Beck holds up a hand. “No, I didn’t say he’s a member of Majestic 12. He answers directly to them.”
I ask him, “What is Majestic 12 anyway? You said they were government officials or something?”
“President Truman created the group, made up of government officials, scientists, and military generals, to oversee top secret projects of an extraterrestrial nature. Their first assignment was dealing with the Roswell Crash.”
I turn my attention to Jennings. “Wasn’t my dad at our house cleaning up stuff and helping with the search for me and the others?”
“When I left town, he was still residing in your house, yes,” Jennings says. “He covered the town with pictures of you. He was really worried about you, Maverick.”
Beck begins to pace, and he’s about to give me more bad news. “That might have been so, but Dr. Ashe returned here to Red Top the morning you came into my bunker. I saw his helicopter land and your father most definitely went into Bunker Three. Had you chosen the right bunker, you may have run into him and not me.”
“He’s here?” I fight the urge to take off running towards the Level 6 bunkers. “I need to talk to him. Now.”
“What about Marcus?” Astid asks.
I close my eyes and sigh. With all the bombs dropped on my head, I’d completely forgotten about him. I’m an awful friend.
Beck says, “We shouldn’t be staying here any longer anyway. Level 6 agents will eventually come this way just like they found my cave.” He’s irritated he didn’t have a chance to disable all the bunker’s communication and security systems when he was there. “We have to assume they have Marcus. Hopefully not, but we need to be prepared for the worst.”
“He’s right, Maverick.” Jennings starts to stretch out as if he’s about to take the field for a football game. “We’ve stayed here long enough. If Marcus is still out here somewhere, we just have to have faith he can keep out of Balor and Level 6’s hands. If he’s been captured, Dr. Beckett here can help us spring him.”
I turn to Astid. “Can you keep searching for him on our way to the compound?”
Astid nods. I don’t like this. We need to get out of the state park and regroup elsewhere. There’s too many of us now to keep us all safe and together. Lisa is already wounded. Your shoulder is also injured.
“We have to be extra careful,” I tell the others. “There’s more of us, so it’ll be harder to keep hidden. Plus, two of us are wounded. Not being able to use my right arm sucks.”
“I told you earlier I can help with that,” Beck says. “One of the bunkers houses some technology that could help heal your shoulder.”
Jennings is beyond exasperated. “Are you telling meLevel 6 possesses something that can heal wounds? Now, don’t you think that’s the kind of thing the people need? Not an army of soul sucking children or mutant bulletproof monsters running around.” Realization spreads on Jennings’ face and he bends low towards Astid. “Sorry about the soul sucking part.”
“We call it The Chair,” Beck replies. “It’s from a long defunct Deep Black Project, but only subjects with developed extrasensory perception were able to use it.”
“It’s worth a shot,” I say as I pick up a backpack. “You think the agents figured out we used that secret tunnel of yours?”
“Doubt it,” he replies.
“I can dismantle any cameras,” Astid says.
Jennings suggests, “We can cause a diversion of some sort.”
“No, that’s how Marcus got lost. It’s too risky,” I say. “But, we will need to knock out their security cameras for sure.”
Beck zips up his backpack. “We can figure the rest out when we see how many guards are stationed at the facility versus how many are out hunting us and Balor.”
Lisa winces in pain when she stands.
“Perhaps Lisa and Jennings should skip this fieldtrip,” I say.
Lisa scowls at me. “We are in this together, remember?”
“Lisa, he’s right. You won’t be able to outrun the agents,” Jennings says. “We should rendezvous at a different location, but I’ll admit I’m a bit lost in these woods. I dropped out of Cub Scouts before I got my Wolf badge.”
Lisa’s resolve softens. She knows he’s right. Her mood shifts to one of frustration. “How will we meet up then?”
“The river,” Astid says. “We found it before reaching Red Top. It’s on the east side of it.”
“That’s a good idea. Here, take this.” Beck hands Jennings a compass from his bag. “Go north one mile and head directly east until you reach the river, then follow it south. There’s a huge waterfall there, too. It’s quite scenic and out of the state park territory. I’d suggest hiking more toward the tree line to stay hidden in case agents blanket the area with the helicopter. We can meet you there after we figure out how to get to Dr. Ashe.”
Jennings takes the compass. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and find Marcus.”
We all know that won’t happen.
Beck says, “Remember, there are scarier things than Level 6 out here in the woods.”
“How can we forget?” Jennings squeezes the compass and nods. “Balor is bullet proof, but at least I have enough rounds to slow him down.”
Beck opens his backpack and pulls the machine gun out. He hands it to Jennings, who gladly accepts it.
Lisa’s anxiety increases. She fears being separated again.
I get up close to Jennings’ face and look him in the eyes. “Take care of Lisa, no matter what.”
“I will.” Jennings examines his new weapon and plans to aim for Balor’s head if they run into him again.
Lisa throws her arms around me while being careful not to press against my right shoulder. “You get out of there as fast as possible.”
“We’ll be fine.” I kiss her on the cheek. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Here, take two of the packs.” Beck hands one of my packs to Lisa and his bag to Jennings. “They will keep us bogged down in case we need to make a hasty exit. There’s some supplies in mine just in case. Worst case scenario, whatever Black Project files I have left are in there, too.”
Astid puts on her mother’s jacket and grabs the final backpack. Her mind stretches outwards. “It’s all clear in every direction within my range.”
I watch Jennings and Lisa disappear into the trees heading north, and we head west. Once we get to the path, I recognize it as the one we had taken when we escaped Red Top. My feet are throbbing, especially since the way I walk is totally off with my bad shoulder not allowing me to swing my right arm. An hour later, I know we’re close to the compound. I guess incorrectly several times as to where the entrance to the tunnel is. Even Beck is confused. It seems as if hours pass before we find the right tree marking the spot where the concealed opening to the tunnel is located.
Astid and Beck remove the camouflage hiding the entrance. Beck and I switch on flashlights and crawl into the small opening first. Astid follows us. The dank enclosed tunnel feels like a tomb. It also seems like it’s taking us longer this time, but then again, we aren’t running away from agents. I can’t help but wonder if I’m making yet another mistake, just another miscalculation on a long list of screw-ups I’ve already made.
Stop it. Astid chimes in mentally. Separating from Lisa and Detective Jennings was the correct course of action. The technology is there that can repair your shoulder. Marcus is most likely being held captive in one of the bunkers. And I know you will not stop until you find your father.
It takes all my effort to not bump my gimpy arm against the tunnel wall. I know. Do you think Beck is telling the truth about everything?
I hope so. Even though he says he can hide things from us, I don’t think he does a good job of it sometimes, she replies. I can taste his fear at this very moment. He’s wondering if anyone awaits us on the other side this tunnel.
Do you think they would kill him if they caught him? I ask.
Astid doesn’t hesitate to tell me, Yes. They wou
ld kill him just like they killed my mother.
How could Dad work for Level 6? Surely, he knew if he failed in some way, or screwed up even a little bit, they’d put a bullet through his head. They wouldn’t allow him to walk away peacefully, knowing what he knows. Why would anyone take a job with Level 6 in the first place?
Fortunately, the tunnel widens. Beck takes the ladder down to the lower level, and we follow. Once in front of the brick wall, he presses his hands against it, slowly inching it open, and peers into the hallway.
Astid and I remain silent and wait.
He exhales and pushes it all the way open. We follow him into the corridor. He rushes into the only room on this floor. Amazingly, there’s no security cameras here.
The room looks long abandoned with papers all over the place. One old computer sits at a desk in front of a black rolling chair. At least there are no jars with freaky-ass specimens in them, or caskets full of dead mutantoids. Does Dad even know what is down here? I can’t even begin to believe he knows about all this.
Beck goes to a door that’s secured by a simple padlock. He pulls his backpack off, rummages through one of the pockets, and produces a key. He opens the lock and pulls the door open. Inside is some piece of equipment resembling a phone booth. Beck unlatches the booth’s door to reveal a small metallic chair.
“You want me to sit in that?” I ask him. I’m not claustrophobic, but damn.
“Not yet. I have to plug it in first.” Beck goes around to the back of the machine. “This thing is old, but still functional. I hope.”
“You hope?” I’m back to wanting to punch him in the face. “You need to explain to me what this thing is before even one of my butt cheeks touches the seat.”
Beck takes a deep breath. “We don’t have the time for details. This chair uses electromagnetics to help harness psychic powers. Since you had some sort of weird psychic exchange with Kren, you are now gifted with extrasensory perception. All you have to do is sit down and focus your mind on healing your shoulder.”
He’s telling me the truth. “Sounds easy enough.”
“I’m serious, Maverick. Think of nothing else. Just your shoulder. Put all of your other thoughts aside. Your shoulder—healing the tissues, the bones, the ligaments, that’s your singular thought while you’re in The Chair. Got it?”
I bend down to step inside the booth, and my butt barely fits on the seat. The entire interior of the thing is lined with some strange dark metal. Beck closes the door, and now I’m completely in the dark.
Beck’s voice is muffled when he says, “It’s going to sound just like an MRI machine. Just concentrate on sending healing energy and thoughts into your right shoulder.”
I think he’s also closed the closet door, which sends me into a panic. After a few seconds, the whole machine starts to vibrate. A swishing, swirling sound fills the booth. To keep myself from totally freaking out and busting out of this thing, I work to focus on healing my shoulder. The constant electronic swishing sound is actually hypnotic, and I find myself able to focus on my injury. Since I’m a visual guy, I imagine beams of healing light swarming all around my shoulder, fixing it with magical warmth. The rocking of the machine starts to lull me into a state of relaxation. I have to nudge myself a few times to keep from falling asleep.
My shoulder feels really warm, and the heat radiates down my arm and into the rest of my body. The metallic swishing sound slows down, and the booth’s rocking eventually stops. Beck opens the door, and I nearly fall out of it while getting up.
Are you OK? Astid asks.
“I’m good.” My legs are like Jell-O. “I feel pretty damn good, actually.”
Beck’s face hardens. “Try to move your shoulder.”
I wince, expecting the tide of pain to shoot through me when I slowly lift my arm. It’s merely stiff. “Whoa. It worked.”
“Fantastic.” Beck gives me a playful pat on the now-healed arm and exits the closet. He plops down at the desk and fires up the ancient looking computer.
“I know what you’re thinking. It’s more powerful than it appears.” Beck starts to fiddle with several wires behind the unit. “These are connected to the security cameras everywhere. I can patch into the system and see what’s going on in the other bunkers.”
Sure enough, Beck is able to log in, and he pulls up the cameras from all over the place. Two men are stationed outside the compound, guarding the exterior area, just as they had before.
Beck switches to the second bunker. Several agents are gathered around a table with a huge map on it. One of them, Agent Lopez, indicates several points on a large map.
“I wish we could hear what they are saying,” I say as I continue to test out my shoulder.
Two teams of agents wearing heavy armor, led by Lopez, exit Bunker Two. I have to assume they are going after Balor. Astid believes the same thing. Beck switches to an outside camera, and we watch the two squads of agents armed with heavy weapons get into two separate helicopters that instantly take off.
“That leaves the second bunker just about empty,” Beck says. “The only agents remaining are the two on the ground and the ones stationed in the third bunker.”
He changes the view to the third bunker. Five agents walk down a large corridor. A few scientists in red jumpsuits are busy at work in the interior of a plane, but it looks like a really small one.
“That’s not the invisible UFO jet, is it?” I ask.
“No. That’s a practice piece of junk,” Beck answers. “They are working on communication systems, probably wiring them into the test plane.”
Beck changes to another inside camera, which shows an empty corridor. He goes to two more cameras until he finally gets to the one trained on Dad working at a computer. He’s not back at my house cleaning up or joining teams of searchers looking for me. He’s behind a damn desk at Level 6.
I gasp. “I don’t think I believed it fully until now.”
You don’t have to do this alone. I can’t leave you here, not knowing if you are safe or not, Astid says. We can figure a way to get to the bunker together to face your father. That’s the best thing to do.
No! I practically scream into her head, and she winces. Sorry, Astid, but this is the one thing I have to do myself. Promise me you will get Beck out and go to the river to make sure Lisa and Jennings are safe.
I will do as you ask, Maverick. Please be careful.
She reads the urgency in my thoughts and I appreciate she doesn’t press the issue further.
“The question is, how do we get the agents out so you can get your father in Bunker Three?” Beck taps his fingers on the desk. He wheels away from the computer. “Astid, do you have any ideas?”
“We need to lead the agents away from that bunker.” She points at the screen. “Dr. B, come with me. Maverick, you are going to have to wait here, watch the screen, and then go in when the agents exit.”
I take control of the computer’s mouse and find the camera pointing at the exterior gate. “What about the other two guards already outside?”
“Leave it to me.” Astid motions towards Beck. “Let’s get going. We don’t know when the other agents will return. Maverick, once inside, you’re on your own. After you talk with your father, meet us back at the river.”
I nod and probe her mind for what she’s thinking, but she has her walls up.
“One last question, Beck, before we do this thing.”
Beck raises one eyebrow. “Shoot.”
“The Chair. What if I hadn’t been able to concentrate on healing my shoulder? You sounded pretty serious about it.”
He replies, “Just about anything could have happened. One test subject sent himself into another dimension where he stayed trapped…forever.”
My mouth goes dry, and all I can do is be grateful I didn’t know that before I stepped into the contraption. “Holy crap.”
We all climb the stairs together, our shoes clinking against the concrete. Once we get into the main corridor,
Astid points to the door on the other end for me to exit. She and Beck take the one we had used to enter originally.
They leave the bunker. My heart races, and I dash out across to the second building. After peeking around the corner and confirming the other agents aren’t waiting for me, I rush to the side of the Bunker Three and wait.
The lights flicker and the building’s door crashes open. All of the armed agents hurry outside and turn the corner. Whatever Astid had done worked.
With the coast clear, I grab the nearly closed door just before it shuts and go inside the third bunker. Two engineers wearing their raggedy jumpsuits are frozen with wide-open eyes and mouths. After they snap out of their shock, they rush towards me.
“You don’t belong in here,” one says.
“How’d you get here?” the other one asks.
Both of them attempt to grab my arms, but I shake loose from their grasp and race past them, down the hall. These jokers are way too slow, and I reach the door to the office.
I yank the door open and come face to face with Dad.
18
ASTID
BECK THROWS HIS hands up in surrender as all of the guards come toward him. He’s trembling, and he thinks he should have gone to the bathroom before this entire episode started.
I had projected the same terrifying thought into all of their minds. The agents believe Balor is out here, which left the door to Bunker Three unattended. With effort, I flood their brains with Balor’s monstrous and twisted face, and it’s all they can see. They run right past us. I easily break through the fence surrounding the electrical substation. Without thinking, I place my hands near the massive transformer and begin to extract all of the energy pulsing through it.
It’s too much, and my body can’t absorb the amount of power it emits. The excess energy has to go somewhere, so I redirect it upwards, shooting it out of my hands and into the overheard power lines. Bright green sparks burst everywhere. Dr. B backs away, covering his eyes from the fiery explosions.
The fleeing agents panic and start wildly firing into the woods at no one. Fear grips them as I continue to send horrible images of Balor into their brains. They scramble towards the rear of the compound, but two of them have tripped over themselves in their hysteria.
Black-Eyed Kids: The Complete Series Page 37