by Darien Cox
Ogden’s eyes scanned the crowd. “Everyone all right with this?”
“Yes,” the man behind them said. “But what is he going to do to our systems exactly?”
Gordy walked over to one of the larger screens and placed his hands on it.
“Ah, hang on,” the guy said. “You can’t control the systems from there.”
“Is this screen connected to your system?” Gordy asked.
“Yes, but—”
Gordy’s hands disappeared into the screen.
“Holy shit,” someone in the crowd whispered.
The screen rippled like waves on the ocean, Gordy’s hands sinking in up to his wrists.
The woman who’d spoken before stood. “Whoa, whoa, what is he doing? Ogden!”
With a popping sound, every screen in the room went black.
Soft gasps ran through the crowd as the room darkened, bathed only in soft blue light. Gordy turned from the screen and addressed the crowd, arms spreading wide.
“Now then,” he said. “Are you ready to see the real sky?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Elliot watched, holding his breath as Gordy turned and slapped his hands on the black screen. In a flash, all the screens in the room lit back up.
There was silence as Gordy stepped back. Elliot let out a breath and Nolan squeezed his thigh. They both stood and wandered over.
Their movement seemed to snap the others out of their shock, as soon the room was filled with the sounds of chairs scraping and shuffling feet. People walked from screen to screen like it was a museum exhibit, whispering and murmuring quietly.
“Look at that,” JT said stepping up behind Elliot and Nolan. The screen with the wide view of Earth showed a handful of bright specs of light drifting slowly toward the planet. “What is that, China?”
“And that’s maybe somewhere in Europe.” Elliot pointed to three more moving lights descending toward the planet.
Gordy appeared beside them. “Ah. What you’re seeing there are Whites’ craft. Going into the two other bases on your planet.”
“Some of those were probably headed for Singing Bear before the hybrids diverted them,” Christian said. “So now we know the Whites’ also have a base in China and one in Europe.”
Gordy held a finger to his mouth. “Shhh. Don’t let Ogden hear you.” He smiled and patted Christian’s shoulder. “He’ll be sending you all overseas to work, am I right?”
Christian frowned at Gordy. He pointed to a few specs of light that seemed to be passing right by the planet, farther out. “What are these?”
“Those are my people,” Gordy said. “We’ve got some scouts out.”
Elliot followed Nolan as he drifted over to the shot of the moon. Another handful of bright lights moved in a straight line past the moon, heading out into space. “Who are they?” Elliot asked.
“No one you need be concerned about. A lot of traffic passes through your solar system.”
Nolan kept walking to the end screen, which had previously been an empty shot of a black, starry sky—deep space. It now showed what looked like hundreds of glowing white dots—it was difficult to determine numbers as they were moving in a clustered triangle formation. Elliot looked at Gordy.
“Yes,” Gordy said. “Those are the Greys. And yes. They are headed for your planet.”
“Nolan!” Ogden shouted. “You and Brett need to come with us and get prepped.”
“Give me one minute, Ogden.” Nolan grabbed Elliot’s arm. “Come on over here with me.”
Elliot followed Nolan to a darker corner of the room. His heart was in his throat and he felt like shouting, weeping, he wasn’t sure what. He only knew he didn’t want Nolan to do this. To risk his life for the Whites. It was making Elliot want to throw up, and he’d never felt so helpless in his life. “You can’t,” Elliot said once they were alone.
Nolan sighed and held Elliot’s shoulders. “It’s going to be all right.”
“And what if it isn’t?” Elliot said more harshly than he’d intended. “What if it isn’t all right and you get hurt or worse? What if you get caught? What if you never make it out of that base, Nolan?”
“I will.” Nolan gently grasped Elliot’s face and kissed him. Elliot got lost in the gentle kiss, sighing into Nolan’s mouth, relishing the scrape of his beard stubble and tender sweetness of his tongue.
He hitched a breath when Nolan broke the kiss. “Why now?” he said. “All these years, and you’re going to put yourself in this kind of danger now? Nolan I can’t.” Elliot’s stomach quivered and he fought tears. Grabbing Nolan’s face, he whispered, “I can’t lose you now. I can’t lose you at all. Don’t do it. Let someone else go.”
“Elliot.” Nolan pulled him into a hug, holding tight. “I love you so much. That’s why I’m the best person for this. I have the most motivation to make it back safe.”
“But what if you don’t?” Elliot pressed his face into Nolan’s shoulder so he wouldn’t lose it and spill tears all over him. He knew he had to be strong, that it wasn’t fair to send Nolan off with Elliot whimpering and scared shitless.
“I will,” Nolan said. “I promise. I have everything I’ve ever wanted. I have you. And I’m the luckiest person on the planet because of that.”
“Nolan!” Ogden shouted.
Sighing, Nolan pulled back and searched Elliot’s eyes. “I need you to be solid for me.”
Swallowing his fear, Elliot nodded. “I will be. Just be careful and come back to me.”
Nolan kissed Elliot again, devouring his mouth like his life depended on it.
“Nolan!” Ogden called again.
“Okay,” Elliot said, stroking Nolan’s chin. “Go get ready.”
“We’ll talk again before I depart,” Nolan said. He turned as Ogden approached them.
“Go with Wiley,” Ogden told Nolan. “I’ll join you shortly.
Nolan nodded and walked off, head down.
“Elliot, can I have a word?”
Elliot tore his eyes from Nolan and looked at Ogden. “Huh?”
“A word please.”
“Sure.”
Elliot went with Ogden. They walked past the people still gathered at the screens, their expressions a combination of awe and fear as they looked upon the sky as it really was, the many extraterrestrial craft that drifted through their solar system like lazy afternoon traffic. Elliot followed Ogden all the way to the far end of the room, then through a door.
Stepping into a small conference room, Elliot turned as Ogden closed the door behind them. “What’s up, Ogden?”
“Sit, please.”
Elliot sat down, and Ogden took the seat right next to him, shifting it to face him. Elliot was a bit taken aback. Ogden didn’t usually sit this close, his expression soft and serious. “Nolan is qualified for this mission. I have the utmost faith he will succeed. I want you to know this.”
“Okay.”
Ogden’s brows rose, his high forehead wrinkling. “That’s it? No questions?”
“I’m good.”
“Are you?”
“No. Not really.”
Ogden leaned back in his seat, clasping his fingers and tapping his thumbs. “Elliot, why were you afraid to contact me when Brett first presented a disclosure threat?”
Elliot’s pulse jumped. “You want to discuss that now?”
“Just briefly. I’d like an answer.”
“I um…we were trying to handle it ourselves. Present him to you once we had all the facts.”
“Protocol dictates you should alert me at once of any disclosure threat. Once Brett broke into your house and left those photographs in Nolan’s truck you should have contacted me. You didn’t.”
Elliot was at a loss for words.
“Did you think I would harm you, Elliot?”
A whistle of breath leaked out. “Yes.”
Ogden’s eyes closed and he shook his head. “Elliot.” His eyes blinked open. “I care about all of you. Not only for the w
ork you do. I would never intentionally do harm to any of you. How can you not know this?”
“Look,” Elliot said. “I know I fucked up. But back in the day when I worked for you, and Bruce got caught planting that evidence—”
“Bruce is living in London. His oldest daughter is in her first year of college there. I can give you his contact information if you’d like to call him sometime.”
Elliot straightened in his seat. “He is?”
“What the hell did you think? That I’d had him killed?”
“I didn’t know what you’d done with him.”
“I have a difficult job. You know that. I’ve had to do things others don’t have the stomach for. But I’m not a monster. And I always thought you and the rest of the team knew I cared for you. I chose each of you individually because you’re all special. You’re like family to me.”
Elliot sat awkwardly, unsure how to respond. “That’s…good to hear.”
“How well do you know Nolan?”
“Um…” Elliot chuckled and glanced down.
“I’m not referring to that kiss I just witnessed, Elliot. I mean how much do you know about his past?”
“Enough. We all have secrets I guess.”
“Nolan first came to my attention when he was only nineteen. His commanding officer was blown away by his intelligence and skill, which was unprecedented for someone so young. Nolan once got pinned down in a war zone, trapped in an old garage and surrounded by nine hostiles with automatic weapons. Nolan on the other hand was completely out of ammunition. Do you know what he did?”
“Shit himself?”
Ogden smiled. “He made his own weapons out of scraps and oil cans and items he found in the garage. He waited, then took them out one by one when they breached the garage. Made it back alive with barely a scratch.”
“I think I saw that movie,” Elliot said. “Was it Steven Seagal or The Rock? I forget.”
“It was Nolan. And that is a true story. One of many. Nolan is brilliant. He’s focused. He’s tough. He’s the best soldier I’ve ever seen. And I have faith that he will succeed in this current mission. And make it back to us…to you safely.”
Elliot’s head tilted and he frowned at Ogden. “I must be dreaming. Are you actually concerned for my emotional state?”
Ogden leaned forward. “You’re going to be part of the team watching and monitoring Brett and Nolan when they slip inside that underground base. I need you to be calm and supportive. He needs that, Elliot. Can you do that?”
“Yes. I can do that. I’ll do anything I can to help.”
“Good. I need to go help with the preparations. You hang tight, all right?”
Elliot stood when Ogden did. “Okay. Thanks Ogden.”
Ogden shook his head as he walked toward the door. “I can’t believe you thought I would have you killed.”
“I thought you’d had Bruce killed, that was why!”
In an unprecedented move, Ogden wrapped his arm around Elliot and gave him a squeeze as they stepped back into the control room. “Stay cool. I’ll be back.”
As Ogden walked off, JT looked up from a seat at the front console. “Hey.” He waved Elliot over. “Did Ogden just give you a hug?” JT’s nose wrinkled.
Elliot chuckled. “Kind of.”
JT shook his head. “This day just keeps getting weirder.”
“Yeah. Speaking of, look at that.” They both glanced toward the screens, where Baz was leaned over, holding Christian’s shoulders and speaking softly to him. Christian nodded, and Baz brushed a long white hand over his head, ruffling Christian’s hair before turning away.
Elliot straightened as Christian walked toward them. “You okay?”
Christian looked miserable. “I wanted to be the one. To go into the base. I volunteered. Ogden wouldn’t let me. He wanted Nolan.”
“It’s okay.” Elliot squeezed Christian’s shoulder. “Nolan will pull it off.”
“Of course he will.” Christian forced a smile. “Everything will be fine. Are you all right?”
“You want an honest answer?”
Christian pulled Elliot into a quick hug. “We’ve got your back, okay? Now I have to take a piss. I’ve had like eighteen cups of coffee.”
“Go, I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”
Elliot walked over and studied the screens some more. His eye caught Baz, standing nearby and poking a long white finger at a small tablet he held. Elliot approached him and Baz looked up. “Hello, Ellytot.”
“Working?”
“Yes. You technology so limited. Frustrating.”
Elliot smiled. “How you doing otherwise?”
Baz’s long white lashes lowered and he focused on the tablet. “Feel worried. Much to do.”
“I won’t bother you then.”
“Ellytot?” Baz’s multi-colored eyes focused on Elliot. “I see you. Kiss Nolan.”
“Oh.” Elliot’s brows rose. “Yeah. You wondering about me and Nolan?”
“To mind my own business, yes?”
“It’s okay.” Elliot laughed. “You can talk to me about it. Something on your mind?”
“No. I just think I did not know this in the before. That you kiss Nolan.”
“Oh. It’s only a recent change. Nolan and I were just friends in the past. Now we’re…something more.”
Baz smiled slightly. He opened his mouth then closed it, focusing back on his tablet.
“Something else you want to ask me?”
Baz shrugged one bony shoulder. “No.”
“Wow. I didn’t realize you were capable of lying.”
Baz went still, then looked at Elliot. “How you to know this? That I lie?”
“I’m psychic.”
Baz frowned. “I do not believe this to be true.”
“I’m joking. It was just a good guess.”
“Ah ah ah. Got me.” Baz smiled. “Love Nolan?”
“Yes. Very much.”
Baz’s head bobbed. “I did not know this in the before.” He focused on his tablet then his eyes darted to Elliot again. “Happy, Ellytot?”
“Not at the moment. Nolan’s about to drop himself into an alien base mutinied by dirt-bag hybrids about to be infiltrated by bloodthirsty Greys.”
“Okay. Yes. Nolan brave.”
“Yeah. Very brave.”
“You live in house with Nolan?”
“No. We each have our own houses.”
“You sleep at his house?”
Elliot smirked. “Sometimes.”
Baz’s white forehead creased in a frown. “Many men in village love.”
“Does love confuse you, Baz? Or is it something about two men together?”
“Ah ah ah. Many two men together in hybrid also. Baz is not native, Ellytot.”
“Native? Do you mean naïve?”
“Yes. Naïve. Apology.”
“And love? A lot of men love each other in your world?”
“I do not wish to speak about love.”
“I notice you say ‘I’ more now. You used to always refer to yourself as Baz.”
Baz poked at the tablet, avoiding Elliot’s eyes. “I practice and learn when I am not with you. Getting better at language and human talk.”
“And getting better at human avoiding the question.”
“I do not avoid. Baz…I say don’t wish to speak of love on personal.”
“Someone break your heart?”
“I have love for someone should not in the now.”
“Do you mean Christian?”
Baz nearly dropped the tablet. He stared at Elliot. “How you do this? Inside my thought?”
“Again. Just a good guess.”
“Chrischris love Myles. Chrischris human. Is stupid.”
“Love is stupid.”
Baz smiled. “This what I think also.”
“You ever had a fling with another hybrid?”
Baz’s large eyes blinked. “Fling?”
“Romantic relationship. Love
affair. You know. Sexy times.”
“Ellytot. Baz is old. Many fling.”
Elliot laughed hard. “You don’t look old.”
“Not for hybrid. To you, old. Longtime live so far.”
“How long?”
“Some questions rude in all races, Ellytot.”
Elliot laughed again. “Fair enough. You know something, Baz? Talking to you calms me down.”
“Not calm?”
“I’m scared.”
Baz touched Elliot’s shoulder. “Frighten?”
“Yeah. Real bad.”
“You to speak to me any time frighten.” Baz leaned over and looked into Elliot’s eyes. “Any time. Fond of you. Ellytot.”
“Thank you. That means a lot.”
“Not like Chrischris, fond.” Baz straightened and took a small step back. “Not like that. No to worry.”
“I get the difference, believe me.”
Baz smiled. “Okay. No you to think Baz just want to kiss all humans.”
“Ha, I didn’t think that, I promise. Hey, why do you have trouble saying his name? Christian. It’s pretty easy. Chris. Chin.”
“I get it wrong at beginning and no one correct. But Baz listen more closely lately. Know now been saying wrong. But Chrischris…Chrischin never complain.”
“Because he likes you.”
“Ellytot. No to water a stone.”
“What does that mean?”
“Oh, translation. When you try to make wet what is dry.”
Elliot grinned. “You trying to say I’m blowing smoke up your ass?”
Baz frowned at him. “That is strange words.”
“Christian does like you. Not the way he likes Myles, but he cares for you a lot.”
“Yes. Okay. I know this. Stop to talk love now?”
“Oh sure. I’m sorry.”
“Okay. Important to work now.”
“Of course. I’ll see you later.”
“Elliot?” Elliot turned at the sound of Wiley’s voice. “Come.” Wiley was waving him toward the door.
Elliot gave Baz a pat on the shoulder then headed toward Wiley. “What’s up?”
“Can you grab Christian and JT? We’ll be heading out in thirty minutes. Ogden would like you all to see Nolan and Brett off.”
“Of course.”
“Hurry, please,” Wiley said.
Elliot went to fetch JT and Christian, his heart in his throat. He reminded himself he had to be strong. Be solid and calm for Nolan. But inside, he was shattering into a million pieces. And in that moment, as he drifted past the glowing screens and scurrying scientists, a realization set in.
