Page 12 of Grumpy Alien Boss

CHAPTER 12

DAR

T he navigation console beeps as we pass over Montana. My claws tap against the controls, betraying my unease.

"Look at that sunset," Olivia says. "The clouds look like they're on fire."

"Beautiful." But I barely glance out the viewport. My mind races with possibilities, none of them good. Pyke never requests meetings without purpose.

"Hey." Olivia's hand covers mine. "Your scales are doing that thing. The thing when you're stressed."

"What thing?"

"They get all spiky. Like a porcupine having a bad hair day."

A laugh escapes me despite my mood. "Porcupines don't have hair."

"See? I made you smile." She squeezes my hand. "Whatever Pyke wants, we'll handle it together."

My chest tightens. Together. Such a simple word, yet it carries so much weight. Humans are fragile. One plasma blast, one wrong move...

"Darwin Rook." She uses my full alias, the way she does when she means business. "Stop brooding."

"I don't brood."

"You're totally brooding. Your mohawk ridge is all droopy."

I check my reflection in the console. My bone ridge stands perfectly erect, thank you very much.

"Made you look." She grins.

The base appears on my scanner, hidden beneath an abandoned silver mine. Ten minutes until we land. Ten minutes until I know what Pyke wants with my Olivia.

"I can hear you thinking from here," she says.

"That's impossible. Vakutans are telepathically shielded."

"Then explain how I know exactly what's going through your head right now."

I raise an eyebrow ridge.

"You're worried about me." She traces the scales on my arm. "Don't be. I'm tougher than I look."

The docking clamps engage with a metallic thunk. Olivia's eyes go wide as she takes in the underwater base through the viewport. Schools of fish dart past, their silver scales catching the last rays of sunlight filtering down from above.

"Welcome to Atlantis," I say, powering down the engines.

"This is way cooler than the Jersey office."

We make our way through the curved corridors. My claws click against the metal floor while Olivia's heels echo behind me. The familiar scent of recycled air and ozone fills my nostrils.

Pyke's office door slides open with a soft hiss. The old warrior rises from behind his desk, his battle-scarred face breaking into a rare smile.

"Miss McGee." He extends his hand. "Welcome to Veritas."

"Captain." Olivia shakes his hand firmly. "Nice setup you have here."

"Please, sit." Pyke gestures to the chairs. "We have much to discuss."

The captain's expression turns grave as he explains about the protestors. My scales bristle at the mention of Grolgath involvement. Those shape-shifting vermin have discovered my identity, threatening everything I've built.

"The Grolgath are using public outrage as a weapon," Pyke says. "They hope to destroy Rook Enterprises and cripple our operations."

"So how do we stop them?" Olivia leans forward.

"You, Miss McGee. You're going to help us set a trap." Pyke's scarred face breaks into a predatory grin. "By betraying Dar to the press."

My chest tightens at the thought of Olivia facing those monsters, even as part of a ruse. But when I look at her face, I see only determination and that familiar spark of defiance.

"When do we start?" she asks.

"We'll use Hurst Popenga," Pyke says.

My scales ripple with displeasure. That basement-dwelling conspiracy theorist?

"The 'who are the reds' guy?" Olivia's nose wrinkles. "That guy's a crackpot lunatic."

"Yes." Pyke's scarred face shows grim amusement. "But he's got the Grolgath's attention. They haven't made contact with him yet, but they are monitoring him in case he comes up with a real lead. You're going to go on his podcast and give him that lead by saying your boss might be an alien."

"Captain, this is madness." My claws dig into the armrests. "We can't risk-"

"I'll do it." Olivia's voice carries that steel I've come to both love and fear.

"No." I stand, towering over Pyke's desk. "Find another way."

"You wanted to bring her in, Dar." Pyke's good eye fixes on me. "Now she's in. Too late to do anything about it now."

"Darwin." Olivia's hand finds mine. "I'll be fine. This guy's harmless - he probably lives in his mother's basement."

My chest constricts. She doesn't understand. One wrong move, one slip-up, and the Grolgath will...

"Trust me." She squeezes my hand. "I can handle this."

But I've seen what the Grolgath do to humans who get in their way. The memory of shredded flesh and splintered bone haunts me still.

"If she's going in, she needs equipment," I say. "Real equipment."

Pyke nods. "Follow me to R&D."

The labs sprawl beneath the ocean floor, a maze of chrome and glass. Dr. Krix, our lead scientist, bounces on his feet when he sees us coming. His frill quivers with excitement.

"Oh good, a new field agent to outfit! I have just the things."

He presents Olivia with a pair of sapphire earrings. "Communications devices. Tap twice to activate, once to deactivate."

"Pretty." Olivia puts them on.

"This nail polish becomes plastic explosive when it dries." Krix hands her a bottle of blood-red lacquer. "Just scratch the surface to detonate."

My scales prickle. Explosives? She could blow her hands off.

"And this..." Krix injects something under her index fingernail. "Will give any Grolgath you scratch a nasty allergic reaction. Their shape-shifting abilities will glitch for hours."

"She needs a tracker," I say. "One of the subdermal implants."

"Absolutely not." Pyke's voice cuts through the lab. "The Grolgath scan for those now. It would compromise her immediately."

My claws dig into my palms. "Then how do we protect her? How do we find her if something goes wrong?"

"Darwin." Olivia takes my hand. "I've got this. These gadgets are more than enough."

But they're not. Not against creatures who can become anyone, anything. Who can tear a human apart with casual ease.

"Trust me," she says.

I do trust her. It's the Grolgath I don't trust. But I can't tell her about the bodies I've found, about the screams that still echo in my nightmares. I can't burden her with that knowledge, not when she needs to focus on staying alive.

"Can we see the observation deck?" Olivia asks. "I want to see more fish."

"Go ahead with Pyke." My claws tap against my thigh. "I need a word with Krix first. Won't be long."

I watch them head down the corridor before turning back to the scientist. His frill perks up inquisitively.

"Something else you need?"

"A tracker." I lower my voice. "One the Grolgath won't detect."

Krix's eyes light up. He scurries to a workbench and starts rifling through drawers.

"I might have just the thing. Experimental, of course, but..." He holds up something between his claws that I can barely see. "Isotope transmitter. Size of a pinhead."

"Range?"

"Limited. Maybe half a mile in optimal conditions. But completely undetectable to Grolgath scanners. They're looking for our usual quantum signature. This operates on an entirely different principle."

I take the tiny device. "Perfect. Thank you, old friend."

"Just..." Krix's frill droops. "Be careful with her, Dar. Humans are so fragile."

"I know." The transmitter disappears into a pouch on my belt. "That's why I need this."

I stride down the corridor toward the observation deck, my steps lighter. The backup plan soothes my warrior instincts. I'll know where she is. I can protect her.

Because the thought of losing her tears at my hearts. Both of them.