Read Online United: An Alienated Novel by Melissa Landers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melissa Landers
Tags: k12
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to his, he swore, I won’t stop fighting for us. Not ever. That life is still ours.
She tucked the rolled-up magazine beneath the elevator handrail. You’re right. I don’t need this .
Troy exited the elevator first and glanced up and down the hallway before waving the rest of them forward. He told his fellow soldiers to stand guard in the hall, and while the men saluted one another and exchanged words, Aelyx knocked on the door.
The ambassador answered, looking much the same as he had last winter—his withered form stooped but his eyes as sharp as ever. Welcome back, Aelyx , Stepha said. It’s good to see you again . I only wish it were under better circumstances .
As Aelyx led Cara and Troy into the foyer, his senses prickled and his footsteps slowed. Something about the ambassador’s greeting struck him as odd. Stepha had called him by his given name instead of using the L’eihr term for brother. But more than that, the ambassador’s mind seemed different. Aelyx was still puzzling about it when he turned around and discovered Stepha with a com-sphere in one hand and an iphal in the other—the same weapon that’d stopped Aelyx’s heart several months ago.
“They’re both here,” the ambassador said into his sphere, then tossed it to the carpet while aiming the weapon at Aelyx’s chest.
Aelyx dove for the floor, yelling for Cara and Troy to run. The iphal made no sound, but its energy pulse distorted the air above him like waves of heat rising from asphalt. He scrambled on all fours to take cover behind the sofa as the ambassador shuffled across the rug in pursuit. Aelyx’s pulse throbbed in his ears. He darted a glance around the sofa but couldn’t see Cara or Troy. In desperation, he peered behind him for a weapon he could use, but it was too late. Stepha had reached the front of the sofa, and he leaned over it to take aim.
Aelyx thought fast. Gripping the base of the sofa, he flipped it over, knocking the ambassador backward and skewing his shot. Stepha’s frail body crashed to the floor, and Aelyx trapped him there beneath the upended piece of furniture. Troy quickly reappeared and began prying the iphal out of Stepha’s hand. The ambassador struggled to free himself and regain his weapon, even as his breaths rattled within his chest. Then the door burst open, and two soldiers stormed inside with their pistols drawn.
“Don’t shoot,” Aelyx yelled. He noticed Cara peeking out from behind the kitchen wall and told her, “Call an ambulance. Something’s wrong. I think he might’ve punctured a lung.”
“A punctured lung?” Troy repeated. “ That’s what you think is wrong?”
Aelyx shook his head to clear it. His adrenaline was still surging, making his limbs tremble. “Stepha’s not in his right mind. I sensed it when he answered the door. It’s almost as if someone got inside his head and …” He trailed off with a gasp. “Jaxen.”
“Don’t forget his sister, Aisly,” Troy added with a note of disgust.
“She’s not really Jaxen’s sister,” Aelyx said.
“Doesn’t matter. That bitch has skills.”
“But Jaxen is the only one who wants me dead,” Aelyx pointed out. He recalled the message Stepha had sent right before he’d fired the weapon. They’re both here . “Either way, whoever did this is probably coming here now.”
Troy radioed Colonel Rutter to tell him the area wasn’t secure, and the colonel replied with instructions to meet him at a safe house. Troy pocketed the iphal he’d confiscated and ordered, “Let’s go.”
Aelyx lifted the sofa off the ambassador. “What about him?”
“The men will stay with him until the ambulance arrives.”
Aelyx backed away from the scene, unable to take his eyes off of Stepha until Troy delivered a rough shove that sent him stumbling into the foyer. Cara grabbed his hand, and the three of them jogged back to the elevator.
During the ride down, Cara rubbed a hand over his chest. “I thought I was going to
She tucked the rolled-up magazine beneath the elevator handrail. You’re right. I don’t need this .
Troy exited the elevator first and glanced up and down the hallway before waving the rest of them forward. He told his fellow soldiers to stand guard in the hall, and while the men saluted one another and exchanged words, Aelyx knocked on the door.
The ambassador answered, looking much the same as he had last winter—his withered form stooped but his eyes as sharp as ever. Welcome back, Aelyx , Stepha said. It’s good to see you again . I only wish it were under better circumstances .
As Aelyx led Cara and Troy into the foyer, his senses prickled and his footsteps slowed. Something about the ambassador’s greeting struck him as odd. Stepha had called him by his given name instead of using the L’eihr term for brother. But more than that, the ambassador’s mind seemed different. Aelyx was still puzzling about it when he turned around and discovered Stepha with a com-sphere in one hand and an iphal in the other—the same weapon that’d stopped Aelyx’s heart several months ago.
“They’re both here,” the ambassador said into his sphere, then tossed it to the carpet while aiming the weapon at Aelyx’s chest.
Aelyx dove for the floor, yelling for Cara and Troy to run. The iphal made no sound, but its energy pulse distorted the air above him like waves of heat rising from asphalt. He scrambled on all fours to take cover behind the sofa as the ambassador shuffled across the rug in pursuit. Aelyx’s pulse throbbed in his ears. He darted a glance around the sofa but couldn’t see Cara or Troy. In desperation, he peered behind him for a weapon he could use, but it was too late. Stepha had reached the front of the sofa, and he leaned over it to take aim.
Aelyx thought fast. Gripping the base of the sofa, he flipped it over, knocking the ambassador backward and skewing his shot. Stepha’s frail body crashed to the floor, and Aelyx trapped him there beneath the upended piece of furniture. Troy quickly reappeared and began prying the iphal out of Stepha’s hand. The ambassador struggled to free himself and regain his weapon, even as his breaths rattled within his chest. Then the door burst open, and two soldiers stormed inside with their pistols drawn.
“Don’t shoot,” Aelyx yelled. He noticed Cara peeking out from behind the kitchen wall and told her, “Call an ambulance. Something’s wrong. I think he might’ve punctured a lung.”
“A punctured lung?” Troy repeated. “ That’s what you think is wrong?”
Aelyx shook his head to clear it. His adrenaline was still surging, making his limbs tremble. “Stepha’s not in his right mind. I sensed it when he answered the door. It’s almost as if someone got inside his head and …” He trailed off with a gasp. “Jaxen.”
“Don’t forget his sister, Aisly,” Troy added with a note of disgust.
“She’s not really Jaxen’s sister,” Aelyx said.
“Doesn’t matter. That bitch has skills.”
“But Jaxen is the only one who wants me dead,” Aelyx pointed out. He recalled the message Stepha had sent right before he’d fired the weapon. They’re both here . “Either way, whoever did this is probably coming here now.”
Troy radioed Colonel Rutter to tell him the area wasn’t secure, and the colonel replied with instructions to meet him at a safe house. Troy pocketed the iphal he’d confiscated and ordered, “Let’s go.”
Aelyx lifted the sofa off the ambassador. “What about him?”
“The men will stay with him until the ambulance arrives.”
Aelyx backed away from the scene, unable to take his eyes off of Stepha until Troy delivered a rough shove that sent him stumbling into the foyer. Cara grabbed his hand, and the three of them jogged back to the elevator.
During the ride down, Cara rubbed a hand over his chest. “I thought I was going to
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