Watching Over Us Read Free Page A

were. Unless…
    â€œ That’s it ,” Laurel shouted. The Luyten couldn’t read the defenders’ minds. That, after all, was the Luyten’s only advantage. They were outmanned, outgunned, in foreign territory, but they knew their enemy’s every move. If that advantage were neutralized…
    Laurel’s heart thumped wildly as she explained her hunch.
    *  *  *
    They crossed a backwoods country road, passed a tall peanut-processing machine—four tubes snaking into cylindrical tanks. Past that were open fields on either side.
    Although it made no sense, because the Luyten didn’t rely on their eyes to detect people, Laurel felt exposed as they walked in the open. She preferred having forest pressing tight on both sides. A mile on they hit a town. The tracks ran behind what passed for the main street—a dozen or so two-story buildings.
    â€œIf Laurel’s right, the starfish don’t stand a chance,” Jared was saying. He was walking up on his toes, head up like he could walk a thousand miles.
    Down the crossing street, Laurel caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye. She spun, pointed her rifle, was about to sound the alarm when she saw they were people. Two women, hurrying four young children along the sidewalk, each carrying an overstuffed backpack. Laurel was shocked to see people so far into enemy territory.
    â€œLieutenant?” she called, pointing. “People.”
    Lieutenant Carter paused, squinted at the little group. “Why don’t you take someone with you and check in with them, make sure they don’t need help? We’ll wait.”
    â€œYes, ma’am.
    â€œJared, come on,” Laurel called. Jared trotted after her.
    â€œHello,” Laurel said as she approached the group. The women greeted Laurel with cautious smiles. One was youngish, limping on a bad leg. The other was Laurel’s age, maybe a little older. The children were hollow-eyed, somewhat malnourished.
    â€œI didn’t know anyone was still living this far outside the cities,” Laurel said.
    â€œThere are a few of us,” the younger woman said. “Not many.”
    â€œDon’t you want to move somewhere safer?” Jared asked.
    â€œThere’s nowhere safer,” the older woman said. “We heard the starfish don’t necessarily go out of their way to kill children. So we keep our heads down, mind our own business. So far it’s worked.”
    There was a certain logic there. They were taking a risk, but who wasn’t?
    â€œNo offense, but we’d rather you all just go on your way before you draw their attention,” the older woman said.
    That hadn’t occurred to Laurel. As soldiers, they had targets on their backs, and here they were getting up close to children. “I’m sorry.” She headed toward her platoon. “We’ll be gone before you know it.”
    Laurel got the Lieutenant’s attention, motioned that they could start walking and that Laurel and Jared would catch up. The Lieutenant lifted her hand to give Laurel a thumbs-up just as her uniform burst into flames. Her helmet melted over her face.
    Before the Lieutenant’s blackened body dropped to the tracks, the heat gun hit Pete Casing. He’d opened his mouth to shout some order, but was burned before he could get it out.
    Troops fled in all directions, clutching their rifles. With Jared at her heels, Laurel took cover in the doorway of a paint store.
    The bark of rifle fire and adolescent screams rang out as three, four soldiers dropped, charred to stumps.
    Shaking, panting, Laurel scanned the buildings, trying to locate the enemy.
    A glimpse of bright emerald flashed in a second-story window across the street. As soon as she saw it, it was gone. The Luyten knew she’d seen it.
    Laurel leaped up, pulled a grenade from her belt, intending to toss it in the window before the thing could escape. As she hefted