Death of Time (SpaceFed StarShips Series Book 4) 2nd Edition.: A thrilling, psychological, Mystery and Suspense, sci-fi detective thriller. (SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy)

by Gerry A. Saunders

  “Then you’re deluded. Mom was Human.”

  “So, Micky, you’re starting to remember your heritage at last. Can’t you see that, unlike me, when you followed me, you lost your memory?”

  Micky knew that he had only been able to remember things that had happened in the last 5 years. But nothing at all before that.

  Then suddenly, a torrent of memories started to flood into his mind, and he staggered with the emotional effect this had on him.

  Now, he could see that Axon was right, he was his brother, and he was half Crillon.

  “But why is my memory coming back now, after all, this time?”

  “The box, the answer’s in the box.”

  Micky saw the box sitting on the table. It was familiar, but he didn’t know why.

  “There’s still time Micky. We can still change the future together.”

  “No,” he snapped. “You’ve killed enough people already in your misguided quest.”

  “You’re a fool Micky,” Axon said as he slowly eased the, particle beam weapon out from under him. He knew it was almost, but not quite, useless now.

  Micky sensed Axon’s sudden increase in emotion and saw his movement out of the corner of his eye.

  Then turning, emptied his revolver’s magazine into Axon’s head, which exploded like a pumpkin as the hail of bullets ripped into it.

  Micky stood, looking down at Axon’s body. He wiped tears from his eyes as more memories flooded his mind.

  It was true; Axon was his younger brother. Micky had been elsewhere. Yes, he remembered it all now. When he returned home, he found that Axon had gone, just leaving a message for him.

  At the time, he had cursed his brother, thinking Axon would destroy all they had fought so hard for, including the endeavours of their ancestors.

  He had been right. The future Timeline would have been changed if Axon had succeeded in delaying Project Acarea.

  Then Micky realised that something had suddenly changed in him; his body felt refreshed.

  Doctor Henning was right; the ‘fuzzy cells’ had linked them together, maybe a Temporal Bond had existed.

  Now that Axon was dead, did that mean the link was broken, and he was going to be reprieved? He wondered.

  He checked the time and saw that it was 17:45 already.

  Stepping over Axon’s dead body, he approached the small box that sat on the table.

  It looked familiar somehow, but he didn’t know why.

  He opened it and saw a single object inside. It was a green coloured crystal, which lay on an Oily looking piece of cloth.

  Micky was disturbed. It seemed to play with his senses. He could almost feel it calling to him, pulsing and beckoning.

  It was missing something, he sensed…, then realised that the something was him.

  He put both hands around the crystal and carefully lifted it out of the box… Then realized that it had no weight. It was simply an illusion… A reflection…

  “Charlie!” he shouted….

  Ω

  Cazer’s shuttle rested in a small park, two kilometres away from where his ‘family’ lived.

  The boy, watching from the side of the park, could see several men in armoured suits. They were facing the shuttle but were at a distance from it.

  A man was standing close to the shuttle. The boy could see that this man was also wearing an armoured suit, but it was oversized and looked as if it was meant for two people.

  The suit also had a blue haze around it, which the boy knew must be a force-field.

  Then he realized that this must be his father, Cazer…, who had finally decided to come here to live with him and his mother.

  However, on seeing his father’s head through the suit’s helmet. A look of horror suddenly showed on his face, as he realized his father wasn’t Human. He looked different, like a Crillon.

  Then sickness slowly bubbled up inside him as he watched the confrontation that unfolded in front of his eyes.

  “Try and stop me if you can. You’re all dead anyway,” Cazer rasped.

  Thomas, the Marine captain, knew how this would all end. Cazer would die.

  He sent the ‘fire’ code to his Marines’ implants, and they responded with a hail of fire that should have destroyed Cazer’s suit.

  Instead, the suit appeared to boil, as it absorbed and reflected most of the power of the Marines’ onslaught. The boiling sphere of fire protecting Cazer inside.

  Then the Marines stopped their onslaught of weapons fire, and Cazer beamed with pride.

  Thomas knew Cazer had used this demonstration to satisfy his own inflated ego. But he was pleased that they had stopped Cazer’s armoured suit from wiping out all of his Marines.

  He also knew that Cazer had been foolhardy, he hadn’t done the logical thing.

  Cazer was jubilant. He would have the last laugh; the humans would die in the end.

  “Your puny weapons can’t touch me. No one can.”

  Thomas looked at the smug Crillon before him. “I’m sorry to disappoint you Cazer. But I know something that can.”

  “Rubbish,” he snarled.

  ‘Now or never,’ Thomas thought as he stepped to one side, and using his transceiver implant, ordered drone 23 to show itself.

  Then Cazer saw the drone as it shimmered and became visible.

  “You won’t use that here,” he said. “A nuke would destroy this city.”

  “That’s correct,”

  ‘Just keep talking Cazer,’ he thought as his Marines moved way back, and Drone 23’s force field enclosed around him. Now Thomas felt safe.

  “This drone has something different.”

  “No, I’ve seen these before, it has two nukes.”

  “Well, you’re wrong Cazer. By the way, did you know that Jenny, who you effectively murdered, was my best friend?”

  “So what,” Cazer said, growing in confidence. “I can have whoever I please. You can’t stop me.”

  “That notion is misplaced, Cazer. Look at the two tubes on the drone. What do you see?”

  ‘Stay focused on us, a little longer Cazer,’ he prayed.

  Cazer saw the nuke in the first tube. Then realized that what he was looking at in the second one, was different. It had a coil, a beam director.

  He cursed realising that his ego had made him wait too long. He swore again at his own stupidity, as the bluish-purple particle beam hit him, spreading his body across the park, in a million particles.

  The boy, trembling with horror, watched the men in the black armour as they went back to their craft, which had been hidden in the trees at the other end of the park.

  Then he waited until the marine, accompanied by the strange floating object, had also left the area and gone back to his craft.

  Once the two strange craft had lifted off and shot away. He felt it was safe to go home, as his mother would have returned by now.

  However, he also knew his mother would be in a terrible temper and would be cursing his father as usual.

  But now he had seen what his father was like, he could sympathise with her. His father hadn’t been human.

  When he reached home, his mother greeted him with a hug.

  That disturbed him. It was totally out of character.

  “Tea in 10 minutes,” she said smiling at him.

  ‘This is good,’ he thought.

  ‘Why the change? He wondered. Is my mum better now?

  He decided to look inside the box again. He took it out and quickly removed its cover.

  There was only one small box inside. ‘Strange,’ he thought. ‘I’m sure there were two.’ Then shrugged, thinking that he must have been mistaken. After all, his memory seemed to have been all over the place these last few days.

  He opened the box, lifted the cloth that had been covering the green crystal. Then gasped in shock and fear. The crystal was now dark grey, and inert.

  He felt sick. Had he damaged it?

  “Micky,” his mother called. “Tea’s ready.”
>
  Micky covered the crystal and closed the box. Put it back inside the larger box, then carefully closed that, before putting it back where he’d found it.

  “Micky,” his mother called again, her voice sounding calm and without a hint of the old anger. “Come on, Axon will soon be back, you know he’ll eat everything.”

  Micky was worried. Somewhere in his mind, he knew that his younger brother, Axon, was dead.

  Even so, he seemed to be having strange thoughts, he was also a little confused about whether he was really Micky or Axon.

  ‘Am I Mum’s first son, or am I both?’ He wondered, shivering at the thought.

  Then shrugged. He knew that his mother was all that mattered now. She needed him.

  And, yes, he would make his mark. He would keep the ‘Bernstein’ name going. His ancestors would be pleased with his determination to succeed.

  Then he stopped. Wondering why he had thought those last thoughts, and not knowing what significance the name Bernstein had.

  Chapter 40.

  Hector Calling.

  “There’s a call for you Cedrick.”

  “Who is it, Linda? Can’t you see I’m busy?”

  “Cedrick. Someone from Charlie’s father’s office is on the video phone.”

  “Damn. I’m not ready to talk to them yet.”

  “Cedrick. Now.”

  “All right, all right,” he muttered” and selected the incoming call, noting there was no video present.

  “Cedrick speaking,” he said.

  “Sir, the Metropolitan Commissioner of Police, would like to talk to you,” came a stern sounding female voice.

  “Ok, get on with it,” he irritably snapped.

  “Ouch,” he almost yelled, as he received a clip round the ear from his wife, Linda.

  A man’s voice came on the phone.

  “Cedrick?”

  “That’s me.”

  “Cedrick, behave,” Linda whispered, sounding angry.

  The he heard a friendly voice saying, “I’m Commissioner Bernstein. My daughter’s Christine, or as she seems to like being called, Charlie.”

  “Ah, Commissioner Bernstein, Charlie told me you were an influential man. Now I know why.”

  “Oh, I’ve been lucky Cedrick, just lucky.”

  “You’re too modest,” Cedrick replied.

  “Not at all. Anyway. I’ve been trying to get hold of Christine and was advised to speak to you. Could I have a word with her if that young man, Micky, hasn’t led her astray?”

  “It’s a bit difficult Commissioner.”

  “Call me Hector, please.”

  “Thank you, I will. Um. You’re already calling me by my first name. But don’t worry,” he added. Sensing that Hector would be embarrassed at learning this. “Everyone calls me Cedrick.”

  “Well, Cedrick. Is she there? I’d like to talk with her.”

  “That’s the problem, Hector. They’re both on a dangerous mission, and, as yet, I’ve heard nothing from them.”

  “I see. How dangerous, is dangerous?”

  “Very. But your daughter will be okay. Trust me. Two of my best men are protecting her.”

  “And, Micky?”

  “A one-way ticket I’m afraid Hector,” he said feeling sick inside.

  Cedrick thought he heard a gasp from Hector.

  “Sorry Hector. But when we sent him on this mission we knew there was a high probability that he wouldn’t come back alive. Micky is like a son to Linda and me. It hurts to think that we may lose him.”

  But Micky made sure that Charlie would have the best protection. We also made a promise to him that we would arrange a safe and speedy removal from the mission for Charlie if anything awful happened to Micky. So, when I say, trust me in this Hector, I mean it. Charlie will come through unharmed.”

  “Thank you, Cedrick. I’m sorry for you both. Let me know as soon as you have any information, please.”

  “Of course we will. When this is over, and the dust has settled, you must come over to the states to visit us.”

  “I’d like that. Thanks again. Any information about my daughter is better than nothing.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll let you know as soon as we know anything more.”

  “Thanks. Let’s hope, all ends well.”

  “Indeed,” Cedrick said ended the call.

  Cedrick thought for a moment.

  “Do you believe that we should have told him that Charlie’s pregnant, Linda?”

  “Best to see what happens first, dear.”

  “I suppose you’re right. I’d better write down Hector’s number.”

  “You can’t. The caller’s number was withheld.”

  “Damn, I should have asked for his personal phone number.”

  “Never mind dear, Charlie will have it.”

  “Yes, I suppose she will.”

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you that Chris has Micky’s laptop. Micky apparently told him to give it to you,” Linda said patting him on his shoulder.

  “Yes, I know. Micky said he’d leave a message on it for us. Perhaps he’s got Hector’s phone number on it as well.”

  Chapter 41.

  Cedrick.

  “We’re about 25 miles from Baltimore’s Washington International Airport, Miss,” Marc told Charlie as they sped on. “Cedrick’s private helo pad is just outside the airport, so we shouldn’t be held up.”

  “Good,” she replied, checking the time on her watch, ‘17:45,’ she thought.

  Two minutes later, Charlie ‘heard it’ in her mind’ and screamed. Filled with agony as Micky’s last word mentally stabbed her.

  ‘Charlie!’…

  Marc, startled by her scream, looked for an exit off the freeway. He saw a slip road just ahead, swung the Limo over and on to it at high speed, then braked, coming to a stop at the top of the slip road.

  “What’s happened? Are you all right, Miss?”

  She slammed her fists several times into the leather backed seat in front of her until the pain in her mind faded.

  Thunder went to say something, then seeing Marc shaking his head, decided not to.

  Charlie was trembling, and tears ran down her cheeks.

  Then, realising what must have happened, Marc said. “Wherever he’s gone Miss, it was meant to be.”

  “Marc. You don’t know the half of it, she replied.”

  They sat quietly for a while, waiting for Charlie to get over the shock of it.

  “Just say when you’re ready to continue on, Miss,” Thunder softly said.

  “Of course… Thank you…. I’m sorry,” Charlie replied, choking back her sobs.

  Then a few minutes later, she quietly said. “I’m OK now. I know that Micky’s gone back to wherever he came from.”

  “Are you sure you’re alright, Miss?”

  “Yes Marc, let’s go.”

  They returned to the Freeway and continued on to the airport where Cedrick’s helo pad was located.

  No one spoke again until the Limo turned into the Helo-port.

  Cedrick’s Helo pad had a control tower, and space for the two helicopters which were at his disposal. But were owned by SEID, the elite criminal investigators division of the Chicago Police.

  The pilot came across to meet them.

  “Evening, I’m John, your pilot. We’re waiting for Chris,” he informed Marc. “He should be here in about five to ten minutes. So, if you need to freshen up before we leave, you’ll find a restroom in the control tower.”

  “Thank you,” all three said.

  They returned ten minutes later, feeling refreshed, then climbed up into the Helo.

  “No Chris yet?” Charlie asked.

  “Another five or six minutes he reckons. Apparently he crunched his Limo, so had to wait for someone to pick him up. Shouldn’t be long now.”

  Chris’s transport turned into the Helo pad, almost on two wheels. They both got out, then Chris shook the driver’s hand in farewell, then he came over to the waiting Hel
o with Micky’s Laptop in his hand.

  “Sorry, I held you up, but I had to wait for transport after crunching the Limo.”

  “That’s all right Chris,” the pilot said, directing him to get in the rear of Helo.

  “Hi, folks.”

  “What happened? How did he look, Chris?” Charlie hesitantly asked, looking at him nervously.

  “Charlie. What can I say? He was brave when he ran after that guy. He knew what he was doing. Really.”

  Just then, the pilot announced that they were clear to leave. “Strap in, we’re off,” he ordered.

  The Helo’s engine throbbed, then the Helo lifted off the ground, and they were on their way to Cedrick’s estate.

  “Talk amongst yourselves. I need a kip,” Charlie wearily announced.

  Four hours later, they were all feeling weary. Then, as the Helo rapidly approached Cedrick’s estate. The pilot announced, “We’re almost there.”

  At this, they eagerly looked out to see Cedrick’s property down below them, with Chicago in the distant background.

  The Helo swept down and over Cedrick’s land. Charlie watched several horses scatter as the Helo curved in towards an enormous house with several outbuildings.

  There seemed to be armed guards everywhere, as they touched down and the pilot killed the Helo’s engine.

  “You can all hop it now, we’re down,” the pilot joked.

  At this, they quickly unbuckled, stood up and stretched, before getting out. Each of them thanking John for a pleasant flight, as they went.