Vengeance (Twenty-Five Percent Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

know who it was.
    “You know this isn’t your fault.”
    Alex stared up into the overcast sky, his mood greyer than the low clouds. “Do I?”
    “Well if you don’t, you should.” Micah walked up beside him, his hands pushed into the back pockets of his jeans, and followed his gaze. “I wonder how eaters feel about rain. Do they prefer to not get wet like the rest of us?”
    “He’s coming for me,” Alex said. “How can I not feel guilty? I’m bringing this down on everyone here.”
    “Boot’s insane, you know that. He was just waiting for someone to take out his pent up lunacy on. You were simply convenient. It could as easily have been me, one of the docs, a passing rabbit, anyone. It just happened to be you. You were actually a pretty random choice for his vitriol. Face it, you’re just not that special.”
    “Are you trying to make me feel better?”
    Micah shrugged one shoulder. “Is it working?”
    “Not really.”
    “Well, I gave it my best shot. It also happens to be true.”
    Alex sighed. “If I left, if Boot knew I wasn’t here...”
    “He may attack Sarcester anyway, just to use it for target practice, and then how would you feel? Besides, for all you know he’s not even coming here for you. Brian, Ben and Rick worked for him for years, he could be coming after them. Or maybe he’s coming to get Dave, Pauline and Larry back to work on the virus. Or he could be after me for blowing up his lab. Or it could be option E: he’s a maniac who doesn’t need a reason. We have no idea what’s going through his twisted brain.” He crossed his arms and leaned against a parked car. “Those people in there, your friends, they’d do anything for you. And they’re tough and savvy so let them. Together, I think we have a good chance of stopping Boot, no matter what he throws at us. And he has to be stopped. He can’t be allowed to sell this new virus to the rest of the world. It has to end here, and we have to end it.”
    They were silent while Alex thought through everything Micah had said. He hated to admit it, but he was right. They didn’t know what Boot’s motivations were. If only it was as simple as running and leading Boot away, he would do it in a heartbeat.
    “Remind me again why we have to be the ones to stop him?” Alex said.
    Micah shrugged. “I’m still trying to work that one out myself.”
    At the sound of the door opening behind them Alex looked round to see Leon and Sam walk out.
    “You all right?” Leon said.
    Alex glanced at Micah. “Yeah, I’m all right.”
    Sam walked over to him. “You don’t have to worry about us, we’ll be okay. You can just do your superhero Survivor stuff and catch Boot and we’ll stop the eaters. We have lots of good ideas. Everything’s going to be okay.”
    Alex wished he shared Sam’s optimism, but he smiled anyway. “I’m sure you’re right.”

4
     
     
     
     
    Darren Frobisher attempted to relieve the stiffness in his long legs by flexing his muscles without moving.
    When the dull ache remained, he shifted in his seat a little, hoping the tiny movement wouldn’t upset the balance of the helicopter. To his relief, they didn’t plummet to a fiery death. After waiting half a minute to be certain, he got up the courage to move some more, inching around until he was stretched out sideways. Next to him, Harris threw him an irritated look as his own legroom shrank. Darren shrugged and mouthed an insincere apology, but didn’t pull his legs back. At a mere six foot three, Harris was one of the smallest of Harvey Boot’s security force. Darren’s extra half a foot needed the space more than he did.
    He glanced out the window next to him at the predominantly green scenery flying by beneath them and immediately snapped his gaze back up, his heart pounding. Mile upon mile of fields, towns and villages were passing, but he didn’t need to see them from this high up. And eater hordes of course. Always the eater hordes.
    Attempting to