Read Online The Crocodile's Jaws: An Alice in Deadland Adventure (Alice, No.7) by Mainak Dhar - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mainak Dhar
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out of having bought into the Central
Committee's propaganda, others to get power or loot. But these men were
slaughtering humans and Biters alike at random, perhaps under the influence of
the drugs that had not just made their skins like those of reptiles, but also
made their minds more reptilian than human.
Before they proceeded, Alice wanted to get a better bearing
on their location. She had not turned on her tablet for three days, and when
she turned it on to take a look at maps of the area, there were at least a
dozen messages from Arjun and Danish back at Wonderland, all asking Alice to
get in contact as soon as she could. Alice immediately tapped on the icon to
contact them on a video link, and silently thanked Zeus and the Central
Committee for having created a satellite-based communication system which Alice
and her friends had inherited after their victory in the Deadland. How it all
worked was a mystery for Alice, as unlike teens before the Rising, she had
grown up in a world with no mobile phones or Internet, but Danish seemed to
know how to keep it running, and with the US Homeland now under the control of
General Konrath and his forces, the old Internet was slowly but surely being
revived.
Danish's face appeared on the screen. He forced a smile, but
his eyes were creased with worry. Despite not having spoken to Alice in so many
days, there was no greeting.
'What's wrong?'
'General Konrath is dead.'
The words hit Alice like a sledgehammer. Konrath had gone
from being a writer before the Rising, to a guerrilla leader fighting Zeus and
the Executive Committee, and then the first President of the free United States
once the Homeland had been liberated. Alice had been there fighting side by side
with his forces in an attempt to hunt down the nuclear-armed Snark missiles
which the Executive Committee had threatened to unleash on Wonderland after
they had destroyed Shanghai. She had seen the loyalty he inspired, and how
despite the power he had at his disposal, he had used that power not to become
a tyrant, but to try and reconstruct his nation into the free, mighty and
prosperous country it had once been. She didn't know how to react to the sudden
news, and was silent as Danish continued.
'He had a heart attack four days ago. They have a new
President in the Homeland, some general called Robertson.'
Alice took it all in, trying to understand all the
implications.
'Does it change anything for us?'
'Not that we can see so far. Their supply flights still come
in with spare parts for the farm machines and to take back crops and the tinned
food our factory's churning out. The folks here who came from the Homeland seem
worried though. Seems Robertson had a reputation of sorts. He was a diehard
Executive Committee supporter, and defected only a few years ago to the
resistance. He of course claimed he knew nothing of the Executive Committee's
real agenda, but I get the sense not too many people trust him. Anyways, he
wants to talk to you urgently. He says there's something you must help out with.'
John and Zohar were watching Alice in silence, their
emotions very different. John had served the United States of America before
the Rising, and to know that his old country was now emerging again from
darkness brought on a strange mixture of nostalgia and regret. Nostalgia from
remembering the life he had before the Rising, and regret at not having been a
part of the struggle his people had waged for so many years. Zohar on the other
hand knew nothing of the nations of old, and it boggled his mind just how vast the
world must be, and how magical the instrument in Alice's hand seemed to be.
Alice brought up the link to connect to General Konrath's
office and in a few seconds an unfamiliar man appeared on the screen. He was
old, with grey hair and lines across his face, but was still lean and handsome.
He wore a military uniform with medals and stripes across his chest.
'Alice, I have been so anxious to speak to you. I'm
Committee's propaganda, others to get power or loot. But these men were
slaughtering humans and Biters alike at random, perhaps under the influence of
the drugs that had not just made their skins like those of reptiles, but also
made their minds more reptilian than human.
Before they proceeded, Alice wanted to get a better bearing
on their location. She had not turned on her tablet for three days, and when
she turned it on to take a look at maps of the area, there were at least a
dozen messages from Arjun and Danish back at Wonderland, all asking Alice to
get in contact as soon as she could. Alice immediately tapped on the icon to
contact them on a video link, and silently thanked Zeus and the Central
Committee for having created a satellite-based communication system which Alice
and her friends had inherited after their victory in the Deadland. How it all
worked was a mystery for Alice, as unlike teens before the Rising, she had
grown up in a world with no mobile phones or Internet, but Danish seemed to
know how to keep it running, and with the US Homeland now under the control of
General Konrath and his forces, the old Internet was slowly but surely being
revived.
Danish's face appeared on the screen. He forced a smile, but
his eyes were creased with worry. Despite not having spoken to Alice in so many
days, there was no greeting.
'What's wrong?'
'General Konrath is dead.'
The words hit Alice like a sledgehammer. Konrath had gone
from being a writer before the Rising, to a guerrilla leader fighting Zeus and
the Executive Committee, and then the first President of the free United States
once the Homeland had been liberated. Alice had been there fighting side by side
with his forces in an attempt to hunt down the nuclear-armed Snark missiles
which the Executive Committee had threatened to unleash on Wonderland after
they had destroyed Shanghai. She had seen the loyalty he inspired, and how
despite the power he had at his disposal, he had used that power not to become
a tyrant, but to try and reconstruct his nation into the free, mighty and
prosperous country it had once been. She didn't know how to react to the sudden
news, and was silent as Danish continued.
'He had a heart attack four days ago. They have a new
President in the Homeland, some general called Robertson.'
Alice took it all in, trying to understand all the
implications.
'Does it change anything for us?'
'Not that we can see so far. Their supply flights still come
in with spare parts for the farm machines and to take back crops and the tinned
food our factory's churning out. The folks here who came from the Homeland seem
worried though. Seems Robertson had a reputation of sorts. He was a diehard
Executive Committee supporter, and defected only a few years ago to the
resistance. He of course claimed he knew nothing of the Executive Committee's
real agenda, but I get the sense not too many people trust him. Anyways, he
wants to talk to you urgently. He says there's something you must help out with.'
John and Zohar were watching Alice in silence, their
emotions very different. John had served the United States of America before
the Rising, and to know that his old country was now emerging again from
darkness brought on a strange mixture of nostalgia and regret. Nostalgia from
remembering the life he had before the Rising, and regret at not having been a
part of the struggle his people had waged for so many years. Zohar on the other
hand knew nothing of the nations of old, and it boggled his mind just how vast the
world must be, and how magical the instrument in Alice's hand seemed to be.
Alice brought up the link to connect to General Konrath's
office and in a few seconds an unfamiliar man appeared on the screen. He was
old, with grey hair and lines across his face, but was still lean and handsome.
He wore a military uniform with medals and stripes across his chest.
'Alice, I have been so anxious to speak to you. I'm
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