Battle for Earth by Keith Mansfield Read Free Book Online

“He in jail somewhere?”
    â€œI don’t see him anymore,” said Johnny. Dave or his parents must have read the story in the papers. Johnny didn’t remember much about the night twelve years ago when the Krun had come to their house in Derby. He knew he’d been hidden under the bed with Bentley, and sometimes now he had the idea that he’d seen someone else there watching but not helping. The aliens had taken Nicky, faking his brother’s murder and framing Johnny’s parents. After they were found guilty, Johnny’s dad had been taken away for a decade of Krun torture while his mom, pregnant with Clara and apparently traumatized by the shock of it all, had been imprisoned in St. Catharine’s.
    Twice, a year ago, Johnny had met his mom. Once, journeying into the distant past, he’d rescued her as Atlantis sank beneath the waves; the other time was in St. Catharine’s Hospital when the Krun had killed his dad. Both times she’d been wonderful and seemed to care deeply for him. He just couldn’t understand why she’d allowed the aliens to rip her family apart without lifting a finger to stop them.
    Changing the subject, Ash asked, “What d’ya do up here, Johnny? Got any good games?”
    Johnny spent so little time in Halader House nowadays that there wasn’t much, but he did keep a handheld console in thebox under his bed, which also contained some of his dad’s old stuff. Soon they were taking it in turns to play
Starfighter 3D
. Johnny got the top score, but the other two were pretty good. He couldn’t help thinking they might make good pilots. After a while Johnny slipped out on the pretext of going to feed (the absent) Bentley, and called Sol on his wristcom, telling the ship that Bram would be coming to visit and making sure Clara was OK. She was still in sickbay, at Alf’s insistence, but said she was feeling better and sounded bored out of her skull.
    By the time he got back, Dave and Ash had had enough of the game and were itching for something else to do. “We have a plan,” said Dave, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Let’s explore your basement—see what’s behind the mystery door.”
    â€œThere’s nothing there,” said Johnny. “And it’s out of bounds.”
    â€œAre you scared?” asked Dave.
    â€œOf course I’m not scared,” Johnny replied. “It’s just rubbish—there’s nothing to see.”
    â€œDefinitely scared,” said Ash, nodding sagely at Dave.
    â€œThere isn’t anything to be frightened of,” said Johnny. “All right—I’ll show you.”
    The other two smiled, but Johnny didn’t mind. Checking the basement would hardly take long. Then he could say goodbye to his friends, show his face in the common room and take the
Bakerloo
back to the
Spirit of London
.
    The wooden stairs to the basement were through a doorway right next to the common room. Johnny led the way, shining a flashlight taken from the box underneath his bed, while the other two made exaggerated shushing noises. In the gloom they took turns placing the beam underneath their chins, making the most gruesome faces they could to scare the others. The place smelt of damp and, apart from some old bookshelves and leftover rolls of beige carpet that matched the bland corridors,there was nothing of any note. A new “No Entry” sign had been screwed onto a large cupboard built into the wall near a corner.
    â€œWhat do you think’s in there?” asked Dave, trying the handle, which was locked.
    â€œSecret alien technology, I expect,” said Johnny for a laugh. “Probably taken from Roswell.”
    â€œLet’s find out, shall we?” said Ash. He rummaged through his pockets and, with a flourish, produced a metal hairgrip.
    â€œAs if,” said Johnny.
    â€œYe of little faith,” Ash replied. He knelt down and pushed it into