore. He even worried Iilo wasn't all that he appeared to be. That was the problem with things he didn't want to hear; once he did, he had to decide for himself what was real. He wouldn't believe Caleb. He had all the motive in the world to destroy Tom and Iilo's relationship.
He flushed the toilet for emphasis and found Caleb in the kitchen. He typed away on his phone before setting it down on the counter. It glowed up at them both, open. Tom only had seconds; there'd be no way he could get into Caleb's phone without Caleb seeing.
"My phone died," Tom said. His stomach squeezed in on itself. "I wanna call and schedule a cab before I get too drunk. Can I use yours?"
"Uh, sure." Caleb watched Tom pick up the phone.
Tom didn't know the RoboCab number, so he had to go to the internet to get it. He kept flicking his glance up at Caleb. Caleb didn't take his eyes off Tom. "Hey, could you get me a beer? Or do you have something stronger besides tequila?"
Caleb turned around and Tom hit his e-mail app, sitting at the table and putting the phone right in front of his face so Caleb couldn't see.
Caleb scooted the beer over and began walking around the island.
Tom could only read the first e-mail, but its subject head was enough: Bio Weapons Project. He clicked back over to the internet and tapped on the number for RoboCab. "Oh, you know what? Could I just crash here till I sober up enough to drive back home?"
Caleb offered out his hand for his phone, his eyes guarded. Once his phone was safely in his hand again, he smiled, saying, "Yeah, sure. C'mon. Let's go back outside."