Ordinaries: Shifters Book II (Shifters series 2) by Douglas Pershing, Angelia Pershing Read Free Book Online Page A

Japanese rather than English all of a sudden.
    “We’re going to get pilots?” I ask, dazed. “We’re leaving?” I think that I had always expected to split up here. I thought that Kai and I would stay behind, train for battle, and observe our recruits. I thought we would plan battle strategy.
    Tanner, Kyle, Sol é , Devon . . . they are the ones who understand the technology. They are the ones who should be meeting some weird pilots. They should be dealing with this.
    “Yes,” Tanner snaps, glaring at me. “You, Kai, and Clay are going to find pilots. Kyle is going to help me, the J’s, and Sol é locate the ships and figure out how to gain access to them. Without being murdered by Keepers.”
    Me, Kai . . . and Clay?
    “Um . . .” I mumble, turning red. “Yep, ready as can be, I guess. Do I really have a choice?”
    “Ry, we need these pilots to get to Six,” Kai says flatly.
    “I know,” I say. “I just don’t see how it’s our job to babysit the pilots. We should be preparing battle strategies, working with our recruits.”
    The smooth, warm voice behind me makes me jump. “The pilots are frightened. They just saw their worst nightmare take place on live news. The Shifters are here.” Meeting my eyes, Clay continues, “They’ll need to be convinced. We need a real leader. Someone they will listen to.”
    I stare into his deep, penetrating eyes. Despite their depth and darkness, they fill me with warmth. They are smiling at me. I nod slowly. “Okay,” I say. “So, you need me because I’ve been on TV.”
    “Exactly,” Clay says with a chuckle.
    The camp is hectic around me. People are packing up. Now that we are here, Marcus and Alena have begun setting their plans into motion.
    Many of the Tyros will return home to keep an eye on the Keeper movements and report back. Those whose families have abandoned them will be joining up with various Shifter factions to begin preparing what supplies and strategies can be put into place before arriving on Six.
    Kai, Clay, and myself have been provided a Jeep that looks much like something you would see in Tomb Raider . Lara Croft wishes she were me right now. We’ve also been given food and more cash than I’ve seen in my life (which is saying something considering Tanner’s recent ATM sprees). Apparently it’s to bribe pilots who are less than willing.
    I don’t know why we should have to bribe them. Don’t they want to free their home? Don’t they want to protect their own people? Apparently not so much.
    I’ve changed into much more comfortable clothes, some jeans and a blue t-shirt that matches my eyes. I also grabbed some poor kid’s silver and white Pumas because barefoot isn’t going to work for me anymore.
    We pile our gear into the back of the Jeep and start to climb in. Kai and I begin to take our usual front seats, but Clay seems to think he should be driving.
    “How old are you?” Clay asks, eyeing Kai.
    Kai adjusts his backpack and snaps, “Old enough.”
    “No way,” Clay says, shaking his head. “No license, no driving. We can’t afford to get caught right now making some amateur mistake.”
    While the boys glare at one another, I climb into the front passenger seat and play with the radio.
    “Fine,” Kai snaps. “If we get killed because you don’t know how to maneuver . . .”
    “Just get in,” Clay says with a laugh.
    “How old are you?” I ask Clay as he climbs into the driver’s seat.
    “I’ll be seventeen soon,” he shrugs.
    Kai makes a coughing sound in the backseat.
    I shift my eyes away from Clay’s bulging arms as we pull away from our camp. Less than a day since our first battle, and we’re already off on our next adventure. I wonder if my life will ever slow down and be “normal” again. Probably not.
    “Where are we headed?” Kai asks gruffly, clearly annoyed at his less than ideal seating position.
    “Canada.”
    “We’re leaving the country?” I almost squeak. I brush at some lint on my