Star Runners 2: Revelation Protocol by L E Thomas Read Free Book Online

Josh’s face. “Such a waste.”
        He stood and folded his arms across this chest. Rodon sighed, glancing at his men. “Do what you will with him. Help him understand what happens when he turns us down. If he survives, we can use him in the workforce. Come on! We have work to do.”
        A boot slammed into Josh’s rib.
        “Whoa!” Rodon yelled. For a moment, Josh thought he would be spared the torture. “Get my translator before you continue.”
        The pirates removed the headset. Soon, the beating continued. Josh lost consciousness, the world fading away into darkness.
    *****
    The walls looked like rock covered in oil, the beaten surface glistening in the dim light. Josh laid on his back, unmoving as he surveyed his surroundings. The room was too small to lie flat, so he rested his feet on the wall in front of him. His muscles ached. His stomach twisted and turned, protesting the days without nourishment. The green slop delivered yesterday slithered and bubbled. He tried to eat despite the fact his food moved, focusing on his hunger. It tasted like a mix of vomit and lemon juice. He gagged, swallowing the lukewarm liquid before it lingered on his tongue.
    He lost track of time.
    Mom and Dad definitely knew he had disappeared by now. The Braves’ game had come and gone. He imagined the disappointment on their faces when they had to go without him, if they had gone at all. If he dies today, they will never know of his death.
    Voices echoed from beyond the rusted metal door of his tiny holding cell. With his translator gone, the conversations meant nothing, gibberish whispered by goons. If they kill me, please let it be fast.
    A man called, the voice closer than before, but in a foreign language. Josh sat up, resting on his elbows. The man called again, this time in a harsh whisper.
    "Hello?" Josh asked in a raspy voice, grunting as he pressed against the metal gate.
    "Dzina lanu ndi ndani?”
    Josh shook his head. "I don't understand."
    "Mungandiuze dzina lanu?”
    Josh sighed. "I am sorry. I can't help you."
    He leaned back against the gate, the rough surface scraping his neck. Heavy equipment rumbled from somewhere down the hall. An engine fired, rattling the walls and gate as if a ship landed. After a moment, the engine ceased. Voices yelled followed by a commotion.
    Josh stretched his legs in front of him as far as he could. His stomach ached. His head pounded. He crossed his arms over his chest and continued listening to the strange noises of this dreadful place. His mind wandered, drifting like a loose buoy in a restless ocean.
    Losing awareness, he thought of his best friend. Austin probably watched from Tarton's Junction when the Saber had been attacked. A memory flashed of Austin staring at the photo of Marilyn Monroe at the coffee shop when they were in high school. Kadyn, beautiful Kadyn, with her wild hair the color of sweet caramels, enjoying one of her fruit-filled, overpriced drinks.
    He opened his eyes, feeling the welts from his arrival beating across his body subsiding. His skin felt sweaty, slippery like plastic. A chill shot through his body.
    He thought of a spring day when he and Kadyn sat and watched Austin play baseball. The sunlight beamed through her hair, surrounding it with a halo of light. Kadyn took one popped kernel at a time, chewing slowly as she watched the game unfold. She said chewing slower forced her to eat less, and popcorn was nothing but empty calories. He sat quietly, nodding and listening to her voice. He had dated cheerleaders, dated the so-called hot girls in high school. His time with empty relationships had passed. Kadyn was special.
    His tongue scraped across the dry roof of his mouth. What he would give for a glass of ice water. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to work the spit inside his mouth. 
    Whenever he could, he went to Austin’s games with her. The game’s lasted at least two hours, and he usually said nothing to her. She had beauty,