The Wasp Chronicles #1: Into the Hornet's Nest

The End is Near

Clément: I spent the rest of that day looking for survivors.  I took the remote off of the Spear of Souls and I was using it to control my hornet steed.  From my vantage point on the beast’s back, high in the sky, I scoured the island for my classmates, albeit distractedly.  You can’t blame me; I had a lot to think about.  Not only had what I thought about the capabilities of applied genetics been challenged, I had just experienced the most frightening and harrowing week of my life.  The sun was beginning to set; I had to get back.  The others were waiting for me and my remote so we could fly home.  I was just about to turn the wasp around to head back when I remembered something: Darkwile.  I had last seen him flying off to the Hornetian village under my command of his hornet limbs, but he could have escaped since then.  I steered my steed toward the village.

***

            Meanwhile, Darkwile had indeed escaped.  He had crept down to where the LEHS band members were waiting with Louis.  He kept out of sight until he was spotted by Amy, aloof as always.  He attempted to abduct her, but she ran.  Curiously, she did not run towards the other kids, but into the jungle.  Darkwile buzzed after her in pursuit.  He chased her into a dreary clearing and finally caught up.  Whipping out his claws, he held her to the ground.  “Where is that boy?  The boy with the Spear of Souls?” He snarled.  “He wasn’t with your little friends…” “I—I don’t know…”  “Don’t Lie!” he pressed the back of a talon onto her throat.  “Where is he?” That’s where I came in.  Darkwile got his answer as my hornet thundered down behind him, knocking him off of Amy.  He flew over her and crashed into a tree.  I leapt down and pointed the remote at him.  His hornet parts obeyed my commands, grabbing hold of the tree, which prevented him from going anywhere.  “What were you doing to Amy?” I asked him thinking of her, KJ, and Kara.  He had a thing for teenage girls, and it was starting to creep me out.  “That’s none of your concern!” He spat.  “Are you going to cure me or not?”  I looked at the button that would cure him: a red button with a skull and crossbones.  It would destroy all of the wasp tissue on his body.  “Do you deserve to be cured?” I asked.  Darkwile gave me a wry smile.  “Neither is that any of your concern…” was his reply.  “Very well” I said, and I pushed the button.  I had done some thinking.  I knew what would happen.

Each probe in his Hornetian blood erupted with acid, and all of his Hornetian body parts began to rupture and dissolve.  Darkwile cried in pain as both of his right arms lost their substance and fell off.  His wings tore along the veins, drooped, and turned to a steaming liquid.  And most painful of all, the entire left side of his face split open and peeled off, showing bare skull and muscle beneath.  There was no eye in his left socket.  What was left of Dr. Vance Darkwile collapsed into a pitiful heap on the ground oozing blood mixed with acid.  That’s where we left him.  I helped Amy onto the hornet.  I asked why she didn’t run to the others when the madman attacked her, and she didn’t answer.  “Don’t be such a stranger.” I told her as I got on in front of her on the beast’s back.  “We’re your friends you know.”  “Okay” was all she said.  She put her arms around my waist, and we took off into the air.  With his one remaining eye, Darkwile watched us go.  He sucked in air through the exposed left side of his jaw, and said in a rattling breath, “You haven’t seen the last of me… You haven’t seen…”

***

            When Amy and I returned, I reported to Louis that there were no survivors found.  Without further ado, the LEHS band systematically mounted their hornets and took to the sky.  I pointed the Molecular Growth Ray remote control towards the setting sun, and we set out for home.  From that point on, I knew the end was near.