Crux by James Byron Huggins

Author:James Byron Huggins [Huggins, James Byron]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781948239844
Publisher: WildBlue Press
Published: 2019-10-07T16:00:00+00:00

***

Francois had frozen in the door obviously shocked and staring in the same direction as the guards as they continued firing and the howl of some enormous beast continued to advance on the Observation Room. Then Janet heard the Director-General vehemently shout, “Damn it! Not now!”

Spinning, Francois was back and bearing down over Margaret. “How much longer before we hit one hundred percent?”

Margaret snapped, “Two minutes!”

“Two minutes!” Francois whirled, alternately glaring between the door and the window. Then, with a violent effort, managed to calm his voice as he stated, “Get ready to engage FS-One. Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Engage.”

“Engaged.”

“FS-Two.”

Margaret glanced in the direction of the hideous screams.

“Engaged!”

“FS-Three!”

“Engaged!” Margaret shouted. “Detectors at maximum!”

Blanchard—Janet noticed—had moved deeper into the Observation Room, separating himself from the entrance. He glanced nervously to either side as if searching for an exit, but there was no exit. There was one way in, one way out. And the only way out was filled with two guards firing fully automatic weapons. Then Janet saw that Susan had quietly retaken her seat and was merely watching the frenzied activity, head low.

There was no escape, and she knew it.

Janet was prepared to die. But she knew Susan wasn’t.

Janet’s computer terminal blinked; they had almost traced the interruption back to her terminal. She shut it down again and stood, walking toward Susan. When she reached her, she grabbed Susan’s hand and moved toward the door.

“Where are you going?” shouted Blanchard, causing Francois to turn.

“Stop her!” commanded Francois.

One of the guards at the door turned and stepped forward as Janet ripped out the hairpin. It was only a slice of a movement, but she touched his face and was amazed that he went down before she’d even drawn back her hand.

He hit the floor with a muffled thud. Only his rifle made a clattering that sounded benign compared to the explosive atmosphere now thick with sulfur and smoke. But even before he fully settled, Janet stepped into the door and instinctively turned to stare in the direction of the remaining guard’s gunfire.

Her breath caught.

A gigantic, black, manlike shape was grappling with a dozen armed guards in the far distance of the tunnel and it was clear, even at this range, that the guards were quickly losing the battle and that the beast had intentions of approaching the Observation Room with a rage unlike anything Janet had ever witnessed.

It was an animal but it was an animal battling with the intelligence and intent of a human being. And, clearly, it would win, in the end.

“What the hell is that!” Janet involuntarily shouted; she was shocked beyond any attempt at control.

“Get out of here!” yelled the guard. “Get to the elevator!”

“No!” bellowed Francois. “We must finish this!”

“To hell with this!” one physicist shouted as he leaped up and ran for the door. And that was all it took for the entire room to erupt to their feet and suddenly everyone was flying toward the guard, who stepped forward, giving them room.

“Hold the elevator for me!” shouted the guard as he quick-changed clips in his rifle.

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