Rivkah pulled her arms loose from the Kelhoon soldier’s leathery hands and stood, rubbing her wrists. “And I’m just supposed to follow you while you’re with that...thing?” She gave Okbak a horrified stare.
“It’s about Jaxx. I have something important to show both of you.”
Bogle stepped back. “Don’t trust him, Rivkah.”
Fox shot Bogle a look. “I saved Rivkah and you know it, Bogle. I led her to you. Not for my safety, but for hers. And now I made a deal to save us all.”
Rivkah took a step toward Fox. It was true. He had saved her life and led her to Bogle.
“Rivkah, stop,” ordered Bogle. “Look into his eyes. He’s not saying the words, Okbak is. Fox is claiming to save us all, but leaving Jaxx out of it.”
Rivkah looked past his eyes and to a device under his earlobe and on his neck. Shit. It was a Kelhoon control device. Anyone with this embedded in their skin were commanded by the Kelhoon. Fox was under Okbak’s instructions, doing as the Kelhoon leader wanted. She had to get it off of Fox.
“Gookja!” hissed Okbak.
A guard marched forward and unclipped a black, metal hilt. He held it up and away from himself. His arm twitched when an energy whip projected from the hilt, humming and shining a bright cyan-colored electricity.
The guard reared back, then whipped it against the wall, slashing a diagonal line, singeing it black. Smoke rose from the imprint and electricity danced all around it, then faded into the wall. The soldier dropped the whip by his side, saliva dripping from of his mouth as he eyed Bogle.
“Goddammit, Bogle. You win. I’ll do as you ask…” Bogle was the other link, the third person they needed around Jaxx to shut the network. She wanted the bitch to die, but right now couldn’t allow death to take her. She took a heavy step toward Okbak. “I take whatever deal you have. As long as you keep miss beauty queen over there safe and by my side. Do you understand?”
Okbak laughed, then wiped his mouth. His eyelids opening and closing in his socket like a lizard, his pupil enlarging then narrowing. He dipped his head and extended his hand. “Oojkana.”
“Okbak agrees,” translated Fox.
32
Gallatin, Tennessee ~ Earth
“This is going to be a stand-off. This is nuts.”
The Humvees pulled up and parked parallel to the helicopter, making sure their driver’s side doors faced the Chinese. They were no more than ten yards away. The gunners placed the .50 calibers in firing position, aiming them at the helicopter’s cabin door. The passenger side Humvee doors opened and two or three Marines exited each Humvee, using the vehicles as shields, pointing their rifles at the helicopter.
Anderle had driven the Range Rover for several hours, finally ending here, Sumner County’s Regional Airport. Mya was awake and the Marines were here, setting up a perimeter around the helicopter containing Mya’s dad, all its doors internally locked by T-hacker’s remote controller. Drew wanted to protect her from whatever came next, but he had no clue how to prevent the little girl who was huddled up next to him, from watching the unfolding drama.
“Here we go,” said T-hacker. He went to press the button to open the helicopter cabin door.
Anderle pushed T-hacker’s hand away. “Wait.”
“For what?” asked T-hacker.
“Just let them all sweat for a moment. Let them know who’s really in control.”
Drew crossed his arms and leaned back against the seat’s backrest. He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be an asshole, Anderle.”
Anderle threw his hands in the air. “Fine. Do what you want, T-hacker.”
T-hacker glanced at Anderle, then at the remote, then back at Anderle.
“Just do it already,” ordered Anderle.
T-hacker tapped the button and the cabin door opened. The Marines yelled some commands and the Chinese soldiers came out with a blind-folded and handcuffed Angel Segarra. The Chinese had their hands up and, to Drew’s surprise, there were only two of them.
“That was easy,” said Drew. “Almost too easy.” He eyed an open door in a building connected to a hanger a short distance away. He glanced at Mya. She was innocent, wide eyed, and scared; leaning all her body weight against him. He put his hand on the door handle. All he’d need to do was fling the door open, grab Mya, and rush into that building. It had to have a lock. He’d just wait it out and he and Mya could leave on their own accord, and get to safety somewhere.
Where would he go? How would they survive? He flashed to the dead people on the side of the road on the way here; the adults and children begging for food; people waiving guns around. It was a free-for-all out there.
He did the mental calculation. On balance, he and Mya would be safer out there than with Anderle. And maybe these Marines would shoot Anderle to shit so he and Mya could go back to the base with Mya’s dad. Sounded like a plan. He tensed his muscles and pulled Mya into his lap, ready to bolt from the Rover.
“Stay,” came Drew’s mom. “There are more important days ahead, more important than your life. Stay.”
Damnit, mom. He eased up on the door, all plans of escape banished in a single moment.
Anderle opened his door. “Get out.”
Drew picked Mya up and pushed the door open. He slid out of the seat and stood on the tarmac, the morning breeze touching his skin. He set Mya on her feet. She took off on a run, too excited to see her father. Drew lunged for her, barely grabbing her by the back of the shirt and pulled her in close. “Not yet, Mya.”
“Why?”
“Your daddy’s still working. He can’t be bothered right now.”
Anderle walked over to the helicopter, then sat on the edge of the helicopter’s cabin entrance.
“What’s he doing?” asked Drew.
T-hacker shrugged. “Don’t know, but follow me. Let’s get our reward.”
“Reward?”
T-hacker bobbed his head up and down. “You’ll see.” He did well to hide a smile, though Drew saw right through his attempt. There was something fishy going on.
Drew picked up Mya and followed T-hacker just as the Marines pushed the Chinese soldiers into their Humvees. The Marines pulled Segarra’s blind fold off and fidgeted with his handcuffs, trying to break their leader free from his chains.
Anderle stepped into the cabin, then came out a minute later. “You’ll need these.” He jiggled a set of keys.
Drew, holding Mya’s hand, stopped just in front of the cabin entrance.
A Marine stepped around Segarra and walked toward Anderle just as Anderle moved deeper into the cabin. “No. You can’t have it. Sorry, my friend.”
“Excuse me, sir?” said the Marine. He stood just outside the helicopter door. He lifted his rifle, aiming it at Anderle. “Give me those, sir. I will not ask twice.”
Anderle shot Drew a look. “We have this girl strapped with bombs. If you don’t give us Segarra, then she will go up and you’ll all be nothing more than heaps of flesh on an airfield. Got it?”
Anderle was a fucking nut-job. Screw it. He whispered in Mya’s ear. “Go get your daddy. Go to him.”
Segarra spun on his heels. “What’s the problem, lieutenant?”
The lieutenant glanced around at his Master Sergeant. “They claim this girl has a bomb on her. They want you in exchange for not blowing her up.”
Mya let go of Drew’s hand. “Daddy, daddy.” She raced over to him.
Segarra’s face turned white as his daughter ran under his arms, his hands still cuffed in front of him. They embraced. “Mya?” He glanced up at Anderle. “You have her hooked up to a bomb?” He swept her into his arms. “Take the bomb off of her, now. That’s an order.”
Anderle snorted. “Thanks for the order, but no.”
“Anderle, don’t do this,” said Drew.
Anderle smirked. “Come into the helicopter, Master Sergeant Segarra. If you don’t, T-hacker will blow you and her the shit up.”
T-hacker held up the remote and nodded. “I would.”
He stepped into the cabin.
Segarra held up a hand. “Marines, stand down.” He walked forward, pulling Mya closer to his chest, worry written all over his face.
“Get in, Drew,” said Anderle. “We will be making several stops to refuel. We gotta go now.”
Drew shook his head, watching Segarra and Mya come closer. The girl deserved to be safe and with her father, away from the two clowns whose end game was to find a way to run the country, to stop those ET’s when they arrived on United States soil, and perhaps to use what was left of the US military to do it. Not a bad end game, but not one she needed to be involved with.
T-hacker slapped the helicopter. “Come inside, Drew.” He jumped in and sat in the co-pilot’s seat and pressed several buttons on his remote. The helicopter revved up and the rotors began spinning.
Segarra eyed Drew and shoved a finger toward the cabin. “Get in there. If you care one iota about my daughter’s safety, then follow my lead.”
Drew pulled himself into the cabin, bending over so his head didn’t meet the ceiling. He sat in a cabin seat.
Segarra stepped inside as well, placing Mya next to him, on the seat across from Drew’s. The helicopter lifted off the ground, ascending quickly. The cabin door automatically shut.
Segarra pulled his daughter in close and they hugged, tears welling up in Segarra’s eyes. Segarra mouthed, “I love you.” He then brought his eyes back to Drew and gave him a look that said nothing less than, “I’m going to kill you.”
33
Planet Taiyo, Sector 9 ~ Galactic Arm, Milky Way Galaxy
Jaxx raced toward his Air Wing, one that Kiyo-zan had energetically towed in with his starfighter. He had to get his starfighter into the air before the strafe run began, before the Agadon ended all life in the city.
Jaxx gave Kiyo-zan a thumbs-up as he ran by his friend’s starfighter and jumped onto his craft’s wing, then pulled himself into the Air Wing’s cockpit. He put his helmet on, then initiated the ion drives, and lifted the bird into the air. “Get everyone, including the Leonians, to target the incoming starfighters, Kiyo-zan.”
“Watashi wa sudeni watashi zo ue zi iru,” replied Kiyo-zan.
Jaxx tilted his ship toward the newly created opening in the city’s domed ceiling and accelerated, boosting his Air Wing through the breach. “You’ve already called that in? You’re always one step ahead of me.” He twisted his Air Wing and shot forward at an incredible pace. He closed his eyes and his body tingled, his consciousness expanded taking him outside of his cockpit, viewing everything as if he was the Air Wing. He was one with his craft.
He thought to bank right and he did.
An enemy starfighter came into view. It ducked low, getting a better trajectory for a strafe run on the city.
Jaxx went into a dive. He thought of letting loose an Air to Air Intermediate Missiles, AAIM-5 Dart. The missile fired, in time with his thought, and his thrusters amped a level higher, keeping him and his Air Wing on the same course, balancing the Dart’s push back against his wing.
The Agadon went into an oblique turn, but it was too late. The missile contacted the Agadon ship’s tail, splitting it into two, then igniting the ion engines on fire just behind the cockpit. A loud thunderous roar echoed across the sky and a blue flame zipped up the enemy starfighter, touching the missile batteries, turning the starfighter into a ball of flames.
Jaxx barrel rolled through the incinerated enemy and dipped right, sending tracers and lasers across another starfighter, hitting the Agadon craft’s back, lighting it up into another fiery spectacle.
His sensors beeped, telling him an enemy was attempting a weapons lock. Jaxx held his position and waited, trying to coax his opponent into thinking he wasn’t paying attention, that he was green, a rookie.
The sensors beeped one long beep – weapons locked. If Jaxx didn’t move now, didn’t stop his act, he’d be dead in three seconds.
Jaxx slowed his craft, flipped through one-hundred-and-eighty degrees and spun around, engaging the bandit. He zeroed in on the wing and sent a Dart, clipping the enemy’s wing.
The Agadon spun out of control and knocked into another enemy craft, its wing wedging into his friend’s cockpit, killing the pilot.
Jaxx riddled the two crafts with tracer fire and laser impulse beams. Both enemy starfighters sparked into a thousand pieces, plummeting into the forest below.
“I just got three. We have a lot more coming in, boys and girls!” informed Jaxx.
“Watashi wa koko zi imasu,” said Kiyo-zan.
“Thank you, Kiyo-zan. I got your back, too. Anyone else up in the sky?”
Before he heard a reply, he spotted several Leonian combat-mechs and ships entering his air space, ready to end the Agadon threat – a threat that involved killing not only his race, but just about every race that this Artificial Intelligent Agadon glitched program was telling them to annihilate. And then what? Back to Callisto, where they will put Jaxx back on the granite slab inside the pyramid, so he could close and re-open the portals correctly, shut out the Negatives, and give his life for the rest of the galaxy?
No question. It would be an honor. He knew not many people in his position would embrace their destiny with such delight. Maybe he was programmed, via his DNA, to feel this way, to want to rise to the occasion. To him, death wasn’t scary. It also wasn’t permanent.
Missiles, ion charges, and lasers flew from the Leonian combat-mechs’ turrets and cannons, whizzing past Jaxx in perfect precision and struck a squadron of Agadon fighters en-route to Jaxx’s position. The enemy starfighters erupted into a glowing mess, spattering shards of armor and debris across the firmament.
“Inbound,” warned Jaxx.
A slew of starfighters exited a large Agadon carrier rumbling across the heavens, passing through a thick cloud. The bandits headed in for actual combat, letting off charges through their ion cannons.
Jaxx evaded, then noticed one bogey breaking off formation, maneuvering in a way that defied logic – the way that Jaxx flew a starfighter.
Jaxx’s belly tightened and he veered toward the Agadon. “Everyone, cover each other’s asses. And don’t worry about me, I got this one.”
“You can’t get me, Jaxx.”
Jaxx tipped his wing, then zipped above the enemy starfighter. “Who said that? Kiyo-zan, was that you?”
“Zen-zen ie desu. Agadon desu.”
“It was an Agadon?” Jaxx went into a dive, entering into a long wing-over maneuver, pulling himself into a quarter loop. “I heard someth – ”
Laughter filled his ears. Agadon Laughter. “Don’t be unintelligent, Jaxx. You can’t believe you’re the only one in the Universe with the ability to merge with a flying machine, do you?”
The Agadon starfighter spun around, sending several missiles in Jaxx’s direction. Jaxx targeted them, sending strafe and lasers at the missiles, turning them into flaming dust.
“Gotcha!” screamed the Agadon, laughing even louder.
Jaxx executed an inverted roll and pulled back, placing himself into a fast dive, changing his trajectory one-hundred and eighty degrees, barely missing an Agadon fighter that almost rammed him – the same one speaking to him now.
Jaxx rounded on the bandit’s tail. “Who are you?”
“My name is Tazadon Zindomeon Locka –” There was a pause. “Just call me Taz.”
“Okay, well...hi, Taz.” Jaxx shot two AAIM-5 Darts, one right after the other. One to distract Taz and force him wide, the other to hit exactly where Jaxx predicted Taz would turn.
Taz spun in a way only Jaxx could do, sending laser blasts toward the Darts. They hit dead on, obliterating the missiles.
Jaxx turned into a break, moving sharply across the Agadon flight path. “Kiyo-zan, we have a problem. Some Agadon prick can fly like me and speaks in my language.”
Laughter coursed over Jaxx’s comm line. “You probably wonder how I know your language? Maybe you’ll know after you’re dead, eh?”
J
axx pulled right just as laser fire zipped across the sky. The Agadon dipped left, sending a barrage of missiles onto a different target – the back of a Leonian Mech.
The missiles ripped the mech’s external armor causing sparks, though doing minimal damage, exposing wires and engine gyros. The Agadon let loose a bombardment of ion charges, dropping them like grenades, then broke away.
The mech’s engines exploded, sending a shock wave up the internal central wire array, making the mech inoperable. It fell out of the sky, the forest below being the combat-mech’s eventual doom.
The combat-mech pilot ejected and Jaxx rotated his starfighter another one-hundred and eighty degrees, heading in the pilot’s direction. The pilot, a Leonian with white fur, striped in blacks and oranges, sat in her seat as the seat’s boosters slowly eased her toward the ground. The wind buffeting against her magnificent coat. She surveyed the battle like a captain surveying a map.
Jaxx gasped. It was Zara and Taz was heading right for her. A flashback of Rivkah falling from the Taiyo sky came to him. He had failed her then. He wasn’t going to fail again. Rivkah was practically burned alive when he couldn’t help her last time. He didn’t want the same fate for Zara.
Jaxx aimed just above her. “Lower it faster, Zara.”
Zara complied and Jaxx shot one strafe after another, sending thousands of shots bursting above Zara, dinging Taz’s starfighter armor. Jaxx fired three Darts, aiming beneath Zara, predicting Taz’s future move, hoping he’d get it right this time.
Taz banked hard right, then went into an unload extension, slipping into a steep, straight dive and applied full thrust in an attempt to end Zara before she landed.
An attempt Jaxx had guessed correctly.
Two missiles sunk into the Agadon ion drive compartment between the cockpit and tail of the Agadon craft. The tail split apart, spiraling Taz out of control, plummeting him quickly toward the forest below. It crashed through the canopy of trees and a whapom! shook the heavens, sending fire licking up toward the battle smoke filling the sky.
The Complete Atlantis Series, Books 1 - 5: Ascendant Saga Page 65
