uncertainty

They couldn't be as smart as they pretended if they wanted her to have a seat on their committee.

She got very little time to talk to Julian before she was ushered away.

When they met up with Hayley and Macie in the hallway, she stopped to watch the show. The fit those girls were throwing made Jess look like a sweetheart. Hayley was close to decking a thin, uptight alien dude and Macie was wailing something furious.

"She's scared and you're not making it any better, you bozo. She's just a kid."

"I have no desire to upset the human child, but she has been chosen. It is an honor."

"You've said all this. Does it look like she cares? Now back away, you stupid fuck."

When Simmin tried to motion her forward, Jess made a rude gesture so she could taunt her new friend. "Poor, Hayley. Don't want to play nice?"

"I'm learning from you. Nice show you put on yesterday, it just warmed the heart. Ever get your panties out of your ass?"

"I was having a nice day till I ran across you. Do you usually have that effect on people?"

"Why don't you ask Julian? He liked the effect I was having on him."

"Human Jessalynn, I would advise that we try not to be tardy. Some very important people will be present."

Hayley winced. "Jessalynn? Ouch! That name sucks."

"Want to eat my fist?"

"Why don't you be on your way? I don't care what Bozo says, if Macie doesn't want to go, she's not going."

"She's.... wait. Is that his real name?"

Hayley grinned. "Bozo, meet Jesse."

"That's truly priceless."

"Human Jessalynn."

Rolling her eyes at Simmin's interruption, she gave the other woman her back. "Anyway, if she wants to come with me, she can. I'll keep her close then bring her back to you."

Hayley looked at her to make sure she was serious then she looked at her sister. "How about it, kid? You remember Jesse, right?"

"Sure, she does. She's going to come play with Mel soon. My sister loves playing outside. How about you, Macie?"

She shrugged her little shoulder.

"Come on, sweetie. You and I will stick together." Jess was surprised when the little girl offered her hand.

"Julian's down that way. Wait with him and I'll bring her back as soon as I can get out of this crap. Oh, by the way, call me Jesse again and I will break that pretty little nose of yours."

"Just because yours isn't so little or pretty doesn't mean you should take it out on me."

Jess smiled. "Remind me to hurt you later."

The meeting was taking place in a large room that had twenty tall chairs on one side and twenty tall chairs on the other side. Each side in a V.

All but three on their side were taken and only six on the human side. Jess picked the first two seats and lift Macie into one. She dug in the pocket of her warm-ups. There was almost always something in her pockets. Her reward, a red tootsie pop. Yeah, not her favorite. Kid just got lucky. The girl's smile lit up her whole face.

With a wink, Jess took her seat.

The door across the room opened and the last three of their kind entered. They were large but not nearly as large as Pensley. Seeing him, Jess waved like a dork. Her smile only grew when he didn't wave back. That alien dude would be fun to play with.

The new guys weren't all that bad looking. In fact, one of them won hands down the best-looking guy in the universe. He was lick your lips, good looking. F.I.N.E. Smoking hot. Downright beautiful. Too beautiful. He had the white hair, same as all the rest, but his eyes were turquoise. Bright turquoise.

Though to be fair, seeing a bunch of them together like this, she could see that not all of them had white hair. The shades ran from grey to a pale blond. Their eyes were all some shade of blue and as far as she could tell none of them were ugly. Pale but not ugly.

Gorgeous put them all to shame. He had high cheekbones, a perfect nose for his face and white gleaming teeth. His smile wasn't nearly as irritating as all the rest of them.

The two he entered with weren't smiling at all. Those two were serious and all about the business at hand.

Then one stopped. His hand went to the back of his neck and his blue eyes swept over the room.

A soft wail came from Macie and concerned; Jess went to her. "What is it, sweetie?"

"It hurts."

She moaned again but not loud enough that the whole room had noticed yet. Just most of them. Jess swept her into her arms and was hoping to make a clean getaway. Not meant to be. An old voice stopped her.

"Where are you taking the human child?"

"Back to her sister. She's not feeling well."

"That will not be necessary. She will be feeling better now. It burns but only lasts seconds. Move back to your seat, if it pleases you."

"Move back to your seat, if it pleases you." She mumbled beneath her breath but did it. If anyone other than him would have stopped her, she would have kept going. This guy was old enough to be her grandfather's grandfather. Even she couldn't disrespect someone that old.

"You okay, Macie sweetie?"

The kid was young, but she had a grip from hell. It took everything she had to pry the girl's hand away. "Oh, freak!" It was red and angry. It looked like she was branded. "Your sister will kill my ass."

She was about to demand someone come handle this shit when it healed right before her eyes.

Healed or not, she still had a mark that someone would have to account for. It looked like a swirly two with a line through it.

"Feel better, Macie?"

Her tears were dried up and that lollipop back to be the most important thing. Using her t-shirt, she wiped the child's face up.

When Jess turned around, every eye was on them. Her own eyes narrowed on that last alien guy. "Dezrick, what clear signs were you talking about?"

"I believe you just saw for yourself, human Jessalynn."

"This is much cause to rejoice."

The older woman who spoke didn't look like she knew how to rejoice.

"She's a kid."

"It has happened before. With everyone it is different. Sometimes it happens by just being in the same room with your mate. With others, it takes a touch. Or time."

"She's a kid." It bared repeating since no one else seemed concerned by this.

Jess looked at the other humans in the room but none of them seemed to know what was going on.

"Since this has been brought up, now would be a good time to address that very issue. Would it be deemed appropriate for the child to be moved into the care of her mate? On our planet, she would now be the concern of his. No one can see to her well-being better than him."

She couldn't help it. She was dumbstruck. Her mouth fell opened.

A woman around her mother's age left her seat and placed a hand on Jess's arm but her eyes were on the other group. "That would be most improper until she's of age and has chosen to marry."

The blond nodded towards Jess's chair before returning to her own.

"Chosen to.... I believe you have misunderstood. She has chosen."

"That wasn't her choosing anything. What did you do to her?" Jess quizzed with some heat, but she sat down.

"We have done nothing. You saw for yourself that none were around the child."

"I've seen a lot of weird crap today so who can be sure."

"My kind will not sit around and let you take children from their families." This human was kind of old herself with steel-grey hair pulled back into a tight bun.

Glass screens came down in front of every alien. She didn't have to see them. She heard enough to know that they were witnessing her scene from yesterday.

Color her pink and call her embarrassed. Thanks a lot, Dezrick!

"We see what you speak of and for now will leave the child in the care of her sister."

"Dezrick is a computer, isn't he?"

"He is this ship; he is every one of us. He is more than a computer."

"I'm guessing none of you ever watched The Terminator?"

"This is why we don't allow children to meetings of importance. We'd never get anything accomplished."

Yeah, she didn't like old chick, but she had a point.

"This committee has been made up with the utmost care. All people have a say."

Jess would have stuck her tongue out at the hag, but she wasn't looking.

Blondie was smart, she saw Jess losing her composure and stood back up. "Jessalynn, right?"

"Jess. This is Macie."

"I'm Sara Davis. The mayor of.... was the mayor."

"Thomas Peterson. Retired fireman."

The rude woman was a judge named Marrisa Thomas. She looked more inhuman than some of the ones on the other side of the room.

"I'm Cookie Roman. My husband owns a chain of stores. I tried to tell these people I have money, a nice home, fancy cars, but they don't seem to care."

"Money will no longer be necessary."

"What does that even mean?"

"You will have no need for it. You will have everything you need."

"I need more than that.... small apartment."

"That will be taken care of today. You only checked in yesterday and we did not know what a high asset you were until we received all of your test results and numbers."

"Numbers? I'm Kyle McDaniel. Music schoolteacher. I was told I was chosen because I have high numbers. I'm not sure what that means."

"All the data we collect is given to Dezrick so he can pinpoint our matches for us. Some of the numbers we are seeing, we have not seen in our lifetime."

Everyone on the alien side looked at Macie then at Jess.

"We had worried even with the high numbers that mates could not be possible but now that worry can be laid to rest."

"So, you're saying that all of us have been matched with someone?'

"Not all but most. A few of you were chosen because of your standing in your old society. We want to understand your ways, find a middle ground so we can live in peace."

Blondie looked at the only human who hadn't spoken and smiled. "What's your name?"

"April Smithson. Fourteen. My family owns a ranch that's not that far from here. I'm the only one left. I wanted to stay there but my neighbor wouldn't listen. I have to go back. That ranch has been in my family for five generations. I'm all that's left. I have no one."

"You're not alone, April. The entire world is made up of orphans now. We've got to be strong. You can call and we can talk. Any time you want. Where do they have you staying?"

She wore glasses and had two braided pigtails. She was very pretty and had the most adorable freckles. "There's a group of us. I don't like it there. Everyone's so sad." Her green eyes glassed over with tears. "How can I call? The phones aren't working."

Jess turned her eyes to the other group. "Can you fix that?"

"Phones will no longer be necessary. As soon as possible everyone will be equipped with wristbands that will allow you to connect to Dezrick at any time."

One of them rose from his seat and left his side of the room.

The man speaking only paused a moment before continuing. "For now, all living accommodations are equipped with Dezrick. All you do is tell him what you need."

The guy stopped in front of April. He was tall and had muscles that begged to be seen without a shirt. That grey candora and skirt didn't do him a lick of justice.

He removed his wristband and proceeded to attach it to April's thin arm, and somehow it fitted perfectly.

When he was done, he looked straight at Jess.

Wow. His eyes. She'd never seen anything like it. Aqua eyes ringed in navy blue. Wow.

Jess was so caught up in those eyes it took her a moment to notice the boy in front of her. Holy Shit. The hottest guy in the universe reached for her hand.

She can't lie, she sighed like a little schoolgirl. He was even better up close and personal. His wristband went on her arm. She held on to his hand longer than she needed, then sighed again. He was so hot.

Wow eyes had watched the whole thing but now he turned back to April. "Now you can reach her whenever you need to. You're not without family."

"Human Jessalynn, why would a computer want to take over the world?"

She smiled. "I don't want you getting any ideas. Watch Independence Day instead."

Blondie gave her a mom look. "That's inappropriate, Jess. What I would like to address, is what we are going to do about the people still in need of help. Still in need of the cure. There still might be people out there who don't even know there is a cure."

"We are already working on that problem. Starting tomorrow recon groups will be sent out to assist in any way we can."

"Do you know how many have survived?"

"So far only ninety-six thousand three hundred and twelve have checked in. A small number for your planet but do not lose hope. Everyday more and more are arriving. Once some outposts are set up, we hope for higher numbers."

Billions of people in the world and they were down to that small pathetic number? That was more graves on the side of the road and in back yards than she could imagine.

"If a human has lost a spouse or a family member what would be the appropriate amount of time to pass before he or she is matched?"

It took Blondie a moment before she could speak. Like the rest of them, she was still floored by those numbers. The mayor stood. "Usually.... that's up to the person.... in question. Some believe it's a year, others never feel ready. They can't let go."

"We are still working to understand your grieving process."

As one, all aliens looked her way.

"You don't grieve on your planet?"

This question gave them all pause.

"We do not feel things the way you humans do."

"It must be nice." She muttered under her breath.

"What happens if we are a match with one of you, but we don't care for the match? Or take Macie here, her age is an issue. We don't understand how any of this works."

"Mates are fated for each other. There will be nothing that can keep them apart. As for Savion's mate, no one can mate before the age of eighteen. Until then he will wait for her."

"Sucks for him." She hadn't meant to say that out loud. "So, you mean he's like hands off to everyone else?"

"Most certainly."

"Really sucks for him."

"What if someone is already married to someone else?"

Good question Blondie.

"That will be most distressing. Dezrick?"

"It is a possibility. Research gathered so far shows that humans are not very good at their guessing game. They choose mates by how one looks, by one's position in society, and sometimes because there is no one else around."

Their screens flashed again.

"They do not always wait to be mated before they try to conceive offspring. They may choose many to try to have offspring with. This may be why they are so populated."

Jess smiled and looked at the other humans. "Anyone touching that one?"

The mayor smiled a little.

"We will give this issue farther thought. For now, we need to get into a routine as soon as possible. The school will start in a few days and we require all adolescents to go. There will be three locations, and everyone will receive information on what is expected of them. The main base of operation will be here in the city of St. Louis, others in the city of Chicago and the city of Indianapolis. Job assignments will be sent out. Everyone has been placed according to their numbers, past jobs, tests, and evaluations."

"Questions before we continue?"

"I have one. What was that stuff you served for breakfast? That's not going to cut it." A starving man wouldn't eat that crap.

"A nutritious mush full of all the________."

"That's enough. Mush pretty much covered it."

"That's not all you cook, is it?" Asked the judge.

"For the first meal of the day, yes. It is very healthy for you."

"Ever hear of bacon and eggs?"

The teacher groaned.

"Dezrick?"

"A fried breakfast made from pigs and the eggs of chickens. Chickens are a type of bird. They went extinct on our planet over a hundred years ago. Not very nutritious but a lot of humans asked for it this morning.'

"It's good. I like mine scrambled with ketchup on it." God, she was hungry.

"We like healthy foods. Whole grains and meats." Said the grandfather of somebody's grandfather.

"I like food that tastes good."

"I'm with her." The teacher volunteered.

"Dezrick, you need to check out the cooking channel. Diners, Dives, and Drive-ins. Get us some real food."

The mayor stood. "You said money was unnecessary?"

"About time someone got back around to that." Cookie replied dryly.

"If you require something all you have to do is ask for it."

"I can't wait to try that out."

"What if I want a new diamond bracelet?"

"Dezrick?"

"Shiny jewelry that they wear on their wrist. Another sign of power and position. Sometimes worn for sentimental reasons."

"For now, we are concentrating only on the things needed."

"I need some clothes unless you want to see me showing up in sweats every day. And I'm warning you, right now. I'm not wearing one of those candora things."

"Locations will be opened at your convenience. Let Dezrick know when you are ready."

"Sounds good to me. Now, the rest of you can carry on if you want to but me and Macie are out of here. It's almost lunch and I think this little one needs the potty room."

"Dezrick?"

"Personal waste room."

"Yeah, sure that."

"We can adjourn. We will meet every day at this time to address all the problems that arise. I see a bright and efficient co-existence ahead of us."

"Yeah, sure. Come on April, you're with us."