Page 79 of The Commander

“Yes. Two. I think,” Bastian said. A few humans on the platform melted into the open doors of the building behind them. Standing beside Andy, the woman that Kitten had called Brenda looked like she was going to be sick. That was fine. Bastian only needed to talk to one person.

Bastian released Mackie’s hands. “Mayor, I think you misunderstand the abilities of the red hats. Did you think they would do your bidding when they can’t do mine? Not that I really care. It is a small matter.”

“It is?”

“Yes. It is. I believe that you have something here that I want; this person calls them car batteries. Bring them to me, now.”

The mayor’s mouth dropped open.

“You know they are illegal contraband, yes?”

“There’s nothing like that here.” The mayor’s body had gone stiff, as if he were doing his damndest not to look to the left or the right or anywhere but at Bastian.

Really. This man was not a leader. How had he gained this position? Small, selfish, and stupid, he was also terrible at basic prevarication.

“Isn’t there? Do not make me look for them. If you want to live, you will bring me those cells now.”

Brenda shouted, pointing to some place over Bastian’s shoulder. “Under the bed! Under his bed! Apartment 6A!”

Andy turned on her with an effective backhand, knocking her to her ass. In the vehicle, Bastian could hear Kitten cry out.

Damn. He hoped she didn’t turn everyone to dust before he could get those damn cells.

“Under my bed? What have you done? My knife!” Andy roared.

Bastian didn’t have time for this. Next to him, Mackie was bent over, arms wrapped around his waist, trying to hold his rib cage as still as possible. Bastian picked him up off his feet, tipped him, and threw the man like a log at the tightest little group of selfish, imbecilic betrayers he’d ever seen in his life.

There was screaming. Mackie hit them hard, knocking them down like pins in a game. Humans scattered. “Strike!” Bastian yelled.

That was a game from somewhere. He couldn’t resist the utter compulsion of it, even when it was inappropriate. It was a side effect of the data downloads he hadn’t noticed until Kitten pointed it out.

“Go get the batteries for me. Now.”

As if he had roared the command, people finally began to move.

Which was good. Because he thought he heard the sound of a shuttle engine overhead. Control was in Earth’s atmosphere.

CHAPTER 26 - CARA

Cara had felt out of sorts since she woke up. After some of the best nights’ sleep she’d ever had in her life in the arms of an alien lover, the world would cease to make any sense at all.

What was Brenda doing under Andy’s arm?

The device Bastian had given her was made for his long-fingered alien hand, not hers. Big and heavy, the thing barely fit in her hand. Her instinct was to point to aim and shoot. But it wasn’t a gun. He’d tapped the circle of raised buttons on one end and said that would aim and pointed at the panel down the side to fire.

She wanted to blow Andy’s head off. From their first meeting, she hadn’t liked him. He’d arrived in Springfield with two others who looked and smelled as greasy and unwashed as wankers.

Brenda had thought he was cute. Better looking than the others with him, younger, with all his teeth. But Cara didn’t see cute—not after he tried to corner her outside the shower.Have a little fun, he said.Just a little kiss, he said.

Brenda hadn’t hesitated with his offer of alittle fun. She’d jumped right in. After dating most of the available men in Springfield, she’d acted like Andy was the best man she’d ever met.

They were in love. Let’s move to Dalewood where the work was better and easier and even single people had their own rooms instead of shared dormitories. Andy was on good terms with the mayor. He could get them their own house.

Brenda had believed everything. When Andy betrayed them with Danov, she’d spiraled, crying for days, saying things like,“I always knew he would do this.”

Yet, she was standing up there with him, wearing a clean short white top that showed her belly and tight shorts that showed everything else. She didn’t look pregnant, and those were new clothes, not the type a person wore for fieldwork or food processing.

Bastian was a high-handed son-of-a-bitch. Cara needed to find out what the fuck was going on, and he stuck her out of the way where she couldn’t do anything.

---