“I just want to make sure he hasn’t used any alien mind control techniques on you.”
“No. He hasn’t. He’s a good person.”
“He killed Dr. Trout.”
“He didn’t. John, there’s something I didn’t tell you yesterday.”
“What?”
“Dr. Trout was trying to hurt me when Vidar attacked him. He was… trying to attack me.”
“Dr. Trout?”
“I know how it sounds, but I was scared for my life.”
“That bastard…”
John never doubted my story for a second. His hands clenched into fists and he pushed his glasses up further on his aquiline nose.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“What am I going to do, John?”
“I’ll help you, Minerva. You tell me what you need.”
“If we leave your house, they’ll be on us.”
“It’s the US government. Nowhere we go in this country is safe.”
“We have to wait two days for Vidar. He’ll be able to help us and we can teleport out of the city.”
“Teleport?”
John’s eyes widened. For a moment, the excitement of the young science fiction nerd that had turned into a well-paid government scientist flashed across his face. I could see him turning the equations over in his mind, trying to work out how such a thing could be possible on this planet, or another.
“Yes. I’ve been through it.”
John scowled.
“I’m. So. Jealous.”
“Don’t be jealous. Maybe we’ll get a chance.”
“Fuck, Minnie. How did we end up here? All my life I dreamed of making a discovery like this. We do, finally, we have proof of life in the great beyond and it’s turned to total shit.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” John assured me.
“What time do you have work today?”
“My shift starts in the afternoon.”
“Well I’m stuck here all day.”
“I’ll stay with you,” John offered, flashing me a smile.
