Alien Research

CHAPTER 91

THE WAY I SAW IT, I had two options. I could try to hit every one of these drones with the few shots left in the clip—and then Jeff, White, and I could be shot to death by the remainder—or I could run and lead the drones away from the others.

I had to jump back toward the drones, but I didn’t keep on going that way. I leaped to my left, then turned and headed for what I hoped was the far wall near where we’d first come into this area.

When you’re being shot at, running in a serpentine movement is your best bet, because it’s a lot harder to hit a target that’s moving erratically. This was great in theory and when you were on terra firma, but fifteen feet up and on slick metal requiring all my track and field training, it was a different story.

Jumping from server to server had been a hell of a lot easier when Jeff had been holding my hand. Hadn’t realized just how much he’d kept me from slipping until my third jump, which didn’t end up my final jump with my going splat at the end only because I was going fast enough that I was able to pretend I was hurdling and land on the next server in line.

However, that meant I’d gone in a straight line for two jumps, and the drone shots were whizzing far too close to me.

Had to dodge to my left to avoid a drone that was attempting a dive bomb, and while I made the jump, I landed in a skid on my left side. I wasn’t really hurt, but I also wasn’t steady, and I slid toward the edge.

I was mostly over the edge when someone grabbed my purse and spun me around. I was able to grab White’s arm and, because of how he was lying on the top of the server, we both actually stayed on it.

“This is reminiscent of Paris,” he said.

“I could have officially done without an Operation Confusion flashback. Where’s Jeff?”

“Leading the drones away. He’s the fastest and I guaranteed I wouldn’t let you fall.” White helped me to my feet. He kept a hold of my hand. “Shall we, Missus Martini?”

“Absolutely, Mister White.”

We took off after Jeff, who was in the distance, doing a great job of dodging, jumping, and moving fast. But there was a whole fleet of little drones after him.

Jeff neared the wall we were heading for and he stopped running in a serpentine fashion. Instead he jumped straight for two servers. The drones clustered behind him.

I was ready to start shooting but I couldn’t be sure I wouldn’t hit Jeff. This wasn’t looking too good when he disappeared.

Managed not to scream, but only because White and I were in the air, jumping between servers when this happened. We landed and White dropped down onto the top of this server, pulling me with him just as all the drones slammed into the wall.

There was an impressive explosion. White waited until the initial debris had flown out, then he had us up and jumping over again. One server before the wall he stopped again. We looked over the edge. Jeff was standing there, looking worried and expectant.

“Right on time,” White said cheerfully, as he shoved me off the server.

Managed not to shriek or accidentally pull the trigger of my gun, but both took a lot of self-control. Jeff caught me like a pro, put me down, and waited to catch White, who jumped the moment I was out of Jeff’s arms.

“I’d have loved to have known about this whole plan,” I said as I dropped my now-inaugurated Glock back into my purse.

Jeff took one hand, White the other. “There wasn’t time,” Jeff said with a grin. “Just a reminder that I was the Head of Field for a reason, baby.”

“You’re the best there is at what you do, Jeff, I know. Now, let’s get out of here. I’m almost sure that the wall you just made fall down leads to the bathrooms and one of those bathrooms has a cube gate in it.”

Jeff shook his head. “Maybe so, but the damage is too high up and the rest of that wall is still intact. We’ll have to get there another way.”

“Fantastic. The next section’s a maze, too. But the room we entered the facility through also has a cube gate return there, so we could be good.”

We headed for the double doors, which, once we reached them, were both locked and standing strong. Fabulous.

“If the doors are locked, where are the people—and I use that term loosely—we’re chasing?” White asked.

Waited for an evil laugh or the sound of a cocking gun. There was none. Interesting. Spun around. No one was here. “They got through somehow. Or a server fell on them. But I doubt we were that lucky, so I assume they got out.”

“How?” Jeff asked. “Unless they walked out with a key, they didn’t have time to grab something before Naomi blew up where they were living.”

“They did, actually. They went back in for guns. Maybe they planned ahead.” Though it seemed more likely that they’d invoked Evacuation Omega more than grabbed a key. The drones had to have been part of the evacuation procedure. “The drones. Where did the drones come from?”

“No idea,” Jeff said. “Behind us is all I’ve got, and based on what I can see and hear, we don’t want to go back.”

“Time to break the door down, Jeffrey,” White said. “I’ll let you try first. I wouldn’t want to imply that I don’t believe you’re strong enough to do it alone.”

“You’re just too old to handle it,” Jeff said as he backed up to run at the door.

“You never used to be so disrespectful when I was the Supreme Pontifex.”

“You weren’t as mouthy as my wife when you were the Pontifex. I think she’s rubbing off on you.”

“I’m all kinds of proud. Jeff, do you really want to run at the door at full speed? If it doesn’t open you could get hurt.”

“If we don’t get out, we’re all dead. I’ll take the risk of shoulder dislocation.” Jeff bent over like a linebacker ready to take out the entire offensive line, and charged. Right as the doors opened.

Jeff slammed right into whoever had opened the doors. Showing we weren’t completely shocked, White grabbed my hand and we ran after them.

Proving that he’d have broken down the door with ease, Jeff and whoever slammed through at least six walls before they came to a stop in a heap.

“Well, that’s one way to get through this part of the maze,” I said as we caught up. “Jeff, are you okay?”

“Yeah, baby,” he said as he got up. “I had padding.”

“Why don’t you ask if we’re okay?” Christopher snarled, as he put his hand up and Jeff pulled him to his feet. Buchanan was still on the ground. White and I helped him up—it seemed like he needed both of us.

“Malcolm, are you okay?” This earned me Patented Glare #1. “Christopher, you’re an A-C, you heal fast. Malcolm’s a human and he doesn’t.”

“I’m okay, Missus Chief. I got the thrill of being sandwiched in between the two of them, so while I got crushed I didn’t get battered.”

“Some people would like that.” This earned me both Patented Glare #2 from Christopher and an annoyed grunt from Jeff.

“I’m not one of them, Missus Chief. Though not being slammed first into the walls is probably why I’m okay.”

“Well, I guess that’s good. Why are you guys here?”

They both gave me the “really?” look. “Because you two and my dad weren’t back yet,” Christopher said. “And Buchanan indicated things looked bad here.”

“He wasn’t wrong,” Jeff said, as he grabbed my hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Which gate?” I asked. “Bathroom or the room we originally entered through?”

“We came in via the bathroom,” Christopher said.

“And we’re closer to the bathrooms now, too, thanks to your husband using the two of us to break through walls,” Buchanan said as I grabbed his hand and we took off. “Where are the clones?”

“No idea. We think they made it out.”

“We didn’t see them, but we didn’t have too far to go.” Buchanan had us out of the maze and to the elevator lobby door, which was off its hinges. Presumed that was Christopher’s doing.

“Should we take the time to search for them?” White asked. “They know things we’d prefer they didn’t, and they do have information we need.”

We paused at the door of the bathroom with the gate in it. As we did, a loud rumble shook the whole place. It sounded and felt like the sound of thunder when the lightning strike is right next to you.

“The hell with them,” Jeff said. “We need to get out of here.”

“Link up,” Buchanan said, as Jeff grabbed White and White grabbed Christopher.

We were about to enter the bathroom when I looked up. And screamed. Because the ceiling was caving in on us.

Fortunately we were all connected because Christopher took off at Flash Level, as the rubble hit right where Buchanan and I had been standing.

We stopped at the elevator lobby, mostly because its ceiling was still intact. The cubicle section we’d been in was buried. “Now where?” Christopher asked.

“No idea. The elevators go up to the top part of this facility but not out. We could go back to the entry control room, but we didn’t find another gate and don’t have time to search for another hidden one.”

Buchanan shook his head. “I think that area’s all down now.”

Jeff put his arm around me and pulled me closer, then did the same with Christopher. Christopher followed suit with his father, and White took Buchanan’s free hand in his and pulled him closer into our little circle.

Tried to think of appropriate last words. “Love all of you so much and I really hate that the bad guys are going to get to win.”

The ground shook again and as the ceiling fell I noted that there was a golden glow around us.

All of a sudden, we weren’t in a collapsing underground facility any more, but in our living room.

We all blinked.

“Are you all in a group huddle for a reason?” Mom asked.

We broke apart to see most of the team and everyone who’d been over at the Gaultier Cloning Facility sitting or standing there.

“Not that I’m complaining, but how the hell did we get out?” Christopher asked.

“Naomi.” Looked around, but she wasn’t here. Chuckie, who was sitting in between Gower and Abigail, looked at me hopefully. “It had to be Naomi. The way we were pulled out was just like when ACE did it.”

Mom sighed. “I should have put my foot down and kept Naomi here.”

“Mom, it wasn’t your fault. You told her not to go and told me to leave her here. If it’s anyone’s fault it’s mine.”

“No,” Buchanan said firmly, as Dad walked out with Jamie in his arms. “This wasn’t your fault. I was there. She made the choice she felt she had to and she made that choice to protect her friends and family. She overdid it because . . .” he looked at Chuckie, “she was afraid and didn’t realize she was giving herself too much.”

Chuckie shook his head. “She knew what she was doing,” he said quietly, and there was so much sorrow in his voice that I wanted to cry. Held it in, though, because now wasn’t the time to lose it completely.

Abigail nodded. “She’d . . . talked to me about it, what it felt like when they gave her the drug. She wasn’t afraid of it.”

Dad cleared his throat. “Ah, kitten? I think we may have another . . . little problem.”

That earned the room’s attention. “What’s wrong, Dad? Jamie, are you okay?”

Jamie looked at all of us before she spoke. “Fairy Godfather ACE is back,” she said. “And Fairy Godfather ACE is angry.”