Chapter 14

Sophie practically flew into me the moment I stepped through the portal back to Roker Island. Her face was a mix of worry and relief. “Did Joel tell you? We have the American and Chinese governments around the Sphere and what looks like the entire UK army camped around the farm. They’re not happy with us at all, Clive.

“I heard yeah. That’s why I’m here. Have the attacks been bad?”

“Explosive. Though we’ve been completely safe. They’ve used Submarines and jets against us. They only stopped because they realized it was making absolutely no difference, that's when... the US threatened us with nukes.

“Lucas said the Chinese said roughly the same. Our people are growing distraught. It feels like we’ve set ourselves against the world, Clive. Your mother and father…”

I held up a hand to stop her. “Don’t worry, I know exactly what they’ll be like and who they’ll blame. But don’t worry Sophie. It’s going to be alright, I promise. Has anyone spoken to the armies yet?”

“We tried. They don’t respond. They just repeat the same thing. Drop the barriers and surrender. They asked for you as well. It seems they’ve worked out that we’re the same people from Sunderland and…”

Shouting pulled our attention to the east and two six black dots that quickly materialized into fighter jets. I watched in a mix of awe and irritation as the sleek and powerful machines zipped past unleashing an air strike on us.

“I thought they’d stopped,” I said feeling a swell of anger as the missiles struck the Sphere.

“They had. I’m not sure why they’ve begun again. They couldn’t know your back could they?”

“Probably a new commander,” Lucas said coming alongside us with Peter and Eowyn. “Sent because the last one hadn’t managed to penetrate the shield maybe?.”

“You know what. I don’t even care. I think it’s time I went and had a little word?”

“You want me to come with you?” Lucas asked.

“Maybe not this time, mate. It’s probably not going to be that kind of word. When a cub plays, the mother lets it. When a cub steps out of line, the mother smacks it, just hard enough to give it a shock and teach it a lesson. These motherfuckers might not be my cubs, but they’re long overdue a goddamn smack. And I’ll keep smacking as many times as it takes to teach the lesson.”

Lucas winced. Peter chuckled and looked like he really wanted to come along. Eowyn was watching a woman with waist length brown-haired walk past.

“Not be long.” I said, launching into the air.

“I wouldn’t like to be those soldiers out there right now,” I heard Lucas say as I exited the sphere. I agreed completely with the sentiment.

I chased after the jets, catching them in within a minute and following them back to their aircraft carrier. They must have picked up my approach as they began to turn as one.

“Not today, assholes,” I said with an amplification on my voice so that they all could hear me loud and clear. Then I wrapped each of their jets up in Neuma and holding them in position before flying in among them.

I maneuvered each jet so the pilots could see me from their cockpits. Then I spoke again. “My people are peaceful and not one of them has attempted to harm anyone, and yet you come here, to the middle of nowhere, and fire missiles at us?”

I let my words sink in hoping they’d be repeated to whoever was on the other side of their comms.

“That ends today! I’ve seen you all, and even with those masks and helmets, I know you now. Should I see any of you again I will recognize you instantly and if you’re stupid enough to be attacking my home or my people when I do, then I’ll just end you. This is not a threat it’s a promise.”

I punctuated the promise by crushing the back ends of their jets, leaving only their cockpits undamaged. That was possibly a mistake as panic took over most of the pilots and they ejected from the jets. Those who didn’t soon followed suit a moment later. Parachutes opened and they all plopped into the sea under my watchful eye. Once they were all in, I swept them up in a neuma barrier and spoke again.

“We’re all going back to your carrier now. I suggest you think strongly on what I’ve told you.”

There was no answer, but I liked to think they got the message as I flew off trailing six tightly packed pilots and six metal lollipops behind me.

When the aircraft carrier and its strike group came into view, I discovered it was indeed the US army I was dealing with first. There was a rush of activity across the ships and none of that activity looked friendly.

Moving closer, they greeted me with a hail of bullets. Being small and mobile I was able to avoid most of the barrage and what did hit me caused no damage.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t irritating and as I landed on the runway, dropping my metal luggage with a resounding crash and my human luggage with a little more care, I threw a shield around myself and spoke.

“Hello everyone. I’m Clive Sutherland, and if we’re going to get anywhere with this negotiation, you need to stop fucking around and drop those guns. Or! You can keep fucking around and I’ll go straight to the horse’s mouth to deliver my terms. And as I’m being extra generous, I’ll even drop you off at home on my way!”

Sadly, but probably for the best if I wanted a quick resolution today, the gunfire continued. I stood there for almost a minute to under their continued assault before I was satisfied I’d tried my best before I hit them with my amplified voice again.

“Home it is then!”

With a disappointed shake of my head, I launched myself up into the air and a little way from the ship to give myself some room, then placed a barrier around the ship, which I expanded to push the other ships and hiding submarines away.

Once I was satisfied with the space I’d given myself, I expanded my body until, and I didn’t stop until I could pick the ship up comfortably with one hand. Letting my feet find purchase on the surface of the water rather than in it. Satisfied that I was ready, I placed a second shield tight around the carrier, so no one fell off when I lifted it, and then I snatched it up like a rubber duck from the bath.

“Toot, toot motherfuckers. The Clive express is here.” As the screams rang out, I opened a portal above a very odd-looking building in the shape of a pentagon, of all things!

Moving through I spoke again. “Nice place you got here. I’ll try not to mess it up while I visit. I’m a bit heavy-handed at times.”

My booming voice soon got the central courtyard of the building to clear, which allowed me to delicately placed the battle ship right in the center of the Pentagon.

It didn’t exactly fit like a glove with one side of the ship resting on the walls of the building. In many ways I preferred it, that way. It was added more depth to my message, though the groaning of steel was concerning, and I added a little Neuma to the base of the structure to prevent it from collapsing and hurting anyone.

Once it was down, I amplified my voice so everyone inside the building could hear me as well.

“Hellooo everyone. My name is Clive Sutherland, and I hold more power than you can ever imagine. I could crush this entire planet in the time it takes for you to make a cup of coffee. I say this only for reference, so you listen when I speak. This is my planet too and I am proud of that fact. Which is why I intend to protect it against forces beyond your understanding. I will do this with or without your friendship and assistance, but I’m here returning your property as a gesture of good will. You come with arms, I offer peace.

“If this display isn’t enough to convince you, then I only have words and promises left. You can’t hurt me or penetrate my shields. I do not have a Kryptonite. There is only one being in this universe who has the capacity to kill me and that’s who I’m trying to protect Earth and the rest of the damn universe from.

Now, I don't know who needs to make the decision, but the next person I see or hear from, representing your country at my Sphere, better be a happy fucking chappy wanting to discuss a brighter future for us all, because my patience isn’t infinite.”

I hung there in the air for a few more seconds as my words percolate around the place, and then I teleported back to the Sphere. Sophie and Lucas stood in the spot I left them. Questions burning in their eyes.

“I took the Americans aircraft carrier back home. I doubt the rest of their fleet will be bothering us any time soon if I don’t miss my guess. Now If you don’t mind waiting a little longer I’m going to go see our friends from the East.

“Er, West here, Clive,” Lucas said.

“You knew what I meant.” I said, offered him a grin and a middle finger. I actually felt better being able to fix something.

As I teleported to the Chinese carrier, I mulled over what message I could send to these guys when they inevitably didn’t stop firing at me. I didn’t know exactly how I was going to navigate the Language barrier, so I actually cracked a smile, when I smacked down on the deck of their carrier, barked out my commands in English, or my version of it, only to be greeted with a barrage of bullets and Chinese language that I fully understood. Better still, as my mind assimilated their language, when I replied it was in effortless Mandarin. It went something like this:

“I come in peace, but I will tear you all new arseholes if you don’t wind your goddamn necks in and stop firing.”

Much like the last carrier I landed on, the rate of fire increased, so I shrugged and repeated the move I’d done on the US carrier. Only this time I had literally zero clues what the Chinese equivalent of the Pentagon was.

In all honesty, as China wasn’t on UK telly quite so much as other places I wasn’t even sure of the capital. My mind tossed between Shanghai and Beijing, but I really had no clue. I reached out to Lucas across our bond.

“Hey, what’s the capital of China. I’m edging Beijing cos I’m sure they had the Olympics there.”

“It is Beijing, Clive. How can you not know that?”

“How wouldI know that Lucas? I’m a chef, not a geologist.”

“You do know that a geo...”

“I know. I’m just fucking with you.”

“Can I ask what you’re doing?”

“Special delivery. Give me a minute to drop this off and I’ll be back to talk properly.”

I cut the communication and then realized I should have asked where Beijing was. Not wanting to admit further ignorance I cast out Spirit Sight to pick the largest city.

I quickly found five cities that were equally massive and decided I just didn’t care enough to try and work it out further. So in a moment of pure arseholliness of my own, I chose the only place I knew well enough that would definitely get some attention and portaled to the Great Wall of China.

I had to fly along it for a little while to find a nice spot to put the ship down safely, but once settled it in position I gave my message again to the now ashen faced people on the carrier and hoped its placement would be enough to convince the countries leaders that we weren’t to be messed with. If they didn’t get the message, then I’d google where Beijing was and plan a little visit with some very strong words.

I dusted my hands off, paused for a moment to take in the majestic wall. Nodded my appreciation in its general direction and then portaled back to Roker Island. I’d never been much of a sight seer.