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Chapter Thirty Eight
Tayla
“Fine. If you want me to cooperate, I would like to speak with my people first.”
My heart was racing, and I could feel sweat gathering in my palms as I tried to stay calm. I had to think of something, anything, to keep me away from that workroom.
“Why would we agree to that? We already have you here. They’ve already sent us your data and given their permission for your questioning.”
“I don’t mean I want to speak to the agents who made the deal. I want to speak with my lab technicians. They have more data that the government did not have access to. If you want me to be of any use to you, I need that data as well.”
It was not exactly a lie, and I hoped it would be good enough to pass the creepy alien’s lie detecting stare. However, he only sat back in his chair and considered me for a long moment.
Finally, he let out a noise that was somewhere between a choke and a chuckle and stood up.
“All right, female. We will make another deal, you and I. I will allow you to call your lab on my radios, and in exchange, you agree to be mine.”
“Yours?”
“Yes, mine. I haven’t taken a lover in many years, but I like you.”
I nodded, despite my disgust. This might be the only way I could make a call for help. As long as I made it out alive, it would all be okay. I was doing it for Alec. That was it. I was doing it for Alec, to honor his death, and press forward with the TerraOrb project in his name.
“Excellent,” the man hissed, flicking his tongue over his lips again. “Walk with me.”
I followed him to the door, careful to keep my distance from the guards and their grotesque leader. I kept my eyes averted, too nervous to meet the eyes of the women onboard. If I made it out of here, I swore I would send someone back for them. Every one of them deserved better than this.
We made our way upstairs and down several long hallways, into a room filled with radio equipment of all kinds. On either side, more tentacle chinned workers wore headsets and chattered in languages that sounded unlike anything I’d ever heard on Earth.
“Here. This is how we speak to your people,” he explained, picking the headset up and placing it gingerly over my head.
I felt the elongated fingers of his right hand trail slowly down my neck and linger on my shoulder, and I shuddered again. When he withdrew his touch, my skin burned, and I wanted to crawl under the bench and hide to somehow escape the feeling. Instead, I set my jaw and stared straight ahead, out the window and over the tops of the Patrol ships spread out in a wide arc.
“Th-this is Doctor Tayla Ingress. I am calling from Orb Five.”
I spoke slowly and carefully, buying myself time in whatever way I could. The other end of the radio was silent, and I waited impatiently before trying again.
“This is Doctor Tayla Ingress calling from Orb Five. Do you read me?”
This time there was a click and some static, but I kept my eyes locked on the window and my face as straight as possible.
“Doctor Ingress. We read you.”
Good. That was a start.
“Hello, sir. I need to be put through to my home base. I need to reach someone at my lab immediately.”
“Hang on a second, doctor. Let me see what I can do.”
I waited, all too aware that the alien behind me was keeping a close eye on me for any sign of betrayal. I still didn’t know what I was going to do when I got hold of the lab. All I had to do was keep them talking. As long as I could do that, I still had time to think of a plan.
Outside the window, I saw something streak by, followed by a series of Patrol fighters. It took me several seconds to realize that the blur of motion had been Adreax’s ship. I barely hid the startled expression on my face. Adreax hadn’t gone after all. He was close by. Although, I had to admit that his chances didn’t look good if he was hoping to get away from the ships on his tail. I had to help him.
“Hello? Tayla?”
The radio crackled in my ear, and I snapped back to the present.
“Sorry. I’m here.”
