Space Nut by Redsliver, Chapter 11
* * *Parker thanked the sheriff for the coffee. The Goldsworths had been sitting in the interrogation rooms of the local police office for the afternoon. Barrow came out of room three with one of the deputies.
“She’s asking for a lawyer.” He grinned.
“Finally one of them is.” The sheriff took off his hat. “I’ll call Donna Zucker, see if she’s free to represent her.”
He stopped when Parker put her hand on his elbow. She smiled. “We’re going to talk to the mom. We have our own recording equipment. How do we disable the box’s camera?”
“Well, um, that’s not something we do here.” He frowned. Barrow looked impatient. “You can pull the plug from the wall mount.”
“Thank you,” She beamed. She picked up her attache. Barrow went to the neighboring dark room. The one behind the two-way mirror.
“If this woman is party to child trafficking…” Sheriff eyed Barrow as he convinced himself to be hands off. Parker looked over her shoulder.
“Stop jumping to conclusions, Sheriff. All the girls are adults and you haven’t been making good guesses all day.” Parker looked to Barrow. He seemed surprised and unhappy that she kept clipping the sheriff’s imagination’s wings. They could get away with a whole lot more if their conscripted help imagined the worst. He took her icy flat glare in stride and moved to his post.
“Annelise Goldsworth…” She tapped a pen on her coffee cup as she closed the door with her briefcase. “Are you OK? Do you need another diet coke?”
“Cut the crap.” The white haired mother sat strongly in the wood and steel chair. Her hands were crossed on the table but they weren’t cuffed. She stood up straight and looked Parker right in the eye. Parker raised a finger. Mrs Goldsworth didn’t say her next words until Parker unhooked the camera. “You’re Blackbag. How are my daughters?”
“We prefer—”
“No Such Agency? Men in Black? G-Men? Eggs and Bacon?” The last one twitched Parker’s lips. “You’re that perky little cheerleader out of Oregon? The one girl on the team that didn’t get chosen. Little ugly duckling’s a swan now, ain’t ya?”
Parker sipped her coffee. She eyed the old woman. She tried to count to ten before she exploded and strangled the church mother.
“Your little cult knows about me.” Parker finally tutted. “Though, not enough. I wasn’t left out because I was ugly.”
“Yes, you were the prettiest girl in pom poms, I’m sure.”
“And you? You were just an alien broodmare then? Is that Jen of yours incubated?” Parker tried to change the subject.
“No, the girls are human. I was a believer, once upon a time. It’s only the cheesy names I miss. Parker and Barrow? I used to go by Oakley. Kept the Annie when I retired.” The woman said. “How are my daughters?”
“They’re in our care.” Parker answered but should’ve stayed mute. This woman in front of her had left the hunt of aliens to join for their perverse welcome wagon? “Jen seems a bit jumpy. She could really use her fix.”
“They’re not junkies.” The mother said. “They’re cravings. Pregnancy. Something you should’ve learned by your age, dearie.”
“And chemical addiction.” Parker said coolly, “And psychic vampirism.”
“Well, there’s a cost to everything.” The mother said.
“Yeah, the Nn-Nut.” Parker said.
“So a couple boys die? A dozen every five years or so? Hardly seems like a drop in the bucket to connect with life from out there. The answers to questions the whole world’s dreaming of. Selfishly, I fear for Krysten. She may snap like the redhead when they yank the last bit of life out of their first love. Jen’s strong. Jen’ll keep going. That beautiful little brown girl too.”
Parker ground her teeth. This was not going how she wanted or expected. She had one card. She smiled. “I shot your husband.”
“Oh, I know. I’d done the same thirty or so times myself.” Annie said. “I’ve been telling the girls he’s gone to talk with church leadership or he’s off fighting your boss. If it’s all the same, there are better men to be the Nn-Nut after Adam’s dead. We should be seeing plenty of strangers visiting in January.”
“I’m not going to let the fucking parasite kill another boy.” She claimed.
“And what’s your plan for that? Buckshot into the alien?” The older woman asked.
“If need be.” The agent said. “There are better ways.”
“Separation?” Mrs Goldsworth began laughing hard in Parker’s face.
“It’s all on the Nn-Nut.” She admitted. “If we’re going to save him from the point of no return, he’ll have to take the Braxian from the girls.”
“Separate a teenager from women who desire him more than any other man’s been desired? Yeah, it’s a great plan you got there. Better still, what’s to say he’s not past the point of return already?” Annie said. “It’s been what? Sixteen weeks by Dr Ramamurthy’s count. Because I know Cannary and Hickock weren’t much quicker than you when all your little cheerleader friends were pregnant. Tell me, Noelle, how long did your brother make it before he died?”
Maura returned the stinkeye to the dark haired woman sitting at the kitchen title with her mom and Adam’s. The redhead girl was pissed.
“Maura sweetheart—” She just waved to her mother and Mrs Towers as she bulled through to her bedroom. Emmy shot up to her feet, turned a little green, and woozily sat back on the bed.
“I waited for an hour on Waterhill!”
“Where the hell were you!” They shouted in each other’s faces.
“Waterhill? We were on Rainhill. How could we be off the road in the woods on Waterhill?” Emmy barked.
“Then why didn’t you text Rainhill?” Maura waved her phone at Emmy. Emmy grabbed it, unlocked it, and thrust their texts back in Maura’s face.
“We did and so did you!” Emmy huffed. “How can you be that airheaded?”
“I don’t know! Where’s Adam?” Maura shouted. Their mothers knocked on the bedroom door frame. Maura and Emmy turned to see the trio standing there.
“Good, we’re all here.” Mrs Towers held the doorknob like it was the only thing holding her up. Maura and Emmy’s mothers crossly looked at the other’s daughter.
“Now, we talked to Adam.” Mrs Zucker had a birdlike face and skittish demeanor. She tried and failed to show strength.
“He’s home?” Maura tried to walk through the mothers. Mrs Towers grabbed a shoulder and marched Maura backwards to sit down next to Emmy. The girls sighed. The mothers fanned out looking down at them.
“He’s with your fathers.” Mrs Henson said.
“Oof.” Maura frowned. “Why?”
“Sweetheart, do you know Adam’s the father of Emmy’s baby?” Mrs Towers asked. Her lip shook.
“Yeah,” Maura looked up, “It was basically my idea.”
All four heads turned to her. Emmy wasn’t as shocked but she wouldn’t have taken that blame on that easily.
“Maura, what—”
“Adam always had a crush on Emmy, since like the fifth grade.” Maura said. “I figured I could set it up.”
“He did?” Emmy asked. “I never knew.”
“You didn’t even know he was alive.” Maura scoffed.
“Are you saying you pimped your boyfriend to my daughter?” Mrs Zucker gasped.
“No, I just had them hook up.” Maura said. “Literally had to duct tape her hands to the futon frame in the downstairs rec room to keep her ass up for him.”
“Maura!” Her mother said scandalized.
“Right! Butt up. Bum up?” She rubbed her belly. “I should get used to not cursing if we’re going to have babies around.”
Mrs Zucker rushed in and grabbed her daughter’s cheek. “Oh my God! We’ll press charges. They’ll—”
Emmy pushed her mother away. “No, I love Adam. Maura too.”
“Of course you do.” Mrs Towers gave up and sat down on the bed next to Maura. She hugged the redhead back.
“Did he tell you about the babies?” The redhead asked. “We didn’t confirm anything yet.”
“It might not be Adam’s?” Mrs Towers looked over Maura’s shoulders.
“No, he’s the only boy human I’ve been with.” Emmy said.
“Boy human?” Mrs Henson asked. Maura reached over and squeezed Emmy’s fingers as an answer.
“Why say human?” Emmy’s mother was stuck to her daughter like a leech. She hugged and squeezed and rubbed.
“I’m pregnant and dizzy.” Emmy growled.
“I still think you should wait until the Monday ultrasound to be sure.” Mrs Henson said. “But you opened the can of worms. Tell Vickie the news.”
“Mrs Towers.” Maura beamed, “I’m having twins!”
“Twins? OK...” Mrs Towers grabbed Maura’s hand. She rubbed her thumb down Maura’s thumb. The older woman was beginning to hyperventilate. Mrs Zucker looked upset that Emmy was being upstaged. Mrs Towers put her face in her free hand and asked: “What kind of mother, am I? I don’t know what to do.”
“The kind of mother I want to try and be. Now, did you ask Adam what he wanted to do?” Maura wiped away tears gathering in Mrs Towers eyes.
“He’s talking things out with our dads.” Emmy said. “I haven’t seen them since they put me in your room.”
“Our room?” Maura hoped.
“That doesn’t make any sense, Maura.” Her mother said.
“Adam wants to be the daddy in his babies lives.” Maura bumped Emmy’s knee.
“I tried to tell him that he loved Maura the most.” Emmy defended herself.
“And that’s your answer? Bigamy?” Mrs Zucker let loose the word like it was hellfire.
“No one’s talking about bigamy.” Mrs Henson assured the room.
“He really said he wanted that?” Mrs Towers lit up excitedly.
“My daughter isn’t some harem concubine!” Mrs Zucker said. “No wife can stomach her husband laying with another woman! I’d call your father back home now if we could.”
“Back home from where?” Maura asked. Emmy looked up eager to know as well.
“Without even telling them?” Adam slumped in the backseat. He looked over. Mr Henson was the shortest in the car. Maybe 5′6″. He was overdressed in camouflage overalls, coat, and deerstalker hat. Mr Zucker rode in the passenger seat. His coat still had the tag on its sleeve. Adam’s father drove, as his vehicle was the only big enough to haul a deer back to town. Adam looked over his shoulder again to see the welcome to town sign. “Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving.”
“Adam, you fucked up.” His father said. Mr Zucker’s relief to know the identity of his grandchild’s father had come and gone. He wasn’t angry at Adam. That was Mr Henson’s job. “You fucked up getting Maura pregnant. I know you have condoms. I’ve bought them for you since Maura grew tits.”
“Hey now!” Mr Henson said.
“He tried to protect your daughter,” Mr Zucker said. “He’s not going to apologize for that.”
“No, I’m not.” Adam’s father said. “Though, from here on out until we set up camp. I’m not going to jump down your throat. It’s a six hour drive and these are the kind of discussion we should be having face to face.”
“So we’ll be back for Thanksgiving?” Adam asked.
“Son,” His dad said, “We’ll be back Sunday night unless we fill all three of our tags before then.”
Adam sank back and tried not to curse. His first success. He felt the rap rap from the trunk through the back seat bench. Mr Henson adjusted and frowned. Adam hadn’t even got to move Nut. This was going to get really bad.
The sheriff dropped Jen and Krysten off at Samira’s. It was only just past sundown. Maura had just entered Adam’s home from her bitching fest on Waterhill Street. Samira and her mother jogged out to hug the girls.
“Hey,” Krysten asked pointing out to the cars piled up Adam’s driveway and along the curb before his house. “What’s going on?”
“Shh.” Samira stopped her. “In a moment.”
The moment took about an hour and a half. Mrs Ramamurthy stuffed the three pregnant girls full of healthy cuisine. Krysten had come to love eating her cooking. Jen’s first attempt left her sweating and frustrated. She had never had the stomach for spicy. No one else at the table would’ve called the dish spicy.
“Thank you for letting us stay here tonight, Mrs Ramamurthy.” Krysten said as her sister endured.
“Well, I don’t know what trouble your father and mother got up to but, so long as you’re our daughter’s girlfriend, the least we can do is give you a night’s rest until they fix your front door.”
It was clear by the look in the mother’s eyes, the look that tracked from her daughter’s to both Goldsworths’ enlarged bellies, that her hospitality was more about getting answers. Samira moved before her mother could start the interrogation.
“Come with me!” Samira grabbed her girlfriend’s hand and dragged her away. She said, “You too, Jen.” over her shoulder.
“Excuse me.” Jen said as she stood up from the table. “Thank you for the food.”
“You’re welcome.” The mother said. She wiped her hands on a cloth napkin and went into the kitchen to start on the dishes.
Samira took the girls to her bedroom. A small cot was set up for Jen. All of their phones chirped at once. Maura jumped to see them in the window and knocked. Samira shut her door. Krysten opened the window to see Emmy and Maura sneaking behind the house.
“What’s going on?” Jen asked.
“Adam’s gone!” Maura had to be elbowed by Emmy to remember to whisper.
“OK.” Samira said. “He’ll be back? Do you have Nut? We’ll want him later tonight but—”
“Nut’s with Adam.” Emmy interrupted.
“Alright, we’ll do a slumber party thing here.” Samira gestured. Krysten lit up. “When they get home, get us Nut.”
“Can I hang out with the cool kids?” Jen smiled at Maura.
“They went on a trip.” Maura said. “They won’t be back until—Shit!”
“Maura! Emmy!” Mrs Towers stuck her head out and called. The girls looked at each other. Emmy rushed forward and whispered. “Back on Sunday.”
“I’ve got the keys to Mom’s car.” Jen said.
“Don’t the police still have it.” Krysten frowned.
“Back from where on Sunday?” Samira asked.
“Hunting trip.” Krysten guessed right remembering what Adam had told her about the tent they had used at the end of summer.
“They took Nut and they’re going to kill some harmless deer?” Samira’s face twisted in disgusted anger. “We’re going to go get him.”
“You look rattled.” Barrow had handed Mrs Goldsworth to the deputy. “They’re going to hold her for the full twenty four.”
“Giving us the perfect opportunity to move.” Parker said. “If we only had a good move.”
“Sir? Ma’am?” One of the younger deputies approached the agents. “Uh, hi.”
“Can we help you?” Barrow asked. He had grown impatient, visibly so to Parker, no one else seemed to notice.
“Uh, yes. It’s about Mrs Goldsworth daughters.” He said.
“What about them?” Parker perked up.
“They and, uh, well according to, um, Vic—Mrs Towers. They took her car.” He scratched his head. “And, um, they had others with them.”
“What’s going on here?” The sheriff asked. “I thought we had got nothing from the girls.”
“No sir.” Barrow shook his head.
“Yes, these others. Adam Towers, Samira Ramamurthy, Maura Henson, and Emilia Zucker?”
“Princess Emmy?” The sheriff shook his head. “No that can’t be. Maura Henson’s a blip compared to the rest. She and the Towers had been palling around together since training wheels. She’s not tied to Lawrence Goldsworth. Their little miracle is just one of the ones that happens when kids are stupid.”
“She is with child by Adam Towers.” Agent Parker said. “As may be the others.”
“Oh.” The Sheriff said. “You mean this was a porn thing done by the kids? Or he was just the actor? No, he’s a victim as much as the girls are.”
“They’re adults,” Parker shook her head. “We and the law will treat them as such.”
“Um, Agent, um, ma’am?” The deputy said. “Adam wasn’t with the girls. Mrs Towers said he had left with his father on a hunting trip. Shouldn’t be back before Sunday.”
“I didn’t see Ron’s brothers in town this year. They usually make their first stop the diner.” The Sheriff explained. “Good family, the Towers.”
“Where are they headed?” Barrow asked.
“Through town, looked to be going down to their home.” The deputy said.
“Oh, that’s better to hear.” The sheriff declared. “Maura’s the kind of girl that would lend a hand to a friend, moreso than to be caught up in all of this. I’m sure Jennifer and Krysten just wanted to get some things from their house. Still, we’d best send a car by and talk them into bringing Mrs Towers back her car.”
“Yes, that should handle things.” Parker agreed. “If you don’t mind Sheriff. We need to run through the data on the computers and phones. We’ll talk to Mrs Goldsworth when we send her home in the morning.”
“I understand, not much else you can do tonight.” He nodded, tipped his hat. “You sleep well, Agent Parker.”
Barrow looked the question at Parker when they got into the Charger. She rolled her eyes. “Obviously, the only reason all five of the girls would follow the Nn-Nut is because the Braxian is with Adam.”
“Stick to calling him the Nn-Nut.” Barrow declared. “Makes it easier in the end.”
“No, no it doesn’t.” Parker said.
Adam had the pack on his shoulder when he stepped away from camp, ostensibly for a shit in the woods. It had been asix hour drive, a three hour hike, and another half hour raising the tents and setting up everything. His father was showing Henson the views from the trail cameras ahead in the woods as they picked out their spot for the morning. Mr Zucker was cooking a pot of beans and grilling weiners on the camp stove. They all thought Adam was jumping at every shadow. Better to be a coward than to let them find Nut.
“Braxdirth!” The alien’s head popped out of the bag. “Nn-Nut! Jahdajahdo! Kapeesh! Jahdojahda! Braxchor!”
“Yeah, me too buddy.” Adam said. He looked over his shoulder to where the camp would be. He couldn’t hear them either. He sat down on gnarled root and set Nut in the bag on his left. Nut climbed out and climbed Adam. Adam hooked an arm around Nut’s backside while the alien rolled his head and moved his irises. Soon, the large pair sunk back under his nose and the small pair looked up at Adam. “I couldn’t help it. You OK?”
Nut pulled ears until they hurt. It was irritating at the best of times. Times when there were five naked women panting for Adam. Stuck helplessly hours from civilization it pissed off Adam. He smacked the hand away.
“Braxdirth! Braxwhung? Nn-Nut! Kapeesh! Pardaparda!” Nut stomped up and down on Adam’s thigh. Adam stared the alien down. When the arms stopped flailing, when the feet stopped stomping, when the irises stopped staring, Adam lifted Nut’s hand and put the fingers to his ear again.
“It’s a few days buddy. I mean, I didn’t want it either but we can’t get to the girls unless—”
“Nn-Nut!” The alien puffed his lip and blew it out harder than Adam had ever seen it. He twisted and sprinted away from the camp. He tuckered out quick. He started waddling and Adam walked after him. The alien blew out his lip, over the ridge all he could see ahead of him was lake. He threw up his hands. “Braxdirth! Sahdosahdo.”
Adam offered him the bag to climb into.
“Pull over! Pull over!” Samira leaned over Krysten and slapped the window.
“Again?” Maura was forcing slow and rhythmic breaths.
“It wasn’t her last time.” Emmy turned her head from the passenger side front seat. “And you look a little flushed yourself.”
“I need something cold.” Krysten mumbled. “Oh God! I once had an ice cream sandwich that was also a s’more. I want one of those. Four of those.”
“For fuck’s sake!” Jen muttered. The car pulled over. Krysten slowly got out and Samira slowly pushed and slowly hurried to climb out onto the shoulder and gulp in fresh air. Emmy pulled her winter coat tighter. Jen cranked up the heat.
“No one threw up this time.” Maura said rolling her window up. Emmy slid in at her side and Samira had taken shotgun.
“Sorry everyone.” Samira said. She reached over and touched Jen’s arm. The car pulled back out onto the old highway.
“Guys, we gotta calm our tits and get there.” Jen grumbled. “I’m driving around. In the dark. Going deep into the woods. And we didn’t bring our phones because Emmy was crazy paranoid that her parents were tracking her and we all believed her.”
“I brought my phone, it’s just off.” Krysten said.
“Same.” Maura and Samira said.
“Motherfucker.” Jen said. “Where are we going?”
“It’s on Mrs Towers GPS.” Maura leaned over Samira who started fiddling with the screen mounted on the windshield. “There! Hubby’s Sanity Retreat.”
“Oh God.” Emmy put her hands on her belly and tried to lean back again. Krysten reached underneath the brunette and started stroking her back.
“We could play a road trip game.” Krysten suggested. “Keep our mind off of things.”
“Like place names or what am I?” Jen asked.
“Sure, I’m thinking of a person.” Krysten volunteered herself to go first.
“Nut.” Said Samira and Jen.
“Adam.” Said Maura and Emmy.
“OK, someone else’s turn then?” Krysten offered.