Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
“PMI is my privately held company, and Red Dart is a tracking device we’ve developed that will allow us to tag the Zodius during attacks, like we do animals in the wild. It enters the bloodstream and becomes permanent. It then alerts us to their approach. This program will allow us to save lives and capture the enemy.”
“They never had to be our enemies. And I still don’t see what this has to do with me.”
“I’ve got a meeting in Washington on Monday morning, and I’ve asked Caleb Rain to attend as the leader of the GTECH Renegades. I’d like you to be there as well.”
I hand him back the file. “That’s not going to happen.”
He leans forward and captures my hand in his. “My daughter, the angel of my eye,” he says, his voice rough with emotion, “I have made mistakes. I hurt you. I know this. But I swear to you that everything I did was meant to protect the country I love and the daughter I worship. I knew what Creed was—I knew he was using you.”
Hatred laces his voice, and I can’t blame him for such an emotion where Creed is concerned. Creed tried to kill him, though knowing my father, the embarrassment of Creed making him look like a fool is likely at play as well. Pain knifes through me, and I squeeze my eyes shut. Every passing day, every day that he doesn’t appear, reminds me that Creed is not just GTECH; he’s Zodius. And while the Renegades follow Caleb, Zodius follow Julian.
And the Zodius mean to enslave humans.
“I have to fix the tragedy that Project Zodius has become,” my father continues, squeezing my hand and willing me to look at him.
My lashes lift, and I stare into the desperate plea in his face, so out of character for him, and feel myself unraveling—feel him tugging me into his world again.
“Julian’s Zodius Nation is nothing short of a cult,” he declares. “Some of those GTECH soldiers following Zodius can be saved. If anyone can make that happen once we have them in custody, it’s you.” He squeezes my hand again. “Stand by my side, daughter. Show the world you believe in me, and I will not fail you or them.”
Stand by him.
Those words stir a clawing sense of disloyalty to Creed inside me that I do not understand. He deserves no such loyalty from me, but neither does my father. My country and mankind are another story.
It’s then that I know that, while I may not stand comfortably by my father’s side, I’m going to stand there anyway.
Chapter Two
Julian
I stare at Dr. Edward Reed, the frail, fifty-something scientist, displeased as fuck and with good reason. I’ve got men inside the White House who’ve delivered him boatloads of data on Red Dart, and still he can’t figure out how to fucking recreate or counteract what is a weapon of GTECH destruction.
“I’ve studied the data Lucian collected from his White House informant with some excitement. However, there is absolutely nothing of substance, certainly nothing that even remotely indicates it works on GTECHs. In fact, just the opposite. The research shows Red Dart is destroyed by the GTECH immune system.”
“In other words,” I snap, grabbing his laptop and flinging it across the room, “you don’t fucking understand what you’re looking at.”
The laptop hits the wall, and he cowers and holds up his hands, squeezing his eyes shut. I growl low in my throat at the pathetic display of a man acting like a pussy. I dare the little bitch to speak, to say one wrong word, and give me a reason to kill him.
“Red Dart is the reason Powell was reinstated,” Lucian, one of my most trusted men, interjects. It’s also his undercover work that allowed our knowledge of Red Dart. “The human believes in him and it. The White House believes. It’s why they created the role of security advisor to the secretary of state Powell now holds. It’s also why they acquired funding for a new Nevada Air Force base twice the size of Groom Lake’s Area 51. It’s called Dreamland for a reason; it’s where they plan to take back the country.”
Reed straightens, his chin lifting. “I can’t magically create answers when all I’m given is trash.”
Lucian lunges at him, but I capture his arm before he makes contact. “Don’t kill him. We can still use him.”
Lucian whirls on me, jerking his arm free. “He’s worthless. He gives us nothing while Powell gives his people everything.”
“Explain,” I bite out.
“Powell promised the joint chiefs of staff that his company, PMI, is no more than a few weeks from having Red Dart GTECH-ready. There are troops being transferred to the Dreamland facility to prepare for a full-scale attack on the Zodius bases, even as we speak. I’m working on getting more details about his attack plans now.”