by N. W. Harris
Shane was happy to let Nat carry on; he was afraid he’d get all choked up if he tried to talk to Kelly. Her touch and the love he could feel coming from her mended his heart and made him believe they had a chance at surviving. He felt as giddy as Nat looked.
“Wow, Nat,” Kelly said when her sister took a breath. “Sounds like you’ve stepped into the role of big sister for a lot of the other kids.”
“Yep,” Nat replied, beaming.
They smiled at each other, and Nat crawled into Kelly’s arms.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” Nat said, her eyes filling with tears again. “I thought I’d lost you forever.”
“You’ll never lose me,” Kelly replied, her eyes connecting with Shane’s over Nat’s shoulder. “I’ll always be here for you.”
While her voice sounded sincere, Shane could see she feared she wouldn’t be able to keep her promise.
“Me too,” Shane managed to whisper, his eyes moist.
To put the surge of emotion in check, he had to divert his eyes to the dark forest to the north. He blinked a few times, and then gazed up at the circle of blue sky that hovered above them. He was more determined than ever to save Kelly, Nat, and the rest of the survivors.
Greenie had to be watching. This strange new alien didn’t seem to have any interest in taking over Earth or enslaving the humans like the Anunnaki. From what he could tell, they just wanted the Anunnaki to die, and were deciding if the humans should perish with them. He wished they would show themselves so he could talk to them. How could they see the best parts of human nature and make a reasonable judgment when they were just pushing the humans around like a herd of cattle?
Chapter Seventeen
Pelros watched as they released the girl called Jules from her bindings. Every part of his body ached from the hiking in the darkness. He was too tired to worry that the vicious girl might attack him. Instead, he watched her with envy, wishing the ropes securing his arms behind his back could be removed as well.
The wound in his side had been stitched up well enough, and it had only bled through the bandages a little. However, Pelros had never had an injury that wasn’t healed within hours. The constant dull pain combined with being bound had made the journey torturous. A few times, he felt like he’d collapse and they’d have to carry him. His pride was the only thing that kept that from happening.
Apparently having given his consent to have Jules untied, Jones turned away from her and walked toward Pelros, who was guarded by the silent clones. It made the rebel look soft, turning his back so readily on a human who’d so recently killed some of his own.
He hadn’t had an opportunity to talk to Jones since the sun had been blocked out and hadn’t settled on a plan for escape. Pelros had watched the green entity attack the human boy and tried to gain further understanding of what they were up against. He’d thought the rebels might be behind the green entity, and he hadn’t dismissed that notion. However, he couldn’t see the rebels’ angle. Why would they force this small group of kids to go south into an inevitable conflict with the Anunnaki? Although the humans had an advantage because they were physically stronger and the Anunnaki had lost power, the Anunnaki outnumbered this group and he presumed his uncle still had an army of trained soldiers under his command. If Athos had found enough of the primitive, projectile-firing weapons to arm his soldiers, these kids wouldn’t last in a direct conflict with them.
Jones stopped nearby and studied Pelros.
“You must be sick of your bindings as well,” he observed.
“Indeed,” Pelros replied, forcing a smile. “What I wouldn’t give to be able to scratch my nose.” He shifted his weight, and the pain flashed from his side. He tried not to grimace.
“You realize you wouldn’t get far if you tried to escape,” Jones said. “Not to mention any humans you encounter outside of this group would probably be a lot less civil.”
“That’s an obvious conclusion,” Pelros said.
“I know it is your duty to attempt escape if held prisoner,” Jones continued. “But perhaps it is enough that we are already traveling toward the downed recruit ship. You’d be wise to stay with us, at least until we get close.”
“Agreed,” Pelros said. He’d come to that conclusion already, but this was another sign the rebel had lost his edge. He shouldn’t even be considering untying his prisoner. Pelros now knew he’d have no problem slipping away when the time came.
“Release him,” Jones ordered, giving Pelros a stern look of warning.
The clone nearest to Pelros looked up at Jones with questioning eyes. After talking with several of them, Pelros concluded the clones weren’t totally naïve. Jones hadn’t spared any of the blood-soaked details of Anunnaki history, though they’d obviously been raised to be rebels. But it seemed he’d also taught them not to hate their enemy. They knew they were Anunnaki, as were their parents. They conveyed a belief that any Anunnaki might rebel at any moment, that their cousins should be given a chance to repent their supposed sins and join the opposition. This softness of heart was a weakness; it was where Pelros would bury his blade if the chance presented itself.
Even the clones who hadn’t been assigned to Pelros kept close to him, all politely waiting their turn to ask him questions about the world from which he’d come. He answered each of them like a seasoned politician, without prejudice toward Jones or the other rebels. They were growing more comfortable with him with each passing moment, a mistake they’d regret soon enough.
“Do it,” Jones repeated. He directed another warning glance at Pelros. “If he misbehaves, bind him twice as tight.”
Two clones leapt to the task, and others leaned in as if to help.
Pelros’ goal was to get Jones to believe his behavior evidenced the blossoming of an understanding of the rebel movement, the beginnings of sympathy for the cause that might lead to him switching sides. Pelros was a true Shock Troop soldier, like his uncle before him. They went through years of training on how to convince slave soldiers to ally themselves to the Anunnaki. He knew Jones had also been trained as a Shock Troop soldier, so he had to be careful not to be too obvious in his manipulation of the clones.
“Thank you,” Pelros said sincerely and rubbed his wrist.
Returning to Jones, Pelros kept his face as emotionless as possible. The rebel reflected his stoic glance, but he couldn’t hide the glimmer of hope in his eyes. Jones wanted his son back. Unfortunately, he was far too wise to abandon caution. Pelros was making progress, but he knew he had a ways to go. He accepted some food from one of the female clones.
“What’s this?” he asked, smiling.
“Sardines,” the clone replied. “It’s a type of fish, an inexpensive protein source on Earth.”
“Funny,” he said, conscious Jones still watched him. “On Anu, there was more land than sea. Fish were an expensive treat.”
“That is strange,” the clone replied, crinkling his nose. “What was the primary protein source there?”
“Vegetable proteins mostly,” Pelros replied. “It kept the environment cleaner, and Anunnaki love gardening.”
The clones continued their questions, and Pelros acted fully engaged. Jones must’ve decided Pelros wouldn’t try to take advantage of his new freedom and attempt escape. After watching for a short while longer, Jones walked to the human called Shane. From the corner of his eye, Pelros saw Jones continue to look over and check on him every few minutes.
The pain still coming from his wound convinced him it was no use attempting escape anytime soon. Furthermore, Jones was right; there was protection in being held prisoner. If all went as planned, Jones’ guard would be down when they drew near the Pegasus. Pelros would slip away when the time was right, hopefully after killing a few of these illegal clones and maybe even Jones in the process. His heritage would never be a hindrance again if he killed the rebel scum that spawned him.
Of course, the green entity presented a whole other problem he’d yet to wrap his mind aro
und. He couldn’t do much to fight it from where he was and was certain Athos knew more about the new enemy than anyone. Once Pelros rejoined his uncle, he could turn his attention to that fight.
Perhaps the guilt from turning his back on his people and from killing his own had beaten Jones down. He seemed ready to die, like he believed the green entity was justified in attacking the Anunnaki. He’d forgotten the divine purpose of his people, had forgotten where he came from. He did deserve to die, but not at the hands of some other species. It had to be an Anunnaki who slit the rebel’s throat, only then would justice be served.
Chapter Eighteen
Shane sat with Kelly and Nat, listening to them chat. Kelly kept the conversation light, bringing up memories that made her sister burst into laughter. Each time Nat laughed, Kelly’s smile grew bigger. The little girl’s joy seemed to nourish her older sister. It inflated her spirit. With each of Kelly’s angelic chuckles, Shane grew more confident that they would all survive. Somehow.
“Light’s fading,” Steve said in a hushed voice.
Shane saw the big guy’s brow bore furrows of concern. He stood and studied the sky. The light blue had grown darker. His gut churned at the notion that the eternal night would return. They hadn’t had daylight for the length of a normal day, and he had no idea if Greenie would be so generous as to let the sun shine on them again.
“Make sure everyone is ready to move,” Shane said.
Steve nodded and turned away to carry out his order.
“Everything’s going to be okay, Shane,” Kelly said, taking his hand.
“I know,” he replied, unable to sound as confident as he’d hoped.
As if someone had their hand on a dimmer switch, the light blue sky grew darker. The sun had a black spot that started in its middle and slowly grew larger. Kelly’s hand slid out of his. He looked at her and saw confusion transform her expression.
“Kelly?” Nat said with concern.
“Yes,” Kelly replied, sounding confused. “I’m fine.” She said it like she refused to be otherwise.
He knew her determination wouldn’t be enough. Shane felt like he’d swallowed hot lead. Kelly was starting to forget again, and there was no way of stopping it.
“Jules, no!” Tracy shouted.
He spun around and saw the tall girl break free of Tracy’s grip and charge toward Jones’ clones.
“Damn it,” Steve growled, launching into action.
The linebacker leapt into the air just as Jules passed, slamming her to the ground. A popping sound resonated through the darkness, and Jules shrieked in pain.
“What the hell, Steve?” Tracy snarled. “Get off her, you overgrown oaf.”
“Sorry, Jules,” the linebacker said, sounding terrified at the idea that he’d hurt his friend. “I had to stop you.”
“Of course you did,” Jules snarled, cradling her left shoulder with her right hand. “Why do you have to be so stinking big?”
Tracy was at her side in an instant, inspecting her for injuries.
“It doesn’t matter,” Jules said, pushing Tracy away. She spoke to Shane, more fear than pain in her expression. “It’s coming back—the rage. Tie me up.”
It cut Shane to the bone to see her like this again. He hesitated for an instant, wanting to believe Jules couldn’t be taken again. Maurice had been on a trajectory to hit her as well and had stopped short when Steve took her down.
“Do it,” Shane said.
Maurice’s brow dropped, and he scooped the rope that had bound her earlier off the ground.
Shane’s heart sank deeper when he remembered Kelly. He spun to see her face clouded with terror. In the fading sunlight, she looked at him, and he knew why she was afraid. Her memories were dissipating like grains of sand in a gust of wind. She seemed to forget why she was afraid, and her face went blank, any sign of recognition vanishing from her eyes.
Darkness fell upon them.
“This is a sack of shit,” Steve said.
Shane could see the black spot that was the setting sun. Its faint halo teased them, not even enough to see by. To the south was the beacon of light coming down from the sky. He squinted in the darkness, straining his eyes to focus on Kelly.
“Everyone, pack up,” he shouted with urgency.
Silence hung on for a few more seconds, and then nervous chatter and the sounds of backpack stuffing took over.
“I’ve got a bad feeling,” Steve whispered. He’d moved closer to Shane in the darkness.
“Me too,” he replied, scanning the forest to the north. “We have to get moving.”
He went to Kelly, kneeling on the grass next to her.
“Who are you?” she asked. “How did I get here?”
Nat still sat near her, the little girl’s eyes wet with tears.
“It’ll be okay,” Shane said. “Nat, go pack your stuff.”
Nat looked at him a moment longer, the sadness in her expression drilling through his chest. Then her head drooped as she stood and did what he told her.
He looked at Kelly, trying to keep his voice calm so she wouldn’t freak out. “Your memory has been erased. We love you and are here to help you. You have to go with us now.”
Kelly stared at him, seeming to try to decide if she could trust him.
“No! My feet are stuck,” someone shrieked. “Help!”
Shane turned toward the sound and could see a faint green glow emitting from the ground under a girl standing twenty yards away. The silhouettes of kids backed away as she began to scream. Running toward her, he watched the green light rise out of the soil onto her shoes. It went higher, a thin green line that burned everything it touched. The girl continued screaming, and her feet disintegrated into ashes. The light suspended her, holding her in the air as it devoured her ankles and then her calves.
“Shane, don’t do it,” Tracy yelled.
He couldn’t stop, couldn’t see yet another person get killed. Shane launched into the air, hoping to tackle the girl and push her off the green fire. The circle of light consuming the girl moved, taking its victim with it, just before he could grab her. Landing in the grass, he rolled and came to his feet. Right behind him, Steve dove at and missed the girl as well.
The green light stopped rising when it was a foot off the trampled grass, and the girl dropped into it as it darted out of Shane’s way once again. She disappeared up to her stomach, ash raining out beneath the light. The green glow rose to her chest and the girl stopped screaming, her incinerating lungs no longer able to move air. The look of terror and unimaginable pain remained on her face as she sank past her shoulders and then vanished into the light.
A green disk remained, the same diameter of the girl’s head. It rose into the air, illuminating the ashes it created. The powdery remains of the girl lay in neat lines, clearly drawing a large arrow on the grass. It pointed south at the light he reckoned marked the landing site of the Anunnaki spaceship. The disk vanished, taking its green light with it.
Steve punched the ground where he’d fallen. Cursing, he came to his feet. Shane stood, trying to break his mind free of the paralysis induced by the horror he’d witnessed.
“We have to go now,” he said, his voice hoarse.
He walked to his pack, threw it onto his shoulder, and looked around. No one argued. The rest of the kids, even the little ones, did the same thing as Shane. They headed south, and he took up the rear with his friends once again. The kids’ shock faded, and he could hear some of them crying as they walked. Greenie was breaking them, turning them into cattle that it herded toward a confrontation with the Anunnaki—toward the slaughterhouse.
Laura walked with Kelly ahead of them, explaining where she was and what had happened to her. Kelly asked a few questions before she seemed to silently contemplate what Laura told her. Probably overwhelmed by the nightmarish world in which she’d awoken, she stopped and stared at the ground. Laura grabbed her arm and urged her along.
Shane wished he could go to Kelly, com
fort her, but he had nothing positive to say. The hope and joy that had bloomed in him while the sun shined and she had her memory wilted in the cold darkness.
The moon rose behind them, lighting the world enough for them to see.
“Greenie’s reward for our obedience,” Tracy said, pointing at the moon. There was pain and sadness in her voice, but she’d suppressed it so it was barely noticeable. “They give us moonlight to walk by and sunlight to rest in.”
She walked beside him, keeping an eye on Jules from behind. Tracy knew as well as he did they couldn’t wallow in the horror of what happened; they had to hold their shit together and try to keep everyone alive. Steve, Maurice, Laura, and the Russians were onboard as well, returning to soldier mode. Their training and experiences had developed this warrior side of their personalities, and they’d learned to switch it on and off as needed.
Tracy had bound Jules’ injured arm across her body like it was held in a sling. Her other arm was anchored to her waist by a rope tied around her like a belt. Maurice stayed close to Jules, taking up the duty of guarding her like she was a prisoner once again.
The thin, white light of the moon allowing him to see a decent way, Shane scanned the field. He didn’t see anyone straggling away from the group, and the kids marched along at a good pace. The rest had done them well.
“They’re getting more disciplined,” Tracy grimly observed.
“Yeah, enough to stay together,” he replied. “But how do we get them ready for a fight?”
“You starting to think it’ll come to that too?” Steve asked.
He walked on Shane’s right side, holding his rifle in his hands such that he could bring it to bear in an instant if necessary. Shane held his gun the same way. Unfortunately, they were useless against Greenie.
“Doesn’t it always?” he replied, slinging the weapon over his shoulder.
“We will have to train them while we march,” Anfisa interjected, overhearing their conversation from Steve’s other side.