Night of the Aurora (Salmon Run - Book 1)

Chapter 17

"What better way is there?"

Zach gave Sasha a grimace, "We're in trouble."

"You were judging things here by old science fiction movies. Same thing," she reminded him.

"No, not the same thing. I know they are complete fantasy," Zach objected. He backed away as Nanuk walked to the counter to turn it off.

"I understand fantasy. I also listen to the human radio frequencies, view what you call internet, and various news programs. I find them very enlightening." Nanuk stood tall over Zach and looked him up and down. "You fear me?

***

Zach stopped backing away from the big body looming over him. Setting his jaw, he announced, "I am not afraid of you."

Nanuk huffed. "Perhaps you are right, and the adolescent girl is wrong. Perhaps I am dangerous."

"I'm not wrong," Sasha said, putting her hands on her hips. "You may be big, but you are also soft."

Chattering laughter came from Yenni, "She has you classified well, Nanuk."

"If you wanted to do us harm, you would have done it." Zach said the words strongly in hopes he would believe it. Everything about the place made him nervous. But, it was time to put the old movies out of his head. Time to think logically. "There is one thing that bothers me, speaking from a scientific perspective."

Nanuk's ears went up. He retreated to his stool and gestured at him with a claw. "Scientific? By all means continue."

Yenni looked up from his work, suddenly finding him interesting. Zach swallowed hard and rushed to put his thoughts into words without them sounding completely insulting or accusatory. 

"I surmize that the area we currently stand in is a space craft of some sort. You are not from Earth."

Yenni laughed again. "Smarter than I expected."

"Who said we were stupid?" Sasha flung back at him.

Nanuk waved a paw, "You surmise correct. Continue."

"From what I see on the counter, as well as what you have said, humans are a field of study for you. But as we have barely left the surface of our planet to land on our own moon the question becomes why? From a scientific perspective, why should our world garner any attention?"

Nanuk sat back. "Indeed, good scientific questions. Satisfy my curiosity. I find human reasonings endlessly interesting. What conclusions might you have come up with using your limited observations?"

But Zach had turned his head towards the door. Perhaps it was his over-active imagination, but it had sounded like a weapon zap. It was a sound that sent a shiver right down to the center of him.

But he didn't expect the howl of fury that followed it. Nor the body of a security-bot, minus a head, skittering along the floor past the open door. Or the sound of four legs pounding along the floor in the outside hall. 

"Now that sounds like a real bear," Sasha said, her voice shaking.

"To the back of the room!" Nanuk shouted.

Zach made a run for it as the loud huffs and growls of whatever it was approached fast.

A dark brown body slipped to a stop at the door. It roared into the room, small beady black eyes latching onto them.

Zach flattened himself against a counter in the back of the room, the edge biting into his lower back. What did they do now? The bear blocked their only way out.

***

Hawk lost count of the cups of coffee he consumed. Or the number of crackers someone slid in front of him. McRoyal and Grandpa Neeley took turns sitting next to him, but they'd both disappeared to help the latest batch coming in from the train.

He watched the people mill around the snow machines outside the window. Three groups back from the train and still Zach and Sasha were missing.

"Problem, mister?" Wide brown eyes stared at him over the top curve of the chair across from him.

He recognized the voice as one of the children of the store owners, but he couldn't recall the name. He couldn't recall any of the names of the people he'd been introduced to when he'd come inside.

"I'm looking for my son."

The little boy nodded his head solemnly, a lock of unruly brown hair falling over his eye. "I could tell."

Hawk took a tip of the still-hot coffee. Someone must have topped it off when he wasn't looking. "How can you tell?"

The boy pointed to the chair next to him. "Because Darnit knows it."

Hawk looked down to the half-pulled out chair next to him. Darnit's head rested on the seat, staring up at him with wide blue eyes. He cocked the notched ear.

The boy reached out and scratched the top of Darnit's head. Darnit took his eyes off Hawk long enough to look in the boy's direction, and then continued the stare in Hawk's direction, all without moving his head. "Darnit always knows. He's really good about that."

And probably good at biting people, especially after giving them that fake human smile that bared all those sharp teeth.

The serious gaze of the mangy mutt immediately made him feel bad for thinking it. Darnit might embody all the traits he detested in dogs, but he'd never attacked him or Zach. In a funny way it made Hawk feel better that the dog might be worried right along with him.

And looking at him, with his head sitting on the chair, just watching… well, maybe the dog really did sense Hawk was upset.

"Darnit is a unique dog," Hawk finally said, realizing the boy was waiting for him to say something.

"Yep, real special," the boy said, nodding. "Are you going to go live in the haunted lodge?"

Hawk's almost choked, nearly spilling his coffee. "Haunted?"

"Peter, I need help packing groceries," Ms. Dunn said, reaching out to grab the boy's shoulders and turn him away from the table. "Let Mr. Callahan have a little peace."

Haunted? Why did people keep saying strange things about the lodge? But, considering how things had gone so far, it would be his luck.

He looked down at Darnit. "Do I look worried?"

Darnit woofed. He licked his sharp teeth and settled his head back down on the seat of the chair.

Oh great, the dog answered him. Hawk rubbed his eyes. "I must be going crazy."

Good lord, the dog was trying to grin again.