Manipulating Mikey (First Wave Book 8)

by Mikayla Lane

  Even more lies. The good guys were in bed with the bad guys everywhere. The truth was stranger than any fiction ever written, and he was smack dab in the middle of it. Mikey sighed and headed outside, needing to clear his head.

  He breathed in the clean, crisp air and without thinking turned the corner of the building. He looked up and stopped dead in his tracks, standing spellbound.

  “Did you find him?”

  Mikey stared at the ghostly image of Emily and closed his eyes, wondering if she’d be gone when he opened them. He slowly opened his eyes.

  Nope, not crazy. She’s really there. Again, Mikey thought.

  “Please, it’s really important that I talk to Indrid. Have you seen him?” Emily asked, her voice pleading.

  Mikey walked closer as he looked around to see if anyone was around and could witness him talking to . . . nothing. Seeing no one, he looked down at Emily.

  “No, I haven’t seen him. I was gone for a little while though, and he could have come while I was gone,” Mikey whispered.

  “Is there any way that you can get hold of him for me? Please, it’s very important,” Emily said, desperate for help.

  “I’m sorry, I only met him once. Can’t one of the other . . . um, angels here help you?” Mikey suggested.

  Emily shook her head.

  “No, I don’t know any of them. Indrid always helps me. Is there someone you can ask? Please, I don’t know what else to do,” Emily pleaded.

  Mikey was getting ready to ask her if he could help when she looked behind him and squealed before she disappeared. He turned around to see Grai coming towards him and wondered why Grai would scare her.

  “Who were you talking to?” Grai asked as he approached Mikey and looked around for he’d been speaking to.

  Mikey sighed and threw his hands up in the air.

  “Myself. Just trying to figure things out in my head,” he said, unwilling to sound crazy to the alien leader.

  Grai snorted.

  “Let me know how that goes for you. I’m still trying to figure it all out. Want to talk about it?” Grai asked, figuring the kid needed an ear and not a request to look at vids.

  “I’m not even sure what to ask,” Mikey said with a laugh.

  Grai motioned for Mikey to start walking and waited for him before falling into step beside him. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Mikey turned to Grai.

  “How the hell do you even know what’s real?” Mikey asked.

  “Real is determined by the person who believes it to be real. You have to figure out for yourself whether or not you choose to believe the facts that are before your eyes. You will make your own reality based on what you choose to accept and believe,” Grai said.

  “That’s not true. I can’t go back and forget everything that’s happened since the forest. So the reality I had is gone forever,” Mikey said with a sad shake of his head.

  “You can’t make it perfect, but you can go back. We can give you a new identity, you can pick a country or even stay in the US. All you have to do is pretend like you don’t know the truth and soon your mind will forget,” Grai suggested.

  Mikey barked out a laugh.

  “Yeah, that’s never going to happen. I could never watch the news again without wondering what the truth was beneath the lies being told. I’ll never look at the skies the same way again,” Mikey said.

  “Is that really a bad thing? Would you have rather remained like so many others who are sheep to the slaughter for their governments? Or have you spent so much time hating this reality that you didn’t even try to like it?” Grai asked, knowing he made a direct hit by the way Mikey flinched.

  Grai took pity on Mikey and put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Look, I need a favor, and you need time to think. Take all the time you need to think about what you want your reality to be, and we’ll do what we can to help in any way. Even if you choose not to remain with us, we will always be here for you. So don’t allow that to influence your decision. We won’t abandon you, but we will respect your wishes,” Grai offered.

  Mikey sighed, feeling like a weight had been lifted. He hadn’t realized that he had been worried about being left alone in the world. There was a lot to be said for the beneficial emotional effects of knowing that someone would be there for you if you needed them.

  “Thanks, Grai. I really do appreciate that and everything you’ve done for me. I know I’ve acted like an ungrateful ass . . . it’s just a lot to take in. I don’t know where I fit in the world anymore, or if I ever belonged at all,” Mikey admitted, feeling surprisingly better after he did.

  Grai chuckled and gave Mikey a friendly slap on the back.

  “I am very familiar with that exact same feeling. Tell me, what is it you wanted to do with your life prior to having your world literally crash around you?”

  Mikey looked up at Grai.

  “I wanted to help people. To save the world,” Mikey said, a little embarrassed that he was so naïve just a month ago.

  “Well, you’ve been here less than a month and you’ve already taken out a cartel and the lieutenant colonel who tortured you and who knows how many of our people. Sounds to me like you’ve made a pretty good dent in your goals,” Grai said with a grin.

  Mikey stopped short as he considered what Grai said. He hadn’t looked at it that way.

  “What could I do here if I stayed?” Mikey asked, trying to convince himself he only wanted to know his options.

  “Anything you want,” Grai assured him. “If you want to be on a mission team, we’ll get you in training so you can. If you want to be a shopkeeper or a medic, we can arrange that too. You’re too hard on yourself. Try to relax and just learn what goes on among our people. You may be surprised at what you find out.”

  Mikey couldn’t help but laugh.

  “I’ve been surprised since the moment I saw that craft in the forest, and the hits keep coming,” he said with a shake of his head.

  “The world can do that to you no matter what reality you choose to believe,” Grai replied.

  “You’re right about that. Do you think anyone would mind if I stayed a while and tried to figure things out?” Mikey asked hesitantly, his thoughts on Lauren. He really couldn’t blame her if she wanted him gone.

  Grai shook his head.

  “Most of the hybrids here have been in your shoes, and they understand what you’re going through. No one will judge you based on your decision, only how you treat them while you’re here.”

  “Yeah,” Mikey said with a snort. “I think I blew it with a few people.”

  “You’d be surprised at how forgiving people can be if you give them a chance,” Grai suggested, knowing that Mikey was referring to Lauren.

  “So,” Mikey said, wanting to change the subject. “What is it you want me to look at?”

  “In the video footage of that day in Colorado, you found the secondary break up of my brother’s pod. I was wondering if you’d mind looking at the rest of the footage we have of that night and seeing if you can tell where the other section of the pod may have gone,” Grai asked hopefully.

  “Of course,” Mikey said without hesitation. “Where’s the footage? I’ll start looking through it now.”

  “I’m very grateful. Thank you. I sent the footage to your comm. I need to go right now, but there’s an artificial intelligence in the comm that will help you not only learn how to use the comm, but also find the files and view them,” Grai explained.

  “Yeah, I’m getting pretty good at the computers around here. Thanks, Grai, for everything. I’ll do my best to find something for you,” Mikey said, wanting to repay the man for saving his life. More than once now.

  Grai turned and laid a hand on Mikey’s shoulder.

  “Just relax. If you have questions, ask anyone here anything, and they’ll be honest with you. Other than past and ongoing missions, you have access to all of our files and can learn anything you want. True knowledge will give you answers. If you
find anything, call me on the Shengari’ no matter the time. In fact, if you have any questions, call me,” Grai said before turning and heading towards the portal.

  Mikey watched him disappear from sight and pulled the comm device out of his pocket. He turned to see if anyone was around, and when he saw a few people he moved in the opposite direction towards the large lake.

  He’d gone about half a mile when he sat on the lush grass and looked at the screen of the comm. With one last look around to make sure no one was in hearing distance, Mikey asked his first question.

  “Can you explain the mating thing to me?” he whispered aloud.

  “Yes, Mikey, I can,” came the electronic response.

  *****

  Lauren paced her room at Base Beta. It’d been hours since they’d returned from the jungle, and she hadn’t seen or spoken to Mikey since their return. She wasn’t even sure where he was, but she knew he was around. She could feel him.

  She threw herself on her bed in frustration, exhausted from the overly emotional 24 hours she’d just gone through. Staring at the ceiling, she ran through everything that had happened.

  Lauren recalled—in horrifying detail—the moment she had turned in the bunker and had seen the boy’s dark, evil eyes staring at her body. She’d shivered in fear, looking between the boy’s lascivious gaze to the machete he held in his hand, pointed at her abdomen.

  He’d spoken slowly enough for the translator to clearly interpret that he intended to rape her then kill her. He’d smiled before wondering aloud if he should make her watch him butcher the unconscious children or kill her first so he could take his time carving them up. Her stomach had heaved, and she’d been frozen in terror.

  Then he’d demanded to know what was going on outside and had cackled with glee and hoped that they killed off his father and all of his men. He’d tried to get his father’s men to switch their loyalty to him, but he lamented that they were too fearful of him and preferred his father.

  He’d led her outside, only to see everyone standing around and he’d panicked. The young man had whispered in her ear that she was going to be his shield out of there then they’d pick up where they left off.

  Lauren closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to shake off the overwhelming fear she’d felt. She’d never felt so helpless, so scared, in her life. Even when Grai’s people had stormed Fiorn’s Folly, she’d never truly been frightened. She’d been confident that the hybrids wouldn’t harm one another.

  But that boy. Young man . . . she thought, correcting herself.

  That young man was the most frightening thing she’d ever encountered, and she couldn’t imagine how many suffered at his demented hands.

  Lauren knew that countless people were going to be safe now that he was dead, but the doctor part of her struggled with how easily Mikey and Blade made the decision to kill him. She’d listened to her beast, Lola, make countless excuses for it, and a part of her she never knew existed agreed with what they had done.

  She hated to admit it, but Blade was right; she’d been living in her own delusions. As much as Mikey fought against joining them in their world, she was refusing to see the outside world as it really was because she never had to be exposed to it.

  The times she’d left one of their secured bases, she’d gone to high end areas, to expensive restaurants and stores. She’d never gone to a big box store and shopped alongside those who lived paycheck to paycheck. She’d never seen anyone have to put items back in order to pay for everything.

  Oh, she’d heard of it and seen it on the news. But it never really dawned on her just what an arrogant snob she’d become. It was real easy to judge those who didn’t walk around with armed guards while living in a fortress. It was a lot harder to face the monster she’d become and find a way to fix it.

  Too worked up to lay down or sleep, Lauren stood and walked out of her room and outside, taking a deep breath of fresh air as she looked around at the empty streets. It was late, and even though the second sun shone 24/7, the inhabitants followed the closest time zone.

  She moved off the path and let her bare feet sink into the lush grass as she wandered aimlessly towards the lake. She knew she needed to apologize to Mikey, and as much as it killed her to admit it, Blade deserved an apology too. She only hoped that both men would be gracious about it; her emotions were a little too raw for anything heavy.

  Having almost died several times in one day apparently can do that to you, she thought sarcastically.

  She ran her hands over her arms and tried to calm the jitters she’d felt since they arrived at Base Beta as she walked. The doctor part of her realized she was a little in shock and crashing from all the adrenaline, but she couldn’t seem to stop replaying it all in her mind.

  Lauren wondered how any of her people or even the human soldiers dealt with that kind of fear, shock, and adrenaline every day. Not to mention the killing—no matter the reason. It was exhausting and mentally and emotionally devastating. She could easily see how post-traumatic stress disorder ran rampant through the humans and some of their own hybrids.

  They’re stronger than I will ever be, she thought, wishing she’d tried harder to understand it better before now. She could easily repair the physical wounds, but understanding the mental ones affecting her warrior patients had alluded her understanding . . . until now.

  It’s a shame all those snobs like her didn’t have to spend some time seeing what the real world was like without their money, armed guards, walls, and influence. She could think of quite a few unrealistic nut jobs who could more than use the same wakeup call she’d gotten.

  Chapter Twelve

  Mikey was brought out of his own thoughts when he heard a sound to his right, and his vision immediately changed to allow him to see who it was through the shrubs and trees. He panicked and stood up. He tried out several casual poses before sitting back down and trying out a few more. He gave up with a sigh and looked up when she rounded the bushes.

  “Hey, what are you doing up so late?” Mikey asked, unsure what to say.

  Lauren looked momentarily surprised before she gave him a small smile.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” Lauren admitted before sitting down across from him.

  Mikey nodded his head in understanding. He’d had his fair share of sleepless nights after one too many close calls. Or when things ended badly for them after a mission. He sat in silence, figuring she needed her own thoughts right now.

  “I’m sorry I freaked out like I did,” Lauren admitted.

  Mikey just nodded his head in understanding.

  “I understand how shocked you must have been. No one can ever prepare you for the things you have to do. You just have to trust what you know and your instincts,” he said softly, trying not to upset her.

  “I had a crash course in the real world,” Lauren said with a sigh. “I can’t say I’m proud of what I saw in myself either.”

  Mikey was really curious now.

  “What do you think you saw?”

  Lauren blushed, unwilling to reveal so much.

  “Just more than I wanted to face at one time. Are you doing OK? Healing OK from the incision on your . . . um . . . the incision,” she finally got out, blushing to her roots.

  “Yeah, I’m glad I heal fast,” Mikey said with a grin. “You doing all right?”

  Lauren looked up at the aurora above them and pushed aside all the things crowding her mind at the moment.

  “Yeah, I’m OK.”

  They sat in silence for a while, each looking to the sky when Mikey turned to her.

  “Tell me about yourself. I don’t know anything about you. How old are you?”

  “I’m 85,” Lauren said, and wished she hadn’t when she saw the shocked look on Mikey’s face.

  He pulled himself together and sucked in a breath before grinning at her.

  “Boy, you really like them young. If the situation were reversed somebody’d be trying to put my ass in jail!” he teased.

>   Lauren blushed again and dropped her eyes to the ground in front of her.

  “Hey,” Mikey said, sensing her upset. “I was just teasing. I know you . . . we, our people, live longer than regular . . . the humans. Damn, you know what I mean. I still can’t seem to remember that they are humans and I am a hybrid,” Mikey said with a boyish grin and shake of his head.

  Lauren smiled. She was still embarrassed, but she was surprised and grateful that he tried to make things easier for her. She knew from the military files they’d hacked on Mikey that he was 27 years old but saw no need to bring up the age difference between them again.

  Mikey cleared his throat.

  “I didn’t mean to offend you. Again. I seem to have a perfect record of putting my foot in my mouth when I get around you,” he said with a shrug. “I’m not sure if it’s because you’re so beautiful or if it’s the way I feel like my veins have come alive and my blood is pulling me towards you . . . that came out a little more gruesome than it intended.”

  Lauren looked over at Mikey’s grimace and burst out laughing.

  “You have a very colorful way of wording things,” Lauren said, still grinning at how he tumbled over his words.

  Mikey sighed and pulled himself to his feet. He looked down at Lauren with a smile and held out his hand to her.

  “How about we go for a walk,” he offered, hoping like hell that she would take his hand and give him a chance.

  Lauren slipped her hand in his and both of them were a little surprised at the energy jolt they got from the contact. It felt like being snapped by unusually strong static electricity.

  “Does that mean we’re allergic to each other?” Mikey asked with a confused grin.

  Lauren stood quickly and pulled her hand from his.

  “It’s our energy. Um . . . people like us . . . our energies begin to sync with one another and form a connection. It’s a natural thing among our people,” Lauren explained, trying not to freak him out.