Free The Encounter by Norman Fitts Page A

now.
                  A horn sounded. He merged with Forty-Five North from the Walker street ramp. He slowed down and fell in behind the lady with the horn. He moved to the center lane and accelerated to highway speed.
                  He looked at Margaret. "I'm waiting... And this better be good or I'm takin' the first off-ramp."
                  She took a deep breath. "You ever watch Star Trek?"
                  Talk about coming out of left field. "Star Trek?"
                  "Yeah, you know, beam me up Scotty ."
                  "Yeah, I know." He suppressed the urge to laugh. "What the hell are you talking about?"
                  She was serious. "Well, I guess you could say I’m Captain Kirk. I’m by myself. So I guess I’m in command... If you know what I..."
                  He cut her off. "Just wait a minute... What are you telling me? You're from...” He points at the roof of his truck, “She thinks she's an alien." Now he knew for sure who was chasing her, somebody with a net.
                  "Well, that depends on your point of view. To me you're the..." He moved over two lanes to the right. She noticed. "Where're you going?"
                  "The office, then New Mexico. As fast as I can get there." After he had a little talk with Mr. Ward.
                  "I can't go back to the building", she pleaded. "I need my ship."
                  He didn't seem to be interested any longer. She couldn't let him take her back. She didn't want to hurt him. Her desire for him was still very strong, but so was her will to survive and to get back to her family. The truck was committed to the off-ramp. She needed another way. There was a gas station just across the intersection.
                  "Larry, please. I need your help."
                  "Your need for help is the one thing we do agree on."
                  "Please, pull into the gas station. Give me a chance. I can prove what I'm sayin' is true. What have you got to lose?"
                  "A number of things come to mind. My job, my career,” glancing at the hole in the back of his truck,  “my life, just to mention a few."
                  She sweetened the pot. "If you still don't believe me when I'm through I'll just walk away."
                  Deep down he wanted to give her that chance. He glanced at her. "I'll hold you to that."
                  The truck left the off-ramp, moved to the far right lane and slowed as it crossed the intersection.
                  "All right, you’ve got five minutes to tell me something that makes sense."
                  He paused to allow another car out, then turned into the service station and pulled away from the pump islands. He stopped the truck and turned off the engine.
                  He leaned back against his door. "Five minutes, starting now."
                  It was apparent words weren't going to work. She opened her door. "Let's go."
                  He was losing his patience. "Where?"
                  She looked back. "It's my five minutes."
                  He opened his door. "Four and a half."
                  They both got out. He followed her toward the men's room. This was stupid, he thought. A small, closed room, what if she had a weapon? He was pretty sure she was crazy. But this little voice in the back of his head, kept arguing in her favor.
                  She opened the door and he preceded her in. She checked to see if anyone saw them, followed him in and closed the door. The last occupant had left the light on. She locked the door.
                  To himself, "why am I standing in a men's room with a woman who thinks she beamed down from the Enterprise?” He raised