Page 26 of Alien’s Love Child

CHAPTER 26

DAVIN

T he landing pad's lights pierce through Glimner's perpetual smog, casting an eerie glow across Jesse's face. My heart clenches at the sight of her – fierce and determined, yet vulnerable. The ship's engines wind down with a familiar whine that echoes across the empty platform.

"You remember the plan?" I brush my thumb across her cheek, memorizing every freckle.

"Yeah, yeah. We've been over it a dozen times." She rolls her eyes, but her hand trembles as she grips my jacket. "Just... don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"Me? Never." I crack a smile, but it doesn't reach my eyes. "Listen, Jesse. Before we go?—"

"Don't." She presses her fingers to my lips. "This isn't goodbye."

"Let me finish." I catch her hand, pressing it against my chest where my heart pounds beneath my skin. "I love you. Not because you're my fated mate, or because of Leo. I love you because you're the most infuriating, brilliant woman I've ever met."

"Infuriating?" A tear slides down her cheek, but she manages a watery laugh. "You're one to talk, Mr. I-Forgot-Who-I-Was."

"Follow the plan." I pull her close, breathing in the scent of her hair. "No matter what happens in there, stick to it."

"I promise."

When our lips meet, it's desperate and deep, a kiss that tastes of fear and hope and everything we might lose. Her fingers dig into my shoulders, and I pour every unspoken word into the way I hold her. The smog swirls around us, and for a moment, we're the only two people in the universe.

She breaks away first, pressing her forehead to mine. "I love you too, you blue idiot."

The factory looms ahead, a hulking mass of corroded metal and broken dreams. My boots crunch over shattered glass as I stick to the shadows, keeping my breath steady like I learned in basic training. The smog works in my favor, cloaking my blue skin in the pale light of Glimner's moon.

A guard paces the loading dock, his attention fixed on his PerComm. Amateur. Back in my military days, that would've earned him latrine duty for a month. I wait for him to turn, timing my movements with the hiss of steam from a nearby vent.

The back door's lock is child's play – Jesse could crack it in her sleep. The thought of her makes my chest tight, but I push it aside. Focus on the mission. The door slides open with barely a whisper.

Inside, the air reeks of oil and rust. Machinery stands silent, gathering dust like forgotten sentinels. My enhanced vision picks out the security cameras, their red lights blinking lazily. I know their blind spots – used to set up systems just like these.

"Check the perimeter again," echoes a voice from above. "Boss is paranoid about an old friend showing up."

I press against a conveyor belt as footsteps pass overhead. Metal catwalks crisscross the ceiling, perfect for surveillance. Or ambush.

The stairs to the upper level creak, but I time each step with the grinding of distant machinery. Third step's loose – I skip it. The muscle memory from my time as Tyren serves me well, though the thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

A rodent scurries past, its claws clicking against metal. I freeze, but the guards continue their conversation about last night's race results. Their voices guide me deeper into the factory's maze of shadows and steel.

Almost there. The boss's office overlooks the main floor, a testament to his ego. Just like old times – except now, I'm not here as their puppet.

The door's hinges don't make a sound as I push it open, my weapon steady as I step inside. Cold metal presses against the base of my skull, and my spine stiffens. Rookie mistake – I should have checked the blind spot behind the door.

"Tyren, my boy!" The boss's gravelly voice fills the office. He lounges behind his desk, a glass of amber liquid in his hand. "Or should I say Davin? I'm never quite sure these days."

The pressure on my skull increases. "Drop it," a voice commands. The gun clatters to the floor.

"You know," the boss stands, straightening his cuffs, "I had a feeling you'd come back. Sentiment's a funny thing, isn't it? Makes people predictable."

"Funny. I remember you being taller." My mouth runs dry, but I keep my voice steady.

He laughs, the sound echoing off the metal walls. "And I remember you being smarter. Did you really think we wouldn't be watching? That we wouldn't notice you playing house with that pretty smuggler?"

My hands curl into fists. The mention of Jesse makes my blood boil, but I force myself to stay still. The gun barrel hasn't moved an inch.

"Take a seat, Tyren. Let's catch up." He gestures to a chair. "Tell me about your son. Leo, isn't it? Such a strong name."

Ice floods my veins. "Touch them, and?—"

"You'll what?" He takes a sip of his drink. "Kill me? Please. We both know how this works. You're alive because I allowed it. Your family's alive because I allowed it." His PerComm chirps, and he glances at it with a smile.

The boss swirls his drink, ice clinking against glass. "You know, when I first found you in that rubble, barely breathing, I saw potential. Raw material to mold. Tyren was everything I hoped for – efficient, ruthless, loyal."

"Sorry to disappoint." The gun barrel digs deeper into my skull.

"Oh, but that's just it." He sets his glass down, leaning forward. "The real test came later. Finding Jesse? That wasn't about the data. We knew that was a lost cause, anyhow. What moron would keep such incriminating evidence just hanging around? No. That was about you."

My chest tightens. The pieces click into place – the convenient intel about her location, the specific orders to bring her in alive.

"I needed to know if anything of Davin remained before I started grooming you for leadership." He taps his fingers on the desk. "Even with your memories wiped, something in you recognized her. And that's when Tyren started to crack."

"You used her as bait." The words taste like ash in my mouth.

"Used you both, actually. A perfect little experiment." His smile doesn't reach his eyes. "I had such high hopes for Tyren. But the moment you saw her again..." He shakes his head. "Love. It ruins everything."

"If you knew I'd fail, why send me?"

"Insurance. If you stayed Tyren, excellent. If not..." He shrugs. "Well, here we are. Though I must admit, the child was an unexpected variable. Made things more interesting, didn't it?"

The mention of Leo makes my hands shake. All those months as Tyren, all those missions – just tests leading to this moment.

"I suppose I should thank you," I say, keeping my voice steady. "You helped me find my family."

His laugh echoes off the walls. "Family? Oh, Tyren. You really have gone soft. Kill him."

A sharp crack echoes through the office, and warm blood splatters across my neck. The guard crumples behind me, his gun clattering against the metal floor. The boss's eyes go wide, and he bolts from his chair, slipping through a hidden door in the paneling.

I move to follow, but shouts and gunfire erupt outside. I snatch up my fallen weapon and sprint to the catwalks, taking the stairs two at a time. The smog's thinner up here, and moonlight streams through the broken skylights.

Jesse lies prone on the highest walkway, her rifle trained on the chaos below. Her red hair glows like fire under the artificial lights. She doesn't look up as I approach, keeping her eye pressed to the scope.

"Nice shot." I crouch beside her, scanning the factory floor. Guards scramble for cover as more shots ring out.

"You were taking too long with the dramatic monologuing." She adjusts her aim slightly. "By the way, your ex-boss is a real piece of work."

"Heard all that, did you?"

"Every word." Her finger tightens on the trigger, and another guard falls. "Using me as bait? That's just rude."

"Jesse—"

"We'll talk about it later." She shifts position, tracking movement below. "Right now, we need to catch that bastard before he reaches his ship. Unless you'd rather stay here and discuss your feelings?"

"You're impossible." I can't help but smile, even as bullets ping off the railing beside us.

"That's why you love me." She fires again, and a guard clutching a grenade launcher drops. "Now go get them."

I vault over the railing, using a chain to slide down to ground level. The impact rattles through my boots as I land behind a stack of crates. A bullet whizzes past, splintering wood near my head.

"Left side!" Jesse's voice crackles through my PerComm. A shot rings out, followed by a thud. "You're welcome."

Two goons rush me from behind machinery. My military training kicks in – duck, weave, strike. The first one's nose crunches under my elbow. The second swings wild, leaving his ribs exposed. One quick jab and he's down.

"Watch the door!" Jesse calls out.

I spin, catching a third man trying to flank me. His weapon clatters across the floor as I slam him into a support beam. "Getting sloppy up there?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Another shot, another body drops. "Did you want to handle all twenty by yourself?"

More guards pour in through the side entrance. I take cover behind an overturned table, trading shots. "Twenty? I count fifteen, max."

"Bet you dinner I'm right."

"Deal." I roll to new cover as bullets pepper my previous position. "But no counting the ones from upstairs."

"Spoilsport."

Three more rush my position. I catch the first with a leg sweep, use his momentum to throw him into his buddy. The third backs up, fumbling with his reload. Amateur. One quick shot ends his participation.

"That's twelve," Jesse announces cheerfully.

"Eleven." I duck under a wild swing, countering with an uppercut. "The big guy counts as two."

"Does not!"

A grenade arcs through the air. I dive behind a pillar as it detonates, showering the area with debris. Through the smoke, I spot movement – the boss making a break for the emergency exit.

"Jesse—"

"I see him." Her rifle cracks. The boss stumbles but keeps running. "Damn, vest. He's all yours, love."

I sprint after him, vaulting over fallen bodies and scattered crates. Behind me, Jesse continues picking off stragglers, covering my pursuit.

One more step, one well aimed shot, and just like that.

It's over.