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

to help you dig into it. Look at it as mental archeology. You’re a gold mine. We’re teaching you how to mine that gold. You’re meeting Donny at 0400 hours. Do not be late.” Slade turned on his heel, in his usual military manner, and strode away.

“Did you or did you not plant those memories in my brain? I mean, the Secret Space Program?”

Slade turned and squinted at Jaxx. “Yeah. We did plant those memories. It’s all part of the plan. The memories are fixed in your mind via a technology tool we use during the session.”

Jaxx held up a hand, requesting permission to speak.

“Don’t ask me to explain how it works. It’s not my area of expertise.” Slade looked everywhere but in Jaxx’s eyes. “When you go through those sessions, the installed memories help with uncovering more information about you.” He folded his hands behind his back and raised his chin high, chest out and held his body away from Jaxx. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you from the beginning.”

Everything about Slade was off, wrong, giving him bad juju. It came to him in a flash, Slade lied. The straight face, the words that came out of him at a steady pace—no lilting tells or stutters or pauses that suggested he made it up as he went along—but, at the same time, he couldn’t keep steady eye contact.

Jaxx felt it, almost like a punch in the heart. His world tilted and swayed. He wished he hadn’t asked Slade those questions. He knew, deep in his gut, that the hypnotherapy sessions had nothing to do with planting false memories in his mind. Every ounce of what he was experiencing here in Underfoot Black was real. The pyramids on Callisto, the glyphs that spelled out his name, Rivkah pleading for his help, and his time in the Secret Space Program. Real. He had no clue how the puzzle pieces fit together, but they did, and the picture they started to paint was dark and menacing. These men were up to no good and making him a part of their plan was pure evil. He felt the blood drain from his face. It was all he could do not to throw up.

Slade grinned. “You know what? Take the rest of the day off. I can see you’re still a little bit sleepy. Get your head straight. We’ll be changing things up tomorrow. I’ll have a new program for you in the morning. If you want to continue to research the Atlanteans on Callisto, you can do so, but we’ll just be showing you glyphs. I have specific ones I want you to look at and translate for us. Hell, we’ll put you in a different room and call it Project Atlantis. Are you fine with that?” He slapped Jaxx’s shoulder.

Why the sudden change in Slade’s mood? Slade didn’t seem like the guy willing or wanting to please anyone, especially if there wasn’t an upside for him. Perhaps Slade had a bit of politician in him after all.

“I’m fine with that. Can Shaughnessy accompany me in that new room?”

“No.” Slade gave him a few more pats as he walked back into the RIOUT room. “To your room, Jaxx.”

Jaxx turned to find Fox standing behind him. Fox slapped the top of his rifle. “Got my eyes on you, boy.”

“Why so much aggression towards me? You say I defected, but I don’t know what that means.”

Fox’s eyes turned colder. “You abandoned us. What you did deserves nothing less than a shot between the eyes, you miserable-ass traitor.”

Jaxx put his palms out, doing his best to calm Fox. “If you can just explain what you think I did, then maybe we can chalk this up as just simple miscommunication. Maybe we could have a counseling session with that Donny guy and—”

“Are you shitting me? This isn’t some Dr. Phil episode. Get to your Goddamn room before I make you clean the toilets with your tongue.”

12

May 27thStar Warden – Second Class Star Carrier – Secret Space Program. P-Quadrant, Solar System (Near Pluto, Edge of Kuiper Belt)

Callisto was a moon much like Earth’s moon. Tidally locked to Jupiter, it orbited synchronously and rotated on its own axis in the same direction that it orbited around Jupiter. The same side of Callisto consistently faced Jupiter—the very side the structures were located on.

The Star Carrier’s large view screen pulled up an image of a satellite orbiting the Jupiter moon. Admiral Gentry Race, wearing an officer’s uniform to match his credentials, paced the Star Carrier’s bridge. “We weren’t notified by United States Command of this satellite?” He stopped in mid-stride and faced the screen. He scratched his graying goatee, waiting for an answer.

The captain at the helm, Katherine Bogle, typed on the clear disk attached to her captain’s chair. “Negative, Sir.”

Gentry sighed. “This is rogue?”

“Possibly.”

The officers stationed at the rear of the bridge studied their holographic monitors for any evidence that this satellite was truly rogue. Sometimes corporations launched dual satellites in orbit, while only registering one with the government. This was always for corporate interests, whether it be to spy on their competitors or on their own government, but never before had a corporate satellite reached this far into the Solar System.

Until now.

An officer spoke. “It’s not registered to any business or corporation. However, computer analysis says that a lock chip inside the satellite was invented by a Terra Energy Corp.”

Gentry turned, intrigued.

The officer continued, “It looks as if Terra Energy Corp has a contract with GSA, the Global Safety Administration.”

Gentry grinned, though he didn’t mean it. It was more of a “pissed-off, I can’t believe my own ears, what has the world come to?” expression. Gentry hid it well. “That’s the agency Colonel Slade Roberson oversees. I should have known.”

Captain Bogle perked up. “The satellite is taking pictures. I’m extracting the data from the satellite right now and putting it on the view screen.”

Images of pyramids, statues, and grounded starfighters tiled the screen.

Gentry’s stomach hardened. If it