by Rachel Clark
“The gibberish she was spouting about attempted murder and conspiracy theories is utter nonsense! Surely that would warrant at least a few days of observation,” one of the men in uniform said in a tone of voice that a less confident man might find intimidating.
“Is that so?” Riak asked, pretending to think it over. “Perhaps you should reconsider the idea that Ms. Hasbro knows exactly what she’s talking about.”
“Why would we do that? It’s obviously untrue. There is not one bit of evidence to back up her accusations.” The man’s smug attitude suggested he’d made certain of that himself.
“Is that so?” Riak asked again, watching the copilot carefully as he showed definite signs of distress. Apparently his truthfulness had dried up the moment it seemed Amanda wasn’t going to crash with her ship. “I thought you scientific types recorded everything. Wouldn’t there be an onboard backup recorder? Or a”—he pretended to think of something appropriate—“I don’t know, laptop or something that might have captured what Ms. Hasbro says she heard?”
He saw the exact moment Amanda realized what he was trying to tell her. To’huto had been a part of her life a lot earlier than she realized. Fortunately, Riak had known how important it would be for Amanda to keep her laptop close and had made certain she knew where it was. She reached over the side of the bed and snagged the piece of technology that could prove her words.
The tension level in the room increased exponentially as they waited for the laptop to boot up. Only he would have noticed her slight smirk as she clicked on the shortcut to a file called “TTAC”—Third Time’s a Charm. According to To’huto, the computer had recorded the exchange via the time fracture moments before pulling Amanda through to their time. When Riak and his brothers had questioned why To’huto hadn’t just explained this all to Amanda before sending her back, the computer had made a rude noise and asked them if they’d ever seen Amanda try to act. Amanda did have a tendency to say exactly what was on her mind. Lying, even by omission, would have been very difficult for her. Add that to the fact that she’d once confessed her ability to have entire conversations while still asleep and they had a concerning problem.
To’huto had been adamant that in every scenario Amanda would need to be taken to the hospital for her injuries. But it had been her mumbled conversation with the doctor that had inadvertently altered the time line. This time Riak had made certain the only doctor she mumbled anything to was him. But, considering the emphasis To’huto had placed on not telling Amanda the plan, Riak had to wonder if the computer program knew something more but was refusing to tell. Maybe third time wasn’t the charm. Maybe this was attempt number four, or five, or ten?
Please, please, please let it work this time.
Riak had been doubtful of the computer’s summation—To’huto really had no proof that she’d mumbled anything to anyone—but considering how clearly Amanda had explained to him about the alien that could split into four different men, it was obvious To’huto knew its creator very well. If they’d been relying on her words to be slurred and indecipherable, they would have been in serious trouble.
“Okay,” he said, stepping closer to her bed, “I believe that’s sufficient evidence to prove Ms. Hasbro is telling the truth and not delusional. I suggest you all leave so she can get dressed.” He turned to one of the doctors on his staff and gave him a menacing smile. “I’ll do the release paperwork. We’ll discuss your misdiagnosis in your performance review next week.”
Riak got a great deal of satisfaction just watching the man scurry out the door.
“I’ll just take the lapto—” one of the uniformed men said in an officious tone of voice. Fortunately, Riak’s lovely wife wasn’t silly enough to fall for that.
“No need,” Amanda said as she pulled the computer closer, tapped a few keys, and ejected a miniature SD card. She handed the tiny piece of technology to the man in charge, grabbed another from her bag, and made a copy for Clyde as well. She made several more copies and gleefully passed them around, explaining her actions with a single word—insurance.
Finally the room cleared out—three bemused doctors, two furious Air Force brass, and one copilot with lots of explaining left to do. It could almost be a song…
“Riak?” Amanda asked nervously as soon as the room emptied.
“In the flesh, sweetheart,” he said as she climbed out of the hospital bed and practically threw herself into his arms. He moved quickly to stop the intravenous getup from smashing onto the floor and then for the first time in nearly a year held her close to his heart. “Come on, Amanda. Let’s get you home.”
* * * *
Kar, Sek, and Tannen were all waiting for them when they drove into the driveway of a large home on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada.
“You’re kidding,” she said as she stepped out of the car and was quickly surrounded by four men.
“Kidding about what?” Kar finally asked when he let her up for air.
“Aliens living in Las Vegas. Isn’t that just a touch cliché?”
“We thought it was rather fitting. You know, hide in plain sight and all that. Besides, with some of the entertainment available in this town nobody would even glance sideways at four identical brothers.”
She laughed, too happy at the moment to let her fears intrude. She glanced around the area and noticed the signs of long-term inhabitation. “How long have you been here?”
“About a year,” Sek said as he lifted her into his arms and headed toward the large, ranch-style home.
“A year?” she asked quickly. “I thought you were going to meet me in six years.”
“Well, that was before To’huto filled us in on a few things that had gone wrong previously.”
“Previously? As in we’ve done this before?”
“Apparently,” Tannen said with a happy smile, “but I’m sure To’h will fill you in on the details.”
“He’s here?” Okay, yes, she’d just called a computer program a “he,” but it was kind of hard not to when the program truly did seem to have a mind of its own sometimes.
“Hello, Amanda Hasbro,” To’h said as soon as they stepped inside the house. “I trust your journey was a pleasant one.”
“How long did Hensworth manage to keep me hospitalized last time?” She’d already figured out that part on her own. The fact that they’d planted Riak as a doctor who could override the other doctor’s recommendations had pointed to something sinister on Hensworth’s part.
“Long enough to steal your work and fuck it up,” To’huto answered with annoyance in his computer voice.
“And this time?”
“I don’t know what you mean, Amanda Hasbro. I am yet to learn how this time line will unfold.”
“Don’t lie to me, To’h,” Amanda said with a soft laugh in her voice. She couldn’t shake the feeling the computer knew more than it was telling.
“I’m just a computer program,” To’huto said with what was very clearly laughter in his voice. “I am incapable of lying.”
“Uh-huh,” she said. But before she could interrogate the computer more, To’huto interrupted her.
“However,” To’huto said, with a noise that sounded like a man clearing his throat, “I predict that the child you want will arrive approximately nine months from today.”
“I’m pregnant?” Amanda asked excitedly. It may have been twelve months since Kar, Riak, Sek, and Tannen had seen her, but it had literally only been about a day for her.
“Not yet,” To’huto said, deflating her excitement, “but I do believe you will be by this time tomorrow.”
Amanda giggled as Sek lifted her into his arms and rushed into a room with a bed almost as large as the one they’d had on the ship. She was naked before she hit the mattress, writhing in arousal a moment later, and screaming in orgasm almost immediately as four men she loved dearly showed her how much they’d missed her.
“Thanks, To’h,” she whispered as the happily ever after she’d dreamed of
started to unfold right in front of her.
THE END
RACHELCLARKEROTICROMANCE.BLOGSPOT.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachel loves romance in all its forms. She writes contemporary, BDSM, paranormal, and science fiction in MFM, MFMMM, MMF, and lots of other different pairings. Her one unbreakable rule is that every story must have a very happy ending.
For all titles by Rachel Clark, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/rachel-clark
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com