Chapter 4

Niklaus picked up the satellite phone he used for communicating with others from the team. He dialed Extor’s number and it rang a few times before it was answered.

“You in Helsinki with Veronika?” asked Niklaus.

“Of course. You have the boy with you?” Extor replied.

“You already know the answer to that.”

“If we know the answers to each other’s questions, why are we talking?”

“It’s gone on too long. Pavlina is in there telling him the truth right now and I laid the groundwork by showing him his DNA.”

Niklaus could hear Extor’s sigh of disgust. “Why the hell did you do that? We agreed to give them more time in case their parents show up.”

“Well, for one thing, I’m tired of seeing my daughters waiting. They have no idea how to relate to each other and Aeden has so much to learn about Alniham’s culture and society. It can’t be done overnight. I’ve heard whispers that Saug himself may be on this planet orchestrating their capture. We cannot wait any longer.”

Extor took another deep breath. “Yes, I’ve heard the same. I guess you may be right. How should we tell Veronika?”

“It needs to be someone she knows and trusts which means it’s you or Aeden.”

“OK. We’ll play it by ear. Let’s see how Aeden handles it first and then we will decide how to approach Veronika.”

Aeden wasn’t sure he heard Pavlina correctly. “Our species?”

Pavlina reached out and Aeden reluctantly let her take his hands. “Aeden, our families are not from Earth. We are from another planet called Alniham. It’s the center star in Orion’s Belt as seen from Earth, about 1300 light years away.”

Aeden tried to pull his hands away, but she squeezed his hand so hard it surprised him. “Hear me out” she said with enough intensity to get his attention. “We are what you would call, alien hybrids. YOUR mother designed our DNA and basically hand-crafted each of us.”

Aeden stared at her, “Each of us?”

“Yes. Me, my little sister Marketa, you, Veronika and a few others, we think.”

“You think?”

“Yes. Part of our parent’s crew landed in the Soviet Union and no one has heard from them in years.”

Aeden sat there and looked at her and started to laugh. “I have to hand it to you, this is a great practical joke. You even have your dad involved. Who put you up to it? Someone who thinks I did them wrong? Doug and Mitch? Let me see you do something out of the ordinary.”

“I’m going to make you kiss me.”

“Good one. OK. I’m waiting.”

Pavlina focused on what she wanted and mentally projected it at him. Aeden felt a strange sensation at first and then it slowly built into a compulsion. He fought the urge but found he was moving towards her. Her lips were all he could think of. Finally, the urge was too great and he put his hand behind her head and pulled her into a passionate kiss. She reached up and reciprocated the motion, losing her concentration as she got wrapped up in a swirl of hormones.

They kissed for a few moments and then reluctantly pulled away, both panting. After catching his breath, Aeden said, “Can you make anyone do anything?”

“I don’t think so. I’m not even sure it works on humans. Marketa and I practice on each other occasionally so we’re not skilled at it. It takes too much focus and you saw how slow things developed. I don’t know how practical the ability can be.”

Pavlina got up and walked into another room and came back with what looked like x-rays to Aeden. “I know my father showed you the DNA results, and I know you have doubts as to whether they are real. They are.”

Aeden’s skeptical look stopped her so she paused so see what he might say. “How do you know that?”

Pavlina smiled and sat down. “Because we’re now bonded. It creates a connection that will grow and strengthen in time. My sister and I share one, although not in the same manner as you and I. You and your sister share one.”

Aeden had a puzzled expression, prompting Pavlina to continue. “You guys have a very close relationship, right? Closer than most siblings?”

“Yes.”

“Do your or have you ever had fights?”

“Not really. I get annoyed with her sometimes.”

“And what happens?”

“She makes herself scarce for a while.”

“Veronika has a way of magically showing up at just the right moments, doesn’t she? Almost as if she knows exactly what you’re feeling?”

Aeden thought about it for a moment. “Yes.”

“And then there was that time she showed up in Miami unannounced right after Gwen was murdered? You hadn’t told anyone at the time so there’s no way she could’ve known. What did she tell you when she arrived?”

“That she felt something bad happened and I needed her.”

“Bingo!” Pavlina said using her finger to emphasize her point. “I’ll bet she would say you are always there for her in much the same manner. Am I right?”

“Probably,” Aeden agreed.

“Anyways, these are CAT scans we’ve taken over the years,” she said placing a small stack down on the table. “This one is of a normal human. You see how the lobes are shaped and how the colors look? These dark colors indicate unused parts of the brain.”

“I suppose you’re going to show me yours, next?”

“You got it bucko! This here’s mine. You like my Americanisms?”

Aeden smiled at her attempted humor.

“You see how these lobes’ shape and size are completely different. The colors are much more vibrant and there are barely any dark spots. Once you develop an eye for reading these, you’d see other less distinctive differences, too. What stands out the most is the size, shape and location of the lobes. We share a few commonalities with humans, but not much.”

She let him compare the two CAT scans until he nodded that he was satisfied. “Here is yours from earlier. The colors are the biggest difference, mainly because you had just suffered a concussion. The overall architecture is the same, but it appears we have slight differences. I don’t know if it’s a male/female difference or if you were designed differently. Don’t forget your DNA has the royal signature and mine does not, so it’s feasible your mother designed us all a little differently. Without a larger pool to pull from, I won’t know.”

Aeden compared his to the other two for a few minutes.

“You wanna see something trippy?” she asked.

“Trippy? What kind of word is that?” Aeden laughed.

“Isn’t that American for weirdly interesting?”

“I guess it is now. Yes, I’d like to see something... ‘trippy’.”

Pavlina pushed the last CAT scan over to Aeden. “This ... is my father’s. We’ll have to destroy it later. Our parents are very protective of our physiological data.”

“Wow! This looks nothing like any of them! I guess I can see why you wouldn’t want this getting in the wrong hands.”

“Yes. We don’t want to make the governments’ job any easier if they were to decide to raid us. They know we are little different, but leave us alone as long as they benefit from having us around, much like I would assume is the case with your family.”

“Sounds logical. Perhaps that’s why my parents disappeared? Someone decided they were no longer useful?”

“Maybe, but if it had been the government I would expect they would’ve also come for you and your sister. It’s best to not speculate too much on these things. There are too many unknowns to piece together a workable theory. If you start now, you’ll cloud your judgement later when things start to fall into place.”

“This is all well and good, but I’m still having my doubts. You tell me of this other world that exists, but it’s hard for me to accept. It will take some time to get used to it and I can’t guarantee I’ll ever fully believe it without more definitive proof.”

“Fair enough. Have you talked to your little sis lately? You might want to check in with her. I’m sure she’s concerned for you.”

Pavlina picked up Aeden’s cell phone from the counter and handed it to him. He hit her button on the speed dial and soon heard it ringing through. After a few rings, she picked up and said “Hey big-bro, how are things in Prague? I heard you guys lost in the finals. Were you busy chasing girls rather than playing volleyball?” She giggled after saying the last part. She loved teasing him, it was what she lived for.

They grew up with foster parents, never knowing their real parents, so Aeden was everything to her and she worshiped the ground he walked on. Not so much because he was her big brother, but because he always watched out for her, supported her, and was there when she needed it. In the new moon darkness of life, she knew he would always be there for her.

“Actually, I think I’m being chased by one. In fact, I’ve been caught. I’m stuck in some private clinic with a mysterious Czech girl and her parents that claim to have known our parents. In fact, they claim to know everything about us and that they were actually lifelong friends with our parents.”

Pavlina raised her eyebrow at that statement.

“Well, you are a fairly big sports celebrity back home, I’m sure it wasn’t hard for them to research most of it and fill in the rest with intelligent guesses. You said you were in a clinic? What’s up with that? Should I expect an invitation to a shotgun wedding anytime soon?” she said as she giggled some more. She had a feeling he wasn’t in any real danger, or at least that he believed he wasn’t in danger, which was good enough for her.

“Some Russian clobbered me in the head with the ball and then wiped my feet out from underneath me. I fell and hit my head on the court, resulting in a concussion. I’ve been in the clutches of that girl ever since then. They said I was mostly fine and something about how my recovery powers were faster than a human. Which is a strange thing to say.”

“Wow, that sounds like the plot of a bad SOL story, but I always said you were out of this world! Maybe you hit your head a little harder than you thought? Does my future sister-in-law have a name?” Veronika snickered.

Pavlina spoke up. “Yes, Pavlina Heikkenin. Jak se máš?” [How are you doing] Veronika shot up in bed completely at attention. “Wait, What the hell? No way! Mám se dobře a ty?” [I am fine, and you? ] Pavlina smiled and laughed. “I am doing well, thank you! That’s not bad Czech you speak considering I put you on the spot. How is your team doing?”

“We lost to the stupid Brazilians again. One of these days we’ll beat them! So, what is my big brother doing with you, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Aeden was fascinated listening to the two girls talk. It was almost like watching a chess game, but the moves were more subtle.

Pavlina gave him a look and held up her index finger, “I’m bonding with my future husband.”

Both Aeden and Veronika were speechless for a few moments. Pavlina reiterated her ‘silence’ hand motion to Aeden as she waited for Veronika’s response.

“Holy F*CK! Sorry for my French, big bro. This is a joke, right? Are you with some random Czech girl who is pretending to be her? Of all the ones who might be interested in my big brother, you’re the last one I’d expect. I wasn’t even sure you batted for the other team!”

Pavlina gave Aeden a curious look and he explained, “She wasn’t sure if you were heterosexual.”

“I am most assuredly Pavlina. Remember the block I had on you at set point in the last match we played? You and that weird talking setter of yours thought you were being sneaky, but not so much.” Pavlina feeling smug as she relived the memory.

“Is that why your team wasn’t in Helsinki? You were bagging big bro?”

Pavlina laughed as the way Veronika worded that. “Not quite, but it did work out to my benefit.”

“Well, good luck with the engagement. Big bro is more than most girls can handle. He hasn’t found one that keeps his interest since his first girlfriend.”

“Gwen? I know all about her, but I think it may be the other way around this time. I may be more than he can handle.”

“He told you about her?? He never talks about her!”

“It’s a long story.”

“One I’d love to hear soon. If you are truly too much for him, then you are the ONE.”

Whooping voices in the background interrupted Veronika and let Aeden and Pavlina know that she was no longer alone. It sounded like her whole team just came into her room. “Hey guys, I’ve gotta go. The girls and I are gonna go tear up the Helsinki nightlife before our flight leaves tomorrow. I’ll see you back at the ranch next week. Oh, and the girls here said to tell you hello and to keep away from Czech women. If they only knew! Anyways, be safe and I love you!”

“I love you too, lil sis.”

“I just love her!” Pavlina exclaimed. “She’s much friendlier off the courts, but I guess we all are. I can’t wait to hang out with her!”

Aeden thought, ‘She sure is confident about how this is going to work out.’

Veronika’s friend Babette (Babs) jumped on Veronika’s bed as she was closing her cell phone.

“Whouza talkin’ to” she asked in a thick Cajun accent.

“Aeden. He claimed some crazy Czech chick had taken him hostage and get this ... her name is Pavlina Heikkenin!!!!”

Babette’s eyes opened wide as saucers and immediately admonished the other teammates to hush. Turning back to Veronika, “THE Pavlina Heikkenin?”

This got the attention of the rest of the girls. Veronika answered, “I think so. It checks out ... hee hee,” she interrupted herself when she realized the joke potential she had. “Get it? Czech ... checks out?”

The rest of the girls groaned at Veronika’s bad joke. “Anyways, since they got eliminated in the last round, she’s gotta be down there and rumor has it her family is big into medical stuff which probably explains why she’s so much more athletic than everyone else. She propably has a custom designed diet and training regime.”

Babette interrupted her.

“Hey girl, youz notsa bad yurself! You da only girl dat can stop her! Itza good ding dey can’ts plays no defenze or dey’d be winnin’ everyding!”

“Well, I don’t know why the Ice Queen would want to mess with Aeden, especially considering he’s basically the male version of a slut.”

Babette gasped and smacked Veronika on the arm. “Girl, thas nots nize! Heez a good ‘un, jes haz some coe-mitmant ishzues. Youz takes dat back!”

Veronika slumped a bit. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. That was a little harsh.”

Babette patted her on the back. “Dare youz goez. He been goods to youz, ne’er once hittin’ on youz friends.”

Lena piped in, “I’ve never seen him be anything but a gentleman. You know how stories get exaggerated. Two idiots on ESPN, FOX or some other network sensationalize things by making it a 15 minute segment for ratings. Then it gets picked up by sports talk radio and the rest is history.”

The next hour went by really fast for Aeden as they finished the pizza and made small talk. Pavlina felt it was best to have a normal conversation with him rather than talk about aliens.

“You seem very familiar, have we met before?” he said to her.

She took a moment to gather her thoughts, apparently he didn’t remember their first meeting. “Yes. Yes we did. In a Dublin hotel back in 1993. You met me and my sister.”

Remembrance swept over his face. “Oh, I remember now. Didn’t Bono get off the other elevator right before I arrived?”

Pavlina smiled at the memory. “Yes. We made quite a good first impression, didn’t we?”

“All I can recall was how pretty you two were,” Aeden laughed.

It was Pavlina’s turn to blush as she poured him another glass of Coke.

“Come on, get dressed and I’ll say the words every boy wants to hear: I’ll take you back to my place” she said with a smile.

They exited the clinic, turned left on Rybalkova street and walked towards her place. Pavlina looked up into his eyes and said, “I don’t live very far. It’s such a nice evening out. I really like to look at the stars, but it’s hard to see them clearly in the city. They make me feel so insignificant. Of all the planets out there, you and I happened to be on this one at the same time and same place. It’s almost like destiny, don’t you think?”

Aeden looked at the sky in a disinterested manner and then at her and thought, ‘OK, I can deal with this. She hasn’t convinced me yet and may be a loon, but she’s a loon with an awesome body. I can deal with this... ‘ “I haven’t looked at the stars in years,” he responded.

Pavlina sensed a shift in emotion and asked him about it.

“You’re thinking about Gwen right now aren’t you?”

Aeden stopped and broke away from her arms.

“How could you know that? And that reminds me, you said earlier you knew all about her! How is that possible?” he challenged.

“I know you were her escape when she started being abused by her father. You used to sit under the stars with her while she cried. You were the best thing that ever happened to her.”

Aeden’s expression turned to one of extreme anger and yet he was even more amazed at Pavlina.

“How in the hell could you know that? I never told another living soul, not even Veronika!”

Pavlina took Aeden’s hands in an attempt to calm him down.

“You can’t hide anything from me. We were meant for each other from the day we were conceived. However in this case; she told me.”

Aeden tried to pull out of her grasp, but she held firm trying to send a calming force to him. She could not and would not try to change what he was feeling, but she had the ability to mute or amplify the intensity of what he was feeling, and only him. It would not work on anyone else. They were designed to work as a team, not be dictatorial mind controllers.

“How the hell could you know her? Shit, how did you even know ABOUT her back then?”

“Aeden,” she said in a calming manner. “My family was in Dublin because you and Veronika were going to be there, and we visited the States many times throughout our youth. My father was a diplomat so we had free reign to go anywhere we wanted to go. He had legitimate business in the States, but we also took side trips to check on you. At first I was furious when I saw how close you two had become, but then I decided to know more about my ‘enemy’ if you will.”

“Enemy? Gwen was nobody’s enemy. She was a confused and hurt teenage girl.”

“If she was with you, then I could not be. I decided to befriend her and learn more about her. I made her swear an oath not to tell you. In case you haven’t noticed, I have a way with people.” Pavlina giggled slightly at the last part. “When I saw what a difference you made in her life, I decided that maybe it might be a good thing for you, too. Father told me that high school romances rarely ever last and that she was no threat to me in the long run.” Pavlina took a second to collect her thoughts and continued, “But know this, Aeden Aureleus Smith. Had you two ever tried to get married, I would’ve intervened!”

Aeden was in shock at the information he was just given. The hurt was trying to come back, but it was as if something were suppressing the full amount of pain. Pavlina looked at him with concern. “I’m doing my best to mute your pain, but I really don’t know what I’m doing.” A smile came over her face as a thought came to mind. “If you start barking like a dog, I know nothing!”