I look up from his chest and meet his gaze. His eyes study me with an intensity that sends tingles down my spine. I can’t tell what he’s thinking. His only response is a slight tilt of his head as if he’s mulling over my suggestion.
Shrugging, I continue, “If we do call them, we should do it soon. I have no idea if they close early in a small town like this.”
“It doesn’t sound like there’s a downside to calling them to see what they have in stock,” Ravok agrees.
I grin in triumph. It feels good to have a plan – even a partial one. “Okay, let’s give them a call. Do you need anything else, like tools or supplies to fix your ship? I can ask them while I have them on the phone.”
Ravok turns his eyes to the ceiling, trying to think of anything he needs, but he shakes his head.
My coffee is left forgotten on the counter as I return to my laptop and look up the number for the local hardware store.
When I pick up my phone I have a text message waiting for me. “Your car is ready to be picked up. The garage will be open until six tonight. This is Svarog, the mechanic.”
I type a quick thank you and let him know that I should be able to pick up the car later today. Then, I quickly dial the number for the hardware store and put it on speaker so Ravok can listen in.
“Harbor Home Tools. This is Anton. How can I help you?” a voice asks.
“Oh, um, hi. I’m looking for large-capacity batteries. I prefer sodium-ion if you’ve got them, but I’m pretty flexible. Do you have anything like that in stock?” I give Ravok a hopeful look as I talk.
“Actually… you might be in luck. Koko ordered a bunch of batteries last month but ended up not needing them. They’re collecting dust on my shelf. Do you know how much voltage you need?”
I tell the man the basic specs we’re looking for and then hold my breath.
“I think I might have what you need. Let me double-check my computer and see if these batteries fit your needs.” The linegoes quiet for a moment and all I can hear is the soft clicking of a computer keyboard over the line. A moment later, Anton hums into my ear. “Hmm. I think it might be your lucky day. If you’d like to come take a look at them, I’ll make sure to hold them for you. Not that I’m worried about anyone coming in to grab eight 210 amp-hour rechargeable batteries. These are usually used in solar applications, just to warn you.”
“Oh, that sounds like they might work for what I need. I need to come into town to get my car from the mechanics anyway. So I can stop by after I do that. I’d like to come look at them before I commit to buying, if that’s okay.”
“Of course. The store is open for two more hours. However, I should warn you that parking might be a pain. Today is the seafood festival and it’s a big draw.”
I’d forgotten entirely about the food festival that Koko had invited me to.
“Thank you so much for your help. I’ll be coming by soon.”
I hang up the call and give Ravok a happy grin. I don’t want to get my hopes up too high. What are the odds that the local hardware store in this tiny town happens to have what we need in stock?
Ravok’s smile is wide and his eyes almost seem to brighten with hope. As I look at him, a worry pops into my head.
“Ravok,” I venture, trying to find the right words, “I think you need to look at these batteries before I buy them. So, you should come into town with me. But that means we’ll need to disguise you somehow.” His white eyes glance down at his metallic-looking skin, intense luminescence piercing through the semi-darkness of the cabin. There’s nothing human about him.
“That store owner, Anton, mentioned the seafood festival,” I continue, striding over to sit on the edge of the sofa, chewing on a nail in thought.
“I mean, with the town swarming with tourists and locals, we might blend in easier. Plus, people will be busy eating and drinking,” I explain, watching his reaction. The thought of him even setting foot in town is a wild idea.
I take a deep breath and then exhale, tugging at the hem of my shirt nervously. My mind whirs with ideas on how to hide an enormous alien in plain sight.
“But….” I hesitate, unable to meet his piercing gaze, and then continue, “Your skin… it’s not exactly subtle. We’d need to disguise it or cover it up… somehow.”
CHAPTER 43
Ravok
Leelee’s plan to cover up my ‘alienness’ is to have me wear the same clothes she’s already provided me, but I’ll keep the hood on the shirt flipped up, covering my head. She also hands me eyewear with dark lenses to hide my eyes.
I look over the items with concern. I don’t believe this is enough to create an adequate disguise.
Leelee must automatically come to the same conclusion because she grabs her first aid kit and starts searching its contents while mumbling.
With a triumphant look, she pulls out a medical face cover and a thin pair of gloves. “I think these should be enough, as long as you keep your hoodie up and don’t get too close to anyone.”
