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

She scoffed. “The Marines have been using this town as a military experiment. We were a peaceful city until those bastards showed up after our own asshole politicians decided to up and fly to the stars.”

“They’re using this place as an experiment?” asked Drew.

“A few weeks after the government took themselves off planet in those rocket ships, we were setting up our own government, our own peaceful, beautiful place. It was crazy at first. The place filled up with a bunch of militia types and hippies, but they were able to adjust. It was a get-along kinda town. Then a Marine showed up, then another, as if surveying the area. They took over this place, set up their own government with restrictions, rations, and curfews and to top it off, they rolled out this massive shield and some crazy-ass weapons. Weapons even our military vets had never heard of before.” She shrugged. “Then, what do you know? Massive ships come in about a week later dropping bombs on the shield. Like-for-like energy, as they say.”

“Are you saying they attracted the ET’s?” asked Drew, jerking back as another explosion rocked the building.

“Yes. We were fine before the Marine’s showed up. They practically put a homing beacon on us,” said Carl. He grunted, shifting in his stance, clearly frustrated. “And that little girl. The gifted one? It’s her doing. They are attracted to her. I guarantee it. Once we get out of here, she’s got my first trigger-happy shot.”

The words hit Drew like a punch to the chest. Killing Mya wasn’t going to happen on his watch. Mya was an innocent, sweet young girl with no ill-will toward anyone. She’d protected the city with her weird-ass mutant powers. “They started coming before the girl was even here, Carl. Hell, when we landed in the helicopters, the ET’s were practically on top of Whitefish.”

Carl pointed his rifle at Drew. “You arrived with her?”

Drew quickly shook his head no. It was a lie, but if it meant saving his own skin, sure he was gonna veer from the truth. “I meant to say I saw her land. And those ET’s have been screwing shit up all over the world, not just here.” Drew wanted Carl’s mind on something other than Mya.

“Carl, stop being an ass. If you don’t, I’ll shove this rifle straight up your ass. Understand?” Megan leaned against a wall, her rifle between her crossed arms, her eyes like guns about to go off in Carl’s face. “And Drew—”

The alarms turned off. Suddenly and strangely. Did all the power in the city go off? One look at the still lit light bulb answered his question, telling him a flat, no. Were the alarms destroyed somehow?

Someone rapped on their basement door.

They crouched, aiming their weapons at the door.

Megan shook her head and put her fingers to her lips.

Another knock. “This is Lieutenant Sawyer of the United States Marine Corps. We know you’re in there and we need you to open up.”

Carl thrust his rifle forward, taking a few steps toward the door. “You open that door and we’ll—”

Megan pushed Carl’s rifle down. “Don’t be a nut.” She walked over and placed her hand on the lock, unlatched it, then opened the door.

A young, handsome man stood in Marine Corp garb. He took his hat off and tucked it under his armpit like they used to in old war movies. “We have to leave.” Sawyers eyes moved from Megan to Drew. “We have a ship waiting for you.”

“For me?” asked Drew.

“No, for all of you. We’re losing the city. We have to get out as many people we as we can.”

There was something odd with the way this guy talked. His mouth exaggerated every word, and why the hell wasn’t he out of breath, worried, or even seeming to be in a hurry? The idea that he was trying too hard at being human flashed across Drew’s mind.

Sawyer changed his demeanor, panting and rushing his words.

Too creepy. It was like the guy had read his mind.

“Yes, yes. We have to go. Time is of the essence.” The Marine glanced at his watch. “We’re leaving in three minutes.” He turned and strode up the steps. Each stride was perfectly measured. Nothing about his demeanor said he was in a panic. Drew’s antennae were on high alert.

“Let’s go, guys,” said Carl. He bounded up the stairs.

Megan gave Drew a look. If he was reading her correctly, she had the same misgivings as him. Drew wanted to ask his mom if this guy was someone to trust, but the two of them followed him upstairs anyway.

Kackow!

A blast next to the bar rocked the building. Drew fell against the wall and Megan fell against him. She took a step back and slipped. Drew caught her in one arm and for a moment, they looked deeply into each other’s eyes. Megan had human eyes, emotions, love, fear, and everything in between.

Drew flashed back to his first sighting of the Marine. Lieutenant Sawyer’s were not human. They held no emotion, no realness to them.

Drew let go of Megan and dashed after Carl. “Carl, wait!”

Just behind Carl, Drew reached passed him and grabbed Sawyer’s arm. He just needed to look him in the eye one more time. Just to make sure that his gut wasn’t off.

Drew gasped.

The Marine’s arm transformed into a purple, fat-looking, alien arm, then immediately shape-shifted back into a human arm.

What the hell?

Drew pulled Carl back toward the basement door. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. He wanted to warn Carl, but the words wouldn’t come.

Carl pushed Drew off of him. “What the hell, man?”

Sawyer turned. “Is there a problem?” His features transformed for a moment, revealing large, almond-shaped eyes, bright purple skin, and a wide face. Again, it shape-shifted back to human.

Carl lifted his rifle, aimed, and took a shot at the shape-shifting Marine. The gun blasted, pushing an already unstable Carl into Drew. Carl’s head smashed against Drew’s forehead. Drew