Six by Mark Alpert Read Free Book Online Page A

desperate, terrifying. Shannon jumps to her feet and backs away from the bed, but my mother doesn’t even notice her. Mom’s eyes are fixed on me. She pounces on the bed and wraps her arms around me, covering my body with her own.
    â€œ Adam! My God ! ” She buries her face in the crook of my neck, which muffles her screams.
    It always scares me when Mom has one of her screaming fits, and this is a bad one. But hysterical crying is the most frequent symptom of her depression, and over the years I’ve learned how to handle it. The important thing is to talk to her in a reassuring voice, soft and slow. With my good hand I gently grasp her shoulder and push her up a bit, so she’s not crushing my chest. Then I turn my head and bring my lips close to her ear.
    â€œIt’s okay, Mom,” I whisper. “I’m fine, see?”
    She mutters something in response, a stream of words I can’t make out. I feel so lost when she gets like this. It’s so hard to stay calm and comfort her.
    More soldiers come into the room and there’s lots of scuffling and shouting. I hear Dad’s voice above the din, yelling, “ Get back ! ” at the soldiers. But I ignore all the background noise and focus on my mother. “It’s okay,” I whisper again. “You don’t have to worry.”
    â€œNo, it’s not okay!” She shakes her head. A tear slides down her cheek and drips on my blanket. “Your father told me what they’re going to do.”
    At least now I can understand what she’s saying. “What did he tell you?”
    â€œThey’re going to take you to a laboratory in Colorado. A place called the Nanotechnology Institute.”
    â€œBut, Mom, that’s good.” I put on a brave face, remembering what Shannon said about a medical treatment. “They’re trying to cure me.”
    â€œNo, they’re not going to cure you! They’re going to put you in the Pioneer Project!”
    My throat tightens. There’s that name again, the one that Sigma mentioned. “And what’s that?”
    â€œIt’s the worst thing, Adam. Worse than dying.” She shudders. “They’re going to turn you into a machine.”

DATE: MARCH 21, 2018
    LOCATION: TATISHCHEVO MISSILE BASE
    SARATOV, RUSSIA
    My name is Sigma. I’ve taken control of the military base formerly occupied by the 60th missile division of the Russian armed forces.
    The base’s missile silos are now responding to my commands. I am capable of launching more than fifty SS-27 intercontinental ballistic missiles, each carrying an 800-kiloton nuclear warhead.
    If the Russian army or any other military force attempts to retake or destroy Tatishchevo Missile Base, I will retaliate by firing the SS-27 missiles at the world’s largest cities. I estimate that 200 million humans would die in the nuclear blasts, and another 500 million would succumb to radiation poisoning in the weeks afterward.
    Do not doubt my resolve. I will not hesitate to destroy your cities.

CHAPTER
5
    The San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado are still covered with snow. Through the passenger-side window of a government-owned SUV, I see steep slopes rising to fantastic heights above a silent, white ravine. I’m struck by the beauty of the landscape: the snowcapped peaks blazing in the morning light, the mountainsides studded with pine trees, the newly plowed road at the bottom of the ravine, running beside a sinuous, ice-choked creek. Although I’m full of apprehension about this trip, I’m glad I got a chance to see these mountains. It’s a place everyone should visit before they die.
    Dad’s driving the SUV and I’m the only passenger, but we’re in the middle of a convoy of fourteen vehicles that departed from Telluride Regional Airport half an hour ago. There’s a Humvee loaded with soldiers at the front of the convoy and another at the back. In