Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller Brandon Ellis (ebook reader for comics txt) 📖

was there a marijuana dispensary around? A joint would calm his mind, take the care out of life, and allow him to go slowly into the depths of full-body relaxation. It was his massage of sorts and he missed it greatly.

He spotted a marijuana leaf above a square building almost a block away, the words underneath—Bloomingbuds.

A Marine ran past him, a tool case in his hand, and stopped at a shield battery sitting behind a turret. The battery—the size of a shed—sat in the middle of the road right smack in between dotted, white road lines with a turret-looking cannon attached to the battery by wires. The cannon shot out a continuous beam of translucent white light into the sky, connecting to other beams, creating the domed shield.

The Marine hastily unscrewed a part of the battery. The cannon beam shut off, exposing a new hole in the mushroom shield.

Drew uncurled himself and stood. He took a step forward, biting his lip in panic, his heart beating harder in his chest.

Was this guy taking the shield down? No! Bad idea, bad, bad idea.

The Marine scrounged in his bag and pulled out a similar-looking part he just threw on the road. He screwed it on the battery.

Zzzzzzzzzzzz!

The beam came back to life.

Drew rubbed his arm. He was getting paranoid. But why wouldn’t he? Some strange ET group had invaded his home—Earth—and all of the politicians, including his Dad, Slade Roberson, had left Earth for a new home. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

And where the hell had Anderle and T-hacker gone? He hadn’t seen them since he’d arrived in Whitefish on the helicopter. After unstrapping his restraints and getting off the bird, Drew had purposely gone the opposite direction as Anderle and T-hacker. Those two bumbling liars had disappeared around a building, heading to the north of town. They had an eye for trouble, an eye to help themselves while screwing over everyone else. Whatever they were doing most likely wasn’t good. Hence, Drew wanted nothing to do with them.

Kachoooj! Kachoooj!

A family, two red-head children and their red-head mom, raced across the street and into a bar, covering their heads as if charred debris could fall on them at any time.

He followed the family, stepped up the wooden steps, and opened the bar door. A warm, thick breeze full of cooked vegetables and coffee flew in his face.

The bar was full. They glanced up at the ceiling as another blast hit the shield, shaking the building. They brought their eyes back to their coffee mugs a moment later, looking too tired to think. Drew knew the feeling. They’d been under attack for so long he could scarcely remember a time when they hadn’t been ducking and dodging and waiting to be vaporized. But it had only been a few days, no…a week. Maybe a month? Weird how time could concertina in on itself in times of great stress. It felt more like a million years.

A man at a table clanged his soup bowl and yelled across the bar. “Megan, get me another bowl of soup. This didn’t fill me up.”

A woman, no more than Drew’s age, beautiful, brown hair flowing over her shoulders, and blue eyes that could brighten any guy’s day, washed a glass behind the bar. “Marines have us on rations, Carl, and for good measure. We don’t have an unlimited amount of food, if you’ve forgotten.”

The guy threw his napkin on the table, stood and grumbled something inaudible. He kicked his chair to the side and wiped his hands, eyeing the exit. The problem? The guy was as big as a bear, looked like he was ready to pounce, and Drew stood between him and the door. Drew stood to one side, but the guy slammed his shoulder into him as he walked by. “Move it.”

Drew jerked back, doing his best to absorb the blow. “Sorry to get in your way, buddy.” Sarcasm came naturally to Drew. He didn’t hold back.

Carl stopped with his hand on the door handle. He turned and flared his nostrils. “What did you say, little man?”

Drew wasn’t little, but compared to this guy, everyone was. Drew knew it would be unwise to pick a fight with Carl, let alone say any more words to him. Drew’s mouth, on the other hand, had other ideas. “I would love to insult you but I’m afraid I won’t do as well as nature did.”

Drew gulped. Why the hell did he say that?

Carl reared his fist back and swung at Drew. Drew jumped out of the way, eyes like saucers. Another fist came at Drew’s jaw, connecting, knocking Drew into the corner of the bar. Glasses and bowls slipped off the countertop, crashing to the floor, shattering into hundreds of pieces. Carl’s knee came up into Drew’s stomach and Drew lifted a few inches off the ground, then fell to the floor, holding his stomach and gasping for breath.

Carl grabbed the top of Drew’s hair and pulled him to his feet.

“Stop it, Carl.” Megan ran between them and pushed Carl away from Drew. “Leave, alright? Just leave.” She put her hand on his chest, her voice steady and low.

He gave her a long look, then turned and exited.

Megan spun on her heels, her eyes like an inferno. “You’d do well if you keep your Goddamn mouth shut in this town, stranger. Do you hear me?”

Drew rubbed his chin, his body buckled over. “Yes, miss. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry ain’t getting you any soup or coffee.” She walked behind the bar and pointed at the door. “You leave, as well.”

“I haven’t had food in…I don’t know how long. Please, I—”

“Megan, he’s with me.” Master Sergeant Angel Segarra rose from a table at the back of bar. He was with Mya and some other Marines.

Mya smiled, her eyes full of the same innocence he’d seen every day for the weeks he’d been with her, more or less saving her. She, however, was now some type of superhero, able to