Hybrid - Forced Vengeance by Greg Ballan Read Free Book Online Page B

getting right to the point with the subtle touch of a sledgehammer.”
    “And I have my father’s ability to read most people like a book, including my father.” She gave him a curt nod, “What’s up?”
    Erik drove in silence for a few seconds.
    “Well?” his daughter prompted.
    “I have a new assignment.” He spared her a glance, adding, “This particular job requires that I be away for about six or eight months, overseas.”
    Brianna responded with silence. Her emotions radiated off her body and he felt her grief and disappointment acutely.
    This was the downside of his Esper abilities, the power to sense thought and emotion. His mind could filter out the cluttered thoughts from the people around him – similar to a squelch function on a radio receiver – but an extremely strong emotion could punch through that bio-organic filter and register on his telepathic receptors. In full Esper mode, he had the power to read minds. He spied a single tear roll down her cheek.
    Damn, I don’t want to leave this way .
    “When?” she whispered.
    Erik took a deep breath. “Tomorrow.”
    His daughter sighed heavily. “This really sucks ya know?” More tears flowed. “You’re going to miss my sixteenth birthday, and you promised to teach me to drive.”
    “I know, and I’m sorry. I don‘t have much of a choice in this particular—”
    “Situation… I get it. You’re off to save the world, again.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Sometimes I wish you never took that stupid job.” She whipped around and said in an accusatory tone, “You’re running aren’t you? You can’t escape grief, Dad. It follows you wherever you go.”
    Erik swerved his car over to the side of the road. “Don’t you think I know that? Who are you to tell me about grief, young lady? I’ve lost her, Brianna, and I face that fact every waking moment.
    “I don’t want this assignment, but there are some things I have to do, compromises that I’ve had to make since the Hopedale incident to assure that you, your mother, Shanda and I could have some semblance of a normal life. These aren’t things I’m doing willingly. Someday, maybe you’ll understand, but I would rather be here with you for your birthday than putting my butt in the furnace every time some bureaucrat with an agenda needs a mess cleaned up.
    “But that’s the price I have to pay; and I pay it willingly so ten or eleven months of the year I can be around and be a father to you and so I could be a husband to her.” Erik struggled with his emotions. “But I can’t be her husband anymore because she’s gone,” he added as his voice broke. “You’re all I have left in the world and I never want to hurt you or cause you pain. I’m sorry.”
    “No, Daddy,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.” She leaned across the seat and wrapped her arms around him then wept. “I can be a selfish bitch sometimes. I still remember who came for me in that tunnel, and what you went through. I’ll never forget that as long as I live.”
    Erik returned the hug. “I love you, Bri. Never forget that.”
    “I won’t; I promise,” she answered, then kissed her father’s cheek.

    The black Monte Carlo SS pulled into Silver Hills Estates. Brianna said her final good-bye and her father watched her walk up the driveway. An inspiration struck him; maybe he wouldn’t be here to teach her to drive, but he could do the next best thing. He quickly rolled down the passenger window.
    “Brianna!”
    Erik got out of his car and reached underneath the vehicle’s chassis. He pried loose a magnetic box and opened it. His daughter meandered back down the long driveway.
    “I know Richard won’t let you touch the Jaguar or the Lamborghini, but don’t let your mother embarrass you with her Caravan. Learn to drive in a real car.” He tossed her the spare set of keys to his vehicle.
    Brianna caught the keys, and her eyes popped open with delight at the implication.
    “Don’t touch the