by S D Tanner
He and Ash were jogging through the ruins, dodging around the skeletons of cars and leaping over piles of gray rubble. Ash didn’t seem able to explain what he’d found and advised they approach on foot. They hadn’t wanted to bring the whole platoon, but he’d been impressed with Stock, so now he was running beside him at a steady click. The target destination was an abandoned football field on the outskirts of the city, less than a mile from where they’d left the platoon.
Jolting to the right, he avoided a crumbling chunk of concrete he assumed was a collapsed wall. “Stock, what do you remember?”
Stock had gone to the left of the accidental barrier lying across the road, then joined him on the other side. “It’s kinda patchy. You know, a face here, a room there. Can’t piece it all together.”
He knew exactly what Stock meant. His own memories hadn’t managed to stitch together, and now they were becoming even grayer as the current world took over. Hoping that questioning Stock might help align his memory, he asked, “How old do you think you are?”
“Not sure, but I don’t think I was married so youngish, I guess.”
The army tended to compress a man’s view of life, making him all too aware how short it could be. Soldiers often married young, eager to start a family while they still could. Although he’d been married to Lisa, just asking the question reminded him there had been another woman before her, one who hadn’t waited for him while he’d been deployed. It was another typical problem caused by their choice of career. Expecting someone to be without their partner for up to a year was more than many could cope with.
“No kids?”
“Nah, good thing too. World went to shit.”
Although the surrounding buildings were collapsing, they’d clearly left the center of the city. The piles of rubble were lower, suggesting the original buildings had only been one or two stories high. Disintegrating into little more than rock riddled dust, he could see past them to what had once been a football stadium about half a mile away. Parts of the walls surrounding it had fallen, but the main entrance must have been reinforced. Where it would have once boasted a wide entrance made of thickened glass, it was now a dark alley leading through the rubble to the field.
Slowing to a walk, he asked, “Why were we at war with Europe?”
“They didn’t like Lunar Horizon much. There were rumors Europe had developed their own power sources, and I guess Lunar weren’t happy about it.”
“I thought Lunar were the government.”
“They were, but we had terrorists. We were told they operated out of Europe and were shipped out to deal with them.”
He didn’t believe Lunar’s only option would have been to send in the army. When it came to Lunar Horizon nothing was ever as it seemed. It was another lie, probably told to kill more troops so they could add to the Dead Force. The aliens had taken their time infiltrating Earth, which made him wonder why. They clearly had an advanced technology, so why hadn’t they attacked Earth using robot shooters and beacons? Instead, they’d spent at least a hundred years laying the groundwork to use Earth’s resources against it.
“What do you think Lunar wanted?”
Stock shrugged. “Control, I guess. We were told any disruption to our society was a threat.” Stopping on what he assumed had once been a road, but was now covered in weeds and chunks of asphalt, Stock added, “I suppose it was all a lie. They weren’t a government, they more like an invasion force.” Seeming stunned by his insight, Stock shook his head. “Damn, we were catfished.”
Raising his hand to interrupt them, Ash said, “We should head inside.”
“Won’t they shoot at us?” He asked.
“Nope.”
“What’s inside the stadium?”
“I don’t know, but whatever it is it’s under guard.”
“By what?”
“Robot gunners.”
“Did you engage them?”
“Nope, they’re not interested in us.”
“Why not?”
“That’s what I don’t understand. They let us in, but there’s at least a hundred gunners in there, so I pulled the platoon out.”
With fifty barely aware Dead Force soldiers there was a good chance one might have gone trigger happy, starting an all-out fight with well-armed robot gunners. “Good call.”
Without the benefit of lights, the wide entrance disappeared into gloom, making it impossible to see what was inside. Following Ash, he held his gun at the ready. In single file, they walked toward the entrance. The walls on either side of the doorway were still intact, showing the faded traces of what looked like pictures of athletic people. It reminded him of the outline of the man he’d seen on the concrete in Brook’s city. He still didn’t know what had burned the man so fast it had left a blackened image of him, but it was one more thing he needed to understand about his new world.
Walking into the gloom, tiny lights blinked from the shadows. Creaking of metal on metal coupled with a whirring sound greeted them, and the distinctly familiar sound of bullets loading into chambers made his hand clench even harder around his gun. Robot gunners that had been crouching in the darkness were rising on their four stumpy legs, and he counted at least twenty of them inside the entrance. If the gunners opened fire, then the damage to them would be catastrophic. It would take six or more months to repair him and he didn’t have the time to waste. Jessica wouldn’t survive another month, much less six. He hoped Ash knew what he was doing, otherwise he’d just made a big mistake.
The corridor was mercifully short and they quickly emerged onto a field, only it wasn’t empty. Metal boxes, each one five feet square and eight feet tall, lined up like toy soldiers still in their boxes. At the bottom was a small opening, reminding him of the slit on a high security prison cell. Colored a flat, dark gray, the long lines of boxes were surrounded by robot gunners.
“What’s in the boxes?” He asked.
“I don’t know,” Ash replied. “That’s why I need you to see them.”
Whatever was inside the boxes it had to be alive, otherwise why would they be guarded by robot gunners. Maybe the boxes contained people being kept prisoner to serve the aliens. Walking to the row of boxes closest to them, he kept a wary eye on the robot gunners, but they didn’t seem interested in him. He dropped to one knee, trying to see through the slit at the bottom. The rounded edges of his helmet stopped him from peering inside, so he straightened and unclipped it.
“Is that a good idea, Tag?” Ash asked.
Stock had taken position with his back to him, aiming his gun at the nearest robot. “Don’t care. Give him cover.”
With Ash and Stock defending his six, he peered through the three-inch slit at the bottom of the box. “Hello.”
A rumbling growl replied and, after the sound of shuffling, hot breath blew through the slit and into his eyes. The stench inside the box reminded him of a wet dog that had rolled in shit before licking his face. Wrinkling his nose didn’t help, and he was loath to breathe again until he remembered he didn’t have to.
“Hello.”
Teeth clicked together, making a snapping sound that almost made him pull away. Pushing his fingers through the slit, he waited to see if whatever was inside would bite or lick his gloved hand. It did neither, instead it grabbed his hand, pulling on it until his forearm disappeared inside the slit. Only the narrowness of the gap prevented him from being dragged inside and he yanked away his arm, aware he was lucky to get it back.
Without turning around, Stock asked, “What’s in there?”
“An animal.”
“What kind of animal?”
“It stinks like a dog.”
Rising to his feet, he ran his hand over the metal box looking for a door. All he found were hinges at the top, but they didn’t open the front of the box. Suspecting the door was on the roof, he grabbed onto the edge and pulled himself on top of the box. From his new vantage point he could see at least two hu
ndred identical boxes stacked so tightly together they formed a platform. On the roof of each was a simple latch, easy to open from the outside, but no doubt impossible to break from the inside.
Freeing an angry dog probably wasn’t his best idea, but curiosity got the better of him. Flicking the latch to the side, he was about to step onto the next box so he could open the lid when it exploded outward. The top tilted and he tumbled backward onto the platform of boxes. A blur of movement followed the lid and something scaly streaked over him. Roaring with what he assumed was rage, the creature leapt across the top of the boxes until it was flying toward a robot gunner. Gunfire erupted, making the creature jerk in the air, then lose its forward momentum, it dropped like a stone onto the field.
“Shit!” Ash shouted. “What the…”
The box underneath him was rocking and a howling rage filled the air, reminding him of angry fans shouting at a bad call by the ref. Beneath his feet, the roof on the box was jerking as something savagely pounded on it. Fumbling with the straining latch, he shouted, “Open the boxes.”
“But…” Ash said worriedly.
“Do it! Do it! Do it!” Stock shouted.
Once the latch flicked open, he was thrown backward onto the lid of the next box. This time he didn’t hesitate and opened the lid before moving to the next one. Stock had climbed onto the platform of boxes and was opening lids in the other direction. They were both taking fire and Ash was shooting at the robot gunners.
“Ash, don’t waste ammo. Get up here!”
One lid after the next was bursting open and more creatures emerged, each angrier than the last. Running along the top of the platform, some were opening more of the boxes, while others leapt at the gunners. They moved so fast he couldn’t be sure what they were, but the scaly, meaty bodies reminded him of the creatures they’d freed inside the floating city.
Joker’s steady voice sounded through the earpiece covering his ear. “Teleport in five seconds.”
Whether he wanted to or not, Joker was evacuating him. He flicked the latch under his hand and the lid tilted open. Instead of allowing himself to be pushed backward, he grabbed at the body exploding out of the box. His hand skidded over a hardened skin and, as he gripped it firmly, the field turned a grainy off-white. Turning his head to face the thing he was holding, two yellow eyes glared back at him. The face had a molded snout with two holes where a nose should have been, and a wide lipless slit he presumed was the mouth. Its hairless hide was covered in a leathery skin so dry it was scaly like a lizard.
Clearly unhappy at being caught, it swiped at him with its claws extended. Holding onto its thick forearm, he jolted backward. The blow from its clawed fist would have knocked him from his feet, but inside teleportation there was no ground beneath him.
Using his free hand, he grabbed for the creature’s neck, pushing it further away from his face. “Cut it out!”
He wasn’t wearing his helmet and a single blow would have been enough to split open his head. Still pushing the creature away, he ducked as it delivered another powerful swipe. Caught midflight through a blow that never landed, the Bridge appeared around him.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Bending space
“Get him!” He shouted.
Joker launched across the Bridge and grabbed the creature into a headlock. It might have worked, but Joker was a lean, muscular build and he didn’t have enough bodyweight to compete with an angry lizard. The creature roared with fury, twisting sharply to the right and Joker’s feet left the floor. Refusing to let go of what should have been a death grip, Joker’s legs swung wildly and slammed into his side. The flying drop kick made him skid on the smooth floor, and he lost his grip on the creature’s throat. Stock kicked at the lizard’s stocky leg, clearly hoping to bring it down, but all that got him was a clawed fist in the face. The blow was hard enough to crack the faceplate on Stock’s helmet.
Staggering backward, Stock waved at Ash. “Shoot it!”
He roared. “Do not shoot up my ship!”
By now he’d lost his grip on the creature and was skidding across the floor. Hitting the wall, he grunted as the air he didn’t need exploded from his lungs. Judge had run onto the Bridge and was hauling Joker from the creature.
“Stand down!”
With its back to the main screen, the creature was staring down at them with its evil yellow eyes. The holes in the middle of its face were expanding and contracting as its chest heaved. Surrounded by five heavily armed and armored men it stood its ground, glaring at them defiantly. They were at an impasse. He couldn’t shoot it while it stood in front of the main screen, and there was no way it could take down five armed men.
Using the wall for support, he hauled himself onto his feet. He might be dead, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be wounded. The day was wearing on him and his usually immune body felt bruised. More than anything, his head was tired. A lot had happened in too short a time and he was having trouble keeping up.
Raising his hand in what he hoped was a peaceful gesture, he stood in front of the creature. “Stop.” Half-turning toward his men, he added, “You too.”
How was he supposed to talk to a creature that didn’t speak their language? They’d already found this type of alien inside the floating city and they’d immediately become allies. He needed the one standing in front of them to see him as a friend, and he waved at the creature to follow him. “Come with me.”
When the creature hesitated, he unhooked his gun from his shoulder and handed it to Judge. Raising both hands, he showed the creature they were empty. “I’m unarmed.”
All he got by way of reply was a low growl, but he sensed the tension leave its thick, muscular body. Unsure whether he should turn his back on a seven-foot tall creature capable of tearing him apart, he stepped backward. “Come with me.”
“Where are you going?” Judge asked.
Instead of answering his question, he asked one of his own. “Joker, where did you put the gear you had in the engine room?”
“In the robotics room with the spare bodies for Jessica and Robert. Why?”
“I’m playing a hunch.”
He walked ahead of the creature as Judge and Stock followed it. Making his way through the narrow, gray corridors on the ark, he finally reached the arterial corridor. When he opened the door to the room with the robot bodies, the creature peered through it suspiciously. Realizing there was no trust between them, he walked through the door ahead of it.
“Come in.”
Hesitating at the doorway the creature eyed his entourage, then it spun on one clawed foot and entered the room. Deflated Jessica and Robert bodies hung from hooks, reminding him the woman on his ship was only a robot version of the one he needed to save. Joker had retrieved the gear from the engine room and it was laid out on the floor against the wall opposite the robot bodies.
Gesturing to the line of equipment, he nodded to the creature. “Have at it.” Judge and Stock were standing by the door and both lifted their guns until they were aimed at the creature. He shook his head impatiently. “Stand down.”
The creature hadn’t hesitated and was already shoving pieces of metal away, digging for whatever it was looking for. A small spark of optimism rose inside him as the creature grunted in what sounded like satisfaction. Bent over and hunched, all he could see was its scaly back and a ridged spine. It hadn’t displayed any confusion or surprise when it saw the gear, suggesting perhaps it knew what it was for. Rising to its wide splayed feet, the lizard turned around wearing the harness that had been too large for Joker, but fit it like a well-worn glove.
“Shit, Tag, what the hell is it wearing?”
He and Joker hadn’t been willing to pull the trigger inside the gloves on the harness, but the creature had slid its meaty arms inside of them. The device hung over its shoulders and curved around its waist, but it wasn’t pointing the metal arms with gloves at Judge or Stock. Instead, it aimed what he now assumed was a weapon at
him. The creature’s lipless mouth opened, revealing several rows of long, sharp yellow teeth and a blood red tongue, which whipped around as it snarled. Its yellow eyes had a vertical black slit that had widened with what he guessed was aggression.
“Shoot it!” Stock shouted.
Hearing Stock’s loud cry made the creature turn and face him. Now both Stock and Judge were in its line of fire and, if he hesitated now, there was a good chance he would lose both men. He didn’t know what the weapon would do and for all he knew it would vaporize them. This time he agreed with Stock, the creature had taken advantage of his peace offering by arming itself and was about to kill them.
“Fire!”
Bullets slammed across the twenty-foot long room and he expected the creature to collapse, only it didn’t. Where he’d anticipated a barrage of return fire, the creature didn’t even bother to duck. Two feet from the creature, the six bullets from Judge and Stock’s guns slowed midflight through the air. Instead of exploding on impact, they continued to slow until he could see the red burn on each one. Within seconds they turned a dark gray, still suspended as if held up by the air itself.
Tilting its head to one side, seemingly amused, the creature plucked one of the bullets out of the air. After studying the now cold and solid lump, it snarled savagely before tossing it into its mouth as if it were a treat.
“Did…did it just eat my bullet?” Stock asked in disbelief.
It didn’t just eat one bullet and, in quick succession, the creature proceeded to scoff the remaining five. Curious how the creature had stopped the bullets, he walked over to it. Running his hands through the air where the bullets had been, he met no resistance. He continued waving his hand until he touched the chest plate on the creature’s harness. They were no more than two feet apart and, had it wanted to hurt him, then it could easily have slugged him. Instead, the creature continued chewing on the last of the bullets, staring back at him with evil glinting eyes.
“I don’t get it.” Stepping away from the creature, he half-turned to Judge. “Shoot it again, just the once.”