Page 11 of Her Alien Hero
"Why are we running? Your brother transported or whatever the hell you call it."
"Because if we were to upload you right now, they'd recognize your DNA."
"What…" My head swam with darkness coalescing inside. Nothing he said made sense. Hell, nothing that happenedrecently made sense. "I…I need to rest. Please," I gasped, unable to move my feet fast enough.
"Just a little bit farther." He gave my palm a squeeze but didn't reduce his pace.
"Can't." My legs buckled and I stumbled. Darkness fell like a blanket of stars and night.
Chapter 3
"Ugh," I groaned, opening my eyes. Voren and Brax stood over me as I lay on a bed. I moved to sit, but Brax laid a hand on me.
"No, just lie still." He gestured towards Voren. "He's running a sweep, which will cloak and hide you from your people."
“What?” My heart pounded like a jackhammer.Hide me from my people? No. Iwantthem to find me."Please. Just take me home."
Voren twisted toward me and frowned, then looked at his brother, who shook his head. Were they telepathic, or so attuned to one another they could read each other’s emotions?
Brax's big hand rested upon my clavicle. His fingers stroked my skin. "What is it?"
Voren sighed. "They must've finally figured out the algorithm. We don't have much time."
"Then work faster. It isimperativewe get this right."
With a deeper scowl, Voren turned and began tapping on the wall. Strang symbols and images flashed as he worked, their progression faster and faster as they slid across the screen.
In the mix of thrumming background noise, a steady blip beat in time with my heart. My attention wandered to the other folks lying on the tables next to me. Their eyes remained closed, and there were no IVs or monitors hooked to their bodies, but they breathed evenly. These were the people I’d seen when I first arrived.
Are they my fate? To be unconscious and subject to experiments?No. I would not be their victim. I needed to fight, to escape.
Static filled the room then faded to silence.
"This is General Teggart of the United States Space Command. Surrender immediately and prepare to be boarded. Our electromagnetic pulsars and lasers are pointed directly at your life support. Surrender now and live or fight us and die. You have one minute."
Brax and Voren began conversing in their language. Another alien, the female I'd seen earlier, burst into inside, her eyes wide and mouth set in a hard line.
Voren directed a few words to her, then made a chopping motion with his hand. He seemed angrier than usual. His stare focused on me.
Jesus. Is he talking about killing me?
Brax removed his hand from my shoulder and growled something to the woman. With another grunt, he stalked past her and left.
Her tone, higher and less gruff than her male counterparts, rose as she responded to Voren. Neither seemed interested in me.
This might be my only chance for rescue. But how?The United States military was about to board this ship. I wouldsurvive long enough for someone to find me, which meant locating a place to hide—and fast.
The door began sliding open once more and I stopped thinking and lunged. A few seconds was all I had before getting caught. Ihadto make them count. With a desperate sprint, I pumped my legs faster.Come on, come on, come on. Just make it through the threshold.
Only three feet or so separated me from the ever-widening opening, then Voren's scowling face appeared.
His amber eyes widened as I dove downward, pushing myself low to slide between his legs. As I flew under, something brushed against the back of my scalp.
Please don't catch me, I thought, pushing myself upward and tearing off down the corridor, my blood pounding wildly, my thoughts a jumbled mess.
Air flew past and my hair whipped back and forth. The slim jumpsuit reduced air friction. I flew like a bird.Thank you, crazy alien brothers.Had I been wearing my old, ratty pajamas, I'd had to worry about the ragged hems tripping my bare feet.
Doors graced either side of the corridor, but I kept pushing myself forward. The way my luck was going, they probably led to living quarters.That's if they would even open for me.I needed a place to hide, or even better—an escape pod.
