Domination (A C.H.A.O.S. Novel) - By Jon Lewis Page 0,45

the surrounding area to make sure there weren’t any Thule, but the sheriff said that he had it covered, so they continued on to Sanctuary.

The drive took another four hours, leaving Colt ample time to come up with a good excuse as to why he had decided to stray from his orders. The only problem was that he couldn’t think of anything that sounded remotely believable.

“What if Glyph is right?” he said to Danielle. “What if they court-martial us?”

“For saving the world? I don’t think so,” she said. “Besides, you’re the new Phantom Flyer, remember? I doubt they’re going to court-martial the nation’s first official superhero.”

A couple of hours later they spotted a convenience store that was still open to the public, and even though they didn’t need to fill up with gas, Colt decided to pull over. It had been weeks since any of them had tasted soda, potato chips, or candy bars, and they loaded up to make up for lost time.

“This is truly fascinating,” Glyph said as he sniffed an open bottle of Orange Crush.

“Taste it,” Danielle said.

Glyph licked the rim and smacked his lips. “It’s quite sweet.”

“You have to chug it to get the whole effect,” Grey said.

“Yeah, like this,” Oz added before downing an entire bottle of Dr Pepper. When he was done, he smiled and released an outrageously loud belch as everyone laughed.

“I don’t understand,” Glyph said.

“Just drink it already,” Pierce said.

Glyph brought the bottle to his lips and tilted it back, downing the contents in three gulps. He blinked several times and then his eyes shot wide and he grabbed at his throat.

“What’s wrong with him?” Ethan said. “Is he dying or something?”

“Someone give him the Heimlich,” Grey said.

“Don’t look at me,” Pierce said and casually popped a Funyun into his mouth and licked his fingertips.

“Do something,” Danielle said as she grabbed Colt’s arm.

He was about to ask her what she wanted him to do when Glyph released the loudest and longest burp he had ever heard. When he was done, Glyph licked his lips and looked inside his empty bottle. “Do you think I could have another?”

It was closing in on ten o’clock by the time everyone loaded back into the van, and almost midnight when Colt saw the sign that welcomed them to Sanctuary, West Virginia, population 4,327.

“Pull over here,” Jonas said as they approached a billboard for the Blue Moon Diner, home of Ethel’s World-Famous Apple Cobbler.

“Where?” Colt asked.

“Anywhere. Just cut the lights so nobody sees us.”

Gravel crunched beneath the tires as Colt eased onto the shoulder and parked the van under the billboard. “Is this hidden enough, or should we cut down some branches and cover it up?”

“It won’t matter,” Jonas said as he slid the door open. “They already know we’re here.”

“How?” Pierce said. “Do they have a satellite pointed at us or something?”

“They just know.” Jonas climbed over a wooden fence and started walking across an empty field toward a line of trees.

“Where are you going?” Danielle asked, but he didn’t answer.

“I always wanted to live in the country. It’s so peaceful.” Stacy smiled as she looked up at the stars shining brightly in the sky overhead. It was the first clear night in weeks, and Colt watched as a cool breeze whipped through her ponytail.

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m following Hickman,” Pierce said as he shouldered his assault rifle and climbed the fence.

As they crossed the field, Colt picked up the scent of fear that Pierce kept masked under layers of arrogance and anger. It made him unstable. Unpredictable. Dangerous.

“Did you see that?” Ethan asked.

“See what?” Oz said.

“Up ahead in the tree.” Ethan stopped and lifted his assault rifle to his shoulder.

“Easy,” Oz said. “It’s probably Hickman.”

“There it is again, up in the branches!”

“Whatever you do, don’t—”

A loud bang echoed through the darkness as Ethan fired his weapon.

“What are you doing?” Oz ripped the rifle out of Ethan’s hand.

“Shooting an alien.”

“If they didn’t know we were here before, they do now,” Colt said.

They pressed forward, following Jonas into the trees as a gust of wind stirred up remnants of dead leaves left over from autumn. Colt stood with feet firmly planted, his eyes scanning the darkness as the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

: :

CHAPTER 32 : :

They found Jonas in an open pasture with his eyes locked on the particle analyzer that looked a lot like a smartphone. Wind swirled, blowing a light dusting of snow