Artificial Heart

42

He was standing in the doorway, hands folded in front of his lap, appearing cautious but in control.

His dark eyes found Prisha's. 'You made quite the chase.' His eyes flicked to Alf. 'And this must be your alien, Alf.' The corner of his mouth tugged at the name. 'Out,' he told his men.

The men frowned and looked at each other. 'But, sir—'

'I said, out. You're not needed.'

The man ahead shrugged and gestured for the others to leave. The door whined shut behind them, shuddering back into position.

'You can step away from her,' Tobias told Alf. 'We're not going to hurt her.'

'He can't understand you,' Prisha said.

'Then tell him.' Tobias looked around at the broken cameras.

'Alf, he's alone. We need to talk with him or we're not getting out of here.' She squeezed his waist.

'I cannot understand you.'

'Right,' Prisha said. 'I forgot.' She stepped out from behind him and Alf turned to look at her. His red eye beamed into hers. 'He's Tobias. He was there at the meetings. He's spoken with me before.'

The man was gazing at Alf in awe. 'Remarkable,' he said. 'Absolutely remarkable. I always wished ...' He shook his head. 'I never thought I'd see the day. Sixty percent, you say?'

'62.2561.' Prisha couldn't believe she remembered.

'Sit. Make yourselves comfortable.' Tobias went over and dragged the chair out from under the table to sit down.

'You attacked him,' Prisha said. 'I don't trust you.'

'When have you ever trusted me?'

'Why did you attack him?'

'He attacked us. The men defended themselves.'

'All he wants is to leave.' Prisha said. 'You didn't listen.'

'I'm listening now.' He gestured at them both. 'Sit, Prisha. What am I going to do? I've taken great risk here.' His eyes fell to the bloodstain on the floor.

Prisha sat down. Alf did the same. He was stiff at her side. His hand remained firm around hers.

'I do not like him,' Alf murmured. 'Be on your guard.'

'I want to ask him some questions about that sphere,' Tobias said.

'I will have to translate.'

'Yes, I know that,' he snapped. Then he leaned back in his chair and smiled. 'Of course.' He nodded at Prisha. 'Tell him.'

'He wants to ask you about the sphere you gave them, Alf.'

Alf nodded.

Immediately, Tobias asked several technical questions that were difficult for Prisha to translate, much less understand. She wondered if he was doing it on purpose.

Alf answered slowly, as though he were talking to a fool. His answer was easy to translate: 'I will not tell you.'

Tobias frowned. 'Then why give it to us with such scant information?'

'It is for you to work out,' Alf answered.

'Why do I not believe you?'

Alf didn't respond.

'We think there is an activation code,' Tobias said.

Again, Alf didn't respond.

Tobias huffed. 'Why give it to us? What did you hope to achieve? Why contact us at all, if you're only going to doom us to fail?'