Deception Well (The Nanotech Succession Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

betrayed his presence to city authority .”
    “Charismatic personalities.” Kona spat on the floor. “Human history would have been a lot less bloody without them.”
    “Put the blame where it belongs, Kona,” Clemantine said. “ We did this. Not Jupiter.”
    “We did what was needed.”
    “I hope so,” Yulyssa said. “By the Unknown God, I—”
    She had reached out to rest a hand against the wall. Lot tried to dodge her inadvertent touch, but he was tired and slow. Her fingertips brushed across his hood. She gasped and snatched her hand back. “There’s someone here!” She darted away, giving the trooper David room to work. He snapped his visor down, at the same time swinging his bead rifle in Lot’s general direction. Clemantine moved in quickly to back him up.
    Lot cringed. He glimpsed the light of changing tactics displays flashing across David’s visor. Then David’s rifle zeroed in on Lot’s skull. He felt his head on fire at that point, as if the bead had already hit and even now it was chewing a path through his metallicized bone.
    But David didn’t fire. Instead, with a grunt of surprise, he let the rifle’s muzzle swing down until it pointed at the floor again. “It’s a kid,” he announced.
    Lot flinched at the harsh Silken accent.
    “Hey, it’s okay,” David said. He crouched, bringing himself to Lot’s level, ducking his head to get a look at Lot’s downcast eyes. “You startled us, that’s all. Want to shut off that camo? It’s all over now.”
    Lot wanted it to be over. But he was so scared he couldn’t make his hand move.
    “C’mon, kid,” David urged, as the remote bee hovered overhead. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?”
    He was hungry. He remembered the ration pack he’d shared with Alta, and wondered again where she was. Not here. Please, not here. “I want to find my friend Alta.”
    “We’ll help you find her. But turn off the camo.”
    Breathing in some of the trooper’s calm, Lot moved a slow hand to his wrist and flicked off the camo function. He slipped off his hood. That was easier. He felt almost light, as if he might float away if he could just relax a little. . . .
    “Shut off the camera bees,” Kona said. There was a hollow note in his voice. “Now.”
    A chill touched Lot’s spine. He looked from David to Kona to Yulyssa. “It’s done,” she said, as the buzzing ceased abruptly in both the hall and the loading bay. The remote bee at her shoulder dropped to the floor with a sharp crack .
    Lot felt Kona’s anger build to a frightening explosion. “It doesn’t end!” he shouted, his fist impacting against the wall.
    “If we’re lucky,” Yulyssa said softly, “that’s true.”
    The rest of the troopers had come forward now. They exchanged puzzled glances. “What’s the matter?” David asked as he backed away from Lot, getting some cautious distance between them.
    Yulyssa didn’t answer. Instead, she knelt in front of Lot, studying him with soft eyes that were full of concern. “What’s your name?”
    Clemantine stepped up close beside her. “He’s dangerous, Yulyssa. Come away.”
    “Clemantine, this is a child. He’s not Jupiter.”
    “Not yet,” Clemantine said. “David!”
    “Ma’am?” The young trooper stepped forward smartly.
    “Get him out of here.”
    “And keep him away from the rest of the refugees,” Kona added. “Well away.”
    “Yes, sir.” The trooper looked uncertainly at Lot, then forced a nervous smile. “Hey, kid. C’mon with me. We’ll get you something to eat.”
    Lot hesitated. It didn’t feel right to simply give up; but neither did he want to put up any resistance. Maybe David sensed that. He laid a cautious hand on Lot’s shoulder, guiding him away from the wall. “C’mon. You know it’ll never get any worse than this.”
     

CHAPTER
    3
    L OT LOST TRACK OF THINGS AFTER THAT. H E WAS TIRED , and when he noticed David carrying him, he only shifted a little, hiding his face against the young