Gar flew through the quiet skies, carrying another pair of victims to a secure location. People lay sprawled across the city park, much like those in the stadium. A blue glowing bubble covered the vast gathering of people. He slipped through the bubble and carefully landed.
“I got her.” Quark ran over and helped with a person while Gar took the other.
They lay them beside each other on beach towels scavenged from a local Coles Department store.
“We have room for five hundred more out here.” Quark said.
Gar looked back. “There are more in a nearby school. Children in a scout group. I will get them.”
They both jumped when a large portal opened. Alex, EB, Nova, and Torrik stepped through. It snapped shut behind them.
Alex couldn’t control himself at the sight of this. “Good god, look at all these people.”
Quark said, “This is just a small amount.”
Torrik said, “I’m rested and ready to help again.”
“Good.” Gar said. “I was just about to go to the next pickup.”
“What is this bubble of energy for?” Alex asked, pointing up at the glowing dome above them.
Quark said, “This is a special creation of mine. It harnesses solar radiation and turns it into natural sugars in a micro-fine mist. The energy inside this bubble feeds the sugar mist directly into the bloodstream of those in the field. It should keep them alive a little longer. But my power is stretched pretty thin, even for me.”
Alex asked, “Why not just slow time? You did that before. Slow the decay down to an infinitesimal rate.”
Quark said, “I could do that. But this tech connects to something we can’t find. If I slow it down here, it would disconnect them from the primary system and...”
Alex got it. “It would kill their brains.”
“Precisely. This technology is the most horrible, infuriating thing I’ve encountered since Legion’s first appearance.” Quark was glowing as he got angry.
EB hopped over and handed him a chocolate egg. “Man, I have never seen you lose your temper. You are always cracking jokes.”
Quark took the egg and chomped on it, foil and all. “I’m watching this world slowly die. You can’t see babies withering away and not lose it. Whoever is behind this is a sick, sick monster.”
Nova said, “That’s why we’re down here. Alex and I are going to do a far more serious search for the source of this.”
Gar said, “But, we did seriously search. The first day, every robot and I looked all over this planet. If the people didn’t start dying, we would still be searching.”
Nova said, “I know. But this time, we have a little more information.”
Quark said, “Do you think you stand a chance of finding them in time?”
“I don’t know. But we have to try. You keep doing what you’re doing. We will find a way to turn this around.”
Torrik said, “There is one more thing. Something I knew I would have to say if we reached a critical point.”
Nova frowned and cocked his head. “What?”
“We’re growing closer to a critical stage in this. We should start focusing on the youngest victims. If people start dying off, the young need to be protected for the longest. If this power culls the population, they are the future of this world. I know it sounds heartless to abandon people, but...”
“It is sound, tactical logic I would expect from a trained tactician.” Nova said.
“We already secured every infant we could find.” Quark said, “Robots across the planet are targeting the babies. They are at far more risk of death from dehydration and malnutrition.”
Torrik said, “Not just babies, children.”
EB shook his head, “No, we can’t just let others die. We have to save them all.”
Nova let out a sorrowful sigh. “Torrik is correct. We save the future generations in case we aren’t fast enough to stop this. Your orders, starting now, are to focus on young children. Anyone you think is under the age of 14.”
EB yelled as he pointed at the bodies on the ground, “What of these? Do we pull the plug on them as well?”
Quark said, “EB, don’t lose it. Focus. We will do this only in case Nova cannot stop this before it’s too late for the others. Has Nova ever truly failed us?”
EB frowned but then shook his head, “My buddy is the best and will fix this.”
“Then we follow his orders and hope they are unnecessary.”
“Aye, aye.” EB saluted.
“Good, we...” Nova was about to leave when EB grabbed his leg in a hug.
With teary eyes, EB blubbered, “Don’t fail. I love this world and her people.”
“So do I. Now, get to work.” Nova peeled the blubbery bunny from his leg and left with Alex through another portal.
A BADGE shuttle in the middle of a parking lot waited for them. Nova pressed the button on the door and it opened.
Alex asked, “What can we do to find this that you haven’t already tried?”
Nova stepped in and flicked on the pre-flight power. Settling down into the pilot’s seat, he answered, “We’re going to scan and search every angle. I have the robots on the station using all the systems to scan this planet with every conceivable sensor. The computer on the station is analyzing that data and will provide even the smallest anomaly for us to follow.”
Alex sat down in the copilot’s chair. “What will we do? Just wait for direction from the station?”
“No, we will fly out and follow our own logic. Until the computer finds a lead to follow, we will search.”
Alex said, “It is a big world. I don’t see how we...”
Nova slammed a fist onto the computer console so hard that the system flickered. “I WILL PROTECT THIS WORLD!” While Alex was slightly terrified, Nova calmed down. “I can’t fail this time. Billions will die in a few short days if we don’t solve this. I will look until my strength gives out if I have to. If I fail, it will not be for lack of trying.”
Alex said, “I will die searching for a way to save my baby. I understand. Drocha has already taken my wife, but not my child, not while I breathe.”
Nova piloted the shuttle into the air. “We should look for places of higher tech. San Francisco, Tokyo, anywhere that computer tech is more common.”
The shuttle blasted forward at a much faster speed than usual. BADGE was required to keep the shuttles at certain levels so not to interfere with plane traffic. However, the skies were clear of any flights right now. They flew around the landscape of San Francisco, scanning with their sensors and eyes. Alex cast a few locating charms in hopes it would do the trick. But nothing came up. They were halfway to Silicon Valley when the automated comm system activated.
“BADGE spacestation to Director Nova.” The robotic voice of 10915 came through.
“Nova here.”
“Sensor systems have detected a minor anomaly. Location: University of Texas, Austin Texas. Coordinates are in your system. Information upload complete.”
Nova said, “Thank you, Nova out.”
Alex looked at the information now on the screen. “This is showing a tiny energy signature in a computer lab building at the university. This could be an automated vacuum cleaning.”
“Enough for me. Take us there.” Nova nodded.
Alex looked at the screen and then smiled. “My pleasure.” He clapped his hands together and spoke a magical word. A portal opened in front of them and they went through.
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