The Power of Five Oblivion

guessed that Matt had decided to challenge the commander but hadn’t wanted to do so in front of the crowd. Eventually, only Cain and a couple of his personal staff were left. Matt moved forward. Richard, Scarlett and Lohan went with him.
    Cain was studying a map full of arrows and troop formations. He looked up as Matt approached. “Yes?”
    “Your plan won’t work, Commander,” Matt said. The other members of Cain’s staff stared at him, shocked. He went on quickly, before they could interrupt. “If you launch this attack, a lot of people are going to be killed – for no good reason. I’m not sure that planes and missiles will do any damage at all to the fortress. The same goes for nuclear bombs. With respect, sir, I don’t think you know what you’re dealing with. You don’t know how powerful the Old Ones are.”
    “And you do?”
    “Yes, sir. I saw them in the Nazca Desert. That was when they came back into the world. I tried to stop them.”
    “You failed.”
    Matt shrugged. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. You can’t stop them. Even this briefing this morning … that was probably a mistake. They could have been listening in. They could have heard every word.”
    “I know every single person who came into this tent. There wasn’t a single man or woman here I don’t trust with my life.”
    “They have shape-changers. I could be one of them. So could you. So could any of your advisors. But it doesn’t matter anyway.” Matt sighed. “Why do you think they’re here in Antarctica, Commander? And why haven’t they come out and attacked you? Why aren’t they attacking you right now?”
    “You tell me.”
    “It’s because they’re toying with you. They’re waiting for you to come to them. You’re doing exactly what they want.”
    “How do you know that?”
    “Because I know them. I’ve fought them before.”
    Cain considered what Matt had said. His advisors stood around him, doing their best to avoid his eye. His face was as grave and as composed as ever, but Richard noticed that two red spots of anger had appeared on his forehead. At last he spoke. “Do you have a better idea?”
    “You should wait for the Gatekeepers,” Matt said. “All five of us have to be here. Then we’ll have the strength to defeat them. The power of Five. That’s how it works.”
    “There are only two of you here now. Where are the other three?”
    “On their way.”
    “And how long do you think we’ll have to wait? A week? A month?”
    “I can’t answer that, Commander.”
    Once again, Cain fell silent. Matt was standing next to Scarlett, looking very small in comparison to the military personnel who were so much older, smarter and physically larger than them. And yet there was something impressive about him. Richard had already noticed the change. The Matt he had met in Antarctica was very different from the one he had left in Hong Kong. He had been here for less than twenty-four hours and yet he had somehow taken command of the situation and was holding his own. The true authority in the tent belonged to him, and all of them knew it.
    “We can’t wait a week or a month,” the commander said. He had made up his mind. He spoke very deliberately. “You weren’t listening to what I said, Matthew. We can’t survive out here on the ice. We have to take action while we can.” He paused as if expecting Matt to interrupt but Matt said nothing. “And let me tell you something else,” he went on. “You may be special. You may be one of these Gatekeepers that seem to mean so much. I don’t know. But you’re only fifteen years old. I have a son as young as you. I wouldn’t take orders from him and I won’t take them from you either. Do I make myself clear?”
    “I’m not giving orders,” Matt said. “It’s just advice.”
    “I don’t think you quite understand the situation here. You only got in yesterday. And as for these powers of yours, I haven’t actually seen anything yet. This young lady says she can control the weather. Well, it’s been pretty cold these last few days. I can’t say I’ve been too impressed. What’s your party trick?”
    Matt didn’t reply. He looked quickly around him and saw a bottle of water on the table where the commander had been sitting. Matt barely moved. He flicked a hand in its direction and the bottle exploded instantly, spraying glass and water over the surface. The commander blinked. His officers glanced uncomfortably at each