Page 15 of Alien’s Love Child

CHAPTER 15

JESSE

" T aking some time off," I say, dropping the wrench into the toolbox with a clang. "Family emergency."

Mako wipes his hands on an already-grimy cloth. "How long we talking here?"

"Couple weeks, maybe less."

His antennae twitch – never a good sign. "You're my best mechanic, Jesse. That freighter's coming in next week, and-"

"And Sira can handle it. She's been shadowing me for months."

"She's green."

"She'll do fine." I shoulder my bag. "Unless you're planning to chain me to the shop?"

He sighs, antennae drooping. "You know I wouldn't. Just... come back, okay? Station's not exactly swimming in mechanics who can rewire a hyperdrive blindfolded."

The walk home takes longer than usual. Something prickles at the back of my neck – that old familiar sensation from my smuggling days. I duck into Vendor's Row, weaving between the market stalls. The scent of spiced meat and engine oil mingles in the recycled air.

A quick glance in a polished display panel shows nothing but the usual crowd behind me. Still, the feeling persists.

I take three random turns, double back twice. The routines Dad drilled into my head as a kid come flooding back. Check your six, vary your pattern, look for the gaps in the crowd.

The station's security cameras sweep across the corridor. I count the seconds between rotations – four, three, two... There. I slip through a maintenance hatch, into the service tunnels that run parallel to the main corridors.

The sensation follows.

My steps barely make a sound on the metal grating. Another turn, another backtrack. Still nothing visible, but...

The market's bustle fades to a distant hum. Just me and the pipes and that crawling feeling between my shoulder blades.

Time to get Leo and put this station in our rear-view mirror.

The door slides open to my small apartment, and Leo barrels into my arms. "Mama!"

"Hey, spacer." I scoop him up, breathing in the scent of finger paint and that generic station-issue shampoo. "Had fun with Ms. Petra?"

"We made rockets!" He squirms down and races to show me a collection of paper constructions on the kitchen counter.

Petra rises from the couch, her dark eyes studying me. "Everything alright? You're home early."

"Just fine." I dig out her payment chip. "Family thing came up. We'll be gone a couple weeks."

She takes the chip but doesn't pocket it. "Jesse... if you need help-"

"Really, it's nothing." I force a smile. "Thanks for watching him today. And all the other days."

"Mama, can I show Sera my rockets before we go?" Leo tugs at my sleeve. "Please?"

My throat tightens. "Not this time, buddy. We need to pack."

"But why not? She's just down the hall!"

"Because..." I kneel down, meeting those green eyes that mirror my own. "Remember how we talked about adventures? This is going to be a special one, just you and me."

"Can Sera come on the adventure?"

Petra's hand squeezes my shoulder. "I'll see myself out. Be safe, okay?"

I manage a nod as she leaves. Leo's lower lip trembles.

"What about my school? And my rockets?"

"Everything will be right here when we get back." I brush a strand of hair from his face. "Your rockets, your school, Sera – they're not going anywhere."

Leo's fingers twist in the hem of his shirt. "Promise?"

"Cross my heart." I make the gesture, just like Mom used to do for me. "Think of it like... remember when we watched that documentary about space explorers? Sometimes they'd go away for a while, but they always came back home."

"With cool stories?"

"The coolest." I tap his nose. "Now, what do you think an explorer needs to pack?"

His face scrunches in thought. "Um... socks?"

"Definitely socks. What else?"

"My star projector!" He dashes to his room, returning with the battered device that turns his ceiling into a galaxy every night. "And Rex!"

"Rex is a must." I help him tuck the stuffed dinosaur into his backpack. "How about we play a game? First one to pack five things wins."

"What do I win?"

"Extra dessert at our first stop."

His eyes light up. "Deal!"

Leo zooms around the apartment, gathering his treasures while I slip essential documents into hidden compartments in our bags. He chatters about each item – his favorite shirt because it has rockets, the data pad with his games, the blanket from Aunt Rena.

"That's five!" He bounces on his toes. "I win!"

"You sure did, spacer." I ruffle his hair. "Want to help me pick my five things?"

"The blue sweater," he says immediately. "It's soft for hugging."

My chest tightens. Even on the run, he's thinking about hugs. "Blue sweater it is."

We work together, his small hands helping fold clothes and sort supplies. He doesn't question why I'm packing more than just five things, or why I keep checking the door.

"Are we going with Auntie Rena?" he asks while putting on his backpack.

I bite my lip. While that might have been the easy way, anyone who's gathering intel on me will certainly be checking on my old crew too. Better not to bring the danger to everyone I love.

"Afraid not, honey. Auntie Rena has a lot of work to do right now. But we'll see her and the others again soon."

I put on my own backpack and sigh turning off the lights and saying a temporary goodbye to my home of three years. The most stationary place I've ever lived in.

"Ready for our adventure?" I squeeze Leo's small hand as we step into the corridor.

"Wait!" He tugs me back. "Look at that, Mama!"

A maintenance bot scuttles across the ceiling, its spindly legs clicking against the metal. Any other day, I'd let him watch it work – he loves anything mechanical – but right now every second feels like a countdown.

"We can watch the bots another time, honey. Come on."

Three steps later: "Mama, the stars are different!"

He points at the massive viewport spanning the station's curve. The eternal dance of stars and ships glitters against the black, and yes, the configuration has shifted since yesterday. My pulse quickens. We need to move.

"That's because the station rotates, remember? Like your star projector." I gentle him forward. "Let's play a game. Who can walk the quietest?"

"Me!" He tip-toes exaggeratedly, making more noise than his normal walk.

A shadow moves at the end of the corridor. My grip on Leo's hand tightens.

"Ooh, a butterfly!" He stops dead, watching an escaped pet flit past.

"Leo, please." The words come out sharper than intended. I soften my voice. "We don't want to miss our ride."

"But it's pretty. Can we catch it?"

"Not today, spacer." I scoop him up, settling him on my hip despite his protests. "Remember what explorers do when they're on a mission?"

He wraps his arms around my neck. "Stay focused!"

"That's right. And what's our mission?"

"To have the best adventure ever!"

My throat constricts. If only he knew we're running from something far scarier than his imaginary space monsters. I press a kiss to his temple and quicken my pace, praying we make it to the docking bay before whoever's hunting us catches up.

My heart slams against my ribs as a massive figure steps out from behind a support column, blocking our path to the docking bay. The black coat he wears sweeps the floor, and for a moment the corridor spins, my vision blurring at the edges.

"Hi!" Leo waves from my arms. "I like your coat. It's swooshy!"

The overhead lights catch silver hair, blue skin.

No.

It can't be.

Three years of thinking he died in that explosion, of raising our son alone, and now-

"What's your name?" Leo asks, squirming in my grip.

Those familiar eyes meet mine for just a fraction of a second before sliding to Leo. "I'm Tyren." His voice is exactly as I remember it, that deep rumble that used to make my stomach flip.

But something's wrong. Who the hell is Tyren? Why doe she look exactly like Davin, save a couple new scars?

My fingers dig into Leo's sides, probably too tight, but I can't seem to loosen my grip. The man I mourned stands before me, alive and well, using a false name with his own son.

Leo tilts his head. "That's a funny name. Are you blue everywhere? I am!"

"Leo," I manage to croak out, but my throat feels like it's closing up.

"Most Kaleidians are," Not-Tyren says, his lips quirking in that half-smile I used to dream about. "It's nice to meet you, Leo."

The way he says our son's name – my knees nearly buckle. Does he know? Has he been watching us? The questions swirl like a sandstorm in my mind, but all I can do is stand here, frozen, while my three-year-old chats with the ghost of his father.

"You need to come with me." His hand shifts, drawing back his coat to reveal the glint of a weapon at his hip. "Both of you."

My arms tighten around Leo. "Why?"

"Everything will become clear very soon." His voice carries that same commanding tone I remember from our missions together. But it's wrong somehow. "Let's not make this difficult."

"Are you taking us on our adventure?" Leo bounces in my arms, oblivious to the tension crackling between us. "Mama said we're going on a special trip!"

"Something like that." Not-Tyren's eyes never leave mine. "We have transport waiting."

A maintenance bot whirs past overhead, its clicking legs drawing Leo's attention. "Look, another one! This one's bigger!"

The split second Not-Tyren glances up is all I need. I spin on my heel and bolt down the service corridor, Leo's startled yelp echoing off the metal walls.

"Hold tight, baby." I duck through a narrow gap between pipes, hearing heavy footsteps behind us.

"But the nice blue man-"

"Not nice." The words come out between pants as I navigate the maze of maintenance tunnels. "Very not nice."

A shout rings out behind us: "You think you can run from me?"

I slam my palm against an access panel, and a blast door hisses shut between us. Through the small window, I catch one last glimpse of his face – those eyes I used to trust now dark with something I can't read.

"Mama?" Leo's voice trembles. "I'm scared."

"Don't be scared, spacer." I kiss his forehead, already moving again. "Remember what explorers do when they meet something scary?"

"Run away really fast?"

Despite everything, a laugh bubbles up. "That's right. And nobody runs faster than us."