His plan was working.
Slade had every hallway, room, loading bay, and mess hall bugged. Every piece of clothing President Craig Martelle wore had a miniature chip in it. He could follow Craig around Starship Atlantis no matter where he went.
He pushed his finger through the holoscreen, his index finger turning the many vibrant colors the holoimage presented. “See you soon, Mr. President.”
He unholstered his pistol, pressed the button on the side of the handgrip and ejected his magazine. He pulled back the rack and pushed up on the slide lock, revealing the chamber. He placed a rubber bullet in the magazine, then another one until the magazine was full. He inserted the magazine back into the weapon and pushed firmly upward into the handgrip. A click told him it was locked and loaded.
He gently tapped the back of the magazine with his palm so he could align the ammunition. He pushed down on the safety lever at the gun’s rear, disengaging it. The side lock slid forward on its own. He aimed it at the wall and closed one eye. He mimicked a shot, this time at the imaginary fleet admiral in front of him. “Pew, pew, Lon.”
He gave the wall a wink, then held the gun to his side and glanced down at his feet. “Let’s get this shit on the road, shall we?”
A murmur in the room interrupted him. He turned, staring at Craig’s daughter, bound and gagged. She was small and probably very precious to Craig.
He pouted, over exaggerating the jut of his bottom lip. “You miss your mommy?”
The girl sputtered, snot dripping from her nose.
“Bye, sweetheart.” He opened the storage door, pulled a rectangular device out of his pocket, and eyed it. A holovid pulled up, showing a map and a blue dot, indicating the president. Craig was on the deck above.
Slade gave a half smile, his crow’s feet only wrinkling a little. He walked out of storage, closing the door quietly behind him, then jogged in Craig’s direction.
35
Kelhoon Leader’s Ziggurat, Callisto - J-Quadrant, Solar System
Fox struggled in his energy cuffs. He pressed them closer. The cuffs sizzled and blue electricity sparked. In the Secret Space Program, they’d taught techniques on how to escape Kelhoon cuffs. The Kelhoon were now using an updated version.
Fox stared at a wall, alone, listening to a battle raging outside the makeshift prison walls.
A door opened behind him, followed by several heavy footsteps. Unable to turn, Fox craned his neck. He winced when a shock zipped down his neck.
And that’s what sucked the most. Any quick motion, any movement that required more than a few inches, would send electric shocks up and down his body. It was torture and he couldn’t wait to get Okbak, the ugly-ass Kelhoon leader, in a room by himself to beat him up all pretty like. That would be of course after his deal went through. To put Slade in a locked room with him.
Vvvvzeeeee!
The energy cuffs around his hands and ankles vanished.
Okbak walked around Fox; Kelhoon guards by his side.
Fox looked the Kelhoon leader up and down. The half-lizard, half-man was thick, his hands calloused from battle, his armor singed with burn marks.
On second thought, this guy wouldn’t be the easiest to fight.
Okbak narrowed his eyes, as if reading Fox’s mind. “Koojka Atlantean manjoozna Jaxx komfjaka ascension maj.”
Fox tilted his head. “Excuse me? The Atlanteans are using Jaxx to ascend?” What did that mean?
Okbak nodded, his tongue slightly protruding from his mouth. “Boonjaka moonja kajkan.”
Fox leaned back and rubbed his hands against the chair’s arm rests. “Ascension is bad? I don’t know about that. Didn’t Jesus ascend? Doesn’t seem like Jesus would do such a thing if it was considered...” Fox put his fingers up in air quotes, “Bad.”
Saliva dripped from Okbak’s mouth. Even this Kelhoon had no control over his salivary glands. It was obscene. He looked at Fox as if he couldn’t wait to eat him. “Funja koonja lakanja.”
“Ah,” Fox nodded. “Ascension is good for the Atlanteans but bad for everyone else? So, you’re telling me that the Atlanteans are using Jaxx, Rivkah, Bogle, and me, for their own benefit. Sounds like the Kelhoon way, not the Atlantean way.”
Okbak slammed his fist against a crystal table. “Boovka najka lana.”
Fox bit his lip. “It hinders your slave trade…” He tuned into Okbak’s thoughts, to try to get the whole story. “And lifts the fear you have thrust upon all other races you control because now they have a way out. Interesting.”
Okbak tapped his temple. Several pyramids set back against a mountain range appeared in Fox’s mind. The sky was black and stars hid behind dark clouds.
A Kelhoon fleet consisting of large cruisers, a destroyer, and a battleship with dragon insignias and several starfighter squadrons in the lead, approached the mountains.
Throngs of Atlanteans and their human counterparts—Homo sapiens—along with several races Fox hadn’t encountered before, surrounded the pyramids. They held hands. Iron chains were fastened around their ankles and wrists. Some Beings were bloodied and battered, perhaps Kelhoon slaves.
A squadron of starfighters broke from the fleet and dove. Cannons glowed at the starfighter wing tips, then hot flashes of bolts zipped forth. Each bolt dug into the ground and moved toward the slaves.
A slave jerked away, then twitched back and forth as he fell, struck by several bolts, then another Being fell, then another.
A bright orb enveloped the slaves.
The starfighters pulled up. They flew over the slaves’ position and dropped round, amber charges.
Waaaaapooom! Waaaaapooom!
Small explosions littered the ground, sending rocks and dirt into the sky like a geyser.
And then the concussion blasts stopped. Silence filled the area. After a few moments, everything stilled, all but Fox’s mind. When the dust settled, the slaves were gone, vanished.
Okbak spoke into Fox’s mind. The slaves hadn’t been incinerated by the hot bombs, burned to ash. They had simply, unbelievably disappeared en masse, as one group, as one people.
Fox opened his eyes and crashed back into the seat’s backrest. His temples were red, hot, and perspiring, beading sweat down his cheeks. He attempted to rise but was too weak. “What did you show me?”
Okbak’s lips curled downward. “Jajakonj laskna honjana.”
“That’s ascension? That’s how these people you’ve enslaved break their shackles? How does an entire civilization, let alone several civilizations, up and disappear like that?”
“Jiijonka noij,” Okbak replied.
“You don’t know the mechanism. Understood. And you want me to help you stop the Atlanteans, I’m guessing.” He feigned a smile and rubbed his index finger and thumb together. “Okay, I get it. They leave and do this weird disappearing act and you lose deniro, mula, the mighty dollar, or in your terms, lots and lots of gold and emerald, don’t you, buddy?”
Okbak nodded.
“But I’m not going to inform Rivkah and Bogle that ascension is a negative thing. No can do. They won’t be convinced.” Fox couldn’t care less what happened to the Kelhoons if the Atlanteans ascended. Why should he? It didn’t hamper his life. As long as he had some steak and eggs once a week and was able to yell at new military recruits in whatever job he was given, then he was fine. In fact, he was better than fine, as long as they don’t betray him or his country. Though that didn’t do much for him in his current predicament. As a Kelhoon hostage, he had to find a way to fake that he gave a damn about their agenda.
Okbak glanced at one of his guards, then dipped his head toward Fox. The guard slapped his hands together and bowed at his leader.
Several steps toward Fox, the guard pulled a small, peach-colored device about the size of a pill out of a pouch around his waist.
Fox shoved his palms in front of the soldier’s face. But it was slow, his body tired and heavy. “Stay away. Whatever that is, I don’t want it.”
&nbs
p; The soldier shook the pill. Two silver prongs jutted out its backside. He released his grip and it hovered, moving in Fox’s direction.
Fox swatted, sorely missing. He attempted to jump off the chair and managed to move a few inches before his body gave into the weakness.
The prongs pricked into his skin, then broke through Fox’s temporal bone behind his ear. It sucked in and went flush against his skin, splattering blood down his neck and shoulder. Fox stiffened and his eyes widened, his breaths short and quick. He yelped and stiffened like a board.
He was no longer in control. They were.
Fox relaxed and eyed Okbak, saying nothing, doing nothing.
Okbak grinned. “Monjkaja nonjanka hominashjaka.”
Fox repeated his leader’s words. “I will respond to your commands.”
Okbak landed his palm on Fox’s shoulder. “Omganjaka nonjanka zanka Rivkah naj ascension.”
“I will convince Rivkah to help us and to stop the ascension process.”
Okbak took Fox’s forearm and lifted him into a standing position. He led Fox to the door. “Inkajnak dandanja ompakja.”
Fox bowed to his master. He pulled up the door’s locking mechanism. The door clanked. He pressed down on the handle and pushed open the door. The cold, outside world blew a cool breeze onto his skin. He turned and bowed. “I will follow you into the depths of darkness.”
Okbak, in his best English, replied. “I k-know you’ka will.”
36
North of Flood of Dawn, Callisto - J-Quadrant, Solar System
Another pound on the door and Rivkah backed away. “We have to get out of here.”
Bogle patted Rivkah’s back, doing her best to console her. “We have time. Fox is next door.”
“Out of all the rooms, you had to choose this one?”
“They won’t blow this one up, Riv. That’s why.”
Rivkah bent down, searching the floor for her flashlight. The door vibrated and screeched. “Are they breaking through?”
“It looks like they’re attempting to burn a hole in the door.”
The metallic door glowed red and began to warp.
“We have like ten minutes,” said Rivkah.
“Less than that.”
Rivkah touched a round, hard object. Her flashlight. She stood and turned it on, sweeping a beam of light across the ground until it landed on the door, a door that began to bulge. “I thought you had some type of energy lock on the door or something?”
“I do,” said Bogle.
Rivkah flashed the light on Bogle, then backed up, bringing her hand to her mouth, the gorge rising in her throat. She nearly vomited. “What the hell? Are they sociopaths?”
Atlantean women and children were in large glass tubes that lined the wall. They floated in a thick, clear liquid with hoses hooked into their mouths. The problem: they were disemboweled and their limbs were sliced off and left floating next to their bodies.
“They’re not even dead,” observed Rivkah, doing her best to keep the contents of her stomach in.
Bogle shook her head. “Humans and other sentient-beings are the Kelhoon’s food. We’re their food. We are nothing more than two-legged cattle to them. In essence, these Kelhoon warriors are farmers, gathering their crop to take back home and to their other worlds.”
“How do you know this?”
Bogle puffed out her lower lip. “I don’t know. I just do. There’s a lot I know that I didn’t know before. Things are changing within me and—”
The door cracked and Rivkah spun. It held but bulged, molten-hot.
Rivkah pointed her Kelhoon blaster—a weapon she’d picked up on the battlefield. She aimed it at the door. “One of them is going to be in for a nice surprise.”
Bogle placed her hand on the top of the blaster and pushed it down, lowering it to Rivkah’s side.
“What’re you doing?”
“Let them in, unharmed.” Bogle bent down on one knee, her head lowered, her hands touching the ground. “Do what I do.”
The door cracked more. A pale light slipped through, sending beams across the floor.
Rivkah lifted her gun. “I’m not liking your plan, so hell no.”
“They won’t harm us if we bow to them. It’s a way of surrender. They’ll look at us as obedient slaves, rather than food. Please do this, Rivkah.”
Rivkah bared her teeth, pointing her pistol at the door. “Not a chance.”
“This is how we can get into Fox’s room and align with him. That’ll give us a better chance at escaping. Don’t let a surrender blind you from the bigger win. We’ll get Fox and start heading toward our goal.”
“Our goal? What are you talking about?”
The door burst open and spun off its hinges. Red flames blazed from the door as the door slid across the floor. A handful of Kelhoons stood at the entrance, rifles at the ready, red laser sights dotting Rivkah’s chest.
“Bend down, Rivkah,” said Bogle.
“Never.”
“Do it for Jaxx.”
“What? How will this help him?”
“Joonka, movat!” growled a Kelhoon.
“That means get on your knees or you’ll die.”
The Kelhoon stepped in, their heavy boots clanking against the floor. “Joonka, movat!”
Rivkah slowly shook her head. She could take out a couple with her Chi and a few more with her stolen weapon. “Nope, lizard-brain. No. Can. Do.” Her hands heated up. “Just come a few steps closer so mama can end your miserable lives.”
The gun leapt from her hand and bounced against the floor. It slid and stopped at a Kelhoon’s feet. The soldier bent at the waist and picked up the gun, looked it over, and placed it in one of his empty holsters.
Rivkah crouched, getting into a defensive fighting position. “However that lizard breath took my gun, he ain’t gonna do it again.”
“They don’t know how to use Chi like we do, Rivkah. He didn’t disarm you. I did.”
Rivkah clinched her teeth. “You’re turning against us again?”
“I’m not.”
“Jooovka mooolkaka,” said a Kelhoon.
“He wants us to know we’re going to be good slaves,” said Bogle.
“You will. Not me. I’ll be dead by morning.”
Bogle trained her eyes to the floor. “When will you trust me?”
A Kelhoon marched toward Rivkah.
Rivkah brought up her energy just as a whip took her legs out from under her, sending her onto her back. A Kelhoon pulled her to her feet, held a device over her hands, and energy cuffs materialized around her wrists.
The Kelhoon grabbed Rivkah’s hands and dragged her toward the exit. “I’ll hopefully Chi your head off soon, Bogle.”
“Fine, but after we meet our ultimate goal, to close the pyramid network and stop the negative ET races from using the portals, then open the network properly and let good flow in all directions. If by then you still don’t trust me, I deserve to die.”
They pulled Bogle off the floor, materializing energy cuffs around her as well.
“Gookja!” came a powerful voice.
Rivkah’s eyes turned cold and hard. Fox and Okbak stood at the doorway.
“Fox, you greedy –”
Fox stared into Rivkah’s eyes. “I’m here to save you and Bogle.”
The energy restraints zipped off Rivkah and dematerialized.
Rivkah pulled her arms loose from the Kelhoon soldier’s leathery hands and stood, rubbing her wrists. “And I’m just supposed to follow you while you’re with that...thing?” She gave Okbak a horrified stare.
“It’s about Jaxx. I have something important to show both of you.”
“Gookja!” hissed Okbak.
A guard marched forward and unclipped a black, metal hilt. He held it up and away from himself. His arm twitched when an energy whip projected from the hilt, humming and shining a bright cyan electricity.
The guard reared back, then whipped it against the wall, slashing a dia
gonal line, singeing it black. Smoke rose from the imprint and electricity danced all around it, then faded into the wall. The soldier dropped the whip by his side, saliva dripping from of his mouth. He eyed Bogle.
“Goddammit, Bogle. You win. I’ll do as you ask…” Bogle was the other link, the third person they needed around Jaxx to shut the network. Rivkah wanted the bitch to die, but right now she had to keep Bogle safe. She took a heavy step toward Okbak. “I'll take whatever deal you have. As long as you keep miss beauty queen over there safe and by my side. Do you understand?”
Okbak laughed and wiped his mouth. His eyelids opening and closing in his socket like a lizard, his pupils enlarging then narrowing, he dipped his head and extended his hand. “Oojkana.”
“Okbak agrees,” translated Fox.
37
Gallatin, Tennessee - Earth
“This is going to be a stand-off. This is nuts.”
Humvees pulled up and parked parallel to the helicopter, making sure their driver’s side doors faced the chopper. They were no more than ten meters away. The gunners placed the .50 calibers in firing position, aiming them at the helicopter’s cabin door. Two or three Marines exited each Humvee, using the vehicles as shields.
Anderle had driven the Range Rover for several hours, finally ending here, Sumner County’s Regional Airport. Mya was awake and the Marines were here, setting up a perimeter around the helicopter that held Mya’s dad, all its doors internally locked by T-hacker’s remote.
“Here we go,” said T-hacker. He went to press the button to open the helicopter cabin door.
Anderle pushed T-hacker’s hand away. “Wait.”
“For what?” asked T-hacker.
“Just let them all sweat for a moment. Let them know who’s in control.”
Drew crossed his arms and leaned against the seat’s backrest. He rolled his eyes. “Don’t be an asshole, Anderle.”
Anderle snickered. “Long enough. Do it.”
Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller Page 64