Read Online Dark Minds (Class 5 Series Book 3) by Michelle Diener - Free Book Online
Authors: Michelle Diener
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down only a few hours ago, the drone rose up into hover mode to navigate the steep staircase, spinning in place while they waited for her to haul herself up.
Despite the yoga she'd done, she had been a prisoner for over two months, and all this walking and now climbing stairs was taking its toll. It reminded her of what had been taken from her with every gasp for breath and she had to consciously rid herself of the anger that rose up.
She lifted her shoulders to ease the tension and tried to focus on where she was going and the route they'd taken from the hold, so she could come back this way if she ever had the chance.
Her legs were trembling when at last they reached the floor they wanted her on, and one of the drones held the door for her.
As they approached a junction in the corridor, she heard a noise to the right and adrenalin surged as she thought they had somehow crossed paths again with the drone dragging the Vanad's body.
The sound was clear and sinister in the quiet, and she slowed her steps. When she reached the corner, she forced herself to look.
A drone was pulling a Krik by his hair along the floor. He was dead, his eyes open and staring blindly at the ceiling.
Imogen couldn't drag her eyes away, and the silence all around her pressed in, suffocating and menacing.
“This way.” One of the drones indicated to the left with its mechanical arm.
“What happened to him?” Imogen glanced at the drone, then swung her gaze back to the Krik.
“They are very volatile.” The words seemed different. More human. There was a hint of a sigh to them.
“The fighting spirit,” Imogen said.
“Yes. They felt in danger, and the fighting spirit overcame them.” The words were spoken with no hint of regret, it merely was what it was.
The manic glee with which they'd killed the Tecran crew still had the power to catch her in its grasp, like a cat playing with its food, and when she looked back at the Krik's body, she could not find any emotion at all.
“The Krik are a mistake the Garmman must take responsibility for,” the drone said. “They tried to woo the Krik into declaring themselves Garmman vassals, which would have extended Garmman territory. To persuade them, they broke protocol and gave the Krik access to United Council technology. But while the Krik are quite capable of working out how to use things, left to their own devices, they would still be fighting each other in their interminable wars. And the Garmman did not understand the Krik would never allow themselves to be vassals to anyone.”
That explained a lot. She still remembered wondering how a race that could allow itself to be lost in a violent haze for minutes at a time could be as advanced as it was. Then she remembered the fear in Toloco's eyes. “They seemed to be taking instructions from you.”
“Well, they thought they were getting the better part of the deal. And they thought to cheat me, if they could.”
The boxy little drone seemed such an unlikely avatar for the cynical, world weary tone coming from it, Imogen had to hold back a smile.
“Cheating me was a serious mistake.”
Whatever humor she'd felt died at the last sentence, icy and just a little smug.
“What do you mean?” She had turned in the direction they wanted her to go but took one last look over her shoulder in time to see the tip of the Krik's boot disappear around a corner.
The drone didn't answer her question, but as they moved down the passage, she had to press close to the wall to allow another drone to pass. There was a dead Krik in the box that made up most of its bulk, and it dragged another Krik by his head, the clamp digging in on either side of his skull.
“How many are dead?” She had meant to ask boldly, to demand an an answer, but her voice was only capable of a whisper.
“Nearly all of them.” The drone turned back to face the way they were going. “Come along.”
* * *
I mogen sat in a comfortable chair , the back lowered a little
Despite the yoga she'd done, she had been a prisoner for over two months, and all this walking and now climbing stairs was taking its toll. It reminded her of what had been taken from her with every gasp for breath and she had to consciously rid herself of the anger that rose up.
She lifted her shoulders to ease the tension and tried to focus on where she was going and the route they'd taken from the hold, so she could come back this way if she ever had the chance.
Her legs were trembling when at last they reached the floor they wanted her on, and one of the drones held the door for her.
As they approached a junction in the corridor, she heard a noise to the right and adrenalin surged as she thought they had somehow crossed paths again with the drone dragging the Vanad's body.
The sound was clear and sinister in the quiet, and she slowed her steps. When she reached the corner, she forced herself to look.
A drone was pulling a Krik by his hair along the floor. He was dead, his eyes open and staring blindly at the ceiling.
Imogen couldn't drag her eyes away, and the silence all around her pressed in, suffocating and menacing.
“This way.” One of the drones indicated to the left with its mechanical arm.
“What happened to him?” Imogen glanced at the drone, then swung her gaze back to the Krik.
“They are very volatile.” The words seemed different. More human. There was a hint of a sigh to them.
“The fighting spirit,” Imogen said.
“Yes. They felt in danger, and the fighting spirit overcame them.” The words were spoken with no hint of regret, it merely was what it was.
The manic glee with which they'd killed the Tecran crew still had the power to catch her in its grasp, like a cat playing with its food, and when she looked back at the Krik's body, she could not find any emotion at all.
“The Krik are a mistake the Garmman must take responsibility for,” the drone said. “They tried to woo the Krik into declaring themselves Garmman vassals, which would have extended Garmman territory. To persuade them, they broke protocol and gave the Krik access to United Council technology. But while the Krik are quite capable of working out how to use things, left to their own devices, they would still be fighting each other in their interminable wars. And the Garmman did not understand the Krik would never allow themselves to be vassals to anyone.”
That explained a lot. She still remembered wondering how a race that could allow itself to be lost in a violent haze for minutes at a time could be as advanced as it was. Then she remembered the fear in Toloco's eyes. “They seemed to be taking instructions from you.”
“Well, they thought they were getting the better part of the deal. And they thought to cheat me, if they could.”
The boxy little drone seemed such an unlikely avatar for the cynical, world weary tone coming from it, Imogen had to hold back a smile.
“Cheating me was a serious mistake.”
Whatever humor she'd felt died at the last sentence, icy and just a little smug.
“What do you mean?” She had turned in the direction they wanted her to go but took one last look over her shoulder in time to see the tip of the Krik's boot disappear around a corner.
The drone didn't answer her question, but as they moved down the passage, she had to press close to the wall to allow another drone to pass. There was a dead Krik in the box that made up most of its bulk, and it dragged another Krik by his head, the clamp digging in on either side of his skull.
“How many are dead?” She had meant to ask boldly, to demand an an answer, but her voice was only capable of a whisper.
“Nearly all of them.” The drone turned back to face the way they were going. “Come along.”
* * *
I mogen sat in a comfortable chair , the back lowered a little
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