Chapter Seventeen

Ten days later

Verity strolled toward the library in search of a good book to read. She’d done a little shopping at the mercantile, picking up another bottle of alien wine, some alien toy soldiers for Brody, and a couple of shirts for Mike. He didn’t own much clothing.

Business at the clinic had been uncommonly slow the past couple of days. Nobody had ingested the wrong food and blown up like a balloon. No one had injured themselves. No limbs had been accidentally severed and birthed a child. With little to do, Dr. Twygg had given her the afternoon off. She’d remain on call for emergencies, but otherwise she was free as a wild egger. With Brody in school and Mike on the range somewhere, she had several hours all to herself.

She would have preferred to spend the time with Mike; unfortunately, he had to work.

Their time alone together was rare and precious. They had managed to sneak in a couple more private dates, thanks to another Haven children’s program and a sleepover Brody had gone to at Firbol’s. Her son and the furry alien boy had become best buds.

They had been at Refuge for over a month. She pinched herself at how well things had worked out. Life couldn’t get any better. Her son thrived, she loved her job, and she was happily married to a wonderful man who doted on her and her son.

Since the hot spring, an already satisfying marriage had entered a renaissance of romantic bliss. Mike had become more affectionate, more attentive, more solicitous to her needs and her son’s. And he’d become a monster in the sheets. Damn, that man had stamina. A chilly wind blew across the quad, but thinking about their hot, sexy nights kept her plenty warm. Thank goodness, Brody slept soundly.

If Mike’s devotion sometimes seemed a tad over the top, she dismissed the notion to an unfamiliarity with having a loving partner. She’d never been married, never even had a committed relationship with someone who cared about her. There had been a few boyfriends in high school, and she’d lost her virginity to one of them, but those practice relationships didn’t count. She’d known at the time they’d be transitory. So, she wasn’t the best judge of what was excessive .

Working while putting herself through nursing school, she hadn’t dated until she met Kyle Dorn. He hadn’t been a good model for what a partner should be. She hadn’t been his partner or his girlfriend—just a conquest. But the asshat had given her Brody, so she couldn’t hate him too much. And he was dead. Besides, she laid most of the blame for the turmoil on his parents, Nancy and Hakeem.

She wondered what they had done when they discovered she’d disappeared. It didn’t matter one way or another, but she was curious. Was there a way to find out? Security rules forbid residents from contacting their home planets, but maybe she could view news reports? If the Dorns farted, it hit the news.

She stopped at the library information desk manned by a two-headed woman with eyes in the front and in the back of her skulls. The better to keep an eye on things. She stifled a laugh.

“May I help you?” Both mouths spoke at once, one higher pitched than the other. The woman could sing her own harmony and melody.

“Is there a way to check on news reports from other planets? ”

“The library network streams broadcasts from some planets—but not all. Which planet are you interested in?”

“Earth.”

“Go to those cubicles over there.” She pointed to a partitioned counter on a far wall. “You can watch the feeds on the screen. Enter the planet from the pull-down menu and follow the instructions. Just put on the headphones so the noise doesn’t disturb the other patrons.”

Other patrons? They were the only ones in the building. It was a workday, and the kids were in school. “Got it. Thanks!”

“Is Brody Vale your son?”

“Yes.”

“The books he ordered came in. I need an MCD to send them to.”

“You can send them to mine.” She gave the librarian her code. “Thanks!”

After some trial and error, she figured out how to navigate the library’s network and found a link to WLIE News. Every outlet reported on the Dorns, but Nancy and Hakeem had been WLIE’s darling .

She typed Dorn custody suit into the news agency’s search engine. A broadcast from a week ago popped up.

“WLIE News has an important update in the Nancy and Hakeem Dorn custody battle,” announced anchor Joy Blossom. “Family court today awarded the couple full custody of their grandson Brody, revoking the biological mother’s parental rights.”

If she’d needed confirmation she’d done the right thing joining Cosmic Mates and leaving Earth—but she didn’t—there it was.

“Verity Vale did not show up in court, having previously fled with the boy. A warrant for her arrest on charges of kidnapping has been issued,” Blossom said. Verity’s and Brody’s pictures appeared on the screen. “Anyone having any information about Vale’s whereabouts are urged to contact law enforcement at the number on the screen. The Dorns have posted a $2.5 million reward for anyone with information leading to the apprehension of Verity Vale and/or the safe return of the child. As a side matter, the Dorns have petitioned the court to change Brody Vale’s name to Kyle Dorn, Jr.”

“What the fuck!” She sprang out of the chair.

“Shh!” The two-headed librarian glowered .

“In other news…”

Verity silenced the newscaster, dropped into her chair, and fumed. The Dorns had turned her life into a living hell on Earth. They had intended—and would have succeeded—in stealing her son, but the name change rankled the most. They intend to erase all traces of me. Turn Brody into another Kyle. They were evil. Truly bad people. They had no conscience. No decency. Used to getting what they wanted when they wanted it, they didn’t care who they hurt.

She powered down the terminal, regretting she’d followed up. Ignorance was bliss. Sometimes you were better off not knowing the truth. So much for a peaceful afternoon to herself! She doubted she’d be able to concentrate on a book now.

On the subject of books…what had Brody requested?

In her MCD, she found Jack and the Cyborg and Captain Cyborg .

He was still on that kick. She loved that he was a curious, avid reader, and she was more than a little proud he read far above his grade level. She opened up each book to verify it was appropriate for a six-year-old. They were, but she recalled how her son had said cyborgs were responsible for a massacre. She didn’t wish for him to believe cyborgs were heroic figures if they were mass murderers. Before she let him have the books, she’d better do her homework.

She booted up the system and returned to the WLIE site.

Massacre by cyborgs , she typed.

Two escaped cyborgs sought in Chicago massacre , dated three weeks ago, popped up.

Joy Blossom had the lowdown on that story, too. “In a shocking new twist, Solutions Incorporated today admitted that three cyborgs killed Chicago Mayor Tawny Lyttle, Illinois State Representative Marvin Whitmore, and twenty-three members of the mayor’s staff. Following the Chicago massacre, Solutions destroyed its entire cyborg line, but two of the three perpetrators escaped and are still at large.

“They are considered extremely dangerous. The public is advised to be on the watch for model C5-104, codename Steel, and C5-105, codename Fury and report any sightings to the authorities.”

Mike’s and Steel’s photos appeared behind Joy’s head.