Natalie switched on the light upstairs and went into the office. She took the results of her tests and gathered them together. She packed up her equipment, grabbed her bag and hurried back out of the empty, still house. Natalie went to her car and wished for some coffee. She poured some water into a dog bowl for Wolfgang. Wolfgang lapped up the water gratefully.
“What a brave boy you’ve been,” Natalie murmured.
Natalie climbed into the drivers seat. She deconstructed the wheel and loaded up her screens. She began to sort through her results, searching and marking appropriate research papers as she went. Slowly, she categorised her results and began to find the research that made sense. But just as she felt she almost had a name for the alien, access error appeared on each of her screens.
Natalie frowned, and then rubbed her tired eyes. She tried to navigate past the block but now she couldn’t even load the pages she’d read earlier. Something was wrong. Somebody must be tracking her movements and blocking her as she went. Who would do that? She wondered. Wolfgang was asleep in the seat beside her, she scratched behind his ear. With her job at the division, she should have access to nearly all research.The research that she didn’t have access to, she’d had a friend hack her access months ago. Confused and frustrated, Natalie whipped an email off to her hacker friend. She sent him some screen captures of her issue and then turned back to her own results and notes.
Natalie felt sick with guilt and hunger and fatigue. She wished she was with Will, inside the portal, doing something. But she was a scientist and gathering information, bringing together resources and building a hypothesis- it sounded so pathetic to her now. But it had its own power, she knew that, deep down, and maybe, just maybe, she could find something that would give them the advantage.
13
Will groaned and opened his eyes. He was looking up at a water stained roof he didn’t recognise. His head hurt pounded and his body felt like lead. Will rubbed his face and sat up, groaning again as pain shot down his back. He glanced around and saw a scattering of wooden chairs and stained wooden tables. A bloke sat in the corner, his eyes on a screen on the wall, his hand around a glass of amber beer. Will realised he was in a bar, he’d woken up in a bar.
Figures.
“Good morning, William Sanderson,” Said a voice from behind.
Will turned his heavy head. A man with bright red hair and a sunburned nose was looking down at him from the bar.
Will grunted and got to his feet. The room spun and Will grabbed the bar for support.
Haven’t had a hangover like this in a while.
“You had a rather large night,” The bartender said.
The guy had a thick Australian accent but he didn’t speak like an Australian. However, Will had conversed with aliens who only communicated in different pitched honks.
“Must’ve,” Will said and then cleared his throat.
He tried to remember the night before but his mind felt disjointed and confused with the pain. Will shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts.
He squinted at the bartender, trying to focus his vision. “Hair of the dog, I guess.”
The bartender’s eyes widened. He scanned the bottles lined up in front of him and then turned and checked the bottles on the shelves. He turned back to Will, his brow creased. “I can’t find any liquor called that.”
“Ha ha,” Will said, unamused.
When the bartender didn’t respond and his confusion didn’t fade. Will rolled his eyes, which sent a shooting pain into his skull.
“Mate, I’ll have a beer,” Will said, his voice strained.
The bartender burst into action and poured a heady glass of beer for Will. Will took a deep gulp and sat down at the bar. He drank slowly for a few minutes before he noticed the glass had a logo on it. Quuorn’s local brew.
“Son of a bitch,” Will said loudly.
His mind was like a car struggling to start. Will had felt this before, someone had injected him with memory suppressors. He rubbed the back of his head, he’d definitely received a heavy blow or too as well. Finally, flashes of the day before, the Doc, a kid, slime and then the full memories came back to him.
He glanced at the bartender, who was cleaning a shelf that hadn’t been cleaned in at least forty years. There was no way an Australian bartender didn’t know the expression, hair of the dog. He also wouldn’t be so damn polite. How had he even gotten away from the slug aliens and back through the portal? None of it added up.
Will nodded slowly. He stood.
“Oi buddy,” He said.
The bartender turned around, too quickly and too eagerly. Will grabbed him by his stretched out shirt collar and pulled him closer to get a good look at his eyes. After a few seconds, he saw it. It was subtle, but it was there. Something inhuman. Will released him, drained his beer and walked towards the door.
“Goddamn mind swappers,” He muttered, as he headed out into the sunlight.
14
Natalie awoke with a start. Wolfgang was growling. Before she could orient herself, there was a gentle tap on her driver side window. Bleary eyed, Natalie looked to find a woman standing on the sidewalk.
Natalie sat up straighter and opened the window.
“Uh, hello?” Natalie said, groggily.
“Dr. Natalie Kyle, isn’t it?” The woman said. Her lips stretched into an animalistic smile.
Natalie’s brain finally shifted into gear. She remembered the slime, Tom, William, she jumped in her seat, sending her tablet onto the car floor.
“I have to go. Right now,” Natalie said.
“Nonsense,” The woman chirped. “Thomas has told me all about you. You must join us for breakfast.”
Natalie jerked the car door open and got out. The early morning sun was blinding.
“What did you say?”
“I’m Monica Farrell. Thomas’s mother. Come on inside, breakfast is on the table.”
Natalie looked around her, fighting her eye’s sensitivity and her brain fog. The street was quiet at first glance, like it had been the night before. But then she noticed the shift of someone’s blinds across the road. Next to that, a front door opened and a man emerged, strolling towards his car. A woman was walking two houses down with two small children, she waved at Natalie.
“That’s one of my neighbours, Christina Portman. And across the street, that’s Jeffrey Haye.”
Natalie met Monica’s eager stare. “You’re back.”
Monica nodded, her smile unfaltering. She was a petite woman with a posture that made it seem like she was always leaning forward. Her hair was blonde and neatly brushed behind her ears. She didn’t look like a woman who had been kidnapped the night before.
Natalie couldn’t find any words. She let Monica usher her up the front yard towards the house. Wolfgang scrambled out of the car and followed after Natalie. The car door shut automatically and locked. Natalie glanced back, Will’s car was still there, he’d done it, he’d rescued them all. How? Was he inside too, having breakfast?
They reached the door and Monica stopped and looked at Wolfgang.
“No animals inside,” Monica chirped.
“Oh, sure. No problem,” Natalie said. “Wolfgang stay.”
Wolfgang reluctantly lay down on the front steps.
Natalie crouched down and patted his head. “I’ll sneak you some bacon,” She murmured.
Monica waited patiently by the door. Natalie followed her inside and Monica shut it firmly and locked it.
“You can never be too careful,” She sang.
Natalie snorted. After the events of the night before, for both of them, a locked door seemed more than appropriate.
“Would you like some caffeine?” Monica asked as they headed down the hall.
“Oh, yes please.”
Natalie was amazed to see the house in perfect order. There wasn’t a drop of slime anywhere. They reached the kitchen, it too was clean and neat like nothing had happened. The smell of coffee was thick in t
he air.
Monica handed Natalie a warm mug.
Natalie took a sip of the coffee and had to utilise all of her willpower not to spit it onto the floor. It had to have been made with ten parts coffee and one part hot water. They sure made coffee differently in the country, she figured.
“Thank you.”
Monica beamed and gestured to the next room.
“Please take a seat.”
Natalie went into the dining room, sitting at the table was Tom and a man, which Natalie assumed was Tom’s father. Natalie couldn’t believe what she was seeing, Tom was really there, safe and apparently unharmed. She placed her coffee on the table and went to him, crouching beside him.
“Tom, are you- I can’t believe you’re-”
“Hi Dr. Natalie Kyle.”
She searched his face and looked him over. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m not hurt at all,” He said.
The little boy was sitting with his back straight. His eyes were clear and his clothes and hair were neat. He really did, by all accounts, appear to be perfectly fine. Natalie took the seat beside him. She managed to tear her attention away from the boy long enough to introduce herself to his father.
“I know exactly who you are, Dr. Natalie Kyle. I’m Richard Farrell.”
Natalie couldn’t help but bubble over with laughter. “I just can’t believe it. After what happened last night. Will and I thought-” Natalie paused. “Is Will here?”
“William Sanderson isn’t here,” Monica said, as she re-entered the room. She placed a plate down in front of Tom and Natalie and left the room again. She returned with a plate for her husband and herself. On each of the plates was a pile of wilted spinach and an unpeeled banana.
“I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you’re all safe. I can’t speak for Will, but rescue isn’t really my area of expertise,” Natalie laughed. “I’m just happy I can get back to the science, you know? I mean, oh I should get my notebook,” Natalie hesitated and then pulled her phone from her pocket. There was an email from the friend she had messaged last night about the access block. She swiped it away and turned on the recorder. “Never mind, I can just record you. From my reading…Well I don’t want to influence you. Why don’t you each share your stories and whatever you can remember about the aliens and their home world.”
“After breakfast, perhaps,” Monica said.
The Farrell’s had begun on their spinach.
“Yes, of course. I’m sorry I get so caught up in my research,” Natalie said, smiling.
“It’s quite alright,” Monica said.
Natalie took a bite of the spinach and froze. It was ice cold and mixed with raw egg. She had to force herself to chew and then swallow. After a few more bites, Natalie grabbed the banana and started on that.
“Was it quite damp on their home world? Maybe not quite swamp like, but definitely similar to a swamp,” Natalie asked.
Tom and Richard looked to Monica, who nodded slowly.
“I knew it,” Natalie said excitedly. “Did you happen to see any eggs around? There should have been quite a few in some sort of nesting area.”
The Farrell men looked to Monica again.
“Yes, there were many eggs,” Monica said.
“What shape were they? Do you happen to remember whether they had a yellow tinge to them? I’m just trying to categorise the species that’s all. The more details the better. If you don’t mind that is.”
“I’m sure I don’t remember,” Monica said, with a rigid wave of her hand.
“That’s no problem. I’ll be able to take my own notes today.”
Monica placed her cutlery gently onto the table. Her eyes narrowed.
“That won’t be possible.”
Natalie’s stomach dropped. “Don’t tell me the portal has closed already.”
“No, but nobody will be permitted entrance.”
“Have the police or… How did you get out? Tom, did Will manage to find you?”
“It’s really nothing to dwell upon.”
Monica’s pointed stare had not left Natalie. Natalie felt a shiver run down her spine and she swallowed. Something urgent inside of her told her to keep smiling and to stop pressing her point.
She looked to Tom, hoping to catch his eye. But Tom was spooning the food into his mouth methodically. She had never seen a child eat so politely and so diligently and she had never seen Tom so quiet.
“So, Monica, Richard, what do you do for work?”
“I’m an engineer for the town of Quuorn and Richard is an insurance salesman.”
Natalie nodded politely. Without really being conscious of it, an internal checklist had started playing in her head. Along with it, her stomach twisted with nausea. Natalie tried to push it away, she took another bite of the cold spinach and uncooked egg. But the checklist wouldn’t go away. Finally, she began to listen to it.
Overly polite or formal. Check.
Strange, not quite right habits. Natalie swallowed a cold spoon of spinach and raw egg. Check.
An over expression of one or more emotion. Usually positivity. Check.
Inconsistent memories.
“So, Tom,” Natalie began reluctantly. “My dog… Max, would love to say hello to you after breakfast.”
Tom looked at Monica who nodded.
“I want to say hello to Max,” Tom said.
With shaking hands, Natalie continued to eat the breakfast that had been served to her by something that definitely wasn’t Monica Farrell.
15
Will strode down the bustling main street of Quuorn. The town had come to life. Everyone in the neighbour was out and about. Every shop was open for business and every house had its windows open to the fresh air. The ‘people’ Will passed, waved and smiled. He tried his best to smile and blend in. They’d taken his weapons and he knew how temperamental mind swappers could be. He passed a young couple and their three children. They walked together in a line, their steps perfectly in time.
Will clenched his fists, he thought about Tom and where the kid must be right now. Despite the pain in his head and back, Will wanted to run back to his car and his weapons. But he didn’t want to draw attention to himself, so he kept his pace slow and steady.
Now that the memory suppressants had completely worn off, he was getting flashes of the alien’s home world. His body was also remembering his violent fall. Pain shot up his back and into his skull. He was sure he had at least one fractured rib. Will gritted his teeth and continued to nod to the passing aliens.
An elderly man limped past. He tipped his brown wide rimmed hat. Will wasn’t sure how he was standing as the man’s legs were shaking so violently. He eyed a few more of the mind swapped humans around him. Several of them walked on shaky legs; so the swap was recent. That wouldn’t last long. Mind swappers adapted quickly to their new bodies and their new environments. Will had to act fast.
He reached Quagmire St and hurried to his car. He rifled through the boxes of junk he had in his back seat and found his back up knife and pistol. The Doc’s car was still there. He looked up at Tom’s house and frowned, the dog was on the doorstep, its head on its paws.
Since when does the Doc go anywhere without that mutt?
Will refilled his holster and sheath from the arsenal in his back seat and car boot. He slammed his car door shut and strode up to the doorway, Wolfgang sat up and sniffed him.
“What’s going on in there, huh?” Will murmured.
Will ruffled the dog’s fur. He reached for the door handle just as the door swung open. The Doc stood before him. Her shoulder length brown hair was dishevelled and she still wore her slime spattered lab coat. Shock registered across her features but then vanished.
“William,” She said cooly.
“Doc.”
They stared at each other. Before Will could figure out whether the Doc was still the Doc, another ‘woman’ appeared beside her.
“William Sanderson,” She said.
�
��Yep, thats me,” Will said.
The ‘woman’ smiled. “I’m Thomas’ mother, Monica Farrell. I’m sure you’re here to see him.”
Will shook his head. “Nope, I’m here for my pay. Kid called me to get you back. You’re back. Jobs done. Right?”
‘Monica’s’ expression didn’t change. “Of course.” She said and went back into the house.
Will stepped through the doorway and looked at the Doc. She was glaring at him.
“What?” He prompted.
Natalie quickly smoothed her expression. “Nothing, William.”
They continued to eye each other in the entranceway. Wolfgang nudged at Natalie’s hand and she pet him. Will still couldn’t be sure if she was the Doc and trying to play it cool or whether she was an alien and trying to play it cool. Either way, she wasn’t playing it cool. Her face muscles were strained with stress. She was trying to read him just as hard as he was trying to read her. He grinned at her suddenly and her eyes widened before she or it could stop it. After a moment, she smiled back reluctantly. Wolfgang whined.
‘Monica’ was taking too long. Just as he’d intended, Will had stumped it. The aliens weren’t fully adapted to human life yet. He needed to get a handle on what kind of mind swappers they were. Will stopped smiling and waited for ‘Monica’. When she finally did appear she held a pineapple. It presented the fruit to Will.
“I assume this will be sufficient payment,” She said, cheerily.
The alien met Will’s gaze and he saw a spark in her eyes. This was a test. Wolfgang whined again. The tension in the small hallway in a ordinary house in Quuorn was palpable. One wrong move or one wrong word and things would go South. Will stared hard at ‘Monica’, searching for the alien’s motives beneath the woman’s face. He had two options; he either accepted the pineapple and placated the alien or he called it on it’s bluff and asked for a real payment. Mind swappers were obsessed with being convincing to other members of the species they had taken over. As well as testing just how convinced these others were. The moment stretched on in silence, but Will’s head ached so hard he couldn’t quite reason out the best response. His fingers twitched beside his gun.
The Missing Town Page 6