Caught in Your Wake

by Darien Cox

“By heart, he means,” Nolan said. “He’s saying they keep records but there’s so many he doesn’t know them by heart.”

  “Yes, okay. By heart.”

  “But you can check. Right?” Tyler said.

  “I check, yes. Find out if this thing connect to visitor at base.”

  “You think those black gator-worms came in with one of the ships?” Tim asked. “Why would one of those things be on a Whites’ spacecraft?”

  Baz rocked back and forth. “Sometimes when Whites travel from one home to next, bring everything with. Pets. Science projects. Many possibility of things that could be alive. But no to leave craft while at base. Forbidden. Must log in as cargo when arrive. Even plants. Will be a record.”

  “Okay, that’s great then,” Nolan said. “There might be reference to these things from one of the ship’s logs!”

  “Yes.” Baz’s head bobbed. “I will check.”

  “Pets?” Tim’s eyes widened. “You’re telling me these gator-worms could be someone’s fucking pets?”

  “That’s only one possibility,” Tyler said. “The gator-worms could have nothing at all to do with the Whites or the base.”

  “I know this, Tyler,” Baz said. “But if is belong to traveler at base? I will find out.”

  “Good,” Tyler said. “When?”

  “I will check soon as go back,” Baz said.

  Nodding, Tyler said, “Let someone know once you’re certain. If these things aren’t some piece of cargo one of the Q-Tips brought, I’ll need to go to Plan-B fast.”

  “If it is someone’s pet,” Elliot said, “would they let it roam free on purpose? Just allow it to go to the surface like that?”

  Baz shook his head slowly. “No. Not unless want big trouble. Maybe is accident and these things break free. Owner of craft maybe does not know is happening.”

  “Well that’s fucking careless!” JT said.

  “Is more than careless,” Baz said. “Break rules. Any alive creature, even vegetation brought to base must not leave owner craft. They...Whites will not tolerate.”

  “So it’s like going to the airport,” Elliot said. “Please do not leave your giant gator-worms unattended.”

  “Hang on,” Tim said. “You’re all making it sound like this is just some dog that got loose and got into the neighbor’s trash. This thing broke into the station and stole something from me, then returned it. It disrupted the camera feed and motion sensors. That takes organized thought and sophisticated skills. Doesn’t sound like some mindless pet.”

  “Exactly my point,” Tyler said. “You’re all way too quick to jump on this ‘pet’ theory because it’s a more comforting idea. This could be an off-world species unconnected to the Whites, and we have no idea what it’s capable of. It would be nice if the local forest ranger here with no experience wasn’t the only one listening to me.”

  “Get over yourself, Tyler,” JT said. “We’re exploring this option first. If it turns out the things aren’t coming from the base we’ll take it from there and you can shoot whatever you want.”

  “Great,” Tyler said with smile. “And you can be as snotty as you want, JT, but I have to report in to Ogden, who has ordered me to shoot whatever this thing is if it proves dangerous. So I’d very much like to know for certain before I pull the trigger if this is a trespassing entity on our planet or if some Q-Tip down in the base let his fucking dog off the leash.”

  “Do not call us Q-Tips,” Baz said. “Hoggin tell you in the before this is not nice name, Tyler!”

  Tyler shrank back in his seat. “Sorry, Baz. Heat of the moment. I forgot.”

  “Uh oh.” Elliot looked at Tyler. “Did you get yelled at by Ogden?”

  “Yes.” Tyler rolled his eyes. “That night at headquarters when we were prepping for the Greys’ fleet to come, remember?”

  “Oh, I think we all remember that,” Nolan said, rubbing his neck.

  “I referred to the Whites as Q-Tips in front of Baz and Ogden laid into me.”

  Baz pointed a finger at Tyler. “Hoggin say disrespectful.”

  “Yeah, I got it Baz!” Tyler said. “I said I’m sorry.”

  “You say apology that night in the before,” Baz said. “But now you say Q-Tip again.”

  “Oh for fuck’s sake.” Tyler rolled his eyes. “It just slipped out.”

  “Why do you call them Q-Tips?” Tim asked.

  “It’s an old slang for the Whites,” JT said. “We’ve all used it. Before we met Baz of course. Because they’re white and thin and their hair is...you know. Cottony.”

  “Is not nice,” Baz reiterated. “Hoggin say disrespectful.”

  “Baz, it’s just a joke!” Tyler said. “You understand jokes now, come on, cut me some slack.”

  “Oh, okay,” Baz said. “So I can speak to you name some hybrids call you, and then I say just a joke and to be okay?”

  “What name?”

  Baz cupped his hands at the sides of his head. “Monkey-ears.”

  Nolan doubled over laughing.

  “I do not have monkey ears!” Tyler said.

  “I don’t think he means you personally,” JT said, chuckling. “Humans in general. Because our ears stick out.”

  “And hybrids’ ears...don’t?” Tim asked.

  “Hybrids and Whites’ ears are flat to their head.”

  “Seriously?” Tim looked over at Baz, but with his long hair, no ears were visible.

  Baz smiled at Tim. “Ah ah ah! You want to see, don’t you, Tim Patterson?”

  Tim shrugged. “Kind of, yeah.”

  Baz walked over and stood before Tim’s chair. Somewhat dramatically, he swept his hair back off one side of his face.

  “Holy shit,” Tim said. There was a coiled shape but it was indented into the white flesh, flat to the head, no external auricle, no lobe. “That’s wild.”

  “Ah ah, yes, is different than human.” He pointed at Tyler. “So no say Q-Tip or I say Tyler is monkey-ears.”

  “Noted,” Tyler said. “Jesus. I’m sorry, Baz. I won’t say Q-Tip again. I never meant to hurt your feelings.”

  Baz grinned. “Tyler. Ah ah! I do not care if you say Q-Tip. I was just fucking with you.”

  Tyler’s jaw dropped. “Oh you fucking hybrid prick. You made me feel bad!”

  Elliot snorted. “As you can see, Tyler, Baz has grown far more adept at ball-busting.”

  “Oh yes,” JT said. “Wherever could he have learned that from, Ellytot?”

  “Hey, I can’t be blamed for everything!” Elliot said. “Baz had his own internal ball-busting gene, I just maybe brought it out in him a little more.”

  “Is just tease,” Baz said. “Ellytot is no cruel inside. Ellytot kind inside.”

  “Ha!” Elliot smiled. “You hear that, JT? I’m a nice guy. Baz gets me.”

  “Yeah, you’re a peach,” JT said.

  “Humans tease in friendship,” Baz said. “Is no to be cruel when Ellytot tease.”

  Tim shook his head, chuckling at Baz’s noble defense of Elliot’s personality. He seemed almost protective, like he wouldn’t tolerate anyone thinking ill of Elliot. Conversations with the alien were not what he’d been expecting. He was enjoying the banter, but his pulse still raced over what he’d just seen on the footage. He raised his hand. “Can we get back to the alligator-worm thing that stole my jacket?”

  “Yeah, sure,” Nolan said. “You have questions?”

  “Well, yeah,” Tim said. “Baz, I know you keep saying you don’t know and you have to check into it. But...in your opinion is this a random accident? That these things broke into the station? Because I’d feel a lot better if I knew these things weren’t targeting me directly. Like...with a purpose.”

  “I’m afraid you’re not going to like the answer to that,” a voice called from the doorway.

  They all turned around. Brett strolled into the movie room, holding a small black box in his hand. His dreads were tied back, no glasses, and he looked far less enthusiastic and happy than h
e had when he arrived last night.

  “Brett, you come from the lab?” Tyler stood. “What’s up?”

  Brett walked up to the screen and stared at the frozen image. “Whatever this thing is, it knew what it was doing when it broke in and stole Tim’s jacket. It had a purpose.”

  “What purpose?” Tim stood and approached Brett. “How do you know that?”

  Brett turned and placed a hand on Tim’s shoulder. “Okay, first off, I have to ask. You didn’t happen to install a micro-camera in the top button of your ranger jacket, did you?” He winced.

  “You’re kidding.” Tyler walked over. “There was a camera on his jacket?”

  “Yeah.” Brett held up the tiny black box “It’s inside here now.”

  “Are you sure it’s a camera?” Nolan asked.

  “It isn’t like anything I’ve ever seen personally, but it has the basic components of a camera. I wanted to show it to Baz, see if he recognizes the tech.”

  “What the fuck,” Tim said. “You think that’s why they stole my jacket? To install a camera and then give it back to me? To...to watch me?”

  Tyler’s gray eyes locked on Tim’s. “So it’s been there probably since last night.”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry, Tim,” Brett said. “But it looks like someone’s got their eye on you.”

  “Me to see,” Baz said, holding his hand out.

  “Okay, but bear in mind,” Brett said, handing the small box over. “I have no idea if it’s still active. That’s why I put it in the box. I’m not sure if it’s still transmitting a signal to...wherever.”

  “So if Baz pulls it out to look at it, something could see him?” JT said. “See us?”

  “And hear us,” Brett said. “Not sure if it has audio.”

  “One moment please.” Baz held the box up to his ear. “Yes. Is active signal. I feel.”

  “You can feel the signal?” Tim asked.

  “Yes. Transmitting to somewhere. If camera? I cannot be seen. Nolan? To put lens down on table. To put so camera cannot see Baz.”

  “Yeah, bring it over here.” Nolan cleared the table in front, moving the laptop, and Baz set the box down. Nolan lifted the top off the box and gently tipped it over. A button fell out, small black and gray wires sticking out the back. He carefully adjusted it so the button was facing down on the table. “Take a look.”

  Baz leaned over. “Is camera, yes.”

  “God damnit,” Tim said.

  “Do you recognize it, Baz?” Brett asked.

  “Move to here, quiet speak.” Baz walked to the other end of the room near the door, and everyone followed. “Is put together messy,” he said softly. “But is hybrid materials.”

  “Fuck, should have fucking known,” Tyler said. “Hybrids are trouble. Present company excluded.”

  “Is not true, Tyler,” Baz said.

  “Then you have a short memory.”

  “Tyler, stop,” Brett said. “Baz, you’re sure it’s hybrid tech?”

  “I am certain.”

  JT sighed. “So it did come from the base.”

  “It come from someone with access to hybrid material,” Baz said. “This all I say for certain.”

  “Are hybrid materials different than Whites’ materials?” Brett asked. “I find it interesting you using the word ‘hybrid’ specifically. Figured all your tech was the same.”

  “On base, yes. Hybrids who work with Whites use mostly Whites’ technology. But off...back in other worlds? Hybrids have own communities. Some own technologies. Do not know who made camera. But this material is made by hybrids.”

  “So I was definitely walking around with a camera on my coat last night.” Tim looked at Tyler, and the same thought seemed to pass between them. “From the time we left the mountain until...”

  “Until we showed up here,” Tyler said. “Then you left the jacket in the kitchen while we went downstairs and watched the footage with Elliot and Brett. What about this morning?”

  “It was in the closet at my house from the time I got home last night until you and Elliot showed up this morning. Then I handed the jacket over to Elliot.”

  “And I handed it right over to Brett,” Elliot said.

  “So it was active and being worn by Tim for about an hour last night,” JT said. “Is that accurate?”

  “Yeah. I had it on when Tyler and I drove from the mountain over here to the house.”

  “Oh, great,” Elliot muttered. “I can feel Ogden chewing my ass out already. Please tell me you didn’t discuss anything too sensitive on your drive.”

  Tim and Tyler looked at each other. “I don’t...think so,” Tim said.

  “Not really,” Tyler said. “It was a more...personal conversations.”

  Tim felt his cheeks heat. If someone was watching through his damn button-camera last night, they would have seen Tim and Tyler kiss in the truck. “Yeah, nothing top-secret or anything,” Tim said. “Mostly...personal stuff. But we did mention my having some trouble adjusting to the whole...alien thing. And Tyler talked about his job.”

  “Fuck!” Elliot said. “So we could be compromised. Now I hope the source is the Whites, because if it’s human we’ve got a security nightmare on our hands. Fuck!”

  “Dial it back, Elliot,” Tyler said. “Neither of us knew the camera was there. If there’s a breach we’ll deal with it. But we have to find the source first.”

  “Oh, okay, shit, uh oh,” Baz said, staring over at the table.

  “What’s wrong?” Brett asked.

  “I was going to say maybe can trace signal to source. But signal just go gone.”

  “What?” Brett said. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Cannot feel anymore. Camera just go dead.” Baz walked over to the table and the rest followed. He pinched the wires with his fingers, then jumped. “Oh fuck!” Baz shook his hand out. The small camera on the table sparked. “Hurt,” Baz said, rubbing his hand against his chest. “Stupid thing.”

  “Is it dead?”

  “Is not active now,” Baz said. “Fried.”

  They all leaned over. A second spark shot out of the camera wires, then a narrow plume of smoke drifted up from it, an acrid smell filling the air.

  “Um...what just happened?” Tyler asked.

  “Oh...” Baz picked the smoking device up between his thumb and forefinger. “Oh, someone think they are very clever.”

  “What happened?” Brett asked.

  “Inside melt. Signal gone.”

  “What...what does that mean?” Tim asked.

  “I think,” Nolan said, “it means someone just blew up that camera remotely.”

  “Yes, okay. Remote destroy.” Baz dropped the charred remains back in the box. “I still take with. Maybe can still trace origin.”

  “Oh, that’s fucking great,” Elliot said. “Now someone knows you’re onto them. The minute we started talking about finding the source, the thing remote detonated.”

  “We were all the way over there though,” JT said.

  “Well obviously it wasn’t far enough!”

  “Doesn’t necessarily mean someone was listening,” Nolan said. “It could be a coincidence.”

  “That’s a big coincidence,” Elliot said. “Brett’s been fucking with that thing at the lab all morning, and it just self-destructs and cuts the signal now?”

  “Even if something was listening it didn’t necessarily understand,” Nolan said. “If it was put in Tim’s jacket by someone inside the Whites’ base, a hybrid maybe, based on the tech? They probably don’t speak English. Baz is our only ambassador.”

  Baz shrugged. “But not only one learn English. Some other hybrids do.”

  “Ah...what do you mean?” Elliot said. “The only other hybrids I ever heard speak English were those bad ones that took over the base, and you said they learned out of necessity in case they had to placate us while they were here. So we wouldn’t foil their evil plan.”

  “Yeah, Baz,” JT said. “You told us you were chosen as our amb
assador because you were the only one interested enough to learn about us beforehand. So who the fuck are these other hybrids and why are they learning our language?”

  Baz’s shoulders hunched. “Some other hybrids who work at base study humans a little now. Like hobby. More interested since you help Whites and save babies. Not big interested. A little interested. Study when they get bored.”

  “Oh, look at that,” Nolan said. “We only had to risk life and limb to save their asses in order for them to find us vaguely, slightly interesting.”

  Tim winced. “Hybrids staying down in the base use us as a hobby? Am I someone’s fucking hobby right now? Is that what’s happening?”

  “Oh, no, against rules to watch humans directly,” Baz said. “No to spy. Is not hybrids that do this.”

  “You don’t know that,” Tyler said.

  “I do! Baz no to lie. Hybrids do not spy!”

  “Then how are they making humans a hobby?” Tyler asked. “They have books about us or something?”

  “All Earth languages available to learn. But no to watch humans, no to invade privacy. If hybrids have long stay at base, sometime they intercept signals and...watch television.”

  Brett’s brows shot up. “They watch television.”

  “Yes,” Baz said. “Only some hybrids. Not Whites. Never Whites. Whites do not care what human do. But hybrids? Some curious now because you save base and because of...blood.”

  Tim shook his head. “Blood? What the fuck do you mean blood?”

  “Because they know they have human DNA in their makeup,” JT said. “From when the Greys created their ancestors by mixing humans with Whites.”

  Baz nodded. “Yes, Shaytee.”

  “I guess that would make sense,” Nolan said. “That some of the hybrids would be curious about us. I mean, they’re kind of our cousins. I never thought about that before because the full Whites are so snotty and indifferent toward humans.”

  “Yes, okay. Some hybrids curious. But no to go to surface, forbidden when humans nearby. So watch television to see humans.”

  “Oh wonderful,” Elliot said. “Now I’m picturing a bunch of hybrids sitting around eating those stinky-sticks and watching Real Housewives. They must have just a stellar impression of humanity.”

  “I don’t give a shit if some of the aliens watch TV,” Tim said. “Why would they be watching me? Is it hybrids doing this to me or not?”