Read Escape 2: Fight the Aliens for Free Online

prepared for trouble. Which explained the .45. The back door was partly cracked to allow the cool night air into the saloon’s back room. Entering, he saw it was empty except for a stack of empty wine cartons, ten beer kegs and a crate of J&B Scotch bottles. Passing along the hall that contained the restrooms, he exited into the loud music and crack of cue balls as some customers worked the pool table in back. Moving past them he headed for the three tables stuck together that served as the sit down site for his buddies. The tables lay at the back of the large room, catty-corner from the bar island that was heavily occupied by local regulars. The tables were empty, except for the vet who always arrived early for their Friday night hangouts.
    “You look tanned. Been traveling in sandy locales?” called Alicia Hoffman from where she sat with her back to the side wall, a position that gave her a clear view of the front entrance, the bar island and the restroom hallway. Like every SOF veteran, she believed in optimizing her tactical position.
    Bill nodded to the pony-tailed Ranger and sat down at the end of the table cluster, in his usual spot in a corner formed by the side wall and the back wall. “Hey spook, nice to see you. Did your intel work say tanned guys always spent time in deserts? In truth, I got my color fly-fishing up at Eureka Lake. In the Sangre de Cristo range west of Pueblo.”
    Alicia squinted at him, her mood tight. Which befit her black leather jacket, black jeans and black lineman boots. “You didn’t fly fish for the nine months you’ve been gone. And your sister Joan had no idea where you’d gone when Frank gave her a call.” She seemed more tense than irritated at him. Her soprano voice had not gotten low and guttural like when she was really pissed. “Anyway, my intel buddies have all been called in for late night work, is what!” she growled. “Including my partner Lorilee. Which kinda pisses me off, it being the start of a weekend and all.”
    He slung his backpack on the back of his wooden chair, then shook his head at the curious look from Cheryl the bartender, who clearly was ready to bring him his usual mug of Coors. He nodded to his friend. The absence of Alicia’s longtime lesbian lover from their shared apartment would explain her mood. “You’re here early tonight. Been eyeballing the sheilas at the bar?” he teased.
    “Piss off, Mr. Greenface,” she grunted. “Came early for the music. Staked out the tables to keep away the riffraff. You hear whether everyone is coming tonight?”
    “They’re coming,” he said casually, folding his hands atop the scarred wooden table. “All of them. Gave them all a call. Like I did to you. Promised to tell them about the big time adventure that’s kept me away from here for the last nine months.”
    Alicia swung her head his way. Her amber eyes fixed on him. Looking him over to read his body manner, she quickly turned thoughtful. “You’ve got a big secret there. It shows in your shoulders. What is it?”
    Bill gave her a tight smile, then waved at Cheryl to bring his mug. Behavior that he knew would tell Alicia he was trying to avoid her probing. “Big secret yes. One you will have a hard time believing. And as much as I admire those tits of yours, I won’t say a word until everyone else is here.”
    Alicia tilted her head, her expression bemused. “You don’t sex tease me ever. Not even after your live-in gal left you. Now you have my attention. Can I join you in a mug?”
    Bill held up two fingers as Cheryl headed their way with a single mug. She turned back and drew another mug. As the bartender headed their way, Bill wondered if the loud country music echoing from the room’s rafters would be loud enough to cover what he had to tell Alicia and their buddies. “Join me. And you’re right, that was a piss poor diversion. Did you bring your travel bag?”
    “Did,” Alicia said, elbow gesturing to her left. “Got my Sig Sauer