Page 31 of Eclipse Bound
The moment of levity faded as reality began creeping back in. Rowan glanced at her phone on the bedside table, checking the time.
"Shit. It's almost nine. I should have been at work an hour ago." She sat up, running her hands through her tangled hair. "And we still need to warn Solar and Lunar about Milano."
At the mention of Milano, Eclipse's form shifted, condensing slightly as if preparing for a defensive posture. "Yes. The corporation's interest in our arrival presents significant complications."
Rowan swung her legs over the edge of the bed, reluctantly leaving the warmth of Eclipse's nearness. "Understatement of the century. Milano doesn't just take an interest in things. They acquire them, study them, and usually weaponize whatever they learn. You need to be careful."
He nodded. “I will listen to your advice.”
She stood and headed for the bathroom, talking over her shoulder. "I need to shower. Then we should head to the retreat. I'll call in and say I'm running late."
In the shower, the hot water cascading over her skin felt oddly flat compared to Eclipse's energy touch. Rowan tried to focus on the practical concerns ahead, but her mind kept circling back to the night before. She'd experienced something profound, something that had changed her. But they were also facing a very real threat.
Milano wouldn't stop with just observation. If they'd identified Eclipse and his companions as extraterrestrials, they would be marshaling resources for capture right now. James Petersen's appearance at dinner wasn't a coincidence. It was reconnaissance.
By the time Rowan emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel, Eclipse had resumed his humanoid form, the skin-suit reapplied though visibly deteriorating around his eyes and hands.
"Your suit is failing," she said more to herself as she headed to her closet.
"As I said before, the polymer matrix breaks down in Earth's atmosphere," Eclipse confirmed. "It was designed for short-term use only."
"Well, we'll need to figure something out." Rowan pulled clothes from her closet, deciding to wear practical jeans and a lightweight long-sleeve shirt. "If Milano's tracking you, we need to make you look as human as possible."
As she dressed, Rowan's journalist instincts kicked into high gear, analyzing the situation from multiple angles.
"We need to know exactly what Milano knows and what they're looking for," she said, tugging on her boots. "And I need to understand what kind of danger you're in if they find you."
Eclipse moved to the window, carefully peering through the blinds at the street outside. "The danger extends to you as well, Rowan. Your association with us places you within their acquisition parameters."
A chill ran down Rowan's spine despite her attempt to stay practical. "Yeah, well, they were already on my shit list before you guys arrived."
She finished dressing and checked her phone again. Three missed calls from the retreat. She quickly dialed back.
"Duskrock Yoga and Spa, this is Darren," answered the retreat manager.
"Darren, it's Rowan. Sorry, I'm running late. Had a situation come up with those special guests in the Desert Suite. I'm heading in now."
"Actually," Darren sounded relieved, "I was calling to tell you that your schedule lightened. We've had a group cancellation due to the incident. Some corporate retreat from Phoenix. Apparently, their legal department advised against bringing executives to a location with unidentified aerial phenomena." He laughed nervously. "So we're pretty quiet. The VIPs in the Desert Suite still need attention, though. Stephanie said you booked it and they’re to be left alone?"
“Yeah, I got them handled. Wannabe celebs needing complete privacy. You know those influencer types. Want to feel special, but they paid top dollar,” Rowan lied. Her internal alarm bells went off. "What corporate retreat canceled?"
"Um, let me check... Milano Enterprises. They were booked under the name M.E. Tech. Ring any bells? They're pretty big in biotech, I think."
Rowan's blood ran cold. "Yeah, I've heard of them.”
“Oh, hey, isn’t that the company whose founder disappeared off the map a few years back? Yeah, yeah, he’s that crazy billionaire who tried to build a rocket. There were those rumors that he was abducted by aliens, but others think he’s living in a compound in South America or something.”
“Oh, yeah, I remember seeing something about that on TV,” Rowan dismissed. “Listen, Darren, I'll head straight to the Desert Suite and make sure our special guests are taken care of. I’ll have my cell today if anything comes up. Thanks for letting me know."
She hung up, turning to Eclipse with wide eyes. "My manager said Milano had a corporate retreat booked. They canceled this morning."
Eclipse's expression remained calm, but his energy field visibly contracted. "Your manager has inadvertently provided valuable intelligence."
* * *
Eclipse retrieved his Earth clothing.
“If they needed the retreat as a cover for surveillance operations, why cancel?” Rowan wondered, before answering for herself, “Because they saw us together last night and recognized me. They know I have full access to the retreat, including the security cameras. I could have kept an eye on them.”
