The Unknown

FOURTEEN | surprise.

"Meet with me and I'll explain everything," the message read.

Tess flashed the screen in front of Kyle's face. "Does she think we're stupid?" she asked as he squinted at it.

Tess whirled on her heel—then again, pacing back and forth. "I mean, we're not going to walk into an obvious trap and let her ambush us."

Just as Kyle opened his mouth to respond, a man thrust the shed's door open with a rush of cool air and a loud bang as it bounced off the wall.

He pointed the long double barrel of a shotgun at their faces, staring them down.

Tess swallowed. Their bodies could heal from almost anything, but not if their brains were blown to bits.

"Don't move a muscle unless I say so. This thing will blow your heads off at the pull of a trigger, so let's just stay calm, okay?" His eyes were shifty, darting between them.

Tess followed his command, watching Kyle in her periphery.

"It's obvious you're on the run, hiding from someone here in my shed. The city says they're hunting down a terrorist, but we all see that object in the sky, the jets, and explosions. They're lying. And you must be the ones they're looking for. Nod your head if I'm right."

Tess looked at Kyle. He gave the man a downward nod, eyes focused.

"I don't intend to hurt you or turn you in. For the safety of my family, I just want to know what's going on here. Who you are and what you want. I'm just a scientist—a biologist." He lowered the gun a little, now aiming it at their torsos. Extremely painful, but maybe survivable. "In exchange...maybe I can help you."

Now that the man seemed somewhat peaceful, Tess could better take in his features. His skin was tanned and his face was deeply lined with the beginnings of wrinkles. He was balding with light gray stubble across his jaw. She guessed he was in his late fifties. His eyes were wide and curious.

He propped the door open with his foot and gestured with the gun barrel for them to move. He followed close behind, ushering them into his house.

Inside, the man's home was cozy, with wooden floors and walls lined with tall bookshelves. She could smell the yellowed pages and aged leather book covers.

He gestured for them to sit at the dining room table, and they obliged.

"So, you're not going to probe me, are you?" he asked with a disarming grin.

Tess smiled tensely.

Kyle replied earnestly, "No."

"We...come in peace," Tess added, "though I can't speak for the rest of our kind."

"How many of you are there?"

She looked at Kyle. How much were they going to tell this man?

Tess realized she no longer felt loyal to the Species, so nothing could stop her from spilling everything.

"Thousands of humans have already been taken as hosts," she said slowly, drumming her hands on the table. "We don't know how many of us are still on the ship. We were supposed to do the recruiting. The humans we implant are suggestive, with little free will. But they still go about their usual daily activities, blending in."

The man's face fell. He stared at the floor. "And what's the goal, to turn every human into one of you? What then?"

A thought popped into Tess's head. "If you're a biologist, maybe you can test..." She trailed off, thinking she was stupid to ask. "—maybe you can figure out if there's a way to undo our transformations. You know, separate human and alien."

The man leaned back on his chair, eyebrows raised. He was silent, a clock ticking loudly on the wall. "We're talking about alien biology here, nothing anyone has studied in human history. I'm not a genius, just a guy with a degree."

Tess shifted in her chair. "Maybe there's...you know, a drug, or some kind of treatment that could—"

Kyle grabbed her hand, speaking softly. "Remember everything we figured out? Our cells are fused with theirs. They altered our DNA so we can't exist without them. It seems pretty irreversible." He paused, searching her face. "But we're still us, Tess."

Her eyes welled up and a tear spilled down her cheek.

"Right, if it's any consolation, you two seem remarkably human. I couldn't tell the difference." The man clasped his hands, leaning forward eagerly. "Are the rest of them just like you?"

"They seem more brainwashed," Tess remarked. "Different from how they were as humans. We were too, but it's like we snapped out of it."

"Any idea what might have caused that?"

"We were close as humans, and we've been staying close after. Maybe it's like a deeper connection to our human lives, having each other," Kyle said. "Or maybe our human sides are just too strong-willed to fall in line and take orders."

The man nodded. "I don't know about reversing anything, but you can strengthen your ties to humanity and think more like a human." He took a deep breath. "How much did this transformation change you?"

"Maybe as a scientist, you've heard that there's radiation outside of the city's border. We're immune to it. And we can control our body's healing and release of neurotransmitters."

"Wow." The man seemed suddenly disinterested, eyeing his wristwatch. "Well, you're welcome to stay here and rest a while. Help yourselves to anything in the cupboards, and—"

"Where's your family?" Tess interrupted. "You mentioned them."

"Oh, the kids were staying with their grandmother when the lockdown started, so I haven't seen them. My wife is...dead." He said the words as if this were a fresh, raw wound, not something he had accepted. He changed the subject. "What are your names? What can I call you?"

Tess blurted out her real name, while Kyle told him convincingly, "I'm Dan."

"My name's Gary. You can stay in the guest room." He gestured down a hallway. "Last door on the left." He gave a strange smile. It seemed like he was panicked and increasingly struggling to act naturally.

"Thanks," Tess replied flatly.

They walked into the spare room and quietly shut the door.

"Are we really staying here?" Tess asked, unsure if it was a good idea.

Kyle shook his head. "Not for long. I don't want anyone but us to know our location."

There was another bookshelf against the wall. As Kyle spoke, Tess spotted a small framed photo on one of its shelves.

"In fact, maybe we should just climb out the window and get going before Gary pulls out his shotgun again. Better not to trust anyone."

When Tess picked up the picture to look closer, she gasped and felt the blood drain from her face.