In His Alien Hands

by C. L. Scholey

  Josie took a long, hot shower and then flipped through the channels while Bane took his turn in the bathroom. Nothing else was on—every single channel was dedicated to keeping an eye on the invaders and informing the public.

  She was changing into her nightgown when the power went out.

  “Bane?” Using the furniture for guidance, she stumbled toward the bathroom. She heard the door open and saw a tall, dark shape emerge.

  “Jose?”

  His use of her nickname caught her off-guard, had old Bane returned? She reached out, her hands coming in contact with Bane’s still damp chest. “I don’t know what happened. Everything went dark.”

  He took her hand and led her carefully over to the window to peer outside. Markley meowed and she reached down to stroke the cat rubbing against her legs.

  “Even the main house is out,” Bane said. “I’m going to walk up there and see if they have a generator or a battery-powered radio.” He led Josie over to the bed and she watched his shadowy figure pull on his clothes. “Stay here,” he said, heading for the door.

  “Okay, hurry though.”

  She was curled up on the bed with Markley when he returned a short time later.

  She sat up and peered at him through the darkness. “Did you find out anything?”

  He fiddled with something over at the side table. She heard a match strike and saw the glow of a small flame as he lit a couple of long candles set in little holders. “He’s got a windup radio. Most stations have gone dark, but the others are running on generator power.”

  “Is it everywhere then? Not just local?”

  Bane came up to stand before the bed. When he spoke the neutral tone of his voice gave Josie a chill. “The entire world’s gone dark. This is the second wave, as I expected.”

  “What do you mean the second wave?”

  “Arrival was the first,” he said.

  “What will happen next?” Her voice was barely a whisper. He seemed to know what was going on. How or why he possessed this knowledge was a mystery.

  “I don’t know for sure. Hopefully, it won’t happen for a while, at least another day or two.”

  “You think they’re here to destroy us, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” He didn’t bother to sugarcoat it.

  Josie held onto hope during the restless hours of the night that things may be better come morning. Though the power never came back on, at least they could see in the daylight.

  As usual, Bane was up and dressed before her, impatient to be on their way. They only spared a few minutes to bid their hosts goodbye and good luck and then continue on down the highway. They stopped at a wide stream a few hours later to soak their feet and eat some of their snacks. Attached to his lead, Markley sat in the tall grass, keeping a sharp eye on insects.

  “Where are we going, Bane?”

  “We’ll be there soon.”

  It frustrated her how he refused to answer most of her questions. If she pressed him, he shut down completely. She ran her fingers over the bump the ring made in the denim pocket of her jeans. Bane hadn’t mentioned anything about proposing. Josie wasn’t surprised given what they’d endured, not to mention his strange behavior.

  “Do you love me?” she suddenly asked him.

  “What?” He stared at her.

  “I said ‘do you love me’?” He’d been the first one in their relationship to say those words to her, and she’d heard it every day until the UFOs arrived.

  When he shrugged and looked away she sighed. Where exactly did things stand between them in this relationship now? Could she even call it a relationship any longer? Bane was intent on keeping her safe, that much was apparent. But the way he treated her suggested she was nothing more than important baggage.

  Had he brought her with him out of a sense of obligation? Or was it something else? It certainly didn’t seem like he acted out of love. She stared at his profile, searching for signs of instability. Maybe he’d lost all sense of reason and was acting on impulse? Was she right to blindly follow him? What other choice did she have?

  Bane pulled on his socks and boots. Seeing his intention to leave, she did the same. She coaxed Markley back into his carrier and waited while Bane swung the backpack on and slung the other bag over his shoulder.

  When he led them back onto the road, Josie followed along silently.

  * * * *

  The sun was just beginning to set when they reached the lake. Bane didn’t question how he knew exactly where to go and what to do. Awakening to his purpose had been liberating. Strength and decisiveness flowed through his veins like a divine right.

  “Why have we come here?” Josie asked.

  He saw her shiver and didn’t know if she suffered from a chill or fear. Probably both. His conscience reared up and he thought of going over and holding her, if only for a moment or two. Annoyance battled with nostalgia and glimpses of his old feelings that left him unsettled, until the Sentinel in him prevailed. He gazed across the smooth surface of the small, circular lake and felt calm settle over him.

  The boat was upside down and hidden in the overgrown brush beside the water’s edge several yards away. He strode in its direction, knowing Josie would follow. He could hear her clumsy footsteps stumbling in haste behind him.

  “Bane,” she called. “What are you doing?”

  He ignored her.

  Reaching the boat, he cleared away several years’ worth of brush, which almost obscured it from view. Once he finished, he flipped the boat over and untied an old, worn rope that secured it to a tree. Next, he pulled the boat to the edge of the lake and pushed it into the water. He tossed the bags he carried onto its floor. He coiled the rope around his arm and placed that into the boat as well. Then he set the oars into place. It was a sturdy little rowboat—nothing extravagant, but it would get them to the middle of the lake.

  Exactly where he needed them to be.

  * * * *

  Josie took a look at that boat and one thought reared up in her mind. “Are you crazy?”

  He had to be kidding. Bane didn’t know how to even safely climb into a boat, never mind row one. If there was anything she knew and accepted about her man, it’s that he was a city boy through and through. At least, he had been up until recently.

  She took a step back when he reached for Markley’s carrier. “No.”

  “What do you mean no? Give me the damned cat and get in the boat.” He was glaring at her again.

  She backed up more. “I don’t know what the hell you’re doing, but I don’t want any part of it.”

  Bane climbed into the boat, his sudden movements making it rock precariously. “I’m getting you to safety, that’s what I’m doing.”

  “Safety is in Barrie, not here. Look around you! There’s no one on this lake but us. No cottages, no nothing. I can’t keep blindly following you like some fool. You have no idea what you’re doing, do you?”

  “You need to trust me.”

  Josie could see the intent burning in his eyes. Before the UFOs and before he turned Terminator she would have believed in him, no questions asked. But now… “I have trusted you for days. And look what it’s gotten me—stuck in the middle of nowhere. We have no food, no money…” The ground beneath her feet suddenly vibrated and then shifted. The water rippled and the boat rocked. “Bane?”

  The look on his face frightened her; he didn’t appear shocked or worried, just resigned. The ground then shook so abruptly she fell forward onto her hands and knees. Markley screeched as his carrier landed on its side. Josie heard cracking noises all around, followed by the sound of crashing. She lifted her head and scanned the forest. Trees were falling. Not just one or two, but several.

  Bane was at her side in an instant, kneeling down, his arms around her. She looked into his eyes and for once they weren’t bright with anger. The eyes staring at her now, filled with tenderness and concern, belonged to the man she knew, the man she loved.

  “Come with me, Jose. Please,” he sai
d.

  She nodded and allowed him to help her to her feet. The earthquake continued, knocking more trees down. Overhead, the sky rapidly darkened with eerie, black clouds flashing with lightning. Rain began to fall. “What’s happening?”

  “Third wave,” he said, a large boom of thunder accenting his words. His look turned hard, once more masking the man she knew. He gripped her hand, and when she pulled away he snatched up Markley’s carrier and strode toward the water.

  “Don’t,” she warned.

  He put the carrier on the floor of the boat and climbed in. Arms crossed, he stared at her defiantly. “You have two choices. You either come with me.” He raised his voice over the noise of the mounting storm. “Or you take your chances here.”

  Judging by the expression on his face, she knew he meant what he said. That son-of-a-bitch would leave her there. “You’re a fucking asshole.” She strode forward, ducked beneath his outstretched hand, and climbed into the boat. As she sat down on the front seat she matched his hard look with one of her own. “Hope you know how to row, fucker.”

  He sat down and, to her surprise, began to row. They glided swiftly across the choppy waves that sloshed over the sides of the boat. He gauged his direction by peering over his shoulder. Though she fumed, she was also amazed at the ease and skill he displayed with the oars. She longed to ask him about his newly acquired ability but more pressing worries bombarded her. What did he mean about the third wave? Was he actually implying the UFOs had something to do with the storm and the earthquakes? How could that be possible? Causing a blackout was one thing, but messing with nature was quite another.

  She braced Markley’s carrier between her feet, grit her teeth, and pulled the hood of her jacket up over her head. The waves grew in size as the earthquakes continued, and she worried about trees crashing onto them if they crossed the lake and tried to dock on the other side.

  But that didn’t appear to be Bane’s plan. When they reached the middle of the water he stopped rowing and let go of the oars. Maybe he feared the falling trees, and he figured they were safest far from shore? He got to his feet.

  “Whatever happens, stay put,” he said, and then dove over the side of the boat.

  “Bane!”

  She went down on her knees and reached out, scrambling to find him in the dark water, but he’d gone deep and there was no sign of him. She screamed his name over and over, until her voice grew hoarse.

  “Why did you leave me?” she whispered. They’d come so far together, so why now? Exhausted, she slumped against the side of the boat and waited.

  Remarkably, the boat remained where he’d left it despite the waves determined to push it back to shore. He hadn’t anchored it, Josie reflected; the only rope she saw lay coiled on the floor. The rain continued to pour down, and the world around her still erupted in chaos.

  How could you leave me here?

  How long she remained sitting numbly, hearing the frightened cries of Markley over the howl of the wind and the thunder, she had no idea. So when a light appeared beneath the surface and a wide, dark shape began to rise up, she stared at it in shock. “What the hell?”

  Slowly, the object surfaced. She noted it was sleek and black, about eight or more feet high by about ten feet long, saucer-shaped, resembling a miniature version of the UFOs floating over the cities. A moment later she saw a hidden panel whisk upward revealing a doorway. Bane stood in the opening.

  “Bane?” She stared at him in wonder.

  The craft rested barely five feet from the boat. “Reach the oar out to me and I’ll pull you over,” he instructed.

  She found herself mechanically obeying. The sight of him, knowing he was safe, overcame any reservations she harbored. He caught the oar and pulled her toward him.

  “The cat,” he said.

  “Oh, yeah.” Did I actually forget Markley?

  He put the carrier inside the craft and then took the other bags she passed to him. Then he reached for her hand.

  She caught a glimpse over his shoulder of a high-tech panel with flashing lights. A domed, circular podium, about waist high, dominated the center of the space.

  He pulled her up and moved aside, giving her room to enter. The door whisked shut, closing them inside. She looked around in wonder.

  “How?” The first question that came to mind.

  “There’s a lot to explain. First, we need to head someplace safe.”

  He led her over to a pair of high-back chairs and she sat down. He took up a stance before the podium and peered down intently, as though searching for something. Sets of controls encircled the miniature dome. He pushed a few buttons and flipped a couple of switches, causing the dome to glow. Across from her she saw a section of the ship vibrate and then become transparent, allowing her to see outside.

  Bane came over and sat down in the seat beside her. As the craft lifted up off the surface of the water he reached for her hand. Very soon the tops of the trees disappeared and all she could see was the starry night sky. She knew they were moving, but she’d yet to feel any motion.

  She stared down at her hand clinging tightly to Bane’s. Lifting her gaze to his, she was dismayed at seeing the stranger she’d spent the last few days with, and not the man she’d fallen in love with. It dawned on her that he probably hadn’t taken her hand in comfort. More likely, it was to keep her from fleeing.

  Chapter 4

  This is it, Josie thought. Bane was taking her to one of the huge ships in the sky. He was the enemy, and she’d blindly followed him right to her own demise. The words take me to your leader echoed in her head. She stifled the urge to give in to crazed laughter. How could she have been so trusting? So stupid?

  “Are you one of them?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

  “No.” His chilly gaze suggested otherwise.

  Carefully, she disentangled her fingers from his and tried to scoot over in her seat. His eyes narrowed.

  “I’m not one of them,” he insisted.

  She stared around the interior of the ship, vainly searching for a way out.

  “Jose.” His voice was gentle, but she wasn’t fooled.

  “I know what this is. It’s like Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” Josie got to her feet and glared at him accusingly. If she was going down, she’d go down fighting. And knowing the truth.

  He actually laughed. “God, this is my fault for making you watch that damned movie a million times with me.”

  Josie peered at him intently. Yes, he looked like Bane. And when he tried really hard, he could even act like Bane. But he wasn’t him. He couldn’t be him. She waved her hand. “You don’t fool me. Not anymore. I should have seen it earlier, all the signs were there. The coldness, the detachment, you don’t even like the cat.”

  “I saved the damn cat,” he argued.

  “Grudgingly, and only so you could get me to go with you. So what happens now, huh? You take me up to the ship and some alien asshole inhabits my body too?”

  “Calm down.” He exhaled loudly and ran a hand over his head.

  “Don’t tell me to calm down. You’ve kidnapped me, and now you’re taking me up there—”

  “I’m not taking you to the alien ship,” he interrupted.

  “Then where are you taking me?”

  He reached out his hand and Josie took a step back. “Don’t touch me.”

  “I haven’t been replaced by a pod person.”

  “Yeah, well prove it,” she snapped.

  He stared at her for several moments. A coy smile crossed his lips as though he recalled something amusing. “Do you remember how we got Markley?”

  “Yes, of course. Do you?”

  He chuckled then frowned as though annoyed with himself. “We weren’t looking for a pet. We’d talked about getting one once we saved up enough money to buy a house. But then, we wanted a dog.”

  Josie nodded, but wasn’t taken in so easily.

  “I was writing my fourth novel. You were at my old apartment maki
ng us dinner and I was working. I came out of the den and asked you to come listen to something.”

  She didn’t say anything, only waited for him to continue.

  “There was a scratching in the walls. You didn’t hear it, so I got you to kneel down behind my desk. Remember you told me the sound was in my head. That maybe I needed to take a break. But then you heard it too. You tapped on the drywall and we both heard a little cry. I dug a hole out with a knife, further down from the noise so I wouldn’t hurt whatever it was. You stood back by the door, afraid it was a rat, or a mouse, or something sinister. And then, out popped this tiny, black head meowing its face off. We named him Markley, after the alien in my story.”

  Josie wiped a tear that came to her eye. When he held out his hand again, she went to him. He pulled her into his arms, and she rested her head on his chest.

  The sky was so much darker, the stars so much brighter, since the blackout. Now that her initial shock had passed, Josie felt millions of questions brimming over inside of her. Whether her companion cared to answer them or not would be another matter.

  Markley meowed loudly, and she asked Bane if she could let him out. He agreed and she knelt down to open the carrier. The cat appeared unfazed; after sniffing around a bit, he curled up and began washing his paws.

  Bane moved around the small interior of the ship, opening and closing several hidden compartments. From each he extracted a palm-sized, metallic device that was high-tech in appearance. He put a couple of them into his jacket pockets, and the others into the bags they’d brought on board. Ignoring her sodden clothes, she retook her seat and gave her companion a quizzical gaze, hoping he’d take the hint.

  Eventually Bane sat down and ran his hand over his shaved head. She waited patiently while he appeared to gather his thoughts. “Earth is under attack. We’ve known this day would come eventually.”