The Most Dangerous Mitch in the Multiverse

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The Most Dangerous Mitch in the Multiverse Page 21

by Paul Ormond


  “You said you weren’t going to bring it up again,” XiaoFan said.

  “I’m reporting in. It seemed like relevant information,” Sanchez said.

  “It’s not relevant,” Christine said. “Things are about to get interesting. Let’s stay focused.”

  “Agreed,” Ramon said. “I’m taking this thing to full throttle.”

  “Nobody move,” Christine said. “If the cloak fails, we’ll be lit up like Christmas trees.”

  “Ok, we’re at full power now,” Ramon said while he pushed back against the device in his hand. The beam had quadrupled in size and it took all of his effort to keep it in place.

  “It’s doing what it’s supposed to do, but I’m not seeing any activity on the surface,” Ramon said, fighting against the beam.

  “Just keep blasting it,” Christine said as she looked back and forth between the levels on her display and the beam of light pounding into the mountain of debris. A flash of light on the far surface crackled into the air, followed by another.

  “Uh, I think something is happening,” Sanchez said. “There’s like lightning or something going off on the rocks over here.”

  “That’s what we want to hear,” Christine said. “The particles are being activated, causing the reaction to begin.”

  “Should I take it to phase three?” Ramon asked.

  “If you think you can handle it,” Christine said before more spikes of light jumped across the enormous pile. “We’re going to need to pick up the pace, in my opinion. We’ve got three quarters left in the energy pool to power the cloak, but if we drain it, that won’t leave much left for us to get out of here.”

  “I hear that. I’m kicking it up to top gear,” Ramon said, bringing up his panel and cranking the dial. The beam spread out across the top of the mound, illuminating the space underneath the cloak. The light was enough to make him squint even with his blast shield down. “It’s wide open now. How are we looking?”

  “I’ve got activity at base level. I think we’ll start to see some real action in a second,” Christine said, keeping her eye on the display.

  A cascade of crackling energy rippled over the mountain of debris, and a large collection of blue light had gathered overhead in a whirling cloud of particles and energy. More mass was added to the cloud by the second as the mechanism continued to blast away at the waste pile.

  “Now we’re talking,” Ramon said. “How are we looking over there, Christine?”

  “I’m seeing a high concentration of 57-71 within the cloud and a host of other materials,” Christine said, looking up from her display. “I’m going to start drawing the elements into the receptacle. Just keep blasting away.”

  “Have we hit the mother load?” Ramon asked while he watched the cloud balloon overhead.

  “You could say that, but don’t count your chickens until they’ve hatched?” Christine said before pressing a translucent button.

  “Yeah, I’ve heard that before,” Ramon said. “Let’s stop counting and start sucking.”

  “The process is underway,” Christine said before the sphere she had sent out over the mound entered into a rapid spin. Its motion pulled against the cloud, causing a stream of illuminated particles to flow toward the receptacle. “Is everybody all right on the other end?”

  “We’re hanging in here,” Sanchez said. “Just enjoying the light show. And I didn’t even mention XiaoFan vomiting either.”

  “I don’t see how saying it that way is any different?” XiaoFan said.

  “This is something you might have to get used to with this crew, XiaoFan,” Christine said. “It shouldn’t be much longer. Sit tight and we’ll be out of here in a flash.”

  “How are we looking for power?” Ramon asked.

  “Less than half now,” Christine said. “I think we should quit while we’re ahead. We’ve got more than enough material here.”

  “The plan was to take it to one-third power,” Ramon said. “We stick to the plan. We might not get another shot at this, so I say we take as much as we can.”

  “It’s your call, but we’re taking a risk by staying exposed,” Christine said.

  “Just a little more,” Ramon said. “Don’t get antsy. We’ll be fine. No one knows we’re here and everything is going to plan.”

  “Uh does anybody see those lights on the horizon?” Sanchez asked.

  “What lights?” Ramon asked, looking over his shoulder.

  “The ones that weren’t there before,” Sanchez said.

  “Yeah, we’ve got multiple bogeys incoming from the Southwest,” Christine said.

  “How is this possible?” Ramon said. “Begin shut down phase immediately and secure that payload. We need to get out of here fast.”

  “Shut down is underway, and the payload is secure,” Christine said while the sphere pulled away from the whirling mass.

  “I’m going to tone down the beam,” Ramon said. “How long until they make contact? And who the hell are these guys?”

  “Can’t tell who they are, but they appear to be using some kind of inReal related device,” Christine said while watching her panel.

  “I think I’m gonna be sick,” XiaoFan said.

  “Not now,” Ramon said as the beam decreased. “Everybody stay cool. Nobody is getting caught. How soon until we can get out of here?”

  “Last thing we need to do is shut down the cloak,” Christine said. “But if we do that, we risk exposing ourselves.”

  “I’ve got a better plan,” Ramon said, scanning the horizon. “How long until they engage us?”

  “A couple minutes.”

  “And how much juice have we got left for this shield?”

  “We’re less than 50% now.”

  “Have we gotten a sufficient amount out of the mound?”

  “I’d say it’s more than sufficient.”

  “All right, get the extract free I’m gonna pump the cloud with a bunch of juice. When they get close enough, we cut the cloak and I’ll blast the cloud right in their faces. As they try to figure out what is happening, we’ll be long gone.”

  “Could work,” Sanchez said.

  “It has to,” Ramon said.

  “How do you know they’re hostile?” Christine asked.

  “They’re hostile,” Ramon said, pressing forward. “They’re either a government agency or a rogue group, but there is no way they roll up on this spot in the middle of the night to say hello.”

  “How do you think they found us?” XiaoFan asked.

  “Might’ve lucked out with a satellite reading, or maybe they had a tail on us since the last job,” Ramon said.

  “Since the last job?” XiaoFan asked.

  “This isn’t the first stop on our world tour, XiaoFan,” Sanchez said.

  “And it won’t be our last either,” Ramon said while he continued to pump energy into the cloud causing it to swell at an alarming rate. “How close are we to contact, Christine?”

  “Less that than a minute.”

  “This is it people,” Ramon said, continuing to blast. “Christine, you’ve got the extract. Sanchez, you’ve got XiaoFan. If we get separated, we meet up at the rendezvous point.”

  “Where is the rendezvous point?” XiaoFan asked in a panic.

  “If you lose us just blend in with the crowd,” Ramon said. “We’re the ones that stick out like sore thumbs around here.”

  “They’re getting close now,” Christine said. “Less than 30 by my count.”

  “Ok, you count us down then,” Ramon said, still shooting the sphere. “On Christine’s count, we cut the cloak and bolt. Is everybody ready?”

  “We’re not going to have time to count down,” Christine said. “We’ve got to cut it now.”

  “Just do it then,” Ramon shouted.

  Christine hit a button on her panel, and a dazzling light burst into the sky as the illuminated dust cloud was uncloaked.

  “Get moving,” Ramon said before he pushed forward. “These guys are in for
a surprise.”

  Brushing his hand over the mechanism, the beam rammed a large bolt of energy into the cloud. Before he had a chance to react, the explosion knocked him backward, and he found himself spinning out of control over the tailing ponds surrounding the mound. After several hundred feet, Ramon managed to regain control, and he shot toward a cloud bank for cover.

  An enormous spire of debris rose into the air over the plant as he scanned the horizon for any pursuers or his companions, but nothing moved. Not waiting for anyone to show, he pushed on through the cloud and pulled up his panel. A blip on the screen indicated the rendezvous point. Readjusting his route, he banked to the West.

  Passing over several steep valleys, he came down in a clearing surrounded on all sides by thick pine trees. He cut toward the tree line to find cover but stopped when he heard a low whistle.

  “Hey wide load, we’re over here,” Sanchez’s voice said through the trees. “Just follow my voice.”

  “I think I can see you,” Ramon said, changing direction.

  “I bet they can see your huge ass all the way up in space,” Sanchez said. “That’s probably how they found us.”

  “This isn’t a joke, Sanchez,” Ramon said. “Whoever they were, they were definitely looking for us.”

  “I’m sure that wasn’t the last time we’ll be seeing them,” Christine said. “But we need to get out of here fast.”

  “Our plans haven’t changed,” Ramon said. “Did you secure the exact?”

  “I got it,” Christine said. “I’ve cloaked it and we’ll have plenty of juice to keep it hidden until we go underground. But that’s as long as your contacts keep up their end of the bargain.”

  “They will,” Ramon said. “They’re initiates and down for all this.”

  “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to fill me in a bit here,” XiaoFan said.

  “Sorry, forgot about you in all the excitement,” Ramon said. “Uh, welcome to the Cell.”

  “What are you talking about? I need to get home,” XiaoFan said.

  “There’s no going back for you now,” Ramon said. “Whoever was after us definitely knew about you. They’ve probably already been to your house.”

  “But my sister,” XiaoFan said before tears ran down her cheek.

  “You guys knew what you were getting into before we came along,” Ramon said. “I’m sure you already had a plan for this.”

  “She was never directly involved with the business,” XiaoFan said. “She was just a kid. She didn’t really know what was going on. I sent her to my aunts before we left.”

  “She’ll be fine then.”

  “I don’t know. This is all too much.”

  “Don’t be like that. You knew that this kind of action was a part of the gig.”

  “It’s a lot to comprehend is all.”

  “I bet it is, but don’t worry, we’ll take care of you.”

  “He’s right, you know,” Christine said, cutting in. “I was terrified when these guys took me in. At first I thought I was their prisoner, or something, but I realized I had already turned against my own government before I came to them. Ramon took care of me, and the Cell is really like a big family.”

  “Yeah, a big family of cutthroat lunatics,” Sanchez said as Ramon and Christine shot him dirty looks. “Lunatics with great big hearts.”

  “But what was all that about back there? Why do you need all this stuff?” XiaoFan asked.

  “We’re building an army, XiaoFan, and you’re going to help us,” Ramon said.

  “I can’t build you an army,” XiaoFan said.

  “But we’ve already started,” Ramon said. “This device was the first step. Next we’re going to process all this stuff we pulled out of that mountain and then the fun begins.”

  “How are you gonna do that? You’ll need a full smelting plant to process that much material.”

  “Don’t worry,” Ramon said before he activated his device. “We’ve taken care of everything. I already told them we’re bringing the master smelter with us. Everyone is really excited.”

  As the dust settled on the debris pile, several figures hovered over the ground at the peak of the mountain.

  “What the hell happened out there,” General Vargas shouted through the holographic screen.

  “I’m not entirely sure, but they used a weapon we haven’t seen before,” Lieutenant Colonel Barshall said after he snapped up his mask. “We’re lucky to be alive.”

  “I’m glad to hear that, but I’ve got the pentagon screaming in my ear about a massive blast corresponding with your position. The Chinese are freaking out right now. It’s about to turn into an international incident,” General Vargas said.

  “As much as I would like to make an excuse sir, there’s nothing we could have done to prepare for this situation. It’s a good thing we were wearing this heavy armor, or we’d all be done.”

  “I can work with that. We’ll tell the Chinese the terrorists set off a bomb. You have no idea the kind of strings I had to pull to get you clearance to operate there.”

  “I understand, and I’m sorry we couldn’t produce better results, but the trail is still fresh. We’ll be able to continue tracking them.”

  “You stay on it, and I’ll work on the Pentagon.”

  “Agreed, sir.”

  “We’ll leave it there,” General Vargas said and ended the broadcast.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  “SO NOW THAT we’re dating, TaeJun, what should our couple name be?” Kate asked after she stepped over a thick root. “I was thinking Park KateJun, but I think that’s a little obvious. I guess we’ll just have to let our fans decide.”

  “I thought we were playing the quiet game, Kate?” Mitch said.

  “Mitch, stop ruining our date,” Kate said. “It’s bad enough that we needed a chaperone and now you’re spoiling my fun.”

  “I know what you’re trying to do, but annoying me might be putting our lives at risk,” Mitch said while he crept past a bush.

  “Is everything all about you, Mitch?” Kate asked.

  “It’s not about me, Kate. Our friends are being held hostage and we’re trying to save them.”

  “By killing the enemy of their captors,” Kate said, dropping her smile. “Can’t you see you’re being played, Mitch? If we do manage to kill all these rebels, there’s only going to be another task after that.”

  “She’s right,” Gaelin said. “These types of relationships are never over. He, that Captain, has got us over the barrel, and I’m certain he intends to keep us there.”

  “There’s nothing we can do about that right now,” Mitch said. “This is where we are now. Let’s figure it out and see what comes up.”

  “But we’ve got our powers back, we could go anywhere,” Kate said.

  “Just run away and leave our friends behind?” Mitch asked, climbing over a rock. “That sounds like a move you would make.”

  “That’s not what I mean. Despite what you think, I’m not a monster and I’m a loyal team player. Just ask my boyfriend, TaeJun,” Kate said as she hopped around a tree. “There’s got to be another way to save them.”

  “If something else presents itself, I’ll happily consider it,” Mitch said. “But in the mean time, I think we need to focus on the task at hand. According to the Captain, the Masters are active on this planet. We could wind up running into our enemies before we know it. Juvius may have us over a barrel, but our friends are safe for now. If we play along, things will turn in our favor. We don’t have a lot of allies right now, so I think it’s best to get into the Captain’s good books even if he is a dick.”

  “I’m going to agree with Mitch there,” TaeJun said. “I don’t like the situation, but it’s better to keep him close for now.”

  “Look at you cozying up to Mitch, TaeJun,” Kate said. “Is there something you’re not telling me? Have you got your eyes on #epiccrotchshot boy? He’s got a girlfriend, you know. And SoHee’s got some serious firepower.�


  “She’s like this all the time,” Mitch said, picking his way past a thin tree.

  “I kind of figured that out a while back,” TaeJun said.

  “So now you guys are ganging up on me?” Kate asked. “That’s just typical. Suppressing women is what men do best.”

  “That is completely unfair,” Mitch asked as he stepped over a rock. “How are we suppressing you?”

  “By dismissing my ideas,” Kate said. “We’re lost in the multi-verse. There must be some alternative courses we could pursue?”

  “No one is disagreeing with you,” Mitch said. “If another way presents itself, we’ll consider it as a group. For now, we need to make sure our friends stay safe. I know going rogue is your thing, but it’s not the right move right now.”

  “But what about these rebels they sent us out here to kill?” Kate asked. “You’re fine with murdering a bunch of people to keep your friends safe?”

  “I never said I was fine with it,” Mitch said. “And I never said I was going to murder anyone.”

  “But that is the plan?”

  “That’s what they sent us out here to do, yes. But we have no idea what is going to happen. I’m not about to start murdering innocent people.”

  “But you could with that thing in your hands.”

  “I could, but I won’t,” Mitch said as he dropped into a crouch. “Get down. I think I see something up ahead.”

  “Like something alive?” Kate asked.

  “I saw something too,” TaeJun said.

  “I can’t see anything,” Gaelin said, peering ahead.

  “Let’s creep around and get a better look,” Mitch said as he moved behind a bush.

  Shuffling forward, he pressed his back to a tree and peeked around the trunk. In the middle of a narrow clearing, a clump of sparkling items sat atop a single pole.

  “What do you think it is?” TaeJun asked.

  “It looks like a shrine or something?” Mitch said.

  “It might be a trap,” Kate said.

  “You’re probably right,” Mitch said. “But we should still check it out. It might give us some clues about what we’re dealing with.”

 

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