Threshold Shift Read Online Free PDF

side.
    “I’m
at the North-West Mine,” she replied. “Two Threshian
miners were killed in a cave in and Michael is blaming our
engineers.”
    “Well,
never mind that now,” Jon said. “I need you to return
here.”
    “Are
you the Marshal now?” Roe asked. He noticed the resistance in
her voice.
    “I’m
Deputy,” Jon said. “There’s a situation Roe, the
Marshal needs you here.”
    The
Avatar shook its spiky head. “I can’t, Michael is
insisting I handle the situation personally.”
    “He
would,” Jon said. “Tell Michael to submit the proper
evidence for assessment. In the meantime get yourself back here.
That’s a direct order,” he eyed his father, “from
the Marshal.”
    Roe’s
avatar was silent, the face frozen in a default neutral expression.
Jon hated avatars.
    “OK,”
Roe said finally. “I’ll tell him. It will take me a few
hours to get back.”
    “As
fast as you can, Roe,” Jon replied, cutting the communication.
His father just looked at him.
    “What?”
Jon asked.
    “There
was no need for that tone,” Jacob said.
    Jon
sat back and stared long and hard at his father. “How long have
you been on Jopo, Dad?”
    Jacob
opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. Jon could see his
father’s surprise at being asked directly. He could almost hear
his thoughts as the old man attempted to formulate a reply.
    “About
three years,” Jacob said. “Don’t look at me like
that. It helped me.”
    Jon
shook his head. “Dad.”
    “I
was getting slower,” Jacob said quickly. “My eyes
wouldn’t focus, I couldn’t aim like I used to.”
    “You
could have said something to me. Maybe I could have helped.”
    “You
made it quite clear what your position was,” Jacob said. “Quite
clear.”
    “Well,”
Jon shrugged. “Look at the state of you now.”
    Jacob
turned his eyes to the desk. “It’s getting harder to
focus, son. I don’t think I’m going to be much use to
you.”
    “How
long since you had your last dose?”
    “Godfrey
left on the October shuttle,” Jacob explained. “That
lasted until December, and then Hassan gave me a few shots until
January.”
    “It’s
March, Dad,” Jon said incredulously. “You shouldn’t
have lasted more than a few weeks.”
    “Hassan
double crossed me. I let him run his drug trade without interference,
and he still didn’t give me the goods.”
    “Dad,”
Jon said. “Everyone knows Hassan works for Michael. What did
you expect? Michael hates you.”
    “I
know,” Jacob answered. “But I was too far gone to care.”
The old man bowed his head. “I’ve let things get into an
almighty mess.”
    Jon
felt his anger subsiding as he watched his father. He had never seen
Jacob admit to such a thing before. It made him seem more human
somehow. Standing up, Jon walked over and rested a hand on his
father’s shoulder. It was hot to the touch, like a furnace
beneath his palm.
    “I
need to get Doctor Forbes over here,” he announced. “He
may be able to help.”
    Jacob
looked up, a touch of colour returning to his face.
    “Don’t
get your hopes up,” Jon said. “I doubt he stocks any
Jopo, but he can have a look at your hand.”
    Jacob
nodded. Jon wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but his
father didn’t seem to be as hot as even a moment ago.
    “I’ll
lock the place down while you’re gone,” Jacob said. “Then
I suppose I’d better feed the prisoner.”
    The
wall globes were beginning to glow, and a glance through the fanlight
revealed a deepening red sky. Night was coming.
    Jon
headed for the door. “I’m going.”
    “Don’t
forget this,” Jacob said.
    Jon
turned just in time to catch a fully laden gun belt.
    “Be
careful,” Jacob said. “Michael will want his nephew back.
I don’t know what he will do.”
    Jon
strapped on the belt, and weighed the gun in his hand. He was not
keen to use it.
    “Thanks,”
he said and stepped outside.
    Jon
waited, a whirring click behind him indicating that the jail was
locked