DeniseZen

by Jamie Antonia Symonanis

  “It is for us as well. She had a message for you. Asneg laukad grit. Nalecia yran kainojamas.”

  Nola smiled, and walked over to give Denise a hug. “She says you are priceless, irreplaceable. I could not agree more.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot to me Nola.”

  “I know you are weary from your long drive, but a few members of the crew have gathered in the lounge. They have something for the both of you.”

  They followed Nola to the lounge to find every crewmember they had met thus far standing around the table.

  “We’ve never done this before, but understand it is customary on your world,” Kinsa said. She waved her hand over the table to reveal a large cake with two lit candles on it. “I believe tomorrow is your birthday Layla, so,” she paused until all could join in to shout, “Happy Birthday.”

  “Wow. Thank you,” Layla grinned. “It is my birthday tomorrow after all. Thanks for reminding me I’m another year older.”

  “I can’t imagine a nicer place for you to camp out overnight than our quarters,” Denise giggled. “Happy Birthday Baby.”

  “I believe it is customary to make a wish and blow out the candles,” Nola said.

  “Yes, yes it is.” Layla made a wish and blew out the candles.

  “Yay, the cake survived,” Denise laughed.

  “Oh my. I didn’t even think of that other possibility.”

  They had a short party of cake and coffee before retiring to Denise’s quarters for the night.

  “We know where Terry and the boys are, and they are marked. We don’t yet know exactly where Myla is, but we are in the same city and we know what part of the city she is being kept in. We need to thoroughly think out all possibilities, especially with a storm coming.”

  “Your storms in this region can be intense,” Nola said as she walked them back to Denise’s quarters.

  “Yes. I am not sure what the tolerance is of your shuttlecraft. If humans can build planes that fly into the eye of a hurricane for research I bet you can too. There is no force greater on our world that those created by our world,” Denise said.

  “We will take great care, and hope for the best. Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, and thanks for the party,” she whispered before closing the door to her quarters behind her and Layla.

  When she turned from the door closing she saw Layla getting into bed in her birthday suit. She held her arms out, “Come, give me my present,” she cooed.

  Denise quietly sang Happy Birthday to her seductively as she undressed. When finished, she joined Layla on the bed and the lights went out.

  “Happy Birthday Supergirl,” she said before showering her with kisses.

  “Yes.”

  Chapter 47

  Doorbell

  Biscuits and gravy were on the menu for breakfast. Nola, Pyta and Cyfer joined Denise and Layla to eat.

  “I have a question for you,” Denise said.

  “Yes?” Nola said.

  “How, or should I ask why do you think they are proceeding with a transaction for Myla with the Asians? How can they be certain that she is not simply a human?” Denise asked.

  “I have wondered about that too,” Layla said.

  “It is evident from the first set of sheets that you brought to us from Lubbock, that she was administered at least two drugs your species uses as a form of truth serum,” Pyta said.

  “So our drugs work on your physiology?” Denise said.

  “Most would have some effect. These particular drugs would have a rather thorough effect of making a member of our species answer any questions we knowingly had an answer to. If we did not, obviously we cannot lie, so we simply would not answer.”

  “So, is it safe to assume that they know about you, your ship, perhaps even Denise and myself?” Layla asked.

  “We cannot speculate on that,” Nola said. “If they ran tests on her DNA they would know she is not human.”

  “I will offer up a theory from our species. We must assume that they know of your crew, your ship, at least some of your technological possibilities, where you are from, perhaps they may even know you have no concept of lying,” Denise said.

  “Assume?”

  “To take for granted, without proof,” Layla offered. “It is not at all unusual you would not know the meaning of this word, as it is a form of lying to oneself in a way, even though you may be absolutely correct in your assumption.”

  “It is flawed, at times dangerous, and even illogical to assume, but on a planet like ours, where humans find it so easy to lie, it is necessary,” Denise sighed.

  “Or, as the saying goes, Never assume, it just makes an ass out of u and me,” Layla laughed.

  Nola and the others took this in with looks of fascination.

  “You want to head back down this morning?” Nola asked.

  “Yes. We’ve been thinking of a few things to try in hopes on pinpointing where Myla is being kept,” Denise said.

  Kinsa walked into the dining area with Senn. “Voice modification is now possible on each of your medallions,” Senn said. He used Kinsa for the demonstration. In an instant Kinsa was a male and speaking like one, the next a small girl with the voice of a child.

  “Great. That will come in handy for us to finish our fact finding mission with Terry and the Biker Boys,” Layla giggled.

  “We will have two craft in the immediate area constantly,” Nola said.

  “Great,” Denise said, placing the medallion around her neck. “We need to get back to our hotel and extend our stay come to think of it, we only paid for one night.”

  “Mari is ready to take you back whenever you are ready,” Nola said.

  “Ok. Thank you for the delicious breakfast,” Layla said.

  “It was our pleasure,” Pyta said.

  “We’ll just pack it up and meet you at the shuttle,” Denise said.

  “Be careful,” Nola said.

  “Thanks, we will,” Denise smiled.

  After being dropped off by Mari, they drove back to the Motel 6 and paid in advance for two more days.

  “Whatcha wanna do today?” Layla asked.

  “I’ll let you know in a minute, but in the mean time you can head back towards Terry and the boys,” Denise said.

  Layla drove the Mustang VW Beetle down Coffee Port Road.

  “Just drive on by slowly,” Denise said. “Good, three bikes parked at the neighbors trailer. Do you want to be the Girl Scout or the Mother driving her around?”

  “Oh, I’ll be the Girl Scout and do the talking, you can do the motherly smiling and probing.”

  “Good plan.”

  They continued about a mile up the road and did a U-turn, parking on the shoulder. “Here is a picture of a uniform. Don’t forget the medals,” Denise giggled.

  “Nice short skirt,” Layla said.

  “Not too short, these are creatures that are easily aroused.”

  “Whoa, look at you mumsy,” Layla said, turning to see a different Hooters style woman sitting next to her with long black hair.

  “We need to change places and cars. Anyone who looks like this would not be caught dead in a VW Beetle.”

  “You looking for a date?”

  “Precisely.”

  They traded places and Layla changed the appearance of the Mustang to a black 1999 Pontiac Bonneville. “I love Pontiacs, I wish they never would have stopped making them.”

  “Me too. Ok, do you know what kind of cookies you’re selling?”

  “Ha, like they are going to buy cookies,” Layla laughed.

  “We’ll do the trailer first.”

  Denise pulled the Mustang Bonneville onto the gravel driveway between the house and the trailer with bikes parked in front. They both got out of the car and slammed the doors loud enough for anyone inside to hear. “Ok baby, do you’re thing,” Denise said in a southern accent, now chewing on a stick of gum.

  Layla walked up to the door of the trailer and knocked on it. Denise saw a drape mov
e but no one came to the door. “Maybe no one is home mom,” Layla said.

  “Knock again sugar, I just saw one of the drapes move.”

  Layla knocked again. This time a large biker came to the door. “Hello. Would you like to buy?” Layla started before being cut off.

  “We ain’t buying nothing,” the biker said.

  Layla put on as sad a face as she could imagine. “Come on mom,” she said.

  “Wait a minute honey. Is that any way to talk to a child?” Denise said.

  There were now two bikers in the doorway looking at who said that.

  “Well, if you were selling something else we might be interested. Take a look at me baby, do I look like I need or want your cookies?”

  “You look familiar,” Denise said. “Maybe it was a bar or restaurant, but I think I know some of your friends.”

  “We don’t get out much and when we do it’s usually somewhere biker friendly like Jackie’s over in Pharr,” one of the other bikers said.

  “That could have been it. Well sorry to waste your time fellas. Maybe I’ll see you around,” Denise said, really pouring on her swaying as she and Layla walked back to the car. “Hey, would it be ok to leave my car parked here just to see if they want anything next door?”

  “Sure thing. What’s your name?”

  “Candy, what’s yours,” Denise asked.

  “I am Les, and these two monsters are Joe and Pat.”

  “Pleasure to meet you.”

  They walked over to the house next door where someone was already waiting by the front door. “Can I have you ladies, I mean help you ladies?” a biker asked.

  “Would you be interested in buying some of our Girl Scout cookies,” Layla smiled.

  “Let me ask,” he said, smiling away at Denise who was acting absolutely obscene flirting with body movements and smiles.

  Terry came to the door. “We would really love to buy cookies from you, but we are only in town for a few days,” he said.

  “Gee, that’s too bad,” Denise smiled. Terry, stop by Jackie’s in Pharr tonight and let’s have dinner and some drinks. You can bring your friends if you like, or not.

  “What’s your name?” Terry asked.

  “Candy. Come on honey, let’s try down the road.”

  “Ok mom. It was a pleasure to meet you mister,” Layla said.

  “Good luck.”

  They walked back to the car. Denise had a hard time controlling her laughter as four grown men in front of the house and three in front of the trailer watched her get back into the car.

  She carefully turned the car around and made a left on Coffee Port Road in the direction she said she was going to go in front of Terry.

  “Baby, you were spectacular,” Layla laughed. “Those boys would have done ANYTHING for you, but buy cookies that is.”

  When they were out of view, she pulled over on the shoulder. “Throw us into stealth would you sugar?” She made a U-turn and headed back past the house and trailer. “They do know each other,” she said, as she stopped in front of all of them no doubt still talking and joking about her. “Do the bikes Supergirl, but leave them usable if you would.”

  “With pleasure.”

  The bikes tipped over and crashed onto the ground.

  “What the fuck?” a few bikers shouted heading over to pick up their bikes.

  “Great. Now wait until they pick them up and do it again,” Denise said.

  When they returned to the air-conditioned relief of the house and trailer, Layla once again sent the bikes tumbling.

  “Come on darling. We got us a date tonight,” Denise said.

  “Goddess give me strength,” Layla sighed.

  Chapter 48

  Bar And Grill

  Cyfer sat on a chair in the Motel 6 hotel room. “It is something I will have to discuss with Nola. I will have an answer for you within the hour.”

  “I think it is necessary. They are suggesting evacuation start today. It seems the track of this storm will hit land closer and sooner than expected,” Denise said. “With the size and intensity of the cloud cover, it may be impossible to monitor anything from the air.”

  “It is not predicted to be your highest category,” Mari said.

  “It is still going to be bad enough. Mari, I don’t want to lose Myla again, or for good. I suspect plans within plans here, and I keep seeing us,” Denise said, motioning to herself and Layla, “in the desert, and it does not look like we are on vacation.”

  “You know your species better that us. We will get back to you as soon as we have an answer,” Mari said.

  “Thanks.”

  Cyfer and Mari left for their rendezvous with their shuttle.

  “Do you just want to eat at this place?” Layla asked.

  “There are a few things on their menu that look edible, but no, I don’t want to eat there. I’d like my food to stay down.”

  “Great. Shall we then, I’m a little hungry?”

  “There’s a Whataburger across the street.”

  “Yes, let’s.”

  They sat down to a meal and discussed the possibilities of what they had planned for the evening. When finished they noticed the wind picking up considerably.

  “Never been near a hurricane,” Denise said.

  “Me neither. Always wanted to experience one though.”

  “You just might get your chance. This is going to start getting hairy tomorrow, I can feel it in my young bones.”

  “Come on, let’s pick out a couple of nice outfits for us to wear,” Layla said.

  “Yeeehaw.”

  When it was time, they made their way to Jackie’s in Pharr. Occasionally they would feel a strong gust of wind hit the Mustang Bonneville broadside making it shimmy. Layla parked the car in the lot away from the building, backing it in in case they had to get away in a hurry.

  “Looks relatively innocent Candy,” Layla giggled.

  “Shore does Tammy,” Denise laughed. “C’mon sugar, let’s go have us a drink.”

  “We don’t have to drink beer do we?”

  “Honey, we are ladies, we can drink whatever the hell we want.”

  The place had a bit of a dive feel too it, like a slightly cleaner PK’s in Carbondale without a bar and much better food. After their second Margarita Denise had incoming from Myla.

  Denizen.

  Myla.

  Visitor returns from trailer.

  She watched as Terry and Les walked towards the place where she was being kept. They were not in any of the vehicles that had been in front of where they were staying, so they had not been tagged for tracking.

  Something happening as early as tomorrow night.

  Myla, I understand. Try to find out as much as you can.

  I will.

  Are they treating you well?

  Yes. Locked up but yes.

  Stay strong Myla.

  Yes.

  “We gotta go,” Denise said.

  They each took one last sip on their drinks and walked out of the bar.

  “Leaving already honey?” a blonde biker said who was leaning against the driver’s side of the Mustang Bonneville.

  “Get off my car,” Denise said.

  “Well ain’t you the friendly bitch?” the other one said.

  “No. We’re not friendly at all,” Layla said. In one sweeping motion she had the two bikers hovering roughly thirty feet in the air. They hit the roof of the restaurant with a crashing thud when she released them. She got into the driver’s seat and sped away back to Brownsville, putting the car into stealth a block away.

  “Where to exactly?” Layla asked.

  “I’ve lost my ability to control the thought and actions of another. Layla, this sucks.”

  “Maybe there is a reason. I can hear you fine. Try it on me now.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes, but remember I am driving.”

  Squeeze your left breast in your hand and ask me how to say breast in Lithuanian. Denise thought. />
  “How do you say breast in Lithuanian?” Layla said, squeezing her left breast in her hand.

  “I guess I do still have it. Could someone like Terry be immune?”

  “How do you say breast in Lithuanian?”

  “Kruties.”

  “It sounds fab in any language,” Layla laughed.

  “It’s going to take a while to get back. Let’s go straight to the house and the trailer.”

  “Lay it on me.”

  Denise explained what she wanted to do if Terry and Les had returned.

  They cruised past the house slowly still in the Mustang Bonneville. “I don’t see the car they arrived in,” Denise said.

  “That doesn’t mean they weren’t dropped off.”

  Layla turned the lights off and backed into the driveway. They both exited the car, Denise as Candy and Layla as herself. Layla knocked on the door of the trailer. It was either Joe or Pat that opened the door. “Hey there, is Les around?” Denise asked.

  “Les, looks like you were the lucky one she chose to be first,” the biker called.

  “Hey now, what brings you back here at this hour?” Les asked, stepping out of the trailer walking towards Denise who was standing about ten feet behind Layla. “Why you sugar.” It’s him Supergirl, do your thing.

  Layla slammed the two bikers still in the doorway into each other knocking them out.

  “What the fuck?” Les shouted, turning to reach for Layla. He was too slow. With a flick of her hand he was lying on the ground unconscious.

  “Damn he’s a heavy fucker,” Layla moaned as they carried him to the car and loaded him into the back seat.

  “He’s going to get a lot lighter if he does not cooperate,” Denise said.

  Layla sped down Coffee Port Road where they rendezvoused with Mari who collected them in the shuttle.

  Chapter 49

  A Ride

  Denise, in her own form, sat in a chair across the room from Les aboard the Tyrine. He was secured to the chair he was on dressed in his underwear only. She could not imagine how he was being held in place, but Kinsa assured her he would not be able to move.