Defenders of the Earth: This Is Their Side Story

"Pre-emptive Measure"

Unit 3 Base

12:40 pm

"Right this way," Abby declared, inviting Dale to join her on the elevator ride.

Dale took a place by her sister-in-law — or her former sister-in-law these days.

The car hummed a little, then made a descent.

Abby was as rigid and focused as ever, hands cupped lightly, chin held high, eyes on the door that they'd exit from. Dale had often been rather charmed by her.

"I noticed Flash looking at your picture last week," Abby relayed, still gazing up.

Dale shook her head. "I know what you're doing," she said with a scoff. Abby had always supported their marriage. "He was probably feeling nostalgic, Abs. I look at old pictures of the family too." The marriage was over. Flash had a wife. Dale wasn't going to be a homewrecker. "It's over with Flash. We're just friends now."

"You think you'd be together if it wasn't for Ming? If Ming hadn't screwed things up, I mean."

Dale wasn't certain Ming had screwed things up. "I'm really not sure..." She looked at the floor. "Flash had a past. I did too. That meant that we both had secrets to keep." She turned back to Abby, who made a slow nod.

"It seems that everybody in this game has those."

The elevator chimed. They'd reached the cell floor — the place where the captives were supposedly held.

After several minutes, they found Clare Madden, who sat with her hands cuffed up to a desk.

"So here's the deal, Clare," Abigail said. "Help us find Kent, and you'll go free. We need to launch a strike on his base today."

Clare looked a little untrusting now.

"I'm going to assume that you know where it is..."

Clare made a nod.

Dale sat down. "Reaching the base is only half the job. You have to help us get the civilians out. Your father has a bunch of technicians, right? He couldn't have built those machines alone."

"Forty-eight staffers," Clare confirmed.

Dale eyed the desk. She had an idea. She didn't like the thought, but there was no choice. They had to strike Kent before he made his attack.

Duffy took a gander at her handcuffed wrists, the speedboat rocking as a wave came in.

Clare sat beside her, whipping the wheel, guiding them straight toward the island base. Her father and his workers were waiting within.

According to Dale, the cronies didn't know what they were doing in there. They didn't know that Madden was becoming corrupt. That was what the research appeared to convey, which was why she had to get the lackeys out. They would learn the errors of their ways soon enough.

Duffy took a breath as they parked on the shore. She had a grim feeling about this one.

Clare grabbed her wrist, and tugged her along.

A pair of guards arrived as they walked up the slope. Both men appeared to be deeply perplexed.

"I'm here to see my dad," Clare said to them.

"We heard you were in prison," the tall one replied.

"I made my escape, and I caught this tramp." She jerked Duffy's arm, making her shake. "Let me see my father immediately. It's time that I bury the hatchet with him." She shoved Duffy forward. "Put her inside. She and her friend knocked my father out. I'm sure that daddy dear wants a little revenge."

Clare took a seat right across from her dad, who looked just as cold as he always did. She knew she wasn't viewing any sort of illusion, given that others had seen him too. This was the real Kent Madden now. They were alone, just as she'd wanted.

"So," he uttered, raising his brow, "you hired a sniper to take me out."

"Don't believe the cops. You know me, Dad. You really think I want to get your loot that much?"

"Actually, yes. I kind of do."

I'm inside now, Duffy relayed, speaking to Dale through telepathy.

Good, Dale replied. Proceed as planned. I want you out as soon as possible.

As the two guards were leading her down a hall, Duffy concentrated, halting their steps. She mentally ordered them to leave the base — then sent the same order to everyone else.

Workers in white tech coats passed her, all of them looking entranced as they moved.

I see them exiting, Dale confirmed, watching from an unseen plane above.

Only about half of them have left, Duffy revealed as she studied the staff. She really hoped that this would unfold smoothly. According to Clare, Kent had a button that he carried on him, a little remote that could trigger the 'bots. He would surely use it if he noticed foul play. Clare was supposed to distract her dad, to keep him from observing the flight of his staff.

Clare scowled a bit. "You're right about that. Why should I hide it? I only came back because I'm setting you up. You never really cared about being a father. Why should I care about being a daughter?" Clare pulled a blaster.

Madden flinched, rising from his seat by the windowpane.

Clare stood too, aiming at him. "They want you stopped, alive or dead. I'm afraid the former doesn't work for me."

"So who sent you here?"

"The DoE. I'm supposed to bring you outside of the base. I think I'll just wound you and let you roast."

Madden looked suspicious. "Let me roast?"

Clare released a chuckle. "I guess you haven't noticed that monitor." She lifted her chin toward a screen in a corner. It was divided into several squares. One of them revealed the departing staff.

"What in..." Madden pulled the little remote.

"Oh no you don't." Clare began shooting.

The shots hit the pane, breaking the glass. A huge gust of wind fluttered into the room.

Madden threw his chair, knocking Clare down, then grabbed the remote and pressed the round red button. "Those traitors will pay for deserting me!" He leapt through the window, diving toward waves.

Clare arrived behind him and released more shots. She couldn't spot her father in the water below.

I feel a weird rumble, Duffy relayed. Then she saw a freight elevator ahead. It appeared that something was on the way up.

The freight door opened. She saw the machines — gold-plated monsters with bright red eyes. A row of them were targeting the workers in white.

"Everybody out!" she said with a yell, ordering the group to start running now. She was out of time to show caution and care.

Reaching in a pocket with her still-bound hands, she grabbed a little sphere and rolled it over the floor. It found the gold robots, and then blew up, knocking them down like a bowling ball.

"Run! Go!" Duffy commanded, following the workers as they all sped out. Her feet hit the sand. She rushed down the slope. Dale! We're clear! I don't see Clare!

She just jumped out, Dale declared. Beginning the strike.

Duffy freed the workers from the trance they were in. Everyone was swimming to safety now.

Then the missiles came, bursting through clouds, hammering the base as they all struck down.

"Hey." April smiled, deeply relieved. "You doing okay?"

"I'm feeling all right." LJ squirmed a little in the hospital bed.

"You had me worried there," she said with a grin.

"And just how worried?" He flashed a tiny smirk.

She tossed a pillow at him.

"I'm wounded, girl!"

"Madden had a pair of motorboats out back. He and Clare each fled the scene in one." Dale heaved a sigh and eased onto the couch. "We'll get to the guy, unless Clare gets him first."

Duffy shook her head. "That's a pretty nutty family," she uttered in awe.

"Some tend to be..." Dale made a smile. "Not this one, though." She brought Duffy close and placed a kiss on her brow. "I'm proud of you, kid, in more ways than one."

Duffy felt a flutter of warmth in her heart. She leaned toward Dale, and they cuddled in silence.