Spirits of the Earth: The Complete Series: (A Post-Apocalyptic Series Box Set: Books 1-3) by Milo Fowler (paper ebook reader .TXT) 📕

gets to his feet, rifle in one hand and Stinger in the other. Brow furrowed, he steps to my side. He doesn't relinquish either weapon.

"You mind?" The man in the beret gestures mildly toward the rifle at my feet. He doesn't appear to notice my brother's formidable nature. "Set them down, please." He sounds like he's speaking to a child. "Right there."

"I don't think so." Samson shakes his head. "Not until I see some proof that we're outnumbered, like you say."

Another broad smile stretches the man's thin lips along with his narrow mustache. "Seeing is believing, eh?" He chuckles. "That can be arranged. But I must say, I'm a little disappointed. Could it be that you'd prefer things...the hard way?" He raises his voice with a sudden edge to it, and the vehicle's other doors fly open. Seven armed men in camouflage and O2 masks land on the concrete with a cacophony of hard-soled boots. Across the garage at the top of the ramp, the same scene unfolds at the other armored vehicle, perfectly synchronized.

Samson stands rigidly, eyeing the short-barreled automatic rifles trained on him. I know he must be weighing his chances. That's the kind of man he is. I can only pray that he gives in to reason.

"Take 'em." He drops his gaze, defeated, as two soldiers relieve him of his weapons. One stoops to retrieve mine.

I relax, realizing only then that I've been holding my breath. I must stay calm. Already, I can feel my claws begin to flex outward.

"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" The leader chuckles again. "So that leaves three more of you, right? One male, two females. Should I send my men after them, or do you think they'll follow your fine example?" He eyes me squarely.

I look across the garage. Already, the seven men from the other vehicle have spread out with weapons at the ready. Where's Daiyna? Milton could disarm these men before they even catch sight of him. But what is his state of mind right now?

Shechara rises to her full height half-way across the garage, between two abandoned automobiles. An audible murmur sweeps through the soldiers. She raises her rifle in one hand and keeps her other hand where they can see it. Their murmurs become louder, more suggestive, as she moves to join us.

"You'll have to pardon my men," says the leader. "We've been without the...benefits of female companionship for some time now. They're just doing what comes naturally, I'm afraid." His beady eyes rove up and down her body as she approaches. "Why thank you, darling," he says with a wink as she hands over her weapon.

She keeps her gaze set straight ahead, her face an expressionless mask as she steps between Samson and me. From the corner of my eye, I see her tremble briefly before regaining her composure. A shiver of fear? Disgust, more likely.

"So, two more then. A man and woman. Didn't seem like things were going too well for them. He might've had her by the throat when we pulled up." He chuckles at my expression. "Like I said, we've been watching you ever since you arrived. Cameras all over the place. But here's the weird thing: soon as we pull up, those two disappeared. Just like that, they're off the grid. Vanished. Poof!" He takes a step forward, his eyes fixed on me, his pistol cradled against the side of his O2 mask. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, now would you?"

Milton could have carried her away, using his speed to avoid detection. But why would he have had her by the throat?

"I don't know about you, but that sure seems like something that should be shared amongst God's children." He tilts his head, squinting an eye up at me. "Some kind of invisibility cloak or some such? Yeah? Wouldn't that be the ticket? Sneak up on those mutos out there and wipe 'em out, once and for all!" He laughs. Then his features abruptly go slack. "But you don't know what the hell I'm talking about."

Before I can respond, Samson says, "He wasn't one of us. We just let him tag along."

"And the woman?"

Samson nods slowly, weighing his words. "She's our...sister."

"Sister, you say? Well then. I reckon you'll want to find the magic man who disappeared with her as much as we do. The weirdest thing, the way they just went off-grid like that." He shrugs. "We'll find 'em, eventually. Even if we have to scare 'em with a few rounds shot here and there. So, how about some introductions? I'd be Captain Willard, and these fine young soldiers are my men, the very best of the Eden Guard." He holsters his weapon, his eyes never wavering from Shechara. "Now who would you be?"

We say our names, but that's all.

"Uh-huh." Willard eyes us one at a time. "Where do you hail from?"

I tell him, and briefly I explain why we're looking for a vehicle, how ours was destroyed. There's no point in lying to him. Strange that I'd even consider it.

"Sorry to hear that. Those mutos are a bad lot, all right. We've managed to keep them out of here, but they keep coming back and stealing our stuff. It's like they're drawn to these ruins for some reason. Linked to them somehow. Creepy, really."

He gestures to the men at the other vehicle and calls out, "They couldn't have gotten far." He takes four of the soldiers with him to join in the hunt. The remaining three keep their weapons trained on us, their severe postures in stark contrast to their leader's nonchalant demeanor. "I really don't see the point in you all goin' back to your caves and whatnot. Sounds like suicide, really. Besides, the mutos will likely follow your trail here. And when they do, it sure would be nice if y'all would lend us a hand in Eden's defense."

"Does that mean we get our weapons back?" Samson rumbles.

Willard chuckles. "Now don't get ahead of yourself,