by Nick Thacker
It was the isotope-form of the element used in many nuclear applications: Uranium.
Somehow, Uranium-233 almost completely nullified the breakdown of the crystal’s “Material A.” It wasn’t a perfect match, though, and it merely slowed the process to a crawl. They hadn’t been able to reverse the breakdown, and all of the subjects thus far had failed.
When his guards had come across Cole Reed in New Mexico, just minutes from the lab, Vilocek knew he’d found a perfect specimen to test the latest batch of serum. He’d come across another near-perfect specimen in Corinne Banks when his men had brought in her uncle, professor Andrews. Corinne had gone to her uncle’s office only minutes after he’d been abducted. Karn had jumped at the opportunity to bring her in as well, though Vilocek knew it was out of lust — not for the sake of experimentation. Only after sizing her up himself had he let Karn off the hook. He might have some use for her after this, depending on how Cole’s body reacted to direct contact with the beam of light.
Vilocek watched in fascination at the slow electrocution unfolding in front of them. Cole’s skin had lost all of its natural color, replaced instead by the blue tint. His eyes were hollow, making him look possessed. The only sound in the room was Corinne’s hopeless crying.
Vilocek began to lose hope. After the 45-second mark in almost all of the human experiments, breakdown would begin, or the subject’s body temperature would rise to an unsustainable level and crash the internal organs. Cole had passed the mark with flying colors in all of the lab tests. Now they only had the breakdown of the synthetic crystal to contend with. Vilocek hoped that by using the larger, purer crystal here, they’d be able to eliminate that problem as well.
If Cole could get past the initial shock of the “transfusion” of energy in his bloodstream, his brain should be able to return to a normal operating mode, with the addition of the heightened abilities.
He silently cheered for Cole to make it through the initial gauntlet of energy transfer, but only in the interest of declaring the experiment a success.
After all, the whole reason they were here — the only reason they were here — was to find a solution to his problem. The ultimate goal certainly wasn’t money, or fame — he had enough of both — it was for his own survival.
Tanning Vilocek hadn’t spent so many years of his life trying to crack the code of human life for philanthropy’s sake — that was for fools like Whittenfield and the rest of the scientific community. No, Tanning had a much greater goal in mind.
Like the high priests of the Rapa Nui before him, Vilocek wanted what every powerful man craved — more power.
He wanted the ability to control people — to reign over them as a man capable of superior thought. A man made of flesh and blood, but susceptible to none of the ailments and weaknesses that made the rest of the human race so pitifully frail.
He wanted the heightened intelligence and senses that they’d found in many of their test subjects. He’d be able to not only outthink and out-maneuver his opponents — he would be able to utterly destroy them.
But even those benefits paled in comparison to the real reason he was here.
Vilocek wanted to live forever. He knew that a successful experiment with Cole Reed meant that there was definitely a chance at prolonging his life far beyond what current scientific estimates showed.
11:26
Only half a minute had passed, but it seemed as though the shining beacon of light had been holding Cole for ages. The men around the room watched in awe, and Corinne had even fallen silent. Cole’s body was no longer his own; it had been completely overtaken by the substance Vilocek had injected into his bloodstream. It was controlling his nervous system, holding him in place, fused to the glasslike surface containing the beam. Vilocek wondered what was going on in Cole’s mind; if he was even able to comprehend his surroundings or form a thought at all. As this wasn’t a controlled experiment, Vilocek couldn’t measure Cole’s vitals. He knew that in prior experiments, though, no subject had ever made it past the 1-minute mark — the smaller piece of crystal had either started to break down, or the subject’s internal temperature would spike catastrophically.
Cole just seemed stuck. For the last few seconds, even the gentle pulsation of the slow-motion electrocution of the energy transfer had stopped.
“It worked!” Vilocek breathed. “He’s stable! It actually worked — his body accepted the transfer.” He nodded to Karn, who stepped toward Cole and reached out with his black gloves. He gripped the boy’s shoulder and yanked him away from the shaft. A ring of pulsating energy on the other side of the glasslike surface appeared like a ripple, dispersing after a few seconds.
Cole fell backwards against Karn, who laid him roughly on the floor next to Vilocek. They watched as he came to, his eyes twitching and gradually opening.
His breathing became regular, and he slowly sat upright. His eyes widened as he noticed the others, and he jumped up and scurried into a corner.
“Cole?” Corinne said.
Cole looked at her, not understanding. His face contorted and he became agitated. He looked nervously around the room, then at his hands and feet. Corinne spoke again. “Cole — are you ok?”
Cole suddenly froze, crouching slightly and lifting his nose into the air. He looked like a primate, sniffing the air for danger.
“What’s he doing?” Beka whispered to Vilocek. Wayne and Jeff were still held in place at the mercy of Beka’s pulse rifle. The Israeli had forced Bryce flat on the floor, where he watched uncomfortably, his fingers laced together on the back of his head.
“I don’t know,” Vilocek said. “We’ve never gotten this far in the tests.”
“It’s like he doesn’t recognize us,” Karn said.
Bryce had seen enough. He glanced around — Beka would have to move to react to an attack; that would free Wayne and Jeff, who were still watching from their invisible cage. Vilocek might release Corinne, as she wasn’t much of a threat, and she could grab Cole and make a break for it out the other tunnel.
He didn’t have much to lose. Madu’s forces would certainly find the doorway in the side of the temple soon, if they hadn’t already, and they would bring a lot more trouble to the party. He had no choice.
Bryce kicked the Israeli’s legs out from under him, and grabbed at his gun as he went down.
Beka released his trigger and swung the pulse rifle around at Bryce, as the Thompsons collapsed on the floor. The Israeli, struggling to get up, stumbled and fell toward where Cole stood in the corner. Suddenly, Cole spoke.
His voice was different now. It was raspy; strained. It was much lower than normal, with a slight overtone that caused a chorus-like effect. He stared straight ahead as he spoke, and the words made no sense. “Korua te tea-tea kuhane; ‘Atua kuhane ni di maunga di rangi.” Corinne thought the words soundly vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t understand.
They all stared at Cole. He opened his mouth as if to scream and raised his right hand, palm out, toward the Israeli. He spoke again. “Te hare ‘Atua, ni kahune rake-rake.” A small blue orb appeared in Cole’s outstretched palm, inches from the Israeli’s face. The soldier looked around in desperation as the others backed slowly away.
Cole stared through the Israeli, and the soldier looked panicked. Then Cole threw the orb into his face — causing him to stumble backwards and trip over Bryce’s foot. Cole then collapsed into a heap in the corner. The others watched in horror as the Israeli writhed on the floor for a few seconds, as if burning from the inside out. His skin became parched, then blackened, and finally started smoking. He screamed, the noise reverberating in the cramped space. The orb split into fragments, each becoming a string of light that coursed over the man’s body like lightning.
Bryce lifted his rifle and fired a single shot into the soldier’s head, killing him instantly. He thought back to the video he’d seen of the Panamanian boy. No one deserved a death like that.
Then he looked at Vilocek.
Almost no one.
60
11:29 am
Vilocek watched Cole as he lay in the corner and struggled to catch his breath. Corinne had broken free and was bent down at Cole’s side, trying to help him to his feet. Tanning was annoyed with Bryce for shooting the Israeli, but not out of concern for the soldier’s life — Vilocek had wanted to watch him die. Cole could be used as a weapon. He had used the crystal’s power against the Israeli with gruesome efficiency.
Just like in the lab, except this time they didn’t have to inject the subject with anything.
It was an unforeseen twist in his plan, but Tanning knew they’d need a weaponized form of the crystal anyway, so he was quite delighted — Cole had unknowingly pushed his research ahead many months, if not years — if they were able to find out just how he’d done it — and how to replicate it.
Corinne pulled Cole to his feet. He seemed more normal — the possessed look in his eyes had faded, replaced by confusion and strain.
Bryce knelt next to the dead Israeli. He reached into the man’s collar and removed his dog tags. He handed them to Karn and approached the two civilians. He looked down at them and spoke quietly.
“I’m done, Vilocek. We’re going home.”
“Strong words, Captain. If we were still in Egypt, I might even allow that. But seeing how effective your team has been against Jabari’s forces, not to mention how easy you have been to keep in line, I think I’ll decline the offer.”
“It wasn’t an offer, old man. We’re out of here.” Bryce looked at the Thompsons and gestured toward the door. “Get your gear, help these two. Let’s get out while we can.”
Vilocek chuckled slightly. “You think you can just waltz out of here? Have you forgotten the twenty pissed-off Egyptians out there?”
“We’ll take our chances.”
“No, you won’t,” Vilocek said, inclining his head toward Cole. “I need the boy. He’s a vital part of my research. Now, Karn, if you don’t mind, please assist our friends in finding the way out, and remind them who’s leading this expedition.”
Karn stepped quickly to Corinne and grabbed her by the hair. His other hand found her side, pulling her close to him as he half carried her to the door. She gagged at the dirty smell of the man as she tried to break his grip.
Bryce knew Vilocek had the upper hand. He also knew enough about Madu Jabari by now to know that he wasn’t the negotiating type — especially when he still had overwhelming numbers.
Muffled shouts and footsteps came from the passage outside. It was time to leave. They all turned and ran up the opposite passageway, hoping that Madu hadn’t already found that route as well.
61
11:33 am
The passage was much smoother and shorter than the others, the exertion of the past few days was slowly catching up to all of them. They’d jog for a stretch, then Vilocek would pick up the pace, and they’d all follow suit. After a few minutes they reached the ground-level exit on the other side of the temple.
Bullets immediately started spattering the stones around them as they stepped from the doorway. Vilocek and Bryce both ducked behind a stone block just outside the threshold.
“They waited us out!” Bryce shouted. “Figured we’d have to come upstairs eventually.”
Karn was the third man to exit. He somersaulted to the ground, popped up and fired a few shots toward the attackers, and then sprinted down the side of the temple mound.
“Where’s he going?” Bryce shouted. But as they watched him racing down the slope, he understood.
About fifteen yards away, one of the towers surrounding the temple rose toward the volcanic ceiling. Its base was easily wide enough to conceal the eight of them. Karn ducked behind it, then motioned to them to follow.
Bryce yelled to Jeff and Wayne, who laid cover fire for Beka, Corinne, and Cole. They paused behind Bryce’s stone, then bolted for Karn’s position.
Bryce saw two of Madu’s men peel away from the rest and jump into the circular ditch surrounding the temple mound. He yelled at Wayne, but he was already moving. He snuck down to the side of the tower nearest the ditch and found the men with his scope.
Bryce didn’t need to watch any longer. Two shots rang out in quick succession and he knew they weren’t going to be flanked anytime soon.
The volley between Vilocek and Bryce against Madu’s forces went on for another thirty seconds before Bryce realized where they were sitting. He turned his attention back to the troops at his front. Then he realized that the open passage was still behind them, unguarded. “Vilocek, we need to leave. We’re sitting ducks here.“
A single gunshot exploded behind him, ringing in his ears. He turned — to see an Egyptian officer pointing a smoking rifle directly at Vilocek.
Vilocek moaned and fell sideways, slumping against Bryce.
Shit.
The Egyptian swiveled the gun toward Bryce.
Bryce tried to get his own rifle around, but it felt like he was moving in slow motion. He didn’t have time.
He saw the man’s finger as it squeezed the trigger.
He heard the muffled explosion.
And saw the Egyptian’s head explode.
Bryce flinched involuntarily. The Egyptian didn’t make a sound as blood splattered Bryce’s face and shirt. He stared at the dead man for a moment, until somebody whistled from down the hill.
Bryce turned to see Jeff grinning at him. He couldn’t help grinning back.
He owed that guy his life.
62
11:38 am
Karn had been keeping a close watch on the advancing soldiers, and Bryce and Vilocek were right in his line of sight. As Wayne took out the two men to their left, Karn, Jeff and Beka had focused on keeping the rest of the force pinned down.
He’d missed the first soldier emerging from the side of the temple, but he didn’t miss the two who followed. The first got a bullet to the chest, the second in the arm and stomach. Beka shot the fourth man exiting the tunnel just as Jeff hit the first Egyptian in the back of the head.
But it was too late.
Now Vilocek was down, slumped over Bryce’s shoulder. Karn leapt up and sprinted to his boss’ side. Bullets kicked up dust and shards of stone around him as he ran, but he slid to a stop next to Bryce, unscathed.
“Is he all right?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Let’s get him to the tower — there’s better cover.”
Bryce looked at Karn — noticing the streaks of gray hair and the weathered, pale face. He seemed to have aged more in the last thirty seconds than in the last ten years of his life. His scraggly stubble and disheveled hair made him resemble a drunk who’d fallen asleep behind a dumpster.
They lifted Vilocek and ran with him back to the tower. Karn frantically dug through his pack for bandages, but Bryce already had a first aid kit open. Karn reached out to take it from him, but Bryce pulled back.
“Wait a minute. For all I care, we should leave him here to die.”
Karn looked at him, his eyes half pleading, half enraged.
“Fine,” Bryce said. He tossed him the bandages. “You want him fixed, do it yourself.”
“If there was ever a good time to leave, it’s right now.” Bryce looked at Cole. “Can you walk? Do you understand me?”
Corinne answered. “He’s breathing steadily, and he said my name a minute ago. I think whatever possessed him is gone — or at least dormant. Anyway, he seems to know what’s going on, and he can walk.”
Bryce nodded. Good enough.
“Wait a minute, Reynolds.”
Bryce whipped his head around.
“I already told you, the boy stays with me.”
Tanning Vilocek sat up as he scrutinized the others. The shock in their eyes made him grin. He pulled himself to his feet.
“Let’s get that crystal. I have a feeling Mr. Reed can lead the way.”
63
11:39 am
“Poraku Kora.” Cole�
�s voice sounded deeper again, this time guttural.
He walked toward the ditch as Wayne fired two more rounds. Two more Egyptians fell.
“We need to jet, boss,” Wayne said to Bryce. “I count about fifteen more of ‘em. Five more minutes of this and we’re toast.”
Bryce nodded, and they took turns covering each other as they all ran for the empty moat.
Cole took the lead, following the slight curve left around the moat. He stopped abruptly just before the bridge connecting the temple mound with the rest of the city on their right.
“What is he doing? Why did we stop?” Beka asked, sucking deep gulps of air and firing back at the Egyptians.
Cole looked at Vilocek and held up his hand, palm upward. Confused, Vilocek backed away.
“PORAKU KORA!” Cole spoke even louder this time.
“He — he wants me, for some reason,” Vilocek said. He hesitated, then stepped closer to Cole. Cole began humming; a deep atonal string of notes with strange-sounding words thrown in.
“Anybody know what he’s doing?” Jeff asked. “Or saying?”
“It sounds like Hawaiian,” Corinne said. “I don’t know most of the words, but I recognized part of it. ‘Pohaku Kula’ means ‘rock of gold,’ in the Polynesian Hawaiian language. Something like that; slightly different.
“Maybe he’s speaking the original language of the Rapa Nui — developed long before Polynesian Hawaiian came to be.”
They pondered this as they took up positions along the moat, each man picking a zone to cover. It was becoming harder to hold off the Egyptians; Bryce’s men now had the lower ground, and they were trying to withdraw.
Corinne went on. “I think he wants you to stay here.”
Cole turned toward the moat wall and placed his palm on the surface. Instantly the wall lit up with the Rapa Nui script — all condensed into a circular formation. A line stretched around the circumference of the circle, and the symbol of the Rapa Nui appeared twice on its axis. Cole pointed down at the floor of the moat, and then at the bottommost symbol on the circle.