‘Let’s find out,’ Brodie said.
Snapping a light on, Brodie led them down a set of rickety wooden stairs to a concrete basement. Benches packed with pieces of machinery and computer parts lined the walls, but it was the device in the center of the room that captured their attention. The size of a small car, it looked like an electrical generator. A wand sticking out from one end pointed directly at the floor—or where the floor would have been. Instead, a hole, wide enough for a person to fall into, led straight into the earth.
‘Good grief,’ Chad said. ‘There’s a light at the other end.’
Brodie peered down the endless shaft at a faint purple glow in the distance. ‘I don’t like the look of that,’ she said. ‘But it could have something to do with Ebony’s disappearance.’
‘Someone should go down,’ Dan said, turning to Chad.
He stared. ‘Huh?’ Chad said. ‘Why me?’
‘Because you can fly.’
‘Not very well,’ he said, blushing. ‘And I’ve never tried anything like going straight down a hole in the ground.’
‘But Ebony might be down there.’
‘At the bottom of a hole?’
‘Where else could she be?’
‘About a million other places—’
‘You’re just afraid—’
Brodie cut in. ‘Listen, guys,’ she said. ‘This isn’t getting us anywhere. There’s no reason to think Ebony’s down there. I don’t know what these guys have been doing in this place, but it may all be completely legit.’ She peered into the hole. ‘Well, mostly legit.’
‘So, what now?’ Dan asked.
She photographed some papers on a nearby desk. ‘There are names and formulas on these. We’ll check them on the net and see if anything comes up.’
‘We usually use Ferdy for internet access,’ Chad pointed out. It was the safest option to keep them hidden from The Agency.
‘We’ll use the library.’
‘They don’t have any technology post-1980,’ Dan said. ‘And I wouldn’t go back there for a million dollars.’
‘Then we’ll return to the house and work it out from there,’ Brodie said.
‘Is the house safe?’
‘Is anywhere?’
Heading back to the street, they scanned the block to make certain no one had seen them exit the building. Fortunately, no one was around.
This is the quietest place I’ve ever seen, Brodie thought.
They started back in the direction of the Cooper house.
‘I feel kind of lost,’ Brodie admitted. ‘I wonder if we should ask Axel to give us a hand.’
‘We can’t go running back to him every time we need help,’ Chad said. ‘Although,’ he added, thinking, ‘we need to put Ebony first. What do you think, Dan?’
But Dan was gone.
Chapter Sixteen
Dan had been walking down the street behind the others when the footpath suddenly grew soft beneath him. At first, he thought he had stepped in something, maybe something doggie and smelly, but when Dan looked down, he saw the pavement giving way like quicksand.
‘Hey!’ he yelled. ‘Help!’
But the world had frozen. Chad and Brodie were in mid-conversation. Chad’s foot was about to connect with the ground. Brodie’s mouth was half open as if speaking. Beyond them, a bird was caught in midflight while high above, a plane was motionless in the sky.
‘Brodie!’ he screamed as he sunk further into the pavement. ‘Chad! Help! Help!’
It was up to his waist, his chest, and then his neck. He gave one final cry as he sunk beneath the surface, and darkness surrounded him on all sides. Closing his eyes tightly, he held his breath.
This is it, he thought. What a crazy way to die! Swallowed by a footpath!
But when he opened his eyes again, he found himself in an open field, surrounded by lush, green grass. The sun shouldered the horizon, and the air was cold; it was early morning. Hills and fog enshrouded valleys receded into the distance. The scene would have been idyllic if he hadn’t been brought here against his will.
Where am I?
The only answer was a distant howl that split the air.
What—
A group of shapes moved across a faraway hill. Dan’s mouth fell open in astonishment. It was like an old scene out of a fox hunt painting. A group of men rode horses, accompanied by a pack of baying dogs, except these horses had eight legs, and the dogs had two heads apiece.
What is this place?
Dan turned and ran as the group changed direction—towards him. As they raced down the hill, the sound of the baying hounds echoed across the landscape. Dan cursed. If only he had metal! He was a superhero. With metal, he could beat off those hounds in seconds, but without it, he was just another kid.
But there was metal in rocks, wasn’t there? Iron? Lead? If he could find a hill laden with metallic substances, he could fight off these creatures.
Descending into a narrow ravine, the sides rising steeply around him, the howling of the dogs momentarily faded. He focused on trying to find metal in the rocks, using himself as a human diviner. His ability to read and control minds may have faded over time, but he could still manipulate metal—providing he could find it first.
A thin stream ran down the middle of the ravine before disappearing around a rocky hill. Dan followed, splashing through the shallow water as fast as he could, although running wasn’t one of his strengths. Chad’s always saying I should exercise more, he thought. I hate it when he’s right! A trickle of rocks came rattling down the hillside. Peering through the mist, he caught sight of a dark shape. A hound was almost on him!
He focused on one side of the ravine, trying to make it reveal any hidden metal. Nothing. Turning to the other side, he concentrated again.
Come on, he thought. Come on!
The rocks started to shift and crack, but the dog’s frenzied barks grew louder with every second.
It’s now or never.
The rock split, and a jagged dark substance floated into view. Dan had no idea what it was, but that didn’t matter now.
A hound appeared from the fog behind him. It was even more terrifying closeup. Not only did it have two heads, but its teeth were dripping saliva, its eyes crimson red. It splashed through the water towards Dan. Stumbling backward, Dan fell and arrowed the lump of metal at the dog as it leaped into the air.
Th-wunk!
It slammed into the creature, throwing it sideways, stunned. But it wasn’t dead. The dog’s two heads narrowed on Dan, its four eyes glaring in hatred. Preparing to leap again, Dan brought the lump down onto the middle of its back. Something cracked loudly, and the dog took a final shuddering step before slumping to the ground.
Gasping for breath, Dan realized he was shaking so hard he couldn’t move. His legs had turned to jelly. He wanted to take refuge and not move for a month, but now he heard the baying of dogs. They were closer.
I’m a superhero, he thought. That means I don’t give up.
He needed a better weapon. Clenching his fists, he focused on the lump of rock, using his mind to shape it into a spear. The edge was blunt, but within seconds each end was pointed and sharp. It would ward off anything that tried to—
Smack!
Dan hit the ground hard, rolling through the stream. A dog had slammed into him. Throwing out his arm, he struggled against the dog as two slavering heads fought to tear into his face.
The spear, he thought. Got to use the spear!
One of the heads drew closer, its jaws snapping only inches from his face. Dan focused on lifting the spear off the ground. He arrowed it clumsily at the dog. It struck the animal, wounding it, but bounced off. The animal swung about in confusion.
Rolling over, Dan focused on throwing the spear at the animal again. This time he struck one of its heads. As the dog withdrew, Dan staggered to his feet. He stumbled backward, but the dog was already racing towards him again.
Pure instinct made Dan throw the spear
again. This time it slammed into the dog’s chest, killing it instantly. Without stopping, Dan pulled the spear out and ran. Ahead lay a steep incline, but his fear drove him on. Dan let the spear float in the air behind him as he ascended, his hands gripping the rocks. He heard another dog in the canyon behind him, barking in frustration as it struggled to climb the rock face.
Puffing with exhaustion, Dan reached the top and found himself on the crest of a small hill. He grabbed the spear and ran as the baying of more dogs rang across the hills. As the mist cleared, he spotted a forest in the distance.
Maybe I can lose them in the woods.
He wiped at his face and saw blood on his hand. The dog must have bitten him, or he may have hit his head. He hoped the creatures were not attracted by its scent.
‘Tarn thokay!’ a voice yelled.
Dan turned to see a figure on horseback bursting through the fog. From a distance, the man had looked human, but now Dan realized he was an alien, a man with feline features. Spurring his horse on, the alien charged at Dan.
Throwing himself to one side as the horse tore past, Dan was struck a glancing blow and sent spinning. His head hit a rock, and he saw stars. The spear went flying.
I’ve got to get up, Dan thought. I’ve got to move.
But he couldn’t tell up from down. Everything was weaving crazily around him. He tried to stand, but couldn’t focus. All he could see was the alien on the horse. The alien kicked the horse’s flanks, and galloped at full speed towards him.
Chapter Seventeen
Dan focused on the spear.
Fly, he thought. Fly!
The spear flew through the air at the approaching alien. Missing the horse by inches, it slammed into the alien’s left shoulder. The man tumbled backward off the horse, the steed kicking dirt into the air as it sped by Dan.
Jumping to his feet, Dan watched as the alien calmly removed the spear from his shoulder.
‘Karnup tuap!’ the man snarled.
‘Ketchup to you too!’ Dan yelled.
Dan focused on twisting the spear around the alien’s legs. The alien hunter staggered a few feet before being tripped up.
Dan ran.
How do I get out of here?
The sound of frenzied dogs was drawing nearer. Racing across the field, Dan spotted a break in the trees. Aiming for it, the forest quickly closed in around him. It sounded like the dogs were getting closer. He had to lose them soon, or they would be on him.
Crashing through the undergrowth, tree branches whipped at him, and shrubs threatened to entangle him. He had lost his weapon. Getting another one would be almost impossible. If only he could take shelter—
Will you look at that?
Ahead of him was a medieval church. What it was doing in the middle of a forest on an alien world was a total mystery, but it was somewhere to hide. Carved statues of angels and demons decorated the arch surrounding the entrance. The timber doors were wide open. Dan climbed half-a-dozen steps and hurried inside. The interior was gloomy, the only light entering through the narrow stained-glass windows. The pews were made of hard timber. There was no crucifix or sign of Christian worship. Nor were there any statues.
The doors were lockable. Closing them, Dan fixed a bar across and hurried down the nave. The dogs would be here in seconds. Dan glanced up at the stained glass windows. They were decorated with images of spiders and octopuses.
I’ve never seen a church like this.
But he couldn’t worry about the architecture now. He needed metal, but there was none in sight. The walls and floor were stone. The roof was timber. The pews were nailed together, but there couldn’t be enough metal in the nails to form any sort of weapon.
A thudding came at the door, followed by cries in the same alien language. The hounds were going crazy. Dan’s eyes darted about in panic. There were usually exit doors scattered throughout a church, but the only way in or out seemed to be the front door.
I’m trapped, he thought. I should never have come in here.
The bar across the front door started to bend and yield. It cracked. The cries of the men beyond, and the baying of the hounds, rose to a fever pitch.
Dan looked about in terror. There’s got to be a way out of here, he thought. A way to fight back!
The doors smashed open, sending splintered timber over the floor. The men on horses burst through, the dogs at their sides. But now Dan was staring up at the ceiling.
‘Metal,’ he muttered. ‘Come to me.’
With every ounce of energy he could muster, he focused on the nails holding the beams together over the alien’s heads. With one almighty effort, he willed them to come loose. The scream of metal tearing against timber cut across the frenzied shrieking of the hounds and the aliens’ cries.
A thousand nails fell to the floor, bouncing off the stonework. The men on horses and the hounds stopped, frozen, halfway down the nave.
Then the ceiling over their heads collapsed. The roof fell in, tons of ancient timbers crushing everything under them: pews, men, horses, and dogs. The roar was deafening. Dan covered his ears and turned away. Finally, the timbers settled, and silence fell over the calamity.
Dan choked on the dusty air. ‘Hmm,’ he said, finally. ‘I think that worked.’
There were now a dozen ways out of the church—or what remained of it. Dan clambered over stone and timber and back out into the forest. He was just starting to breathe a little easier when he heard a ground-shuddering thud. It came from the direction where he had attacked the first rider. Another thud followed it. And another.
Something was coming.
Something huge.
Chapter Eighteen
An hour had passed since Dan had disappeared, and Brodie was still reeling from the shock. She could hardly gather her thoughts. ‘He was with us,’ she said. ‘And then he just disappeared.’
Chad was so shocked he actually looked ill. ‘They’re picking us off,’ he said. ‘One at a time.’
After losing Dan, they had returned to Cytron Engineering to see if Dan had somehow been transported into the building, but it was as quiet as ever. Back at the Cooper house, Brodie was trying to make plans, but everything seemed to lead back to one conclusion.
‘We need Axel,’ she said. ‘Ferdy was right when he said there’s safety in numbers.’
‘I gotta agree. The more of us, the better.’
Brodie had already tried using her comm bracelet to contact him, but there had been no answer. That meant using the traditional method—a telephone. They didn’t carry cell phones because they could be traced, so they needed a landline.
‘We’ll ask Mavis,’ Chad suggested. ‘She’s sure to have a phone.’
Arriving at her house, the old lady let them in immediately. ‘Of course, you can use my phone,’ Mavis said. ‘I’m sorry there’s not one up at the house, but it’s never been needed.’
Brodie tried dialing the number Axel had given her, but no one answered. She put the handset down thoughtfully. ‘He’s not there,’ she said. ‘I suppose I can call back later.’
They traipsed back to the Cooper house and sat in the living room. The four of them had shared this room a few days before. Now only two remained. A shiver of horror danced up Brodie’s spine.
It all started with this house, she thought. We would have been better off never coming here.
‘I’ll fly over to get him,’ Chad said. ‘I know my flying isn’t perfect, but it’s better than hanging around here.’
‘Are you sure you can do it?’
‘I know I can.’
Chad had once carried Brodie across a city when she was deathly ill. He had almost crashed a few times, but he’d made it.
He cocked his head. ‘Do you hear that?’
Brodie strained her ears. A murmur of voices was coming from upstairs. She frowned. ‘It can’t be Ebony and Dan. Can it?’
‘We’d better check.’
The voices grew louder as they crept up the stairs. It sou
nded like children laughing.
Brodie swallowed. The sounds were coming from Ebony’s room. Chad marched up to the door. ‘I don’t care if these things are ghosts or not,’ he said. ‘They’re not kidnapping my sister. I’ll tear this house apart if I must.’
The instant he opened it, the laughter stopped. Brodie went to follow him, but she suddenly found herself frozen in mid-step. She could not move.
‘Chad!’ she screamed. ‘Help! I can’t—’
Within seconds she was sinking down into the floor. She continued to scream, but Chad was stuck as if time had stopped. Within seconds, she was closing her eyes as the floor rushed past her face.
When she next opened them, she saw ancient stonework, a carpeted staircase, and high walls covered in crimson and blue tapestries. A single chandelier, with eight unlit candles, hung from the ceiling.
I’m in a castle, she thought. Maybe this is where the others went.
‘Ebony!’ she called. ‘Dan!’
Her voice reverberated hollowly. Stained glass windows lined the hall, the largest being a battle scene at the end. Crossing to it, Brodie peered through the colored shards. Open countryside lay beyond.
Clang!
The distant sound of metal against stone rang through the building.
Clang!
Brodie crept to the bottom of the stairs. The sound was approaching—and fast. Whatever it was, wasn’t trying to hide, as it raced through the castle at top speed. Glancing backward, Brodie saw a door leading from the castle. If worse came to worse—
A gleaming suit of armor appeared at the top of the stairs. The figure stopped momentarily, pausing to stare at her. A shiver of fear danced at the base of Brodie’s neck. Something was unnerving about the knight. There was no sign of eyes behind the visor in his helmet.
He gripped the balustrade and leaped over the side to the hall below. Crash! It was loud, but the knight landed lightly on his feet like a cat.
‘Hey, big fella,’ Brodie said. ‘I’m not looking for trouble. You just show me the way out of here, and I’ll be on my way.’
Teen Superheroes Box Set | Books 1-7 Page 71
