by S. E. Smith
“Why not? I thought the agreement was that Cosmos would notify his leader about our presence,” Derik replied with a frown.
Teriff grimaced, and when Derik followed his gaze, he realized that they were no longer alone. RITA2 had returned, this time wearing a pair of jeans and a light green blouse. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and the glasses she’d been wearing earlier were replaced with sunglasses. She flashed him a smile.
“Governments around the world have been trying for years to recruit Amelia. She has outsmarted all of them, including ours, and upset more than a few powerful people around the world. For her own safety, Amelia has always been one of our most important secrets, and quite recently, we have had dangerous altercations initiated by high-ranking US government officials. We need to be very careful about who is able to find our Amelia,” RITA2 explained.
Derik stopped in front of the control room for the Gateway and looked at RITA2. “So not only are Afon Dolinski and many other criminals searching for my mate, so are the human governments?” he demanded.
“Mm, and everyone at Cosmos Raines Industries,” RITA2 agreed. “Amelia really is very good at hiding.”
“She better be,” Derik bit out between clenched teeth.
“Find her and bring her back,” his father ordered.
“Yes, please,” RITA2 eagerly agreed.
“I will,” Derik promised.
“If you need help, send word. Your brothers and I will be there,” Teriff added in a gruff voice.
He nodded and proceeded through the doorway. Inside, one of Lan’s security detail stepped forward with a black bag. Derik opened it and scanned the contents. Clothing, weapons, and a portable Gateway device were inside. Resealing the bag, he slung it over his shoulder.
“The Gateway has been programmed for Cosmos Raines’ living quarters per RITA2’s instructions,” the warrior informed him.
“Excellent. Initiate the Gateway,” he ordered.
“Yes, sir,” the warrior replied with a nod to his comrade.
In seconds, a shimmering door appeared where the wall had been moments before. On the other side, he could see his sister, Terra, and Cosmos waiting for him. His stomach tightened with anticipation as he stepped through the Gateway. He was going to find his bond mate, and this time, he wouldn’t let her go.
Chapter Three
CRI Headquarters:
Houston, Texas
* * *
“When and where was she last seen?” Derik asked.
“Two weeks ago outside of Washington, D.C.,” Avery replied, stepping into the room and answering his question before Cosmos could.
Derik turned around and watched as the Head of Security for CRI stepped into the room followed by a large Prime warrior he recognized. He nodded his head in greeting to Core before he returned his attention to Avery.
“Have you found something new?” Cosmos asked.
“Perhaps. I would have known sooner if Runt had used a credit card or at least an online registration, but I thought she might return to her old stomping grounds in Washington, D.C..” Avery flashed Cosmos a triumphant smile. “Surveillance cameras picked her up at the train station. You have no idea how glad I am for RITA’s ability to process so many facial recognition images in a short amount of time,” she said.
She tossed a folder down on the coffee table. Several grainy images slid out. Derik picked them up, and scanned the images as he flipped through them. He paused on the last one. A small, amused smile curved his lips. In this one she was looking straight into the camera—with her tongue sticking out.
“Do you have a team on the ground?” Cosmos asked.
Avery nodded. “Bert went to Runt’s favorite haunts. He hasn’t seen her yet. He will notify me the moment he does, and he’ll try to make contact with her,” she said.
“I should have come sooner,” Derik muttered, his voice filled with frustration.
Terra walked over to him and looked worriedly into his eyes. His expression softened when he saw her rub her extended stomach. After more than two years of trying, she and Cosmos were finally expecting their first child.
“You couldn’t, Derik, not without severe consequences. Even Core and I were only permitted to be here because we promised to remain within the CRI complex,” Terra quietly reminded him.
“A lot could have happened to my mate in two weeks,” he quietly responded.
“I’ve met Amelia. She is very resourceful,” Terra teased before she grew serious. “I’m glad that you are finally here, though. Amelia…”
“What is it?” Derik demanded, looking from Terra to Cosmos.
“Runt was determined to find Afon Dolinski,” Cosmos replied in a grim tone.
Derik picked up the file on the coffee table and opened it to the pages inside. They were written in English. He’d been studying Amelia’s native language over the past two years, and as he scanned the documents, he was able to understand the gist of the report. It appeared that someone named DiMaggio had something that Amelia wanted.
“I’ll brief you on what Amelia found out before she left,” RITA said, suddenly appearing in the room with FRED, the Prime’s AI protocol computer for dealing with dignitaries from other worlds, and now RITA’s constant companion.
“Is the plane ready?” Avery asked.
RITA nodded. “Of course. Everything is taken care of. Rex has the flight plans, and Robert will be at Derik’s disposal once they arrive in Washington,” she said.
“We will go with you,” Core stated with a roll of his shoulders.
“I think Derik should go alone; or Amelia will be reluctant to come back,” Terra said.
Derik blinked in surprise. The last person he’d expected to defend his desire to go after Amelia alone was his sister. From the stunned silence in the room, he wasn’t the only one taken aback.
“I don’t think…,” Avery started to protest before she pursed her lips together when Terra shook her head.
“This is between Derik and Amelia. It is his right to go to his bond mate—alone,” she insisted.
“I hate to say this—but Terra’s right,” Cosmos stated. “Derik is the only one who has a chance of finding Runt without scaring her off. The longer she is gone, the greater the chance that she will be in jeopardy. She must be found.”
“Okay—well, there go my security plans again,” Avery muttered under her breath.
“No worries, Avery. FRED and I will be near Derik should he need some assistance, won’t we, darling?” RITA said, turning to the male hologram standing next to her.
“As long as he carries the new communication device Terra and Cosmos created,” FRED replied.
“I will carry your communication device. Now—where is this plane?” Derik demanded.
Four hours later, Derik sat in the front passenger seat of a black SUV. He blindly stared out the tinted windows, his mind not on the pedestrians or the unusual buildings. He had seen enough of this world and others to avoid being distracted by the differences from Baade.
Go away! demanded the annoyed feminine voice of Amelia ‘Runt’ Thomas in his head.
He smiled. Their connection had grown stronger. A wave of warmth filled him, and he absently stroked the mark on the palm of his left hand. He could sense her reaction to the caress—she was not pleased.
Tell me your location, he silently ordered.
No, was her swift reply.
Amelia… I will find you one way or another. If you tell me where you are, it will make life less complicated, Derik suggested.
Life is always complicated, get used to it. And my name is Runt, alien. And you are annoying me! I’ll only tell you this once more—Get lost! she replied.
I am not going away, at least not without you. It is time for you to accept your future with me. I will take care of you from now on, he stated.
Silence greeted his comment before he heard a sound that he didn’t recognize at first—her snort of laughter. The sound ricocheted through hi
s head. His surprise changed to chagrin when he received a visual image of her rolling on the floor laughing at him.
He replayed what he’d said and groaned. He probably shouldn’t have been so… ‘bossy’ as Tilly and RITA would say. If he had learned anything from watching his brothers with their mates, it was to be careful about trying to boss them around. They were far more likely to do the opposite.
“Are you okay?” Robert asked, glancing at him before returning his attention to the road. “You’re not going to be sick, are you?”
“No.” He sighed. “I think I have made my first of what will be many mistakes,” he confessed.
Big time! Go home, alien, Runt ordered.
Amelia—Runt, please….
Derik took a frustrated breath when he felt a wall rise between them. She had shut him out. He ran his hand across his forehead; then rubbed his chin.
That went worse than I expected, he thought with a long sigh.
“There’s a trash can on the floorboard behind my seat if you need it. It’s a lot easier than cleaning the carpet. You can never get the smell of vomit out completely,” Robert offered.
Derik frowned, trying to follow what Robert was saying. He shook his head and looked moodily out at the increasing traffic. It would be dark in a couple of hours. It looked like the mission to bring his mate back to his world would take a little longer than he’d hoped.
“I am not feeling sick. Where are you taking me?” he asked.
RITA piped in from the SUV’s audio system. “Avery thought it would be a good idea if we met up with Bert. Amelia befriended him when we were looking for her a couple of years ago, and she kept in touch with him even after she went to Houston. He contacted Avery a few minutes ago to say he thought he might know her location. Hello, Robert,” RITA added. “How is your cholesterol doing?”
“Hello, RITA, as if you don’t already know. I’ve cut out the fried foods and lost ten pounds,” Robert chuckled.
“Good for you, love. Derik, Bert will meet you outside the old warehouses along the river. Cosmos purchased the buildings and has been converting them to studio apartments. The area is still under construction. Robert, be a sweetheart and drop him at the corner up ahead,” RITA instructed.
“Yes, ma’am,” Robert chuckled.
Derik watched as Robert pulled up to the curb. Robert touched his arm and indicated he should wait for the car behind them to pass. A white car with blue and red lights mounted on top and red and blue markings on the side of it drove by before turning at the end of the street.
“There’s no sense in asking for trouble from the local police. If you can, avoid anyone in a car like that or in a uniform. I know that Avery would deeply appreciate it. Bert will look like a homeless man, but don’t let that fool you. He’s five foot ten and weighs one hundred and ninety pounds,” Robert started to explain.
“Here is a picture of him, Derik,” RITA said.
Derik looked at the image that appeared on the built-in screen in the dash of the SUV. The weathered face of a dark-skinned man with a salt and pepper beard stared at him. The man’s eyes were dark brown and twinkled with mischief. He was wearing a worn gray knit cap and a black wool coat that looked like it was two sizes too large for his lean frame.
“This man knows where Runt is?” Derik demanded, looking at Robert.
“Bert knows this city like the back of his wrinkled hand. If you need to find someone in Washington, D.C., he’s the one you go to,” Robert promised.
“He’ll meet you by the gate—and Derik, make sure you keep the communicator Terra gave you with you at all times. It is the only way FRED and I can take on a corporeal form here without causing a major blackout,” RITA warned him.
“I have it,” Derik replied.
He pulled the door handle and stepped out. Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out the pair of dark glasses that Avery had handed to him before he left Houston and slipped them on to conceal his unusual eyes. He scanned the area before he walked over to the metal barrier that surrounded the warehouses. Ten-foot high, colorful images depicted what the area would look like when the construction was completed and hid most of the view of the warehouses. He could hear the sounds of construction coming from the other side of the fence.
He continued along the fence to a wide gate. Peering through a gap, he saw men working. The area looked a lot different than it had two years ago. He turned around when he heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching.
“You Derik?” the grizzled older man asked.
Derik gave a brief nod. “You are the one called Bert,” he replied.
Bert’s lips twitched, and he chuckled. “Yeah. Runt said to watch out for you—that you aren’t quite right up here,” the man replied, tapping his temple.
“You have talked to her?” he asked, ignoring Bert’s obvious enjoyment of Runt’s description of him.
Bert nodded. “Yeah. She asked that I meet up with you. I heard you’re an alien from another world and needed to have your hand held so you don’t end up like the last one,” he replied.
Derik blinked. “She said all of that?” he asked in an incredulous tone.
Bert’s deep laughter was muted by the wind. “Naw, Avery told me about the alien part. Runt just told me that you were a pain in the ass. That little girl says a lot without saying much, if you know what I mean. So, I’m guessing they are both right. You don’t look like an alien from another world. You look more like one of them actors from Men in Black or the Matrix,” he said with a critical look at Derik’s black silk shirt, black jeans, and black overcoat.
“Cosmos said I should look more human. Where is my—where is Runt?” Derik asked.
Bert looked him up and down. “Come on. Runt asked me to dinner, and when that girl asks for something, you better do it. Just so that you know, I’m a little protective of that little lady, if you know what I mean,” he said with a grim look.
Derik didn’t know what Bert meant, but he nodded anyway and started walking beside the cheerful man. He shoved his hands into his black overcoat.
“Avery says you’re from an alien world. I always thought there had to be life out there. I think a few live here, too. There are just too many weird people for us all to be from the same gene pool, if you know what I mean,” Bert continued.
Derik listened as the man rambled on about the different people he thought came from another planet. Derik could have told them that they didn’t, but Bert seemed to be lost in his own world. They walked down the street for almost a mile before they cut across the four-lane road to the other side.
He was about to question Bert when he saw the bowed head of a young woman. She was sitting at a table outside the restaurant. She slowly raised her head, and a pair of defiant brown eyes stared back at him.
You’re blocking traffic, she informed him.
Derik blinked and stepped to the side as a group of young people walked by him. He clenched his hands when she tore her gaze away from his and looked at Bert. She suppressed a grin of amusement.
“I thought I told you to lose him, Bert,” she stated.
“I thought you said not to lose him,” Bert chuckled. “What did you order?”
“Three rice bowls and two of the tacos with steak and chicken,” Runt replied. “They wouldn’t let me order the beer.”
“I’ll get it. You want one, Derik? I assume you are old enough to drink, if you know what I mean,” Bert said with a wink.
“Yes, I like human liquor,” Derik replied.
“I’ll be right back,” Bert cheerfully said.
Derik watched Bert disappear through the clear doors. He looked down at his mate. Now that he was standing in front of her, he didn’t know what to say.
“I do not think I understand what he means when he asks me if I know what he means,” he confessed.
Her lips twitched before she pursed them together. She waved a hand at the chair across from her. He pulled the chair out and sat down, watching as she p
laced one of the covered bowls in front of him. She held out a packet of utensils wrapped in paper, and he automatically reached for it. They both froze when their fingers touched.
“Amelia…,” Derik started to say in a raw voice.
She jerked her hand back and shook her head. “Runt…. I told you that my name is Runt,” she replied in a low voice.
“Here you go!” Bert said, placing the tray holding four plastic cups filled with the amber liquid in front of Derik before he sat down next to Runt. “I bought us each two beers. The lines get pretty crazy starting about now. I love the food they have at this place.”
Why did you come? she silently demanded.
You know why, he replied, unwrapping his utensils and removing the top from the food.
She shot him a heated look before she looked at Bert. “Where’s DiMaggio?” she asked.
Bert froze, his fork halfway to his mouth, and looked at Derik before he turned his gaze back to Runt. Bert unhappily lowered the fork to his bowl.
“You should let it go, Runt,” Bert quietly said.
Runt’s eyes narrowed before she shrugged. “Okay,” she responded.
Derik examined Bert’s uneasy expression at Runt’s reply, and asked, “Who is DiMaggio?”
Bert opened his mouth to respond, but closed it just as quickly when Runt glared at him. Derik’s confusion turned to irritation. How was he supposed to know how to do the right thing if he didn’t know what was going on?
Maybe the right thing is to mind your own business, she suggested.
Everything about you is now my business. You felt our connection the night we met. It has only grown stronger. We would not even be able to communicate like this if we were not meant to be with each other, he argued.
“I don’t care!” she hissed out loud.
“About DiMaggio?” Bert asked. “That’s good. Going after the man won’t do anything but bring you heartache.”
