Parasitic Love Redux - 31. Surrounded

The very next day, Connor saw Greg standing across the street when he was taking the dog for his morning run.

He was in the same grubby clothes from the night before and he had a terrible grin on his face. He brought his arm up and waved.

Connor gave the old fucker the finger. "Cmon, Jack," he said, then he lead the dog through the neighbors back yard and they hurried across the patio and slipped through the back door at Julie's. He locked up immediately.

"M!" he called, striding into the hallway. "M! We've got a problem." He checked the front door was locked, then went to the other door through the laundry room and checked that too. When he got back into the kitchen M stood in the hallway, holding his belly, an eyebrow quirked. His eyes sought out Connor's and instantly, Connor moved to be next to the blond.

Gently, he put his hand on M's stomach. The baby rolled in tight circles. He had outgrown M's small, little frame and he was ready to come out…

"I saw Greg," Connor said, dropping his hand. "He was standing across the street, watching me walk the dog."

M eyes widened. "That's not good."

"No. Who knows what he even wants," Connor said with a sneer.

M shifted his weight guiltily. "I have some good news to share, though."

Connor huffed. He didn't see what could possibly be good about this mess. "What?"

"We finished the device," the blond said. He smiled slowly… "I think we're ready to face the agent."

Connor blinked. "You're not seriously thinking about facing him before the baby's born, are you?"

M shook his head. "I'm not planning on anything," he said. "But I do feel like we're running out of time, here. This feels like a huge success, because we aren't just sitting ducks any more. We have a weapon."

"What's it do?" Connor asked. "The device."

"We'll have to wait and find out," M said sweetly. "Mother knows what it's supposed to do, but she's keeping it under wraps."

Connor frowned. "Why?"

M shook his head. "Because the less we know, the better."

Connor rolled his eyes. "Right."

M chuckled. "Well, my news isn't as bad as yours, but it's still important, dammit."

"I didn't say it wasn't."

M pulled a face. "Well, I feel like you did."

Connor sighed and rubbed M's belly in a mindless sort of comfort. "Listen, I locked all the doors because I'm trying to keep you safe and out of harm's way."

"We already determined that locked doors won't keep the agent our for long," M said through his teeth.

"Yeah, you're right," Connor said gently. "I'm glad you finished the agent war machine. I wish I knew what it could do though, so I could plan—"

"That's exactly what Mother warned against. Planning," M said.

Connor huffed. "Of course."

The rest of the morning was spent in a tense sort of worry. Connor tried to eat, but as he found himself staring into his bowl of gray, lifeless oatmeal, he realized he had no appetite.

He settled for a cup of coffee and the news.

M went upstairs to keep the drone company or something. Connor didn't try to keep tabs on him anymore. He didn't know what he was up to.

A little after noon, Julie and Nathan came in from the garage. Even from the living room, Connor heard Julie grumbling and complaining about the locks.

Connor smirked, morbidly amused. He languidly got off the couch and wandered into the kitchen.

"Hey, we don't normally lock the door to the garage," Julie said the second she spotted Connor entering the room. She was in the middle of setting groceries on the island. "It was a hassle looking for the key on my keychain. It's been a million years since I had to use it," she said.

Just then, Nathan came in said door with a couple more bags. He sat them on the counter then moved to sit at the bar stool. He pulled out a jumbo sized bag Doritos from the pile of groceries and ripped it open.

Connor wasn't immediately forthcoming, but he did slip back into the laundry room and lock up once more.

"We got some baby things for M," Julie said as Connor came back into the kitchen. "Formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, baby wash, lotion, and a couple little outfits." She help up a bag with the mentioned items.

"Cool," Connor said blankly.

"What are we going to do when he goes into labor?" Julie asked.

Connor sighed. "I don't know. Help him?" he said. "I think the drone can probably talk us through it, as well, if we need it."

"The drone?"

Connor had forgotten Julie was still in the dark about the AI drone friend M had brought home to play. She knew nothing about what was going on upstairs.

"Nevermind," he said quickly. "But there's no way we can take him to the hospital. He'll be a medical marvel. Everyone will want to see him…"

Julie nodded. She turned and stared to put the groceries away.

Nathan crammed Doritos into his mouth. "I wish my biggest problem was who was going to deliver my baby," he said around his mouthful. "They're worried Jamie's body won't be able to respond when she goes into labor so they're talking about doing a c-section now. "

Connor swallowed. "They know what they're doing, at least. We're supposed to figure everything out ourselves. Here! In this house!"

Nathan shook his head. "I'm not messing with this anal birth shit," he said. "I'm definitely planning on skipping the birthday party."

Connor scowled.

Julie put the groceries away and Nathan continued to eat chips. Connor shook his head in disgust. They were so fucking oblivious!

"You didn't happen to see Greg on your way into the neighborhood, did you?" he asked sweetly. "I saw him this morning when I was walking the dog."

Nathan sat up and pushed the bag of chips away. Julie slowed a little in her methodical process of putting the eggs into a plastic carton. Neither of them said anything.

Connor snorted. "Is that a yes?"

"Ma," Nathan started. "That guy on the corner—"

"You're father wouldn't be caught dead in this neighborhood looking the way that man did," Julie snapped. She finished with the eggs and put them into the fridge. Then she threw the store carton away and grabbed the cereal boxes on the island. She put them neatly in their place under the counter.

Connor watched her. His bottom lip curled. "Did you not look at Greg last night? He was dressed like a homeless bum."

Julie frowned. "I didn't get a good look at him, no."

Connor rolled his eyes. "He's fucking stalking this family," he said. "If I see him again when I'm out with the dog, I'm making you call the cops."

Julie's face grew paper white.

Connor left them in the kitchen. It was kind of early for a second walk, but he felt obligated to do a little walk-around for safety. It was early still and the sun was out. Now would be a good time to spot Greg and not get snuck up on.

So, he wasted no time. He got the dog together and they went out the back. He took Jack on the long path, down the bike path and around the bay. When they got back to the neighborhood, Connor led them cautiously down to the sidewalk. He kept his eyes peeled and the dog close on his leash.

About a block from Julie's, on the street opposite the one Connor had seen him on that morning, stood a large man. From the grubby clothes, Connor recognized him instantly. Greg.

The old man turned his head in Connor's direction and watched as he walked past with the dog. There was no change in his expression. No reaction to Connor's sudden appearance.

Connor averted his eyes and led Jack past the crazy fucker. He made a direct path to Julie's house, the back of his neck burning the second he turned away from the weirdo. He was being watched. He could feel it.

"Mom!" he yelled through the house once he and the dog got back. "Greg's standing on the corner a block down from here! We need to scare him off. We need the police involved."

Julie wandered out of the kitchen. Her expression serious. "I don't know if a block violates the restraining order. It might technically be within legal limits."

"Fuck that!" Connor snapped. "He has no business in this neighborhood. I'm surprised someone hasn't already called the pigs on him. He absolutely looks like he's up to no good!"

Julie touched the crown molding around the entry to the kitchen. She hesitated, avoiding Connor's eye.

"Mom! Call the cops!"

Julie flinched into action. "Alright!" she said. Her cheeks filled with color as she brushed past Connor and went to sit at the desk in the living room. She pulled her phone out of her breast pocket and sighed. "I really don't want to do this," she said under her breath, but she was already dialing.

Connor watched his mother like a helicopter parent. He wanted to make sure she did the right thing.

"Yes. Hello," Julie said into her phone. "I'm having an issue with my ex husband. I just got a restraining order on him because he was recently let out of jail… Yes. He's been a problem," Julie said grudgingly. "Well, he's standing down the block from the house… Yes. Right now. My son says he's been there all day."

"What's going on?" Nathan poked his head downstairs. He started to come down.

"I'm having mom call the cops," Connor said as the teen came into the living room.

"His name is Greg Lowery. I'm Julie Lowery," Julie said to the officer on the phone. "Yes, we were married for almost 13 years. My address?"

Nathan came to stand beside Connor, his mouth agape. "Are you forcing her to do this?"

"Forcing her? She needs to do this," Connor sneered. "It's for her own good. And ours too," he said. "Your dad looks like a fucking maniac, right now."

Nathan bristled, but he didn't say anything in response. He'd seen the bum on the corner, same as Connor had.

M suddenly appeared in the doorway to the living room. Jack went up to sniff his crotch with interest, but the blond pushed him away and came into the room with his arm around his belly.

"What's happening?" he asked.

"Ok, thank you. Bye," Julie said and then she let her phone slip for her face and fall to the desk. "I can't believe I just did that," she moaned, dropping her head into her hands.

"Ma—" Nathan started for his mother.

"Leave her alone, Nathan. She needs to get used to protecting herself," Connor said stiffly.

"Mega harsh," Nathan said with a frown. "Maybe take it down a notch, these are my parents you're talking about. "

Connor sneered.

The next hour and a half was spent in tense sort of limbo. Connor quickly filled M in on the couch and then they settled in to wait on the police.

Whether they found Greg or not, they'd come by for a brief report, Connor figured. He turned the TV on and they all watched the news in a daze.

There was a big protest over some new immigration laws happening downtown right now… Connor wondered if there'd be less police available, and if so, if they'd have to wait awhile.

An hour passed. Nathan texted his friends from the loveseat. Julie worried endlessly at the computer. M rubbed his stomach uncomfortably and Connor bounced with a nervous energy. He had a crazy idea maybe he should take another quick run around the block, just to see what was going on. He managed to suppress it, but he kept thinking about it…

Another 40 some minutes slipped away. It was starting to get dark and Connor was frustrated with the lack of action.

He was close to getting up. He wanted to see what was going on. He couldn't stand to wait one more minute!!!

Just then, there was an authoritative knock at the door.

"That's them!" Connor leapt up. "Cmon mom."

He rushed to answer the door, hopefully he'd get to see Greg in the back of a police cruiser or something.

Connor was instantly let down though. A tiny lady cop stood on the doorstep. She didn't even try to come in.

She explained briefly that she'd done a couple loops around the neighborhood in the past 45 minutes and she'd run into absolutely no one.

Connor frowned. "But I saw him twice."

The little police woman shrugged. "What can I do? I didn't see anyone. I'm telling you that."

Connor sighed. Nope. There wasn't anything they could do. Greg must have fled at the sight of the police cruiser.

Fucker.

The officer left and Julie let out a huge sigh relief once they'd shut the door and were alone again.

"Anyone want dinner?" she asked, shuffling into the kitchen to get something started.

Connor, his stomach in knots, just decided to skip the meal altogether. He took himself upstairs and to bed, grim and depressed. He was so tired of this lifestyle… He was tired of being stuck.

***

The instant Connor woke up the next morning, he knew something was wrong.

There was an odd electricity in the air. It felt charged and full of energy.

He sat up straight and leapt out of bed to get dressed. His head was pounding, but he kept moving. He felt like he needed to.

Downstairs, he heard moaning and sobbing.

"M?" he pushed his way into the guest room. The blond had finally moved mother, all his machines, and experiments to the spare room for privacy. He spent a lot of time in here now…

And it looked like he'd spent the night in the bed, too, last night. The bed sheets were ruffled and disturbed, and strangely, there was a puddle of moisture in the middle. It was empty, too.

"M?" Connor glanced around the room. There were laptops on every free surface, whirling away with activity. They were crammed on top of the dresser, clustered on the bedside table, there were even a couple resting on the windowsill.

The room looked completely different than it had the last time he'd been up here, helping Bradley move out. There were cardboard boxes of mechanical parts shoved under the bed and a stack of newspapers in the corner.

Connor turned to look at the back side of the room and flinched when he saw Mother, the drone, floating in the corner of the room.

Uneasy, Connor moved around the bed, following the sound of M's sobbing into the tiled bathroom.

"Baby?" Connor called as he edged into the bathroom, ready for anything.

The blond stood naked in the shower, soaking wet, shivering and crying. He looked up as Connor came into his line of sight, his long, wet locks dripping into his eyes.

"What the fuck?" Connor grabbed a towel off the rack. He pulled M out of the shower stall and into the warm embrace of the towel. M didn't stop shaking… even as Connor squeezed him tight and kissed his neck. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

M sniffled. "My water broke and I'm having contractions," he said as he trembled in Connor's arms. In pain.

"What?"

"The baby is coming."

Connor looked around them in a panic. "OK. Is Julie home?"

"I don't know," M said through his teeth. He closed his eyes and huffed until he was close to hyperventilating.

"M?!"

"It's… another… contraction!"

Connor scooped M into his arms and carried him to the bed.

"Shit," he cursed. "It's wet."

Making a command decision, Connor left the creepy drone behind and carried M up to their room. Gently, he deposited the naked, laboring blond on the bed. Then he stood back, totally lost.

"His contractions are eight minutes apart," a cool female voice said from behind Connor.

He whirled around and glared when he realized the drone had simply followed them upstairs.

"What's that mean?"

"That he's still hours away from delivery," Mother said. "We'll get concerned when they're four minutes apart, but he still won't be close until there's only a minute's delay between the contractions."

Connor nodded. He wrung his hands and watched his lover writhe on the bed in agony.

"I'll get help," he said vaguely. He glanced up at the drone. The machine floated silently, a foot and a half over Connor's shoulder. "You'll watch over him?"

"Of course."

He turned and ran out of the room. He took the stairs three at a time and reached the second floor in less than a heartbeat. He sprinted down the hall to the second flight of stairs the instant his feet hit the floor. He took the stairs like a madman when he reached them.

He slid through the foyer downstairs on his socks and burst into the kitchen.

"Mom!"

The kitchen was empty though.

He spun around and ran into the other room, looking for the woman with a terrible desperation.

"Mom! Fuck… Mom!"

Finding the living room empty, but for the dog, Connor jogged upstairs again, feeling his heart drop with each step he took. He couldn't believe this was happening… and that he was apparently going to do it alone, too.

Julie, Jamie, Hannah, Bradley… Connor wished one of his female friends were here. He shook his head… Great. A fucking robot's going to be my midwife….

Suddenly, Nathan's bedroom door sprang open and the sleepy-eyed teen emerged in a funk.

"What's with all the yelling? It's way too early for a Sunday."

Connor grabbed his brother by the front of his t-shirt. Nathan's eyes widened in shock and surprise and he swayed in Connor's iron grip.

"M's in labor. I need help."

Nathan gaped. "No, no, no way. I told you already—"

Connor shook the teen. "This is serious," he said grimly.

"But it's… gross," Nathan said, making a childish face of disgust.

"I'm completely alone up there and I'm freaking out, man!" Connor hollared his voice breaking in his distress.

"Fuck! Alright!" Nathan cried. "But I'm leaving if I see any blood."

Connor sneered and let go of the insufferable teenager. He started towards the attic. "Grab your phone. Maybe you can get ahold of mom."

Nathan veered back into his bedroom and Connor rushed upstairs.

M was still on the bed, naked, curled in the fetal position now, rocking back and forth as the drone ran light beams over his body.

The drone stopped and pulled back as Connor approached.

"His and the baby's vitals are normal," Mother said.

Connor nodded and drew a sheet over M's lower half. He sat beside him after that and put a hand over his sweaty head.

"Is it constant pain?" he asked.

"No," M said quietly, looking up at Connor with his wide, childish eyes. "But it's not just the contractions… Connor… The agent is outside. I can feel him. He's tearing through my brain, he's trying to get a front row seat to the baby's birth."

Connor gulped. He stroked M's hair soothingly for a moment, then he got up and went to the window.

In the backyard, two of the agent's cronies stood in the grass, one at either corner of the house. The thin, zombie man and the pig-like police officer we're watching the house.

Connor felt numb all over. "There's people in the backyard," he said.

M groaned and rolled onto his side.

Nathan came into the room suddenly. He had his phone pressed to his ear.

"But she's alright? The baby's alright?" he said. His expression was utterly serious and Connor watched him carefully.

"Ok. Take care of Jamie for me," he said and Connor got confirmation his brother was talking to their mom. It didn't sound like he'd begged her to come home, though, like he'd wanted.

"What's up with Jamie?" he asked the second Nathan hung up.

"I don't know. She suddenly went into a fit of seizures…" Nathan came slowly into the room, staring down at his phone. He hadn't once looked at M since he'd come into the room. He seemed to be avoiding it. "Hey," he said. "Check your phone. Bradley messaged me."

Connor went to the bedside table and grabbed his phone. There were a bunch of messages from Bradley. Hannah had gone into a set of seizures, too, maybe 40 minutes ago. She wondered if it had something to do with the agent.

The energy in the air took on another meaning. Connor heard faint static cracking in the back of his head. Goosebumps popped up all over his body.

He turned back to M.

"What should we do?"

Mother spoke up before M could. She sounded super bossy.

"We need to evacuate the premises," she said. "My weapon will work best if we can put some distance between them and us."

"So we are fighting the agent before the baby comes!" Connor cried out. "Fuck! This is so bad."

"Mom's busy with Jamie," Nathan said, looking at M shyly for the first time. He seemed relieved by the lack of blood. "She can't help us right now."

"Well, fuck," Connor scratched his head. "I have that moped in the garage."

Nathan chuckled. "How are you going to put him on the back of a bike?"

Connor glanced at M again. The blond thrashed back and forth in pain… Connor sighed. "Shit. Ok. That won't work at all."

"Right."

Connor thought for a moment… The only other person he knew down here was Marcus… And shit! Marcus had mentioned over the phone that he had a car now!

"Let me call Marcus really quick," he said and then he slipped out into the hall, dialing his old work buddy in a frantic rush.

Marcus, the beautiful bastard, answered on the second ring.

"Hey, this is Marcus."

"Marcus! Dude… Are you busy?" Connor asked in a rush.

"Not really," Marcus laughed. "What kind of craziness are you guys up to?"

Connor ignored him. "You said you have a car now, right?" he asked.

"Yes…"

"Well, bring it over. We need a ride," Connor said.

"Um, I'm game. But a ride to where?"

Connor chewed his bottom lip. "I'll tell you when you get here. Oh! And call me when you're pulling in. I'll let you in the garage."

"Fancy."

Connor hung up. He looked around again, feeling overwhelmed. He wanted to grab a few supplies though. Towels, blankets, water… He couldn't think of anything else, so he hurried to grab the linens from the hallway closet. He found a big duffle bag up on the top shelf too, so he stuffed everything into that. He ran down to the laundry room and grabbed five or six bottles of water.

When he came back through the front hall, something caught his eye out the little window beside the front door. He paused on the first step and turned back. Slowly, he crouched down and peeked out the window.

There was the agent… all in black like usual. He stood at the end of the driveway totally motionless. Connor imagined he was using his mind power and was concentrating.

Connor rushed upstairs. "Marcus is coming," he said as he burst into the attic. "And the agent is in front of the house," he finished breathlessly.

M whimpered and Nathan turned from his spot near the bed to glare hatefully.

"This is all your guys fault. Isn't it?"

Connor rolled his eyes. "What exactly are you blaming us for."

"Apparently, I'm trapped in my house by a bunch of aliens or something…" Nathan said. "And your boyfriend is in labor and it's weird and I wish I didn't feel obligated to stay now."

Connor laughed meanly. "The aliens aren't my fault."

"Fuck you. Yes they are," Nathan growled.

Connor shrugged. He doubted he'd be able to change Nathan’s mind.

He turned to the drone. "So, is there a safe place we're evacuating too?"

"The only place he won't follow and directly attack us are places with large crowds."

"Then we should attack him in the middle of a big crowd! While he's defenseless!"

"No," Mother said quickly. "I want M to have a life here. None of you should be seen in anything alien involved. Your government will mark you as a threat. It's a bad idea."

Connor sighed. "Whatever. But where should we go? You said we're still a couple hours off from the baby coming. Are we supposed to have him in the back seat of Marcus' car?"

"Why not?" Mother asked. "It'd be best to keep moving. They're swarming the house now. They'll do the same elsewhere, even if it isn't immediate."

Connor laughed. "Great! Marcus will love this." He sighed and glanced down at the blond in the bed. "We need to get you dressed."

M moaned.

Connor picked out some sweats and a t-shirt. He went to the bed and helped M slide into the loose items of clothing. "Cmon," he urged. "We're getting you out of here."

"But I don't want to go anywhere," M whined. "I just want the pain to stop."

"I don't know what we can do about that," Connor said, "But we have to leave. We're surrounded. Maybe you won't be so miserable if we get some distance from that bloodsucker." Connor had been referring to the agent, but he knew M was confused by the term. "The agent," he clarified. "I saw him outside playing mind games."

M grinned weakly. "Are we leaving the dog behind?"

Connor rolled his eyes. "His water bowl is fresh and there's food in his dish," he said. "Jack will be fine."

M nodded sadly.

Connor glanced at his phone and saw he had another message from Bradley. He answered her quickly.

I think the seizures have something to do with the agent. M's in labor right now and the agent is outside the house, waiting for something, he said in his first text. He thought for a minute, then sent another. Jamie is having seizures, too. Maybe she and Hannah are even more connected to the agent than we thought. We're talking about taking him out today, too, somehow, and if we do that, maybe the girls will wake up.

It felt unfair to be optimist like that, but shit. Connor was ready for this to be over already. He had a kid on the way and a life to get on with.

Bradley messaged him back, but Connor didn't notice. Marcus' name lit up the screen. He was calling.