Red Sands Read Online Free PDF Page B

outside. It was dark now, but the moonlight was enough to guide them.
    When they reached the observation tower, they ran for the hangars that housed the impressive NTC spaceships Jeff had seen on previous visits. The largest hangar was his target. That’s where he was going to set up the trap.
    He paused at the edge of the building, peeking around the corner at the wide set of doors. They were slightly ajar at the middle. He listened for any sound of the aliens but heard nothing.
    They proceeded through the doors. Holding his breath, Jeff braced himself as he flicked on the flashlight. The beam revealed an empty hangar. No spaceships, no humans, and no monsters.
    Jeff slid the doors closed behind them.
    In the center of the room sat metal tables. Monitors and abandoned hardware littered their surfaces. He walked over to them.
    Crouching, Jeff found boxes full of gas masks and body armor. He knew right away the suits wouldn’t fit either of them. Instead, he reached for one of the masks and slipped it over his face. The smell of plastic filled his nostrils, but he didn’t remove it. For some reason it made him feel safe. Invisible even. As though the aliens wouldn’t be able to see him in it.
    â€œHere,” Jeff said, handing one of them to his brother. “Put this on.”
    As they prepared to move out, Jeff ’s light uncovered an open hatch a few feet away. Taking a knee he pointed the beam inside. A ladder extended into the darkness and he could see a tunnel at the bottom. Good ,he thought, this can be our escape route . David stood behind Jeff and peered over his shoulder.
    â€œCan’t we just go down there instead?”
    Jeff grunted his response.
    They moved to a staircase. The steps led to a small office that overlooked the hangar floor. Inside, another ladder led to a hatch in the ceiling. Jeff opened it. Moonlight hit him.
    â€œLet’s go,” he said. The boys climbed onto the roof and walked across the metal surface.
    â€œI’m scared,” David whispered, his voice muffled by the breathing apparatus.
    â€œMe too.”
    He guided his little brother to the north edge of the rooftop and set down their bags. The combination of adrenaline and energy from the pill made his heart race. It felt like it was trying to burst out of his chest.
    When they’d set up their gear and weapons, Jeff reached for the bag of grenades. He wanted to get started as soon as possible, knowing that his courage wouldn’t last all night.
    â€œYou ready, David?”
    He shook his head just as Jeff expected him to. “If things get bad we retreat into the building and into that tunnel.”
    â€œOkay.”
    He reached for his brother’s hand and then pulled him into a strong hug. “I love you, David. Dad would be proud of us.”
    â€œI love you, too.”
    As soon as they pulled away, Jeff reached inside the bag, pushed the button on the grenade, and tossed it as far as he could into the desert.
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    Twenty biospheres in four days. Hoffman couldn’t believe the situation report. Each image showed the same type of black ship hovering over a buried biosphere, blue spiders swarming into an opening they’d made. He felt completely defeated. The Easter eggs he’d left for humanity were failing. One by one.
    Hoffman had sealed himself in his quarters and was staring through the porthole window. Every time his monitor chirped, he feared the worst. That another biosphere had gone off-line. The thought filled him with overwhelming dread. He’d known all along that the military wouldn’t be able to stop the Organics. But he’d hoped his biospheres would be safe. He’d put so much work into finding the perfect locations and filling the buried bunkers with the most capable men and woman the human race had to offer.
    And in the end, the aliens had found them. Soon there wouldn’t be anyone left. It was an odd feeling,