Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller by Brandon Ellis (easy to read books for adults list txt) 📕

is different. It’s difficult to hold still. I have to focus on both sides of my body at the same time. Put more weight in the seventy-five-pound bag, Dr. Cross.”

She took a few paces forward, observing Slade, looking him up and down. “Your legs are fine. Your stomach isn’t shaking. It’s just your arms. Change focus.”

Slade kept his head straight and opened his eyes. “Change my focus to what?”

“To your arms.”

Slade bit his lower lip and closed his eyes, remembering all the times Rivkah evaded him and his team, screwing up Slade’s plans to use her as an expert pilot, as an ally. He grunted, imagining Rivkah being ripped to shreds by a squad of beady-eyed, slobber-toothed Eridans in the Forrax constellation. His arms strengthened, balancing out, and for the first time, the bags felt like feathers.

This power, the adrenaline pumping through his veins, and his muscles firing twice the speed of a power lifter and without fatigue, pushed a smile to his lips.

Cross walked to a computer and pressed several buttons. She stepped back to take a better look at the monitor that hung on the wall just above the holographic keyboard. She put her finger to her lips and grinned. “You’re controlling the energy much better. Your heart rate is normal. Your blood pressure just slightly above where it needs to be.” She let out a happy chuckle. “You’re doing just fine.”

Slade dipped his head. This just fine was exactly what he’d hoped for, exactly why he slipped Jaxx’s blood into his own arteries. He was powerful, perhaps stronger than just about any Being in the universe.

He laughed and pictured himself taking Jaxx and Rivkah by the neck, squeezing until their eyes popped out.

His heart beat faster, his blood pressure rose, and his hands started to shake.

“What are you doing?” asked Cross. “Stop!”

The bags ripped in half, the heavy rocks cracking against the floor. Slade slipped forward, as if a mighty force had just escaped from him and pushed him down. He landed on his stomach and let out a grunt upon impact.

“How I’d love to do that to them,” said Slade, shoving his palms on the floor and doing a back flip, landing on his feet. He grinned. “Whoa. Did you see that?”

Cross nodded. “You lost control, Slade. That’s not what we’re attempting to do. Stay focused. You know better than that.”

“I’m figuring this shit out faster than even you imagined. Hell, this energy probably works better through me than Jaxx. There is nothing wrong with that.”

Cross lowered her head, keeping her eyes on Slade. “Now, listen. If you don’t control this, you put me and everyone else on this ship in jeopardy.”

Slade slapped his hands together, narrowing his eyes. He couldn’t care less who he put in jeopardy, as long as it wasn’t himself or the mission to Callisto, or his plan with Okbak to kill all the politicians on the ship. “Got it, doc.”

She crossed her arms and leaned back in her stance. “Do you?”

A buzz sounded at the door and it slid open.

An elderly man in his mid-seventies stood steely-faced in the doorway, a handful of Slade’s men with rifles around him. It was Senator Ken Furr. “Thank you for escorting the Senator. You all may leave.” The senator was a brave man for seeing Slade after Slade’s threats. Lucky for the cease fire, or Ken wouldn’t have gotten two steps past his line of soldiers.

The troops didn’t move.

Slade grimaced. “I said, you may leave now.”

They didn’t budge.

Ken nodded. “Colonel Slade Roberson, you’re under arrest for violating the Starship Atlantis by-laws and deceiving the interim government.” Ken gestured behind him and stepped aside. The soldiers walked past him, one holding handcuffs. Those were his troops. They had turned on him.

Slade backed up. There was no point denying what everyone knew, but he sure as shit wasn’t going down for doing what needed to be done to secure his own future.

“We have more than enough evidence to convince ten juries of your wrong-doings. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, Slade.”

Slade grabbed Dr. Cross’s arm, pulling her in front of him. He unholstered his gun and pushed it against her temple. Cross tensed under his grip and gasped. “Let me out of this room or her brains are all over your faces.”

The soldier’s glanced at the senator. Ken’s face slackened and he motioned for them to move out of the way.

“Smart move,” said Slade, wrapping his arm around Cross’s upper chest and guiding her through the doorway, her body as his shield.

He turned her around when they entered the corridor, his eyes widening. Several military men and women, in full regalia, weapons drawn, lined the walls. “Hey, boys.” Did Ken have the ship’s entire Space Marines on his side now?

Slade gave them a deadly stare, one by one, as he walked by. “Didn’t think you’d have the guts to turn on me. I was wrong.”

“Weapons down,” yelled Ken, slowly walking behind Slade, doing his best to keep his distance, yet close enough to keep Slade in his sights.

Slade looked over his shoulder. “Where’s the president?”

“Safe and away from you. We know what you did to his wife. You need to give up his daughter.”

“Good luck with that, Senator.”

“Please, Slade. She’s just a child, a baby.”

Slade rushed down the hall, tightening his hold on Cross. “You think I’m giving up my biggest bargaining chip? I don’t think so. I’m going to notify the Fleet Admiral what you’ve done. He won’t be happy with your actions.”

Ken gave a quiet chuckle. “We got communications back online and I already let him know what you did. He’s seen the tape of Craig’s wife’s murder. Turns out, Lon wasn’t too enthused about it.”

Slade came to an elevator and pressed the button. He spun around, his back to the elevator doors.

“Why aren’t you using your powers?” whispered Cross.

“I don’t want them to know...yet.”

The elevator door opened and Ken continued his cautious, slow walk toward Slade. “You won’t be able