Michael Vey 3 ~ Battle of the Ampere by Richard Paul Evans Read Free Book Online

went for their weapons to combat their unseen assaulters. Thefiring probably lasted less than twenty seconds, but felt much, much longer. I closed my eyes until the firing stopped, the stench of smoke falling low to the ground. I fought coughing. I dared not even move my head enough to look around to see if anyone was left. I was afraid to look at Jaime and Tessa.
    When it had been quiet for nearly thirty seconds, I pushed the remote button again, then slowly raised my head enough to see the turret. The red light above the gun was off. I breathed out in relief, then fell back again, my body racked with pain. The Elgen guards were lying all around me, but no one was moving.
    I looked back at Tessa. She was shaking.
    “It’s off,” I croaked.
    She tried to speak but couldn’t. She was drenched with sweat and her blouse looked as if she had showered in it. The RESAT was set way too high. I worried that if I couldn’t get it turned off soon that it might stop her heart. But I could barely move myself and I doubted that I could cut myself loose, even if I could wriggle myself to the nearest guard and unlatch his knife.
    That left Jaime. I had to get the dart out of him. I rolled over again, then pushed myself up over him. I felt around until I found the dart, clasped it with my fingers, then rolled off, collapsing on the other side of him. I had the dart. Now he just needed to wake up.

I t was nearly a half hour before Jaime stirred. About five minutes before Jaime woke, Tessa began convulsing, and then her eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out. I struggled back to her and even tried to kick the RESAT, but I was too weak.
    Jaime groaned, then his eyes opened.
    “Jaime,” I said.
    He looked at me.
    “Help.”
    He sat up and looked around at the fallen guards. “What happened?”
    “Turn this off,” I gasped.
    He walked on his knees over to me. His hands were still bound behind his back.
    “I can unfasten it,” Jaime said.
    “No. If they’re unfastened without being turned off, they power up to full. It could kill me.”
    “How do you turn it off?”
    “The guard right there put it on me. He should have the control.”
    Jaime crawled over to him and felt through his pockets. “I think I found it.”
    “Push it,” I said.
    My RESAT powered down. I took a deep breath, then pulsed as hard as I could, melting my wristbands. Then I crawled over to Carvelle and turned off Tessa’s RESAT. She immediately gasped for air, as if she’d just come up from under water. I detached the machine and threw it into the jungle, then put my head against her chest. To my relief her heart was beating.
    “Cut me loose,” Jaime said.
    I stood up and walked over to him. Careful not to touch him, I grabbed his bands and melted through them.
    “ Gracias ,” he said. He stretched out his arms, then rubbed his wrists. “Muchas gracias.”
    I went back to Tessa. Her eyes were still closed. I gently rubbed her face, wiping the mud off her cheeks. Her eyelids fluttered, then opened. She looked into my eyes, still too weak to speak.
    “Are you okay?” I asked.
    She took another few breaths, then said softly, “Yeah.”
    “Let me take care of your bands.” I grabbed her bands and pulsed. With the enhancement of Tessa’s returning power the band didn’t melt, it vaporized. She brought her hands to her face and began sobbing. I put my arms around her and she fell against me, her face buried against my chest. When she had settled a little, I asked, “Are you okay?”
    “I thought I was going to die,” she said.
    “What happened?” Jaime asked. “How are the Elgen guards all dead?”
    I turned back to him. “Your remote fell out of your pocket. I pushed it.”
    Jaime looked at me with admiration. “You are very clever,” he said. “Very, very clever.” He looked at the radio and papers scattered around the campsite and his expression turned grave. “Were we compromised?”
    “I don’t know. I heard them say that