SIX
VIDAR
I wassurprised she trusted me to carry her after everything. I hadn’t meant to kill that man, even if I considered him vile for trying to harm her. Death wasn’t the solution. My planet hadn’t had a murder since the Artificial Intelligence wars and I loathed myself for playing a part in the man’s death. What would the imperium think of my reports? Or the Alliance? None of this had been a part of the plan.
I’d planned to scare him or stun him, but death? I’d never considered taking a life, especially not the life of a civilian or a scientist.
I clutched Minerva to my chest and ran like I was in the Polluxian wilderness again. The air on her planet was thick with water, and nearly too difficult for me to breathe but I maintained a steady pace and it was only fifteen minutes before we arrived outside the Georgetown home where her friend John Billings lived.
There was one light on downstairs in his dwelling. I set Minerva on the ground and she snaked her hand through mine.
“You’re sure that we can trust Dr. Billings?”
“We’ve had our awkward moments but John cares for me. I know he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.”
“We shouldn’t stay here very long. We need to get to Vermont.”
“We will.”
“You go knock on the door.”
Using my implant and my instincts, I scanned the street for any soldiers or weapons. While their primitive bullets bounced off my skin, Minerva didn’t have that blessing and I hated the thought of her being so vulnerable.
She approached John’s front door and planted three tepid knocks. I heard shuffling about the floorboards and John murmuring to himself. He opened the door and dropped his dinner on the ground.
“Minerva,” he breathed, “You’re alive.”
“Johnny, I need your help. I have the alien.”
“What do you mean you have the alien?”
“Please, don’t call anyone. I’m safe. He’s safe. If you let us in, I’ll explain everything.”
“I was interviewed for three hours by special forces today about the escape,” John huffed.
Perhaps he wouldn’t help us the way Minerva said he would, I thought.
“It wasn’t an escape.”
“You set him loose then?”
“Johnny, please. Trust me. Let me in…”
“Alright then. Where is he? Come in. But I’m warning you, this house is armed.”
His threat didn’t sound convincing to me. But it made him feel better so I did not contradict the little man by telling him that I could crunch his bones in my left hand.
I stepped behind Minerva, keeping my head bowed low. John gasped when he saw me. I could see his heart rate going up, evenif he attempted to keep his cool so as not to make me aware of his terror. He had no idea about the implant and I appreciated that Minerva could keep my secret safe for me.
John ushered us inside, fidgeting nervously with his thumbs.
“You could get me into deep shit, Minerva.”
“I know John, I’m sorry. I didn’t know who else to trust. I didn’t want to make it worse.”
“Make it worse?” John hissed, “There’s a manhunt all over Maryland and Washington for you. They’re saying you leaked government secrets and that you’re some kind of crazy murderer.”
“That’s not true.”
