First Strike by Jack Higgins

Author:Jack Higgins [Higgins, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-08-19T03:00:00+00:00

refreshing him. Close by an owl hooted. He noted the moon had risen. Where the hell was he?

In a vivid rush of memories he recalled the fight with the Hatchlings. He

remembered tackling the mutant behind the log and tumbling to the turf, trying to draw his switchblade from his right pocket. A hard object had slammed into his head and he'd gone down.

That was it.

So why was he still alive?

Kraft went to sit up and discovered his wrists and ankles were tied, his

hands behind his back. And his guns and backpack were missing! He was a prisoner!

But where were Blade and the others?

An inky form materialized before him. "So, human! You are awake!" Kraft

recognized the hideous outline of a Hatchling. "Are you the one who caught me?"

"I am Siad," the hybrid stated.

"Where am I. Where's my blood?" Kraft queried.

"In your body," Siad said. "You are not bleeding.""

"Not that kind of blood, Franky," Kraft stated. "I mean my brothers on the Force. Where are they?"

"How should I know?" Siad replied.

"I don't get this, man. How come I'm still kicking?" Kraft inquired.

"Would you prefer to be dead?" Siad rejoined.

"Cut the crap, jerk!" Kraft snapped. "Come clean."

"I bathe regularly," Siad said.

Kraft shook his head. "This ain't for real! This can't be happening!"

"This is happening," Siad remarked.

"Where are you taking me, Franky?" Kraft asked.

"I told you my name is Siad," the hybrid declared. "Why do you persist in calling me Franky?"

"Can you read?" Kraft questioned.

Siad didn't respond.

"Can you read, Franky?" Kraft repeated.

"Yes, I can read," Siad stated curtly. "Although why bother? All there is to read is human drivel."

"Well, I can read too," Kraft said proudly. "My dad taught me. You see, I spent most of my childhood and teen years in the Twin Cities. Do you know where that is?"

"Who cares?" Siad replied.

"The Twin Cities are in Minnesota," Kraft detailed. "Minneapolis and St. Paul, they were called. They're a wreck now. I was raised there."

"Of what interest is this babble to me?" Siad asked.

"You wanted to know why I call you Franky," Kraft reminded the mutant. He was eager to continue the conversation, to buy time while he worked on the rope or whatever bound his wrists.

"I'm sorry I asked," Siad quipped.

"Years ago gangs took control of the Twin Cities," Kraft went on. "They were always fighting over their turf. I belonged to one of those gangs. The Porns."

Siad raised his head and sniffed the air. "I trust there is a point to all this?"

"Yeah. There is. I came across this far-out deal once in the basement of a demolished house.. It wasn't exactly a book. I don't know what it was. There were a lot of color pictures, drawings, and stuff in it, I'd never seen anything like it. Books and magazines were scarce in the Twins. Most of them had been burned, used for fuel during the winter. The one I found was a real turn-on," Kraft said. Siad yawned.

"Part of the front page was missing," Kraft went on. He was rubbing his wrists together, striving to loosen the loops binding them.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.