5

by James Phelan

  “Argh!” a woman ran through the corridor behind them, her clothing ablaze, oblivious to them. As she passed, her dart gun clattered to the floor.

  “One of Stella’s guys,” Sam said calmly.

  “She … she was on fire!” Issey said, too stunned to move.

  “She’ll be OK, her Suit will protect her,” Sam said, bending down and picking up the gas rifle, which was warm to the touch. “And more importantly, she left us a parting gift.”

  Sam unloaded the weapon and turned the gas to full.

  “But—but why was she on fire?” Issey said.

  “My guess,” Sam replied, shouldering the weapon and taking aim up against the lock, “is that just like you dreamed, Solaris has crashed the party.”

  Sam pulled the trigger.

  The kickback from the rifle firing at full force against the lock sent him crashing into the wall behind him.

  “Yes!” Issey said.

  The lock was no more—it, the handle and a decent chunk of the door had been blown away.

  “This is it!” Issey said, entering the room, and Sam was a pace behind him.

  The room was a stately office, wood panelled and with a smell that reminded Sam of the ancient library underneath the Vatican.

  “It’s somewhere along here …” Issey said, using the flashlight to search the wall.

  The room was suddenly illuminated with a bright orange light, gone as quick as it had appeared. Sam heard the familiar WHOOSH! that had accompanied it.

  “Quick, Issey!” Sam said.

  “Here!” Issey took the Gear off a shelf and blew off the dust. “This is it!”

  “We’re outta here!” Sam said, and they dashed out of the room to the corridor.

  Sam reloaded the dart rifle and turned to see Solaris down the hallway, a darker shadow among the darkness.

  Sam didn’t hesitate, his gun flying up. He shot Solaris three times in the back.

  THUD! THUD! THUD!

  CLICK!

  The dart gun was empty.

  Solaris turned. Sam could not possibly tell, but somehow he could swear that behind that face mask, Solaris was smiling.

  “Well, well,” Solaris said in the familiar metallic voice. “Still with fight in you. One day you’ll learn that flight is often the better choice. Then again, your days are numbered, so perhaps that’s a lesson that will go unlearned.”

  “My days number more than yours, Solaris,” Sam said.

  Gotta get the Gear out of here …

  “Hmm. But think, where would you be without me?” Solaris said. “Oh yes, that’s right, you’d be buried in rubble back in Denver. Not a very pleasant place to die, really. That altitude, the cold. Give me somewhere warm and dry any day.”

  “You’ll get yours,” Sam said, “and sooner than you think.”

  Solaris chuckled.

  “I’ll take that,” Stella said, emerging from behind Solaris. Dart gun readied, she walked over to Issey and wrenched the Gear from his unwilling grasp. He scowled at her but there was no mistaking his fear.

  He’s had one hell of a day.

  Solaris looked to her, then nodded.

  “Take him,” Solaris said to Stella. “Wait for his next dreams, then send your team to find the last Dreamers and Gears. I’ll hold off the others.”

  Stella nodded and turned to Sam with an evil look in her eyes. “I’ll keep this one locked away, and we’ll meet at the end.” She turned to Solaris. “Agreed?”

  Solaris was silent, then said, “Do you really think I am a fool?”

  Stella’s face changed. Now she was scared. She backed away a step from Solaris, who seemed to grow in size. Not that he really needed to—he was already almost half a body taller than Stella.

  “I don’t work for you,” Solaris said to her. “And Sam is more important than any Gear. You really think I’d let you take him? You don’t even know when you’re being tested, do you?”

  Stella looked confused and glanced from Solaris to Sam.

  “Oh, he can’t help you,” Solaris said. “Then again, I do have a use for you, Stella, what with all the trouble you give the others trying to get these Gears. Look, be a good girl and run along.”

  Solaris took the Gear right out of her hands.

  Sam could see the fear and rage flickering across Stella’s face. She hesitated for a long moment …

  Are they going to turn on each other?

  But she wrestled control of her palpable rage, turned on her heel and stalked away down the corridor, glancing back with fury in her eyes.

  Solaris turned the Gear over and over in his hands. “So, Sam, where were we?” he said. “Oh yes, your fate …”

  33

  ALEX

  Alex double-checked the video screen showing the Agents outside and called out to Shiva, “They’re here!”

  “Let them in!” Shiva called back. “I’m still rerouting the link back to Matrix’s HQ, trying to get their location.”

  Alex went to the heavy steel door and lifted the bars to let in the Enterprise Agents—and was promptly knocked flat onto his back.

  “Secure the area!” Alex heard shouted over him, a boot pressing down on his chest to keep him pinned.

  Alex kicked out hard and fast, the attacker above him doubling over with the blow to his groin. As he scrambled to his feet, Alex managed to duck under a punch and he landed one of his own, and then another, dropping the next two hefty guys to the floor—

  WHACK!

  Alex was knocked down again. But he forced himself onto his hands and knees, and heaved deep breaths to try to regain focus. He looked up and saw a short guy, along with a couple of tough-looking thugs behind him. They were dressed like Enterprise Agents—but it was just a disguise for the security cameras to gain entry. Their Stealth Suits now changed to black combat gear. Alex craned around to see Shiva and caught sight of him slumped over on his chair. Matrix was similarly hunched over, both of them already knocked out.

  Alex turned to face their leader. He looked rich, dressed in a shiny suit with a cravat at the collar.

  Is that who I think it is?

  “And you are?” he said.

  “My name is Hans.” The man paused, as if waiting for recognition.

  The guy in Germany who betrayed Dr. Dark … the treasure hunter!

  “Is that supposed to mean something to me?” Alex said, playing dumb. “To impress me?”

  “I guess not,” Hans said, smiling. “But I would like to impress you, as you have me.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes, Alex, what we’ve seen of you over the last weeks is extraordinary. You are a gifted Dreamer, and I have the means to allow you to reach your full potential.”

  “Huh?”

  “Here, let’s start this introduction again,” Hans said, offering his hand to help Alex to his feet. A little reluctantly, Alex took it and stood, then dusted himself off, glaring at the thug who’d dropped him.

  “So what do you want? And why’d you hurt my friend?” Alex asked Hans, gesturing to the now snoring Shiva.

  “I mean him no harm, he is just surplus to my requirements. I am here to see you. I want nothing other than to see you succeed, Alex,” Hans replied. “I want to see you be the best Dreamer that you can be—that you ought to be. Allow me to fund and facilitate your success, to help and guide you in any way that I can.”

  “You what?”

  And why?

  “Alex, I want to see you be a hero.”

  So that’s his play, is it?

  “And just how can you do that?”

  “Because, well, let’s just say that I’m rich beyond my wildest dreams, and yours,” Hans said, smiling. “And I have this.” Hans held out an ancient-looking leather bound journal.

  Alex recognized the stamped mark on the front—it was the maker’s mark of Leonardo da Vinci. He stared at it and tried to hide his surprise and shock.

  This was in the Professor’s office at the Academy! How’d he get it?
r />   “Interested?” Hans smiled.

  There must be a traitor at the Academy. I need to find out who it is.

  “Sure, why not?” Alex smiled back.

  34

  SAM

  Sam let off the small smoke grenade he’d been cradling in his right hand and rushed at Solaris in one fluid movement.

  I can’t see in this—but neither can he.

  Sam moved with purpose, hitting Solaris hard in the chest plate, feeling for the Gear in Solaris’ outstretched hand.

  Solaris caught Sam’s wrist in a vice-like grip. “You think I can’t see, boy?”

  Sam suddenly realized Solaris’ tinted goggles might enable him to see in all kinds of conditions. Sam twisted away at the same time as kicking down at where he imagined Solaris’ knee to be, connecting hard and breaking free, backing away fast.

  But the Gear also fell free. It landed on the concrete floor with a TINK!

  Let the Gear go. Get out while Solaris finds it. Get Issey out of here.

  “Issey!” Sam said, turning and moving away from Solaris. “Run for the elevator!”

  “Good move, boy!” Solaris said, emerging from the smoke—

  WHACK!

  Sam was knocked to the ground, and he rolled through it and faced Solaris, his shoulder aching.

  Solaris’ arm was raised—he was about to fire some kind of new weapon at Sam.

  Great, now what?

  In his other hand he held the Gear, which he thrust into a fold of his armour.

  Sam feigned a move to the right and then ducked down to sweep out a kick along the floor, tripping Solaris over.

  They were up at the same time, squaring off.

  “You really shouldn’t have done that,” Solaris snarled.

  “I think you started it,” Sam countered.

  Solaris didn’t reply, but he moved so fast, all Sam saw was a blur and then he was on his back.

  As Sam looked up into the black mask from so many of his nightmares, Stella emerged from the smoke.

  “Take this,” she said to Solaris, shooting him with her dart gun point blank in the neck.

  Solaris spun around and lashed out fast, knocking Stella away. He pulled the dart from his suit. He looked at it, felt at the puncture wound, then stumbled to his knees.

  “Armour piercing,” Stella said, raising her weapon again.

  Sam didn’t wait around to see what would happen next—he turned and ran.

  The maze seemed empty as Sam desperately searched for stairs that led up. He couldn’t find any, instead going deeper into the island complex. He paused at a junction and considered for a moment heading back the way he’d come.

  No, can’t turn back and head toward Solaris and Stella. There must be a way out down here.

  OK, left or right?

  He went left and soon heard a roaring of water, which he followed to its source. Another junction, but this one was very different—it was a vertical shaft splitting through the tunnel, with stormwater cascading down from above and a steel ring ladder set into a wall. He could get around it, but it seemed the tunnel narrowed and headed down. He reached out to the ladder and stopped.

  He looked up.

  The drain might lead up to ground level, and I can try to get out that way. Tobias might be up there but maybe bad guys are up there too?

  Sam looked down.

  Follow the water? It must go out to the sea and Issey’s parents should be waiting for us in the boat.

  Sam looked up and down, weighing the options.

  He went down.

  The water’s gotta lead out of this rock someplace.

  As he followed the water for a few minutes, he dug around in his backpack and checked his phone for a signal. There was still none.

  He kept walking, the fast-flowing water up to his ankles. He came to another vertical shaft, this one immense and star shaped.

  I know I’ve seen this pattern before. Think!

  Yes! It was the main stormwater grate, near the base of the watchtower. That’s near the elevator …

  Head up here, get straight to Tobias.

  Sam climbed.

  As he went higher, his phone found reception again and chimed. He ignored it until he got to the top, where he clambered out and found himself alone at the bottom of the tower. He threw himself toward the base as the echo of gunfire rose above the howling wind and rain. Sam could see several fires burning to either side of him.

  What happened here? Where is everyone?

  Sam risked pulling out his phone. He had five missed calls from Tobias. Then his phone rang again.

  It wasn’t Tobias.

  35

  EVA

  “Sam?” Eva said into the phone.

  “Yeah, I can hear you,” Sam said, his voice strained.

  “I can barely hear you. Are you OK?” Eva said.

  “Yeah … just can’t really talk now.”

  “I know—I’m watching the news!”

  “News?” Sam’s confusion was obvious.

  “The island in Japan? There are helicopters flying around there, filming. Can’t you see them, hear them?”

  Eva could imagine Sam looking up at some of the little buzzing lights in the dark sky. The snap-crackle of gunfire continued to provide a background soundtrack over the phone.

  “Oh, wow,” Sam said. “So I’m on TV again.”

  “There are Guardians on the island now, trying to help. Can you get to them or get out of there?”

  “I haven’t seen them yet, but it’s hard to see anything. And I got separated from the others. I’ve gotta find Tobias and Issey first.”

  Eva looked at the concrete watchtower on the news footage. She imagined all that stood in the way of Sam and danger was his dart pistol.

  And his bravery.

  “I can’t leave them … there’s Stella, and Solaris,” Sam said. “I gotta go.”

  “Head to the east of the island, away from the firefight,” Eva said.

  “Got it.”

  The gunfire seemed to pause, and all that Eva could hear over the rain was the sound of the helicopters.

  “What’s happening?” Eva asked.

  “No idea. Out of bullets, I hope.”

  “Where’d you see Solaris last?”

  “Down in the corridors,” Sam said, then paused. “It’s weird—he seems so familiar now. Scary, sure, but I—I’m not as afraid of him anymore.”

  “You’ve dreamed of him so much. You’ve faced him before.”

  “More than that. It’s almost as though …”

  “As though …”

  “I don’t know. Don’t you wonder who’s behind that mask?”

  “Yes.”

  “I mean, think about it—that full face mask. Why? Who’s behind it? What’s he hiding? Is it someone we know?”

  “What are you saying?” Eva’s heart was pounding.

  “It could be someone we know.”

  “Sam, this is crazy talk.”

  Gunfire resumed, a couple of shots, then a whole bunch in reply.

  “OK, I’m outta here,” Sam said, scrambling for cover.

  “Be careful,” Eva said. “The Professor is working with the Japanese government to get you more help.”

  Sam’s phone beeped with a call waiting.

  “Eva, I have to go, Tobias is calling,” Sam said, ending the call.

  “Sam, wait—”

  36

  SAM

  “Sam!” Tobias said. “Where are you?”

  “At the base of the watchtower,” Sam replied.

  “Can you make it to that star-shaped stormwater drain?”

  Sam laughed.

  “What is it?” Tobias said, confused.

  “I was just down there.”

  “Can you come down again? There’s another way out,” Tobias said. “I just found it, but doubled back to try to find you. Take the water shaft down to the bottom, and then the tunnel that carries the water out to sea.”

  “OK.�
�

  “I’ll meet you down there. Be quick.”

  Sam ended the call and ran around the watchtower toward the water grate. Luckily the way ahead was clear and he knew where to go. The ladder in the shaft was slippery, and he took it fast as he could until he got to the lowest level. He ran down the western tunnel, following the water’s flow out to the sea, and stopped and waited.

  There was a dim light behind him. Then, he heard a noise.

  Running, splashing in the water.

  A person.

  “Sam!”

  “Tobias?” Sam turned but the echoes in the tunnel and the darkness made things difficult. “Is that you?”

  “Sam!”

  “Over here!” Sam called out.

  In a moment Sam could see the illumination of a flashlight and then his friend appeared, soaking wet, like he’d swum ashore to the island.

  “We have to keep moving,” Tobias said, hands on his knees, sucking for breath. “Fast.”

  “Issey?”

  “He made it down to the pier. They’re on the boat headed around to this side of the island.”

  “How do we get out?”

  “Same way this water does.”

  I knew it.

  Sam looked at the water rushing through the tunnel at his feet.

  Tobias rested in a heap next to Sam, his back against the wall, still breathing heavily. He looked to Tobias again.

  He looks like he’s been wrestling underwater sea monsters.

  “Solaris?” Sam asked.

  “I saw him back up top,” Tobias said. “He seemed stunned, but still able to shoot pretty well.”

  Tobias showed Sam a huge black and blue welt on his neck that must have been from Solaris’ new weapon.

  “Stella darted him,” Sam said, and explained what happened.

  “Well,” Tobias said. “Solaris is still groggy, but not for long. He was throwing his fire around everywhere. I got out just as the local authorities used a helicopter with one of those huge firefighting buckets to douse us. He got the worst of it, though it swept us both down into that stormwater drain back there.”

  Sam said, “I wish it had washed him out to sea.”

  “Maybe, but for now, be thankful we’re all in one piece,” Tobias said, then stood and readied himself. “We have to keep moving.”