The Fleet by John Davis Read Free Book Online

Adam
admitted. “I never completely got over you.”
    Their
conversation seemed to come to a standstill as both looked into the
eyes of the other. Searching their own feelings and believing in
what could have been. What should have been.
    “But how can
that be now?” Adam finally said.
    “I think you
and I both know what I'm asking, Adam.” Sarah replied.
    And he did.
Sarah's grand idea was to turn Adam and his son to the ranks of the
undead. Though he understood what she asked of him, Adam's face
remained blank.
    “You're other
option, of course, is to end this in a firefight. One in which you
already know you've lost. So it's a matter of how badly you want
your son back?” she asked.
    “Like I said,”
Adam replied, looking to her with truth. “I'm willing to do
anything to save my son. Anything.”
    “Good. We're
making progress Adam.” Sarah replied, grinning a bit as razor-sharp
teeth peeked from her lips.
    “My men have
no part in it. You need to let them go free, that's all I ask.”
Adam said.
    “Why should I
do that?” Sarah asked. “They would only strengthen my army.”
    “Because they
have families back there waiting for them. You know the sting of
losing a loved one. They're here on orders, not on free will.”
    “Fine,” Sarah
responded, though she did so with a bit of reluctantly. “They can
go, but they need to go now.”
    “And I have
your word they won't be harmed?” Adam questioned.
    “They won't be
harmed by my soldiers, no. The infected that roam free on this
planet, I can make no guarantees.”
    “Thank you.”
Adam replied, taking a moment to turn. Facing his men and slowly
removing the Benzan amulet which hung from his neck.
    “Sir, it does
not have to end this way.” one of Adam's soldiers replied.
    “Sure it
does,” Adam replied. Tossing the amulet to his second in command.
“Take this back to Commander James and tell him that he'll always
be my definition of a true friend. He's been like a brother to
me.”
    “Yes sir.”
    “Be sure to
keep your eyes and ears open on the way back.” Adam added, winking
at the man in doing so.
    “You got it
sir.” the soldier replied.
    Moments later,
the group of marines headed away from camp. Moving quickly back to
the area in which they'd be able to communicate with the group
holding tight at their shuttle.
    “Alright Adam,
I've held my end of the deal.” Sarah replied.
    “May I have a
few moments with my son prior to?”
    She searched
him out. Trying to make sense of his stalling, though Sarah could
never know a father's longing for a son he'd lost.
    “Yes.”
    “Thank you
Sarah.” Adam replied, kneeling down to await the embrace of his
son.
    Adam's hand
pushed into soil that was only inches from his pistol, which
remained holstered. He was fast enough to draw it, but knew the
Hunters expected such a move. In fact, it was probably Sarah's
reasoning for allowing him to hold his son. To test his loyalty to
them by giving him a chance fight back.
    He didn't.
Adam simply wrapped his arms around Avery and cried a bit.
Wondering if it would truly be their last moments together –
alive.
     
    *
     
    “Any sign of
them yet?” Cambria asked.
    “Not yet.”
Dalton replied.
    He continued
to sit on the ship's bridge, which was faintly lit by a few track
lights firmly planted into the room's ceiling. Two crewmen worked,
though they did so quietly at about thirty paces from Commander
James.
    It had allowed
him to sit in the dark and look out across the stars. Waiting for
word from his phantom group and drink whiskey in silence, although
he did so sparingly. He'd no desire to be drunk and in command.
Just sipping from the cup here and there to knock off the nerves of
his job.
    “It may be
time to join the rest of your people on Second Glimmeria,” Cambria
said. “You can leave a shuttle behind to let them know where we are
as they return.”
    “Nope,” Dalton
replied. “That's not how I do things. These two soldiers put their
asses