Jack And Anna - The Price of Fear E-Book

R.S. Penney

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: Epic Literary Universe Series
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 604

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Settling back into life on Earth isn’t easy for newly-weds Anna Lenai and Jack Hunter. Shapeshifting alien monsters? No problem! But have you tried to find a job in this economy?

Posing as ordinary citizens isn't easy. Especially for Jack, who was never very comfortable being ordinary. Anna, however, is eager for a little taste of normalcy, and she finds it with some new friends. But things get dicey when a wormhole in St. Louis brings a new visitor to our world. A terrifying creature is prowling through the city, and people are afraid to go out at night.

Anna and Jack must navigate a complex web of shifting alliances between various intelligence agencies. Complicating matters are the enigmatic Administrators: unnatural beings who pose as government agents, but who secretly possess a wide array of strange powers. And one of them has decided that Anna knows too much. She soon discovers that the real danger may not be the alien, but the CIA team that is trying to capture it.

Leseprobe

JACK AND ANNA - THE PRICE OF FEAR

EPIC LITERARY UNIVERSE SERIES

R.S. PENNEY

CONTENTS

Author’s Note

Journal 1

1. Money? Think I’ll Pass

2. Smack My Lich Up

Journal 2

3. Smells Like Low Spirits

4. Oh, You Baked Some, Too?

5. Damn! I Wish We Kept Our Mouths Shut

Journal 3

6. New Ways to Err in the Land of Bureaucracy

7. Prowlin’ for You

8. I’m Gonna Fake It After All!

9. Take This Job and Love It

10. The Boys Wanna Slight Her

11. Monday Night’s Alright

12. Let It Flee

Journal 4

13. Cosmic Eyes

14. Try Honesty

15. What’s the Frequency, Bezro?

Journal 5

16. The Devil Went Down to Missouri

17. Mmm-Shop

18. But He’s a Creep

19. With a Little Help from My Frenemies

20. We’re Gonna Do a Jailbreak

21. A Spy and His Machine Guns

22. The Final Showdown

Journal 6

23. Bad Cops

24. Here Comes the Fun

Epilogue

Author’s Note Reprised

Coming Soon

Also Available

Epic Literary Universe Timeline

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

About the Author

Copyright (C) 2023 R.S. Penney

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2023 by Next Chapter

Published 2023 by Next Chapter

Edited by Jori Cochran, Gregg Chambers

Cover art by Lordan June Pinote

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author’s permission.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

So, a couple years ago, I started listening to a YouTube channel called Bedtime Stories. This novel was inspired by an episode called the Van Meter Visitor. Now, for those of you who don’t live in Iowa, the story goes like this. In 1903, the town was supposedly visited by a winged creature that kind of looked like a pterodactyl with a large, glowing horn sprouting from its forehead.

I’m going to save my reflections on that episode for a second note that I will place after the text of this novel. So as not to give away any spoilers.

But as always, this novel is a standalone. Anything you need to know will be explained right here in these pages. But if you want to delve a little deeper into the world-building, there are some helpful appendices in the back of the book.

JOURNAL 1

Multi-tool active: begin recording.

Okay…Um…Huh. Sweetie! Sweetie, can you come here a sec? How is this thing supposed to start again? Oh! Right…The origin story. Okay.

My name is Anna Lenai. I Bonded with an alien symbiont, and for the last ten years, I’ve been the one, the only…Anna Lenai. What? You thought I was going to hide all this awesomeness behind some silly codename?

The first few years were a bit of a slow start. It took a while to get the hang of my fancy new superpowers. Justice Keepers like me, we get a lot of benefits from our alien partners: strength, speed, rapid healing. But the coolest one has to be our ability to manipulate space and time. I mean, sure, it might just kill us if we overdo it, but still, it’s epic, right? And yet, there’s definitely a learning curve.

Jack’s the one with the literary mind; I’m more of a visual artist. So, this might be a good time for you to picture a montage of me leaping from building to building and falling on my ass. Getting punched in the face when I went up against bad guys. That sort of thing.

The point is that about six years ago, I pursued a criminal through the vastness of space, and guess what! I found Earth.

Yeah, this is kind of a critical point. See, for a long time, nobody knew where Earth was. Some people didn’t even think it existed. We’re all human. But these aliens that we call Overseers took our ancestors from Earth way back in the Stone Age. So, now, there are dozens of worlds across the Milky Way, all with human populations. And some of us discovered warp drive first. Anyway, we’re getting off track.

Back to the story!

Jack and I were an unstoppable team: travelling the stars, righting wrongs. We became best friends and then lovers. And now, we’re back here on Earth: posing as ordinary citizens while we investigate these crazy wormholes that lead to parallel universes. Some interesting things have been coming through. And by interesting, I mean terrifying! At least, by my standards.

Jack seems to be coping just fine with all the creepy crawlies. It’s the posing as ordinary citizens part that’s throwing him for a loop.

What?

Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you didn’t want me to…Well, of course, they want to hear about you! You’re interesting! Bleakness! Besides, you talked about me in your journals.

Anyway, that’s where we are: working with intelligence agencies and using high-tech equipment to close those wormholes. Our supervisor is quite insistent that we keep a low profile. Which means we have cover lives and cover jobs.

Isn’t that exciting?

1

MONEY? THINK I’LL PASS

Folding a purple shirt, Anna added it to a pile of several others that sat on the wooden shelf. She took a moment to inspect her work, noting that every garment was nice and square and neat.

Nodding once in satisfaction, she smiled and turned around. “Done!”

Chez Alice, a small women’s clothing store in the Rideau Centre, was filled with circular racks that held colourful dresses, skirts and tops. There wasn’t a whole lot of floorspace – you had to do some bobbing and weaving to get from one end of the store to the other – but she couldn’t say that the customers lacked choices.

Her boss stood behind the checkout counter.

A plump woman in her early thirties whose wardrobe consisted mostly of items found in the store, Camille always had a smile and a cheerful disposition. Well, almost always. She certainly liked Anna.

Ringlets of brown hair framed a round face with brown eyes that seemed to twinkle whenever she looked at you. Or maybe that was just a trick of the light. “Nice job, Anna,” Camille said. “I don’t know how I got along without you.”

Anna leaned against the shelf with her eyes downcast, chuckling as she nervously flicked a lock of hair off her cheek. “I’m just doing my best.”

Unlike Camille, she was quite short and rather petite. But they did share one thing in common: a notably round face. Anna’s bright red hair was tied back in a ponytail, with several loose locks falling just past her chin. Each of these contained two shin-ah beads inscribed with Leyrian characters expressing the virtues of courage and compassion. It was a popular style back on her world. It might stand out here on Earth, but she was only willing to go so far to protect her cover. Besides, her boss knew that she was Leyrian.

“I gotta admit,” Camille said. “I wasn’t expecting you to be so…diligent.”

Anna’s eyebrows went up. “So, you were expecting me to be lazy?”

The question put a wave of crimson in Camille’s cheeks. “No, it’s just…I mean…You never had a job before, right?”

Anna sauntered through the store with a friendly grin, deftly maneuvering around the racks. “I wouldn’t say that; I just never had a job that paid me money before.” Technically, that was a lie; Justice Keepers who lived on Earth were given a monthly stipend, but she was posing as a painter who had moved to this world after falling in love with one of the locals. “My aunt runs a small café back home, and I spent several summers working with her.”

“Well, that’s lovely!”

They were interrupted by the arrival of two young women – both high schoolers unless Anna missed her guess – who quickly started pawing through the clothes on a rack near the door. One of them kept yammering about some boy in her class while the other frowned as she inspected every garment.

“This one!” she said, pulling a blue dress off its hangar and draping it over her body as if to see how it looked. Her imperious stare zeroed-in on Anna with the efficiency of a guided missile. “Miss, do you have this in red?”

“I’ll have to check,” Anna said.

Turning on her heel, she hurried to the back of the store and ducked into the stockroom. Compared to the sales floor, this place looked downright shabby. A buzzing light in the ceiling flickered several times, and the scent of floor cleanser lingered in the air. The odds of finding what the girl was looking for were pretty slim. Only a few of the beat-up cardboard boxes contained merchandise, and most of that was out of season.

Dropping to one knee next to one of those mangled packages, Anna frowned as she lifted the lid. She found some shorts in there and some tank tops as well – none of which were likely to sell with Halloween just around the corner – but no dresses.

Anna wrinkled her nose and shook her head slowly. “Red dresses,” she muttered, getting back up on her feet. “Where might they have put the red dresses?”

She spotted another box on one of the metal shelves. That one looked like it just might be large enough. Grabbing a stepladder, she wheeled it over to the shelf and climbed up.

Lifting the box wasn’t a problem – not for someone with super strength – but when she finally got the damn thing open, she found nothing but hats inside. Well, it had been a long shot anyway. Camille could be downright fastidious when it came to getting merchandise out where the customers could see it. Generally speaking, if it wasn’t on the floor, then it wasn’t in the store.

Laughing softly, Anna shut her eyes and took a moment to contemplate the twist of fate that had brought her here. Six months ago, she was fighting aliens in huge, underground caverns, and now…Now, she was working at the mall. Not that she minded. Truth be told, she kind of liked it.

Stocking shelves and dealing with snippy teenagers might not be thrilling, but it gave her a chance to work on her acting skills. It was nice to have a job where the worst thing she had to worry about was sorting the latest shipment of tops by size and colour. Her real job provided more than enough action to keep her wits sharp.

A high-pitched trill from her watch made her flinch.

What was that Earth phrase that Jack often used in situations like this? Oh. Right. Speak of the devil.

The device on her wrist was a stripped-down version of a multi-tool. No holographic projector, no micro-fabrication unit. Just a simple, touchscreen interface that was good for making and receiving calls. She wore it because she wasn’t allowed to carry a phone on the sales floor.

Pressing her back against the wall, Anna lifted her forearm and pinched the watch between her thumb and forefinger. “What is it, Aamani?” she asked, speaking into the tiny microphone.

“Trouble. My agents think they’ve spotted an Overseer.”

“What?”

“That’s the third one we’ve found in Ottawa in as many weeks. We think they might be hunting you and Jack.”

Anna scrunched her eyes shut and banged the back of her head against the wall. “Good to see they’re still in full Ahab mode.” She and Jack had foiled several of the Overseers’ grand schemes over the years. It was safe to say there was no one else in the galaxy they despised more. “I don’t know how you expect me to get out of here without raising suspicions. I don’t get a break for another hour.”

“You’ll have to think of something.”

“Charming,” Anna growled, marching back to the door. She pushed it open just a crack. The two young women were still waiting on the sales floor, both looking rather impatient. “You know, maybe we need to have a talk about the utility of these cover jobs.”

“Not now, Anna. Just get over here. I’m texting you the location.”

Ending the call, she hurried out of the stockroom and strode across the store with a forced smile. “I’m sorry,” she said, approaching the two customers. “We don’t have that particular dress in red, but there are several others here–”

The girl rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. “Forget it,” she said, returning the blue one to its hanger. “I’m sure I can find it somewhere–” She cut off abruptly, tilting her head as she studied Anna. “You’re Leyrian.”

Anna blinked, startled by her unexpected knowledge. “That’s right.”

“Well, that explains it.”

“I’m sorry?”

The two girls giggled and put their heads together like they were sharing a secret, though neither one said much of anything. Turning their backs on her, they hurried away and joined the flow of people moving through the mall.

“Don’t mind them,” Camille said, checking something on her screen. “I told them we didn’t have what they were looking for.”

Spinning to face the other woman, Anna sucked in a deep breath and marched over to the checkout counter. “Camille, is there any chance I can take my break early? My husband left his meds in my purse and he needs me to-”

“No problem. It’s pretty dead around here anyway.”

“Thanks.”

Anna was out the door and bounding through the mall so fast she didn’t even hear Camille calling out to her. “Wait! You forgot your purse!”

* * *

After four hours on the job, Jack Hunter had run out of things to discuss with his supervisor. The two of them were stuck behind the counter at a cellphone kiosk, and they had quickly burned through every item on Jack’s list of safe topics. The weather, the Blue Jays, Mark’s planned vacation to the Caribbean: Each one was good for about two minutes of steady conversation. Five, if Jack really pushed his luck.

The influx of teenagers coming through the mall when school let out had provided a brief respite from the boredom – most kids loved gadgets, and phones were one of their favourites – but the flow of customers dwindled to a trickle when the dinner hour came and went. As closing-time approached, there was little to distract him from the disconcerting thoughts that flitted through his head.

Shopping malls could be downright creepy when business was slow. It was the silence, Jack realized. Places like this should be loud; they should be crowded. Thirty years ago, at the turn of the millennium, that would have certainly been the case. What else was there to do on a chilly Wednesday night in October? But times had changed.

Some people blamed the rise of online retailers. Others said it was the shrinking middle class. But one way or another, the Rideau Centre just wasn’t what it used to be.

As he looked out on the concourse with its white tiles and vaulted skylights, Jack couldn’t help but feel like he had somehow travelled back in time. Malls like this were a relic of a bygone era. His mother had told him once that when she was a girl, in the ‘90s, people used to come here just to hang out.

Not so, anymore.

He counted maybe twenty people moving through the long corridor that led to the food court. Most of them were alone, and those who had come with a friend weren’t saying much of anything. Get in, get your stuff and get out: As a teenager, he would have said that was how shopping was supposed to work. Now, he was starting to rethink that position. When you removed the socializing, the whole thing just seemed dystopian.

Many of the rental spaces that would have housed stores were closed and walled off behind metal gates. Small retail chains just couldn’t compete with the giant corporations these days. Apple and Sony and several others still had representation in the form of brick-and-mortar stores, but the little shops he remembered from his childhood? Most of them were gone.

As far as the big retailers were concerned, “get in, get your stuff and get out” was the recipe for a perfect customer. A quick exchange of cash with minimal human interaction. He was really starting to loathe this new job he had been forced to take.

Verdant Mobile, one of the upstart telecoms that promised download speeds of over three hundred petabits per second, wasn’t stupid enough to rent a large space in this aging shopping mall. Why spend the cash when four glass display cases in the middle of the concourse would do?

The kiosk was located on the first floor, sandwiched between a shoe store and a shop that specialized in retro games. Verdant had chosen a spot right next to a seating area with four white couches and a huge potted plant. People were always stopping by to take a load off, and wouldn’t you know it, the presence of a cellphone carrier within spitting distance piqued their curiosity.

“Heads up,” Mark muttered. “We’ve got incoming.”

Jack’s supervisor was a tall and spindly man with a copper complexion and brown hair that he had parted in the middle, the ends of it curling over the nape of his neck. His square glasses reflected the ceiling lights.

Like Jack, he wore the standard Verdant uniform: black dress pants and a bright green golf shirt. It was ugly as sin. Just one of the many reasons why Jack hated this job.

For the last ten minutes, his tall frame had been hunched uncomfortably over the display case, one elbow on the glass, chin resting on the back of his hand. A nudge from Mark forced him to stand up straight.

Jack was lean: pale with a strong chin and messy, brown hair. Breathing deeply, he tried to put the negative thoughts out of his mind. He may not like this job, but he would do it to the best of his ability.

The incoming customer was a woman in her mid-thirties who left her blonde hair hanging loose. She paused, examining the phones inside the display case, and pointed to one on the bottom shelf. “What can you tell me about that one?”

“Good choice,” Jack said, jiggling the lock with his key. He slid the panel open and reached inside to retrieve the phone she had asked for. It was virtually indistinguishable from all the others: just a glossy, black rectangle with a few buttons on the side. The form factor hadn’t changed much in the last twenty years, though some companies were starting to incorporate Leyrian technologies like SmartGlass. “Five hundred twelve terabytes of solid-state storage. Emerald Three OS.”

“Can it do the new download speeds?”

“It can.”

Sighing morosely, the woman grimaced as she reached into her purse. She pulled out another phone – this one wrapped in a purple case – and set it down in front of Jack. “This one only does the old 8G network. I think I need an upgrade.”

Jack blinked as he examined the phone. “This one’s an Aribos Jade-Six. It only came out eight months ago. It’s definitely compatible with the Starfire Protocol.”

“But the little icon says 8G every time I turn it on.”

“Maybe it’s your plan.” Grabbing a tablet off the shelf, Jack brought up the help page. Of course, Verdant had to do the entire website in bright green. “What’s your phone number?”

“753-555-0153.”

“Yeah, it says here you’re on the sixty-dollar plan.”

He didn’t need to look up to see the poor woman’s face. Justice Keepers gained many useful abilities from their alien partners, one of which was an instinctive awareness of their surroundings. The father and daughter eating ice cream behind him, the kid who watched him from a railing on the second floor, that stupid fly that kept zipping past his kiosk: he sensed them all. And he knew that his customer wasn’t happy.

“What’s wrong with the sixty-dollar plan?” she asked.

“Nothing!” Jack insisted. “Honestly, it’s probably all you need.”

“What if I want the new Starfire plan?”

Setting the tablet aside, Jack stepped forward and leaned over the display case to speak with her. “Ma’am,” he said softly. “Those plans can reach upwards of two hundred dollars a month. You’re not going to need that much data. You’re just not.”

“We’re running a promo on Starfire plans right now!” Mark chimed in, shuffling up beside Jack and trying to nudge him out of the way. “You get three months at a thirty-percent discount, plus a new phone on us!”

“Ma’am,” Jack said, hoping that his gentle tone might make an impression. The woman shifted her gaze to him, pointedly ignoring Mark. “The Starfire Protocol is Leyrian technology. They use it to network their spaceships for a coordinated military strike. The only reason we have it is because Leyria shared it with Earth’s governments when it was starting to look like we might be attacked. And then those governments passed it on to the private sector.”

Jack took a deep breath through his nose, holding her gaze and praying that she would listen. “Now, are you planning to launch a coordinated orbital assault on Mars or Ganymede or any other planet in this system?”

“No…”

“What do you do on your phone? Play a little Crimson? Watch short videos? Chat with your friends on Sunrise?”

“Um…Yeah.”

“Then 8G will be just fine.”

To his utter shock and delight, the woman grinned and patted his arm. “Thank you,” she said, collecting her phone. “It’s nice to meet an honest salesman.” She pulled the strap of her bag over her shoulder and hurried off before Mark could say anything that might change her mind.

Once again, Jack’s Spatial Awareness worked against him. He was very deliberately not looking at his supervisor, but he could sense every contour of the other man’s face. Scowls like that were usually reserved for slimy politicians and clingy exes. “Why would you talk her out of a sale?”

“Because she doesn’t need to be throwing away two hundred bucks a month on a phone plan that isn’t going to serve her needs.”

“It’s our job to sell phones here!”

“No, it’s our job to make sure the customers get the best deal for their money.”

Mark backed away slowly, his head sinking with the weight of his dismay. He drummed his fingers on the counter. “Kid, you’ve gotta bring up your sales. You’ve been here almost two months. I’m gonna have to write your performance review.”

Jack closed his eyes, choosing his words with care. The first few things that leaped to mind weren’t the kind of sentiments you wanted to share with your boss. “I get it. I just think we can meet our sales goals by prioritizing our customers’ needs instead of pushing them into the most expensive option.”

Snarling, Mark gestured in the direction the woman had gone. “She just told you what she needs! She asked for the Starfire plan!”

“Because she saw some stupid ad that tricked her into thinking the old networks are useless! No one needs three hundred petabits per second to post a few selfies!”

“It’s not your job to tell the customer what she needs,” Mark insisted. “Your job is to listen and provide what she asked for.”

“Oh, bullshit!” Jack spat. “All we ever do is tell the customers what they need. ‘Hey, are you still using last year’s technology? Here’s a new model that will shave three microseconds off your video’s load time. That’ll be eight hundred dollars, please.’”

He knew he had made a mistake the moment he stopped talking. Actually, he knew long before that, but in for a penny, in for a pound. If he was going to get written up anyway, he may as well complete his thought.

It pained him to realize that Mark looked genuinely disappointed. “Sounds like you don’t want to work here, Jack.”

What exactly was he supposed to say to that? He didn’t want to work here. Having to pretend otherwise was one of the worst aspects of this job.

He was spared the need to come up with a response by the sudden arrival of a lady in a blue pantsuit who walked through the mall like she owned the place. Aamani Patel was taller than the average woman and slightly plump as well. Her olive-skinned face was marked by wrinkles around the eyes, and a few strands of gray had crept into the black hair that she wore in a bun. With thin glasses and a permanent frown, she reminded Jack very much of his fifth-grade teacher.

“Jack,” she said, approaching the kiosk. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, but Anna needs your help.”

Jack opened his mouth to say that he was on his way, but the thought of Mark’s displeasure gave him pause. Slowly, he turned an imploring look upon his boss.

“Go,” Mark said. “I’m gonna have to fire you anyway. There’s no point in sticking around if your wife is in trouble.”

“Um…Thanks.”

Grabbing his coat, Jack exited the kiosk and made for the door. “You’ll need this,” Aamani said, hurrying to catch up. She handed Jack a bag with two thin crystals inside, each one sparkling in the harsh light.

Setting his jaw with determination, Jack nodded once. “Thanks,” he mumbled. “We better hurry. If I know Anna, she’s already in the thick of it.”

2

SMACK MY LICH UP

Anna ran into an alley between two gray buildings, stopping after only a few steps. It was dark, but she didn’t need her eyes to see. The walls on either side of her were misty shadows in her mind, painted in vivid clarity by the awareness she gained from her alien partner.

She took a cautious step forward, scanning her surroundings, searching for any sign of a threat. The alley stretched on for about thirty paces, finally ending in a T-intersection with another alley that ran behind the buildings. She sensed crumpled bags and broken glass on the ground. A few discarded candy wrappers as well. The place smelled like the dumpster outside her apartment complex, and she was pretty sure she caught a whiff of urine on top of that foul stench. But there were no enemies here.

She checked her watch just to be sure, confirming that this was indeed the address Aamani had texted her. A pair of CSIS agents had reported a suspicious-looking woman skulking about in this neighbourhood. One of them claimed to have seen her carrying a piece of Overseer technology. That was why Anna had been called in. Aamani’s people weren’t equipped to deal with threats of that magnitude.

Turning her back on the darkness, Anna rolled up her sleeve and squeezed her watch between her thumb and forefinger. “You’re positive that this is the right place? Maybe your guy made a mistake.”

“I don’t think so,” Aamani replied. “Colby might be a bit overcautious, but he’s not prone to exaggeration. If he says he saw an Overseer, I’m inclined to believe him.”

Tilting her head back, Anna blinked several times. “If you say so…” A fleet of puffy clouds had drifted in over the city, scattering the moonlight along their edges. The night was chilly and damp – an ever-present reminder that she should have put on her coat before she went charging out of the mall – but she could deal. It was nothing that a hot bath wouldn’t cure. And then some cuddle time.

Revolving slowly on the spot, Anna pursed her lips as she scanned the rooftops. “Honestly, Aamani, I think your agent jumped the gun. There’s no one here.”

“At least wait until Jack arrives.”

“Yeah, okay. But if this ornithoid turns out to be untamed, you’re gonna have to put in a good word with my boss.” She grimaced at the thought of Camille’s displeasure. “I was this close to making employee of the month.”

A flicker of movement made Anna turn around.

She was just quick enough to catch a shadow descending from a nearby roof and landing in the middle of the alley. In the dim light, she could barely make out the figure of a scrawny young woman in what appeared to be a stained, white dress. Her greasy hair spilled over her face like one of those ghosts in the Japanese horror films that Jack liked.

Anna’s fists immediately snapped up into a fighting stance. She backed off toward the street, squinting at the waif with a penchant for grand entrances. “So, I’m guessing you’re the one I’m looking for.”

The girl’s hair parted just enough to reveal one eye and the hint of a sinister smile. “I knew that if I let them see me, you would come.” Her voice was pure gravel. As if her vocal cords had been stretched taut and then scraped with a rusty knife.

Pinching her watch again, Anna spoke into the microphone, “Yeah, Aamani, that’s a big confirmo on your Overseer hypothesis.”

“You’ve made contact?”

“She’s mwa-ha-ha-ing at me as we speak. Got a twenty on Jack?”

“I just picked him up. ETA: five minutes.”

“Gotcha,” Anna said. “Commencing operation ‘Keep Her Talking.’” She put on the kind of smile that she usually reserved for the most annoying customers. “So, you’re an Overseer. That’s kind of cool, villain-wise.”

The wraith-like girl trembled with soft laughter, but the sound that came out of her mouth could have easily been mistaken for rocks grinding together. “You hope to delay our conflict until your partner arrives. You plan to face me together.”

Anna shrugged, her forced smile becoming a sheepish grin. “Can’t blame a girl for trying,” she said, striding deeper into the alley. “Listen, while we’re on the subject, could we take a moment to contemplate your truly heinous fall from grace?”

The other woman froze, confused by the question.

Lifting both hands up in front of her face, Anna spread them apart as though opening a set of curtains. “The Overseers!” she exclaimed. “From manipulating humanity on a galactic scale to petty revenge schemes in less than one year!”

“Our goals are beyond your comprehension.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard all that before. ‘Ooh, look at me. I’m so mysterious.” Anna rolled her eyes. “Why don’t we put it to the test? You tell me why you want the wormholes so badly, and we’ll see if I understand.”

“Their power is boundless.”

Anna froze, shocked by the other woman’s candour. “A straight answer,” she said. “That’s more than I expected. What are you planning to do with them?”

Ghost Girl closed the distance in three quick strides. In the dim light, Anna could see that her hands were dirty and her boots were scuffed. “You need not concern yourself with that.”

She threw a punch.

Bending backwards, Anna flung one hand up to strike her forearm and deflect it. Another fist came at her, but she deflected that too.

When the third punch came, Anna turned her shoulder toward the other woman and slapped her hand down on Ghost Girl’s wrist. She kicked out to the side, provoking a grunt as her opponent stumbled.

Facing her, Anna offered a high kick.

The raven-haired woman jumped back, narrowly evading it. She retreated toward the brick wall at the end of the alley, a demonic smile playing across her face. Bleakness take these Overseers; didn’t they get the message by now? No one wanted them here!

Anna charged in with a punch.

The scrawny girl slid out of the way, twisting around to grab her arm with both hands. A hard shove sent Anna staggering. She barely managed to catch herself by slapping her palms against the wall. While she was trying to get her bearings, her enemy leaped into a flying kick.

Anna moved aside only half a second before a dirty sneaker struck the spot where her head had been. Bricks crumbled with tiny fragments falling to the ground. Ghost Girl landed with a growl and a hiss.

Spinning to face her, Anna chuckled. Her eyebrows climbed behind the bangs that fell playfully over her forehead. “You’re really gonna keep this up?”

Ghost Girl replied with a mean right hook.

Anna ducked, letting it pass over her head. She hurled a pair of jabs into her enemy’s stomach, then rose and slugged the bitch right in her excessively pale face. That certainly made an impression.

Head thrown back, blood dripping from her nose, Ghost Girl stumbled. Her messy black hair spilled into her eyes. Hatred seemed to radiate from her. The cold menace of an inhuman mind seeking retribution.

Anna spun for a hook-kick, her foot whistling through the air to smash…absolutely nothing. When she came around, the tiny woman popped up right in front of her. Ghost Girl jumped with a ferocious snap-kick.

Her shoe slammed into Anna’s exposed chest, driving her backward. A split second later, she landed and rushed in with a punch.

Anna’s hand moved with almost casual indifference, swatting her enemy’s forearm and batting it aside. She bent backwards, effortlessly catching the next punch. Ghost Girl snarled like a caged beast.

Tearing free of Anna’s grip, she fell sideways and pressed one hand down on the pavement. She brought her leg up in a smooth arc, hooking one foot behind Anna’s neck and shoving her sideways into the wall.

Wheezing, Anna turned and flattened herself against it. In a heartbeat, she was cornered, unable to escape.

A pale, elfin face dominated her vision, grinning with maniacal glee. Wild hair spilled over the tiny woman’s shoulders. Those dark eyes lacked any trace of mercy or humanity.

Ghost Girl threw a punch.

Anna leaned to her right, a fist streaking past her left ear to strike the bricks instead. Another punch came, and she leaned left with the same result. Ghost Girl didn’t seem to care about damaging herself. And why should she? It wasn’t the girl but an alien in the pilot’s seat. This body was just a shell that could be discarded at any time.

Another punch.

Anna crouched down, wincing at the sound of crunching bricks. She slammed both hands against her opponent’s chest, shoving the poor girl into a drunken stumble. This had to end soon.

Rage burning in her blood, Anna jumped and delivered a kick to the face. The scrawny girl fell on her ass, then somersaulted backwards into the alley that led out to the street.

She rose with a deep breath and thrust her hand out with fingers splayed, revealing the force-field generator that she had strapped to her palm. It was a lump of flesh with thin tendrils that traced the length of each finger, and it glowed with deep, red light.

The air crackled as a wall of pure radiance appeared. If you looked closely, you would see that it wasn’t solid; the whole thing was composed of tiny, white flecks that winked in and out of existence, creating a strobing effect.

With a scream, the girl sent that force-field barreling toward Anna.

Anna jumped out of the way only half a second before it hit the wall and left a web of cracks behind. Pieces of debris fell to the ground along with a torrent of dust.

The sound of footsteps brought her some hope. She sensed Jack running through the alley long before she saw him with her eyes. And wonder of wonders, he was carrying a bag with a strap slung over one shoulder.

Crystals!

The tide had just turned in Anna’s favour.

Snarling, the waifish girl spun around and thrust her hand toward Jack. Another force-field appeared, its light transforming night into day, and sped toward him with the power of a freight train.

Jack leaped, somersaulting over the force-field, and dropped to the ground in a crouch, letting it surge out to the street behind him. His lips parted in a smirk as he took in the destruction all around him. “Well…Somebody put metal in the science oven.”

Ghost Girl launched herself toward him, clawing at his face.

Jack’s hand surged up to seize her wrist, keeping her fingers at bay. His other hand grabbed a fistful of dress, and with a hard shove, he sent her careening toward Anna.

Anna jumped, tumbling like a log through the air and touching down in front of her startled enemy. The poor girl lurched into the scarred wall at the back of the alley, growling as her rage flared hot.

Anna turned to Jack, extending one hand. “Give.”

He tossed her a crystal.

Screeching like a cat, Ghost Girl rushed forward on nimble feet. Her face was twisted into a mask of raw hatred. With incredible speed, she closed the distance and then spun for a hook-kick.

Anna ducked, letting the woman’s foot pass over her head. She popped up as her opponent came around, then slapped her open palm against Ghost Girl’s forehead, shattering the crystal. “Moon healing activation!”

“Nice reference!” Jack exclaimed.

A red halo spread over Ghost Girl’s body, turning orange as it enveloped her shoulders and yellow by the time it reached her waist. Green as it washed over her boots. Then blue and purple as well.

She screamed, writhing frantically as a worm-like parasite became visible on the side of her neck. The damn thing tried to hold on, its tiny legs digging into her skin, but the crystal’s energy refused to allow it.

Finally, the worm fell to the ground.

Jack was quick to crush it under his shoe.

With a sharp, throat-searing gasp, Ghost Girl fell into Anna’s waiting arms, sobbing as she clung to Anna’s body. “Thank you!” she squeaked. “Oh, thank you!”

“What’s your name?”

“Rita.”

Anna held the poor girl, gently patting her back. “It’s okay, Rita. You’re gonna be okay. It’s over now.”

“What was that thing?”

“An Overseer.”

Rita pulled away, sniffling as she wiped the tears off her cheek. With dirty hair falling over her face, she glanced down at the parasite’s battered remains. “You mean one of the aliens that invaded us back in the spring?”

Sighing, Anna nodded slowly. “Same species, different form,” she explained. “They can transfer their consciousness into different bodies to suit their needs. Instead of creating humanoid bodies to attack us directly, they use these giant centipede things to take control of us.”

“What did it want with me?”

Anna hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Closing her eyes, she reached out to lay a hand on the poor girl’s shoulder. “Come on. We need to get you to a medical facility. Just to make sure everything’s okay.”

* * *

The lights in the examination room were so bright they made Anna’s eyes water. The place was cold and sterile with white cupboards on all four walls and tiles that had been polished to an impressive shine.

Rita sat on a bed with several SmartGlass monitors above the headboard, her feet dangling over the side. Her hair hung filthy and lank, hiding her face as she stared into her lap. Now that she had a chance to look closely, Anna realized that the initial description she had received was correct. Rita did look like she had been living on the street for months. Despicable. Why Earth’s governments allowed their citizens to go without housing was something she would never understand.

A girl like Rita might become a brilliant scientist or a wonderful teacher, but she would never reach her potential if she had to spend her days scrounging for food in dumpsters. The thought of it made Anna sick to her stomach with rage.

Dr. Ozrad, one of the Leyrian scientists who had agreed to work with CSIS on this joint project, examined the young woman with his usual clinical detachment. He was a skinny man in his middle years with a sun-darkened complexion and wrinkles on his stern face. His gray hair was cut short, but it still stood straight up.

Rolling up the sleeve of his spotless, white lab coat, he scanned the girl with his multi-tool. The device rested comfortably on his gauntlet, consisting of a small, metal disk and a sheet of SmartGlass that served as a touchscreen interface.

Rita shied away as if she thought he might strike her.

Standing just outside the door with her arms folded, Aamani Patel peered anxiously through the window. “You weren’t able to capture the parasite?” she asked.

Anna leaned against the wall, shutting her eyes and running a hand through her sweat-slick hair. A frown tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Jack destroyed it.”

The other woman hit her with a frosty glare. “We need to study those things, Anna. Our crystals are in short supply. With enough information, we might be able to devise another method of removing the parasites from a human body.”

“I know. But it’s easier said than done.”

“Surely, you can capture at least one.”

Now, it was Anna’s turn to unleash a glower that should have had the other woman flinching. Anyone else would have backed away, but Aamani endured it with her usual brand of calm composure. “And if one of those parasites gets its hooks into me or Jack?”

Aamani grunted.

Perhaps she hadn’t considered that.

“They turn ordinary humans into roided-up killing machines,” Anna pressed on. “So, what will they do to Justice Keepers who already have super strength and enhanced reflexes?”

“A valid point.”

Bent over from a wave of fatigue, Anna sighed and pressed her fingertips into her forehead. “Maybe we can come up with some kind of containment unit. Something that will allow us to transport those things safely.”

Aamani nodded as if that settled matters. “I’ll get my people working on it.”

“Thanks.”

“How are you?”

“I’m not looking forward to going into work tomorrow,” Anna grumbled. “Aamani, I’m not trying to sound petulant, but we have enough on our plates already. Why are you insisting that we take these cover jobs?”

Fishing her phone out of her purse, Aamani scowled as she checked her messages. “It’s important that your neighbours don’t become suspicious,” she said absently. “You have to blend in.”

“Okay, sure. But couldn’t we just tell them that we work in some office building downtown?”

“I’m not the one who decided to take a job at the mall,” Aamani countered. “That was your choice.”

“Fair.”

“And I’m not the only one in the intelligence community with a vested interest in these wormholes.” Aamani’s face was as hard as granite; the chill in her voice could have put a blizzard to shame. “When your people made first contact with Earth, it triggered a paradigm shift like nothing we’d ever seen before. For the first time, Earth’s nation-states decided to work together and share information. That trend was accelerated when the Overseers tried to wipe us out last year.”

Aamani took two steps forward, her heeled boots clicking on the floor. She loomed over Anna, hard eyes scrutinizing her through the lenses of those glasses. “But you’re a fool if you think everyone joins the game with all their cards on the table. The other agencies keep things back. I know that because I keep things back.”

“I don’t understand-”

“Two weeks ago,” Aamani cut in, “I read a proposal from Director Kenneth Maher at the CIA. He believes that all North American intelligence agencies should share the information they’ve gathered on the wormhole phenomenon.”

“That sounds perfectly reasonable to me.”

“He goes on to suggest that we should work together to devise a method of harnessing the wormholes’ power. Perhaps to use them as an energy source. Or to weaponize any of the frightful creatures that have come through from who knows where. What’s more, Director Maher insists that we should conceal all knowledge of this endeavour from our Leyrian allies. In the hopes of developing technology that will give us an edge over the other planets.”

The blood drained out of Anna’s face. Her eyes widened as a soft shudder passed through her lips. Everything Aamani had just said sounded remarkably similar to what she had heard from the Overseer. Plans to exploit the wormholes. To use them for some nefarious purpose. “Why?” she mumbled, shaking her head.

“Why what?”

“Why hide it from Leyria? For the last six years, my people have done nothing but help Earth! We’ve removed pollutants from your atmosphere, provided cures for some of your most virulent diseases, offered technology freely!”

Anna couldn’t hold back the flash of anger that made her tremble. With teeth clenched, she stepped forward, forcing Aamani to retreat. “We protected you when the Overseers threatened this world! We sacrificed ships and supplies and who knows how many lives to keep Earth safe!”

She stiffened, a single tear rolling down her cheek. “After all that, how can you still treat us as enemies?”

Aamani glanced up the corridor as though expecting someone unpleasant to come around the corner. When she was satisfied that they would not be disturbed, she returned her attention to Anna. “That’s easy for you to say. Your people have starships, advanced computers and fearsome nanotechnology. You’ve always been in the dominant position. Imagine how you would feel in our place. How comfortable would you be depending on someone else to protect you from the many threats that may be lurking among the stars?”

Anna let out a ragged breath. “I get it.”

“No, you don’t,” Aamani declared. “Because you’ve completely missed the point of this story. Remember what I said about not putting all your cards on the table? If this is what Director Maher is willing to say publicly, just imagine what he’s holding back.”

“Bleakness take me…”

This time, it was Anna who retreated while the other woman advanced. She didn’t stop until she was pinned against the wall. “So, you want to know why I’ve forced you to accept these menial jobs?” Aamani went on. “Because your anonymity is an asset to me.

“My goal is not simply to protect this planet from the many dangerous things that may be coming through those wormholes. I must also protect this planet from those who would exploit the wormholes to serve their own ambition. Dangerous men with networks of spies in every city. To keep you hidden from them, I need more than just a general consensus among your neighbours that you ‘work in an office downtown.’ I need a paper trail. Tax records. Bank statements. Things that paint you as unremarkable citizens, unworthy of any special attention.

“Your status as a Leyrian immigrant already makes that task difficult. Few people from your world choose to live here on Earth. When they do, it’s usually to join some sort of research team or infrastructure project. Anna Lenai, the painter, could spend her days on Leyria, making art and never having to worry about money. Things are much more difficult here. Your motivation will come into question.”

Aamani grunted with a sly, little smile. “Luckily, your obvious affection for Jack provides an easy answer. Do you understand now?”

“Yes,” Anna whispered.

“Good. Then I suggest you go home and get some rest.”

JOURNAL 2

Multi-tool active: begin recording.

Well, hello again. I feel it might be a good time to clear up a few details about my very exciting life of danger and intrigue. Savvy listeners might have noticed a teensy, tiny contradiction in my story. “Wait,” I hear you say. “Didn’t she just tell us in the last entry that she was the woman who found Earth? That’s gotta make her super famous, right? So, how can she work undercover in the mall without being recognized by every rando who walks past?”

Good question.

There’s a pivotal part of the backstory that I neglected to mention last time. We had only just met! I didn’t want to hit you with all my drama right out of the gate.

To make a long story slightly less long, Jack and I ran afoul of an ancient, cosmic being while we were trying to save an entire planet from the Overseers. It asked us whether we would give our lives to protect the people of that world. We said, “Yes.” I mean, it wasn’t even a question. Five billion lives against two? That’s some pretty simple calculus right there. We were prepared to die that day.

Instead, we woke up in a world where nobody remembers us and every trace of our existence has been erased. The cosmic being didn’t kill us; it just took our lives. Always read the fine print, kids.

It took us months to even start the long process of rebuilding everything we had lost. Larani, the head of the Justice Keepers, thought we were grifters or double agents. We had to close one of the wormholes on our own before she would agree to reinstate us.

And don’t even get me started on my family.

My sister believes me, thank the Holy Companion. But my mom? She can’t seem to decide whether she thinks I’m lying or crazy. I guess that only makes sense; Mom and I never got along. I was always a bit too unconventional for her.

I have this hypothesis, which may or may not be based on my incredibly biased point of view on these matters. I think the people who were willing to trust me, who were willing to believe me when I said that I’ve always been a part of their lives, are the ones who really cared. The memories are gone but some lingering emotional awareness remains. And now, I get to see how they really feel about me.

Melissa is one of my dearest friends. I trained her as a Justice Keeper. And she was the first one to reach out. I didn’t even have to go to her. It’s like she instinctively knew there was a connection.

And my mom…

My mom rejects me because deep down inside, she never liked me very much. Losing the memories just gave her the excuse to act on it. That’s just my theory, anyway. There may be counterexamples. I mean, Arthur – Jack’s dad – doesn’t remember me, and strangely, he’s nicer to me now. I guess it gave us a chance to start over.

Which brings me to the ultimate thesis statement of this long, rambling screed: I’m lonely. Melissa calls me once a week, but she’s working on another planet now. And good for her! She earned it.

Jack’s been fantastic; I don’t think I would have gotten through this without him. But no matter how much they love you, no one person can fulfill all of your emotional needs. I’m starting to wonder what my place in this crazy universe is now that everything I had is gone.

I’m thinking it’s gonna take a long time to figure it out.

3

SMELLS LIKE LOW SPIRITS

Wrapping herself in a white robe, Anna tied the belt and then bent to empty the tub. She straightened, brushing damp hair out of her face.

Her bathroom was a tad bland – cream-coloured walls and wooden cupboards underneath the sink – but at least the plumbing worked. She could always get hot water on demand. Apparently, that was an issue here on Earth.

The tiny chip in the mirror still vexed her; she had been meaning to have that fixed. And it might be nice to add a little colour in here. A painting of a forest would look splendid over the towel rack. If she didn’t find one in the stores, she could always paint it herself.

Stepping up to the counter, she leaned forward to examine herself in the mirror. She looked tired. Everything Aamani had said was still rattling around in her brain. She had to marvel at the persistence of her anxiety. Over the years, she had learned that most of life’s pains could be forgotten in the embrace of a warm bubble bath – at least for a little while – but apparently, that didn’t apply to Overseers and wormholes.

Bracing her hands on the counter, Anna hung her head and heaved out a breath. “Why can’t you guys go find some other galaxy to torment?” It was a silly question; if the Overseers tried, she would feel compelled to stop them. The denizens of Andromeda had as much right to live in peace as she did.

Still, her musings served to highlight the unfairness of it all. The Overseers had been soundly defeated; she and Jack had played a role in defeating them. They were supposed to limp away and lick their wounds. But here they were, causing more trouble.

Seth offered his sympathy.

The blending of human and Nassai allowed for a sharing of emotions, though it wasn’t perfectly symmetrical. Seth was privy to her every thought and feeling while she received only the occasional flash of joy or grief or fear from him. She could speak with him directly, but it required her to enter a meditative state. “I love you, too, old friend,” she murmured.

The door squeaked when she pulled it open.

Her little kitchen was dark, but Spatial Awareness mapped every surface with sharp, vivid lines. The square island and its high stools were misty shadows in her mind. As were the wooden cupboards and the adorable salt and pepper shakers she had purchased from a thrift shop. They were shaped like a young boy in a cap and a little girl with pigtails. And if you stood them next to each other, their hands would fit together.

Anna had insisted on putting the pepper in the girl shaker. That spice suited her personality more. Jack had grumbled about it, but in the end, he accepted her decision without complaint. He was pretty easygoing about stuff like that.

A crack of light emanated from the bedroom door. So, he hadn’t gone to bed yet. Which probably meant he was ruminating about something. They hadn’t spoken much on the drive home.

Pushing the door open, Anna found him sitting on the edge of the bed with his back turned. He was looking out the window at another building across the way.

“Sweetie?”

Jack flinched, startled by her arrival, and shook his head vigorously. “Sorry, I was chatting with Summer.” He spoke with his Nassai partner fairly regularly, usually when he had something on his mind. So, that would seem to confirm Anna’s hypothesis.

Maneuvering around the foot of the bed, Anna plopped herself down beside him and linked arms with him. “What’s wrong, hon?” she asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

Jack looked at her, his lips curling into a faint smile. “I think you’ve had enough on your plate for one day.”

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“That thing where you act all stoic so I won’t be burdened by your troubles. Your problems are my problems, remember?”

Bent forward with the heel of his hand pressed against his forehead, Jack smiled ruefully. “All right,” he said. “I’ll go into share mode. But first, we’re going to talk about whatever’s on your mind. Because my stuff is muy estupido.”

Anna threw her head back with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “Wormholes and Overseers and enterprising intelligence officers who think they can turn the whole thing into a weapon. You got a solution to that?”

Slipping his arm around her, Jack pulled her close for a smooch on the forehead. “No,” he admitted. “But I can listen.”

“Mmm…Maybe tomorrow. Now, will you please stop foiling my attempts to take my mind off my problems and just tell me what the heck happened?”

“You know, you’re getting pretty good with the Earth slang.”

“No more stalling, love.”

Lifting his shoulders in a halfhearted shrug, Jack stared dejectedly through the window. “I got fired.”

“Oh, sweetie, don’t beat yourself up over that! Your real job is protecting this city, and if you had to skip out on the stupid cellphone store to help me fight an Overseer-”

“No,” Jack said nervously, refusing to look at her. “I didn’t get fired because I left work to help you. I got fired because I told off my boss.”

“What happened?”

The story came out of him in short bursts, eventually culminating in Aamani’s arrival at the cellphone kiosk. By the end of it, Anna wanted nothing more than to comfort her husband with kisses and cuddles.

She rose from the bed, turning to stand in front of him, taking his hands and gazing intently into his eyes. “Sweetie. You did the right thing.”

“My logical brain agrees with you. I go over it again and again, and I can’t find anything I could have done differently. Not if I wanted to remain true to the values I believe in. I mean I could have sold her the new plan, but I firmly believe that doing so would have been swindling that poor woman out of her money. And people don’t have a lot to spare these days.”

Anna nodded.

“So, why do I still feel guilty?”

She reached out to lay a hand on Jack’s cheek, his rough stubble scratching her palm. “Because rejection hurts even when you know you don’t deserve it.” He leaned into her touch.

“You know, this is the kind of stuff that used to get me in trouble all the time,” he said. “Mouthing off teachers, sassing my bosses.”

Anna couldn’t hold back a peal of laughter. “Oh, I know!” Tilting his chin up, she bent to kiss him softly. “You used to do it to all of our supervisors. It drove them nuts, but it also kept them honest.”

“So, you’re not mad?”

Standing over him with her arms crossed, Anna replied with a raised eyebrow. “Witness my total apathy about whether you work at a stupid cellphone store in the mall. That was Aamani’s idea, not mine.”

Jack shut his eyes tight, exhaling softly. “Well, she didn’t make me choose that job. That’s on me. And now, I’m going to have to choose another one that will probably put me in a similar situation.”

“Problems that can wait until tomorrow,” Anna insisted. “If you want to alleviate my looming cloud of doom, might I suggest cuddle time?”

“Nothing would make me happier.”

Five minutes later, she was snuggled up in Jack’s arms, delighting in the feeling of his warm skin against hers. Resting her head on his chest, she smiled contentedly as drowsiness crept over her. She should probably move – her hair was still damp; that couldn’t be comfortable for him – but she was just so tired.

His gentle fingers stroking the back of her head clinched it. There was no chance of her moving now. Her last thought before sinking into a peaceful sleep was that she wished they could spend more time like this: Just the two of them, wrapped in a little cocoon, safe and snug in each other’s arms.

* * *

Jack spent much of the next day attending to little things around the apartment; he figured that if Anna had to work, the least he could do was take on some of the domestic tasks. He scrubbed the kitchen from top to bottom, tidied up the living room and the bathroom as well.

That lasted until about eleven in the morning when he suddenly realized that he had run out of chores. There just wasn’t that much to clean in a one-bedroom. With nothing left to do, he surrendered to his nagging conscience and pulled out a tablet to search for job postings.