Page 51
Loka nodded. “Honestly, I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before. Not everyone abides by the Council of Representatives laws. Most are happy to wait their turn before they gain access to My Single Alien. There are less patient aliens, less law-abiding aliens. They want your services now and are willing to disregard your rules. This isn’t the first time aliens have stolen humans.”
Heather knew about Roswell, Wycliffe Well, and Area 51. “All the stories back on Earth about people being abducted are true?”
“Most likely. There’s a rumor of a gallery of humans somewhere on the other side of the wormhole.”
Heather stared at Loka. “A gallery? Some alien is displaying humans?”
“It’s most likely human parts, rather than a living human.”
“Like our old museums full of stuffed animals.” Heather grimaced. She’d always hated those rooms crammed with glassy-eyed birds and small mammals.
“What about the probing?”
“Probing?”
“People abducted by aliens always talk about probing. Why do aliens love to probe so much?”
Loka smiled and looked down. “You are soft and warm to the touch. I expect they wanted to explore that.”
“That’s gross and creepy.”
“I see how it would seem like that.”
“These aliens are stealing humans,” Heather said. “To do what? Kidnap and impregnate?” It was the stuff of nightmares. Every horror movie nut’s wet dream.
“I have also heard a rumor about an underground market, where they sell humans acquired illegally,” Loka said.
Heather’s throat tightened. “The Banti want us for this market?”
“It’s not definite,” Loka said.
“If the Banti are working with the Vincole, it’s a possibility.”
“Yes. The Banti want you for food. The Vincole want to run their own version of My Single Alien or expand into the human auction opportunities.”
“Alone, the Banti aren’t coordinated enough to be successful, but if they’ve formed an alliance with the Vincole, it could work.”
“The Vincole are the aliens behind the rumors of illegal trading,” Loka said. “I know of at least one slave auction broken up by the military police.”
Heather’s fingers snagged through her hair. “We can’t let them take anyone from the station. What about the other aliens? What will they do to them if they can’t use them in their sick auction?”
Loka pointed to the ship debris floating past. “Get rid of them. That must be why they want to separate us. They won’t want any interference as they take their prizes.”
“I’m not anyone’s prize. I won’t be sold off in an auction to whoever places the highest bid.”
“You won’t be. We’ll get out of this.” Loka’s thumb rubbed across her knuckles.
“We shouldn’t have run. We should have stayed there and fought back.”
“And gotten ourselves killed?”
“We could have hidden somewhere in the station,” Heather said. It had been wrong for her to be tempted away from the station by Loka. His offer of a life together had swayed her. She didn’t realize how much she wanted it until it was offered. It wasn’t fair to be offered that and have it taken away so quickly.
“Until the cyborgs found us.”
“When we get to Prodigy, whoever is dragging us back will be mad as hell.”
“We’ll deal with them.”
