Manipulate (Book 1, Alien Cadets)

Chapter 2

 “Come on, guys, wave! We’re home,” Sam said.

They took a few seconds to break from ranks, but then the energy of the moment swept them along. They began waving and then smiling, stepping out of line to get a better look at the crowd of press.

Lights flashed as cameramen got digital shots, and the red lights of live video feeds rippled to life. Another frenzy of shouting rose from the crowd, but with a better tone. Less brainwashing talk. Sam smiled. He was performing now, and with a little luck, he could handle this crowd.

 “Not yet!” Sam said, raising his hands for silence. “I still gotta say hi to my family, I think they live in Cloudcroft now. Hi Mom! Dad!” 

“What do you want to say to the world?” a reporter said.

“What was the planet like?”

“Why do you all look green?”

“Take it easy!” Sam said with a smile.

“How about you?” He pointed to a short woman in the third row who’d shouted something simple.

“What do your tattoos mean?” she asked.

“Ah,” he stroked the tattoo on his cheek like it was the best thing ever. “These identify us as leadership students of the Spo nation. Pretty cool, though I know my mom would never let me get a tattoo.” He gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry, Mom.”

There was a ripple of laughter, and then Sam pointed at another reporter. “You, purple tie.”

 “Are all of the children accounted for? We only count forty-one here.”

 “Oh, that’s space travel. If you get seasick, you’ll get spacesick, too. Nobody wanted to hurl on stage, so a few of them are still in the bathroom.”

“No one was left on the Spo planet?” the reporter said.

Sam grimaced, he’d planned to avoid that question, but he’d walked right into it. “Unfortunately, one cadet died from an allergic reaction about a year ago. I can’t release his name until we contact his family. Other than that, we are all here and in the best shape of our lives.”

“What is the Spo planet like?” another asked.

“Hot. Melting is a real cause of death there. And dry as heck. Parts of it are almost habitable for humans. Sort of like Nevada.” Sam smiled.

“Can you speak their language now?” the same reporter asked.

“Ha! Can I?” Sam cleared his throat and then grated out a sentence in the Spo language. It buzzed in his nose and scraped at his throat.

“Learning the language was part of the reason we were taken,” Sam explained. “You want to hear a joke? ‘What’s the difference between a Spo and a cricket?’”

Sam paused.

“Hairstyle.”

More uncertain laughter.

Sam shrugged. “It’s funnier in their language, I promise.”

They laughed more at that. A tall lady in the back row raised her hand. Sam pointed at her.

“Why did they take you?” she said simply. There was silence after that question. This was the main one.

Sam looked right at the lady as he spoke, maintaining eye contact across the crowd. Sincerity.

“I know all the rumors that have gone around, but I promise you they weren’t using us as hostages.  They didn’t brainwash us to hate Earth, either. They taught us their language and culture, and some other alien cultures, too.