Page 18 of Lunar Bound
Lunar slipped along the shadows into her home. He moved to Poppy's bedside, flowing across the room without sound. He placed his hand on her shoulder, applying light pressure. Her eyes opened immediately, awareness returning with surprising speed for a human.
"Lunar? How did you get in…?" She became instantly alert. "Someone's coming."
Lunar nodded. "Three vehicles. Coordinated approach pattern."
Poppy got out of bed and moved to the window. She grabbed a pair of binoculars and peered through the gap in the curtains, her body tense. "Black SUVs. Tinted windows. That's weird. Government or private security? They shouldn’t be out here. There's nothing but—no, wait. The side says Milano Enterprises."
“Milano?” Lunar studied Poppy’s worried expression. “Who are they?”
"They’re the parent company to the Milano Foundation," Poppy said, her voice hardening slightly. "They claim to fund wildlife conservation and medical research, but there have always been rumors surrounding their test facilities in the desert. I have friends who have tried to track their funds. Very little of the funding makes it to actual conservation projects. Then there are the strange lights, unusual security, and people who asked too many questions who suddenly disappeared. What the hell are they doing out here?"
Lunar couldn’t say, but it looked like they were coming toward them.
“I don't like this." She lowered the binoculars and looked at him. "If rumors of them hold true, there is only one reason I can think of that such a company would be coming here. To catch an alien."
"I will leave. I do not wish to put you in danger," Lunar stated. He intended to slip back into the night and watch over her from a distance. If he had to, he'd lead them away from her.
"Don't you dare try to leave without me," Poppy ordered, already moving around the room gathering essentials. Her efficiency impressed him. "This doesn't make sense. How did they find you?"
"Unknown," Lunar replied.
"Let’s not find out. We need to go," Poppy said, pulling on dark clothing. "They're still at the access road, but that only gives us minutes."
Lunar assessed their tactical options. The approaching vehicles blocked the primary escape route. His shadow-walking abilities would allow him to evade capture, but Poppy lacked this capability. He could try to carry her with him, but that was new territory, and he wasn't sure how that would affect her biology. Sharing energy was one thing. Transforming her into his energy, another entirely.
"There is an alternative exit?" he asked.
"Back trail through the wash," Poppy confirmed, stuffing items into a small backpack. "It's rough terrain, but it connects to the cave system I showed you. If we can reach it, we can disappear."
Lunar removed his skin-suit and shoved the deteriorating membrane into a pack. In darkness, his true form would provide superior camouflage. "Time is limited. Take only essentials."
Poppy nodded, grabbing water bottles and what appeared to be energy-dense food bars. She added a small medical kit and her flashlight with the red filter. "Ready."
They slipped out the back door into the desert night. Lunar could hear the vehicles, engines quieting as they approached the final stretch to the cottage. Poppy led him to a dry streambed running through the property, with its banks offering cover.
"Stay close," Poppy whispered, leading him along the sandy bottom of the wash. "The footing is treacherous."
Lunar wasn't worried. He could easily drift over the ground as he followed her. Though clearly limited by her human body, he was impressed by her night navigation skills. Their bond from the night before appeared to have grown stronger, enabling a silent cooperation that improved their chances of escaping. She moved with practiced efficiency, avoiding obstacles without hesitation.
Behind them, vehicle doors opened and closed. Voices carried on the still night air. They appeared to be too distant for Poppy to hear, but they were clear to Lunar's enhanced senses.
"Property appears vacant. Heat signatures were detected within the structure approximately ten minutes ago. Subjects may have fled."
"Establish perimeter. Prepare for a sweep with electromagnetic sensors. Subjects cannot have gone far."
Electromagnetic sensors. The device they referenced was unfamiliar but concerning. He did not recall it from the Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides' information packets. If these humans possessed technology capable of detecting his energy signature, simple physical concealment would prove inadequate.
"We must increase distance," Lunar informed Poppy quietly. "They have detection equipment."
Poppy nodded, not questioning how he knew that. She picked up her pace as they followed the winding wash deeper into the desert. The red rock formations loomed around them, creating complex shadow patterns in the fading night. Dawn approached, bringing increased vulnerability for Lunar's shadow form.
After twenty minutes of rapid movement, the wash intersected with a narrow canyon. Poppy led him up a nearly invisible path that switchbacked up the canyon wall. From this elevation, Lunar could see the cottage in the distance. Figures with handheld devices moved in search patterns around the property, their methodical coverage suggesting professional training.
"The cave entrance is just ahead," Poppy said, her breathing controlled despite the exertion. "Once we're inside, we'll be harder to track. The rock composition interferes with most scanning technologies."
The cave entrance was concealed behind a rock outcropping, invisible unless one knew exactly where to look. Poppy moved a carefully arranged pile of stones that had appeared natural but actually marked the low entrance. Lunar slipped in first. Beyond lay darkness deeper than the night outside, a perfect environment for Lunar's abilities.
Once inside, Poppy pulled the stones back to hide the entrance and activated her red-filtered light, revealing a narrow passage that descended into the earth. "Watch your head. It gets tight in places."
