A Small Gray Dot

We started up the hill dodging through the trees, and reached the fence where we exited the strand. We were nearing the gate when a bright flash lit up the ground in front of us. A smell similar to the one of the heated metal on the burning vehicles hit my nose. I pulled up. The gate and a long section of the fence were melting where the light touched. Damn. They had lasers. I felt as if we were in a bad sci-fi movie.

We ducked back into the trees.

“Get down!” I yelled. Everyone got low. As I crouched, Morgan slid from my shoulder to the ground. She moaned and lay still. I did a fast check. She was breathing.

Another flash came from behind us and everybody flattened to the ground. More burning metal. Either they were the worst shots in existence or they didn’t want to kill Morgan. Probably the latter so I figured them to be warning shots. Sure enough, in the next instant, a voice boomed out over a loud speaker in that weird accent.

“Return the woman, and you will be allowed to leave without harm!”

Sure we would. Right up until we handed her over.

Still, they could decide to give up on that tactic and then we’d all be fried meat. I crawled to where I could see the parking lot. The lamplights were still working but even if they went out, seeing wouldn’t be a problem as it was still lit up from the burning vehicles. A couple of figures were crouching near an apparatus that bore a strong resemblance to an old-fashioned satellite dish.

“Hey, man, we can’t give her to them! No telling what they’ll do to her. All that damn probing an’ shit you hear about—” started Slim.

“Shut up, fool! Nobody’s giving her to them! Besides, she’s the only reason we’re still alive!” That was Talbert. At least he had that much sense.

My mind raced and hit on an iffy idea. “Lem, give me the cocktails!”

He handed them over.

“Okay, as soon as you see a flash down there, make a run for it. Percy, get Morgan. I’ll follow as fast as I can. Here,” I handed Duncan the car key. “Get to the car. If you don’t see me in a minute, take off anyway.”

I didn’t wait for an answer. I did a fast crawl back down the hill. Hiding behind one of the bigger trees, I pulled out the lighter, lit one of the cocktails, popped up fast, and flung it towards the laser. It broke on the pavement in front of it and the figures beside it scrambled away as flames washed down under the thing. I lit and threw the other one and then sprinted back up the hill. I didn’t bother to see where it hit but it must’ve splashed one of them because I heard a giggling shriek that went up the scale.

I swept through the opening that used to be the gate to see everyone had reached the car except Percy who couldn’t run as fast while carrying Morgan. I caught up and we reached the car together. He threw open the front passenger door and shoved Morgan in and squeezed in beside her. Duncan was waiting outside the driver’s side, and he handed me the key and crammed into the back seat with the others. I glanced in the back and all I saw were gleaming wide-eyes.

I got the car in gear and took off down the path. In a few seconds, I was on Main speeding away from Semptor Labs.

Chapter Thirty-six

TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, I TURNED OFF ON THE unnamed street that went past the alley where the Hole in the Wall was, before circling around to Carter Street.

I pulled into the doctor’s driveway. I noticed he was already at the door.

“Why are we stopping here?” asked Talbert. “He’s probably one of them, too!”

“He isn’t,” I said getting out of the car.

Percy got out and reached back in for Morgan. I took her from him, got her over my shoulder and started for the door. I paused and handed Duncan the car key.

“Everyone into the house. Lem and Percy, watch those two. Duncan, take the car somewhere and leave it. I don’t want to take the chance of any of Henderson’s goons seeing it parked here.”

It didn’t take much to figure out that someone might start cruising the neighborhood, looking for us. Henderson would probably be trying to contact his head of security and it wouldn’t take him long to learn he was no longer available. I thought about Abe Harlow handcuffed to the sink. If they went in, they’d find Bedlow’s body and were likely to simply leave. If Harlow wasn’t totally stupid, he’d keep quiet so they wouldn’t find him. Of course, Harlow wasn’t particularly smart. I shrugged. I wasn’t very concerned about Harlow.

We got in and everyone followed me to the livingroom where I laid Morgan on the couch. She was all the way out.

Dr. Bennett went to her, his eyes worried. “What’s wrong with her?”

“Talbert here gave her something.” I turned to him “Harlow said you gave her two pills. What were they?”