Free Insequor by Richard Murphy

it?”
    “We already tried. We’ve thrown pretty much ever conventional weapon at it we can. Not even a scratch and the nuclear option is off the table, at least until we know what we’re dealing with.”
    Daniel sighed. “So it’s definitely not one of yours?”
    Toby sat back, “Absolutely not.”
    “There’s nobody else? The Russians? Chinese?”
    Toby shook his head. “Daniel, I’ve worked for our government for a long time; I know too many secrets. I’ve seen things that would amaze you, technologies that won’t be available to the public for twenty or thirty years. But this…”
    “So what are we going to do? I stay here? What about my life? I have a job, bills to pay.”
    “That’ll all be taken care of.”
    Daniel thought about his world he’d left behind. His apartment, his car, his job, his possessions; it was just stuff. Nothing else really. Would he really miss it?
    But it was safe. It was comfortable and it was home. At the end of the day he could turn out the light and roll over into his white cotton sheets. On a Saturday he could lie in. Maybe read, watch TV. Where was all that now? Where was he now?
    He looked out through a window at the stars which were so bright down here. Maybe that’s how life was meant to be. You burn, brighter and brighter until you start to fade. Had he burnt his brightest yet? Was he getting brighter or fading? If he was fading, then his life had been pretty pointless.
    Toby waved his hand in front catching his attention. “You okay?”
    “Fine,” he said. “Can I get somewhere to sleep, or do we have to leave?”
    “I’ll make arrangements for you both to be shown to quarters.”
    “I want Jones in the next room.”
    Toby’s expression, for a fraction of a second, was quizzical. But then he nodded, stood up and made his way down the corridor.
    Within minutes a soldier appeared to take them to their rooms. Jones stretched and scratched his head like some animal coming out of hibernation. Both were too tired to speak, but the detective gave him a look that indicated concern. They parted and Daniel sat down on the metal bed in the small, dingy quarters; took off his shoes, laid back and fell asleep.
    He dreamt of stars and galaxies; vast planets swirling around each other. Then he was descending, rapidly. Faster and faster he fell, his stomach almost at the back of his throat. But he didn’t crash. His body lurched up at the last second and he zoomed skywards. Beneath him were millions of shadowy creatures, their arms reaching up for him. Fingers tracing along his legs and clutching at his ankles.
    The sun had only just risen when he was awoken by a soft knock at his door. A soldier with glasses and a blonde moustache announced he was required at a briefing. He nodded and fetched his shoes and saw the soldier proceed to the next door to wake Jones.
    In the briefing room he helped himself to a coffee and sat down around the same table again. This time it was just Toby, Davis, Jones and himself. The Vice President, generals and their entourage were not around.
    “So,” Toby pointed his fingers together in almost a prayer. He nodded at Davis who turned on a projector and flicked open his laptop. The younger man looked bleary eyed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
    “We’ve come up with a plan that we believe will keep you out of harm’s way whilst preventing any further damage or loss of life.”
    Toby raised his finger, “Mr Davis, there has been no loss of life so far.”
    “Yes, agreed.” Davis looked almost disappointed. The projector had warmed up now and Toby’s associate flicked through his laptop until he found the slideshow. The first picture was of it .
    “What are we calling it?” said Jones.
    Toby turned, “The robot?”
    Jones nodded, sat back, satisfied.
    “That’s what you all think it is, a machine?” said Daniel. He looked at Davis, then back to Jones. Nobody seemed to disagree.
    “The military are calling it ‘Entity 215’,”