Hope: Book 8 in The Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series

by Peebles, Chrissy

  Thorn shook his head.

  She leaned in close and eyed him straight on. “We had no clue about a microchip to stop this weapon or any knowledge about your team coming. Every scientist here knew they were as good as dead anyway, so we rigged the system so that when the weapon fired, the ship would blow up, and the inhabitants of Earth would be safe.” Kira took a deep breath. “But we didn’t have time to finish it. We needed Veeta crystals to activate the device.”

  “Do you know what that microchip was made of?” asked Thorn.

  “Let me take a wild guess,” said Casey. “Veeta crystals?”

  Jack blinked. “So when we inserted the chip made of Veeta crystals, we finished what the scientists were trying to accomplish. We reversed the weapon to blow up the ship instead of Earth.”

  Mike turned toward the corridor, the clanking of his armor echoing in the sudden silence. “Judgment Day is so happenin’. Let’s get out of here!”

  “No, wait!” Casey held a hand up. “We can’t leave yet.”

  Mike paused midstride and turned, frowning. “Why not? Give me one good reason why I’d want to stay on a ship that’s about to explode.”

  “Because I’m not leaving my parents behind,” said Casey.

  “Neither am I,” said Kira. “Commander Tio kidnapped my father and threatened to execute him if I wouldn’t cooperate. I’m not stepping foot off this ship without my father.”

  “We talked about this,” said Mike, taking a step toward Casey. “Your parents were rescued.”

  “Nope,” she said.

  Mike’s gaze focused on her. “What? What’re you talking about? How do you know?”

  “Remember that strange light in the sky that changed colors right before the storm?”

  “The star?”

  “It wasn’t a star. It was a scout ship, and they kidnapped my parents. The same might’ve happened to us had the storm not interrupted their plans. My mom and dad are in some kind of coma in these glass pod thingies, together with a bunch of other people. Kira’s father might be in one of them too.”

  Kira gasped. “You found the Deep Sleep Lab? Where?”

  Mike put his silver robot head back on. It double clicked in place when he hit it on the top. “Quick! Let’s go break ‘em out and get ourselves off this space bucket. I don’t know about you guys, but I have no intention of becoming space debris.”

  “If you want us to break out of this joint, you’d better cuff us so we look like your prisoners.” Casey dangled a pair of handcuffs that she’d found behind the counter.

  “That won’t work,” said Thorn. “Every guard’s looking for us. They’re quarreling over who gets to turn us over to Commander Tio. He bribes his soldiers, so eager rebels will snatch us up from a robot in a heartbeat.” He pointed to a stove-sized orange box on top of a thick silver plate by the metal desk. “We can hide, and Mike can carry us.”

  Mike groaned. “You’re kidding me, right?”

  “Won’t work,” said Casey. “We’re too heavy, even for Arnold here.”

  “We’ll be light as a feather.” Kira guided Casey over by the elbow. “The plate’s a hovering dolly. Mike and I will guide it.”

  “And this’ll work?” asked Jack.

  Thorn scooted the box onto the plate, nodding. “The rebels won’t suspect a thing.”

  Casey, Jack, and Thorn climbed in, and Mike closed the flaps. They sat facing each other, knees touching. Casey took a deep breath, summoning her parents’ picture before her eyes. If we could only get to them on time, we might be able to save their lives.

  Mike’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Hey, Casey, when we get there, just pretend like you’re popping out of a five-foot-tall cake.”

  “Yeah, we’ll have a cake-popping good time,” she called back.

  The container shook, emitting soft whir as it began to move. The box shifted as Mike and Kira started to guide it across the room. Casey heard a swishing sound before the door opened, and soft light crept through the cracks. It was waiting game now, but the knowledge didn’t ease her nerves. Casey laid her head on Jack’s shoulder, and he clasped her fingers whispering, “We’ll be okay.”

  Loud, marching footsteps thumped down the hall. In the distance, shouting erupted.

  A shiver ran through Casey at the voice of a Grey, seemingly standing nearby. “We have soldiers down in the Sky Pod. Find Thorn and those pathetic humans NOW!”

  “Yes, sir,” said another soldier, his voice coming from a completely different direction.

  Casey rolled her eyes. If Mike started his antics again, they’d find themselves in a cell again, and this time they might need the real Terminator to save their butts.

  Chapter 5

  The corridor flooded with footsteps. Every muscle in Casey’s body tightened as she listened to the soldiers’ voices outside of the box that Mike and Kira pushed along on the hovering dolly. Will they discover us in here? Closing her eyes, she pictured her mom’s and dad’s faces. She was so close to rescuing them. Please don’t let them get caught, she prayed. All she wanted was to make it to her parents safely and burst out of the so-called cake in one piece.

  The footsteps and voices faded away, and minutes passed. Casey held her breath as she stared at the tiny streams of light coming in through the cracks. Will the enemy come back? What’s happening? Why isn’t anyone saying anything? She straightened in Jack’s grip, her heart starting to hammer again.

  Suddenly, Mike tapped on the box and whispered, “Coast’s clear, guys. We’re at the Deep Sleep Lab. Let’s get this party started.”

  A whoosh resounded from the right as the door slid open. Jack gave Casey’s hand a squeeze, and she let out a tiny sigh of relief. The plate settled easily to the floor as the air dissipated from under it. Mike pried the box flaps open, and Casey stepped out, with Thorn and Jack right behind her.

  “So this is where people go when they’re abducted?” whispered Mike.

  Jack looked around, wide-eyed. “Who goes around putting people in glass coffins?”

  “A very sick person,” muttered Casey, but her mind was already miles away, picturing squeezing her parents tight and telling them everything would be okay. She blinked as she tried to remember which of the pods held her parents.

  “They’re in deep sleep capsules awaiting experimentation,” Thorn explained to Jack. “Half our population was killed, and others are slowly dying. The commander hopes to save our species by crossing your DNA with ours.”

  Kira waved a hand. “Why are you helping the humans? Shouldn’t you side with your people?”

  “Need I remind you that not all of our race is bad? Commander Tio was kicked out of our kingdom and branched off on his own. He’s considered a dangerous and out-of-control rebel by our leaders. They don’t condone his actions whatsoever, and neither do I.”

  “Father!” Kira cried, dashing toward one of the pods. Loud sobs rippled through her as she lifted the glass lid, revealing a large, dark shape lying motionless in the casket.

  Mike scurried over and patted her back.

  “I can’t believe they’re being stored in cryogenic chambers,” said Jack.

  “No, they’re not frozen, just sleeping.” Reaching for Thorn’s gloved hands, Casey turned to face him. “Please help my parents and all the other people here.”

  “I gave you my promise.” Thorn pushed a long red lever on the wall next to him. “This will release a gas that will allow them to regain consciousness. Once awakened, some will recover quickly, but others will be very frail. It affects everyone differently.”

  Nothing happened at first. Casey opened her mouth, about to say something, when a long hiss echoed throughout the room. The doors slid open on every glass pod. Lights flickered, then flashed on. A blanket of fog seeped out of the capsules. Casey charged through the thickening smoke. Any composure she’d managed to maintain broke as tears streamed down her cheeks. “Mom? Dad? Are you okay?” She covered her mouth and coughed.

  “
Casey? Is…is that really you?” Her mom’s voice came low and raspy.

  “Yes, it’s me. Are you all right?” Casey reached out and grabbed her in a tight hug. She let the tears flow freely, the back of her throat constricted with emotion. Hugging her mom was the best feeling in the whole world. She started to sob uncontrollably. It wasn’t like her at all to lose her cool, but she couldn’t help it. Just half an hour earlier, she’d thought she’d never see her mother again.

  Her mom’s gaze wandered around the room, taking in every detail with a frown perched between her brows. “What’s happening here?”

  Casey winced at how thin and fragile her mother sounded. She had to get everyone out of there because time was running out. The Greys could come in looking for them any minute. She squeezed her hands under her mom’s armpits and pulled upward with all her might, helping her stand on shaky legs. “We’ve got to get out of here, Mom. They’re everywhere, and we have no time to waste.”

  “Where are we going?” her mom asked. “Who’s they?”

  “I’ll explain later. C’mon,” Casey muttered. “Lean on Jack while I get Dad.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve got you, Mrs. Smith.” Jack held her steady.

  “Dad!” Casey helped her dad out of the pod. She wrapped her arms around him as more hot tears fell down her cheeks. “Can you remember anything?” He looked haggard, with dark circles under his eyes. Whatever that deep sleep was, it certainly wasn’t very refreshing; Casey decided she’d rather have a soft bed with goose down feathers any day.

  Groaning, he rubbed a hand over his face, lingering on his chin a tad too long. The way his eyes moved back and forth across the room without fixing on anything in particular told her his mind was just as foggy as he looked. “A plane or…” He stopped, clearing his voice. “Something weird beamed us up from the water. Then…” He shook his head. “Nothing.”

  “Mom, Dad, we’re going to get you out of here.”

  Casey scanned the room. A man fell to his knees and threw up. Some of the people stumbled around in a daze, some hugged each other and wept, and others collapsed. Most of them couldn’t walk more than a few steps. Thorn had said the effects would wear off, but how long that would take, exactly, Casey couldn’t tell. Her plan went about as far as getting there and opening the pods. After that, she had no idea what would happen, but seeing those people, helpless and reliant, she knew she had to keep up her hopes.

  Mike raced over and hugged Casey’s parents tight, and then his gaze shifted to Casey. “That weapon’s going off in two hours. Time we got outta here.”

  She nodded. “Any idea how we’re going to get all these people off the ship?”

  “I don’t know,” said Thorn, “but leaving them to their fate’s something we can’t do.”

  “Agreed.” Casey shot her mom an encouraging smile. “We didn’t come this far to give up.”

  “We’re on a ship?” her dad asked.

  She nodded and squeezed his hand. Carnival Cruises popped into her head, her favorite vacation. “Yes, but not the kind with dinner, dancing, and a waterslide, trust me.”

  “We’re not that far from the shipping dock,” said Mike. “The main corridors are as huge as four-lane highways. Why can’t we just fly our ship here and come get everyone? C’mon!”

  “It might work,” said Thorn. “Yes, it’s definitely worth a try.” He nudged Casey. “Are you ready?”

  She hesitated because she didn’t want to be separated from her parents, not ever again. Thorn, Mike, and Jack needed her help, but so did the others. Then again, there was no one to fill them in on the weapon and the ship exploding. It was a bad excuse for what she was about to say, but an excuse nonetheless. The others could believe it or not; she didn’t care. After taking a deep breath she said, “No, I’ll stay here. I’ll wait for you and fill these people in about everything.”

  “But Casey—” Jack started.

  She held up a hand to stop him. “Let me finish. Somebody has to stay and keep these people calm, focused, and in this room.” It felt wrong in all senses of the word to leave her parents and the others behind. If something happened…She shook her head, unable to finish the thought.

  Thorn inched closer, whispering, “You’re right! We can’t have these people wandering around the ship in a daze.”

  One of the Agarthians motioned Thorn over.

  “I’ll be right back,” said Thorn.

  “You so need to rethink this, Casey. We don’t have much time, and you know it,” said Mike. “We’ll bring your parents with us.”

  “They’re too weak.” She blinked, regarding him for the first time. The cuts and emerging bruises on his face gave him a dead-serious expression. He had almost lost his life, so naturally he was eager to get out of there, and he tried his best to manipulate her into giving in.

  Jack shifted his stance. “If Casey wants to stay, it’s her choice. Like Thorn said, we’ll come back. I’m not leaving without her or her parents.”

  Her dad nodded slightly. “I don’t know everything, but I think I see why Mike’s right. If my daughter has a chance of getting out of here, I want her to take it.”

  Since when is Mike the sensible one here?

  Her dad put a hand to his forehead. “If you don’t mind, though, I’m going to sit down by the wall. I’m feeling dizzy.”

  Casey’s mom stumbled against her. Casey wrapped her arm around her waist. “How’re you doing?”

  “I’m feeling better, thanks. I’m going to sit next to your dad.”

  “I’ll help you,” said Casey.

  “Honey, I’m a big girl. Come over when you’re ready.” Her speech was slightly slurred, and her pupils dilated. She still seemed drugged but slowly walked over to the wall and sat down, sliding an arm around her dad.

  Jack kissed Casey on the cheek, slow and tender. “We’ll be back soon.”

  “Be careful.”

  From the corner of her eye, Casey saw Mike’s jaw drop. “Since when does Jack kiss you goodbye?” he muttered.

  Heat rose in her cheeks. She didn’t know how to respond. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

  “I was just wishing her luck, that’s all,” Jack said.

  Mike nodded. “I wouldn’t mind a kiss, but that isn’t happening. Casey dated and dumped me, all within a matter of hours—just like something I’d do. Maybe she’s the female version of me.”

  She blew out a breath. “Not a chance, Mike. I’ll gladly commit to my Prince Charming.”

  “You dated?” Jack raised his brows.

  “I’ll fill ya in later,” said Mike. “Don’t worry. I plan on getting her back. She’s just mad at me right now over a little misunderstanding, but how can I give up on the woman of my dreams?”

  Narrowing his gaze, Jack crossed his arms. He obviously had no clue what was going on, but he kept quiet.

  Casey rolled her eyes. “Mike, you’re such a moron. Just focus on getting us out of here, will you?”

  “Sure thing.” He put on his robot head with a loud snap. Glowing red eyes met her gaze. In a robotic voice he said, “I’ll—be—back.”

  “Enough with the jokes and one-liners,” she said. “Just behave yourself and get our ship over here.” She kissed him on his robotic cheek and whispered, “I’m sorry. I don’t want to lose my best friend. You mean everything to me.”

  “How can you expect me to stay your best friend when I want so much more?” he whispered back, cupping her face in his steel hands.

  Her heart ached. “Mike, I—”

  “I’m coming too,” called out Kira as she approached. “You’re going to need all the extra help you can get.” She snapped on her robot head too. “Let’s go!”

  “Stay strong,” said Mike, easing from her arms.

  Jack and Thorn climbed back into the box, and Mike and Kira guided them out the door into the pristine corridor.

  Casey bit her lip, praying they’d be okay.

  * * *

  Pacing the floor
of the Deep Sleep Lab, Casey glanced at her radar device. The seconds ticked on the digital counter. Where are they? Fighting some Star Wars lightsaber dual with Darth Vader? There were less than two hours left before the weapon would self-destruct. She heard the swoosh of doors sliding open and whirled around. What the heck? There was no reason a door would slide open on its own. She hurried over and pressed a small, flat button on the control panel. Nothing happened. She punched more buttons. “I can’t shut the doors!” Why isn’t anything working? Darn that Murphy’s law!

  “Here, let me try,” said a tall blond Agarthian man. He tapped at the panel while Casey checked the corridor. The sound of marching feet drew closer, sending her heart into overdrive.

  In the distance, she saw movement. “Hurry. They’re coming!” she whispered, not wanting to panic the others.

  Sweat rolled down her back as she pressed herself against the wall, signaling the others to keep quiet, but the real chattering began. She had to keep her cool if she wanted the others to follow suit.

  “Somebody has locked these doors open from another location.” The blond man’s eyes bulged as he focused on Casey, keeping his voice low. “They know we’re awake.”

  How did Commander Tio know we got into the Deep Sleep Lab anyway? Thorn had shut down every camera on the ship. Oh my gosh! Did Tio catch the others and force them to give away our hideout?

  “I’ll get my parents,” she said. “Let’s all make a run for it.”

  He shook his head and pointed behind him. “Look at these people. There’s no way they’ll be fast enough. You go ahead. I can’t leave my brother. Find and tell the others. Maybe you’ll be able to come back for us.”

  “I’m not leaving without my mom and dad.” Anger rose inside her, choking her throat. She didn’t go the first time, and she wasn’t about to desert them now.

  “You’re our only chance. If you don’t go, the others will never know what happened,” the man said, tugging at her arm. “Run!”

  Before she had time to react, a squad burst in, guns drawn. She moved out of their path as a barrage of gunshots cut through the air. From her position near the door, Casey watched people scream and dive for cover. It was like being in the middle of an armed bank robbery. The rebels yelled and spread across the room. She reached for her weapon and aimed when a soldier appeared in front of her.