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

ignore the very long drop beneath them, Darren looked over at the second helicopter off to their left. He could just see Chester inside, sitting next to Tim Pinner in the pilot’s seat. Behind them Jessup’s large frame mostly obscured their boss, Harvey Boot, and beyond him the two women. Boot probably got a perverted thrill at seeing his creations roaming the countryside, either devouring or infecting everyone they found.
    The third helicopter was somewhere behind them, but he didn’t dare twist around enough to see it. Turning to the front, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Here they were, flying a couple of hundred miles in these ridiculously small and fragile machines, and for what?
    When Darren started working for Boot six years ago, it had been primarily for the money. Yes, he’d had to move halfway across the country from his home in Bristol, but it felt good to have a change, especially after he’d caught his girlfriend of three years cheating on him with a friend he’d known since school. A fresh start was exactly what he needed, and he admired Harvey Boot. The man had clawed his way to the top, taking over one of the most powerful corporations in the country. If Darren was going to get anywhere, he couldn’t do much better than learning from Harvey Boot.
    Now, though, he wasn’t so sure. Not that he would ever say anything to anyone. There was always the danger something like that could make its way back to his boss and he’d seen firsthand what happened to those who dared to speak out. He’d even been complicit in it, even though he was strictly following orders. But those people had been stupid, putting themselves in a fight they had no chance of winning. Darren felt no shame for what he’d done. They’d brought what happened to them down on themselves. The world, their part of it at least, had changed. Self-preservation was what would keep him alive and, if he was smart about it, he could even come out on top.
    He just wished coming out on top didn’t have to involve so much flying.
    Boot’s helicopter began its descent towards the city of Cambridge and Darren’s stomach lurched as they followed. Despite his reluctance to look down, he couldn’t help admiring the historic universities clustered around the river Cam, their ancient architecture now unappreciated by the thousands upon thousands of eaters roaming the streets in huge hordes. He suppressed a shiver and looked away.
    After all this was over, he intended to go somewhere completely devoid of Meir’s disease. Maybe he’d buy an island with the substantial bonus Boot had promised them once he sold the weaponised version of the virus. An island he could reach by boat. Okay, maybe he wouldn’t be getting quite enough money for an entire island, but that didn’t matter. Just so long as he never had to see another eater again.
    After passing over the historic city they followed Boot’s helicopter down to the car park of a two storey hotel where they’d be spending the night. Darren closed his eyes until he felt the chopper touch the ground. Takeoffs and landings were the worst bits. Although the parts in between weren’t a lot of fun either. He opened his eyes to find Harris watching him. Darren stared back, silently daring him to say something. Harris looked away, a tiny smirk on his face.
    When all three helicopters were settled, their rotors lazily easing to a standstill, Chester got out with one of the pheromone guns and fired a cartridge into the air. The couple of dozen eaters heading towards them changed direction, gathering in a group some way away beneath the detonation point.
    With the immediate area clear, Darren opened his door and climbed down from the flying monstrosity. He resisted the urge to drop to his knees and kiss the ground.
    “Bish, Jessup, Baxter, you’re with me,” Chester called. “Bish, bring a bug gun.”
    Darren reached back into the helicopter for the pheromone gun, pocketed a few blue and