Insectoids

by Roger Hurn

  There was a lift up to the Shard. It looked as if it hadn’t been used in years.

  “Where’s the basement?” whispered Matt.

  Gemma checked the map on her tablet. “It’s down a set of steps near the lift,” she said.

  Matt shone his torch beam into the shadows. He saw the steps. Something scuttled away down them.

  “What was that?” Gemma sounded really jumpy.

  Matt gulped. “I think it was a rat. A big rat, maybe… but just a rat.”

  At the bottom of the steps they came to a door. It was locked.

  “Well, what did you expect, Matt?” said Gemma. “A welcome mat?”

  She took out her laser and aimed a jet of redhot laser light at the lock. The metal sizzled and melted. When she was done, Matt raised his foot and kicked the door open. He had his blaster at the ready, but the room was empty.

  Gemma peered into the gloom. Then she smiled with relief. “There’s the meter on the wall. Let’s fix the charges and get the hell out of here.”

  “How long shall I set the timer for?”

  Gemma shrugged. “I guess sixty minutes will give us plenty of time to make it back to the stadium.”

  “OK, then,” said Matt. “Sixty minutes it is.” He punched in the time and the red digital clock began its countdown. Then, just as he and Gemma were about to leave, they heard a chittering noise from outside the basement.

  CHAPTER 6

  TRAPPED!

  Matt’s mouth went dry and Gemma’s heart missed a beat. There was at least one Insectoid outside the room.

  “We need to lead them away from here,” whispered Matt. “If they find the charge our big plan is toast.”

  Gemma didn’t answer. She was studying the map on her tablet. Then she looked up and spoke. “Here’s what we do, Matt.” She pointed to a metal grille on the wall. “We unscrew that grille and drop it on the floor. The bugs will hear the noise and dash in here. They’ll think we’ve sneaked into the Shard via the ventilation shaft. They’ll go in there after us and won’t stop to search the basement for us, or the bomb… I hope!”

  Matt didn’t waste any time. He pulled the grille off the wall. Gemma ducked behind a pile of boxes. Matt let the metal grille fall with a loud clang. Then he dived across the room and nearly knocked Gemma over as he piled into her hiding place. She glared at him, but before she could say anything, a bug burst through the door. A spooky, green glow came from its body.

  The Insectoid scuttled over to the shaft opening. It reared up and peered inside. Then it dropped back down and rubbed its back legs together. It was an alarm call and the shrill sound was as sharp and painful as a knife.

  Matt and Gemma slapped their hands over their ears to try and block it out. The row seemed to last forever. Then, just when they thought their heads would split open, the noise stopped. This wasn’t good news. The bug had no need to keep the alarm going. It had been joined by more bugs.

  Matt risked a quick look at them. The sight made his blood turn to ice. The new bugs were two-tailed mutant scorpions.

  The scorpions screeched at the glow bug. Matt didn’t need to speak Insectoid to know they were angry.

  Matt held his breath. He needed the bugs to go off on a wild-goose chase. Then one of them scrambled up into the shaft. It was a tight squeeze, but it made it. One by one the others followed until there was only the first bug left in the room. Matt allowed himself to breathe again.

  Gemma jabbed Matt in the ribs. She pointed to the timer on her tablet. The bomb was due to go off in forty minutes. Time was fast running out. The problem was, the bug showed no sign of moving. Matt guessed the scorpions had told it to stay and guard the shaft.

  Another ten minutes ticked by. Still the bug stayed put. Now there were only thirty minutes left until the blast. Matt and Gemma knew they had to do something. But they couldn’t risk attacking the creature because it would raise the alarm. They couldn’t sneak past it either as it stood between them and the door. They were trapped.

  Five more minutes slipped away. Things were now really desperate. The Shard was twenty minutes’ walk away from the stadium. If Matt and Gemma didn’t leave in the next five minutes, they wouldn’t be able to make it there in time to rescue Matt’s family. Also, if they stayed trapped in the basement they would be blown sky-high when the bomb went off!

  Beads of cold sweat ran down Matt’s face. He leaned close to Gemma. “If you’ve got another good idea, now would be a great time to share it,” he whispered.

  Gemma looked miserable. She shook her head.

  “Sorry, Matt, I haven’t. I think our luck’s run out.”

  Suddenly they heard a growling sound. The bug glowed and in the green light they saw a small dog standing by the door. It had its ears flat against its skull and its lips were pulled back showing its teeth. The bug was much bigger than the dog, but the dog didn’t seem afraid.

  It darted at the bug and snapped at its legs. Then it dodged back to the door. The furious Insectoid gave chase and the dog dashed out of the room with the bug close behind it. It was the lucky break Matt and Gemma needed.

  They raced from the basement and back to the platform. “That little dog was brave to take on that big bug,” said Gemma.

  “Yes, well, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog,” replied Matt. “And that little guy had lots of fight in him.”

  No sooner had he spoken than the small dog came hurtling along the platform. It jumped up into Gemma’s arms and licked her nose. She giggled. “Hey, I think he wants to come with us.”

  “Why not?” said Matt. “He’s saved our necks, so let’s save his.”

  Gemma nodded. “Good call, Matt. Hey, you know what? He’s like a lucky charm so we should call him Lucky.”

  Matt grinned. “That works for me,” he said.

  At that very moment, a green glow began to light up the platform.

  “Quick,” said Matt. “The bug’s coming. He’s after the dog. He doesn’t know we’re here, so let’s go before he sees us.”

  The Shadow Rangers and the dog scrambled down onto the track and into the tunnel. They made it in the nick of time. The bug skittered onto the platform only to find it empty. It decided it was never going to catch and eat the dog, so it gave up and scuttled back to the basement.

  CHAPTER 7

  THE BIG BANG

  Matt, Gemma and Lucky the dog came out of the Underground station. The street was empty. Lucky sniffed the air.

  “Are there any bugs nearby, Lucky?” asked Gemma.

  Lucky wagged his tail and licked her hand.

  “I guess that means we’re safe for the moment,” said Matt. “But the Shard is set to blow in five minutes and then all hell is going to break loose.”

  “Then we’d better run,” said Gemma.

  “Otherwise we’ll never make it to the stadium in time.”

  Matt glanced around and saw an abandoned, heavy-duty hover transporter.

  “Hey, no worries, Gem,” he said. “Look at this. It’s just what we need.”

  Gemma wasn’t so sure. “I don’t know, Matt. It’s been here for years. Nobody will have driven it since the Insectoids took London. I bet it won’t even start.”

  “Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Matt climbed into the cab and pressed the power icon. Nothing happened.

  “See, I told you,” said Gemma. “Look, we’ve got less than two minutes before the Shard goes up in flames. So let’s go.”

  Matt rubbed his chin. He knew that the armour-plated hovercraft was just the thing he needed to smash the gates of the stadium so he could rescue his family. He stabbed his finger on the icon really hard. This time there was a whirring sound. The dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree and the craft rose off the ground.

  “Jump in, guys,” he yelled. “We don’t want to be late for the firework party!”

  Matt piloted it to a side street next to the stadium and hovered out of sight. Gemma checked
the time. “Here we go, Matt,” she said. “In five seconds we’ll find out if the Insectoids found the bomb or if our plan’s going to work.”

  The two Shadow Rangers felt sick with nerves. They held their breath and stared at the glass-and-steel tower.

  Suddenly, bright red flames burst up through it like a volcano erupting. Molten metal and shattered glass spewed out into the air.

  Next, a huge explosion shook the ground. The shock waves hit Matt and Gemma’s ears like a punch thrown by a heavyweight boxer. The hovercraft rocked and rolled drunkenly. Matt fought to bring it under control. “Hold on tight, guys,” he yelled. “This is going to be the mother of all thrill rides.”

  The red-hot wind picked up the craft and hurled it down the street. They were careering towards the concrete wall of the stadium. Matt wrenched the joystick and hung a carve on the wind like a surfer riding a wave. He gunned the engine and the craft surged back to safety.

  “Way to go, Matt,” Gemma gasped. “That was a close call.”

  Then they looked up at where the Shard had been. It wasn’t there. It had disappeared in a mushroom cloud of thick, black smoke.

  They stared at it open-mouthed, but then broken glass and twisted metal began to fall and batter the hovercraft like a deadly rain. Matt and Gemma flinched and Lucky howled in terror. But the hovercraft’s armour plating was up to the job. The debris bounced off its hard shell and they survived the onslaught.

  “We’ve done it, Matt!” whooped Gemma. “We’ve destroyed the Hive!”

  “Yeah, that’s great, Gem, but we haven’t won till we’ve rescued everyone.”

  The Insectoids were already swarming away from the stadium and hurrying to where the Shard had been. They were in too much of a panic to notice the hovercraft.

  When the last one had gone, Matt gunned the machine and flew it to the stadium. He smashed through the rusty gates and landed on the centre circle of the pitch. Gemma opened the doors at the back of the vehicle while Matt ran across the grass to his family.

  “Come on, guys,” he yelled. “I’ve come to take you home.”

  His mum, dad and sister stared at him as if they’d never seen him before. Then his dad said, “Matthew, is that really you?”

  Matt laughed. He could see his family were in a state of shock. He wasn’t surprised after everything they’d been through. “Yeah, it’s me,” he said. “But we’ve no time to waste. You can thank me later!”

  He ran back to the hovercraft and his family stumbled after him. Suddenly, Lucky started barking like crazy.

  “It’s all right, boy,” said Gemma. “It’s only Matt’s family.”

  But Lucky didn’t stop barking. He broke free from Gemma’s grip and ran at them. His teeth were bared. However, before he reached them a piece of falling debris hit him on the head and knocked him out. Gemma ran over and scooped him up in her arms. Matt was too busy helping his family and other prisoners into the craft to notice.

  As soon as they were all on board, Matt hit the after-burners and the machine roared off. A few Insectoids who saw them made a feeble effort to give chase, but they soon gave up. Matt and Gemma and all the other humans were home free.

  CHAPTER 8

  A FAMILY REUNION

  Gemma was uneasy. “I don’t get it,” she said. “Why aren’t they coming after us?”

  Matt pulled a face. “Duh! Their Queen’s dead and their Hive’s destroyed. They’re toast, Gem. So don’t worry about it.”

  Gemma shrugged. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  “You bet I am. Though, to tell you the truth, I’m more worried about what General Carter is going to do to me. He’s one mean dude… and I’ve crossed him.”

  Gemma grinned at him. “Forget it. He’ll have to give you a medal for what you’ve done. You’ll be a hero.”

  “You think so?” Matt didn’t sound so sure.

  “I know so,” said Gemma. “No Shadow Ranger has ever taken out an Insectoid Hive and its Queen before – even if you did disobey orders to do it.”

  “Actually, Gem, we did it together so, if I’m going to be given a medal… so are you.”

  Gemma sighed. She had Lucky lying across her lap. The small dog was still out cold. Gemma stroked his blood-caked head. “Yeah, maybe, but I don’t want a medal,” she said sadly. “I just want Lucky to get better.”

  “He will, Gem. We’ll give him to the medics as soon as we reach Shadow Ranger HQ. They’ll have him fighting fit in no time.”

  An hour later, they all arrived at the Shadow Rangers’ secret HQ. The rescued humans climbed out of the hovercraft. General Carter strode up to them. He had a squad of Rangers with him.

  Matt and Gemma stood to attention and saluted. The General stared at them. His piggy little eyes were bright with anger.

  “You two are in deep trouble. You’ve disobeyed orders and I’m busting you from active service. From now on you’ll be doing guard duty and nothing else!”

  “No, hold up, General,” said Matt. “Gemma and I have just destroyed the Insectoids’ London Hive and killed their Queen. We’ve smashed the bugs.”

  General Carter sneered. “So you say, Ranger, but I’ve only got the word of two deserters for that.”

  Matt and Gemma were stunned. They knew General Carter was hard-nosed, but they’d never expected him to act like this.

  Before they could reply, Lucky woke up. He took one look at Matt’s family and began barking like a wild thing.

  “Shut that mutt up,” snarled General Carter. “Now!”

  But Lucky wouldn’t stop barking. He wriggled out of Gemma’s arms and leaped up at Matt’s dad’s throat. He ripped the skin away with his sharp teeth.

  Matt gasped in horror and grabbed Lucky, but something weird happened. No blood spurted out from his dad’s throat. Instead, he pulled at his flesh with his hands and it came away like an insect shedding its cocoon. Matt’s mother and sister did the same thing. Only it wasn’t Matt’s mum and sister… it was two Insectoids!

  “What have you done with my family?” screamed Matt. His voice was a mix of fury and despair.

  “We sucked out their guts and then used their skins as a disguise.” The Insectoid screeched and Matt knew it was laughing. He felt the anger boiling up inside him… but there was nothing he could do.

  “Our plan was for you to rescue what you thought was your family and take us to your secret HQ. Then our Insectoid armies would follow us and destroy it – and all the Shadow Rangers.”

  “Well, that’s a shame,” said Matt. “Because, thanks to Lucky, we discovered what you were before you could send a message to your Insectoid buddies.”

  The Insectoids stared at him with their unreadable eyes. “Yes, you have won this battle, Shadow Ranger,” said the leader. “So enjoy your victory while you can. I promise you it will not last for long.”

  “Yeah, right,” replied Matt. “Today was the day we got off our knees and kicked your butts. You bugs are history… get used to it!”

  “We’ll see,” sneered the creature. Then it launched itself at Matt. Its front legs came down hard on Matt’s shoulders. Matt staggered back. The bug opened its jaws and tried to crush Matt’s head. Matt grabbed at the jaws. The bug was strong, but Matt was stronger. Slowly, he forced its jaws apart.

  Then Matt’s foot slipped and he fell back hard onto the ground. The bug gave a screech of triumph and made to strike a fatal blow. But, before it could, the other two bugs leaped on it and ripped it to pieces.

  When they’d finished their grisly work, one of the Insectoids spoke.

  “He failed, but we have no wish to die. Spare our lives and we will work for you. You will find us very useful.”

  “Not a chance,” spat Matt. “You bugs killed my family and now you’re going down.” He pulled out his blaster.

  “No!” General Carter yelled.

  Matt glanced back at the General. He was pointing a gun at Matt. “Drop your weapon, Ranger… now!”

  Matt swallowed hard
. He kept his blaster aimed at the bugs.

  “We’re at war,” growled the General. “These traitor bugs are worth more to us alive than dead. So… forget about revenge. We need these two.”

  “Please, Matt,” said Gemma. “Do as he says.”

  Matt’s hand shook. The bugs stared at him. “They murdered my family,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “They did,” agreed Gemma, “but killing them won’t bring your family back.”

  “No, but it’ll make me feel a whole lot better.”

  Gemma shook her head. “Trust me, Matt, it won’t… and don’t give the General the excuse to shoot you. You’ve disobeyed him once. He won’t back down if you do it again.”

  “I don’t care. They deserve to die.”

  “Yes, Matt, but you don’t.” In one swift movement, Gemma stepped up to Matt and knocked the blaster out of his hand. As she did so, a single shot rang out. Gemma gasped as a bullet from the General’s gun hit her. She spun round and fell to the ground.

  “No!” shouted Matt. “NO!” He sank to his knees next to his friend.

  General Carter stood over him. “This is your fault, Ranger. It would never have happened if you’d obeyed orders!”

  “Yeah, whatever you say, General,” said Matt bitterly. “Look, I don’t care what you do to me, but Gemma needs medical help right now and I’m taking her to the hospital.”

  The General shook his head. “You’re going nowhere, Ranger.” He still had his gun pointed at Matt.

  “Do your worst, General,” said Matt. He picked Gemma up in his arms and carried her away towards the hospital.

  For a second General Carter watched him with murder in his eyes. Then he lowered his gun and snapped out an order to the Rangers at his side.

  “You two go with him and make sure the girl gets the treatment she needs. Then arrest him and put him in the stockade. He can cool his heels in there till I’m good and ready to make his life a living hell.”