“It’s alright, Finley,” Emily soothed him after he had retraced his own footsteps for the fifth time in a row. “We’ve contacted the Captain. I’m sure he would have rescued Lois safely by now.”
“Then why haven’t we heard anything?” Finley asked her, his voice straining with the effort of holding himself together.
“If Saul has reached the Mayfly, we won’t be hearing anything from anyone,” Mr. Mayhem said darkly. “I can only imagine the turmoil that is more than likely unfolding there as we speak.”
“Thank you, Sir, that’s really helpful,” Emily said sarcastically, flashing the teacher a look of vexation as her attempt to comfort Finley was shot down in flames.
“Now isn’t the time for white lies, Emily,” Mr. Mayhem replied sternly. “You need to be prepared for what we’re about to face.”
“I already have an idea,” Emily told him. “Especially if Mr. McGowan’s War stories are anything to go by.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to trust anything Mr. McGowan has told us,” Will interjected, his stomach twisting as he was reminded of his betrayal.
“Why’s that?” Finley asked him, his ears pricking up at the mention of his most beloved teacher.
Before Will could respond, Mr. Mayhem cut him off, pointing wildly and shouting as the Mayfly came into view, the gargantuan spaceship momentarily eclipsing their vision.
“We’re almost there!” he exclaimed. “I can’t see any other rockets around. They must already be on board.”
“Maybe they haven’t encountered any robots yet,” Emily suggested. “It might not be too late to stop them.”
Will increased the rocket’s speed to full capacity, pushing them through the home stretch of their journey as fast as was physically possible. Finley returned to join him at the control panel and began drumming his fingers repetitively on the dashboard, his legs twitching as he anticipated alighting from the spacecraft and running off in whichever direction would lead him to Lois.
Will carefully angled their flight path, steering them inside the small passageway in the Mayfly’s side that wove its way through the ship’s interior and into the Loading Deck, where he safely landed the rocket. The moment they came to a halt, Finley jumped out, landing on the platform with a thud and sprinting at full speed towards the exit. Will cut the engine and raced after him, calling over his shoulder for Emily and Mr. Mayhem to follow. Together, the four of them hurtled down the corridor and into the lift, arriving at the lobby in five minutes flat.
As soon as they stepped onto the scene, they were met by the dreadful sound of screaming, which seemed to be coming from all directions and pierced their eardrums as they attempted to block out the noise. All around them, people were running, their clothes torn, and their faces bruised. Several passengers lay unmoving on the floor, their limp bodies trod underfoot as passers-by frantically tried to escape the robots that were attacking at random. As Will gazed around in horror, one of the mechanical Guards turned to face him, his empty, red eyes locking onto his new target.
“Get back in the lift!” Will yelled, pushing the others into the elevator’s glass body as he scrambled in beside them, tapping furiously on the interactive screen. The doors shut just in time, protecting them from the robot Guard’s advances as they lurched towards the higher floors.
“What are you doing?” Finley demanded. “We’ve got to find Lois.”
“We’re not going to find her in the middle of that!” Will shouted. “We need to get to the Captain. He’s the only one who can help us now.”
The moment they reached Floor One, they hurled themselves into the corridor, tearing through the atrium and pounding on Alfie’s door as hard as they could muster. They stood outside for several minutes, bashing their fists against the entranceway until their hands turned red. Realising the Captain wasn’t there, Will stepped back, panic pulsing through his body as he urgently tried to think of a new plan.
“What should we do?” Emily asked him.
“Perhaps the Captain is in the control room?” Mr. Mayhem suggested.
“What about your mum, Will?” Emily pressed him. “She’ll know where the Captain is, won’t she?”
Without waiting for an answer, Finley flew across the corridor, hammering on Will’s apartment door with all his might. A moment later, Elsie appeared in her dressing gown, her eyes bleary and her face pale from the absence of sleep.
“Finley?” she asked groggily. “What are you doing here?”
“Mum, where’s the Captain?” Will demanded, stepping forward.
“I think he’s still at work. What’s going on Will?” Elsie questioned him, her tiredness fading.
“The Society of the Enlightened have got Lois,” he answered her, tripping over his words in his haste to explain. “We don’t know where they’ve taken her. We need to speak to Alfie right away.”
“They’ve got Lois?” she repeated in disbelief. “How could that happen? I thought you were all safe at the Academy.”
“It’s a long story,” Will shook his head. “There isn’t time.”
“Alright,” Elsie nodded, noting Will’s tone. “Let me get dressed and I’ll take you up to the control room.”
Before Will could protest, she shut the door, disappearing into the apartment to change out of her nightclothes. Finley glowered at Will, who shrugged apologetically on his mother’s behalf. Sensing the tension developing between the two boys, Emily stepped in, speaking in a soothing tone as she attempted to quell Finley’s rage.
“Lois is strong, Finley,” she reminded him. “She’s going to be alright.”
“You don’t know that,” Finley replied. “You don’t know what the Society is capable of. None of us do. They’ve already unleashed an onslaught of robots onto the Mayfly’s passengers. Every minute we waste standing here, something terrible could be happening to her.”
“We’re going to get her back, Finley,” Will promised him.
“There’s not going to be anything to bring her back to if we don’t act soon,” Mr. Mayhem reminded them.
“Is there any way we can reverse the effects of your invention?” Emily asked him desperately.
“I don’t think so,” he replied with dejection. “I hadn’t got that far into its development.”
“There must be something we can do,” Will frowned. “Emily, you were at I-Tech all Summer, can you think of anything that could help us? Did anyone mention any weaknesses the robots had?”
“I can’t remember,” Emily sighed. “I heard Brett Baker talking to the developers about installing a terminator switch, but I never understood what it meant.”
“A terminator switch,” Mr. Mayhem repeated with euphoria. “Are you certain?”
“Yes, I’m sure” Emily answered. “Why? What is it?”
“A terminator switch is a physical switch used to shut a line of products off manually. It was common practice during my time at I-Tech for one to be installed, especially when we were rolling out experimental technology. It’s used as a back-up, just in case anything was to go wrong. If Brett installed a switch for the robots, that means one touch could stop all of this madness.”
“Emily, do you still remember how to get to I-Tech’s Headquarters?” Will asked her urgently.
“Yes, of course,” she nodded. “I know all the access passwords off by heart.”
“Good! That means you can take Mr. Mayhem- I mean Mayheim- to try and find the switch,” Will told her. “Finley and I will go to the Captain and help rescue Lois.”
“Are you sure?” Emily fretted. “Shouldn’t we all stay together?”
“We don’t have a choice,” Will reminded her. “Get in touch with us when you’ve disabled the robots.”
Emily nodded dutifully, her hesitancy to leave Will and Finley eclipsed by the sudden understanding of the responsibility that lay in her hands. A look of sheer determination on her face, she turned and strode away, Mr. Mayhem following anxiously in her wake.
/> “Be careful,” Will muttered under his breath, prudently keeping his worry away from Emily’s earshot.
Emily and Mr. Mayhem disappeared around the corner as Elsie appeared, bursting through Will’s front door with vigour. Will watched with impatience as she attached her Personal Device to her wrist, tightening the strap between her teeth before checking to ensure it had been correctly adjusted. Finley sighed heavily, the anguish on his face transparent as he awaited their departure, his distress intensifying with each second that passed. When Elsie was finally ready, she began moving across the atrium with purpose, Finley and Will jogging to keep up with her pace.
The three of them remained in a unified silence as they journeyed up to the control deck, Elsie tapping a special code onto the interactive screen in the elevator that would allow them entry into the Mayfly’s restricted area. When they reached the uppermost floor of the spaceship, they were met by the sight of a giant logo plastered on the wall in front of them, depicting an unrecognisable solar system with the words “stronger together” written in harsh, silver lettering across its base. With no time to waste, they marched down the metallic tunnel they had arrived into, their footsteps clattering noisily along the titanium floor as they went.
Rounding the corner, they found themselves face to face with two stern-looking human Gaurds. The two men stood with a menacing stance, blocking the round, steel door that led to the control room, large, automatic weapons clutched between their gloved hands. As soon as Will and the others came into sight, the guards stepped forward, staring at them with suspicion from underneath their visors.
“Good evening, gentleman,” Elsie said, flashing them her best smile. “We’re here to see the Captain.”
“No one is permitted into the control room at this time Ma’am,” one of the Guards replied, her charms having no effect on his hostile demeanour.
“It’s alright,” Elsie reassured him. “I’m an old friend of the Captain. Tell him ‘Elsie’ is here to see him. He’ll let us straight in.”
The two Guards exchanged a look of uncertainty.
“I’m sorry, Miss,” the second Guard said, his tone much friendlier than the first’s. “We’re under strict orders to protect the Captain. No one is to enter or leave the control room until further notice.”
“Because of the robots?” Will asked him.
“Robots?” the Guard repeated. “I don’t know anything about any robots. All I know is that we’re under strict instructions from the Head of Security to- “
“Pax Madden sent you?” Elsie interrupted. “He’s a friend of mine, too. There’s really no need for any of this. We need to speak to the Captain. It’s urgent”
“As I’ve previously, stated, Ma’am, we’re not allowed to let anybody into the control room under any circumstances,” the Guard replied, a twinge of irritation evident in his voice.
“The Captain’s daughter is missing!” Finley cried with exasperation. “If we don’t get inside and tell him, something terrible could happen to her.”
“Hold on a minute,” the first Guard said, a look of realisation dawning on his face. “Aren’t you part of the Famous Four?”
Will and Finley groaned loudly, burying their heads in their hands as they began to lose all hope.
“My son’s a huge fan of yours,” the Guard continued. “Do you think you could sign something for him?”
“Yes, yes, we’ll do whatever you want. Just let us into the control room!” Finley shouted.
Before the Guard could respond, the circular door behind him slid open, revealing a dishevelled looking Alfie, his eyes wild with anger and confusion.
“What’s going on out here?” he demanded.
“Alfie!” Elsie exclaimed. “Thank the Universe, you’re still here!”
“Yes, still I’m here,” Alfie replied bluntly. “These two fine gentlemen have made sure of that. I’ve been confined to the control room, though I’ve no idea why or under whose authority they’re acting on.”
“The Head of Security has made it very clear, Sir,” the first Guard answered him. “If we do not retain our position outside the control room, we’ll lose our jobs.”
“The Head of Security is not of a higher rank than the Captain of the ship!” Alfie shouted. “Now, if you’re not going to let me out, I insist that you at least let these people in, before I have you thrown into Space!”
Without hesitation, the two Guards stepped aside, allowing Will, Finley and Elsie into the control room. Despite the dangerous circumstances that had led him there, Will couldn’t help but be awestruck by the sight of the state-of-the-art chamber, the design of which put the rest of the Mayfly to shame. He looked up at the ceiling, attempting to take in the entirety of the room’s impressive appearance, noting with awe the vast, metal archways that ran over his head. Each wall was covered with an array of interactive screens, displaying a vital piece of information about the journey they were undertaking in vibrant, blue colours. At the far end of the room was a set of stairs, leading to a platform in front of a wide, semi-circular window. In front of it stood a silver table, a holographic representation of the planet Novum hovering above its surface. Before Will could get a good look at the planet’s appearance, however, Alfie rushed over, switching the three-dimensional picture off and standing in front of the table, blocking it from view.
“Well?” Alfie pressed them, as soon as the door had closed behind them. “What’s going on? Did you manage to save Lois? I sent my best re-enforcements down to the lobby to find her after I got your message.”
“Sir…,” Will replied uncertainly. “Are you aware of what’s happened to the robots?”
“I’m afraid not,” Alfie sighed. “Those two Guards confiscated my Personal Device from me. I don’t know who they think they are, but the moment I’m out of this predicament, I will be ensuring there are severe consequences for their disrespectful behaviour.”
“There are more important things to worry about, Sir,” Finley interjected. “The Society of the Enlightened have got Lois. We didn’t manage to stop them.”
“How can this be?” the Captain fretted, pacing the floor. “How did they get past Security?”
“The Society has hold of a special device that gave all the robots on the ship free will,” Finley explained. “They’ve started attacking the passengers.”
“Did you not think about going to rescue Lois yourself, Alfie?” Elsie frowned. “I know that’s what I would I have done if it had been Will.”
“Of course,” Alfie spluttered. “I wanted to, but I didn’t know if it was safe. The Society could have been planning an ambush. I can’t help Lois if I’m also their prisoner.”
“But she’s your daughter…” Elsie said slowly. There was a brief moment of silence as something unspoken seemed to pass between them.
“Alright,” Alfie said, snapping his head away from Elsie’s gaze and continuing to pace. “Do any of you know where the Society might have taken Lois?”
“We have no idea, Sir,” Finley said with despair. “We thought you might have a way of finding them.”
“I’m afraid not,” Alfie frowned. “I’ve been trying to trace the source of their broadcast ever since they made their appearance in the lobby. It’s impossible to track. They’re using some kind of blocking system. It’s old technology, but good enough to keep them hidden. I’ve spent months trying to find them and I’m still no closer than I was when I started.”
“What are we going to do?” Finley cried. “We can’t just let them have her.”
At that moment, every screen in the room flashed into life, causing Will, Alfie, Finley and Elsie to jump as they huddled together in the middle of the room, watching as Saul’s face appeared on each monitor. Behind him sat Lois, her legs and arms tied to the back of a chair and her mouth gagged with a piece of rope. Despite not being able to talk, her distress was evident through the wideness of her eyes, which were round with terror.
“Good evening, citizens of the
Mayfly,” Saul grinned as he began his speech. “And what a fine evening it is! I’m not sure who exactly this broadcast is going out to since I doubt there are many of you left to witness it, but no matter. This message has been designed specifically for our Captain. I’ve no doubt that he is safely protected up in his ivory tower while the rest of you perish. As you can see, Sir, I have your precious daughter. If you wish to see her in one piece, there is something I require you to do. Send a message to your superiors. Tell whoever it is that controls this mission that you have resigned and hand your Captaincy over to me. You’ve no need to worry. I’ll be a far better leader than you ever were. You’ve not exactly set the bar very high, now have you?
“Since I’m feeling generous, I’ll give you thirty minutes to complete the task. If you fail to do as I have requested, I will start to use your daughter as a means of persuasion. I’ve many inventive ways of presenting my argument, you see. I trust you will do the right thing.”
With a threatening grin, he switched off the broadcast, the screen fading to an empty blackness as the impact of his words resonated around the room.
“What do I do?” Alfie whispered, his voice hoarse. “I’ve no way of stopping him.”
“Sir…” Finley replied, his eyes fixed firmly on the screen. “I think I know where he is.”
19.
Fear Overcome
Finley strode from the control room with Alfie, Elsie and Will in his wake. Having overheard Saul’s broadcast, the two Guards who had been stood outside the doorway stepped aside, allowing the Captain to pass without argument. On their way back to the lift, Will raced to catch up with Finley, slowing to a halt beside him and regarding his best friend with an ex-pression of concern.
“Fin, how do you know where Saul’s keeping Lois?” Will asked him. “It was hard to see anything in that broadcast.”
“I saw enough,” Finley replied curtly, not wishing to waste any time explaining how he had immediately recognised Saul’s dark and murky surroundings as the Mayfly’s maintenance tunnels.
The Secret Society Page 24