Horizon Alpha: Predators of Eden Read online

  “I’ll stay with Sara,” Erik said.

  Josh whipped his head around to look at Erik.

  “You can’t stay. Neither of you can stay. We’re going back to base together and that’s that. Once the base is secure, you can come back here with a science team and study that dead bird all you want.”

  Sara crossed her arms across her chest.

  “That will never happen. Once we get back to base we’ll hunker down behind our fences and hide like shrews in a woodpile. They’ll never risk a shuttle to come back here. And when this power core runs out? Then what?” Her eyes dropped to the ground. “Then we die, that’s what.” She shook her head. “One power core between what’s left of the human race and certain death? No way, not me. We’re just buying time and you know it.”

  I had never heard her so vehement before. In a way, she was right; we were just buying time. But it was time we could use to think of another plan, find another source of power. Time was the only thing we could buy, and I told her so.

  “They’re counting on us. We’re not going to sit here in this little cave while the lights go out and the fences go down around our people. We have to try.”

  Her face crumbled.

  “Of course you have to try. You and Josh take the core back to base. Erik and I will stay here and move up to the upper cave. Maybe I can learn something that will help us survive.”

  “It didn’t help the bird people,” I said, and then wished I hadn’t. Hope was all we had left.

  “No, it didn’t. But it’s all I can do. I can’t go out there again.”

  I understood then. She had lost hope that she would live to reach Eden. Somehow the idea of drying up in the cave next to the ancient bird mummy appealed to her more than being eaten by a hungry ‘saur in the jungle.

  I bowed my head in resignation. “You’re right. You and Erik should stay here. Josh and I will go alone.”

  Chapter 33

  We walked in silence, feeling the weight of the gloomy forest pressing on us. I hadn’t realized until we crept back under the canopy of leaves how free I had felt in the open air on the mountain. I was born on a ship rocketing through space. My first taste of non-recycled air was tainted by fear of the huge predators we had landed among. Eden base sat in a clearing next to a wide flowing river, but I never knew the exhilaration of breathing deeply with my face turned toward the sun until I sat on the bare rocks of the dry hillside.

  I understood what Sara meant. I didn’t want to leave those caves, either. But my mother and Malia and a hundred other people were counting on Josh and me to bring back this power core and hope of survival.

  We left the sat trans with Sara at the cave. It wouldn’t work in the heavy jungle anyway, and Eden knew to expect us just before dawn. We wouldn’t be able to signal our impending arrival, but we hoped to enter the gate before the sun rose. Captain Enrico—maybe General Enrico now, I thought with a sourness in my stomach—would be waiting to open the gate as soon as he saw us. It was a primitive system, and we had to shut off the electricity to the fence-line to open either the large gate through which our tanks rolled or the small human-sized portal just next to it.

  Josh had a better sense of direction than I did. He tracked through the forest like one born to it, and I followed, pistol drawn. As the night cooled and the air filled with the familiar songs of the little ‘saurs in the trees, we both relaxed a bit. No Wolves would be out now, no Gilas awake. There were still dangers, but for the first time since we lost General Carthage, I dared to hope we might actually succeed.

  “So how’s Mom?” I asked. Josh had spent a long time talking with her on the trans while I explored the birdman’s caves above him. I hadn’t asked him about the conversation.

  “She’s all right. She could barely talk she was so glad to hear from me. I’m really sorry I put her through that, thinking I was dead. It must have been awful for her.”

  “It was. She said that now you were gone, she would never see dad’s face again. She hadn’t mentioned him at all since we left Horizon. But you do look like him.”

  “A little,” he agreed. “Dad was . . . a great man.” He swallowed hard.

  “I remember. I wonder how long he survived after the transports blasted off. I wonder if he knew we landed safely before he died.”

  Josh didn’t answer.

  “But then ‘safely’ isn’t really how we landed.”

  “No, it wasn’t. But we’ve done all right here. There’s still enough of us. If we’re careful and lucky, we might survive here.”

  “Do you really think so?” I asked in a small voice. Sara’s words were haunting me. The core we carried would buy us time, but would it be enough?

  “I have to think so,” Josh said, snapping me out of my reverie. “Otherwise it’s all for nothing.”

  We slogged through the jungle in silence once more.

  Hours into the journey we paused to eat some dried meat and drink from our canteens. I still had mine, and it felt like a talisman in my hands. The letters “C. Wilde” were scratched into its metal surface and I rubbed them absently with my finger as I drank.

  “So what’s the plan when we get there?” I asked.

  “We shouldn’t need much of a plan,” Josh answered. “There’s not much open space between the edge of the jungle and the postern gate,” he named the smaller human-sized entrance. “As long as we’re clear, we’ll just run across the field. They’ll be watching for us and open the gate when we get there.”

  Again, I dared to hope. We were so close now.

  We pushed on through the darkest part of the night. The blue-green glow of the phosphorescent leaves allowed us to travel without our flashlights on. We moved quickly and deliberately, pausing only when some movement or noise made us freeze, listening.

  I was bone weary. Last night’s deep sleep had restored me, but the week of terrifying travel that preceded it were catching up again. We had planned to nap in the afternoon, but our discovery in the caves took all day. The pack of weapons on my back felt heavier with each step I took. It was getting harder and harder to pick my feet up, and I stumbled over roots and downed branches.

  “We’re almost there. You can sleep for a week once we get inside the fence,” Josh said, noticing my fatigue.

  “That sounds amazing,” I mumbled.

  The hours passed in a blur, as I dragged myself through the darkness. Even the bloodsuckers’ sharp stings failed to rouse me from my plodding stupor. I longed to rest, to sit on the moist ground and pillow my head on some gnarled root. But that would be an invitation for the flesh-boring worms to creep from the soil and tunnel right into my skin, and that would mean months of agony as they chewed away my flesh from the inside. The thought kept me moving.

  Josh stopped suddenly and I walked right into his back. He didn’t speak, just caught me with one arm. I blinked my eyes open and stood beside him.

  “What is it?” I whispered.

  The glow of pre-dawn had crept through the forest as I walked, unseeing. It wasn’t anywhere near full light yet, but I could begin to see farther through the forest. The glowing leaves were losing the night’s phosphorescence, and mist was rising from the ground. Everything looked gray and blurry. I rubbed my eyes, leaving them closed for a moment longer than I needed to.

  “We’re almost there. Time to look alive.”

  I sipped from my canteen to wake myself up, splashing some water on my face.

  “I don’t see the lights yet,” I said. Eden base stayed lit all night, a warning to any inquisitive ‘saurs that the fence was live.

  “We’re not close enough for that. But soon. Let’s move.”

  I focused on Josh’s back and stepped forward.

  Through my soggy boots I felt the unmistakable tremor shiver through the ground. Somewhere nearby, a T-rex was hunting.

  Chapter 34

  My eyes popped open, fatigue burning off in an instant of electric recognition.

  We didn’t speak, just crouc
hed down where we were. One footfall didn’t let us pinpoint the Rex’s location. We waited for it to move again.

  There.

  Vibration shuddered through the forest. The Rex was somewhere ahead and to our left. The smaller ‘saurs fell silent at the predator’s approach and the rushing sound of water whispered in the sudden quiet.

  “The river,” I whispered right into Josh’s ear. “We’re almost there.”

  He nodded. We scuttled low through the brush, my aching thighs protesting the movement. I took Josh’s arm and pointed to a nearby tree with good low branches. Should we climb? I pantomimed.

  He shook his head and continued toward our destination, veering to the right, away from the sound of the Rex and toward the noise of the river.

  The forest around us brightened as we scrambled. Just ahead, a huge tree had recently fallen. Its leaves hung limp on the branches as the uprooted base grasped at the air. It left a gaping hole in the dirt, and we ducked under the archway beneath the huge downed trunk.

  I wriggled underneath it and peeked through the weedy shrubs. Gray mist still obscured my vision and dawn had yet to fully break, but ahead and below me I saw the most welcome of sights: the lights of Eden glowed in the river valley before us.

  “We’re here,” I whispered.

  “I know.”

  “And we’re not too late. There are still lights on.”

  He squinted through the mist.

  “Not all of them. It should be brighter than that.”

  “So they’re conserving power. It’s okay, we’ve got the core.” I patted the heavy pack Josh carried. “What are we waiting for?” We were in sight of our target. I could practically hear their welcoming shouts.

  “We have to wait for the mist to burn off. Didn’t you hear the Rex?”

  Of course I heard the Rex.

  “We can just run,” I said recklessly. But if the Rex’s heat-sensors picked us up, we’d be its breakfast. Neither of us could outrun a Rex on open ground, and until the mist lifted, running would be foolish. And Eden wouldn’t be able to see us coming to shut down the fence power and let us in.

  My hands shook with impatience. Eden base was right down the hill. Just a sprint away.

  The first rays of true dawn broke through the jungle. We crouched under the fallen tree and waited for the morning mist to evaporate.

  A few more of Eden’s lights winked out.

  “They’re running low. We need to get down there.” I fidgeted in the gloom.

  “I know. But it’s for nothing if we don’t make it in.”

  The tree above us vibrated with the Rex’s heavy tread. We pressed our backs into the muddy roots. It was close.

  Tense minutes passed. The mist began to lift. I peeked back under the tree and down the hill.

  Eden still had a few lights on, a good sign. Squinting into the distance, I could begin to make out movement inside the fences, tiny people moving around between the hulking shapes of our downed transports and shuttles.

  And between our hiding place at the edge of the forest and the closed gates of Eden, two Rexes waited.

  Their backs were to Josh and me as they watched the people of Eden, drawn by the heat of their bodies and the smell of their meat. They kept back from the fence-line, obviously familiar with the jolt of the wires. I could see their huge chests expand as they inhaled, smelling the warm scent of humans.

  “Two Rexes,” I whispered to Josh. He nodded beside me.

  Eden’s power was almost gone. If one of them pressed the fence and took the charge, the surge would spark out the rest of the fence. The other Rex would snap through the wires like strands of spider web. The Rexes couldn’t know how close they were to wiping out our base, but we did. And the people inside the fences certainly did, too.

  “We have to draw them away from the gate,” Josh said. He opened the weapons pack.

  “Do we have anything we can launch? A handheld to scare them off?” We had precious few hand-launched rockets, but they made an enormous explosion when they detonated. It might not kill a Rex, but a direct hit would surely send the pair off in search of easier prey.

  “No. We have a couple of grenades and plenty of rounds for the guns.”

  Our bullets were useless against Rex hide. When we shot at them, they just stamped their huge feet, barely annoyed by the little stings of our automatic rifles.

  Josh came to a decision.

  “I’ll head around to the side and draw them away. You take the core and run for the gate.”

  His words were a punch in the stomach. “No way,” I protested. “We have to stay together.”

  “We can’t. If they press the fence now, it’s all over. I’ll head through the tree line with the grenades.” He pointed away from the river, where the open field was wider. “I’ll toss them out, make a big bang. They’ll chase me and I’ll lead them into the trees. You’ll have a clear sprint.”

  I shook my head. My throat felt tight. “I’ll do it. I’m a better climber than you. I can get up a tree faster. You take the core in.”

  “You’re also a faster runner. If either of us has any chance to get this core in, it’s you and you know it.”

  I bit my lip. Josh was right. If it came down to speed, I was the obvious choice. But I had lost Josh once. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him again, not when we were so close.

  “Isn’t there any other way?” I asked.

  He smiled, and his eyes were moist.

  “You carried the core all this way. You’ll make it through that gate. I know you can do it.”

  He put his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes. “If I don’t make it back, tell Mom I love her and I’m sorry.”

  I gritted my teeth. “You’ll make it. Get up a tree as soon as you get the Rexes on the move. Get up high. We’ll send out a tank to chase them away from you.” I was babbling like a child. Josh knew what to do.

  “I will,” he promised. He loaded the grenades onto his belt and took the automatic rifle.

  “Here.” He handed me a pair of binoculars from the pack. “Watch me until I get over there,” he pointed to the edge of the trees far away from the gates. “When I pass that big rock, get ready to run. As soon as the Rexes move, you go.”

  I shook my head, but he smiled and clapped me on the shoulder.

  “Goodbye, Caleb.”

  I clutched his arm and said nothing. In a moment, I let him go.

  Chapter 35

  I picked up the binoculars. It was nearly full light now, and I had no trouble following his progress even through the heavy tree cover. The Rexes were still prowling near the gate. I put down the binoculars long enough to hitch the power core pack onto my shoulders. When I picked them up again, I couldn’t see Josh anymore.

  I scanned the edge of the tree line, looking for movement.

  There. A tiny movement in the bushes.

  I focused in. It wasn’t Josh.

  Maybe just wind in the branches, I thought, and focused closer. There it was again, the tiniest movement. I only saw it because I was looking right at it.

  My mouth went dry and my legs felt weak underneath me as I panned the focus down to where the bushes met the grass. I stared for a long moment, needing to be certain.

  A black shiny bead was almost hidden in the still shrubbery. And as I watched it, ever so slowly, it blinked.

  I dropped the binoculars in the mud.

  “Crab!” I shouted, but Josh couldn’t hear me over the morning songs of the forest. The Rexes cocked their heads, listening, then turned back to watch the people of Eden, so nearly in their reach.

  I snatched the binoculars up again and my hands shook as I panned down the tree line. I found Josh’s moving form after a moment’s panicked searching. He was heading straight for the Crab.

  He’d never see it. They were so perfectly camouflaged, so still. You never saw one until it had you. He wouldn’t live long enough to get off a shot or toss a grenade. And he would die for nothing. />
  I didn’t think. I stood up from the sheltering tree and fired four shots straight up into the air.

  The Rexes whipped their heads around to stare in my direction. The tree hid my silhouette but they sniffed the air and crouched down to spring in my direction. The forest was silent.

  Josh burst out of the tree line. I could hear him shouting in the distance.

  BOOM.

  The first grenade exploded and the Rexes turned toward it. Josh sprinted through the field. I couldn’t see the Crab at this distance, but Josh was no longer heading towards it, cutting diagonally across the clearing, waving his arms and yelling.

  The Rexes couldn’t resist. They charged around the fence-line, heads low and arms grasping forward. Josh tossed another grenade toward them.

  BOOM. Dirt sprayed up from the explosion, but the Rexes didn’t slow. Josh angled back toward the tree line.

  I tore my eyes away from the retreating figure of my brother. The moment had arrived.

  I sprinted down the hill.

  My pulse pounded in my head as I ran headlong through the open field. My lungs felt heavy as I sucked in the humid air.

  Ahead of me the postern gate opened, and armed men burst through. A shot whizzed by my head and I stumbled in shock. Why were they shooting at me? Couldn’t they see who I was?

  I tripped and fell, skidding on my belly with the heavy pack crushing my ribcage. I rolled on my side, lying dazed. More shots echoed through the clearing.

  I looked behind me. Four Wolves bore down on me. The leader lay dead just an arm’s length away, killed by the shot that sent me tumbling.

  The soldiers manning the gate were shouting and their words burned into my stunned brain. “Code W! Code W!”

  I scrambled to my feet and lurched forward, running as fast as I could with my head low. I could hear the Wolves behind me now, gaining speed as they pursued me over the open ground. This early in the morning, they hadn’t reached full body temperature yet. I could never outrun a Wolf at full speed, but in the cool mist I pounded ahead, sprinting for safety.