Warrior Chronicles 2: Warrior's Blood Read Online Free PDF Page B

only one percent as dense as Earth’s, and it is ninety-five percent carbon dioxide. You will suffocate so violently that you may not even notice the cold. The air will rush from your body and your blood vessels will rupture. In many ways it will be the opposite of being crushed. You won’t explode, but you will swell up like a balloon. Even your joints will dislocate. But the worst part is that you will be alone. I won’t even be there. I’m simply going to throw you outside, and then I’m going back to talk to my family in the colony.”
     
    Kale Beth knew he was in shock. He couldn’t form words. He couldn’t respond to the monster that was speaking to him. All he could do was moan. The pain from his leg was numbing now. Where is my other leg? Oh. There it is next to my shoulder. That is odd. What will it be like outside? How could this man be so callous? How could he just throw my life away? The shock kept him from realizing the irony of his thought.
     
    Cort opened the inner airlock and dragged Beth into the small chamber. Beth saw the inner doors close and the outer doors start to open. That was when the real terror set in. He closed his eyes to block out the pain and felt himself being lifted. As he flew through the thin atmosphere of Mars, he felt his skin begin to burn. His lungs collapsed, drowning out his screams before he could voice them. He landed against what felt like a rock, and the impact caused the ribs on the left side of his body break. The monster was wrong, though. He could feel the cold.
     
    --
     
    “Would you like to go for a walk around the colony?” Cort asked Kim when she opened her door to greet him. He had commed Aeolis to update them on the situation before he got to her quarters.
     
    “I would like that very much. Thank you.” Somehow the giant man’s cold and armored arm felt caring as she slipped her own into it. “Is he really dead?”
     
    “Yes he is. All of them are. How are you?” Cort asked.
     
    “I don’t know. They say it takes time. But knowing he can’t do this to me or anyone else again makes it better. Thank you. Why did you do it?”
     
    “Do you remember what I said after I first came here? When I killed the old governor? My grandson was a prisoner here. He had been sent here for killing a man in Taps’ family who tried to do the same thing to his mother Kay. I did it for the three of you. I meant what I said about family. I will protect ours.”
     
    A loud chime sounded three times throughout the Colony. “Good morning. This is Governor Keen. I’m sorry to disturb you, but you need to be updated on things that happened last night. The main commons area has been closed for the day. Please use alternate areas and routes as you move around the colony. Also, the quarters and corridors the visitors have been using are off limits. The reason for this is that our ally Mr. Addison from the Aeolis site has helped us to rid our colony of Governor Taps’ mercenaries.”
     
    Keen paused. “No, that is not right. He did not help us. He did it for us. Those men are no longer a threat. I am truly sorry for what you have gone through over the last few months. But it is over thanks to him. Let’s get our lives back to normal. If you are fortunate enough to see Mr. Addison before he leaves, please give him your thanks.”
     
    “Damn,” Cort said, “so much for a quiet walk.”
     
    “Let’s just go back to my quarters.” Kim started to turn.
     
    “No, just a moment.” Cort called up his HUD and found what he was looking for. Inside his suit, he said, “Rhodes, I have job for you. We’re going to the central garden. Lock it off for us. We want to talk privately.”
     
    “No problem,” Rhodes replied. “Anything else?”
     
    “Yeah. Get all my relatives together. I want to talk to them later. First I will meet with you and Keen.”
     
    “Okay. I’ll take care of it.”
     
    Turning to Kim, Cort said, “Let’s go to the garden. I have it on