Read Online The First Book of Ore: The Foundry's Edge by Cameron Baity, Benny Zelkowicz - Free Book Online Page A
Book: The First Book of Ore: The Foundry's Edge by Cameron Baity, Benny Zelkowicz
Read Free Book Online
Authors: Cameron Baity, Benny Zelkowicz
Ads: Link
the sound away.
Micah lunged left to avoid the next, but the rider went left as well. He went right, and so did the oncoming Bike. Wildly, he feinted left, then zoomed right, barely steering clear.
One wrong move and he was dead meat.
He spotted a new lane, a red maintenance cable off to the right. Regaining some control of his swerving Bike, he dodged back quickly to avoid another head-on crash and snaked around two more riders. He made a mad dash for the red cable, forcing the handlebars with every last ounce of strength.
Micah rushed onto the maintenance line, and a shower of sparks burst overhead. His Cable Bike convulsed violently, then dropped a few inches as a new whine mingled with the screech of the gears. Something hot spun off and whistled past his ear. He looked upâthe winch head was on fire.
This was not at all like his plan. Micah regretted the whole thing: spying in the bushes, stealing the Bike, all of it.
But it was too late now.
The sunbeams of the Crest of Dawn towered above like a glinting guillotine, and the island of Foundry Central yawned before him, waiting to swallow him whole. A quick look down to the street, and he saw one of the striped Autos pull into a security zone. The other one headed for a maintenance area, near where his red cable angled down to an abrupt stop.
End of the line.
He was dropping like a firebomb. Micah looked for a way off the Bike that wouldnât end with his funeral. The maintenance area sat in the shadow of one of the Crestâs massive columns. There were empty service vehicles parked beside a row of flowering oak trees. Not a very good option, but what choice was there? Micah fixed his eye on a tree close to the end of the red cable and unclipped his harness. It was now or never.
The ground was an undifferentiated blur below him, and the flames of the ruined winch head licked at his ears. He swung his leg over the seat and prepared to pounce. The cable sang overhead, ripping through the disintegrating mechanism. The universe was filled with a thunderous roar. The earth rushed up to meet him.
Micah leaped.
He seemed to hang in the air forever, suspended. He could even hear how quiet and pleasant the night was, now that the flaming Bike was falling away.
Then he smashed into the treetop.
He fell like a pinball, ricocheting from limb to limb, reaching for anything to slow his fall. Branches raked his chest. Leaves filled his mouth. The world turned over and over, but he managed to wrap his arms around a limb and tumble the last eight feet to land in a heap.
A breathtaking explosion.
An angry fireball lit up the maintenance area. He felt a rushing blast of heat. Through the delirium, Micah chuckled and sang in his head.
Happy birthday, dear Phoebeâ¦
In the smoke, Micah saw that two service vehicles were blazing as well. Not bad for a blind shot with a flaming Bike.
Armed security guards raced toward the explosion, shouldering their weapons and shouting orders while Foundry workers gathered in confusion. A hundred yards away, the bronze-striped Auto began to descend into the ground as if on an elevator.
Micah had to act fast.
He was bruised, scraped, and struggling to breathe, but as far as he could tell, he wasnât dead. So he picked himself up and staggered through the trees, around the back of the enormous column. From the rear of the massive structure, he spied the Auto and made a break for it.
The imposing fortress of Foundry Central loomed. He prayed the guards would be too preoccupied to notice him. If not, he wondered which would come first, the sound of gunfire or the punch of the bullet?
Lining the ground beside a towering security wall were several dozen black iron disks, like giant manholes. The Auto was parked on one, and as it sank below the surface, the petals of an iron iris contracted to seal up the hole.
Micah spurred himself on, faster and faster.
The opening was only a few feet across.
He was almost there.
Now
Micah lunged left to avoid the next, but the rider went left as well. He went right, and so did the oncoming Bike. Wildly, he feinted left, then zoomed right, barely steering clear.
One wrong move and he was dead meat.
He spotted a new lane, a red maintenance cable off to the right. Regaining some control of his swerving Bike, he dodged back quickly to avoid another head-on crash and snaked around two more riders. He made a mad dash for the red cable, forcing the handlebars with every last ounce of strength.
Micah rushed onto the maintenance line, and a shower of sparks burst overhead. His Cable Bike convulsed violently, then dropped a few inches as a new whine mingled with the screech of the gears. Something hot spun off and whistled past his ear. He looked upâthe winch head was on fire.
This was not at all like his plan. Micah regretted the whole thing: spying in the bushes, stealing the Bike, all of it.
But it was too late now.
The sunbeams of the Crest of Dawn towered above like a glinting guillotine, and the island of Foundry Central yawned before him, waiting to swallow him whole. A quick look down to the street, and he saw one of the striped Autos pull into a security zone. The other one headed for a maintenance area, near where his red cable angled down to an abrupt stop.
End of the line.
He was dropping like a firebomb. Micah looked for a way off the Bike that wouldnât end with his funeral. The maintenance area sat in the shadow of one of the Crestâs massive columns. There were empty service vehicles parked beside a row of flowering oak trees. Not a very good option, but what choice was there? Micah fixed his eye on a tree close to the end of the red cable and unclipped his harness. It was now or never.
The ground was an undifferentiated blur below him, and the flames of the ruined winch head licked at his ears. He swung his leg over the seat and prepared to pounce. The cable sang overhead, ripping through the disintegrating mechanism. The universe was filled with a thunderous roar. The earth rushed up to meet him.
Micah leaped.
He seemed to hang in the air forever, suspended. He could even hear how quiet and pleasant the night was, now that the flaming Bike was falling away.
Then he smashed into the treetop.
He fell like a pinball, ricocheting from limb to limb, reaching for anything to slow his fall. Branches raked his chest. Leaves filled his mouth. The world turned over and over, but he managed to wrap his arms around a limb and tumble the last eight feet to land in a heap.
A breathtaking explosion.
An angry fireball lit up the maintenance area. He felt a rushing blast of heat. Through the delirium, Micah chuckled and sang in his head.
Happy birthday, dear Phoebeâ¦
In the smoke, Micah saw that two service vehicles were blazing as well. Not bad for a blind shot with a flaming Bike.
Armed security guards raced toward the explosion, shouldering their weapons and shouting orders while Foundry workers gathered in confusion. A hundred yards away, the bronze-striped Auto began to descend into the ground as if on an elevator.
Micah had to act fast.
He was bruised, scraped, and struggling to breathe, but as far as he could tell, he wasnât dead. So he picked himself up and staggered through the trees, around the back of the enormous column. From the rear of the massive structure, he spied the Auto and made a break for it.
The imposing fortress of Foundry Central loomed. He prayed the guards would be too preoccupied to notice him. If not, he wondered which would come first, the sound of gunfire or the punch of the bullet?
Lining the ground beside a towering security wall were several dozen black iron disks, like giant manholes. The Auto was parked on one, and as it sank below the surface, the petals of an iron iris contracted to seal up the hole.
Micah spurred himself on, faster and faster.
The opening was only a few feet across.
He was almost there.
Now
Similar Books
