Page 32

F rank arrived with Gracie on one shoulder and a larger than usual messenger bag over the other. He opened the door with his wristband just like I had, came into the foyer and then through the decontamination chamber.

He tipped his chin at me as he entered the lab. “Hey. Did you use that thing or just walk through?”

“I just walked through. Do you think we need to be decontaminated?”

“Maybe on the way out. Although I don’t suppose it’ll matter if the Ohuli have already infiltrated the entire ship.”

I wrinkled my nose. “That’s an unpleasant thought.”

He set his bag on the worktable between us. “Isn’t it.”

He looked around the space, his gaze lingering on the different pieces of equipment.

“Seems to have everything I’m going to need, including the glove box.

This will do nicely.” His gaze shifted over his shoulder, to the windows.

“There must be a way to frost those, don’t you think? I’d rather not have an audience.”

“Neither would I. If they get a whiff that we’re digging into them?—”

“Exactly.” He started unpacking his bag.

“I’ll figure it out.” There was a touch panel near the contamination chamber doors. I went to investigate.

“Gracie, you can have a look around, if you want,” Frank told her.

I heard a soft meow and looked down. Harry sat by my feet. “What is it, baby?”

He looked troubled. “Can we talk in here?” The question came out as a whisper, almost too soft for me to hear.

I looked at Frank. “What do you think? It ought to be all right for them to talk in here, don’t you think?”

“I’ll tell you in a second. Gracie, sweep.”

Gracie took off from his shoulder and did a slow flyover of the entire lab, a strange light shining in her eyes. She moved much more slowly than a real bird would have been able to. Almost like a drone.

When she completed the loop, she returned to Frank’s shoulder and shook her head.

He gave me a thumbs-up. “It’s a clean room. No bugs or cameras. None she could detect, anyway. They can talk.”

I smiled at Harry. “You heard Frank. It’s okay to talk.”

“Righto.” Harry strutted toward Frank, where he looked up at Gracie. “Gracie, let’s have a look in the office.”

I returned my attention to the panel. I tapped my way through a brief menu, found a button for the windows and hit it. Options appeared. Clear, Light, Security.

Security seemed like what we were after, so I pressed it. The windows darkened slightly, but I could still see out. “Hmm. That’s not what I thought that was going to do.”

Frank glanced up from where he was still taking things out of his bag. “I bet if you go out into the foyer, you’ll find we can see out but no one can see in.”

“Maybe, but I need to be sure of that. Be right back.” I stepped through the decontamination chamber and into the foyer. Sure enough, from that side, the windows were completely opaque. The lab could have been filled with naked aliens, and no one would have been any the wiser.

I came back in. “Yep, we’re good. I like being able to see who’s out there. That’s a good design.”

“I agree.” He lifted out the container with the pila in it. “You want to put that in the glove box?”

“Sure.” I took it from him, holding it firmly but gingerly. Whatever this thing could really do, I wanted no part of it.

I carried it across the room to the glove box and set it on the nearest table, then opened the clear panel on the back of the box and set the container inside.

I closed the panel carefully, making sure it was secure.

The seal around it seemed airtight, but I was no expert on this. “How do we know this is secure?”

“There will be a way to hermetically seal it once everything we need is inside. I’ll probably want to add a few tools, though, so don’t do that yet.”

“No problem.” I didn’t have anything else to do, so I pulled myself onto one of the empty worktables and sat.

Frank glanced over, smiling. “You’re going to be bored.”

“You don’t think you’ll need an assistant?”

“Maybe for a few things, but it’s not going to be enough to keep you busy.”

“I brought my laptop and my tablet.” I shrugged. “I guess I should have brought my knitting, too.”

“I love my vest,” Gracie said.

“I’m so glad,” I answered. I really should have brought my knitting. Maybe Frank wouldn’t mind if I went back and got it. I was sure he wouldn’t.

A weird noise came from Frank’s direction. He laughed. “Sorry, that was my stomach.”

I hopped down. “I brought some protein bars.”

“Did you eat before you came?”

“No.”

His mouth hitched to one side in a lopsided smile. “You know what I could really go for?”

I shook my head. “What?”

“Pizza. From Luna’s.”

“Oh, that would be good. Do they deliver?”

“No, but…” He bent his head slightly.

“I can go get it. If you think it’s safe enough. I could take Harry.”

Frank seemed to mull that over. “Should be safe. It’s not that late, and there are people around. But, yes, take Harry. Just give me a minute. I’ll order and pay for it. All you’ll have to do is pick it up.” He lifted his wrist.

“You know the Instachef makes pizza.”

With a horrified expression, he shot me a look before going back to his wristband, where he was tapping away. “Ellis McFadden, how can you utter such blasphemy?”

I laughed. “I love Luna’s pizza. Just saying you don’t have to pay for one when?—”

“It’s done.” He tapped his screen one more time. “They’re small, so I ordered two. One sausage and mushroom, one margherita. Under my name.”

My mouth watered. I loved Luna’s pizza, and those were both great options. “That’s very kind of you. I’ll go now since I want to stop by my place and grab my knitting, too.”

“Okay, sounds good. Thank you.”

“No problem. Harry,” I called. “I need you, please.”

Harry came out of the small office that was on the side of the lab. He and Gracie had been sitting on the desk in there. I had no clue what they were up to, but apparently they were entertained, so as soon as we returned, he could go right back to whatever it was.

“What is it, Mum?”

“I need you to run an errand with me. Won’t take long.”

Frank nodded at him. “I need you to be her bodyguard.”

Harry puffed up a little. “I can do that.”

“I know you can,” Frank said.

I went to Frank with the intention of kissing his cheek, but he pulled me in and planted one on my lips. “I miss you already.”

I grinned. “I won’t be long.”

Just when I thought Frank couldn’t get better, he orders pizza to go from Luna’s for our dinner. Honestly, the man just got better and better.

With Harry at my side, I smiled all the way to my quarters, where I picked up my knitting bag and a small box of fancy chocolates I’d been saving for a special occasion. Finding out what the Ohuli were up to seemed special enough to me.

I was walking back to the elevators when I recognized the woman coming toward me. “Benni?”

“I was just coming to see you.” There was no mirth in her expression.

“What’s up?”

We stopped in the middle of the corridor, facing each other. Harry sat by my feet.

“Something’s going on with Vashti.”

I nodded. “I know. I went to see her this afternoon, and it seems like she’s been taken in by the Ohuli.”

Benni let out a soft curse. “That’s what I was thinking, but I was really hoping I was wrong.” Her eyes narrowed. “How do I know you haven’t been taken in, too?”

“I guess you’ll just have to trust me. Did you take a pila from them? I did, but I gave it to Frank, who put it in a sealed container.”

“I didn’t take one.” She grimaced. “Will and I both decided not to get involved right from the get-go. Not after we heard about their ship sucking up so much power. Seemed off to us.”

“Well, you were right. And smart to keep your distance.”

“You think the pila has something to do with what’s going on?”

“Maybe. Frank and I are looking into it.”

“Good. Anything I can do to help?”

“Stay away from the Ohuli.” I grabbed her hand. “You and Will both.”

“Promise.”

I had to tell her the truth. “The entire ship might already be infected with whatever they’re doing to bend people to their will, so be extra careful.”

She nodded. “Keep me updated on what you learn, okay?”

“Absolutely.”

“Thanks.” She hugged me, a rare display of affection from Benni.

I hugged her back. “We’re going to figure this out. And we’re going to be okay. Vashti and Zanya, too.”

At least that was what I kept telling myself.