The Battle for Earth (Teen Superheroes Book 3) (18 page)

“I was afraid this would happen,” he said. “Your powers have been in a constant state of flux since you were modified. Now I think you’ve exerted yourself so much that you’ve…well…”

“What?”

“You’ve fried your circuits. You’re in danger of giving yourself a stroke, a brain haemorrhage or worse if you continue to use your powers.”

I felt the color drain from my face. “That’s…that’s not possible.”

“Not only it is possible, but it’s likely.” He shook his head. “You’re a time bomb waiting to happen.”

There was a knock at the door.

“Does that doctor-patient confidentiality agreement –”

“Apply? Of course.”

“Then please keep this to yourself.”

The door opened and Brodie burst in.

“Axel!”

We had our second reunion in as many hours. She climbed onto the hospital bed and held me close as I contemplated what the doctor had told me. A stoke…brain haemorrhage…was there any good news? I asked her again about the events of the last few days. After she filled me in, she took my hand and looked into my eyes.

“You shouldn’t have done it,” she said.

“What? Tried to save you?”

“But the Russian Premier –”

“I couldn’t shoot him,” I said. “I couldn’t use the Stonekiller on him. I wanted to, but it just wasn’t in me.”

“Good.”

“But I would have done just about anything to save you,” I said. “You’re the girl I love.”

She kissed me again. That made everything worthwhile. Almost.

Tears filled Brodie’s eyes. “We’re on the move again.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you know –” She stopped herself. “Of course you don’t. We’re on board an American Military Craft called the Helix. It’s like a Flex, but about a thousand times larger. We’re on our way to Scotland.”

“What?”

“Ferdy was able to hack into the Tagaar communications system for a short time,” she said. “Before he was cut off, he heard a conversation regarding a woman by the name of Morgan Le Fay.” She went on to explain about the woman’s plan to use a worldwide EMP. “The Tagaar have thrown up a shield around Cargall Island. British forces have tried to break through, but they’ve failed. They want us to help.” She gripped my hand. “That includes you.”

“Us? Me?” I rolled my eyes. “I get to risk my life all over again before going to jail?”

Brodie looked miserable. “Jail is still on the cards, but this is so serious they’re willing to release you. Temporarily.”

“Great.”

She gripped my arm. “You don’t owe them anything.”

“I know.”

“You could break out of here. You could leave and never come back.”

“And what about you?”

Brodie looked down. “The others need me. This is big. If Morgan Le Fay isn’t stopped…it could mean the end of everything.”

The end of everything. On the other hand, if I did help, it might mean the end of me. Still, we were a team. I wouldn’t let them face something like this without me. I let out a long sigh, released Brodie and climbed out of the bed. As I struggled my shoes onto my feet, Doctor Williams re-entered the surgery. He looked at me with astonishment.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded. “Get back into bed.”

“No can do,” I said. “Duty calls.”

“But –”

“I’ll take it easy.” I didn’t want him spilling the beans about my health. “I promise.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

My mind whirled with conflicting thoughts as I escaped the sick bay with Brodie and we made our way through the Helix. My place wasn’t in a hospital bed. I needed to be with my friends if they were going into action. My head felt better and I wasn’t about to exert myself – if I could help it.

The Helix was an amazing vessel. The size of a battleship, it was shaped like an enormous square bug with supporting legs protruding from each corner. It seemed equally capable of both horizontal and vertical flight. I felt a sea of eyes turn to me as we entered the bridge.

It looked like General Clarke had just started giving a briefing to the rest of the team. Chad was there, but didn’t look happy. Dan and Ebony looked slightly rebellious. Ferdy –

Well, he looked like Ferdy.

“Axel,” the general said. “Thank you for joining us.”

I nodded.

“We’re on our way to join with NATO forces to breach the defences around Cargall Island,” he explained. “A woman known as Morgan Le Fay has taken control of the island with the Tagaar.”

“Morgan Le Fay?” Ebony frowned. “Isn’t that the name of the woman from Arthurian legend? From the Knights of the Round Table?”

“It is,” the general confirmed. “It is either a woman using her name –”

“Or it’s the real thing,” Chad said. “She must be old.”

“Very.” Ferdy nodded solemnly. “Although not as old as Redwood trees –”

“General Clarke,” I said. “I’ve got a couple of questions.”

He nodded.

“How does The Agency fit into all this?” I asked.

“The US Government has entered into an arrangement with The Agency,” General Clarke said. “That organisation is now working through us.”

An arrangement? I didn’t like the sound of that, but who was I to argue? Within hours I would probably be placed into a cell and wouldn’t see the light of day till I was old and grey. If The Agency wanted to enter into a deal with Burger King there was little I could do about it. 

“And what’s so special about Cargall Island?” I asked.

“Cargall Island houses an experimental device called a Solar Accelerator. Scientists have been trying to develop a free and endless supply of energy. We believe Morgan Le Fay has modified it to produce the Electromagnetic Pulse.”

“But how?” Dan asked. “And isn’t Morgan Le Fay supposed to be a witch? How did she become some sort of super scientist?”

“The Morgan of legend was supposed to be Merlin’s sister,” the general confirmed. “We suspect she’s actually some type of alien or modification. Regardless, it appears she has forged an alliance with the Tagaar.”

“General,” an aid called from one of the bridge stations. “We’re approaching Cargall Island.”

He nodded. “I’ll ask you all to remain on hand. I believe other mods will be joining us within minutes.”

We could see the island growing closer with every passing second from our position on the bridge. It was a tiny speck in the enormous sea. A flotilla of various sea craft were surrounding the island. It looked like they were firing directly at the body of land, but their shots were hitting a pale green dome. Nothing was getting through.

“The barrier looks powerful,” Ferdy said. “More powerful than the Great Wall of China. The wall was started in the year –”

“Ferdy,” Chad said. “You got any ideas about how to bring that thing down?”

“Preliminary information suggests that the shield is generated by a squadron of six Tagaar ships in flight around the island,” Ferdy said. “If any one of the ships can be disabled, it may weaken the dome enough to be penetrated.”

Another group of people hurried onto the bridge. Most of them looked like scientists, but Agent Palmer was with them. She gave me a curt nod.

“How quickly the jailbirds fly their cage,” she said.

Obviously she was still annoyed with us.

At that moment a beam of yellow light sprang forth from the island and pierced the dome. Several people on the bridge cried out as the column of light spat high into the sky and disappeared out of sight.

“Morgan Le Fay has begun the detonation sequence,” Ferdy said, peering at the yellow light. “Ferdy needs to examine the data coming from the sensors.”

Agent Palmer led us over to a spare console where Ferdy quickly brought up some information. He examined the display.

“How does it look?” I asked.

“It looks like a computer screen, Axel.”

“No. I mean, is there a way through the barrier?”

“There is a way,” Ferdy confirmed. “There is a small gap surrounding the point where the beam intersects the dome.”

“Is it possible to get through that gap?”

“It would require an expert pilot.”

“I could fly through the hole.”

“If you touched the edge of the dome you would be vaporised,” Ferdy said. “An aircraft would deliver a margin of safety. There are small fliers on board the Helix known as Atom ships. One of them may be able to fit through.”

The voice came from behind us. “I can pilot that ship.”

“Mr. Brown!”

The black military man had been my trainer when I first joined The Agency. I had not seen him in months.

He gave me a quick smile. “I’ve logged over a thousand hours in Atoms.”

The general joined us and we quickly explained the plan to him.

“All forces will need to attack at the same moment,” Ferdy continued. “Ferdy believes that may weaken the dome enough to increase the size of the hole. Once the Atom craft is within the dome, bringing down one of the Tagaar vessels may collapse the entire shield.”

The general started barking orders. Ferdy was to remain on the Helix to monitor the readings from the dome. Brodie and Ebony would stay with him. Myself, Chad and Dan would squeeze into the Atom with Mr. Brown at the helm.

It sounded like a plan. Whether it was a good plan or not remained to be seen. As we followed Mr. Brown from the bridge, I felt a hand on my arm.

Brodie.

“You’re leaving without saying goodbye?” She looked furious and upset at the same time. “Don’t you have anything to say?”

“I don’t need to say goodbye,” I said. “We’ll all meet up on the island.”

By now the others had stopped in the corridor.

“Axel,” Mr. Brown said. “Will you just kiss the girl?”

So I kissed her. We hurried away down the corridor. I looked back one last time to see her watching me. She gave me a small wave.

Goodbye
, she mouthed.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The Atom zoomed away from the Helix at an incredible speed. I had thought the Flex Fighters were fast, but they had nothing on this. The Atom was built more like a conventional jet, but the three of us were squeezed into a tiny space directly behind the pilot’s seat. Mr. Brown did a loop of the dome to get a sense of the area where the pulse broke through at the top.

“I’m not sure I can see a gap,” he said.

“Get Ferdy on the comm,” I said. “He can give us some direction.”

Mr. Brown communicated with the bridge of the Helix. Ferdy’s voice came through loud and clear. After a brief explanation of the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly, he explained how to best approach the gap.

“It surrounds the exit point of the beam,” Ferdy said. “It is currently quite small. Only about two metres across.”

“Great,” Mr. Brown said without enthusiasm. “Atoms have a wing span of six metres.”

“Ferdy will direct the general to start a simultaneous attack on the dome,” Ferdy replied. “Be ready to make your final approach.”

Mr. Brown circled around the top of the dome. I could see a multitude of ships in the sea as well as jet fighters and tiny figures in the air.

“I can see other superheroes,” I said. “A lot of people know how to fly.”

“I wonder if our Russian friends are down there.” Chad peered downward. “I’m sure they’d love to get together for a game of chess.”

“I’m sure.” I glanced over at Dan. He was very quiet. Actually, he looked quite pale. I diverted my gaze to the windscreen behind him as a slow realisation came over me. It was all too easy to forget we were a bunch of teenagers. We might have superpowers, but we still felt fear.

“How are you holding up?” I asked Dan.

He looked at me. “Fine. Just thinking about what’s ahead.”

“I’m a bit nervous,” I admitted.

“Really?”

“I always am when I have to go into a fight.” I turned to Chad. “What about you?”

“I’m never afraid,” he said. “Well…not much…”

“I just don’t want to let anyone down.” Dan’s eyes were downcast. “There’s so much riding on this –”

“You won’t let anyone down,” Chad said. “Axel might. He freezes up sometimes. Falls apart at the seams –”

I rolled my eyes.

“It’s often up to The Chad,” he continued, “to save the day.”

The Chad?

Ferdy’s voice came over the radio. “The general has arranged for the forces to strike in sixty seconds.”

“Roger that,” Mr. Brown said.

We felt the Atom begin to swing around in another enormous loop over the dome as Ferdy’s voice counted down the seconds. Looking over Mr. Brown’s head, I could see the yellow beam filling most of the windscreen. That beam was in direct contact with the sun ninety-three million miles away. I didn’t want to think about what would happen if we came into contact with it.

“…three…two…one,” Ferdy said.

Even from our position within the flier, we could hear the enormous barrage rise up from beneath us. At the same moment we saw a gap appear in the dome around the beam. I felt the Atom accelerate.

“This’ll be close,” Mr. Brown grunted.

We headed straight toward the hole. At the last moment, he seemed to push the Atom into a dive. I felt increased G-forces upon me and then we were through. Suddenly blue sea lay directly below us.

Something flew past the window.

“Watch out –” Mr. Brown started.

Ka-boom!

A missile exploded near the craft and it shuddered wildly in the sky. Mr. Brown rolled the fighter. “There’s a Tagaar vessel closing in on us,” he said. “I’m returning fire.”

I felt the Atom rock as it fired back at the Tagaar vessel. I could not even see where the alien ship was in relation to our position. We were moving so erratically I could not tell up from down.

“Can you take us closer to the island?” Chad asked.

“I’m trying to do that,” Mr. Brown said. “Wait –”

He rolled the vessel again and we heard another concussive blast emanate from our aft side. I had an idea, but I needed to see the craft to make it work.

“Mr. Brown,” I said. “Can you bring us around so we can face the Tagaar ship?”

“Yes, but –”

“Do it!”

Rather than argue, I felt another massive G-force plaster us into our seats. I struggled to speak as the ship cut a wide arc through the sky.