Jordan Summers - [Dead World 01] Read Online Free PDF Page B

couldn't bring up the mapping section. Lucky for her, the rest of the files seemed to
be in working order.
    Scrolling through the menu, she found the UID report
she was looking for.
    "Do you want me to send the report?" Rita
asked.
    "Yes."
    "Very well, it's done."
    The proper document would be waiting for her in the
mini compunit on her desk when she returned to headquarters. From there it was
a matter of a couple of clicks to file the report.
    Just once, Red would like to be able to fill out an
Unknown Individual Apprehended—UIA—report, instead
of a UID, Unknown Individual Deceased. But that wasn't going to happen
today. The criminals hadn't cooperated.
    She inhaled deeply as a breeze shifted the stifling
air. The sickly sweet odor of perfume embraced her. followed by something far more sinister. Her stomach tightened
and she wrinkled her nose and sneezed.
    "Do you need an antihistamine?" Rita asked,
running a diagnostic on Red.
    "No, thank you." The
last thing she needed was an antihistamine
shot directly into her bloodstream, now that she was finally coming down from
the adrenaline rush.
    Red turned to Bannon and sniffed.
The scent wasn't coming from him unless
he kept quite a secret. Her lips canted at
the thought. Fat chance. He was wholly male and not the good
parts. "This is the only crime scene, right?" she asked reluctantly.
    Bannon raised his arm in order to view his navcom.
"Yeah, according to dispatch's satellite images, this is it."
    "The firefight started the second we cut the
hydro-gen engine, so we didn't have time to look around when we arrived. Are
you sure?"
    He glanced once more at his navcom before shut-ting it
off. "I'm telling you this is it."
    "Gina, your heart rate is accelerating,"  
Rita chimed.
    "I know."
    "You need to calm yourself."
    "Shh. I'm trying to concentrate. I can't do that
with you talking to me."
    Bannon turned. "What did you say?"
    "Nothing. I was talking to Rita."
    He snorted. "Nice to know you have a
friend."
    Red cringed inwardly at how close to the truth that
statement hit. Rita was more friend than machine. She'd shared everything with
her. It was much easier to do that than to face the constant rejection of the
team. Red stepped around the body and away from the blood to clear her senses. The perfume still wafted on the air and the taint of death strengthened. It might be nothing, but...
    She swiveled to face Bannon. "We have another
crime scene. One that's not been reported yet or maybe not even discovered."
    He scowled. "I don't think so. The initial scan
of the area only showed five unknowns."
    Red shot Bannon a look that she
hoped said You can sh ove that
navcom up your ass, because I know what I 'm
talking about, before sprinting
across the field.
    "Where in the hell are you going? Get back here!
That's an order, damn it!"
    "Gina, you really shouldn't disobey a direct order,"
Rita chastised. "It could impair your spotless record."
    Red hesitated at Rita's words,
then shook her head and kept going. Bannon continued to shout. She ig nored him, following the flowery
scent of the perfume as it zigzagged in
the air. She stopped when she lost the
trail, waiting for the wind to shift so she could pick up the scent
again. She could hear Bannon's heavy breathing coming from behind her, his
footfalls near silent, given his size.
    Good.
    At least he wasn't pigheaded enough not to follow her.
The rest of the team wouldn't be far behind. Procedure dictated they fan out
and search if a team member suspected a secondary crime scene.
    The scent became oppressive as Red entered the edge of
the dead, leafless forest. What few animals' sounds remained quieted at the
team's presence. A ghostly shiver started between her shoulder blades and
traveled down her spine. This place was creepy and .. .familiar. The
urge to turn around and flee was strong.
Her sense of duty was the only thing that kept her rooted in place.
    A shout came from the right, confirming Red's worst
suspicions. Damn! She'd