Stones: Theory (Stones #4) by Jacob Whaler Read Free Book Online

“They’re only instruments in the hands of another. Their comrades will soon follow and minister to their needs. All of us must leave this place
now
. Gather what’s left of your gear and follow me.”



CHAPTER 8
    D iego’s slate glows blue. At the same time, a 3D holo of a Stone appears above it directly in front of his face. The next instant, a globe of the earth materializes in the air, floating just above the table.
    “Location algorithm confirms a positive hit.” The synthetic female voice speaks warmly. A single red dot stands out on the eastern half of the United States. The globe morphs into a map showing the outline of states. It zooms in on the area around the red dot.
    Diego grabs his slate. “We found him. Eastern Tennessee.” He turns to Jing-wei. “Two troopships are already there and engaging the target.”
    A small red holo of a rotating skull and crossbones jumps above Jing-wei’s slate. Her eyes close.
    “Can’t be.”
    “What happened?” Kalani is the first to react. He lunges at her slate, almost falling from his chair.
    Jing-wei looks up. “I don’t understand. It says the two transports are gone. Vanished from our tracking algorithm. All attempts at communication are negative.” Her gaze sweeps the table, stopping at Ryzaard.
    “Location algorithm failed.” The syn-voice expresses no emotion as the map holo fades away.
    “Sounds like we found him, if only for a moment.” Ryzaard leans forward. “He must have shot down the ships. Let’s have a visual of the area. I’d like to see the wreckage.”
    Diego grabs his slate. “No problem.” With a few swipes and taps of his fingers, a holo image of a pristine mountainside pops into view above the crystal table. Green treetops flutter in a slight breeze.
    Ryzaard’s eyes narrow. “Are you sure this is the exact location of the transports?”
    “Positive.” Diego brushes his fingers across the slate. “There’s something moving under the trees. Switching to heat sensor mode.”
    As the view changes, the red outline of twenty human bodies, unclothed and squirming, fills the holo. It makes Ryzaard think of chromosomes wriggling in a cell under a microscope.
    “Where’s all the wreckage?” Ryzaard says. “And their weapons?”
    Elsa laughs loudly. “Where are their clothes?”
    “I’m getting no readings for anything made of metal.” Diego stares down at his slate. “Other than local rocks and scattered camping equipment, there’s nothing but organic material for a hundred meters around them. How is that possible?”
    Ryzaard stands. “Don’t be alarmed. It’s clear he used his Stone to disintegrate anything metallic. Simple, if you know how to do it. You see his great weakness, don’t you? He’s afraid to kill. Send more troops. Comb the area and gather all the intel you can.” He walks back to his office, letting his eyes once more scan through all the glass layers of the building. “Meeting adjourned. Everyone back to work.”



CHAPTER 9
    “T hat’s the last one,” Jessica says.
    Matt watches as a woman in her mid-forties shoulders a small backpack and slips out of the opening. She descends in darkness down the mountainside and into the trees. A wide valley opens up under a brilliant canopy of stars.
    “Hopefully, spacing them out does the trick.” Matt leans his back against a rock and stretches his arms. “Before she left, Alexa said Ryzaard probably wouldn’t waste any effort on pursuing individual hikers. He wants more high-value targets.”
    Jessica drops her head onto Matt’s shoulder. “Like you and me?”
    “Or large groups of the Children.” Matt looks at the sleeping form of Yarah curled up in a blanket between them. “Imagine what he would give to get his hands on her. But don’t worry. I won’t make the same mistake again. I’m not going to lose Yarah like . . .”
    “Leo?”
    He gently pulls Jessica down so they are both lying on their backs staring up at the sky. “It was my