by Ava Louise
“Yes, I have to. But is there a way I can keep my memories? I know Daxon is angry right now; but I don’t want to lose my memories of him. Can’t I take care of this problem with Juan Santiago and the Snake gang, then come back?” She was desperate for a solution to this anxiety.
“That is highly irregular, Maggie. The only time a female has left us with her memories intact was when she returned to Earth to pack up her belongings. And they were accompanied by their new mates the whole time. But it sounds as though you are not sure how long this will take, which means it would be impossible for Daxon to stay with you the whole time.”
“Please, Ambassador, I’m begging you. Don’t take my memories. I want to come back after this is all over. At least, if Daxon can get over being angry.” She worried that she was misplacing her faith in the bond she felt with the handsome alien.
“Okay, Maggie. This is what we shall do. I will take you back to your apartment. But I will not tell Daxon you are keeping your memories. I think this will be a test to see if he really cares about you as much as I think he does. I have not seen him this happy since before he lost his father. But you have one week. After that, I need to know if you plan to stay on Earth or return to us here. We can work with transporting you back and forth if needed. But we cannot have a human running around with your knowledge for long. You either return here to the starship or we have to take your memories. Take the electronic notebook with you; that way you can contact us with your decision in a week.”
“Thank you, Ambassador! I promise, you won’t regret it. I just need to pack and I’ll be ready to go.” Maggie rushed into the bedroom to start packing her belongings. She tried to ignore the ache that blossomed in her chest at the thought of leaving Daxon behind. Surely he would come around and understand, she thought.
“Okay, I’m ready to go,” said Maggie. She picked up the cat carrier with Mamzell inside and her craft bag. The ambassador was kind enough to carry the rest of her belongings.
CHAPTER 22
Maggie sighed with relief as she closed the apartment door behind the ambassador. The trip back to Earth was uneventful, but now she needed to get Mamzell settled in and then take off for the police station. She gave the cat fresh water and food, then freshened up in the bathroom. After calling the detectives to tell them she was on her way, she grabbed her coat and purse and was out the door again.
She was happy to see that her truck had not sustained any other “injuries” while she had been gone. The long scratch along the side, though, reminded her of the Snake gang’s intimidation campaign. As she drove out of the alley, she looked around. Seeing none of the gang members, she realized they must have noticed that she wasn’t home, so ended their vigil.
Maggie parked in front of the police station. After locking up her vehicle, she stepped inside. Going to the counter, she asked to speak with Detective Romano or Detective Miles. A few minutes later she was being led to their desks.
“Ms. Cline, good to see ya again,” said Detective Miles. Detective Romano nodded to Maggie from the other side of her desk.
“Hello. What do you need me to do now?” asked Maggie nervously. Now she was here, her stomach started to roil with anxiety.
“We just need you to identify the shooter and his accomplice for the record. Then we can get them booked and off the streets.” The detectives rose from their desks. “If you’ll just follow us we will get the line-up done.”
Maggie followed the two detectives to a small, cramped room. Dingy mini-blinds covered a window on one side to the right of the door.
“If you’ll wait right here, Maggie, we will get the line-up ready,” said Detective Romano. Both detectives exited the room, leaving Maggie alone.
Good thing I’m not claustrophobic, she thought, peering around at the tiny space. It looked like the room doubled for storage space, too, with boxes lined up along the two solid walls. Maggie chose to sit in the lone chair while she waited for the detectives to return.
As much as she wanted to get this ordeal over with, her thoughts kept returning to Daxon and the Starship Starrays. She couldn’t believe Daxon had simply stomped off, without even seeing her away. Is that the way he dealt with problems? To run away or try to avoid them? Maggie was a firm believer in facing things head on when feasible. She decided she would get through this portion of the process, then address all the questions running through her exhausted mind regarding her future.
After several minutes of listening to people traversing the hallway, and hearing doors open and close, Maggie was relieved when the door to her cramped room opened. The two detectives stepped inside, making the room even smaller. The crowding was made worse when an older gentleman in a suit entered the room; he carried a battered briefcase.
“Maggie, this is the attorney for Mr. Santiago and Mr. Ramirez. He’s just here to witness the ID process. We’ll show you two line-ups, just tell us if you recognize anyone and from where, okay?” asked the female detective.
“Okay, I understand,” said Maggie a bit nervously. “Is it like on TV? They can’t see me?”
“Yep, that’s right.” Detective Miles reached over to the mini-blind strings and raised the blinds so Maggie could see into the next room. “Just take a look and tell us if you recognize anyone.”
Maggie looked closely at the six individuals lined up opposite the window she was peering through. “The third one from the left, number three. He was in the store, but he didn’t have a gun that I saw.” As soon as she was done speaking, Detective Miles lowered the mini-blind again and stepped out into the hallway.
He returned after about five minutes, telling Maggie, “Just one more line-up. Same as before.” He raised the blinds again.
Maggie saw a different group of six individuals lined up. She looked at each face carefully. “Second from the right, number five. He had the gun at the store. He shot the clerk.” Maggie couldn’t believe she was seeing the shooter this close again. She suddenly just wanted to leave; she wanted to be home, safe and sound. More than that, she wanted to be back with Daxon.
“Are you sure, Maggie?” asked Detective Romano. She didn’t sound as though she really doubted Maggie just that she had to say the words.
“Yeah. I’m sure. That’s him,” said Maggie in a low voice. Being this close to someone capable of murder was beyond scary.
Detective Miles looked at the lawyer. “Well, she ID’d your clients, Mr. Smythe. If you’ll follow me, we will get them booked into custody. They’ll have to sit in jail over the weekend.” The detective escorted the elderly lawyer from the room.
“Well, Maggie, you did it. You helped us get that scum off the streets,” said Maria Romano, patting Maggie on the back casually. “You can go on home now. Just don’t leave town again without letting us know, ok?”
“Of course. Thank you for catching him. What happens next? For me, I mean.”
“Nothing for a while. The judge’ll determine whether to let him out on bail or not, but that won’t happen ‘til Monday. You stay low; we don’t know what his gang will do now that he is in custody.”
“Oh great. Just what I wanted to hear,” mumbled Maggie. She gathered her coat and purse, then headed out of the police station.
Stepping outside, Maggie took a deep breath of fresh air. That room had definitely been close quarters with four people in it. Maggie looked to the east. She really loved seeing the Cascade Mountains so close, their peaks covered with snow and ice. Looking to the west, she saw the sun dipping low, heading to the horizon. Soon it would be swallowed by the Pacific Ocean, out past Fidalgo Island. As she climbed into her truck, she realized she wouldn’t be able to see these things if she went back to the Nordonian starship. Then she thought of Daxon and felt the light bulb of her imagination light up. She just hoped she didn’t look as comical as a cartoon character.
CHAPTER 23
“What do you mean she still has her memories?” roared Daxon. His voice was deeper than usual, his stress evident in his tone. “You never let the
humans retain their memories of us!”
“Please lower your voice, I do not appreciate being yelled at,” calmly replied Ambassador Pacer. “You apparently stomped off without trying to talk to her. I believe she really cares for you, though I am not certain why, at the moment. You have proven to be a bit unreasonable.”
“I am not unreasonable!” said Daxon, loudly. He paused, taking a deep breath. He realized he needed to lower his voice, to calm down. “She made her decision to return to Earth. I was not going to beg her to stay and be seen as pathetic!”
“So this is all about your image?” asked Pacer, his eyebrow ridge raised in question. Obviously he wasn’t impressed with Daxon’s reasoning skills at the moment.
“I lost my temper that is all. Did she say she was returning, then?”
“You know what? I think I will stay out of this from here on out. I have given Maggie a week to decide whether she wants to return to the Starrays or have her memories of us removed. Above and beyond that, I will let you handle. By the way, I left one of our electronic notebooks with her so she can contact us at the end of the week with her decision.”
“I have to go to her. I have to apologize for walking out on her.” Without waiting for a reply from the ambassador, Daxon turned and left Pacer’s quarters. His long legs quickly took him to his quarters. He was already thinking of what he needed to take with him.
He contacted Denot and asked his friend to transport him to Earth. He couldn’t take a space vessel by himself; he had no place to keep it safe from discovery. As he was packing a couple of changes of clothes, his communication panel beeped. Walking to the display, he pressed the button to turn on the camera. Maggie’s face filled the screen. He could see that she was nervous from the way she bit her bottom lip.
“Maggie!” exclaimed Daxon. “Please forgive me for walking out on you. I lost my temper and acted childishly.” The words rushed of his mouth. He didn’t know what he would do if she couldn’t forgive him.
“I understand, Daxon. But can you understand why I had to come back to Earth?” she asked softly.
“I am trying to understand. I do not want to lose you. I was just packing, to come to see you. Would that be okay with you?” implored Daxon, his deep voice showing how uncertain he was of her answer.
“Of course it’s okay! I have something I want to share with you down here. Are you leaving soon?”
“Yes, as soon as I am finished packing. I can only stay a couple of nights, though.” He worried that a couple of days would not be enough to convince her of his feelings and to get her to come back to the starship. First he had to apologize for walking out on her. His fear had allowed his temper to rule over his common sense. “I will be there as soon as possible.”
Daxon completed his packing and contacted Denot to let him know he was ready to go. The trip to Earth was thankfully short; the anxiety building in Daxon’s stomach was not welcomed. After his friend dropped him off in the alley behind Maggie’s apartment, Daxon made sure his head was covered with his hood, then rushed up the stairs and down the dim corridor. He paused at her door, taking several deep breaths to calm his nerves. He did not want a confrontation or an argument; he only wanted to hold her and make sure she was safe.
He raised his hand and knocked on her door. The door opened wide almost immediately, letting him know that she was anxiously waiting for him. As soon as there was room, he stepped into the apartment, kicking the door closed behind him as he gathered Maggie into his arms. Dropping his bag to the floor in the entryway, his mouth came down on hers as she gasped in surprise.
Finally pulling away from his embrace, Maggie sighed, “Welcome to Earth.” They both smiled into the other’s eyes. “Tomorrow I want to show you someplace beautiful. I found it shortly after moving here. We’ll have a picnic if the weather holds up well enough.”
“Mrawr.” Mamzell came out of the bedroom, slowly blinking the sleep from her sapphire blue eyes. She, too, was happy to see Daxon. The cat went to his bag and climbed on top of it, settling in for the rest of her interrupted nap. Daxon smiled at the cat; funny how quickly even the pet had come to hold a place in his heart.
Maggie motioned toward the living room. “Make yourself comfortable. It’s small, but it’s home. What would you like to do tonight? Watch movies? Order take-out? Whatever you like.”
He turned his warm gaze on her. “Anything?” he asked, walking back toward her slowly.
“Ummm … yeah. What did you have in mind?” she whispered hoarsely. His deep blue eyes were warming her inside and outside. She decided she liked this side of Daxon.
“Honestly … I just want you. Now. Please,” he implored. He sounded like a man at the edge of his control.
“Mmmm … I’m good with that,” she said with a small sultry smile.
They came together, hands and mouths clashing with each other, trying to cover as much of the other as possible. Soon their clothes were flying through the air, landing on the furniture and the floor. Neither of them noticed Maggie’s bra ended up on the lampshade. She breathed deeply of that almost-cinnamon scent that was distinctly him. Maggie took Daxon’s large hand, pulling him toward the small bedroom. Making sure she wouldn’t crush Mamzell, in case the cat snuck by them, she pushed him backwards onto the bed. She joined him atop the soft, fluffy comforter.
The couple spent the evening in, getting to know each other more, building on that electrical charge that zapped along Maggie’s skin every time she was near him. When they came up for air, Maggie realized she did not have any fresh groceries in the house with which to make dinner. Relying on the old standby, she ordered Chinese food to be delivered. Daxon discovered many more human dishes that he enjoyed. He suggested to Maggie to save a little of each type of food they tried, to take back to the starship and program into the replicator.
CHAPTER 24
The following morning was a cloudy, gray Sunday. Maggie made a quick trip to the grocery store for a few items for the picnic she wanted to have with Daxon that day. Being gone for two weeks meant most of the foodstuff in the fridge had gone bad while she was away. Daxon did not like her leaving without him, but he also knew he could not be seen outside her apartment by other humans. How does one explain the blue and green skin, not to mention the large vertical-pupiled eyes? She did, however, assure him they could get to her surprise without him being seen, so long as he kept his hood up and his hands in his pockets.
Maggie made several types of sandwiches, cut up some fruit and vegetables for finger foods, and rummaged through the cabinets to find smaller containers to hold dips for the chips and veggies. She packed several bottles of water into the basket next to the food.
After they were both ready, they headed out of the apartment. Daxon made sure to keep his head tucked down, his hands in his pockets, as he made his way to the truck. Maggie was excited to be able to show him someplace special to her.
“Are you going to tell me where we are going?” he asked with a smile. He turned in his seat to face her drivers’ side seat. This way, someone driving alongside the truck would not see his face.
Maggie chuckled. “We are going to Fidalgo Island. It’s a small island, right off the mainland here, across the waterway. Now just sit back, relax, and enjoy the view.”
As they drove west, she pointed out different things along the way. “That restaurant has the most amazing cornbread and honey butter you could ever taste.” She pointed to a large tan building on the south side of the highway. Shortly after that they crossed a huge arcing bridge and Maggie pointed to the north side of the highway. “That is the Casino operated by the local Native Americans, the Swinomish. They have slot machines, a restaurant, and a Bingo hall. Shirley and I have gone there to play Bingo a few times. Then we would drive into town and buy fresh, hot Krispy Kreme donuts.” Maggie couldn’t stifle the moan that came out, thinking about freshly made donuts dripping with icing.
“I am not familiar with Bingo. Is it something you could show us on th
e starship?” he inquired. He was intrigued by her Earth culture, but he wasn’t going to be shy in making it known he wanted her back on the starship, either.
“Hmm … maybe. I’m not sure. I could always check to see if there are smaller home versions of the game; there most likely is, I’ve just never seen them.” She made a mental note to look this up on the internet. Surely they make at-home versions of the popular game.
They drove in contented quiet for a while, until the highway branched off at the edge of a lake. “This is Lake Campbell. Can you see the tiny island in the center? I’ve always wanted to go out there, just to see what is on it. But I don’t know if it’s privately owned or what, so I would rather not get in trouble,” she chuckled. In the very center of the small lake was a very tiny island covered in trees and rocks. “The large hill on the right is Mt. Erie. We’ll drive up to the top.”
As Maggie turned her blinker on to turn right at the base of the tiny mountain, the sky seemed to open up. It wasn’t a deluge, but they would most likely get drenched to the skin if they left the truck. “Well, at least there won’t be many people around. Less chance of you being seen.”
Maggie drove her truck upwards, following the many curves and switchbacks of the road. She pointed out various hiking paths that started along the road to the top of the hill. When they reached the top, Maggie was pleasantly surprised to find there was only one other vehicle, a beat-up gray clunker, in the parking lot. The small area was surrounded on all sides by large rocks and tall pine trees. Not much wildlife was active, thanks to the rain.
“You up to getting wet? Or do you want to stay in the truck?” she asked her companion. “I have a rain poncho in the back seat you can wear.”
“I will not mind getting wet. It is not raining too hard.”
Maggie dug out the spare rain poncho from the back seat and handed it to Daxon. He quickly slipped it over his head, pulling the hood over his head. They got out of the truck and met behind it. Maggie took his arm since he had his hands tucked inside the poncho. “Let me show you the various walk-outs. Each one has a display mounted with a view from that angle, giving you the name of each of the surrounding islands and waterways.”
