Page 158 of Aviatrix

In the middle of the pandemonium, he kisses me. Quick. Chaste. Soothing. His shoulders drop just enough for me to see how badly he needed that.

“We’ll be safer inside,” I whisper.

“You’ll be,” he says. “I have to help.”

“No.” I shake my head. “You don’t. Come inside with me. Please, Eli.”

“If there really are aliens—”

“I need you.” I don’t hesitate. “If they’re here, they’re coming for me. You know they are. I need you, Eli. I need you to stay.”

People keep moving past us, but it’s thinning. Quieter.

“I—”

“I am not above begging at this point, Major,” I say, the words breaking on the edges.

He breathes. Steadies.

And then he nods.

We rush into the room, slamming the door shut behind us. Eli locks it. I press my palm flat against the cool metal, trying to slow my breathing.

The aliens are here. Really, truly here.

And I know exactly why. They’re here for me.

Which makes hiding in this room feel… pointless. Futile.

I turn to face Mom. She’s watching me, her expression taut, like she already knows where my thoughts are spiraling.

But it’s Eli who speaks first.

“We should try the phone,” he says.

I nod, circling the table and picking up the receiver. There’s a dial tone.

“Who do you want to call?” I ask.

“General Salamander,” he says.

I hand him the phone as he punches in the number, then I lead Mom to the far corner of the room to give him privacy.

“Are you okay?” I ask quietly.

She exhales. “I’m fine, Kinley.” Then her eyes narrow slightly. “Is this… is this about the jet your father built?”

“What did you just say?”

“Your dad,” she whispers, wringing her hands. “He built a jet years ago. He said that someone might come looking for it someday.”

“Someone?”

She hesitates, then nods. “Or some… things.”

“This is about VAL?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

Her face drains of color. “So, you know about VAL, then?”