Witness [A First Contact Romance]

29. One Big Party

Earth

2027

"Aeryn," Vehru said in a chuckle. "At long last. It's wonderful to finally see you again."

The commander's arrival set off a chain of events that happened so fast Rory struggled to keep up.

Secret Service surrounded President Saito in a human wall around her as they backed her up for the nearest door, weapons raised. Security did the same for the other leaders as they attempted evacuation.

"It's not necessary. I come in peace." Vehru shrugged. "At least, today."

"Leave them alone." Rory–Aeryn–she didn't know who she was right now. Both of those women and neither of them. Standing before Vehru with panic spreading through the most powerful people in the world, for the first time, she was someone else entirely. She was the Witness. And fuck Vehru if that woman thought she'd decide what that meant. "Don't come to their planet and terrorize them."

Her stomach tied in knots. Would Vehru trap everyone here and prevent evacuation? What kind of defensive measures would the US employ then? The situation could escalate radically and quickly.

Theo clutched her arm, trying to pull her against him, but Rory shook her head. "You should go."

"Don't you ask me to do that." Theo narrowed his eyes.

Vehru didn't move to stop anyone from leaving. Soon, the politicians had successfully evacuated, leaving several generals, soldiers, and Secret Service agents in the room. They all spoke in hurried voices on phones and radios. It reminded Rory of bees buzzing about. Though she couldn't focus on any of them, she couldn't miss the hive of panicked people flying around the room.

In the midst of the chaos, Vehru smiled and spoke calmly, as though they were having a casual conversation. "So many people have missed you. I didn't expect I'd be one of them." The commander's eyes fell down Rory as if measuring the woman she'd grown into. "I did think you'd be different. You were so fierce on Lumiea. Is it your dogs that've made you soft? Or your Earthling? Maybe just forgetting who you are?"

Tossing words carelessly at one another diminished the gravity of what Vehru had done to Rory and her family. To the girl she'd once been when she lived as Aeryn. For a moment, she closed her eyes and saw the dry desert ground in her first moments on Earth. She saw the baby she hardly remembered curling a hand around her finger. Imagined the child's father alone without her.

Rory thought of how many families Vehru had destroyed on her home planet and how many she would destroy on Earth.

Cold fingers of vengeance bit into her heart and squeezed it in the rhythm of its hard beating. When Rory opened her eyes, she stepped closer to Vehru with a slow, purposeful stride.

"Rory–" General Price ripped the phone away from his ear and pivoted to her. Theo grabbed for her.

But it was only Rory and Vehru now. Aeryn and the Commander. The Witness and the one who sent her.