The Punks: Chapter 1- Spike
Chapter 1: Spike (excerpt)
This is an excerpt of the book "The tale of the Punks" which describes how the Punk faction has been created, by who and in which circumstances. Metaisland™ is an unique concept and story. The book will be soon released in Amazon and other book stores. The Punks have the ability to understand the crystals and communicate with them. They are controlling the drug (made from the red crypto crystals) trade, prostitution and the Cyber City area. The book is also about addictions, losing the contact with reality.
‘Wow.’
Spike couldn’t believe what he had found. Just a stone’s throw from the Cyber Area, at the base of a mountain that overlooked the complex, he’d struck gold. Hidden within a stand of trees, was a group of enormous red crystals, all five as big as a man. He’d been out searching for more of the valuable gems but could never have dreamed that such huge examples existed. Most were no larger than a coin. Spike and his opportunistic compatriots had transformed the crystals into a unique and very profitable drug. And now he was looking at a lifetime’s supply.
But his sharp mind was moving quickly. How could he even move these things? Where would they store them? Would they be able to break down and use such large crystals?
Events on the island were moving quickly. Since the dramatic return of Dale Fox from the Wild Zone and the attack of the mutants, Wolf Chang and his security team were even more paranoid and alert. He would need to be clever and very, very careful.
Kneeling down in front of one of the huge crystals, Spike stared at the gleaming, depthless red. An experienced and well-qualified chemist, he had always maintained an interest in minerals. He was in no doubt that a unique substance had been discovered on the island. Assuming the world one day returned to normality, he wanted to be the one to exploit the crystals, not Wolf Chang. After all, how many billions does one person need?
Spike suddenly heard a crunching sound behind him. Turning round and standing up, he saw a small tree ripped out of the ground and tossed aside. When he saw what had done it, Spike knew he was in serious trouble. The island’s security team didn’t often unveil its most powerful weapons but he guessed tough times called for tough measures. Standing there, towering over him, was a warbot. Grey and white in colour, the robot glared down at him, glowing dots for eyes. He knew that the mechanical arms were immensely powerful and that they could also generate energy pulses.
The warbot was not alone. Standing behind it were four black-clad security and their chief, Mark Bryce. Injured during the mutant attack, he took a limping step forward.
‘Clear out of there, Clark,’ he ordered, using Spike’s second name.
As far as Bryce, Chang and the rest of the bosses were concerned, he was just a chemist. They had no idea about his profitable side-line.
‘Now wait a minute,’ said Spike. ‘You need to be careful around these things. We don’t know-’
‘I told you to clear out of there!’ shouted Bryce, pulling his handgun from its holster and aiming it at Spike.
The warbots possessed a basic A.I. and the machine now raised one metal arm, emulating Bryce.
‘Pulsars ready,’ said the warbot in its deep, emotionless growl.
‘All right, all right,’ said Spike. He didn’t trust Bryce and his thugs to treat his incredible discovery with respect but he wasn’t about to get vaporised.
After he walked out of the trees, Bryce guided him to one side. Determined to take a last look back at the crystals, Spike saw a strange flash emanating from them.
‘Threat detected,’ growled the warbot. ‘Taking offensive action.’
‘No!’ shouted Spike.
Even Bryce tried to yell something but by then the stupid warbot had already opened fire.
Just as the green pulsar struck the first crystal, a beam of red energy came back the other way. The beam struck the chest of the robot, blowing off an armoured panel in a shower of sparks.
‘Damage non-critical,’ announced the warbot.
The blast had blown it back a few metres but it stayed up and now advanced towards its new enemy. ‘Taking offensive action.’
Along with Bryce and his team, Spike was still backing away from the conflict. He knew he should have turned and run but there was something grimly fascinating about this confrontation between non-human entities.
However, the battle did not last long. As soon as the warbot attempted a second attack, the crystals began to shimmer and change. They seemed to lose their physical form and soon resembled nothing more than a cloud of red. From this cloud came what looked like a lightning bolt. The second impact upon the warbot caused a concussive blast that knocked the humans off their feet. Spike found himself lying in the middle of a fern, the others close by. None seemed seriously injured and they continued to watch as they struggled to their feet.
The stream of energy had struck the warbot in the head and seemed to cause some kind of malfunction. It spun around, engulfed by a wreath of red, then suddenly stopped. Eyes glowing, the robot turned towards Spike, Bryce and the security team.
‘That’s not good,’ said one of the men.
The warbot raised an arm and unleashed a red bolt that streaked through the air. Its unfortunate target was one of the security operatives. The poor man fell back against a tree but only the top half of his body remained. The rest of him had been disintegrated. Spike reckoned that he would have at least died quickly.
Bryce dived behind another tree and aimed his weapon at the warbot. He held his finger down and Spike watched as bullets pinged off the robot’s head. It was still glowing red and seemed utterly unaffected by the attack.
‘There’s a deactivator switch to the rear!’ shouted Bryce. ‘Try to get behind it.’
While he and the others kept the warbot occupied, one man crawled through the undergrowth.
‘Don’t!’ warned Spike. ‘You can’t win this!’
He had taken refuge behind a vine-covered log and – though he hated the security team – he did admire their courage. Unfortunately, it was all for nothing. The warbot had obviously detected the sneaky operative. It stepped forward, picked him up by the ankle and threw him high into the air. He cartwheeled through branches and vines and came down on his ankle, which snapped noisily.
‘Get it!’ yelled another of Bryce’s team, eager for revenge. He and a second man jumped out and aimed at the warbot’s head. Numerous bullets seemed to hit but two more bolts leaped from the machine’s hands. The destructive power was so great that the men basically disappeared. All that remained was half a gun, a boot, and a few other fragments of metal. The patch of grass beneath them had been set on fire.
Spike saw that Bryce was now staying behind the tree, not even showing himself. The security chief was ignoring the man with the broken ankle, who was pleading for help. Spike decided he would wait for Bryce to strike, then use the distraction to escape.
But when he looked back at the warbot, it had become still. The red glow had disappeared and the arms now hung limply by its side.
‘What’s going on, chief?’ shouted the injured man.
Bryce watched the warbot for a minute or so, then slowly advanced towards it, his gun at the ready.
‘Damn thing deactivated itself.’ He looked back at where the crystals had been. There was no trace of them. ‘What the hell?’
As the injured man crawled towards them, Bryce pulled out a radio.
‘Bryce to central,’ he said, stamping down on burning grass to put the flames out. ‘Four men dead. Matheson’s injured. Send a security squad and a medical team to section twenty-three.’
As Spike stood up from behind the log, Bryce turned and aimed the gun at him.
‘You, help Matheson over there. You’re coming with us.’