Read Online The Ascension: A Super Human Clash by Michael Carroll - Free Book Online Page B

question?”
    Whoa… Abby sat back. Dad had an affair? She never told me that!
    â€œHas he been providing any form of regular child supp—”
    The phone rang and Abby jumped up. “I’ll get it!” She raced out to the hall and picked up the handset. “Hello?”
    A man’s voice said, “Abigail de Luyando?”
    â€œWho’s calling?”
    â€œJust tell me—are you Abigail de Luyando?”
    â€œWho wants to know?”
    â€œThis is Max. The real Max. Do you understand what I mean?”
    â€œYeah, I think I do. So it happened to you too?”
    There was a sigh of relief. “The whole world has changed, and from what I can tell, the only ones who know about it are you, me, Roz, Paragon, and Brawn. Roz is being brought to me now. It’s likely that the same thing has happened to Thunder and Lance McKendrick. Thunder lives near you, right?”
    â€œA couple of miles away. But I don’t know the exact address, or his real name.”
    â€œThat doesn’t matter. If you get close enough to him, he’ll hear you calling him. Take Paragon and go find him, then the three of you find somewhere safe and keep out of sight. Roz and I will figure out a way to get to you.”
    â€œWhat about Brawn and Lance?”
    â€œBrawn could be a problem. He’s gone to ground, but it won’t be long before they catch him. As for Lance…Last I heard he’d also gone on the run. We’ve no way of knowing where he was when the change happened. And he’s not a superhuman, Abby. We don’t have the time to go hunting for him.”
    â€œBut he—”
    Dalton interrupted her. “Cord was supposed to be meeting you today. Is he still there?”
    â€œYeah, he’s here.”
    â€œGet him.”
    â€œOK, but—”
    â€œJust do what you’re told, Abby!” Max roared. “Get him on the phone right now !”
    Â 
    James Klaus was still more than thirty miles from Midway when he was spotted by an army patrol.
    As he traveled, he’d been using his powers to listen to the patrols. So far, he’d managed to avoid being seen by taking detours and hiding when necessary, but this time he was out of luck.
    From what he had overheard, in this world traffic control was stricter than he’d ever imagined. Unless it was absolutely unavoidable, almost no one was allowed to use the highways or other national roads at night or between nine in the morning and five in the evening. This was supposed to be a security measure: The entire country was permanently in a state of high alert.
    He was on a long straight stretch of road—a road he didn’t remember ever seeing before on his many trips to the farm—when he heard a vehicle coming up from behind. It was still two miles behind him, but the new road offered no cover on either side, and its slight downward slope didn’t give him much of a boost on the skateboard.
    As the vehicle neared, he could hear the voices of the men inside:
    â€œSatellites spotted him six minutes ago, heading south. Scanned and transmitted the biometrics back to Central. They’re backed up right now, but ten’ll get you one that the kid doesn’t have authorization to be out.”
    â€œFarmhand, maybe?” another voice asked.
    â€œOn a skateboard ? Unlikely. You want to apprehend him?”
    A third voice, deeper and older: “What do we have him on?”
    â€œWe’ve definitely got him on Habzone breach and unauthorized mode of transport, Captain. If he’s been within six miles of the base, we might be able to get him on attempted infiltration of a military installation.”
    The captain said, “Hmm. Identity?”
    â€œIt’s just coming through…. OK, biometrics give a ninety-six percent probability that he’s James Percival Klaus, age sixteen. Listed residence is eighty-seven Maple Towers, Midway. No known dissident