Upbeats

  Chapter Six

  "Okay, first things first," System said, standing erect on his hind legs like a human. He rubbed his little paws together. "I need to explain what’s happened to you kids because, frankly, I can’t reverse it. So . . . it’s permanent. It shouldn’t affect your lives too much . . . well, not badly . . . I mean . . . not terribly . . . you should survive . . ."

  "What happened to us?" I said through clenched teeth. System was stalling. That could be a bad thing.

  System sighed. "My ship crashed in that lake. It was broken badly. There’s no way I’m going to be able to fix it. But some . . . cargo . . . sustained severe damage . . . in other words, broke."

  "And what ‘cargo’ would that be?" Ned asked, suspiciously.

  "Vials containing Amepips. You won’t know what that means. It’s the Martian word for ‘special ability’."

  "Uh-huh . . ." I said, not quite following.

  "It’s given you enhanced special abilities you did not already have," System tried to explain. "Like, flying, super-strength, invisibility . . . don’t humans have comics?"

  "We do," Robyn answered. She didn’t strike me as the kind of girl who read comics, though.

  "Oh, good, then we’re on the same page," System sounded satisfied. Looking back, I wonder if he intended on a pun there.

  "So . . . are you trying to say that we got . . . powers?" Smithy said. (I’d forgotten he was there.)

  "Yes," System said. "Well . . . I’m not truly sure. The process of transferring Amepips wasn’t done properly. You’re not supposed to just jump into a vat of it and hope to get powers. It might have been diluted by the water . . . I can’t tell for certain."

  "What kind of powers exactly?" Smithy asked. He sounded determined, as if he was on a mission. I don’t know why, he just came across that way.

  System shook his head. "I won’t know until you discover it for yourselves."

  "Well, that’s helpful," Ned rolled his eyes.

  Brooke glared at him. "After he changes from a kid to a skunk, er, Systematic, after he tells us he’s here to help, after he explains that Earth’s in danger . . . you don’t believe it?"

  Ned shrugged. "Oh, I believe it. But it is nuts."

  "Tell us how we can help," Smithy said, getting us back on track.

  "Good," System fell back onto all-fours and waddled into some bushes. The leaves shook as System searched for something. He reappeared holding a small device that resembled an old Game-Boy, just smaller and with more buttons. "First, you need to know your enemy."

  System pressed a button on the device and a 3D image sprang into life, rotating slowly so we could identify all angles.

  Robyn whistled, softly. "A hologram," she said, admirably.

  "Cool," Brooke agreed.

  The hologram was shimmery and in dull colours, sort of like an old television set. But it was clear, the most life-like I would ever see without it really being in my presence.

  The image was life size and of a man, tall, thin, with jet black hair and pale colouring. Thin lips, a thin face structure and silvery eyes.

  I blinked and took an automatic step backwards. Something about his face struck me as familiar . . . I looked sideways at Smithy and I could see it: a subtle resemblance. This man looked like he could be Smithy’s father.

  I could see Smithy thought the same. His eyes had grown wide and his mouth hung open. He noticed me looking and resumed an air of cool. But the look in his eyes didn’t change.

  The man in the hologram looked like an ordinary guy, someone who’d walk past you on the street, maybe a teacher, maybe a taxi driver, maybe a shopkeeper. He didn’t give the impression of being someone who’d stand out in a crowd . . .

  . . . Till your gaze fell on the left side of his face.

  It was completely metal. Like a mask, the work of a talented make-up artist. But it was a strangely, realistic kind of mask. It caught and reflected the light like stainless steel. It was stainless steel to me. It started at the hair-line, ran down the face, curving around the nose and mouth, leaving them uncovered, but covering his left eye.

  "Who is that?" I asked, trusting myself only to say as much.

  "Gemini," System answered in a flat-tone. The name rang through our heads. I had a feeling I would hear that name every day of my life from that day forth. "He’s evil. He contacts alien explorers and assists them on their journey to Earth. He’s good at disguising them so they can blend in . . ."

  "So, he’s like a travel agent?" Robyn interrupted.

  "No, more like a tour guide slash travel agent," Ned corrected, sounding wise.

  "But that doesn’t sound so bad," I said, considerably confused.

  "It isn’t," System agreed. "But that’s just a part of his cover so he doesn’t get in trouble with the Intergalactic Police. What he really does is help a lot of species to invade. He has been waiting for a potential buyer."

  "Right, so, he’s incognito," Ned summarized.

  "No, I believe he is based in a city called Rockwell," System said, his little brow furrowing.

  "No, no, no," Ned said, quickly. "It’s just a . . . oh, never mind."

  System shook his little head. "Anyway, as I was saying: he’s helping aliens that wish to invade, invade. He is a deadly enemy. I need some help. I would have done this on my own but I require assistance. You five have to aid me in stopping his evil schemes and bring him to justice. Reinforcements will come, in time. But this planet requires help right this instant. But I will not put this upon you if you refuse."

  We fell silent for a long time. What System was saying was crazy, enormous, and impossible. But it made sense that he would need our help. He was only a little guy, after all.

  Since I was small, I had loved to imagine what it would be like if aliens existed. Now . . . they did. And it made perfect, logical sense. That or the cold, muddy water was getting to me.

  I could have walked away, there and then, and not turned back. I could have carried on checking out all the exhibits, enclosures, habitats and aviaries; all without a worry in my mind. I could forget about all of this nonsense and just live my life. Grow up, graduate, get a job, live my life . . . but this was happening now. And I didn’t understand why it was so real, so serious. But I could not walk away and just go on as if nothing had happened.

  The image in the middle of the room, flickering gently, proved to be a dangerous reminder of the situation. This guy, Gemini, was evil. I had never met him before but just looking at him, I could tell he was bad news.

  Robyn looked worried.

  Ned looked disbelieving.

  Brooke looked determined.

  Smithy looked certain. He spoke first. "Guys, there’s nothing else we can do."

  I could see Ned was about to argue.

  "No, there’s a lot we can do. We can forget this. I mean, if it was so urgent, why on planet Earth, excuse the expression, would he tell it to a bunch of kids?"

  (I was right.)

  "We can’t do anything. Even if we do have . . . powers. There’s nothing we can do to stop this ‘conspiracy.’ System, if you’re not lying, why didn’t you go to someone in a position of authority? Someone who could actually make a difference? We have no influence, there’s nothing we can do . . . we’re kids."

  System grew quiet. Either he agreed with Ned all of a sudden, or he already knew this. Or . . . he knew that Ned was not right. That . . .

  "Luke Rosenhart’s group, are you in there?" Ms Ling’s voice bounced off the white walls and echoed around the cavernous room.

  The sudden call somehow jerked me back to my senses. I stared at System, the skunk, and found myself forgetting that he had just spoken to us.

  "We have to go, now," Robyn said, urgently.

  I didn’t move. Then I glanced at the hologram and realized this was no joke. Ned was wrong to be come across as such a sceptic. This was real.

  The panic suddenly rose in me. "System . . ."

  "Don’t worry," System said, ru
shing to hide behind a shrub. "I know where you are, I’ll find you. Now, go!"

  Ned suddenly looked like he wasn’t so sure of what he had said. He had sounded as if he wouldn’t believe any of it. But I know Ned. He believed it. He just wasn’t sure there was anything we could do to help.

  Ned, as I have seen over the years, is the kind of person who always has an air of cool, indifference. But when it comes down to the crunch, he’s the one who will take any chance to make a difference.