“Oh my God. Every time he went away for work, that’s what he was doing? He wasn’t overseas with limited internet, he was…” I point upward.
“Yes. It seems he meets with another ship to make the transfer.” Thistle pulls a small device, no bigger than my phone, out of his pocket. I want to watch what he does. but I’m driving. I should be enjoying driving the car, but I’m not because I’m too busy thinking about Doug and aliens and all the women he’s taken. Being eaten seems like the better option.
At least it’s over fast.
I turn the corner and slow. “Valet parking okay?”
“No, park on the alley behind and I will deal with the car.”
I didn’t even know there was an alley behind the building. I turn into it and stop the car. “Now what? We can’t block the entrance.”
“We won’t.” He tosses the laptop onto the back seat.
“Don’t you need that?”
“No, everything is now on my device.” He puts the alien smart phone in his pocket along with the glass like thing and gets out.
I do the same and lock the car.
“If you bend the light, or whatever, someone will crash into it.”
Thistle sighs and places what looks like a black sticker on the roof. His fingers dance over it. “Step back.”
I do, because I have no idea what is about to happen.
The car lifts off the ground and attaches itself to the underside of a fire escape, then vanishes. The fire escape groans.
“We have thirty minutes before the metal and brick fails.”
“Then we’d best hurry.” I take one step forward.
Thistle grabs my arm. “You do not walk in front of me.”
With those few words he has become Doug. I nod my head. He eases his grip but keeps hold of me as though I am a possession. “I may look like Doug, but if his friends are aliens, I will not smell like Doug.”
“What are you saying?”
“There might be a fight.”
CHAPTER4
THISTLE
We are hopingto avoid fighting, as it will expose more humans to what we are. But just because we are cautious, doesn’t mean the others will be. Shadow is trailing Doug. And Doug is aware. We do not like being so spread out. A headache is blossoming at the base of our skulls.
The restaurant is warm and filled with the scent of food and alcohol, sweat and perfume. And also the stench of an Ursh. I scan the room, not sure which human it is masquerading as, because there is no way it’s here in its own skin.
Cadence speaks to the human at the door. “Do we have our usual table?”
“Yes. Right this way.” As the woman leads us deeper into the restaurant, I stumble.
The glancing blow caught us by surprise. Doug is no longer running. He is attacking Shadow.
“Are you okay?” Cadence gives me a look.
“Yes. We will be fine.” We hope.
* * *
