Star-Crossed

Chapter Twenty-Two: I am not the only traveler who has not repaid his debt

EARLY THE NEXT morning as I'm heading out to meet Xerxion for my first official training session, I pass Jacob's room—which is right next to mine—and am surprised to find that his door is ajar and there is the dim light of a computer shining through the cracks.

My eyebrows furrow in confusion. Jacob is typically a late sleeper, especially during summers. There's no way in hell he'd be up this early.

Knocking on the door lightly to alert him of my presence, I wait until I hear him softly tell me it's okay to come in.

His room is a mess, loitered with clothes, soda bottles, candy wrappers and potato chip bags. His computer set up is like something from a hacking scene in a movie, complete with three computer screens all of which are tuned into all the latest conspiracy forums. At the moment, his back is to me and he's typing furiously and now I understand exactly why he is awake so early: he must have found a new conspiracy that truly interested him. I should have guessed that.

Still, I say, "You're up early."

He grunts in acknowledgment.

"Any news?"

His hands pause over the keys and the sudden silence in the room after the gentle clicking of the keys is almost deafening. He spins his chair around to face me, eyes alight.

"I'm glad you asked me, Rania," he murmurs, leaning back in his seat. "Last night the LAPD found three men near one of those wooded highways. The three men had each done prison sentences for sexual assaults and rape. The men were in a comatose state when the feds showed up."

There is a knot in my stomach as Jacob turns swiftly, types in something and on the computer screen located to his right, three familiar faces showed up. It was dark when I saw them, but somehow when I see their pictures I know. The mugshots of the men from last night are staring at me blankly, one of them is smiling tauntingly, his eyes devoid of all humor.

Jacob turns back to look at me before I can fully compose myself, but he doesn't seem to notice that my sanity is slowly slipping away from me. He continues talking, clearly enjoying himself.

"The LAPD's official statement is that the three "had too much to drink and that was all that had happened there.'" Jacob laughed but that laugh was mingled with a scoff. "Please. I've been talking to a trusted source within the government and... has Lari already told you about the conspiracy with the alien woman who came to Earth seventeen years ago?"

I nod woodenly, my mind here and far away at the same time.

"Okay well, according to my source, in the same area where the men were found, the folks at the Pentagon started getting readings like crazy. My source says the government has been on high alert ever since two alien spacecrafts crashed in the Sahara Desert. The last time that there was energy that powerful, it was when the alien woman landed on our planet." Jacob leans forward, putting his elbows on his knees. "The source says the government has been looking for her for seventeen years. See, her energy has been growing increasingly strong, especially these last couple of weeks. They've been able to pin down the fact that she lives here. In Los Angeles."

Jacob laughs in glee, spinning around in his chair, head angled up toward the ceiling as he laughs.

"Can you believe it? A real-life alien living among us?" He sighs. "Apparently, after the CIA found her, they took a few pictures. Kept under lock and key, of course, no one's getting to those. Anyway, the source said she was like, this great beauty. Otherworldly. Alien, in other words." He grins. "The Pentagon and the people above the Pentagon took one look at her and wanted her found ASAP. It was almost like they were enticed by her." Jacob looks at me, his brown eyes serious. "Kind of like you, Rania."