by Bianca D'Arc
“I will do it.” Bill sat in the chair next to the head of the bed, talking to Jaci. “I am Zed Beta Gamma. It should be compatible enough until his bodily systems take over.”
Jaci smiled. “You are right, of course. Good. This will do the trick.” Quick as a flash, she set up a transfusion directly from Bill’s veins to Grady’s. It was only a few minutes before she removed the equipment linking the men. Gina didn’t think it had been long enough, but the rosy color in Grady’s cheeks gave her hope.
A few seconds later, his eyes opened and she breathed a huge sigh of relief.
“Is Gina all right?” were the first words from his lips.
“I’m fine,” she cried, rushing to his side and grasping his hand. “You saved me, my love. You both did.”
A beatific smile curled the corners of his mouth. “I like that. My love.”
“Oh, Grady,” she leaned in to place kisses on his cheeks. “I love you so much!”
“As I love you.”
Chapter Eighteen
Grady was up and around much faster than Gina would have believed, had she not seen it for herself. Dave’s healing power had closed the worst of his wounds, but Grady’s Alvian physiology took over where that had left off. He was able to leave the medical facility under his own steam the next morning. Gina and Jim had spent the night near him, sharing a hospital bed next to his. Every hour, Gina would rise to check on Grady, glad to see him progressing each time.
In the morning, the trio walked together into the cafeteria for breakfast and Gina was touched by how many people came up to give Grady and Jim a pat on the back, a word of admiration or a quiet thank you for killing a creature that had been a threat to all of them. She knew Grady was uncomfortable with the praise. He was also surprised by it. When several of the women leaned up to give him pecks on the cheek and a quick hug, he was totally nonplussed.
Gina went to him, taking his arm and smiling up at him. He had so much to learn about having feelings, but she’d help him. She loved him. She could do no less.
“So where do you want to sit?” Gina asked once they’d gathered their trays.
“I would like to talk to Bill,” Grady responded. “To thank him for his assistance last night. Alvians don’t often require the sharing of blood. What he did was special.”
“I didn’t realize.” Gina heard the reverence in his tone. Jim shrugged when she looked over at him and they followed behind Grady as he made his way to the table where Bill sat alone.
“May we sit?” Grady asked formally as they stood before the table.
“You need never ask, brother.”
Gina felt the wave of feeling that rushed through Grady at Bill’s words.
“Are you two related?” The nonsensical question slipped out before she thought better of it.
Jim pulled out her chair as they sat around the table. Bill held her attention as he explained.
“Sharing of blood among Alvians is rare. It forms a bond.”
“Sorta like blood brothers?” Jim asked. Both aliens looked at him in surprise.
“How did you know?” Grady’s gaze rested uneasily on Jim.
“It’s an Old West thing from the days of cowboys and Indians. If you want to adopt someone into your family, you slash your palms and shake, mixing blood. It’s a symbolic thing.”
Both Alvians seemed to consider Jim’s words.
“It is not like that among our people,” Bill said after due thought. “The sharing of blood leaves lasting markers in the recipient. We are both of the Zed blood group. Before last night, Grady was of the Alpha variety, while I was Beta Gamma. I was born Gamma, but have shared blood once before with a Beta. That transfusion left me with a marker of Beta in my body. By giving my blood to Grady, he will in future be Zed Alpha Beta Gamma, once his body acclimates.”
Gina was astonished by the idea. “I don’t think it works that way for humans, but I’m not a doctor.”
“In the distant past, our blood groups played a part in determining our tribal affiliations. All that changed of course, once the scientists started meddling with our DNA.”
“So yours was a tribal society?” Jim asked as he ate his breakfast.
“In part,” Bill clarified. “Social ranking was based on both tribe and profession. Often, certain skill sets would be found predominantly within a particular tribe. Soldiers, for example, were often Sinclairs or Gradys, to use us as examples. Not always, of course. Not like it is now. But a large percentage of our relatives would probably have naturally selected to be soldiers, peacekeepers, trackers, investigators and the like. Some would have followed their own paths, into different professions. Now, of course, there is no diversity.”
“I think my great-great-grandmother—if I can call her that—was part of the Governing Council representing healers,” Grady said thoughtfully.
“Who?” Bill asked, his brow raised.
“Councilor Senel Grady of the last Council before the great experiment.”
The name apparently had some meaning among Alvians. At least Bill looked impressed.
“I once compared my DNA scans with hers and found a startling number of corresponding base pairs. Enough to conclude that her DNA contributed significantly to mine.”
“This is astounding news,” Bill dropped his fork. “I wonder if it’s possible to trace my parentage in such a way?”
“No doubt Jaci could tell you. She was a genetic tech.”
“I will ask her. Thank you for the idea.”
He looked so hopeful, Gina found herself praying there was some way Bill could find similar information about himself. These Alvians—the ones with feelings—seemed to want so much to belong, to understand where they came from, to find their roots. It was touching really.
Mike came to the table, interrupting their conversation. He looked excited—almost eager about what he had to say. He didn’t sit. Rather, he stood behind the men as they turned their heads up to regard him.
“We got a message from Mick O’Hara. Caleb says it’s time. We’ve got to move.”
Gina was glad she’d finished eating because chaos erupted shortly after Mick’s statement. The men jumped to their feet and scattered. All except for Jim.
“What’s going on?” she asked him.
“I’m going home.” The expression on his face broke her heart. He looked so uncertain, so lost. “The question is, are you coming with me?”
Now she understood. Their idle was over. It was time to get back to work.
She put her arm around his waist. “I’m going with you.”
She felt his relief, but it was short lived. “For how long?”
“I don’t know.” She looked up into his eyes, feeling the same uncertainty reflected back at her. “As long as I can.”
Grady followed Mike and the others to the command center where plans were progressing. He had a decision to make, but really, his decision was already made. He could not leave his Resonance Mate. He would go where she did, and he could guess her choice would be to go with Jim.
So Grady set to work helping others with logistics and planning for the trip ahead.
“You’re coming with us right?” Jim arrived while the others were discussing what to bring, with Gina at his side. Grady found he liked the easy way Jim asked the question, as though he already knew and accepted the answer. Frankly, Grady hadn’t expected such easy welcome even though they’d done their best to get along for Gina’s sake.
“I will come, if you will have me.”
“You’re welcome in Colorado, Grady.” Jim offered his hand, and Grady knew enough about the human gesture to know what it meant. They shook hands while Gina watched, hugging them both before they joined the rest of the group planning.
It was decided they would take two pods. Jim, Grady and Gina would ride in the pod from Jim’s facility and Dave and Bill would take one of the pods from here. They would leave that very day, just after lunch.
“Grady, I guess you’ve got a craf
t of some kind hidden away out in the woods, right?” Mike asked, drawing attention.
Grady nodded. “It is untraceable and well hidden. It should be safe where it is unless you prefer I move it.”
“Do you think it would fit through our cargo entrance? We could keep it safe for you down here.”
Grady thought about it and decided if he didn’t trust these people by now, he never would. They’d held his life in their hands, and they’d proven to be friends.
“I would appreciate it. And if I don’t return, perhaps the craft can be helpful to you.” He had to be practical. He didn’t know where his road might lead. For all he knew, he might never return to this place, never need the craft because he would never return to his former people.
Mike nodded and they made plans to move the craft as soon as the meeting broke up.
Jim and Bill conferred on the kinds of seeds Jim’s people might be able to use and what they could trade. Soon Bill had a group set to help him load the pod with items from his hydroponics operation—seeds and certain crops they had in abundance.
When the meeting broke up, Gina went with Dave to see about what kind of medical supplies they could use or trade while Grady left with Mike to move the craft. Jim tagged along with Mike and Grady, and Mike told them how to get to the cargo entrance before splitting off a side tunnel to be ready to open the door for them.
Grady was surprised when Jim decided to follow him out into the sunshine past the tunnel entrance. They moved as stealthily as possible, and Grady was pleased to see that Jim had great skill in the woods. He was a worthy warrior with many abilities.
When they arrived at the craft, Jim almost stumbled over it at first, making Grady chuckle.
“Damn, that’s well hidden,” Jim commented as Grady began to uncover the small speeder.
“This is not my first attempt at stealth, you know.”
Grady enjoyed the way they laughed and worked together. This feeling of camaraderie was something he’d missed—even though he’d never felt it as acutely as he did at that very moment.
They finished uncovering the vehicle and climbed aboard. Grady took a few minutes to monitor communications and check locations of other Alvian craft in the area. Luckily, there were none near enough to pose a danger.
“I’ve never been in one of these before.” Jim looked curious about the instrumentation panel and monitoring stations in the small craft.
“This particular model was refurbished by the Zxerah. The Patriarch gave me use of it before I left their encampment. Like them, it is completely untraceable. I double-checked every system myself before ever approaching this area. I didn’t want to bring attention to Jaci and her mates. As it turned out, my precautions were even more necessary than I had thought.”
“Thank heaven for your paranoia.” Jim laughed, and Grady joined in.
“And the Zxerah’s. With this craft, I can monitor all other Alvian craft and communications in a wide area without them ever knowing I am here. Unless they spot me visually, this craft is completely off their screens.”
“A handy trick.”
“It came in very useful on the trip here. Even as I left the top secret Zxerah refuge, I was followed by elements of the regular military. The Council sent their watchdogs to spy on me—probably to make sure Bill would die, even if I changed my mind and did not complete the assigned mission. I couldn’t let that happen. It was foolish of them to think my own men could trail me and I would not see them. I trained them, after all. Not one of them is a better tracker than me. Some are close, and it was difficult at first to shake them, but I’m confident none were able to follow me much beyond the mountains to the south. I left a false trail going east, over the plains, which is probably where they are—still looking for me.”
Grady fired up the vehicle, which made very little actual noise, and maneuvered out of the trees. He took a circuitous route to the cargo door, just in case.
“For the record, I’m glad you’re coming with us to Colorado.”
Grady was touched by the sincerity in the other man’s tone. He was getting better and better at reading the nuances in human discourse.
“Thank you for agreeing to share Gina with me. I know it could not have been an easy decision for you.”
“You’re right. It wasn’t. But I’d rather see her well protected, and well loved, than miserable. I realized she wasn’t going to be happy unless she had both of us in her life. Likewise, as our recent encounter with that damned cat proved, two of us to protect her is much better than one. I don’t think either one of us could have taken out that giant cat without help, but to be honest you were damn close. You’re as strong as you are big and skilled too. That counts for a lot with me—especially since, like me, you’ll do everything you can to keep our woman safe. Whether she likes it or not.”
“She does have an independent streak,” Grady agreed, trying not to let too much of his emotion show. Jim’s words meant the world to him. The respect of this man was something he valued.
“The trick will be not to let her catch on that we’re protecting her. Our girl Gina thinks she can take care of herself—and she can—but I, for one, plan to help her. I suspect you will too.” Jim winked as he grinned, and Grady thought he understood perfectly.
“Oh, I will. Have no doubt.”
Once he was satisfied nobody was following or could see them, Grady made for the big fissure between two cliffs Mike had described. There was the faint outline of an old dirt road that had once snaked around one cliff face, only to disappear into the fissure. If you weren’t looking for it, you wouldn’t see it, which was ingenious. No doubt, the natural look of the road, and its state of disrepair, kept its secret safe.
Grady maneuvered the craft into the wide, natural opening that narrowed as it twisted into the very rock, forming a natural tunnel. A fissure, really, that narrowed as it rose, permitting only the barest amount of light to penetrate to the path below. Rounding several curves, Grady saw what looked like a dead end.
Even as he watched, the rock parted and a giant door opened. The bay was lit dimly from within—a long, huge entryway that ended in a massive steel door on the other end. This then was the airlock, so to speak. The preliminary entryway that safeguarded the facility. He pulled the craft to a stop within the long, wide tunnel and waited for the massive rock-fronted doors to close.
Once they did, lights came up to full strength. Grady and Jim waved from within the cockpit as they saw a camera drone zip over to check them out. It examined the vehicle from all angles before zipping back to its storage area along one of the walls somewhere. Only then did the inner doors begin to cycle open.
Grady brought the craft to a rest next to a large group of aircraft. Some were fighter jets, some propeller craft. All were old and looked like they hadn’t been used in decades, which was probably an accurate guess. Farther in, he could just make out some long, cylindrical objects he guessed were missiles of some sort. The humans had a lot of firepower in this mountain. More than he’d guessed was left.
“Holy shit,” Jim breathed as he saw the armament and aircraft.
“I guess there is no doubt this was once a military installation.”
Grady popped the hatch, and the men piled out. Grady had a pack with him—personal supplies he’d left behind on his previous departure from the craft. He’d take it with him this time, for he knew he might never see this craft again. With an odd pang, he realized he didn’t really care. His future was with Gina now—however it worked out. He had to have faith in the spirits of his ancestors that somehow it would.
They met Mike on the floor of the massive hangar.
“Some stash you’ve got here,” Jim commented as he looked around at the assembled craft.
“Yeah, we found this a couple of weeks ago, but we don’t have anyone who can fly them.”
Jim’s gaze zeroed in on Mike, flashing excitement in his eyes. “I do.”
“Really?”
“We kep
t a lot of our staff since the base was operating at the time of the cataclysm. We sent out fighters, but we didn’t have this many. We lost a lot until we finally realized the better part of valor in this case was hunkering down and hiding. We have pilots and their families. A lot of the guys have taught their kids what they knew. The kids have never been up for real, but we’ve got a top-rated flight simulator and it’s one of the things the younger generation enjoys doing for fun. As a result, we have more pilots than planes.”
“That’s mighty interesting.” Mike’s casual words belied his eager expression.
They took their leave of Jaci, Mike and the rest later that day. At first, they suggested Jim’s pod go first, but after some good-natured ribbing about not being able to keep their eyes on the road being newlyweds and all, Dave, Bill and Sam went first. Sam was a new addition to the group, but a welcome one. Grady valued the man’s insight and was pleased to learn he was a close friend of Bill’s.
Bill needed friends—human friends—if he was going to continue to thrive on his own, without a mate. Grady didn’t know how he did it, but he admired the man’s strength of character and will. Grady suspected he wouldn’t be half as stoic if he’d had to face life without a Resonance Mate by his side.
But perhaps Bill lived on hope. Grady wasn’t sure. Bill was naturally secretive, having been the top Zxerah assassin most of his life. He’d also had emotions longer than any other Alvian. He was better at dealing with them. They were more integrated into his personality.
The trip back was uneventful. Every time they stopped at a station, both groups would get out of their pods and walk around a bit, exploring. Dave and Sam even scouted up some of the ventilation shafts to see what they could learn of the topside terrain.
Not needed to watch the track ahead, Jim, Grady and Gina spent most of the time making love. He and Jim had come to an understanding and even began to develop a sort of unspoken communication like he’d once had with the soldiers who served with him. They were able to anticipate what the other wanted when it came to pleasuring Gina.