Page 126 of The Alpha

Melvale snorted, took Pari by the hand, and headed for the front door.

“What was that about?” she asked as he pulled her along.

“I’ll tell you one day,” he said with a chuckle. “But today is not the day.”

40

"You had him, Daddy! You had him and you let him get away!"

Dr. Charles pinched the bridge of his nose. There was no help for it. “Sweetheart…" he let his hand drop. "…did I not tell you it was a good thing you weren’t there?" He gave her the stern look of a frustrated father. Not that it would do any good. His selfish daughter had her heart set on owning his prize once he was done with him. First, he had to recapture him.

"We've been compromised, haven't we?" she huffed. "They took that idiot Oswald."

Dr. Charles closed his eyes. "Yes, poor bugger is probably dead by now."

"How can you be sure?" She paced to the other side of the room and back. They were in a bunker in Pennsylvania. He had it built during their two-year wait after stepping through one of the portals he'd learned about from their secret benefactor. "Do calm yourself, J.D. Have some tea, why don't you?"

"I don't want any tea," she snapped. "I want him!"

He fought a growl. "Oh, for the love of Mike,Daddywill get youanotheralien to bed."

She gasped. "Daddy!"

"Don't deny that’s what you plan to do with him. I know you, my precious little viper." He poured himself a cup of tea from one of his favorite tea pots and added some cream. "Rest assured, my dear, I will get you a Muiraran to keep as a pet or a sex slave; I don’t care which. But if I recapture my prize, you can't have him until I'm through with my experiments.” He took another sip of tea. "Not that there will be anything left for you to play with."

"But Daddy," she whined.

"J.D., you're a grown woman, why must you act like a child?" He set his teacup down, sat back and closed his eyes. "Now be quiet, I'm trying to think."

"I still want him," she said, her voice softer. “You promised me when we were in Hawaii."

He opened his eyes. "Ah, yes, so I did. But again," he said and pointed a finger at her. "Once I'm through with him." He closed his eyes again and opened them only to change the subject. "You might as well give me your report. What have you found?"

"We found one." Her heels clicked across the tiled floor. "It's in Oregon, in the Elliott State Forest. The closest town, as far as this decade goes, is Moon Creek Falls near the coast. But we couldn't pass through. I don't know why."

Dr. Charles raised his head and looked at her. "Most curious. Did you try sending a probe or a drone through?"

"They couldn't go through either. You're going to have to askherabout it."

He heaved a sigh, settled himself again, and shut his eyes. "She's not here, dearest. Bloody alien is always traipsing off somewhere."

His daughter's heels clicked across the tiles again. "How can you let that... that thing roam free? You should cage her, make her tell you where the rest of the time portals are."

He heaved another sigh. "J.D., did we not agree that I would handle our... business associate while you do my leg work or me?" He took another sip of his tea and watched her face contort into a pinched expression.

"Yes, sir." She glared at him, flicked her blonde hair out of her face, and paced to the other side of the room and back. She crossed her arms and glared at him some more. "Find him."

"Oh, I plan too," he cooed. "But he is mine until I'm done with him, is that understood?" He contemplated locking her in a cell, but he needed her to do a few things for him. The Muirarans wouldn’t be looking for her. But him? They'd kill him on sight no doubt. Best he lay low for a time.

He set his cup and saucer down and steepled his fingers in front of him. "Have the test results come back?"

She sighed, and sat in the wing chair opposite his. They might be hiding out in a secret bunker, but that didn't mean they couldn't have a nice setting. Dr. Charles' eyes flicked to the faux fireplace. It was nothing but a glorified space heater, and he considered turning it on to take off the chill in the room.

"They haven't come back yet," she said. "Don't worry, as soon as they do, I’ll let you know."

He eyed her. She was jealous of his "relationship" with their new associate. He'd have to figure out a way to allay her fears. But not today. "Any news from Brooklyn?"

She looked away. "No."

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