Page 13 of Her Alien Matchmaker
“Yep.They have the radioactive isotope for potassium-40.But it’s okay.You’d have to eat alotof bananas before you started glowing in the dark.”He chuckled and hugged his crocodile to his chest.
Jet glanced at me.“How old is he again?”
“Six.”Pride and smugness oozed through my tone.
Jet’s eyebrows climbed his forehead.“His intellect is wasted here.”
The dry arroyo appeared as a small rise in the flat landscape.The bed only filled with water during the short rainy season of the desert.At least I didn’t have to worry about flooding any time soon.
As the vehicle entered the shady canyon, Jet held a palm toward the windshield.“Stop.Otherwise, you will collide with my ship.”
I braked, then turned off the ignition and narrowed my stare at the empty space in front of us.“There’s nothing here.”
“It is stealthed, hence the magnetite.No one can enter it while it is hidden as a security measure.Only my lifecord can deactivate the shielding, and its power supply, separate from the power needed to teleport, dwindled while you—” He threw a quick look at Aaron, then cleared his throat.“—while you and your teamworkedon me.”Jet turned his attention to the bracelet and fished the speaker out of the bag.He began tearing through wires until he found a circuit board.“A couple more to load, then we should be ready.”
“Jet, are you really a friend or did my mom save you?She’s a doctor and she heals a lot of people, but she never wants to talk about her job very much.”
Heat flared in my cheeks, and shame flooded my heart.He thinks so highly of me.What happens when he learns the truth?
Catching the door handle, I threw it open and jumped out, eager to distract Aaron and Jet from the current conversation.“Come on,” I said, opening his door and releasing him from the booster seat.
He clambered out, then turned and grabbed his backpack and stuffed animal.
Chop-chop-chop-chop.
The staccato sound came from above.Nothing showed in the blue sky, but Iknewwhat it meant.
Jetarin must’ve heard it, too, because his door opened and he threw himself out, still holding the lifecord and speaker with its dangling wires.“Get away from the car!”
I didn’t stop to ask questions.I scooped Aaron into my arms and ran toward the wall of the arroyo.Jet sprinted in the same direction.
Boom!
Heat assaulted my back and an invisible wave pushed against me, pinning my son and me to the wall.My ears rang from the concussive blast.
Jetarin didn’t seem to be affected by the explosion, but he wrapped his arms around Aaron and me.“Are you okay?”
I glanced down at Aaron, whose wide eyes told me he was okay but scared, and I gave a hesitant nod.“I think so.What was that?”
He guided me to turn around.
Orange and yellow flames licked the shell of what was once my car.Burning oil and wires saturated the air.
“They almost killed us, almost killed myson.”The shock coursing through my body turned into white-hot fury.“He’s a child.My god.”Fear laced the fury, and I clutched him tighter.“Jet, get us out of here.Please.”
‘Dr.Lambodino,’said a male voice from above, through a megaphone or speaker.‘You are cooperating with the enemy, which equates to treason.If you give him up right now, we will spare you the death penalty and we’ll ensure your son is placed in foster care.If you agree, walk to the entrance and wave.If not, you will die, including your son.’
“Fuck that,” I whispered.
“Stay still.I am sure they have already scanned the area, but it does not hurt to stay hidden for as long as possible.”Jet bent his head, furiously sliding his fingers across his lifecord and disassembling the speaker parts in between.
‘Okay.We’re not playing games.See those parachutes gliding in?’
I glanced upward at the mention of parachutes.Five paratroopers rushed downward, passing the lip of the canyon and spreading out, ten seconds from landing.
‘They’re being led by the first super soldieryouhelped create.He’s neurally connected thanks to your research.You have ten seconds to surrender.’
Jet ground his teeth.“I have accessed the communication section and sent a distress call to my commander.I need more time to unlock the ship, though.”
