Read Online Never Surrender (The Empire's Corps Book 10) by Christopher Nuttall - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christopher Nuttall
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believed his eyes.
It had taken them some time to realise that the entire show in the POW camp was a diversion - and if he was forced to be honest, he would have to admit that it had been Austin who had realised the truth. They’d hastily scanned the rest of the camp, just in time to see a pair of figures slip under the fence and make their muddy way into the jungle. And then they’d given chase, watching carefully for any signs the guards had also noticed ...
And then they’d caught up with the escapees and realised that they knew one of them.
“Kailee,” he said. “It’s good to see you again.”
Kailee looked paler than he remembered from when she’d been seen as an unattainable ice princess, her naked body alarmingly thin. She’d never put any real weight on, even after growing accustomed to the idea that she didn't have to be thin to be pretty, but now she was thinner than ever. He looked at her companion and found himself staring, despite the presence of two other men. Kailee’s companion looked thoroughly odd, even by local standards.
“Darrin,” Kailee said. “I ...”
She clutched at her companion and tried to hide herself. Darrin looked away, embarrassed and ashamed. Life on Meridian had taught him that some of Earth’s social mores were not only disgusting, but wrong ... and actively dangerous, when every teenage girl carried a gun.
“My name is Jasmine,” the companion said. Her accent was impossible to place; it wasn't Earth’s slurred speech or Meridian’s clipped precise tones. “We made it out of the camp.”
“We saw,” Austin said. “I don’t think they noticed you were gone, but it’s impossible to be sure.”
“They’re friends,” Kailee said, from where she was still hiding her face. That was odd, Darrin considered, although he had no idea what had happened to her since she’d been taken hostage. “We can trust them.”
“We’re part of the resistance,” Austin said, as he stepped into view. “And yourselves?”
Jasmine exchanged glances with one of her male companions. “We’re former prisoners of war,” she said. “Can you escort us somewhere safe?”
“Yes,” Austin said. “There’s a hidden settlement not too far from here.”
He strode past Jasmine, then started to walk onwards. One of the men followed him, showing no difficulty in matching his pace, while the other hung back, watching Darrin without ever quite seeming to look at his face. Darrin couldn't help feeling a little intimidated, remembering Yates and some of the other ex-military personnel he’d met on Meridian. For what was universally regarded, at least on Earth, as a pool for losers, the military seemed to have a habit of turning out competent and dangerous men. But then, Earth had been safe until the crunch came. Meridian forced people to rely on themselves, rather than help from an all-powerful government.
But the government wasn't all-powerful , he thought, as he walked after Jasmine and Kailee, trying to keep his eyes firmly fixed to the ground. If it had been, Earth would never have fallen .
“Tell me,” Jasmine said, without looking round. “What’s the situation in Sabre City?”
It was Austin who answered. “The Wolves don’t have many people on the surface, at least not in the city,” he said. “But they have us under firm control.”
“They must not consider you to be very important,” Jasmine said, slowly. “Have they been taking more people hostage?”
“A handful of people from various families,” Austin said. “They asked for volunteers for work on the orbital station, but rejected all the applicants we tried to send them.”
“Interesting,” Jasmine said. “Why did you pick them?”
It was nearly an hour before they approached the hidden settlement, concealed within the jungle. Darrin had been there when
It had taken them some time to realise that the entire show in the POW camp was a diversion - and if he was forced to be honest, he would have to admit that it had been Austin who had realised the truth. They’d hastily scanned the rest of the camp, just in time to see a pair of figures slip under the fence and make their muddy way into the jungle. And then they’d given chase, watching carefully for any signs the guards had also noticed ...
And then they’d caught up with the escapees and realised that they knew one of them.
“Kailee,” he said. “It’s good to see you again.”
Kailee looked paler than he remembered from when she’d been seen as an unattainable ice princess, her naked body alarmingly thin. She’d never put any real weight on, even after growing accustomed to the idea that she didn't have to be thin to be pretty, but now she was thinner than ever. He looked at her companion and found himself staring, despite the presence of two other men. Kailee’s companion looked thoroughly odd, even by local standards.
“Darrin,” Kailee said. “I ...”
She clutched at her companion and tried to hide herself. Darrin looked away, embarrassed and ashamed. Life on Meridian had taught him that some of Earth’s social mores were not only disgusting, but wrong ... and actively dangerous, when every teenage girl carried a gun.
“My name is Jasmine,” the companion said. Her accent was impossible to place; it wasn't Earth’s slurred speech or Meridian’s clipped precise tones. “We made it out of the camp.”
“We saw,” Austin said. “I don’t think they noticed you were gone, but it’s impossible to be sure.”
“They’re friends,” Kailee said, from where she was still hiding her face. That was odd, Darrin considered, although he had no idea what had happened to her since she’d been taken hostage. “We can trust them.”
“We’re part of the resistance,” Austin said, as he stepped into view. “And yourselves?”
Jasmine exchanged glances with one of her male companions. “We’re former prisoners of war,” she said. “Can you escort us somewhere safe?”
“Yes,” Austin said. “There’s a hidden settlement not too far from here.”
He strode past Jasmine, then started to walk onwards. One of the men followed him, showing no difficulty in matching his pace, while the other hung back, watching Darrin without ever quite seeming to look at his face. Darrin couldn't help feeling a little intimidated, remembering Yates and some of the other ex-military personnel he’d met on Meridian. For what was universally regarded, at least on Earth, as a pool for losers, the military seemed to have a habit of turning out competent and dangerous men. But then, Earth had been safe until the crunch came. Meridian forced people to rely on themselves, rather than help from an all-powerful government.
But the government wasn't all-powerful , he thought, as he walked after Jasmine and Kailee, trying to keep his eyes firmly fixed to the ground. If it had been, Earth would never have fallen .
“Tell me,” Jasmine said, without looking round. “What’s the situation in Sabre City?”
It was Austin who answered. “The Wolves don’t have many people on the surface, at least not in the city,” he said. “But they have us under firm control.”
“They must not consider you to be very important,” Jasmine said, slowly. “Have they been taking more people hostage?”
“A handful of people from various families,” Austin said. “They asked for volunteers for work on the orbital station, but rejected all the applicants we tried to send them.”
“Interesting,” Jasmine said. “Why did you pick them?”
It was nearly an hour before they approached the hidden settlement, concealed within the jungle. Darrin had been there when
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