by MG Leonard
‘What do those buttons do?’ Darkus asked.
‘This is power, I think.’ Bertolt waved at a grid of switches. ‘These are the lights, and this is the climate control system.’
‘The what?’
‘Look – here are the different domes, and this counter shows the oxygen percentage in the air. This is a thermostat for the whole Biome, but there’s also one for each dome, and I think this is a sprinkler system for watering the plants.’
Darkus’s mind was racing. ‘OK, this is what we are going to do. Bertolt will open all the doors between the beetle farm and freedom. Then find a way to turn the heating down in the big dome, right down, as cold as you can make it.’
Bertolt nodded. ‘I’m sure I can do that.’
‘And the oxygen, you need to bring it down to a normal level.’
‘20.95 per cent?’
‘Yes.’ Darkus nodded.
‘But why?’ Virginia asked. ‘We’ll lose our superpowers, and we may need them in a fight.’
‘Yes but if we have superpowers, then so does everyone else. If we dial the oxygen down to a normal level, it will give us a fighting chance, because beetles like it warm and oxygen-rich. Less oxygen and a colder temperature will slow down Lucretia Cutter and Lenka.’
‘Speaking of the bug bloke . . .’ Emma Lamb pointed. ‘Look.’
On one of the monitors, they could see Dr Lenka in a room full of giant emerald-green tiger beetles. He grabbed one of the largest beetles around the head and was strapping a muzzle over its jaws. They all watched, transfixed, as he lifted a bizarre-looking clear bubble with eight transparent tubes, like octopus tentacles, from a row of similar devices on the wall. He fixed it to the beetle’s head and plugged the tentacles into the beetle’s spiracles. A bag below the bubble helmet expanded.
‘What is that?’ Darkus said.
‘I believe . . .’ Uncle Max paused, ‘it’s an oxygen mask. The only thing I’ve ever seen that looked vaguely like it is a First World War horses’ gas mask.’
Dr Lenka leapt up on to the beetle’s back and with a whip that he held in his right hand he harried the beetle out of view.
‘He’s riding a giant beetle, like a stallion,’ Virginia said.
‘There he goes.’ Bertolt pointed at a different monitor. The tiger beetle was fast, speeding down a corridor, nimbly running upstairs.
‘The trapdoor’s opening.’ Emma Lamb pointed.
They all watched, spellbound, as Dr Lenka fled the Biome on the back of a giant tiger beetle wearing an oxygen mask.
‘Now I’ve seen everything.’ Uncle Max shook his head. ‘Well, at least we don’t have to worry about him eating us.’
‘What happened to make him . . .’ Emma searched for the words, ‘I mean how did he get like that? You know, half beetle.’
‘He pupated himself, hoping to please Mater,’ Novak explained. ‘He introduced the DNA of a carrion beetle into his own body and experienced metamorphosis.’
‘A carrion beetle?’ Darkus gasped.
Novak nodded. ‘That’s why he eats flesh.’
‘Wait.’ Darkus looked at Novak. ‘Do you know which beetle DNA Lucretia Cutter has?’
She nodded. ‘Titan.’
‘I knew it.’ Darkus was pleased that he’d guessed correctly.
‘And what about you?’ Virginia asked. ‘Do you know what beetle DNA you have?’
‘You are half beetle?’ Emma Lamb’s eyes grew wide. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know. You look so normal.’
‘Rhipicera femorata,’ Novak replied. ‘The feather-horned beetle.’
‘But you don’t have horns,’ Virginia said.
‘Actually,’ Novak tipped her head, so her chin touched her chest and her silver hair fell over her face, ‘I do.’ She lifted her antennae, and then her head, rolling back her human eyes and opening her compound ones.
‘Whoa!’ Darkus stared at Novak’s flagellate antennae, as silver and delicate as the finest lace hair, fanning out and twitching as they tasted the air.
‘You’re beautiful!’ Bertolt whispered, stepping forward and taking Novak’s hands.
‘That is seriously cool!’ Virginia shook her head in disbelief. ‘Can you do things? Can you see things? I mean, what is it like? Does it hurt to do the eye-rolling thing? I mean, how does that even work? Can you fly? Do you have elytra?’ She craned her neck to try and look at Novak’s back.
‘Virginia!’ Bertolt’s sharp bark silenced her. ‘Don’t be so rude.’
‘Sorry.’ Virginia looked shamefaced and bobbed her head apologetically. ‘But you are totally awesome, Novak.’
‘Thanks.’ Novak smiled bashfully and turned to Darkus. ‘I did what you said. I’ve been trying to build up my beetle senses. But it’s still very new, because I’ve covered it up for so long.’
Darkus stepped forward awkwardly, ‘You shouldn’t ever hide who you are. You’re brilliant.’
Novak’s smile grew into a wide beam. ‘Oh, thank you.’
‘Ahem,’ Uncle Max coughed politely, ‘Novak, you are lovely, but time is of the essence. Motty’s going for the chopper, Bertolt will stay here and man the screens. Darkus, what do you want us to do?’
‘I want to stay here with Bertolt,’ Emma said. ‘I can see everything that is happening from here, which will help when it comes to writing up this crazy story. Also, if Motty’s going to fire up the helicopter, I can help Bertolt get outside when we’re ready to go.’
Darkus nodded. ‘Good. Uncle Max, you come with me and Virginia.’
‘I’m coming with you. Your father will be wherever Mater is,’ Novak said, her silver antennae turning towards Darkus. ‘I can’t let you fight Mater alone, but I need to find Gerard first.’
Darkus dipped his head. ‘OK, Bertolt, keep your eyes peeled for Dad on the screens. Let me know where he is and we’ll head straight for him.’
‘Got it.’ Bertolt nodded.
Darkus let out a deep breath. ‘OK, good luck, everyone.’
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Beetle Run
As they ran along the corridor beside the hatchery, the thingamabob buzzed in Darkus’s pocket. He pulled it out.
‘There’s a man getting out of the lift on your level,’ Bertolt said. ‘He’s coming your way – you need to hide.’
Darkus, Virginia and Uncle Max darted through the door into the Hercules larvae room.
‘Wait.’ Novak stayed out in the corridor, her antennae twitching. ‘I think it’s Spencer.’
Darkus looked down at the giant larvae. He made a high-pitched noise with his mouth, mimicking stridulation, to get their attention. The larvae moved, their plump white bodies undulating as their heads churned in his direction. ‘Baxter, you have to tell them. Explain they’ve been born into a world that doesn’t have an atmosphere they can breathe. Tell them they are slaves. Tell them we’re opening all the doors. That they have a choice to stay here or be free. Tell them to spread the word.’ He crouched down and held Baxter close to the waggling head of the nearest curious larvae.
‘Darkus, it is Spencer!’ Virginia said.
Darkus waited until Baxter had finished talking to the larvae, and then came into the corridor to find a confused young man staring at Novak. He looked just like the pictures all over Iris Crips’s mantelpiece.
‘Did she put you in the pupator again?’ Spencer asked, looking up at Novak’s antennae.
‘No,’ Novak replied. ‘This is me.’
Darkus spotted the dung beetle, Scud, poking his head out of Spencer’s lab coat pocket. ‘Hello, Spencer. I’m Darkus.’ He smiled and held out his hand.
‘Dr Cuttle’s son?’ Spencer blinked furiously through his rectangular glasses as he shook Darkus’s hand. ‘How did you get in here?
‘It’s a long story, but we’re here to honour a promise we made your mum, to bring you home,’ Darkus said. ‘She misses you.’
‘She knows where I am?’ Spencer swallowed, and Darkus saw his eyes fill up. He nodded. �
��She knows Lucretia Cutter took you.’
‘I’m Virginia.’ Virginia grabbed Spencer’s hand and shook it.
‘Maximilian Cuttle.’ Uncle Max took Spencer’s hand from Virginia. ‘I’m Barty’s brother.’
Spencer looked past them down the corridor. ‘Are there only four of you?’
‘There are seven of us,’ Darkus replied. ‘With you and Dad, and Gerard, that makes ten, and then there are the beetles, but we don’t need lots of people,’ he smiled, ‘because we’re not here to fight.’
‘You might not have a choice.’ Spencer pushed his rectangular glasses up his nose, then gaped as a walrus-sized grub dragged its white belly forward, with six stubby amber legs, out into the corridor. It was swiftly followed by another. ‘What the . . .?’
‘We’re setting all the beetles free,’ Darkus grinned.
Spencer’s eyes grew wide. ‘You’re doing what?’
‘We’re setting them free,’ Virginia echoed. ‘Darkus, I’m going to head up the ladder to the giant adult beetles.’
‘Wait,’ Spencer said, pulling off a backpack. ‘Is this yours? I’ve been sent to take it to the dissection lab. It’s full of beetles.’
Darkus whooped as he grabbed his bag from Spencer and unzipped it. Twenty-seven fireflies shot out of the top of it, fizzing and flickering. ‘It’s OK, my friends. It’s me,’ he called calmly up to them. ‘Bertolt is along the corridor and up the ladder. I’m sure he’ll have the trapdoor open by the time you get there.’ They flew off to find their favourite human.
Darkus held the rucksack open and Virginia put her hands into it, pulling them out covered in shimmering purple and green jewel beetles. The beetles marched up her arms and parked on her shoulders.
‘We’re actually going to escape!’ Spencer’s eyes lit up.
‘That’s the plan.’ Virginia grinned at him, stepping on to the ladder.
‘I can help you.’ Spencer sprang forward and Scud waggled his forelegs excitedly. ‘I feed the adult beetles every day. They know me, and I know where the others are – Lucretia Cutter’s Darwin beetles and her stags.’
‘We’ll meet you out by the helicopter once we’ve got Dad and Gerard,’ Darkus said.
‘Brilliant.’ Virginia stepped off the bottom of the ladder and gestured for Spencer to go first. ‘Lead the way.’
He climbed up past her. ‘It will be my pleasure.’
‘Gracious me!’ Uncle Max exclaimed, pressing himself up against the wall as a flood of migrating larvae wormed their way towards freedom. ‘These things move fast!’
Picking their way through the stampede of giant larvae, they came to the beetle borg room. Darkus ran in, followed by Uncle Max and Novak, and they opened each and every Perspex tank, making gentle clicking noises as they did it. One by one, they peeled the chips off the beetle’s thoraxes, while Baxter explained to the monkey beetles and the giant African flower beetles that they were free to leave.
‘Have you done them all?’ Novak asked.
‘Yes, but Novak . . .’ Darkus replied, ‘I know you’re worried about Gerard. Why don’t you see if you can find him? Tell him what’s going on.’
‘OK,’ Novak smiled. ‘He’ll be in the kitchens, sorting out breakfast. I’ll come find you straight after.’ she called out as she dashed away along the corridor.
Ever since he’d seen the four cloned pupae in the next room, Darkus had tried to put them from his mind. He knew they had to be destroyed, but he didn’t want Novak to see it happen.
‘Are you ready?’ he asked Uncle Max.
‘Ready as I’ll ever be.’ Uncle Max nodded.
Darkus spoke into the device as he entered the darkened room. ‘Bertolt, are you there?’
‘I’m here,’ came the immediate reply. ‘All the Biome doors are open, and I can see on the monitors that the beetles are on the move.’
‘Blistering bombardiers!’ Uncle Max exclaimed as he peered into one of the tanks.
‘Listen. I’m in the room with the Lucretia Cutter clones. Can you see if there’s a lock for this door? Preferably one that can’t be opened ever again.’
‘Yup, I’ve got it,’ Bertolt replied. ‘Tell me when to shoot the bolt.’
Darkus walked over to the glowing thermostat and turned the dial down to freezing as Uncle Max lifted down an axe from the fire safety unit on the wall beside the furthest tank. Darkus reminded himself what Professor Appleyard had told them, that freezing insects was the humane way to kill them.
‘Stand back, Darkus,’ Uncle Max said, ‘Glass will fly.’
‘I’ve done the thermostat,’ Darkus said, backing towards the door.
‘Here we go.’ Uncle Max lifted the axe high above his head and brought it down with a jarring shock, smashing the first tank. There was a hissing noise as the atmosphere inside the tank seeped out. He strode swiftly to the next tank and swung the axe in an arc, bringing it down to destroy the second tank, and then he was at the third. ‘One more to go!’ he called out as he strode over to the fourth, hurling the axe up and letting it fall with a crack and shatter on to the house of the final Lucretia pupa.
The momentum of the axe seemed to turn the glass into a million droplets of water which cascaded away from the giant pupa. It writhed and wriggled its rear end, rolling off the bed and on to the floor at Uncle Max’s feet. He jumped back as the features of Lucretia Cutter’s beetle face pressed against the hard white skin of the pupa. Her jaws opened wide, splitting it, and she began to emerge, wriggling violently and biting viciously at the air. A clawed foreleg shot out of the pupa.
Uncle Max ran towards the door. Darkus was already outside. The beetle arm grabbed Uncle Max’s ankle, its sharp claws cutting through his skin.
‘Arghhh!’ Uncle Max roared in pain, dragged himself towards the door, the pupa clinging to his ankle.
‘Bertolt, are you there?’ Darkus cried.
‘Here.’
Uncle Max hurled his body forward through the doorway.
‘NOW!’ Darkus shouted. ‘LOCK IT NOW!’
The door dropped down and there was a crunch.
Uncle Max looked down. A chitinous claw was wrapped around his bloodied ankle, but it was no longer attached to a beetle leg. ‘That was a close shave!’ he said, bending down and prising the razor-sharp pincer off his foot.
‘Are you OK?’ Darkus asked.
‘Oh, yes.’ Uncle Max dusted off his hands and grinned. ‘I’ve wrestled with alligators, lad. That was nothing!’
Bertolt guided them into the lift and up to the corridor outside the laboratory, where Darkus’s dad was talking to Lucretia Cutter.
Darkus peeped round the corner and drew back. Ling Ling was stationed at the door. ‘How are we going to get past her?’ he whispered. ‘Ling Ling’s deadly.’
‘We need to get her away from the door.’ Uncle Max frowned.
‘I could send Baxter to distract her,’ he looked at his shoulder, ‘but I’m not sure he’s strong enough and I don’t think she’d fall for it.’
‘I’ll make her chase me,’ Uncle Max suggested.
‘But your ankle, and what if she catches you?’
‘I’ll run fast, down those stairs.’ Uncle Max pointed. ‘I’ll lead her into the jungle and lose her amongst the trees. Then I’ll swing back here, meet you and we’ll go and face Lucretia Cutter.’
‘OK,’ Darkus nodded.
‘Righto.’ Uncle Max crept to the edge of the wall where the corridor intersected.
‘I’m ready,’ Darkus whispered, retreating back round a corner to hide.
‘Do not, under any circumstances, go into that room without me. Do you hear me?’ Uncle Max hissed, before taking a step out into the corridor and whistling a tune loudly. He looked towards Ling Ling, said, ‘Oh, crikey!’ and sprinted across the corridor and down the stairs. Seconds later Ling Ling burst into view, running soundlessly after him, her hands held up like knives.
Darkus crept back to the intersection and peered around the corner. Le
aning up against the wall, where Ling Ling had been standing was a harpoon gun. Why would Ling Ling need a gun? he wondered, then an image of Dr Lenka chewing off Mawling’s hand sprang into his head, and he knew why. Lucretia Cutter must know her cells are empty.
‘Uncle Max said not to go into the laboratory,’ Darkus whispered to Baxter, ‘but he didn’t say anything about sneaking up to the doorway and grabbing a very handy weapon.’
He shuffled forward, wondering if he’d be able to see his dad from the doorway. He desperately wanted to catch a glimpse of him, just to make sure he was OK. He reached the weapon and wrapped his hand around the handle of the harpoon gun, putting his other hand on the shaft, lifting it. The gun was reassuringly heavy. He brought it up to his shoulder and looked down the sight line. It sent a thrill of power through his body, and he stood a little taller. He’d never held a weapon before.
He could hear Lucretia Cutter’s voice. Was she talking to his dad? He leant forward, craning his neck to hear.
‘What do you say, Bartholomew? Shall I unleash my rice weevils in China? They have a lot of stored grain. If I wipe it out, it certainly would take this game up to the next level, don’t you think? The political situation would become very interesting if we brought China into play. Did you know their rice harvest is the most valuable on the planet? I might tell them that the American president is a fan of the idea.’ She laughed. ‘Isn’t this fun? Eeny-meeny-miny-moe, which population is next to go?’
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Anthropocene
‘No!’ Darkus shouted, standing in the doorway of the laboratory, shaking with anger. He raised the gun, pointing the harpoon at Lucretia Cutter. ‘I won’t let you.’
‘Ha! Look, Bartholomew, it’s your son, the hero.’ Lucretia Cutter threw her human hands in the air, and said with mock fear: ‘Oh, no, please don’t shoot me.’
‘Darkus, what are you doing here?’ His dad looked shocked. ‘Lucy, did you know he was here?’
‘You are an evil, power-hungry monster!’ Darkus said, suddenly aware of how heavy the harpoon gun was, and the panicked look on his dad’s face.