Deep in Your Shadows Read online

  Ogden, and two of the soldiers alongside him, dropped to the ground. Christian stared at the three, unmoving on the floor, sprawled out like puppets cut free from strings.

  “Everyone back!” Tyler shouted.

  Then it was chaos, the crowd pushing backward, people shouting. Ogden and the two soldiers who’d dropped were dragged back from the craft. As a second group charged the craft, pointing guns, one of those soldiers also dropped to the floor, unmoving.

  “I said everyone back!” Tyler shouted. “Back, back, back!”

  The remainder of the soldiers retreated, dragging their fallen comrade. Christian was jostled, but couldn’t seem to move his feet, frozen there, staring at the being in the craft. The being made eye contact with Christian, then reached an arm out, lips curling into a strange grin. “Sanctuary,” it hissed, then deep, raspy laughter.

  Christian’s right leg grew numb, and he stumbled, falling to his knees.

  “Christian!”

  Nolan was there suddenly, arms around Christian, dragging him back to the entrance of the house, where the rest of the crowd congregated.

  A sense of unreality overtook Christian as voices shouted over each other. JT was in his face. “Are you okay? Talk to me.”

  Nolan held Christian around the waist. Christian stamped his foot on the floor, pins and needles numbing his foot. “My leg is numb but...I’m okay.”

  JT knelt down and began rubbing Christian’s leg and foot. “Just the leg?”

  “Yeah. Feeling’s returning.” He saw others tending to the fallen, one of them crouched over Ogden, whose eyes were open, staring at the ceiling. “Shit. What happened?” Christian looked around, and spotted someone giving CPR to Rhonda, who lay on her back on the floor. “Jesus, are they...”

  “Stay calm,” Nolan said.

  The being in the craft laughed, a high-pitched sound. Christian glanced over. “Sanctuary!” it rasped somewhat dramatically, then continued laughing as it rocked in the chair, still struggling to get up.

  “Ogden’s coming around,” Tyler said.

  Ogden gasped, his legs shifting on the floor.

  “Looks like temporary paralysis,” one of the other soldiers called out. “Eric’s coming around too.”

  JT rose. Christian rubbed his leg, the feeling slowly returning. “I think that’s what it tried to do to me.”

  “Yeah,” JT said. “I think it blew its wad taking these four down, so wasn’t at full strength when it attacked you. At least it’s weak.”

  “But for how long?” Elliot demanded. “Just fucking shoot it!”

  Ogden sat up with help, shaking his hands out. “No...no one...shoot,” he slurred.

  “Hey! I need help. Rhonda’s not breathing!”

  The soldier hovered over Rhonda again, breathing into her mouth, pumping her chest.

  JT scurried over and knelt beside her. The young redhead’s skin was turning blue. “I’ll take a turn,” JT said. “Her respiratory system is probably paralyzed.”

  The soldier took in a deep breath, then backed away.

  JT took over, breathing into Rhonda’s mouth. He checked her pulse at the neck, then bent over and began again.

  “Fuck,” Elliot whispered.

  They stood around in a circle, watching JT work strenuously, but Rhonda remained still. “Come on!” JT said, and breathed hard into her mouth.

  Rhonda coughed, and JT pulled back.

  Christian let out a breath. Thank fucking God.

  “Anyone have oxygen?” JT called out.

  Moments later, a soldier scurried over and slapped a mask over Rhonda’s mouth. Her color began to return and her eyes had opened, but her arms remained limp at her sides as they sat her up. “She’s okay,” JT said. “Ogden? You all right?”

  Ogden sat on the floor, staring at the craft, where the being still laughed. The others who’d been paralyzed slowly began to move.

  Suddenly, the creature in the craft stopped laughing and began to screech, a loud, bone-chilling shriek that repeated over and over as it twisted and thrashed, eyes on the crowd near the entrance. It pointed a long finger, and strange, syllabic sounds came out of its mouth.

  “Is it talking?” Ogden asked.

  “Stay where you are!” Tyler shouted, and it took Christian a moment to realize he wasn’t speaking to the being in the craft.

  Baz stood in the entryway, his tall form looming over the crowd.

  “Let...” Ogden shook his head and slapped his own face. “Let him in!”

  Baz wore his usual ‘human’ garb with the dark sunglasses, but his hat was missing, white hair tumbling to his shoulders. His forehead was very high, the hair coming to a widow’s peak at the top. As the creature in the craft continued to babble in that strange language, Baz looked around the floor, focusing on the soldiers that were still recovering. Then he looked at Ogden, and moved toward him, kneeling down. “Hurt?”

  “I’ll be okay.”

  “Hey, don’t touch him!” Tyler said as Baz’s hand moved over Ogden’s thighs.

  Christian got in front of Tyler. “He’s friendly. Just stand down.”

  “You better be right about that!” Tyler said.

  Baz dug through Ogden’s pockets, eventually pulling out the small gray item he’d given Christian. The weapon to destroy the craft.

  “No...” Ogden said, lifting a weak hand. “Don’t destroy it.”

  Baz pointed in Ogden’s face. “Baz tell not to move vehicle. Hoggin shut up now!”

  Baz stood and headed toward the craft.

  The being inside’s eyes widened as Baz approached, looking almost innocent, breath hitching like it was about to weep. A blast of strange words came from his mouth as it stared at Baz.

  Baz said something back that Christian didn’t understand, the sound similar. This went on for several minutes, the two having a conversation. Baz’s shoulders stiffened, and he stepped to the side, slapping the gray weapon onto the hull of the craft.

  The being shrieked, spittle flying from its mouth.

  As Baz turned and jogged back to the entrance, the creature shrieked, “Fuck to you!” He lurched forward, one hand clinging to a panel as he attempted to stand. Legs giving out, he fell to the floor of the craft. “Fuck to you! Fuck to you! Death! Death! De—”

  The entire crowd jumped when the floor beneath their feet vibrated, then suddenly, the craft was gone, along with the screaming being inside it.

  Silence fell upon the group that huddled at the entrance of the house. Everyone stared at the empty space where the craft had been. Everything was gone but the containment apparatus, untouched, still standing. But empty.

  Slowly, Elliot moved away from the crowd and headed toward the apparatus. Christian glanced up at Baz. Baz was completely still, but his chest rose and fell as he breathed heavily. “What did he say to you?” Christian asked.

  Baz didn’t look at Christian. He was stiller than Christian had ever seen him. “He say no problem. Just kill. Kill all humans that saw him. Then no problem.”

  Ogden sighed heavily.

  Baz hadn’t stopped Elliot when he walked over to the containment, so Christian walked up to join him. Nolan and JT followed.

  They all stared down at the floor inside the apparatus, where a small puddle of black liquid bubbled. As the bubbles sizzled and popped, the puddle grew smaller, and eventually disappeared altogether. “It’s gone,” JT said. “The being too. He’s just...gone.”

  Nolan let out a long breath. “He was angry.”

  “Indeed.” Elliot looked at Nolan. “And nasty.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  They all turned when Baz stepped up behind them. In unison, their heads lifted to look up at the hybrid.

  Baz pointed a long white finger at Christian, lips pulling back from his teeth. “Baz tell you dangerous!” His arm trembled.

  Christian’s eyes widened. He’d never seen Baz angry, never heard him raise his voice.

  Ogden was helped over to where they sto
od, an arm slung around one of the soldiers.

  Baz turned his head and pointed at Ogden. “Stupid!”

  Ogden’s mouth had a droopy look, but his eyes turned up to Baz. “You sssaid there were two.”

  Baz growled and stepped toward the gray apparatus, kicking one wall, making them all jump. He looked up at the roof of the thing, then pointed at it. “This? Stupid!” He turned and faced them. “Grey. This? From Greys?”

  Ogden nodded. “Yes.”

  Baz threw his arms up. “Block.” He slapped his hands together, then opened them. “Block seal!”

  Ogden sighed, his body slumping against the soldier.

  “Shit,” Nolan said. “We didn’t know. That the material would...interfere with whatever was keeping the craft sealed.”

  “You did not ask,” Baz said.

  “Look, Baz,” JT said. “We were flying blind here. They were gonna move it either way. We were trying to keep it contained, not set it free.”

  Baz pointed at JT, lips tight.

  “I know,” JT said. “It was stupid. But the Whites left us to deal with it! If they had a better idea they could have dealt with it themselves.”

  “Baz give idea. To destroy! Dangerous! Baz tell to you. To Chrischris.”

  “Are they going to be okay?” Christian pointed to Ogden, then back at the other soldiers. “What did it do to them?”

  Baz bobbed his head, then swiped at his eyes beneath the sunglasses. “Could have been worse.”

  Christian frowned at Baz. Is he crying?

  “Because it was weakened?” JT asked.

  Baz growled, and kicked the gray wall again. “To hand?” He pointed to his own hand. “Attach?”

  “The tubes in its hand,” Christian said.

  “Sleep. Slow. To survive.”

  “Whatever was feeding into those tubes put it in stasis?”

  “Okay. Yes. To sleep. To remove? To wake.”

  “So it wasn’t weak because it was sick or injured,” Nolan said softly. “It was just...waking up. Like from anesthesia.”

  “Other,” Baz said. “Other!”

  “Ah, fuck,” Nolan said. “There was another one in the craft, wasn’t there?”

  “No,” Ogden said. “We would have seen it escape.”

  Baz whirled around and pointed at Ogden. “Stupid! Stupid stupid! Stupid fuck Hoggin!”

  “Okay, Baz.” Christian gently touched Baz’s hand. “We know we’re stupid. Please calm down, okay? Can you do that for me? Just calm down.”

  Baz’s head bowed, focusing on Christian’s hand touching his. His shoulders relaxed. He gripped Christian’s hand for a moment, then let it go. “Apology, Chrischris.” His breath stuttered.

  “Hey. Are you okay?” Christian rounded Baz and looked up at him.

  Baz swiped at his eyes again. “Need sixty second,” he whispered. “Please. Chrischris.”

  “You need a minute? Go ahead. I’ll keep everyone away from you.”

  Baz nodded, then walked over to the apparatus. He stepped inside, then slowly dropped to his knees, head bowed.

  “What the hell is he doing?” Ogden asked. “We need to ask him about the second being.”

  “Just give him a minute,” Christian said.

  “We may not have a minute,” Tyler said. “If there was another we need to find it.”

  “Just give him a minute, Tyler,” Christian said. “He just had to kill someone. We have no idea what that did to him.”

  They all grew silent, watching Baz inside the apparatus, kneeling as though in prayer. Finally, the hybrid stood, turned, and walked back to them. “Okay.”

  “You’re all right?” JT asked.

  “Yes. Okay.”

  “Baz, we fucked up,” Christian said. “We know that. But we need you to be clear. Are you sure there was a second being in the craft?”

  Baz took his sunglasses off. Ogden flinched, but the rest remained calm. Baz’s white lashes fluttered, then he focused on Christian. “Look to eyes. No lie. Two.” He held up two fingers. “One to leave. To gone.” He pointed to the exit. “Out.” He looked at Ogden. “Maybe water. To hide. Then go. Escape.”

  Ogden shook off the soldier holding him up. He stumbled, then caught himself, stamping one foot on the ground. “If that thing is out there, we need to find it. Baz, where would it go?”

  Baz slipped his sunglasses back on. “Village. Then maybe mountain.”

  “Shit.” Ogden’s jaw tightened. “Can you help us find it?”

  Baz turned to Ogden. “Help? Oh yes, okay, Baz so human, go to village. Have icy cream.” Baz took his sunglasses off again and threw them to the floor, pointing to his eyes. “Baz cannot search village!”

  “Wow,” Elliot said. “Baz has learned sarcasm.”

  “What about the Whites?” JT said. “Can they help?”

  “To search, maybe. To find...difficult.”

  “They honed in on us easily enough back when they were tormenting us,” Nolan said. “They followed Rudy to fucking Boston. You’re telling me they can’t find one alien loose in the village?”

  “Whites find,” Baz said, “when know to search to. Focus. To know where locate. This? Maybe to luck, maybe no to luck.”

  “Can you at least ask them to try?” Ogden said. “We know they have ships that can fly without being seen. We know they can see things we can’t.”

  Baz sighed, then nodded. “Okay. Whites help search. Baz speak to.”

  “Can we shoot it?” Ogden asked.

  Baz’s double-iris orbs shifted to Ogden. “Get close to.” He gripped his own throat. “No breath. No move. Hurt. Bleed inside.” He looked down at the spot where the craft had been. “Weapons destroyed. But still to hurt.”

  “Is it...weak?” Nolan asked. “Like the other one? Still waking up?”

  “No to weak,” Baz said. “Switch? Two. One to sleep. One to wait. Switch. Save strong.”

  JT winced. “So...the one that escaped, he was wide awake when the craft unsealed. So he’s...at full strength.”

  “Should be strong,” Baz said. He pointed at Ogden. “Stupid!”

  Ogden flinched. “Yes, I got that. I’m stupid. We should have destroyed it when you told us to. But we didn’t, and here we are. How far away from the thing is safe? And can a bullet kill it?”

  “No to get close,” Baz said. “To get to hit? Will hear. Will smell. Will see you.”

  “So what it did to Ogden and the others,” Christian said. “And almost to me. The paralysis? Was it a weapon? Did this other thing take weapons with it?”

  “Run quick. Maybe no weapon. But to...para...”

  “Paralyze,” Christian said.

  “No need weapon.” Baz pointed to his temple. “Ability.”

  “Fucking great,” Nolan hissed.

  “We’re gonna have to take our chances,” Ogden said. “We need to get teams ready and head into the village. I want—”

  “Ogden!” Elliot said. He stared down at his phone in his hand. “We have a problem.”

  “God dammit,” Ogden said. “Why do you idiots always say that? Just tell me what the problem is.”

  Elliot’s green eyes narrowed as he looked up. “Eva Sorensen. She’s the cute chubby black lady that sells ice cream? Dressed in a wizard costume? She just reported a home invasion.”

  They all moved toward Elliot.

  “Claimed a monster broke into her house and accosted her. Ate a bunch of her food, then left.”

  “Shit,” Ogden said. “We need to get over there now.”

  “I know, but Ogden?” Elliot glanced at Christian. “Sheriff Murphy’s already on his way to Eva’s place.”

  Ogden locked eyes with Christian. For a long moment, nobody spoke.

  Ogden sighed through his nose. “Unfortunately, we’re going to need the sheriff’s cooperation anyway if we’re going to lock this place down so we can find that thing.”

  Christian’s gut lurched. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying
we have no choice,” Ogden said. “We’re going to have to read Sheriff Murphy in, at least regarding this current crisis, so we can obtain his help.” Ogden turned and headed toward the other soldiers. “Everyone gather round.”

  While Ogden spoke to his soldiers, Christian stared at the floor.

  “Are you all right, Christian?” Elliot asked.

  Christian shook his head. “I told Myles I’d let him know if there was ever a threat to the village.” He looked up at his friends. “But I didn’t want it to be like this.”

  “He’s tough,” JT said, placing a hand on Christian’s shoulder. “He’ll probably be able to handle it.”

  “Tough but practical. And skeptical,” Christian said. “I honestly don’t know if he’ll be able to handle this. Hell, I almost shit myself when that thing in the craft started shrieking, and I know aliens exist.”

  “He seemed pretty tough when he was giving me shit at your house,” Elliot said. “Besides, we do need a replacement for Michelle.” He smirked.

  “Are you trying to make me feel better, Elliot?”

  “Yes. Is it working?”

  “No!” Christian shook his head. “Myles is nothing like Michelle. He can be tough, sure, but he’s a simple, gentle kind of guy inside. He collects elephant figurines! Michelle would shoot an elephant if it got in her way.”

  “He’ll be all right,” JT said. “Don’t panic, Christian.”

  “Baz goodbye.”

  They all turned to the hybrid, almost having forgotten he was there. “Speaking of aliens existing,” Elliot said.

  “You’re leaving, Baz?” Christian said.

  “To speak with They. Help to search.”

  “Of course,” JT said. “Will they kill this thing, or at least subdue it if they find it first?”

  “If find, to shelled, maybe,” Baz said. “Stop harm.”

  “They’ll shield it so it can’t hurt anyone. Then what?”

  Baz lifted his arms. “Not to know! Baz just here. Need to speak to They! No time questions. Hoggin to leave.” He pointed toward the exit, where the soldiers were readying themselves.

  “Okay, take it easy,” JT said. “But we need to have a conversation once this is over. We deserve to know who the fuck they are and why they look so much like us.”