Read Online The Lost Command (Lost Starship Series Book 2) by Vaughn Heppner - Free Book Online
Authors: Vaughn Heppner
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Maddox!” Riker shouted from the comm-unit on the floor.
Beth Paris, if that was her real name, didn’t bother with her injury. Instead, she launched herself at Maddox. He was ready for that and thrust a knee against her chest. She grunted and flew backward. In the moment of contact, Maddox learned that Paris had the consistency of toughened leather and sinew. She was anything but normal. Her back struck the wall hard. Most people would have slid down at the blow. She remained standing. And, with her injured hand, she reached into an inner pocket of her Dempsey Tower blazer.
Maddox had no idea what she planned to pull out, nor did he intend to let her surprise him. He struck with precision, using his stiffened fingers to jab her in the throat.
Her eyes widened. She gagged, and purified hatred shined in her eyes. It’s possible she would have spoken if she could. Instead, with great deliberation and unbelievable concentration, she sucked down air. Then, her jaw muscles tightened as she bit down on something in her mouth. There was a distinctive cracking sound.
Maddox struck harder than he had earlier. With full force, he hit her in the face. Likely, that saved his life. It seemed that Paris had planned to exhale sharply, spewing the air in her mouth. A vicious poison floated in there, released a second ago from the hollow tooth where she had kept it. Instead of blowing the substance at Maddox, she swallowed reflexively.
Maddox was already scrambling back, lunging for the door, hurling it open to escape the enclosed chamber.
As he did, the chief security officer of Dempsey Tower slumped dead onto the tiles, killed by the toxins released from her false tooth.
-5-
Maddox slammed the door shut, sealing the dead security officer inside. The problem was that he left the comm-unit in there as well.
Riker would have to make do for a few minutes. Yet, it meant that Maddox had cut himself off from his link to Star Watch Intelligence.
Maddox stood indecisively for several seconds. If Paris had planned to spew poison at him, had she intended to die no matter what the outcome? That had ominous implications. Rubbing his forehead, Maddox wondered if some of the toxin had seeped into his skin, slowing his reactions.
I have to reach the security monitors. I can’t let them destroy the real recordings of Meta’s apartment camera .
Right. Where was the recording chamber? He’d have to find another security agent and ask.
As if they had read his mind, two Dempsey Tower security personnel appeared. A man and a woman ran into sight, their faces contorted with anguish and determination. Each wore a red blazer with the tower crest on the right side. Each aimed a powerful stun gun at Maddox.
“I’m with Star Watch Intelligence,” he said. “We have a situation on our hands.”
“Do you have any ID?” the woman snapped. She had a buzz cut, a skewed nose and was too thin.
“I do,” Maddox said, reaching into his uniform.
“Do it slowly,” the woman warned. “We’ll shoot you at the first sign of something odd.”
“I understand.” The captain slowly removed his official ID, flipping it open and holding it toward the Dempsey security people.
The man looked first while the woman continued to aim the stun gun at him. “It seems legit,” the man said. He had thick shoulders and a scar on his broad forehead.
“I want to see it,” the woman said.
The man shrugged, stepping back, aiming his stun gun at Maddox. “Sorry, sir, we have to be careful these days. The scare with the New Men—”
“No problem,” Maddox said, wondering what they would do if they knew he might be part New Man himself.
The woman studied the ID, finally frowning at Maddox.
“The monitors called us,” she said. “They said you struck our security chief.”
“I did,” Maddox said. “She’s dead in there.” He pointed at the closed door.
The woman lurched toward it, reaching for the knob.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Maddox
Beth Paris, if that was her real name, didn’t bother with her injury. Instead, she launched herself at Maddox. He was ready for that and thrust a knee against her chest. She grunted and flew backward. In the moment of contact, Maddox learned that Paris had the consistency of toughened leather and sinew. She was anything but normal. Her back struck the wall hard. Most people would have slid down at the blow. She remained standing. And, with her injured hand, she reached into an inner pocket of her Dempsey Tower blazer.
Maddox had no idea what she planned to pull out, nor did he intend to let her surprise him. He struck with precision, using his stiffened fingers to jab her in the throat.
Her eyes widened. She gagged, and purified hatred shined in her eyes. It’s possible she would have spoken if she could. Instead, with great deliberation and unbelievable concentration, she sucked down air. Then, her jaw muscles tightened as she bit down on something in her mouth. There was a distinctive cracking sound.
Maddox struck harder than he had earlier. With full force, he hit her in the face. Likely, that saved his life. It seemed that Paris had planned to exhale sharply, spewing the air in her mouth. A vicious poison floated in there, released a second ago from the hollow tooth where she had kept it. Instead of blowing the substance at Maddox, she swallowed reflexively.
Maddox was already scrambling back, lunging for the door, hurling it open to escape the enclosed chamber.
As he did, the chief security officer of Dempsey Tower slumped dead onto the tiles, killed by the toxins released from her false tooth.
-5-
Maddox slammed the door shut, sealing the dead security officer inside. The problem was that he left the comm-unit in there as well.
Riker would have to make do for a few minutes. Yet, it meant that Maddox had cut himself off from his link to Star Watch Intelligence.
Maddox stood indecisively for several seconds. If Paris had planned to spew poison at him, had she intended to die no matter what the outcome? That had ominous implications. Rubbing his forehead, Maddox wondered if some of the toxin had seeped into his skin, slowing his reactions.
I have to reach the security monitors. I can’t let them destroy the real recordings of Meta’s apartment camera .
Right. Where was the recording chamber? He’d have to find another security agent and ask.
As if they had read his mind, two Dempsey Tower security personnel appeared. A man and a woman ran into sight, their faces contorted with anguish and determination. Each wore a red blazer with the tower crest on the right side. Each aimed a powerful stun gun at Maddox.
“I’m with Star Watch Intelligence,” he said. “We have a situation on our hands.”
“Do you have any ID?” the woman snapped. She had a buzz cut, a skewed nose and was too thin.
“I do,” Maddox said, reaching into his uniform.
“Do it slowly,” the woman warned. “We’ll shoot you at the first sign of something odd.”
“I understand.” The captain slowly removed his official ID, flipping it open and holding it toward the Dempsey security people.
The man looked first while the woman continued to aim the stun gun at him. “It seems legit,” the man said. He had thick shoulders and a scar on his broad forehead.
“I want to see it,” the woman said.
The man shrugged, stepping back, aiming his stun gun at Maddox. “Sorry, sir, we have to be careful these days. The scare with the New Men—”
“No problem,” Maddox said, wondering what they would do if they knew he might be part New Man himself.
The woman studied the ID, finally frowning at Maddox.
“The monitors called us,” she said. “They said you struck our security chief.”
“I did,” Maddox said. “She’s dead in there.” He pointed at the closed door.
The woman lurched toward it, reaching for the knob.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Maddox
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