Clone Earth : MELVIN

“I’d say there were two of those things that had you cornered, judging by all that blood,” Chad continued, his tone matter-of-fact.

“I wasn’t the one cornered,” Ari said softly, the words slipping out before she could stop herself. She winced, realizing her mistake. Samantha must have noticed, as she raised a hand to her partner.

“Chad, take it easy on her, okay? It’s her first time on the planet,” Samantha intervened, her voice gentle yet firm.

Chad’s eyebrows raised in surprise, and for a moment, the quiet of the street enveloped them. It stretched on for a beat too long, leaving Ari feeling uncomfortable in the silence.

“How big were they?” Chad finally asked, breaking the tension. He barely dodged another kick from his partner as she hissed about insensitive jerks.

Again, Ari responded automatically, her mind flashing back to the encounter. “Five-feet tall, on all fours,” she recalled, picturing the creature she had shot. “The other walked on its hind legs, kind of like a human; it was between six and seven feet.”

“They’ve evolved again,” Chad snapped, his tone sharp and cutting. “You see, four years ago they were discovered operating shuttles independently. It’s not that hard to believe they’d be less teeth and more weapons by this point.”

“There were still a lot of teeth,” Ari insisted, feeling the need to emphasize the danger they posed. “But you’re talking about them like...” She trailed off, glancing between the two reporters as they exchanged a knowing look. “They’re just mutated planet creatures, right?”

“Right,” Chad replied, his smile tinged with a hint of mischief. Ari’s frown did not go unnoticed by Chad, who seemed to relish in her curiosity. “However, the planet they’re from doesn’t exist.”

Ari’s curiosity piqued at Chad’s revelation, her mind buzzing with questions, but once again, Chad’s questioning took another sudden turn.

A deep frown crossed Chad’s handsome face as he abruptly changed the subject. “How is it you were left sitting and haven’t been cornered by an official yet? By the looks of things, you should have been one of the first people they tracked down.”

Ari shrugged, “My friends just sat me here and told me not to move - and not to talk to anybody.”

Chad laughed, “What’s your name, kid?” Ari bristled slightly at being called ‘kid,’ feeling a hint of irritation. Letting these people know personal details somehow seemed like a bad idea.

“I’m not going to use your name or anything. Just wondering who I’m sharing all my important information with.”

He seemed genuine. Lowering her voice, she answered truthfully. “I’m Ari Kana.”

“Kana...” Ari stifled a sigh as Chad pondered. Here we go. Even outside of the Military, she couldn’t escape people recognizing the connection. “Ben Kana?”

“My dad.”

His face twisted into a painful grimace. “That sucks.”

Samantha shoved him again, misreading the young girl’s incredulous expression. “Shut up!” the reporter seethed.

“I was just expressing my sympathy!” he argued. “I know what kind of man Ben Kana was, and the expectations for his children must be killer for a young girl to live up to.” He turned his frank gaze back to Ari. “I bet you don’t have any friends back on your space station.”

“Again with that mouth!” Samantha interjected, clearly frustrated with Chad’s persistence.

Ari only shrugged. It was true, after all, though maybe not for the reason he was thinking. “I have my brother, don’t need friends.”

“Well then I misread our relationship,” Robie chimed in, his sudden presence catching Ari off guard.

Her face flushed, but that didn’t stop her mouth from running. “I’ve known you for two hours.”

Unphased by her snarky comment, Robie crouched closer to her level, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Going through a life and death situation can expedite such relationships.”

“Or obliterate them,” Samantha muttered. Chad casually chuckled, his amusement drawing Robie’s focus back on them.

“I thought I suggested you not talk to anyone,” Robie reminded Ari, his tone gentle but firm.

“We’re sorry,” Samantha said gently. “She’s a minor, we won’t publish anything she’s said.”

“That’s appreciated,” Robie nodded in acknowledgment.

Chad leaned towards them, a glint of eagerness in his eyes. “But maybe you could share a few details with us?”

If possible, Robie’s eyes sparkled with something aggressive, not like he was about to attack the reporters but as if he were working very hard at holding back the information Chad clearly wanted.

Robie stood and reached his hand down towards Ari. “We have a pathway out. Say goodbye to the nice people.”

Without hesitation, Ari accepted his hand, and with ease, Robie pulled her to her feet.

“Can I ask you one last question about what happened in there?” Chad interjected. Despite her initial awe at his good looks, Ari realized she felt more comfortable with Chad than his female partner.

She nodded.

“When they spin this whole thing as a military drill gone wrong, will you keep silent? Or would you rather the people know the danger the Military is hiding from them?” He held out a strange rectangular object to her. It was black with white writing on it. The characters she instantly recognized as a network domain address. She took the offered object. It was flimsy but smooth between her fingers, the corners sharp.

As Chad’s question lingered in the air, Robie grasped Ari’s arm firmly and pulled her away from the reporters, his expression unreadable.

Ari stumbled slightly, caught off guard by Robie’s abrupt intervention, but she didn’t resist. As they moved away from the scene, Ari couldn’t help but steal one last glance back at Chad and Samantha, wondering what other secrets they might be hiding.

He led her past the crowd, down an alley that stretched all the way to the edge of town and the forest border. Only when they reached the trees did Robie speak. “Sorry,” he sheepishly released her hand. “This is yours.” He slipped her duffle strap off his shoulders, extending it towards her with both hands.

Relief rushed over her as she retrieved the bag, opening the top to confirm what the weight suggested. The broken piece of metal covered by her meager belongings, all dry thanks to the multi-temperature lining.

“Thank you. I’d completely forgotten about this,” Ari said, her chest feeling lighter somehow. This stranger had saved her so many times within hours, which probably made it easier to blindly follow him deeper into the trees before she decided to question. “Um, where are we going exactly? And where’s Lutz?”

“Lutz is a cadet. He’s been given orders to assist his local superiors,” Robie explained. “Plus, Melvin is his hometown. I’m taking you to a place that will have what you need.”

“A transmutationist?” she blurted out, all subtlety gone with the previous adrenaline rush. Robie’s profile smiled, calming her anxiety.

After a minute of walking, the forest opened into a very small clearing, mostly filled by a primitive hut and a fence that lined a good portion of the surrounding trees. “Gilad!” Robie shouted, and a springy little man jumped the fence to greet them.

Though small, bony old man had a prominent nose and angular jawline. His brown eyes, deep and penetrating, held a wealth of knowledge and experience. His black hair, streaked with gray, was shaggy and unkempt, tucked behind his ears in a manner that suggested practicality.

Despite his age, his callused hands spoke of a lifetime of hard work and toil. Yet, despite their rough exterior, they moved with a surprising gracefulness, collecting objects that were foreign to Ari.

“Well hello, Mister Slayden, headed back already?” Gilad asked with a yellowed grin.

“And I’m bringing a friend with me,” Robie replied.

“Oh yes, yes, I see,” Gilad said, hesitating as he looked them over. “Trouble in town, eh?”

Robie’s smile didn’t slip. “Just a bit.”

Gilad didn’t seem interested in pressing the subject. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, miss- is this our first meeting?” he asked kindly to Ari.

Ari’s mouth gaped, confused at how anyone could mistake her bewildered appearance for a familiar face. “It’s her first time here, Gilad. Though her eyes may be the cause,” Robie said gently, hushing her perplexed glances over his shoulder.

“Oh, yes, yes, yes. I see it, Yes.” Gilad nodded, “He will be happy to see you. So you’ll be needing two horses—”

“Two of what?” Ari interrupted, puzzled.

“She’ll ride with me,” Robie grinned.

“Oh sure, sure, sure! I have just the one,” Gilad replied before briskly jumping the fence and disappearing into the trees.

Ari raised her eyebrows. “Energetic little guy.”

“He’s lived out here taking care of the animals for years now,” Robie explained with a frown. Ari nodded, pretending she knew what he meant by animals, when in truth she couldn’t remember what a horse was. She did recognize Robie’s tone of voice; it was the one Trevon used when he was looking out for her. Though, it sounded different coming from someone other than her brother.

Sensing her building hesitation, Robie cleared his throat. “At the risk of overloading you with too much information, you’ve learned about Mages today.” She nodded and he continued, “The place we’re going is a safe place for them to gather. There is a supply transport that goes through the woods once a day, but we missed it. So to safely navigate through the woods, we have to take a more organic transportation,” he was obviously choosing his words carefully so Ari didn’t pick at the discrepancies.

“The woods are that dangerous?” She asked, trying to read his expression.

“At this time of the day, they’re unpredictable. But safe,” he quickly corrected. Though warm beneath Chad’s jacket, a shiver ran across Ari’s shoulders. “You’ll be safe, don’t worry. Gilad’s horses are trained to navigate this terrain.”

“Elementals stress my horses. My colts fail to sleep because of the noises.” Gilad’s voice grumbled from behind them.

Ari turned, then stared. The long, leather straps in Gilad’s hands connected to a magnificent brown-and-white creature. Standing tall and proud, with a muscular build and broad chest. It’s hair sleek and glossy, shimmered in the overcast sunlight. The animal was breathtakingly beautiful yet at the same time its powerful build sent a rod of panic straight into Ari’s heart.

“A Clydesdale?” Robie laughed. “Gilad, is that a fat joke?”

The little man chuckled, observing the dumbfounded look on Ari’s face. “Just take ol’ Roca, she’s getting on mah nerves.”

Robie ran a hand over the enormous creature’s neck before taking a running jump. Certain he was going to crash into the side of the animal, Ari was surprised when his foot caught a low-hanging metal strap. Robie used it to swing his entire body up and mounted the horse with ease. Then he took the leather straps from Gilad and nudged the horse closer to her.

Stumbling backward, Ari wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. For starters, the last creatures she had encountered tried to kill her. And second, this was a living, breathing thing. It could make decisions on its own; therefore, if it decided it didn’t want to be ridden, what would stop it from throwing her off?

“No worry, she’s bery gentle,” Gilad encouraged.

“I know,” Ari sputtered, feeling defensive as she became aware of her ridiculous behavior. “I was just … hoping I could drive.”

“Sure,” calling her bluff Robie smiled as Ari’s face turned shade of red she didn’t know excited. “Well, maybe on the way back,” he amended, reaching down for her.

She let out a slow breath. “Fine.” Cautiously, she took hold of his hand. On the count of three, using the old caretaker’s hands as a step, Robie pulled, and Ari jumped. Surprisingly, she made it all the way up; but as she threw her leg over the side of the animal, it stepped forward abruptly.

Sudden fear flashed through Ari, and she wrapped her arms around Robie to keep from falling off.

“Are you trying to kill me?” she snapped.

Robie’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. “Maybe.” He reached down to Gilad, taking something small and metallic from the caretaker’s extended hand and slipping it up his sleeve. “Thank you.”

“Have fun,” the old man chuckled, tying their bags to the back of the saddle. “And take care!”

Robie nudged the animal forward into the trees.