Monday Stories: Locked, Chapter 05

Grant stares at the woman as his mind tries to catch up with what is going on. A quick glance over his shoulder shows the same confusion on his pilot’s face. Pulling himself together he works his way to the main hold of the submarine.

“Come again?”

Yavina glances at the young girl who stares back with wide eyes. Taking a deep breath, the director kneels in front of the girl. She takes her hands.

“May I tell them?”

The girl glances at Grant and slowly nods her head.

“Thank you.” She resumes her seat, “This might take a moment. The short version is this. While my facility’s main function was to develop a new energy source, we were also serving as a medical ward for Liz.”

“I’m going out on a limb here and say that she is this project lock that our nation’s enemies are willing to risk war over?”

Yavina nods her head, “Do you remember the research lab Talbor Institutes?”

Grant frowns and tries to recall the details, “Oh yeah. Site of the worst natural disaster in history. A failure in one of their geothermal reactors caused the facility to be swallowed up in magma. The leaders in technology, particularly biological technology, were done in by overheating. I remember it being big news since they were the leaders and a lot of people were saying our advancement was delayed by decades with the loss of the facility. Uh sank… about fifteen years ago if I am not mistaken. The survivors of the research teams went all over the place.” Grant stiffens with a new thought, “With most of the team leaders going to Gyro.”

“Right. A team was sent out to assess the area and see if it was a viable location for agriculture. The team discovered that the facility was not destroyed by magma. Instead, it got caught on a shelf inside the rift. That is when we became aware of Project LOCK, an attempt to create superhumans. One of the experiments they had resulted in an explosion that compromised the facility and turned the surrounding area into a wasteland. We also discovered Liz, or Test Sample 3427 as she was known then. The then sitting President decided that we would take Liz and any data we could get not to continue the program but to help stabilize her. At some point, they must have gone back out there to salvage the project…”

“And discovered that not only the data survived but also one of the humans involved in the testing. Which is why you want to run. Because that is what Code Black is, isn’t it? Please tell me that it is a running plan and not a death plan.”

“Goodness no!” Yavina says angrily, “I did not work my whole life to preserve life just to toss it out. No. The plan is to take Liz and relocate her. However, the more people who know about this, the more likely that they will continue to hunt her.”

“Hence why you want my ship. Fewer chances of her being seen by transferring to a different ship. You want to disappear.”

“Correct.”

X

Grant leans against the railing. The warmth of the sun feels good. Below him, dark blue waves pass by while seagulls cry overhead.

“Seems wrong, doesn’t it?”

Grant looks over as he sees Pete and Charlie walking towards him.

“What? That is such a pleasant day even though the whole is getting ready for war?”

“No.” Charlie answers as she leans against the railing, “Being above the waves instead of being underneath it.”

“Oh.” Grant chuckles, “Yeah. But it is nice to feel the sun. Even if it is for a little while.”

“Has command said what ships we’ll be on?” Pete asks.

“Not yet. I’m curious on what reactions my ship loss report is getting.”

“For life long service members,” A new voice answers, “your report was questionable. For those who have no combat experience, it was accepted.”

The trio turns and finds an old man walking towards them. Beside him are two guards and four aids. The sun dances off the four silver bars on his shoulders. Grant and his crew snap to attention, saluting as one. The lead officer responds with a salute of his own.

“At ease. Your new orders.” He holds an envelope, “You are being given a scout ship and attached to the carrier Crimson Shield. You will depart in several days.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll be ready. Thank you commander.”

The officer laughs, “As for why I am hand delivering these orders. There are few… concerns. The governor of the city, as well as the council, are pretty much demanding that you explain what went out there. Which of course is why we provided the after-action reports. And everything that happened is of course classified.”

The three soldiers nod their heads.

“Excellent.” He steps over to the railing, “To your answer your question, yes. They did make it out. But right now you need to prepare yourselves.”

“Sir?”

“Right now your action report states that you went on your supply run and encountered a hostile force. You engaged the enemy force, suffering the loss of the installation and almost losing your own lives in the process. However, the problem lies in the media. They are already putting a negative spin on it. So you may be approached. Command says to tell them to go to headquarters for official statements. Command and I both want it to be clear that we in no way hold you responsible for going to war. You did what you had to survive and defend yourself.”

“Yes, sir. We understand. Can you tell us anything?”

“We’ve detected Gyro ships on the border. No official statements but it look like they are preparing for fleet action against us. Best get your affairs in order. Looks like a war is brewing.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll get ready to go.”

He nods his head, “We will be. Thank you sir.”

The End

X

Monday Stories: Locked, Chapter 04

Chapter 01
Chapter 02
Chapter 03

Grant lets out a yelp as he slams into the harness. He quickly tightens his harness. His eyes dart across the display, taking in everything at one glance. The ship rolls to the left then right. Another alarm begins to scream as another torpedo locks on to them.

Charlie throws the submarine hard to the right as the decoys spin and twirl to the left and above. She catches a glimpse of the black weapons and they cut through the water. She gulps as the torpedoes turn into twin fireballs. Charlie grips the controls and sends her ship into another dive. The pilot looks towards the radar screen. The enemy contact is fast approaching.

“Charlie.” Grant yells, “Take us into the pillars.”

“Are you serious?” Pete yells over the intercom.

“Shut up!” Charlie and Grant yell back. Grant comes back, “Charlie. Take us in. Now.”

“Alright. Everyone double check your harnesses. This is going to get a little crazy.”

Charlie opens up the throttle of the engines. The sudden change in power drives the woman into her seat. She grits and sends the ship swinging through the black depths. Grant snaps on the assist, enhancing the murkiness with fuzzy red lines. She can see the underwater smokestacks, crevices, and ancient ruins.

Swinging between the age-old wreckages and rock columns, Charlie skims along the seafloor. A glance at the radar screen and a side monitor confirms that the enemy ship is on their tail. The pilot yanks the controls and swings left.

Charlie’s submarine leaves a wake of dust clouds as she makes a tight turn. Her heart races as she spies the enemy submarine turning towards them.

The warships close in on one another.

She brings up the targeting system. A heartbeat later she gets a target on the enemy ship. She pulls the trigger. A thud through the hull and a silver-black tube cuts through the water. Charlie begins to weave as the enemy ship fires their own torpedo. The enemy craft suddenly climbs as red-orange darts explode out from the side of their halls. The dots begin to swirl and twirl as their own decoys cut through the water.

The torpedo goes wide and detonates against a stone rock pile.

Charlie growls as she jerks the ship to the side. The torpedo explodes in the distance and a wake of water shoves through the water. The fireball fades, leaving blackness behind.

At the same time their torpedo homes in.

Her own decoys distract the enemy torpedoes. Above, the hostile dives down and guns for them. Charlie cuts through. A thud and beep inform Charlie that Grant has activated the short-range weapons. A display shows the turret surface and tracks the enemy sub. Grant fires short bursts. Miniature torpedoes swing in and track the submarine. The enemy sub turns but the smaller rounds catch them, dealing heavy damage.

Black oil spills from the stern of the ship.

The craft slowly lifts up and into the mirk.

“Orders?” Charlie asks.

“Track and fire.”

“Aye, aye.”

The pilot begins to draw a bead on the larger machine. From the stern, a torpedo is launched. More decoys are fired as she corkscrews away from the underwater missile.

The ship shudders as the torpedo explodes, sending shockwaves into the submarine. Charlie looks and winces as damages reports begin to roll. Parts of the ship start to blink orange. The pilot tries to lock on but another torpedo is fired.

“We’re running out of decoys!” Grant calls out as Charlie sends the ship into another evasive maneuver, “We need to end this!”

The pilot grimaces and twists the controls. The ship spins as the craft kicks about. They sweep around a large pillar. The second submarine appears. A third longer than her own craft, the ship is nearly twice as fast. Moving through the water, the enemy craft comes in fast and hard.

“Here we go.” Charlie whispers.

The ship twists and turns through the water as both crafts attempt to get clear shots on the other. Dust swirls as their engines cut disturb ancient sediments.

Torpedoes fire fast through the water. Fireballs erupt all around the two crafts as misses destroy pillars, rocks, and ancient wreckages. Twisting, Charlie gets a better angle and locks onto the enemy ship. The ship shakes and a moment later, the engines suddenly die. The ship comes to a stop. He slowly sinks towards the ground. The pilot slaps at controls and switches as the ship touches the ground.

Grant snaps on headlamps. Already a chill cuts through the air as heat is drawn out from the sub and into the frigid ocean water.

“What happened?” Yavina yells from the stern.

“We got shut down!” Pete answers. “Something is locking up all the controls.”

As the ship hits the ground and begins rolling to the side.

“Stay strapped in!” Grant yells, “Charlie. Hit the backup powers. Pete. Reset us.”

The radio frequency suddenly crackles and pops through the speaker. An unfamiliar voice sounds out over the speakers.

“IDF ship. IDF ship. Stand down. This is Gyro Fleet Ship Arcadia. Surrender Project LOCK. Now.”

“Project lock?” Grant mutters, “What are they talking about?”

“How are they even on our signal?” Charlie asks as she taps controls. “They’re tapped into our comm systems directly.

“I don’t know.”

“We know you have it.” The voice returns, “Prepare to be boarded and to surrender the project.”

“Pete.” Grant calls, “Can you get us rebooted?”

“Working on it boss.”

Grant unclips himself and heads to the back of the ship. There he finds the survivors of the base still in their harnesses. His lamps bounce across their faces as he takes them. Berkely is pale and looks about ready to throw up. The girl grips the cook’s hand. Fear hasher eyes open wide. Yavina moves to free herself from her restraints.

“We can’t give her to them.”

“Don’t even know what they want.” Grant answers as he moves towards the engine compartment, “Pete. Can you get us up and running? I need to know if we’re going to be shooting or not.”

“Got an override locking everything up, boss. It’ll take a hot minute to get this straightened out.”

“Tried a shut down?”

“Twice. Can’t even…” He slaps the monitor, “It is like the controls got re-routed. We’re not in control of this shuttle.”

“Great.” An odd sound echoes through the ship. “Can we get eyes on them?”

“I got them. It’s their ship dropping over us. My guess is that they are getting ready to do a ship to ship dock.”

Grant lets out a long, deep breath to calm himself down. He turns and moves back to the main hold. He opens a cargo compartment and pulls out a set of weapons. Together, the security guards release their belts and move forward.

“Who do they want?”

“Me.”

Grant turns and finds the small girl staring at their hands. Fear cracks her voice. Her hands shake and tremble. “They want me.”

The girl looks up at Yavina, “I don’t want to go back.”

“You won’t.” She answers, “I’ll make sure of that. Captain Leeland. Please. You must fight back.”

“Uh. Director?” Grant braces himself as the ship settles, “What is Project lock and how is she mixed up in it.” His eyes narrow, “What were you doing at that research facility.”

“Oh please. We weren’t doing any human experiments. We are just what we are advertised. A facility searching for new power sources. We just also happen to be a recovery site for Liz. A survivor from a research project trying to enhance humans with artificial organs. They were discovered and stopped. However, the lead researchers managed to escape. Liz was brought to my facility for three reasons. One. To make sure she was safe. Both from hurting others and to make sure she wasn’t in any health risks. Two. To see if we could undo what was done to her. Three. To let her heal and recover.”

“And let me guess, they want her back.” Grant slaps his head, “The data. They weren’t after your research into new power. They wanted the data on her.”

“Correct. Which is why I wanted to get out of the base.”

“Because you knew once they looked at the data they would realize that not all the… subjects were dead. That they were successful.”

Grant turns towards the guards, “You up for a fight.”

“Always boss.”

“As long as we aren’t riding a roller coaster.” The second guard growls. “I picked a job where I had feet on the ground. And I end up here.”

“Leeland!” Charlie yells, “They’re leaving.”

“What? Why?”

“I see another submarine.” Relief fills her voice, “One of ours, the Greyhound!”

Grant scrambles up towards the front. Above, the enemy submarine is moving off towards the right. The underside lights flicker off. Ahead of them a third submarine closes in. Unlike the smaller shuttle and the enemy craft, this one is a full-size submarine.

“I thought the Greyhound was out on special assignment?” Charlie whispers, “Out in the Southern Shelves, miles from here.”

“Same here.” Grant feels a cold feeling in his gut, “Pete! Focus on the radio. We need to talk to them.”

A moment later the radio pops and a man’s voice with a strong accent crackles over the radio frequency.

“To Sierra Romeo Four. Over. This is Greyhound to Sierra Romeo Four. Over.”

“This is Sierra Romeo Four. We read you Greyhound. Patrick, is that you?”

“That’s Captain Riverson to you.” The voice is firm but with amusement not censure. “Seems we miss a little party of yours. Can you give us a quick sitrep on the situation?”

“Wasn’t mine.” Grant feels his throat catch, “The base is breached and most of the crew are dead. We have survivors. The sub was attempting a boarding when you came in.”

“Understood. We are going to pull you up. Stand by for docking. We’re passing on what you told us to base.”

“Negative!” Yavina breaks in over the communication, “I need you to hunt down that enemy sub! They know about Project LOCK!”

Silence.

“Understood.” Riverson says, “We got another sub heading your way. Sit tight. And… are we in code…”

“Black? Yes. Unfortunately yes.”

Silence.

“Understood. Director. It has been an honor serving with you.”

“Thank you Captain.” Yavina

“I’m sorry Captain but we need to protect Liz. And to do that. I am going to need your ship. “

To Be Continued…

Monday Stories: Locked, Chapter 03

Chapter 01
Chapter 02

Captain Grant Leeland and Director Yavina carefully make their way through the underground caverns. Research stations are spaced evenly throughout the cavern. One wall is made entirely of glass, revealing a landscape of underground glowing fungus and giant crystals. Soft blue, yellow, and white light comes from both. Dark red splotches mar the glass, creating an irregular pattern along the bottom half of the window.

Grant’s stomach folds into itself as he steps over to the glass wall.

Lying in front of each splotch is a researcher or worker. Each one has a single bullet wound in their forehead. Surrounding each of them is a pool of blood. A choked cry comes from Yavina as she kneels next to one of the younger victims. She wipes away a few tears with the back of her hand before standing back up.

“My assistant.” She says, “Brought me coffee every morning and made sure that I was on track with my meetings. Amber was so excited to get this job. A struggling single mom with social workers threatening to take her kid away if she couldn’t provide. That was six years ago.” Yavina chuckles, “That social worker came by just last week. Wanted to say how happy she was to be proven wrong. And how proud she was of Amber.”

The woman looks to the next individual.

“Jordan. He’s been with me since the base was completed. He has been by my side for every victory and failure. His daughter and my son are dating. Our grandparents are the best of friends. I was by his side when his wife died. Managed to pull him back. He is still hurting but… he saw light and had hope.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So am I.” She looks across the different faces, “These were my friends. My colleagues. They were sons. Daughters. Fathers. Mothers. Husbands. Wives.” Anger seeps into her voice, “And they are going to pay.”

She turns away from the massacre and walks quickly down the hall.

“Yavina! Where are you going?”

“The only thing we do here is research for potential new power sources.” She comes to a stop next to a computer station, “This is the only reason why we would be attacked.”

Grant and the guard stand opposite with their weapons raised in case of attack.

Yavina curses, “They took the data. All of it. My servers have been wiped.”

“Okay. We didn’t see any bad guys coming in. Where could they have gotten in from? There isn’t anything by the vehicle bays.”

“I don’t know. There isn’t any other place. Because of the location, the base wasn’t designed with a lot of entrances. The emergency hatches at the top, the supply point underneath, and the submersible bays.”

“The drillers?” The guard says suddenly without looking behind him.

“Henry?”

“Back when they first built this place, they used drillers and construction drones. They kept them on base in case major repairs were needed. They are kept in a separate storage facility. One that isn’t part of the base schematics. Try looking under the old construction plans they used to build the place. Uh. If I remember, it is over in the northern area.”

“Found it.” She hisses, “And there is a submarine there. Not one of ours. Just give me a few minutes. I’ll see if I can find them.”

Grant glances over at the guard, “How did you know about the drillers?”

“My great grandfather helped build this place. And I am a bit of a construction history buff. This facility was one of the first of its kind ever built.”

“Good to have that intel.” Grant looks over his shoulder, “But now we have a problem.”

“Let me guess.” Henry mutters, “They’re on their way back?”

“They’re on their way back.” Yavina answers. She begins tapping on the keyboard. A breath of relief sounds behind the two men, “The backup drives are intact. We’ll need to grab the data.” A sharp inhale settles a cold feeling in his gut, “Why are they going door to door…”

“I got this.” Henry says quietly.

He peers over Yavina’s shoulder. He sees a group of six men moving down a hall. They break open doors and peer inside. Each one is well armed and heavily armored. They don’t spend much time, just enough to see what is on the other door.

Suddenly a video appears. A man with a wounded shoulder appears. A second later, the video begins to play on their own.

“Yavina? Yavina, if you are watching this that means you survived and are checking the backups. You need to get Py out of here. They know about Project Golem. You need to get her out of here now.” He looks over his shoulder. Shout and gunfire can be heard, “It was a trap. The gas was driving us to the real trap.” He smiles weakly, “Yav. It’s been an honor. Survive. Give Py a real life.”

The video ends as the shouts grow louder.

“Who is Pie?”

“P-Y. Py. Py is someone special. We need to leave.” Yavina turns, “And we need to leave now.”

“We haven’t found everyone yet.” Grant argues, “Others could have survived. Like you did.”

Pain washes over her face.

“Contact.” The guard growls, “I have heat signatures moving towards us. And fast.”

Grant shoulders his rifle.

“Let’s move. Charlie. Pete.”

“Here, Captain.” Charlie answers.

“Get the ship ready to move. We’re heading to you and we are going to need to move and move fast. There is a second sub. Not friendly.”

“Understood Captain. We’ll be ready. I think I got an emergency hatch near you.”

“No.” Yavina interrupts, “No. If they are coming here then they have the comms hacked. We shouldn’t even be talking on the radio.”

The trio round the corner as a shout echoes up. The thunder of combat boots follows from behind. Without a word, all three begin to sprint down the hallway to the elevators. They slide to a stop at the closest one. Yavina lifts her card key and swipes it. The number next to the elevator rapidly changes as the elevator is drawn to their floor.

The door dings and they step onboard just as the armored soldiers appear around the corner. Henry opens fire. One guard takes three hits, one to the throat. The doors shut just as the guards open fire. The bullets ping off the wall, forming dents in the door.

X

Henry stands at the top while Grant and Yavina drop inside the submarine. Charlie leans around and sees them drop in. The cook and the second guard sit in the small quarter, silently watching them. A moment later, Henry joins them inside. Grant heads up and secures the door.

“Go!” Grant yells.

There was a clung through the hull. They feel ship deep as they drop through the water. The engines thrum to life and the crew and passengers rock as the ship picks up speed.

“LEELAND!” Charlie yells, “I got a contact coming up near the northern edge of the field. Coming up fast. Looks to be a Raider.”

The lights switch from the warm yellow light to red.

“Secure yourselves.” Grant growls as he works towards his seat in the cockpit. His gut drops out as Charlie takes them into a deep dive.

On the screens the captain sees the other ship moving quickly to catch up. Although twice as large as his own ship, the other ship is still smaller than a regular submarine.

Two new blips appear flanking the new submarine. They sweep forward, much faster than the others.

“TORPS IN THE WATER.” He slaps a control and a series of thuds shake the hull, “Decoys fired!”

Grant’s stomach lurches as Charlie sends the craft into a sharp turn.

His eyes watch as the red dots close in on his ship.

“Hang on!” Charlie yells.

To Be Continued…

Monday Stories: Locked, Chapter 02

Previous chapters:
Chapter One

Grant steps out of the ladder leading back to his ship. He looks about and finds nothing out of the ordinary. Mechanical arms are already moving the crates of supplies out of the cargo hold. But he cannot see anyone in the control room nor is there anyone coming down to sort out the supplies. He frowns and clicks his radio twice.

“This is Captain Grant Leeland of the Defense Fleet. Does anyone read me?”

Grant waits a moment but only the fuzzy sound of static answers him. Sighing, he looks towards the robotic suite to ensure that the automated unloading system was still working. The machine is quickly picking up crates and moving to a convoy. From his vantage point, he can see Pete overseeing the unloading process.

“Still nothing?” Charlie asks as she joins him on the landing.

“Yeah. It’s odd.”

“At least it isn’t very creepy.”

Charlie scoffs, “Here I thought it would be dark. You know. Bloodstained walls. Broken glass. Flickering lights. Strange and unrecognizable sounds echoing down the hall. The whole nine yards.” The young woman grows somber, “Actually. The normal appearance but the lack of people. It’s more disturbing than finding signs of a fight.”

“Yeah.. You’re right.” Grant mutters as he turns away.

“Hey? Where are you heading?”

“Control deck. Should have station-wide comms there. And if I don’t see or hear anyone, I should be able to radio out back to base. Get more people here.”

“Good idea. We’ll get the ship ready for launch. Cancel the load off?”

“Yeah. I want to get out of here as quickly as possible.”

“Good luck.”

Grant takes several steps when he notices the harsh silence again.

“Hey. Charlie.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Keep the channels open. Alright.”

“Getting paranoid, boss.” Pete says over the radio.

“Better to be paranoid and alive then reckless and dead. Anyways. I can survive being the butt of a joke.”

“Good point.”

Grant moves quickly. He walks down the road and up the stairs. A moment later, he steps into the small room. On the right is a glass window overlooking the docking station. One left is video feeds showing the areas surrounding the outside of the station.

For the most part, everything looks normal. Except no one is there. A cold chill settles in Grant’s stomach. Realizing that without additional help, it would take months to check every single room, compartment, and tunnel that the base had established.

The captain turns his attention to the radio system and attempts to dial out. It fails. An error code flashes across the screen.

The man growls and turns his radio on.

“Hey. I’m in the control center. Got nothing.”

The captain opens the screen and starts tapping away at the computer. A few moments later, the display changes and reveals a feed from the inside of the station. He begins to flip through the different channels but he doesn’t find anyone. No one in the mess hall, corridors, research labs, or hangar bays. Robots are stored away, vehicles are secured in their bays, and machines run their assigned tasks.

He notices one of the screens begin flickering.

A heartbeat later, the black screen is replaced by a woman looking out. Her mouth moves but she doesn’t hear any words. The woman turns over her shoulder then back towards him. Once again she says words but this time Grant hears words from the speakers.

“Can you hear me?”

“Yes, yes. Can you hear me?” Grant says as he leans towards the computer screen.

“Yes! Yes!” He frowns as he tries to place the woman’s face. Then it hits him, she is the base chief science director. “Doctor Yavina?”

She nods her head vigorously, “Are you with the supply ship?”

“Yes, yes. Uh. Where is everyone?”

“I don’t know. About two days ago a poisonous gas was pumped into the vents. We managed to get inside a storage room that didn’t have any vents but now the door is locked and we’re running low on good air. None of the security codes have released the locks.”

“Can you show me where you are located?”

The screen flashes. The director’s face disappears and a map of the base appears. A red square flashes.

“Pete. Are you getting this?”

“Yeah boss. Uploading the location to the trackers.”

“And I’m getting the gear together.” Charlie adds, “We’ll be ready to rock in two minutes.”

“Got it. Director, did you hear this?”

“Yes.” Relief plays over her face, “I never actually thought we’d be rescued. Listen. I don’t know what caused the toxic gas or why the safeties didn’t engage. Be careful.” Her eyes flicker off-screen for a moment. Then her eyes go back to him, “Have… you found anyone? Or seen anyone else?”

“I’m sorry, Ma’am. No. We haven’t. We’ll be on our way soon.” Grant frowns as he watches his crew reappear outside the submarine. “You said ‘we’. Who else is with you?”

“Me, the cook, two guards, and a kid.” She steps back, revealing the others. The two guards look tired. One of them seems to be carrying a wound. A large woman hugs a small girl. Their eyes are wide with fear.

“We’re on our way.”

X

The elevator dings and Pete steps out. He looks both ways before waving them on. Grant’s skin crawls and worries form a rock in the pit of his stomach. Despite the travel to one of the elevators, despite having seen all the machines working, and despite not encountering anything hostile, the feeling that something was wrong would not vanish.

“Clear. Come on.” Pete says as he leads the way. His tracker is up and following the fastest route to the storage room. Beside him, Charlie keeps an eye on the readouts measured by her life support systems. But the little machine had not even beeped to indicate the presence of pollen much less toxic gas.

A few minutes later, the trio arrive at a closed door.

“Well. Now we know why the door won’t open.” Pete kneels and examines the piece of metal. From what Grant could see, someone had welded the scrap metal to the door and to the wall, preventing it from sliding open.

“Can you cut through it?”

“Yep. Give me ten minutes.”

An echoing clang fills the air. All three look up at the sound.

“I don’t think that is a good sound.” Charlie mutters.

“No kidding,” Pete mutters as he turns on his welding too. A blue flame flares out. A moment later, with a protective mask in place, he begins to cut through the metal.

Despite the slow pace, the engineer manages to have the metal cut in less than five minutes. Eight minutes later, the door slides partially open, allowing the ones who were trapped to squeeze out into the hallway. Each one takes in deep gulps of relatively fresh air, wiping away against the sweat. Director Yavina tries to pull her hair into a ponytail but it refuses and instead sticks to the back of her neck. She sighs and gives up.

“Captain Leeland?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Is your ship here?”

“Yes, fully loaded but, please, can you tell me what happened? Where is everyone? There should be at least a hundred people here.”

“If you haven’t seen anyone then my guess is that they’re hiding in the shafts.” Realizing that Grant didn’t have a clue on what she was talking, Yavina explains further, “Some of our research included testing the underground crystal caverns. Since they’re outside the station, they can be sealed off in case of cave-ins. Or in this case, it can cut it off in case of toxic gas. Once we realized what we were dealing with, I ordered everyone to head down there. Unfortunately, we got cut off. I figured that we would hide in that storage room while the gas dissipated. I hadn’t thought it would malfunction and lock us in.”

“Ma’am, it wasn’t a malfunction.” Pete holds up the metal shards, “Someone wanted to trap you in there.”

The director turns and looks at the second woman, “Mary? Do you mind if you and Liz head up? Barkley, go with them. Protect them. Ronald. You’re with me.” She turns back to Grant, “I don’t suppose you came in a large vessel?”

“Sorry Ma’am. Just a supply sub.”

“And comms are down still?”

“I need to get to a terminal.”

“Charlie.” Grant says, “Head with them. Get the sub ready… for anything. Pete. Go with her. If there is a problem, we may need to be outside.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Yes,sir!”

“Good idea.”

With a sharp nod, the group splits off. Grant falls into position to the right and behind of the base director. Behind them, Ronald marches with his weapon at ease. Director Yavina leads them into a small monitoring room. Glass walls reveal a large lab with robotic equipment and tools. She settles into a chair and accesses the base’s main servers.

Her eyes dart across the displays. Windows open quickly then close just as fast. One last window appears. It takes Grant a moment to realize that the Director has accessed the backend of the software. She lets out a long drawn out curse.

“What is it?”

“Someone has accessed our database. And stolen not only data but they are also going for research material.” She taps on the keyboard. “Maybe if we’re lucky, the attackers are gone…”

Her face pales.

“Director?” Ronald mutters.

“They’re dead. They’re all dead.”

To Be Continued…

Monday Stories: Locked, Chapter 01

Author’s Note: A new month and a new short story has arrived! Please enjoy! I am aiming not to have this one go as long as Blue Flowers did. Hopefully.

A young man steps out of an elevator. Stepping out, he takes in everything in a slow glance. Men and women wearing gray flight suits are working on several machines. Others are moving crates around. Along the left side are close bay doors. Tracks for cranes lead from the left to the right where clamps secure several rectangle-shaped machines off the ground. Roll away ladders are pushed up against the sides of the machine.

Each machine is painted a dark grey color above and a lighter gray on the bottom. The bow is ball-shaped and clear, allowing anyone to see the two seats inside the bow. Above and behind the bow are weapon ports. A pair of engines are mounted to the stern.

The young man quickly heads towards the fourth machine. A dozen workers are moving below the machine and above on the catwalks. One broad-shouldered crewman notices the young man. He waves him over.

“Morning Lieutenant. How are you?”

“Richy.” The man says with a laugh, “It’s Grant. We’ve known each other too long to be so formal. All through primary school and secondary. Then the academy. Plus our moms would kill us if they found out we were so formal.”

The tall man breaks into a wide grin, “I know but you’re an officer and I am not. Well. Just an officer of the support line.”

“Hey now. That is a critical role. If it wasn’t for you, these things would be rusting metal junk.” Grant grows somber, “How is she?”

“You’ll be fine,” Richy answers as both men watch the ground crew finish refueling the ship. “You’ll have a full complement of ammo and topped off the fuel tanks too. She is seventy feet of awesome with teeth.”

“What?” Grant spins towards him, “What? Why are we getting a full load? The base is being rationed, aren’t we? With the whole budget being cut– again.”

Richy shrugs, “We are but I got the orders right here. Provide a full supply of ammunition and fuel to Sierra Romeo 4 in anticipation of the upcoming supply mission.”

“Odd. Especially since it is just a supply run out to the Regh station.”

“I agree with you on that one. Just fifty miles out in the calmest part of the ocean. Not even going near the zones where the bandits and raiders are at. Anyway, We’ll be done in a few minutes.”

“Thanks Richy. Take care of yourself.”

“You too, bud.”

Grant scrambles up the ladder. He gets to the top and stops for a moment. His eyes gaze across the vast hangar. Although a dozen machines are held above racks leading to the bay doors, nearly three times that number could have fit in the bay.

Shaking his head, Grant walks along the top of the ship and drops into the open hatch at the top. Descending the ladder into a narrow, tight compartment. To the right is an open hatch where the cargo crates are tied down and secured by ropes. To the left is a small area where the crew quarters are. Bunks are on the left with storage bins on the right. A little further on is a restroom and shower. Past that is the cockpit at the front.

There a figure turns, wearing her own green flight suit. She notices Grant and gives a wave.

“Hey, Leeland. How are you doing?”

“Morning, Charlie,” Grant says as he makes his way down the hallway to the front of the ship.

The second officer sits at the front with control sticks in front of the chair. Displays and controls form a u-shaped around her seat. A second seat sits behind hers with more controls and displays. Grant slides into the second seat and begins checks.

“You do realize you are the only one that calls people they know by their last name, right.”

She shrugs, “Yeah. I know. Old habit I got from my dad.” She pulls her blonde hair into a ponytail, “We’ll be ready to ship out as soon as Griffin gets his crew cleared out.” She peers down the glass cockpit, “And it looks like they just finished clearing out.”

“Good. Ready to get this party going.”

Charlie and Grant turn in their seats and find a lanky man standing in the narrow hallway. He grins at both of them.

“Morning Pete.”

“Griffin.”

He shakes his head, “Come on Charlie. We don’t call you Zulander.”

Charlie grins back at him. The radio crackles and all three pull on headsets. Pete turns and starts heading back towards the engines.

“Control to Sierra Romeo 4. Do you copy?”

“Control, Control.” Grant answers, “This is Sierra Romeo 4. We copy.”

“Got new orders. Commander wants you in the water and heading over to the Regh Station. It seems like contact has been lost.”

“Understood. We’re all ready here. Send us on our way.”

“Copy that.” A hint of amusement plays over the controller’s tone, “We are sending you off now.”

The clamps hold the ships in mid-air jerks the ship into motion. Ahead of them the bay door swings open, revealing a pool of water. The clamps begin to lower just as the ship approaches the water.

“This is Control. Clearance for departure has been granted. Good luck on the run.”

Grant and Charlie quickly pull the displays. Across the screens are video feeds from outside and inside the ship, letting them have full visual on every part of the inside of the ship and the immediate area around the ship. In seconds, the ship is submerged.

“Control to Sierra Romeo 4. Prepare for drop.”

“Copy that. Ready for the drop.”

A moment later, the clamps are released and the ship drops into the water. A few moments later, the ship emerges into a light blue world. Coral reefs decorate the area beneath the grey structure. Charlie kicks the engines into motion and sends the ship speeding across the shallows, scattering fish in their wake. Grant glances left and right. He can see underwater guns and torpedo launchers.

“Sad to see it all go.” Charlie mutters from the front.

“You really think they’ll shut the base down?” Pete asks over the radio.

“Looks like it. Senator Grey has been pushing for a general close down of the military. A waste of resources that could be used to promote research into the future. At least that is what he says.”

With the ship at full power, they leave the base far behind. Above them, the sunlight turns the ocean water a light blue color. Below the ship, a vibrant maze of brightly colored coral reefs and fish fills the ocean floor.

Abruptly, the bright colors drop away to a murky blackness. No lights. No color. No motion. Just endless darkness.

“Alright. Alright.” Grant says over the internal communication, “Here we go. Into the darkness once more.”

Charlie pushes the controls forward and the small craft dives into the darkness. The rumble from the engines sends a vibration through the ship. The light from the surface vanishes. A series of yellow lights leads down the side of the underwater cliff.

“Fifteen miles out.” Charlie announces.

“Already?”

“Leeland has been tweaking the engines.”

“You like it boss?” Pete asks.

“Nicely done. At this rate, we’ll be at the station in five minutes.” Grant looks over at the supply displays, “How is our fuel holding up?”

“Not bad, boss. The new adjustments are actually reducing the amount of fuel we consume. If this works out, we’ll be able to do the same to the other ‘boats.”

“Leeland.” Charlie says, her voice all business, “There is a cable line running from the base to the station, right? And that should be giving off a steady bleed off signal, right?”

“Yeah.” Grant frowns as he looks at the various readouts, “I’m not seeing it either.”

“Seeing what?”

“The energy signal. We’re not seeing one coming from the cable. Should be one since it is a research station.” Grant leans back, “Could be nothing more than the comms shut down for repairs. I’m sure it is nothing.”

“If you say so. Coming up on the plains now.”

Grant peers around his pilot. Although the light of the sun has long since disappeared, several lights along the ocean floor provide enough to see by. Grey pillars rise out of the ocean floor. Some have pillars of black smoke billowing out of them. Others are cold and lifeless.

Circular buildings rise up from the ocean floor. More yellow lights outline the buildings and the surrounding area.

“Starting the automated docking procedure.” Charlie announces, “And their computers got us. We are being drawn in.”

Grant smiles, “Sierra Romeo 4 to Regh Station. Sierra Romeo 4 to Regh Station. Do you read us?”

Silence.

Charlie glances over her shoulder.

“Sierra Romeo 4 to Regh Station. This is your supply run. Do you copy?”

The small craft is quickly drawn towards the research center. The ship is pulled underneath and is drawn up towards the underside of the building. A few moments later, the underwater hatch becomes visible. The automated system quickly guides the machine to line up with the hatch.

“Control, do you read? We are about to dock here?”

“Think their radio is out again?” Charlie mutters.

“I hope so.” Pete answers.

“This is weird,” Pete mutters as the ship connects. A shudder runs through the ship as the craft connects with the building. A chime sounds off, indicating a good seal.

“Alright. Let’s find out why the silent treatment.”

Chapter 02

Monday Stories: Blue Flowers, Chapter 22

Paris sits up with a jolt. Pain slices through and she whimpers from the pain. As she slowly becomes aware of her surroundings, the young girl unfolds herself. The teen finds herself in a medical bed. Soft snoring draws her attention, London and Sydney are lying next to each other, fast asleep. Paris can see bandaids in the corner of their left elbow. She can see Jordan talking outside to Caleb and Hannah. Looking over, she finds a television display showing her brother lying on another medical bed surrounded by doctors and monitors.

“Oh Austin…” She whispers.

“Paris!”

Her sisters quickly crowd around her bed. Relief covers their faces. Paris smiles back and opens her arms. London moves first, a big smile covering her face, she pulls her into a big hug. Sydney is more gentle but she hugs just as long.

Paris breathes deeply.

“Oh it feels like a million years.”

“Are you okay?”

Paris nods her head. She sits up and crosses her legs. Her sisters kick of their shoes and join her on the bed.

“You gave us a scare, being asleep for two weeks.”

“Two weeks?!” Paris exclaims, “What?”

“When they brought you back you were kinda in and out. They had you isolated for a while. Just to make sure that you were not infected.”

Paris winces at the memory of the tentacle floating just above her. Her eyes flicker to the monitor where Austin sleeps.

“He’s going to be alright. The doctors have him on some pain medication that helps him sleep. Apparently the vines did a real number on him. He’ll need physical therapy afterwards but the doctors say that he is clean.”

Paris glances at her hands.

“Hey. Not your fault.”

“I know but… If I hadn’t been caught…”

“If you hadn’t been caught we wouldn’t have known what to look for. Or what the doctors would have looked for.”

The triplets turn to find Jordan walking into the room. He smiles at them as she leans up against the foot of the bed. Deep shadows hang underneath his eyes. His face is gaunt.

“I’m glad you’re awake.”

“Sorry for causing you so much trouble.”

“Not your fault.”

“What do we do now?”

“Now? Now we rest. You rest. Mom and dad will be here soon. And we wait for Austin to wake back up.” Jordan smiles at his sisters, “And rest means for you too, Syd. London.”

The two girls groan, “That’s all we do. Is sit.”

“You’ve given a lot of blood.”

“Wait, why were they drawing more blood from you?”

“Well. From what I could understand, that Russian guy was trying to cultivate a breed of those animals that would be immune to the black powder stuff. Apparently you three have a rare blood genetic. Nothing to make you ill but enough to act like poison ivy to them. And those squid things were allergic to poison ivy.”

Sydney frowns, “That was fast. Even for two weeks.”

“The doctors have been looking for a way to cure the infection. Or at least counter it. Apparently some humans have an immune system that is effective at resisting the infection attempts. Not effective but the scientists were close to figuring out why when this whole thing went down. But your blood, you three, seem to have the markers they were looking for. When Dimitri had you taken, they were able, from examining each of our blood, distill which genetic markers that the creatures are allergic to.”

“Well. I need to fill in Hannah and Caleb. Now. All three of you need to rest up. And eat.” He stares at all three of them. “You don’t have to eat a lot but you do need to eat.”

“Yes, sir.” London says, “All three of us. Always.”

Sydney and Paris quickly nod their heads in agreement.

X

Jordan steps out of the hospital room. He casts one look at his sisters as they talk about the weather. The young man can hear the hesitation in her answers and how skittish she is.

“They okay?”

Jordan finds his friends walking up to him. Caleb shoves a hamburger into his chest. “Eat. Eat or I’ll force eat you like I did in Middle School.”

The man laughs as he unwraps the burger, “Yeah. They’re fine. I think Sydney and London are probably going to be near her as much as possible. I don’t think they ever considered being separated from one another.”

Hannah exhales sharply, “That’s right. They’ve never been apart, have they?”

“The longest I think was maybe a day. How is Austin?”

“Same as before. Sleepy because of the meds but he is stable.”

“That’s good. I don’t know what I would do.” A dark look crosses his face, “And where is that Russian…” He bit back his words, “Where is he? I like a few words with him.”

“Don’t know. Last I saw him they were loading him up under heavy guard.”

“I hope they punish him for what he did to my family.”

“Easy. Anger is not going to help you. Your family is whole. The bad guy is caught.”

“Now what though?” Jordan murmurs, “They said there were more of these nests.”

“You thinking of hunting?”

“Why not? The military is going to need all the help they can get.”

“How about we get you home.” Hannah says with a shake of her head, “Seems like it has been months since we’ve got here to get your grandfather’s house ready to be sold.”

Jordan started laughing.

“What?”

“All that work we did. Mowing the yard and whatnot. And the house has been destroyed.”

“One day at a time. Right now. Day one is going to be rest. For you as well, man.”

“You’re right.” Jordan smiles, “Just never thought this little adventure would end this way. I thought some rats. Maybe a few snakes. Not monsters and injured sisters.”

The End

Author’s Note: If you have kept up from the beginning, thank you! I know this one went much longer than a short story ought to. I plan on doing more but I might take a break. That and you know, adulting takes time. Thank you again and I will catch you on the flip side!

Monday Stories: Blue Flowers, Chapter 21

Jordan tries to watch the dozen different feeds at the same time. Kept between a pair of guards, he watches helplessly as platoons of soldiers advance through the woods. They follow a trail of broken undergrowth and damaged trees. It took the young man nearly an hour to figure out how the soldiers knew which way to go.

Everywhere are blue flowers. Many are waving madly in the still air as the soldiers approach them.

“Contact!” One soldier yells.

The look as giant squid-like creatures emerges from the ground. Their vines twist through the air. Between them are vine-wrapped men leaping through the air. Many have vines coming out of one of their eyes or ears. What little of their faces remains reveal blank faces.

“Engage engage!”

The sound of gunfire erupts as machine guns are fired in steady bursts. A heartbeat later and missiles leap through the air. Bright comets leaving smoking trails. Three to five missiles strike the first line of creatures.

The first hit merely blackens and burns the skin while the others break through the flesh. Chunks of burning flesh are tossed through the air. Fires begin burning, casting a hellish glow on the scene.

Soldier voices become a confusion dins of calls for help, shouting out enemy locations, and calls of reloading. Yet the cacophony doesn’t seem to bother any of the commanders. Quickly and efficiently they burn down the vine-wrapped soldiers and the giant squids.

The commander shakes his head, “What a loss.”

“The trees?” Jordan murmurs in surprise.

“What? No. Those people out there. Infected. I was hoping to save them.”

A distant rumble shakes the compound. The soldiers pause in the work as they watch cups and desks shake in response.

“Blue Leader to Alpha. Hostiles are in retreat. I say again, hostiles are in retreat.”

“Confirmed!” A soldier in the command center answers.

“Pursue and destroy.”

“Copy that. You heard command. Move out. Keep your eyes peeled for traps.”

A soldier near Blue Leader growls loud enough to be heard, “I survived three IEDs. I ain’t going to be done in by a plant.”

“Alpha. Something has them running back. They’re not even trying to hide their trail.”

“Pursue. Flight Command. Get the birds in the air, provide fire support. Be prepared to cut off any move towards the town. Bring the town garrison to emergency standing. Radar. You see anything out of the ordinary. And find me Dimitri. Now!”

The soldiers quickly break into a quick march. Forced to move slowly due to the rough terrain, the retreating vine-wrapped men and squid creatures outpace them. Their trails, deep gouges in the ground or heavy footsteps are easy to see and to follow. Outside, Jordan can hear the roar of engines as helicopters begin to warm up.

Over the ridge, the lead soldiers arrive at a clearing. Blue flowers dance in the glad, rippling and twisting as if they were caught in a tornado but the surrounding trees are still as stone.

“Blue Team. Move out. Red Team follows five minutes after. Green Team. You’re the backup. Either come running or contain anything that tries to get out.”

The soldiers from Blue Team move quickly and steadily. They are careful not to disturb the flowers. The men and women from the other two teams form up as well with Green forming a half-circle, sheltered by the tree line.

Then Blue Team moves into the caves.

The lens fog momentarily as the temperature suddenly rises. Despite their best efforts, the men slip and slide slick stones. With the lights shining on the walls, the gouges and claw markings show the many passes of the squid creatures.

“This could be it.” The commander murmurs, “Their hiding place. Make sure we mark this location on several maps.”

“Done sir!”

“Good man.”

“Contact.” A whisper echoes through the speaker, “We seem to be in some sort of… incubation area. The smell is pretty bad. Like wet garbage.”

The camera feeds show the soldiers slowly spreading out from the entrance. Dozens of large eggs are scattered across the vast cavern. About halfway through the cavern the surviving three squid creatures are carefully moving, avoiding crushing any of the eggs. The smaller human-like ones are able to navigate the eggs much quicker. But at the back is a massive creature. One of the drones is attacking it, dealing severe damage. Then the others are on him.

He lashes out an attack that causes the creature to roar, causing all who heard it cup their hands over their ears. A moment later the ground shakes as the creature turns.

Vines lash out and a body flies through the air and crashes into the wall above.

It hits the ground with a thud. A pair of soldiers turn the body over and find a young man unconscious and badly bleeding from several wounds. One of his arms is missing.

“That’s my brother!” Jordan yells.

One of the guards grabbed his shoulder. Jordan snarls but holds back a sharp reply. He takes a deep breath and forces himself to trust the soldiers, the ones trained for combat. The feed shows several soldiers moving to protect the vine creature who attacked the big creature. The others are spreading out on either side of the cave entrance.

“Secure him for transport. Take out that creature. Now.”

Several of the soldiers launch missiles at the creature. Unable to counter or maybe not even aware of the danger, the missiles strike home, blowing massive chunks of flesh. With a deep groan more felt than heard, it topples over.

The squid-creatures and drones that survive the missile volley spin and turn. Another volley of missiles takes out the squid creatures. The vine-wrapped creatures step forward then fall one by one. The eggs begin shaking and twisting then grow still. The light coming from them fades to a dull glow.

“Sir. I see movement.” A relieved voice comes over, “It’s her! The girl. She is alive.”

“Secure her for isolation. Her brother as well and anybody else who survived. Decom. Prep for launch. I want every egg logged and destroyed and everything documented.”

“Yes, sir. Uh. We also found Doctor Yuri. Looks like he got caught in the blast too. He’s alive but injured. Lots of burns.”

“What? Why is the doctor there. Secure him for transport as well.”

“Commander?” Jordan asks.

“Yes?”

“Is it safe to tell my sisters the good news.”

The old man thinks for a moment, glancing between the feeds showing his soldiers carrying out his order and the young boy fearing to hope.

“You can tell your sisters that we found your siblings. We’re bringing them back but I don’t know what condition they are in or what might have been done to them.” He looks at his guards, “He gets away from you and you’re going to the Antarctic.”

“Understood!” They answer at once.

Jordan merely turns and heads out of the room.

“Commander.”

“Yes?”

“Do you think it is wise? We don’t know if we got them all or if this is the only nest. Well. The only nest in this area.”

The commander sighed, “Right. I know. But those kids were never supposed to be dragged in. And I would like to hope that they all pull through.”

“They might not.”

“I know.” He turns towards his aid, “Which is why I want orders written out that Holmes will shadow that family, assuming they are released and are safe to work with society.”

“Holmes?”

“You seem surprise.”

“Given Austin’s potential…”

“But what better way to ensure he remains safe and those around him remain safe. And what better way for him to learn?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll have the orders carried out by the end of the day.”

“Thank you. Alright, boys and girls.” He says loudly, “We got a long night of cleaning up ahead of us. Let’s get it done.”

To Be Continued…

Monday Stories: Blue Flowers, Chapter 20

Austin opens his eyes and finds himself underwater. Confused, he pushes for the surface. As he breaks free he hears laughter. Turning he finds Jordan shaking his head while grinning. Two young girls are dancing in a circle laughing and cheering. Austin turns and finds the small yellow ball just inside the grass area. He boosts himself out to grab it.

“Tell him to come down here! Join us!”

“Yeah! We can make it a three on three match!”

“Okay!”

The oldest sibling turns and sees his sister running towards the white house. Sydney is swimming back to the middle of the pool.

“Want to wait until they get back?” London asks.

“Huh?”

“Paris is going to see if gramps wants to join us.”

“Oh. Yeah. We can wait.” Austin tosses the ball to his sisters.

A scream shatters the air. Another scream from the house. At once, Austin charges across the yard and into the house. Jordan and the other two are right on his heels. Austin reaches the top of the stairs to find Paris backing out of grandpa’s study.

“Paris?”

She turns, pale and scared, “He’s dead. Grandpa is dead.”

The young girl runs into his arms and grips his waist. Austin shuffles down the hall. He finds an old man lying on the ground holding a flower.

“Jordan! Dial 911! Now! Keep the girls downstairs. Paris downstairs. Now.” He kneels next to his grandfather and begins giving CPR. His eyes fall to his grandfather’s hand. A small blue flower lies in his open palm.

Austin jerks at the memory.

The young man sits up and finds himself surrounded by those same blue flowers. The stench and humidity registers. Massive squid creatures are crawling up the front of the passage. He sees a man standing with arms folded and a cruel smile. Before him a massive creature is focused on a small girl. Secured by vines the girls screams in terror. Another vine rises from the shoulders and turns towards the girl.

Another memory flashes through his mind. A vine leaping out of the ground and piercing him.

The same kind that is being aimed at the girl.

Then he hears her.

“No… I don’t want to be like my brother! Please no! I won’t tell anyone!”

“Like your brother?” The man says with his head tilt, “Oh no no no. You misunderstand. Only males can be converted into drones. Something to do with being a male and not a female. Thank you genetics. Oh no. No you are just going to be consumed. A fitting end don’t you think? A worthy end.”

Then it hits Austin.

“Paris!” He groans as he forces himself to his feet. His body feels like lead.

“What? Why are you not dead?”

A terrible hiss fills the air.

With a groan, Austin marches forward, his legs and body protesting. The droning noise becomes more painful as the creature turns its attention on him. But the sight of his sister held captive strengthens him. With a scream of his own, he leaps towards the creature with arms stretched out.

“No!” The man screams as he charges forward.

Paris twists her head at the sound and finds her brother leaping through the air. He crushes several of the eggs. The creature roars with rage and releases its grip on her. Austin rushes past Dmitri but as he does, vines suddenly explode out of his skin.They wrap themselves around his body, twisting into perfectly shaped banded armor. Claws expand out of his fingertips and toes. Then the vines wrap themselves around his head. His head becomes like a knight’s helmet but in place of a visor is a gaping mouth more like a predator than a human’s.

The creature twists vines at him but Austin ducks between them. With his newly clawed hand, he slices into the creature. Green liquid sprays out and the creature howls in pain. It lashes out with a vine as thick as a tree.

The blow sends Austin flying through the air end over end.

Before Paris can move, Austin leaps back into the fight. At this point, Dmitri fires a side arm but misses. Austin tears into the creature. Vines of his own sweep out from his back and begin slicing into the flank of the creature.

Moving quicker than the creature’s vines, he twists and turns, cutting deep gashes into the creature’s flanks. Green liquid pours from the wounds.

Terrible screeches come from the front of the cave as the other drones rush back in. Howling, they attack Austin but he counters them but their sheer numbers overwhelm him. They slic into his own, cutting off his own vines and one arm. Half of his “helmet” is torn free, revealing half his face. Pain and fury plays across his face.

For a split second, they lock eyes.

Resolve flickers through his eyes.

With a roar, he raises his remaining arm. The vines leap forward to form a spear. He slams it deep into the creature’s back.

It jerks from the blow lifting its back. The sudden motion sends its drones flying. Still screaming, Austin twists and slides the creature’s flank, cutting all the while. The flesh splits apart, spilling blood as it twists to free itself from the attack.

Austin steps back as the massive animal turns. Its mouth opens wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Turning, He grasp his sister to shield her as vines leap out.

Her brother gasps in pain as the vines pierce his body. With almost a casual motion, it tosses him towards the far side of the room. The drones chase after him, claws stretched out.

The air and ground seem to explode at once as fireballs explode.

To Be Continued…

Monday Stories: Blue Flowers, Chapter 19

Paris stares in confusion. The thick air and stench make it hard to think and to focus. She struggles to follow the doctor as he walks across the field.

“I suppose you are wondering why I brought you here? No?” The man laughs, “Oh I am sorry. I suppose you are too weak to handle this.”

The man smiles, “Don’t worry, you’ll be alright. Well. I mean, you won’t have to worry about it for a while. Soon, it will be all over. And then you won’t have to worry about anything.”

The massive creature shifts. Its attention suddenly becomes focused on the surrounding eggs. The squid-like animals seem to be checking on the dust-coated shells. A moment later, the creatures twist and turns its attention back to the girl.

“Why?” Paris mutters, “Why me?”

“Oh, nothing. Just most likely to succumb. Your grandfather discovered that the creatures were looking for specific people to turn into the drones. Like your brother. It took him several years before he figured out why.” The doctor steps over to her with a syringe, “It was a genetic code combination. It made you a poison.”

“Why go after humans?” Paris asks as she searches for a way to escape. Her eyes fall on her brother. Vines nearly cover his entire body. He stares back at her with a blank look, “What is the point of killing humans?”

He laughs, “My dear child. These things were made as weapons. A powerful strike force that could lay waste to armies without warning. A powerful weapon that could aid an invasion force. Unfortunately, the scientist never considered that some humans would have a natural resistance against them. Or the fact that that same resistance could be found in nature. Your grandfather was hoping to use that odd genetic material to counter and destroy my beautiful creatures. Foolish man.”

Without warning, he stabs her with the syringe and begins drawing blood. As he draws his blood, the creature releases its grip on the girl.

“And now. You shall be a host to an entirely new generation. One that will give them immunity. You see. When a seed is implanted, it takes on the characteristics of the host. Especially the genetic. By copying your oddity, my creatures will gain resistance. After the new hosts mature, I’ll implant your sisters. With your last sister turned, I’ll have a generation of creatures who will not succumb to the toxin. And then they’ll be able to leave this area.”

“What do you mean?” Paris slowly stands.

Dimitri laughs, “Your grandfather. Unwittingly my opponent buried a ring of toxic around the town. He knew we were hidden somewhere in the area but he could never pinpoint us. Oh, what would they had been able to do if they were awakened before your grandfather could have countered them.”

The creature suddenly rumbles.

Its sound echoes like a thousand drums hammering into her.

“No,” Dimitri whispers. “They found us. Drones!” He snaps out. The humanoid forms suddenly snap to attention. They face the doctor. “Go forward. Destroy the enemies.”

They screech in answer. Together, they turn and head towards the exit on the far side of the cavern. Dimitri taps his chin thoughtfully.

“Well. This changes things.” He turns to the pitiful girl standing next to his creation. “I will have to convert you now. Make you a host. Belle!” He calls out, “Do it.”

Paris’ head spins in confusion. She follows the man as he walks through the groups of eggs. Without warning, pain explodes in her torso. She jerks as a vine slashes through her body. The vine slams her into the ground. The teen twists. She finds one of the vines has embedded itself into her. She groans as she feels the vines spreading through her.

She screams as the vines begin to rapidly spread through her like knives.

X

An odd sound seems to cut through his mind.

Beneath the pleasant droning sound, it disturbs the calming sound. Like a random note added to a beautiful symphony.

Symphony.

Austin shakes his head. Trying to focus his thoughts.

Instead, the droning becomes more intense. Instead of calmness and joy, the increased sound becomes painful. He shakes his head and turns. He turns and finds the source. A small figure is screaming in pain next to the creator of the droning sound.

The figure twists and turns as the mother creature pin the figure to the ground.

“Drone.”

Austin turns and finds another walking towards him.

“Drone. You were given an order. Obey.”

At his words, the drone recognizes that an order was given. That he is to meet an attacking force of hostiles. The droning returns to its normal sound as he moves forward towards the exit. He reaches the end of the cavern when the odd note comes back.

Something in him burns and the droning noise begins to cut through his mind again. He twists and turns in agony.

He turns again and his vision shifts. The small round orbs change color from blue to orange. Likewise, the larger creatures in the room change colors as well. At the edge of the cavern, the largest and the smallest creatures in the room are. One is a small figure with a bright blue glow but it flickers as a red light seems to fill it like a poison.

The larger creature shifts and turns towards him.

Anger and fear ripples from the creature.

The sensation is echoed by the other large squid creatures.

“Drone.”

The voice is cold and hard. He turns and finds the man standing near him. His arms are lifted up and a bright flash explodes from the end. Pain explodes in the chest and his vision blurs.

X

Dimitri kneels to the ground next to the drone. He shakes his head in disappointment. Standing up, he turns and finds the girl still struggling on the ground.

The vines are tearing through her body. For a moment he imagines that is how a virus infection would look like if it were made visible. From the black lines twisting through her body comes a series of blue blossoms breaking through her skin. Her blood flows freely from the broken skin.

“Help me.” The girl whimpers weakly. “Please. Help. Me.”

“I’m sorry but the future is here. And for it to succeed, the past must crumble.” He turns and looks back at the dying drone, “Odd through. I wonder why this drone was resisting orders.”

The sound of gunfire and screams comes from outside. He growls as he walks to the creature. Its large eyes are focused on the small girl.

“Come, old friend. It is time to wake your children.”

The creature looks up and rumbles. Shifting to a standing position, it opens its giant mouth and roars. The cavern shakes and trembles. In answer, the hundreds of eggs scattered around the room begin to vibrate in answer. A glow blossoms inside each egg, revealing the shadowy forms of tiny squid-like creatures.

To Be Continued…

Monday Stories: Blue Flowers, Chapter 18

Paris screams in agony. She falls as the pain becomes unbearable. She falls to her knees. The pain suddenly disappears. Confused the girl looks around. Wrapped in a towel, she sits underneath a tree. She hears the splashing and laughter. Looking over she sees Sydney, London, Austin, and Jordan having a water volleyball fight. The small yellow ball bounces out of the water and rolls across the concrete.

Austin hops out to get the ball as Sydney paddles over to the side of the pool.

“Whatcha got there?”

“A flower!” Paris hears herself answer as she lifts a small blue flower. Panic begins to fill her as she starts to remember, “I’m going to give it to Grandpa!”

“Alright. Tell him to come down here! Join us!”

“Yeah!” Jordan says with a laugh, “We can make it a three on three match!”

“Okay!” Paris feels laughter and joy bubbling out of her.

Paris feels herself standing up and running into the house. She tries to fight from going up the stairs but she can’t. Her heart begins to race as her bare feet slap against the wood stairs. The top of the stair creaks and she hurries down the hall. Sliding to a stop, she knocks on the door.

“It’s open.” Comes a raspy voice.

Pushing the door open, Paris steps in and finds a white hair man bent over his work table. A soft chuckle comes from him. He speaks without turning to her.

“You better not be dripping water onto my floor, young lady.”

Paris glances down and finds that she is indeed dripping pool water onto the floor.

“Um.”

The old man barks out a large laugh as he turns to her.

“Don’t worry little one. It’s fine. What is it?”

“Well. We want you to join us in the pool and I found something.” She lifts the little flower up, “A little flower.”

“Oh. Well. That’s nice. I’ll take that and I’ll change into some swimming trunks. Why don’t you head downstairs and I’ll meet you outside.”

“Okay.” Paris laughs and she spins on her heel, “Can’t wait, Grandpa!”

Paris turns and hurried down the street. She makes it to the end of the hall when she hears something heavy strike the ground. Paris feels pain exploding inside her as she turns to the sound. Moving quickly down the hall but at the same time everything slows down.

Slowly, she opens the door and finds her grandfather lying on the ground.

A scream explodes from her voice.

Paris jolts awake. Her legs ache and she shivers in the cold. She struggles but strong arms tighten the grip on her arms. She looks up. Strange, vine wrapped men hold her. They drag her across the stone ground. She looks back and forth. Blue flowers are spread across the field. She struggles but the teen cries in pain as their grip grows tighter.

Both of them lift her up and carry her down a dark cave.

Slim covers the walls. A terrible stench fills the air. An hour seems to pass before she enters a dark cavern. Giant squid creatures are moving about between oversize seeds. A strange red light fills the air.

Forcing down the hall, she is dropped in front of an enormous creature.

Much like the giant plant squids, this creature is much larger with thick tentacles moving across the field. The creature twists, bringing an enormous eye to bear on her. The creature rumbles and a small tentacle sweeps out and to caresses her.

Ice cold and covered in slim, Paris jerks back from the touch.

The creature rumbles and shakes the ground. Anger pulses out in waves.

“Amazing isn’t she.”

Paris turns and she sees a man stepping out of the shadows. She struggles to place the half-familiar face. Then she has it. It is the doctor, Dimitri Yuri.

“Help me.” She whispers.

“Help you?” The man laughs, “I don’t think so. But you can help me.” He runs a hand along the surface of the creature, “You are the key to unlocking her offspring– so that nothing can stop us. Stop her.”

To Be Continued…