Page 7 of Her Alien Spy
She raised her eyebrows. “That is possibly one of the worst ways to set up an explanation, ever.”
“I know. But.. it’ll make sense. I promise. Unfortunately.”
She watched him, staying silent. Part of her was delighted to see the normally smooth, cocky Bellarian so rattled. The other part was nervous about what could be such a big deal that he was this uncomfortable.
“The band is a cover. Or. It’s sort of a cover. For my other job.”
She continued to stay silent, and he got up, leaned against the counter, and looked at her. “I’m counting on you to keep it to yourself. The only ones on Asterion who know are Xarek and my bandmates. And probably Maggie, since Xarek tells her everything.”
She nodded in agreement with that. It was something she admired about Xarek and Maggie’s relationship: the honesty.Sometimes painful honesty, but they were honest with each other and seemed to work through any awkwardness.
“I am fairly good at keeping my mouth shut,” she said, tilting her head as she watched him.
“Right. So. I’m actually a spy. For Bellaria, obviously. Um. My last big mission was getting to know Xarek so I could learn what their plans were against the ENEMY. Getting close to him, getting him to trust me and confide in me so we could help and maybe…. Guide those efforts, a little. Though I didn’t do much of that. Most of that came after.”
Maggie listened, and he watched it happen: her expression shifted from open and curious to blank and distant. His heart sank.
“So was any of it real?” she asked after what felt to him like an eternity of awkward silence.
“What do you mean?”
“Your friendship with Xarek. The get togethers and game nights at Xarek and Maggie’s place. The flirting and sending me food. Though now I understand why you’re so observant.”
Ouch. It was like a punch to the gut, even though he’d expected it.
“I’m a good spy because I’m observant, not the other way around. Like I said, Xarek and Maggie are well aware of what I am. There wasn’t any need to keep hanging out with them in a social manner unless I wanted to.”
She stayed silent, and he continued.
“And as far as you, and sending you food, and being a flirting, ridiculous asshole, that’s purely because I can’t seem to help myself when you’re around. Every time you dance, or… when you sing back at me like you did the other night? I feel like I’m doing something right and I want that feeling forever.”
Way to spill your guts, he thought to himself, groaning inwardly for confessing that much. Spy extraordinaire, for sure.
She was still quiet, that blank look on her face as she sipped her drink.
“So… you’ve been here collecting information on us?”
“Not all of you. There are a few people I’m watching who come through here pretty regularly, so our appearances in the Mars Lounge generally match up with that so I have a good excuse tobe on the station when they are. Xarek was an assignment. Now we work together. And we’re probably friends, though I don’t know if he sees it that way as much as he tolerates me hanging around.” He studied her, waiting for her next question, knowing Julia well enough to know that she’d attack something from every angle.
“Are your bandmates spies?”
He shook his head. “No. The band is real. I’ve been friends with those guys since we were teenagers and started playing together. They know, mostly because they’re like family. They’re great about adjusting the band’s schedule and travel based on where I need to be, and I don’t talk about my missions with them, and they don’t ask.”
She nodded, and it seemed like maybe her shoulders relaxed a tiny bit. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on his part.
“How long have you been a spy?”
“Almost 20 years. Military when I finished school, then promoted and went through training when one of my commanding officers saw something in me that indicated I’d be a good candidate for this kind of work. I was insulted at first, thinking they meant I seemed sneaky. But it turns out that whenI want to, I can blend in really easily and people barely notice I’m there. I’m also good at playing a role, when I need to.”
“Like wild rock singer,” Julia said, and he shook his head.
“Like I said, that’s real. The band, my friendships with those guys, my friendship with Xarek and Maggie and you…” and the way I want to kiss you breathless, he thought but left off. Not the right time. “All of that is real.”
“Exactly what a spy would say,” Julia said with a shrug.
“A spy who was trying to play people wouldn’t tell them all ‘hey by the way I’m a spy for the Bellarian government.’”
“I mean. A really bad one might,” she said, and he definitely saw a slight smirk there.
