The soldier opened one of the doors, then glanced over his shoulder. “Get this. We sent in a translator. The boy claims he’s not Agarthian. He says we made a mistake and that he’s from California. He’s begging to go home, even demanding a DNA test.”
Thorn nudged the guard. “Even if he is telling the truth, he’d still be scheduled for deep sleep. The commander despises humans, no matter where they’re from.”
“We know that, but he doesn’t. Trust me, he’s not telling the truth.”
“What does Commander Tio think?” asked Thorn.
“He thinks the kid’s a whack job. Commander Tio refuses to even talk with him, let alone see whether there’s any truth to his ridiculous claims. He says it’s absolutely impossible for a human from the surface to reach as far as Agartha, and I agree.” He chuckled and shook his head slightly. “What a colorful story. That kid has a knack for lying, just like all of them.”
“Yes, he does,” said Thorn in a smug tone.
“He’s in here. Let me open the door for you.” The guard entered a code into a control panel, and the doors slid open with a click.
Casey’s heart thudded against her ribcage. A soft golden glow emanated from the walls; she could have sworn they were made of pure gold. Her gaze wandered from the walls to the shiny silver capsules, the size of tanning beds, spread out across the room in organized rows. A jolt ran through her, causing her breathing to falter. Jack was inside one of those things, and she couldn’t wait to get him.
The guard led them to the far right side and pointed to a pod. “He’s the one you’re looking for. Inject him. I want to see him suffer, just like my family did because of his kind.” Anger and hate dripped from his words.
Thorn pressed a button, and the top lid started to shift aside, giving view to Jack’s pale face. For a moment, Casey’s heart stopped, and she felt helpless and bound to the spot as though she’d been struck by lightning.
Jack fluttered opened his eyes. There was terror written all over his face as he struggled into a sitting position in the confined space. He covered his eyes with his hands. Of course he needed a minute to adjust to the light after being held captive in total darkness. Her heart started to beat again. He was alive and well—scared to death, but alive nonetheless. It was truly a miracle. “This is all a big mistake. Please! You’ve got to listen to me.” Jack still wore the same ripped, dirty clothes. His nails were bright red, like those of a trapped animal, probably from trying to push the lid open and escape his prison. Before she could react, Jack jumped to his feet, lunged forward, and pinned Casey against the wall shouting, “I’m not the special person you think I am. I’m not even from the glass city!”
From the corner of her eye, she saw the syringe plunge into Jack’s neck, his sudden scream piercing her heart. Jack slouched forward against her, giving view to Thorn standing behind him, Jack’s blue eyes flashing with more terror. Without thinking, she placed a gloved hand on his cheek and whispered, “It’s okay.”
Jack’s voice thundered so loudly that it drowned hers out. “Don’t touch me.” He threw his fist, smacking Casey’s visor and flipping it open as she flew to the ground. He gasped at the same time as she did and stumbled back. “Casey? Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it was you.”
“Intruder!” shouted the guard.
“Crap!” said Mike.
Casey stumbled to her feet when Mike aimed at the guard’s side and fired. The soldier crumpled, dropping his gun. It flung through the air and clattered across the floor. Jack abruptly stopped it with his foot. He snatched the weapon and pointed between Mike and Thorn, hands surprisingly steady for someone who’d never held a gun a day in his life. The guard lay unconsciousness. He’d be out like a light for hours.
“Let us go, or I’ll shoot you.” Jack’s voice came low and menacing, and she had no doubt he’d make good on his threat if she didn’t stop him.
Mike yanked off his helmet. “Are you crazy? It’s me.” A big smile grew across his lips, and he gripped the pistol barrel. “Glad to see you, bro.”
Jack’s jaw dropped, but he refused to put down the gun. “Mike?”
“Yep. It’s me, in the flesh.”
“He injected me with something,” hissed Jack, leveling his weapon at Thorn.
Casey threw herself in front of Thorn, acting as a shield. “Don’t!”
“How did you get here?” Jack peered between her and Mike, taking in the details of the room with huge eyes. He wanted to wrap his head around all of this, but with a logical person who preferred his explanations in black and white, it was too much to ask.
“Bet you’re surprised we’re with an alien,” said Mike. “This is Thorn, a friend. He’s helping us.”
The deep furrows between Jack’s eyebrows smoothed, and his shoulders relaxed as he drew a deep breath. “How did you befriend one of those…those things?” Jack looked from Casey to Mike, then back at Thorn.
“It’s really a super long story,” said Casey. “Now give Mike back his gun so I can give you a giant hug.”
Mike smirked. “And maybe apologize to the alien that hooked us up with a ship to rescue your butt.”
Jack shook his head as he handed Mike the weapon. He reached out to shake Thorn’s hand. “Sorry about that little mix-up, but I’m pleased to, uh, meet you…Thorn.”
Thorn nodded and gripped his hand in a firm handshake.
“Ouch.” Jack touched his neck. “So why the shot?”
“It’s a communicator chip so you can understand their language and Thorn,” said Mike.
“You’ll need it so you can blend in and get off this ship. Mike and I took the injection too. I’m just so glad you’re okay!” Casey threw her arms around him, oblivious to the dirt and grime that was caked all over him. Still, he was a beautiful sight. She cupped his face, with tears trickling down her cheeks.
He hugged her, and they stood in a tight embrace. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you, Mike…and that T-rex,” said Jack. “I thought you both might be dead. I was crazy with grief.” He took another deep breath.
Thorn motioned toward the three of them. “This is all very touching, but we really need to get going. Someone could be coming in anytime now.”
Jack nodded. “Thank you. I don’t know how you pulled it off, but, boy, am I glad you did.”
Mike pointed at the guard lying on the ground. “Put on the uniform, Jack. The key here is disguise, capisce?” He bent over, wiggled off the soldier’s helmet, and handed it to Thorn, who inserted the tiny chip with the software to make Jack sound like the aliens when he talked.
Mike shoved his weapon back in his holster, then shot Jack a frustrated look. “So what’re you waiting for? Christmas? Strip off his uniform and suit up!”
Jack gaped. “Is he dead?”
He reached down, wrapped his hands around the soldier’s boot, and tugged. “No, just stunned for a few hours.”
Casey gripped the other boot and pulled with all her might. “Hurry!”
Jack rubbed the alien’s skin and flinched. “It feels like the dolphins we touched earlier. I don’t see how any of this can get any stranger.”
“Yeah, uh…it can,” said Mike. “Hold on a sec. Here…you pull one pant leg, and I’ll pull the other.” They slid off the rebel’s uniform. “Get this,” Mike continued, “we flew here in a spaceship, we’re working with one of them, and—the best part—we have to save the world.”
“You’re kidding,” said Jack, turning to face Casey. “He is, isn’t he?”
Casey’s eyes locked with his. “We have a small problem on our hands.”
“Small?” retorted Mike. “Don’t sugarcoat this. Jack, we have a HUGE problem on our hands.”
Her lips pressed together in a grim line. “There’s a secret weapon on this ship that’ll kill everyone on Earth.”
“And don’t forget the people inside Earth too,” added Mike.
She handed Jack a backpack, stun gun, and a radar device to put
on his wrist like a watch. He slipped into the black uniform and boots as Thorn let him in on their briefing. He nodded a few times, confusion visible from the deep furrow between his brows. Even after seeing it all live and in 3-D, she couldn’t quite accept what was happening, so she wondered how Jack could believe any of it just from hearsay.
Thorn pushed the red button on his radar device. A female voice echoed, “Six hours remaining.” He headed toward the door. “We’ve got to get to the other side of the ship and find that weapon.”
“This certainly beats being caged in a casket like Dracula.” Jack swung his backpack over his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
Voices and footsteps echoed outside the door. Casey’s heartbeat spiked. She’d come too far to be stopped now.
Fear edged Mike’s voice, and his eyes widened. “We’re so busted. I shot the sheriff.” He whipped out his gun. “It’s us or them.”
“Wait,” said Jack. “You don’t even know how many are out there.”
Casey grabbed the barrel of Mike’s pistol. “Hold on, there, cowboy.”
There had to be a better answer than going into a full-fledged battle. Her mind sprung into action. “I’ve got an idea. Time to play switch-a-roo. Quick! Hide the guard. He’ll be Jack. Jack, you’re now the guard. Pretend like you’ve been shot.”
“Brilliant.” Thorn picked up the soldier’s legs while Casey heaved his upper body into the capsule.
Casey tapped on the rebel’s helmet. “Sweet dreams. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” She shut the lid and whipped around to meet the gaze of the four soldiers who had just walked in. Her heart thudded fiercely. She was suddenly very thankful for her visor, or she never would have been able to keep her cool.
“I demand to know what’s going on here,” barked a furious voice.
Another soldier reached toward his holster and whipped out his gun. “What’re you doing here? This area’s restricted.”
Having a real gun pointed at Casey’s head made her feel uneasy. Her head started to spin, and she fumbled for an explanation, but the words wouldn’t come.
“Owww,” Jack moaned, leaning into Casey, almost losing his balance. “I called them,” he whispered so softly that nobody would be able to make out his voice.
Mike took Jack’s other arm and swung it around his shoulder. “Don’t worry. We got you. Can you walk?”
“What happened?” asked a soldier.
“I opened the capsule, and…” Jack’s soft voice trailed off in a dramatic performance. Obviously, he’d learned a thing or two from Mike.
The soldier leaned in and touched Jack’s shoulder. “Why would you do that? Taunting the human again?”
Casey wondered if they might actually pull it off. Her blood ran cold as she boldly threw herself into character. “The boy grabbed his gun. Shot him.”
“Ryanallo underestimated the kid,” said a soldier. “We can’t thank you soldiers enough for responding to his distress call.”
Casey nodded. “We’ve got to get him to sick bay. We’ll fill you in on all the details later.”
Mike’s voice rose to a crescendo as he jumped into character too. Clearly, he was aiming for the red carpet. “We stunned the Agarthian. If Commander Tio didn’t need him, I’d kill him right here on the spot. The boy’s back in the capsule, where he belongs. Under no circumstances should you let him out. He’s extremely dangerous.”
One of the soldiers rushed over to Jack and gripped his arm. “Don’t you die on me, Ryanallo!”
They cared for their own, that was for sure, but when it came to the billions of people living on—and in—Earth, they would kill without even batting an eyelash, if they even had any.
“I swear, that filthy rat is going to pay,” said another soldier. “I never liked him, not from the second I laid eyes on him.”
“Call a medical team!” said another.
Thorn shook his head. “They’re just now getting out of that meeting, like yourselves, but there’s always at least one doctor in the infirmary. Every second we spend talking is time wasted.”
The guard looked up at Thorn. “Okay. We’ll handle this Agarthian boy. Just hurry and get back. I want a full report in fifteen minutes.”
“Yes, sir,” lied Thorn.
Casey and Mike walked down the corridor, carrying Jack between them. After they turned the corner, Casey let out a tiny sigh of relief. “That was close.”
Jack stood on his own two feet. “That was quick thinking.”
She grinned. “I have my moments.”
A sound, like that of a burglar alarm, shrilled, echoing from the bare walls, and her heart pounded.
She squeezed her eyes shut, but she could still see the flashing red lights from under her closed lids. “Oh my gosh! They know we’re here,” she whispered, knowing that the others wouldn’t be able to hear her through the ear-splitting noise. She turned the bend, and stopped in her tracks, a chilly wave rushing over her.
A squad of soldiers rushed toward them.
Rivulets of sweat covered Casey’s back. She felt her hands trembling on her weapon, glued to her hip.
The soldiers inched closer, stopping mere feet away.
Mike reached for his gun. “We don’t stand a chance. There’s no way we can shoot them all.”
Chapter 5
Alarms wailed, echoing from the naked walls in the wide corridor. Panic flooded over Casey as the group of soldiers strode toward them. They were sadly outnumbered, but she set her jaw and raised her chin a notch, ready to kick her way out of there if need be. The enemy wasn’t about to steal Jack away again—not when she’d just rescued him.
“They’re coming!” Mike’s voice ended in a gasp, and he whipped out his weapon.
She turned to Mike and touched his arm as she whispered through clenched teeth, “Put the gun away, Rambo. They don’t know who we are yet, so for now, just play along.”
Jack nodded, and Thorn gave Mike a squeeze on the shoulder.
Casey’s uniform clung to her sweat-slickened skin as the soldiers approached and she saluted. She ran the tip of her tongue across her chaffed lips and clenched her hands. In spite of her reassuring words to Mike, the situation wasn’t in their favor. The mission depended on whether they could pull it off or not.
“Four guards were shot in the hangar,” said a soldier. “You’ll must accompany me to Sector 4.”
She breathed out, relieved. Their true identity remained safe, and Casey was glad to know it had nothing to do with the guard Mike had just shot—at least not yet. She wondered how long it would take them to open the capsule and see the real guard unconscious and notice that Jack was gone.
“Yes, sir,” said Thorn. “Any casualties?”
The squad leader pulled Thorn close, motioning Casey and the boys to follow. “Come on. I’ll fill you in on the details as we walk.” He moved forward, the team following behind.
Casey marched, her eyes scanning the group for any suspicious move. Going with them was the last thing she wanted, but if it helped her get out of there, she would willingly play along.
Thorn’s voice whispered inside her head. We’re on our way to a heavily guarded security station. Blend in and make your way to the back. Slip through the double doors about thirty feet away on the right. It’s a dining hall, and it should be empty at this time of day. It’s never locked. If something happens and I’m not there in less than half an hour, continue on without me. You must complete the mission, regardless of what happens to me.
Slowing her pace, Casey nodded as she nudged Mike and Jack. She squeezed through the crowd, her hand clasping the gun. She hoped stepping out of line wouldn’t get her noticed, because she really had no other choice. Anything had to be better than following the troop of rebels, who were capable of discovering who they really were in no time. The alarms continued to blare as they straggled behind the enemy. Less than a minute later, Casey spotted the door and waved for Mike and Jack to follow. The door was now inches awa
y. Looking ahead, she swallowed past the lump in her throat. Soldiers marched on without so much as a glance in her direction. This is it—the moment of truth. I just pray there isn’t anyone in there.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed her way through the heavy steel doors, with the others following behind her. When the door clicked shut, the sirens ceased, easing the throbbing in her head, though her ears continued to hurt from the blaring noise.
Casey flipped her visor up, continuing to scan the room. Hundreds of rectangular tables lined the dimly lit cafeteria. Swallowing hard, she drew her gun and pointed ahead, even though there wasn’t anyone in sight. It almost made her feel like she was an elite member of the SWAT team. The thumping of their boots echoed through the silence of the soundproofed room. Slowly, she walked to the far end of the room.
Jack’s stance relaxed. “Room’s clear.”
“Thank God!” She took several breaths to slow her racing heart. “Thorn said to wait here.”
Jack shoved his gun back in his holster. “Yeah, I heard him. I can’t believe he can talk in my mind like that. It’s just…crazy.”
“Totally.” Casey lifted her gloved hand to touch the black, glassy wall. She noticed the ceiling and floor were exactly the same too.
Mike walked over to a computer panel that was situated at eye level on the wall and started tapping on it.
“What’re you doing?” she hissed.
He shrugged without so much as peering at her. “Nothing. I’m just wondering whether this will make the lights brighter. I can’t see a darn thing in here.”
“Don’t!” said Jack, bolting over and jerking Mike’s wrist. “For all we know, that could activate some kind of security system.”
Persevere: Book 6 in The Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series Page 5