Free Rise of Alpha (The Prodian Journey #1) by Lorenz Font

window. I could see the body, but not the face, of a woman. Her clothes were unusual. Glimmering ribbons were tied around the waistline of her ill-fitting dress, or whatever it was she was wearing. I leaned toward the window to see her face, and she rapped on the glass again.
    Good thing I had engaged the locks when I left home. It was something my dad drilled in my head ever since he’d handed me the keys to my brand new car.  
    When the woman bent down, our eyes locked. It was like an out-of-body experience. My body felt lighter, my breathing slowed down, and I had the odd sensation of time slowing.   I fumbled with the door handle, trying to decide whether to flee or stay inside the car.  
    Then it dawned on me. I had seen this woman before.   She was the same limping woman I’d seen on the street several days ago. In an instant, everything around me started blurring, like we’d been enveloped in a cocoon. The woman smiled, and for a moment, I didn’t feel the fear I knew I should.
    Despite her compelling smile, I was unwilling to let her in. I gripped the steering wheel, electing to drive away while I still could. I pushed the ignition button, but the engine wouldn’t start. The radio turned off on its own, and the luminous display on my dashboard dimmed and shut down. Panic began to seep in as I frantically pushed the button to start the car while glancing at the woman outside my window.
    With a wave of her hand, she disengaged the locks. In the next moment, she was sitting on the front passenger seat next to me. Her movements were swift, faster than what human eyes could follow, but somehow, I saw every single one as if it were in slow motion.   She locked the doors again with a snap of her fingers, and I found myself scooting away from her until my body was pressed against the door.
    “Don’t be afraid, Brian Morrison,” she said. Her voice had the same wind chime sound as Shannon’s. “And don’t try to run. We need your help.”
    “Who are you? What do you want from me?” My voice shook, and my shoulders started jerking. I clamped my mouth in an effort to suppress the harsh words that were guaranteed to make an appearance soon.
    “My name is Detherina. I come from another place.”  
    “An alien from another planet?” I blurted out of fear.  
    She tried to reach out, but I shrank further away. “Don’t be afraid, Brian. I’m not an alien. I come from Tranak—a parallel universe.” She smiled, showing off a set of perfect, white teeth.
    Dether—or whatever her name was—was beautiful, in an ethereal way. Her jet black hair sat coiled in a tight knot on top of her head like a crown. She watched me with crystal eyes that were strange, yet mesmerizing. Her thin lips were dark red, just like the color of blood.
    “You’re an alien.” This wasn’t real. This had to be a dream.  
    She laughed, a melodious sound, and for some reason, I felt she wasn’t a threat. All the same, I kept my hand on the door handle, ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.  
    “I wouldn’t want to be called an alien , but yes, I’m not of this world.”  
    “What do you want from me?” I asked again.
    “In our universe, I’m what they call the Totren, or the leader. I’m a bit like the president of your country, except I am filling in for our true supreme ruler. I lead a group of what you would call creatures. We’re quiet, disciplined, and self-sufficient.” She glanced ahead.  
    Through the blur of whatever bubble she’d used to surround my car, I could still see people walking by, oblivious to me and my passenger. I gripped the door handle and tried to jerk it open, but it wouldn’t budge. Whatever magic she was using, I was beyond freaked out.
    She swung her head back in my direction and pleaded. “Please don’t run away. I won’t hurt you.”
    “What do you want from me?” I ground the words, wanting the answer she seemed to be reluctant to give me.
    “You’re the key to my daughter’s