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

He turned his phone off, then stared at that palm-sized miracle of modern technology. He literally had his life in his own hands. He wasn’t cut out for a life on the run. They would catch him. And when they did, he wouldn’t have his phone. He knew exactly what to do. He’d have to wait until morning, when the Post Office opened, but then he’d send his freedom to a place where no one could find it. He’d send his phone to his mom.

He cuddled up against the tree. It would be a long night if he even attempted to get sleep, especially where he sat. One thing was for sure, going back to his motel would be a mistake. Who knew how many GSA and military eyes watched that place right now?

35

June 7thUnderfoot Black, Grenada

Jaxx rolled away from the water and shook his head, wet-dog style. “What are you doing?”

“Waking you, Jaxx.” It was Slade, arms folded across his chest.

Two guards stood over Jaxx like a prisoner of war.

“You going to make me look like a fool again?” Slade was all snarl and snark.

Jaxx stood, checked his shoulder, then patted himself down with a towel. There was a faint scar where the bullet had struck. He rubbed his chest. It was smooth, unscarred, impossible.

“You were shot. If I hadn’t been there, you’d be dead right now.” Slade tipped his head towards the door and the guards took their cue and left.

Jaxx sat on the wet, cold tile. He was in a locker room shower, shaking. He had a faint recollection that he’d been through this cold-water routine more than once, but decided to ask his most pressing question. His teeth chattered. “I almost died?”

Slade ignored him. “You will no longer have access to the RIOUT room. You’ll work in an office we’ve designated Project Atlantis to appease you.”

Jaxx’s eyes widened. “You’re going to put me back to work?”

“You’ll be working overtime. We’re behind schedule.” Slade reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of gum, then winked. Seemed to be an odd habit. “This isn’t a reward, Jaxx. This is a carrot. I give you what you want, you give me what I want.”

Jaxx heaved himself off the cold tile, holding himself up by leaning his hand against the wall. “And what do you want?”

“We need your brain, Jaxx.” He threw the piece of gum in his mouth. “Nothing’s changed. We need you to translate. We need your expertise with ancient cultures, how pyramids were used as terraforming devices and power plants. And when we reach Callisto, you’ll show us how to turn the pyramids on.”

Jaxx slid his palms down his soaked pant legs, pushing water to the floor. He felt better, more refreshed. Slade and whatever technology they had down in Underfoot Black had saved him. He touched his chest. For a wound to heal like this, he’d had to have been out for months, maybe a year.

“Why aren’t you asking the most obvious question right now?” Slade walked towards Jaxx, his boots clacking on the tile.

Jaxx put his hand on his knees and leaned over in an attempt to quell the spins. “I don’t know what to think about any of this.”

“For a moment, we thought we lost you. Damned glad this place is state of the art. You’d have been a goner on the outside. Here, we can heal what ails you and ail what irks you.” He snorted at his own joke.

Jaxx frowned. “You lost me.”

Slade got down to Jaxx’s level; so close that Jaxx could smell his gum. “I made sure they healed you, Jaxx, but if you cross me again, I can make your life a living hell.” He straightened his jacket as he stood. “That clear enough for you?”

The threat jabbed Jaxx’s memory. “Captain Fox. It was him.” He backed up and bumped into the wall. His eyes darted around. “The bullets...they...Fox tried to kill...” Jaxx shook his head again, his mind pacing at a million miles a second. “Keep that guy away from me.”

Slade raised his voice, ignoring Jaxx a second time. “By imitating the frequency of a healthy cell, stem cell lotions and sprays, along with advanced holographic healing technology, we were able to heal you in a couple of days. And, if you weren’t nearly dead, it would have gone a lot faster.”

Jaxx bared his teeth. “Did you hear me?”

“Yes.” Slade slapped his hands together and Jaxx jerked back. “Pay attention, Jaxx. We have done you a good deed and you will do us a good deed in kind. You’ll help us by giving us something that we now think may be more important.”

Jaxx gave Slade a blank look.

“Your memories.”

Jaxx wrapped his arms around himself to stay warm.

Slade slapped his hands together again, this time more loudly. “Look at me. We need to glean information from you. Information about Rivkah Ravenwood. Information that might benefit us.”

“Keep Fox away from me.”

“He’ll still be around, watching you.”

“That guy needs to be put away for life. He tried to murder me.”

“That’s not how it works, Jaxx. When you send confidential information across the wire, lines get crossed, people get pissed, and you almost end up dead. He had reason to shoot you and he was justified.”

“I refuse to help you if you have that monster following me around. Keep him out of my sight or I’ll sit on my ass and not do a damn thing.”

“You sent vital information to Drew Avera.” There was a softness in Slade’s eyes when he spoke Drew’s name.

The asshole is trying to play me; pretend he has a “gentle” side; that he gets what it means to have family. He can’t soften me up that way.

“We don’t want any of this getting out. If we hadn’t intercepted the emails Drew sent out after receiving your email, this mission would have been severely compromised or completely shut down. Do