she’d have gotten a chance to meet her.
“Shut up! She’s awake!” Liz said. “Shannon, do you remember anything?”
Shannon nodded. “My head hurts. That beam was cold.”
“The beam released you suddenly so you fell about three feet. That strained your head and neck a little. It’s a mild form of whiplash plus a few bumps and bruises. We’ll give you something for the pain.” Liz pressed a needle to Shannon’s skin. “Your epidermis seems to be fine. No frostbite or anything. Let’s get a warming blanket in here.”
A technician covered Shannon with a heated blanket that made her want to fall right asleep. “Thank you!”
“Did they drain your energy?” Bonnie asked.
“No, I don’t think so. It was weird.”
“They often use mind tricks. Did you feel as if you were on the ship or with anyone you knew?” Liz asked.
“No, I knew where I was all the time. I don’t know what they were trying to do, but they weren’t pulling me in fast.” Shannon sat up slowly as the pain medication took effect.
“Did they demand information?” Hastings asked.
“They wanted us all. They wanted more of us. They repeated something like that.” Shannon shrugged. “It didn’t make any sense. They didn’t take me or grab anyone else in a beam.”
“Do you think they mean all the hybrids? They’re not getting my baby.” Liz shook her head.
“Wow, how many hybrid children are there?” Shannon asked.
“Not that many, but I’m not sure what the Keelons meant. Did they attack anywhere else on Earth? Other bases?” Bonnie asked Hastings.
“Hang on.” Hastings got on his phone for a report.
“They kept talking like they were helping us, doing us a favor. Once they got what they wanted, they’d be done. Maybe, that’s just how it sounded in my head, but they weren’t threatening.” Shannon rested her head on Curtis’ shoulder.
“Probably to keep you calm and see if they could get any information out of you,” Liz offered.
Just then Liz’s phone went crazy. “Six patients coming in?”
“Yes, apparently, they dumped over a dozen abductees into another open area before they buzzed the buildings. Some are fine, but all need to be checked out. Six seem to need treatment.” Hastings shook his head. “Why return humans?”
“To get us to give up what they want without a fight?” Bonnie shook her head. “Maybe, whatever they wanted didn’t work? We’re not worth it?”
Curtis shook his head. “That makes no sense. The food and biology are too similar. Why not take the resources then?”
“Too far to haul it all back home? They might not be sure how to preserve our resources so they’ll be useable after the trip. It isn’t a quick trip to Mars.” Hastings sighed and looked at Bonnie. “I have to go deal with this. Keep an eye on your sister.”
“Is it really that far?” Shannon asked.
“Yes. If we make enough trouble, maybe it won’t be worth killing everyone and harvesting all our goods. Or ever coming back again,” Ross answered.
“But they were just here days ago. They went home and came back that fast?” Shannon tried to wrap her brain around what she remembered from Star Trek, but the galaxies and light years weren’t clicking. How far was “far” and how many more ships were coming this way?
“No, they probably went somewhere nearby to regroup. Communication is possible over long distances, but they won’t spare more than one ship at a time.” Gavin paced.
“So they gave back the humans so we’ll let them take what they want and go away? It’s not like we’ve put up a huge fight before.” Curtis joined the pacing.
“What if they found out about the guys? If they can scan for hybrids then maybe they can scan for their own kind,” Shannon said.
Fear spread through her. She knew she was right even if no one else believed her.
“They didn’t try to grab the guys who are aliens.” Bonnie frowned. “I don’t get it.”
“Now, they know there are
“Shut up! She’s awake!” Liz said. “Shannon, do you remember anything?”
Shannon nodded. “My head hurts. That beam was cold.”
“The beam released you suddenly so you fell about three feet. That strained your head and neck a little. It’s a mild form of whiplash plus a few bumps and bruises. We’ll give you something for the pain.” Liz pressed a needle to Shannon’s skin. “Your epidermis seems to be fine. No frostbite or anything. Let’s get a warming blanket in here.”
A technician covered Shannon with a heated blanket that made her want to fall right asleep. “Thank you!”
“Did they drain your energy?” Bonnie asked.
“No, I don’t think so. It was weird.”
“They often use mind tricks. Did you feel as if you were on the ship or with anyone you knew?” Liz asked.
“No, I knew where I was all the time. I don’t know what they were trying to do, but they weren’t pulling me in fast.” Shannon sat up slowly as the pain medication took effect.
“Did they demand information?” Hastings asked.
“They wanted us all. They wanted more of us. They repeated something like that.” Shannon shrugged. “It didn’t make any sense. They didn’t take me or grab anyone else in a beam.”
“Do you think they mean all the hybrids? They’re not getting my baby.” Liz shook her head.
“Wow, how many hybrid children are there?” Shannon asked.
“Not that many, but I’m not sure what the Keelons meant. Did they attack anywhere else on Earth? Other bases?” Bonnie asked Hastings.
“Hang on.” Hastings got on his phone for a report.
“They kept talking like they were helping us, doing us a favor. Once they got what they wanted, they’d be done. Maybe, that’s just how it sounded in my head, but they weren’t threatening.” Shannon rested her head on Curtis’ shoulder.
“Probably to keep you calm and see if they could get any information out of you,” Liz offered.
Just then Liz’s phone went crazy. “Six patients coming in?”
“Yes, apparently, they dumped over a dozen abductees into another open area before they buzzed the buildings. Some are fine, but all need to be checked out. Six seem to need treatment.” Hastings shook his head. “Why return humans?”
“To get us to give up what they want without a fight?” Bonnie shook her head. “Maybe, whatever they wanted didn’t work? We’re not worth it?”
Curtis shook his head. “That makes no sense. The food and biology are too similar. Why not take the resources then?”
“Too far to haul it all back home? They might not be sure how to preserve our resources so they’ll be useable after the trip. It isn’t a quick trip to Mars.” Hastings sighed and looked at Bonnie. “I have to go deal with this. Keep an eye on your sister.”
“Is it really that far?” Shannon asked.
“Yes. If we make enough trouble, maybe it won’t be worth killing everyone and harvesting all our goods. Or ever coming back again,” Ross answered.
“But they were just here days ago. They went home and came back that fast?” Shannon tried to wrap her brain around what she remembered from Star Trek, but the galaxies and light years weren’t clicking. How far was “far” and how many more ships were coming this way?
“No, they probably went somewhere nearby to regroup. Communication is possible over long distances, but they won’t spare more than one ship at a time.” Gavin paced.
“So they gave back the humans so we’ll let them take what they want and go away? It’s not like we’ve put up a huge fight before.” Curtis joined the pacing.
“What if they found out about the guys? If they can scan for hybrids then maybe they can scan for their own kind,” Shannon said.
Fear spread through her. She knew she was right even if no one else believed her.
“They didn’t try to grab the guys who are aliens.” Bonnie frowned. “I don’t get it.”
“Now, they know there are
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