Chapter 22: Chapter 22

Victon followed the creatures but he was not sure if they

knew they were being followed. Once or twice they

stopped and looked around…Richard was still

unconscious!

The creatures wandered for some time and then walked

towards the beach… When they couldn’t find their

spaceship they were so furious that they dropped Richard

and howled.

They huddled together and Victon couldn’t hear as he was

hiding near the mountain as the beach area was open and

he could be spotted easily!

The creatures once again picked Richard and ran towards

the campsite…Victon was shocked to see them taking

Richard to the campsite and placed him inside the cave.

The campsite was deserted as everyone had gone to

protect the city!

All the trees that surrounded the lake had gone and Victon

thought philosophically, plants bring beauty to the scene

and the plants could live without any of them but they

needed the plants!

Victon went up to the summit and parked his orb in a

crevice and he was trying to find a way earnestly to reach

the cave without being seen. Zo called him … he had a

shock of his life even though by this time he knew that

these beings transformed into anything they wanted!

Zo, ‘Victon, no use going down… they have erected some

form of electric barrier and we were not able to go in! I

remember Richard telling me that there was a waterway

that fed the lake and it was like a tunnel which went past

the cave below!’

Victon asked, ‘how many of you are there? I counted the

creatures and they were ten but if they multiply fast we

may have more than ten! There is no point in trying to

rescue Richard when these creatures were still alive! We

will find all the ways to kill them first!’ Victon sounded

determined…

Zo thought for a while and he agreed with him!

Zo told him to wait and he would go with his team.

Zo and his team flew past the cave slowly. There were

only four of the creatures in front of the cave and the

others must have been inside!

Then the surprise attack that they had planned got spoiled

when the orbs came down the other side of the lake! The

creatures were alert and they were looking at the Aatians

who were preparing to attack …

The creatures shouted something which Zo couldn’t

decipher! One of the creatures brought Richard out…

Suddenly Richard yelled with pain … it was obvious he

was electrocuted…Richard looked at the Aatians with

dazed eyes and shouted, ‘Aatians go away, if you remain

here they may torture me… I know what I am doing… so

now go away… don’t come near the cave’

Then the creatures pulled him inside!

Zo connected with Re and told him about the

developments! Re advised him to be there until Richard

was safely taken away!

The Reans were not able to enter the cave as the creatures

have erected some sort of eclectic barrier and Zo and his

team withdrew…

Meanwhile Victon was trying to find the waterway that

went through the summit cave. He found it easily and he

was not able to find from where the water was pouring…

definitely not from the summit, but somewhere halfway

below… It was very narrow, Aatians were very agile in

the water but their flippers were not of any use on land...in

fact it was a hindrance… he remembered the special

flipper cover that was invented by one of the Aatians. It

was very ideal for the stunts on land but never thought he

had to stay so long!

Zo transformed like a bird but his team members were still

invisible and were keeping guard near the entrance of the

cave.

Zo could see how earnestly Victon was trying to enter the

tunnel that echoed the falling water from somewhere!

Zo asked him move out so that he could try! Victon was

taken aback to see the new form!

He had never seen a bird before and he thought Zo

resembled the flying foxes that were found in the

underwater cavern!

Zo flew in side and it encountered the first problem. The

water was seeping from all the sides and was very dark.

Zo had a small light which he carried it in his legs! It

slowly descended and the force of the water was like a

torrent and in the confined space the noise was

deafening… But he could see the water fall had not filled

the entire tunnel. Zo flew through the gap between the

water and the tunnel wall!

He flew down until it reached the lake where it fed the

lake… but he did not see the cave where they had kept the

spacecraft Ave!...Where Richard was held.

Zo flew back again, now looking at the other side of the

wall where the water was falling…he could see a glint of

light and he took his light into his beak and switched it

off...He withstood the force of water by bracing his legs on

the opposite wall and dipped its wings. It slowly peeped in

the crack and he remembered the water seepage at the

back of the cave... He could see inside the cave! Richard

was sitting propped on the wall near the entrance… The

creatures were lying there blocking the entrance!

Zo slowly entered through the crack and became

invisible… he did not get any electric jolt like he had near

the entrance!

Victon could come through the crack but it would be

difficult for Richard.

He went very near to Richard and said in his ears, ‘we are

here!’

Richard was startled but he did not turn his face away

from the creatures… He gestured to Zo to get a weapon as

he dropped his Spitter… But Zo thought he was asking

him to shoot at the creatures.

But luckily Richard understood his intention when the

light was kept down and Zo tried to extract the emitter.

He gestured again to stop . Then again he gestured that

one weapon needed… Now he understood and he came

very close and said, ‘Yes King Richard… one weapon on

the way…’

Richard now felt confident! These small beings packed

more skills in them than hundred humans put together!

Richard counted the creatures and there were eight but he

remembered around ten of them when they escaped!

Meanwhile Zo went back in the same way and reached

Victon who was waiting impatiently… Zo described the

entire scene and he said finally , ‘ Richard wants

weapon… I think he wants one of your weapons… I can

give him yours and take my team inside and we can kill

them in no time…’

Victon was disappointed! But he understood the plan was

flawless!

‘

I don’t find any risk in your plan… But before that I must

ask the Aatians who are waiting, not to react or they would

come charging in if they hear any commotion’

Zo was thankful that Victon always thought ahead and

visualised the problems well!

Victon continued, ‘ I will take my orb through the valley

and come from the beach so that these creatures wouldn’t

have any suspicions..’

Zo was all admiration for him…Zo connected with the

team members to come and he explained to them the

plan…The Reans were very eager for action and the

thought of killing the creatures gave them lot of

satisfaction!

Victon told them to wait for the orbs to move out and then

they could go in…

Zo said, ‘We will wait inside because the moving orbs will

be a diversion that we need and we will kill them all!

Victon smiled at the tiny beings… so techno savvy and

having this much intelligence! He took the orb and flew

down through the valley and exited above a small

mountain and skirted it to reach the beach… Then he flew

from the beach to the campsite in a clear sight of the

creatures and parked among the other orbs in the other

side!

Then the silence was shattered by the screams of the

creatures…. Richard stood like a real hero carrying guns

on both his hands and shooting at the creatures until

everything became silent once again….

All the eight creatures died… Aatians came running to see

and the Reans were visible now!

This was the most amazing rescue operation! Their King

Richard was grateful for the timely intelligent action…

Victon said they would carry the dead bodies and drop

them in the ocean…

Zo asked them to stay for some late lunch and then to go

…

they agreed … had their fill from the drones sent by Te

and then left!

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