Read Escape to Earth 1: Running From Fate for Free Online

attacker’s lunge, grabbed his arm, and swung him into the shorter attacker coming from behind. The shorter attacker had extended his knife as he rushed in and it entered the tall attacker’s chest and penetrated his heart. Lukas released the tall attacker and hit the other with a palm under his chin hard enough to lift him off the ground. There was a loud crack as the short attacker flew backward and stayed on the ground. Lukas turned toward the large man on top of Kathy and walked quickly toward him. Moe watched as his two associates were easily handled and he saw Lukas’ expression. He jumped up and ran away. Lukas reached down and helped Kathy to stand up and she collapsed into his arms. He picked her up and carried her up the hill.
    She wailed, “They’re going to come back and kill us! “They’re going to kill us both!”
    “Why would they do that? They’re the ones that attacked us.”
    “They’re members of a gang. They’re going to come back and kill us. The one that escaped will go and bring the others! They will punish me and you.”
    “You’ll be safe in your home before they arrive.”
    “They’ll stay here every day and wait for me…and you. They’re going to kill us.”
    Kathy wailed all the way back to her apartment and Lukas carried her inside. He put her on a couch and said, “You will not be bothered by them.”
    “You just don’t know! You just don’t know!”
    Lukas went out the door and closed it gently. “I told you to stay out of it.”
    “Did you see where the big one went?”
    “He’s going to a warehouse about a mile from here.”
    “Can you scan it and hear what they’re planning?”
    “Give me a few moments.”
    Lukas went back down the hill to the two attackers and saw that both of them were dead. He had hit the second attacker too hard and had shattered the vertebrae in his neck as his head snapped back. He looked around and wondered what he should do with the bodies. “They’re coming back here with a…van to pick up the bodies. They’re planning to do some rather drastic rearranging of your vital organs tomorrow.”
    “What about the girl?”
    “You don’t want to know what they’re planning for her.”
    “Come and pick me up. I want to be at that warehouse when they return.”
    “On my way.” The Corvette came down the hill and slid to a stop. Lukas jumped in and the Pod accelerated down the hill, passing a white van as it started up the hill.
    “Did they see me?”
    “No, I darkened the glass. Just what do you intend to do?”
    “I can’t just wait on them to make a move.”
    “Do you think you can handle all four of them alone? I can provide you with a stunner.”
    “No, I think I’ll have surprise on my side and I am a little faster than they are.”
    “Did you say, ‘Little’?”
    “Just be ready to fire at the building if it gets out of hand.”
    “I’d prefer not to do that.”
    “Why?”
    “The ones that come and investigate this will know that the fire was started with a flame hotter than anything on this planet.”
    “Even so, just be ready if I have to run.”
    “You’re the boss.”
    “Boss?”
    “Look it up.”
    He thought for a moment and shrugged, “Get me to the warehouse.”
    • • •
    “What do you dumbasses get yourselves into?”
    “Goat, that dude must be some kind of Green Beret or somethin’. I never seen no dude move that fast.”
    “He did catch you; where the bodies at?”
    “Stop here!” The van squealed to a stop, Moe jumped out, and ran to the two bodies lying on the grass between two houses. “Here they are.”
    “This looks like shorty’s blade in Taco.”
    “It is; the dude threw Taco on it.” Moe looked around, “They couldn’t have gone far.”
    “Why not?”
    “I beat on her legs real good. She wasn’t going anywhere fast. They live at the top of the hill.”
    Goat looked up the hill and pointed toward the van, “Throw them in and let’s see if we can find em.”
    Moe and Kong