Giant Killer: 2/?
by Nancy Smith and Linda Garrick
3
Alan watched Julia Austell's slender form vanish up the stairs, and then turned and went softly across the lobby to the restroom. She would be a few minutes at least, and in the meantime he must contact Mark.
The restroom was deserted, as he had known, which would give him the privacy he needed for the call. Quietly, he withdrew to the farthest corner of the room and pressed the small stud on his chronometer. "Mark?"
Linley's voice responded at once. "Right here."
"No go. I'll be heading for the other place around 2100."
"I'll be there."
"I'm going to need the car this afternoon, though. Could you --"
"Oh, sure. Whatcha gonna do?"
"I'll explain later."
"You gotta date?"
Alan sighed. "Well, sort of."
He heard his partner laugh. "You can tell me about it later. I'll pick up another car an' be waitin' at the café."
"Thanks," Alan said.
Another laugh. "You're welcome. Have a good time." The transmission ended and Alan went back to the lobby. Julia had not yet appeared, and Alan sank into a chair, watching the stairs and trying to quiet his jumping nerves. The sight of the Jilectan had shaken him more than he liked to admit, although logically he knew that, with his shields up, his chances of being recognized were almost nonexistent, even if he were to meet one of the aliens face to face. That was why Colonel Dean had sent him on this mission, after all -- to get him used to being around Jils without any direct confrontations.
What was taking Julia so long? Alan had surprised himself a bit by asking her out, and had been even more surprised when she'd accepted. He was well aware that most women tended to regard him as a younger brother, and he was sure Julia Austell was no exception.
He knew why he'd done it, though. Something about the circumstances, and Julia's beautiful face, had triggered a sharp sense of uneasiness in him. He was very familiar with the sensation, and knew perfectly well what it meant. Julia Austell was in danger.
So, he had done a little light mind-reading, trying to discover what was approaching in her life that might turn to disaster. But, aside from the fact that her name was Julia Austell, that she had a sister named Jill, and that she was presently concerned about her father, he could see nothing -- certainly nothing to account for that sharp, unpleasant twinge of precognition when he looked at her and her surroundings.
Then, he'd made the stupid mistake of calling her by her first name when she hadn't yet introduced herself. Many girls wouldn't have caught it, but Julia had. What a dumb stunt! He'd have to be more careful in the future.
Here she came at last, running lightly down the stairs, her bright, lovely smile once again taking his breath away.
"Ready, Alan?"
"Sure."
"Come on, then. Let's go." She held out her hand, her face glowing with what looked like pleasure. Alan could sense her emotions -- excitement, amusement -- and a faint warning bell rang within him. He took her hand, dazzled by her beauty and grace. But, something was different.
"Julia?" he said, uncertainly.
"Yes?"
Something *was* wrong! This was not the same girl, although in appearance she was identical -- her blond hair falling smoothly to her waist, jewel-blue eyes, slender, feminine figure, and yet --
He reached lightly into her mind, and suspicion became certainty.
Releasing her hand, he stepped back, smiling. "You're not Julia, are you?"
"What? Why, of course I'm Julia!"
"No, you're not." He spoke positively, still smiling. "But you must be her twin."
She laughed. "You're right, I am. My goodness, but you're right on your toes, aren't you? Sometimes even our parents can't tell us apart." She extended a white, slender hand. "I'm Jill, Julia's sister."
He took her hand. "I'm Alan Woodruff."
"Oh, I know. Julia told me." Jill giggled. "My big sis is so particular about who she goes out with, that I wanted to see why she accepted a date with you, but now I know why! You're cute!"
Alan felt himself go bright red. Jill giggled again. "I'd better go. Wouldn't want Julia to think I'm trying to steal her date. Have a good time, Alan. I'll see you later."
"Bye," he managed.
Jill turned and ran up the stairs.
**********
Julia opened the door of their apartment to find her sister facing her. Jill was smiling, obviously very pleased about something. "Hi!"
"Where did you go?"
"To meet your friend. I like him. He reminds me of a puppy nobody wants."
"Now, Jill, I won't have you teasing him. He's too innocent."
"Oh, he's smarter than you think. I tried to pretend I was you, but he caught right on. I couldn't fool him."
"Really?" Jill had pulled stunts like that before, but always, before, the boy had fallen for it. "He knew you weren't me?"
"Um hmm. Smart young man, sis. Just what you need, all right. Of course, it would be nice if he were a *little* taller." She grinned. "And, by the way, I really think he's quite good-looking -- not a bit like Mr. Weems."
"I guess not." Julia laughed a little. "I wouldn't think of dating Mr. Weems."
"Me, neither." Jill stepped aside, letting her pass. "Have a good time. I'll see you tonight. Will you be home for dinner?"
"We'll probably eat out."
"All right. I'll tell Mom and Dad."
**********
The summer air of Riskell was warm on Julia's face as she and Alan emerged from the Embassy and walked leisurely down the pebbled path to the main gate. Two security guards stood before it, and Alan drew out his identification. One of the men glanced at it and pressed a control beside the entrance. The shimmering energy barrier flickered out. Julia smiled at the men as she and Alan passed through.
They walked slowly across the outer Embassy grounds and came to Alan's sports car parked on the street. Julia looked at it, then at Alan with more respect. "Very nice. Is it yours?"
"It belongs to the company I work for," he told her, opening the door on her side. Julia climbed in and, a moment later, Alan slid behind the controls. The vehicle lifted lightly from the street.
The flight to the lake took almost an hour under the local traffic laws, and it was mid afternoon by the time they arrived. With Alan's help, Julia guided the boat out of the boathouse. She asked him if he'd ever navigated a boat before, and he admitted that he had not. So, Julia taught him the fundamentals, and was surprised at how quickly he learned. The controls seemed almost instinctive to him, and within ten minutes, he was taking them, unaided, out onto the blue waters of the famous lake.
"Ever water ski before, Alan?"
"No." He smiled sheepishly. "You must think I'm awfully ignorant."
Julia shook her head. "Not at all. I'm quite impressed. You learn very quickly."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. But remember, if you've never water-skied before, you'll probably fall down a lot at first. It takes practice, so don't be discouraged."
"All right."
But, once again, Alan surprised her by catching onto the art with amazing quickness. After a few preliminary tumbles, he seemed to grasp the knack of balancing, and Julia watched him with growing respect.
Steadily, she increased the boat's speed, bearing them to the left. Alan followed easily in her wake, staying steady without apparent difficulty. He grinned and waved at her, letting go of the line with one hand. Julia waited for him to fall, but he didn't. With a little twinge of annoyance, she turned the boat to the right, glancing back again as she did so. Alan's swimming trunks were creeping downward, and she saw him make a frantic grab for them. The movement veered him sideways, and he lost his balance, almost recovered, then plunged into the water with an ungraceful sprawl of arms and legs.
Julia circled the boat back toward him. He climbed aboard, looking embarrassed. She pretended not to notice.
"You're doing wonderfully. Want to try it again?"
"Sure." He laughed suddenly. "Whew! That was close!"
Julia laughed, too. "Would you like a safety pin?"
"Gosh, yes! Do you have one?"
"Just a minute." Julia went into the cabin, located the necessary article and returned. "Here you are."
"Thanks." He tightened the waist of the trunks. "I get the feeling your dad must be a little bigger than I am."
"He is -- and a little fatter, too." Julia frowned suddenly. "What happened to your hair?"
Alan put both hands on top of his head, and for an instant he looked as he had back at the Embassy when she asked how he had known her name, but the expression vanished instantly, to be replaced by puzzlement. "What do you mean?"
"It's all curly. Wasn't it straight before?"
He grinned. "Oh, that. My hair always curls when it's wet."
"My goodness!" Julia stared incredulously at the dark, unruly mass. "What a difference! It makes you look like another person!"
He turned away, hitching at the trunks again. "That's better. Now I think I'll be able to stay decent."
Julia laughed, forgetting about the hair. "That's good. By the way, I mean it. I can hardly believe you've never skied before."
He smiled modestly and went down the ladder into the water again.
After a few hours of skiing, they went swimming. The water was cool, and the day still very warm. The sun began to sink behind the trees, and the first shadows of evening settled on the lake. There were still other boats around, but they were far off and all seemed very quiet. At last, Julia and Alan climbed out, dried off and relaxed on the deck, listening to the lap of waves against the sides of the boat.
"What part of Terra do you come from?" she asked.
"North America."
"The States?"
"Yes."
She turned over on her stomach and cushioned her chin on her hands. "Tell me what it's like."
He also turned over, meeting her eyes. His hair was drying now, but it seemed as curly as ever. "The part where I lived was a lot like this -- warm, I mean, with lots of lakes."
"Where did you live?"
"Florida. The winters were mild, though, with lots of rain."
"It snows here in the winter," she said.
"I know. I have a friend who spent some time on Riskell. He told me about it."
"What's his name?"
Alan looked away. "Steve." He turned over, gazing up at the sky again. "Do you have other brothers and sisters -- besides Jill, I mean?"
"Just Jill," Julia said, laughing. "She's plenty."
Alan laughed, too.
There was a moment of silence. "How about you?" she asked. "Do you have sisters and brothers?"
"I had a little sister. She was killed nearly three years ago."
"Oh." Julia could almost feel the pain in his words. "I'm sorry."
He shrugged. "It's okay."
"How long did you live on Terra?"
"Eighteen years. I was born there."
Julia looked at him dubiously, realizing that she had miscalculated his age. Riskell's year was approximately the same as Terra's, and Julia had just turned nineteen. She had been sure that Alan was her junior by at least two years.
He turned over again, smiling. "I'm older than I look. I'll be nineteen next month."
Julia laughed. "Well, I'm disappointed. I thought I was having my first date with a younger man, but you're the same age I am -- well, almost, anyway. Why did you leave Terra?"
"Business."
"The company you work for?"
"Yes."
"What company is it?"
"You wouldn't know it."
"I might."
Alan sat up abruptly, glancing at his chronometer. "It's getting late."
Julia looked at her chronometer, too. "I have 1845."
"There's twenty-six hours on Riskell, isn't there? It always throws me off."
"Yes. Your appointment with Max is tonight?"
"Yes, at 2100. We still have time to stop for something to eat, but we'll have to get going."
Julia stood up, grinned and poised on the side of the boat. "One more dip first. Catch me if you can!" She dived.
Alan dove after her, entering the water beside her with hardly a splash. She swam away, but he caught her easily, pulling her around by one wrist. She landed in his arms, and for a moment their faces were very close together. Julia laughed, struggling, but half expecting him to kiss her and half-wanting him to.
But he didn't. He just grinned and began to tow her toward the boat. She twisted in his grasp, laughing breathlessly, but he was stronger than he looked. In a moment, he had reached the boat's ladder and was hauling her aboard.
Julia managed to free herself at last and fell ungracefully back into the water. As she hit, she felt the thin chain of her bracelet on her wrist give way and slip off.
"My bracelet!" She made a grab for it, but too late. "Oh, no!"
"I'll get it!" Alan dived.
But Julia knew he wouldn't find it. It was gone forever, vanishing into the depths of Lake Dunnum. A lump rose in her throat, and she had to blink back tears. How stupid she had been to wear the bracelet while swimming! Because she wore it so much, it was second nature, and she hardly noticed it; but now it was gone, and she could never replace it. More tears clouded her eyes. Her bracelet -- her lovely gold bracelet that Jill had given her for their sixteenth birthday ...
Alan surfaced beside her, spluttering, and caught the boat's ladder with one hand. "Here it is." He handed her the little chain.
"You got it! Oh, Alan, thank you!"
"You're welcome." He was smiling, pleased at the delight on her face.
Impulsively, she threw her arms around him and kissed him. "I thought it was gone for good. How did you find it?"
He had gone pink again and gestured vaguely. "Just lucky, I guess."
Julia kissed him a second time and then let go, still smiling, and turned to climb the ladder. Alan followed her, pulling at the trunks again. Julia fastened the bracelet on her wrist and checked the catch. I seemed secure. "My, but I'm getting hungry!"
Alan was at the controls and didn't seem to have heard her. His expression was distracted, now, and suddenly worried. Julia pulled her towel around her shoulders and slipped her feet into her sandals. Alan's shoes were beside hers and she suddenly noticed something odd about them. Lifting one carefully, she examined it, and a tiny smile pulled at her lips. She had thought that he seemed shorter in his bare feet. The shoes were equipped with elevator soles.
She put the shoe down quickly as he turned toward her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I was thinking of something else. What did you say?"
Julia was certain he'd seen her replace the shoe on the deck but she covered her embarrassment quickly. "I'm hungry," she repeated.
"Me, too. You'll have to direct me. I don't know anything about the eating places here."
"Sure." He *had* seen. Julia felt herself flush and avoided his eyes. Sneaking a quick glance at him, she saw that he was smiling. She wondered if she should say something.
"Sunset's pretty," Alan remarked, blandly.
"Yes," Julia said in a small voice.
"Should be nice weather, tomorrow."
"Yes."
Silence fell between them as Alan guided the boat toward the boathouse.
After stopping at the small café where Julia's family often went after a day at the lake, they headed back toward town. The sun had set and the city below them sparkled with lights.
"I grew up in Jacksonville," Alan was saying. "Nice town. Where did you grow up?"
"New Connecticut, Bellian," Julia said.
"I've never been to Bellian."
"It's beautiful," Julia said, wistfully. "A lot like Terra, I hear."
"I've heard that, too," Alan said. "When did you move to Riskell?"
"I was eight years old. My father was offered the job of Executive Secretary to the Ambassador. He didn't like to accept, but --" she shrugged. "I guess he felt it was his duty." She stopped, thinking again of her conversation with her father, that afternoon.
Alan was silent, steering the aircar through the gathering dusk. The sun had set, and only the faintest colors of the sunset remained in the sky.
The aircar was losing altitude. Julia glanced quickly at her companion and saw his brow was furrowed in a frown. They settled into a parking space still nearly two blocks from the Embassy, and Alan cut the engines.
"Julia --"
She moved quickly back in the seat. "Not on the first date, Alan."
"What?" He looked surprised, then embarrassed. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not --" He stopped. "I -- I just thought it might be nice to walk the rest of the way back."
Julia glanced out the window. "Not the best of neighborhoods around here. Any special reason you want to walk?"
His eyes wavered and fell. "I -- I feel like a stroll." He paused and then reached over almost shyly and rested a hand on top of hers where it lay on the seat. "Please, Julia?"
He was the little boy again. Julia felt her heart melting. "All right."
They walked slowly down the block and entered the outer grounds of the Embassy. Alan stopped suddenly, and she felt his hand close around hers. "Julia --"
"Yes?"
He hesitated a moment. "Something's wrong."
She frowned at him. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know." He was gazing ahead at the building and his hand on hers trembled suddenly. "I don't think you should go in there."
"Why not? I have to. They're expecting me."
"I know." He bit his lower lip, staring as though transfixed at the dark silhouette before them. "Is there a side entrance?"
"Yes."
"Then you'd better use it."
"But *why*?"
He didn't answer for a long moment, his gaze never leaving the looming shape of the building ahead. Watching him, Julia was suddenly struck by a sense of familiarity. Although long since dry, his hair had remained curly and the large, dark eyes, surrounded by thick, curling lashes, reminded her frustratingly of something she couldn't quite remember. But of one thing she was certain. Somewhere, she had seen Alan before.
His hand tightened abruptly around hers and his head moved sharply, as though he were trying to rid himself of a stinging insect. Julia felt her heart contract uncomfortably. Was it possible that this young, seemingly gentle boy was insane -- possibly criminally insane? Was *that* where she had seen his face before -- on a wanted poster? How oddly he was behaving -- almost as though his mind were detached from his surroundings.
Suddenly frightened, Julia jerked her hand, trying to free it. "Let me go!"
"What?" His eyes focused on her and he obeyed, instantly releasing her. "What's wrong?"
Julia took a step back from him. "What's wrong with *you*?"
"Me? Nothing." Alan looked puzzled for a moment. Then, his expression changed and became understanding. "I'm very sorry. Did I frighten you?"
"You're acting awfully weird."
"Oh." He looked down. "I'm awfully sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that ..." The sentence trailed off.
Julia relaxed, feeling a little silly. "That's okay. I guess I overreacted."
Alan turned to look at the building again and Julia hesitated, then stepped up beside him. "What is it?"
He shook his head. "Nothing ... I guess."
Julia watched him uncertainly. "You're going to be late for your appointment."
He nodded, and then caught her hand again as she started forward. "No!"
She pulled her hand free. "What's the matter with you? Are you crazy or something?"
"I ..." He glanced around. "Let's go in by the side entrance." He looked up at her from beneath those beautiful lashes. "Okay?"
Julia stared at him for another long moment, feeling a tiny prickle of nervousness course its way up her spine. People had premonitions sometimes, didn't they? Was it possible that Alan knew, somehow, that something was wrong? Ridiculous! What could possibly be wrong? Everything ahead looked normal enough ... except that the grounds appeared somehow darker than usual ...
"It's this way," she said at last, and led him down a small path between towering evergreen trees.
It *was* darker than usual! Again Julia felt the shiver run down her spine. Once more, Alan's hand closed around hers, and she didn't try to pull it free. As they approached the gate, her companion drew her closer and slipped an arm around her. Somehow, in spite of the scare that he had given her a moment before, Julia didn't mind. There was strength and a promise of protection in the muscular arm circling her waist.
The gate was ahead, the energy barrier flickering whitely against the darkness. Julia saw it with a sense of relief, and at once began berating herself mentally. How silly to let Alan make her so nervous! Everything looked perfectly normal.
Alan stopped, his arm tightening around her. "Where are the guards?"
"What?" Julia realized suddenly that the sentries were missing. "That's funny."
"And aren't the grounds supposed to be lit up?"
"Yes --" The nervousness was coming back. "But sometimes they turn out the lights by the side entrances -- you know, to conserve energy."
Alan was shaking his head. "Julia, don't go in there."
"I have to! My family will worry!"
"You can phone them."
"Phone them? Alan, you *are* crazy!"
He released her suddenly and stepped back. "I'm sorry."
Again, she felt the stab of remorse. "It's okay. I admit, it looks a little spooky, but actually it's the safest place on the planet. Don't worry."
He hesitated. "All right. Can I walk you to the building?"
Julia shook her head. "Not without the guards here. I'm not supposed to let you in. I could get in trouble, and so could you. It's all right. I have my card."
He still looked worried. "I don't like this."
She smiled at him comfortingly, wanting now only to get home and away from this strange, somehow frightening young man. "I'll be fine, and you'd better get going if you're going to make your appointment." She hesitated, and then leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Good night. Thanks for a lovely day."
"Good night, Julia." He glanced toward the Embassy again. "Be careful."
"I will." Julia stepped back, turned and inserted her card into the small slot. The energy barrier flickered out and she stepped through.
"Julia!" he said suddenly.
She turned, and as she did so, the barrier came back on. "Yes?"
His voice sounded odd through the quivering field between them. "Please be careful."
She smiled and threw him a kiss. "Good night, Alan."
"Good night," he said.
For a second more, she stood still, her eyes on his face. The expression of worry was still there, making him look somehow younger and more vulnerable than ever. She saw his lips move again, forming the words, "Be careful."
Julia turned away and started down the narrow path toward the Embassy.
**********
tbc
