Apolonia

“You want the good news or the good news?”

“Uh, the good news.”

“No explosives. I did find a tracer though. That could explain how they found us.”

“How is that good news?” I asked.

“I also found a piece of string, and Snuggles now has a pretty new collar with a shiny tracer for a tag.”

Tsavi nodded. “Well done.”

“Thanks,” Benji said with a wide smile.

Tsavi tensed and motioned for us not to move. She made a noise that sounded kind of like a bird. The noise echoed back, and she nodded. “It’s them. Let’s go.”

We ran back across the street, meeting Cy and Apolonia at the Mustang. Dr. Z hobbled around the corner, clearly in pain.

“Christ, are you okay?” I asked, helping Cy help Dr. Z to the car.

“How many times have I told you not to call me Christ?” Dr. Z said, winking at me.

I rolled my eyes. “He’s fine.”

Dr. Z and Tsavi sat in the back. Apolonia sat on Tsavi’s lap, and I sat on Cy’s lap while Benji drove. Benji didn’t seem happy about the new seating arrangement at all, but Cy and Apolonia weren’t comfortable with the lap situation. Tsavi paled when we suggested she sit on Cy’s lap, and there was no way I was going to plant my ass on Apolonia’s thighs.

“What now?” Benji asked, backing away from the radio station. “The only other station in town is on campus.”

Cy thought for a moment. “We are running out of time and options. We still don’t know where the specimen is, and Hamech could be heading toward the Nayara at any moment.”

“The warehouse,” I said. “That’s where they took Cy. They set up shop, and it didn’t look temporary. The rock could be there, and hopefully, they’ll have equipment we can use to contact Hamech.”

“What if you’re wrong?” Cy asked. “What if we get there, and they’ve gone? That’s not exactly a plan.”

Benji pressed on the gas. “It’s the only plan we have.”

Chapter Nineteen

BENJI PULLED THE MUSTANG into a field half a mile east of the warehouse. The engine was loud, and none of us felt announcing our arrival was a good idea. I climbed out of the passenger-side door, and Cy followed, quickly leaning the seat forward for Apolonia and Tsavi to climb out. Benji struggled to help the professor.

“Maybe Dr. Zorba should sit in the front next time?” Benji said.

“I’m fine,” Dr. Z said. “Stop fussing. You’re making me feel older than I already do.”

We walked quietly through the field, staying off the road. The warehouse and surrounding grounds were brightly lit. They were still there and didn’t want surprises.

“So, what’s the plan when we get there?” Benji asked in a soft voice. “How are we going to get in with the perimeter lit up like they’re interrogating the grass?”

“The humans are going to stay outside,” Cy whispered. “We’re going to have to make a pretty far leap onto the roof.”

“The way we got out?” I asked.

“Rory!” Dr. Z said, almost too loudly. He bent over and put one hand on his forehead. Silver was lying over on her side, wet and muddy. The professor sat her upright and pushed the kickstand down with his boot. “This is…unacceptable!”

“Shh!” Cy said, holding out his hands. “I understand you’re upset, but we can’t get caught over a moped.”

“Silver is not just a moped! I saved for months for her. She is garage kept. She’s nearly fifteen and look at her! Perfect condition. That doesn’t just happen, you know.”

Apolonia and Tsavi stood together, their faces displaying the confusion and astonishment at the professor’s behavior. Dr. Z used the sleeves of his alien jacket to try to rub off some of the mud but gave up.

He turned to me, clearly angry. “If you treat my prized possessions this way, then don’t borrow them!” he seethed.

“Yes, sir,” I said, cowering. As my eyes focused on the muddy ground beneath my feet, I tried to stifle a smile. No one had gotten angry at me like that since I had parents. It felt pretty fantastic.

We continued on without Silver, creeping low and quietly through the tall grass of the field. Some parts of the ground had finally dried. Some were still muddy. No one knew which areas until one of us stepped ankle-deep into the muck.

Where the spotlights of the warehouse met with the darkness, we waited.

“Do you have a plan yet?” I asked.

Cy gestured for me to walk over to him. I joined him just out of earshot of the others.

He fidgeted. “I need to tell you something.”

“If it’s about Benji—”

“It’s not,” he said, cutting me off. “It’s about you. Thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done since the day I met you up until this moment. Despite the…circumstances…you’ve been a true friend to me, Rory.”

“Is there another way to be a friend?”

“I’ve seen a lot of things during my time here. You would be surprised.”

“No. I wouldn’t.”

Cy laughed once and looked down. “I guess not.”

“If we could go back to the beginning, I’d do it all again. I just…I know you can’t stay. I just know what it feels like to miss someone, and I’m not looking forward to it.”

Cy wiped a speck of mud from my cheek with his thumb and flicked it to the ground. “Part of me wishes I could stay.”

I glanced over to Benji, who was failing at pretending not to be watching us. “I’ll be okay,” I said with a smile. I turned back to Cy. “So…the plan…”

“We’re going to make our way inside the warehouse, track down the specimen, and find equipment to contact Hamech.”

“You make it sound as if you expect them to just let you.”

“They’re not expecting us to walk into their house. But once they figure out what’s happened, you, Benji, or Dr. Zorba can’t be anywhere near here.”

“We’re not leaving. You might need our help.”

“Trust me when I say, we’ll be fine.”

“We’re not going anywhere.”

“You need to at least make sure the professor is safe.”

“He is looking for a dear friend. He’s not leaving either.”

“Rory—”

Before he could speak, a loud rumble echoed from miles away, and after a few seconds, the ground shook. Two pillars of fire and smoke snaked up into the sky, looming over the tree line.