by Mia Mitns
“It did come exactly at the time we were there,” Lalo said. “And—”
I cut him off. “What if they, the people who did this, are setting us up?”
“They’re not. Look at the letter again. It doesn’t say ‘a psychic.’ It says ‘a. psychic.’ Why is there a period there?”
“A clue?” I asked.
“Yes, and it is a clue that helps me to remember. When I was young, I used to play with another Masqysava named Naya. She had an aunt who knew about things, more than normal things. That aunt, whose name is Aquasa, became an aunt to me too. She told me to keep my abilities hidden. I didn’t listen.
“Anyway, I was ten when she told her family and me that she was leaving when the time came. We should too. When the voyages to Earth were open to regular Masqysava, non-scientists nor officials, she left. She also became one who never returned from Earth.”
“So how do you know it is her?”
“It’s her handwriting. And you can’t see this, but there is a pattern in how this is written. It should give us a number or letters.”
Swirling my finger on my laptop pad, I prepared to investigate while Lalo deciphered the message. He came up with a combination of letters and numbers. There was also a place. Lalo said she always took him, and other Masqysava, there when he was young. It had a special meaning.
With the clues, it took less than a second to find her online. I made the call and put her on speakerphone.
“Hello,” an older woman said.
“Yes, I’m—”
“I was expecting you two,” she said. “No names or details are necessary.”
“Is it true?” I said. “How can we know it’s true?”
“Yes,” she said. “You must help them.”
“Where do we begin? Are we correct in assuming it’s someone I know?”
“Though I can see things,” she said, “I don’t see all things. From the description I received, the captors could have been mixed company, or it could have been nothing but us ‘others.’ I had a vision of this happening. Two people, friends of the victims, would see the crime. I found the two and convinced them to tell their story. They were too terrified to write it. I did, but the vision said they had to deliver this message to you. How did I know you would be there at that exact time my dear? How did I know you would be able to understand the second story in the message? Likkatta, you may not remember much now, but it will come back. Certain medicinal beings know how to hide poisons.”
“The highest one,” Lalo said.
“But if he planned to get rid of you, why would the highest waste time?” she said.
“Another enemy,” Lalo said.
“Not quite enemy. Not quite friend. They spared your life, but wanted you to forget. I can see the energy from the being. If I knew the face.... I’m glad you chose to ignore. Your spirit will guide you. You will need other’s help. This is all I have, other than my dreams. Dreams I wish were true. I see you two, Marli and Likkatta, and me. And we are all free.”
Aquasa hung up.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the phone. “Likkatta?” I said.
“My nickname,” Lalo said. “It means little one.”
“She knew we would call,” I said, shocked that a psychic knew so much. I doubted they possessed actual talent. People sought futures as entertainment. Then again, although I accepted the fact that aliens could exist, I didn’t think I’d actually know one.
“How am I going to be normal at work?” I said.
“The best thing to do is to forget about this,” Lalo said, taking the phone from my hand.
“You are going to forget that someone tried to erase your memory?” I said.
“I will address that when the time comes. But for now, forget this information and the letter. Build a wall around it. Your coworkers, they haven’t been violent with you yet. They may progress once they find out you’re onto them.”
I nodded. I would have to forget to be able to work with them. This letter wasn’t real. Aquasa wasn’t real. It was a dream. It was a coincidence that one of the people involved in the kidnapping was a tall and very strong man. And a coincidence that Aquasa, a psychic Masqysava, sent us the witnesses. It was definitively all a dream.
Chapter 9
The next morning I was expecting Kallen to come knocking on my door, but he never showed. Too bad. I spent all morning thinking about “happier” things like deciding if Lalo was going to be my friend or ex. I kept glancing at Lalo as I travelled in and out my room to get ready.
It would have been strange if I said ex. We would most likely run into having to explain something. Then again, it could explain his need to keep track of me while I slept. Even though Lalo let go of holding onto my clothing, he still slept on the other side of my queen sized bed. He could protect me from there. That was our agreement.
Remaining in my cheerful mood, I eased outside to go to work. Across the field from my house, Kallen’s truck was already gone. How odd. It was the first time he left before me that I could remember. I double checked the door lock and saw Lalo staring at me through the window.
“Don’t go anywhere,” I said.
“Yeah, yeah,” he said and shut the blinds.
“I’m serious,” I said. Though we didn’t see anyone at the crime site, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone saw us. And by our deduction they lived in our town. I took a deep breath and fixed my demeanor to “normal” as I left for the lake.
Marli, it will be okay.
—-
Three new faces, one woman and two men, were present at our morning meeting, the three team members that Dr. Stevenson called in. I usually wasn’t good at remembering names, but I remembered Marcus. He was a few inches taller than the other new guy and about the same height as Dr. Stevenson. And Marcus was fit. But that’s not why I remembered him.
Marcus repeated everyone’s name as he shook their hands, going around our circle. When he got to me he said part of my name then said, “Nice to meet you,” allowing his hand to linger a little longer. Ren, who stood across from me, squinted as if something strange was going on. To add to the list, I saw Dr. Stevenson observe us out of the corner of his eye. I gave Marcus the best smile I could.
As my team began setting up the boats, Ren came to visit me. He strolled, pulling down his sleeve to cover red streaks that decorated his forearm. He must have forgotten about them. Fresh streaks, hmm.
“What happened to your arm?” I asked.
“Oh, I went to visit my brother’s family yesterday,” Ren said. “They live about an hour away, in the city. Their cat was being ridiculous. I picked it up, to move it, and then I accidently scratched my arm.”
“Your own arm?” I said.
“Yeah, it hurts. I put some ointment on it last night. Hey Marli, I came to say if that guy Marcus gives you any trouble, let me know.”
“I will,” I said. “I’m glad I wasn’t alone in thinking something bizarre occurred.”
“Those guys and woman, they’re at the top of the field. It still doesn’t mean what he says goes.”
“Agreed. Hey, have you seen Kallen?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “That dude. He was over at my house about a week ago talking about aliens again. He visited the day those homeless people went missing too. Kept saying to be careful of who I talk to, stuff like that. You know we are the only people besides his family who know about that right?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Doesn’t Dr. Stevenson know too?”
“A little. Poor Kallen. I think he really believes it’s all true.”
But what if he knew the truth? Could I trust Ren like Kallen trusted him? Or was Kallen testing us because he knew what was really coming? And was Ren a spy?
I nodded. “I’m concerned about Kallen. He was gone this morning. He’s not usually gone.”
Ren shook his head. “The last time he acted strange another invasion story followed. I hope he is okay and not getting mixed up with trouble.”<
br />
“Me too,” I said. “Can you call me if you hear from him? I called his cell. He didn’t pick up.”
“Sure,” Ren said.
“Okay, Okay!” Dr. Stevenson said. “Let’s get to work!”
Ashley and I loaded our boat with supplies and took it out onto the lake to find our markers. Ren didn’t come with us; he was assigned to work with the new people instead. As soon as Ashley and I were a far enough distance from others, Ashley asked me about the new guy, Marcus.
“So, do you know him?” Ashley asked.
“No,” I said.
“He sure did want to get to know you. Something else was off about him, don’t you think?”
I wasn’t sure if I should trust opening up to Ashley. We usually made polite conversation, but I never got to know her that intimately. I kept Kallen’s advice of being careful in the back of my mind. She could be a spy. But what if she was one of the good guys?
“There was,” I said. “I think it’s one of those things you can’t point to specifically, but you can sense something is different.”
“His smile gave me an eerie sensation,” Ashley said. “I think we should stick together when we are around him. Especially since we are women.”
“I agree. Hey, what are the other scientists’ names again?”
“The woman is Sahar and the guy, Alessandro,” Ashley said. “You know I’m surprised Kallen didn’t show up. Have you seen him?”
“He didn’t come by this morning, but I’m sure he’s around.”
“Hmm. I asked because you know he likes the alien things. I think there will be a meteor shower soon. If you see him, can you tell him?”
“Yes, but how do you know?” I said. “That there will be a meteor shower?”
“My mother. She used to predict futures, and now I’m afraid the skill has been passed down to me. I don’t see a lot of things, only a few per year. That’s why I don’t think Kallen is crazy when he suggests that other beings exist. I think he jokes about it to hide the truth. I think he really believes in it.”
“It’s possible,” I said.
“Has he talked to you about it? About an alien experience?”
“No. Not more than anyone else.” I lied. Even before the strange woman showed up in my yard, he was so drunk once that he admitted to Ren and me that he had spoken to aliens. They got along with him. They were coming for Earth. Ren also told me that Kallen warned him to be wary of strange people aka aliens a long time ago. We basically thought it was due to his interest in extraterrestrial things. Why did I completely forget about that story until now? I don’t think those aliens could be related to Lalo though. Could they?
“The aliens could be out there,” Ashley said. “Just because it isn’t scientifically proven yet doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”
“True,” I said.
“If I were one, I’d be hiding. Wouldn’t you?”
“I wouldn’t let my presence be known if that’s what you are saying. Not necessarily physically hiding.”
“Exactly,” she said.
What did she mean by “exactly?” She was trying to tell me something? I hoped she wasn’t nudging me for information on Lalo too.
“Well,” Ashley said, finally changing the subject. I guess she saw she wasn’t going to get anything out of me. “What do you think about the possibility of a new predator? The one that Kallen was hinting at.”
I thought she was letting it go, but no. I wouldn’t have imagined that Ashley was the spy. She was so into her work. I didn’t think she had time for extra nonsense outside of knowing everyone’s dirt. All the other times she asked me about my life, I chalked it up to her nosiness.
“In this situation I don’t think one would rise up,” I said. “Out of all the days we’ve been out here, we would have found it already. I think the new predator he was hinting at is us. Humans.”
“Interesting,” she said. “You said that the other day but no one took it as serious as they should have.”
We went on to find our markers and collect data. Nothing we uncovered was different from the prior days other than a more stubborn species of fish that finally traveled north.
“I can’t wait to hear what the new people think,” Ashley said.
“I can’t—”
I was transported back to the long, dark hallways. I heard the two men’s voices again and peered into the hall to see them. I focused on seeing their faces. I couldn’t make out their features. They wore long sleeved outfits, so I couldn’t see their skin. The color of their faces, one sunburned and one golden in color, had switched with each other. What I was seeing wasn’t reliable.
“There’s a connector human close by,” the tall one said.
“But you didn’t see anything,” the other said.
“I can sense our human connector,” he said. “We are going to have to locate them. Lalo will be pleased if we present the human upon his arrival.”
“Go home! Go now!” I heard Kallen’s voice say. “Stay at home!”
“Marli! Marli!” Ashley called. I opened my eyelids to a grey, overcast sky.
“What happened?” I mumbled. I found myself lying across the full length of the boat with wet towels on my forehead. I slowly pushed myself up.
“You fainted,” she said. “Heat stroke, I guess. It’s a good thing you didn’t fall into the water.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“No problem. I’m heading back to the shore now. We saw what we need to anyway. You need to go home,” she said.
“No, I can—”
“No you can’t. Dr. Telason is coming to check you out.”
“It’s alright.”
“No it isn’t,” she said. “If you woke up from a heat stroke... my visions. I didn’t want to tell you I saw this happening.”
“Ashley, other than this, how do you know they are true?”
“It feels real. Well, they don’t simply feel real, you know they are real. You know it happened. You had one a few seconds ago didn’t you?”
I didn’t answer.
“Listen, don’t tell anyone,” Ashley said. “Especially anyone around here. It could get you in trouble. And from what I’ve heard, from a little birdy, it could put your life in danger. Even more so now.” Ashley was glancing towards our new team members. “It seems wrong to judge them, but we have to be cautious.”
When we made it back to shore, Dr. Stevenson was there along with Dr. Telason. Dr. Telason shinned light into my eyes, examined my hearing and balance, took my temperature, and performed other tests. All normal. My sickness was due to dehydration, she concluded. With Ashley’s advice we left out the part where I blacked out. I got really tired, was dizzy, and didn’t feel good, nothing more than that.
Dr. Stevenson suggested that I should go home, but I wanted to stay. I had to see what Marcus’ conclusions of our situation were. I had to see if he would gaze at me suspiciously again or if that was just the way he treated all women. And if Ashley and Ren saw that he was a little creepy, did everyone else get the same impression?
Dr. Telason made me sit on the bank and eat some food. Ashley stayed with me. We worked on wring our conclusions for the day.
After about an hour, I recalled Ashley’s meteor shower vision. What if that’s why the animals and insects were leaving—the meteorites? What if it had to do with outer space’s rocks instead of living things from outer space? They could contain chemicals harmful to the animals. Lalo did say his ship was designed to impersonate a meteor. So pieces of alien ships could send or give off chemical or inaudible signals into our environment without us knowing.
Lalo’s meteorite had special properties. On the outside it was black. When Lalo got out, he was covered in soot. But the next morning, when I went to clean it up, there were pieces of rocks that appeared to be like glass with purple crystals. The lab! I could go to the lab to figure out what was different. I had to go when everyone else was out on the lake though. They couldn’t know until I kne
w who to trust.
“Ashley,” I said. “We can go to the lab without permission, right?” I had been in the lab once with the group previously.
“They keep that place locked down,” she said. “You have an idea? Get a piece of Marcus’ hair to see if it’s human?”
“You really think he’s an other?”
“It would explain things. We could start with a simple background check.”
“But if he finds out you were checking up on him,” I said. “I would save that for a more dire time. No reason to make him angry when you met him no more than a few hours ago.”
“You’re right,” she said. “Out of all the days Kallen chose this one to not come by to visit us.”
“You think he can identify them?” I said.
“Yeah,” she said.
At the end of the day, Dr. Stevenson decided to wait for a few days to tell us who would split up and move to the other location. He first wanted to determine who worked best together. What a relief! But that meant I only had a few days to get to the lab.
Chapter 10
I arrived at home without incident in the late afternoon. My eyes shot straight to Kallen’s house as I parked my car. His truck was still gone. I called him again. No answer. I began to get more nervous about Kallen’s safety. He could be in the danger he warned me about. I had no information on who to blame if he was. For once I wished he was over at my house, making me wonder why he was so overprotective. Lalo had mentioned he wasn’t too sure about Kallen. It made me think that Kallen had a secret. Maybe Lalo knew more than he decided to share.
The TV was on mute when I finally opened the door. I was tired, using the wrong key for a few minutes to unlock it. But Lalo wasn’t sitting there watching TV. I heard him rummaging around my room. I put my backpack on a kitchen chair and hurried to find him. I had to tell him about the dream.
I was two feet from the narrow hallway that led to my room and bathroom when a man with sapphire eyes, pale skin, and black hair emerged. He came from my room. I screamed and ran for the front door. He caught up and tackled me from behind, bringing me to the floor. Then covered my mouth.