“You have to go quickly. He’ll explain everything.”
“The doctor?” I assumed she had to mean him, but I wasn’t going to rely on an assumption when it could be my life at stake.
“Yes. Go.” She gestured to the doors.
“What about you? Why aren’t you coming in?”
“I need to be your look-out right now.” Her eyes rimmed with tears.
“I wish you could come with me.” I grabbed her hand.
“You need to do this without me.” She squeezed my hand. “You can handle whatever is coming your way.”
“I’m going to miss you.”
“You know I’m going to miss you more than anything.” She pulled me into a hug. “But we don’t have time for sentimentalities.”
I nodded even though I didn’t want to. How did one say goodbye to the woman who’d pretty much raised her? Like this. “Thank you for everything.”
She nodded. “Don’t give up no matter how hard it is. It’s time for you to go home.” She hugged me tighter before letting go.
The doors opened, and she pushed me forward. I looked back just in time to watch the doors snap close behind me.
“It’s okay, Rachel.” Dr. Graham called from somewhere far off.
I walked into the mostly dark room, hoping I hadn’t walked into a terrible trap.
“How did you know I’d be back?” I found him standing in front of a large, iron door. It looked like an outdated launch door. But as far as I knew the launch pads were all on the other side of the palace.
“You knew Earth existed. There was no way you were going to stay here.” He pulled a small tablet out of his coat pocket.
“You found a way for me to go back?” I eyed the iron door warily.
“I have. I can’t say it’s the latest Lexa technology, but it’s far beyond anything we have on Earth.”
“Are you coming too?” I didn’t want to leave him to take the fall for my decision. Blaming me for breaking into the system was one thing. Tracking down an old launch room? That was stretching it. Technically I could have found it on old blueprints, but would I have?
He shook his head. “No. I can’t. If I go back and break my promise, they can come back for my son.”
“Aren’t you worried they’ll do that anyway? For helping me?” He needed to think this through. I wasn’t more important than his child.
“The deal is specific. I have to believe the Emperor will keep his word. Besides, he won’t know I did this.”
“You really think they’ll believe it was all me?”
“Yes. Your signature is going to be all over it.” He smiled.
“What do you mean?”
He pointed up to a higher level above us. “Take a look.”
I walked up a few stairs and saw what he was looking at. “My androids?”
“Yes. Your androids are going to be running the launch. They also helped prepare every detail of the launch. After you leave they will be adding in your signature to every entry and exit from the room.”
“Still. The coincidence that I do this right when I meet you?”
“Is that really any more of a coincidence than you doing this right after receiving that.” He pointed at my necklace.
“You’re right.” I steeled myself, remembering the Emperor’s threats and a flash of my brother’s face. “I need to do this.”
“Your androids know what they’re doing. Pretty impressive work.” There was a gleam in his eye.
“I’ve had a lot of time.” When you can’t go outside you find things to entertain yourself. I’d spent endless hours working on my androids and programing their CPUs.
“I bet you have.” He smiled. “Your capsule is all ready to go.”
“And where is it going to take me? Earth is a large planet.”
“It’s a capsule that arrived here thirteen years ago from Earth. I trust it’s one you’ve been in before.” Dr. Graham handed me the tablet. “It will take you back to the spot from where you left. Be safe, Rachel. And remember, even if you can’t find your family at first, you need to stay. You belong on Earth. You are young. You should be able to breathe the air. To listen to the birds.”
He nodded his head before heading over to the double doors I’d entered through.
“You’re leaving?”
“You can do this. I wish you the best of luck.”
The doors clicked closed behind him, and I snapped into action mode.
7 Rachel
I squeezed inside the capsule, taking in the tiny space. There were two seats, one behind the other. There were only two harnesses. Just as Telton had tried to explain thirteen years before. He’d told me there was only room for two. Memories crashed over me.
I slipped into the first of the two seats so I’d have access to the instruments even though I had no idea how to use them.
I attached the harness and leaned back in my seat. I powered on the tablet, waiting for it to click in to the capsule power source. According to Dr. Graham my androids would be handling the rest.
There were a few beeps, and the lights on the dashboard lit up. The launch sequence began. I closed my eyes, trying to push away all thoughts and doubts. In the process memories flooded me. Memories I’d kept buried for years.
“Stay away from him!” Benjamin yelled. His brown eyes were full of fear.
I froze halfway between my brother and the strange man who promised he could take me to my parents. I didn’t remember them, but I knew going to them was the right thing to do.
“It is okay, little one. Come here.” The tall man dressed all in black held out his hand to me. “You need to come before it’s too late.”
“Rachel!” Benjamin ran toward me, his hand closing in on mine as something grabbed me from around the waist.
In the next moment Benjamin was on the ground, and I was being pulled away. “Benjamin!” I screamed, but the arms around my waist only tightened. “Benjamin!” I screamed his name again.
The memory faded away and was replaced by the loud sound of boosters roaring to life. Gradually the steady hum of the engine took over. I fought to stay awake, but my eyelids fought against me. I fell into a deep sleep.
* * *
Small vibrations from all around me woke me up. I opened my eyes, blinking a few times until the instruments in front of me came into view. The dashboard read arrived. Was that possible? Hadn’t I just left Andrelexa? I didn’t know much about inter-galactic travel, so the only thing I could do was trust it. But trust was a big thing. If this wasn’t Earth, there was a good chance I wouldn’t be able to breathe. I had to trust the air and atmosphere. This was Earth. It had to be.
I glanced down at my watch. If I connected it could give me my specific location, but it might also give my location to someone else back on Andrelexa. To be fair they probably had it already.
Still, I wouldn’t take the chance. I had to trust the capsule had steered me right. I undid my harness, pressed the release on the capsule door, and took my first steps back on Earth.
Part 2
Noah
8 Noah
“It’s not mine.” I looked down at the cluttered counter top rather than at the girl behind the help desk. A placard listing the technology center’s hours was knocked over, a pile of neon orange pamphlets advertising a computer service plan strewn on top of it.
“The computer isn’t yours?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“No, the computer is mine. Uh, the virus on there. That stuff. It’s my roommate’s,” I muttered, wishing I was anywhere but here at the help desk. I was also wishing the one hot girl who worked there wasn’t the one who happened to be on duty.
“Does your roommate often borrow your computer to watch porn?” Her voice rose. A few snickers of laughter from behind me let me know we were far from alone.
“Only when his laptop isn’t working.” I knew how lame I sounded, but it was the truth. I was also wishing I’d had a better password because borrowed
wasn’t exactly the right word for when someone takes your things without asking.
“I see.” She typed something into the desktop computer. “This might take awhile to fix. Want to leave it here?”
As if I had a choice? “Yeah. Sure.” I needed my computer if I wanted any hope of getting my history paper done, but it was useless to me now that it was frozen on a screen of a naked chick.
“You sure you are—I’m sorry— your roommate is going to be okay without this for a day or so?” Her lips twisted into a smirk. She was enjoying my torture entirely too much.
“A day or so?” Shit. I was going to have to step foot into one of the archaic computer labs. Dale was going to pay for this.
“We’ve got quite a few computers in front of yours.” She was still smirking. She no longer seemed hot.
“Yeah. Whatever.” I waited for the email receipt to show up on my phone before leaving the help center behind.
I was going to kill Dale when he got back in town, and if they couldn’t fix my laptop, he was buying me a new one. I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
I kicked a stray beer can with my sneaker as I made my way down the side street toward my house. The night was surprisingly cold for March in New Orleans. It was only a few weeks after Mardi Gras, and beads still hung from the trees at every turn, blowing every so often as the wind hit them.
I put my hands in my pockets, glancing around the dark night. Walking alone at night was a stupid idea, but getting my computer fixed was top priority. If I wanted to get into my top choice law school, I needed to ace all my classes, including Modern American History. That meant blowing away the professor with this paper.
The house came into view, and I heard a noise. A faint rustling. Last time I checked people didn’t hide in bushes before they robbed you. It was probably a squirrel or something. I was being an idiot, but I’d been paranoid for the past few years of my life.
I picked up my pace a bit and kept moving.
Another rustle.
I glanced over my shoulder again as I ascended the rickety old steps to the house I rented. I was careful to skip the top step. That one was probably going to fall through one of these days.
I pulled out my key and inserted it into the lock. I turned it a few times as I always had to. If there was one thing I learned from my seven months of living off campus, it was that some landlords sucked. Mine fell into that category.
I got the lock to turn, pushed open the door, and heard the rustling again.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw only darkness.
I could have called out and asked if anyone was there, but I wasn’t the idiot in scary movies who did that and then got killed. Instead I got right inside and closed the door behind me. I flicked on the lights and locked the door. I hated how paranoid I was, and despite wanting to ring Dale’s neck, I was glad he hadn’t been there to witness it. He’d have never let me live it down.
I pulled back the vinyl blinds and looked out at the darkness. Nothing. No masked figure running up the porch stairs. Not even a raccoon coming out of the bushes. I was losing it.
I set down my now empty backpack. I really wasn’t looking forward to having to spend hours in a computer lab.
Moments later I was back at the window because I heard a creak on the stairs. There was someone out there.
Despite it being an unquestionably stupid idea I swung open the door while holding absolutely no weapon. I stared out into the darkness again. “Is there anyone out there?”
“Hi,” a distinctly female voice answered.
I squinted, looking for the sign of anyone in the darkness. “Umm, where are you?”
“Here.” A figure stepped out of the shadows. My body tensed. Just because it was a girl didn’t mean she wasn’t going to try to kill me.
My jaw about dropped as the girl walked into the light coming from inside the house. She was easily 5’9 or 5’10 with long dark hair that fell in waves all the way to her waist. She was dressed in a fitted black jumpsuit that hugged her body like a glove. The outfit might have been odd some places but not in New Orleans, especially at night.
She smiled in a forced sort of way. “Do you live here?”
“Hi. Yeah. Why?” Technically she could have been looking for Dale, but I doubted it. Not this girl.
“I think I used to live here.” She stared at the old shutters leaning against the side of the house.
She thought? How didn’t she know? Was she that drunk? “Oh. Well, you don’t live here now.”
“I know.” She cracked a small smile, this one less forced than the first. “Or wait. Was that supposed to be a joke?”
“Yes, no.” I let my awkwardness take over. Great. At least I probably wouldn’t see this girl again to have to care about it. And at least I wasn’t showing her my porn-filled laptop. “Can I help you with something?”
“I need to find my brother.”
“Oh.” I looked out into the night again. I saw no one. “Do you need to borrow my phone or something?” I wasn’t thrilled at the idea. She’d probably steal it and then I’d be without a computer or a phone, but what other choice did I have? If she was legit and not trying to rob me, I’d be a total jerk not to offer.
“No.” She shook her head. “Unless you have his number?”
“What’s your brother’s name?” There was a small chance he was an acquaintance.
“Benjamin Miller.”
The name didn’t ring a bell at all. “I don’t know him.”
“Oh.” She leaned on the stair railing.
“No!” I yelled a little too loudly. “Don’t do that.”
“Oh.” She straightened immediately. “Sorry.”
“No. Don’t be. It’s just that railing is going to break. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Oh. Thank you.” She looked down at her shoes—shiny black boots—and then back at me. “This is the only address I have… could I come in?”
“Come in?” I asked. “Here?”
She nodded.
“Now?”
“Would that be okay? I promise I don’t mean you any harm. Please.” Her eyes were wide and honest, if eyes could be honest. “I have nowhere else to go.”
Any ounce of resistance disappeared when those eyes locked on mine. Puppies had nothing on this girl. Nothing. “Sure. Come on in.”
I held the door open wider, and she hurried in. Likely she wasn’t going to hesitate long enough for the offer to be rescinded. It wouldn’t have been though, and that had nothing to do with the way that tight black outfit hugged her body. Nor was it due to her haunting brown eyes. No. The reason the offer wouldn’t be rescinded is that I was a good person. Okay. Maybe her eyes had something to do with it.
She walked around the room before stopping suddenly near the TV. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”
“Hmm?” I watched her without really watching her. There’s a fine line between checking someone out and ogling.
“There’s nothing here that reminds me of anything.” She buried her face in her hands.
“Are you okay?”
“No. Not in the slightest.”
Not the answer I was expecting. “Oh. Well, then can I help in any way?”
“Help me find my brother.” She gave me those damn eyes again. “Please?”
“Benjamin Miller, right?”
“Yes.”
“Does he go to Tulane? Loyola?” Considering most of the houses on my street were rented by college students, I assumed that’s the demographic she was looking for.
“I don’t know. I don’t know anything about his life now.”
“Oh.” Ok, this was getting more difficult. She was confused, but she wasn’t acting drunk at all. Her speech was clear. She was standing up straight. She didn’t appear disoriented in any physical way. “Is there anyone else I could call? A friend or a roommate?” I wasn’t trying to get rid of the girl. But I also didn’t know what else to do.
“I know no one else
here.” She took a seat on our ancient black couch. It was left behind by the last tenants, and I didn’t want to know what some of the stains were.
“Okay… so you’re from out of town?” I remained standing. I wasn’t sure if sitting down next to her would freak her out.
“Yes. From out of town.” She looked up. “I’m Rachel.”
“Hi, Rachel. I’m Noah.” I held out my hand.
She accepted my hand and shook it, holding onto it a moment longer than necessary before letting it fall.
“Where are you staying?”
“Staying?” She furrowed her brow.
“Yeah. What hotel or whatever? Or with a friend?”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I guess I assumed I’d find my brother… I guess I didn’t think things through at all. It was all such a rush.”
“Well, you can stay here for the night if you want.” What had I just said? Was I insane?
“I can?” Her eyes lit up.
“Yeah. You can take my room.” If I was offering her a place to stay, I needed to make sure it was decent.
“Where will you sleep?”
“Out here.” The couch was safer than Dale’s bed.
“Oh. I can’t ask that of you.” She pressed her lips together, pulling my attention to them. They were light pink and all natural. It didn’t look like she was even wearing lip gloss. Considering her over the top outfit the lack of makeup was surprising.
“You’re not asking. I’m offering.”
“Oh.” She seemed to think it over. “Great.” Her stomach growled.
“Are you hungry? Have you eaten?” Okay, here was my chance to find out a few things. “Were you out drinking tonight?” That would explain her confusion even though she still really didn’t seem drunk.
“No. I haven’t had anything to drink today.”
“Not even water?” Maybe dehydration was the problem.
She shook her head. “No. I left in a hurry.”
“Oh. Well, I’ll get you some water.” I walked into the galley kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water out of the giant pack in the fridge. I handed one to her.
Stardust: Half Light Page 6
