Deeper than the Night

Barrett was prompt. He showed up in Alexander's room with his two accomplices at seven sharp. It didn't escape Alex's notice that Kelsey and Handeland were both carrying weapons. Kelsey favored a .357 Magnum, while Handeland carried a Luger.

"So," Barrett said, getting right to the point. "Let's get to it, shall we?"

"I'm ready when you are."

"The way I understand it, I'm to tell you something the woman can't possibly know, and you're going to send it to her telepathically. Is that right?"

Alex nodded.

Barrett grunted softly. "Something she couldn't possibly know." He stroked his jaw thoughtfully. "My mother's maiden name is Dagdiggian. My favorite color is yellow. And I have eighty-five dollars in my wallet. Three twenties, two tens, and five ones. Tell her that." Barrett opened the door. "I'll be waiting in her room. Kelsey, Handeland, keep an eye on him."

"Right, doc."

Kara?

Alex? What's wrong?

Nothing. I don't have time to explain. Barrett's coming to your room. Be careful while he's there. I don't want him to know that you can communicate with me. I've told him I can control your mind, that I can make you forget everything that's happened.

Can you?

Yes. Listen to me. He should be there any time.

He just came in.

All right.

He's asking me questions. What should I do?

Answer him. His mother's maiden name is Dagdiggian. His favorite color is yellow, and he's carrying eighty-five dollars in his wallet. Three twenties, two tens, and five ones.

A few minutes later, the doctor returned to Alex's room.

"Impressive," Barrett remarked. "Very impressive."

"Now will you let her go?"

"It doesn't prove anything except that you can plant thoughts in her mind. How will I know you've erased everything from her memory?"

"You'll know. She won't know who you are. She won't remember anything that happened after the accident."

"I don't know."

"Don't listen to him," Handeland said. "There's too much at stake here. If you don't have the balls to take care of the girl,I'll do it."

"Shut up," Barrett snapped. "I'm making the decisions here, and don't you forget it."

"He's right," Kelsey said. "All the alien has to do is tell the girl to pretend she doesn't remember anything. There's no way to prove he's done it."

"Of course there is, you idiot! Another dose of pentobarbital will tell me what I need to know." Barrett jerked a thumb toward the door. "Go on, you two, get out of here."

Kelsey and Handeland exchanged glances.

"Here, you might need this," Handeland said. He handed his Luger to Barrett. "Let's go, Nate."

"I'm comin'," Kelsey replied. "Holler if you need us."

"I didn't think you could do it," Barrett remarked. "I want to know more about this mind link. If I gave your blood to Kelsey, would you be able to communicate with him in the same way?"

"I don't know. I've never given my blood to anyone but Kara." The lie rolled easily off his tongue.

"I see." Barrett drummed his fingers on the cart beside the table as he pondered the possibilities of mind control. "What other tricks have you got up your sleeve?"

"A few."

"Tell me."

"Not until you let her go."

"Are you in love with her?"

"What if I am?"

Barrett shrugged. "It poses some interesting questions. Is it possible for you to mate with our species?"

"Let her go."

Barrett swore. "I can make you talk, you know.

A dose of sodium pentobarbital can be very persuasive."

"And I can be very stubborn."

"You mean the drug won't work?"

"I don't know what the effect would be. Could be fatal. Could alter my blood chemistry in some way. Who knows?"

"There are tests . . ."

"Tests take time. Let her go, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I give you my word."

"Your word?" Barrett sneered. "What makes you think I'd take your word?"

"My people have mastered space travel. We've banished war from our planet. There's very little sickness. The average life span of my people is a hundred and twenty-five years. We're not savages, doctor. We're not sub-human. We're not animals. My word is as good as yours." He grinned wryly. "Better, no doubt. Were you on my planet, you would be considered vastly inferior."

"But I'm not on your world. You're on mine. And I mean to take advantage of everything you know."

Alex took a deep breath, held it for stretched seconds before he released it. "Then let her go."

"Answer me one thing. Is it possible for you to procreate with our people?"

"No."

Barrett grinned. "You're lying. I think, before I turn her loose, we'll find out."

"No! It could bedangerous to Kara. I won't put her life in danger."

But Barrett wasn't listening. "Consider the possibilities," he said, pacing the floor. "A half-alien baby. Think of the research, the chance to study an alien life form from infancy, to raise it as my own."

"Your own guinea pig, you mean. Dammit, Barrett, we had a deal!"

"We had nothing."

Anger surged through Alex as he envisioned the kind of life his child would have. Years of testing, of never having a normal life, never knowing who its real parents were. Barrett would either keep the child locked away, a secret from the rest of the world, or he would exploit the child like some kind of freak.

Rage added strength to his limbs. With a feral cry, Alex yanked against the straps that held him. The one on his right wrist broke with a loud snap.

Barrett whirled around, the gun at the ready. "Kelsey! Handeland! Get in here!"

With a cry of triumph, Alex jerked his left hand free. Taking a double-handed grip on the iron band across his chest, he gave a mighty heave, but the strap held.

A roar of frustration rose in his throat as Kelsey and Handeland burst into the room.

"Hold him!" Barrett shouted.

Setting the gun aside, Barrett grabbed a syringe from the cart and plunged the needle into a vein in the alien'sleft arm.

With a strangled cry of rage, the alien went suddenly limp.

"Damn, that was close." Barrett sagged against the wall, amazed by the creature's strength. "Kelsey, he's getting too strong. See that he gets more sun." he said. "Joe, replace those straps with thicker ones."

"What set him off?" Kelsey asked.

Barrett shook hishead. "I told him I was going to conduct a new experiment."

"Yeah? What kind of experiment?"

"I want to find out if it's possible for his species to impregnate ours. I thought he'd be pleased at the prospect of a little extracurricular activity."

Joe snorted. "He's a fool if he's not. She's quite a looker."

"Forget it, Handeland. She's not for you."

"Can't blame a guy for dreamin'. I'm gonna get some coffee. You want some?"

Barrett nodded absently. An alien baby. A new source of blood. Perhaps a way to improve the human race. The possibilities were endless and fascinating.

An hour later, the leather straps on the alien's wrists and ankles had been replaced with bands of tempered steel. As an additional precaution, Barrett secured a thick leather strap over the alien's neck so he couldn't lift his head.

"That should hold him," he said. "I want you to make some modifications in here."

"What kind of modifications?"

"We can't expect the alien to mate while he's strapped to a table. I want you to make me a good strong collar for his neck and a chain that would hold an elephant, and another collar and chain for his ankle. And something solid to bolt them to. And I want a bed. Something comfortable. And I want it all stat."

"Right, doc. Anything else?"

"No, I think that's all for tonight."

"Sure you don't want candles and champagne, too?" Kelsey asked with a smirk.

"Just do as your told."

"Right. Joe, give me a hand."

With a last glance at the alien, Barrett turned out the light and left the room.

Tomorrow should prove to be a most interesting day.

Alex shook his head. "It won't work."

"Why not?"

"The sun."

Barrett shook his head. "I think you're lying."

"You've seen how it weakens me. I can't . . . perform during the day."

Barrett frowned. Did he dare let the alien mate at night?

Alex closed his eyes against the sun's heat, wondering if he would ever be free again. He tried to conjure up an image of the cavern in Eagle Flats, the blessed coolness to be found within the thick rock walls, the ageless serenity of the mountains. And, in a moment of utter depression, he wished for death, an end to captivity, to pain.

"I'm going to give you one chance," Barrett remarked. "I've ascertained that the woman is at peak fertility. You will mate with her tonight. If you refuse, if you try to escape, she'll be dead tomorrow. Do we understand each other? Look at me!"

Alex opened his eyes and met Barrett's cold brown gaze. "I understand."

"I'll bring her to you at dusk."

"You gonna watch?"

A faint flush crept up the doctor's neck. "No. I'll examine her in the morning. If you've failed to do your duty, I'll give her to Handeland."

"You're a miserable excuse for a human being."

"Perhaps. But I shall soon be a very wealthy man."

"Yes, but will you be able to sleep at night?"

"Quite well, I assure you. You had better get some rest now. You'll need your strength."

As soon as Barrett left the room, Alex opened his mind. He heard Kara's thoughts almost immediately.

Alex. I've been so worried. What's going on?

Barrett wants a child.

What?

He wants us to mate so he can have the child.

No, I won't do it.

I'm afraid you don't have any choice in the matter.

What do you mean? You're not going to. . . to...

Rape you? No. But if I don't do what he wants, he's threatened to kill you tomorrow morning.

He couldn't see her face, but he could almost feel the blood drain from her face. He means it, Kara.

She heard his voice, but couldn't focus. A baby. If she got pregnant, she'd have to stay here for nine months, and then Barrett would take the child. It was a reprieve of sorts, but at what cost? The thought of going through childbirth, then having her child taken away from her by a monster like Barrett, made death at the doctor's hands seem almost welcome.

Kara?

I'm scared, Alex.

I know. Is there anything in your room that could be used as a weapon?

No. Not even a butter knife.

It was what he had expected, but he was disappointed just the same. It's okay. Try not to worry . . . .

You shouldtry to get some rest, Alex. You sound awful.

Kara . . . I love you.

I love you . . . .

He broke the connection, and she felt its loss keenly. It had been days since she had seen him. No matter what happened tomorrow, at least they would be together again tonight.

She clung to that thought as the hours passed. Tonight she would see Alex.

Kara's heart was pounding like a jackhammer as Handeland led her down a narrow hallway, up a short flight of stairs, and into the room with the skylight.

Her gaze darted around the room. The metal table was gone and a double bed stood in its place. Alex sat on the edge of the mattress, a sheet drawn over his lap. She stared at the heavy iron collar around his neck, at the thick chain fastened to the bed's iron frame. A similar collar and chain, fastened to an enormous bolt in the concrete floor next to the bed, circled his left ankle.

He looked up when she stepped into the room. The look in his eyes, the guilt, stabbed her to the heart.

I'm sorry, natayah,he said, speaking to her mind. Forgive me.

"Sorry there's no champagne and soft music," Barrett said. He took Kara by the arm and pulled her toward the bed. "But this is the best I could do on such short notice."

Kara jerked her arm from Barrett's grasp. "You're despicable. I can't believe you're a doctor." She shook her head. "Have you no conscience? You're supposed to help people, ease their suffering."

"My dear, if I can isolate the healing agent in this creature's blood, mankind will owe me a debt it can never repay."

"And you think the end"_Kara gestured at Alex, at the chains that bound him_"justifies the means?"

"Sometimes, in order to make advancements, people get hurt. History is filled with stories of people who sacrificed their lives for the good of others."

"The good of the many outweighing the needs of the few," Kara muttered, remembering a line from an old Star Trek movie.

"Exactly. And now I will bid you good night." Barrett fixed the alien with a sharp stare. "Don't fail me," he warned, and left the room.

There was the sound of a key turning in the lock. The lights in the room dimmed.

Kara went to kneel in front of Alexander. "Are you all right?" She touched the heavy collar at his throat as if it were a live snake. "How can you breathe with that thing on?"

"Breathing is the least of my worries," Alex replied wryly. Bending over, he lifted Kara onto his lap, his arms wrapping around her, holding her close until their hearts beat as one.

"Alex, what are we going to do?"

"Get the hell out of here."

"How?"

"I'm going to try to spring the lock on these chains. And if that doesn't work, I'm going to kill Barrett when he comes back."

Kara blinked at him. "Spring the lock? Can you do that?"

"I hope so. It was cloudy today, not much sun. I slept all afternoon. With any luck, by midnight my strength will have returned enough so I can spring the locks telepathically."

"I love you, Alex. Whatever happens, I love you. You won't forget that, will you?"

He cupped her face in his hands. "I won't forget." He caressed her cheek with his knuckles, traced the curves of her face with his fingertips. Soft, so soft. She wore a plain white hospital gown; her hair fell over her shoulders, shimmering like a living flame in the faint light. She had never looked more beautiful.

Leaning forward, he covered her mouth with his and kissed her gently. He wanted nothing more than to lay her down on the bed and show her how much he loved her, but now was not the time. He needed to save his strength, and so he stretched out on the bed, drawing her down beside him, wrapping his body protectively around hers.

"I need to sleep, Kara. Wake me if you hear anyone coming."

She nodded. Needing to touch him, she brushed his hair back from his face, then stroked his shoulder, hoping to soothe him, to help him relax.

He watched her for a long while, his eyes heavy-lidded, and then, holding her hand in his, he closed his eyes and slept.

Kara lay there in the semi-darkness, watching him sleep, her heart hurting for the pain he had suffered. He was such a brave man. He had said he would kill Barrett if they couldn't escape. He had said it so casually, his voice indifferent, as if killing was of no import at all. As repulsive as the thought was, it was far more acceptable than the alternative of bearing a child and having Barrett take it from her, of being disposed of when she was no longer needed. More acceptable than never seeing Alex again.

She gazed up at the narrow patch of sky visible through the skylight, watching the stars as they followed their inevitable course. Which star was Alexander's? She tried to imagine what it had been like for him, being banished to an alien planet, being sent away from everything he knew and loved. It pleased her to think that he had been fated to be hers, that some higher power out in the cosmos had sent Alex to earth because he had been meant to be hers, as she was meant to be his.

"You're quite a romantic, Miss Crawford."

"Are you reading my mind again, Mr. Claybourne?"

"Guilty as charged." Alex opened his eyes and smiled at Kara. "Is that what you really think? That I was sent here because we were fated to be together?"

"It sounds kind of silly when you say it out loud."

"I don't think it sounds silly at all."

His hand cupped the back of her head and he drew her gently toward him. His kiss was feather-light, yet it singed every fiber of her being.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"Pretty good." He glanced up at the sky. "It's a little after midnight." He smiled at her. "Give me a kiss for luck?"

"Two kisses," she said, and pressed her lips to his_a long, lingering kiss that spoke of passion; a short, quick kiss that promised more to come.

Sitting up, Alex swung his legs over the edge 'of the bed.

Kara sat beside him, her heartbeat quickening. "What should I do?"

"Nothing. Try to keep your mind blank while I concentrate."

"Maybe I could help?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid the energy from your mind would be too distracting."

"All right."

He took a deep breath, let it out in a long, slow sigh.

Kara watched his face, knew that he had shut her out of his thoughts, out of his mind. She could almost see the power gathering around him, coalescing, vibrating, as he focused every ounce of his energy on the heavy padlock that held the iron cuff in place on his left ankle.

Kara shook her head, a little frightened by the intense expression on his face. The veins in his neck bulged, the muscles in his jaw tensed, the knuckles on his fists were white and strained.

What kind of man was he? The thought skittered through her mind before she could call it back, but he seemed unaware. His expression never changed. And then, after what seemed like hours, his eyes narrowed. There was the sound of metal turning against metal. Alex bent down and opened the padlock, then removed the shackle and chain from around his ankle.

She stared at him in awe, wondering how he could remove the collar from his neck when he couldn't focus his eyes on the lock.

But, of course, he focused on the padlock that fastened the end of the chain to the bed. Moments later, he was free.

Rising, he coiled the length of chain dangling from the collar around his left hand. "Let's go."

Stark naked, with a thick collar at his throat, his long black hair framing his face, he looked like a pagan god of war.

He stared at the door; a moment later, it swung open. Alex peered up and down the hallway,then stepped into the corridor.

Kara followed him, watched as he closed and locked the door. "Stay close behind me," he warned softly.

He didn't have to tell her twice. She planned to stick closer than his shadow.

Their footsteps seemed as loud as thunder to her ears as they tiptoed down the hallway. They passed three rooms with the doors ajar, small cubicles similar to the one that had imprisoned Alex. A fourth room contained numerous cages filled with rats and mice. She wrinkled her nose at the strong smell of ammonia and disinfectant.

Two corridors opened at the end of the one they had taken. Alex glanced left, then right, then turned left, his steps sure as he glided soundlessly over the black-and-white tiled floor.

Needing the assurance of his touch, Kara reached for his hand. He glanced at her briefly, his teeth gleaming whitely in the dim light of the hallway.

Kara froze at the sound of voices. Familiar voices. Kelsey and Handeland.

"Full house," she heard Handeland say. "Three pretty ladies and a pair of fours."

Kelsey swore. "That's four hands in a row," he complained.

"What can I say? I've always been lucky."

There was the sound of cards being shuffled.

Kara looked up at Alex. What now?

Wait here.He smiled reassuringly, then moved down the hallway. He paused outside an open door and peered cautiously inside. Kelsey had his back to the door; Handeland was studying his cards. Their weapons lay on the table. There was no sign of Barrett.

There was no way to sneak past them without being seen. For a moment, he considered backtracking in search of another exit, but there was not time for that. There was always a chance that Barrett would go to the room to check on them. Or he could show up here at any moment.

Hoping the element of surprise would give him the edge he needed, Alex burst into the room.

"What the . . . ?" Handeland dropped his cards, reached for his gun, and fired.

The bullet struck Alex in the arm.

Kelsey swung around in his chair, his eyes widening as Alex struck him across the jaw. The chain wrapped around Alex's fist made an ugly squishing sound as it tore into flesh. With a strangled cry, Kelsey slipped to the floor, blood gushing from his face and mouth.

Still moving, Alex flung Kelsey's chair aside and reached for Handeland. There was an explosion as Handeland pulled the trigger. Alex staggered back, then lurched forward, one hand locking around Handeland's throat, squeezing, squeezing, until the man's eyes rolled back in his head and he went limp.

Moving quickly, Alex went through Handeland's pockets until he found the key to the collar. Clutching it in one hand, he grabbed Handeland's gun, then hurried out to Kara.

Her eyes widened and all the color drained from her face when she saw the blood dripping down his arm, flowing from his shoulder.

"Come on," Alex said urgently. "We don't have much time."

Kara stared at him, unable to move, unable to speak.

"Don't faint on me, Kara," Alex said. "We've got to go. Now. And I don't think I can carry you."

She nodded. Forcing one foot in front of the other, she followed him down the dimly lit hallway. A door loomed in front of them. She was surprised to find it unlocked.

She glanced at her hospital gown, at Alex's nakedness, at the chain dangling from the collar around his neck, at the blood oozing from the wounds in his arm and shoulder, and none of it seemed real.

Outside, the street was dark and quiet. A full moon hung low in the sky. For the first time, she got a glimpse of the building that had imprisoned them. It was a small square structure built of faded red brick. All the windows were barred; two were boarded up. From the outside, it looked like an abandoned store of some kind.

Like a robot, she followed Alex down the street. They passed a vacant lot, a couple of ramshackle houses, a grocery store that had bars on the door and the windows.

She stood to one side while Alex tried to unlock the door of a battered Chevy pickup. She heard him swear softly as his power failed him. A moment later, there was the tell-tale tinkle of breaking glass; then he reached through the window and unlocked the door. She slid across the seat to the passenger side. The cracked leather was cold and rough against the back of her legs.

"Here, hold this," Alex said. He thrust a large brass key into her hand, tossed the gun on the seat.

She heard him groan softly, heard the rattle of the chain, as he reached under the dash to hot wire the car. Moments later, the engine coughed to life. He didn't turn the lights on until they were well away from the lab.

In a haze, she watched the faint white line in the center of the road. This was a nightmare. That was the only explanation. In a few minutes, she'd wake to the sound of Nana's voice scolding her for sleeping so late, then Gail would come running in, begging to go to a movie with Cherise, or to McDonald's for dinner when Kara got home from work. Ordinary things. Everyday things . . .

They passed a small wooden sign.

LEAVING SILVERDALE, it read.DRIVE SAFELY.

Silverdale. She had no idea where it was.

After a time, she became aware that the truck was slowing down. She glanced at Alex, felt the pain of his wounds as if they were her own, and knew he was on the verge of losing consciousness.

A moment later, she grabbed the wheel as he slumped toward her.