Chapter Fifteen
The music is too damn loud.
Tim lifted his head off the floor and froze. Did he get drunk last night? He couldn’t remember. He didn’t know why he was on the floor or even where the fuck he was. A bar? A nightclub? Colored squares pulsed on the floor and a disco ball hung from a domed ceiling, making the walls spin with sparkling lights. A beat pumped loudly through a sound system and Madonna sang about getting into the groove. “What the fuck?”
He stood on wobbly legs, rubbing his head as he looked around. Motion caught his eye from across the room. Behind a floor-to-ceiling glass rectangle built into the wall, two tall white beings pounded fists against the surface, like they were trapped and trying to get out. Tim’s stomach lurched. Hybrids, a male and a female, unfamiliar to him. They were both as tall as Baz with similar features, long blue robes, platinum hair falling to their waists. Their faces were tight with anguish as they stared directly back at him, waving for his attention and slapping the glass.
He looked sharply to his left and jumped when he spotted the hybrid twins, Fi and Fo. Ignoring Tim’s presence, they stood atop a circular platform, dancing. Still dressed in the colorful jumpsuits with the same strange hairdos, they threw their arms up and spun about, swaying hips and tossing their heads around.
His eyes drifted to the right as he began to survey the rest of the room, then stopped short when he spotted a cluster of chairs ten feet away. The chairs were huge with towering red satin backs, three of them arranged in a semi-circle. Seated in the largest chair in the center was a tall, thin man with silky black hair that fell to his shoulders. Super-long legs wrapped in shiny black slacks with red boots, one crossed over the other, and a red, blousy shirt with ruffles. With his head bent down, a curtain of hair covered his face. One thick platinum white stripe ran down the right side of his shiny raven locks.
The stranger was focused on the mechanical spider resting on his lap, poking and prodding at it with something like a screwdriver. Whatever he was doing he seemed consumed by the work, though Tim doubted the guy didn’t know he was there. Like the twins, he seemed content to ignore Tim. For now, at least.
Tim turned in a circle, because that’s exactly what this room was. A giant circle, no corners, just rounded silver walls. Fuck. Am I in a goddamn space ship? His memory returned fully as he spotted a body slumped on the floor on the far side of the room—a green shirt. “Tyler!”
He ran to Tyler and knelt down beside him. Lying on his side, Tyler appeared to be sleeping, eyes closed, chest rising and falling. A red bump like a bee sting marred the back of his neck, and Tim ran a finger over it. “Tyler?” When Tyler didn’t stir, he grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard. “Tyler!”
Tyler jolted, then took in a huge gulp of air as he sat up. He shuffled back on his ass. Lips parted, he scowled at Tim with sleepy eyes, then his head swiveled as he took in the surroundings.
“Ty, you all right?”
“God damnit,” Tyler muttered as he struggled to get to his feet.
Tim grabbed his arm and helped him up. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” He held onto Tim’s arm. “Are you?”
“I think so. I just don’t know where the hell we are and there’s weird shit and weird people everywhere.”
“Oh. Like that?” Tyler jerked his chin toward the chairs on the other side of the room.
Tim turned around and winced when he saw two gator-worms scuttle across the floor then settle down at the feet of the tall guy with the black hair. The stranger lowered one white hand, petting one of the gator-worms, then went back to fussing with his spider.
“Yeah,” Tim said. “Like that. And that.” He pointed to the glass door where the two tall white hybrids in the blue robes still slapped the glass, trying to get their attention. They kept pointing to their right.
“Who the hell are they?” Tyler asked. “What are they pointing at?”
“I have no idea. But the twins are here too.”
Tyler frowned as he looked over at the twins, still up on the raised platform. The song had shifted to ‘Jailhouse Rock’ by Elvis Presley, and now Fi and Fo did the twist. “Fucking hell,” Tyler whispered. He gave his head a hard shake, and in an instant, his sleepy gaze hardened, and his work-face appeared, gray eyes blank but focused. “Okay. We’re gonna get out of this. Just stay calm, Tim. Okay? Can you do that?”
“I’ll try my best. Ty, who is that guy in the chair?”
“I believe that would be George.”
“Shit. George is real after all.”
“Unfortunately. After he knocked you out at my house he came after me in the hallway. That fucking spider shot a dart or something into my neck.” He rubbed the back of his neck, wincing. “How long have we been here?”
“I don’t know. I just woke up too. We have to get the fuck out of here.”
“Yeah.” Tyler patted his jeans. “My phone is gone.”
“Brett was on his way to your house, remember? They’ll be looking for us, right?”
“Sure, but whether they find us depends on where the hell we are. I want a word with this fucking guy. Stay close to me.” Before Tim could protest, Tyler stormed toward the chairs. “Hey, you!”
Tim was terrified, but there was no way he was letting Tyler do this on his own, so he hurried along behind him. Tyler stopped three feet from the gator-worms, which sat like guardians before their master.
Tim stepped up and stood at Tyler’s side. The man in the chair looked up, tossing his hair back and tucking it behind his ears. Human ears. But this was no human. Jesus. What is he?
He had hybrid eyes, but different than Baz’s or the twins. They were large and the double-iris was there, but instead of green and blue, this creature’s eyes were gold and brown. The black hair was thin and silky like a hybrid’s, but Tim had been of the understanding that they all had white hair, so he wasn’t sure if this creature was a hybrid or not. His long lashes matched his raven hair, and he had full, sensuous lips. His chin was long like a hybrid and his nose had a cleft. But his skin...
One side of his face was paper-white from his right ear to his nose, where it branched out in a claw of narrow curved stripes, like someone had slapped him and left a powdered handprint. At first Tim thought it was makeup, as the platinum stripe in his hair was on the same side as the white of his face, so it seemed intentional, theatrical. But on closer inspection, the fingers of white skin blended too seamlessly with the opposite side of his face to be makeup. And the opposite side of his face was jarring.
The powder-white stripes stretched onto shiny purple skin with thick blue veins. Tim couldn’t figure out if the purple side of his face was a burn scar or a birthmark or what, but it was shocking, especially with the overlapping coils of veins marring the surface. The same purple skin also covered one side of his neck, but smoother, without the prominent veins. A few spiderwebs of dark red, like broken blood vessels, dotted his cheek and the high forehead above his eyebrows—eyebrows as white as Baz’s.
The black lashes and the white eyebrows didn’t match. Nothing about this man’s face matched. He was like two halves put together, the only consistency his huge, golden-brown eyes.
“It is rude to stare,” he said, setting the spider down on the floor. “But I know I am very beautiful. So I do not mind.”
Unlike Tim, who couldn’t help gaping at the strange being, Tyler was blank-faced, looking a bit bored. “Why did you bring us here? You know you’re going to be in trouble for this.”
“Trouble?” His brows rose and the white stripes on his cheek shifted in an odd way. “What have I done to make trouble?”
“You kidnapped us,” Tyler said.
“But I have good reason, I swear. You trust.” He cupped his hand to his ear. “Hear me out? I have done no harm to you.”
“You shot me,” Tyler said. “With that spider-drone. So cut the bullshit and tell us how to get out of here. George.”
“Oh!” He fluttered his hand like he was fanning himself, then looked at Tim. “Gun man knows my name. I so flattered! Is good name, yes? So many human George.” He twirled his hand. “King George. George Michael. Boy George. George Washington.” He beat his chest with his fists. “George of the Jungle!”
Tim glanced at Tyler. “Stay calm,” Tyler said softly.
“Yes be calm now!” George said. “Tim Patterson. Forest ranger. You are the first real human I see. See you first in new world. You are special.”
The twins strolled over and sat in the chairs on either side of George, smiling smugly, looking pleased with themselves. “You two kids need to get back to the base,” Tim said. “People are worried. They’re looking for you.”
“Maybe they prefer the company of me,” George said. “Maybe they want to stay and have party all the time.”
Fo shimmied his shoulders. “Party all the time!”
“We do,” Fi said. “We want to stay with George. He is good time.”
“I am! I am magnificent.” He grinned widely, his strange purple cheek stretching.
“Who are they?” Tyler pointed toward the glass door to their right. The hybrids behind the glass still watched them but had given up their frantic pounding.
“Those are who keep him prisoner,” Fi said. “Captor become captive. Ah ah ah!”
“Ignore them.” George flicked a hand toward the hybrids behind the glass. “They are not important. Relax! Is party. You want to play game? Want to dance? Want to sing?”
“No,” Tyler said calmly. “We want to go home.”
George uncrossed his legs, then crossed them again the opposite way. “You may leave through door. I will show you where. But very deep. You may drown.”
Tim looked at Tyler, whose jaw tightened, but he kept his eyes blank. “We’re underwater?”
“Yes. I take craft down under lake. Very deep. You good swimmer?” He grinned, and the twins laughed. His teeth were very even and white, and with his beautiful lips, the perfect smile seemed to mock his imperfections.
Tyler’s gaze shifted to the gator-worms on the floor at George’s feet. He pointed. “Are they good swimmers?”
George stood, rising on long legs. He was Baz’s height, but his body wasn’t quite as thin, shoulders a bit broader. He seemed to be a hybrid, but with more human features, and the mix had come out...wrong. Bad birth, Fi had said. Old DNA scraps tumbling out like an unlucky dice roll. He pointed a long white finger at Tyler. “Have you not done enough to my poor babies? You kill one already. Now you want to make them drown?”
“I was just wondering if they can swim,” Tyler said. “You said you want to play a game. So why not let me and Tim race your drones here? In the water. See what they’ve got.”
Smiling, George wagged his finger at Tyler. “Ah, clever.” He sat again, slumping back in the chair and crossing his legs. “Do you think I am stupid as your Baz?”
“I’m sure you’re very bright,” Tyler said.
“I am more than very bright, gun man. I know why you want to race drones in water. Not for game. For something else, yes? Make them cry like baby underwater? Draw attention to your friends to come rescue?”
Tyler said nothing.
“Tell me something, gun man.” George tapped his chin with his long finger, then pointed at Tyler. “Your Baz. He does not know about the devices in lake basin. Your...equipment to spy on base. Does he?”
“How do you know about that?” Tyler said.
“Because I am smart!” George stood, his face contorting in rage. “I am smarter than your Baz. He cannot even speak proper to you! Dorr dorr dorr I am Baz!” He flapped his hands. “I am ambassador, do you to wanted to spoke with me? Dorr dorr dorr! Derr derr derr!”
“Baz does not talk like that,” Tyler said.
“He does. He is too stupid for such important job.” George settled back in his chair. His eyes shifted to Tim, and he jerked his chin toward him. “Let me see you kiss him, gun man.”
“No more games. Let us out of here.”
“I say I want you to kiss forest ranger. Go on! Kiss!”
Losing his composure, Tyler started toward George, but backed away when the spider reared up, front legs clicking.
“He is fully loaded,” George said. “You do not want him shoot you again, do you?”
“Quit fucking around,” Tyler said. “You’re going to be in a lot of trouble if you don’t let us go. Right now. We have an alliance with the Whites. And I don’t think they’ll take kindly to what you’re doing. The last hybrids that screwed up didn’t meet a good end by them.”
George patted his chest dramatically and looked at Fi. “He is threaten me?”
Fi smiled and wagged her finger. “You should not threaten George.”
“Come on, no more angry!” George clapped his hands. “Is party! Gun man, you kiss forest ranger before. I see it, on camera! You kiss him before. Kiss him now. I want to see.”
The twins clapped their hands, chanting, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”
Tim’s hands clenched into fists. After all Tyler had been through, there was no way Tim was letting someone force him to do anything remotely sexual under duress. Even if it was with him. “Shut up!” Tim shouted and the twins went silent. “No one is kissing anyone! We’re not playing your games. You might have abilities and you’ve got your little drones and what have you, but I swear to God I can find a way to hurt you. You keep this up? I will make you suffer before you can take me down.”
The twins’ eyes widened. Even Tyler cocked an eyebrow at him. “Oh my,” George said, and glanced at Fi, then Fo. “I think we have upset the forest ranger.”
“We do not want that!” Fi said. “You like him!”
“I do like him. We do not want to upset the forest ranger. He is so handsome and brave.”
“Handsome and brave,” Fo repeated.
“Enough,” Tim said. “Tell us why the fuck we’re here. We’re not interested in your games so tell us what the fuck you want.”
“Fine.” George rolled his eyes. “I am only trying to be good host! But you are no fun to me. Straight to business then.” He pointed at Tyler. “You. You will tell Thrakatozians that I will be your ambassador now. Not Baz.”
Tyler shook his head. “What?”
“The Whites, the Whites! You will tell them. Baz no more. George is your ambassador now.”
Tyler scowled. “You want to be the Whites’ ambassador to the humans?”
“I do. Fi and Fo tell me, is good job! I will be better at job than Baz. You will tell them this! For me.”
“Why would you think I have any authority to make that request?”
“You are the one with the power. I spy on forest ranger in trees? Let him see my babies?” He petted one of the gator-worms. “The humans of the lake call you.” He pointed at Tyler. “To come deal with. You are one they send. You have power. Close to humans that can influence the Whites.”
“Whatever would make you think the Whites would agree to that? They gave Baz the assignment, not our people.”
“Oh, I have my reasons to think they agree.”
“Why do you want the job?” Tim asked.
George stood and took a step closer. He patted his own cheeks. “My whole life. Others tell me I am like this because human part in blood. It happens, they say.” He threw his head back and cackled. “Can you believe this is what they say to me? It happens! Sorry you are so different and no one want to look at you or be with you.” He shrugged. “Blame the Greys for putting that human shit in your bloodline.” His eyes flared and that rage overtook his features again. In an instant it was gone and the strange smile returned. “But I do not think humans are shit, not like some saaaay! I want to work with them. It is good idea, yes?”
“So because you have more human features than Baz you think you should be the ambassador?” Tim said.
“That’s not exactly a qualification,” Tyler said.
“Is not for my physical form. I know more about your kind than Baz. I study you for years from far away, even before I come here. Because I want to know, who are these species what blood is responsible for my beautiful face? Perhaps, if I find, I will be not so different anymore, yes?”
“But you’re not human,” Tyler said. “You’re a hybrid. You’re way more advanced than we are.”
“And this is why I am perfect! Perfect for you to be ambassador. Important role. I am so experience with your species, I can talk to. But I am so brilliant, I stay at base, do work for Whites. Make technology.” He gestured to the drones. “I have more to offer than that stupid hybrid who walk around wearing human clothing and cannot even speak right.”
“Okay you’ve made your point,” Tyler said. “But do you even know the Whites that run the base?”
“No.” He glared at the glass door, where the captive hybrids slumped against the wall, looking defeated. “They!” He pointed. “They kept me locked away so I could not even visit the base. But is okay!” He smiled and looked back at Tim and Tyler. “I meet Fi and Fo. Hear them speak Earth language when they inspect this craft one day. Make friend. They keep secret. And they tell me secret about hybrid boss who visits humans of the lake. They say, I will make better boss than Baz!”
“Better boss,” Fi said.
“I will make my own deal with the Whites,” George said. “They will agree that I can stay on your planet. And I, George, will be your new ambassador.”
The twins clapped and George took a dramatic bow.
“Brilliant,” Fi said. “Best plan!”
“How can you be certain they’ll agree to your plan?” Tim said. “Baz works for the Whites. You don’t even know them.” And you’re crazy.
“Because gun man will talk to them and persuade and if they do not agree I tell them they do not get twins back.”
“You’ll hold the twins hostage?” Tim said. “They’re just kids!”
“We want to stay,” Fo said.
“That’s besides the point! You have parents! They’re worried about you.”
“Okay, calm down,” Tyler said. “Look, I can talk to my people and pass along your request. But you have to let us go now. People are looking for us, too.”
“I will.” George waved his hand toward Tim. “But forest ranger stay here.”
“The fuck he will,” Tyler said.
“You like forest ranger. You kiss! I keep him, to make certain you work hard to make my plan a success. Make deal with Whites? Make me ambassador? I give him back.”
“Not happening. Tim comes with me or no deal.”
George shrugged. “Then no deal I guess. You both stay here with me for always! Shall we dance?”
“Dance!” Fi jumped up and ran to the platform.
George took Fo’s hand and led him over, his posture regal, chin up.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Tyler shouted. “You can’t keep us here.”
“We dance now!”
George helped Fo up onto the platform, then the three hybrids danced together. The song switched from Britney Spears to Metallica and George swung his black hair around while Fi and Fo jumped up and down to the music.
“Jesus Christ,” Tim muttered. “What do we do now?”
“I’m thinking,” Tyler said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
A soft thumping, separate from the music, drew Tim’s attention, and he looked back at the glass door. The female hybrid was beckoning with her fingers, then pointed to her right. Tim gave her a shrug and mouthed, I don’t understand you.
She bit her own finger then held it up, a thick pool of rust-colored blood dripping. She drew an arrow on the glass with her blood, pointing to the left. Beneath it, she wrote in big, slanted letters, ‘HAND PRESS’.
“Tyler.” He leaned in. “Look.”
Tyler glanced over, then quickly looked away. “Go distract George and the twins.”
“How?”
“However. Dance with them or something. Do it now. I’m gonna try and let the other ones out.”
“You trust those other hybrids?”
“I don’t trust any hybrids, but in this case, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If they had George locked up, I’m guessing it was for a good reason. Something other than his beautiful face. Go.”
Tim approached the platform and watched the hybrids dance. So engrossed in their thrashing about, it took them a moment to notice Tim, but eventually Fi called out, “Forest ranger! Come dance!”
“I’m not a very good dancer.”
“Is okay,” Fi said. “I show you! I am good dancer.”
“Okay. If you’re sure you can teach me.”
“I do teach. I can—”
“STOP!” George shouted, and leapt off the platform.
Tim spun around to see Tyler standing beside the glass door, pressing his palm to the wall. The glass became liquid and splashed to the floor, and the two robed hybrids stepped out. The female tried to block George from passing, but he shoved her aside and went straight for Tyler, grabbing his collar and throwing him.
“No!” Tim watched, helpless as Tyler was thrown ten feet into the air, tumbling end over end before crashing into the opposite wall. His body dropped into a motionless heap.
Tim ran to Tyler, barely aware of the hybrid chattering and shouting behind him. When he knelt down he choked down a sob. “Oh, Jesus.”
Blood seeped from the back of Tyler’s head where he hit the wall. Tim touched the wound and his hand came away saturated, fingers red. He felt around on his neck. Still a pulse. “Help me!” he shouted, looking behind him, surprised to see George already standing there. “I need to get him to a hospital. Help me!”
George shifted from foot to foot, looking nervous. “I break him?”
“Yes you fucking broke him, now help me! Get us out of here so I can help him! He’s bleeding bad. Oh, Jesus. Tyler.”
The twins ran away and cowered near the chairs, clinging to each other, but the two adult hybrids hurried over. The male stood over Tyler, looking down at him.
“He needs a hospital,” Tim said. “Please. Please, I’m begging you. You speak English?”
George whimpered, shifting on his feet, a rocking motion. Chewing his finger, he began to weep. “I break him. I did not mean to.”
A rage like Tim had never known welled up, and he launched at George. “You didn’t mean to? You didn’t mean to?” George seemed so stunned he didn’t react when Tim’s hands gripped his thin neck, knocking him onto his back. “You motherfucker!” Tim screamed, squeezing the hybrid’s neck and smacking his head on the floor.
“No!” The female hybrid tore Tim off of George with incredible strength, then held onto him. “Please. Please,” she said. “Do not hurt. He is a child. Is only eight years old.”
Tim looked down at George, who sat up and rubbed his neck, weeping. “I did not mean to break him!”
“Be silent your weeping!” the female hybrid snapped. “You are fortunate I do not throw you out door and into cold stars after what you do tonight!”
Tim tugged on her robe. “You speak English. Can you help my friend? Please. Please. I need to get him to a hospital.”
She walked over and looked down at Tyler with the older male hybrid. Tim knelt down and cradled Tyler’s head.
“Earth languages,” the male hybrid said. “Only way to communicate with George. He refuse to use his native tongue. He is obsessed with your kind.”
“That’s interesting, but my friend is bleeding. Please. Take us to a hospital.”
The woman waved Tim away, then knelt behind Tyler and lifted his head. “Oh. Bad. Bad injury. Cannot let you move him like this.”
“Then what?” Tim asked. “Can you help him?”
She made a hissing sound. “Can help but do not like doing this thing. Brain is injured. Do not want to get too deep into human brain. Delicate.”
“Can you help him or not?”
“I can unbleed and heal wound but he will feel not good still. I can heal wound and neck but powerful concussion I do not fix. He will be sick for some bit of time maybe.”
“Then do it for fuck sakes! Help him! He’s still bleeding!”
“Is okay,” the male hybrid said, his voice deep and melodious. “She can fix. Unbleed.”
“Are you sure?”
The hybrid knelt down and patted Tim’s arm. “She fix.”
“Always fixing things for George,” she muttered as she closed her eyes and kneaded Tyler’s scalp. “Cleaning messes.”
Tyler gasped, and Tim’s heart lifted. He darted forward. “Is he—”
“Space!” the female shouted. “Give me space.”
“Sorry.” Tim eased back, watching as she dragged her fingers over Tyler’s forehead.
“Please fix,” George whimpered from behind them. “I do not mean to break.”
“Silence!” the male hybrid shouted at George. “You’ve do enough hurt I no to hear your voice!”
George ran off, sobbing. He disappeared through a door that appeared when he approached the back wall. The twins got up and followed.
Tim grew more panicked as the hybrid worked on Tyler, because it didn’t look like she was doing much beyond massaging his scalp and neck, and aside from that one gasp, Tyler was still again, eyes closed.
The female hybrid frowned and uttered what sounded like curses in her own language. A huge puddle of blood spread across the floor beside Tyler’s head, and Tim stared at it hard, willing it not to get any larger.
He stared at Tyler’s sweet, beautiful face, and thought he saw the color begin to return to his pale cheeks, but wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, because he wanted it to be so.
Tyler gasped again.
“Okay. He fix,” the hybrid announced suddenly, shifting Tyler’s body away from the blood-puddle and gently cradling him against her chest. “Okay, there he is. I was worry for minute.”
“Oh, thank God,” Tim said when he saw Tyler’s eyes flutter open. He scooted over and grabbed his hand. “Tyler, baby. You all right?”
Tyler winced, then looked behind him at the hybrid that held him in her arms. “You will have headache,” she said. “Maybe feel sick for time.”
“Okay.” Tyler gave her an odd look then shuffled away and reached for Tim.
“Hey.” He immediately examined the back of Tyler’s head. “Let me see.”
“What happened?”
“You got thrown. How do you feel?”
“Like hammered shit.”
Tim pressed his fingers to the wound. Tyler winced, but the only blood visible was soaking Tyler’s hair. The wound was swollen but no longer bleeding.
“I’m okay,” Tyler said, but he looked sickly pale again.
“Can you two get us out of here?” Tim asked the hybrids. “We’re colleagues of Baz. From the base? You were docked at the base, right? You must know him.”
“We know,” the male hybrid said. “I will contact base. I will tell them everything.”
The female hybrid made a groaning sound. “Tell them everything?”
“We must!” he said, pointing to her. “We hide him, we are responsible.”
Her head bobbed. “I know.”
“I will contact base, then take craft up and take humans home.”
“Thank you,” Tim said, relief stealing through him. “God, thank you so much.”
The male hybrid left the strange nightclub room, disappearing through the door where George had gone.
Tyler turned to the side and vomited on the floor.
“Shit.” Tim leaned over and rubbed his back. “You okay, Ty?”
“I feel so sick. Like I got punched in the everything.”
The female hybrid went and got a cushion from one of the chairs, then brought it back and urged Tyler to lie down. “Rest. Head down.”
Tyler eased back and rested his head on the cushion.
“He will feel not good but will be okay.” She frowned, dipping her fingers in the wide pool of blood near the wall. “But maybe to take to medical for fluid. Lose blood. Hydration he needs.”
“I’ll do that. Thank you. What’s your name?”
“No names.”
“Okay. Well, I’m Tim, and this is Tyler.”
“I know who you are. George talk about. Talk, talk, talk about humans, George. All day to us after lock us in.”
The floor vibrated beneath them. “What is that?”
“He take us to surface. No to worry.” She scowled down at Tyler, then her big eyes glistened as she turned to Tim. “Apology for this. We will take you and the hybrid children home, but then we leave. Not come back. Will not be welcome at base.”
“So you really were hiding him? George? You kept him locked up?”
“Yes. Shield in here. His playroom.”
“He’s really only eight years old?”
“Yes.”
“He’s very...smart.”
“This I know.” She shook her head. “Too smart for so young.”
“Can I ask...why were you keeping George prisoner?”
“He is not our prisoner. He is our son.”
Tyler’s head lifted. “What? Oh shit, that hurts.”
“Keep head down,” the hybrid said. “Down!”
“I’m not arguing, believe me,” Tyler said, resting back on the cushion.
“George is your son?” Tim said. “How...how did he get control of the ship? And lock you up?”
“Because he is very clever. But he is very young and stupid too. He is good inside. He will be good with years to come, this I believe. But in the now he is...troubled.”
“You don’t say,” Tyler mumbled. “Troubled? Never could have guessed.”
“Is that why you wouldn’t let him leave the ship when you docked at the Whites’ base? The twins said it was because of his...face.”
“No. I am not ashamed of my child’s face.” The woman sat down cross-legged and arranged the robe around her knees. Hands clasped, she stared at the floor, rocking slightly. “We keep him on ship because we worry he try to leave us.” She shrugged a bony shoulder. “We were correct. He try to leave us.”
“Why?”
“His obsess with humans. We did not want to stop at this planet. But was necessary to stop. Long trip to our destination. We tried to hide from George where we be stopping on the way to our new home. We try to keep it from him that we must stop at Earth.”
“He already knew about Earth before he came here then. He wasn’t lying about that.”
“Has been too obsess with desire to see humans. For long time. But he is too clever. He find out anyway that we dock at Earth. And think, finally, am going to see the ones that share my blood. Maybe they will think my face is not so strange.”
“Oh, man,” Tyler groaned. “Don’t make me feel bad for the guy that almost just killed me. Please.”
“Is there anything you can do?” Tim winced. “For his face, I mean. You just healed Tyler before my eyes. You guys must have advanced medicine.”
“Is too deep.” She patted her face. “Is not only on surface. We have tried. Done surgeries already. Face? Was much worse in the before.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. Is no shame! He will learn to be as he is. He must. He will mature.” She nodded, as though trying to convince herself. “But he will grieve now for some time. This disappointment. And for those children. Those two stupid children.”
“Who? The twins?”
“Those twins. Give him stupid ideas. At first I think is no harm to let them play with George. They are hybrid children. They do not laugh at his face. They make him happy. What harm? But they fill his head. Stupid things. That he can be ambassador to humans. Be important position at base and get to see humans too.”
“Hey, Tim?” Tyler said.
“Yeah, you okay?”
“Yeah. But we better let Baz know his little teacher’s pets aren’t exactly loyal to him.”
Tim chuckled and rested his hand on Tyler’s thigh. “Yeah. Poor Baz. I think he’s gonna be upset.”
The hybrid shook her head. “Of course twin children prefer to have George as to supervise. He is child! Will not make them be responsible like Baz does. They think, no more work. Party all the time. Stupid children. Please tell your ambassador we are sorry. And that we will not return.”
“We’ll tell him,” Tim said. “But we’re sorry too. It sounds like you don’t have an easy journey ahead of you.”
“Being parent is never easy. But at least, maybe if we go away for long time? My son will forget. Stop these fantasies. Speak his native tongue again. Use his given name. Learn to be himself and be happy at new home. Where others are different too.”
“Where are you going?”
“To live at new place. With many different species. This is why we go. We think...hope, that George will not feel so different there. Because so many others will be different too.” She pointed to her temple. “He have brilliant mind. With age he will become kind inside. Will make new friends, build life. This will be focus. Not face.”
Motion caught Tim’s eye. The male hybrid had come back into the room and walked over to them. He leaned over Tyler and stared down at him.
“Hello,” Tyler said.
“You fix?”
“Yeah, I’m fixed. Mostly.”
The male glanced around, sneering at the blood, then the vomit.
“Sorry,” Tyler said. “I made a mess of your ship.”
“Is George playroom. He clean it up. Apology for delay. Whites demand we bring hybrid children to base first. But take you home soon in the now.”
“Whites not putting humans first?” Tyler said. “Shocker.”
“Are you to be okay?” the hybrid asked Tyler.
“I’ll make it,” he said. “Your wife gave me a cushion. I’m living the dream.”
The female hybrid smiled as she glanced over at Tyler. “I think your Tyler does not know I can hear his sarcasm. I think he does not know I live with George is like living with human.”
“Where is George now?” Tim asked.
“No to worry. Not to bother you anymore,” the male hybrid said. “Sad he is now. We drop off children. He is resting, sad to lose his friends. Sad to leave humans. Also, I just spoke to your ambassador.”
Tyler sat up. He winced and rubbed his temple. “You talked to Baz?”
“Yes. He and your people know you are safe and know of injury. We are to take you to...helicopter hangar. Take you down. Apology. This may take a small time, as we are at base now, and Whites need clear us to leave. They are angry but your ambassador is trying to make hurry things up. But you must stay here until we reach hangar.”
“Okay. Fair enough.”
“We will come for you when ready.”
The two hybrids left the playroom, and Tim moved closer to Tyler. “How cool is that? We’re inside the Whites’ base right now.”
Tyler groaned. “I feel too sick to appreciate it. My head is pounding.”
“I know. We’ll get you to a hospital as soon as they take us back.”
“Tim.” Tyler reached over and took his hand. “Do you know what it means that Baz ordered us taken to the helicopter hangar?”
Tim shook his head.
“It means Ogden’s gonna fly me out tonight. He probably wants me back at headquarters for treatment. And further briefing once I’m recovered. But he’ll likely consider this mission closed now.”
Tim swallowed hard. “So you’ll be leaving the village tonight.”
“I promise I’ll get in touch with you as soon as I can.”
Fighting the pit of sadness and panic inside, Tim stroked Tyler’s face. “You just get healthy. That was scary as fuck, Tyler. I need you to be okay.”
“They’ve got a great hospital at headquarters. I’ll be fine. And as soon as I feel better I’ll contact you. And thank you. For getting the hybrids to save me. I’d be really fucking pissed if I ended up dying on an alien ship of all things, after surviving crashing one years ago.”
Tim nodded. “I don’t suppose I could go with you. Just until you’re on your feet again. I’ll nurse you back to health with blowjobs and onion rings.”
Tyler smiled. “I so wish you could. But I doubt Ogden would allow it.”
“That’s what I thought you’d say.”
It was over an hour later when the hybrids finally returned to George’s ‘playroom’ and announced that they’d arrived at their destination.
Tim nearly threw up himself during the process of getting from the ship down to solid earth again. It was quick, a funnel of mist, an odd weightlessness, but his stomach didn’t like it one bit.
Then they were standing inside the hangar at the village copter center, and Tim spotted a familiar, striking black man. Ogden had come himself, a tall dignified figure in a dark suit, an air of authority around him. When he spotted them he approached, and a team of paramedics pushed ahead of him with a stretcher, then began fussing with Tyler, making him lie down, checking his vitals, examining his wound.
“You okay there, Fearless?” Ogden patted Tyler’s hand.
“I’ll be okay. I’ve had worse.”
Ogden’s brows rose. “Not in a long time. But don’t worry. I’ve got a special MRI machine with your name on it.”
“You get me the nicest things.”
Ogden grinned then turned his gaze on Tim. “Mr. Patterson. Baz said you’re not hurt?”
“No. I’m all right.” Just an emotional wreck thank you very much. “Long as Tyler’s okay, I’m good.”
For a long moment, Ogden stared at Tim in a strange way, like he wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. “You handled yourself well,” he said. “Get some rest. Nolan is waiting for you outside the hangar. He’ll take you home.”
“Thanks.” He was about to ask for a moment alone with Tyler, but Ogden signaled the paramedics and they were already carrying him off toward a waiting chopper. “Ty!”
Tim ran to catch up, and Tyler gave him a tired smile. “I’ll call you,” he said. “Promise.”
Ogden gave Tim a distinct ‘what are you still doing here after I dismissed you’ look, and said, “I’ve got to take my boy home now. But we’ll be in touch. Brett will keep you in the loop.”
Tim stared after them as they moved off. Myles’ words echoed in his mind. “The credits don’t roll when this mission is over. There’s always another one, the guys are always on call, and we don’t own them. Ogden does.”
“Hey, Ogden!”
Ogden looked over his shoulder.
“Take care of him,” Tim said.
It was a command, not a request, and Ogden seemed to get that. He gave Tim a salute, and it felt like a mockery. “I always have, Mr. Patterson.”
And with that, they were gone, loading Tyler into the waiting chopper.
Tim followed them outside and watched the chopper fly away, a huge lump in his throat. The shock of the evening hit him all of a sudden and he bent over, hands on his knees, taking deep breaths. Gone, just like that. Tyler was suddenly gone, and Tim felt like his guts had been ripped out.
“Patterson.”
Tim straightened and turned. “Hey Nolan.”
“Tyler’s okay?”
“Yeah. He will be.”
“Are you?” Nolan’s brown eyes were pinched with worry, his dark hair tied back in a ponytail, a few strands whipping in the wind. “You look like shit, Tim.”
“I need to...I should really...get home.”
“Whoa!” Nolan caught him as he started to stumble.
“Shit. Sorry. Getting...beamed down didn’t agree with me.”
“You’ve had a hell of a night from what Baz reported.”
“Yeah. Can we talk about it tomorrow?”
“Of course, now’s not the time for briefings. I’m taking you home.”
“Okay. Shit.” He patted his pockets. “I don’t even have my keys. I’m not sure if the house is even locked. George...he...”
“I’m not taking you to your house, Tim. You’re coming to mine. Let’s go.”
Nolan led him to his truck and they got in. Tim felt dazed, surreal, like he was in a dream. “Why am I going to your house?” he asked as Nolan drove them out of the lot.
“Because you’ve been through an ordeal and you need someone to look after you tonight.”
“Did Ogden say that? I’ll be okay, Nolan. You don’t have to.”
“Ogden didn’t say shit. I’m looking after you because you’re my friend.”
Tim nodded, and that lump rose in his throat again. “Thank you.”
“No worries.”
“He’ll come back. Right? Tyler?”
“Of course. He always does eventually. But I’m sure he’s got better reasons now.”
“Ogden called him ‘My boy’ just now. His boy. Like he was trying to tell me something. It was like he knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That I love him. That I love Tyler.”
Nolan was quiet as they turned onto the rural mountain road. “Did you tell Tyler you love him?”
“No. A maniacal mutated eight-year-old genius hybrid abducted us and threw Tyler against a wall. So I didn’t get the chance.”
“Yeah. Shit like that happens sometimes.”
Tim chuckled, but he felt hollow.
“You’ll get your chance. To tell him you love him.”
Tim nodded. “Yeah. I’ll get my chance.”
He wanted to believe it, but he felt less than confident. Maybe it was the stress, but his mind kept conjuring images of Tyler walking into some top-secret bunker, big iron doors slamming closed behind him, swallowing him up. Never to be seen again. What if when he recovered Ogden sent him away, somewhere else? What if he forbade Tyler from seeing Tim again? What if once Tyler got home, back to that place he’d come from, that place that understood him and his life, he decided he didn’t need Tim? That Tim no longer took up all that space inside him. That the empty spaces had been replaced with other things.
When they arrived at the house, Elliot came out to meet them. “Had a rough night, huh?”
“Yeah,” Tim said softly. “Rough night.”
“We’ll get you fixed up,” Elliot said. “A hot bath and a martini. You’ll be right as rain.”
Elliot and Nolan both wrapped an arm around him from either side and led him into the house. At the top of the stairs, Christian grabbed Tim and pulled him into a hug. “You’re okay. God, I was freaking out.”
“I’m okay.”
“Good. I have to call Myles and JT. They’ve been freaking out too.” Christian looked him over. “You’ve got...blood all over you.”
Tim began laughing, and everyone looked at him strangely. “Sorry. Just thinking of a conversation I had with Tyler. About how I’d never been covered in someone else’s blood. Now I’m covered in his.”
He laughed until it the laughter threatened to turn to sobs, then Nolan grabbed him with strong, gentle arms and led him toward a bathroom. “Let’s get you out of those clothes. Elliot? Find something of mine for him to wear, some jammies or something.”
“I’m on it,” Elliot said. “Jammies and martini coming up.”
As Nolan ran him a bath and Elliot mixed him a martini, Tim felt a little less raw. A little less empty inside. Because it turned out these assholes, as he’d always called them, weren’t such assholes after all.
They were friends. The best kind.