Titan Base by Eric Nylund

Author:Eric Nylund [Nylund, Eric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-375-98120-3
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2013-01-08T05:00:00+00:00

15

YOU TRY IT

“I’M NOT PART OF THE COLLECTIVE,” EMMA SAID through clenched teeth. “I’m using the Collective to control this thing.”

“Using the Collective?” Ethan echoed, not understanding.

Ethan glanced over at Madison to see if she had a clue what Emma meant. She’d only gotten to her hands and knees, though, and still looked dazed from the ant lion swatting her aside.

This had to be a Ch’zar trick to get his trust. There was no way Emma was controlling an ant lion.

But then Emma flashed him a look only his sister knew—that why is my brother such a complete idiot? look.

Ethan wanted to believe she was still in control, still his sister, Emma … but he didn’t know. If she’d been absorbed, the Ch’zar would know everything she did, including that look.

Emma held up her other hand to stop any more questions. “There’s no time,” she told him. “There’s an ant lion.”

“I can see that,” Ethan said, exasperated, pointing directly over his head.

“No,” she hissed, and pointed past Ethan. “There.”

Ethan whirled around. He didn’t see anything.

But he did feel it.

There was a tremble under his feet. Cracks appeared in the asphalt. Long silver legs the size of telephone poles then stepped over the rubble pile that used to be Tidy Laundry.

It was a second ant lion.

“Move out of the way,” Emma whispered.

The voices in Ethan’s mind turned into screams as Emma held a trembling hand toward the ant lion she had under control.

The insect opened its maw and hissed as loud as a steam whistle. It scrambled toward the other ant lion.

How was she doing that? The noise in Ethan’s head felt like it’d crack his skull. It was like the whisper he got when he connected to his wasp I.C.E., only with the volume cranked up to maximum.

The ant lions clashed. They scrambled to find purchase on one another’s bloated bodies, jaws sparking off armor, thrashing legs knocking aside nearby cars as if they were toys.

Ethan pinwheeled back, spotted Madison, and dragged her to the alley.

Madison got to her feet and shoved away Ethan’s steadying hands. She took in his bloody face, then glanced at Emma, who had her hands outstretched, mentally directing one ant lion to attack the other.

Madison’s gaze locked back on Ethan … and her eyes narrowed.

“What is going on?” she demanded.

Ethan heard the accusation in her voice. All things considered, it was hard to blame her. But this wasn’t the time or place to explain anything.

The ant lions tumbled into the Santa Blanca Review newspaper office and reduced the building to rubble with a tremendous crash. They nearly crushed Madison and Ethan in the process.

Ethan and Madison dodged a landslide of concrete and shattered timbers.

He grabbed his sister’s hand as they ran past and dragged her along with them.

Emma stumbled but still kept her other hand outstretched and maintained eye contact with the giant insects.

They got half a block before Madison made a fist and held it up, the signal to halt.

She pointed to the shadows by the side of a building.

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