by A. G. Taylor
“Why have they stopped?” Wei asked, crouching down by a stack of bricks.
“There must be some kind of barrier around the base,” Alex said. “To prevent the swarms from getting inside.”
Sarah nodded. “Luckily for us.”
“But what about Nestor and Octavio?” Louise asked. “They’ve been bitten by those spiders, right? Just like Robert was.”
Sarah placed a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll go back for them. We’re going to find a cure for the virus and save everyone.”
“What about the Entity?” Alex asked. “It must know we’re here.”
“No,” Sarah said. “I’m shielding our presence from it.”
Alex glanced at the thousands of spider eyes fixed upon them and gave her a sceptical look, but said nothing. He peeked around the edge of the bricks at the power station. On the roof area between the giant chimneys it was possible to make out the shape of sentries walking back and forth.
“It’s well defended,” he said.
“Can you get us inside?” Sarah asked.
“Not a problem.” Alex put his hand in Sarah’s. She in turn clasped Louise’s hand, who held onto Wei. Alex began to fade out... In less than five seconds both he and the others were completely invisible.
You’re getting faster at that, Sarah said.
Alex gave no reply, but pulled on her hand to indicate they should move. He led them from behind the bricks and out across the open ground towards the front of the power station. As they drew closer, they made out two giant doors at the front, open the width of a house.
This is weird, Louise said, meaning the sensation of walking while being unable to see your feet or legs.
Yeah, Wei agreed. What happens if you eat something while you’re invisible? Do you see it go into your stomach?
Don’t be stupid, Alex replied tersely as they approached a ramp leading up to the entrance. The ramp was wide enough to drive two trucks up side by side and bore a multitude of tiny scratch marks – no doubt made when the spiders trooped out of the building to take over the city.
A merc walked out of the station and down the ramp. Alex and the others paused as he passed, then carried on through the entrance and through the doors…
Wow, Louise said as she and the others looked over the inside of Bright’s base. Technicians sat on raised control decks along one side of the interior, while heavily armed mercs patrolled all around. Two helicopters sat ready for action at the far end of the building. Sunlight streamed down through the open roof…
And in the very centre was the hypersphere, its liquid surface reflecting and distorting the world around. Next to the sphere were two tables, upon which lay Hack and May.
Let’s get closer, Sarah said.
Alex led them into the station, keeping near the wall to avoid any technicians wandering around or mercs on patrol. They stopped level with the hypersphere. It was possible to see the straps holding Hack and May in place. Electrodes attached to their bodies stretched to monitoring equipment, which was in turn linked to the hypersphere itself. The surface of the sphere rippled and the shape of a newly formed robospider dropped from the bottom. It scuttled along the ground to join a group of a hundred or more on the floor, waiting to be mobilized like a battalion of tiny soldiers.
We have to get them free, Sarah said, looking over Hack and May. Remove them and the hypersphere will shut down.
Easier said than done, Alex replied. The raised area upon which the hypersphere sat was exposed to the entire base and packed with personnel – both scientific and military.
I’ll create a diversion while you get them free, Sarah said urgently. Her plan was hastily thought out, but they just didn’t have time to waste. Louise and Wei – be ready to give Alex backup if he needs it.
And who’s going to give you backup? Alex asked, concern in his voice.
Don’t worry about me. Sarah began to pull her hand free, but froze as a figure approached the hypersphere… Major Bright.
“Why has the spider production slowed?” Bright demanded as Marlon Good turned from one of the machines controlling the hypersphere. “I need armies.”
“The system is still bedding in,” Good replied. “You can’t expect one hundred per cent efficiency from the get-go.”
One of the technicians swivelled in his chair and indicated monitors showing brainwave activity in the two children strapped to the hypersphere.
“We’re pushing these kids too hard, sir,” the technician said. “Carry on like this and they’ll be vegetables within a few hours.” As if to prove the point, Hack gave a feeble cry from the table. On hers, May’s whole body jerked in pain.
Major Bright nodded, as if mulling over that point, before bending in to speak softly to the technician. “Poor little children. We mustn’t push them too hard, must we? Perhaps we should order in some pizza? See if they want to watch a Harry Potter movie?”
Marlon Good took a step back. The technician looked nonplussed. “I… Uh…”
Bright grabbed the technician’s head and slammed it onto the workbench. The man’s skull bounced off the table and he fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Around the base, Good’s people looked on in shocked disbelief. Marlon Good himself had gone a greenish colour at the sight of blood pouring from the technician’s broken nose.
Bright addressed the entire base, yelling as he did so. “Anyone else want to tell me how to run my plot to take over the world?” He paused for silence. “No? Then get back to work!”
Around the base, technicians suddenly found something important to do. Bright stepped up to Good, who swallowed heavily, no doubt expecting the worst.
“Do what you have to do,” Bright said quietly, keeping himself under control, “but get me more of those machines. When the world finds out what’s happening here, they’re going to throw everything they’ve got at us. We’ll be lucky if we just get nuked by China. We are going to need all the firepower we can manage. Understand?”
Good nodded. Bright stalked away to the other side of the base, where Kotler and more of his men were waiting. Laughter broke out among the mercs as their leader made a comment.
“Turn up the power on the ECG drain,” Good said to the nearest technician. “No arguments.” He looked at the unconscious tech on the floor. “And someone take care of him.”
At the side of the hypersphere, Alex led the others over to some cover by the wall. Sarah placed Louise’s hand in his and then pulled away. She immediately became visible again. We have to do this before they kill those kids, she said urgently. Wait here for my signal.
What signal? Alex asked.
Trust me, you’ll know it when you see it.
34
Sarah ran along the wall in a crouch, keeping to the shadows as she approached the helicopter landing area at the back of the base. In the distance she made out Major Bright. Although he was in contact with the Entity, the man showed no sign of sensing her. She’d told Alex that she was shielding their presence from the Entity, but this had been a lie – this close, there would be no hiding from it. Clearly the alien did not want Bright knowing she was there – but why? Once again she had the feeling of being drawn in… This is what the Entity wants, she reminded herself. It needs me more than Bright. It’s letting me get close, just like it did on the island…
Putting such thoughts aside to concentrate on the job in hand, she stopped near the two helicopters. It was relatively quiet at this end of the base and a single pilot stood guard over the Black Hawks, sitting on the open back of the nearest, smoking a cigarette. Sarah reached out with her mind and connected with his. The pilot’s head raised and the cigarette dropped from his lips. He stood and walked slowly over to her hiding place. Checking they were unseen, Sarah placed her hand against his right cheek, fingers splayed…
And scanned his mind for the information she needed – his expertise in piloting the chopper. It took less than ten seconds for her to learn everything the man knew about flying one of the Bl
ack Hawks.
“Return to your aircraft and get it in the air,” she ordered, lowering her hand.
The pilot nodded dumbly, completely under her control, and turned back to the landing area. Sarah watched from her hiding place as he climbed into the cockpit of the nearest machine and powered up the engine. The blades began to spin, picking up speed until they were whining away, ready for take-off. Sarah gave a concerned glance towards the other end of the base, but both the technicians and the mercs were too occupied with the hypersphere to pay much attention. No doubt they assumed it was just another patrol taking off.
The Black Hawk rose several metres, and then turned so it was facing down the power station. Rather than continue towards the open roof, however, the pilot sent the helicopter on a slow approach towards the other end of the base, where the majority of the mercs were stationed.
Fire your weapons, pilot, Sarah ordered.
The machine guns on both side of the Black Hawk opened up. The far wall of the power station exploded as hundreds of rounds ripped into the brickwork. Mercs scattered as debris rained down around them.
Rockets, Sarah ordered, smiling with satisfaction at the chaos she was causing.
The pilot fired two rockets down the length of the power station. They flew with a scream and hit one of the raised platforms. Technicians and mercs jumped free just in time as computer equipment exploded…
“That’s the signal, I guess,” Alex said as he, Louise and Wei watched with wide eyes the destruction being wreaked by the helicopter. “Stay here and cover me. I’m going after Hack and May.”
He released the hands of the other two children. They became visible, but during the present chaos, no one in the base was going to notice them crouched in the shadows. Alex remained faded-out as he ran onto the raised platform holding the hypersphere and the monitoring equipment. Marlon Good’s people, unused to barrages of machine-gun fire over their heads, had abandoned their posts and were sheltering under their desks. Good himself had retreated to the other side of the base and had tucked himself into a ball on the ground – all that was visible was two terrified eyes between his fingers. Mercs were firing their machine guns at the Black Hawk, but the pilot inside seemed oblivious to the danger as he strafed another area of the base with the twin machine guns.
Wasting no time, Alex moved to the table upon which Hack was strapped. The boy’s face was deathly pale, as if the machines had been sucking the very life out of him. Tearing away the fastenings on his legs and ankles, Alex then proceeded to rip off the electrodes attached around the boy’s forehead. Hack’s eyes flickered open as the connection with the hypersphere was severed and he looked around in confusion. Alex placed a hand over his mouth as he began to rise.
It’s okay, Alex said. Just stay still for a moment. I’m going to free the girl.
Hack nodded his understanding and lay back to gather his strength. Alex moved past the hypersphere to May’s table and began to repeat the operation of freeing her. If anything, she looked even more deathly than Hack. As Alex freed her from the machine, she barely managed to open her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the table.
“Hey!” Marlon Good yelled, no doubt surprised to see the girl levitating off the table. The American took a step towards them, and then flew back violently, as if pushed. He rolled into a heap on the floor. Louise appeared at the opposite side of the platform.
Hurry up, Alex! she said.
Becoming visible once more (there was little point in expending the energy now), Alex moved back to Hack, who had swung his legs off the table and stood, looking shaky on his feet.
“Can you walk?” Alex asked and the boy nodded.
The Black Hawk roared overhead, guns still firing wildly around the base. Mercs fired from every direction. Major Bright strode across the floor of the station, seemingly oblivious to the danger. He raised an open hand at the helicopter and its engine made a terrible groaning sound…
“Come on,” Alex said. “I don’t think the diversion is going to last much longer.”
They ran to the edge of the platform as Major Bright closed his fist... The fuselage of the helicopter crumpled inwards and the blades spun into the body of the vehicle. Bright twisted his fist and the vehicle compressed further, as if it had been put through an invisible crusher. The major opened his hand and the remains of the Black Hawk crashed to the ground. Around the station, the mercs stopped firing.
“The hypersphere!” Marlon Good shouted from his prone position on the floor as Alex and the others made the wall. Bright shouted an order and the guns opened up again. Alex ducked behind cover with May, closely followed by the others, as bullets ricocheted around them. A merc came running, but Wei threw up a wall of fire between them.
Over here! Sarah’s voice rang in their heads. The other helicopter!
Alex looked round and saw her waving from the landing pad. He didn’t need to tell the others – they started running for the back of the station. Alex carried May, while Hack leaned on Wei for support. As they went, Louise turned her attention to the hypersphere, which was now a dead lump of metal in the centre of the power station. As mercs approached on the other side she gave it a mental shove – the sphere detached from its frame and went rolling, crushing equipment and newly-formed robospiders as it went.
“Do you know how to fly this thing?” Alex asked Sarah as he put May in the back of the Black Hawk. Behind them, Louise was holding off the advancing mercs by deflecting their bullets and throwing anything that wasn’t bolted down at them.
“I’m not going to fly it,” Sarah said. “You are.”
Without warning, Sarah leaned in and placed her lips against his in a kiss. As they made contact, Alex had the strangest sensation of learning a vast amount of information in a matter of seconds as Sarah pushed the know-how she’d previously extracted from the pilot’s head into his.
“Now get the others out of here,” she said, pulling away.
He looked at her without responding, a stunned expression on his face. She punched him hard on the shoulder.
“Wake up, Alex!”
Alex came to his senses and grabbed her arm as she started across the landing pad. “Where do you think you’re going?”
She met his eyes. “Bright and the Entity will never let you out of this building unless I give them what they want.”
“And what do they want?”
“Me,” she replied. “The Entity wants to join with me like it has with Major Bright.”
Alex shook his head. “That’s crazy. You can’t surrender—”
“It’s the only way. You have to get Hack and May as far away from the hypersphere as possible – and you’ll need them to destroy the robospider swarms.”
“But what about you?”
“The Entity thinks it can control me,” Sarah said defiantly, “but I think differently. Somewhere in its consciousness is a cure for the fall virus. A cure for Robert and all the others who’ve been infected. This is the only way we’re going to get it.”
“And what if you aren’t strong enough?” Alex asked. “What if you become part of the Entity for ever?”
“Then you’ll just have to find a way to kill me.”
Alex looked away. “You planned this all along, didn’t you? You knew you weren’t coming back with us the moment we boarded the stealth jet.”
Sarah placed her hand on his and gently pulled her arm free. “It’s the only way, Alex.”
“I’m not letting you go—”
“Please, Alex. The others need you now.”
Sarah! He’s coming!
It was Louise’s voice calling urgently from where she and Wei were fighting off the mercs. Both Sarah and Alex looked round and saw Major Bright stride through a wall of flame. Louise threw a computer tower the size of the man at him, but the major brushed it aside like it was made of cardboard.
PLAYTIME’S OVER, CHILDREN, he said with a smile.
Sarah looked at Alex and
said, “You know what to do.”
With that, she ran towards Louise and Wei and ordered them back to the helicopter…before turning to face Major Bright.
35
“Sarah,” Major Bright said. “You finally made it.” He held up a hand and the mercs ceased fire.
“Let my friends go,” Sarah said, glancing back at the landing pad. “Then I’ll give you whatever you want.”
Bright laughed. “You’re in no position to bargain.”
“And I’m not talking to you, Major.”
A look of confusion passed over Bright’s face… His eyes went blank…
Sarah, the Entity said. I told you this was inevitable.
I see that now. Let my friends leave.
Why? The end of their world is at hand. You only prolong their agony by saving them.
Do it for me… And I’ll cooperate. I know it’s me you need, not Major Bright and not anyone else in this building.
You overestimate your importance to my plans.
Do I?
Very well, the Entity said finally. I will not stop them leaving the base. Once they are outside, however, they are on their own.
Sarah nodded. Eyes still blank, Major Bright raised his right hand and held it out to her, palm up. Sarah hesitated.
Well? Do we have a deal or not?
Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand in his… His fingers closed around hers…
And the world began to melt away…
Inside the helicopter, Alex and the others watched Sarah standing before the major.
“What’s she doing?” Louise demanded. “We have to help her!”
“No,” Alex said, flipping a series of switches on the ceiling of the cockpit. The giant blades began to turn. “She told us to get out of here.”
“But we can’t—”
“This is the only way,” Alex said, looking Louise hard in the eyes. “Do you understand? Sarah is doing this so we can escape.”
