She twisted around to face whatever it was that pushed Abdu off his feet.
She raised her arms, slow and heavy, her eyes narrowing at the abomination before her.
It was a thick man with blue-gray skin. Dark blue veins bulged on his short, stalky neck. He took three fast paces forward and placed his cold, damp hands on her throat. He squeezed and lifted her high above him. He smiled and pressed her against a rocky wall.
“Who…are you?” she asked, her breath short, her words forced through the Being’s strong grip around her neck.
He opened his mouth. His tongue was blue, his breath metallic, his words emotionless and monotone. “I’m an Agadon. C-gen-gen-43 is my name. You can call me C-gen.”
5
J-Quadrant, Solar System - Namuh Farms, Callisto
Slade bolted up, his body drenched in sweat. He was breathing hard. He looked around, wondering where he was. Silk sheets and a heavy blanket covered his legs. His hands, behind him and holding him up, pressed against a pillow where his head had been a few seconds ago. A woman stirred next to him.
The light was dim and he rubbed his eyes, getting sleep out of them. He glanced at the woman. “Rivkah?”
The woman slid her naked body closer to his. She put her arm around his waist, then pulled away. She blinked several times and wiped her arm on the top blanket. “Why are you so wet?”
Slade relaxed. It was Dr. Andrea Cross. They had celebrated last night when they arrived at their new home on Callisto, drinking too much Cargasacchi Pinot Noir. Crap, and he’d slept with her? Bad idea. The worst idea. She was now going to get too close, too personal. Then emotions would come into play, but not his. Never his.
He touched the lamp next to his bed and the light turned on and he eyed the large, marble walls and ceilings that filled this majestic room. The Kelhoon had promised him “rooms fit for a pharaoh” and they had delivered. “I had a bad dream and she was in it.”
Andrea sat up, the sheets sliding off her chest, and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Who was in it?”
Slade didn’t move, didn’t lift a finger to let her know she was wanted. “Rivkah was in my dream.”
Andrea pulled away. “Aw…her. It’s about time we killed her. Nothing but trouble.”
An image of Rivkah flashed in Slade’s mind. She was running across the barren, Callisto terrain, and worse yet, determined. An energy flashed from her heart and hit his solar plexus like a punch. A hateful punch. “She’s on her way here as we speak.”
Andrea yawned. “That’s impossible. She has no idea we’re on this moon.”
“She has no idea you’re here. That’s true. But she knows I’m here. I feel it. I see it. She wants to surprise me, but she’s too dumb, too enraged to know I can feel just about every move she makes when we’re this close to each other.”
“Dear God. I almost forgot. Just like you, she’s got Jaxx’s blood in her. You know, when she was burned on Taiyo years and years ago, Jaxx saved her by—”
Slade didn’t want a recap. He knew how Rivkah obtained Jaxx’s blood. “Yes, by giving his blood to her,” interrupted Slade.
“Do you feel Jaxx then?”
Slade closed his eyes. He shivered and goose bumps rose on his arms and back. A line of energy extended from him and across the horizon. In his mind’s eye, he followed a band of etheric energy over a snow-capped hill, down a ravine, and over white boulders.
Jaxx was face down on the ground. The ship behind him was in flames.
Slade opened his eyes and smiled. “The dumb ass wrecked a ship. He’s not dead, though.” He turned and threw the sheets off. He picked his pants off the slated floor and shoved them on. He picked up his shirt and stood beside his bed, putting it on over his thick, toned muscles. He strolled his way over to two French doors and flung them wide. Natural amber light streamed in from Jupiter’s rays. “He’s not looking for me.” Slade snorted. “He thinks he can save everyone on his own, even though he only has a Leonian and a Taiyonian helping him. It’s fun watching that madman make bad decisions.”
He stepped out onto a balcony, looking across his small kingdom: Namuh Farms. It was to the south of the conflict raging on Callisto. This place was untouched and unharmed by the war. He hoped to keep it that way.
He surveyed the city below. Artificial heat came from the walls and the Kelhoon terraforming torches. The torches were positioned ten yards from each other, encircling the entire city structure below. They brought green to the hills, long wheat grasses to the pastures, flowers to the meadows and much needed warmth to the gardens in the central city.
The massive city held towers, homes, and skyscrapers. They were unoccupied, but that wouldn’t last for long once recruiting operations began. He needed loyal workers, and lots of them. Money always talked and he figured he could convince the best of the best—wherever they were.
He put his hand on the railing. A hologram popped up beside him. He jumped back. “Chriminy almighty. You trying to kill me Craig?”
President Craig Martelle—his partner throughout the long journey of screwing-over the Secret Space Program, trying to kill off the politicians on Starship Atlantis, and starting this new venture—trading humans to fill the flesh farms on Callisto—decided to pop in for a visit.
Craig frowned. “We have a problem.”
Slade sighed. “We’ll be two of the wealthiest beings in the entire galaxy in no time. Is that your problem? Or, is your problem that we’ll have whatever we want, whenever we want, from anyone we want and soon? There should be no problems, Craig. None at all.”
“Sometimes I think you were born yesterday. Problems happen every damn day, no matter how affluent you are. Get used to it. The more money we have, the more problems will arise.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“We only have two shipments of humans so far. We were supposed to have four.”
Slade looked toward a domed warehouse. Children were being poked and prodded with electric rods by Kelhoon soldiers. They were herded into their new homes, human-sized pig pens inside the warehouse, where they’d be fed healthy, wonderful foods to fatten them up so their pure flesh could be served on silver platters to Kelhoon dignitaries and aristocrats a few months down the line. Or, if they weren’t healthy-looking enough, they’d be sold as slaves. He should have felt bad. He fished around for some twinge of guilt, but found nothing. They were human trash, he was putting them to good use. End of story.
Craig tapped his fingers on his console, sending an annoying reverb clicking down the line.
Not subtle Martelle. Not subtle at all. But Slade wanted to be done with the call anyway. He turned back to his business partner. “That’s not a problem. I had them send only two shipments. We need to learn and figure out this business before we overwhelm ourselves with too many slaves.”
Craig’s face turned from peeved to rage. “If we’re to be partners, Slade, you can’t keep this shit from me. Understand? How many times do I have to go over this? No secrets.”
“Yes, Mr. President.” Slade had no intention of honoring that request. He did what he wanted and when he wanted. Craig, being the President of the United States, was only a side show for their soon-to-be customers. It would come in handy. The Kelhoon loved the higher class, the elite, the popular. They believed the upper crust got ahead through sheer hard work and they admired those who did everything they could to rise above the rest. What they didn’t know was a trust-fund politician who’d never done an honest day’s work in his life. Didn’t matter to Slade. Craig could sell a hot, juicy steak to a vegan. That was the guy’s gift, a gift Slade wanted to utilize to the max. Craig was a one-two combo: a salesman who’d have the Kelhoon dripping green spit in a hot minute.
Slade scratched his chin. “I’ll get two more shipments here as soon as possible. You good with that?”
Craig dipped his head. “I’ll be waiting. In the meantime, I have my daughters to deal with. They are trying to play with these slave c
hildren we just brought to the moon.”
“Pick two their age and let them play.”
Craig rolled his eyes. “There is so much wrong with that idea. They will feed my children tales of sorrow and fear. They’ll talk about their parents and how they were ripped away—”
Slade put his hand up. “Send two slaves—any two you want to Dr. Andrea Cross’s quarters. She’ll rewire their brains so you can keep them as playthings for your kids. They’ll be like toys. They won’t mention a thing about their parents, because they won’t ever remember having parents.”
“It’s not going to be that easy.”
“Nothing is easy.” Slade crossed his arms. “Get used to it. Anything else, Mr. President?”
“No.”
Craig’s hologram disappeared.
Andrea touched the back of Slade’s neck, then slid her hands up inside his shirt, then down his spine. At his lower back, she wrapped her arms around his sides and to his stomach, resting her head against his muscular upper back. “Bad morning?”
If he could only go back in time and not get drunk with her, not kiss her…wait…kissing her. Letting her think she was all that he wanted and had him around her little finger would be his ticket to getting whatever he wanted from her. At least, for a while.
He twisted around and gave her a long kiss. He moved his lips softly, and slowly, away from hers, and stared deeply in her eyes. “I’m sending you on a mission.”
She pulled away, letting him go. “Oh? So soon?”
“After Craig sends you two slaves and you rewire their brains for me—” Slade paused, seeing the suppressed surprise on her face. “I’m then sending you, along with Craig’s secret service guards, on a ship to Earth. You’ll pick up another shipment of children. But that’s not all. I’ll ask the Kelhoon to let us use a few of their Zompawans. They’ll go with you as well. They are shape-shifting ETs, so you won’t know which one is which, or who is the secret service and who isn’t. You got it? The Zompawans will be at your beck and call.”
She went in for another kiss, pulling back when he continued talking.
“You’ll be extracting my son, Drew Avera, from Earth as well. Do you understand?”
Andrea looked down. Her peaceful glow and romantic demeanor changed into a hardened, no-shit doctor. Something Slade was all too familiar with. Dammit, he’d played her wrong.
“Got it, Slade. And how long have you had this planned?”
He needed her onside. He had to add a bit of sugar to his sour. Just enough to keep her curious and coming back for more. “You’ll be leaving after you work on the slaves that Craig sends you. You’re the only person I trust with this mission. It’s that important to me.” He ran his fingers through her hair, resting his fist in the nape of her neck.
Andrea eased herself toward Slade. The move was slight, but she was game for whatever was on offer. Just a couple more teases and she’d be compliant again.
“I’m serious,” he said. “You’re going to be my eyes and ears, as well as my Surgeon in Chief.”
“What’s the time frame before I leave, then?” Her voice had shifted back from clipped and business-like to the more agreeable bedroom tone she dialed up when she was ready to play.
“Two hours. And in three days you’ll be coming back to Namuh Farms here on Callisto with twelve children and my son. You’ll be changing Drew’s brain chemistry while en-route from Earth’s E-Quadrant to Callisto’s J-Quadrant. We’ll be in contact before you commence the brain chemistry transformation so I can tell you what memories I want in Drew’s head.”
She stood on her toes, rising up for a kiss.
Slade put his finger between their lips. “There’ll be plenty of that when you return. Now, go. And be careful. The Agadon are attacking Earth. You need to get in fast and under their radar and get out faster, with my precious son.”
Andrea smiled. Slade’s work was done.
6
J-Quadrant, Solar System - Nearing East Rise, Callisto
Jaxx rolled on the frozen ground, onto his front, and brought himself up to his knees. He touched his face. He was bleeding. He wondered if he had a black eye. The force with which he went through the cockpit windshield should have killed him. If not, the blow into the hill surely would leave him crippled, if not dead.
He was Jaxx, though. Some kind of mutant with ridiculous powers.
A starfighter zoomed overhead. It was an Agadon craft. It banked and circled around. It was surely coming to end his life.
He stood and twisted around. The transport was on fire, crackling in the cold wind, the front end smashed to shit.
“No, no. Zara? Kiyo-zan?” He ran over to the blazing craft, fanning the heat away from his body the best he could. It did nothing. “Zara! Kiyo-zan! Answer me. Are you alive in there?”
What a stupid question. They couldn’t have survived such a crash or hear his words over the roaring flames.
Hooooooooj!
An Agadon ship came in for a landing, descending quickly. About ten feet up, it slowed and hovered, rocks rocketing outward in all directions the closer its landing skids came to the ground.
With a resounding crack, the Liberty’s transport ship’s side door opened and flew off its hinges. Zara’s leg was extended through smoke that billowed out of the opening.
“Help me, Jaxx. Will you?” asked Zara.
Jaxx rushed over, grasping Zara’s soft, strong paw. He leaned back, pulling with all his might. Zara slid forward, Kiyo-zan laying over her other arm like a rag-doll, either dead or unconscious. Jaxx pulled her out of the wreckage.
A crunch of icy rocks underneath heavy feet filled the small gorge, followed by a metallic laugh.
Jaxx spun on his heels, his arms up in a defensive fighting stance, his body ready to deliver a load of pain to anyone standing in his way.
“Taz?” Jaxx tightened his guard, moving his fists closer to his body. “I’m not in the mood for this.”
The Agadon, Taz, lifted his hand, veins bulging from his biceps. Liberty’s fiery craft lifted into the air. Taz flicked his wrist. The ship shot toward Jaxx.
Jaxx ducked and rolled away from the ship’s trajectory, just as it whizzed by and hit hard against the solid soil, flipping on its back and against a cliff. Shards of red rock careened down the ridge, bouncing off of the transport ship’s belly and onto the white, chilled earth.
Zara crouched and lay Kiyo-zan gently down. “Not in the mood, blue-face.” She pulled her bamboo rifle from her shoulder and pulled the trigger. A purple blaze blasted out of the muzzle.
Taz ducked.
She pulled again and again and again, all the while walking forward at a faster pace, as if she knew her shots would be dodged, but didn’t care.
Taz spun this way and that way, avoiding the rifle fire. He threw his hands up wildly and Zara’s bamboo rifle whirled out of her hands.
Zara didn’t stop, didn’t even twitch.
Taz laughed, narrowing the gap between the two in a few strides. He thrust his fists together in the air.
Zara yelped and jerked to the side, as if he had just given her an energetic right hook. She toppled to the ground, then growled, jumping up on all fours. She pounced forward, unclipping a knife from the chains that crisscrossed her chest and back. “I’m going to rip this blade through your A/I throat.”
Jaxx raced forward, determined to end this blue freak too, and now. Zara might be the distraction he needed.
Taz kneed the air, sending an etheric knee to Zara’s stomach. She bounced backward and flipped head over heels onto her back. She placed the knife’s blade between her teeth, gathered herself, and pushed off the ground. She was just as determined as Jaxx.
Jaxx started in a run. He pumped his legs fast and rushed past Zara.
Taz shifted his eyes to Jaxx and thrust his hands forward.
Jaxx swiped his hands across his own body, diminishing the energy Taz just threw at him.
Only ten feet away, Jaxx lunged forward
, seeing the surprise in Taz’s eyes. Jaxx threw his open palm outward, connecting flesh against A/I skin, and squeezed. Taz tumbled backward and Jaxx fell with him, shoving him harder onto the earth, still wrapping his fingers around Taz’s rubbery skin.
Jaxx bared his teeth, bringing in all the Chi he could muster, summoning all the love he felt for Rivkah, all the compassion he had for Kiyo-zan, and the gratitude he had for Zara and Abdu for helping him in these terrible times. Then hate leaked in, anger for the Kelhoon, for Slade stealing him from his home, using him for his own self-interests, and to this Agadon, this blue piece of shit who had not only kicked his ass back on planet Taiyo, but embarrassed Jaxx in front of Abdu.
It was time to end this Agadon.
“Kamooshka sakajika fajka!”
Jaxx jerked back, unconsciously relaxing his fingers around Taz’s neck. He pushed off the ground and stepped back, and glanced up in the direction of the voice. He stumbled when he saw them—hundreds of Kelhoon standing on a ridge, pointing their ion rifles directly at him.
“Give up, Jaxx, and you and your friends will live…for now.”
It was Fox, standing with the Kelhoon, his arm up as if ready to drop it at any second to order Jaxx’s extermination. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kiyo-zan stirring. Good. Kiyo-zan was alive. He’d need his friend for what Jaxx was going to do next.
7
J-Quadrant, Solar System - South of East Rise, Callisto
The Agadon—C-gen—held Rivkah up by her neck and pressed her back against the rocky ridge. His fingers cut off nearly all blood flow and oxygen to her brain. Her face was turning the color of the guy’s tongue, an ugly shade of blue. C-gen squeezed her neck so tightly, she feared her eyes might pop out of their sockets.
The Complete Atlantis Series, Books 1 - 5: Ascendant Saga Page 74
