Pandora

by Joshua Grant

  Konesco’s knowing smile curled up at the edge ever so slightly. “Oh yes. They’re fascinating creatures.” He moved within a foot of the dark tree, too close for Julian’s comfort, looking it over like it was his bride to be. “No, Julian, this is the real prize.”

  His hand came off the gun and Julian tensed. His hopes were dashed a second later when it removed a long combat knife from his vest. In his other hand was a small glass vial.

  Is he going to—

  Konesco reached in with the blade, making a small incision in the tree’s spongy flesh. The whole thing trembled slightly. Its whip-like branches reached for Konesco, but were too short to do anything to their tormentor. Something squiggled out of the bloody cut. Julian had to strain his eyes against the low light to make out what it was.

  A bug!?

  The tree in the corner was some kind of nightmare hive, a colony of smaller creatures. As Julian watched in horror he realized his first guess was wrong. The thing that skittered across the tree’s craggy surface was no insect, well not by earth standards. It was wet and bendable like a spider that had its exoskeleton removed. The tiny noodly mass squirmed against the stainless steel blade in a futile attempt to repel it from the hive. With a flick of the wrist, Konesco knocked it into the waiting vial. He sealed it with a slide of his thumb. The miniature nightmare struggled against its newfound glass prison with a barely audible tink, tink, tink.

  Konesco held it up and waggled it. “Amazing that something so small can be our future.”

  A pang of alarm stabbed through Julian’s chest. “What do you mean?” He hoped Konesco couldn’t detect the worry in his voice. He needed to sound interested. He couldn’t afford to tip his hand, not quite yet.

  Konesco slid the vial smoothly into a vest pocket, removing what looked like a journal or small book instead. “Come now Julian, the ancients had it all figured out long ago. There in their grand city of Atlantis in a thousand labs brought on by a thousand minds was the key, this key.” He tapped the pocket containing the vial. “They were going to wipe the face of death from this planet and ascend to their rightful place amongst the gods. It’s all here.” He held up the journal.

  Aubrey had told them about the journal pages she had recovered. Coupled with what Julian already knew, they painted a chilling picture. A nuts one too. Ancient experiments? Atlantis? Julian was willing to go on a limb but this seemed pretty sci-fi for him. But why not? You’ve already fought mutant monsters today. By this point he should have been ready to accept that Santa Claus was real again.

  In the short run, it didn’t matter. He could worry about the History Channel special later. His eyes flicked to the door. Too far. He’d have to run past Konesco to get there. And when flight failed…

  “So they dug their research up after all these years,” Julian surmised, still trying to sound interested. Did Konesco know he was playing for time? He didn’t show if he did.

  Konesco shook his head. “No. No, that’s the interesting part. The experiment itself beckoned to us, the Atlantian’s legacy extending a hand after all these years. It knew they were too weak to become gods. It toppled their empire, devoured them from within. Unfortunately, it underestimated their prudence. They destroyed their great city in an attempt to stop it. Little did they know, a single lab survived, and with it our future. A future that’s calling to us now. It has chosen us to be the next step in evolution, the victors in the war against nature. The experiment will enable us to change and adapt to any situation. Even God himself won’t be able to stop us.”

  Julian was getting more worried by the second. Konesco wasn’t just nuts, he was a batshit zealot which made him that much more dangerous. He still held the knife, and the gun was just a trigger’s length away. Gotta get close.

  “How do you plan on getting it off this ship? We’re on a collision course with the mainland.”

  Konesco’s smile faded a little and Julian began to wonder if he made a mistake. “Oh this ship will never make it to the mainland, Carver will make sure of that. Our Organization has friends in all sorts of useful places, the Air Force included. Their orders are to sink the Emerald Rose if she passes the failsafe line.”

  Julian’s alarm built into panic. Konesco might as well have stabbed him in the chest with the knife. It was a bombshell in a day filled with nuclear fallout. “And where the hell is that?”

  “Somewhere just up ahead,” Konesco stated plainly as if he wasn’t just telling Julian they were all about to die. “They may have already scrambled the jets. Which is why I’ve sought you out.”

  This is it. Julian readied himself. Stay focused.

  “You see, my lap dog has gone and gotten herself killed and I’m in desperate need of a replacement. I need to find the Captain’s access card—“

  “No, you need a way off this ship,” Julian countered, hoping Konesco wouldn’t see the trap that was being laid for him. “And I’ve got just the thing.” He held up the clipboard, mentally playing out the steps.

  Konesco’s brow rose slightly. Would he take the bait? It was Julian’s—no--everyone’s only chance. Konesco stepped forward and Julian tried not to look relieved. The man was still wary, he still gripped the knife, but he was almost in range. He buried the journal in his vest and reached for the clipboard, his eyes watchful. Julian handed it to him, half expecting Konesco to waste him when he did. Fortunately, Konesco took it, occupying his gun hand, and his eyes fell to the paper.

  Now!

  Julian smashed Konesco hard across the face. He felt the man’s nose crunch under the impact of his knuckles. His other hand was trying to get a grip on the gun, trying to pry it free. Konesco let out a strangled cry of rage and suddenly Julian was flying past him, the world doing cartwheels. In the commotion, Konesco managed to drop the clipboard and snag Julian’s hand. He swiveled, yanking Julian sideways, flipping him. The glowing monitors kaleidoscoped in Julian’s vision. He tucked into a roll, hit the ground hard, and was back up on his feet in an instant, spinning to face his attacker. Julian was all too aware of the monster stalk just feet behind him. He could hear the tendrils beating the air, reaching for his exposed back.

  Blood drizzled from Konesco’s probably broken nose. He spit the frothy pink mixture from his mouth. “Now that was a mistake—“

  Julian didn’t wait for him to finish. He went in fast and low. Konesco swiped horizontally with the knife, what would have been a throat-gouging blow if Julian didn’t dip backward, feeling the blade pass mere centimeters from his chin, before launching forward again. He slammed Konesco into the monitor station with all his weight and grabbed for the gun just as Konesco did, both of them unaware of the slightly less than human figure that moved across the screens, advancing on the front of the ship.

  Konesco had a hold of the trigger, was squeezing. Julian pried the muzzle sideways just in time. Bam-bam-bam! Several monitors exploded in a display of shards and sparks. Julian twisted the other way. It was Konesco’s turn to be flung. He tornadoed sideways into the wall, the gun clattering noisily across the floor.

  Konesco smiled, his teeth stained crimson, as he held up the knife. “You always were a good fighter,” he hissed in-between breaths. “Smart. Carver thought about asking you to join our Organization but he knew just as well as I did that you lacked the backbone to do what was necessary.”

  The captain suddenly launched forward, knife coming down at Julian’s face. He caught Konesco just at the wrist, halting the killing blow, but was forced backwards. His spine slammed painfully against the monitor station’s edge, a piece of glass jabbing into the skin at his side, his boots skittering over its identical brethren on the floor below. He was in danger of slipping. Konesco pressed, the knife point dropping closer to Julian’s throat.

  Konesco gritted his bloody teeth, a string of red saliva falling from them as he pressed harder, impossibly harder. Julian felt the cold blade point touch his skin, barely nicking it, stinging. He thought of Aubrey and the kid. Of Mac and his other f
allen teammates. Of Ricardo, fending for himself in the slums of El Salvador.

  “Nooo!”

  With renewed strength and speed that surprised even Julian, he jabbed Konesco in the chest, felt something break there. Konesco’s anger melted away into shock when he realized what had happened. The vial containing the specimen had been obliterated. His expression turned to horror as he jerked abruptly, almost plunging the dagger further into Julian’s neck. Something dark moved under the skin on Konesco’s throat, the sliding bulge pressing towards his terror-stricken face.

  Julian didn’t want to see what happened when it got there, especially so up close and personal. He wedged a knee between them, pushing with all his might. Konesco flew back, smacking into the spongy tree. He tried to recover his footing, to pry himself away from it, but it was already too late. Several of the tree’s miniature whips snaked into his flesh, holding him in place like a stringed puppet. He looked pleadingly at Julian, but even if he wanted to save him there was nothing to be done by this point. Dozens of tiny bumps formed along the ghastly trunk. They swelled to the size of quarters. Julian stood helpless to watch as they burst, expelling hundreds of the smaller creatures identical to the one that was swimming through Konesco’s face. The swarm descended on the kicking man, slithering over his entire body, and Julian turned away. He couldn’t bear to watch, not even if Konesco was a heartless bastard. They were all victims here.

  No, not all, Julian corrected spitefully. The Atlantian’s vanity was at fault for this nightmare. Konesco’s Organization was doubly to blame for sending them out here, for attempting to carry on the ancients’ mistake, and for not blowing this hellhole out of the water in the first place.

  A mistake they’ll soon rectify, he reminded himself. How much time did they really have? The thought sent a burst of speed and urgency through his limbs. Julian retrieved the shotgun and Konesco’s machine gun before its owner’s body even stopped moving. The creatures that swarmed over Konesco seemed content not to stray from their hive, at least for the moment, a development Julian was completely okay with. He scored sixteen shotgun shells and about two clips worth of 9mm slugs which he piled in a small pack he also found in the locker.

  Loaded and having torn everything useful from the office that wasn’t nailed down, he burst into the hallway at a quick jog, already plotting their route to the smokestack. He just prayed God would give them the time to make it there.

  Chapter 23

  Deck 5, Down in Front Theatre

  Aubrey strolled across the stage, checking the doors that led into the theatre one more time. Still no Julian. She could literally feel the seconds ticking away since his departure like cells exploding off the surface of her brain. Where the hell is he?

  She hated being left behind like this, having someone else risk their life for her. She despised that feeling of helplessness the most, of knowing that someone’s fate was completely out of her hands. Aubrey knew all too well that at times like these you had to focus on what you could control…which pretty much amounted to not a whole hell of a lot in this case landing Aubrey back at square one.

  She sighed, glancing once more at the array of doors on the far end of the theatre past the sea of regal red chairs. The vast space spanned three floors, Decks 5 through 7. The mid and upper balconies were dark and quiet. She looked up into the rafters where the rows of stage lights hung and thought of the flying creature just one floor above. Hopefully it wouldn’t find its way down here. At least each floor had an array of about six doors. Plenty of exits if it did.

  She dipped back behind the partially closed velvet curtain to where Mac was huddled backstage. Gabe was also slumped in one of the costume changing booth chairs.

  “All clear,” she announced. Wasn’t the first time. Hopefully wouldn’t be the last. She fidgeted with Mac’s bandages, checking to see if they needed to be changed. The bleeding had stopped. That was good. Now they just needed a couple of steak dinners and life would be peachy.

  “Are we going to jump off the ship?” Gabe asked suddenly. He sounded worried.

  Aubrey met Mac’s eyes. “Can’t say that I’m up for the mile swim,” he murmured. She had to agree. His arm wasn’t in the best of conditions, and neither were the rest of them for that matter.

  “We’ll cross that bridge when Julian gets back,” she informed.

  “So what are we going to do?” Gabe pressed.

  His question was the one they’d all been trying to answer for the past half hour bouncing absurd ideas back and forth until they gave up. At least Julian had something useful to do. Sitting here, holding out while the ghost ship took them wherever its evil master desired wasn’t much of a plan. It was a stop gap at best. Sooner or later the creatures would find them and they were in no condition to fight even Gandhi.

  Julian will get the guns, she reaffirmed. And when he gets back we’ll be locked and loaded and ready to…to…

  To what? Jump off a damned cruise ship? Shoot our way through endless monsters while searching for a keycard until they tear us the hell apart?

  She slammed a fist down on the nearby table making several makeup jars rattle. Mac and Gabe both jumped harder than the jars, each looking at her like she had lost it. Maybe she had. What the hell were they supposed to do? She couldn’t save Olga or Sasha, or the others that Julian had encountered. She couldn’t even answer the fear stricken boy next to her. Some medic you turned out to be. You couldn’t save them. The thoughts slid into her mind like worms chewing down into her heart and she was powerless to stop them. You couldn’t save Jen.

  It was the thing that had been eating away at her for so long, threatening to devour her from the inside out leaving only an empty dead husk behind. Her eyes stung but she couldn’t cry. She was too tired, too strung out to produce any emotion outside a low burning anger. It was everything, this place, the losses they’d suffered, the searching look in Gabe’s face, the fact that she had no way to reassure him when she was scared to death they weren’t safe herself.

  What hope was there to be found here? Carver had promised her the hope at the bottom of Pandora’s Box, but she had only seen the death, the disease, the pestilence. She was in the dark, hope nowhere in sight and miles forgotten. Hopeless and tired. Aubrey’s eyes stung. Just tired.

  “It’ll be okay.” The small voice startled her. Blinking, she looked at the boy it belonged to, covered in grime, clothes torn, but eyes somehow still bright. They seemed to smile at her.

  He leaned in and hugged her. Aubrey was too stunned to do anything at first—

  --as she burst into laughter. It was crazy, she knew, but it felt good to be hugged and…well, she couldn’t explain it really. They were all so screwed and here she was…laughing. Gabe started laughing too, the motion of it tickling her side.

  Mac stared at them both dubiously. “Great, I got left with the crazies,” he muttered, but somehow he seemed to be in better spirits. His sarcasm wasn’t quite so bitter.

  They calmed back to silence, Aubrey staring at this wonderful kid, Gabe returning her gaze with a sparkling one of his own, and Mac staring at them like they were nuts, which they probably were.

  “Aubrey, I’m glad you’re here,” Gabe mumbled.

  Aubrey’s eyes stung for an entirely different reason. “Me too, Gabe.”

  The boy turned to Mac. “I’m glad you’re here too.”

  Mac rolled his eyes. “Thanks kid. Couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than running for my life from the creepy—“

  “Ouch!” Aubrey socked him in the arm, lightly of course so she wouldn’t have to stop the bleeding again. “Right, yeah, I’m glad I’m here too. Couldn’t be happier.”

  WHAM!

  They all jumped, the sound of the door slamming echoing throughout the chamber, instantly draining the smiles from their faces.

  “Correction, I could be a hell of a lot happier,” Mac whispered, his expression tight.

  Aubrey cut him off with a look. They strained their ea
rs listening. Was it Julian? The silence that followed wouldn’t tell. Aubrey picked her gun off the makeup table. Mac nodded, hoisting himself out of the chair. This was all somehow becoming second nature.

  “You think it might be Konesco?” he whispered.

  Aubrey sure as hell hoped not. Monsters were one thing. Disturbing, terrifying, and dangerous, but at least she knew whose side they were on and wouldn’t have to question whether or not to shoot them. She decided to ignore the question, pressing along the back wall instead, approaching the curtain’s edge.

  Footsteps echoed from the audience chamber, slow and steady before abruptly stopping. They sounded human enough. A survivor maybe? Konesco? Mac’s fears about the man certainly reflected her own. But whoever they were, they had stopped moving leaving their identity a very uncomfortable question mark.

  “What are they doing out there?” Mac hissed under his breath. He fidgeted with his weapon. Sweat beaded on his grimy forehead.

  Aubrey imagined she looked just as inviting. She listened, ears prying at the silence begging it to spill its secrets, but still heard nothing. That was a good sign, right? A survivor wouldn’t be looking to make a lot of noise. Her eyes darted to Gabe whose expression told her otherwise. This wasn’t the time to succumb to wishful thinking.

  But if something was out there waiting for them, she needed to know what it was, sooner rather than later. They couldn’t just huddle here and allow Julian to walk into one of those things.

  Or Konesco.

  She eased her head slowly around the curtain’s edge, eyes scanning the rows for anything that could kill them. Which floor had the door sound come from? What if the reason the footsteps hand stopped was because another flier had found them? It could be above them, or skulking at the room’s shadowy edge. Her eyes searched, row by row, fully aware that she was exposing herself, all of them—and this is taking too long. Where was it? She panned over the first row—