by Rena Marks
Do you have backups?
Irina nodded. Robyn had protocols in place for breaches in security. Everything was being wiped as they spoke.
Lorelei took a lighter from her pocket and flared up the piece of paper, tossed it onto the desk where Irina had been working, and tossed a vial of liquid over the flames. The desk exploded in a small flare up. She grabbed Irina’s arm, motioning for them to follow her. Footsteps sounded everywhere as people ran and doors were battered. The hallway she took them down was a quieter, underground passage. From there she hurried them through a trap door into a tunnel of rooms.
“My private sector,” she gasped. Far off in the distance, the sirens still blared, but they weren’t ear-splitting.
Irina’s ears still rang.
“The best I can do now is swear you were both with me this entire time. Your rooms will be searched for evidence.”
“They won’t find anything. Everything linking us to the break in was on that table,” Irina said.
“Why are you doing this?” Reson asked her, his voice tinged with suspicion.
She shrugged. “You can’t get away. You can’t get out. I’m sure your other friend has been apprehended or is being watched, and they’re searching for you as we speak. But there are no cameras or drones in the underground tunnels and you have me as a witness stating that you were here the entire time. They’ll have no choice but to let you go.”
A loud pounding came at her door. “Sit down,” Lorelei hissed. “Act like we were just visiting.”
The two of them sat on her living room sofa just as she flung the door open and security burst through the room.
“Lorelei!” James grabbed her, hugging her to him. “Are you all right?”
Security spread through her apartment, checking rooms and scanning corners.
“Of course, Dad. We were just in here discussing the lecture on synthesizing pheromones for perfumes when the alarms sounded. Do you know Dr. Irina Mescar and Reson Xeno Sapien?”
“Yes.” Her dad nodded. “I’m aware of their check in at my lecture. In fact, I mentioned to Dr. Mescar that perhaps she could hunt you down. I didn’t think she’d be successful.”
Irina nodded back at him. “It was a chance encounter.” Clearly their dinner date was off. There was no need to meet with him, nor would she be so stupid.
“Where is the third person in your party?” His voice held a note of suspicion.
“Blaze? He was enthralling a crowd of people with his own escapades,” Irina said drily. “Reson and I were talking with Lorelei off to the side, and she invited us back to her apartment for a quieter visit.”
Security returned from their check of the premises and nodded at the elder Dr. Matschessi. They hadn’t found anything.
“Mr. Madison,” Dr. Matschessi said to one of the guards. “Please head out to the main area and make sure their Xeno Sapien friend is safe. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to our guests.”
Lorelei looked at Irina, and Irina knew what she was thinking. That her father simply wanted to let them know they made sure there were witnesses watching Blaze the entire time to make sure he wasn’t responsible for the breach.
“What’s going on, Dad?”
“Just a fire in one of the labs. Cameras show a spontaneous combustion sparked by electricity, but this is just protocol. Everyone will need to stay in place until the lights flash green, showing all is cleared. I’m sure you understand?”
Irina and Reson nodded.
“Three of you remain behind as a precaution,” Dr. Matschessi said to his guards. “We want every one of our precious guests safe, after all.”
“Of course,” Irina murmured.
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to your daughter.” Though he said it with a wink, Reson’s voice was too deep not to sound like a threat. Irina froze…just as Dr. Matschessi did.
“Thank you,” Lorelei said, her voice light. “I’m also trained in security. I’m sure Dr. Mescar will be safe between you, me and three other security staff members.”
Reson nodded, not speaking this time.
Dr. Matschessi relaxed a bit though he looked pointedly at his guard before leaving.
Lorelei leaned back. “So, Irina, you were telling me about lab set up on Xenia? Do you think the newer models would be beneficial for you?”
“I love the concept, I’m just not sure we could manage to exist within the enclosed space,” Irina said. “I understand the pheromone concept and the importance of vacuum pressure. But our people were confined for so long, I don’t think they’d agree to the smaller, condensed versions of labs. And yet, I understand how more space within the pre-fabricated labs would compromise the studies.”
She was aware of the moment when the conversation became boring for the guards. They lost focus and Lorelei was able to lean in.
“Scoping may work now with your new product and is less invasive than slicing. I’d avoid the sides of the abdomen, though.”
“Why?” Reson asked, his deep voice a rumble.
“Of course,” Irina said. “If there’s a panel over the front, the intestines would have to stretch somewhere.”
Lorelei nodded. “Up the sides. So the best bet would be under the panel of muscle, since you already know organs are at the top.”
“I can’t thank you enough for everything,” Irina said, her voice low.
“Don’t worry about it,” Lorelei said. “Maybe one day I can come and meet this Covet.”
“Why?” Reson growled.
Lorelei looked straight into his eyes. “To see the fruits of our labor, of course. I’d hope all this wasn’t for naught.” She turned back toward Irina. “I have complete faith you’ll figure this out.”
The lights in the building began flashing green. “There’s our cue,” Irina said, standing up. “We’ll have to go see where Blaze is.”
“I’m sure he’s fine,” Lorelei said. “I’ll walk back with you to where we saw him last.”
* * * * *
In the discussion rooms, crowds were just starting to disperse. It was easy to spot Blaze with his shock of blood red hair. He looked relieved when he saw them making their way toward him but held himself in check when he saw Lorelei with them.
“Blaze, this is Lorelei. We were visiting with her when the sirens went off.”
He caught her meaning. “What was the problem?”
Lorelei held out her hand to shake. “They said it was a small fire in one of the unused labs.”
“Really? Any idea what caused it?”
“None. But I’m glad you all got reunited, and I enjoyed our talk. Irina, call me if you are interested in a laboratory set up in Xenia in the future,” Lorelei said.
“I will do that. Maybe you can take a visit out to Xenia to answer some questions for the other doctors?”
“I’d love that.” Lorelei smiled. “Blaze, great to meet you. I’m glad you kept our customers engaged.”
“It was my pleasure.”
She turned to Reson. “Mr. Reson. Enjoy your trip home.”
“Thank you. I look forward to seeing you…at my home.”
Lorelei raised her brows. Then she nodded once and turned, walking away briskly.
“Dude, that was awkward,” Blaze said.
“It’s why I miss Covet. He never says girly shit like awkward.”
“It’s ‘cause I have a girl.” Blaze smiled down at her. She winked at him.
“Things are still off the table with Grace?” she asked Reson, watching as he stared at Lorelei while she walked away.
“I was having some fun with Grace.” He shrugged. “But she made sure I knew it wasn’t serious before I left. I’ll miss her.”
“I’m sorry.”
“She doesn’t want to be tied to one person. It happens around our females. They know how awesome we are and want us all.” He grinned.
“Dr. Mescar? You have an urgent call.” A guard stood with a phone held out.
Irina held it to
her ear. “This is Irina Mescar.”
“Dr. Irina, this is Dr. Saraven. You guys need to return immediately. A patient of yours has taken a turn for the worse.”
Irina was alarmed at first, thinking it was Covet. That was until she realized Robyn called her Doctor Irina. So formal. Robyn was giving them an excuse to leave.
“We’ll return immediately,” Irina said into the phone. “Thank you for letting me know.” She returned the phone to the security guard. “Thank you. I guess she couldn’t reach me personally with the security breach earlier.”
He nodded. “Protocol is to disable communications. They should be working soon.”
Irina was sure he’d report what her phone call consisted of—if it wasn’t already recorded.
She turned toward Blaze and Reson. “Gentlemen, we’ll need to go pack. I have a patient who needs me in the city.”
Chapter Eleven
There was no need to pack. Instead, they planned for their getaway. The security team from Xenia was already located at a museum’s parking lot and would wait indefinitely. The three would order a shuttle to take them to the airport but, halfway there, would change the order to stop at the museum to wait for the flight. Instead of catching the shuttle back to the airport, they would simply board the security hovercraft parked at the museum.
A soft, but rapid knocking sounded at the door.
Blaze opened it while Reson stood with Irina at the giant window, ready to escape. Lorelei pushed her way in, shoving Blaze to the side.
“They’re coming. We have to get you out.” Lorelei sounded frantic.
“How do you know?” Irina asked.
Calmly, Blaze began setting small disks onto the door he’d just closed behind Lorelei. They appeared magnetized, clinging to where he placed them.
“I overheard them talking. They’re going to come up here to ‘escort’ you downstairs. I’m not sure you’re going to make it to the airport. Look, I know this sounds strange, but I know how I feel. Things aren’t always as they seem around here—kind of like the files I’d saved that were being destroyed. There was a reason for it, and there’s a reason why they want you now.”
Irina opened the bags, taking a small tool out and handing it to Reson. It looked like a compass. He applied the point to the window and drew a small circle then lasered around it. The circle grew.
Pounding sounded on the door.
“Shit,” Lorelei whispered.
“Dr. Mescar? Please open up.” The voice that came through the door was deep and modulated.
Reson removed his shirt. Underneath he wore a black leather vest that contained the flat jet packs. Lorelei gaped at the cut of his body and the broadness of his chest, something Irina was very used to.
She wondered how Lorelei would react when she touched his skin. He had a very fine lining of hair that felt like suede when touched—but it wasn’t something noticed with the naked eye. With the naked hand, however, was another story. As his doctor, she knew it.
“Nothing else left in the suitcases?” Blaze asked, pulling Irina toward him. She knew what he asked of: any of the Xenian spy devices, not their excess clothing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
He dropped a kiss onto her lips. From behind her, she heard Lorelei’s gasp. She smiled against his lips. “No. We’re good to leave them.”
“Climb on me the way Irina did,” Reson growled to Lorelei.
The sound of whirring made her aware that they were trying to unlock the door from the outside.
“Come on,” Reson barked again.
Without a moment’s pause, Lorelei flung herself to him. Reson scooped her up with his hands on her ass, which made her squeal. Blaze pushed a button on his wrist.
The door blew, leaving a mess of sparks on the outer side, and a cloud of smoke on their side, blocking the visual of them.
Taking the women, Blaze and Reson jumped into the window. The circular portion of glass stretched like a bubble, enclosing them in silence for a brief moment as all outer sounds were instantly silenced. It gave them a sense of false security like nothing could touch them while in the protective glass bubble. But then they free-fell to the other side, through the glass, and the bubble spit them out with a belch. Blaze’s glorious wings burst out, taking her through the sky. Irina saw the window behind them still intact as if the bubble had never occurred.
She glanced over Blaze’s shoulder to make sure the jet pack worked for Reson. So far, he soared through the sky also, poor Lorelei clinging like a terrified monkey, her eyes pressed into his neck.
His arms had moved from her ass to wrap around her small frame, and he seemed to be murmuring into her ear.
Blaze soared, turning sharply away from the building. Irina knew he and Reson communicated telepathically, but poor Lorelei would have no idea. She also knew that they’d have to separate. Blaze’s wings were too visible, but Reson could get away with sailing straight down to the security vehicle that waited at the safety check point.
In a way, it was good that Lorelei was clueless. She had no idea that the jet pack that propelled them was in test mode—and while Blaze was here, he could catch them should the packs fail. Once she and Blaze broke from their group, however, Reson and Lorelei would have no protection should they fall.
Blaze landed on a balcony with a thump, absorbing the impact with his thickly muscled legs. She slid from his waist, her legs shaking.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded, watching Reson’s dark form sailing further away.
“They’ll be fine. Come on.” He opened the glass door and a loud gasp came from inside the apartment. Blaze held his hands out, palms up. “I’m sorry, folks. Everything will be fine. We just needed to land on your balcony, and if you don’t mind, we’ll let ourselves out your front door.” Calmly, he folded his wings behind him, letting them reabsorb into his skin.
An elderly man sat on the sofa, gaping at them. A woman was in the kitchen, her white hair in a bun and an apron tied around her skinny waist.
“Are you—are you one of them Xeno Sapiens?” she asked, her eyes on Blaze’s hair and wings. She also studied Irina as if trying to figure out what was different about her. Other than having blond hair, she could be considered a mild Xeno Sapien…or a privileged human.
“Yes, ma’am, I am,” Blaze smiled as if trying to appear non-frightening.
“We saw you on the news feeds,” the old man said. “You and that green-haired sprite.”
“That’s Lily,” Blaze confirmed. “She’s a doll…but she cheats at poker.”
“The innocent looking ones usually do,” the old man agreed. “Not many of you show yourselves.”
“Not many are as pretty as me.” Despite his teasing words, Blaze had a serious intonation.
The old man stared and then nodded. “Probably scares some folks, huh?”
“That it does.”
“This is your wife?” The old man looked at Irina, trying to determine if she was human or not.
“I’m his doctor,” she said.
“Hmmph. If you’re not his wife now, you will be soon. He doesn’t look foolish enough to let you get away.”
His wife snorted. “Don’t mind Joseph. He’s a romantic old fool at heart.”
“Quiet, gorgeous. You’re gonna be giving away all my secrets.”
His wife rolled her eyes. “Hard to give away your secrets when they just caught you watching those reruns of old-Earth TV.”
Sure enough, Baby ran across the screen and into the arms of Patrick Swayze for the timeless, classic lift. The film was old enough that the color seemed off, and it wasn’t even available in 3D hologram.
“I love this part. Can you imagine livin’ in that era?” The old man’s eyes were glued to the flat image. He didn’t wait for an answer. “People out there looking for ya?”
“Yes. If you don’t mind, we’ll just slip out your front door and head down the building to exit.”
“Cameras are installed in the hallway, son.”
“We can call to disable them,” Irina said.
“Or you can just take the elevator chute to the lower garage. No one will notice our hovercar leaving the garage when they’re looking for your image instead.”
“You would trust us with your car?”
“Just see if you can leave it where we can get it. Otherwise we might have to report it stolen.” The old man reached into a drawer of the coffee table and tossed his key at Blaze. “You do know how to drive, right?”
“Right.”
Irina slipped away, heading into the kitchen where the old woman calmly kneaded bread. “If I can have your names and address, we’ll make sure to replace the vehicle if something happens to it. Get you some kind of compensation.”
The old woman smiled sweetly at her. “Honey, we live on Theta Eight. We have money.”
“Maybe you’d like to come for a visit to Xenia? I’m a doctor there. I’m sure we can manage to trip your records, sneak in my name as your primary care physician…and perhaps you’d like to visit your doctor wherever she has currently moved.”
The old woman’s eyes grew. “That would be a dream come true,” she said. “Our friends would be so envious.”
She pulled a post it note from the fridge and scribbled their information on it, handing it to Irina, who tucked it into her pocket. Blaze and the older man came to the kitchen.
“Ready?” Joseph asked.
Irina nodded. With a touch of a button on the wall, the panel slid to reveal a small shaft used to drop below the apartment where the garage was located. She and Blaze entered the small chute, and he waved at the couple before the doors shut and lights flashed on. In just a few minutes, the doors opened in front of the small circular hovercraft in their personal garage. The car doors opened automatically with the key in Blaze’s pocket. They entered the vehicle, standing side by side at the helm, holding onto the pole that reached from floor to ceiling. Once the hovercar doors closed, the outer garage doors opened.
Irina pushed the button that allowed a view screen of a map to come across the dash.