Alpha Male by Mike Cooley Read Free Book Online Page A

here.”
    He didn’t answer.
    I unclipped the belt and slid to my left, onto the floor. The van was spinning downstream and sinking beneath the surface. Si was bleeding above the eyes and unresponsive. I unclipped him and dragged him to the floor. Cold water rushed up to cover us. The remaining air was being pushed toward the passenger side of the van, which was tilted toward the surface of the river.  
    “Fuck, Si. Wake up.” I slapped him. His eyelids fluttered. “I don’t want to die here.”
    The dash lights shorted out, along with the headlights. The engine coughed and stopped. I cranked the valve on the scuba tank and tested the regulator. It was working, but I couldn’t see how full the tanks were in the dark.  
    “Time to go, Si.”  
    He struggled to sit up; his eyes looked at me but wouldn’t focus. I could barely see his face in the darkness. Faint light streamed in from above.  
    “Help me with the window. The door is jammed.” I lifted the tanks and bashed the passenger side window. It cracked but held.  
    Si held onto the back of the seat and kicked the window out with his foot. Water rushed in, filling the van. We hit a rock in the river and spun around as we sank deeper.
    “Hold your breath and grab my legs.” I could only see his eyes. Cold water rushed over us. I put the regulator in my mouth and took a deep breath, then grabbed the edges of the passenger window and pulled myself out. Silas grabbed my feet.  
    I slung the tanks on my back and used my arms to swim toward the surface. Si was still halfway inside the van and losing his grip on me. I stood on the door, reached down, and pulled him out of the van; then I forced my lips against his and breathed air into his lungs. He shuddered and clutched me.
    The van hit another large rock, and we were jolted off of it. The river carried us downstream. I wrapped my arms around Silas so I wouldn’t lose him and took another deep breath from the regulator while he exhaled slowly. I could barely see his face. I kicked with my feet, and we breached the surface. Above the moon lit the night sky, which was dotted with clouds.  
    I could see a gash across his forehead. Blood streamed out of it and was quickly washed away. I placed my lips on his and breathed more air into him. His hands found the small of my back beneath the tanks and he held on tight. Above and behind us, I could see flames on the ridge. The gunfire had stopped.  
    We drifted around a bend in the river, and I spun over on my back, holding Si in my arms and keeping his head above the water. “Are you okay, Si?”
    “Dizzy.”  
    His voice was hoarse and strained.  
    “Rest. I’ll take care of that cut when we are far enough away from them.”
    “Mel? One more time with the lips?”
      I smiled.  

Vena

    Vena gunned the chopper and swerved around the van carrying the empath and the wildcard. It was as Tala had predicted—they were together. Their eyes were wide with shock. The wildcard jerked the wheel, and the silver van shot by to her right, just missing her.  
    She could see the headlights of two jeeps racing toward her and the silhouettes of men standing up holding weapons. Her long blonde hair streamed behind her. The chopper’s throaty growl filled the air. Her smile grew wide. She leaned the bike back and forth, weaving as she approached. She took a deep, calm breath.    

    “What the hell!” Iverson yelled. He slammed on the brakes and waved at Gregor to stop. Ahead of them, the tail lights of the van they were chasing had vanished, and there was a single bright light heading toward them, weaving back and forth across the road.
    “Hold position. Get ready, Mikel and Darin.” Iverson stood up and drew his Glock. Mikel was standing on the passenger seat, leaning against the roll bar of the black Wrangler. He had an AK in his hands and was sighting down the barrel.
    “It’s a hostile,” said Darin from the other jeep.  
    Gregor stood up next to him. “A