The Mind Hack Read online

  Tolbert searched through the ruins and found his trophy sword. He smiled as he strapped it onto his back, a genuine fourteenth century katana. Tolbert checked the unit for a way out. He peered out the door and looked down the five stories to the ground. But he searched and found a way to scale down the outside of the building.

  Reaching the ground, Tolbert picked a direction at random. Any direction is as good as another. At the moment I need people to help me, but I am unsure of what type of people I need. As he headed out, his stomach growled, reminding him that he had not eaten in several days. Casting about for something to eat, Tolbert spied a convenience store.

  He hurried over, the stench of off milk and other rotting food wafted over him, was so nauseating that Tolbert dry wretched, the door hung open how long has this game been running for? Inside he could see the curdled remains of dairy products, and the festering remains of meat products. Holding his breath, he stepped inside, and grabbed any non-perishable food stuffs. Tolbert quickly exited the store with his gain, and began munching on a collection of chips and sweets, that were a little stale, Tolbert continued to walk along the road.

  A bellow of rage halted Tolbert in his tracks. Ahead of Tolbert stood a dragon engaging in a pitched battle with a group of slugs.

  They are fighting each other. What over? As he drew near, the remains of several trolls and several other slugs could be seen. Other smaller engagements surrounded the dragon; trolls, pounding at the ground to destroy swarming beetles, and slugs trying to grab hold of the raptors.

  Tolbert stepped into the shadows of another fallen building and watched. He didn’t know which side to go for. He knew that if either side won, he would die. Tolbert considered his options. He could go around, but he wasn’t sure how large this battle was. He crept around the outside of the battle, keeping himself as close to the wall as possible, sword drawn.

  A raptor collided violently against the wall, sliding down the wall, and landing on its feet dazed. Tolbert didn’t hesitate; he ran it through, killing it. If anything came close to him, he was going to kill it. The fear in his mind dissipated like fog before the sun. He had died several times; why should he be afraid of it?

  The dragon bit down hard on the last surviving slug that opposed it. The tide of the battle was drawing near to an end.

  Tolbert redoubled his pace to be clear of the them before the distractions are all dealt with.

  As the battle died down, Tolbert made it past the last of the combatants. He breathed a sigh of relief and felt a wave of nausea as he noticed the victors began feasting on the remains.

  A questioning chirp echoed from behind Tolbert. He wasted no time and spun around. Swinging the katana, he decapitated the head of the raptor that was behind him.

  He had made it; he had escaped. A wave of relief swept through Tolbert. He had survived an encounter without dying. Leaving the feasting creatures, Tolbert trotted off down the avenue, still trying to find someone who could help him.

  Chapter 9

  Tolbert stalked along the street keeping clear of the raptors. A roar echoed down the street returned by several others and the rushing of many feet along hard concrete. The beetles and slugs engaged six trolls.

  Tolbert’s eyes narrowed in grim determination, watching from half a block away.

  A large slug wrapped its tongue around an equally large troll, the troll used its six muscled arms to pound the slug into the ground. A troll jumped on top of the slug killing it. Another troll used the body of a dead slug as a club, pounding the ground and killing the numerous beetles swarming around its feet. Scattered around the pitched battle dead raptors had swarms of bugs consuming them.

  On the other side of the encounter, Striker watched with keen interest as the two groups of game monsters fought each other. Is it possible that they could be used to kill each other? Or would that just make one side too strong? Striker swept his gaze over the killing field, noticing strength levels and obvious abilities of the various monsters.

  As his gaze moved over the battle, he noticed a man skulking at the edge of the block. The man was watching, the battle between them. As the last of the slugs were dispatched, the beetles scattered into the buildings, leaving the dead corpses partially consumed. Striker drew his sword; he wanted to talk to that man at far end of the block. He had survived the transformation process and had not died or become food; he might know where Tolbert was.

  Tolbert watched as the battle drew to an end, hand on his sword. As he breathed in deeply, his face regained its colour, as he gathered courage for an attack. Then Tolbert noticed a man running into the battle, he ran forward to join. Maybe if I prove myself, I will be allowed to leave. Not a great plan, but it has got to be better than constantly dying and doing nothing at all. Tolbert yelled a war cry. As he yelled, the two remaining trolls turned to him and charged.

  Striker ran towards the trolls; they hadn’t heard him yet; they were busy eating the dead. Then the man at the other end of the block yelled a half-hearted cry, which drew the attention of the trolls. Striker increased his speed to reach the trolls before the man on the other side was killed. What a newbie, yelling like that.

  Tolbert gulped, noticing the trolls were coming for him. A troll came within range, and swung two hands at him.

  He ducked one and brought the sword down on the other, cleaving it off.

  Two more arms came at him from the other side.

  Tolbert side stepped cutting another arm off. This sword is doing a lot more damage than my gun ever did. I can do it.

  The troll roared its face deepened into a snarl, and attacked Tolbert with all four of its remaining arms.

  Tolbert ducked one and cut off another but the last two hit him. Tolbert crumpled to the ground as he skidded back from the force of the blows winding him. The second troll picked him up, bit off his head and swallowed it.

  Striker watched the fight between the trolls and the man, as he ran into the fray. The first couple of strikes severed off arms, but a single hit and it was all over.

  Grimacing, Striker, hamstrung the troll with only two arms cut off a leg of the other troll. It keeled over, Tolbert’s headless body still in its arms. Shock appeared on its green and pitted face. Striker wasted no time and ran his sword through the heart killing the troll outright. He let go of his sword and rolled to avoid a quick strike from the remaining troll. He picked up the man’s sword. Striker ducked under the troll’s swing and stepped forward impaling the troll on the sword. He retrieved his sword and walked over, covered in blood, looking at the head of the man.

  “So close,” Striker cursed recognising Tolbert, “I wonder where you will next appear.”

  He does seem to be getting better, though.

  Tolbert stretched his arms and yawned, opening his eyes. His cabin was cast in the red glow of a single blinking maintenance light. Getting up, he reached out and fumbled for the light. Finding it, he turned it on. Soft blue light enveloped the room. Hmm, this is a new location. Maybe I went up a level when I fought that Troll and cut off its arms.

  Padding over to the small bathroom, he showered in the subsonic waves blasting away his tiredness and the dirt from… When was the last time I’ve had a shower? … Was it when I pissed himself on the way home from work? He walked naked down to the galley and fixed himself some coffee. While the coffee brewed, he found some of his left-over dinner, a simple microwave meal scattered on the steel table. Sitting his lithe body down on the only chair in the room, the cold metal cooled his flesh. This seems to be a rather quiet area. Maybe it’s a safe zone? Perhaps I can rest a while and regather my strength.

  Alarms rang out.

  “What is it now?” Tolbert cursed to himself as he rushed off to the bridge leaving his breakfast half eaten on the galley table.

  Arriving on the bridge, he found the computers blaring at him.

  “What’s going on?” he commanded, dropping into the leather command chair.

  “Proximity alert. A small craft has
just docked,” the computer reported.

  “Well, who is it?” Tolbert asked.

  “The craft has no distinct markings or insignia on it,” the computer chimed.

  Muttering under his breath Tolbert raced back down the ship to the docking port.

  He arrived in time to see the doors burst open and two women enter. Both women carried guns on leg holsters and were wearing short, tattered jean shorts, and large knee-high boots. The one at the front was wearing a dark blue tank top that barely covered her large breasts. She had long black hair that she wore loose over her chest. The second one wore a grey vest that was held together with a single button right over her smaller but still ample breasts. Her blond hair was cut ear length.

  They both looked at Tolbert as he ran around the corner. Smiles cross their face as they took in his naked appearance.

  “Wow, he’s big enough for both of us,” commented the first woman, leering at Tolbert’s naked member.

  Tolbert blushed and tried to cover himself.

  “Don’t be crude,” commanded the blonde, stepping forward.

  “I was just admiring the catch,” retorted the second, still leering at Tolbert’s lean frame.

  “What do you want?” Tolbert asked, hands covering his crotch.

  “I want your valuables,” the blonde demanded. “It sounds like she would settle for your family jewels.”

  The black haired woman laughed.

  Tolbert looked back and forth between the two women.

  “I have no valuables,” he returned. He focused on the black haired woman.

  “We will be the judge of that, thank you,” the blonde flounced, passing Tolbert.

  “I will keep an eye on him,” called the black-haired woman, running her eyes over Tolbert.

  “I am sure you will keep him very busy,” said the blonde disdainfully over her shoulder as she walked into the cargo bay.

  A lecherous smile flashed across the black-haired woman’s face, and Tolbert gulped. Does she think that she is attractive with that creepy smile? A crash sound came from the cargo hold, and Tolbert’s attention was diverted back towards the other pirate.

  The black-haired pirate grabbed Tolbert’s arm and dragged him through the ship. She opened a door, checked inside and, not finding what she was looking for she moved on.

  After a couple of doors, she dragged Tolbert into his cabin and forced him at gun point onto his bed. Then she removed her holster and dropped her jean shorts. Half naked, she climbed onto him. With a skilled hand, she forced an erection from him.

  His body betrayed him. He struggled, he couldn’t breathe and she pistol-whipped him.

  Roughly, she mounted him and had her way with him.

  The blond pirate came to the door and watched with dispassionate interest.

  Finished, the black-haired pirate dismounted, stepped into her shorts and picked up the pistol holder, leaving Tolbert lying on the bunk bleeding from several places on his face.

  “Was that good for you?” the blonde asked, as they exited the cabin.

  “He was big enough to be of service, but he didn’t know what was good for him,” the black-haired pirate replied. “You could try if you like?”

  The blonde shook her head, her short hair covering her eyes.

  “He seemed nice,” she reminisced. “Pity he has to die.”

  “So he didn’t have any valuables?”

  “No,” she sighed. “But he must die because he has seen our faces.”

  Their laughter echoed down the hallway as they exited the cargo ship from the airlock.

  Once they cleared the ship, they fired off a single missile. It flew towards Tolbert’s ship and latched onto the outside fuel tank. After a countdown of five seconds, the warhead exploded, igniting the fuel line and ripping apart the small cargo ship.

  Lying in his bunk, Tolbert heard the explosion holding his head in his hands, tears streaking down his face. He felt dirty and used. The violation of his body left an empty hollow in his heart. The sound of the alarms gave warning of the only escape he wanted; even that sweet escape to oblivion was now taken from him. Death came a few merciful seconds later.

  Sleek and grey, it came out of the clouds. It streaked towards a large building, skipped across the roof and crashed through the roof of the next building.

  The grey ship opened and two women in jean shorts disembarked. The pirates found a jewellery shop; glittering gold and diamonds surrounded them.

  Quickly, they fired their laser pistols at everyone killing all instantly. The blond pirate pulled off her vest and used it as a sack. The black-haired pirate watched, stunned for a moment, and then did the same. They both laughed with glee as they smashed glass and grabbed jewels and gold.

  “This was a stroke of luck,” commented the blond pirate as she piled more necklaces into her shirt

  “We have finally struck the big time,” returned the black-haired pirate, laughing as she shovelled rings and earrings into her tank top.

  Holding the bundled loot in their shirts against their bare chests they ran back into their ship and launched off. They piled the loot onto a bench in the small vessel.

  “We better get off,” Blonde ordered, climbing into the pilot’s chair.

  Black-haired paused and then, slipped into the gunner’s chair. The ship reversed out the way it had come in.

  “Let’s try another place,” Black-haired suggested.

  “Do you see any form of pursuit?” Blonde enquired.

  “Nothing. It seems that this place has no form of security”

  “Awesome,” Blonde exulted, “let’s try something over the river.”

  They flew over the river, black-haired commented. “Something happened here.”

  “Better for us. The diversion will allow us to get away quicker,” Blonde cackled.

  They crashed into another building and then grabbed and donned their tops as they exited from the rear hatch.

  As they emerged, the two pirates were confronted with a dragon looking right at them. The dragon roared at them and breathed fire, but the fire was absorbed by the ships defence shields.

  Both pirates started firing at the dragon. The dragon continued to breathe fire at them; its eyes went red. As the fire from their laser pistols cut into dragon flesh, its eyes got redder and redder.

  “What sort of place is this?” asked Blonde.

  “How the hell should I know,” retorted Black.

  Dragon and pirates continued to fight each other.

  Chapter 10

  Tolbert awakened with a jolt at the sound of roaring. His sword sat across his lap and not too far away a dragon breathing fire at a sleek grey ship caught his eye. He stood up with a groan. Pain seared his face. Touching it, he discovered bruising.

  Tolbert noticed the two women standing behind the ships shield, fighting the dragon. Recollection flooded into his mind, and a seething anger boiled up inside of him. He was not some helpless wimp; he was a man at least.

  Standing up Tolbert grabbed the sword off his lap. His face went blank, as he came up behind the dragon. Tolbert watched the dragon breathe and fire erupt from its mouth. Tolbert spied a small hole in its armour just under its head. Tolbert ran straight along the length of the dragon. The noise of laser fire and belching fire drowned out the sounds of Tolbert’s feet. He ducked under the head of the dragon as a gout of flame issued forth. As it finished, he thrust his sword right into the chink in the armour. The blade passed through the dragon’s neck and spine, killing the dragon instantly. The dead weight of the dragon fell on top of him.

  The two pirates ceased shooting as the dragon crumpled into a heap; they stepped out and investigated.

  “You would think that a city with a dragon would at least be fire proof,” Blonde commented.

  “It looks like the city came before the dragon,” commented Black, observing the ruined streets and collapsed buildings.

  “I am just glad those shields kicked in,” returned Blonde.

&
nbsp; “Worth every credit if you ask me.”

  “Too right.”

  As they circled around the dragon, the dragon shook and heaved. Bursting forth from the mouth of the dragon, Tolbert was covered in slime and grime, in several varying shades of blue and green.

  “Are you Okay?” questioned Blonde, approaching Tolbert.

  Tolbert lifted the sword and turned to face the two pirates. In a quick succession of sweeping cuts, he downed both pirates before they knew they were dead.

  Tolbert spat at the black-haired pirate’s remains. The raging fire cooled a little as he let go of the pain. I don’t think I will ever forget but at least I feel a little better. He quickly walked up the gantry into the sleek grey ship. Sitting down in the command chair, he smiled pleasantly. The control interface was the very same one he used on his ship. He closed the gantry and took off.

  After take-off, the computer asked Tolbert for his clearance code.

  Tolbert looked around the small cockpit and spied the mountain of Jewellery piled on a bench, “Loot”

  “Error. Clearance code incorrect,” the computer declared. “Shutting down main thrusters”

  “Dammit,” cursed Tolbert as the ship began to glide over a building its engines stalling before going offline altogether. I killed a dragon. I will not let a simple computer kill me. Pulling back on the control yoke, Tolbert tried to control the ships landing. The grey ship crashed into the corner of a low sitting building, bouncing off and barrelled through the window of another, finally dropping to the ground and crashing into the side of a road. On one side were high-rise collapsed buildings and on the other a vast open park. Inside, a support beam ruptured and pierced through Tolbert’s, and impaling him to the chair. He coughed up blood every intake of breath painful. Life slowly ebbed out of him with each strained beat of his heart.