Vanguard Prime Book 1

by Steven Lochran

  ‘Indeed.’

  The Overman smiles as the cell door slides open, his blue eyes flashing.

  The room contains nothing more than a bed, a chair, a toilet and a basin. A small selection of books sit on a far table and a TV is anchored to the wall above it. Other than that, however, the cell is empty.

  ‘Persona,’ the Overman says, flying into the cell. ‘Come out from under there. There’s no dignity in it.’

  A small form shuffles hesitantly from beneath the bed.

  ‘Wh-wh-what do you … what do you want?’ says Persona.

  ‘Merely to speak with one of your fine compatriots. If you’d please present us with the Dragon.’

  ‘No!’ Persona snaps, then cowers in fear. ‘N-no. I can’t. I can’t let him out. Not again. I wouldn’t want to, even if it was possible.’

  ‘Don’t worry. I counted on such a circumstance. Cronus?’

  As if jerked into life by the utterance of his name, the giant trudges over from the other side of the Gallery.

  ‘Do you have the item?’ the Overman asks him.

  The giant nods, offering his right arm. A thin metal tube the size of a syringe springs out of a secret compartment in his armour. The Overman doesn’t touch it, using his powers once more to levitate it from its place.

  ‘This is what I call a psionic disposer, an invention of my own design. I won’t bother explaining to you how it works because once it’s done its job you won’t be with us anymore. We’ll instead be talking with your far more notorious doppelganger.’

  ‘What are you going to do?’ Persona asks desperately, just as the Overman launches the disposer at his head like a dart. It strikes Persona in the middle of his brow and he drops to the floor. His eyes roll back in his head and his body jolts uncontrollably as if a huge electrical current is passing through him. As he becomes still, his body begins to shift. The mask falls from his face as molecules realign. Fabric forms out of his flesh, knits together and covers his body. Where once lay a small man dressed in white, there is now a powerful figure in robes of jade and black.

  ‘Wake the Dragon,’ the Overman orders.

  Dr Knock leans in and smacks the Dragon across the face with one smooth stroke. The Dragon stirs, his golden eyes taking a moment to focus, before he sneers and bares his needle teeth.

  ‘What is the meaning of this?’

  ‘Dragon, we have much to discuss, you and I,’ says the Overman, hovering close to the fallen figure.

  ‘Overman? What makes you think I have anything to say to you?’

  ‘Believe me, my friend. You will talk. I have no doubt of it.’

  The Overman’s shadow looms across the Dragon’s face.

  The Dragon trembles.

  ‘What’s really bothering you?’ Machina asks me, and it sounds like such an easy question to answer. As I open my mouth to reply, however, I can’t think of a single thing to say. Machina watches me with a single eyebrow raised.

  ‘When … when my powers first kicked in … something terrible happened …’

  I’m interrupted by the sound of an immense explosion. The entire room shakes as if a T-rex is stomping around just outside the door.

  ‘What the hell was that?!’

  There’s a burst of flame across the hallway, lighting up my room. Without even thinking, I’m beside my porthole in a dizzying burst of speed, leaving Machina’s possessions even more scattered than they were before.

  ‘Hey!’ she shouts, stomping over to my room. ‘Why is it that you don’t have your super-speed until the exact moment you need it to mess up my room?’

  ‘There are explosions coming from the ship,’ I reply, craning my neck to try and see what’s going on. ‘Do you really think now is the best time to argue about your messy room?’

  ‘It’s probably just a weapons test or something,’ she says, pushing in next to me to look out the porthole. Another explosion rocks the room and fire and debris surge into the ocean. ‘Whoa!’

  ‘Machina! Goldrush! This is the Major – do you copy?’

  I jump as a voice pumps into my head.

  ‘We copy, Major,’ Machina replies. ‘We’re in Goldrush’s quarters. What’s the situation?’

  ‘Stay there!’ the Major says in a voice that’s commanding and urgent and even scarier than the explosions. ‘I’m coming to get you.’

  The Gallery, Sub-Level 6, Ten Minutes Earlier …

  ‘That proved easier than I thought,’ the Overman says, dropping the Dragon’s unconscious body to the ground where he slowly shifts into the smaller, slighter figure of Persona. ‘It’s as if he wanted to give me the coordinates.’

  ‘No doubt he could sense the greatness of the presence in which he stood,’ Knock says. The Overman turns to look down at him coldly. Knock recoils. ‘So, what … what is the plan now?’

  ‘The plan, Knock –’

  The alarm systems start to scream, cutting the Overman off. Cronus lurches at the sound, moving straight for the power transformer in the corner of the Gallery. He punches his mighty fist through the steel box, electricity sparking all around him, but it’s too late. Alarms screech through the ship.

  ‘Damn it!’ Knock screams. ‘Now the entire ship will know we’re here! We have to escape, my Lord! We have to run!’

  ‘Run?’ The Overman says calmly. ‘Why would we run? We have everything we need right here. I have the coordinates and passwords for the Dragon’s lair, and I have the world’s largest battleship at my disposal. You were asking what the rest of the plan is, Doctor. This is the plan.’

  ‘What about Vanguard Prime, sir? What about all the soldiers?’ Knock says, the blaring of the alarms not quite hiding the panic in his voice.

  ‘I knew this would be the moment when you came unglued, Knock. I knew you were ill-prepared for battle.’

  The Doctor is suddenly hoisted into the air by invisible hands. Clutching at his neck and choking, he tries to speak but can’t. The Overman looks on, his cold blue eyes glinting.

  ‘All those hours of “therapy” where you were so easily manipulated into passing on information to me and then acting on my behalf. I saw the void in you – the abyss in your chest – the place where you yearned for greatness. But you knew that it would never come to you. So instead you took to worshipping me. I don’t blame you for your weakness, Doctor. But I can’t excuse you for it. And your usefulness is at an end.’

  Knock’s fingers claw at his throat, his feet kicking desperately, his brow covered in sweat.

  ‘The New World Order will be built on a foundation of bodies. And yours will be the first amongst the mortar. Goodbye, Dr Knock. And thank you for my freedom.’

  With a sickening crack, the Doctor’s body is suddenly still, dropping to the cold metal of the Gallery’s floor. Cronus looks on dispassionately.

  There’s a moment of stillness, interrupted abruptly by an intense banging on the other side of the Gallery’s bay doors.

  ‘They’re here,’ the Overman says, smiling. He turns to face the doors. A second boom reverberates through the doors, followed by a third, and then the doors blast inwards in an explosion of fire and ferocity.

  Agent Alpha stands on the other side, his fists sizzling with power, his expression stern.

  ‘Adam,’ he says, addressing the Overman. ‘You’re free.’

  ‘You always had a flair for stating the obvious, Khalid,’ the Overman replies, floating higher into the air. ‘I’m going to miss that about you when you’re dead.’

  ‘If you surrender now –’

  ‘Please, save the speech, Khalid. I’m not going back in the box. Not now. Not ever.’

  ‘Then there’s nothing else for it, is there?’ Agent Alpha says, the energy swirling around his fists flaring brighter and hotter.

  ‘No, there’s not.’ The Overman’s eyes flash with scarlet light.

  Agent Alpha throws his hands up and shoots a blast of energy at the Overman. It tears a hole straight through the ship and burning shrapnel p
lummets to the ocean below.

  The Overman hovers unharmed in the air, his telekinetic force-field flashing around him.

  ‘You’re going to have to try a lot harder than that, Khalid.’

  ‘Believe me, Adam, I’m just getting started.’

  With that, Agent Alpha launches himself into the air, crashing into the Overman.

  There’s the sound of another explosion, and then another, which increases my worry by about, oh, 50,000 megatons. It’s not helped by the fact that the Major hasn’t shown up yet. I keep looking out the porthole, as if it might offer some insight into what’s going on. It’d explain everything if I could see an attacking alien armada or a time-travelling pirate ship or something. But all I see are calm seas and azure skies.

  ‘Is anyone going to tell us what the hell is going on?’ Machina mutters to herself.

  ‘We’re under attack,’ the Major replies as she swings in through the hatch door. ‘Change into your V-suits and come with me.’

  We follow her down the hall, and as we go I think of how I’ve never hit the Jump button while I’ve been moving. For a split second I panic that the teleporting rays are going to cut me in half or something just as terrible. I can’t help sighing with relief when my Sam clothes disappear and are replaced with my Goldrush uniform in the same burst of light as they always are.

  The halls are flashing orange as we race down them, and there are personnel running in every direction.

  ‘Who’s attacking us?’ Machina shouts at the Major through the chaos.

  ‘The Overman,’ the Major replies as we reach the entrance to the stairwell.

  ‘The Overman?!’ Machina and I repeat in shock.

  ‘Both he and Cronus have broken free. Agent Alpha has engaged the Overman and Gaia is moving in to neutralise Cronus.’ She ascends the staircase three steps at a time while I struggle to keep up.

  ‘So where are we going?’ Machina asks, keeping pace.

  ‘We’re getting both of you on a transport and as far away from here as possible.’

  ‘What? That’s not fair!’ Machina exclaims to my surprise. She seriously wants to stay on the ship with two of the world’s most dangerous supervillains on the loose?

  ‘I don’t have the time or the patience to debate this with you. You’re getting on the transport,’ the Major says, kicking open the door to the hangar. The overhead bay doors are open, revealing a tranquil sky. A helicopter is waiting, its whirring blades kicking up a hurricane in the small space. ‘And that’s an order!’

  We make for the chopper, but we’re stopped by a rumbling that grows beneath our feet. The steel glows orange and twists and heaves and then, like something from my nightmares, the Overman bursts through. His red cape flows from his shoulders like blood from a wound, his cruel face peering out at us through the smoke and the heat haze.

  Agent Alpha is right behind him. Sweat is running down his face as he throws electrically charged punches at the Overman, which are deflected by a blazing red aura. The Overman flexes and the aura extends and, in a flash, hits Agent Alpha, sending him soaring into the path of the helicopter. Agent Alpha smashes hard against the side of it. The helicopter tips, its blades arcing towards the metal floor.

  Major Blackthorne jumps in front of Machina and me just as the blades smash into the deck. It sounds like machine-gun fire as deadly shards of blade shoot through the air, piercing every inch of the hangar.

  The Major shoves us back into the stairwell and slams the door behind us as quickly as she can.

  ‘Down the stairs!’ she yells. ‘Now!’

  We tumble down the staircase as more explosions thunder behind us in the hangar, blowing the stairwell door off its hinges and sending a thick column of fire after us. I can feel the hungry heat against my back.

  ‘Move, move, move!’ the Major shouts. We reach the next door and dive inside. The door slams behind us. We can hear the angry howl of the flames as we lie panting on the floor.

  I glance around. The battle obviously came through here. The hallway has been ripped apart, with wires hanging from the ceilings and lights flickering off and on. There are small spot fires burning on pieces of charred equipment.

  I look back at Machina, but she’s staring at the Major with concern. The arm and shoulder of the Major’s jacket has been totally shredded, and a patch of blood is quickly blooming beneath the fabric.

  ‘What do we do now?’ Machina asks in a quiet voice. There’s a faint flicker of something that looks like panic in the Major’s eyes. Then it’s replaced by a fierce resolve.

  ‘Follow me.’

  Cronus stands quietly as round after round of ammunition bounces and sparks off his hulking frame. It cracks like lightning hitting granite, with about as much effect.

  ‘Why isn’t he attacking?’ one of the soldiers shouts, his finger firm on the trigger of his weapon. ‘What the hell’s he waiting for?’

  ‘Me,’ a voice says from behind.

  The soldier glances back as Gaia flies into the room, her silver sword unsheathed before her.

  ‘Hold your fire!’ the commanding officer shouts as Gaia launches herself at Cronus.

  The sight of his prey finally stirs the monolith, his eyes flashing in the shadows, his twin sickles snapping out of each of his forearms. He braces one foot forward, assuming an attack stance, and for the first time in a long time the giant draws in a breath to speak.

  ‘Gyy-Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!’ he roars in a dark and terrible voice, as if his enemy’s name is an ancient war cry.

  Gaia increases her speed and silently raises her sword, preparing to strike.

  With a sound like the crashing of a church bell falling to the earth, blade meets blade, and the battle begins.

  We can still hear the sounds of combat emanating from distant corners of the ship as we make our way down the shattered hall. The Major is holding her arm tight and walking stiffly, doing her best not to wince. Machina and I keep shooting each other worried glances.

  As if sensing our anxiety, the Major looks around.

  ‘We’re almost there,’ she says.

  ‘Almost where?’ I ask.

  ‘We’re near one of the experimental science labs,’ the Major grunts as she pushes a fallen support beam out of the way. ‘There’ll be equipment there we can use.’

  I want to ask what kind of equipment, but I know it’s best if I just keep quiet. Before long we’re at the door that she’s been looking for. It’s not entirely comforting, however, that it’s lying scorched on the floor, blown off its hinges.

  The Major goes through first, her sidearm drawn. Machina pushes past me before I have the chance to do anything.

  ‘Ladies first,’ I mutter.

  The lab has switched to emergency lighting, bathing everything in a blood-red sheen that makes my eyes ache.

  The room is divided into two sections: a main lab and a smaller office area. As I walk into the lab, the Major points her gun at the office doorway.

  ‘This is Major Dominique Blackthorne!’ she shouts. ‘Identify yourself!’

  An unshaven, dark-skinned man stumbles into view. He’s wearing a lab coat and has his hands raised.

  ‘Don’t shoot! My name’s Dr Yousef Salim. I’m authorised to be here. I’m part of Team Alpha.’

  The Major lowers her gun. I let out a tense breath.

  ‘Yeah, I recognise you,’ the Major says. ‘Where’s the rest of your team?’

  ‘They evacuated when the alarms started. I stayed behind to make sure all our data had been backed up. I was just about to leave when the hallway … exploded.’

  ‘Do you know if the others got out?’

  ‘I have no idea. I hope so,’ Dr Salim says. He’s close enough now to see that all’s not well with the Major. ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Caught some shrapnel when a helicopter exploded in the hangar bay,’ the Major says as she deposits herself on a stool. ‘Good thing for me there’s a doctor in the house.’

  ‘I’m
sorry, but I’m not a medical practitioner. My PhD is in physics.’

  ‘Well, between you and these guys, I’d prefer to go with the guy in the white coat,’ the Major replies through gritted teeth as she pulls her jacket off. I cringe when I see just how bad her wounds are, the torn flesh visible through the rips in her T-shirt. She glances at us and tries to smile. ‘Don’t worry, it’s just a scratch.’

  ‘Honestly,’ Dr Salim says, moving in closer to look at her injuries. ‘I don’t know if there’s anything I can do.’

  ‘There’s a first aid kit in a box on the wall over there. Machina, I need you to find a lamp or a flashlight. Goldrush, I need you to get some hot water. Boiling hot. There’s a coffee station in the office. You’ll probably find a lamp in there, too, Machina.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ Machina replies, making for the office. I quickly follow her inside. She finds a desk lamp and flicks it on and off to test it, before hunting under the table to unplug it.

  ‘What’s Team Alpha?’ I whisper to her as I try to get the coffee station’s hot-water function working.

  ‘With everything that’s going on, that’s the number one question you have for me?’

  ‘Well … if this guy’s going to be operating on the Major it’d be nice to know who he is.’

  Machina sighs.

  ‘Team Alpha is Agent Alpha’s support team. They’re a bunch of scientists and other brainy types who chart his powers and train him in new ways of using them.’

  ‘He has a team for that?’ I pause, surprised.

  Machina glances at me, prompting me back into action. I’ve finally managed to get the hot water brewing, but now I need to find something to put in. Machina sighs and hands me a clean glass coffee pot like she’s had to give me the answer to two plus two.

  ‘I know he seems like a god or whatever, but believe it or not, Agent Alpha really is human.’

  I pour the water into the coffee pot and follow Machina back out into the lab, where Dr Salim is nervously preparing for surgery. But my mind is elsewhere. I’d never say it out loud, but Machina’s revelation that Alpha needs a team to teach him how to use his powers seems to, I don’t know … diminish him somehow.