Deep Cover

by Moira Reid

  “I thought you just said we couldn’t.”

  “I said we couldn’t live there. No one would speak to us. No one would sell us food or clothing or a place to live. We would be cast out everywhere we went—pariahs. It is forbidden to share even a drop of water with someone who has ignored the oracles of the Auquerel. We wouldn’t survive three days.”

  She nodded slowly. “Then we have nothing to worry about. I don’t care if I ever go there, as long as you’re with me here.”

  He took a deep breath.

  “Oh.” Claire placed both of her hands on his. “You couldn’t go back either.”

  He shook his head. He and Claire belonged together, no matter what the Auquerel had proclaimed. He would never see his home again, and as much as he would miss that, he would miss breathing more. Without Claire beside him, he could not imagine how he could draw another breath.

  “Your family is there, your friends—your home. You’ve been waiting all this time to go back.”

  “They might be able to come here one day. I love my family, but I’m not concerned about that.” He squeezed her hands and turned to look into her eyes. “I understood fully when I told you that I love you what that would mean for me. I had to make sure you understood what it would mean for you.”

  “What will happen to you if you don’t follow the command of the Auquerel? They won’t come after you or anything, will they? Nobody came after my mother, that I know of.”

  “There is no „they’ to come after anyone. And the Auquerel does not issue commands, Claire. The Auquerel renders pronouncements. These pronouncements are sacred and in the best interest of all concerned. Disobeying a pronouncement is tantamount to playing with fire with your life. Your parents made that choice, and for most of your life they’ve had to live separately. There is no way to know what will happen to us when we disobey.”

  “Like Garren could catch up to us and kill us both, you mean.”

  “That’s one possibility, yes.”

  Claire stood and began to pace slowly back and forth across the carpet. “Let me ask you something. Do you think my parents are really in love?”

  “No question. They have suffered at the hands of their own destiny, but yes, I believe they are in love. And I believe they love you.”

  “So do I.” She continued pacing for a moment longer, then stopped in the middle of the floor and put her hands on her hips. “We have our own set of beliefs down here on the mainland. We believe that love is stronger than any obstacle. And know this Butch: I love you. Nothing is going to keep me away from you. No oracles, no bad destinies, no asshole like Garren. Nothing.”

  Her words were strong, and he was certain she believed them. However, this was all happening too quickly. How could she possibly fathom the choice she was making? Now was not the time to rush headlong into a decision she could not undo.

  “You know, you never did show me that television show about Mr. Spock like you promised.”

  She stared down at the floor, tendrils of long hair falling over her face. “Television? Butch, are you changing your mind about all this, about us?”

  The pain in her voice was evidence enough. This was not the time to seal their joining. Everything that happened from here on must be done with extreme caution.

  He stood and pulled her slowly into his arms. “Never. But we have two days and nights—enough time not to rush toward the bed like a couple of teenagers, right? This is not something to be taken lightly. As far as I’m concerned, you belong to me. That’s not changing.”

  * * * * *

  A few minutes later, Butch stood in the kitchen pouring them both another cup of coffee. Claire sat on the floor before Jerry’s large-screen television and pulled out stack after stack of DVD cases from the cabinet. Butch wanted her to be sure she was making the right decision before they did what she longed to do. She didn’t have a single doubt, but obviously, some time was going to have to pass before he was convinced. Fine. Time well spent was what she needed. Time spent getting her closer to what she wanted. She almost giggled. Did science-fiction television work as an aphrodisiac on extraterrestrials?

  “I’ll bet you…aha! You must be living right. Look at this!” She held up a boxed set of DVDs. “Fortieth-anniversary edition Star Trek, the original episodes, released 2006.”

  “He keeps that here?”

  “Jerry is a major Trekkie. I bought them for him two Christmases ago in the company’s Secret Santa gift exchange. And not surprisingly, based on his pale skin, Jerry watches Star Trek instead of soaking up the sun.”

  “What’s a Trekkie?”

  She laughed. “Man, you gotta be kidding me. You’ve lived on this planet for ten years and you don’t know what a Trekkie is?” She shook her head. “They’ve really got to improve the training for you guys while you’re here. A Trekkie is an avid fan of Star Trek. Before we’re done watching these, you will be transformed into one, trust me.”

  “That’s a lot of movies. We’re going to need some food.”

  “These aren’t the movies—there were movies too. These are digitally remastered versions of the original television episodes.” She flipped the boxed set over and read from the back cover. “Yep, starting with the original episode released September 8, 1966. We have ourselves a marathon here.”

  She kept her voice light, as if watching old television reruns was exactly what she wanted to be doing while at the beach with the man she loved. “You know, we could order some food delivered, pull one of those mattresses in here, get naked, and hang out all day.”

  He carried the cup of coffee to her and gave her a knowing look. “I think you’re trying to seduce me.”

  “Seduce you? Me?” She handed him the box and stood up. “No, not at all. I just want you to be comfortable.”

  “You order the food then. I’ll get the mattress. But I’m fine in my clothes.” He kissed her forehead. “And so are you.”

  That’s what you think. She kept the thought to herself. His boxers were comfortable, but his naked skin against hers would be abundantly more so. Was all this caution necessary? She didn’t like much of what she’d recently discovered of her family history or Vivemonde in general, but being with Butch was one good thing amid a plethora of bad. She didn’t need to be cautious, and she certainly didn’t want to be.

  Hadn’t that been what her parents wanted too, though? They’d married but only spent ten years together before destiny took a hand. Was this Auquerel that vicious when it didn’t get its way? If so, what exactly would it do to them? They’d be ignoring the thing’s proclamations not once, but twice.

  She picked up the telephone and shouted toward the bedroom as she dialed information. “Hey, Butch. How does this oracle notify you of its proclamations anyway? E-mail? Phone calls? What?”

  He pulled the king-size mattress through the bedroom door. “The Auquerel visits dreams.”

  She watched him drag the bedding into the living room as the information operator came on. Within fifteen minutes, she’d been connected to a local grocery store and hired a delivery service to bring the appropriate quantities and varieties of junk food to the house.

  By the time she hung up the phone, he’d situated the mattress along with a pile of pillows and blankets in the center of the living room floor facing the large-screen television. He’d put on a shirt and buttoned it halfway up, revealing his smooth chest to her hungry eyes.

  He caught her looking and smiled, then slowly buttoned the shirt. “Sorry. No temptations. It’s marathon time.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Hey, buddy. You’re sexy, but not irresistible, ya know? I can actually contain myself when I want to.”

  He picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. “Oh really? Well, I’m glad to hear it.”

  “So, we could dispense with the clothes after the delivery man brings us some sustenance if we wanted. In the interest of creature comforts, of course.”

  “Of course.” He squatted on the center of the
mattress, still holding her in his arms. “You are very considerate.”

  “Yes, I am.” She lightly stroked his chest with her fingers.

  He lifted her off his lap and placed her amid the pillows. “I might be irresistible, but you aren’t. I’m trying to do the right thing here.”

  She sighed. Maybe she should think about this, but there was nothing to consider. She loved him; that was all that mattered.

  On the other hand, he’d said he loved her. He’d written off his family and his homeland in that one short phrase. There wasn’t anything for her to consider—she’d still be where she’d been her entire life. He, however, would lose everything but her.

  He’d said he loved her; he’d sounded sure, but perhaps she wasn’t the one who needed time before making a decision regarding the final stage of their relationship. Maybe hers were not the dire consequences she should be considering.

  “You’re right. Let’s take this slow.”

  Rising from the mattress, he picked up the box of DVDs. “Which one first?”

  “Might as well go in order. Put in the first one and grab your coffee.”

  They watched most of the premier episode by the time the delivery service arrived with her order. He sent her into the back bedroom out of sight, but she could hear both of their voices through the closed door. They made idle chatter until all the groceries were unloaded and the deliveryman was gone.

  They left the DVD paused while she popped popcorn and he fried eggs and bacon. Side by side in the small kitchen, Claire brushed against him unintentionally as she shook the pot over the burner, corn merrily chinking against the secured lid.

  “Sorry. Popping corn this way requires a little dancing.”

  The moan in his throat was low, but it vibrated through her nerve endings. Standing this close to him was difficult enough without the added coziness of the beach house, the fragrant smells of food cooking, and the warmth of his body.

  Staying away from him was going to be harder than she’d thought.

  He cleared his throat. “Who eats popcorn for breakfast anyway? I thought eggs and bacon were the staples for earthlings after sunrise.”

  “Well, I’m a kindred, remember. And I eat whatever I want.” The rate at which the corn was bouncing against the lid finally slowed. She removed it from the burner and poured its contents into a bowl.

  She forced herself to take a deep breath to calm her pounding heart. “See? Instant breakfast.”

  “You can have some of this too, Miss Kindred. A grown woman can’t live on popped carbohydrates and fat.”

  “And a man can’t live on the saturated fat and cholesterol in that bacon either. Besides, popcorn has protein.” She sprinkled salt over the bowl of corn and escaped to the living room. All this forced “friendliness” was going to wear on her already frayed nerves. How would she keep it up lying on a mattress with him?

  Not a good plan, she thought. Okay, time for some adjustment. No more flirting, no more innuendo. No more touching him. If she really loved him, she would give him the time he needed to come to the same conclusion she had.

  He carried two plates in and handed one to her. “You need to keep your strength up. Eat this too.”

  She popped a small piece of the bacon into her mouth. “Good.”

  He bit a piece of bacon and chewed slowly, his eyes burning into hers. Swallowing, he picked up another. “Turn on the DVD, Claire.”

  She pressed the Play button, and Kirk’s frozen body began to move once more on screen.

  By the time she’d eaten the eggs and some of the bacon, the episode was finished, and the next one had begun. She set her plate aside and leaned back into the pillows, crossing one foot over the other.

  “Welcome to 1966, when special effects didn’t exist.” She yawned, stretching her arms over her head.

  He slid farther away from her and adjusted his pillows. “What’s with that neck thing Spock does?”

  “The Vulcan nerve pinch? You guys don’t have that?”

  He looked at her, his eyes burning coals of desire. “No.”

  Uh-oh. This wasn’t going to work. She stood up. “What time is it?”

  “Almost noon. Why?” His answers had become shorter, his shoulders more tense with each passing moment.

  “I’m going to lie down for a while in my room. You were right when you said I needed some rest. Why don’t you stretch out in here and get some yourself? You look worn-out.”

  She pushed thoughts of lying beside him far from her mind. “I’ll check back with you later on. Okay?”

  His jaw tightened again. Before she gave into her own desire, Claire turned and practically ran from the room.

  * * * * *

  By a quarter to eight that evening, Butch was pacing endlessly. He’d knocked twice to check on her. He’d offered her food three times. She’d politely declined all his invitations to come out and watch more of the series television show with him.

  She’d locked the door and made every excuse not to join him.

  This is what you wanted, he reminded himself. This is what she needs to do. This is the best way for her to consider the ramifications of the decision she’s making.

  Away from you.

  Butch’s cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. The readout said, Dirk Simonson.

  Butch let it continue to ring until it switched over to voice mail. He opened the phone and dialed the captain’s number. The call connected on the first ring.

  “Butch? Why didn’t you answer my call? Is everything all right?”

  “Just double-checking. I wasn’t supposed to call you for another fifteen minutes. Has something happened?”

  Butch heard something in the captain’s voice he didn’t believe he’d ever heard before. Happiness. “Yes, something has happened. Something fantastic. Get Claire on the phone with you.”

  Butch strode to Claire’s bedroom door and knocked on it. “Your father is on the phone.” Butch’s stomach tightened when she opened the door immediately.

  “What is he saying?”

  Butch glanced at the Speaker button on the cell, then held the phone to her ear and rested his head against hers so they could both hear her father’s voice. How many hours had passed since she’d been close enough to touch? Too many. It was pathetic, but he’d take his chances to be near her as they came. “Yes, sir? Claire is here. What has happened?”

  “I just hung up with the state police. Garren has been arrested and is awaiting transfer to federal custody. That should be taking place in the next few minutes, if I know my boys. Wherever you are, you can come back home now. Claire, are you all right?”

  Claire placed her hand on the phone. “I’m fine, Father. Are you both still safe?”

  “We’re fine. They found Garren casing the parking lot at your office, Claire. It took five of them to beat him down, and they had to sedate him. Right now he’s on his way to the police station, soon to be followed by a specially designed federal holding cell. He’ll be on the next flight back to Vivemonde, where he’ll be turned over to the authorities and executed.”

  She blinked. “He’ll be executed?”

  “He’s wanted for crimes on his own planet as well as this one. They will take care of him much more expeditiously than we could How soon can you be home?”

  Claire crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at Butch. “Four hours if we leave right now. We’re ready to leave, aren’t we, Butch?”

  Her smile was the most beautiful thing he’d seen all day. “Yes, sir. We will leave in the next ten minutes.”

  “Thank you, Butch. You did your job, and you did it well. I can get you on whatever flight home you’d like to take, son. You are released from your sentence, and you can do anything you like now. Oh, and Claire’s mother would like to speak to her privately for a moment.”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” He handed the phone to Claire. “I’ll gather our things and put everything back the way we found it. Jerry might be surprise
d the next time he shows up to find food in the kitchen. Maybe we’ll even leave him some coffee.”

  Claire covered the phone with her hand. “Don’t leave anything. He never has to know we were here at all. Okay?”

  Butch nodded as she put the phone back to her ear.

  He quickly replaced the mattress and remade both of their beds. By the time she’d gotten off the phone with her mother, he had the remaining food in bags next to the front door, all the DVDs put away, and all the dishes washed.

  “Wow. You are one heck of a cleaning lady.” She handed his phone back to him.

  “We’re ready to go. We can carry the rest of the food out as we leave. I’ll lock the door and replace the key in Jerry’s hiding place.” He waited for her to say something, although he wasn’t sure what he wanted to hear. Someone might have noticed the rental car parked out back. Maybe she was afraid that Jerry would find out they’d been here together.

  Perhaps after all the hours she’d spent alone in her room locked away from him, she really had had the chance to think. Perhaps she’d changed her mind. He felt nothing from her right now except happiness and relief, which exuded from her in waves.

  “So, I guess we can go then. Any last-minute bathroom visits before we head out the door?”

  “No, I’m ready now.” She walked toward the door, then glanced round one last time before stepping outside. “Oh, wait a minute.”

  She ran over to the house telephone and picked up a slip of paper where she’d jotted down a grocery list. “Jerry knows my handwriting. He would know I’d been here. If we ever hope to come back here again without him knowing, we’d better not leave any evidence behind.”

  When she walked back across the room, she avoided the door and came directly toward him. Standing up on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek lightly. “Once this joining thing happens, we could have a very inexpensive honeymoon here. You know what I mean?”

  He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that.”

  Chapter Eight