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Beth sighed and rubbed her hands together, watching the two ladies who ran the ranch lock up the gate and bid her goodnight, and she took a seat on the nearby stump. Her ride would be here in half an hour, and in the meantime, she might as well sit and enjoy the evening. It was cold, colder than she wished, but the stars were clear and the moon was bright. Her sign rested against her knees as she listened to the night, and she closed her eyes, letting her worries and cares slip away.
"Dude, what is that?"
"Probably just a scarecrow! Now come on! We need to be out of here before they wake up!"
"Well, they'll be wakin' up if you keep whispering like a noob! Hurry up, and toss over the TP!"
Beth opened her eyes and stayed very still, listening to their movements behind her, and once they climbed over the fence, she set her sign aside and walked up to the gate, watching them start on a tree.
"You shouldn't do that, you know!" she called, and they all jumped. "These people don't deserve your stupid pranks. I'm protesting their ranch, but they're still nice to me! Why don't you just go home, ok?"
The taller of the two boys glared over at the girl. "Shut up! You should be happy with what we are doing. It might make them shut down, and stop people from going to hell for playing in a corn field." His buddy laughed, and gave him a high five.
"Oh yeah, how about I take your car keys from the car you left over there and throw them so you have to ask the ladies for help, or you get caught," she retorted. "Seems to me I'm over on this side and you are clear over on that side, I could do it before you made it back!"
"Don't you dare, you little bitch!"
"Shh, someone will hear us...I don't wanna go to juvie again bro!"
…
McCarthy stopped where he was.
"What's the problem?" an alien accented voice asked from the communicator in his hand.
"I hear someone."
"I thought you said the pick up and drop off point for tonight was clear."
He shrugged, "It was...even though I have suspects I think are Vulcan. Tonight's pick up was clear..." he hid behind a tree and watched the movement. "Looks like some kids..."
"Take care of them, put them in with the shipment...we can always use more free help." the man on the communicator said gruffly.
McCarthy spat on the ground. "Have it your way, boss. I better get extra because this is extra work."
"You know you will. Signal when everything is ready for transport."
…
Beth ran towards the car, and she noted one of the boys trying to climb over the fence. She grabbed the aircar keys, locked the door, and ran off into the woods on the other side of the road, dropping the keys on her way. She slowly made her way back to the edge of the wood, but noted the boys weren't there anymore. Their car was still there, but there was nothing but silence. She looked behind her, but the other boy wasn't there, and she didn't hear footsteps.
She crossed the road and walked up to the gate, looking around for the boys in case they jumped her, but there was nothing but the wind. Then suddenly she felt as if she were dissolving, and she tried to scream, but it never left her throat.
…
Ammie turned around as Faith and Solok traipsed down the stairs, and she frowned at the front yard. A tree was covered in toilet paper, but the effect was actually kind of nice, and worked with the theme. Whoever had done this hadn't gotten far with their prank, and perhaps had gotten spooked by something.
However, the police vehicles outside the gate were a concern, and she gestured for Faith to follow her.
"Good morning, ladies!" one officer said, striding up to the gate as they unlocked it. "Did you hear any disturbances last night?"
"No, I didn't. Did you, Faith?"
Faith shook her head, "No, I was..." she blushed in spite of herself, "Indisposed all night."
The officer grinned and then went very serious, "Well, that saves me from asking if you have someone to verify your alibi."
Faith crossed her arms over her chest. "Why would we need an alibi?"
He handed faith and Ammie three pictures. "Do you know or have you seen either of these three kids?"
Ammie and Faith looked them over, Ammie being the first to speak. "We know her. She protests out at the front gate every day, sometimes we giver her some hot cider on cold evenings. Why? Has something happened?"
"Those two boys were reported missing last night, and we found the oldest boy's air car parked not far from your gate. Do you mind if we take a look around. I'm betting you didn't put that toilet paper in those trees."
Ammie put her head on Faith's shoulder, Faith could feel her trembling. "Sure go ahead. Do you want us to close today?" Faith asked.
"We'll let you know depending on what we find we may ask that." The officer nodded and motioned for the other officers to move out.
Strom was waiting at the door, and he took Ammie into his arms once the door was closed. "What is the matter, ashaya?"
"Beth is missing," Faith replied. "Only with the two boys who so kindly decorated our tree last night. The police are working on it now."
The doctor nodded and pulled Ammie to his work station and gave her a very mild sedative. "It's all right," he whispered, stroking her hair. "The authorities will find them."
She nodded and got a hold of herself, and kissed him on the cheek before heading off to work.
…
Solok walked into the actor's barn. His people were slowly filing out in costume and there was a policeman waiting to speak with him at his desk. This was going to test his ability to behave human. He could not let on that he was investigating the smuggling ring, because the high command suspected that there may be local police ties with the illicit activity. He took a deep breath and strolled over.
"What can I do you for, officer?" He grinned slightly sitting on the edge of his desk, his hands flopped over his legs in a sloppy way. It felt uncomfortable to be so sloven about his posture, but he had witnessed that human males often carried themselves with such abandon.
The officer raised an eyebrow. "Well, I need to ask you a few questions. Where we you last night?"
"In bed. With my wife," he replied simply.
"Which one is your wife?"
"The blonde."
"She said something about "being indisposed". I don't blame you...it's freezing cold out...now this girl, Beth Halladay...did you know her?"
"No, I'd never met her before. Faith and Ammie always brought cider out for her on colder nights, but I never talked to her."
The officer nodded, satisfied with his answer. "And the boys?"
"Never seen them before. They...decorated the tree outside. I'm sure you saw it."
The officer seemed nonplussed, but then his eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh you mean the toilet paper, sure saw that."
"I suspect my wife might have me clean that out once we get the all clear from you. You know how women are..."
The officer smirked. "Yeah, they can be nags. How long have you been married to...which one did you say you were married to?"
Solok blinked, and he realized the moment this police officer left, he would have to send a message to the High Council to put the marriage on the official Earth database, so the paperwork looked legitimate. "Just a couple of days. It was a spur of the moment thing, you know...kind of like...Vegas."
The police officer raised both of his eyebrows. "Well she's younger than you, I say strike while she's willing. We older horses don't get to ride often." He chuckled. "Congrats."
Solok nodded and put his thumbs through the beltloops of his jeans, something Faith said would make him look more human.
"Thank you for your time. Contact us if you hear anything else, ok?"
"Sure thing."
…
"Yeah, I saw her at the gate every day, but I never spoke with her."
"And you were where last night?"
"With my wife."
"The little brunette?"
"That's her."
The officer snorted. "You and your friend are both lucky dogs."
"I'm the lucky one," he said quietly, sighing. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
The officer shook his head and walked out of the office, and Strom watched them go. He didn't feel confident that he had been human enough in his responses, and he listened to their conversation as they walked away.
"I think the actor is clean, but let's keep an eye on that doctor. He seems...shady."
"Any more shady than the hayride guy? Come on, Brad, I think that doctor is just nervous about his new marriage or something."
"Or maybe he's nervous because he killed a bunch of people and doesn't want us to know about it. We'll keep an eye on him."
"It's not the doctor," the younger officer said. "I'd swear to it in a court of law."
…
Solok walked into the first aid barn just in time to see him gently placing a "My Little Pony" bandage on a little girl's knee. "There you go," Strom said, shaking his head in confusion.
"Thank you, doctor!" She grinned, eying her newly acquired badge of honor. She slid from the table and skipped out past Solok.
"Did you not use the regeneration device on her?" Solok asked, shutting the door.
"I did, but she...demanded an adhesive bandage so she could show all of her classmates that she had been injured."
"That is...highly illogical."
"What do you have to report?" Strom asked, putting away the cartoon band-aids.
The policeman who interrogated me did not seem to think I am a suspect, or anything other than human."
Strom nodded, then sighed. "I was not so fortunate. You, apparently, are more talented at appearing human than I. The one who questioned me suspects I killed the girl, and the young men who pranked the ranch."
At that moment, Ammie slid into the cabin, soon enough to hear his predicament. "They'll realize the truth soon enough," she reassured him, stroking his back. "If they come back, be sure to use more contractions, and put yourself as close to the situation as possible. Don't say "that girl" but rather "the girl" or even just Beth. You don't want to distance yourself semantically from the crime, otherwise, they'll think you're lying."
"How do you know this?" he whispered, stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers.
"Psychology class, sweetheart. Now, are you ready to eat? Faith's already got the vegetable soup on to cook."
"I am hungry," Strom admitted, holding his two fingers up so she could stroke them.
"Not like that right now..." She slid her fingers between his, taking his hand.
"And not in front of me," Solok said, looking away.
"Said the man who sucked his fingers like a sehlat kit on it's mother's teet just the other night," Strom grumbled.
Changing the subject, Solok added as they left, "I alerted the High Council about our need for documentation on the marriages as well."
"Good thinking," Strom said, squeezing Ammie's hand with gentle pressure. "I think nothing will happen for a while..." He nodded toward the road, where a darkened police car sat in the neighboring cornfield.
Ammie nodded and wrapped her arm around him as they made their way to the house, and Faith met them at the door. "Soup's on!" she said, gesturing to the kitchen.
Over dinner, Strom informed them of his predicament, but Faith assured him that McCarthy was much more obvious in his untrustworthiness that the doctor was likely to not even be noticed again.
The dishes were clear, and Solok pulled Faith into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. "When do you lock the gate?"
"Ammie's going to lock it..."
"Good...then I have time to make another alibi?"
She giggled. "Indeed you do, ashayam." She turned off the light as they slipped into bed, and her smile was as bright as the moon shining through the window.
