CHAPTER 4
BLOOD FUED
The game cube lifted into the sky with its usual deafening boom. Matrix frowned at it from where he stood on the shore of the island.
"Don't fret lad," Gavin said, "Cubes seldom come here and when they do they're always out to sea."
Matrix sighed in exasperation, "It's just that --,"
"The Guardian Protocol? Aye, I know. I doubt ye could have made it that far out in time anyway."
"That doesn't bother me as much as not being able to find a blasted thing on the island."
"Aye everything looks normal."
He and Gavin had spent micros after breakfast searching the village and the surrounding area. Nothing seemed amiss. The men now stood on the dock, while the crew made the Mare battle ready just to be safe.
"Maybe young Enzo will have better luck."
"I hope he's okay," Matrix looked towards the hill where Enzo had gone with Kai.
"He will be. Ye know what a resourceful lad he is."
"Yes," Matrix couldn't help but smile slightly with pride.
"Captain!" Mr. Andrew called from on deck, "The Mare is battle ready. What are your orders?"
"Tell the lads ta look sharp," Gavin called back, "We know not what we're facing and we can only hope to be ready. Keep to your posts and rotate shifts to give yer comrades a rest."
"Yes sir!"
"Nothing much else we can do," Gavin said. "When the chips hit the cooling unit, I guess we'll know then."
***
"This way Enzo" Kai's excitement was infectious. The little sprite pulled him along (it had become her habit) since Enzo never seemed to move fast enough for her. Enzo didn't mind. He thought she was a sweet bright little girl, much like Eve.
The two had been presented with a lunch bag filled with ham sandwiches, juice and fresh baked cookies by Verdana and he and Kai had opted to walk to the shrine. Now tired and sweaty from the climb, the two crested the hill which leveled out abruptly to a flat grassy plain on which the aged and crumbling remnants of the shrine stood.
The view was incredible. Enzo stood and turned in a circle allowing him a panoramic view of the Data Sea and the lodge and the village. A natural path led away from the shrine to the beach below. Enzo breathed deeply of the salt air, "Incredible."
"I think it's pretty too," Kai said. "This is my place. I like coming here."
"And you brought me to your special place?" Enzo smiled down at her. "Thank you Kai. You're a good friend."
The girl blushed furiously, "I like you Enzo."
"Well I like you too," Enzo said, "What say we sample some of Verdana's food?"
"Don't you want to look at the shrine first with your notebook thingy?"
"Notebook – oh you mean my organizer? If you don't mind?"
"It's okay," she smiled at him. "I'll take out the food."
"Okay."
Enzo opened his organizer, then began some date tests on the shrine. Meanwhile, he couldn't help but glance at Kai with a smile as she set out food with precision care. It reminded him of the tea parties he shared with Eve.
The shrine he found out with rapidly growing interest was at least a year old. Enzo performed more tests on the structure, in an attempt to determine its similarity to structures already registered in the Science Academy database. If he found nothing there, he also had access to the Guardian Academy files. And if point came to click he could access the history files at the Encarta System, although they often took way too long to download.
The structure itself resembled some of the open-air huts he had seen while on a walking trip with Ray in his system. Now that had been fun. It consisted of crumbling rounded pillars and an arched roof of stone beams. In the midst of the structure was a raised circular platform with a round depression at its center.
"All ready, Enzo," Kai said.
Enzo pressed save, then joined her on the grass. "This looks very good, Kai."
She blushed again, "My brother and I used to come up here all the time."
"Your brother?" Enzo paused with a sandwich halfway to his mouth.
"Yes," Kai's expression was sad, "I hope he can come back soon. I miss him."
Enzo frowned. Matrix had mentioned Luna having a son but Luna had told Matrix her son was sick. "Where did your brother go?"
She looked indecisive for a moment.
"You can tell me Kai, I'm your friend."
"Well --," Kai said, "I'm not supposed to tell."
"Maybe I can help him come back," Enzo said, "Where is he Kai?"
She sighed and looked out beyond the shrine to the data sea, "In the no-place."
"The no-place?"
She pointed, "Out there."
Enzo frowned, "Out in the sea?"
She nodded, "Him and the others."
"Others?"
"All the big boys and men," Kai's eyes were wide with confusion, "All in the no-place."
"Tell me how they get there, Kai?" Now Enzo was leaning anxiously towards her.
"Come here," Kai took his hand and led him past the shrine to where the hill dropped down onto the beach, "See there? A hole opens up and it's bright and they go through and they close it and then they're gone."
"A hole?" Enzo frowned, "Like a portal?"
Again, Kai frowned trying to put into words what she had seen. "No, it's not round and bright. It's like someone tore open the sky."
"Kai," Enzo knelt down and laid his hands on her shoulders, "You're sure that's what you saw? A bright light and then it was like someone tore a hole in the sky?"
"Yes," Kai's look went from confusion to fear. "I snuck up here the night the bad men came for my brother."
"Bad men?" Enzo's core-com dropped to the pit of his stomach.
"I – I'll tell you Enzo. Please don't let them take me too," Kai said.
"I won't I promise," Enzo said, "Now tell me about the bad men."
"They came in a big ship," Kai said, "And they took all my friends. They said we had to pretend. I didn't like it. Mommy says its not good to lie."
"Not normally. Go on, Kai."
"There was a man, a big man. He scared me."
"Was he sprite or virus?"
"Sprite," Kai said. "There was a little man with him. He scared me too. He said mean things to people."
"And where are they now?"
"In the no-place too," Kai said. "But some are here. They watch us."
Enzo felt the first cold pinpricks up his spine. "Show me where the sky tore open."
"Okay."
Carefully, the two made their way down the hill until they were on the golden expanse of beach. Kai continued to lead him. "I looked up after they were gone and the moon was right on top of the shrine."
Enzo caught her meaning, "Right about here?"
"Yes."
"Wait here while I look around, okay?"
"Okay, Enzo."
Enzo opened his organizer, hoping by all that was good and decent that the hunch he had was wrong. He scanned the immediate area, took a few samples of the sand and analyzed it as well.
As he was waiting for the results of his testing he also sent out a distress signal to both Mainframe and the Super Computer just to be safe. He wasn't certain if the messages would get past the system entrance – if whomever had taken the island was jamming communications. He also sent a general distress call out to the net. If they were lucky, a friend would hear it and pass word onto Mainframe.
"Damn," Enzo muttered as the results came back. It was, as he had feared. He had missed it before because, as they had worried about earlier, they hadn't known what to look for.
Now he had found it.
The residue of a portal, similar to the type used by codemasters. Or more accurately like the jump portals they used at home. Enzo guessed their big ship was anchored just outside of sensor range – or maybe cloaked and they had used the portal to take their hostages and use them to bend the citizens to their will.
"Damn," Enzo muttered again, "Kai, come here."
The little girl moved tentatively over to him, "What's wrong Enzo? You look mad."
"Kai," Enzo knelt before her, "I want you to promise me something."
"Okay."
"I'm going to try my best to protect you from the bad men," Enzo said, "But if anything happens to me I want you to run to the nearest adult for protection understand? Either my brother or Gavin, okay?"
"Okay, Enzo."
"And if you can't find anyone to run to, you come here and hide, okay? I sent a call for help. If someone new comes, look for a man in silver armor."
"Like a knight in shining armor?"
"Yes," Enzo laughed nervously, "Just like that. His name is Sir Robert, but his friends call him Bob."
Kai's lower lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears, "Will it be okay, Enzo?"
Enzo embraced her tightly, "Everything will be okay, I promise."
The explosion came a nano later.
Young man and girl sprite froze.
"Enzo?" Kai's eyes were wide with terror.
"Come on," Enzo lifted her up and broke into a run, climbing the path and cresting the hill to see the plume of black smoke rising from the vicinity of the lodge.
"Enzo what happened?" Kai wailed.
"I – I'm not sure," Enzo said, "Let's get back to the lodge."
Enzo moved her around to his back, "Hang on tight." And again, he ran. He only hoped he wasn't too late.
***
"By the code, what was that?" Gavin and Matrix turned in unison at the sound of the explosion.
"I think the chips just hit the cooling unit," Matrix said.
The two men rushed from Gavin's study. The lodge was deserted.
"Verdana!" Gavin called, "Verdana, where are ye?"
"Outside," Matrix said, and dashed towards the front doors.
Outside utter mayhem ensued.
People were running and screaming in terror, attempting to escape ten men in exo-suits who were, with single-minded determination, laying waste to the lodge grounds.
Matrix gave a cry of rage and Gun was in his hand as he charged into the melee. Gavin drew his file-lock sword and followed. To Matrix's utter astonishment, dozens of armed men poured through the gates, seeming to come from nowhere, all heavily armed, all fired without hesitation. People went down, but no one fragmented. Matrix realized their weapons were set to stun. Which told him that whomever was leading them, wanted them captured alive.
But Matrix wasn't going to be captured easily.
He charged for the nearest suit, "Gun, command line, multiple target acquisition --," a shot came from his left, slamming into his thigh, knocking him clear off his feet. Matrix growled in pain and fury. One of the exo's converged on him. Matrix rolled, forced himself up and fired, the shot hitting point blank, and was satisfied when the man went down.
He searched through the smoke and fire for Gavin; saw him engaging a large man in a sword fight. The rest of the crew had arrived and joined the fight but Matrix could see they were vastly outnumbered and outgunned.
The colonel went for another one of the exo's. Maybe if he could take control of one –
A steel vice clamped around his middle and crushed him in an iron grip. Matrix cried out in agony as Gun slipped from his suddenly nerveless fingers.
The exo rider slammed Matrix against the gate wall. Pain set every nerve on fire. Matrix looked into the random eyes of a short rat-faced man who smiled with murderous glee.
The vice tightened, but Matrix bit down hard on his lip, focusing on the pain from that action to keep from crying out.
A mini arm on the exo extended. A spark of electricity leapt and danced between the two conductors on a tazer device set at its head. Matrix knew what was coming and steeled himself for it.
The man touched the device to Matrix's chest and hot agony seized his muscles. Matrix bit down harder, he tasted his own blood. The man drew back the tazer and his grinned broadened. "Tough guy, hmm?"
The arm extended again. Matrix spat in the man's face, "FAQ you."
Blinding searing pain and then darkness.
***
Enzo sprinted down the hill, Kai on his back. He had just reached the outskirts of the village, when Kai let out a shrill scream that had him stumbling to a halt.
"Kai?" And he turned where she pointed.
Enzo turned to his left and gaped.
Two people in exo's came from behind a building and came to a stomping halt.
His hesitation was his undoing. Enzo knew it when he broke into a run and the exo's cut him off with little effort. His one priority, get Kai to safety. He turned back, dodged the second exo, dashed between two narrow buildings where he knew they couldn't follow. When Enzo came out on the main street he again halted at the panic around him.
"Enzo?" Kai was crying.
He could hear the exo's trying to find their way around the buildings. Enzo took off at a run down the street. Several men came up to him blocking his path. He turned back as the exo's stepped around a building blocking his escape.
"Kai," Enzo felt a calm settle over him, "I'm going to set you down now. When I do, run as fast as you can and hide in your special place, all right?"
"But Enzo --,"
"No, don't argue. If you're my friend, you'll do as I ask, okay? Look for the silver knight."
"Okay."
He set her down, "Run!" And she streaked down the alley.
The men approached him and Enzo went into his stance, "All right, which one of you wants to take on Little Enzo first?"
***
Gavin swung his sword in a maddened frenzy, focusing only on keeping himself processing. For once he wished he did have a better weapon. The exo's were decimating their ranks. He saw Matrix snatched up by one but was too busy fighting to see what became of his young friend.
A cry for help came, and Gavin turned and raced for the now demolished gate. The scrurvy dogs were destroying his home. He'd make them pay.
The cry had come from one of his crew. As Gavin dashed to his aide a figure striding through the gaping opening, command his attention.
"No," Gavin whispered, his eye wide in disbelief.
The man who came through wasn't supposed to be processing. Gavin himself had seen to his deletion or so he had thought at the time. The battle became inconsequential as Gavin watched the dead sprite's steady confident progress. He smiled at Gavin, almost amiably.
Gavin gave a cry borne of rage and charged at his hated enemy. Just as he was within striking distance he heard the ominous sound of machinery behind him. Iron fingers wrapped around his torso, snatching him off his feet, crushing him until he cried out and the sword slipped from his grasp.
"We'll talk later Gavin," the pirate known as the Red Skull smiled wickedly.
It was the last thing Gavin saw before the exo arm slammed him against the gate wall.