The Mind Shaper by Gavin Boyle

Author:Gavin Boyle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hillcrest Media Group, Inc.

Chapter 18

Year 2020

March 19

1100 hours

INTO THE PHANTOM ZONE

Major Rachid Bukhari glanced in the rear view mirror of the troop transporter and noticed that all was well with the second truck in the small convoy. Ahead, Major Ali Mustaffa directed the driver of the Jeep in which he rode to enter a narrow canyon that provided excellent cover from prying reconnaissance satellites, and parked near to a meandering shallow-river. “This will do nicely,” Mustaffa said, as Major Bukhari and his driver, Sergeant, Ali Chopra approached on foot. Bukhari agreed with the location Mustaffa had selected in which to hide with components of The Time Machine and remarked with a shrug, “Too bad Mendez ship couldn’t take all of us and the machine in one load, but we shouldn’t have too long to wait, meanwhile we might as well set up camp.”

_____Myla Voltan and Omar Sardin watched with apprehension as Doctor Mendez’s pilot enlarged the view of the towering, magnetic anomaly he intended to enter. The Cocos Islands were clearly visible ahead, surrounded by the sparkling, blue-water of the Indian Ocean as the Disc approached the portal. They observed that several native fishing vessels remained well clear of the small, dark-patch of ocean, where local legend told was a passageway to the Underworld.

“This Vortex will bring us out very close to the Phantom Zone that you liked so much on your third trip in the Time Machine, Doctor Voltan,” Otto said, “and as far as I know it has never been probed by anyone but you.”

Myla was thrilled at the thought that she would soon be able to touch the hidden world of Inner Earth.

“We will find a suitable sanctuary from where we can complete our tests of the Time Machine,” Otto said. “I will then leave you with the technicians and food supplies while I return for the remaining components of the Time Machine, and our friends who accompany them.”

Myla saw her chance to persuade Otto with regard to her group of key personnel. “Omar, and I, have a contingency of valuable people at an Outpost near Ouri,” she said casually, “that’s, in northern Chad, near to the Libyan border. They could be useful to our quest in the event that the plan for the Time Machine failed, Otto.”

Otto reflected upon her words for a moment. He had been aware from the start of their relationship that Myla and Omar could not be completely trusted. He had noticed that they never removed the tiny Mind-Guards that Hanna had given them when they first met Anaka. Otto was frustrated by the fact that his Ar-noo had been unable to pick up some of Myla’s, or Omar’s, random thoughts. He would never allow more than a handful of the Humans to enter Inner Earth, and very soon, he would have no need for any of them.

I’ll pacify her for now, thought Otto.

“You may be right, Myla,” he said with a nod, “a backup plan would be a smart move. We will establish our base here first, and then I will arrange to relocate your people.

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