"What the hell is going on here?" Henry's voice echoed through the hall as he approached. His army of guards followed him.Henry stood over them now. "What is going on here?" His voice edged with anger.Jack jumped but thought quickly. They needed to maintain their cover. If Alex wasn't in a state to leave they would have to change their plans. "Sir, your wife has gone into labor," Jack said, still holding Alex's hand. "The doctor was here attending to another patient but isn't with an ambulance. I'm hoping more are on the way.""Someone call an ambulance!" Henry snapped. One of his guards held his earbud and requested it for him.Henry knelt in front of Alex's slumped form, careful not to step near the blood. "How's the baby?" He asked, his question directed towards Brooke."This isn't a good sign. The baby's heartbeat is weak.""James." Henry's green eyes penetrated Jack's. "I need you right now. Can you cover for me in the debate while I deal with these doctors? As soon as I g
Jack slapped his legs nervously as he waited impatiently in the waiting room. The nurses were just finishing up something with Alex and then they would be back to collect him. His stomach was in knots. He didn't know what condition she would be in when he saw her.Finally, the nurse appeared and beckoned him to follow. She led him down the private birthing suites to the room with the patient label of "Truex." He paused a moment and took a deep breath, then pushed the door open."Good morning!" He said cheerfully."Good Morning, James! We're so happy you could visit our little family." Henry said, offering his hand in a welcoming handshake.Jack accepted heartily. "Congratulations! You must be so excited." Jack looked around. "Where is the new mom at?""Oh, Alexandra will be here in just a moment. Just went to relieve herself. Here, come see my boy."Jack stepped over to the crib and looked at the newborn who was just a few days old. His skin was still pink and he was very small,
Jack smiled as Henry entered the crowded room."Are they about to announce it?" Zeven asked."In just a few minutes. They are recounting the last neighborhood," Jack answered."I can't believe how close it is," Fisco said from the other chair.Henry sat in the chair that was decorated as a throne. Four Alphas stood ready to lift it when the announcement came. The room was crowded with everyone who had worked on the campaign and almost as many security guards. The threat of assassination was a serious concern. Jack was a little disappointed he couldn't be the one to do it, but he needed to find out where they had stashed the real Alex.The news correspondent on the TV stood up for the announcement and Zeven increased the volume with a wild flourish of his hand."And now reporting in, all neighborhoods. And Truex has the vote! He will be your next representative. This is history folks! A single man who has both a corporate vote and a people vote!"The sphere exploded with a roar.
Jack sat in his darkened pod as it sped after Henry's. He used the electronic map to scan and locate him every minute so that he would lower his chances of being detected. He'd been following him for about an hour now and was hoping that his prediction wasn't wrong.Over the last three months since the election, he'd been tracking Henry's every move. About once a month he disappeared in an unregistered pod off into the middle of the ocean. This time Jack had been ready. The blip on the map disappeared. Jack guided the pod to the last location and sent out the sonic scanners to map the area. There was a large building in the shape of a volcano in front of him that was completely black. It looked like a giant black tower. The electromagnetic field pushed the water away from it as it stretched down its long surface.This was it! This is where Alex was. A secret research facility that was almost impossible to find out in the middle of nowhere. Of course! Where else would she be! Jack not
Henry slammed his fist into Alex's jaw. The pain spiked through her teeth sending jolts of pain and stars to her brain. She blinked a few times trying to clear them from her vision."I am so sick of your shit." He pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger to force her eyes to him. "I have no need of you now. I have won. This campaign is over and your efforts to escape have been fruitless. Just submit already."The building shuttered and Henry released his grip. He looked to the ceiling as bits of dust shook loose and floated freely.Alex felt a draw deep in her stomach. Was it him? Had he finally come for her? She pulled at her chains that held her arms behind her back.Henry heard the clink of the chains as she moved and backhanded her. "This is your doing, isn't it?"He unhooked her chains and marched her ahead of him like a human shield. He flung the door open and pushed her through. The guards scattered to find the source of the noise."Move." His hands at her back pr
Alex awoke in the medical bay. Shelves lined the walls with bandages, bottles of pills, and liquids. Her head felt fuzzy and her body ached. She pushed her up off the cot. Every motion was like a battle raging in her aching muscles. The large hospital gown hung off her and made her feel even more thin and frail. She set her foot gingerly on the cold floor and tested her weight, steadying herself by clutching the bed. After her weight settled, she crept forward toward the porthole.Dark blackness drifted by. She could barely tell that they were moving, but there was still a gentle rock to the building that made her feel like she was on a ship. She rubbed the back of her neck where the Vice had been. She remembered Jack's angry face when he saw what it did to her and smiled.The door behind her slid open. "I am so glad to see you awake," a familiar voice said from behind her."Brooke?" Alex swung her gaze from the window.Brooke gave her a gentle smile. "How are you feeling?""A lit
VOLUME THREE: FLUX: Future"We've been hit!" Azzie shouted over her shoulder. "Around fifty darts coming right for us.""Battle stations," Janice commanded into her headset. "We're under attack."Jack spun on his heel back to the bridge and lunged for a control station. He aimed the ship's turret and started picking off the darts with blasts of energy. The laser fire sliced through the water chasing after the enemy ships. His breath tightened and his heart jumped to his throat. They had to get clear of these. He'd fought too hard and too long to die now."Release the pods," his mother demanded over his shoulder into her comm. "Arrow attack formation. Use the ship as a shield. Claude, buff our energy shields.""Yes, ma'am."The lights dimmed. Jack pressed the button on his large gun to dissipate the energy near its protrusion and began laying down cover fire."Now, attack!" Janice ordered. Her eyes never left the screens as she watched the battle taking place from every view that
Tom led Alex down the hall to the conference room where they took a seat. The look on her face was still that of shock."I can't believe you're alive..." she stammered. "Henry, he showed me the video of you dying in action. I saw your dead body."Tom reached out for her hands. They felt cold and clammy. "I'm okay. I'm here now."Her eyes looked up into his, "Lexi..." she whispered."I know. She's mine. She's half-human."Alex nodded absently. "There was so much I wanted... so much we couldn't. What happened to you?"Tom squeeze her hand. "I got a note from you saying you never wanted to see me again. Of course, I thought it was a ploy, but I messaged, I called, and I got more notes saying horrible things you hated about me. I still didn't give up and after two years I was arrested for tax evasion and woke up in a research facility with my rights stripped away."Alex squeezed his hand back. "What did they do to you?" She asked in a whisper.Tom shrugged. "Genetic research. Looki