Exported [Book 3 in the Expiring Series]

39 Extraterrestre

Jonas~~

"Aliens?" Abella paces between two columns, her hands clasped tight behind her back.

Alix's mouth is parted, his head tilted to the side and his posture rigid.

I've seen movies. I've read books. I know that a person is supposed to be in disbelief when someone tells them aliens are real. But I have grown up always knowing aliens are real. For heaven's sake, I'm descended from them; so while I know a person is supposed to be having a hard time with this kind of news, I don't understand why. Why is it so hard to believe Earth isn't alone?

Afterall, if you don't believe in aliens, you don't believe in me.

"I know this sounds rather farfetched," Iris says, and Abella bobs her head and continues pacing. "As someone who didn't grow up in the Society, I understand how you're feeling."

Alix shakes his head, coming out of his stupor. "There's no algorithm then?"

Sebastian splays out his palms in the air. "How could there be?"

Abella buries her face in one of her hands. "An alien from your country is murdering my people?"

"It's a colony of them," I correct. "And they're not from my country."

Abella drops her hand and faces me. "How are you so sure?"

"The Society is aware of any planes that leave my country."

"Boats?"

"My military patrols the waters."

She tilts her head. "Surely someone could slip through."

"It would have to be a very small boat."

"More like a raft boat, really," Tobias says.

"Undici." I eye him from the corner of my eye, and he bows his head.

"And what of your borders along Mexico and Canada?" Abella asks.

"No one can get through those force fields."

"Could they disable them?" Alix makes his way toward Iris.

"No," I say, inching toward her. "The places where they could disable them are heavily patrolled."

"Do you have any proof these aliens exist?"

I reach into my blazer and pull out my phone. "I just returned from Amoria." I pull up the pictures on my phone, and I scroll through them until I find the right one. Iris catches a glimpse of it, and her eyes widen; which I would say is an appropriate reaction.

I turn my phone so the twins can see. I took a picture of myself with a monkey on my shoulders while visiting a conservation park on Amoria. Winning the Orders over required following them around and listening to them brag about the great things they've done for the planet. "This was taken on Amoria a few weeks ago."

Abella takes the phone from my hands and holds it between herself and her brother. Her lips part, expression softening. Her grip on my phone is firm but careful. It's like she's holding a priceless artifact.

"It's what we would call a monkey, but needless to say they have a different name for it. And it's fur is blue."

"I can see that," Abella mumbles while Iris whispers to me, "You took a selfie?"

"I prefer the phrase I took a picture of myself."

She stares up at me, eyebrows raised.