58 THE CLOUD

CHAPTER 58 THE CLOUD A dark cloud was rising in the south. It billowed and swelled and constantly changed shape. And it was headed straight for the Juggernaut. As the cloud floated closer, it became clear that it was actually a gigantic flock of birds. There were seagulls and puffins and cormorants and vultures and skuas and terns and sandpipers and eagles and every other type of northern bird, all flying together. The Ancient Shark's call to action had made the leap from ocean to sky, and birds were coming to join the fight. Up in the control room, the station manager and the assistant manager stood together as the birds approached. "Roz must have something to do with this," said Akiko. "You don't really think that robot can speak with animals?" said George. Akiko shrugged. "Do you have a better explanation?" A lone seagull flew out to greet the flock. Nimbus

knew the station well, and his advice quickly spread from bird to bird. He explained that it was useless to attack a building or a platform or a walkway. The birds needed to focus on easier targets. And then a group of BOSUNs marched into view. The sky darkened as the flock of birds descended. Smaller birds splattered the robots with their droppings. Larger birds scraped at robotic faces with their talons. The BOSUNs were caught off guard. One robot stumbled over a railing and slammed hard onto a lower platform. His body fizzled and twitched and then was still. The remaining BOSUNs fought back, swatting at birds with their big blocky hands. BOSUN 1 stomped through a doorway and stomped back out holding a rifle. He aimed the weapon and fired. Blazing beams of light flashed through the air. Charred feathers floated across the station. Winged bodies dropped into the waves. The birds regrouped and searched for other targets. They battered windows and tore at floodlights. And

then they noticed the drone hovering high above. The flying machine zigged and zagged, dodging eagles and vultures. But before it could find safety it was swallowed up in a seething swarm of birds. One poor sandpiper was sucked into an engine and—poof!—the engine exploded into flames and the drone went spiraling toward the control room. The humans dove for cover as the drone came hurtling at them. With its last gasp of life, the drone pulled up, narrowly missing the windows but crashing onto the roof of the control tower. It bowled through the cluster of antennas, and all wireless communication cut out. Signals from the robots suddenly stopped. The electronic map of the area went blank. The Juggernaut had lost contact with the outside world.