He hated selecting operatives. Like Dimmings, they were troubling people. Most of the ideal candidates were certifiable sociopaths. That level of emotional detachment was baffling. As he dealt with them all, Gabriel often wondered if he wasn’t getting to that point himself.
Scanning through the report, he noticed that most of the skeleton crew had died. Only the commander and two officers made it out in time. Haden Rachid was ruthless.
“Polarity,” he called aloud. “Can you bring up a secure communication link with General Dimmings?”
Polarity was the station’s AI service controller. It had access to the majority of the systems. Though it was built as an artificial intelligence entity, they took measures to limit the learning capabilities to only that of use to ARDME.
“Communications link is secure.”
Dimmings appeared in a holographic image dressed barely casually. He looked as though he had been under duress and was perspiring. “What is it that couldn’t wait until morning?!” he yelled angrily.
Gabriel Fortner tried for a moment to subdue his amusement at the situation. It wasn’t funny, but he found himself entertained. He felt that he predicted it. Cautiously, he reported: “the Yorktown was reported by our operative as destroyed.”
There was a pause. Dimmings stood still, a stern, quiet look upon his face. “Rachid?” he finally asked.
“Yes.”
“Dammit. The fucking worst thing that this goddamn project needs.”
“General, I recall recommending not pursuing him.”
“This is not the time to grow a pair of balls, Fortner. Your recommendation was as foolish as our failure to ensure he was dead the first time around.” Dimmings tone sounded surprisingly more nervous than angry. It was an unusual sound, even with the relatively brief period of time that he had been interacting with the General.
There was another pause. Dimmings began pacing. The holographic system followed him as he walked over to a small cabinet where he pulled out a bottle of liquor and poured himself a glass that was subsequently chugged.
“I will be instructing the operatives to re-engage,” Gabriel said trying to fill the uncomfortable silence.
“No!” Dimmings snapped back. “Tell them to keep their distance. We want to know where he is but I do not want engaged until we can figure this out.”
“There is something you’re refusing to tell me about Rachid, General,” Fortner boldly requested.
“You don’t need to know a fucking thing other than he was our best. Keep an eye on him and avoid engaging him until I figure something out.”
The communication shut off.
The words that Joyce Keller spoke to came to mind.
Uranus 13
Adrianna almost skipped giddily through the markets. Several times she stumbled into people. The message from Xaviera was exactly what she needed to here. Even the planning and expectations that the ship they targeted would be the right one, she didn’t fully believe that she found him.
As she closed in on the docks, she broke into a sprint, tears streaming down her face.
Turning the corner she saw him. Haden immediately smiled. She was there again; she had found him once more. He stood there gazing on her until she finally met his eyes.
Grinning from the sight, she immediately leapt up to run to him. Haden began to move quickly to meet her.
Both ran at each other with the enthusiasm of seven years apart. It was as though it were the first time they were seeing each other.
As Haden came closer, he gaze on his eyes widened though as a gun was swiftly drawn from a holster on Adrianna’s hip. She aimed it directly at his head as she squeezed the trigger.
About the Author
Originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Jeremy now resides in Illinois with his wife and son where he works making polyurethane foam. When not working or with his family, Jeremy spends his time chasing his childhood dream of writing. To see more about Jeremy, visit him on
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Awakening of a Predator (Gravity Book 2) Page 9
