Orpheus: Homecoming (The Orpheus Trilogy Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

do what he says, Germ.”
    German must have listened, because Holt said, “Don't move,” and the pressure on his hands was released. He heard footsteps, the ruffle of fabric, and then a magazine being ejected, along with the one in the chamber. “You, Tino, get up, walk until I tell you to stop, then drop to your knees. Look at the ground the whole time.” He did as instructed. German was already on his knees, hands behind his head. Holt had just put them in a position where, if either one of them tried anything, he could put them both down in about one second with zero problem.
    “Jesus, great job, Tino. You give him your lunch money, too?”
    “Eat me, there's a reason they sent two of us. He's good.”
    German apparently thought he was whispering. “Still, this is embarrassing. The guy's a fossil.”
    Holt said, “My ears work just fine, numbnuts.”
    Tino looked at Holt for the first time. The guy was imposing enough when he was just out for a casual jog. With a gun in his hand, he was absolutely terrifying. His legs were set in a shooter's stance, but the gun wasn't pointed directly at his captives. Tino took that as a good sign that he and his partner weren't going to die right at that moment.
    He motioned to Tino. “Start talking.”
    German, the senior of the two, said, “We represent-”
    Holt cut him off. “I already don't like you, so you should just shut the fuck up.”
    Tino had to stifle a laugh.
    “Who are you?”
    “Can I reach for my ID?”
    Holt nodded, but raised the sidearm. "Get his, too." Tino reached into his front pocket, pulled out his badge, did the same with his partner's, and tossed them both at Holt's feet. Holt picked them up without taking his eyes off of the men. He glanced at the badges.
    “OSI?”
    “Office of Special Investigations.”
    “I know what OSI is, kid. I was Air Force for years. Which I'm not anymore, by the way. So what is OSI doing in my town tailing me?”
    “I realize I'm not in a position to be asking things, but are you satisfied we are who we say we are, and we're here on business?”
    “I don't doubt you're OSI.”
    “Then can we get up?”
    Holt considered this. “All right. Let's head someplace public.” He held up Tino's SIG Sauer. “I'll hold on to this for now, though. Get up.”
    Tino and German got up stretched their legs out. German, who had said nothing since Holt had shut him down, asked, “Can I have my gun back, at least?”
    Holt tossed German's gun to Tino, but kept the magazine. “Nope. You want the rounds, come at this fossil. Now grab a table at that cafe across the street. I need to make a call.”
    They found an open table and sat down. Holt dialed and spoke briefly to the person at the other end. “Hey. I need you to have your special friend run a check for me. Mark German and Jerry Constantino. Confirm that they're Air Force OSI, and anything else that I may want to know. Thanks.”
    “Who was that?”
    “Don't worry about it.” A waitress approached. Holt ordered an iced tea. His new dining companions abstained. “Now, for the last time, why are you here?”
    German began, “What we're about to tell you will be public shortly, but for the time being is classified. Just telling you this implies your consent to confidentiality. Some senators have formed an ad hoc committee to explore the possibility of …”
    “… of returning to the island and, what would they call it, 'depopulating' it or something like that?”
    German and Tino exchanged a glance. Tino said, “How could you know that?”
    Holt took a sip of his tea. After he swallowed, he continued. “It was only a matter of time. There's potentially a huge threat there. Securing it is only a temporary fix, and whoever takes lead on it will score big political points.”
    “You're right,” German continued. “The belief is that the island needs to be scrubbed completely. No zombie left alive, so to speak.”
    Holt put on an exaggerated appearance of shock.