think you all have been watching a bit too much of Criss Angel and possibly smoking …” Travis put his thumb and finger up to his mouth and deeply inhaled. “I mean, for starters, you don’t exactly strike me as the stereotypical little green men.” His eyes darted over to Mason, who looked like he had just stepped out of an MMA ring.
“You mean the greys? They’re the least of your worries,” Mason said. “We’ve protected your kind from far worse.”
“Hey, look, I would like to help you and all, and, wow, I’m flattered that you would want me to join your space hunters club as it seems real cozy and … I’m a real sucker for a good story, and man, this is a good one, but my evenings are kind of fully booked right now, and you know what they say—five’s company, six is a crowd,” he said, making his way to the door.
“I thought it was two’s company—” Ty began.
Jack quickly interjected. “Travis, this isn’t going to go away and there is more at risk than you, or your father. We can help you find your father, we just need—”
Travis didn’t allow him to finish as he raised both hands up. “Like I said, I don’t know anything, I don’t have anything; and if you’ve got a little vendetta going on here, this is not my fight, it’s yours—so are we done here?”
“Travis, this isn’t a game,” Jack scolded. “You must have something they want or they’re just cleaning up. Either way, they’re not going to let up. It’s not a matter of if they will come after you again, it’s only a matter of when.”
Travis paused at the door, his back turned to them with one hand on the frame. “I’ll take my chances.”
Chapter Ten
Looking through a one-way mirror, Harlan observed Scott laid back on a bench inside the interrogation room. Beside Harlan were several of his closest advisors, those who had been with him for years.
“He refuses to do any work.”
“And the data?”
“We believe his son has it. The men were unable to find it. We spoke with Deagan, and … well—”
“Of course.”
“So what do you suggest?”
“A new course of action.”
“Open the door.”
Harlan walked in and Scott launched at him, only to be forced back into the corner of the room by an intangible force from a subtle wave of Harlan’s hand.
“It appears we underestimated your little stunt,” he said. “I don’t have to remind you that if you continue to remain uncooperative, you give me no other option but to seek out other means in which to get what I want. And mark my words, you will give me what I want.”
Harlan leaned in and placed his hands on Scott’s head. Outside the room, Scott’s gut-wrenching screams could be heard echoing.
* * * * *
Travis made his way back along the corridors until he reached a winding stairway. He felt torn. On one hand their insane story was convincing, those powers a little too real even for Criss Angel wannabes, and the men? On the other hand, he really didn’t know who to trust or what was real anymore. He just knew he had to get back home, get back to where he could think, somewhere that felt safe and normal. As he stepped outside, he squinted, raising his arm to cover his face as the sun temporarily stung his eyes. He felt as if he had been underground for weeks. The outside of The Black Hole was as cluttered as the inside. It reminded him of an old junkyard or a moving sale. The entire lot was jam-packed with piles of boxes and twisted, rusting objects that no longer had any use other than to take up space or give people a reason to kill time on a Sunday afternoon.
“Travis!”
He turned to face Jayde scurrying out the door. Above the door hung a sign emblazoned with white lettering—“Military Surplus”—and bolted into place on top of the store was a worn store sign with a small cream-colored missile attached to it.
“Hold up, let me give you a ride,” she said.
“I’ll walk,” he grunted.
“Look, I’m
“You mean the greys? They’re the least of your worries,” Mason said. “We’ve protected your kind from far worse.”
“Hey, look, I would like to help you and all, and, wow, I’m flattered that you would want me to join your space hunters club as it seems real cozy and … I’m a real sucker for a good story, and man, this is a good one, but my evenings are kind of fully booked right now, and you know what they say—five’s company, six is a crowd,” he said, making his way to the door.
“I thought it was two’s company—” Ty began.
Jack quickly interjected. “Travis, this isn’t going to go away and there is more at risk than you, or your father. We can help you find your father, we just need—”
Travis didn’t allow him to finish as he raised both hands up. “Like I said, I don’t know anything, I don’t have anything; and if you’ve got a little vendetta going on here, this is not my fight, it’s yours—so are we done here?”
“Travis, this isn’t a game,” Jack scolded. “You must have something they want or they’re just cleaning up. Either way, they’re not going to let up. It’s not a matter of if they will come after you again, it’s only a matter of when.”
Travis paused at the door, his back turned to them with one hand on the frame. “I’ll take my chances.”
Chapter Ten
Looking through a one-way mirror, Harlan observed Scott laid back on a bench inside the interrogation room. Beside Harlan were several of his closest advisors, those who had been with him for years.
“He refuses to do any work.”
“And the data?”
“We believe his son has it. The men were unable to find it. We spoke with Deagan, and … well—”
“Of course.”
“So what do you suggest?”
“A new course of action.”
“Open the door.”
Harlan walked in and Scott launched at him, only to be forced back into the corner of the room by an intangible force from a subtle wave of Harlan’s hand.
“It appears we underestimated your little stunt,” he said. “I don’t have to remind you that if you continue to remain uncooperative, you give me no other option but to seek out other means in which to get what I want. And mark my words, you will give me what I want.”
Harlan leaned in and placed his hands on Scott’s head. Outside the room, Scott’s gut-wrenching screams could be heard echoing.
* * * * *
Travis made his way back along the corridors until he reached a winding stairway. He felt torn. On one hand their insane story was convincing, those powers a little too real even for Criss Angel wannabes, and the men? On the other hand, he really didn’t know who to trust or what was real anymore. He just knew he had to get back home, get back to where he could think, somewhere that felt safe and normal. As he stepped outside, he squinted, raising his arm to cover his face as the sun temporarily stung his eyes. He felt as if he had been underground for weeks. The outside of The Black Hole was as cluttered as the inside. It reminded him of an old junkyard or a moving sale. The entire lot was jam-packed with piles of boxes and twisted, rusting objects that no longer had any use other than to take up space or give people a reason to kill time on a Sunday afternoon.
“Travis!”
He turned to face Jayde scurrying out the door. Above the door hung a sign emblazoned with white lettering—“Military Surplus”—and bolted into place on top of the store was a worn store sign with a small cream-colored missile attached to it.
“Hold up, let me give you a ride,” she said.
“I’ll walk,” he grunted.
“Look, I’m
Similar Books
