The Astral Hacker (Cryptopunk Revolution Book 1) Brian Terenna (best novels to read to improve english txt) 📖

The director’s eyes widen, and he clutches at Gabriel’s steel grip. “Put me down. I’m not in charge, and there are many others.”

Nav deflates, suddenly looking worn. Alexander nods like he’s ready to keep fighting right now.

Gabriel shakes Tempton, the veins popping out of his bulging muscles. “You lie, demon. Tell me the truth.” He shoves the director with a growl.

The man sprawls on his back in the dirt, his tie flipped over one shoulder. Gabriel whips out his pistol and targets the man. Director Tempton raises a shaky hand.

I hustle in front of Gabriel and touch his shoulder. “Gabriel, wait.”

He eyes me as if he’s considering swatting me aside.

“Maybe he’s not really the Antichrist,” I say. “We need to know.”

Gabriel looks at me for a long time, then lowers his gun. “He does seem awfully weak. Maybe you’re right.” He steps back and swigs his flask.

I wheel on the director. “Tell me what you know.”

“I’ll tell you if you let me live.”

Nav turns to me. “He’s responsible for so many deaths, and I hate him, but we can imprison him instead of killing him.”

Gabriel scoffs. “This abomination killed your father. He needs to die.”

 “I agree,” says Alexander. “We need to balance the scales.”

And I agree too. Even if just for Barbra, Director Tempton should suffer a horrible death, but… “If this really isn’t over, we need information. Of course, he should die, but our main goal is to save America, not get revenge.”

For a moment, no one says anything as the director looks at us hopefully, and Gabriel prays.

“Let God judge him, Gabriel,” I say. “We need this.”

Gabriel nods to me, then lowers his eyebrows at the director. “Tell me who the Antichrist is, and you can live. You’ll still burn in hell anyway.”

Alexander shakes his head but says nothing.

For all I know, Gabriel will kill him afterward anyway, and I wouldn’t stop him.

Tempton gazes up at us, suddenly looking old and weak. “Why do you even care about humans, Fae? You’re so much more than we are.”

Gabriel inspects me as if I just grew a third eye.

More than human? He’s crazy.

Nav scowls at him. “Your tricks won’t work, scum. Tell us what’s going on.”

Tempton sighs, slumping forward. “You’re just beginning to awaken, Fae, but you have no idea what you’re up against. I’m a victim too. Was I supposed to turn him down?” he asks, his face going pale. “He likes to play games, but when he gets serious, you’ll burn.”

My body goes rigid. Him…. I’m suddenly back in Barbra’s room, her torn-up body in front of me. Bloody words drip down the wall. ‘I can’t face him.’ Although I just thrashed the entire NIA, I shudder at the similarity. “What do you mean him? I can take on anyone,” I say, my voice less steady than I would like.

He shakes his head, his fear melting into sadness. “I hope you’re right. I really do, but you just don’t understand. When you do, you’ll cower in fear, and your mind will reel at the implications. There are ancient forces at work, and they’re more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”

The gravity of his words passes through me like a ghost, chilling me to the core. “Who is he?” I demand. “Tell me.”

“He visited my nightmares in many horrifying forms,” says Tempton. “I don’t know what he really looks like or who he is. He commanded me to obey, and I couldn’t resist. Others did, and they died horribly. No matter what form he took, though, he always had one symbol on his chest.” He starts to draw something in the dirt.

“Commander,” says Brandon. “The Air Force is inbound with Liberator and Executioner drones. We’ll be able to escape with our infrared shielding, but only if we leave within five minutes.”

Despite the urgency, I can’t pull my eyes away from the director’s finger as he draws in the dirt. He etches two curved lines into the shape of a lens on its side, a dot in the middle.

My eyes widen. It can’t be.

But rather than draw a brow above the eye and the lines below it. He draws a triangle around it with lines like the sun’s rays pointing outward.

Although it’s different, the bloody symbol above Barbra’s lifeless body flashes in my mind.

My blood cools, and I freeze, staring at the image. I had convinced myself it was just a crazy hallucination, but now? “What does it mean?” And why did he draw the eye of providence instead of the eye of Ra?

“The all-seeing eye of God,” says Gabriel.

His Knights step back and make the sign of the cross.

“I don’t know what it means,” says Director Tempton. “This is the evil that’s in charge, but there are other powerful players. The only thing I know about them is—”

His body jerks, and he collapses, his eyes bulging. He howls in pain and tears bloody scratches into his face.

Diablo! “Stop him.”

Brandon and Alexander rush up to the director, who slams his head into the ground, screaming and writhing. They try to secure him, but the old man struggles with greater strength than he should have.

They finally manage to grip his arms and hold him steady. The director screams frantically as he jerks around. His eyes bulge even more, then burst, spraying fountains of blood. He falls limp and silent.

  CHAPTER 24

RENEWED DETERMINATION

A holographic sun shines in the main hall of the underground bunker that one of Gabriel’s wealthy followers donated to the cause. Tropical trees, vibrant flowers, and exotic birds surround me. It transforms the expansive bomb shelter from a sterile tomb into a hope-filled resistance base. It’s deep enough underground to shield its heat and could withstand a