Subjects

48 - The Greatest Power Of All

"Are you saying you know how to speak alien?"

Roger's newfound ability is mind-blowing. He says a bunch of words that none of them understand with a huge smile. "I know how to speak alien!"

"I want to remember too!" Eva turns to Ben.

"Eva, remember," Ben says. He feels a little silly saying this, he feels like the influence is working but he has no clue what it does. "Did it work?" He asks.

Eva takes the notebook. "I still can't read it," she says.

"Maybe he taught you something else," Roger says.

"I don't know," Eva looks around the room, trying to find something familiar. She knows she was here, she remembers how she paced around the room, reciting the latest bit of information Leo found important. "Wait! I think I remember. I think he taught me history."

"History?" Emily asks.

"Something like that," Eva says. "Alien history, customs, how their society works. It is hard to remember everything because there is just so much. Oh, did you know that their skin color is actually green? Even Leo had green skin! We just never noticed. Apparently, they chose the palest ones so that we won't notice the difference."

Eva is overwhelmed by the amount of information she is only beginning to remember. She doubts that even at school she learned as much. Maybe Leo's a really good teacher, or the influence helps somehow.

"Emily?" Ben turns to her. "You want to remember?"

"Yes."

Emily takes some time to figure it out too but eventually, she understands. Leo taught her science. He taught her about the experiment and about genetic engineering. There are so many things and she can barely comprehend them all.

"This is so cool!" Ben says. "It's like you have superpowers!"

"I wonder what's your superpower," Eva says.

"I don't know," Ben says. "I think he wasn't planning for things to go this way."

The four of them, even though getting superpowers is great, all agree that the best part of that day is the shower. Emily and Roger both went to get the bags from the garage and from Max's house. Alice told them they can stay as long as they need.

"I think we should leave tomorrow," Ben ruins the mood at the dinner table. "They know where you live, it's too risky to stay."

"Sadly, I agree," Eva says between bites of the pizza they ordered.

Alice looks at Angie with concern, "do you think they will come after her?"

"Yes, I'm sure they will," Ben says.

Alice nods, "then we will come with you."

The doorbell rings.

"Did you order anything else?" Ben asks Alice.

"No," she is looking at the door, brows furrowed.

Ben gets up from the table, walks to the door slowly and silently, and then leans to look through the peephole. "It's a woman," he mouths silently at the others.

Alice gets up and walks over too, a little less stealthily than Ben did. She peeps at the woman and tries to think why would she show up there, now of all times. None of Alice's neighbors and friends have visited lately. Maybe she's a tax collector, Alice is sure she is way behind. But at this hour?

"Do you know her?" Ben whispers.

Alice shakes her head.

"We should probably wait until she leaves," Ben suggests.

As they move back to the table the bell rings again. And again. Then there is a short break of silence before the bell rings three more times.

"Should I open?" Alice is getting nervous.

"No!" They all say. All except Angie, who is sitting on the counter and pushing her face to the kitchen's window, trying to see the woman.

The door flies open with a crash. Into the house steps the woman, calm, measured. She stands in front of the stunned group and reaches for her back to take out a gun they couldn't see before.

"Auntie Roa?" Angie's little voice calls.

The woman stares at Angie, surprised. She keeps pointing her gun at the group who still sits at the table.

"Do you know her, honey?" Alice asks with a shaky voice.

"You're dad's sister!" Angie sounds more convinced now. "He showed me pictures, what are you doing here?"

I feel like we need a short recap of the events that lead up to this moment, just to get things in place. Let me introduce a new extraterrestrial to this story. Name - Roa. Occupation - elimination of, how to put it, problematic? Yes, problematic humans. Her relation to our favorite character - (I can't believe you are even asking! Of course I'm talking about Angie) aunt, Leo's little sister.

Roa is one of the best assassins from her planet, having a perfect record at hundreds of missions. She is the one who helps speed things up where they need to be sped up or stop them when they need to stop.

Of course, she was not happy (furious, more like) when she heard about how her only brother died. In her line of work, becoming likable is not the very first priority. Leo was more or less the only one who genuinely cared about her. Still, it doesn't mean she has to agree with him. Leo made many stupid decisions on earth, most of which Roa didn't even hear about, Leo never told her. By stupid decisions, I mean starting a family, having Angie.

Roa was mostly disgusted to hear about what Leo did. Ruining the experiment is one thing, she never really cared about that. To her, influence is overrated, blades and guns are better. No, what upset her most of all is how he... Blah... She gets an urge to puke even thinking about it. Why would he even want to be around those repelling... Things! She thought she knew her brother better than that.

Following them around the city was easy. It was as if they wanted her to find them. She watched the house all day to study them. Not that there was too much to study, the firsts have more complexity than them. She was almost surprised when they didn't open the door for her. Well, kicking the door open is just as satisfying.

"Auntie Roa?"

Roa looks at the small girl sitting on the kitchen counter. So this is who the scientists were all so scared of. She's probably a big softie, just like her father. With those innocent doe eyes and that hopeful smile. Oh, yes. She is exactly like her dad.

Roa's hand is shaking. She tightens her grip on the gun and turns to the humans, she'll deal with them first.

"What are you doing here?" The girl swings off the counter and steps closer, unafraid. As if she knew what Roa was thinking, just like he always knew.

Roa releases the safety, she should have her eyes on the target by now, she should aim. This was usually the best part for her, looking them in the eyes when they know what's coming. Now she is distracted. No doubt, even in this state she can complete her task, but the girl took out all the fun in it.

"Wait! No!" The girl moves in front of Roa and makes her look at her again. "Don't do it."

Roa can't even think of firing now. All she can think of are those eyes. His eyes, Leo's eyes. Why is this so hard? She never hesitates, never feels, this is who she is. Why is this happening? Why now?

She runs out like a storm. Before any of the people in the room can realize what happened, she is gone. Only four streets away she stops to catch her breath. For the first time in her life, she failed.