"If you're going to stop him, why don't you take it all?"
"Because I need a backup plan in case I'm not successful."
"Well, I wish you luck," she said. "I never thought I'd have to protect my android from my own father."
"Do you own a firearm?"
"Of course, I do. Two army regulation Berretta M-9s."
"You better bring them with you."
"For what? To shoot my own father?"
"No, to protect you in case Varloo gets to you before I get to him. Good luck, if all goes well, I'll see you by tomorrow evening."
"Is there anything else?"
"Yes. Your father is keeping two of my friends in the infirmary, Elizabeth Wilson, and my wife, Lori. If worse comes to worse, they can help you."
"What about General Carver and his men?"
"I'm afraid they're barking up the wrong tree on this one. They don't know the true scope of Varloo's power. If he does come back here, he's got the power to control anyone's mind, and make them do whatever he wants them to. I'm afraid you're all helpless without mine or my friends' help. If I can only get my Grey friend, Batar to awake, we might have a chance."
"You're friends with one of these creatures?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact I am, but he's different from Varloo. He's a being of true peace. He's the one Carver just had in his lab. Well, take care. If I don't return, it's been nice meeting you. It's not every day I get to meet a legend's daughter."
"Goodbye, Jack Barkley," she said, and gave him a hug, and a kiss on the cheek.
He proceeded down to the cargo bay, where Carver brought the requested items, but also noticed several of the men were suited up, and carried cryonics weapons as well. Jeff grabbed a suit, and put it on.
"I thought I told you I'm going alone?" he asked Carver, as he put on his gloves.
"I felt that you needed some added protection," he answered. "My men will be with you every step of the way."
"If he sees them coming, they'll be dead in an instant. What about the other party that left earlier?"
"I haven't heard back from them yet, which is another reason why they're going with you."
"If I fail, you need to do whatever is necessary to keep him from infiltrating the base. If he does, there will be nothing you can do to stop him from completing his plans. You'll be at his mercy, and if you defy him, he'll kill you."
"I've been a security specialist for forty years, I think I know what I'm doing."
"Not with anything like this."
"If he's supposed to be so dangerous, why hasn't he made an offensive move yet?"
"I don't know why," Jeff said, as he picked up one of the weapons, and the tank that went with it. He attached it on his back next to the tank with oxygen in it. "You do realize that these cryo-weapons will only slow him down, and not kill him? Once he regains body temperature, he'll regenerate."
"By then we'll have him in containment."
"You just don't get it!" Jeff yelled, as he grabbed a helmet, and turned toward the general. "You can't contain him! Once he's taken the drug, he's unstoppable. The only way is when he's weakened, and he must be killed by injecting him with poison."
"But we don't know what poison will kill him."
"That's why I have to go alone, so I can find out."
"What if they stay behind about a mile?"
"That's not good enough, he can read minds. He'll know you're coming. Give me a radio, and I'll let you know when to come out."
"Why am I taking orders from you anyway?" Carver asked.
"Because right now, I'm you're only hope. If you want this to go well, stay here until I call you, understand?"
"I hear you," Carver said. "I'll give you four hours. If you don't call, we're coming in."
"Fair enough, I'll call you in three." Jeff finished packing his guns, water bottles, and other supplies, and climbed into a jeep. He carried both laser pistols, along with two Berrettas, the cryo-weapon, and a AK47. The cargo bay door opened, he started the jeep, and turned to the general. "Goodbye, General."
"Good luck," he said. "And come back in one piece, we might need you around here."
"We'll do, General," he said, as he dropped his face shield, threw the jeep into drive, and departed into the desert, to face his unknown fate.
It was hard to see into the darkness, and he drove slow as to not hit
any rocks or crevices which laid in his path. He kept the headlights off, using only the parking lights, for he knew Varloo could see them a mile away. He knew he'd pick up his thought transmissions much quicker than that, and he just hoped he was able to use the weapons fast enough to disable him.
Once he saw the flashing green and red lights in the distance, he pulled the jeep behind a small hill, shut it off, and got out. He would have to travel on foot from here. When he came over the hill, he found several of Carver's dead men lying in a trail throughout the sand just about two hundred feet in front of the craft; some with their skulls split open, and some charred from fire.
The trail led right up into the ramp, which was open. Sensing it was a trap, Jeff began to charge up his cryo-gun while walking into it, and into
the hangar bay, where three smaller scout ships were. The deck was dark and quiet, and he was pretty sure Varloo wasn't in there.
He moved through it quick, and up the stairway, which led to a long hallway. He found a reptilian skeleton on the floor, which was dead for some time. 'Garlona,' he thought to himself, as he was briefly reminded by the loss of the double agent who helped him defeat Balta's empire.
He walked around the corner, and into the med lab, where Batar was strapped to the table. He walked in, and gripped his cryo weapon tight as he eyed the room. "Behind you," he heard Batar's mind say. He turned around as Varloo pushed him into the air, and across the room. Jeff scrambled to grab the weapon, which fell out of his hand and halfway across the lab. Varloo lifted it into the air, and then into his arms. Jeff lay against the wall in fear.
"I had a feeling a little chill was in the air," he jested. "Hello again, Mr. Walker. It's so nice to meet you again. I've been expecting you."
"Why don't you just go ahead and kill me," Jeff cried. "I don't want any part of your future anyway."
"Kill you? Why would I want to do that? You made this all possible, by eliminating that blowhard Balta! I have no quarrel with you, or your friends. Although I'll have to admit, Wilson was pretty ingenious, short circuiting my brig. No, my quarrel is with General Carver, and the rest of the disgusting human race, especially that sadistic Dr. Reynolds. Besides,
killing you would be senseless. Once I complete my plan, your bloodline will cease to exist anyway. You'll be a nomad, drifting in time, with no home to go back to."
"Does that plan include eliminating Dr. Avery and his daughter as well?"
Varloo laughed. "Don't be ridiculous! I admire and need them both. In the future, Ms. Avery and I become very fond of each other."
"In your future?"
"The future of the past, or however you want to put it. We both know the future is flexible, and can be changed in the blink of an eye."
"What are you going to do with Batar?"
"I haven't decided yet. I know I can't let him wake up yet, he'd only be a nuisance to me. And I really don't want to kill him."
"And why not? He'll only kill you if he wakes up."
"Being human, you wouldn't understand."
"He's your brother, isn't he?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Just a hunch, but it makes sense."
"You certainly are resourceful, Walker. The truth is he's really my half brother."
"You're mother was human, and you had the same father."
"It's true what the Tolarions and Garlicians said about you."
"What's that?" Jeff asked, as he secretly reached for his laser pistol on his side.
"That you're a sly and clever adversary," he said. "But not clever enough for me."
Jeff f
ired the laser, and when he did, the beam hit Varloo in the arm. He fired back with the cryo ray, which hit Jeff's leg, and he ripped apart his suit so the liquid Nitrogen wouldn't get on his skin. Varloo dropped the weapon, and grabbed his arm. He lowered his head, and those evil almond shaped dark eyes peered into Jeff's.
"Now, you're going to die," he warned.
Jeff went to draw his other laser, but found himself paralyzed in fear. He noticed his side pocket opened, and the vials started to float in the air. As Jeff went to grab them, Varloo drew them towards him and into his hand.
"You should have left things alone, Walker," he said. "There could've been a place for you in my kingdom as well. When you entered the wormhole and came back here, you made the mistake of your life!"
He took the green liquid and smashed the vial on the floor, and put the blue one on his belt with three others that were there. At that moment, Jeff's head began to pound with intense pain, and he fell into unconsciousness.
When he awoke, he was lying on the floor of the brig with a massive headache. Varloo was standing over him, his dark eyes focused on him. He sat up, rubbed his face, and reached for his belt.
"I've taken away any weapons you had," he stated.
"I thought you were going to kill me?" Jeff said.
"You did make me very angry earlier," he said. "But let it not be said that I'm not a fair Andronian."
"You're not a true Andronian, you're a half breed."
"Yes, that may be true, but I am still fair. I will give you one chance to stop this ridiculous quest of yours, and join me in the new empire."
"You're no different than Balta, Riona, or Avery," Jeff remarked. "Just a blood thirsty tyrant looking for a universe to conquer."
"Who do you think taught Dr. Avery what he knows."
"You didn't teach him. You poisoned his mind with your perception of knowledge."
"Correction. I will poison his mind. What I taught him years ago was only the beginning. What about it, Walker, what's your decision?"
"I'll tell you the same thing I once told Balta. Go to hell!"
Varloo laughed. "I have no concept of heaven or hell, only science. Since you resist my offer, you'll just have to sit in your prison until I complete my plan; in about a month. Without food, and only a little water, I don't think you'll last too long. I'd let you live, if you weren't so stubborn."
"A human trait I'm extremely proud of."
"Indeed," Varloo smiled. "Do not try to tamper with the brig controls. If you attempt any panel disruption, you will jolted with 1,000,000 volts of electricity, and your attempt to short circuit it will be in vain. Good luck, Mr. Walker, I'll see you in a month."
He left Jeff sitting on the floor of the empty room in despair. He sat there, and he began to think they were fighting an impossible task. For the first time in a long time, he found himself in tears, desperate for any solution. While he sat there, he heard Batar's voice in his head again.
"Hello, Captain Walker, it is I,' he said. "Do not give up hope. There is a solution, we just have to figure out what it is."
"Is he gone, so we can talk freely?" Jeff asked.
"Yes, he's left for the base, but Carver and his men are in grave danger. He will soon infiltrate the base."
"What do you suggest we do? You're strapped to a table in a coma, and I'm in here protected by 1,000,000 volts of electricity."
"There's nothing we can do at the moment, I'm afraid. I won't be healed for another day, and even when I am, I won't be able to unstrap myself. We need help."
"I had no choice than to tell Carver and Angelica Avery everything. They would have jeopardized the whole mission if I hadn't."
"It's just as well. We'll never be able to stop him if he completes the wormhole generator."
"Do you think he would use the one off his own ship?"
"No, I believe he plans to build another one. He wouldn't jeopardize his only means of escape. I'm afraid he's destroyed our ship as well."
"What?" Jeff couldn't believe things could get any worse, until now.
"Just what I said. We're stranded here as well. I've been having some trouble reading his mind due to the power of the Triachilite."
"That's the other problem, he's taken the rest of the Triachilite and destroyed the antidote."
"Yes, I know, the vials I had with me. And you've given what was left to Ms. Avery."
"Yea, I just hope she hangs onto it in case we need it."
Batar could sense Jeff's concern for his wife, and comforted him. "Do not worry about Lori, Captain. Varloo has no reason to harm her, or Wilson. It's Carver and Reynolds he wants, and the assistance from Dr. Avery and his daughter. He may be as you said, a tyrant, but he's a practical one. He only kills when he really needs to."
"Why didn't you tell me he was your brother?"
"I was sworn to secrecy by the Republic and my own government. My job was to stop him at all costs. Unfortunately , thus far I've failed."
"But he's your brother?"
"He was my brother once. I don't know who he is anymore. I lost him when he began picking dictators for friends. Besides, that's all ancient history now. I'll treat him as any assignment, and kill him if I have to."
"Not unless we can get out of here."
"Give me until tomorrow, when I come out of the Baratu, and then I'll try to figure something out."
"I just hope we're not too late. If Carver dies, John will never become a Commander. He was his inspiration."
"There is a possibility, if we can somehow get to Avery's sister."
"Avery had a sister?"
"Yes, that's why he follows Carver's orders. She's been in a drug induced coma for thirty five years. It was the only way he could get him to work for him. She's just came out of the coma, but her mind is very frail."
"Did you already know that as well, and not tell me?"
"I'm afraid so. It was necessary to protect the mission."
"What if we do get to her, then what?"
"We might be able to convince Avery to scrap the mission."
"But isn't Varloo capable of controlling all their minds?"
"Yes, that's true. But sooner or later, it will be taxing on him, and he will weaken. I destroyed most of the vials of Triachilite."
"Yes, I saw that," Jeff spoke aloud. "But I saw he had some left."
"How many?"
"Four, all together."
"That will keep him going about a month."
"Just long enough for him to complete his plans."
"Can you trust the android hasn't been reprogrammed by him?"
"As far as I know. I sent Angelica down to check on the AI chip before I left."
"I must concentrate on Avery's sister's mind," Batar said. "I might be able to reach her mentally and protect her from the scope of Varloo's mental capacity. Due to her current mental state, it should be easy to control. She's not mobile, but if I can get her to somehow communicate with Avery, Wilson or Lori-"
"How the hell are you going to do that?"
"I don't know. Let me think about it, and I'll get back to you."
He broke off his mental link with Jeff, and the human began to think about how this whole thing started. If he only ignored the Tolarion spaceship on Pluto, and rushed back to the Mars base, he might have been able to avoid this whole fiasco, and protect Mars from being attacked.
Then he thought if he killed Varloo on Garlicia, he could've avoided the current situation, but then reminded himself he didn't know what the Andronian was capable of. Angelica said Batar was helpful in defeating Balta, but he also knew this was just a front to serve his own interests. Now that Jeff knew who he really was; an alien from a royal blood line, a fugitive, and Batar's brother, there wasn't any choice but to kill him. He just didn't know how he was going achieve the task with Varloo's enormous mental power, and while he was locked in a sterile white box.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
General Carver waited impatiently, while Jeff went out to the sh
ip. During the time that lapsed for him to respond back, the general began to think maybe this whole story was a smokescreen to allow him and the Greys the chance to escape. He sent his men into the desert with the cryo guns, and watched, as two explosions flipped vehicles into in the air, and several men ran into darkness, some on fire.
He grew scared, an emotion he seldom felt, and could sense the impending doom awaiting them all. He watched from the observation window, just next to the cargo bay, then turned away, and made his way down to where the AI chip and android were being stored.
He grabbed three pistols from the armory and a couple of grenades, which he placed in his pocket. He walked in the direction of the robotics division and thought about why Jeff Walker would leave him without the antidote, if it even was the antidote, and not a fabrication. He was so confused and frightened he almost lost his stamina, but reminded himself of who he was, and the role he played here. When he reached the lab, he was greeted by Angelica at the doorway.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Didn't Mr. Barkley explain what was going on?" Carver asked.
"He did, but I have my doubts whether I believe him or not. He made my father out to be some kind of crazed evil scientist helping an alien. He even told me I was part alien. General, would you mind telling me what the hell is going on?"
"It's a long story, Ms. Avery, and I don't have the time. Where is Cely's AI chip now?"
"In the safe. I was just going there to check on it, and Cely."
"Let me go with you."
"If you like," Angelica said, and opened the door. "After you."
The general drew his gun, and walked into the lab, which was empty, except for the motionless android. He turned on the lights, and saw it was safe. "All clear," he said, and put his gun back in the holster. She entered, and checked to see if Cely's back panel had been touched, but there was no change.
Dimension Lapse III: Dimensional Breakdown (Dimension Lapse Series Book 3) Page 18
