‘Come on Robert, you can do it. Come on another few metres and we can help you.’
MM took aim carefully and pressed the trigger. Techno felt the bullets rip into his right hip making him twist to the right and lurch backwards over the ledge of the giant black hole. As he was falling, he heard Marshall’s strangled ‘no’ as he watched his brothers hands slide off the edge of the rock. It was enough to make Techno reach out with his left hand and grab a small protrusion of rock and then he felt the void beneath him as he hung over the darkness. Marshall reacted quickly, he grabbed a minimi and ran to his brother whilst letting off a hail of bullets at MM and the attackers. As he moved Roger and Kit Kat took advantage of his surprise attack and reappeared around the side of their rock and took out another five ninja with deadly fire. Sergeant Sargent had trained them well.
Marshall reached Robert and grabbed his wrist just as his hand slipped off the rock. Techno’s eyes were cloudy as he looked up at Marshall in the gloom above him.
‘Thank you for trying Marshall. Remember I love you. Tell mum too.’ Marshall saw his eyes closing and started to cry as his hand slid across the bloody wrist of his broken brother. When it reached the fingers, the speed of separation increased and Techno plummeted to a certain death in the dark abyss below. Marshall stared down into the dark and then he rose to his full height and turned his machine gun towards MM and Twip Twop. He started walking towards them shooting off round after round as he cried.
The ninjas were preoccupied with Roger and Kit Kat and MM and Twip Twop with an enraged Marshall. They were pinned down but knew the children couldn’t have much ammunition left.
Jack was standing above the fight and made an instant decision. The most danger lay in the attacking ninjas and so he raised the bazooka and pointed it.
Timmo watched in horror and thought of Sergeant Sargent’s words. “Some call it God. Allah, Buddha, take your choice kids. I’m an atheist but I believe in a higher being, hence The Reason”. Timmo also made an instant decision like his brave brother. He pushed on the wheels as hard as possible and tilted forwards sharply as he surged onto the glassy rock slope and raced towards MM and Twip Twop. The wheelchair gathered speed and he bit his lip in order to stop shouting “Geronimo” at the top of his voice. Jack caught the movement in the corner of his eye but was too late to stop his little brother. Time stopped and he watched everything in slow motion. Timmo was careering down the slope towards an oblivious Twip Twop and MM. Roger and Kit Kat were ducking back behind their cover as their ammo ran out. Marshall’s shots kept the attention of MM and Twip Twop and the ninjas were advancing to kill his friends. He aimed at the ninjas and pressed the trigger.
The rocket from the bazooka exploded in a deafening roar in the middle of the remaining attackers. MM and Twip Twop stood up to fire back at Marshall who had dropped on to his tummy and was squirming his way back towards his mum who was screaming with fright as she saw her second son about to die.
That was the moment that Timmo crashed into the rear of the gruesome twosome and knocked them flying over the ledge in front of them. They screamed in fright as they hit and bounced on the smooth rocks that continued the slide. But Timmo heard nothing as his wheelchair tipped onto its side and he smacked his head on the floor as he spun to a halt. His left leg was stretched out in front of him in its plaster cast and his right leg was bent double beneath him at an impossible angle.
Jack ripped the lighting cable away from the wall beside him and using it as a rope he swung out from the gallery and into the void. 10 metres out, he wrapped the cable around his right leg and slid downwards at speed. His minimi machine gun was blasting at MM and Twip Twop as they slid and bounced into the darkness of the crater and then he lost sight of them.
He was the first to get to Timmo and stroked his hair. ‘I’m so proud of you. My courageous little brother.’
Timmo was in too much pain to reply, he was barely conscious. He loved Jack and Jack loved him but then he passed out again, overcome by the horrific pain from his second broken leg.
Roger ran up to them. ‘Where have they gone?’ He searched over the edge of the rock. All he could see below was a long ramp of smooth rock and a smashed wheelchair more than 50 metres below. ‘I can’t see them Jack. They must have slid all the way down there.’
Jack stood next to him and peered down into the gloom. ‘I’m glad they may not be dead in some ways. Killing people is wrong, no matter what the circumstances.’ He turned to look at the heap of dead ninjas and crossed himself. Marshall, Kit Kat and Mrs Hines slowly walked up to the boys. They were in all total shock, numb and quiet.
‘Roger we haven’t finished yet.’ Jack waited for his pal’s reply.
‘I know. The SD card. But the children logged on before the attack. The world domination syntax is spreading through the world’s financial markets.’
‘In that case we need to stop it immediately and the only place we have any computer access is back on level three.’ They all thought Jack was mad. It would be crawling with ninjas. He looked around. ‘Come on, we’ve got a mum to look after us now.’ He always made them laugh at the most dangerous times.
Mrs Hines spoke in a strong and steady voice. ‘Sometimes mum’s have to allow their children to grow up by making their own decisions. It’s hard for a mum but now’s your time children.’
Kit Kat fed on the emotion. She knew her mum’s spirit was beside her. She would have wanted her to complete and finish the mission no matter what. And it would be a fitting tribute to Techno if they succeeded.
She spoke quietly and held her hand out. The others placed their hands on top of hers as they stood in a small circle. ‘Who dares wins, yes?’
‘Yes’ came the chorus as they pushed their hands hard down before thrusting their fists high in the air. They set off immediately with Mrs Hines gently carrying a very pale Timmo in her arms.
Chapter 13
Endings or beginnings?
The heroes headed for the AICs. They were careful when they saw groups of ninja, however, they had lost the will to fight. They were no longer preoccupied with killing children in blind vengeance since all communication with Twip Twop and MM had been lost. Leaderless, some were now concerned for their own welfare, the money sent back to support their own families in Japan, their children. A ninja’s bushido or honour is still intact if their master had suddenly deserted the cause. This was a temporary severing of a lifelong contract, thus leaving the warriors unsure about what to do next.
As the children approached the gallery around the roof of level three they could see part of the walkway had collapsed and was effectively blocking their way down to floor level. They stopped and looked over the railings set into the gallery. Everything below them was in absolute chaos. They could see a few ninjas herding wandering children back to the snails to continue playing “world domination” two. Several AICs were smouldering wrecks, hit by falling rocks or parts of flying doors from the assault that had now stopped completely. Smoke hung across the cavern but was swirling into mini tornados as huge draughts of air penetrated the interior through gaps created by the mass of bombs and missiles.
A dozen ninja emerged from a door leading up to the gallery. They stood blocking the children’s only way to Techno’s AIC. As the Japanese advanced, the children could see the tears in their grey uniforms and the blood stained and bruised heads. They were the same warriors who had been summarily beaten after the octopus attack and now they were out for revenge. Jack looked around and saw there was no way forward and no way back. Finally, they were really in trouble as the Japanese warriors approached with daggers drawn and shuriken held loosely by their waists. There would be no mistake this time, the children were going to die to satisfy the ninja’s bushido. Jack searched about again for a less obvious escape route but there were no handy cables drooping off the walls, nor fire hoses coiled on reels that they could use to abseil to the floor below. The ninjas were 30 metres away when they commenced their at
tack. They ran at full speed towards the friends and were screaming battle cries in Japanese at the top of their voices.
None of the children spoke. Fear gripped each of them and they knew the impossibilities of the odds this time. As the first wave of ninjas closed to 10 metres, they raised their flashing knives high in the air, a first move in the crisscross motion that would slit all the children’s throats. The children had crouched low and were hoping to minimise the target. Mrs Hines stood behind them, cradling an unconscious Timmo. The power suits couldn’t help them this time, there was little space to move and they had no weapons. They were dead meat.
The chatter of a machine pistol cracked loudly from above them and a hail of bullets cut the first wave of attackers down whilst they were in mid-leap. As the second wave stopped to search the darkness above, a second hail of bullets killed five more ninja making the remainder turn and run. A rope coiled onto the floor in front of the children and a man landed on his feet holding a lightweight American machine pistol.
‘Have a nice day y’all!’ Brett turned towards them, his white teeth set in a giant grin across his blackened face. The children immediately crowded around him gasping in their relief. Then the emotion kicked in and they grabbed and hugged him, after all, the yank had saved their lives. Roger and Kate wiped the tears from their eyes whilst Jack introduced Mrs Hines and updated Brett on Timmo’s condition.
‘I’m sorry I was so late guys, you know, had a little trouble outside and all that.’ Mrs Hines couldn’t understand what was going on and so she asked Brett to clarify how he got in. ‘In the confusion I made it to the secret Landrover outlet. It was easy to follow them back in after they had massacred everyone.’
She clasped her hands to her mouth. ‘Massacred? Dear god in heaven forgive their souls. How many died?’
‘More than a 1000 m’am,’ Brett held her eyes with his own, ‘it was a terrible thing to witness.’
Mrs Hines patted him on the shoulder. ‘Never mind my boy, you can only do your best.’
Brett continued. ‘Once inside, I followed a tiny passageway upwards and after about an hour I was directly above you with nowhere to go. Then I saw you here on the walkway and prepared to abseil down but as I descended I could see you were in the deepest “do do” and the rest is history.’
‘But the speed of the bullets and number of enemies you took out? It’s downright impossible.’ Roger was staring at Brett’s gun that hung loosely in the Yank’s strong hand. Brett unclipped the rope from his harness and holstered his gun as if he were a cowboy.
‘Not impossible, just technology. It’s the latest US special forces gun, used extensively by the SBS. A bullet-less gun, very light and very effective. It creates a bullet consisting of hydrogen atoms, well technically oxygen free water. It’s fired as a capsule and shaped into any requirement by the advanced computer chip. That allows it to be used to disable, kill - splatter we call it, or to breakthrough walls and doors etcetera. Anyway, I think the science lesson is over for now ladies and gentlemen.’ Jack told Brett about the route back to level one and they decided the internal crater in the centre of MM’s palace might be the safest route out. Firstly, because MM and Twip Twop would be dead at the bottom or long gone as they high-tailed it to a safe haven. Secondly, because they could collect Techno’s body and take him home as a mark of respect.
But the mission wasn’t over yet. Although they were all in a bad way they had to finish and complete the job.
Brett took point, after all he was the one with the high tech gun. They worked their way back along the gallery and went down the alternative route to level three and the AICs.
* * *
Roger went into Techno’s AIC and motioned Jack inside. The rest stood guard crouched around the neighbouring snails that contained a few odd children, very odd really, as they were still playing “world domination” two. In their minds they had decided that if in doubt, don’t think, just do what you are told.
Brett urged them on. ‘Little George is in a bad way guys. We need to get him medevaced “A S A P”.
The two boys stared at the “world domination” screen that flashed in front of them.
‘Have you got the SD card Roger?’ Jack clasped Roger’s shoulder as he sat in Techno’s seat. Roger pulled the card out of his shirt pocket and placed it on his knee. He had an idea but wanted to cure the illness before treating the symptom.
Roger sighed. ‘You see all the Facebook feeds? We have to stop 95 brains from working together somehow. They are still on line and the program is creating havoc across the world despite them being safe on level four.’
Jack immediately agreed with him. ‘The syntax has already started; having so many children still logged on is helping it to build into a crescendo of electronic destruction.’
Splodger pointed at the statistics on the screen. ‘But there are a few less kids online, doesn’t that help?’
Jack shook his head. ‘No mate. I think Techno devised the program too well. Because the players hiding in level four didn’t log out, they are still effectively playing. They are automatically encompassed into the game and so the power of MM’s virus will be as potent when she unleashes it.’
Roger looked up at him. ‘You think she’s still alive then?’
‘Sure, she could be in another command centre and uploading the virus as we speak.’
Roger had an idea. ‘Why don’t we block all the friend requests? That’s what I do when I’m at school and weirdoes come on line. You know, people I don’t know, health clubs, gyms and on-line shopping retailers.’
Jack turned away from the screen. Techno’s two brain huggers were hanging on the wall of the AIC. ‘That’s brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that!’ Quickly he handed the huggers to Roger who stared at the sharp points that protruded from the plastic shells. ‘Go on mate, you can do it. No pain no game and all that baloney.’ Roger pressed the spikes deep into his skin, deeper than normal as he didn’t have a shaven head. His lips writhed in agony as he bravely fought the pain. Once they were securely set into his scalp, he grasped the arms of the seat and started to think his instructions. Roger and Jack watched the images as they flashed at lightning speed across the screen. Roger was assembling a mosaic of the gamers’ faces, who were still online and already trading assets.
He murmured as he worked. ‘I’m searching for a common link between them all, something in their profiles that has nothing to do with The Black Hand Gang but the data about all the players is tightly controlled and totally secure.’
Jack pointed at the screen in three places. He was laughing. ‘Look Splodge, many of them have a perfect taste in music!’
Roger laughed too. A large number had adopted Jack’s San Fran band as a favourite.
‘You mean an imperfect taste in music, I for one hate the band! But for my purposes, it’s truly perfect. If we can reduce the game capacity by 60 per cent or more it will screw up its capacity for destruction and stop the world markets from plummeting.’
He concentrated harder. The band’s website was on his screen and he was hacking into the base HTML code that formed the content. New code was being inserted at 300 words a minute, the twin brain huggers were warming up due to the insane levels of activity in the brain beneath them. Suddenly, the screen flicked back to show the 100 gamers’ Facebook pages. ‘It’s done old chap, now give it a minute or two. My virus is now on the band’s website and it will contact all of their friends and block them out. As I’ve linked the band and the “world domination” two app, it will automatically block the gamers from gaming.’ He pulled the huggers from his head and small drips of bright red blood trickled down his face and onto his neck. Finally he slumped forward, exhausted by the mental challenge.
It was Jack who noticed first. ‘Oh my god, you’ve done it Splodger!’ The game app’s were disappearing from the kid’s Facebook pages, one every second. That was when they heard the groans of disappointment from the adjoining AICs. It was music to the
ir ears. ‘Come on we need to go.’
‘No wait I have a little twist of my own to play in this pathetic little game.’ Roger inserted the SD card into the server. He quickly found the code that accepted MM’s virus and replaced this “acceptance” with a worm. A piece of software that would burrow itself into her viral code and eat it away, thus making it malfunction and then totally fail. ‘Now she can’t win, no matter what.’
Jack helped Roger to his feet and supported him as they stepped outside. The spaces between the AICs were full of children remonstrating with each other. They were the idiot children who hadn’t listened to Jack’s impassioned plea earlier. They preferred gaming to safety and disbelieved Jack’s speech as a fairy tale. Now there was frustration and anger in the air as they shouted and complained at the failure of their game. A chant started, a commonality between nations. ‘MM, MM, MM.’ It was raw and grew louder. They had been promised the greatest day of gaming on earth and now their Facebook pages had gone on the blink. What a swindle. They wanted to go home, they wanted McDonalds and chocolate, coke and icecream but looking around them they started to notice for the first time that everything had gone. The cavern was a place of destruction and death. Gradually the chanting stopped and was replaced with a tense silence, which was full of fear.
Jack nudged Roger. ‘Can you access the tannoy from Techno’s AIC mate?’ He didn’t answer Jack, instead he went inside and then handed a microphone out to him.
Jack’s voice boomed out above their heads. ‘Stay still and stay here in the AICs. Listen to me please. MM is not defeated yet, the US and British armed forces that were attacking her have been repelled. This is a dangerous area, so stay inside the AICs and wait for rescue.’ The mass of children had gone quiet and listened intently. Jack’s voice was very persuasive. ‘All you can do now is turn off all the computers and stay in your AICs. We will get someone in here to save you as soon as possible. Believe me now, because last time you didn’t! Remember, I have proven you wrong before.’