by R. D. Brady
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
GLENDALE, COLORADO
The triplets let Chris have Maeve to himself for a full two minutes, which for them was pretty good. Chris hugged each of them individually, and some of the fear that had clawed at him since Lancaster abated. But one look at Maeve’s face told him how hard the last day had been. Even the triplets’ joy was tinged with sadness. They missed Alvie. Their little family wasn’t whole without him. And Chris promised himself he would do everything in his power to get Alvie back.
Now Chris walked toward the old Bronco with Snap and Pop perched on his shoulders, Crackle tucked into the nook of his arm, and his other hand firmly holding Maeve’s.
Chris felt a huge relief at being back with them, although the idea of Alvie in the hands of Drummond shot cold fear right through him. But the coldness of Maeve’s hand and the fear in her eyes reinforced that he could never let her know how terrified he was.
As they approached the car, Greg, who was leaning against the hood, waved. “Well, looks like they missed you.”
“I assure you, the feeling is completely mutual. Hey, Crackle, I need my arm.” Instead of climbing down, Crackle climbed up Chris’s chest, placing one leg on either side of Chris’s head and his hands on Chris’s head. Chris extended his hand to Greg. “Glad to see you’re alive.” And Chris really was. Greg was the eccentric uncle in their little grouping.
Greg returned the handshake. “Me, too.”
“And thank you for everything. If you hadn’t shown up …”
Greg waved away his words. “Not me. That was all Tilda and Adam.”
Tilda walked around the car and raised her eyebrows at the triplets perched on Chris. She extended her hand. “Matilda Watson. Everyone calls me Tilda.”
Strong grip. “Thank you for your help, but my family is one short. Do you have any idea where he is?”
Tilda hesitated.
“You know,” Maeve said.
Tilda nodded slowly. “Yes. But there’s something else we need to handle first.”
Maeve wrenched her hand from Chris’s grasp and stepped forward. “No, there isn’t. Where is he?”
“I believe he’s been taken to a facility in New Mexico. But we’ll need help to get him out. We’ll need Guardian.”
“Then contact him,” Greg said.
“Actually, Guardian is the one who directed all of us here to Aurora.”
“Why?” Greg asked. “What does he want?
“Help. Guardian lives in Aurora. He thinks Drummond is on to him. He sent me his address.”
Maeve shook her head. “We don’t have time for this. Alvie—”
Chris took her hand. “Maeve, Guardian got me here, got all of you here. We’re going to need his help to rescue Alvie. So we’ll grab Guardian and then we’ll get Alvie, all right?”
She looked up at him and nodded.
And Chris prayed he was telling the truth. He turned to Tilda. “Okay. Where’s Guardian?”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
PAGE, ARIZONA
Norah and Iggy ran, staying to the woods, almost parallel with the highway. There had been some signs of life, but she hadn’t headed for them, knowing they’d probably expect her to do just that. She could hear traffic somewhere in the distance to their left, but she saw no bright lights indicating a town. From what she remembered of the map of the area, there wasn’t a lot around here. Heading to the road would only leave them exposed.
Iggy perched on Norah’s shoulder for parts of the run, and Norah felt a little like Luke Skywalker training with Yoda. It managed to bring a small fangirl smile to her face despite the terror of what they were facing.
Her former partner had tried to kill her. And Bob was not someone who acted on his own, which meant her former agency was now locked against her.
As for who those other guys were, she had no idea. They wore no identifying insignias on their clothes. But the way they moved, and as organized as they were, meant that they were well trained. She had a sinking feeling they might be the extra help Sanders had been trying to bring in.
Ahead, Iggy swung from one branch to the ground, then launched himself back up to another. He moved quickly and was surprisingly strong for his size. But why wasn’t he in the database? She didn’t think it was too much of an assumption to say he was an alien. Obviously he was a high priority for them to send a special team.
Or I’m the special target. When she’d joined the D.E.A.D., the need to keep their work from the public was hammered home over and over again. The public fear and panic that would be generated by the acknowledgment that these creatures existed was argued to be society destroying. And apparently they no longer trust me to keep my mouth shut.
She could understand that, but what she couldn’t understand was why a kill order was the first approach to dealing with her. She had known she was risking arrest. She had known there would be penalties. But she didn’t think she’d be killed. What the hell have I stepped in?
When she’d first joined, she’d of course been familiar with all the stories of the men in black. She’d never put too much stock in those stories. She thought nervous citizens caught up in a cold-war mentality had exaggerated the interactions. She knew after Roswell eyewitnesses had been visited and pressed to stay quiet. And there’d been the odd tabloid-style story now and then. But the men she’d run into were deadly in their intent. And they were all dressed in black.
So maybe I need to rethink my views on MIBs.
And the more she thought about the over-response to her actions, the more she wondered what exactly had been done to some of the civilians who had come in contact with the aliens from Area 51. She’d never followed up on them after a case. But what were the chances she was the first one whose existence the government had decided was too risky?
She pictured Sandra and her son, Luke. Both had had face-to-face contact with a Blue Boy, and Norah was glad she hadn’t mentioned that the boy had been in contact with the winged creature before the attack. But as soon as she got out of this mess, she was going to be sure to contact Sandra and tell her to be on her guard. She might be jumping at shadows, but she'd rather needlessly warn them than chance something happening to them.
Ahead, Iggy stopped, crouching down low on a branch. A halo of lights could be seen in the distance. Norah hadn’t heard anyone behind them for a while, but she knew they had not given up. She climbed up the small rise ahead of her and Iggy joined her.
“It’s a rest stop,” she whispered. Iggy tilted his head, looking at her.
“People stop here for snacks and to take a break before continuing on their travels.”
“Ig?”
She gave a small laugh, thinking that she might actually be beginning to understand the differences in Iggy’s utterances. “I don’t think we have time to stop for something to eat. Remember, bad guys?’”
He still looked at her and Norah realized he probably hadn’t understood her. He seemed to understand some basic words but not long statements. She sighed as he continued to look at her with what she thought of as his hopeful face. She crouched next to him, undecided. They needed to move, but skulking around in the trees wasn’t going to work for long. They needed a car. But if she stole one they’d hear about it. She could hitchhike if she figured out a way to hide Iggy, but that presented a whole other host of potential problems.
The snap of a branch behind them caused her to whirl around just as a red dot landed on Iggy’s back. “No!” She grabbed him and flung both of them over the ridge, rolling as bullets tore up the ground behind her.
She got to her feet with Iggy perched low on her back, his arms on her shoulders. The area in front of them was two hundred yards of open space and then the brick travel center. An SUV swerved into the parking lot.
No, no, no. Norah picked up her pace, stretching out her stride as she raced toward the travel center. People had caught sight of her and stopped what they were doing to watch, at least until the bullets hit the paveme
nt. Then everyone began to scramble for the doors with a scream.
The SUV barreled across the parking lot toward them and then screeched to a halt, blocking their access to the building. Norah veered left, not even slowing. She heard the doors of the SUV slam shut behind her and then the sound of heavy-booted feet giving chase. Ahead, another SUV pulled around the side of the building and headed right for them.
Oh God. We’re trapped.
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION
Guardian flew into the room. The alarm had gone off for Tidwell while Guardian was heading home. Guardian leapt into the chair and pulled up the data for the last twenty-four hours. Satellite imagery depicted the fight between Tidwell and her partner. Tidwell could have killed Maxwell but had chosen not to. Interesting. Compassion.
And then the other men had shown up and the Maldek had sprung into action. It has bonded to her. Guardian watched Tidwell back away from the Maldek. She’s scared.
But then Tidwell opened her arms and the Maldek flew into them. Guardian nodded. Partnership accepted. Guardian fast-forwarded quickly through the run through the woods, all the while keeping track of the other screens. This would be Guardian’s last day in this office. Quickly, all the necessary code that would allow Guardian into critical systems was reviewed. Good. No issues.
Guardian’s gaze shifted back to the screen with Tidwell and the Maldek. Oh no.
Guardian’s hands flew over the keyboard after a quick check of the clock. There wasn’t time. They would be here soon. But Guardian had one last thing to do.
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
PAGE, ARIZONA
Norah’s mind scrambled as she ran. She thought of and discarded scenario after scenario as she bolted along the parking lot of the rest stop. There was an SUV behind them along with men on foot. Another SUV coming at them from the front. The wall of the travel center was to her right with no entrances, and there were men in the woods beyond the parking lot to their left.
There’s no way out of this.
The engine of a tractor trailer blared to life from the parking lot to their left. Its tires squealed and it burst across the parking lot, slamming into the side of the SUV in front of her and pinning it against the building.
Holy shit.
Behind her she heard a yell and whipped her head around as a gunman was tossed in the air by a sedan. The man bounced off the roof and the sedan just picked up speed. Two other gunmen fired at the sedan, but it just kept going for them. It slammed into one and the other dove for the side, but the car turned, running over him with a sickening thump.
She turned and ran for one of the downed men who had gotten to his knees. She kicked him in the face and he crashed back down again. Iggy leapt from her shoulders and onto the car that was silent. She retrieved the weapon from the man she’d kicked, a P90, which thankfully she was familiar with, and grabbed the extra magazines from his pockets.
A yell came from behind her as three more gunmen emerged from the trees. Oh, come on.
“Iggy, let’s go!” He leapt from the hood and into her arms. She swung him around to her back as she broke into run. A car engine sounded from behind her.
Norah did not turn to look. She just picked up her pace. She looked over in shock as the sedan that had taken the men out slid up silently next to her, its window lowering. She started to veer away, then she realized there was no one driving the car. A tinny voice spoke over the radio. “Get in, Agent Tidwell.”
Like hell. Norah veered away, but bullets slammed into the ground on her right. Shit. Left with no choice, she threw Iggy through the open window and dove in after him.
As soon as she was in, the car sped up and flew down the ramp and onto the highway. Norah righted herself and stared at the steering wheel that was shifting as the car sped down the highway. The car was a Tesla Model S. She knew they had self-driving capabilities, but she also knew someone had to tell the car to drive.
“Who’s driving this?” she asked, feeling like a crazy person.
The large screen that served as the Tesla’s dashboard went blank before the answer appeared.
I am Guardian.
Well, that’s not creepy. Iggy leaned toward the screen and Norah pulled him back, having a vision from a horror movie when an evil presence reached through a screen.
“Where are we going?”
To Leander.
Norah jolted in surprise. “What? Where is she?”
Where she needs to be.
And now we’ve moved on from creepy to cryptic. “Did you control those other cars back at the rest stop?”
Yes.
“Why?”
The screen was blank for a moment, and Norah was worried for a moment that Guardian wouldn’t respond.
The Maldek needs to be protected.
Norah glanced down at Iggy, who had climbed into the driver’s seat. Maldek? Was that what he was? She had never seen that name in any of the files. But she had heard it before.
She thought back to when she had first started to work for the D.E.A.D. She had started researching everything she could find on alien life. She’d started with the reputable scientists and agencies—Carl Sagan, NASA, well-respected theorists. But soon, she’d made her way through all of their work and had delved into the less-reputable sources. And one of those sources had talked about a race of alien beings known as the Maldeks.
According to a Native American man named Morning Sky, his grandfather had communicated with an alien named Bek-Ti. While Norah couldn’t recall exactly where Bek-Ti was from, she did remember the discussion of Maldek. Maldek was said to be a planet located between Mars and Jupiter that was destroyed by a hostile alien race. Some Maldekians escaped and took refuge under Mars’s surface, where the Martians had also taken refuge. The ice comet that destroyed the planet of Maldek had apparently also destroyed Mars’s atmosphere.
Norah remembered the story for two reasons. One, she knew Mars had once in its distant past had a habitable environment similar to Earth’s. And two, she had read in a number of arguments that the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter was actually the remains of a planet destroyed billions of years ago.
So the argument from Bek-Ti did actually have some factual basis. And now Norah was staring at a small green guy. He was obviously proof of life beyond this planet. Was it possible that was where Iggy was from? How did he end up here? Were there other Maldeks out there? Was someone looking for him?
We will arrive at our destination in seven hours and thirty-four minutes.
Norah wasn’t sure she could trust Guardian, but she also knew she did not have a lot of options right now unless she wanted to fling herself and Iggy from a car moving seventy miles per hour down the highway. She picked up Iggy from the driver’s seat and crawled over into it herself, placing Iggy on the passenger seat. She might not be driving, but she would feel better if she was at least sitting in the driver’s seat in case something went wrong with Guardian’s control.
Or in case I need to try and wrestle control away from him … her … it.
It was strange watching the steering wheel shift without anyone touching it. She reclined her seat a little more, stretching out her legs. Right now there was nothing she could do. And her time in the Marines had taught her that you should sleep when you could. She closed her eyes but opened them a few seconds later as Iggy climbed into her lap, settling in. He looked up at her and paused as if asking if it was all right.
She gently rubbed his back, needing a little contact herself. He leaned against her, letting out a sigh. Norah closed her eyes, her hand resting on Iggy’s back. Images from the rest stop and the earlier fight flew through her mind.
No, think about it later. You need to sleep. You don’t know what’s coming, and the only thing you can do is at least try to be rested.
She forced her mind off the violence and onto the last TV show she had watched. It was The Big Bang Theory in the motel room with Iggy. She started replay
ing the episode in her mind from the opening sequence. She was sound asleep well before she reached the closing credits.
CHAPTER SIXTY
AURORA, COLORADO
Adam drove slowly through the residential neighborhood.
“Look out!” Maeve called from the backseat. Adam slammed on the brakes as a boy who couldn’t be more than six cut out onto the road on his bike.
Greg’s voice came through Maeve’s earpiece. He and Tilda were a few miles away with the triplets while Adam, Chris, and Maeve made the approach. “Are we sure this address is for Guardian? This is not exactly the locale I expected for a big-time hacker.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” Chris said. They were about two blocks away from the address Guardian had sent. Guardian’s home was smack dab in the middle of a cookie-cutter neighborhood only four years old. Each house was identical to the one next to it. And almost every house seemed to have a swing set in the backyard.
“Are we sure Nadine is Guardian?” Greg asked.
“Maybe she’s a friend,” Chris said as Adam pulled up to the side of the road, two houses down from their destination.
The house they were heading to was owned by a Nadine Johnson. There wasn’t a lot on Nadine online. Her internet footprint was practically non-existent. But they did learn she used to be in a big-name law firm in Denver. She took some time off from that and now she worked in the legal department of the NSA. But there was nothing in her academic record or work history that indicated an affinity for computers. From the DMV photo they’d found online, they knew she was an attractive African-American woman in her mid-thirties, with dark hair and dark eyes. She wasn’t smiling in the photo, but Maeve didn’t think that said anything about the woman. After all, who was happy about spending time at the DMV?
