Discovery at Nerwolix by C.G. Coppola Read Free Book Online Page A

fire and the Dofinikes on either end
fall face first into the snow. The middle Vermix only has seconds
before he follows his comrades. Jace and Booker arrive with Pobo
moving along the ground, stopping at each body. Reid and I take
off, jetting through the snow to the five Rogues. Tucker and Werzo
scramble to their feet, but as Reid and I race over, we find Able
lying unconscious in the snow. Booker lifts the Rogue, tossing him
over his shoulder, eyes scanning as we approach.
    “What do we do, Boss?”
    “We have to find Sampson,” he pants,
frantically searching. “But we need to get out of here.”
    “And go where?” Tucker reaches for one of
the Vermix’s Traxpires, tossing another one to Werzo.
    “I don’t know,” Reid scans again, “but we
can’t stay here. Come on,” he jets off and the rest of us follow,
Pobo at my side. Reid leads us back near the cave’s mouth, our herd
keeping together when a Vermix rams into Booker and me, knocking us
to the ground and sending Able flying again.
    Booker scrambles for Able as Reid races to
block me. But before he can fire off a shot, another Dofinike
launches into the first, tackling him down to the snow. They
wrestle, talons flying through the air as deep, gurgling snarls
exchange. Paralyzed by the sudden blood lust in front of me, I’m
pulled back by both arms and hoisted to my feet by Reid and
Tucker.
    With a final twist of his head, the second
Dofinike lets the first drop to the snow in a loud crunching thud.
I’m about to reach for my Traxpire when I notice the circle and
alternating dots in the upper right hand corner of his shelled
chest.
    “We need to get you out of here,” Clarence
says, his yellow eyes flickering between us, counting to make sure
we’re all here. “Quick, follow me!” He takes off behind the cave,
down a mountain of snow and we trail after him, Booker carrying an
unconscious Able.
    “Where’s Sampson?” Reid rushes by his
side.
    “Fighting,” Clarence says. “Blovid and Vix
too. I’m not sure what happened to Qippert.”
    “Why are the Pweboles are on our side?” I
race closer to him, Pobo at my hip.
    “When Sampson realized it was an ambush, he
had Pobo advise the others to assist all humans,” he glances to me.
“You first.”
    “Why?”
    But Clarence ignores this, moving faster,
“Quickly everyone. They’re trailing us.”
    We move as fast as possible, Booker at the
back of our group with a sleeping Able over his shoulder.
    “Why did they listen to him?” I ask.
“Weren’t the Pweboles originally under orders from the Vermix?”
    Clarence nods, leading us further down the
mountainside with rapid steps. “Their allegiance lies with the
Fychu. Any order he gives supersedes previous orders. That’s why
they had to attack us before Sampson could redirect their
order.”
    “Shouldn’t we go back and help him?” Reid
asks.
    Clarence shakes his head, his long green
whiskers tossing from side to side. “As trained as you are, you are
no match for the fleet of Vermix Reuzkimpart brought.”
    “He’s here?” I ask.
    “Blovid spotted him.”
    “And Blovid’s still out there?” I gasp.
“He’s Dellapalania’s last Arizal Leader! He can’t get
hurt!”
    “We’ve left four Arizals against all those
Vermix,” Reid shakes his head. “We have to go back.”
    “You go back and you’ll be killed. Not right
away, but they’ll take you to Dellapalania and kill you slowly and
publicly,” Clarence slows to a halt near a brush of skinny, gray,
leafless trees. Exhaling, he spins to us. “Reuzkimpart wants a
triumph for all the fighting Vermix. Witnessing the death of his
enemy will be just the boost they need.”
    “Still,” Tucker pants, “is there anything
else we can do?”
    “We need to get off planet. We need to keep
you safe.”
    “We can’t leave them,” Reid shakes his head,
looking back up the white mountain. “I’ll stay.”
    “And do what?” Clarence grabs his shoulder
before he can take off.