18

Terrence had ordered Chinese takeaway and was digging his fork in his Colonel Ming noodles, or whatever they were called. He wasn’t good with Chinese names and chopsticks. Vita was eating her fried rice with vegetables. It was the first time in a long, long while that he’d had a guest for dinner. It felt strangely good.

“So . . .” Terrence finally asked, “How did you get my private phone number? How did you find my address?”

“That was easy,” Vita said with a smile. “You’ve just got to know how to look and where to dig for info.”

Terrence shook his head.

“My info is confidential. It’s very well hidden—for obvious reasons. Honestly, I have to tell you I think you might be working for a foreign secret service, although I don’t see why you would contact me. I know nothing interesting. I only work with the UFO-sphere, as you well know. So, why me? What is this all about?”

Terrence heard himself thinking out loud. He didn’t like the way his voice sounded: professional, paranoid.

“I don’t work for any foreign secret service. Not in that sense, anyway. We’ve contacted you because we need your help. Well, now, I need your help.”

“My help for what? Why was Thomas murdered?”

Vita sighed and pushed her plate away.

“It’s very complicated. While I was looking for someone to contact, Thomas was doing the same. I finally found Tom, and he had found you. Synchronicity at its best.”

She smiled and Terrence smiled back. Was she wearing a wire? Was all this being taped? If he was being tested, all this conversation could be used against him.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said curtly. “Are we being recorded? Are you wearing a wire? Are you testing me or trying to frame me?”

“What? No! No!”

She suddenly lifted her t-shirt, revealing a classic black bra and a beautiful chest.

“Happy?”

Terrence felt his ears burn.

“Sorry. I just had to ask.”

Vita shrugged, her face frozen in an ironic pout.

“And what about you? Are you wearing a wire?”

“Me? Of course not!”

He laughed nervously.

“Show me. Come on, show me!”

Shaking his head, Terrence reluctantly unbuttoned his shirt.

“Good,” Vita said. “Can we trust each other now?”

He nodded. Point made.

“So, why me?” he asked again. “What for?”

“It’s a long story, but I will make it short. I am from a planet in the Lyra system. You haven’t detected it yet, so let’s call it Planet X. You can’t pronounce its name in your language. I am here to liberate the Earth.”

Terrence opened his mouth, then closed it slowly. Had he been hit by a car and was in a coma? Had his food been spiked at the cafeteria? His mind reared like a wild colt.

“Excuse me, can you say that again?”

“I am from Planet X, in the Lyra system. I am here to liberate the Earth, and I need you to help me.”