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40 - And Then It All Goes To Hell

"We have to decide where are we going," Emily says. "I don't know how long the fuel will last and we are going to run out of VEPP eventually."

"What's VEPP?" Jeff asks.

"The most disgusting thing you'll ever taste," says Eva.

"And the only food we've got," Ben adds. "We need to get off their radar. Stock up and disappear somewhere. After we drop off Jeff of course."

"I think we need to go back to San Francisco," Roger says.

"What?" Emily asks. "Why? This is the first place they'll look for us."

"We need to take Angie home," Roger glances at the sleeping girl. She fell asleep in Eva's arms while they were still explaining the technicalities of the influence to Jeff. "She has a mom that worries about her, we can't keep her with us."

"No," Ben interferes. "She can't take care of her."

"And we can?" Eva asks.

"At least we know the truth," Ben says.

"We don't know what her mom knows," Roger points out.

"Still," Ben says. "It's too risky."

"We have nothing, Ben," Eva says. "Nothing but the cloths we wear and this stupid piece of metal that's probably going to break down at any second."

"She's right," Emily says. "About the ship breaking down soon, at least. But I'm still not sure it's a good idea to go home now."

"If we plan this right, they won't find us," Roger says. "We can hitchhike all the way to the city, get supplies at home and leave. And about Angie," he stops to see that she didn't wake up. "Her mom has to at least know that she is okay. We can't just take her, she's eight!"

"I get it, Roger," Ben gets up and starts pacing. "But it's not as simple as that. How do we know they are not watching our houses? Angie's house? If her mom is even..." He doesn't finish his sentence. "Look, if we really want to do this, there are some things we need to consider. That's all I'm saying."

Throughout the entire conversation, Jeff was watching them argue and wondered how he got into this madness. His Captain obviously was on something, no doubt about that. The thing is, their story is way too... Completely mental, to be made up. Plus, it's hard to deny that flying in a spaceship is pretty convincing. Stolen spaceship, but still. And the creatures too...

"We don't have to go home," Eva says. "We can have someone we trust helping us. We meet them someplace the aliens don't know, like work or school, and talk to them. They go home, we meet again the next day with all of our things and run off."

"What about Angie?" Ben asks.

"What about her?" Eva doesn't get what he wants.

"How do we know where to meet her mom?"

"We can ask Angie where her mom works..." Eva has to resist the urge to roll her eyes but her tone still sounds annoyed. "We need to do this, Ben. What other choice do we have?"

Ben doesn't answer her question. Instead he says, "and what if her mom is not there? What if she's gone?" Ben leans on the back of Eva's sit. Then he realizes he can't think while standing still and starts pacing again.

"We've been through this already," Roger says. "We need to at least try to find her mother. What if she knows something?"

"I doubt it," Ben says.

"I agree with Roger on that," Emily says. "She is Leo's wife. Was, at least. Maybe she knows something that can help us."

"Or maybe she will sell us to the aliens for her daughter!" Ben kicks around a screwdriver that was left on the floor.

"Stop trying to find excuses for why we shouldn't do this," Eva says. "Not everybody is out to get you."

"I used to trust people," Ben says. "Back when I had a normal life where I didn't get kidnapped or experimented on. Now, not so much."

"I liked you better back then," Eva whispers a little louder than she intended.

"I liked you better back then too," Ben seethes at her.

"I can't listen to you two arguing again," Emily goes to the control panel. They are all quiet now, Eva feels ashamed for getting so upset. Ben just wishes he was alone for once. Emily calls to them, "tomorrow we should be getting to land if I'm right. It's kind of hard to tell without the tracking system. We need to get rid of the ship anyway and then we'll decide what to do."

"Fine," Ben says as he leaves the main area. He heads to where the porch should be. Not an actual porch, of course, but there is a door at the back of the ship that they used to open and sit there to keep watch as they were floating in the sea. So this is where Ben is going now.

He tries to open the door but it is locked. The ship must be locking itself automatically when it flies. Ben tries a couple more times but then gives up and sits on the floor with his back against the wall.

"Your life's messed up," Jeff wheels himself to where Ben is.

"Leave me alone, Jeff," Ben is not even looking up to see who it is.

"No, I won't leave you alone you ungrateful git," Jeff wheels even closer and since this exit was obviously not planned for wheelchairs, he completely blocks the path. "I don't get it, do you like feeling sorry for yourself? Do you like pushing people away?"

"I told you. To leave me. Alone," Ben still stares at the wall in front of him as if it shows his favorite TV show, if he had one. Because obviously he doesn't, because TV is a waste of time, as he always said, back when he had a TV.

"You know, I don't even know why I like you," Jeff continues. "One day you will thank me for trying so hard with you. That is if you ever grow up."

"I'll thank you if you shut up."

"I thought you were this all-knowing survival guru," Jeff says. "That's what you said at least. Always be prepared. Nothing is impossible if you plan correctly."

"Until all your plans go to hell."

"Your friends are trying," Jeff says and Ben doesn't bother telling him they're not his friends. "What are you so afraid of?"

Now Ben finally looks at him. "How can you judge me? You don't know anything! You don't know what it's like having your world turned upside down, having no power to stop it. I'm trying to keep everybody safe, I'm trying to do what's right. What am I afraid of? Seriously? I'd give my life away to know they are safe. But I guess it doesn't matter."

"So stop acting like everyone's against you, Ben," Jeff says. "Why? Just because they don't agree with you?"

"No," Ben is pretty sure he has a good answer when he opened his mouth but now he can't remember what it was. A million thoughts are running through his head, the first few being "because I'm right and they're wrong", "how is this his business, anyway?", and "I can't change my mind now, after all this arguing". He starts tapping his foot anxiously. Jeff isn't saying anything, possibly to let Ben think things over but more likely because he ran out of things to say.

"Maybe you're right," Ben says. "I just hate this. I hate how nothing's working anymore. I like when I plan things and then everything is going just like I meant it to."

"I don't know what world you've been living in," Jeff says. "But it ain't earth."

"Whatever," Ben says. "I'm usually good at this stuff," (Jeff says "creating alternate worlds where everything is perfect?" but Ben ignores him). "There is so much we don't know and things just keep getting worse no matter what we do. Maybe I should stop planning and expecting things to go right, maybe I should just... Do what feels right."

"Exactly," Jeff says.

Ben gets up from the floor, "now let me through, I need to talk to Eva."

"I knew it!" Jeff says and wheels back to let Ben pass.

"Knew what?" Ben squeezes away and doesn't wait for an answer.

Jeff watches him go and says, mostly to himself, "you're hopeless, Ben."