Planet Genocide I (Galaxies Collide Book 3) Read Free Page B

have no signal, but there is considerable disturbance…’
    Shohara straightened up, stiffening as his eyes narrowed, ‘Dolphins or whales?’ He glanced across at the ensign as the woman shrugged, his voice rising, ‘Light us up…let’s see what is out there!’
    The female junior officer stared frantically at the equipment before her, her eyes darting across the screens, ‘Cameras are blind Sir! We have nothing!’
    The first officer stared around him, the adrenalin pouring through his frame, his tone strained, ‘Go to full alert! Comms to Hawaii immediately as per protocol…there is something…’
    A loud metallic clank against the hull, the officer glancing round cautiously as Shohara’s eyes looked upwards. The female ensign’s voice shaking, ‘Distress call from the USS Illinois…comms seem to be breaking down Sir…what…’
    All the screens suddenly went blank, McInnen rising from his workstation in rising alarm and concern, ‘Sir, we are blinded…all our systems are jammed! The enemy must be near…we are under attack!’
    Shohara glanced round in alarm as more clanks hit the hull, his voice exasperated, ‘What enemy…these aliens? Where the hell have they come from?’ He lunged forward, slamming his fist on the alarm button, the shrill sound of a shrieking pulse filling the submarine as crew members desperately struggled from sleep, jumping and stumbling from their bunks.
    McInnen reached for his holstered pistol, the pulses of adrenalin surging up his spine as muffled thumps echoed around them. Inhuman shrieks filling the submarine, the distant screams of the crew surging through the narrow passageways…then broken gunfire, the shouted words caught in his throat as his voice rose to shrill scream, ‘How? They are now inside!’
     
    The dawn light streamed through the long high windows, the four assembled senior officers blinking against the glare as the middle aged man behind the desk clicked a key on the laptop before him, his voice firm as his frustration rose, ‘It seems the network is slow again…the screen is stuck…again.’ He grimaced, leaning back in his chair, ‘So gentlemen, we have a conference call in thirty minutes with the British Prime Minister and Russian Premier, is there anything else to add?’
    The Chief of Defence shook his head, ‘No Sir…we have full patrols out in all coastal waters and the fleets report earlier this morning have revealed no suspicious movements. Satellite images show no cause for concern and we are following up on the many ‘strange’ sightings that have been reported…’ He smiled confidently, ‘Probably the usual ‘nuts’ and ‘white extremists’ hoping for publicity…’ Four mobile phones started to ring then cut off simultaneously, the figures startled in response, raising their devices to stare at them in exasperation.
    The main, highly polished white double doors burst open, several suited figures sweeping into the room, four lunging to either side of the wide desk as an exhausted intelligence officer stepped behind, his eyes wide with shock, ‘My apologies, Mr President…’ Glancing in embarrassment at the staring senior officers, he bowed his head in subordination, gasping heavily, ‘I have to report…we have lost contact with the Pacific and Atlantic fleets…there is no radio or electronic traffic, the oceans are in complete communication darkness now.’ The uniformed officer dropped to his knees on the deep pile carpet, staring in disbelief at the seal of the President of the United States emblazoned across its surface as he sighed deeply, ‘We believe the enemy is still here Sir…and now could be virtually on our coastline!’
    The middle aged immaculately suited man stiffened, glancing round in disbelief and near terror for the future, ‘Wh…?’
    The muscled suited man next to him grabbed his arm forcefully, raising his finger to his earpiece, then dropping his hand despondently, ‘Mr President…we need to