Page 8 of The Death Striker's Partner
I reached Hannah and Billie, my lower half sopping wet from wading through the rivertwice,and I put my hands on my damp hips with a sigh. Billie had her eyes shut again and Hannah was looking to me like a lost kitten with big brown eyes. I knew she wasn’t going to like my lack of news, but I was determined not to let them down too much.
“Well, I have good news and bad news. Which would you like first?”
Chapter 8
“The good news?”
Hannah.
I deadpan Charlie, of course. Despite his good-guy smile and his cheery front, I can tell things didn’t go according to plan when he caught up with the guy in charge. Billie is holding my right hand in her left one and tapping her thumb and middle finger on the other hand together. Her eyes are shut but she’s calm. I’m taking it as a win, considering the live grenade that just landed on our laps. A massive snake alien was going to play nanny to my sister? I don’t think so. I’m her keeper, no one else.
“The good news?”
“We are all travelling together to Orna, and you and Billie will be collected on the other side to hear all about how they are catering to her needs.”
“…and the bad?” I brace myself and Charlie frowns.
“It’s pretty clear that the Ambassador doesn’t know what Aspergers is, and it didn’t even translate into their language. He was insistent that she would be having a sponsor. Non-negotiable.But?”He tried to stop me from losing it. “Alaric said thathehad been expecting Billie. That he hand chose her and would make sure her needs were catered to. He even said he was going to fill in the Ambassador on the way to wherever they were going.”
“Alaric Fitz petitioned me three times in total before I would agree to join the mission.” Billie spoke up, taking myattention. She kept her eyes shut behind her glasses, but she was communicating. That was good. “He said he needed me to be part of the team that created an infrastructure of secure communications and information sharing on Au-471.”
“Like phones and the internet?” Charlie offered and I shrugged. He might be right, but I never really understood a lot of what Billie did. “Super cool.”
“Thank you.” Billie turned to look up at Charlie, and he instantly lowered to sit beside her. “You are wet.” He blinked and I could tell he had whiplash trying to keep up with the sudden topic change. For my sister, it was the same topic. “Thank you for being uncomfortable for me.” I squeezed her hand to let her know I’m proud of her. “Are you and my sister friends now?”
“I hope we’re becoming friends.” Charlie smiled. “You too kid.”
“I am not a kid. I am human. Kids are baby goats.” Billie turned away from him, seemingly dismissive, but I knew better. “I don’t want more than one pet name, and only you get to call me Bumblebee. My name is Billie.” I smiled and lifted my dark brown eyes to look over her head at Charlie. The poor guy looked forlorn. Worried that he’d upset her. But I knew better. If Billie didn’t like him she wouldn’t engage with him at all. Or talk about him.
“I’m sure Charlie will make sure to avoid pet names from now on. Since you’re friends now.” I wink at Charlie and he nods eagerly.
“Got it. No pet names. So, erm, we need to get to transport bay 2…so…?” He deferred to me and I got the message. We need to get going.
“Billie. Remember that shower you want to get?” She looks at me and I smile warmly at her. “Well, we’re getting closerto getting you to our new home. You get first dibs on the shower and which bedroom you want.”
“That is what we agreed.” She nodded, tousling her short brown bob. “It seems quieter now.” She cranes her head to look towards the path leading to the transporter bays. I eagerly lifted her up by our joined hands and Charlie was our self-designated bodyguard. I was happy to let him get on with it as I walked Billie down the stairs and towards a row of solar-powered jeeps. I was pleased when Charlie was able to secure the one at the back of the line for us to take.
“I can come with you guys, right?” Charlie asked, and I found myself wishing he wasn’t gay once again. He was such a nice guy. I never meet nice protective guys like him that are straight or not already taken. He even seems to care about Billie being comfortable. What a keeper? He is definitely on an upward trajectory towards the exclusive and long since abandoned best friend VIP room. Currently on a probationary basis, of course. I’m not that much of an optimist that I’m not giving myself an emotional back door if I need to use it.
“Yes.” Billie stood beside me as Charlie held the door open to the back seat area and she looked inside first. Charlie lingered beside me as we waited for her verdict. Thankfully the vehicle was bare of blinking lights or fancy buttons. It was just plain black fake leather and dark silver metal. She indicated to me she was ready with a squeeze of my hand, and we climbed into the back of the jeep.
“Which side shall I sit on?” Charlie asked. Billie had already moved to sit by the door on the right, so I patted the seat on my other side for him.
“Nice and quiet.” I prompt him and wish I was as relaxed as I pretended I was. Billie tended to be more anxious if I was so I had trained myself to internalise when I was worried about something. I was outwardly smiling and relaxed in thecentral seat, but on the inside, my stomach was swarming with butterflies.
Aliens.
Tall serpent people with humanoid upper bodies and the lower half of a snake. They had slit-like nostrils but no nose. No hair. Their mouths were wider and their eyes demonic. Surely they would have chosen a friendly Ucfeni to be the ambassador to our race. That made me wonder if there were far bigger and scarier snake people out there. I told myself off. That was very judgemental. Rerasha seemed really friendly with Alaric. Maybe all the Ucfeni are that nice?
I sincerely hoped so, because at the very least one of them is going to be playing babysitter to me and Billie.
Chapter 9
Not what we signed up for
Hannah
“Ask me again, and I’ll put my foot up your ass.” I cannot believe how poorly trained and informed these idiots are. I can adapt to the unexpected and support Billie to do the same, but these Allico dunderheads are seriously taking the biscuit. The drive over here, after we finally settled Billie into the oversized jeep, was a bumpy ride from hell. In the humid heat of the jungle. With animals cawing in the trees above and the other Allico colonists laughing and ooing so loudly, I wanted to take my shoes off and start aiming. If I had more than two to hurl, I’d have given it a good go. Instead I ended up singing you are my sunshine and holding Billie’s hand as she clenched her eyes shut and waited for the juddering noisy journey to be over.
