Invading hell the oculus.., p.13
Invading Hell (The Oculus Gate Book 2), page 13
“Not unexpected. It should remain local.” Caligar unfastened his skis. “You do the same, Benjamin. We will not need them on my planet.”
Ben bent over and took his skis off. The moment he finished, he began lifting from the ground. He clutched Caligar’s parachute pack to keep from flying away. Then, Caligar floated upward, constantly studying the numbers on his pad.
While they ascended, the tower lights continued to brighten. “Now that we’re airborne,” Caligar said, “Winella will increase the power sharply to make us fly through the Gate as quickly as possible.”
“To avoid too much time in the airless environment.”
“Correct. We could not survive there for more than a minute or so.”
As if on cue, they accelerated upward. Cold air beat against Ben’s clothes and chilled his skin. It seemed that his body stretched out, and the light streams below shrank away, now a circle around Earth’s crown.
Then all fell dark.
The wind eased to a perfect calm. His skull throbbed, the worst headache ever. His lungs pushed air out, but nothing came back in. His entire body felt like it was about to explode. Dizziness flooded his brain. Soon he would faint and lose his vise grip on Caligar’s pack.
A few seconds later, light appeared far below. A breeze returned. Ben sucked in a breath. Air had never tasted so good. The headache ebbed, and everything came back into focus. He and Caligar were falling toward the ground, a greenish expanse that seemed to be thousands of feet away, though their downward speed was impossible to gauge.
“Caligar,” Ben shouted. “Does your pad tell you how fast we’re falling?”
Caligar stayed silent, his face toward the ground and his body spread-eagle. The computer pad glided near his hand, the cord keeping it close.
“Caligar?” Ben pulled on the pack and looked at Caligar’s face.
His eyes were closed. He was either unconscious or dead.
Chapter Thirteen
Leo picked up a batter-fried orb from a plate in his lap. Sitting cross-legged on a wooden floor with Iona in a similar position to his left and Bazrah to his right, he inhaled through his nose. The sphere smelled like river eel, pecan oil, and red pepper. “Fish eyes, you say?”
Bazrah nodded while chewing, the crunch loud enough to hear.
Iona set her helmet at her hip and laid her vest on top, the gun still in its holster. “Don’t be a coward, Leo. It won’t bite you.”
“I’m no coward, but the pepper is similar to cayenne. If I try one, it will overwhelm my senses. My nose will be no good for hours.”
“Suit yourself, but I think we’re safe.” She popped one into her mouth and chewed. After a few seconds, she gasped, fanning her face. “Oh! That’s super spicy!”
Leo chuckled. “It bit you pretty hard, I would say.”
Iona reached for a flask on the floor, but Bazrah grabbed it first. “No.”
“Why?” Iona continued fanning. “I’m dying, here.”
She leaned farther and reached again, but Bazrah swung it farther away. “No. Hurt you.”
“Hurt me? How? You’re drinking it.”
Melinda walked in and sat opposite Leo. “Bazrah is trying to keep you safe.” She took the flask from him, dropped a tablet in, and swirled it around. “Now you can drink it.”
“Good.” Iona grabbed the flask, guzzled water, and wiped her mouth with a sleeve. “Whew! That’s better.”
“Was it worth it?” Leo asked.
She nodded. “Really tasty. I haven’t had anything that good in a long time.”
“Well, then …” Leo bit into one and chewed. Something slimy oozed out of the half still in his hand. Maybe his fish eye wasn’t fully cooked, but, as Iona had said, it carried an excellent flavor—the expected pepper along with curry and cinnamon.
When he swallowed, a burning sensation crawled across his tongue toward the back of his throat, increasing by the second. He picked up the flask and took three hefty swallows before setting it back down. He smacked his lips. “It’s not like our water. It tastes … fruity, I think. Like a peach. And it’s slippery. Does it have oil in it?”
Melinda nodded. “The tablet I added made it feel slippery. The ingredients protect your throat. Bazrah’s throat is not as sensitive.”
“Interesting. We washed in a waterfall earlier. It caused some redness but no burns.”
“Rainwater is more caustic, which we collect in a cistern for Bazrah’s drinking source. A stream’s water would have gathered minerals that somewhat neutralized the acidity. Those minerals also have healing properties.”
“Ah. I smelled them in the stream. It all makes sense.”
Iona looked at Leo’s plate. “Aren’t you going to eat the rest of it?”
Leo inhaled through his nose. The odors now seemed dull, muted. The pepper had definitely affected his senses. “I’ll skip it. I need to get my nose back as soon as possible.”
“You’re right. We need that valuable nose.” Iona turned toward Melinda. “How did you know to put the tablet in the water? It’s not like you’ve had other Earthlings visiting you, right?”
“You are not the first, but I cannot say more about that.”
Iona glanced at Leo with one of her familiar distrustful expressions. Knowing her, she wouldn’t rest until she figured out what Melinda was hiding.
“Well …” Iona blinked in an innocent fashion and shifted to her more youthful voice. “It’s a good thing, then, that we aren’t the first. I pity the unfortunate Earthling girl who was the first to drink your water. She probably nearly died, right?”
Melinda’s expression stayed perfectly slack. “The visitor was not a girl, and he did not suffer more than minor burns. Caligar was quick to concoct an antidote.”
Iona nodded in an exaggerated manner. “Oh. Interesting. It’s good that you had an antidote for any Earthlings who came between his visit and ours.”
“There were no other …” She stared straight ahead, her mouth partially open.
“Melinda?” Iona waved a hand in front of her eyes. “Are you all right?”
Bazrah crawled behind her and pushed his fingers into her hair. Something clicked, like a switch being toggled.
“Rebooting her brain?” Leo asked.
Bazrah nodded. “Not working.”
A new voice entered the room. “Because I switched her circuits off.”
Everyone turned. A man stood at the doorway leading to the observatory, holding a huge rifle. With a short antenna that protruded from the top of the barrel, it looked like a prop from a science-fiction movie.
“We don’t want any trouble.” Leo rose slowly to his feet, sniffing to check for anything unusual. But nothing entered, not even the man’s scent. That blasted fish eye had done its dirty work.
“If you don’t want trouble,” the man said, waving the rifle, “then I suggest you stay where you are.”
Leo looked him over. With badly shorn gray hair and beard, it seemed that he had visited a blind barber. About five foot ten and wearing torn denim jeans, a ragged button-down long-sleeved shirt, and sneakers with floppy soles, he was definitely from Earth. “I will stay here,” Leo said. “What do you want?”
The man tucked the rifle under his arm and scratched through his scalp, grimacing, either nervous or battling a skin problem. “I want …” He lowered his scratching hand and regripped his rifle. “I want Bazrah to come with me to … to find something.”
Leo stepped between the man and Bazrah. “Why?”
“I need him to ….” The man rolled his eyes. “Look, I don’t have to explain myself. I’m the one with a gun. You have to do what I say. Got it?”
Leo eyed the man again. He held the rifle away from his body, as if it were a dreaded object. Maybe he would shoot, and maybe he wouldn’t. Charging ahead to disarm him was too risky. “May I offer a peaceful solution, uh … what did you say your name is?”
“Harrid. Dr. Carson Harrid.”
“May I call you Harry?”
“No. Dr. Harrid.” He scratched his head again. “What is your peaceful solution?”
“Allow me to accompany you. Once you find what you’re looking for, I will bring Bazrah back with me.”
Dr. Harrid scanned Leo, his eyes moving up and down. “I don’t trust you. The second I’m not watching, you could grab me and beat me to a pulp.”
“I am big enough to do that, Dr. Harrid, but with the boy’s caretaker out of commission, it is my duty to see to his safety. I wouldn’t risk—”
“Oh, Leo,” Iona said as she stepped to his side, “stop being so polite with this ignoramus. He’s threatening a kid. He’s a cowardly cockroach.”
Dr. Harrid’s eyelid twitched. “Don’t … don’t call me an ignoramus. I have an IQ of one-ninety-seven.”
Iona whispered, “But he didn’t mind cowardly cockroach?”
“Intellect is a hot button,” Leo quickly scanned her. She had put her vest on again, and the Toger was now behind her waistband at her back, but would it fire after all it had been through? Maybe she was hiding it there as a last resort. “We can use that to our—”
“Stop whispering!” Dr. Harrid fired the rifle. A tiny, bright light shot out, zipped past Iona, and sizzled into a wall.
Leo whistled. “What kind of ammunition do you have in that gun, Sir Shoots Amiss?”
“Sir what?”
“Never mind. Just grumbling about you shooting at the little miss.”
“That was a warning shot. I won’t miss again. Regarding the ammunition, they are photon pellets.” A proud smile emerged. “I developed them from the elements on this vile planet. And the rifle is modified from a weapon I borrowed from Caligar.”
“Borrowed.” Leo nodded. “I see.”
Dr. Harrid’s face reddened. “Don’t patronize me. It’s Caligar’s fault I’m stuck here. It’s only fair that I use some of his hardware to help me go home.”
“You’re right,” Iona said, her hands folded in front as she switched to a more conciliatory tone. “And I want to help you get home.”
“You do?” Dr. Harrid scratched his head again. “Why?”
“Because Leo and I are from Earth. If you can get home, then maybe we can follow.”
Dr. Harrid shook his head hard. “No. Once I’m in the air and traveling through the Eye, you’ll turn the energy off, and I’ll fall to my death.”
“Then send us first. If we all go, Bazrah can find his way back here.”
Harrid glanced up for a moment as if calculating before re-fixing his stare on Iona. “The conduit won’t last long enough. The degradation will occur before we could complete the process.”
Iona started rolling her eyes but quickly halted the gesture. “Then we’ll all go at the same time. We can work it out.”
“I still don’t see any advantage for me. Why should I let you come?”
Leo gestured toward Bazrah. “The little rascal might give you trouble if we’re not there. He could lead you into a trap. He’s really smart like that.” Leo stepped to the side and motioned for Bazrah to come forward.
When he stood between Leo and Iona, Dr. Harrid looked him over. “You make a valid point. He is rather impish.”
“Then you’ll take us along?” Iona asked.
“Perhaps, but I need to check something. Stay here.” Dr. Harrid pivoted and retreated to the observatory. Leo crept to the door with Iona and looked out. Dr. Harrid sat at the stool and looked through the telescope, frequently glancing at the door. “I told you to stay.”
Leo raised a hand. “Staying right here, as commanded.”
“Well, you’d better.” He continued looking through the telescope.
Iona whispered to Leo, “I could shoot him. I think.”
“Don’t try it. If that gun doesn’t work, we’re dead.”
Harrid cursed. “No! I can’t believe it! It’s impossible!”
“What?” Leo and Iona said at same time.
“He’s coming. Here. Now.”
“Who?” Iona asked.
Dr. Harrid faced her, his cheeks aflame. “Caligar, you idiot! And someone’s with him. A human male. I don’t know who.”
“Maybe I can identify him.”
Dr. Harrid scowled. “Out of a billion men on earth, you think you know him?”
Iona set a fist on her hip, her own cheeks reddening. “How do you think I got here, you mental midget? My friends are probably trying to find me.”
He aimed the rifle, his hands shaking. “My intelligence dwarfs yours. I am a brilliant scientist.”
“Then you need a nametag with brilliant scientist written under Carson Horrid. Otherwise no one will be able to tell how brilliant you are.”
He screamed. “It’s Harrid, you stupid little troll!”
“Yep. That’s it. I’m a troll. And I’m pushing your buttons like a pro.” She set both fists on her hips. “Now are you going to let me see who’s falling from the sky before it’s too late?”
Breathing rapidly, he glared at her. “All right. It’s not too late. The scope is tracking them, and they’re falling slowly.” He stepped away from the stool and motioned with the rifle for Iona to enter. “Hurry.”
Leo took the handgun, pretending to give Iona a push, and slid it into a cloak pocket. With Harrid watching her closely, she hustled to the stool, sat, and looked through the scope. After a few seconds, she stood and turned toward Dr. Harrid. “He’s not who I thought he was. I have no clue who he is.”
“Well, thanks a lot for wasting my time.”
Iona frowned at him. “My pleasure, Dr. Horrid.”
“It’s Harrid!”
“I know your name. You don’t have to shout.”
“Then use it.” Dr. Harrid blew out an exasperated sigh. “All right. Here’s what we’re doing. First toss that android down the hole. I want Caligar to think she and Bazrah are on an outing. Then you and your hairy brother will go next.”
Iona’s eyes narrowed to slits. “He’s not my brother.”
“Then whatever he is. I don’t care. When you get down there, wait for me, whether in the tunnel or out at the ledge. Again, I don’t care.” He gestured with a finger. “Bazrah, come here. I need you next to me to make sure the two Earthlings do what I say, and I have another task for you later.”
Bazrah gave Leo a questioning look.
“It’s all right,” Leo said. “He won’t hurt you. He needs you.”
Scowling, Bazrah shuffled to Dr. Harrid’s side.
“I’ll get Melinda.” Iona strode back into the room, whispering as she passed Leo, “Ben’s coming. We need to signal him somehow.”
Leo joined her at Melinda’s side, his voice low. “I assume you mean a calling card of some sort.”
Iona nodded, grabbed her helmet from the floor, and set it on her head without fastening the strap. She and Leo each grasped Melinda by an arm and lifted. Her legs straightened, and she stood on her own.
“She’s responding to her innate programming,” Dr. Harrid said, watching from the door with the rifle pointed at Bazrah’s head. “My shock impulse disabled only her AI command response engine. If you guide her, she should be able to walk to the exit.”
“How do you know so much about her?” Iona asked.
“I helped Caligar build her.”
“Really? How long were you with the family?”
“You don’t need to know. Just get going. We’re in a hurry.”
Iona turned Melinda and shifted behind her. As Iona prodded, Melinda walked slowly forward. Dr. Harrid stepped back from the door, tugging Bazrah along.
Iona whispered to Leo, “I thought of a calling card. You got one?”
“Maybe.” Leo reached into his cloak pocket and fingered the items within until he came upon his foil bag of smoke bomb spheres. “Yes.” He shifted behind Melinda and slipped a smoke bomb into Iona’s hand.
She pocketed the bomb. “When we get to the telescope room, do something to distract Dr. Horrid. I need five seconds to hide our calling cards.”
“You got it, Sister Sneaky.” Leo winced. “Oh. Sorry.”
“No problem. I like that one.”
When they reached the exit hole, Leo set his ear close to Melinda’s mouth. “What did you say?”
Dr. Harrid furrowed his brow. “She’s talking?”
“Quiet.” Leo curled a finger. “Come closer. You can listen. She’s saying something about a secret escape passage.”
Dr. Harrid took a step, then stopped. “No, no. You can’t fool me. You’ll grab my gun.”
“That thought never entered my mind.” Leo backed several paces away from Melinda. “Listen for yourself.”
His expression skeptical, Dr. Harrid crept close and set his ear next to Melinda’s mouth. While he listened, Iona skulked to the telescope and crouched at its base.
“I don’t hear anything,” Dr. Harrid said as he drew back. “What are you trying to pull?”
Leo blinked. “She stopped talking? How odd.”
“This is a trick.” Dr. Harrid turned toward Iona. “Get away from there!”
Iona shot to her feet and bumped her head on the telescope, knocking it askew. Her helmet toppled off and rolled toward Dr. Harrid. As he bent to pick it up, she used her foot to push something into a hole at the scope’s circular base, sliding it out of sight. She pivoted toward Dr. Harrid and rubbed the back of her head. “Now look at what you made me do.”
“I made you? You’re not supposed to be over there.”
“I was just trying to figure out how to adjust the telescope. I couldn’t see the falling men anymore.”
“Because they’ve landed by now.” He tossed the helmet into the exit hole, then, prodding Bazrah with the rifle barrel, he walked with him to the scope. “Get out of my way, troll.”
When Iona moved, Dr. Harrid shifted the telescope to its former angle and looked through the eyepiece. “They’re gone.” He scanned the floor where Iona had crouched. “What were you doing stooped over like you were?”
“I had a cramp in my calf. I was rubbing it.”
“Whatever.” He prodded her shoulder with the gun. “You and your goon drop Melinda down the chute.”
