by Luna Athena
“I don’t think any comic has ever been a dime an issue,” said Tessa. “Are you sure you’re from Earth?”
Rowan stopped and looked at Tessa. There it was again, that sad look on his face.
“When I left earth, comic books were a dime an issue,” he said. “And no, I don’t have any special high-tech motorbike. I’m trying to keep a low profile.”
“I’m not impressed, spaceman,” said Tessa.
Rowan said nothing. A quizzical look came across his face. He reached into his coat and pulled out his monitor.
He looked at it, concerned. He dug his fingers into the mercurial screen. He pulled out images that quickly faded. Mostly sewer layouts with various green moving dots.
“What is it?” Said Tessa.
Rowan continued to say nothing for several seconds. His concentration was so intense that Tessa thought if a hammer were to hit Rowan at this very moment he’d shatter like glass.
At last he eased up. He relaxed a little. Then, he placed the monitor back into his pocket.
“What was it?” Tessa asked.
“I thought I had a reading, not just on Skull Carver but another squil as well,” Rowan said.
“Two aliens?” Tessa asked.
“It had to be a fluctuation error. Perhaps an echo. I’ve recalibrated the device,” said Rowan, starting to walk forward again.
“What if there are two of them?” Tessa asked, following behind Rowan.
“There can’t be,” Rowan said.
“Why not?” Tessa asked.
Rowan glanced at Tessa. His face was so deadly serious now.
“Squils come from seeds that are scattered throughout space. They fall to earth occasionally, say maybe two or three in a hundred years,” He said. “The odds of two of them falling to earth at the same time are too remote.”
“What would happen if there were two of them?” Tessa asked.
“They would most likely mate,” said Rowan.
“I take it that would be bad,” said Tessa.
“Potentially, very,” said Rowan.
“Are you sure there aren’t two?” Tessa said.
“There can’t be. The odds are too small. I recalibrated. Anyway, we’re going in the right direction. Skull Carver briefly resurfaced up ahead, and then he went back down into the sewer system,” said Rowan. “I think you’re exactly right, he’s headed for the goth club. We need to pick up the pace.”
“Which leads me back to my question, where’s your special high-tech motorbike?” Tessa said.
“In fact, I do have a motorcycle,” Rowan said. “It’s a Suzuki Hayabusa, do you know what that is?”
“No,” said Tessa.
“So you don’t know everything about modern technology?” said Rowan.
Tessa wanted to roll her eyes.
“It’s fast,” Rowan said, still pleased with himself.
“If it’s so fast, then why are we on foot, spaceman,” Tessa asked.
Rowan stopped and looked at Tessa. His eyes were so drop dead gorgeous.
“Well, earth girl,” said Rowan, sarcastically. “You seem to have forgotten how we arrived at this juncture,.”
“Juncture?” Tessa replied.
“Exactly how would I have followed you if I’d been riding a motorcycle?” Said Rowan.
“So you admit it now, you were stalking me,” said Tessa.
“Stalking you?” Said Rowan. “I was trying to keep you alive.”
This shut up Tessa for a moment. Rowan smiled at her victoriously then turned and began walking back toward the goth club.
Tessa caught up with him quickly.
“Why me?” She asked.
“What do you mean, why you?” Said Rowan.
“I wasn’t the only person out there on the street,” said Tessa. “Why were you protecting me?”
As soon as Tessa asked the question, she wished she hadn’t. Rowan glanced at her, fiercely, as if he was angry at her. But why? He increased his walking pace. When Tessa caught up to him, he spoke again.
“I knew Skull Carver was near,” Rowan said. “That’s all. Following you was just as good a strategy as any.”
Rowan couldn’t lie to save his life. And Tessa could tell he was hedging. There was clearly something he didn’t want to admit. But what?
Tessa didn’t know, but she wanted to find out. Why had he chosen to protect her? The city was full of people that needed protecting.
“It absolutely wasn’t as good a strategy as any other. There were others I passed on the street that Skull Carver could have just as easily attacked,” said Tessa. “Some of them were more vulnerable than me. Yet you stayed with me.”
Rowan stopped again. He looked at Tessa.
“But Skull Carver did attack you, didn’t he? So either way I got it right, didn’t I?” Rowan said. “Tessa, I saved you.”
“Saved me? A debatable point,” Tessa said. “But you’re changing the subject. You stuck with me. You didn’t need to. I want to know why.”
Rowan blinked. He looked a bit cornered.
“Tessa, what difference does any of this make?” Rowan said.
“You stayed with me, why?” Tessa said again.
Then, as Tessa looked at Rowan’s eyes, she saw it. She had to take a step backward.
“Really?” She said.
“Really, what?” Rowan said.
“I’m flattered, of course,” Tessa said. “But really?”
“What?” Rowan said.
“You like me,” said Tessa.
“I do not,” said Rowan.
“You don’t like me?” Teased Tessa now, getting the upper hand.
“I didn’t say that,” Rowan said.
“But you did just say it,” said Tessa.
“But that’s not what I mean,” Rowan said.
“Then you do like me!” Said Tessa.
Tessa laughed. She couldn’t help it. Rowan was so intense and serious. And yet behind that, he was just as human as she was.
Rowan had a crush on her. It was unmistakable.
“You do like me,” Tessa said. “You’ve got it bad, too. You can’t even hide it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said.
“It’s cute,” Tessa said. “A full-blown crush.”
“You’re imagining things,” Rowan said.
“Did it start in the elevator? Or did you see me before?” Asked Tessa.
Rowan’s shoulders sagged as if he no longer felt like fighting the accusation.
“You’ve seen me before, haven’t you?” Said Tessa. “You’ve been checking me out.”
Rowan opened his mouth to try and protest. Then he stopped. His eyes said everything. They were eyes that could never tell a lie.
“Stalker!” Tessa teased.
She was amused though. The big tough alien hunter had a crush on her. How convenient that she was now his captive.
“So when did you first notice me?” Tessa asked.
Rowan sighed and looked away from Tessa.
“I have in fact seen you before today,” he admitted.
“I knew it!” Said Tessa. “Was it love at first sight?”
She enjoyed teasing him. Rowan’s face now was priceless.
“Go on, tell me, when did you first see me?” Tessa said. “I want to know.”
Rowan’s face became more serious then.
“I saw you on the day you took your grandmother to the hospital,” he said. “You were passing through the lobby of our apartment building.”
And just like that, all the warmth from Tessa’s body dripped out of her. She remembered that day so vividly. Gran clutching at her chest, but insisting she was fine.
“Gran wouldn’t let me call an ambulance,” said Tessa. “She hates hospitals. But I told her we were going to the hospital, one way or the other. So we agreed on a taxi.”
“The way you held her, the concern you had,” said Rowan. “I admit it. I was touched.”
Rowan was so much more human th
an Tessa had realized.
Tessa quickly got in front of Rowan. She grabbed his hands and pulled them to her. She gazed up into his eyes.
“You saw me with Gran, Rowan. You know how much I care for her. She’s alone. She’s dying. I have to get back to her,” Tessa said. “Please, take me to her now. Before she dies. I have to be with her when it happens. You can’t understand how important that is.”
Rowan looked down at Tessa. For a moment she almost thought he was going to agree. But then his face firmed up. He was the alien hunter again.
“If I did that, Tessa, we are guaranteed of one thing only,” he said.
“What?” Tessa said.
“Another person being found dead tonight with their skull carved open and their brains gone,” Rowan said.
Tessa said nothing.
“Do you really want to be responsible for that?” Rowan said. “Would your grandmother want you to be responsible for that? We have to stop Skull Carver, tonight. Before he kills again.”
“What if we don’t stop him? And what if Gran passes away, alone, without me there for her?” Said Tessa.
Rowan pulled a hand free from Tessa’s grasp. Gently, he touched her cheek and smoothed a finger down it.
“You know I’m right,” Rowan said.
He was, and Tessa hated him for it. But he wasn’t right about everything.
“You’re so full of yourself, Rowan,” Tessa said. “What do you know about what’s right?”
He looked at her, confused.
“You’re going to take my memories away, aren’t you?” Tessa said. “Who’s going to remember Gran? All the things she did for me? Who is going to remember that? What’s right about that?”
She pulled her hands away from Rowan.
Rowan’s mouth opened and shut. At last he had nothing to say.
“Come on, let’s hurry and get this done,” said Tessa. “At least one good thing will come from all this once you’ve wiped away my memories.”
“What?” Said Rowan, confused.
“I’ll forget about you,” said Tessa.
She turned away from Rowan and began to walk again toward the goth club.
Chapter 7
Rowan dipped his fingers into the screen of his monitor. It looked as if he were pulling up gossamer cobwebs. And as he did so, images from inside the goth club appeared and disappeared.
He and Tessa were standing across the street from the club. They were standing in a dark alley where they could not be seen.
“Skull Carver’s not anywhere,” said Rowan.
“You said there’s a delay,” said Tessa. “Do you think Skull Carver could be in the club now?”
Tessa pulled out her smartphone and looked at it. It was now two o’clock in the morning.
“The last reading we got showed him in the vicinity,” said Rowan. “The next reading might tell us everything.”
Tessa nodded.
Rowan placed his monitor back into his pocket. He looked across the street at the goth club studying it. Written across the club in glowing neon was its name, Spiral Mission.
Tessa continued to hold her smartphone, staring at it.
“Rowan?” Tessa said.
“Yes,” Rowan said.
“I need to call the hospital,” Tessa said. “Just to check in.”
Rowan reached out. He placed his hand on Tessa’s hand and over the smartphone.
“Don’t,” he said.
“I have to,” said Tessa. “I have to at least check in.”
“No,” he said.
“I promise I won’t say anything,” Tessa said. “But I have to at least call. I have to know how Gran is. I have to let her know I’m coming.”
Rowan’s deep eyes went directly to Tessa’s. Such beautiful blue eyes.
“You can’t,” he said.
“Why?” Tessa said.
“Because I don’t know what they’ll tell you,” Rowan said. “You need to concentrate on this. Right here, right now. Let’s get it done.”
“Before Skull Carver kills again?” said Tessa.
“Exactly,” said Rowan.
“So that you can take my memories away from me?” said Tessa.
“Again, I will let you say goodbye to your grandmother, first,” said Rowan. “I’ve promised you that, and I don’t break my promises.”
“But you can’t promise me she’ll stay alive until I make it to the hospital, can you?” Tessa said.
She hated Rowan so much.
“You’re stuck here waiting for Skull Carver,” said Tessa. “I could just make a run for it.”
“You won’t,” Rowan said.
Tessa sighed.
“So, now what? Are you going to take my smartphone away from me?” Tessa asked.
“Do I need to?” Rowan said.
Tessa shook her head, defeated.
“Just put it in your pocket,” Rowan said.
His eyes went back to the club. There was a continuous flux of people moving in and out of it. And there were some people that milled around in front. All of them wore fashions appropriate to a goth club.
“Rowan?” Tessa said.
“What?” Rowan asked.
“Have you ever even had a girlfriend?” Tessa asked, idly.
“Excuse me?” Rowan said.
“A girlfriend, have you ever had a girlfriend?” Tessa asked.
Rowan turned his gaze away from the club and looked at Tessa. He just stared at her for several long moments, then he turned his gaze back at the club.
“When the Tigrath trained me, I was mostly trained among people from other worlds,” he said. “I rarely ever saw other humans, and when I did, it was mostly older hunters.”
“It sounds kind of lonely,” Tessa said.
Rowan shrugged.
“So no girlfriends, then?” Tessa said.
“What does it matter to you?” He said.
“I’m your captive. I’m bored. Humor me,” said Tessa.
Rowan slowly shook his head.
“No, I haven’t had a girlfriend before. There was another alien female I was fond of though,” Rowan said.
Suddenly, and stupidly, Tessa felt a tinge of jealousy. She hated herself for it.
“Really? What happened?” Tessa said.
Rowan softly laughed.
“Nothing,” said Rowan. “Her anatomy was a bit like a jellyfish, and not only that, she was about a hundred years older than me.”
“Your joking, right,” said Tessa.
Rowan looked at Tessa. He smiled.
“No,” he said. “She had to wear a special survival suit most of the time. She had a wicked sense of humor, that’s for sure. But, yeah, kissing her would have been about as sexy as kissing a cold jellyfish.”
“How did you even speak to each other?” Tessa asked.
Rowan thought about it.
“We had special translators,” he said. “You know, I’m not really supposed to be talking about this stuff.”
“But you want to talk about it, don’t you?” Said Tessa.
Rowan’s hand went through his thick hair.
“I don’t really get to talk to anyone,” he said. “It’s not allowed.”
“But you used to talk to the cold jellyfish girl,” said Tessa.
“Among the other trainees we were allowed some limited exchanges, but not so much that we could form any bonds,” said Rowan. “The Tigrath were worried it would weaken us. You know, keep us from focusing on our mission.”
“No bonding. Got it,” said Tessa.
“It’s just a practical matter,” said Rowan.
“Attachments do drag us down, don’t they?” said Tessa. “Not to fear though, the memory can just be wiped clean if things get too tough, right?”
“It’s not like that,” said Rowan.
“You could have fooled me,” said Tessa.
Rowan said nothing, but Tessa could see he was thinking about it.
“Well, anyway, you can talk to me,”
Tessa said. “If you want. It’s not like you get to talk to anyone else, right?”
Rowan’s shifted a little uncomfortably.
“I mean, you’re going to take away my memories, anyway, right?” said Tessa. “So what difference does it make? You might as well as dump out your secrets to the girl you’ve got a crush on. At least while you’re holding her captive.”
“How can you be so sure I have a crush on you?” Rowan asked.
Tessa looked at Rowan. His eyes said everything. She didn’t even bother answering his question.
“So what about you?” Rowan asked.
“What about me?” Tessa said.
“Have you ever had a boyfriend?” Rowan asked.
Tessa blushed. It was such an unexpected question. Could Rowan see how red she was?
“Forget it,” Rowan said. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s fine. And, no, I haven’t,” Tessa said. “Next question?”
Rowan glanced back at the goth club. There was very little movement now. He looked back at Tessa.
“It’s just stating a fact to note that you’re very pretty,” Rowan said. “So why haven’t you had a boyfriend?”
“That’s the third time you’ve called me pretty. Gran says I’m a little fat,” smiled Tessa. “But thanks. As far as why I haven’t had a boyfriend, hm, let me think.”
Rowan watched her so carefully now.
“Well, it’s not like no one ever asks me out. I actually get asked out a lot,” said Tessa. “It’s been that way ever since middle school.”
“But?” Said Rowan.
“I got my first part-time job as soon as I was old enough,” Tessa said. “As soon as I started earning money, I wanted to quit school and just work. But Gran would have none of that. She insisted I not only stay in school, but that I study and get good grades.”
“A wise woman,” said Rowan.
“But between working and studying, I haven’t had much time for anything else,” Tessa said. “Work, study, and take care of Gran. That pretty much sums up the last five or six years of my life.”
Rowan glanced back at the goth club. Nothing was happening. He looked back at Tessa.
“So what happened to your parents?” He asked.
“A car accident. They died when I was really young. I don’t really remember them. Just images,” said Tessa. “Gran had just retired when it happened. She had this big nest egg. It was her dream to sail around the world. And she was going to do it. Only she didn’t.”
