The Circadia Chronicles: Omnibus: The Complete Colonization Sci-Fi Series by Heather Heckadon (portable ebook reader .txt) 📕

“Let’s do it then. I think someone here has binoculars I've seen. I’ll see if we can use them, that way we can keep our distance. I’ll meet you at the bottom of the cliff here in a few minutes with Smith,” he said. “See you down there.” Garrett bumped my shoulder in a playful way which brought a smile to my face that was quickly taken away with the thought of what was about to play out next.

I watched as Smith quietly climbed down the cliff. I made my way over but then had a last-minute thought. I quickly ran towards Ronald, the architect. “Hey,” I said, “when Sierra gets back, if she gets back before I do, can you tell her something?”

“Sure, what’s that?” he asked.

I smiled, then let it out. “Tell her that everyone needs to start getting their traps and weapons together, because we’re going to win this thing, and she’s going to get some justice for her husband,” I said. I started to run off and gave him a wink. He laughed and gave a thumb’s up.

“I’ll tell her!” he yelled out after me.

UPON REACHING THE EDGE of the woods, we said our goodbyes to Smith and climbed the trees. The purple hue of the trees gave off an ethereal feeling that was heightened by the elevation at which we sat. The wind was still, and the heat was piercing. Sweat ran from my body with no relief. Whether it was nerves or the actual heat and humidity, I wasn’t sure. Nor did I care. I was drenched, but I had much more important things to worry about.

Perching on the branches like sneaky birds, we raised the binoculars and watched as he entered camp. Walking through the crew members, we noticed none of them even gave him a sideways glance. If they knew Smith was planning something, they gave no indication. Maybe the others kept quiet, I thought. He strode into the hut where he had been working, and soon I watched him emerge with a satchel of sorts, which I imagined was filled with vials full of the serum.

The sun was beginning to fall, and he quickly went to work. Opening the townhouse door to the prisoners, we watched him emerge with Dr. Mayhew and get to work. Immediately, they went for the huts. Both of them were equipped with spray bottles with a milky looking solution. They sprayed inside the huts all over. Then they went to the apartment buildings and sprayed inside. We watched as they emerged from the apartment buildings and return to the hut that Smith had collected the solution from in the first place.

Next, they came out with a large bucket that took the two of them to carry. Careful not to spill any, they reached the water tank that Leslie had set up to keep everyone from wandering to the creek for water all the time. Smith climbed up the ladder and Dr. Mayhew handed up the bucket. Dumping the solution into the water, we saw through the binoculars Smith let out a long sigh.

Looking about, paranoid, he quickly climbed down. Dr. Mayhew could be seen urging him down and looking behind him in a rush. We couldn’t figure out what was happening, until Leslie came into view. His entourage shadowed behind him a couple yards back. Apparently Leslie didn’t go anywhere alone now days. Smart on his part, or someone might take advantage of the situation. I certainly would.

Confidently strolling towards Dr. Mayhew and Smith, Leslie’s demeanor was one of a host of a dramatic television show. It was like he needed applause in the background to begin to speak. We, of course, couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I knew it couldn’t be good. Dr. Mayhew surely wasn’t supposed to be roaming free; someone had surely told Leslie about Smith warning them, and nothing was adding up to a good situation.

We watched them talk for a bit, until Leslie whistled for help. Four men came out to grab Smith and Dr. Mayhew by each arm. My heart couldn’t handle it anymore. I knew what Leslie would do to them, I had seen it. His anger would get the best of him and he would have them killed. I had to go.

Leaping down from the tree, I took off in a dash towards them. I could hear Garrett drop down behind me, and whisper-yell my name. “Aella! Aella, stop! Damn it!” His footsteps came fast behind mine as I breached the tree-line into the field straight towards Leslie and his goons.

When I realized how many of them there were, I panicked, but it was too late. I had been seen, and Smith had no other way out. I had to try to do something. Coming up on them quick, I noticed Sierra and Ronald dashing out of the trees as well towards us. Gaining some confidence at the sight of the two of them, I leaned my head down and charged.

First, I took out the guy to the right of Smith with the force of my body careening towards him, then picked myself up to slam my fist into his stomach. He cried out in pain as I heard the other men yell out about the same time as my friends had taken them down. Smith turned to help, but one of the goons kicked at his left leg and broke it.

Shit, I thought. Rushing to his side before he tumbled to the ground, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I held on. We were trying to move quickly towards the tree line, but with a hobble and a weakling, we weren’t making good time. Suddenly the load seemed to free up a bit, and I felt relief. Glancing to my side around Smith, I saw Garrett, throwing Smith’s arm