Page 21 of My Alien Sunshine

Panic threatens to engulf me. I rush through the corridors, checking every door, screaming my lungs out. Every room is empty, deserted in a hurry. It looks like they took the electronics but the rest of the equipment remains.

The doors to Drayth’s apartment open as soon as I approach them. I don’t notice, nor do I stop to consider why I suddenly have access to the most heavily guarded rooms on this entire station. Ellen is all I can think about. If she’s not here, then…

The place is empty. He’s gone. Everyone’s gone.

With a feral scream, I grab Drayth’s priceless Karetelan vase and throw it at the large vid screen mounted on the wall. Both shatter, covering the exotic soft rug with a slew of shards. “NO! FUCK!” I scream, my body giving in to the suffocating pressure in my chest, pieces of my heart shattering to join the mess on the floor.

They’re not here. My daughter is not here. My precious baby.

I had one fucking job and I failed at it. What kind of mother can’t protect her own child? What kind of person lets their child be taken, by traffickers, for fuck’s sake?

“No. Fucking. Way!” I roar.

Regaining what little composure I can muster, and determined not to fail her again, I head out of the compound. I won’t let this happen. I’m not a violent person, but right now, I’m ready to strangle every fucker on this stupid station with my bare hands. No one will stop me from finding my daughter. No one.

It takes some serious effort, but the rational part of my brain starts to re-engage. I need to think now, not run around in panic like a headless chicken. Drayth can’t have been gone for long. It would take time to evacuate the entire compound and erase any compromising data. He still has to be here somewhere on the station, which means Ellen is still here too. But where?

There are several docking bays around the station, plus a shipyard. The closest dock is mostly for cargo, but someone like Drayth would have no trouble securing a bay for his luxurious super-yacht there. It’s just a guess, but it’s as good a guess as any, so I head toward the closest dock first.

My hand finds the stunner tucked away in the sleeve of my cloak. It’s not the fanciest of weapons but it’s reliable. Either way, it will have to do, because I sure as hell don’t have time to go gun shopping now. Not to mention I wouldn’t know how to shoot a bigger gun, anyway.

I rush out of the unmanned door into the street, my mind busy coming up with the fastest route to the docks. I don’t notice the men standing in front of me until I run into the closest one.

Terror fills my veins, convinced for a second that they’re Drayth’s men. Then I relax slightly as I recognize their uniforms. The station security and the UGC. The good guys. Thank god.

“You’re here! You need to help me! My—”

“Looks like we’ll be making at least one arrest, after all,” the tall Syndoran in charge sneers, ignoring me. He pats the handle of his shock stick and smirks at me. “Are you coming peacefully, or do we get to use force?”

“What?! I’m not…” As he steps closer, the meaning behind his words registers. “What do you mean ‘arrest’? I’m not the bad guy here!” I stare at the enforcers surrounding me, only finding stern, frowning faces.

The Syndoran scoffs. “You own this entire place,” he says, jerking his chin toward the spacious mansion behind me, “and your name is on several other documents. Did Drayth get tired of fucking you and leave you behind?”

“W-what…?” My head is spinning. What the fuck is he talking about? I don’t own anything and I definitely haven’t signed any documents.

“Commander Gar,” a Lakhartan in UGC uniform starts, “the assets were transferred to her name an hour ago and those documents are probably fake. She’s his scapegoat. Are you sure we shouldn’t be hunting Drayth down instead of wasting time with her?”

Gar, the fucker in charge of the station security guys, just laughs. “He’ll be gone before we get to the docks. Running after him is a wasted effort. This way, we at least get to arrest and execute his associate.”

Execute?! I’m at a loss for words. Did I think these guys were the good guys? Fuck them!

The Lakhartan scowls, “And I suppose a clean arrest and execution will make for a good-looking report, right? Even though you haven’t actually caught the criminal, just someone he deliberately left behind to take the blame?”

“You’re forgetting your place, Officer Pakri,” Gar growls. “The United Galactic Congress has no authority on this station. I only allowed you to come along because you provided us with the information on Drayth. But make no mistake. This is my operation and we do what I say. Arrest this bitch,” he orders.

Four of the station’s security men approach me. Pakri doesn’t move. This time, he seems to be glaring at Gar rather than me yet still, he makes no more attempts to stop them. I curse him, finally pulling the stunner out of the folds of my cloak. “Don’t fucking touch me,” I snarl. “I need to find Drayth, and you assholes are just wasting my time. I’ll face your ridiculous charges later but right now, get the fuck out of my way!”

Grinning, Gar activates his shock stick. Sparks jump between the pins and I gulp. That thing is nothing more than a glorified cattle prod but I’ve seen the security take huge aliens down with just one touch.

My hand shakes as I raise the stunner. I can take out one, maybe two of them before they shock the shit out of me. By the time I regain consciousness, Ellen will be god knows where. “Please, don’t do this,” I beg, hoping for a sensible solution. “I’ll surrender. I’ll confess to your made-up crimes. Just please, stop Drayth from leaving the station. Please!”

“We still have time,” Pakri tells Gar, his scales darkening, betraying his anxiety. “If we hurry, we can catch him before the Crimson Specter leaves. She’s not going anywhere,” he adds, pointing at me. “You know that.”

When Gar still doesn’t move, Pakri snorts and shakes his head. “Of course you know that. You’re working with Drayth. This whole thing was a charade to give Drayth time to escape, wasn’t it?”

Gar smirks. “You’re being ridiculous. I’ve changed my mind. The UGC’s presence is no longer desirable on this mission. Return to your embassy now, Officer. Like I said, you have no authority here.”

My hopes die as Pakri takes a step back. Fucking bureaucratic nonsense! The only person on my side can’t help because of some stupid contract a couple of desk clerks signed years ago.

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