Different (33 page)

"Let's go,” he gave the order and led the men cautiously forward. There wasn't any rush and he wasn't about to take any chances with the freaks. Dark shapes moved along either side of him. The men were tense and had their unfamiliar ceramic pistols held at the ready. In this state they were dangerous and were liable to shoot anything that moved. The car was cloaked in the mist as they approached it and Russell, who was still expecting the freaks to put up some kind of fight, stopped ten feet away from it and nodded.

"Take a look but be careful,” he said.

A sergeant crept towards the car keeping low and slowly, very slowly raised himself up and peered inside through a side window. “It's empty,” he said in surprise.

Cursing Russell hurried forward and then stopped as he saw the sergeant shrug and reach towards the driver's door. “No!” His warning came too late and the soldier pulled open the car door.

Adam parked in a clearing by the edge of the lake and checked his watch. “It's two a.m. They'll be coming for us soon, so we have a couple of hours at the most.” He pulled the hood release lever and climbed out of the car. Scott and the others followed him around to the front as Adam removed the tool kit.

"Right, we can't out run them in this. Scott, you and Jay remove the rear light fittings and Rebecca and I will take the head-lamps, this is what we're going to do..."

It took about twenty minutes and Adam surveyed their handiwork and grinned. “Not bad, now let's see if it works.” He flicked on the light switch and they could see glimmers of light coming from the bulbs that now sat on the front and rear seats of the car wrapped in some old clothes that Scott kept in the boot.

"These should fool their image intensifiers.” Adam said. “Now, let's give them a little surprise!” He worked quickly and when he'd finished, Rebecca laughed.

"That'll surprise them all right."

Adam led them into the trees carrying the thermal blanket rolled up under his arm and was pleased when after about ten minutes Jay took the lead, her night vision seemed to be as good as his own. They trekked uphill through the trees, and although it was hard on Scott and Rebecca, they never complained. Their faces were set grim and determined.

Adam called a halt. “Right take a break, it's all downhill from here and we're about three or four miles from the car."

"But they'll be coming after us, shouldn't we keep moving?” Scott asked.

"I'll be getting us some more transport and Jay, will be taking you down towards the road, I'll pick you up down there.” Adam passed the thermal blanket to Jay.

"We won't need that.” Scott said, “It's not even cold."

"No, but we can use it as a shield against overhead the thermal image surveillance equipment.” Jay said. “We can use it as a canopy and sit underneath it."

"I'm going with you Adam!” Scott said.

Adam looked at the set of Scott's jaw and knew it would be pointless and waste precious time to attempt to talk him out of it. “Good, I could use a little help.” he said. “Jay, look after Rebecca, we'll pick you up on the road down there."

They stared at each other for a few seconds and then embraced patting each other on the back before breaking apart. With a final glance in their direction, Jay turned and led Rebecca down through the trees in the direction of the road.

Adam looked at his watch it was 3:30 a.m., they would have to move fast. “They're setting up a HQ over there,” he said, and pointed slightly to their right. “I can hear their trucks."

"What's the plan, ambush and take one of the trucks?” Scott asked.

"No, I thought we'd disable all the trucks and their HQ and steal the helicopter that's coming in from over there!”

"I can't hear ... O yes I think I can now, but Adam we can't take on the entire army!"

"We won't have to ... all the troops will be heading towards your car. There will only be a dozen men at the HQ."

"Only a dozen, oh well that's all right then. I only hope you know what you're doing."

Adam winked before turning and heading into the trees, trying not to leave Scott behind, they were running out of time.

It took them twenty-five minutes to reach the clearing where the large canvas military HQ had been set up and they could see a faint glow from the light's inside it that were powered by a portable generator that gave a barely audible hum.

Someone strode towards the tent and Adam recognised Russell the man who'd killed Eve and Ben, he growled low in his throat.

"Wait here!” He said and loped silently over and pressed his ear to the canvas wall and listened to the killer outlining his plan of attack. He had to fight the overwhelming rage that had erupted inside him, the urge to burst into the tent and rip out Russell's throat. There would be a day of reckoning, Adam knew that, but not now, he had to look after the others. Russell left the tent and with a final look at his enemy's back, Adam rejoined Scott.

"Come with me!” he whispered and led Scott in the direction from which Russell had come and smiled as he saw the helicopter. “We move when they attack the car,” he said. “Make for the helicopter."

"Can you fly it?” Scott asked.

"I've never tried,” Adam grinned. “But there's always a first time."

Scott groaned.

At precisely 4:10 a.m. they heard the first explosions and saw the flashes of light but Adam had already reached the helicopter and wrenched open it's door. He'd started the engine and strapped himself in by the time Scott climbed in the other side.

"Hold on” he warned and opened the throttle wider lifting the machine off the ground, for a few seconds he thought he was going to lose control but then he regained it and the helicopter rose up twenty feet. Scott grinned at him and gave him the thumbs up.

Adam tapped his helmet, Scott nodded and put on the spare and Adam passed him the oxygenating gun. “Don't press the trigger in here Scott!” Adam warned. “Otherwise this thing will dissolve in mid-air!"

Scott looked at the drill and then back at Adam. “Are you serious?"

"Open your window and don't bother taking aim just sweep it in an arc over that lot down there!"

Shrugging, Scott slid open his window and did as he'd been told. Adam swung the helicopter so that it encircled the HQ compound for three circuits. He saw the radio masts crumple and the trucks collapsing. Satisfied, he broke off the attack. “Okay, let's get out of here,” he said.

Scott slid his window shut and looked at Adam in awe, “I don't believe we just did that!” he said. “What is this thing?” he asked looking at the drill and shaking his head in amazement.

"I'll tell you about it later, right now I want to pick up Jay and Rebecca. We need to find a safe place to hide."

Fifteen minutes later, they were flying low over the mountains than sweeping down to skim the trees, Adam wasn't about to get picked up by radar. Rebecca was talking urgently to the British Prime Minister using the radio phone and when she hung up she frowned. “Adam what happened at the Mallard Ranch? According to the Prime Minister there have been reports of aliens disintegrating metal?"

Scott laughed, “That was Adam all right, and this gun of his is amazing ... you'll never believe what it can do."

"Is he going to help us?” Jay asked, quietly.

"He's contacting Ms Slojhenski the President and advised us to head for the British Embassy."

"That's too risky; they'll be watching the embassies.” Adam said, “No for the time being, we'll hide out somewhere in the Mountains and decide what we're going to do."

"The acting President of the United States of America, Henry Matheson led the tributes to his predecessor, Slojhenski, who was killed in an aircraft accident last night. Eyewitnesses said the jet carrying the former President exploded on take off. Acting President Matheson is due to make a statement of National importance within the next few minutes. There has been speculation that the doomed aircraft was destroyed by the same kind of death ray that is claimed to have destroyed military equipment in Montana. Although at the time, this was dismissed as pure fantasy by the military.

We're switching now to the Whitehouse, where Henry Matheson is about to address the Nation."

Rebecca turned up the volume on the radio and looked at him and the others. “They killed him!” she said.

"My fellow American's, I have to inform you that our Nation has been dealt a severe blow with the murder of President Slojhenski I use the word murder carefully because that is what it was. Just a few weeks ago, we discovered that a previously unknown group of terrorists, trained in Great Britain, had entered the United States posing as tourists. Upon arrival, we now know that they teamed up with another cell based in New Hudson, these members too were of British origin.

This group is armed and extremely dangerous. They have been responsible for at least five deaths including the President's. However, three of our finest FBI agents gave their lives, but succeeded in destroying one of the terrorists. Other agents are searching for the four surviving gang members at this time. This group is operating under the direct orders of the British Government and controlled by the Prime Minister himself!

We have broken off diplomatic relations with Great Britain and demanded the immediate arrest of the British Prime Minister, Roger Thompson, for terrorist activities. Unless he is brought to the United States to stand trial within seven days, we will have no alternative but to consider ourselves to be at war with Great Britain."

"He's mad!” Rebecca said. “He's stark raving mad!"

Adam knew she was right. It was obvious that the President would allow no one to stand in his way. Matheson wanted the weapon and was obsessed with obtaining it. There was only one thing to do.

Roger Thompson feeling pale and shaken after Matherson's broadcast walked into the Cabinet Office, and was acutely aware that everyone in the room was staring at him. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he looked around the room before speaking. “In order to avoid a National Panic caused by Vice-President Matherson's speech I have just returned from a meeting with Her Majesty the Queen and offered her my resignation. She has accepted it.

It is my intention therefore; to fly to America immediately and face these wild accusations and prove my innocence. I have already informed President Matheson of my intentions and he has rescinded his declaration of war. I will be making a broadcast to the Nation in five minutes time. I'd like to thank all of you who've offered me your support, but I have to leave now."

"Prime Minister!” Roger turned and saw the concerned look on the leader of the opposition's face.

"Leonard?"

"Everyone in this room knows that the allegations against you are a blatant fabrication, and while you were at the Palace we had a meeting of our own. It has been decided that we will not accept your resignation and have informed Her Majesty of our decision. However, publicly we will pretend that we have accepted it and allow your deputy to take over. Teams of engineers are already on their way to the Devil's Footprint. They will drain the quicksand, section by section seeking evidence of Matherson's involvement in the experimentation programme. We have also arranged for you to fly to America in an escorted Air Force jet.” He stood and walked to Roger and held out his hand, Roger, deeply moved, shook it warmly and the room erupted in cheers.

The sergeant was already reaching for the door handle on the driver's door when Russell saw the thin wire. “No!” he cried and flung himself down onto the ground. Other soldiers also threw themselves down and covered their ears against the blast of the explosion. But it never came and when Russell looked up he saw the sergeant grinning in relief at the little white flag made out of a handkerchief that had been rigged to spring up when the car door was opened. The word “BANG!” had been written on it with a black marker.

Feeling foolish, Russell climbed to his feet and then whirled to face the direction of the HQ from where the clatter of rotor blades came. As the noise from the chopper faded into the distance, he knew then he'd been out-manoeuvred by the freak. They'd lured him and his men away from the only transport capable of carrying them to freedom. But he'd find them, no matter where or how long it took. He would find them.

It took three hours to rig up a new radio transmitter; mobile telephones were useless up in the mountains. Russell's mobile HQ had been almost obliterated by the new weapon. Another seventeen vehicles had been destroyed along with weapons, ammunition, and communication equipment. The entire ferrous metal content at the base had been reduced to dust.

The summons back to Washington came as he was heading East back along the Highway towards New Hudson and he listened to reports of Henry's broadcast declaring war on Britain in shocked disbelief. He'd flipped. Henry had lost it! Even though the Declaration of war had been nullified and Roger Thompson had arrived in Washington, how did Henry hope to stop things from blowing apart? The President's plane crash, was Henry behind that too? If so then who had he used? Had Henry finally decided to get rid of him too? Was he walking into a trap?

Leaning forward he spoke to the driver. “Drop me at the airport; I'll take a plane to Washington from there.” He'd take a plane all right but it wouldn't be to Washington.

He was in the airport bar drinking a beer when he became aware of a murmur running through the bar and everyone staring at the TV screen. His beer remained half an inch from his lips as Russell froze staring in shock at Adam, who's face filled the TV screen.

"My name is Adam.” The freak said, his eyes seeming to bore into Russell's own. “I am the next generation. Not an alien, just a man altered through illegal genetic experimentation performed on me from the moment I was born. The project was funded by Matheson Chemicals, and Henry Matheson your Vice-President was the instigator of these experiments..."

"That's enough of that bull shit!” the barman said and used the remote to switch to another channel.