The others watched, crying as well. It was a heart-rending scene. Everyone knew those left behind would die, eaten by the swarm. Paulson looked on, his own family holding each other tight.
Mattie watched as Paulson strode to Chen and spoke to him. Chen pulled out a tablet, messed with it, and then nodded, a smile breaking out on his face.
“We’re scrapping the truck and the heavy artillery!” Paulson yelled out. “Everyone is jumping with us. No one will be left behind.”
Cheers rang out from the crowd.
“You’ll only be able to take the clothes on your back, nothing else,” Chen said.
Several lines formed in front of the vortex, soldiers first. They were followed by scientists, engineers, linguists, and other experts mixed in with their families.
Mattie heard more shots and explosions from the front of the command center building. The swarm was here and would be inside very soon.
“Initiate defense protocol alpha,” Paulson ordered.
Huge steel doors slid into place, closing up the glass windows and sealing everyone inside. Then the floor began to lower, descending into the earth.
“Doctor, the vortex!” Paulson yelled.
Chen held up his finger, telling them to hold for a second, then he pointed at the generator. A blackness opened up inside the ring, accompanied by a whooshing sound.
Just as the vortex formed, some sort of scuffle rose up from the back of the crowd. Mattie watched as people were shoved aside. Dr. Howard Nichols burst through the group, knocking women and children out of the way as he dashed toward the vortex. Broken handcuffs dangled from one wrist. Any other day Mattie would’ve easily stopped him, but right now, with the sharp streaks of pain hammering away at his head, he wasn’t able to react in time. Howard dove head first into the vortex before anyone could grab him.
“Don’t worry about him!” Paulson yelled. “We’ll deal with him on the other side. Just get through! Now!”
Armed soldiers immediately ran forward, followed quickly by more military carrying supplies. Then the group of experts and their families began jumping. But there were several hundred people in total and the seconds were ticking away.
Mattie could feel the swarm’s anger at the opening of the vortex. They sensed it was there and knew it could pose a threat to them. They shredded through the steel plating of the ceiling like it was paper until a tiny hole opened in the steel.
Mattie held his hand up and once again concentrated as hard as he could. The seconds ticked away as he held the swarm at bay. But they were determined. There were still about twenty-five people, including children, who needed to get through the vortex. And the swarm wanted them.
The creatures dropped down into the room, just a few at first, then in a torrential downpour. He took several steps back toward the vortex platform, the swarm circling just overhead. Several of the horrible insects fell through his protective mental barrier and began crawling toward him, resisting his control.
Whittenhouse finished his work on one of the generator control panels and dove through the vortex, still holding a socket wrench. Following him the last of the jumpers passed through as well, leaving just Chen, who was fiddling with one of the generators, Paulson, and Claire.
“Mattie, Chen, come on!” Paulson bellowed from the lip of the vortex.
More bots fell, this time crawling on the top of the generator. Mattie’s sphere of control was quickly eroding, and his head felt like it was going to explode.
Chen ran and jumped through the vortex. Claire shoved Paulson through just as Mattie collapsed from his exertions. He lay unmoving on the floor, waiting for the sharp mandibles of the alien creatures to dig into his flesh. But before the end came, a pair of strong hands grabbed him by the waist and lifted him into the air.
The last thing he saw was a plasma grenade bouncing across the floor as the swarm cascaded from the ceiling like a purple waterfall.
A bright flash went off.
Then everything went dark.
Chapter 41
6:00 a.m. Local Time, January 17, 2038
Chronos Two, Hillah, Iraq
Jeff held Holly tight as the tank rolled over the desert floor. She was pretty banged up after the harrowing ordeal she’d been through. Cuts and bruises covered her body, plus there was that patch over one eye. She’d brushed off his questions, but if they ever got out of danger and had time to rest and talk, he’d find out more. His wife was tough. As long as she was still breathing, she was still fighting.
Digital readouts from the tank’s cockpit showed detailed information on the terrain, and radar images displayed the swarm gathering behind them. Jeff hoped all the vicious creatures would be occupied by the small army positioned at the entrance to Chronos Two. The last thing they needed was stragglers following them.
Melinda Rider was sitting silently beside them, staring at the empty pilot’s seat. He could tell she missed Mattie, especially after that kiss he laid on her before running off.
“If anyone can survive the attack, it’s Mattie,” Jeff said. Although the kind of life he’d have if he was the only survivor would be a barren one.
“I know,” she said quietly. “But he’s not the only one I’m thinking of. If they succeed in the mission and jump to the past, then everything is going to change. We’re going to emerge into an unknown world.”
"Plus we'll be the only ones alive to have experienced this timeline," Jeff added.
“At least we’ll be alive,” Holly said. “I’ll take a new world over timeline oblivion any day of the week.”
Jeff had a high level of anxiety over this whole concept. They had no idea how the timeline would change. They could end up worse off than they were now.
“I just feel I should be back there, with them,” Melinda said.
Jeff knew Melinda was close to Paulson, almost like a daughter, and from the look of that last kiss, she and Mattie had had something serious going at one time.
“They’ll be able to hold their own,” Jeff said. “Plus Paulson and Mattie both want you here with us.”
“I need to get outside,” Corvin said, oblivious to their conversation on relationships. “I need to hook up one of the generators on the outer hull.”
Jeff let go of Holly’s hand and climbed into the driver's seat. He had no idea how to drive a tank, but the AI should respond to his voice commands.
“Tank AI, are you there?”
“X-31 here, ready for your command,” the tank belted out in a deep masculine voice.
“We need to stop and one man needs to exit the vehicle.”
“Affirmative. Stopping in eight seconds, seven, six . . . ”
The tank slowed. The visual data screens showed the Euphrates River stretching out before them. The ancient river had seen the passing of countless generations of man, stretching back before the dawn of civilization.
The top hatch slid open, and Corvin climbed out carrying a small part from the generator. Weaponry emerged from the tank’s hull and turned outward in all directions, poised for threats.
“Defensive position established,” intoned the AI.
Jeff watched the screen as the tank scanned the area. In the distance flashes of light indicated explosions were taking place near the base entrance. Radar showed increasing concentrations of the swarm and the devastating singularity-generating creatures.
After several minutes of flashes and explosions, everything just stopped and went silent. Modern tanks were equipped with several small surveillance drones to help coordinate attacks. This tank’s drones were flying near the battle site. As they passed over the entrance to the base, they showed a gaping hole where the old airplane hangar used to be.
The singularity weapons had done their job. The remnants of the U.S. army were destroyed, and the entrance to the base had been uncovered. The drones showed the swarm pouring into the elevator shaft like dark purple water going down a drain.
“How’s it going out there, Darren?” Jeff asked, f
eeling a sense of urgency now that the swarm had breached the base defenses.
“Almost there, just another second . . . There, got it!”
They needed to get to their hiding place as soon as possible. They were way too easy to spot out here in the open. Of course, Jeff still didn’t know where they were going.
“X-31, what is our destination?”
“The middle of the Euphrates River.”
What the fuck? They were going underwater?
“This vehicle is submersible?”
“Yes, I’m fully operational and secure under water up to depths of one hundred and fifty feet.”
The destination made sense. They’d be out of sight and hopefully undetectable by the alien bots.
Through the outside cameras, Jeff could see Corvin walking on the side of the tank and back to the ladder leading to the top hatch.
“Intruder alert,” the AI said.
“Ow! Damn it!” Corvin slapped the back of his neck and pulled off a bot, throwing it to the ground.
Shit, the creatures had found them already.
Corvin continued up the ladder and reached the top of the hatch. It was locked, so he started banging on it while slapping away more bots.
“Let me in, let me in, goddamn it! These things are biting me!”
Jeff reached over to open the hatch, then drew his hand back.
Two more bots landed on Corvin, one on his back, another on his face. His screaming was loud enough that Holly and Melinda could hear it.
“Let him in!” Melinda screamed. “They’ll kill him!”
She reached for the control panel, but Holly grabbed her hand before she could touch it.
“There’s nothing we can do for him, Melinda. If we open the hatch, those bots will follow him in.”
Jeff had seen enough. He felt horrible for Corvin, but like Holly said, they couldn't help him now. He was already dead. The bots would eat their way into his body in seconds. Then they would come after him and the women.
“Shall I initiate outer defense mode?” the AI asked.
Jeff didn’t know what that meant exactly. “Yes,” he answered.
Instantly an electric surge enveloped the outer skin of the tank, repulsing Corvin’s body and sending it flying out into the desert.
“Go!” Jeff yelled.
The tank moved forward into the Euphrates.
He felt a stab of guilt for leaving Corvin behind to die. And it felt cowardly to protect his own skin, but he needed to keep Holly and Melinda safe. Both women were sobbing behind him.
“Initiating dive mode,” the AI stated.
The tank rolled deeper and deeper into the river until they were under several feet of water. It continued to drive along the bottom of the riverbed until they reached the middle of the river, where it stopped.
“Stealth mode engaged.”
The tank shut down, leaving only basic life support and surveillance functions live.
Jeff turned to Holly. “I hope you know how to turn that bubble on.”
Holly frowned. “I can figure it out.”
She moved over to the console Corvin had set up and began tapping and sliding her fingers over the interface.
A red light started blinking on the tank's control panel.
“AI, what is that?”
“The same hostile that attacked and killed your fellow crew member. It is currently hovering over our location.”
“Holly, we’re going to have company real soon.” Jeff glanced back at his wife to find her frowning and biting her lip.
“I don’t know why the hell he programmed the device like this.”
The red dot blinked again, this time larger.
“Hostile has dived down and is now on the outer hull,” the AI said. “It is using an unknown type of penetrating scanner to look inside.”
The creature started scraping at the top of the tank. It sounded like fingernails scratching over a chalkboard
“Holly!”
“Shut up!”
“Initiating countermeasures,” the AI said.
Another shock wave enveloped the outside of the armored tank, but the scratching continued.
Jeff and Melinda both looked up at the roof, checking to see if anything was coming through.
“There.”
Melinda pointed at a circular spot on the ceiling that was turning lighter and beginning to crack. Jeff looked around for a weapon that might keep the bot from getting inside, but they only had conventional weapons that would be of no use against these larger, stronger bots.
Water began to leak from the crack as sharp claws and razor-like mandibles emerged from a tiny hole. The red eyes of the creature scanned the inside of the tank, searching for human flesh.
Melinda jumped up and swung a hammer down on the creature, trying to smash it. She banged it once, twice, three times, but it continued squirming its way through.
“Hull breach, hull breach,” the AI droned.
“Got it!” Holly yelled.
Suddenly Jeff felt a strange tingling all over his body and his stomach flipped, as though he’d tumbled off a cliff. It was all he could do to hold down his last meal. Holly vomited, and Melinda fell to the floor and curled up in the fetal position. They were all moaning.
The bot began quivering, its front legs jerking wildly. Then it fell to the floor, its body cut smoothly in half.
Melinda struggled to her knees and lifted her hammer again, this time smashing the remaining half of the bot into gooey smithereens.
“Take that, motherfucker!”
Holly vomited once more and wiped her mouth. “We’re safely inside the temporal bubble now,” she said. “Nothing can get in or out until I turn off the field.”
“How long before the temporal wave hits?” Jeff asked.
“If they were successful at the base and were able to initiate the long jump, it won’t be long.”
“And what does that mean exactly?” Melinda asked. “Will we feel or see anything?”
“I don’t know,” Holly said, her eyes wide. “This has never been done before, not even in experiments. I don’t know for sure it’ll work.”
“Can we move?” Jeff asked.
“We should be able to. The field is being generated directly onto the hull of the tank. We now exist outside of real time and space. The bubble is impenetrable.”
“How about to a singularity?”
Holly, shivering, wrapped her arms around herself. “I have no idea.”
“Maybe we should stay here for now, and wait,” Jeff said.
The minutes ticked away in silence.
“How long should we wait?” Melinda finally asked.
Jeff deferred to Holly, who simply shrugged.
He banged on the nearest surface. “Well, this tank is fully stocked with rations, enough to last for weeks.”
“If they weren’t able to jump, then we’ll need to find other survivors, build up a resistance.” Melinda looked determined, her fists held tight. “We can avenge the deaths of the others,” she said firmly.
Jeff knew that’d be a suicide mission, but he liked Melinda’s determination. If the others weren’t able to complete the jump, then there were no other time-travel options. Of course, if they had jumped, they could’ve simply died in the past, or their efforts to change the timeline could have been buried under the weight of history, forgotten and lost. The long-jump option had always been a long shot, a last-ditch Hail-Mary pass at best.
At least he was here with Holly. If the world was going to end, there was no one he’d rather have by his side. He held out hope that perhaps others had survived the alien attack and were hiding in deep underground bunkers, readying themselves to emerge one day.
He leaned his head back in the comfortable control chair and watched Holly. She too was lost in thought, probably thinking along the same lines as he was. He reached over and grabbed her hand. She smiled and squeezed.
Without warning, the tank began shaking, the tre
mors breaking up his daydreams. None of the external sensors worked inside the temporal bubble, so they had no way of knowing what was going on outside. They could only see through the front window, which revealed nothing but dim light from the surface of the river.
The trembling grew stronger, strong enough to rip the tank apart.
“The temporal wave is coming,” Holly said quietly. “Hang on.”
A bright light flashed in front of them.
Then blue sky appeared, and they began falling.
Chapter 42
Morning, Early Spring, 331 BC
Babylon
Paulson landed in a lush, green field of wild flowers, right beside Patrick Chen and Franklin Whittenhouse. The jump medicine he’d taken earlier quelled his nausea, and he immediately began to process their surroundings. The calculations had worked perfectly, taking into account the rotation and orbit of the earth. Instead of landing deep underground or high in the sky, everyone was on the ground, just above the future site of Chronos Two.
A magnificent city loomed on the horizon, gold towers glistening in the morning sun. The great city of Babylon was a beacon of advanced culture and enlightenment in the ancient world. Yet if they’d arrived as planned, the city was about to be overrun. To the north, the armies of Alexander the Great were clashing against the forces of Darius of Persia at the Battle of Gaugamela. Alexander would win the battle, overrun Darius’s armies, and march into Babylon. It was there that Paulson and the others planned to meet him and solicit him as their primary ally.
The air was crisp, rich in oxygen, much more so than the polluted air he was accustomed to breathing in the year 2038. Paulson took a deep breath and sighed. They’d made it, and it was simply magnificent, incredible beyond words.
He couldn’t believe he’d actually traveled back in time over 2,360 years. If he wasn’t standing right here in the lush green grass of the past, he’d swear he was in a dream, or in some type of holo mind-link simulation. A butterfly flapped its wings and flew gently past his face. No, this was real. Paulson smiled and spread his arms wide in exhilaration.
NanoSwarm: Extermination Day Book Two Page 35
