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November 23rd, 2005
Futuristicals #3
Glub-Glub
A children’s novel
By: Z. J. Strickland
Chapter Negative One (I mean One)
Why negative? Because this is an under story. Well, Sarah left off telling you about Electdium.
But… It all started when we walked through the abandoned street and we checked out the only house there. There were blue blotches leading to a giant door, where there was a swirling vortex and a man there. The man revealed himself as the time master. He said that we needed to go to the future to save the entire world from turning into a wasteland with only a castle filled with creatures that only the Gonolys would be safe from.
That’s where we are now.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Electdium is a fish with 8 feelers that has 100 volts in each one. It has spikes everywhere with 25 volts, and teeth with 50 volts.
“It’s extremely dangerous with the purpose of finding the hidden city of Hoosieree, the under water city.
Silence. Well, I expected as much. Not enough information, I guess. So, you’re on.
“That’s not enough information.” Said Notanam.
Told ya.
“I know, but any other information is gone. In another computer.”
Thoughtfully, Sal asked, “We won’t do OPT, will we? I mean, we have new powers and all, but the last time…”
The words went in and out as I thought of the most dangerous night of my life… And what I thought was the last…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
They were all around us… The enemy…Sal was gone…I was surrounded…Help…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That’s what it was like. Only worse. I was now at a computer, sucking information. Nothing had stopped us. Us meaning Notanam and I. We all agreed that we needed an amulet.
We left easily, Notanam asking constantly “Well, What is the information? Huh? Huh?”
“I’d rather not explain twice.”
A Frog person patrol caught us. I burned them to death as Notanam whipped out a notebook and recited: “October 4, 2053: I heroically Saved Polo, facing ten Poppericuses while He blubbered like a babe.”
I didn’t know what he said until later, because he tricked me into signing it. I was too occupied by the information in my head.
One bit of info was in the computer information that wasn’t new to me.
One other seemed… too bizarre to handle.
I was cold the minute I processed the info.
Chapter (two
Thousand leagues under the sea)
I woke up with a start. I had just remembered the information that was weird. The info was this: The Electdium was three blue whales long, and 2 feet across, while being as tall as one blue whale standing up. It was too big too handle. As I slipped into unconsciousness, I realized that Notanam must have thought I was still with him, since I had been so quiet.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“I’m so sorry!” I heard as I woke up, surrounded by the Futuristicals. The person who said that was Notanam.
“It’s okay…I think.” I said, relating the information I had learned and noting the dead corpses around me. However, I would never ask how they found me… or what they did to the enemy.
Never.
* * * * * * * * *
One week later…
I had also learned of an uprising of Renegades, two to be exact. They had obtained a Mixer-Fixer and made 50,000 Creatures named Glub-Glubs (christened by there one word they said.). The Mixer-Fixer had been destroyed, along with the renegades. Lisher rays could only destroy glub-Glubs. Even then, they would only shrink down to a quarter of size. Every hour, they would double in size, and then explode into two Glub-Glubs. Ten platoons were attacking, but to no avail. Currently, the Glub-Glubs had tripled in size, counting 150,000.
The Glub-Glubs had only attacked ones who attacked them, but were said to be dangerous to all.
During the week, we had all received a message from the Time Master, telling us that we had the gift of tongues.
We were planning on finding the hidden city of Hoosieree, but something stopped us on the night we started to search, delaying us a couple of days.
Chapter Three Miles Down Under
Even as we crept up to the dock, I knew something was wrong. Mainly, fishing boats aren’t heavy armaments, are they?
No one else noticed though, and we made it to the edge when 100 Dogons appeared at the very edge of the two boats, igniting the dock. Adam yelled “Futuristicals, go!” even as the dock burst.
I managed to yell “Life raft!” before I went under.
I heard screams and curses as the two boats began firing, sending a huge battle under way. Then I heard a gigantic yell of “Glub-Glub!” As what I thought was a strange, unearthly yell.
I heard a gigantic boom as a force field struck a ship, and a zap as amulet struck a ship. Then splashes were heard, and more screams were shouted. I grabbed a plank that was floating by and desperately tried to say something. But I couldn’t. Maybe it was because of the fuzzy, gushy hand that was holding my mouth.
I blacked out.
* * * * * * * *
I woke up. How interesting that I’m tied to a chair, I thought.
Tied to a CHAIR!?
Where am I? I thought as I looked around. I was then strangely aware of Adam unconscious next to me. Then I noticed lumpy shapes moving towards us. I tried to get Adam’s attention, as the shapes appeared to be blankets with humans under them.
Then I shouted “Robotic hand!”
The Robotic hand appeared, slapping Adam, and grabbing a lump.
The Lump had no human under it.
* * * * * * * * * *
Sal
“Arrrrrrrgh!” I moaned, looking at the destruction. Notanam, Sarah and I were in Polo’s life raft, looking for Adam and Polo.
When the dock had exploded, we had landed in the life raft to what Notanam thought was Polo’s dying breath. Then we destroyed the two ships and half the crews made it into the water. The Lagoon things, Dogons, and Poppericuses made it into the air. The Frog people fought the battle in the water. The blooks drowned. Then these fuzzy, gushy lumps came, jumping into the water and attacking all personal.
Sarah managed to create a force field around us but sadly, by the time they were gone, we had found nothing but dead bodies.
* * * * * * * * *
Polo
As 20 of what I had figured out were Glub-Glubs landed on the Hand, Adam woke up. The biggest came up and said, “We are enemies of the Gonolys. Are you enemies of the Gonolys? If so, what are your names?”
Adam said “Oh really? Well, we’re enemies of the Gonolys. I’m Adam, and this is Polo.
2 Glub-Glubs came up and latched on to the ropes. Seconds later, they came away and the ropes were severed. The same thing had happened to the robotic hand.
I heard the biggest say: “Welcome to Glub-Glub HQ. Any enemies of Gonolys are our friends. Would you care to tell us all you know about the war? In return we’ll tell you all we know.”
Chapter (Periscope depth and stable) Four
Notanam
“O.k.,” I said, looking at the computer in dismay and relief. “It says at the battle last night, that the Glub-Glubs… Which must be the fuzzy, gushy, creatures that attacked…destroyed all of the forces there, including the dreaded Power-Renegades…Hah!
“Anything else?” asked Sal.
“Hurry up!” said Sarah.
“The only sign that the Glub-Glubs left anything alone were that one surviving soldier saw them carry two bodies away. No one knows who he or she was. But they were wearing no uniforms.”
We all looked at each other. Sarah said, “I’m going to kill anyone who harms my brother!”
We turned to go, but Sal wasn’t there. Just then, we heard a whooshing sound. There she was, seemingly appearing through the wall.
“Sal, where were you? I asked.
“I was, uh, practicing morphing.”
“Whatever.” Said Sarah, looking at me with a look that said, Sal’s acting weird. I started to read her mind, but it wasn’t Sal’s mind. It was Fordef’s.
If you don’t remember who Fordef is, she’s a 15-year old who is a Gonoly. She was thinking, Cornelius is depending on me to spy on the power Renegades… He’s the only one who knows they’re not dead…
I attacked, putting my fist to her face, Sarah screaming “No, Notanam!”
I whirled around, shouting “Its Fordef!”
When I said her name, she returned to normal.
I grabbed her, snarling, “Where’s Sal?”
“She’s in Cornelius’s lab… He’s going to try to find out how you got your powers and then destroy all other Gonolys… leaving me to be his slave…and then he’s going to destroy all Renegades with his special devices…”
I dropped her, saying to Sarah “Let’s Go.”
We exited the room from the secret door Fordef told us about, but not before zapping the room with my Amulet.
Chapter (tubes 1-) 5 (armed and ready)
Polo
The Glub-Glubs had treated us well. We had told them our story from the beginning, when we first met the Time Master. Their story was weirder than ours.
“We were made by our sworn enemies to become the un-destructible forces of the Gonolys. We were… except for the Lisher rays."
I then noticed how some Glub-Glubs were really big, and some were really small.
“When we were hit by a Lisher ray, we shrunk to a quarter of a size. We were willing to help them, but they took 10,000 of us, and destroyed them into atoms… smaller than. We immediately rebelled, but not before getting into a special formula that made us divide like cells. That’s our story. Until you told us about you, we didn’t know anything else.
Adam said, “Is there anything else you can do?”
The leader said, “We can latch onto anything and in a matter of seconds, it has been burned by acid. We can also double in size.”
“Explain,” I said.
The leader called two Glub-Glubs over and told them to double. They moved towards each other and when they touched, they had grown into a bigger Glub-Glub.
“Impressive,” we said.
* * * * * * * * * *
Sal
You have no idea how annoying it can be. To standing there minding your own business when someone that looks like you pops out of a hole in the wall, pushes you into that hole and shuts the door. You fall into what looks like a mine car that slopes downward. You pick up speed and burst through a door into what looks like a mad scientist scene, going unconscious. When you come to, you are on an electric chair with some old guy saying some blabbering stuff.
Has that ever happened to you? It did for me.
Chapter six (torpedoes armed and ready!)
Still Sal
The old guy introduced himself as Cornelius. He had a nasty plot in store for all of the Futuristicals, Gonolys, Renegades, and the entire universe.
“I am making a sinister plot to destroy the entire world… and the universe…well, except Garatunik-Op-12, which I will live on with the Ops.
“The first phase was to kidnap you, and replace you with Fordef. Then, I was to do that with all the ‘Futuristicals’ until the copies were positioned around the city, including Honogee, Whyd, Hoker, and Wertied. They don’t even know they’re working for me, because I inserted a slave chip into every one of them, the same I’m going to do with you.
“Then I will set the self destruct on all of them, when I’ll fighting them killing them single handedly.
“Then, with Fordef who will have supposedly gotten away as you will then say that she killed you, making you fall off a cliff.
“Then, she will mysteriously die with Smallpox.
“I will reign over all Gonolys, telling them to go find the hidden city of Hoosieree, which I made up as a clever ruse.
“When all of the world is looking for it under water, I will unleash my billion walking Electdium, billion flying Electdium, and billion swimming Electdium, Not to mention the forty I already have in the waters.
“I will then disappear through my space portal, heading to Garatunik-Op-12, while opening thousands of portals that lead to inhabited planets that will soon utterly be destroyed by my Electdium.
“And then, since I am already king of the primitive Ops, I will lead them to destroy other Universes.
“What do you think of that, my pretty?”
I said “Don’t call me pretty,” I turned into an ant, but not before making my head morph first, showing him how ugly an ant can be.
He gasped, then turn and ran.
I morphed back to human… Then was blasted by a huge blast that blasted a blasting blast that blasted my blaster out of blasting.
Two shadowy figures showed themselves through the dust, one zapping things left and right, the other shooting cannon balls everywhere. I ran to meet them, saying “Futuristicals!”
Notanam and Sarah were overjoyed at seeing me. I explained what was happening, and told them we had to capture Cornelius.
We ran off.
* * * * * * * * * *
Cornelius
I snuck in as the disgusting ‘Futuristicals’, whatever that meant, ran out. I took out an automatic un-screwer and walked over to a square were I took out the screws.
The metal clanged as I reached out and pressed a button, but not before checking what I had thought it said:
Do not attempt to release an evil creature with this button; because there is only one portal in the entire universe that one world would be safe. If you released an evil creature and disappeared through the portal, the creature would destroy the Universe. Remember, this is a 48-hour waiting period.
I pressed the button, knowing that the Electdium would be released and the portals would open in two days.
With that and my prospects of ruling the universe, I failed to notice three dark, shadowy figures outside the door.
Zap! Boom! Horrarraa!
My prospects were shattered into a thousand pieces…, as was I.
Chapter seven (Birds down!)
Polo
I was with 150,000 Glub-Glubs that were surrounding a building on one side. On the other side, Adam and the leader were with the other 150,000 that were also surrounding the building where we were certain that the other Futuristicals was in.
As I gave the signal, the Glub-Glubs surrounded the building, then dissolving the walls and roof. There was one guard and three Futuristicals that were in there. Notanam, Sarah, and Sal ran forward and met us, saying, “We have a story to tell you!”
“We have a story to tell you!” We answered, looking at the building.
The leader had surrounded the guard, asking questions like “What happened?” The guard answered “Glub-Glub-Glub what? I don’t know what you’re saying, person in a strange costume!”
The leader said, “Stop speaking in strange languages!”
Adam started laughing as we asked, “What’s so funny?”
He said, “We received the gift of tongues, remember? We must be talking to the Glub-Glubs in Glub-Glub, while we also hear English!”
We laughed too, turning away to talk about what happened to one another as the guard screamed as acid hit him again… and again… and again.
We explained the situation to the Glub-Glubs. But with little time and a huge space, it was hopeless.
But someone small with a big brain said, “It’s probably under the building.” The smallest Glub-Glub had spoken up.
The Glub-Glubs tramped over the floor, leaving it exposed to…
A vast room that was filled with Electdium in stasis, some walking, some flying, some swimming.
We looked in awe. We would have stayed there if not have the Leader said, “The biggest army I have ever seen is coming! We’ll hold them off up here, while you get down there and destroy the Electdium! Then go out and destroy those others that are swimming in these waters to destroy the hidden city of Hoosieree! Now go!”
“But that’s just a rumor!” I said.
I could have sworn if the Leader had eyes we could see, they would have twinkled. Then he said, “Go, go!” And we jumped through the hole.
Chapter eight (Coordinates confirmed)
We had destroyed all of the Electdium that walked. The battle had gone on long up on top. I had no idea what had happened up on top, because the walls and roof had collapsed in an awkward position that no one dared disturb because if you touched it, it might fall. Surprisingly, all of the water Electdium was melting.
“Carbon dioxide.” Notanam said, explaining that all water animals now a day would melt under carbon dioxide.
We destroyed the remaining Electdium, then returning our attention to the collapsed walls.
“I think I can zap the ceiling off if you put us under a force field and fly, Sarah.” Notanam said.
“O.k.” Sarah said, lifting up us all. Notanam fired, sending the ceiling into atoms and ashes.
Sarah put us down.
But there was no battle. Just corpses.
We searched for the Glub-Glubs, but there was no sign off them.
Until…
“Ow!” I said, feeling an acid burn scorch me. I reached down and plucked a Glub-Glub off my leg. It was the leader.
“Hi.” He said, and then explaining to me with every one the all of the rest of Glub-Glubs had been destroyed into atoms, leaving him to be the size of 5 millimeters around. He had also been hit by a substance that made him double only once in 24 hours.
He told us that we had been destroying Electdium for a whole day. And we had also forgotten about destroying the portals. The last thing he had told us as we set him down was to complete our destiny as Futuristicals, one part of that destiny to find the hidden city, I protesting. Then he started to leave saying he’d be back. We watched him for a while then he turned, and with a voice that tripled in size from when he was talking to us, he said
“Glub-Glubs, hearken to me!”
The air swirled around him, making him bigger and bigger, Sal whispering, “Every atom counts;” As he tripled, doubled, tripled, And more as he got bigger. Then he was the same size.
That was the last we saw him for a long time.
Chapter Nine (rivers into the sea)
We walked to the portal maker, demolishing it with a screwdriver. We found a panel that had a million buttons blinking. Adam said that we should push each button to turn it off. No one argued. We finally did it with 12 hours to spare.
Notanam had found two buttons that said + and –. He hit the minus button a ton of times, then the plus button once.
What we didn’t realize that we had missed one button on the back… the portal the Cornelius was planning to use to escape.
And we had set the portal to open for one hour.
* * * * * * * * * *
We pondered what the Glub-Glub leader had said about the hidden city… to find it.
“The Time Master must have told him about the destiny… all of it.” Sal said.
“We should have interrogated him!” Adam moaned.
“We just would have been overpowered.” Sarah replied.
“We’re straying from the point…” I said, to have Notanam reply “…What about the hidden city? It’s not real.”
“Sometimes,” I said, “I wish you’d stop reading my mind.”
Sarah said, “ We’re all straying from the point. If he says its true, and we’re sure its true that The Time master talked to him…” I gave a snort while rolling my eyes, “We should go for it.”
“For what?”
“The city.”
“IT IS REALLLLLLL………(UGGGGH!)”
The groan and echo of the Time Master made us all realize that we needed to go with our original plan: To find the City!
* * * * * * * *
We were back at the burned out, but not burned out when we first saw it, dock. I said, “Polo’s Sub.” five times, and five subs with claws and underwater Lisher rays. We clambered in and started our underwater adventure.
Glub-Glub.
Chapter Ten (Electdium x4)
We walked to the end of the charred dock, jumping for a sturdy section as the section we were standing on fell. Adam looked at me, and nodded. I gulped, because I had designed a sub at the hideout. But would it work? I said “Marcois Polois Submarine!”
Nothing happened. I then said “M.P.S?” But I shouldn’t have bothered. Some bubbles bubbled up in an area. I said “M.P.S! M.P.S! M.P.S!” You know the rest. Anyway, 5 spots started bubbling!
I yelled, “Get back, quick!” as the dock started shaking. We ran for it, as the dock exploded, no match for the five humongous subs that broke the water. We each selected one, and got in.
* * * * * * * *
It was awesome! M.P.S, I mean. On the outside alone it was awesome. It was 10 feet by 50 feet, with two under water Lisher rays and two magnet-shaped Electro Deflectors.
My M.P.S. had a hollow tube on the left back. Notanam, the right. Sal, the bottom. Sarah, the top. Adam, on all the sides. This was so all the ships could connect with each other. There was a 50-yard periscope to look through, along with a 2-foot steel covering with rubber all over.
There was a 12-foot window to see through, along with steel plates that moved aside to reveal 500 missiles that could destroy anything… we hoped.
On the inside there was a Bio-Borg radar screen (for seeing biological things, and machine things). There was a steering mechanism that had two buttons: one for Lisher rays, the other for Electro Deflectors. In the center, a button for the missiles.
There were guiding systems for all the weapons on the left. On the right, an escape pod button showed itself. There was also a radio to communicate with. Back behind the cockpit were a bunk, a breakfast place, and a door to extra weapons.
Another door led to the connecting shaft.
The five M.P.S’s were on their way!
* * * * * *
We encountered our first five Electdium after an hour.
I was wandering along, when a blue dot appeared in my Radar screen (It showed a 100-yard area). I turned, and started after it. I managed to get it with my Lisher ray before I was attacked. The 1,000 or so volts hit my submarine, the rubber deflected it a little, but I was still hit a little. I managed to hit the Electro Deflectors before blacking out. The Electdium, never being hit with 1,000 volts, was now drifting downward, unconscious. I hit it a ton of times with my Lisher rays, then turned.
Then I heard cackling, then: “Hello? Is anyone there? Hello?”
The others had not been as lucky as I.
Chapter Eleven(Miles off coordinates, sir)
Adam
I separated from the rest of the group, wondering what I was to do. Later, a blue dot appeared on my screen, followed by a red one. I followed, wanting to help. Then the Blue dot disappeared, and then the red dot left my screen. I kept going.
When I reached the Electdium body, I was amazed. It was Huge! I felt some thing was wrong, though. I shot the Electdium once. That’s all it took.
It twitched.
Notanam
I had just seen a large blue dot on my screen. I chased it for half a mile, until it turned out to be a school of fish. I was discouraged, having seen no scale or trace of an Electdium when another blue dot appeared on my screen. I followed it half-heartedly when I saw a cave. It was huge. I decided to follow the cave to see where it led. I was in about half way when I hit something.
Sal
I was wandering around when a couple blue dots appeared in my screen. I decided to hide, and hit it in the back when it went by. The blue dots seemed to merge, and a dark shape went by. It was a school of fish. I waited a couple of minutes, keeping an eye on the school of fish when then I took off. Two dark shapes that crackled with electricity zoomed from the school, boxing me in. Barely conscious, I hit two buttons at once.
Sarah
I was watching a school of fish on the screen when a blue dot started sneaking up on me. I decided to pretend that I didn’t notice it, then whirl and fire. It was 10 feet away when I felt some volts entering the rubber. I whirled and fired. The defenseless Electric eel was rammed into a rock wall, starting a…
Polo
I was very interested in who was calling me. I took off towards the less static and louder radio call. I chased after it for an hour. When I found the source, I was horrified. It was not pretty.
Chapter Twelve (Ships to sink)
Adam
It twitched.
That’s all it took. One twitch.
The gargantuan tail flailed into a rock wall. Suddenly I saw two things at once. One, rocks falling down all around me. And two, five blue dots on the radar screen coming at full speed to my location.
Notanam
I was in halfway when I hit something.
It was… Eggs!
Eggs everywhere. I knew I had to destroy all of these eggs if I was to stop the Electdium populace from doubling, or tripling, or more. I started shooting, oblivious to the three blue dots bearing down on the cave and another lying in wait just ahead. Not to mention a large red dot just ahead also.
Sal
I had hit the missile button and eject button. I found myself putting along with a sinking sub, and two blown up Electdium. Looking at my screen, I saw two blue dots heading my way. I started warming up my Elector-Deflectors. I started firing my Lisher rays into the abyss ahead of me, where the Electdium supposedly were. But on my left and right, a third and fourth Electdium headed towards me.
I was trapped.
Sarah
…Rockslide.
I tried to dodge and weave but it was too late. I was buried. I hit the eject pod, but the screen was saying ‘Unable to eject… settling back into sub.’ I felt a scraping noise, and the wall that had closed was now open. I wearily went to the refrigerator, taking out a chopped chicken. I then selected pork, then went to the microwave and started to cook it. I then with a leap of heart remembered the radio. I ran to it and said “Hello? Is anyone there? Hello?”
Polo
I saw a huge rockslide with a sub stuck under the rocks. I said into the radio “Who is it?”
“It’s Sarah. Who is that?”
“It’s Polo.”
I thought I heard a shriek, but then she was saying, “Can you help me?”
I was thinking of Sal and Sarah grabbing my arms and Adam saying “I think they like you.” A week earlier and I almost took to long to answer.
“Yeah. Hold on!”
Chapter thirteen (red lights at night)
Adam
I had an idea. Dodging the rocks to the opposite side of the Electdium, I waited. They were just dark shadows when I first glimpsed them. That’s when I started to fire like mad.
They were buffeted back as I shot. Just then one was hit by a huge rock. It was killed instantly. Another one died by my Lisher rays. Then the rocks stopped falling. Everything went into slow motion. I fired two Lisher rays into the mouth of the biggest one. He died, slowly drifting downwards as a rock the size of Rhode Island thumped down on all of the evil fish, killing them instantly.
Everything went back in normal-motion. I kept on going until I saw two red dots together. I decided to help whatever they were doing.
Notanam
I had destroyed all of the eggs except for about fifty when I was electrocuted. I turned, shooting all the while. I managed to get an Electdium and a couple eggs when I blacked out.
* * * * * *
I woke up on a huge dome. I looked on the radar screen and saw the huge red dot I hadn’t seen earlier. I tried to move to see what was around me, but I couldn’t. The engine was broken, and I was stuck.
But then a huge robotic hand reached over and grabbed me. I decided to let it, as I had nothing to lose.
I gaped in surprise at the twenty-odd Electdium scattered around in the large cave. The robotic hand turned me towards the dome. I gasped in surprise.
Sal
I was trapped. If I turned to the left, I would be pummeled from the right and back. If I turned right, vise versa. I decided to stay pointed straight, knowing I was doomed. I could at least take down two Electdium. Something whirred over my head.
Polo
With my Electro-Deflectors, I was painstakingly lifting each rock one at a time. I was in despair when Adam came up behind me and asked, “Need help? What happened? Who is that?”
“It’s Sarah. She’s trapped under there.”
“Little sis? We’re coming!”
“O.K!”
Sal
I thought was had swam over me were fish. But when I shot the two Electdium that had appeared a second later and the other two arrived, the ‘fish’ swam right into the Electdiums faces and blew up.
At once I understood. The heat-seeking missiles that had been fired had not all hit the Electdium. They had missed, and had been looking for more heat.
I took off. I eventually saw three red dots. I went over, and they (Adam and Polo) explained the situation to me, asking what had happened to my back.
“Let’s get Sarah out of here, and then we’ll tell each other what we did.”
Chapter Fourteen (Strategies failed)
Polo
We had gotten Sarah out. We now were connected, all except Sal, who I was trying to create a connecting rod to the submarine.
“Connector to Marcois Polois Submarine 1!” I said.
A connector to Adam’s sub appeared on Sal’s sub. She connected, and appeared in Adam’s cabin where we were.
“I guess I should tell you that Adam’s sub is no. 1, Sarah’s 2, mine three, Sal’s four, and Notanam’s…”
“Yeah, where is that guy?” Adam said.
“I don’t know. We can look for him after this.”
We ate a meal of chicken and watermelon while telling each other of what had happened.
I explained the destruction of the Electdium.
Adam told of finding the Electdium and it causing a rockslide.
Sal told of how she had been lucky to get out of a trap.
Sarah explained how she had been trapped.
Notanam… wasn’t there.
We decided that four (we wished five) were better than one and set off to find Notanam.
Notanam
I gasped.
It was a… city!
The hidden city of Hoosieree.
However, it looked like Atlantis. I saw strange flying mechanisms and an elephant. There were subs, buildings, and strange looking people. I saw that they were frog people.
As I watched in amazement as the robotic hand pulled me into a port. The hand set me down near a dock. I got out of the sub on top. I then stared.
You would too.
There was a man about eight feet tall. You could see his mutilated veins pulsing and popping out of his body. His right arm was red. His left, yellow. The rest of his torso was blue. His right leg was green, and his left a dazzling white.
Beside him was a man that looked a thousand years old. He had hair that went down to his feet. Every centimeter was covered by a wrinkle. He walked up and said, “I am Red Hoos, the leader of Atlantis, the redeemed city of Hoosieree.”
* * * * * * * *
Red and the Multi-colored man whose name was Riki-Hanua-Ui (It’s pronounced Reeka Hanyua We, but liked to be called Ri (Ree).
They had an interesting story.
One day Redinio Hoosieree had given his son an immortal flask when he was dying. His son, Red Hoos, had been given a flask that had given him immortality, but gave him the appearance of a man a thousand years old. They had then looked for a city that would give them a chance to raise an army to defeat the Gonolys. They had looked for years for a city on the ground. None were found. They made subs and searched for a year until they stumbled on Atlantis. They found Ri and he told them it was the Atlanteans who had sunk the island. All of the technology and creatures were still here, so Hoosieree quickly established the city. After a while, however, he got restless and left for the surface and was never seen again.
I explained the Futuristicals’ story.
Ri stepped forward. I had never heard him talk before, so I was a little surprised. I expected him to be loud or gruff, but he spoke a little like the president.
“We would love to help you destroy the eggs and Electdium. But our subs have been damaged against the last battle of ours and are being repaired. It will take a week for us to fix all of them.”
“Look, I have an idea. May I see your subs?” I said.
“Certainly.” Red said.
“Show me where they are.”
The battle for the seas had begun!
Chapter Fifteen (Atlantean subs raring to go)
I ran to the subs. Mine was with them. I whirled around and said, “Here’s my idea. We continue the repairs on one sub. We use it to destroy the eggs and contact the rest of the Futuristicals. Then we bring them back here and use Polo to make robotic mechanics. Then the whole fleet of…” I counted. “Twenty subs to defeat the Electdium menace.”
Ri said, “I think that’s a capital idea, Futuristical. What do you think, Master Hoos?”
‘Master Hoos’ said, “I think that’s fair.”
“O.K, how long will it take for one sub to be fixed?”
Just then a mechanic came up, saying “Reporting, sir!”
Red said, “What is it, Mechanic 7?”
“The newcomer’s sub just had a short. It’s ready to swim.”
Red turned and smiled. “Now.”
Polo
We were going along at full speed, having zapped two Electdium. We had thought we had seen Notanam a while back, but it was just a sunken sub.
“This is getting us nowhere.” Sal said.
“I have an idea.” Said Sarah. “What if we went back to the dock and just went the way he went?”
“Capital!” Said Adam, but I said, “Hold it. I see a sliver of red on my screen.”
“I don’t see anything.” Sarah said.
“Its because you’re slightly out of range. I should be the only one who sees it. Hold on.”
I steered over to where everyone could see the huge red dot on his or her screen.
“That thing… is huge!” Adam said.
“The hidden city!” Sarah yelled.
“I say we go. Notanam will have to wait.” I said.
“I don’t know…” said Sal.
“Why? He might be there right now. And there’s another reason why we should go.” I said.
“Why?” Sal said.
“Because there are twenty blue dots heading away form the city.” I paused. “And a red one.”
Notanam
We (Ri, Red, and I) were in M.P.S. 5 heading to destroy the eggs. When we got there, however…
“I thought you said there were forty eight.” Ri said.
“There were… oh no.” I had seen the 20 blue dots on my radar screen.
“What?” said Red.
“They hatched. Twenty of them.”
“Well, get rid of the ones that are hatching.” Said Ri.
Chapter Sixteen (Electdium eggs hatching +2)
Polo
We had reached a cave when an under-grown Electdium swam out. It was dead before it could summon up any Electricity.
Another one swam out. Sarah said, “That’s not under-grown… that’s a baby!”
We destroyed that one and another when 17 baby Electdium swam out on a collision course right for us. Adam yelled “Disconnect!” I had shot out a bunch of missiles already. Sal was using her electro-deflectors on three of them. Sarah was using holograms, electro-deflectors, and Lisher rays on six of them. Adam was firing missiles also, but we were outnumbered. Then came the biggest Electdium I had ever seen.
We were doomed.
Notanam
Ri was right. It was another hatching of eight Electdium. I launched the missiles and fired my Lisher rays as fast as I could. But it was too late. 4 had hatched and were after us. The missiles that I hoped would help had just blown up on eggs.
Suddenly Ri was next to me, warming up the electro deflectors as fast as he could. I kept firing at the Electdium, not giving up hope. Then the electro deflectors burst with speed, causing the Electdium to be knocked out. I finished them with my Lisher rays.
I looked at the Radar screen for the first time since I had seen the hatched Electdium. Four red dots fighting a dozen Electdium.
“Okay, we’re going!” I yelled, raring up the engine to burst forward with speed that was beating several records.
Polo
We had destroyed most of the Electdium, but a round dozen remained. The huge one was taking all kinds of hits, but shook them off every time.
We had lost all hope until a blurred shape that had all weapons raring rammed into the Electdium. The sub had its electro deflectors on, and when it came within 10 feet of it, it stopped. The sub was stuck 10 feet away from the Electdium. Sarah whispered “Force field.”
But then the sub broke through the field and hit it 10 times with the Lisher ray.
It twitched, and then sunk.
The rest of the Electdium scattered.
A familiar voice broke through the radio: “Thought you needed help.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
We destroyed the Electdium with the help of the Atlantean fleet. We asked them if they wanted to come to the surface, but the refused. We made a cave into the swamp of the frog people, so that we could access them anytime we needed them.
We had a look at the Gonoly list before going to bed. Justin had died of old age.
But we didn’t notice Fordef’s name. Beside it it said (Living dead).
Security Camera
Beside the portal machine a portal opens. For 58 minutes, nothing happens. Then a strange shape enters the room, looks around, and runs. On the 0:59:50 count, three other strange shapes enter.
The portal shuts with a loud noise. Two of them jump, startled. (One of the two has a glowing leg that looks like it’s on fire, but it is so dark you still can’t see their faces.) The other looks startled, but doesn’t jump. It doesn’t jump because of having no legs.
They walk forward, looking nervous. Just then a mutilated shape walks out of a room, saying “Hello, Garatunik-Op-12 people. Or as Cornelius called you, Ops. This is Earth. The portal you came through is now shut forever. I am a leader in this world. Join forces with me, and you will be rewarded.
One of the dark shapes stepped forward, saying, “We join you. We’ll help you if help us. Our names are-“
(At this point, the camera has static burst, then returning to normal.)
“Good. My name is-“
(Another static burst)
“What do you want from me?”
“We want-“
(Static burst)
“And I want to do something like that. What I want you to do is-“
(Static burst until camera goes dead.)
To be continued…In Futuristicals 4#, Alien.
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