Alien Nation #3 - Body and Soul by Peter David

trying to get away.
    He had forgotten where he was, and how much distance there was between himself and the guardrail.
    The edge of the overpass had been designed to aid people of normal size. When the giant hit it, staggering back, his center of gravity was so high that the guardrail merely acted as a fulcrum. His feet left the ground and, with an infuriated roar of protest, he flipped over the rail and was gone.
    River charged to the edge of the railing and looked over. He expected to see the giant’s broken body lying on the roadway below. Instead, his face fell.
    He couldn’t believe it.
    The giant had landed on the canvas-covered cargo of a passing truck. He was lying there, looking somewhat stunned, as the truck roared off headed south.
    [ “Damn.” ] muttered River.
    Well, things hadn’t been a total loss, at least. At least they still had the infant.
    The infant would probably serve their purposes. Not only that, but it guaranteed that the giant would come to them. There was no way that he would just leave the child behind. Sooner or later, he would seek it out, and then they would have him.
    Penn was staggering to his feet as River turned toward the infant. He started toward the bundle, which was lying, without so much as a whimper, where it had fallen.
    And then the police siren became deafening, and a black and white roared up over the overpass, headlights blazing and dome light spinning.
    Covering the distance between himself and the baby could quite conceivably mean getting nailed. The Newcomer made the decision in a split instant . . .
    And ran.
    The moment Penn saw River take off, he immediately followed suit. The two Newcomers sprinted like rabbits toward little Tencton, where they knew they could vanish amidst the population with no effort at all.
    The two cops leaped out of the car, not bothering to radio for backup since they knew, beyond any doubt, that by the time any more police arrived, the two perps would be long gone.
    One of the cops, Officer Stern, went over to the adult male body that had been picked up by the car’s headlights. He knelt down beside the body, and it was only at that point that he saw the full damage that had been inflicted. He grimaced at the body, because it looked as if someone had taken a jackhammer to the guy’s skull.
    “This guy’s dead,” he said, somewhat unnecessarily.
    The other cop, Officer Ryan, was looking in dread at the small bundle that lay wrapped up on the ground. He pulled the blanket aside without a clue as to what he would see.
    A face smiled up at him . . .
    A face that he couldn’t believe.
    His mouth moved for a moment, and then he actually managed to get some sound out. Barely above a whisper, he said to his partner, “Hey, Dave, you gotta see this.”
    Stern went to Ryan’s side, and together they stared down in amazement.
    The darkness was suffused with a gentle glow.
    And all was silent.

C H A P T E R    4
    “I SLIPPED ON some soap in the shower.”
    Sikes sat in his car outside the police station, the morning sun glowing down at him with disgusting enthusiasm. He glanced one more time in the mirror and then spoke once more, varying the emphasis.
    “I slipped on some soap in the shower.” He paused. “I slipped on some soap in the shower.”
    Yes. That was it. Definitely put the accent on the word soap. Somehow it seemed to ring of greater sincerity. That’s what he needed to be. Sincere. Honest. Straightforward. That was always the best attitude to keep in mind when you were lying through your teeth.
    He heard someone call out, “Morning, Sikes,” and he started to turn reflexively to respond. This was not a good move; it caused a sharp stabbing pain to ricochet through him like a pinball. So he continued to stare forward and wave halfheartedly.
    He waited until whoever had spoken had had enough time to get wherever he was going. And then, slowly, so slowly, he opened the car door and eased himself out of it.
    He stood stiffly,