Signal by Scott Jasper T. & Hystad Nathan

Author:Scott, Jasper T. & Hystad, Nathan [Scott, Jasper T. & Hystad, Nathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Amazon: B0B34295HD
Goodreads: 61268465
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2022-08-09T07:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

Lennon

Mar del Plata, Argentina

The waves rolled over the soft sand, dragging pieces of debris with them. It was hard to believe this city used to be thriving, full of tourists. This very beach had once been packed with delighted visitors and locals, each vying for position as the first rays of light crested beyond the horizon.

Now it was a husk, burned to the ground in an accident twenty years earlier.

“It’s a shame,” Rutger said. “I came here once. In my early tenure with the Marines.”

Lennon hadn’t ever seen Mar del Plata, but it had been a big enough news story when she was a teenager. The entire city had caught fire when a shipping freighter exploded in the docks. It spread so fast, because of the high-density construction and laissez-faire regulations.

“What do they want?” Lennon asked.

“If I was to guess…”

“The towers?”

“Yep.” Rutger had his Holo out, and Lennon watched the screen as he brought up old telecommunication plans. He tapped the Holo three times, activating markers on the map. “There are three of those old towers in the area.”

“What are they doing with them?” Lennon recalled the one in Santiago. She’d wanted to destroy it, along with the aliens, but their enemy had fled the scene. Dark Leader had suggested this was their destination, and he’d been right.

“That’s for someone else to determine. We’re here to record. Dark Leader thinks we’ll find a lead soon.” Rutger walked over the beach, kicking off the sand when he contacted the sidewalk. The air still held a tinge of smoke to it, even after all this time.

Lennon’s gaze drifted to the damaged cityscape. The entire place had been evacuated, and the government decided not to rebuild. It was cheaper to leave it there and start fresh thirty miles down the coast, with better rules involving the shipyard.

Lennon gestured to their helicopter. “They might have seen us coming.”

“Perhaps.” Rutger held his gun close to his chest, and jogged to the road, looking in both directions. “One of the towers is a half mile this way.”

“Let’s do this,” she said, joining him.

A couple of hours later, Lennon saw signs of movement in this godforsaken metropolis. The first two towers seemed burned beyond repair, and apparently the Stalkers agreed. But the third was potentially operational.

Rutger lifted a palm, and she stopped. The Stalkers were at the base of their prize, chittering in their own tongue. The ground vibrated slightly, and she wondered if they used that in addition to sounds to communicate. She wanted to know if they could feel her steps, should she run at them.

Lennon pictured the first one she’d crossed in engineering on the Interloper. She’d come damned close to freezing up at the sight. Commander Bryce had nearly died in the explosion. Lennon hoped he was enjoying his cozy hideout in Alaska while the rest of them were facing Stalkers and constantly risking their lives. She figured David had lived a life of privilege, so why not keep it up? She’d been forced to battle for everything she had, and that wasn’t going to change any time soon.

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