Shrugging, Brandon walked over. Some company may be a welcome distraction after the horrible day he had just experienced. But as he got closer, he slowed. He noticed that some of the people didn't look too happy and a few more steps closer he saw that they were tied to the chairs. His heart suddenly started beating and he turned to go when he saw two agents standing behind him. Fear gave way to a sudden rush of anger, however, as he remembered Rachel and before he knew it he punched one of the agents in the face as hard as he could, yelling angrily. The agent didn't look fazed by the pummeling Brandon delivered. The agent looked at a man behind Brandon, who turned in time to see the man shrug, smile, and shake his head. When he turned back he had just enough time to see the elbow coming straight at his jaw. The next thing he saw was a bright flash and then darkness.
Jacob shook his head as he looked down at Brandon. "You know, I'd really have offered him a beer." He looked at one of the agents who pulled out his gun and started attaching a sound suppressor on it.
"No! Please!" Sally screamed, trembling. Brandon had been Steven's only real childhood peer and she couldn't bear to see him harmed, much less shot. "Please, don't kill him," she pleaded.
Walking over to her, Jacob knelt down and regarded Sally with a cool gaze. "Now what would motivate me to let him live?"
"He hasn't done anything to you!" Sally said, tears streaming down her face.
"No, I think it's more than that." He sat on his chair and looked at her for a moment. "I think you know this person."
Jacob looked over at the agent that had pulled Brandon's wallet out. "Brandon Williams, sir," the agent stated.
"Really? From the Williams property our friend Steven was just at?" Jacob looked at Sally as he stood up. She gulped, terrified. The agent looked at the address then nodded. "Well." Jacob put his hands on his hips. "Steven knows this guy. That changes everything." Jacob looked at the others. "After all, who am I to just kill one of Steven's best friends? That would be just... cruel." He grinned. One of the agents picked Brandon up bodily, deposited him in one of the chairs, and zip tied him to it.
"Yeah, this is turning into a real shindig. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Don't you think?" He looked at his captives smiling broadly. "I think the star of our party will be here shortly. Then we'll all have some fun."
The glow on the other side of the hill got brighter and brighter as Steven approached it. He was in more familiar territory now and knew the trees much better. Asherah was still not saying anything and he was starting to vacillate back to being nuts, hearing voices, and hallucinating. He had gone back and forth so many times he was surprised he wasn't giving himself motion sickness. For a while he thought that maybe all these extraordinarily fantastical circumstances might have some truth to them, and then he would think that he's got some disorder where he's dreaming it all up. To believe or not to believe, the classic question for one who is questioning reality or the lack thereof. There were too many unanswered questions that lay directly in the realm of fantasy. Who else traveled by tree? And yet there were too many reasons to question the supplied explanations. After all, the meadow was just a meadow with a dead tree in the center. And aliens? Steven shook his head.
He finally arrived to the thinning of the forest and dropped out of the trees onto the ground. Brushing pine needles off his clothes, he trotted out onto the street and headed for the closest bus stop. It was late and he hoped he hadn't missed the last bus. Running on concrete jarred him so he slowed to a fast walk until he finally made it to the small structure that sheltered the bench. As he walked to it he noticed an elderly black man sitting there reading a newspaper.
Steven could hardly believe who he saw. "Brian?"
The man looked up and smiled. "Well hello, Steven. It's very good to see you."
"Oh, so likewise, Brian." Steven grinned and took Brian's extended hand. "I'm surprised to see you out this way."
"I have an unlimited pass so sometimes I just ride the routes to see where they go," Brian said, folding his newspaper up and looking at Steven. "Did you ever find a job?"
"Yeah. I ended up working for the apartment complex where I live and I manage the garden on the roof," Steven said. He had forgotten the garden and wondered if the residents were mad at him for not being there. But he had been unavoidably occupied. Of course, telling them that he couldn't deliver their tomatoes because someone was shooting at him would be pretty awkward. He would have to come up with some suitable excuse.
"That's just wonderful, Steven. I always knew you would find your place." His friend gave him a huge genuine smile. Steven was amazed at how outgoing this homeless man was.
"Well, it hasn't all been roses." Steven frowned.
"I can tell. It looks like you've been kicked around by a mule," Brian observed.
"I don't think it's over yet, either. They've been able to tell where I go. They could show up here even," Steven said, suddenly scared for his friend. Steven pulled out the scanner and sighed in relief. He had seen so many people associated with him die and suddenly felt an immense burden of guilt at placing them in mortal danger just by his presence. Brian looked at him and put his hand on his shoulder.
"Steven, never blame yourself for what bad people do. Ever. Do you understand me?" Brian said. Steven smiled weakly at him. He had been considering that Rachel would still be alive if he had not rushed over to Brandon's. "It's not your fault, Steven," Brian continued. Steven couldn't remember if he told him about Rachel or the other people dying because of him. He must have, however. Suddenly he was very tired.
"I feel that sometimes it is," Steven countered as the weight of his responsibility started to bear down on him. He could have stayed away from people, after all.
"Unless you are clairvoyant, you can't possibly predict what the bad guys will do. Are you clairvoyant, Steven?" Brian looked at him.
Steven shook his head. "But I should know when I do something that puts others in danger. I should have known, Brian."
Brian sat there for a moment. "Hindsight, Steven. Our lives are full of shoulda, coulda, wish I did this, wish I did that. If you obsess over that, it will drive you mad. Bad things happen and sometimes we find ourselves involved in what's going on. But always bear in mind that it's the bad people who are responsible. Not you," Brian said.
Steven nodded, wishing he could tell him more and wondering if he did tell him more if Brian would still say the same thing. He was going to respond when the bus pulled up. Maybe they'll discuss this later. Steven had a mission to accomplish. Brian sat there with his paper folded in his lap as Steven got on the bus. He waved and Steven waved back, then he resumed reading his paper, waiting for the next bus.
The apartment building was very quiet. The Mustang sat at the curb and Steven felt happy that Brandon remembered what building he lived in. He half wondered if Brandon would have forgotten since the time he gave Steven a ride home. He looked up and down the street but didn't see any SUVs or any heavily armed agents hiding in the shadows. But time was of the essence. If they were tracking him, he would have to get into their system and fake his position before they had a chance to nail him there. He rushed up the steps and into the apartment, looking at the scanner again and still not seeing any indication that he was being tracked. He almost bumped into Richard on his way in and yelped in surprise.
"Hey, bub, where have you been?" Richard said, equally surprised. He looked Steven up and down. "You look like crap."
"I've been in a pretty bad scrape, Richard," Steven explained. His mind raced madly trying to come up with something plausible to tell him. Steven wanted to try to keep what was really happening between just him and Brandon as much as possible. "I'm really sorry for not calling."
"The tenants have been bugging me about the their vegetables. I've had to go up there and try to pick what they ordered," Richard said.
"Really? How did it go?" Steven was impressed. Richard usually avoided his plants as if they were evil.
"Actually, it we
nt better than I expected. I may just start learning more about gardening. Laura came up and helped too, by the way," Richard said, winking at Steven and smiling. Laura was a tenant that was particularly excited about the garden, and excited about Richard too. Steven grinned. More motivation for Richard to learn to garden.
He got serious and looked at Steven and his cuts and bruises. "You look like Hell warmed over, Steven. Why don't you take a few days to recover and I'll hold down the fort."
"Richard, I can't tell you how much I appreciate that!" Steven was truly impressed by his boss. He really needed a few days to regain his equilibrium and get things back under control.
"No problem, Steven." Richard clocked him on the shoulder and Steven winced. "Oops, sorry."
Steven rubbed his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm going to bed now. I have a feeling I'll stay in bed for a while," Steven said as he walked into the elevator. Richard waved and Steven waved back as the elevator doors closed. A few days to execute his plans for payback would come in very handy too. Steven leaned against the elevator wall as it ascended toward the roof, looking forward to seeing his friend again.
Chapter 25
"Now, I'm going to be totally up front with you." Laurence had just walked back into the cave after he climbed up again and sat on the stool facing Asherah, smiling amicably. He had scouted the area and determined they were alone. That was a plus toward his continued survival. He scooted his bench closer to Asherah and leaned forward until his face was just inches from hers. He could feel her breath as she continued gasping for air under the constriction of the zip tie around her neck. Still smiling, he continued, "Extensive research has determined that actual torture rarely extracts accurate results." He looked at her, trying to meet her averting gaze. "Hey, you understand me, don't you? Speaky English?" Laurence snapped his fingers in front of her face. "I think you do. Your physiology is responding to what I say, so I know you understand me."
Laurence sat up straight and stretched. His back was sore where she had gripped him and he wondered if she cracked a rib. Her grip was like a vice. "Well, I happen to agree with that research." He clasped his hands in his lap. "Torture for me has proven mainly recreational." Laurence grinned. "Of course, it's all in the mind of the subject." Laurence leaned closer to Asherah. "I think water-boarding has done wonders for my complexion, for instance. Don't you agree?" He turned his face to the left and right so she could see. "Smooth as a baby's bottom." Laurence smiled. "My captors weren't so lucky when they followed up on my... information." He sighed, "Ah, those were the days."
"But that brings us to a conundrum. You see, my captors should have known better. Torture either gets you what you want to hear, or what the subject wants you to hear, and either is rarely what you need to hear." Laurence looked down as his captive's body. She had a remarkable figure, with a full bosom, a thin, athletic build, and powerful looking hips. He knew for a fact how strong she was. Laurence found her short fur most fascinating, and even a bit alluring. But, they weren't to that point in the interrogation yet, and he didn't want to spoil a pristine alien specimen if he had a choice.
Laurence looked around at the cave. It was a spartan affair. A sleeping mat in the corner, bowls of mushrooms and dried fish hanging from the ceiling. Who would live like this on purpose when there were such lush jungles out there rich in fruit and fresh air? "You..." he looked back at her, "you're not here by choice, are you?" He got up, went to the ledge, and looked down. He had hidden the body but he tried to remember more about it. The alien that attacked him was obviously older than the girl. Laurence had wondered if the creature was somehow related to her. If she was sneaking around the forest on Earth trying to meet Steven, then she was either cheating on a husband, sneaking around on a father or brother, or sneaking around on a guard. He looked at her. A husband, father or brother would normally elicit a pretty intense emotional response when killed right in front of you. She reacted to the death, but more in the way of an acquaintance being killed than a relative or loved one.
"You've been a naughty girl, haven't you?" He smiled. Her look told him all he needed to know. "This is a prison cell." Laurence looked out over the edge. "No bars though. And they let you out to play."
Laurence walked back to her and sat down. "Okay, Asherah. Steven is apparently quite smitten with you. And from the way you smell and your cute little flower petals in your hair, you are obviously smitten with him. You guys have figured a way to meet up and I'll bet you've been sneaking around to do it." He leaned his elbows on his legs and rested his head on his clasped hands. "But it's okay. You can tell me about it. I won't tattle. I am really, really interested in knowing how you two do it." He caught himself and smirked, "I mean, how you travel to Earth. You know what I mean, right?" He looked down at her muscular but soft thighs and raised an eyebrow. "Well, mostly, anyway."
Asherah didn't say a thing, staring at him in resigned terror. Laurence grinned. He was confident he would get her to talk. They always talked. Even when they didn't talk. "I went back down there. If you used something it's not out there anywhere. Steven didn't look like he was using anything. So, it must be up in there," Laurence rapped her forehead and Asherah flinched, gasping as the zip tie constricted her movement. "Ooh, don't do that, honey." Laurence adjusted her head so the zip tie didn't cut her air off completely, stunned by how soft her fur was. "You know, you are a spectacular specimen."
He walked over to a bowl of mushrooms, grabbed one, and sniffed it. "Want one? Maybe it's 'shroom power?" He walked over and put one by her mouth. She turned her head, gasping for breath again as she did so. "No?" Laurence put the bowl down. "Maybe it's not you at all?" Her pupils confirmed his guess. "It's all Steven!" Laurence exclaimed. Asherah twisted and strained against the restraints, gasping for air even more. "You know, I knew from the instant I met him that he was a special kid," Laurence laughed, shaking his head. "That would explain why you haven't poofed out of here." Laurence paced back and forth. "But, if that's the case, why didn't Steven just poof here?" Laurence was perplexed and looked at her. Her eyes were tightly closed, tears streaming from them.
"I've chased that kid all over Washington and even captured him once and not once did he just... poof. He's a slippery cuss, though. But nothing like this." Laurence held out his hands and looked around. He walked over to her again and sat down, staring at her. "If it's him, maybe he doesn't know it?" He looked out of the cave entrance from where he was sitting. "Because, I have to tell you, if I was Steven, I would have come here and completely forgotten about Earth. This place, just... wow." He rubbed his eyes. Laurence was feeling the days without sleep, but tried hard not to show it.
He looked back at Asherah. "You know, the faster you talk, the faster I get out of your hair. I just want to go home." Laurence smiled. Asherah looked at him in silence. "I think this is where I'm supposed to begin the torture. You know, for its recreational value." Laurence smirked and leaned toward Asherah. "I don't want you to answer me too quickly and ruin a good torture, okay?"
But Asherah was no longer paying attention to him, however. She was looking somewhere else. At him, but not at him. She was crying freely now and said something Laurence didn't quite expect. "I love you, Steven. We will go together," Asherah whispered softly.
Steven collected himself, planning his next steps while he rode the elevator up. He had to access the signal that the receiver was using then set up a proxy where he could feed their trackers any information he wanted. It was actually trivial for him and he already had the steps he was going to use laid out in his head. Speed was of the essence. They couldn't fix on his current location for a second or his plan could fail altogether. He closed his eyes and revisited those steps to make sure he didn't miss anything. He mentally worked himself up to act quickly, as if getting ready to sprint a race. They hadn't shown up yet, but if they zeroed in on this apartment before he had a chance to redirect them, then he would lose his private little castle and his friends here would be in danger.
&n
bsp; Thoughts about Asherah intruded again. He remembered the greenhouse and wondered if she would be there. He was surprised that he actually hoped so. Her silence was disquieting. The last time she was quiet she said her father had drugged her. He wondered what would be the reason this time. As conflicted as he was about her, he still found that her voice, her mental presence, even her visual presence all did something for him. Strangely, it made part of him feel alive. Steven couldn't quite nail it down. Imagined or not, he was wondering if she wouldn't be a benefit to him rather than the detraction that James had said.
As the elevator came to a stop, he shook himself out of his thoughts. He was exhausted and sorely wanted some good sleep. And a good meal. He remembered his stash of dried figs, and there was surely a bunch of fresh veggies he could grab to put together something tasty. Did he have any mushrooms left? He couldn't remember. It's been only a couple of days but it seemed like an eternity had passed. Brandon will probably be hungry too. But then if the death of Rachel was still too fresh on his mind, maybe not. Steven sighed, feeling badly for Rachel. She was beautiful and vivacious, and apparently really attracted to Brandon. Her last words were troubling, however. What did she mean? How did she know his parents?
As he was pondering that, the elevator door opened and he walked out and looked around. It was quiet up there, but there was a group of people over where everyone usually hung out at night. Steven decided to avoid them and the million questions they would certainly ask and headed quickly to his greenhouse when he saw Brandon sitting with them. He didn't look happy, but then he did just have his home trashed and his girlfriend killed. The others seemed to be pretty quiet too. Are they trying to console Brandon? He hesitated, thinking he should go over there, too. But he remembered the tracker. He had to disable the tracker before Laurence had a chance of finding him and them.
Crow - The Awakening Page 56