Hello Mr. Robinson Pt. 13

'No. There are a handful of beings that might slow them down but their ability to regenerate from practically nothing leaves you wide open.'

"There had to be a weakness." Dad fumed and paced. "Everything had one, didn't it?"

He looked at the pylon and pointed out a mesh net extending from it into the flowing water. They were filtering out the impurities. Why? The air was safe so were they scrubbing that as well? Were they using the waste or was it bothering them? He ordered a retreat.

"There was only one course of action to us." He muttered. "We need to evacuate the city of Winslow and shut down the power. For now, it was time to withdraw."

The agents argued over keeping someone down to monitor the device, but he ordered them topside. We retraced our way back just as a patrol of the insects flittered down the tunnel. Dad used the hologram trick, but they didn't even react to it this time.

"Quick learner." Dad mused as he urged us through the hole in the wall. "Damn." He cursed as he worked his way through the gap.

He grunted and gasped as he rolled onto his back on the floor of the basement. He stared at the hole and it was Rhea that urged him to his feet as we completed our retreat. We were all shaking and jittery as we returned to the ground floor. I was covered in dust and as I stripped and rinsed off my clothing Rhea showed the chief what we were up against. I returned to them and found the chief arguing with Rhea.

"I can't just evacuate the town and shut down the power on your word b..." He angrily snapped.

"That last word had better have been beautiful." She said frowning.

"Cronos get me Lydia on the phone." Dad barked at the A.I. "Tell her it is a priority."

"This is ridiculous!" The Chief said as he paced waiting for Lydia to come on the line.

"Greg?" Lydia said. "What is going on?"

"Display image." Dad ordered and a hologram of President Red Cloud appeared. "That's better. We have a threshold situation here. We need to evacuate the town and shut down the power plant. Today."

"Okay." Lydia paused as she collected her thoughts and glanced at me. I nodded.

"What is going on?" He asked looking first to the President and then me. "Either one of you care to fill me in?"

"I'll let Cindy explain. I have another call on the line." Lydia bailed the moment she could. The sly smile on her lips told me I was now officially in charge.

"It is like this..." I began when the message I have been waiting arrived. It read simply 'old mess cleaned up initiate immediately'. "I am taking control under Presidential order 221, consider the town and outlying counties of Winslow under martial law. A roadblock has been constructed and anyone attempting to breach the quarantine will be shot on sight. I will explain the whys and wherefores after you have been inoculated against an alien viral agent. I expect your complete cooperation."

"I fucking knew it!" The police chief wailed. "Retirement just around the corner and this shit happens! Fine, give me the shot so I can pick my best men and women and get this shit organized.

"Thanks for your help." I said and opened one of the six containers I was lugging around on the wheeled luggage carrier. The entire police force was the first to receive injections. Dad waited impatiently but he kept his questions to himself until he was scanned. The A.I. council had contacted me and informed me he was currently piloting his clone. I wasn't sure the clone could be infected by the virus. Cronos helped me adjust the scanner in front of the police station to look for signs of the pathogen. While he was clean Rhea and the two secret service agents weren't. They received inoculations and after an eight hour wait I was able to fill them in. I told everyone to get some sleep and I meditated waiting for the necessary time to pass.

Everyone that had the security clearance was scanned to be sure the virus had been eradicated from their systems. Only then did I share what I knew.

"I'm sorry for leaving you in the dark. He didn't expect you to go racing off to Winslow." I began.

"Who? Who didn't expect me to come here?" Dad asked.

"Me." The voice called from over my shoulder as he made his dramatic entrance.

"Nick!" Dad exclaimed genuinely surprised. "What the fucking hell man?!"

"I'm sorry I couldn't bring you in on this." Nick began. "It has taken years and you became too high profile to do what I needed. Cindy volunteered. She has been travelling all over the world hunting down signs of previous incursions."

"This is all about the damn Thanatons." Dad growled. "What about the Antarctic?"

"I told you, didn't I." Nick laughed.

"Yes, you did." I admitted. "The mothership has been destroyed."

"How can you be so sure?" Rhea broke her silence her voice cold and serious. "They are known for their regenerative capabilities."

"Past successes." Nick explained and that caught everyone off guard. "Thanks to your daughter's unwavering tenacity and your unexpected help we found all the elements we needed."

"The preservation of the arts post," Dad said as he rolled his eyes. "So, what the hell were you looking for?"

"This," I said as I activated Nick's latest invention, the Shroud. "We had to work our way backward from the early twentieth century. Those were the first publicly known attempts to map and explore the poles. From there were dug into shadow files or forgotten archives. Nick was especially helpful in these cases. He was able to direct me to people that held information never revealed outside the owner's hands. In every case by luck or providence the answer to fighting the Thanaton incursion was always a natural one. In our case it was hidden inside the blood stream of penguins. We found the weapon we needed. Once it was tested and weaponized, we were ready to act. Why they chose Winslow is a mystery, but we detected the pulse of energy used to transport Henry Arrow here. It took time to mobilize our resources. By that time, you were already here." I said addressing Dad and Rhea.

"What is with the air?" Dad asked and I explained the Shroud.

"I'm surprised you even noticed." I said and Nick shared that feeling. "It is a way of maintaining security in an open environment. It keeps conversations and data exchange secure within a protective sphere produced by the device. Nick calls it the Shroud. The military surrounding the city are armed with a variety of dispersal units. The first fly by will occur soon, think of it as crop dusting for aliens. The fog is nontoxic and only affects the Thanaton nanites in the air, soil, and water supply. The citizens breathe it in, and it beats trying to inoculating the lot of them. The others I am ready to deal with."

"Civic alert system, that is cold war era," Rhea commented. "I'd know that sound anywhere. That'll get them out on the streets."

"What 'others'?" Dad asked his eyes narrowing.

"Those too far into the conversion for the inoculation to help. They will likely flee underground or try and seize the power plant. We are ready for either." Nick explained. "Now we wait and see who appears out of the cloud and who doesn't."

I dropped the Shroud and we went outside to await the first passes of the meticulously planned drop of the aerosol. We heard the jets a minute or so before I felt the tickling sensation on my exposed skin. It didn't itch per se but more of a minty scent combined with that light touch. Once the material struck the ground a light electrical discharge was triggered, and the fog manifested that would have been the envy of dear old London town. The civic defense horns sounded in the distance and I shivered remembering the movie Silent Hill. Figures moved through the fog. They weren't shambling zombies but confused citizens of Winslow. The Police Chief took over for now. He was a friendly face and they trusted him.

Inoculated trooped entered the city and began helping those exposed to the fog into waiting vehicles. The cover story was that the fog was a treatment for radiation poisoning detected from the power plant. At the mention of cancer and treatment the people were more than happy to be of help. It was a lie, but a necessary one. We needed their help not a panic. When they saw Nick Shaw, billionaire, and philanthropist within the confines of the city they accepted the lie easier. It was his treatment that would save their lives. It all came down to branding. The product was the fog and Nick sold it as well as he had his computers, A.I., and virtual reality games.

"You look good old man," Dad addressed Nick when no one was close. "I guess I'm not the only one piloting a clone these days. What do you think?"

"Like trading up from a Volkswagen to a Bugatti. I am sorry I considered Gregory company property." Nick apologized. "I still can't play puppet and puppeteer. How the hell do you do it?"

"Practice." Dad replied smiling. "Ask. You want to know about Cronos and the ship."

"How the hell did you get to the asteroid?" Nick blurted out. "That one has got me beat."

"I teleported." Dad explained. "Remnants of one of the first races to arise in our galaxy. An artificial road that spans the entirety of the galaxy. When my child is old enough and nemesis has been resolved. We are leaving. I am tired of putting out fires Nick. I want to explore. Rhea has been itching to depart for a while now. Cindy too if she wants."

"The entire galaxy." Nick said in a voice that embodied heart break.

"You are too big for one world," Dad said. "Think about it."

"I will." Nick said as he turned to leave. "Time to go, come on Greg... Greg?"

"I am staying." Dad stated his face grim and determined. "I can't leave this to others. You don't understand."

"NO! I don't understand. You helped design Magnus. You know what will happen if that weapon fires while you are here. Don't... I will put it off until it becomes the only option."

"Thanks Nick, I appreciate it." Dad replied hugging his former boss.

"Dad?" I asked approaching. "What does he mean, you know what'll happen?"

"It is a last-ditch weapon against terrorists that try to hijack a critical location. It is a type of EMP weapon. It can be focused down to a square meter or in this case bombard an entire town. The Thanaton tech is susceptible to EMP but then so are XNA lifeforms. The feedback from a blast from Magnus has a high probability of killing my original body as well. It won't come to that. Come one."

I armored up. I activated the battle mode of the J'Nai cloth dad had given me. My weapon of choice a customized pair of gauss pistols. I had plenty of rounds of ammunition. Stage two of the inoculation was in full gear by the time we reached the basement to the sheriff's office and the fog was being pumped into the power plant and sewer system beneath the city. Crack teams of battle-hardened veterans handpicked by Nick entered key storm drains and worked their way inward.

"What kind of numbers are we looking at?" I asked and Dad was already working it out with help from Cronos.

"Anywhere from one to five thousand," He stated. "Who has an accurate count for the homeless and undesirable? Winslow has fair weather most of the year and we should be thankful they didn't pick someplace like L.A. or New York. Perhaps this was a test run? Maybe if this worked, they would have chosen a larger population center?"

We wanted to destroy the Thanaton pylon first before it became fully active. Rhea led the way. She moved through the hole with a forward dive and a shoulder roll bringing her into a defensive crouch with weapons at the ready. Dad was last of the ten of us which included five of Nick's veterans. We moved as a team and the precision was surprisingly tight and impressive to see. I knew Rhea had combat experience but seeing her now she was a razor's edge and in her element. She was singing softly to herself and the alien syllables were surprisingly uplifting. We were all humming it before long and through the comm systems we all shared the whole of the strike force soon knew the battle tune. It had been composed hundreds of light years away and long before human civilization conceived of the wheel. It spoke of triumph in the heart of darkness.

We rounded the corner and the pylon was gone. How the hell did it move? Dad sent out a coded transmission and everyone adjusted their HUDs to that frequency. One mystery solved, the footprints leading from the pylon's former location informed us that it was mobile and bipedal. At least one full-fledged Thanaton warrior waited us in the dark. If it reached the power plant, it might be able to replicate itself who knew how many times.

"Shi'elen!" Dad barked and Rhea was off like a bullet.

He was right behind her. We were left in a lurch. I defaulted command of the team to the master sergeant and we followed the best we could. I could only imagine her primal senses kicking in like some great beast and her prey a robotic menace that needed to be ended for all our sakes.

"Damn, look at her stride!" One of the soldiers remarked. "Like a freaking gazelle!"

"His are damn near as wide." Another commented. "You ever fight with him?"

"Once. There was a brief skirmish." The first soldier remarked. "I still remember his call sign, Warhound."

"Fits."

"You fought with my dad?" I asked.

"Sure did." The soldier admitted. "Now is not the time for war stories. He had fought all over the place. He has more field experience than anyone I know. He's been dropped into some seriously lethal shit all over."

As he listed the countries and the times, I felt my heart leap into my chest. All this time I thought he had just let me do my thing. All those shitty situations I had found myself in and there he was in the shadows. My dad had always been there for me. He came when things were their worst. He had turned the tide more times that I could count. The Warhound had appeared out of the mists of combat to save me when I thought the world had forgotten. Nick! He knew where I was. He must have let slip when things looked like they could go sideways.

"Tighten up, check you six!" The sergeant called out. "I'm getting multiple readings. Switch off your safeties, only shoot if you are provoked these are citizens down here."

The first of them appeared in a group of three. My HUD lit up when they came into view. The alien infection was massive, and they looked more machine than human. I plucked a viral smoke grenade and tossed it. Three seconds later the tunnel was full of the smoke. The trio staggered and those up front put them out of their misery. The smoke dissolved what was left. We reached the next junction when the triple rapport of gun fire echoed in the tunnels.

"I've never heard a weapon like that one." The sergeant muttered under his breath.

"Dad." I said with a smile. "He always has the best toys."

We stuck to the mission and made our way towards the power plant. We ran into little resistance and that was more worrying that fighting all the way there. They are waiting for us at the plant, aren't they? We all had the same expression; shit was about to get real and intense.

"They are massing at the plant. We need to hoof it before they are too deeply dug in." The sergeant ordered. "Keep it tight and if you are going to use a grenade make it worth it."

We hurried along the tunnels and our HUDS showed no sign of those partially or completely converted. We reached the main trunk and met up with two other teams. Dad was giving orders amid the action. He was telling them what to expect from the enemy and typical tactics they would employ.

"How the hell could you possibly know?" Captain Benjamin Burke fired back angrily.

"Are we going to waste asking questions or stop these sons of bitches?" He fired back and I felt the push. I've never known him to influence people in this capacity. It must be of critical importance for him to go this far.

"We are wasting time." I growled. "The Warhound leads us! Follow the Warhound!"

Others took up the chant and even over the comm the other teams took it up. I've never seen my father cry before. I watched him reload the strange weapons attached on his forearms. Rhea blew me a kiss and we formed up for our assault. Dad took the lead and we followed. He fired with precision at a range I didn't think was feasible. Twenty steps down the main tunnel green hell fire rained down from the other end. My father charged into the fray. His left arm in front of him and the blasts from the enemy weapons bounced off the energy shield only to strike the floor, the ceiling, or a wall. When his shield began to buckle Rhea took the lead. Both shields lasted long enough for us to reach the barricade.

"Breach!" Someone shouted.

The rocket sailed down the tunnel where the specialty crew had set up for just this contingency. The barricade was opened just off center to the left. Rhea was first through with my dad just behind her. The rest of our group rushed in. The other two tunnels were still being held by the converted. Our squad took the left tunnel and created a crossfire. The cyborgs were caught in the middle and perishing quickly. Only once the green energy weapons fell silent did we toss two grenades into their midst to make sure they didn't regenerate.

"DAD!" I called out and heard him reply.

The area was ours. We were in the subbasement and from now on we were facing a slow progression of staircases, tight corners, choke points, and withering fire. Dad, Rhea, and the top tacticians reevaluated the situation. It was two levels of raw hell and time was of the essence. Cronos displayed the layout and the fastest route available to them to reach the core of the plant. Dad was shaking his head.

"No... too slow!" He was growling and I saw the desperate plan take form in his mind. He was showing me and Rhea for our opinion. "Right! New plan. Give me one minute and be ready to move out."

I sat with him as he closed his eyes and performed a dangerous psychic projection into enemy territory. If his body were destroyed now his spirit was vulnerable and could be lost. He projected his consciousness upward to the area housing the radioactive core. A moment later his eyes snapped open, he smiled, and formed our men in a series of concentric circles with him at the very middle. All the soldiers were facing outward and confused as all hell.

"Get ready to shoot anything in sight." Dad ordered.

"I don't understand," the captain said just before my father teleported the entire group up two levels into the middle of a very surprised enemy. "FIRE!"

The converted were completely taken by surprise. The withering fire at their flanks was most satisfying. It was difficult seeing like this to remember that only a few days earlier they had been human. We were all looking around for the damned pylon or Thanaton warrior or whatever form he might have taken by now. We found it and it was the only time I felt dad's fear so acutely.

"It can't be! We killed you! She killed you!" Dad roared as he took aim and opened fire.

The hypersonic round struck a barrier between the tall thin metallic figure and slowed to a crawl. The monster easily dodged them. Was this the Silent King of legend? He was the living nightmare that haunted my father's existence. Cronos manifested and there seemed to be the briefest of conferences between them. That is the problem with the difference between digital time and meat time. Whatever had transpired I felt a chill. He was about to compound the teleportation with something worse.

'I love you baby! I always have and always will!' His mind touched mine as a single word filled his entire being. Magnus.

'NO!' I screamed. 'There has to be another...'

His mind was gone. The time between ordering the strike and its arrival was a matter of seconds. This was no Hollywood dramatic effect this was real life and it was as stark and sudden as it gets. He was gone. His body along with all the converted and the Silent King turned to nano particles. I felt sick. I expected him to be there forever. He was the rock I had built my life on. If I needed someone to lean on, he was always there. Rhea was worse off. She was building to a rage.