Shelby and Shauna Kitt and the Dimensional Holes. P. H. C. Marchesi
empty grin was so chilling that Shauna felt a shiver run down her spine.
“Is it a klodian?” asked Shelby. Since the attack on his mother, he had promised himself that he would confront any klodian, anywhere.
“Yes,” said Lendox, quietly. “They are using Marina to get to us.”
“Good guess,” Marina said, in a hollow voice that was extremely unsettling.
“Have you killed them?” Lendox asked, glancing at the two soldiers on the floor.
“They are insignificant,” she replied, disdainfully.
“Is that what you thought when you attacked my mom?” Shelby asked, his voice shaking with anger.
“Yes,” said Marina, “but you interrupted me before I could kill her. I should have killed you first, and her afterwards.”
An overwhelming urge to lunge at Marina overcame Shelby, but a surprisingly strong hand from Lendox blocked him.
“This is exactly what they want, Shelby,” Lendox said, without taking his eyes off Marina. “Are you going to make it easy for them to kill you?”
Shelby, suddenly ashamed of his behavior, mumbled something apologetic.
“You do not have the right to harm humans,” continued Lendox to Marina. “Your planet could not survive without them.”
“Our planet is doing better than ever,” she said, in what sounded almost like a hiss. “Besides, we only kill a few humans at a time. We have no plans to attack the planet.”
“Of course not,” said Lendox, sternly. “Your aim is to create panic and confusion, and take advantage of those who suffer its effects. You search for the grief-stricken, hopeless, and desperate, because they are easy victims.”
“The weak die,” said Marina, grinning cruelly. “It is the law of the universe.”
“The Earth’s energy has sustained both our planets for thousands of years,” replied Lendox. “You will not succeed in upsetting the balance in your favor.”
Marina ignored Lendox, and turned all of her empty gaze to Shauna and Shelby. Shelby felt a wave of hopelessness overwhelmed him – he had never been so depressed before. He was just thinking that everything in life was pointless, when he felt the warm touch of Shauna’s hand, and immediately felt more like himself.
“We want the twins,” Marina told Lendox.
“You cannot have everything you want,” replied Lendox. “That, too, is the law of the universe.”
Marina stared at Lendox for a moment, and Shelby and Shauna could swear they heard a low growl coming from her.
“Step aside,” she said, “or I will kill you.”
“I do not believe so,” Lendox said, calmly. “Marina is still in there somewhere, and from what I know of her, you will not be able to force her to do anything against her will.”
“I will kill you,” she said, her hand shaking now.
It was then that Shauna noticed Lendox glancing at Marina’s laptop, which was still lying on her seat. Shauna immediately understood: the laptop was, somehow, responsible for Marina’s behavior.
“Shelby!” she whispered. “It’s the laptop! We have to get rid of it!”
Shelby could never explain, afterwards, exactly what had gone through his mind – all he knew was that he somehow grabbed the laptop and quickly threw it on the floor as strongly as he could. Marina collapsed, as if she had short-circuited, but Lendox caught her before she hit the ground.
“Thank you, Shelby and Shauna,” he said, as he carried Marina to her seat. “Remarkable teamwork.”
The flight attendant, who had been humming in the kitchen all this time, now came out carrying a tray of drinks, and nearly dropped them all at seeing the soldiers on the floor.
“Please assist them,” Lendox said. “I have to take care of her.”
The pale attendant put the tray aside, and rushed to get a first-aid kit.
“What took you guys so long?” complained Marina, her eyes returning to their usual grey. “I thought I was going crazy! One minute I’m talking about Mr. Bubbles, the next I’m hearing orders to shoot you!”
“I am very glad you did not,” replied Lendox.
“How did they get to me like that?” she asked. “Can they just get inside anyone’s head?”
“They sent a virus through your computer.”
Marina finally saw her broken laptop lying on the floor.
“Sorry,” said Shelby. “I was just trying to –”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’d much rather have my sanity than my laptop. Besides, it doesn’t look too bad – I’m sure I can get it to work again.”
“It could have been worse,” Lendox said. “At least you are back with us, and the plane is still flying.”
“Now that you mention it,” she said, looking considerably worried, “either there’s a lot of turbulence, or the klodians sent another virus to the cockpit.”
Lendox ran to the cockpit, with Shelby, Shauna, and Marina right behind him.
“Do not touch anything!” he warned, as Shelby rushed in. “The instruments are infected.”
Shelby finally saw the pilots lying on the floor, with dark blotches all over their fingers and hands.
“Are they dead?” he asked.
“I am afraid so,” said Lendox. “Marina, can you fly this plane?”
“Yes, but you just said the controls were infected!”
“Not for long,” he said, going up to the controls and placing his left hand firmly on a gauge. “No matter what happens, do not interfere.”
Lendox closed his eyes, and they watched, horrified, as his hand began to darken, like a sponge absorbing ink. Beads of sweat ran down his temples, and he winced in pain as he kept a firm grip on the gauge.
“Lendox, are you ok?” cried Marina, impulsively taking a step forward, then stopping herself.
Lendox finally yanked his hand away, and collapsed on his knees.
“I have absorbed the virus,” he said, weakly leaning on his right hand. “Fly this soulless contraption, please.”
Marina scrambled to one of the pilot’s seats, and attempted to steady the plane.
“I need someone to help me,” she cried, grunting with effort.
Shelby and Shauna looked at Lendox – Marina must have meant him, right?
“One of you must do it,” he urged.
Shelby jumped up and rushed to the seat next to Marina. Shauna knelt next to Lendox, and took his hand in hers. She wasn’t sure why she did it – she had never simply reached for someone’s hand before – but she felt that she had to help Lendox somehow.
“Shauna, no!” he said, yanking his hand away from hers.
Shauna did not have time to be shocked at Lendox’s reaction, for an unbearable pain on her fingertips suddenly demanded her attention.
“Ew!” she gasped, seeing that her fingertips had turned blue. “What is this stuff?”
“Do not panic – it will go away soon,” said Lendox, hoarsely. “You have absorbed some of the poison. It is my fault – I should have warned you about that particular instinct.”
“What instinct?” she asked, wishing that she could stick her burning