Page 14 of Her Alien Hero
A blinding light pierced the area between us, and I squeezed my eyelids shut.
"Do not move!" screamed another voice, one that didn’t have an accent.Human. That’s one of my people.
I risked a glance and nearly collapsed with relief.
Men and women—around ten or so—in military fatigues and heavy weaponry, pointed their guns at the aliens.
Brax and Voren stilled, casting unreadable glances at one another.
"Oh thank god," I said, stepping toward the group.
"Step back," yelled a young man, swinging his gun in my direction. "I won’t ask again."
I stopped and held up my hands. "Please. I’m human. They abducted me."
The older gentleman in the middle sported a flat top haircut. His hair seemed mostly blonde, but there were quite a few grays mixed in. "I want her cuffed." He glanced at the others who slept. "And I want these abominations extinguished."
Extinguished? Like killed?"No," I said, lifting my hand in a stopping motion. "We have to save them. Why would you—"
"Secure her."
"Yes, Major." A young woman strode towards me, her gun sights set on my chest.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" True panic began setting in. I looked toward Voren and Baraxen, who remained still but their eyes tracked the woman moving toward me. Both men’s jaws were clenched.
The woman tossed plastic handcuffs at my feet and nodded where they fell. "Put ‘em on."
"I don’t understand. Why amIbeing arrested?"
"If she doesn’t comply, shoot her." The major’s irises were cold and calculating. He meant what he said.
The entire squadron nodded in unison. "Yes, sir."
Quickly, I bent and grabbed the white cuffs, then straightened and shook my head. "I amnotone of them." I pointed my chin in Vor and Brax’s direction.
The aliens, even with guns pointed directly at them, still looked imposing with their height and sharp horns. If I hadn’t been terrified, I might’ve laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.
But I could no longer tell myself everything had just been a dream. Sweat lingered in the air, the tension palpable. An unshakeable doom weighed on my shoulders.This will not end well.
"Lieutenant Grice. Take care of them." The commander pointed to the sleeping people.
At least they’ll be saved.I could understand why he didn’t trust me. After all, he didn’t know what side I was on. But those people? They’d been the victims of abduction, just like me, and I felt a small bit of relief knowing they’d be saved.
Lieutenant Grice, a guy probably no older than twenty-eight or so, stepped out of the huddle of soldiers. "Which setting, Major Sewell?"
"Highest."
"Yessir." The younger officer straightened his shoulders, then tipped his head and flicked a lever or button on the side of his gun.
Odd. I’ve never seen anything like that before.But then again, I’d never seen military weapons this close, either.
He leveled the barrel of his rifle at the nearest woman.
"No." My heart stopped. "What are you—"
A thick, red line shot out of the gun and into the woman’s head.
I raised my bound hands to my mouth. My thoughts swam.No. Nononononono.I couldn’t look away. The red laser filled her body from within. Pink light glowed through her bare arms, every bone and vein visible under the skin. I took a step toward her, not knowing how I could help needing to do something.
