“Well, how brave of you,” Bockie began. “I’ve had to go through similar struggles in my life. Cancer keeps trying to suck the life out of my body but I keep swatting it away like a darn mosquito.” Ding.
Saved by the bell. They stepped out of the elevator and down the marble hallway. It was decorated with plants in large vases and various portraits of beautiful Earth scenery.
“Right in here,” Caleb gestured, unlocking a door.
They entered their new lavish home. The floors in the foyer were a dark chestnut. A granite-top kitchen with an island was to their left and the velvet-curtained living room was straight ahead. Boxes covered the floor.
“Your things arrived this morning. I had the staff carry them up,” he informed. “I think you will find this space accommodating. This room is suite five on the seventh floor, and the keys are on the countertop. When your mother wakes up tomorrow morning have her read that packet on the table and check in at the welcome desk. I know you all have had a long day of travelling so I will leave you. Fare thee well.” He then bowed formally and hovered out of the room.
Long day indeed. Levi carried Axella to the master bedroom and tucked her into bed. “I love you mom.”
“I luurrve yoo tyoo.” She made a kissing sound between puckered lips and was out. Levi brushed away the piece of hair that always seemed to fall into Axella’s mouth. His mother really was beautiful, he thought.
Back in the main living area Fletch and Bockie were chatting.
“I’m going down to play the slots,” Bockie announced. “Fletch says the Stellar has a casino.”
“What? It’s almost ten o’clock and we just got here. Aren’t you tired?” Levi asked.
“I’m feeling more lucky than tired.”
“Alright then, we’ll all go.” The last thing Levi wanted to do was break up a fight between his grandmother and a card dealer.
After Bockie put on a shiny cocktail dress she found in one of the boxes, they took a set of keys off the counter and went down the main elevator to the gaming floor. The casino seemed fairly busy, and Levi could hear the dings of machines and the woops of people getting lucky. When they tried to enter, the doorman stopped them.
“ID’s please.”
Levi, Fletch, and Bockie pulled out their driver’s licenses.
“I do not need to see one from you,” he directed at Bockie. The bouncer took Fletch’s ID, gave it a swirl in the light, and stamped Fletch’s hand. Then he took Levi’s. “I’m sorry, but you cannot come in here without parental permission. Your ID has you listed as a Delayed.”
“He is my grandson, I give him permission.”
“Sorry. I need the guardian with license number,” he looked closely at Levi’s ID, “76F5THB00 to grant consent. That is not you.”
This was going to be the fight, Levi foresaw. He looked the bouncer up and down and internally groaned.
“Well, guess you should have gotten better grades in school granboy,” Bockie professed as she practically skipped into the casino.
Levi’s jaw went slack.
“I like her,” Fletch decided. “That’s alright, Levi, I’ll show you some cool underground spots.”
“Underground? Like the spaceport?”
“Yep. When Ohmani was first built they put all the ‘ugly’ stuff underground…mostly factories and warehouses and such. The city was built aboveground but over the years the underground network has grown just as big. Some of the best clubs and restaurants are below our feet.” Fletch chuckled. “It gives the term ‘dive bar’ a whole new meaning, huh?”
They exited the hotel, waved to Caleb Burger, and turned left to walk down the street. Levi couldn’t believe the sheer number of people that were still out at this late hour. Levi was transfixed again on their appearances. He asked Fletch to help him pick out a few clothes so he wouldn’t stand out so much…but no hair or skin dying. That’s where he drew the line.
They walked down a ramp similar to one you would find at a subway station. the Underground had a very labyrinthine feel, with a network of low-ceilinged corridors streaming with people. The only illumination came from multicolored lights that were fixed to the ceiling or built into the floors. Levi had never seen anything like it. It felt cramped, yet cozy. It felt dark, yet festive. And it was deafening. the Underground businesses were all set-up to showcase their night-life. House music blasted from all directions with no place to escape, so instead sound waves just bounced off the walls in a never-ending dance of their own.
“Awesome, right?” Fletch shouted over the noise.
Overwhelming was more like it. “This is insane.” Levi would not have a voice tomorrow.
“Come on, I’ll take you to The Tunnel. It gets crazy fun.”
They walked for a few minutes, making Levi feel like a rabbit in a warren. At times they would hit a dark spot where Levi could barely see Fletch next to him. If they happened to lose each other, he would not be able to find his way back. An electronica beat became more and more distinguishable through the barrage of sounds. The words ‘The Tunnel’ displayed on the upper support beam of a room ahead. Levi looked in and saw swarms of bodies pumping methodically to the contagious beat.
“ID’s,” a bouncer demanded. He was of the Hamza sect, with a large, protruding jaw and more hair than Levi had ever seen on a man. He had intricate patterns shaved into the arm he extended.
Levi and Fletch handed over their ID’s. “Sorry, not adult,” he shrugged at Levi in a scratchy staccato.
“Oh, man. I thought this was eighteen and up?” Fletch asked.
“Eighteen and up if adult, twenty-one and up if not,” the bouncer explained.
“Are there any eighteen and up clubs we can go to for a Delayed?” Fletch asked the bouncer.
At first the Hamza gave Fletch a puzzled stare like he didn’t understand the question. Then he said, “Kids’ Playhouse.”
The big furry alien had jokes. “Well, that sucks,” Levi concluded.
“Yeah, you should definitely get your GPA up. What is it anyways?” Fletch asked.
“Two point four.”
“Oo, yeah that will do it. I’ll help you. That is one bad thing about Ohmani but if you do legally become an adult you can drink. Isn’t the U.S. twenty-one and up to drink? That is stupid. Let’s just get a bite of food,” Fletch suggested.
They walked to the nearest restaurant and ordered Philly cheese steaks made from a bison-like animal from Ohmani and fries. They chatted more about the cool things to do and see on Ohmani and about the school Levi would be attending. As they sat there eating an intergalactic animal in the center of an asteroid, Levi was thankful to have met Fletch. He made the ridiculous dichotomy of Levi’s old and new world seem less drastic.
His phone dinged. Axella.
Mom: Wher ar yiu guya. Jusy wok up ti pee nd mobody wad here.
Levi texted back, Went out with Fletch. Be home soon. Bockie is in the casino.
Mom: Lol. Goid nifht.
Levi looked up from his phone and noticed a group of beautiful women approaching. They all looked like models, with long features and an unmistakable air of confidence.
“We heard you couldn’t get into the club next door,” one of them purred, stepping out of the group towards Levi. She was a black beauty with soft mocha skin, delicate features and long ebony hair flowing down to her naked back.
“No I couldn’t. I’m a….Delayed,” he admitted, trying not to stutter under her spell.
“We know the owner, we can get you in,” another one bribed with long, thick eyelashes that fluttered like a butterfly underneath her peach-colored bangs.
“Actually,” Fletch began, nudging Levi’s foot under the table, “we were just heading back to the hotel.”
“Err, yeah, but thanks for the offer. We’ll be back down here soon,” Levi assured.
“Another time, indeed,” The raven-haired woman cooed. She leaned down and placed her full lips on Levi’s before he knew what was happening. She
made a whimpering sound as she flickered her tongue on his and pulled back with a smile. “Goodbye, boys.” The women then began walking away, their hips sashaying as hypnotically as pendulums.
“Umm, what was that?” Levi asked Fletch, still stunned by the woman’s forwardness.
“We call those wild horses…groups of hot Sydces looking for human husbands.”
“Those were aliens? They look…,” he was about to say normal and then settled on a better choice of words, “like humans.”
“Yes, the Sydces look very much like humans. But I can smell that they’re not.”
“You can smell them?”
“Of course. Humans have such a horrible sense of smell. All your senses kind of suck, actually. Can you even taste how good this food is?” Fletch wondered, scarfing a mouthful.
Levi laughed. “You look scary when you eat. So, why do they want human husbands?” he asked, legitimately curious.
“I didn’t know I was going to have to have the birds and the bees talk with you so soon, Levi,” He chuckled. “Sydces men have unique sperm.”
“Sperm?” Levi choked. He did not expect this conversation to lead to male ejaculate.
“You heard me right. Sperm.” Fletch nodded. “In humans, the male sperm swims up a woman’s reproductive tract and penetrates an egg. This zygote then goes on to develop into a baby.” He paused casually to take a bite of his sandwich.
“Thanks for that, Fletch,” Levi said flatly. This was not a conversation he wanted to have over alien wildebeest. Or ever.
“In Sydces,” Fletch continued, “they call it ‘The Sacred Union,’ but I will give you the scientific version. The Sydces sperm penetrates into the woman’s reproductive tract and it releases its nucleic acid…RNA instead of DNA. The sperm’s RNA is similar to a retrovirus, using a special enzyme to reverse transcribe back into DNA and insert itself into the mother’s genome. This is how many viruses work on your planet — like HIV for example. The male sperm basically hijacks the woman’s genetic code by sneaking itself into the double helix. The male’s genes are then read by the female’s replicative and transcriptional machinery. The proteins produced work together to initiate a cascade of other proteins and hormones that result in making a baby from scratch. It’s science!”
Levi looked at Fletch in astonishment…and confusion. He rather preferred the unscientific version. Most of that was over his head but some of those words were definitely on his last biology test…which he failed.
“Cool huh?”
Sperm viruses? Not.
“The craziest part about all of it is that some of the male genes encode for proteins that overstimulate bonding hormones like vasopressin, dopamine and oxytocin. This makes the female feel bonded to her mate indefinitely. You see, the Sydces are a matriarchal society and by mating with a Sydces female, the male can forever be connected to her genetically and hormonally, thus ensuring she remains attached to him to pass on his genes.”
Levi’s mind was blown. “So if a Sydces man and woman have sex one time, she keeps his DNA and can make his babies spontaneously forever?” Levi asked.
“No. Well, this is the uncomfortable part to talk about…” Fletch forewarned, looking awkwardly at the table.
“There is an uncomfortable part? It’s all pretty painful for me.”
“Well, you know how cats have to have a lot of sex to get pregnant?” Fletch asked.
“No. I don’t know too much about cat copulation,” Levi reacted dryly.
“Oh.” Fletch sounded surprised and a lot less awkward all of a sudden. “Your everyday tabby is an induced ovulator, which means she has to participate in a feline sexcapade to get pregnant…unlike humans who can get pregnant with just one sesh.”
Levi looked around the room to make sure no one was listening. He had completely lost his appetite.
“Sydces women are like house cats,” Fletch explained.
“I thought they were horses?” Levi asked confused.
“No. Cats. The first time a Sydces woman copulates with a Sydces man he integrates his DNA, but this pair must repeatedly have sexual relations in order to make a baby. Like twice a day for one week or something. That ensures the generation of the extra-cellular signal needed for baby-making gene expression.”
“Is that so? So those women want to be a horse instead of a cat?”
“Yes. They wanted to bang you without DNA integration.” Fletch said matter-of-factly. “Whether they’re looking for a husband or just a good ol’ fashion poke, you do not want to get involved with wild horses. They manipulate men with their beauty to get what they want.”
“On that note, let’s go back to the hotel.” It was more of a plea. That was one of the weirdest conversations he had ever had.
They walked back through the dark corridors of the Underground’s city. When they arrived on the surface, a rush of fresh air hit the sweat on his body, cooling him instantly. They walked back to the Stellar, having what Levi would describe as more normal conversation.
“Alright, Levi, I better get back to the boarding house. It was so awesome hanging out. I’m going back to India for spring break, so I won’t see you for a week.”
“Tomorrow is your spring break?”
“Yep. Most of the students in the boarding house are going home. I’m glad I got to meet you and hang out before my ship leaves tomorrow morning. Hopefully the spaceport is still open after what happened tonight. I was going to just extend home but it’s not the same as actually being there in person, you know?”
He didn’t know but he could imagine. “I bet. Have fun back on Earth, and thank you for today,” Levi meant sincerely.
“You’re welcome!” Fletch said, flashing his sharp smile.
They exchanged numbers and Fletch hopped into a taxi. Suddenly, exhaustion washed over Levi’s body and he couldn’t wait to go to bed. He pressed the button for the seventh floor in the elevator and took a set of keys out of his pocket. When he went to hold the doorknob it was unlocked. That’s weird. Levi went in and gave the apartment a quick search, but found nothing unusual. He couldn’t find his grandmother, either. Bockie had probably popped back up to grab something and forgot to lock the door…hopefully not another credit card. Ding. He looked down at his phone.
Tal: I’m good.
Short, simple, cold. That’s how their texts had become lately. It bothered him, but at least he knew she was safe and could sleep better.
Levi really was exhausted. He chose the bedroom at the end of the hallway and got ready for bed in record time. He was going to sleep in tomorrow. The thought made him smile. He tucked himself into bed and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
BANG, BANG, BANG!
Levi shot up. So much for a good night’s sleep. He looked out of the window. It was daytime. What time was it? His watch said 11:00am.
BANG, BANG, BANG!
Who in the world was knocking on their door like that? He grudgingly got out of bed and started walking down the hall. Bockie was just coming out of her room still dressed in her cocktail dress. Her hair was a tawny wild mess.
“What in God’s name?” Bockie yelled, the sequins of her dress shuffling along the carpet as she scooted towards the sound.
Whoever was at the door was going to get a mouthful of the Bock this morning. Levi felt sorry for them already. Bockie beat him to the door and swung it open.
“This is the police.” Indeed, four uniformed officers stood in the entryway looking quite serious.
“What do you want?” Bockie inquired.
“We are here to arrest Axella Avondale for the murder of Jivine Holendough and Pila Terry.”
6 IN THE HOTEL WITH A KNIFE
Axella emerged from the master bedroom just as the police stated their agenda. “I am Axella Avondale.”
What was going on? Why wasn’t his mother screaming denial? Instead she stood stoically in a pair of silk boxers and fuzzy slippers.
“Ma’am, we need to take you in. I suspec
t you will be gone for a while with the charges being presented against you. We will give you three minutes to change into something a little more appropriate. As long as you cooperate, we can take you into the station quietly,” one officer spoke, fingering the handcuffs on his waist belt.
Axella nodded and re-entered her room to change. For the first time in as long as he could remember, Bockie said nothing. Both she and Levi stood in shocked silence for several moments.
“Murder?” Levi finally spat. “Pila Terry was my mom’s best friend. The police classified her murder a cold case. And who the hell is Jivine Holenwhatever?”
“Jivine Holendough was your next door neighbor,” one officer clarified coldly.
Next door neighbor? They had lived in the same house in Fort Bragg for fifteen years. Levi did not remember having a neighbor named Jivine.
Then he heard voices coming from outside their room.
Bockie and Levi poked their head out of the door and looked down the hallway. Red tape blocked off the door adjacent to theirs and several men stood talking in heavy whispers. One of them held a big briefcase with the letters ‘FORENSICS’ printed on the side.
The woman living next door was murdered last night? Suddenly, Levi remembered their front door being unlocked when he had come home. What if the murderer had come into their apartment too?
“This is absolutely ridiculous. You have no evidence or motive for either crime.”
“We are just here to pick up the package,” another officer spoke.
“So it took four of your packages to pick up this little one? What a shame,” Bockie looked down at their crotches.
The Bock’s back.
Axella re-emerged from her room, dressed quite professionally in a pair of dress slacks and a button up shirt. She walked up to Levi and hugged him. “Don’t worry, Vi. There is obviously a misunderstanding here. I promise you I didn’t murder anybody. Don’t bother coming down to the station. I will be back soon.” She then hugged Bockie and simply said, “Be good.”
Journey to Ohmani (Across the Infinite Void Book 1) Page 8
