Lost in Magadan: Extraterrestrials on Earth

She pushed the cheap, plastic, outdoor chair over toward Mike, put her hand in his lap, and said, “Have you ever just wanted to escape? You know, get away from it all.”

Mike leaned forward, gazed into her hazel eyes and said with a big grin on his face, “With you, I would go anywhere.”

She smirked and punched his arm, “I’m being for real. Haven’t you ever just wanted to run away from it all?”

Mike sat back, inhaled a deep breath of fresh ocean air, thought for a moment, and said, “Yes, all the time. I hate my job. I want to quit every day.”

“Why don’t you?”

“It’s not that simple.”

I bet. You’re an alien from another planet locked away in an underground military base.

Nikita had been trained to look for Nordic aliens. She was working near Virginia Beach because it was a military town with thousands of soldiers, sailors, and top-secret DOD contractors. She was a soft-spy. Her job was to collect intel and report back, not to engage the target, just observe and report. She had a real job, in a strategic location where she may see useful information or people. She could go years without reporting anything of importance to her bosses. But then, in one night, she could send in one report that would justify all the money they had ever paid her over the years. Last night was that night. Until now, she had never felt bad about the information she had passed on to them. It seemed like little bits of unimportant data.

“It couldn’t be that boring?” she asked as she adjusted her plastic chair to a position where she could look directly into Mike’s eyes.

Mike shifted in his seat; he was obviously uncomfortable.

“I told you, I’m an analyst for the government.”

Nikita knew to stop pushing. She still had eight days to crack him.

That evening was dinner and dancing at an ocean front grill and pub. Late that night they returned to the hotel room, and Nikita opened a bottle of wine. She had bought a little black dress for the evening and matching black high heels.

“I know you don’t drink, but would you have just one glass with me?” Nikita did not expect the ruse to work, but she thought she had to make another attempt.

“You know I don’t drink,” Mike said with a weak smile.

“I know. Do you ever drink? I mean why did you stop?”

“It does not sit with me well. It makes me feel ill,” Mike answered truthfully.

“Well, I’ll have a glass and snuggle up with you on the bed. How does that sound?”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

Nikita kicked off her high heels and flopped down on the king-sized bed next to him. “I’ve had such a good time with you. I wish this would never end.” Nikita pushed to get him to open up.

Too much? I hope I don’t scare him away, but I have to get him to trust me.

“I’ve had a great time too. I would love to see you again, but my schedule at work doesn’t allow it.”

“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?” Nikita asked, switching the subject.

“Well, I came here for vacation, and so far, I’m having a great time,” Mike said.

Nakita tried again, “My job is so frustrating. I have this boss that hits on me every day. All the women are bitches, and the work is so boring I want to claw my eyes out. I wish I could just get away for a while.”

“I know the feeling, I feel like a prisoner at my job,” Mike said with a sigh.

Prisoner. Interesting word choice. Maybe he wants freedom?

“If you could have any job on the planet, what would it be?” Nikita pressed on, hoping for a break through.

Mike took a deep breath and paused for a long moment.

Should I say something? No, give him a chance. He may be close to giving me something I can use.

“I would want to be a politician. But not just any politician, a politician that would change the world.”

Nikita was shocked.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Nikita and Mike returned to the hotel room after another fun day at the beach. They had been inseparable for the last seven days. Nikita was worried that she would not find an opportunity to breach the subject of Mike coming to work for her bosses. It was after midnight; they had gone dancing at a club on the rooftop of a nearby resort hotel. Nikita had put down a few too many white Russians. Mike had been drinking water with a lemon all night. Nikita could not help thinking her job would be a lot easier if she could get Mike drunk.

“I’ve had a wonderful time this past week. I wish we could spend more time together,” she told him. She had been dropping hints like this all week, hoping to get him to open up about his job.

“It’s been great; I’m really glad we met,” Mike said, as he pulled off his pants. They had been having sex almost every night since they met.