Delete: Volume 3 (Shifter Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

put a request out to find him, if you need,” she said, pulling out her tablet.
    “No, that’s fine. Thank you.” As much as I was sad about not seeing him, I was glad to think he wasn’t caught up in this nightmare. I hoped that he and his sister Rosalie were far away from the capital.
    Carl’s cough snapped me out of my thoughts about Jake. “It’s good to see you, too, Carl.”
    “I, um, we’ve never met, sir.”
    I was really going to have to keep my mouth shut. “No, of course. It’s only I’ve heard so much about you.”
    Carl beamed. “Good to meet you too, sir. Did you get my report on the upgrade ideas I had for the girls?”
    CP groaned.
    “I mean, the vehicles. Tech combined with the power to Shift presents some pretty exciting weaponry possibility. We’ve already proven it can work with the quantum grenades. And I also sent you a report on some further ideas on the defences for the Hub.”
    “Don’t tell me. You want to bring in some sharks?”
    Carl blinked. “Sharks, sir?”
    I waved him away. “Don’t worry about it.”
    “Oh, right. Well, some of the legacy systems are a bit antiquated, and many were disabled after the last war, but–”
    “I’m sure the Com will look forward to hearing all about your ideas at a later stage,” Zac said. “But for now, he needs to get some rest.”
    “Oh, yes. Of course. But if you have a few minutes, I could explain my idea for a quantum cannon.”
    “Later, Carl,” Zac said, pulling me away.
    “See ya, sir,” CP said.
    “See ya, Cleo,” I said.
    “We’ll talk later, then, sir,” Carl shouted after us as we walked away.
    “Well, he hasn’t changed,” I said.
    Zac laughed. “Wait till he starts going on about his plans for a robot army.”
    We walked towards a huge set of stainless steel doors, easily twenty feet high, embedded in the grey concrete. Zac slammed a yellow button and slowly the doors inched open, revealing a row of large spikes protruding out of the bottom, making it look like a portcullis.
    Two soldiers stood on guard on the other side. They turned to us as we ducked under the door, avoiding the spikes.
    “It’s you, sir,” one of the soldiers said, a bright smile on his shiny face. “We heard about the level sixteen. That’s the highest so far, am I right?” He looked over at his friend while I stared, wide-eyed.
    “Um…”
    “How do you do it?” the other guard asked.
    “Well, I just… you know… do?” It was weak, but it seemed to suffice. In fact, they nodded as if what I’d said was in fact totally profound, rather than being utter nonsense.
    I flinched as the door started to descend again.
    “What do you think of the new defences, sir?” the first guard said. “Ten inches thick, able to withstand a bomb strike. It’s official; the Hub is the safest place in Britain.”
    “Very impressive.” I smiled grimly at the guards. They returned my smile with glowing pride. I felt sick.
    Zac saved me from any more of the adoration of my fans. “If you’re quite done wasting the Commandant’s time…”
    The guards muttered their apologies and went back to their guard duty.
    “Wait here,” Zac said, “I don’t like to park it in the hangar. You never know what modifications Carl might make.”
    I didn’t get a chance to ask what “it” was before Zac went jogging off away from the doors. I walked forward, leaving the soldiers and the defences behind, and onto the street.
    We were somewhere in one of London’s more upmarket areas, guessing by the looming white buildings in the Palladian style: all stone columns and pediments. The hulking great lump of grey concrete that was the first level of the Hub had been squeezed in between two buildings, which must have been at least three hundred years old.
    I could see a small park up ahead, an oasis of nature in a city of stone. Pale morning sun shone through the rustling leaves and I saw a squirrel dash across a branch. It was good to be out in the open