"Ah, Larek," Nicholas looked up from his seat. Maps were spread before him. "I was just picking out real estate."
Larek saw that the maps were of the various planets of the Earth system. Several parcels of land were circled in red.
"Switzerland? I would've that Jamaica would suit you better," Larek said without emotion.
"Oh, it does. That's on this one," Nicholas indicated another map. "And I'll take a lot of comfort in the Alps and milkmaids when Kivar finally crushes Antar under his heel."
"And you believe he'll leave this system alone?"
"It's bathwater to him." Nicholas made a dismissive sound. "But I am resourceful enough to live quite pleasantly."
"Kivar has a long arm."
"As you should know," Nicholas smiled. "How's your little planet holding up under siege anyhow?"
"Siege?" Larek said innocently. "I thought it was a diplomatic junket?"
"Come now, Larek, we're both mature adults-"
Larek eyed Nicholas' adolescent form insultingly.
The skin continued, "And we both know that those are warships in your orbit. Now what are you willing to do about it?"
Larek stalled, "This infiltration of yours will take time. I can't stay in this body much longer." If he could just return home, maybe, maybe he could stir up enough trouble on Antar for the fleets to return there. Maybe, maybe.
Nicholas grinned winningly, "I've been authorized to provide you with a skin."
Larek recognized the new threat. They could force him into a husk without his consent and without his true form. He would never go home. He'd be stuck on Earth and live fifty years if he was lucky.
Nicholas continued, "Human bodies have their benefits." He smiled slyly, "But I expect you know about that. I hear you brought a pet."
"More like a travel guide or personal assistant. A servant."
"Rasa tells me she's a looker."
Larek assumed Rasa was one of the armed men outside. "You wouldn't expect me to surround myself with ugly people would you?"
"Wise man," Nicholas nodded approvingly. "I love a pretty package. I want to meet her." He pressed a button on the table, "Rasa, escort in the trinket."
Maria walked in, head held high.
Nicholas circled her. "She's a little skinny. Nice gams though. You should shorten her skirt, show them off."
Maria tried very hard to stay still.
Nicholas stood in front of her and she looked down at him. "She's a babe," he said to Larek.
Larek nodded noncommittally.
Nicholas turned back to Maria. He picked up her hand, turned it over to her palm and kissed it. "Charmed to meet you, lovely."
Maria resisted the urge to run and wash her hand off. Or just chop it off and be done with it. Ick, she thought, I'll never be able to use it again. I'll probably get gangrene.
She forced herself to look into his eyes.
"And what is your name," he asked.
"Nancy," she lied.
"Doesn't equal your gorgeousness."
But he didn't recognize me, right? That's good.
Nicholas turned back to Larek. "Maybe when we've finished our business, I can borrow her."
"I don't think you're old enough," Larek said smoothly.
"Neither is she. But well, that's for later," Nicholas said in dismissal as he returned to his maps.
When they got back in the elevator, Maria sighed with relief.
Larek turned to her curiously and steadied her with his hands. "Why'd you lie to him? Nancy?
"He was freaky," she told the truth. "He scared me. I didn't even want to hear him say my name."
"Good instinct," he nodded. "Let's go back to the hotel. You look tired."
***
Maria fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed. The entire cab ride back she'd replayed the morning. Out of the frying pan, she thought. Those guys had been armed! And what if Nicholas had recognized her.
She began to shake at the thought.
Larek went to the bed and lay his hands in her hair. He massaged her scalp until the trembling subsided and she began to snore.
Brave bird, he thought. I wouldn't've liked Nicholas to touch me either.
He covered her with the blanket and returned to his room. He had some thinking to do. Nicholas had offered him, no, threatened him with a skin.
Larek shook his head. Got to clear my mind. He turned on the television and picked up one of the books Maria had given him. Huh, he thought, maybe I can charm Nicholas into leaving me alone.
He laughed doubtfully and planned an evening to cheer the girl up. He wondered, did she like to dance?
***
Maria's dreams were filled with skins. She remembered the one in the Crashdown. He had been big like the ones with Nicholas. She'd almost died then. It replayed in her mind, her screaming.
There were images of Nicholas, a huge Nicholas picking up a plastic Maria as if she were Country Club Barbie. He whispered to her, "Trinket, trinket, pretty Trinket." Then there were images of Nicholas opening a box and pulling out an Inflatable Maria Doll. He put to his mouth and began to blow it up-
Maria woke up when the phone rang. She picked up the phone gingerly, unable to shake off the unease of her dreams.
"Hello," she whispered.
"Maria!" Alex said.
"Alex, oh, god," she cried a little.
"Maria, you didn't call last night. And when you didn't answer the phone this morning, I was so scared."
Maria cradled the phone to her, "I met Nicholas."
She heard the phone be sharply pulled from Alex. "Maria, this is Isabel."
Maria felt a little betrayed. "Put Alex back on."
More softly, Isabel said, "I remember Nicholas. Even when I was Vilandra, I thought he was creepy. His eyes just...you remember when the skins came to Roswell? I tried to distract him by letting him catch me. He tied me up and he said the...worst things. If his mother hadn't been there..."
It comforted Maria to know Isabel, who acted like a mighty unmoveable Amazon, had been shaken by Nicholas, too.
"I'm okay," Maria spoke up. "He told Larek he wanted to borrow me, but Larek doesn't like him."
"Maria, come back home. It's too dangerous."
Maria smiled, it meant more coming from one of the poddies.
"Soon," she said. She tried to lighten the mood, "I've got prezzies for everyone."
"Really?" Isabel did love getting gifts.
"I'm coming home with a load of stuff myself. You'll go gaga when you see the stuff Larek got me."
"He's giving you gifts?" Isabel said, "Spill."
"Oh, that's just business. Now tell me what you were doing over at Alex's, girl."
Maria could almost see Isabel blushing over the phone. She smiled and granted Isabel mercy. "So Vilandra thought Nicholas was off the creep-o meter, too, huh?"
There was a gasp from behind and almost before Maria could register it, Larek had moved from the door and slammed the phone down on the receiver.
"What do you know about Vilandra?" He yelled and shook her.
The phone began to ring shrilly and he put Maria down long enough to pull it out of the wall.
In the silence, he advanced on her and she moved to the far side of the room.
"What do you know about Vilandra," he said again, more quietly, but with a glint in his eyes.
Maria shook her head, too scared to answer.
"You lied to me!" He yelled again. He kicked over one of the armchairs and looked at her again. He whispered, "And to think I felt sorry for you. Scared for you?"
The television crashed to the floor. She wished he would yell again.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.
"You know Max Evans, don't you? The whole mutant lot of them? They sent you."
She shook her head and stiffened her back against the wall.
"You lied to me," he said. "Manipulated me."
He advanced on her again and Maria closed her eyes.
"I felt sorry for you," his voice was low. Dangerous.
There were footsteps.
Nothing happened.
When Maria opened her eyes, he was gone.
Maria could still hear the television blaring from Larek's room. Happy Days was on. She winced at the laughtrack.
She moved slowly towards the open door and peeked in. Larek was gone. She turned the t.v. off and returned to her room, closing the door behind her.
She looked at the chaos. Her own television fizzled, the glass broken.
I gotta get outta here. She looked at the dead phone, I'll call Alex from the airport.
Maria changed into her jeans and a shirt. She stuffed the gifts and the jewelry into her bag. Silk doesn't travel well, she thought, and the jewelry. Well, I can always sell the jewelry.
She counted out the last of the cash, Just enough for a bus ticket. Maybe some food. Her stomach grumbled and she remembered the stocked little fridge. Five dollar coke, she thought. Larek can afford it. Jerk.
She sighed. He did kinda, sorta have a right to be mad. If she was gonna be honest, she would've been pissed herself.
And would she have held back?
She scavenged coke, chips, and chocolate from the honor bar. "Chockful of nutrients," she murmured.
I'm still gonna book, she thought. This place is crawling with trouble. But maybe I should get Larek to come with me? Then I wouldn't have to take the bus...
And I could laugh at him on the plane. That would be fun.
She heard sounds coming from next door. Larek was back. I could apologize, she bit her lip.
"Room Service," there was a knock on the door.
She didn't order any-
That was the oldest trick in the book!
She ran out to the balcony she shared with Larek. She locked the glass door behind her just as Burly Man One burst into the room.
"Open up!" She pounded on Larek's door. "There are skins here. We have to leave. Larek! Larek!"
The door slid open and Nicholas stepped out.
"Hello, Nancy," he doffed his shades. "Or should I say Maria?"
Maria woke up wearing the silk dress and not wanting to think of why, and definitely less how.
Yow, she thought. Time for a mental checklist.
Am I all tied up? Check.
Can I see anything? No.
Do I know where I am? No.
Is the cavalry coming?
Okay, she thought calmly. There are two schools of thought on this.
One, Alex and Isabel know they can't reach me. But they're across the country. So they're out of the game for at least a couple days unless Isabel can turn into Flash Gordon.
Two, Larek. He might think I just bailed on him. Also, let's not forget he hates my stupid Earthling guts. And even if he was inclined to help me, he doesn't know where I am. And even if thinks it's Nicholas, would he help me? I've got 'Liability' written on my forehead now.
Is the calvary coming? No.
She paused. What do I have? Silk dress. Silk pantyhose. Shoes. Okay, here's the plan: I distract Nicholas by pulling up my dress and flashing him. Then I disable Burly Men One and Two by throwing the pumps at their heads and giving them concussions. Finally I tie them all up with the pantyhose and run like hell.
Oh, yeah, she told herself sarcastically. That's a Grade A plan.
Now think...maybe if I did the noodle dance? Noodle, use your noodle. Concentrate, this is getting you nowhere. Okay, I can bang my head against the wall until I'm unconsious and maybe I'll get luck out and Isabel is dreamwalking.
She lifted and dropped her head tentatively. Nope, the bed's too soft.
Bed!
Ohmigod, ohmigod. I'm going to be violated by a slimy alien prepubescent midget.
Calm down, Maria. I got myself into this, I can get myself out.
This is all Larek's fault.
***
Maybe this isn't a bad thing, Larek thought as he walked down the sidewalk. Perhaps if I explain things in calm and rational manner, she'll introduce me to Max and he'll take my side against Nicholas.
And we'll all live happily ever after.
Sucker, he told himself.
What is she to them anyway? What does a human have to do with Antar?
He admitted she wasn't a bad choice as far allies went. Resourceful, quick on her feet. Certainly better company than he'd had from most humans.
Could she be one of the humans Sero had gossiped about? The ones the hybrids loved? He'd laughed when he'd heard it. Caring about humans? Impossible.
He shook his head and looked up at the approaching hotel. His balcony door was open. He hadn't left it open.
Larek remembered that nagging feeling not to leave the girl alone.
Cursing, he began to run.
***
The blindfold was pulled from her face, wrenching her head up violently.
"Hello, lady."
Maria blinked. Nicholas was standing over her and the punk was smiling.
He sat beside her spread-eagled body and spoke to her conversationally. "You know, Maria, what I can't figure out is how Larek got his hands on you. He's always been very hands-off on the hybrids. So why would he be buddies with Erath's pet human?"
"Yes, I know who you are. Maria DeLuca. I know what you're thinking. Suave, charming, and all-knowing? Can't keep your hands off me?" He leered at her, "You want me."
"I want to hold your head under water, does that count?" She snarled.
"Delightful," he caressed her cheek. "I can see why you're a magnet. You've attracted both Erath and Larek. You should be careful, girl, or you might end up with a crown on your gorgeous little head."
He continued playfully, "Do you want to know how I figured out your secret identity?"
"I'd like to know what it takes to shut you up. Maybe after you hit puberty, your voice will hit a tolerable register. One that's not just limited to dogs." Maria didn't care much. If I can get my hand untied that I could hit Nicholas' off-button. Stupid knot, she thought. I shoulda been a girl scout.
"Come now, you can do better than that."
"Maybe if you hadn't hit me so hard. You want wit, easy on the fists.""
"Note to self: try better next time." He smiled and said nonchalantly, "Courtney loathed you."
Maria looked up curiously and Nicholas brought his face down closer, almost nose to nose.
"I caught her. But, of course, Courtney killed herself before she was of any use. I expect you'll want to give me a little something for getting rid of her." He made a suggestive, smooching noise.
"She was never any competition."
He sighed. "I don't doubt that you could hold your own."
"Your confidence is making me all tingly."
"Erath -Michael is what goes by now, I think? Michael told Courtney where the granolith is. He only felt kinda bad for her; he loved you. What sort of state secrets did he spill in between your legs?" He put his hands against her temples, "Let's see."
Maria shook her head wildly, trying to dislodge his hold. She kicked her feet helplessly. Oh, god, stupid Michael. Why'd you have to bring me to the granolith chamber? You idiot, you couldn't do something else, like give me flowers? Anything else that wouldn't make me a target?
"Oh ho, so you like silk, do you? I've got to remember that for next time I tie you up."
"I'll die-"
Nicholas wagged his finger at her, "Don't go making promises. Now, hush, I'm busy."
He closed his eyes and continued to drain her, "Larek doesn't know who you are? Typical. Too caught up in his own scheming to remember anyone else has a brain."
Maria was too caught up in the pain to scream. She lost control. It was like a storm in her mind as Nicholas pierced it.
Nicholas removed his hands from her hand and opened his eyes. He tapped her skull thoughtfully, "I know something's in there or you wouldn't fight me so hard. Now why can't I find out?"
He continued tapping, giving Maria a dull headache.
"Eureka! I'm going the wrong way. I've got to rewind."
Maria tried to open her eyes, but the lids fell. She couldn't think. Too tired.
Nicholas pressed his hands back to her head harshly. "Sleepy, aren't you?"
He slid his hands down her face. "I wouldn't be a good host if I exhausted you." He smiled cruelly, "Let's wake you up."
His hands stopped at her neck.
Maria tried to opened her eyes again, they fluttered weakly.
"I can give you energy. Neat alien trick. Thing is, it might hurt. So brace yourself."
He tightened his hands in a strangling grip until they began to glow. Heat spread down her body like lightening. It whipped over her breasts and belly. Her body twisted. Her back arched off the bed and she screamed.
"There, there," Nicholas said comfortingly. "Soon it'll all be over."
***
A gentle hand lay over her heart, tapping lightly as if was keeping the rhythm of her heart. Telling it, now, beat now. Stop. Again. Stop.
Her head was cushioned by something soft. Warm. Safe.
She smiled and stretched. Opened her eyes.
"Hey, babe. Want some O.J.?"
Maria flinched and launched herself off Nicholas' lap.
He put his hands up and laughed, "Guessing you're a coffee person? Don't drink that stuff myself."
"Yeah, might stunt your growth."
"Nice to see you at full strength, Little Miss Likes-to-Fight. Missed that fiesty Hurricane DeLuca."
Maria flinched at the childhood nickname, she grabbed her head in present and remembered pain. "You got that outta my head! Stay outta my head!"
He shook his head sadly, "I'm out, I'm out. Geez, you humans are so fragile. A little mind-rape and you fall all to pieces."
"Now come here," he patted his lap. "And I'll feed you breakfast. We've got a long day ahead of us and I can't do my work if you're distracting me with your all screaming and your fainting."
"No," she pushed herself backwards against the wall and stumbled. "You're a bad boy."
"Yes, Maria, I am." He patted his lap again. "But I have Oreo-O's and the nice carbs will make it all better.
***
Larek reached the room, sweating. Automatically, he wiped his brow. He paused and looked at his wet hand. He'd never actually experienced sweat before.
Strange business, perspiration.
He knocked on the girl's door. "Hello," he rapped on the wood. "Hello? Earth Girl?"
No, that wasn't right. "Maria?"
No answer.
Squinting, he looked at the doorknob and saw the faint glow of power. Damnit, he thought. He unlocked his own door, also noticeably tampered with. His room was as he left it, television on. Adjacent door locked.
But the balcony door was open, the curtain flapped a little. Maria's door was locked.
He returned inside the room and unlocked his side of the door joining the rooms. She would lock it this one time. Larek jimmied the knob a little before finally kicking it in.
Her television crackled. If it hadn't exploded by now, it probably wasn't go to. Both chairs were overturned now. The bed was covered with clothing. Her toothbrush was in it's case.
"She was packing," he realized. "Like a rat from a sinking ship."
But the fact remained that she was gone and she had left the toothbrush. Maria wouldn't do that.
He folded all her clothing back up, more to occupy his body than anything. Then he lined up her shoes. He realized that the navy dress and the red stilettos were missing. As motley as the girl's wardrobe tended to be, Maria wouldn't do that either. She would've worn the matching navy pumps.
Add the power signature on the lock and it seemed that the girl had been abducted. Unwillingly, this time.
He sighed and sat down on Maria's bed. It wasn't really his gig to save her. Let Max and his band of merry men take care of their own.
***
Nicholas leaned back against the wall, "So now I know your favorite color and all of Max's most ticklish spots. You like tapioca. It's fair to medium useful to know that Larek's afraid of flying but what I want is the dirt."
He neligently twisted her face to his. "Why do you have to have such a cluttered skull? Do you really need to know all the words to all Madonna's songs? No. No one does. No one cares. I want to know where the granolith is."
Maria spat on him. That's what Robert DeNiro would do, she thought, and everyone knows Robert DeNiro doesn't die in movies.
"Breakfast in bed, I give you. You're so ungrateful. I feed you, I clothe you, I give you energy from my own body. You're tearing out my heart here, Maria."
She shrugged carelessly. "What can I say? I can't get Vogue out of my mind. It's a catchy tune."
"Your insults are lacking bite, Maria. If you would just tell me where the granolith is, I wouldn't have to break you this way. Your mind's already starting to deteriorate."
She gave Nicholas her patented "Bite me, retard" glare.
"Larek's not going to come for you."
"I know," she said.
He threw up his hands in frustration. "Enough chit-chat, if you're going to give me the quality abuse, I'm not going to waste my time."
He slapped his hands back on her temples, digging in his nails. The screaming started immediately this time as rifled through her memories. He inspected and discarded them carefully, until he finally hit a wall.
This is where the secrets are, he thought. This is what she's guarding.
Narrowing his eyes, he shaped his own mind into a drill and prepared to bore through the wall. He grunted in frustration. Human minds were badly planned. Too little pressure and it all went poof. Too much pressure and it all went poof.
Finally, he stopped and called out, "Rasa, call downstairs for new linen. She's wet the bed
Larek sat, television on. He was trying to ignore the neat stack of clothing he'd carried into the room.
Nicholas has her, he thought. What could Nicholas want with her?
Stop. That way lies madness. Try to be cheerful. Nicholas doesn't have me.
That silver lining seems to be made of lead pipe.
He snarled in frustration. He imagined the maps with Nicholas' red circles imposed over Maria's body. Pieces to be saved, pieces to be...not saved.
Shame, she was such a nice thing. She'd bought him books. He glared at the books as if to say: this is all your fault. But he had the funny presentiment that if he, say, hid the books in the bathtub he would still be worried about the girl.
Larek knew what Nicholas was capable of and he remembered the girl's trembling. She had been scared of Nicholas. Hell, he was scared of Nicholas.
But he had responsibilities. He wasn't on Earth on a pleasure cruise. He was supposed to be obeying Nicholas, not planning-
Larek bit his tongue. He most definitely was not planning anything.
Purely on a hypothetical footing, Larek thought to himself, it's not like I could do anything. My control of this body wasn't meant for anything more strenuous than walking and talking. I can't do MacGyver, I can't even do Matlock.
He gripped his hands against the chair, frustrated. Oh, clever Larek, helpless again? Can't save my planet, can't even save a human.
Larek was pulled out of his self-esteem issues by the ringing of the phone. That can't be Nicholas with some sort of idiot phone call for an idiot ransom? He can't be that stupid?
He picked up the phone, "Hello?"
"Hello," a young man's voice said. Not Nicholas, though. "Uh, are you Larek?"
Curioser and curiouser. "Yes."
"Oh, uh, may I speak to Maria? Please?"
"She's not here right now."
"Okay," the boy continued politely. "I'll try again later."
There was a pause as Larek waited for him to hang up.
"No, wait, that's not what I meant, about calling back later." The boy sounded nervous. "I'm Maria's friend. One of Maria's many, many friends. I need to know if she's okay, you know, like healthy and whole."
"I couldn't tell you. She's with Nicholas."
"Nicholas? Do you mean with as in-"
There were sounds of a scuffle another voice came on the line, "Brody, this is Michael and if you've even hurt a hair on her-"
More noises and another boy got on the phone. "Larek, this is Max Evans."
"Are you going to make juvenile threats, too?"
"No, I'm not. Any threats I make are not going to be juvenile." Larek detected a hint of steel. Like Zan. Maybe, maybe. Max continued, "I would like to know where Maria is though. She's under my protection."
"Good job then," Larek scoffed. Finally, someone to blame. "You try to pass the girl on to me like some funny-nosed Mata Hari and put her right in the hands of Nicholas. I don't suppose you'd consider putting me under your protection, too? I have an absolute death wish and I think you're the man to make my dreams come true."
Max ignored the insults, "I might. If you get Maria back."
Interesting. He was getting offers from all corners. "Now why should I bother? She's a human. All Nicholas is going to do is have a spot of fun with her. You might even want to look on it as a good thing. Nicholas is concentrating on the girl and not looking in your direction. Take the opportunity. Do something king-ly."
There was a pause on Max's end. He heard a muffled exclamation.
Max returned, gritting his teeth, "She knows where the granolith is."
"She what? And you sent her here? And you think you deserve to rule a planet?"
"Shut up," Max said. "She's got a mind of her own."
"Don't I know it," Larek murmured. "Does Nicholas know?"
"Where the granolith is?"
"No, that Maria knows."
There was another pause as Max consulted with the rest of the girl's friends. "It's possible."
That's a big honking yes, Larek thought. "Now in addition to your protection, what else are you prepared to offer me?"
"What do you mean, what else?" Max sounded less like a king and more like a sixteen-year old boy.
"Well, you didn't think I was going to do it out of the goodness of my heart?"
"I order you as the king."
"Not on my planet. And last I checked, not actually on yours, either."
"You bring Maria to Roswell, safe and-"
"Not a hair split," I understand."
"And then we'll deal."
Larek hesitated.
"Are sure you can bring her out?" Max said.
"Of course, I can. I could have gotten the girl back an hour ago if I'd cared."
"Well, now you have a reason. Call me as soon you two are safe. Maria knows the number."
The phone went dead and Larek hung up the phone.
Larek muted the television. He was going to have think. Nicholas, arrogant bastard, was probably holding her at the penthouse. Expecting Larek to let it go-
Maria knew where the granolith is. The whole time. He swore. He was going to have to get her out soon. It might already be too late.
It's decided, he thought. I'm going to rescue the human girl. And it's not because I've gone soft. I'm doing it for purely selfish reasons.
Comforted, he returned to his previous line of thought. Now what would Matlock do?
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