The screeching of the alien ship sent her head back into a buzzing mess, a high pitched ringing making everything sound muffled. Brooke vaguely registered what Jack said and slightly nodded her head, “Got it.” She could feel herself slowly slipping into unconsciousness but forced herself to stay awake.
Without any issue, he pulled her up and into the ATV, making sure her feet weren't in the way before shutting the door. He wasted no time running to his side and throwing open the door, jumping inside and slamming his door.
"Now," he said, fiddling with a small sphere handing from his hip by a chain. "What you need to do next is a bit strange. You need to get into my lap. This cloaking device is only meant for one person, but it can fit two in a pinch like this. It just means we'll be a little uncomfortable for a while."
Brooke cracked a lopsided smile, “Damn tiger, we only just met and you already want me in your lap?” She hoped he’d she ir for the joke it was and the fact that joking around slightly distracted her from the pain she was in, “Aight then.”
Slowly, and painfully, she shifted herself into Jack’s lap. It was clearly obvious she was probably too light for her height and age but honestly she couldn’t really care.
After a few more minutes of fiddling, he set the sphere down and gently wrapped his arms around her waist.
"This ain't trying to cop a feel, I swear," he mumbled, scooting her even closer to his body, "But if even a fucking pinky toe is pocking out of the coverage zone, we're fucked six ways to Mars. Also, when they open that door, hold your breath. Their hearing is fucking incredible."
“I know. I get it.” She let out a soft sigh, resting her head against his chest again. Hopefully they’d be safe. She wasn’t a religious person but she sent out. A silent prayer to whatever god was watching then to keep them safe.
The ship finally appeared in the sky, shaped like a giant spearhead bristling with lights and crazy-looking laser cannons. It set down about 20 meters away from Jack's ATV, the propulsion system rocking the vehicle like an earthquake. Jack let out a small sigh, gently setting his chin on Brooke's head as he watched the alien creatures exited from the ship and headed straight for the ATV.
"Remember," he whispered, gritting his teeth. "Hold your breath."
The door was thrown open and the alien stuck its ugly face into the vehicle.
Brooke didn’t even have to respond but she did as instructed, holding her breath so she wouldn’t give them away. She’d seen the aliens before, but at a distance, and she didn’t realise how ugly they actually were up close. She resorted to closing her eyes so she didn’t have to look at it.
It let out a puff of air as it looked around the vehicle, its face so close to Brooke's back Jack thought it was all over for them. But after a stressful minute of holding his breath, the thing pulled its head back and slammed the door.
"Fucking Christ,"Jack mumbled, letting out a long sigh as he glanced down at the brunette in his arms. "you feelin' any better?"
Brooke breathed out long and hard, almost out of breath, “Stars, those things somehow managed to be uglier then me.” She mumbled. Slowly, she lifted her head a centimetre to look at Jack, “The world is slowly starting to stop spinning, but other then that… no.”
"As soon as they fuck off," he said, making a small gesture to the aliens shifting around the crash site, "We can get back to home base and I can fix you up. Jus'….sit tight for now, I guess."
“I don’t really have any other choice. Plus you’re a comfy seat.” Again, the small flicker of a smile crossed her lips but she stayed still, not daring to move and cause herself more pain. Now that the shock has worn off from the initial crash, she could really feel the pain in her arm.
"Pshhhh," he said, the right corner of his lips twisting upwards slightly. "I get I saved your life and everything, but I didn't expect the flirting to start this quickly."
“It’s not flirting,” Her own smile grew a fraction, “It’s called stating the obvious. And you were the one who asked me to get in your lap first Jacky boy so…”
"Trus' me," he mumbled, frowning as the aliens turned back to the ATV for a second, "this isn't by choice. I woulda had you back and the base and on the med table by now."
She sighed softly, “Yeah, I figured.” She replied quietly, blinking her eyes open and staring out the window. A shiver went down her spine, her body visibly shaking with the force of it.
"Your arm's probably out of its socket," he mumbled as the alien investigators began to head back to their ship. A door opened and they all slipped inside their ship. "As soon as we get back to HQ, I'll put it back into place and fix up whatever else you got going on."
She gave him a weak thumbs up, "Gotcha captain." She mumbled. Sleep was catching up on her again, eyes slowly drooping only to quickly open them a moment later, the thought of putting her shoulder back into place keeping her mind racing.
It took another 15 minutes for the aliens to load into their ship and fly away. They didn't exit the atmosphere, however, just zoomed off in a northward direction.
"Can you get up, or would you rather just stay where you are?" he asked, starting up the engine of the ATV.
“I can try and move.” She replied. Slowly, she tried to use her good arm to manoeuvre herself into the other seat, only to move her dislocated shoulder uncomfortably,
“Fuck me..” Brooke fell back down into Jack’s lap, “Shit, sorry.”
He winced slightly, but didn't jerk around as he put the car into drive and stepping on the gas.
"You're fine, don' worry 'bout it. I've been hit a lot wors'." He had various scars across his bare torso. Some looked like slash marks from a blade, some looked like he was shot by a gun, and others looked like someone set him on fire.
“If you say so.” Brooke mumbled, sighing through her nose. She looked out the window, scanning the terrain, “Jack? How long have you been here for?” She looked up at him for a moment then back out the window.
"'Bout 4 years, now. I got decommissioned from the military after I lost my arm, but Apex took me in. Game me my job and my arm back." He leaned his head to the side slightly so he could get an unblocked view of the windshield, flipping on the headlights as it was still pretty dark outside.
“Wow…” Four years? She knew she could never do something like that, she’d get bored or something along those lines, “Do you know when you go to the Colony? Or are you stuck here?”
"Actually, I'm headin' there in a couple of weeks!" he said cheerfully as they reached his home base. "They say Mars is wonderful this time of year, so I'm pretty fuckin' excited to see it. It'll be the first time I've ever left the planet."
“Don’t get your hopes up.” She mumbled under her breath. She took in the base, scanning and assessing quickly but not entirely retaining the information gathered.