Naura

by Ditter Kellen

  With a snarl of helpless rage, Tony took a deep breath and shut down his thoughts. Jerking up the clippers, he went to work on his hair.

  * * * *

  Half an hour later, Tony emerged from the bathroom and went in search of Vaulcron. He didn’t have far to look.

  The big Bracadyte was on his knees in front of the television like a kid glued to his favorite cartoon show.

  Tony stopped next to him. “We need to go.”

  Vaulcron nodded but didn’t move. “I have never seen a more beautiful female in all my life.”

  “The reporter?” Tony questioned, glancing at the television screen.

  “Yes. She is captivating.”

  Tony shook his head in disgust. “That’s Mallory Cahill. Better known as the Great White.”

  “Why is she named after a shark?”

  “I’ll tell you later when we have more time. And trust me when I say that she has earned the name. She is vicious and can’t be trusted.”

  Vaulcron stood in one fluid motion. Shock appeared on his face as he gazed at Tony in stunned disbelief. “You no longer resemble the man I came here with.”

  “Yes, well that was the point. Hopefully I’ll pass as Mike Farlow and not get us both killed.”

  Tony led the way to the garage and opened the back hatch of the vehicle for Vaulcron to slip inside. Tony tossed a few blankets over the Bracadyte, shut the door, and slid behind the wheel.

  “It’s about a twenty-minute drive to the lab from here,” Tony stated as he pressed the garage door opener and waited for it to lift. “Stay down, and no matter what happens, do not come out until it is clear to do so. Our only hope is they don’t demand a vehicle search.”

  “Do not worry about me. I know what to do,” came the muffled response from beneath the blankets.

  Tony backed out of the garage and pulled onto the main road. His stomach knotted with every turn he made, half expecting to be ambushed, but the drive went surprisingly smooth.

  His heart hammered at the signs of a roadblock ahead. He unsnapped the holster at his side and slid his gun free, resting it next to his thigh.

  A young soldier stepped up next to the vehicle as Tony gently pressed his foot on the brake and came to a stop.

  Tony rolled down his window and held up his ID before glancing at the guy’s rank on his nametag.

  “Private,” Tony acknowledged with a nod.

  “Master Sergeant.” The guy gave a salute before backing up and allowing him to pass. Tony didn’t exhale until he glanced in his rearview mirror and saw the private checking another car.

  “We made it through the checkpoint,” Tony called loud enough for Vaulcron to hear. “I’m nearing the lab now. It’s an in-and-out mission, one that I’ll get done as quickly as possible.”

  Tony pulled into the parking lot of Winchester Industries and got out, careful to keep his steps sure and confident.

  He pressed the intercom button next to the main door.

  “Can I help you?” a voice questioned from the small black box.

  “I’m here to see Doctor Sutherland.”

  “ID please?”

  Tony lifted the badge that hung from his shirt and held it up to the camera resting above the intercom.

  A click sounded, telling him the locks had disengaged. He opened the door, stepped inside, and came face to face with Willie.

  Tony stilled, waiting for the guard to sound the alarm.

  “Doctor Sutherland is on the second floor, Mr. Farlow. You can go right on up.”

  “I appreciate it,” Tony murmured, relieved that Willie hadn’t recognized him.

  It had only been a little over a year ago since Tony and Hauke had stormed the lab, injuring the ones that drew on them and turning rabid patients loose for a diversion.

  Tony climbed into the elevator, not relaxing until the door slid shut with a ding.

  He arrived at the second floor a moment later and strode down the hall toward Henry’s lab to find the door standing open and Abbie’s father sitting behind his desk.

  Tony quietly entered and eased the door closed behind him. “Doctor Sutherland.”

  Henry looked up from the paper he held and adjusted his glasses. “Yes?”

  “Are you alone?” Tony questioned, moving deeper into the room.

  The older man stood. “Why do you ask?”

  “Answer the question.”

  “Yes. I’m alone.”

  “I’m here to get you out,” Tony informed Henry as he stopped in front of the giant oak desk.

  Tony saw the instant that recognition dawned.

  “Anthony?” Henry breathed, his eyes huge in his face.

  “Keep it down. No one knows that I’m here.”

  “What are you doing here? They’ll kill you without question if you’re seen.”

  Tony rested his palms on the desk and leaned in close. “I’ve come to take you to your daughter.”

  Henry paled, and tears gathered in his eyes. “Abbie is alive?”

  “Very much alive, which is more than I can say for you if you don’t come with me now.”

  “But I can’t leave yet. Not when I’m so close to proving the virus’s origin. The CDC—”

  “Is responsible for the Incola virus. We know,” Tony interrupted. “Now, let’s go. We are running out of time.”

  Henry took a step back. “I can’t. I’ve been ordered to go to Fort Walton Beach.”

  “What for?”

  “Because they have two of those gulf dwellers at Eglin Air Force Base, and they need an epidemiologist at their disposal to study them.”

  “What?” Tony growled, his muscles tensing as he fought the urge to choke his dead sister’s husband. “How long have they been in possession of the Bracadytes? Are they still alive?”

  Henry dropped into his chair. “I don’t have the answer to either question.”

  “You better figure it out and quickly before Abbie gets wind of it. The last thing either of us want is your hotheaded daughter getting herself killed trying to save a couple of Bracadyte prisoners.”

  “You can’t tell her, Tony. Please. Promise me that you won’t tell her.”

  “For now,” Tony conceded, fishing a cell from his pants pocket and tossing it to the older man. “Hide that one better than you did the last one.”

  “But—”

  “I’ll be in touch.”

  Chapter Nine

  Naura parted the blinds and peered out the window for the hundredth time. The sun had set long ago with no sign of Tony and Vaulcron’s return.

  She closed her eyes and concentrated on her brother. “Vaulcron?” she mentally sent to him. “I am sorry for interrupting your thoughts, but I need to know if you are safe.”

  Long moments passed before an answer came. “We were held up at a checkpoint nearby. Do not fear, my sister. We will arrive momentarily.”

  Relief poured through her with his words. He had said we will arrive, which meant that Tony was safe as well.

  Vaulcron’s voice was suddenly back inside her mind. “Go through the side door in the kitchen, Naura, and push the black button on the wall. It will open the garage door.”

  Naura rushed to do as Vaulcron asked. Easing the door open, she located the button situated to the right of the door and pressed it.

  She watched in amazement as the wide door rolled up to lie along the inside of the ceiling. Humans were magical creatures, she thought, staring at the driveway in front of her for signs of her brother. If only they possessed as much compassion.

  Lights appeared on the road, and the sound of an engine rumbled through the quiet of the night, announcing the large vehicle turning into the driveway and ultimately, the garage.

  The driver’s side door opened and Anthony Vaughn stepped out.

  Naura lost the ability to speak.

  Tony’s normally long shaggy hair was cut short, and his unkempt beard had been removed to reveal a strong, square jaw and a pair of full, gorgeous lips.
/>   He stepped around her, pressing the garage door button on his way inside.

  Naura couldn’t move. Her heart pounded hard enough in her chest that she was sure her brother would hear it.

  Vaulcron climbed from the back of the vehicle. “You look as if you saw a ghost, sister.”

  “No. I…”

  “What is it, Naura? You are flushed.”

  “It is nothing,” she muttered, standing on tiptoe to kiss her brother’s cheek. “I am only happy that you have returned safely. That is all.”

  He didn’t appear convinced, but thankfully he didn’t persist.

  She allowed him to take hold of her hand and lead her back inside.

  Tony sat at the table, making a sandwich as they entered the kitchen. “We need to talk,” he announced to the room in general.

  Naura accepted the chair her brother pulled out for her and lifted her gaze to Tony. It hurt to look at him. She had been drawn to Tony since the first time she’d laid eyes on him, the day he saved her life by offering her his blood.

  The horror she’d experienced while locked in the deep recesses of his mind had terrified her. The death of his wife and child had been the most brutal memory that Naura had ever witnessed.

  She watched him now, sitting across the table, staring back at her with those lifeless eyes. No emotion swam in their depths. He was no more than an animated corpse.

  “Did you hear what I said?”

  “I am sorry,” Naura muttered, straightening in her chair. She’d been so lost in thoughts of Tony she hadn’t heard him speak.

  “The government has captured two of your people.”

  Naura glanced at Vaulcron to find him on his feet, staring at Tony with glittering eyes. Strange that she hadn’t heard him move.

  She shifted her gaze back to Tony. “Are you certain?”

  “According to Henry, they are being held in Fort Walton, at Eglin Air Force Base.”

  “That would be Braum and Gryke,” Vaulcron growled, flattening his hands on the table. “They were thought to have died in the explosion last year. What is This Eglin?”

  “As far as the public knows, it’s a military base about twenty miles from here, but it’s much more than that.”

  “What do you mean by much more than that?” Naura interjected.

  “There are things there that are kept from the public to prevent panic. The base's current primary purpose is officially undetermined; however, it supports development and testing of experimental aircraft and weapons systems.”

  Tony took a deep breath before continuing. “The secrecy surrounding the base has made it the frequent subject of conspiracy theories and a central component to unidentified flying object folklore. Although it has never been declared a secret base, all research at Eglin is top secret, compartmented information “

  Vaulcron swore a string of human curse words that sounded foreign coming from him. He glanced from Naura to Tony. “How do you know so much about this Eglin?”

  “I’ve been there,” Tony admitted, taking a bite of the sandwich he’d recently made.

  Vaulcron strode around the table and leaned in close to Tony’s head. His voice came out eerily soft. “Take me there.”

  Blowing out a breath, Tony lowered his sandwich slightly. “Were you not listening? You don’t just take someone to Eglin. No one gets in without proper authorization.”

  Tony glanced down at Vaulcron’s feet and let his gaze travel up the length of his body. “Besides, they would love nothing more than to get their hands on you. And her,” he finished, jerking a thumb in Naura’s direction.

  Vaulcron straightened and ran a hand through his hair. “Then how do you propose we rescue them?”

  “I have a plan.”

  Naura watched as Tony snatched up his cell and pressed some buttons. Seconds ticked by before he spoke. “It’s me. Here’s what we’re going to do.”

  Chapter Ten

  “Are you sure this will work?” Naura asked from her hiding place in back of the military vehicle.

  Tony maneuvered them through a checkpoint with ease. “It has to or else we will all die. Which is why you should have stayed back.”

  Henry’s car was in the driveway as Tony rounded the corner on his street. He pulled in directly behind the black sedan and switched off the engine. “Stay hidden until you hear from me.”

  “Be careful, Tony.”

  Naura’s words resonated inside Tony’s head, laced with concern and no small amount of fear.

  “Stay out of my head,” he bit out before exiting the vehicle and strolling up the drive.

  A young soldier opened at the door before Tony could ring the bell. “Sir,” he rushed out with a sharp salute.

  Tony kept his expression blank. “There’s been a change in plans, Private. I’ll be escorting Doctor Sutherland to the base.”

  A wrinkle appeared between the private’s eyebrows. His Adam’s apple dipped as he swallowed. “I wasn’t informed of any changes in plans, sir.”

  Tony could practically smell the guy’s nervousness. “What is your name, Private?”

  “Talbot, sir.”

  With lightning speed, Tony pulled his revolver from the waistband of his pants and had it trained on the young private before he could react. “Make a sound, and you’re a dead man.”

  Talbot’s eyes grew huge, but he didn’t call out for help.

  Tony jerked his chin toward the interior of the house. “Get inside and keep your hands where I can see them.”

  Following the private inside, Tony closed the door and quickly took in his surroundings. “Place your weapon on the floor and kick it to me.”

  Talbot’s eyes flashed with anger. He lifted his chin and reached for his weapon.

  “Slowly,” Tony demanded, watching his every movement.

  Freeing the gun from its holster, Talbot placed it on the floor and kicked it in Tony’s direction. “You won’t get away with this.”

  Tony retrieved the weapon, shoving it into the waistband of his pants. “Turn around.”

  “What are you going to do?” Talbot questioned, giving Tony his back.

  Instead of answering, Tony flipped his revolver around and slammed the butt of it against the back of the private’s head. Talbot slid unconscious to the floor.

  The sound of car doors caught Tony’s attention. He rushed to the window and inched the curtain to the side in time to see Henry striding up the driveway with another uniformed soldier in tow.

  Tony eased over close to the door and pressed his back against the wall.

  The guard stepped inside ahead of Sutherland, only to meet the same fate as the private. He crumpled to the floor at Tony’s feet.

  “You killed him?” Henry cried, staring down at the fallen soldier in obvious shock.

  Tony shook his head. “He’ll be out of commission for a while, but he’s not dead. Now get me something to tie them up with.”

  Henry stumbled inside, stepping over the fallen man before disappearing into the kitchen. He returned a minute later with two rolls of duct tape. “This is all I have.”

  “That’ll work.” Tony took the tape and went to work on securing the two felled soldiers before dragging them into Abbie’s old room and placing them on the bed.

  He returned to the living room to find Henry sitting on the couch, wringing his hands. “What now, Tony?”

  “I’m going to bring Vaulcron and Naura inside. They will stay here and keep an eye on the soldiers while I accompany you to Eglin.”

  “Who the hell are Vaulcron and Naura?”

  “Hauke’s siblings.”

  Henry jumped to his feet. “You brought two of those creatures to my home?”

  “Put a sock in it, Henry. You’ve already met Naura. She was the female they had in the tank at Winchester Industries last year.”

  Anger rose up inside Tony with the memory of Naura’s half-dead body floating in that tank of salt water, nude and injured. He bared his teeth. “The one they’d planne
d to kill. Remember her?”

  “I-I had nothing to do with that,” Henry sputtered, his face red with indignation. “I was merely doing what was best for my Abbie.”

  “Horse shit,” Tony snarled. You have always put yourself before your daughter. Ever since Marlene passed away.”

  “You leave Marlene out of this.”

  Tony pulled the door open and stepped onto the porch. He spoke without looking back. “Get your things together. We leave in ten minutes.”

  * * * *

  Glenn Anderson paced in front of the two giant aliens secured in the holding tanks. They’d been pronounced dead on arrival, yet a tinge of color remained in their cheeks.

  “Are you waiting on them to wake up and say boo?” Spivey joked, sailing into the room. He stopped in front of Glenn with a salute.

  “Corporal,” Glenn greeted him with a sigh. “Any problems at the gates?”

  Spivey’s eyebrows shot up. “Nothing that I couldn’t handle, sir.”

  “They don’t seem to take kindly to the army infiltrating their base,” Glenn pointed out.

  “Hopefully, we won’t be here much longer. I, for one, will be glad when this is over.”

  “Me too, Spivey. Me too.”

  Spivey cleared his throat. “Can I ask you a question, sir?”

  Glenn moved closer to the glass, intrigued by the barbs on the aliens’ ankles. “Go ahead.”

  “How come they brought these” —Spivey waved a hand toward the tanks— “things to this particular base instead of sending them to a more secure location like Area 51?”

  “Because they’re using them as bait,” Glenn responded, keeping his gaze on the aliens.

  “Bait, sir?”

  Glenn abandoned his view to face the corporal. “To draw out Doctor Abbigail Sutherland. If she’s still alive.”

  “Why do they want her so badly?”

  “They believe that she holds the key to a cure for the Incola virus,” Glenn admitted with a frown.

  “What does that mean for her if they apprehend her alive?”

  Glenn turned away to continue his perusal of the tanks’ contents. “God knows, Spivey. But it can’t be good.”