Lucan: The Pendragon Legacy Read Online Free PDF Page A

be
given
to everyone to share.” Shaw took a breath and visibly tried to calm himself. “If we can duplicate the shield and use it to protect our buildings from pollution, we could improve productivity. Maybe create domes over our cities, so we can once again breathe clean air.”

    Quentin’s voice turned icy. His meaty hands closed into fists. “You’re dreaming. Naive. Foolish.”

    Lucan tensed. He used every measure of control to stop himself from interfering.

    “I’m in charge of the dig,” Shaw insisted. “I’ll decide—”

    “Sirs,” Cael interrupted without raising her voice, but immediately the air stilled, and as she spoke, her words seemed to drain the tension from the lab. “I suggest we table this discussion for another time. We have yet to figure out
how
to get inside Avalon. Please, everyone, take your seats.”

    She was simply amazing. They all listened and obeyed. Shaw looked a bit sheepish. Quentin’s eyes flared with fire he was too angry to hide. The rest of the team settled in seats behind their desks and computer banks. Again Lucan saw tinges of fear in the team’s faces, as they waited to see what Cael would do next.

    Shaw faced his team. “Our situation has become critical. We have only one week until we must turn over the facility to General Brennon and his Lost Artifacts Division.” He glared at Quentin. “I also have no wish to see the military take over. Soldiers have no respect for scientific research or preserving artifacts. I can’t imagine what the politicians were thinki U [ height=ng, turning over Avalon to the military’s control.”

    Lucan wondered if Quentin and Cael would stay to help the military. With tensions high over the Grail’s potential powers and who would control them, the Dragonians had excavated Avalon in a series of stops and starts for centuries, barely avoiding a civil war in the process.

    “Perhaps you can negotiate more time for us?” Shaw asked Cael.

    She shook her head, her hair swirling around her shoulders, her voice musical but firm. “Satellite data support Brennon’s claim that the underground cavity is growing. Time is running out.”

    Shaw grimaced. “Then I suppose we shall have to move on, as Sir Quentin suggested, to more drastic measures.”

    Finally. At last some action.

    Lucan looked across the room at Rion, an astrophysicist with a reputation for innovation and a man whom he would have liked to call friend. Rion had seemed certain their latest efforts were about to pay off, and he had an uncanny reputation for knowing how matters would turn out. Some chalked up his ability to luck, others to clairvoyance. Rion himself was mum on the subject. The two men exchanged a look, and Lucan nodded.

    Rion cleared his throat, drawing all eyes to him. “We could attack the shield with a high-level laser burst.”

    Although laser technology was common on Earth, on Pendragon the device was still theoretical.

    “Did you computer-model it?” Shaw asked, immediately interested.

    Rion cast a glance at Lucan. “Actually, the prototype was finished yesterday. Seems our linguistics expert has a wicked talent with cutting-edge technology.”

    Lucan opened his desk drawer to retrieve the prototype, placed the device on a work counter, and set the control. By building the laser, he’d taken a risk of blowing his cover, but only a small one. Language experts weren’t expected to have the knowledge to build a highly sophisticated laser, but Lucan’s fake résumé claimed that his Dragonian father owned a robotics plant, and Lucan dabbled at inventions.

    While the other team members surrounded him, ohhing and ahhing at the laser, Rion and Cael spoke quietly. Lucan found it interesting that Rion didn’t seem to fear Cael as the others did. Taller than Cael by a foot, Rion had to bend down for them to put their heads together. Her blond hair contrasted against Rion’s darkness, reminding Lucan of when he’d freed her from the vent.