Read The God Mars Book Six: Valhalla I Am Coming for Free Online Page B

Codename: Asmodeus.”
    “Assassin. Trained by the SENTAR-McCain SIT Project
Beta Phase. Suspected of numerous homicides, many of them ordered
by the so-called Triad Conspiracy,” Jackson lets me know the
homework has been done. “Known for torturing and mutilating his
victims, sometimes sexually. Terminated by General—then
Colonel—Marcus Powell in 2026.”
    “And re-created using a combination of DNA
manipulation and simulated memories,” I complete the story.
    “Similar to the technology that’s made you into…
whatever you are,” Jackson barely pads his accusation. Then he
tilts his head at Lisa. “And her.”
    “I can’t prove that I’m not just a convincing
facsimile, if that’s what you mean.”
    “To what purpose?” he gets to the root of his fear.
“Who made you? Who controls you? Or do you really expect us
to believe that you’re somehow from the future?”
    I give him a lazy shrug.
    “We’re here. We’re certainly real enough. Feel free
to come up with whatever explanation for that that makes sense to
you.”
    Apparently he already has one, or his masters do:
    “We have good reason to believe a rogue group with
access to advanced nanotechnology research engineered the original
Disc drone attacks that resulted in the devastation and isolation
of Mars fifty-three years ago. These elements anticipated and
survived the nuclear bombardment, taking shelter with the ETE
personnel, influencing them to continue their agenda as well as
their illegal research in isolation, free of oversight or
restriction; research beyond all reason and responsibility. And you are the ultimate result: a weapon designed to wipe out
the human race.”
    He recites it like he believes it completely. I’m
sure he’s far from alone in that.
    “And what’s the point of wiping out the human race?”
I have to ask, just to see how far the madness goes.
    “ You are, Colonel, or whatever you are. You think you’re alive. You think you’re better than we are. Evolved. Superior. Whoever made you thinks they can make
themselves into something they think is better than human, to replace us. With things like you . They want to play
God. Maybe be God. To live forever, if you can call whatever
you are really alive.”
    Amazingly, he’s got a lot of that almost right.
Except it already happened. And it was the whole fucking human race
that decided to try to be more than human, minus a very few. And we did play gods. Even made ourselves a God, or a very
convincing substitute. Because we could. There was no more sinister
reason than that. We did it because we had the technology.
    “Minor flaw in your fantasy,” I point out. “You’ve
had a taste of what we are, what we can do. If we’re here to wipe
you out and replace you, why haven’t we done it already? Or do you
really think we’re just lulling you into some false sense of
security by helping and protecting you from the one monster who
actually would do exactly what you’re afraid of? And he
wouldn’t do it to replace you. He’d just wipe you out for the sake
of doing it.”
    “Asmodeus,” Richards lets me know he’s following
me.
    “And I thought that was Chang,” Jackson shifts to
ridicule. “Or can’t you ‘people’ keep your own con straight?”
    “Chang thought he was stopping a world full of
monsters,” I defend my former enemy, “stopping the very thing
you’re so terrified of from happening. You’d probably be allies if
you weren’t afraid of what he is and he could trust you not to go
down that path.”
    “He wants to make sure there won’t be nanotech
monsters in the world, but he brings one—an especially dangerous
one—with him?” Jackson throws back. “That’s even less believable
than the time travel story.”
    “So what is our ‘con,’ Colonel?” I push,
knowing I’ll probably regret wading in.
    “I think that’s pretty obvious: You convince us
you’re our friends, that you’re no threat to us, that you’re the
only hope