Page 45 of Prize for the Alien Grumpus

The steering wheel spins uselessly under my hands. Outside, trees and buildings shrink as we rise higher. The coffee cup tips over, spilling onto the floormat.

Mel's going to kill me.

The saucer above looks like a standard Grolgath interceptor, all chrome and menace. Their tractor beam has me locked tight - I can't even open the door.

"Come on, think." I pat the dashboard. "Your owner will never forgive me if I let anything happen to you."

The altitude meter on my wrist computer ticks upward. Five thousand feet. Ten thousand. The air grows thin, frost spreading across the windows.

We pass through a layer of clouds, emerging into clear blue sky. The ocean sparkles below, a deadly expanse of deep water waiting to swallow us whole.

"That's their plan." My claws dig into the steering wheel. "Drop us in the Pacific. Even I can't swim carrying a car."

The tractor beam flickers. Just for a moment, but enough to make the vehicle shudder. A warning light blinks on the dashboard - low tire pressure. The cold must be affecting the sensors.

Wait.

I reach for the center console, hitting every button I can find. Windshield wipers. Hazard lights. Radio.

"The electromagnetic interference..."

The tractor beam wavers again as I blast through radio frequencies. Static fills the car, making my fur stand on end. The saucer's grip loosens with each surge of interference.

One good burst might break us free. But we're too high - the fall would destroy the car anyway.

Unless...

I grab the gear shift, ready to time this perfectly. The ocean spreads out below us like a giant blue target. My finger hovers over the radio dial as we begin to turn, the saucer positioning us for the drop.

I pop the car door and leap into the tractor beam. The proton stream tingles against my fur as I swim upward through the purple light. Physics are more like guidelines anyway when you're me.

The hull of the saucer looms above. My claws dig into the metal, peeling it back like a tin can. Alarms blare as I squeeze through the opening.

"Intruder alert!" A grolgath guard raises his weapon.

I grab his face and use him as a battering ram through three more of his friends. Their scales crack under my grip.

"Which way to the bridge?"

The guard points left before passing out. How helpful.

More grolgath pour into the corridor, weapons charging. I bulldoze through them, tossing bodies left and right. Their energy blasts tickle.

"Is this really the best you've got?"

The bridge doors seal shut ahead of me. I punch through the reinforced metal, stepping over the wreckage.

"Hello boys." I crack my knuckles. "Anyone want to surrender?"

They open fire instead. Smart choice - I hate paperwork.

Thirty seconds later, I drop the last unconscious guard onto the pile and slide into the captain's chair. My claws dance across the controls, activating the cloaking device.

"Now, let's see about getting Mel's car back safely."

The saucer banks smoothly as I guide it toward her house. Good thing I downloaded the pilot's manual while beating everyone up.

I engage the tractor beam again, this time gentle as a mother's touch. Mel's car settles onto her driveway without a scratch.

---