Mike’s mouth dropped. “So where are you planning on taking us?”
Casey took a deep breath, trying to relieve the anger that was quickly rising inside her like a volcano, waiting to erupt. Being separated from her loved ones wasn’t an option. “Don’t even consider Venus, because I’m not into watching eggs and bacon fry on the sidewalk, only to turn into some cosmic exploding omelet when the temperature reaches 450 degrees. And Neptune?” She shook her head. “No way. I’m not into dressing like an Eskimo when it dips to minus 300—I don’t look good in fur.” After all, big, bulky coats added plenty of bulk, only not in the right places.
“Considering the circumstances, a relocation will be the best for everyone,” said Commander Gallant. “People from this galaxy aren’t so different. We all attend sporting events, social gatherings, and plays. We watch movies. We also love art, music, and dance.”
She rubbed her hands over her eyes to get rid of the stinging sensation. She wasn’t usually a crybaby, so she wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of thinking they’d defeated her. As long as she could still plot an escape, they hadn’t won a thing. She only hoped Mike wouldn’t blab and give all their plans away. “Somehow I can’t picture you watching movies while guzzling soda and polishing off a bucket of popcorn. This isn’t my thing, and I don’t want any part of it. My mom and dad won’t even be with me! What kind of life is that?”
Mike’s grip around her tightened as he spoke. “Listen, Commander Gallant. We’re not part of your world. You don’t have the right to decide over our fate. And how can you expect us to believe there’s life on other planets?”
A small smile softened the commander’s face. “Our entire universe is teeming with intelligent life and other civilizations.”
“Really?” asked Mike. “What do they look like? If they come with two horns, seven noses, and a slimy tail, I’m sorry to tell you they aren’t gonna be my type. I’d rather be the pretty boy than the odd one out. I don’t mind people staring, as long as it’s for the right reasons—and I don’t need them staring at me with six eyes.”
Commander Gallant leaned forward with an earnest look on his face. “We’d keep you in the same galaxy, our Milky Way. You can learn amazing things your own scientists don’t even know about.”
Turning toward Casey, Mike whispered, “Is it just me, or is he avoiding a straight answer? I don’t want to know whether they can give Einstein a run for his money. All I want to know is what they look like. Are they freaky looking or super gorgeous like these people?”
Poor Mike. To think, there might be a place where he isn’t the handsome beau. This might truly be his biggest nightmare. Still, she couldn’t help but feel frustrated with him. She needed to get him to focus on the things that really mattered. The guy just told them they couldn’t ever go home.
Life throughout the universe? Normally, learning about such an amazing thing would blow Casey’s mind. Now, however, it hardly registered. She wanted her mom and dad, and Commander Gallant had just told her she’d never see them again. That kick-started a stubbornness in her, and she suddenly had every intention of proving them wrong. “I’ll pass. Thanks for thinking of me though.”
“You don’t understand. We’re giving you an opportunity to see the universe. No surface human has ever had such a unique and wondrous opportunity.” Commander Gallant let out a huff, as if he was frustrated that she wasn’t honored to be given such a privilege.
Even if it was like a hitchhiker’s trip through the galaxy, she still had no interest in any plan that didn’t include sending her home. “I’d rather not jump on the loony wagon. I like my oxygen without a mask, and I need to occasionally sink my teeth into a Hershey bar, thanks.”
Mike shook his head. “I’m not saying it wouldn’t be amazing, but at what price? You want to take us away from everything we know and love. It’s not worth it!”
Casey scoffed at the commander. “I’m not doing anything until we get Jack back. After that, I’m going home…and by home I mean back to the surface, where I belong.”
He straightened his broad shoulders, peering at her through those blue eyes that seemed to pierce her very core, making her shiver. “As I said, we don’t have a choice. You will have to come with us once you’ve fulfilled your duties.”
She glared at him. “So you’re abducting us? How is that any different from what the aliens did to Jack? You’re as awful as they are!”
His eyes showed compassion and concern as he tried to weave them into his wicked web. “We’re offering you a chance to live. This friend of yours, this Jack, will not be so lucky. Eventually, they will put an end to him.”
“That’s not happening, so don’t even go there.” Casey snorted. “And besides, you’re not offering us a chance to live. You’re trying to control how we live. Go figure. Control’s control, whichever way you take it.”
“Whoa, wait a sec.” Mike held up a hand to silence her. “Let’s rewind a few minutes, shall we? What did you just say about duties?”
The commander nodded. “You want your friend saved, correct? We will make every attempt to assist you with that goal, but you must do something for us in return. I’m not at liberty to say what that is, but General Ashtar will inform you of the details.”
Casey threw him her best fake smile. “There’s always a catch.”
“That’s the way it is,” he said.
A shudder ran down her spine. What if the Agarthians force us to get alien IDs, and settle on Jupiter after we do this stupid favor for them? The thought of never seeing her parents again—of never seeing her house, her friends, her school, her world—made her nauseous. Worse, her mom and dad would spend the rest of their lives thinking their daughter had drowned in the ocean. She set her jaw, thinking. Mike was right. She wasn’t about to do anything for people who were going to force her to lead a life she never envisioned for herself. But unlike Mike, she saw an advantage in pretending to cooperate, then making a beeline for the exit as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Of course, she could also try to strike a deal with them. She folded her arms over her chest. “Getting shipwrecked down here wasn’t our fault. We didn’t choose any of this. You can’t take us away from our lives because of something we had no control over. If you want something from us, then just spit it out. We’ve no time for games.”
Her head jerked up as two swinging doors opened, and another blond-headed, pale-skinned man emerged. His hair was slicked back in such a precise style that she could have measured the distance between the strands with a ruler. Anyone sitting rose to their feet and snapped to attention. Excited voices, cheering, and clapping erupted.
The commander bowed deeply and then pointed to Casey and Mike. “General, these are the surface children.” Nodding at Casey, he said, “And this is General Ashtar, our highest-ranking official.”
So it was the big boss himself. Casey peered at the immaculately ironed uniform and countless insignia. If anyone had the power to send them home, it would clearly be him. She plastered a fake smile across her lips and opened her mouth to speak, but as usual, Mike beat her to it.
“I’m Mike, famous professional sportsman and champion of the surfing world. I’ve been in countless magazines, even on the covers. You name ‘em, I’ve been on them.” Boy, he was laying it on thick! “In fact, I’m so famous that I’m sure the White House is gonna come looking for us soon. This place will be invaded by huge helicopters and the CIA, FBI, Delta Force, SWAT teams, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Secret Service, and Chuck Norris, and CNN in no time. And trust me, you don’t want that.”
General Ashtar’s face grew solemn, his towering frame looming over them. “Son, I know you will tell people about your discovery if you were ever to return home.”
He was a bright one, but she could defuse the situation. Casey opened her mouth, but Mike cut her off again. “How do you know that?” he asked, his voice rising in pitch.
Why can’t he just keep his trap shut for one minute?<
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“I’m sorry, but I read your thoughts. It’s something I’m generally against and never do, but I had to make an exception to see if your heart is genuine and true. Our lives depend on it.”
Casey’s eyes widened. These people read minds? She knew she had to find a way to protect her thoughts; otherwise, her plans would be flushed down the drain as soon as the guy took soul searching a little too seriously and decided to pay her subconscious a visit.
“You have no reason to be afraid.” General Ashtar spoke with a calm and gentle voice. “It’s simply another mode of communication that we possess. Do not worry, for my people won’t read your mind without my permission, and that includes Orthon. Your thoughts are yours and yours alone, and they were safe on your journey here.”
She nodded, glad to hear it, especially since they’d cracked so many jokes about poor Orthon, debating whether he was a robot, human, or alien.
The general’s sapphire eyes glittered in the light, and he grinned, putting his hand on Mike’s shoulder. “Your legacy won’t be finding this place. It’ll be saving it.”
He was a smooth talker, and Casey almost fell for it. They were surrounded by men standing six feet tall, with strong, lean bodies and probably brave spirits. Any one of them could pass for Superman. For the life of her, she couldn’t fathom what a five-foot-something kid could do that their army of super-beings could not.
“Yeah, we’ve heard there’s something you’d like us to do, but save this place?” She laughed and shook her head. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re not trained military soldiers. We’re just kids. What help could we offer, apart from teaching you a thing or two about how to be cool and survive the hardships of high school?” They were definitely up to something, and Plan A was sounding about right: Get Jack and then find a way out of that nut house.
“I understand your reluctance, but let me explain.” General Ashtar smiled. “First, I welcome you to Agartha, a paradise in the middle of the Earth. As you can see, our technology is far advanced beyond that on the surface, about 5,000 years, to be specific.”
Yeah, I got that part loud and clear. If I moved into the city and bird poop lands on my glass house, I can hop into my UFO, put my baby raptor and brontosaurus in the backseat, and rush to the market to get some space-age Windex. Heck, maybe I can even buy a bouquet of musical flowers while I’m out.
The general continued, “Our royal family, elders, children, and most of our women evacuated before the enemy shut everything down, so I’m in charge for the time being.” He took a step forward. “We’re all in great danger and need your help. Commander Gallant told you that you cannot go home, but I have the authority to save Jack, make a deal, and return you to the surface.”
Finally, somebody was making sense in all that craziness. Casey let out a sigh of relief. Jack would be rescued, and she’d see her parents once again. Still, while it seemed she didn’t need an escape plan after all, she decided it wasn’t wise to give up on it as of yet. As much as she wanted to trust him, she couldn’t risk it. If he proved trustworthy, she’d just send him an I’m-sorry card later; No, make that an e-card so he’ll never get my home address, just in case they change their mind.
Commander Gallant leaned in. “Sir, they can’t keep a secret of this magnitude.”
Casey’s head felt like it was going to explode, and she wondered what Gallant’s problem was. She wanted to scream at him that she’d never say a word about the place, as long as they’d let her go home. As far as she was concerned, she wished she’d never laid eyes on their precious city. “We promise not to ever say a word about Agartha.”
Smiling, General Ashtar waved his hand. “Don’t worry. In their world, they’d be dismissed as crackpots, telling such a tale.”
That was true, but she wasn’t about to become the laughingstock of California—or the world, for that matter. The trick was keeping her mouth quiet, and she decided she’d sew Mike’s blabbermouth shut if she had to.
Hard angles dominated General Ashtar’s face as he met the commander’s gaze. “I’ll be taking over now.”
Commander Gallant bowed. “Yes, sir.”
Mike pulled Casey’s hand as he moved closer to General Ashtar. “Listen, we swear that our lips are sealed. So you’ll really let us go home?”
The general’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “Yes. You have my word on that, as long as you save Jack and our world in the process.”
Casey gulped, wondering why she was getting the feeling that she was drawing the shorter end of the stick.
Chapter 4
She didn’t understand how such an advanced civilization, with all their fancy powers and gadgets, could possibly need any help from her or Mike. Casey pulled Mike aside, calling over her shoulder, “Just a minute, if you don’t mind.”
The general raised his brows but didn’t comment.
“I think this is a case of mistaken identity,” whispered Casey.
Mike regarded her intently. “They think we’re somebody else?”
She shrugged. “What else could it be? Let’s face it, we’re no superheroes. As far as I know, surfing isn’t some superpower, as much as you’d like to think so. We don’t even have Jack around. At least he has dictionary and encyclopedia brain.”
“Why don’t we just wait until they brief us? You never know what they—”
“Look, Mike, I’m not getting involved with a bunch of people who think we’re some kind of action heroes.”
She rolled her eyes when he pulled her closer and said, “C’mon on! It’s time to face the blondies again and see what they have to say. I’m sure everything will be okay. Besides, unless you know how to call a cab from here, I don’t see that we have any other choice.”
Casey shook her head and returned to the general, hoping Mike was right.
“Let me get straight to the point then.” General Ashtar’s chest puffed out. “Alien rebels possess a powerful nuclear weapon. It’s housed on their mothership and will be aimed at the surface of Earth shortly. By eight a.m. tomorrow morning, that weapon will vaporize every living creature on—and in—the planet.” His gazed settled on Casey. “That means everyone in our world, and yours.”
Casey’s heart jumped into her throat. “Oh man!” Closing her eyes, she turned away as shock engulfed her. She thought she’d reached her limit after Jack went missing and when she was told the Earth was hollow. Then came the news about the aliens and UFOs. Orthon had mentioned something about annihilation. But a weapon that’d turn all life into dust by the next morning, even before she ate her regular bowl of cereal? She wanted to scream. Streaks of sweat ran down her spine, drenching her shirt. Her throat felt coarse and dry as she whispered, “I can’t believe they really want us dead.”
General Ashtar’s jaw tightened. “There’s no point in sugarcoating the situation. We’re facing a true disaster, and it’s only right you know the details.”
“Great. Now I’ll have nightmares for weeks.” Mike’s hands trembled behind his back. He tried to underplay it by using humor, but Casey knew he was scared to death. His eyes widened. “But you have a plan to stop them, right? You know, some trick up your sleeve that shows the little green men who the real masters of the universe are?”
General Ashtar nodded.
“Hurting innocent people isn’t going to solve their problems,” said Casey.
“I agree that violence isn’t the answer. I don’t think they’ll be quite so willing to listen to your proposition, because they have their own agenda in which we have no role to play,” the general continued. “Once they annihilate the human race, they’ll establish a base on North America with the goal of overtaking every city across the globe and within it.” He motioned them to follow him to an instrument panel and monitor, where he pointed at several black dots on a map. “They’ve interfered with our communication systems to the point that we can no longer contact planets outside of Earth for assistance.”
Casey’s heart sank in her chest, an
d a numb feeling invaded her body. “So, in other words, they made sure no one would see the bloodbath until it was too late.”
General Ashtar folded his hands behind his back once more and rocked on his heels. “Since our defense depends on our communication mechanisms, our weapons have been disabled too. So has every single ship in our hangars.”
Mike sucked in a deep breath and whispered to Casey, “We’re screwed. No weapons. No ships. No communication.”
She was surprised that for once, he sounded like the pessimist. Her attention shifted back to the general. “What plan could you possibly have? And how does it involve us?”
“Our plan is to use the only operational ship…the alien one that crashed near Agartha yesterday.” General Ashtar casually observed her expression.
Her jaw dropped, and all she could do was stare back at him, with a blank look on her face.
Mike’s eyes widened as he glanced around the room. “The UFO? Where?”
“It’s housed in a bunker so we can study it and then retrofit it for our use.” General Ashtar crossed his arms and rubbed his chin. “Our highest-ranking military technicians have been working with top scientists. They’ve come up with a plan that could easily turn the tide on the rebel Greys.” His gaze wandered from Mike to Casey and then back to Mike. “That’s where the both of you come in.” He paused, as if thinking of the best way to explain it.
“So what’s the plan?” asked Mike. “Please cut to the chase already.”
She gave his hand a squeeze. She never would have guessed his pushy, ill-mannered nature that so often irritated the heck out of her would one day come in handy. She opened her mouth to speak, but the general cut her off.
“As you wish. Our experts have developed a microchip that will transmit a virus, which will render all of the Grey weaponry circuits unusable. It will solve everything. Our only problem is that we need someone to deliver it.”
“Hmm. So why don’t you have somebody dress up in a pizza delivery outfit and take it up there like a stuffed-crust meat lover’s or something? I don’t care what galaxy we’re in, I don’t think anybody can turn down a free pizza.” Mike winked at Casey, who’d been thinking something quite similar herself.
Endure: Book 5 in The Trapped In The Hollow Earth Novelette Series Page 4