by R. D. Brady
“Uh oh,” Greg muttered as Maeve strode over to Tilda.
Tilda raised an eyebrow. “I guess it’s time to talk.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Let’s go in—”
“No. We’ll stay out here. The triplets need to run around and I’m not letting them out of my sight.”
Alvie walked over and took Maeve’s hand. Maeve forced a smile to her face as she looked down at him. “I’m okay. Tilda, Greg, and I are just going to chat.”
Greg sputtered. “Hey, I can just—”
“You’re staying.” Maeve glared at him, pinning him in place.
Greg squirmed, shifting from foot to foot. “Uh, like I said, we should all talk.”
Alvie tilted his head, looking into her eyes.
She ran a hand over the top of his skull and he leaned into her hand. “It will be okay. Can you just keep an eye on the triplets for me?”
He nodded before walking over to the triplets. Maeve watched him walk away, her heart pounding when she thought of how close she had come to losing him. He had been her best friend since she was five. Somewhere along the way she’d shifted from friend to sister and now mom. And she felt no less protective toward him than a biological mother would. She would give her life to protect him and the triplets. And she needed to know exactly what they were up against if there was any chance of keeping them safe.
She turned to Tilda, who was watching Alvie as he caught up with the triplets. Hope trotted up to him, and he ran a hand along her back.
Tilda turned back toward her. “I’d read about your bond. But seeing it, it’s truly an amazing thing. You love him.”
Maeve crossed her arms over her chest. “With all my heart, and I will do anything to protect him, which is why you need to tell me what is going on. Everything that is going on.”
“That goes for me, too.” Greg straightened his shoulders next to her. “I don’t have the same history with Alvie as Maeve does, but he’s important to me. The triplets are important to me. Maeve is important to me. They’re my family. So we both need to know what’s going on.”
Maeve looked over at Greg with gratitude. He shrugged, a blush crossing his cheeks. “Hey, you’ve met my sisters. You are so much better than them.”
Maeve turned back to Tilda. “So?”
Tilda gestured to the picnic table a few feet away. “Well, let’s take a seat and I’ll answer what I can.”
Maeve narrowed her eyes as Tilda headed for the table, noting Tilda did not say she’d tell them everything. Maeve followed her and took a seat, determined to not let the enigmatic woman get away with much.
Tilda splayed her hands wide as she took a seat, and Maeve couldn’t help but notice how strong they were. “So, where do you want to start?”
“How about the beginning?” Greg suggested.
“That was a long time ago.”
“How about how you knew Greg was in trouble and how you knew we were?” Maeve asked.
“That’s a little difficult to explain.”
Maeve crossed her arms over her chest. “We both have doctorates. We’ll keep up.”
Tilda smiled. “I’m sure you will. Well, I think you will need a little background to understand how we all came to be here. I have been aware of the United States government’s involvement with alien species for going on five decades.”
Greg frowned. “You said you were a computer with NASA, is that true?”
“For a short while, yes. But it wasn’t too long after I began there that I was moved on to other projects.”
“Like what?” Greg asked.
Maeve wanted to tell him to be quiet and just let her get to the heart of the story. But she was curious, too. That would have been the late 1960s, early 1970s. As progressive as the time appeared, it still had not embraced women in the workforce, and certainly not in the sciences.
“I worked on the Saturn rockets as an engineer.”
Greg’s mouth fell open. “You worked with Wernher von Braun?”
Tilda nodded. “Yes.”
Greg looked dazed and Maeve felt a little lightheaded at the response as well. Wernher von Braun had been a German rocket scientist during World War II. In fact, he was the man responsible for the V-2 rocket. As part of Operation Paperclip at the end of the Second World War, von Braun, along with more than 1,600 scientists and their families, immigrated to the United States and were enfolded within the American space program. Von Braun was called the father of rocketry. He was credited as being the reason that the United States was able to beat the Russians to the moon.
“Since I began with NASA, I have made many different contacts throughout the space program. I did not know your mother, but I was aware of her research. She was an impressive woman.”
Maeve wasn’t sure what to say. She was proud of her mother. They had been close their whole lives. It had only been the three of them, their own little family. Her mom had created the cloning process that had created Alvie, a technique years ahead of the private sector. But that process had also led to the development of the other creatures as well. And Maeve wasn’t sure what to think about her mom’s role in that.
“I learned of Project Vault only after the subjects had been moved to the base,” said Maeve. “And then the aftermath …”
Tilda shook her head. “I don’t think anyone truly realized what Martin was capable of. So I’ve been trying to keep an eye on you, Alvie, and Dr. Schorn here. It wasn’t easy. The government was hiding you rather well. But then Guardian contacted me."
“Guardian sent us a recording of the attack on Maeve’s ranch. It looked like the humans were coming to take Alvie and the triplets,” Greg said.
“I had suspected as much,” Tilda said.
Greg cut in. “A large winged alien was trying to protect them. Do you know who he is? I didn’t see him in the files.”
Tilda shook her head. “No. The only winged aliens I am familiar with are those reported by Russian cosmonauts in the mid-eighties.”
Maeve had forgotten about that particular tale. In 1985, six Russian cosmonauts had been on board the Soviet space station Salyut 7. A strange orange gas had enveloped the station and when it cleared, the cosmonauts reported seeing seven tall humanoid creatures with wings floating outside the space station. Maeve had always thought they shared some sort of group hallucination, maybe in response to the gas. But now … now she wondered if maybe they had actually seen something.
Tilda continued. “Guardian can get into places that I didn’t think anyone would ever be able to get into. He’s been feeding me information for months. He’s the one that let me know they were going after Dr. Schorn. And he let me know they were coming after you.”
“They. Who’s they?” Maeve asked.
There was a shift in Tilda’s eyes, and Maeve knew she was calculating how much to reveal. “For Dr. Schorn, it was an alien attack. There have been a few. As I mentioned before, the humans that survived 51 are being tracked down and killed.”
“By the aliens?”
“I believe so. If Dr. Schorn hadn’t been under our surveillance, I do not believe he would have survived,” Tilda said.
Greg nodded vigorously. “She’s right. If Adam hadn’t busted through that window and happened to have a container of gasoline, a lighter, a grappling hook, and a grenade, well, I would be toast right now.”
“And me?” Maeve asked.
“We know Martin Drummond has been looking for all of you for months without any success. But you were protected from on high,” Tilda said.
“You think Drummond was behind it?” Greg asked.
Tilda didn’t hesitate. “I do.”
Maeve narrowed her eyes. “You know him, don’t you?”
Tilda’s lip curled. “Unfortunately Martin and I go way back. He has been obsessed with aliens, and more importantly, an invasion, for decades. He has argued time and again for the need for weapons to defend us in the event of an alien attack.” Tilda paused. “I believe some
of the deaths of the personnel from 51 and the attack on Dr. Schorn were field tests for those weapons.”
“You think he weaponized the hybrids?” Greg asked.
“I would not put it past him.”
Oh my God. Maeve was stunned. “But I wasn’t attacked by aliens. Humans came for us.”
Tilda’s gaze shifted to meet Maeve’s as if she’d read Maeve’s mind. “There was a different objective for you and your family.”
“They wanted to capture Alvie and the triplets,” Maeve said.
Tilda nodded. “Yes.”
“But how did they find them?” Greg burst out. “They had the protection of the President of the—oh, you don’t mean …”
“Guardian warned us specifically that the order had come down to terminate you and Captain Garrigan and to take the subjects in.” Tilda paused. “I think the President of the United States okayed the operation at your ranch.”
Maeve’s head was spinning. She knew she shouldn’t have been as stunned as she was, but still. President Graham Wilson had okayed their deaths and he wanted Alvie? No, that wasn’t quite right. He was letting Martin have him. “Why? Why would the President do that?”
Tilda sighed. “There’s a reason the executive branch has been kept out of the loop. They are too easily swayed by the winds of political expediency. These alien deaths and sightings—I believe they’re making the President nervous.”
“Why?” Greg asked. “He had nothing to do with what happened at 51. That was Drummond.”
Maeve shook her head. “No, he would just be a president who had no idea a U.S. government agency had been holding and creating aliens on U.S. soil. A president who had so little control over the country that one government official could even explode an atomic bomb, killing U.S. citizens, without either his knowledge or permission.”
“The media would crucify him as completely incompetent, completely without authority,” Tilda said. “But if Martin swoops in and helps with the alien problem, the chance for discovery disappears.”
“But Martin created the problem,” Greg hissed.
Tilda sighed. “That is Martin’s specialty. He creates problems that only he can solve. It is why he has succeeded where so many others have failed.”
“And he just conned the President of the United States,” Greg said.
Tilda nodded her agreement.
Maeve felt sick. She hadn’t trusted Wilson when she’d met him, but she hadn’t thought he was capable of this. It felt like the whole world had grown darker. Her gaze shifted to where Alvie and the triplets played with Hope. How was she going to protect them now?
Hope leapt around the triplets as Snap tumbled and Hope licked her face. Hope had been a great addition to the family. The pup brought smiles to the kids’ faces and helped to distract them from the stress of living what was essentially a life in captivity.
Snap got to her feet and Hope trotted next to her before going still, the hair on her back raising. She let out a ferocious bark. At the same time, Alvie turned to the woods. Tilda’s radio blared to life. Adam’s voice rang out with urgency. “Perimeter breach. They’re inside the perimeter. Get everyone out, Tilda!”
Maeve was already on her feet and sprinting for the triplets before Greg or Tilda could react. “Run!”
The triplets turned toward her, and then two men in black stepped from the woods and took aim. Pop slapped at his neck, where a dart appeared. He pulled it out, took a step, and dropped.
Maeve’s whole world felt like it had shattered. “NO!”
Crackle and Pop danced out of the way as Alvie launched himself at one of the men. But the men still got a shot off, and both Snap and Crackle went down as well. Horror rolled through Maeve as she sprinted toward them. This was her worst nightmare come to life.
Two more men burst from the trees, but Adam tore out behind them. He took one out at the knees from behind and stomped on the man’s back before he launched himself at the other one. Alvie twirled around one man’s neck, choking him, his feet slamming into the second. Alvie held on to the man as he collapsed to the ground.
Maeve reached Pop and pulled him into her arms, noting with relief his heart was still beating. Just a tranquilizer. Adam grabbed Crackle and Snap. “Move!” he ordered.
“Hope, come!” Maeve yelled as she sprinted back toward the house. Tilda and Greg were in the Jeep and raced toward them.
Tilda slammed to a stop. Maeve leaned over, placing Pop on the floor as Tilda stood up, shooting at two men who rounded the corner behind them.
“Here!” Adam shoved Crackle and Snap at Maeve, and then took off at a run. Maeve looked over her shoulder and her heart all but stopped. Alvie was farther away than before. He was trying to get Hope to the Jeep, but the dog was too spooked by the strangers and the gunfire. She ran around in circles, keeping out of Alvie’s grasp.
Adam sprinted, moving faster than Maeve had seen anyone run, and scooped up Hope. Hope squirmed, but Adam tucked her under his arms and sprinted back for the Jeep, Alvie right behind him. Maeve put Crackle and Snap next to Pop as a feeling of love wafted over her.
She whirled around. “No!”
Alvie had stopped following Adam and was running in the other direction. Six men appeared from the woods and Alvie launched himself at them. She could hear two car engines approaching fast. But before she saw them, the six men approached Alvie. He took out two of them, moving so fast Maeve couldn’t see what he had done to take them down.
But then Alvie slapped at a dart that had found its target in his neck. His gaze found Maeve’s just before his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed.
“No!” Maeve screamed. Time seemed to stop as Alvie fell to the ground. She only managed one step before Adam grabbed her around the waist, all but throwing Hope at Greg. Adam threw Maeve over his shoulder and stepped on the tire and into the Jeep. Tilda was moving before they sat down.
“No!” Maeve shoved against Adam, landing an elbow across his jaw.
Adam’s voice betrayed no emotion. “It’s too late. There’s too many.”
Maeve stared at where a dozen men surrounded Alvie. Three SUVs burst out of the trees.
Tilda slammed on the accelerator and, ignoring the road, tore off through the field. Maeve watched Alvie get lifted up and her whole world collapsed as he disappeared from view.
Alvie.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
CENTERVILLE, UTAH
Norah woke up with a jolt, the nightmare clinging to her. She looked down at where Iggy lay, but he wasn’t there. She sat upright. He whirled around, his eyes large from where he stood outside the closet.
Norah put her hand to her chest. “There you are. Sorry, I just got a little worried.”
Iggy walked over and leapt on the bed. Then he sat next to her and patted her hand. Norah smiled. Once again, he was offering comfort. “Thanks, Iggy. Now I think we need to get moving. You up for a car ride?”
Fifteen minutes later, they were pulling onto the entrance ramp for the highway as the sun dipped into the horizon. There were a few cars out. “Okay, Iggy, you can come out now.” He peeked his head out from her duffel bag that was on the floor behind the passenger seat. He clambered up into the front seat with his teddy bear. He sat down and looked over at her with a smile.
Norah had to admit, there was something very comforting about having Iggy for a co-pilot. She pulled over to the side of the highway and quickly put the seat belt on him before pulling back out again.
“Okay, now we’re ready.” They drove along in silence for a little while, but all the doubts about what she was doing crept back into her mind and were pounding away at her. Finally she shook her head, turning to her passenger. “You like music?”
Iggy tilted his head toward her.
Norah turned the radio on, keeping the volume low so she didn’t scare him. Iggy stared at the radio and then smiled, nodding his head in time to the music. The car was tuned to an older station. “Great Balls of Fire” by Jer
ry Lee Lewis played out across the car. When it finished, “Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas came on.
“This is one of my favorites.” Norah leaned down and turned it up, starting to sing along.
Next to her, Iggy started to hum. Norah grinned, shutting out her doubts. It would be all right. She smiled at the little alien bopping next to her. She’d find a way to convince someone in power that he deserved to live.
She had to.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
DULCE, NEW MEXICO
Excitement coursed through Martin. His team had retrieved Subject One. The rest had escaped but that was no big loss. It was the first subject he was most interested in. He smiled, imagining everything he could learn from the creature.
But first things first. The team wouldn’t be back for a few hours. And there were other situations he needed to keep an eye on. Martin reviewed the file from Salt Lake City. Another subject that was not supposed to have escaped the blast. He watched the footage of the creature. This kind of footage could never get out. It looked as if the thing was actually concerned about the little girl. These things had no such emotions.
But he was surprised they had not managed to catch it. The Maldeks were not known for their defensive abilities. Of course, it’s hard to hide in a cell. But it was intelligent, although it was ranked as a low-intelligence creature.
Perhaps the problem was the agents sent after it were not even of average intelligence. He pulled over the files on the two agents who’d been sent to track it down. Both had a good track record and had brought down more than a few escapees. But how come they couldn’t find one little Maldek?
Robert Maxwell had joined the DEA after serving two tours in the Army. He’d been reprimanded for excessive force a few times, but nothing stuck. He had been very good at tracking down his human targets.
He’d already reviewed Tidwell’s file last night but he scanned it again. Norah Tidwell had also been former military—Marine Corps. But she’d worked for intelligence. At first, putting them together had seemed to make sense—a brain and a brawn. But perhaps that coupling needed to be reevaluated. He glanced at the image of Tidwell, once again noting her work with an animal shelter.
