"B" Bill said as we sat in the utility vehicle. They were parked just outside the food court of the mall.
Things had gotten back to normal. Well as usual as they could be with a giant alien spacecraft sitting in their backyard. The mall was busier than it had ever been. Chuck, the local realtor, had told them that he had rented out or sold more houses and apartments in these few days than in his whole career, seeing as he took over his family business straight out of high school that was saying something.
"Nah, A tops," Adrian replied.
The two of them were playing their favorite game, guessing the cup sizes of the women that walked out of the mall exit. There wasn't much to do for security around here now that the military had set up small substations all over town. Crime had dropped to an all-time low. Everyone had liked the increased military presence except for a few individuals.
"So, you are coming tonight, right?" Bill looked over at Adrian.
Their boss Angela had it in her head to celebrate her birthday inside the mall. There was a new restaurant, and with the out of towners shopping and buying as well as needing to eat, the restaurant had become an enormous success.
"Thinking about it," Adrian shrugged. "D" as he pointed to a lady who came out with her cell phone in one hand and four bags in the other.
"C," Bill shook his head. "Push up, I bet you," he smiled. "Come on it will be the first time Cindy will be coming out of the house, she has been asking about you."
Adrian shrugged. His mind was elsewhere, mainly on Solaria back at his house. After what happened two nights ago, things had got interesting. Mostly Solaria kept asking about sex and procreation. He couldn't wait to show her more.
"I'll think about it," Adrian said. Bill nodded his head. He knew better than to push the subject.
"Where are you guys?" Angela said over the radio.
"Food court," Bill replied.
"I need one of you to come over to the pro shop," Angela sighed. "They think one of the local kids stole something."
"I am on my way," Bill replied.
Adrian nodded to him as he exited the vehicle and got into the other. With whirling orange lights and a low siren, Bill took off to the pro shop.
Adrian began thinking about going home. Solaria would have dinner cooked and ready for him. She had told him many times that he didn't have to work, it seemed she could easily make money appear out of nowhere or pay bills online. Adrian thought there had to be a way to get caught, but Solaria tried to explain how she did it and why the currency system around the world wasn't needed, Adrian found it hard to believe.
He had to find a way to get her out of the house. She had been asking to get out and see people and talk with others. Adrian knew if she did her strange reactions to questions would cause people to get wary of her and ask more questions.
There was also Gail. Today she had come by the office and began asking questions. Questions that made it seem she was getting close to the truth. Gail had always been a sharp person. She saw things that no one else could. She was noticing a pattern, and Adrian knew it was only a matter of time before she would figure everything out.
"Adrian? You better head over here," Bill said over the radio.
As Adrian drove closer, he could see a large group of people. He honked his horn. The large crowd thinned enough for him to push through. What he saw as he got out of the vehicle alarmed him. Three soldiers stood with their guns drawn on the three of the teenagers Adrian had encountered the night of the crash.
"Sorry," one of the teens said.
"He crashed his car through one of our checkpoints," the soldier said.
Bill was trying to defuse the situation, and the crowd was harassing the soldiers.
"Quiet!" Adrian roared at the top of his lungs.
Everybody went silent. "Get up," Adrian said to the kids. "All of you, go!" Adrian pointed to the crowd. "It's over!"
"They..." one of the soldiers began to say.
"They are teenagers that stole small items, from a no-name mall, in the middle of nowhere. They have enough adrenaline coursing through their bodies to fuel a football team, and you are pointing a gun at them," Adrian whispered to the soldier.
The soldier nodded. "Sorry, it's been..."
"Get over here," Adrian yanked one of the teens closer. "Where are the items?"
"In the trunk," the teen pointed.
One of the soldiers opened the trunk.
Adrian and Bill walked over and picked the items out. "A tent and two sleeping bags," Bill shook his head.
"You crashed through a military checkpoint because of a tent and two sleeping bags?" Adrian said shaking his head.
"Is this worth shooting two kids for?" Bill said throwing the stolen items to the floor.
"No," the soldiers said shaking their heads.
"Get out of here, before I call your parents," Adrian barked.
The two teens ran off.
"What about the car?" Bill asked.
"Have it towed," Adrian shook his head. The front of the car was nearly torn off.
Adrian sat and watched as the military officer in charge of the two soldiers tore into them. He almost felt bad for them. It seemed everyone was on edge. They still hadn't gotten into the ship; the international deadline was running out. The President was having a hard time convincing the other leaders not to interfere. There were even threats of retaliation if any other countries tried to enter U.S. grounds.
"They will never get into my ship," Solaria said as Adrian wondered what would happen if they got inside. "Nothing on this planet can pierce the hull, not even one of their nuclear weapons."
Adrian stifled a laugh. "But asteroids brought it down?"
"They were made up an ore material that can't be found in this system," Solaria replied.
"Sorry," the officer said as he turned to Adrian and Bill. The officer and the two soldiers left the office. Adrian looked over at Bill, and they both laughed.
It was nearing the end of their shift. Angela told them she had hired new security to work the night shift. Adrian waved at Bill as he got into his car.
When he got out of the parking lot, he was immediately greeted with flashing lights. He quickly pulled over.
"Yes Gail," Adrian said as the officer came up to his window.
"Heard about the commotion at the mall," Gail said as she bent over to look inside.
"I am sure you did," Adrian replied.
"Surprised you didn't call your savior to come bail you out," Gail looked at him.
"Will you drop it," Adrian shook his head. "Ticket me for something or let me go, I have had a bad day. I want to go home and relax."
"Is it at your home?" Gail asked. "I could ask for a search warrant."
"On what grounds?" Adrian asked.
"With everything going on do you think I need a reason? One whisper, one rumor of little green men sighted going into your development, and I would have all the soldiers going house to house," Gail smiled.
"I can transfer out of the house until they are gone," Solaria said. "They won't find anything."
"Go ahead," Adrian said daring Gail. "There is an officer now. Hey!" Adrian began to shout out.
"Nothing," Gail said quickly shaking her head at the military officer.
"You have always been bad at bluffing," Adrian said as he started the car. "Now if that's all?"
Gail stood up. Adrian drove away. He knew Gail wouldn't stop, she had a bone, and she wasn't going to let go. Luckily, he took care of the situation outside the pro shop himself, if Solaria had helped there would be knocking down his door and searching everything.
"I won't help, unless you ask me to from now on," Solaria said.
"That would be a good idea," Adrian replied.
"Do we need to do something about Gail?" Solaria asked.
Something in her voice sounded sinister. Could she mean that she wanted to harm Gail?
"No," Adrian said. "Any attempt to change her mind will only make her dig in more. We need a distraction."
"For who?" Solaria asked.
"The whole town," Adrian shrugged. Everyone was on eggshells. The town felt like it was ready to explode at any moment.
"I have an idea," Solaria said. "I will see you when you return."
Adrian didn't like the way she said that. How could she distract the whole town? Unless she was going to make the ship disappear, that was what she was going to do. "Shit!" Adrian said as he stepped on the gas.
*********************
"Solaria," Adrian yelled as he got into the house.
"I am here," Solaria said as she came out from the bedroom. Solaria stood before him as he walked closer to her. "You can't make the ship disappear. They will still look for it and ...."
"You are worrying too much," Solaria said as she took him by the hand. She led him to the living room. They sat on the couch. "Watch."
Adrian watched the television. As usual, they were showing the spacecraft on the news. They were talking about an international incident if the U.S. didn't hand over information about the craft. Suddenly a bright light shone down on the ship.
"What is that?" one of the news anchors asked.
"It's another ship, identical to the one below," a reporter on the ground said.
"People of Earth, we have come for our damaged craft, and it's dead occupants," a loud booming voice said.
Adrian watched as Solaria's eyes flashed bright colors. The voice came from the screen, but he knew it was Solaria that was saying them.
"Our craft was doing surveillance of your sun when it encountered difficulties. We are sorry for the harm it has caused your planet," the voice said as the ship below began to groan loudly. Slowly it lifted into the air. "We will be leaving your system soon."
