Alien Invaders: A New Threat

Chapter 18: Struggle for Survival

"Hey, what are you up to? Isn't he already dead?" questioned one of the students as she observed Ian examining the chief alien.

Ian's breaths were heavy and inefficient as if each one required considerable effort. He cast a brief, desperate glance at the chief alien, hoping to find the crucial calling chip that would reveal the location of the mothership. Disregarding the anxious inquiries of the nearby student, he focused intensely on searching the lifeless chief before him, his hands moving hurriedly over the alien's body in a frantic search.

"We need to stick together if we want to survive, dude," the same student desperately urged Ian. "By the way, I'm Ruby."

"It was nice talking to you, Ruby, but I have to get back to work now," Ian coldly turned away from her questions and nodded.

And then Ruby caught Ian doing something pretty gruesome - he was cutting into the chief's neck, trying to grab something out of it. Feeling sick to her stomach, she was absolutely horrified to witness it happening right in front of her. Out of nowhere, one of the students in the group pulled out a gun and pointed it at Ian. Tension filled the air, but luckily, the other students stepped in before the situation escalated.

"He's one of them too. Give me a good reason why we shouldn't just end him now," the guy said, pointing the gun at Ian's head.

Ian slowly stood up, holding the chip in his hand, and said, "I'm part of their group and I know how to put a stop to all of this."

"How do we know you're not just leading us on?" one of the students asked, her eyes fixed on Ian.

"This chip can call the mothership and the Queen alien. I just need to activate it again," Ian showed the chip cautiously.

"What if you can't activate it? What then?" the student pressed.

"Then you let him pull the trigger," Ian replied confidently.

"Activate it now. We want to see if you're telling the truth," the guy with the gun demanded angrily.

"Or else what, Silva?" another person interrupted impatiently.

"I'll blow his head off," Silva smirked.

"Are you out of your mind, Silva? Take a breath," the student said. "He might be our only chance at surviving this mess."

Silva's heart raced as Ian carefully examined the tiny chip in his hand. Feeling the weight of the moment, he recognized the crucial importance of inserting the chip into his system. He reached out for help, a sense of urgency in his eyes, requesting help to cut an incision at the back of his neck. With a mixture of determination and discomfort, he steadied himself and carefully inserted the chip into the incision, while she skillfully made an incision. The gravity of the situation was noticeable as they worked together, aware of the risks and stakes involved.

"Now, what?" Silva asked Ian curiously. 

"We wait for it to activate," Ian replied as he picked up the alien's gun from the ground.

As the chip was being activated, Ruby felt a surge of adrenaline and her senses heightened as she scanned the area for any threats. She couldn't shake the feeling of tension in the air. Silva's intense gaze never left Ian, and Ruby could sense the distrust emanating from Silva. Silva seemed on the verge of taking drastic action, adding an underlying sense of danger. During that intense moment, Ruby and her friend had to act quickly to prevent a potentially deadly situation.

Just then, the chip in Ian's neck activated, giving him access to the mothership. Now he had to send a message to the mothership to compel the Queen alien to return to Earth. The rush of adrenaline coursed through Ian's veins as he gripped the control panel. His heart pounded with a mix of fear, determination, and hope. The fate of Earth rested in his hands, and he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"I've found the impostor. Turn back now," Ian shouted, causing Silva and the others to jump in surprise.

"Who are you talking to?" asked Silva, bewildered.

"The chip has been activated. We must make our way to the docks immediately," Ian announced, rising from his seat and striding out of the mall.

Ruby swiftly caught up with Ian and inquired, "Was it as painful as the time you inserted the chip before?"

Ian shook his head and continued walking. "We need to stay focused, Ruby."

Ruby's friend Maggie pulled Ruby aside and urgently warned her to keep her distance from Ian, as she didn't trust him either. Feeling conflicted, Ruby sulked as she walked with Maggie and Silva behind Ian. However, deep down she felt an inexplicable sense of trust the moment she laid her eyes on him at the mall.

As they finally reached the docks, Ian's heart raced with anticipation. When he spotted the mothership, a surge of relief washed over him. However, that relief quickly turned into concern as he noticed the wide-open door with no one in sight. The absence of the Queen alien and Aadvika left him feeling even more uneasy and puzzled. Thoughts raced through Ian's mind as he tried to make sense of the situation. Had the Queen ordered her guards to hunt for him as soon as they landed on the water? The uncertainty of the moment left Ian feeling on edge as he contemplated their next move.

"Holy cow! He was totally right!" Silva exclaimed excitedly as he saw the mothership floating on the water.

"Shh, Silva! You're making too much noise," Ruby immediately hushed him.

As Ian peered inside the mothership, convinced that Aadvika was in there, Maggie cautiously pulled him back.

"Is that purple light supposed to be flashing like that?" Maggie pointed at the top of the mothership's control board.

"No, but..." Ian suddenly realized what the flashing purple light meant for him.

Swiftly, his fingers plunged into the incision and swiftly retrieved the chip lodged in the back of his neck. A guttural growl escaped his lips as he pulled it out, blood dripping from his hand and staining the ground below. With a forceful toss, the chip fell to the ground as he clutched the back of his neck, attempting to stem the flow of blood. In an instant, the discarded chip detonated into fragments, leaving all onlookers frozen in shock.

"Whoa, the Queen alien went after you," Silva gasped. "Looks like she wasn't feeling the trust, huh?" he added.

"What did you do to lose her trust, Ian? Weren't you on her team too?" Maggie asked, intrigued.

Just then, everything seemed to freeze as Ian's eyes fell upon Aadvika's necklace lying on the ground not far from the explosion. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears. Panic surged through him as he frantically searched for her, oblivious to the confused stares of the surrounding students. It felt as if time stood still, and all he could think about was finding Aadvika.