“Do you know what it means? Are you a part of this Order?” He paused and Venus heard him take a deep breath.
She’d seen the symbol before. On her sister, Amberlee. It’d been the ink she’d had on her forearm. Disbelief settled over her. How could her sister be involved with this Order? Was it a coincidence? Venus doubted it. What had her sister become mixed up in?
“Venus? Why are you hurting people? Why my mother?”
She turned and watched him wipe his face with the back of a hand.
“Michael, I-I don’t know who’s doing this? I swear it wasn’t me.” She wanted to learn more of what he knew so she continued, “I have seen that mark before, but I don’t know what it means.”
“You saw it where?”
“On Kelari. A few days ago.” She sat.
He let out a noise, like a strangled cat. His face was hard with rage and his eyes were glassy with tears. One slid onto his cheek. He wiped it away. Sniffing, he asked, “What’s Kel-ari?”
She swallowed. “Kelari is the name of my planet.”
“Well, someone from your planet has been killing people on Earth for the past ten years, including my—” His voice broke. “Why?”
She raised her hands, palms up, fingers stretched toward him. “I don’t know.” Anger began to build at the predicament. She didn’t know anything. She was a doof princess.
He seemed to be fighting his emotions. How long before he killed her?
“Michael, I’m so sorry about your mother. I don’t understand.” Venus started breathing heavily. A bad idea. Her body shook as she coughed. She stood and searched the room for tissue, but there wasn’t any—not even toilet paper, so she covered her mouth with a section of her hospital gown. It felt like her insides were coming out. Her skin burned and she shook uncontrollably. Still she coughed, unable to stop.
“Venus?”
She held up a hand, trying to tell him to wait as she stumbled back to the cot.
“Frank, do something.”
There were quick footfalls coming from the hallway. Someone running. Venus peered over and saw simple, black heels. Then she heard a beep. The buzzing stopped and those black shoes crossed into her cell.
Venus looked up and saw a woman dressed in a green lab jacket, which covered most of her knee-length black skirt. She wore white latex gloves, a green cap and a surgical mask. Only her hazel eyes could be seen.
The woman’s darted around in fear. In one hand, she carried a shot, the cap removed from the needle. A clear liquid dripped from the tip. The woman’s shaking hand caused the liquid to dance.
Venus laughed, but it sounded more like the bark of a wounded dog. She couldn’t help but think that maybe they really were expecting her to change into some six-eyed creature.
“What is that?” Venus whispered, trying to control her infuriating lungs.
“It’s medicine. To help you breathe,” the woman said, though she didn’t seem convinced it’d work. “May I give it to you?”
Venus nodded. She’d give it a try, though she doubted anything would help.
She moved toward Venus, her steps hesitant. “I’m going to move your sleeve.”
Venus glanced at her warily and then nodded.
With more confidence, she added, “It’ll sting, but only for a second.” The woman jabbed the needle into the back of Venus’s arm. She felt the liquid enter and make its way through her body. With a grunt, the woman said, “It should only take a minute if it works.” Then she pulled tissues from one pocket and a new medical gown from another. “Let’s get rid of that bloodied gown, shall we?”
With a glance at Michael, Venus agreed, wary. “Okay.”
After Michael turned his back, Venus rose and the woman helped her change. She worked carefully, avoiding the bloodied portion of her gown. Maybe she believed her alien blood would change her into an eight-legged monster. Covering her mouth with the back of a hand, she resisted another laugh.
“Thank you,” Venus said, sitting carefully. Rather quickly, her lungs began to feel less ticklish and more solid. The medicine might actually work. A drowsiness enveloped her, causing her eyelids to grow heavy.
“Is this going to make me sleep?”
“It might, which is probably for the best.” Some of the fear left the woman’s eyes. She took a step backward, toward the entry. “Feeling any better?”
“Sure.” Venus closed her eyes. The woman’s heels clicked as she headed back toward the hall. Zing. A beep and then the buzzing started again. The clack-clacking of her heels reverberated as the woman walked away.
“Home. Sweet. Helker.” This wasn’t where she’d wanted to spend her final hours.
“So why can you speak English?” Michael asked after a few quiet minutes.
She heaved a sigh. For the first time since she’d arrived, breathing didn’t hurt. No emotion. No contempt. That’s how I’ll answer his questions.
“Because I’m in an English-speaking country,” she replied easily.
“Can I hear what your language sounds like?”
“No. Well, here are a few words. Ith. Aetha. Irrihunter. Helker . . .”
“Helker?” he laughed. “What does that mean?”
“Helker is sort of like your hell. When kelarians have done some really, really bad stuff, that’s where they’re sent. They aren’t dead, though. At least not like humans die. It’s more an eternal torment. Some prisoners are kept there until they’re sentenced.”
“Sounds like a blast,” Michael said, rubbing his head.
“Ha, yeah. A total blast.”
“Why can’t you speak all of your language? Is it a secret?” He looked over at the black window.
“No. Our language can only be spoken on Kelari; because that’s the language our planet speaks. See, we’ve travelled all over the universe, discovered many, many different worlds, with many, many different languages. Right after we’re born, a device is inserted into the language center of our brains.
If, and when we go to another planet, it’s like changing a channel. Click. We can speak English. Click. We can speak Orthosian. Click. We can speak Garthisiny. Click. Click. Click. I have over ten thousand languages stored in my brain. So, when I’m here in . . . Wyoming, I speak English. If I were in Mexico, I’d be able to speak Spanish. France. French. And so on.
But I don’t control the click. When my brain hears a language, it’s automatic.”
“Are you saying if a Spanish-speaking person came up to you and started talking, you’d be able to understand and speak with them right away?” He spoke with curiosity.
“Yes.”
“What if a French, Spanish, and Arabic person was in a group and spoke to you in each of their languages, what would the click in your head do?”
She smiled, “The click would turn them all on and I could speak and understand them all.” The effects of whatever the woman gave her were really kicking in. Her tongue felt thick and her eyelids wouldn’t open even if she’d wanted them too.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Isn’t it obvioussss?”
“What about Zaren? Is he from your planet? Why doesn’t he seem sick?” Venus heard the cot creak and his feet scuffle over to the bars.
“He’s been through the metamorphosis . . . a kelvieri. The air can’t harm him like it does me. Actually nothing can harm him.” Venus couldn’t help a giggle. Must’ve been the meds, but she felt great.
“A kelvieri? What does that mean?”
“It’s what our species call an immortal.”
“Kelvieri.” He rolled the word around in his mouth as though he wasn’t sure of the taste. Then he continued, “Does Zaren want to hurt humans?”
“Of course not. He doesn’t even want to be here. He only came because of meeee.” The need to sleep had become irresistible. Venus struggled to stay alert.
“And you’re here because . . .?” He let the question hang.
“Because someone from my home must despise me and
my family. They killed . . . killed . . .” Tears formed and pushed through the creases of her eyes. “. . . Sadraden and her ba . . .”
44. Patience
Michael stood there and watched her sleep. Couldn’t move. He’d never felt so torn. A part of him had the irresistible urge to protect her, yet he couldn’t help but wonder how much she wasn’t telling him about the Order. About those from her planet who’d killed his mother. She’d seemed sincere. He no longer believed she was the murderer. The fact remained she was from another planet. It excited and terrified him. It was strange that he felt anything at all for an . . . otherworldly being.
Alien.
What an effin stupid word, anyway. She didn’t look like one or act like one. She seemed cool. Even sick, she radiated beauty and energy. Yet her body betrayed her in its frailty.
Her hands were tucked under her right cheek, pressed together. It looked as though she prayed, like an angel. Above the constant buzzing of the electric current, he could hear her wheezing. Each ragged breath moved her cracked red lips.
How could I have considered her a killer?
He made his way to the two-way glass and pounded on it. “Hey, Frank. I need to talk to you.” Michael tried to peer into the small observation room he knew existed on the other side. But he couldn’t see anything. “You hear me. We need to talk.” He pounded the glass again.
Venus mumbled in her sleep.
Michael moved back over to the bars. “Venus. What did you say?” His mom had talked in her sleep a lot, especially when she’d fallen asleep drunk. When that happened, he’d sometimes ask questions. She’d answer. He hoped for the same response from Venus.
“Boots . . . A heart . . . beating. Boots!”
Those strange boots she always wore. That must be what she meant. It’d been difficult to remove them. Abe had tried to cut them off with an electric saw, pound them off with a hammer. He’d also tried a drill, too. When he’d pulled out a torch, Michael couldn’t take anymore. He’d rushed into the room and told Abe to stop. Then Michael pulled on the boots and they’d released from around her legs and come off her feet into his hands.
He, Abe, and Frank took turns checking out the stuff in the heels. A lightly glowing arrow surrounded by a blue substance in one and a slow beating heart with a grayish matter swirling throughout the other. They were bizarre, but awesome, too.
After a while, Abe finally gave up, and handed them over to others. Last he’d heard they were running tests on them. If she needed those boots, then he wanted to get them.
Michael went back to the observation glass and pounded. “She needs her boots. Bring them to her. Frank! Frank!” He waited. A few minutes passed. He was about to yell again when he heard the shuffle of shoes against the tiled floor. Frank stood in front of his buzzing cell.
“I hear you. Know that. But, Abe can’t give her back those . . . boots yet. We’re still testing them.”
Michael avoided eye contact, stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I think she’s dying, Frank.”
Frank glanced over at her. “Yes, I agree. That’s why we need to continue testing her. I’d rather she not die. Strange, though, I was under the impression you wanted her dead.”
If Michael had been able, he would’ve clocked Frank right then. He was a heartless jerk. “She didn’t kill Mother. It was stupid of me to think she had. I’m sure you knew that though. Didn’t you?”
Frank sighed. “Michael, we need her.”
“I want to know what you’re doing to find the . . . alien that really murdered mother?”
Since Venus had arrived two days ago, they’d tested and retested different parts of her. He’d watched them put needles in her, draw blood, and more. Luckily Venus seemed oblivious to most of the horror. He wasn’t. Michael watched it all, from them sticking a needle the size of a semi-truck into her abdomen, to them putting tiny needles into her eyes. She’d cried out many times, each scream like a dagger shoved into his soul. He experienced her pain. When she hurt, he hurt, too. Even though he’d been furious, it still killed him to watch her suffer.
“We haven’t had a chance to search any further. We’ve been too focused on—Venus. We’ll go out again when . . .” He didn’t finish.
Michael understood the meaning. He meant they’d begin their search again when they were done with Venus—done cutting her into pieces. “But why don’t you let her go? She can’t hurt anyone. You told me the one you’ve been hunting was an invincible super villain. It’s obvious Venus can’t be a part of his group. They can’t even be the same species.”
“But they are.” Frank rubbed his eyebrows, which caused flakes of dry skin to float onto his cheeks. “Want to know what gave them away?”
Michael waited.
“Those boots. The thing that taunts us has worn a pair like them before. We’ve seen them and have the pictures to prove it.” He grinned again, large, flashing those yellow-stained teeth of his.
“Oh?”
“When she wakes again, see if you can get her to talk about them. What do they mean? They may be the key to our killing the other one.” Frank started to walk away. He stopped at Venus’s cell, turned back to Michael and said, “You might as well get back on board with us where it’s concerned. She won’t be leaving here for a long time, even after she’s dead.” With that, he rushed off, before Michael could agree or disagree.
He guessed Frank figured he wasn’t going anywhere without his say. Michael knew he’d asked for this. It’d been the only way to save her, but he hated feeling trapped. A.L.T. had him as locked up as Venus. Stupid Frank!
Michael flung himself on the cot and tried to sleep. It wouldn’t come. He kept going back and forth between conversations he’d had with Venus to thinking of Cheverly. He knew Chev was probably worried sick. There’d been his promise that they’d get together. That’d been days ago. He hadn’t talked to her since telling her about his mom. She had no idea what’d happened. A wave of panic toppled over him. Will I ever see her again? A few days ago he hadn’t cared one way or the other. Not really. Then he’d been bombarded with memories of her. He realized he wanted to see her.
I told her I loved her. And he did . . . didn’t he? Michael sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. As a friend, he owed her the courtesy of an explanation. She deserved that much.
Michael considered what Zaren and Vinny were doing. Surely they knew Venus was missing. The Zaren guy was probably beside himself with worry. Guilt tore at his gut. When he’d told Frank about Venus, what she’d said to his mother and her strange blood, he’d been angry. Beyond devastated and too far gone in his grief to really think.
Now he knew Venus wouldn’t, couldn’t have committed the murder. She’d been at the ranch all day. With him.
Michael watched her tattered body struggle for air. She was too weak to walk up a trail in the mountains. Someone as feeble and sick as she was didn’t have the strength to kill.
I have the stupid-gene.
He couldn’t let her die. She had to get back to her planet. Crossing his arms over his face, he tried to block out the lights. He needed to think, to rest. The lights overhead couldn’t be turned off with a switch. They were automatic.
“Damn. Damn. Damn. Dammit to hell—”
He stopped at the sound of a light giggle.
Venus.
Taking two steadying breaths, he removed his arms from his face. Then he turned so he could see her. She looked amused.
“My favorite curse is cret.”
Her voice sounded low and raspy, like she’d been smoking a pack a day for thirty years.
Michael sat up. “Cret? What does that mean?” She still lay on her side, electric-blue eyes intent on him. Her teeth chewed on her bottom lip.
“The English word would be crap, I think.”
Michael laughed. “That is a good word. Mind if I use it?”
She shook her head no. “Do you think they’ll give me back my boots?”
Her questio
n took him off guard. He wanted to tell her yes, but that’d be a lie. By the look on her face, maybe she needed to hear a lie. Anything to bring back her hope. At least until he could make it a truth. Michael promised himself he’d find those boots and get them back to her. “Probably. In a little while,” he said, glancing at the two-way mirror.
She sighed. “Good. They’re important to me.”
“Oh?” Here was his chance to ask about them. It was what Frank wanted and if he were going to keep them trusting him, Michael needed to play along. “Why’s that?”
Venus pulled her hair around so it rested on her shoulder. She began braiding it as she spoke. “From the time we’re kelki’s, we’re taught their importance. See, when kelarians are born, we all look the same. We have metallic white skin. Our hair is stark white and everything else is silver.”
“That’s cool.”
Venus snorted and continued, “But when we turn sixteen, we’re given our boots. Inside the heels the Gods capture our weaknesses. As we grow in wisdom and overcome the weaknesses in our heels, they change. They’re a constant reminder to each of us that we aren’t perfect, that we aren’t Gods. And since we become immortal after we receive our boots, that knowledge is important . . . to some more than others. We all need reminding though.” She took a deep, raspy breath. Didn’t cough, which meant the medicine continued to work.
“If you’re immortal, a kelvieri, why are you sick?” Michael had always guessed immortality meant living forever. No death. No disease.
EXILED (The Connected Series) Page 20
