Indigo Incite (The Indigo Trilogy)

by Jacinda Buchmann

  “Patricia told me that the IIA is looking for you,” Ian began. “You must all have some pretty incredible powers if they’re spending the time and resources to send a tracker after you. I’ve spent well over a year evading them, so I know it’s not a fun position to be in.” He turned to Tyler. “They have your brother, right? Patricia told me they took him.”

  “Yeah, that’s why we came here. We’re hoping that you’ll be able to tell us where he is.”

  Ian pressed both index fingers to his forehead. He took a deep breath and shook his head. “If you’re determined to find him, and I’m guessing that you are since you came all this way to see me, it’s going to be a difficult search. The compound is well hidden, and it’s in Mexico.”

  “Mexico?” they all seemed to ask at once.

  He nodded. “Yes. That’s the only way they can legitimately hold people against their will. The CIA would never fund them if they knew they could be connected to kidnapping and holding people on United States property. So the IIA has its own compound in Mexico. The IIA does favors for the Mexican government from time to time, and in return, they look a blind eye to the comings and goings at the compound. It’s a good deal for everyone concerned. If you want to get your brother back, that’s where you’ll find him.”

  “How are we supposed to get into Mexico?” Grace asked.

  “Oh, it’s not difficult. Anyone can get into Mexico. You just have to drive across the border and you’re in. It’s the getting back into the United States part that might prove a little more difficult, unless you have a passport.

  “Getting your brother out is the first part you need to worry about, though. If you can somehow manage that, you’ll find a way to get back into the U.S.”

  “Can you tell us how to find him?” Tyler asked.

  “I can give you a general idea,” Ian replied. “Like I said, the compound is well hidden, and unless you know the exact location, it’s virtually impossible to find.”

  A ruckus of barking dogs caught his attention, and Ian strode purposefully to the window to peer out. “I forgot. School’s out early today. The bus is here. Come on out and you can meet Trevor.”

  Tyler and Eddie walked beside Ian as they made their way down the dirt path toward a school bus that was stopped at the front gate. The girls trailed slowly behind, discussing who Trevor might possibly be.

  When they reached the gate, the door of the short bus swung open, and a boy, about eight-years-old, leapt off and ran into Ian’s open arms. Ian swept the boy off his feet and swung him around in circles. Then, setting him back to the ground, he placed an arm around the boy’s shoulders and turned him to face the group.

  “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Trevor.”

  “Hi, Trevor,” Sarah said.

  The boy glanced at her for a moment but said nothing. Instead, he knelt to pet the German Shepherd, who had come to greet him.

  “Trevor, are you hungry?” Ian asked.

  The boy continued to pet the dog, and it appeared that he hadn’t heard the question, but after a moment, with his eyes still on the German Shepherd, he said, “Hot Dog. Yes? Hot dog?”

  Ian smiled. “Hot dogs, yes. Run to the house. Cameron will be there in a minute.”

  Trevor sprinted down the driveway. The dogs flanked his sides and joined in the fun. Ian turned to the group for explanation. “He’s autistic.”

  “Is he yours?” Sarah asked.

  Ian shook his head. “No, his mother is a friend of mine. You met her this morning—Melissa, the waitress from the restaurant.”

  “Oh, right,” Sarah said. “So you watch him while she’s working?”

  “I do. She’s a single mother—well, sort of. Her husband ran off, and she hasn’t heard from him. So I help her out so she doesn’t have to pay for child care. Trevor and I have a good relationship. We understand each other.”

  They reached the mobile home, where Trevor was sitting on the bottom step of the porch. A dog leaned against each of his legs and panted happily.

  “Inside, Trevor? Hot dog? Let’s go.”

  Trevor bounded up the steps, and everyone else followed. While they took their previous seats, Ian located a hot dog in the fridge and placed it in the microwave. “It’s his favorite food,” he explained, as he handed the boy the heated hot dog. Trevor eagerly accepted the plain wiener and began to chow down. “Some children who are identified as autistic, are actually Indigo Children,” Ian said, nodding toward Trevor.

  “He’s an Indigo?” Grace asked.

  “He is. Well, sort of. More specifically, he’s what they call a Star Child.”

  “A Star Child? Patricia mentioned that term,” Sarah said. “What is that exactly?”

  “There are several theories, but one that is now commonly accepted is that there are some people who have ancient, extraterrestrial DNA. For thousands of years, the DNA remained dormant, but now it’s believed that this DNA has begun to awaken in some children who carry the strand. In these cases, the children, who are referred to as Star Children, are able to tap into the powers of their extraterrestrial ancestors.”

  “You’re serious?” Tyler said. “You’re saying that Trevor is…what? Part alien or something?”

  “Yes. It’s not that uncommon of a notion. I’m not saying that his parents are aliens or anything. I’m just saying that one or the other carried the dormant alien gene that had been passed down generation after generation, and for whatever reason, the gene decided to become active in him.

  “It sounds crazy, I know,” he went on. “Some nights, he’ll walk outside, stare up at the stars, and talk to them. I can hear his thought process, and it’s like he’s carrying on a full conversation with someone. There have also been nights when I’ve seen him talking to the stars, and I swear I’ve seen lights in the sky flying back and forth overhead.”

  “For real?” said Tyler. “That’s awesome! Does he have any special abilities?”

  “He does. Like some children who are autistic, he is extremely gifted in specific areas. In his case, he loves cars and can tell you anything you’d ever want to know about them. He also has psychic tendencies, and he can communicate with animals. He can also communicate with beings from other planets.”

  When Ian’s phone rang, he glanced at the caller ID. “It’s a client, calling back about an old car I’ve been trying to locate for him. Give me just a few minutes. I need to step into my office and get on the computer.” He retreated into a back room, and they found themselves left alone with Trevor.

  “Do you think that’s all for real?” Grace asked. “I mean, do you really think there are people who have alien genes?”

  “It’s not the first time I’ve heard theories on the idea,” Eddie said. “And I think Ian probably more than most knows what he’s talking about. After all, he did get paid by a government agency to find people with special powers and stuff. I’m guessing the government wouldn’t waste that kind of time and money if it wasn’t for real.”

  While they spoke, Sarah noticed that Trevor had gradually scooted closer to her. He now sat on the floor with his back against her legs.

  “I think he likes you,” Tyler said.

  Trevor looked over his shoulder and smiled at Sarah. Then he stood, grabbed her hand, and said, “Outside.”

  “You want to go outside?” Sarah asked.

  “Outside,” he stated again.

  She glanced toward the office, where Ian had retreated. She then glanced at Eddie, who shrugged his shoulders and grinned. “Okay…sure,” she said, after a moment. She smiled at Trevor. “Lead the way.”

  Her friends stood to follow, but Trevor held out his hand and said, “No.”

  “You don’t want us to go outside with you?” Grace asked.

  “No.”

  “Okay.” To make a point that she wouldn’t follow, Grace sat on the couch.

  Tyler winked at her. “We’ll wait right here.”

  “Thanks,” Sarah said. She smiled and then turned to fo
llow Trevor out the door and down the front steps of the porch. As soon as her feet touched the dirt, the dogs ran out from under the porch, in anxious greeting, and sniffed her legs. Trevor grabbed her hand and, without saying a word, led her behind the mobile home and out toward the endless rows of old cars.

  Uncertain if she was supposed to say something or simply enjoy the walk, she strolled leisurely beside the boy, hand in hand, in the warm sun. A slight breeze stirred the dirt around them as they walked, and birds in a nearby tree sang happily.

  “This is…a…1965…Ford Mustang,” Trevor reported in a mechanical voice. “It was…first introduced on April 17…1964. Here is a…1959…Thunderbird,” he said, moving on to the next car. “The Thunderbird…was first introduced in…1955. There have been over…4.4 million Thunderbirds…produced."

  “It’s a nice car,” Sarah said. Ian had been correct; Trevor did seem to know a lot about cars.

  For the next few minutes, as they strolled along, Trevor continued to point out various facts about vehicles. When they reached a lone shade tree, he came to a halt and turned so they faced each other. He let go of her hand and placed both of his hands on her small, protruding abdomen. Then, he closed his eyes and turned his face skyward. She looked down at him in wonder. He was smaller than the average eight-year-old, yet he was a beautiful child. He had blond hair, dimples, and sparkling blue eyes, eyes that seemed full of wisdom behind his quiet exterior.

  He stood in immobile concentration for almost a minute and then his serious expression turned into a thoughtful smile. He opened his eyes, and his gaze returned to her belly.

  “I like…you,” Trevor said. “You…will…be…my friend.”

  She was unsure if he had spoken to her or the baby and was unsure if she was supposed to respond, so she said, “Um, I like you, too.”

  He didn’t make eye contact but kept his hands and gaze on her belly. “They want you…Stay…Stay here.” He was answered by a small but undeniable kick from within. He took hold of both of Sarah's hands and pulled her down to sit in the dirt, beside him.

  She took her place and sat cross-legged beneath the large oak. She wasn’t thrilled to sit in the dirt but welcomed the cool reprieve offered by the large tree. Beside her, Trevor picked up a small stick and began to draw pictures in the dirt.

  She watched in fascinated silence as the boy drew in animated concentration. The subject of his drawing was unclear, but she assumed that the picture would eventually reveal itself. The branches overhead swayed and whispered gently in the breeze, and his words floated back to her mind. ‘They want you,' he had told her, or had he been talking to the baby? Ian had said that the boy was psychic. Did he know that she and her friends were in danger?

  She glanced toward the mobile home to see if Ian had come in search of his young friend, but he was nowhere in sight. She looked, then, at the drawings in the dirt. There was an unmistakable planet with five surrounding moons. Below the celestial images were what appeared to be hieroglyphics of some sort.

  Sarah pointed to the characteristic symbols, with interest. “What does that mean?”

  Trevor glanced at her briefly and then looked toward the sky. He placed one hand on her belly again and sat in silence for a moment. Then he smiled.

  He wants us to stay here, the now familiar voice in her head said. He thinks this is a safe place for us.

  Sarah looked at Trevor in wonder. “Can you communicate with my baby?”

  Trevor looked at her and smiled sweetly. Then he stood and dragged a foot back and forth across his drawings, erasing all evidence of their existence. She accepted his outstretched hand, and he helped to pull her to her feet. Once she was upright, he didn’t let go. Hand-in-hand, they continued down the dirt lane as though they had never stopped.

  “This,” Trevor said, when they stopped in front of an old rusty truck, “is a…1946…GMC truck.”

  It looked like it had once been red, in its earlier years, though it was difficult to say for sure, considering that the majority of the truck had rusted over.

  “It’s uh…nice,” Sarah commented, uncertain what she was supposed to say about the aged vehicle.

  Considering Trevor’s mechanical voice, Sarah was pleasantly surprised at his sincere laugh. As he continued to laugh, she smiled and laughed with him.

  “It’s not nice?” she asked.

  He vigorously shook his head and said, “No!” Then he laughed some more.

  “What’s so funny?” a voice from behind asked.

  Sarah turned to find Ian behind them. “Oh, hi. You found us. I’m not sure. I told him the truck was nice, and he started laughing.”

  He turned to Trevor. “That is funny. She’s funny, huh?”

  “Funny,” Trevor replied.

  “What’s wrong with the truck?” Sarah asked. “Other than the obvious fact that it’s all rusty?”

  “Nothing,” Ian said. “I have plans to fix it up, one day. This car lot belonged to Trevor’s grandfather, Hank, and this truck was his favorite. He always said that he was going to fix it up and make it look like new, but he passed away before he had the chance.”

  “How sad. So, that’s how you met Trevor? Because he was Hank’s grandson?”

  “That’s right. When I first moved to Roswell, in search of…a new life, I didn’t have much of a resumé, so to speak. I had always worked for the IIA and had never done anything else, but I did know a lot about cars. When I was growing up, I read every book I could get my hands on, about fixing cars. I have sort of a photographic memory, and I convinced Hank that I could help him out. So he gave me a chance, and it turns out, I had a knack for car restoration. Hank accepted me. He never asked questions about my past, and I felt like I was a part of the family."

  “So after Hank passed away, you just stayed on here?”

  “Yep. He left the place to me. Trevor’s father was furious. He felt that he should have inherited the place, but he had never shown an interest in it. He knows nothing about cars. He’s spent the majority of his life bouncing in and out of jail for dumb things like DUIs and petty robbery. Finally, Melissa told him that she wanted a divorce. He told her that he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction and took off. She has no clue where he is, and they’re still legally married. As far as Trevor is concerned, I’m the only father figure he has in his life.”

  “It sounds like you’ve really made a place for yourself, here. You think you’ll stay for a while then?” She thought about his parents and their search for him. She wondered if he knew or even cared.

  Ian smiled and nodded. “Yeah, that’s the plan. All my life I felt like I was different and never really fit in. I’ve never felt more normal than I do right here. I like this town, and I love Trevor. We understand each other.”

  He didn’t say so, but reading between the lines, Sarah suspected that Trevor’s mother might also have a slight influence on his desire to stick around. Other than his obvious affection for the boy, she wondered about his feelings for Melissa. Not that it mattered of course; it wasn’t any of her business.

  “Did you know that your parents are looking for you?”

  Ian looked her in the eyes, for a moment, but said nothing. Finally he said, “I suspected they were. After I took off, I knew the IIA had a search team out, looking for me. They’re scared about everything I know and who I might tell.”

  “You knew all of this when you deserted but were still willing to take the risk?”

  “I had to. I looked at what my life had become, and I wasn’t happy. They owned me, and they ruled every second of my day. At first the job seemed exciting, you know? It was like in the movies. The idea of being a spy and having adventures seemed like fun, but soon the exhilaration wore off and I began to see the truth.”

  “And what was the truth?” They had wandered back to the shade tree. Trevor located his stick and resumed his place in the dirt.

  “The truth was, I was just a pawn, a pawn for a group of people who wanted to use my knowledge a
nd gifts, to gain power and money. When I saw that they were willing to sacrifice the freedom of others like me and the security of their own country, for their own greed, I knew that it was time to get out.

  “I went to my parents for help, but they were just as stuck and weren’t willing to take the risk. Even though they knew the truth, just as well as I did, they enjoyed the comforts of life that the IIA provided, and they didn’t want to give up their research. I knew that I was on my own and would probably never see them again, but it was a chance I had to take.

  “How did you know that my parents are looking for me? You’ve seen them?”

  There was an accusatory tone to his voice. Sarah hoped that he didn’t suspect she worked for the IIA, as well. “Yeah, I saw them, but I didn’t know who they were when I first met them. They found out that the IIA had tracked me down in Washington. When your parents first heard the news, they thought it was you the IIA had found. They came to see for themselves. When they got there, the trackers instructed them to follow me. I thought that they were just a quirky older couple. I had no idea who they were. I swear!”

  Ian smiled. “A quirky older couple. That’s a good way to describe them. I admit my parents are a bit odd.”

  Sarah laughed. “Yeah, just a little, but I like them. I know they deceived me, but it was only because they were trying to find you. They really miss you, you know.”

  Ian sighed. “Yeah, I know, but I can’t see them.” He shook his head. “I’ve made a new life for myself, here. I’m finally safe. If I were to see them, or even call them, the IIA would find me in no time. As long as I stay here, I stay safe, and I can keep Trevor safe.” He looked down at the boy in the dirt. He hadn’t drawn strange symbols as before; instead, he had drawn what looked to be, Ian’s two dogs. She wondered if she should mention the hieroglyphics but decided that it could wait.