The Jester laughed then to himself, before pressing the stop button on the tape recorder sitting on his lap. Ataari would be well pleased with him. They now had access to The Light Realms. The battle plan was back on song.
He knew Ataari would not be pleased that The White Knight had survived the assasination attempt. They would have to open the link once more with the Steileskin, though it mattered not. The game was over, this would be for real. The destruction of The Eldritch could take place now.
~
The explosion shook the walls and the ceilings of the upper section of The Fortress. Huge crack appeared in the masonry, windows shattered and shelves fell from walls. After the dust had cleared, a handful of security officials scrambled along corridors, with trepidation, to investigate the carnage. They found the lift shaft which lead to the subterranean levels had been destroyed.
Agent Broderick dialled a number on his mobile phone.
The phone on the Former President’s desk, rang once, then twice. On the third ring, he picked it up.
"Hello?”
"Mr President, sir. It has begun.”
”Thank you, Al. Please keep me informed of anything else.” The Former President put the phone down, and brushed the fingers of his hand through his hair. The Labyrinth is now sealed off once more from the outside world, he thought then to himself. He felt sudden regret. He would never see Marcus and his wife again. He had to initiate the next move. He stood up and leaned across to the Jack Daniels bottle on the shelf beside his makeshift office within The Whitehouse. He poured himself a large measure. How he had wished he had demanded he stayed with his pal. There was so much he could learn from The Atlanteans. So much.
He picked up the phone, and dialled an internal number. The phone was linked to The New President, Alan Duelles, former head of The CIA.
”Alan, there's been an explosion at The Fortress. It appears it was in the region that Marcus and the others were travelling through.” He deliberately forced himself to sound emotionless. He had to be.
“Thanks Ben. Sabotage?”
”There's been no word as yet, sir.” He replied.
”Let me know if you hear anything else. I will inform the brotherhood.”
”Yes sir.” Ben Clayton put the phone down and downed the contents of his glass in one go. He wanted to cry, to walk out of his office and never look back. The world of politics no longer interested him, especially now he had had his vision widened by his meeting with The Atlanteans and Odin.
Proof-read Extract taken from 'The Host' by Matthew James