The Hidden Reality (Alex Pella, #2)

by Stephen Martino

  The guards ignored her request while scurrying her up the stairs. Two New Reality employees unfortunately stood in their way. With little compassion, the WOGs slammed them against the wall as to not impede their progression.

  Though Myra wanted to protest further, fear paralyzed her tongue. She could not even cry out to Kevin for help.

  Where are they taking me?

  So disoriented by the commotion, Myra barely realized that the bodyguards had lead her directly into her office. At first, she felt so out of sorts that even these surroundings looked unfamiliar to her.

  One of the guards then placed his right hand on the wall next to a large New Reality emblem. Suddenly, a hidden door dematerialized in front of her.

  The bunker, Myra finally realized.

  As she walked through the doorway, a light turned on above her in a space no larger than a small closet. Turning to look back at the guards, the door again rematerialized.

  Before Myra could place her hand on The New Reality symbol on the wall, she felt her stomach drop and her ears pop as the elevator descended automatically at a rapid pace.

  Suddenly, she felt the movement stop, and a door dematerialized in front of her. Expecting to be greeted by another barrage of bodyguards, she was pleasantly surprised to see Kevin’s lone smiling face awaiting her.

  Taking Myra by the arm, Kevin escorted her into The New Reality bunker. Knowing she was still dazed from all the excitement, he did not say a word, waiting for her to familiarize herself with these new surroundings.

  Myra looked around the circular-shaped bunker. It was designed similarly to the grand security room but on a much lesser scale. Scenes from The New Reality headquarters and other designated places all over the world were displayed high on the walls throughout the entire perimeter of the room. In the center of the bunker, a single glass table with multiple holograms projected above it stood as the room’s focal point. Other desks, chairs, and sleeping quarters were also present.

  “So this is my secure bunker,” she said, finally with a bit of gusto. Myra looked around the room to familiarize herself with it.

  Kevin brought over a bottle of water to her as she sat in the chair. Taking a stool, he placed it underneath him and sat down. “We’re safe down here,” he assured while rubbing her knee.

  She gave him a coy look, skeptical of Kevin’s assertion.

  He smiled in return.

  Myra did not press the point any further. Instead, she took a gulp of the water and placed the bottle on an adjacent end table. Without hesitation, she stood and walked over to the center of the room and looked at the holographic image above the table.

  “What happened here?” she asked gesturing to the image of the stratoskimmer in the middle of the courtyard. “Is this what caused all the commotion?”

  “Precisely,” Kevin responded, walking to the other side of the holograph. He then placed his hands on the image and a recorded sequence began to play. Myra watched the stratoskimmer crash through the golden glass dome and into the courtyard. Glass shattered everywhere and the Guidestones were obliterated in the process. She then saw 10 guards jettisoned backwards by the gravity pulse and watched Jules emerge from the ship and escape from sight under the podium.

  “Is Alex with him,” was all that Myra could ask, “or is he alone?”

  “As far as we can tell at this moment,” Kevin said, “it seems as if Jules is acting independently.”

  “So where the hell is Alex Pella?”

  “That,” he said, “we still don’t know.”

  “Are you sure he isn’t hiding in the ship or attempting to infiltrate the headquarters by some other means?” Myra asked.

  “The ship’s been searched, and I called in another five squadrons of attack planes and 10,000 WOGs from around the country to further secure our headquarters,” Kevin reassured. He then pointed to the images on the walls.

  “As you can see,” he said, gesturing to the massive amount of military might now guarding their headquarters, “we have this place completely surrounded both by air and ground. No one will be able to get in.”

  “Let’s not forget,” Myra interjected, raising one eyebrow, “we do have one particular intruder who managed to infiltrate this building.”

  Kevin waved at the holographic image and a new one of a sickly appearing Jules Windsor sitting against a door appeared in its place.

  “And that intruder,” Kevin said confidently, “is currently trapped with nowhere to go. We’ve just locked down every door within this building, and now two entire battalions of WOGs are poised to overtake him in less than a minute. Then, my dear, that will be the last we ever discuss Mr. Jules Windsor.”

  Before Myra could enjoy any solace of reassurance, she noted one particular marking on the door in the hologram. Looking closer, she felt the blood drain from her face.

  “Where’s Jules at this moment?” she anxiously asked.

  “In front of the central computing database,” he responded.

  “Get him!” Myra insisted. “Get him before he gets in there or I’m finished.” She looked up at him. “The entire New World Order is finished!”

  “Our guards will be there in a minute,” he reassured her, not understanding the immediate urgency. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  Myra then touched Jules’ holograph, zooming in on the necklace he wore around his neck—from a chain hung a replica of Achilles’ shield.

  Not understanding the significance of the jewelry, Kevin asked, “And this is supposed to mean?”

  “Our deaths,” Myra said matter-of-factly, “if he isn’t stopped immediately.”

  Chapter_31

  Alex watched the Persians from behind his long line of pikemen. From this vantage point he could view the Persian King Darius’s entire army with ease and monitor their every move.

  Directly in front of him, towering over the Persian soldiers, 60 elephants were poised for attack. From a distance these enormous beasts blended into the mix of soldiers. Now, as the two armies were separated only by a river a hundred feet wide, these ominous creatures stood out among the enormous mass of men surrounding them.

  Alex’s eye was suddenly drawn to the Persian right flank, where the cavalry and infantry appeared to be aligning themselves in what looked to be a marching formation. It was subtle, yet Alex took note of this slight aberration in the enemy’s movement.

  “I knew it!” Alex said aloud. “That’s where Darius will strike first.”

  Surrounding Alex were 10 of his most trusted bodyguards. A man renowned for his bravery, the original Alexander had these soldiers accompany him only on major military engagements. At most other times he felt ashamed to hide behind any man, and he readily refused such companionship.

  “Lyssimachus,” Alex said to the bodyguard riding next to him, “send word to Philotas that the Thessalonian cavalry is needed on our left flank. The enemy’s attack should certainly fall on this part of the line. Tell them to be covert in their movement as we do not want to alert Darius that we have uncovered his battle plan.”

  “Yes, my king,” responded Lyssimachus before he dashed off on his horse toward the line’s right flank.

  Both armies stood poised for battle. Each looked across the river with a feeling of great anticipation that was counterbalanced by a gut-wrenching sensation of fear about the conflict that was about to ensue.

  Alex sensed his army’s uneasiness and knew that it was his duty as king and military commander to assuage their fears. Though he had never led men into battle, the spirit of the original Alexander the Great lived within him, and he felt as if he’d done this in the past. He also recognized that a few well-placed words would go a long way in bolstering his soldiers’ courage in the face of death.

  Riding down toward the sea side of his line, Alex first wanted to address Parmenio and Craterus along with all the men under their command. He knew that they would bear the brunt of the Persian offensive and understood that he would need to instill a li
ttle extra bravery in these men if the Macedonians expected to win the battle.

  As the soldiers saw Alex riding their way, they began to cheer and wave their weapons high in the air. The sight of their leader, wearing his characteristic white double-plumed helmet in the shape of a lion’s head and his long, red cape flowing behind him, filled them with bravery.

  Alex held up his hand to quiet these men so that he could speak. In a commanding voice he addressed his soldiers. “Parmenio, my father’s wisest and most trusted of generals, you have proven yourself many times in the field of combat.”

  The men roared with excitement. Enthused by the response, he continued, “Take courage from the dangers over which both you and your brave soldiers have already triumphed. Remember, the enemy you face today is the same one you beat so triumphantly at Granicus.”

  Parmenio raised his lance and yelled, “And do not forget how they ran like cowards!”

  The men laughed at Parmenio’s banter. One soldier added amidst the amusement, “Maybe their mothers will be waiting for them this time!”

  “These barbarians have no mothers,” another shouted while the rest reveled in this repartee.

  Alex slowly began to make his way down the long Macedonian line. As he approached the left wing infantry battalion, Craterus bellowed, “All hail King Alexander.” Banging their spears against their shields, the soldiers gave a military welcome to their king.

  “Our enemy is weak!” Alex began, looking each soldier in the eye as he passed. “Spoiled by luxury and weakened by a life of ease, these men do not have the will to fight!

  “Their palate has been tainted by years of trouble-free living,” Alex jested. “They will be ill prepared for the war-hardened men of this army!”

  The soldiers once again banged their spears and swords together while cheering at the top of their lungs.

  Pointing at one of the infantry commanders he remembered from the memory infusion, Alex commented, “Perdicas, my boyhood friend and companion, I have not forgotten your bravery against the Thracians and the deeds you performed on the battlefield that day.”

  Turning to another soldier, he noted, “Koinos, nor will I ever cease to remember your heroism at Granicus when you fought off five men to save one fellow soldier.”

  Shouting above his men, Alex yelled, “Show me a single Persian ready to stand up against either of you let alone our entire army!”

  As Alex rode down the line the cheers from the infantry alerted the pikemen of his arrival. Tightly packed, these men were barely able to turn their bodies to see their king.

  “My glorious pikemen!” Alex applauded. “The heart of our Macedonian line! I will rely on no one today more than you. The gods have always given you their favor, and mark my words, today will be no exception. March strong and show Darius himself the true strength of the mighty Macedonian phalanx. Remember, victory and the rest of Asia lies ahead!”

  The pikemen roared with vigor at Alex’s words. Mentally rejuvenated, they were ready for the challenge that stood just across the Pinarus River.

  Alex continued exalting various soldiers by name while riding down the long line of pikemen. Telling of their great deeds in battle, he hoped to inspire those who would hear him. Military ranking had no barrier in Alex’s praise. From as high as his generals to as low as the noncombatant support staff, he recognized as many people as he could.

  “What makes a man great?” Alex asked Philotas and his men upon finally reaching the right wing of his army.

  “It is you!” shouted one of the cavalrymen.

  “No, my friends,” responded Alex with a smile on his face, “this is not about me.” Raising his voice he continued, “Today, my fellow soldiers, it is you who will be remembered as great. All of Macedonia will sing of your bravery after this battle, and your families will be honored for generations to come.”

  Looking down the line, he added, “When you are old and gray you can tell your grandchildren that you were there the day the great Persian Empire fell! The day the scourge from the East was no more. The day when your sons and your sons’ sons could begin to live in peace without the worry of Persian interference!”

  The soldiers immediately erupted into loud cheering. With a new sense of pride they readied themselves for battle.

  Alex watched as the last of the Thessalonian cavalry rode their way in a single file line behind the pikemen to join Parmenio along the left flank. Looking across the river it appeared the Persians had not noticed this tactical move. All seemed still except for a small contingency of lightly armed cavalrymen making their way toward the mountains to his right.

  Because both armies’ front lines ended at the mountain’s edge, these Persians were attempting to outflank the Macedonians before the battle had even begun.

  “Philotas,” Alex shouted.

  “I see, my king,” he responded. Pointing toward the mountain, Philotas signaled about a hundred of the Greek cavalry to ride off in that direction.

  Knowing what had to be done, these men set off to counter the Persians’ first move.

  The cavalry dispatches from each army slowly moved up the mountain’s edge. Because of its steepness on both sides, neither force was able to climb any higher than the other or obtain a tactical advantage.

  The two opposing cavalry forces exchanged a few brief volleys of arrows while drawing closer to one another. No one was seriously injured as the skirmish proved more of a show than a true military assault.

  The battle had begun.

  Alex looked down the line and recognized there was no turning back now. There would be no homecoming back at Neurono-Tek if today he and his men were not victorious. He still hoped to re-enter The New Reality computer system one more time before the actual fighting began.

  Before Alex had any more time to consider his options, he heard the sound of a horn echoing from across the river. Looking to see if it were the call to attack, he noticed nothing but silence from the other side—like the calm before the storm.

  The stillness didn’t last long. Lumbering to the front of the Persian line came the war elephants.

  The closer they approached, the larger they seemed. Not used to seeing such animals on the battlefield, Alex’s army did their best to stand tall and fight the urge to run.

  “Stand your ground!” Alex encouraged his men while racing behind his line of pikemen soldiers. “Are these not but just another of the gods’ creatures like you and me. Do not be alarmed for the gods have created only one thing on this planet to fear… and that is a Macedonian soldier!”

  Alex repeated the words to as many of the pikemen as his horse could take him to. He would not let fear defeat his men before the true battle had begun.

  Soon, all 60-war elephants were out in front of the Persian infantry. Despite the size of these animals, their trainers had them under complete control and maneuvered them as dexterously as any soldier did his horse.

  Perfectly tamed by the mahout, who sat on the nape of their neck, the elephants provided an assault weapon never previously encountered in combat by either the Macedonians or the Greeks. Aiding in their offensive power, two soldiers armed with bows and arrows rode on a wicker basket just behind the mahout on the elephant’s back.

  Protecting this great beast from most forms of projectile attack, each animal was protected with tightly packed, square metal plates made of bronze. This body armor was contoured to cover their head, neck, and proximal snout. Long sheets of armor hung from both of the beast’s sides, ensuring further safety against visceral assaults.

  Alex watched as these large-tusked beasts aligned side-by-side, poised for attack. He also took note of the Persians soldiers riding in the basket atop the elephants’ backs, readying their bows and arrows.

  It looked as if Darius planned to create an early breach through the center of the Macedonian line and put a prompt end to this battle.

  How do I stop them? Alex thought. These elephants seem so well trained that my men will surely be tra
mpled or impaled by the hundreds if not thousands.

  While still encouraging his troops, Alex stopped riding and said aloud, “That’s it! I know what to do.”

  Kicking Bucephalus to gain momentum, Alex took off down the line, heading toward the right flank once again.

  “Philotas!” Alex yelled. “Philotas, I need 50 of your best mounted archers.”

  “Yes, my king,” he responded without hesitation. “My men are at your service.”

  Philotas immediately charged through the cavalry lines. Within a moment he returned, bringing forth 50 of the finest mounted archers the army had to offer.

  “Let us not wait another second,” commanded Alex. “Follow me!”

  Taking the men with him, Alex raced back down the line. There was little time to waste as the Persian attack was mere moments away. The fate of the battle, and his life, were on the line.

  Alex held up his hand and halted his men behind the pikemen. Directly ahead stood the war elephants, ready for their assault.

  “Arrianos,” Alex said to one of the mounted archers, “how do you stop a charging war elephant?”

  “I don’t know, my king.”

  “Simple! Never let him charge.”

  Arrianos’ eyes widened in confusion. “I do not understand, my king.”

  “To outsmart the enemy you must always think a few steps ahead of him. These elephants are but wild beasts. Without their trainers atop them at the nape of their neck, they are about as useful to the Persians as they are to us.”

  “Yes, yes, I see!” shouted Arrianos.

  “When the enemy advances, I need you and your men to target these trainers and kill them before the elephants cross the river.”

  “At your command, King Alexander!”

  The plan is set, but will it work? Alex knew the men he had under him would fight to the death, but he did not know if that courage would stand up to the onslaught of a raging war elephant.

  As Arrianos explained the details of the attack to his fellow cavalrymen, Alex rallied three battalions of unmounted archers to form a line behind the pikemen. Consisting mostly of slaves from previous battles along the European continent, these men were dressed simply in tunics and, other than a bow and a quiver of arrows, had only a small dagger attached to their waists.