Escape to Earth 1: Running From Fate by Saxon Andrew Page A

saw the Stalker walking down the street in front of the restaurant. It was the driver he saw the first night they arrived. He went into the kitchen and emptied the tub.
    The Stalker sat down at a booth near the rear of the restaurant and activated his scanner. He held it under the table and he swept it across the room. Umm, one of the humans sitting at the counter had an elevated stress level. He kept his eyes on Tony and at that moment, Tony jumped up pushing his barstool to the floor. Lukas felt his heart struggle to beat wildly as he saw Tony run out of the restaurant and jump in his car. He accelerated away like a wild man and Lukas quickly looked at the Stalker…he was touching his throat. Lukas looked out the front glass and saw a white Chevy rental car with two Stalkers inside speed away. Lukas closed his eyes and prayed softly, “Please don’t let them harm him, please!” He went to another table and began picking up the dirty dishes as the Stalker stood up slowly, left a twenty on the table for a glass of diet coke, and walked slowly out the front door. He took the dishtowel and began wiping the table as his eyes became too moist to see clearly. He wiped them on his sleeve and went back to the kitchen. Tony must have spoken to Rachel and the result wasn’t good.
    Lukas had Tony’s cell phone number but he didn’t dare dial it. The ship in orbit would track the call back to him. He walked over to the barstool and picked it up. He saw calling him would be a wasted effort; Tony’s cellphone lay on the floor with the face shattered. He picked it up and looked at Lauren, “Rachel told him she’s moving in with someone else.” Lukas looked at Lauren and shook his head. Lauren nodded and went to take a customer’s order. What terrible, terrible timing. Why couldn’t Rachel have waited just a little longer to take his call?
    Tony was due to work two days later and Lukas prayed the call wouldn’t come…but it did. “Lukas, Jack here. Tony didn’t show up for work, can you come in?”
    “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
    “Thanks Luke. We’re busy and Bob just doesn’t have it down.”
    “On my way.” Lukas walked to the train station and stared at the floor. He knew he would not see his friend again. He arrived at the restaurant and an hour later, Rachel showed up. She ran up to him and grabbed the front of his shirt, “Have you heard from Tony!” Lukas shook his head. “Are you sure he hasn’t tried to call you?”
    “He hasn’t Rachel.” Lukas saw flashing blue lights outside the restaurant and two plainclothes police officers entered the front door. Jack met them and Lukas kept his eyes on Jack. Then he saw it…Jack began shaking his head and then lower it. Lukas closed his eyes as Rachel ran over. A moment later he heard her scream. He picked up his tub and went into the kitchen as the screams grew louder. He sat down in a chair and put his head down on the edge of the sink and wept for what was done to Tony. It was his fault. He didn’t care if the ship in orbit saw his grief. At this moment, he didn’t care if they came and took him.
    He finally gained enough control to leave the kitchen and saw that Jack had closed the restaurant. He saw Lukas walking toward the gathered staff and his red eyes said enough. Thank God he wouldn’t have to break the news to someone else. Lukas came over and took a chair. Lauren put her arm around his shoulder and hugged him. Jack saw everyone was present and he took a deep breath, “The police found Tony in his car. It appears he had taken a garden hose and taped it to the exhaust pipe and fed the fumes into the interior. By the time he was found, his body had died.”
    Tara shouted, “What about Rachel?”
    “She’s been taken to the hospital.”
    “The bitch deserves to…”
    “No she doesn’t!” Jack looked Tara and said, “I was able to get Rachel to tell me that she answered Tony’s call and told him she was moving in with a