2041 Sanctuary (Genesis)

by Robert Storey

  ‘I think I see something,’ Jason said.

  Sarah looked back and saw Susan pointing into the darkness towards a shimmer of light.

  ‘It’s coming back!’ Jason took a step back, and then another.

  ‘Open it,’ Trish said.

  Sarah grasped the pendant that hung at her neck and hesitated.

  The light grew closer.

  ‘What are you waiting for?!’ Jason said, joining them.

  Sarah remembered the promise she’d made to herself and held the pendant out to Trish. ‘You do it.’

  ‘Are you crazy?!’ Jason said.

  Sarah looked back to see the light was almost on them. ‘This might be what it wants.’

  Trish grabbed hold of the pendant and put her hand on the wall, and Jason tore off his glove and grasped her wrist.

  ‘Sarah,’ Trish said, ‘nothing’s happening!

  The light filled her vision and Sarah placed her hand on top of Trish’s.

  ‘Time to die,’ Sarah whispered.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  The ground beneath their feet rumbled and Sarah looked at the wall, waiting for a death blow that never came. She turned round to see a figure emerge from the blazing light.

  The man reached up and removed his Deep Reach helmet and she felt her legs go weak.

  ‘Hi there,’ Riley said, a half smile playing across his lips, ‘are you lost?’

  Stunned, Sarah’s hand dropped from the wall. The words echoed through her mind like a dream. Hi there, are you lost … are you lost? They were the same words he’d said to her when they’d first met back at the SED, which seemed like an eternity ago. Images from the past flashed through her mind and she felt the world spin.

  Powerful arms caught her and she found herself gazing up into a pair of familiar, dark brown eyes.

  Riley’s expression became intent. ‘You’re a hard woman to find, Sarah Morgan.’

  They stared into each other’s eyes until the earth shuddered again.

  Riley glanced up and frowned. ‘What the—?

  Sarah regained her feet as a series of intricate symbols glowed to life across the wall. The glittering lights expanded into a pattern that spiralled out from the centre. More chunks of sediment rained down to the ground, forcing Trish and Jason to jump back as clumps of rock and earth thudded into the soil around them.

  ‘What have you done, Morgan?!’ said a powerful voice.

  Sarah looked past Riley to see Dresden Locke shining a torch at the scene ahead.

  With a thunderous sound of stone on stone, the whole wall ground backwards before pivoting to one side on a hidden hinge. Dirt and dust poured down from above, the shower turning to a trickle as the tremors subsided and the glowing symbols faded back to dull.

  A massive entrance loomed black before them.

  Locke took a step forward and Riley and Sarah followed.

  On the threshold, Sarah peered into the void while her emotions lurched in turmoil at the presence of the man standing so close beside her.

  ‘Turn off your lights,’ Riley said, switching off his own, ‘everyone, turn off your lights!’

  The twenty men and women of Alpha Six did as their team leader ordered, the lights behind blinking out one by one. Riley reached out to Sarah’s helmet and held her with a lingering look before plunging them into darkness.

  As Sarah’s eyes adjusted to the gloom, she realised they weren’t in total darkness at all. A steady source of light emanated from the void before them, and warm, sweet-smelling air tickled her senses. Her expression changed to wonder as she realised what she was looking at. Spread out before them, a vast, misty landscape stretched down into the Earth’s crust, a living world full of fluorescing plants and trees, and glistening rivers chock full of luminous algae.

  Sarah took a step forward. ‘So beautiful,’ she whispered, captivated by the vision.

  Something fluttered through the air towards her. She held out her hand as a small butterfly, its wings glowing dark red, weaved away, up over her head and out into the wasteland beyond.

  Locke turned on his lights. ‘You two,’ – he gestured to a man and woman – ‘plant a waypoint beacon.’ He turned to Riley. ‘We need to go back; we don’t want to be here when the colonel finds us.’

  ‘You want to go back now?’ Riley said, ‘after finding all this?’

  Locke shepherded everyone away from the entrance. ‘Morgan was our priority; we’ve found her. And from what we’ve just seen, now we know why they want her so badly. If we cut west we can work our way back to charted routes, bypass Samson and meet up with the second expedition coming from the north.’

  ‘And will that be before or after the creature finds us?’ Jason said, as everyone else switched their helmet torches back on.

  Locke studied Jason for a moment and then turned to Jefferson. ‘Church, give these people the once-over. We move out in two minutes.’

  Jefferson nodded and moved towards Sarah.

  ‘Wait,’ Jason said, limping forward, ‘didn’t you hear me? Don’t you know? There’s something out there, and this woman,’ – he looked around – ‘where did she go?’

  Sarah spun round to see Susan was nowhere in sight.

  ♦

  Riley looked at the confusion – or was it fear? – on Sarah’s face. He studied her appearance. Her Deep Reach coveralls were stained and torn. Dark scars blackened her jacket’s sleeves and what looked like angry burns reddened her neck. Dirt clung to her hair, and her face was covered in varying layers of dust. Tracks in the grime made it look like she’d been crying. She looked exhausted and afraid and he sensed something about her had changed; that spark in her eyes had gone and defeat hung over her like a cloud. He frowned, wondering what had happened to reduce her to such a state. She caught him looking and failed to hold his gaze. This wasn’t the Sarah who’d fled the base, the bold explorer; this was a timid shadow of the woman he knew.

  Jefferson moved to check Sarah’s kit, but Riley motioned to her two friends. ‘See to them, I’ve got this.’

  Jefferson nodded and moved away. Riley wanted to know what had happened to Sarah to bring about such a transformation. He could understand that three people travelling on their own in Sanctuary was tough, tougher than tough, but Sarah was as tough as they came, at least when it came to exploration she was. And I should know, he thought, I helped train her. He checked the front of her harness, tugging at the straps to make sure they were tight.

  He removed a container of water from his backpack and handed it to her. ‘Are you hurt?’

  She shook her head and gulped down the water.

  ‘How long since you’ve eaten?’

  She shrugged and he handed her an energy bar which she consumed in seconds.

  He opened a panel on her helmet. ‘Your battery’s low and you need a reboot.’ He pulled a cord from his belt and hooked it up to the charging port. ‘How did you activate that wall?’

  She passed the canister back to him. ‘Does it matter?’

  ‘It does to me.’ Riley looked up as Locke pulled Sarah’s irate friend, Jason, to one side. ‘Your pal seems stressed about something.’

  Sarah followed his gaze. ‘You don’t know, do you?’

  ‘Know what?’ Riley said, turning back to find her looking at him.

  ‘It’s not safe down here.’

  ‘Sanctuary’s never safe for anyone.’

  ‘No, you don’t understand, there’s something down here, there’s—’

  ‘Right, listen up!’ Locke said. ‘Time to move.’ He pointed at Riley. ‘Don’t let her out of your sight.’

  When Locke moved away, Sarah grabbed Riley’s arm. ‘We don’t want to go that way.’

  Riley disconnected the cable from her headgear and closed the panel. ‘Look, I know you don’t want to go back. There’ll be a trial. The military will try and throw the book at you, but with good behaviour—’

  ‘No!’ She grasped the front of his harness.

  He glan
ced round to catch some of his team looking in their direction.

  ‘Sarah,’ – he stared into her manic eyes – ‘what’s got you so spooked?’

  Something scurried past and Riley near jumped out of his skin. He switched on his visor to see a person running away into the newly discovered habitat. ‘Who the hell is that?!’

  ‘Susan,’ Sarah said, watching the woman disappear into the dense foliage.

  ‘Where did she come from?’ A distant sound echoed though the chamber and Riley looked up, startled. ‘And what the hell was that?’

  ‘Susan’s friend,’ Sarah said.

  Riley gave her an odd look. ‘Sarah, what’s going on?’

  ‘Back!’ Locke said, ushering the team towards the gateway. ‘Everyone back!’

  Sarah left Riley’s side to join her friends.

  ‘I wish he’d make up his damn mind,’ Jefferson said, jogging up to him.

  Riley patted his friend on the shoulder and strode forward as Alpha Six milled around in confusion. ‘Sir, what’s wrong?’

  ‘Riley, get them through that gate.’ Locke glanced behind as if searching for something.

  ‘I thought—’

  ‘NOW!’ Locke pushed past him. ‘Everyone, get through that gate now, that’s an order!’

  Riley looked into the distance, but failed to see what had got his commander so agitated. He switched off his torches and took a step forward to flick through his visor’s spectrums.

  A glimmer of light drifted across the ground and his brow furrowed before someone dragged him round.

  ‘Riley,’ Sarah said, ‘we need to go!’

  Another shriek of sound broke through the dark, sending a shiver of fear rippling through his body.

  ♦

  Heart pounding, Sarah ran with Riley through the massive gateway.

  Fifty yards ahead, Trish helped Jason into a limping run. When they’d heard the sound they’d wanted Sarah to go with them, but she’d had to warn Riley.

  ‘Morgan,’ Locke said, grabbing her arm as she passed, ‘can you close this entrance?’

  ‘I don’t know!’

  Locke stared past her. ‘It’s too late, it’s here.’ He turned to everyone. ‘Listen to me! If you want to stay alive you need to run, and run fast!’

  ‘You heard the man!’ Riley said, pushing those that remained forward. ‘Let’s go, move it, MOVE IT!’

  Sarah glanced behind to see the light bearing down on them and another ear-shattering roar propelled those that weren’t moving fast enough into a flat-out sprint.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Sarah’s breath sounded loud in her ears as she tore down the slope and into the bioluminescent ecosystem. Bright reeds slapped at her face and she held up her arms to deflect them. The sound of people in flight surrounded her.

  ‘Faster!’ Locke shouted.

  Sarah glanced right to see one of Riley’s team vanish from sight. Moments later two more people disappeared into the foliage, their screams cut short.

  Riley guided her left.

  Running flat out, they caught up with Trish and Jason and Sarah slowed as Alpha Six sped past, but Jason waved her on and pushed Trish away from him. ‘Go, save yourselves!’

  ‘I’m not leaving you!’ Trish said.

  Sarah went to help her friends and then Riley was there helping Jason back into flight. ‘Go!’ he said to her.

  Sarah saw the light angle towards them before blinking out of existence.

  ‘Where is it?’ Trish said, her head swivelling this way and that.

  ‘Keep going!’ Riley said.

  Seconds later the shimmering light reappeared sixty feet ahead in the middle of the fleeing Alpha Six team. Screams echoed into the air and the survey team scattered.

  Half of them came running back with Locke amongst them.

  The light disappeared again.

  ‘Stop,’ Locke said, raising his hands, ‘everyone, stop moving!’

  Sarah slowed to a halt, with Riley, Trish and Jason close behind.

  ‘Can anyone see it?’ Jason said.

  Sarah heard a woman scream. She turned to see someone running off to the right. The shimmering light emerged behind her, closing fast.

  A final shriek of terror lingered in the air and the beast evaporated back into the half-light.

  ‘Sarah, what is that thing?’

  She looked at Riley and gave a shake of her head. ‘We don’t know.’

  Jason scanned the misty terrain. ‘Ask your boss.’

  ‘Where’s it gone?’ Jefferson said, inching towards them.

  ‘Everyone, turn off your torches,’ Riley said.

  The lights on their Deep Reach helmets blinked off and the glow of the surrounding forest of plants shone brighter.

  The sounds of nature crept into her perception and Sarah could hear insects buzzing and the silvery burble of flowing water. Senses on high alert, she continued to hold her breath, waiting for the inevitable return of the light.

  More time passed in tense vigil before Locke spoke again. ‘We need to move back to that gate and trap it in here.’

  Riley left Sarah’s side and approached his leader. ‘How long have you known? How long have you known this thing was down here?’ Riley grasped Locke’s jacket. ‘How long?!’

  Locke grabbed Riley’s wrists, his eyes fierce. ‘I’ve always known!’ He broke Riley’s grip and thrust him away.

  Jefferson held Riley back while Locke straightened his jacket.

  ‘You’ve been sending us out for years,’ Riley said, ‘and said nothing!’

  ‘Nothing? Nothing?! Without me you wouldn’t have a job,’ – he looked round at those left – ‘none of you would. I pushed through the reforms that made the SED what it is today. They wanted to shut us down, turn it into a military operation. I made the deals that kept us going, kept us in the game – kept us safe. I did what I had to do for all of us and I’d do it again!’

  Sarah moved to Riley’s side. ‘We need to get out of here, he’s right, if we can trap it somehow …’

  A distant rumble of noise reverberated through the alien landscape. Clusters of bright insects flew into the air before the sound came again.

  ‘Is that thunder?’ Trish said.

  Jason looked up.

  A gust of wind ruffled the leaves around them and Jefferson pointed behind them. ‘It’s coming!’

  Sarah turned to see a shimmering form moving at speed towards them, the plants parting before it.

  ‘Go!’ Riley shouted, helping Jason back into a run.

  Behind, the green-blue light grew brighter as it arrowed towards them.

  One by one people broke away, each heading off in their own direction.

  But the light didn’t deviate.

  A river appeared before them and Sarah found herself running on her own on the opposite side to her friends.

  ‘Sarah!’

  Sarah glanced right.

  Trish pointed in panic. ‘It’s right behind you!’

  Adrenaline flooded her system and she surged forward.

  Legs pumping, heart racing, mind screaming, Sarah ran from the light.

  A tree loomed before her and she angled left. Cresting a rise, she tripped and fell, tumbling down a steep ravine.

  After falling end over end, she regained her feet and looked back over her shoulder.

  The light had slowed, but still followed. A deep penetrating growl emanated down towards her and she ran on.

  A shimmer of light appeared ahead and her eyes widened in terror. There were two of them!

  Her legs slipped from under her as she skidded to a stop.

  The shimmering form towered over her and the beast closed in behind.

  The air distorted and a man in chrome armour materialised from the ether. Leaping over her, he plunged a rod of gold into the ground.

  The light ploughed towards him and then reared up as electricity engulfed it.

  More chrome-clad warriors emerged from nowhere to contain the
light within a circle of electrified probes.

  The creature screeched in fury and Sarah scrambled to her feet and ran.

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Ophion Nexus watched the monster struggle in its prison of crackling energy. He’d been tracking the Pharos ever since they’d picked up Morgan’s trail. It was fortuitous, as the secondary objective had helped keep the primary from noticing their presence – that was until it was too late.

  Ophion strode round the trap’s perimeter. ‘Stage two!’ he said, over the noise of the thrashing beast.

  On his command, S.I.L.V.E.R. deployed more devices. Wire cables lanced out to form a net that wound tight, forcing its victim to the ground.

  ‘Shall I go after the woman?’ Zhang Bai said, through the radio.

  He glanced back as Morgan fled. ‘When we’ve secured the Pharos for transport.’

  As if on cue, the creature let out a roar and redoubled its efforts to escape. The cables stretched to breaking point and one snapped. Ophion ducked as it whipped past his head.

  Six more cables arced out and the Pharos was forced back to the ground.

  Ophion anchored his second cable and jumped back before the electricity could flow up his arms.

  Zhang Bai approached and opened her visor to gaze at the shimmering form that writhed before them. ‘Will it hold?’

  Ophion didn’t know. There were too many variables. ‘Move to stage three,’ he said, looking into the distance with his visor. ‘Retribution draws near.’

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Sarah made it to the top of a hill and looked back at the silver soldiers surrounding the light in their midst. Electricity flowed over the creature’s massive form and flashes of light rippled through it, like a cuttlefish. The beast roared in pain and glimpses of translucent skin appeared as its shroud weakened.

  Sarah almost felt sorry for it … almost.

  She saw one of the warriors look in her direction and she took that as her cue to run on. Reaching another ridge top, she scanned the area looking for signs of Riley and the others.