The Cyber Age

Chapter 18: The Hunt

Right then and there, an idea hit Braden. Tim was trying to lure Braden, and then trap him.
All that has to happen was Braden making the wrong move.
Then he'd be trapped.
Braden and Kendall ran between what must have been hundreds of smaller ships. After about five minutes of running, they could see the end of the enormous room they were in.
Within probably a hundred feet was a small, steel door.
"So, what's the plan?" Asked Kendall in a hurried voice. "Well, I'm pretty sure Tim's set a trap. Just follow me, and watch your back." Said Braden.
In seconds, they reached the door, and rushed inside.
They were taken by surprise to find an exact replica of the labyrinth from the simulator. "The cockpit." Said Braden. Kendall gave him a questioning look. "Just follow me." Said Braden in response.
Braden ran through the maze in a particular series of twists and turns. Kendall was clueless as to what was happening. How did he know where to go? Then she remembered.
Braden had turned the ship in the simulator.
From the cockpit.
Braden must remember exactly where it was.
Braden and Kendall reached a small steel door, like the first.
"Remember. Expect the unexpected." Said Braden. Kendall nodded, and felt a turn of nausea as Braden opened the door. Behind the door was a long hall, and a series of endless doors on either side. The lights in the hall all periodically flickered simultaneously. Kendall was scared to death as to what was in store for them. "Come on!" Said Braden in a hushed voice. Kendall nodded, and followed. The two of them crept down the silent hall quietly.
They crept for minutes.
The hall was as long as anything they'd ever seen.
Then, they jumped with a start.
Out of nowhere, they heard footsteps.
Kendall let out a small, startled scream.
Braden's eyes went wide. "Shhh!" Braden gestured to Kendall, whose hands were over her mouth in distraught.
As the footsteps grew louder, their hope grew shorter.
Braden got an idea.
Braden put his hands on the floor, and sucked in several volts of electricity.
Braden was prepared to fry someone to death, when a door handle not far from them jiggled.
Braden stepped towards it, prepared to defend himself, when Tristan and Brent walked out. "Where could Jared-- Braden! Kendall!" Said Tristan, bringing Braden into a hug. Kendall let out a huge breath of relief, as she took Brent into a hug. "I'm so glad you got here safely. Have you seen Jared?" Said Brent.
Braden and Kendall exchanged a look of fear. "We were afraid of that." Said Kendall. "Afraid of what?" Tristan asked. "Well, we tried to communicate with Jared over the walkie-talkie he left us. Instead we were greeted by Tim, who claims to have Jared." Said Braden. Immediately, all expression faded from Tristan and Brent's faces. "How did he . . . That's impossible." Said Brent. "Jared was right behind us. Then he just disappeared." Said Tristan. "We know where Tim is, though. At least where he was." Said Tristan."
"Where?" Braden asked.
"The cockpit."

The four of them walked down the hall with haste. "Why are you holding so much?" Asked Tristan, looking at Braden's hand.
Braden had totally forgotten that he was still holding it. He still held at least twenty volts. "Well, when you were opening that door, I thought you may be a deranged robo-human trainer of a sort." Said Braden. Tristan let out a small, snort-laugh. "Guys?" Said Kendall. "What?"
"We're here." She replied.
Only ten feet away stood a small steel door with a small glass window toward its top.
The cockpit.
"Well, don't get rid of that electric ball just yet. We may have company." Said Tristan. They all had butterflies in their stomach the second Tristan turned the doorknob.
In a flash, Tristan opened with force.
In a small office chair say a gagged Jared. "Jared!" Brent yelled.
Brent ran right in, and took off the gag.
"Go!" Brent yelled "I'm gonna steer us somewhere where we won't crash into five hundred buildings." Said Brent, as he sat down in the chair. Jared immediately bolted for the door. "Take our walkie-talkie. When we find Tim, we'll get his." Said Braden. The second Jared left the room, the steel door slammed shut. "What the--" Braden was cut off by a loud intercom. "Remember that trap you two lovebirds were yapping about? You're looking at it." Said Tim over the intercom.
Braden balled his fists in frustration. "Look, I'll talks Braden one-on-one. To the death. Otherwise I'll just ignite this ounce of craugnazium." Said Tim. "So, Braden. If you accept my challenge, then meet me at the top of this ship, on the dinner deck." Said Tim.
Then the intercom went silent. "Ok. What's craugnazium?" Asked Braden. "Craugnazium?" Jared asked for confirmation. "Craugnazium was the cause for World War III"

"Craugnazium was discovered in the year of 2132, and is currently the most highly explosive material on earth." Said Jared. "If he ignites a single ounce, say goodbye to half of this giant mothership." Said Jared.
All of their eyes went wide. "Well, then I guess I have to go meet that freak for a dinner date."

Braden said goodbye to his friends.
"Search every inch of this maze for the craugnazium. Just don't go too far from Brent. He has the walkie-talkie in there with him. I may have to inform you of something through him." Said Braden.
They all nodded, and Braden left. "Alright, Timothy! Where will our little dinner date take place?!" Braden yelled. Then the intercom static reappeared. "Just go back into the maze and find your way back to that amphitheater. The entrance is just to the left and up a spiral staircase." Said Tim.
Braden ran down the hall with haste.
It didn't take him long this time to make it to the end this time, due to his speed.
Once he reached the end, Braden went through another series of twists and turns. After he did, he made his way into the amphitheater.
Braden looked over to his left.
About a hundred feet away, was a door that read, Stairway. Braden ran towards it.
When he opened the door, he found a large, spiral staircase, just like Tim said.
Braden rushed to the top as fast as he even could.
When he reached the top, he found a large deck with candle-lighted tables everywhere.
This dinner deck was on the very top of the mothership. Then something caught Braden's eye. About fifty feet away stood a fully equipped Tim. "Hey, Brady." Said Tim.
"Nice of you to join me for dinner."