Star League 6 (6 page)

iRis and I smash our way above-ground until we're standing outside in the night air. There's no sign of the Star League or the rocketcar, so I guess they escaped. Well, they can run but they can't hide! I'll make them pay for not understanding me.

I follow iRis as she heads in the direction of Beaumont Studios. We see a couple of cars on the road but they speed off in the opposite direction, which makes me laugh. I've always relied on my brains to get me through most things, but the strength of a giant Megadroid feels much better. Now I can crush whoever stands in my way.

When we get to Beaumont Studios the main gates are locked, but that's not a problem for me. I reach down with my Megadroid's fist and rip the
gate right off its hinges. Too easy.

We stomp through the empty lot and kick open the doors to reception. Except the Megadroids are a little big to make it through and we end up taking out half the wall as well. It's dark inside with no sign of anyone, and as I stamp along the studio hallways I start to get an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind.

‘Where is everyone?' I ask. ‘The others should have made it back by now.'

iRis nods and looks around cautiously. ‘Yes, it does seem strange …'

Something glints out of the corner of my eye. I turn and see light spilling from under a door. ‘Over there!' I run towards the light and smash my way into the room.

Before me is a film set that has been designed to look like a miniature city. Prop skyscrapers rise up to just below my Megadroid's head and miniature cars sit frozen on the roads.

Then I see movement on the set. Jay steps out from behind one of the skyscrapers and holds his hands up.

‘Sam, we know this isn't really you doing this! You need to fight the mind control device iRis has implanted in you!'

A wave of confusion washes over me. Part of me wants to believe Jay and help him fight against iRis, but as soon as those thoughts go through my brain they're drowned out by more feelings of anger from the Emotochip. Soon, all I can think about is crushing Jay.

I scream and charge towards Jay. He tries to duck behind one of the skyscrapers, but I smash it to the ground and grab him in one of my Megadroid's giant fists. As I'm about to crush the life out of him I hear a loud screeching sound.

I look up and see a dark, chattering cloud flying towards me through the gaping doorway. Bats! As they swoop down I realise Leigh is
controlling them with her mind. The bats swarm around the front of the Megadroid, so I can't see anything except their furry black bodies and leathery wings. I try to swipe them away but more and more keep coming.

Then Leigh calls off the bats and I can see again. I blink in confusion, wondering what she's doing.

‘You fool!' screeches iRis. ‘You let him get away!'

I look down and notice that Jay has used the distraction to escape from my Megadroid's grip.

‘All I asked is for you to put an end to the Star League, but you couldn't even do that! You're useless!' iRis shouts. ‘It's time to finish you off, Sam!'

‘Huh?' I gape at her. Why is iRis talking to me like that?

‘I only needed you to help me steal the Megadroids. Not many robots are advanced enough to hack the security at Falcon Labs. But now your usefulness has run out!'

There's a pang in my stomach that feels like somebody has hit me. I thought iRis was my friend! She said we were the same, both misunderstood. But now I don't know who to trust or who to fight alongside. My Emotochip switches back and forth between anger and hurt.

‘Sayonara, Sam!' iRis aims a missile at me and hits the launch button. I fall to the ground as the missile skims just past my head and explodes into a
prop skyscraper. I hear a groaning sound and turn just in time to see the skyscraper topple over and crush the legs of my Megadroid.

‘No!' I try to pull myself free but it's no use. The building might only be a prop but it feels as heavy as the real thing. I look down and see the skyscraper has completely mangled the legs of my Megadroid.

I try to pull myself out of the Megadroid's harness, but the wires have shorted out and the harness won't budge. I'm completely trapped!

‘Sam, hold on, we'll get you out of there!' yells Jay.

‘Oh no you won't,' cries iRis, turning her Megadroid on the Star League. I can't do anything except watch as she stomps towards them.

Connor lunges at the Megadroid, but even though his strength is usually enough to take down most things, it's no match against something so much bigger than him. Asuka aims a couple
of her ninja throwing stars at iRis, who activates a forcefield around the cockpit that deflects the stars. Jay has climbed up onto the Megadroid and is inching closer and closer to iRis, but just as he's about to reach her a huge arm swings down and strikes him away.

Leigh manages to distract iRis a little with her bats, but she soon calls them off in case they get hurt. And I watch as Roger throws a potion, which explodes in a tangle of green vines that ensnare the Megadroid, but this only slows iRis down for a second until she rips her way free.

I lie there, trapped beneath the rubble, feeling completely useless. I know there must be a way to override the wiring so I can escape the harness, but I feel so betrayed and hurt that I can't think clearly. The emotions whirl around and around in my head until I start to get a headache. Who knew that having feelings was so confusing?

I thought that implanting the Emotochip would
make things easier. I thought that if I could think like a human, the others would like me better. But all I managed to do was ruin everything. I hang my head in shame, unable to watch as the Star League – my real friends – get destroyed by iRis.

Then, like a spark of electricity in my brain, I have an idea. My head shoots up as I realise how I can defeat iRis. But first I need to find a way out of this harness.

It's no use,
says a voice in my mind.
Even if you do know how to save the day, you've already failed because you're trapped. Just give up.

Despair washes over me as I feel tears spring to my eyes. I take a deep breath and try to force back the feelings created by the Emotochip.

No
, I tell myself.
Nothing's useless. I can do this!

I force the artificial bad feelings back until I have a clear head. Then I look down at the harness and touch my hand to it. I close my eyes and I can see where the circuitry is blocked. I send out
a pulse of electricity and I hear a soft click as the harness releases.

I'm free! Now it's time to help my friends.