Then the fingers of energy around the structure’s base contracted. They rushed inward, creating a sea of bright white light that swept upward. The image shook, and something dark and huge flew up the center of the tower. As it vanished out of sight, the white light dissipated. Within seconds, all that remained was a swirling mass of dust drifting away from the base of the tower.
Doctor Zheng stepped toward Kurtz. “What have you done?”
Glitch half expected Kurtz to reply with, “You started it,” but he didn’t. He didn’t say anything.
Anderson pushed herself to her feet and staggered toward the doctor. Zheng put her arm under Anderson’s shoulder, and Glitch saw the captain sag a little.
Kurtz moved across the room. Streaks of red flickered across his body, then he motioned to the guards and left. The guards moved toward the humans, long ribbons of energy snaking through the air around them.
CHAPTER TWENTY
One Last Hope
Glitch, Captain Anderson, and Doctor Zheng arrive in the Invisitude city. Most of the buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and fires rage all around. The Invisitude, Kalith, guides them through a gateway, and they find themselves in a cell. Ambassador Kurtz informs them that the Invisitude are under attack by the human race, and the Invisitude intend to retaliate by launching an asteroid at Earth. Kalith relents and frees the humans, and they go to the weapon control center to try to stop Kurtz. Kurtz’s guards overwhelm them, and the asteroid is launched.
“What have you done?” said Doctor Zheng.
Glitch half expected Kurtz to reply with, “You started it,” but he didn’t say anything at all.
Wincing from her injuries, Anderson pushed herself to her feet and took a few unsteady steps toward the doctor. The doctor slipped her arm under Anderson’s shoulder, and the captain sagged a little.
Kurtz moved across the room to the doorway. He stood there, looking back into the room for a moment, then gestured to the guards and left. The guards moved toward the humans. Long ribbons of dark energy snaked through the air around them.
Glitch laughed. It started as a high-pitched chuckle but quickly evolved into full-bodied, shoulder-shuddering laughter. “Yes, you did. You invaded Poland,” he said, somehow managing to find space between fits of giggles to speak.
Every laugh, every guffaw sent fresh waves of pain burning through his body. Glitch clutched at his sides, trying to still the laughter long enough to drag in enough oxygen to remain conscious.
If some part of Glitch’s mind was expecting the sudden outburst of hilarity to distract the guards, it didn’t work. The guard standing over Glitch didn’t respond.
Anderson looked at Kalith, but Kalith didn’t acknowledge her.
The smell of ozone filled the air. Glitch looked up, and the laughter died on his lips as the guard towering over him flashed red. Raw energy crackled through its body. Glitch’s veins were filled with ice water, and he wondered if his life would flash before his eyes as he died. That would be a depressing experience.
The guard swept its arms forward.
Glitch rolled sideways as two bolts of energy slammed into the ground where he’d been lying. His chest screamed in pain as he forced himself to his feet and threw himself across the room.
There was an explosion of blue-white light. Something hit Glitch, and he was thrown across the room again. He hit the wall, bounced off, and collapsed to the floor. Glitch closed his eyes. His back hurt, his chest hurt, his head hurt. He was so tired; maybe he could just go to sleep.
Red and blue light flashed through his eyelids. A static hiss assaulted his ears. He swung his hands around, trying to find the volume control or an on/off switch. A wave of heat washed over him, bringing with it the smell of burning metal. Blackness rose up around Glitch, and he lay back in its comforting embrace.
Something pressed against Glitch’s shoulder, a hand shaking him awake. He groaned and reached for his blanket. Fire wrapped around his chest, snapping him awake.
Anderson’s face peered down at him, a sheen of sweat across her forehead. She smiled. “I thought you were dead.”
Glitch coughed, the movement igniting fresh pain in his chest. “You know me. A regular Snake Plissken.” Fear gripped Glitch by the back of his neck. “What about the guards?”
“It’s okay. Kalith took care of them.”
Glitch leaned past Anderson. Kalith was standing at the door to the control room, looking out into the corridor.
She looked back at Glitch. “You are awake. We must go. Return to Earth.”
Glitch squeezed his eyes shut. He knew that was a bad idea; he just couldn’t remember why. When he opened his eyes again, he was looking at the desert scene on the giant video screen. “What about the asteroid?”
Kalith seemed to grow smaller. “I am sorry.”
“But it didn’t look that big,” said Glitch. “Maybe it won’t do much damage.”
“Energy charges fitted,” said Kalith, shaking her head. “To create explosion.”
Glitch felt the blood rush from his face. “We need to stop the asteroid before it gets to Earth.”
“Too late. On collision course.”
“There must be a way to stop it,” said Zheng.
“No. I am sorry.”
“What about the explosives? Can we trigger them from here?” asked Anderson.
“No. Is no solution.”
Glitch ran his fingers through his hair. “What if we were on the asteroid?”
For a moment, Kalith didn’t respond. Eventually, she said, “Yes.”
“So all we need to do is get to the asteroid and detonate the explosives before it reaches Earth. That way everyone gets to experience a nice fireworks display rather than a new ice age or whatever.”
“There’s only one problem with that, Dwayne,” said Doctor Zheng. “How do we get to the asteroid?”
Glitch dragged in a breath, wincing at the pain. “Kalith, we saw some sort of vehicle out in the desert. It looked like a shuttle or an aircraft of some sort.”
“Shuttle. Transports… supplies.”
“Are there any in the city?”
“Yes.”
Glitch winced again as a stabbing pain tore into his shoulder. The world around him blurred. “Could we use one to get to the asteroid?”
Kalith didn’t respond.
“Kalith?” said Zheng.
“Yes. Shuttle is capable.”
Glitch let his head fall back against the wall. “Problem solved.”
“What do you think, Kalith?” said Anderson. “Could it work?”
“Perhaps. But very dangerous. Survival unlikely.”
Glitch moaned. The burning in his chest was growing stronger every second, and his right arm was going numb. There was a thick metallic taste in his mouth, and every now and again, the world around him blurred, spinning out of focus for a few seconds. He was convinced his skin would flake away if he moved too much. At least he wouldn’t have to wait for the poison to kill him.
Kalith leaned over Glitch. “Do not move.”
Glitch closed his eyes. Hundreds of tiny pinpricks of energy danced across his chest, leaving behind a soothing, cool numbness that spread through his body. The air around him was filled with the smell of something a lot like burned toast. He felt a gentle pressure centered on his heart. Energy spread out from his chest, chasing away the numbness. Glitch’s right hand twitched, the muscles reacting to the energy coursing through them.
He felt the pressure lift from his skin, leaving behind a cool, tingling sensation that was not entirely pleasant. His chest was tight, bruised, and he found it hard to breathe. At least he didn’t feel like a cannibal’s dinner anymore, although he was sure he could still smell the subtle aroma of long pig.
Glitch spent a couple of minutes getting to his feet. When he plucked up the courage to look down at his chest, he was surprised to find that he was mostly intact. His skin was red and raw, and there were several scarlet welts a few centimeters long, but he’d
been expecting to see imploded ribs and dangling internal organs. His chest still felt tight, but his breathing was becoming easier. He lightly brushed his fingers over the welts. They hurt, but the pain was bearable. He figured he owed Kalith his life.
“Thank you, Kalith.”
“No thanks required.”
Glitch looked at Anderson. “Right, let’s go and save the world.”
Anderson raised a hand. “No, Glitch. You should stay here.”
“And do what, exactly? Hide in the caves living off moss until Kurtz or one of his goons finds me? I’d rather take my chances in the shuttle.” Anderson started to protest, but Glitch cut her off. “There’s not even any Netflix here.”
“Much as it pains me to say this,” said the doctor, “he’s right. We can’t leave him here.”
“Thank you.”
Anderson tipped back her head and sighed at the ceiling. “Okay.”
“Kalith,” said Glitch, “can you take us to one of the shuttles?”
Kalith bowed slightly. “Please follow.”
“Kalith,” said Anderson, “whatever happens, make sure you stop that asteroid.”
Kalith hesitated for a moment before nodding. She led them out of the room and through a gateway that brought them to an alley between two low-slung buildings. Like the rest of the city, the walls were metal, but they were built from slatted sheets, like large louvered windows. The buildings were undamaged. A fine haze of smoke hung in the air, and every now and again, the ground shook or the sound of a distant explosion reached them.
“Shuttle that way,” said Kalith, gesturing to Glitch’s right.
They walked down the alley and out onto the open expanse of a landing zone. There were five pads. Two stood empty, but the other three held shuttles like the one they’d seen crash-landed in the desert. Even intact, the shuttles seemed boxy and simplistic, a halfhearted slope on the front the only concession to aerodynamics. They didn’t look as though they’d fly.
The landing pads were surrounded by six more of the squat, louver-walled buildings. Beyond them lay the city. Fires raged across it, sending thick pillars of black smoke into the sky. With a flash of blue, one of the geogrid buildings collapsed, a twisted, burning tangle of metal.
Halfway across the landing area, pain hit Glitch again. Red-hot knives pierced his stomach, draining the strength from his legs. He stumbled forward.
Anderson caught him. “The poison?”
Glitch nodded and reached for the pouch containing the moss. Another burst of pain ripped through his body. The world around him turned gray. He fumbled with the pouch, battling the urge to just let the poison take him. But he managed to get hold of the moss, and he pushed it into his mouth and forced himself to swallow.
“Come on,” said Anderson. “Let’s get inside.”
They’d almost reached the nearest shuttle when there was the sharp crack of gunfire. Bullets ricocheted off the ground in front of them, sending up plumes of dust. They ran, the bouncing movement sending angry razor blades ripping through Glitch’s stomach. There was a deep rumbling sound, and the ground shifted. A jagged split opened up in the surface of the landing zone with a loud crack.
Kalith reached the shuttle first and ran a hand over a panel in its side. Servos hummed, and a metal doorway slid open, revealing the vehicle’s interior. Inside, bright white lights flickered to life. Anderson pushed Glitch toward the door. A spray of bullets hit the side of the shuttle as Glitch threw himself inside.
There was more gunfire, and Anderson let out a cry. Glitch ducked his head around the door. Anderson was lying on the ground, clutching her leg. Blood oozed between her fingers and her face was contorted in pain, but at least she was alive. Doctor Zheng stood a few feet away from the shuttle, her hands raised.
A voice echoed across the landing zone. “So we meet again, Mr. Glitch.”
Glitch’s heart sank. It was Smith, but Glitch couldn’t see where he was. There were plenty of buildings for him to hide in, and there was no way for Anderson or Doctor Zheng to get into the shuttle without being shot.
“It must be fate,” shouted Glitch.
John Smith appeared around the corner of one of the buildings. He was carrying a bulky silver object that looked a lot like a pistol. The barrel was trained on Doctor Zheng.
Glitch glanced around the shuttle. The overall design was identical to the one they’d sheltered in, but there were no cages, and the cloth webbing that hung from the walls was intact. He saw no sign of Kalith, but the door leading to the front of the shuttle was closed. A rack stood nearby. It held three silver objects—pistols similar to the one Smith was carrying but a bit larger.
Glitch pulled one of the pistols free. The grip was big, with ridges in all the wrong places, but despite its bulk, the weapon was impossibly light. A series of unmarked buttons and dials sat above the weapon’s grip. Glitch stared at them, trying to guess which might set the weapon to “stun.” The gun wavered in his hands. The pain in his stomach had receded again, but his hands were shaking, and he felt woozy. Not the best time for a shootout. Glitch peered out the door. Smith’s gun was still trained on Zheng.
“What now?” called Glitch. “You kill us?”
Smith pulled his head to the side to look at Glitch, a pained expression creasing his face. “Oh no, nothing as crude as that. I’m here in the name of justice, not vengeance. I want you to pay the price for your crimes.”
“Our crimes?” said Zheng.
“Yes. Your completely unprovoked attack on this fair planet.” He gestured toward the pillar of black smoke. “Your blatant disregard for the sanctity of Invisitude life.”
Something moved beside one of the buildings, a flicker of steely gray. Ambassador Kurtz stepped onto the airfield, flanked by four of the red guards.
Servos whirred, and the door to the front of the shuttle opened. Kalith glided into the cargo hold. “Shuttle is ready. Must leave now.”
“We’re not leaving without them,” said Glitch.
“Captain Anderson’s instructions.”
Glitch glared at Kalith. “We are not leaving without them.”
Kalith didn’t reply.
Glitch looked toward Smith. He hadn’t seen the ambassador arrive.
“So,” said Glitch, “you’re setting us up?”
Smith shrugged. “I wouldn’t put it quite like that. Oh, all right. Yes, I’m setting you up. I hadn’t really planned it this way, but when you showed up, everything just clicked into place.”
“But why are you doing this? What do you want?”
“Oh, Dwayne.” Smith stopped, correcting himself. “Sorry. Oh, Glitch. What does any man want? Power. When that asteroid hits the Earth, in about”—he mimed checking a watch—“an hour, it’ll cause untold misery and chaos. The perfect time for me to return and lead the world into a brighter future.”
“So let me get this straight. You’ve been triggering earthquakes, setting off explosions, and killing Invisitude all across the city to provoke an attack on Earth so that you can step in and take control of the planet?”
Smith waved the gun at Glitch with a broad grin. “Yes! Yes! That’s it exactly. Such a clever boy.”
“But how did you set off the earthquakes?”
“It’s surprisingly easy, actually. The energy sources on this planet are remarkably powerful. Overload this, overload that, and before you know it, earthquakes! Destruction! Imminent collapse!”
“Did you hear that, Ambassador?” shouted Glitch. “This is the man who’s been attacking the city. He’s the one killing your people.”
Smith swung round, pointing the gun at Ambassador Kurtz. “No. No!” His face contorted with anger. “Dammit! And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for you meddling kids!”
There was a pause as Glitch’s brain caught up, then his face flushed red. He was such an idiot.
Ambassador Kurtz and the guards glided across the landing zone and stood beside Smith.
Smith let the anger fade from his face, replacing it with a soulless smile. “Ambassador Kurtz, I’m glad you could make it. It seems I’ve tracked down the terrorists for you.”
Ambassador Kurtz bowed toward Smith. “Thank you. We are grateful.”
“I… I don’t understand,” said Glitch. “Why?”
“Their planet is dying,” said Doctor Zheng. “They need Earth, but there aren’t enough of them to take it by force. Smith is going to bring the Invisitude to Earth so that they can save the human race from the aftermath of the asteroid collision. Once they’ve done that, they’ll be welcomed with open arms.”
“Particularly when they’re told that we were the ones who attacked the Invisitude,” said Glitch.
“Ting!” said Smith. “We have a winner. Now, if you’d like to go with the ambassador, I can assure you your execution will be quite painful.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The Betrayal
Kalith stops Kurtz’s guards from killing the humans. Kalith takes Glitch, Anderson, and Zheng to a shuttle which they hope they can use to destroy the asteroid hurtling toward Earth, but they are ambushed by John Smith, and Anderson is wounded. Ambassador Kurtz arrives, and Glitch, in an attempt to show that Smith is responsible for the attack on the Invisitude, manages to get Smith to reveal his plans.
“Did you hear that, Ambassador?” shouted Glitch. “This is the man who’s been attacking the city. He’s the one killing your people.”
Smith swung round, pointing his gun at Ambassador Kurtz. “No. No!” His face contorted with anger. “Dammit! And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for you meddling kids!”
Glitch’s face flushed red as Ambassador Kurtz glided silently across the landing zone to stand beside Smith.
Smith’s anger faded away, replaced by a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Ambassador Kurtz, I’m glad you could make it. It seems I’ve tracked down the terrorists for you.”
“Thank you. We are grateful.”
“I… I don’t understand,” said Glitch. “Why?”
Glitch Mitchell and the Unseen Planet Page 17