| Chapter 4 Nick lead the way into the room, walking over to the small fridge and opening it as Agent Neely shut the door. "You guys want anything?" Nick asked, grabbing a bottled water. "No thank you," Agent Dawson said. "Mr. Carter, have a seat please," Agent Neely said, gesturing to the couch in the room. Nick walked over and sat down, feeling extremely nervous, "What's all this about?" Agent Dawson sat across from him. Under any other circumstance, Nick might have hit on her. She was blonde, her hair up in a loose bun, gorgeous blue eyes, and fair complexion. She was wearing a business suit with her badge on the belt and a 9mm in a shoulder holster under her jacket. Agent Neely was skinny, with black hair and brown eyes. He just looked like a Fed, right down to his cookie cutter suit. Nick glanced between the two. They seemed to have trouble knowing where to start. Both were exchanging nervous glances with each other. "Did I do something?" Nick asked. "Oh no, not at all," Agent Dawson said, "Mr. Carter, we're here ...." "Nick, Mr. Carter is my dad," Nick said. She smiled, "Alright Nick, we're here because we feel your life may be in danger." "By who?" Nick asked. There was that nervous glance again. Agent Neely sat down and opened the briefcase he carried in, "It's hard to explain." Now Nick was confused, "Why's it hard to explain? Who is it?" Agent Dawson looked over, "No sense beating around the bush Tom, just spill it." "Spill what? You guys are starting to make me nervous here," Nick said. "Sorry Mr. Carter ..." Nick glared at him. "Nick, it's just that there's a lot of history and politics involved," Tom said. "OK, so start at the beginning," Nick said. "Alright," Agent Dawson said, "First of all we aren't from the CIA or the FBI." "You're not?" Nick asked, glancing at their badges again, "They why does your...?" "That's where we started out, but we're part of an unknown government agency called A.I.P," she said. "AIP?" Nick asked. "Yes. Alien Immigration and Protection," Tom explained. Nick muttered the agency to himself, "But what does that have to do with me?" They both glanced at each other, "Because you've been under our protection for the last twenty-one years," he said. Nick stared at the two, trying to wrap his mind around what they were saying. "You're an alien, Nick," Agent Dawson said. Nick considered the two for a moment, then started laughing. "Oh this is a good one. Who put you up to this? Brian? I swear I'm gonna kill him, you guys had me worried," he laughed. The two agents glanced at each other. "Nick, we're not joking," Tom said. "Oh yeah right. You expect me to believe that I'm an alien, like from outer space? Are you nuts?!" Nick said, laughing so hard he could barely talk. Agent Dawson looked at him, "Nick I wish we were joking, but we're not." Nick calmed down seeing the serious expressions on both their faces. "You were sent here for protection when you were just a month old," Tom said, "So far we've been able to hide you, but what happened at the show last night revealed who you are." Nick felt his heart drop to his stomach, "Wait... you're really serious?" "Yes," they both said. Nick ran his hand through his hair nervously, "Sent here? Sent here from where? And who's after me? And what do you mean what I am? What am I?" Agent Neely took a small box out of the briefcase and sat it on the coffee table, turning it on. He then walked over and switched off the lights. Nick gasped as the room suddenly filled with the image of the milky way. It was a hologram, and the various suns and planets moved around them. "Here is Earth," Agent Dawson said, pointing. Nick nodded. "You're from a planet called Celeste. It's on the outskirts of the milky way," she went on. Nick stood up and walked to the edge of the hologram, "Here." Both agents stared at him with surprised expressions. "Yes, how'd you know?" Tom asked. "I dunno. I just always felt drawn to it," Nick said, staring at the planet. Tamara turned the machine off and flipped the lights back on. Nick blinked for a moment, then turned to face them, "Why was I sent here?" She gestured for him to sit back down, which he did. "Nick, the entire planet of Celeste has one race. We call them Celestians, but to the rest of the galaxy they are known as the Ange or, simply angels," she said. "Angels?" Nick asked. "It's because of their features," Tom explained, "See they all look the same so to speak. All have dark brown hair, dark blue eyes, and tan complexions. They have the perfect facial features and are generally very physically fit. So the rest of the galaxy calls them that because in a sense they are perfect." "But I don't look like that," Nick said. "No, you don't. Which is why you're here," Tamara said. "Wait, you're telling me they sent me here because of the way I look?" Nick asked, shocked. "In part, yes," she said, "See Celeste has two suns, so their appearance here, which we just described isn't what they look like on their own planet. There they have light brown hair, light blue eyes, and fair skin. The only thing we have to compare you to is our albino's here. And you are the only one." "What do you mean the only one?" he asked. "In all of their history, you are the only angel that doesn't look like all the rest," Tom said. Nick sighed, "That's just great. Not only am I an alien, but I happen to be a freak too? Wonderful, just wonderful!" "There's more," Tamara said. Nick laughed, "Great." "Celeste is ruled by a royal family, much like Britain is ruled by the queen," Tom said, "You're part of that family." Nick's mouth dropped open in shock. "You were sent here to keep you safe. You're family knew they couldn't hide you on Celeste, so they sent you here," she said. "Hide me from who?" he asked. "The King," Tom said, "He would've had you killed." Nick sighed and sat back against the couch, "So why after all this time am I in danger?" "Last night at the show, your mark showed up in the lights," Tom said. "Mark? What mark?" Nick asked. "All angels are given a mark at birth. It glows in the natural light of their planet. It shows your rank in the society. Somehow the lights emulated the natural light of Celeste and it flashed as you were going under the stage. The entire arena saw the flash, but only a few knew what it was," Tamara said. Nick looked down at his hands, "What does it look like?" Tom retrieved another device from the briefcase and walked over to Nick. "This replicates the light from Celeste's suns. Hold your right hand out, palm up," he said, turning it on and holding it over Nick's hands. Nick stretched his hand out and watched as the mark appeared on his wrist. "Oh my God," he muttered as it took a glow all its own. It was a circle, with a braided outline. In the middle was some kind of bird, and backing it the two suns, with their rays flowing to the edge of the circle. It seemed to be alive, shimmering in the light. "The raven in the middle is what denotes royalty," Tamara said. Nick looked up at her with tears in his eyes, suddenly he was overwhelmed by it all, "Wh-what do I look like?" She glanced at Tom and he nodded. "Come over here," she said, walking over to a full length mirror and standing in front of it. Nick followed her and stood beside her. Tom took the light and held it up to Nick's face. Nick's breath caught in his throat as his skin paled, and his blonde hair turned white, with a few golden streaks in it. But it was his eyes that scared him. They went from the blue he'd known all his life to an intense lavender. It was almost as if there was a fire behind them. They seemed to glow, piercing through him with one look. Tears were streaming down his face, turning iridescent in the light and shimmering as they fell. Nick shook his head and backed away, "No, you have to be lying. This has to be a trick!" "It's no trick, we're telling you the truth," Tamara said. Nick glanced at her, then back at himself in the mirror, "NO!!!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What the hell are they talking about in there?" A.J. asked, looking at his watch. "I have no idea," Brian said, biting on his fingernails. "Maybe we should go in and check on him?" Howie suggested. Kevin shook his head, "Nick's a grown up, he can take care of himself." Just then they heard Nick scream. "Or maybe not," Kevin added, running to the door with the rest of the guys and bursting in. Nick was on his knees in the floor, his hands over his face, crying uncontrollably. The two agents stood near him with compassionate looks on their faces. "What's going on in here?" Kevin demanded. "This doesn't concern you," Tom said. "Yes it does," Kevin said, "What'd you do to him?" "Nothing," Tamara answered. Brian and Howie knelt beside Nick, placing their hands on his back. "Nick, what's wrong?" Brian asked. Nick shook his head, still crying. "Please Nicky, talk to us," Howie begged, "What happened?" Nick was afraid to look up, not knowing if the light was still on or not. "Nick, the light is off," Tom said, as he placed the device on the coffee table. Nick looked up, briefly glancing at Brian and the guys before turning to the agents. "Tell them," he said. "They don't need to know," Tamara said. Nick glared at her, "Yes they do, now tell them!" "Tell us what?" Kevin asked. "Do I need to call an attorney?" Henry asked. Nick stood up, shaking his head, "No Henry, can you and Mark wait outside please?" "I don't think this is .." Henry started to protest. Nick shook his head, "Just wait outside. This is just between me and the guys, OK?" Henry glanced at Mark then turned and left. When Mark walked out and shut the door behind him, Nick faced the agents once again wiping tears from his face, "Either you tell them or I will." The two agents glanced at one another, then shrugged their shoulders. "Alright guys, have a seat," Tamara said. The four sat down on the couch. Nick took a chair across the room, and pulled his knees up to his chest in it. He couldn't stop crying, although it was more controlled now. He wiped the tears away as they fell, waiting for the agents to explain. "OK, we're sitting, what the hell is wrong with Nick?" A.J. asked impatiently. Tom took a deep breath, "Alright, here's the short version. Nick is an alien from the planet Celeste, and we've been protecting him for the last twenty-one years. Somehow his mark showed up in the lights at last nights show and now's he's in danger of being found." The four leaned forward and glanced at each other for a moment, then looked back at the agents. "Nick .... an alien?" Kevin asked. "Yes," they both said. The four glanced at each other again with raised eyebrows, then burst into laughter. "Nick an alien, yeah and I'm fucking Justin Timberlake," A.J. howled. "Oh," Brian said, holding his side as he laughed, "E. T. phone home!" Kevin pointed at Nick, still laughing, "I don't know how you set this up, but you are so getting paid back for it!" Howie couldn't even talk, he was laughing so hard. No sound was coming from him and his face was turning red. The agents looked at Nick as the boys continued in hysterics. Nick took a shaky breath and stood up, still wiping away a few tears, "Guys, this isn't a joke. Believe me, I wish it was." he said in a small but serious voice. The guys looked up, calming down when they saw Nick's face. He looked broken. Like someone that had just found out his entire life had been a lie. Sadness and fear lay in his eyes, as he silently pleaded with them to understand. Tom picked the light back up and glanced at Nick. He bit his lip and nodded, knowing the only way for them to really believe was for them to see it. Tom turned the light on and held it up. "Jesus fucking Christ!!" A.J. yelled, climbing up the back of the couch, trying to get away. "Holy shit!" Howie said, his eyes wide. "Sweet mother of God," Brian mumbled. Kevin just sat there, stunned speechless. Nick stared at them through his now lavender eyes, his chin trembling and iridescent tears falling down his cheeks. Brian got up and walked to him, picking his hand up and looking at his mark. Slowly the rest followed in morbid curiosity. Nick watched as they tentatively touched his mark, and his hair. Brian looked up at him, dropping his hand and pulling him into a hug, "It's alright Nicky," he said as Nick broke down. He had been so afraid the guys would push him away, and when Brian hugged him, he lost it. The rest of the guys joined in the hug. The agents watched as they comforted Nick. Then Kevin looked over at them, "Tell us everything." Chapter 5 |