In the Arctic

by Art Collins

  Armed with plenty of firepower and a map to follow, Lynch turned on his flashlight and led the SEALs into a pitch-black tunnel that had been bored though solid ice. With an eight-foot high ceiling and walls that were six feet apart, the men had ample room to walk single file. Following the beam of his flashlight, Lynch wondered just where within this frozen labyrinth his enemy lurked.

  Ten minutes later Lynch found out. About ten feet separated each man, and that proved to be sufficient to cut Lynch off from the two SEALs when a thick, clear panel suddenly dropped from the ceiling. The moment Lynch turned to look back at his comrades, Malum made his move.

  The Lues warrior sprang out from an alcove that he’d hollowed out earlier that day. The powerful alien had its human prey pinned face down before Lynch knew what had happened.

  One SEAL fired into the barrier while the other reached for his flamethrower. The bullets that were discharged ricocheted off the panel’s impregnable surface, and the burst of flames that followed seconds later was just as useless.

  Flint and Adams, after dodging their own bullets, felt helpless as the hideous looking creature shifted its slanted red eyes toward them and seemed to laugh. Although Zenda’s appearance was otherworldly to say the least, it wasn’t terrifying. Malum, however, was straight out of anyone’s worst nightmare.

  The creature’s sinewy muscled frame stood about six and a half feet tall, and it was covered with black scales. Its dark face resembled a skull, and a series of long tentacles flowed from the top of its broad, shell-covered forehead. Barbed pincers were moving on each side of its mouth, perhaps in anticipation of what was coming next.

  The SEALs had seen their share of gruesome sights over the years, but nothing came close to what the Lues fiend did to Lynch. When it slowly opened its drooling mouth and bared four rows of jagged teeth, a sharp, dagger-like tongue darted out. Then staring straight at Flint and Adams, Malum lowered its head and, in a single swipe of its razor-sharp tongue, severed Lynch’s head from his body.

  Leaving the head as a souvenir, the alien creature turned and dragged its bloody prize off into the darkness.

  Round One had definitely gone to the Lues!

  When the clear panel withdrew back into the ceiling a minute later, the SEALs were left with a decision—follow Malum further into the tunnel without a map to guide them, or return to the Chinook and start developing Plan B.

  Malum

  Flint was the first to speak. “Listen, Adams, I’m game to go after Malum right now, but I have to tell you that I don’t think it’s our best option. That alien knows this tunnel system like the back of his hand. The map is in Lynch’s coat pocket, and the other ETF members will really be vulnerable if anything happens to us. As much as I hate to say it, I think we should go back.”

  Luke Adams was angry when he voiced his opinion. “Part of me wants to hunt that sucker down right now when there’s not some barrier to stop my flamethrower from doing its job, but you’re right. Zenda knows Malum better than anyone, so I also think we should head back and see what she has to say.”

  “Okay, but we can’t leave this here,” Flint replied as he walked over and scooped up Lynch’s head, nestling it in the crook of his arm. Then adding a bit of dark humor, he shook his head and said, “I just wish he would have had some hair so I wouldn’t have to get blood all over my nice white coat.”

  Regroup and Re-plan

  Professor Eberstark and Dr. Watanabe had finally convinced Major McColl that they needed to join Dr. Henderson in the transport pod just about the time Lynch and the SEALs were entering the tunnel to initiate their search and destroy mission. The two scientists said they had important scientific information that the Mission Commander would need when she and Zenda developed backup plans. In reality, they just wanted to get a peek inside the amazing spaceship that was capable of time travel.

  “This is one of our smallest models,” Zenda said ten minutes later as she took the three Earthling scientists through the transport pod. “As you can see, it has a seating capacity of twelve. We have some pods that will take well over a hundred. The onboard computer and communication equipment are very sophisticated, and we can transmit in a number of languages using a variety of waveforms. Some of the waveforms are electromagnetic, and some are not.

  “Even though our time travel technology allows us to traverse very long distances in short periods of time, it has no aging effect on our bodies. The Comis have an average life expectancy of about one hundred and thirty Earth-years. The Lues are not quite as advanced. While their life expectancy has improved, it is still about twenty Earth-years less than ours.

  “Both our races prefer the cold, but our bodies can adjust to different temperatures and atmospheric conditions. This transport pod is capable of modifying the inside temperature, atmospheric pressure, type of gas inhaled, as well as many other factors. It is—”

  Zenda gasped in mid sentence. She was visibly distressed when she spoke a moment later. “I feel something terrible has happened to the man you call Lynch. My senses are very advanced, and I was just overcome by a strong feeling of loss when Lynch’s image flashed through my brain. I fear it was a bad idea for those three men to go after Malum.

  “In order for us to defeat Malum, we must make him come to us. I know how his twisted mind works. If Malum inflicted harm on Lynch or the other two men with him, he will know you will not go back into the tunnels. Yes, there is a way to defeat him if we are patient.”

  When Flint and Adams came out of the tunnel, the three scientists and Zenda were waiting for them. Dr. Henderson was about to ask where Lynch was when she recognized what Flint had tucked in his blood-soaked arm. “Oh no!” she exclaimed, raising her mittens to her mask. “What —”

  “We’ll tell you all about it, but first we have to do something with this head,” Flint interrupted. Turning to his fellow SEAL, he said, “Adams, go into the chopper and bring me something I can bag this in. It’s bad enough for adults to see, let alone teenagers.”

  It was nice that Flint was concerned about Archibald, Jockabeb, and Willow, but it was too late. All three were in the cockpit of the Chinook, looking at what was taking place through pairs of binoculars they’d found earlier.

  “Is that what I think it is?” Jockabeb asked, his voice quivering.

  “Yeah, it sure is,” Archibald replied. “And I said I thought Lynch could handle himself in a pinch.”

  “Speaking of pinch, it looks like that creepy alien must have pinched Lynch’s head clean off,” Willow added. Then she remembered what she had in her pocket and asked, “You think it’s time to tell Dr. Henderson and Zenda about the blue feather?”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” Archibald answered. “Maybe they’ll be able to figure out how to use it. Anyway, I’m tired of being cooped up in here. Let’s get Meatloaf and go outside.”

  Archibald was telling Meatloaf about what they’d just seen when Adams came aboard the chopper. The SEAL emptied a small duffel bag that contained some C-Rations and then told everyone to stay put until he came back.

  “We saw it,” Archibald said, holding up a pair of binoculars.

  “You saw what?” Adams shot back.

  “The head, we saw it,” Archibald answered. “And we need to talk to Dr. Henderson and Zenda. There’s something important they need to know.”

  “Alright,” Adams replied, “but give me a few minutes before you come out. Just so you know, seeing Lynch’s head up close is much worse than viewing it from a distance.”

  Major McColl decided he’d go outside with Adams, so he left Captain Williams in charge of the Chinook. Before leaving, he patted his co-pilot on the shoulder, saying, “I want you and Jones to stay put while I’m gone.”

  Adams had already bagged Lynch’s head and was headed back to the chopper by the time Meatloaf and the teenagers approached Zenda and Dr. Henderson. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” Dr. Henderson said apologetically.

  “We’ve seen worse,” Archibald replie
d.

  “I understand there’s something important you need to tell Zenda and me,” Dr. Henderson said.

  “This may take a while,” Archibald answered, “so maybe we ought to go back to the chopper.”

  “We can use the transport pod,” Zenda offered. “It’s big enough for all of us, and I can adjust the temperature so you can take off your outerwear.”

  Once Adams returned to the transport pod, Archibald and Jockabeb began to recount the high points of what had happened at the secret cave in the forest and then over the last three years. While Zenda, Major McColl, and the two SEALs sat quietly, the three scientists peppered the two brothers with questions, particularly after hearing how the blue feathers and the words “Nito, Vito, Samu” had been used to destroy a host of supernatural creatures.

  Seeing more than a few skeptical looks, Meatloaf stepped in and added some much needed credibility to the boys’ story. “I know it all sounds too farfetched to be true, but I witnessed first-hand what happened to the Ratweil. And let’s not forget that there was a reason why your top secret agency selected the four of us to come on this crazy mission.”

  “There are many things that happen in this universe that are very difficult to explain,” Dr. Watanabe finally conceded, “and what we’ve just heard may be one of them. I am willing to accept what the young men have told us. And if what they say is true, the question now becomes how we use this knowledge to defeat Malum.”

  “We have only until tomorrow morning to devise a plan,” Zenda warned. “I know Malum well. Even though he has tasted his first human blood, he will not strike at night. He will take that time to rest so he is fresh for what he thinks will be an even larger kill tomorrow. He also knows that we will not go back into the tunnels after what happened to Lynch. Yes, my friends, I am certain he will strike tomorrow morning.”

  Round Two

  For the next hour, the ETF members, Zenda, and Major McColl discussed the best way to handle the attack that Zenda predicted. While there was no consensus among the group of eleven at the beginning, the skeleton of a plan finally began to take shape. Throughout the discussion, Dr. Watanabe took copious notes.

  Zenda believed that it was important that Malum not be able to return to the transport pod since the craft was armed with directional laser beams that could be used as weapons. She said that the entrance to the transport pod could be locked from the inside, but correctly pointed out that she or someone else would need to remain inside.

  Zenda also divulged that she and Malum had taken a solemn oath not to harm each other. When either one or both of them returned home, an interrogation would immediately take place. The interrogators would use sophisticated lie detection technology to ensure they heard the truth. If either Zenda or Malum violated their oath, the other race would be declared the victor.

  “As much as Malum may want to kill me,” Zenda added with a smile on her face, “he would never risk losing this contest by violating his oath. And as much as I may want to see him lose, I cannot risk destroying him myself. My oath, however, does not preclude me from helping you destroy him.”

  When the SEALs asked Zenda if bullets could take down Malum, she sighed and replied, “I fear your weapons by themselves are not enough. He has an outer layer of scales that will withstand any metal object.”

  “Will my flamethrower do the trick?” Adams asked.

  “Sadly not,” she answered.

  “Well then, how in blazes can we kill the beast?” Meatloaf barked back, his temper rising.

  “There may be a way,” Zenda replied in a calm voice. “All Lues have a small circular spot at the back of their necks which if exposed, leaves them vulnerable to attack. However, there is one scaly flap that protects it. But if that flap is raised, and a sharp object is then inserted, it is possible to temporarily disrupt all motor skills. In other words, it is possible to immobilize a Lues.”

  “But would it kill him?” Meatloaf pressed.

  “That I do not know,” Zenda answered truthfully. “I have never seen a Lues die that way, but it may be possible.”

  “Great,” Meatloaf exploded. “All we need to do is ask Malum to lie on his belly while one of us peels back his little flap and sticks a big needle in his neck. Then we say a prayer and hope he dies. Because if he doesn’t die right then and there, the poor sucker whose on top of him is a goner. I think—”

  “Wait a minute,” Jockabeb interrupted, “If we could somehow ram the quill of the blue feather into that spot and say ‘Nito, Vito, Samu,’ it might work the way it’s worked before. What do you think, Zenda?”

  “Based on what you’ve told me, you just may be right,” Zenda replied, nodding her head in agreement. Then she added, “The person with the blue feather still has to get close enough to Malum in order to, as you so eloquently put it, ram the quill in.”

  “Listen,” Major McColl announced as he began to put on his cold weather gear, “while you all talk about how we’re going to get one of us in a position to see if Jockabeb’s theory works, I’m going back to the chopper. We haven’t eaten for a while, and I think we could all use some C-Rations.”

  Not more than five minutes had passed when Major McColl returned empty-handed. When he took off his facemask, his skin was ashen.

  “They’re gone,” he said, his voice rising. “Williams and Jones are gone, and there’s blood splattered all over the Chinook’s cabin.”

  As Zenda and the nine remaining humans stared at Major McColl, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind which side had taken Round Two!

  CHAPTER 3

  CRUNCH TIME

  Since the Chinook’s incoming and outgoing transmissions had been jammed, no one at Checkpoint Zulu knew that the Command Centers in both Thule and Langley had gone on high alert the moment radio contact was lost. They were also unaware that weather conditions had continued to deteriorate above ground. Heavy snow and strong winds gusting to over ninety miles per hour had created blizzard conditions that made any immediate air rescue mission from Thule impossible.

  Director Blair was sitting at his desk being briefed by Special Agent Quade when he was handed the three-day weather forecast for the regions around Thule and Checkpoint Zulu. Recognizing that it would be more than twelve hours before conditions would improve enough for a backup Chinook to land safely at Checkpoint Zulu, he slammed his fist down and barked, “We’ve lost touch with our ETF, and we can’t do a blessed thing about it until sometime tomorrow!”

  Hoping to calm down his boss, Quade said, “Well, sir, one thing’s for sure, Lynch will keep everyone safe.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Director Blair fired back. Then second-guessing his original decision, he added, “We probably should have waited for the weather to clear before sending them in. Those extraterrestrials up there aren’t going anywhere until they’ve made contact with us. And for the record, I’m wondering how I let you talk me into including three teenagers on the team.”

  Quade was clearly defensive when he replied, “You saw their records, sir. Those three kids had first-hand experience with a hostile alien, and we know they disposed of it without anyone getting hurt. They—”

  “I seem to remember reading in your report that three men were killed that night,” Director Blair interrupted, his temper rising.

  “My mistake, sir,” Quade said, correcting himself. “You’re right. One was a gangbanger wanted by the NYPD. The other two consisted of a drug-dealing murderer and his zombie bodyguard. All of whom, I might add, were trying to kill those kids.”

  The conversation ended when Director Blair once again slammed his fist on the table and issued a direct order. “Special Agent Quade, I want you on a plane to Thule ASAP. You’ll stay there for however long it takes to get a backup Chinook airborne for Checkpoint Zulu. And one more thing—you’ll be on that Chinook. Now, unless there’s something else, you’re dismissed.”

  An angry Director Blair

  Bedding Down for the Night

  As much as M
ajor McColl wanted to take the SEALs and head into the tunnels to search for his crew, he knew he couldn’t do that for two very compelling reasons. First, it was almost certain that Williams and Jones were both dead, and if they weren’t, they were being held hostage in a place he’d never find. Second, if anything happened to him, the chopper would never be able to leave the subterranean chamber.

  Looking around at the shocked humans, Zenda offered an apology. “I feel terrible,” she began. “While I am certain that Malum won’t attack at night, I forgot that while it is dark day and night, it is not yet technically nighttime. I should have known better.”

  “One thing’s for sure,” Dr. Henderson announced, “we’re spending the night locked in this transport pod. I hope Zenda’s right, but if she isn’t and Malum does come back before morning, he won’t be able to get at us. Before we lock ourselves in, we’ll need to get some things from the Chinook.

  “Major McColl, we’ll need the C-Rations transferred over here. Flint and Adams, you bring all the weapons. Dr. Watanabe, I want you to write down the list of various radio frequencies Major McColl uses to communicate with Thule and Langley. The rest of you will need to grab the sleeping bags. Oh, I almost forgot to ask who has the blue feather.”

  When Willow raised her hand, Dr. Henderson nodded and said, “Okay, let’s put on our coats and get cracking!”

  Fifteen minutes later, everyone was back inside the transport pod shedding their coats and other cold weather gear. Zenda was just about to activate the locking mechanism when Dr. Watanabe slapped his forehead and blurted, “I left my notebook back in the Chinook cockpit when I was copying the radio frequencies. In addition to the frequencies, I’d jotted down some ideas that I think you’ll find interesting when we finalize our plans. I have to go back and get it.”