The Midnight Mercenary

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Book: Read The Midnight Mercenary for Free Online
Authors: Cerberus Jones
Tags: Ebook
nodded. ‘Well, Len should be OK in a couple of hours. He just needs rest to get over the trauma, and he’ll need to stay here, now his holo-emitter is broken.’
    Len didn’t say anything. He just shuddered.
    There was a soft choking noise, but it wasn’t Len. Amelia gazed at James coolly.
    â€˜What’s wrong with him?’ said Charlie. ‘Does he have a salt allergy too? I can get another bucket of water.’
    â€˜H-how …?’ James stammered. ‘W-what …?’
    â€˜That’s right, James,’ said Amelia. ‘He’s an alien.’
    â€˜A Lellum,’ Derek added. ‘One of the few to escape his dying home world. This little group tonight are almost all that is left of the whole Lellum race.’
    James struggled to his feet, disgust twisting his face. ‘But that’s not … you can’t … I won’t …’ He clapped both hands over his mouth and stared again. He looked at Len’s gelatinous grey body, the trails of silver slime that sparkled in the candlelight where Len had thrashed around, and the undeniably freaky sight of one of Len’s eyeballs telescoping out of his head on its antenna and swivelling around to look at James.
    James ducked his head, swore, then looked back again at Len. ‘It’s all true, isn’t it?’ he moaned. ‘Every bit of it. It’s all true …’
    He drew in a deep breath, and Amelia braced herself. She wasn’t sure for what – maybe James would scream. Or shout. Or get angry and attack Len. What she didn’t expect was that he would sink back to the floor, roll himself into a ball and begin sobbing quietly.
    â€˜Are you serious?’ Amelia hissed at him, kicking the sole of his shoe. ‘You finally wake up to reality and this is all you’ve got? You’re the worst , James.’
    â€˜So what now?’ said Charlie. He was squatting in front of Len, looking at the alien with interest. ‘Do we just hang out here until Krskn comes to get us or what?’
    The mention of the name was electric. A ferocious look of surprise flashed over Derek’s face, and Len writhed in another explosive sneeze. A wave of mucus flew out of his mouth, smothering Charlie’s whole lower body.
    Charlie snorted at himself in amusement. ‘Oh, man! I’m saturated. Still,’ he nodded at Len respectfully, ‘cool defensive reaction. I wish I had one. Hey, Amelia – imagine Sophie T’s face if I could do this. Oh – hey!’ He slapped at his arms and legs. ‘This itches – it burns – ow! Hey, Len – ow! You’re hardcore!’
    Derek shook his head. ‘Get him out of here, Amelia. Take him somewhere he can towel it off his skin. Don’t try to wash it, it’ll only get worse.’
    â€˜Got it,’ said Amelia.
    Despite his cocky attitude, Charlie was beginning to look scared. ‘It really hurts, Amelia,’ he whispered.
    She heard a sharp yelp outside the window. Was that Grawk? Derek looked startled, but only said, ‘Quickly, before he blisters.’
    Amelia couldn’t think about anything else. She rushed Charlie from the room.

Bundling Charlie through the library and out to the lobby, Amelia ignored all the gasps of dismay, even Mary’s. Her only thought was to get Charlie upstairs as quickly as she could and cover him in towels.
    She’d forgotten to take a candle with her, but there was enough light from the candelabra on the reception desk for her to make out the twin staircases.
    â€˜Come on, Charlie,’ she urged. ‘We’ll go up to the guest wing. It’s not far.’
    He only whimpered in reply, but let her drag him on.
    At the top of the stairs it was pitch-black, but the linen closet was at the end of the corridor, and it would be faster to do it blind than run back for a candle. Amelia ran her hand along the wall and counted the doorways, Charlie

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