The Huntsman (15 page)
Authors: Rafael
Janesh
sprang from his seat belt and charged toward the broken car. Relief washed over
him to see Miranda straining to open her door. Tears streamed from her eyes,
they pleaded to him as she pounded in frustration against the door. Janesh
grabbed the handle and pulled. The warped metal would not bulge. He gripped it
with both hands. “Vishnu, give me strength. Vishnu, give me strength.” Muscles
bulged. The door ripped from its hinges. He could not pull her out fast enough.
She melted against him. Pent up emotions erupted in sobs. Her body trembled and
shook.
He
lifted her and half ran/half walked back to the jeep. Her arms wrapped tight
around his neck, she pressed her lips against his ear. “Don’t leave me, Janesh.
Don’t ever leave me.”
He
reached the jeep, leaned her against its side. With her face between both
hands, he kissed her hard. “I’m not going anywhere. Stay right here.” He
reached behind her and unsheathed his hunting knife. He looked down at the
dogs. “Guard.”
Knife
gleaming in the moonlight, he marched toward the car. The giant had regained
consciousness. He strained to unbuckle the twisted belt. Fear flushed his face.
Beyond the shattered window
stood the
Mahān Śikārī. A free hand fished under
his jacket, the one that had throttled Miranda. Before it closed on his weapon,
Janesh plunged the knife into his throat. When neck bones prevented further
penetration, he gave a twist before pulling it out. Life fled from his eyes as
they rolled into his head. The gush of blood continued though the corpse’s
tremors had stopped.
Janesh stepped toward the front seat. Koh remained unconscious.
With no time to buckle in, his head had slammed against the steering wheel. Janesh
slapped him. Then slapped him again. He wanted Nicholas to know who had ended
his worthless life. The dogs began to bark furiously. A scream drained every
nerve in his body. Ice deadened reflexes. He turned his head toward the jeep.
Blood drained to his feet.
Despite the dogs taking vicious bites, the feathered demon held
Miranda under its wings as bloodied legs waddled down the road. Janesh willed
his feet to move. The biting dogs slowed it down. With each stride, the Mahān
Śikārī closed the distance. Janesh readied his knife. When he
leaped onto this monstrosity’s back he would cut its head off. Air opened to a glittering
hole. Its sudden appearance startled and stopped the dogs. Miranda and demon
disappeared within. The hole closed.
Janesh screamed his despair into the night. “Noooo.” On one knee,
he pounded the pavement until his fist bled. He rose, light-headed and faint,
lost his balance, stumbled, staggered to the jeep. Spear in hand, he turned
back toward the facility, forced himself to put one foot before the other. He
began to run. When his lungs burned, he ran. When his side hurt, he ran. When
his blood pounded, he ran. When his muscles tired, he ran. He had no mind, no
thought, no consciousness. He ran until he stood before the research lab.
Inside, the demon spawn’s trophies lined the walls. He gazed upon
the Lieutenant’s body. He felt nothing. Only a murderous rage. His gaze shifted
toward the containers. They sat in undisturbed innocence. Janesh retrieved his
communicator. When it connected, he raised it to his ear.
“Chatur. Lock on
my mobile’s signal. I’ve located the equipment and need to move it from here.
Immediately is preferable to now.”
Everyone
in proximity to the containers had died. Janesh removed his shirt and stood
before the entrance. Duncan and Ronan sat on either side. Spear in hand and
knife still dripping, Janesh waited. Besides Chatur, he’d allow entry only to
the creature.
Janesh’s
video display, four tiled squares, showed three men and a woman with
contemplative expressions. They had much to absorb and their collective silence
lengthened. In the upper-left square, Professor Akiyama’s image stirred. He
rubbed his chin. “Your briefing confirms much of what I already suspected. It
may take my colleague’s a bit longer to concur.” Besides Miranda’s mentor, the
teleconference included two male physicists, one from Russia the other from
Israel, and an Argentinean biologist. The Russian leaned closer to the camera.
“I
think we first have to decide how much weight we will permit an anecdotal story
to influence whatever conclusions we draw.” The Israeli followed.
“Unless
someone is prepared to suggest Mr. McKenzie has exaggerated, we have strong
evidence to support his account. I remind everyone the substance’s DNA
structure glued to the victims, matched the feather’s DNA perfectly. Three
geographically distant decoders produced the same result. Just as tellingly,
Earth’s naturally evolved life forms have no such structure.
We
each examined the remarkable properties of that feather. Mr. McKenzie’s account
now gives it context. If we had to allow the feather, and thus the creature,
are artificially engineered, its method of point-to-point movement eliminates
the possibility.”
The
Russian returned. “Leaving us to conclude what, Doctor?” The Israeli paused to
give himself one last opportunity to find a logical flaw.
“Based
on the descriptions Mr. McKenzie provided from the freighter and research
facility encounters, this creature uses what are popularly known as wormholes
to move about. Further, if it is using wormholes, the term creature is
misleading. It must be an extra-terrestrial life form.” Gary Akiyama broke in
with firm emphasis.
“I
concur.”
The
Russian and Argentinean remained silent, lost in their thoughts. Each sought to
maintain scientific rigor and present credible, alternate explanations for the
facts. The evidence bore down on the Russian, crushing his doubt. “I hesitate
only because it is such a fantastical possibility. An alien life form is on
Earth using wormholes to move about. And wantonly killing humans.”
“Not
wantonly, Doctor.” Akiyama countered. “Only those in proximity to Joshua Ang’s
project.”
“Nonetheless
a staggering scenario.” the Russian continued. “An extra-terrestrial life form
is on our planet killing people associated with an obscure research project by
an obscure scientist.”
“Are
you currently in possession of that project, Mr. McKenzie?” asked the
Argentinean.
“Yes.
We moved it by helicopter last night from the Malaysian facility and
transferred it to a freighter I am currently aboard. We will dock in
Vishakhapatnam in two days. If I may, what exactly is a wormhole?” The Israeli
resumed.
“A
wormhole is a rupture in space/time that permits instantaneous travel between
two locations regardless of the intervening distance.”
“Do
you literally mean from any location to any location?”
“In
theory, yes. It does not violate the laws of physics and Einstein’s own
equations hint at the possibility. We now have direct evidence wormholes are indeed
possible although the technology is well beyond anything we have at present.”
“We
should make immediate arrangements to rendezvous with Mr. McKenzie.” the
Argentinean suggested. “If Professor Ang’s project brought a being from another
world here we must learn what it is.”
“I
urge great caution.” Janesh replied. “As Professor Akiyama stated, this being
has attacked and killed everyone associated with the project. And as you have
seen, the deaths are hideously brutal. Your description of what a wormhole is
gives me tremendous pause. Its ability to appear out of thin air at any time
and at any place presents a security nightmare. I now have grave doubts the
measures I’ve implemented on board this ship can insure the safety of the
crew.”
“Nonetheless”,
the Russian interjected, “we cannot allow that to deter us. Now that we know
what it is and how it’s moving about, perhaps we can devise a mechanism to
discourage further attacks.” Professor Akiyama interrupted.
“There’s
one thing we have not considered. The being did not kill Miranda.” Gary closed
his mind to the possibility she had suffered a grimmer fate. Janesh had already
disconnected his emotional channels. “Perhaps it will not kill us.”
“That’s
an awful thin line of defense but count me in.” the Israeli volunteered.
Enthusiasm marked the Russian and Argentinean’s nods. Impressed by their sense
of duty, Janesh admired their courage. A strong wind might topple any one of
them but their bravery could inspire warriors.
“Will
you permit us to examine the equipment, Janesh?” Akiyama asked.
“It
is why I contacted you. Perhaps knowing what it does will aid me in finding
Miranda. In any event, begin your preparations for India. I will notify you
within the next 72 hours where specifically.” One by one the video feeds
disconnected.
Janesh
closed his eyes. Just hearing Miranda’s name roiled his emotions and clouded
his thoughts. Nothing good could result from such an ineffective state. He
struggled to regain control. Sensing his discomfit, Ronan and Duncan rested their
heads against him. He gave both a rough scratch, grateful to have an outlet for
the love that threatened to burst his heart.
He
rose from the cabin’s desk, anxious to see the Captain, aware the danger his
crew might face. Fifteen minutes later he sank into a well-cushioned sofa. If
the seaman hid his black market activities, the stateroom didn’t. His richly
appointed quarters held every convenience a five-star hotel offered. From
behind a three-stool bar he smiled at Janesh. “Can I offer you a drink?”
“Bourbon
neat.” He crossed the room, handed Janesh a rock glass, and with a loud exhale
took a chair opposite.
“Seems
you have some friends in high places. That’s good. Seems you also have some
enemies. I received a priority message. Late tonight we’re going to off-load
your containers to another ship. The CIA is waiting for you in Vishakhapatnam.
We’ll dock as scheduled and let the CIA try to figure out what happened. While
they’re chasing a goat you’ll dock at the shipyard’s other end. There’ll be no
paperwork to alter because your containers never loaded.”
Janesh
made a mental note to have Chatur never use that helicopter service again.
“Very well, Captain. I’m going to further impose on your good graces and ask
that particular hold be placed off-limits to the crew for their own safety. I
and the dogs will be inside to insure that safety.”
The
Captain stared for a few moments then shrugged. “As you wish.”
“One
more thing. The hold is refrigerated. Could you turn it off? I may have to move
around and want to be dressed minimally.” Again the Captain stared, this time
longer. But as befitting a man who’d chosen a smuggler’s life, he danced around
the obvious question.
“As
the Captain, I must ask. Is there any danger to my ship?”
“No.
Only to you and the crew.”
“Very
well, Mr. McKenzie. After all, you are paying the freight.”
Janesh
detoured to his cabin, retrieved the spear and hunting knife, then stripped to
his briefs. He padded barefoot toward the forward hold. At the access door, he
entered a pass code and pulled the door out. He had no time to be shocked.
Inside the entrance the feathered creature opened its beak and hissed. Only
jungle-honed reflexes prevented a clear stream from splashing his face.
Janesh
slammed the door, cursed his carelessness. Precious seconds ticked by as he
unsheathed the spear and strapped his knife. Standing to the side he re-entered
the pass code. The lock mechanism cracked a sliver-thin opening. Below him the
dogs growled savagely as they tried to nose it open. He shoved it to the side
and rushed in.
Straight
ahead the creature waited. Its massive wings unfolded, flapped once, twice in
readiness. Janesh lowered his spear and charged. Fifty feet away he slowed. At
an angle, Duncan and Ronan raced toward an empty area. Eyes focused on a spot,
the lion hunters closed like silent killers. Confused, Janesh stopped. Head
swiveled from dogs to creature.
Another
one appeared, tried to take to the air. Duncan leaped and locked his jaws on a
leg. Ronan buried fangs into its belly. Down to the floor all three tumbled.
Janesh’s target disappeared. He raced toward the scrum. As his legs pumped
across the hold, his mind’s eye displayed a feather. It appeared and
disappeared. He understood.
The
monster kicked off Duncan, then grabbed Ronan. Janesh gasped. The thing had
hands. It threw off the dog and filled the hold with an ear-piercing shriek.
The act left a bleeding hole in its abdomen. Janesh’s eyes widened. It bled and
bled red. With a roar, he buried the spear into its chest. It gurgled and spit.
Janesh held and twisted. It screamed its agony, writhed under the
Mahān Śikārī.
Janesh pulled it
loose and readied another stab. With a mighty heave, the demon thrust itself
into the air, screeched its suffering with every flap. Janesh flipped the spear
into throwing position and let it fly. A hole opened and the creature
disappeared.
The
spear thudded into the far wall. Around him the dogs circled, tried to
reacquire a lost scent. Janesh’s chest swelled and shrank. His pounding heart
threatened to burst eardrums. Head lifted, he roared his victory.