Chapter Six
By Enapov
Lianna ran her hands across her clothes smoothing the wrinkles and dusting off whatever had landed on her in the crash.
Then she realized what had landed on her was Gray and pushed him hard away.
"Hmmm," She hummed looking at him and having him look at her in sort of an embarrassed smirk. Then in a singsong child-rhyme-voice she teased, "I am not sitting by her. She has cooties."
"Shut up!" He turned rather pink for a Gray Zombie and said, " It’s just my natural reflex to try and protect those around me."
"Natural reflex." She nodded quietly.
"Okay that’s enough!" Snapped Cyberbeast. Who seemed to be the only unaffected by the crash. Lanz was clearing his throat over and over, trying to recover his voice from his supreme soprano pinnacle. Xigeous was busily finding the controls to open the hatch. Finally with a mechanical clunk and swoosh they heard a door open.
A wonderful breeze came in, tropical and warm, yet not terribly hot. The smell of fresh foliage and tropical fruits wafted in and through the Xig mobile.
The occupants released themselves from their restraints (whether they were organic or man made) and the five walked to the opening and looked out apprehensively at the mysterious island.
The island itself was like something one would expect in a James Bond movie or at least an Austin Powers movie minus the huge Dr. Evil sculpture on the volcano. It had lush trees dripping with growth; the sounds were those of typical jungle noises. The Ooo ooo ooo oooo Ah Ah aH Ah bird was out, doing his thing. Making his Ooo ooo ooo ooo ah ah ah sound. It was all lovely and inviting.
The four non-doctors on the trip were hesitant about trampling out into the unknown. But the one with the "DR" infront of his name had obviously never met a snake he didn’t like or a tarantula that wouldn’t be his friend, either that or he just didn’t care. He marched out into the jungle and took a deep breath and spun around like Julie Andrews on a mountain top. Lianna figured that somewhere in the back of his mind there must have been some kind of "death deficit disorder." Finally, Cyberbeast moved passed her and walked up behind Xigeous. Gray ran up behind him concerned, that he might miss something.
Lanz put his hand on her shoulder, " I wonder how much someone would pay for a piece of property like this. I wouldn’t mind retiring on something like this…"
Lianna looked at him oddly.
"Well you know, clear off about three four acres, build myself maybe a little house on the beach."
She stepped back, "Did we not all just crash together here?"
"Hey this looks like something interesting!" Gray stepped over to a native looking sculpture near a tree. It looked like a burial pole from some African culture. But allot more sinister.
It had a woman with snakes running around and through her body, which Xigeous pointed out was unclothed.
Gray thanked him for his observance.
There were strange words running around what looked like a banner carved around and winding about the pole. Cyberbeast came up to it and scanned it closely. It looked like, through his cybernetic eye, that some electronic devices attached to it for some reason or another.
Xigeous reached out to touch it.
"NO! Wait! Don’t!"
But even as the words left Cybers lips the doctor pushed on a protruding piece of the wood.
"What is it with you and breasts?" Cyber yelled.
A loud mechanical KER ChunK was heard; huge hydraulics came into motion and sang louder than the birds. The ground moved and Gray Zombie, Cyberbeast, and Dr. Xigeous were nearly knocked off their feet.
The five backed away as a building erupted from the soil. Dripping with ground cover, with at least twelve inches of topsoil gracing its roof, the metal building arose out of the ground, standing at least two Cyberbeasts high. Which was approximately, twelve feet tall, if not more.
"It’s Durasteel." Cyber said coming close and peering at the walls, daring not to touch it.
"I thought that they hadn’t perfected durasteel?" Lanz asked moving passed Lianna slightly.
"That was my thought also."
"Are you sure it’s not titanium or some other super metal?" Gray moved around to one side of the building carefully inspecting it.
"No, I’ve seen the formula for it, no one has ever gone to the expense to create it. But my guts are telling me that it’s durasteel."
"Your guts." Dr. Xigeous snorted. "That’s scientific."
"I do have them."
"Look at this," Lianna said. Pointing at a jewel-like button.
"Don’t touch it!" Lanz screamed! Lianna stood back away from it.
Suddenly a piece of the wall disapeared inside itself and an entryway appeared.
"I knew it!" Lanz cried.
"I didn’t touch it." She yelled back at him.
Xigeous and Gray entered the darkened room; suddenly a light came on.
"Please all of you!" A gentle female voice came out of no where.
"Please come in, we’ve been expecting you!"
"Did you say that?" Cyber looked at Lianna.
"No."
The voice was coming from nowhere.
"Please come in, now."
Cyber and Lanz and Lianna joined Xigeous and Gray. Xigeous pointed out the chicken barbecue advertised on one pale pink wall.
"Look here." He pointed at the bottom.
"Enapov Kivdiy will play Clare de Lune after the desert carts." Cyber stood back wondering what it all meant.
As soon as all of them were in the room the opening shut with a deadly finality and they all reeled as the room began to move.
"We’re not in a building, we’re in an elevator!" Lianna cried.
It fell further and further into the ground then suddenly they all jerked to the side as the elevator jerked to the side.
"Reminds me of Star Trek." Lanz quaffed, "The rest looked at him in wonder. "You know, when they go from floor to floor, the elevator goes sideways and up and down."
After a minute they began to notice the music that was being piped in, it was from ‘I Dream Of Jeannie’ the television show.
"This is too bizarre." Gray said.
Suddenly the elevator opened.
"It’s not too bizarre, it’s all of what is our island paradise."The soft voice spoke again, only this time it came from behind a huge console that stood infront of a gigantic set of super computers. The five came out of the quasi-elevator and walked closer. Soon they could see the owner of the voice.
She stood all of five foot nothing. Huge green eyes were made bigger by thick glasses, and were set off by waves of strawberry blond hair. The massive console made her look ten times smaller than she actually was…
"Hello. I am Enapov. Welcome, we have been waiting for you."
"I have some questions…." Cyberbeast ventured.
She stopped him in mid sentence and pointed to a sign in large purple neon. It said, don’t ask because I don’t know.
"Who is…" Lanz started.
She pointed up again at another sign that lighted up in blue neon. What did I just say? It said.
"But we…." Gray began.
"All questions will be answered in only moments." She spoke. "First things first, you must sign in and you must get your passes."
"Passes?" Lianna asked.
"Yes. It is required." Enapov pointed to a sign on the front of the desk.
All visitors without a visitor passes will be dispatched promptly.
"Dispatched?" Asked Xigeous. "You mean killed."
"We like to refer to it as creatively solving our security problems."
"Oh."
"Please place your hand here and Howard will dispense your cards."
"Howard?" asked Cyber.
"My computer."
Enapov carefully placed Cybers left hand on a lighted screen that looked like a flatbed scanner without a lid.
It scanned his hand with a light intensity that made the others cover their eyes. Enapov picked up his hand gently. "Most people use their right hands. But I see that yours have been technically enhanced. I find that fascinating."
"That would be my work!" Xigeous jumped in.
"Dr. Xigeous." She spoke like a cat waiting for the mouse to come out for the chocolate. "I know your work. Impressive, albeit insane at times and somewhat masochistic. But those are things I like in a scientist." She took off her glasses,
" My father," She added seductively taking his hand and drawing her finger across his palm, "Was often accused of being mad."
"Oh for the love of God." Lianna crossed her arms and shook her head.
Xigeous simply stood still and speechless.
She finished with Xigeous and looked deeply into his eyes.
"Now I must have Grays hand." She instructed. Xigeous simply nodded and backed away.
"I heard about your ordeal with Veronica Symthe. You indeed were set up. I can’t understand that woman anyway." Ena turned her head slightly.
"Your finished." She smiled at him.
"Lanzmanelli?" Ena looked him up and down. " A man in a cape. I can’t tell you how that makes me feel. There is just something about- "
"Oh please stop trying to seduce everyone!" Lianna screamed.
"I’m so sorry Lianna, I know, I’m a horrible flirt, but that’s my nature."
She ended the scan and took Lianna’s hand. " How can I measure up to someone like you though. Your natural beauty just shines through your eyes."
"Umm, uh…Well, I …."
Enapov walked away to one side behind the computers and came out with five small cards with clips on them.
"Please attach these to your shirts and follow me."
They followed her down a long corridor and into a plush lounge with sofas, a bar, and a television, DVD player, and stereo, everything that one would want in your typical apartment. It was done in beautiful dark wood and tastefully decorated in fine art work. The television was inset in the wall and the walls themselves were strung with book shelves and technical equipment.
A computer sat in the corner.
"Internet connection?" Lanz asked.
"We have our own server." Enapov answered. "But don’t try to send any messages right now. The server only allows Intranet communications for the time being. Please make yourselves at home. Someone will be with you in a moment."
She turned and winked at everyone and left.
"This is extraordinary!" Xig pronounced.
"It’s creepy." Cyber came back. "She’s just way too…. Hormonal."
"I kind of liked her!" Gray said.
Suddenly a voice boomed again as from nowhere, "Enapov is responsible for all of the technical operations of this island. Do not underestimate her abilities. Her father was a brilliant Russian scientist! She inherited his talents, and his madness!"
Cyber and Gray spoke at the same time, "I know that voice!"
To be continued…
