Star Cat Forever: A Science Fiction & Fantasy Adventure (The Star Cat Series - Book 6)

by Andrew Mackay

  “Everyone—?”

  “—EVER—EEEEEEEEE—WON,” Maar’s lungs nearly burst as flecks of spittle flew from his mouth. The veins in his head almost burst.

  Santiago’s jaw hit the floor at Maar’s sudden outburst of venom.

  He stared the insane madman in the face, hoping he wouldn’t get pushed out of the helicopter.

  “What the hell do you think you’re looking at?” Maar spat, before realizing the drone captured his enraged outburst.

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t say sorry. Just keep filming, you imbecile,” Maar fumed and grabbed Brayn’s shoulders from behind, “Why aren’t you firing at them?”

  “Cool-down, sir.”

  “Damn it.”

  Maar focused his eyes on the furious armed tiger in the distance.

  “Floor it. Get us to Cape Claudius,” he shouted into his headset.

  “On it, sir,” came the pilot’s response.

  The front of the helicopter tilted down, lowering the vehicle a few feet and bolted into the horizon.

  “Goddamn it, no. No,” Jelly shrieked as she watched the helicopter hurry forwards.

  STOMP — STOMP.

  “They’re getting away,” Jelly said. “Where are they going?”

  No response.

  Jelly had to stop them. She knew if they reached their destination the whole murder plan was over. She pushed her left hand through the armored sleeve and wiped the detritus from her visor with her fur.

  GRUNT.

  Blink—blink.

  Four vicious infinity claws imprisoned her view of the helicopter, but gave her an idea.

  “Miew,” she whined as she caved into the horrendous prospect that ran into her mind.

  Amelia kept her speed up in the gray van and pointed at the roof of the mack truck, “Sierra?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Jelly’s about to do something.”

  “Let her do it,” she spat. “Just keep up with Sheck’s chopper.”

  “Understood.”

  Roman and Remy ran to the front of the van and followed Amelia’s finger pointing at the side window.

  “What’s she doing?”

  “I dunno, but it does not look good,” Remy whispered.

  Jelly crouched to her knees and lowered her left hand to her right boot.

  She pressed the front of her boot on the infinity claw on her thumb and kept it in place.

  All she needed was to take a deep breath and brace herself as she applied her body weight to her left foot.

  “Nggggggggg,” she squealed as she pulled her left arm away.

  CRUNCH — KERRRR-AAATCH-CH.

  The end of the talon inside her wrist snapped, breaking the infinity claw away from her thumb.

  CLITCH — CRUTCH.

  Blood spewed out of the crack at the tip of her thumb, causing Jelly to scream in pain, “Yaaarrrghh.”

  Her left hand jutted into the air, flinging a thick string of blood over her shoulder.

  The removed infinity claw rattled under her foot in a pool of blood. She caught her breath and grabbed the spear-like sheath of Titanium in her left hand and rose to her feet.

  Metal Bird One wasn’t so far away that she couldn’t dish out justice once and for all.

  GRUNT.

  Jelly winced in pain and squeezed the six foot long infinity claw and her hand and pulled back.

  “I’m g-going to kill you,” she growled.

  With one, swift action, she threw the claw directly at the helicopter.

  WHOOOOSH.

  The huge cuticle whizzed through the air, in time for Maar to step back.

  “Oh, amaziant,” he quipped with sarcasm, “She’s throwing bits of herself at us, now. Get back—”

  FLING.

  The infinity claw twisted in the air and daggered into the back of the helicopter.

  CLAAANNNGG — CRACK-GLUG-GLUG-GLUG.

  “A fountain of murky liquid vomited out through the claw as it buried itself a few meters away from the tail rotor.

  WHARK — WHARK — WHARK.

  The internal alarms sounded off as the helicopter drifted away from the freeway.

  “Oh no,” the pilot said. “She’s hit the gas tank.”

  “Goddamn it,” Maar screamed and pointed at the compound in the distance, “Land the fricken thing.”

  “I dunno if we’re gonna make it,” the pilot yelled. “Hold on.”

  The helicopter puked a prolonged trail of fuel as it headed towards the USARIC Base at Cape Claudius.

  WHARK-WHARK-WHARK.

  “Hold on, we’re auto-rotating.”

  “Auto rotate?” Maar asked.

  The pilot yanked the gears back to his lap, forcing the tail rotor to the ground.

  “Hold onto the bars and brace yourselves.”

  Amelia and Rana peered through their respective driver windows and witnessed Metal Bird One spin around, headed for the giant arena building within the USARIC grounds.

  “The chopper’s going down,” Sierra said. “Rana, head for Cape Claudius. They won’t get far on foot.”

  Rana smiled, “I’m way ahead of you.”

  She spun the steering wheel and took the mack truck onto the freeway slip road.

  Amelia performed the same action.

  “Amelia?” Rana asked.

  “Yeah, I’m following you. Cape Claudius?”

  “The one and only.”

  “Let’s do this,” Amelia turned to Roman and Remy, “I hope you guys are ready to unleash hell.”

  “We’re always ready, right?” Roman said. “Cape Claudius?”

  “Hell yeah.”

  Remy felt an intense rage fire inside his belly, “I am ready—”

  “—Everyone, listen up,” Sierra said into her headgear, “If they don’t survive their landing, fine. Job done. But if they do, knowing Sheck, he’ll have everyone and everything at his disposal onto us.”

  “Understood,” Amelia said. “Roman and Remy are still with me. We’re ready.”

  “The grounds are vast. At least a square mile. Two buildings. The Arena and The HQ Building at opposite ends. The airstrip connects them. Do not mess around.”

  “You’ve been here before, I presume?” Roman asked, knowing the answer.

  “Yeah. I know the place like the back of my paw,” Sierra spat. “We go straight through the gate, find that bastard Sheck and shut him down once and for all.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to tell us that.”

  “How are you guys for ammo?”

  Roman and Remy held up their thumbs at Amelia.

  “I think we’re okay for now.”

  “There’s more in the back of the mack truck if you need it. Rana will get as far away as possible once we’ve breached the grounds. Do you understand what I’ve just said?”

  “Understood.”

  “We have a one ton tiger with some bizarre death droid armor on top of our vehicle who’d like to tear the place down, and we’re not going to stop her. Good luck, everyone.”

  VROOOOM.

  The two vehicles raced side by side as they approached the security gates.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  SCRREEEEECCCCHHH.

  Santara spun the steering wheel to the right and forced the 4x4 to join Interstate Ten.

  A wave of metallic clanging sounds occurred at the back of the vehicle. The weight of the five PAWZ machines slammed into each other, forcing the 4x4 to swerve into the oncoming traffic.

  Jamie and Leesa pressed their palms on the dashboard and squealed in terror.

  “Look out.”

  NEEEAAAWWWWW.

  Dozens of civilian vehicles whizzed past both sides of the 4x4 as Santara straightened the steering wheel.

  “Hold t-tight,” her voice rumbled through the bullet wound in her chest.

  Biddip-biddip.

  “Oh, God. We’re all gonna die,” Leesa squealed.

  Santara’s head snapped to the right. Her left eye focused on Leesa’
s thighs.

  “Fasten your safety belt, Leesa Task.”

  “Okay, okay.”

  The girl fumbled for the strap behind her head. She caught it, wrenched it across her chest and slammed it into the slot.

  “You too, Jamie Anderson,” Santara added as she trained her one good eye on his lap.

  “Christ, look where you’re going,” Jamie blurted as the light from a set of headlights waved over his face. “Look out.”

  BLAAARRREEEE.

  The 4x4 veered out of the path of an oncoming car - but a nanosecond too late.

  KERRAANNNGGG.

  It clipped the end of the 4x4, sending it spinning around like a frenzied turntable.

  The light from the red, dusky sun whirled around the windows at speed.

  “Ahhhhhhh,” Jamie grabbed hold of his seat as the skin on his face drifted away from his head.

  SCREEECCHHHHH — BOLT.

  Santara yanked the hand brake, forcing the 4x4 to rock still in the middle of the road.

  Civilian cars swerved in all directions and bolted past as she kicked the gas pedal down. The tires of the 4x4 screamed to life, throwing a mound of dust into the air before it bolted up the freeway.

  Leesa and Jamie flew back into their seats and held their breath.

  VROOOOOOOOOM.

  Santara focused on the road ahead with a steely determination in her eye.

  Biddip-beep.

  “Connection established,” came a secondary voice from her neck.

  Her lips moved one second ahead of her voice as she spoke, “This is S-S-Santara Iskra connecting on Viddy Media frequency six-six-two. Roman, do you read me?”

  “This is Roman. Santara, where are you?”

  Her head drifted to the right. The left side of her jaw unlocked from her endo-skull and slipped to her chest.

  “Whoa,” Jamie gasped.

  “I have the ch-ch-children,” her voice box rattled within her chest cavity. “We-e-e-e are e-en route to USARIC HQ.”

  “It’s a war zone up here, Santara.”

  “I m-m-must assist y-y-y-y-you,” she stammered, struggling with the pitch of her vocal cords.

  BIZZZZ-SPOW.

  A flurry of electric sparks flew out of her mouth. The synthetic skin on her arms began to bubble.

  “L-L-Low b-b-batter-ry,” she squealed. “Estimated time of arr-rr-rrival-l-l app-rroximately three-ee minutes.”

  BWUCK — SLAMM.

  The top half of her body pressed itself over the steering wheel, inadvertently forcing the 4x4 into the fast lane.

  “Waaaah,” Jamie tumbled into Leesa’s lap.

  She pushed him by the shoulders and, quick thinking, forced him into Santara’s side.

  “Grab the wheel,” she said.

  “Ugh.”

  Jamie tried to grasp the steering wheel. Santara’s convulsing body blocked his attempt. There was nothing to grab as the 4x4 sped even faster and threatened to rear-end the car in front.

  “Jamie. Do something,” Leesa squealed.

  “I’m trying,” he yelled over his shoulder, not wanting to touch the woman for fear of being electrocuted.

  Roman’s voice came through her forearm, “Santara, do you read me?”

  “Roman,” Jamie screamed. “It’s me. Jamie.”

  “Jamie? Where are you?”

  Jamie rammed his elbow in Santara’s side, pushing her face and chest against the window, “Interstate Ten. We’re about three minutes away—”

  “—Jamie, it’s dangerous here.”

  BIZZZOOOOWWWW.

  The call cut off.

  “Nggggg.”

  The dashboard lit up when Santara’s connection severed, “Recalculating route,” the 4x4 computer dashboard voice advised. “Please speak your destination.”

  Leesa leaned forward and punched the dashboard’s screen, “No, no, no—” she squealed. “You stupid thing. Shut up.”

  “Stupid thing. Shut up,” the dashboard said, entering the data into its mainframe.

  Jamie pressed his body against Santara’s and rammed his buttocks onto the driver’s seat.

  Santara’s face bounced off the window and lay flat across his lap.

  “Damn it, she’s heavy,” he winced as he tried to turn the wheel to the right.

  BLLAARRREEEEEE.

  The trunk of the car in front careened towards the 4x4 at an alarming speed.

  “I c-can’t turn the damn wheel—”

  “—I’m sorry,” the dashboard reported. “I cannot find Stupid Thing, Shut Up in my directory. Please re-speak your required destination.”

  WHOOOOOSH.

  The 4x4 shot past the car in front as it turned into the middle lane.

  “Aaggghhhh.”

  Leesa hooked her arms underneath Santara, trying to release the dead weight holding her foot on the accelerator.

  “Just don’t take us to USARIC, it’s not safe—”

  “—USARIC,” the dashboard confirmed. “Cape Claudius. Thank you. Calculating route. Auto-drive initiated.”

  SCHWUNT.

  The steering wheel aligned itself and turned into the outer lane. Jamie released the wheel and watched it activate itself.

  “What the—?”

  Leesa struggled to remove Santara from Jamie’s lap, “Stupid steering wheel. It’s on auto-drive.”

  “Estimated time of arrival is currently two minutes and fifty-eight seconds,” the dashboard said.

  A holographic geo-map of the Interstate lifted a few inches above the surface.

  “Make it stop,” Jamie said.

  “Computer?” Leesa shouted at the roof. “Stop. Disengage auto-drive.”

  No response.

  BEEEP—BEEP—BEEP.

  “The damn thing is busted.”

  Jamie shifted his ass back and tried to kick Santara’s leg out of the foot well. “Damn, she’s heavy.”

  “I’m trying to move her.”

  “Get this stupid robot thing off of me.”

  “I’m trying, you stupid English brat.”

  Jamie snorted and kept an eye on the speedometer. 125 mph, 130 mph, 135 mph.

  “Both that stupid robot and this useless car. American made, huh?”

  Leesa thumped the boy on his shoulder, “Hey. Don’t you talk about my country like that.”

  WHOOOOOOSH.

  The car zipped down the junction exit, heading straight for…

  USARIC Headquarters

  — Cape Claudius —

  (South Texas, USA)

  Metal Bird One moved over the airstrip and lowered itself in front of The One Arena building.

  The last ropes of fuel sprayed out from the busted gas tank and splashed down to the ground.

  Maar glanced though the open side door. A giant, cone-shaped spacecraft moored to its scaffolding loomed in the distance.

  “Delta,” he muttered.

  “Sir?” Brayn called out. “Hold onto something. It’s going to be a rough landing.”

  Maar gripped the bar above the door and braced himself as the ground twirled around and raced up towards them.

  WHARK — WHARK — WHARK.

  Santiago braced himself for impact, “Oh, God.”

  Maar clipped the man around the back of the head in anger.

  “Stop being such a pussy and keep broadcasting.”

  WHOOOOSH.

  Metal Bird One’s landing skids scraped across the ground and settled under the weight of the body.

  GROOOAAANNNN.

  The blades on the propeller continued to spin as Maar spotted his opportunity to jump out and roll onto the ground.

  He picked himself up and waved Brayn and Santiago out of the vehicle, “Get out, now.”

  RUMBLE.

  Maar spun around and was greeted by several sets of furious headlights illuminating his face.

  “Good, they’re here,” he yelled at the men. “Get over here, now.”

  Three mega-vehicles rolled in their direction. Each contained eight sixt
een-foot-high wheels which carried them across the airstrip.

  The turrets on top pivoted towards the entrance and readied themselves to fire.

  Maar held his hands out and indicated that they should stop, which they did.

  A USARIC official walked out of the dust and detritus caused by the vehicles and lifted his shot gun.

  “Mr. Sheck, sir?” the man asked.

  “Yeah. What’s your name?”

  The man thumped his chest and pointed at the imprint on his chest plate - M. Hall.

  “Meydo Hall, sir,” he said as scores of USARIC mercenaries in heavy, dark gray body armor surrounded him. “Where are they?”

  Maar pointed at the entrance gates and shouted over the incessant noise created by Metal Bird One’s propellers.

  “Two of them. One van and a truck.”

  “Am I correct in understanding that Anderson is with them?”

  “Yeah,” Maar said. “She’s plenty pissed off, by the way.”

  “Is there anything else we should know?”

  “She’s wearing our new armor. She must have got it from The Processor.”

  “The new Series Four armor, you mean?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. That’s not good.”

  Meydo turned to his men and circled his gloved hand in the air.

  “Listen up.”

  The men stood to attention and held their right arms in front of their chests.

  “In about two minutes the bad guys will breach the perimeter. We can’t get the mega-vehicles there in time. Excessive force. Shoot to kill.”

  “Yes, sir,” the mercs said.

  “Two unmarked vehicles,” Meydo continued into his headgear. “One van, and one truck. Anderson is with them and wearing Series Four armor. We need to hit the beast with everything we’ve got. I want thirty at the HQ building across the airfield. Protect the compound.”

  “Opera Delta, too,” Maar said.

  “And ten at the shore guarding the spacecraft.”

  “Yes, sir,” Chira, the first of the mercenaries, said.

  “Chira. On point at HQ. Kill anything that gets near it.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Chira waved the first swathe of her mercenaries with her as she marched across the air strip.

  Meydo nodded at Brayn, who acknowledged his command, “Yes?”

  “What’s your name?”