The Last Hero

by Nathaniel Danes

  The Last Revenge

  By

  Nathaniel Danes

  The Last Hero Series Book 2

  Prologue

  Nathan York had managed to survive twenty-five years in the dangerous world of United Earth Systems’ Internal Security in part by convincing everyone around him that he had no fear. This was a lie, one he had become quite skilled at executing.

  As the elevator plunged deeper and deeper into the crust of a planet only referred to as P-1425X, he did find it increasingly difficult to pretend he wasn’t claustrophobic.

  A bead of sweat released from behind his ear. Fortunately, it was the ear opposite his escort. He remained still.

  Mercifully, the small box touched down with a thud. The doors slid opened to reveal an awe-inspiring chamber of massive scale. He stepped out smoothly. Glancing around, he pretended to be unimpressed by the room carved from solid rock over ten kilometers below the surface.

  Inside, he was dumbstruck.

  The race capable of constructing this dome of space, five by three kilometers with a three hundred meter high ceiling, possessed an understanding of engineering in far excess of humanity. An engineering feat that was thousands of years old.

  The marvel itself didn’t impress him. What it represented did. The chamber’s construction took great knowledge. To him, knowledge was power and power was the only thing he respected.

  “Most people get off the elevator and have to pick their jaw off the floor,” his escort, Research Assistant Natalie Woods said.

  He shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a tough man to impress.”

  “I see. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to Dr. Parker’s office. Maybe she can find a way to impress you.”

  He followed, tiny pebbles cracked under their feet. Staying a few paces back, he examined the young woman’s shapely figure and long black hair. The formfitting overalls hugged her curves in all the right ways. Planning his conquest of her, he admired her carefully. If she noticed, she’d know his feelings, his intentions, and that was unacceptable.

  Knowledge is power.

  To Nathan York, there were no simple matters in life. Every endeavor, from maintaining the peace between the nations on Earth and the colonies, to sex, was a game. Every game’s winner was determined by advantages. He preferred to have all the advantages.

  She stopped outside one of many plain square buildings. “The doctor is in here. She’s expecting you.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Woods.” He smiled.

  “No problem, Dr. Stone,” she replied referring to his cover identity. “Let me know if there is anything I can do to aid your work.” Her face lit up. “I’ll be seeing you around.”

  He pretended to thumb through a file as he watched her stroll away. She glanced back with a wide grin. It quickly turned to a frown once she realized his eyes didn’t follow her. He allowed himself a sinister smile once she looked away.

  She’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet.

  He entered the building, several lab techs hovered over workstations. His trained eye quickly found his target. “Hello, Dr. Parker.”

  An aging woman, using a handheld scanner to study a chuck of silver metal, looked up. “Dr. Stone, I presume.”

  “That’s me.”

  Parker handed the artifact to a lab tech. “Here, please continue the scans while I welcome our visitor. Please, follow me, Dr. Stone.”

  Entering through a side door the pair, they went into her barren office. Bland furniture and a picture of the doctor with a trio of young children were the room’s only decorations. She reached under her desk to press a button.

  “We can talk freely now, Mr. York.”

  He ran his hands on the back rim of a chair before sitting. “How have things been going lately, Caroline?”

  “Splendid. There isn’t a day we don’t learn something new here.”

  He crossed his legs and arms. “Caroline, you and I both know that if that were the case, the Director wouldn’t have had me travel halfway across the universe to kick your operation in the ass.”

  Leaning over her desk she countered, “We’re making progress. Steady progress every day.”

  “Steady, isn’t fast enough. The Director wants results and wants them yesterday. You’ve been here for one year.” He held up a finger. “The war is going well. Maybe too well. Once the external pressure is removed, humanity will start to fracture. It will be up to Internal Security to maintain the peace. To maintain order and obedience. No small task. Can you point to a single tangible improvement in our field capabilities as a result of your research?”

  She went to speak, but he preemptively waved off her words. “No. The answer to the question is, no.”

  “Mr. York, I understand your frustration. I do believe, however, that you and the Director fail to appreciate how delicate this work is. We are dealing with alien technology. Ancient and advanced beyond anything we’ve seen before. Moving too fast could destroy whatever it is we hope to discover.”

  “The Director didn’t ascend to his position by allowing excuses in place of results.” His face toughened. “You can consider yourself on notice.”

  She swallowed softly and her skin tone paled a little. So minor was her reaction to the warning that only a trained eye could catch it.

  A trained eye did.

  I have you.

  She straightened. “I may have something. Something big to report soon.”

  “What would that be?”

  Scrolling on a sheet of e-paper she selected a file. Passing it across the desk, she said, “As you know, we’ve found very few intact items in this chamber. Something happened here that caused a fair amount of destruction...”

  He ignored the document and flipped his wrist. “Spare me the repeat of information I’m already aware of.”

  She planted her fists on her desk and locked gazes with his cold eyes. “Did you know we discovered another chamber below this one? It’s sealed and undisturbed.”

  “No.” His eyes bulged, a rare betrayal of emotion. He kicked himself for the slip immediately.

  Her weathered lips stretched into a grin.

  “When can you access the room?” he asked.

  “We just discovered this chamber a few days ago. We’ll begin digging tomorrow. From there, it’s difficult to predict a timetable. I assure you that we will move as fast as possible,”

  “For your sake, I hope you are right.” He stood. “If you don’t mind, I’m tired and would like to settle into my room.”

  “Of course, let me call Natalie over here and she can show you to your quarters.”

  “Thank you.” He smiled wide.

  She drew back at the sight. It was like a rattlesnake had licked its lips.

  Chapter 1: Bloodlust Bond

  A heavy cold spring rain pelted Trent as he silently stood over his daughter’s fresh grave. His Legion Blacks were soaked as he stared at the gray headstone. He paid no attention to the miserable weather. In fact, he rather preferred the dark clouds overhead. They fit the mood his soul wallowed in.

  It had been three days since he discovered the war with the Bearcats was based on a clever Kitright lie. For three days, he’d floated through life in a state of deep depression.

  Looking around, he took a small amount of comfort in the beautiful landscape surrounding the grave. Well-kept grass, gently rolling hills, a scattering of oak trees, and flowerbeds created a peaceful scene.

  The funeral had ended thirty minutes ago. Mourners had rushed to escape the rain. Save for a drenched Amanda standing guard, he was alone.

  Others found saying good-bye easier. Why shouldn’t they? Anna’s death had been expected for some time. There had been ample opportunity to wrap up loose ends and to say final words. His service in the Legion had taken away a lifetime with Anna, only allowing him a few pitiful minutes at the end, a sorry exchange.

  “I’m sorry, Anna,” he said to the cold slab of granite. “You were an innocent causality of this God
forsaken war. I’d always believed our shared sacrifice at least meant something. Now, I know it was all for a lie.”

  He took a knee, not caring that it laid in a muddy puddle. Gripping the headstone with both hands, he lowered his forehead onto the hard surface.

  Cold. So cold. Just like my heart.

  “I promised your mother long ago that I’d make those responsible for this war pay. I now make the same promise to you. The target has changed, but the result will be no different. A river of blood will flow from the Kitright home world across the stars to this very spot.”

  Rising, he patted the top of the stone, just as he’d done so many times to Anna’s head. He closed his eyes to imagine that curly haired bundle of childish energy and curiosity. Forevermore, she’d only existed in his mind and heart.

  Making an about face, he walked toward Amanda. Even soaking wet with her blonde hair tucked under her black cap she looked lovely.

  He tried hiding his pain with a grim look of determination draped across his face. It was good enough to fool most people. He knew it wouldn’t fool Amanda. In her eyes, he saw that she understood the veneer of bravado concealed a mountain of pain.

  She embraced him.

  He knew she wanted to do more to sooth her lover’s aching heart. He couldn’t think of anything else that could help.

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  She pulled back, keeping ahold of his shoulders. “Whatever for?”

  He took her face into his hands. “You deserve better,” Her brown almond shaped eyes gazed back at him. “You desire to have a life, a real life of your own. Back on Earth’s Fist, I said our war was over. That we could settle down. Things have changed though. I can’t quit the fight. I don’t know when I’ll be able to. You should...”

  She pulled his hands down, gripping them hard. “Stop. Don’t say it. You have nothing to apologize to me for. I’m not going anywhere. You’re my family now, my life. If you can’t quit the fight, then I can’t quit the fight.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I can’t offer anything but death, blood, metal, and the coldness of space.”

  The rain poured down even harder. Lightning flashed off in the distance, a moment later thunder washed over them.

  “Don’t forget. Yours is not the only life stolen by the Kitrights.” Her eyes narrowed. “I want my pound of flesh too.”

  Their shared rage, their bloodlust bond, made him love her even more.

  He kissed her. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” She jerked to attention and saluted. “Colonel. What’s next?”

  “We get Hido. Together we will collect the evidence we need to convince our governments to unite against the real enemy.”

  “How do we do that?”

  A lightning flash illuminated his face, highlighted a sick grin. “We’re arranging a little meeting between him and the Kitright Ambassador.” The thunderclap punctuated his point, as if the heavens approved.

  About the Author:

  Nathaniel Danes is a self-diagnosed sci-fi junkie and, according to his wife, has an over active imagination. Mostly blind, he writes to create universes where he has no limitations. He lives with his wife and daughter in the Washington, DC area.

  Acknowledgments:

  To all the science fiction writers that came before me, thank you. The universes of your creation both entertained and inspired me to write my own.

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