Chrystal Bones (Finding Home Book 1) (11 page)

“Idris. My name is Idris and yours is Aaliyah."

“No,” she denied. "My name is Blue."

She turned back to continue her explanation to Jake and Cole. "As I was saying, my escape pod landed on Earth twenty two years ago. Don't ask how I got here. I don't remember. All I know is I woke up in a government lab and someone was cutting me open. I spent the next two years being sliced and diced while the scientists experimented on me before I managed to escape with some help."

"You were a child,” Idris exclaimed angrily. "You were only nine years old when they tortured you."

"Is that how old I was? I didn't know,” Blue said in a deliberately indifferent tone.

"No, our government wouldn't do that, not to a child. We have the space program. They want to make contact. That’s why we have NASA,” Jake said.

"Your precious government could and did,” she burst out in sudden fury. "Trust me I remember every cut, every beating, every day I spent in that hell. You want to know how I got my name. The head scientist called me The Blue Alien. After awhile it was just plain Blue. None of them knew I could understand every word they spoke so they didn't bother to watch what they said around me. I wasn't a person to them just a fascinating specimen for them to experiment on. The day I escaped I heard them talking about how they had done all the tests they needed so my autopsy was scheduled for the next day. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you know you are going to die anyway. I have been hiding from your precious government ever since."

Jake had gone sheet white and was shaking his head from side to side, not in disbelief but in a desperate attempt to deny the truth he heard in her words. She softened her voice, "I wasn't the first alien they captured Jake. Area 51 really does hold proof of aliens and their technology. It is not all a joke.”

Jake slid down the wall to sit on the floor and hung his head between his knees. Riley went to him and putting a hand on his knee asked, "Is this really such a shock Jake?"

"I just can't imagine the government I work for doing that to her. For God’s sake, we spend billions looking for proof that we aren't alone in the universe."

“Yeah, they do. But you of all people should understand that most people fear what they don't understand. And some of those people are evil and like hurting others. You even work with a few of them."

His head jerked up at that, "What are you talking about now? I don't work with anyone that’s evil.”

“Yes, you do,” she repeated. "You know what Blue can find with a computer and an internet connection. Do you really think we didn't check you and everyone you work with out throughly."

“You are the one who sent me the information on Jenkins."

“Yep."

Jenkins was Jake's former partner who in his spare time liked to murder women. "Who else in my office? You said there were a few,” he demanded.

Cole knelt down next to them and said, "You can look into that later, right now we have enough to deal with." He stood back up and walked over to Blue. "I'm very sorry for what you have gone through. You have my word I will never mention this or you to anyone."

Blue took his outstretched hand and let his thoughts run through her as she had with Jake. He was telling the truth. He wouldn't tell anyone. He believed her and was disgusted at what she had been made to endure. The thought that she had been a child at the time sickened him. He felt that he owed her and Riley for finding Scotty and he was also worried that Riley would go with her when she left this world. He didn't want that and he wasn’t quite sure why, other than she intrigued him. His last thought amused her enough to bring a smile to her lips. The big cat sitting so still at her side made him more than a little nervous.

"Thank you,” she said. He was a good man and she thought he would be good for Riley, if she would take a chance and that was a big if. She was as untrusting as Blue was.

When Cole stepped away Jake was there. Before she could stop him he had her in a hug and was murmuring in her hair, "I'm so sorry. So, so sorry."

She awkwardly patted his back. “It's okay. It was a long time ago,” she said trying to ease out of his hold. His thoughts were overwhelming. He was a gentle man who truly wanted to help people and he was feeling betrayed by the government he worked for. When he let go she took a step back needing the space. Riley stood next to her careful to not touch her. She was the only one who knew what Blue could do with touch and Blue planned to keep it that way.

"Your turn to explain,” she said to the three men who were standing quietly off to the side. Before they could start talking she heard a car pull in. “Later. All of you, don't make a sound,” she ordered as she moved to stand to the side of the door. She heard the key in the lock as the last one moved out of sight of the door.

She nodded at Riley and when the door opened they were ready. Blue kicked out hitting the man coming through in the back of the knees as he passed by her. When he started to fall Riley pistol whipped him at the base of his skull with the gun she had pulled from the small of her back when they heard the car pull in.

The man was down and unconscious in seconds. Riley rolled him over so Blue could use some zip ties to bind his hands and feet. When they were done they high fived each other. That went smooth as silk. Blue took a syringe from her jacket pocket and injected the contents into his neck.

"What did you give him,” Cole asked looking with satisfaction at his former brother-in-law lying unconscious on the dirty floor.

"You'll find out soon enough. I didn't hit him hard enough for him to be out that long,” Riley said. "I told you, you are going to like this part." It took a couple of minutes for him to regain conscious. He opened his eyes to see Blue's eerie blue eyes staring into his.

When he found his hand and legs tied he panicked and blurted, "Who are you? I told Spenilli I would have his money for him tomorrow night."

"I don't think so,” Blue said and moved aside so he could see Cole. The LCA’s face went red with rage erasing every bit of attractiveness he had.

He started cussing and screaming at Cole, “You bastard if you would have stayed out it I would still be married and none of this would have happened! I need that money damn you or I'm a dead man.”

"Scotty's not here and you will never see him again. Nor will you ever see another penny of my sister’s money. Next time I will kill you myself,” Cole told him in a hard cold voice full of promise.

"You won't have to,” Blue told Cole. “Watch,” she held up another syringe and injected it into the melon Riley held out to her. Riley walked across the room and set the melon at the furthest point from the LCA. She then walked back and handed a bottle of water to Blue. Blue took a small vial out of her pocket and held it up so the LCA could see something the size of a grain of rice in it. She unscrewed the cap, filled the vial with the water and replaced the cap.

“Now,” she told the LCA, “You need to listen very carefully to me because if you don't you really will be a dead man. I injected you with the same thing I injected into that melon. I injected Scotty with the same thing that is in this vial." Riley grabbed Cole’s arm and squeezed before he could offer any protest. Blue continued, "Watch what happens when this,” she shook the vial, "comes within twenty feet of the melon." She rolled the vial across the floor towards the melon.

Everyone, not just the LCA, watched as it came to a stop. The melon exploded startling everyone but Blue and Riley. Blue smiled coldly down at the stunned man. "If you get within a hundred yards of Scotty the same thing will happen to you." She paused to let that knowledge sink in and for him to read the absolute in her eyes before continuing softly, "I wouldn't have done this if you had shown any love for your son. Instead you tried to use him to get money and left him alone and drugged in this house. Now you pay for it." Blue stood and walked to the door. “Oh, and don't bother to try to find the bomb inside you. There is nothing out there that can detect it right now, but if you want to waste what little money you have, go ahead.” She shrugged.

"Damn Idris, I am in love with your sister,” Vihan said reverently. Jayden smacked him on the back of the head before Idris could.

"Don't even think about it.”

Then they all followed Blue out the door.

“Wait!” the LCA hollered, panic in his voice, "You can't leave me tied up. No one ever comes here."

Blue stuck her head back inside the door to tell him, ”Don't worry. Someone’s coming for you. You remember Marco don't you?”

“You can't leave me alone with him. He'll kill me,” he said in horror.

"Seems like a lot of people want you dead. I'd think about that if I were you. Bye now.”

Chrystal Bones Billie Jo Hanlin

Chapter 12

Back at the vehicles, Blue assured Cole the transmitter she had injected Scotty with would do him no harm and dissolve on its own. "Janie has ten years, then it will be up to Scotty wether or not he wants to see his father. The guy’s an ass but he's not evil, just self-centered,” she said.

"Thank you. I meant what I said earlier anything you need or want is yours,” Cole replied.

"Is there anything I can do now?" Jake asked looking over at the other men suspiciously.

With a crinkle of her nose Blue said, “Thanks, but this is something that I'm going to have to deal with myself. Riley will get in touch with you in a day or two. Go home Cole, and take Jake with you. Go be with Scotty and your sister."

"I'm not comfortable leaving you and Riley here alone with, with….” Words failed him so Jake just finished. "Them."

"Go Jake, they are not here to hurt me or Riley." Blue wasn't used to anyone but Riley and Leo worrying about her. She was sure she did not like it. Not one bit.

When they had driven off she looked at Jayden, Vihan and Idris. She just couldn't think of him as her brother, not now. Riley asked her, "What are you going to do with your alien hunks?"

"I don't have a clue,” she replied. "I guess they will have to come home with us for now."

Jayden said to Blue, "We do not have a lot of time before we have to return to our ship. Are you ready to go?" "Go where?" she asked.

"With us,” he said.

"Whoa, hold on a second. No one said I was going anywhere with you." She probably was, but they had no right to just assume it.

"You have to come with us,” Idris said. Jayden and Vihan nodded. Blue rubbed her forehead trying to forestall the headache she could feel coming.

"Follow us to our house. We can talk there." She turned and walked away.

Back at the house Blue went through the elaborate security to enter while the aliens watched her every move. When the eye scan was complete and the computer asked for the password she said, "Ocean Blue, Ocean deep." "Voice verification complete. You have guests today, please enter secondary authorization code." Blue touched the three panels hidden in the door frame in the pattern she had set long ago. Panels she had never before had to use. This was the first time ever that she had brought someone to her home.

The locks disengaged, she headed straight for the kitchen and coffee. It was the first time that Riley could remember Blue not heading straight to the surveillance center to see if anyone had come by while she was gone. That’s when Riley knew that Blue was a lot more rattled than she had thought. Though you would never know it just looking at her.

The men looked around with interest. The kitchen opened up to a large living room with big comfortable rust colored furniture, placed to take advantage of the view of the ocean from the wall of windows.

Blue locked eyes with Jayden for a long moment. The man, alien, whatever he was, drew her. She had never felt physical attraction before but she knew the basics and what she was feeling had to be attraction. The flutter in her stomach and the desire to see what kissing him would feel like, it just wasn't her. She didn't feel stuff like that. She had never felt the urge to kiss or touch anyone and she wasn't going to start now she told herself firmly. It doesn't matter that he has such pretty purple eyes full of mystery.

With a shake of her head she turned her gaze to the one who claimed he was her brother. She knew that face. She knew it very well. It was the face in her dreams. The face that she had once loved very much. Now it was the face of a stranger.

It was a good face. Similar to hers with the shape of the eyes, high forehead and sharp cheek bones. He had blue eyes, not the weird blue color of hers but a bright deep blue with no hint of pink clouds. His pupils were normal. His hair was the color of smoke and cut pretty short it was more sedate than hers. He was a few inches taller than her and for the first time she understood Riley's frustration with everyone being taller than her. In fact all the men were taller than the average human male.

Don't they have any short aliens?
She brushed the stray thought away and asked, "Why are you here and what do you want?" They looked at each other before the big one spoke. Jayden, that’s what he had said his name was.

“The short version is that we got caught in an anomaly and pulled from our universe into this one.” He stopped talking. That was it? That was all the explanation he was going to offer? Idris took up where Jayden left off.

“When my chrystal, your chrystal actually, started glowing I knew it was because you had to be alive and on this planet. We came here to find you and take you back home. I have missed you so much and our whole planet was devastated when we thought you were dead."

"Why would a whole planet be devastated by my death?" she asked curiously.

"That is another long story but you are the key to our planet’s survival."

"You're just full of long stories. I don't mind. So why don't you start at the beginning."

"We really don't have time for this,” Jayden said. "We have to leave no later than one more turn of your planet. If you have things to do you need to do them now."

"I haven't said I'm going with you and I won't until I know what is going on."