Read Online Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch - Free Book Online
Authors: Gini Koch
Tags: english eBooks
Ads: Link
knocking frightened them, or similar, and they wouldn’t answer the door.”
“That’s beyond unusual. I mean, there are plenty of people who would open the door. All of Airborne, for starters. My flyboys wouldn’t be thrown by someone knocking in the middle of the night.”
“But they were. Paul checked with high-level personnel first. All of them felt the same as us: It’s creepy, it’s scary, it’s wrong, don’t open the door.”
“But you did.”
“Babe, you were either in agony or being attacked. Yeah, I opened the door.”
Something was tickling in my mind. “Security was down here. At least the first contingent. I heard something, scuffling, and the knocking stopped for a little bit, then started up, stronger.”
“Security, all of them, are back at the main command center, Level Three.”
“So whatever knocked them out put them back there. Why?”
“No idea.”
“More to the point, why weren’t you knocked out and put back, either into your room or into the Security command center?”
“Maybe it was a group hallucination?”
“I point you back to the sleeping Security team.” A thought occurred. Decided to test it. “Which, I have to say, puts us all in terrible danger. And means that Jeff could have trouble getting back.”
The com went live. “Commander Martini, are you all right?”
“Yeah, Gladys, I’m okay.”
“Is Captain Reader with you?”
“Yes.” It always cracked me up to hear someone use Reader’s official A-C title. He never used it unless he had to, and no one on Alpha ever referred to him that way, but because we were a military unit, in that sense, we all needed military-type titles. And he was our best pilot, even better than my flyboys, which, considering they were Top Gun trained, was saying a lot.
“Security is back up and live, running complete facility scans.”
“Thanks, Gladys. Glad you and the rest of the team are okay.” One more test. “James, maybe you should leave.” The baby kicked, hard. I gasped.
Reader reacted instantly and massaged my stomach. “I’m not going anywhere until Jeff’s back, girlfriend.” Calmed right down.
“Okay, I don’t actually want you to leave anyway.” I looked down at my stomach. “There are better ways.”
“Better ways to do what?”
I leaned my head back against Reader. “I’ll tell you when Jeff’s back. But, I think I’ve seen the future. And, boy, do I hope we’re ready for it.”
CHAPTER 11
R EADER WAS QUIET, though he was still rocking me. “I have a funny feeling I know where you’re going with this.”
“Figure you’re right.”
“Why me?”
“Because, realistically, you’re the one I always turn to if Jeff’s not here. Not Christopher, not Chuckie, not Paul or any of the others. You. And if Jeff and I are fighting, who is the person I call or run or, for the last few months, waddle to?”
“Me.”
“Bingo.”
“Commanders Martini and White are back on premises, Commander.”
“Thanks, Gladys.” I patted the Poofs. “Back to bed, you two.” They purred at us, went back to small, and then trotted to the Poof Condo.
In about five seconds, I heard the sound of running feet. Jeff burst into the room and stopped dead. “What the hell is going on?” His expression and tone of voice said that he suspected Reader was only pretending to be gay whenever Jeff was around.
The baby went nuts, and I shouted in pain. Jeff was next to me before I could finish my first shriek. He started to rub my stomach, sat on the bed, and moved me into his lap.
I was too busy whimpering and shuddering to talk, so Reader brought Jeff up to speed on what had gone on. Jeff held me and rocked me. The baby didn’t stop. “Jeff, stop being jealous, please.” I sobbed this out. “Jamie doesn’t understand it.”
“Why are you calling him Jamie?” Jeff didn’t sound any less jealous.
“The baby, you idiot. I’m talking about the baby.” She kicked and hit, and it was so
“That’s beyond unusual. I mean, there are plenty of people who would open the door. All of Airborne, for starters. My flyboys wouldn’t be thrown by someone knocking in the middle of the night.”
“But they were. Paul checked with high-level personnel first. All of them felt the same as us: It’s creepy, it’s scary, it’s wrong, don’t open the door.”
“But you did.”
“Babe, you were either in agony or being attacked. Yeah, I opened the door.”
Something was tickling in my mind. “Security was down here. At least the first contingent. I heard something, scuffling, and the knocking stopped for a little bit, then started up, stronger.”
“Security, all of them, are back at the main command center, Level Three.”
“So whatever knocked them out put them back there. Why?”
“No idea.”
“More to the point, why weren’t you knocked out and put back, either into your room or into the Security command center?”
“Maybe it was a group hallucination?”
“I point you back to the sleeping Security team.” A thought occurred. Decided to test it. “Which, I have to say, puts us all in terrible danger. And means that Jeff could have trouble getting back.”
The com went live. “Commander Martini, are you all right?”
“Yeah, Gladys, I’m okay.”
“Is Captain Reader with you?”
“Yes.” It always cracked me up to hear someone use Reader’s official A-C title. He never used it unless he had to, and no one on Alpha ever referred to him that way, but because we were a military unit, in that sense, we all needed military-type titles. And he was our best pilot, even better than my flyboys, which, considering they were Top Gun trained, was saying a lot.
“Security is back up and live, running complete facility scans.”
“Thanks, Gladys. Glad you and the rest of the team are okay.” One more test. “James, maybe you should leave.” The baby kicked, hard. I gasped.
Reader reacted instantly and massaged my stomach. “I’m not going anywhere until Jeff’s back, girlfriend.” Calmed right down.
“Okay, I don’t actually want you to leave anyway.” I looked down at my stomach. “There are better ways.”
“Better ways to do what?”
I leaned my head back against Reader. “I’ll tell you when Jeff’s back. But, I think I’ve seen the future. And, boy, do I hope we’re ready for it.”
CHAPTER 11
R EADER WAS QUIET, though he was still rocking me. “I have a funny feeling I know where you’re going with this.”
“Figure you’re right.”
“Why me?”
“Because, realistically, you’re the one I always turn to if Jeff’s not here. Not Christopher, not Chuckie, not Paul or any of the others. You. And if Jeff and I are fighting, who is the person I call or run or, for the last few months, waddle to?”
“Me.”
“Bingo.”
“Commanders Martini and White are back on premises, Commander.”
“Thanks, Gladys.” I patted the Poofs. “Back to bed, you two.” They purred at us, went back to small, and then trotted to the Poof Condo.
In about five seconds, I heard the sound of running feet. Jeff burst into the room and stopped dead. “What the hell is going on?” His expression and tone of voice said that he suspected Reader was only pretending to be gay whenever Jeff was around.
The baby went nuts, and I shouted in pain. Jeff was next to me before I could finish my first shriek. He started to rub my stomach, sat on the bed, and moved me into his lap.
I was too busy whimpering and shuddering to talk, so Reader brought Jeff up to speed on what had gone on. Jeff held me and rocked me. The baby didn’t stop. “Jeff, stop being jealous, please.” I sobbed this out. “Jamie doesn’t understand it.”
“Why are you calling him Jamie?” Jeff didn’t sound any less jealous.
“The baby, you idiot. I’m talking about the baby.” She kicked and hit, and it was so
Similar Books
