The Battle for Earth (Teen Superheroes Book 3) (8 page)

“Automatic pilot has not been re-engaged,” the computer said.

Ferdy smiled. “Now we can find Brodie and Axel and Chad.”

Ebony turned to Dan. “Now it’s up to you. You were picking up something from Brodie earlier. Maybe you should try her again.”

Dan nodded. He closed his eyes and concentrated. After a minute he opened his eyes again. “I’m not sure, but…I think I’m getting something.”

“What sort of something?” Ebony asked.

“An impression,” Dan said. “I really do feel like a needle on a compass. I’m getting a sensation as to Brodie’s direction.”

“Which way should we go?”

“You’re going to find this a little hard to believe, but –”

“But what?”

“Up,” Dan said. “We need to go up.”

The three of them peered through the front window.

“Brodie’s either on an airplane,” Dan said. “Or…”

“Or?”

“Or she’s on a spaceship.”

Chapter Fourteen

“A spaceship?” Ebony asked.

“It is possible,” Ferdy said.

“That she’s on a spaceship?”

Ferdy seemed lost in thought.

“Ferdy?” Ebony said.

“The distance from London to Melbourne is –”

“Try to stay focused, Ferdy.” She turned to Dan. “Are you sure she’s above us?”

Dan frowned. “Yes. I’m sure.”

“Then Ferdy and his friends will have to go into space,” Ferdy said.

“Uh, how’re we doing that?” Ebony asked.

“In this Flex.”

“Can one of these things go into space?” Dan asked.

“With the proper modifications.” Ferdy started to punch some buttons on the control panel. “Ferdy will make the necessary adjustments.”

Ebony felt a queasy feeling in her stomach. This plan sounded suspiciously like they were courting disaster. It was one thing to go on a rescue mission to save Axel and the others; it was quite another matter to consider leaving the safety of Earth to go – where?

“I don’t know about this,” she said uncertainly. “I want to find the others, but this sounds like a suicide mission.”

“Friend Ebony,” Ferdy said. “You need not be concerned about the ship’s modifications. Ferdy has read the schematics of the changes and understands them completely.”

“But if something goes wrong –”

“Ferdy has calculated the problems that could arise,” Ferdy said. “The most likely error would be an explosion that would kill us instantly –”

“Oh great.”

“– although we could survive in the vacuum of space for possibly another ninety seconds –”

“Wonderful.”

“– but our friends would do the same for us.” He stared into her eyes. “Ralph Waldo Emerson said that ‘a friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.’ Do Ebony and Dan not agree with this sentiment?”

Dan said nothing. He seemed stunned by the rapid turn of events. Ebony could not think of another plan. She leaned back in the seat. “Lead the way.”

Ferdy nodded. The Flex Fighter rose higher into the atmosphere. Ebony watched as the sky above turned darker until it was indigo and then finally black. The earth spread below them like a blanket. She found herself staring at the awe-inspiring spectacle in astonishment.

“It’s so beautiful,” Ebony said.

“I’m getting an impression.” Dan rubbed his head. “She is somewhere ahead of us.”

“Can Dan be more specific?” Ferdy asked. “Most of the Milky Way galaxy is ahead of us.”

Dan shook his head. “All is know is we’re heading in the right direction.”

Ferdy manipulated the controls on the console. After a moment, Ebony felt the Flex gently accelerate.

“Ferdy has found it,” Ferdy said.

“What has Ferdy –” Ebony stopped. “I mean, what have you found?”

“A spaceship,” he replied. “It is some two miles in length. Ferdy believes that Brodie is aboard the ship.”

Peering through the window, Ebony saw a sharp speck of light above the blue horizon ahead of them. It grew larger with every second. The shape of it reminded her of the body of a cockroach; a smaller section dominated one end. Behind it lay two segmented compartments.

“It sure isn’t the International Space Station,” Ebony said.

“Can’t anyone see that thing from the Earth?” Dan asked.

“The ship is using stealth technology to hide it from ground radar,” Ferdy said. “It is quite advanced, although not as advanced as the alien technology contained within The Agency’s computer systems.”

“Uh,” Ebony said. “Surely that’s top secret.”

“It is.” He smiled. “Ferdy circumvents the security protocols to access the information.”

“You hack The Agency computers?”

“Hacking is another definition for the same process,” Ferdy said. “A zectometer is one of the smallest units of measurement.”

“You’re not changing the subject, are you, Ferdy?”

“Ferdy would not do that.” Ferdy smiled. “The largest mammal on Earth –”

The Flex Fighter shuddered as a high-pitched whine emanated from the engines.

“What’s happening?” Dan asked.

“We are caught in a tractor beam,” Ferdy said. “The alien spaceship is drawing us toward it.”

“They can see us?”

“The alien vessel is cloaked. Our vessel is visible to their systems.”

“Did you know this?” Ebony asked.

“Ferdy knew,” he confirmed. “Should Ferdy have acted on that information?”

“Should Ferdy have –” Ebony fell back speechless in her seat. “It might have been a good idea.”

“We will meet aliens,” Ferdy said. “Possibly we will have fun.”

“Possibly,” Ebony said. “But it’s not likely.”

Chapter Fifteen

The desert had turned cold by the time I arrived at the rendezvous point to meet Graal. The sky above was inky black broken only by tiny pinpoints of light. It reminded me of a similar evening when Brodie and I had flown out to the desert to enjoy the stars.

A lump gathered in my throat. What if I never saw Brodie again? What if she was already dead? I had the Stonekiller secured in its case in a small pack strapped securely to my back. I would not hand it over until Brodie was safely –

A light split the air behind me. I had been facing a hill, but now I turned around to see the rear of a spaceship opening a few feet above the ground. Obviously the Tagaar vessel had been here the whole time. Cloaked.

Two figures strode down the ramp toward me. The first was Graal. I did not recognise the alien beside him.

“You are here,” Graal said. “Good. I had my doubts whether you would escape The Agency in one piece.”

“Where’s Brodie?”

“All in good time.”

“No! I will give you the weapon, but only if you release her!”

Graal shook his head. “You misunderstand me, my young friend. I do not want the weapon.”

“Then why –”

“You will need the Stonekiller for your next assignment,” Graal said. “We will release your mate once your assignment is completed.”

“But you promised –”

“I gave no such promise.” The alien produced an object from his pouch. “However, as a sign of good faith, I will allow you to speak to the girl.”

He pointed the object into the air. A square panel formed before us. I could see the interior of a cell. People were lying on the floor. They looked up.

“Brodie!” I said.

I stepped forward and my hand intersected with the image. It passed straight through. This was some sort of holographic projection. Brodie leapt to her feet.

“Axel?” she said. “What is this? How are –”

“Are you all right?” I asked.

“I’m on a spaceship,” she said. “I’m in a cell –”

The image faded and I found myself staring at Graal’s face. He looked pleased with himself. I wanted to kill him. I had never felt such rage in my life, yet I was able to force it down deep into my stomach.

“Good,” Graal said. “I see your hatred. A warrior needs such emotions or he will not survive.”

“Shut up!” A red haze of fury blurred my vision. “What must I do?”

“You have no doubt heard of Alexi Kozlov?”

I searched my memory. “The Russian Premier?”

“He is to be your target.”

“The leader of Russia?” I felt light-headed. “That’s insane.”

“You will shoot him with the Stonekiller and return with him to this place. You will do these things or your mate will die.”

I took an enraged step toward him.

“Do not be foolish, boy,” Graal said. “Your mate will be returned if you follow my instructions. You have my promise. I will also promise to throw her out of an airlock into space if you refuse my instructions.”

“How would I ever get close enough –”

“I have already uploaded a map to your compass,” the alien said. “He was tagged with a non-invasive tracking device several days ago. You will track him using the device.”

“But it’s the Russian Premier!” I blurted. “How will I –”

“You will do what is required,” Graal said.

I stood in the cold desert for several seconds, consumed by desperation and hatred and fear. My hands were clenched so tightly I could feel my fingernails cutting into the palms of my hands. Finally I crossed a barrier. A point of no-return. I would not let Brodie down. I could not let her die.

“And once I do this –”

“Your mate will be returned.”

“Why don’t you kill him yourself?” I asked. “If you were able to place a tracker –”

“That is not our way,” Graal said. “A countdown has been activated on your compass. You have two of your Earth days. We will meet here again when the countdown reaches zero.” He paused. “And we will bring your mate.”

“Her name is Brodie,” I said.

Graal responded by ignoring me and turning away. He disappeared up into the ship. The ramp slid away into nothingness and a moment later I heard the engines of the spaceship burst into life. Wind rushed against my face as the invisible vessel lifted off the ground. I saw a faint shimmer distort the sea of stars as it raced across the sky.

I stood in the silent desert, cold and alone. I could get Brodie back, but I would have to sentence a man to a fate worse than death to do it.

Chapter Sixteen

It was the longest journey of my life.

I left in darkness and I arrived in darkness. Judging by the device on my wrist, it appeared that Alexi Kozlov was located somewhere to the south of Moscow. As I neared my destination, the darkened landscape slowly morphed into hills, towns, roads and rivers. I descended slowly, eventually landing in a forested area outside a small village. A farmhouse with a dilapidated barn lay nearby; I could just make out a faint light in one of the windows.

A dog barked distantly. The faraway engine of a truck growled into life. A bird took flight in a nearby tree and disappeared to parts unknown.

I felt exhausted. I had flown for fifteen hours straight. My head ached. My back ached. A cramp painfully cinched my left thigh. Checking my watch, I realised it was about nine in the evening. I sat back against a tree. I needed rest. I would sleep for a minute, but no longer.

Just a minute…

When I awoke, most of the night had passed. Panicked, I examined the timer on the compass. Nine hours had passed. I tried to calm my breathing. I still had enough time to complete my mission. 

My mission…

A deep well of misery opened up within me. I had betrayed my friends. I had destroyed my relationship with The Agency. I could never go back to the life I had led. To get Brodie back I would have to consign a stranger to a fate worse than death.
And that stranger was the Premier of Russia!
What would be the repercussions of carrying out such an attack?

My actions could start a war.

My stomach rolled over at the thought. I absently wiped tears from my face as I made out a faint glow on the distant horizon. Dawn. Soon it would be day and then I would deal with the next phase of this nightmare. I had to wait for daylight to arrive. It was bad enough bumbling about in a foreign country. Trying to consider assassinating – and it was a type of assassination – someone in the middle of the night was ridiculous.

“So,” a voice said from behind me. “Sleeping Beauty is finally awake.”

I scrambled to my feet and readied myself for an attack. At the same time, however, my weary brain recognised the voice.

A figure moved from behind a tree.

Chad.

“A bit of advice,” he said. “When you’re on the run, look behind you sometimes. You’ll live longer that way.”

“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” I peered into the darkened forest behind him. “How did you keep up with me?”

“You remember that Flex that disappeared from The Agency a few months back?”

“Yeah.”

“That was me,” he said. “And Ferdy.”

“You and Ferdy stole a Flex Fighter?”

“I hid it in the desert,” he said. “Just in case.”

“Looks like it came in handy.”

He ignored me. “I heard the conversation you had with your alien buddies.”

“They’re not my friends.”

“I know.” Chad paused. “I’ve been following you for hours.”

“So you know they’ve got Brodie.”

He nodded. “And you’re supposed to take out the Russian leader with –”

“The Stonekiller weapon.” The words sounded foreign to my lips. “It doesn’t actually kill the person. It freezes them so they can’t move.”

“Sounds great.” He shook his head. “You can’t mean to –”

“I don’t have a choice! They’ll kill Brodie if I don’t do as they say!”

“But it’s the Premier of Russia,” Chad said. “You could start a war!”

“I know.” I felt miserable. “But I can’t let Brodie die!”

“Look, Axel,” he said. “I’m not suggesting you should. But you can’t just consign someone to a living death.”

I turned away. In my heart, I knew what he was saying was right. I looked up at the horizon. The sky was growing brighter by the moment. Three shapes moved across a distant row of roofs.

“You have to trust your friends,” Chad said. “We’re stronger as a team –”

“I just saw something,” I said. “I think someone’s – watch out!”

A bright plume of fire arced across the sky toward us. I threw a shield up as it slammed into the ground. The earth beneath us exploded, throwing us backward. Trees and dirt flew in all directions.