The Lazarus Particle by Logan Thomas Snyder

Author:Logan Thomas Snyder [Snyder, Logan Thomas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Logan Thomas Snyder
Published: 2014-06-28T07:00:00+00:00

27 • KALIFKA BAZAAR

“C’mon, Dell!”

“You’ve got this, man, you’ve got this.”

“One more! Just give me one more!”

Dell could barely hear the voices cheering him on over the sound of his pulse pounding in his ears. His legs shook, threatened to fold and betray him before he even attempted the last rep. Slowly, he began to let the weight down, bringing his knees back into his chest. Holding it while he gathered himself for the final push. Here was the real test. Every muscle burned with outrage, threatened rebellion and revenge. Now or never. Bearing down hard on his own jaw, eyes squinched shut and nostrils flaring, Dell fired his legs upward with one last burst of adrenaline to a chorus of raucous cheers and applause. Torrey and Breed were there immediately, quick to rack and secure the weight. That done, Torrey offered Dell a hand. He took it without hesitation, gratefully allowing his sister’s boyfriend to haul him onto rubbery, uncertain legs. Not that Torrey had any intention of letting him fall. Breed handed him a towel and a water bottle straight out of the cooler.

“I swear, you’re an animal, Dell!” Torrey clapped him on the shoulders, grinning broadly. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Breed nodded. “Me, either. It’s like you never even died, man.”

“Hey.” Alexia needled Breed with a sharp elbow to the ribs. “Can we not with that?”

“Sorry.” Breed rubbed his side gingerly. “My bad.”

“You did great, Dell.” She leaned in close to kiss his still-flushed cheek. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks, guys,” he said, his breath still catching up with the rest of him. He took a sip of water from the bottle, toweled at his face. “So, what’s next?”

Torrey shook his head. “Nah, you’re done for the day, tough guy.”

“Aw, c’mon. I’ve still got more in the tank.”

“Good news for me,” a new voice sounded from the edge of the gym.

“Commander on deck!”

“Give us the room, people.” Commander Harm waited until the room was clear of everyone but the five of them before striding forward. Stopping before Dell, he took a moment to size up his protege before breaking into a toothy grin. “Now ain’t this one hell of a sight for some damn sore eyes,” he said, thrusting his hand out between them. “Put ‘er there, son.”

Grinning back, Dell took his friend and mentor's offered hand with gusto. “Damn good to see you, too, sir.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Hundred percent,” Dell said, and for a man who had been as good as dead not forty-eight hours earlier, he looked it. “Never better, actually.”

“It’s amazing, Commander. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Torrey said for the second time in as many minutes.

“Think you’re ready to get back in the saddle?”

Alexia blanched. “Commander, no…”

“Absolutely!” Dell said quickly, overriding his sister’s concern. He was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet at the prospect. “What’s the mission profile?”

“Resupply run.”

“How do we even have the capital for that after being blockaded for so long?” Alexia wondered.

“It turns out our fugitive friends are a bit more flush than we might have given them credit for.

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