Modified: the Alien's Mate

Chapter Fourteen

They followed him back into his home, down the corridor and into one of the rooms which had its large, panelled door closed. Once they were inside the room, Corbin placed the basket he still carried over his arm near the door and went to a sturdy oak table in the back of the room.

He indicated for them to take two high backed leather chairs across from him whilst he took another across from them. Edgar and Regina did as they were instructed.

Regina folded her hands in her lap, it was a demure gesture which she consciously had to remind herself to keep. She was not used to being in a place like Corbin's home. Everywhere she looked expensive furniture was displayed. The library had all the trappings of wealth. From what she knew about him, he was an orphan and had joined the Space Corp at eighteen until he had retired with numerous accolades and medals. He had been the perfect choice as an ambassador and now he was running for president. Even at the age of seventy, he looked strong. Regina thought he would make a good president and she wondered why he would want to run for office now when he should be enjoying retirement on one of the pleasure planets in the system.

Across from her, Corbin was watching her with eyes that made her shift in the chair. Beside her Edgar, slumped on the chair as if the meeting was not important.

"Ms Wilde, you've had a difficult time of late, haven't you?" Corbin said, a thoughtful frown drawing his brows together.

"I guess it's just my luck. My mother always said I was born in an unlucky year."

A small smile played on his thin lips. "Even so, I believe today may be your lucky day."

Regina's posture straightened. "I hope so sir."

Corbin smiled as if he understood her attempt at humour. She was not known to be funny but, in this situation, all her nerves were tense with anxiety, and it was her strategy to relax the bunched-up muscles in her back.

"Regina, may I call you Regina?" Corbin asked with a brief tilt of his head.

"Of course."

"Regina... it seems that you have something that we want," he paused, pointing from himself to Edgar.

"It appears so sir," she replied respectfully. "And may I respectfully say that I can't give you what you want until I have something that says I will be exonerated, and my name cleared."

Corbin's eyes lingered on her face and her eyes darted to Edgar when he shifted on his chair.

"You are most straightforward," Corbin commented, leaning his elbows on his desk.

She met his eyes. "There's no use beating around the trees when we all know this is the reason why I am here."

Corbin bobs his head a few times.

Regina gave Edgar a furtive glance, but he seemed uninterested in their conversation.

"I need your word now more than ever," she said to Corbin. "Now that we have been attacked by the Allarians again, I can't feel safe until I know that they will leave me alone...sir," she said, putting more emphasis on the last word letting him know it was he who held the key to her giving him the evidence.

"I can give you what you need."

"In writing...?" she said forcefully. "I will only accept your word about my exoneration in writing."

A few moments passed in silence and Regina watched a sliver of light that fell on Corbin's elbow which carried little flecks of dust that danced in the light.

"I told you she was stubborn," Edgar said to Corbin.

Raising her chin, she glared at Edgar, then studied the man across from her, hoping to see if his poker face had softened and he was going to do what she asked. She had not said anything about the evidence yet. Should she say something to urge him to do what she wanted? There was a chance he could send her to some deep dark prison never to be heard from again, but she reminded herself that she had something he needed. And not for the first time, it occurred to her that there was something personal about the way they wanted to get Beur.

Regina watched as Corbin, pulled up a screen from his desk and tapped away at it for a few seconds.

"Will this do?" he asked, turning the screen for her to read. She leaned forward until she was sat on the edge of the chair. It was a dated and stamped report which stated her innocence. It also stated that if they were not satisfied with the evidence, she was to give them then the agreement would be null and void.

She was put out by the wording, but everything looked official. Regina wondered if they were the sort to cheat her, but she knew at once it was just her paranoia.

"I have scanned my prints on the document," Corbin told her. "Edgar, you can add yours, and Miss Wilde you should too. Once all the prints are scanned onto the document everything will be legally binding."

It took seconds for all the signatures to be scanned when the document was done it felt anticlimactic. Still anxious about her freedom, she met Corbin's eyes. "Could I have it on disk? Just in case..."

A small smile played on Corbin's lips. "I like your cautious nature. No wonder you were able to elude the Allarians for so long."

Whilst Regina was thrilled about the compliment, she watched as Corbin did what she asked and handed her a small disk with the data. Once she had it in her hand, she stared at it for a few seconds not sure what to do next. A day or two before she had been making her peace with death and here, she has been given a new lease on life, she wanted to jump for joy.

"Now you have your assurance, where is the evidence you have?"

The few seconds of joy she felt left her, and she pressed her lips together to stop from lashing out at him.

"You're going to get Beur, aren't you?" she asked, hoping they would reassure that they were certain they would get him. Even with an exoneration order in her hand, she knew that if Beur was still after her she would have to keep running.

"We intend to do so, yes."

"And you will get him before he kills any more of my friends?"

His eyes pinned her to the chair. "The sooner you give us what you have, the sooner we will put something into action."

Still hesitant, she stared down at her fingers and the proximity bracelet she still wore. She wanted the blasted thing off, but she had a feeling that it would stay until everything was completed.

Whilst she was still in two minds about what to do, she felt Edgar's eyes on her.

"Why are you stalling?" His eyes narrowed at her. "Give us what you have?"

Did he know she had it on her? She did not think he did, but she would not put it past him to have searched elsewhere for it.

Corbin sat forward on his chair; the sudden squeak of the chair drew her gaze. "From, what I understand you have a personal history with Samuel Beur?"

She gave a bitter laugh. "That's an understatement," she said, her eyes blazed with hatred. "That loathsome man single-handedly destroyed any future I could've had on Earth."

Her fist tightened on her lap.

"I've been investigating Beur for a long time. I have even investigated many of the things he was involved in including the murder you were sent to Sigma Twelve for." Corbin paused. "He became quite wealthy out of your downfall."

Her legs jiggled a bit as she thought of Beur and what he had taken from her. Her freedom, the love of her parents and the ability to be a contributing member of society. Beur had made it impossible for her to stay on earth.

Regina became aware that Edgar and Corbin were both surveying her with interest.

"I don't care that Beur became rich off the backs of me and my friends," she said angrily. She stared at a spot over Corbin's shoulder. "What I hate is that he made it impossible to stay on my planet."

Edgar placed a comforting hand on her closed fists. Warmth and a spark of something else made her meet his gaze.

She did not brush his hand off, she accepted his comfort. "That's my reason for wanting him caught, what about you sir? Why are you so desperate to get him, it can't only be because he killed Alex?"

Edgar's hand left her, at once she wished he would put it back.

"We suspect Beur is responsible for the disappearance of a Newahan ship during the Cascade," Edgar answered. There was a hint of a strong emotion beneath his words, and she wondered what was it that he was not saying.

"Is this ship significant?" She turned to face him, hoping to see something from his expression

Corbin was quiet as if this was Edgar's story to tell.

"My mother was aboard the ship when it disappeared," Edgar admitted. She could see that his shoulders were tensed, and his eyes had a faraway look as if he were recalling some bad experience.

"The Cascade was forty years ago, are you sure those who are missing are still alive?" As the words left her mouth, she clapped her hands over it. "I'm sorry, that was a bit callous of me."

Edgar shook his head. "You state the truth," he acknowledged coolly. "I do not hope to find her alive after all this time. But many Newahan families want to know where one hundred and forty-five Karans have gone leaving no trace behind." His words were passionate and filled with what she could only describe as pain.

Who wouldn't be in pain if their mother disappeared without a word?

An overwhelming urge to call home almost overpowered her but she shoved it aside and focused on Edgar. Since she met him, he had saved her life twice. He appeared so capable, yet beneath the surface, he was having to deal with this trauma and all she had thought about was herself.

Regina turned her face away, so he did not see how affected she was by his hurt. She thought about her parents and how selfishly she had left them. Once she had accomplished what she wanted to do she would most certainly make it up to her parents she silently promised herself.

When she composed herself a few seconds later she asked, "how does Beur fit into the picture?"

"At the time of the Cascade, Beur was selling weapons to the Krumars. We have some evidence of this," Edgar told her. "We are searching for evidence to see if he knows what happened to that ship or he is responsible for its disappearance?"

The hurt she had heard earlier was gone and in its place was the cool Captain she had come to expect.

"I don't see how I can help you though?"

Edgar narrowed his eyes at her. "O'Hannon has said that you hold the key to bringing a strong case against Beur to the intergalactic High Council."

"Why do you think this is true?" she asked.

A flicker of irritation and impatience shone in Edgar's eyes. "Regina Wilde, if you did not have strong evidence against Beur, would he be trying so desperately to get you?"

She rubbed the back of her neck with a hand and her eyes shifted nervously between Edgar and Corbin. "Okay, I do have some evidence," she finally admitted.

Both men watched her with an eager expression on their respective faces. "Where is the evidence?" Edgar demanded.

"It's hard to explain without showing you," she answered.

"Miss Wilde?" Corbin urged, his eyes narrowing at her.

"To understand, I have to tell you how I know him." She did not know why she felt she had to give them context, maybe it was for Edgar's benefit, she thought.

Edgar and Corbin watched her; their eyes were penetrating as if each wanted to know everything, she held inside of her.

"Go on," Corbin urged gently.

It was as if he understood that what she was going to tell them was not an easy thing to say.

"When I was eighteen, a few friends of mine introduced me to Beur at a rally protesting the newly made deal between Earth and Newah, which allowed the Newahans to relocate to Earth and essentially take up permanent residence on our planet," she paused.

A light dawned in Corbin's eyes, and he pursed his lips. "You were involved with the Purist Movement?"

She bobbed her head and avoided his eyes.

Looking back, she was stupid to believe the Newahans were the problem. She had been angry that her father lost his job, and she had not been able to go to the academy she had wanted to go to. Regina had the grades, but when her father lost his job at the mining corporation, he had worked for fifteen years to a Newahan his bitterness made her take matters into her own hands.

"I joined purely because I was disgruntled, my father was made redundant after fifteen years of service because a Newahan took his job."

She felt Edgar's eye on her, she met his gaze with a frown etched between her brows.

Was that disappointment, she saw in his eyes, she wondered.

Regina was reluctant to examine why his feelings mattered to her and she stared down at her hands and the bracelet which she still wore on her wrist.

"The movement gave me validation and I found people who I believed understood me, but I didn't listen when my mother cautioned me about my new friends," she paused, closed her eyes for a minute, and breathed slowly.

When she gathered her thoughts, she opened her eyes and pinned Corbin with a penetrating stare. "Beur was the one organising those rallies, he was the one who encouraged us to blow up that warehouse. I am not saying I am innocent. I knew well what we were doing, but he'd promised us that his men had done a sweep of the building and it was empty."

Corbin wore a baffled look. "If Beur was the one giving the orders, why wasn't he brought to trial?"

She sniffed. "He was a man of standing, he had a military career and many powerful people to back him, including the corporation who owned the building. He sent me and three of my friends to the chopping block while he got promoted for 'catching' us."

"Why have you waited all these years to do anything about it?"

Regina looked him dead in the eye. "I was going to leave it, we all were, but he took things too far when he attempted to kill Alex before," she sighed loudly. "You know what happened to Alex, so he tried again."

She had the men's undivided attention. "He believes you all have some sort of evidence or can be witnesses for his past deeds," Corbin clarified with a nod.

Regina's temple throbbed at the thought of Alex. Alex had been one of her best friends. Her hands closed into fists again. Beur had even left evidence which cast her as the suspect in Alex's murder.

She met Corbin's eyes. "He should be worried because we do. As you know, he's not some ordinary citizen."

Even as she finished her words, she felt Edgar staring at her again.

Turning she met his eyes. "Is there something on your mind?" she asked.

"I was curious as to what made you change your mind about the Newahans?"

"Who said I changed my mind?" she retorted.

He leant away from her as if he was stung.

It was not true, she had never been truly prejudiced about the Newahans, she was just a girl searching for her place in the world. She swept him with her gaze. Did he believe she was racist towards his kind? It was far from what she felt. It's not as if this was not in her files, it was.

Turning to Corbin, she saw he was frowning as if he was deep in thought.

"There's another reason I've been hesitant to use the evidence. What happened to Alex could happen to me but I'm more petrified of Beur hurting the people I care about."

Corbin was startled, he met her eyes and for an instant, she saw the wheels spinning. "Wolfblood will protect you until this is brought before the High Council."

Edgar opened his mouth to protest, but Regina beat him to it. "Maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea to have the captain protect me," she suggested.

"The Intergalactic Space Corp is the best when it comes to this kind of thing," Corbin said. "And you already know Wolfblood, it would save us explaining this to someone else." He frowned as if another thought he had not considered came to him. "The least people who are involved will give us a better chance of keeping you safe until we can somehow bring Beur before the High Court for trial." He paused. "And do not forget the Allarians. They will keep coming until you are exonerated, and this will not happen until we have locked Beur up."

Hearing Corbin saying that Beur would go to trial buoyed her spirits, but her chest still tightened with fear.

"Now dear, I know you've been stalling but I promise you, we will prosecute Beur," he said watching her with shrewd eyes.

Finally convinced he was telling her the truth, she stared down at her hand. She lifted her hand and peeled back the nail from her index finger, exposing a two-centimetre circular chip. Once she had the chip, she hesitated a bit before handing it to Corbin.

"What happened to your finger?" Edgar asked, his voice filled with concern.

She stared at the appendage. "Beur hacked it off as a lesson when I was sent to Sigma Twelve," she answered solemnly, staring down at her finger. Regina could still recall the pain, but now it was replaced by anger and a need for revenge.

Corbin took the data chip.

He stared at it for a moment, then placed it on the table. A few seconds later a holographic screen appeared before them with a catalogue of files.

Edgar and Corbin focused on the files. Regina hoped what was in there would benefit them. She had seen them plenty of times to know what was in them, even if she did not understand it all.

As they watched the files, Regina said, "The reason Beur is after us is that he knows the truth. He knows that the person who was killed in the fire was a reporter. Before the fire, Beur was beginning to suspect that we were not as loyal to his cause anymore. He learned that we were starting to ask questions about his involvement with the pharmaceutical company that owned the warehouse," she paused and took a deep breath. "The reporter told us that Beur was helping the company kidnap aliens and their DNA extracted for use in biological experiments."

She let this bit of information sink in. "The files you see here are what the reporter gathered and sent to us before he was killed. I have kept this for all those years waiting for the right time to use it."

Corbin scrolled through images and videos. Edgar was on the edge of his seat, his eyes peeled to the information. Occasionally Corbin stopped when something caught his interest.

"Do you know what you have here?" Corbin asked, while Edgar turned the screen and began scrolling through the information.

"Much of the data spans over forty years. There is even a copy of Beur's journal. And before you ask, I don't know where the information came from," Regina answered truthfully.

Edgar, let out a sharp breath next to her. "Corbin. I think the coordinates for my mother's ship are in here," he said, scrolling across the data.

"Regina Wilde, I could give you a kiss right now," he said offhandedly.

"I'm happy to help. I think."

Edgar stared at Corbin. "Do you know what this means?" he said. "I can finally find out what happened to my people." His eyes flickered over her, and she stilled beneath his suddenly soft stare.

"I'm delighted for you Wolfblood," Corbin answered. Then he turned his eyes fixed on her. "This is more than we expected, Miss Wilde." He paused for a bit. "I am certain Beur will send the Allarians after you again after seeing this."

"Wolfblood, she will have to remain in your care until we have caught Beur."

Edgar leaned back on his chair with a thoughtful frown. "I believe this is now the best option," he responded. "I do not believe keeping her on my ship will be the best option though."

Corbin nodded, and her forehead puckered. They were talking about her as if she had no say in her safety.

"If I may interject," she said sarcastically. "What do you mean about protection?"

Edgar turned on his chair and gave her his undivided attention. "Before you showed us this, we were considering keeping you aboard my ship until we find Beur. But the information you have shown us is dangerous for all involved."

"...because this is a personal matter and because it involves a well-known public figure from Earth. There are certain dangers involved and we would not like the Space Corp to be caught in the middle," Corbin said, picking up where Edgar left off.

"Hence why I will have to take you someplace where I can protect you until plans are put in place to capture Beur and put him before the Intergalactic High Council."

Disturbed, her leg began to jiggle with nervous energy again. "Am I correct in thinking that this may not end well for me?"

She didn't want them to lie to her. Yes, she knew she was in danger, but it was a different thing if someone said the words to her.

"Yes, you're in imminent danger," Corbin answered.

Regina looked at Edgar, his eyes were blazing with some emotion, and she shifted on the chair.

"You will be in even more danger when you have to go before the intergalactic High Council and state your grievance with Beur."

Mulling over Corbin's words, she lifted her chin. "I am ready to do what's necessary."

"Good. I will review the files and petition for an audience with the High Council."

Pleased to finally be getting somewhere she frowned. "I think you may need to find the other people involved and protect them as well. Beur won't leave them alone even though they don't have any evidence, they still witnessed the warehouse fire and they too have been hurt by him."

Edgar and Corbin thought about what she said. Finally, Edgar said, "If you give me their information. My ship will pick them up."

She wondered what her friends will think at the turn of events. Though they did not know a lot, they knew enough about what happened to Alex and even that she had some evidence. Would they help put Beur away or were they content living like driftwood?

Regina gave him the whereabouts of her friends, then he left her with Corbin to relay his orders from the external communications tower. This Corbin explained as they watched Edgar leave the room.

The sound of Edgar's footsteps faded on the wooden floor, Corbin sighed loudly, drawing her attention. "You may not know this, but he has been searching for forty years for that ship. He has not stopped. Every time off he has had over the years, he would spend his time combing through letters and ship records from that time." He spread his hands out on his desk and met her eyes. "Who would believe the information he had search for so desperately would come like this?"

She didn't think she was meant to answer, instead, she said, "if it was my mother, I would do the same."

"You haven't said what you hope to accomplish other than exoneration."

She met his eyes and shrugged. "Justice. Maybe a bit of vindication, and mostly, seeing Beur's smug face behind bars."

"I'm positive, once everything is in the open you will get it all, my dear," he affirmed. His face was grim with determination.

Moments later, the sound of Edgar's feet could be heard coming down the corridor and they both looked at the door.

He entered with a sombre look on his face. "Matthews has informed me that the Allarians that attacked us are converging here. We must leave."

Immediately, Regina stood and so did Corbin with a concerned look on his face.

"Franko will take us back to the shuttle, he knows another route," he informed her as if anticipating her questions.

Corbin followed them as Edgar led her out the door.

At his front door, Corbin gave her a sweeping gaze. "Until we meet again Ms Wilde, stay alive."

Regina smiled at him. "I don't intend to die before Beur," she said with a wave as Edgar led the way back to the Humvee where Franko was waiting for them.