“Yes, it is. Time is running out. We need you to get us there,” the deputy answered.
“I’ll help you. Just let her go,” Alec said, stepping in front of Ava.
“It’s not about you, Markham. It’s about the little girl. Arthur explained what he saw. That little girl is at the core of what is going on.”
“She’s just one of the mesmerized.” Alec leaned forward on his cane. “Can’t you see that?”
“She’s the one who’s doing it!” someone screeched. It was Arthur’s voice.
“Shit.” Alec took a hard look at the mesmerized behind him. “Having Arthur with you is a bad idea. You’re going to bring the mesmerized down on you.”
“The mesmerized? Is that what you call them?” The deputy seemed amused by this label. “And why would they come down on us if she’s not the one controlling them?”
“She’s just a little girl,” Minji protested.
“Arthur told me all about how that little girl controls these so-called mesmerized. Don’t lie to me.”
“This isn’t right,” Alec said heatedly. “Holding a woman hostage? That’s not how things are done.”
“A violent woman under the influence of an alien being is a menace,” the deputy shot back. “I saw what she did to Arthur’s face.”
“He tried to strangle my daughter!”
“He said he was trying to sedate her.”
“The man’s lying to save face. He tried to kill a little girl,” Alec said in a low, tight voice.
Ava whimpered.
The mesmerized all took a simultaneous step toward the standoff.
“I mean it, little girl!” the deputy snarled. “I will shoot her.”
Minji wished that the other would attack again just so she could get the upper hand, but observing Ava, Minji saw that there was emotion in the doll-like eyes for the very first time. It was fear. Minji was both touched and exasperated by the entity’s attachment to her in that moment. If only it would lash out and put the Sheriff and Arthur under, but she could see by the terror in the child’s eyes that it wasn’t going to happen. Maybe the mother entity would make a move, but Minji wasn’t certain if it would either. It wanted its child back and would need humans to do it. With dread, Minji accepted their temporary defeat.
“What do you want from us?” Minji tilted her head so she could see the man’s face.
“You’re our ticket for safe passage. You’re coming with us. Alec, turn over the key cards. I know you have them. I checked the team on the road and they were gone. I couldn’t even get near The Venetian due to the fires. I assume you got the tablet?”
“We couldn’t get close to The Venetian either,” Minji quickly lied. “Alec took the two cards off the soldiers.”
Giving her a sharp look, Alec processed her words. “Minji, don’t tell him anymore!”
“We were hoping that once we were inside we could find one of the tablets.”
Alec sighed wearily. “Dammit, Minji.”
“Is this true, Markham?”
“I was told to look for one inside the facility if I couldn’t ge
t to The Venetian in time,” Alec explained and Minji wondered if it was a lie.
“Search him,” the deputy ordered Arthur.
Scampering into view, Arthur nervously observed Ava and the mesmerized.
Maybe it was wrong, but the satisfaction that Minji experienced at the sight of Arthur’s battered face made her smile.