Star Cat Forever: A Science Fiction & Fantasy Adventure (The Star Cat Series - Book 6)

by Andrew Mackay

  “Good.”

  Quite without warning, she fluttered her eyes at him and took his hand in hers.

  “I guess that makes us boyfriend and girlfriend, then?”

  He looked down at her hand in his and considered the offer carefully, “Uh,” he struggled with a change of topic, remembering what he’d seen in the holoscope, “Look, Leesa. Aren’t you concerned about Suzie?

  “Oh.”

  She released his hand and frowned, “Why did you bring that up?”

  “She ran off and swam with the others, Leesa. Aren’t you afraid for her safety?”

  The diversion tactic worked. It sullied her mood instantly.

  Leesa scrunched her face and took a seat in the holoscope chair, unhappy with his change of topic.

  “Of course I am. But there’s nothing I can do. I can’t go out there and swim after her, can I?”

  “No, I suppose not,” Jamie said with his best attempt at contrition.

  “They put a tattoo-like thing behind her ear. They did something to her,” Leesa stared at the ground with a strange perplexity and clenched her fist, “It’s like she’s changed. It didn’t feel like the Suzie I know.”

  Jamie felt sorry for the girl. She looked up at the young man and took in a deep breath.

  “Hey, Leesa—”

  “—What about Jelly?” she interrupted. “Aren’t you afraid for your cat?”

  “Jelly’s different, Leesa.”

  “Is she?”

  He suddenly lost the ability to speak. Perhaps the girl was right. Perhaps Jelly wasn’t any different.

  “You miss her, don’t you?” Leesa whispered.

  Jamie continued to nod. At the very least, it meant he could look down at his shoes and avoid Leesa’s face.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “You’re right, Jamie,” she offered. “She’ll be fine. She’s a big girl, now. We know that. We saw her.”

  Jamie wiped his nose and tried to blink away the upset.

  “I never should have given her up. I wish I could go back and change it.”

  “I think we all wish we could take things back, Jamie,” Leesa said, softly. “Hey, do you want a cuddle?”

  Jamie whimpered and held out his arms, “Yes, please.”

  The two hugged each other as tight as they could.

  “You can stop being such a cry baby, Jamie,” she joked. “I don’t like cry-babies. They cry too much.”

  Jamie chuckled and swallowed, “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry.”

  Leesa looked into his eyes and took his hands in hers, “Stop being such a baby, okay? Our parents need us to be strong.”

  “You’re right. I know.”

  “It’ll all be over soon.”

  Jamie snorted and felt himself man up right there and then.

  “You’re right. We need to be strong. Thanks, Leesa.”

  “Hey, any time.”

  Noyin adjusted his headgear at the communications console and thumbed the Individimedia ink on his forearm.

  Biddip — bleeeeeeep.

  He looked at the geo-scan on the screen in front of him.

  A purple dot glowed by the Interstate-10 line on the map, “Aha. Still there, are we?”

  TCHISSSSSS.

  A static sound rumbled through his headset followed by a woman’s hurried voice, “—Noyin, this is Sierra. Do you read me?”

  He pressed his arm to the plate and spoke into his mouthpiece, “Yes, I hear you. The connection is awful, though.”

  “It’s a blackspot,” Sierra said. “Once we’re out the connection should be better. Can you give us a sit-rep at Port D’Souza R&D?”

  “I’m way ahead of you. Standby.”

  Satisfied with the strength of the connection, he lifted his arm away from the pane. The image switched to a holographic live feed displaying the gated entrance to USARIC’s Research and Development facility.

  “All right,” Noyin said.

  The visual displayed the DD-12 death droid marching behind the gate, accompanied by two mega-vehicles and scores of USARIC mercenaries.

  Jamie reached Noyin at the communication console, “Are they there, yet?”

  “Hold on, Anderson. I’m trying to figure that out.”

  Both he and Jamie peered at the live footage. DD-12 seemed to stare up and right back at them.

  “Is it a drone?” Jamie asked. “It’s looking at us.”

  “Yup, it certainly seems that way.”

  “Why isn’t it trying to attack the drone?” Jamie asked.

  “Hush, Anderson,” Noyin pressed palm on the boy’s shoulder and spoke into his microphone, “Uh, Sierra?”

  “Yes, Noyin?” Sierra returned. “Tell us what’s going on.”

  “You’re never gonna believe this,” he said with a grin. “Security is lacking. There’s no one there.”

  “I didn’t hear you,” Sierra said. “Can you repeat your last?”

  “I said there’s just one guard on the gate,” he lied. “It’s all clear other than that.”

  “Really?”

  “Yup. You’re good to go.”

  Noyin suppressed his chuckles as he waved the image of the gates to the left to reveal a gravel path swarming with mercenaries on MagCycles.

  “The outside is clear, as well. If you’re going to do it, you need to do it now.”

  “Okay, we’re all set.”

  The communication channel dulled.

  Jamie grew suspicious and removed Noyin’s hand from his shoulder, “What are you telling them? The place is crawling with bad guys—”

  “—Rana?” Noyin cut Jamie’s sentence off and turned his attention to his microphone.

  “Yes, this is Rana. Noyin, are you sure the coast is clear?”

  “Definitely. I’m starting to think that whatever they found in the Gulf wasn’t all that serious, judging by the security they haven’t put on.”

  Jamie pointed at the overwhelming number of reinforcements surrounding the gates on the live feed, “But, b-but—”

  “Shut it, Anderson,” Noyin blurted.

  “Okay. Breach point coordinates, please?” Rana asked.

  Noyin pressed his fingertip on the screen, next to the white grid that marked the gates to the research facility.

  “Approximately fifty feet from the entrance. Coordinate point zero-four-five-niner. Please confirm.”

  Noyin enlarged the image with his fingers. No fewer than forty USARIC mercenaries lined the gravel path, keeping an eye out for trouble.

  “Zero four-five-niner,” Rana said. “Confirmed.”

  Noyin smirked and bit his bottom lip to prevent himself from laughing, “There’s no traffic. Your ETA is less than four minutes.”

  “Thanks, Noyin,” Sierra said.

  “Good luck out there, everyone.”

  Noyin removed his headset and found Jamie staring at him with disdain.

  “What are you looking at?”

  Jamie blinked and felt his hands shake, “You—you—”

  “—Y-you,” Noyin mocked, “Stop stuttering. What’s your damn problem?”

  “You, they—they’re going to get killed. You lied to them.”

  Noyin’s attitude grew sour. He’d had just about enough of the child questioning his actions.

  “Of course I had to say something, you idiot. What? Am I going to tell them oh no, don’t do it because there’s too many of them? Ha. You think that would stop them, anyway?”

  The bizarre logic worked its way through Jamie’s brain.

  “Yeah, but,” he tried. “But that’s not—”

  “—How long have you spent with us, anyway?” Noyin interrupted, determined to bring the boy round to his perverse logic. “You’ve seen what Sierra and everyone else is like? Hell, she’s fallen in love with that Gagarin kid, and he threatened to blow her brains out. Christ, he’s just like her dead brother in that respect.”

  Noyin’s charming tactic worked well with Jamie, who lowered his finger and nodded in agreemen
t.

  “It’s okay, Anderson. They’re tough, and made of much stronger stuff than anyone could ever give them credit for—”

  “—They’re tough?” Jamie spat. “Don’t you mean we?”

  Noyin exhaled and lost his patience.

  “Anderson?”

  “What?”

  “Do you want to help, or not?”

  “Of course I want to help.”

  “You want to see Jelly again, don’t you?” he said, deliberately focusing on Jamie’s eyes.

  “You know that’s all I want.”

  Noyin slung his headset across his face and pointed at the table, “In the drawer. Go and get me two DecapiDiscs, please.”

  “Why?”

  Noyin scratched his forearm and huffed.

  “Ugh. Don’t argue with me. Just go and do it. We’ll need them for when we leave.”

  “Fine.”

  Frustrated, Jamie kicked the console and paced over to the central table.

  He took his time approaching the middle of the arena and clocked Leesa standing in front of Santara.

  The android’s synthetic skin glistened in the harsh dome lights. Real, but not quite human.

  “How do we make this thing turn on?” Leesa asked. “Santara?”

  Jamie reached the central table and pulled the drawer open.

  “I don’t know.”

  He looked inside and found three DecapiDiscs, two DecapiCuffs, and half a dozen vicious-looking knives.

  “Jeez,” he muttered. “Someone’s ready for a fight.”

  He reached in and wrapped his fingers around the first DecapiDisc. The blasted thing was heavy enough for him to have to remove one disc at a time and place them on the table.

  Leesa clicked her fingers in front of Santara’s eyes.

  Snap—snap.

  “Wake up, you silly,” she chuckled.

  The droid held its gaze, inadvertently staring into Leesa’s eyes.

  The girl grunted and placed her hand on the droid’s waist, feeling the leather fabric press against the skin on her fingers.

  “You’re cold,” she whispered.

  It wasn’t long before she arrived at the android’s gun holstered in her belt just above her left hip.

  Leesa turned at Jamie, “Wow. She’s got a gun.”

  Jamie smirked and removed the second DecapiDisc from the drawer.

  “Yeah. Doesn’t everyone in this stupid country?”

  Leesa found his remark somewhat cruel and unnecessary, “Yeah, not like you stupid English who can’t defend yourself.”

  Jamie gripped the handle of an especially violent-looking ten-inch blade and lifted it up in an attempt to antagonize her.

  “Say that again, American?”

  “Ha. A knife,” Leesa giggled, evilly, “Let’s see who wins when you bring a knife to a gunfight.”

  Jamie fumed and threw the blade onto the table next to the two DecapiDiscs.

  CLANG.

  “How about we don’t fight at all and just call a truce?”

  Leesa winked at him and licked her lips.

  “Sure. You first.”

  Noyin gripped the communications console and pulled his chair forward.

  He lowered his voice as he spoke into the microphone,

  “Exo-One, this is Odrassa. Do you read me?”

  Noyin turned over his shoulder and saw Jamie struggle to lift the two compliance units in his arms.

  “Exo-One, reading you,” Keller’s voice flew into Noyin’s headset, “What’s the situation?”

  Jamie made eyes with Noyin as he carried the DecapiDiscs over to the console.

  “Everything’s set. Can you confirm your location, Exo-One?”

  “ETA ten minutes,” came the response. “Can confirm R&D is ready to engage. Are the incendiaries set?”

  “Incendiaries set. About to install.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. Packages secure?”

  “What’s Exo-One?” Jamie asked as he set the two DecapiDiscs on the console.

  Noyin ignored him and turned to the geo-scan image. A flashing beacon made its way toward the RAGE base.

  “The two packages are ready to go—”

  “—Packages?” Jamie whispered. “What packages?”

  Noyin pushed the boy back and pointed at the DecapiDisc, “Shut up, Anderson, and call Leesa over.”

  Jamie let Noyin continue his conversation and waved his hands at Leesa.

  “Hey. He wants us over here.”

  Leesa busied herself with Santara’s sullen eyes. The droid stared back at the girl.

  “Weird-looking thing.”

  She turned around and ran over to Jamie, “I’m coming. What’s going on?”

  Jamie hushed his voice, “I dunno.”

  They both looked at Noyin as he finished his call.

  “Reverse against the door so they can go straight into the back,” Noyin said.

  “Understood, Odrassa. Good work,” Keller said. “Keep your comms open. We’ll be there in three.”

  “Understood.”

  Noyin swiped the ink away from his wrist and spun his chair around to face the kids.

  Jamie knew something wasn’t right.

  “Who was that?”

  “Ah, them?” Noyin spat.

  “That wasn’t one of ours.”

  Leesa found the man’s behavior concerning. She slipped her right hand into Jamie’s left. Both palms began to sweat.

  “No. You’re right, Anderson,” Noyin quipped. “You’re very smart, you know that?”

  “News travels fast,” he spat.

  Noyin nodded at the two metal discs on the table. “Whatever. Put the DecapiDiscs on, please. Both of you.”

  “What?” Leesa asked.

  “I said put the DecapiDiscs on. Do it now.”

  “On ourselves?” Jamie asked, suddenly feeling his legs turn to jello.

  Noyin reached under the communications console and clenched his fingers around something heavy-sounding.

  TCHLUNK.

  “Don’t make me repeat myself, you irritating little turd.”

  Jamie and Leesa froze in fear, their eyes averting to the Uzi 9mm gun in the man’s hand.

  “Do it.”

  “Noooo,” Leesa began to weep, “What are you doing?”

  “Put the damn things on your necks now or I’ll shoot you in the face. Do it.”

  Noyin stepped out of his chair and aimed the Uzi at their heads.

  “Come on. Let’s go.”

  Leesa burst into tears and dropped to her knees, “W-Why are you d-doing this?”

  Noyin ran his tongue across the top set of his gold teeth and mocked her, “Waaaah, why are you doing this? Shut up, you irritating little cow. Anderson?”

  “Y-Yeah?”

  “You have five seconds to put the thing on her or you’re dead.”

  Jamie held out his hand and reached for the cold metal. Okay, okay. I’m d-doing it.”

  “Good boy.”

  Paralyzed with fear, Jamie unfastened the cylindrical device and pushed the neck hole against Leesa’s throat.

  “It’s okay, Leesa,” he said. “Hold still, you don’t want it to nick your skin.”

  “It’s far from okay, Anderson, I think you’ll find,” Noyin chuckled as he unhooked a leather glove from underneath the console, “Close it and read me the activation key.”

  Jamie grimaced as he closed the device around Leesa’s neck.

  CLICK — SCHWUNK.

  The weight of the device pulled Leesa’s head to the side as it rested around her shoulders.

  Noyin swung the barrel of the Uzi at Jamie.

  “The number, please.”

  Jamie read the six digit number on the surface of Leesa’s DecapiDisc.

  “One, nine, seven, eight, oh-seven.”

  Noyin slipped the glove on his left hand and hit the first of three white buttons, “D-Disc. Configure. One, niner, seven, eight, zero, seven.”

  “D-Disc configu
re complete,” a tinny voice escaped through the pinpricks on Noyin’s wrist.

  Biddip.

  The first of the three lights on his glove came to life, as did the three lights on Leesa’s DecapiDisc.

  “Now you, Anderson. Do it.”

  Jamie tried to stall the man, “Why are you doing this?”

  “Put the thing on your neck.”

  “They’ll kill you,” Jamie said. “You do know that, right?”

  Noyin growled and pressed his finger against the trigger, “I know. Now put the damn disc on. I won’t tell you again.”

  Jamie slid his fingers under the tangy, cold metal of the second disc and lifted it up to his neck.

  “If you know they’ll kill you, why do it?”

  “We might ask Alex J. Hughes the same thing.”

  “Huh?”

  “Put the thing on, you little runt.”

  CLICK — SCHWUNK.

  The “3” shape slammed together around his neck to form a giant “0”.

  “Take a step over to me. Not too close.”

  Jamie ignored Leesa’s perpetual wailing and closed his eyes.

  “Look at the ceiling.”

  The boy tilted his neck, knowing the man needed the corresponding number.

  Noyin held down the second white button and read the information into his glove.

  “D-Disc. Configure. One, niner, eight, zero, zero, four.”

  Biddip.

  “D-disc configure complete,” the automated response came from under the glove. “Thank you for choosing Priestley Enterprises compliance devices.”

  “Amen to that, my friend,” Noyin chuckled.

  He tapped the console and ran over to the compartment on the wall beside the door.

  The three dots on Jamie’s disc lit up. He tucked his chin to his chest and felt the saliva drain from the inside of his mouth. The hum from the interior mechanics posed a chilling threat.

  “What happens now?” Jamie asked.

  Noyin pulled the door open and reached inside, “Well, Anderson. You and your little wife-to-be are going to atone for your sins, so to speak.”

  Noyin removed three jerry cans from inside the compartment. He stood up straight and launched one at Jamie’s feet.

  WHUMP — CLANG.

  Jamie stared at the rectangular box and the black, plastic pipe protruding out the end.

  “Pick it up and remove the cap.”

  “What’s this?”

  “Open the cap and have a sniff.”