Page 18 of Eclipse Bound (Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides #7)
Chapter Ten
The sun beat down on Rowan's neck as she and Dani stepped out of the Desert Suite. What had seemed like a peaceful retreat just days ago now felt like a minefield, every shadow potentially concealing Milano operatives.
"Act normal," Rowan murmured, plastering on her best customer service smile as they passed a group of tourists taking selfies by the meditation garden.
They rounded the corner toward the main building when Rowan spotted a man in an unmarked black polo, his hand pressed to an earpiece, eyes scanning methodically across the grounds.
His gaze locked with Rowan's for a fraction of a second before she deliberately looked away, pointing at a nearby cactus as if showing Dani an interesting feature.
"Don't look now, but security guy at two o'clock," she said through her fixed smile. Her journalistic instincts tingled and her heart beat faster. This reminded her of the time she was overseas covering a desert op. "Earpiece, tactical stance, trying too hard to blend in."
"Got it," Dani replied, pretending to laugh at something Rowan said. "So what's our actual plan here? Just stroll around and hope they don't grab us?"
"Basically," Rowan admitted. "But we need to?—"
A sharp electronic whine cut through the air overhead. Rowan's heart leapt into her throat as she instinctively looked up.
A black drone hovered thirty feet above them, its camera lens adjusting with mechanical precision. Focused directly on them.
"Shit," Dani whispered. "I think our cover's blown. That didn’t take long."
"Keep walking," Rowan instructed, fighting the urge to run. "If they wanted to grab us, they would have already."
The drone followed their movement, maintaining a consistent distance as they continued down the path. The hairs on Rowan's arms stood up. This wasn't just surveillance. It was intimidation.
They approached the retreat's main pool area, where a handful of guests lounged in the morning sun. Rowan spotted two more men in tactical clothing poorly disguised as maintenance workers, their attention too focused, movements too deliberate.
"They're herding us," Rowan realized, noticing how the men had positioned themselves to block certain exit paths.
"What?"
"They're channeling us away from the Desert Suite." Rowan's mind raced. "They want to separate us from Solar and Eclipse."
As if confirming her suspicion, her phone buzzed. An unknown number had sent a text, “Ms. Clark. Please proceed to the front entrance. Mr. Petersen would like a word.”
She showed Dani the screen.
"They're tracking your phone," Dani said, her voice tight. "We need to ditch it."
"No," Rowan replied, an idea forming. "We need to use it."
She quickly typed back, “On my way. Give me 10 minutes to finish showing my guest around.”
"What are you doing?" Dani hissed.
"Buying time. And confirming who we're dealing with." Rowan slipped her phone back into her pocket. "Now we need to move. Fast."
They veered toward a small garden shed that housed pool equipment. Rowan used her master key to unlock it, pulling Dani inside and closing the door behind them. The space was cramped and smelled of chlorine.
"Okay, so we've established that Milano has the place surrounded," Dani whispered. "Can we go back now?"
"Not yet." Rowan peered through a small window. "We need to figure out how many operatives they have and what kind of equipment they're using." She counted three more men taking positions around the perimeter. "If we go straight back, they'll just follow us to Eclipse and Solar."
A metallic clank sounded on the shed's roof. Both women froze.
The drone had landed directly above them.
"I think they're scanning for us," Rowan whispered, remembering what Eclipse had said about energy signatures. "If they've developed technology to track the aliens..."
A sharp electronic beep confirmed her fears. The drone had detected something.
"We need to move. Now." Rowan grabbed a pool skimmer from the wall and shoved the door open. In one fluid motion, she swung the pole upward, catching the drone's propellers. The machine sputtered and careened sideways, crashing into a cactus.
"Run!" she shouted, abandoning all pretense of casual reconnaissance.
They sprinted across the pool deck, startling sunbathers as they dashed past. Behind them, shouts erupted as Milano operatives abandoned their cover. Rowan glanced back to see three men in pursuit, hands reaching inside jackets for what she feared were weapons.
"This way!" Dani veered sharply left, toward the retreat's open-air yoga pavilion.
A class was in session with twenty guests in various poses on their mats. Rowan and Dani slowed to a power walk, weaving between the participants.
"Sorry, maintenance emergency," Rowan apologized to the bewildered instructor as they passed through. The Milano men halted at the edge of the pavilion, unwilling to cause a scene with so many witnesses.
The women exited through the far side, immediately breaking into a run again. Rowan's lungs burned as they sprinted down a service path that cut between two guest buildings.
"We can't lead them back to the suite," Dani gasped.
"I know," Rowan panted. "We need to split up."
They reached a junction in the path. Ahead lay the main building, and, to the right, a narrow trail wound toward the red rocks at the property's edge.
"Take the trail," Rowan instructed. "Circle around the canyon side. I'll create a diversion."
"What? No!" Dani protested. "They're after you specifically."
"Exactly." Rowan was already backing toward the main building. "I'll be fine. Get to Eclipse and Solar. Tell them Milano is actively hunting us, not just watching. Don’t contact my phone. Don’t come after me."
Before Dani could argue further, Rowan turned and sprinted toward the retreat's central facility. Her phone buzzed again, “Ms. Clark, your cooperation would make this much easier for everyone. We only want to talk.”
She didn't answer it, pushing through the staff entrance and weaving through the kitchen. The chef called out in surprise, but she didn't slow down. She hurried through the dining area, past startled guests, and into the lobby.
James Petersen stood by the reception desk, flanked by two security types. His expression shifted from confident to alarmed when he saw her burst in alone.
"Ms. Clark," he began.
Rowan didn't stop. She angled toward the gift shop, knocking over a display of crystal healing kits as she passed. The clatter and crash created momentary confusion.
"Security threat! Gun!" she shouted to the front desk attendant, pointing toward James. "Call the police!"
The lobby erupted into chaos as guests reacted to the commotion. Rowan used the distraction to slip into the manager's office, locking the door behind her. Darren wasn't in, thank god for small favors. She grabbed his desk phone and punched in a number from memory.
"Pete’s Crystal Emporium and Alien First Contact Landmark,” a voice answered over woodwind, ethereal music. “Your verified source for intergalactic connectedness and spiritual?—"
"Pete, it's Rowan from Yoga and Spa. Remember that alien flash mob contingency plan you've been going on about?"
"Hell yeah I do!"
"I’m calling in a code green. Now's your chance. Milano Enterprises is here hunting for aliens. Bring everyone. Costumes, props, the works. Make it big and loud."
"Are you serious? This isn't a prank?"
Someone pounded on the office door. "Ms. Clark! Open up!"
"Dead serious. Keep an eye out for Dani the fire dancer. We got separated. Get her to safety if you find her." Rowan replied. "And Pete? Make it fast. Code green. Code green. This is not a drill!"
She hung up as the pounding intensified. The window was her only option. She pried it open and squeezed through just as the door splintered inward.
Outside again, Rowan darted between buildings, keeping low. Milano operatives were everywhere now, their pretense at covert surveillance abandoned. She spotted two more black SUVs pulling into the retreat's entrance, disgorging additional personnel.
This was worse than she'd imagined. They weren't just investigating. This was a full-scale extraction operation.
Her phone buzzed yet again. This time, it wasn't a text but a photo of a thermal image of what appeared to be the Desert Suite, with two distinct heat signatures visible inside. One blazing like a small sun, the other a strange, shifting pattern unlike anything human.
The message below it was simple, “We already know what they are, Ms. Clark. And where. Cooperation now could save their lives.”
Cold fear sliced through Rowan. They were going to raid the suite. Eclipse and Solar were trapped.
She changed direction, abandoning stealth for speed. She had to warn them, had to reach them before Milano did. Her lungs burned as she sprinted along the perimeter path, taking the longest route to avoid Milano personnel.
The back service entrance to the Desert Suite came into view. No sign of operatives yet. They must have been mobilizing for a coordinated assault.
Rowan fumbled with her key card, hands shaking as she swiped it through the reader. The door unlocked with an agonizing delay, and she tumbled inside, slamming it shut behind her.
"They're coming!" she gasped. "Milano has thermal imaging of you both. They're preparing to raid the suite."
Eclipse and Solar turned from what appeared to be an impromptu defensive barricade of furniture. Solar's golden energy pulsed erratically, causing the lights to flicker and surge.
"Where is Dani?" Solar demanded.
"Circling around. She's safe." Rowan struggled to catch her breath. "But we won't be for long. They sent me this." She showed them the thermal image.
Eclipse studied it, his expression grave. "Their technology is more advanced than anticipated."
"We need to move," Rowan insisted. "Now. Before they surround us completely."
"The extraction coordinates are in the desert," Solar said. "We must reach them before extraction."