Final Storm

by Deborah Abela

  Isabella smiled when she saw the leather pouch around the eagle’s neck marked Charlie’s dinner. ‘Fly takes good care of you.’

  Her eyes filled with tears thinking he might not make it.

  Charlie lifted his head and pecked at the food, taking in small bites. ‘That’s it. Keep eating. Fly needs you back.’

  His breathing began to calm.

  The sea monster purred.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  A Sudden Appearance

  Fly kept her gaze fixed on her phone, following Charlie’s red dot, while the Armapod marched on.

  ‘He’s stopped.’

  ‘Do you think he’s found Isabella?’

  ‘I don’t know but he’s not far.’

  They searched the horizon, scanning the snowy landscape, when Griffin spotted something in the distance. ‘Over there.’

  Fly followed his pointed finger and her heart leapt. ‘Is that Herman?’

  They saw glimpses of emerald green against the white landscape. As they trekked closer, it became clearer. The sea monster was curled in the snow.

  ‘It is!’ Fly said. ‘He must have Charlie.’

  Griffin brought the Armapod to a stop. It lowered to the ground and the legs folded against its sides. He and Fly gathered water and blankets and jumped from the cabin into the snow, which rose above their knees.

  ‘Herman!’ Fly’s voice drifted on the icy air.

  The sea monster raised his head. Snow rained from his long neck and he let out a weak cry.

  A head poked up from beneath his wing.

  ‘Isabella!’ Griffin cried, pushing even harder through the snow.

  Isabella slid from Herman’s back and waded towards him. She threw her arms around Griffin and squeezed him so tight he almost couldn’t breathe.

  ‘Griffin,’ was all Isabella could say, before her throat seized.

  ‘You’re okay.’ Griffin’s voice was muffled by her hug.

  Fly squeezed herself between them. ‘You made it.’

  ‘Charlie and Herman saved me, Fly.’

  ‘I knew they would.’ Fly let go and ran towards the sea monster, climbing onto his back. She huddled beside the quivering eagle beneath Herman’s protective wing. Charlie’s body shook and he found it hard to hold his head upright. She ran her hands over him, checking for injuries. ‘Nothing’s broken,’ she said, relief filling her voice.

  She wrapped him in a blanket and nestled him against Herman’s skin. ‘I’m here now, Charlie.’

  As much as she could, she folded her small arms around Herman. ‘It’s good to see you.’ When Fly laid her head against his neck, fear spilled over her. His breathing was uneven and faint.

  Isabella and Griffin appeared behind her. ‘How are they?’ Griffin asked.

  ‘Cold and weak,’ she said. ‘If Herman’s out of water too long, he won’t make it.’ Her voice cracked with a sob.

  Isabella fought against tears and held out the blankets. ‘Help me with these.’

  Fly and Isabella brushed off the snow and covered him as best they could in blankets while Griffin sent a message to Xavier.

  Found Isabella & Charlie. And Herman. Need rescue team & Armaflyer. FAST.

  Xavier texted back.

  U R MY HERO!

  Fly held out a capful of water to Charlie, while Griffin lifted a bottle to Herman’s mouth. Fly noticed him lean away as Herman drank. ‘He won’t bite,’ she assured him.

  Griffin was about to answer when he spotted something in the sky. In the distance, he saw tiny specks emerge from the clouds.

  ‘Rescue eagles,’ he said with relief.

  Charlie became jittery, throwing off his blankets. Screeching and fluttering.

  ‘Charlie?’ Fly stroked his back. ‘What’s wrong?’

  Isabella watched as a flock of eagles turned into a downward swoop and sped towards them. ‘They’re not here to rescue us. One attacked Charlie earlier, until I stopped it with my spear gun.’

  The robots flew closer.

  ‘Run to the Armapod,’ she ordered. ‘Quick!’

  Fly bundled Charlie into her arms and they ran. The snow made it hard to move and their feet sank into it with each step. Griffin looked up, worried they’d never make it.

  He helped Fly and Charlie inside, when he felt a hard blow to his head and dropped to the ground.

  ‘Griffin!’ Isabella helped him up, while the eagle swerved away, preparing for another strike.

  Looking back, she saw the rest of the squadron inching closer. She slammed her hand against a large button, which closed the doors, and the robots veered away, missing them by mere seconds.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Fly and Isabella asked at once.

  ‘Yes,’ Griffin lied. His head rang and his vision blurred, but at least they were safe. He secretly hoped the eagles would lose interest, when they heard a pained roar.

  Fly looked out the window. ‘They’re attacking Herman!’

  Herman roared and snapped at the eagles, who took turns to batter him, landing blow after blow. The sea monster cried out, using his good wing to swat them away.

  ‘Herman!’ Fly said with a whimper.

  ‘Don’t worry. We’ll stop them.’ Griffin had no idea if that was even possible, when another eagle rammed into Herman and he bellowed in pain.

  Griffin turned to Isabella. ‘We need to distract them.’

  ‘They’re fast,’ Isabella said. ‘And it’s hard to move in the snow.’

  ‘The hoverboards!’ Fly cried.

  ‘Perfect! How do you feel about flying?’ Isabella asked Griffin.

  ‘I’ve had one lesson.’ He did his best to appear confident. ‘I’m almost a pro.’

  While they strapped the remotes to their wrists, Isabella reminded him of the basics. Griffin found it hard to concentrate, focusing instead on trying to breathe. He wondered if he’d been wrong not to let Xavier be here. Even with a broken arm, he was sure he’d be much better at fighting deadly eagles.

  A robot ploughed into Herman’s wing, bending it back. The sea monster’s cry was more of a weak, surrendered groan.

  Fly looked at Griffin, her eyes welling with tears. ‘They’re going to kill him.’

  Griffin felt his back stiffen. ‘No, they’re not,’ he promised, wiping her eyes with his hand. ‘Isabella and I will make sure of it. Stay here and keep Charlie safe.’

  He and Isabella adjusted their goggles and strapped on their helmets. He opened the door and they jumped into the snow.

  ‘Be careful,’ Fly pleaded.

  ‘Always.’ Griffin did all he could not to look terrified.

  As they clipped their boots into the boards, he counted the eagles. Five, he thought. You can do this. Get rid of those and your friends will be safe.

  Isabella handed him her sword while she ripped the spear gun from its holster. ‘Reach for the stars, Griffin Fletcher.’

  ‘Go forth and be great, Isabella Charm.’

  Jets of air blasted from beneath the hoverboards, lifting them above the snow. Isabella rose swiftly, calling out and waving her arms to get the robots’ attention. One of them took the bait and headed straight for her.

  Griffin’s start wasn’t so smooth and he lurched upwards. He tilted left and right, staggering in leaps until he slowly found his balance and evened out.

  ‘Go, Griffin!’ Fly cheered before the door of the Armapod closed.

  Isabella quickly gained height, surfing the wind, ducking and weaving. With the robot close behind, she flipped into a forward somersault. The eagle flew by and she righted herself, took aim and pressed the trigger. The spear struck it hard, sending it into a lifeless nosedive, until it hit the snow in a crunch of metal.

  ‘Oops,’ she said. ‘Sorry.’

  She retracted the rope.

  Just when Griffin thought he’d mastered keeping upright, he saw an eagle barrelling straight at him. He felt his energy drain and he worried he was going to faint, when a violent surge of wind pushed him backwards. He tumble
d into a full circle, almost dropping his sword, while the eagle flew above him.

  ‘Nice move!’ Isabella cried.

  Griffin offered her a weak smile, not exactly sure what had happened, but shuddered at what he saw behind her.

  ‘Watch out!’

  Isabella looked round to see a robot careering towards her. She twisted out of the way, missing the attack, only to see another one lining up to do the same.

  This time, she didn’t turn away, instead she flew at the machine head-on. She held her spear gun out, jousting style, and rammed it into the oncoming robot. It rebounded back, straight into the path of the first attacking robot.

  The crash was stunning. Electricity sizzled and the robots fell to earth in a stream of dazzling sparks.

  ‘Woo hoo!’ Griffin yelled into the wind.

  ‘Three down,’ Isabella called, ‘two to go.’

  Griffin gripped the sword as a robot flew directly at him. It was fast and each time he glanced back, it was even closer. He knew he couldn’t outfly it and in seconds it would slam into him, knocking him from the sky.

  He had a plan. He wasn’t sure it would work, but the eagle was coming fast, so he had to try.

  Tucking the sword into his belt, he began taking off his coat. With the eagle closing in, the jacket got stuck on the remote. He grunted and ripped it hard, finally managing to slip it off. Griffin took the sword and threaded it into a sleeve, holding it beside him, so it looked like a billowing scarecrow.

  Griffin hoped the machine couldn’t tell the difference between a human and a flying coat.

  He waved the jacket, feeling like a matador, when the robot rammed into it, so that the coat covered the entire machine.

  Unable to see, it became disoriented and wavered through the air, before it sailed downwards and crashed at full speed.

  ‘Ha!’ Griffin laughed in disbelief. He’d done it. He’d fought a robot eagle and won.

  On a hoverboard!

  He spun around to celebrate with Isabella, just as an eagle rammed into her shoulder. She was thrown backwards, gripping her arm, wincing in pain.

  Griffin sped towards them. The robot quickly returned and hit her again. This time the blow was harder. She bent forward, losing height as the machine circled to finish her off.

  Isabella doubled over. The robot was seconds away, hurtling towards her like a missile. Isabella was defenceless. If Griffin didn’t reach her in time, she’d never make it.

  He veered into a sharp turn, aiming directly between them. He had to intercept the robot before it struck again.

  When he was almost between them, he drew the sword back with both hands and swung the blade with everything he had. It slammed into the robot, which jerked sideways with the force of the blow. The clang of metal on metal rang in the air and sparks sizzled as the deadly machine fell from the sky. Griffin’s body vibrated and his wrist stung with the impact, as he watched the almost graceful dive, before the robot landed far below as a useless piece of junk.

  ‘That’s what happens when you hurt a friend of mine.’

  He turned to Isabella, when he saw her body become limp and she began to fall.

  ‘No,’ Griffin whispered, as he saw her tumble.

  He threw the sword away and pressed hard on the remote. Leaning forward, he willed the hoverboard to go faster.

  The icy air bit at his face. He grit his teeth.

  Please, please, please.

  He held his breath. He had to make it. There was no other option. Isabella couldn’t die.

  He flew fast, his eyes flicking between the ground and Isabella. It’d be close but he had to get this right. One misstep, one tiny mistake, and she wouldn’t make it.

  He was gaining on her. Drawing closer. He held out his arms. He leaned further forward.

  And he caught her.

  The wind was knocked from his chest and his arms ached, but he did it. They made it.

  Fly leapt from the Armapod and Griffin heard her shout. ‘You did it! Griffin is my hero!’ She jumped around in the snow, while Griffin slowed to a careful stop, Isabella safely in his arms.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  A Hasty Escape

  Sneddon’s demonstration finished with hostile questions shouted from the audience. He’d tried to weasel his way out with an explanation, but he had none. What should have gone so well had failed. And he had no idea why.

  He scurried from the stage and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Ariella to face the furious audience.

  As he scarpered down the fire stairs, he ripped his phone from his pocket and summoned his Armavan. He pounded his fist against the emergency exit, stopping briefly to cradle his wounded hand, when he heard angry shouts echoing in the stairwell above. He tried to run, but his coat caught on the handle. The voices got louder. He cursed and wrenched the jacket, tearing it, before slipping into his waiting Armavan. He ducked low to avoid being stopped by the guards and ordered the robot to take him home.

  As he fled the scene, winding through the streets towards his mansion on the mountaintop, his mind jammed with the same thoughts.

  How did it all go so wrong? Everything was in place. We’ve been testing for months.

  The questions buzzed in his mind, over and over, until he entered his driveway and drove into the underground garage.

  He fled the vehicle and ran inside. Apart from his gasping breaths, his house echoed with silence.

  His mouth was dry. He leaned over the kitchen sink and drank huge gulps from the tap. Water dribbled down his chin and onto his expensive suit. Struggling to breathe, he ripped his shirt collar. Buttons spilled to the floor. He threw open the balcony door and a bitter wind helped cool his blood-red face.

  His phone vibrated with non-stop messages. He scrolled through them. They were from ministers and journalists demanding he call them and from potential clients who wanted nothing more to do with him or his company.

  He was about to toss the phone aside when another message appeared. His spirits lifted to see Aleksander’s name.

  I know what you did to Isabella. Never contact me again.

  Attached to the message was a video. He pressed play.

  It was a special Breaking News edition of Pinkerton Tonight. Sneddon sank against the wall and slid to the ground.

  Aleksander was on set with one of the younger kids from Grimsdon. They showed vision from Ariella’s databank of him planning the ice storms and the collapse of the school roof and sending robots to attack Jeremiah’s home. They played the video of Jeremiah throwing his shoe, but this time included what happened just before that – his speech imploring the government to save the city before it was too late and Sneddon’s mocking reply, ridiculing him, calling him fake and untrustworthy.

  The young boy was almost in tears as he spoke. ‘Jeremiah Pain is reliable and trustworthy. He’s a great scientist and an even better guardian. The best a kid could ever have.’

  Pinkerton spoke about the failed demonstration and the danger this one man posed to society.

  The final word came from his own son. ‘It’s Mr Sneddon we can’t trust.’

  Aleksander called him Mr Sneddon. As if he was a stranger.

  Time seemed to stall. Sneddon stared at the phone as snowflakes melted on the screen. He was on the brink of having it all and he’d lost everything in a matter of hours.

  He threw the phone across the balcony and it struck the tile floor with a sharp crack.

  ‘Ariella!’ It took a moment for Sneddon to remember he’d abandoned her at the Halls of Government.

  He saw the gates of his driveway open and Armavans ambling towards his house. Sneddon scrambled to his feet, crouching low, retreating inside as an angry crowd spilled out of the vans, shouting and shaking their fists.

  He turned and ran, tearing through the house and downstairs to the garage. He opened the door to see Ariella flanked by his guards.

  ‘Mr Sneddon, sir.’ Ariella beamed her usual broad, gleaming smile. ‘We need you to
come with us.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous. Get out of my way.’ He tried to push past her, but she reached out and seized his wrist. He squirmed in pain.

  ‘I’m afraid I can’t do that, sir. There is somewhere else we need to be.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  Coming Home

  During the long trip in the ambulance to New City, the paramedics checked Isabella over, while Fly and Griffin caught her up on all she’d missed.

  Tripping over each other to remember everything, they told her about Sneddon returning as Phineas Snowden, who was working with Ariella at Future World Solutions, and Griffin and Xavier confronting him and visiting the archives with Jeremiah, and the failed demonstration and Sneddon being as mean as he ever was and hopefully, now that the world knew who he really was, he’d never bother them ever again.

  Isabella struggled to take it all in and had so many questions but for now she simply said, ‘You’ve all been busy.’

  ‘What else were we going to do without our best friend.’ Fly beamed, while Charlie nestled in blankets on her lap, having a long, well-deserved sleep.

  Along with the ambulance, the REF had arrived with an Armaflyer. Even as weak as Herman was, Fly coaxed him onto a large piece of material that was winched upwards and the Armaflyer took off, with the sea monster swinging beneath it. The sight of Herman swaying through the sky was something none of them would forget for a very long time.

  Apart from a few grazes, a touch of hypothermia and dehydration, plus a very badly bruised shoulder, Isabella was fine. Especially after all she’d been through.

  A tussle of hugs and welcomes smothered Isabella at the door of Aleksander’s home. After a long hot bath, prepared by Bea and Xavier, she was led to the lounge room, where they continued to fuss as they fluffed cushions, stoked fires and Jeremiah served cups of honey tea.

  Herman was taken straight to the saltwater pool. It took a while to convince the vet they had a real sea monster, but when they described him, she couldn’t stay away. He was weak from being out of water and even though the vet had never worked with a sea monster before, she said his vital signs were good and with no serious damage to his wings, he should be able to fly again in time.