Alien vs. Alien
theirs up.” My mind raced. “Oh. Wow. Um, I have a really clear and focused goal, Chuckie.”
“On it.”
“Do you think these things can do that?” Jeff asked, looking at the cube in his hand.
“Worth a shot. So, while Chuckie plays with our Outer Space Rubik’s Cube, where is the one Terry programmed? I’d figured Clarence stole it way back when.”
“Makes sense, but if he is the one who took it, he hid it somewhere,” Jeff said.
“The Embassy,” William said, before I could. “That’s why he’s trying to get in here. He lost his cube and knows where a spare is stored.”
“That must be how they were able to enter the dead zone they used for the secret lab—they had the cube and figured out how to work it.”
“We think each dead zone houses a cube,” Chuckie said. “I was hoping to test and see if we could get into one of the others with one of the two we have.”
“So does that mean our world is littered with these cubes?” Oren asked.
“Too little data to make an accurate hypothesis,” Henry said.
“Oh, but I’m here, and I’m great with making a really good guess. Yes, assume there are Power Cubes in every dead zone. And if we could find the one Clarence hid in here, we’d have three.” An idea formed. “Poofies, can you find the missing cube that mean old Clarence stole and hid?”
The three Poofs with us appeared from wherever they’d been. Harlie did a mewl-growl thing, and a few more Poofs appeared out of nowhere. I decided not to question. The Poofs bounced up and down, then disappeared.
“Great, the Poofs are on the hunt.” One problem down. I thought faster. “So, based on our earlier assumptions, I’m going to make another leap.”
“Why not?” Omega Red said. “It’s all speculation right now.”
“Oh, it won’t be speculation for long, Yuri. We know the Ancients came by more than once. I think it’s a safe bet that whatever the aliens are that are headed toward us, they dropped by, too. The Ancients hung around and interacted. But maybe these other aliens didn’t. They could have been like ACE—they came to watch and observe, maybe take some tests, but they’re supposed to be leaving us alone. They put their cubes and tunnels into the earth a long time ago, and they’re using building materials we can’t access or probe with A-C talents or Earth-based technology, so that probably means metals from another world.”
“Why are so many important things on top of these cube rooms, then?” Buchanan asked. “It can’t be random chance.”
“No, I agree with you. I go back to the idea that they’re working as attractors of some kind. Maybe they probe and give subliminal suggestions. I felt a kind of tug when Richard and I went by the dead zones we passed on the way to find Jeff and Chuckie.”
“I did as well,” White confirmed.
“So I think they’ve been influencing us in some ways, either the cubes, the space invaders, or both.”
“I can agree,” Chuckie said, still fiddling withd his cube. “Because while we both wanted to get out of the room, there was a strong draw to stay in it.”
“I think if I’d been in there by myself, I might not have gotten out,” Jeff said. “And not only because Reynolds figured out part of the cube when I couldn’t. Once I calmed down it was very . . . soothing to be there.”
“So maybe that’s why you were both so calm when we found you—the room chilled you out.”
“Maybe.” Chuckie shrugged. “We don’t have enough data to even make an educated guess at this time.”
“Okay, fine,” Christopher said. “So why did you mention the Ancients, Kitty?”
“Because of the Dome. I think that Ancients’ ship was shot down by the cube that probably resides under the Dome. And I think that happened because these guys and the Ancients didn’t get along.”
“Enough to shoot another vessel out of the air?” Jeremy asked.
“Look, I realize that we humans like to think that sentient life on other planets will have found a way to getalong with everyone and would only come visit when they want to share how to make world peace a reality. But we have examples in the Alpha Centauri system that say it’s a nice idea but not something that happens in reality. Utopia’s a great vision. But it’s a hard thing to actually create or maintain.”
“Let’s say you’re right,” Henry said. “Why build the way they have? The tunnels and rooms are so small. We discussed this
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