Chapter 22
TWINK
“This has to be AI,” Eric said, studying the image on Roger’s screen.
I knew this would happen, and really, I shouldn’t have been nervous about anything because odds were, Roger wouldn’t work out that the Vorcon on the TikTok video was Daddy.
I mean, even if I said the word Vorcon, he wouldn’t know what the hell I was talking about.
But as someone who was a shit liar, I feared the whole story was written all over my face, and that my best buddy would easily catch on—one of the reasons I hadn’t spent as much time with him since I figured out why Daddy was in town.
But seeing Daddy in the video, struggling through town, didn’t help my stress levels, and neither did worrying about Daddy being in that sewer again by himself, potentially running into that monster of an ex.
I’d become protective of my Furker. I really liked Daddy, and seeing his true form last night had only intensified my feelings for him. I liked knowing he was willing to share this part of himself that he didn’t share with most. And contrary to all my fears, he was gorgeous.
Roger’s brow creased as he studied the image on the screen again before glaring at Eric and me. “You have to be kidding me. This isn’t AI. You know that’s the first thing we checked for.”
“Who is this we?” Eric asked. “Are these guys even real?”
“Of course they’re real! And they’re into this stuff and want to track down whatever this is.”
I was tempted to clarify they weren’t even hunting a single alien, but obviously, that wouldn’t have helped anything.
“Whatever,” Roger muttered, then went on. “There was a sighting in an alley by Filth, so some of the guys are planning to scout around there tonight.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I didn’t like how close these guys were getting, and I felt the need to say something to protect Daddy.
“Roger, what are the odds that of all places in the world, an alien would land in a little town like Harmony Springs? Not New York City? Not Los Angeles? Not DC? What would the point be?”
“Most abductions take place in small towns where there aren’t a lot of people.”
That’s a fucking good point. See? This is why I don’t lie! I’m shit at it.
“Well, in that case, why didn’t they choose somewhere more rural? We’re too big for them to snatch people up, and too small to be of much use for anything else.”
Guilt knotted up in me, even more so when Roger’s expression fell as he considered my bullshit logic.
I was about to apologize when Eric interjected, “Charlie’s right.
If anything, the frightening part about this is how good AI’s gotten.
That basically looks like it could be a real alien, but hell, it might be one of the guys in this group you’re in.
Maybe laughing his ass off that you are all falling for it. ”
The light in Roger’s eyes dulled even more, and he tucked his head low, sliding his phone back in his pocket.
Seeing him so dejected, I wanted to say, “Eric’s wrong. And I’m wrong. Aliens are real, and I’ve been seeing one for the past few weeks, and I’m worried as hell right now that he could get hurt or worse.” I bit my bottom lip instead, stifling the impulse to burst out with the truth.
“I’m sorry, Roger,” I said. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
He shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Nothing really happens in this town, and being a temp with no sign of things moving anywhere, I guess it got me thinking how cool it would be if…”
“If what?” I asked, more compassion in my voice than when I’d been trying to get him to question his theories.
“If my life were more than this…than Harmony Springs. If I really had a mission. If my life actually mattered.”
My heart broke for my friend. In all the time we’d known each other, I’d never seen him so vulnerable, so lost.
“Your life matters plenty,” I insisted, which earned a raised brow from Eric, whom I glared at so he wouldn’t make this any worse.
“You’re right, Char. Probably is AI. I just… Don’t you ever feel like we were meant for more? Like there must be a bigger adventure out there?”
I didn’t really think like that. Despite my current work situation, I’d always wanted a simple, quiet life. It’s what I’d hoped for, really, but clearly, it wasn’t enough for Roger.
“I get that,” Eric piped up, which surprised me since he was good at acting disaffected. I was also just surprised to hear him take Roger’s side on anything.
“Yeah?” Roger asked, apparently just as surprised.
“Why do you think I read comic books? It’s nice, the idea of having an adventure, but that’s not life, you know? It’s really actually pretty boring, and most days, you have to hope enough coffee can get you outta bed.”
In their own ways, neither had really opened up to me like this, and despite the disappointment I felt coming from both of them, given what had been happening to me the past few weeks, now was a good time for a reality check, which I had to do without giving away what was weighing on my mind so heavily.
I glanced at my phone, wishing Daddy’s name would pop up so I could have some assurance he was okay.
“On the flip side,” I said, “an adventure isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
People you care about can wind up in a life-or-death situation, and you can’t be anywhere near them.
Your own life might be in danger. There’s something nice about just chilling with friends and not having adrenaline rushing through your veins. ”
Eric shrugged. “Eh, maybe you have a point.”
“Yeah, I’m being stupid,” Roger added.
“No, you’re—” I began.
“It’s okay. I got this stuff out of my system.
I promise, no more talk about aliens. Even though I do believe there’s life out there, no way there’s an alien running around Harmony Springs.
” He hopped up from his stool. “And on that note, back to my exciting life of temping.” His sarcasm was painful to hear.
He took a breath, a dullness in his eyes and expression as he said in a monotone voice, “I’ll check in with you guys later. ”
He was struggling, something he’d never let on, and we needed to sit down and have a chat, the kind friends have.
Although, I wanted to just end his suffering quickly, take everything I’d said back, reveal Daddy’s secret just to cheer him back up.
It felt like I was fighting the words down my throat. But I couldn’t betray Daddy like that.
“Maybe a latte before I head off?” Roger asked.
“Sure. I’ll cover it.”
While Eric continued reading, I grabbed a cup and started making Roger’s drink. After brewing the espresso, I checked my phone once again.
Come on. Call.
A muffled sound coming from outside caught my attention, steadily growing louder. As it drew near, I recognized the distinct yapping of one of those toy dogs. The café door opened, and the yapping echoed throughout the dining area, drawing the attention of our patrons.
“Surely, they know pets aren’t allowed in a freakin’ café,” Eric said without looking up from his comic.
I sighed since it was gonna be my responsibility to tell them.
As I turned my attention toward the door, I noticed the expressions on the patrons’ faces—wide-eyed, mouths agape. I’d expected annoyance or frustration.
My gaze went first to the yapping dog—a Chihuahua.
I’d only just made the connection before my mind registered the rest—an eight-, maybe nine-foot figure moving toward me. In a dress, Halloween mask, and bright-blonde, Dolly Parton-esque wig that fell to her shoulders, she looked just like she did in that first video Roger had shown me.
Sheila.
Only this time, in one of her gloved hands, she carried a purse with a Chihuahua.
Was it the same one Daddy told me about last night? It had to be!
She approached the counter, stopping behind Roger, who was scrolling on his phone, too consumed to notice the giant, barely disguised alien standing behind him, seemingly waiting like any other customer.
I started to speak when a buzzing sound came from nearby. On the counter, Daddy’s name popped up on my cell’s screen. Fuck, fuck, fuck. If he was calling, that meant he was checking in, still looking for Sheila. And I was fucked.
She released a low, rumbling sound, like she was annoyed, and Roger said, “Um…I’m in line, thank you.” He looked up at me, rolling his eyes before returning his attention to scrolling.
“Roger,” I whispered, though it didn’t seem loud enough for him to hear me, especially with her Chihuahua in a frantic fit, its head like a bobblehead doll as it barked at me, Eric, and Roger all at once.
Meanwhile, my phone continued buzzing away like a siren, warning me of impending danger. As if my nerves weren’t already shot.
I crept over and took the phone, the mask covering Sheila’s face turning to follow me. I trembled as I answered, “Daddy?”
“Sheila’s not here, and she knows where the Kaylog is and where you work. I just found she was tracking us, and the tracking device has a camera on it, so she’ll have seen you coming out of the Kaylog earlier—”
“Funny you should mention it,” I interrupted. “She’s here, actually.”
Silence. Drawn-out, ever-concerning silence. That wasn’t comforting.
“Stay alive until I get there,” he rushed out.
“I really wish you had a more productive piece of advice for me right about now.”
Sheila released another sound, much louder than her initial huff—more like a snarl, the air pushing through the nostrils of her mask, hitting the back of Roger’s head, shifting his thin hairs around.
He glanced up from his phone again and looked at me, his expression saying, Can you believe this asshole?
It wasn’t lost on me that I’d only just managed to convince him there were no aliens in Harmony Springs, and now he had a nine-foot Vorcon, who could have easily torn his spine from his body, standing immediately behind him, and he was totally oblivious to this.
“Daddy?” I asked, hoping for more guidance, but I was met with silence. Frustrated as I was to be left on my own, if he couldn’t talk because he was busy getting the fuck here, that wasn’t something I could fault him for.
While Roger remained blissfully unaware of the monster standing directly behind him, the other guests seemed riveted, trying to make out what the hell was up with this character.
Not realizing she was an alien, because I figured, if they’d known that much, they would have been out of their seats, busting their asses down the street.
Eric flipped a page as I said, “Roger,” once again.
Roger finally looked up from his phone. “Everything okay with Daddy?”
“Mmm-hmmm. But I don’t think now’s a good time to make that latte for you. Maybe you should just get back to work.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Huh?”
Sheila snarled.
This time, he followed my gaze, taking in the creature towering over him. “Oh…” was as much as he could get out.
This seemed enough to catch Eric’s attention, his mouth dropping open, like half the café’s patrons.
She extended one of the gloved hands and shoved Roger so hard, he went flying across the café, into the adjoining bookstore, hitting the magazine rack.
“Fuck,” he called out as she approached the counter.
“Roger, are you okay?” I asked.
“Holy fuck, no,” he replied from the floor.
“Hello there, barista,” Sheila said, her voice strained and muffled. Like Daddy, she must’ve had the ability or technology that allowed her to quickly pick up our language.
“Hi,” was as much as I could manage. It seemed she thought this disguise was working for her, so I figured if maybe I kept on like this, she might assume I didn’t know who she was, which could buy me time to come up with a plan to get away from her.
“Can I take your order?” My voice cracked, so I coughed, noticing how dry my throat had become.
And now my hands were trembling. Daddy’s alien ex-girlfriend was gonna kill me.
“Yes, I would love a macchiato latte Javanilly.”
Fucking asshole. How did she know that was the most difficult item on the menu?
Of course, I was sure my reaction to that was some kind of trauma response because it wasn’t exactly my biggest concern right now.
Thinking fast, I grabbed the frothing pitcher and headed over to the carafe that had just finished brewing. I filled the pitcher, keeping Sheila in my periphery.
Eric pushed to his feet and stepped back while Roger crawled to his feet. I figured he would get the hell out of here, but he pulled out his phone.
Is he seriously recording this right now? Really?
“I think we may have a mutual friend, barista,” Sheila said.
“Oh, really?” I asked, playing along.
“There’s no need to beat around it. I saw you leaving his ship, and I can smell the stench of him on you.”
It was an odd time to be aroused, but I liked the idea that whatever we had done had left the scent of him on me.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” I said as I finished filling the frothing pitcher and turned back to her, holding it between us in case she tried to make any sudden moves.
It was hard to make out what she was thinking when she had a mask on, although, having seen Daddy’s Vorcon face, maybe I wasn’t going to have much luck reading Sheila at all.
She set her purse with the dog on the counter, then hunched forward.
That can’t be a good sign.
“You’re fucking my mate.”
Oh yeah, I’m a dead man.
She spread her arms out before unleashing an ear-piercing sound, then lunged into the air, practically flying over the counter.
Just stay alive.
That’s what Daddy said.
I tossed the scalding coffee at her mask, uncertain of the effect it would have on a Vorcon, but it must’ve breached through the eye holes because her scream grew even louder as I moved to the side.
As she crashed against the espresso machine, I started to make my escape, but she recovered quickly, and before I could get out from behind the counter, her tail was in front of me, a sharp spear-like end coming at me, forcing me back into the corner with only the door to the back room as a possible escape.