Read Online Nighthawks (Children of Nostradamus Book 1) by Jeremy Flagg - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jeremy Flagg
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shrugged. “Not a fan?”
Jed put his hand to the collar. “I have an explosive device grafted into my neck,” he said firmly. “Would you be a fan if you were a walking time bomb?”
“Noted,” Conthan said.
The crowd froze as a pane of glass shattered in the front of the gallery. Conthan instinctively ducked and looked to his partner. “This isn’t going to end well.”
Jed shook his head. “It’s a hotspot in here right now. If the Corps soldiers get involved, there is going to be a massacre.”
“A hotspot?”
Jed rolled his eyes. “Do you think I’m the only powered guy here? Everybody in this room could be undocumented. The Corps is here to sniff all of you out. If they catch you, it’s off to the facility.”
“Dammit, Gretch,” Conthan muttered. He looked to the man next to him and realized how dire it could be. “There’s a back door. You can get out.”
“What?”
“The humans are fine, let’s get you out of here. At least this way you’re less likely to pop your top.”
“You’re insufferable,” Jed said.
“I’ve been told.”
They watched as one of the Corps soldiers took a punch to the face. The man’s head hardly moved from the impact. His hand shot out and grabbed his assailant. His grip tightened on the protester’s neck and the man spasmed as electricity began to surge through the soldier’s hand. “Your peaceful protest is now in violation of the law.”
Conthan could see the crowd beginning to push away from the gallery lobby, lining the walls and sheltering themselves from the gaze of the Corps soldier. The cyborg’s vision landed on Conthan and his companion and the officer froze. “Class III detected.”
“Shit.”
Conthan pushed Jed into the crowd thick of the crowd. They began to work through the wall of bodies. “What if you waited?” Conthan asked. “Not like you did anything wrong.”
“I was born wrong,” Jed shouted back. “I’ll be seen as part of a non-peaceful protest and in violation of the law.”
“I’ll pay your fifty dollar fine.”
“Children of Nostradamus don’t pay fines with money.”
“Shit.”
They reached the door into the back alley and Conthan flung it open. He stuck his head out. “All clear.” They jumped narrow road behind the gallery and slammed the door behind them. He looked down the way to the street with cars passing by. They started walking at a brisk pace, nearing their freedom.
Both men froze as a figure landed in front of them, falling into a crouch. The shadow looked up and they recognized the glow from the eyes. “Shit.”
“Jed Zappens, you have been found in breach of your release agreement.”
Conthan put his hand up, trying to block the Child. “He had nothing to do with this. He’s an innocent bystander. We’re leaving peacefully.”
The figure raised his hand and Conthan could see he had a gun. “Whoa, calm down, he said. “We had nothing to do with what is going on back there.”
“Stand down, human,” the figure’s voice said.
Conthan realized he was standing in front of his fellow artist. It had been unintentional, but he couldn’t let something like a rowdy crowd cost a man his life. He put up both of his hands. “Let us go.”
“Any further discussion will be seen as an act of aggression. Jed Zappens will be terminated.”
“No.”
Conthan felt his arm being pulled just as he saw the red light begin to protrude from the end of the gun. Jed yanked him backward, stepping between him and their assailant. In that moment he felt panic, anger and the disgust at what was happening. The entire alley lit up red as the light pierced Jed.
Time began to slow down and a surge of pain emigrated from the pit of his stomach. It crawled at a pace that felt surreal. He watched the light emerge from Jed’s back. With only inches between him and sudden death, the pain in Conthan’s chest built as if it would rip through him. Conthan’s vision blurred and he could see a single dark
Jed put his hand to the collar. “I have an explosive device grafted into my neck,” he said firmly. “Would you be a fan if you were a walking time bomb?”
“Noted,” Conthan said.
The crowd froze as a pane of glass shattered in the front of the gallery. Conthan instinctively ducked and looked to his partner. “This isn’t going to end well.”
Jed shook his head. “It’s a hotspot in here right now. If the Corps soldiers get involved, there is going to be a massacre.”
“A hotspot?”
Jed rolled his eyes. “Do you think I’m the only powered guy here? Everybody in this room could be undocumented. The Corps is here to sniff all of you out. If they catch you, it’s off to the facility.”
“Dammit, Gretch,” Conthan muttered. He looked to the man next to him and realized how dire it could be. “There’s a back door. You can get out.”
“What?”
“The humans are fine, let’s get you out of here. At least this way you’re less likely to pop your top.”
“You’re insufferable,” Jed said.
“I’ve been told.”
They watched as one of the Corps soldiers took a punch to the face. The man’s head hardly moved from the impact. His hand shot out and grabbed his assailant. His grip tightened on the protester’s neck and the man spasmed as electricity began to surge through the soldier’s hand. “Your peaceful protest is now in violation of the law.”
Conthan could see the crowd beginning to push away from the gallery lobby, lining the walls and sheltering themselves from the gaze of the Corps soldier. The cyborg’s vision landed on Conthan and his companion and the officer froze. “Class III detected.”
“Shit.”
Conthan pushed Jed into the crowd thick of the crowd. They began to work through the wall of bodies. “What if you waited?” Conthan asked. “Not like you did anything wrong.”
“I was born wrong,” Jed shouted back. “I’ll be seen as part of a non-peaceful protest and in violation of the law.”
“I’ll pay your fifty dollar fine.”
“Children of Nostradamus don’t pay fines with money.”
“Shit.”
They reached the door into the back alley and Conthan flung it open. He stuck his head out. “All clear.” They jumped narrow road behind the gallery and slammed the door behind them. He looked down the way to the street with cars passing by. They started walking at a brisk pace, nearing their freedom.
Both men froze as a figure landed in front of them, falling into a crouch. The shadow looked up and they recognized the glow from the eyes. “Shit.”
“Jed Zappens, you have been found in breach of your release agreement.”
Conthan put his hand up, trying to block the Child. “He had nothing to do with this. He’s an innocent bystander. We’re leaving peacefully.”
The figure raised his hand and Conthan could see he had a gun. “Whoa, calm down, he said. “We had nothing to do with what is going on back there.”
“Stand down, human,” the figure’s voice said.
Conthan realized he was standing in front of his fellow artist. It had been unintentional, but he couldn’t let something like a rowdy crowd cost a man his life. He put up both of his hands. “Let us go.”
“Any further discussion will be seen as an act of aggression. Jed Zappens will be terminated.”
“No.”
Conthan felt his arm being pulled just as he saw the red light begin to protrude from the end of the gun. Jed yanked him backward, stepping between him and their assailant. In that moment he felt panic, anger and the disgust at what was happening. The entire alley lit up red as the light pierced Jed.
Time began to slow down and a surge of pain emigrated from the pit of his stomach. It crawled at a pace that felt surreal. He watched the light emerge from Jed’s back. With only inches between him and sudden death, the pain in Conthan’s chest built as if it would rip through him. Conthan’s vision blurred and he could see a single dark
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