Ben Archer and the Alien Skill (The Alien Skill Series, Book 2): Sci-Fi Adventure for Teens

by Rae Knightly

  This time it was not a sound that caught their attention. It was a smell. The smell of cooking fish: unexpected and penetrating.

  “Smells like breakfast,” Bordock smirked.

  Laura’s eyes widened. They were both thinking the same thing.

  “Ben!” she gasped in horror.

  Instantly, Bordock had a key in his hand. He unlocked the cuff on his arm and dragged her to a young birch tree.

  “No, wait!” she yelled, fighting him. He was too strong and in no time had passed her arms around the tree trunk and closed the handcuff around her other wrist. Then he was off, following the direction of the smell.

  “No!” she shouted, struggling to free herself. “Ben! Ben!”

  * * *

  Ben had gobbled up half the trout when the helicopter came. He plunged into the igloo with Mesmo just before it roared over their heads. He listened to the main-rotor blade cutting through the air until long after it was gone.

  Carefully, he and Mesmo extracted themselves from the snowy shelter and checked their surroundings.

  “Up there,” Mesmo said, pointing to the Kananaskis peaks. Helicopters circled an area high up the mountain which Ben judged was where they had left the pick-up truck. “Time to go,” Mesmo urged.

  “What about Mom?” Ben asked in alarm. Now that his hunger was stilled, his brain was sharp as a tack.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll find her,” Mesmo answered.

  Really?

  Ben put on his snow jacket slowly, struggling with doubt.

  A crow hopped over and stole a bit of fish, which did not please Tike. The dog made as if to attack it, and it flew back a few feet, cawing indignantly. Tike went back to gnawing at the fish bones, eyeing the bird suspiciously.

  “Hey, I know you!” Ben said, startled.

  You’re the crow with a broken wing.

  Inevitably, Ben's blood swirled in his ears and already he felt himself drawn to the bird.

  “Not now, Ben,” Mesmo warned.

  “Yes, now!” Ben spoke sharply. “This might be the only chance I get to find my mom.” He glared at the alien, challenging him to object.

  Mesmo scanned the sky rigidly. “All right,” he said. “But be quick. And ask for permission first, and don’t lose yourself in the creature. Remember who you are.”

  Ben nodded. “Move away, Tike,” he said. “Let our friend have some.”

  In his mind, he heard the dog growl as he moved away with the fish’s tail in his jaw. The crow approached them again, then helped itself to another small piece of trout skin.

  Ben hunched down next to it.

  Hello, I am Benjamin Archer. Do you remember me?

  The crow eyed him with beady eyes.

  Greetings, Benjamin Archer. I am Corbilyn. Yes, I remember you.

  Ben breathed in sharply. He had just approached the skill in a new way. He checked Corbalyn’s wing, reminding himself that the crow was a she.

  How is your wing?

  It has healed well. You saved me. You may ask any favour of me.

  I’m glad you are better. And I do have a favour to ask. I seek my mother. She is in danger.

  I know where she is. I will take you. You may come.

  Immediately, Ben felt drawn into the crow, and for a second he forgot who he was. But then he remembered Mesmo’s words and gently rested his mind’s eye on the crow’s back.

  I am still Ben.

  He managed to keep control of his thoughts, instead of being swallowed up body and mind into the bird.

  Corbalyn took off and soared above the trees, leaving a tiny Mesmo, Ben and Tike behind. The Ben whose spirit was flying with the crow watched as the physical Ben crumbled to the ground below him. He was not worried. A sense of exhilaration made his mind soar with the bird. The earth fell away beneath him revealing an immense landscape covered in a blanket of pristine snow. The mountains towered to his left; to his right, plains stretched as far as his mind’s eyes could see. A faraway lake glimmered in the sun; the air was gentle and fresh on the bird’s wings. Ben’s soul experienced a moment of utter happiness, and for the very first time, he understood that the skill was indeed a gift. He told the crow, Thank you!

  The bird swooped to the right, passing a large patch of snow that rolled down to a shimmering river at the bottom of the mountain. Several dots moved on it, and with a start, Ben realized that it was not a river, but a road.

  We’re almost there!

  He smiled inwardly at the thought that escape was near.

  Now to find my mother.

  She is here.

  Corbalyn glided down to a forest not far from Ben’s shelter. The small lake where the grizzly had caught the trout came into view, and Ben’s adrenaline increased when he caught a movement in the trees. He spotted his mother and panic careened through his mind. Corbalyn landed on a branch in alarm.

  Below them, Laura fought to free herself from a tree trunk, shouting in panic, “Ben! Ben!”

  * * *

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Hao asked.

  He struggled to place one foot in front of the other as, each time, he sank knee deep in the snow. Below him, the lights of half a dozen police cars whirled, stationed at the edge of the road, at the bottom of the Kananaskis. Hao believed they were miles away from where they should be.

  “We’ve got the mountaintop covered,” the Sheriff said as if reading his thoughts. “If they survived the storm, they will be heading this way. We’ll comb the area from the road upwards, and the helicopters will do the same from the top down.”

  A dozen officers followed Hao and the Sheriff as they headed through the forest.

  This is going to be a long day, Hao thought. He clenched his teeth as he trudged on. He still couldn't believe that Connelly had been foolish anough to follow the fugitives into a raging snowstorm. High Inspector Tremblay had been furious—as if Connelly’s stupidity had been Hao’s fault.

  Hao mulled over the unfair situation—focusing on his anger rather than on the rugged terrain—when an officer yelled a warning. He tensed, eyes alert, scanning the trees for signs of danger. Then he saw it, a movement in the trees, a giant shadow lumbering at an uncomfortably close distance.

  “Grizzly!” the Sheriff cautioned.

  With a swift motion, Hao pulled the gun from his side and aimed.

  “Whoa!” the Sheriff yelled. “What do you think you’re doing?” He yanked Hao’s arm down so the gun was pointing at the ground.

  “For goodness sake!” Hao snapped. “You just said: that’s a grizzly!”

  The Sheriff shook his head as if Hao was a small child. “You aren’t from around here. The dangers aren’t where you think they are. First, if you shoot, there is a high chance you will injure the bear. Trust me, you do not want to irritate a grizzly. Second, we just had a snowstorm in early spring, which is melting as we speak. A shot like that could trigger an avalanche and that would be ten times worse than a charging bear.” He let go of Hao’s arm. “Believe me, it’s best to leave it alone.”

  Hao watched as the brown animal disappeared into the forest. “So, how, exactly, are we supposed to defend ourselves? Do you really think those fugitives are going to run into our arms willingly?”

  The Sheriff sighed and shrugged. “Guns are for last resort only.” He signalled to his men to move forward.

  Hao put away his side arm but kept his hand close to it. The memory of an attack by another massive animal—the humpback whale—was still fresh in his mind. The Sheriff had no idea what they were up against, and Hao wasn’t going to let himself be fooled twice.

  CHAPTER 21 Confrontation

  Ben’s mind did a double flip at his mother’s cries, his thoughts getting entwined with that of the crow.

  Stop it!

  Corbalyn struggled.

  Ben couldn’t make sense of who he was anymore. He wanted to speak. He tried to use his voice to reassure Laura, but all that came out were exasperated caws.

  Corbalyn too
k off.

  No, wait!

  Ben was powerless under the crow’s will as it flew back to the snowy shelter. As it prepared to dive, Ben’s inner eye caught Bordock hiding behind a tall fir tree, his hands glowing with intense power, ready to strike.

  Dread shot through Ben’s mind like lightning, making Corbalyn lurch. Unable to control her movements, the crow fell in a messy heap to the ground. With superhuman effort, Ben tore himself from the bird’s mind. Full consciousness returned to his body at once. He swallowed cold air through his mouth with a loud gasp as his eyes shot open. “BORDOCK!” he shouted.

  Too late.

  Bordock thrust the mysterious power from his hands and it swept at them like a whip, hitting Mesmo first but avoiding Ben whose body still sprawled on the ground.

  Mesmo vanished. The trunk from the fully mature fir tree next to Bordock detached itself from its base with a loud crunch. It teetered, then plummeted towards Ben who watched in dismay. He yelled, raising his arms to protect his head.

  There was an immense thud as the trunk hit the ground. The branches plastered the snow, releasing a sprinkle of pine needles in the air as they swayed. Static dissipated slowly, a remnant from the alien impact. Then everything went silent.

  Ben peeked carefully from behind his arm and found a thick branch a foot from his face. Its twigs had scraped his cheeks and a strong smell of earth filled his nostrils. But he was unharmed.

  He daren’t move, his heart beating like a frightened hare in his chest, while he took in the protective cocoon of branches that could have killed him had he been lying a little to the right. A light sense of claustrophobia enveloped him under the stuffy branches.

  I need to get out.

  The regular, crunching sound of footsteps in the snow froze him to the spot.

  Bordock!

  He peeked through the branches and saw the shapeshifter moving slowly along the tree.

  Ben scrambled backwards, using his elbows and feet to push himself further away, but Bordock must have heard him. He stopped and straightened.

  “Well, well,” Ben heard him say. “A spirit portal. How convenient. As soon as our Toreq friend senses danger, he zaps away to safety.”

  Ben watched Bordock bend and search under the branches. The boy remained still as stone, hardly daring to breathe.

  “I find that very disappointing,” Bordock continued. “Don’t you?” He stepped slowly along the fringe of the tree, causing Ben to scamper under its trunk for refuge. It only hid him partially, meaning he was nearing the treetop. He shut his eyes tight and prayed that the alien would walk by him.

  “You and I are more alike than you know,” Bordock said, his voice too close for comfort. “Think about it. Both of us were born without a Toreq skill.” His footsteps paused. “And someone had to die for us to inherit one.”

  Ben placed his hands firmly on his mouth. Images of a fading Kaia with her long, white hair flashed before his eyes and he wanted to scream. Yes, she had died after she had given her skill to him, but he had not taken it from her forcefully. Unlike Bordock.

  We are not alike!

  “Huh,” Bordock said with interest, his voice moving away. “There’s your dog. I hope it’s not hurt.”

  Ben’s eyes shot open.

  Tike!

  His hands began to glow and blood rushed to his ears. He listened, but there was only silence.

  Tike?

  He called his dog with his mind, anxiously trying to make contact. There was no answer.

  Ben’s heart leapt. He turned to lie on his stomach and frantically pulled himself through the snow with his arms. Tike suddenly rustled the branches not far from him.

  I’m right here. I’m stuck.

  Ben found the terrier trapped in a natural cage made of twigs laden with pine needles.

  “Hold on…” Ben whispered, reaching out to release his dog. Something grabbed him forcefully by the collar of his jacket. “Aargh!” he yelled, struggling as Bordock’s strong grip dragged him from under the tree and into the open.

  He lay helpless on his back, unable to reach Bordock who held him from behind. His arms flailed, searching for something to grab on to as Bordock continued to drag him away from the tree. His hands only found snow. Frantic, he raised his arms and let himself slide out of his jacket. Bordock whirled.

  Ben sprang to his feet; Bordock was too close for him to be able to make a run for it. He staggered backwards, Bordock shadowing his every step.

  “We are not alike!” Ben burst out.

  A sliver of a smile appeared on Bordock’s face. “Ah, but we are. If only you would stop running and let me explain. We could get your mother. We could sit down, the three of us, and talk. She is not far. I took good care of her. You can trust me.” He reached out his hand.

  Ben’s heart leapt in anger. “You’re lying! I saw her—in there.” He pointed to the forest behind them, vaguely surprised that his hands were still blue from connecting with Tike. “I’ll never trust you!” he said, taking another step back. His foot caught in something. He tripped and fell heavily on his backside.

  In a flash, Bordock was on top of him, choking him with his hands. “Clever boy,” he said with a low voice.

  Ben squirmed. The more he struggled, the more Bordock pressed on his neck, until he saw stars. He grabbed Bordock’s arms weakly, his hands gleaming from the skill.

  Bordock nodded satisfyingly. “Good. The skill is strong. It has lost nothing of its essence.” His face was strangely calm and his eyes were emotionless black pearls. “No need to resist,” he said quietly. “It won’t hurt.”

  He waved a hand over Ben’s face and Ben felt his eyes roll back in his head. In his mind’s eye, he watched the blue fillaments seep away from every blood cell.

  And it hurt. It hurt as if a million healthy teeth were being extracted at the same time.

  Whales, ants, crows, bears—Tike—all flashed before his eyes and it was as if his closest friends were being torn away from him.

  Not the skill!

  For the first and briefest moment, Ben knew he never wanted to part with the skill. It was his, and his alone, and Kaia had seen it in him that he was worthy to wield it.

  Determination broke through the pain and Ben focused all the strength he had left towards the skill. He sensed his hands glowing ever stronger and the blood in his ears rushed like waterfalls. Yet that action only made it easier for Bordock to absorb the skill like a magnet.

  There was a scuffle, and Ben heard a short yell. The connection broke for a fraction of a second. It was all Ben needed. His thoughts exploded outwards. His mind’s eye caught Tike biting Bordock’s arm and Bordock casting the dog away. He sent his thought whizzing on through the forest and collided with the mind of the grizzly.

  HELP!

  Ben’s eyes fluttered open. He lay flat on the ground. Bordock sat not far from him, looking as though he had been hit by a truck. His eyes reflected surprise mixed with a touch of fear. There was also anger. And it was directed at Ben.

  Ben wanted to get up, but his limbs were useless. He knew he couldn’t handle another attack. Bordock knew it too.

  The shapeshifter stood slowly and approached him. Ben shivered uncontrollably, his energy utterly depleted.

  The alien kneeled next to him, his eyes once more becoming emotionless pebbles.

  Ben knew he was done for.

  Then suddenly Bordock’s eyes moved away from Ben’s and his mouth twisted in horror.

  A gigantic shadow covered the sky above Ben, and just like that, Bordock was gone. There was a deafening roar and a yell.

  Ben forced himself on his stomach and watched, dumbfounded. The grizzly bear had Bordock in its paws, but with a mighty bang from the alien’s hands, the two bounced away from each other. The grizzly collapsed on its side, Bordock crouching not far from it.

  No!

  Ben’s skill searched the bear’s mind frantically as he dragged himself up. Abruptly, Mesmo appeared out of nowhere. He p
laced his hands in the snow and a wall of ice surged before them, separating them from the shapeshifter.

  Ben staggered to the grizzly’s side.

  Are you hurt?

  He scanned the bear as it huffed heavily through its nostrils.

  I am fine. Run, little cub. The men with thunder are here.

  An image of whirling police car lights flashed through Ben’s mind. He caught his breath, consumed by a sense of urgency. He made sure the bear was only dazed and would recover, then sent him his thanks.

  He turned to Mesmo, who was staring at the icy wall he had created. The alien’s face was very pale and grey. Whatever Bordock’s attack had done to him, it had left a mark.

  The shapeshifter stalked them from behind the ice. Something abnormal was happening to the outline of his body. It expanded, surrounded by a halo of blue light. It twisted and deformed, inflating like a balloon.

  Ben’s mouth dropped as he realized the alien’s intentions.

  He’s turning into a grizzly!

  Ben and Mesmo watched, stunned, as the shape of a grizzly bear, identical to Ben’s friend, reflected through the ice. It contemplated them, then took off suddenly.

  Ben’s pulse raced. “My mom! He’s going after my mom!”

  Ben picked up Tike who had wobbled shakily to his side. They rushed into the trees after the shapeshifter.

  By the time they came to the edge of the lake, the fake grizzly had almost reached the other side. Mesmo plunged his hands in the half-frozen water and sharp, crystalline stalagmites shot up from its surface, forming a new wall that crackled with immense, sharp edges, cutting off the grizzly’s path to Laura.

  Ben didn’t wait to see what Bordock would do next. He raced along the far edge of the lake, taking the long way around the sharp-toothed wall. Every time a wave of power emanated from either alien as they battled, he staggered, then forced himself onward.

  He reached his mother as she crouched by the tree, trying to protect herself from flying ice-debris.

  “Ben!” she gasped as he dropped Tike next to him and threw his arms around her.