NUMBER 1 WAS dead.
I don’t know what I expected.
Fireworks. Marching bands. Maybe a ticker tape parade down New York’s canyon of heroes.
I had just completed my life’s mission. I had avenged my parents’ deaths. I had done what I had come to this planet to do.
I swiped my fingers across one of the pentagram panels on my dad’s old Tusk computer and initiated a video call to Special Agent Judge at FBI headquarters in D.C.
“Number 1 has been zeroed out, sir,” I reported.
“It’s gone?” asked Agent Judge, overjoyed. “You’re positive?”
I rotated the Tusk sideways so he could see the petrified and still smoldering husk of what had once been the most ferocious alien outlaw to ever land on Terra Firma.
“Behold his earthly remains,” I said sarcastically. “He doesn’t look so fierce lying on his back with his legs splayed out, does he? Kind of reminds me of an ‘after’ pic in a bug spray commercial.”
“Thank you, Daniel,” said Mr. Judge, emotion choking his voice.
And it was emotion he was definitely entitled to. The Prayer had killed his wife right after the putrid thing murdered my parents.
“You have no idea how long I have waited for this day, Daniel.”
I could’ve answered, “Yes, sir. I do.” Instead I just nodded and let him have a moment to savor the sweet sensation of justice finally been served.
There was one more thing I had to tell him.
“Sir,” I said, “rest assured, I will find Mel, no matter where Number 1 hid her.”
Mr. Judge looked confused. “What do you mean, Daniel?”
“Now that Number 1 is no longer a threat to humanity, my sole focus will be locating and extracting your daughter from her current hostage situation. The Prayer may have a few henchbeasts guarding her, but…”
“Daniel?”
“Sir?”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Like I said when you came to visit me in D.C., Mel’s safe. She’s at the horse ranch. In Kentucky. Hang on. I’ll patch her in.” Agent Judge clacked his keyboard.
A second pentagram panel flickered to life on my Tusk computer.
It was Mel—looking more beautifully radiant than ever (and not just because she wasn’t clamping electrodes to my ankles anymore, either). Relief flooded through me. Apparently, the whole kidnapping and torture thing had been a sick and twisted mental movie planted in my head by the late Number 1. He had even made me question Mel’s loyalty and goodness. No doubt about it, IT was good.
Was being the key word.
“Are you okay?” Mel asked from her tiny screen.
“Never better,” I said with a smile.
Because it was true. My work on Terra Firma was finally done.
Except…
“Sir?” I said to Agent Judge’s image. “Any word on that black hole?”
“No news.”
“Is it still growing?”
“Hang on.” He clacked more computer keys. “Interesting.”
“What?”
“When did you terminate Number 1?”
“Five, maybe ten, minutes ago.”
Mr. Judge grinned. “That’s what I figured. According to our friends at NASA, that’s exactly when the anomaly slowed its rate of expansion.”
“Way to go, Daniel!” said Mel, my personal cheerleader. “You just saved Earth’s bacon.”
“Thanks,” I said through half a laugh. “But, sir?”
“Yes, Daniel?”
“Slightly. Guess Number 1 put his anomaly on autopilot.”
“Something you and your marvelous imagination should be able to take care of,” said Mel. “Right, Daniel?”
“No doubt. But, since there’s no imminent threat or danger, I have a more important operation to plan.”
“What’s that?” asked Mr. Judge, sounding slightly concerned.
“Organizing a little party, sir. We need to celebrate. It’s not every day you get to wipe out your worst enemy and save the planet at the same time. Mel?”
“Yes, Daniel?”
“I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“You have a car?”
I shrugged. “I could, I guess. Any make or model you like.”
“Um, Daniel—you don’t have a driver’s license.”
“True. Besides, it’ll be more fun if we teleport together.”