They stepped through on Regan’s signal.
The nullifier worked perfectly. They found themselves behind a large excavator as they had hoped, perfectly concealed from the rest of the cavern. So far, so good.
They peered from behind the vehicle carefully. Tezoc and Carl were still there! They were both standing calmly near the elevator. Other than this, the cavern was deserted.
Carl’s plasticuff restraints had been removed and his weapons and security gear had been fully returned to him. A sleek, high-tech walkie-talkie now hung from his belt along with his pistol, knife, and other weapons. This could only mean that Tezoc was now in full control of him as they had expected.
With a loud buzz the indicator light on top of the main power generator changed from red to yellow. In less than a minute it would change to green, meaning full power had been restored to all systems, including the elevator.
Ryan crept as close as he could get to the short alien, staying hidden behind any number of large pieces of equipment. Finally he arrived at yet another excavating vehicle about twenty yards away from his target. His heart was trying to pound its way out of his body but he couldn’t get it to stop. He turned his body so the excavator, and Tezoc, were to his back, covered his ears and closed his eyes tightly.
“Now,” he broadcast to his sister.
Regan threw her flashbang grenade and closed her eyes as well.
Her aim was perfect. The flashbang landed only a few feet from Carl and Tezoc and exploded instantly on impact. Battered by the shock wave from the explosion, Carl stumbled and went down, either dazed or unconscious. Tezoc managed to stay on his feet but was totally disoriented.
Ryan dashed out from behind the vehicle and sprinted toward Tezoc. When he was ten feet away from the alien he stopped, aimed the stun gun, and fired. Two electrode darts leapt out from the gun and stuck like Velcro to Tezoc’s black jumpsuit, discharging their electric payload in an instant. Tezoc’s muscles convulsed, overwhelmed by the electricity, and he collapsed to the floor.
Regan joined her brother and pulled out a zip-strip. She bound the short alien’s wrists behind him as they had done with Davidenko and Brice, and then rolled him onto his back. Ryan retracted the electrodes so the stun gun was ready to be fired again. Even though Tezoc was on the hard dirt floor of the cavern and bound, Ryan knelt on the ground and kept the gun firmly aimed at the alien’s chest.
Carl was sprawled on the floor a few feet away, his eyes closed. He had a nasty gash on his cheek and he looked either dead or unconscious. Regan crawled to him to check for a pulse and was greatly relieved when she found one.
As usual, the effect of the flashbangs only lasted ten seconds or so and Tezoc had recovered, although he still wasn’t fully recovered from the effects of the stun gun.
“How did you do it?” he bellowed. “It’s not possible. How did you get through the barrier?” Then, after a moment of thought, he answered his own question. “You mean you actually found the force-field nullifier you were looking for,” he said in disbelief. “The odds against that are one in a million.”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” replied Ryan.
Tezoc seethed, his hatred all-consuming. “I don’t believe it!” he bellowed. “I should have killed you when I had the chance.”
“If it makes you feel any better,” noted Ryan, “your Captain Brice gave it his best shot.”
“I underestimated you, after all. I knew you were talented, but I really never thought you could pose a threat all by yourselves.”
“I guess you aren’t as smart as you thought you were,” said Regan.
“Maybe so,” said Tezoc bitterly. “But you’re forgetting one thing.”
“What’s that?” said Ryan.
Tezoc smiled. “You were correct in assuming it’s more difficult for me to be active at the same time I control the mind of another. In fact, the way your minds are structured, a human couldn’t do it at all. Like following two different movies on two screens at the same time. Your kind are completely incapable of it.”
Ryan’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “So what’s your point?”
“My point is this,” replied Tezoc. “Humans can’t do it.” His eyes suddenly took on a maniacal gleam and he added chillingly, “But don’t forget that I can!”
Ryan began to turn, panicked, as he finally realized the danger he was in, but it was too late. Although Carl was still on the cavern floor, his foot shot out and hit Ryan’s arm with bone jarring force, sending Ryan’s stun gun flying. Another savage kick sent Ryan reeling in the other direction, slamming into the ground and sliding about eight feet before finally coming to a rest, the breath knocked out of him.
Carl pulled out his pistol and fired at Ryan as he lay still on the ground. But just as he pulled the trigger Regan slammed into his arm as hard as she could, deflecting the shot just enough so that it missed her brother.
Carl knocked her to the floor effortlessly, as if she were made of straw. She slammed into the ground, stunned by the impact, and when she finally stopped skidding she was sprawled out awkwardly near Tezoc’s head.
With both kids dazed and on the ground, Carl temporarily ignored them, sliding hurriedly to Tezoc. The alien rolled onto his stomach and Carl immediately went to work cutting through his restraints with a knife.
Complete and utter despair engulfed Regan like a dark storm cloud. They had come so close—only to fail in the end. Their situation had become hopeless. Carl was completely under Tezoc’s control. Finding a way to defeat either one of them would have been hard enough, but defeating them both, now that the element of surprise was gone, was impossible. Tezoc was seconds away from being freed and once that happened the game was over. If only Carl …
Regan had a sudden flash of inspiration! Her eyes widened. Of course! She knew exactly what she needed to do.
One of her hands was sprawled out mere inches from Tezoc’s head. She moved it slightly until she felt the bill of the alien’s black baseball cap. In a single, smooth motion, she tore it off the alien’s head and flung it like a Frisbee toward her brother. “Grab the hat, Ryan!” she screamed telepathically at the same instant. “Do it!”
Still stunned and fighting to regain his breath, Ryan rolled a foot or so to the hat and did what his sister had asked. He had no idea what she was doing but there was no time for questions. He grabbed the hat and realized as he did so that the hoop that went around the base of the cap was not elastic but was made from a hard, molded ceramic material. It was very similar to the superconducting material his dad had found, except it had an inner glow. It appeared to be somewhat fragile and had clearly been shaped and molded to perfectly fit Tezoc’s head.
Carl had managed to free Tezoc at the same moment Regan had snatched the hat, flung it in her brother’s direction, and issued her short telepathic order. The alien was still on his stomach as the last strand of his plasticuff restraint was severed.
Regan rolled as rapidly as she could past Tezoc’s feet. Now free, the alien rolled onto his back and began to raise his gun to fire at Regan when he realized that the girl had come out of her roll with a stun gun pointed at his chest.
“Freeze!” shouted Regan at the top of her lungs.
Tezoc’s eyes gleamed wildly. “You two are really getting on my nerves, you know that,” he barked angrily. Then, forcing himself to calm down, he smiled and said, “It looks like we have a standoff, you and I. I think I’m faster than you but I still have some distance to go with the gun, so that makes us about even. In your game of chess, this is what is called a stalemate. A position from which neither one of us can win. So I’ll make a deal with you. Lower that toy of yours and I’ll let you and your brother live.”
“Really,” said Regan, unimpressed. “How generous of you.” She raised her eyebrows. “Why don’t you just have Colonel Sharp take it from me?”
Tezoc’s face lit up with rage. Carl was just a few feet from him and straining with every muscle in his body to get at the sh
ort alien. He was being held back as if by an invisible hook, but the determination on his face was fierce and unmistakable.
“What’s wrong, Tezoc? Having trouble controlling the colonel?” asked Regan innocently. “It sure looks that way. In fact, I’d say he looks like he wants to tear your head off with his bare hands.”
The strain on Tezoc’s face was growing by the second as they continued their standoff, his gun ready to move on Regan the instant she provided an opening.
“Here’s what I think,” said Regan. “I think your hat is more than just a fashion statement. You told us you invented an amplifier to boost your natural mental abilities. I’m guessing you would want a device like that as near to your brain as possible. If I were you,” she continued knowingly, “I would put it in a hat.”
Tezoc snarled fiercely. “And if I were you,” he growled, “I would put down the stun gun. Because—clever as you are—I can outdraw you. And with my gun the damage will be permanent—and final.”
“Think it through, Tezoc,” challenged Regan. “You’re so far away from your amplifier device that you can barely control the colonel. He’s himself again. And he doesn’t look happy with you. I can tell it’s taking everything you’ve got just to stop him from crushing you into dust. But if you raise your gun even an inch to shoot me, my brother over there destroys your device instantly, and you lose your last shred of control over Colonel Sharp. Even if you were able to beat me to the trigger, you could never turn fast enough to stop the colonel. He would be on you in an instant.”
Colonel Sharp continued his massive exertions to get at Tezoc, hatred and desire etched in every line of his face.
Regan had known that she couldn’t defeat Tezoc and Carl both. She knew her only chance was to somehow free Carl of Tezoc’s control, so he would be back on their side. In that instant the solution had clicked into place in her mind—and not a moment too soon.
“Turn and shoot my brother to save your device,” continued Regan calmly, “and you could never turn back quickly enough to stop me.” She paused to let this sink in. “Turn to shoot Colonel Sharp and I’ll stun you again before you can turn back.”
A look of defeat came over the alien for the first time since he had arrived on Earth. The girl had him. There was no way out.
He lowered his gun in surrender. The moment he did so a loud crack reverberated throughout the cavern as Ryan snapped the cap’s ceramic hoop in two.
The invisible force that held Carl back disappeared. Carl was Carl again and completely in control, and his fury was truly staggering. Tezoc had invaded his mind and caused him to do horrible acts against his will. He subdued Tezoc in an instant, having to use every ounce of his willpower to stop himself from tearing the alien apart.
Regan caught Tezoc’s eye and shook her head. “Not stalemate, Tezoc,” she said defiantly. “Checkmate.”
CHAPTER 25
Reactivation
With the help once again of Regan’s force-field nullifier, they entered the city. Carl marched the prisoner to his headquarters building nearby, eager to have access to the computer and communications systems there. During the short trip the siblings hurriedly filled him in on recent events. He had been bound and unconscious in the back of a Hauler and knew nothing of the conversations that had taken place at the site at which Ben Resnick was attempting to create an exit. Even if he had been awake and next to the real Tezoc at the time, he wouldn’t have heard anything since Tezoc’s words were coming from the mouth of his puppet, Lieutenant Adams, several miles distant.
When they arrived at security headquarters Carl didn’t take any chances with the prisoner, binding him so tightly and in so many ways that escape was impossible. He quickly restarted all electronic security systems in Prometheus and the outer perimeter. He then activated all security personnel who hadn’t been captured by Tezoc, invoking the highest emergency priority level that existed.
This came as quite a surprise to them, to say the least. Ten minutes earlier he had called and told them the lock-down was proceeding smoothly and they could take additional time off. He had said he was about to step into the elevator for his meeting with the Secret Service and didn’t want to be disturbed. Carl’s men weren’t quite sure what game he was playing, but he had used all the proper codes both times.
Carl ordered most of his remaining security team to double-time it into the cavern where he would meet them. Some would be dispatched to quickly remove the mercenaries from the city before they awoke. Others would look after the members of the Prometheus Project as they regained consciousness. Ryan and Regan waited patiently beside him as he activated systems and dispatched orders.
With this taken care of, Carl bandaged up the gash in his cheek, which was still bleeding, and turned to the two siblings. Both now had numerous cuts and bruises, and their clothing was dirty and tattered. He inspected them carefully and made sure none of their injuries were serious.
“Look … kids,” he said, horror etched in every line of his face. “I am so sorry. I almost killed you. I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” responded Ryan immediately. “It was Tezoc who tried to kill us. We know that wasn’t really you, and there was nothing you could do about it. We know the real you would never hurt us in a million years.”
Regan nodded her agreement beside him. She smiled. “I’m just glad you’re our friend and not our enemy.” She gently touched her bruised arm and winced. “You’re even stronger than I thought.”
Carl placed a large hand on each of their shoulders and met their eyes with affection and a deeply felt respect. “Kids, there is no way I’ll ever be able to thank you enough. You saved me from this madman. You saved us all.”
Both kids beamed happily. “Thanks,” said Ryan sheepishly, a little embarrassed to receive such lavish praise. “But we did have a great teacher. Not every kid gets to learn about military weaponry and strategy from the famous Colonel Carl Sharp.”
Carl laughed. “Yeah. It’s nice to know you guys were paying attention. No one has ever used a flashbang grenade or a stun gun any better,” he said. “And it’s nice of you to give me some credit, but I’m not going for it. This is definitely a case in which the students have outdone the teacher. If I were as clever as either of you I’d be the famous General Carl Sharp. Heck, I’d be the famous Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Carl Sharp.” Carl lowered his eyes and shook his head miserably. “It’s my job to protect this place—and you. And I failed. I let myself get caught off-guard and be rendered helpless. I wasn’t able to find a single way to help you.”
“You’re being too hard on yourself. You didn’t fail,” insisted Regan. “And Tezoc didn’t catch you off guard. He used his amplified mental abilities to knock you out. There’s no defense against that.”
“She’s absolutely right,” echoed Ryan.
Carl sighed unhappily. “I suppose so,” he muttered, but the frown did not leave his face and he was clearly not convinced.
“What was it like, anyway?” said Ryan. “You know, to have Tezoc … well, you don’t have to answer this if you’d rather not, but to be … to be—”
“Controlled by him,” finished Carl.
Ryan nodded grimly.
“It was the most horrible experience I’ve ever had,” said Carl, shuddering at the memory. “I tried to fight him, to push him from my mind, but my efforts were totally useless. All I could do was watch helplessly as he raided my mind for information and used my body as if it were his own. And while he was in my mind, I got a glimpse into his as well. That might have been the worst part. His mind was so diseased, so poisonous. There was such evil there; such hatred and cruelty.” He shook his head solemnly. “It was a waking nightmare, and there was nothing I could do about it.”
“How awful,” said Regan, appalled. She paused. “Do you remember any of the other times he controlled you or just this latest one?”
“Only this one. I saw in his mind that he had contr
olled me before, while breaking out of the city and back into it, but I had no memory of these events. While he was in my mind, just before he exited each time, he must have been able to find and eliminate those memories.”
Ryan opened his mouth to ask another question but Carl raised a hand to cut him off. “Sorry,” said Carl, glancing at this watch. “But we’ll have to finish this conversation later. I have to meet my men in the cavern so I can let them into the city with the nullifier, and I still have a few things I need to do.” He motioned to his cushioned chairs. “Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable and I’ll be with you in about ten minutes or so.”
Carl spent almost five minutes making sure all systems were fully back on line while Ryan and his sister talked, and planned, in private. Finally, he called the Secret Service to let them know he needed to postpone the president’s visit to run down a possible problem. He was in no mood to go into details and he knew he would be up all hours of the night preparing a full report in any case.
While Carl was on the phone with the Secret Service, Ryan and Regan approached the prisoner. He was tightly bound to a chair. Thin steel cable was wrapped several times around him and the chair, and loops on each end of the cable were padlocked together. His hands were bound up tightly behind his back with heavy tape, several zip-strips, and metal handcuffs, and his ankles had received the same treatment.
Tezoc glared at them hatefully. “Leave me alone,” he growled.
“Okay,” said Ryan. “No problem. But first, we need you to reactivate the city’s central computer.”
Tezoc laughed. “You have to be kidding. You’ve just ruined a plan that has taken me seven years working day and night to perfect. What could possibly make you think I would ever do anything for you?” he spat.
Captured (The Prometheus Project Book 2) Page 14