Orion Colony Complete Series Boxed Set J.N. Chaney (books for new readers .txt) 📖

to talk to us. Whatever mission you had, whatever goal you were tasked with, has failed. It’s over for you now, but there is still a chance of redemption for you. We need to know if you are working alone or if there are other Disciples on board the Orion preparing to strike.”

Trevor lifted his head to the ceiling and roared with laughter. Even standing in the other room, it was a noise that made me wince. The sound was certainly laughter, but it was hollow and devoid of any true joy.

“Albino, tell me,” Trevor said, glaring at Elon. “Did you trade your soul when you sacrificed your humanity for eternal life? The human line will prosper, and we will outlast your genetically enhanced filth.”

“You do realize that what we’re trying to do here is help, right?” Elon said patiently, leaning forward in his seat. If he was flustered at all by the insults hurled at him, he didn’t show it. “Eternals are only humans who have manipulated our DNA. That doesn’t make us monsters. We’re just like you. There are good and bad among us. Right now, I’m traveling along with a colony to assist them in setting up a new world. A world where there will be opportunity for everyone.”

“Opportunity that would have existed on Earth if you and your elitist kind didn’t keep the rest of the population from advancing.” Trevor shook his head with disgust. “And I’ll let you in on a little secret. Your plan will fail.”

“Why is that?” Stacy asked from her seat. Unlike Elon, I could see her fists clenching with anger. The white of her knuckles showed on both hands.

“Because I’m not alone on the Orion.” Trevor grinned. “Others will be activated, this ship will fall from the sky in fire and ash, and all of you will go with it.”

18

Trevor let out another hysterical laugh while all of us remained quiet. My mind was reeling with the implications of his words. There were too many questions left unanswered. Was he telling the truth? If he was, how many Disciples had snuck on board? When and where would they strike next?

“It’s clear that death doesn’t worry you,” Elon said, reining in the mad prisoner in front of him. “My death nor the death of others. You feel nothing condemning a hundred thousand children and innocents to their deaths. What gives you that right? What makes you able to play God?”

“The second they boarded this ship, they lost all of their privileges to live,” Trevor said with a shrug. “Do what you want because that’s all you’re getting out of me.”

“How many other Disciples are on board the Orion?” Stacy asked, rising from her seat. “Where are they?”

“Questions that will keep you up at night, I’m sure,” Trevor said with an ominous smirk. “I told you, you’re not getting anything out of me. I shouldn’t even have let you know that much, but I wanted you to know that you’re not safe. That’s fun for me. While I’m in here, you’ll be out there wondering and worrying. It will be something I can take comfort in.”

Stacy walked over to the prisoner and struck him across the jaw, then in the nose and again in his left eye. She could have kept going, and neither Arun nor I would have pulled her off. It was good Elon was in the room. He jumped up and firmly placed his hands on Stacy’s shoulders.

“Enough,” Elon said, pulling her away. “This is what he wants. This is playing into his twisted game somehow. You’re better than this.”

Stacy was breathing hard, but she refrained from laying into his face anymore.

Trevor was chuckling and howling to the ceiling. “What’s next? Waterboarding? Sleep deprivation? I’ve been through it all!”

Stacy and Elon left the room and entered our own.

“This doesn’t seem like the right time to say I told you so, but…” I let my voice trail off. “I kinda did.”

“We need more information,” Arun said, looking to her brother. “If you’d like to leave for this next part, I’ll understand.”

“We aren’t going to torture him,” Elon said, skewering his sister with a hard stare. “If we do, what separates us from the Disciples? If there is no line we aren’t willing to cross, what makes us different from them?”

“Are you serious?” Arun said, shaking her head. “We’re trying to save an entire colony ship of lives here.”

“If I may?” Stacy interjected. “I’m going to agree with Dean on this one. Wow, that’s something I really never thought I’d be saying.”

“Hey, easy,” I said. “I’m right here, you know. But please, do go on.”

“I don’t think our guest is going to respond to physical acts to get him to speak. I think we might need to try something else.”

“Truth serum would be the best alternative,” Iris said.

The Cognitive had been uncharacteristically quiet for a time, like she was in a state of deep contemplation.

Everyone looked over to Elon.

“It would be better for everyone if we tried Dean’s method,” Arun urged her brother.

“Fine, yes, all right,” Elon said, blowing out a deep breath. “We’ll try it. I suppose it is better than peeling off fingernails or electric shocks.”

“Only better because those methods wouldn’t work; otherwise, I would be more than happy to try them,” Arun said, glaring at Elon.

“Easy now, sister,” Elon replied with a slight smile.

“I’ll be right back,” Iris said, phasing out of a wall and disappearing.

“She just walks in and out, huh,” I said, shaking my head. “No knocking or anything? I guess privacy is out the door.”

Suddenly, Trevor yelled to get our attention.

“You! Him, I mean. I want to see the brawler!” Trevor hollered to the empty room. “He’s the reason I’m in here to begin with. I have something to tell him. Only him—I’ll only talk to him.”

“I think he’s talking about me,” I said, looking to the others.

“Go, but be careful,” Arun said. “Don’t let him get into your head.”

“No worries about