by A. G. Taylor
Sarah put up her hands and backed away, but her thoughts went out to the woman.
A wave of images swept through Sarah’s mind. Visions of things that she had never seen before: a family, holidays at the beach, birthdays, driving a car, swimming in the ocean. She went on looking for anything that could be useful to her. It was just like watching TV, flipping between memories like changing channels. Sarah zeroed in on a series of images. Snakes. Fear. Flight.
Magda had a phobia of snakes. Sarah grinned a little as she began to visualize a long, black snake sliding up the woman’s arm. Then she sent the image to Magda’s brain…
Magda’s eyes widened as she looked down at her wrist. Her lips screamed help but no sound escaped. She clawed frantically at the snake that was winding itself around her arm, invisible to everyone but her. The stun gun clattered to the ground as she pressed herself into the corner of the room, sobbing quietly. Sarah took Louise’s hand and led her to the door, keeping her eyes on the woman.
“Unlock the door, Magda,” she said quietly. “And don’t try to chase us. You know what we can do.”
With a whimper, Magda reached for a switch in her control room and the red light by the door went green. They ran into the corridor, slamming the door behind them. The woman didn’t follow.
“We have to get my brother,” Sarah said, squeezing Louise’s hand. “Then we can get out of here. Think you can do your trick with the mirror again?”
Louise nodded seriously, but resisted when Sarah pulled her towards the outer door of the building.
“I want to get Wei first,” she said. “He’s my friend.”
Sarah almost argued, but saw the determination in the other girl’s eyes.
Okay. Let’s get them both.
26
The HIDRA base was caught up in a flurry of activity that bordered on chaos. Soldiers and scientists ran all around, too preoccupied with securing the dome once more to notice two kids out by themselves.
Clutching each other’s hands tightly, Sarah and Louise ran across the dome to a building that stood near the parked helicopter. They ran up the ramp, looking out for guards as they went. Next to the entrance door, Sarah noticed a printed sign: Test Subject 6 – Sikong Wei.
Inside, they found the door of the observation room standing open and the room beyond deserted. On the other side of the two-way glass a boy of Robert’s age stood in the centre of his cell. His jet black hair framed delicate, Chinese features and intelligent eyes. He looked at the mirror expectantly.
Stand back! Sarah ordered the boy and he stepped away.
Louise held up her hand and frowned with concentration. This time the mirror started to warp and crack within a few seconds, exploding into the room away from them. She’s getting stronger, thought Sarah.
“I knew you were coming!” the kid cried as he jumped through the open window into the room. His English was perfect, his Chinese accent the only indication that it wasn’t his first language. Nice to finally meet you, Louise!
Sarah cut their greeting short, grabbing Louise’s hand again and pulling her back towards the door.
“Nice to meet you too, Wei,” Louise called back. “But we’ve got to get Robert. He’s on the other side of the dome.”
Outside, however, a group of mirror-masked soldiers were deploying, seemingly unconcerned by the crisis. They wore Special Forces colours on their suits and were clearly on the lookout for them.
They know we’ve escaped! Louise thought, starting to sound frightened. Magda must have told them!
Sarah shook her head, looking at the open space they had to cross to get to where Robert was being kept. We’ll never make it.
I can help, Wei sent to them. Let’s make a distraction…
He took a half step forward and placed his hands against his temple, brow furrowed with concentration. Sarah looked at Louise questioningly, who placed a hand on Sarah’s lower arm.
Stand back, she warned.
Wei closed his eyes even tighter as a spark of fire appeared before him and shot forward across the plastic covering on the floor. The line of flame – no more than a foot high, but burning intensely – streaked towards the group of soldiers. One of them turned – too late to avoid the fire. The soldier leaped back and started rolling on the floor as flames shot up the side of his suit. The others turned at the sound of his cries and frantically began patting at him with their gloves.
Sarah didn’t waste any time. “Come on,” she said, grabbing Louise’s hand and dragging her in the direction of Robert’s building. Wei opened his eyes and followed them.
They crossed the dome quickly, overlooked by the mirror-masks – they were too busy trying to put out the blaze that was burning through the plastic flooring. Sarah looked at Wei and patted him on the shoulder.
Thanks, she said. You’re a handy guy to have around.
Well done, Wei! Louise beamed at him.
The kid shrugged. Just something I’ve been practising.
Looking round the side of the building, Sarah saw their next problem. Two masked soldiers with dart-guns stood guard at the doorway. They must have expected her to come back for Robert. She remembered the trick with the snake she’d played on Mandy, but doubted she could do it on two people at once.
It’s no good, she thought, turning back to the others. They’ve got the door covered. I can’t leave without Robert.
Louise moved round to face the wall they were standing near.
Stand back, she ordered. I think I can do this…
Frowning with concentration, she held out a hand at the wall. The metal began to groan and buckle inwards with a tearing sound. Sarah and Wei leaped back, just in time. A second later a hole ripped through the steel, revealing the room beyond. Robert stood on the other side, blinking at them with amazement.
“Don’t just stand there, jump!” Sarah ordered, holding out her arms to him.
Without a second thought, her brother flew through the gap, landing heavily against her. She hugged him for a moment, but they didn’t have time to waste.
Now let’s get out of here! she commanded the others, taking charge. We’re going out through the tear.
They ran round the side of the building, making for the exit that had been torn in the dome. It was then that a mirror-mask stepped out, blocking their way. They pulled up sharply. Louise let out a cry as the man raised the dart-gun in his hands. He pulled the trigger.
The tiny dart flew silently through the air, embedding itself in Wei’s arm. The boy looked round at it stupidly for a moment, before his eyes rolled up in his head and he fell back onto the ground. Sarah kneeled by his side and pulled the missile out of his arm. The mirror-mask calmly levelled the dart-gun at her for another shot.
It didn’t come.
Instead, their attacker’s legs buckled and he crashed to the ground, the dart-gun skittering to Sarah’s feet. Daniel stood above the fallen mirror-mask, a pistol clutched in his hand.
Sarah thought she’d never been so glad to see anyone in her life. Robert let out a cry, running to throw his arms around him. “Daniel, you’re okay!”
“Sorry I took so long,” Daniel said, ruffling Robert’s hair. “I found another truck. Let’s go.”
The danger signal went off in Sarah’s head as she was about to reply. She snatched the dart-gun from the ground, spun round and fired twice. Two mirror-masks crashed to the floor before her, darts sticking through their suits.
“Nice reflexes!” exclaimed Daniel.
Sarah handed him the dart-gun. “A lot’s happened since we saw you last.”
“Tell me about it on the road,” he replied, picking up the sleeping body of Wei in his arms.
They made for the exit at a run, skirting around the edge of the wall to avoid being seen. Amazingly, they almost made it to the gap without being noticed.
Almost.
A figure appeared as they reached the tear in the dome. The dust blowing in from the desert parted for him as he walked.
On seeing Sarah he smiled and shook his head. You didn’t really think that you’d make it out of here, did you?
Daniel looked at her in confusion. “Another friend of yours?”
“You can come with us,” Sarah said. “Either that, or get out of our way.”
Octavio grinned nastily. “No way. Colonel Moss ordered me to keep tabs on you. Looks like he’s going to be very pleased with me.”
Daniel stepped forward, holding up the dart-gun.
“Look, kid, we’re kind of in a hurry here so…”
“Daniel—” Sarah warned too late.
Octavio threw out his right hand. An invisible force hit Daniel like a sledgehammer, driving him backwards on the ground. Wei and the dart-gun went flying from his arms.
Sarah rounded on Octavio, concentrating on his thoughts, feeling his anger, looking for something she could use against him.
Get out of my head! he screamed and the force hit her hard, almost knocking her down. You’re all going to do as I say!
“Octavio, that’s enough!”
Nestor appeared through the smoke. Daniel looked round at Sarah as he struggled to his feet, rubbing his arm.
“What the hell is this, Sarah?” he asked.
“Sibling rivalry,” she replied, looking at Nestor. He seemed taller than before, more resolved as he faced his brother.
“I’m going with them, Octavio,” he said calmly. “It’s no good here. Colonel Moss isn’t our friend. He just gives us lots of stuff to keep us quiet. To make us do what he wants.”
Octavio shook his head. You can’t fight me, Nestor, he said with a laugh. You know I always beat you.
But can you beat us all at once? Nestor asked. He moved to stand near Sarah and Louise. Robert stood forward also. A look of doubt flickered across Octavio’s face.
You can’t leave…
Come with us…
Octavio shook his head violently, holding out a hand at his brother. Nestor staggered back, hit by the strength of Octavio’s telekinetic power, but he kept his feet. Now he raised his hands and a wind rose, its power directed towards Octavio. All around, the temperature dropped. Suddenly a storm was raging about them.
Octavio struggled to keep his feet and snarled at his brother, I’ve been waiting for an excuse to do this.
He redirected his power at Nestor and hit him with another wall of telekinetic energy. Nestor held up his hands to drive back the force, but it was too late. He staggered back and lost his footing. A line of blood trickled from his nose, as if he had been smashed in the face. He wiped it away with a trembling hand. Sarah tried to move to help him, but found herself held in place.
Octavio had overlooked Louise, however. She calmly looked at the sagging roof above them and pointed a single finger upwards…
Something overhead cracked violently and one of the metal girders supporting the dome crashed to the ground centimetres from Octavio. Immediately the force he was directing at them subsided as a second girder came down, bringing with it a chunk of the dome covering.
Daniel picked up Wei and started running for the hole in the wall, ignoring the billowing dust. “Come on!” he yelled.
Sarah and Robert pulled Nestor to his feet and dragged him away, while Louise ran after them. They followed Daniel out into the night, not waiting to see if Octavio or Colonel Moss’s men were following. Above them, a huge section of the dome roof tore and fell…
Sarah only stopped to look back when they’d reached the HIDRA truck Daniel had stolen. A quarter of the dome appeared to have collapsed, temporarily blocking off the hole they’d come through. A mirror-mask had chased them out, but quickly turned back when he realized he was outnumbered.
“Octavio,” Nestor said, looking back at the collapsing dome. He made to return, but Sarah held his arm firm.
“He’s okay,” she said. “Can’t you sense it?”
Nestor nodded and allowed himself to be pulled into the vehicle.
“Let’s get out of here!” Daniel cried. He bundled the unconscious Wei into the truck and jumped behind the wheel. The others piled in. “And buckle up. It’s going to be bumpy!”
“Where are we going?” Sarah asked as he threw the truck round in a circle that sent it bouncing over the dunes, jolting them in their seats. The cab of the truck was spacious and packed with scientific equipment and boxes of supplies.
“East, out of the HIDRA quarantine zone,” Daniel shouted above the noise of the engine. “If we can make it that far, we can go hell for leather to Melbourne and tell the authorities what’s going on. What is going on, by the way? I feel like I’ve missed all of the action.”
“It’s a long story,” Sarah replied.
She looked back at the others, strapped into their seats. Louise and Robert looked scared. Wei still slept. Nestor looked out at the night sky through one of the windows.
“I’m glad you’re back,” she said quietly. “Thank you, Daniel.”
“I said I wouldn’t leave you,” he replied, not taking his eyes from the narrow dirt track they were following. “But there’s just one thing…”
Sarah noticed that his voice sounded suddenly very weary, as if he had expended all his energy on the rescue. Looking at Daniel, Sarah saw his eyelids hanging heavy and when he looked at her he seemed to be fighting hard just to keep them open. The virus.
“Oh, no…”
He gave her a weak smile.
“The doc said I wouldn’t have much time. Any of you guys know how to drive a truck?”
27
The interior of the HIDRA truck looked a bit like a mobile home, with two seats up front for the driver and passenger and a big open space in the rear with seating and fold-down beds set into the walls. The back was packed with all sorts of scientific equipment, and was clearly designed for research expeditions. Robert and Louise waited in the rear with the sleeping Wei while the older members of the group crowded round the front. The dashboard of the truck was a confusing array of switches and computer read-outs, but Daniel assured Nestor that he didn’t have to use most of them. It was much bigger than a normal vehicle, but the principles of driving it were the same.
“This is the brake,” Daniel told him, pointing to the pedal in the middle at his feet. “The clutch is used when you change the gears. That’s the accelerator. You steer with the wheel.”
“Thanks, he’s not totally stupid,” Sarah said, punching Daniel in the arm.
Daniel laughed, but she could sense the fatigue spreading through him. He didn’t have long before the virus took hold fully. He motioned for Nestor to sit in the driver’s seat. The boy was tall for his age and his feet easily reached the pedals.
“The important thing to remember is to put the clutch down when you want to change gears,” Daniel instructed, pointing to the pedal on the left.
“Why would I want to change gears?” Nestor asked.
“You change up gears when you want to go faster. Or change down to a lower gear if you’re going up a steep dune or hill. And you have to take your foot off the clutch and push down on the accelerator smoothly, or you’ll stall the engine.”
Sarah looked out of the windscreen at the darkened desert in front of the truck. They’d parked by the side of the track and turned off the exterior lights in case their pursuers saw them in the distance. Every second they sat there brought Colonel Moss’s men closer. Sarah knew as soon as they repaired the dome, they’d be following.
“Why did they make it so difficult to use?” Nestor asked irritably, taking the massive wheel in his hands. “It’s impossible.”
Daniel looked to Sarah for some support.
“Nestor, there’s no other choice,” she said, laying a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I know you can do this.”
Nestor met her eyes and nodded, seeming to take strength from her encouragement. He reached round and turned the key in the ignition. The truck’s engine sprang into noisy life.
“Give it a try,” Da
niel said. “Just take it slow, kid.”
Gripping the wheel more firmly, Nestor put his foot down on the clutch like Daniel had shown and pushed the gear stick forward into first. There was a horrible grinding sound as he did it.
“Gently!” Daniel ordered as Nestor began to take his foot off the clutch and step on the accelerator. The truck lurched forward violently and the wheel jerked in his hand, completely out of control. A second later the engine cut out completely.
Nestor looked round at the others apologetically. “I’m sorry I just…”
He stopped short as he saw Daniel leaning against the driver’s seat just to keep on his feet. Sarah leaped to his side.
“Robert, help me!” she cried, grabbing Daniel’s arm. Together they dragged him to the back of the cab. Louise unfolded a bed from the wall and they laid him down.
“Thanks,” Daniel said weakly. “I’m sorry.”
Sarah looked round at Robert. “Help Nestor get this thing moving.”
Her brother nodded and moved to the front of the truck. Louise handed Sarah a bottle of water which she placed against Daniel’s lips. He managed a few sips before having to lay back.
“Try to drink some more,” Sarah said. “You’re badly dehydrated.”
Daniel shook his head and pushed the bottle away. He reached inside his shirt and removed something. “I have to give you this…”
“Daniel…” Sarah began to protest, but fell silent when she saw what he was offering her – the bag of diamonds.
“Colonel Moss was kind enough to leave these on me,” he said, his voice little more than a whisper. “You have to take them now. They’re worth over two million dollars – enough for you and Robert to manage without me for as long as you need to.”
Sarah opened the bag and looked at the precious contents. Inside was also a mobile phone sim card.
“My contact in Melbourne is called Alexei,” Daniel explained. “His number’s on the card.”
Sarah shook her head and tried to hand him back the bag. “I can’t do this…”
“You can and you will, Sarah,” he said.
“But they’re stolen,” she protested.
