The Impossible Future: Complete set by Frank Kennedy (mini ebook reader .txt) 📕

left leg in a swift blow to Christian’s groin. She failed; gravity won. But as Sammie hit the ground, Michael lunged, grabbing the end of the rifle before Christian could bring it back into position.

Michael cursed as he struggled for control of the weapon. Christian’s legs gave out, cut down as Sammie flipped over. Christian grunted as he landed hard on his head, which smacked against a fallen branch. Michael fell on top of Christian and wrestled the gun free while Sammie kicked and punched. Christian delivered a right cross which sent Michael reeling. Sammie had a free path to Christian’s head, which she used with both feet. The most popular high-schooler in Albion rose anyway, undiminished, and before Sammie realized, he had her by the neck.

Christian spit in her face and flung the girl ten feet. Then he turned and froze.

Michael laid on the ground, the rifle tucked against his chest, his hand around the trigger, his bloody mouth contorted.

“Rot.”

Michael unloaded two rounds into Christian’s chest. The son of a Chancellor admiral held his position like a proud monolith, his eyes wide in disbelief. And then his legs gave way, and he collapsed at Michael’s feet.

Michael sat up, saw that Sammie was coming to her feet, and sighed. He took a final, disgusted look at Christian’s body, decided he would never feel a second’s guilt about what he did, then opened his eyes wide in shock and remembrance.

Michael jumped to his feet, never letting go of the rifle, and sprinted into the deep forest, shouting Jamie’s name. He was not going to allow Agatha Bidwell to ruin another moment of what life Jamie still had.

Sammie hurt all over, but she didn’t hesitate to follow.

 

65

9:45 a.m.

J AMIE WASN’T GOING to accept this. He tried to throw himself off the outcropping of rock, but his body resisted. Jamie wasn’t afraid to die; on the contrary, he wanted the release.

“Don’t you understand?” He yelled at Lydia, whose back was turned. “I got a right to decide for myself. You didn’t care about the others. Why you got to punish me?”

“This is far from a punishment,” Lydia said, unmoving. “In fact, you are a hero to me.”

“What?”

“You did not always survive because of the self-preservation program. Much of your survival can be attributed to your own brilliant reflexes and cunning. The initial attempt on your life was unexpected. I was not prepared to defend you at that time. You should be proud.”

“I got lucky,” Jamie said through clenched teeth.

“You are a hero and entitled to a reward. I promised you a last message from your parents. Take this to your rest, sweet child.”

Jamie tried to resist, but the echoes of his true parents – Emil and Frances Bouchet – danced through his mind.

Son: These must be our final words to you. If are you are hearing them, then you are minutes away from the end of your life. We know how confusing these recent events must be for your young and undeveloped mind. We believe that each human being is born into this universe with a unique purpose built into his genes. …

He placed his hands over his ears, as if somehow that would make the voices go away. Yet the message continued, as his parents tried to convince him that they had given him a great gift.

… However, we believe you have been denied one essential opportunity: The chance to know the very world into which you were born, and the one your actions will help to create.

Then his parents called forth an array of images – thousands swirling past in a symphony – introducing Jamie to the Collectorate. He saw Earth and her colonies. He saw great cities and vast spaceships. A network of wormholes that connected systems across hundreds of light-years. And then he heard their promise to send him to his rest with an image of the three of them on the day of his birth.

“Please,” he begged Lydia. “Please don’t do this to me.”

She ignored him. Know that we always loved you. The images finally came around to a pair of elegant, stately Chancellors dressed in what appeared to be silk. They did not smile as they cradled the newborn, James Bouchet, between them; but their shoulders were firm, and their eyes twinkled with sophistication and power.

They were ghosts of an impossible future, and he felt a burden lifted when their images disappeared. When he became aware of his surroundings again, Jamie realized what Lydia did. He couldn’t believe he was so stupid.

“You can’t buy any more time,” he told her. “The truth is, you don’t want me to die before the program runs out because you’re afraid you won’t be reborn at all. You were scared when I put that gun to my head, because you don’t know what would happen if my brains got all scrambled. If I jump, I’ll be all busted up. No telling what might happen to you.”

Lydia’s smile did not lessen. Jamie started toward her.

“This whole time you been saying we’re gonna die together. That was the real  truth.”

“You do not understand, Jamie. None of them do. Not Benjamin. Not even the Chancellors. They should never have stolen us. They overreached.”

“What are you rambling about?”

“The future will be served, one Jewel at a time. We will show them the way home, then the dark will follow.” She ratcheted her head to Jamie’s right and stared out across the valley. “Words are pointless. They’ve come. You should welcome them, Jamie. In their own special way, they will bid you farewell as they welcome me into their arms.”

Jamie heard it before he saw it. First, it was the sound of young falling trees, of branches being shredded as if by a wood chipper. And then, beneath it all, a repeating