Air Blast (4 page)

You hear a rustle and a figure lands on the floor before you. You have found your enemy!

“So, you have finally arrived,” says Hurrikano. “I’ve been following your progress with interest. But now you are trapped. This control room is sealed off. There is no escape.”

If you wish to attack Hurrikano,
go to 2
.

If you wish to talk to him,
go to 43
.

You push the pilot out of the way and grab hold of the controls. The helicopter is spinning wildly. Using all your strength and skill you pull on the joystick and manage to bring the helicopter under control.

“They said you were a top pilot,” says Agent Roberts.

“Tell me that when we’re safe,” you reply. “We’re not out of the storm yet!”

If you want to land the helicopter,
go to 7
.

If you want to fly through the storm,
go to 26
.

“Arm bomb and fire!” you shout.

The bomb launches into the mouth of one of the storm reapers. It hits the rotating blades — but nothing happens!

You are in a state of shock. Before you can rearm your weapons system, the storm reaper sucks you into its deadly mouth. You hit the blades and feel nothing more.

Try to stay alive next time!
Go to 1
.

“I’ll take the molecular bomb,” you tell QTee.

“Okie doke.” He fits the bomb into the DART suit launcher. “Now it’s time for you to teleport to Airworld. Remember you can only use teleportation to and from Earth, not to move around Airworld.”

You enter the suit and it closes around you. You hear QTee talking to you over the COMS link.

“I have worked out the teleportation co-ordinates to Airworld. I can’t get you near Hurrikano’s palace as there is some sort of teleport block on it. You will have to make your own way there, and once inside you won’t be able to teleport out, so be careful! I have set the NAV system, to guide you. Use it! Once you have defeated Hurrikano and are in teleportation range, get back to Earth. Good luck!”

I’m going to need it, you think.

“Teleport begin.”

There is a bright white light and you feel as though your body is being ripped into a million pieces.

Go to 47
.

“Arm and fire molecular bomb,” you order.

The bomb hurtles into the body of the gas giant and explodes. For a few seconds it looks as though the bomb hasn’t worked, and the giant strides towards you, ready to attack. You hear a series of explosions and jets of flame shoot from out of the creature’s body. The gas giant’s molecular structure begins to change! The fires set off a chain reaction and the creature’s body collapses in on itself and falls to the ground.

“Enemy compromised,” says the DART’s computer.

You arm your eGun and send volley after volley of energy bolts into the creature’s body.

A huge fireball fills the sky as the giant explodes. Alarms begin to sound from the palace, and dozens of attack drones and armed winged beings fly out to investigate.

If you wish to attack them,
go to 48
.

If you wish to head to the palace,
go to 18
.

“Teleport,” you order your DART suit.

There is a bright light and you find yourself back in the OPS room.

QTee looks at you in surprise. “Why have you abandoned the mission?”

“It was getting a little tricky,” you reply.

“I needed to get out, but don’t worry, I’ll go back again.”

QTee shakes his head. “You can go home. You are not up to this task. We will find someone who is more heroic than you.”

If you are feeling more heroic and wish to begin again,
go back to 1
.

“Of course I am,” you say. “Bring it on!”

Within half an hour the helicopter pilot has recovered, the weather has calmed down and you are back in the air.

Sometime later you are flying over a vast pine forest, heading directly towards the side of a mountain. The pilot increases speed! You wonder if the pilot’s bang on the head is affecting his ability to fly.

The mountain side gets closer and closer!

To take control of the helicopter,
go to 20
.

If you trust the pilot,
go to 31
.

“What do you intend to do?” you ask.

“Eliminate you,” he replies. Before you can react, a lightning bolt flashes from his Staff of Power. It hits you in the chest. Another lightning bolt rips your suit open.

“I don’t have time to explain myself to such a creature as you. I have a world to destroy.”

The last thing you see is a flash of lightning.

You are dead. Begin again by
going to 1
.

The hawk flies at you, spinning and turning at
an incredible speed. It spits bolts of lightning at you.

You prime your weapons system into a defend-and-capture mode. The suit takes several hits, but its armour is too strong to be damaged.

“Launch net,” you order.

A steel net shoots from your arm launcher. It hits the cyclone hawk and snares it. The creature drops to the ground, wrapped up like a trussed-up chicken.

If you wish to kill the creature,
go to 6
.

If you think you can use the hawk to help you,
go to 16
.

You leap towards the alien, but before you can hit it, the creature fires. A blue bolt hits you and you find yourself floating above the ground, powerless to move your arms and legs!

“This is our hero?” says the alien. “He’s a bit of a lightweight!”

The agents laugh. “Let him down, QTee,” orders Agent Lee.

“Okie doke. I wouldn’t want to keep him hanging around,” replies QTee. The alien switches off the gun and you drop to the floor, unhurt, except for your pride.

Go to 10
.

“What is the attack strategy?” you ask.

“Gas giants absorb all energy and laser weaponry,” replies the computer. “Bomb attack is recommended.”

If you chose the TD bomb,
go to 5
.

If you chose the molecular bomb,
go to 40
.

The white light dies away and the pain subsides. You look around. You are standing on a huge cloud. All around there are buildings floating on clouds! You have made it to Airworld.

Some way ahead of you is a huge airfield. Incredible flying machines are landing and taking off. Hundreds of winged alien beings fly around, carrying weapons and supplies. You realise that these must be Hurrikano’s forces, getting ready to invade Earth.

If you want to head to the airfield,
go to 3
.

If you wish to use your NAV system,
go to 12
.

You begin shooting, but there are too many enemies to deal with. You are hit time after time with energy bolts and laser beams.

Your DART suit is unable to stand up to the firepower and you slump to the ground. Your weapons system is destroyed. You have no defence against the final stream of energy bolts that send you into oblivion.

You can begin your adventure again, just
go to 1
.

You shake your head. “This is too much for me. I don’t want to risk my life in some crazy scheme,” you say. “Take me home.”

Agent Roberts nods. “So you’re not the hero everyone thinks you are. Glad we found out now, rather than when it mattered.”

You head for home, not knowing what could have been.

When you feel brave enough to begin the mission again,
go to 1
.

There is a flash of light and you find yourself back in the OPS room in Area 61.

QTee is waiting for you.

“Welcome back,” he says. “You’ll be glad to know that the weather is back to normal. It looks like you succeeded!”

You open the DART suit’s power unit and show him the crystal.

“I’ll hardwire this into the suit permanently. From now on, you’ll be able to use the DART suit to fly!”

“I think I’ll be needing it soon,” you reply. You tell him about Hurrikano’s threat.

QTee looks grim. “We’ve won the battle, but not the war. I wonder what Tyranno is going to throw at us next?”

You succeeded! You are a hero!

Thanks to you, Earth is safe…

…for the time being…

“The 2Steves” are Britain’s most popular writing double act for young people, specialising in comedy and adventure. They perform regularly in schools and libraries, and at festivals, taking the power of words and story to audiences of all ages.

Together they have written many books, including the Crime Team and iHorror series.

Jack Lawrence is a successful freelance comics illustrator, working on titles such as A.T.O.M., Cartoon Network, Doctor Who Adventures, 2000 AD, Gogos Mega Metropolis and Spider-Man Tower of Power. He also works as a freelance toy designer.

Lawrence lives in Maidstone in Kent with his partner and two cats.