David smiled. “Are you sure you want to watch the football game tonight?”
Tara cocked her head. “Do you have something else in mind?”
“How would you like to visit that planet?”
“Don’t tease me. That’s impossible.”
“I don’t think anything is impossible at this point.”
“I’d love to, but how would we survive?”
“I’m part alien now, remember. I can survive in their atmosphere.”
“Great for you, not so great for me.”
“I think I got you covered, so—”
Before he finished his sentence, Brice Cooper appeared, in full gear, breaking from his teammates who were running onto the field.
“Yo, Noble, you been avoiding me all week in school, but there’s nowhere to run now. I said stay away from Chastity,” Brice yelled.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” David said.
Chastity, meanwhile, was standing on the field running a cheer routine, but also observing the unfolding confrontation.
“I’m not stupid, Noble. You’ve been after her for years. And that lab partner stunt was the last straw.”
“Brice, you do know that incident was weeks ago, right? I mean, you’re not that dense, are you? Anyway, I’m not interested in your girlfriend. Now, if you don’t want a repeat performance of the boiler room action, kindly get out of my face.”
“Boiler room?” Brice asked. “What are you talking about?”
Guess I erased your memory a little too well, David thought.
“Listen here, punk,” Brice barked as he grabbed for David. David swung an elbow, which connected with Brice’s jaw. The boy hit the ground, out cold. Kids who had gathered in anticipation of a fight began to point and laugh. Brice sat up, dazed and confused.
“Be right back,” Tara said.
“Where are you going?” David asked.
“You had your fun, now it’s my turn. I’m going to nip the drama in the bud.” Tara marched straight for the field. Chastity eyed her warily as she drew closer.
“You want something, nerd?” Chastity asked.
“Yes, I do.” Tara wound up and delivered a left jab that knocked Chastity on her pompoms. “David’s my boyfriend, you twit. Stop the rumors or next time I won’t be so nice.”
Chastity rubbed her jaw, whimpering. As her friends helped her up, she yelled, “Did you see what she did? Get her!”
Tara walked off the field with a smile on her face.
“Bet we’ll both have detention on Monday,” David said when Tara returned.
“That’s just one more class we can spend together.”
“Let’s get out of here. I’ve had our trip planned for days.”
David and Tara stood in the basement of the abandoned mill.
“So what’s the plan, Noble,” Tara said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You going to build another starfire cube?”
“I don’t need to,” David replied. He reached around to the back of his neck and pulled a small object loose from his skin. The oddly shaped cube, which looked like something from a Dungeon dice set, began to shimmer. David set it on the ground, and it began to grow. Within a few minutes, it was eight feet tall and wide. Tara’s eyes grew wide.
“The starfire cube,” she said.
“I’ve had it all along.”
“But I saw the cube and the alien disappear.”
“Yes, he used it to get back home, but the cube is my portal. Once it transported the alien back to his home world, the cube returned to its rightful owner. All along it’s been a part of me, just as I am part of the alien, just as certain beings from our race are a part of their race, including you. You see, Tara, we’re all connected. And now the starfire cube belongs to me, along with all the knowledge the aliens possess.”
“You do realize that you’re the smartest person on Earth now,” Tara said. “So, Einstein, how do you propose to solve the dilemma of how I can survive in their world.”
“Got you covered. You’ll love it there. I’ve already been there, three times now since last week.”
“Three times! And you’re just now telling me?”
“I was making plans for our vacation. They told me to give this to you.”
David held up his fingers. A sliver of circular light covered in geometrical designs rested on the edge of his fingertip. He placed his finger against the nape of her neck and pressed in against her skin until her body accepted the gift of David’s DNA.
“Ouch,” she said. But the sting faded quickly, replaced by strong vibrations coursing through her body.
“Now we’re one,” he said. He took Tara’s hand, and they walked to the starfire cube. It lifted six feet off the ground and hovered there. The two stepped under it.
“Why, David? Why did you let me be a part of all this?”
“Are you complaining?”
“No. You’ve always meant so much to me. I just never thought you’d return the feeling.”
“Let’s just say I wasn’t smart enough to figure that out until now,” he said.
“I just don’t know what makes me so special that you’d share something this amazing.”
“There’s no one else on this world or their world who I would rather share this with. Besides, I’m going to need someone to help me save our world,” he said.
“Save our world? I thought you gave those scientists what they needed. I thought you were off the hook.”
“I’ll never be off the hook. The rest of mankind doesn’t understand the way I do, or how you’ll soon understand, now that we are one. So we have to set things right. Well, actually, our kids will be the ones to set things right.”
Tara was taken aback. “Our kids? You’re a little sure of yourself, aren’t you? We’re not even out of high school yet.”
“Don’t worry,” David said. “It’s the truth, but it’s many years off. You’ll see for yourself soon enough. Are you ready?”
“I’m ready,” she replied, her heart racing.
“Then let’s do this.”
Light showered down on them from the starfire cube, enveloping them. Slowly it pulled them into the center of the dodecahedron. Tara stared out at the small, insignificant basement of the abandoned mill. She was eager to see true beauty.
“How long are we staying?” she said as the vibrations and resonance began to pick up.
“At least a few months.” She started to protest, but David cut her off. “Don’t worry, we’ll return to Earth five seconds from now.”
Tara smiled. “Then what are we waiting for?”
David nodded, and the starfire cube emitted a billion bursts of light before it folded in on itself and disappeared.
D.N.A. Page 7
