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THE JEEP RATTLED ONTO the dirt road, lurching over rocks Nel couldn’t see in the dark. She glanced in the rearview and stopped the car.
“What are you doing? They could be there already.” Lin twisted in her seat, peering down the stretch of road down which they had just escaped.
“I need some answers. Real ones.”
“We’re chasing a gun-wielding maniac and you might be charged with murder in the morning!”
“Exactly! Everything just got fucked up and I want to know what’s going on. I’m practically blind here, Lin. Give me something.”
Lin sat back, staring at her knees as if maybe they would answer the questions so she wouldn’t have to. After a moment she looked up at the sky. “You know, sometimes there are these choices. They’re choices that really suck, but they’re important. Rock-and-a-hard-place choices. The world is in a bad way, and we’ve known we were heading here for a long time. My job is to bring you the tools to help. Problem is, some people don’t believe in what we’re doing.”
“So, that kind of didn’t answer anything. You talk like you’re not a part of this world. Like this isn’t your home.” Nel pointed at the glove. “And you seem to think we’re in a sci-fi movie.”
Lin’s laugh was dry and humorless. “Alright, say you were given one of those choices, but it meant leaving everything you knew and subjecting generations to a completely alien lifestyle. Well my ancestors made that choice. My brother and I grew up very far from here.”
“Where?”
Lin looked up at the sky again, eyes bright. “You see that little blue-white star there?” She pointed. “Half way between here and there.” They were silent a moment, then her eyes swiveled to Nel.
Nel’s gaze was narrowed on the star. Suddenly her mouth curled and her shoulder shook with silent laughter. That’s it, she’s batshit-crazy. She’s a fucking loon, and here I am on the side of the road at night with her. “Lin, what the fuck?”
“I know, proof. I sound like I’m nuts.” She held out her hand. “This tattoo is conductive. It transmits electric signals from my brain to various devices on my hand. I’ve got other gloves, not just this one.”
Nel glanced back at the road again. “So, assuming I believe you, which I really shouldn’t, you’re like an alien? What is this?”
“Well, not exactly. We’re human. I mean, as human as you are. We lived on a ship with other humans and even another species for a time, though I never met them.”
“And Los Pobladores dislike you because you sound like nut-jobs...?”
“Because we were charged with bringing technologic and biologic solutions to some of the issues you guys have made. Things you normally wouldn’t develop for centuries.”
“Why would you bother? Why would Los Pobladores want to stop you?”
“When the Emissaries first came to my ancestors it was thousands of years ago. Their technology and understanding of science would have seemed like magic, and humans weren't ready to wield that power. Besides, such gifts are best received from familiar faces. As for Los Pobladores, they don’t think we need such tools. They think we're tainting what it means to be human. Perhaps over time, that small difference in opinion caused greater rifts than we realized.”
Nel drew a steadying breath. “And who is 'we?'“
“The Earth-base of the Institute for the Development of Humanity. We realized humans hadn't been preparing for us. The place we were supposed to land was not maintained. It had to be isolated, safe, sacred. I've been on Earth for the past decade looking. I finally found this area and commissioned a survey from a driven, intelligent archaeologist. I think you know the rest.”
“So we were digging up what, your air-traffic control?”
“Landing strip. The ship will navigate to this place with a magnetic field. We needed an electromagnet down here to pinpoint the location. It wasn’t complicated until Los Pobladores went in and destroyed any semblance of peace we had.”
“So why now?”
“Because I worry Los Pobladores will destroy it before I get the chance. They might have beaten us there.” Lin eyed her sidelong. “Can you drive me to the site?”
“You know what they would do if they caught us there?” Nel whirled on her, glaring through the darkness. “I have a damn good idea. It involves beating you to death and leaving you on the side of the road.”
Lin winced. “I’m sorry, Nel.” She unbuckled her belt and hauled the duffle bag over her shoulder. “If I'm not back by morning, there's a letter on my desk. Send it. Then leave Chile and don't look back.” She turned and started hiking up the access road.
Nel slumped into the seat. Adrenaline drained from her system and all she wanted was to cry herself to sleep. She didn’t want to deal with aliens, or ancient space ships, or saving the world. I’m not Indie. “Why now? Why me of all people.” She scrubbed her face with a rough palm. She needed Mikey, she needed the rock that anchored her when everything else was uprooted. Her fingers traced the designs carved in the handle of his trowel. The summer had begun so well. Her own site, her own crew, her best friend laughing beside her.
Now she was alone on the side of a road, in the dark, being chased by madmen. I'm not alone. She looked up to where Lin had disappeared in the blackness of the access road. “You’re going to find someone badass and driven, someone who runs as fast as you do.”
Nel knew she was just as crazy as Lin, but she didn't care anymore. She slammed the Jeep into first. It didn't matter that Los Pobladores had guns and all she had was a trowel and a fuck-ton of anger. It didn't matter that she had no clue who Lin really was. They were running in the same direction.
The Jeep ground to a halt when Lin came into view. She glanced up at Nel, face half lit by the stars. Nel tugged the duffle bag from her grip and jerked her head at the hills. “Alright. Let’s do this.”