Shit. Where is it?
Riley frantically looked around for her necklace, when she noticed it was missing. She knelt to look beneath the bench, but it wasn’t laying on the floor.
Fucking hell! No, no, no. I can’t believe I lost it already.
She stomped to the door, and pounded.
“I want my necklace back,” she demanded.
“Your unusual charm has been confiscated. I was intrigued to discover the little bauble contains a data storage device,” Cuttles’ voice came through a panel on the wall.
No, Riley panicked. The greedy bastard probably took her pendant thinking it had value, only to find its true purpose.
“It holds music and pictures. You want me to behave, then give it back.”
“Hoda will be here to escort you to your cell. Do not anger her. She has a nasty bite.”
Riled spun away from the door, as frustration and anger overwhelmed her.
Exo should’ve just deleted the information. Son of a bitch.
Riley lashed out at the exam table, attempting to shove it. The stupid thing refused to budge. She looked around the pale blue room for anything else she could vent her anger on, but the damn room was barren.
Did you think they’d leave you a weapon, tied with a bow? Stop being stupid.
It was proving harder than expected to get her emotions in hand. Acting rashly was never smart. But giving her anger the reins was better than the alternative. Riley worried if she forced down her ire, a more insidious emotion would take its place. Somewhere below the maddening fury, lurked crippling fear. If she gave it an opening, it would rush in. Then she was done for.
That’s exactly what they want you to be, docile and afraid.
Riley whirled toward the door, when she heard it open with a swish.
How many freaking creatures are there here?
Riley was proud that she didn’t blurt the comment as she stared at the pair waiting in the doorway. The creature on the left looked like the unholy union of a toad and a man. Its slimy bald head, was a mottled mix of brown and green spots. The beast on the right, was what Riley assumed would happen if you irradiated a rat. Ratso had mangy gray fur, twitchy pointed ears, and whiskers sticking out from its sharp snout.
“I am Hoda. You will follow me,” the thin-lipped frog croaked, its slimy tongue lolling out.
Cuttles said Hoda has a nasty bite, Riley smirked as she regarded the amphibian warily. She assumed the comment was a pathetic attempt at a joke, since Hoda didn’t have any teeth.
Riley complied, pushing down her instinct to run, when they entered the hall. It would’ve been a foolish move, with all the bizarre aliens moving about the corridor. Over half were armed like Ratso and Hoda. The other creatures appeared to be prisoners, like herself.
The variety of creatures was shocking. The bad guys were mostly the squid, frog, and rat people. The captives were these blue people, who were smaller than she was. That was something, since all the aliens Riley had met so far seemed to tower over her. The pathetic little Smurfs cowered at the slightest sound or sudden move. Their large eyes, rimmed with thick lashes, were so expressive. Riley wondered if these sad little people were the Toufik she’d heard about.
A red door split open, taking them into a new area. Cell after cell lined the corridor. Dozens of the blue people hovered in the small rooms with shimmering barriers. The fear in their giant dark eyes broke her heart.
“So, you make a living off the suffering of others. How’s that make you feel? Do you sleep well at night?” Riley asked when she couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Silence, chattel,” Ratso barked and shoved her from behind.
Riley stumbled, but caught herself.
Hoda turned on Ratso.
“Watch yourself with the exotic merchandise,” she croaked at the furry bastard.
Ratso nodded looking duly chastised, though he still eyed Riley. She ignored the way his gaze burned into her back, walking tall instead, her head held high.
Riley didn’t have much left in life. She didn’t even have her freedom. She was lucky to have the clothes on her back, although they could be taken at any point. So, Riley desperately held onto what she did have, her pride.
They reached a cell, the electric barrier disintegrated, and Riley was goaded inside.
“Riley,” Exo warbled as he rushed forward.
“Get back,” Hoda insisted.
Hoda pushed Exo back, then turned on the flickering door again. Without thinking, Riley reached out to the barrier.
“Don’t,” Exo cried. “It’ll shock you.”
Riley swiftly pulled her hand back. Ever since she left Earth, there had been so many new and unusual things. Not all of them were benign. She needed to remember to look with her eyes and not her hands.
Riley turned to Exo, and wrapped her arms around him. She knew he was safe to touch.