Lucas Ryan Versus: The Hive (The Lucas Ryan Versus Series) Read online

  “Olivia!” Dax moaned. He had seen enough and pushed his way over to us. He reached for her shoulder, slapping his meaty hand onto it with force. Immediately, he flew backwards against the wall in a flash of purple lightning. He was knocked out, cold. The commotion caused the stone to fall away from our grasps. It covered itself in a dark black hue as it fell toward the carpeted ground. It landed with a dull thud. When it hit, it embedded itself more than a six inches into the floor. Everyone in the room jumped to attention.

  “Dax!” Olivia called to him. He didn’t respond. He laid unconscious in a heap of smoke and karma. She rushed over to him.

  “This isn’t real!” Morgan started to freak out. Her hands shook uncontrollably. Roland tried to hold his sister and calm her. He never took his eyes off the black stone though. Taylor stood up and walked over to the stone. He stared at it for a moment, upset by Morgan’s reaction. He noticed that there was no more electricity around it.

  Taylor’s brow furrowed as he leaned down to pick up the stone. His large hands wrapped themselves around its glassy dark surface. He took a moment to gather his strength and pulled at the embedded mystery. It wouldn’t budge, not even an inch.

  “Come on...” Taylor grunted, and dug his feet into the floor, steadying his weight. He yanked at the foreign object with all his might. Still nothing. The stone was as light as a balloon just a moment ago, but now, it was heavier than gravity. It angered Taylor something awful.

  “I can’t move it...at all...” Taylor huffed, brushing his golden locks from his face.

  “Pick me up...” I barely whispered. My magical gauntlet-phone beeped with a new message. I squinted at the tiny digital writing that flashed upon the screen.

  _____

  ..........

  ONLY

  ..........

  _____

  “Only what?” I asked it. Everyone watched me, suspiciously.

  __________

  ....................

  ONLY YOU

  ....................

  __________

  I winced, “Oh.” Only I could pick it up. As I looked around the room, I realized how insane I must sound; talking to my mystical gauntlet. Olivia slowly walked back over to me, stopping just before the sunken stone. She nodded to me to continue my conversation.

  “What are you?” I asked, aloud. My voice was shaky and the room fell silent.

  ________

  ................

  BELIEVE

  ................

  ________

  “Believe?” I was lost. What did that mean? I don’t understand. What are you?

  ________________________

  ................................................

  BELIEVE BELIEVE BELIEVE

  BELIEVE BELIEVE BELIEVE

  BELIEVE BELIEVE BELIEVE

  ................................................

  ________________________

  It spelled the same word repeatedly, until the entire screen was filled with it. The word burned into my retinas.

  “Believe in what?” I asked again. The response I received was quite unexpected.

  “I think I know what it is...or could be...” Roland spoke up. His voice was low, but full of seriousness. The screen suddenly blinked back to black, with all the words gone.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Your tablet...I need your computer tablet,” Roland mumbled, reaching past me for my school bag. He quickly removed a slender touchscreen computer from it.

  “Roland?” Morgan asked.

  “Not now, sis. I need to access my files,” he said. He pulled a small, black and white USB stick from his pocket and jammed it into an open slot at the bottom of the computer tablet.

  “Your files...” I smiled. Roland was a bonafide conspiracy theorist. Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, Roswell, you name it...he had a file for it.

  Felicity pushed herself from the back wall and into the conversation, “Well, what is it, Roland?” Roland ignored her as if she were a pesky fly, buzzing around his head. She crossed her arms, angrily. His fingers slid along the smooth glass of his tablet, tapping away on the electronic keyboard.

  “Here it is,” Roland said, to himself. Everyone moved in closer, surrounding him in a circle. Everyone except Dax, he started snoring from the floor, instead.

  “Talk to me, Ro. What do you think you know?” I asked.

  “It’s not from this Earth,” he started.

  “Alien?” Morgan asked, worried. She placed a finger in her mouth and began chewing the nail.

  “Not exactly...another dimension, maybe,” Roland said, flipping through different folders and pictures. Pages of reports he had painstakingly listed in alphabetical order, whipped by at a frantic rate. Thank goodness Roland was a speed reader too, because I couldn’t keep up with his pace. Roland Saint, my own personal X-file.

  “What dimension?” I asked, excited.

  “Here!” Roland double-tapped the computer screen and it zoomed in on a particular file. He leaned the screen forward, just enough for all of us to get a good look.

  “Lake Titicaca, Peru. There’s a massive rock wall with a large square cut into it. Inside that square is another carving, like a small door. Within that door is an even smaller hole, smooth and perfectly round. It’s been there for years...like hundreds, maybe even thousands of years,” Roland paused, just long enough to be interrupted by Felicity.

  “So what.”

  Roland continued. “The ancient Inca civilizations believed this door was made by something, or someone, not of this world. They called it Puerta de Hayu Marka...” he drew in a deep breath.

  “What does that mean, Ro?” I asked.

  “Gate of the Gods.”

  We all looked at one another, trying to understand.

  “What does a door in the side of a mountain of dirt have to do with that thing?” Taylor asked, pointing at the stone.

  “It’s not a door, Tay. It’s a Stargate,” Roland corrected. Taylor rolled his eyes, annoyed.

  I leaned in closer. “I’m not following you, Ro. What are you hinting at?”

  “The ancient Incas wrote of a golden sun disc that fell from the skies one day. It was rumored to have unique abilities. It’s written that their priests were able to open this Stargate with the sun disc.” Roland’s face drained of all its blood as he looked down at the stone. It was now pulsating in a golden yellow hue, as vibrant as our sun.

  “A key to another dimension? That’s impossible,” Taylor shook his head. Everyone took a small step away from the glowing rock. I bent down and scooped it up, once more. It was light as air, again. My hands buzzed with a slight vibration as it changed color again, from yellow to black.

  “T, nothing about this situation is possible,” I smiled, trying to calm everyone.

  Olivia placed her hands onto the stone again. Its glossy skin rippled over in a deep red hue, just like before.

  * Do you really think this stone is some kind of key, Lucas? A Stargate? *

  I don’t know. My answer only made her more nervous.

  “So, if that thing is a key...where’s the lock?” Morgan chimed in. “Where’s the door?”

  “Don’t you mean...Stargate?” Felicity added, snotty.

  Roland nodded her way, “Thank you.”

  Olivia and I exchanged a quick glance, still holding the stone in our hands. My eyes found Roland’s serious stare. “Where do I plug this thing in, Ro?”

  “Luc, I don’t know,” Roland sighed. The stone flickered gold for a second, before settling back to red again.

  * Lucas, there has to be more to this. *

  I agree.

  * I need to find Sophia. Do you think this beautiful mystery can help? *

  Maybe. I promise I’ll do everything I can.

  Olivia smiled at me and slowly removed her hands from the stone. My chest filled with tightness as she let go, and the color of the stone immediately switched back to its familiar, glassy black.
With our moment over, I grabbed my backpack and slid the stone back into it. From behind me Dax began to stir, rustling softly along the floor.

  “How long have you been able to communicate with it?” Roland asked me, glancing at my otherworldly gauntlet. His question startled me.

  “Um, from the beginning...I think.”

  “Hmm...maybe it’s a dimensional computer, like a galactic telephone,” he shrugged.

  “You mean I’ve been receiving space emails?” I laughed. Dax, now fully awake, shot me a dirty look. I returned his gift, and added a middle finger too.

  “Space emails? Maybe,” Roland thought out loud. I glanced at the tablet screen in Roland’s hands, mesmerized by the picture of the mystic doorway gouged out of the mountain.

  “I have some other theories too...” he said.

  Smiling at him, “I know you do. You always do, my friend.”

  Taylor stepped up to us, “Enough with the fairy tales. You two have been playing way too many video games.”

  “Don’t forget the comic books!” Morgan teased, scooting up to Taylor. We all laughed, nervously. For a short moment, things felt normal.

  We needed a plan. We weren’t accomplishing anything hiding away in this giant closet. I searched the room, trying to hold in a large yawn. I was so exhausted. Across from me, Roland continued reading his many files on the tablet. Morgan and Taylor moved to the front of the room. Olivia had sat down next to Dax, who was holding onto his anger like an addict. His steely eyes watched me, unforgivingly. Felicity watched me too, from across the room. It bothered me just knowing she was breathing the same air as me. She stuck her tongue out at me, and began scribbling in a small notebook in her hands.

  ~ Sleep. You need your strength. ~

  The exotic voice in my head startled me half to death, but I was relieved to hear it again.

  Ahh, you’re speaking to me again.

  ~ Sleep. ~

  There is no time for sleep. I need to find Olivia’s sister. Soon.

  ~ We need your strength, Lucas. ~

  I leaned up against the closest wall, resting my forehead on its cool surface.

  ~ Believe. ~

  “I’m starting to.”

  LEVEL 15: Sparks

  IN MEMORIAM: Olivia & Dax

  “You okay?” Olivia asked.

  “Perfect,” Dax grumbled, sitting on the floor. She checked his head for any signs of a concussion. He ripped his head away from her in a mild fit.

  “Are you sure?” she asked, again. Her temper bubbled just below the surface.

  Dax smacked his fist on the carpeted floor. “Damn it, Olivia. I came here to save you, and I find you and another guy!” he pouted.

  “Lucas has nothing to do with you and I,” she scolded, in a whisper.

  He smiled, still angry. “Really?”

  “That’s because there is no you and I,” Olivia’s tone was deadly serious. He closed his eyes and let his throbbing head lean against the wall.

  “I said it would be different this time...and I meant it,” he begged. She shook her head, slipping her long hair into a loose bun at the back of her head.

  “Dax, stop it. We’re over, and if you want me in your life at all, you better start treating me better.” Olivia said determined. “I deserve better.”

  “Olivia...”

  “Deep down you know I am right.” Her eyes welled up with fresh tears. Dax grimaced in anguish as her words sank in.

  “I’m sorry, O.”

  “Friends?” she asked. He tried to fight it, but a smile crept onto his face.

  “Okay.” His posture relaxed as he officially gave up. For the moment, at least.

  “Good,” she smiled.

  “I’m still gonna help find little Soph...she’s my baby sister too,” he announced, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. Olivia eased her guard a little, and extended a hand to shake.

  “Deal.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  IN BLOOM: Taylor & Morgan

  Morgan nervously sat down next to Taylor, cradling her knees in her arms. He kept propping the door open and checking the larger Music room for any signs of the invaders. He barely noticed as Morgan slid up next to him.

  “Is something bothering you?” she asked, but he didn’t answer. “They won’t find us, Tay. You picked the perfect hiding place,” she stated. Taylor shut the door slowly, and set his sledgehammer down next to his leg.

  “It’s not that...” he said. Morgan tightened the hold on her legs.

  “It’s Luc, isn’t it. You’re worried about him, aren’t you?” she said, bluntly. He looked at her with protective concern.

  “How did you know? Am I that easy to read?”

  “Little bit,” she smiled. His eyes lit up with her playful teasing. Morgan blushed.

  “Lucas is my best friend. I’ve seen him through everything, but...this time...” he shuttered.

  Placing her hand on his arm, “But this time, you feel helpless.”

  “Yeah,” he blinked, in surprise. It was as if she were finishing his sentences.

  “I feel that way too...sometimes,” Morgan’s smile faded.

  “Why? You and your brother are the most important people in his life. He’s told me that on more than one occasion,” Taylor nodded.

  “He has?”

  “Yup. You and Roland have been there since the beginning, seeing him through his toughest times. He needs you,” Taylor winked. Morgan slid a little closer to him. He leaned in closer to her, as well.

  “Thanks, Tay.”

  “Anytime, Mo,” he smiled, and her heart fluttered.

  “You know, you are just as important,” she whispered.

  “Nah,” he shrugged, modestly.

  “Really! You’re kind of his hero.” She poked his side with a gentle finger.

  “If I really was a hero, I’d have gotten him out of this nightmare. I would have gotten all of you out,” he mumbled, upset.

  “You are a hero, Tay. To this school, to this town, to Lucas...and...to me,” she ended in a soft whisper. Taylor searched her face for a moment, enjoying the shape of her mouth. He fell into her big, wanting eyes and felt better.

  “Thank you, Morgan.”

  “You called me Morgan...you’ve always called me Mo...” she started to shake in absolute joy.

  “Well, it is your name, isn’t it?” he teased, nudging her arm with his. A giant smile cut across her face, and a thousand fireworks exploded behind her eyes. She held that happiness in...barely.

  Quickly changing the subject, “You still want to be that hero? I have an idea how we can get the rest of the students out of the school. Want to hear it?”

  Taylor scooped up the sledgehammer in his hand and smiled.

  “Always.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  IN FATUATION: Lucas & Olivia

  I had just closed my eyes when Olivia’s sweet scent hit me. I opened my tired eyes to find her sitting cross-legged, in front of me. She slowly leaned in closer, face to face, with a small smile on her lips. She was close enough to kiss and I started to panic. Her lips pulled in even closer and I memorized her perfect features.

  “Can we talk?” she asked, with a nod toward my bag. She wanted to use the stone again.

  “Umm, sure,” I said, still dazed by her presence. Quickly, I removed the stone and placed it on the floor, between us. Her hands pushed themselves against its cold and inviting surface. It covered over in the deep red color again. This time it seemed brighter and it pulsed along with my heartbeat. Or hers, I wasn’t sure anymore.

  * Hi, * she said in my head, sweetly.

  Hi. Fancy meeting you here.

  * You’re such a dork. *

  Yeah, but I’m a dork with a magic rock!

  * True. *

  So, why all the secrecy, Olivia?

  She blushed and looked around the room, her eyes alive with wonder.

  * No secrets, I just wanted to do this again. I like it. It feels nice. *

  Beca
use of the stone, huh. I smiled.

  * No. Because of you. * She looked through me, and I saw sparks.

  We sat there for a long and intense minute just watching each other. She was more than right, this was nice. Very nice! I took a deep breath and asked her something that had been on the tip of my tongue for years.

  Olivia, can I ask you something?

  * Of course. *

  When we’re done with all this Die Hard business, do you think we could go out some time? With my head spinning, I waited for her answer. She laughed at me.

  * Took you long enough! *

  Is that a yes?

  * Yes, with a capital Y... *

  Olivia leaned over the stone and closed her eyes. Her lips pushed into mine, soft and full. I couldn’t move. She kissed me gently and the world stopped rotating. I could feel the outer shell of the stone fill with warmth. It began to vibrate within our hands and lightly shake as if something was rolling around inside of it. I ignored it and continued my journey into infatuated bliss. I was so lost in the moment that I didn’t even notice Taylor and Morgan slip out the door at the front of the soundproofed room.

  Olivia slowly pulled away from me, still caressing the stone in her hands.

  * Now what? * she smiled, proud of herself.

  We find Sophia and I take you to the movies and buy you the largest cup of cherry cola and deepest bag of gummy bears candy they have! I said, with a smile humungous enough to split my face in two. She smiled even bigger and her eyes welled up with glistening tears.