Authors: Joseph Rhea,David Rhea
Cyberdrome (2 page)
This story is about
everyday heroes, not “chosen ones” or people “following their destiny,” but
ordinary people who rise to the call when needed and somehow overcome their
fears and accomplish heroic feats.
The everyday heroes
in our lives include our mother, Lylah DeFord, our father, Bill Rhea, who
passed away in 2000, and our stepfather Roy Capen, who passed away in 2008. We
dedicate this book to them.
Contents
PART ONE
EARTH
ONE
M
aya ran up the
sloping jungle floor as fast as her tired legs could carry her. The warm, humid
air made her struggle to breathe and her heart threatened to explode, but she
couldn’t stop—no telling how far back her pursuers were. Speed, and luck, were
her only assets.
When an arrow
zipped past her right ear, thudding into a large Mahogany directly ahead, she
knew her luck had just run out. She ducked behind the tree, then spotted a
better hiding place and dove headfirst into a thick tangle of liana vines and
ferns. She tried to roll but her foot caught on a vine, dropping her hard on
her left shoulder and knocking the wind out of her.
Spikes of pain
shot through her arm almost making her cry out; instead, she rolled to the side
and breathed a single word: “Hide.” Her skimpy animal-skin outfit began to
stretch and flow like liquid, rapidly covering her from head to toe in a thin
material.
Peering through
a series of eye slits in the fabric, she saw a large, half-naked man standing
in the ferns looking down at her. Behind him were two others, a male and a
female, both stretching their wooden bows tight and taking aim.
Maya froze, not
even daring to breathe. Her clothing’s ability to mimic the color and texture
of whatever was behind her—much like the skin of an octopus—could save her, but
the slightest movement at this range would give her away.
After a few
tense seconds, the woman—girl actually, since she looked much younger than
Maya—stepped through the vines and surveyed the clearing. A moment later, she
turned and whispered something to the others. Maya heard the translation in her
ear: “You missed her! Get moving!”
The men
disappeared into the trees and after one more glance around the area, the girl
bolted after them.
You people are fast
, Maya thought.
No wonder you
caught up to me so quickly
.
“Rivero!”
Maya gasped when
she heard the voice in her ear, but then realized that it was just Dobson calling
on her earphone. She tried to sit up but her arm and shoulder pain forced her
to lie flat on her back. Staring up at the dense rainforest canopy she whispered,
“I’m here.”
“What the hell
did you do down there?” came the response she expected. “My scanner shows
multiple locals in your area and they’re all coming up the hill right toward
us. Didn’t you say this was going to be a simple recon op?”
“Just shut up
and get me out of here,” she replied. She didn’t need a grunt like Dobson chewing
her out over the mess she had just created. Her boss would be doing enough of
that later.
Dobson was right
though. This should’ve been a simple scouting mission. Since the villagers in
this valley were genetically identical to the aboriginal people of South
America, Maya had assumed being born in Argentina to a mother of native blood,
her black hair and light brown skin would help her blend in with the locals.
So
much for blending!
“Did you at
least get the intel you wanted?” Dobson asked.
“I’m finished
here,” she said. True, but for the wrong reasons.
“Good thing. In
addition to the hundred or so locals streaming right towards us, you’ve got a
secure call coming in from the Yakama.”
Maya cautiously
sat up. “From whom?”
“Your boss.”
Oh great
, she thought.
Someone’s
already told him.
After checking her own scanner to make sure the villagers
really were heading away from her, she took a deep breath and then pulled a
thumb-sized image transmitter from her pocket and placed it on the ground in
front of her. Mathew Grey’s face appeared in the space above it a moment later,
his silver tousled hair and goatee looking almost pure white in the hologram.
“Where are you,
Maya?” he asked, his dark eyes scanning left and right.
“Rainforest on
the southern continent of—” she started to say, but then realized what he
meant. “Sorry—just a second.” She reset her Omnisuit back to its default
configuration of a dark gray bodysuit—no need for the villager disguise now.
Besides, a face-to-face with her boss required something a bit less revealing
than animal skins. When her Omnisuit completed its transformation she asked,
“So, what’s up, Dr. Grey? I thought you were on the Snohomish this week.”
“I transferred
over a few minutes ago,” he said, looking a little impatient. “I’m running a
diagnostics program on all Survey Vessels and the Yakama’s the last one.”
“You’re
personally running diagnostics on all one hundred Survey Vessels—in addition to
your own research? Are you just trying to make the rest of us look lazy?”
“I need you to
handle an investors’ tour for me this morning,” he said flatly.
“This morning?”
she asked looking up at the dark jungle canopy. “What time is it back there?
What day is it?”
“If you leave
right now you will get back just in time.”
“Now? I just got
here and—”
