Chapter 16 #2
Have you ever gone up against one in warrior form? Xavier asks, still eyeing the alien who seems to understand we’re having a private conversation, but he looks to be getting impatient.
No, never. As far as I was concerned, they had died out after the war.
A few survived, but most of their women died, so the few that were left went into hiding.
I am too young to have seen them in action, but my grandfather would tell stories that induced both fear and awe.
He did say that most of them were against the war, but their leaders were brutal and would kill off any dissenters.
Maybe you should ask him to spar with you one day.
“Well, what the fuck are you looking at?”
I guess he’s reached the end of his patience, and I don’t blame him.
“Why don’t you take a seat and get comfortable?
This won’t take long.” Xavier waves a hand, and two chairs appear on our side.
He casually takes a seat, crossing his legs as he elegantly adopts a pose of indifference.
I know better. I can practically feel the concern radiating off of him, and I know it’s his need to keep Lila safe, and this man in front of us could be the ultimate predator.
The being throws his hands up in frustration but takes a seat on the bed. His back is ramrod straight, and he crosses his arms aggressively.
“Ask what you want to know,” he demands, and as I take a seat on the other chair, I see the warlock arch his eyebrow in amusement before it quickly drops again.
“What is your name?”
“Brannock Zarax.”
“Why were you on Earth?”
“To live a quiet, peaceful life,” he replies flatly, his heart rate staying constant as far as I can tell.
“How did you come to be on Earth?” Xavier asks, voicing the question I want to know the answer to the most.
Brannock sighs and uncrosses his arms, leaning on his thighs with his elbows.
“When our race was on the brink of extinction due to the mistakes and hubris of our leaders, those of us who survived the war fled to all corners of the galaxy. We knew it wouldn’t be long before the Aaz’axian race was merely a bad memory for most of the galaxy.
Like the Una’s, we would fade into a thing of cautionary tales.
A group of us, men from the unit I was in during the war, chose Earth as our sanctuary.
This was before the Earth Alien Alliance.
Aliens were little green men, and Roswell was far in the future.
With our ability to glamour, we were able to blend in, and we lived out our lives.
Some of my crew grew despondent and decided to end their lives.
With no chance of a mate and not being able to have a real relationship with a human woman, since we were unable to show them our real forms or explain why we age so slowly, they fell into a deep depression. ”
I can see Xavier’s nostrils flare as Brannock’s deep sadness fills the room. He doesn’t feed, though, he just tastes them on the air. Warlocks are big about consent.
“How long have you been on Earth?” I ask, and I see him think about it.
“About one hundred years, give or take a few. We perfected changing identities every twenty to thirty years, moving on, and starting new lives. It does become wearing after a while.”
“And how did Smith come to find you?” Xavier asks, and his sadness disappears and the anger returns. He jumps to his feet and starts pacing back and forth.
“I don’t know exactly. I think that one of my old friends may be a traitor.
I very rarely drink, and once a year, we get together for a reunion of sorts.
This year, it was in Vegas. We all met at a restaurant, had dinner, and then went to a bar after.
I was mostly sober, and since my glamour is a little tricky to hold when I’m intoxicated, I don’t often indulge.
Suddenly, I felt off, my head was spinning, and I wasn’t in control of my body.
I dropped my glamour. Of course the whole bar freaked out.
Agent Smith arrived quickly. I remember thinking that was strange.
He arrested me and told everyone it was a gas leak, and they were hallucinating.
Everyone in the bar was treated by medics.
I think they had some solution in the drip that muddled their minds and made them think I wasn’t the only weird thing they’d seen that night…
” He trails off, and Xavier and I exchange a glance.
“Why would Smith want to arrest or expose you?” Xavier sounds skeptical, but he’s only voicing what I was thinking.
Brannock sneers. “Because Smith hates aliens. He would do anything to see the Earth rid of them. I think he may have teamed up with someone to ensure he gets his way. Despite what it appeared like, I don’t think the others and me were the only aliens in captivity.
I overheard some of the soldiers talking when they took me on the bust of the Pleasure Inn, and I heard them referring to the others and how they probably won’t survive many more tests and that they needed new subjects.
Don’t be surprised if some of the clients from the Pleasure Inn mysteriously disappear.
Smith knew he couldn’t do that to the master and their family because they are well known, but a few clients of the brothel probably won’t be missed. ”
It’s quiet as we mull over what we just heard. None of what he says surprises me. I don’t know why it hadn’t occurred to us to search the place before now. Maybe we were too trusting, and the Adams brothers have been mostly lost in their grief for their son, his wife, and their missing wife.
Do you believe him? Xavier asks.
Yes, his heart rate didn’t jump except at the mention of Smith and, well, I’m sure everyone has that reaction at the mention of his name.
“Okay, thanks for being honest with us, Brannock. I’ll talk to the boss men, but I don’t see any reason why you can’t leave the cells soon. Maybe you should think about where you want to go,” Xavier tells him as we stand up. He waves a hand, and the chairs are gone as quickly as they appeared.
“Earth, I need to go back to Earth.” He sounds almost desperate, and I shake my head.
“Sorry, buddy, but you are done there. Maybe one day once Smith is nothing but ashes, you can return, but for now, you’re going to need a new home.
Let us know what you decide. We will do our best to help you in any way we can.
” Xavier sounds sympathetic. It’s such a surprise to see the fearsome warlock show his compassionate side.
Lila has worked wonders already, and they are not even bonded.
“Aggghh. Fine.” Brannock slumps back down on the bed, looking despondent. “I’ll think about it.” He lies down and gives us his back.
We leave him be and head back the way we came.
When we pass the other occupied cell, Natalia is no longer in cat form.
She starts to shout at us, but we can’t hear her because of the sound barrier.
Xavier drops it just in time for us to hear her yell, “I will make you pay for this. You and that bitch and that omega are all dead. My mother will—” The sound cuts off as Xavier re-erects the barrier.
“Nobody needs to listen to that shit or look at her naked body.” He waves a hand and covers her with a dress similar to what I’ve seen her in before.
She looks down, and we can see her scream.
Lightning bursts around the room before bouncing off the barrier and sending her flying backward.
She hits the wall and slides down, her hair, mane, and fur sticking up like she stuck her finger in a power socket.
She’s dazed but alive, so we keep walking.
“Come on, let’s go share what we learned with the boss men.” Xavier waves to the guard who nods his goodbye.
“You think we can trust him?” I ask the warlock, and for a moment, he doesn’t reply.
“I have no idea, but I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt. If he and his unit have been living on Earth for a hundred years, they could have easily taken over, but they didn’t. I think that goes a long way in proving they aren’t just creatures of war.”
“I hope you’re right. We have enough drama at the moment. We don’t need to add a power hungry alien to the mix,” I tell him, but a small feeling of foreboding prickles inside me. I can only pray that I am wrong.