by Paul Moxham
Muscles nodded. “You’re right. Grab your stuff and follow me.” He turned, opened the door, and hurried down the stairs.
~*~*~
As Kenneth walked down the main street of South Lake Tahoe, the charred remnants of buildings indicated that a fire had ripped through the town. This had occurred recently, very recently. He paused and studied a particular building. Looking through the broken glass, he spotted some smoke. He drew back and, with his hand on his pistol, glanced around.
“What’s wrong?” Molly asked.
“You think whoever did this is still in the area?” Derek questioned, also looking around.
Kenneth nodded. “This fire wasn’t started three weeks ago when the Seods struck.”
“Maybe it was the same group that attacked the army men at the camp we saw,” Molly suggested.
“Yes,” Kenneth said. “That would make sense. The question that remains though is whether or not those people are still around.”
“Let’s not stay to find out,” Molly said.
“We’ll need a vehicle if we’re going to get to Sparks,” Kenneth said, “so let’s start looking. The buildings don’t look as damaged on this side of town, so let’s walk over there.”
Kenneth led the way with the teens following close behind. It took them fifteen minutes to find a vehicle that worked. After taking some food they found in one of the stores, Kenneth drove out of town.
As Derek spotted Kenneth heading west, he pursed his lips. “Why this way? Isn’t it longer?”
“Yes, but I want to get as far away as possible from those Seods we saw at the ski resort. If for some reason they’re still pursuing us for the briefcase, they’ll be searching that side of the lake, not this one. At least that’s the plan. But with things the way they are, if you could keep watch—”
“I’ll look to the left,” Molly interrupted.
“I’ll take the right,” Derek said.
Kenneth nodded. “Thanks. I know it’s been a rough twenty-four hours or so, but once we get to Sparks, you can have a nice, long rest.”
“What if the soldiers aren’t there?” Molly said.
“Ah, well, let’s hope they are. Fortunately, I don’t have to meet up with my brother for another couple of days, so we have time to spare, but the sooner I get rid of this briefcase, the better.” Kenneth gazed across at the object sitting on the front passenger seat. “I still have no idea what it is, but as I’ve held on to it for this long, I may as well go a bit longer.”
“How long will it take to get to Sparks?” Molly asked.
“I don’t know.” Kenneth took the map that he’d been carrying around from the start of their trip and handed it to the girl. “Take a look at it and work out the best way.”
As the white sedan headed down Emerald Bay Road, Kenneth began to relax. He took note of the beautiful scenery they were passing and pointed it out to the teens.
Lake Tahoe was stunning any time of day, but especially during the morning as the sun shone down on the crystal blue water. Even if it was for just a few minutes, Kenneth wanted to forget about the alien attack, the shootings, the blood, the dead bodies—basically everything that had happened in the past three weeks.
As the vehicle suddenly swerved to the left, Kenneth was brought back to reality. Grabbing the wheel with both hands, he brought the vehicle under control and braked. A few yards later, the sedan stopped.
“What just happened?” Molly asked, brushing her curly hair out of her eyes.
“I must have run over a sharp rock.” Kenneth climbed out and hurried to check on the tire that he assumed would be damaged. As he stared at the faulty tire, he saw a small hole. Peering closer, he realized that something had nicked the edge of the tire. He frowned. It suddenly all made sense.
“Shoot!” Kenneth ran back to the driver’s side. As he leaped in and turned the key in the ignition, the entire front windshield shattered. Glass flew everywhere.
“What is going—” Derek hissed.
“Keep down!” Kenneth shouted as he slammed down on the accelerator. With a screech and the smell of burning rubber, the vehicle thundered down the road.
Kenneth didn’t even try to remove a piece of glass that had pierced his skin, that was the least of his worries, especially when another side window was shattered.
With his foot down on the accelerator, he tried to reach for his pistol that was on the passenger seat, but as two Seods emerged from the trees farther down the road and fired their silencers, he had to swerve from side to side.
The energy bolts hit the metal of the sedan but didn’t do any serious damage. However, Kenneth knew that if a green bolt hit one of the tires, there’d be no way to maintain control of the vehicle. Looking at the speedometer, he realized they were slowing down because of the tire that’d been punctured by a green bolt.
He racked his brain for a solution as the vehicle careened down the road with the Seods in pursuit. They were running out of time. The tire would soon be torn to shreds, and then they’d be forced to stop whether they wanted to or not.
Derek grabbed a pistol and aimed it at the back windshield.
“Get down!”
“But—” Derek spluttered.
“Get down!” Kenneth thundered, shooting Derek an angry glance. As the boy obeyed, Kenneth noticed that there were a couple of tight turns on the road ahead. He went to put his foot on the brake, but as a green bolt smashed his rearview mirror, he thought better of it. Instead, he accelerated.
Kenneth knew that it was going to be tight going around the corners, and he was right. He was approaching the third corner when he failed to make the turn. “Grab hold of something! We’re going to cra—”
The vehicle plowed into the pine trees alongside the road. The sedan screeched past several trees before it came to a stop in front of a massive tree.
“Everyone out!” Kenneth grabbed the backpack, and thrust the pistol, briefcase, and map inside.
As the three stumbled through the bushes, Kenneth glanced back. He couldn’t see any Seods at the moment, so he knew they had a small lead. “Run as fast as you can and follow me!”
“Where’re we going?” Molly asked, fear on her face.
Kenneth didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure. It’d all depend on what he saw once they were through the trees. They continued going downhill for about another two minutes, and then the trees parted as Emerald Bay came into view.
Skidding to a stop, Kenneth hurriedly glanced around. He saw no Seods. Listening, he could hear noises behind them. He was sure that the Seods would soon catch up. Looking across at the bay, he saw that half of it was frozen.
“Where’ll we go?” Derek asked.
“We could head for that island,” Molly said, pointing.
Kenneth gazed at Fannette Island—the only island in Lake Tahoe. Though he had never visited the tiny, sparsely timbered, brush-covered island, he could see that there wouldn’t be too many places to hide. Besides, the ice didn’t reach as far as the island. It stopped roughly a hundred feet short.
“We don’t have a boat,” Kenneth said. “But we can still travel across the ice. If the Seods come after us, we’ll see them coming.”
Molly followed her brother as they tested the ice. It looked and felt solid, so they started walking fast across the bay.
They made steady progress and were halfway across when Kenneth paused. Frowning, he took out the binoculars and gazed through them.
Focusing them on the trees on the other side of the lake, he swept the glasses from side to side. Dropping them, he turned to the teens. “We have a problem.”
“What do you mean?” Derek asked.
“I think Seods are waiting for us on the other side of the bay,” Kenneth stated.
Molly looked back and forth. “Why do you think that?”
“I think I saw something shiny,” Kenneth replied.
“Why would they wait?” Derek asked. “If they can see us, why wouldn’t they come and get us?”
Kenneth sighed as he thought. Looking through the binoculars once more, he gazed all around the bay. It disturbed him that he couldn’t see any Seods.
“Maybe they don’t like the ice,” Molly said.
“The one I saw went on the ice,” Kenneth said. “No, I don’t think that’s the reason.”
“Maybe they want to be sure that we’ve got the briefcase,” Derek said.
Kenneth nodded. “That could be it.”
“So, what should we do?” Molly asked. “We can’t just stand here.”
“We’ll continue. After all, I’m not positive that there are Seods in front of us.” Kenneth hurried off.
After walking for five more minutes, Derek stopped. “Hey, I think I saw something.”
Even without the binoculars, Kenneth realized that Derek was right. Wanting to confirm it, he looked through the binoculars. He didn’t see anything at first and then he saw two Seods next to a tree and a rock. They appeared to be talking to each other.
Suddenly, they looked at him. They stared back as he gazed at them. After several seconds, they disappeared into the bushes. Scanning the rest of the shoreline, he saw nothing at first and then several Seods slowly walked onto the ice.
“Oh no!” Molly gasped as she saw the creatures.
“Look! They’re over there as well,” Derek exclaimed, pointing to the other side of the bay.
Kenneth turned around and saw that the teen was right. Spinning around, he realized that the Seods were trying to surround them. “This way.” He ran toward the only remaining part of the shoreline that was free of creatures, but skidded to a stop five seconds later as he caught sight of movement by the trees.
A moment later, two Seods stepped onto the ice. Within a matter of seconds, four more joined them.
“Shoot!” Kenneth clenched his fist in frustration.
“What do we do?” Molly said.
“There’s nothing we can do,” Kenneth said. “We’re outnumbered.” He pulled out the pistol and checked the bullets. “There’re only three rounds left.” He raised his hands. “We can only hope that they set us free after they get the briefcase back.”
Derek stared at Kenneth. “Surely there’s something we can do.”
Kenneth shook his head as he watched the Seods advance toward them. “They’ve got us outnumbered and outgunned.”
Molly raised her hands, but Derek shook his head. “No. We can’t surrender.” He frowned and glanced around. A slight smile appeared on his face. He turned to Kenneth. “You know that Seod that followed you? The one that died in the lake?”
Kenneth nodded. “Yes. Why?”
“Well, what if he died because he couldn’t swim?” Derek said hopefully.
Kenneth smiled. “Maybe. Just maybe.” Making a decision, he turned to the teens. “Follow me!”
Rushing across the ice, he ran toward where the water lapped the edge. Skidding to a stop, he stared across at Fannette Island.
“I didn’t know you could swim,” Molly stated, surprised.
Kenneth sighed. “I can’t. Not really. But in a situation like this …” He paused as he saw the Seods run toward them. “We need to go now.” He turned to Derek. “Stay close to your sister. Whatever happens, head for the island. Your life depends on it.”
Taking a deep breath, Kenneth dived into the water. A second later, the teens joined him in the dark blue water.
Molly was the first to rise above the surface and start swimming toward the island. Glancing back, she saw that the Seods were now racing to where they had jumped off.
Green bolts slammed into the water around the three swimmers.
Kenneth sucked in air. “Dive!”
Taking a big gulp of fresh air, Molly dived underneath the water. She continued swimming toward the island as fast as she could. As soon as the green bolts hit the water, they lost their momentum and quickly died.
After half a minute or so under the water, Molly resurfaced. She glanced back and saw that the Seods had reached the water. She watched as one jumped in. She frowned. This was the moment that she had been dreading. If the creature was able to swim, it would be all over.
Chapter 18
Xavier gazed down at a map spread out on the table in the dining room. “It’s a risky plan, but I can’t see any other option.”
The group was lounging about in the room that had been their rest stop for the past couple of hours. They’d eaten, cleaned themselves up, and were now deciding on a plan of action.
Xavier turned toward Muscles, who’d been the one to suggest the current plan. “How long do we have to accept the plan?”
Muscles glanced at his watch. “I believe we have an hour. Hang on while I check the exact time with Jet.”
As Muscles left the room, Xavier turned to Logan, who was only now getting dressed, having recently had a shower. “What do you think?”
Logan zipped up his blue jeans and put on a t-shirt that said ‘I love America’ before he responded. “I made a mistake last time by going with my gut and nearly got somebody killed, so I’m on board with this new plan.”
“I’d like this plan better if I knew who the spy was,” Baldy said as he stood up and walked over to the map. “I don’t trust many people, so how can I trust someone whom I don’t even know? Hell, I don’t even know his name.”
“I don’t know his name either,” Peter said, “but I’m game. It’s clear we can’t stroll into The View like we did last time, so hiding in the truck seems like a good option.”
“What if it’s a trap?” Baldy said.
Logan frowned. “You know, I don’t quite get you.” He studied the bald man for another moment before he spoke. “By the way, how’d you get those scars on your face?”
Baldy hesitated. “What’s it matter to you?”
“Just wondering,” Logan replied. “You seemed happy to attack The View last night, but now you’re hesitant. Why? By the looks of it, you’ve been in a lot of fights, but I sense that something in this plan doesn’t fit with you. Am I right?”
“Damn right you are,” Baldy retorted. “Make no mistake, as you said, I’ve had my share of scrapes here and there, and I’m willing to take a gamble when the stakes are right, but—”
“But what?” Xavier asked.
“I don’t like going into something without knowing everything.” Baldy paused as Muscles came back. “Why can’t we meet Alpha before this plan gets underway?”
Muscles stared at Baldy. “Don’t you trust my judgment?”
There was a moment of silence. Baldy smiled thinly. “Of course. You know that. It’s just that I like to know all the players that are involved in a situation like this.”
“What if we were to meet him at the garage?” Logan glanced at Muscles. “Could that be arranged?”
“Possibly.” Muscles hesitated. “I guess it would be good to get an update from the inside.”
“They might even know what floor Lucy is on,” Logan said.
“Will we leave the same way?” Peter said.
Muscles nodded. “That’s the plan, but I’m open to any suggestions. So, if we’re all in agreement, I’ll contact Alpha.” As the rest of the group nodded, Muscles left.
An hour later, he returned. “It’s all set.” He pulled out a map from his pocket and laid it on the table. “The pickup is here at four. So we’ll arrive at the garage just before four thirty. The meeting is arranged for six.”
“So what do we do if we fail?” Peter said.
“We’re not going to fail,” Muscles replied. “Especially not now.” He paused for a moment and then glanced around at everyone. “This has gone on long enough. Tonight is the night that it stops. One way or another.”
“I don’t think—” Logan said.
“It’s too late for thinking,” Muscles replied, a thin smile appearing on his face.
“What do you mean?” Logan asked, not quite understanding why Muscles was smiling.
“I just spoke to one of my
few remaining contacts. I left him with instructions to contact everyone that was not injured to attack The View at nine this evening.”
“What? I didn’t know that was the plan,” Baldy cried out, shocked.
Logan shared a glance with Xavier before turning to Muscles. “Can I have a word with you, in private?”
“Of course.” Muscles followed Logan into the kitchen. He leaned against the wall. He stared at Logan. “Something troubling you?”
“You’re darn right it is,” Logan replied, bristling with anger and annoyance. “What’s up with telling your men to attack tonight? That wasn’t part of the plan.”
“Well, the plan changed,” Muscles replied.
Logan shook his head. “This was my plan and you can’t—”
“Your plan!” Muscles thundered. He glared at Logan and walked right up to him, his face inches from his. “This has been my plan from day one. You’re just fortunate that I included you.”
“Really? Your plan? We’re talking about Lucy, my—”
“I’m not talking about some woman,” Muscles thundered. “I’m talking about the future. The future of San Francisco. I’ve been fighting Carlos Sanchez for two weeks now, and if you think I was going to risk my men just to rescue one woman, well, you don’t know me.”
Muscles strode out of the kitchen and gazed at the others. “Does anyone else have any other questions about tonight?”
“I thought we were going to rescue a woman, not start World War Three,” Baldy complained.
“Yeah, what’s going on?” Peter questioned. “I’m all for new plans, but this—”
“Silence!” Muscles crossed his arms. As everyone fell silent, he resumed speaking. “Most of you know that I’ve lost a lot of close friends these past few weeks. Some due to the alien attack, but most because of Sanchez. As I went to meet Alpha, I realized that tonight was the perfect opportunity to end this fighting once and for all.”
“How many men are we talking about?” Peter said.
“Not sure exactly, but roughly a hundred,” Muscles replied.
Everyone looked shocked. Baldy seemed the most affected. He staggered about until he found a seat to collapse into. He stared at Muscles. “A hundred men? How on Earth did you get a hundred men? I didn’t think there were so many left.”
