The Astronites

Chapter Fifteen: The Heltest Eye

Natalie's journey in the torpedo was one of constant tension. After the Barbarian was brought into the Heltest Eye's hangar, a team of Mandata officers entered and evacuated the torpedoes out in carts. Thanks to her helmet's virtual map of the outside world, Natalie saw the hangar was the size of one hundred stadiums. The Barbarian was just one of a dozen warships comfortably nestled inside.

Natalie's torpedo was then placed onto a truck and driven down a tunnel. Natalie rocked back and forth with Ador until they were brought into a much smaller warehouse. More torpedoes joined them until there was no more space left. Then the Mandata lowered an ironclad gate and left.

When Victor announced, "We're alone," Adam got to work freeing them. Once they were back on their feet, they huddled together by the gate.

"First thing we need to do is get Tech to a computer," Victor explained. "That way he can find out where we are. Golden Giant, get us out of here."

Natalie held out the pennar and lifted the gate a few feet off the ground so that they could roll out. Before the gate fell back shut, Victor tossed four more bombs into the warehouse.

"Follow me," he whispered with the missilor in hand.

The tunnel they ran down was bleak and oddly quiet. Its four lanes of traffic were clear of travelers.

Either this is a trap, or the Heltest Eye is bigger than we thought, Natalie worried.

"There," Victor pointed. "An officer's lounge. We should be able to find a computer."

"How do you know it's an officer's lounge?" asked Barbara.

"Only some Mandata can go into certain rooms," Victor explained. "They mark them on the doorposts by the rank you need to be to enter."

They came to a stop several feet away from the door. Five yellow stars were pinned on top of the doorpost. A stretch of windows separated Victor from the entrance, but the blinds were closed from the inside. Very carefully, Adam peered in through a crack.

"I see nine officers. Seven by the monitors and two sleeping on the couch."

Victor pulled out a gadget from his belt. "This is a concussion grenade," he showed them. "It'll buy us a few seconds to storm in and take the Mandata out before they call for help. I'll go in first, then Tech, and then Princess Aquashine. Golden Giant, you and Ador wait out here until we've secured the room. Use the pennar to make sure the windows don't break. Clear?"

Adam nodded. Barbara looked squeamish.

"When you say take them out . . . do you mean kill them?" she meekly asked.

"Yes, I do," Victor firmly answered. "Is that a problem?"

Barbara twisted her fingers. "I mean . . . do I have to? What if I just knocked them out?"

Victor impatiently rolled his eyes. "If you do that before they call for help, then go ahead."

"I will," Barbara promised, solidifying her fidgety fingers into icicles.

Victor eyed Natalie. "Ready?"

Natalie nodded. Victor then crawled to the door, turned its handle, and rolled the concussion grenade inside. The Mandata officers jumped out of their seats.

"HEY!"

"GET DOWN!"

The windows above Natalie bent outward and desperately wanted to burst. She aimed the pennar at them and kept them still. She felt like she was combating a fierce wind with kites made of glass. Victor flung the door wide open and jumped into action with Adam and Barbara behind him. Flashes of light peeked out in between the blinds. They were followed by silence.