Read The God Mars Book Three: The Devil You Are for Free Online

doubt any of these
people or things or whatever they are have been honest about
anything. Including conveniently saving my life. Which is why I wanted you to scan me, test everything. You’re absolutely
right to be cautious. I wasn’t sure I wasn’t some kind of
trap.”
    “Then why didn’t you just stay away?” He sounds like
that’s what he wanted for other reasons.
    “I’m here to report. And to get back to doing my job.
I was assuming I was still needed in that capacity.” My turn to get
testy.
    “I’m acting Planetary Commander now,” he announces
smugly, “at least until General Richards makes orbit in June.
Colonel Ava is assisting me as Ground Forces Commander.”
    “Who’s running Melas Three?” I really want to
know.
    “Lieutenant Colonel Jackson,” he decides to tell me.
“From my Lead Team. He’s also an ace pilot. He’ll be in charge of
getting aerial patrols going, leading the search for Chang, and for
other survivors. For outreach.” The last part sounded particularly
creepy.
    “What happened to the Nomad camp?” I turn the
interrogation on him. “I didn’t see it on the hike in.”
    He doesn’t answer, and Lisa and Halley don’t look
comfortable speaking in his presence. But they both give me hard
looks, like the news is bad.
    “What’s happened while I’ve been gone?”
    “That’s no longer any of your concern,” he finally
tells me where I stand. “Consider yourself medically relieved of
all duties, until further notice.”
    That’s funny, because medical leave should be
determined by a physician, not him. And Halley looks as stunned by
his proclamation as Lisa is.
    “Can I get out of here?”
    “That will need to be discussed up the ladder,” he
deflects like it’s not worth his time.
    “Can I at least get something to eat?”
    He almost seethes at my small defiance.
    “Get the man some breakfast,” he tells no one, then
turns and marches out.
     
    Deemed safe enough to at least be on the other side
of an isolation barrier with, the reunions come like I’m some
deeply emotional zoo display, as the people I’ve connected to file
into the observation area to capacity.
    “They really can’t kill you, can they?” Rick jokes,
probably happier to see me than he’s ever been.
    “Do you have any idea how much you scared us?” Tru is
in full tears, pressing her hand to the transparency.
“Asshole.”
    “It’s good to see you, Colonel,” Anton doesn’t seem
sure how to express it (or maybe he’s worried about something he
can’t say). Still, he looks like he could leap out of his
chair.
    “It’s damn good to see you, sir.” Rios.
    “You have no idea,” Kastl actually almost
gushes. Then catches himself, glances up at the sentry array
watching us. Everyone goes uncomfortably quiet. I let them know I
get it by looking directly into the cameras and giving a big fake
smile. Burns is probably watching, probably sending every second
back to his Earthside masters for scrutiny.
    “What happened to your ‘bodyguard’?” Lisa gets back
to questions. She’s slid to the back of the group, so they can’t
see her trying not to cry.
    “No idea,” I get back to partial truths. “No sign of
her when I came to.”
    “You think this ‘Ra’ did something to her?” Rios
wants to know. I remember how he and Sakina had bonded.
    I shake my head. “I don’t think so. I don’t
know.”
    “Earthside thinks this is all some ETE plot,” Tru
decides to damn discretion. “They think Chang is one of theirs. And
Ra. Some big game to keep Earth off their planet.”
    “Easier than accepting that someone has scarier tech
than the ETE do,” Anton figures.
    “One enemy versus two,” Rick condenses.
    “Let the man eat ,” Doc Ryder comes in with a
tray, slides it through the glove-box into my transparent cell.
It’s all fresh-grown and homemade. Fruit. Bread. Martian hummus.
Except for the coffee—probably part of recent shipments. I use the
exam table for a