Touched by an Alien

parents in my entire life, and now I was lying to my father like a natural.
    “Okay.” I could hear the disappointment. “Not even your uncle?”
    “Definitely not Uncle Mort.” Uncle Mort was a career Marine heading into his fourth decade with the Corps and the last person I wanted advised. Unless, of course, I was in danger. Then I wanted Uncle Mort to rally the troops and come save me. However, Uncle Mort would be likely to know there was no Homeland Security facility in Las Vegas. “I don’t want him to feel like he has to come or something. I’d like to do this on my own.”
    “Okay, kitten. I understand. I’ll only call Uncle Mort if you don’t answer the phone.”
    That I could get behind. “Sounds good. But, Dad, remember, in the wee hours, try calling more than once. If I’m safe and asleep, I may not hear the phone even if I have it right by me.”
    “Three times, that’s it. You don’t answer, I call in the Marines.”
    “Great, perfect plan. I’ll talk to you, well, every two hours for a while. So, love you, gotta go now.”
    “Love you, too. Be good, and don’t let them push you around. You’re a hero, and heroes deserve respect.”
    “Will do.” I closed the phone and looked back to White. “My father will be calling me every two hours from now until I’m released by Homeland Security. He has an extensive network of friends and family, and despite my telling him not to, I’ll bet he calls a few of them anyway. Your move.” I looked at Christopher. “Oh, and nothing had better happen to my parents, either.”
    Christopher shrugged. “I’m image control, not eliminations.”
    “Great.” I turned back to White. “So?”
    “So,” he sighed, “we have two hours to convince you to tell your father that all’s well.”
    “Give or take. He’s willing to call regularly for days. This is probably fun for him.”
    “I guess we’ll have to time things out,” Martini said. “Don’t want him calling at an inopportune moment. Could ruin the mood. Though I’m used to waking up at odd hours.”
    “So far, I see it as a nonissue,” I told him. He just grinned again.
    “We need to go,” White said.
    “Nope. I want some answers. Start with the boys here,” I indicated the rest of the crew with my cell phone, right before I dropped it back in my purse. “I’d like to know if I’m dealing with aliens or just weirdos.”
    “Both,” Martini interjected before White could open his mouth. “I’m the only normal one.”
    “I weep for our species. Mr. White? I’d really like some honesty. And I’d like it now.”

CHAPTER 5
    WHITE HEAVED A SIGH . ���It’s complicated. Can we compromise, and I tell you about it while we travel to the crash site?”
    I decided it might be a good idea to acquiesce, particularly since Christopher and some of the guys near him looked as though they’d be willing to just beat me over the head and solve the issue that way. “Fine. Start while we’re walking to the car.”
    He nodded, and Martini and Gower moved and flanked me. “Don’t mind Christopher,” Gower said in a low voice. “He’s upset that he screwed up. Your picture out there creates huge issues to fix.”
    “He’s gay,” Martini added.
    “No, I’m not,” Christopher said from right behind me. I managed not to jump. “But the princess here isn’t my type.”
    “I’m crushed.”
    “Don’t be. I like ’em stupid.” Christopher walked around us and headed to the door to the parking lot, which he held open. Apparently he was now part of my entourage. Accordingly, I took a closer look. He was at least six inches shorter than Martini, but still taller than me by at least a few, so I called him about five-ten. Straight brown hair, green eyes, slender but clearly well muscled. Handsome, of course. There were, I had to admit, worse ways to go than surrounded by this much drool-worthy manflesh. Thing was, I didn’t want to go.
    “So, I’m not hearing an explanation,” I said to White, who was now next to Gower.
    “This building we’re leaving is the holding facility. You’re right, it’s hot. When the superbeings create, they alter so much that they aren’t human at all, not really of this world any longer. Therefore, they preserve in the heat. We have a high heating bill in the winter.”
    “So their world was close to the sun that went supernova?”
    “We assume.” White sounded impressed. “You’re very bright.”
    “Which is why Christopher