“The Stranger convoy is headed west. They’ve blown through every checkpoint so far but we’ve got Reaper headed northbound on I-15 and he’s on pace to intercept in roughly five minutes,” Howie reported as I galloped even harder down the lengthy highway.
“Any idea of where they’re headed?” Wells asked.
“Negative, Sir,” Howie replied. “There’s really nowhere for them to go. In the unlikely event that they make it past Reaper, they still wouldn’t be able to outrun our satellite. I’ve shut down the airports and I also took the liberty of calling in some assistance from the Air Force and the Army.”
“So what’s their end game? Why risk all this if they didn’t have a viable escape plan?” Wells asked rhetorically.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. To be honest, their movements seem completely random at this point. It’s almost like they’re… wait a second…”
My heart skipped a beat when Howie trailed off into silence and didn’t immediately resume his sentence.
“What is it, Echo?” Director Wells questioned after a few moments of uneasy silence.
“Oh crap… This isn’t good,” Howie said with a sense of dread that made my stomach turn.
“They’re not trying to escape, Sir. They’re broadcasting!” Howie cried out. “They’ve been establishing a connection this entire time! Dammit, I should have known. Dammit!”
“Just tell me how I can stop it, Echo!” I yelled as I picked up even more speed and accelerated to over 250 miles per hour.
“The signal’s going out right now, Reaper. You’ll never make it in time. I can try to disrupt their connection using our satellites but I’ll need to temporarily take the moon base offline in order to do so.”
“Do it!” Wells barked. “We’ve got oxygen tanks on standby. Just buy us enough time to get Reaper in—”
“Alright slow it down, Reaper!” Howie instructed as Wells’ connection went dead.
I pulled back on my speed as a bridge came into view several hundred meters ahead.
“Is this it?” I shouted as I galloped towards the bridge.
“Affirmative!” Howie confirmed. “Look to your far right and you’ll see the convoy on the west bound highway below the bridge headed right for you.”
Several knots tightened in the pit of my stomach as I spotted the large semi-truck flanked by countless black SUVs barreling toward the bridge at over 100 miles per hour.
“This is bad, Reaper. This is really bad,” Howie groaned as I stopped in the middle of the bridge and kept my eyes on the approaching convoy.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as the speeding vehicles continued towards the bridge, now only a little over two miles away.
“I can’t disrupt the signal, Reaper! It’s Alias. I don’t know how he’s doing it but he’s somehow managed to interfere with the network here at 3D,” Howie complained.
“Then I’ll just have to do it the old fashioned way,” I growled as I gritted my teeth and glared at the approaching semi-truck. The wind picked up and flared the tail of my long trench coat as several Air Force Apache helicopters swooped in overhead. The blades of the helicopters suddenly seemed to chop a lot slower as adrenaline filled my system and seemingly slowed down time around me.
“Reaper, I need to tell you something while it’s just us on the line and I don’t have much time,” Howie said as the rage and adrenaline surged throughout my body.
“What are you talking about, Howie” I asked as the helicopters opened fire on the approaching Stranger convoy that was no less than a mile away.
“I haven’t been completely honest with you, Reaper, and I’m sorry about that, man. I really am. But you have to know that I’m keeping you in the dark for your own protection. The truth is… even if you stop that truck it still might be too late, Reap—and if that’s the case then things are going to change but I want you to know that I’ve figured out a way to save earth. When it’s all said and done, you’ll probably hate me for what I’m about to do, but just know that I’m doing this for you, man—I always have.”
“Howie, what are you talking about?” I demanded as the semi-truck barreled through the onslaught of rockets and charged toward the bridge.
“Howie?!” I repeated but I soon realized that the line was completely dead. Not wanting to waste any more time, I quickly stepped into the middle of the street and caused the driver of a large SUV to come to a screeching halt just before he ran into me.
“Get out of the car!” I growled before the angry driver could utter a word.
“Hey, man—” the driver started as he glared angrily at me.
“I said get out!” I bellowed as I lifted the front of the SUV into the air then slammed it back to the ground. The frightened and equally stunned driver frantically scrambled from the vehicle and fell to the ground as I kneeled and prepared to lift it.
My heart pumped furiously as I slammed my hands into the grill of the 6000 pound SUV and threw the front of it into the air. My arms trembled with anticipation as I caught the vehicle with both hands and balanced it on my neck and shoulders as I moved towards the edge of the bridge. The guy that had been driving the SUV was still lying on the ground and frozen in awe as he watched me manhandle the gigantic SUV with ease.
“You should run now,” I warned before sucking in a deep gust of wind and leaping high into the air with the entire SUV hoisted above my head.
The speeding semi-truck on the highway below swerved sharply to the left in an attempt to avoid me but, while still in mid-air, I hurled the SUV downward with all my might just before the semi could speed under the bridge. A fiery ball of yellow and orange flames ignited in the streets as the SUV slammed into the semi-truck and flipped the trailer forward as its momentum came to a screeching halt. I sailed through the fire and smoke that filled the air and landed safely twenty feet away from the chaos just as the truck’s trailer slammed against the concrete bridge and snapped in half like a twig. The Apache pilots continued to rain hellfire down on the Stranger SUVs that surrounded me. But as I silently stood there amongst the fray the only thing I could focus on was the demolished trailer that lay before me.
There was something inside of it. I had felt it as soon as I hit the ground. It was as though an invisible energy was emanating from within the wreckage and wrapping itself around me as it rose from the fire and ash.
My heartbeat quickened as a massive armored right hand suddenly arose from the debris and pushed a large piece of wreckage aside. I narrowed my eyes in anticipation as a heavily armored figure finally emerged from within the flames and slowly stepped forth to oppose me. His sophisticated armor was comprised of a shiny black and silver metal that gleamed brightly in the ominous glow of the fire that spread from the wreckage behind him. His face was shrouded by the hood of a flowing snow-white cloak that flickered in the wind behind him as he continued to trudge towards me.
It was then that I noticed he stood around 6’5” tall—nearly three inches taller than me, and even though he was covered from head to toe in a full suit of highly advanced armor, it was clear to see that he had the physique of a professional wrestler. Still, despite his size advantage and the eerie feeling that sweltered in the pit of my stomach, I couldn’t help but feel as though he stood no chance against me. This was just a Stranger after all—a heavily armored Stranger who at first glance appeared to be twice my size, but a Stranger nonetheless.
They were always bigger than me—always better equipped, or operating with droves upon droves of backup, but none of that ever mattered. In the end, none of my adversaries were ever able to give me the one thing that I had craved for the last two years: a decent fight. I braced myself and smiled beneath my menacing skull-faced gasmask as the massive assailant finally broke into a sprint and charged towards me with his enormous right hand cocked behind his head.
I always let them have the first punch. I always got a kick out of watching their expressions as they threw everything they had at me only to watch m
e take the punch without even flinching. I was still thinking of a snappy remark to respond with when his fist slammed against my face with the full force of a freight train. The unexpectedly crushing blow knocked me from my feet and sent me flying backward several meters in the opposite direction. I hit the ground hard and tumbled head over heals for a few more feet before coming to a stop near the edge of the freeway.
How did he do that?! I wondered as my attacker suddenly leapt thirty feet into the air and landed in the middle of the highway ten feet away from me. Dazed and confused, I scrambled to my feet as he suddenly backhand slapped an abandoned sedan into the air as he made his way toward me. I met him head on and fired a right handed hook that could have leveled a small building. He easily blocked my attack with his left hand and landed a devastating overhand right to the side of my face that nearly snapped my head around and sent me sprawling to the pavement once again.
My head slammed against the street as I hit the ground, causing my vision to become blurry. As my consciousness slowly slipped away, my mind frantically searched for an explanation as to how my attacker had so easily defeated me but my heart nearly stopped as the mystery man suddenly threw back his flowing white hood and I finally realized my mistake. It was in that moment that I discovered I wasn’t fighting a man at all. As I peered into the subtle bluish glow that emanated from his eyes, I suddenly realized that the individual who had just so easily overpowered me was much more than some run-of-the-mill Stranger foot soldier—this man was the one they called The Greater—this man… was the Son of Eden.
MY HEARTRATE TRIPLED AS HE RAISED HIS MASSIVE BOOT above me and the ensuing rush of adrenaline yanked me back into consciousness. I rolled away from his pavement shattering stomp just in the nick of time and quickly leapt to my feet and charged him before he could pull his foot from the street. Even with my strength and speed The Greater barely moved as I slammed my entire body into him and it didn’t take long for me to realize that Howie was absolutely right about him being stronger than me.
We wrestled for about half a second before he gripped my arms tightly and easily flung me into the air. The scrambling Apaches above took advantage of our sudden separation and unleashed a firestorm of hellfire rockets onto The Greater as my body sailed away and fell hard to the pavement.
I was on my feet and ready to pounce within seconds but I instantly froze in my tracks as the smoke from the Apache rockets cleared and a completely unfazed The Greater produced a large pistol from beneath his flowing cloak. I quickly threw my right fist into the air in order to call off the helicopters before they had a chance to unleash another round of rockets. I had no idea if Anokian weapons were powerful enough to pierce my incredibly dense skin but something told me not to take any chances with the high-tech hand cannon that The Greater had aimed for my chest. Not only was the gun enormous for a pistol but it was unlike any that I had ever seen before.
The scene grew even tenser as droves of Army ground units and Stranger SUVs swerved onto the scene as The Greater continued to hold me at gunpoint. Neither side made a move as The Greater and I stood in the center of the chaos, but they all filed out of their vehicles and readied their weapons as they watched our stand off.
“It’s over, Reaper. Our fleet has already been signaled,” The Greater said in a deep and powerful voice that matched his formidable appearance. “Tell your men to stand down lest they all be destroyed.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that!” I yelled over the sound of the helicopter blades chopping overhead. The wind gusts from the helicopters caused the tail of my coat to waver violently behind me as I continued to stare down the barrel of the huge pistol that he still had trained on me.
“Don’t be a fool, Reaper!” The Greater urged as The Strangers and the Army troops that surrounded us clamored in anticipation. “I am giving you a chance to walk away from this. My people will come with enough fire power to destroy every last being on this planet yet we only mean to take enough life to restore our Goddess—nothing more and nothing less. If you do not resist there does not have to be any further bloodshed.”
“I don’t give a damn how much fire power your boys are bringing. If you think we’re just gonna step aside and let you take what you want I’ve got news for you, pal—you picked the wrong planet,” I threatened.
“We did not pick this planet!” he barked as the fire in his bright blue eyes intensified. “We were taken from our home against our will and volleyed across the stars in chains—only to end up imprisoned in this forsaken place. We did not choose this planet, Reaper—it is your people who chose this fate the second they swore their allegiance to the Equillian Federation. I admire your desire to stand up for your kind, however even you must see that you have already lost. The arrival of our fleet is imminent and we have already obtained the Vessel of Eden. It is only a matter of time before we complete the ritual and bind the Goddess’ essence with the human girl’s soul.”
“You’re out of your freaking mind if you think I’m gonna let that thing take over her!” I growled.
“What did you say?!” The Greater barked as anger flared into his fiery blue eyes.
“You heard me! If you even—”
“The Vessel is none of your concern, blasphemer!” The Greater boomed. “And know that if you disrespect the Goddess in my presence again I will strike you down where you stand!”
My fists trembled with rage as I took a deep breath and tried my best to remain calm. Not out of fear but because I still wanted to see if I could extract some answers from him before the crap hit the fan.
“Why her? Why can’t you just use someone else?” I selfishly demanded as the helicopters overhead shined their flood lights on us.
“Because that’s how it has to be, Reaper,” an electronically distorted voice suddenly answered on the earpiece inside my mask. For a second I thought the voice sounded eerily like the voice of my dead brother P.J. but I instantly realized why when I noticed, Alias, the Stranger who had taken my brother’s place, emerge from one of the Stranger SUVs. I held my fist in the air once more to keep the Army and Air Force troops from firing as Alias slowly approached The Greater and me. His long black and crimson trench coat flared open as he made his way toward us, revealing a holstered .50 caliber pistol that was the exact same type my brother used to use during his time as The Suspect. As I glared into the half frowning/half smiling mask that he wore on his face it took everything in me not to zoom over and break him in half.
“There is no other way to avert the destruction of Earth, Reaper. Monica has to be sacrificed so that our entire world is not destroyed,” Alias continued as he stopped his approach fifteen feet away from us.
“How can you expect me to willingly allow them to kill billions of people?” I demanded as I glared at him.
“But we can save billions as well, Reaper! If we do not resist, the Anokians will only sacrifice the necessary amount of lives needed to resurrect their Goddess. If your mission is truly to save the world, then you should know that this is the only way to do so. Your brother knew this, Reaper and that is why he created the Final Solution—not to destroy this world but to establish a new one once the dust had settled.”
“How could you know that The Suspect was my brother?!” I gasped as my heart suddenly pounded even faster than before. I was about to ask again but as Alias removed his twisted tragedy mask and looked deeply into my eyes, I was left completely frozen in shock by the face that was staring back at me.
29. THE FINAL SOLUTION
“AUDREY?!” I GASPED AS THE INITIAL SHOCK OF SEEING her face finally wore off. My heart was still beating so hard that it felt like I was about to have a heart attack but I at least had gotten to the point where I could speak. She was silent as she stood there holding her twisted mask in her hands. Due to her height and bulky body armor, it had been easy to mistake her for a guy when she was wearing the mask, but now that the truth was literally staring me in the face I couldn’t help but wonder how I could have
been so blind.
“How could you?” I growled between my teeth, cutting her off before she had a chance to speak.
“I’m sorry, Reaper,” Audrey said somberly as the wind flowed through her silky scarlet hair.
“You used me! You stole my wormhole beacon that night at 3D, didn’t you? Geez, how could I have been such an idiot?! You’ve been playing me this entire time!”
“I had to, Reaper. I had to ensure that your brother’s death was not in vain. His cause was too important for—”
“My brother was a certifiable maniac! And he and anyone whoever followed his cause are better off dead as far as I’m concerned!” I barked.
“But you don’t understand what The Suspect has done for us, Reaper! What he has done for our entire planet! The Righteous was going to destroy the world before P.J. made contact with him. Your brother had been hacking into government files for years and when he found out about the peril that this world was in it was he who reached out to The Righteous, not the other way around. In exchange for The Suspect’s help with keeping America locked within a perpetual war on terrorism The Righteous agreed to only sacrifice enough people to resurrect their Goddess as opposed to destroying the world entirely. Don’t you see, Reaper? Without your brother, the sliver of hope that we now have wouldn’t even be possible! All we need to do is allow them to complete the ritual and as long as the new world that rises from the ashes severs ties with the Equillian Federation we can live in peace.”
“P.J. wasn’t concerned about a new world. He didn’t even want to stay here! He was going to leave with the Anokians!” I scoffed.
“The Suspect always believed that his destiny was beyond the stars but he still wanted to change the world before he left. ‘Grim though it may be, we must destroy this world so that the next shall prosper.’ When your brother spoke those words he wasn’t talking about simply blowing up the planet, Reaper. He was talking about helping the Anokians destroy the corrupted foundation upon which this planet was built in order to make way for a more perfect society. Many of us had planned to join him and leave this galaxy with the Anokians after the ritual was complete but there were many other Strangers who elected to stay behind to help rebuild the new world and carry on your brother’s legacy.”
Savior Part 2: Son of Eden (The Savior Series) Page 27
