LIGHTNOVELONLINE Loop 20
Cal ran this loop similar to the last one. At the war council meeting he passed out notes from the previous loop, including a date and time for Stan and Jen to rescue Bug’s cat friend.
“Alright everyone, this time around we all attempt to get jobs in the building we are watching. Estelle, Bug you’ve got New York, I’ll take Boston and Dad, you and Jen are in Seattle. Andy you are back off with Ralth, and now we eat dinner.”
*
Cal had been working in the cafeteria at the Franklin research lab for over a decade now. He had slowly built up strong rapports with various other works and research scientists in the building. Through this he had learned about many of the closed door experiments. People were notoriously bad at keeping secrets, especially to the person who was passing out their late night snack as they burned the midnight oil.
“Hey guys, what’s with all the extra traffic recently?” Cal asked one of the tables as he set out some apple pie slices for them. He knew them well enough, they seemed nice. “Or is this one of those top secret things that the food man isn’t supposed to hear about?” He gave them a beaming smile as he said that.
“Nah, I mean it's a secret, but you’ve been here longer than I have, you’re going to learn anyway.” The bigger of the two men at the table said. His name badge read Phil, which Cal was glad people had to wear, he hadn’t been great with names before the loops and now there were just so many people he had to remember. “The big wigs found some weird ore and they want us to test it out on some generator prototype. From what I’ve read, it sounds like it’s some kind of unique reaction that produces nuclear fusion, but that seems hard to believe.”
“Wouldn’t a breakthrough like that change the world entirely?” Cal asked, doubting that was what was happening as the other engine had claimed it was using gravitons. He figured the Agency was just using plausible but unlikely answers to avoid telling the greater scientific community about mana wells.
“Sure would. This is probably just another false positive.” Phil took a bite of his pie. “Great as usual, thanks Cal.”
“No problem.” Cal was pleased at how well all of their covers had been going. Ethel was working as a research assistant in New York City helping them test dog cognitive abilities. Her resume made it an easy sell. His dad and Jen were both security guards in Seattle. Thanks to their efforts he now had a map of each building and a good idea of which lab was likely to hold the stones and generators. Next loop they would test that theory to verify it for sure.
Cal only really had one more thing he wanted to accomplish this loop. He wanted to attack a Gryalth head on, see if his abilities made him able to go head to head with one in a direct confrontation. It was well passed time they started fighting back, and he was going to see how feasible an idea that even was. He had not told anyone else about this as he didn’t want them to worry. This was something only he could do right now.
*
Loop day found Cal cooking up some pizzas for the staff lunch. As far as he could tell everyone here was still completely in the dark about the coming attack. He had enrolled in several different martial art schools over the last two loops and he was looking forward to testing his mettle. He was also teetering on an anxious breakdown, but he kept pushing that down. There would be time for a vacation loop once future Andy was safe and sound.
Time ticked by as Cal kept checking his phone, reading any encrypted message as it came in, until he finally heard the chaos start. Alarms started blaring. A voice came across the intercom. “Everyone please remain calm and secure the room you are in. Do not allow anyone without proper access in. Everything will return to normal shor…” The message cut off with a loud explosion.
At the same time the doors to the cafeteria flew open and three Gryalth entered. Cal flew into action, almost literally. He used his rock shaping to propel himself forward slamming his right fist into the face of the left most invader. He pushed as much electricity as he could spare into the punch and the resulting force threw the alien across the room. It didn’t immediately stand back up. “One down.” Calm yelled, turning to face the other two.
He then blasted a lighting bolt straight ahead. It looked about to pass between them, before it split in half and hit them both in the chests. While they both looked hurt, neither went down. One of them started firing its weapon repeatedly in front of him. Cal dived behind a table and decided to try something new.
He brought his hands together and started forming a ball of energy at their center. He was going to try to create ball lightning. He poured as much energy as he was willing to spare into the center of the ball, managing to get it to the size of a baseball. He popped out from the side of the table and tossed the energy ball as hard as he could at the one who had opened fire. The ball exploded on impact, and so did the alien. Cal decided less energy next time, the room now looked like something out of a horror movie.
He heard noise behind and turned his head to see several more Gryalth standing in the doorway. “Hah got your attention didn’t I?” He had no intention of making it out of here alive and charged the newcomers. To his own surprise he managed to make contact and knocked two of them down before he felt their weapons impact. This fight was possible, they could win this, despite the incredible pain Cal died smiling.