Chapter 59

The next night, Jovan and Blake went into downtown again to see if they could find The Platoon.

“Remember, we don’t want a physical confrontation. We just want to do a little recon, find out where they’re staying, stuff like that,” Jovan said.

“Got it.”

They parked their bikes and began walking the streets. It was Saturday night, and the streets were crowded with holiday shoppers heading home and college kids who were just coming out to party who hadn’t made it home for the holiday.

Jovan rubbed his eyes, the contacts bothering him, and he had a thought. “How are they walking around at night, Blake? Are you sure it was them?”

Blake nodded. “There aren’t too many guys the size of Micah, so I’m pretty certain it was them. As for the how, maybe sunglasses? I don’t know.”

Jovan nodded. It had to be sunglasses. They certainly didn’t have access to technology to formulate the contacts, and chances were slim that any of them were as smart as Talin, the creator of the contacts.

An hour later, Jovan was just about to call it a night.

“Let’s try the Black Cuff one more time,” Blake said.

Jovan rolled his eyes. “Look, if you want to get laid, then—”

“No, Jovan, that’s not it. The Black Cuff is the best party spot in town. If they’re out and about, that’s where they’re going to be.”

Jovan reluctantly agreed.

They went inside and looked around, not seeing a bunch of guys in sunglasses mingling among the other patrons. Just as they were about to leave, Jovan saw them.

He grabbed Blake’s arm. “There,” he said, motioning his head into a dark corner. “There they are.”

In the darkened depths of the bar, there was a booth with five large males sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, all wearing dark wrap-around sunglasses, and Jovan recognized Micah right away.

Jovan looked around for a place that wouldn’t bring attention to them, and found a small table with two college guys sipping beers scanning the crowd. Jovan approached the table, Blake right behind him.

“Hi, boys,” he said.

They didn’t say anything, just looked at him.

“Hundred bucks for your table.”

They looked at each other, then back at Jovan. “Excuse me?”

“Pay attention, son. I give you a hundred bucks, you get your ass up off the chair and go find another place to park it.”

The college kids looked at each other again, and Jovan couldn’t believe they weren’t jumping at his offer. Unless they were trust fund babies and a hundred bucks didn’t mean squat to them.

“We’re taking your deal, but just curious on why you’re offering.”

“Just need the table, dude.”

“Well, there’s one over there,” one of the guys said, pointing across the bar.

Jovan was losing his patience. “Look, I want this table and why is none of your concern. So get your asses up, take my money, and move it along.”

The guys stood, Jovan handed them a Bennie, and they left. Jovan and Blake sat down.

“Perfect view,” Blake said.

“Yep.”

For an hour, they watched The Platoon do a few shots, drink some beers, and get a little rowdy with the females. It became very apparent that they weren’t sure how to treat the females that approached them, and they couldn’t seem to find that balance between cold fish and aggressive. Micah sat in the middle of the booth like a king on his throne.

Jovan stood. “I’m going to go say hi.”

Blake got to his feet. “Jovan, this was supposed to be recon.”

“I know.” Jovan felt the adrenaline start to run through him. Oh, yeah. He loved that.

“Then why are we going to them?”

“I’m bored.”

As he approached the table, he smiled when he saw Micah’s eyebrows knit above the glasses as if Micah were trying to place him.

Jovan knew when the recognition kicked in. Micah’s eyebrows took a hike for his hairline and his nostrils flared.

“Hey, boys,” Jovan said, loving the rush of adrenaline that surged through his body as he met Micah’s gaze.

All went silent as they stared at Jovan. As he scanned them, he noted a mix of black, blond and brown hair. With their glasses on, he couldn’t really make out any defining features.

“What are you doing here?” Micah asked.

Jovan shrugged. “Just thought I’d stop by, see how things were going, how life on Earth was treating you. You know, a welcome to the neighborhood type of thing.”

There were grumbles around the table as the males were putting everything together. Him asking how things were going on Earth could only mean one thing: one of the Six Saviors.

Micah smiled and leaned forward with his elbow on the table. “Let me make a couple of things clear, Savior.”

Jovan said nothing, but stared into the black frames.

“We are here to decimate you. You failed at your mission, and because of your failure, your actions led to the end of our world. You, and that worthless leader of yours, Noah, will die.”

Jovan shook his head and crossed his arms across his chest. “You’re version of history is off, but this isn’t the place or time to talk about it.”

“Then leave us.”

Jovan glanced over his shoulder to make sure there weren’t any humans around, then put his hands on the table and leaned in. Micah backed up.

“There is no reason why we can’t just get along and co-exist without violence. We don’t have to spend holidays together, but we can leave each other alone.”

Micah threw his head back and laughed, a deep throaty sound. “You fool. I guarantee you that if you had watch SR44 explode, you would feel the same way we do. We are getting stronger as we figure out the way this world works, and when the time is right, we will find you and we will destroy you.”

Jovan shook his head and looked at Blake. “I can see this chat is going nowhere.”

Blake nodded. “Agreed.”

“Of course, if you just want to turn over Noah, we will spare your life. Maybe,” Micah said, smiling.

Jovan smiled. “Okay, Micah. But suck on this for a while. We wanted to leave your sorry ass in Area 2. Remember that place? I bet you’re still bleeding from what that doctor did to you. Noah said to get you out. He saved your ass, and now you want to kill him. Not a very nice way to say thank you, is it?”

There was a brief pause.

“I would have gotten out eventually,” Micah said.

“C’mon, Jovan, let’s go. This is like talking to a brick wall. You can’t reason with stupid,” Blake said.

Growls erupted from the table.

“Down, boys, down,” Jovan said.

“We have been smart enough to procure weaponry, like the one that is pointed at you under the table,” said the guy to Micah’s right.

“Good for you,” Jovan said, “and now let me give you a little advice. Humans don’t take kindly to guns going off in public places so don’t get trigger-happy. Have a nice night.”

Jovan turned and weaved his way through the throngs of people toward the exit. He really didn’t see how The Platoon could track them to the missile silo in Fernley, but one thing he had learned on his time on Earth was that anything was possible.

Blake fell into step with him when they reached the sidewalk. They rounded the corner and stopped.

“I want to see if they come out and where they go,” Jovan said.

The waited about a half-hour, and all five of The Platoon came out, each with a woman on their arm, apparently finding their stride in the pick-up department. They walked across the street to a SUV, and everyone piled in. Jovan and Blake watched as it drove away in the opposite direction. Apparently, they had found their stride as far as the female race was concerned.

“Do you want to make a run for our bikes and see if we can follow?” Blake asked.

Jovan shook his head. How in the world were they making it with women when their eyes were glowing? Or were they seriously getting busy with the sunglasses on? And where had they gotten a vehicle? They also looked showered, shaved, and well fed. How were they doing it?

When the Six Saviors had arrived, it had taken them a year before they were able to secure a place to call their own. Showering was a luxury, as was food. They had landed with close to nothing and had worked hard to get where they were today, which was well pampered. Was The Platoon much more resourceful than the Saviors had been?

Or had they turned to crime to survive?

And if they were honestly getting busy with their sunglasses on, they were going to get caught, which would mean a whole shitload of trouble for them, but also for Saviors. He could see Micah flapping his jaws, more than happy to turn in Noah and the rest of them to the government. Jovan cringed as he thought of his own experience. No, he wasn’t going back into that. No. Way.

They should have left him to rot with the doctor in Area 2. Damn Noah and his good intentions. Good intentions usually got you a sack of crap, and in the case, an arrogant, cocky asshole who seemed to be hell bent on humans finding out exactly what he was.

“Nah, let’s get out of here.”

For now, he had seen enough. He was ready to get back to Fernley and report what they had seen to Noah. Then there was the groveling he needed to do to Liberty, and hopefully make the female he loved understand that he was sorry and not a complete asshole.