10

by James Phelan

  ‘And can he control the air?’ Zara whispered.

  Sam understood what she meant—a gust or change in this strong wind could be the end of them.

  Then again, if he managed to glide them down safely to the river below …

  A guide walked by, saying, ‘James Bond movies have featured several BASE-jumps, including one from the Eiffel Tower in 1985’s A View to a Kill. A much more successful undertaking than in 1912, when Franz Reichelt, a tailor, jumped from the first deck of the Eiffel Tower testing his invention, his coat forming a crude parachute. Unfortunately, he died in the attempt. If you look online, you can see footage of the police measuring the depth of the hole he made in the earth upon impact …’

  ‘We so didn’t just hear that,’ Sam said, leading Zara to an empty spot near the fence.

  ‘Sam, I can’t!’ Zara gasped. Sam saw her face pale in the evening sunlight.

  Her phone beeped and she looked down to check her messages.

  ‘My mother!’ she said, reading the message on the screen. ‘She’s back in the city! If we just take the next elevator down—’

  ‘Tell her to meet us down there,’ Sam said, looking down at the ground and then at the cage that wrapped over the viewing area, ‘on the other side of the river.’

  ‘But what if—’

  WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

  Two jets of fire missed Sam’s head by a few centimetres and melted through the wire mesh fencing.

  Sam spun around, instinctively stepping in front of Zara.

  Solaris stood with his arm raised at them. Sam locked eyes with him for the briefest of moments before a brave security guard crash-tackled Solaris to the ground.

  ‘Come on!’ Sam said, squeezing out of the hole melted in the fence, grabbing Zara to help her through. ‘We won’t get another chance to do this!’

  He helped Zara out onto the ledge.

  ‘We may not get another chance to do anything!’ she shouted over the panicked screams of the tourists scrambling to get away from the unfolding drama. Sam looked back to see Solaris step over the inert body of the security guard, scattering the crowd as he walked towards them.

  ‘Hang on around my neck,’ Sam said, manoeuvring so that his back was to Zara. ‘And don’t let go!’

  WHOOSH!

  They threw themselves into the wind.

  31

  ALEX

  ‘I couldn’t get a warning through to the Academy,’ Phoebe said in the Director’s office. ‘I’ve tried everything, all channels to the Academy are down.’

  The Director said, ‘Everything’s out?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Then we’re right,’ he said. ‘Stella is attacking the Academy—she’s jamming all their communications so that they can’t call for help. Matrix must be working with her. Damn it!’

  Alex’s heart skipped a beat.

  Matrix had me running a test on blocking their comms. It was all for this … I should have known that slimebag was up to no good.

  Alex banged his fist against the office wall in frustration.

  ‘What can we do?’

  ‘Jack, can you contact Stella?’ Phoebe said.

  ‘I’ve tried, and I’m still trying,’ the Director said, picking up his phone and dialling again. ‘I’ve got the Swiss authorities alerted too. They’re sending help, but it may be too late.’

  ‘What can I do?’ Phoebe asked.

  ‘You and Alex gather all the Agents on this list who I know to be loyal,’ he handed her a print-out with names scrolling down the page, ‘and bring them in here to be briefed. Stella is no longer a member of the Enterprise. She is now one of our enemies.’

  Phoebe nodded. She and Alex made for the door and the Director picked up the phone, making one more desperate attempt to call Stella to somehow persuade her to call off her attack.

  The Director’s office was full with two dozen Agents. The Director and Phoebe hastily updated them on Stella’s betrayal of the Enterprise and the suspected strike against the Academy. They all listened silently, their expressions dark and glowering.

  ‘We’ve tried to warn the Academy,’ Phoebe said to those assembled. ‘We can’t make contact with them or the Dreamer Council, or even any Academy staff worldwide.’

  Now a murmur ran through the Agents.

  ‘All signals are being jammed in and out of the Academy, sir,’ a tech confirmed. ‘Landlines, mobile phones, all radio bands—everything’s been either jammed or is off air.’

  ‘There’s no way of warning them, then?’ Alex said.

  ‘It could already be too late …’ the tech turned to face him directly.

  ‘Contact Geneva again,’ the Director said. ‘Tell the authorities there to expect casualties, alert the medical staff and get the Swiss authorities on the line again and have them send their teams in—now!’

  A pair of Agents hustled to the corner of the office and started making urgent phone calls.

  ‘And you can all imagine,’ the Director said to the assembled, ‘this technical aspect of Stella’s assault means that Matrix is involved, although the extent of that involvement we are yet to establish.’

  ‘I’ll go ask him,’ a huge mountain of an Agent said, violence in his eyes.

  ‘If only. He’s long gone.’ The Director looked to a tech, ‘Any luck getting Stella on the line?’

  ‘Her comms and those of all the Agents with her have gone silent,’ the tech replied. ‘But I’ve just patched through to the lead helicopter she’s acquired. Ready?’

  ‘Put it through on the speakerphone.’ The Director leaned forward at his desk, talking into the receiver. ‘Stella?’

  ‘I thought you might find me,’ Stella said.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Alex could hear the Director fight to keep his anger in check.

  ‘You probably know by now,’ Stella said casually.

  ‘Call it off, Stella,’ the Director said. ‘Don’t do this.’

  Stella laughed. Alex felt the Agent next to him tense up.

  ‘Why?’ the Director said.

  ‘What’s about to happen at the Academy should have been done a long time ago …’ Stella replied.

  ‘This is murder!’ the Director was both protesting and pleading at the same time.

  ‘I’m doing what you could never do,’ Stella spat out. ‘I’m doing it right now, so you’re too late!’

  And the line went dead.

  ‘Make sure the Swiss military have responded to our warning!’ the Director yelled to the Agents manning the phones. ‘The rest of you with me to the computer control room!’

  The Director ran from the room, several Agents with him, Alex following close behind.

  At the heavy steel doors to the computer division, an Agent turned from the biometric scanner, his expression worried.

  ‘What?’ the Director said.

  Alex knew before the Agent answered. The doors weren’t opening.

  ‘It’s been disabled,’ the Agent replied. ‘We’re locked out.’

  Matrix!

  This is a bad sign, a really bad sign.

  32

  EVA

  ‘What are they?’ Pi said, coming to stand next to Eva and Gabriella. ‘I mean, I can see they’re helicopters—but what are they doing?’

  ‘Xavier?’ Eva called up to him, as he hastily joined them at the bottom of the ice flow. They could hear the helicopters now, the rotors beating against the air, growing louder with every second as they neared.

  ‘Maybe it’s some kind of military exercise they’re running somewhere nearby?’ Xavier said, catching his breath. ‘Look at the weaponry they’re packing!’

  ‘Nearby where?’ Eva said, looking around the barren mountains with a knot of dread. She could see rocket-pods and machine-guns strapped to the sides of the helicopters. Her stomach lurched. ‘I’ve got a really bad feeling about this. I think we should raise the alarm and—’

  ‘Look!’ Pi said, cutting her off.

  They saw a flash from th
e side of the mountain opposite, near where Eva had been caught in an avalanche, then a streaking into the sky and—

  KLAP-BOOM!

  ‘Whoa!’ Eva shouted out, her hands flying up to her mouth in shock.

  One of the helicopters exploded in the air, a huge ball of scorching fire and black smoke. No sooner had its flaming remains started to fall towards earth as they watched on open-mouthed in horror then another flash sprung from the mountain and another missile streaked into the sky—

  BOOM!

  A second helicopter was hit on the tail rotor and spun wildly out of control, smashing into a ridge and exploding, starting an avalanche of snow and ice.

  ‘What’s happening?’ Pi screamed.

  ‘Who’s shooting?’ Gabriella cried.

  Eva could now feel the heat carried on the breeze from the explosions.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Eva said, ‘but we’ve got to get out of here!’

  Alarms began ringing out from the Academy behind them, the noise deafening them.

  ‘Come on!’ Xavier shouted, leading the way to the rock wall where they climbed their way back up to the terrace, a combined effort of frantic reaching and lifting. Xavier was the last up, hauling himself over the balustrade as—

  ‘They’re here, they’re attacking us!’ Pi shouted. ‘Take cover!’

  SWOOSH!

  A missile flashed overhead.

  KLAP-BOOM!

  A section of the Academy’s ancient tiled roof plummeted over their heads and fell down the cliff face below. Eva watched as the first four helicopters roared overhead, their machine guns peppering the buildings with bullets, while the two others circled around the mountain.

  I hope whoever’s out there shoots you all down!

  ‘The evac area is the driveway out front!’ Pi shouted.

  ‘I’ll lead!’ Xavier said, running inside.

  In the corridor they saw Jedi disappearing up the stairs.

  SMASH!

  The whole wall of the corridor before them disintegrated. As if in slow-motion, Eva was blown through the air.

  33

  SAM

  ‘AAARRGH!’ Sam and Zara’s screams mingled together as they plunged downwards, the breeze now pummelling them like a tornado. The horrified shouts of people in the Eiffel Tower rushed by in a flash.

  What have I done? I’ve just killed us.

  Sam forced the panic from his mind and extended his arms, forcing his legs apart into the position on Jedi’s instructions. Relief swamped him as he felt their descent immediately slow to a glide as his Stealth Suit held true to Jedi’s design of the wing suit.

  Nice!

  ‘Argh!’ Zara said, not as loud this time. Sam twisted his head back to glimpse Zara’s eyes, trying to look as reassuring as he could.

  Fortunately, Zara appeared to be over the initial shock. Her grip around Sam’s neck remained just as tight, but she tried to give him a smile. It unfortunately looked more like a grimace as she hung on.

  Well, I did just make her jump off the Eiffel Tower.

  The wind buffeted against Sam’s face in a gentle pulse now. Arms fully outstretched, he leaned right, guiding them in a wide banking arc towards the river far below. They were headed into the wind now, and after a few shaking jinks as Sam adjusted to the conditions, they slowed into a steady flight path.

  Sam marvelled at this unique view of central Paris, the city spread out below them in a patchwork of avenues and buildings. He swore he could almost feel Zara starting to grin, drinking in the experience.

  ‘Sam!’ Zara yelled into his ear. ‘This is … amazing!’

  ‘I know!’ he said, grinning. He started a slight banking manoeuvre to the right, so that they’d come to a long gliding landing along the length of the river. ‘It’s awesome!’

  WHOOSH!

  A ball of fire shot past them, several metres to their right, far enough off not to worry about but close enough to feel the heat as it passed.

  The further we get away, the less likely he’ll be able to hit us.

  WHOOSH!

  That jet was even further away.

  So that’s the edge of his range, Sam thought without needing to look back.

  ‘Go faster!’ Zara screamed in Sam’s ear.

  ‘I can’t! he replied. ‘We have to slow as much as we can for landing!’

  WHOOSH!

  ‘Wow!’ Sam said, blinking against the heat from the close shot.

  He’s not trying to hit us, Sam realised, seeing the pattern in the shots which kept Sam banking away from the slow-moving Seine below. He’s trying to steer me away from the river and towards the roads … he’s making sure we don’t get a clean getaway when we land.

  Far below, people who had been oblivious to the mid-air drama above them were now looking up, pointing. Their attention turned to gasps of horror when fireballs shot through the air.

  ‘Sam?’ Zara leaned into his ear to shout. ‘Sam!’

  ‘Yeah—I know,’ Sam yelled back. Their descent was too slow. They were covering too much ground. At this rate, they’d overshoot not only the river, but the open grassy area too.

  ‘You better do something,’ Zara said, shifting her weight—which made Sam veer wildly left, then as she shifted back to compensate, her grip around his neck started to choke him.

  ‘Za-ra, can’t … breathe …’

  Her grip relaxed and she was still. ‘Pardon!’ she called out.

  Sam sucked in the cool air and adjusted his wing suit.

  ‘Sam … we’re headed for …’

  ‘I know!’

  The far side of a bridge, crossing the river.

  ‘But—’

  ‘We’ll be OK,’ Sam said. ‘Close your eyes.’

  ‘I’m closing them!’

  Sam aimed for the bridge, with no more than ten seconds before they would land. Among the cars, three buses were in convoy across the bridge. The furthest away had an open top and was full of tourists. The next two had smooth tops, potential landing spots. They were moving in the same direction as their descent. Sam hoped they could land on one doing about the same speed—hopefully giving them a softer landing. Sam aimed for the middle bus.

  ‘Five seconds!’ Sam yelled back over his shoulder. He felt Zara tense.

  As they neared the middle bus he pushed his feet down slightly and his angle of descent straightened a little. They slowed to a similar speed to the bus.

  Horns blared in the traffic below.

  The bus braked and slowed down further.

  Sam pulled his arms close to his body, picking up a few metres of forward speed, and then dropped his feet again.

  They passed over the third bus, its smooth white roof a runway, and Sam closed his arms and legs to speed up.

  All the traffic seemed to come to a sudden halt.

  The second bus flashed under them.

  ‘Oh no!’

  Sam opened his arms and legs, slowing—

  WHACK!

  They hit the third bus hard, the air knocked out of Sam from Zara’s full weight resting on his back. They skidded down the central aisle, tourists jumping back in their seats. Sam thumped his head on the front board and looked up into the stunned faces of a family of tourists. Zara rolled off Sam, gasping to catch her breath. A little boy jumped out of his shocked father’s arms and shouted, ‘Do it again, mister!’

  They pulled each other to their feet as a cluster of faces came towards them, taking pictures and offering assistance and congratulations.

  Do they think we were doing some kind of stunt?

  ‘No photos, please!’ Sam said in desperation, thinking of his face plastered all over the news again. But it was too late.

  ‘Come, Sam,’ Zara said as she dragged Sam down the stairs to scattered applause. She called out behind them, ‘Merci, merci!’

  The bus was slowing to round a corner and they came to a stop in the traffic. Zara barked a few hysterical words in French to the unsuspecting driver and he opened the door.
They jumped out and ran along the street, stopping once they reached the safety of the footpath. Sam put his hands on his knees, doubling over, fighting for air.

  ‘What’d you say to him?’ Sam asked.

  ‘That I was going to be sick,’ Zara said, her hands on her stomach. ‘And it was no lie.’

  She doubled over and threw up over the edge of the bridge. She turned back to face Sam, looking pale and frightened.

  It won’t take them long to get back down here—I have to keep her moving.

  A loud and long honk of a car horn made Sam turn around in fright. Not already!

  ‘My mother!’ Zara said, running through the gridlock to the other side of the bridge. She held the door open for Sam, who took a final look up at the Eiffel Tower and collapsed into the back seat of the car.

  34

  ‘Papa just sent a message,’ Zara said, reading her phone. ‘He has some minor injuries, nothing serious.’

  ‘That is good news. Tell him we are arriving in Amboise,’ Zara’s mum, Aubree, said as she drove. ‘We’ll be at Clos Lucé in minutes.’

  Zara turned to Sam, ‘He and your Guardians were able to escape. They are alright also.’

  ‘Great, thank you,’ Sam said. They had been travelling in the car for just over two hours but he couldn’t help but stare out the rear window, wondering who would be coming behind them.

  ‘You ready, Sam?’ Zara asked over her shoulder.

  ‘Yeah,’ he replied. In truth, he was anxious and worried. The entire car trip he’d tried to reach the Academy again, but all the lines were down. He didn’t know anything more about the Professor and the Council. And he didn’t know whether Solaris or Hans were still after them.

  On the plus side, he was travelling with an Enterprise Agent, which meant if there was any Enterprise trouble headed their way, they’d know about it. He looked at his phone again, willing someone to call and update him.

  ‘Any word from your friends?’ Aubree asked Sam, stealing a glance his way in the rear-view mirror.

  ‘Nothing,’ Sam replied. The last he’d heard from Jedi was the crackly connection via Zara’s phone. ‘At the very least, I’d like to tell Jedi about our jump from the Tower.’