Alien Minds: Dimension Drift, Book 1

by Christina Bauer

  I share a long look with Meimi. Without saying a word, we have a quick chat. Sure, Zoe understands prison justice. But this particular mission? Not so much.

  Meimi addresses her friends once more. “I still don’t think you two get it. This is a huge deal. No one has done anything like this before. We might fail.”

  “What?” Zoe sniffs. “Of course, we are not going to fail. Think positively, for crying out loud.”

  “Can I swear now?” asks Chloe. “For crying out loud really doesn’t capture enough emotion here.”

  “Absolutely not,” counters Zoe.

  Meimi turns to me. “Help?”

  Clearly, Zoe and Chloe aren’t registering the risk related to building the Engine. Time for a different angle. If they aren’t worried about the Engine, maybe the twins will get concerned about me.

  “Look,” I say. “There’s more going on here than you know.”

  “Oh?” ask Chloe and Zoe together.

  “I’m an alien.”

  “Really?” This time, it’s just Zoe who asks.

  “He’s kidding,” says Meimi. “I think.”

  “An alien. Holy crap.” Chloe tilts her head. “Like from another continent or a different planet?”

  Meimi grins. “Wow. That’s exactly what I asked him.”

  “You and Chloe always thought alike,” explains Zoe. The three of them then launch into a conversation about other words that trip them up, beyond the whole alien thing.

  Like nails. As in ow, I hurt my thumb, or I need one for this thing I’m building?

  Jam. Do I want it on my bread or am I enjoying this song?

  Bolt. Of lightning or time to escape?

  This could go on all day.

  I rub my temples with my fingertips. Not sure what I expected in recruiting Chloe and Zoe. This definitely wasn’t it.

  “Ladies,” I say.

  They launch into a discussion of squash, the food versus what you do to a bug.

  “Ladies!”

  Meimi does a double-take in my direction, as if she’s noticing me for the first time. “What, Thorne?”

  “To answer Chloe’s question, I’m from another planet. Umbra.”

  Zoe frowns. “Are you really an alien?”

  “Maybe,” replies Meimi. “He might be trying to do the Beauty and the Beast thing, luring me into his strange enchanted reality so he can control my science skills.”

  For a moment, I debate the merits of turning blue or using my powers to levitate the entire garage, but I decide that would only cause more delays. If they can talk this long after just saying the word alien, I don’t want to know what will happen if I take things to the next level.

  “Let’s try this again.” I gesture toward Chloe and Zoe. “Am I correct to assume you want to help Meimi?”

  Chloe flips through the data pad. “This outlines an Engine program, both a secret version and the official Godwin version. Is there anything else you need help with?”

  Meimi tilts her head. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “How do I state this?” Zoe taps her lips. “Before, you had a short list of topics you were rather obsessed with. Saving broad numbers of people wasn’t on the list.”

  “Still not following,” says Meimi.

  “Luci,” clarifies Chloe. “We’re talking about Luci.”

  “My sponsor mother?” Meimi takes a half step backward. “Why would I be obsessed with her?”

  Zoe and Chloe exchange a look. I can almost see the invisible conversation between them. There’s no need to wonder what that chat is about. Godwin made the same point. Back when Meimi had her memories, she thought Luci was a saint. Clearly, Chloe and Zoe knew what Luci’s really about.

  “No reason,” says Chloe. “In fact, maybe it’s good you lost memories of some stuff.”

  Meimi rubs her forehead. All this talk about Luci is confusing her. I need to keep things moving, so I focus on the twins. At this point, I think they understand the danger. The twins just don’t care.

  “How soon can you both be ready to go?” I ask.

  They stare at each other for another long second. This time, Zoe answers. “We’ll be ready in the morning.”

  That’s good. “Do you need anyone’s permission to leave?”

  One advantage of being an adjunct to the Star Council: I get access to government records. According to their file, Chloe and Zoe have a very overprotective mother. Or at least, that’s how their mother used to act. After all, their father is ill. People change when loved ones get sick.

  “No,” replies Zoe. “We only need to pack.”

  “I gotta bring my tools,” says Chloe. She looks protectively at a nearby pile of gears and soldering irons.

  “Same here,” says Zoe. “I also need some decent clothes.” Zoe turns to Meimi. “I can get outfits for you, too.”

  Meimi grins. “Thank you. So. Much.”

  Interesting. I didn’t realize Meimi wanted other things to wear. I set that little fact aside for later.

  “Oh,” says Zoe. “I have the cutest fitted lab coat. It’s my fave thing to wear while inventing.”

  The three launch then into a conversation about what they most love to wear while creating new stuff. Chloe favors coveralls, which are those zip-front onesies made famous at gas stations everywhere. Meimi likes jeans and a T-shirt. Any sense of urgency flies out the window. This is like herding cats. Only I’m thinking about the cats on Umbra, which are often big as a cougar and slower than a glacier.

  “Getting back to the project,” I state. “Are you two certain you don’t need to explain anything to anyone? We can’t have a posse storming the city to look for you.”

  Chloe jams her hands deeply into the pockets of her blue coveralls. “Dad just passed away. Mom’s taken it pretty hard. In her grief she’s, um, gotten radicalized.”

  “Radicalized,” I repeat. Turning to Meimi, I give her a confused look that says, I’m not connecting the dots on how that means “no permission.”

  Thankfully, Meimi steps in to clarify. “Look, this is a huge deal. You guys are going to disappear for months. Maybe we should talk to your mom. Together.”

  Zoe pulls out her phone. “Fine. We can call her.”

  Chloe does the same. “I’ll do it.” Lowering her tone, she side-speaks to me and Meimi. “I put a translation overlay on my phone. It bleeps over all of Mom’s swears because, you know, Zoe.”

  Zoe shakes her head. “You so got your potty mouth from Mom.”

  Chloe sticks her finger in her ear as she dials. “Hello? Mom? I’m putting you on speaker.”

  An older woman’s voice sounds through the speaker. “Hi, honey.”

  Zoe steps closer to the phone and speaks in a loud voice. “So, Mom. We want to go off with Meimi and take down the government.”

  “Great! Those BLEEPERS BLEEPING BLEEPED treatment for your father’s cancer. I BLEEPING BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP! When will you be back?”

  “End of summer.”

  “Fine. Just call me regularly with updates, that’s all. And Meimi?”

  Chloe gestures toward Meimi, who steps closer to the phone as well. “Hello, I’m here.”

  “Hi, Meimi. So nice you turned up. We were worried about you. Go BLEEPING BLEEP them.”

  And the line goes dead.

  So that went well. If strangely.

  “Do you need to tell anyone else?” I ask. “Teachers?”

  “Nah,” replies Chloe. “Meimi totally erased our school. Long story.”

  Meimi pales. “I did?”

  “Don’t worry,” retorts Zoe. “It was a good thing.”

  “And I erased a school.” Meimi goes back to looking wide-eyed and pale. “I had quite the interesting life.”

  “You think?” asks Chloe. “Why do you think we want to sneak off with you?”

  Zoe slowly turns around, examining the room with an expert eye. “We have so much packing to do.”

  Chloe gestures toward the door. “You two don’t mi
nd showing yourself out, do you? Just haul your butts back here and get us in the morning. Seven a.m.”

  Zoe gasps. “What? No, nine a.m.”

  The pair are still arguing as Meimi and I leave the garage and get back into the hovercar. This time, Meimi lets me open the door for her. That makes me smile.

  Once we settle onto our seats, I say, “What the hell was that?”

  At the same time, Meimi asks, “Aren’t they so awesome?”

  We both pause, stare, and then burst out laughing. Invisible cords of energy and connection wind between us. I decide not to say another word as we drive away.

  Some moments are perfect, just as they are.

  14 Thorne

  “The art of seduction is a topic we historians should never write about. Therefore, I shall segue to the subject of plant life.” – Hammurabi the Seventh, Law of Sentient

  It feels good to laugh with Meimi. Afterward, she puts on music that doesn’t make me want to claw my ears off, so that’s another improvement. Driving across state with her is soothing, even if the scenery is a little depressing. After all, I thought the Boston Dome was awful since it was all faked up. Now, I’m not sure what’s worse: false beauty or real ruins.

  Hours later, I pull up to the Berkshire Resort. As one of the most expensive spots on the continent, it even has its own mini-dome.

  Unfortunately, it also brings back all the bad memories from this morning’s encounter with Godwin and Vargas. As we pull up to the roundabout drop-off, there’s a decidedly icy vibe coming from the Meimi side of the car.

  The chill continues as we enter the fancy hotel itself. Not sure why, but this place is filled with fountains. Water cascades from the ceiling into basins on the floor. Walkways are surrounded by still pools filled with overlarge goldfish. Gurgling fountains even line the walls themselves.

  I’ve been on water planets that were more subtle.

  And as always, there’s security everywhere. No doubt, Godwin is watching a feed from the spider bots roaming the lobby floor. Supposedly, surveillance isn’t slowed in the rooms themselves. Not sure I believe that, though. Once we get to our suite, I’ll use my sentient to check for bugs. Godwin will just have to be satisfied with his lobby video feed and that’s it.

  Most of the spider bots are new models with blue metal bodies. I suppose it fits with the water theme. As we check in, an older bot wobbles by on spindly legs. Both Meimi and I watch it pass with interest. Those legacy models are far easier to hack into. Right now, I can access all the Authority data feeds I need. But once we get back to the Underground? I’m locked out. It would be handy to have a repurposed bot.

  I grab our key cards and sigh. My first priority is ensuring Meimi feels comfortable here. If there’s time later, I can go bot hunting. As well as hit some other errands.

  We reach the suite. The place has multiple bedrooms and a kitchenette. Setting my hand against the wall, I summon my sentient to check for surveillance. There are a few audio jacks set in to the ceiling. I short-circuit the systems and then go check on Meimi.

  She’s chosen her bedroom, evidently.

  My girl is passed out on the bed, lying atop the covers, and still wearing her gray coveralls. I find a blanket, drape it over her, and go off in search of a bot to steal. My mission is purely professional.

  That said, if I find a gift shop, I could pick up a nice dress for her. And if the resort has a fancy place to take Meimi for a meal, then sure, I might make a reservation.

  And if there’s a good dance club, then I could check that out, too.

  So, my mission’s mostly purely professional.

  A few hours later, I head back to the suite. My bot mission was a total failure. Not sure where the old model went, but all the new ones seemed great on the outside, but were stripped down within. None of them could hook directly into the Authority data feed. Total bust.

  I lean against the doorjamb, watching Meimi sleep. As she rolls over onto her side, my girl’s eyes flutter open. My heart pitches against my rib cage. Those green eyes of hers kill me.

  A crease forms between her brows. “Can’t you wait out in the hall?”

  I suppress the urge to grin. Awake and sassy. She’s perfect.

  “Technically, I have one foot in the hall.”

  Meimi’s face is deliciously sleepy as she yawns. “I had some strange dreams. Talked to a blue girl.”

  I step closer. For my people, dreams are critical. And a blue girl could mean the blue sentient I used on Meimi. “What did she say?”

  “I don’t remember.”

  Meimi smacks her lips, and I can’t help but I wonder if that’s something my transcendent always does when she wakes up. Imagination kicks in. I picture myself curled beside her. We both awaken. Meimi smacks her lips; I do the same back at her. We laugh.

  I shake my head. Daydreaming gets you nowhere, Thorne. Focus.

  “What time is it?” asks Meimi.

  “A little past nine p.m.,” I reply. “Need food or anything?”

  Meimi slides out of bed, careful to keep the blanket around her shoulders like a tent. “I’m going to take a shower now.” She lowers her voice. “This is the part where you leave.” She winks.

  Is she trying to flirt with me?

  A blush colors Meimi’s face.

  Oh, yes. She’s definitely trying to flirt with me.

  My heart swells with pride. I should have expected this. The flirting is part of a scheme; Meimi’s clearly got a plan. Wouldn’t expect anything else.

  Meimi walks sideways across the floor, making a beeline for the bathroom. She’s so blushy and cute, I hardly notice what she’s done.

  Somehow, Meimi got her hands on that janky old spider bot. One of its spindly legs sticks out from under her blanket.

  Meimi’s plan comes into focus. She’s taking the spider bot into the bathroom so she can hack into the thing.

  And she’s being flirty to distract me.

  That’s my girl.

  15 Meimi

  I’m halfway to the bathroom.

  With my spider bot.

  And my plan to hack into it.

  This is an older model. S-Bot A3-4000. The thing is built with a security matrix that a four-year-old could crack. Sure, I could tell Thorne about it, but honestly? I’m not one hundred percent sure I can trust him.

  A secret spider bot is a safer spider bot.

  As I step along, I try distracting Thorne with some flirty chatter. Not sure how that part of the plan’s going, but my face is definitely wicked pink.

  And he’s not trying to stop me, so there’s that.

  Thorne tilts his head. “You mentioned dreams before.”

  “Yup,” I say. “There was a blue girl.”

  Step.

  Step.

  “Are you certain you don’t remember anything she said?” he asks.

  For the record, it’s hard to sidestep to a bathroom, grip your blanket in a teepee shape, hide a wiggly spider bot, and hold a conversation. Somehow, I manage.

  Step.

  Step.

  “Meimi?”

  “My dreams of the blue girl, right. I don’t recall a thing. Honestly.” I did sleep a little bit before I went on my spider bot search. Come to think of it, I’m not sure what Thorne’s been up to. He wasn’t around when I snuck off, and at the time, that was all I cared about. “What about you? What have you been up to?”

  A flicker of a smile rounds Thorne’s full mouth. “Roaming around.”

  “So you didn’t sleep.”

  “Me?” Thorne shrugs. “Not a wink.”

  Step.

  Step.

  I’m so close.

  I grip my blanket together even more tightly. “Okay, I’ll just take my shower now.”

  He arches his right brow and doesn’t reply. Dang, that shouldn’t look cute, but it is.

  I hiss in a breath through my teeth. What am I doing? This is my questionable guard who arguably vowed to seduce me in this hotel. I should no
t go Stockholm syndrome on him.

  Even so, I’m feeling rather flirty.

  But that’s just to hide the spider bot.

  Maybe.

  Finally, I reach the bathroom. Kicking the door open, I sidestep into the room. The moment I’m inside the chamber, I drop the bot, close the door, and crank on the hot water in the shower. While the bathroom fills with crazy amounts of steam, I check for any hacker tools.

  Cotton balls? Useless.

  Soap and shampoo? Also won’t work.

  No razors either. Which isn’t surprising. Although, it would be nice to have a weapon.

  Tapping my foot, I scan the bathroom one more time. There must be something in here that can help.

  Picking up the box of cotton balls, I dig through the container, looking for anything I might have missed.

  And yes! I find the perfect device.

  Tweezers.

  While I’ve been searching, the steam has become so thick, it’s hard to see more than a few inches before my face. Perfect. Grabbing a white towel, I set the tweezers in my mouth.

  Then I stalk toward the spider bot.

  My little wobbly buddy is facing toward the white wall. Just what I want. In one swift move, I toss the towel over the bot and cover the video lens. It’s always best to cover vid feeds when you’re hacking. Otherwise, strange things can—and do—get into the camera’s line of vision.

  People can get alerted.

  Life could get ugly.

  Long story short, it’s best to cover the screen.

  With the bot’s video blocked, I sit down, set the device in my lap, and get to work. First, I pop the bot’s round hood with my tweezers. Inside, there’s a familiar tangle of wires and buttons. I reconnect a few lines, clip off a few more, and then press a button or two.

  “Begin voice recognition,” I whisper. “Accept Wisteria—” I pause. That name doesn’t feel right anymore. “Accept Meimi as your new controller.”

  “Accepted,” replies the bot.

  I glance at the shower. Is the noise loud enough to drown out our voices? For a long moment, I stare at the door. Thorne doesn’t knock or speak, so I figure I’m good to go.