Karac: Kaldar Warriors #1 (2 page)

“How do we know they will even come looking?”  Mom questioned hopefully.  “We live in rural Montana…not exactly a hot place to send out a search party for eligible women.”  Nodding, I agreed with her. 

My mom had a point, which was one of the reason’s I was still single.  The average age around there was 50 and if there were any young men around, they either were not interested or already had a girlfriend or wife.  I had average looks, I wasn’t drop dead gorgeous by any means, but I wasn’t auditioning as a runway model.  But as I mentioned earlier, men and I didn’t really see eye to eye on relationships.  Apparently there was something else they picked up on that turned them off that I wasn’t privy to.  I rolled my eyes internally,
who knew
. 

“I don’t know if they
will
come looking Mom, but they did say anyone who isn’t registered in 30 days will be met with ‘decisive action’,” I made sure to make air quotes around that phrase to emphasize my sarcasm, “whatever that means.  I’d rather be prepared than just sit and wait.” 

“I agree,” Dad said with finality.  He nodded and you could tell he agreed wholeheartedly with the idea.  “We will erase any way to trace your whereabouts.  I’ll start making a list.”  Dad stood up and went to the desk to find a piece of paper and a pen.

“But if you give up your apartment, will you stay with us?”  Mom asked hopefully.  I looked to her and shook my head.  That was definitely not an option. 

“Staying with my parents is the first place they are going to look,
if
they look.  Anne and Kat are out too, since, as my sisters, that would be the second place.  I can’t stay with family.” 

“Then what friends can you stay with?”  Mom asked. 

“I don’t think that would be an option either.”  I said hesitantly.  “They can find history on that, on who I’ve hung out with, and search those places if they really wanted to.”

“But…you’re not going to just drift around are you?”  Mom put her head in her hands and mumbled, “I won’t be able to handle that.  You know I would worry all the time.”  I put my hand on her shoulder and tried to comfort her. 

“Ideally I don’t want to do that either.  I thought of one option, it’s…interesting, to say the least.  I would be close, but it isn’t an obvious choice since I never hang out with him.”  I looked at Dad as he came back to the counter with the paper and pen. 

“You’re talking about Nathan.”  Dad said in surprise.  I was shocked he guessed so fast. 

“Yes, if he would be willing to have me stay with him.  Do you think they would link me to him?”  This was one thing I wasn’t sure about. 

“I don’t see how.  We are neighbors but we hardly see his parents that often to raise alarms.  And you have never gone out with him before.”  Dad nodded.  “I think it might work.”

“You could just marry him then we wouldn’t have to worry about all of this.”  Mom said softly waving her hand in frustration, but I still heard her.

“MOM!”  I gasped, eyes widening.  Her head lifted as she looked at me.  “Seriously?  Why would you even suggest that?”

“What?  Don’t look at me like it is a crazy idea.”  She shook her head before continuing.  “He graduated two years ahead of you, he’s a nice boy, and has money to take care of you.”

“Yeah, let’s just jump back 200 years and have an arranged marriage while we’re at it.”  I replied heatedly.  “I’m not asking the guy if he will marry me.  That’s just crazy.  We hardly talk twice a year.” 

“And asking to live with him isn’t crazy?”  Mom countered. 

“Well, it’s definitely not as big a commitment as marriage.  He has like, four bedrooms in that house.  He’s a bachelor and probably needs help with household chores, even if I do hate them.  It wouldn’t hurt to ask, right?”

“I think it’s worth a shot,” Dad said slowly, gauging my mom’s reaction.  “It would keep you close to home so we can keep an eye on you and be around in case you need something.”

“Who knows?”  Mom said a little too brightly.  “Maybe living together you may develop feelings for each other and end up married anyway.”

“Mom!  Really?”  I threw my hands up in exasperation, looking to Dad for help.  None was forthcoming. 

“What?  It could happen.”  Mom shrugged. 

“Just because I am 23 years old and single doesn’t mean you can try your hand at match making, all right?”  I fumed. 

“Fine, let’s focus on the immediate problem.”  Mom looked back down to the paper in front of Dad.  I knew it was a small reprieve but I’d take what I could get. 

“Right, the list.”  I sighed and put my head in my hands.  This was going to be a long night. 

Just then Mom’s cell phone rang and Mom reached over to answer it.  Dad and I looked back to the list and started making suggestions on all the things that needed to be “erased”. 

“No, she’s here…Yes, we were talking about it…no we don’t know what we are doing…you’re coming right now?  Ok, we’ll see you in a bit.  Love you too, bye.”

Mom turned to us and said my oldest sister, Kat, was coming with her husband and son.  Apparently this deal with the aliens called for a family emergency. 
Well, aliens from outer space who come to kidnap your sister?  Yeah, I guess that qualified.
 

“We are going to have to come up with a story that everyone will follow if people start calling.”  I stated, thinking of all the family and friends we have and how nosy or concerned they could be. 

“You’re right.”  Dad said.  “We can’t let anyone know that you might be staying at Nathan’s.  The fewer people that have knowledge of your location the better off you’ll be.”

“So what are we going to tell them?”  Mom asked.

“Tell them…I’m staying with Anne.”  I crossed my arms as I thought it over, thinking of my other sister.  “She’s 12 hours away so it might take a while to get there and then she can say that I was there but disappeared and hasn’t heard from me since.” 

“Solid, easy to remember,” Dad nodded to himself.  “I like it.  We’ll let everyone know that in two weeks you are going to Anne’s.  Right now, you are here and will be staying with us.  Otherwise it would be weird that you didn’t stay here at all when the news hit.”

“Right, okay, then that’s the story we’re going with?”  I asked, looking to both of them.  Mom and Dad nodded.  I took a deep breath for strength, and dipped my head in return.  “Okay, back to the list, then.” 

For the next hour, Mom fielded calls from people who were concerned about my future.  She stuck to the story fairly well.  It was both flattering and embarrassing that so many people were worried about me and also aware of my single status.  Who knew that many people cared?  By the time my sister and her husband and son showed up, my head was starting to hurt.  Our list had grown with the number of things to delete and how to go about doing them.  Kat was barely in the door before she pulled me into a hug with tears in her eyes. 

“Sheesh, did someone die or something?”  I mumbled into her neck.  Humor was my safety net.

“Oh shut up, I’m just worried about you.”  Kat smiled through her tears.

“Mom,” James, my four year old nephew, piped up from her side, “you can’t tell people to shut up.  It’s not nice.” 

“I’m sorry James, I didn’t mean anything by it.”  Kat rolled her eyes at me because of his antics. I smiled at her in humor. 

“Hey Ashley?”  I looked down at James and then crouched to his level.

“Yeah buddy?”

“Are the big aliens with swords going to take you away?”  His question left me speechless for a second before I tried to cover my shock. 

“Not a chance, bud.  They won’t catch me.”  I give him a big smile which had him grinning in return.

“Good, cause I don’t want you to leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere.  I’ll still be able to see you once in a while.”

“Good, will you come play with me then?”  His mind was already on toys and I had to laugh. 

“Sure, bud, just let me say hi to your Daddy first, okay?”

“K.”  He stayed by my side as I hugged Mark who was setting down their bags. 

“You doin’ all right?”  Mark asked with concern in his eyes.

“Yeah, I don’t think the news has had time to totally set in yet.”  I shrugged it off.  “Dad and I made a list of things to do, I’ll let him fill you in.”  Just then the phone rang, again, and Mom picked it up to answer. 

“Hello?  Oh, hi sweetheart…yes, she’s here.  I’ll put her on for you.”  Mom handed the phone to me and I knew it was Anne, my other sister.

“Hello?”

“Oh my God Ashley, what the hell is going on?”  Anne asked frantically.  “I got out of class and everyone was talking about some press conference the President had with people from outer space and I thought they were all on something.  I pulled up the news and watched the video and I can’t believe it!  What’s the plan?  What do you need me and Chris to do?”

“Whoa!  Slow down there killer.”  I chuckled at Anne’s crazy personality.  She had always been a bit excitable and apparently this latest news had been the icing on the cake.  “Right now the plan is to make me disappear.”  I stated slowly, trying to calm her down.  “We are making a list of everything that makes me traceable and going to cancel, delete, or whatever, to make it go away.  The story is that I will be driving down to stay with you in two weeks.”

“The story?  So you’re not coming?”  I could hear the disappointment in her voice.  I understood that.  She was 12 hours away and we didn’t get to see each other as much as we wanted to. 

“No because family is the first place they will look,
if
they come looking.”  I added.  I still wasn’t sure how determined these guys were going to be. 

“Right…and friends are the second.  So where are you going?”

“This doesn’t go beyond you and Chris, okay?  The fewer people who know the better off everyone is.”

“Of course, I get that.”  She said in annoyance.  “So where are you staying?”

“It’s not cemented yet, but I was leaning towards Nathan’s.”

“Nathan?  The neighbor boy?”  Anne asked surprised. 

“Yep.”  I waited for her to mull that over.  I didn’t have to wait long. 

“That actually is a good idea.  It’s like hiding in plain sight.”

“Don’t sound so surprised.”  I chuckled.

“No I didn’t mean it like that.  Nathan’s place would keep you close and there isn’t a clear connection from him to you.”  She paused for a second before adding, “And he would keep you safe.”

“Um…not sure what you mean by that.”  I questioned hesitantly. 

“Ashley, come on.  The guy is practically the same age as you, never had a serious girlfriend,
if
he ever has, and has always had eyes for you.”

“Uh…What?!  Why the he---ah,“ seeing James waiting patiently for me to play with him made me rethink my choice of words.  “Why would you think that?”

“Just trust me, ok?  He’ll agree to it.  I know he will.” 

“Fine, whatever, I don’t have the energy to argue that point.  I’m going to hand you over to Dad so he can talk to you about the list.” 

“Kay, I love you!”

“Love you too,” I replied shaking my head.  I handed the phone over to Dad and smiled down at James.  “Ready?”  James grabbed my hand and pulled me into the living room.  The rest of the night passed in a blur.  My family helped finalize a list and divided up tasks to try to erase anything linked to me.  Out of everything, I think losing my phone was going to be the worst. Was that sad?  Probably, but it was my lifeline to my friends, family, email…everything.  In 30 days I was going to be without a phone, car, internet access, and all those other things we take for granted in our day to day lives.  But at least I’d be free under my terms. 

I stepped out onto the porch, alone, later that night.  Kat, Mark and James decided to sleep over at Mom and Dad’s, I was too.  Everyone was getting ready for bed but I needed a little time alone to think.   I looked up at the stars.  Crazy to think that the aliens were up there, just waiting us out.  There was more news coverage of the aliens on the 10 o’ clock news.  Funny how I was more than willing to watch it now.  I found out the aliens have a name for their race, Kaldarhns – which I guess wasn’t too big a surprise when Karac said he was from Kaldar.  The news showed pictures and videos of the Kaldarhns arriving and leaving in an odd looking plane.  I suppose it wasn’t really a plane but their space ship.  I caught a few more glances of their representative, Karac, and he always seemed to have those bodyguards with him, just a few paces behind.  Sometimes there was more than two.  I wonder how many of them there were.  They were still dressed the same, him in flowing clothes and the ones behind him dressed for battle. 

I wondered what kind of race they were.  Did they have a similar government?  Was their planet stable?  How much trade did they do with other planets?  The news had interviewed some college girls that were obviously excited about the new aliens.  They were smiling ear to ear and flashing their scantily clad bodies in the camera.  Apparently they found the muscled Kaldarhns to their favor.  The girls were already set to go to the local police station to get registered, hoping they were chosen by the, and I quote, “studs from space.”