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

He had ditched his burner phone right after his disastrous interview, so that Slade and his GSA heavies couldn’t track him. Nothing to do but head off to his corner in the park, juggle up some cash, and buy a new burner.

Half an hour later, he talked to one of the nicely frosted blue-haired ladies who held down the front desk at his mom’s place of residence.

“Tanner Springs Assisted Living Center. How can I help you?”

An image of his mom’s pink Tanner Springs sweatshirt popped into his head. He asked for Laura.

“Just a moment, sir.”

Drew sat on the sidewalk, gas fumes pummeling him.

“Hello?”

Drew coughed. “Hi Mom.”

“Well, aren’t you a stranger. Drew?”

“Yes, it’s me,” he replied, grinning. She knew who he was. It had been years since she remembered his voice.

“Where have you been, young man?” There was a tone. Not anger. She never got angry. No, irritation perhaps. Or frustration.

“I’m in Portland, Mom.”

“Is Sir with you?”

“N...no.” His voice broke, holding back a tear. It was strange. Why would he be so emotional? He had just seen his mom not so long ago, like he always did. And for her to mention his dad, well, who cared? So why all of a sudden did he care? “Dad’s not here.”

“Are you okay? You sound sad.”

“Mom, I have something to tell you. I—”

“Is it about this business in space?”

He fumbled with the phone. “What? How do you know about that?”

“I’m watching the news right now.”

Why did she sound so different? So aware? Something didn’t compute.

“Did you see me on the TV, Mom?”

“Yes.”

“Did you get my package?”

There was a brief pause, her voice low, almost inaudible. “Do not come here.”

“Excuse me?”

She brightened, bouncing back to her usual boppy tone as if she’d never mutter a warning. “Why would I see you on TV?”

He frowned. “You mentioned you were watching the news.”

“Who is this?”

“This is Drew.”

“My son?”

He rubbed his eye. Just a glitch in the code. Something repeating, from eons ago, when she was sane and sharp and full of sass. “Yes, Mom. It’s me.”

“This place is crawling with government operatives.”

Drew jerked back. “Are you okay, Mom?” She must be repeating words she heard on TV.

Her voice low, urgent, fast. Also muffled. Drew had the distinct impression that she had her hand over the mouthpiece, so no one could hear her. “Your dad isn’t a good guy. He never was. I’m sorry I left you in the dark, but it was necessary. It was for my survival, but I did this mostly for you to have as normal a life as possible. To keep you safe.”

“Mom, are you watching a movie?”

“Drew, is that you?” Back to her normal, space-cadet tone.

“Yes, Mom. Are you watching a movie?”

“No, the news is on. Did you see the news? They are showing a guy named Drew Avera on the news. That’s the same name as my son. It’s a re-run. This Drew person is speaking with Colonel Slade Roberson with the Global Safety Administration. Slade is acting nice, but he’s not. Can you believe the Drew Avera on the television has the same name as my son?” She sounded shocked, but there was a theatricality about it.

If he didn’t know better, his mom did a damned fine job of carrying on two conversations at once. One was with him; calm, informative, sharp; and the other was for the benefit for the people in the home. What did she say? The place was “swarming with operatives?” Could they stoop that low? To spy on his demented mother?

“Did you know they have found structures on Callisto?” she said. “That’s a moon orbiting Jupiter. They also say that they’ve had this set up for about fifteen years and have galactic ships in place all over the country to take politicians and their families off-world. Did you know that, Drew?”

“Uh...well...no.” Where was she getting this? What did she mean? The puzzle pieces drew closer together. That would make sense of the equipment he saw underground in Texas. How the hell did she get intel like that? “Are you—”

“Be careful, Drew. You’re involved with higher than high level officials and a black-ops military with more sophistication and advanced technology than you could dream.”

“Mom, are—”

“Is this Drew, my son? How old am I?”

Drew wiped his brow with his forearm. He perspired, something he’d done quite a lot lately. “Can you get an attendant on the phone?”

“I’m in no need of an attendant. Thank you, Drew.” She lowered her voice again. So low he almost couldn’t hear her. “Not on the phone, you hear me? Not on the phone. In person. Find a way to get here, without anyone knowing you’re visiting. Have a wonderful day, okay?” She hung up.

He frantically dialed again. The phone blared a busy signal. He re-dialed. Busy.

He phoned WNN Chicago.

“Hello?”

“Hobbs? Get me a plane ticket to Charlotte and send it to my masked email address. I’ll print it off at the library.”

“Drew, that’s not in our contract. We don’t do those things, unless it’s an emergency.”

“This is an emergency.”

“What is it?”

He didn’t want to tell Hobbs his suspicions. If he blurted out the fact that he didn’t think his mother had Alzheimer’s, he might put her in even more danger. It was incredible, what she’d just said. He had to find out how she knew what she knew. He had to get to her.

“Drew, listen...”

Drew stood and paced. “No, you listen. I just made you a God damn fortune, not that you needed it, but I put WNN more on the map. You owe me. Get me a ticket or I’ll scream to hell and high water that Hobbs Howell was not going to air this story because you thought that people were too stupid to handle it.”

“I never said such a thing.”

He didn’t, or at least not in front of Drew. Didn’t matter. Drew gambled with the truth. “I have you on a phone recording. I record everything.”

“I never said...” Hobbs hesitated.

Drew figured Hobbs couldn’t recall when or where, but