Chapter Text
Wide awake
Prologue
I sat behind the desk of the interrogation room watching the head detective named Carlton Lassiter, pace back and forth. The female detective, Juliet O’Hara, sat in front of me. A heavy silence hung in the air as one of the detectives, Lassiter, watched me with hatred and disgust, while the female, O’Hara, had a look torn between fascination and fear. I knew there were two other men behind the mirror, watching. I turned around and caught my reflection in the glass. My hosts shoulder length wavy rich auburn hair hung around her shoulders in soft curls. Her eyes reflected the usual bright green ring around the pupil, the sign that I have taken over her. The ring was bright green, lighter than moss and seemed almost electric. My hosts’ cheeks were rosy and flushed and her bangs fell softly across her forehead straight across. She had a smudge of dirt across her cheek and a little on her forehead.
The sound of a palm slamming against the table snapped my attention back to the head detective. I turned my head and gazed up at the male. He looked furious, confused, and there was something else behind his blue eyes that I registered as affection when he gazed at Gretchen Walker, the host whose body I am sharing.
“What have you done with Miss Walker?” Detective Carlton Lassiter demanded, his blue eyes blazing with anger.
Tell him! They deserve to know! Gretchen cried in my head.
“But will they believe us?” I whisper to the side.
Shawn and Gus mmight, but we need to tell Carlton and Jules Gretchen said.
“Did you kill her you disgusting, filthy scum?” Detective Lassiter snarled.
“No,” I responded. “Gretchen is still here.”
“How is that possible?” Detective O’Hara asked, her eyes widening in surprise. “We thought that after the take over, the hosts die.”
“No, that is not the case,” I said. “However, Gretchen is still here which is unusual and rare.”
Detective Lassiter scowled and huffed. He angrily threw his hands up in the air and I could see he was frustrated, angry and appalled. I raised my gaze to meet his and took a slow, calm breath, hoping to assure him. I could see that this was a situation that he was not thrilled about or tolerated well.
“Carlton…” I began using his first name as Gretchen would but I saw him cringe and flinch (“You do not get to call me that. You can call me Detective Lassiter,” he barked) “Detective Lassiter,” I tried again calmly. “Gretchen is here and she’s okay. I have no intention of harming her.”
At that moment, a voice came over the intercom.
“Lassie, Jules, I think she’s telling the truth,”
Detective Lassiter rolled his eyes in annoyance as the door opened to the interrogation room and a scruffy haired young man entered with an African American young man behind him. The African American man was dressed impeccably in a pair of gray slacks and a burgundy striped shirt. He was slightly bald and had kind, expressive mocha brown eyes. The scruffy looking man had short wheat brown hair and the early stages of a beard which was trimmed, giving him a cute unkempt but kempt look. His blue eyes landed on me.
I pulled Gretchen’s lips into a smile and watched him.
Shawn is psychic. He’ll be able to tell right away, Gretchen said excitedly.
The one called Shawn raised an index and middle finger to his temple, waggling his other digits. He narrowed his eyes at me before inhaling and speaking.
“She’s telling the truth,” Shawn said. “I can tell. When Gretchen lied, she used to look off to the side of you…if Gretchen’s behavior is still there.”
I nodded as I let Gretchen through for a moment as she turned her gaze onto Detective Lassiter. I blinked and felt an emotion I was completely unaware of coming from my host. It was a sensation that I’ve never experienced before moving from planet to planet. A strong feeling of love radiated from Gretchen nearly rendering me speechless. I could see the way this detective looked at her (me) and from what Gretchen has told me, I knew there is definitely something going on between them but it seemed like neither one of them did anything about it…which I found confusing.
Tell him about the time I watched him in the Civil war reenactment and how wonderful I thought he was Gretchen prompted me and I cleared my throat.
“Gretchen says she watched you in a civil war reenactment and thought you were wonderful,” I relayed to him.
Something moved across his face which looked like pain and anguish. He swallowed, causing his Adams apple to bob. He whisked both jacket halves back as he placed his hands on his hips, exposing the gold badge clipped to his belt.
“How would you know that?” he growled.
“She told me,” I said softly. “And I can tell she really cares for you a lot.”
why are you telling him that? Don’t! she hissed at me.
Detective Lassiter shook his head as Detective O’Hara spoke next, her voice was guarded and wary but also nervous.
“Is your kind here to start a war?” she asked nervously. “Are you taking over everyone?”
“No,” I answered softly. “We are here merely to start the process of cleaning up your planet and moving it forward. Only a select few are chosen for the job.”
“When your job is finished, what will you do with the body you take over?” the African American young man asked.
“Nothing. She will be released,” I said.
Detective Lassiter approached me and put his face close to mine. I felt Gretchen’s heart rate pick up and my breath hitched. His face was filled with malice and determination. It was pretty intense but I immediately sensed Gretchen’s emotions. She felt anxious, and flustered at his closeness like this. Human emotions were fascinating and I never thought I’d actually experience them to this degree…but this host surprised me the moment I was introduced to her. I was able to pick up the emotions and feelings from everyone inside the room at that moment. The air was tense with anxiety and bated breath.
“If you hurt one single hair on Miss Walker’s head, I will personally destroy you. Do you understand me?” he said menacingly.
“If you harm me you will harm Gretchen,” I said bluntly.
“But please, I have no ill intent toward your Gretchen.”
Detective Lassiter looked like he wanted to say something to that, but fell silent. I could tell he was seething.
“Gus here…” Shawn went to say, but the door to the interrogation room burst open. We all looked up and I heard Lassiter huff in frustration again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. I couldn’t understand why Gretchen loved him. Perhaps it was my nature but from what I could tell of him, he was very gruff and cantankerous.
he’s not always like this. He’s sometimes gentle around me. You just need to get to know him more…which you will not Gretchen said her tone hardening on the last few words.
“I will not,” I said to myself, turning my head to the side slightly. “I have no intention of getting between you.”
A young woman with shoulder length dark wavy brown hair and pretty doe brown eyes came rushing in. She was wearing a pair of jeans, burgundy shirt hoodie, a brown jacket, a visible white tee-shirt underneath that and a pair of boots. She had eyeliner on enhancing her eyes and clear lip gloss.
“Guys!” she exclaimed. “What’s with the Inquisition?” she said looking outraged. “That’s still my best bud!”
“Not really Riley,” Shawn said slowly and gently. “It’s the…” his voice trailed off as he frowned. “What are you called?”
“You may call me Stella. I have no real name,” I respond.
Detective O’Hara sighed and slowly rose to her feet. She looked at me with a somewhat kind expression on her face, which startled me completely.
“Right now we need to clean…Stella…up,” she said softly.
I glanced down at myself. My white tee shirt is smudged with what appears to be mud and there is even some on my shorts. Streaks of the substance were also on my arms and legs. Detective O’Hara stood by me and gently coaxed me to my feet. I slowly stood up and felt the others’ eyes on me the entire time as she led me out of the room.
As we walked across the bullpen floor, other police officers, detectives and staff of the SBPD looked up. Some leaned in and whispered to one another, while others shied out of our way. Others shook their head in disgust and disbelief. I felt like a sideshow freak. I had no idea that humans could be so cruel and judgmental, but then again there were humans that were kind and gentle, like this female and the African American guy named Gus. Detective O’Hara gently took my hand and led me into the woman’s restroom. She had me stand by the row of porcelain sinks as she grabbed paper towels and turned on the faucet. She then dampened the tissue and then approached me. I tensed.
relax, she won’t hurt you. She just wants to clean off the mud Gretchen scoffed.
“It’s okay,” O’Hara coaxed seeing my expression.
She began gently wiping the dark brown stuff off my face. While she worked, I watched her, amazed that she showed this kind of kindness toward me. At that moment, Gretchen showed me a memory.
Gretchen was sitting in an office with Shawn and Gus. They were sitting in front of large screen TV, watching a movie. Shawn was making funny noises and add libbing to the scenes.
“Shawn! You’re disgusting but funny!” Gretchen burst out laughing doubling over.
Gus was even laughing beside her.
At that moment, the door opened to the office and Detective Lassiter and O’Hara stepped in.
“Oh Jules you’re here in time to help me to the bathroom,” Shawn said in an old lady’s voice, which was high pitched. “But be a dear and help me wipe myself would you?”
He got up and pretended to use an invisible walker as he approached her. O’Hara giggled and Lassiter scowled rolling his eyes. Gretchen got up and while she was still giggling, gently shouldered past Lassiter heading into the kitchen. Lassiter watched her go silently and something moved across his face but it was quickly wiped off the minute Gretchen turned around to see him. A stoic and impassive expression replaced it as Gretchen offered him a smile. He returned it and reached up to the base of his throat to adjust his tie.
“Why are you guys here? What’s going on?” Gretchen asked worriedly as she grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge.
O’Hara and Lassiter’s expressions turned serious and grave and Gretchen’s heart rate picked up apprehensively.
“Miss Walker,” Lassiter began clearing his throat. “Your father was picked up last night outside a club. He was high on cocaine and was disorderly in the street. He was waving a bat around, threatening people that walked by. He fought the arresting officers and swung the bat at one of them catching him across the side of his head. He’s being charged with assault and battery of an officer and refusing arrest.”
The water bottle slipped from Gretchen’s hand as it landed on the floor with a ‘thunk’ and tipped onto its side, water gently spilling from the opened end. The look on Gretchen’s face was filled with shock, anger, and pain. O’Hara came over and put her arms around her, pulling her into an embrace. Lassiter watched solemnly as did Gus and Shawn.
When the memory faded, I was stunned. I could feel Gretchen’s emotions during the memory. Detective O’Hara was finished cleaning the mud off my face and arms. She smiled at me.
“I think there’s some clean clothes in the lost and found. Wait here I’ll be right back,” she said kindly and I nodded. She slipped out of the ladies room and I turned to face the sinks and the mirrors above them.
I am totally plain, Gretchen sighed. I am not pretty at all.
“That’s not true,” I said aloud. “You are…appealing. Your male detective clearly thinks so.”
Carlton likes me? Gretchen snorted. I doubt that very much. He’s not the type of man to fall in love with a plane Jane like myself.
“You do not see the way he looks at you,” I countered. “While I am not familiar with a majority of human emotions or behaviors, I can definitely see something there. It’s not hard to see even if you’re from another planet.”
Gretchen sighed and fell silent.
The door opened to the ladies room and I turned around thinking it was Detective O’Hara again but it was a burly looking male officer. I saw his name tag. DEWITT. He had short dark blond hair and blue eyes. He looked as though he goes to the gym a lot and his uniform fit snugly on his body. Gretchen sucked in air and I could feel her awe and admiration but using my own intuition, something wasn’t right.
“So you’re it,” he growled and I picked up the malice in his tone and I froze. He began advancing on me and I slowly took steps backward. His intent was harm. I was sure of it. Gretchen’s awe quickly turned to fear as he kept coming closer. My back hit the far wall and he pressed himself up against me. He wrapped his fingers around my throat under my jaw and squeezed. I sucked in air frantically trying to catch my breath but his grip was too strong.
“You’re a disgusting piece of shit,” he growled banging me against the wall, causing me to wince in pain. “You’re scum and the whole lot of you should be killed. We don’t want your kind here on earth!”
He released my throat and slapped me. The force caused my head to turn to the right and my cheek stung. The pain seared through my jaw and eyes, making them water. He then grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head against the wall.
“The body is fine,” he hissed in a strange tone. “I might just have some fun with it before I kill it and you.”
At that moment, the door burst open and peering over the officer’s shoulder I caught sight of Detective Lassiter. He looked livid. He stormed right up to the officer and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him away from me. When he released my wrists, I cowered in the corner, cradling them against me. The officer whirled around and launched a punch at Lassiter, but he was too quick and dodged the blow. Lassiter balled his fist up and let it fly at Officer DeWitt’s face. I heard the ‘crunch’ of bone and knew that Lassiter had broken his nose.
“Do not touch her,” Lassiter spat as I saw blood streaming down DeWitt’s upper lip from each nostril. “You have no right to be in here nor to lay a hand on her! Get out.”
Officer DeWitt slinked out, keeping his hand covering his nose to stem the bleeding. Lassiter confused me. His behavior suggested that he despised me and loathed me, yet here he came to my defense. Humans were certainly interesting but complicated, especially this human standing before me. O’Hara came in at that moment, watching DeWitt leave with a horrified and confused expression on her face.
“O’Hara, alert Chief Vick that DeWitt tried to assault….” His voice trailed off as he looked at me briefly before turning his eyes back onto his partner. “Our guest in the ladies room.”
O’Hara nodded and threw me a sympathetic look before heading back out. Detective Lassiter turned to me.
“Are you alright?” he grunted.
See? He cares. He’s not a hard ass Gretchen whispered.
“Yes. I’m alright…just shaken,” I admitted gingerly rubbing my wrists where he had held me in a vise like grip. Detective Lassiter slowly reached for my wrists and I hesitated. I didn’t know what he was going to do.
It’s okay. He just wants to make sure there are no marks Gretchen assured me gently and I slowly extended my hands out to him. He held my hands, palm up, and ran his thumb over my wrists below the heel. His touch was surprisingly gentle and warm. I kept my gaze low avoiding eye contact with him. When he checked my wrists, he gently took my chin between his thumb and index finger turning my head so he could see my cheek from where DeWitt had struck me.
“It’s just red and slightly swollen,” He grunted. “Put some ice on it and on your wrists. Did you provoke him?”
What? He thinks you intentionally provoked him into hurting you? Gretchen cried in disbelief.
“No,” I responded.
Detective Lassiter was silent for a moment before he released my wrists and turned to me. I finally lifted my gaze to meet his as he leaned in slightly to speak.
“If Gretchen is really in there,” he said quietly. “Tell her…” his voice trailed off as he swallowed hard. I could see that whatever he was about to say was something he rarely spoke, or lacked practice in explaining. I blinked slowly and waited patiently, but he paused and grunted, shaking his head as though he changed his mind. That impassive, hardened expression slipped back across his face. “Never mind. I’ll have O’Hara come back with the fresh change of clothes for you.” He growled and then turned and left the ladies room.
I wonder what he was going to say Gretchen mused.
“I think he wanted to tell you he cares for you,” I observed aloud but Gretchen had fallen silent at this point.
O’Hara came back in with the fresh change of clothes. She made sure I was alright also before she helped me change. Once I was finished, we headed back out. Shawn and Gus came rushing over to us.
“Jules, I think you’d better come and see the news,” he said seriously and had a grave look on his face.
We headed toward one of the large meeting rooms where a large flat screen TV was on. It was a female news reporter standing in front of what looked like a war zone.
I stood between Shawn and Gus. Shawn seemed to shimmy away from me slightly, but Gus remained where he was and gave me a friendly smile. I smiled back as Lassiter came in next.
“Why is everyone in here? This isn’t break time,” he barked annoyed.
The young woman named Riley came in also and stood next to Lassiter. She threw me a look of concern before looking up at the TV.
“Ssh!” Shawn admonished him. “Look Lassie.” He pointed to the screen and now everyone fell silent.
“I’m standing in front of Langley Field, a military airport that was once abandoned. Now, it’s set up for a very different reason. The government has issued a war on the ‘visitors’ that have come to earth. Military personnel are sweeping the streets of Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Diego and much of the Western board for people who have the trademark green eyes of their hosts. They are taking them here, where they are being executed. The military is urging anyone with information on the whereabouts of one to please call your local police force or the number you see below”
Oh God Gretchen breathed in horror. we’re in serious trouble! We could be killed!
All eyes slowly turned onto me and I felt my hosts heart pound in my chest.
“You are not seriously going to contemplate handing her over,” Riley demanded folding her arms over her chest and giving a look of anger to everyone in the room.
“If we harbor one, we can be held accountable and be put in serious danger,” Detective Lassiter said narrowing his eyes.
“Carlton!” O’Hara scolded. “That is still Gretchen in there! If we hand her over they will kill her and Stella! Do you really want to be responsible for Gretchen’s death?”
“That is not her,” he snapped. “I came to my senses. She is dead and that thing is responsible for taking over her body. It looks like Miss Walker, but it’s not. She could be planning to kill us off one by one.”
Oh Carlton, Gretchen sighed hurt. Please I am still here
“She is still alive, Detective Lassiter,” I offered feebly but I could see his mind was made up.
“Lassie,” Gus interjected. “She has never once tried to hurt us in any shape or form (“So far,” Lassiter grunted) but Gus continued. “If we hand her over, any chance of Gretchen coming back to us is gone.”
“Gus is right,” O’Hara said. “We simply can’t take that chance.”
Detective Lassiter just rolled his eyes and muttered something incoherent.
“We have to hide her,” O’Hara said turning to Shawn and Gus. “Do you think Henry would object to having her stay with him for a bit until we can figure something more permanent out?”
Shawn shrugged and pulled out his cell phone and began dialing.
“Henry is Shawn’s father,” Gus offered smiling.
I nodded and wondered what fate had in store for me at this point. Two of the humans seemed to ‘like’ me while the other two seemed wary and then there was that Riley, Gretchen’s best friend. Riley came over to stand beside me. She threw her arms around me, startling me with her kind gesture.
“Don’t worry G, we’ll figure a way to get you back,” she whispered as I slowly and awkwardly returned the embrace.
Stella, Henry’s a good man. We will be safe there Gretchen said as her voice began breaking from the outburst of emotion from Riley, who had released me.
Don’t worry. He won’t let anything happen to you.
“I’m not so sure about Detective Lassiter though,” I whispered out the corner of my mouth. “Right now he looks like he wants to throw me under the bus.”
he’s scared and frightened…it’s normal for a human to feel those emotions. I’m sure you’ve felt mine. Give him time
I only hoped my hosts words were the truth and I wouldn’t find myself strapped to a cold metal exam table with scientists surrounding me with sharp instruments trying to dissect me. But I knew that in no shape or form, must I get caught. It would mean the end of Gretchen…and myself. I remember how this whole thing transpired…and it would be something I would never forget. Gretchen I knew was wishing it had never happened but sadly I don’t have the power to change the past. I wish I did.