Read Online Thicker Than Blood by Matthew Newhall - Free Book Online

swing towards the man closest to the road and forced him back. He sidestepped to his left and ran back towards the hill. Joe looked at Kento dodging and weaving his assailants. One of the three new challengers was laying motionless on the grass. The other two looked tired and moved very slowly. Joe heard a horrible noise. A series of rhythmic tire screeches and thump57 ing. He turned to ruckus as he ran to see an eighteen wheeler screeching to a halt on the opposite side of the road. Two cars leaned on their horns as they screeched around the huge truck at the last second. The truck bounced one final time as the door swung open. A large hairy man hung out the door wielding a shotgun. The man yelled in an ear-busting crescendo. "What the hell is going on here?" He pumped the shotgun, aimed it in air, and let one shot ring. Joe was dumbfounded. He stopped running and turned to see the distance he had put between him and his attackers. They had stopped running and turned as well. Looks like they don't know what to do, he thought. Neither do I. "Let's go man," one of the men yelled. He turned and ran. "Cummon lets get out of here. He's crazy man." Another man ran toward the trees. "We're gone man." Another turned and ran for the far side of the hill. The trucker calmly surveyed the fleeing assailants from the perch of his trucks cab. Joe looked at Kento and Kento shrugged. Joe and Kento walked back toward the van. Stepping over the unconscious bodies of their fallen enemies. Joe looked back to the trucker to yell in thanks and saw him close his door, apparently satisfied. Joe yelled, "Thank you." The trucker was already pulling back into traffic. He didn't seem to hear. Joe grabbed Lucy's keys from his pocket and then noticed gravel indents in his hands from his fall. His hands did not bruise this time. Joe pulled his shirt up as he walked he looked at the rib that was grazed by the pipe. No bruise there either. Joe sighed as he opened the van's driver side door. Joe looked at Kento as he closed his door. "I thought you had a cell phone. I was crazy to rush in there." "Are you all right? You were great back there. We had them dead to rights." Kento smiled. "It was stupid. I got mad. Stopped thinking." He started the van. "You had total control. You had them running in circles." "I could have been killed," Joe said distracted. He was anxious to get away from the scene. Joe put the van in gear and inched up to merge into traffic. He looked over his shoulder, then looked Kento right in the eye. "I'm a hemophiliac. We probably should have just called the cops." Joe started pulling away. "I did," Kento said. He was looking at Joe.
    He pulled a cheap looking cell phone from his pocket. An automated message was clearly audible in the quiet van. The phone droned, "Do not hang up, someone will be with you momentarily." "It was on the whole time. They never came."
Chapter 12
    Mark tried, and failed, to comprehend other people's competitive drives. Re- writing the small driver to read the newest type of gyroscopes was not about self image or pride for Mark. He programmed, to expand his understanding of accomplishment, not for the accomplishment itself. Doing whatever it took had always seemed a bit barbaric to Mark. He had led a life of shelter and moral privilege, and desired to continue it as long as he could. Mark's mind began to wander off his task. He much preferred the smell of incense over machine oil. The stew of synthetic chemicals seemed to pull him from inner peace. He loved his work with the A-team, but he did it for the worldly experience and money, not for emotional stimulation. Mark dwell ed on his childhood vacations in India. His family could create a whole other world. Mark would use that world to escape, and learn about himself. When did Amman start trying to beat me, Mark thought. When did I indicate to him that I would crush, insult, degrade, or otherwise ostracize him if I activate the nanites first. Perhaps Joe is