arbitrate (daynight) Read Online Free PDF

refused to put up with Joshua’s crap got my automatic respect. Everyone had a relative that grated on their nerves. Joshua was mine.
    I wanted no part of whatever drama they had going, but I needed to play the part of Theran tour guide. One of the many “perks” of being a member of the Ten.
    “It will make sense soon,” I told her. I looked at my watch and then off into the horizon to try to gauge our progress. “It’s not too far.”
    “I just don’t get how heading out into the open ocean will get us anywhere other than shark bait central,” Alexa responded.
    “Truer words have never been spoken.” Joshua laughed. “My Aunt Vienna—Ethan’s mom—definitely has some bite to her. She’s a nasty one. As for the trip, I told you, Alexa, that this is one of those ‘seeing is believing’ kind of things.”
    Alexa rolled her eyes. “If Ethan’s mom is a shark, what does that make your parents, Joshua?” Despite being a member of the Ten, I hadn’t been clued in to the true purpose behind the Clean Slate Complexes on Earth. I knew they screened people for DNT and those who had high enough levels were recruited into the SCI, but I was sure there was more going on than some shady bloodwork.
    Joshua didn’t answer Alexa directly but started singing again. “Predatory cats stalking their prey, luring them in…making them stay. Using them. Mauling them. Shredding them. Killing them. There’s no use running away, for they win every game they play.”
    “Shut up, Joshua.” I glared at him. I didn’t know how much Alexa knew about the SCI, but I didn’t want to be the one fielding her questions.
    “What?” Joshua grinned. “Have you met my parents? Maybe you should come live with them for a while, and I’ll go hang out at Uncle Henry’s estate.” Clearly Joshua suffered from a “grass is always greener” affliction since I considered living with my Uncle Henry—who was the Democratic front-runner in the US presidential election—only a slight notch up from living on Thera.
    I needed to change the subject. “So, Alexa, tell me about your parents.”
    Whereas she’d been smiling at the exchange between Joshua and me a moment before, her expression froze over. “My dad left us a few years back, and my mom passed away two weeks ago. She’d been in a coma for a while, but I’d always hoped she’d come out of it.”
    I put my hand atop hers and stared into her dark eyes. “I’m so sorry. I just lost someone I loved too. So I know how hard it is.” It had been six weeks since I got the news that Kira had died. I was a wreck over it. I’d only recently returned to work. I knew I had to move past it but didn’t know how.
    Alexa understood my pain. I could see it in the look she gave me. The moment, however, was interrupted by our arrival at the portal.
    “What the hell?” Alexa said upon seeing the shoddy warehouse sitting atop the ocean water.
    “More like portal to hell.” Joshua muttered. “Come on. You’ve been wanting answers. Let’s go enlarge and boggle your mind and all that.”

    Jax arrived our second night on Thera at Joshua’s behest. He’d apparently made a promise to Alexa to show her that a friend of hers, Adam, was alive and well here on Thera. Adam was the Clean Slate Complex employee who had saved Alexa’s life back on Earth. Here on Thera though, he was with the Exilers. So, to get beyond the Eco barrier, Jax’s special skill was needed. The same ability ran in my blood—something that I couldn’t let anyone in the SCI know. Jax, for some unfathomable reason, had told Joshua about his “talent” and had swore him to secrecy. A rather impressive threat must have been involved.
    “I have an hour, tops,” Jax said as he checked his watch.  
    I decided to push his buttons. Kira’s memory haunted me in Garden City, and I wanted Jax to share my pain. “What’s your hurry? I can’t imagine you got another assignment after failing your last one.”  
    He didn’t