by Chogan Swan
“Okay, I’m on it,” Kest said.
“You can still text?” Drew said.
Ayleana nodded. “This little box is a hardened shortwave radio that stores data. It pokes its antenna out at pre-arranged times and updates with others around the world, so we aren’t totally in the dark. But, it will be a pain to have to wait for responses between updates. The readout on the box says the next update time is in twenty minutes. I’m going to download any messages stored on the box now then send mine. Depending on how many messages I need to reply to, I’m going to have to hurry, so...”
“Yeah, got it. I won’t bother you for a bit then.”
“Cool, I’ll be with you after that, if you need to know anything. Hopefully, we’ll get a useful update.”
Ayleana pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned it on. She had a lot to report, most of it would be texted in nii script though. Some things didn’t need broadcasting to everyone.
~~~{}~~~
Kest scrolled through his new messages after the update. The first batch had included his roda group who were at the farm. They were worried, of course. Pressed for time, he’d just texted, ‘I’m ok. OMW!’ to all of them as a group. The messages in the symbionts’ group chat, included information from Tiana and Jonah as well as HumanaH and ShwydH. Of course, neither of the last two had full-fledged symbionts to add the human factor.
The first incoming texts from Jonah and Tiana were just current location and destination. The locations were in code. Kest checked his eidetic recall, reading the list of code words to interpret. Tiana and Jonah were heading to the solar farm. The delay for Drew had added four more downloads they hadn’t had a chance to reply to.
The surprise was that two were from Daniel with the new burner phone. Germany had been mostly untouched by the pulse. Kest wondered if it were because they were near other international banking centers and a path of retreat for the super-rich. He didn’t really know enough about it to guess, or to be sure it wasn't a fake message. Ayleana and Amber both agreed he should say something reassuring, but give nothing away.
‘Surviving. Love 2 mom. Signal spotty. More later,’ was all he felt he should risk. Though he wrote it in Apache, so Daniel would know it was from him.
Kest sent all the replies before the twenty-minute mark and the shortwave relay connected to the antenna and downloaded the next batch.
Of the messages they got in this download, the one marked urgent by Tiana to all of them was, ‘Meet us in (location code 39) ASAP.’
When he checked for the location on his mental list, it came back. Puerto Peñasco.
Chapter 36 — Coast to Coast
Ayleana looked up from her phone, meeting stares from Kest and Amber. Kest’s eyes stared at nothing for a second, and she knew he was calculating.
“That’s about thirty hours driving if we were taking the main roads, not counting delays,” he said.
Amber chuckled. “That tracks with the last time I made the drive four years ago, but I have a feeling we won’t be obeying the speed limit. I don’t know about you, Aylie, but Kest and I need sleep, and on the bikes we won’t be taking turns at the wheel.”
“Maybe we should take an SUV,” Kest said.
“What is it? Where are we going?” said Drew. “We have all these supplies here and we’re leaving?”
Ayleana shook her head. “Drew, I need you to stay here to wait for a friend we’re expecting. Daniels should have been here by now, and he may need help when he arrives. The three of us have orders, and you aren’t checked out on the bikes and night-vision goggles. Speed and mobility will be more important than comfort and armor on this trip. The off-road ability of the SUV is limited.”
Ayleana walked over to Amber and Kest. “You two sleep, don’t bother taking off your gear. I’ll give you something to maximize your sleepy time. We’ll be leaving in two hours.”
“Can I pee first?” Kest protested.
Ayleana stepped out of his way and nodded to the curtained area where the composting toilet waited.
“Ladies first! Ladies first!” Amber called, cutting in front of Kest and racing to the curtains.
“You could have given me a chance to offer,” Kest said.
“Oh such a gentleman,” she said, pulling the curtain closed.
Ayleana considered the logistics of the trip, checked the bikes and selected another from the garage while she waited for the two of them to finish.
“I just met you guys, and now I’m by myself again,” Drew said with a heavy sigh.
“When Daniels gets here, the two of you will follow us. Like I said, he’ll need help. Are you willing to help?”
“Sure I am. I just like being around you guys.”
Ayleana smiled. “I hope we’ll see you again soon. Tell him I said to head back to the farm. Daniels will know what that means. I’m sure you and he will get along great too. He’s funny as hell, but don’t tell him I said that or he’ll be a pain in my ass. But I’m worried about him, and I’d feel better knowing you’ll be here if he needs help.”
Drew straightened his shoulders. “I’ll take care of him, Ayleana.”
Ayleana smiled. “Thank you, Drew,” she said, touching his shoulder. Ayleana felt a little ashamed for pushing Drew’s buttons to win his cooperation, but it was for his good too. She couldn’t watch out for him and get herself and her family safe to Puerto Peñasco too. It was too risky already.
Amber came back from the comfort station and sat on the bed, lying down and adjusting her pillow. Ayleana moved to meet her. Amber looked up, her gold-flecked eyes curious.
“Ok, pull my tongue in your mouth as deep as you can and suck on it until you fall asleep.”
“Oh! I’m good at this game.” Amber said and cut her eyes to where Kest had just walked up to the bed. The skin around her nose crinkled with her mischievous look. “I know it’s long, but this is my first time with an alien. How long are we talking here?”
Ayleana suppressed an urge to grin. “It’s about a foot long.”
“No problem. Lay it on me, hot stuff.”
Ayleana bent over and sealed her lips to Amber’s. With a sexy moan, Amber pulled in Ayleana’s tongue the moment it touched her teeth. Amber’s scent changed to a low-level of arousal as she sucked it deep inside and caressed it in waves with her mouth and throat. Ayleana filed the technique away for later use herself as Amber continued for a while before relaxing and closing her eyes. When Ayleana pulled her tongue out, Amber gave a sleepy giggle as her head fell to the side.
Ayleana moved aside for Kest to lie down. His eyes were wide, staring at Amber.
Drew took a breath from where he sat at the table. He’d been holding it. “That was so hot.” he said with a touch of awe.
Kest lay beside Amber who snuggled against him, still asleep.
“Sweet dreams,” Ayleana said and bent down to kiss him—without tongue—long enough for him to know it was a real kiss, and not just drug delivery. With his fingertips, he brushed her cheek, and the tension that came when she’d told him her plan to use Drew for passing threshold dissipated.
Ayleana let the sleep enhancer release into her tongue and eased it between his teeth to let him take it at his own pace. Unlike with Amber, Ayleana continued to make it clear it was still a kiss, twisting and sliding with tender mouth caresses until his eyes closed and his body relaxed. She pulled her tongue back and broke the seal with his lips. With her fingers, she closed his jaw then stepped back.
“That was nice too, but in a different way. Yeah, you’ve got a thing for him,” Drew said.
Ayleana nodded, admitting the truth to herself as much as to Drew.
Hungry again, she went to the food shelves and took a ration bar designed for nii physiology from the red jar with the biohazard sign on it. The jar was tightened enough that a human would need to use a tool to open it. She ripped off the wrapper and finished the bar in a few quick bites. The threshold demands on her body were rising. Ayleana took another
bar from the container and devoured it too.
This will not be enough.
“Yeah, I do have a thing for him,” she said. “But I need emergency nourishment now, and I can’t get it from him. They’ll need their rest and energy and won’t have any to spare for me for awhile.”
She looked at Drew, The reproductive system stimulants she’d given him yesterday would still be in effect. Perhaps with a little blood too.... “Can I get your help with something?”
“Sure,” he said. “What do you need?”
“Let’s go in the garage. I don’t want to disturb their sleep. There is a nice big SUV in there.”
Chapter 37 — Pooberty
Kest watched the world go by as he spun in circles high above the ground. He looked down to see himself inside a waterspout, spiraling higher and higher into the sky. A drop of warm water splashed into his mouth and he swallowed. The world faded, and he swam into consciousness.
“I don’t wanna go to school,” Amber said in his ear.
“Sit up and drink this, both of you.”
“Aw, mom!
“Yeah, I miss Daniels too, Amber, but you don’t have to turn into him when he isn’t here,” said Ayleana. “I need breaks from him sometimes, you know.”
Kest cracked his eyes open to see Ayleana’s hand holding a cup in front of his face. Before reaching for the cup, he sat up—pulling his shoulder from under Amber’s head and making sure he was stable. Kest took a sip. It was warm and sweet with a rich spiciness. “What is this, anyway? You gave me something like this after your sister fixed my ribs.”
“It’s long-lasting energy compounds, amino acids, vitamins and minerals and the ability to stay awake and alert for thirty-six hours with minimal side-effects,” Ayleana said.
“But what IS it?”
“It’s milk, dummy,” said Amber, sitting up to take her cup and downed it like a shot.
Kest took another swallow. “It doesn’t taste like milk,” he said.
“Not cow’s milk, Kest.” Amber grinned at him. “... nii milk, the finest kind, custom mixed for all your current needs,” she chucked Ayleana under the chin. “Little Aylie is all grown up now.”
“Are you through with your cup, Amber?” said Ayleana.
Amber wiped a finger around the inside of the cup then licked her finger. “Yep. Thanks,” she said and handed the cup back. “I suggest you drink every drop, Kest, or you’ll wish you had later.”
Kest shrugged and leaned back on the pillow, letting the last of the milk drip into his mouth. Finished, he sat up again and handed Ayleana the cup. She wore the overlapping-scale body armor that XYMBI, Tiana’s organization, had revised after buying the DragonSkin patent. On her, it looked totally bad-ass.
“Thank you,” he said. “Very yummy.”
Ayleana grinned and helped him up. “We’re packed and ready to ride. You guys should change into this body armor too.”
“Dude,” Drew’s voice came from a lower bunk against the wall to Kest’s left.
Kest looked at him.
“Dude,” he repeated, his voice slurred. “Your hot alien girlfriend bit me. She’s like a vamp or something.” Drew giggled.
Ayleana huffed. “Look, I told you, I forgot to ask. I said I was sorry. Threshold passage can be intense. I didn’t realize it would hit me like that. Did you finish your orange juice?”
“Naw, naw, naw,” said Drew. “It’s O... kay. Pooberty was tough for me too.” Drew giggled. “Didja see that movie?” He leaned forward a touch and—in a confiding tone—said, “Harry Morgan says, ‘Pooberty hit her hard.’” Drew collapsed back on the pillow laughing.
“What did you put in his orange juice?” said Kest.
“Nothing, he’s just dizzy. I only took a half-liter. We’ll stay here a few minutes to make sure he doesn’t fall out of bed and hurt himself.”
Drew stopped laughing, took a breath and said, “Then James Garner says, ‘Pooberty’, like it’s one of life’s great mysteries.” Drew laughed again, but was sobbing in a few seconds. “I’ll never see that movie again. The world will sink into ig.. ig.. n’rance.”
“Do you have any idea what he’s talking about?” Kest said.
“None.”
Amber pushed past them. “Kids these days!” she said, kneeling next to Drew. “It’s okay, baby, I’ve got that DVD in my collection, and I have off-the-grid solar power sitting underneath a Faraday cage. We’ll watch it together. It will be fine. We’ll make it through this. It’s a date, right?”
Drew wrapped his arms around her neck. “Thank you. Will you marry me?”
“No, but I’ll definitely get in the sack with you first chance, Okay?”
Drew wiped his eyes. “Tha’s not a bad offer. Where d’you live? I’ll be sure to come for that. It’s a promise.”
“Daniels knows where I live. He’ll get you there. I don’t exactly have a street address.”
Ayleana watched them hugging, her face sober. “I’ll give him a sedative so he can sleep. I can leave a note to explain for Daniels. We need to get moving.”
Chapter 38 — Warning
The sun was still shining when they left Drew, sleeping soundly next to a page of explanation for Daniels. Ayleana was glad the breeze was coming from the west. The smells it brought would bring her information about what lay ahead, at least until the wind changed. With the extra enduro from the garage, each of them had their own bikes now. Ayleana left the cumbersome shotgun behind. They were all equipped with the bullpups and Glock 40s as sidearms.
The miles rolled away as the sun set and the moon and stars came out. Ayleana, cruising with her lights off, had pushed their speed up to 100 KPH in the darkness lit only by moonlight. The moon was waxing but still four days from full and the sky was partly cloudy. Ayleana could have gone faster with a safety margin, in spite of the cars scattered along the highway, but she didn’t want Kest or Amber to miss something and pile up because of poorer night vision.
Maybe I can do something about that.
About every three hours, they stopped for gas pumped from abandoned cars, and Kest and Amber could stretch and walk around for a minute and take care of necessary bodily needs.
When they were one hundred klicks from Dallas, the sun was rising, and Ayleana’s bodily need, a spiraling hunger she’d tried to assuage with the food from her backpack, was becoming desperate. All her food was gone.
Ayleana was thinking about raising their speed, when she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. Someone was running toward them, a man waving his arms. His odor reeked of dread.
Trying to warn us.
Ayleana pumped the brakes to avoid skidding. When her bike stopped, she kicked down the stand, whipped the bullpup around to her front and chambered a round as she slid off the bike.. Though she didn’t point it at the man, she was ready.
Kest and Amber, who’d had a better angle to see the running man pulled in behind her. They took cover behind nearby abandoned cars; each watched a different side of the road.
“That’s close enough, sir,” Ayleana said, raising her voice for emphasis.
The man, early sixties and clearly not used to running, stopped at the edge of the road, panting for breath, his fleshy face spotted with red. “Thank God. Thank God you saw me. I was hiding to warn people, but I didn’t think anyone would be going so fast. There’s a gang ahead stealing the cars that are still running. They are tying up the people they catch. The ones they think can work for them or they can sell later. I got away when a pretty girl fell into their trap.” He sobbed. “They all went running and left me alone... I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t...”
“You did the right thing, Mister,” Amber said. “We’re in your debt. You know you are risking your life doing this. They’ll catch you, eventually.”
“No, they won’t be catching anyone else,” Ayleana said with a snarl.
Amber stared at her. “Aylie, shit like this is happening all over the country. Remember, we have a missio
n assignment.”
Ayleana shook her head. “No, even if there weren’t extenuating circumstances that make this part of the mission, I would do it anyway.”
“Extenuating— “
“What are you talking about?” said Kest. “Something’s going on with you, and you need to tell us.”
Ayleana strode to where they were standing back-to-back. “What is happening is that I need a support group of at least seven people to get through threshold. Tiana scented that I was starting the change the night of the opening and was making arrangements for me, but then... the burst.”
Ayleana shook her head. “It’s coming on really fast for me; not like what I remember. If I don’t get enough chatch maa—blood or other strong food, my body will either shut down or I will lose it and become mindless and violent.”
Ayleana pointed behind her, down the road. “The only source of blood I can ethically take in time is over there committing atrocities on innocent people. Acta Vila is satisfied. So we fight.”
“Right,” Kest said. “Amber, what’s the plan?”
Amber thought for a second. “We lock the wheels on two of the bikes and hide them here.”
Ayleana turned to the man still standing awkwardly at the side of the road. “Sir, could you tell us how many were in the gang?”
“I counted fifteen,” he said. There may have been more out of sight. If you give me a gun, I’ll come with you. I fought in Grenada.”
“Thank you sir,” said Amber. “My friend needs a blood donation so she can help with the rescue, because she donated too much earlier, but she’s a universal receiver. Will you donate a pint?”
He looked puzzled for a moment, but rolled up his sleeve with determination and stepped forward. “Of course.”
“Say, thank you, Nepenthe,” Amber said, pushing Ayleana towards the man.
“Thank you, sir. You are a life saver.” Ayleana handed Kest her bullpup and put her arms around the man then kissed him on the lips. His eyes went wide.