He was a frail and scrawny boy who kept to himself, but his tormentors would make his life miserable every chance they got.
But he found ways to cope. When he was eleven, he stumbled upon a spider sucking the juices out of a horse fly it had captured in its web in the woods near his home. He stood there for more than an hour, transfixed. He’d never witnessed anything so exhilarating and entrancing.
His fascination with insects and other arthropods grew from there. He’d watch documentaries and stare in wonder as he saw scorpions inject their prey with venom and armies of ants stripping away an entire elephant carcass in no time at all.
His fascination turned to obsession once he got to high school. He would do all of his science projects on insect genetics or feeding patterns of the more violent arthropods. This quickly added to the ridicule he suffered from his classmates.
One day, the captain of the football team took used flypaper, wrapped it around Barbaas’s neck, and pushed him down the crowded hallway at school. There were at least two dozen dead flies stuck to the paper, and people started to call him the “fly collector.”
This incident caused Barbaas to snap, and he came up with a plan. He had been researching hornets for his final project in biology, and he happened to know that the captain of the football team had a severe allergy to bees, wasps, and hornets. So, he figured, why not use this brute as a test subject?
Barbaas threw a water balloon filled with honey at the football captain as he walked out of the gym one day after school. The poor fool fell for the bait and chased Barbaas to the greenhouse behind the school, where Barbaas had been conducting his experiments.
Once there, Barbaas locked the kid inside and stirred the hornets up.
One sting would have been enough, but the football captain was stung thirty-four times before the hornets flew back to their nest. Barbaas simply stood there on the other side of the glass and took notes on what he observed as the boy screamed in terror and tried to run from the swarm.
It didn’t take long for the screaming to stop, and Barbaas marveled at how quickly the venom overtook such a strong young man. He jotted down notes and examined the boy’s body more closely before calling for help. He told the authorities that he had been chased into the greenhouse by the victim, and that by the time Barbaas had called for help, it was too late.
That terrible act caused Barbaas’s downward spiral into Corrupthood. All the way through college, he would find unfortunate test subjects to conduct experiments on. His interest in genetic alteration and entomology would prove a deadly combination. He was especially fond of testing the aggression of bees he’d been breeding after doing a project on the Africanized bee.
He would eventually graduate with honors, but none of his professors had any idea of the torturous experiments he’d conducted behind closed doors: experiments he would carry over to his work at the Force-Pointe Science Publication Society, where he was eventually caught by several colleagues in one of his unethical experiments.
So, Barbaas did what he had to do. He caused an explosion in the building before any of the snitches could escape and reveal just how vile he was.
But Dr. Barbaas had found himself trapped inside the building along with his victims. He’d realized his mistake a little too late, and he was scrambling to find a way out. That was when opportunity came knocking.
Help came in the form of a dark shadow that seemed to move through the walls of the burning building, and Barbaas found himself being whisked away through cold blackness, only to appear in front of Doren’s computer, where he found himself now.
***
Doren’s image appeared on the screen. “What is the progress of your mission, Barbaas?” he asked through the computer speakers.
Dr. Barbaas bowed. “Just a wee bit more time. We’ve almost got it. The barrier will be broken in another day or two.”
Doren grunted, and the speakers rattled with static. “So, I trust that your shadow mantis is doing the job?”
“Yes indeed, Master Doren,” Barbaas said. “My mantis’s charming little babies are draining the children dry. It’s beautiful to see all the damage they’re causing.”
“So, it’s faring well, then?”
Barbaas paused for a moment; he heard something far in the distance. “You can ask the little darling yourself. I hear the fluttering of giant wings approaching us as we speak.”
The humming got louder as the mantis queen got closer to the laboratory entrance. The force of its wings blew a foul breeze in the room, and the hum turned into a loud roar. The beast came in through a hole in the cave ceiling and crashed in front of Barbaas.
Barbaas gasped at the sight of his creation in such a state. “My dear, whatever is the matter?”
“I ran into some trouble, Master Barbaas,” the creature hissed.
“Trouble?” he said, blinking at her. “What kind of trouble? Indigestion from eating a kid smoking behind the bleachers or something?”
“Nothing so simple,” the mantis droned. “I still don’t know exactly what happened. There were these strange children.”
“Strange…children?” Barbaas said, perplexed.
“I honed in on a girl who had a very peculiar type of energy,” the beast continued. “It was powerful and abundant in supply. I went in for the kill, but before I could strike, she wasn’t there anymore.”
“She wasn’t there? What do you mean by that?” Barbaas inquired.
“One second, she was there, about to meet her doom. The next, she is several feet away from me in the blink of an eye. And that was not the worst of it.”
“What else happened?” Doren asked, alarmed.
The mantis queen looked toward the computer. “Three more children appeared: another female and two males. The other female was able to throw a sharp piece of wood at me without touching it, and one of the males could wield fire in his hand. I could sense the same kind of energy coming from each of them. This energy was strange and powerful, something I’ve never sensed before. It would have been delicious.”
A shrill laugh echoed through the cave. It was Flutura. She happily strutted into the room. “It looks like your stupid little bug went after a group of young Corrupted,” she said gleefully. “As much energy as a Corrupted has, it can’t be used to weaken an Ark’s barrier. Have you forgotten the whole ‘lost humanity’ thing?”
“Hush your tongue, mothball,” Barbaas snapped. “My mantis is smarter than you!”
“I thought they were members of Master Doren’s corporation,” the giant insect said. “But they said that they belonged to the Edania Organization.”
Silence hung heavy in the air. Flutura saw this as an opportunity to instill some doubt in Doren’s mind about choosing Barbaas to take charge. “You must be deaf as well, or just impudent. The Edania Organization has no agents on the Force-Pointe Islands anymore.”
“Flutura, silence!” Doren boomed, causing the room to shake.
“I-I’m sorry, Master,” Flutura groveled.
Doren turned to the creature. “About the girl who vanished. Did you feel her energy shift, as if she teleported?”
“I felt no shift in energy,” the giant insect answered. “Not even a little. It was as if—”
“As if you were frozen in time?” Doren said.
Flutura was puzzled. “But, Master, there is no Dark-Segol that can stop time. That’s an Edanian power.”
“That is correct, Flutura,” Doren said with agitation. “This complicates matters. It seems as though the Edania Organization still has some agents stationed in this area.”
“How can that be?” Dr. Barbaas asked. “I thought the last of them lost their power when they imprisoned you, Master.”
“They did. They must have recruited a new generation of agents...” Doren thought for a moment. “Hmm. Perhaps we can use this rather unfortunate discovery to our advantage.”
Barbaas rubbed his hands together. “Has your beautiful brain come up with a plan? I do lo
ve your plans. They’re so insidious.”
“We know that those with Dark-Segols are unable to supply their energy to shatter the Ark’s defenses,” Doren explained. “However, those with uncorrupted Segols may be a completely different story. Shadow mantis queen, you said that you could feel something different about their energy, correct? You stated that their energy levels were abundant and powerful. Perhaps that is what we need to finally break the Ark’s barrier. So, I command you to go after these new agents of that vile organization.”
Barbaas cackled. “What a delicious plan, Master. It’ll kill two birds with one stone. I love, love, love it!”
“We must strike now, before they grow into their powers,” said Doren. “They must have only recently acquired their Segols. Otherwise, the mantis queen would not be standing here telling the tale. This is the opportune moment to attack.”
“Did you hear that, darling?” Barbaas asked his twisted creation. “Listen to Master Doren. Go back to the school and wait for the perfect time to strike the four children you saw. If you succeed, you get all the energy you want. There may even be a few toddlers in it for you if you do an extra good job.”
One of Barbaas’s assistants cautiously walked into the room. “Uh, Dr. Barbaas?”
Barbaas turned and glared at his assistant. “I’m in a meeting,” he said coldly.
The assistant shifted nervously. “I’m sorry, sir. This is important. May I have a moment of your time? There is an emergency that needs your attention.”
“If I must.” Barbaas turned to Doren. “Master, please excuse me while I speak with my henchman for a second.”
“Hurry, Barbaas,” Doren warned.
Barbaas nodded and followed his assistant back to his research lab.
“What in the world is this problem that couldn’t wait until after the staff meeting?” asked Barbaas.
“It’s about the current mission,” the assistant said anxiously. “Surveillance shows that the school has been evacuated. There’s not a student or faculty member there.”
“An evacuation, you say?” Barbaas asked, rubbing his chin. He giggled. “I guess my darlings got a little carried away with their hunting. It’s okay, I saw this coming. There’s been a change of plans, anyway. All we need to do is gather the energy from four specific kiddos.”
“There’s a bigger issue…” the assistant mumbled. “A military-like group calling themselves F.E.S.P.A. has the area quarantined. They’re trying to get rid of the mantis nymphs. The school is blocked off and surrounded by a wall of electrical energy. The insects can’t escape.”
“F.E.S.P.A.?” Barbaas cried, stomping his foot like a child. “Not that annoying group of fools.”
“Do you know them, sir?”
Barbaas groaned. “Yes, and they have been getting in our way for long enough.” Barbaas’s scowl turned into a devilish grin. “But this could work out even better than I thought. My pet could go back there and crush those F.E.S.P.A. fools and kill the new Edanian agents.”
“But, sir, the barrier that’s keeping the nymphs in…won’t it keep the queen out?”
“Oh, please,” Barbaas said, waving his hand dismissively. “That trashy little barrier can’t keep my perfect creation out. Unlike her offspring, her body can break through it, no problem.”
“But won’t that just make a bigger scene than it is already?”
Barbaas glared at his assistant. “You know, Johnson? Your negativity is bringing me down.”
Barbaas jabbed his assistant in the stomach, and his whole body started to pulsate and glow green, and became so hot it was steaming. After several seconds, he fell to the floor, dead.
Barbaas tapped his chin. Oh, poo. I guess he did have a point. I’m going to have to change up my plans a bit. Luckily, despite being a rather large girl, she’s pretty nimble and can pass through the school without being detected. She can just sneak around the vents.
Barbaas took an exaggerated step over Johnson’s body and pulled his communication device out.
“Cleanup on aisle four, cleanup on aisle four,” he said animatedly. “Johnson made a bit of a mess. Could someone come clean him up for me, pretty please?”
***
Barbaas walked back to the central control room. “Please pardon the interruption, Master Doren,” he said. “I’ve been informed of a slight problem. It seems that Force-Pointe High School has been evacuated by those fools at F.E.S.P.A., and my poor little nymphs are stuck there because of an electrical barrier that they set over the school.”
“F.E.S.P.A.… So, he thinks he can interfere with my plans again?” said Doren, bemused.
Barbaas giggled. “It matters not, Master. My shadow mantis queen knows her way around the school by now, and she is more than capable of finding a way in.”
“And how will she find the new Edanian agents if she’s inside the school?” Flutura interjected. “The whole building has evacuated, remember?”
“Oh, Flutura, you certainly are basic,” Barbaas said snidely. “These new agents will have to go back to the school if they want the Ark, correct? We know it’s somewhere in the basement, so my treasure will wait for them there. As soon as they go in to investigate, she and her darling nymphs will drain them before they know what hit them. Then we’ll have enough energy to break the Ark’s barrier, the Edania Organization will be four members short, and we will be one step closer to freeing Master Doren. And, hey, we’ll deal a heavy blow to F.E.S.P.A. while we’re at it.”
“Barbaas, I give you permission to continue your plan,” Doren said. “But take heed. You are fighting not only the Edania Organization but F.E.S.P.A., too. They may be simple and irksome, but do not take them lightly.”
Barbaas grinned at the computer. “Oh, don’t worry. My darling will pulverize anyone who gets in her way. Right, my sweet?”
The shadow mantis hissed. “Yes. These morsels should serve as an excellent meal for me and my offspring.”
“Excellent,” Doren said. “Now, shadow mantis queen...make sure you kill the time-stopper first. She must be dealt with immediately; otherwise, she can simply immobilize you and escape. Make sure you kill the fire starter next, and that will get rid of the immediate threat. Then kill the girl who can move objects, then the other boy. Steal every ounce of their energy and apply it to the Ark’s barrier. Bring the Ark and the agents’ bodies to me, and I will make sure you and your offspring will never go hungry.”
“Thank you, Master Doren. I will obey your command,” said the shadow mantis queen. Then, she spread her wings and flew out of the cave, back toward her nest.
CHAPTER 11:
battle of the basement—james
We parked at an abandoned building near some woods about a half mile from Force-Pointe High. We beat through the small forest that led straight to the school grounds. When we reached the edge of campus, we hid behind one of the giant oaks and surveyed the place. No F.E.S.P.A. agents in sight. That should have made me feel better, but it didn’t. The barrier was enough to make me want to turn around and run away.
“You guys ready to run?” Nick asked as he peeked around the tree.
Kelly and Abby nodded intensely. I nodded anxiously, and my ear scraped a low-hanging branch that knocked my glasses off. I let out a nervous laugh and picked them up.
“Get it together, James,” said Kelly.
I took a deep breath and prepared to run, much to my displeasure. Nick took one more look, then gave us the signal.
We stopped at another tree in the middle of the schoolyard, double-checked that the coast was still clear, then ran to the next like we were in some kind of ridiculous video game.
As we approached the school, I saw how impressive the barrier really was. I could almost taste the power it exerted, and it made me sick to my stomach. This was going to be more difficult than previously projected.
We approached one of the barrier’s generators on the back-left side of the school. It roared like a 747 airplane engine, which made my
ears ring painfully. The heat radiating from the electrical beam was so intense, it would surely melt someone’s flesh if they touched it. It gave off the odor of an electrical fire as it shot out and connected itself to the other beams.
“Okay, Abbs, you’re up,” said Nick.
Abby took a deep breath and stretched as if she were going to run a marathon. “Okay, I can do this,” she said, though it was hard to hear her. She lifted her hands and flicked them at the barrier, but nothing happened. She tried again, but the beam still radiated from the generator. She tried a third time, and a fourth. She began wildly flailing her arms in an attempt to get her ability to work. “It’s not working!” she said with a grunt.
Nick jumped out in front of her. “Boo!”
Abby jumped, but time remained unfrozen.
“Aw, man,” said Nick, disappointed. “I thought for sure that would work.”
Abby slapped him on the arm.
“Why do people keep hitting me?” he asked, rubbing his arm. “I’m only trying to help.”
“By giving me a heart attack?” Abby squeaked. “My power’s obviously not working right now.”
I looked at the generator, then up at the stream of energy it produced. “Hmm. Perhaps this is too much for her power.”
“What do you mean?” Nick asked.
“Remember what Kristiana said about it?” I asked. “It has a limited range, and it may not work when you try to stop time within a wide space, or if there’s a large quantity of objects or people around.”
“But I Freeze-Framed the giant bug,” Abby pointed out. “And we were outside. Doesn’t get much bigger than the outdoors.”
I studied the tip of the barrier, which connected the four streams. “In that specific case, you froze the insect and a few of the trees and flowers around you in an approximate ten-foot radius. To Freeze-Frame the barrier, you would have to freeze the whole thing.” I pointed to the top of the barrier. “All four beams are connected at the top.”
Bugged Out! Page 19
