Alien Genes 1: Daughter of Atuk Read online

“It's not quite a disco. Just wait and see, and let me do the guiding."

  * * * *

  Dinner was superb, and she had to admit Robert knew how to choose a restaurant. And, she also had to admit that she was enjoying herself. After dinner, he took her to a seemingly mundane disco in the outskirts of town, but she soon realised it was much more than that. Two burly men in expensive suits kept unwanted visitors out. Robert greeted them as if he knew them personally and she wondered how often he visited the place. They stood aside politely so they could enter. She could feel their stares fixed on her and felt herself go red. Luckily, it was dark inside and no-one noticed.

  There was an air of old-fashioned grace about the nightclub. It was as if they had stepped back fifty years in time.

  “What would you like to drink?” Robert asked.

  “Just a lime and soda, please."

  He waved a young, uniformed waitress to their table. “One lime and soda for the lady, and the usual for me, please."

  The waitress nodded, smiled at him and walked away after making a note in her booklet.

  “Would you like to dance?” he asked her.

  “Not really. I'm not a good dancer."

  He looked at her surprised as if he'd expected her to be quite the opposite. “Well, it's time you learned,” he said, pulling her up from the chair and towing her to the dance floor. “Just follow my lead."

  Robert was a remarkably good dancer, and she soon found herself relaxing, simply by doing as he asked and following his lead. He moved closer towards her, his mouth close to her ear. “Are you enjoying yourself?"

  She felt a tingle going through her body. She hadn't been that close to a man for a very long time, and was suddenly tongue-tied. “Yes,” she said with a nod.

  “Good,” he said, clearly pleased with himself. His hand gently rested on the small curve of her back and she could sense that he wanted her to be closer to him, but he didn't force it.

  When the dance had finished, Robert guided her back to their table. The waitress had brought their drinks, and he exchanged a few words with her before she hurried off to help other customers. They seemed to know each other—like he seemed to know the two men at the door.

  Cathy looked at him inquisitively. “You come here often, don't you?"

  “Yes, I do. Actually, I'm a part-owner,” he admitted, smiling like a naughty schoolboy.

  “Really?" She was impressed. “Well, that explains it, then. I was wondering where you got all your money—certainly not in academics. Unless you're smuggling antiquities."

  He laughed heartily at her comment. “My dad would turn in his grave if he heard you suggest that! He was a reverend, you know. A very pious man,” he paused a moment, smiling as if remembering something before continuing, “Some time ago a friend of mine called me to ask if I was interested in investing some of my inheritance in a nightclub—something upmarket. I liked the idea, and the rest's history. The club's been doing very well."

  “It certainly is different. It's hard to believe an anthropologist would own a nightclub,” she said, glancing over the crowd, wondering who the people were that came to the club.

  “Life lesson number one: Don't ever judge a book by its cover. Most of us are a lot more complex—and interesting—than we let on,” Robert said, taking her hand into his. Feeling suddenly as if she were cheating on Eqin, she quietly pulled her hand away. She could sense his disappointment, and felt a hint of guilt. She knew he wanted more, but she just wasn't ready yet.

  He quietly drank his whiskey. “After this I want to show you something."

  * * * *

  When they'd finished their drinks, Cathy followed him towards the entrance. The club had become very busy, and she struggled to find her way through the mass of people. Everywhere she went someone would block her way forcing her to have to push through. She couldn't help feeling suffocated. Huge crowds of people had never been her scene.

  Suddenly someone grasped her arm and she whirled around, her heart beating rapidly. There was something familiar about the way the person touched her arm. Eqin. It had to be him. She stared into the sea of faces, but whoever it was had already disappeared into the crowd.

  “Are you alright?” Robert seemed concerned.

  She glanced at him sideways. He won't understand. “Yes, I'm fine."

  “Are you sure?” he insisted.

  “Yes, I am.” This time she made an effort of making it sound more convincing, and it seemed that she succeeded.

  He ushered her gently through the dimly lit street to the car park. She felt relieved being out of the nightclub. The night air was tranquil. A few people were walking along the streets. Some seemed to be heading somewhere—others to be simply dallying around. One or two women on the hunt for clients glanced their way, hoping that they could make a quick buck, but she didn't pay any attention to them. Neither did Robert. His hand was resting tenderly on her back as he escorted her to the car. Once behind the wheel, he turned towards her. “Now I'm taking you to a very special place."

  Without another word, he started the car and drove off. Cathy wondered where he was taking her. Her question was soon answered when she saw the signboard to High Ridge, the highest point in the city.

  A few other cars were already parked when they got there. Although some people were standing around enjoying the view, others clearly had other ideas, judging by the steamed-up car windows.

  Robert and Cathy got out, and walked around to the front of the car. She sat down on the hood, folding her arms. Robert sat down next to her. “So what do you think?” he asked.

  Cathy cocked her head, and looked at him. “Honestly? I feel out of place."

  Robert looked at the parked cars with the steamy windows and gestured indifferently in their direction. “Because of them? Forget about them. Just look at the scenery. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

  “It is. You're right.” Cathy sighed. “The city looks so different during night. Everything seems so far away. One can hardly believe that tomorrow's another day full of hardship and glory at the same time."

  “That's true, but a bit cynical, don't you think?” he said, pausing a few moments. “I come here often. After my second wife and I divorced, I came here almost every night to get a perspective on life again."

  “It must have been hard for you."

  “Yeah. She wanted the divorce. She'd met someone else and decided she didn't want to stay in a marriage with me any more."

  “She cheated on you?” Cathy asked, a bit surprised.

  “Well, since you put it so bluntly ... yes."

  “I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

  “No, you're right. She cheated on me. She's married again ... and divorced again."

  “Oh. Were there children?"

  “She didn't want any,” he said, and she detected a hint of sadness in his voice. He must have really wanted children.

  “That must be very difficult for you. What about your first wife?"

  He grinned boyishly. “My fault. We were married very young, just after school. I had a hard time being a good husband and wanted to spend more time with my friends. She didn't like that, and we had endless fights. Eventually we decided we'd be better off divorced."

  “Where is she now?"

  “Last time I heard she was living in France, running an architecture company,” he said with a faint smile. She sensed his regret and wondered why people sometimes chose the roads they took. He obviously wasn't completely happy with all the choices he had made.

  “She must be an interesting woman,” she said.

  “She was ... is. We just couldn't live together.” He looked at her, and, changing the topic, said, “So tell me about you."

  “There isn't much to tell,” Cathy said, shrugging her shoulders.

  What's there to tell? He already knows the most important things.

  “Did you ever have a serious relationship?” he asked.

  “Not really,” she answered vaguely. Could she really call
her friendship with Eqin a relationship? Probably not.

  “Why?"

  “Never met the right man,” she answered blankly.

  Robert glanced at her. “I thought the guy who died in the car crash..."

  Her response was sharp. “There was nothing between us."

  Robert didn't pry any further. They quietly sat watching the city lights, each caught up in their own thoughts. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but Cathy wondered if they would ever become as close as she and Eqin had been.

  After a while, she said, “Maybe we should go now. It's getting late, and I'm concerned for Lizella alone at home."

  “Fair enough,” he said, and got up.

  As they drove off, he glanced at her. “I hope you enjoyed yourself tonight."

  She smiled in the dark. Yes, she had enjoyed the evening. He was good company and certainly knew how to show a lady a good time. “Yes, I did."

  “I'm glad,” he said, grinning.

  When they stopped in front of her townhouse, Cathy turned towards him. “Thank you for a lovely evening."

  “It was my pleasure. Perhaps we can do it again some time?"

  Cathy nodded. “Yes, perhaps we can."

  He opened her car door and accompanied her up the pathway to her townhouse. At the door, Robert suddenly held her tight and kissed her on the mouth. Caught off-guard, she backed off, her eyes wide with surprise, but he seemed blissfully unaware of her embarrassment.

  “Good night, Cathy. Thanks for a lovely evening in the company of a lovely lady."

  She simply nodded her head, and watched him as he drove away.

  * * * *

  “I had the strangest dream the other day.” Cathy sipped her cappuccino carefully, her gaze fixed on her old university friend sitting opposite. It was a sunny winter's day, warm enough for them to sit outside the tearoom.

  “What did you dream about?” Sue asked, somewhat distracted, fiddling with the blanket covering her five-month old baby in its carrier.

  “I dreamt about the scarab again,” Cathy said, putting down her cup and playing with the sugar packets next to it.

  Her answer seemed to pique Sue's attention. “Again?"

  Cathy nodded. “Yes, but there was an edge to it. It was as if I was reliving something that had happened in the past. I can't really explain it. It's weird."

  Sue looked at her inquisitively. “Aren't they just memories of what happened?"

  “No, I don't think so. It's not like that. I find myself fleeing someone or something. It's really creepy."

  Sue opened a packet of sugar and sweetened her tea. “Isn't that just your mind telling you that you are running from something in your life? Love? Memories?"

  Cathy hesitated. “No ... It's more than that ... It's very, very real...” Her voice faltered. She could see that Sue had no idea what she was trying to say. Why do I even bother trying to explain myself? She watched as Sue opened her fourth packet of sugar, pouring it into her cup. How much sugar does the woman need?

  “The mind does strange things, Cathy,” Sue continued. “You of all people should know that. Maybe you haven't dealt with everything that's happened. You're still not over him, are you?"

  The preaching tone in Sue's voice didn't escape Cathy and she bit her bottom lip in frustration. Why does everyone always feel the need to lecture me about my feelings? She supposed she couldn't blame them—how could she expect them to understand? As far as they were concerned, she simply hadn't dealt with the past. Eqin was dead and she had to accept that, but how could she explain she had a strong sense that he wasn't dead?

  Cathy watched as Sue stirred her tea carefully. She sighed and brought her thoughts back to the conversation at hand.

  “I don't know. Maybe you're right. Most of the time I think I'm over what happened but then...” She hesitated. “You know, there are times when I wonder whether I'm going crazy. I mean, these dreams, they are so real and then there are the voices...” Realising instantly what she'd said, she abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Idiot! Why did I blurt that out? They were already suspicious about her mental health. Admitting to hearing voices was like admitting she should be on medication and sent to a mental institution.

  “Voices?” Sue asked with a guarded tone.

  “Look, forget I even said anything. It's not that important,” Cathy said, trying to scoff off the comment

  “Yeah, but—"

  Cathy interrupted her with a wave of her hand. “Forget it, Sue. It's not an issue. I've a hard time making peace with the past."

  “Cathy, you need to take a break. Look at yourself. For the past six years, you've done nothing but bury yourself in your work. It's not good for you."

  “You're right,” Cathy admitted reluctantly. She looked out over the alley where people were rushing off to do their shopping. On the opposite side of the street, a mother and her twins were leisurely strolling along the sidewalk. A man was arguing over his mobile phone. Further down an elderly woman stopped to buy a paper. It all seemed so normal and commonplace. Her own thoughts and feelings of dread seemed to be completely out of step. Perhaps I am losing it. At the table next to them, a waiter was serving the customer their lunch. She caught Sue's curious stare, and continued to try to explain her feelings.

  “It's silly really, but I feel as if something's happening. I can't explain it, but I know I'm in the middle of it."

  Sue fell silent, turning her attention to her baby daughter again. Cathy could sense the other woman was getting increasingly uncomfortable and it made Cathy unhappy. How could she get it through to Sue that she had nothing to be concerned about? That she was not going mad?

  “When you talk like that you sound just like Darren. He used to say similar things. It worries me,” Sue said quietly, avoiding Cathy's eyes.

  “I didn't mean to upset you. I was just telling you how I felt,” Cathy said, and then changed the subject. “I went out to a nightclub the other night."

  “A nightclub?” Sue tried to show her interest, but Cathy knew she was just relieved they'd changed the subject. “Tell me more..."

  “A guy from work ... Robert ... asked me out, and I went."

  “Good on you.” Sue smiled impishly. “Is he attractive?"

  “Oh, Sue. That's really not important, but yes, he is quite attractive, and charming too."

  “Did you enjoy his company?"

  Cathy smiled, although she was pretending to be put out by Sue's questions. “You just want to see me married and have babies like you,” she teased.

  “Yes, I do."

  Sue had no hang-ups admitting she wanted to see Cathy married. “Seriously, I would like to see you happy. After Darren's—and Dr. O'Connor's—death you changed."

  “So did you,” Cathy pointed out to her.

  “Yes, I did, but you ... you...” Sue stopped mid-sentence. “I sometimes get the feeling that there's something lurking inside you."

  Sue's words caused a shudder to run down Cathy's spine. She too had the sense there was something waiting underneath her façade, and like Sue, she was scared of what she'd find when it eventually showed its face. Perhaps that's why she kept others at a distance.

  “...But then I didn't have to deal with two deaths, and besides I met a very good man with whom I fell in love,” Sue continued, apparently unaware of the dark thoughts she'd brought out in Cathy.

  “Don't you sometimes miss Darren?"

  “Of course. There are days when I wonder about what could have been, but then I look at what I have now and I must say that I'm very happy.” Sue looked lovingly at her sleeping daughter. “It's especially, though, around the 26th ... the day Darren ... Then all the memories come flooding back. What we saw, what we did ... it's very difficult. I still get nightmares."

  “Hmm. I miss those carefree days when life was a little less complicated,” Cathy said humourlessly.

  Sue laughed airily. “Don't we all!” Then she added more seriously, “Cathy, we all grieve differently. Maybe you're
just taking a bit longer than the rest of us. I'm happy you've started dating again. It's a step forward."

  “Well, I must admit it was fun,” replied Cathy.

  “So when's he taking you out again?"

  “We're leaving for Cairo tomorrow. Actually, we're first going to London for a week or so. He has an apartment there, and wants to show me the city. I thought it would be entertaining."

  “Hmm, a holiday romance...” remarked Sue. She laughed when Cathy looked at her, put out. “I'm just teasing you, Cathy. I'd do the same if I were you. You're not little kids anymore, and I bet your parents are happy about you finally dating someone."

  “He's just a friend."

  “I know, and you're just going to stay friends, right? That's what they all say.” Sue paused a moment. It was clear there was something on her mind. After a while, she asked haltingly, “Cathy, there's something I need to know. It's been bothering me for some time now and I have to ask..."

  “What is it?"

  “Do you remember when Darren ... when we went to the lecture room?"

  “Yes,” Cathy said cautiously. She had some idea where Sue was going with her line of questioning and it bothered her.

  “Do you remember you tried to stop me from going inside?"

  “Yes..."

  “How did you know he was inside?"

  Cathy avoided Sue's eyes. She had been dreading that precise question, hoping that no-one would ever ask. There was no way she was going to tell Sue it was Eqin who told her not to go inside, when he was nowhere near at the time. It would just add fuel to the fire.

  “I had a feeling,” she answered, hoping vaguely the words would satisfy. They didn't.

  “How?” Sue insisted.

  Cathy narrowed her eyes. “I don't know, Sue. I just knew."

  “It doesn't make sense. Did you see something? Had Darren said something to you?” Sue persisted. She paused a moment. “Or did you hear voices?"

  “No. Nothing like that,” Cathy lied tersely. “Does it really matter?"

  “I suppose not,” said Sue. She looked down at her cup, and an awkward silence fell between them. My God, she thinks I'm involved.

  “Do you think I had something to do with his death?"