The Alien Agenda (#Wattys2018)

[Chapter 54: True Motive]

Axel blinked.

Once more, to believe he was truly awake. Alive.

His body was paralysed, but he knew, not for long. He would heal. He was modified to withstand worse. He took a deep painful breath, and exhaled. After a long moment in daze, his thoughts began to resurface. One painful memory, at a time.

He felt hollow inside. How much pain had he inflicted on Laila? How much more till they were satisfied? How much more till they just disposed of him?

He shuddered slightly. They were merciless, vile creatures, willing to do anything to get what they wanted.

Their torturous ways and threats replayed in his mind. They never stopped, waiting for him to give in. To break.

Yet he was adamant.

They had to resort to mind control. He felt stupid, for not pretending to at least go with their plans, perhaps he could have double-crossed them. Instead, he was brainwashed.

How utterly glad he was that Laila managed to stop him. He always knew she could. Maybe that's why he let them control him. Whatever the costs, Laila would succeed. He believed in her.

Just like how she believed in him. Before he betrayed her.

He knew guilt would swallow him whole, if he continued to stay like this. Some part of him was willing to let that happen. But the other knew better.

This was not over. He was just their Plan A. They had a Plan B. In fact, they had countless of backup plans.

He felt his body heal gradually. He flexed his fingers, wincing slightly. After some time, he managed to sit up. He looked around slowly.

They would come for him. Take him back to either be fixed or disposed.

He remembered the torture he was put through. The tests, the modifications, the punishments. He never wanted to return to that laboratory again.

He remembered looking through his eyes, unable to control his movements as he hurt Laila. Yet he saw the look in her eyes. Full of hope, hope that he was still good, still himself, somewhere in there. Laila never lost hope.

Now, she was heading for the tower. To deactivate the AHM333.

Deactivate the AHM333...

Axel suddenly shot to his feet, despite his body's protest. One important memory rushed back to him like a wrecking ball.

He remembered overhearing the aliens discussing a very important matter, back when he was in the lab. They must have thought he was unconscious. But he heard it loud and clear.

Laila must not deactivate the AHM333. It would not just kill her. A much more terrible consequence was underway. A rip in space time itself. It would cause terrible imbalance to the fabric of the universe.

If he was not wrong, she might actually create a black hole in the process. The energy contained in the activator was immense. Weaving across various planes of dimensions. Disrupting it would cause all of them to fall into chaos.

He cursed inwardly, then flexed his muscles, ready to get going. He had to stop her. He staggered towards a large tree trunk. He heard a rumbling noise of an engine. He peered through the twisted trees, and as expected, saw three soldiers hop out of a jeep. They activated their stunt guns. They were here to get him.

Axel's body still ached terribly, and the searing wound on his neck was still open. He wouldn't last a battle.

But he needed a vehicle.

Laila would already be miles away. He needed to get to her quick.

He reached for his discarded blaster on the ground, as silently as he could. He leaned against the tree, and counted to three. The guards successfully walked four feet from the vehicle, before thumping onto the forest floor, dead.

Axel staggered over the prostrate bodies, making his way to the camouflaged jeep. He picked their weapons up along the way, and stored them in the passenger's seat.

He took a deep breath and revved the engine. The jeep sped through the forest, running over human bodies, leaving the stench of petrol in its wake.