Alien Storm

by A. G. Taylor

  “Well done,” he said, giving a final clap as he stopped on the other side of the stone table. “I’m really surprised you made it this far. You certainly put up a good fight. Of course, you’ve only faced a small proportion of my army so far.”

  He snapped his fingers and Balthus teleported into existence by his side. Followed by another robowolf. And another. And another.

  Sarah and the others looked round wildly as Makarov’s robots snapped into existence all around. Within a few seconds, there was a hundred or more. Every pair of robowolf eyes was locked on them with murderous intent. Beside Sarah, Robert and the others slowly sank to their knees on the grass. She was about to order them to fight when she found herself doing the same – unable to control the actions of her own body under the greater power of Makarov’s mind. She met his eyes and he sneered at her in triumph.

  “So,” he spat, “this is how the world ends…”

  36

  The windswept mountain overlooked the plain of ice upon which the Spire stood. With a squawk of protest, a group of gulls rose into the air as two figures materialized out of nowhere. Commander Craig looked round, disoriented from the effects of the teleport. He held his gun on Bright.

  “This isn’t Makarov’s tower,” he said.

  “Look over there, flyboy,” Major Bright replied sharply, indicating the skyscraper rising in the distance. “Teleporting isn’t an accurate science. You’re lucky we made it this close.”

  It had taken three jumps to get to their present location: the first from the interrogation room on the Ulysses to the coast of Chukotka, then another into the centre of the peninsula, and the third to their present location. Craig squinted at the building. He estimated it was about twenty kilometres away.

  “Teleport us there,” he ordered.

  “I need another shot of serum.”

  “No way,” Commander Craig replied, looking at Bright with suspicion.

  “The teleports have drained my power. If I don’t get another shot, we’re walking.”

  Reluctantly, Craig reached inside his jacket and removed the syringe-gun with the final vial. Bright rolled up his sleeve and presented his arm with a grin.

  “You’d make a great nurse, Commander Craig.”

  “How fitting that it should end here, Sarah,” Makarov pronounced, waving a hand around the park on the 153rd floor, “where we first met.”

  Now, with Sarah’s team subdued and the robowolves at attention, a strange silence had fallen over the glass pyramid once more. Sarah looked at Makarov’s transformed frame with shock and disgust. As he limped before them, he looked like something from a horror movie.

  “What did the Entity do to you?” she asked, every word an effort to get out.

  Makarov waved a hand. “Just a few upgrades to my psychic ability. One cannot achieve mental perfection without paying a physical cost.”

  “It’s made you into a monster,” Robert said at her side.

  “I wouldn’t expect a child to understand,” Makarov spat at him, before turning his attention back to Sarah. “But you. I see you have been in the presence of the master. You have sensed its power. Been transformed in some way by it.”

  “That thing is pure evil,” she said. “It’s not too late to break free of its control. Help us turn back the meteors—”

  “Silence!” Makarov snapped, swiping a clawed hand in her direction. He regained his composure with some effort. “We should not spoil this moment with argument. After all, we are in the perfect place to view the meteor storm that will herald a new beginning for the human race.” He looked up at the sky above the pyramid roof. “Here we can watch the fire raining down on the globe. You are all privileged. You will be here to witness the next stage of our evolution…”

  A booming voice from the trees cut through Makarov’s words. “Please! If I’d thought he was going to torture us all with an election speech, I’d have gotten here sooner.”

  Makarov’s eyes widened as he turned and saw Major Bright standing before the treeline. At his side, Commander Craig rolled into a shooter’s stance, his rifle raised.

  “I wouldn’t do that,” Bright said as the commander pulled the trigger…

  Makarov raised his hand. The bullet changed direction in the air and flew backwards, ripping through Craig’s shoulder. With a cry, the commander hit the ground.

  “Thanks,” Bright said, looking from his wounded companion to Makarov. “I’ve been wanting to do that since I met him.”

  Makarov pointed a finger at the ground. “Kneel before me.”

  Bright laughed and shook his head, approaching slowly across the grass. “I don’t think so. On my way over here, I was actually debating whether we should team up. But now I meet you, I can’t see myself partnering up with something only half-human.” He slammed a fist into his other palm. “So, I’m gonna smack you all the way back to Siberia.”

  With effort, Sarah turned her head and caught Nestor’s eye. He nodded at her – Makarov’s hold over them was slipping. With Bright as a distraction, there was just too much going on at once.

  Everybody get ready, she sent to the others. We’re taking down Makarov with Bright.

  Like the plan, Nestor replied. But who’s going to take down Bright?

  We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

  “Balthus, kill!” Makarov screamed.

  The large robowolf flew from the horde of waiting robots, teeth and claws aimed at the major’s neck. With incredible speed, Bright caught the robowolf by the head, twisted it round and placed a hand on either side of its jaws. Giving a cry of effort he wrenched his arms apart, tearing Balthus’s skull in two. There was an arc of electricity. The robowolf collapsed with a final howl, spilling components on the grass.

  “Balthus!” Makarov whispered.

  “Sorry about your dog,” Bright replied. “Guess I’m more of a cat-lover.”

  Now! Sarah cried out with her mind.

  Around her, she sensed the others break free at once – too much for even Makarov to control. He backed away, looking at them wildly as they rose from their kneeling positions.

  Major Bright looked round and gave her a wink. “Surprised to see me?”

  “Nothing surprises me any more,” she said, keeping her eyes on the Russian.

  Makarov threw his head back. “Robowolves! Destroy them all!”

  Bright laced his fingers together and cracked his knuckles noisily. “Here we go.”

  A robowolf launched itself through the air at him. Drawing back his fist, Bright smashed it clean across the level, grabbed another as it attacked and proceeded to swing it around his head like a club.

  Sarah and Nestor backed away as the scores of robots circled them, red eyes glowing furiously. One of them advanced towards her and she reached out with her mind, just as she had before. Making contact with its electronic brain, she subverted its programming with ease. It turned and swiped its claws across the side of another robowolf, spilling its electronic guts, and then leaped to Sarah’s defence. Wei, meanwhile, threw up a wall of fire behind them that fried a group of wolves charging their rear.

  Nice work! Nestor said as he directed a blast of air at a group of racing wolves, lifting them clean off the ground and into the air. The robots slammed into the side of the pyramid and carried on through. Massive shards of glass from the shattered section rained down, impaling several of their attackers in the process. Sarah saw this and had an idea.

  Louise! Octavio! she said urgently. Think you can bring down the whole ceiling?

  The Colombian kid looked round the gigantic glass pyramid and then back to her. We can give it go.

  Then do it! she commanded. Let’s take down as many of them as we can at once.

  Nestor cast the robowolves running at them back with a blast of air. Octavio and Louise stood side by side and raised their hands. A mighty cracking sound filled the area.

  “Take cover!” Sarah screamed as every pane in the pyramid roof shattered at once
. A second later the air above them was filled with millions of shards of razor-sharp, toughened glass. She threw herself under the stone table, along with Nestor and Wei as the missiles hit the ground. Robert teleported into existence behind them, one arm wrapped around the injured Commander Craig. Looking out from their cover, Sarah watched as robowolves were torn apart in their tens – impaled, crushed and sliced by the knife-like shards. The sound was deafening.

  As the cacophony finally ended, Nestor asked, What about Octavio and Louise?

  They pulled themselves out from under the table, but they needn’t have worried. Both Octavio and Louise stood unscathed amidst the devastation, having shielded themselves from the storm. The ground was now a sea of glittering shards, many of them impaled deep in the ground. All around lay the broken bodies of the robowolf army. With the glass gone, the wind howled relentlessly across the surface of the level. To one side, Major Bright brushed a glass fragment off his shoulder and nodded approvingly at the destruction.

  “Not bad,” he said. “Couldn’t have done it better myself.”

  Makarov stumbled back towards the lift. One of the shards had escaped his shield somehow, for there was a line of blood across his left cheek from where it had been slashed open. He looked drained of power, pale and death-like. The remaining few robowolves leaped across the bodies of their fallen comrades to protect their master.

  “Don’t let them follow!” he ordered hoarsely as he broke for the lift.

  “He’s going for the meteorite chamber!” Nestor exclaimed. “We have to stop him getting back to the Entity!”

  But Louise was already there, blocking Makarov’s escape. He looked round wildly as Wei fried the last of the robowolves with a ball of flame. Their melted bodies pooled across the grass and solidified into an unrecognizable mass.

  “Stand aside or die!” Makarov hissed at Louise as Octavio went to her side. The two kids looked at one another and then back at Makarov.

  “Die,” they said together, and threw out their hands. Makarov was hurled backwards towards the open side of the Spire. At the very edge, he fought against the invisible energy managing to pull himself back.

  “Nestor, finish him off!” Octavio yelled.

  His brother stepped forward and directed a hurricane force blast of air at Makarov. With a final, ghastly howl, the Russian flew off the side of the Spire and disappeared.

  “Yeah!” Louise cried as she raced to the edge with Nestor and Octavio. The side of the Spire stretched down, but Makarov’s body was gone – swept away on the wind.

  “Can we get out of here now?” Wei asked at her shoulder.

  She looked round at him. “I thought you liked it here.”

  The Chinese boy rolled his eyes.

  “We have to take care of the meteor storm first,” Sarah said and they looked round at her. “The beacon control must be on the same level as the meteorite fragment, right?”

  Octavio nodded. “Next to the sleeper chamber. I’ve been there.”

  “Okay,” Sarah said. “Let’s take care of the Entity once and for all. This isn’t over until he’s defeated. Right?” She looked across at Major Bright, who smiled at her knowingly.

  “Right,” he replied.

  Sarah turned to Robert, who was crouching beside Commander Craig. “Is he alright?” she asked.

  Craig pushed himself into a sitting position with a wince of pain, keeping pressure on his wounded shoulder with a hand.

  “I’ll live,” he said.

  “Think you can fly a jet out of here?” Sarah asked.

  “Sure,” Craig replied, eyeing Major Bright warily, “but—”

  “No buts,” Sarah said firmly. “We’re in charge here. Robert, teleport the commander down to the 70th floor. Power up the stealth jet.”

  Robert nodded and grabbed Commander Craig’s arm. They teleported away a second later. Sarah looked round at the others as the lift doors slid open in readiness for them.

  “Let’s finish this.”

  37

  They ran between the rows of sleeper modules towards the chamber containing the meteorite fragment. Alex appeared at the top of the steps as Sarah and the others ascended.

  “Makarov?” he asked.

  Sarah nodded her head at Louise, who said, “He took a trip off the side of the building.”

  Alex grinned, but then became serious again. “Me and Yuri have been busy. Come and see.”

  He led the way into the smaller chamber, where Yuri was placing the last of the explosives around the surface of the meteorite fragment. The beam shone at half-strength, indicating that the Entity was not in contact. Sarah hoped it stayed that way.

  “My god,” Bright said reverentially as he cast his eyes over the object floating in the beam of light, “it’s true. A fragment of the Tunguska meteorite. Amazing.” He walked towards the beam, entranced.

  Sarah looked at Alex, who was watching the major with caution.

  I don’t trust him, Alex sent to her covertly, shielding his thoughts from Bright.

  One bad guy at a time, Sarah answered. We take care of the Entity first, then worry about what we’re going to do with Bright. He might be crazy, but I don’t think the major wants to see the world destroyed before he can own it. Has Yuri finished rigging the meteorite?

  Alex gave the Russian a nod and pulled the detonator from his pocket – a squat black trigger that fitted inside his palm. Armed and ready.

  “First we need to deflect the storm,” Sarah said. “We’ll use the beacon.”

  “Perhaps one of these computers controls it,” Wei suggested, looking round the technology-covered walls. Sarah considered this for a moment, but then shook her head. Her eyes fell on the meteorite and she suddenly had no doubt.

  “The fragment is the beacon,” Sarah told the group. “We can use it to control the storm.”

  “You can turn the meteors around?” Nestor asked.

  “I don’t know,” Sarah replied. “It’s going to take a lot of strength and I’m going to need some help.”

  She placed her hand in Nestor’s and walked towards the beam. He got the idea and beckoned to Louise, who took his other hand. The group came forward and linked hands, forming a circle around the light beam. Even Yuri joined the group. Wei extended his arm to Major Bright to close the circle.

  “You’re joking, right?” the towering man said, before taking the kid’s hand. “What are we going to do next? Sing a song?”

  “Everyone concentrate,” Sarah ordered. “Close your eyes.”

  Around the circle, all eyes shut, including Bright’s. Sarah made contact with their minds and channelled their energy back through her own. She felt her own power increase in turn. Taking a deep breath, she removed her hand from Nestor’s and placed it against the surface of the rock…

  The meteorite was unexpectedly cool to the touch at first, but then a warmth began to grow. Sarah couldn’t resist opening her eyes. The light beam shone brighter now. The smooth, mirrored surface of the rock began to vibrate under her hand. First it rippled and then began to rise in a series of peaks and dips – like spikes on the back of a porcupine. The spikes undulated and danced. It was as if the solid matter had become liquid and insubstantial. She sensed the power in the rock and the massive amount of psychic energy being used to guide the meteors towards their earthly targets. Sarah closed her eyes again…

  …and is there, floating in space amidst the speeding meteors. She looks around and sees the extent of the storm – fifty objects in total. Ahead, the earth appears like a giant blue and white marble. It seems dangerously close.

  She also senses the presence of her friends – joined with her mentally as well as physically. Their thoughts come through in an excited jumble as they experience the vision of the storm.

  “Concentrate,” she orders. “We have to take control. Focus all of your attention on me. On my voice.”

  One by one, she feels them settle and channel their thoughts towards her once more.

&n
bsp; “Good,” she encourages. “Very good.”

  Now she directs her mental powers to the beacon itself, the complex web of signals – one for each of the meteors, each with a different approach vector. Alter those signals just a little and the objects will go off course. Alter them a lot and the storm can be sent on an implosion course. She begins to manipulate the beacon, drawing the strands together, making them converge at a point in space…

  “Sarah.”

  The voice is familiar from her meeting under the ice – the Entity. Suddenly, the alien mind is right alongside her.

  “What are you trying to do? You know this is only delaying the inevitable.”

  Ignoring the voice, she concentrates on the beacon. She feels the others losing their focus in the presence of the alien.

  “Sarah, what is it?” Nestor asks. “It’s—”

  “Concentrate on me!” she snaps. “Don’t listen to its lies and don’t let it weaken us!”

  “The earth will be mine eventually,” the Entity continues, its words rippling through her mind and the minds of the others like searching, grasping tentacles. “You know it is true. If you stop me today, you will just make your eventual defeat all the more terrible.”

  Sarah keeps attention on diverting the course of the meteors. Slowly, one by one, their paths begin to converge. Two of them on the edge collide with such force they split apart, sending a cloud of dust and debris out across space. It is working…

  “I can’t allow you to do this, Sarah…”

  Searing pain rips through her mind, passing on to the others. It is everywhere, engulfing everything. Beyond her own agony, Sarah senses her friends screaming in similar torment under the Entity’s psychic attack. It’s like someone taking an electric drill to their frontal lobes.

  “Don’t make me tear your minds and bodies apart,” the Entity hisses. “Leave my beacon alone. Nothing can withstand me.”