It took a moment before the main door to swing in slightly, showing the security door, preventing further entry.
“Uh, are you Natasha Strickland?”
“Who’s asking?” The tall woman with immaculate dark hair eyed her, and then Zelron standing behind her.
“A friend said you could help us. We need to contact the Kelon space station in orbit around our moon.”
Scepticism flashed in her pretty blue eyes. “Why would you need to do that?”
“Because my big friend, behind me here, is Kelon.”
Natasha stared up at Zelron. “This is Zelron; his ship crashed here during the big firefight the Kelons and the other aliens had over Earth, only he was never rescued, but captured and experimented on by none other than M.A.R.C. Cosmetics. I’m Providence Velour. Six days ago, I went into the Northern Factory in Butterfield Creek to fix an electrical fault. It’s where I discovered they were not only keeping Zelron captive, but they have other aliens down there, doing god knows what to them.”
Natasha moved and unlocked the second door, swinging it open. “I think you better come in.”
Chapter 13
Frankie gripped the steering wheel, his teeth grinding as he stole glances at his phone’s screen. He bypassed the odd house with the Star Trek symbol stuck to the front. His targets hadn’t stopped here long. He continued following them into the Yarraville area, easily finding the now abandoned Jeep Wrangler. They haven’t gone to the police, yet, so what were they up too?
Spotting his targets exiting the building, he noted they were now with a third person. Frankie tensed, easily recognizing celebrity television reporter, Natasha Strickland. The boss wasn’t going to like this. No need to let the boss know what was happening, however, it was time to pull out his sniper rifle. If they were heading to the television station, all he needed to do was set himself up and wait for the right moment.
Whether they talked or not, it didn’t matter. It was only a matter of time before he finished his job.
* * * *
Providence was certain her heart was going to pound out of her chest. She sat and watched as Zelron talked into the microphone.
Television station personnel set up the equipment he needed to make the call. Of course, Natasha Strickland insisted she record everything on camera.
However, it didn’t matter as no one understood the low, growling tones of his alien language. She realised how hard it must been for him to have learned English. Her smart, strong and handsome alien was so out of her league.
The visible relief on his face while he communicated with the station above brought a lump to her throat. He was kept, tormented and tortured for too long. Now, he was going home.
“The police are on their way to the station. It looks like we’re all going to sit down while you make a full report.”
“My people will land on the roof when they have tracked the signal coordinates to this location.”
Natasha kept staring at Zelron in a way which made Prov uncomfortable, like he was a tasty treat she’d like to devour.
“How did you get those scars, honey? Did the company do it?” Natasha moved in almost purring, running her hand down his side.
“No, long ago in battle with Xersons.” He stood up, moving away from Natasha’s grasp.
“Well, we can still use that. Handsome, battle-scarred Kelon hero, victim of greedy cosmetics company.” She glanced in the air, swiping her hands about as if she could see the words written there.
As they sat waiting in Strickland’s plush office, Prov turned to stare out over the night-time city of Melbourne. Feeling eyes on her, she glanced back to find Zelron standing over her.
He squatted down, taking her hands into his larger, warmer ones. How he dwarfed her hands in his. Only he could make her feel small, delicate and, most of all, a woman.
All her life, she’d battled to be something she wasn’t. It took Zelron to make her realise she was all female; that is was something to be celebrated and not hidden. Her dad was wrong and she felt determined to never live in his shadow again.
“My little one, all will be well now. My people are coming.”
She forced herself to smile. “That’s great. You get to go home and have a nice long holiday.”
Her heart fluttered and her stomach pitched when he looked at her seriously. Was this it? Was now the time he would tell her goodbye? “Before they come, I need to ask you…”
The door burst open and a wiry guy with large earphones hooked around the back of his neck barged in. “Hey! A huge spaceship just landed on the roof and we got cops downstairs.”
“You bring the cops up here, while we go get the Kelons,” Natasha ordered.