Genesis Code, (Book 1, Genesis Series)

Chapter 40

A nervous Anton hoped to create enough of a diversion for Stephen to get to safety. But that was only the first part. The next bit would be much trickier: getting Stephen through the docking station's force field. He hadn't told Stephen he wouldn't be going with him.

A dozen military eyes scanned the faces in the queue before three sets of eyes lingered on him. He held his breath, his adrenaline charged and readied for flight. The military scrutinised his appearance, searching for anything that seemed out of place. Gazes flickered between Anton and the person behind him. He pretended their attention didn't bother him. When their interest moved on to the next person, Anton released the breath he'd been holding.

His new artificial skin had passed the human test, but the identity chips would soon reveal who he was to the military. He drew in new air and tried to steady his erratic pulse. At the top of the line, the attendant motioned him forward. Anton placed his left thumb on the DPad. The name that flashed up sent the military into frenzied overdrive.

Strong arms grabbed at him and tried to force him to the ground. He stumbled, but regained enough control to twist out of their grip. The military tightened their hold, still believing they had him. But Anton could not be held. He raced towards the doors to the rear of the dock before anyone noticed.

An officer reached for a black object in his holster. The air crackled with energy and nipped at Anton's skin. The static eliminator he carried in his pocket felt hot. He rubbed away the sensation on his arm and bolted for the doors, chased by ten military humans.

Anton didn't stop until he reached a room with a sign that read: Observation Deck. He pushed open the door, knowing he had a good lead on the pursuing group, and wedged the door shut from the inside. The large space held a dozen humans, but not so many that he couldn't deal with them.

His eyes honed in on the youngest of the humans in uniform as he grabbed a knife from a nearby table. He moved in behind him and looped an arm around his neck, then stuck the tip of the knife into the human's flesh.

'Drop the force field around this station.'

An older man stepped forward. 'I'm not sure who you think you are, coming in here and threatening my staff. Let young Galen go before you get into serious trouble.'

'I'm in charge now.' Anton snarled. 'And I said drop the force field.' Galen turned rigid beneath his grip.

'This is my station,' said the man. 'Now drop the knife. No harm done.'

With nothing left to lose, Anton upped the ante. Making a quick cut across Galen's neck, he swapped him out for a female and threatened her with the knife. The people in the room gasped, and Anton knew his speed had surprised them. He had to show them he was no ordinary threat. He glanced over at his first target, just as a small trickle of blood wept from the tiny cut he'd made on his neck.

'What the hell are you?' said the older man.

'Do you see that craft down there?' He nodded towards the viewing screen showing Dock 10. 'It needs to leave. Drop the force field.'

'And why would I do that while you threaten my staff?'

'Because I could kill you all where you stand.'

The man hesitated.

Anton had shown them what he could do.

The man spoke to the communications operative. 'Drop the force field.' The operative moved to the nearest panel and manually shut off the field.

The older man nodded at the screen. 'What's on that craft that's so damned important to you, anyway?'

Anton smiled. 'You have no idea.'

'If anything happens to the pilot, you're going to wish things played out differently. I promise you that.'

A man wearing a uniform that dripped in accolades spoke from behind the older man. 'You won't get away with this, you know.' He wagged his finger at Anton. 'You are trapped here, you fool. You won't last two minutes when my men get here.'

Anton ignored the threat and spoke to the man in charge. 'Contact the craft and tell them they can leave.'

He watched with relief as the craft with Stephen on-board rose out of Dock 10, then returned to Galen just as his pursuers broke down the door. Anton chuckled when Galen shot a hand over his neck. Something about the younger man's mannerisms reminded him of his father, Leon. In some small way, he understood Stephen's obsession with Ben, but not his aversion to all other humans.

'What are you?' said Galen.

'If I knew that, human, I wouldn't be here.'

A sudden discharge of electricity set Anton's teeth on edge. He slumped to the ground as the military moved in.