This Alien Soul

Chapter 22

I was in the process of trading out my stiff black button up for my signature black v-neck tee when there was a pounding on my pod door.

"Who's that?" Zeena asked, hearing the noise through the communication system.

"I don't know." I pulled the shirt over my head and made my way over to the door.

"Who is it?" I called through the door.

"It's Mato." Mato was in the Order as my father's second in command. Why would he be at my door?

"Well Mato. I can't exactly open the door as I'm locked in." I pounded again at the emergency latch button to emphasize my point.

Immediately the door swished open revealing Mato's stern face holding a device that acted as a master key in the compound. I quickly stepped out into the hallway before he could lock me in again. I was not a fan of confinement.

"Your father would like a word." Mato didn't even bother waiting for a response from me as he turned on a dime and headed in the direction of my parent's pod.

Mato and I had never exactly gotten along. And I hated every second of having to follow him like a fucking scalded puppy. But I wanted to know what was going on, and my father would be the one with answers.

At the end of my hallway, we entered one of the main lounge areas. A large circular bright white room with televisions, eating areas and couches throughout. Around the circle were other hallways that branched in each direction.

Mato stopped at the hallway leading to my parents pod, clearly waiting for me to catch up.

"You know what, I think I've got it from here, Matty-boy." He glowered at my nick name for him. "No need for the escort."

"Your father tasked me with delivering you to his door, so I will be doing so." He retorted, formal as ever. He fell into step behind me as I bypassed, refusing to follow in his footsteps anymore.

My parents were housed in one of the largest pods in the compound, situated all the way at the end of the main hallway. I was beyond frustrated with my guard by the time we made it to their door and Mato knocked to announce our presence.

The doors slid open to allow our entrance. I was relieved when Mato didn't follow, leaving me to face off with the intimidating presence of my father, our Commander, on my own.

"Father." I stopped at the entrance, bowing my head in a show of respect. "Mother." I acknowledge my mother, Luna, who was sitting with her feet kicked up in front of  a television in the living room area. She was balancing a plate of cookies on her very pregnant stomach. When she saw me, she struggled to a upright position and set her plate aside.

Once again, this couldn't be a pleasant conversation if my mother was willing to put down her food.

"Was the escort really necessary?" I couldn't help my attitude at the way I had been summoned.

"Yes, I'm afraid it was." My father, Zane, dressed in his work command outfit of gray pants and black command jacket with white strips on the shoulders, frowned as he ushered me into his office. I had to admit he was an intimidating form. At sixty years old, he didn't look a day over thirty-five, thanks to the Zionians slow aging. He was as tall as me and just a broad. Besides slight graying at his temples and lines of stress on his forehead we looked a lot alike.

"What is this about?" I asked as soon as he took a seat behind his large desk. My mother wobbled in, with a hand on her stomach and back before taking her seat beside my father.

Like my father, she also did not look her age. She had a fragile, small frame which was uncommon in the Zionian species. But there was no denying she was beautiful, with sparkling greens eyes that both Zeke and I had inherited and an elfin face.

"Where to start." My father steepled his fingers together under his chin as he seemed to be contemplating a dilemma. "How about you tell me about how you allowed for the human's drinks to be tainted?"

This was not what I had been expecting. I had been braced to have to face an interrogation on Amber. Not this. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that someone spiked the humans drinks with Ambros." His face got redder as he talked on. "I just spent an hour on the phone assuring the Mayor that there would be no ill effects to those who drank it. I had to calm him down and convince him this was nothing but a prank and not an attack on human kind."

I thought back to the dance. To the Zionian guys I had seen hanging around the punch bowl at one point. To Amber's assurances that she hadn't drunk anything but punch when it was clear that she was wasted.

"Do you want to tell me how you let this happen?" He demanded of me.

"I didn't have anything to do with it." Though I planned on having words with those who did. I was already replaying the dance in my mind, piecing together who it could have been.

Zane slammed his palms against his desk with a loud bang. "You are the reason the Zionian's were at the dance. You are a future Commander of your people. I expected better of you." He snapped. "I expected you not to be distracted by human girls!"