She came to a skidding, sideways stop before the police station and barreled inside. Two officers leapt up as she rushed past them into the room where Bane was being held.
“He’s an alien,” she cried, reaching for Bane’s hands through the bars.
The officers, weapons drawn, burst into the room right behind her. She feared they’d pull her away, but her words must have startled them.
Bane held her as best he could. “Goddamn it! You mean that guy Vincent? I saw him rush out of here right after you left. He went after you, didn’t he? Did he hurt you?”
“No, but he tried. I threw a rock at him. My God! His skin—it’s not real. It covers his body, but part of it came away where I hit him. He was all white and scaly beneath.”
Bane clenched his fists. “I feared something like this might happen.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yeah, what do you mean?” one of the officers repeated.
“Many of the towns that should have been in orb-shields lay in ruin,” he told them. “I was afraid that spies had been sent down early to infiltrate the towns and betray the Sentinels. It’s one of the reasons I returned so quickly. I believed Albion was safe since we’d completed the transition, but I couldn’t be sure. I had to see for myself.”
“This is bullshit,” one of the officers charged.
“Just go out there, the Number Nine road out of town toward the cabin. See for yourself,” Josie dared him.
She breathed a sigh of relief when one of the officers left. Twenty minutes later he returned, telling her that there’d been no sign of Vincent anywhere.
* * * *
Josie slept in the police station in a chair beside Bane’s cell all night. Bane’s insistence that the town was in imminent danger had fallen on deaf ears.
“They don’t understand what he’s capable of,” he’d told her. She couldn’t believe she’d spent time alone with that thing.
The morning dawned clear and bright but brought with it no reprieve for Bane. Last evening everyone still insisted he was the enemy and couldn’t be trusted. As to the mystery of Vincent, it remained just that—a mystery. Josie feared they suspected her of foul play and she’d wind up in the cell beside Bane.
When one of the officers brought them coffee, she wearily got to her feet and stretched. Suddenly the floor jerked violently, causing her to fall.
“What the hell?” the officer yelled, spilling hot coffee all over his uniform.
“Damn it! Look outside,” Bane hollered. “Is the orb shifting? Are we going down?”
“Hold on,” the officer said as he rushed from the room.
“You said it would come down by itself when the danger passed.” Josie used the bars of his cell for leverage to climb to her feet. Bane reached for her hands and held them tight.
“The danger hasn’t passed. Something or someone is bringing down the orb,” he informed her.
The floor lurched again, and Josie staggered but held tight to Bane. At the same time the officer practically flew back into the room and went down on his knees. “What’s happening? Has the threat passed? We are definitely in descent,” he informed them as he cautiously got to his feet and braced himself against the wall.
“You need to let him out of here,” Josie insisted.
Bane fastened a hard gaze on the man. “You have to listen to me, that guy Vincent is what Josie said—an alien. He has tampered with my protegats and is causing the orb to reattach to the Earth. When that happens, he’ll bring down the shield and the enemy will advance on us.”
The officer put a hand to his head. “Damn it! I don’t know what to do.”
“Listen to him!” Josie practically screamed. “Please! Or it will be the end of us all.”
Confused, the man stared at both of them then rushed from the room.
Josie headed after him. “You need to let him out! He can’t help us if he’s locked up.”
The man flung his keys to the floor and rushed toward the door to join the other officers. He paused momentarily and stared back at her. “God help us all if you’re wrong.” Then he was gone.
Josie grabbed the keys and ran to free Bane. Minutes later he had retrieved his weapons and they were both running through town. The ground lurched and swayed, making for a frightening dash to the park. Townspeople flooded the streets, fearful of their shaking homes. Many cried out for Bane to help them, while others cursed him for betraying them. Just as they reached the park a giant thunk almost brought them to their knees. She could see from the alignment of the ground beyond the shield that the orb had embedded itself back into the Earth.
Bane skidded to a stop in front of his ship and fumbled for the controller to open the hatch. It whisked up and he leapt aboard. As he put out his hand for her, a huge shadow crept across the sky. She peered up, worried the storm clouds had moved in again and the ground would begin to rumble with tremors once more. But it wasn’t storm clouds.
“Shit! Bane, they’re right outside the shield!” Now fully in view, a giant UFO hovered ominously.
“Hurry, Jose.” Grabbing hold of her hand, Bane pulled her up into the ship and moments later they flew off.
With fast sweeps he spanned the town and forests, using his equipment to try and locate Vincent. They stopped to ensure one by one that his protegats were in position.
“He hasn’t tampered with them. I don’t understand how he’s manipulating the shield. He must be doing it another way,” Bane said, running a hand over his head.
As they stood outside, Bane staring intently at the shield and the UFO hovering above, the shield suddenly disappeared.
“No!” Josie cried. “Nothing is stopping them from getting in now.”
Bane took her into his arms. “I won’t let them hurt you, Jose, or this town,” he promised.
Josie stared up into the face of the man she loved. Unbelievably, the worst possible moment of her life was also the best. “Bane?”
He smiled down at her and bent to kiss her. His lips lingered momentarily. Taking her hand, he led her toward the ship. “I’m taking you back to the cabin. I can secure the building, that way I know no matter what you’ll be safe.”
“I want to stay with you,” she insisted.
“I can’t fight them if I’m worried about you.”
Was she imagining it or had her Bane actually returned to her? Just as he was about to lift her up to the ship a laser blast careened off the side of it. Bane spun around and pulled a concealed weapon from his belt—one that he’d neglected to turn over to the police.
“Stay still or I’ll kill her,” Vincent said. He held a small metal wand in his hand and aimed it at them. “I don’t want to kill her—I want her very much.” His tongue flicked out to lick his lips suggestively.
Josie gasped when she saw him. More pieces of flesh on his face and chest had peeled back, revealing the ghostly white reptilian skin beneath.
“You, however, I will have no problem killing,” he said to Bane before he turned his gaze on Josie. “Come with me now and I’ll let him go.”
“She’s not going anywhere with you,” Bane informed him. In one fluid motion he both fired his weapon at Vincent and tossed Josie through the open doorway of his ship.
She cried out as the hatch flew down to block them from view. In vain, she pounded on the door, frantic as she heard the unmistakable sounds of battle.
It seemed a lifetime later when the door finally swished up and Bane stood there covered in slime. Vincent was nowhere to be seen, but pieces of white reptilian flesh lay scattered all over the ground.
Josie leapt into Bane’s arms. “Oh God! Is he dead?”
Bane held her tight. “He’s dead.”
His grip on her tightened, causing her to look toward the sky. “Bane! What is that?”
What appeared to be dozens of smaller spaceships suddenly filled the sky.
“They’re descending. We need to go now!” Bane replied.
Together they leapt a
board his ship and flew off toward the cabin.
Bane brought them down to land in the driveway. He exited the ship first, his wary eyes toward the sky. Josie took his offered hand and jumped down beside him. Her gaze followed his.
“There’s so many of them,” she said. He would never be able to defeat them all alone.
“Go inside. I’ll be right in.” He strode off toward the shed.
Hearing Markley’s frantic cries from the window, Josie rushed inside. She scooped the cat into her arms. “It’s all right, baby. Daddy’s making the cabin safe. We’ll be all right,” she crooned, too terrified to think about what would happen next.
Bane joined them and wrapped them in the circle of his arms. “The cabin and the immediate area are surrounded by an invisible force field. It’ll keep them out. I’m not sure for how long since they seem to have developed some new technology. It enabled Vincent to overcome the orb-shield from within, and I have no idea what else they’ve got up their sleeves. Everything I’m working with is ancient.”
Josie heard the frustration in his voice. “You’re doing the best you can. You’ve kept us safe. Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”
He kissed her lips. “Sorry I’ve been such an ass. I’m even sorrier that I have to leave you now.”
Josie stared at him aghast. “What? What are you going to do?” She’d finally gotten him back; she didn’t want to lose him again.
“I have to do what I can. The town is defenseless, and I told them I’d protect them. They’re counting on me.”
Josie knew he was right. A tear slipped down her cheek. Bane brushed it away then kissed her again.
He rubbed Markley under his chin. “Take care of Mommy.”
And then he was gone.
Josie watched him go through the door, leap down the steps, and stride toward his ship. She had never loved him more.
He paused and turned his gaze to the sky. Josie put Markley down and stepped out onto the porch.
Bane suddenly yelled, “Oh, yeah!” and raised his fist in the air.
Josie looked up, wondering what had him all excited. In a daze she came down the few steps and moved toward him. The sky still buzzed with several small, black alien ships. But two other ships, not quite as large as the invader, but many times deadlier in appearance, now flanked the huge UFO. Dozens of silver and reddish colored ships barreled out of the new arrivals like bees from a hive. The colorful, little ships began firing upon the black ships, and at the same time, the pair of UFOs fired at the larger, menacing ship. For several minutes an air battle took place. And then, with an enormous explosion, the invader ship succumbed.
“What’s happening?” Josie cried as flaming pieces of metal rained down to the ground.
Bane pulled her into his arms and twirled her around in a circle. He actually smiled. “We’ve got back up. They’ve come—the Acacians!”
Epilogue
Josie sat on the deck of the cabin and stared out at the calm surface of the water. Behind her she could hear Markley’s steady purr as he sat in the window.
It’d been two months since the timely arrival of the Acacians and Earth’s safety had been secured. The Acacians had swarmed the skies and annihilated the enemy. They’d only remained long enough to ensure the human race that help was ever close. And to have faith in the Sentinels they had entrusted here so long ago.
Sadly, most of the large cities had been destroyed, but thanks to the Sentinels, the small towns thrived and now spilled over with refugees who had barely escaped with their lives.
The townspeople of Albion had worked together to erect new dwellings to house their bulging population. Josie and Bane had become permanent residents and could often be seen lending a hand in town.
Many in town had hung their heads in shame and begged Bane’s forgiveness. Surprisingly, he had accepted their apologies and immediately begun overseeing construction in the town. Josie had been amazed at the change in him. No longer did he wear the mask of a reluctant hero. Every day she saw more and more of the man he’d once been resurfacing.
Recently he’d confessed to her the internal struggle he’d faced. How he’d battled what he perceived his weaker self in order to complete his mission. Startlingly at the height of the madness, it’d been that calmer part of him that had reared up, overcoming the cold shell of the Sentinel and exerting control. Over time more and more instances of old Bane pushed through until finally the Sentinel had been forced back into slumber. Josie hoped and prayed to never see that part of him again.
The screen door banged and Josie turned to see Bane with two glasses of lemonade. “You read my mind,” she said reaching for the glass.
Instead of sitting down beside her, he leaned against the railing. “Tired?”
“Not so much. Thanks for letting me sleep in so late.”
He smiled. “You needed it.”
Josie put her hand on her belly, and they smiled at each other conspiratorially.
“I think you should slow down and not work so hard. Things are moving along smoothly in town. The new buildings should be habitable before the snow flies,” Bane said.
She sighed. “I think you’re right. Lately all I want to do is sleep.” How strange to know that the child she carried would be an only son, just as his lineage dictated.
Bane set down his glass and reached for her hand. “You don’t have to worry about them coming back. We did some major damage and substantial upgrading in the security department. Our son won’t have to go through this. At least not with the Cadeyrns.”
She frowned. “But there are other threats out there.”
“If he’s forced to face them, he will be fine. He’s never alone. He has us and Gannon watching over him.”
“Do you ever want to go there? To Gannon?”
He shrugged. “No. This is my home.”
She smiled. “I’m glad. I don’t want you to ever leave me again.”
“Speaking of which…” He reached out to take her glass and set it down next to his. He pulled her to her feet.
“What’re you doing?”
He knelt down on one knee and reached into his pocket.
Josie swallowed hard. “Bane?”
He held up the ring she’d hidden in the dresser. “I love you, Jose, with all my heart. Thank you for standing by my side and helping me save the town. Will you do me the honor of becoming my bride?”
Josie nodded, and her hand shook while Bane slipped the ring on her finger. “I found it on the floor in our apartment, the night we were forced to leave.”
He frowned. “I was going to propose to you that night.”
“I kind of figured.”
He kissed the back of her hand and stood up. “And you’ve had it all this time.”
She nodded.
“You must have thought I was such a bastard.”
“Maybe just a little,” she admitted.
He chuckled over the face she made. “I’m happy you kept it. I’m even happier I found it. Where’d you stash all my underwear by the way?”
“Second drawer.”
He laid his hand over her belly and gently kissed her lips. “I love you so much. Everything will be okay now, I promise.”
Josie felt a tear slip down her cheek as he pulled her into his arms. Who knew what the future held? She did know that with Bane by her side she could face anything. All they could do now was hope that the world they rebuilt for their child would be one filled with peace.
About Juliet Cardin
Juliet Cardin lives in Ontario with her husband, two sons, three cats, and one scruffy little dog.
Juliet’s Website:
www.julietcardinwebsite.yolasite.com
Reader eMail:
[email protected]
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Water Warriors
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
C
hapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
About C. L. Scholey
Trace of Humanity
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
About Juliet Cardin
In His Alien Hands Page 19
