Machines of the Gods

by William B Lyons

  The cell phone that rested on the arm of the console chair started buzzing. Diamond Jack did not even have to see who was calling anymore. The brain steroids he’d taken earlier had expanded his mind to unbelievable levels while the alien helmet had downloaded volumns of information into his head as well. The human mind was able to do amazing things if the correct stimulation was provided.

  Diamond Jack picked up the cell phone and leaned back in his seat. “Hello, Eric. I’ve been expecting your call. How has life been?”

  “I should be asking you that same question. I also see that you have that space weapon up and running along with a few other devices too. Besides, how are you able to even receive my cell phone call being so far underground? I wasn’t expecting to even get through.”

  Diamond Jack smiled and looked at a circular disk—which was no larger than a quarter—that was magnetically held to the back of the cell phone. “I’m using another alien device I’ve manufactured from a blueprint on my orb. This tiny transmitter can send and receive signals from as far away as the planet Mars. Campared to that, communicating from down here is nothing. Too bad Neil has a device like this one his phone too. I’ve seen him use it myself.”

  “I see.”

  “What you’ve seen is only the beginning,” Jack said. “My continued use of the alien helmet along with the use of the mind-expanding drugs has given me fantastic powers. I can tell who’s calling me without looking at the phone. I can understand languages that I’ve never spoken before. Finally, I can even move physical objects without even touching them. I’m evolving into the future version of man. Soon, I’ll be as far above the ordinary man as he is above the ape. Then, with the hundreds of alien devices at my command, the world will be my playground.”

  “Your playground?” Eric questioned with an uneven tone.

  Diamond Jack suddenly realized that his ambitions were endangering his overall plan. He did not need to have a war with Eric at this time. There was still much he needed from this man. He’d have to play it cool a little longer. “I’m sorry. I should have said our playground.”

  “Don’t’ be too confident over the technological toys you’ve built. Many men in the past have underestimated their enemies. Many years ago, I warned Al Capone that danger was right around the corner, but he didn’t listen. Years later, I told President Truman that Russia would soon have its own atomic bomb. He didn’t listen either. There have been others in the past as well. I fear that there will also be others in the future too.”

  Jack frowned and leaned forward. Hopefully, this man did not have the power to read his mind as well. However, that was always a possibility. “What do you see in my future?”

  Eric smiled a hellish grin, the type of smile that would send chills down the spine of the average man. “You must be careful. Your enemy is coming for you, closing in on you as we speak. I can sense it.”

  Diamond Jack chuckled. “I know about Neil. That man’s brainwaves are strong. Yes, he escaped from that concrete bunker with the help of his assistant, Jenny White. But that is of little concern to me. I’ll just wait for him. When he gets here, I’ll make him suffer as I’ve suffered. The time has come for the rest of the plan to take place too.”

  “Yes, it is time to finish this once and for all.”

  Diamond Jack smiled again, showing all of his steel teeth. “I’ll be looking forward to you sharing the greatest secret of all with me. Then, we’ll rule this world like gods. And what a world it will be.”

  ***

  Steve watched nervously as Jenny carefully moved toward the end of the hallway. He could also hear the buzzing coming from the door behind them. Also, small chips of wood fell onto the floor as those things gradually ate through. In fact, the heads of some of those bugs were now poking out. “Hurry up, those things are almost in here!”

  She snatched around. “Don’t you think I know that? I’m going as fast as I can.” She stepped over another sensor beam. “Do you want me fried?”

  He took a deep breath and glanced back at the closed door behind them. More small holes were forming in the wood as more of those things started to chew through. “If they come in, I’ll have to torch them!”

  “Okay, but don’t use up too much fuel,” she replied. “Remember, we still need to roast that queen and her eggs.” She then did the splits and inched under another sensor beam before coming up next to the rear door. “Only fire if necessary!”

  Behind them, the buzzing got even louder. The chipping away at the wooden door was more pronounced. Larger holes appeared as some of the creatures came through.

  Steve looked ahead at Jenny and then back at the shredding door. Time was up. He turned around and pulled the trigger. A stream of fire blasted into the door. Loud screams from the creatures erupted.

  Jenny frantically reached into her pocket and retrieved the key card. “I’ll have the door open in less than a minute.”

  Steve pulled the trigger again and let another burst of flames engulf several of the little flying monsters. They let out loud cries and fell to the ground, twisting in agony as fire consumed them. He fired again at the growing swarm, killing many more. Then, he aimed the flame gun at the hole where the creatures were coming from. The things quickly retreated and could be heard racing through the air duck again.

  Straight ahead, Jenny twisted her body against the door and leaned back to avoid another sensor beam. She then looked back at Steve. “I’m almost there.”

  “Good, I have everything under control here,” Steve said. “I can keep this up all day. I have them on the run.”

  “Don’t use too much fuel. We’ll have to deal with the queen.” Jenny’s legs did a complete split. She then squirmed under the last energy beam. “Okay, when I place the control key in the lock, wait ten seconds and then dash toward me. The beams will only be off for about six seconds. The door will open, and we can go into the next chamber.”

  Steve squatted down and shut off the flamethrower. “Okay, I’m ready. Just make sure that those beams are off when I come towards you.”

  She stood up, hugging the door, while placing the control key into the wall slot. The machine read the control key. “The beams will be off in a few seconds, so get ready.”

  “Let’s roll!”

  ***

  Eddie’s fingers continued dancing about the keyboard. His eyes were still focused on the monitor. The screen showed a digital grid of the dozens of operating systems that were controlling all of the lower floors. Three of the main security firewalls had already been deactivated. Only two remained.

  He carefully opened a new matrix and typed in a secondary digital program. The screen blinked and another window appeared. Seven new icons in this new window were spaced side by side. He clicked on the first of these icons. A digital box filled half of the screen. He then typed in a series of connector programs and digitally linked all seven of the icons together. Next, he retrieved a small flash drive from his pocket. After slipping it in the USB port, he tapped the “enter” key.

  This new program invaded the system, It moved through the database like a silent killer, deleting vast amounts of information and redirecting commands. In fact, all the files that had been corrupted were either disabled or deleted all together. Soon, Eddie knew that the last of the firewalls would fall and he’d soon fully regain control of the entire network. Already, he could see a schematic blueprint of the second to the last firewall on the screen. And below this digital representation was a measurement line that was changing from red to green as the program slowly took over.

  ***

  Jenny looked back at Steve and smiled when the door latch clicked. She quickly pulled on the handle and it opened. She counted down eight seconds and motioned for Steve. “Come on, you only have about seven seconds before the system activates again!”

  “Are you sure the security is off?”

  “
I’m positive!” she yelled back, noticing that the beams were no longer visible through the blue fog. However, she was somewhat puzzled as to why the hall lights had suddenly dimmed too. The power to the generator in the basement was on a different line than the power connected to the doors. The general mainframe had to have been rebooting. Perhaps Eddie had taken down another firewall. If so, they’d have to get into the next chamber before everything rebooted. “Hurry up, you only have about seven seconds before the system activates again!”

  Steve sprinted down the hallway at full speed. Ahead, a warning light flashed over the next chamber door. Suddenly, sirens started howling as well. He made it to the chamber door just as the laser beams sliced through the hallway behind him. “What in the hell is going on?”

  She took a deep breath. “One of the last firewalls must have just come down. Eddie has almost taken control of the system. It’ll be over soon.”

  Suddenly, all of the lights in the base started flashing.

  “Yes, one of the firewalls has definitely come down,”she said. “Soon the security systems will shut off too. When that happens, we’ll be on our own.”

  “We’ve been on our own from the very beginning.”

  “Oh really? Just look behind you.”

  Steve turned and saw dozens of those creatures coming from another hole in the ceiling. However, they were flying into the grid of energy beams that now bisected the hallway. As they made contact with the energy beams, they were blasted apart. “Nice,” he whispered. “Just like flies running into an electrical screen.”

  She turned on the lights in the new chamber. “Close the door. We don’t want the system to go down with the door open. If that happens, you won’t be able to close it again. And that will be really bad when the power to the security system shuts off and those bugs will be on the march again.”

  He slammed the door shut and gasped. “I need a breather right about now anyway.”

  “Go ahead, we should wait a few minutes anyway. The hall on the other side of this chamber is wired too. I can’t go down that way either because I’m out of that sensor mist. I only had one container. We’ll have to wait until the power goes down again.”

  He turned around and gazed into the new room for the first time. This place was a plush suite with a couch, television, and large console desk with a laptop resting in its center. Jenny was standing by the rear door. It reminded him of a swanky hotel room. “So, what is all of this?”

  “Would you believe me if I told you that this is the custodian’s closet?”

  “At this point, I’ll believe just about anything.”

  The door’s lock clicked.

  She looked back, glanced at her watch, and then focused on Steve again. “I guess we’re trapped in here together for the next twenty minutes or so. That’s how long it will take for the system to reboot.”

  He gasped again. “I don’t know if we have that long. Those jets could be coming at any minute with their Termicide bombs. And if the outside vents to this place are open, those fumes will come down here and kill us all for sure.”

  “We have time. I’m sure they are still evacuating the area around this place. That’s standard procedure.”

  “Ordinarily they would, but this is not a normal situation.” He frantically tugged on the rear door. When it did not open, he slammed his fist into the wall.

  “Hey, I just told you it won’t open until the system reboots. Just relax.” She stood up and walked over next to him. “Just take a deep breath and let it out slowly.”

  “How can you be so calm at a time like this? The whole world is about to be screwed. If Diamond Jack turns his orb over to terrorists or a rogue government, a new generation of super weapons could be unleached upon mankind. And if that’s not bad enough, those bug creatures could lay waste to entire continents if they escape this complex. Either way, we’re facing a doomsday situation.”

  “Honey, don’t you ever relax?”

  “Honey?” He turned around to face her. “And yes, I do sit back and chill when the time is appropriate. However, I am particular about the company I keep in situations like this. I don’t understand what new game you’re playing with me.”

  I have faith in people. Eddie will soon take control of the complex’s operating system. Neil will get to the control room and open the vents to the outside world. Then, the Termicide will be dropped and it will kill all of those creatures. And by that time, we’ll have finished off the queen and her eggs.”

  “I just had a terrible thought,” he said. “What happens if the Termicide has no effect on those things? Secondly, how do we know that he has not already sold his orb to some very bad people. Finally, who is financing all of this? There is much to consider.” He turned and walked over to the couch. “Don’t you see how messed up things are?”

  “Don’t be so negative.” She followed him over to the couch and sat down. “We’ve already tested the Termicide on some of these bugs on the island. It works. Diamond Jack cannot get out of this facility. He’s not had time to get the orb to anyone. Now, I was just thinking,“ she purred, “if you could get to the control room and program our computers to intercept the alien data stream, we could open up that alien ark now.”

  “Really?” He turned and looked into her eyes. “Are you still on that subject?”

  She leaned closer. “There could be dozens or even hundreds of other orbs in that space ark. Think of it, human technology could advance thousands of years in months. We could—”

  “We?” he interrupted.

  She moved closer, reaching out and hugging him.“Yes, we could develop and market what we find in that ship. You know, a private company is financing a mission to the moon to again try to open up that ship. I own lots of stock in that company. Depending on what is found, we could earn billions.”

  He broke away. “I hope that you never find a way into that ship. The world is not ready for that kind of power or technology. Besides, I’ve figured out your game too.”

  She looked up at him and frowned. “What are you getting at?”

  He turned around again. “You probably want the world to go to hell in a hand basket. If Diamond Jack unleashes his terrors upon the world, man will then be forced to use whatever is on that ark just to derail that maniac’s plans. You probably have recording devices as well as digital equipment that will pick up transmission signals to that craft. And once you isolate the signal that opens up that ark, you’ll send a team of engineers to the moon to go on board. I just happen to know that a rocket ship—with a crew standing by—is already at the launch center in Florida. When I reviewed the computer files earlier, I discovered this little secret. That’s why you don’t really care if we stop this maniac here. Am I right?”

  She looked down at the floor. “What are your plans now?”

  “They have never changed. I’m still going to take this man out.”

  “I mean after all of this is over. What happens then?”

  He frowned and looked at his watch. “I’ll make my report and put a lid on all of this lethal crap. I’m going to make sure that most of the stuff going on down here never sees the light of day. And don’t think that you’ll just kill me off either. If I don’t upload a special file to your computers every three hours, a lot of stuff will start to shutdown. Are you hearing me?”

  She sighed in dispare. “Okay, we don’t need any new kinds of problems. But we can still become super rich. Look, there is a blueprint of an alien device that makes water. It’s on an orb that we already have.”

  Steve pushed against the locked rear door again. “Seventy-one percent of the world’s surface is covered by water anyway. How will a water machine help anybody?”

  “Look at the big picture,” she said. “We’ve already built this machine, and it’s about the size of a hot water heater. The thing draws in both oxygen and hydrogen. Then, it fuses
them together to create water. This machine can generate up to a hundred gallons of water per day. I’m talking about pure drinking water in unlimited supply. Houses will not have to have plumbing anymore. Water can be gotten to places in the world where we’ve never been able to get it to before. Finally, what about space exploration? With these water machines, we could set up bases on Mars and never have to worry about carrying tons of water on spaceships. The possibilities are endless. Come on, Steve, don’t blow things now. Please!”

  Steve thought about what he was being told. Perhaps some positive things could come out of this experience. After all, he could at least think about what good could be done in the world with some of this alien technology. “Okay, I’ll think about what you’re talking about. However, I can’t make any promises.”

  “All I’m asking you to do is to keep an open mind.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Neil stepped back and looked around the large enclosure one more time. The place looked like a futuristic tomb. The dozens of computer terminals behind him still flashed as various data scrolled down the multiple screens. The white walls and tile floor leading to the next room were spotless as usual. Then, there was that steel door straight ahead. It resembled a security vault in a bank. To him, this door was a barrier to man’s future.

  He sighed in frustration. The whole world was an open target for a monster that he’d help to create. Now, it appeared that only he could put an end to this madness. However, he needed an update fast. How long would it be before that steel door would unlock? Only one person could answer that question—Eddie.

  He reached into his pocket and withdrew his special cell phone. Perhaps there was something else that could be done. He quickly dialed the office number and waited. Eddie had been told to answer the phone no matter what he was doing. Hopefully, the man would remember this order.