Read Online Deadly Relations: Bester Ascendant by J. Gregory Keyes - Free Book Online Page A

on a hike. We don’t want any trouble.”
    “Trouble? Are you saying we’re trouble?”
    “No. I didn’t say that.”
    “Just go on your way,” AI advised.
    “Oh, is that an order, Captain Mindscrewer?”
    “It’s a suggestion,” Al said.
    He noticed his knees felt funny. The whole scene had become a little unreal, as if the light had abruptly changed. His heart was beating faster. Almost without thinking, he flexed his knees.
    “Oh, a suggestion. Well, I have a couple of those myself,” Bulldog-boy said. “I suggest that you stay in your kennels back in Geneva, and not wander up here where decent folk might have to see you. I suggest you stay out of my damned mind.”
    “Psi Corps regulations forbid unauthorized scans,” Al pointed out.
    He paused a beat, and then was surprised to hear himself continue.
    “Besides, I wouldn’t read your mind any more than I would step in dogshit on purpose.”
    Bulldog-boy-Antoine-grinned, revealing teeth like piano ivories.
    “Aw, that’s cute. Psi-Ko made a joke.”
    He pronounced the p. Julia attempted a smile.
    “Come on, guys…”
    “Hey, boys, the p-slut can talk. What else can you do, p-slut?”
    Al gave the boy a curious look, reached out, and thumped him on the nose. What happened next was a blur. Al expected the boy to attack him-he had been working up to that anyway, that was clear. He had expected to know where the blow was coming from, like when he did a karate or fencing drill with a weaker teep.
    But this wasn’t a drill, and Antoine didn’t think at all about what he did next - a javelin of pure rage speared Al in the brain, blinding his mind, and sledgehammer fists were just an instant behind, slamming into Al without focus, but with amazing violence.
    He pulled his arms up reflexively, so his forearms took most of the percussion meant for his head, but he still reeled back, was still backpedaling when his opponent’s head butted into him and slammed him into a tree. Then Antoine was on top of him, battering down with those hamlike fists - And then he was off, howling and gasping for air. Al blinked his eyes open to see Brett standing by, fists balled, radiating a cold determination.
    “Leave,” Brett said.
    Bulldog-boy’s friends had him now.
    “C’mon, Antoine,” one of the tall ones said. “He isn’t worth it. He’ll get you arrested, and then what?”
    Antoine glowered and came slowly to his feet. Al managed to climb shakily to his own. His breath was choppy, and he tried to slow it, as he had been taught. Antoine grimaced a terrible. Smile like expression.
    “Bet you don’t think you’re so hot now, do you, mindscrewer? If it hadn’t been for your friend, I’d have pounded you senseless, eh?”
    Al reached out with his psi. He could feel the hot, stupid little mind. He could do almost anything with it. Push it any way he wanted. He could give Antoine a seizure, he could fill his mind with nightmare, he could rip his thoughts to… But no, that was against the rules - it would be betraying the Corps. So he had to watch as the boys hiked on, Antoine sneering back at him until they were out of sight. He could p-hear their coarse laughter well after he couldn’t hear it anymore.

Chapter 2
    “Don’t let it get to you, Al,” Julia soothed.
    Al watched new wood starting to scorch on the campfire, un-consoled. How could a normal have beaten him? In front of Julia, in front of everyone? If he had planned to humiliate himself, he couldn’t have done a better job.
    “I felt his mind,” she went on.
    “He was like an animal.”
    “Yes,” Al replied, “he was a dumb animal. One I should have beaten.”
    “Hey,” Brett interjected, “bullfighters have to be trained to fight bulls. We haven’t had much practice against Normals.”
    “You beat him.”
    “I blindsided him. And I wasn’t trying to beat him, just get him off of you. Come on, cheer up. You’ll know better next time.”
    “I could have mind-blasted him in a