by N. W. Harris
“It’s what they do to pass the time during long voyages,” Jones growled, hatred showing on his face as he glared at the massive structure.
“So this whole cleansing war they do to find the best soldiers is probably like the Super Bowl to them,” Steve observed with disgust.
Rising above it all, the sides of the outer pyramid continued upward, meeting at the apex hundreds of feet overhead.
Jones and Lily led them through the city along a wide, palm tree-lined street that ended in a loop around the coliseum. Then they took them back down the escalator and showed them the entrance into the slave-processing parts of the ship.
“Initially, they’ll bring you and the other recruits into this holding chamber,” Jones explained.
Beyond the elegant outer living spaces was a room the size of a football field. Its walls, ceiling, and floor were windowless and featureless, and all the same flat gray color that Shane remembered from the clip he watched last night. He imagined a person would go mad in such a room if they were left in it for too long.
They were shown the route into the ship the harvested kids would take, and where they would be sorted into slaves and soldiers. Those fit for neither would be rejected back out of the ship. Then Jones showed them where they would be given their armor and a weapon and led them into the final holding chamber, where all the kids’ brains would be uploaded with their combat training and missions.
“This is where the six members from each team will slip away and go to the reactor chamber,” Jones said.
“And the seventh?” Jules asked.
“One person from each team will stay here,” Lily answered. “When the reactor is destroyed, and the recruits are released from the enemy’s control, that person will get as many of the people in this room as they can to attack the Anunnaki and overtake the ship. At this time, we will send in the other teenagers we’re training to overtake the outer portions of the ship.”
“All the recruits’ helmets will be equipped with a universal translator, so they’ll understand you,” Jones added. “Whoever is in this room will have to act fast and get as many of the kids to fight as they can. Each second that passes will give the Anunnaki time to regroup and come up with a plan to stop you.”
“How are we supposed to get a bunch of confused kids to rally an attack?” Anfisa asked. “That is a ridiculous plan.”
“Their brains will already be uploaded with combat training via their telepathic slave link,” Jones replied, glowering at her as if to scold her for her negative comment. “They will know how to fight and how to use the weapons the Anunnaki issued them, but they’ll suddenly have free will. You just have to point them in the right direction and give them the motivation they need. Tell them the Anunnaki are the aliens who killed their parents. They’ll do the rest.”
The buzzing came in Shane’s ear, and a flash of light returned him to the training room. Kelly’s hand was still holding his, and his butt was numb like he’d been sitting for hours.
“Go have breakfast. Meet on the tarmac in half an hour,” Jones ordered.
Although they all wore stunned looks on their faces from the tour of the Anunnaki ship, apparently everyone else was as hungry as he was. The room cleared like there was a fire in the building.
“Feeling better or worse about this whole thing?” Liam asked as they walked toward the cafeteria.
“Better, because I’m getting a grip on what we have to do,” he lied.
“Their plan still sounds like a long shot,” Kelly said. She was on Shane’s other side.
“It beats having no plan at all,” Steve joined in, twisting his big fist in his opposite palm, “and that’s what we’d have without them.”
It was a good point. The Anunnaki would’ve enslaved them all before they had a clue if it weren’t for the rebels. He mulled over their predicament in silence at breakfast. Even the Russians, who were usually a noisy mess, wore expressions of quiet contemplation as they ate. They’d learned so much new stuff over the last day that it gave him a headache trying to sort through it all.
They were going to have to face down an alien force that was as old as time. The Anunnaki had been space travelers since before humans existed. What chance did they really have of defeating such an advanced race? Shane didn’t mind being the underdog and always felt it gave him an advantage when viewed as such. But this was more like an ant tackling an elephant.
Jones stepped into the cafeteria and ordered them outside. They made a circle on the tarmac, as they’d done the day before. Shane was overcome by dread, but he kept his head up. He couldn’t let his teammates sense his gloomy mood, couldn’t risk demoralizing them.
The captain stepped into the center of the ring, looking around at each of their faces. He shook his head, appearing disappointed with the morbid attitude that seemed to have infected them all. Even the Finns, who until this point had been the masters of stoicism, stood slack, their shoulders visibly slumping, like they were sentenced to the firing squad.
“The task ahead seems insurmountable,” Jones said, his gruff tone softer, more paternal than ever before. “But we know you are up to it. We’ve run multiple simulations and are confident the humans can defeat the Anunnaki. There is so much riding in your favor. They will not expect an attack. They’ll expect absolute obedience from the human population. When using the slave gene, they have never had a recruit uprising. They will be arrogant on that point. This arrogance is a weakness we will exploit.”
Jones walked over to Steve, grabbed him by the wrist, and led him into the center of the ring.
“You all must believe you have a chance—you must believe you can destroy this enemy and take revenge on them for what they did to your parents,” he continued. His voice grew louder, and Shane noticed everyone stood taller as he spoke. Like a halftime pep talk from Coach Rice, his words infused them with hope. Jones was a model for how he should behave if he wanted to give his team the best chance of survival.
“We train here—running countless laps, fighting each other on this blacktop, and competing to capture a flag off the mountain—to build your strength, your endurance, but most importantly, your confidence. If you doubt yourselves in the face of the enemy, then we don’t stand a chance. Humans have a propensity towards arrogance as well, and it can give you an advantage if focused properly. You have to believe you can beat them. ”
Pointing at Anfisa, he signaled her to enter the ring and fight Steve. She took a fighting stance, putting her fists in front of her and turning her body slightly sideways. Steve raised his fists as well, each seeming as big as the Russian girl’s head. The air of aggression that charged yesterday’s fights was dampened this morning. Shane felt closer to these foreigners, the world seeming a lot smaller after being in the simulation of the Anunnaki ship. These were not just his fellow humans, or even his neighbors. Regardless of the differences his team had with the Russians yesterday, the common enemy they shared made these kids feel like his brothers and sisters.
Steve circled Anfisa, and Shane could see his big friend didn’t want to attack. He wasn’t the type to hit a girl. The calculating look in her eyes made it clear she didn’t have the same reservations about assaulting him. Stepping sideways and closing on Steve at the same time, she slipped within striking range. With lightning speed and lethal precision, she punched under his elbow and made contact with his ribs. There was a loud crack, and Steve buckled over, groaning in pain.
Where yesterday, the Russians would have cheered over the victory, this time, everyone remained relatively quiet, aside from the empathetic sighs at hearing a bone break. Anfisa dropped her guard, her expression transforming into one of regret and concern.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I think you broke some ribs,” Steve said through gritted teeth. He gave her a weak smile, and she helped him to the side where Dr. Blain was waiting. He wasn’t the type to stop fighting over a few ribs, but Anfisa’s attention seemed to diffuse what little aggr
ession he’d approached her with in the first place.
“You see,” Jones said once they were out of the ring, his black eyebrows elevated as he looked at them. “Even the smallest person here can defeat the largest. Steve underestimated his opponent, just like the Anunnaki will underestimate you. Such a mistake rarely happens twice, and I doubt Anfisa will be able to defeat him if we pair them together tomorrow. The lesson is—when you have a chance to attack a larger enemy, you must make sure the attack will lead to their destruction. If they recover and can retaliate, you will lose.”
The fights happened without much cheering or fanfare, the group of kids growing more united in the single purpose of defeating the Anunnaki and less concerned with beating each other. Jones was enraged by the lack of aggression. He made them do push-ups and crunches on the flesh-searing asphalt, yelling at them the entire time.
“We are here to develop the warrior in each of you. We cannot afford you going soft on each other. From now on, you will fight until Dr. Blain says it is no longer safe to continue,” Jones growled.
The doctor had a horrified look on her face, and Shane guessed she was thinking of calling each fight before it started. Jones cast a cold glance at her, and her expression changed, revealing that she’d do what he expected of her.
Ordering them to their feet, he pitted Shane against the ornery Russian prankster, Petrov. The boy didn’t have the viciousness in his attacks of the day before. He slipped a couple of cautious hits to the side of Shane’s head before he got an angle on the boy and drove his full weight into him. The Russian went down hard, and Shane leapt on top of him. He raised his fist, ready to nail the rude boy in the face. Petrov twisted his head and clenched his eyes shut.
“Finish it!” Jones yelled.
It was good enough for Shane—he’d clearly beaten the kid. Knowing they’d all pay for his unwillingness to do what Jones ordered wasn’t enough to make him hammer the boy when he was already down. He got off him and offered his hand, pulling Petrov to his feet.
“It’s nothing personal,” the Russian said, smiling regrettably and not releasing Shane’s hand. “But I’m not good at losing.”
The big Russian pulled Shane toward him and punched at the same time. His fist smashed into Shane’s mouth. He heard bone crunching, and pain exploded across his face all the way to the back of his skull. His vision filled with white and black swirling spots, and his legs went rubbery. He collapsed to the hot asphalt.
Cradling his broken face in his hands, he cursed and moaned. He tasted blood, and he couldn’t open and close his mouth. Dr. Blain was over him in an instant. He let her push his hands down to his sides and forced himself to stay still so she could fix him.
The world grew hazy, but he didn’t pass out. The aliens’ medical technology meant he’d be better than new in less than a minute. It made the pain seem trivial and easier to ignore. As his face healed, he cursed himself for allowing Petrov to trick him.
“Good,” he heard Jones saying, his spirits seeming lifted at the sight of Shane’s blood. “Attack the enemy when their guard is down. Even if they have you on the ground, ready to destroy you, do not accept defeat. The enemy will lie to you. Even with their dying breath, they will do everything to convince you that they are your friends—that they can be trusted. Let me be the one to warn you, they have no respect for your freedom. You are property to them, another disposable species they plan to use to crush their enemies.”
He was mended quickly, and the doctor used a wet towel to clean the remaining blood off his face. When she stepped away, he saw Petrov still standing nearby. He wasn’t smiling and laughing as Shane would’ve expected. He extended his hand to Shane as he got up. Not willing to fall into another trap, Shane didn’t take it. He rose to his feet cautiously, wanting to nail the boy but knowing the fight was officially over and Jones would make him pay hell if he did. There’d be other opportunities to take his revenge. He wouldn’t let his compassion get in the way next time.
“Forgive my behavior yesterday,” Petrov said begrudgingly, casting a glance toward Anfisa and extending his hand to shake. “We are all in this together, and I should have shown more respect.”
“Yeah, okay,” Shane replied, conveying he didn’t believe the boy.
He narrowed his eyes and cautiously took Petrov’s extended hand, expecting the Russian would try to coldcock him again. Balling his free hand into a fist, he fantasized about returning the favor right now, of caving the punk’s face in.
Petrov looked down at his clenched hand and then back up at him. He didn’t retract or appear to plan to try and stop Shane if he hit him. His expression seemed to say, Go ahead—take a free shot at me. I deserve it. After shaking Shane’s hand, Petrov sighed as if he’d just finished doing something he’d been dreading. Leaving Shane confused, he turned away and rejoined his group. Anfisa gave a slight grin to her comrade as he approached, appearing satisfied by the exchange.
Shane walked back over and stood next to Kelly. It was unsportsmanlike of Petrov to hit him when he was helping him up. But at the same time, the fight hadn’t officially ended, and the Russian was just taking advantage of Shane’s weakness. Such sly aggression might mean the difference between winning and losing when it came to the fight against the Anunnaki. As much as it hurt his ego, he knew he should learn a thing or two from Petrov.
The sun climbed higher in the clear blue sky, and it grew hotter by the minute on the tarmac.
“Alright people,” Jones shouted, “give me five laps, and then you can have lunch.”
A wave of grumbles swept through the sweaty crowd, everyone already exhausted by the morning’s exercises.
“Excuse me,” Jones growled angrily, letting them know that the sensitive side he’d shown earlier was locked away and Drill Sergeant Jones was back in full force. “Drop and give me twenty push-ups first to help lift your spirits.”
“Sir, yes sir,” came the response.
Where they were all separated into their respective groups for the morning run, now weary individuals took off around the track as they finished their push-ups. The result was an intermingling of the different teams.
Shane was in the middle of the mob, Kelly on his right side. A few people ahead of them, Anfisa ran next to Steve.
“I think there’s love in the air,” Tracy joked. She was behind Shane and Kelly. “Who knew? You break one of Steve’s ribs, and he’ll follow you around like a puppy.”
Shane laughed, taking a closer look at the pair. Sure enough, he saw Steve glance over at the tall Russian girl and smile. She returned his gaze with a flirtatious grin and sped up. Steve took off after her.
“Oh my gosh,” Jules groaned. “It’s like a stinking Disney movie. I’m gonna barf.”
“Come on, guys,” Kelly said, her voice thick with emotion. “I think it’s sweet.”
Shane just hoped it wouldn’t be a distraction, though he wasn’t one to talk. Joking around made the laps tick off easier than before, and soon they were in the air-conditioned cafeteria.
“How are you holding up?” he asked Rebecca. She was replenishing napkins in stainless-steel holders near the food line.
“I’m okay, I guess,” she replied timidly. Her cheeks turning red, she glanced up at him and smiled. She was not much younger than Shane was, but she made him feel like he was an adult by the way she addressed him.
“So you guys are being treated well?”
“Yes,” she replied. “We have to work in here a few hours a day, and then help with the children, but it’s not bad.”
“Good.” He’d gotten used to his little squad deferring to him as their leader, but her reverence made him feel awkward. “How about the other girls who…?”
“Oh,” she said, looking down at the napkin holder. “I think we’re all getting over it, slowly. Dr. Blain met with us to talk. You’d think you’d just want to forget, but talking with her and the others did make me feel better for some strange reason.”
“Goo
d,” he said again, the response feeling wholly inadequate. “Well, if you ever need anything.”
“Thanks.”
She gave him another smile filled with respect and admiration—a look he reckoned was reserved for fathers. Smiling back, but feeling terribly uncomfortable, he spun away and grabbed a tray.
Heading down the food line, he encountered two of the other girls who were attacked in the gym serving kids from the other side. When they put food on his plate, he noticed they were looking at him the same way Rebecca had. She, and probably every other kid who his team protected before the aliens showed up, believed he was strong and smart enough to save them. What they didn’t realize was he wasn’t all that special. He’d gotten lucky a few times, but he didn’t think he was a hero. The responsibility to protect them, to defeat the Anunnaki so that these kids wouldn’t die or become slaves, was always pressing on him. But it suddenly seemed to double in weight.
“Want to eat with the little ones?” Kelly asked when he stepped off the end of the food line.
“Uh, sure,” Shane replied, sensing that was the answer she expected. He wasn’t thrilled about the idea, but he couldn’t think of a decent excuse to say no to her.
His stomach twisting into knots from his interaction with Rebecca and the other girls, he followed her. The kids’ table was an uproar of laughter and conversation, but when he approached, some of them grew quiet and looked at him. He threw on his best smile again, hoping they couldn’t sense the fist of panic tightening its grip around him.
He looked at Kelly, and her expression showed she could see something was wrong. He felt like a teapot on the stove, the pressure increasing inside of him until he feared he couldn’t contain it. He remembered trying to save his aunt, and how miserably he’d failed. And that was just a bunch of bees. Images of how her body looked when she died, his dad’s cockroach-eaten face, and all the other mutilated corpses he’d seen ripped through his mind. Then he remembered the kids he’d shot in the gym and in the fight in Atlanta, their slack faces as their souls tore away from their bodies. When he blinked, his tormented imagination creating a picture of Nat, Sara, James, and all the other kids at this table, along with Rebecca and the others, dead and swollen like the adults. He looked at Kelly again, afraid of imagining her the same way.
