“I thought this room was impossible to find,” I said. “And even if someone made it down here, I thought it was camouflaged.”
“It is,” insisted Tessa. She paused for a moment and then frowned deeply. “My nanites report that all equipment is working fine, including the concealing hologram and force-shield. I don’t know what’s happening.”
Baga looked completely at ease as he made a show of looking at his watch. “Okay, that should be more than enough of a break in my monologue,” he said. “Michelle told me you’d be surprised to see me. Shocked even. And that I wouldn’t be able to see or hear you. But she did assure me that you were in a hidey-hole right in front of where I am. And that you’d be able to see and hear me just fine. So let me bring you up to speed.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Michelle made some instant personnel changes right after you escaped. Brought about by Nick Nicola’s defection and reclassification as enemy number one. Bad for him, but good for me. Seems I’ve moved up in the organization. I’ve had some very busy hours since I came to in the woods. Nonstop, really. Michelle decided to let me in on a little secret. Turns out you were right, Jason. She isn’t human. She even gave me a joyride in a UFO to prove it.”
He shook his head. “Sadly, I’m the only one of the men to know, and she wants to keep it that way. Which is why I’m presently unaccompanied. I guess it really is lonely at the top.
“So here’s the deal. Michelle wasn’t happy that we lost you last night. But you did mention that an alien you call Nari was going to give you privileged information this morning. So your escape has a silver lining. Now she gets to find out what he told you.”
“How did she know we were here, Bob?” demanded Tessa. “In this bunker?”
Baga jumped back as if he had heard the voice of God, meaning that Tessa must have ordered her nanites to allow us to be heard, at least temporarily.
“Nice to hear your voice again, Tessa,” he said, recovering quickly. “Although I’d prefer to see you.” He grinned. “I don’t suppose you’d be up for another striptease act?”
“I’m going to kill you, Bob,” she replied coldly. “With my bare hands.”
“Wow. Seems like you’re a little touchy today.”
“How did Michelle know where we were?” she repeated.
Baga shrugged. “You got me. She just told me she was sure you were here, and ordered a chopper to drop me off at the entrance. From there she guided me down here through my comm, and explained I’d have to talk to a wall of rock, but that you’d be inside.”
“Finding us is one thing,” said Tessa. “Getting in here—or us out—is quite another. And reinforcements are on the way.”
Baga smiled again. “She said you’d say that. All of it. But she wanted me to remind you that it would be a mistake to underestimate her. You were sure she’d never find you here, weren’t you? So when I tell you that she has a device that can nullify the small force field that’s protecting your bunker, you’d better believe it. She doesn’t want it delivered via UFO—that would raise too many eyebrows among the men—but a helo will be on the way soon. So make yourselves comfortable. I have dozens of men watching your only exit topside with enough artillery to win a war.
“Not that you’d even make it that far. Because on the way in I dropped plenty of smart mines that Michelle supplied me with. Smart mines packed with smart explosives. Explosives that will respond to your presence while ignoring mine.
“Michelle told me why you seemed so superhuman last night,” continued Baga. “Basically it’s because—well, because you are. So we’ll be plenty prepared for anything you might throw at us.”
“You have no idea who you’re working for,” I said. “Did Michelle tell you she plans to destroy the entire human race?”
There was a brief pause. “Good try,” said Baga amiably. “But I’m not going for it. Seems to me that if that was her intent, we’d already be destroyed.”
“It’s more complicated than that,” I said.
“Look, as much as I love chatting with the two of you, I have work to do. So I’ll take my leave. Remember, if you exit the bunker, the mines will see to it that the insides of your bodies end up on the outside.”
He tossed a small black electronic device on the floor. “If you feel like surrendering at any time, just give me a shout through this relay. In any case, I’ll be seeing you real soon.”
Tessa screamed in rage at the top of her lungs as Baga left the area. I had never seen her act this way.
“Are you going to be okay?” I asked.
“Of course not, you moron!” she snapped. “Or weren’t you listening? Nari had big plans for you. Plans that Michelle will spoil when she has you put to death. No chance Nari will figure out where we are and come to the rescue before they pry us from this room, so I’m going to have to sell you out to boot. Just to be certain she’ll let me go. Nari’s going to be so pissed off.”
Tessa’s glorious eyes filled with rage. “God dammit!” she screamed. “And just when I was sure I could win you over again. Get you back in love with me.”
She shook her head. “Although maybe it’s just as well. If I had to profess my love for you one more time, there’s a good chance I’d have choked on my own vomit.”
My eyes widened in horror at the barrage of venom coming my way. It was the greatest impersonation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde I had ever witnessed. “Tessa, what’s going on?” I said. “I’ve never seen you like this.”