Inhuman(89)

Old-timer nodded slightly before releasing Jules, his tendril folding back into his body.

Jules’s hand moved quickly to the damaged part of her skull and clasped over it. She was shocked by his gesture. “You’re not going to kill me?”

“I don’t want you to die either,” Old-timer answered. “Thanks for your help. I mean it.”

Jules was speechless.

“Who is this guy, Craig?” Paine asked in a low tone from behind Old-timer.

“Trouble,” Old-timer replied.

“Armed trouble,” Paine observed as he saw the weapon Neirbo held in his left hand.

“I’ve felt the gun’s effects before,” Old-timer replied over his shoulder. “Trust me, don’t get shot.”

“Copy,” Paine responded.

“You’ve felt the gun’s effects before,” Neirbo repeated, intrigued. “You do realize I don’t know you, don’t you? Yet you attacked me—tortured me—for no reason.”

“Oh, I had my reasons,” Old-timer replied, “and you better’ve brought more than just a gun with you, son.”

Neirbo’s eyes twitched as he scrutinized Old-timer with the laser-beam focus of a predator in the wild, sizing up his prey. “Indeed, I brought a lot more.”

With a gesture of his right hand, all of the pods opened around and above them.

Hundreds of androids leapt out, landing hard on the catwalk, which swayed and bounced with the vibrations, causing Old-timer and his companions to nearly lose their footing.

Neirbo shouted out his orders to the hundreds of androids that surrounded them, pointing directly at Old-timer. “That abomination is your target! He’s extremely dangerous, but your orders are to rescue him at all costs! Nothing else matters!”

“Rescue?” Paine reacted. “That doesn’t sound all bad.”

“Trust me,” Old-timer replied, “I don’t want to get rescued.”

“You got a plan?” Paine whispered to Old-timer.

“Oh yeah, I got a plan,” Old-timer growled through gritted teeth as he kept one hand protectively on Daniella, keeping her behind him.

“What is it?”

“I’m going to kill every last one of them.”





16



The bridge of their ship lowered itself, and Lieutenant Patrick stood, waiting to greet Rich and Aldous in the hangar, deep inside the Purists’ new fortress on Venus. He saluted the men and spoke quickly.

“Chief Gibson, I am Lieutenant Commander Patrick. The governor requests your presence in the command center. He would very much value your input and experience to help us battle the androids, sir.”

The chief nodded, then pointed to Thel’s unconscious body, still lying on a flat instrument panel at the back of the bridge. Luckily, Aldous had had the forethought to secure her with blankets and to strap her into place, making for a makeshift bed. “She needs to be transported to your medical facility. She’s still alive.”

“Yes, sir,” Patrick replied. “I’ll get my men on that right away.” He gestured for Aldous to follow him and Aldous, in turn, gestured for Rich to follow as well.

“Deep inside the bowels of a Purist hideout,” Rich whispered. “Déjà freakin’ vu.”

“How is the battle going, Lieutenant Commander?” Aldous asked.

“We’re holding our own so far,” Patrick replied. “We know you’ve lost Earth, and we’re devastated as nearly 40 percent of our citizens were still there.”

“They’ll have been assimilated,” Aldous pointed out quickly. “I know it’s not what anyone wanted, but you can’t think of them as dead. There’s still hope.”

“That may be, sir, but there’s no way in hell we’re going to let them take Venus without a fight.”

“How are you managing to do this?” Aldous asked.

“James Keats, sir. He fortified Venus with weapons like nothing we ever had access to before. Honestly, sir, even though we’re facing an enemy with an absurd advantage in numbers, I can’t see how they can possibly penetrate our defenses. Commander Keats seems to have thought of everything, sir.”

“Indeed,” Aldous replied. “Well, I’ll be very interested to learn more about this.”

Patrick nodded. “I know Governor Wong believes you’ll be an invaluable asset. We’re glad to have you here, sir.” He turned to Rich, adding, “That goes for both of you.”

“Thanks, Lieutenant,” Rich replied.

“Lieutenant Commander now,” Patrick corrected.

“Right. Sorry.”

“Not a problem,” Patrick responded over his shoulder. “Promotions come fast and furious when all of your people keep dying.”