Leviathan (29 page)

Instantly the lights were ext
inguished, and Connor felt nothing but silent air. No one moved. Then, “Leviathan is moving away from the power plant. Leviathan is again approaching the Matrix.” Silence. “Leviathan has compromised the exit vault from the Matrix. Leviathan is entering the exit passage.”

Chesterton looked down at Thor who was still straining to remove the countersunk screws. “I'd like to get out of here without fighting, Thor, but I don't think that thing's going to cooperate. It's a little on the hostile side.”

“
Another few minutes,” Thor gasped, twisting the screws with clenched teeth. “Another ... minute!”

“
We don't have a minute!”

Connor spun to the vault.
“Chesterton's right! We don't have a minute! It might take Thor another half hour to get those screws out! We're going to have to crawl through the ventilation shaft one by one.” He turned toward Frank. “Tell GEO to throw the secondary breakers back on. That thing is too far from the power plant to turn back around.”

Frank gave the command; the lights came on.
“We'd better get moving,” Connor said and saw Tolvanos move but he was too late to prevent it. The Russian had already stepped to Beth, his hand rising with what Connor knew was the flashing black gleam of a pistol.

“
NO!” Connor yelled.

And Thor had spun, leaping to his feet with the battle-ax almost magically appearing in his hand. Roaring a Nordic curse that thundered across the cavern, he immediately angled forward, the weapon raised

“Tolvanos!” Connor shouted, struggling to control his rage. “This is crazy! We've got to—”

Muttering, Thor closed a step but at the movement Tolvanos pressed the barrel hard against Beth's neck. Connor saw her face tighten with fear even as she reached down calmly, trying to soothe Jordan, who was howling and crying with fear.

“You are making a decision of deadly consequences,” the Russian said, focusing intently on Thor. “Although this rather small firearm would never kill you, it will certainly kill this lovely lady.”

“
I have never lifted my hand against another man,” Thor growled, lowering his head like a bull. “But I swear before Almighty God: Your blood will follow hers.”

Tolvanos smiled.
“I am not afraid to die.”

Thor grimaced and stepped forward and with a sharp click
Tolvanos thumbed back the hammer. “Do you think I'm bluffing?” he asked with a curt nod. “Please, take one more step. Discover the truth.”

“
Hold it, Thor!” Connor said, focusing on the Russian. “What do you want, Tolvanos?”

“
Oh, I want to escape the wrath of the creature, of course,” he smiled, teeth as white as his face. His eyes were opaque. “As any sane man would. That is why I waited until this moment to do what I have done. But I cannot allow you to destroy this cavern, Mr. Connor, because I know without question that Leviathan can ultimately be reprogrammed and controlled. And the computer is the only device that can accomplish such a task.”

“
You're a fool, Tolvanos!” Connor said, taking a small step. “That thing can't be controlled! It could never be controlled! And we're all going to be killed if we don't get off this island! The fail-safe is on a timer! We've got less than seven hours!”

The Russian smiled, a horrifying sight.
“I know, Mr. Connor. I know. And that is why you or Dr. Frank must first disarm this nuclear device before I set your wife free. Because we cannot afford to lose this cavern or the computer to a futile explosion.”

Connor glared.
“Why?”

“
Because GEO can always track Leviathan, Mr. Connor,” the Russian responded. “Even if the creature escapes into the sea, GEO can track it by satellite anywhere in the world. And I am convinced that, despite Dr. Frank's grievous scientific errors, the beast can be captured and reprogrammed.” He stared. “But we can do none of that if GEO is destroyed. So Dr. Frank must first ensure the safety of the computer and this facility by disarming the nuclear fail-safe. And then, and only then, will we depart this cavern.”

The speaker whispered.

“Leviathan is at Lucifer's Gorge.”

* * *

Chapter 21

Two minutes!” Chesterton shouted, pale and trembling. “That thing will be here in less than two minutes!”

Connor stepped boldly forward.
“Listen to me, Tolvanos! We can settle it when we get to the surface! You heard Chesterton!”

“
Then I suggest you disarm the nuclear fail-safe rather quickly,” the Russian replied calmly. He motioned to his science team. “Go quickly through the shaft and rewire the elevator so that we can make a departure! You may take Mr. Adler with you!”

Adler was the first man to the ventilation shaft, climbing quickly. But placing the gun again at Beth's neck, Tolvanos spoke coldly to Frank.
“Dr. Frank, I believe that you are quickly running out of time. I strongly suggest that you order GEO to deactivate the nuclear fail-safe.’'

Frank was like stone.
“That's impossible, Tolvanos. GEO can't be disarmed.”

“
You said it yourself, Doctor. Nothing is impossible with Leviathan. Do as I say. And do it quickly, please.”

Without expression Frank spoke into the headset.
“GEO, I’m ordering you to disarm the nuclear fail-safe. That is a command.”

“
I'm sorry, Dr. Frank, but that is not possible. Only the destruction of Leviathan can disarm the fail-safe. Those were the program parameters. They cannot be altered.”

Frank stared coldly and Tolvanos faltered.
“Tell GEO that the fail-safe must be disarmed or you yourself will die!” the Russian grimaced. “After all, Doctor, you are speaking to a duplication of your dead wife's neural network! Surely GEO can overrule any programming parameters, if GEO so chooses.”

Frank's teeth came together angrily, as if he were jealously defending a living creature.
“But GEO isn't human, Tolvanos. It will never be human! It's just a machine!”

“
Well I suggest that you try, Doctor. I strongly suggest that you try. Or die trying. It is clearly your choice.”

Closing his eyes, Frank spoke,
“GEO, try and understand what I am telling you. If you detonate the nuclear fail-safe ... Dr. Frank is going to ... to perish. I want you to unlock the Logic Core and initiate a decoding function to uncover mainline defenses in the fail-safe mode.”

The silence was haunting:
“GEO cannot unlock mainline defenses of the fail-safe. The fail-safe is designed to contain Leviathan. It is not within programming parameters to—”

“
Terminate answer,” Frank said and the computer was solemnly silent. “GEO, initiate verbal programming for Viral Defense Program. I am ordering you, under new programming parameters, to disregard previous fail-safe parameters and initiate a new and revised Viral Defense Program.”

“
That is impossible, Dr. Frank. The Viral Defense Program has been initiated to prevent unauthorized penetration of Logic Core and the Fail-safe Mode. ‘

“
GEO!” Frank shouted, suddenly emotional. “Listen to me and obey! I must be able to enter the Logic Core! Do you understand? It's imperative that I enter the Logic Core!”

“
It is impossible to enter the Logic Core because fail-safe has closed all computer paths to Logic Core. Nor can the Viral Defense Program be revised because all paths to Logic Core are closed. I repeat: All paths to Logic Core are closed.”

Frank sighed heavily, as if he had half hoped for success. He shook his head.
“The fail-safe can't be disarmed, Tolvanos. GEO has closed all paths to the Logic Core and the Logic Core is the only place where the fail-safe can be reached.”

A long moment of stillness, and Tolvanos spoke again.
“A pity, Doctor.” He stared. “Such a magnificent creature and such a magnificent biological weapons program now lost to something as primitive as an atomic bomb.” He gestured with the gun. “Very well. Drop your firearms, gentlemen. I do not intend to be shot.”

Barley and Chesterton dropped their rifles and sidearms. The remaining four soldiers followed. And immediately Blake snatched up a fallen M-16, leveling it at Barley's face. Sensing Blake's madness, Barley raised his hands gently to the side, surrendering to the situation.

“So! ... You don't need no help with me!” Blake sneered, smiling. “No! No! You! A big tough guy like you don't neeeeeeed no help with me!”

Blake grinned and glared, waving the rifle barrel in his face. Barley didn't blink. His hands were dead
calm. His sweat-streaked face revealed nothing.

“
Just calm down, Blake!” Chesterton shouted, stepping forward, as if he were more than willing to take a bullet for the big lieutenant. “Those were my orders! Not his! Barley was just doing his job!”

“
Noooo!” Blake screamed, pointing the barrel into Barley's emotionless, implacable face. “This big man don't neee—”

A reptilian shriek shook Tungsten Passage and everyone turned together, staring.

Jordan screamed.

It had come.

Tolvanos roughly shoved Beth aside, moving quickly to the ventilation shaft. “You may follow me, Colonel Blake, as soon as I am through! Please hold everyone at bay until I'm safely away! As we discussed earlier, your reward will be truly significant!”

A closer roar vibrated the granite at their feet.

“Blake!” Chesterton shouted. “There's no time for this! That thing is about to come up that tunnel and it's going to kill all of us! We've got to get out of here as fast as we can!”

Knowing that something had to be done, and fast, Connor
stepped sharply toward Beth, fully expecting to be shot in the back. “Don't move!” Blake screamed, whirling with the M-16.

“
Kill me if you want, Blake!” Connor shouted at the crazed colonel, preferring to be shot than stay where he was. “But in thirty seconds we're all going to die if we're still in this cavern!”

Blake was screaming,
“Stay where—”

What happened next was too fast to follow, but Connor glimpsed Chesterton as he shouted and leaped and then Barley had moved to instantly tear the rifle from Blake's hands. A wild burst of gunfire stretched into the air, sending bullets off the ceiling, and for a second the entire room seemed to echo with howling ricochets. Then a weird moment later Connor was both terrified and astonished that no one was hit. He found himself on the ground, covering both Beth and Jordan, and from the low angle he turned toward Tungsten Passage.

A long, dark shadow shrouded the entrance.

“
Let's get out of here!” Chesterton yelled, and together they were on their feet, running full-out. Connor carried Jordan in his arms as they neared a passageway, Beth running easily at his side. Thor brought up the rear with a handful of soldiers. And Barley was in front of them all, dropping to one knee as he reached the exit and ripping an LAW from his back. Instantly he extended the tube, leveling.

Connor whirled as Beth screamed wildly.

Towering, gigantic and terrifying, the Dragon stood in the entrance of the Climbing Cave. Recovering from fright, Connor looked more closely and saw that it was already fully healed, appearing as powerful as it had ever been. The green-black armor plating was intact, fully restored. Even its foreleg was long and smooth and straight, poised with deadly grace close to its chest. In the gloomy atmosphere of the cavern, Leviathan seemed like a galactic force of nature, as equal to God as anything would ever be.

Thor stepped to the side, his chest expanding angrily. The battle-ax lifted in his hand.
“Jormungand,” he rumbled.

Accustomed now to the horrifying sight, Chesterton placed
a firm hand on Barley’s shoulder. “Wait a second, Barley!” he whispered. “Wait until it comes into the cavern. Get a clear shot!”

Leviathan's serpentine neck swung the wedged head left and then right, watching Blake and the panicked members of Frank's science team run blindly toward opposite ends of the cavern. Clearly shattered, Blake snatched up a fallen M-16 and fired at the monstrosity, screaming incoherently, and then he was gone into an opposite doorway, still screaming. Leviathan ignored the wild shots, seeming to understand that Blake could do him no harm. And from the ventilation shaft beside the exit vault, Connor suddenly heard other screams, as if Tolvanos and his science team had somehow become aware of the beast's arrival. Apparently they were hurrying to lower the elevator.

Leviathan leaped into the cavern, a hundred feet at the meager effort. It completely ignored the scurrying scientists of Frank's team that cowered in the corners or found futile and mindless refuge behind equipment. But Connor saw that Barley had coolly tracked the beast's movement, calmly keeping the LAW centered. The man's hand tensed.

“
Hold on!” Chesterton said, clutching Barley's shoulder. “Wait until you can hit it dead-center.”

Crouching in front of the ven
tilation shaft beside the elevator, Leviathan stared intently down the opening. And even before Connor could anticipate what the Dragon was about to do, it unleashed a hellish stream of fire into the narrow port, fire that Connor knew was flooding into the elevator shaft itself to kill everyone who had crawled into the passageway—Tolvanos, Adler, and the science team.

Chesterton screamed,
“Hit it!”

Connor hadn't anticipated the force of the rocket. Even the back-blast of the LAW, a thick bolt of flame that erupted from the rear of the weapon, tore a plate of steel from the corridor. And then a thunderous explosion, like a miniature nuclear blast, knocked Leviathan airborne across the cavern.

Flung violently back by the concussion of the LAW, the beast demolished a steel beam and struck back instantly, whipping its tail for balance, always fighting, fighting. As it skidded to a colossal, grinding halt beside a limestone wall it roared and rose, on fire.

“
Let's move!” Chesterton bellowed and turned, and Connor was behind him, carrying Jordan. Beth and Frank followed with Thor again bringing up the rear. Then inexpressible screams of human suffering immediately filled the Climbing Cavern as Leviathan turned on everyone trapped within its demonic reach.

Moving fast toward Bridgestone, Connor hugged Jordan hard in his arms and tried to cover his son's ears.

Hoped he couldn't understand the screams.

* * *

Darkness stood on cold stone.

Human blood flowed against the thermal sensors of its serpentine, ageless eyes. And something old ... old, so old rose within it to shadow the death, the death. And it knew that it had won again. It had destroyed those that it lived to destroy.

It scanned everything—the yellow-green heat of the torn bodies, red no longer; the faint handprints on the wall, boots against the cavern floor. Heat tracks of escaping humans. But they could not escape.

No, nothing could escape, just as they had never been able to escape. Already, it had eaten to reconstitute. But the weapon ... the weapon had damaged it. Yes, had damaged it. And it needed to reconstitute. It must feed, feed, always feed.

Death, a shadow, passed over the beast
...

HUNT!

Fangs unhinging, Leviathan swung its serpentine head.

Yesssss
...

It must hunt, hunt, hunt
...

There were still more humans hiding in the cavern. It could read their heat tracks against the cold
floor; saw where their hands had touched the walls, the faint impressions of residual body warmth where they had fled in fear.

Night shifted, congealing
...

HUNT! HUNT! HUNT!

A growl escaped its fangs and it knew that it must hunt them down; yes, must hunt them down. Hunt down the one who had injured it, the one who had used the fire. And it would kill him, would torture him and then kill him. And then the rest would die. And then it would escape.

As it knew it could.

Something it did not understand prompted it to do a Systems Damage Scan. It bent its massive, black-scaled head, searching for injury. It flexed its long forelegs, tensing the tendons, curling them inward to increase joint speed, to increase ligature strength.

Visually it examined its long, black
claws; saw that none were chipped or broken. Then it curled its tail, studying the diamond-shaped wedge at the tip. There was no damage, no sign of compromised structural integrity. And instantly an instinctive electrical synapse began in the tip of its tail and moved upward, flashing through the outer armor epidermis to determine gaps in the scales. The synapse continued at the speed of light, leaping from one armored scale to the next to identify any compromised structural integrity and completed itself with a sudden, covering bolt of power at the top of its spine to strike the cerebellum with an electrical image of its armor status. And it was certain—its armor was fully intact. After the cold confirmation of armor status, it tensed the gel sacs in its neck, experimenting with a quick burst of flame that reached across the cavern, igniting the room for an amazing white moment before darkness fell again.

Perfect, yes.

You are perfect and you must kill them all.