“Why me?” asked Laura. “Assuming I buy your fantastic story - and I’m not saying I do - of all the women in the world, why abduct me?”
“Because I was attracted to you,” answered Teo simply.
“Why? More to the point - how? We’ve never even met. And I’m pretty sure I would have remembered if we had.”
“Actually, I’ve been watching you for some time.”
“Watching me? How?”
“It’s not so very difficult. Your country has one of the most extensive CCTV networks in the world and hacking into it is hardly a challenge. Our technology is a bit ahead of yours, as you might imagine.”
“So you’ve seen some grainy black and white video of me - big deal.”
“We can do more than that. We can also hack into your spy satellites then point the cameras anywhere we like. As far as Earth technicians are concerned, our occasional hijacking just registers as a system crash.”
“But you’re just going on how I look,” replied Laura, “you could choose any one of millions of women on that basis.”
A ridiculous thought flashed through her mind and was just as quickly dismissed: Was she fishing for a compliment? From an Alien?
“Then there’s your Facebook page and LinkedIn,” continued Teo, “and by the way, your LinkedIn picture doesn’t do you justice.”
She was about to ask how it didn’t do her justice but realised how needy that might sound.
“None of this counts as really knowing me though.”
He hesitated, then said:
“You’re really not going to like this, but I have also listened in to your mobile phone calls.”
“You’ve what? You had no right. It’s - it’s - illegal.” But even as she said it, Laura realised how ridiculous that sounded. “So you’ve listened in to my calls to - to - my girlfriends, colleagues - Jake?
“Yes,” he said simply, “and - for the record - Jake doesn’t deserve you. Not one bit.”
We agree on one thing then, thought Laura to herself.
“It’s not all been electronic eavesdropping,” he continued, “I have also made the occasional visit in person.”
“How could you do that? You’d have been seen.”
“Not really,” said Teo. “I may look different, but not that different. I’m above average height, of course, but there are some men on Earth who are just as tall. I grant my face and skin are out of the ordinary, but with sunglasses, a turned up collar, scarf, hat and gloves, I can go pretty much anywhere.”
“Not a good look for Summer though,” she said.
“True,” he said, smiling. “Winter’s are easier. But think about it: even if I was seen, I’m hardly a monster from space. In London, at worst I’d be taken for just another street act.”
“So where have you been watching me?”
“Once or twice when you have breakfast at that little cafe near your chambers. I make a point of getting there before you and taking the corner seat. I’ve even watched you a couple of times in court. You’re very good.”
“Thank you. But it still doesn’t add up to much.”
“That’s true,” he said, “which is why you’re here. So that I can get to know you better.”
“Whether I like it or not?”
“Regretfully, yes.”
“And what about the other women and the rest of your crew,” she asked icily, “have they been up to the same game?”
“It’s not a game. Each of us has chosen very carefully.”
“But you admit sex has a part in your plans?”
“Yes,” he said, “we may be Aliens - but we’re still men.”
© Adriana Nicolas 2014
YOU ARE READING
'Sacmis' (formerly 'Alien Abduction')
Science FictionFour women - a lawyer, a teacher, an athlete and a soldier - are abducted by four alien men. The aliens, far from being bug-eyed monsters, have 90% human DNA. Despite the circumstances, the women are fascinated by their captors. Particularly when...
