Annihilation - Finding Keepers (Annihilation Series (Book Seven}) Read Free Page B

Jake and the spider moved forward with a device. He held it close to Jake and pressed the handle. It immediately burst into flame and melted. An Algean appeared a moment later out of another silver screen and the spider said, “Don’t scan him!”
     
    “Why not?”
     
    “I just used a proxirose scanner and it melted. You need to move far enough away to make sure you don’t destroy the scanner.”
     
    The Algean nodded and teleported out of the room. Jake heard over the spider’s com, “I’m outside the building; beginning scan.”
     
    There was silence and the Spider looked at Cynthia who had a furrowed brow. After a long moment the spider asked, “Well, what does the scanner read?”
     
    “I have to teleport a new one in.”
     
    The Spider looked at Jake as he said, “Why is that?”
     
    “This one just melted as well.”
     
    Cynthia and the spider looked at Jake. Even he could tell that there was a high level of apprehension and maybe downright fear in their demeanor. The spider lifted his com, “We have found a Red Flag. I repeat; we have found a Red Flag. Please tell us what we should do.”
     

Chapter Two
    J ake was sitting in the control room of a small ship. Cynthia was sitting in the command chair wearing a Searcher’s uniform, staring at the screen on her chair’s arm. They had just teleported aboard from the casino and Jake still had the shackles on his ankles; Cynthia had helped him take his seat. “I don’t know why I had to bring you here,” she said to herself as she stared at her display.
     
    “Can you please tell me what this Red Flag business is all about?”
     
    Cynthia looked up from her display and sighed. “I just don’t know if I should. I’m waiting for someone to tell me what I should do. Please be patient and let me get a grip on what’s going on. I suspect we will be receiving visitors shortly who will explain everything.”
     
    “Are these restraints still necessary? I’m not going anywhere.”
     
    Cynthia asked, “B.C., do you have him locked in?”
     
    Jake heard a voice emanate from the walls, “Absolutely, Cyn.”
     
    Cynthia got up and used her bracelet to break the electronic field of the shackles and they fell away from Jake’s legs. They immediately disappeared.
     
    “Who is B.C.?”
     
    “My ship’s computer. B.C. is a shortened form of Big Cheese. It was one of my father’s favorite terms for big shots and it fits him quite well.”
     
    “I thought a ship’s computer had the same sex as the Searcher?”
     
    “That was true more than eight thousand years ago when computers were bonded and imprinted to the Searcher, but the newest models have cybernetic systems that are pretty much autonomous. They’re built right into the ship already active.”
     
    B.C. said, it allows us to be assigned to different Searchers without having to be reprogrammed.”
     
    Jake looked around and said, “Well, hello B.C.”
     
    “Hello, Jake. Boy, have you stirred up a hornet’s nest. I haven’t seen this much excitement since Cynthia took command.”
     
    Cynthia quickly said, “Not now, B.C. We need to wait for instructions.”
     
    “Why?”
     
    Cynthia struggled for an answer and said, “Because.”
     
    “I hate it when you do that; however, you’re probably right. We are treading in uncertain territory. Anyway, welcome aboard, Jake.”
     
    “Thank you, B.C.”
     
    Suddenly Cynthia’s com activated, “Permission to come aboard, Searcher.”
     
    Cynthia signed, “At last.” She pressed her com key and said, “Permission granted.”
     
    A silver screen appeared and a teenage girl stepped out of the silver screen. She was about five foot six inches tall, weighed about 125 pounds, and Jake thought she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. She had amazing hazel eyes and jet black hair that hung down below her shoulders. She was wearing a rose and blue colored formfitting jumpsuit that made her look regal. Then he recognized