Alien Storm (25 page)

Balthus looked round at the two lieutenants lying behind. Although the temperature had dropped almost five degrees in the previous fifteen minutes, they were impervious to the cold, ever watchful for the targets. The wolf-leader looked back at the setting sun and then across at the children growing ever closer.

The kill was almost at hand.

28

The door to the cell slid open and Robert staggered inside. Wei and Louise ran over to help him to one of the metal bunks. The cell in which they'd been placed was cramped and cold. The metal frame beds were fitted with decaying mattresses and sheets that looked as if they hadn't been washed in a long time. The only window was a narrow slit high in the wall. There was a stark difference to the rooms they had been given on their arrival at the Spire.

“Where's Nestor?” Louise asked as they eased Robert onto his mattress and pulled a sheet over him.

“Still playing Makarov's
games
.”

“Why is he doing this to us?” Wei asked, unable to disguise the tremor in his voice.

Robert shook his head. It was a struggle just to keep his eyes open. He couldn't remember a time when he had felt so exhausted.

“I thought it was obvious,” Octavio said from the other side of the room, pushing himself into a sitting position on his bunk. “He's trying to break us. Wear us down bit by bit until we can't take any more.”

“I'll never give in to him,” Louise said vehemently. “I'll never bow down to that alien thing.”

Octavio shrugged. “You say that now. But what about after another week of this? Or a month? Or a year? I get the impression Makarov has plenty of time on his hands.”

“Why go to all the trouble?” Wei asked. “If he wants to destroy us, he can obviously do that at any time.”

“Because he's testing us out,” Octavio said. “Seeing how far he has to push us before we'll break. You heard what he said: when those meteorites hit, there'll be more kids like us. The Entity gets the sleepers as its slaves, but Makarov wants to rule what's left. That means learning how to control us.”

“I'm glad we're helping with his plans for world domination,” Robert said bitterly.

Octavio swung his legs off the bed and leaned forward. “Maybe the best we can do right now is to submit and live to fight another day. At some time in the future there's bound to be a chance to escape or even turn the tables. All he wants us to do is swear some stupid oath of allegiance—”

Octavio stopped speaking as he saw the hard looks of the others.

“One day,” Louise said with contempt in her voice. “One day is all it takes to break you.”

Before he could respond, the door slid open and Ilya stepped into the room. In the corridor outside, two robowolves stood guard. The Russian boy pointed a finger at Octavio.

“You.”

Octavio groaned and pushed himself off his bed. “Not again. It's only been an hour since my last session.”

Ilya said nothing as he made way for Octavio to pass.

“Hey,” Robert called after him. The older boy paused in the doorway and looked back. “Try to be strong. We've been through worse than this.”

“Have we?” Octavio said and walked out of the cell. As the door slid shut behind him, he started along the corridor to the waiting lift. Ilya entered with him and the lift rose several floors, opening directly into the chamber filled with sleeper caskets. Ilya indicated the way and Octavio crossed the room to where the stairs led up to the meteorite chamber.

“I eavesdropped on your performance in the cell,” Makarov said, appearing at the top of the stairs as Octavio ascended. “You're not doing a very good job of winning them over to my cause.”

“They won't listen!” Octavio protested.

Makarov narrowed his eyes. “Then what use are you to me?”

Octavio looked down. “They're stubborn and they don't like me very much in the first place. Just give it another day or so and they'll come round.” He looked up at Makarov with desperation in his eyes. “I can persuade them, I promise! I have a very low pain threshold – I can't take your trials!”

Makarov's face softened and he placed a bony hand on the boy's shoulder. Again the man had become aged. “I always sensed you would be the first to surrender to me, Octavio,” he hissed. “The first to swear my oath of allegiance to the Entity. How frustrating it has been for you to live in the shadow of others. To never take the lead as you should. To take orders from fools like Sarah Williams. No more.”

Octavio's eyes widened. “Is she…?” He was unable to say the final word.

“Dead?” Makarov said for him. “Very much so. Or in the process of dying out on the snow. You're doing the right thing, Octavio. The others would push themselves to destruction over her stupid pride. You're saving them from themselves. By collaborating with the Entity we will save millions of lives. There is no way to fight it.”

“Robert will never join you.”

“You can't save everyone in the world.”

Octavio looked past Makarov to the chamber beyond. In the central light beam the meteorite fragment spun languidly on its axis.

“Is that it?” he asked.

Makarov glanced round. “That is the Master. Or his physical manifestation on earth, anyway. The Entity has a million forms on a billion planets.”

“Can I see closer?” Octavio asked, moving towards the chamber entrance. Makarov stopped him with a finger in his chest.

“All in good time. First, persuade the others to kneel before me. Then you will be allowed into the presence of the Master.” Makarov led the boy down the steps to a table that had been set out with food. “You must be hungry. Eat.”

Octavio rushed forwards and grabbed a fork. Makarov smiled as he watched the boy devour the offerings.

“There. See how much nicer it is when you cooperate?”

29

Sarah slipped on the ice and went down heavily on one knee with a cry of pain. Alex grabbed her arm and helped her up.

“Are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” she said breathlessly. “Don't slow down. It's getting very dark.”

They half-walked, half-ran on towards the lip of the crater as the ground began to slope upwards. The disturbing thing was that the three wolves tracking them had closed in slowly over the previous half-hour, guiding them directly towards the indentation in the ice.

I'm no expert
, Alex thought to Sarah,
but this is beginning to look a lot like an ambush
.

Just stick to the plan
, she sent back.
The moment we go over the edge, we fade out and try to lose whatever's waiting for us in there
.

Alex nodded and took a final look round. The three wolves that had been their distant companions during their walk across the plain now seemed dangerously close – each less than a hundred metres away – but none of them seemed in any hurry to attack. Balthus was not among them. Clearly the leader of the wolf pack was waiting for them up ahead.

As they began to cross the final few metres towards the edge of the crater, Sarah reached out and took Alex's gloved hand in hers.

It's time
, she said.
Start fading out
.

Alex nodded and began to concentrate. He didn't know how easy it would be to focus on both maintaining their invisibility and fleeing from a pack of rabid robowolves, but he was going to give it his best shot. Within a few seconds both he and Sarah were insubstantial in the growing twilight. Behind them there was the sound of metal claws on the ice as one of the wolves bolted forwards abruptly.

Run for it!
Sarah cried out in her mind.
Don't stop!

They both sprinted over the crater edge, somehow managing to keep their footing as they flew over the top and started down the slope on the other side. The crater itself was massive, at least half a kilometre in diameter. It curved down to a dark spot in the centre – a hole in the ice that the red-hot centre of the meteorite had created six months before, punching all the way through to a hidden lake beneath.

Behind Alex and Sarah, the metal paws of the robowolves pounded the snow as they thundered after them.

Look out!
Alex warned as they ran. On the side of the crater, three figures stood motionless, waiting – Balthus and two more robowolves. Sarah and Alex skidded to a halt on the treacherously sloping ice.

Now what?
Alex asked, aware that the three robots behind them were growing ever closer.

They can't see us, remember?
Sarah replied.
Just take it slow. We can sneak past if we're silent
.

They moved across the crater in a wide arc, avoiding a path that would bring them close to Balthus. The three wolves from the plain had stopped in their tracks, looking around as if confused as to where their prey had disappeared.

It's working!
Sarah thought excitedly.
We can do this!

Alex gripped her hand tighter as the head of one of the wolves swung in their direction. Its slitted eyes slowly changed colour, from red to purple. For some reason Alex instantly thought of the dye pack the cops had used on him in the bank. That seemed like a very long time ago now. His stomach sank as the wolf began to advance. Its two companions had turned also and their eyes were flashing purple in the gathering darkness as well.

I have a bad feeling about this
, Alex said as he and Sarah backed away.
I think they can see us
.

The nearest robowolf pounced without warning. Alex and Sarah threw themselves in different directions. Sarah became instantly visible as the wolf flew between them. The other two rounded on her, moving in for the kill.

Alex, just get out of here!
she thought as she backed away.

He had no intention of running, however, reaching inside his pack and removing the gas axe Yuri had given him. Becoming visible, he struck the ignition and leaped forward, waving the flame in the face of their nearest attacker. The robowolf's head snapped back, purple eyes turning red as it let out an electronic screech like a yelp of pain. Losing its footing on the slope, it hurtled down towards the bottom of the crater. Alex turned the gas control on his weapon, transforming the flame to an intense beam that glowed brilliantly against the gathering darkness.

Stay back, Sarah!
he warned as he flashed the beam in the eyes of a second leaping wolf. The robot staggered back, shaking its head as its visual sensors were overloaded.

Sure
, she replied, removing a hammer from her pack and bringing it down on the back leg of the third robowolf as it retreated. The wolf slid on the ice as its back leg buckled under the blow.

Sarah and Alex stood side by side as the three battered robowolves regrouped.

How could they see us?
Sarah demanded.

I don't know
, Alex replied.
Some kind of thermal imaging, I bet. Here come the others!

Balthus and the other two wolves raced across the crater. They leaped across the dark hole in the ice at the centre, which Sarah now saw was several metres across. The three wolves from the plain waited until the entire pack was assembled. Balthus moved to the front as the others fanned out behind, ready to stop any move Sarah and Alex might try to make in either direction. Clearly the initial attack was just a preliminary to soften them up – now came the real fight.

This is it
, Alex told Sarah, gripping the gas axe and holding the flame out before him.
It was nice knowing you
.

Sarah weighed the hammer in her hand and smiled grimly.
You don't like these odds?

Not one bit
, Alex replied as Balthus grew ever closer. The robot was taking its time over finishing them off and Alex wondered just how much wolf there was in its computer brain. It certainly seemed to take pleasure in the hunt.

As Balthus tensed to pounce, a howl split the air, the noise enhanced by the rough parabola of the crater. For a moment everyone, human and robot alike, froze and looked round as a large, dark shape flew towards them out of the twilight. Then the robowolf farthest to the left flew across the ice as it was struck by a huge figure barrelling out of the darkness.

Laika!

The oversized robodog, made from the scrap pieces of the wolves, swung its foreleg and tore the head off the next robowolf in line. The robot clattered to the ice, sparks cascading from its neck. Sarah and Alex exchanged a look and grinned.

“Let's get them!” Alex cried out loud, feeling a surge of adrenaline as he ran down the slope towards the robowolf on the far right. Angling the gas axe, he turned the flame on its eyes. Blinded, the robot backed away, unable to evade a blow from Sarah's hammer. The clawed end of the tool smashed down on its head, exposing components and the robowolf collapsed – never to rise again.

“That's two down,” Sarah said breathlessly as they turned to look back at Laika.

The four remaining members of the wolf pack were circling the big robot dangerously, although Balthus hung back, waiting to see how the fight went. Sarah gave Alex a nod and they ran into the fray as Laika lashed out against her closest assailant.

With a mighty cry, Yuri ran out of the gloom wielding a motor-powered metal cutter with a circular blade on the end. Swiping it across the back legs of one of the robowolves, he brought it down and set about chopping up the machine into several pieces, sending up a great wall of sparks that illuminated the night. Alex, for his part, was becoming proficient with the gas axe, first blinding then using the white hot flame to bore through the metal skin of another robowolf. As the robot staggered, he aimed the gas flame directly between its eyes. The robowolf sank to the ground as its brain was fried.

Further down the crater, Laika was still bravely fighting off Balthus and the last wolf. Balthus leaped upon her back, metal talons digging into her side, as the other wolf swiped at her head. For a moment it looked as if the battle was lost, but Sarah took advantage of the moment to run in and bring the hammer down on the other wolf's back. The robot spun round, claws raised, but Laika grabbed its back legs and swung it over her shoulder – dislodging Balthus in the process. Balthus rolled away, unharmed, but the other robowolf smashed against hard ice in a twisted mass of legs and spilled components. As it struggled to rise, Laika and Sarah jumped in, pulverizing what was left with paws and hammer respectively. In seconds it was nothing more than a pile of trash in the snow.