Insectoids Read online

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1 Bad News

  Chapter 2 Badlands

  Chapter 3 The Undergrounders

  Chapter 4 A Plan

  Chapter 5 The Basement

  Chapter 6 Trapped!

  Chapter 7 The Big Bang

  Chapter 8 A Family Reunion

  Copyright Page

  Titles in Teen Reads

  CHAPTER 1

  BAD NEWS

  Matthew and Gemma stared at the class of sulky eleven-year-olds. Matt and Gem weren’t teachers. They were battle-hardened Shadow Rangers, but they were only a few years older than the kids they faced. They glanced at each other. They were both thinking the same thing.

  “I’d rather be in a fire fight with a swarm of mutant Insectoids than here,” Matt muttered.

  “Me too,” whispered Gemma. “But orders are orders.”

  The kids’ teacher cleared her throat. “Now class,” she said. “We have two Shadow Rangers with us today.” She smiled at Matt and Gemma. The class didn’t. “They’re going to explain to you why studying hard in school is the best way you can help Rangers like them win the war against the Insectoids.”

  The class did not look impressed.

  Matt stepped forward and opened his mouth to speak, but the class had other ideas.

  “Why do we have to learn boring stuff in school?” demanded a boy with a freckled face and spiky hair. “You’re Shadow Rangers. You should be teaching us how to fight the bugs!”

  Before either Matt or Gemma could reply, a girl at the back of the class shouted out, “Yeah, ’cos what are we going to do when the Insectoids attack… read them a story?”

  Matt held up his hand for silence. The class glared at him. “Look, you’ll get your chance to fight the bugs when you’re older… and we’ll train you up to do just that when the time comes, OK? But that’s not what today is all about.”

  The class still glared at him. “So what is today all about then?” said the girl at the back.

  “It’s about teaching you guys how to use your brains,” said Gemma. “The Insectoids aren’t mindless bugs… they’re clever. So we don’t need cannon fodder if we’re going to beat them… we need bright people who can outsmart them.”

  “Gemma’s right, guys. So listen up and you may just learn something that’ll save your life when the time comes.”

  Before any of the children could reply, the door opened and a tall, tough-looking man strode in. Matt and Gemma snapped to attention and saluted. It was General Carter, the Shadow Rangers’ Commander. He had a grim expression on his face. “Class dismissed,” he said. The children grabbed their books and hurried out with their teacher.

  When they’d gone, General Carter turned to Matt. “I’ve bad news, Ranger. Your parents and sister have been captured in a raid by an Insectoid snatch squad.”

  “What!” Matt was stunned.

  “The Insectoids killed everyone else, but made off with your family. It seems that they were the target. We have no idea why.”

  Gemma shook her head. “Who can second-guess bugs?”

  “It doesn’t matter why they’ve taken my family,” snarled Matt. “All that matters is rescuing them. So I’m out of here. I can follow the Insectoids’ trail into the badlands and hunt them down.”

  General Carter shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t allow you to do that.”

  Matt did a double-take. “You’re kidding me, right?”

  General Carter glared at him. He didn’t like it when anyone questioned his authority.

  “Look, I’m sorry about your parents, Ranger, but I have to see the bigger picture. I can’t let you go running off looking for revenge. That’s not how it works. You have a job to do here, so that’s what you’ll do until I decide otherwise – and that’s an order!”

  Matt shook his head. “No, I’m sorry, General,” he said, “that’s one order you can stick where the sun don’t shine!”

  Then, before either the General or Gemma could stop him, Matt stormed off.

  “He didn’t mean that, General,” said Gemma. “He’s just really upset about his family being kidnapped.” Then Gemma ran out after Matt.

  The General didn’t move. He clenched his fists and a furious light burned in his eyes. “Even if he makes it back alive he’s finished as a Ranger in my command,” he muttered to himself. “Nobody, but nobody, speaks to me like that. I’ll make him wish he’d never been born!”

  CHAPTER 2

  BADLANDS

  Matt was a skilled tracker and, after a couple of hours of following the Insectoids’ trail, he came out of a dense wood and spotted the snatch squad about half a mile ahead of him. The Insectoids were taking his family across a field that was choked with weeds. The going was hard but the bugs nipped Matt’s family with their sharp claws every time they showed signs of slowing down.

  Suddenly, Matt’s younger sister Kerry tripped and fell. She was exhausted. For a second, Matt thought the Insectoids were going to kill her.

  They jabbed at her and drool dripped from their jaws. Kerry began to scream.

  “No!” yelled Matt, but he was too far away to help. Then the largest of the bugs screeched and the Insectoids backed off. Kerry scrambled up and ran to her parents. Her mum hugged her and Matt’s dad shouted at the bugs. The creatures ignored him. He was no threat to them.

  The bugs moved away from his family and chittered to each other. Matt had no idea what they were saying. It didn’t matter. It was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

  Matt’s family were sitting by an overgrown hedge at the edge of the field. He crawled through the long grass until he reached it. Then he jumped up and blasted the Insectoids with deadly foam from his blaster.

  The Insectoids were taken completely by surprise. Matt charged at them, covering them with foam. Their hard skins melted and they dissolved before Matt’s eyes.

  “Matt, look out!” his sister yelled a warning, but it was too late! A huge winged bug swooped down from the sky and crashed into him. Matt was knocked out cold.

  When Matt came round he couldn’t move. The Insectoid had wrapped him up in a sticky cocoon. Only Matt’s head was free. The hideous creature scuttled over to him. Its long jaws clacked together like two sharp knives. Matt was sure it was about to bite his head off.

  The terrifying bug loomed over him. Matt could see his own face reflected over and over again in its eyes. Then the creature’s mouth opened and a harsh sound grated on Matt’s ears. It was speaking!

  “You failed in your mission, Shadow Ranger. Now you will die.”

  Matt wasn’t going to beg for his life, but he wanted to know if his family had escaped. “Just tell me, did I free my family?”

  A horrid screeching filled the air. Matt realised that it was the Insectoid laughing.

  “No, you didn’t. We have taken them to a holding pen next to our Hive. We will feed them to our Queen. They will be eaten alive, Shadow Ranger.” The creature screeched its horrible laugh again.

  Even though he knew it was hopeless, Matt wasn’t about to give up. “OK, bug, do your worst. But, this isn’t the end. When I’m dead other Rangers will finish what I’ve started. They’ll come and destroy your Queen and her Hive.”

  The bug shook its head. “They can try but the Hive is in the glass tower that you humans call the Shard. It is a fitting place for our Queen to live.” The Insectoid thrust its ugly head close to Matt. Matt could feel its foul breath on his face. It stank of death. “The Shard is too high and well protected for your Rangers to approach it without being seen. We will crush them.”

  “Yeah, you wish, bug. Here’s one Ranger you didn’t see coming!”

  The Insectoid spun round. Gemma was standing there with her blaster locked and loaded. She squeezed the trigg
er and the full force of a jet of insecticide foam hit the bug right between the eyes. It never stood a chance.

  “Gemma!” gasped Matt. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Saving your backside,” replied Gemma as she used a pocket laser to cut away the sticky threads of the Insectoid cocoon and free Matt.

  Matt leaped back up onto his feet. He grinned at his friend and they tapped fists.

  “Did General Carter change his mind and send you after me?” he asked.

  “No way! He’s furious with you and ordered me to stay put.”

  “What! You disobeyed a direct order?” Matt was shocked. Gemma was the kind of person who always did things by the book. He realised that she must like him an awful lot to do what she’d done. That’s good, he thought, because I’d have done the same for her. Though no way am I admitting it!

  “Yes,” said Gemma. “And it’s lucky for you I did because, if I hadn’t, you’d be dead meat.”

  Matt nodded. “You’re right, Gem. I owe you big time.” Then he frowned. “Look, I’m in trouble with General Carter, but if you go back to Shadow Ranger HQ right now, you’ll be OK. He won’t even know you’ve been gone.”

  Gemma folded her arms and glared at him. “Do you really think I’m going to leave you out here to face the bugs on your own?” She shook her head. “Dream on, buddy, that so isn’t going to happen. We’re a team, Matt. Don’t even think about trying to go it alone!”

  Matt gave her the ghost of a smile. “OK, Gem, but rescuing my family is going to be a tough ask.”

  Gemma looked thoughtful. “Maybe… but I heard that bug tell you where they were taking your folks, and why… so what are we waiting for?”

  CHAPTER 3

  THE UNDERGROUNDERS

  The once-great cities of the world were now a mess of broken buildings and rubble-strewn roads… and London was no exception. There was a reason for this. Many years earlier, a mutant species of insects had evolved deep underground. The Insectoids were clever but cruel and they wanted to rule the earth. However, they knew they had to wait until the time was right.

  Then, when the Ebola virus swept across the globe killing countless millions, the Insectoids saw that their day had come. They poured out of their lairs and launched their attack.

  Humanity tried to fight back but, already devastated by the virus, they didn’t stand a chance. The ruthless mutants destroyed everything and everyone who stood in their way.

  Then, when the war was done, the Insectoids took over the cities and towns. The few remaining humans fled and hid wherever they could find shelter from the wrath of the Insectoids.

  However, when the survivors grew tired of living like animals, a band of warriors called the Shadow Rangers led the fight back. Now Matt and Gemma were taking the fight into the heart of London. It was madness… but they had no choice.

  Matt and Gemma slipped along the shattered streets. Then Matt held up his hand. “Listen up, Gem, I can hear Insectoids coming.”

  The two Rangers ducked behind the tumbledown wall of a ruined house. They were not a moment too soon. As soon as they’d taken cover, a swarm of gruesome Insectoids came scuttling round the corner of the street. They were herding a captured group of terrified humans.

  “Come on, Gem,” whispered Matt. “No way am I going to let those bugs feed any more of our guys to their Queen.”

  He started to rise, but Gemma pulled him back behind the wall.

  “No,” she said. “There are too many Insectoids for us to take out here. Let’s tag along behind them and wait for a better opportunity to strike.”

  “OK,” said Matt, “we’ll follow them… but make sure they don’t see you.”

  “Wow! Thanks for the advice,” said Gemma. “I would never have thought of that all by myself! Duh!”

  Matt didn’t reply. It seemed to him that fighting bugs was way easier than trying to understand girls. He just primed his blaster and made to set off after the Insectoids. Gemma did the same, but they were both halted in their tracks when a voice said, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  They spun round, blasters at the ready, and came face to face with a scruffy-looking boy of about fifteen. The boy held up his hands. “Hey, take it easy guys, I’m not an Insectoid. I’m Ryan and I’m an Undergrounder.”

  “What the hell is an Undergrounder?” snapped Matt.

  The boy shrugged. “We’re people who live in the tunnels of the London Underground. We only come up to the surface to find food.” He pulled a face. “It’s not great down there, but the mutants tend to leave us alone. I guess it’s their idea of a sick joke that humans, not bugs, have to live in holes in the ground now.”

  Gemma nodded. “But at least you’re alive.”

  Ryan shook his head sadly. “If you can call hiding in tunnels living,” he replied.

  Matt frowned, “So, what are you doing up here on the surface?”

  “Saving your lives!” exclaimed Ryan. “Listen, if you’d gone after those bugs, you’d have walked smack into an Insectoid patrol of mutant scorpions.” The boy was jumpy and scared even though he was trying hard not to show it. “Look, I know you’re a couple of hot-shot Shadow Rangers but, trust me, those things would’ve wasted you big time.”

  Matt narrowed his eyes. “Maybe,” he said, “but we can take care of ourselves.”

  “Sure you can,” said the boy. “But if you want to rescue those people, there’s a better way to do it than picking a fight you can’t win.”

  Matt raised his eyebrows. “Really? What’s that?”

  “The bugs take captured humans to a sports’ stadium near the Shard. They keep them there until they’re ready to eat them.” He shuddered. “But I know how we can get there without the bugs seeing us.”

  “OK,” said Matt. “How?”

  Ryan grinned. “Easy,” he said. “We’ll take the Underground route.”

  CHAPTER 4

  A PLAN

  Ryan took the two Shadow Rangers through a maze of rubble-filled back alleys to an old Underground station. He pulled a torch out of his pocket. It didn’t give off much light, but it was just enough to show a set of steps going down into the darkness.

  “Sorry, the lifts don’t work,” he said. “Still, going up and down all these steps keeps you fit. So, let’s go. Just try not to trip up, OK?”

  At the foot of the stairs was a platform. Ryan walked to its edge and jumped down onto the tracks. Matt and Gemma stared at him. “It’s safe,” he said. “There’s no power and no trains coming.” He turned and walked off into the tunnel. The Shadow Rangers took a deep breath and followed him.

  It was a grim place. The air was filled with dust that scratched their eyes and made them choke. Rats ran over their feet, their red eyes reflected in the torchlight.

  “How can you live in a place like this?” Gemma asked.

  “I don’t live… I survive,” said Ryan. “The two things aren’t the same.” He sounded bitter and angry. “Plus, I don’t have a choice.”

  “You will when we defeat the Insectoids,” said Matt.

  “Yeah? Well, let’s crack on then,” replied Ryan. “Because that day can’t come soon enough for me.”

  The little group stumbled on until they came to another station. “Here we are,” said Ryan. He climbed up onto the platform. He handed the torch to Matt. “This is as far as I go. You guys are on your own now.”

  “Hey, won’t you need the torch to find your way back?” asked Gemma.

  Ryan shook his head. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve spent so long living down here I’ve almost learned how to see in the dark.” He gave them the thumbs-up. “Good luck, guys… you’re gonna need it.” Then he hopped back down onto the track and stumbled off into the darkness.

  Matt turned to Gemma. “Right, it’s time to hit that stadium!”

  Gemma didn’t move.

  Matt frowned. “Hey, Gem, what’s up? You’re not getting cold feet are you?”

  She shook her head.
“No, but I am getting a good idea.”

  Matt was unconvinced. “Yeah? What is it?”

  Gemma pulled out a hand-held computer from her pocket. She tapped the screen and then smiled. “Look, Matt, when they built the Shard back in the old days they also built a secret Underground line to the main railway track.”

  He was puzzled. “Why would they do that?”

  “Because a lot of very rich guys had offices in the Shard. They wanted to be able to come and go without mixing with regular people. But the point is, we can use that tunnel to get right underneath the Shard.”

  “How does that help?”

  “It helps because we can then sneak into the Shard’s basement.”

  Matt was still puzzled. “Why would we do that?”

  “Because the gas supply meter that powers the whole building is there. All we have to do is put explosive charges on it. We set the timer to go off after we’ve gone. Then, when it blows up, it’ll take out the Hive and the Queen with one big bang. Simple!”

  Matt rubbed his chin. “Great, but what about the bugs guarding the stadium? How do we get rid of them?”

  “We don’t.”

  Matt stared at Gemma. “What do you mean? We have to get rid of them!”

  Gemma smiled. “No, they’ll get rid of themselves. The big bang will freak the bugs out. They’ll panic and rush off back to the Hive to see what’s happened.”

  Matt grinned at Gemma. “Gem, did I ever tell you you’re a genius?”

  “No,” she said. “But you can tell me I’m a genius after the plan’s worked!”

  CHAPTER 5

  THE BASEMENT

  The secret station was as quiet as the grave. Matt and Gemma crept along the platform to the exit. They left a trail of footprints in the thick dust.

  “This isn’t good,” said Gemma. “If any bugs come along, they’ll see our trail.”

  “True,” said Matt, “but there are no bug tracks in the dirt so I don’t think they know about this place.”

  “I hope you’re right. It’s already creepy enough down here. The last thing we need is mutant Insectoids for company.” Gemma shivered even though it wasn’t cold.