Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
A panel on one wall shifted at one point to reveal a bathroom.
At first, we all thought it’d be like prison, with no sense of privacy, but once they were inside, someone found a button to close the door behind them.
One by one, people took turns relieving themselves, and conversation picked up.
As far as kidnappings went, it wasn’t as bad as I imagined something like this would be.
We were fed, had access to a bathroom, and the temperature in the room wasn’t terrible.
Maybe a little warm with the amount of bodies in it, but we weren’t sweating or freezing.
Small positives seemed like the way to go at this juncture.
“So, what do you think this is all about?” I asked those closest to me.
Marin frowned. “Other than world domination or eating us, you mean?”
Strauss wrinkled his nose. “Not sure that’s what they were going for. Other than the guys who attacked them first, none of them seemed interested in hurting us. In either of those scenarios, why would they keep us healthy and uninjured? Why not just kill us all?”
“Slavery, maybe?” the female who Colt had almost squashed chimed in. I had to tip my head to see her name tape. One of my favorite parts of being in the military. You never forgot someone’s name because it was written right there on their chests.
“Oh hell no,” a soldier farther away shouted. Before he could get up in arms about it, I put my hands up in a soothing gesture.
“Don’t jump to conclusions just yet. I kind of doubt they’d treat their slaves nicely.
That seems weird. This whole thing is weird.
They blew up the planes, but not the people.
From everyone who’s in here, they seem to be targeting military bases.
But the bigger ships were over the larger cities.
Did anyone come from a bigger city? Did they do anything different with those big ships? ”
There were a few murmurs as everyone looked around at each other, but no one spoke up. This ship didn’t collect from the cities then. Just the bases farther out, maybe?
A loud clunk rocked the ship, and we all stiffened. While yes, it’d be good if the world was fighting back against the invasion, it wouldn’t be good if they started shooting down ships full of prisoners. I waited with bated breath for something awful to happen, but nothing did.
“I don’t think we’re moving anymore,” Strauss murmured, his palm pressed to the metal floor. I did the same, frowning. The floor didn’t have that little vibrating hum it did before, like a car with an engine running. They shut it down?
“What does that mean? Are they coming for us? We need a plan! Everyone get up! If we attack all at once–”
The Lieutenant’s insane ramblings were cut off when the door opened again and more guards stepped in.
They didn’t look threatening, per se. They didn’t poke anyone with their staffs or glare.
They mostly just stood there stoically. Which, again, was weird.
They abducted us. Why were they being so… unaggressive?
The huge alien who I’d seen when we first arrived stepped into the room.
He was looking at a fancy-looking tablet that probably put the iPad to shame.
After muttering to himself for a few moments, he pressed a button on the tablet, and the back wall of the hold slid open.
A few people panicked, probably thinking we were going to be sucked into outer space or something, but instead, it opened up to a long hallway with doors on each side and more guards.
“Two per room,” the enormous man grunted in stilted English. Like an accent, but not any accent I ever heard before.
People were wary and didn’t jump to follow instructions until the guards all tapped the ends of their spears on the metal floor a few times.
It was enough of a threat to get people moving.
One by one, people got to their feet and headed into the long hallway.
There was a guard by each door, monitoring us as we slowly filled the rooms. Since I had been one of the farthest back, I had to walk farther, but it gave me a minute to get my bearings.
It looked like a sci-fi movie ship, with blue light glowing through the dark panels in the walls, and inset lighting flushed with the ceiling.
It wasn’t dim or creepy or anything, it was actually well lit and clean, and the temperature was still comfortable.
There were also smaller panels that looked like keypads next to each door. To lock us in, maybe?
I was going to room with Marin, since we were good friends, but before I could join him in a room, a rough hand grabbed my elbow, and Colt practically dragged me into the room across the hall. I shook him off and spun with a scowl to glare at him.
“What the hell, Lieutenant?”
He crowded me, leaning close so he wouldn’t be overheard. “Shut up! We’ll talk once they leave!” he hissed.
That didn’t sound good, and I was going to refuse and ask to room with someone else when the door slid shut and a locking mechanism clicked into place, trapping us inside. Son of a bitch…
Colt immediately went to the door and pressed his ear to it to listen.
I knew this crazy little shit would have some stupid idea to escape, so while he was busy, I looked around the space we were trapped in.
It was small, maybe one hundred square feet at most, and there wasn’t much to it, but it wasn’t the worst. Two beds that were probably similar size to an XL twin sat against opposite walls with maybe three feet between them.
Each had a big pillow and a dark blue blanket tucked tightly with almost military precision.
There were some inlays in the walls, spots to put pictures, maybe?
But it wasn’t like we had a chance to grab stuff to bring with us, so maybe not.
Right next to the door was another panel, like the one from the hold that slid open to reveal a tiny bathroom with what looked like a shower.
No towels or shampoos or anything, so I wasn’t sure what good that would be, but whatever.
They seemed like they were trying to make us comfortable, at least. I just couldn’t figure out why.
“Okay, I think they’re gone. Do your thing,” Colt demanded.
“What thing?” I asked blandly, sitting on the edge of the bed on the right-hand side.
It was surprisingly comfortable, not too soft or firm, and when I dropped back onto it, I sank into it a little before it seemed to readjust to my perfect level of comfort.
Okay, the aliens were going all out with shit like this. I wanted this mattress in my house.
“Don’t bullshit me, Rossi. I know all about your hot wiring career before you enlisted. I can’t believe they let you join with a record,” he sneered.
I shrugged, screwing with him a little when I said, “It was either the military or jail, so…”
Now that was bullshit. Yes, I got picked up a few times for hot-wiring cars, but I was just a kid, and the records were sealed after I turned eighteen.
I turned my life around, made amends, and joined the military.
I was honest with the recruiter about my record.
He got me waivers just in case some higher ups tried to cause me trouble and sent me to basic with no issues.
I could tell Colt was debating admonishing me or keeping his opinion to himself so he could get his way. He gritted his teeth, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and he had to take a few breaths before speaking again.
“Since you obviously have experience manipulating wires, both with your history and your experience with engines, I need you to get the door open so we can figure out an escape.”
This was why he forced me to room with him. He wanted to use me to get out. And while yes, I wanted to escape too, I wasn’t willing to piss off our captors enough to do anything stupid.
“No offense, Lieutenant, but until we have a better idea of what we’re dealing with, I think that’s a bad idea. Strauss said–”
“I don’t give a shit what that idiot marine said,” Colt snarled. “I am your superior officer! I’m giving you an order! Get your ass over to that door and figure out how to open it, or I swear to god, the minute we get out of here, I’ll have your ass arrested for insubordination.”
My first thought was to point out that there was no guarantee we were even getting out of here, so his threat didn’t mean much. I knew I’d never get through to him that way, though, so I sat up and rested my elbows on my knees, my hands dangling between them.
“Look, I get that you want to get out of here. So do I. Being abducted by aliens wasn’t ever on my bucket list. But the intel I gathered so far says that the guys who tried something stupid with the guards last time got their asses kicked and got taken away.
They’re treating us pretty fairly right now, and I don’t really think it’s a good idea to test their good will. ”
Colt’s lip twitched like he was fighting a snarl, but come on. I laid everything out logically. He wouldn’t be so much of an idiot to ignore the intel. “You don’t have to go with me. Just get the door open, and I’ll say it was me if I get caught.”
I spoke too soon. He really was an idiot.
I kind of doubted he’d let it go, though, and I didn’t want to listen to him bitch for who knew how long we’d be trapped here. This room was smaller than a dorm room. I’d lose my mind in a matter of hours.
With a heavy sigh, I nodded. “Fine. But if I can’t figure it out, you need to leave me the hell alone. I’m not putting my life on the line for this stupid ass idea.”
He waved me off dismissively, standing over me as I studied the walls for any way I could open it and start poking around.
For all I knew, there were cameras in each room, and they were watching us.
They could be on their way to kill us in seconds, all because Colt was a twenty-four-year-old rank-conscious asshole who didn’t understand how to wait for more intel.
The space between panels was miniscule, but luckily, I’d stuck a multi-tool into my pocket when I went onto the flight line, so I didn’t have to try to pry the thing open with my fingers.
I pulled it out of my pocket, using my back to hide what I was doing in case there were cameras, and carefully slipped the thinnest tool between the panels.
It was hard to take my time while Colt was breathing down my neck, but I eventually got the panel off behind where I guessed was the locking mechanism on the other side.
Under the panel revealed some wiring that looked similar to what humans used, but also some that looked…
weird. That blue light that I saw in the hallway came from the wiring, but it almost looked organic.
And slimy. Whatever that was, I sure as hell wasn’t going to touch it.