Plant in Peril

by Lyndsey Werner

Síofra sipped her tea. She liked tea. It was one of those odd concepts that could be found on most planets with sentient life. Cara bound into the diner, fiery red tangled round her head like a halo. “It certainly is windy out there.” Cara commented, making a beeline for Síofra.

“Not there.” Síofra ordered as Cara put her hand on the seat across from her. Cara obediently withdrew and took the seat beside the younger girl.

“A client?” Cara inquired, looking curiously around at the other patrons. Which one needed their help? Was it a human or an alien, and if the latter, what kind?

“Hunter,” Síofra said softly without acknowledging her friend. The man behind the counter across the room looked up. “Would you be so kind as to bring that young woman’s order to our table?” Síofra continued in a light voice a human in the next table would have difficulty hearing. “I believe she is here to see us.” Hunter nodded, and disappeared into the kitchen for the woman’s meal.

Síofra took another sip of tea.

“So, what should I know going in?” Cara prompted Síofra, pulling out a notepad. “Name? Problem? Any topics I should avoid?”

Síofra’s shrug was barely detectable to those who didn’t know her. “Haven’t met her yet.”

Cara sighed. “Can you at least tell me how you know she’s here to see us?”

“Smell,” Síofra answered shortly. Something occurred to her. “Don’t order salad.” Before Cara could squeeze more information out of her friend Hunter put a bowl across from them. “Clam chowder, no potatoes.” He said and put a mug before Cara. “Hot coca with a touch of peppermint.” Hunter grinned at Cara.

“You want me to taste something for you, am I right?” Cara asked apprehensively eyeing her favorite drink/bribe.

“Only once you’ve finished with the flower.” Hunter assured her, hurrying away.

“Flower-?” Cara began before they were assailant by a pungent, bitter but flowery aroma. A beautiful young woman in a big floppy hat sat across from them. Big glasses wrapped around her eyes.

“Detective Síofra?” As the woman spoke, Cara was hit with another wave of the bitter floral scent. If she were not sitting with Síofra, Cara would have thought the woman was merely wearing too much perfume.

Síofra inclined her head in acknowledgement.

“There’s an illusionary field around our table that will mask anything unusual.” Cara told the woman encouragingly. “If you want to relax.” The woman stared at Cara suspiciously.

“My associate, Miss. Cara Smith.” Síofra said by way of explanation.

“And where is your ‘associate’ from?” The woman asked hostilely.

“Me?” Cara started, her mouth open in a little ‘oh’. “I’m, well, I’m a local.” The woman blinked behind her sunglasses.

“You’re human?” She asked in surprise. Cara nodded.

“Born, bred, never altered or changed.” She answered.

“And you are?” Síofra asked, becoming impatient. More interested in her name and story than her species, which was quite easy to guess.

“Oh, forgive me.” The woman fumbled in her purse. “The stress of it all. My nerves are just a bit frayed.” The woman slid a card across the table. “Since coming to Earth, my husband and I have built a thriving organic fruit company.” The woman, whose card read ‘Fern Woods’, beamed with pride, then her hat drooped like wilting petals. “Red, my husband, he’s gone missing.” Mrs. Woods was so distraught she dropped her hand into her bowl of clam chowder. “And not just him, they took Mason, our head gardener, too!”

“’They’?” Cara asked.

“The bounty hunters!” Mrs. Woods cried. “They must have grabbed Mason to make Red come quietly!” Cara noticed that Mrs. Woods’ skin was starting to become tinged green, and the fingers in her clam chowder had become long and thin, more like roots than fingers.

“Why didn’t they take you?” Síofra asked.

“They’re only after my husband.” Her face twisted angrily. “The Methis House.” Mrs. Woods briefly slipped into her native language, using a number of unflattering terms to demonstrate just how deeply rooted her disgust for the Methis House ran.

“Your husband is a sankey.” Síofra said. Mrs. Woods nodded vigorously.

“You must find them, both of them!” She very nearly wailed. “Red’s in danger, but if they take Mason to our planet they’ll-!” Mrs. Woods was very close to a mental break down.

“Mrs. Woods, we’ll find them.” Síofra said firmly. “But right now, you need to go home and sleep.”

“But I can’t leave now!” Mrs. Woods began. Síofra looked at Cara.

“Mrs. Woods,” Cara leaned over, and touched the green hand outside the bowl. “We understand, but we need to do our job, and you need to get some rest. Now, is there anyone you can call?”

Mrs. Woods sniffed. “Well, there’s Mason’s little sister Lily. I, I left her at my house.”

“Pretty name.”

“Nice girl, Mason’s all she’s got.” Mrs. Woods replied, then her eyes widened. “Oh dear, I left the house without telling her! She’ll think I’ve vanished too!” Mrs. Woods yanked her roots from the now empty bowl. Cara grabbed her wrist.

“Slow down.” She ordered firmly. “And drive safely.” Mrs. Woods took a deep breath, nodded, and walked out of the restaurant.

Cara slid into the seat across from Síofra.

“So, details.” Cara demanded. Síofra began typing on her hybrid laptop.

“Fern Woods and her husband are Plasinos, sentient, highly evolved plants.”

Plant people, got it. Cara thought scribbling notes.

“The Methis House are members of the upper class who have learned to extend their lives by using,” Síofra paused, considering the right word, though her typing never slowed. “Sighling.” She tried using the native word. It came through Cara’s translators as ‘grafts’ and ‘transplants’ simultaneously. Cara nodded to show she understood, making a note to have Síofra download their bio specs for her later on. “There are only a few people who are compatible with the Methis House, they’re called the sankey.” Síofra paused and took another sip of tea. “If they’re even the ones who have him.”

“What do you mean?” Cara asked.

“Parts of it just don’t make sense.” Síofra replied. “Why take a human, and leave her? It’s more likely that she’s a bounty hunter, and made up the bit about Mason so that I would track down whoever has Red and she can collect the bounty on him.”

“No.” Cara said. Síofra looked up.

“No?”

“No,” Cara repeated firmly. “I know you know aliens and all that; but I know people. I’m telling you, she was telling the truth about Mason, Lily and Red. She wasn’t faking it.” Síofra gave Cara a long look, her logic struggling with her trust in Cara’s instincts. She had nothing to lose by setting her own theory aside.

“Okay, so if it’s not that, then the question remains, why wasn’t she taken?”

“You just said they were only interested in sankeys.” Cara started.

“Did you see the earring she was wearing?”

“The big wooden ones?”

“First signs of germination.” Síofra said.

“You mean she’s…” Cara gasped.

“The plant equivalent of pregnant? Yes.” Síofra said. “Don’t you see? If Red were the father, a bounty hunter would have taken her too, on the chance that the seed will be a sankey.” Síofra explained. “And this Mason thing is still bothering me.”

“What about human organizations like Free Skies or the Collectors?”

Síofra sighed. “I’ve been checking them out, but I just don’t see a connection.” Síofra glanced away then pushed her computer towards Cara. “Have a look. I’m going to go see if Hunter has any information.”

Cara looked at the screen. She’d forgotten her translator glasses so she couldn’t read the foreign text. So instead she switched to researching the Woods’ life on Earth, in English. They were a real Earth success story. The business they had opened had grown rapidly in the past few years. It was quickly becoming a major player in the fruit market. Cara scrolled through the many forest conservation efforts they contributed to.  Cara paused thoughtfully on another article about “Gaia Grown growing stocks”. Something about it sparked a thought. A silly thought that somehow made sense.

“There is no suspicious bounty hunter activity and Hunter says there’s no way someone grabbed a sankey without him hearing about it.” Síofra sat down. “It seems less and less likely that a bounty hunter grabbed them.”

“Hey Síofra, could humans, just normal ordinary humans, have kidnapped a Plasino? A sankey?” Cara asked. Síofra considered it.

“I suppose so, though it seems unlikely. Red would be fairly paranoid, even after a decade living on Earth. Why?”

“Just that,” Cara paused, feeling a bit foolish. “Gaia Grown, their company, has a lot of ruthless competitors.” Síofra stared at Cara.

“That’s crazy.” She commented flatly. She turned the laptop back towards her and hesitated. “Then again, did you see what Mason’s job was?”

“Yeah, agricultural something or another. There’s a bunch of fancy talk about majors, he’s basically a glorified gardener.” Cara said. 

“A gardener.” Síofra murmured. Why take the gardener? Why risk a kidnapping? Unless… Síofra started typing trying not to tune Cara out as she started talking about possible emotional motivations behind the disappearance. Fear of impending fatherhood and secret affairs topped her list, while Síofra continued researching. She stopped and looked at Cara who fell silent.

“Guess who was just hired as a consultant at FruiTech.” Síofra spun the laptop around.

“Derek Baise?!” Cara gasped. Baise was an Integrator, one of the so-called masters of aliens and their technology. Integrators were people who wanted to take advantage of aliens and their technology and integrate them into our society. Baise was a particularly brutal one, as he was as much an Integrator, his true joy was collecting.

“It makes sense.” Síofra said. “Plasinos have a natural affinity with plants. If one of FruiTech’s corporate spies discovered what Red was, Baise would have gladly offered his services. It also explains why Mason was taken.” She continued. “They probably thought that Mason understood how the Woods were implementing their alien tech to grow plants. Mason probably did help, given his background in science and the unique challenges of Earth.” Síofra closed her laptop. “If Derek’s involved there would be a great many complex encryption dealing with where Mr. Woods is being held. I’ll need the ship’s computer.”

“That should give me a chance to familiarize myself with Plasino biology.”

“Remember to focus on the first aid.” Síofra said, neither of them voiced their growing concern that Red Woods would be beyond their help by the time they reached him.

“I’ll make entrance here,” Síofra pointed to the flat tabletop screen displaying the compound’s blueprints as the tactic pod sped swiftly through the air. “When I give the all clear, come in on the mini pod.”

“Remember that this is Baise we’re dealing with.” Cara studied the screen. “He knows your methods. Now’s not the time for your usual hard target tactics.”

“It’s the easiest way-” Síofra began, but Cara grabbed her shoulder, Síofra met her gaze.

“It’s not just you, remember that. Baise will have prepared for you, it will take that much longer, and there are two lives at stake.” Cara stressed the last part. Síofra was forever putting herself in unnecessary danger, but she never consciously did so at the risk of others.

Síofra held Cara’s gaze for a moment, and looked back at the blueprint. “There might be,” she said haltingly. “An easier way.” Síofra leaned over and accessed the personal records.

Síofra pushed the cart with a purpose. She didn’t want people to look too closely at her. Síofra hadn’t had time to observe and mimic Sue Clark’s movement, so she wanted to move as quickly as possible, completely dependent on her low-grade holo-contacts that caused her image to fluctuate every time she blinked. She was careful to do so only in the shadows. The holo-contacts irritated her eyes, but would not be easily detected by any sensors Baise might have installed.

They were the least of her worries. Cara was in the tactic pod camouflaged above. In the worst case scenario, Red or Mason would be too badly injured to move and Cara would be forced to use her friction belt to rappel down to them, going through the walls of the ceiling by activating their faulty phaser. Risking her life in a dozen ways, from materializing in between floors or walls, to trigger happy guards with no regard for human safety. Cara’s life was not to be gambled with lightly. Síofra could not allow it to come to that.

First it was necessary to locate Mason. He would be more lightly guarded than Red, and could help her assess the situation. Síofra found the ‘holding cell’, which was more of a storage room really, with relative ease.

“Stop right there.” The guard ordered harshly.

“Someone told me he vomited.” Síofra said as informally as she could. “I’m stuck cleaning it up.”

“I didn’t-” the guard began, by then Síofra was level with him, and silenced him with a swift but controlled blow to the temple. Without breaking her motion she swiped Sue Clark’s card. The door released with a click, janitors were allowed everywhere. Síofra entered, a man in his lat twenties glared at her, handcuffed hand and food.

“Mason Reed?” Síofra asked. The man spat at her.

“What have you done to Red?” He snarled.

“I was hired by Mrs. Woods to locate you and your employer.” Síofra informed him, crossing the small room. “Do you have any idea what they are doing to Mr. Woods?” She knelt beside him to better inspect his bonds. Mason didn’t answer. Síofra looked up at him. “You saw something.” She stated. Mason still said nothing, averting his gaze. Síofra looked back down at the cuffs. “I don’t have time to pick these.” She remarked. She took one side of the handcuffs in either hand, and pulled them apart. He stared at the broken cuffs and back at her as she released his legs just as easily.

“What the hell?” Mason asked in wonder.

“In the next twenty-four hours you will learn a great deal more about your planet than you ever would have believed possible.” Síofra stood. “But for now, you must put that aside and make a decision. You may wait for me on the roof, or,” She held out her hand. “Assist me in the liberation of Red Woods.” Mason looked up at her, then took her hand.

“Plant or not, I owe Red. I’m not leaving him behind.” He stood up. “He’s family.” Síofra nodded once.

She covered one eye and scanned Mason with her contact lens. She motioned for Mason to stay, walked into the hall, and tossed the guard inside. Síofra removed her contact and used it to disguise the guard as Mason, forcing his eye half open.

Síofra’s disguise would suffer as a result, details of Sue Clark’s features would blur and merge with her own when she moved too quickly, but it was worth the time it would buy them. Síofra nodded to the janitor’s cart and Mason climbed inside. Síofra quickly walked to the nearest janitor’s closet.

“Let’s be fast.” Síofra said moving the cloth. She pulled out a smart phone. “Did you see this man here?” Síofra showed him a picture of Derek Baise.

Mason muttered something unflattering in a foreign language. “Yes, he was there.” It would complicate things farther if Baise were on hand. “I still don’t understand.” Mason began.

“We do not have time for you to understand.” Síofra spoke. “All you need to know is that one of Gaia Grown’s competitors discovered Mr. Woods’ secret, and hired an expert who is no taking steps to exploit him.” Mason opened his mouth and closed it again. He nodded.

“What can I do?” He asked. Síofra reached into the cart and tossed him a guard’s uniform.

“Janitors are not allowed in restricted areas without an escort.” She said by way of explanation. Síofra turned her back to offer him some privacy. “I observed a guard enter his pin and stole his card.” Síofra said, pulling up blueprints on the phone. “The pin was 78283, remember it.” She turned around. “After you escort me there, you must remain calm.” She held out the smart phone. “Make an excuse to go to this room.” Síofra tapped the screen. “You need to be ready to open the door and go up to the roof at a moment’s notice.” Síofra put the phone away. “Make sure to look casual while you wait.” Mason nodded hurriedly, straightening his clothing, and trying to keep up. “Do you need me to repeat anything?”

“No, I think I’ve got it. What’s the pin again?” Síofra repeated the number, vaguely annoyed by the contradictory nature of his comment. They walked out and headed towards the lab where Red was being held.

They reached the area without incident. Síofra was please to see Baise either had not had the opportunity or interest to install some of the more complex entrance locks to the lab. They let themselves in and Mason noticeably stiffened beside her. She pinched him. He needed to focus. Mason could not be permitted to act on the anger that undoubtedly filled him at the sight they were confronted with.

A plant with a humanoid figure stretched out on a lab table. His tendril like limbs pulled painfully taunt. He groaned weakly, his face human enough to be identified as Red Woods. Mason couldn’t tear his eyes away from the man he thought he knew so well.

Síofra deliberately ran over his foot with the cart. Mason hissed and looked down angrily, only to meet the cold 17 year old’s admonishing gaze. They had things to do.

Seconds later an alarm went off as gas from Síofra’s homemade brew began billowing out of the janitor’s closet. A reasonable mistake, a janitor mixed the wrong cleaning solutions. The lab technicians looked around uncertainly. They hadn’t been prepared for an outside toxin. It had always been assumed that any biohazards would be from a lab. Síofra reached for her phone, preparing to send the second command when a young technician made it unnecessary. He started choking, and gasping for breath.

“Oh no! He’s asthmatic!” One of his coworkers exclaimed. “He needs his inhaler!”

“What caused it?!” Someone asked, panicking, he raised his gaze to Red. “Spores?! Oh my god! There are spores!!” Panic spread and people made a break for the door.

This is why I don’t understand humans. Síofra thought as the practically pushed each other down to get out of the lab. They had been trained for the worst in the lab, but when faced with an unknown threat, the smallest thing could send them into a tizzy. A few moments later, Síofra was alone with the gasping man and the one coworker who stayed with him.

“Where’s his inhaler?” Síofra asked.

“I don’t know.” She groaned in distress. One of the women who had left the room came back, confidence in her step.

“Here,” She thrust the inhaler into his hands. He breathed deeply into it. “You’d better get him to medical.” The woman told his friend. “Just incase.” She nodded and helped him up.

The coolheaded woman looked over at Síofra. “What are you still doing in here? Where’s your escort?”

Síofra shrugged. “Ran out with the others.” She answered eyeing the other woman helping her friend. The door slid closed behind them. Only one remained. Síofra turned her eyes to the woman.

“Dr. Peters,” Síofra looked at the name on the woman’s shirt. “Do you realize that is a sentient being?” She nodded at the man lying beyond the plated glass. Dr. Peters’ eyes narrowed.

“Who are you?” She demanded, stepping back. In an instant, Síofra was across the room, grabbing her wrist. Dr. Peters gasped.

“How did you?” She began. Síofra pulled Dr. Peters away from the control panel, and the panic button on it. It was odd. A year ago, Síofra would have knocked the woman unconscious without a second thought. Now she was trying to force the doctor to see the error of her ways. Cara was rubbing off on her.

Dr. Peters was staring at Síofra with a hungry fascination. “I’d apologize.” Síofra said. “But you deserve what I’m about to do, and more.” Síofra tapped the woman’s temple and she crumbled. Síofra held the woman up to the iris scanner and put her hand on the palm reader, releasing the doctor when she gained access. Síofra stepped into the white sterile room.

“Mr. Woods,” She said carefully taking everything around him into account. She began removing the wires and tubes. “My name is Síofra Alma.”

“The detective?” Red Woods rasped. Good, that meant that he was aware.

“Yes,” Once the tubes had been removed, Síofra snapped off his bindings. “I’m here to get you out.” Red’s tendril like limbs contracted.

“Mason,” he groaned as Síofra pulled him up.

“Waiting for us.” Síofra responded, carrying him swiftly out the door. She walked into the room where Mason was pacing.

“Red!” He rushed over to help Síofra.

“I have him.” Síofra started to say, but Red was struggling to be put down.

“Mason! Are you alright?” He grasped the man’s shoulder as Síofra compromised. Allowing Mr. Woods to stand, his arm literally wrapped around her should for support.

“I’m okay.” Mason assured him, holding up his other side under his arm. “What about you? You look, um,” Mason faltered. Mr. Woods looked down at himself.

“Oh,”

“We don’t have time for this.” Síofra interrupted. “We have to get going.” She dragged Woods to the stairs and started going up. They made it two floors, before Síofra’s phone vibrated. Red’s disappearance had been discovered. They were scouring the compound in search of him.

Síofra didn’t even hesitate. “They know you’re missing. The entire compound is in lockdown.” She informed the two escapees, passing Red over to his friend. “My partner’s waiting for you up on the roof.” She pressed a card that would override the lockdown into Mason’s hand. “Once you get there, you three have to go. Don’t let her wait for me.”

“Why?” Mason asked struggling a bit with Red as he accepted the card. “Where are you going?”

“To cause as much damage as I can,” Síofra answered. “and give you a chance to get away.”

Mason opened his mouth, maybe to protest, maybe to wish her luck, but before he could say one word, Síofra was gone. Down the steps and into a maintenance shaft, to buy them time.

Cara paced up and down the tactical pod. She didn’t like this, not one bit. Cara was glad that Síofra had agreed to a less dangerous plan than she usually did, but she hated waiting. She despised it really. Cara didn’t like not knowing what was going on, but knew that they could not risk communication. An hour passed, then two, Cara knew that, logically, even Síofra could not complete a covert rescue in that amount of time.

Cara adjusted her friction belt, and reread the specs on Plasinos again. Trying to ease the tension with preparation. A proximity alarm went off, alerting her to someone on the roof, her heart leaped in relief, and she rushed to the hatch sliding open. Her happy spirits did an unexpected nosedive. On the roof was a young man, holding up a withered plant like creature Cara could now immediately recognize as a Plasino. Cara activated their modified “tractor beam”, pulling the pair up and into the tactical pod.

“Where is she?!” Cara immediately demanded. Without the aid of the tractor beam the alien stumbled, Cara caught him and helped him to the medical bed. “Where is she?!” Cara demanded again as she drew fluids and set the computer to analyze it for toxins foreign to Plasino biology.

“She told us to go ahead.” Cara’s blood froze She adjusted her belt and headed for the hatch.

“What are you doing?” Mason asked in alarm.

“I’m going after her.” Cara answered. “Which way was she headed?”

“No” Mason began. “No, she said we had to go at once.” The stress of the situation was finally getting to him.

“I’ll program the pod so it lands just outside of the perimeter.” Cara snapped. “It will head back to LA in 6 hours.”

“She said we should leave.” Mason protested. Cara turned on him.

“I’m not leaving her.” Something in Cara’s eyes shut Mason up. Cara walked to the hatch and checked her belt and phaser one last time.

Mason had only confirmed what Cara had known since she saw the two of them on the roof. Without someone to protect, Síofra would become reckless, take unnecessary risks, and maybe die, all in the name of giving them a chance to escape. Cara couldn’t leave her there. If she did, there was a good chance that even Síofra would not walk out alive.

“Besides,” Cara reassured Mason humorously. “Maybe I can grab the records while I’m in there. See what they did to him.”

Cara stepped out into open air, and began to rappel down, into the compound.

Síofra knocked out another guard. She was pleased with the amount of destruction she had caused. Síofra really needed to download some information off the mainframe. It could be used to ensure FruiTech never got involved with non-terrestrials or Integrators again. Síofra had noticed that the “basement” was heavily fortified. Maybe the main computer was there, maybe it wasn’t. Either way it meant there was something worth protecting down there, and that meant something worth damaging.

Síofra made her way down to the basement with unbelievable stealth and speed. These guards had no idea or training for dealing with someone like her. Síofra did have some difficulty getting past the basement defenses, but she relished the challenge. When she got in she was rewarded with a huge mainframe. Síofra allowed herself a small smile, and began circling it, looking for the best place to access the data.

A man stepped out from behind the mainframe. “Hello Síofra.” Derek Baise greeted her. Síofra froze, and several things flashed through her mind. She hadn’t been listening hard enough, but she had not had any reason to. Her second thought was to render him unconscious. Her third was to notice the small devise in his hand. An EMP, not doubt specifically designed to immobilize her. All this ran through her mind in less than half a second. “I knew you would come here.” Baise commented lazily. Síofra remained silent. It wouldn’t do to engage. That was what he wanted. What he needed. “It’s just so you.” He continued, trying to come off as nonchalant, but giddy with excitement. “But really, that janitor’s disguise doesn’t suit you.” A minor explosion sounded from above. Chaos would be ensuing upstairs, but Baise never took his eyes off Síofra. “Come now.” He coaxed her. “There’s no reason for the disguise now.” Síofra reached up and flicked the ill-fitting contact out of her eye. Baise smiled widely. “There you are.” He stepped forward. “It was odd.” Baise said conversationally. “You wouldn’t usually use this method of entry. It was clever, but not really you.” His smile lessened slightly. “Cute, but not you.” Síofra said nothing. Letting him talk. Waiting for her opportunity.

Cara cut her phaser quickly. It was shorting out. She whacked it angrily against her leg. Then headed to the door, and peeked out. Síofra was doing her job well, as she always did, guards were running around in chaos trying to mimic order. Cara backed away in annoyance, then for the first time, noticed where she was, a lab, one of the smaller ones. Cara grinned. This could be fun.

Cara straightened her lab coat and checked her bag. These should be sufficient. She thought. It was a makeshift disguise, but her concoctions should more than take care of any trouble.

Cara got two floors before someone grabbed her. “Hey!” The guard began. Cara promptly dropped a stink bomb, causing everyone in the hallway to start tearing up and choking. The guard let her go. I could have thought that one through a bit better. Cara realized as she was very nearly overwhelmed by the fumes herself. Cara clasped a hand to her mouth to keep herself from throwing up as she joined the mad dash away amid yells of panic.

She had to find Síofra, Cara stopped at the nearest computer and put her phone on top of it. It would hack into the computer, trip any alarms Baise had in place for alien tech, but subtlety wasn’t important, not right now.

“Where are you?” Cara murmured, typing away. “Where are you? Where are you? Dammit!” she slammed her hands on the keyboard. The phone fell off the computer. Cara snatched it up. Where could she be?! Cara released her tension fill breath. Where would Síofra go? She was collected and logical, she would have chosen a target. Unlike Cara impulsively reacting to each problem on instinct. Cara took a deep breath and thought back to their planning session. What had Síofra been thinking as they went over the blueprints?

Cara stared unseeingly at the phone screen. Then up at the computer. Of course, she put the phone back on the computer, and hacked into the security system, ordering it to tell her where Derek Baise was. The basement. Baise would never miss the opportunity to see Síofra. So where he was, Síofra either was or soon would be. Síofra would be so proud, and horrified at what Cara was about to do.

“Hey!” A number of security guards headed her way, Cara grabbed her phone and ran for it. She fumbled with her bag as she ran. She pulled out a smoke bomb and tossed it over her shoulder. The guards must have been communicating better, by the time Cara made it to the first floor corridor the guards were waiting for her. Cara reached down, and grabbed the last, but most dangerous item in her bag. Cara threw a cherry bomb down between them. It exploded with a flash and a deafening bang. Cara was braced for it. The guards weren’t. Cara ran past them, while they were still recovering. They probably had a few minor injuries but Cara didn’t have time to check them. She had to get to Síofra.

Cara slowed, panting hard. She’d been running far too long. Why didn’t people put water coolers in the hallway anymore? She needed to catch her breath. Cara’s head jerked up as she heard guards in the hall, they might have been farther away than she thought, her adrenaline was running high, as was her paranoia. Cara took off again, and almost immediately ran into a group of guards, and one scientist in a lab coat.

“Stop right there!” the scientist yelled. Cara skidded to a halt, more out of surprise than anything else.

“Get out of the way.” Cara ordered between breaths. She held out her empty bag threateningly. Bluffing, she hoped convincingly.

“You think you’re the only one who can mix explosives?” The scientist challenged Cara. Cara realized that the guards were eyeing the scientist nervously. The woman held up a container. “This won’t kill you.” She proclaimed, a mad glint in her eye. “But it will make a dent.”

Holy- Was she serious?! The woman threw the bomb high in the air. Cara automatically reached for the phaser; her only hope, faulty though it was. Cara closed her hand around it and fell through the floor as the bomb itself passed through her.

An explosion shook the entire basement, larger and louder than before. This one made Baise look away, long enough for Síofra to cross the distance between them, knock the EMP devise from his hand and kick it away, then hit him right in the temple. Baise stumbled but, unexpectedly, did not fall. Baise laughed as he righted himself.

“Wonderful, wonderful.” He praised Síofra. “A perfect combination of placement and force.” Síofra’s eyes narrowed. It had felt like a personal forcefield; but those were unreliable and rare on most planets. They were practically useless on Earth. So why was this one so effective?

“Now then,” Baise said, starting for the device. Suddenly it skated across the floor into a shadowy corner.

“I don’t think so.” Cara growled from where she kicked it. Baise’s mouth tightened. Then he plastered on a salesman smile.

“Cara,” he greeted her. “You haven’t thought anymore about my proposition, have you?” Baise’s eyes skittered to Síofra. “I could offer you an excellent price.”

Enraged, Cara rushed forward, but was halted by the ever swift Síofra.

“I thought not.” Baise said, and pulled out a good old-fashioned earth gun. “The cyborg comes with me, or the human dies.” Baise delivered his ultimatum as if presenting a final offer in a business transaction. Síofra stepped boldly in front of her partner.

“When I move,” Cara looked at Síofra, her lips weren’t moving and she spoke so softly Cara couldn’t be sure she had said anything at all. “Get down.”

Baise frowned but held firm, cocking the gun. Síofra was good to him, dead or alive; if a gun could even kill her. Síofra darted away, first left, then right. Baise barely had time to register as Cara dropped to the floor. Not that it mattered, Síofra couldn’t hurt-

Baise choked as Síofra’s fist plowed into his stomach. How? His forcefield- Baise looked down. Though he didn’t know it, in Síofra’s hand was the phaser she had taken from Cara’s pocket. She’d used it to go right through the forcefield, and crush the generator hidden beneath his coat.

Síofra ground the pieces of the generator into Baise, using little of her possible strength but still hurting him more than she had to. She-

A light hand touched her shoulder, urgently tugging her. “We’ve got to go.” Síofra looked at Cara, who was scanning the room for all possible exits. “And don’t you worry about the data.” Cara waggled her phone between two fingers. “Left this by the mainframe. Betcha’ it’s got something incriminating on it by now.” Cara was excited. She noticed Baise was still conscious, and decided to take initiative. Cara hit Baise in the head.

Just not quite hard enough… Though his head snapped to one side, Baise remained conscious. Cara flushed bright red. Síofra raised an eyebrow. With practiced hands she rendered the man unconscious.

“Let’s go.”

“You look good.” Cara concluded her examination of Mason, putting down one of her hybrid instruments. “Holding up pretty well, considering.”

“What? That aliens are real?” Mason asked sarcastically.

“No, that you just found out aliens are real.” Cara responded sassily. “They’ve existed for a while after all.”

“Hah ha.” Mason said dryly. Cara noticed him look at Red, lying on a bio bed.

“He should be physically fine in a couple days.” Cara assured him. She picked up a hybrid tablet and flipped through it. “As for the mental…” She sighed. “He was abducted. I’m not trained in psychology. Even if I was,” Cara shrugged. “I don’t know much about the mental profile of Plasinos. I can give him a reference to a therapist who has experience with this kind of thing.”

“What? Alien abduction?” Mason asked with a hollow laugh. “That’s what it is, isn’t it? An alien who was abducted?” Cara was silent, considering offering Mason the name of a doctor who could help smooth his transition to acceptance. “How’s Fern?” Cara blinked, he’d looked at her while they were talking but his eyes had strayed back to Red in the pause.

“She’s good,” Cara said hesitantly, it occurring to her that he didn’t necessarily know that Fern Woods was also not of their world. “She’s with your sister.”

Mason continued staring at Red. “She’s an alien too, isn’t she?”

“Yes.” Cara said after a moment. “A Plasino, they’re both Plasinos.”

“Why are they here?” Mason asked. “I mean, it’s not like they’ve…” He trailed off, unsure what to say.

“Abducted anyone? Preformed experiments? Started an invasion?” Cara laughed. Mason chuckled uncertainly. “Yeah, I wondered that too when I first found out. There are a few ‘non-terrestrial’ scientists on Earth, but mostly aliens just live here.” She shrugged. Mason kept looking at Red. Cara’s mouth rose on one side in a wry grin. “Give it a few days,” She advised with a pat on the shoulder. “You’re doing a lot better than most.”

They were silent for a minute.

“So, what is your partner?” Mason asked. Cara started to laugh.

“Now, that’s complicated.” She replied trying to stop her chuckling.

Cara took the seat across from Síofra. Síofra slid a slip of paper across the table. “Your share of FruiTech’s fine.” She said by way of explanation. Cara picked it up and her eyes widened in surprise.

“And how exactly did you secure this fine?” She inquired.

“Stocks, and some of the information you gathered was somewhat privileged. Their competitors were willing to pay quite a bit for it.” Síofra responded.

“Which also damaged their company.” Cara nodded in approval. “Nice.”

“They won’t be pursuing any more aliens.” Síofra said. “And they’ve dissolved their relationship with Baise.”

“So what about Baise?” Cara frowned. It was always hard to seize assets from people like Baise, with resources and knowledge that made any action against him virtual meaningless.

“Interpol might be seeking him in connection with the disappearance of Congressman Whitman.” Síofra took a sip of tea.

Cara stared, stunned, at her partner. Her mouth slowly curved into a smile. “You mean, the ex-dictator of Sela who was turned in for a bounty last month?”

Síofra didn’t quite smile, but it was close. “I mean the Congressman whose datebook might show a few meetings with Baise, and who’s stance on a certain bill was a major inconvenience to Baise.” Síofra answered. “Baise might be connected to the crime by some forensic evidence.”

Cara let out a small laugh and shook her head in disbelief. “You’re good.”

“Thank you.” Síofra said, a slightly pleased expression crossing her face. Then Hunter placed a steaming bowl of… something in front of Cara. Cara looked down at it, then up at Hunter’s expectant face.

“What is this?” Cara asked cautiously.

“It’s my new menu addition.” Hunter said encouragingly. “I’m trying to create a few dishes that terrestrials and non-terrestrials like by combining some traditional dishes of the two.”

“Oh…” Cara picked up a spoon and poked the concoction experimentally. “Why don’t you ever have Síofra taste test this stuff?”

“Cara, Síofra eats food from my home world.” Hunter pointed out. “I don’t even like food from my home world.” Cara looked across from her. Síofra shrugged. Cara looked back down at the food.

“Um…” Cara said, smelling it. It didn’t smell too strange, but she knew from past experience that that wasn’t too much of an indication of taste. Síofra reached over and stuck a spoon in the bowl. She licked it experimentally, than ate the entire spoonful.

“It’s not poisonous.” She told Cara, trying to reassure her.

“Well…” Cara looked back at the food. She scooped up a small bite, looked up at Hunter’s hopeful face, took a deep breath, and took the bite.

“Not bad…” She said, nodding slowly. “It’s actually pretty-” Cara stopped mid sentence, and went slightly pale. She dropped her spoon and grabbed a napkin, vigorously scrubbing her tongue. She mumbled incoherently to a crestfallen Hunter. Síofra stood up and came back with a glass of iced tea, which she knew Cara preferred to getting rid of bad flavors to water. Cara took a massive swig, and looked up at Hunter. “You need to work on the aftertaste.” She rasped.