“Who…?” She stared. “…what the hell is that?”
“Our guardian angel, I hope,” Alex said and backed up. They were still corralled by the body of the worm, but it started to move its length and lump its coils to ring the small silver creature that was now attacking it.
“I will give you time.”
The worm’s head came down with a thump entirely over the slim, silver being. Its force was so great that it buried itself half a dozen feet into the slimy ground. Alex knew that was what had been in store for him and Morag before Sophia had arrived.
And given what just happened to Sophia, probably still would. Alex searched for an escape path.
The worm pulled back, its massive mouth open and the gullet, just down from its head, working as a throat. Lined with those backward pointing spikes, it crushed down the morsel it had just devoured.
But what would happen when it found that what it had just eaten was not flesh and blood, but something far less edible? Sophia would probably be excreted in days to come — unlike him and Morag.
“We’ve got to make a break for it,” Alex said.
“We’re still trapped.” Morag looked one way then the other. “Can we climb over it?”
Alex looked around. He knew he could climb up and then leap over the beast’s body faster than it could probably react. But Morag couldn’t — and he damn well wasn’t leaving her after just fighting to save her.
Above them the worm was swinging the huge head toward them again, like a crane maneuvering its digger for the next scoop — of meat.
“Get ready.” Alex gritted his teeth at the monster. “Come on!” He wanted to follow the android. He wanted to leap at it, fight it, tear at it until his fists bled and he drew his last breath. He would not go quietly.
“Yes, yes, good, I feel your fury. I need it.”
Alex heard the words in his head again.
“Sophia?”
In response, the neck of the creature exploded as something burst from within it, tearing and clawing, the slim arms punching and ripping huge chunks of flesh free. Like a monstrous birth, Sophia squirmed through the ragged hole she had made, but instead of leaping to the ground, she grabbed the huge plate-like scales of the thing and crawled onto its back.
The worm went mad with pain and fury and swung back and forth. But Sophia hung on, and began to rip away car-door-sized scales and then tear holes in its hide.
Alex marveled at the strength and speed of the android. Grey had been right when he said this silver being was strong. And he remembered him also saying it could be linked to a human being, and he suddenly realized it had been connected to him — Alex could feel every blow it delivered. And he could feel something else — the android was enjoying itself.
The worm seemed to give up, and flung its head down hard at the ocean of soil beneath it, and dove. It struck hard, shaking the earth and then pumped its body, sinking in and using a type of peristaltic motion to drive itself under the ground.
Sophia jumped free then, and strode toward them. The featureless face as emotionless as ever. But he knew inside, she was jubilant.
“It is leaving us now.”
The ground behind Sophia formed a whirlpool of slime, and then became calm. Alex turned to stare for a moment, wondering whether the robot actually experienced its own emotions or was just picking up on his residual sensations.
“I’m not a robot,” Sophia said, obviously picking the thoughts straight from his head.
And not like us either. Alex then threw up a mental wall to block it.
Sophia ignored Morag and came and stood in front of him. It stared up into his face.
“You block me.” The head tilted, still peering up at him. “But I think… we are more alike than you could ever know, Captain Hunter.”
He stared down at the two red dots.
“Like the both of you,” the android said.
Exactly what Alex feared, Sophia finding and feeding off the darker side of his Id. He reached out a hand and gently pushed her back a step. “Right now, we need oxygen and to be out of here.”
“Yes, you do,” Sophia responded smoothly. “You need to be aware that the explosive device will be dropped in exactly twenty-three minutes and forty-seven seconds. You need to be at least over the rim in twenty-three minutes and twenty-seven seconds.”
Alex was jolted. “Are you in contact? Can you delay it?”
“No. The timing is immutable,” Sophia said, deadpan. She titled her chin. “The extraterrestrial contagion must not be allowed to escape into the global atmosphere. It is the priority. The only priority. I know you know this, Captain.”
“We’ll never make it,” Morag said.
Sophia turned her featureless visage to Morag momentarily. Then back to Alex. “Leave her, she’s expendable. Captain Hunter, you can easily make it to the safe zone if she remains here.”
“What the fuck?” Morag took a step forward but Alex stopped her.
“No one is leaving anyone.” Alex picked up Morag, turned and began to run. He spoke to Sophia who easily kept up with him.
“You clear a path and run defense for us. I don’t want any surprises slowing us down.”
“Yes.” She sprinted ahead into the mist.
Morag leaned over his shoulder. “I don’t think your girlfriend likes me.”
Alex ran hard. “It’s just a tool. I think there might be a few bugs still in the software. But she, it, just saved our asses.”
Morag shuddered. “Thank god.” She slapped his shoulder. “Now pick up the pace, my air is running out, and I was never any good at being able to hold my breath.”
CHAPTER 44
Hammerson paced, but still never took his eyes off the wall screen. Sophia had damn well self-delivered and if the android had survived the drop intact, then it should have been able to get a lock on Alex — if he was still alive.
He turned to a separate screen that showed a small blip that indicated the approaching bomber. It would be there in twenty-seven minutes. It was going to be razor close.
His intercom buzzed. “Yes, Margie?”
“Aimee Weir on the line. Something about Joshua — says it’s urgent,” Margie said.
Hammerson groaned. For Christsakes, not now. He looked back at the wall screen, then opened the comm again. “Is anyone hurt?”
“Uh, not that I know of, sir,” Margie responded cautiously.
“Good. Tell her I’m in a meeting,” he replied.
“Yes, sir.” He detected a note of displeasure in the older woman’s voice. She hated it when he lied, especially to Aimee.
Can’t be helped; priorities. He turned back to the wall screen, refocusing.
He knew that as soon as Alex or any HAWC poked their head up above that mist line, they should have been able to get a message out. It still hadn’t happened.
Their evacuation chopper was on the valley floor, waiting for the word to rendezvous with the survivors. This time, it was a dark-ops bird piloted by a HAWC. He knew the risks and would fly into the teeth of hell itself to rescue his comrades.
But for now it was all up to fate, and Alex Hunter.
CHAPTER 45
They approached the crater wall, and Alex lowered Morag to the ground. Sophia pulled up beside him. It was now near-pitch darkness at the foot of the cliffs.
“How long?” he asked.
“Twenty-two minutes, seventeen seconds until drop, Captain Hunter… Alex.”
Alex’s brows knitted momentarily, at the familiarity the android used, but then refocused and looked upwards. “We can do this.”