The Ascension: A Super Human Clash Read Free Page B

Darrien Klaus had adored his wife, given her everything, but somehow that hadn’t been enough for her. After a string of affairs she left Darrien for Rufus, who couldn’t be more opposite.
    As far as James was concerned, the only good thing to come out of their relationship was his half sister, Shiho. She was seven years old, small for her age, and as close to a tomboy as their mother and Rufus would allow.
    For the past two weeks James had begged his mother to allow Shiho to come with him to the farm for summer break, but his mother had refused: “I spent far too many years in that cesspit! You go if you want, but I’m not letting my only daughter anywhere near the place.”
    James tidied away his dad’s tools, left the barn, and made his way around to the front of the house.
    A voice from inside called, “That you, James?”
    â€œYep. Getting dark again. Looks like there’s more rain on the way.” James pulled off his boots and left them on the porch, then stepped into the kitchen.
    Faith was sitting at the desk in the corner, typing on the old Macintosh computer. She looked up as James filled a glass of water at the sink. “Hey. Your dad’s out in the north forty. Should be back soon—we can eat then.”
    James drained the glass in one go and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “Cool. What are we having?”
    â€œWhat do you want?”
    â€œWell, what have we got?”
    Faith smiled. “Oh, if only the fridge had some sort of doorlike mechanism that allowed people to open it up and have a look. You could…James, what on earth are you wearing?”
    He spread his hands to show her his gloves. “Made them myself. Y’know, for skateboarding. To protect my hands. What do you think?”
    A frown line creased Faith’s forehead. “Hmm…You’d have more protection with a helmet and kneepads. And speaking of your board,” she added, pointing to where it rested inside the door, “put that thing away. I nearly tripped over it twice.”
    James picked up the board and was about to reply when something caught his attention. He looked out the window at the darkening sky and concentrated, focused his hearing. Until a few moments ago he’d been able to hear his father humming to himself as he steered the rattling and rusty tractor across the fields toward the house. Now there was nothing. Not even his father’s heartbeat.
    He darted out of the house and skidded to a stop. He could hear his dad’s life signs again, but now they were coming from half a mile south of where they had been, and he was on foot.
    This is not possible, James thought. Then he glanced up. The sky was blue and cloudless. A perfect summer day.
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    In Midway, Abigail de Luyando looked on eagerly as Solomon Cord—Paragon—popped the trunk of his car. He’d parked in the alleyway behind Abby’s apartment block, and now that they were sure no one could see them, Cord said it was safe to show Abby what he’d brought for her.
    He lifted the large, cloth-covered object out of the trunk and began to unwrap it.
    â€œSo this is my new armor?”
    â€œArmor’s not ready yet, but this is way cooler!”
    To Abby it looked like a jumble of odd-shaped chrome bars and steel cables. The main part was hinged in two places, each section almost two feet in length, folded back on itself like the stems on a giant pair of spectacles. A thick cable was loosely strung between the opposite ends. Cord passed the device to her. “Not too heavy?”
    â€œNo. But what is it?”
    â€œYou’ll see.” He pointed to the middle section. “Keep that part vertical, and hold the grip here, in your left hand. That’s it. Arm straight out by your side. OK…Now, see that switch next to your thumb? Well, hit that.”
    Abby flipped the switch, and the whole device seemed to jump in her hand. It happened faster