Alpha Guard - Chapter Nine

A sci-fi thriller novel, most easily described as Jack Reacher in space. Audio version read by Burt Reynolds.

Hello alpha-readers, welcome to Alpha Guard!

A quick note before the usual preamble… For the audio version, I’ve changed the AI voiceover to Hollywood legend, Burt Reynolds. So, I’d love to hear what you think in comparison to the previous voice in the comments section below.

If this is your first time visiting, here’s a quick rundown of what’s what…

• My name is Samuel George London and I’m a writer from Hampshire in the UK. Usually, I write comic books, but this is my first novel. And just so my fellow Brits know, I’m writing in American-English because the main character is originally from the US.

• Alpha Guard is a sci-fi thriller novel, most easily described as Jack Reacher in space, but the short synopsis is as follows:

Even after generations of colonization, Mars is still a tough place to live - unless you can afford to live in Dome One. However, when the wealthy need to visit out-of-dome, they hire bodyguards known as ‘bugs’ to protect them. Alpha Guard is the best bug on the Red Planet, and when he's hired to escort a VIP around Mars, his skills are tested to the absolute limit.

• So, in a nutshell, if you like books by Lee Child, Andy Weir, Mark Greaney and Richard K. Morgan you will (probably) enjoy reading or listening to this story. And if you haven’t read or listened to chapter one yet, you can do so by clicking here.

• I’ll be publishing Alpha Guard on a monthly basis, chapter by chapter, right here for free. So, please be sure to subscribe to stay notified when new chapters are posted.

• I’ll never put a paywall on chapter posts, but if you’d like to, there is an opportunity to upgrade to paid. However, it’s only to fuel my caffeine habit. So, please only part with your hard earned cash, if you can afford it.

• There is an audio version of this post available, but to give you a heads up, the chapter reading is by an AI voiceover via ElevenLabs. However, when I eventually publish Alpha Guard as a polished novel, I will be hiring a human to read the audiobook.

• If you prefer to listen rather than read, Alpha Guard is also available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible or wherever you usually download your podcasts.

• If you'd like to follow me on social media, you can on Instagram, TikTok and X (Formerly Twitter). Whether or not you’re on social media, please consider sharing Alpha Guard with anyone you think would be interested.

Happy reading and please let me know what you think in the comments.

Ciao for now,

SGL

P.S. If you need to refresh your memory on the previous chapter please click here.

“Okay, that'll do,” Camila told the forklift driver.

It was ironic really. The most sophisticated android ever made was being put on a truck by an overweight and underpaid human, who had no idea what was inside the box. It also felt ironic that I was only a few yards away from where Camila had broken down in tears the day before. Because at that very moment, she was in clear command of getting the truck ready for the drive to the pods.

Although ARES would be traveling with us, a Council stipulation required it to be switched off until we reached our destination. So, I wasn’t taking any chances of being ambushed again. The truck was armed to the hilt with defense systems. Especially as we were going on Highway One, where there was no protection from the outside elements like on Highway Two.

“Alpha Guard, how are you this morning?” Amrita asked loudly from across the otherside of the garage.

I waited for her to be at a more sensible distance before answering, “I’m fine. How are you?”

“Fine’s a funny word isn’t it. It can mean many different things. Such as ‘fine, do it your way then’ or ‘the weather is very fine today isn’t it’. But in this context, I get a sense that ‘I’m fine’ means you’re indifferent to how you’re feeling today.”

She paused expecting me to respond, but I remained silent. Eventually she gave in, and with a big smile on her face she said, “You know, one day I’m going to open you up.”

I continued to remain silent but thankfully, before it got too awkward, Camila came over and said, “Right, the truck’s ready when we are.”

And with that, the three of us got in and set off. To my relief the journey was uneventful. Just the usual dust devils spiralling across the surface. One did make its way onto the highway, and it was a pretty big one. Probably five kilometers high and fifty meters across.

When it got close, Camila was visibly nervous. But I put her mind at ease by explaining that on Mars because of the low atmospheric pressure, a dust devil that size was like a breezy day on a sandy beach. It might get some sand in your eyes, but it won’t do you any harm.

Pulling into the parking lot, block five was boarded up from the job with the Andras executive the other day. There was also a pile of junk in the far corner. It was mostly vehicle parts, but I noticed a few busted up mech-suits from the non-Guild bugs I’d left hanging.

Our exact destination was block eight. And huddling in front of the entrance was a crowd of pod residents. All wearing their basic survival suits, there was also a flock of media vultures circling them. But standing in the middle, ready to welcome us was the newly appointed Guardian for the pods, Pandu Vishan.

“Okay, helmets on,” I told Amrita and Camila, “And don’t come out until I’ve given you the go ahead.”

Passing through the airlock of the truck first, I jumped out onto the asphalt of the parking lot. Within seconds there were two camera drones hovering right next to me. Being outside of New Jezero and Dome One, I wasn’t bound to Guild guidelines. So, I zapped them with taser sticks and they fell to the ground. After that, they didn’t dare put cameras within arms length of me.

I continued to walk round the truck and opened up the back. Striding up the ramp into the main compartment, I entered the encryption key on the box containing ARES. There was a hiss of pneumatic hinges, which uncovered the android in a crouched position. On my HUD, I entered another encryption key. And a new control display popped up, including the kill switch I’d requested.

“What you waiting for, Yankee?” Eric said in my earpiece.

“This could be the beginning of the end for us,” I replied.

“Tell me about it. But remember what you said, ‘As long as we get paid, clients can do whatever they want’.”

“You’re right. Let’s go to work,” I said and initiated the bootup for ARES.

The top of its mohawk helmet shaped head glowed red while it made a whirring sound. About five seconds later it stood up to its full eight-foot height with gun in hand and stated, “Alpha Guard, I’m at your command.”

“Follow me,” I ordered, then began to walk out of the truck. As we stepped out into the open, there was an audible gasp from the crowd on the public radio channel. There hadn’t been any armed androids anywhere since the Lexington massacre nearly three decades ago. So a gasp was the minimum I was expecting.

It’d been about a year since the dirt bike incident in New Hampshire and we’d finally found a good routine. Dad had stopped drinking and found a clerical job that was bringing in steady money. He always got home from work just after six o’clock. And even before he got to the front door, I pulled out three ready meals from the freezer and nuked them in the microwave. By six-thirty, we were all sitting in front of the TV eating dinner.

I forget what show was on that night, but halfway through a Breaking News screen suddenly appeared followed by a newscaster saying, “At six forty-four this evening, ten armed androids escaped from a testing facility in Lexington, Massachusetts. So far they’ve claimed fifty-eight lives. But the military are now onsite and have neutralised nine of the androids. Standing by in Lexington is our Boston correspondent, Rebecca O’Brien.”

“Thanks Tom. I’m just fifty yards away from the historic Hancock-Clarke House. Where the one remaining android has taken refuge inside. One of the captains here told me that if it were in a non-historical building, they would have, and I quote, ‘blown it up by now’. The captain also said that at this time it’s unknown whether this was an intentional tactic by the android to keep itself safe.”

“Thank you, Rebecca. We’ll come back to you later but right now, we have Andras Corp, Founder and CEO, Tristan Andras on the line. Hello Mr. Andras, what can you tell us about today’s events?”

“Hello Tom. Firstly, I want to give my most heartfelt condolences to the families of those we lost today. We will be offering our indefinite support to all of them. Secondly, we have already begun to investigate how and why this happened. We will have a report compiled by tomorrow morning. And thirdly, I’d like to reassure everyone who has bought one of our technologically enhanced smart service assistants, TESSA, that there is no connection to our military models. The systems and inner workings are entirely separate.”

“Thank you, Mr. Andras. I have a TESSA myself, and feel a lot better about going home for dinner tonight. That being said, if you’d like to continue watching updates about the events in Lexington please switch over now. Otherwise, your regular programming will continue after this commercial message.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears. We’d just had a breaking news story about an android massacre courtesy of Andras Corp followed by a fluff interview with its CEO. Then they broadcast a commercial for their newest self-driving car. The hypocrisy was at threat-level-bullshit for me, but my Dad took it to a whole other level.

“I knew this was gonna happen! But oh no, I’m just a crazy conspiracy theorist,” he shouted at the TV while waving his arms. Then he grabbed my shoulders, looked at me in the eyes and said, “This world’s going to the dogs son. The moment you get an opportunity to leave this godforsaken place, you take it.”

After that night, my Dad ended up in a downward spiral of online rabbit holes. It only took a month before he lost his job and once again, was drowning his sorrows at the bottom of a bottle. I always wondered where I’d be if the Lexington massacre hadn’t happened. But it did happen. And as a result, armed android development was forbidden on Earth.

“Ms. Andras, welcome to the pods,” Pandu said with his arms out wide, which turned into a momentary cuddle and a kiss on each cheek.

“Incredible,” Amrita said as she stood back and looked up at the pods, “It amazes me that they were able to build this all those years ago.”

You forget that for people who haven’t seen them in real life, the pods are actually quite impressive. In total, thirty thousand windows poked out from the crater wall. The mileage of tunnels inside was in the thousands too. Not to mention the additional tunnels made by the dissidents after the Martian government washed their hands of the pods.

“Please follow me, Ms. Andras,” Pandu said, gesturing to the airlock entrance of the block. Usually you can fit a good twenty people in there. But this time, it was just me, Pandu, Amrita, Camila, ARES and one media vulture.

We walked into the rundown lobby and I called for the elevator. The doors opened instantly and I said, “Ms. Andras this way please.”

Everyone made their way in except the media vulture. Who was getting some panning shots. I wasn’t willing to wait, so I pressed the button for the floor we wanted. A hand smacked into the door to stop it from closing.

“Hang on, Alpha Guard. We have to wait for Jerry,” Camila said.

I bit my tongue and said, “Of course.”

“Come on, Jerry,” Camila shouted across the lobby.

“Sorry, I just need one more shot,” the media vulture replied.

I’d had enough. So I stepped out of the elevator, turned up my speakers and said, “Move it vulture!”

That got his attention and he ran across with his tail between his legs. As the doors closed, I noticed the vulture’s camera drone still hovering over his shoulder. Then he noticed that I’d noticed, so he plucked it out of the air like a jungle frog catching a fly. Probably worried I was going to taser it. Well, he wasn’t wrong.

A minute later we arrived at floor one hundred. My usual routine was to send a micro-drone but with ARES in tow, I wanted to test it out.

Selecting the interact button on my HUD, I said, “Go check for danger.” And it started marching down the corridor while scanning each pod for heat signatures.

Just like a micro-drone, I could see what it saw. But unlike a micro-drone, I didn’t have full control over what it did. I was only able to prompt an action then guide it from there by answering its questions. It wasn’t any quicker than micro-drones but it was good to get a feel for how ARES worked in practice.

Having cleared the corridor, we walked down to pod 8-100S, and Amrita pressed the doorbell.

P.S. Don’t forget to let me know what you think of Burt Reynolds reading Alpha Guard instead of the usual voiceover in the comments below…