Four weeks later.
It was still dark when she woke up – her sleep had been shallow at best, penetrated by the sound of the Pacific Ocean surging against the beach only yards away. In an odd sort of way it matched the even, rhythmic breath of the man sleeping at her side. Turning her head slightly, she could see his pale hair reflected in the moonlight through the uncurtained windows. With her enhanced vision, she could see eye movements – he was dreaming.
Sure he was asleep, she slid out from under his arm and out from under the covers. She padded across the deep pile carpet and stood looking out at the ocean's expanse. When they had gone for a walk the previous evening, she had found it hard to take her eyes off that vast expanse of water – her own people being in such desperate need. The pale moonlight reflected the white crests forming and breaking against the shore. Further out it was darkness, flecked by silver.
Steven had come out with it a few days ago.
''What exactly are you doing with this – human?''
For a second, she'd been angry, wanting to exert her authority, even to lash out at him verbally. If he hadn't been in disguise, she might have displayed her crests in warning.
''Research into what might be a useful asset'' she'd replied, in a voice so cold that ice could have formed on it. ''One way or another, I don't intend to see his brain power wasted''.
For a moment he'd seemed top be on the point of suggesting that she bring Tanner in for conversion. Then he'd shrugged and turned away.
But she'd known he wasn't alone in thinking that. John, not exactly a forthright character, had muttered something about 'playing with prey for too long'.
She'd ignored him.
They'd duly gone to dinner, him picking her up outside the building the city authorities had allocated to the Visitors. She hadn't been in uniform, not wanting to be too noticeable, but chosen a figure-hugging red dress. From the look he gave her, her attire was noticeable in another way.
The restaurant had been luxurious, expensive, discrete. The food – from her point of view – had been barely tolerable. But other diners had appeared to enjoy it.
He'd talked to her as an equal – which her research showed wasn't always the case with human males. Briefly, they'd talked business – Tanner Grenville was one of the companies supplying the Visitors with the 'valuable' waste products – but the n he'd let her ply him with questions about life on Earth. He'd been erudite, humorous, occasionally ironical.
At the end of the evening, he'd invited her to spend a weekend at his oceanside property.
She'd known what he was suggesting. Her first instinct should haver been an emphatic 'No'. They weren't the same species, after all. Instead, she examined the idea coolly. Say 'No' and she might well lose him – cue for abduction and conversion. In a way that might be best. But John – for once – had been right about her. She enjoyed the hunt at least as much as the catch. And this hunt was getting to a crucial stage.
''I'd like that'' she said.
X
It had been quite a few years since he'd first met Ham Tyler – something that was probably inevitable given the circles they both moved in.
What had not been inevitable was that they had liked each other from the first meeting. Coming across each other now and again had only strengthened the liking into friendship.
When he'd got the call, followed by that clandestine meeting, he hadn't been surprised. What he was being asked to do hadn't really surprised him either.
Just in case, was the way it was put to him.
He'd agreed, subject to the condition that he be able to develop anything useful he might learn about alien technology. Some of the top brass hadn't liked that much – but, as one of them remarked ''If we only dealt with eagle scouts, we wouldn't have much of a military''.
So now, he was here, pretending to be asleep, while she stood at the window, facing the ocean. Her thoughts were almost certainly elsewhere.
Admit it, Jack, he told himself – you like her. She has brains - a contrast to some of your shorter-lived relationships. She isn't human – that double voice and the way she'd tolerated the meal three weeks ago for instance – but she was humanoid enough. And beautiful.
He liked her. But that didn't mean he wouldn't keep his part of the deal he'd made.
Judging the time was right, he 'woke up', glanced around for her, then slid out of bed. He followed her footsteps across to the window, standing close to her and slowly slipping an arm about her shoulders. She eased in towards him slightly.
''Beautiful out there'' her voice was soft.
''Beautiful in here too''. He was looking at her, not at the ocean.
Slowly she turned to face, putting a bit of distance between them, enough to let her see his face clearly.
Something big was coming. He'd let her take it at her own pace.
''Those waste products you've been giving us –'' she fell silent for a moment. Intentionally.
''They're not the whole story, are they?''
''They have their uses – but we're not as innocent as we seem''.
''Very, very few people ever are''.
He thought the time was right to lean forward slightly and kiss her. A nonverbal way of saying ''I'm listening, so far I'm with you''.
She'd gone silent, perhaps feeling that she'd said enough for now.
His turn.
He took hold of her hand, leading her back to the bed – but for warmth rather than anything more physical.
''I'm a businessman. I make deals'. I assume that this'' for a moment he let his hand do the talking ''nice as it is, is an extra benefit?''
She turned her head and gave him an intense look. Then, slowly, she began to talk. He listened.
It wasn't the whole story, obviously, but it was pretty much what Ham and his ilk had suspected. Which meant it was bad for a lot of people.
She was offering him the chance to be one of the survivors.
''OK'' he said, after apparently pausing for deep thought. ''I'm in''.