In His Alien Hands (16 page)

“Ready?” It was more of a command than a question.

“Yes.” Her gaze settled on the cat carrier with noted relief. She moved forward, pulled on her boots, and picked up the carrier while Bane reached for the other bags. They went outside, Bane shut the door, and they didn’t look back.

For hours they walked alongside the two-lane highway. Josie had sighed dramatically when they’d passed the exit to Highway 400, heading to Barrie. Using spare change, they’d raided what was left in the snack machine in the lobby of a motel along the way. Josie munched on a bag of chips, and he could hear her speaking calmly to the cat.

They’d hardly seen a soul for hours; even cars passing on the road had been few and far between. Bane figured that the majority of people who’d decided to pack up and flee had most likely already done so. It didn’t matter where they went or what they did now, everything they knew and understood about their world would soon be at an end. Time was running out for Earth, and unless they’d been lucky enough to bond with men like him, they’d be hard-pressed to survive.

They should reach their destination by sundown tomorrow. And by tomorrow night he would secure their survival. Josie may not like what had to happen next, but he wouldn’t give her the chance to object. He’d chosen her as his mate and she would obey him regardless of how she felt. And whether here on Earth or someplace else she would remain his.

Chapter 3

Alongside the road were three small, one-room cabins set a short distance from each other and the main house that rented them out. Using the last of their cash, Bane secured one of the cabins for their use. The owners, an old couple, conducted the transaction inside the foyer of their modest home. While Bane handed over the money and made small talk with the husband, Josie accepted with gratitude a seat on the hard bench and a hot cup of tea from the wife. Bane had refused the woman’s offer of a beverage.

“It’s all so strange,” the old woman confided to Josie while taking a seat beside her. “We’ve heard reports about what’s happening, and we’ve seen the steady stream of cars heading down the road, but I can’t seem to accept that it’s for real.”

When Josie nodded her head politely the woman asked her about the spaceships. “They’re huge, gray and black, just hovering in the skies, terrifying really. They appear to be targeting the main cities as you’ve probably seen on the news.”

“Yes, all over the world,” the woman exclaimed.

“There was one in our town a few hours southwest of here. It’s why we left. We passed by groups of people on the highway and they were waiting for buses to take them to Barrie for safety.”

“We heard about that too. Why didn’t you go with them?”

Josie shrugged and glanced over at Bane. “He didn’t agree.”

The old woman smiled. “We didn’t either. I say stay where you are. If these invaders are intelligent enough to fly all the way here, planning God knows what, then nowhere is safe. That is, if they even mean us any harm. We don’t know for sure. Perhaps they come in peace?”

Bane and Josie exchanged a look. Josie wasn’t about to tell this sweet, old couple about the gloomy prediction Bane had made. The man handed Bane a key and told him they could check out whenever they wanted tomorrow.

“It’s not like people are lining up to rent,” the man said with a strained smile.

Josie thanked the couple and headed outside with Bane toward the cabin. Night was just beginning to fall and already she could see stars appearing in the sky. If she wasn’t so exhausted, she might have suggested they enjoy a campfire in the small pit beside their cabin. Even if she wanted to, the cold look on Bane’s face told her he wouldn’t agree.

Inside, Josie freed Markley from his carrier and put out food and water for him. She placed their toiletries in the bathroom while Bane sat in one of the two chairs in front of the TV. She could overhear the newscaster, sounding tired and stressed out, telling the world that there’d been no change. The UFOs still hovered over the cities, their presence as curious and ominous as ever. Josie didn’t know what was worse, the waiting or the inevitable outcome. As far as Bane was concerned, they were not here in peace.

Josie took a long, hot shower and then flipped through the channels while Bane took his turn in the bathroom. Nothing else was on—every single channel was dedicated to keeping an eye on the invaders and informing the public.

She was changing into her nightgown when the power went out.

“Bane?” Using the furniture for guidance, she stumbled toward the bathroom. She heard the door open and saw a tall, dark shape emerge.

“Jose?”

His use of her nickname caught her off-guard, had old Bane returned? She reached out, her hands coming in contact with Bane’s still damp chest. “I don’t know what happened. Everything went dark.”

He took her hand and led her carefully over to the window to peer outside. Markley meowed and she reached down to stroke the cat rubbing against her legs.

“Even the main house is out,” Bane said. “I’m going to walk up there and see if they have a generator or a battery-powered radio.” He led Josie over to the bed and she watched his shadowy figure pull on his clothes. “Stay here,” he said, heading for the door.

“Okay, hurry though.”

She was curled up on the bed with Markley when he returned a short time later.

She sat up and peered at him through the darkness. “Did you find out anything?”

He fiddled with something over at the side table. She heard a match strike and saw the glow of a small flame as he lit a couple of long candles set in little holders. “He’s got a windup radio. Most stations have gone dark, but the others are running on generator power.”

“Is it everywhere then? Not just local?”

Bane came up to stand before the bed. When he spoke the neutral tone of his voice gave Josie a chill. “The entire world’s gone dark. This is the second wave, as I expected.”

“What do you mean the second wave?”

“Arrival was the first,” he said.

“What will happen next?” Her voice was barely a whisper. He seemed to know what was going on. How or why he possessed this knowledge was a mystery.

“I don’t know for sure. Hopefully, it won’t happen for a while, at least another day or two.”

“You think they’re here to destroy us, don’t you?”

“Yes.” He didn’t bother to sugarcoat it.

Josie held onto hope during the restless hours of the night that things may be better come morning. Though the power never came back on, at least they could see in the daylight.

As usual, Bane was up and dressed before her, impatient to be on their way. They only spared a few minutes to bid their hosts goodbye and good luck and then continue on down the highway. They stopped at a wide stream a few hours later to soak their feet and eat some of their snacks. Attached to his lead, Markley sat in the tall grass, keeping a sharp eye on insects.

“Where are we going, Bane?”

“We’ll be there soon.”

It frustrated her how he refused to answer most of her questions. If she pressed him, he shut down completely. She ran her fingers over the bump the ring made in the denim pocket of her jeans. Bane hadn’t mentioned anything about proposing. Josie wasn’t surprised given what they’d endured, not to mention his strange behavior.

“Do you love me?” she suddenly asked him.

“What?” He stared at her.

“I said ‘do you love me’?” He’d been the first one in their relationship to say those words to her, and she’d heard it every day until the UFOs arrived.

When he shrugged and looked away she sighed. Where exactly did things stand between them in this relationship now? Could she even call it a relationship any longer? Bane was intent on keeping her safe, that much was apparent. But the way he treated her suggested she was nothing more than important baggage.

Had he brought her with him out of a sense of obligation? Or was it something else? It certainly didn’t seem like he acted out of love. She stared at his profile, searching for signs of instability. Maybe he’d lost all sense of reason and was acting on impulse? Was she right to blindly follow him? What other choice did she have?

Bane pulled on his socks and boots. Seeing his intention to leave, she did the same. She coaxed Markley back into his carrier and waited while Bane swung the backpack on and slung the other bag over his shoulder.

When he led them back onto the road, Josie followed along silently.

* * * *

The sun was just beginning to set when they reached the lake. Bane didn’t question how he knew exactly where to go and what to do. Awakening to his purpose had been liberating. Strength and decisiveness flowed through his veins like a divine right.

“Why have we come here?” Josie asked.

He saw her shiver and didn’t know if she suffered from a chill or fear. Probably both. His conscience reared up and he thought of going over and holding her, if only for a moment or two. Annoyance battled with nostalgia and glimpses of his old feelings that left him unsettled, until the Sentinel in him prevailed. He gazed across the smooth surface of the small, circular lake and felt calm settle over him.

The boat was upside down and hidden in the overgrown brush beside the water’s edge several yards away. He strode in its direction, knowing Josie would follow. He could hear her clumsy footsteps stumbling in haste behind him.

“Bane,” she called. “What are you doing?”

He ignored her.

Reaching the boat, he cleared away several years’ worth of brush, which almost obscured it from view. Once he finished, he flipped the boat over and untied an old, worn rope that secured it to a tree. Next, he pulled the boat to the edge of the lake and pushed it into the water. He tossed the bags he carried onto its floor. He coiled the rope around his arm and placed that into the boat as well. Then he set the oars into place. It was a sturdy little rowboat—nothing extravagant, but it would get them to the middle of the lake.

Exactly where he needed them to be.

* * * *

Josie took a look at that boat and one thought reared up in her mind. “Are you crazy?”

He had to be kidding. Bane didn’t know how to even safely climb into a boat, never mind row one. If there was anything she knew and accepted about her man, it’s that he was a city boy through and through. At least, he had been up until recently.

She took a step back when he reached for Markley’s carrier. “No.”

“What do you mean
no
? Give me the damned cat and get in the boat.” He was glaring at her again.

She backed up more. “I don’t know what the hell you’re doing, but I don’t want any part of it.”

Bane climbed into the boat, his sudden movements making it rock precariously. “I’m getting you to safety, that’s what I’m doing.”

“Safety is in Barrie, not here. Look around you! There’s no one on this lake but us. No cottages, no nothing. I can’t keep blindly following you like some fool. You have no idea what you’re doing, do you?”

“You need to trust me.”

Josie could see the intent burning in his eyes. Before the UFOs and before he turned Terminator she would have believed in him, no questions asked. But now… “I have trusted you for days. And look what it’s gotten me—stuck in the middle of nowhere. We have no food, no money…” The ground beneath her feet suddenly vibrated and then shifted. The water rippled and the boat rocked. “Bane?”

The look on his face frightened her; he didn’t appear shocked or worried, just resigned. The ground then shook so abruptly she fell forward onto her hands and knees. Markley screeched as his carrier landed on its side. Josie heard cracking noises all around, followed by the sound of crashing. She lifted her head and scanned the forest. Trees were falling. Not just one or two, but several.

Bane was at her side in an instant, kneeling down, his arms around her. She looked into his eyes and for once they weren’t bright with anger. The eyes staring at her now, filled with tenderness and concern, belonged to the man she knew, the man she loved.

“Come with me, Jose. Please,” he said.

She nodded and allowed him to help her to her feet. The earthquake continued, knocking more trees down. Overhead, the sky rapidly darkened with eerie, black clouds flashing with lightning. Rain began to fall. “What’s happening?”

“Third wave,” he said, a large boom of thunder accenting his words. His look turned hard, once more masking the man she knew. He gripped her hand, and when she pulled away he snatched up Markley’s carrier and strode toward the water.

“Don’t,” she warned.

He put the carrier on the floor of the boat and climbed in. Arms crossed, he stared at her defiantly. “You have two choices. You either come with me.” He raised his voice over the noise of the mounting storm. “Or you take your chances here.”

Judging by the expression on his face, she knew he meant what he said. That son-of-a-bitch would leave her there. “You’re a fucking asshole.” She strode forward, ducked beneath his outstretched hand, and climbed into the boat. As she sat down on the front seat she matched his hard look with one of her own. “Hope you know how to row, fucker.”

He sat down and, to her surprise, began to row. They glided swiftly across the choppy waves that sloshed over the sides of the boat. He gauged his direction by peering over his shoulder. Though she fumed, she was also amazed at the ease and skill he displayed with the oars. She longed to ask him about his newly acquired ability but more pressing worries bombarded her. What did he mean about the third wave? Was he actually implying the UFOs had something to do with the storm and the earthquakes? How could that be possible? Causing a blackout was one thing, but messing with nature was quite another.

She braced Markley’s carrier between her feet, grit her teeth, and pulled the hood of her jacket up over her head. The waves grew in size as the earthquakes continued, and she worried about trees crashing onto them if they crossed the lake and tried to dock on the other side.

But that didn’t appear to be Bane’s plan. When they reached the middle of the water he stopped rowing and let go of the oars. Maybe he feared the falling trees, and he figured they were safest far from shore? He got to his feet.