Read The Phoenix Crisis for Free Online Page B

why am I looking at your
ugly face again? Back for more?”
    “ No, the information you
already gave me on Calvin has proven interesting enough. And I’m
quite sure that it’s all you have to offer.”
    “ And the information you
gave me about the ship heading to the lycan base on Echo Three
proved most accurate as well.”
    “ Our first and last business
together,” said Alex. He’d only exchanged information with the
young, foolish human informant because in his assessment of the
risk there wasn’t much chance the young human could get word out to
his superiors in Intel Wing. Apparently Alex had misjudged the
boy’s craftiness. It was almost worthy of a Rotham. Almost.
    Unfortunately that meant Patrick had become
both a loose end and a liability. A threat to the ship, Alex’s
mission, and now Alex himself. Gaining information about Calvin to
potentially be used as leverage against him—as a means to protect
himself—was only natural, Alex was Advent after all. But the loss
of the Nighthawk, especially if it occurred before the isotome
weapons were totally destroyed, would have been a tremendous
victory for the Rahajiim. And that was unacceptable. Which meant
lights out for Patrick, the only one who could implicate Alex in
the leaked intelligence.
    Alex moved into the cell and climbed up on
the bench.
    “ What are you doing?” asked
Patrick. He shifted position, tightening up defensively. Perhaps he
expected Alex to attack him. Judging by the bruise on his neck,
rumoredly given to him by the ship’s female XO, Alex doubted
Patrick was interested in another physical melee. So he ignored the
boy and got to work. But he kept his ears alert and would glance
down at the young captive every few seconds, just to make sure he
wasn’t thinking of doing something stupid—and horribly
inconvenient—like escape.
    “ I said, what are you
doing?” asked Patrick a little louder this time. Alex continued to
ignore him. He opened the air flow control panel and adjusted some
settings. With tools that Tara had furnished him, that fit
conveniently into his pockets, and the electric discharge of a
common stunner, he sabotaged the alarm, a primary air filter, and
one of the small furnaces.
    “ You know when the Nighthawk
is taken into custody, I’ll be free and my name will be clear. And
when it is, I’m taking everybody here down,” said Patrick. Alex
glanced down at him to see the hot fire in Patrick’s defiant eyes.
“Especially you .”
    “ Well, let me know how that
turns out,” said Alex. When he was finished he replaced the cover
and stepped down. He gave Patrick a Rotham smirk, an expression
that either frightened or disgusted the young human, and then Alex
stepped out of the cell. He closed the force field, then went to an
air access control panel on the other side of the room. He checked
several of the settings, making minor adjustments, and then fried
the non-essential components with the stunner.
    “ I don’t know what you think
you’re up to, but I won’t forget that you were here. Next time
anyone comes to question me, I’m spilling my guts and telling them
everything about you. Everything about our little deal. How’s
that?” Patrick said, raising his voice over the hum of the force
field. “That’s right you Rotham scum, your days are
numbered.”
    What a coincidence, your minutes are
numbered. And it’s not a big number.
    “ Guess you got me,” said
Alex. He gave the prisoner a wave and then left. On his way out he
walked past Tara who’d been guarding the doorway leading to the
elevator.
    “ Is it finished?” she asked.
He hadn’t entrusted her with the exact details of his plan, but she
understood that Alex was there for some vengeance—not technically
true, but he supposed it was true enough.
    “ It’s finished.”
     

Chapter 4
     
    Calvin gave his dispatches and final
instructions to the crew members being diverted to the Arcane
Storm. He’d already sent the remaining Polarians