Read Online The Cagliostro Chronicles II: Conflagration by Ralph L. Angelo Jr. - Free Book Online Page B

itself. It was illuminated with landing lights along both the roof of the manmade, or in this case, alien made cave as well as on the floor. It seemed to be a fairly large cave. One that was big enough for at least medium sized ships to land in.
    Before either man could say another word a small two man flyer zipped through the air right below them and entered the impromptu landing bay . An instant later the hole in the mountain’s side disappeared again.
    “How come we didn’t see that until just now, and where’d it go?” Eddie asked.
    Red shrugged. “Probably for the same reason they didn’t see us. They’ve got it cloaked somehow.”
    “I figured as much ,” Eddie admitted. Then he turned back to Red, “Now what do we do?”
    “ We get back to Mark and the others and tell them what we discovered. The enemy is living right under our noses, inside a hollowed out volcano. And from the look of things they have already established a forward base on this world. One that’s within striking distance of Earth.”
 
     

     

Chapter 10
     
     
     
     
    “Their base is inside the volcano,” Mark repeated.
    Eddie and Red looked at each other, then back at Mark and nodded.
    “At least we know where it is now,” Mark commented as he slid back into his chair at the conference table.
    “That’s not going to make things any easier ,” Red added.
    “No , it’s not. At least the ore and chemicals you managed to acquire seems to be exactly what we need, according to Dan. The final repair parts and coolant are being manufactured as we speak.”
    “How long until we’re off this mudball?” Eddie asked.
    “It should only be another day or two at worst .”
    “Yeah , but then we have to get by that G’Kor class monster out there, the Agalum’s planet killer. That’s not going to be easy you know,” Red advised.
    “I didn’t think it would be, Red. But what choice do we have? We can’t stay here forever . The natives already know we’re here and while they are friendly now, all it takes is one of them getting captured and then interrogated for whatever reason and bam, there goes our secret.”
    “That’s for sure. I guess it’ s better to get out of here and take our chances out there.” Eddie waved his hand toward the ceiling and the depths of space beyond.
    “I don’t know about ‘better’, but it’s more of the devil we know as opposed to the one we don’t .”
    “Why? You think there may be more to this place than just a base?” Red asked with a furrowed brow.
    “It is possible, Red. Though sometimes the most obvious reason is all the reason you need.”
    “Yeah, understood ,” the big security chief acknowledged.
    “So what do you want us to do in the meantime?” Eddie inquired.
    “System checks and training exercises. Let’s make sure everyone is in top shape for our mad escape from this world.”
    “I guess that’s one way of putting it ,” Eddie muttered.
    “That’s what it’s going to end up being, Eddie. A mad rush out of here. I’m sure well have plenty to contend with on the way back up to the stars.”
    “You know that’s probably an understatement.” Eddie smiled.
    “I’m well aware of that , Mr. DiGenovese.”
    Red held up his hand to silence both of the other men. “Now that that stuff is out of the way, I have the important question. How’s Ari?”
    Mark sighed and deflated. He looked at the tabletop, then back toward his two friends. “She’s the same. Not good. Dan’s signal blocker did not work or maybe it’s not a beamed in signal and maybe she’s really been possessed. I don’t know. We have to keep her sedated, otherwise that thing inside her begins to rave like a lunatic under a full moon. But how long do I really want to do that for? This gets worse and worse.” Mark shook his head, exasperated.
    Eddie leaned forward. “What? Do you really think this is any worse than anything else we’ve faced the past few years? C’mon, Boss, think about it.