Alien: Revelation | Aliens Vs. Murder Drones 3

04

N arrived at Nori’s place, Hecate bundled close to his side, still sniffling after the nightmare but visibly toughening up at the sight of her dad's rare stern expression. He knocked, listening for any shuffling inside, but there was only silence. He tried the handle, only to find the door locked.

"Maybe Grandma's not home," Hecate mumbled.

N frowned. Nori was usually a little too present in their lives to not be around for something like this. He knocked again, harder.

"I can go through the vents if you want," Hecate offered, a mischievous glint in her optic. “Just give me a boost.”

N shook his head firmly. “No way, biscuit bite. Not letting you crawl around in there. We’ll just—”

Before he could finish, a voice from behind him cut through the quiet like a serrated blade.

"Look at you, N. Can't even handle a locked door. I knew you were incompetent, but this is a new low."

N sighed, not even turning around. "Hello, J."

J smirked as she strolled up beside him, casually slinging her arm around Nori, who followed behind, looking suspiciously innocent. J’s expression flickered as she noticed Hecate glaring up at her, hands on her hips, little brows furrowed with all the intensity a nine-year-old could muster.

“Don’t talk to my dad like that!” Hecate barked, planting herself between J and her father like a guard dog.

N glanced down at her, surprised but touched by her fierce loyalty. Before he could stop himself, he smiled a little.

J rolled her optics, then gestured at Nori. “Don’t flatter yourself, N. I wasn’t even here for you. She,” she jabbed a thumb at Nori, “was trying to steal my ship.”

N crossed his arms. “And where exactly were you two last night?”

Nori shot him a sly grin. “Oh, you know, just indulging in a little… vigorous make-out session with your old boss.”

J’s digital expression scrunched up, and she quickly elbowed Nori. “Not even in your dreams, you out-of-date microwave.”

Nori chuckled and shrugged. “Fine, fine. If you must know, I heard the Solver talking to me and was trying to borrow J’s ship. Just a quick trip—nothing major. Although…” She trailed off, giving N a look that held just a hint of mischief. “I also happen to know that your dear wife skipped out last night. Left Gateway Station, actually.”

N stiffened, a storm brewing in his optics lights. “How do you know that?”

“Oh, I may or may not have been tracking her,” Nori said, waving a hand dismissively. “Just to keep you from, you know, eating her.”

A cold silence filled the air, and N’s expression hardened, his jaw clenching. “You what?” His voice was barely a whisper, low and dangerous. “You’ve been spying on us, thinking I’d… I’d hurt her?”

Nori just shrugged, unbothered. “I’m just being a good mother, N. You can’t expect me to leave my daughter completely alone with—”

But before she could finish, Hecate, whose visor now had a tick to represent her rage, jumped in front of her dad, glaring up at Nori and J with pure fury. “My dad would never hurt my mom! You’re just a big, dumb—”

Her anger burst out in a bark of frustration, and she sank her teeth into J’s leg.

“OW!” J yelped, jerking her leg back. She glared down at Hecate, but there was a glint of reluctant respect in her eyes. “Okay, N, take your little rugrat and go home before she takes a chunk out of my other leg.”