Colony by Benjamin Cross (ready player one ebook .TXT) 📗

Plus Marchenko backs his story up.” He drew his knees in to his chest. “Anyway, your conspiracy theory sounds just about as crazy as theirs.”

“We may not have seen anything in that cave,” Yevtushenko added, “but I sure as hell feel like something’s with us on this island. I’ve felt it since the moment I first got here.”

“I’m just not sure it’s here we should be worried about,” Tsaritsyn said.

“Meaning?”

“For a start, whoever blew up the Albanov must’ve had inside help. There’s no way they would’ve got their explosive on board and beat security without it.”

“You think it was intentional?”

“I’d bet my sorry excuse for a pension on it. I was demolitions for four years before I joined Department V, and I’m telling you it’d take more than a haphazard explosion to take out a ship that size. It’d take a real expert, and it would take them time and resources.” He banged the butt of his rifle down. “Either this is an inside job, or I’m the next president of the Federation.”

“So what’s your point, President, Sir?”

Tsaritsyn grinned. “Blowing up an icebreaker is a big deal, especially if it belongs to G&S. Whoever masterminded it must have a fucking good reason, and that scares me.”

“Why?”

“Because what if we don’t form part of the plan?”

At that moment a burst of gunfire rang out in the distance, followed by the familiar percussive booming of grenades.

A voice crackled into their earpieces: “This is Corporal Fermanov on point. We’re under attack. Private Rykov is down and we need help out here!”

Yevtushenko’s voice rang out in response: “This is Corporal Yevtushenko. I read you and we’re on our way.” He turned to Tsaritsyn. “I guess it’s time to test your theory.”

3

There was no doubt in Callum’s mind about the source of the distant cracks and rattles. It was the sound of machine gun fire. He glanced at Lungkaju, who nodded.

“They have found Tansu Taibaa.”

With everything that had happened over the last few hours, Callum had forgotten. “You think so?”

“I am certain of this.” Lungkaju repeated his words from the tunnel: “The only difference between myth and history, Doctor Ross, is that we choose to believe history.”

A louder explosion sounded off in the distance. Fenris sat bolt upright in the middle of the emergency shelter and growled. His enormous ears were pricked, and the hairs along his back had tensed up into a ridge. Lungkaju stroked his side and spoke to him softly in Nganasan. The dog’s ears flattened once more and, with a yawn, he turned and lay back down again with his head in Callum’s lap.

“Remarkable,” Callum said. “What did you say to him?”

“I told him it is only bad dreams.”

“I wish that worked for me.”

“That was a grenade, right?” Ava broke in. “That explosion. They’ve found the monsters.”

Sensing her panic starting to build, Darya reached out a comforting hand and placed it over hers. But it was no use.

“They’re Special Forces, though, right? If they’ve found the monsters they should be able to kill them? Shouldn’t they?”

“Starshyna Koikov is a very good soldier,” Lungkaju said, his voice calm. “We can trust him.” He shuffled up onto his knees and checked his rifle.

“Where are you going?” she demanded.

“I must go and look around. I must make sure that we are still safe here.”

“You’re going out there? But why don’t you just wait here with us until the mist goes? It’s safe in here. Surely it’s safer in here? You won’t be able to see anything anyway—”

“It is okay,” he replied. He fished around in his pack, producing what looked like a pair of very narrow sunglasses. There was a distinct silvery sheen to the single lens, which gave it a holographic appearance. “I have this.”

“Oh, well, that’s okay then,” Ava replied. “As long as you’ve got your X-men costume we’re all saved.”

“What is it?” Callum asked.

“It is LVV, a low-visibility visor. It is a new technology to help soldiers to see in bad weather.” He pulled the rifle strap up onto his shoulder and unzipped the tent.

Through the open flap, Callum could see the mist billowing around them. If it was possible, then it felt even colder than usual. It seemed to have developed a faint purple tinge, and it glowed with an eerie half-light. “Are you sure this is sensible?”

Lungkaju grinned and slipped the visor on. “It is actually a very beautiful day, Doctor Ross.” He crawled out. “I will not be long. Come, Fenris.”

The dog sprang to his paws and raced out of the tent after him.

Callum watched as Lungkaju refastened the entrance zip, then he sat silently for a while, he, Darya and Ava just listening to the distant chorus of rifle fire. “It sounds like all hell’s breaking loose.”

There was no response. The others probably felt the same sense of conflict that he did: relief not to be in the thick of it, but a biting sense of guilt at not being able to help. He was no soldier; the closest he’d ever come was the cadet force at school, and even then his participation had been grudging. But neither had he ever been a spectator. And he could fire a rifle, couldn’t he? Doing nothing felt wrong.

“I hope that the soldiers are okay,” Darya said. The calm, self-assured expression that she had worn when Callum first met her was long gone. Instead she looked exhausted, distracted, and the once-vibrant green of her eyes had dimmed. “I cannot believe that I am letting one of those creatures go,” she continued. “I am such an idiot!”

Callum reached out and gently leant her head over onto his shoulder. “You’re not an idiot,” he said, kissing her forehead. “And there’s nothing wrong with being compassionate. You said it yourself. It’s what makes us different.”

“I always thought it was a sense of reason,” Ava said.

Callum’s eyes opened. Despite his fear and the sound of the gun battle, exhaustion had overcome him. He wasn’t the only one. Darya’s head was pressed into his chest,