Hellworld (Deathstalker Prelude) Read online

  He moved over to the edge of the roof, hesitated briefly, and then sat down and swung his legs out and over onto the webbing. He looked down once, and decided not to do that again. It was a long way down. He muttered something indistinct, even to himself, and stepped gingerly out onto the bridge. It was six to seven feet wide, a tangled mess of grey strands barely an inch or so in diameter. There were no handrails. The threads gave slightly under his weight, but held. Hunter gritted his teeth, and sheathed his sword and gun so as to have both hands free. He walked steadily forward, carefully not looking down or back, and kept his gaze fixed on the building ahead. It didn’t seem to be getting any closer. At the back of his mind, he couldn’t help wondering if the webbing had been spun by a machine, or some gigantic creature. The bridge rippled and shook as Williams and Krystel followed him, but it seemed to be holding all their weight well enough. Hunter began to relax a little.

  They hadn’t got far when the bridge lurched sickly to one side. Hunter fell to one knee and grabbed at the strands for support. He looked back, past Williams and Krystel, already knowing what he was going to see. The alien had found them. It snarled soundlessly, exposing its jagged teeth, and made its way steadily along the bridge towards them. The bridge bounced and swayed, but the fragile-looking gossamer threads held the creature’s weight easily. Hunter swore under his breath and rose unsteadily to his feet.

  “Investigator, take the doctor and get to the next building. I’ll hold the alien back. If I don’t join you, find the others and tell them what’s happened. Then get the hell out of this city, and back to the pinnace. Yell for help, and keep on yelling till you get it. That’s it. No arguments. Move.”

  Williams pushed past him and ran down the bridge. Krystel stayed where she was. “I should stay, not you. I’m the Investigator.”

  “That’s why you have to go, Krystel. They’re going to need you.”

  “We need you.”

  “No one’s needed me for a long time. I’m not reliable anymore. Now will you please get the hell out of here?”

  Krystel nodded briefly, and hurried after Williams. Hunter watched her go for a moment, and then turned to face the oncoming alien. It looked bigger than he remembered. Its rotting white flesh seemed to slip and slide on its frame, but the teeth in the grinning mouth looked horribly efficient. Hunter drew his gun. He didn’t have to look down to know his hand was shaking. His stomach ached from the tension and sweat was pouring off him. Yet scared as he was, terrified as he was, he wasn’t panicking. His mind was clear. He knew what he had to do and he was ready to do it. Maybe that was all he’d really needed—a simple, straightforward certainty in his life, something he could understand and cling to.

  The alien was nearly upon him. He could smell it on the air, hear its panting breath. There was no point in trying to shoot it. They’d tried that and it hadn’t worked. His sword and force shield would be less than useless. The creature had already grown a new hand to replace the one Krystel had cut off. And he couldn’t turn and run. The alien would soon catch him and kill him, and then it would go after Krystel and Williams. No. Hunter took a firm grip on his gun, and his hand steadied. He had to buy time for the others, time for them to get away and warn the Empire about the nightmare on Wolf IV.

  He’d always wondered where he would die. Upon what alien world, under what alien sun. He smiled once at the approaching alien, took careful aim with his disrupter, and blew out the bridge between them. The gossamer threads parted in a second under the searing energy, and the alien screamed shrilly as it fell, twisting and turning, to the street far below.

  Hunter brushed against a flailing strand of webbing as he fell, and he dropped his sword and gun to grab at it with both hands. The webbing slid through his fingers as though it were greased. He tightened his grip till his hands ached, and finally got a firm hold on the strand. The sudden lurch as his fall was brought to a halt almost wrenched his arms from their sockets, but somehow he held on. The broken length of webbing swung downwards, its speed increasing as Hunter’s weight pulled at it. The wall of the building opposite came flying towards him like a fly swatter. Hunter had a split-second glimpse of an open window looming up before him, and then the webbing slapped flat against the side of the building, hurling him through the window. He tried to hang on to his strand of webbing, but it was wrenched from his hands. He curled into a ball instinctively, then crashed into something hard but yielding, which gave under the impact. Hunter careered on, unable to stop, and smashed through another barrier. All the breath was knocked from his lungs, and the pain was so bad he blacked out.

  He came back to consciousness slowly, in fits and starts. For a long while all he could do was lie on his back and stare at the ceiling. And that was how Krystel and Williams found him. They forced their way through the wreckage that half-filled the room, and made their way over to Hunter. Williams knelt beside him and checked him over with brisk efficiency. Hunter grinned up at Krystel.

  “What happened to the alien?”

  “Hit the ground and spattered,” said Krystel succinctly. “We’ll be lucky to find any pieces big enough to study.”

  Hunter wanted to laugh, but his ribs hurt too much. He sat up slowly, with Williams’ help, and looked around.

  “From the look of it, this room was full of partitions,” said Krystel. “Emphasis on the word was. You seem to have demolished most of them.”

  “Good thing you did,” said Williams. “They absorbed most of your speed and impact. The fall would have killed you otherwise. You’re lucky to be alive, Captain.”

  “Don’t think I don’t know it,” said Hunter. He nodded to Williams to let go of him, and stood swaying for a moment while his head settled. “How bad is the damage, Doctor?”

  “Extensive bruising, and some lacerations. You could have a cracked rib or two, not to mention concussion. I really think we should get back to the pinnace so I can check you over properly.”

  “For once, I think I agree with you, Doctor.” Hunter rubbed tiredly at his aching forehead. “As long as there was a chance the city was deserted, I could justify checking it out ourselves, but the alien changes all that. We have to contact the Empire.”

  “That could mean a delay in the arrival of the colonists,” said Williams.

  “Yes,” said Hunter. “I know.” He looked at Krystel. “I don’t suppose you found any trace of my gun and my sword? I dropped them.”

  “I’m afraid not, Captain,” said the Investigator. “But you’re welcome to use my disrupter. I’ve always preferred the sword, myself. It’s more personal.”

  Hunter took the gun from her with a nod of thanks, and slipped it into his holster. “All right, the first thing is to contact the rest of the Squad. They should have reached the city by now.”

  “There’s always the chance they encountered one of the aliens themselves,” said Krystel. “They might not have been as fortunate as us.”

  “You’re right.” Hunter scowled for a moment. “We’ll head for the copper tower, just in case my last message to them got through. If they’re not there, we’ll have to give up on them for now and get back to the pinnace. The Empire must be warned.”

  “Yes,” said Krystel. “The last time I came up against an alien this hard to kill was on Grendel.”

  Slowly and cautiously, the three of them made their way down the winding ramp and out of the building. They were alert for any sound or movement, but the building was silent as a tomb. Every room they passed held strange shapes and machinery, but there was no sign of life anywhere. By the time they got out onto the street, the day was nearly over. Shadows were growing longer as the day darkened, and the turquoise sky held veins of red from the sinking sun.

  “It’ll be night soon,” said Williams quietly. “I don’t think we should spend a night in the city, Captain. There’s no telling what might roam the streets once the sun goes down.”

  “We can’t just abandon the others,” said Hunter. “They’re part of the Squad.�
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  “We can if we have to,” said Krystel. “They’re expendable. Just like us.”

  Evening fell across the city. The street was filled with shadows, and strange lights burned brightly in open windows. And in the dark, hidden heart of the city, something awful slowly grew stronger.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  * * *

  The Prey

  Lindholm led the way down the deserted street, gun in hand, alert for any sign of life or movement. Corbie followed close behind, hurrying the esper along as best he could. DeChance’s face was smooth and blank, empty of all emotion or personality. Her eyes saw nothing, and she walked uncaringly wherever Corbie led her. The marine scowled, as much in worry as anger. DeChance had been acting brainburned ever since she made mental contact with something in the city.

  They’re waking up, she’d said. They’re coming for us. They want what makes us sane.

  She hadn’t said a word after that. The light went out of her eyes, and she could no longer hear the marines, no matter how loudly they shouted. Her face became gaunt and drawn, and she only moved when the marines guided her. At first they thought her condition might have been caused by the building they were in, but even after they’d hustled her outside she remained lost and silent. Corbie had pressed for them to keep moving. If there was something coming after them, they’d be better off presenting a moving target. Lindholm reluctantly agreed, and led the way. Corbie let him. Right now, he needed somebody else to be in charge, to do his thinking for him.

  He glanced quickly around. They were walking between two massive structures of crystal and metal fused together, so tall that Corbie had to tilt back his head to see the top of them. There were no lights in any of the windows, and the only sound on the quiet was the soft, steady padding of their own footsteps. There’d been no sign of any living thing since the esper’s warning, but still Corbie’s back felt the pressure of unseen watching eyes.

  He tried to imagine something so terrible that just mental contact with it could destroy your mind, and couldn’t. The fear was with him always now, trembling in his hands, burning in his eyes. His stomach was a tight knot of pain. He tried to concentrate on where they were heading, to keep his mind occupied, but all he knew for sure was the name the esper had given it. The copper tower. Corbie sniffed unhappily and scowled about him, trying to get his bearings. He’d been turned around so much he wasn’t even sure where the boundaries were anymore. Lindholm was still striding purposefully ahead of him, though, so presumably at least he knew where they were going.

  “How long since you tried the comm unit?” said Lindholm suddenly, his voice calm and quiet as always.

  “Maybe ten minutes. Want me to try again?”

  “Sure. Give it a try.”

  Corbie activated his comm implant. “Captain, this is Corbie. Please respond.” He waited several moments, but there was no answer, only the unnerving silence, empty even of static. He tried twice more, and then gave up. Lindholm said nothing.

  DeChance suddenly stumbled, and almost fell. Corbie had to support all her weight for a moment, and then her back straightened as she found her feet again. She shook her head dazedly, and made a few meaningless noises with her mouth. Corbie looked at Lindholm, and motioned urgently towards the nearest building. Lindholm nodded. Between the two of them, the marines got DeChance over to the open doorway. It was set in the side of a gleaming pearlescent dome, a hundred feet high or more. There were no windows or other openings, only the smooth, featureless surface of the dome. Lindholm went through the doorway first, gun at the ready, his force shield blazing on his arm. Corbie gave him a moment and then guided the esper in after him.

  Inside, there was only darkness. There was a flash of light as Lindholm lit his field lantern, and the room came into being around them. It was roughly thirty feet square, with a low ceiling. The walls and ceiling were both strangely curved in places, and shone a dull silver-grey in the lantern light. Lindholm put the lantern down on the floor then went to give Corbie a hand with the esper. DeChance sat down suddenly on the floor, as though all the strength had gone out of her legs. Corbie helped her lean back against the nearest wall. It felt warm and spongelike to the touch, and Corbie glared at it suspiciously before turning his attention back to DeChance.

  “I think this may have been a mistake,” said Lindholm suddenly. “I don’t like the feel of this place.”

  “You took the words right out of my mouth,” said Corbie. “Unfortunately, the esper’s in no condition to travel any further.”

  “How is she?”

  “I’m not sure. She might be coming out of it. Then again…”

  “Yeah.” Lindholm looked quickly around him. There was a wide opening in the far wall, full of darkness. “We can’t stay here, Russ. We can’t even barricade the doorway. Get her on her feet again, and we’ll see what’s back of this room. You bring the lantern.”

  He moved warily towards the open doorway, while Corbie grabbed the field lantern with one hand, and urged DeChance to her feet with the other. The esper was still dazed, but at least now she was cooperating with him.

  “Come on, Russ,” said Lindholm impatiently. “It’s not safe here.”

  “Safe? I haven’t felt safe since we landed on this bloody planet. If you’re in such a hurry, how about giving me a hand? The esper isn’t getting any lighter to lug around, you know.”

  Lindholm took the lantern away from him, and held it up to light the next room. Corbie glared at Lindholm’s back, and then peered through the open doorway. The room was huge. The shadows beyond the light made it impossible to judge its true size, but once again Corbie was struck by the sheer scale of the alien city. He felt like a child who’d escaped from the nursery and wandered into the part of the world where the adults lived. The curving walls were a dull reddish colour in the lantern light, marked here and there by sharp-edged protrusions. The floor was cracked and split apart, like mud that had dried out under a midday sun. The room itself was quite empty. Lindholm moved slowly forward and Corbie followed him, still half-supporting the esper. The far wall suddenly became clear as the lantern light moved, and Corbie scowled unhappily. Spurs of metal jutted from the crimson wall, like the horns of forgotten beasts. For a moment Corbie wondered if they could be trophies of some kind, and immediately the walls seemed to him to be exactly the color of dried blood. A round opening in the wall yawned like a toothless mouth.

  “Where are we?” said DeChance hoarsely, and Corbie jumped.

  “It’s all right,” he said quickly. “You’re quite safe. We’re inside one of the buildings. It’s empty. How do you feel?”

  “I’m not sure. Strange.” She shook her head slowly. “There were so many traces, so many alien minds, I just got lost among them. I couldn’t understand any of them. Their thought patterns made no sense.” Her face cleared suddenly, losing all its vagueness, and she looked sharply at the two marines. “We’ve got to get out of the city. If there’s one thing I am sure of, it’s that they’re dangerous. Horribly dangerous.”

  “You keep saying they,” said Lindholm. “How many aliens are there? Where are they hiding?”

  “They’re here,” said DeChance. “They’re all around. Waiting. They’ve been waiting a very long time. We woke them up. I don’t know how many there are; hundreds, thousands. I don’t know. The traces kept shifting, changing. But they’re close. I know that. They’re getting closer all the time. We’ve got to get out of the city.”

  “Sounds good to me,” said Corbie. “Sven?”

  “Hold on a minute, Russ.” Lindholm looked thoughtfully at the esper. “No offence, DeChance, but just how reliable is what you’ve been telling us? Are you giving us facts or impressions?”

  “Both. Neither. I can’t explain esp to anyone who isn’t an esper. Contact with an alien mind is difficult; they don’t think like we do. It’s like looking in a distorted mirror, trying to find things you recognise. I managed to pick up a few things I’m sure of. The power sources
for the city are all underground, buried deep in the bedrock. They go down for miles. They’re still functioning, despite being abandoned for centuries. Now the city’s coming alive, and drawing more and more power. I don’t know what the power’s for, but it’s got something to do with the copper tower in the centre of the city. That tower is the key to everything that’s happening here.”

  “Then we’d better go and take a look at it,” said Lindholm. “Maybe we’ll find a few answers there.”

  “Are you crazy?” said Corbie. “You heard the esper; this whole place is coming alive, and hundreds, maybe thousands of monsters are heading our way right now! We’ve got to get out of here while we still can!”

  “Come on, Russ; we can’t just walk away from this. We have a responsibility to the rest of the Squad, and the colonists who’ll come after us. This is our best chance to get some answers, while everything’s still waking up and disorientated.”

  “Responsibility? Sven, they dumped us here to die. No one gives a damn about us. We’re expendable; that’s why they sent us. Our only responsibility is to ourselves.”

  “What about the rest of the Squad?”

  “What about them?”

  “Allow me,” said DeChance to Lindholm. “Corbie, much as I hate to admit it, Sven’s right. If we don’t find the answers now, while we’ve got a chance, the aliens in this city will kill us all. They’ll roll right over us. We can’t leave. Our only hope is the copper tower, and what we might find there. Now shut up and soldier.”

  Corbie nodded glumly. “Some days you just shouldn’t get out of bed. All right, esper; how far is it to the tower?”

  “Not far. A mile, at most.”

  “Do yon feel up to travelling that far?”

  “I think so.”

  “Anything else we need to know about the tower?” said Lindholm.

  “Yes.” DeChance frowned, her eyes vague and far away. “I think it’s insane.”

  “Great,” said Corbie. “Just great”