Free Target Silverclaw by Simon Cheshire

bio-scan modes, getting a detailed picture of Drake.
    The androids hauled Drake along, down acorridor and past a sliding door marked “Cryonic Storage”. Drake struggled and protested all the way.
    Chopper, carrying Morph in his legs, whipped through the gap just as the door slid shut.
    Inside, arranged along the length of one wall, were a series of tall transparent tubes. Six of them were occupied by the six humans who’d been replaced by androids back in London. They stood motionless, surrounded by a green mist, their eyes closed.
    “We’ve discovered the whereabouts of the real Sir Godfrey Kite and the others,” signalled Chopper. “They’re held in suspended animation.”
    “Why has Gold Leader kept them alive?” mused Morph. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to dispose of them?”
    “Logically,” signalled Nero from the control room, “they are being kept alive in case specific knowledge they have is needed by their android replacements. Obscure pass codes, for example, or information about other people. It’s also possible that they might be returned to their normal places after tomorrow’s ‘main strike’, making it appearthat they were responsible for the destruction.”
    One of the androids tapped a seven-digit code into a keypad beside an empty tube. It rotated to reveal an open section, just the right size for a human.
    “No, no, no!” cried Drake. “I’m not getting in there! No way!”
    Without a word, the androids bundled him inside and tapped a second code into the keypad. The tube rotated, and Drake was engulfed in green mist. Gradually, his eyelids drooped and closed.
    “This is a very worrying development,” said Morph. “Now that we’ve pinpointed the location of this base, SWARM HQ may send an attack force to destroy it before Gold Leader can disappear by moving the base out to sea, or along the coast. The lives of these humans may be in great danger.”
    “Sabre,” signalled Chopper, “have you left the base? Have you made that transmission to HQ yet?”
    “Negative,” reported Sabre. “The vent we entered through has been automatically sealed.Not even Morph could squeeze through. We must have come in while the engine was routinely venting heat. I’ve been trying to find another way out, without success.”
    “Unless we can warn HQ that there are innocent humans here,” said Morph, “they could be killed.”
    “SWARM HQ may not realize we’ve located the base,” said Chopper. “We’ve been in stealth mode for some time, which means they can’t detect us any more than the androids can.”
    “Just so long as they don’t launch an attack,” said Morph.
    “You’re forgetting one thing,” said Hercules. “Something left back at the cottage.”

    “The tracker egg will allow us to pinpoint our attack,” said Simon Turing.
    Back in the laboratory at SWARM HQ in London, Simon was operating a large display screen for Queen Bee, Professor Miller and Alfred Berners to observe. The screen showed tacticaldata overlaid on a map of the Scottish coastline.
    “Are we sure that the tracker egg is at Silverclaw’s base?” said Alfred.
    “Not one hundred per cent,” admitted Simon, “but it’s barely moved since it was placed. It could be attached to Drake, who could simply be fast asleep, after all it’s –” he checked his smartwatch – “past one in the morning now. We know Drake’s destination was Silverclaw’s headquarters, from what was said on the car journey.”
    “What’s the latest from the bugs?” said Queen Bee.
    “They were reporting in regularly,” said Simon, “but we’ve heard nothing for a while now. They may be experiencing transmission difficulties, if they’re having to maintain stealth mode at full power.”
    “Hmm,” mused Queen Bee. “That upgrade needs further work. Professor, we need to examine our programme of enhancements for the robots. It’s vital that SWARM stays one step ahead of our enemies in terms of