Gina Hanson had haunted his memory for years—and that was when he thought she was lost forever. Now, having had her, knowing she was alive, it would be impossible for Jim. It would drive him nuts if he let it.
Maybe he and Grady had something in common there.
Jim swiped at his itchy jaw as he dragged himself out of bed and headed toward the small bathroom. He showered and shaved by rote, enjoying the slightly updated facilities in this complex. In comparison to his home, this was a much newer facility with more modern—for the old world—conveniences.
Much as he hated to admit it, he thought he understood how Grady might feel if he was forced to live without Gina. Jim felt the same way. Maybe Jim wouldn’t go clinically insane without her, but knowing she was with Grady would definitely make him a little crazy.
The aliens were different. Maybe there was some truth to the idea that they really couldn’t handle emotions. The pain of heartbreak might just turn the guy psycho. Jim wouldn’t be really surprised if it did. Grady was an alien after all. He’d lived most of his life without emotion and now, suddenly, had to deal with things humans spent a lifetime trying to figure out.
No one ever went crazy from happiness, but heartache and depression were hard for even well balanced people to handle.
There was a solution—loath as he was to admit it. He’d seen the way the cousins both enjoyed the company of their shared mate. Jaci seemed happy and well balanced between her two men, but then, Jaci was an alien. She might have emotions now, but she hadn’t been raised with them, with the expectation of one husband to share the rest of her life.
Of course, humans didn’t age anymore. Not like they used to. Jim had heard they could live for a couple hundred years, so maybe they weren’t fully human anymore. Maybe there was an opportunity to reshape the world in which they lived. To make it what they wanted instead of what they were used to. Maybe a three-person relationship might actually work.
It would depend on Gina.
Jim would never force her into something she didn’t want. Hell if he knew how he’d handle being in a three-way relationship with her and that damned Grady, but if the alternative was not having her in his life at all, he’d learn how to deal with it. Somehow.
That is, if she wanted him. Could be she only wanted the alien. Jim didn’t know what he’d do if that were the case.
That dismaying thought in mind, Jim left his quarters and headed for breakfast. Besides the personal turmoil, he still had work to do here. He was here on behalf of his people in Colorado, and he couldn’t forget it. The connections he made here could prove useful in the future, and he had to do his best to scout out the possibilities and make assessments of both the people and the facility while he was here.
Jim shared a companionable breakfast with some of the people who lived and worked in the facility. After breakfast, Mike and Dave signaled him through BURTIN’s paging system. Mick O’Hara had called and wanted to speak to him. The call was already in progress as Jim entered the communications room.
“…and the home crystal will replenish the Earth and reawaken those waiting in the coldest places, wielded by one who is of both worlds.”
“What do you think it means?” Mike asked over the line.
“Caleb is seeing people trapped in ice. Not just any people. Tall, blond, beautiful people.”
“Alvians.” Dave’s voice was full of accusation. Jim noted they’d set up a speakerphone so they could all talk and be heard over the communication array. It was a nice mix of alien and human tech that seemed to work, though Jim had never seen such technology blended before. He was amazed it worked at all and knew Wally would have a field day with something like this.
“Yeah, he thinks so. He also thinks our son, Harry, is the one who is of both worlds. The big question is, where are these frozen Alvians hiding out?”
“We haven’t seen anything like that around here.” Mike looked to his cousin, who nodded in agreement. “But we’ll let you know if we find any Alvian popsicles.”
“Ask your newcomers. Something like this—if anyone’s stumbled across it already—would be ripe for gossip. We need to find these frozen guys. Caleb says it’s imperative.”
“We could send out some search parties. At the very least,” Dave looked pensive, “we could search the depths of our cave structure. We’ve been here for months, but we still haven’t managed to reconnoiter every tunnel. This place is vast and there’s a network of intricate natural caves and tunnels beyond the boundaries of the installation proper.”
“That’s a good idea. Do that,” Mick directed. “Once you have your own domain mapped out, we’ll consider where to look next. There’s a lot of frozen tundra north of us. I’d hate to send anyone out into that, but there are mountain men who live there already. If we could contact some of them and ask if they’ve seen anything…”
“That’s a good idea,” Dave answered, then straightened. “Mick, Jim is here, if you want to deliver Caleb’s advice.”
Jim and Mick exchanged greetings. “Caleb and I had a lot to talk over last night. If there really are dudes with wings flying around, as my good friends assure me there are, then you need to know they’ll be both real and symbolic help in spreading news among the different enclaves of humans around the continent. They are working for their own agenda, Caleb says, but in this case, their cause runs parallel with ours. They can be trusted to have only our best interests at heart in the coming confrontation.”
“Is it going to be all out war then?” Jim steeled his spine. He didn’t want war, but if there was no other way, he’d lead his people through it as best he could.
“More like an underground movement. A bloodless coup would be the best result, but if things go wrong, they could go terribly wrong. Caleb sees all the possible futures in this case because a lot hinges on decisions made by those who lead. You among them. If you work together, the likelihood of success is greater than if you go it alone.”
“I’ve already decided to recommend ongoing communication with this facility to my people. I think we could help each other a lot. If Mike and Dave agree, we can start slow, but I hope to keep the tunnels open and possibly send small groups back and forth to work with each other.”
Mike and Dave were nodding. Dave spoke for both of them. “We want to visit your place first, but we’re leaning in the same direction. Isolation is no way for humans to live—or succeed.”
“Good,” Mick spoke through the crystal. “That’s the first step. Now for the rest. Jim, you may not like this next part, but there’s an alien in your future. A big guy who loves your girl.” Jim could tell Mick was trying to soften the blow with humor, but it didn’t really help. “I’ve known Grady Prime for a long time. He’s a good guy, but in addition, Caleb foresees that he’ll be helpful in the coming confrontations. He’s one of their most respected Primes. He can argue for our side very effectively with his people, and his words will sway a lot of regular Alvians. We need him on our side—sane and whole. That means you either need to cede the field to him, or learn to share.”
The gym was packed. In fact, the bleachers had been pulled out from the wall on one side and were filled with people watching the central matted area where one small human woman held center stage.
When Jim arrived, Gina was warming up, running through progressively more advanced kata. He joined her, standing a few feet away, running through the same katas he’d learned from her father years ago, in parallel with her, much to the audience’s delight. He could feel their interest, their admiration and their fascination. Good. He wanted them to realize that others could replicate what Gina could do. It might give them the desire to try it themselves.