by Darien Cox
“I can’t move.”
Nolan tensed. “You paralyzed?”
“No. Just freaked out.”
Nolan sighed. “Don’t do that to me! Okay, here, let her rest against your shoulder.” Nolan leaned over and adjusted the baby’s position. “Now just put the water bottle in her mouth.”
Elliot complied, and the baby grabbed hold of the bottle. Its long white lashes blinked, then closed as she drank. When Elliot looked up, Nolan was grinning at him. He stepped over and knelt down next to Elliot, lifted his phone and took a picture of them.
Elliot shook his head. “Weirdest selfie ever.”
Nolan laughed softly. “So,” he said, standing and snapping another photo of just Elliot and the baby. “Still think a different job would be more fulfilling than this?”
Elliot shook his head and watched the alien baby drink from his water bottle. Her eyes opened and she stared up at him as she drank. Then she pushed the bottle aside and sat up. She pointed to Nolan.
“Aw, man,” Elliot said. “She likes you best.”
Nolan held his arms out and the baby went to him, climbing up on his lap. “That’s because I’m nicer than you are.”
“You are not. You’re just puffier. Like a more comfy piece of furniture to sit on.”
When Nolan raised an eyebrow, Elliot realized what he’d said. “You felt pretty comfy on my lap last night,” Nolan said with a smirk. “You want a turn next?”
“Don’t start.”
“Of course.” Nolan rolled his eyes. “We can’t talk about it. God forbid we actually talk about it.”
“Nolan,” Elliot said. “You’re holding an alien on your lap. I think it’s safe to say this is not the time.”
“Yeah.” Nolan chuckled. “See, now we’re arguing. I knew we shouldn’t have had kids together.”
Elliot snorted a laugh.
The baby screamed, a high-pitched, wounded animal shriek. She stared off into the darkness, clinging to Nolan’s neck and making strange raspy sounds.
Nolan and Elliot both stood. “Something scared her. Hand me my flashlight.”
Elliot picked up both flashlights and handed one to Nolan. They pointed them in the direction the baby was staring.
At first they saw only a mist. Then a figure stepped out of it and paused.
Nolan sucked a breath in. “Baz!”
Elliot grabbed Nolan’s shoulder. “That’s not Baz.”
The being was Baz’s height, looked similar, high forehead, but slightly shorter hair. The eyes were smaller than a full White, so it was definitely a hybrid like Baz. But the facial features were vaguely different, and it wore a gray gown that fell to its feet, unlike Baz’s attempts to dress ‘human’ for them. No sunglasses. Just wide, speckled eyes staring at them.
“Who are you?” Nolan shouted.
“Greeting hello goodnight.” It stepped forward into the firelight and bobbed its head in a bow. “Greeting hello goodnight.”
Nolan and Elliot remained frozen, the baby clinging to Nolan’s neck, little socked feet climbing his chest.
The being stepped closer and extended its arm. “Greeting. Handshake?”
Nolan handed the baby to Elliot. She wrapped her arms around his neck, nearly strangling him. She was stronger than she looked. “Stay back,” Nolan said to Elliot. He stepped forward and shook the being’s hand. “Where is Baz?” he asked. “Our ambassador?”
The hybrid pumped Nolan’s hand twice, then dropped it. Turning to Elliot, it stuck its arm out. “Handshake?”
“No thanks,” Elliot said. “I’m good. Where is Baz?”
“Ambassador to you not present. Speak to me? Speak to me.”
“Where is he?” Elliot asked. “Why couldn’t Baz come?”
The being pointed to the copter. “Read about you. Humans of the lake. You know better. Agreement.”
Nolan and Elliot glanced at each other, then back at the hybrid. “Yeah,” Nolan said. “We’re not supposed to be on the field, we know. But we haven’t heard from Baz and were worried something was wrong. We just needed some answers.”
“All is well!” the creature said and smiled. “All is well.” He reached his arms out. “Give infant. You leave now.”
“She’s scared of you,” Elliot said. “We’d really rather speak with Baz.”
“Ambassador to you not present. Speak to me.”
“Yeah, so you said, but you haven’t said much of anything.”
“Give infant. You leave now.”
Nolan looked at Elliot. “I don’t like this,” he whispered.
“Yeah, neither do I,” Elliot said and called to the hybrid, “Why is the baby scared of you?”
“She three month. Needs nutrient. Give to me.”
Elliot glanced at the squirming baby in his arms. She looked at least two years old. “You’re telling me this kid is only three months old?”
The hybrid held up three long fingers. “Three month. Infant.”
“Why is she out here by herself in the first place?” Nolan asked.
The hybrid reached out and suddenly the baby was ripped from Elliot’s grasp as if by invisible hands. She flew through the air and landed in the hybrid’s arms.
“What the fuck!” Elliot shouted.
The hybrid held the baby, who seemed to have gone limp. “You leave now. Infant with me.” She appeared asleep, eyes closed, little body hanging off his arm like a rag doll. “All is well,” the hybrid said. “No to worry. Goodnight goodbye.”
Mist engulfed the hybrid and then he was gone. Along with the baby White.
“Fuck!” Nolan paced a circle. He looked at Elliot. “Who the fuck was that?”
“He just ripped her away from me. Must have put her to sleep somehow.”
“Fuck,” Nolan said again. He sat in his chair and rubbed his face.
“Well, you heard him. He said all is well.”
Nolan looked up. “Yeah. Said it in decent English too. I thought Baz was the only one who’d spent time learning our language.”
“Obviously not.”
“Elliot.” Nolan grimaced. “Did we do the right thing? Giving that hybrid the baby? We didn’t get any answers as to why she was out here. Neglected.”
“We weren’t given a choice,” Elliot said. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. He’ll likely return her to her parents. She’s a White. She belongs with the Whites.”
“I know that, Elliot! But something doesn’t feel right here.”
“I’m aware of that, but what are we supposed to do? Ogden said make contact and ask if everything’s all right. We made contact. We were told all is well.”
Nolan frowned. “That hybrid. He was cold.”
“What do you mean?”
“When I shook the hybrid’s hand. He was cold. I thought hybrids were hot. Like Baz.”
Elliot frowned. “Maybe because it’s so cold outside?”
“The baby had been out here at least since last night when Ogden spotted her on the cameras. She was still hot.”
Elliot shook his head. “I’m not gonna sleep well tonight, that’s for sure.”
“Yeah. I hear that. Let’s head back before something else comes crawling out of the woods.”
They picked up and loaded the supplies. Elliot spotted the small white jumpsuit resting on one of the seats in the chopper. “Nolan.”
Nolan loaded the last of the lights into the chopper then stepped inside. “What?”
Elliot pointed to the soiled jumpsuit.
Nolan’s eyes widened. “Holy crap. I forgot about that.”
Elliot grinned. “Guess who’s gonna be Ogden’s favorite this week?”
“Me,” Nolan said, but he didn’t look happy.
“You. The guy who brought him a sample of Whites’ DNA. Jumpsuit’s covered in urine.”
“Do you think she’ll be okay? Really?”
Elliot climbed into the pilot’s chair, avoiding Nolan’s eyes when he sat down beside him.
“Elliot, d
id you hear me?”
“I heard you,” Elliot said as he took them up. “And you know I can’t lie to you. So my honest answer is I don’t know. I don’t know if the baby will be okay. I don’t know if the Whites are okay. And I don’t know if we’ll be okay. Despite mister friendly we just met on the field, something is definitely fucked up down in White land. I can feel it in my bones.”
Nolan let out a breath.
“I’m sorry, Nolan.”
“No, I prefer your honesty, even if it pains me.” He looked at Elliot. “Always, okay?”
Elliot glanced at Nolan, and knew they weren’t talking about aliens anymore. “Of course,” he said. “Always. I promise.”
Chapter Six
Nolan wiped the bar down after a particularly sloppy customer left White Russian puddles all over it. It was getting close to happy hour and the pub was filling up. Nolan usually preferred it busy, but right now he wished things were just a little bit slower. He had too much on his mind and couldn’t concentrate, kept screwing up drink orders.
“Hey,” JT said, appearing behind him.
Nolan turned to his friend and smiled. “Hey boss man.”
JT was supposed to be Nolan’s boss. He owned the pub. Nolan was the manager. But in reality, both jobs had been manufactured by Ogden so they could blend in as villagers while they did their other work. JT’s wavy blond hair hung in damp ringlets. “You just shower?” Nolan asked. “It’s almost five you realize. You sleep all day? Up sky gazing for Ogden all night?”
JT flushed. “No, just…spent some time with Rudy this afternoon. So I took a second shower.”
Nolan shook his head, grinning. “Guess the honeymoon’s not over yet.”
“Not yet.” JT chuckled. “You heard from Ogden yet?”
“No. I was hoping you had.”
“No. Christian called me earlier. Said he already spoke with Elliot and told him he couldn’t find anything new on that science teacher, but he’s called in a favor with some shady Pentagon contact or something. Said he might know something more tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a dead end.”
JT shrugged. “If there’s something there, Christian will find it, trust me. I’m most surprised we haven’t heard from Ogden yet though. After everything you guys dealt with last night on the mountain, figured he’d call an emergency meeting right away.”
“Yeah. He’s got his alien DNA now though, what does he need us for? He’s probably gleefully rubbing his hands together going ‘My precious!’ and sleeping with that baby White’s alien pee-pee jumpsuit.”
JT’s high-pitched hyena laugh made his shoulders shake. “You are deranged.”
“Elliot and I briefed Ogden over the phone last night, but I figured he’d want to get us all together too. Guess we’ll see. Hang on.” Nolan served a customer a beer, then walked back to stand with JT. “A team was waiting when we landed the chopper last night. Ogden’s soldiers. They wrapped up the baby White’s jumpsuit and took it with them. Haven’t heard a word since.”
“Was Tyler one of the soldiers?”
“Surprisingly, no.”
“What the hell is his job now anyway? Not sure why he’s still hanging around the village.”
Tyler was one of Ogden’s soldiers. They’d worked with him in the past. After the incident with the ‘angry nasty’ aliens over the summer, he’d been assigned permanent residency in the village. Nolan suspected Tyler wasn’t the only one. He’d spotted a few familiar faces blending in with the locals the past few weeks.
JT and the others seemed pissed about it, like Ogden had set Tyler and others in the village to spy on them because he didn’t trust them. Nolan could not have cared less. They’d all had a hand in losing a dangerous extraterrestrial who’d broken into houses and caused harm to people, so it wasn’t that outrageous that Ogden might want to leave some muscle behind.
“I don’t care why Tyler’s still around. Guy’s fucking weird.”
“Agreed,” JT said. “Where the hell do you think Baz is? Why’d the Whites send a replacement?”
Nolan huffed. “One of a thousand questions running through my head right now.”
JT grinned. “That picture of you and Elliot holding the baby White is fucking priceless.”
Nolan grinned and nodded. He hadn’t heard from Elliot since dropping him off last night, and they’d said very little to each other on the ride home. Nolan had said far more than he’d intended to last night, and was somewhat shocked at himself today. But when Elliot was sitting there, right in front of him, discussing his possible departure from the team, something desperate had swelled up inside. And then spewed forth with stupid abandon from Nolan’s mouth. He’d intended to address the situation more delicately. But then suddenly he was just blurting it out. Making clear to Elliot that he was attracted to him.
Christ, of course Elliot wasn’t ready for Nolan to voice it. Nolan had barely thought it through himself. He just knew suddenly he felt different. But that wasn’t quite right. He’d always felt deeply for Elliot. Now, suddenly, he just felt…more. He’d opened the door just a crack. And that was all it took. Suddenly everything inside was telling him to kick that door wide open. To touch Elliot. To make Elliot feel what he was feeling.
This is so fucked up. He’s my best friend.
“Hey, Meatball! Give me a martini.”
Nolan looked over and saw Christian plop himself down on a barstool. “Ever hear of manners, Christian?”
“Sorry. Give me a martini, please, Meatball. And make it strong.”
“I’ve got some work to do in the back,” JT said. “Come get me if either of you hear from Ogden before I do.”
“Will do,” Christian said.
Nolan made Christian a strong martini with three blue cheese stuffed olives, the way he liked it. He set the drink down then leaned over, resting his elbows on the bar. “You talked to Elliot today?”
Christian took a sip, then nodded. “He’s working. I stopped by the radio station. To say he’s in a weird mood is an understatement. But I guess we all are. He’s convinced something’s happened to Baz. Now I am too and it’s got my stomach in knots.”
“Yeah. Last night was fucked up.”
“I watched the footage.” Christian looked up. “No sound though. What exactly did that other hybrid say to you guys?”
“Not much, that’s the problem. All is well. Give me the baby. Now piss off. That was about the extent of it.”
“Did you ask about Baz?” Christian’s brown eyes looked pained. “Is he all right?”
“No one knows, Christian. The other hybrid just kept saying our ambassador wasn’t there, and to speak to him instead.”
“Shit.” Christian took another long sip of his martini, then popped an olive in his mouth. “What were you and Elliot fighting about?”
Nolan straightened and took a step back. “What do you mean? We weren’t fighting.”
“No? Looked that way on the footage. Like you said something to upset him. He was hanging his head in his hands. Then you were rubbing his leg. Like soothing him or something. Is he okay?”
Nolan’s face heated. He’d been so caught up in talking to Elliot last night he’d forgotten they were surrounded by surveillance cameras. Cameras that he himself helped design. Cameras he’d placed there with his own hands. What a moron. Christ, and he’d almost kissed Elliot. “Elliot’s just worried about Baz.” Nolan picked up his rag and began wiping the already clean bar. “Same as you.”
Christian nodded and looked into his drink. He didn’t seem to suspect anything. But why would he? It was Elliot. And Nolan.
“You should call him.”
Nolan did a double take at Christian. “Call who?”
“Elliot.”
“Why? Why would I call him? I just spent an entire night with him.”
Christian frowned. “Because he’s your friend and he’s freaked out. Jesus, Nolan, what’s wrong with you? Bite my head off why don’t you.”
&
nbsp; Nolan approached the bar and leaned over again. “What do you mean he’s freaked out?”
Christian blinked his long lashes. “Did you say something to upset him?”
“No. Why do you keep asking me that?”
“Because despite how maudlin Elliot can get sometimes, he seemed extra twitchy when I stopped by this afternoon. I asked him if you guys had a fight, same as I asked you. He got all pissed off and said, ‘I don’t want to talk about Nolan.’”
Nolan let his head fall forward and sighed.
“Nolan. What’s up? I know we don’t always get along, but you can talk to me.”
Nolan lifted his head and studied Christian’s eyes. He saw only genuine concern. “I fucked up, Christian.”
Christian scowled. “What did you do?”
“Can you keep something to yourself?”
Christian sighed impatiently. “You can trust me.” He sipped his drink. “Spill it.”
“You can’t tell anyone. Not even Myles. I mean it.”
“I said you can trust me. I won’t repeat anything you say, I swear.”
“Fine. I…” Nolan winced. “I think I’ve developed feelings for Elliot.”
Christian spit out his drink and coughed. He wiped his mouth and gave Nolan wide eyes. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me.”
Christian stared at Nolan, mouth agape, but remained silent.
“Well?” Nolan snapped. “Say something.”
“Sorry! I’m in shock. You mean…like romantic feelings?”
Nolan nodded.
“Just all of a sudden?”
“Yeah. Pretty much. Like a bomb went off inside me or something.”
Christian let out a whistle. “Shit. Was not expecting you to say that. Does he…does he know?”
“I more or less confessed last night. That’s why he was upset.”
“Wow.” Christian set his drink down. “Oh, wow. You sure I can’t tell anyone? This is the best gossip of my life.”
“Christian!”
“I’m kidding! Really Nolan.” Christian squeezed Nolan’s arm. “So you threw him for a loop, huh? Explains why he was so weird today.”
“Yeah. All day yesterday, I thought I was getting signals from him. That maybe he was feeling it too. But I think I might have misinterpreted it. It was probably discomfort I was picking up from him, nothing more. And I went and pushed him on the matter. Now I probably fucked up our friendship and…” Nolan took a deep breath. “And I don’t know what to do. Fuck.” He hung his head again.