by Sarah Carter
Mr. Blakely looks at his son with a dead stare. “Damien. Seriously?”
“He attacked Claire!” Damien yells out defensively.
“Are you kidding me?” Claire gasps. “We attacked him. I tried to shock him.”
“Thank you!” Mason interjects, throwing his hands up.
Turning his attention to Mason, Mr. Blakely growls, “You’ve been held prisoner?”
“This is my first time out of a cell,” Mason states. “Well, I walked from one to another but that doesn’t count.”
“Damien Blakely.”
“Dad, he is hostile,” Damien snaps.
“How?” Mr. Blakely asks. “Has he attacked anyone else?”
“Well, no.”
“You have him in this room, making him help you and you have him in restraints. Have you at least fed him?”
Mason puts up his finger. “That he did do. He also let me by my friends this morning. I got to really kiss the girl I love for the first time. It was fantastic!”
With a cold stone glare, Mr. Blakely looks at Damien. Damien shifts uncomfortably. “Damien…”
“Yes,” Damien mumbles.
“You and I have to have a private discussion later.”
“Ah,” Mason says, throwing his hands forward. “He just doesn’t like me. He never will. He tolerates me.”
“This little girl told you that?” Mr. Blakely asks.
“Lexi. She’s adorable. You’ll fall in love with her.”
“I understand my son’s hesitation in believing you.”
Claire leans forward and says, “You trust me, don’t you?”
Mr. Blakely nods. “Of course. Completely.”
“She saved my life,” Claire emphasizes.
He looks at her for a second and then replies, “Okay. Tell me. Tell me everything.” Claire takes a deep breath and explains it all. Mason jumps in with the information he knows. Finally, they are done. Mr. Blakely looks speechless. “Oh my god. She sounds incredible.”
“Not you too!” Damien yells.
Gesturing with his hand, Mr. Blakely says, “How could all three of them be hallucinating the same thing? How could they hallucinate a whole storyline without talking to each other? Claire was dying. Xander said Lexi was going to save her. She was saved and you still won’t believe it. Even though Claire woke up and confirmed it. Really Damien?”
“I guess one of us have to keep a level head and I guess I will be the only one!” There is a sudden knock on the door. “Come in,” Damien yells. An older gentleman walks in. “Mr. Jenkins. This is of the upmost secrecy. This card, figure it out and break the coding. Make a new card that will work.”
“I will do my very best,” Mr. Jenkins says, taking the card.
“This is very important. You have to bring your A game.”
He bows his head. “Yes sir, Master Damien.”
“We need it by tomorrow.”
Mr. Jenkins nods his head again. “I will get started immediately. Looking at it, it doesn’t seem to be too complicated.”
Mason grimaces. “I don’t know. The Collector is really smart.”
Raising an eyebrow, Mr. Jenkins declares, “I came up with our entirely new security system. I have a hard time believing that a key card to get into a building is going to be more complicated than that.”
“Point well made,” Mason laughs.
“Let me get started.” With that, Mr. Jenkins leaves.
When the door shuts, Mr. Blakely looks at Damien. “Now son. Let Mason out of his restraints.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Damien states.
Putting his hand to his chest, Mason says, “Have I done anything yet? Have I not been a nice guy?”
“Yes.”
“Let him out of his restraints,” Mr. Blakely snaps.
“There’s no need,” Mason laughs. He turns and winks at Claire. “You lost the best.” Suddenly, he’s gone.
“What in the hell!” Damien yells, standing up. He spins around to see Mason behind him.
Mason holds out the cuffs in his hands. “Here. These don’t work.”
“You’ve been able to jump this whole time!?” Damien exclaims.
“Oh yeah,” Mason replies in a snarky tone. “I needed to gain your trust. Which I hopefully have now. I could have killed you. I could have gone on a massacre. Destroyed the ship. But I didn’t. I let you treat me like crap.” He curtly nods.
Mr. Blakely furrows his eyebrows. “That will happen no longer. I’m greatly sorry for the way you were treated.”
“It’s all right. Things had to happen for a reason.”
“I thought there was a time shift,” Claire stutters.
“Little Bit told me I would know when the moment was right. I figured this was that moment.”
Claire slams her hands down on the table. “Dude! I have to write loser on my forehead.”
Damien looks at her. “Why?”
“No, I get to write it you have to leave it for 24 hours,” Mason gasps, raising his eyebrows and opening his mouth in excitement.
She glares at him. “I said a day.”
“Yeah, a day. 24 hours.”
“No, day light hours.”
“Nope,” he snorts. “24 hours.”
Crossing her arms, Claire snaps, “Fine. Whatever.”
Mr. Hardrick rolls his eyes. “Let’s get back to what’s important.”
“What’s the layout of the building?” Damien asks.
“Let me draw it out,” Mason says, bending over. He draws a diagram and show where all the hallways and doorways are. Finally, he looks up at everyone.
Claire lets out a heavy breath. “How are we ever supposed to debrief the guard in time?”
“They follow us. A third with you. A third with me. A third securing the perimeter,” Mason explains.
Damien looks at him and scoffs. “We’re going to let you lead the guard?”
“Yes. They need to follow me to secure the building and rescue the others. Claire goes after Lexi.”
Mommy!
Jerking, Claire says, “Lexi. Hi honey.”
Mommy better.
“Yes, Mommy is better.”
Mommy make plan.
“Yes, we are,” Claire replies.
Talk to you and Mason at once.
She looks up at Mason. “You got that?”
He nods. “Yup.” Mason looks at everyone. “Lexi is talking to both of us.’
Mason show where everyone is.
Pointing to the map, he says, “If you follow this path, it will lead you to the commons area. This is where the rooms are.”
“Where’s Lexi?” Claire asks.
“Through this door. Then down here. Then through this doorway.”
Lexi tell Mommy where to go!
She looks up at everyone. “Lexi says she will lead me where to go.”
Damien narrows his eyes. “Future seer or not, she’s two.”
The Collector move Lexi.
“Where did she move you?” Claire asks.
No go area.
“What does that mean?”
No one come here. Lexi see no one.
Very concerned, Claire asks, “Are you at the institute?”
Yeah. High seturity.
“High security,” Mason says.
“Do you know where that is?” Claire replies.
He points to the map. “There.”
She rolls her eyes. “The dead center of the building. Of course.”
Mommy get Lexi.
“How?” Claire asks.
Lexi tell Mommy when Mommy gets here. Mommy come alone.
“We never go on missions alone.”
Shut down energy. No track.
“What do you mean?” Claire whispers, narrowing her eyes in confusion.
“The Collector tracks the inner building by Neturu signature.”
Claire nods her head. “So, it’s like me hiding.”
Mommy the fastest. Mommy th
e strongest. Mommy come to get Lexi.
“Okay.”
Bring sword.
She tilts her head. “How do you know about my sword?”
Lexi see it. Shiny and sharp.
“It is very sharp,” Claire agrees. “Do I hurt people with it?”
Time shift Mommy.
“You must otherwise you wouldn’t need it,” Mason states, looking up at her.
“What is she saying?” Mr. Blakely asks.
“That I have to bring my sword. That I shut down my energy and I go in alone.”
“Absolutely not,” Damien snaps. “I will not risk you getting hurt again.”
“I do the hurting,” Claire declares, cracking her knuckles.
He points at Mason. “Mason took you down.”
Claire waves her hand. “He’s the exception. He’s pure energy.”
“How do we know that there’s not more of him?” Damien growls.
“Lexi,” Claire chimes.
Yeah Mommy.
“Are there more people like Mason?
No. Uncle Mason only one.
Shaking her head, Claire says, “Lexi says he’s it.”
“If she exists, she’s two. How can we trust what she says?” Damien asks hotly.
“Lexi, can’t you just talk to Daddy?”
Damien spits out, “Don’t call me that!”
She rolls her eyes. “Sorry. Can’t you just talk to Damien?”
Time shift.
“It would make this so much easier,” Claire groans.
Tell Daddy a secret.
“What kind of secret?”
He failed test.
“Damien has never failed a test in his life,” Claire snorts.
Study wrong chapters. Fail test.
“She’s saying you failed a test.”
Damien scoffs. “Pffff, yeah okay.”
“You read the wrong chapters,” Claire presses.
“I have never failed a test.”
Sighing, Claire says, “Lexi, you may be wrong.”
2012.
“In 2012.” Damien stops and stares at Claire. Claire says, “What?”
“How would she know?” He stutters. “The only ones who know are me and my professor. It was the beginning of freshman year.”
“Well, welcome to Lexi’s world,” Mason laughs.
“Hmmm,” Damien hums. “No matter what, going in on your own is a horrible idea.”
Mommy have help for little while, but Mommy goes through door and then by self.
“I guess I am with the guard and then get separated by a door,” Claire declares.
Shaking his head, Damien replies, “We can’t have that happen.”
“It’s what is going to happen,” she says. “If we like it or not.”
“That’s not true.”
Pointing to the map, Claire states, “The risk of being separated on this mission is pretty big. It’s all hallways and doorways. They are definitely going to be sealing off access points. It’s probably going to happen, if we like it or not.”
“Take Alex with you,” Mr. Hardrick says.
Uncle Alex goes with Uncle Mason.
“Why?” Claire asks.
Mason needs help with others.
“Alex is my partner,” Claire says.
You see when you come. Lexi excited to see everyone, especially Mommy.
Putting her hand on her chest, Claire says, “Mommy is excited to see you too.”
Excited to see Daddy.
Claire looks at Damien. “When he finally meets you he will be just as happy.”
No, Daddy takes a while.
“Well then, I will hug you and kiss you doubly as much,” Claire promises.
Okay!
“Now, what can you tell us without causing a time shift?”
Everyone is safe.
“All our people are safe?”
Yes.
“Do people die?” Claire asks, furrowing her eyebrows.
There is silence.
“Can you not tell us sweetie?”
Lexi no like seeing it. It scare Lexi.
“Oh honey,” Claire whispers. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
In front of Lexi. People die.
Claire’s heart tightens. “I will try my hardest to not let that happen.”
Sometimes you can’t stop what’s supposed to happen.
“Promise Mommy something then,” Claire says.
Okay.
“When Mommy says close your eyes, you close them really tight. Deal?”
Okay. Close them really tight.
“Super tight. As hard as you can don’t open them until I tell you to, okay?”
Yeah Mommy.
Mason finally says, “What else can you tell us?”
Uncle Mason point to the map. Point to entrance.
“Okay,” he says.
Six guys.
“There will be six guys there?” Mason repeats back.
Yeah. Real guns.
“Six guards with real guns,” Mason declares, looking around at everyone.
Damien nods his head. “Everyone will have to wear the new suits.”
“Where else are there guards?” Claire asks.
Lexi guides them through the entire building and shows exactly where everyone sits. “That’s forty one guards,” Mr. Hardrick states.
“We will send a hundred then,” Mr. Blakely says.
Mason looks up at him. “How many of those on the outside of the building?”
Mr. Blakely raises an eyebrow. “No, I meant a hundred going in. We will storm the place.”
“You have that many guards not doing anything?” Mason snorts.
“Our policing system is very large. We will have enough people. There will also be ships completely surrounding the institute.”
“Weapons?” Mason asks.
Shaking his head, Mr. Blakely says, “I will not discuss our weapons with you.”
Mommy is a weapon! Lexi finally chimes in.
Claire laughs. “Yes, Mommy is a weapon.”
Lexi go. Lexi have to eat.
“Who’s bringing you food?” Claire inquires curiously.
The evil lady.
“Has she ever done anything to you?”
No, she knows better. Lexi go eat.
Smiling, Claire replies, “Okay honey. Thanks for your help!”
Talk to you later.
“Okay.” Claire looks up at everyone. “She’s gone to eat.”
“So,” Damien starts. “We are going to go in with that many guard members. Mason to the left. Claire to the right. Alex will go with you Claire.”
She replies, “Lexi said Alex goes with Mason.”
“Did she say why?” Mr. Hardrick asks.
“No,” Claire says. “Only that I will see.”
“I don’t like trusting a two-year-old to come up with battle plans,” Damien growls.
Claire states, “I think Alex tries to go with but gets stopped or something. The plan should still be he goes with me, because you’re right. She’s two. Though I believe in her with my whole heart. She’s two.”
“Okay, let’s go over the specifics,” Damien says, leaning over the map.
*****
Claire watches Xander cross his arms. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go in with you?” He asks.
“We will need you once the kids are brought out,” Damien explains. “We need to make sure everyone is safe.”
“Okay. Tell Trinity I am waiting for her.”
“I will,” Mason promises.
Ariel wrings her hands. “Good luck.”
“We’ll be fine. Little Bit says so,” Mason assures her.
“There can always be a time shift,” she replies.
“Party pooper, party pooper. There’s always one of you,” Claire groans.
Jerking back, Ariel gasps, “What? Why would I poop at a party? We’ve never been to a party. Do people poop?”
Trying
really hard not to laugh, Claire says, “No, it’s a phrase.”
“About people pooping…?”
“We’ll explain it later.”
Ariel puts her hand on her chest. “I feel as though we are fitting into this alien title. Pooping…at a party. Just why?”
Claire smacks her head. “Okay, on to the big bad wolf.”
“I at least know that one,” Ariel yells.
“We leave in ten minutes,” Mr. Hardrick says from behind them.
“Let’s do this,” Claire cheers, rubbing her hands together.
“We should take this somewhere else.”
Ariel leaps forward and grabs Mason. He picks her up the floor and gives her the biggest hug. They pull back and look at each other. “Be safe,” Ariel whispers. “Come home to me.”
“I will,” Mason replies. “Don’t worry. Just be ready to reward me. We will finally have some alone time.”
She blushes. “Okay.”
“Come on Mason. Bye guys.”
Everyone waves and Claire walks out with Mason, Damien and Mr. Hardrick. “It will take the fleet about ten minutes to get there,” Mr. Hardrick says.
“That’s fast!” Mason exclaims. “We’re in Alaska.”
“We could be there in a second, but it would leave a massive trail. Not including it would be heard around the entire world. Talk about a sonic boom.”
A huge grin crosses Mason’s face. “That’s cool.”
“We will be invisible and cloaked. She shouldn’t be able to sense us. Genetic genius yes. I doubt she’s advanced enough for our engineering.”
Mason grimaces. “I don’t know…”
“Fine,” Mr. Hardrick says. “The likelihood is slim.”
“Okay, that sounds better.”
“We will…” he starts.
“BEAM!” Claire yells, throwing her hands up.
“We will…dissipate…you down and you will immediately go to the door and open it,” Mr. Hardrick tells Mason. “We will then send down everyone else. You will go in.”
“Claire,” Damien finally says. “You will go after Lexi.”
“And The Collector? She has to be with her.”
Damien points at her. “Capture, not kill.”
“I might have to kill,” Claire replies.
“She might,” Mason agrees. “The Collector will kill anyone in her way.”
“We need to try and capture. One, we choose not to kill if possible. Two, we need to figure out how all of this was possible.”
Mason looks at him. “You just want to use her.”
“We wouldn’t use her methods to create people, but we are interested on how it’s done.”
