The Blue-Haired Bombshell (37 page)

‘‘Already on it. Just keep them busy.’’

Now that was something I could do. Sputnik’s cart was already leaning. It just a needed a little push to tilt it over, spilling his apples all over.

I pointed at Lea, saying strongly, but not overly accusingly, ‘‘So you’re the one who killed the council members.’’ I wanted her guilty, not defensive.

She bent her head down, not looking at me, keeping focused on her father. ‘‘Yes,’’ she said solemnly. ‘‘Once we had the pass codes to take their cameras offline, I turned my body into energy, entered the room, and killed them all.’’

This was where things got dicey. I wanted to shove her over the edge but toward Sputnik. Turning an angry young girl against her dad wasn’t going to be all that hard. The trick was getting her to concentrate her anger only on dad.

‘‘He probably told you ‘Kill a few people for the good of many,’ ’’ I said, looking at Sputnik the entire time.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Lea nod weakly. She was on the hook, now to reel her in.

‘‘He told you that by killing three people you would not only free your own people but also save the lives of billions on Earth.’’

Lea nodded again, this time with a bit more conviction.

‘‘He had you convinced that by killing those people Earth would change its mind and we wouldn’t be where we are right now,’’ I stated.

Lea hung her head. ‘‘Yes,’’ she said meekly.

Waving my finger at her I said, ‘‘Now, look where you are . . . about to kill billions, including your own people.’’

Sputnik turned to Lea. ‘‘I didn’t plan it like this, but truly it’s better this way. This way, only the extreme, best genes survive. The new race we start will be incredible!’’

‘‘You’re powerful Lea, but you’re not a god,’’ I said.

‘‘But you should be! You should be!’’ Sputnik told her.

‘‘That’s why I killed Uncle Mo,’’ Lea said, ‘‘He wanted Elena and me to be gods.’’

‘‘You killed my brother!’’ Sputnik shouted.

‘‘I mentally commanded him to crash his shuttle. He had discovered a way of unlocking that part of the mind that Elena and I keep locked up, our subconscious safe-ties. Once I picked that from his mind, I learned how to convert my body into energy,’’ she paused and lowered her eyes. ‘‘I learned so much more. My and Elena’s minds are so powerful. I can see the strings of the molecular structure that bind you all together. I could rearrange you all into turnips if I pleased.’’

‘‘Incredible,’’ somebody said. It may have been me.

‘‘Yes,’’ Lea continued. ‘‘Power like this cannot be trusted with Elena. That’s why I killed Mo, so he could not share it with others.’’ Lea lowered her eyes, ‘‘I’m not even totally sure if even I have the mental resolve to handle this kind of power, but it’s a burden I must live with.’’

‘‘Why didn’t you just wipe Mo’s mind?’’ Melda asked, being more of a scientist than a mom.

Lea shook her head. ‘‘I couldn’t take any chances. If power like mine ever fell into the wrong hands, which are any other hands than mine, it could be really bad.’’

‘‘You mean like destroying the Earth and the Moon?’’ I asked.

Lea dipped her head even lower, her entire body slumping over, quivering.

As Lea was pouring out her heart, HARV was electronicallytrying to take control of the deflector beam. Interestingly or scarily enough, Melda wasn’t trying to stop us.

‘‘Zach, I’ve got control of the second beam. The asteroid is now safely going to miss Earth, again,’’
HARV told me.

Now it was time to shut down Sputnik for good.

Lea had been stewing in her own juices for a while now. Another nudge and she was going to blow. I needed to make sure the fallout didn’t take us all out.

‘‘It’s not too late, Lea. You can stop this,’’ I told her.

Lea looked at me for the first time. ‘‘But I killed so many people. My father told me by doing that it would never come to this . . .’’

‘‘He lied, Lea. He lied. This is what he wanted all along. He never wanted to live in peace with Earth. He just wanted to carry on his bloodline to make the perfect race,’’ I said.

Lea stood there in silence. She knew what I said was true; most of her believed me. A small part still clung to the hope that maybe following her father wasn’t wrong.

‘‘Look how easily he was willing to toss the Moon aside,’’ I said.

‘‘Yes, he’s evil, like my uncle was,’’ she sighed. ‘‘But so am I. I have killed.’’ She shook her head. You could feel her sadness. ‘‘I was so wrong . . . No human can handle this kind of power.’’

‘‘Yes, but if you act now, you will save billions. That’s got to tilt the karma somewhat in your favor.’’

Lea nodded. ‘‘Yes, father was wrong. I can’t let billions die.’’

Sputnik thrust a finger at her. ‘‘This isn’t totally on my head! I never told you to kill my brother.’’

Lea dipped her head lower. ‘‘He was wrong, like you.’’

Sputnik pounded his chest. ‘‘Wrong? I can’t be wrong! I’m a political administrator! I’m not wrong just because some people don’t agree with my choices.’’ He stopped and smiled. ‘‘Actually, by destroying everything but my bloodline this plan is turning out even better than I anticipated.’’ The smile stretched across his face. ‘‘Actually, I’m betting this was what I had originally planned.’’ A slight pause. ‘‘Yes, yes, that’s it.’’

Okay, Sputnik had tied lead weights around his ankles, ate a big meal, and then dove into the deep end.

‘‘Shut this whole operation down now. I’ll tell Earth all is well. They’ll call off their missiles. It’s all good,’’ I said, skipping over the part where Lea and Bo would have to spend the rest of their lives in prison.

‘‘No!’’ Sputnik shouted.

‘‘I was talking to Lea, not you,’’ I told him.

‘‘I will not be ignored!’’ Sputnik shouted.

Sputnik bounded across the room, landing on top of me and driving me to the floor. It hurt, but not nearly as much as Sputnik thought it would. In his rage, Sputnik forgot he wasn’t the only one in the room wearing souped-up bio armor. He was on top, but hardly had the advantage. His weight was already leaning forward as he was trying to force me to stay pinned on the ground.

I kicked up with my legs, using his momentum to spring him forward. I grabbed his right arm and pulled forward, sending him tumbling off me.

Rolling on top of him, I hit him with a left to the chin, followed by a right. I felt his teeth clank together both times. It felt better than it should have. I had him ripe for finishing off. Then I delayed for a nano. I don’t know what it is about me that I get such enjoyment out of pummeling politicians and administrators.

That little hesitation hurt me—literally. Sputnik’s top half sprung up like an old jack-in-the-box. Extending both his fists, he drove them into my solar plexus. The push sent me hurling across the room. I was winded, but thanks to my armor, I was far from out.

I saw Sputnik push himself to his feet and clamber over to me. He bent over and wrapped his arms around me.

‘‘Gee, I didn’t know you were sweet on me,’’ I told him.

He squeezed and arched his back backward, lifting me up in a bear hug.

‘‘Nothing like a good Russian bear hug to squeeze the life out of an opponent,’’ he said.

I gave him an A for effort. He was really hurting me. True, his body armor was enhancing his strength, but mine was propping up my endurance. So we were even. I always like to give a man his due.

The thing was, I saw this move coming probably before he was sure it was the move he was going to use. As he grabbed me I was able to keep my arms free and mobile. That meant while he had the advantage, it was only a slight one. Taking my index fingers I rammed them into the two pressure points right below his nose.

Sputnik relinquished his grip on me, grabbing his face as I dropped to the ground. Doesn’t matter how big or strong a man is, if you hit these points right it will force him to let go. There are times it really pays to have a girlfriend who is an expert martial artist. (Not to mention being so experienced in having people try to kill me.)

Not wanting to give Sputnik any time to recover, I lunged forward, head butting him dead-on in the forehead.

He crashed backward to the ground.

Just for good measure I kicked him in the groin. Yes, it was a low blow, but the guy was willing to kill billions. He deserved it.

I reached down to my ankle holster to pull out my old-fashioned gun. To my surprise, Sputnik beat me to the punch. He had GUS pointed at me.

I dove to the ground just as he fired. The shot whizzed past me. I rolled for cover then sprang to my feet.

‘‘HARV, how can he use GUS against me?’’ I asked.

‘‘Melda must have reprogrammed him,’’ HARV said meekly. ‘‘It’s not really all that surprising. I am sure Randy gave her access to almost everything.’’ HARV paused for a minute. ‘‘I am receiving a message from GUS. He says he is so sorry for firing at you but he can’t help himself.’’

‘‘Tell him I’m not so sorry for shooting back,’’ I said.

I pulled the trigger. My shot hit GUS dead on. It didn’t really damage him but the force of the shot blew GUS out of Sputnik’s hand.

I pointed my gun between Sputnik’s eyes. ‘‘The next shot is for keeps,’’ I told him.

Sputnik snarled at me, holding his stinging right hand with his left. Limping over to the control panel he raised his arm. ‘‘This isn’t over yet.’’

‘‘I think it is,’’ I said, pulling the trigger. I didn’t really want to kill him, but I couldn’t let him doom fifteen billion people.

The bullet streaked out from gun toward Sputnik’s brain. It drew closer than closer then came to an abrupt halt, less than half a micrometer from making contact. The bullet fell to the floor.

‘‘DOS! Not again,’’ I shouted.

‘‘Zach, I could not let you kill my father,’’ Lea said.

Sputnik turned to Lea and Melda. ‘‘Thank you, my loved ones.’’ He bent down and picked up GUS with his left hand. He pointed GUS at me. ‘‘You should have killed me when you had your first shot.’’

I shook my head. ‘‘Not my style. Unless there is no other way.’’

Sputnik snickered. ‘‘Too bad. A
true
leader does what he wants when he wants.’’

‘‘Only a deranged one,’’ I said.

‘‘Oh, great, taunt the crazy man with the deadly weapon pointed right at you,’’ HARV said. ‘‘It amazes me you weren’t killed years ago.’’

Sputnik squeezed GUS’ trigger. Nothing happened.

‘‘GUS, I knew you couldn’t kill me!’’ I said.

‘‘Sorry, Mr. Zach, sir,’’ GUS said. ‘‘I would have killed you but something is blocking me.’’

‘‘What?’’ Sputnik and I both said at the same time.

‘‘It was me,’’ Lea said, walking toward her father. ‘‘I certainly cannot let you harm Zach.’’

‘‘Daughter, how could you?’’ Sputnik asked.

She lowered her eyes as she approached. ‘‘We were so wrong, Father, especially you.’’

Sputnik shook his head. ‘‘I am never wrong, only occasionally less right.’’

‘‘I cannot let you harm the Earth or the Moon,’’ Lea said determinedly. She was a person who had made up her mind.

Sputnik held open his arms. ‘‘But I only want what’s best for everybody.’’

Lea hugged him. ‘‘No, you only want what’s best for you.’’

Sputnik nodded. ‘‘Yes, everybody whose opinion matters.’’

Lea started to glow with energy. ‘‘Get out!’’ she ordered.

‘‘I can’t,’’ Sputnik said. ‘‘You are holding me too tight.’’

‘‘I was talking to everybody else,’’ Lea said. ‘‘Get out,’’ she ordered, both aloud and mentally. ‘‘Take the others with you. I have no intention of hurting anybody else, ever.’’

‘‘Ah, what about me?’’ Sputnik asked.

Lea shook her head. ‘‘You don’t count. As long as either of us breathe, Earth and the Moon won’t be safe.’’ She looked at him unflinchingly. ‘‘I will not have that.’’

‘‘But I am your father and your leader!’’ he shouted.

‘‘I didn’t choose you or vote for you,’’ she said.

Melda telekinetically lifted some of her other children from the ground. She started heading for the door. ‘‘Gather the others,’’ she said, ‘‘and run!’’

Carol and Elena were starting to come around. I bent down and shook each of them gently. ‘‘Come on ladies, rise and shine, quickly.’’

‘‘What hit me?’’ Carol asked. She then noticed the glowing Lea. ‘‘Oh, that’s not good.’’

Elena pushed herself up from the ground. ‘‘Depends on how you look at it.’’ Elena stared at her cousin and her uncle for a nano or two. She smiled, then softly said, ‘‘Wow.’’

‘‘Grab as many apes and people as you can with your minds and let’s get out of here before she blows.’’ I said. ‘‘Literally.’’

Elena and Carol picked up those Melda couldn’t carry in a telekinetic net.

‘‘Come on, let’s go,’’ I shouted, pointing to the door.

‘‘We know where the door is, Tió,’’ Carol scolded.

Carol, Elena, Melda, and I moved out of the building as fast as we could with the others in tow.

‘‘How far away do we have to be to be safe?’’ I asked Melda as we excited the building.

She shook her head. ‘‘Too far.’’

Melda stopped running and threw open her arms. ‘‘I’ll create a force field.’’

Before I was able to say anything the Tracking and Blocking Station was engulfed by a burst of explosive energy. The force of the blow knocked us all to the ground. I looked up. Where the staion once stood was now a towering mushroom cloud.

‘‘Wow,’’ was all I could say.

I looked around at everybody. They were all stunned, but not in pieces. I took that as a good sign. ‘‘Are you all okay?’’

Carol and Elena both nodded yes. ‘‘Better than ever,’’ Elena said.

Priscilla jumped to her feet. ‘‘Takes more than a little subatomic blast to stop a good gorilla,’’ she said with a smile.

I stood up and moved to Melda who was lying on the ground in front of us. I touched her lightly on the shoulder. ‘‘Are you okay?’’ I asked.