Ben Archer and the Moon Paradox Read online

  Beetrix! Don’t you dare attack Bordock!

  The zooming became muted, and Ben understood that the bee colony had already accepted the challenge. His mind did a double take.

  Beetrix! I forbid it!

  The queen bee turned her attention to him.

  My children were born soldiers. They have poison inside of them and will not survive. They know that they are doomed. That is why they are willing to risk their lives for you, so future colonies might survive. It has been decided.

  Ben burst in anger with the last mental strength he could muster, N-O! I won’t allow it! Don’t you da…”

  Something yanked at him.

  I…I won’t…You…you c-can’t…

  Benjamin Archer…?

  Beetrix faded at an immense speed. No, rather, he was the one that was falling. His thoughts scattered at the violent tug that sent him reeling into the black hole. He slipped through the dark quicksand so fast he barely had time to open his mouth in shock.

  He choked as his spirit collided heavily with something. He opened his eyes, letting out a halted scream. Someone held his wrists tightly, waving his glowing hands before his face.

  “I knew it!” Bordock said with an icy voice, his face hovering inches away from Ben’s. “You’re trying to use the skill on me.”

  Ben heard something click.

  “Not this time,” the shapeshifter snarled, and everything went black.

  ***

  Clambering over a fallen column, Laura almost stepped headlong into a deep hole. She gasped and pulled back, then spotted a movement to her right.

  “Mesmo!” she cried, climbing over the rubble.

  She dropped to her knees by his side. His face was deathly pale, dust covered his cheeks and hands, but he was alive. Laura examined his body for injuries and found his legs trapped under a heavy slab of concrete.

  Mesmo blinked. “Laura,” he gasped. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  “Stay still. I’ll get you out.” She glanced at his legs worriedly.

  Mesmo looked down as well and tried to move. “I can feel my legs,” he said. “But they’re stuck.”

  Laura exhaled silently, relieved that he was in one piece. All she had to do was remove the slab and free him. Easier said than done. She grabbed at both ends of the slab, pulling with all her might. It barely moved an inch.

  “I found Ben,” she said, trying to sound calm as she grunted under the effort. “He’s one floor down, but I think he’s unconscious.”

  Mesmo tried to help her lift the slab. “Bordock has him,” he said. “He has the spirit portal and is stopping Ben’s spirit from reuniting with his body.”

  Laura glanced at him with fearful eyes.

  He tried to sound reassuring. “We have to weaken Bordock’s willpower over Ben. All he needs is a fraction of a second to escape.”

  Laura avoided eye contact. Is that all?

  Mesmo must have noticed he wasn’t helping because he added, “As soon as I’m out of here I’ll get my hands on the spirit portal myself.”

  She nodded and concentrated on the slab with more determination. Both groaned under the effort of pulling at its weight. It moved somewhat, but not enough.

  Mesmo sank back, panting, then grabbed her by the arm. His attention had turned to a spot higher up.

  She whirled around.

  The outline of a man dwarfed them from above the fallen column. His hands glowed.

  Laura yelled in shock and scampered away.

  Bordock hopped down lightly from the column and landed on the very slab they had been trying to move seconds ago. His cold eyes were set on Mesmo.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Broken Trust

  “Fancy a test of skills?” Bordock sneered, his hands glowing brighter. His mouth curled into a smile. “Ah, but you seem a little out of your element…”

  “No!” Laura begged, guessing his intentions.

  Bordock turned hard eyes on her. “Still confused, are we? But, that’s right, Laura Archer. I made you a deal. I promised you this Toreq scum would tell you the truth before I finish him off.

  Laura suppressed a whimper.

  The shapeshifter stared at Mesmo again. “How about it? She deserves to know, don’t you think?”

  “Bordock…” Mesmo protested.

  “Tell her!” Bordock shouted, his face twisting in anger. “I want to hear you say it! Tell her who you are! Tell her why you’re here!”

  A thick, threatening silence fell over the two men as they glared at each other.

  Laura stared at them, terrified. “Mesmo?” she said in a tiny voice. “Tell me what?”

  Mesmo’s facial features sagged. He wouldn’t meet her eyes. Finally, he said, “Do you remember, when I told you about the Great War of the Kins?”

  Laura nodded stiffly.

  “Many eons ago, the Toreq and the A’hmun fought the greatest war in their known history and almost annihilated each other in the process. But the Toreq came out victorious. After much debate, my people decided to banish the surviving enemy.” He dropped his chin to his chest. “The Toreq banished the A’hmun to a lost pebble in the confines of space, with limited resources and isolated from any cluster of civilized planets…” His voice drifted off.

  Laura crossed her arms over her stomach. She glanced at Bordock, who examined her reaction with glee. She found it harder and harder to breathe.

  “Do you get it now?” Bordock said in a low voice. “That lost pebble is Earth. And humans are the A’hmun.”

  Laura shook her head in full denial.

  Bordock smirked. “That’s right. The human race is all that is left of the Toreq’s most feared enemies. You descend from the A’hmun. You were placed on this meaningless planet a million years ago as punishment, your memories wiped clean, and this so-called friend of yours is here to determine whether you are still worthy of this rock, or whether you should be exterminated once and for all.”

  Laura took a step back, almost tripping over her own feet. Her eyes darted from one to the other, hoping for some sort of rebuttal. When none came, she breathed in disbelief, “Mesmo?”

  Mesmo looked away. “It’s true. The Toreq have kept an eye on Earth for millennia. The Wise Ones keep track of human progress, and every two hundred years, an Observer is sent from the Mother Planet to collect their information.

  “We have never forgotten that, once, the Toreq and the A’hmun were like brothers, and we have maintained the faint hope that maybe, one day, the A’hmun and their descendants would develop into a wiser, more respectful civilization–one that would allow us to put our differences aside and make peace.”

  Bordock snorted. “That’s never going to happen, of course. Humans are on the brink of space travel. They are already reaching out to other planets in their solar system. Within the next two hundred years, they will have settled on surrounding moons and planets. By the time the next wormhole opens, humans will have the means to cross it.”

  He grimaced. “The Toreq will never allow it. They can’t allow a species that is responsible for the loss of seventy percent of plant and animal life to spread to other galaxies. Pure greed lives in their blood. The A’hmun have not changed.”

  Laura’s mouth fell open. She glared at Mesmo. “Is that why you needed Ben’s skill? To find out what the animals have to say about us? And he told you they are on the brink of extinction because of us?”

  Mesmo nodded.

  Bordock gave a hollow laugh. “Your son has basically doomed the human race. That is…” he hissed, his eyes boring into Mesmo, “…unless we stop this scum from getting away.”

  Tears spilled down Laura’s cheeks. She couldn’t believe the treachery. “You said…” she sobbed. “You said you weren’t interested in Earth.”

  Mesmo set his jaw. “Not Earth, no. But humans, yes.”

  “I told you, Laura Archer,” Bordock quipped. “I told you not to trust him. But you wouldn’t listen.”

  Laura’s cheeks burned.
“Don’t you dare judge me! You are no better than he is when it comes to deceit. Release Ben at once and show me which side you’re on!”

  A smile crept on to Bordock’s face as if she had just cracked a joke.

  “She’s right,” Mesmo followed. “Which side are you on, Bordock? Are you A’hmun? Or are you Toreq?”

  “I am both,” he said, sniffing. “My physical appearance has allowed me to blend into the Toreq world, but my A’hmun side has always been a burden. I have lived my life hiding my bloodline from the Toreq. So when the opportunity presented itself, I volunteered to come to this trivial planet to terminate the Observer’s mission, away from Toreq eyes. Because, you see, humans must be saved if they are ever to defeat the Toreq and occupy their rightful place on the Mother Planet.”

  “Really?” Mesmo spoke sharply. “And who are you volunteering for? Who sent you? What did they promise you?” He paused, then gasped. “They promised you legal Toreq status, didn’t they?”

  Bordock’s smile wavered.

  Mesmo pressed on. “No Toreq in their right mind would have allowed you to do the vile things you did. And yet you show no fear in returning to the Mother Planet. Someone is protecting you. Whoever sent you must be powerful indeed.”

  Bordock’s face hardened. “This conversation is boring me.” His hands began to glow again. “This is as far as you go, Observer.”

  “Hey! Wonder boy!”

  Bordock whirled.

  Hao stood behind him. The Inspector swung one of his crutches at Bordock and hit him square in the stomach.

  The alien keeled over, losing control of his power. Blue lightning burst out of his hands with a deafening bang, sending Laura and Hao sprawling.

  Laura hit the floor with a humph. Her mind swam toward unconsciousness from the impact, but she forced herself to sit up, fighting the ringing in her ears. Through watery eyes, she registered that Hao was also coming to, though not fast enough.

  The shapeshifter had picked himself up. His spikey, white hair disappeared, his neck twisted. By the time he had straightened, Bordock had turned back into the bald Connelly once more.

  Hao cringed at the sight.

  Connelly smirked. “You got me there, partner,” he panted, clinging to his stomach. “You should have stayed buried under that avalanche. But no matter, I’d rather finish you off myself.” He lunged at Hao, reaching for his neck.

  Hao gagged and struggled.

  Dazedly, Laura watched Hao and Connelly scuffling dangerously close to the hole that she had narrowly avoided falling into earlier. She could tell Hao was wearing out.

  Something small buzzed before her face and landed on her arm.

  Mesmo, who continued to pull at his legs to try and free them from under the slab, saw it, too. It was a bee. “It’s Ben!” he exclaimed.

  Laura’s heart leapt. He’s alive!

  Then, from out of nowhere, an angry hum came louder and louder. Laura lifted her head just in time to see a crazy mass of bees descend upon them at staggering speed. She ducked as thousands of them darted by her, heading straight for Connelly. The black tornado drowned the two battling men, who waved their arms in a useless attempt to swipe the insects away.

  The shapeshifter screamed.

  Then, in a heartstopping moment, one of the men teetered and slipped off the ledge while the other stumbled to the ground, succumbing to the angry mob of tiny attackers.

  A cry stuck in her throat. Laura crawled to the edge and glanced over the side with dread.

  Hao hung from the ledge with one hand, groaning under the effort not to let go.

  “I’ve got you!” she yelled, reaching for his wrist. But doubt washed over her as she grabbed his arm and realized she wasn’t strong enough to pull him up. Far below Hao, she caught sight of a dark pit filled with sharp concrete blocks.

  She lay down on her stomach and held on with all her might as Hao desperately tried to reach for the ledge with his other hand.

  Suddenly, a strong arm lowered beside Laura, took over her grasp of the Inspector, and with one mighty pull, extracted Hao from his precarious plight. The Inspector clambered out of the hole, wincing, and rolled on to his back to see who had saved him.

  Both he and Laura stared up at Mesmo, who hovered over them. The concrete slab that had pinned the alien’s legs had tumbled to the side, while Bordock lay unmoving in a heap a few feet away. Hao dragged himself up to the shapeshifter and felt for a pulse, then shook his head. “He’s gone,” he said. “Bees got him good.” He checked his hands and face. “I don’t have single bee sting,” he noted.

  Laura winced at the sight of the shapeshifter’s swollen face. A dozen insects rose before her face and buzzed away. She lifted her hand, feeling bumps underneath it, only to realize they belonged to crushed bees. She glanced around as she stood in a hurry and found she was lying on a thin carpet of crumpled insects.

  They died protecting us, she realized in horror. Ben must’ve sent them!

  She glanced at Mesmo unwittingly, her palm raised to him with the dead bees cradled inside. But the sight of the alien who had once been her friend caused her heart to tear apart. Fighting anger and grief, she caught her breath and dashed past him.

  “Laura, wait!” he called, his feet thudding after her.

  She was no match for his long legs. He grabbed her by the arm.

  “Don’t touch me!” she yelled, struggling. “I need to find Ben!”

  “Ben is fine!” Mesmo said, holding her tightly. “Look.” He pointed at Bordock’s arm. The silver watch lay with its glass shattered, the tiny spirit portal broken in three pieces, their glimmer gone.

  “Bordock’s power over Ben’s spirit is gone,” Mesmo said. “Ben will be waking as we speak.”

  Just then a massive slab of concrete detached itself from the roof and crashed to the ground not far from them, sending rocks and dust flying. Mesmo rushed to cover her head with his arms, but she pushed him away.

  “Leave me alone!” she shouted, her nostrils flaring. “You deceived me! And Ben, oh God, Ben! How could you?”

  Mesmo responded, “Did I, really?”

  “You lied to us! You used us!” she sobbed. From way up on the surface, she heard soldiers shouting orders, indicating that they were beginning their descent into the Dugout.

  “Get away from me!” she yelled angrily. “Go, then!” She was no longer trying to save him. She wanted him out of her sight forever.

  He watched her sob, then lowered his eyes and took a step back. He nodded slowly. Walking in a circle around her, he heaved Bordock over his shoulder, glanced at her once more, then turned his back, and left.

  She watched him walk away, wiping at her tear-filled cheeks, then bent shakily to help Hao to his feet. They followed the alien from a distance.

  Mesmo reached the spaceship, activated its door and dumped Bordock inside.

  Laura could hear pounding feet resounding from somewhere high up, and a helicopter’s strong light beam swiped past them, its rotor blades causing more red mist to swirl to the surface. Mesmo stood illuminated by the inside of the spacecraft, glancing back at them.

  Her heart leaping, Laura released Hao beside a column so he could lean on it and stepped forward, but he held her back.

  “Don’t!” he cautioned.

  Oblivious to his warning, she crossed the hangar with quick strides until she was facing Mesmo. Without taking defiant eyes off him, she pulled the two treble clef symbols from her pocket and shoved them into his hand.

  Her chin trembling, she said, “Take these, and do with them what you will. If we truly are the terrible species you claim we are, then all my efforts will have been in vain. But at least, I’ll know I have nothing to be ashamed of. At least I tried.”

  Mesmo jerked his head, giving her an incredulous stare as if she had said something significant. He set his jaw and took her hand. “Come with me,” he said firmly. “You and Ben. You have nothing to fear of the Toreq. I will speak a good word for you. You would b
e welcome on the Mother Planet.”

  Laura recoiled. “You would save Ben and me, but destroy the rest of the human race–as if we were different from anyone else? How could you think I would ever accept such a thing?” She could tell her words hurt him. Good!

  “Who said anything about destroying anything, Laura Archer? Don’t let the shapeshifter’s words play with your mind.” He lifted the side of his shirt and waved at the bare skin with a glowing hand.

  Laura gaped as some of his skin became transparent, revealing a hidden row of treble clefs. He pushed the remaining two into place next to the five other ones, and they melted into his skin. “I don’t know what these contain. I have not analyzed their data yet. Nothing is set in stone.”

  He glanced at her. “But one thing is certain: if the Toreq do not hear from me before the wormhole closes, then it is certain that they will send a military fleet to investigate.” He paused, “The only way to stop them is for me to return to the Mother Planet.”

  Laura shut her eyes and shook her head. “And what will you tell them? That an A’hmun shapeshifter killed your wife and daughter, that a human held you captive, that my son told you the animals are sick and dying… How could the Toreq ever forgive us? How could you ever forgive us? We may have sealed our fate, but our fate is our own, and you have no right to meddle with it.”

  “Yes,” he said. “What you say is true. Human greed is destroying the world we entrusted them. But then, there’s you, and there’s Ben, your father, Susan, Kimimela... I have met the best and the worst of your species. The Toreq will place all this in the balance.”

  Laura hung her head, unable to hear more. In a broken voice, she whispered, “You broke my heart.”

  She heard him catch his breath. His hands went limp by his side, and his voice came out thick and low. “Do you see, now, why I told you I cannot love you?”