“Go on,” said Hanly.
“Because we thought we saw an alien we asked Carl … Colonel Sharp,” he corrected, “to conduct a security sweep of the city. He didn’t find anything. But later we learned that he had lost his memory of that day. He didn’t remember our conversation and he didn’t remember ordering a sweep.”
Ryan raised his eyebrows. “And while we’re talking about the colonel’s memory loss, have any of you forgotten stuff that happened to you during the past week? Found out you did things you don’t remember doing?”
From the funny looks on the invaders’ faces, Ryan knew he had scored points—vital points. His gamble had paid off in a big way. If he was wrong about this, they would have been more resistant to further arguments. But he was right!
All five of the mercs nodded with troubled looks in their eyes. Each had had brief memory losses they had explained away to themselves. But none of them had discussed this, even with each other. So how had the boy known? They looked at Ryan with a new respect, now very inclined to take him seriously. Whatever story he was telling, it wasn’t all imagination. And the implications of these periodic memory losses were quite disturbing.
Ryan nodded back at the mercs. “A pretty bizarre coincidence, don’t you think,” he said. “But I’ll come back to this in a second. Let me continue with what I think happened in the order it happened. I think the colonel did find Tezoc during that sweep. Or Tezoc found him. As I said, I think Tezoc can totally control another person—completely take over their body and mind. But not easily. My guess is he can only control one person at a time—and that this takes major concentration and effort on his part.”
“These are fascinating guesses,” admitted Hanly. “But I still don’t see how you came to your conclusions.”
“First, Colonel Sharp lost his memory of the entire first day that Tezoc was here. Second, Tezoc had to leave this city to recruit his team and then break back in with all of you. This should have been impossible to do without tripping any alarms, even with advanced alien technology. The only way he could have done it is if the head of security were helping him. The only way.” Ryan paused. “But Colonel Sharp would never help him,” he said with absolute conviction. “No way. Not even if his life depended on it.”
“I know of the colonel’s reputation,” volunteered one of the mercs. “He is said to be a man of impeccable honor.” The soldier grinned and then added, “I guess nobody’s perfect.”
Hanly nodded. “I’m also familiar with his reputation. And I agree that Colonel Sharp would never have sold out this project.” He paused, a concerned look now on his face. “When Tezoc laid out his plan for us, he had all the security codes, knew all the fail-safes, knew when guard shifts changed and even the personal habits of the guards. He mapped out a flawless strategy. We joked that he knew as much about security as the man who ran it, but we let ourselves believe he had acquired it using advanced technology.”
Ryan shook his head. “The colonel helped him without knowing it. Tezoc invaded his mind and controlled him like a puppet. Then Tezoc erased his memory. It’s the only possible explanation.”
Ryan waited for this to sink in and then continued. “Once Tezoc left the city, he took control of a super-tall man who he used from a distance to do everything else. The first thing he had his tall puppet do was to recruit his army. And you’re all here, so it’s obvious he succeeded. But think about it. He shouldn’t have. If you were all thinking normally, would you ever have trusted him? Yes, Tezoc probably had a ton of money. Being able to completely control someone—say a bank president—can help you become rich very fast,” noted Ryan. “But he made all kinds of crazy claims. He said—or had his puppet say at any rate—that he was an alien. He told you there was an alien city deep underground. And he claimed to have security information that should have been impossible to get.” Ryan paused. “But you couldn’t have known if there really was an alien city until you actually stepped through the entrance in the cavern. And your lives would depend on his information about security being totally accurate and up to date. If you were acting normally, you’d think he was insane, or at least you’d be extremely suspicious. Would you really risk your life to attack an alien city—taking his word that there was such a thing in the first place—without carefully checking out who he really was and where he got his information?”
Heads were shaking in disbelief all around. The boy made some excellent points and they were beginning to seriously question their own behavior.
“If Tezoc was wrong about anything,” continued Ryan, “you’d fail instantly. And even if there really was an alien city, and you were able to capture it, you had to know you’d have to fight off the country’s entire army to keep it.”
The mercenaries were blinking now as if coming out of a fog. They were in complete confusion. Why had they signed on for this? Why had they followed Tezoc so blindly? When they broke into the city, they had truly kicked a hornet’s nest. The kid was right. How could they have failed to realize that even success would only buy them a war they couldn’t possibly win?
Hanly voiced what everyone was thinking. “You’re absolutely right. No amount of money in the world could have gotten us to agree to this. Under normal circumstances,” he added pointedly.
Ryan nodded. “Exactly. You never would have agreed to it—unless you had a strong push. Unless Tezoc snuck into your minds and searched your memories. Then he would know exactly what arguments would work on you. He probably controlled you during this time and then erased your memory of it. Even that wouldn’t be enough. He would have had to slightly adjust your mind, your way of thinking. Make you more open to his arguments. Change you so you’d be greedier than normal; less suspicious than normal. Change you so you wouldn’t think as clearly as normal. Even increase your feelings of loyalty to him once you agreed to join him.”
The soldiers looked ill. They knew Ryan was right. It was the only way to explain how they had totally lost the judgment that had kept them alive for so many years in a dangerous profession. It was the only way to explain why they were so fiercely loyal to the alien. Why questioning any of Tezoc’s orders, no matter how strange or irrational they were, had been so incredibly difficult for them to do.
Ryan continued to press home the point relentlessly. “Captain Hanly. You were about to shoot an unarmed kid. You didn’t, but you were pretty close. I know you’re a mercenary, but I can’t believe this is part of the mercenary code.”
Hanly shook his head in horror. He knew Ryan was right. He had resisted Tezoc’s order, but under normal circumstances he would have flat out refused it. He wasn’t a saint but he didn’t shoot unarmed children. Perhaps psychos like Brice might, but not him. But he had been close. He had almost pulled the trigger.
“Tezoc made you more loyal to him and more likely to follow his orders,” explained Ryan. “Fortunately for me—for all of us—you were still yourself enough that you didn’t do it. I think he has to be very close to someone—or even in contact with them—when he takes control of them. After that they can be separated and he can still keep control. But he can’t seize control from a distance.” Ryan paused. “He couldn’t give up control of his tall puppet here to take control of someone else just now. Not from a distance.”
“How do you know that?” asked Hanly.
Ryan shrugged. “If he could have, he would have done it already,” he replied simply.
Ryan knew he had completely won the mercs over. He was no longer the enemy. They were hanging on his every word and knew he was right. They were horrified to realize that Tezoc had entered their minds and manipulated them against their will.
Hanly signaled to two mercenaries closest to Tezoc. “Let’s make sure he can’t go anywhere,” he said.
The soldiers immediately went to work binding Tezoc. He didn’t complain and he didn’t resist. His eyes were open but he was very still, as if he were moments away from falling asleep.
“While you’re at it,” sai
d Regan. “Do you think you could free the prisoners?”
Hanly considered. “I don’t see why not. I guess in a way we’re all on the same team now.”
Ryan frowned deeply. While it was great that the mercenaries were now on their team, at least for the time being, he knew something that Hanly did not. He knew that their team was losing. Losing badly.
In fact, he was almost certain that their team had already lost.
CHAPTER 22
Connecting the Dots
After the prisoners’ plasticuffs were cut, the entire group relocated so everyone was more comfortable. The five mercenaries sat around the smooth, yellow table. After having been prisoners for so long, the newly freed members of the Prometheus team preferred to stand, relieved to finally be able to do so.
Dan Walpus was doing well under the circumstances. The mercenaries had allowed Miguel to dress his wound properly and the bleeding had been staunched completely. Regan pulled out her alien medical device and pointed it at Dan’s arm, activating the accelerated wound healing and pain relief functions. If they could find a way to get out of this mess, Dan would be fine.
Amanda and Ben Resnick had joined their children and Dr. Harris in the middle of the crowd, at the very center of attention. The teary hugs the kids had received from their mother and father had taken almost as long as the removal of the prisoner’s plasticuff restraints. But after only a few minutes, everyone was ready to resume.
Ryan stood. “So Tezoc enters the city and takes control of Colonel Sharp,” he continued. “He definitely has control of him when he leaves Prometheus and probably also on the way back in. He takes from Carl’s mind and computer everything he needs to know about the security setup and how to beat it. He gets back in the city with his army. Then what happens?” Ryan addressed the question to Captain Hanly.
The captain was still the mercenary nearest to him, although he was now seated at the table with his weapon out of sight. “Then Tezoc knocks everyone in the city unconscious,” he answered. “And we are easily able to collect them without a fight.”
“How did he do it?” asked Ryan.
Hanly shrugged. “He told us he used alien technology. We believed him.”
“Again, he had adjusted your minds to believe almost anything he told you. I’ll bet he used another aspect of his mental abilities to do the job. Maybe he can send a telepathic wave that knocks out everyone in its path. Maybe he can affect the sleep centers of the brain.”
“You’re probably right,” said Hanly. “I never did see him use any kind of device.”
Hanly’s lips pursed together in thought. “I understand why he took control of Colonel Sharp—it was the only way to break out of the city, and then back into it, undetected. But why go to the trouble of controlling someone and pretending to be them the entire time he was on Earth?”
“Tezoc is very smart and very careful,” replied Ryan. “He found a really tall mercenary to be his puppet before he recruited the rest of you. A man so giant people would be more likely to believe he was an alien. That way, the real Tezoc could control everything without anyone knowing his true identity. And if he made any mistakes, this tall human would be everyone’s main target, not him. If Carl and his security people had managed to escape and stop his puppet, thinking they had stopped him, he would still be a step ahead of everyone.”
“So who is Tezoc really?” asked Dr. Harris.
“My sister and I captured Davidenko and Brice. But what other mercenary isn’t here right now?”
Since there were only five mercenaries present, everyone had already noted the absence of Tezoc’s second in command, Major Manning. Several in the group muttered his name at the same time.
Ryan nodded. “That’s right. Manning said he was coming here long ago, but he hasn’t. He’s the true alien. Manning set up a Tezoc character to be in charge and he took the job of second in command. When his tall Tezoc puppet first spoke with the prisoners, Manning never said a word, and was so still most of the time he almost could have been asleep. It must be hard work to see through the eyes of another person: to use their brain, their mouth, and concentrate on your own activities at the same time. The alien can do it, but it’s probably much easier for him when he and the human he’s controlling aren’t active at the same time.”
Ryan turned again to face Captain Hanly. “Tell me,” he said on a hunch. “What did the man you thought was Tezoc do here for the past six hours?”
“He had bursts of activity during which he would direct the men and give orders, but the majority of the time he just sat perfectly still, staring off into space.”
“And you didn’t find that strange?” asked Ryan.
“No,” replied one of the mercs, frowning. “Obviously more proof that we were conditioned not to ask too many questions.”
“Again, he probably didn’t want to handle himself and another person at the same time very often,” said Ryan. “When his Tezoc character was active, Manning would want to be as inactive as possible. The opposite would also be true. When Manning needed to focus all of his concentration on being himself, he would have his Tezoc puppet here stare off into space.”
Ben Resnick nodded beside his son. “This would explain why Tezoc and Manning immediately separated into two camps, with Tezoc in charge of one and Manning the other. If they were together, there was more of a chance someone would notice this pattern of behavior.”
“Exactly,” said Ryan.
“Is this what led you to your conclusion, Ryan?” asked his mother.
“This was only one of many clues. I’m sure you remember when Manning turned and fired on Captain Walpus.” As he had done with Carl, Ryan felt it was important to use Dan’s military rank rather than his first name in the presence of other soldiers, even mercenaries. “The Tezoc character claimed he had given Manning a signal,” said Ryan. “But I was watching. He didn’t give any signal.”
One of the mercenaries nodded. “I was watching also, and there was no signal. But I didn’t question it. I should have. Tezoc did a nice job of turning us into obedient fools.”
Several of the mercenaries nodded in agreement, scowling bitterly.
“The shooting was another clue,” continued Ryan. “Manning was concentrating on controlling his Tezoc puppet when Captain Walpus regained consciousness. But even while distracted, Manning’s mental radar finally did pick up the captain. That’s how he knew exactly where to shoot, even though his back was completely turned at the time. Manning must have been the alien—the one with mental abilities.”
The mercenaries discussed Manning and Tezoc for almost a minute, bringing up other examples of strange behaviors they had witnessed.
“So what finally helped you put the pieces all together?” broadcast Regan while the mercs were talking.
“When we were in the mercs’ headquarters, preparing to throw the globes, we felt telepathic energy,” explained Ryan, “even though Tezoc wasn’t there. But we never really thought any more about it. Then I remembered you telling me you had gotten a headache there. I never mentioned it, but so had I. What are the chances of both of us getting an instant headache at the exact same time? The last time this happened was when the Teacher was communicating telepathically with us but using an incompatible frequency. This time it happened when we were both standing next to Manning. Again, since Tezoc wasn’t even there, Manning must have been the source of the telepathy.”
“Great thinking, Ryan,” broadcast his sister admiringly.
“Thanks,” he replied. “But I couldn’t have solved it without you. In fact, I wouldn’t have even known there was a puzzle to be solved. You were the one who alerted me that we were missing the big picture.”
The mercs conversation had died out so Ryan continued aloud. “The final clue,” he said, unable to bring up the clues he had just shared with his sister, “was how strangely the nanobots acted. They had never retreated while they were in the middle of a repair before. Never. But they did so, coincident
ally, just seconds before my plan was about to work. Several of them even stopped dead in the middle of the floor, which has never happened either. They must have been given a telepathic command to retreat. Manning was the only one who could have done it. Again, Tezoc wasn’t even in the building at the time, and Manning was the only mercenary not panicking at the sight of the nanobots.”
Dr. Harris nodded. “Your analysis is excellent, Ryan. I’m sure you’re right about Major Manning.”
“So where is he now?” asked Ben Resnick. “And what is he doing?”
“I’m not exactly sure where he is,” said Ryan. “But I think he’s probably in or near the cavern.”
Ryan paused. “But I am sure about what he’s doing,” he said grimly. “He’s about to take a gigantic step closer to ruling the entire planet.”
CHAPTER 23
A Nightmarish Future
“Bravo, kids,” said the Tezoc imposter from out of nowhere. He had been as still as a reptile for some time. He smiled and added, “I was right not to underestimate you.”
A chill came over the entire gathering along with an eerie silence. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Everyone immediately turned to face the man they had thought was Tezoc.
“Is this Major Manning talking?” asked Dr. Harris.
The man laughed. “Who else? The man in front of you was—and will be again after I’m done with him—Lieutenant Mike Adams. As Ryan guessed, I am in full control of him. You know me as Major Manning, but my real name is, indeed, Tezoc Zoron. Since I’m not human, I couldn’t resist choosing a name with the word “man” in it as an alias. Man-ning. Get it?” He laughed, very pleased with himself. “Since I am now in complete control of this mercenary’s brain and body, for the time being, refer to him as Tezoc.”
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