Alpha Centauri

Sixteen - Julian

 I do my best to hold in my scream and drive the fork into his side. The alien grunts, but we both know it's going to take more than silverware to take it down.

I thrust out my hand, and the alien goes flying into the wall, making several huge cracks, dust bursting from each one.

The beast snarls and jumps to his feet, its clawed arms splayed.

I should have seen this coming. The aliens are good. They look so human at first glance. You can't tell what they really are until it's too late. There's no telling how many more are in the restaurant.

I want to fight the monster, but the only thing my mind can focus on is getting Jaden and Nizami to safety.

But it doesn't seem to care about Nizami and my sister right now. After they're done with me, they can take out Jaden easily. I won't be there to protect her.

I throw out my hand again, and the alien is pinned to the wall like a huge, invisible hand is keeping it there. It squirms and gasps for air. I'm about to close my fist and crush its windpipe when a huge force slams into me from the side, killing my focus.

It's the guy in the trench coat. Only he's an alien, and he's much less old and slumped over. It takes an insane amount of strength to kick it off, but I eventually do and scramble away.

I can't go two against one. I don't know how long Nizami will be out. I need a weapon. I don't think any amount of forks will help me.

The kitchen.

I fling my hand, and both the beasts go flying. It delays them just long enough for me to make a mad dash for the kitchen.

I telekinetically yank open a kitchen drawer, and four knives float out in a single file, one after another as if they had been rehearsing it. Just when the aliens come tearing into the kitchen, the knives slice through the air and freeze, aimed at the heart of each one.

I have them cornered, and they know it, but I know they're not going to back down. I have a feeling they've got more tricks up their sleeves. Like the multiple arms. Literally up their sleeves.

"What do you want with me and my sister?" I demand.

"We don't want anything with you. We want you dead," the trench coat alien hisses.

"Who—what are you? What do you want with Crenala?"

Neither of them complies. I flick my index finger, swinging the heavy kitchen door shut behind them. It clicks locked. I will the knives to inch closer. "Well?"

They don't answer. They just make a series of hisses which I guess is laughter.

"Tell me or I'll kill you both!"

"If you kill us, you'll never find out."

I grit my teeth and flick my wrist, making one of the knives sink into the older alien's gnarled face. I keep one arm extended, keeping the remaining knives aimed at the former waiter. I fling one arm out to the side, sending the deceased beast crashing into the cabinet set along the wall. The wood splinters, and glass shatters and flies everywhere.

I flick my eyebrows up as if to say, "That change your mind?"

Fear flashes in the alien's red eyes. Clearly they underestimated me. Frankly, I underestimated me. One of the knives presses closer, the tip touching the alien's skin.

"Who do you take orders from? Where are they?"

The young alien obviously isn't as experienced as the other one. I know he'll give in if I push him hard enough. I almost laugh in triumph.