Manipulate (Alien Cadets)

by Corrie [kids] Garrett

  He looked startled to see her, but she smiled and pushed her cart into the elevator confidently.

  “No, no,” he said. “No usar eso, por favor.. Necesita el otro– "

  Shara stepped up to him smiling, and pulled out her .44, aiming it at his stomach.

  “Be quiet,” she said, and punched the button for the roof.

  When the doors opened Shara pushed the Wal-Mart guy out onto the roof. He was kinda cute, with really large brown eyes. Probably they weren’t always that large, only when a gun was in his face. He was cute anyway.

  Up on the roof, the sun poured down, baking the grey concrete and making heat waves around the huge air conditioner boxes. Shara made him show her around. He had never been up there, but he showed her where the access stairway was.

  “I love the sun,” Shara told the Wal-Mart guy. “It feels so great on this human skin. The Rik sky is usually clouded over.”

  He was looking really confused. She wasn’t sure if it was the language barrier or not. “You’re awfully cute, you know. I don’t really want to shoot you."

  “No!” he said. “No shoot. Not shoot me.”

  “How about you lay down over there then?"

  Shara used handcuffs to cuff his hands behind his back, with the chain looped around a large pipe that came out of the roof in a U shape. He couldn’t pull that out too fast.

  “Quiet,” Shara told him. “No talking."

  She left him there, and went to the front of the building. The roof seemed quite a bit larger than the interior of the store, so empty except for a few pipes and the industrial sized air-conditioners.

  A low wall, waist high on Shara, went around the edge of the roof. Easy peasy. She got her rifle out of the duffle bag, getting it ready, and loaded. The Wal-Mart guy couldn’t see her from here, which was good. The big gun might scare him more than the little gun.

  She had great line of sight to her apartment from here. Her apartment was situated in the front of a two story complex. The stairs went up into the building, which meant she couldn’t get him on the top of the stairs, but that was fine. The walkway to the stairs would be fine also. Of course, the walkway was behind the apartment fence, which could possibly deflect a bullet.

  She sighted towards the street instead, where Sam would park. The sidewalk was bare, no trees or electrical boxes to hide behind. Shara watched as a blue sedan pulled up to the curb. She sighted on the driver, through the window. He stopped, grabbed a brief case, and got out of the car. His door swung open and she had a perfect shot to his head. That would work. She almost squeezed the trigger, but that would be foolish. This wasn’t Sam. She had to wait.

  She sighted the false target all the way to the convenience store next to her apartment. She practiced leading the target, imagining the way it would go down. Of course, when she shot Sam, people would be coming to get her. She planned to go down the elevator, and mingle in Wal-Mart until the authorities rushed everyone out of the building. She would go out with the frightened crowd and get lost.

  Now it was time to be patient. Even as she shifted her weight to get comfortable, she saw Claudia’s rental car coming up to the stoplight. Right behind it was a black limo.

  “Forget waiting,” Shara said. “Show time.”

  ***

  The Rik prosecutor sat alone in his ship and read an emergency message from Downy.

  “Sam is tracking Shara. Push for immediate trial, because if she’s captured, she’ll talk. I’ll try to take care of them both.”

  The prosecutor crumpled the paper in his hand. The Spo emperor was only to be pitied for having such a mewling, untrustworthy son. Downy had been useful to the Rik, for a time, but so far had failed in his primary task – to kill Sam. And now, when his failure threatened to expose the Rik plot and Downy’s own guilt, he ran to them for help. He didn’t care whether the Rik were indicted for the cadet murders and kidnappings, or their illegal involvement with Earth; he only cared if he got caught.

  The prosecutor was frustrated. The plan for Natsuki had failed completely, since apparently the Spo had gone to serious measures to protect the cadets from just such an attack as they had tried. The test on the human brain from the cadet’s sister was underway, but he couldn’t be there to observe because he was needed elsewhere.

  He sighed. Nonetheless, Downy was right this time. If Sam (ridiculously still alive) managed to catch Shara, she would probably tell him everything. The Rik were not notorious for their strength under questioning. In fact, individually, they were mostly wimps. He had no illusions about his own species. The Rik had few illusions at all. That would have been a spark of culture, and they had none.

  The prosecutor looked out the clear ceiling of his spaceship. The Earth hung above him like a crumb of delicious Merith cake, and he was determined to snare it. So much culture, so many customs and languages and art forms. The Rik could sell Earth culture for centuries before exhausting the supply of human creativity. And that wasn’t even counting the dominance they would have if they could adapt human brains for the jumpdrives. The Spo monopoly on trouncers made them titans of the galaxy. If the Rik could take that monopoly from the Spo, they would become a dominant species in the galaxy.

  The Rik prosecutor sighed. Downy was an idiot, but he was right. If they started the trial right now, without Sam, they had a good chance of success. The Hadron explosion was such damning evidence of human insanity. Only an exceptional human could overcome that debilitating start.

  He had some calls to make.

  First he arranged a meeting with the Spo, Merith, Crosspointers, Tergre, and Vel of the galactic sub-committee in charge of Earth’s trial.

  When they were assembled on various view screens, he started right in.

  “The human sample is at risk. Already many have died, disappeared, or been mentally damaged. This danger, coupled with Sam’s recent interview, indicates a change of policy. I propose that the sentiency trial be held immediately.”

  The Crosspointer levitated a piece of fruit into view and started to absorb it thoughtfully. The Merith consulted each other, as did the Spo.

  Not an immediate no. That was good. The prosecutor pressed the point.

  “The Spo should only support this motion. The latest witness, Sam, is in danger as well. After his rather spectacular survival from execution, it would be unfortunate if he died now."

  He was lying through his bony, white teeth, of course, but it was his job to make the argument. He was sure the whole council knew he wanted Sam dead, but the Rik motive in the trial was perfectly legal, if generally despised.

  The Merith slowly agreed. The Crosspointer ejected a few seeds and concurred. The Spo were last.

  “We doubt the legality of the Rik motivation in moving up the trial, but we support the proposal. The cadets are clearly in danger and losing any more of them should be avoided.”

  “Excellent.” The Rik prosecutor got to his feet. “What do you say, perhaps two earth hours?”

  “Concurred.”

  ***

  Greg rode in a limousine with Downy, following Sam’s sister to the suspect’s apartment. Sam believed this suspect could be Rik, but Greg was doubtful. Sam couldn’t explain why he was suspicious of this girl beyond a small coincidence. Greg felt it was not sufficient, but Sam claimed his intuition told him to check it out, and Greg agreed to give him the benefit of the doubt.

  Greg liked that human phrase. The benefit of doubt…doubt was not something the Spo saw as a benefit at all.

  They were only half a mile away when he received a call.

  “They moved up the trial?” Greg said. “Without notifying me first?”

  “The Rik prosecutor proposed it, the Council agreed in order to protect the rest of the human cadets. The trial is in two hours.”

  “Are you joking?” Greg said, in fair imitation of one of his cadets. “Two hours?”

  “An hour and a half, now,” said his contact. “You’ve got to get the witnesses to LAX as soon as po
ssible for the trial. We’re flying out the groups from Sao Paolo and Hong Kong now. They’ll all be here in the next ninety minutes.”

  “Mine are scattered,” Greg said flatly. “And Sam and I are investigating a potential suspect in the killings.” He lowered his voice. “She might be Rik. I don’t have to tell you what that would do for the trial.”

  “No choice,” said his contact. “You’ve got to come back right away.”

  “I’ll get things in motion,” Greg said, “but we must follow this lead. I’ll call you back after we check her apartment.”

  In front of him, Greg saw Sam and Claudia pull up at the curb next to the suspect’s apartment.

  ***

  Shara sighted her rifle on the sidewalk next to Claudia’s car as it parked. She could see Claudia in the driver’s seat. Sam was next to her. Somebody else, she couldn’t quite see through the tinted windows, was in the back seat. Probably Chris. She’d seen them together at headquarters; they were such a cute couple.

  Sam got out of the car in one smooth motion. Shara was sighted a step ahead of him and tensed her finger on the trigger. But instead of taking a step forward, he stepped back to open the rear door. Oh, right, helping Chris out, since his hand was healing. But instead of Chris, an animal got out of the car. That was… Shara accidentally bumped the gun in shock… that was a Spo trouncer. What on earth was it doing here? Those things were dangerous.

  This one wasn’t caged or tied, it just climbed out next to Sam. Regrouping, Shara sighted on Sam’s head. But then he started walking again, away from the apartment, and toward the long, black car that parked just behind. Greg got out, and Downy, and Chris.

  Greg started talking, gesturing wildly. This was the moment. She sighted on Sam’s forehead, held her breath, and squeezed the trigger.

  Just as she shot, Downy said something and Sam shifted his weight away from him uneasily. The bullet that should have smashed into his skull missed by a hairsbreadth. It whined past his head and slammed into a low concrete wall between the sidewalk and the grass. A spray of dust flew up.

  “No!” Shara said.

  She squeezed the trigger again, and again, but the trouncer jumped on Sam. It flung him to the pavement next to the car, and blocked him from her sight. Downy threw himself behind the black car.

  Chris and Claudia were slower to understand, but Greg pulled them roughly down next to him.

  Shara put a few more bullets into the car, knowing that the slugs were strong enough to punch through the thin walls and might score a hit on the other side.

  “Sorry, Claudia,” she said, hoping her bullets would not strike her new friend.

  Now she had to choose. Reload or get away? She could reload and try to get Sam before they managed to get into the car, but no doubt they were already calling the police. If she walked away right now, she might be able to get away before reinforcements showed up.

  What the heck. She didn’t have much to lose. She ejected the spent magazine and inserted fresh ammo.

  She held her fire. She had to hope they would come out from behind the car in a moment. If she didn’t fire right away, they might think she’d walked away, the way a smart assassin would have.

  If she’d managed to shoot anyone (hopefully not Claudia), then they’d be more motivated to move, to get help for the injured.

  They were all behind the limo, but they didn’t really fit. She could almost sight on the top of Greg’s head, and Chris’ brown hair was sticking out on the other side. The only heads she wanted - Sam’s shaved head and Downy’s smooth dome, were not visible at all.

  No doubt they were protecting Sam. Downy must be terrified, not sure whether she would try to shoot him, or save him as her ally.

  More movement. The trouncer leapt on top of the limousine. Shara instinctively ducked her head down, but she had the distinct impression that it saw her before she got out of sight. That was silly, it was just an animal. An intelligent and deadly animal, but not one that could reach her here.

  The squeal of breaks and a crash rose from below. Shara peeked over the wall to see the trouncer jumping across the road toward Wal-Mart, oblivious to the traffic jam it was causing. She lost sight of it as it came toward the Wal-Mart entrance, but she could hear the screams three stories below her.

  For the first time, Shara was extremely afraid. She’d been a little afraid when she’d fought Nat in the bathroom, a little afraid when she’d almost killed Jonathan, and not at all afraid when she’d tried to shoot Sam and Downy.

  Seeing the trouncer jumping toward the building scared her in the deep reptile part of the human brain, the one that she did not always have complete control of. She scooted back from the edge of the building, got to her feet, and sprinted toward the stairs.

  If the trouncer was hunting her, crazy as it was, she did not want to be trapped on the roof. She ran down the stairs, two at a time. In the storage area, she took the service elevator to the first floor. It would open into the employee break area.

  The elevator dinged as it passed the second floor. Hopefully the trouncer would be rampaging further into the store, and she could slip out the front door behind it. All the trouncer had was a quick glimpse of her face. Surely that wasn’t enough for it to track her?

  The elevator dinged for the first floor. Before the doors slid apart, she could hear screaming. Shara’s heart pounded and her mouth went dry. When the doors were barely more than twelve inches apart, she slid through the gap. Patrons crowded into the break room, shoving the tables out of their way, crying and yelling.

  “Is there an exit?” someone yelled. “Where’s the other door?!”

  “There is no other door,” a Wal-Mart employee said. “Not through here!”

  More screams, but Shara fought against the crowd. She shoved her way out of the break area to the main store. The front doors were close, only thirty yards away, past a row of checkouts. She didn’t see the trouncer anywhere. Shara dashed toward the doors, her pulse throbbing in her ears.

  She passed a juice display, she passed the checkouts…and the trouncer leaped in front of her. It had been hiding behind a checkout stand. Now it stood between her and the front door, hissing slightly. Its huge claws scratched furrows in the linoleum. She could smell the venomous slime it produced, an odor of fear that wrapped around her like a blanket.

  She stepped backward, and it stepped forward. Its eyes were locked on her. There was no question that she was the prey.

  Shara spun and ran. Its hiss turned into a growl that shook the clothing racks next to her. She dived into a side aisle, twisting through racks of sweaters and leggings. The trouncer charged after her. It jumped almost on top of her, toppling a huge rack of blue jeans. Its claws shredded the clothes as it thrashed for a moment, one leg caught under a pole. Shara just managed to lunge around a length of coats when it jumped again. It smashed through the clothes and racks. Metal shrieked.

  Shara stayed just ahead, just barely away from those claws. Other shoppers fled, tripping over clothes and clambering away from her.

  Then the trouncer jumped completely over her head, and landed just in front of her. She nearly ran right into it, unable to check her speed or turn quickly enough.

  It hissed and lunged, planting a heavy foot on her chest and carrying her to the floor. Her head cracked against linoleum, pain made starbursts before her eyes.

  “I’m going to die,” Shara thought. “Among these ugly, shredded clothes, I’m going to die.”

  The trouncer claws were heavy on her chest, but they didn’t pierce. His stench burned her mouth and nose. Her eyes had closed instinctively, but after a few seconds she cracked them open. Heavy forelegs rested on top of her, but the trouncer wasn’t putting its whole weight on her. She’d be crushed, pierced, or slashed already if it wasn’t holding back.

  “Nebbie, where are you?”

  The trouncer gave a loud grunt and settled a little more heavily on her.

  Then Sam was there, leaning over the trounc
er and fondling its neck. “Good job, Nebbie, thanks, dude. Don’t let her go.”

  The trouncer gave a little bounce and Shara gasped.

  Claudia came up with Greg and Downy, walking carefully around the wreckage to stand at Sam’s side. Shara’s eyes flew to Downy, but he didn’t make eye contact.

  “Is this her?” Sam asked Claudia.

  “Yes. That’s her.” Claudia looked shaken.

  “Did you take Nat and Akemi?” Sam asked. “Did you kill Jonathan?”

  “I didn’t – Jonathan’s not dead, is he?” Shara asked.

  “No, he’s not. You know that because you took him, didn’t you?” Sam said.

  “Are you Rik?” Greg demanded. “How many more are there? How did you do Oh Li and Jia?”

  We don’t have time to interrogate her now!” Downy said. “The trial is about to start.”

  Greg frowned. “He’s right, we need to go. Let’s take her.”

  “And give her more time to kill us?” Downy asked. “The Rik are devious! Let Nebbie eat her."

  Well, now she knew exactly where he stood on their partnership.

  “We don’t know for sure if she is Rik. Maybe she’s working alone,” Sam said. “Either way, I’m not going to let Nebbie eat anybody in front of all these people.”

  Rolling her eyes around, Shara could see a crowd gathering. Protection, at least for the moment. If Downy got her alone, she would die.

  “Nebbie, let her up,” Sam said. Slowly, reluctantly, the trouncer pulled back. For a second, as he moved his right leg, he let his weight rest on Shara. The air huffed out of her lungs and she lay gasping and clutching her ribs after he got off.

  “C’mon,” Sam said. He grabbed her arm and hauled her up. “Apparently we have a trial to get to, and you’ll be needed.”

  Chapter 25

  The Rik didn’t seem to be watching Nat, but she had trouble telling where their eyes were with the masks on. She worked on her hands quietly. She would have preferred to squeeze her left hand free, but it was still recovering from the burn she’d gotten from the Molotov cocktail. She tried to wiggle it through, and the pain nearly made her cry out. Her eyes watered dangerously, and she blinked tears away. Didn’t want to alert the Rik.