The sound of the Vinegaroon faded as Kalin ran through the hallways of the complex. The creature was set on getting him but he wasn’t sure if its body could fit into the twenty-foot high ceiling. He came upon a passageway where the floor was gray Hitan, a metal harder than diamond. Hundreds of NBs embedded the rock walls and ceiling. The droll humming of electronics was a sure sign he was nearing the Command Center. Looking back down the tunnel, he hoped the insect found someone else to hunt.
Up ahead was a crossway and he stopped, peeking around the corner. Four Zorcons were standing at attention before two oversized sliding doors. The Command Center. The hallways were empty. Why didn’t Vorkis have troops protecting his main hub? The anxiety of the kill was getting stronger by the moment. The bitter taste of death rolled across his tongue.
He heard footsteps approaching the guards. Taru’s face had several deep scratches and there was a black patch over his left eye. He was about to enter the Command Center when Vurro called to Taru from down the hallway. The big pimple was strutting as if he owned the world. Kalin listened in on their conversation.
“How soon?” asked Vurro.
“It is completed, my lord,” answered Taru.
“Good,” said Vurro. “I hope this new toy will satisfy Vorkis. The Rajans actually believed they could use it on me.” He chuckled. “Fools. I took great pleasure in destroying their capital city.”
“It is magnificent, my lord.”
A voice came over the Comlink attached to Vurro’s brown belt. “Lord Vurro, the infiltrator is in Sector Four. What are your orders?”
“Do nothing,” commanded Vurro. “I am on my way. Taru, inform Lord Vorkis I will capture a specimen for him.”
“Yes, my lord,.” Taru bowed then entered the Command Center.
Vurro began walking towards Kalin who quickly crouched down. He had to find a place to hide. Frantic, he tiptoed away at a fast pace and entered the first door that opened. A small, fully stocked munitions room. Up against the walls, every type of handheld weapon filled the open racks, from Barras to Cratons, small silver balls able to blow up almost anything. Just then, the door began to slide open. Someone was coming in.
Kalin rushed to the darkened corner at the far left and squeezed himself between two racks. Through the shelves and above the tops of small canisters, he could see it was Vurro. Kalin wanted so much to tear off his head. Vurro stood at the entrance, eyeing the shelves, when he raised his snout, sniffing the air, his lips quivering over serrated teeth. The Setrellan-human’s keen sense of smell had detected him. Vurro leaned forward and looked to his right. Kalin held his breath trying to flatten himself more against the wall. He could feel sweat streaming down his face. If he was discovered now, it was over. Vorkis would surely make a run for it and it would be months before Kalin could locate Vorkis or him again.
Vurro shifted his head from side-to-side, sniffing the air, trying to pinpoint the smell. He looked Kalin’s way and growled. Kalin positioned his finger on the trigger of his Barra, ready to shoot, when he noticed across from him, sitting on a shelf was his Barra from the Quasar, the one he’d lost with the Vinegaroon. Vurro spit a green wad of phlegm at the weapon and it stuck. The stench was so nauseating Kalin wanted to vomit. He recalled the many fights with Setrellan-humans because of their spit and the many times he had to throw out his clothes because of the irremovable odor. Vurro chuckled then stepped up to the front rack, slid two strapped Barras on each of his shoulders and left the room.
Kalin’s muscles relaxed and he sighed in relief. The smell was worse than a rotting body and he needed to get out of there. For starters, the Grid Room was where the power was apportioned for the complex and where he could do the most damage. It had to be near the Command Center. He slid out of the cramped space and hurried to the doors that slid open. The gust of clean air was refreshing.
He crept back to the crossway and peeked around again; the guards were still there. He quietly snapped a tiny piece of stone off the rock wall and flicked it down the hallway. It flew a hundred feet passed the soldiers before skidding on the floor. The Zorcons immediately swung their Barras toward the sound. Kalin dashed across the hallway unnoticed.
He leaned on the wall to catch his breath. Rina’s words echoed again in his mind: “...There’s more at stake here than you.” An uneasy feeling began creeping in. What about his people? They were already dead, and even if he found someone to bear his children, they would be only half Saleran at most.
That’ll work for now, he thought. This was not the time for soul-searching.
Thanks to his Saleran blood, the cuts on his hands were almost healed. He wondered how Rina was doing. Vorkis’ sadistic mating habits had butchered many women. He should try to save her first but he was too close to the kill, his main mission was almost complete. Rina was smart, brave, and he doubted any man could ever get his way with her. He would search for her afterward.
He set his Barra to vaporize. His Comlink blinked. Earth had less than two hours. The ground beneath him trembled. A cloud of dust flittered down from the ceiling. His gaze went up and around the tunnel. The implosion was imminent unless Marante could shut down the Xeons.
The humming sound was louder farther down the passageway so he quietly headed toward it. Not too far from him, he noticed a dirt corridor leading away from the metal floor. He squatted and took a quick peek. The tunnel was long and barely lit. At the very end, two Zorcons with their glowing red eyes were standing in front of a door surrounded by blue light.
Found it.
Kalin lay on his stomach and body-crawled on the dirt. The darkness was a good cover.
Vorkis may have numbers in Zorcons, but none with brains.
He picked up a tiny stone and tossed it their way. They turned in his direction, aiming their Barras. Two shots evaporated the Zorcons into yellow dust. Kalin hustled to his feet and flipped the Barra onto his shoulder.
Inside the Grid Room, hundreds of data panels lit up the twenty-by-twenty-foot room. Three different-sized podiums with several orbs were ready for use. At the largest podium, he tapped a blue orb and watched a holo rise up. He waved his hand through the holo, making his adjustments. Kalin left the room with a wide grin, content Vorkis’ world would soon be destroyed.