She shook her head. “Shut up!”
“Remember when my men were shooting at you for target practice in the forest? I called them off as soon as I received reports that you had dark hair. Your lives were spared that very second.”
“Your mind games won’t work on me.” She rolled her eyes. “The only reason you spared me was because you thought I was a black-haired Agarthian, valuable for your research.” She felt her blood boiling, anger rushing through her at the memory. “Why don’t you try and get up? Go on. I dare you. I beg you. Do it.”
He stared at her, hard. “So, no thank-you note? How rude.”
“I told you to shut up!” She gripped the gun handle tightly and aimed for his head.
Tio sighed. “I saved Jack from falling and burning in a lake of bubbling hot lava.”
She aimed the gun with steady arms, her legs in a wide stance. “Get out of my head!”
“When my soldiers found you again, I instructed them not to hurt you. I even told them to stun the dinosaurs that were about to have their next meal. I saved you and Mike from a torturous fate of gnashing teeth tearing you apart.”
Roaring with fury, she took a few steps closer. He was twisting the truth to make her give in. “No. I don’t believe you did it to help me. You didn’t want those dinosaurs eating your valuable lab rats in one big gulp.”
“I saved your mom and dad from fifty-foot waves. And let me tell you, your mom barely made it. She called out your name with her last breath before we revived her.”
She gasped. “Stop it!”
“Look at all I’ve done for you.”
“Really?” She laughed and motioned with the gun. “So, let’s see if I’ve got this all figured out right. If the storm hadn’t rolled in, you would’ve abducted everyone aboard our sailboat.” She stepped forward. “You stole Jack, my mom, and my dad from me—not to mention the tiny fact that you tried to kill me by throwing me in a cube to freeze while I rolled around in space. And now you want to do every unimaginable experiment on my body? Let’s see, that about sums it up. Oh…wait…” She waved the gun in the air. “You activated a weapon that would destroy all life on my planet.” She blew out a breath and said slowly, “Hmm. I’m thinking you really didn’t do me any favors.”
“Just now, when you mentioned the storm, I can see all kinds of images running through your mind. I see a scared girl stranded on what she thinks is an island, crying because she doesn't have her parents, any water, or supplies with her.”
She clenched her teeth, heat rising in her cheeks. Her uniform stuck to her back from her sweaty, damp skin. She wasn’t going to lose control, no matter how close he got to her. “That’s enough. I’m not falling for your lies.”
“Scared because she heard a roar in the jungle.”
“I said that’s enough!” She pressed her lips together.
“Frightened because a sloth is feeding on the very tree she’s climbing, not to mention the giant flying lizard overhead.”
She squeezed the trigger and fired a warning shot to the left, narrowly missing his head.
Tio flinched, but the voice inside her head didn’t stop. “Sorry, but your thoughts just keep flooding in. Trembling because a herd of duckbilled dinosaurs is running in her direction, especially when one goes rogue. And petrified as she stands up to a saber-tooth tiger and a lodomodo.”
Casey squeezed the trigger again, and a red beam whizzed past the right side of his head.
He continued to stare at her, his gaze intense. “I felt your fear and terror. You were a pathetic wimp. And now look at you. Your fear has shifted to anger. Holding up a loaded gun to the leader of a dangerous rebellion, shooting at me, and not even blinking an eye.” He let out an evil laugh and spoke out loud, “I like that.”
Her cheeks grew hot, but her gaze didn’t waver. She could play hardball too. “See what you’ve done to me?”
“I’ve created a monster,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye.
“No, that title belongs to you. I’ve grown since I washed up on that beach. But this journey, it made me tough, strong, a chick who can kick butt—including yours at the moment.”
Jack helped the last person walk up the ramp as he called over his shoulder, “Hurry up, Casey! Everyone’s aboard already.”
“What about the commander?” she yelled. “‘Cause I swear I’m a few seconds from blasting him.”
Mike peeked out from the doorway. “Thorn’s on his way down.”
A squad of soldiers burst through the door. One peered at the ship, then down at all the scattered bodies, gasping. “Sir! I’ll call for backup.”
Casey opened her mouth to tell him to stop or she’d shoot, but Tio lunged for her, elbowing her in the gut. She scrambled back, her lungs devoid of air. She sucked in a painful breath and collapsed, pain shooting through her intestines like a spreading bush fire.
He grabbed for the gun, and with one big yank, pried it from her hands. “Next time, they might want to tie the rope a little tighter,” he bragged. “Not to mention, no handcuffs can hold me.”
Through the fog enveloping her brain, she saw Thorn charge the commander. Tio moved quickly, kicking Thorn in the left knee, laughing as his brother went down with a groan. Thorn probably should’ve just stunned him, but then Tio would be out for hours, and that wouldn’t be good if he had managed to change the codes to the docking bay doors; they might need to squeeze that info out of him.
“Front snap to kneecap,” said Tio. “That’s a great karate move, isn’t it, Thorn? I wonder who taught me that?”
“Get up,” Casey yelled, but Thorn just lay on the ground clutching his knee as he rolled to the side.
Tio waved his head, gesturing a soldier over. “Seize their weapons.”
Casey moaned, holding her side, and glanced up. The commander’s eyes gleamed, and his lips curled into a fake smile as he held out her gun at arm’s length, aiming for her head. “Deep sleep is too good for you. Let’s just end it here, shall we?” He looked down at the gun and smiled. “Oh, wait…it might be more effective if I took it off of stun.” He smiled. “So, you weren’t really going to kill me?”
“I’m not a cold-hearted murderer like you,” she said.
“You had me fooled. I’m impressed. Good thing you didn’t think about your weapon being set on stun. I would’ve picked up on it the second you put that gun to my temple. You wouldn’t have stood a chance.”
“Exactly why I didn’t think about it,” she retorted.
His gaze narrowed. “Any last words, little girl?”
Her heart beat like a drum in her chest. Yeah, she had a last message for him. She wanted to scream that he’d be dead when the ship blew up, but she knew she couldn’t. Pressing her elbows into the ground, she sat up as far as her aching limbs would allow. “When your weapon goes off,” she said, moistening her lips and considering her words carefully, “you’ll have the blast of your life.”
He smiled. “And that, I intend to do. We will celebrate and throw the biggest party on Earth. Too bad you won’t be there to share in the victory. Goodbye, little surface Earthling!”
Chapter 2
Commander Tio’s fingers turned white as he tightened his grasp around the gun.
There was no doubt about it: This was the end of the line. Casey squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the weapon to fire. Her life flashed before her eyes. No! I can’t just sit here and let someone snuff out my life like this! She was a fighter, and she would go out in a blaze of glory. Jumping to her feet, clenching her fists, and ready for battle, a terrifying roar echoed in her ears. She spun her head, her heart pounding like a jackhammer.
A large creature sprang from the floor like a feral lion toward the commander. Its blue fur rippled and swirled, as if in slow motion. She slapped a hand over her mouth. It was the lodomodo! Tio hit the ground with a loud smack. Casey jumped back. The lodomodo snarled and held up a massive paw over him, its monstrous claws less than an inch from his face.
> The soldiers stood still, weapons shaking in their hands. The lodomodo turned its fierce gaze toward them. He swung his mighty tail, and with a single blow, three rebels flew through the air. Their bodies crashed into the empty capsules lining the walls. Exploding glass shattered with a boom in all directions. Holding their chests, the soldiers rolled and jumped to their feet, then scampered away.
The first row of Greys took aim, hesitating. Casey held her breath and peered around, unsure what to do.
“Should we kill it?” a rebel asked.
“Stand down!” yelled Tio. “He won’t hurt me.”
The rebels faltered as they shot each other glances. They weren’t convinced; they were facing a giant predator who seemed anxious to rip out a chunk off the next person crossing its path. Murmurs erupted, and a few soldiers stepped back, broken glass crunching under their boots.
This was her chance. Casey scrambled to her feet and raced over to Thorn. He stood, staring ahead, and barely paid her any notice when she grabbed his hand and pulled him up. “Let’s move!” she whispered, hoping he wasn’t too stunned to hear her. The animal was a beautiful sight, but safety came first.
“You promised the lodomodo he could come with us, didn’t you?” Thorn hissed. “That’s why he’s here.”
“You seem to really care about him.”
“I do, and I didn’t have the heart to kill him. Still, the creature’s dangerous because he’s bonded to my brother.”
“It’s not like I’m going to let him sleep at the foot of my bed.” Casey didn’t doubt the lodomodo was dangerous, but it wasn’t stupid enough to kill the driver giving him a ride out of that joint. She’d felt its pain and hope. Thorn pulled her to the top of the boarding ramp. The time to go had come, but Casey’s hands froze, clutching the metal doorframe. She’d remembered her promise to the lodomodo, and she could not break her word, especially after the fantastic animal had just saved her life. She glanced over her shoulder and whistled. “C’mon, boy.”
“Casey, no!” said Thorn. “What if my brother commands him to attack us?”
“Ain’t happening. He’s bonded to me now. I can feel it.”
The beast’s ears pricked up, and he withdrew his paw. Leaping off the commander, he pranced up the ramp like a trained dog.
Tio let out an angry yelp. “You get back here, you ungrateful beast!”
“Leave him alone!” shouted Casey, but the lodomodo didn’t seem too impressed by the commander’s threatening tone. His eyes changed from fierce green to calm ice blue. Wagging his long, bushy tail, he walked over to Casey and licked her hand. She laughed, happy to see the hope in the animal’s eyes. He was so beautiful and majestic. She couldn’t understand why anyone would ever beat him.
“All right, if that’s what you want.” Tio’s face contorted with rage. “You now have official permission to shoot the miserable creature.”
Every muscle in Casey’s body tensed as the soldiers aimed their weapons directly at her and her new friend. Her stomach lurched. “Hurry in!” she said to the lodomodo as a shower of red laser beams cut through the air, bouncing off walls inside of the ship. She pressed her back against the cold metal, breathing out. The lodomodo cowered next to her, licking her hand. She buried her fingers in the animal’s soft turquoise fur. “Don’t worry. You’re safe now.”
“Goodbye, Sheik. Goodbye, other evil aliens. Same time tomorrow?” Mike shouted through the closing door. A beam whizzed past his left eye, missing him by inches. “Okay.” He jumped to side. “I didn’t think so.”
“Taunting the aliens?” Casey pulled on his arm, leading him away from the door. She looked up at him, and her gaze narrowed.
“What?” he said.
“No more brain-dead stunts, okay?”
He shook his head, a looped grin on his lips. “You know me. I’d never do that.”
“Just be normal for a while. I can’t play babysitter right now.” She turned her attention to the lodomodo and gave him a quick pat. “I’m going to name you Blue.” When he barked, she smiled. “I need you to stay right here.” She lifted her chin and surveyed the situation.
People from Agartha lined the back wall, whispering in small clusters as they held onto one another, wide-eyed. Jack stood by the controls while Thorn. Mike, and Kira slipped out of their robotic exoskeletons.
Casey scanned the gathered crowd until her gaze fell on her parents, and she drew a sharp breath. Her father’s face remained ghostly white as he rested his head in her mom’s lap; his chest barely moved. Her mom softly stroked his hair, her eyes closed as though she was in desperate prayer. Casey’s heart leapt in her chest. She’d never seen her father so out of it. He has to be okay. He just has to. She rushed over to where her dad lay sprawled on the floor and dropped to her knees.
Her mom glanced up, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. She wiped one shaky hand over her nose. “He’s suffering from the effects of hibernation.” Her voice came thin and raspy, as though she couldn’t quite control it.
“Dad, can you hear me?” Casey held her breath, waiting for a sign. She couldn’t lose him—not this way. Her dad didn’t move. She took his hand and squeezed it lightly. His skin was damp and cold as ice. Her heartbeat sped up, and dread suddenly overwhelmed her. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her hands caressed his face.
“I don’t know why this is happening to him,” said her mom.
“Dad! Dad, wake up.” Casey shook him with so much fervor that her knuckles turned white, but he showed no sign of waking up. “No, Daddy. Don’t you dare die. I can’t lose you after all of this. How about that fishing trip in Colorado? Who’s going to wake me up in the middle of the night so we get the best fish?” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “And what about visiting colleges? Who’ll be there with me to make sure I get the best room ever?” Casey peered at the Agarthians. “Somebody, anybody, please help my dad. Someone here must know what’s going on!” she yelled, her voice frantic. She felt a touch on her shoulder.
A woman with porcelain skin, long golden hair, and sapphire-blue eyes leaned over her, with a soft smile on her lips. “Don’t worry. It takes a while to recover. It’s hard on all of us, particularly surface humans. Let him rest. He’ll be fine.”
“Thank you,” whispered Casey. She glanced at her mom’s questioning face, only then realizing she couldn’t understand the Agarthian without the implant. “The woman says he’ll be just fine. He needs more time.”
Her mom nodded.
Casey lowered her lips to her dad’s waxen skin and kissed his forehead. “I love you so much, Daddy,” she whispered in his ear, then turned to say a silent prayer.
“Casey…” Her mom sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “I’m so glad you kids are okay.”
Casey opened her mouth, but her throat felt choked and no words came out. Burying her face into her mom’s shoulder, she gazed up at Mike and Jack, who were strapping themselves into their seats.
The ship hurtled off the ground in seconds. Powerful shudders rocked the aircraft as it backed up into the spacious corridor. They were finally moving.
Casey sank back against the wall and let a shudder run through her. With every breath, her stomach hurt where Tio had kicked her, but she bit her lip against the pain.
“Here we go.” She heard Thorn mutter as he punched the control panel, the only two sounds in the room. “Hang on tight, everyone.”
The floor shook as a mechanism roared into motion. Outside the cockpit window, sparks flew as the scout ship scraped the corridor walls. Casey cringed and held her hands over her ears, trying to block out the ear-wrenching squeal of ripping metal. The ship returned to the docking bay at a dangerous speed, landing back at the familiar gates where they had first arrived. Two giant doors were the only obstacles standing between the ship and freedom.
“Where are we going?”
Casey sat up, barely able to hear her mom’s voice through the noise. “Out.”
Her mom’s eye
s darted about as though taking in the room for the first time. “How do you know all of this? Is it something you kids learn at school nowadays?”
Surely she’s not serious. Alien Escape 101? Casey could tell from the twinkle in her mom’s eyes, yet there was something else there as well: hope. Even though it was a joke, it would’ve been the easier explanation to bear. “No, Mom. I wish I had, but unfortunately it was more a gather-experience-as-you-go-along kind of excursion.”
Her mom nodded and brushed a stray strand of hair from her husband’s forehead. “You’re a survivor, honey, just like your dad.”
“So are you,” Casey whispered, even though her mom probably couldn’t hear it with all the noise.
The ship hovered over the docking bay deck as Thorn fussed with the crystals. “The doors aren’t opening! How did my brother have time to switch the password?”
Casey stood and inched closer, a hard thumping filling the left side of her head. “I thought he was bluffing.”
“Nope!” said Mike.
“For once, he was telling the truth. He obviously somehow managed to change the code,” said Thorn, pushing buttons, crystals, and levers frantically on the console.
A shudder tore through her body. How will we ever get out now?
Chapter 3
Casey stared out the cockpit window, her heart thumping like a jackhammer. Two giant octagonal doors kept her from freedom, and they still had no idea how Tio had found the time to change the codes in all the commotion.
“I’ll try to override the system,” said Thorn.
She clenched her teeth as a sick feeling nestled in the pit of her stomach. This can’t be happening—not now when we’re minutes away from the explosion. How long will it take to override the system? She was sure they’d never make it out on time, so sure that she wanted to bang her head on the wall.
Mike slapped his hands down on the control panel. “Just crash through the doors or the walls like we did at the Deep Sleep Lab.”
Termination - Book 9 in The Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series (The Conclusion) Page 2