A Drop in the Ocean

by James Cooke

  ‘It will detonate in 12 hours and 42 minutes.’

  ‘Well that’s it then, we’re all fucking doomed then. It’s been nice knowing you all.’ Jones cried out.

  ‘Not so fast, Jones. Dr Carter, for Christ’s sake, let’s have it then, what’s plan B?’ Brian asked.

  Dr Carter raised his forefinger at Brian and addressed Lucy.

  ‘Lucy, if we could drop this thing, a Kel-Taire as you call it, into molten lava beneath the earth's surface, would that be enough to safely destroy it?’

  Lucy cocked her head slightly and replied, ‘Yes, I believe it would, providing it was hot enough of course. But where are you going to find molten lava Doctor?’

  ‘The peak my dear girl, President’s peak, it’s a dormant volcano. But there are fissures, basically holes in the surface, one of which is large enough to climb down and in one certain area I know of, you can see a lake of boiling orange lava. Dante’s Inferno! It’s the only option I can think of I’m afraid given the deadline.’

  They had been surviving on a wing and a prayer so far, but now they had a solution, such was the relief on hearing Dr Carter’s plan. Their very survival as a species hinged on successfully carrying out the Doctors audacious proposal.

  ‘Okay Lucy, it seems that there still might be a chance of succeeding. Can you retrieve this thing?’ Brian asked.

  Lucy nodded affirmatively, then stepped forward and knelt beside the glowing cage. She slowly moved both hands into the cage through the vertical green laser-like rods. They all glanced at each other apprehensively, and then it was Jones who smelt it first, followed by Sarah.

  ‘Jesus, what is that smell?’ Jones asked.

  ‘Oh my god Lucy’s arms, there’s smoke coming off them. They’re burning.’ Sarah screamed. Lucy didn’t take any notice of what was happening and continued to reach inwards.

  ‘I have it,’ she said as she proceeded to retract both hands together with the Kel-Taire.

  Brian saw lines of melted flesh as Lucy withdrew her arms and hands that were tightly grasping the Kel-Taire. She set the object down on the top of the pillar. It resembled a beautiful giant metallic egg, deep purple colour and with a strange surface texture, like that of a golf ball. All of a sudden, the pillar descended slowly back into the ground.

  ‘Quickly, grab the damn thing.’ Dr Carter shouted.

  Leaping forward like a coiled spring, Brian grabbed the Kel-Taire. It was deceptively cold and heavier than he’d imagined. Brian carefully placed it into his rucksack, fearing it might go off at any moment.

  ‘It is quite safe to handle, you will not be able to denote it through rough handling.’ Lucy said.

  ‘No shit, well that’s a goddam relief.’ Jones quipped.

  Turning to Lucy, Brian asked, ‘Lucy, your arms, will you be okay?’

  ‘Yes, do not worry, it is only superficial damage. They will automatically repair themselves shortly.’

  Everyone seemed relieved, albeit temporarily, they understood the implications of the machine detonating, but proving the Dr’s plan could be affected, they would all be okay.

  ‘Okay, I think you’ll all agree it’s high time we got the hell out of this place. Doctor if you wouldn’t mind, please, take us to the peak.’ Brian announced.

  After they had navigated their way back through the labyrinth of tunnels and climbed up to the top of the cinder cone, they scrambled down the outside edge of the cone and sat at the bottom for a quick rest. Laying directly ahead of them, to the north, President’s Peak stood out as a majestic centrepiece in the desolate Island. The snow and ice-covered volcanic rim appeared to have endured the relentless roaring forties. Somewhere in its interior lay the possible salvation of humanity. The plan just had to work, the alternative was unthinkable. Seven billion people were unwittingly relying on them to go on living, including Brian’s daughter. Failure was absolutely not an option under any circumstances.

  ‘Come on, Brian, what are you doing, daydreaming for Christ's sake.’ Sarah shouted, trying to snap him out of a momentary trance.

  ‘Yes, sorry, let’s get moving. Lead the way, Doctor.’

  Dr Carter nodded with relief and set off with Lucy, Sarah, Jones, and Brian following behind. But it was far from easy. By now the winds were so strong and relentless that it became challenging not to be blown off your feet. Everyone except Lucy was struggling. Brian wondered if Lucy’s tight-fitting skin suit was somehow aerodynamic with low drag properties. Brian noticed that Sarah was finding it hard to keep up, judging by her lumbering progress. He didn’t hesitate to offer his hand to help her climb the slope. She smiled in appreciation. Then her mouth seemed to be speaking, but he couldn’t hear what she was saying. Instead, he returned the smile and gave her the thumbs up.

  Soon they encountered black ash underfoot which made it all the more difficult as they staggered up the steep slope of the volcano rim. Pausing to take a breath, Brian could see the ocean to the south-west and east of the Island. Eventually, they neared the summit at some twelve hundred meters above sea level, where the wind had strangely subsided. After taking another brief pause to regain their energy, followed by a few more steps, they stepped over the rim of the volcano. But, just before Brian headed down, he hesitated and took a panoramic view of the entire Island. To the north-west, he could see out to sea, and there it was, the ship that Eghert and his men must have arrived on. Gazing south, back down the slope towards to the cinder cone, he thought he saw movement for a split second, at which point Sarah shouted up to him, ‘Brian, come on, we haven’t got any time to lose.’

  Brian jumped down to where the others were waiting for him. On their side of the rim, stood a massive depression, not visible from anywhere but from where they stood. All around, laid a multitude of rocks and boulders, some as big as houses and in which a fog-like mist eerily swirled around amongst them, like something out of a creepy horror film. Only it wasn’t fog; fog didn’t, to anyone’s mind, smell like rotten eggs as far as they knew it.

  ‘Oh my god, what in the hell’s name is that horrible smell?’ Sarah cried out.

  ‘Ah yes, don’t worry, that’s perfectly normal. Geothermal activity causes it.’ Dr Carter explained.

  ‘Wait a minute Doctor, isn’t that hydrogen sulphide we can smell? Isn’t that highly poisonous?’ Brian asked.

  ‘Yes, indeed it is, if you breathe enough of it, in the right concentration. The concentrations here are low enough to permit us time to carry out our task, so long as we don’t stay for more than about an hour.’ Dr Carter explained.

  ‘Christ, are there any other deadly obstacles to overcome before we get to this hole in the volcano; poisonous snakes perhaps or exploding rocks maybe? As if we haven’t got enough to worry about already.’ Sarah retorted.

  ‘C’mon, hold it together Sarah, we can do this,’ Brian replied, trying to console her.

  Turning to Dr Carter, Brian said, ‘Okay Dr Carter, let’s not waste any more time. Where’s this opening you mentioned?’

  ‘Yes of course. It should be right over there if I remember correctly.’

  Brian closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, in frustration. He guessed Dr Carter hadn’t exactly been to this location that many times to be entirely familiar with it. They all followed the Doctor, who led them around several room size boulders until eventually, they reached the centre of the depression. Suddenly Dr Carter cried out, ‘Here, over here, I’ve found it!’ while pointing downwards at the opening he had alluded to. On approaching the opening, they could all see that the rocks surrounding appeared bone dry and not at all wet or covered in ice or snow. As they crept closer, they could see that the immediate area was bathed in an orange glow emanating from deep below. Suddenly they felt an intense blast of heat, rising up and out of an opening, some six feet across. Not wanting to risk disaster at this critical juncture, they very carefully approached the edge and peered down, through the opening, only to witness a fantastic spectacle; a vermilion orange lake of boili
ng magma, earths primaeval engine fluid lay not a hundred feet below them. It was now or never to finish this, to end the mission and save all of humanity. Brian carefully retrieved the Kel-Taire from his rucksack and passed it to Lucy.

  ‘Here you go, Lucy, I’ll let you do the honours, get ready to throw it into the magma.’ Brian shouted.

  Chapter 25

  ‘Hold it right there, don’t move a fucking muscle.’ came the unexpected voice of Eghert.

  Sarah and Jones reacted instantly and held their hands aloft just as they heard three machine guns chambering rounds and saw them pointed at them.

  ‘Dr. Carter, Mr Hopper and whatever your names are, back away from the edge, right now,’ Eghert barked while waving his machine gun menacingly at them.

  ‘Do as I say right now, or you can all die right here, it’s your choice. Okay, now bring me that thing.’ Eghert demanded keeping a keen eye on Lucy.

  Lucy, who was just about to lob the Kel-Taire down into the magma, appeared confused. Brian thought none of them reckoned on uninvited guests turning up at this critical juncture of plan B, but it seemed like Eghert, and his goons had other plans for the Kel-Taire.

  ‘C’mon I haven’t got all fucking day, bring me that thing here now.’ Eghert screamed.

  Dr Carter, who was nearest to the opening and some ten feet away from Lucy, shouted, ‘Lucy quick throw it to me,’ and beckoned to her with his hands. Eghert immediately caught sight of this, automatically swung his machine gun around, and opened fire on Dr Carter. Several bullets ripped into Dr Carter's frail body, shaking it like a rag doll, with blood splashing out. Dr Carter fell backwards through the opening, screaming on the way to his death, into the magma chamber below.

  That was it! The Rubicon had been crossed as far as Brian was concerned. Up until now, he had naively assumed that a US government operative would never kill a civilian in cold blood.

  ‘You murdering bastard,’ screamed Sarah struggling after being held back by one of Eghert’s men, tears in her eyes.

  Brian couldn’t see an immediate solution, not without anyone else being risked shot; he had no other choice.

  ‘Everybody relax,’ he shouted, in an attempt to calm the situation down, before it could get any worse. Turning slowly to Lucy, he said clearly, ‘Lucy, please give the machine to that man.’

  Lucy hesitated at first and sought Brian’s gaze for reassurance as if it was really what she thought Brian wanted her to do. Brian nodded slowly, attempting to indicate confirmation.

  Lucy slowly climbed up towards Eghert, like a big cat stalking its prey, who stood grinning like a demented lunatic. Before Lucy could pass the device Eghert, he grabbed the Kel-Taire out of her hands.

  ‘For god’s sake, man, you don’t realise what you’ve got. Don’t be a fool.’ Brian implored.

  ‘Shut it; I’ll be the judge of that. I ought to shoot the lot of you, but luckily for you, I won’t, not today at least. I don’t know why, but I’m feeling generous today.’ Eghert said mockingly.

  ‘You’re nothing but a murderer, you won’t get away with this.’ Sarah shouted.

  Eghert laughed out loud, contemptuously.

  ‘Oh, I think you’ll find we do, and yes, we will get away with it. Don’t try and stop us if you know what’s good for you. Just return to your normal pathetic lives.’ Eghert replied smugly as he and his men slowly retreated away.

  Jones sat sobbing over the death of his life-long friend and mentor.

  ‘Jesus-H-Christ Brian, what the hell are we going to do now, kiss our asses and say goodbye?’ Sarah asked.

  ‘Hell no, not if I can help it. We’ll think of something.’ Brian replied, clutching at straws.

  It was then that Lucy threw them all another lifeline.

  ‘If we can follow them and recover the Kel-Taire before it leaves the Island, there is another way.’ Said Lucy.

  Brian could see that Sarah was still upset, as was Jones, and that she wasn’t really prepared to listen to any more crazy ideas, as she rolled her eyes.

  ‘Hang on, Sarah, let’s listen to what Lucy’s got to say, what have we got to lose?’

  ‘But I can’t take any more of this, from where I’m standing it seems we’re up shit creek without a paddle.’

  ‘Sarah please, just listen for a second, will you?’ Brian begged.

  He glanced at Lucy, ‘Lucy, what was that you said?’

  Lucy spoke a little louder this time.

  ‘I can track the Kel-Taire, while it remains on the Island. If you can then recover the Kel-Taire, there is another way to destroy it at our disposal.’

  Am I missing something here, Brian thought, he couldn’t quite decide?

  ‘That’s fantastic, Lucy. Following them is one thing, but I’m not sure how we’d be able to recover that thing from them. They have guns, lots of them and we don’t.’

  ‘You will find a way and guns will not be necessary. Once I have the Kel-Taire, I can destroy it.’

  ‘And just how do you intend to do that?’ Sarah asked.

  ‘There is another, smaller, spaceship in the cinder cone, and it should still be operational.’

  ‘What? Where? Lucy, we didn’t see anything else down there, correct me if I’m wrong.’ Brian exclaimed.

  ‘It is hidden from view, but it is there. I can activate it and pilot it.’ Lucy explained.

  ‘No shit, what are you going to do, fly that thing into the lava lake or outer space?’ Jones cried out.

  ‘No. The spaceship has a self-destruct mechanism on board that would destroy the Kel-Taire once it is activated.’

  ‘Oh my god, plan C! How many more has she got tucked away in that pretty little head of hers?’ quipped Sarah.

  ‘Well unless anyone can think of a better idea, I think we should quit moaning and let Lucy do her job.’ Brian added.

  ‘Without a cunning plan up my sleeve, at this point in time, I endorse that sentiment to its fullest extent. It's the only way to be sure.’ Jones added.

  ‘Thank you, Jonesy, it’s good to know your onboard with this,’ Brian replied, ‘Lucy, if you’re absolutely sure you can do this, then we’re all in. I don’t think we have any other choice, do we?’ Brian continued.

  ‘No. It is the only way left open to us now. Once they have taken the Kel-Taire off this Island, it will be too late to stop them. This is your last chance, your only hope.’ Lucy said.

  ‘So, let me understand this properly, Lucy, what exactly will happen if we don’t destroy this Kel-Taire and it activates?’ Sarah asked.

  ‘The Kel-Taire contains a synthetic biochemical fluid which contains billions of self-replicating Nano-viruses. These are designed to seek out all carbon-based life forms and disassemble them molecule by molecule. This will continue until all life on your planet is disintegrated. If a drop in the ocean of this fluid should occur, then eventually, I alone will be the sole survivor on your planet.

  ‘No shit.’ exclaimed Sarah.

  Shaking his head, Jones seemed determined to throw himself into the magma chamber.

  The thought of death and decay on a global scale was unimaginable. For a brief moment, Brian wished it were all a vivid dream and that any moment now he might wake up from this nightmare.

  His mind fell into the trap of playing games again, two sides arguing with themselves.

  You might as well top yourself now, admit it, you’ve had it, the negative half suggested.

  No fucking chance, get a grip man, think about Megan for god’s sake, the stronger positive side countered.

  Yes, of course, I have to. I just need to trust in Lucy, Brian told himself.

  Without realising, he subconsciously let nagging doubt have another go, admit it Brian, it’s impossible. Even if you could retrieve it, there’s no guarantee this so-called second spaceship would destroy it.

  Oh for fuck’s sake, give it a rest Brian, for the sake of your family and all of mankind, you damn well have to try!

  ‘Yes okay, OKAY, I have to try’
Brian shouted out aloud.

  ‘Try what Brian, what are you talking about, are you alright?’ Sarah asked.

  Sarah and Jones were still trying to figure out precisely what plan C was.

  ‘So, are we all agreed, let Lucy take it from here?’ Brian asked.

  Jones nodded in agreement, he was past caring.

  Sarah said, ‘Yeah, I’m in, what have we got to lose? But for god’s sake, can we get a move on?’

  ‘Okay, thanks. Lucy, we’re all in your hands now.’ Brian said.

  Lucy led the way back down the volcano slope and down into the cinder cone. The second alien spaceship was hidden behind a false wall, adjacent to where the mother-ship had lain, before it was taken away, thirty-seven years ago. It was a back-up, a smaller version, to be used in an emergency, only that never happened.

  ‘We need to break down this wall, it should be easy, it was only made to appear like a rock face, but in fact, it is quite thin.’ Lucy informed them.

  Brian scanned the area for something to smash the wall down, ‘How about these old chains, they must have left them here all those years ago when they hauled the spaceship out,’ Jones explained.

  Brian picked up a length of heavy chain, ‘Only one way to find out, stand back.’

  He took a swing at the wall, nothing happened. Adjusting his stance, he took another shot and this time the chain bit into the wall, displacing a piece about a foot square. Jones grabbed another chain and emulated Brian. Several blows later and they had smashed down an area of wall large enough to reveal the hidden spaceship. Lucy and Sarah had joined the fray and together kicked the remaining edges away, the remaining aperture was now large enough for the smaller spaceship to exit from.

  ‘My god, all these years and neither I or Dr Carter ever knew it was here.’ Jones exclaimed, shaking his head.

  The spaceship was small, about the size of a large panel van, and of dark foliage green colour. It had similar spherical vertices interlinked with short interconnecting tubes.

  Brian smiled, shaking his head, ‘Lucy, what the hell, how come you didn’t mention this before?’