Chapter Nine
WHAT YOU DO,
WHEN HARD CHOICES ARE THE
ONLY CHOICES YOU HAVE
X X X
“We can’t do anything until William Dee puts his plan together,” said Patricia, “so why don’t you take some time out, and try to relax? Some of the offices on this floor are very comfortable. There are couches to doze on, televisions to watch, and minibars you can empty.”
Tina looked at Daniel. “It does sound tempting. Particularly the minibars.”
“I’m not staying where Joyce was murdered,” said Daniel.
Tina put a hand on his arm. “That wasn’t your fault.”
“I should have protected her,” said Daniel.
“There was nothing you could have done,” Tina said steadily. “If anyone’s at fault, it’s me. I trusted Alan.”
Daniel put his hand on top of hers. “You thought he was your friend.”
“I really did,” said Tina. “But I should have known better, because I always knew what he really was.”
Daniel let his breath out slowly. “He didn’t even leave us a body to bury. I will make him pay for that, once this mess is over. And then I think I’ll pay his superiors a visit, for inflicting something like him on the world.”
“Not until we don’t need him anymore,” Patricia said firmly. “If you don’t want to stay here, where do you want to go?”
“Back to the original Jekyll & Hyde Inc. building,” said Daniel. “I think I could rest there.”
Tina shrugged. “At least we can be sure no one will bother us in that death trap.”
Daniel started toward the door, and then paused to glance back at Patricia.
“Phone us the moment you hear from Dee. When it’s time for us to do something.”
“That building really isn’t safe,” said Patricia.
“Where is?” said Daniel.
The two Hydes walked back down the corridor, both of them lost in their own thoughts. They remained silent in the elevator—Daniel because he had nothing to say, and Tina because she couldn’t think of anything to say that would help him. In the lobby, everyone stopped what they were doing and watched silently as the Hydes walked through. There was no applause, and no admiring glances. They’d heard about Joyce’s death. Tina shot an angry glance at Daniel.
“How can they treat us like this, after everything we’ve done?”
“They’re mourning,” said Daniel.
“We can’t protect everyone,” said Tina.
“Then what use are we?” said Daniel.
They walked down the street, staring straight ahead, angry about different things. There was no one else around, even though it was well into the afternoon.
“Where is everybody?” Tina said finally.
“Probably keeping their heads down, and watching out for more helicopter attacks,” said Daniel.
“Maybe we should send a mass-mailing to our neighbors,” said Tina. “Tell them there’s nothing to worry about anymore, because the mercenaries are on our side now.”
Daniel looked at her. “Are they?”
“The major did seem quite upset over how he’d been treated,” said Tina.
“I’m not sure mercenaries do upset,” said Daniel.
“You don’t trust anyone, do you?” Tina said admiringly.
They came to a halt outside the old building, and looked it over. The fires had finally gone out, and smoke had stopped rising from the ruined roof. Most of the glass in the front of the building was cracked or shattered or had fallen out, but someone had cleared all the broken fragments and fallen debris off the sidewalk. The lobby door still hung loosely, half blown off its hinges.
“Something else we couldn’t protect,” said Daniel.
Tina gave him a look. “Daniel, either you snap out of this, or I will slap the self-pity right out of you. We are still the cutting edge of Jekyll & Hyde Inc.! We are the ones who get things done!”
“But we’re not in charge,” said Daniel.
“Do you want to be?” said Tina. “No, stop a moment and think about it. We never were very good at making decisions, and running things. We’ve always been more hands-on when it comes to solving problems. The way things are now we get to do the things that matter, while Patricia does all the hard work. Let her be in charge, if that’s what she wants. We have more important things to do.” She slipped her arm through his. “Do you really want to hang out in this dump?”
“Yes,” said Daniel. “I really do.”
“Then let’s find somewhere we can put our feet up in as much comfort as possible, until Patricia sounds the call to action. And then you can take your mood out on the Greys.”
“Sounds good to me,” said Daniel. “Have you still got your atomic knuckle-dusters?”
“Of course,” said Tina. “You know I never give up anything fun.”
Daniel tried the front door, and it came away in his hands. He dropped it on the pavement, and led the way into the lobby. He had to stop for a moment, to take in the extent of the damage. The walls were stitched together with cracks, the floor was half hidden under fallen debris, and the ceiling had slumped dangerously low in places, looking as though the whole thing might collapse at any sudden sound. Daniel gave it a warning look.
“Don’t even think about it. I am really not in the mood.”
He moved slowly across the lobby, stepping carefully over bits and pieces of his past. He remembered when he first came to Jekyll & Hyde Inc., a disgraced and broken ex-cop who’d thought his life was over. Until Edward Hyde gave him the Elixir, and changed his life forever. He remembered how impressed he’d been by the great open space, with its style and luxury and gleaming parquet floor. Now he walked through the ruins of the way things used to be, and the bright light shining through the cracked upper windows only made the scene seem more desolate. Sudden echoes rose up, and he looked round to see Tina moodily kicking at the rubble. She caught his eye, and shrugged quickly.
“We can’t stay here, Daniel. There isn’t even anywhere to sit down.”
“I thought we might go up on the roof,” said Daniel.
Tina stared at him. “Why would we want to go there?”
“Because that’s where all of this started,” said Daniel. “When we looked out over London and thought we could have it all, just because we were Hydes.”
“The roof is where it all started to go wrong,” said Tina. “One moment we were lords of everything we beheld, and the next the night sky was full of attack helicopters.”
Daniel smiled at her. “We needed a wake-up call.”
Tina sighed. “How would we even get to the roof? I doubt the elevators are working, and I wouldn’t trust them if they were.”
“We’ll walk,” said Daniel.
Tina stared at him, and Daniel laughed.
“Come on, I’ll race you to the top.”
The climb was so long and hard it put even two Hydes out of breath, though they did their best to conceal it from each other. They were finally brought to a halt a few floors short of the roof, when the stairs became completely blocked by debris and wreckage, and both of them were glad for an excuse to pause and get their second wind. Daniel took his time evaluating the situation, and then started smashing slabs of stone and plaster with his fists, and throwing everything he could lift back down the stairs. He was making good progress until he was suddenly forced to stop and step back, as sparking electrical cables dropped out of a gap in the wall, writhing around the stairwell like spitting snakes. Tina stepped quickly past Daniel, took a firm hold on the cables, and yanked them out of the wall. They drooped lifelessly in her hands, and she shook them a few times to make sure they’d run out of sparks, before tossing them carelessly over the handrail.
Daniel cleared his throat carefully. “That could have gone horribly wrong.”
“But it didn’t,” said Tina.
Daniel smiled briefly. “Shocking behavior, Tina.”
“Fun time!” Tina said happily.
Step by step and stair by stair, the Hydes fought their way up the last few floors, moving or hitting anything that got in their way, and climbing over any obstacles that looked too big to break apart. Tina let Daniel take the lead. She could see he’d decided that nothing was going to stop him getting to the roof.
Eventually they reached what was left of Edward’s office. The furniture and fittings had been crushed into firewood by fallen debris. Great holes in the ceiling and walls let in the sunlight, while gusting breezes prowled around the room. The door to the stairway leading up to the roof was riddled with bullet holes. Daniel tried to open it, but the door was wedged solidly in place. He hit it once, and the heavy wood split from top to bottom. He ripped the broken door out of its frame and threw it to one side, and then started up the stairs. The door at the top was in even worse condition, with so many bullet holes the light streamed through like miniature spotlights. Daniel looked back at Tina.
“Moths,” he said solemnly.
Tina nodded. “I think they’ve been getting at the Elixir.”
Daniel made his way carefully up the blood-spattered stairs, and gave the door a good shove. It toppled backward onto the roof, and Daniel walked out into the open air. There didn’t seem to be much left of the roof itself, just craters, fire damage, and the kind of general destruction usually only associated with war zones. But surprisingly, what remained was firm enough under his feet. He gestured for Tina to come out and join him, and she emerged cautiously into the bright sunlight, glaring around her.
“I suppose there could be a more desolate spot on the Moon somewhere, but I wouldn’t put money on it.”
“Edward meant his building to survive, no matter what was thrown at it,” said Daniel.
Tina sniffed loudly. “I’m still not seeing anywhere we could sit down.”
“I thought we might admire the view,” said Daniel.
He set off across the shattered roof, stepping carefully around the gaps and crevices. Some of the craters were so deep rain had pooled in them, and there were crevices wide enough he could look down into Edward’s office. Most of the roof’s boundaries were simply gone, blasted into jagged chunks of concrete and steel, and the massive air-conditioning unit had been blasted into pieces. He kept pressing forward, heading for the one intact edge. He finally chose a reasonably intact section, stamped on it a few times, and then and sat down, letting his legs dangle carelessly over the drop. Tina took her time joining him, but finally settled down at his side. They leaned companionably together, and looked out over London. Endless rows of glass frontages stretched away before them, shining in the sunlight like so many vertical jewels. The wind blew briskly about them, as though on its way to somewhere more civilized.
“I like looking at the buildings,” said Daniel. “Thinking about all the people who work in them—wondering who they are, and what they’re doing.”
“Probably plotting how best to kill us,” Tina said darkly. “Sometimes I think the whole world has a grudge against us.”
“They’re just jealous, because they’re not Hydes,” said Daniel.
The sunlight was warm and soothing, and the clear air was refreshing after the dust-choked stairwells. It all seemed very peaceful.
“What are we doing here?” said Tina.
“Thinking,” said Daniel. “Once we’ve killed all the aliens . . . what do we do then?”
Tina shrugged. “You said it yourself: Hydes have a lot of enemies. There’ll never be any shortage of people to fight.”
“But will they be someone worth fighting?” said Daniel.
“Picky picky,” said Tina. “The fight is what matters.”
“I’m not so sure of that anymore,” said Daniel. “What’s the point of fighting a war you know will never end?”
Tina looked down at the long drop, and kicked her legs idly. “What else is there?”
“We could walk away from Jekyll & Hyde Inc.,” said Daniel. “Turn our backs on the past, and make new lives for ourselves.”
“Doing what?” said Tina.
“That’s the problem, isn’t it?” said Daniel. “It would have to be something worth doing.”
“Why can’t you be content with what you are?” said Tina. “What’s wrong with just being a Hyde, and being with me?”
“Because when we relax and take our eye off the ball,” said Daniel, “that’s when this building happens. That’s when Joyce happens.”
Tina rested her head on his shoulder. “You always want to take the weight of the world on your back. Let it go, Daniel. Nothing that happened to Joyce was down to you. Same with this building. I say keep it simple. What is it you really want?”
“I want to kill all the Greys,” said Daniel. “And then, I want to kill Alan Diment. And his superiors.”
“And then?” said Tina.
“That’s what I’m asking you,” said Daniel.
“We’ll think of something,” said Tina. She sat up straight again and looked out over London. “I don’t believe in too much planning. Just let the world come to you, and take what you want from it. We’re Hydes, which means all of this is just here for us to have fun with.”
“That’s how Joyce used to think,” said Daniel. “But the world proved her wrong.”
“If Joyce was here,” said Tina, “she would slap you a good one, just for considering giving up.”
Daniel smiled briefly. “Well, she’d think about it.”
His phone rang, and for once he was quick to answer it.
“You need to go back to the Albion Club,” said Patricia. “William Dee says he has something to show you.”
“Does he have a plan?” said Daniel.
“Apparently,” said Patricia. “Now go. Time is running out.”
“Isn’t it always?” said Daniel, but the armorer was already gone. He rose to his feet and took one last look out over London, while Tina stood up and brushed the dust from her clothes.
“Why doesn’t Patricia ever phone me?” she said. “I have a phone.”
“Patricia thinks I’m easier to intimidate,” said Daniel.
“Ah,” said Tina. “I knew there had to be a good reason.”
They took their time driving across London, for which the midafternoon traffic was suitably grateful. Daniel let Tina drive again, because he was still thinking.
“You know,” Tina said finally, “you could brood for the Olympics, and pick up a bronze in glum. I thought you couldn’t wait to get stuck into the Greys?”
“We’re missing something,” said Daniel. “We’ve been so busy running back and forth, slapping down the aliens that we haven’t had time to think about the big picture.”
“We’re Hydes,” said Tina, expertly manuevering the car through a brief opening in the traffic and ignoring the outburst of protesting horns. “We don’t do subtle. We just hit things until they break.”
“That might not be enough this time,” said Daniel.
“Are you still worrying about the Elder Ones?” said Tina.
“The ancient alien space gods?” said Daniel. “What could possibly go wrong with summoning something like that into our world?”
“We’ll just have to make sure they’re pointed in the right direction,” said Tina.
She parked outside the Albion Club, happily blocking the sidewalk. As they approached the club’s front door, it swung briskly open before them. Daniel stopped, and looked at it suspiciously. Tina stirred impatiently beside him.
“What’s wrong now?”
“I’m not used to being made welcome,” said Daniel.
“It just shows we’re expected,” said Tina.
Beyond the door, there was nothing but darkness. Daniel eyed it distrustfully.
“That wasn’t there the last time.”
“William has probably arranged something special for us,” said Tina.
“You say that like it’s a good thing.”
“Am I going to have to pick you up and throw you through the doorway?” said Tina.
“The only reason to be that dark is to hide something that someone else doesn’t want us to see,” said Daniel.
Tina paused. “You think it might be a trap? That there might be something in there waiting for us? Good. I am really in the mood to hit something.”
“Never knew you when you weren’t,” said Daniel.
They walked through the doorway, and just like that they were somewhere else.
When the darkness fell away from their eyes, they were standing on a stone ledge looking out over a massive underground cavern. Tina grabbed Daniel’s arm, and they both took a careful step back from the edge.
“A dimensional gate,” said Daniel. “A shortcut between two places, via underspace.”
“You have no more idea how that works than I do,” said Tina.
“This is true.” Daniel looked out over the huge cavern. “Good thing we were just on a high rooftop, or this drop would be seriously freaking me out.”
“Maybe we could get the tailors to whip up some of those gliding parachute outfits,” said Tina. “You know, the ones with bat wings.”
“Indoor bat-suit gliding,” said Daniel. “I like it.”
The rough stone floor was a long way down, the ceiling went up even farther, and the cavern stretched off into the distance for a lot farther than Daniel felt comfortable with. Glowing rocks shone fiercely from the cavern walls, bright enough to illuminate the whole interior. Daniel couldn’t tell whether they’d been set in place, or if it was some natural phenomenon, but he knew which way he’d bet.
“What’s going on down there?” said Tina.
She pointed, and Daniel concentrated on the cavern floor. Somewhere at the back stood a ring of standing stones, like Stonehenge, but more primitive. Just rough stones, dragged into position. In the middle was a single flat slab, like a sacrificial altar. Two men were standing over it, discussing something with great enthusiasm. One of them was William Dee.
Daniel looked at the sacrificial slab and thought, Just what is that man’s plan, exactly?
“Looks like William thinks he’s found the perfect spot for his summoning,” said Tina. “But why choose such a large cavern?”
“Because he believes it’ll take that much space to accommodate the Elder Ones when they appear,” said Daniel.
Tina took in the amount of space between floor and ceiling.
“Well,” she said, “that’s not in the least intimidating. Is it too late to go back to Patricia, and ask her to find us a spiritual bazooka?”
“You really want to risk annoying the big spooky space gods?” said Daniel.
Tina nodded reluctantly, and gestured at the cavern. “Where do you suppose we are?”
“Underground,” said Daniel. “Apart from that, your guess is as good as mine. The dimensional door could have dropped us off anywhere.”
The same thought struck them at the same moment, and they both looked quickly behind them to make sure their exit was still there. The glowing outlines of a door hung on the air, like a child’s drawing superimposed on reality. Daniel turned his attention back to the cavern, and gestured at the stone walls.
“I can see cave mouths, tunnel openings, and what look like ancient galleries carved out of the stone. Not necessarily by anything human. I can also see a great many people occupying those places.”
“What kind of people?” said Tina, narrowing her eyes.
“Since they’re all wearing very familiar uniforms, it would appear the major and his soldiers got here before us,” said Daniel. “They all appear to be heavily armed, and I’m also seeing really big gun emplacements, which suggests they’re getting ready to ambush the Greys when they arrive.” And then he stopped, and looked down the stone steps connecting the cavern floor to the ledge. “Someone is heading our way.”
A single figure made its way up the steps, and Daniel and Tina relaxed a little as they recognized Major Boughton. They could have gone down the steps to meet him, but Daniel felt it important they make it clear who answered to whom. Otherwise the major might try giving them orders. He finally came to a halt before them, out of breath from the long climb but trying not to show it. He had a gun holstered on each hip, and two bandoliers of bullets crisscrossing his chest. He nodded brusquely to the Hydes.
“Mr. Dee is too busy to brief you, so he asked me to bring you up to speed. Because of course I don’t have enough duties and responsibilities.”
“Get on with it,” said Tina.
“My people have established themselves in the best positions,” said the major. “We have uninterrupted lines of fire, and a truly impressive amount of firepower.”
“What’s the plan?” said Daniel.
“Wait for the Greys to show up, wait a little longer to make sure they’re all here, and then open up on them with everything we’ve got.”
“So we’re not needed?” said Tina, just a bit dangerously.
“These are Greys we’re talking about,” said the major. “Who knows what tricks they might pull? You’re the backup, in case we’re not enough.”
Tina nodded. “How long before the Greys arrive?”
“Mr. Dee will begin the summoning any time now,” said the Major. “Apparently the Greys will immediately detect this, and come in force.”
Daniel gestured at the circle of standing stones. “Who is that down there with his back to us, talking with William?”
The major frowned. “You can see them? From here?”
“Hyde eyes,” said Tina. “Beats the hell out of binoculars.”
“That is Mr. Diment,” said the Major. “He is very interested in everything to do with the summoning.”
“What about Johnny Hart?” said Daniel. “When can we expect him to grace us with his presence?”
“The commissioner sent a message, saying that while he supports our endeavor he will not be joining us in person.” The major kept his voice perfectly level. “He assured me he is very busy making sure no one notices what’s going on here.”
Tina scowled. “Why is he so ready to miss out on all the action?”
“Because he’s not stupid,” said the major. “We’re going to be facing an unknown number of Greys, with unknown weapons. Add to that the arrival of the Elder Ones, and simple logic suggests not all of us are going to make it out of this alive.”
Tina fixed Boughton with a thoughtful look. “If you think the odds suck that badly, why are you and your people here?”
“Because it’s our duty,” said the major. “We still remember the soldiers we used to be.”
“Why did you become a mercenary?” said Daniel.
The major smiled briefly. “For the money, of course.”
“Of course,” said Daniel.
Boughton looked steadily at Daniel and Tina. “Mr. Dee wished me to explain why so few people ever try to summon the Elder Ones—apart from the obvious danger to our world. It seems the price of summoning is the death of the summoner. Only the willing sacrifice of the summoner’s life can lower the barriers between our reality and theirs.”
“Why would William agree to that?” said Tina.
“Because he’s lived too long, and he knows it,” said the major.
“What do you think the Elder Ones are?” said Daniel. “Aliens, space gods, or monsters from the great beyond?”
“That is way beyond my pay grade,” said the major. “Hopefully we’ll kill all the Greys before the summoning is completed, and then we’ll never need to know. Now, I have to make the rounds of my people and shout at them in an encouraging way. Because we only have one chance to get this right.”
“Hold it,” said Daniel. “What are we supposed to do?”
“Hold your ground, and guard the dimensional door behind you,” said the Major. “Once the Greys arrive Mr. Dee will close their door, so yours will be the only way out.”
Tina scowled. “I wanted to punch out some Greys.”
“Once the slaughter begins, I think you can expect a great many highly motivated aliens coming up these stairs,” said the major.
“Good,” said Daniel.
The major nodded briefly. “In my job, it’s often not clear who the good and bad guys are. It helps to be sure, for once.”
He set off back down the steps. Daniel looked after him, wondering if there was something else he should say, and then his attention was caught by a sudden blaze of light on the far side of the cavern.
“The Greys!” he shouted. “They’re here!”
A horde of leaping, scuttling things burst through a massive circle of dazzlingly bright light: tall spindly figures with skin the color of flesh that had been dead a long time. Their arms and legs had too many joints, their heads were too big, and their eyes were just patches of darkness. The Greys swarmed through their dimensional gate in wave after wave, and sudden beams of light leapt out from within the horde, illuminating the caves and galleries where the major’s people were waiting. The mercenaries were so badly dazzled they didn’t get off a single shot before ravening energy beams shot out from the Grey horde, and blew great holes in the cavern walls. Caves and galleries exploded, sending bodies and body parts flying through the air. The energy beams struck again and again, slamming home with merciless precision.
It was all over very quickly. Daniel never did see what happened to Major Boughton. The Greys kept firing until they were sure there was nothing left to fire at, and then the energy beams snapped off. Fires blazed out of caves and galleries all over the cavern walls. The Grey horde swept forward across the cavern floor and overran the circle of standing stones. Tina grabbed Daniel’s arm.
“How could the Greys know where to aim their guns?”
“Someone told them,” said Daniel. “They came through that dimensional gate already knowing exactly where their ambushers were. Someone here has betrayed us.”
He looked down at the standing stones. William Dee’s summoning never even got started. Two Greys were holding him firmly, with a long-fingered hand clapped over his mouth. William wasn’t even trying to fight them. He locked shocked, and lost.
“How do we stop this?” said Tina.
“We can’t,” said Daniel. “Even if we could get down there without being picked off by the energy beams, there’s just too many of them.”
“Then what are we going to do?” She was gripping his arm painfully hard now.
“We get the hell out of here,” Daniel said steadily. “We go back through the dimensional gate, and guard it from the other side. We call Patricia, and have her empty out the armory, arm all of Jekyll & Hyde Inc.’s people, and bring them to us. And we bring them back here, and lead them against the Greys. Because this is the only chance we have.”
“I’m afraid you’re not going anywhere,” said a familiar voice behind them.
Daniel and Tina spun round. Standing between them and the dimensional gate was Alan Diment. Except there was something wrong, something off, about the way he stood and the way he looked at them. As though he couldn’t bother to pretend anymore.
“Greys can look like anyone,” said the man who wasn’t Alan Diment. “I looked like this so I could move among you and learn your plans. I talked with William Dee and the major, and they told me everything I needed to know.” He showed them a brief and entirely inhuman smile. “I can’t believe you swallowed that story about me being immortal. I just used Grey technology to break my fall.”
“Then why did you kill Joyce?” said Daniel.
“Because she was there,” said the Grey Diment. “Because I wanted to keep you off-balance. Does it matter?”
“You can’t always have been Alan,” said Tina. “I would have known.”
“Would you?” said the Grey Diment. “We’re very good at showing people what we want them to see.” He gestured at the Greys on the cavern floor. “Your war is over. You never stood a chance. And now the summoning has been stopped, all that’s left is you.”
“You can’t replace us,” said Tina. “We’re not just people.”
“Our scientists are already busy unlocking the secrets of your Elixir,” said the Grey Diment. “Soon we’ll have a legion of Grey Hydes, and then we won’t need to work from the shadows anymore. We’ll just take what we want. You helped make that possible, by destroying all the aliens who might have been our competitors. I should say thank you, for all your help . . . but I don’t think I will.”
A strangely shaped gun appeared in his hand, and he fired a beam of shimmering energy at Tina. She let out the quietest of sighs, and collapsed bonelessly to the ground. Daniel started forward, only to stop abruptly as the Grey Diment turned the gun on him.
“She’s not dead, only sleeping. But when she wakes she’ll be lying on the sacrificial slab in the circle of stones. This is why I wanted you here. This is why our weapons didn’t target you, even though we knew where you were. William’s death would have opened a door to allow the Elder Ones into our reality—but the death of a Hyde will seal that way forever.
“Stay here, Daniel. I want you to watch, as the death of your beloved ensures our triumph. And don’t think you can come down and sneak among us, to rescue Tina. We have scanners in place that can detect a Hyde’s presence.”
“Why not just kill me now?” said Daniel.
“Because this is more fun,” said the Grey Diment. “I like to think of you watching, trying to come up with some last-minute plan to save the day, and finally despairing when you realize there’s nothing you can do. Sometimes I wonder if we’ve spent too long living among you people, but discovering a sense of humor has been absolutely delightful.
“Of course, you don’t have to stay here. You could go back through the dimensional door, and run to Jekyll & Hyde Inc. for help. But if you do, you give up all chance of saving Tina. So I think you’ll stay to the very last moment, hoping you’ll think of something . . . only to see all hope die as we kill the woman you love.
“You can leave, then. We’ll come and get you, when we have enough Grey Hydes to tear down Jekyll & Hyde Inc. Well, I’ve enjoyed our little chat, but I have so much to do. Goodbye, Daniel. Enjoy the show.”
Diment disappeared, replaced by a Grey alien. It picked Tina up, threw her effortlessly over its bony shoulder, and then moved carefully around Daniel, covering him all the time with its gun. And then it loped off down the steps to the cavern floor, leaving Daniel standing alone.
He’d never felt so helpless in his life. All his Hyde strength and speed were worthless. If he tried to go after the Grey it would hear him and stun him like it did Tina, and by the time he woke up it would be too late to save her. He had to be smarter than that.
He couldn’t go down to the cavern floor, because the Greys had something that would warn them of his presence. The only way to get down there . . . was to not be a Hyde. He reached inside his jacket and brought out the bottle of Elixir he’d brought with him. He unscrewed the cap and raised the bottle to his lips, and then hesitated. The Elixir wouldn’t just turn him back into a man, it would make him the weak and broken thing the monsters had made him. But there was no other way. Tina needed him. Everyone needed him.
And he had to do something.
He smiled suddenly, as he realized that everything he’d been through so far, with the Martians and the Bug-Eyed Monsters and the Reptiloids, had all been leading up to this. Fighting and suffering and pushing himself far beyond his old limits so he’d be strong enough to do this. And despite himself, despite everything, he laughed quietly.
He had to be Daniel Carter, to save the day.
He swallowed a good dose of the thick, oily liquid and his flesh seemed to melt, surging this way and that over his rapidly shrinking frame. He cried out in pain and horror as his body turned in upon itself, giving up the glory of being a Hyde for something much smaller. He dropped to his knees, shaking and shuddering. He finally was a man again. A poor, broken, crippled thing, again. Pain raged through him, shaking him like a dog shakes a rat—all the forgotten hurts of old injuries, and shattered bones that never properly healed. The monsters had broken him with malice aforethought because they were Frankensteins, and understood all the torments that flesh is heir to. He collapsed onto his side and curled into a ball, breathing harshly as he forced the pain back through an effort of will. He couldn’t have done that for himself—but he could do it for Tina.
After a while, the pain subsided to a more manageable level, and his breathing steadied. He pulled his knees in under him, and forced himself back onto his feet. He stood swaying, beads of sweat breaking out all over his face. His hands were trembling, and his leg muscles twitched and shuddered just from the strain of holding him up. He wondered what he looked like, and turned to study his reflection in the mirror on the wall.
Tall and painfully thin, a scarecrow of man looked back at him, withered away by constant pain and a lack of anything like health. His once handsome face was all bone and shadow, and his eyes were those of a dead man walking. His clothes hung loosely about him, meant for a much bigger frame. His back was crooked, his limbs were twisted, and he looked like one good breath of wind would blow him away. A man who had been hurt by professionals, who wanted to make sure he stayed hurt.
“Well,” said his reflection. “You look like something that was dug up and then hit over the head with the shovel. Not exactly the man who’s going to save the day.”
“Help me,” said Daniel.
“Why should I?” said his reflection.
“Because you’re the part of me that always tells me the truth,” said Daniel, “whether I want to hear it or not. How do I do this? How can I save Tina?”
“Forget being a Hyde,” said his reflection. “Forget fighting and winning. Slow and sneaky does it. Stick to the shadows, take your chances when you find them, and remember: it’s all about getting close enough to make a difference.”
Daniel’s reflection winked at him and then disappeared, taking the mirror with him.
Daniel considered the stone steps falling away before him. It was so long since he’d been this small broken thing that he’d forgotten how bad it was. Or perhaps he just hadn’t wanted to remember. He wanted to lie down and sleep, and never have to wake up again to this terrible life, but he didn’t have that luxury. Not while he was all there was to save Tina. He thought of how angry she would be, at having to be saved again, and that was enough to put a smile on his lips. He gathered what strength he had, and started down the steps.
Ready or not, here I come.
He winced at every impact of his feet on the unyielding stone, every step driving a spike of pain up his legs. Each movement was agony, and he had to struggle to keep himself moving. He couldn’t let himself think of how far he had to go, or how long it would take. He just lurched from one step to the next, like a scarecrow with broken legs.
He paused before a cave mouth that had been occupied by the major’s troops. All that remained were scattered bits and pieces, and a stench of burned meat. He grieved silently for fighting men whose names would never be known, and moved on. For a while, it seemed unseen presences walked with him, giving him what comfort and support they could. The ghosts of the fallen.
The steps seemed to go on forever.
When he finally reached the cavern floor, there were Greys everywhere. He stayed in the shadows, not moving. None of the aliens or their unknown machines reacted to his presence, because he wasn’t a Hyde. He was Daniel Carter, who still remembered a few useful things from his police training. He waited till a Grey came within reach, and then punched it viciously on the back of the neck. He felt as much as heard bones break, and the Grey collapsed. He dragged the body back into the shadows, and a quick search produced a gun similar to the one the Grey Diment had used on Tina. It felt good in his hand.
He looked out over the packed cavern floor. He couldn’t hope to sneak through that many Greys without being noticed; so he’d have to go round. He dropped to his hands and knees and crawled slowly along the cavern wall, always careful to stay in the shadows. The long journey hurt him more than descending the stone steps, and he had to grit his teeth to keep from crying out. Drops of sweat fell from his face to the floor. His bare hands tore and bled on the rough stone. Daniel didn’t need to look back to know he was leaving a trail of blood behind him.
He was tired, so horribly tired, but he used the pain to keep himself awake. He made himself concentrate on getting just a few feet farther, and a few feet more, because that meant he was getting closer to Tina. Finally, Daniel forced his aching head up, and saw the standing stones right ahead of him. Grey aliens danced and leapt around the circle of stones, in strange ungainly celebration. Dancing, to celebrate their long-awaited triumph. Daniel smiled slowly, at the thought of taking that away from them. Of making them pay for all the awful things they’d done, and the worse thing they’d made him do to himself.
Tina was lying on her back on the sacrificial stone. Her eyes were closed, but she was twitching and groaning as though some instinct was trying to force her awake. Daniel allowed himself a slow sigh of relief. He’d got there in time. He turned his head painfully slowly to see William Dee was standing beside the slab, two Greys holding him up as much as holding him in place. Shock and failure had dug deeper lines in his face, and left his eyes wide and vague.
On the opposite side of the slab stood another Grey. Daniel was sure he recognized something of Alan Diment in the way it held itself. Daniel stayed on his hands and knees, keeping very still, well back in the shadows. Daniel Carter had brought him this far; now he needed Daniel Hyde.
He eased a trembling hand inside his jacket, and carefully brought out his bottle of Elixir. There was still a fair bit left, and Daniel almost wept at the thought of losing his pain and being strong again. But even as Daniel Hyde, he knew he couldn’t fight off this many Greys to rescue Tina. He wouldn’t get half a dozen steps before one of them would shoot him down. He needed a plan, a strategy . . . but he had nothing.
And that was when a harsh familiar voice called him by name. Daniel’s head came up, and standing right in front of him was Fry, ghost butler of the Albion Club. An old man in an old-fashioned servant’s outfit, bent over by age and infirmity, or at least the memories of them. His deep-sunk eyes were sharp and fierce, and when he spoke his voice was cold and certain, without an inch of give in it.
“Well, stab me, look what the cat dragged in. You looked rough enough when you were a Hyde. I knew when I let you into the Albion it would only lead to trouble. Now here we are in the arsehole of the world, with His Nibs needing me to bail him out again.”
Daniel gestured to Fry to keep his voice down, but the ghost just kept talking.
“They can’t see or hear me. Only you. Unless I let them.” He smiled a terrible smile. “In a moment I will take my aspect upon me, and let them see what death is like as it goes walking through the world. And while they have no eyes for anything but me, you go Hyde again, wake up your girlfriend, and hold the Greys off while I join with William to complete the summoning. The Elder Ones will put the fear of God into these Grey bastards. Just the thought of them manifesting is enough to scare the crap out of me, and I’m dead. Come on, boy! Drink your magic potion; there’s work to be done.”
Daniel knocked back the Elixir, and then grinned like a wolf as flesh raged back and forth over his thickening bones. He surged to his feet, huge and powerful and every inch a Hyde: a predator in a world of prey. He nodded to Fry, who nodded easily back, and then strode out past the standing stones to show the Greys his true nature. Suddenly, his presence beat on the world like the tolling of some cold iron bell. Far more than a ghost, he brought death itself into the world, and everything that came after, and shoved it in the Greys’ faces. The aliens let out an awful sound and fell back in disarray, unable to cope with something so outside their experience.
Daniel burst into the circle of stones, his stolen gun held out before him. He shot the two Greys holding William Dee before they could react to his presence, and they crashed to the ground. William stared at his rescuer with wide shocked eyes.
“Finish the summoning!” Daniel yelled.
But William just stood there, struggling to pull his scattered wits together. Daniel grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him around, so he could see Fry manifesting to the Greys, and William’s mouth snapped shut as new purpose filled his eyes.
“I can do this!” he said. “Just buy me a little more time. If I can only find the strength . . .”
The ghost Fry turned his back on the trembling Greys, and walked back to stand before William.
“I’ll be your strength, my love. One last time.”
He walked inside William, and disappeared. William stood up straight, and launched into the ritual. His voice sounded out strong and fierce as he spoke the ancient words, and a great desolate cry went up from the surrounding Greys.
Daniel sat Tina up on the sacrificial slab, and put his face right next to hers.
“Tina, it’s me.”
Her eyes snapped open, and she smiled at him. “Took you long enough.”
“You would not believe what I had to go through to get here,” said Daniel.
“I’ll pin a medal on you later.” She jumped down off the slab. “Let’s go kick some Grey arse.”
The Grey that had been Alan Diment was already moving forward, no longer held at bay by the ghost Fry’s presence. It aimed its gun at Daniel and fired, but he ducked under the shimmering energy beam and launched himself at the Grey. He could have used his own gun, but that wouldn’t have been enough. He needed to make this personal. He got in close before the Grey could fire again, and punched his fist right through the alien’s chest and out its back. Black blood spouted. The alien stood very still. Daniel jerked his fist out and the Grey collapsed, as though that had been all that was holding it up. Daniel looked down at it, and kicked it in the face.
“For you, Joyce.”
He grabbed up the gun the Grey had dropped and tossed it to Tina. She snatched it out of midair, and as Daniel went to join her she produced something else from an inner pocket. Daniel recognized it immediately as the device she’d taken from Patricia in the armory.
“I don’t think this is a weapon,” said Tina. “Given that it has a big red button on it, I’m guessing it’s a bomb.”
“Hit the button,” said Daniel. “And then throw it as far as you can. And let’s hope it’s got a decent time delay.”
Tina laughed, hit the button, and threw the thing out over the Greys’ heads. They looked up to follow its trajectory, and when it exploded its light filled the whole cavern. A great blast of force tore hundreds of aliens apart, and the following shock wave sent hundreds more crashing to the ground. Daniel and Tina had tucked themselves away behind separate standing stones, but were still hard pressed to keep their footing.
When they emerged, the possessed William was coming to the end of the summoning. The surviving Greys pressed forward from all sides. Daniel and Tina opened fire with their stolen guns, dropping alien after alien, but the guns soon ran out of whatever powered them, and the Hydes threw them away. Tina put on her knuckle-dusters, and winked at Daniel. And then they went forward to meet the Grey horde.
There were only so many ways the aliens could enter the circle, and Daniel and Tina guarded them all. She struck down every Grey that came before her, crushing skulls and smashing in chests, while Daniel tore off long gray arms and used them to smash in Grey heads. The numbers seemed endless, but Daniel didn’t give a damn. He was a Hyde, doing what he was born to do, and glorying in it.
And then William Dee shouted the last word of the summoning, and everything changed.
The Elder Ones arrived.
The Greys stopped where they were, every head raised to stare in horror at what hovered above them. The Elder Ones filled the whole top half of the cavern, vast and powerful, their great wings beating on the air. Impossibly beautiful, they shone like the sun, their faces full of a terrible understanding, and a cold implacable justice.
Oh my God, thought Daniel. They’re angels. The Elder Ones are angels.
The Greys cowered and fell back, like wayward children whose parents had unexpectedly returned. Daniel made himself stare at the Elder Ones, despite the blinding light they radiated. He had paid for this moment in blood and suffering. The Elder Ones looked on the Greys, and every single one of them disappeared. Not a trace remained of the living or the dead, in all the great cavern. And then a great voice sounded in Daniel’s head.
We have sent them back to their own world. Along with a warning, to stay away from Earth—or else. We only have so much mercy in us. We will also pass this message on to any other aliens who have taken an undue interest in the Earth.
And then the Elder Ones were gone, and the world seemed that much smaller.
Daniel looked at Tina, and she nodded to show she’d heard them too. Daniel turned to William, but he was lying dead on the stone floor. The summoning had taken its price. But just for a moment Daniel thought he saw two handsome young men dressed to the height of 1920s fashion, walking out of the stones hand in hand. Daniel turned back to Tina.
“It’s over. Let’s get out of here.”
They headed back to the stone steps, and the dimensional door, leaning heavily on each other.
“I knew you’d come and save me,” said Tina.
“And you’re not mad at me?” said Daniel.
“Well,” said Tina, “don’t make a habit of it.”
They walked companionably together.
“What are we going to tell Patricia?” said Tina.
“Beats me,” said Daniel. “She’s never going to believe this one.”
“Hell,” said Tina, “I was here, and I don’t believe it.”