Asher was back in the barn. Day was breaking. Matthew stood at the door, guarding it until the Apples could figure out what to do with Asher. Currently, he was duct-taped to a support beam.
"Matthew, kid, you don't know anything," Asher said in a low voice. "Your sister isn't who you think she it. She's anti-alien."
"What?" Matthew asked, almost dropping his gun.
"There is a button on that ship. A big red one. And if you'd just press it, the aliens would arrive, but she doesn't want to press it," Asher told him.
"Why?"
"Because she thinks the aliens are evil. Now, why would any alien be evil?" Asher asked.
"There's evil aliens in Star Wars," Matthew said.
Asher instantly replied, "Any alien advanced enough to travel this much space would have advanced morals too."
Matthew scratched his head.
"You'll understand it when you're older. But we have to meet those aliens. They'll help humanity. They already have," Asher said.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean that we have alien technology," Asher told him.
"Did you steal it?" Matthew asked, putting his hands on his hips.
"We had to," Asher said in a pleading voice. "It was the only way we thought we could help find the aliens and give our stuff back to them."
"Okay," Matthew evenly said. "Tell me more."
"You see this metal band around my neck here?"
"Yes, I do."
"It changes human DNA. Well, rather it influences it with the DNA of other animals," Asher told him.
"Kinda like a virus?" Matthew asked.
So he did read that book I set out to frame him, Asher thought, amused.
"Yes, like a virus. But not as negative. But back to the aliens. We want to give them their ship back and the technology and possibly claim a prize for humanity. For us to solidify our place among the stars in a place like the Republic in Star Wars," Asher said.
"The Republic was corrupt," mused Matthew.
"I'm confident in this. I want you to meet the aliens."
Matthew looked away, overwhelmed with guilt. He'd be going against his older sister's wishes, but damn if he didn't want to meet aliens.
"Fine, I'll help you," Matthew sighed. "What does the button look like?"
"You don't need me to describe it. Take me with you," Asher said.
"How can I trust you?"
"You trust me about the button," Asher evenly replied.
"Fair point," Matthew replied.
Stealthing through the dew-ey glass they arrived at the bikes and drove them through the forest. Despite his lack of sleep, Asher had never felt more alive. He was on the brink of the real and unreal. This was great, it was adventure, and he was unsure of why he'd ever denied himself this sensation.
They arrived at the glimmering vessel and Asher looked down at the gas meter. He was low on gas! They could catch up any minute.
"Quick, hurry!" He exclaimed.
"Alright, I'm coming!" Exclaimed Matthew, hurrying after him.
They went through the spacecraft relatively smoothly. Last night, the group had opened the doors in order to make it in so that was convenient.
Asher grinned as he raced through the rails and to the button at the dead center of the ship.
"This is it," he giggled. "Something this possible should not be so small and so tempting. Really, it was the designer's fault that I love this so much."
Matthew frowned. "Dude, are you okay?"
Asher looked at him with eyes red, bloodshot, and filled with uncontainable happiness. "Of course!"
He raised his hand, and brought it down on the button.
He closed his eyes, expecting for something to happen. A siren, a beam of light, anything. But instead, what he heard was a pathetic ding sound. And the sound of footsteps.
"Well, that was anticlimactic," he muttered a second before he was slammed to the floor by Adah.
"Did you do it?" Adah snarled.
"What?" Asher innocently replied.
She put her hand on his neck and pressed down hard. "The button."
"You can just check," Asher remarked.
"I'm done with you," Adah snarled at her twin, and brought her hand down hard on his forehead.
"Did you kill him?" Miriam asked, putting a hand up in front of her mouth.
"I should have," Adah said.
PJ stared at the button. "So what happens now?" She asked.
Adah stood up, wiping blood from her mouth with a single hand, "We wait."
"We're actually dealing with aliens now," PJ said.
"We already have been," Adah replied.