Jack And Anna - The Price of Fear

By R.S. Penney

Settling back into life on Earth isn’t easy for newly-weds Anna Lenai and Jack Hunter. Shapeshifting alien monsters? No problem! But have you tried to find a job in this economy?

Posing as ordinary citizens isn't easy. Especially for Jack, who was never very comfortable being ordinary. Anna, however, is eager for a little taste of normalcy, and she finds it with some new friends. But things get dicey when a wormhole in St. Louis brings a new visitor to our world. A terrifying creature is prowling through the city, and people are afraid to go out at night.

Anna and Jack must navigate a complex web of shifting alliances between various intelligence agencies. Complicating matters are the enigmatic Administrators: unnatural beings who pose as government agents, but who secretly possess a wide array of strange powers. And one of them has decided that Anna knows too much. She soon discovers that the real danger may not be the alien, but the CIA team that is trying to capture it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Next Chapter
• Release date: Oct 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798890084033

Book preview

JOURNAL 1

Multi-tool active: begin recording.

Okay…Um…Huh. Sweetie! Sweetie, can you come here a sec? How is this thing supposed to start again? Oh! Right…The origin story. Okay.

My name is Anna Lenai. I Bonded with an alien symbiont, and for the last ten years, I’ve been the one, the only…Anna Lenai. What? You thought I was going to hide all this awesomeness behind some silly codename?

The first few years were a bit of a slow start. It took a while to get the hang of my fancy new superpowers. Justice Keepers like me, we get a lot of benefits from our alien partners: strength, speed, rapid healing. But the coolest one has to be our ability to manipulate space and time. I mean, sure, it might just kill us if we overdo it, but still, it’s epic, right? And yet, there’s definitely a learning curve.

Jack’s the one with the literary mind; I’m more of a visual artist. So, this might be a good time for you to picture a montage of me leaping from building to building and falling on my ass. Getting punched in the face when I went up against bad guys. That sort of thing.

The point is that about six years ago, I pursued a criminal through the vastness of space, and guess what! I found Earth.

Yeah, this is kind of a critical point. See, for a long time, nobody knew where Earth was. Some people didn’t even think it existed. We’re all human. But these aliens that we call Overseers took our ancestors from Earth way back in the Stone Age. So, now, there are dozens of worlds across the Milky Way, all with human populations. And some of us discovered warp drive first. Anyway, we’re getting off track.

Back to the story!

Jack and I were an unstoppable team: travelling the stars, righting wrongs. We became best friends and then lovers. And now, we’re back here on Earth: posing as ordinary citizens while we investigate these crazy wormholes that lead to parallel universes. Some interesting things have been coming through. And by interesting, I mean terrifying! At least, by my standards.

Jack seems to be coping just fine with all the creepy crawlies. It’s the posing as ordinary citizens part that’s throwing him for a loop.

What?

Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you didn’t want me to…Well, of course, they want to hear about you! You’re interesting! Bleakness! Besides, you talked about me in your journals.

Anyway, that’s where we are: working with intelligence agencies and using high-tech equipment to close those wormholes. Our supervisor is quite insistent that we keep a low profile. Which means we have cover lives and cover jobs.

Isn’t that exciting?

1

MONEY? THINK I’LL PASS

Folding a purple shirt, Anna added it to a pile of several others that sat on the wooden shelf. She took a moment to inspect her work, noting that every garment was nice and square and neat.

Nodding once in satisfaction, she smiled and turned around. Done!

Chez Alice, a small women’s clothing store in the Rideau Centre, was filled with circular racks that held colourful dresses, skirts and tops. There wasn’t a whole lot of floorspace – you had to do some bobbing and weaving to get from one end of the store to the other – but she couldn’t say that the customers lacked choices.

Her boss stood behind the checkout counter.

A plump woman in her early thirties whose wardrobe consisted mostly of items found in the store, Camille always had a smile and a cheerful disposition. Well, almost always. She certainly liked Anna.

Ringlets of brown hair framed a round face with brown eyes that seemed to twinkle whenever she looked at you. Or maybe that was just a trick of the light. Nice job, Anna, Camille said. I don’t know how I got along without you.

Anna leaned against the shelf with her eyes downcast, chuckling as she nervously flicked a lock of hair off her cheek. I’m just doing my best.

Unlike Camille, she was quite short and rather petite. But they did share one thing in common: a notably round face. Anna’s bright red hair was tied back in a ponytail, with several loose locks falling just past her chin. Each of these contained two shin-ah beads inscribed with Leyrian characters expressing the virtues of courage and compassion. It was a popular style back on her world. It might stand out here on Earth, but she was only willing to go so far to protect her cover. Besides, her boss knew that she was Leyrian.

I gotta admit, Camille said. I wasn’t expecting you to be so…diligent.

Anna’s eyebrows went up. So, you were expecting me to be lazy?

The question put a wave of crimson in Camille’s cheeks. No, it’s just…I mean…You never had a job before, right?

Anna sauntered through the store with a friendly grin, deftly maneuvering around the racks. "I wouldn’t say that; I just never had a job that paid me money before. Technically, that was a lie; Justice Keepers who lived on Earth were given a monthly stipend, but she was posing as a painter who had moved to this world after falling in love with one of the locals. My aunt runs a small café back home, and I spent several summers working with her."

Well, that’s lovely!

They were interrupted by the arrival of two young women – both high schoolers unless Anna missed her guess – who quickly started pawing through the clothes on a rack near the door. One of them kept yammering about some boy in her class while the other frowned as she inspected every garment.

This one! she said, pulling a blue dress off its hangar and draping it over her body as if to see how it looked. Her imperious stare zeroed-in on Anna with the efficiency of a guided missile. Miss, do you have this in red?

I’ll have to check, Anna said.

Turning on her heel, she hurried to the back of the store and ducked into the stockroom. Compared to the sales floor, this place looked downright shabby. A buzzing light in the ceiling flickered several times, and the scent of floor cleanser lingered in the air. The odds of finding what the girl was looking for were pretty slim. Only a few of the beat-up cardboard boxes contained merchandise, and most of that was out of season.

Dropping to one knee next to one of those mangled packages, Anna frowned as she lifted the lid. She found some shorts in there and some tank tops as well – none of which were likely to sell with Halloween just around the corner – but no dresses.

Anna wrinkled her nose and shook her head slowly. Red dresses, she muttered, getting back up on her feet. Where might they have put the red dresses?

She spotted another box on one of the metal shelves. That one looked like it just might be large enough. Grabbing a stepladder, she wheeled it over to the shelf and climbed up.

Lifting the box wasn’t a problem – not for someone with super strength – but when she finally got the damn thing open, she found nothing but hats inside. Well, it had been a long shot anyway. Camille could be downright fastidious when it came to getting merchandise out where the customers could see it. Generally speaking, if it wasn’t on the floor, then it wasn’t in the store.

Laughing softly, Anna shut her eyes and took a moment to contemplate the twist of fate that had brought her here. Six months ago, she was fighting aliens in huge, underground caverns, and now…Now, she was working at the mall. Not that she minded. Truth be told, she kind of liked it.

Stocking shelves and dealing with snippy teenagers might not be thrilling, but it gave her a chance to work on her acting skills. It was nice to have a job where the worst thing she had to worry about was sorting the latest shipment of tops by size and colour. Her real job provided more than enough action to keep her wits sharp.

A high-pitched trill from her watch made her flinch.

What was that Earth phrase that Jack often used in situations like this? Oh. Right. Speak of the devil.

The device on her wrist was a stripped-down version of a multi-tool. No holographic projector, no micro-fabrication unit. Just a simple, touchscreen interface that was good for making and receiving calls. She wore it because she wasn’t allowed to carry a phone on the sales floor.

Pressing her back against the wall, Anna lifted her forearm and pinched the watch between her thumb and forefinger. What is it, Aamani? she asked, speaking into the tiny microphone.

Trouble. My agents think they’ve spotted an Overseer.

What?

That’s the third one we’ve found in Ottawa in as many weeks. We think they might be hunting you and Jack.

Anna scrunched her eyes shut and banged the back of her head against the wall. Good to see they’re still in full Ahab mode. She and Jack had foiled several of the Overseers’ grand schemes over the years. It was safe to say there was no one else in the galaxy they despised more. I don’t know how you expect me to get out of here without raising suspicions. I don’t get a break for another hour.

You’ll have to think of something.

Charming, Anna growled, marching back to the door. She pushed it open just a crack. The two young women were still waiting on the sales floor, both looking rather impatient. You know, maybe we need to have a talk about the utility of these cover jobs.

Not now, Anna. Just get over here. I’m texting you the location.

Ending the call, she hurried out of the stockroom and strode across the store with a forced smile. I’m sorry, she said, approaching the two customers. We don’t have that particular dress in red, but there are several others here–

The girl rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. Forget it, she said, returning the blue one to its hanger. I’m sure I can find it somewhere– She cut off abruptly, tilting her head as she studied Anna. You’re Leyrian.

Anna blinked, startled by her unexpected knowledge. That’s right.

Well, that explains it.

I’m sorry?

The two girls giggled and put their heads together like they were sharing a secret, though neither one said much of anything. Turning their backs on her, they hurried away and joined the flow of people moving through the mall.

Don’t mind them, Camille said, checking something on her screen. I told them we didn’t have what they were looking for.

Spinning to face the other woman, Anna sucked in a deep breath and marched over to the checkout counter. Camille, is there any chance I can take my break early? My husband left his meds in my purse and he needs me to-

No problem. It’s pretty dead around here anyway.

Thanks.

Anna was out the door and bounding through the mall so fast she didn’t even hear Camille calling out to her. Wait! You forgot your purse!

After four hours on the job, Jack Hunter had run out of things to discuss with his supervisor. The two of them were stuck behind the counter at a cellphone kiosk, and they had quickly burned through every item on Jack’s list of safe topics. The weather, the Blue Jays, Mark’s planned vacation to the Caribbean: Each one was good for about two minutes of steady conversation. Five, if Jack really pushed his luck.

The influx of teenagers coming through the mall when school let out had provided a brief respite from the boredom – most kids loved gadgets, and phones were one of their favourites – but the flow of customers dwindled to a trickle when the dinner hour came and went. As closing-time approached, there was little to distract him from the disconcerting thoughts that flitted through his head.

Shopping malls could be downright creepy when business was slow. It was the silence, Jack realized. Places like this should be loud; they should be crowded. Thirty years ago, at the turn of the millennium, that would have certainly been the case. What else was there to do on a chilly Wednesday night in October? But times had changed.

Some people blamed the rise of online retailers. Others said it was the shrinking middle class. But one way or another, the Rideau Centre just wasn’t what it used to be.

As he looked out on the concourse with its white tiles and vaulted skylights, Jack couldn’t help but feel like he had somehow travelled back in time. Malls like this were a relic of a bygone era. His mother had told him once that when she was a girl, in the ‘90s, people used to come here just to hang out.

Not so, anymore.

He counted maybe twenty people moving through the long corridor that led to the food court. Most of them were alone, and those who had come with a friend weren’t saying much of anything. Get in, get your stuff and get out: As a teenager, he would have said that was how shopping was supposed to work. Now, he was starting to rethink that position. When you removed the socializing, the whole thing just seemed dystopian.

Many of the rental spaces that would have housed stores were closed and walled off behind metal gates. Small retail chains just couldn’t compete with the giant corporations these days. Apple and Sony and several others still had representation in the form of brick-and-mortar stores, but the little shops he remembered from his childhood? Most of them were gone.

As far as the big retailers were concerned, get in, get your stuff and get out was the recipe for a perfect customer. A quick exchange of cash with minimal human interaction. He was really starting to loathe this new job he had been forced to take.

Verdant Mobile, one of the upstart telecoms that promised download speeds of over three hundred petabits per second, wasn’t stupid enough to rent a large space in this aging shopping mall. Why spend the cash when four glass display cases in the middle of the concourse would do?

The kiosk was located on the first floor, sandwiched between a shoe store and a shop that specialized in retro games. Verdant had chosen a spot right next to a seating area with four white couches and a huge potted plant. People were always stopping by to take a load off, and wouldn’t you know it, the presence of a cellphone carrier within spitting distance piqued their curiosity.

Heads up, Mark muttered. We’ve got incoming.

Jack’s supervisor was a tall and spindly man with a copper complexion and brown hair that he had parted in the middle, the ends of it curling over the nape of his neck. His square glasses reflected the ceiling lights.

Like Jack, he wore the standard Verdant uniform: black dress pants and a bright green golf shirt. It was ugly as sin. Just one of the many reasons why Jack hated this job.

For the last ten minutes, his tall frame had been hunched uncomfortably over the display case, one elbow on the glass, chin resting on the back of his hand. A nudge from Mark forced him to stand up straight.

Jack was lean: pale with a strong chin and messy, brown hair. Breathing deeply, he tried to put the negative thoughts out of his mind. He may not like this job, but he would do it to the best of his ability.

The incoming customer was a woman in her mid-thirties who left her blonde hair hanging loose. She paused, examining the phones inside the display case, and pointed to one on the bottom shelf. What can you tell me about that one?

Good choice, Jack said, jiggling the lock with his key. He slid the panel open and reached inside to retrieve the phone she had asked for. It was virtually indistinguishable from all the others: just a glossy, black rectangle with a few buttons on the side. The form factor hadn’t changed much in the last twenty years, though some companies were starting to incorporate Leyrian technologies like SmartGlass. Five hundred twelve terabytes of solid-state storage. Emerald Three OS.

Can it do the new download speeds?

It can.

Sighing morosely, the woman grimaced as she reached into her purse. She pulled out another phone – this one wrapped in a purple case – and set it down in front of Jack. This one only does the old 8G network. I think I need an upgrade.

Jack blinked as he examined the phone. This one’s an Aribos Jade-Six. It only came out eight months ago. It’s definitely compatible with the Starfire Protocol.

But the little icon says 8G every time I turn it on.

Maybe it’s your plan. Grabbing a tablet off the shelf, Jack brought up the help page. Of course, Verdant had to do the entire website in bright green. What’s your phone number?

753-555-0153.

Yeah, it says here you’re on the sixty-dollar plan.

He didn’t need to look up to see the poor woman’s face. Justice Keepers gained many useful abilities from their alien partners, one of which was an instinctive awareness of their surroundings. The father and daughter eating ice cream behind him, the kid who watched him from a railing on the second floor, that stupid fly that kept zipping past his kiosk: he sensed them all. And he knew that his customer wasn’t happy.

What’s wrong with the sixty-dollar plan? she asked.

Nothing! Jack insisted. Honestly, it’s probably all you need.

What if I want the new Starfire plan?

Setting the tablet aside, Jack stepped forward and leaned over the display case to speak with her. Ma’am, he said softly. Those plans can reach upwards of two hundred dollars a month. You’re not going to need that much data. You’re just not.

We’re running a promo on Starfire plans right now! Mark chimed in, shuffling up beside Jack and trying to nudge him out of the way. You get three months at a thirty-percent discount, plus a new phone on us!

Ma’am, Jack said, hoping that his gentle tone might make an impression. The woman shifted her gaze to him, pointedly ignoring Mark. "The Starfire Protocol is Leyrian technology. They use it to network their spaceships for a coordinated military strike. The only reason we have it is because Leyria shared it with Earth’s governments when it was starting to look like we might be attacked. And then those governments passed it on to the private sector."

Jack took a deep breath through his nose, holding her gaze and praying that she would listen. Now, are you planning to launch a coordinated orbital assault on Mars or Ganymede or any other planet in this system?

No…

What do you do on your phone? Play a little Crimson? Watch short videos? Chat with your friends on Sunrise?

Um…Yeah.

Then 8G will be just fine.

To his utter shock and delight, the woman grinned and patted his arm. Thank you, she said, collecting her phone. It’s nice to meet an honest salesman. She pulled the strap of her bag over her shoulder and hurried off before Mark could say anything that might change her mind.

Once again, Jack’s Spatial Awareness worked against him. He was very deliberately not looking at his supervisor, but he could sense every contour of the other man’s face. Scowls like that were usually reserved for slimy politicians and clingy exes. "Why would you talk her out of a sale?"

Because she doesn’t need to be throwing away two hundred bucks a month on a phone plan that isn’t going to serve her needs.

"It’s our job to sell phones here!"

No, it’s our job to make sure the customers get the best deal for their money.

Mark backed away slowly, his head sinking with the weight of his dismay. He drummed his fingers on the counter. Kid, you’ve gotta bring up your sales. You’ve been here almost two months. I’m gonna have to write your performance review.

Jack closed his eyes, choosing his words with care. The first few things that leaped to mind weren’t the kind of sentiments you wanted to share with your boss. I get it. I just think we can meet our sales goals by prioritizing our customers’ needs instead of pushing them into the most expensive option.

Snarling, Mark gestured in the direction the woman had gone. She just told you what she needs! She asked for the Starfire plan!

Because she saw some stupid ad that tricked her into thinking the old networks are useless! No one needs three hundred petabits per second to post a few selfies!

It’s not your job to tell the customer what she needs, Mark insisted. Your job is to listen and provide what she asked for.

Oh, bullshit! Jack spat. All we ever do is tell the customers what they need. ‘Hey, are you still using last year’s technology? Here’s a new model that will shave three microseconds off your video’s load time. That’ll be eight hundred dollars, please.’

He knew he had made a mistake the moment he stopped talking. Actually, he knew long before that, but in for a penny, in for a pound. If he was going to get written up anyway, he may as well complete his thought.

It pained him to realize that Mark looked genuinely disappointed. Sounds like you don’t want to work here, Jack.

What exactly was he supposed to say to that? He didn’t want to work here. Having to pretend otherwise was one of the worst aspects of this job.

He was spared the need to come up with a response by the sudden arrival of a lady in a blue pantsuit who walked through the mall like she owned the place. Aamani Patel was taller than the average woman and slightly plump as well. Her olive-skinned face was marked by wrinkles around the eyes, and a few strands of gray had crept into the black hair that she wore in a bun. With thin glasses and a permanent frown, she reminded Jack very much of his fifth-grade teacher.

Jack, she said, approaching the kiosk. I’m sorry to interrupt you, but Anna needs your help.

Jack opened his mouth to say that he was on his way, but the thought of Mark’s displeasure gave him pause. Slowly, he turned an imploring look upon his boss.

Go, Mark said. I’m gonna have to fire you anyway. There’s no point in sticking around if your wife is in trouble.

Um…Thanks.

Grabbing his coat, Jack exited the kiosk and made for the door. You’ll need this, Aamani said, hurrying to catch up. She handed Jack a bag with two thin crystals inside, each one sparkling in the harsh light.

Setting his jaw with determination, Jack nodded once. Thanks, he mumbled. We better hurry. If I know Anna, she’s already in the thick of it.

2

SMACK MY LICH UP

Anna ran into an alley between two gray buildings, stopping after only a few steps. It was dark, but she didn’t need her eyes to see. The walls on either side of her were misty shadows in her mind, painted in vivid clarity by the awareness she gained from her alien partner.

She took a cautious step forward, scanning her surroundings, searching for any sign of a threat. The alley stretched on for about thirty paces, finally ending in a T-intersection with another alley that ran behind the buildings. She sensed crumpled bags and broken glass on the ground. A few discarded candy wrappers as well. The place smelled like the dumpster outside her apartment complex, and she was pretty sure she caught a whiff of urine on top of that foul stench. But there were no enemies here.

She checked her watch just to be sure, confirming that this was indeed the address Aamani had texted her. A pair of CSIS agents had reported a suspicious-looking woman skulking about in this neighbourhood. One of them claimed to have seen her carrying a piece of Overseer technology. That was why Anna had been called in. Aamani’s people weren’t equipped to deal with threats of that magnitude.

Turning her back on the darkness, Anna rolled up her sleeve and squeezed her watch between her thumb and forefinger. You’re positive that this is the right place? Maybe your guy made a mistake.

I don’t think so, Aamani replied. Colby might be a bit overcautious, but he’s not prone to exaggeration. If he says he saw an Overseer, I’m inclined to believe him.

Tilting her head back, Anna blinked several times. If you say so… A fleet of puffy clouds had drifted in over the city, scattering the moonlight along their edges. The night was chilly and damp – an ever-present reminder that she should have put on her coat before she went charging out of the mall – but she could deal. It was nothing that a hot bath wouldn’t cure. And then some cuddle time.

Revolving slowly on the spot, Anna pursed her lips as she scanned the rooftops. Honestly, Aamani, I think your agent jumped the gun. There’s no one here.

At least wait until Jack arrives.

Yeah, okay. But if this ornithoid turns out to be untamed, you’re gonna have to put in a good word with my boss. She grimaced at the thought of Camille’s displeasure. I was this close to making employee of the month.

A flicker of movement made Anna turn around.

She was just quick enough to catch a shadow descending from a nearby roof and landing in the middle of the alley. In the dim light, she could barely make out the figure of a scrawny young woman in what appeared to be a stained, white dress. Her greasy hair spilled over her face like one of those ghosts in the Japanese horror films that Jack liked.

Anna’s fists immediately snapped up into a fighting stance. She backed off toward the street, squinting at the waif with a penchant for grand entrances. So, I’m guessing you’re the one I’m looking for.

The girl’s hair parted just enough to reveal one eye and the hint of a sinister smile. I knew that if I let them see me, you would come. Her voice was pure gravel. As if her vocal cords had been stretched taut and then scraped with a rusty knife.

Pinching her watch again, Anna spoke into the microphone, Yeah, Aamani, that’s a big confirmo on your Overseer hypothesis.

You’ve made contact?

She’s mwa-ha-ha-ing at me as we speak. Got a twenty on Jack?

I just picked him up. ETA: five minutes.

Gotcha, Anna said. Commencing operation ‘Keep Her Talking.’ She put on the kind of smile that she usually reserved for the most annoying customers. So, you’re an Overseer. That’s kind of cool, villain-wise.

The wraith-like girl trembled with soft laughter, but the sound that came out of her mouth could have easily been mistaken for rocks grinding together. You hope to delay our conflict until your partner arrives. You plan to face me together.

Anna shrugged, her forced smile becoming a sheepish grin. Can’t blame a girl for trying, she said, striding deeper into the alley. Listen, while we’re on the subject, could we take a moment to contemplate your truly heinous fall from grace?

The other woman froze, confused by the question.

Lifting both hands up in front of her face, Anna spread them apart as though opening a set of curtains. The Overseers! she exclaimed. From manipulating humanity on a galactic scale to petty revenge schemes in less than one year!

Our goals are beyond your comprehension.

Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard all that before. ‘Ooh, look at me. I’m so mysterious. Anna rolled her eyes. Why don’t we put it to the test? You tell me why you want the wormholes so badly, and we’ll see if I understand.

Their power is boundless.

Anna froze, shocked by the other woman’s candour. A straight answer, she said. That’s more than I expected. What are you planning to do with them?

Ghost Girl closed the distance in three quick strides. In the dim light, Anna could see that her hands were dirty and her boots were scuffed. You need not concern yourself with that.

She threw a punch.

Bending backwards, Anna flung one hand up to strike her forearm and deflect it. Another fist came at her, but she deflected that too.

When the third punch came, Anna turned her shoulder toward the other woman and slapped her hand down on Ghost Girl’s wrist. She kicked out to the side, provoking a grunt as her opponent stumbled.

Facing her, Anna offered a high kick.

The raven-haired woman jumped back, narrowly evading it. She retreated toward the brick wall at the end of the alley, a demonic smile playing across her face. Bleakness take these Overseers; didn’t they get the message by now? No one wanted them here!

Anna charged in with a punch.

The scrawny girl slid out of the way, twisting around to grab her arm with both hands. A hard shove sent Anna staggering. She barely managed to catch herself by slapping her palms against the wall. While she was trying to get her bearings, her enemy leaped into a flying kick.

Anna moved aside only half a second before a dirty sneaker struck the spot where her head had been. Bricks crumbled with tiny fragments falling to the ground. Ghost Girl landed with a growl and a hiss.

Spinning to face her, Anna chuckled. Her eyebrows climbed behind the bangs that fell playfully over her forehead. You’re really gonna keep this up?

Ghost Girl replied with a mean right hook.

Anna ducked, letting it pass over her head. She hurled a pair of jabs into her enemy’s stomach, then rose and slugged the bitch right in her excessively pale face. That certainly made an impression.

Head thrown back, blood dripping from her nose, Ghost Girl stumbled. Her messy black hair spilled into her eyes. Hatred seemed to radiate from her. The cold menace of an inhuman mind seeking retribution.

Anna spun for a hook-kick, her foot whistling through the air to smash…absolutely nothing. When she came around, the tiny woman popped up right in front of her. Ghost Girl jumped with a ferocious snap-kick.

Her shoe slammed into Anna’s exposed chest, driving her backward. A split second later, she landed and rushed in with a punch.

Anna’s hand moved with almost casual indifference, swatting her enemy’s forearm and batting it aside. She bent backwards, effortlessly catching the next punch. Ghost Girl snarled like a caged beast.

Tearing free of Anna’s grip, she fell sideways and pressed one hand down on the pavement. She brought her leg up in a smooth arc, hooking one foot behind Anna’s neck and shoving her sideways into the wall.

Wheezing, Anna turned and flattened herself against it. In a heartbeat, she was cornered, unable to escape.

A pale, elfin face dominated her vision, grinning with maniacal glee. Wild hair spilled over the tiny woman’s shoulders. Those dark eyes lacked any trace of mercy or humanity.

Ghost Girl threw a punch.

Anna leaned to her right, a fist streaking past her left ear to strike the bricks instead. Another punch came, and she leaned left with the same result. Ghost Girl didn’t seem to care about damaging herself. And why should she? It wasn’t the girl but an alien in the pilot’s seat. This body was just a shell that could be discarded at any time.

Another punch.

Anna crouched down, wincing at the sound of crunching bricks. She slammed both hands against her opponent’s chest, shoving the poor girl into a drunken stumble. This had to end soon.

Rage burning in her blood, Anna jumped and delivered a kick to the face. The scrawny girl fell on her ass, then somersaulted backwards into the alley that led out to the street.

She rose with a deep breath and thrust her hand out with fingers splayed, revealing the force-field generator that she had strapped to her palm. It was a lump of flesh with thin tendrils that traced the length of each finger, and it glowed with deep, red light.

The air crackled as a wall of pure radiance appeared. If you looked closely, you would see that it wasn’t solid; the whole thing was composed of tiny, white flecks that winked in and out of existence, creating a strobing effect.

With a scream, the girl sent that force-field barreling toward Anna.

Anna jumped out of the way only half a second before it hit the wall and left a web of cracks behind. Pieces of debris fell to the ground along with a torrent of dust.

The sound of footsteps brought her some hope. She sensed Jack running through the alley long before she saw him with her eyes. And wonder of wonders, he was carrying a bag with a strap slung over one shoulder.

Crystals!

The tide had just turned in Anna’s favour.

Snarling, the waifish girl spun around and thrust her hand toward Jack. Another force-field appeared, its light transforming night into day, and sped toward him with the power of a freight train.

Jack leaped, somersaulting over the force-field, and dropped to the ground in a crouch, letting it surge out to the street behind him. His lips parted in a smirk as he took in the destruction all around him. "Well…Somebody put metal in the science oven."

Ghost Girl launched herself toward him, clawing at his face.

Jack’s hand surged up to seize her wrist, keeping her fingers at bay. His other hand grabbed a fistful of dress, and with a hard shove, he sent her careening toward Anna.

Anna jumped, tumbling like a log through the air and touching down in front of her startled enemy. The poor girl lurched into the scarred wall at the back of the alley, growling as her rage flared hot.

Anna turned to Jack, extending one hand. Give.

He tossed her a crystal.

Screeching like a cat, Ghost Girl rushed forward on nimble feet. Her face was twisted into a mask of raw hatred. With incredible speed, she closed the distance and then spun for a hook-kick.

Anna ducked, letting the woman’s foot pass over her head. She popped up as her opponent came around, then slapped her open palm against Ghost Girl’s forehead, shattering the crystal. Moon healing activation!

Nice reference! Jack exclaimed.

A red halo spread over Ghost Girl’s body, turning orange as it enveloped her shoulders and yellow by the time it reached her waist. Green as it washed over her boots. Then blue and purple as well.

She screamed, writhing frantically as a worm-like parasite became visible on the side of her neck. The damn thing tried to hold on, its tiny legs digging into her skin, but the crystal’s energy refused to allow it.

Finally, the worm fell to the ground.

Jack was quick to crush it under his shoe.

With a sharp, throat-searing gasp, Ghost Girl fell into Anna’s waiting arms, sobbing as she clung to Anna’s body. Thank you! she squeaked. Oh, thank you!

What’s your name?

Rita.

Anna held the poor girl, gently patting her back. It’s okay, Rita. You’re gonna be okay. It’s over now.

What was that thing?

An Overseer.

Rita pulled away, sniffling as she wiped the tears off her cheek. With dirty hair falling over her face, she glanced down at the parasite’s battered remains. You mean one of the aliens that invaded us back in the spring?

Sighing, Anna nodded slowly. Same species, different form, she explained. "They can