Trained by the Alien Page 3

  “You see? Was that difficult?”

  “No, and I’ll try to remember.”

  “You will not try, you will. Try suggests you might fail, and failing at something so simple is unacceptable. What’s your question?”

  “Do I have any privacy, or are you watching me all the time?”

  “Ah, yes. I know this is important. Your bathroom is private at all times. From this point forward, when I turn off my viewing screen the light in here will change from green to yellow. Is that satisfactory?”

  “Yes, Zaroff, thank you.”

  “The keeper is still learning your language, but he’ll pick it up fairly quickly. He’ll return shortly with a device you can use to call him when you need something. Now it is my turn to ask a question. If you had met either the keeper or me on Earth, wouldn’t you find our appearance attractive?”

  She blinked, surprised by his query, then taking a moment to study his face, she slowly nodded her head. With his dark hair, chiseled features, and muscled physique, he reminded her of the handsome actors and models who made fortunes from their good looks. Even with the advances in plastic surgery, natural beauty was still held in high regard.

  “Yes, Zaroff,” she said sincerely. “I would.”

  “The ruler will be pleased to hear this. He finds you very beautiful.”

  “Tell him thank you, I appreciate the compliment, but I’ll never want to stay here. Zaroff, is he watching me too?”

  “Whenever he is able. He’s intensely interested in you and your progress. Now I must go.”

  “Uh, what about the walking through walls thing, and the furniture appearing from nowhere?”

  “All in good time,” he replied, not turning around. “All in good time.”

  “Good time? There’s no such thing, not as long as I’m here,” she grunted. “I have to find a way out, and I will.”

  Chapter Three

  An idea flashed through Abby’s head, but the room still glowed green. Worried Zaroff could read her body language or facial expressions, she lowered her eyes and ambled toward the wall where she could enter her bathroom. The opening appeared, and stepping through it, she waited until it closed, then letting out a breath, she stared at herself in the mirror over the sink.

  “If I’m ever going to get out of here it has to be his idea. The ruler wants me, so I have to make Zaroff believe I’d be a terrible wife. I have to be impossible and unpredictable. I might suffer for it, but if it works I don’t care.”

  As she moved back into the chamber, she found the green glow was now yellow. A grim smile crossed her lips. Privacy. Exactly what she needed. Now all she had to do was wait for the keeper to return. With nothing better to do she began checking the walls on the off-chance she’d find another opening, but as she ambled slowly past where Zaroff had appeared, it rippled. Startled, she jumped back, then watched as his image came to life.

  “Abby, I neglected to tell you how to remove the suit if you wish to bathe. The bathroom is sanitized. You have nothing to fear. It’s only when you’re exposed to the air outside your chamber you’re at risk. The spores float in when someone enters from the outside.”

  “But the suit protects me when you come in.”

  “Absolutely. The suit repels them and they expire in a few minutes. They can’t survive in the bathroom at all, but I don’t have time to go into detail. The suit is seamed along the sides. You simply pull it apart. When you put it back on the material will automatically adhere to itself. The keeper will be here momentarily. He’s bringing you a device to control the furniture, and a screen so you can watch entertainment from Earth.”

  “Control the furniture?”

  “You’ll understand when he shows you.”

  “And the screen. Do you mean like television?”

  “Yes, like television, but offering a great deal more. You can watch sports events from anywhere on Earth.”

  “But, uh, how is that possible?”

  “Abby, our technology is far superior. That is all.”

  “Your technology is far superior?” she muttered as the image faded. “Well, duh! Obviously! Dammit, I wish I didn’t feel so calm. Whatever this sedative is, it sucks.”

  But even as she spoke she could feel the veil slipping away. She was becoming aware of her anger. Her real anger! Her fury! And her fear. A knock snatched her attention. Darting her eyes to the area of the wall through which the keeper entered, she watched the tall, muscular alien stride through the sudden opening carrying a gold pouch. He signaled her to stand by the bench, and joining her, he withdrew a small, black, glossy box covered with icons, touching one resembling a bed. To her astonishment the bench rippled and became a four-poster bed complete with pillows and throw cushions. As he laid his finger on another tiny image, a large screen revealed itself on the same wall as the bathroom opening.

  “Football,” he declared. “Los Angeles.”

  To Abby’s shock a game appeared on the screen, complete with the commentary.

  “I can’t believe this,” she muttered as he handed her the box. “Can I ask to see anything?”

  The keeper tilted his head to the side.

  “This box? Will it show me whatever I want?”

  “What you want. Ask.”

  “Show me the traffic on Sunset Blvd.!” she said, holding the box near her mouth like a microphone.

  Instantly the screen changed, and she was looking at the heavy line of cars threading their way down the famous street.

  “Buckingham Palace.”

  As the home of the British crown came into view, she was so fascinated she considered postponing her plan of escape so she could play with the extraordinary device.

  “What am I thinking?” she whispered under her breath. “That must be the damn sedative messing with my head.”

  “Sandman. ‘She’s For Me,’” the keeper suddenly declared.

  Sandman was Abby’s favorite rock band, and their latest hit song filled the room.

  “How did you know?” she asked, staring up at him. “Never mind. You know I love lasagna and red wine. You probably know everything about me.”

  “Me,” he repeated, pointing to a red dot in the corner of the box.

  “This is how I call for you?” she asked, touching the tiny red circle.

  “Me, come.”

  “Okay. Thanks. You don’t need to stay. I can figure this out.” He didn’t move. She gestured toward the wall. “You can go.”

  He nodded, then turned and headed off.

  Summoning her courage, Abby followed him, and placing the box on the bench as she passed, when the opening appeared and he moved through it, she did too. As he turned left, she turned right, and heart thumping she crept down the brightly lit, curving passage. It had been a risky roll of the dice that he’d assume she’d remain in the chamber. She could scarcely believe her simple plan had worked, but as long seconds ticked by, and she marched aimlessly forward, she began to second-guess herself.

  “Surely Zaroff must know I’ve left by now,” she mumbled, nervously looking behind her. “Why doesn’t he send someone? Why is no alarm sounding? Shit. Maybe I should have followed the keeper out when the light was green and Zaroff was watching. No! That would’ve been too obvious. Where the hell am I going? I should turn back. This is ridiculous. This place has no doors.”

  But she suddenly came to an abrupt stop. The passage had come to an end.

  “Dammit. Now what? I suppose I could—”

  Before she could finish, the wall blocking her way revealed an opening.

  She paused, then moved cautiously forward...

  * * *

  The moment Abby left her chamber a chime had sounded in Zaroff’s quarters, and when he touched a small white circle on the glossy surface of his desk, her image appeared on one of several large screens in front of him. Ordering the keeper to let her wander, he watched her hurry down the corridor.

  “What exactly are you hoping to achieve?” he murmured, his eyes na
rrowing. “You are one brave female. Foolish, but brave, though those two often hold hands. I know exactly what to do with you, Abby Walker. Area XUX. Open observation deck EO.”

  * * *

  Stupefied, Abby stood stock still. Directly in front of her, Earth hung suspended in a sea of darkness. A strange sensation moved through her body, and as her head began to spin, she sank to the floor. Unable to take her eyes off the magnificent sight, a wave of heat passed through her throat.

  “Stunning, don’t you think?”

  Gasping in fright and jerking her head up, she found Zaroff looming over her.

  “Seeing Earth this way must be very emotional for you.”

  At a loss for words, she moved her eyes back to the blue and white orb she called home.

  “You don’t look very comfortable down there. Why don’t you sit on that couch?”

  Shifting her gaze, she spied the sofa, but before she could rise to her feet, he’d grasped her arm and pulled her up.

  “Where did you think you were going?”

  “Nowhere, somewhere, anywhere, and why are you being so reasonable? Aren’t you angry?”

  “I’m able to control my emotions, but I do find your behavior curious.”

  “You have no right to keep me. I don’t belong with you. Take me home!”

  “You’re becoming hysterical. Apparently I need to settle your nerves.”

  “Don’t you dare touch me,” she screamed as he raised his hands. “I don’t want your so-called sedative.”

  “That is unwise.”

  “No! It’s not! They’re my feelings, not yours, and if I want to be freaked out, then I’ll be freaked out. You may have taken me prisoner, but I’m not going to let you dictate how I feel. Keep your fucking hands to yourself. Yes! Your fucking hands!” she shrieked. “That’s right! Vulgar language. You don’t like it? Too bad. You want to punish me? Go ahead. It’s how I feel. Get it?”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t believe you’re this out of control,” he said calmly. “Quite frankly, it’s impossible.”

  “You’re wrong. You’re so wrong. Maybe for you aliens, or whatever it is you call yourselves, being reserved and controlled is good, but for humans, especially this human, keeping everything bottled up is bad. I’m too volatile for your sedative. I’m fucking furious, and nothing will change that!”

  “Abby, you underestimate me, and this charade is unconvincing. You want me to believe you’re a woman I wouldn’t dare present to the ruler.”

  “You’re crazy. How can you—?”

  “I’ve seen through you,” he declared, cutting her off. “The jig, as you humans say, is up. Abby, have you forgotten what I told you?”

  “About what?” she muttered, fighting her dismay.

  “One day you will be given the choice to return.”

  “You won’t tell me how long that will be. A month, a year, five years?”

  “I can assure you it will definitely be less than an Earth month.”

  “You could have said that before.”

  “You’re digressing. The point is, Abby, all these shenanigans are a complete waste of time.”

  “I suppose you’re going to punish me.”

  “The only thing you’ve done that requires punishment is your use of vulgar language and playing out a ridiculous farce.”

  “But—uh—”

  “Have you done something else I don’t know about?”

  “I left my room, remember?”

  “Did I say you couldn’t?”

  “You mean I can wander around whenever I want?”

  “Certainly, but you’re in a restricted area. Besides your chamber there’s only this viewing platform and the keeper’s quarters.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I had every intention of telling you once you’d settled down, and I planned to bring you to this observation room, though I wanted to be sure you were ready before you viewed your planet.”

  “This is insane, this is all insane,” she muttered, feeling a fresh wave of heat in her throat. “Why are you doing this to me?”

  “You’re becoming upset, genuinely upset, and whether you like it or not I cannot allow that to happen.”

  Before she could blink his hands were holding her breasts, and her immediate impulse to push them away instantly dissolved.

  “That is so weird,” she murmured as the sweeping serenity washed over her. “I can’t decide if I hate it or love it.”

  “You’re welcome to stay in here as long as you wish,” he said, ignoring her comment, “but don’t forget, you can watch your friends and your home in real time.”

  “On that screen?”

  “You can get much closer to them than you might think. I can’t join you now, but when I come back to punish you I’ll show you how to control the images.”

  “You don’t need to spank me again. I won’t swear anymore.”

  “I won’t be spanking you.”

  “Then, uh, what will you be doing?”

  “You broke the law a second time. Your punishment must move beyond spanking.”

  “That’s not the answer to my question.”

  “I know, but it’s the only one you’re going to get. That is all for the moment.”

  Stomach churning, she watched him turn and stride away.

  “I may have underestimated him, but he’s underestimating me,” she muttered, “and when I’m given that choice of course I’ll want to go home. How could he possibly think otherwise?”

  Chapter Four

  Abby Walker had many qualities that had made her the perfect candidate for the ALFEE team, and one of the most important was her skepticism. Devotees of the UFO phenomenon often looked to prove the legitimacy of sightings and evidence, but Abby remained unconvinced until the information became irrefutable. At times she frustrated the team, but her ability to look beyond what she hoped was the truth had been invaluable. Sitting on the comfortable sofa and gazing at Earth, she had a thought.

  How did she know she was on an alien craft?

  She could be viewing a projection.

  Had the wall truly rippled, or had she witnessed a simple magic trick?

  “But the openings,” she mumbled, dropping her eyes as she recalled the bizarre moments. “Still, magicians can create all kinds of illusions, and why would aliens so closely resemble humans? I wonder if this is just a big hoax, but if it is, what’s the goal? My safe room turned to dust. That couldn’t have been an illusion, or could it? Hallucinogenics! Did someone spike my dinner, or am I just grasping at straws? I have to consider the possibility this is all bullshit, except... the spanking! Shit! If ALFEE is being put through some kind of test, I wouldn’t be subjected to anything like that—I don’t think I would.”

  Lifting her gaze to stare back at Earth, she was shocked to find the blue and white planet disappearing at an astonishing speed.

  “You must return you to your chamber.”

  Zaroff’s voice echoed through the room, and as alarm surged through her, the doubts about the veracity of her experience began to wane.

  “Zaroff, if you can hear me will you please tell me what’s wrong?” she called out, jumping to her feet. “Please! This is scary.”

  “There is an incident near Mars, but your compound is safe and I know exactly what’s happening. The situation will soon be in hand, but you must return to your chamber. If we suffer through a bump you’ll be safer there.”

  “A bump? What sort of bump?”

  “I’ll explain later. The keeper will be taking you back through a different passage,” he declared, as her alien watchdog strode into the room. “That is all.”

  “Follow,” the keeper said firmly, and as the deep line cut across his forehead, he added, “Promise!”

  “I promise.”

  As he marched swiftly to the opposite side of the room she hurried behind him, discovering the new passage wasn’t brightly lit and
curving, but straight and filled with the green glow. It was also a much quicker walk back to her chamber. Once safely back, the keeper left, but still unnerved, Abby picked up the glossy box and hurried across to the wall.

  “Show me the compound on Mars!” she ordered, hoping she’d delivered the instruction correctly.

  Instantly the screen came to life, and the base came into view. Everything appeared normal, but a streak of yellow suddenly flashed by, followed by another. A second later the room rocked, almost toppling her off her feet. Heart racing, she dropped to the floor in case it happened again. It did, but more violently.

  “Zaroff?”

  “Don’t be alarmed, Abby,” he said, appearing through the rippling wall. “The incident has been resolved. I’ll be with you shortly.”

  “Incident,” she muttered, wishing her heart would settle. “We blasted away from Earth, there were flashes over the compound, and this ship, or craft, or whatever it is, was jostled. That’s an incident? This just gets crazier by the minute.”

  Stretching out on the spongy floor, she moved her arms above her head and let out a heavy breath, but a knock caused her to sit up.

  “What did you mean by an incident?” she asked, rising to her feet as Zaroff entered. “I saw the flashes of yellow pass the compound. What were they, and what caused the bumps?”

  “There are scavengers in the galaxy and we don’t want them bothering Earth’s colony. We chased them off with some warning laser blasts. The rocking you felt were waves of energy, like the wake of a ship in the ocean. Nothing to worry about, but the observation deck doesn’t have the forgiving floor of this chamber. I didn’t want you to hurt yourself if you fell over.”

  “I see.”

  “This was as simple as scaring a rabbit off a carrot patch with a shotgun. Can you relate to that?”

  “That’s a relief. I thought maybe we were under attack or something.”

  “No one would dare attack us.”

  “Good to know.”

  “Now that that’s out of the way, it’s time to deal with you, and as I mentioned, your punishment will be more than a simple spanking, but I’ve decided to combine it with your training. Remember, Abby, when I give you an order I expect it to be obeyed without hesitation. If you refuse, or question me, you’ll be sorry. Am I being clear?”